PURPOSE: This study was conducted to identify the influence of nurse manager and peer group caring behaviors as perceived by nurses on intention to retention. METHODS: The participants for this study were 229 nurses who had worked for over 6 months in general hospitals located in J province. Survey data were analyzed descriptive statistics and t-tests, ANOVAs with Scheffé's post-hoc testing, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and hierarchical regression analysis. RESULTS: The scores for ‘manager and peer group caring behaviors’ and intention to retention were all at a moderate level, although the subjects perceived ‘peer group caring behaviors’ as higher compared to ‘manager caring behaviors’. There were significant differences in ‘manager caring behaviors’ scores by suitability for present working department and employment status and in ‘peer group caring behaviors’ scores by suitability for present working department. The factors influencing nurses' intention to retention were religion, suitability for present department, clinical experience of over ten years, ‘manager caring behaviors’, and ‘peer group caring behaviors’ CONCLUSION: To improve nurses' intention to retention, it may be necessary to alter the transfer and arrangement strategies of their working environments to better consider nurses' aptitude and competence, and thereby increase both manager and peer group caring behaviors.
Aptitude ; Employment ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Intention* ; Mental Competency ; Nurse Administrators* ; Peer Group*

To examine the expressed gene profile during encystation of Acanthamoeba castellanii Castellani, we used differentially expressed gene (DGE) screening by RT-PCR with 20 sets of random primers. From this analysis, we found that approximately 16 genes showed upregulation during encystation. We chose 6 genes, which had relatively higher expression levels, for further investigation. Based on homology search in database, DEG2 showed 55% of similarity with xylose isomerase, DEG9 showed 37% of similarity with Na P-type ATPase, and DEG14 showed 77% of similarity with subtilisin-like serine proteinase. DEG3 and DEG26 were identified as hypothetical proteins and DEG25 exhibited no significant similarity to any known protein. Encystation of Acanthamoeba has been suggested to be a process to resist adverse environmental or nutritional conditions. Further characterization studies of these genes may provide us with more information on the encystation mechanism of Acanthamoeba.
Acanthamoeba castellanii/*genetics/*growth & development ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; *Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Expression Regulation ; *Life Cycle Stages ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Protozoan Proteins/*genetics ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sequence Alignment ; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid ; Up-Regulation

Purpose: This study aimed to define and clarify the concept of colleague solidarity experienced by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A hybrid model method was used to investigate the dimensions, attributes, and definitions of the concept. In the theoretical phase, 20 articles selected through literature review by including nursing and related disciplines were analyzed. For the fieldwork phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with nine nurses who took care of infected patients with COVID-19 at Infectious Diseases Specialized Hospital. Results: The dimensions identified were consistently observed in the field phase, however, more attributes were found newly from the fieldwork phase. In the final phase, the concept of colleague solidarity among the nurses was found to have three dimensions with nine attributes. The interaction dimension had four attributes as voluntary support, mutual respect, open communication, and virtuous circle. The motivation dimension had two attributes of sense of communion and calling. Lastly, the relationship dimension had three attributes of unity, mutually equal relationship, and comradeship. Conclusions This study is meaningful in observing how the concept of colleague solidarity, which is relatively unfamiliar to domestic nurses, appears in the clinical field during a national crisis and analyzing the concept.

The taxonomy of Acanthamoeba spp., an amphizoic amoeba which causes granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and chronic amoebic keratitis, has been revised many times. The taxonomic validity of some species has yet to be assessed. In this paper, we analyzed the morphological characteristics, nuclear 18s rDNA and mitochondrial 16s rDNA sequences and the Mt DNA RFLP of the type strains of four Acanthamoeba species, which had been previously designated as A. divionensis, A. parasidionensis, A. mauritaniensis, and A. rhysodes. The four isolates revealed characteristic group II morphology. They exhibited 18S rDNA sequence differences of 0.2-1.1% with each other, but more than 2% difference from the other compared reference strains. Four isolates formed a different clade from that of A. castellanii Castellani and the other strains in morphological group II on the phylogenetic tree. In light of these results, A. paradivionensis, A. divionensis, and A. mauritaniensis should be regarded as synonyms for A. rhysodes.
Acanthamoeba/*classification/*genetics ; Animals ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics ; DNA, Ribosomal/genetics ; Phylogeny ; Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length ; RNA, Ribosomal, 18S/genetics

PURPOSE: This paper was conducted to validate the Korean version of the Peer Group Caring Interaction Scale (PGCIS-K) that measures caring behaviors as experienced by nursing students. METHODS: Translation of the PGCIS-K was validated through forward-backward translation methods. Survey data were collected from 218 nursing students in a nursing school. Construct validity and criterion-related validity were evaluated. Internal consistency and the Guttman split-half coefficient were calculated to assess reliability. RESULTS: The PGIS-K showed reliability except for 4 items (Cronbach's α=.91, Guttman split-half coefficient=.85), which were low (<.30) or negatively correlated with the total scale. A 12-item reduced form of the PGCIS-K was developed by item-analysis and construct validity evidence. Factor loading for the 12 items on 2 factors ranged from .47~.82, which explained 58.4% of the total variance. Two factors were named 'modeling and assistance (Cronbach's α=.87)' and 'communication and sharing (Cronbach's α=.82)'. Convergent validity, discriminant validity, and criterion validity were supported according to the correlation coefficients of the 2 factors with other measure. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest preliminary evidence that the 12-item PGCIS-K can be used to measure nursing students' peer group caring interactions in Korea. Additional studies are recommended to continue the psychometric evaluation of this scale. Also, it can be extended to measure graduate nursing students or staff nurses' peer group caring interaction.
Empathy ; Humans ; Korea ; Nursing ; Nursing Care ; Peer Group* ; Psychometrics ; Reproducibility of Results* ; Schools, Nursing ; Students, Nursing

Actin binding proteins play key roles in cell structure and movement particularly as regulators of the assembly, stability and localization of actin filaments in the cytoplasm. In the present study, a cDNA clone encoding an actin bundling protein named as AhABP was isolated from Acanthamoeba healyi, a causative agent of granulomatous amebic encephalitis. This clone exhibited high similarity with genes of Physarum polycephalum and Dictyostelium discoideum, which encode actin bundling proteins. Domain search analysis revealed the presence of essential conserved regions, i.e., an active actin binding site and 2 putative calcium binding EF-hands. Transfected amoeba cells demonstrated that AhABP is primarily localized in phagocytic cups, peripheral edges, pseudopods, and in cortical cytoplasm where actins are most abundant. Moreover, AhABP after the deletion of essential regions formed ellipsoidal inclusions within transfected cells. High-speed co-sedimentation assays revealed that AhABP directly interacted with actin in the presence of up to 10 micrometer of calcium. Under the electron microscope, thick parallel bundles were formed by full length AhABP, in contrast to the thin actin bundles formed by constructs with deletion sites. In the light of these results, we conclude that AhABP is a novel actin bundling protein that is importantly associated with actin filaments in the cytoplasm.
Transfection ; Sequence Analysis, DNA ; Sequence Alignment ; Microscopy, Electron, Transmission ; Microfilament Proteins/*chemistry/genetics/*metabolism ; EF Hand Motifs ; DNA, Complementary ; Culture Media ; Cloning, Molecular ; Animals ; Amino Acid Sequence ; Actins/*metabolism ; Acanthamoeba/genetics/growth & development/*metabolism

PURPOSE: The length of a patient's stay in a hospital is an indication of the patient's recovery rate. The length of the hospital stay has an important economic factor for hospitals. This study was conducted to determine the relationship of the nutritional status at the time of admission to mortality and the length of the hospital stay (LOHS). METHODS: The study subjects were 1,619 patients who suffered with cancer, were admitted to Kosin University Gospel Hospital during 2005 and they met the study criteria. The patients were classified to the not at risk group, the patients having one risk factor for malnutrition were the I group, the patients having two risk factors for malnutrition were the II group, the patients having three risk factors for malnutrition were the III group and the patients having 4 risk factors for malnutrition were the IV group, based on the established criteria of serum albumin <3.0 g/dl, a total lympocyte count of <1,500 cells/mm3, a cholesterol level of > or =240 mg/dl or < or =130 mg/dl, weight for height > or =120% or <90% ideal body weight. RESULTS: 24.3% of the patients were classified into the not at risk group, 37.6% were classified into the at risk group I, 24.2% were classified into the at risk group II, 10.3% were classified into the at risk group III and 3.6% were classified into the at risk group IV. The at risk group (at risk III, at risk IV) had a significantly higher prevalence of liver disease. The relationship between liver disease and low serum albu-min levels may have confounded the data. Although the estimated LOHS was similar in all the groups, the average length of stay was 14.4+/-16.38 days in the malnourished group (at risk group IV) compared to approximately 2.8 days in the not at risk group. The more nutritional risk factors the patients had, the longer was the LOHS and the mortality rates were higher. Correlation was not observed between the risk factors and the length of the hospital stay, as well as the lack of correlation with the mortality rate. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that a patient's nutritional status upon admission has an effect on the length of the hospital stay for patients with carcinoma.
Cholesterol ; Humans ; Ideal Body Weight ; Length of Stay* ; Liver Diseases ; Malnutrition ; Mortality* ; Nutritional Status* ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Serum Albumin

OBJECTIVES: According to the recent Korean National Police Agency report, rape victims were 17.1%, but sexual molestation victims were more than the rape victims by 78.0%. Despite many international reports about the occurrence of severe psychiatric symptoms in sexual molestation victims, there is no domestic research. Therefore in this study, we investigated psychiatric symptoms of sexual molestation victims, and we also compared it with psychiatric symptoms in rape victims. METHODS: 58 women who visited Busan Smile Center within 3months after sexual violence were the study subjects. Questionnaire about sociodemographic and sexual violence related characteristics were retrospectively investigated. Of the psychiatric symptoms, Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), Beck Anxiety Inventory(BAI) for severity of depression and anxiety, and Impact of Event Scale-Revised(IES-R) to check the presence of posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) symptoms were used. RESULTS: Of 58 sexual violence victims, sexual molestation victims were 36(62.1%) and rape victims were 22(37.9%). In sexual molestation victims, 80.6% had more than moderate severity of depression, 83.3% had more than moderate severity of anxiety, and 94.4% had significant scores at PTSD screening test. Compared with rape victims' psychiatric symptoms(each 95.5%, 95.5%, 95.5%) there were no significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of sexual molestation victims were also accompanied by depression, anxiety and PTSD symptoms as rape victims. There results suggest that appropriate assessment and early treatment for psychiatric symptom must be made in the early stage of injury in sexual molestation victims.
Adult* ; Anxiety ; Busan ; Depression ; Female* ; Humans ; Mass Screening ; Police ; Rape* ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Offenses ; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the differences in accessing regional hospitals and the utilization rate of hospitals located in other regions for cancer patients by regions. METHODS: Data for the utilization of regional hospitals for cancer patients were obtained from the Korean National Cancer Incidence Databases in 1999 and 2002. We divided the regions into 16 provinces by administrative districts. We using the SAS 9.1.3 to analyze difference of regional self-sufficiency and the Arcview 3.2 to show in a schematize for regional variation of the regional self-sufficiency. RESULTS: There were regional variations in the regional self-sufficiency of cancer patients. Especially, Jeollanam-do(1999 13.6%, 2002 12.8%), Gyeongsangbuk-do(1999 22.0%, 2002 20.7%), and Chungcheongnam-do(1999 27.8%, 2002 27.1%) had low regional self-sufficiency. The regional self-sufficiency in Gyeonggi-do and utilization rate of cancer patients who lived in other regions were increased between 1999 and 2002(regional self-sufficiency: 1999 37.2%, 2002 48.2%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study showed that there were regional variation in utilization of regional hospitals for cancer patients. Accessibility of cancer patients in metropolitan areas was higher than in small size cities, medium size cities, and rural county areas. These results suggested that it should be considered support medical facilities for cancer patients in rural areas where have lower relevance rate.
Gyeonggi-do ; Humans ; Incidence

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is one of the important factors influencing morbidity and mortality in elderly patients with gastric carcinoma. METHODS: Since September to December 2001, we investigated the nutritional parameters of 44 elderly patients with gastric carcinoma by measuring anthropometric and biochemical blood indices and assessing dietary intake along with subjective global assessment. RESULTS: The mean body mass index of subjects was below the physical average of korea on the base of 64 years old. The ratio of carbohydrate, protein and lipid to energy intake was 74.0:13.5:12.5(%). There were significantly positive correlations between three groups according to subjective global assessment and height, body weight, 1 month weight loss %, 6 month weight loss %, body mass index, transferrin and nutrient intake, such as energy, protein and niacin. CONCLUSION: Mean nutrient intake, such as total energy, protein and niacin appear to be related of subjective global assessment in elderly subjects. Nutritional assessment by nutrient intake should be done in elderly patients with gastric carcinoma and be supplied with adequate nutrition for them.
Aged* ; Body Height ; Body Mass Index ; Energy Intake ; Humans ; Korea ; Malnutrition ; Middle Aged ; Mortality ; Niacin ; Nutrition Assessment ; Nutritional Status* ; Transferrin ; Weight Loss