The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the changes of salivary cortisol and electrolytes as an indicator of stress in nursing practice. Unstimulated 5cc saliva samples were collected at pre-duty and post-duty, and were measured with chemical assay and radioimmunoassay in nursing practice period and in studying period. In nursing practice, salivary cortisol concentration revealed lower, and K+/Na+ ratio revealed higher than in studying. And salivary cortisol correlated significantly with Na+, and also with K+ concentration. These results suggest that K+/Na+ ratio tends to be highered in student taking nursing practice, and raised levels of cortisol might be expected in nursing practice and also in studying, and that salivary constituents could indicate physiological stress. This study will facilitate a better understanding for the loading effect on the physiologic conditions of nurses.
Electrolytes* ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone* ; Nursing* ; Radioimmunoassay ; Saliva ; Stress, Physiological ; Students, Nursing*

In South Korea, the north border area has been under vivax malaria epidemic since 1993. However, Jeollabuk-do, which is about 300 kms from the border, has not experienced the same epidemic. I investigated a total of 58 notified cases of malaria in Jeollabuk-do in the year 2000. All of the cases had an exposure history in the epidemic area. Among them were 49 ex-soldiers, 3 soldiers who served near the border area and 6 civilians who traveled there. The causal agent of all cases was Plasmodium vivax. Except the civilians, the soldiers and ex-soldiers were aged in their twenties. In the present study, the incubation period was from 6 to 520 days with a median of 157 days, and the latent onset type (92%) was more prevalent than the early onset type. Illness onset of most cases (86%) peaked during the summer season (June to September) despite of variable incubation periods. The time lag for diagnosis ranged from 2 to 42 days with a median of 11 days. Jeollabuk-do has not been an area of epidemic until now, but incidences have been increasing annually since 1996. In Jeollabuk-do, early diagnosis and treatment can be a feasible disease control measure to prevent spreading from the epidemic area.
Human ; Incidence ; Korea/epidemiology ; Malaria/diagnosis/*epidemiology/prevention & control ; Seasons ; Time Factors

No abstract available.
Anti-HIV Agents*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Animals* ; Virulence*

No abstract available.
Population Characteristics*

No abstract available.

No abstract available.

No abstract available.
Communicable Diseases, Emerging*

No abstract available.
Biliary Tract*