PURPOSE: Postmenopausal women are a unique population with high risk for the degeneration of muscle. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to accurately evaluate the effects of vitamin D on muscular strength in postmenopausal women.METHODS: A review was conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid Medline, CINAHL complete, and the Cochrane Library from inception through 19 March 2019. Included studies were selected by two independent reviewers. The meta-analysis were performed using Review Manager 5.3 software.RESULTS: A total of nine randomized controlled clinical trials were included in this review. Vitamin D interventions led to no changes in the upper limb muscle strength (mean difference –0.16, 95% CI: –1.09 to 0.77), lower body muscle strength (standard mean difference 0.08, 95% CI: –0.11 to 0.26), and back/hip muscle strength (standard mean difference 0.06, 95% CI: -0.05 to 0.17).CONCLUSION: Pooled results from eight studies indicated that supplementation of vitamin D did not increase muscle strength in postmenopausal women. Apparently, the present review suggests that supplementation of vitamin D alone had no didn't show any beneficial effects on muscle strength in postmenopausal women.
Female ; Humans ; Meta-Analysis as Topic ; Muscle Strength ; Postmenopause ; Upper Extremity ; Vitamin D ; Vitamins

Purpose: This study examined the subjective frame of patient satisfaction in the comprehensive nursing care services and explored future directions by investigating subjective frame types. Methods: P-Samples were collected from 30 patients who underwent the comprehensive nursing care service. To enable a forced normal distribution, 31 Q-samples were classified on a 9-point scale considering the degree of agreement. The collected data were analyzed by principal component factor analysis and varimax rotation using the PQ method program. Results: The subjective frame of patient satisfaction with the comprehensive nursing care service was divided into four types. Considering the characteristics of each, the types were labeled as “the formation of relationships with the surroundings”, “autonomous decision-making”, “non-verbal empathy”, and “therapeutic support resources”. Each type can be classified into therapeutic relationship and therapeutic process categories. Conclusion This study revealed changes in expectations regarding new medical services and that the subjective frames that affect the formation of satisfaction are diverse. The study results are expected to be used as basic data to develop strategies for creating a therapeutic environment that improves patient satisfaction in the comprehensive nursing care service.

Purpose: Nursing colleges are continuously being expanded to solve the problem of imbalance among regions, but the outflow of the provincial brain-drain to metropolitan regions continues. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the influencing factors on the regional outflow intention of nursing students. Methods: This study employed a mixedmethod design, and 214 nursing students in the Honam region filled out a self-administered questionnaire. Eight participants recruited through random sampling were interviewed in depth. Data were analyzed using a t-test, x2 test and logistic regression. Results: Among the total respondents, 161 students (75.2%) had intent to regional outflow. Influencing factors were significantly correlated with employment in tertiary general hospitals (OR=3.32, 95% CI=1.35~8.16), perception of job opportunities in the province (OR=0.52, 95% CI=0.31~0.87), intrinsic job values (OR=2.43, 95% CI=1.14~5.22), and voluntary employment preparation behaviors (OR=2.75, 95% CI=1.05~ 7.19). Through the interviews, themes related to regional outflow intentions were drawn into the following three categories: “recognition of working environment by region”, “aspiration for professional growth”, and “expectation for self-development and rich experience”. Conclusion This study’s results are expected to be used as strategic data for establishing plans for nurturing regional human resources and improving the local nursing workforce in non-metropolitan areas.

Foeniculum vulgare Mill. (fennel) is used to flavor food, in cosmetics, as an antioxidant, and to treat microbial, diabetic and common inflammation. No study to date, however, has assessed the anti-inflammatory effects of fennel in experimental models of inflammation. The aims of this study were to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of fennel in model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury. Mice were randomly assigned to seven groups (n=7~10). In five groups, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with 1% Tween 80-saline (vehicle), fennel (125, 250, 500micro l/kg), or dexamethasone (1 mg/kg), followed 1 h later by intratracheal instillation of LPS (1.5 mg/kg). In two groups, the mice were intraperitoneally injected with vehicle or fennel (250microl/kg), followed 1 h later by intratracheal instillation of sterile saline. Mice were sacrificed 4 h later, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were obtained. Fennel significantly and dose-dependently reduced LDH activity and immune cell numbers in LPS treated mice. In addition fennel effectively suppressed the LPS-induced increases in the production of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, with 500microl/kg fennel showing maximal reduction. Fennel also significantly and dose-dependently reduced the activity of the proinflammatory mediator matrix metalloproteinase 9 and the immune modulator nitric oxide (NO). Assessments of the involvement of the MAPK signaling pathway showed that fennel significantly decreased the LPS-induced phosphorylation of ERK. Fennel effectively blocked the inflammatory processes induced by LPS, by regulating pro-inflammatory cytokine production, transcription factors, and NO.
Acute Lung Injury* ; Animals ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Cell Count ; Cytokines ; Dexamethasone ; Foeniculum* ; Inflammation ; Interleukin-6 ; Lung ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; Mice* ; Models, Theoretical ; NF-kappa B* ; Nitric Oxide ; Phosphorylation ; Transcription Factors ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the general characteristics and biomarkers of inflammation in adult patients who visited the emergency department with fever and to determine whether the severity of clinical symptoms varies according to cancer diagnosis. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively from 4,002 adult patients with fever who visited the emergency department at a tertiary hospital from January 2018 to December 2018 using medical records. Results: On average, cancer patients were older than non-cancer patients (p < .001), and differences were observed between cancer and non-cancer patients in the origin of fever and biomarkers associated with inflammation. A higher proportion of cancer patients than non-cancer patients had a Korean Triage and Acuity Scale level of 1 to 3 (p < .001), and more cancer patients than non-cancer patients met two or more criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome (p = .001). More life-saving interventions in the emergency department were required in cancer patients than in non-cancer patients (p < .001), and cancer patients spent more time in the emergency department than non-cancer patients (p < .001). Conclusion This study showed that the general characteristics and biomarkers of inflammation differed among adult patients with fever depending on cancer diagnosis. Furthermore, among adult patients with fever, cancer patients had more severe clinical symptoms than non-cancer patients. The results of this study are hoped to be helpful as a basis of nursing knowledge for adult patients with fever in the emergency department and as evidence for the classification of severity in patients with fever according to cancer diagnosis.