No abstract available.
Pulmonary Embolism*

No abstract available.
Lung Diseases, Interstitial*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to develop the nursing management core task and competency matrix for hospital unit managers. The perceived level of importance and performance of identified core competencies by unit managers were also investigated. METHODS: Literature review and expert survey identified nursing management core task and competencies. Subsequently, the core task and competency matrix was developed and validated by expert panel. A survey of 196 nurse managers from 3 cities identified perceived importance and performance of core competiences. RESULTS: Thirty-eight nursing management core task and thirty-seven nursing management core competencies were identified comprising five categories; Clinical practice knowledge, Evidence-based practice, Employee development, Strategic planning and Initiative. Based on the core task and competencies, the task and competency matrix for unit managers was developed. In the analysis of importance and performance of core competencies, the mean score of importance (3.50±0.30) was higher than the mean score of performance (3.03±0.34). CONCLUSION: The development of core task and competencies for unit managers in hospitals provides a guide for the development and evaluation of programs designed to increase competence of unit managers.
Evidence-Based Practice ; Hospital Units ; Humans ; Mental Competency ; Nurse Administrators ; Nursing

BACKGROUND: Lidocaine, alpha, beta-adrenergic blocker, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, and various other analgesics have been used for blocking awakening, movements, and hemodynamic instability during general anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of esmolol to attenuate the cardiovascular, motor, and central nervous system responses to nociceptive stimulation, such as intubation, during general anesthesia. METHODS: Forty randomly selected patients participated in this study either as a control (n = 20) or as a study (n = 20) group, respectively. As soon as patients lost consciousness, at a propofol effect-site concentration of 4 microgram /ml, a touniquet was applied to one arm and inflated to 150 mmHg higher than the systolic pressure, and then vecuronium (1 mg/kg) was injected. Simultaneously esmolol (1 mg/kg + 250 microgram /kg/min) or normal saline were injected in the study and control groups respectively. Four minutes after starting esmolol, orotracheal intubation was administered. We monitered the BP, HR, BIS and gross movement during the study. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed in mean BP, HR, and BIS between the two groups during esmolol injection. CONCLUSIONS: Esmolol can reduce anesthetic requirements during general anesthesia with propofol.
Analgesics ; Anesthesia, General* ; Arm ; Blood Pressure ; Central Nervous System ; Consciousness ; Hemodynamics* ; Humans ; Intubation ; Lidocaine ; Peptidyl-Dipeptidase A ; Propofol* ; Vecuronium Bromide

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of linear measurements of 3-dimensional (3D) images generated by cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and facial scanning systems, and to assess the effect of scanning parameters, such as CBCT exposure settings, on image quality. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CBCT and facial scanning images of an anthropomorphic phantom showing 13 soft-tissue anatomical landmarks were used in the study. The distances between the anatomical landmarks on the phantom were measured to obtain a reference for evaluating the accuracy of the 3D facial soft-tissue images. The distances between the 3D image landmarks were measured using a 3D distance measurement tool. The effect of scanning parameters on CBCT image quality was evaluated by visually comparing images acquired under different exposure conditions, but at a constant threshold. RESULTS: Comparison of the repeated direct phantom and image-based measurements revealed good reproducibility. There were no significant differences between the direct phantom and image-based measurements of the CBCT surface volume-rendered images. Five of the 15 measurements of the 3D facial scans were found to be significantly different from their corresponding direct phantom measurements (P < .05). The quality of the CBCT surface volume-rendered images acquired at a constant threshold varied across different exposure conditions. CONCLUSION: These results proved that existing 3D imaging techniques were satisfactorily accurate for clinical applications, and that optimizing the variables that affected image quality, such as the exposure parameters, was critical for image acquisition.
Anthropometry ; Cone-Beam Computed Tomography ; Dimensional Measurement Accuracy ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The authors examined whether the response to interferon (IFN) therapy can affect the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. METHODS: Out of 353 biopsy-proven CHB patients, 229 (65%) were treated with IFN-alpha for 6 to 12 months. They were followed for a median period of 75 months (range, 6-120). In patients treated with IFN, biochemical and virologic responses were evaluated at the end of treatment (EOT). The cumulative incidence rates of HCC were calculated and analyzed in relation to baseline characteristics as well as biochemical and virologic responses to IFN therapy. RESULTS: The overall cumulative incidence of HCC was 0%, 0.8%, 3.7% and 5.5% at 3, 5, 7 and 8 years, respectively. Age, serum AFP levels and the stage of fibrosis were significantly associated with the occurrence of HCC. As a whole, IFN therapy did not affect the occurrence of HCC. Among the patients treated with IFN, biochemical responders had low HCC incidence rates compared with non-responders (p=0.018). However, the HCC incidence rates of virologic responders were not different from non-responders (p=0.203). CONCLUSIONS: Biochemical rather than virologic response to IFN therapy may be more closely associated with decrease of HCC incidence in CHB patients.
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular* ; Fibrosis ; Hepatitis B, Chronic* ; Hepatitis, Chronic* ; Humans ; Incidence* ; Interferons*