Interleukin-32 (IL-32) is a cytokine inducing crucial inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) and IL-6 and its expression is elevated in various inflammatory autoimmune diseases, certain cancers, as well as viral infections. IL-32 gene was first cloned from activated T cells, however IL-32 expression was also found in other immune cells and non-immune cells. IL-32 gene was identified in most mammals except rodents. It is transcribed as multiple-spliced variants in the absence of a specific activity of each isoform. IL-32 has been studied mostly in clinical fields such as infection, autoimmune, cancer, vascular disease, and pulmonary diseases. It is difficult to investigate the precise role of IL-32 in vivo due to the absence of IL-32 gene in mouse. The lack of mouse IL-32 gene restricts in vivo studies and restrains further development of IL-32 research in clinical applications although IL-32 new cytokine getting a spotlight as an immune regulatory molecule processing important roles in autoimmune, infection, and cancer. In this review, we discuss the regulation and function of IL-32 in inflammatory bowel diseases and rheumatoid arthritis.
Animals ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoimmune Diseases* ; Clone Cells ; Cytokines ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases ; Interleukin-6 ; Lung Diseases ; Mammals ; Mice ; Rodentia ; T-Lymphocytes ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Vascular Diseases

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify symptom clusters in patients with breast cancer and to investigate the associations among them with functional status and quality of life (QOL). METHODS: A convenient sample of 303 patients was recruited from an oncology-specialized hospital. RESULTS: Two distinct clusters were identified: A gastrointestinal-fatigue cluster and a pain cluster. Each cluster significantly influenced functional status and QOL. Based on these two clusters, we identified subgroups of symptom clusters using K-means cluster analysis. Three relatively distinct patient subgroups were identified in each cluster: mild, moderate, and severe group. Disease-related factors (i.e., stage, metastasis, type of surgery, current chemotherapy, and anti-hormone therapy) were associated with these subgroups of symptom clusters. There were significant differences in functional status and QOL among the three subgroups. The subgroup of patients who reported high levels of symptom clusters reported poorer functional status and QOL. CONCLUSION: Clinicians can anticipate that breast cancer patients with advanced stage, metastasis, and who receive mastectomy, and chemotherapy will have more intense gastrointestinal-fatigue or pain symptoms. In order to enhance functional status and QOL for patients with breast cancer, collective management for symptoms in a cluster may be beneficial.
Breast ; Breast Neoplasms ; Humans ; Mastectomy ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Quality of Life

Equivalent dipole source localization is a well-established approach to localizing the electrical activity in electroencephalogram (EEG). So far, source localization has been used primarily in localizing the epileptic source in human epileptic patients. Currently, source localization techniques have been applied to account for localizing epileptic source among the epileptic patients. Here, we present the first application of source localization in the field of sleep spindle in mouse brain. The spatial distribution of cortical potential was obtained by high density EEG and then the anterior and posterior sleep spindles were classified based on the K-mean clustering algorithm. To solve the forward problem, a realistic geometry brain model was produced based on boundary element method (BEM) using mouse MRI. Then, we applied four different source estimation algorithms (minimum norm, eLORETA, sLORETA, and LORETA) to estimate the spatial location of equivalent dipole source of sleep spindles. The estimated sources of anterior and posterior spindles were plotted in a cine-mode that revealed different topographic patterns of spindle propagation. The characterization of sleep spindles may be better be distinguished by our novel visualization method.
Animals ; Brain ; Electroencephalography* ; Humans ; Insulator Elements ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Methods* ; Mice

Bipolar patients often experience subjective symptoms even if they do not have active psychotic symptoms in their euthymic state. Most studies about subjective symptoms are conducted in schizophrenia, and there are few studies involving bipolar patients. We examined the nature of the subjective symptoms of bipolar patients in their euthymic state, and we also compared it to that of schizophrenia and normal control. Thirty bipolar patients, 25 patients with schizophrenia, and 21 normal control subjects were included. Subjective symptoms were assessed using the Korean version of the Frankfurter Beschwerde Fragebogen (K-FBF) and the Symptom Check List 90-R (SCL90-R). Euthymic state was confirmed by assessing objective psychopathology with the Positive and Negative Syndrome scale of Schizophrenia (PANSS), the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), and the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). K-FBF score was significantly higher in bipolar patients than in normal controls, but similar to that in schizophrenia patients (F=5.86, p=0.004, R(2)=2033.6). In contrast, SCL90-R scores did not differ significantly among the three groups. Euthymic bipolar patients experience subjective symptoms that are more confined to cognitive domain. This finding supports the hypothesis that subtle cognitive impairments persists in euthymic bipolar patients.
Adult ; Bipolar Disorder/*psychology ; Cognition Disorders/etiology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Schizophrenic Psychology

PURPOSE: The purpose of this article was to review and discuss the current status, issues, and nursing perspectives of cancer survivorship. METHODS: A comprehensive literature review was conducted. RESULTS: The major areas of concern for the survivors included recurrence, secondary malignancies, and long-term treatment sequalae which affect their quality of life. The four essential components of survivorship are prevention, surveillance, intervention, and coordination. Cancer survivorship care plan should address survivor's long-term care, such as types of cancer, treatment modalities, potential side effects, and recommendations for follow-up. It also needs to include preventive practices, health maintenance and well-being, information on legal protections regarding employment and health insurance, as well as psychosocial services in the community. Survivorship care for cancer patients requires multidisciplinary efforts and team approach. CONCLUSION: Nurses are uniquely positioned to play a key role in ensuring quality services for cancer survivors and family members. Nurses should review the care plans for cancer survivorship with patients and families by instructing them when to seek medical treatment, promoting any recommended surveillance protocols, and encouraging healthy life styles for health promotion and quality of life.
Employment ; Follow-Up Studies ; Health Promotion ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Life Style ; Long-Term Care ; Quality of Life ; Recurrence ; Survival Rate ; Survivors

Purpose: Preventing missed care is important in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) due to neonates’ vulnerabilities. This study examined missed care and its influencing factors among NICU nurses. Methods: Missed care among 120 Korean NICU nurses was measured using a cross-culturally adapted online questionnaire. The frequency of missed care for 32 nursing activities and the significance of 23 reasons for missed care were collected. Results: All participants had missed at least 1 activity, missing on average 19.35 activities during a typical work-day. The most common missed item was “provide developmental care for the baby”. The most common reason for missed care was “emergency within the unit or deterioration of one of the assigned patients”. The final regression model explained 9.6% of variance in missed care. The average daily number of assigned patients receiving inotropes or sedation over the last month influenced the total number of missed care items. Conclusion Missed care was affected by nurses’ workload related to the number of patients taking medication. Frequently missed activities, especially those related to developmental care, require patience and time, conflicting with safety prioritization and inadequate working conditions. NICU nurses’ working conditions should be improved to ensure adequate time for nursing activities.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to analyze and compare the textbooks of fundamentals of nursing and practice in order to standardize them for medication administration, infection control, and pressure injury. Methods: The current study is a literature review of the ten textbooks published after 2013. Ten textbooks were the ones selected by the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute as major textbooks. Three items were reviewed: medication administration, infection control, and pressure injury, with a focus on differences in numbers, range, direction, and others. Results: For medication administration, there were some discrepancies in the size of needle and syringe, maximum dosage depending on injection methods, replacement period of catheter and infusion set, depth of insertion for vaginal medication administration. For infection control, items with discrepancies included length of time for hand washing, concentration of chemical sterilant, frequency of ventilation to prevent airborne disease, distance to prevent droplet-borne infection, the latent period of infectious disease, and methods to treat medical wastes. For pressure injury, the discrepancies were exhibited in the degree and duration of pressure for pressure injuries, range of scores for risks in pressure injury assessment tools, and temperature of the solution to irrigate pressure injuries. Conclusion Standardized textbooks for these three parts will be useful teaching aide for students and nurses to carry out consistent and professional nursing for patients’ safety.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a combined management of lymphedema education (CMLE) program which was designed for the prevention of breast cancer related lymphedema. Methods: We applied a quasi-experimental study, pretest, and posttest design with a non-equivalent control group. Breast cancer survivors with partial or total mastectomy and axillary lymph node dissection were recruited and assigned to either an intervention or control group at S hospital in Seoul. The outcomes were measured using the Breast Cancer Lymphedema Symptom Experience Index, Lymphedema Risk Reduction Behavior Checklist, Patients Activation Measure 13, Functional assessment of cancer therapy-General, and Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand. The circumferences of both arms were measured by a nurse. These measurements were conducted and compared at baseline and two weeks after completing the (CMLE) program. Results: There were statistically significant changes in quality of life, physical wellbeing, and lymphedema risk behaviors in both groups after the CMLE program. There were significant differences in the circumference of right forearm, elbow, and upper arm between the two groups. Conclusion It can be concluded that the CMLE program is viable tool to prevent and manage breast cancer related lymphedema and is effective in improving the quality of life in breast cancer survivors with axillary lymph node dissection.

PURPOSE: The purposes of this study were to identify nursing students' levels of anxiety in simulation based nursing education and to understand the relationship of anxiety and personal satisfaction of simulation, self-efficacy, and clinical competence during simulation. METHODS: This study was a descriptive study with 84 senior nursing students at a private university in South Korea. Level of anxiety was measured with STAI (the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory) prior to the stimulation practice. After the debriefing, satisfaction scores were measured with SSE (Satisfaction with Simulation Experience scale), self-efficacy scores with the modified measurement developed by Roh and Park, and scores for clinical skills with a scale developed by the Korea Association of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. RESULTS: Nursing students exhibitedmoderate to severe anxiety in simulation practice (Mean 49.51, SD 8.60). Self-efficacy was negatively correlated to anxiety (r=-.25, p=.022). CONCLUSION: Decreasing students' anxiety levels needs to be addressed to increase the self-efficacy of the simulation practice.
Anxiety* ; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ; Clinical Competence* ; Education, Nursing ; Humans ; Korea ; Nursing* ; Personal Satisfaction* ; Simulation Training* ; Students, Nursing

IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) was originally discovered in 1999 while attempting to identify an IL-18 receptor ligand binding chain (also known as IL-18Rα) by subjecting concentrated human urine to an IL-18 ligand affinity column. The IL-18 ligand chromatography purified molecule was analyzed by protein microsequencing. The result revealed a novel 40 amino acid polypeptide. To isolate the complete open reading frame (ORF), various human and mouse cDNA libraries were screened using cDNA probe derived from the novel IL-18 affinity column bound molecule. The identified entire ORF gene was thought to be an IL-18Rα gene. However, IL-18BP has been proven to be a unique soluble antagonist that shares homology with a variety of viral proteins that are distinct from the IL-18Rα and IL-18Rβ chains. The IL-18BP cDNA was used to generate recombinant IL-18BP (rIL-18BP), which was indispensable for characterizing the role of IL-18BP in vitro and in vivo. Mammalian cell lines were used to produce rIL-18BP due to its glycosylation-dependent activity of IL-18BP (approximately 20 kDa). Various forms of rIL-18BP, intact, C-terminal his-tag, and Fc fusion proteins were produced for in vitro and in vivo experiments. Data showed potent neutralization of IL-18 activity, which seems promising for clinical application in immune diseases involving IL-18. However, it was a long journey from discovery to clinical use although there have been various clinical trials since IL-18BP was discovered in 1999. This review primarily covers the discovery of IL-18BP along with how basic research influences the clinical development of IL-18BP.