Id2 and Id3 maintain the regulatory T cell pool to suppress inflammatory disease.

Regulatory T (Treg) cells suppress the development of inflammatory disease, but our knowledge of transcriptional regulators that control this function remains incomplete. Here we show that expression of Id2 and Id3 in Treg cells was required to suppress development of fatal inflammatory disease. We found that T cell antigen receptor (TCR)-driven signaling initially decreased the abundance of Id3, which led to the activation of a follicular regulatory T (TFR) cell-specific transcription signature. However, sustained lower abundance of Id2 and Id3 interfered with proper development of TFR cells. Depletion of Id2 and Id3 expression in Treg cells resulted in compromised maintenance and localization of the Treg cell population. Thus, Id2 and Id3 enforce TFR cell checkpoints and control the maintenance and homing of Treg cells.

Correlation between plant cell wall stiffening and root extension arrest phenotype in the combined abiotic stress of Fe and Al.

The plasticity and growth of plant cell walls (CWs) remain poorly understood at the molecular level. In this work, we used atomic force microscopy (AFM) to observe elastic responses of the root transition zone of 4-day-old Arabidopsis thaliana wild-type and almt1-mutant seedlings grown under Fe or Al stresses. Elastic parameters were deduced from force-distance curve measurements using the trimechanic-3PCS framework. The presence of single metal species Fe2+ or Al3+ at 10 µM exerts no noticeable effect on the root growth compared with the control conditions. On the contrary, a mix of both the metal ions produced a strong root-extension arrest concomitant with significant increase of CW stiffness. Raising the concentration of either Fe2+ or Al3+ to 20 µM, no root-extension arrest was observed; nevertheless, an increase in root stiffness occurred. In the presence of both the metal ions at 10 µM, root-extension arrest was not observed in the almt1 mutant, which substantially abolishes the ability to exude malate. Our results indicate that the combination of Fe2+ and Al3+ with exuded malate is crucial for both CW stiffening and root-extension arrest. However, stiffness increase induced by single Fe2+ or Al3+ is not sufficient for arresting root growth in our experimental conditions.

Nonlinear dynamics of cavity optomechanical-thermal systems.

Cavity optomechanics is concerned with the interaction between optical cavities and mechanical resonators. Here, we present systematic research on the dynamic behaviors of cavity optomechanical systems incorporating the influence of thermal nonlinearity. A dimensionless theoretical model was established to describe the system and numerical simulations were performed to study the dynamic behaviors. We theoretically identify the staircase effect, which can abruptly alter the system parameters when adiabatically sweeping the pump laser frequency across the optical cavity resonance and driving the mechanical resonator into oscillation. Moreover, we found bistability effects in several detuning intervals when sweeping the laser forward and backward. Both effects are analyzed theoretically and the roots lie in the thermal instability between averaged cavity energy and laser detuning. Our study shows the dynamic behaviors in an optomechanical-thermal system and provides guidance in leveraging the systems for applications in optical frequency comb, phonon laser, etc.

Genetic evidence for the causal association between type 1 diabetes and the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating observational studies have identified associations between type 1 diabetes (T1D) and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Still, the evidence about the causal effect of this association is uncertain. METHODS: We performed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to test for the causal association between T1D and PCOS using data from a large-scale biopsy-confirmed genome-wide association study (GWAS) in European ancestries. We innovatively divided T1D into nine subgroups to be analyzed separately, including: type1 diabetes wide definition, type1 diabetes early onset, type 1 diabetes with coma, type 1 diabetes with ketoacidosis, type 1 diabetes with neurological complications, type 1 diabetes with ophthalmic complications, type 1 diabetes with peripheral circulatory complications, type 1 diabetes with renal complications, and type 1 diabetes with other specified/multiple/unspecified complications. GWAS data for PCOS were obtained from a large-scale GWAS (10,074 cases and 103,164 controls) for primary analysis and the IEU consortium for replication and meta-analysis. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to evaluate heterogeneity and pleiotropy. RESULTS: Following rigorous instrument selection steps, the number of SNPs finally used for T1D nine subgroups varying from 6 to 36 was retained in MR estimation. However, we did not observe evidence of causal association between type 1 diabetes nine subgroups and PCOS using the IVW analysis, MR-Egger regression, and weighted median approaches, and all P values were > 0.05 with ORs near 1. Subsequent replicates and meta-analyses also yielded consistent results. A number of sensitivity analyses also did not reveal heterogeneity and pleiotropy, including Cochran's Q test, MR-Egger intercept test, MR-PRESSO global test, leave-one-out analysis, and funnel plot analysis. CONCLUSION: This is the first MR study to investigate the causal relationship between type 1 diabetes and PCOS. Our findings failed to find substantial causal effect of type 1 diabetes on risk of PCOS. Further randomized controlled studies and MR studies are necessary.

Probing the Limit of the Number of Saturated Atoms for Achieving Hyperconjugative Aromaticity.

Aromaticity is a fundamental concept in organic chemistry. Hyperconjugative aromaticity, also known as hyperconjugation-induced aromaticity, has evolved from its origin from main group substituents to transition metal analogues, establishing itself as an important category of aromaticity. Additionally, aromatic compounds comprising two sp3-carbon atoms have recently been reported both experimentally and computationally. However, what is the maximum number of sp3-hybridized atoms needed to maintain hyperconjugative aromaticity? Here, we report that hyperconjugative aromaticity can be achieved in hexa-substituted indoliums and octa-substituted pyrroliums, possessing three-five sp3-hybridized carbon/nitrogen atoms by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The aromaticity was confirmed by using various aromaticity indices, i.e., NICS, MCI, and EDDB. Notably, the strong electron-donating ability and aurophilicity of Au(I) substituents play a pivotal role in maintaining the aromaticity and structural integrity. In addition, increasing the number of hyperconjugative centers will decrease the aromaticity in these five-membered rings. Our findings highlight the significance of transition metal substituents in hyperconjugative aromaticity and offer a novel approach for designing aromatic organometallics.

Ribosomal protein S6 kinase 2 (RPS6KB2) is a potential immunotherapeutic target for cancer that upregulates proinflammatory cytokines.

BACKGROUND: Cancer is still a leading cause of mortality. Over the years, cancer therapy has undergone significant advances driven by advancements in science and technology. A promising area of drug discovery in this field involves the development of therapeutic targets for cancer treatment. The urgent need to identify new pharmacological targets arises from the impact of tumor resistance on the effectiveness of current medications. Specifically, the RPS6KB2 gene on chromosome 11 has been implicated in cell cycle regulation and exhibits higher expression levels in tumor tissue. Given this association, there is a potential for this gene to serve as a target for cancer treatment. METHODS: We conducted an analysis using the GTEx, TCGA, and CCLE databases to explore the relationship between RPS6KB2 and immune infiltration, the tumor microenvironment (TME), microsatellite instability (MSI), and more. Cell proliferation was assessed using EDU detection, while cell invasion and migration were evaluated via wound healing and Transwell assays. Additionally, western blot analysis was employed to measure expression of Bax, Bcl-2, MMP2, MMP9, PCNA, and proinflammatory factors. RESULTS: Through data analysis and molecular biology methods, our study carefully examined the potential role of RPS6KB2 in cancer therapy. The data revealed that RPS6KB2 is aberrantly expressed in most cancers and is associated with poor prognosis. Further analysis indicated its involvement in cancer cell apoptosis and migration, as well as its role in cancer immune processes. We validated the significance of RPS6KB2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), highlighting its capacity to upregulate proinflammatory cytokines. CONCLUSION: Our research indicates that RPS6KB2 is a prognostic biomarker associated with immune infiltration in cancer that can affect antitumor immunity by increasing secretion of proinflammatory factors, providing a potential drug target for cancer treatment.

Subjective experience of parent-child relationship in adolescents with congenital heart disease: A qualitative study.

PURPOSE: To explore the parent-child relationship through the subjective experience of adolescents with congenital heart disease (CHD). DESIGN AND METHODS: A descriptive phenomenology approach was adopted. Twelve adolescents aged from 12 to 18 years with CHD were recruited from the pediatric cardiology clinics at two medical centers in Taiwan. Data were collected through in-depth interviews. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis method, and results were reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guidelines. RESULTS: The experiences of the adolescents with CHD revealed five themes: 1. the enhancement of self-worth through parents' love; 2. the importance of parental support in desperate situations; 3. the development of a sense of security through mutual understanding; 4. growth under parental expectations; and 5. parental overcontrol disguised as love. CONCLUSIONS: The parent-child relationship encompasses both positive and negative experiences. Adolescents prioritize their relationship with parents over that with peers. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nurses caring for adolescents with CHD can improve care by recognizing the influence of parental love, support in challenges, mutual understanding, parental expectations, and potential negative consequences of overcontrol. This insight guides effective guidance for adolescents, enhancing parent-child interactions and overall well-being.

Cry11Aa and Cyt1Aa exhibit different structural orders in crystal topography.

Cry11Aa and Cyt1Aa are two pesticidal toxins produced by Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis. To improve our understanding of the nature of their oligomers in the toxic actions and synergistic effects, we performed the atomic force microscopy to probe the surfaces of their natively grown crystals, and used the L-weight filter to enhance the structural features. By L-weight filtering, molecular sizes of the Cry11Aa and Cyt1Aa monomers obtained are in excellent agreement with the three-dimensional structures determined by x-ray crystallography. Moreover, our results show that the layered feature of a structural element distinguishes the topographic characteristics of Cry11Aa and Cyt1Aa crystals, suggesting that the Cry11Aa toxin has a better chance than Cyt1Aa for multimerization and therefore cooperativeness of the toxic actions.

Systematic Adaptation of Bacillus licheniformis to 2-Phenylethanol Stress.

The compound 2-phenylethanol (2-PE) is a bulk flavor and fragrance with a rose-like aroma that can be produced by microbial cell factories, but its cellular toxicity inhibits cellular growth and limits strain performance. Specifically, the microbe Bacillus licheniformis has shown a strong tolerance to 2-PE. Understanding these tolerance mechanisms is crucial for achieving the hyperproduction of 2-PE. In this report, the mechanisms of B. licheniformis DW2 resistance to 2-PE were studied by multi-omics technology coupled with physiological and molecular biological approaches. 2-PE induced reactive oxygen species formation and affected nucleic acid, ribosome, and cell wall synthesis. To manage 2-PE stress, the antioxidant and global stress response systems were activated; the repair system of proteins and homeostasis of the ion and osmotic were initiated. Furthermore, the tricarboxylic acid cycle and NADPH synthesis pathways were upregulated; correspondingly, scanning electron microscopy revealed that cell morphology was changed. These results provide deeper insights into the adaptive mechanisms of B. licheniformis to 2-PE and highlight the potential targets for genetic manipulation to enhance 2-PE resistance. IMPORTANCE The ability to tolerate organic solvents is essential for bacteria producing these chemicals with high titer, yield, and productivity. As exemplified by 2-PE, bioproduction of 2-PE represents a promising alternative to chemical synthesis and plant extraction approaches, but its toxicity hinders successful large-scale microbial production. Here, a multi-omics approach is employed to systematically study the mechanisms of B. licheniformis DW2 resistance to 2-PE. As a 2-PE-tolerant strain, B. licheniformis displays multifactorial mechanisms of 2-PE tolerance, including activating global stress response and repair systems, increasing NADPH supply, changing cell morphology and membrane composition, and remodeling metabolic pathways. The current work yields novel insights into the mechanisms of B. licheniformis resistance to 2-PE. This knowledge can also be used as a clue for improving bacterial performances to achieve industrial-scale production of 2-PE and potentially applied to the production of other relevant organic solvents, such as tyrosol and hydroxytyrosol.

Optical stealth communication based on quantum noise stream ciphered amplified spontaneous emission light.

Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) light is the most natural optical carrier to hide a message in the existing optical networks at photonic layer. To enhance the anti-intercept ability of the ASE-carried stealth channel, a novel optical stealth communication scheme based on quantum noise stream cipher is proposed. The ASE light is intensity modulated by the cipher-text according to Y-00 protocol, and then transmitted under public optical noise after power attenuation. The expression of quantum noise stream ciphered ASE signal is derived, and numerical simulation is carried out. A proof-of-concept experiment is set up to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed scheme. The experiment results show that the quantum noise stream ciphered stealth signals can be transmitted over a 25 km single-mode fiber span error-free.

Subnoise optical covert communication based on amplified spontaneous emission light.

Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) light is a common noise in optical communication systems with optical amplification, and a suitable optical carrier for optical covert communication. To deeply covert the secure signal, an in-band subnoise optical covert communication scheme is proposed and demonstrated by a proof-of-concept experiment. The power spectral density of optical secure channel is 10 dB less than the optical noise in the public channel. The covert signal is hidden in both optical and electrical domain, and can be transmitted with error-free. The trade-off between covertness and availability is discussed.

Probing Near-infrared Absorbance of E and Z Diazene Isomers via Antiaromaticity.

The photoswitching behaviors of heteroaryl azos and azobenzenes have attracted considerable interest due to their applications from material science to pharmacology. However, the use of UV light limits their application, especially in biomedicine and photopharmacology. In this work, using several aromaticity descriptors, including anisotropy of the induced current density analysis and nucleus-independent chemical shifts, we systematically investigate the relationship between anti-aromaticity and the absorption of a series of heterocyclic azos. We have demonstrated that the antiaromatic heterocycles substituted with diazenes enable the significant red shifts of the n → π* and π → π* transition bands of E and Z isomers via density functional theory calculations. Moreover, introducing substituents into heterocycles could further tune the absorption. Finally, the λmax of the first transition bands of the E (ca. 1026 nm) and Z isomers (ca. 1167 nm) of azos is achieved in the near-infrared region.

Screen printing and laser-induced flexible sensors for the simultaneous sensitive detection of uric acid, tyrosine, and ascorbic acid in sweat.

A wearable sweat sensor, which could continuously monitor biomolecules related to the human physiological state, is emerging as a promising piece of health surveillance equipment. However, current sensors cannot simultaneously achieve a detection performance that equates to that of traditional sensors and satisfactory mechanical strength. Herein, a wearable sweat sensor with excellent detection performance and mechanical stability is designed and fabricated. Based on the integration of laser-induced graphene electrodes and a screen printing technique, this wearable sweat sensor could realize both the separate and simultaneous detection of uric acid (UA), tyrosine (Tyr), and ascorbic acid (AA) with high sensitivity. Good UA sensing performance in artificial sweat could be maintained even after 20 000 bends. In addition, the sensor can operate well in the wearing state or in a complex bovine whole blood sample. For the detection of human sweat, the changes in UA concentration after a purine-rich meal are continuously monitored and the results are in accordance with the corresponding serum UA detection results tested with a commercial serum UA meter. These results suggest its application potential in health monitoring for both gout patients and healthy humans.

Predictors of response to ovulation induction using letrozole in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the initial screening characteristics of women with anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) who did or did not respond to 2.5 mg letrozole (LET). METHODS: The clinical and laboratory characteristics of women with PCOS who underwent LET treatment were evaluated. Women with PCOS were stratified according to their responses to LET (2.5 mg). The potential predictors of their responses to LET were estimated using logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Our retrospective study included 214 eligible patients with a response to 2.5 mg LET (n = 131) or no response to 2.5 mg LET (n = 83). PCOS patients who responded to 2.5 mg LET showed better outcomes than those who did not (2.5 mg LET) for pregnancy rate, live birth rate, pregnancy rate per patient, and live birth rate per patient. Logistic regression analyses showed that late menarche (odds ratio [OR], 1.79 [95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.22-2.64], P = 0.003), and increased anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) (OR, 1.12 [95% CI, 1.02-1.23], P = 0.02), baseline luteinizing hormone (LH)/ follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) (OR, 3.73 [95% CI, 2.12-6.64], P < 0.001), and free androgen index (FAI) (OR, 1.37 [95% CI, 1.16-1.64], P < 0.001) were associated with a higher possibility of no response to 2.5 mg LET. CONCLUSIONS: PCOS patients with an increased LH/FSH ratio, AMH, FAI, and late menarche may need an increased dosage of LET for a treatment response, which could be helpful in designing a personalized treatment strategy.

Correlation between biochemical and clinical hyperandrogenism parameter in polycystic ovary syndrome in relation to age.

BACKGROUND: To assess the correlation between clinical and biochemical hyperandrogenism parameters in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) according to age. METHODS: This prospective study included 256 PCOS patients diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria in a university-based hospital. Androgen levels were measured using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Hirsutism, acne, and alopecia were assessed using the modified Ferriman-Gallwey (mF-G) score, Comprehensive Acne Severity Scale (CASS), and the Ludwig scale, respectively. The correlation between biochemical and clinical hyperandrogenism parameters was assessed in younger and older women with PCOS. RESULTS: The 256 PCOS patients were classified by age into two groups: age 18-29 years (n = 151) and age 30-40 years (n = 84). In women with PCOS, mF-G was significantly positively correlated with the free androgen index (FAI), dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and DHEA sulfate (DHEA-S). CASS had a significant positive correlation with DHEA. mF-G was positively correlated with FAI in those aged 18-29 years, but the correlations were not significant in those aged 30-40 years. The positive correlation between specific body regions of clinical hyperandrogenism, especially mF-G of chin, lower abdomen, and thighs, and testosterone, as well as with FAI, was highest in those aged 18-29 years. In those aged 30-40 years clinical hyperandrogenism was mainly affected by DHEA, DHEA-S, and dihydrotestosterone. CONCLUSION: The correlation between biochemical and clinical hyperandrogenism parameters varied with age in our East Asian population. Clinical hyperandrogenism was positively correlated with FAI in younger women with PCOS. The correlation between biochemical and clinical hyperandrogenism was not significant in older women with PCOS.

DrugRep: an automatic virtual screening server for drug repurposing.

Computationally identifying new targets for existing drugs has drawn much attention in drug repurposing due to its advantages over de novo drugs, including low risk, low costs, and rapid pace. To facilitate the drug repurposing computation, we constructed an automated and parameter-free virtual screening server, namely DrugRep, which performed molecular 3D structure construction, binding pocket prediction, docking, similarity comparison and binding affinity screening in a fully automatic manner. DrugRep repurposed drugs not only by receptor-based screening but also by ligand-based screening. The former automatically detected possible binding pockets of the receptor with our cavity detection approach, and then performed batch docking over drugs with a widespread docking program, AutoDock Vina. The latter explored drugs using seven well-established similarity measuring tools, including our recently developed ligand-similarity-based methods LigMate and FitDock. DrugRep utilized easy-to-use graphic interfaces for the user operation, and offered interactive predictions with state-of-the-art accuracy. We expect that this freely available online drug repurposing tool could be beneficial to the drug discovery community. The web site is http://cao.labshare.cn/drugrep/ .

Unnecessary radiation exposure during diagnostic radiography in infants in a neonatal intensive care unit: a retrospective cohort study.

Unnecessary radiation exposure (URE) during radiographic examination is an issue among infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). The causes of URE have not been fully explored. This study investigated the incidence and identified the causes of URE in infants during diagnostic radiography in a NICU. This was a retrospective cohort study. We retrieved and analysed requests and radiographs taken at a tertiary NICU between September and November 2018. URE was defined as the rate of discordance between requests and images taken (DisBRI) and unnecessary radiation exposure in irrelevant regions (UREIR) during radiography. We compared the rates of URE between very low-birth-weight (VLBW, birth weight < 1500 g) infants and non-VLBW infants. A total of 306 radiographs from 88 infants were taken. The means ± standard deviations (SDs) of gestational age and birth weight were 35.7 ± 3.6 weeks and 2471 ± 816 g, respectively. Each infant underwent an average of 3.5 radiographs. The DisBRI rate was 1.3% and was mostly related to poor adherence to requests. The UREIR rates in thoraco-abdominal babygrams were 89.6% for the head, 14.8% for the elbows and 18.4% for the knee and were mainly related to improper positioning of and collimation in infants while performing radiography. The UREIR rates for the head, knee and ankle were higher in VLBW infants than in non-VLBW infants (94.6% vs. 85.6%, 27.0% vs. 11.5% and 5.4% vs. 0.7%, respectively, p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: URE during diagnostic radiography is common in sick infants and is mainly related to improper positioning and collimation during examinations. Adherence to protocols when performing radiographic examination or using ultrasonography may be a solution to reduce URE in infants in NICUs. WHAT IS KNOWN: • The risk of unnecessary radiation exposure (URE) during radiography has been a common and important issue in sick infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). • The new point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) technique decreases the need for chest films and prevents radiation exposure in neonates. WHAT IS NEW: • In the NICU, URE is still a common issue in critically ill infants during radiographic examinations. The causes of URE during diagnostic radiography are mainly due to improper positioning and collimation during examinations. • The incidence of URE in irrelevant regions is higher in very low-birth-weight (VLBW) infants than in non-VLBW infants.

The E-Id protein axis modulates the activities of the PI3K-AKT-mTORC1-Hif1a and c-myc/p19Arf pathways to suppress innate variant TFH cell development, thymocyte expansion, and lymphomagenesis.

It is now well established that the E and Id protein axis regulates multiple steps in lymphocyte development. However, it remains unknown how E and Id proteins mechanistically enforce and maintain the naïve T-cell fate. Here we show that Id2 and Id3 suppressed the development and expansion of innate variant follicular helper T (TFH) cells. Innate variant TFH cells required major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-like signaling and were associated with germinal center B cells. We found that Id2 and Id3 induced Foxo1 and Foxp1 expression to antagonize the activation of a TFH transcription signature. We show that Id2 and Id3 acted upstream of the Hif1a/Foxo/AKT/mTORC1 pathway as well as the c-myc/p19Arf module to control cellular expansion. We found that mice depleted for Id2 and Id3 expression developed colitis and αß T-cell lymphomas. Lymphomas depleted for Id2 and Id3 expression displayed elevated levels of c-myc, whereas p19Arf abundance declined. Transcription signatures of Id2- and Id3-depleted lymphomas revealed similarities to genetic deficiencies associated with Burkitt lymphoma. We propose that, in response to antigen receptor and/or cytokine signaling, the E-Id protein axis modulates the activities of the PI3K-AKT-mTORC1-Hif1a and c-myc/p19Arf pathways to control cellular expansion and homeostatic proliferation.

[The Moderating Effect of Veteran Status on the Relationship Between Fatigue and Sleep Disturbance in Primary Caregivers of Patients With Cancer].

BACKGROUND: Fatigue may lead to disordered sleep. Primary caregivers of patients with cancer may suffer from higher levels of disordered sleep because of care-related fatigue. Older-adult veterans with cancer tend to be emotionally negative, which increases the challenges of care. PURPOSE: This study was designed to investigate the veteran status of patients as a possible moderator in the relationship between fatigue and disordered sleep in primary caregivers. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 127 primary caregivers of patients with cancer were randomly recruited from three hospitals in northern Taiwan. Data were collected using a demographics datasheet, the Taiwanese version of the Brief Fatigue Inventory, and the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analyses, and hierarchical regression analyses were used to analyze the obtained data. RESULTS: Fatigue in the participants was shown to correlate significantly and positively with their sleep quality (r = .632, p < .01), with fatigue found to affect sleep quality positively (ß = .472, p < .001). The regression analyses showed the explanatory power of fatigue on sleep disorders (b = .148, p < .001) to be higher in caregivers of veteran patients than in caregivers of non-veteran patients (b = .091, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Veteran patient status may moderate the relationship between fatigue and disordered sleep in primary caregivers. Nurses should assess caregiver fatigue status and offer appropriate resources.

[Tennis Ball Massage Therapy in Clinical Nurses: Effect on Relieving Musculoskeletal Disorders and Enhancing Self-Efficacy].

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders are a common occupational disease. The prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among nurses is estimated at 65.1%-87.3%, with neck, shoulders, and lower back being most affected. PURPOSE: To explore the effectiveness of tennis ball massage therapy in alleviating muscle soreness and improving pain relief self-efficacy. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental, single-group, pre- and post-test study, 216 nurses in regional teaching hospitals were screened for neck, shoulder, and back pain. Based on the unit attributes, systematic random sampling was employed to recruit 36 nurses to participate in a four-week "fighting pain" intervention program. The "Pain Visual Scale" and "Pain Relief Self-efficacy Scale" were used as the assessment tools. One-way and two-way repeated measure analysis of variance, a signed ranks test, and the Friedman test were used to assess longitudinal change in the data. RESULTS: Shoulders were the most reported site of muscle pain (94.4%), followed by the neck (88.9%) and the upper back (55.6%). The locations of neck, shoulder, and back pain were interacted differently with the four measurement times (F = 2.69, p = .020). In the post hoc comparison, pain relief effectiveness was most significant in the third posttest, followed by the second. The pain relief was significantly different between the pre-test and the third post-test (t = 6.39, 8.68, 6.96, p < .001). There was a significant difference before and after the intervention of the pain relief self-efficacy (F = 53.49, p < .001). The post hoc comparison results revealed that self-efficacy was lowest at pretest and highest at the third posttest. Significant differences were observed between the pre-test and third post-test at the end of the intervention (t = -10.25, p < .001). CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study shows that tennis ball massage can improve neck, shoulder, and back pain in nurses and improve pain relief self-efficacy. Tennis ball massage is easy to implement, has no time and space restrictions, and requires no assistance to operate. This equipment can be used to effectively reduce muscle pain, improve the comfort of performing regular activities, and raise work efficiency, reducing the negative impact of muscle pain on work.