[Effects of Biodegradable Film Raw Material Particles on Soil Properties, Wheat Growth, and Nutrient Absorption and Transportation].

Biodegradable plastic film is one of the effective ways to solve the problem of white pollution in agriculture. However, its impacts on soil-plant systems are not well documented. In order to provide a basis for the safety evaluation of large-scale application of biodegradable plastic film, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the types(H, S, and X) and doses(2.5, 10, and 40 g·kg-1) of biodegradable film raw material particles on the soil physiochemical properties, biological properties, growth, and nutrient absorption by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The results showed that three types of biodegradable film raw material particles significantly increased soil pH but had no significant effect on soil organic matter content; medium-high doses of H and low-medium doses of S plastic particles had a positive effect on soil nitrification and soil nitrogen availability, whereas X film particles had an inhibitory effect. H film particles increased soil available phosphorus content, and S and X had no significant effect. X film particles increased the content of soil available potassium, but S and H had no significant effect. The effects of three types of biodegradable raw material particles on soil enzyme activities varied with the types and doses of plastic film and enzyme types. With the increase in the doses of plastic film particles, the activities of three kinds of soil enzymes showed a downward trend. Except for the low and medium doses of the S treatment, the other treatments inhibited the growth of wheat, in which X film particles had the greatest inhibitory effect on the biomass of wheat roots, stems, leaves, and grain; with the increase in the doses of film particles, the inhibition effect of wheat biomass was more obvious. For wheat nutrients, the absorption of nitrogen was promoted at low doses and inhibited at high doses, and the three types of film particles inhibited the absorption of phosphorus and potassium. There were significant differences in the distribution ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus between the stems, leaves, and grains of wheat by all the film particles; however, there was no significant difference in the distribution ratio of potassium between those treatments. Correlation analysis showed that wheat biomass was the main factor affecting wheat nutrient accumulation.

Structural Equation Model for Job Stress in Intensive Care Unit Nurses / 한국직업건강간호학회지

PURPOSE: This study was to construct a structural equational model for explaining and predicting job stress of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses based on the Integrated model of stress of Ivancevich and Matteson (1980). METHODS: The subjects of this study were 220 nurses at ICU. The data were collected from August 5 to 30, 2013 through self-reporting questionnaire survey. RESULTS: According to the hypothetical model of this study, perceived nursing practice environment, perceived role conflict, perceived transformational leadership and perceived self-esteem showed statistically significant effects on job stress of ICU nurses directly. Professional self-concept indirectly affect job stress of ICU nurses. In conclusion, job stress of ICU nurses was directly influenced by nursing practice environment, role conflict, transformational leadership and self-esteem. Professional self-concept of the relationships among variables did not have a direct impact on job stress. CONCLUSION: Based on the results of this study, it is needed to develop stress management measures and programs considering these variables in order to adequately manage job stress of ICU nurses.

Amycolatopsis xylanica sp. nov., isolated from soil.

An actinomycete, designated CPCC 202699(T), was isolated from soil in Qinghai province, China, and its taxonomic status was established. Strain CPCC 202699(T) contained meso-diaminopimelic acid in its peptidoglycan, arabinose and galactose as the diagnostic sugars in whole-cell hydrolysates, a phospholipid pattern consisting mainly of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmethylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine, MK-9(H(4)) as the predominant menaquinone and iso-C(16 : 0) (18.8 %), iso-C(15 : 0) (18.1 %), iso-C(14 : 0) (14.2 %), C(16 : 1) cis9 (10.9 %) and C(17 : 1) cis9 (10.3 %) as the major fatty acids. In the phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, strain CPCC 202699(T) formed a separate branch within the genus Amycolatopsis. However, strain CPCC 202699(T) showed low 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities (<97.0 %) with type strains of species with validly published names in the genus Amycolatopsis. On the basis of genotypic and phenotypic differences from the closest phylogenetic neighbours of strain CPCC 202699(T), a novel species, Amycolatopsis xylanica sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain is CPCC 202699(T) (=DSM 45285(T) =KCTC 19581(T) =CCM 7627(T)).

Factors Affecting Performance of Hand Hygiene by Parents of Hospitalized Infants

PURPOSE: Purpose of this study was to identify factors affecting the performance of hand hygiene by parents of hospitalized infants. METHODS: The study was conducted with 209 parents of hospitalized infants from one hospital in Changwon. Data were collected from June through August, 2014 and analyzed using SPSS Win 18.0 program. RESULTS: There were positive correlations between performance of hand hygiene and perceptions of sanitary formula bottle (r=.586, p<.001), attitude to hand hygiene (r=.438, p<.001), and knowledge of hand hygiene (r=.405, p<.001) and between parent efficacy and perceptions of sanitary formula bottle (r=.572, p<.001). Awareness of perceptions of sanitary formula bottle (beta=.308, p<.001), parent efficacy (beta=.281, p<.001) and hand hygiene attitude (beta=.207, p<.001) were significant predictors of hand hygiene performance and explained 46.1% of the variance. CONCLUSION: To increase infection control medical institutions should provide education on hand hygiene and training for parents of hospitalized infants. In order to enhance the performance of hand hygiene, it is necessary to develop and apply nursing programs for hospitalized infants that include hand hygiene attitude, maintenance of the sanitary formula bottle and parent efficacy.

The Rate of Nasal Colonization of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus at Admission to Intensive Care Units in a Secondary Hospital: The Importance of Nasogastric Tube / 병원감염관리

BACKGROUND: Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nasal colonization has been known as a predictor of intensive care unit (ICU)-acquired MRSA infections. We performed this study to survey the nasal colonization of MRSA among the patients admitted to an ICU and analyze risk factors associated with the colonization. METHODS: A retrospective 1:1 matched case-control study was conducted with patients admitted to the ICU from March to December 2010 at Samsung Changwon Hospital. RESULTS: A total of 602 patients among 846 patients admitted to the ICU during the study period were evaluated. The prevalence of nasal MRSA colonization was 67 (11.1%) of 602. Other factors, including underlying renal disease (odds ratio [OR]=12.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.60-42.54; P<0.001), MRSA infection within the previous 3 months (OR=7.43, 95% CI 1.31-42.05; P=0.023), nursing home resident within the previous 1 month (OR=6.25, 95% CI 1.82-21.53; P=0.004), surgical procedure within the previous 1 month (OR=5.93, 95% CI 1.86-18.85; P=0.003), and current use of nasogastric tube (OR=4.98, 95% CI 1.84-13.45; P=0.002) were independently associated with nasal MRSA colonization in patients admitted to ICU. CONCLUSION: A significant number of patients admitted to the ICU in a secondary hospital were colonized with MRSA. The present study showed the possible impact of the presence of a nasogastric tube on the nasal colonization by MRSA. More effective infection control procedures must be developed for patients with nasogastric tube use.

The Impact of Marriage Migrant Women's Korean Language Ability, Self-esteem, and Acculturative Stress on Their Family Health: Focused on Mediating Effects of Marital Adjustment

PURPOSE: This study was conducted for the purpose of a structural model analysis of family health of women who came to Korea for being married to Korean men. METHODS: The data were collected from 260 immigrant women at multicultural centers located in C and B cities from May 10th to 30th, 2012. The variance analysis on the samples was conducted by using the maximum likelihood minimization function with AMOS 7.0. The fitness was evaluated by means of the SRMR, RMSEA, CFI, and TLI with a 90% confidence interval. RESULTS: First, immigrant women's self-esteem and acculturative stress were found to have significant direct effects on their family health. Second, their self-esteem and acculturative stress have direct effects on their marital adjustment. Third, their marital adjustment was found to have significant direct effects on their family health. Forth, immigrant women's Korean language ability was found not to have significant direct effects on their marital adjustment and family health. CONCLUSION: In order to enhance the family health of immigrant women, it is necessary to develop and apply nursing programs in consideration of immigrant women's self-esteem, marital adjustment and acculturative stress.

The Effects of Foot Reflexology Massage on Sleep and Fatigue of Elderly Women / 성인간호학회지

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of foot reflexology massage on sleep and fatigue of elderly women. METHOD: The study was performed from April thru July of 2004 on the nonequivalent control group non-synchronized quasi-experimental design. Fifty elderly women were selected for each group. The foot reflexology massage was performed for 45 minutes every three days for experimental group. The data were analyzed using the Cronbach's alpha, Chi-Square test, t-test and Repeated measures ANOVA and Bonferroni. RESULT: 1. The sleep score of the experiment group is significantly higher than that of the control group(t=-5.944, p=.000). 2. For the experiment group, it is seen that the sleep score increases as the frequency of the foot reflexology massage increases(F=96.362, p=.000). 3. The fatigue score of the experiment group is significantly lower than that of the control group(t=4.356, p=.000). 4. For the experiment group, the fatigue is relieved gradually as the frequency of the foot reflexology massage increases(F= 118.444, p=.000). CONCLUSION: Based on the results described above, it is considered that the foot reflexology massage is effective for elderly women in promoting a good sleep and relieving the fatigue.