This study clarified the characteristic autonomic nervous activity of institutionalized elders diagnosed with dementia using Hasegawa's Dementia Scale-Revised. Twenty-six healthy adult persons (HPs) in their 20 s -40 s met the inclusion criteria, and 16 persons (27.6 ± 8.2 years old) completed the research procedure. Of 70 persons with dementia (PDs) residing at the one geriatric health services facilities, only 24 persons met the inclusion criteria, and only nine (N = 9, 83.44 ± 9.45 years old) completed the procedure. Actigraph and ambulatory electrocardiographic instruments measuring autonomic nervous activity were attached to the subjects for 24 hours. Activities and behaviors of PDs and HPs were observed by clinically experienced staff nurses and care workers. High frequency (HF) power indicating parasympathetic activity and LF/HF ratio indicating sympathetic activity were calculated. When awake, PDs' LF/HF ratio was significantly lower than HP's (Z = −2.60, p < 0.01), showing significant differences in the LF/HF ratios between waking and sleeping, more than those of the PDs (p < 0.001). Similarly, when awake, significant positive correlations were observed in the LF/HF ratio and actigraph activity count (AC) in 11 HPs and 3 PDs (range r = 0.17 to 0.49, p < 0.05); however, significant negative correlation was found in HF and AC of 12 HPs and 3 PDs (range r = −0.55 to −0.18, p < 0.05). While sleeping, significant positive correlations were observed in LF/HF and AC of 3 HPs and 1 PD (range r = 0.35 to 0.42, p < 0.05) and significant negative correlation was found in the HF and AC of 1 HP (r= −0.32, p < 0.001) and 1 PD (r = −0.32, p < 0.05). The mean value of LF/HF in a wakeful state was significantly lower for PDs than HPs. Combined results of behavioral observation, actigrapy and heart rate variability (HRV) analyses suggested that PDs showed positive correlations between LF/HF and AC in a wakeful state. Compared to those who showed no positive correlation, they did not require much nursing care.
Iron-based porous metals have several advantages such as high strength and low cost compared with aluminum alloy foams. In recent years, a number of manufacturing technologies for iron-based porous metals have been proposed. However, a practical process could not be developed because of lower porosity, higher cost of raw materials, and so on. In this study, a new manufacturing principle of porous iron was proposed by applying carbothermic reduction using a composite of hematite and carbonaceous material. In the reduction experiment, graphite, coal, and three different charcoals were used as reductants. Based on the results, the characteristics and mechanism of the volume change of the composite were investigated under different pressures. Reduction behavior signi cantly varied among the different types of reductants. The composites containing graphite and coal shrank during the reduction process when heated up to 1373 K. However, swelling behavior was observed for the composite prepared using charcoal containing some amounts of sodium and sulfur as ash components. When this composite was heated up to 1273 K at a rate of 0.167 K s −1 at 0.3 MPa, porous iron with a maximum porosity of 97.7% was successfully obtained. The bulk density of the composite changed during the reduction of wustite to metallic iron and formed iron whiskers. The formation of the whiskered iron texture led to a considerable swelling of the composite. On the other hand, the composite prepared using charcoal with low sodium and sulfur concentrations in the ash did not swell after the formation of metallic iron. Furthermore, when such elements in the charcoal were preliminarily removed, the composite did not swell.
This study aims to identify needs and challenges of care robot in nursing care setting through an extensive search of the literature. As the result shows, there exists a shortage of information about results of the introduction of care robots, the needs of recipients and care providers, and relevant ethical problems. To advance our research and to introduce care robots into setting, there are so many things to do; consider the application of natural language processing technology by collaborating with researchers in the robotics field, carry out an investigation, extract the needs, clarify ethical problems and seek solutions, conduct the on-site experiment study, and so on.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify characteristics of work environments in psychiatric hospitals which are appealing to nurses. Understanding characteristics of work environments of psychiatric hospital nurses can lead to attracting nurses to work in this environment, thereby increasing human resources and alleviating nurse-staffing problems. Methods: Questionnaire copies focusing on staffing shortages of nurses in psychiatric hospitals were provided to 277 psychiatric hospital nurse administrators in Japan from May-April 2016. Data analyses included descriptive and multivariate statistics. Factor analysis together with the Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin and the Bartlett's test of Sphericity were used to assess adaptive validity. Factor loadings were set at 0.4 or more for the configuration of items, while internal consistency and reliability of the assessment data scores were done using Cronbach's alpha coefficient. Mean factor points were calculated and student's t-test and one-way analysis of variance were performed. Significance probability level was set at 0.001. Results: Factor analysis revealed nine factors: (1) Educational system, (2) Reputation at hospitals, (3) Support system for acquisition of certificate of clinical nurse specialist/certified nurse, (4) Reputation at hospitals as places of employment, (5) Knowledge of nursing philosophy and of culture of working places, (6) Reputation of teaching for students' clinical practice, (7) Working hours and leave privileges, (8) Salary and other allowances, (9) Support system for license acquisition. Data revealed that nurse administrators who employed new graduate registered nurses found their hospitals' attractive points were: educational system, support system to acquire certificate of clinical nurse specialist, reputation of hospital as place of employment, knowledge of nursing philosophy and culture of working places, teaching students' clinical practice, and salary and other allowances. Conclusion: Nurse administrators who have no difficulty recruiting nursing staff recognized that their hospital environments were considered appealing based on working hours and leave privileges. Characteristics of Psychiatric Research ArticleOpen Access IntroductionToday's global nursing shortage is having an adverse impact on health systems around the world [1]. An insufficient supply of nurses, considered essential personnel, is a critical stressor for hospitals. Many hospitals are struggling with a nurse shortage. May, Bazzoli and Gerland [2] reported that the nurse shortages resulted from a combination of factors; Nurses salary, nurses' work environment, and long-term strategies for nurse education, student nurse and nurse faculty. The relationship between nurses' working conditions, such as high workload, and job dissatisfaction can lead to low morale, absenteeism, turnover, and poor job performance. In addition, prolonged shortages may also cause reduction in patient population, potentially threaten quality patient care, and organizational effectiven...
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