PURPOSE: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses' experience in caring for infants who are approaching death and to identity the meaning and structure of their experiences.METHODS: The participants were eight nurses who had experience in caring for these infants. In-depth interviews were performed from December, 2012 to February, 2013 until data were fully saturated. Collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method.RESULTS: Four theme clusters were extracted from fifteen themes. The four theme clusters of the NICU nurses' experience in caring for infants who are dying were: 1) Crossroads between life and comfort of infants approaching death, 2) emotional suffering at the death of the infant, 3) adapting and coping with the death of the infant, 4) new expectations for caring for infants who are dying.CONCLUSION: The results of the study provide useful information in understanding NICU nurses' experience in caring for infants who are dying and establishing effective strategies to support these nurses.

Objectives:The purpose of the study was to identify the relationship between metabolic syndrome and oral diseases in the middle aged and elderly in Korea. Methods:The study subjects were 6,390 people over 40 years old from 2010 and 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The survey questionnaire consisted of health, nutrition, and oral examination surveys. The independent variables included general characteristics, health behavior, oral health behavior, and metabolic syndrome. The dependent variables included dental caries experience and periodontal disease. The oral examination was carried out by the dentist based on World Health Organization standard. Results: The average prevalence rate of metabolic syndrome MS was 23.79%, including 54.84% of risk group and 21.37% of normal group. The missing teeth rate was 82.38%, DMFT rate was 90.28% and the periodontal disease rate was 33.15%. Those having abnormal fasting blood glucose had 1.17 fold(95% CI: 1.00∼1.37) higher periodontal disease than the normal group. The abnormal HDL cholesterol group had 1.25 times higher odds ratio(95% CI: 1.07∼1.46) and the obese group had 1.27 times higher odds ratio(95% CI: 1.07∼1.51). The risk group had 1.20 times higher odds ration(95% CI: 1.00∼1.44) and that of the metabolic syndrome group was 1.60 times higher(95% CI: 1.29∼1.97) in periodontal disease. The high blood pressure group had 1.25 times of missing teeth prevalence rate(95% CI: 1.00∼ 1.37). The metabolic syndrome group had 1.47 times of missing teeth prevalence rate(95% CI: 1.11∼1.94). Conclusions:The middle aged and elderly people in Korea had higher rate of metabolic syndrome and oral disease. It is necessary to implement the preventive oral health examination for the control of metabolic syndrome and oral diseases prevalence.

This study was conducted to explore relationships of postpartum depression with socio-demographic and clinical characteristics of preterm infants and mothers. Methods: Participants were the mothers of 80 premature infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units. Postpartum depression was measured using the Edinburg Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). Clinical characteristics were examined through the medical records. The physiological state for the infants was evaluated using the revised Neurobiologic Risk Score (NBRS). Data were analyzed using the t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results: Average for EPDS was 9.75 ± 5.06, and 30% of the participants were at high risk for postpartum depression. There were significant differences in postpartum depression according to mother's education level (F = 3.493, p = .035), economic state (F = 5.828, p = .004), multiple pregnancy (t = 2.141, p = .037), chorioamnionitis (t = 2.349, p = .021), oligohydramnios (t =-2.226, p = .029), broncho-pulmonary dysplasia (t = 2.085, p = .040), germinal matrix hemorrhage (t = 2.259, p = .027), and revised NBRS (t =-2.772, p = .007). There was a significant positive correlation between postpartum depression and number of health problem of infants (r = .252, p = .024) and revised NBRS (r = .316, p = .004). Conclusion: As 30% of the mothers with preterm infants were at high risk for postpartum depression, they require attention. When providing interventions, socioeconomic status as well as the physiological state of premature infants should be considered.

Kojongsi persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) is the major cultivar of dried persimmon in Korea. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of water-soluble extracts from the calyx (PCE), peel (PPE) and leaf (PLE) of Kojongsi persimmon. PCE showed the highest total phenolic and flavonoid contents. In addition, the antioxidant activities (diphenylpicrylhydrazyl, 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid), nitric oxide and reducing power) of PCE were higher than those of PPE and PLE. Moreover, PCE, PPE and PLE significantly suppressed the production of inflammatory mediators (nitric oxide and prostaglandinE 2 ) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α and interluekin-1β) by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. PCE showed the highest anti-inflammatory activity. Thus, these results suggest that the calyx of Kojongsi persimmon may be highly valuable as a natural product owing to its high-quality functional components as well as its-antioxidant, antiinflammatory activities.

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