• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 2004

목적 : 이 연구는 항암제를 투여받는 여성암환자에서 발반사마사지가 스트레스반응(활력징후, 코티졸)과 면역반응에 미치는 효과를 평가하기 위함이다. 방법 : 11명의 여성암 환자를 임의로 표출한 후 단일군 전후실험설계로 진행하였다. 종속변수는 스트레스 반응으로 활력징후(수축기 혈압, 이완기 혈압, 맥박수, 호흡수)와 혈중 코티졸, 면역반응으로 림프구 아군(CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19)과 자연살세포(NK cells)이며, 독립변수는 발반사마사지이었다. 중재 전후 종속변수의 변화를 보기 위해 Wilcoxon signed rank test를 실시하였다. 결과 : 중재 전에 비해 중재 후 수축기 혈압, 이완기 혈압, 맥박수, 혈중 코티졸치, CD4와 CD19는 유의한 변화를 보였으나 호흡수, CD3, CD8, 그리고 자연살세포는 유의한 변화를 보이지 않았다. 결론 : 이러한 연구결과는 발반사마사지가 항암화학요법을 받는 여성암 환자의 스트레스 호르몬과 면역관련세포에 영향을 보였지만 표본수가 작고 중재가 1회에 그쳤기 때문에 이러한 단점을 보완한 추후연구를 통해 발반사마사지의 효과를 좀더 잘 규명할 수 있을 것이다.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.891-894
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• 2010

This study was conducted in order to examine the effects of horticultural therapy on stress in demented elders, and for this purpose, we analyzed stress-related physiological changes in demented elders under the care of an elderly facility who had not taken medication and consented to blood tests. The horticultural therapy program included only flower decoration, which was preferred by the participants, aiming ultimately to reduce stress. First, a one-to-one session was given for forming rapport and the horticultural therapist had many conversations about plants with the elders. Furthermore, the participants were induced to be absorbed into the horticultural activities, though a short while, so that they might forget troubles. Evaluation was made by measuring subjective stress and the blood cortisol hormone concentration before and after the horticultural therapy and examining differences between them. Subjective stress increased from 12.88 to 17.88 in the control group, but decreased significantly from 13.88 before the therapy to 6.38 after in the experimental group (p = 0.007). When the blood cortisol hormone level was measured as a physiological indicator of stress, it decreased significantly from $11.33{\mu}g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ before the horticultural therapy to $9.85{\mu}g{\cdot}L^{-1}$ after (p = 0.037). These results suggest that horticultural therapy reduces the blood cortisol hormone level and is effective in easing stress.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.62 no.4
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• pp.308-313
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• 2007

Background: The nitric oxide (NO) released by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) plays an important role in the pathophysiology of sepsis. Corticosteroids also play a role in the hemodynamic and inflammatory reactions in sepsis. Both have been shown to have a relationship theoretically, but their correlation and clinical impacts have rarely been evaluated. Methods: 26 patients with sepsis and 14 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. The initial random plasma total NO and the serum cortisol levels were measured. The same measurements were serially carried out on the $3^{rd}$, $5^{th}$, and $7^{th}$ days. Results: The initial total plasma levels of NO and cortisol were higher in the patients with sepsis than in the healthy controls. The total NO levels were higher in patients with severe sepsis than in the those with mild sepsis. There was a correlation between the total NO and cortisol level throughout the study. Conclusion: In patients with sepsis, the levels of plasma NO and cortisol were well correlated during the first week of sepsis, which suggests an interrelationship. However, the clinical and pathogenetic implications await further evaluation.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.356-365
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• 2006

Background: Corticosteroids are known to be significant prognostic parameters in sepsis. Recently, an absolute and relative insufficiency of the corticosteroids system has often been reported to often develop particularly in severe sepsis. Degree of such an adrenal insufficiency not only has prognostic implications but also can be used to guide corticosteroids replacement therapy. The 24-hour urinary cortisol levels as well as serum cortisol concentrations were measured to assess the clinical significance and their relationship with the other parameters of sepsis, and also evaluated the clinical implications of the relative adrenal insufficiency. Methods: 26 consecutive patients with sepsis were enrolled. The basal random serum cortisol, ACTH, ADH, lactate levels and 24-hour urinary free cortisol amount were measured. The rapid ACTH ($250{\mu}g$) stimulation test was also performed. Results: Basal serum cortisol levels were higher in the non-survivors than in the survivors. The 24-hour urinary free cortisol levels were higher in the patients with severe sepsis than in those without. The serum cortisol levels strongly correlated with the serum ADH and lactate levels. The 24-hour urinary free cortisol levels strongly correlated with the serum cortisol and lactate levels. The fractional changes in the cortisol levels after the rapid ACTH stimulation tests correlated with the serum cortisol, ADH, and lactate levels. Conclusion: Both the serum cortisol and 24-hour urinary cortisol were found to be significant prognostic factors in sepsis, and showed a strong correlation with the other parameters. The relative adrenal insufficiency might also be an important clinical parameter.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.301-307
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• 2005

Purpose: To investigate changes in mother's stress, degree of depression and level of milk secretion hormones when the mothers provided massage to their new born babies. Method: The study was conducted with 65 women who had delivered at a convalescence institute in Incheon between Sep 25, 2003 and Feb 10, 2004. The mothers were assigned to a control group or an experimental group. Infants of mothers in the experimental group received massage from their mothers twice a day for 10 days beginning on the 4th day after delivery. The data were processed using $x^2-test$, paired t-test and repeated measures ANOVA using the SAS program. Results: The level of cortisol, a stress hormone and depression were significantly different between the two groups (p=0.01 ;p=0.02). While fur plasma prolactin level, a milk secretion hormone, there was no significant difference(p=0.14). Conclusions: When massage was provided to new-born babies the cortisol level of the mothers decreased significantly compared to the control group which did not receive the massage. As the level of depression of the control group declined as time passed while the experiment group showed no difference and there was no difference in the plasma prolactin level, further study is suggested.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.8
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• pp.1230-1234
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• 2010

The effects of inhaling three essential oils (lavender [Lavendular angustifolia], silver fir [Abies alba], and grapefruit [Citrus paradise]) against restraint stress were investigated in mice. Serum cortisol levels were significantly increased in the 1h-restraint group. Also, silver fir and grapefruit oils prevented the elevation of cortisol levels under experimental conditions. Inhalation of 10% lavender oil for 30 min before inducing stress significantly inhibited restraint-induced hypothermia. We also investigated the effects of restraint stress on triglycerides, total cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. It was found that the concentration of triglycerides in the serum samples increased after restraint stress. Silver fir essential oil inhibited elevation of triglyceride levels. Taken all together, the correlation of herb essential oil inhalation against restraint stress in animals can partly be explained.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.697-706
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of the phytoncides on serum cortisol level, vital signs and life stress of college students. Methods: This study was nonequivalent control group non-synchronized design. The subjects consisted of 60(control group: 28, experimental group: 32). The phytoncides mixed the pine(pinus sylvestris) oil with the cypress(cupressus sempervirens) oil in the same rate. In the experiment, it was put in an aroma-necklace bottle and inhaled 3 times per day(9AM, at noon, before going to bed) for 2 weeks. The data were analyzed by the SPSS version 12.0 program. Results: In the experimental group systolic BP(F=15.603, p=.000), diastolic BP(F=29.489, p=.000) and serum cortisol level(F=4.968, p=.000) were significantly decreased. Conclusion: The phytoncides inhalation is a partly help to reduce college students' life stress. The phytoncides is the incense of the familial tree. We recommended to examine what differences between the green shower and the phytoncides inhalation for the stress reduction.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.235-242
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• 2022

Purpose: To investigate associations of perceived stress level, serum cortisol level, and telomere length of community-dwelling adults in Korea. Methods: Data of a total of 135 community-dwelling adults aged over 40 years living in D metropolitan city from December 2020 to March 2021 were collected. Perceived stress level over the past month were measured using the Perceived Stress Score. Serum cortisol level was analyzed using a chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. Telomere length was determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The statistical package SPSS 23.0 was used to perform Chi-square test, independent t-test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient analysis. Results: There was no association between perceived stress and serum cortisol level (r = .07, p= .402). Serum cortisol level was not significantly associated with telomere length either (r = -.15, p= .081). However, the higher the perceived stress level, the shorter the telomere length (r= -.29, p= .001). Conclusion: These results suggest that perceived stress might induce physiological stress, which might partially affect gene biology. Further longitudinal research is needed to investigate the effect of perceived stress on telomere length. Intervention for relieving stress should be included in stabilizing the genetic environment of adults.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2021

This study was intended to prepare a basis to apply one time laughter therapy in clinical circumstances as an intervention for reducing job stress and improve job involvement of geriatric hospital workers by identifying the effect of one time laughter therapy on their physiological stress responses, job stress, and job involvement. This study was a Non-Equivalent control group pre-post design to validate the effect of one time laughter therapy. The participants of this study included 80 staffs of 2 geriatric hospitals located in I city, including 40 persons in each experimental and control group. Consent was obtained from the participants, after explaining sufficiently study purpose, blood pressure and pulse rate measurement, serum cortisol level measurement, and a questionnaire on job stress and job involvement and data collection was performed 2 times each, before and after the experimental procedure. For the collected data, frequency, percentage, average and standard deviation, χ2 test, Fisher's exact test and t-test were conducted using SPSS Win 19.0. The results of this study were as follows. The systolic blood pressure and the serum cortisol level were reduced significantly. It was found that although there was no significant difference between the experimental group and the control group in job stress and job involvement. Therefore, it was identified that the one time laughter therapy was an effective nursing intervention to reduce physiological stress response of geriatric hospital workers.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.212-219
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hand stimulation intervention by moxa on fatigue and the blood cortisol level in pregnant women. Method: This study was conducted using a nonequivalent control-group pretest-posttest design from Oct 13 to Dec 15, 2005. The participants were pregnant women in the Gyeong-gi area. The numbers of experimental and control subjects were 16 and 13, respectively. The hand stimulation intervention by moxa was applied to the experimental group three times a week, for a total of fifteen times for five weeks. Result: The blood cortisol level was statistically significantly different between the two groups. However, the degree of fatigue was statistically insignificant. Conclusion: These results suggest that hand stimulation intervention by moxa can be used as an effective nursing intervention in pregnant women. The implications for nursing practice and directions for future research are discussed.