• 제목/요약/키워드: Response to Stress

검색결과 3,486건 처리시간 0.031초

Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide로 유도된 제2형 당뇨모델 쥐에서 조각자(Gleditschiae Spina) 추출물의 항당뇨효과 (Antihyperglycemic of Gleditschiae Spina Extracts in Streptozotocin-Nicotinamide Induced Type 2 Diabetic Rats)

  • 박재희;추원미;이정민;박해룡;박은주
    • 한국식품영양과학회지
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    • 제40권2호
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    • pp.321-326
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    • 2011
  • 본 연구는 제2형 당뇨모델 쥐에서 조각자 추출물의 항당뇨 효과를 알아보기 위해 SD계 수컷 흰쥐에 streptozotocin (STZ)을 복강주사 15분 후 nicotineamide(NA)로 복강에 재주사하여 제2형 당뇨를 유발시켰다. 그리고 당뇨대조군(DC), 당뇨 유발군+acarbose 4 mg/kg(AC), 당뇨유발군+조각자 추출물(Gleditschiae Spina ethanol extract) 50 mg/kg (GSE), 그리고 정상군(NC)으로 나누어 10주간 식이와 함께 물을 자유 급여하였다. 10주 동안 매일 식이 섭취량과 음료섭취량 및 매주 체중과 공복혈당을 측정하고, 마지막 주에 경구포도당 부하검사(OGTT)를 실시하였으며, 부검 시 혈액을 채취하여 혈장 TRAP 수준을 측정하였다. 정상군에 비해 당뇨그룹(DC, AC, GSE)의 체중 증가는 유의적으로 감소하였고, 당뇨 유발군들 간에는 유의적 차이가 없었다. 식이섭취량, 음료섭취량 및 식이이용효율은 정상군에 비해 당뇨그룹 DC, AC, GSE에서 유의적으로 높게 나타났으나, 음료섭취량은 DC에 비해 AC, GSE군에서 유의적으로 감소하였다. 정상군은 10주 동안 정상 수준 공복혈당을 나타내었고, acarbose는 8주부터 공복혈당이 유의적으로 감소하였으며, 9주까지 GSE군은 DC군보다 공복혈당은 낮았지만 유의적 차이는 보이지 않다가 마지막 10주에서는 DC군보다 공복혈당이 유의적으로 감소하였다. 경구 당부하 검사 결과에서는 포도당 투여 30분 후부터 혈당이 상승되기 시작하여 정상군보다 당뇨군들에서 유의적으로 상승하였고, 당뇨군들에서는 DC군에 비해 AC와 GSE군에서 유의적으로 혈당상승이 억제되었다. 10주간의 GSE 보충은 DC군에 비해 혈장 내총항산화(TRAP) 수준을 유의적으로 증가시키는 것으로 나타났다. 따라서 제2형 당뇨병에서 조각자 추출물을 장기간 투여한다면 혈당증가 억제에 있어 확연한 효과를 보일 것으로 생각된다. 이는 조각자 추출물의 항산화 활성과도 연관이 있을 것으로 추측되며, 향후 조각자 추출물의 혈당강하작용 효과를 가지는 물질의 분리 및 정제에 대한 연구가 이루어져야 할 것으로 사료된다.

경주 활성단층대 및 주변 국가지하수 관측정에서 지진과 수위변동 상관관계 연구 (Relationship between Earthquake and Fluctuation of Water Level in Active Fault Zone and National Groundwater Monitoring Wells of Gyeongju Area)

  • 장현우;정찬호;이용천;이유진;홍진우;김천환;김영석;강태섭
    • 지질공학
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    • 제30권4호
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    • pp.617-634
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    • 2020
  • 본 연구의 목적은 경주 단구리 활성단층대에 설치된 지하수 관측정과 주변 국가지하수관측정 124개 공에서 지진발생에 따른 지하수위 변동특성을 알아보는 데 있다. 수위자료를 활용하여 시공간적 분포특성과 지진과의 상관성을 해석하였으며, 발생한 지진에 대하여 관측정의 반응에 대한 효율성(잠재성)을 나타내는 Earthquake effectiveness(ε)와 q-factor를 계산하여 유효성을 분석하였다. 관측기간 중 단구리 관측정의 지하수위 변동은 E1(2019년 4월 22일 M 3.8) 지진 발생 이후(post-seismic) 83 cm의 지하수위 하강을, E2(2019년 6월 11일 M 2.5) 지진발생 전(pre-seismic) 76 cm의 지하수위 상승을 보여주었다. 주변 국가지하수관측정의 수위자료를 이용하여 시간에 따른 공간분포 분석결과, 단층대 주변 관측정에서 수위변동이 상대적으로 높은 특성을 보인다. 그리고 충적지하수보다 암반지하수에서 더 큰 수위변동을 보여 암반 지하수가 지진 관측에 유리함을 보여준다. 이러한 수위의 상승과 하강은 지진에 의해 암반에 가해지는 인장응력에 의한 균열의 증가와 압축응력에 의한 공극의 감소와 관련된 것으로 보인다. 단구리 관측정의 Earthquake effectiveness(ε)와 q-factor의 유효범위는 각각 2.70E-10~5.60E-10, 14.4~18.0으로 산정되었다.

수컷 흰쥐의 시상하부-뇌하수체 축 호르몬 유전자 발현에 미치는 6-Hydroxydopamine(6-OHDA)의 영향 (Effect of 6-Hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on the Expression of Hypothalamus-Pituitary Axis Hormone Genes in Male Rats)

  • 허현진;안련섭;이성호
    • 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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    • 제13권4호
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    • pp.257-264
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    • 2009
  • 6-hydroxydopamine(6-OHDA)는 파킨슨 질환 동물 모델의 제조에 널리 사용되는 신경독소로 도파민성 뉴런에 대한 특이적인 독성을 나타낸다. 도파민 신호는 중추신경계의 광범위한 영역에서 생리 기능을 조절하는데, 이에 따라 파킨슨병 환자와 6-OHDA를 처리한 동물들의 신경내분비 활성에 극심한 변화가 있을 것으로 예상할 수 있다. 하지만 6-OHDA 주사 모델에서 시상하부-뇌하수체 신경내분비 회로에 관한 연구들은 전무한 실정이다. 본 연구는 6-OHDA에 의한 뇌 카테콜아민 합성의 차단이 성체 수컷 흰쥐의 시상하부-뇌하수체 호르몬 유전자들의 전사 활성에 일으키는 변화를 조사한 것이다. 생후 3개월의 수컷 흰쥐(SD strain)에 개체 당 $200{\mu}g$의 6-OHDA를 $10{\mu}\ell$의 생리식염수에 녹여 뇌실 내 주사(icv)하였고, 2주 후에 모든 실험동물들을 희생시켰다. 시상하부-뇌하수체 호르몬 유전자들의 mRNA 수준을 조사하기 위해 total RNA를 추출하여 반-정량적 RT-PCR을 시행하였다. 카테콜아민 생합성에서 속도조절효소로 작용하는 tyrosine hydroxylase(TH)의 경우 6-OHDA군에서 대조군에 비해 유의한 발현 감소가 나타났고(대조군:6-OHDA군=1:0.72${\pm}$0.02AU, p<0.001), 이를 통해 6-OHDA 주사의 효력을 확인 하였다. 시상하부에서 gonadotropin-releasing hormone(GnRH)과 corticotropin releasing hormone(CRH)의 mRNA 수준은 6-OHDA군이 대조군에 비해 유의하게 낮았다(GnRH, 대조군:6-OHDA군=1:0.39${\pm}$0.03AU, p<0.001; CRH, 대조군:6-OHDA군=1:0.76${\pm}$0.07AU, p<0.01). 뇌하수체에서 glycoprotein hormone들의 공통적인 alpha subunit(Cg$\alpha$)과 LH beta subunit(LH-$\beta$) 그리고 FSH beta subunit(FSH-$\beta$)의 mRNA 수준의 경우 모두 6-OHDA군에서 대조군에 비해 유의한 감소를 나타냈다(Cg$\alpha$, 대조군:6-OHDA군=1:0.81${\pm}$0.02AU, p<0.001; LH-$\beta$, 대조군:6-OHDA군=1:0.68${\pm}$0.04AU, p<0.001; FSH-$\beta$, 대조군:6-OHDA군=1:0.84${\pm}$0.05AU, p<0.01). 이와 유사하게, 6-OHDA군에서의 뇌하수체 adrenocorticotrophic hormone(ACTH) 전사 수준 역시 대조군에 비해 유의하게 낮았다(대조군:6-OHDA군=1:0.86${\pm}$0.04AU, p<0.01). 본 연구는 중추신경계로의 도파민 신경독소 주입에 의해 두 가지의 시상하부-뇌하수체 신경내분비 회로인 GnRH-성선자극호르몬 회로와 CRH-ACTH 회로의 전사 활성이 하향 조정됨을 증명하였다. 이러한 결과는 시상하부로의 CA 입력은 시상하부-뇌하수체 기능 조절을 통해 생식소와 부신의 활성에 영향을 미침을 시사하는 것으로, 파킨슨병 환자들에게서 빈번하게 발생하는 성 기능 장애와 열악한 스트레스 반응을 설명할 단서를 제공한다.

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내독소에 의한 말초혈액 단핵구의 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$ 유전자 발현에서 산소기 역할에 관한 연구 (Role of Oxygen Free Radical in the Expression of Interleukin-8 and Interleukin-$1{\beta}$ Gene in Mononuclear Phagocytic Cells)

  • 강민종;김재열;박재석;이승준;유철규;김영환;한성구;심영수
    • Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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    • 제42권6호
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    • pp.862-870
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    • 1995
  • 연구배경: 산소기의 작용은 과거에는 세포독성이 주로 알려져 있었던 반면, 최근 들어 산소기의 세포내 신호전달체계에서의 역할에 많은 사람의 관심이 모이고 있다. 여러 cytokine의 전사인자(transcription factor)로 작용하는 $NF{\kappa}B$는 기저상태에서는 세포질에 존재하는데 $I{\kappa}B$와 결합되어 핵내로의 이동이 억제되고 있다. 여러 연구에 의해 $NF{\kappa}B$$I{\kappa}B$로부터의 분리는 외부자극에 의해 생성된 산소기에 의한 것으로 알려졌는데, 이렇게 하여 분리된 $NF{\kappa}B$가 핵내로 이동하면 핵내에서 전사인자로 작용하여 여러 유전자의 전사를 증가시키는 것이 보고되었다. IL-8 유전자는 5'flanking promotor region에 $NF{\kappa}B$-like motif가 있어 핵내 $NF{\kappa}B$ activity의 증가로 IL-8 유전자의 전사가 증가되는 것으로 알려졌고, 또한 내독소는 핵내의 $NF{\kappa}B$ activity의 증가와 함께 호중구에서의 산소기의 분비를 가져온다. 이러한 사실로부터 내독소에 의한 IL-8 유전자의 발현은 세포내에서 생성된 산소기에 의해 $NF{\kappa}B$$I{\kappa}B$로부터 분리되어 핵내로 이동하고 이로 인해 IL-8 유전자의 전사가 증가되는 가설을 생각할 수 있다. 저자들은 이러한 가설 검정의 첫번째 단계로써 체내 염증반응에서 중요한 역할을 하는 말초혈액 단핵구의 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$ 유전자 발현에 세포내의 산소기가 관여하는지의 여부를 평가하고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 방법: Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient 법과 plastic 부착법을 이용하여 말초혈액 단핵구를 분리하였다. 외부에서 투여한 산소기의 농도에 따른 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA 발현의 유무를 관찰하기 위하여 $H_2O_2$를 0, 10, 100, $300{\mu}M/L$, 1mM/L의 농도로 투여하고 6시간이 경과한후 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$에 대한 Northern blot analysis를 시행하였다. 시간에 따른 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA 변화를 관찰하고자 $H_2O_2$$100{\mu}M/L$의 농도로 투여하고 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 24시간이 경과한 후 Northern blot analysis를 시행하였다. 항산화제가 내독소에 의한 IL-8과 IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA 발현에 미치는 영향을 평가하기 위하여 TMTU(10 mM/L) 1시간; PDTC($100{\mu}M/L$) 1시간, NAC(10 mM/L) 2.5시간, ME(10mM/(L) 2.5시간, Desferrioxamine(100mM/L) 15시간 동안 전처치 한 디음 내독소를 투여허여 4시간이 경과한 후 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA에 대한 Northern blot analysis를 시행하였다. 결과: $H_2O_2$농도 및 시간에 따른 말초혈액 단핵구에서의 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA의 발현에는 유의한 차이가 관찰되지 않았지만 항산화제로 전처치하였을 때 내독소에 의한 말초혈액 단핵구에서의 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA의 발현이 억제되었고 그 억제정도는 TMTU에서 가장 현저하였다. 결론: 이상의 결과에서 말초혈액 단핵구에서의 IL-8 및 IL-$1{\beta}$ mRNA 발현에 $H_2O_2$가 아닌 다른 산소기가 일부 관여할 것으로 생각된다.

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사무 자동화에 따른 사무직 근로자의 건강과 연관된 자각 증상에 대한 조사연구 (An Investigation on the self-consciousness Symptoms of the Clerical Workers attendant upon Office Automation)

  • 정미화
    • 한국직업건강간호학회지
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    • 제3권호
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    • pp.54-70
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    • 1993
  • According as the automation of clerical work(OA ; Office Automation) develops, the use of VDT(Visual or Video Display Terminal) is increasing suddenly. But, in proportion to the spread of office automation(OA tendency), the self-conciousness syptom attendant upon the work is appearing also (Kim, Jung Tae, Lee, Young Ook, 1990). The apparatuses of office enable the clerical workers to be convenient and perform mass businesses. But, they are increasing the opportunity to be exposed to VDT syndrom, techno stress, computer terminal disease, pain by muscle strain(RSI), bradycausia of noise nature, and electromagnetic waves, etc. which are referred to as the new type of occupational diseases to the workers. It is the real situation that the workers to use VDT is complaining of the physical inconvenience sense in the recent newspaper and literature, it is the point of time that the sydrome to come from VDT use and computer terminal disease, etc. must be classified into the occupational disease(Lee, Kwang Young 1990, Lee, Kyoo Hak 1990, Lee, Won Ho 1991, Lee, Si Young 1991, Lee, Joon 1991, Choi, Young Tae 1991, Heo, Seung Ho 1989). In addition, it is the real situation that the scientifitic study result about the scope that electromagnetic waves has influence on the human body has not been suggested yet, and criticism on the stable exposure permission standard about electromagnetic waves to be emitted from VDT and on the problem in the health about electromagnetic waves is continuing. (IEEE Spectrum, 1990). In addition according to the experience of nursery business of industry field, it is the real situation that the patients who consult complaining of physical and mental inconvenience sence, among the users of apparatus of office automation, are reaching 10% of the patients coming to doctor's room. Therefore, it is necessary to confirm the self-consciousness symptom that the clerical workers complain of multilaterally with the actual state examination about the use of the apparatuses of offices automaton. Thus, this study was tried as th basic data for the cosultation and education for the maintenance and furtherance of the health of workers as the nurse of industry field, by confirming the contents of self-consciousness symptom attendant upon the use of the apparatus for office outomation making the financial institution in which the spparatus for office automation in most frequently used as the subject, and by examining whether there is the difference according to the subject of study, the data were collected, by using the questionnaire method, making 200 workers who consented to the study participation as the subject, among the persons who have spent over 3 months since they used the apparatuses for office automation and didn't receive the treatment in hospital due to the clerical disease for recent 3 years. The period of data collection was from Oct. 9, 1991 to Oct. 12. As for the measurement instrument about the complaint if self-consciousness symptom attendant upon the use of apparatuses fo office automation, the question item on the complaint symptom of health problem attendant upon the treatment of VDT that Kim(1991) developed and on CMI health problem and the question items on the fatigue degree due to industry were used by previous examination to 25 persons. Collected data were analyzed with the statistical method such as percentage, arithmetic mean, Person correlation coeffient, Kai square verfication, t-test, ANOVA, etc. by using SPSS/PC+ program, and the result is as follows : 1. The self-consciousness symptom that the clerical workers complained of most frequetly appeared high in 'My eyes are tired'(99.4%), 'I feel fatigue and weariness'(99.4%), 'I feel that my head is heavy5(90.0%), 'eyesight fell'(88.8%), 'I have a stiff neck'(88.8%), 'I fell pain in the shoulder'(85.0%), 'I feel cold and painful in the eyes'(76.9%), 'I feel the dry sense of eyeball'(76.2%), 'My nerves are edgy, and I an fretful, (75.6%), 'I feel pain in the waist'(73.2%) and 'I fell pain in the back'(72.8%). It emerged that the subject use the apparatuses for office automation complained of self-consciousness symptoms related to visual symptoms and musculoskeletal symptoms. 2. As for the general feature of examination subjects, the result to see the distribution by classifying into sex, age, school career, use career of apparatuses for office automation, skillfulness degree of the use of apparatus for office automation, use hours of the apparatuses for office automation per 1 day, type of business of the apparatus for office automation, rest hours during the use of apparatus for office automation, satifaction degree of business of office automation, and work circumstance, etc. emerged as follows : As for the sex of subjects, the distribution showed that men were 58.8% and women were 41.3%, Age was average 26.9. As the distribution of school career, the distribution showed that4below the graduation of high school' was 58.8%, 'graduation from junior college-university' was 35.0%, and 'over graduate school' was 6.3%. In the question to ask the existence or non-existence of experience of health consultation in connection with the work of office automation, the response that I had the consultation exprience and I feel the necessity emergerd as 90.1% And, the case that the subject who didn't wear the glasses or lens before using the OA apparatus wear glasses or lens after using OA apparatus emerged as 28.3% of whole. As for the existence or non-existence of use career of OA apparatus, the case under 3 years was highest as 52. 7%. As for the skillfulnness degree about the use of apparatus for office automation, most of them are skillful with the fact that 'common' was 44.4%, 'skill' was 42.5%, and 'unskillful' was 13.1% As for the use average hours of the apparatus for office automation per 1 day, the distribution showed that the case under 3-6 hours was 33.1%, the case under 6-9 hours was 28.1%, the case under 3 hours was 30.6%, and the case over 9 hours was 8.1% Main OA business and the use hours for 1 day showed in the order of keeping and retrieval, business of information transmission(162min), business of information transmission(79.3 min), business of document framing(55.5 min), and business of duplication and printing(25.4min). as for the rest during the use of apparatus for affice automation, that I take rest occasion demands the major portion, but that I take after completing the work emerged as 33.8%. Though the subiness gets to be convenient by the use of the apparatus for of office automation, respondents who showed the dissatisfaction about the present OA business emergd high as 78.1%. The work circumstances of each office was good with the fact that the temperature of office was 21.8, noise was average 42.7db, and the illumination was average 364.4 lx, in the light of ANSi/HFS 100 Standard. 3. Sight syptom, musculoskeletal symptom, skin and other symptoms showed the significant difference according to the extent of skillfulness of the apparatus for office automation. All the symptoms exept skin symptom showed the difference according to the use hours of the apparatus for office automation. All the question items exept the sytoms of digestive organs and the rest hours during the apparatus for office automation showed the signicant difference. The question item which showed the signicant difference from the satisfaction degree of present OA business showed the significant difference from all the question item classified into 6 groups. But, age and school career didn't significant difference from the complaint of any self-consciousness symptoms.

    . In conclusion, the self-consciousness symptoms of the subjects to use OA apparatus appeared differently, according to sex distiction, skillfull degree of OA apparatus, use hours of OA apparatus, the rest hours during th use of OA apparatus, and the satiafaction degree of persent business. Therefore, it is necessary that the nurse in the inuctry field must recognize to receive the education about the human technological physical condition which is most proper for te use of OA apparatus and about the proper rest method until they get accustomed to the use of OA apparatus. In addition, the simple exercise relax the tention of muscle due to the repetitive simple movement, and the education for the protection of eyesight are necessary.

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  • 병원 간호사의 선호근무시간대에 관한 연구 (A Study on Hoslital Nurses' Preferred Duty Shift and Duty Hours)

    • 이경식;정금희
      • 대한간호
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      • 제36권1호
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      • pp.77-96
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      • 1997
    • The duty shifts of hospital nurses not only affect nurses' physical and mental health but also present various personnel management problems which often result in high turnover rates. In this context a study was carried out from October to November 1995 for a period of two months to find out the status of hospital nurses' duty shift patterns, and preferred duty hours and fixed duty shifts. The study population was 867 RNs working in five general hospitals located in Seoul and its vicinity. The questionnaire developed by the writer was used for data collection. The response rate was 85.9 percent or 745 returns. The SAS program was used for data analysis with the computation of frequencies, percentages and Chi square test. The findings of the study are as follows: 1. General characteristics of the study population: 56 percent of respondents was (25 years group and 76.5 percent were "single": the predominant proportion of respondents was junior nursing college graduates(92.2%) and have less than 5 years nursing experience in hospitals(65.5%). For their future working plan in nursing profession, nearly 50% responded as uncertain The reasons given for their career plan was predominantly 'personal growth and development' rather than financial reasons. 2. The interval for rotations of duty stations was found to be mostly irregular(56.4%) while others reported as weekly(16.1%), monthly(12.9%), and fixed terms(4.6%). 3. The main problems related to duty shifts particularly the evening and night duty nurses reported were "not enough time for the family, " "afraid of security problems after the work when returning home late at night." and "lack of leisure time". "problems in physical and physiological adjustment." "problems in family life." "lack of time for interactions with fellow nurses" etc. 4. The forty percent of respondents reported to have '1-2 times' of duty shift rotations while all others reported that '0 time'. '2-3 times'. 'more than 3 times' etc. which suggest the irregularity in duty shift rotations. 5. The majority(62.8%) of study population found to favor the rotating system of duty stations. The reasons for favoring the rotation system were: the opportunity for "learning new things and personal development." "better human relations are possible. "better understanding in various duty stations." "changes in monotonous routine job" etc. The proportion of those disfavor the rotating 'system was 34.7 percent. giving the reasons of"it impedes development of specialization." "poor job performances." "stress factors" etc. Furthermore. respondents made the following comments in relation to the rotation of duty stations: the nurses should be given the opportunity to participate in the. decision making process: personal interest and aptitudes should be considered: regular intervals for the rotations or it should be planned in advance. etc. 6. For the future career plan. the older. married group with longer nursing experiences appeared to think the nursing as their lifetime career more likely than the younger. single group with shorter nursing experiences ($x^2=61.19.{\;}p=.000;{\;}x^2=41.55.{\;}p=.000$). The reason given for their future career plan regardless of length of future service, was predominantly "personal growth and development" rather than financial reasons. For further analysis, the group those with the shorter career plan appeared to claim "financial reasons" for their future career more readily than the group who consider the nursing job as their lifetime career$(x^2$= 11.73, p=.003) did. This finding suggests the need for careful .considerations in personnel management of nursing administration particularly when dealing with the nurses' career development. The majority of respondents preferred the fixed day shift. However, further analysis of those preferred evening shift by age and civil status, "< 25 years group"(15.1%) and "single group"(13.2) were more likely to favor the fixed evening shift than > 25 years(6.4%) and married(4.8%)groups. This differences were statistically significant ($x^2=14.54, {\;}p=.000;{\;}x^2=8.75, {\;}p=.003$). 7. A great majority of respondents(86.9% or n=647) found to prefer the day shifts. When the four different types of duty shifts(Types A. B. C, D) were presented, 55.0 percent of total respondents preferred the A type or the existing one followed by D type(22.7%). B type(12.4%) and C type(8.2%). 8. When the condition of monetary incentives for the evening(20% of salary) and night shifts(40% of. salary) of the existing duty type was presented. again the day shift appeared to be the most preferred one although the rate was slightly lower(66.4% against 86.9%). In the case of evening shift, with the same incentive, the preference rates for evening and night shifts increased from 11.0 to 22.4 percent and from 0.5 to 3.0 percent respectively. When the age variable was controlled. < 25 yrs group showed higher rates(31.6%. 4.8%) than those of > 25 yrs group(15.5%. 1.3%) respectively preferring the evening and night shifts(p=.000). The civil status also seemed to operate on the preferences of the duty shifts as the single group showed lower rate(69.0%) for day duty against 83. 6% of the married group. and higher rates for evening and night duties(27.2%. 15.1%) respectively against those of the married group(3.8%. 1.8%) while a higher proportion of the married group(83. 6%) preferred the day duties than the single group(69.0%). These differences were found to be statistically all significant(p=.001). 9. The findings on preferences of three different types of fixed duty hours namely, B, C. and D(with additional monetary incentives) are as follows in order of preference: B type(12hrs a day, 3days a wk): day shift(64.1%), evening shift(26.1%). night shift(6.5%) C type(12hrs a day. 4days a wk) : evening shift(49.2%). day shift(32.8%), night shift(11.5%) D type(10hrs a day. 4days a wk): showed the similar trend as B type. The findings of higher preferences on the evening and night duties when the incentives are given. as shown above, suggest the need for the introductions of different patterns of duty hours and incentive measures in order to overcome the difficulties in rostering the nursing duties. However, the interpretation of the above data, particularly the C type, needs cautions as the total number of respondents is very small(n=61). It requires further in-depth study. In conclusion. it seemed to suggest that the patterns of nurses duty hours and shifts in the most hospitals in the country have neither been tried for different duty types nor been flexible. The stereotype rostering system of three shifts and insensitiveness for personal life aspect of nurses seemed to be prevailing. This study seems to support that irregular and frequent rotations of duty shifts may be contributing factors for most nurses' maladjustment problems in physical and mental health. personal and family life which eventually may result in high turnover rates. In order to overcome the increasing problems in personnel management of hospital nurses particularly in rostering of evening and night duty shifts, which may related to eventual high turnover rates, the findings of this study strongly suggest the need for an introduction of new rostering systems including fixed duties and appropriate incentive measures for evenings and nights which the most nurses want to avoid, In considering the nursing care of inpatients is the round-the clock business. the practice of the nursing duty shift system is inevitable. In this context, based on the findings of this study. the following are recommended: 1. The further in-depth studies on duty shifts and hours need to be undertaken for the development of appropriate and effective rostering systems for hospital nurses. 2. An introduction of appropriate incentive measures for evening and night duty shifts along with organizational considerations such as the trials for preferred duty time bands, duty hours, and fixed duty shifts should be considered if good quality of care for the patients be maintained for the round the clock. This may require an initiation of systematic research and development activities in the field of hospital nursing administration as a part of permanent system in the hospital. 3. Planned and regular intervals, orientation and training, and professional and personal growth should be considered for the rotation of different duty stations or units. 4. In considering the higher degree of preferences in the duty type of "10hours a day, 4days a week" shown in this study, it would be worthwhile to undertake the R&D type studies in large hospital settings.

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