Search

To explore the child-rearing experiences of immigrant mothers and their concerns about children's home environments in the contexts of transnational marriage families and non-native culture.Immigrant mothers are often disadvantaged by a relative lack of information on and access to children's healthcare, but little research exists on the experiences of mothers in transnational marriage families as they attempt to provide a secure home environment while navigate an unfamiliar culture.A descriptive phenomenological research design based on intuition was employed to explore immigrant mothers' unique lived reality through their subjective experiences and perceptions.Semi-structured interviews with 15 immigrant mothers from 15 transnational marriage families were conducted between May 2016-February 2017. Narratives were analyzed using the descriptive phenomenological method because it permits systematic discovery of the lived experiences from the perspective of the study's participants.Three major themes were identified: (a) striving to maintain a secure home for children; (b) suffering and struggling with difficulties; and (c) trying to overcome difficulties and build an adequate family environment. The essential, prevailing concept of immigrant mothers' experience in child-rearing was identified as 'Where my child is, is home.'Immigrant mothers bond emotionally and physically to their new land via their children. Their child-raising experiences are interwoven with their roles in their new familial and cultural homes.Immigrant brides often become mothers soon after marrying to continue their husbands' family line. Understanding their unique child-rearing experiences and challenges in providing a secure home in a non-native culture will help nurses provide effective care. Study results will benefit paediatric/family nurses in any setting where care for transnational marriage families is provided, those families themselves, public policymakers and future researchers.目的: 探讨在跨国婚姻家庭和非本土文化背景下,移民母亲的育儿经验及其对儿童家庭环境的关注。 背景: 移民母亲往往由于相对缺乏有关儿童医疗保健的信息和获取途径而处于不利地位,但关于跨国婚姻家庭中的母亲经历的研究很少,因为她们试图在陌生的文化中提供一个安全的家庭环境。 设计: 采用基于直觉的描述性现象学研究设计,透过移民母亲的主观经验与看法,探讨其独特的生活实相。 方法: 2016年5月至2017年2月,对来自15个跨国婚姻家庭的15名移民母亲进行半结构式访谈。叙述使用描述现象学方法进行分析,因为它允许从研究参与者的角度系统地发现生活经验。 结果: 确定了三大主题:(a)努力为儿童维持一个安全的家;(b)在困难中受苦挣扎;和(c)努力克服困难,建立一个适当的家庭环境。移民母亲育儿经验的基本的、流行的概念被确定为“我的孩子在哪里,哪里就是家”。 结论: 移民母亲通过她们的孩子在情感和身体上与新国家联系在一起。她们的育儿经历与她们在新的家庭和文化家园中的角色交织在一起。 影响: 移民新娘往往在结婚后不久就成为母亲,延续丈夫家族的香火。了解她们独特的育儿经验和在非本土文化中提供安全家园的挑战,将有助于护士提供有效的护理。研究结果将有益于为跨国婚姻家庭提供护理的任何环境中的儿科/家庭护士,这些家庭本身,公共政策制定者和未来的研究人员。.

Acute bacterial meningitis causes high morbidity and mortality; the associated clinical symptoms often are insensitive or non-specific; and the pathogenic bacteria are geographically diverse. Clinical diagnosis requires a rapid and accurate methodology. This study aimed to develop a new multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR) assay to detect simultaneously six major bacteria that cause adult bacterial meningitis in Taiwan: Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Acinetobacter baumannii. Species-specific primers for the six bacteria were developed using reference strains. The specificities of the mPCRs for these bacteria were validated, and the sensitivities were evaluated via serial dilutions. The mPCR assay specifically detected all of the six pathogens, particularly with sensitivities of 12 colony forming units (CFU)/mL, 90 CFU/mL, and 390 CFU/mL for E. coli, S. pneumoniae, and K. pneumoniae, respectively. This mPCR assay is a rapid and specific tool to detect the six major bacterial pathogens that cause acute adult meningitis in Taiwan, particularly sensitive for detecting E. coli, S. pneumoniae, and K. pneumoniae. The assay may facilitate early diagnosis and guidance for antimicrobial therapy for adult patients with this deadly disease in Taiwan.

Background and objective Previous studies have demonstrated that positive blood culture could contribute to poorer outcomes in patients with pneumonia. However, the impact of positive blood culture on the outcomes of patients with sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) has not been evaluated. Methods An observational study that prospectively screened 4861 patients admitted to medical or surgical intensive care units (ICUs) of a tertiary referral centre was performed. Results Among 4861 admitted patients, 146 diagnosed with sepsis-induced ARDS were enrolled (mean age: 66.1 years). Lower PaO2/FiO2, decreased respiratory system compliance, and higher lung injury scores (LIS) on the day of ARDS diagnosis were associated with positive blood cultures (n = 68) rather than negative blood cultures (n = 78). There was no relationship between positive blood culture and in-hospital mortality. Kaplan–Meier estimates also revealed that positive blood culture was not associated with 60-day mortality but with an increased length of stay in the hospital and in the ICU (P = 0.007 and P = 0.016, respectively). Using multivariate logistic regression, higher LIS was independently associated with positive blood culture. In addition, chronic pulmonary disease, lower platelet count, higher LIS, and the development of shock on the diagnosis of ARDS, were independent risk factors for in-hospital mortality. Conclusions This study suggests that the presence of positive blood culture is not associated with increased mortality; however, the mean durations of hospital and ICU stays in patients with sepsis-induced ARDS are increased.

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to investigate an impedance change equation suited with the measurement of the impedance cardiograph (ICG). Methods: Based on a parallel impedance model and Ohm's law, an impedance change equation differed from Nyboer's equation is deduced. It is verified with the experiments of the impedance cardiography in 100 healthy adults. Results: This equation shows that the thoracic impedance change (ΔZ) is directly proportional to the value of the volume change (ΔV) of the blood vessel, to the ratio of the basic impedance to the body height (Z0/H), while it is inversely proportional to the square of the chest circumference (Ct2). These are supported by the experimental results in the measurement of the ICG. Conclusions: The equation proposed in the present paper is coincident with the actual condition in the measurement of the ICG.

Purpose: The aim of the present study is to separate the impedance change components of the blood vessels and ventricles in thorax from the mixed impedance signals detected on the chest surface. Methods: The mixed impedance signals on the chest surface are measured with a 15 electrode lead system. The thoracic impedance equations are established and solved iteratively with the algebraic reconstructed technique. Experiments were performed on 80 healthy, otherwise normal, adults. Results: Five impedance change components for the aorta (AO), blood vessel in left lung (PL), blood vessel in right lung (PR), left ventricle (LV), and right ventricle (RV) are separated from the mixed impedance signals. The experiments show that the main waveform of the ventricular components LV and RV is contrary to that of the vascular components AO, PL, and PR, and the negative peak point of the waveform graphs of LV and RV are in phase with the second cardiac sound (S2). The waveform graphs of various components correspond with the physiological activities of the heart and blood vessels in a cardiac cycle. The statistical results for 80 normal adults show that the amplitude of AO is the largest and that of PL and PR is the next, while that of LV and RV is the smallest. There are significant differences between them (P < 0.01). Conclusions: The mathematical model and the measurement method for the separation in the present paper are feasible.

This study offers a historical review and analysis of public perceptions of police performance in Taiwan spanning the 64-year history of Taiwan's National Police Agency (NPA). Data for the study were drawn from several sources, including selected waves of the Taiwan Social Change Survey, Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index, the World Values Survey, the Taiwan Public Safety and Police Service Survey, a Gallup survey, and a survey conducted by the authors. The findings indicate that there has been a gradual but steady improvement in public perceptions of police performance in three perceptual areas: perceptions of police officers in general, perceptions of police service, and perceptions of police corruption. Additionally, the increasingly positive opinion of the police parallels Taiwan's political transition from authoritarian rule to full democracy and the subsequent professionalization of the NPA. However, despite the positive trend, three issues continue to concern the public: service attitudes, investigative effectiveness, and police corruption. Policy implications for law enforcement administration are discussed.

The cDNA sequence for 24p3 protein in ICR mouse epididymal tissue was determined by PCR using primers designed according to the cDNA sequence derived from 24p3 protein in mouse uterine tissue. In the present study, 24p3 protein was immunolocalized in the epithelial cells and lumen of mouse epididymis. Both immunoblot analysis for protein and northern blot analysis for mRNA level showed a declining gradient of 24p3 expression from the caput to caudal region of the epididymis. The 24p3 protein was undetectable in the testis. These findings suggest that the 24p3 protein is a caput-initiated secretory protein in the mouse epididymis. A postnatal study revealed that 24p3 gene expression occurred in mice at the age of 14 days, before the completion of epididymal differentiation. This expression remained at a constant level until epididymal differentiation was completed. We also found that the secreted 24p3 protein interacted predominantly with the acrosome of caudal spermatozoa. Our findings suggest that the epididymal 24p3 protein is a caput-initiated and sperm-associated gene product and may be important in the reproductive system.

Myotonic dystrophy (DM) is caused by a CTG trinucleotide expansion mutation at exon 15 of the myotonic dystrophy protein kinase gene. The clinical severity of this disease correlates with the length of the CTG trinucleotide repeats. Determination of the CTG repeat length has been primarily relied on by Southern blot analysis of restriction enzyme‐digested genomic DNA. The development of PCR‐based Southern blotting methodology provides a much more sensitive and simpler protocol for DM diagnosis. However, the quality of the template and the high (G+C) ratio of the amplified region hamper the use of PCR on the diagnosis of DM. A modified PCR protocol to amplify different lengths of CTG repeat region using various concentrations of 7‐deaza‐dGTP has been reported (1). Here we describe a procedure including sample collection, DNA purification, and PCR analysis of CTG repeat length without using 7‐deaza‐dGTP. This protocol is very sensitive and convenient because only a small number of nucleate cells are needed for detection of CTG expansion. Therefore, it could be very useful in clinical and prenatal diagnosis as well as in prevalence study of DM. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 13:188–193, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Residence time of particles in a tubular suspension flow was found normally distributed when particulate radial migration caused by gravitational force was eliminated. The gravitational radial migration was eliminated by configuring the test tubes vertically. Initial conditions including radial position and velocities of the test particle had no effect on the RTDs. Among the five dimensionless groups affecting particle RTDs, suspension Reynolds number varied from 6300 to 26000 and particle volumetric fraction varied from single particles to > 20%. Empirical correlations were established for mean and standard deviation of normally distributed RTDs with respect to suspension Reynolds number and particle volumetric fraction.

A variety of substituted 1-oxaspiro[4.5]dec-6-ene and 1-oxaspiro[5.5]undec-7-ene systems have been prepared by utilizing Amberlyst-15-catalyzed SN2′ oxaspirocyclizations under mild reaction conditions (−20°C) in quantitative yields. In this process, a tertiary allylic alcohol serves as the precursor of π-allylic carbocation and the primary, secondary or tertiary alcohol within the same molecule serves as the nucleophile.

A variety of substituted 1-oxaspiro[4.4]non-6-ene, 1-oxaspiro[4.5]dec-6-ene, 6-oxaspiro[4.5]dec-1-ene and 1-oxaspiro[5.5]undec-7-ene systems have been prepared by utilizing Amberlyst-15-catalyzed intramolecular S N 2′ oxaspirocyclizations of secondary allylic alcohols under mild reaction conditions in quantitative yields. This oxaspirocyclization was applied to the total synthesis of theaspirane and theaspirone from β-ionone in five steps.