The effects measurement of hand massage by the autonomic activity and psychological indicators

This study examined the effects of hand massage on autonomic activity, anxiety, relaxation and sense of affinity by performing it to healthy people before applying the technic in actual clinical practice. Findings were showed below : 1) the significant increase in the pNN50 and the significant decrease in the heart rate meant the intervention of massage increased the autonomic nervous activity, improved the parasympathetic nerve activity and reduced the sympathetic nerve activity. This means the subjects were considered to be in a state of relaxation. 2) Salivary α amylase has been reported as a possible indicator for sympathetic nerve activity. In this study, there was no significant difference in the salivary α amylase despite a decrease after massage. 3) State anxiety score is temporal situational reactions while being in the state of anxiety and this score decreased significantly after massage. 4) The level of willingness to communicate with other person and the sense of affinity toward the massage-performer had a positive change of 70 percent. From this, it can be considered that a comfortable physical contact between a patient and a nursing profession, who are in a supported-supportive relationship, leads to an effect of shortening the gap in their psychological distance

The relationship between psychological comfort space and self-esteem in people with mental disorders

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate a causal model of the sense of having psychological comfortable space that is call ‘ibasho’ in Japanese and self-esteem in people with mental disorders who had difficulty in social activities. The subjects were 248 schizophrenia patients who were living in the community and receiving day care treatment. Data were collected from December 2007 to April 2009 using the Scale for the Sense of ibasho for persons with mentally ill (SSI) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES), and analyzed for cross-validation of construct validity by conducting covariance structure analysis. A relationship between the sense of having comfortable space and self-esteem was investigated. Multiple indicator models of the sense of having psychological comfortable space and self-esteem were evaluated using structural equation modeling. Furthermore, the SSI scores were compared between the high- and low-self-esteem groups. The path coefficient from the sense of having comfortable space to self-esteem was significant (0.80). High-self-esteem group scored significantly higher in the SSI subscales, ‘the sense of recognizing my true self’ and ‘the sense of recognizing deep personto- person relationships’ than the low-self-esteem group. It was suggested that in order to help people with mental disorders improve self-esteem, it might be useful to support them in a way they can enhance the sense of having comfortable space

精神科看護の魅力

本研究の目的は，長期入院の精神障害者の退院支援のための精神科看護の魅力について文献検討により明らかにすることである．日本においては長期入院の精神障害者に対する積極的な退院支援が行われている．しかし，退院後の継続的な支援環境が整わないために，退院できない状況もあり，看護師は仕事への無力感を感じる場合も多い．それでもなお，精神障害者の退院支援に魅力を抱いている看護師がいる．したがって看護師らが退院支援に対して抱く魅力は何かを明らかにすることが長期入院の解決に対して重要である．文献検討の結果，長期入院の精神障害者の退院支援の魅力として（１）患者との相互作用のなかでの自己洞察と自らの人間的成長，（２）患者と看護師の関係発展過程から得られる患者の本質的な理解，（３）看護師が主体性を持って患者と関わることができるという特徴が示唆された．The purpose of this literature study is to clarify the fascination of positive programmed discharge support （PPDS）and psychiatric nursing for long-term inpatient with mental disorders. Long-term psychiatric hospitalization remains as a major problem in Japan. PPDS is performed to such inpatient with social hospitalization. Despite nurses’ efforts with the best intentions, some nurse feel powerless to work because patient cannot discharge from a hospital by reason that living environment after patient leaves hospital was not ready. Therefore, it is important to clarify nurses’ fascination for PPDS and their achievement motive to work to solve prolonged hospitalization. The result of literature review, it was suggested that fascination of psychiatric nursing have the following features : （１）nurse’s self-insight and personal growth in the interaction between patient and nurse, （２）intrinsically understanding of patient obtain from developmental process in the interaction between patient and nurse, and （３）psychiatric nurse is able to intervene to the patient independently

Correlation of Papillomacular Nerve Fiber Bundle Thickness with Central Visual Function in Open-Angle Glaucoma

Purpose. To determine the correlation of reduced retinal thickness in the central papillomacular bundle (CPB) to central visual function, including central retinal sensitivity and visual acuity, in glaucoma patients. Methods. This study enrolled 50 eyes of 50 patients with open-angle glaucoma who were carefully screened for comorbid conditions that can cause decreased central visual function, such as cataracts or macular diseases. We used a novel CPB analysis comprising a program for optical coherence tomography that measured RNFL thickness and GCC thickness in the CPB and divided lengthwise into three parts (upper, middle, and lower CPB). The relationship of these parameters, including conventional macular thickness, to visual field sensitivity in four central standard automated perimetry points (the central four thresholds) and BCVA was analyzed. Results. The two parameters most highly correlated with central four thresholds were macular GCCT and macular RNFLT. The two parameters most highly correlated with BCVA were middle CPB (mid-CPB) GCCT and mid-CPB RNFLT. A multiple regression analysis revealed that mid-CPB GCCT was an independent factor impacting central retinal thresholds and BCVA. Conclusions. Our results suggest that mid-CPB RNFLT and GCCT, parameters of a novel papillomacular bundle analysis, are candidate biomarkers of decreased central visual function in glaucomatous eyes

Correlation of Optic Nerve Microcirculation with Papillomacular Bundle Structure in Treatment Naive Normal Tension Glaucoma

Purpose. To assess the association between optic nerve head (ONH) microcirculation, central papillomacular bundle (CPB) structure, and visual function in eyes with treatment naive normal tension glaucoma (NTG). Methods. This study included 40 eyes of 40 patients with NTG and 20 eyes of 20 normal patients. We used laser speckle flowgraphy (LSFG) to measure mean blur rate (MBR) in all eyes and calculated the ratio of MBR in the horizontal quadrants of tissue area ONH (temporal/nasal ratio of MBR in the tissue area: T/N MT). Clinical findings also included retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) and ganglion cell complex thickness (GCCT) in the CPB and macular areas, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), mean deviation (MD), and refractive error. Results. T/N MT was correlated with both BCVA and MD. The OCT parameters most highly correlated with T/N MT were macular RNFLT and mid-CPB RNFLT. Furthermore, T/N MT, mid-CPB RNFLT, and macular RNFLT were higher in NTG than in normal eyes. A discrimination analysis revealed that T/N MT and refractive error were independent factors indicating NTG. Conclusions. Our results suggest that T/N MT is a candidate biomarker of NTG. Furthermore, T/N MT reflects visual function, including acuity and sensitivity, and CPB structure

Prophylactic Probiotics Reduce Cow's Milk Protein Intolerance in Neonates after Small Intestine Surgery and Antibiotic Treatment Presenting Symptoms That Mimics Postoperative Infection

Background: To examine occurrence of cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI) in newborns that underwent small intestine surgery and the clinical profiles of those newborns with postoperative CMPI, and to evaluate the preventive effects of probiotics on CMPI. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed from 2000 to 2009, a total of 30 newborns required surgery on their small intestines. All of these patients had received antibiotics to prevent postoperative infection. Since 2005 we adopted a protocol of targeted probiotic therapy prophylaxis. Results: Eighteen patients received probiotic therapy, while twelve did not. One infant among those eighteen patients and eight patients among those twelve developed CMPI, a significantly lower rate for the group with probiotic therapy than that without it (p<0.001). Patients with positive cultures for gram positive and gram negative organisms increased in number before and after surgery but then decreased after probiotics treatment. Poor weight gain, gastrointestinal symptoms, and rise in C reactive protein (CRP) levels were observed in all of those nine CMPI patients. Specific IgE antibodies were elevated in four of the nine subjects, and total IgE levels were elevated in seven of them. All CMPI patients had increased level of CRP without proven infections. Conclusions: CMPI was induced in newborns after surgery on their small intestines and antibiotics treatment with presentation of symptoms that mimic postoperative infection. Development of CMPI in this population possibly involves disruption of intestinal flora. Administration of probiotics can reduce the incidence of CMPI after small intestine surgery. The elevated CRP level may be useful in the diagnosis of CMPI

Timing of changes from a primitive reflex to a voluntary behavior in infancy as a potential predictor of socio-psychological and physical development during juvenile stages among common marmosets

AbstractWith regard to socio-psychology, the complexity of a human’s neuronal function develops from initial primitive function to multimodal networking gradually through interaction between innate biological mechanisms and the surrounding environment. To study these developmental systems, we attempted to find a comparative-behavioral model among non-human primate species, common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). In this research, we explored the correlation between the timing of change from involuntary- to voluntary-like movement in early stage and later the socio-emotional behavior, comparatively with the probable psychological development disabilities defined by our social behavior test (SBT). Using the ‘Infant Antigravity Task (IAT)’ and multivariate analysis, we quantitatively observed the neurological development from simple to complex behavior through interaction between motor and gravity environment. At the same time, we recorded the physiological and psychological development of two marmoset siblings (a male and a female) from their neonate stages to adult stages with their parents. In their lives, the male marmoset spontaneously showed his developmental delay in terms of body weight, blood glucose and socio-emotional difficulties under their own parental care. Based from the SBT results, the male demonstrated less social interaction with other family members compared to his sibling in the juvenile stage. Between these siblings, we looked for any predictable information in the earlier stage for future developmental issues particularly focusing on their behavioral expression during IAT from the 10th postnatal day until the 36thday.Consequently, we found that both subjects expressed climbing-up behavior in the initial early period, but only the female who developed typically later, switched to jumping-down behavior with pre-facing to ‘down’ direction. Meanwhile, the male who would have developmental delay later, clearly did not show the switching pattern. The results suggest that the switch timing from involuntary to voluntary movement may be a possible predictor of juvenile and adolescent physiological and psychological retardation. The results also suggest that the primate model allows more methods to be developed for early detection of developmental disabilities that could be utilized in humans to pave the way for interventions and possible psychological or psychiatric treatment