• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.141-152
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• 2021

Purpose: This study was conducted to develop a couple-centered antenatal education program and to test the program's feasibility. Methods: With a preliminary-experimental study design, 33 pregnant couples who were expecting their first child participated in this study. The program consisted of four sessions (1 hour/session/week) of education and counseling. Data were collected before and after the intervention from September 2018 to April 2019 at a women's hospital in Daejeon, Korea, with demographic data forms, the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Maternal-Fetal Attachment Scale, Korean Newborn Care Confidence Scale, Wijma Delivery Expectancy/Experience Questionnaire, and Dyadic Adjustment Scale-10. Results: The pregnant women and their husbands were on average 32.30±3.10 and 33.21±6.25 years old, respectively. The mean marriage duration was 2.34±1.63 years, the gestational age was 31.30±2.66 weeks, and 78.8% of the couples had a planned pregnancy. After the program, both the pregnant women and their husbands showed significant improvements in attachment to the fetus and confidence in providing infant care. Prenatal depression, prenatal stress, and fear of childbirth in pregnant women significantly decreased after completing the program. However, the dyadic adjustment score did not change significantly either in the pregnant women or their husbands. Conclusion: A couple-centered antenatal education program seems to be effective for couples adjusting to parenthood, but further studies should explore ways to have a positive impact on couples' relationships.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.114-121
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• 2020

Objective: Despite extensive research on implantation failure, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between the embryo and the maternal endometrium, which is critical for successful pregnancy. Profilin 1 (PFN1), which is expressed both in the embryo and in the endometrial epithelium, acts as a potent regulator of actin polymerization and the cytoskeletal network. In this study, we identified the specific role of endometrial PFN1 during embryo implantation. Methods: Morphological alterations depending on the status of PFN1 expression were assessed in PFN1-depleted or control cells grown on Matrigel-coated cover glass. Day-5 mouse embryos were cocultured with Ishikawa cells. Comparisons of the rates of F-actin formation and embryo attachment were performed by measuring the stability of the attached embryo onto PFN1-depleted or control cells. Results: Depletion of PFN1 in endometrial epithelial cells induced a significant reduction in cell-cell adhesion displaying less formation of colonies and a more circular cell shape. Mouse embryos co-cultured with PFN1-depleted cells failed to form actin cytoskeletal networks, whereas more F-actin formation in the direction of surrounding PFN1-intact endometrial epithelial cells was detected. Furthermore, significantly lower embryo attachment stability was observed in PFN1-depleted cells than in control cells. This may have been due to reduced endometrial receptivity caused by impaired actin cytoskeletal networks associated with PFN1 deficiency. Conclusion: These observations definitively demonstrate an important role of PFN1 in mediating cell-cell adhesion during the initial stage of embryo implantation and suggest a potential therapeutic target or novel biomarker for patients suffering from implantation failure.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2020

Purpose: We aimed to develop domains for the resilience improvement of unmarried mothers to prevent child abuse based on a nursing model of resilience. Methods: We conducted a literature review and in-depth interviews with unmarried mothers. Results: Based on Polk's nursing model of resilience, we derived 4 patterns, 10 domains, and 24 sub-domains for improving the resilience of unmarried mothers. Philosophical pattern includes the domain of parenthood preparation and dispositional pattern includes the domains of emotional support, control of emotions, and child abuse awareness correction. Situational pattern includes the domains of maternal health promotion, understanding of child development and improvement of parenting skills, and assessment of the domestic environment and modification of risk factors. Relational pattern includes the domains of enhancement of mother-infant attachment, family support, and social support. Conclusion: We identified domains for enhancing resilience based on the situational and personal characteristics of unmarried mothers. The results of this study may contribute to child abuse precention by promoting the resilience of unmarried mothers.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.317-327
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze and clarify the concept of the effective breastfeeding. Methods: This study used Walker and Avant's process of concept analysis. Results: Effective breastfeeding is how to give infant adequate milk, which fulfills needs of mother and infant, from her breast so that they can be satisfied with the process and results. It included the effective breastfeeding properties as follows: feeding behaviors (positioning, latch on, and suckling), transferring a breast milk to an infant, mother-infant interaction, and satisfying their desires (satisfaction, comfort, mother's self-confidence, infant's adequate weight gain and defecation, adequate breastfeeding interval). The antecedent of effective breastfeeding were anatomical and functional normal breast, breastfeeding knowledge and steady-state of mother, and feeding desire, rooting reflex and normal oral cavity of infant. The consequences of effective breastfeeding were exclusive breastfeeding, infant and maternal health and wellbeing, and achievement of mother and infant attachment. Conclusion: The meaning of effective breastfeeding defined in this study will contribute to develop the effectiveness breastfeeding assessment tool and the nursing intervention for ineffective breastfeeding.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.182-201
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• 1996

The purpose of this study is to examine a married nurse's experience of child rearing through being applied to phenomenological research method. By exchanging their experiences, helping and understanding one another, married nurses can work with delight considering their own present job as their lifelong job. In addition this study can help single nurses overcome the female crises such as marriage, childbirth, and child rearing they will experience in the future. The subjects of this research was 26 married nurses who work for a university hospital in affiliation in Seoul and have children. The period of materials collection was from Feb. 1st to Mar. 3, 1995. The method of materials collection was primarily to write down a questionary with openhearted contents. In collecting it, the respondents were allowed to say at their pleasure through further interview. The materials were analyzed by Giorgi's phenomenological analysis method. The findings of this study are as follows ; 1) The responses of married nurses' experience of child rearing-[pleasure] [family solidarity] [maternal-infant attachment] [understanding] [toilsome]-were induced. That is, at once affirmative experience and hard experience coexisted. 2) The method of married nurses' child rearing-[rearing politely] [raising understanding] [having the sense of family community] [rearing with praying the heart] [careless]-were induced. 3) The support system of married nurses' child rearing-[having help family] [having help from others]-were induced. According to the above findings, the married nursed showed affirmative responses about their experience of child rearing, but at the same time they expressed painful when stayed apart from their children on account of their job or when their children were sick. In the method of child rearing, they tried to grow their children polite because there was much time for them to stay apart from their children. And they tried to give a better explanation in order that their children can have an independence spirit. They tended to compensate through frequent physical touch with their children. As the support system of married nurses' child rearing, they asked their parents or their parents-in-law to take care of their children, hired a nursery governess in their houses, or used a children's home, if they can't afford to. That is, the only one who has a firm sense of her profession, tries to inspire her accomplishment, and is receiving her husband' love and understanding is considered to perform two things simultaneously with harmony, having an recognition of lifelong job. Suggestions 1. The method to solve mental troubles on child rearing should be groped. 2. Their economical burden should be reduced by establishing children's home in their working places, and the increase of maternal-infant interaction should be contrived. 3. The chance of education should be offered in order that married nurses themselves might inspire self-conceit and professionalism on clinical nursing. 4. The familiar mood should be created through planning the programs to be accompanied with children as an annual event in hospital. 5. The part-time nurse system should be suggested to utilize. 6. The system of circulation working should be converted into the system of fixing working according to the characteristic of each department. 7. Programs for special activities such as learning foreign languages and computer should be supported positively.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2009

Implantation itself is governed by an array of endocrine, paracrine and autocrine modulators, of embryonic and maternal origin. Window of implantation is the unique temporal and spatial expression of factors allows the embryo to implant via signaling, appositioning, attachment, and invasion in a specific time frame of $2{\sim}4$ days. When the embryo has arrived in the uterine cavity, a preprogrammed sequence of events occurs, which involves the production and secretion of a multitude of biochemical factors such as cytokines, growth factors, and adhesion molecules by the endometrium and the embryo, thus leading to the formation of a receptive endometrium. Cytokines such as LIF, CSF-1, and IL-1 have all been shown to play important roles in the cascade of events that leads to implantation. Integrin, L-selectin ligands, glycodelin, mucin-1, HB-EGF and pinopodes are involved in appositioning and attachment. The embryo also produces cytokines and growth factors (ILs, VEGF) and receptors for endometrial signals such as LIF, CSF-1, IGF and HB-EGF. The immune system and angiogenesis play an important role. The usefulness of these factors to assess endometrial receptivity and to estimate the prognosis for pregnancy in natural and artificial cycles remains to be proven. Integrins, pinopodes, glycodelin and LIF (from biopsies) are promising candidates; from uterine flushings, glycodelin and LIF are also candidates. The ideal serum marker is not available, but VEGF, glycodelin and CSF have some clinical implications. Further evaluation that includes larger groups of infertile women and fertile controls are needed to elucidate whether their presence in plasma, flushing fluid, or endometrial samples can be used as some kind of a screening tool to assess endometrial function and prognosis for pregnancy before and after artificial reproductive therapy. A better understanding of their function in human implantation may lead to therapeutic intervention, thereby improving the success rate in reproduction treatment. New molecular techniques are becoming available for measuring both embryonic and endometrial changes prior to and during implantation. The use of predictive sets of markers may prove to be more reliable than a single marker. Ultimately, the aim is to use these tools to increase implantation in artificial cycles and consequently improve live-birth rates.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.349-368
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to identify parental factors associated with smartphone overuse in preschoolers. Methods: A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies published in peer-reviewed journals from 2009 to June 2019 were identified through systematic search in 10 electronic databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Central, EMBASE, Web of Science, NDSL, KISS, KMbase, KoreaMed, and RISS). Standardized effect sizes were calculated to quantify the associations of parental factors with smartphone overuse in preschoolers using meta-analysis. Results: A total of 30 cross-sectional studies involving 7,943 participants met the inclusion criteria. The following were negatively correlated with smartphone overuse in preschoolers: mother's parenting self-efficacy (r=-.35), mother-child attachment (r=-.28), mother's positive parenting behavior (r=-.28), mother's positive parenting attitude (r=-.25), and father's parenting involvement (r=-.15). Further, maternal factors such as smartphone addiction tendency (r=.41), parenting stress (r=.40), negative parenting behavior (r=.35), negative parenting attitude (r=.14), smartphone usage time (r=.26), employment status (r=.18), and age (r=.12) were positively correlated with smartphone overuse in preschoolers. Conclusion: Several parental factors influence smartphone overuse in preschoolers. These findings emphasize the need to assess and enhance the parental factors identified in this study to prevent smartphone overuse in preschoolers. Accordingly, we recommend the development of preventive interventions to strengthen parent-related protective factors and mitigate risk factors.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.919-928
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• 2011

The pig exhibits true epitheliochorial placentation, where the fetal membrane maintains attachment throughout pregnancy but does not invade into the maternal uterine endometrium. Accordingly, the expression and function of cell adhesion molecules are very important for embryo implantation and the establishment of pregnancy. In our recent microarray analysis, we found that activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) was expressed in the uterine endometrium during pregnancy in pigs. To better understand the roles of ALCAM in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy, we examined ALCAM expression in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that ALCAM was differentially expressed in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy, with the highest levels on D12 of pregnancy. ALCAM mRNA was localized to the luminal and glandular epithelial cells and to the trophectoderm of conceptuses during early pregnancy. The steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone had no effect on ALCAM expression in an endometrial explant culture study. Further, we found that ALCAM expression in the uterine endometrium from gilts with somatic cell nuclear transfer-derived embryos was not different from that in gilts with embryos from natural mating. ALCAM was expressed in a pregnancy stage- and cell type-specific manner in the uterine endometrium and conceptuses during pregnancy. These findings suggest that ALCAM may play a role in the establishment of pregnancy. Further analysis of ALCAM will provide insight into the implantation process and establishment of pregnancy in pigs.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.5-15
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• 1995

The quality of mother-infant interaction during early postpartum period has a significant influence on the child growth and development in many aspects. The mother's initial perception of the newborns might have the lasting influence on the development of the mother-infant attachment and mother-infant relationship. Therefore the proper mother-infant interaction should be developed after infant birth. However, it is acknowledged that the high risk infants influence on the mothers' perception because of their abnormalities or disorders of physical condition and the restricted maternal contacts and interactions. The object of this study is to identify the difference of mother's perception of their normal and high-risk newborn during the early postpartum period. The ultimate goal is to contribute to use this basic data to develop nursing intervention toward the promotion of healthy mother-infant relationship and the helping of growth and development of children. The data were collected for this study from Sep. 21, 1990 to Oct. 1. 1991 at E University Hospital. The sample was 83 of mothers who had normal newborns and 73 mothers who had high risk newborns .The instrument was Neonatal Perception Inventory(NPI) designed by the Broussard for the measurement of mothers' perception of newborns about Average Baby and Your Baby. The data were analysed by using an SPSS Program and include percentage mean, SD, t-test, ANOVA. The results of this study are as follows : 1. The normal newborn mothers' perception is more positive than the high-risk newborn mothers(t=7.94, p=0.000). 2. Mothers' perception of the newborns is not related significantly to mothers' general characteristics. In conclusion, in order to promote positive, healthy mother-infant relationship, the nurse need to support, give information, and educate high-risk newborn mothers through early nursing assessment.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.52-63
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• 1987

Il-primigravidas who visited antenatal clinic and their husbands were taught lamaze childbirth education by the investigator in the third trimester of pregnancy. Lamaze childbirth educational course consisted of six weekly class totaling twelve hours of instruction. A questionnaire was adminstered to subjects for the evaluation of Lamaze educational Program. 21-questions were rated on a Likert-type scale containing five responses and subjects described the advantages, the disadvantage, and the difficulties of lamaze childbirth education course. The results of the study were as follows; 1. The core contents of lamaze childbirth educational Program were Process of labor, anatomy and physiology of the female body, the care of newborn, maternal-infant attachment, breathing patterns to be used at the appropriate stage of labor, techniques for conscious relaxation of muscles during labor and delivery, and exercise to limber and prepare the body for the work of labor and delivery. All couples understood the above core contents very well and there were not significant differences between the understanding scores of wives and those of husbands (p>0.05). 2. 81.8% of couples Practiced breathing pattern to be used at the appropriate stages of labor one or three times a day and 72.7% of couples practiced conscious relaxation of muscles one or three times a day. 3. The contents of Lamaze childbirth educational program were easy for the couples to understand, and the total length, the amounts and the structures of 6-classes were appropriate. 4. Lamaze childbirth educational program was very useful, necessary, interesting, and successful to achieve the couples' objectives. 5. The couples expressed that they had positive attitude and high self-esteem, and reduced their anxiety on the pregnancy and labor.