Aim
We developed and psychometrically tested the Japanese version of the Professional Attitude Scale for Nurses (PASN‐J).
Background
Nurses must recognize the importance of their professionalism; ...therefore, it is critical to quantitatively measure nurses’ professional attitudes.
Introduction
This instrument validation study was designed to generate an itemized scale and examine its content validity/psychometric testing using a sample of Japanese nurses.
Methods
Based on a trait approach focusing on the characteristic traits of the nursing profession, a 59‐item draft scale was generated. During November 2017, 2657 nurses from 29 facilities in Japan were surveyed. The questionnaire included demographics, the 59‐item draft scale, and a self‐report scale of nurses’ professional behaviour and nursing practice ability. Using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, we evaluated the construct, criterion‐related, concurrent, and known‐groups validity, and reliability of the PASN‐J.
Results
Data from 1716 participants were analysed. The analyses yielded a 38‐item, 3‐factor scale that adequately fit the data. PASN‐J scores were positively correlated with nurses’ professional behaviour and nursing practice ability.
Conclusion
The 38‐item PASN‐J has good reliability and validity, making it useful for measuring the current condition of nursing professionalism and evaluating nursing education. Implications for Nursing and Health Policy: This scale can evaluate nursing education and promote nurses’ professionalism. The PASN‐J will help identifying the elements of undergraduate nursing education that require further emphasis. Additionally, the PASN‐J could facilitate the development of nursing policies to promote professional development in nurses. Ultimately, evaluating nursing education with the PASN‐J enhances nurses’ professional attitudes and subsequently improves their quality of nursing, nursing efficiency and patient outcomes.
Laser ablation of titanium and silicon targets immersed in liquid nitrogen was carried out using a YAG laser at 1.06 μm. Synthesized particles were collected and were characterized by TEM, SEM, EDS, ...XRD, and XPS. In the case of a titanium target, the synthesized particles had an atomic ratio of N/Ti=0.4 and a polycrystalline structure with many XRD peaks of TiN. This result indicates the usefulness of laser ablation in liquid nitrogen for synthesizing nitrides. On the other hand, in the case of a silicon target, the nitridation of the synthesized particles was negligible, and the synthesized particles had a polycrystalline structure of pure cubic silicon. This means that the oxygen-free environment realized by liquid nitrogen is useful for synthesizing particles with negligible oxidation.
Background
Specimens for analysing the molecular pathology of skin disease are generally obtained through invasive methods, such as biopsy. However, less burdensome methods are desirable for ...paediatric patients. We recently established a method that comprehensively analyses RNA present in sebum (skin surface lipid–RNAs: SSL‐RNAs) using a next‐generation sequencer. Using this method, biological information can be obtained from the skin in a completely non‐invasive manner.
Objectives
To verify the applicability of the SSL‐RNA method for analysis of paediatric skin and analyse the molecular pathology of mild‐to‐moderate atopic dermatitis (AD) in children.
Methods
We collected sebum specimens from the whole faces of 23 healthy children and 16 children with mild‐to‐moderate AD (eczema area and severity index (EASI) score: 5.9 ± 2.6) ranging in age from 6 months to 5 years, using an oil‐blotting film. We then extracted SSL‐RNAs from the samples and performed an AmpliSeq transcriptomic analysis.
Results
The expressions of genes related to keratinization (LCE, PSORS1C2, IVL and KRT17), triglyceride synthesis and storage (PLIN2, DGAT2 and CIDEA), wax synthesis (FAR2), ceramide synthesis (GBA2, SMPD3 and SPTLC3), antimicrobial peptides (DEFB1) and intercellular adhesion (CDSN), all of which are related to the skin barrier, are lower in children with AD than in healthy children. The children with AD also have higher expression of CCL17, a Th2‐cytokine and an increased Th2‐immune response as demonstrated by a gene set variation analysis. Moreover, KRT17 and CCL17 expression levels are significantly correlated with the EASI score.
Conclusions
Molecular changes associated with abnormal immune responses and the epidermal barrier in children with mild‐to‐moderate AD can be determined using the SSL‐RNA method. This non‐invasive method could therefore be a useful means for understanding the molecular pathology of paediatric AD.
We synthesized Au and ZnO nanoparticles by laser ablation in distilled water with the superposition of an ultrasonic wave. The effect of the ultrasonic wave was examined on the optical absorbance of ...colloidal solution and the crystallinity of synthesized nanoparticles. The absorbance of colloidal solution was enhanced by the ultrasonic wave, indicating more efficient production rate of nanoparticles. In addition, the ultrasonic wave enhanced the crystallinity of synthesized nanoparticles. These enhancements are attributed to the fact that the ultrasonic wave drives the repetitive formations and collapses of cavitation bubbles.
Aims/hypothesis
In rodents and humans, the rate of beta cell proliferation declines rapidly after birth; formation of the islets of Langerhans begins perinatally and continues after birth. Here, we ...tested the hypothesis that increasing levels of E-cadherin during islet formation mediate the decline in beta cell proliferation rate by contributing to a reduction of nuclear β-catenin and D-cyclins.
Methods
We examined E-cadherin, nuclear β-catenin, and D-cyclin levels, as well as cell proliferation during in vitro and in vivo formation of islet cell aggregates, using β-TC6 cells and transgenic mice with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-labelled beta cells, respectively. We tested the role of E-cadherin using antisense-mediated reductions of E-cadherin in β-TC6 cells, and mice segregating for a beta cell-specific E-cadherin knockout (
Ecad
also known as
Cdh1
βKO).
Results
In vitro, pseudo-islets of β-TC6 cells displayed increased E-cadherin but decreased nuclear β-catenin and cyclin D2, and reduced rates of cell proliferation, compared with monolayers. Antisense knockdown of E-cadherin increased cell proliferation and levels of cyclins D1 and D2. After birth, beta cells showed increased levels of E-cadherin, but decreased levels of D-cyclin, whereas islets of
Ecad
βKO mice showed increased levels of D-cyclins and nuclear β-catenin, as well as increased beta cell proliferation. These islets were significantly larger than those of control mice and displayed reduced levels of connexin 36. These changes correlated with reduced insulin response to ambient glucose, both in vitro and in vivo.
Conclusions/interpretation
The findings support our hypothesis by indicating an important role of E-cadherin in the control of beta cell mass and function.
We examined the influence of additional external pressure on the optical emission intensity from plasmas produced by laser ablation of a Ti target immersed in distilled water. We adopted two methods ...for applying the external pressure. When ambient water was pressurized by connecting the ablation chamber to N
2 gas at a pressure range of 0.1–0.9
MPa, we observed the increase in the optical emission intensity with the pressure. This increase was considered to be caused by the change in the amount of dissolved N
2 gas in the water. On the other hand, when an external pressure of 30
MPa was applied to ambient water by using a mechanical pump, we observed the compression of the spatial distribution of the optical emission intensity. These experimental results suggest a possibility that chemical reactions and physical states (pressure and temperature) of liquid-phase laser-ablation plasmas can be controlled by adding external pressure to ambient liquid.
It is well known that a crater is formed on the target surface by the irradiation of intense laser pulses in laser ablation. In this work, we report that additional pits are formed on the bottom ...surface of the ablation crater due to the collapse of a cavitation bubble in liquid-phase laser ablation. We observed the formation of several cavitation-induced pits when the fluence of the laser pulse used for ablation was approximately 5 J/cm
2
. The number of cavitation-induced pits decreased with the laser fluence, and we observed one or two cavitation-induced pits when the laser fluence was higher than 10 J/cm
2
. In addition, we examined the influence of the liquid temperature on the formation of cavitation-induced pits. The collapse of the cavitation bubble was not observed when the liquid temperature was close to the boiling temperature, and in this case, we found no cavitation-induced pits on the bottom surface of the ablation crater. This experimental result was discussed by considering the cavitation parameter.
We synthesized ZnO nanoparticles by laser ablation of a Zn target in water at pressures up to 30 MPa. We observed the enhancement of the crystallinity of synthesized ZnO nanoparticles when high ...pressure was applied to ambient water. In addition, we found that ZnO nanoparticles with smaller sizes were synthesized by pressurizing ambient water. Considering our previous understanding on the effect of high pressure applied to ambient liquid, the controls of the structure and the size of nanoparticles were considered to be obtained via the controls of the dynamics of laser ablation plasma and ablation-induced cavitation bubble.
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