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The searching for potential quantum chromodynamics (QCD) phase transition signals is a fundamental goal of on-going experiments on heavy-ion collisions, which is critical to understanding the properties of strongly interacting matter under extreme conditions, the inner structure of compact stars, gravitational waves emitted from neutron star mergers, etc. In particular, the beam energy scan program carried out at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC) provides a unique tool that enables studies into the QCD phase diagram and the conjectured QCD critical point. Besides the event-by-event fluctuation of conserved charges, which has been widely accepted as a useful study of the QCD critical point, the production of light nuclei can serve as a sensitive observable to the QCD phase transitions in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. The density fluctuation and correlation among nucleons are automatically encoded in the production of light nuclei in heavy-ion collisions. This study aims to demonstrate how to probe QCD phase transition with light nuclei production in heavy-ion collisions. The progress of studies in this area over the last few years is reviewed. The nucleon coalescence model provides a suitable tool for the study of the effects of density fluctuation/correlation on light nuclei production. A transport model based on the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model is developed to simulate the occurrence of the first-order chiral phase transition in heavy-ion collisions. Within the coalescence model for light nuclei production, the yield ratio NtNp/Nd2 of protons (p), deuterons(d), and tritons (t) is shown to be sensitive to the nucleon density fluctuation and correlation and can function as a good probe to the non-smooth QCD phase transition. The production of light nuclei in heavy-ion collisions encodes the information about baryon density fluctuations and correlations, and enhancements of the yield ratio NtNp/Nd2 could serve as an indicator for the occurrence of a first-order or second-order QCD phase transition.

The sedating effect and influence of walkman music on 120 patients, that were randomly divided into a music and non-music group, who had received epidural anesthesia were investigated. It was found that significantly fewer patients in the music group felt anxious during surgery (P = 0.049). Meanwhile, heart rate and mean arterial pressure of the non-music group remained at a higher level, resulting in higher heart loading. Furthermore, patients listening to music had a significantly smaller need of sedatives (P = 0.001). With the purpose of reducing the consumption of sedatives, and offering a better anesthetic environment, we recommend the use of music during regional anesthesia.

The current study sought to establish a preliminary patient classification system by determining how much time nurses spend each shift on their various activities. In this way we hoped to determine the direct care needs of the patient. From August 11 through the 17, snap-shot observations on the Chest Medicine Ward of Kaohsiung Medical College Hospital were taken every five minutes throughout the day to evaluate nursing activities and health care needs of patients. After employing such statistical techniques as percentage comparison, One-way ANOVA on the collected data, we gained a preliminary understanding of the distribution, characteristics, extent and nature of nursing activities. The results demonstrated that the average working hours of the day shift and the evening shift are 8.13 and 8.05 hours respectively. The night shift may be as long as 8.52 hours. Our studies also revealed that the most demanding nursing activity is indirect care (50.73%), direct care (29.39%), individual time (13.73%) and related activities (6.15%) follow. In the direct care of patient, nurses devoted most of their time monitoring vital signs, administering medication, assisting in examination and treatment, caring for, and communicating with patients. On hygiene, physical movements and the clean up of body discharges were mostly devoted by patients and families.

The purpose of this study utilizing the patient classification system was to investigate the distribution of categories of patient severity in medical departments in relation to the nursing hours required for each patient according to the severity of illness. In addition, Work distribution among nursing personnel and evaluation for the feasibility of this program were also considered. As per a proto-type index, patient severity was recorded by the observer; a factor-type nursing requirement table was designed by the nursing personnel. There were 621 samples collected from sub-specialized medical departments. Snapshot observations were taken to survey the allocation of nursing care time. The total of 88 samples of nursing personnel data were analyzed. The results showed that most categories of patient severity were distributed among B II, B III, C III, C IV while the average nursing hours required daily fluctuated between 1.21-10.38 hours. Because of the few samples in A III, B IV, C II, the average nursing hours among three categories were no significance in statistics, and other categories were significant. The researcher may use the nursing hour model as an approach to determine ideal nursing manpower.

Body fluid transmitted viruses become the major enemies of human health. These viruses have been reported as occupational hazards for health care personnel, and they may become environmental hazards as well. We conducted this study to examine the primary treatment of used syringes and needles in a ward, and to evaluate the effects of re-education. For questions such as "The used syringes with bloody contamination should isolated from those without" and "The cover of used needles should not be put back on", we recorded error rates during the 1st one-week observation. A lecture about the standard treatment methods of discarding instruments was given to all nurses in this ward after the 1st observation. The 2nd and 3rd one-week observations were repeated one day and one month after the lecture, respectively. The misclassification rates of discarded syringes were 4.4% (33/758), 1.4% (9/661) and 3.9% (18/616). There was a significant decrease between the 1st and 2nd observations (p less than 0.05), but no significant difference between the 1st and 3rd observations (p greater than 0.05). The rates of covered discarded needles were 50.4% (287/569), 44.3% (198/447) and 38.5% (269/699), respectively. These rates showed a trend to decrease (p less than 0.05). The misclassification rates of discarded syringes were low. Although re-education achieved only temporary effects, self-protective education on not re-covering used needles was effective. However, about 40% of all discarded syringes were still being covered after use. Based on our finding, some improvements have been made in this ward.

Demographic characteristics of 1080 university hospital nursing personnel were studied from January 1979 to December 1987. These characteristics included age, marital status, number of children and educational background. Among them, 457 nurses have resigned, while others remain in service. We evaluated the correlations between resignation and various demographic characteristics and the reasons for resignation. This would provide valuable references for nursing recruitment and hospital administration. Our analysis revealed that the reasons for resignation are in the following order: Transfer to governmental hospital, advanced study, marriage, change of occupation, transfer to teaching, personal problems, medical corps to Saudi-Arabia, family responsibilities, and relocation to other cities. Regarding to demographic characteristics, both educational background and marital status affected the reasons for resignation. The average length of service time for nurses who resigned was 30.0 +/- 29.59 months. There are significant differences among the age, marital status, number of children and educational background. The nurses between the age of 21 and 30 years old, (79%) had the highest rate of resignation (45.64%). Those below the age of 20 had the shortest service time, while those above 30 years old had the longest service time. The married nurses also had a longer service time than the single ones. Those who had children had a longer service time compared to those without children. In view of their educational background, those with a bachelor degree had the shortest service time (16.8 +/- 10.3 months) and the highest rate of resignation (71.1%). Our analysis indicates that professional license and location of residence also affected the reasons for resignation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Members of Proteeae were vertically inoculated into different brands of sulfide-indole-motility (SIM) medium for evaluating the capability of IPA production. A total of 328 clinical strains of tribe Proteeae was used as tested organisms, including 186 Proteus mirabilis strains, 62 Morganella morganii strains, 31 Proteus vulgaris strains, 27 Providencia rettgeri strains, 14 Providencia stuartii and 8 Providencia alcalifaciens strains. Seven different brands of SIM medium used in this study are Kyokuto and Eiken from Japan; Gibco, Difco, Scott and BBL from U.S.A.; as well as Oxoid from England. The results indicate that SIM medium of kyokuto is the most suitable medium for Proteus spp. and Providencia spp. to produce IPA (positive rates are 95.4% and 93.0%, respectively) but not for Morganella morganii (16.1%). Eiken, Gibco and BBL SIM medium are only good for Providencia spp. to produce IPA (positive rates are 95.5%, 85.1% and 87.8%, respectively). Take account the tribe Proteeae the best SIM medium to detect IPA production was from Kyokuto (80%) and the worst was Oxoid (0.3%). Since SIM medium can constantly detect the production of H2S, the relationship between H2S and IPA was analyzed. We found that there is no obvious interaction between these two characters. Production of phenylalanine deaminase (PD) is one of the important characters for tribe Proteeae. We compared PD and IPA positive rates of each members and found that the ability to produce PD and IPA is almost identical for each member in tribe Proteeae except Morganella morganii.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)