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This study used a 2-stage questionnaire survey to explore whether self-regulation by withholding negative emotions (SRWNE) affects mental health and examines further whether cultural fit can moderate the relationship between SRWNE and mental health. The 2-stage studies used data collected from 405 (time 1) and 313 (time 2) full-time staff employed by private and public enterprises in Taiwan. The author tested hypotheses through the use of hierarchical multiple regression. The results showed that controlled SRWNE through external regulation and introjected regulation is significantly associated positively with somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction, and severe depression, whereas autonomous SRWNE through identified regulation is significantly associated negatively with anxiety and insomnia, and social dysfunction. In addition, this study also found that cultural fit may moderate the relationship between SRWNE or introjected regulation and identified regulation and the mental health indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Empirical evidence has demonstrated that an individual’s cultural values can influence his or her mental health. This study extends previous research by proposing and testing a model that examines mediating processes underlying the relationship between individuals’ cultural values and their mental health. This 2-stage study used data collected from 208 (at time 1) and 159 (at time 2) full-time staff employed by private enterprises in Taiwan. The author tested hypotheses through the use of hierarchical multiple regression. The results showed that under horizontal individualism and vertical collectivism, the predictors of negative mental health (ie, somatic symptoms, anxiety and insomnia, social dysfunction and/or severe depression) were partially and almost completely achieved through the mediating effect of the negative attitudes toward emotional expression. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses encountered substantial infection risks and psychological strain, which severely affected their emotional well-being, professional attitudes, and job performance. This study investigated the impact of nurses' fear of COVID-19 on their intention to leave the occupation and emotional labor as well as the moderating role of the implementation of knowledge management on these primary variables., Methods: To mitigate common method bias, this research adopted a two-phase questionnaire approach, targeting nurses at a medical center in central Taiwan. In the first phase, 300 copies of questionnaire were distributed for participants to complete self-assessment surveys covering fear of COVID-19, knowledge management implementation, and demographic information. After 1 month, the participants were invited to complete a follow-up questionnaire, focusing on the intention to leave the occupation and emotional labor. The questionnaire was conducted from June to July 2022. Through this two-phase distribution method, after exclusion of invalid responses, a total of 288 valid responses were collected, resulting in a response rate of 96%. The proposed hypotheses were verified using hierarchical regression conducted with SPSS version 25.0., Results: The findings indicated that nurses' fear of COVID-19 was significantly and positively associated with their intention to leave the occupation and surface acting, but negatively associated with their deep acting. Moreover, the implementation of knowledge management significantly moderated the positive relationship among fear of COVID-19, intention to leave the occupation, and surface acting. A robust knowledge management system weakened the positive association among fear of COVID-19, intention to leave the occupation, and surface acting., Conclusion: In summary, nurses' fear of COVID-19 may increase their tendency to leave the nursing profession and engage in more surface acting and less deep acting. However, effective knowledge management practices can mitigate these adverse effects. Hospitals can thus establish and employ comprehensive knowledge management systems to enhance nurses' resilience and help alleviate their fear of future pandemics and their potential negative repercussions., Competing Interests: The author declares that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Chu.)

Background: During spinal anesthesia, hemodynamic status is routinely monitored, but this may not give an accurate assessment of cerebral oxygenation. Cerebral oximetry, facilitated by using a near-infrared spectroscope, is a way of estimating regional cerebral oxygen saturation (SrO2). We designed this prospective clinical study to determine whether the changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) could predict changes in SrO2 during spinal anesthesia., Methods: The study sample available for analysis included 45 patients, ASA class I to II, who were scheduled for elective ureteroscopic surgery requiring spinal anesthesia. Spinal anesthesia was performed with 12 mg 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine injected intrathecally via L3-4 or L4-5 interspace. MAP, HR, oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter, and SrO2 by near-infrared spectroscope were recorded every 2 min throughout the procedure., Results: SrO2 was tested by the Shapiro-Wilk test and the results departed from the multivariate normal distribution. The method of generalized estimating equations (GEE) was then used to estimate the model. The output of the GEE analysis for the time-lag model showed that there were relationships between SrO2 and two predictors (MAP and HR) with the correction of the baseline values. All the parameters were significant at a level of 5%. The effects of the decreases of MAP and HR on SrO2 lasted continuously for at least 6 min., Conclusions: Based on the time-lag pattern between two predictors (MAP and HR) and SrO2 during spinal anesthesia, we ventured to conclude that a change in MAP or HR caused a significant decrease in SrO2. Since no patient developed any neurologic complication perioperatively, further study must be performed to elucidate the clinical importance of our findings.

Background: Sepsis-induced renal failure is closely related to inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) upregulation and nitric oxide (NO) overproduction. Trans-membrane L-arginine transportation mediated by type-2 cationic amino acid transporter (CAT-2) isozymes, including CAT-2, CAT-2A, and CAT-2B, is one of the crucial mechanisms that regulate NO biosynthesis by iNOS. We previously had shown that endotoxemia significantly upregulated renal CAT-2 and CAT-2B but not CAT-2A expression. This study was, thus, conducted to further explore the role of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in regulating the expression of CAT-2 isozymes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated rat kidney., Methods: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly given intra-peritoneal injections of normal saline (N/S), LPS, LPS plus NF-kappaB inhibitor pre-treatment (PDTC, dexamethasone, or salicylate), or an NF-kappaB inhibitor alone. The rats were sacrificed at 6 hours after LPS injection and enzyme expression and renal injury were examined., Results: Renal iNOS, CAT-2, and CAT-2B were significantly upregulated in LPS-stimulated rat kidney. NF-kappa B inhibitors significantly attenuated this upregulation induced by LPS and resultantly attenuated renal NO biosynthesis and renal injury induced by LPS. In contrast, renal CAT-2A expression was not affected by either LPS or NF-kappaB inhibitors., Conclusions: LPS co-induces iNOS, CAT-2 and CAT-2B expression in LPS-stimulated rat kidney. Furthermore, inhibition of NF-kappaB significantly attenuates NO biosynthesis through inhibition of iNOS, CAT-2, and CAT-2B, and, in turn, significantly reduces endotoxemia-induced renal injury.