The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of auricular acupressure for smoking cessation on male college students. The experimental group (n = 27) received auricular acupressure on specific acupoints for smoking cessation, whereas the control group (n = 26) received sham auricular acupressure on nonspecific acupoints. Participants received 6 weeks of auricular acupressure intervention. For the experimental group, auricular acupressure was applied to the shenmen, lung, subcortex, hunger, stomach, and mouth. The data of nicotine dependence, self-efficacy for smoking cessation, and exhaled carbon monoxide were collected for both group 3 times: before intervention, after 3 weeks of the intervention, and after 6 weeks of the intervention. Statistical differences between the two groups from pretest to posttest emerged in self-efficacy for smoking cessation (p = .048) and exhaled carbon monoxide (p < .001), but not for nicotine dependence.

As the portion of older adults in the population in rural areas of South Korea exceeds 20%, the importance of health-related quality of life is increasing. The aim of the study was to examine the health-related quality of life through the ecological model and its basic determining factors for older adults. The study was conducted on 184 respondents aged 65 and over living in rural areas of South Korea. The measurements were health-related quality of life, health care service needs, sleep quality, social support, and personal characteristics. The collected data were tested using descriptive, t-test, ANOVA, and hierarchical multiple regression. The results showed that older adults in rural areas experienced a low quality of life. Religion, having a helper, and social support were significantly related to health-related quality of life in older adults. This directly shows that the government should make efforts to build a social support system to improve the gap between urban and rural areas. To improve the health-related quality of life of older adults in rural areas, it would be helpful to increase physical activity and to form a community, leading to a social network.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been one of the worst infectious disasters in human history. The best way to minimize COVID-19 transmission is to follow preventive measures. This study aimed to examine the factors influencing adolescents’ COVID-19 prevention behaviors. The study was conducted online from 1 to 15 February 2023 with 196 adolescents aged between 13 and 18 years of age. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, the independent t-test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and multiple hierarchical regression analysis. Adolescents’ COVID-19 prevention behaviors were influenced by intrapersonal factors, such as knowledge of and attitudes toward COVID-19, and interpersonal factors, such as social support. Community and governmental factors had no impact. Public health education strategies should be planned to include friends and family members in programs for preventing new infectious diseases such as COVID-19 so that adolescents can learn and share what they have learned, correct wrong behavior, and understand and change infection prevention behavior. In addition, it is necessary to actively support the development of public health education with appropriate contents in accordance with the characteristics and preferences of adolescents.

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effects of auricular acupressure (AA) on blood pressure (BP) and stress responses in adults with prehypertension.Methods: This single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted from September 2019 to February 2020. Participants were recruited through bulletin board notices in D city. The experimental group (n=27) received 8 weeks of AA intervention on specific acupoints (shenmen, kidney, heart, occiput, adrenal gland) to reduce blood pressure and stress, whereas the control group (n=25) received AA unspecific acupoints (helix 1-5). The outcomes were measured using BP, perceived stress scale (PSS), cortisol, and heart rate variability (HRV). Collected data were analyzed using Fisher’s exact test, chi-square, Shapiro-Wilk normality test, paired t-test, independent t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, repeated measures ANOVA and Friedman test with the SPSS/WIN 24.0.Results: Statistical differences were found between the groups for systolic BP (x2=85.64, p<.001), diastolic BP (x2=27.76, p=.001), PSS (F=9.439, p=.003), low frequency (F=5.22, p=.027), heart rate (F=3.208, p=.045), and HRV index (F=3.579, p=.035). Cortisol did not differ significantly between the experimental group and control group.Conclusion: The findings show that AA leads to improvements in BP and stress responses in adults with prehypertension. Therefore, AA can be used as an alternative nursing intervention for hypertension prevention and stress management.

경기육괴 서남부 가로림만에 위치한 지곡리층 혼성편마암류 두 개 시료에 대하여 저어콘 SHRIMP U-Pb 연대 측정을 시도하였다. 분석치들은 저어콘의 내부 구조 및 Th/U 비에 의해 특징되는 네 개의 그룹(Group)으로 세부 분류된다. Group 1과 2는 저어콘의 상속핵으로, 누대구조가 잘 발달하고 화성기원을 지시하는 높은 Th/U 비(0.11-1.62)를 가진다. Tera-Wasserburg 도에서 Group 1 저어콘의 상부교차점 연대는 2502 ± 92 Ma와 2528 ± 100 Ma이며, Group 2 저어콘의 상부교차점 연대는 2051 ± 25 Ma로 모두 화성연대로 해석된다. Group 3으로 분류되는 분석치들은 누대구조가 없거나 희미하며 낮은 Th/U 비(0.01-0.16)를 보이므로 변성기원으로 유추되며, 1833 ± 10 Ma의 상부교차점 연대를 가진다. 마지막으로 Group 4 저어콘은 1695.5 ± 5.4 Ma의 상부교차점 연대를 가지며, 다른 저어콘 분석점과 비교하였을 때 상대적으로 높은 Th/U 비(0.44-1.43)를 가지는 특징을 보여 모나자이트의 붕괴와 동반된 고온변성작용 연대를 지시하는 것으로 생각된다. 본 연구에서 얻어진 Group 1과 Group 3의 연대는 한반도에서 광역적인 화성 및 변성작용이 있었던 시기(약 2.5 Ga와 약 2.0-1.8 Ga)로 선캄브리아기 암체에서 흔히 보고되는 연대이다. 특히 Group 1의 연대는 가로림만과 인접한 경기육괴 서남부 대이작도에 분포하는 남한의 최고기 암체인 토날라이트질 혼성암의 생성 연대(약 2.5 Ga)와 오차범위에서 일치한다. 그러나 Group 2와 4의 약 2.1 Ga 및 1.7 Ga 연대는 경기육괴의 선행연구에서 거의 보고되지 않았던 연대이다. 이는 국소적으로 발생한 선캄브리아기 열적활동에 대한 연구가 부족한 실정을 단적으로 드러내는 결과라 할 수 있으며, 한반도에서의 선캄브리아기 지각진화사를 보다 정확히 이해하기 위해서는 향후 정밀 지질연대 및 암석학적 자료들이 추가적으로 수집되어야 함을 의미한다.