Search

Background: Although a wide range of needs assessment tools for cancer patients have been developed, no standardized and commonly accepted instruments were recommended to use in clinical care. This systematic review was conducted to assess the quality of psychometric properties of needs assessment tools among cancer patients in order to help oncology healthcare professionals select the most appropriate needs assessment tools in routine clinical practice. Methods: Searches were conducted in the electronic databases of PUBMED from 1966, CINAHL from 1960, EMBASE from 1980 and PsychINFO from 1967 as well as additional sources. The quality of psychometric properties of the recruited needs assessment tools was evaluated using the agreed quality criteria for measurement properties of health status questionnaires. Results: Thirty-seven studies which evaluated the psychometric properties of 20 needs assessment tools were identified. Internal consistency was tested in 32 studies with 9 studies indicating negative rating and 4 studies intermediate rating. Less than half of the studies (13 studies) assessed test-retest reliability, and only 4 studies reported positive rating. Content validity was the most tested psychometric property appraised in 33 studies and indicated positive rating in all the evaluated studies. Structural validity was adequately evaluated in 28 studies with 23 studies reporting intermediate rating. More than half of the studies (29 studies) tested hypothesis testing and 13 studies were rated positive. Cross-cultural validity results were obtained in 13 studies with 7 studies showing negative rating. No data was available on measurement error and criterion validity. Only one study appraised responsiveness and showed intermediate rating. The Supportive Care Needs Survey-Short Form (SCNS-SF) is the most widely used instrument for needs assessment in cancer patients. It had strong evidence for internal consistency, content validity, structural validity and hypothesis testing, and moderate evidence for reliability and cross-cultural validity. Cancer Survivors’ Unmet Needs Measure (CaSUN) reported strong or moderate evidence for internal consistency, reliability, content and structural validity, and hypothesis testing. Furthermore, Supportive Cancer Care Needs Assessment Tool for Indigenous People (SCNAT-IP) had strong evidence for content validity, and moderate evidence for internal consistency, structural validity and hypothesis testing. Conclusions: Despite several needs assessment tools exist to assess care needs in cancer patients, further improvement of already existing and promising instruments is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) infection has been shown to stimulate autophagy. We have demonstrated that the inhibition of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin complex (mTORC) signaling pathway could affect the autophagic reaction induced by CVB3 infection in our previous study. However, the processes associating autophagy and CVB3 replication remain to be determined. In the present study, CVB3-induced autophagy and its impact on viral replication were investigated. Rapamycin (inhibitor of mTOR) and ZSTK474 (inhibitor of PI3K) were used to change the autophagic reaction caused by CVB3 in Hela cells at different post-infection (p.i.) time points (6, 9, 12 and 24 h p.i.), meanwhile, we detected the CVB3 mRNA replication and CVB3 capsid protein VP1 expression following the change of autophagy. Here, it was showed that ZSTK474 and Rapamycin promoted CVB3-induced autophagy, as well as decreasing CVB3 mRNA replication and CVB3 capsid protein VP1 expression at 6 and 9 h p.i. ZSTK474 also alleviated CVB3-induced autophagy, and decreased CVB3 mRNA replication and VP1 expression at 12 and 24 h p.i. However, Rapamycin continued to promote CVB3-induced autophagy and increase CVB3 mRNA replication at 12 and 24 h p.i, as well as increase VP1 expression at 12 h, but not at 24 h, p.i. In the present study, we found Rapamycin and ZSTK474 have differential effects at different p.i. time-points regarding CVB3 replication and CVB3-induced autophagy. This indicates that the association between CVB3-induced autophagy and viral replication depends on the infection time. During the early course of infection, autophagy may help host cells clear the virus, thereby providing protection, whereas when the infection time increases, autophagy may be exploited for viral replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: To systematically review the quality of the psychometric properties of disease‐specific quality‐of‐life questionnaires for patients with hepatobiliary or pancreatic cancers in order to help researchers and clinicians to select the most appropriate health‐related quality‐of‐life (HRQoL) instruments. Methods: MEDLINE from 1950, CINAHL from 1960, EMBASE from 1980, and PsycINFO from 1967, as well as additional sources were searched. The quality of the psychometric properties of the included instruments was evaluated by using the quality criteria for measurement properties of health status questionnaires. Results: Ten studies that examined seven instruments were identified. The European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire‐Biliary Cancer, the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire‐Liver Metastases of Colorectal Cancer, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐Hepatobiliary Questionnaire, and the Quality of Life for Patients with Liver Cancer Instrument achieved satisfactory results in relation to the quality of their psychometric properties. Conclusion: Several well‐validated instruments exist to adequately assess disease‐specific HRQoL in patients with hepatobiliary or pancreatic cancers. Further improvement of the already‐existing, promising measures is recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the effects of a hospital-community partnership transitional program among patients with coronary heart disease. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial with 236 patients who were randomized into two groups. The patients in the control group received the usual care. In contrast, the patients in the study group received the transitional care program. The data were collected at the baseline, 30 days, and 90 days after discharge. The primary outcomes were the 30 and 90 day readmission rates after discharge. The secondary outcomes included the quality-of-care transitions, medicine adherence, and chronic disease self-efficacy. Results: The findings indicated that: (i) the patients in the study group reported significantly lower 30 and 90 day readmission rates after their discharge than those in the control group; (ii) statistically significant differences were found in the quality-of-care transitions at 30 days postdischarge between the two groups as the patients in the study group reported significantly higher quality-of-care transitions, compared to those in the control group; and (iii) the patients in the study group reported significantly higher scores in medication adherence and chronic disease self-efficacy at 30 and 90 days after discharge than those in the control group. Conclusion: This study is an original effort to establish and evaluate a hospital-community partnership transitional care program in patients with coronary heart disease in China and the findings have demonstrated its effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To systematically review the common composition and the analytical methods performed to derive symptom clusters in patients receiving haemodialysis, and to examine their common predictive and outcome variables. Background Patients receiving haemodialysis may suffer from multiple and interactive symptoms simultaneously, which may impact their mortality, morbidity and quality of life. The composition of these symptom clusters varies depending on the different assessment tools, the variant evaluation timing points and the various statistical methodologies. A detailed review of existing studies is needed. Design A systematic review of observational studies. Methods Medline from 1950, CINAHL from 1960, Embase from 1980 and Psyc INFO from 1967 as well as additional sources were searched. Content analysis was conducted to identify articles assessing the interrelationships of multiple symptoms. Results Five studies were identified. Several symptom clusters were identified with five common groupings being uraemic cluster, neuromuscular cluster, skin cluster, gastrointestinal cluster and energy/fatigue cluster. Four studies performed the principal component analysis with varimax rotation to extract symptom clusters and one study used correlation analysis. Different symptom assessment tools were used and each involving different array of symptoms. The predictive and outcome variables of symptom clusters also varied considerably. No studies have examined the longitudinal course and patients' subjective experiences of symptom clusters. Conclusions Inconsistencies in the composition of symptom clusters across studies were identified due to inconsistencies in symptom assessment tools and statistical methodologies. Future studies should focus on an agreement about a robust and clinically relevant definition on symptom clusters; a multidimensional, valid and reliable symptom assessment tool; and an optimal analytical method in patients receiving haemodialysis. Relevance to clinical practice Knowledge of symptom clusters may contribute to understanding the aetiology and pathophysiology of multiple concurrent and interactive symptoms in patients receiving haemodialysis and exploring the effects of these symptoms on clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Epitope-based vaccines designed to induce cellular immune response and antibody responses specific for infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) are being developed as a means for increasing vaccine potency. In this study, we selected seven epitopes from the spike (S1), spike (S2), and nucleocapsid (N) protein and constructed a multi-epitope DNA vaccine. The 7-day-old chickens were immunized intramuscularly with multi-epitope DNA vaccine encapsulated by liposome and boosted two weeks later, and were challenged by virulent IBV strain five weeks post booster. The results showed that multi-epitope DNA vaccine led to a dramatic augmentation of humoral and cellular responses, and provided up to 80.0% rate of immune protection. The novel immunogenic chimeric multi-epitope DNA vaccine revealed in this study provided a new candidate target for IBV vaccine development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A method based on the high-frequency ultrasonic guided waves (UGWs) of a piezoelectric sensor array is proposed to monitor the depth of transverse cracks in rail bottoms. Selecting high-frequency UGWs with a center frequency of 350 kHz can enable the monitoring of cracks with a depth of 3.3 mm. The method of arranging piezoelectric sensor arrays on the upper surface and side of the rail bottom is simulated and analyzed, which allows the comprehensive monitoring of transverse cracks at different depths in the rail bottom. The multi-value domain features of the UGW signals are further extracted, and a back propagation neural network (BPNN) is used to establish the evaluation model of the transverse crack depth for the rail bottom. The optimal evaluation model of multi-path combination is reconstructed with the minimum value of the root mean square error (RMSE) as the evaluation standard. After testing and comparison, it was found that each metric of the reconstructed model is significantly better than each individual path; the RMSE is reduced to 0.3762; the coefficient of determination R2 reached 0.9932; the number of individual evaluation values with a relative error of less than 10% and 5% accounted for 100% and 87.50% of the total number of evaluations, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, the role of microRNAs (miRs) in the development of pneumonia has been reported by a number of researchers. The present study aimed to investigate the role of miR-409-3p in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human bronchial epithelial cells and the implication for bronchopneumonia. An in vitro inflammation model was established using LPS-induced BEAS-2B cells. Cell apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry. Inflammatory factors were detected by ELISA and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Protein levels of Janus kinase 1 (JAK1)/STAT3 and suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS)3 were determined by western blotting. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to confirm the interaction between miR-409-3p and SOCS3. LPS treatment significantly increased miR-409-3p expression and decreased the expression levels of SOCS3 in BEAS-2B cells. Dual-luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-409-3p directly targeted and negatively regulated SOCS3. Inhibition of miR-409-3p markedly decreased the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, and suppressed apoptosis induced by LPS, which was reversed by SOCS3-knockdown. The inhibition of SOCS3 significantly activated JAK1/STAT3 signaling, as well as enhancing the levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, and promoting apoptosis, which was reversed by the JAK1 inhibitor Tofacitinib. Suppression of miR-409-3p improved LPS-induced inflammation through SOCS3 in LPS-treated BEAS-2B cells, and this may be caused by regulating JAK1/STAT3 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis that predominantly affects children, and it can result in coronary artery lesions. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is involved in the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandin H2, an important precursor of several prostaglandins. The aim of this study was to examine the association between COX-2 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to KD. Methods: A total of 276 subjects (136 KD and 140 controls) were recruited. The analysis of two single nucleotide polymorphisms rs689466 (−1195G/A) and rs20417 (−765G/C) was respectively detected with polymerase chain reaction sequence-based typing methods. Results: Polymorphisms of rs689466 were significantly different between the normal controls and KD patients (χ2 = 6.070 and 5.435, both p < 0.05). The frequencies of AA genotype and A allele of rs689466 in Kawasaki disease group were higher than that of control group (χ2 = 4.832, p = 0.028, OR = 1.832, 95%CI = 1.064-3.124; χ2 = 5.435, p = 0.028, OR = 1.491, 95%CI = 1.065-2.088). Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence supporting an association between COX-2 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility of KD. The AA genotype and A allele of rs689466 confer predisposing factors to KD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As of 2023, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is still spreading globally. Therefore, we aim to integrate non-critical COVID-19 high-frequency and high-targeting Chinese medicines to provide a reference for clinical prescriptions to improve COVID-19-related symptoms. Materials and methods: The information on non-critical COVID-19 high-frequency Chinese medicines in the diagnosis and treatment of COVID-19 was obtained by the TCM inheritance support platform. Using network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, high-targeting Chinese medicines with good docking activity with COVID-19 receptors angiotensin-converting enzyme-II (ACE2), 3CLpro and tyrosine-protein kinase receptor UFO (AXL) were obtained. A new prescription for non-critical COVID-19 was established by integrating high-frequency and high-targeting Chinese medicines. Rats with acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide were used as the experimental model. The histopathological changes in the lungs of rats in each group were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The lung coefficient of rats was measured. The levels of IL-6, TNF-a, and IL-1ß in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The mRNA and protein levels of ACE2 and AXL in lung tissue were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot. Results: Through data mining, it was found that there were 39 high-frequency traditional Chinese medicines for non-critical COVID-19 in the diagnosis and treatment guidelines. According to network pharmacology and molecular docking, 30 highly targeted traditional Chinese drugs for COVID-19 were found. The new prescriptions for non-critical COVID-19 were comprehensively obtained, including Glycyrrhizae Radix, Ephedra Herba, Amygdalus Communis Vas, Gypsum Fibrosum, Descurainiae Semen, Atractylodes Lancea, Scutellariae Radix, Amomum Tsao-Ko Crevostet, Forsythiae Fructus, Pogostemon cablin, Magnolia Officinalis. Compared with the LPS-induced lung injury model group, the medium dose of the new prescription group had significantly alleviated pathological changes in lung tissue, decreased lung coefficient, decreased contents of IL-6, TNF-a and IL-1ß, and increased mRNA and protein expression of ACE2 and AXL (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Based on data mining, network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, the new prescription for non-critical COVID-19 established by this method has an anti-inflammatory effect on rats with acute lung injury induced by lipopolysaccharide and can provide a reference for clinicians to alleviate the symptoms related to non-critical COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is a childhood systemic vasculitis that exhibits a specific preference for the coronary arteries. The aetiology remains unknown and there are no especially diagnostic tests. microRNAs (miRNAs) are 18 to 23 nucleotides non-coding RNAs that are negative regulator of gene expression and play a crucial role in the regulatory network of the genome. Recently, circulating miRNAs have been found presentation in human plasma and displayed some characteristics of the ideal biomarker. However, few researches explored differentially expressed miRNAs in the plasma of KD patients. Our study is to identify circulating miRNAs in KD plasma which can serve as potential biomarkers of KD diagnosis. Materials and methods: The total of five pairs of acute KD and normal plasma samples were analyzed using ABI miRNAs TLDA Assay chip. Differentially expression of miR-125a-5p in plasma were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) in independent cohort (acute KD = 30, convalescent KD = 30 and healthy control = 32). After bioinformatics prediction, miR-125a-5p vector and inhibitor were transfected into HUVECs respectively, to observe MKK7 expression as a potential target gene. Flow cytometry was used to analyze apoptosis. The mRNA and protein levels of desired genes including MKK7, Caspase-3, Bax and Bcl2 were detected by qRT-PCR and western blotting. Results: Eighteen miRNAs were differentially expressed in acute KD’s plasma compared with healthy control. miR-125a-5p was significantly increased in plasma of KD patients (p = 0.000), but no variation between acute and convalescent KD (p = 0.357). Moreover, the results from the gain and loss functions of miR-125a-5p in HUVECs have shown that miR-125a-5p remarkably suppressed MKK7 expression, as a novel target gene. Importantly, miR-125a-5p also induced apoptosis in HUVECs through inhibition MKK7 levels to regulate Bax/Bcl2 pathway resulting to activate Caspase-3. Conclusion: Our study indicated that the circulating miR-125a-5p levels in KD’s plasma have remarkably evaluated compared with healthy individuals. miR-125a-5p might play a role in the development of KD by regulating target gene MKK7 to induce apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells. Therefore, our findings have suggested that detected miR-125a-5p levels in plasma could be used as a potential biomarker in early KD diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To establish a mini-pig model of ureteral stricture by using electrocoagulation under ureteroscopy.Methods: Twelve female mini-pigs were included. Their ureters on one side and contralateral side were randomly divided into electrocoagulation and control groups, respectively. In the electrocoagulation group, the middle ureter was circumferentially electrocoagulated by using a self-made electrocoagulation device with the ureteroscope under direct vision, while the control group underwent ureteroscopy only without electrocoagulation. At 30 and 90 days after electrocoagulation, the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), formation of ureteral stricture, and histomorphological changes of ureteral tissues of each group were detected.Results: At 90 days after surgery, ureteroscopy and retrograde urography revealed ureteral stricture formation in the middle ureter in the electrocoagulation group. GFR was gradually decreased over time with prolonged washout half-time in the electrocoagulation group. A compensatory increase in GFR was observed in the control group. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson's Trichrome staining revealed fibroblast infiltration and fibrous tissue hyperplasia in the superficial muscular layers, and the muscular layers were arranged disorderly in the electrocoagulation group. Immunohistochemical staining showed accumulation and disorganization of ureteric epithelium in the narrow segment. In the control group, the epithelium was arranged neatly with normal structure.Conclusion: A mini-pig model of ureteral stricture was successfully established using electrocoagulation under ureteroscopy. This method has the advantages of being simple to implement, having high accuracy and high success rate, which can provide an ideal animal model for studying ureteral stricture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To examine the mediating effect of professional self-concept on the association between perceived organisational support and burnout among community health nurses in Chengdu, China. Background Burnout is a common phenomenon among nurses and previous studies have focused on work environmental factors contributing to burnout. Limited studies have examined the effects of perceived organisational support and professional self-concept on burnout among community health nurses. Methods This was a cross-sectional study with 551 community health nurses in Chengdu, China, which included a two-stage sampling method. Structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationships among perceived organisational support, professional self-concept and burnout. Results The final sample included 456 nurses (82.7%). Perceived organisational support was a significant positive direct predictor for professional self-concept and a significant negative direct predictor for burnout. Professional self-concept was a significant negative direct contributor to burnout. Professional self-concept had a mediating effect on the relationship between perceived organisational support and burnout. Conclusions Perceived organisational support may result in reduced burnout by facilitating the development of positive professional self-concept. Implications for nursing management Strategies such as establishing a supportive work environment and professional competence training may be effective methods for burnout prevention and management among community health nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims and objectives To examine the associations among professional self-concept, organisational commitment and burnout, and to analyse the mediating role of organisational commitment on the relationship between professional self-concept and burnout among community health nurses in Chengdu, China. Background Previous studies have focused on work environmental variables that contributed to burnout in nurses. However, no study has explored the mediating effect of organisational commitment on the correlation between professional self-concept and burnout in community health nurses. Design A cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods This study was conducted at 36 community health centres in Chengdu, China with 485 nurses sampled using a two-stage sampling method. The measures used in our study included Nurses' Self-concept Questionnaire, Organisational Commitment Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory. Results The results of structural equation model techniques indicated that, in the direct approach, positive professional self-concept resulted in increased organisational commitment and reduced burnout. Higher organisational commitment resulted in less burnout. In the indirect approach, organisational commitment performed as a partial mediator on the correlation between professional self-concept and burnout. Conclusions Positive perception of professional self-concept can result in reduced burnout via enhancing organisational commitment. Relevance to clinical practice It is crucial for nursing administrators to develop effective intervention strategies such as skills escalator training and assertive training, and establishing a supportive working environment to enhance nurses' professional self-concept and organisational commitment, and decrease burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

cao x.y., Liu X.H., tian l. & guo y.q. (2013) Journal of Nursing Management 21, 657-667 The reliability and validity of the Chinese version of nurses' self-concept questionnaire Aim To examine the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of nurses' self-concept questionnaire. Background Nurses' self-concept is important to alleviate the current shortage of nurses. Nurses' self-concept questionnaire is an effective instrument to measure nurses' self-perception of professional competencies. However, the psychometric properties of the Chinese version have not been tested. Methods A two-stage research design was used in this study. At Stage 1347 registered nurses were recruited to establish the psychometric properties of the Chinese version. At Stage 2, a confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine the extracted factor structure from Stage 1 with 1017 respondents as a sample. Results The internal consistency of the Chinese version was 0.95 and the test-retest reliability was 0.83. The exploratory factor analysis extracted six dimensions. The findings at Stage 2 showed an acceptable model fit and discriminant validity. The Chinese version was a significant predictor of Maslach Burnout Inventory (β = −0.58; P = 0.00). Conclusions This study verified the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of nurses' self-concept questionnaire. Implication for nursing management The Chinese version of nurses' self-concept questionnaire will facilitate the evaluation of professional self-concept among nurses and help to develop the individualized self-concept strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cerebrospinal fluid ( CSF) biomarkers reflect changes in the brain, and contribute to early screening. Maternal inheritance is putatively stronger than paternal inheritance for late-onset Alzheimer's disease ( LOAD). Methods Clinical data of 162 cognitively normal subjects were reviewed. A standard questionnaire was used to identify LOAD family history. Mini-mental state examination ( MMSE) was used to evaluate cognition. CSF Aβ1-40, Aβ1-42, total and phosphorylated tau were measured using ELISA. Aims To compare biomarkers in cognitively normal elderly subjects with versus without LOAD family history. Results Among the 162 subjects, 38 and 60 had LOAD family history on paternal and maternal sides, respectively. The remaining 60 subjects had no family history. No difference was noted in age, gender, education level, MMSE score, and memory impairment complaint in the three groups. Aβ42 and the Aβ42/40 ratio were lower than in subjects with a maternal history than in subjects with a paternal history or without family history ( P < 0.05 in both). Phosphorylated and total tau did not differ among the three groups. Conclusion Offspring with a family history of LOAD on the maternal side have lower Aβ42 and Aβ42/40 ratio in the CSF, and maybe at higher risk for developing AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNA (miRNAs) emerges as key oncogene or tumor suppressor in a variety of cancers including pancreatic carcinoma. In this study, we detected the role of miR-132 in development and progression of pancreatic cancer and the underlying mechanism. First, the expression of miR-132 in pancreatic carcinoma and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were detected by qRT-PCR. Then, the role of miR-132 in biological function of pancreatic carcinoma cells was investigated. Our results identified that miR-132 was generally upregulated in pancreatic carcinoma, and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was generally downregulated. miR-132 and PTEN were associated with advanced tumor size, lymph node metastasis and Tumor-Nodes-Metastases (TNM) stage of pancreatic carcinoma. Downregulation of miR-132 inhibited proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic carcinoma cells. In contrast, overexpression of miR-132 promoted proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic carcinoma cells. The luciferase reporter system demonstrated PTEN is a direct target of miR-132. Overexpression of PTEN abrogated the induction of miR-132 on proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic carcinoma cells. Taken together, miR-132 promotes the proliferation, invasion and migration of human pancreatic cancer by inhibition of PTEN, and could be a tumor oncogene in development and progression of pancreatic carcinoma, and might be a candidate prognostic biomarker and a promising target for new treatment of human pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Several noninvasive models based on routine laboratory index have been developed to predict liver fibrosis. Our aim is to discuss whether these indexes could predict prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing hepatectomy. Methods. This study retrospectively enrolled 788 consecutive hepatocellular carcinoma patients undergoing liver resection in the cohort. Univariate and multivariate analysis were used to identify the risk factors of complications, survival, and disease-free survival. Results. Fibrosis-4 index had the best prediction ability for cirrhosis among other noninvasive models. Both the univariate and multivariate analyses showed that fibrosis-4 was independent risk factor for survival and disease-free survival. With the optimal cutoff value of 3.15, patients with fibrosis-4 ⩾3.15 had higher postoperative hepatic insufficiency (P=0.006) and worse survival than the fibrosis-4<3.15 group. The corresponding 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year overall survival were 80.9%, 56.3%, and 44.6% in the High fibrosis-4 group and were 86.5%, 69.9%, and 63.2% in the Low fibrosis-4 group, respectively (P<0.001). Worse disease-free survival was also observed in the fibrosis-4 ⩾3.15 group; the corresponding 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year disease-free survival were 74.9%, 45.3%, and 24.6% for the fibrosis-4 ⩾3.15 group and were 81.8%, 54.9%, and 34.4% for the fibrosis-4<3.15 group (P=0.009). Conclusions. Fibrosis-4 is useful for assessing the short-term and long-term results for hepatocellular carcinoma patients with liver resection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis that predominantly affects children and can result in coronary artery lesions (CALs). Thrombomodulin (TM) is a critical cofactor in the protein C anticoagulant system. The TM C1418T (rs1042579) polymorphism is associated with a high risk of cardiac-cerebral vascular diseases. But the association of the TM C1418T polymorphism with susceptibility to KD, CAL formation, and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance is still unclear. In our study, we examined the TM C1418T polymorphism in 122 children with KD and 126 healthy children and revealed the correlation between the TM C1418T polymorphism and KD, CAL formation, and IVIG resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis complicated by development of coronary artery lesions. PECAM-1 is a kind of cell adhesion molecule, which plays an important role in coronary artery disease. The relationship between PECAM-1 gene polymorphisms and their susceptibility to Kawasaki diseases (KD) is still unclear. In our study, we examined the PECAM-1 gene polymorphisms in 44 KD patients and 59 healthy children and revealed the correlation of PECAM-1 gene polymorphisms in KD children with and without coronary artery lesions (CAL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to test the association between fathers' smoking behaviour and urinary cotinine levels among preschool children exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS). Possible factors influencing this association were also explored.Methods: We recruited 368 smoking fathers with children aged five to six from five preschools in the city of Changsha, China. Urine samples were collected from the children, and the fathers were interviewed face-to-face. We adjusted for potential confounding factors with linear regression models.Results: The geometric mean of the cotinine concentration in the children's urine was 3.94 ng/mL (95% confidence interval 3.71-4.22). In multivariate analyses, the important predictors of urinary cotinine levels among children, after adjusted confounding factors, were the number of cigarettes smoked in front of the children at home per day (B = 0.414, p < 0.001), the number of cigarettes smoked by the father in front of the children at home (B = 0.105, p < 0.001) and the mean duration of the children's exposure to ETS at home (B = 0.111; p = 0.046).Conclusion: Urinary cotinine concentrations of children exposed to ETS at home were positively associated with smoking fathers and smoking behaviours and the mean duration of ETS exposure at home. Targeted interventions are urgently needed to reduce children's exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The 15-item care transition measure (CTM-15) is a reliable and valid instrument assessing the quality of care transition from patients’ perspectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the CTM-15 and the CTM-3 (a 3-item short version of the CTM-15) in Mainland China. Methodology/Findings: This was a cross-sectional study with a convenience sample of 646 patients in a general tertiary-level hospital in Chengdu, China. The results indicated that the Cronbach’s α values of the Chinese version of the two measures were 0.90 and 0.56, and the test-retest reliability values were 0.91 and 0.87, respectively. Three factors were extracted for the CTM-15 in Chinese populations. The CTM-15 and the CTM-3 scores discriminated well between patients with and without re-hospitalization for their index condition. The CTM-15 and the CTM-3 had significant positive relationships with self-rated health status. The CTM-3 score was significantly related to the CTM-15 score, and the CTM-3 score accounted for 64.23% of the variance of the CTM-15 score. Conclusions/Significance: This study has demonstrated the psychometric properties of the CTM-15 and the CTM-3 in Mainland China. Although the Cronbach’s α value of the CTM-3 is suboptimal, it has exhibited high test-retest reliability, convergent validity and criterion validity. Therefore, the CTM-3 can substitute the CTM-15 as a performance measurement tool when the sample size is large enough to compensate its suboptimal reliability or the reduced response burden is a concern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The clinical characteristics of 357 patients with hemoglobin H (HbH) disease from the Guangxi province of Southern China were studied. One hundred and ninety-one (53.3%) patients were diagnosed with HbH-Constant Spring, 19 were diagnosed with HbH Westmead. Ten patients were shown to have coinherited HbH-Constant Spring/QS with a β-thalassemia mutation. Coinheritance of the β-thalassemia gene does not alleviate anemia (8.2 ± 2.3 vs. 7.6 ± 1.7 g/dl, p = 0.276), or influence age at diagnosis (20.2 ± 19.6 vs. 12.9 ± 11.0 years, p = 0.276). Ferritin levels were significantly higher in the group of patients with the nondeletional form of the disease (475 ± 719 vs. 249 ± 264 ng/ml, p = 0.005). Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The mechanism of pancreatic cancer metastasis remains poorly understood. Recently, lncRNA CASC2 has been demonstrated to be a tumor suppressor in various types of cancer. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of CASC2 in the regulation of pancreatic cancer metastasis. Methods: The expression levels of CASC2 and miR-21 in pancreatic cells were detected by qRT-PCR. Using specific expression vectors, including mimics or shRNA, the expression levels of CASC2, miR-21 and PTEN in pancreatic cells were altered. The association between CASC2, miR-21 and PTEN was detected. Then, cell migration and invasion were assessed using the transwell assay. Results: CASC2 expression was downregulated in the pancreatic cancer cell lines CAPAN-1, BxPC-3, JF305, PANC-1 and SW1990 compared with levels in normal human pancreatic HPDE6-C7 cells. CACS2 overexpression inhibited the migration and invasion of PANC-1 cells and significantly inhibited the expression of miR-21 and PTEN. MiR-21 was a direct target of CACS2. The overexpression of miR-21 significantly abolished the antimetastatic effects of CASC2 on PANC-1 cells. Moreover, the downregulation of PTEN significantly abolished the antimetastatic effects of CASC2. Conclusion: CASC2 functions as a tumor suppressor in pancreatic cancer cells to inhibit tumor cell migration and invasion. Our work revealed a novel regulatory mechanism of the CASC2/miR-21/PTEN axis that may be important in pancreatic cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]