Exploring the decision-making experience of elderly diabetes patients regarding their health-seeking behaviour: a descriptive qualitative study.

Background: Diabetes has emerged as a critical global public health issue. The burden of diabetes is escalating in developing countries, including China. For individuals with diabetes, making informed and rational decisions regarding health-seeking behaviour is crucial to prevent or delay the occurrence of complications.

A qualitative study on inner experience of self-management behavior among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes in rural areas.

Background: As a chronic metabolic disease, diabetes poses a serious threat to human health and has become a major public health problem in China and worldwide. In 2020, 30% of Chinese people (aged ≥ 60 years) reported having diabetes mellitus. Moreover, individuals with diabetes living in rural areas face a significantly higher mortality risk compared to those in urban areas.

Greenhouse gas fluxes at different growth stages of biological soil crusts in eastern Hobq desert, China.

We analyzed greenhouse gas fluxes at the different growth stages of algae and lichen crusts in fixed sand with mobile dune as control in the eastern Hobq Desert, China, using the spatio-temporal substitution method. We explored the correlation of these fluxes with environmental factors and with biological soil crust growth. The results showed that variation of CO fluxes followed the order: lichen crust (128.

OsDCL3b affects grain yield and quality in rice.

We reported that knockdown of OsDCL3b decreased grain yield but increased grain quality in rice, which is helpful for molecular breeding in crops. Multiple DICER-LIKE (DCL) genes usually exist and show diverse biochemical and phenotypic functions in land plants. In rice, the biochemical function of OsDCL3b is known to process 24-nucleotide panicle phased small RNAs, however, its phenotypic functions are unclear.

Effects of decay level of fallen trees and their formed microsite types on soil physicochemical properties in a spruce-fir forest.

To reveal the effects of decay level of fallen trees and their formed microsite types on soil physicochemical properties, the differences in soil physicochemical properties (bulk density, capillary porosity, total porosity, capillary water holding capacity, saturated moisture capacity, soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorous, available phosphorous, available potassium, and pH) and stoichiometry (C/N, N/P, and C/P) among different decay levels of treefalls and between different microsite types in the formed gaps by fallen trees were analyzed in a spruce-fir fore-st in a valley of Liangshui National Nature Reserve in Xiaoxing' an Mountains. The results showed that the effects of the decay levels of fallen trees on soil physical properties was not significant. In contrast, we found significant effects of the formed microsite types in soil physical properties.

Expression and function analysis of a rice OsHSP40 gene under salt stress.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play essential roles in both plant growth and abiotic stress tolerance. In rice, OsHSP40 was recently reported to regulate programmed cell death (PCD) of suspension cells under high temperature. However, the expression and functions of OsHSP40 under normal growth or other abiotic stress conditions is still unknown.

Expression of CPEB4 in invasive ductal breast carcinoma and its prognostic significance.

Aims: Cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding proteins (CPEBs) are RNA-binding proteins that regulate translation by inducing cytoplasmic polyadenylation. CPEB4 has been reported in association with tumor growth, vascularization, and invasion in several cancers. To date, the expression of CPEB4 with clinical prognosis of breast cancer was never reported before.

Trastuzumab Inhibits Growth of HER2-Negative Gastric Cancer Cells Through Gastrin-Initialized CCKBR Signaling.

Background: Administration of trastuzumab, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody targeted to the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, p185), has improved outcomes for patients with HER2-positive gastric cancer (GC), but some relevant issues remain to be investigated and will emerge with new anti-GC drugs. Gastrin is a major gastrointestinal hormone proven to have an inhibitory effect on GC in vitro and in vivo.

Aim: To explore the sympathetic role of trastuzumab and gastrin on inhibition of GC.

Lack of association of EPHX1 gene polymorphisms with risk of hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

Previous studies have focused on the association of a gene (EPHX1) encoding microsomal epoxide hydrolase with the carcinogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In the present study, we performed a meta-analysis to systematically summarize the possible association between EPHX1 genetic polymorphisms and the risk for HCC. We conducted a search of case-control studies on the associations of EPHX1 genetic polymorphisms with susceptibility to HCC in PubMed, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, Wanfang database in China, and the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure databases.

Allelic polymorphic investigation of 21 autosomal short tandem repeat loci in a Chinese Bai ethnic group.

Population genetic data of 21 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) were obtained in a sample of 106 unrelated healthy individuals of Bai ethnic minority born in the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. We observed 138 alleles with corresponding allelic frequencies ranging from 0.005 to 0.

[Determination of trace amounts of mercury in sediments by sequential injection cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry coupled with microwave-assisted digestion].

A novel method for the determination of trace amounts of mercury in sediments by sequential injection cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry coupled with microwave assisted digestion was developed in this paper. Satisfactory results were found when the digestion was carried out at 140 degrees C for 5 min by using 10% HCl-50% HNO3- 40% H2O or 30% HCl-20% HNO3- 50% H2O media. The linear range was 0.

Predicting protein fold types by the general form of Chou's pseudo amino acid composition: approached from optimal feature extractions.

Identification on protein folding types is always based on the 27-class folds dataset, which was provided by Ding & Dubchak in 2001. But with the avalanche of protein sequences, fold data is also expanding, so it will be the inevitable trend to improve the existing dataset and expand more folding types. In this paper, we construct a multi-class protein fold dataset, which contains 3,457 protein chains with sequence identity below 35% and could be classified into 76 fold types.

[Regulative mechanism of budesonide on endogenous hydrogen sulfide, cystathionine-gamma-lyase and cystathionine-beta-synthase system in asthmatic rats].

Objective: To investigate plasma hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) levels and cystathionine-gamma- lyase (CSE) and cystathionine-beta-synthase (CBS) mRNA expression in the lung tissues in asthmatic rats and to explore the roles of endogenous H₂S, CSE and CBS system in the pathogenesis of asthma.

Methods: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats (age 5 to 7 weeks) were randomly divided into three groups: control, asthma and budesonide treatment (n = 10 each). The asthma model was established by ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization and challenge.

[Primary culture and identification of olfactory ensheathing cells from adult rat].

Objective: To explore a simple and inexpensive method or procedure for establishing primary culture and purification of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from the adult rat olfactory bulbs.

Methods: The OECs were dissociated from the first two outer layers of the olfactory bulbs of the adult Sprague-Dawley rat (2.5 months old), cultured in DMEM/F12 nutrient with 20% foetal calf serum, and purified by the method of combining the different rates of cell attachment with the Arabinosylcytosine (AraC) inhibition of cell.

Detection of hepatitis C virus core antigen for early diagnosis of hepatitis C virus infection in plasma donor in China.

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy of a new hepatitis C virus (HCV) core antigen assay developed in China.

Methods: After the determination of HCV infection, 49 serial samples were selected from 11 regular plasma donors in 5 different plasma stations. To compare the performance of HCV core antigen detection and HCV PCR, these samples were genotyped, and each specimen was analyzed by ELISA for the detection of HCV core antigen and by qualitative HCV PCR.

[Expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 in rat asthma model and the modulatory effect of dexamethasone].

Objective: To study the expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 and its mRNA in rat asthma model and the modulatory effect of dexamethasone (DXM).

Methods: Thirty male SD rats were randomly divided into three groups: the control group, asthma group and DXM group. The rats in each group were sacrificed 24 h after the last challenge.

[Influential factors to therapeutic efficacy of uterine artery embolization in the treatment of uterine fibroids].

Objective: To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of uterine artery embolization in the treatment of uterine fibroids and to analyse the influential factors to the therapeutic efficacy.

Methods: Thirty-two patients with symptomatic uterine myomas were treated by superselective catheterization and embolization of bilateral uterine arteries using PVA particles. Patients were followed for 6 months after uterine artery embolization.

[Interventional therapy in the treatment of hysteromyoma].

Objective: To study the clinical effect of bilateral super-selective arterial embolism therapy in the treatment of fibroids.

Methods: Twenty-eight cases of symptomatic uterine myoma were treated by Seldinger's bilateral super-selective uterine artery embolization. The changes of the clinical symptoms and volume of the uterus and myoma were observed with a mean follow-up of 3 and 6 months.