Association between self-efficacy, spiritual well-being and the willingness to provide spiritual care among nursing staff in Taiwan: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Spiritual care plays a significant role in holistic patient care, addressing not only physical ailments but also attending to patients' emotional and spiritual well-being. While the importance of spiritual care in nursing is widely recognized, there is often a gap in understanding nurses' willingness to provide such care. This cross-sectional study aimed to explore the association between self-efficacy, spiritual well-being, and willingness to provide spiritual care among nursing staff.

Polysaccharide Regulates Small Intestinal Microbes and Activates IL-22 Signal Pathway to Promote Intestinal Stem Cell Regeneration in Aging Mice.

Aging can cause degenerative changes in multiple tissues and organs. Gastrointestinal diseases and dysfunctions are common in the elderly population. In this study, we investigated the effects of polysaccharide (APS) and ethanol extract (AEE) on age-related intestinal dysfunction and gut microbiota dysbiosis in naturally aging mice.

Pioneering Astaxanthin-Tumor Cell Membrane Nanoparticles for Innovative Targeted Drug Delivery on Melanoma.

Background: Recently, the use of the tumor or its secretions as drug carriers has gradually become popular, with the advantages of high biocompatibility and enhanced drug delivery to specific cells. Melanoma is the most malignant tumor of all skin cancers; it is the most metastatic and, therefore, the most difficult to treat. The main purpose of this study is to develop nanovesicles with tumor cell membrane secretion properties to encapsulate target substances to enhance the therapeutic effect of cancer.

A simple and effective method to enrich endogenous DNA from mammalian faeces.

Utilization of faeces has long been a popular approach for genetic and ecological studies of wildlife. However, the success of molecular marker genotyping and genome resequencing is often unpredictable due to insufficient enrichment of endogenous DNA in the total faecal DNA that is dominated by bacterial DNA. Here, we report a simple and cheap method named PEERS to predominantly lyse animal cells over bacteria by using sodium dodecyl sulphate so as to discharge endogenous DNA into liquid phase before bacterial DNA.

Multifunctional Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Microcrystalline Engineering and Electromagnetic Response Switching Multi-Band Devices.

High-efficiency electromagnetic (EM) functional materials are the core building block of high-performance EM absorbers and devices, and they are indispensable in various fields ranging from industrial manufacture to daily life, or even from national defense security to space exploration. Searching for high-efficiency EM functional materials and realizing high-performance EM devices remain great challenges. Herein, a simple solution-process is developed to rapidly grow gram-scale organic-inorganic (MAPbX , X = Cl, Br, I) perovskite microcrystals.

Antiangiogenic potential of Lepista nuda extract suppressing MAPK/p38 signaling-mediated developmental angiogenesis in zebrafish and HUVECs.

The medicinal properties of natural/edible plant products and their use are popular in traditional practice owing to their nutritional contents with little to no side effects. Lepista nuda (L. nuda), an edible mushroom (Clitocybe nuda, commonly known as blewit), has attracted researchers to evaluate its contents and the mechanism of its activities.

Medicinal Components in Edible Mushrooms on Diabetes Mellitus Treatment.

Mushrooms belong to the family "Fungi" and became famous for their medicinal properties and easy accessibility all over the world. Because of its pharmaceutical properties, including anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties, it became a hot topic among scientists. However, depending on species and varieties, most of the medicinal properties became indistinct.

Antidepressant-like effects of water extract of Cordyceps militaris (Linn.) Link by modulation of ROCK2/PTEN/Akt signaling in an unpredictable chronic mild stress-induced animal model.

Ethnopharmacology Relevance: Cordyceps militaris (Linn.) Link (CM) is a medicinal mushroom traditionally used in tonics for treating several neurological disorders, including epilepsy and anxiety, in Asia. Reports have shown that CM has anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative effects and may be beneficial for depression management.

Water extract of Armillaria mellea (Vahl) P. Kumm. Alleviates the depression-like behaviors in acute- and chronic mild stress-induced rodent models via anti-inflammatory action.

Ethnopharmacology Relevance: Armillaria mellea (Vahl) P. Kumm. (AM) is an edible mushroom that has been reported as treatment for several neurological disorders, such as dizziness and epilepsy in Asia.

Preventing Alveolar Osteitis After Molar Extraction Using Chlorhexidine Rinse and Gel: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Alveolar osteitis (AO) may occur after molar extraction. Chlorhexidine (CHX) rinse and CHX gel are widely used to prevent AO. Although previous meta-analyses support the effectiveness of both CHX rinse and CHX gel in preventing AO, important issues regarding these two formulations have not been addressed adequately in the literature.

A comparison study between hybrid surgery and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for the treatment of multilevel cervical spondylosis.

Aims: Whether to perform hybrid surgery (HS) in contrast to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) when treating patients with multilevel cervical disc degeneration remains a controversial subject. To resolve this we have undertaken a meta-analysis comparing the outcomes from HS with ACDF in this condition.

Methods: Seven databases were searched for studies of HS and ACDF from inception of the study to 1 September 2019.

Musashi 1-positive cells derived from mouse embryonic stem cells treated with LY294002 are prone to differentiate into intestinal epithelial-like tissues.

The majority of Musashi 1 (Msi1)‑positive cells derived from mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) are prone to differentiate into neural epithelial‑like cells, and only a small proportion of Msi1‑positive cells differentiate into intestinal epithelial‑like cells. Whether inhibiting the phosphatidylinositol 3‑kinase (PI3K) signaling of mESCs can promote the differentiation of Msi1‑positive cells into intestinal epithelial‑like cells remains to be fully elucidated. In the present study, to inhibit PI3K signaling, mESCs were treated with LY294002.

Effects of the bass brushing method on dental plaque and pneumonia in older adults hospitalized with pneumonia after discharge: A randomized controlled trial.

Aim: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the effects of the Bass brushing method on dental plaque and pneumonia in older adults hospitalized with pneumonia after discharge.

Background: Poor oral hygiene may lead to pneumonia. Complications of pneumonia in older adults can be life-threatening during hospitalization and after discharge.

Quality gaps and priorities for improvement of healthcare service for patients with prolonged mechanical ventilation in the view of family.

Background: Little is known about the gaps between expectation and the perception of service quality in the care setting of prolonged mechanical ventilation (MV).

Methods: We conducted this prospective study at the Respiratory Care Center (RCC) of a medical center from February 2017 to January 2018. Family members of the patients admitted to the RCC completed a questionnaire based on the SERVQUAL instrument in two sections - expectation and perception, consisting of 22 questions each in five dimensions.

[Value of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in Differential Diagnosis between the Adult Reversible Splenial Lesion Syndrome and Ischemic Infarction of the Splenium of the Corpus Callosum].

Objective To evaluate the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in differential diagnosis between the adult reversible splenial lesion syndrome (RESLES) and ischemic infarction of the splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC). Methods The MRI findings and clinical data of 7 RESLES patients and 13 patients with ischemic infarction of SCC who were clinically diagnosed and treated in our center from May 2015 to June 2017 were analyzed retrospectively. The main MRI findings included location,morphology,signal intensity,maximum cross-sectional area,diffusion weighted imaging (DWI),and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value.

Incidence of patient safety events and process-related human failures during intra-hospital transportation of patients: retrospective exploration from the institutional incident reporting system.

Background: Intra-hospital transportation (IHT) might compromise patient safety because of different care settings and higher demand on the human operation. Reports regarding the incidence of IHT-related patient safety events and human failures remain limited.

Objective: To perform a retrospective analysis of IHT-related events, human failures and unsafe acts.

[Correlations between apparent diffusion coefficient in diffusion?weighted magnetic resonance imaging and molecular subtypes of invasive breast cancer masses].

Objective: To study the correlation of apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) measured by diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the molecular subtypes and biological prognostic factors of invasive breast cancer masses.

Methods: Breast MRI data (including dynamic enhanced and diffusion-weighted imaging) were collected from 64 patients with pathologically confirmed invasive breast cancer masses (a total of 69 lesions). The mean ADC values of the lesions were calculated and their correlations were analyzed with the 5 molecular subtypes of invasive breast cancer and the biological prognostic factors including estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2), and Ki-67 index.

Psychometric properties of the Chinese version of Spiritual Index of Well-Being in elderly Taiwanese.

Background: Spiritual well-being has become an increasingly important issue for the elderly people. The 12-item Spirituality Index of Well-Being (SIWB) is a well-validated instrument for assessing a patient's current spiritual state. However, the psychometric properties of the SIWB in the Chinese elderly populations are not known.

Methyl salicylate 2--β-d-lactoside alleviates the pathological progression of pristane-induced systemic lupus erythematosus-like disease in mice via suppression of inflammatory response and signal transduction.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with a high incidence rate and insufficient therapy worldwide, is a complex disease involving multiple organs characterized primarily by inflammation due to deposition of immunocomplexes formed by production of autoantibodies. The mechanism of SLE remains unclear, and the disease still cannot be cured. We used pristane to induce SLE in female BALB/c mice.

Elevated levels of plasma transforming growth factor-β1 in idiopathic and heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background: Aberrant transforming growth factor (TGF)-β signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). We aimed to investigate the predictive value of the upstream ligand of TGF-β signaling (TGF-β1) on long-term mortality and the clinical characteristics of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and heritable PAH (HPAH).

Methods And Results: Plasma TGF-β1 levels were measured in 151 IPAH and 65 HPAH patients retrospectively enrolled between January 2008 and March 2013, and compared to 61 healthy subjects.

Application of qualitative response models in a relevance study of older adults' health depreciation and medical care demand.

Aim: The effect of health depreciation in older people on medical care demand is not well understood. We tried to assess the medical care demand with length of hospitalization and their impact on profits as a result of health depreciation.

Methods: All participants who underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment were from a prospective cohort study at a tertiary hospital.

Effectiveness of femur bone indexes to segregate wild from captive minks, Mustela vison, and forensic implications for small mammals.

Utilization of free-living populations of endangered wildlife species is usually strictly prohibited or restricted. Farming of endangered species can provide products that are in demand as a countermeasure. A novel forensic issue arises because it becomes necessary to discriminate the origin of given wildlife products.