Integration of transcriptomic and proteomic reveals the toxicological molecular mechanisms of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) on Pleurotus ostreatus.

Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), as one of the most widely used new brominated flame retardants (NBFRs), can pose a potential threat to human health and the environment. An integrated transcriptome and proteome was performed for investigating the toxicological molecular mechanisms of Pleurotus ostreatus (P. ostreatus) during the biodegradation of DBDPE at the concentrations of 5 and 20 mg/L.

Toxicity evaluation of decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE) to Pleurotus ostreatus: Oxidative stress, morphology and transcriptomics.

Decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), one widely used new brominated flame retardant, was of great concern due to its biotoxicity. The toxic evaluation of DBDPE (1-50 mg/L) to white-rot fungus (Pleurotus ostreatus), including oxidative stress, morphology and transcriptomics was conducted aiming at improving its biodegradation. Fungal growth and ATPase activity were obviously inhibited by DBDPE at ≥ 10 mg/L with the exposure from 48 h to 96 h.

The Multi-Template Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Based on SBA-15 for Selective Separation and Determination of Panax notoginseng Saponins Simultaneously in Biological Samples.

The feasible, reliable and selective multi-template molecularly imprinted polymers (MT-MIPs) based on SBA-15 (SBA-15@MT-MIPs) for the selective separation and determination of the trace level of ginsenoside Rb₁ (Rb₁), ginsenoside Rg₁ (Rg₁) and notoginsenoside R₁ (R₁) simultaneously from biological samples were developed. The polymers were constructed by SBA-15 as support, Rb₁, Rg₁, R₁ as multi-template, acrylamide (AM) as functional monomer and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as cross-linker. The new synthetic SBA-15@MT-MIPs were satisfactorily applied to solid-phase extraction (SPE) coupled with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for the separation and determination of trace Rb₁, Rg₁ and R₁ in plasma samples.

Aquaporin-3 Inhibition Reduces the Growth of NSCLC Cells Induced by Hypoxia.

Background/aims: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Although aquaporin-3 (AQP3) is widely distributed in mammalian tissues and over-expressed in NSCLC cells, there are limited studies on the effects of AQP3 knockdown on NSCLC cells under hypoxic conditions.

Methods: The CCK-8 assay was used to calculate cell viability.

Five-descriptor model to predict the chromatographic sequence of natural compounds.

Despite the recent introduction of mass detection techniques, ultraviolet detection is still widely applied in the field of the chromatographic analysis of natural medicines. Here, a neural network cascade model consisting of nine small artificial neural network units was innovatively developed to predict the chromatographic sequence of natural compounds by integrating five molecular descriptors as the input. A total of 117 compounds of known structure were collected for model building.

Construction and in vitro/in vivo evaluation of 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG)-loaded PEGylated nanostructured lipid carriers.

In this study, the PEGylated nanostructured lipid carriers (PEG-NLC) were constructed for the intravenous delivery of 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17AAG). 17AAG-PEG-NLC was successfully prepared by the method of emulsion evaporation at a high temperature and solidification at a low temperature using a mixture of glycerol monostearate and PEG-stearate as solid lipids, and medium-chain triglyceride as the liquid lipid. The results revealed that the morphology of the NLC was spheroidal.

[Improving the accuracy of caregiver-provided in-home total parenteral nutrition care].

Background & Problems: According to current surveys conducted between September and December 2011, the accuracy of primary caregiver-administered Home Total Parenteral Nutrition Care (HTPNC) was 62.0%. Further, nursing staffs provide instruction on HTPNC to only 22.

Coping Strategy and Caregiver Burden Among Caregivers of Patients With Dementia.

Background: This study aims to examine whether coping strategies employed by caregivers are related to distinct symptoms of patients with dementia and to investigate the associations between burden and coping among caregivers of patients with dementia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. A total of 57 caregivers of patients with dementia were enrolled.

Frontal function, disability and caregiver burden in elderly patients with major depressive disorder.

Caregivers of patients with late-life major depressive disorder experience a significant level of general caregiver burden. Disability in patients is possibly one of the origins of caregiver burden. Frontal lobe dysfunction might be the source of disability.

Quality of life and its correlates in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The care of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has raised quality of life (QOL) issues. The purpose of this study was to compare the level of QOL between patients with and without OCD, and to examine the associations between QOL and sociodemographic data, course of illness, psychopathology, perceived social support, and treatment characteristics. The QOL levels measured with the Taiwan version of the Short Form of the World Health Organization Questionnaire on Quality of Life were compared between 57 subjects with OCD and 106 subjects without OCD.

[The application of relaxation techniques and biofeedback to an outpatient with depression disorder: a nurse's experience].

This paper reports on a nurse's experience helping alleviate psychosomatic symptoms in a psychiatric outpatient suffering from depression. It was found that the OPD patient had been suffering from depression as well as long-time tension and pain. Between April 10th and July 24th, 2008, the author employed holistic nursing assessment and collected data through both observation and interview.

Exploring the burden of the primary family caregivers of schizophrenia patients in Taiwan.

Aim: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the burden of the primary family caregivers of schizophrenia patients and the factors that affect caregiver burden.

Methods: A total of 126 pairs of patients and their primary family caregivers were recruited from the day care and acute wards of two teaching general hospitals. Demographic information was collected.

Attitudes toward gay men and lesbians and related factors among nurses in Southern Taiwan.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to explore different dimensions of the attitudes toward gay men and lesbians among nurses in southern Taiwan and to examine the association between attitudes and intention to provide care to homosexual individuals. The factors related to attitudes towards gay men and lesbians by nurses were also examined.

Methods: In total, 1824 nurses from a medical centre and two regional teaching hospitals in southern Taiwan were recruited into this study.

Correlates of attitudes toward homosexuality and intention to care for homosexual people among psychiatric nurses in southern Taiwan.

This study examined the association between attitudes toward homosexual individuals and intention to provide care and demographic and occupational factors, sexual orientation, knowledge about homosexuality, and experiences of contact with homosexual people among psychiatric nurses in southern Taiwan. In total, 133 psychiatric nurses from a medical center, three regional teaching hospitals, and one psychiatric hospital in southern Taiwan were recruited into this study. Their attitudes toward homosexual people as recorded on the Attitudes Toward Homosexuality Questionnaire, intention to provide care to homosexual individuals, and related factors were examined.

[A project to raise the participation rate in education groups by psychiatric patient family members].

The objective of this project was to increase the rate of participation in relevant educational programs of immediate relatives of individuals currently undergoing psychiatric treatment. According to statistics, the average participation rate in such educational programs averages only 23.4%; a ratio considered unacceptably low.

[Nurses' assertiveness training and cognitive therapy experiences with an outpatient suffering from low self-esteem].

The experiences during nine meetings with a psychotherapy outpatient suffering from low self-esteem between 1/1/02 to 4/10/02. Using comprehensive nursing assessment practices for guidance, two conclusions were arrived at regarding the patient's mental health: a) an imbalance in individual response ability, and b) long-term problems with low self-esteem. This assessment was used to help the authors practice appropriate nursing skills associated with assertiveness training and cognitive therapy and to establish a trusting, caring, and accepting relationship with the client.