Burden and Strain among Familial Caregivers of Patients with Dementia in China

ABSTRACT

Background: Alzheimer's disease is one of a variety of progressive and ultimately fatal neurodegenerative diseases that are characterized by a number of nervous and mental symptoms and behavior disorders. These problems are likely to cause burden and strain on caregivers. In this study, we demonstrated the level and relationship of burden and strain among caregivers of dementia patients in China. Methods: A total of 212 caregivers of family members with dementia responded to the survey. A 22-item of the Zarit Burden Interview and a 13-item Caregiver Strain Index (CSI) were used. Results: The results showed that women comprised 88.2% of caregivers, and 58.5% of caregivers reported a level of medium burden. Over one-half of the caregivers reported a level of high strain, with the low income group being more likely to have high levels of burden and strain. Conclusion: Chinese familial caregivers of patients with dementia experience a moderate level of burden and a high level of strain. The main strain factors that affected the burden were changes in personal plans, time demands, and emotional adjustment.     

Rapid Response Events in Hospitalized Patients: Patient Symptoms and Clinician Communication

Context

Patients triggering rapid response team (RRT) intervention are at high risk for adverse outcomes. Data on symptom burden of these patients do not currently exist, and current symptom management and communication practices of RRT clinicians are unknown.

Protective effect of Ruellia tuberosa L. extracts against abnormal expression of hepatic detoxification enzymes in diabetic rats

Ruellia tuberosa L. (RTL) has been used as a folk medicine for curing diabetes mellitus in East Asia decades. This study investigated the effect of RTL on hepatic detoxification enzyme expression in diabetic rats. Male Wistar rats were fed a high fat diet (HFD) and intraperitoneally injected with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce diabetes. Subsequently, rats received oral administrations of 100 or 400 mg kg⁻¹ body weight RTL extract, in either water (RTLW) or ethanol (RTLE), once a day for 4 weeks. The real-time PCR analyses showed that abnormality of hepatic phase I and II detoxification enzyme expression was observed in diabetic rats. However, both RTLW and RTLE significantly normalized the expression of hepatic phase I detoxification enzymes such as CYP 2E1, and expression of phase II detoxification enzymes such as UGT 1A7 and GST M1 in diabetic rats. Furthermore, we found that fasting serum glucose, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) and the area under the curve of oral glucose tolerance test (AUC_OGTT) levels were significantly reduced in both RTLW and RTLE treated diabetic rats. Moreover, both RTLW and RTLE significantly increased the activity of hepatic anti-oxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) in diabetic rats. The present study suggests that RTL may ameliorate abnormal hepatic detoxification function via alleviating hyperglycemia and enhancing hepatic antioxidant capacity in HFD/STZ-induced diabetic rats.

Ruellia tuberosa L. (RTL) has been used as a folk medicine for curing diabetes mellitus in East Asia decades.     

Highly sensitive sensing of hydroquinone and catechol based on β-cyclodextrin-modified carbon dots

In the proposed study, an efficient method for a carbon dot@β-cyclodextrin (C-dot@β-CD)-based fluorescent probe was developed for the analyses of catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ) at trace levels in water samples. The properties of C-dot@β-CD nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The sensing behaviors of C-dot@β-CD toward CC and HQ were investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. Based on the host–guest chemistry between C-dot@β-CD and phenolic compounds, which can quench C-dot@β-CD fluorescence, the prepared C-dot@β-CD nanocomposites could be used for the sensitive and selective detection of CC or HQ across a wide linear range (0.1 to 10 μM) with detection limits of 47.9 and 20.2 nM, respectively. These results showed that the synthesized C-dot@β-CD nanocomposite exhibited strong fluorescence and high degree of water solubility and thus, it is suitable for use as a nanoprobe for detecting CC or HQ in real water samples.

In the proposed study, an efficient method for a carbon dot@β-cyclodextrin (C-dot@β-CD)-based fluorescent probe was developed for the analyses of catechol (CC) and hydroquinone (HQ) at trace levels in water samples.     

消毒供应中心信息管理系统中“外来器械”管理模块的开发与应用

利用无线射频技术、条形码技术结合信息管理系统,在消毒供应中心对外来器械进行管理,实现了对外来器械全过程的跟踪记录,提高了消毒供应中心的工作质量和效率,大大降低了院内感染几率和医疗成本。     

Synthesis of silver sulfide nanoparticles and their photodetector applications

Silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag₂S NPs) are currently being explored as infrared active nanomaterials that can provide environmentally stable alternatives to heavy metals such as lead. In this paper, we describe the novel synthesis of Ag₂S NPs by using a sonochemistry method and the fabrication of photodetector devices through the integration of Ag₂S NPs atop a graphene sheet. We have also synthesized Li-doped Ag₂S NPs that exhibited a significantly enhanced photodetector sensitivity via their enhanced absorption ability in the UV-NIR region. First-principles calculations based on a density functional theory formalism indicated that Li-doping produced a dramatic enhancement of NIR photoluminescence of the Ag₂S NPs. Finally, high-performance photodetectors based on CVD graphene and Ag₂S NPs were demonstrated and investigated; the hybrid photodetectors based on Ag₂S NPs and Li-doped Ag₂S NPs exhibited a photoresponse of 2723.2 and 4146.0 A W⁻¹ respectively under a light exposure of 0.89 mW cm⁻² at 550 nm. Our novel approach represents a promising and effective method for the synthesis of eco-friendly semiconducting NPs for photoelectric devices.

Silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag₂S NPs) are currently being explored as infrared active nanomaterials that can provide environmentally stable alternatives to heavy metals such as lead.     

Shared decision-making in gout treatment: a national study of rheumatology provider opinion and practice

Clinical Rheumatology - To assess rheumatologists’ views and practices related to shared decision-making (SDM) in gout treatment. We performed a cross-sectional electronic survey of...