Utilization of an aqueous two-phase emulsification to prepare bimodal porous cellulose monolith for efficient adsorption of bovine serum albumin.

Cellulose monolith has garnered significant interest in the field of biochromatography, which lies in its interconnected porous structure, large surface area and biocompatibility. In this context, we propose a novel approach for preparing cellulose monoliths using an aqueous two-phase system devoid of any organic solvents and surfactants. In this strategy, emulsifying cellulose solution into PEG 20,000 solution gives bicontinuous aqueous phases and further porous cellulose monolith after regeneration of dissolved cellulose. And the macroporous channels are derived from the removal of the PEG 20,000 aqueous phase while the micropores are from the phase separation of the cellulose phase. Physical characterizations reveal the obtained cellulose monolith exhibits exceptional column permeability of 1.36 × 10-11 m2 and a substantial surface area of 39.34 m2/g. Furthermore, cellulose monolith is functionalized with diethyl ethylamine hydrochloride (DEAE-HCl) to evaluate its potential as an anion adsorbent. Experimental results reveal that the DEAE-modified cellulose monolith possesses of adsorptive capacity of 316.58 mg/g of bovine serum albumin, along with fast adsorption kinetic. This study introduces an innovative strategy for fabricating porous cellulose monoliths tailored for biochromatography applications.

Depressive symptoms mediate the association between insomnia symptoms and health-related quality of life and synergistically interact with insomnia symptoms in older adults in nursing homes.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to elucidate whether depressive symptoms mediate the association between insomnia symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and to explore whether insomnia symptoms and depressive symptoms synergistically interact to affect HRQOL among older adults in nursing homes. METHODS: Older adults living in nursing homes (n = 323) completed Athens Insomnia Scale, the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale, and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey. PROCESS for SPSS was used in the mediation model. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to obtain odds ratios (OR) for insomnia symptoms, depressive symptoms, and HRQOL. The relative excess risk due to interaction, the attributable proportion due to interaction, and the synergy index were assessed. RESULTS: Insomnia symptoms and depressive symptoms were negatively related to HRQOL. Depressive symptoms mediated the relationship between insomnia symptoms and HRQOL. Compared with the older adults without insomnia symptoms or depressive symptoms, those with only depressive symptoms (OR = 8.36, 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.46-20.18) or insomnia symptoms (OR = 2.24, 95%CI: 1.04-4.83) had a lower HRQOL. Also, the co-presence of insomnia symptoms and depressive symptoms significantly increased the risk of lowering HRQOL (OR = 25.79; 95%CI: 12.72-52.28). The relative excess risk due to interaction, attributable proportion due to interaction, and synergy index were 16.19, 0.63, and 2.88, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Depressive symptoms may play a mediating role between insomnia symptoms and HRQOL. Comorbid insomnia symptoms and depressive symptoms synergistically interact to affect HRQOL. It is vital to focus on elderly nursing home residents with insomnia symptoms and/or depressive symptoms and to adopt interventions.

Loneliness and depression symptoms among the elderly in nursing homes: A moderated mediation model of resilience and social support.

Loneliness has been identified as a risk factor for depressive symptoms. Resilience and social support have been regarded as underlying protective factors. Little is known about the complex relations among these factors in the nursing home elderly. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms, explore whether resilience mediated the association between loneliness and depressive symptoms, and investigate whether social support moderated the indirect or direct effect of mediation model. A total of 323 nursing home elderly were recruited in Jinan City, China. Loneliness, resilience, social support and depressive symptoms were measured. Results shown the association between loneliness and depressive symptoms was partially mediated by resilience. Besides, the indirect effect of the mediation model was moderated by social support. When the level of social support was higher, the indirect effect of loneliness on depressive symptoms through resilience was weaker. The incidence of depressive symptoms among the nursing home elderly could not be neglected. The findings suggest that interventions, such as improving resilience and social support, may help break the link between loneliness and depressive symptoms among the elderly in nursing homes.

Social Support as a Mediator of Physical Disability and Depressive Symptoms in Chinese Elderly.

The relationship between physical disability and depressive symptoms has been associated with social support. Different aspects of social support may play distinct roles in health-related quality of life. The aim of this study was to examine the mediation of social support in the relationship between physical disability and depressive symptoms among old people in Mainland China. Subjective support and utilization of support mediated the relationship between ADL and depressive symptoms, with the indirect effect of subjective support and utilization of support at 0.038 and 0.030 respectively (the total effect was 0.180). Subjective support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in independent elderly people, utilization of support was negatively associated with depressive symptoms in partially dependent elderly people, and utilization of support had a greater association with geriatric depressive symptoms than subjective support in severely dependent elderly people. Social support mechanism and positive psychological intervention should be established and introduced in accordance with the physical disability of the elderly people, to protect them from depressive symptoms.

The moderating effect of social support on the relationship between physical health and suicidal thoughts among Chinese rural elderly: A nursing home sample.

Suicide rate is relatively high among Chinese rural elderly. While there has been some exciting work on reporting and preventing suicide among community-dwelling elderly, only a few published studies have addressed the issues of rural nursing homes in China. This study aimed to investigate the relationship among perceived social support, physical health, and suicidal thoughts of the elderly living in Chinese rural nursing homes. It also examined the moderating effects of social support on the path from physical health to suicidal thoughts of the rural institutional elderly in China. This study investigated 205 participants aged 60 years and above in Chinese rural nursing homes. Participants' suicidal thoughts, perceived social support, and physical health were assessed. This study conducted descriptive analysis, Student's t-test, and Pearson's chi-square test to test how physical health and social support predicted suicidal thoughts, as well as the moderating effects of family's, friends', and others' social support on physical health and suicidal thoughts. Both physical health and perceived social support were significantly related to suicidal thoughts. Perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others moderated the relationship between physical health and suicidal thoughts. Findings of this study suggested that increasing social support and improving physical health would be effective in both suicide prevention and intervention for the residents in Chinese rural nursing homes.

Psychological distress in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis: the risk factors, protection factors, and cumulative effect.

This study aimed to examine the psychological status among Chronic Atrophic Gastritis (CAG) patients and to find the cumulative effects of risk and protective factors. A sample of 101 CAG patients completed the investigation. Hierarchical linear regression was used to find risk and protective factors, and examine the cumulative effects in risk factor index (RFI) and protective factor index (PFI). Results showed that nine symptoms from SCL-90-R were severer among CAG patients than those in adult norm. Risk factors including positive family history of cancer and higher negative life events could predict higher GSI (ß = 0.206, p = 0.023; ß = 0.398, p < 0.001; R² = 0.203); more household resistant, positive coping and stronger resilience were protective factors and could predict GSI negatively (ß = -0.188, p = 0.020; ß = -0.350, p = 0.012; ß = -0.066, p = 0.621; R² = 0.190). The GSI was positively correlated with RFI (ß = 0.338, p < 0.001; R² = 0.113) and negatively related to PFI (ß = -0.378, p < 0.001; R² = 0.133). In conclusion, CAG patients suffered from various psychological distress, and the protective factors should be enhanced cumulatively to protect against psychological distress.

Association between social support and health-related quality of life among Chinese rural elders in nursing homes: the mediating role of resilience.

PURPOSE: This study aims to confirm the relationship between social support and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among rural Chinese elders in nursing homes, and to examine the mediating role of resilience in the impact of social support on HRQOL. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 205 elders aged 60 and above was conducted in five rural public nursing homes. Sociodemographic characteristics, the SF-36 questionnaire, and information about social support and resilience were collected. The researchers administered the questionnaires to the participants in a face-to-face setting. Descriptive analysis and a correlation matrix were used to indicate characteristics of the participants and bivariate correlations, respectively. The mediation analyses, composed of regression analysis and PROCESS analysis, were preformed to test both direct and indirect effects of social support on HRQOL, namely the mediating role of resilience. RESULTS: Social support was positively related to HRQOL (ß = 0.303, p < 0.001) among Chinese rural elders in nursing homes. The mediating role of resilience in the relationship between social support and HRQOL was confirmed (a*b bootstrapped 95% confidence interval = [0.098, 0.257]), which revealed that social support had an indirect effect on HRQOL through resilience. CONCLUSIONS: Resilience partially mediates the relationship between social support and HRQOL. The mediation model provides a better understanding of how social support and resilience work together to affect HRQOL, and it could guide the interventions in health care for promoting HRQOL among Chinese rural elders in nursing homes.

The relationship of interpersonal sensitivity and depression among patients with chronic atrophic gastritis: The mediating role of coping styles.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of depression and the relationship among interpersonal sensitivity, coping styles and depression in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis and explore the mediating role of coping styles between interpersonal sensitivity and depression. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of 101 patients diagnosed with chronic atrophic gastritis aged 33-83 years. All the participants were surveyed face to face and given the informed consent. Sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, the interpersonal sensitivity dimension of the Symptoms Checklist-90-Revised, the Trait Coping Style Questionnaire and Hospital Depression Scale were measured. A descriptive analysis and a correlation matrix were used to illuminate the characteristics of subjects and bivariate correlations, respectively. Hierarchical regression analysis and bootstrapping method were used to test the mediating effect of coping styles between interpersonal sensitivity and depression. RESULTS: The prevalence of depression among patients with chronic atrophic gastritis was 54.50%. The regression analysis revealed that interpersonal sensitivity was positively related to depression. The effect of interpersonal sensitivity on depression was partially mediated by coping styles, including positive coping and negative coping. CONCLUSIONS: Depression was highly prevalent in patients with chronic atrophic gastritis. Coping styles played a mediating role between interpersonal sensitivity and depression, which had important clinical implications for physicians and nurses. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Patients who are at high risk of depression should be identified and applicable targets should be made for prevention and intervention, in consideration of mental health of patients with chronic atrophic gastritis.

Prevalence and related factors of successful aging among Chinese rural elders living in nursing homes.

Few studies focus on the prevalence and related factors of successful aging (SA) among Chinese rural elders living in nursing homes. This study aims to make an operational definition of successful aging, estimate the prevalence of SA, and identify factors related to SA among Chinese rural elders living in nursing homes. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected by face-to-face interviews in five rural public nursing homes. A total of 205 elders aged 60 years and above were asked to answer a series of questions. Descriptive analysis, independent sample t tests, χ2 tests, and multivariate logistic regression were used to show the prevalence and related factors of SA. The prevalence of SA in this population is 17.6% based on a multidimensional construct composed of: few chronic diseases, good cognitive and physical functioning, good mental health, and active social engagement. The logistic regression results indicate that successful agers are more likely to be younger, married, resilient, and better off economically, whereas gender, education, and social support are not related to SA independently. This model accounts for 45.8% of the variance in SA. These results suggest some tentative recommendations for elders, relevant decision-makers or employees in nursing homes, and administrative bodies. More rigorous longitudinal design is necessary to investigate the causality of the related factors and SA.

Characteristics of the Chinese rural elderly living in nursing homes who have suicidal ideation: A multiple regression model.

BACKGROUND: Chinese rural elderly are at higher risk of committing suicide. However, little is known about the suicidal ideation (SI) of institutional elderly residents in rural China. METHODS: 250 participants aged 60 or above living in Chinese rural nursing homes were recruited. Data were collected on subjects' SI, social-demographic characters, physical illness and psychological factors. Univariate comparisons and path analysis were conducted then. RESULTS: 19.5% (40/205) of the participants reported a current SI. Hopelessness and depression had significant direct impacts on SI, and self-esteem and loneliness can impact SI through the mediating of depression and hopelessness. Visiting frequency of children, number of physical illnesses and social activities can also affect SI through the mediating of loneliness or self-esteem. CONCLUSION: As the first study on path analysis of SI of rural institutional elderly, the findings are significant. All these factors in our model should be considered when interventions are being conducted.