Structural and Physicochemical Properties of a Chinese Yam Starch-Tea Polyphenol Complex Prepared Using Autoclave-Assisted Pullulanase Treatment.

Interactions between food components have a positive impact in the field of food science. In this study, the effects of tea polyphenol on the structural and physicochemical properties of Chinese yam starch using autoclave-assisted pullulanase treatment were investigated. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, rapid visco analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid method were applied in this study. The results showed that the Chinese yam starch-tea polyphenol complex formed a structural domain with higher thermal stability along with lower pasting viscosities than native starch. The in vitro digestibility of Chinese yam starch decreased with the addition of the tea polyphenol, and the amount of resistant starch content in the complex was 56.25 ± 1.37%, significantly higher than that of native starch (p < 0.05). In addition, the complex showed a B+V-type crystalline structure, which confirmed that the interaction modes between the starch and tea polyphenol include hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions. Moreover, the appearance of an irregular sponge network structure of the complex further supported the interactions between the starch and tea polyphenol. This study provides a theoretical basis for the development of functional foods using Chinese yam starch.

Evaluation of career planning group counseling and its effectiveness for intern male nursing students.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of group counselling on the career planning and career maturity of male nursing students. METHOD: Sixty male nursing students were randomly selected from a specific-level first-class hospital in Hunan Province from July to August 2020 by using the convenience sampling method and were subsequently divided into the control group and the experimental group using the random number table method. The control group received routine pre-job training, including aspects concerning the hospital profile, nurse etiquette, nursing core systems, professional ethics, nursing emergency treatment and career prospects and planning. In the experimental group, career planning group counselling was added after the regular pre-service training (once a week) with each session lasting 2 h for a total of six training sessions. At six weeks and three months after the intervention, the career status evaluation scale and the college students' career maturity scale were used to compare the career planning and career maturity status of the two groups of male nursing students. RESULTS: After six weeks and three months of intervention, all the dimensions and total scores of both the career status evaluation scale and the career maturity scale in the experimental group were superior to those in the control group with statistically significant differences (all P < 0.05). The repeated measures of variance analysis indicated that the differences in the total score for career planning and the four dimensions in terms of intergroup effect, time effect and interaction effect between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The intergroup effect, time effect and interaction effect of the total score for vocational maturity, career goal, career confidence, career value, career freedom and career reference of the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05), while the time effect of the relative dependency dimension was also statistically significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Group counselling can significantly improve the career planning and career maturity status of male nursing students and has a certain long-term effect.

Study on the sleep quality of women pregnant with a second child and the influencing factors.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the sleep quality of women pregnant with a second child and the influencing factors and provide a scientific basis for health care guidance to clinically improve the sleep quality of pregnant women. METHODS: A total of 162 women pregnant with a second child at a first-class tertiary hospital in Changsha from January to August 2018 were selected as the research subjects. General demographic characteristics were collected, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scale was used to assess their sleep quality. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the influencing factors of the sleep quality of women pregnant with a second child. RESULTS: The PSQI score (except hypnotic drugs) and total score of pregnant women with second birth were higher than those of normal female population, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Univariate analysis showed statistically significant differences in sleep quality among women pregnant with a second child of different ages, marital relationships, gender expectations, education levels, monthly family incomes, planned or unplanned pregnancy, and gestational weeks (P < 0.05). The results of the multi-factor analysis showed that the low education level (OR = 0.224, P = 0.001), low family monthly income (OR = 3.035, P = 0.014), expectation of gender (OR = 0.065, P = 0.038), and dissatisfaction with marital relationship (OR = 0.275, P = 0.001) were the primary risk factors of poor sleep quality of in women with second pregnant. CONCLUSIONS: The overall sleep quality of women pregnant with a second child is poor, and 37.65% have sleep quality problems. Low education levels, low family monthly incomes, fetal gender expectations, and poor relationship between husband and wife are the main factors affecting the sleep quality of women pregnant with a second child. Pregnant women with the above factors should pay attention to their sleep quality and take necessary measures for intervention and guidance to improve the level of health care during pregnancy.

Psychological Status During the Second Pregnancy and Its Influencing Factors.

Objective: To investigate the psychological status of women during their second pregnancy. Methods: A total of 162 women who were pregnant for the second time were selected as the research subjects. The general demographic data and pregnancy-related conditions of the subjects were investigated by a questionnaire developed for this study. The anxiety and depression of the subjects were evaluated with a self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and a self-rating depression scale (SDS). Results: The subjects scored themselves on the SAS and on the SDS. There was a statistically significant difference when comparing the scores and total scores with the domestic norm. Statistical data analysis was conducted using SPSS 19.0 software. The results of a multi-factor logistics regression analysis showed that four factors, namely a low age, low education level, low monthly household income and foetal sex expectations, were the main influencing factors for the occurrence of anxiety among women during their second pregnancies (p < 0.05). Three factors, namely a low education level, low monthly household income and a poor relationship between the husband and wife, were the main influencing factors for the occurrence of depression among the subjects (p < 0.05). Conclusion: During their second pregnancies, women have different degrees of anxiety and depression. Measures should be taken to intervene and guide women who develop these adverse emotions.

Correlation Among Psychological Resilience, Social Support, and Coping Style in Patients With Complicated Hepatolithiasis.

Objectives: To investigate the correlation between psychological resilience, social support, and coping styles in patients with complicated hepatolithiasis. Methods: The objective sampling method was used in this study to select a total of 156 patients with complicated hepatolithiasis in a Third-class Grade A hospital in Changsha, Hunan Province from January to December 2019. Self-designed general data questionnaire, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), and the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) were used to conduct a questionnaire investigation. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between psychological resilience, social support, and coping styles in patients with complicated hepatolithiasis. Results: Both the total score of psychological resilience (45.79 ± 16.28) and social support (35.71 ± 9.92) of patients with complicated hepatolithiasis were significantly lower than those of the domestic norm. The total score of psychological resilience of patients with complicated hepatolithiasis was positively correlated with the total score of social support (r = 0.570, p < 0.01). The total score of psychological resilience and its three dimensions were positively correlated with the positive coping (r = 0.682, 0.673, 0.663, 0.535, p < 0.01)and negatively correlated with negative coping (r = -0.240, -0.207, -0.221, -0.286, p < 0.01). Conclusions: This study indicated that strengthening social support and improving the coping style of patients with complicated hepatolithiasis are helpful to improve their psychological resilience, which provided theory basis and reference for further intervention measures to improve social support system and coping styles.

Correlation Among Self-Care Ability, Psychological Status, and Quality of Life in Discharged Patients with Hepatolithiasis Complicated with Diabetes Mellitus and T-Tube.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the correlation between self-care ability, psychological status, and quality of life in patients with hepatolithiasis complicated with diabetes mellitus with T-tube. Methods: The purpose of this study was to select a total of 240 patients with hepatolithiasis complicated with diabetes with T-tube from June to September 2019 in a Third-class Grade A hospital in Changsha, Hunan Province. Self-designed general information questionnaire, self-care ability implementation scale (ESCA), self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), self-rating depression scale (SDS), and quality of life scale (SF-36) were used to conduct a questionnaire survey. The correlation among self-care ability, psychological status, and quality of life of patients with hepatolithiasis complicated with diabetes mellitus with T-tube was analyzed. Results: The total score of self-care ability of 240 patients with hepatolithiasis combined with diabetes with T-tube was positively correlated with the total score of quality of life (p < 0.05). The standard scores of anxiety and depression were negatively correlated with the total score of quality of life (p < 0.05). The total score of self-care ability was negatively correlated with the standard score of anxiety and depression (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Improving the self-care ability of patients with hepatolithiasis complicated with diabetes with T-tube and improving their anxiety and depression can improve their quality of life, which provides reference for further study.

Nadir CA-125 level as prognosis indicator of high-grade serous ovarian cancer.

PURPOSE: The capacity of nadir CA-125 levels to predict the prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer remains controversial. This study aimed to explore whether the nadir CA-125 serum levels could predict the durations of overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS) in patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HG-SOC) from the USA and PRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 616 HG-SOC patients from the MD Anderson Cancer Center (MDACC, USA) between 1990 and 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. The results of 262 cases from the Jiangsu Institute of Cancer Research (JICR, PRC) between 1992 and 2011 were used to validate the MDACC data. The CA-125 immunohistochemistry assay was performed on 280 tissue specimens. The Cox proportional hazards model and the log-rank test were used to assess the associations between the clinicopathological characteristics and duration of survival. RESULTS: The nadir CA-125 level was an independent predictor of OS and PFS (p < 0.01 for both) in the MDACC patients. Lower nadir CA-125 levels (≤10 U/mL) were associated with longer OS and PFS (median: 61.2 and 16.8 months with 95% CI: 52.0-72.4 and 14.0-19.6 months, respectively) than their counterparts with shorter OS and PFS (median: 49.2 and 10.5 months with 95% CI: 41.7-56.7 and 6.9-14.1 months, respectively). The nadir CA-125 levels in JICR patients were similarly independent when predicting the OS and PFS (p < 0.01 for both). Nadir CA-125 levels less than or equal to 10 U/mL were associated with longer OS and PFS (median: 59.9 and 15.5 months with 95% CI: 49.7-70.1 and 10.6-20.4 months, respectively), as compared with those more than 10 U/mL (median: 42.0 and 9.0 months with 95% CI: 34.4-49.7 and 6.6-11.2 months, respectively). Baseline serum CA-125 levels, but not the CA-125 expression in tissues, were associated with the OS and PFS of HG-SOC patients in the MDACC and JICR groups. However, these values were not independent. Nadir CA-125 levels were not associated with the tumor burden based on second-look surgery (p = 0.09). Patients who achieved a pathologic complete response had longer OS and PFS (median: 73.7 and 20.7 months with 95% CI: 63.7-83.7 and 9.5-31.9 months, respectively) than those with residual tumors (median: 34.6 and 10.6 months with 95% CI: 6.9-62.3 and 4.9-16.3 months, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The nadir CA-125 level was an independent predictor of OS and PFS in HG-SOC patients. Further prospective studies are required to clinically optimize the chances for a complete clinical response of HG-SOC cases with higher CA-125 levels (>10 U/mL) at the end of primary treatment.