The association of stress perception on anxiety, depression and sleep quality in parents of children with burns: The moderating effect of social support.

OBJECTIVE: Few studies have explored the mental health status of parents of children with burns and the moderating effect of social support on them. METHODS: A survey was performed with parents of 112 burn-injured children at a burn center in China. Their perceived stress, anxiety, depression, sleep quality, and social support were measured by the Chinese Perceived Stress Scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Perceived Social Support Scale. RESULTS: ➀ The prevalence of anxiety (46.43%), depression (52.67%) and poor sleep quality (43.75%) of parents indicated that they experienced emotional and sleep disorders;➁ The perceived stress was positively correlated with sleep quality, anxiety and depression（P＜0.01), and negatively correlated with perceived social support (p＜0.05); ➂ Social support had a significant moderating effect on their perceived stress and anxiety, depression, but not on their sleep quality. With high social support, parental perceived stress had a significant positive association on anxiety and depression, while with low perceived social support, parental perceived stress had no significant association on anxiety and depression. CONCLUSION: Parents of burned children had increased stress, obvious symptoms of anxiety and depression, and poor sleep quality. Social support had a significant buffering effect on them under low pressure, and high pressure will hinder the buffering effect of social support on stress. Therefore, the ideal services to improve mental health should be provided for them to face different levels of stress.

Magnetic chitosan/TiO2 composite for vanadium(v) adsorption simultaneously being transformed to an enhanced natural photocatalyst for the degradation of rhodamine B.

A magnetic chitosan/TiO2 composite material (MCT) was developed. MCT was successfully synthesized by a one-pot method using chitosan, TiO2, and Fe3O4. The absorption equilibrium time of MCT was 40 min in absorbing vanadium(v), the optimal adsorption pH was 4, and the maximum adsorption capacity of vanadium(v) was 117.1 mg g-1. The spent MCT was applied to photocatalytic reactions for reutilization. The decolorization rates for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) by new and spent MCT were 86.4% and 94.3%, respectively. The new and spent MCT exhibited absorption bands at 397 and 455 nm, respectively, which showed that the spent MCT was red-shifted to the cyan light region. These results indicated that the forbidden band widths of the new and spent MCT were about 3.12 and 2.72 eV, respectively. The mechanism of the degradation reaction showed that the hydroxyl radicals as oxidants in the spent MCT mediated the photocatalytic degradation of RhB. In addition, the superoxide anion radical formation of hydroxyl radicals was the main reaction, and the hole generation of hydroxyl radicals was the subordinate reaction. The N-de-ethylated intermediates and organic acids were monitored by MS and HPLC.

Selective identification and separation of ReO4- by biomimetic flexible temperature-sensitive imprinted composite membranes.

A new type of temperature-sensitive imprinted composite membranes(ICMs) was developed. Poly N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEA) blocks, as temperature-sensitive polymer, were grafted onto the substrate of the imprinted polymer separation layer to endow membranes with better adsorption effect. The comprehensive properties of the imprinted composite membranes were adequately tested and evaluated in detail. Results showed that ReO4- -ICMs (Re-ICMs) with temperature-sensitive recognition sites could adjust the structure of the imprinted holes at different temperatures, which presented excellent performance in the selective separation and purification of ReO4-. The prepared Re-ICMs exhibit the maximum adsorption capacity of 0.1639 mmol/g at 35 °C with the equilibrium adsorption time of 2 h. After ten adsorption/desorption cycles, Re-ICMs could still maintain 73.5% of the original adsorption capacity, the separation degree of ReO4-/MnO4- was only reduced from the initial 24.5 to 15.9, and the desorption ratio dropped from 80.4% to 68.4%, indicating that Re-ICMs have excellent adsorption and separation performance and reusability.

[Nano-silicon Dioxide Affects Apoptosis of Alveolar Macrophages via PI3K/AKt Signaling Pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKt) signaling pathway on the apoptosis of alveolar macrophages (AM) induced by nano-silica (NS) dust. METHODS: After exposure to different concentrations of NS suspension, CCK-8 assay was used to detect the AM viability; the cellular morphology of apoptotic AM was observed under fluorescence microscopy; the apoptosis rate and mitochondrial transmembrane potential of cells were detected by flow cytometry before and after pretreatment with phosphatidyl inositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor LY294002; Western blot was used to detect the expression of apoptosis-related proteins Bax, Bcl-2, p-PI3K and p-AKt. RESLUTS: The survival rate of AM was decreased in a time-dose relationship after NS exposure. With LY294002 pretreatment, the mitochondrial transmembrane potential level and the expressions of p-PI3K, p-AKt and Bcl-2 were decreased, the expression of Bax and the apoptosis rate were increased. CONCLUSION: Our data suggested that the activation of PI3K/AKt signaling pathway played an important role in NS-induced apoptosis in alveolar macrophages.

Nutritional risk, malnutrition and nutritional support among hospitalized patients in orthopedics/spinal surgery of a Hohhot teaching hospital.

The evolution of nutritional status (the prevalence of nutritional risk, malnutrition, overweight and obesity) and the nutritional support of the hospitalized patients from admission to discharge or over a two-week period in orthopedics/ spinal surgery of a teaching hospital in Hohhot were investigated. 432 patients from two wards of the orthopedics/spinal surgery from Jan to Dec 2013, the traditional spinal surgery and the minimally invasive spinal surgery, were selected and detected in this study. The Nutritional Risk Score 2002 (NRS 2002) was used to determine the patients' nutritional status within 48 h after admission and during their hospitalization. The overall prevalence of nutritional risk, malnutrition, overweight and obesity at admission was 11.6%, 12.7%, 35.9% and 7.41%, respectively. Overall, there were 88.0% of the patients who were at nutritional risk received nutritional support, while 14.1% of non-risk patients received a redundant nutritional support. The overall prevalence of nutritional risk changed from 11.6% at admission to 19.4% upon discharge (p<0.05), and the prevalence of malnutrition changed from 12.7% to 20.6% (p<0.05). The prevalence of overweight and obesity, which changed from 35.9% to 31.0% and from 7.41% to 5.79% respectively, didn't experience statistically significant evolution. NRS 2002 was a feasible nutritional risk screening tool for patients in spinal surgery of orthopedics department. Patients' prevalence of nutritional risk and malnutrition increased significantly in spinal surgery of this hospital. Some inappropriate uses of nutritional support were observed in orthopedics/spinal surgery, and nutritional support guidelines or protocols should be promoted by a professional committee.

[Comparation of Toxic Effect of Silicious Mineral Dusts on Lung Epithelial A549 Cells].

Considering the high contents of minerals and the potential health risk of mineral dusts to human and the environment, this paper was aimed to figure out the toxic effect and mechanism of four common mineral particles (quartz, albite, sericite, and montmorillonite). Cytotoxicity assays for cell viability (MTT assay), membrane integrity (LDH assay), oxidative stress (H2O2 assay) and inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6 assay) were applied. The results showed the influence of these mineral particles on A549 cell viability followed the order of momtmorillonite > cericite≥quartz > albite. There was no obvious relation between cell viability and the content of SiO2, however, good linear correlation with the content of iron, and the cytotoxicity of mineral dusts was strengthened with increasing iron content. Mineral dusts generated H2O2 in cell or cell-free systems. In particular, H2O2 exhibited a linear correlation with the iron content, which meant that iron in the mineral dusts played an important role in the generation of reactive radical. Among those samples, oxidative stress induced by montmorillonite was distinctly stronger, while there was negligible influence induced by quartz and albite. Besides, all the tested samples induced damage to A549 cell membrane, and triggered the release of TNF-α or IL-6, but differed by the kinds of mineral dusts. In conclusion, composition and structure directly affected, but were not the only factors that contributed to the biological activity of mineral dusts, the evaluation of cell viability, membrane damage, free radicals and inflammatory reaction induced by mineral dusts should take the external morphology, surface active groups, solubility, adsorption and ion exchange properties into consideration.

[Immune function and catch-up growth of 6-month infants with intrauterine growth retardation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the influence of "developmental programming" on immunity function and the correlation between immunologic changes and physical growth. METHODS: Sixty singleton pregnancies with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) and twenty normal pregnant women were enrolled in this study at their third trimester of pregnancy. Birth weight, birth length, mode of delivery, complication of newborn were measured and/or recorded at the moment of delivery. Physical development of the infants was measured every month up to six months old using weight and length as indicators. The deviation of physical growth was evaluated by Z score. Blood samples were taken from the infants at the sixth month. Lymphocyte subpopulations were anaLyzed using flow cytometry. Humoral immunity were measured using immunoturbidimetry. RESULTS: About 27.27% and 29.09% of IUGR infants were found to have small for gestational age (SGA) and neonatal complications. They had lower birth body masses and birth lengths than those of controls (P<0.05). After correcting for gestational age, the IUGR boys had lower body masses at birth and one months old, as well as lower lengths at 0-6 months compared with the controls. The IUGR girls had lower weights at 0, 1, 3, 4, and 6 months, as well as lower lengths at 0, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months. The IUGR infants without intrauterine-catch-up growth had lower proportion of B lymphocyte than those with intrauterine-catch-up growth (P<0.05). The IUGR infants without extrauterine-catch-up growth had higher numbers of B lymphocyte and lower IgG than those of normal controls (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: IUGR infants without intrauterine-catch-up and extrauterine-catch-up have impaired immunity function. The theory of "development program" needs proof of studies with a large sample size and long-term follow-up.

Meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of fast-track surgery in gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: Fast-track surgery (FTS) is a promising program for surgical patients and has been applied to several surgical diseases. FTS is much superior to conventional perioperative care. Our aim was to evaluate and compare the safety and efficacy of FTS and conventional perioperative care for patients undergoing gastrectomy using a systematic review. METHODS: We searched the literature in PubMed, SCOPUS, and EMBASE up to November 2013. No language restriction was applied. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) and odds ratios (ORs) with their 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were used for analysis by a fixed or a random effects model according to the heterogeneity assumption. RESULTS: In the present meta-analysis, we included five randomized controlled trials and one controlled clinical trial from five studies. Compared with conventional care, FTS shortened the duration of flatus (WMD -21.08; 95 % CI -27.46 to -14.71, z = 6.48, p < 0.00001 in the open surgery group; WMD -8.20; 95 % CI -12.87 to -3.53, z = 3.44, p = 0.0006 in the laparoscopic surgery group), accelerated the decrease in C-reactive protein (WMD -15.56; 95 % CI 21.28 to 9.83, z = 5.33, p < 0.00001), shortened the postoperative stay (WMD -2.00; 95 % CI -2.69 to -1.30, z = 5.64, p < 0.00001), and reduced hospitalization costs (WMD -447.72; 95 % CI -615.92 to -279.51, z = 5.22, p < 0.00001). FTS made no significant difference in operation times (p = 0.93), intraoperative blood loss (p = 0.79), or postoperative complications (p = 0.07). CONCLUSIONS: Based on current evidence, the FTS protocol was feasible for gastric cancer patients who underwent gastrectomy (distal subtotal gastrectomy, proximal subtotal gastrectomy, or radical total gastrectomy) via open or laparoscopic surgery. Larger studies are needed to validate our findings.

Hydrogen-rich saline improves survival and neurological outcome after cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation in rats.

BACKGROUND: Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death worldwide. Three-fourths of cardiac arrest patients die before hospital discharge or experience significant neurological damage. Hydrogen-rich saline, a portable, easily administered, and safe means of delivering hydrogen gas, can exert organ-protective effects through regulating oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. We designed this study to investigate whether hydrogen-rich saline treatment could improve survival and neurological outcome after cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and the mechanism responsible for this effect. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to 8 minutes of cardiac arrest by asphyxia. Different doses of hydrogen-rich saline or normal saline were administered IV at 1 minute before cardiopulmonary resuscitation, followed by injections at 6 and 12 hours after restoration of spontaneous circulation, respectively. We assessed survival, neurological outcome, oxidative stress, inflammation biomarkers, and apoptosis. RESULTS: Hydrogen-rich saline treatment dose dependently improved survival and neurological function after cardiac arrest/resuscitation. Moreover, hydrogen-rich saline treatment dose dependently ameliorated brain injury after cardiac arrest/resuscitation, which was characterized by the increase of survival neurons in hippocampus CA1, reduction of brain edema in cortex and hippocampus, preservation of blood-brain barrier integrity, as well as the decrease of serum S100ß and neuron-specific enolase. Furthermore, we found that the beneficial effects of hydrogen-rich saline treatment were associated with decreased levels of oxidative products (8-iso-prostaglandin F2α and malondialdehyde) and inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß, and high-mobility group box protein 1), as well as the increased activity of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) in serum and brain tissues. In addition, hydrogen-rich saline treatment reduced caspase-3 activity in cortex and hippocampus after cardiac arrest/resuscitation. CONCLUSIONS: Hydrogen-rich saline treatment improved survival and neurological outcome after cardiac arrest/resuscitation in rats, which was partially mediated by reducing oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis.

[Epidemiological investigation of birth information and physique status in 9 to 15-year-old children from Chengdu City of Sichuan Province].

OBJECTIVE: As the intrauterine environment can affect childhood growth and development, this study aims to understand the relationship between birth gestational age, birth weight and physique development in 9 to 15-year-old children by a cross sectional investigation in Chengdu City, Sichuan Province. METHODS: A total of 7194 9 to 15-year-old school children were classified according to birth gestational age and birth weight: small for gestational age (SGA), appropriate for gestational age (AGA) and large for gestational age (LGA). Their heights and weights were measured. Parents completed a questionnaire. RESULTS: The prevalence of SGA was 6.23% (448 cases), and 5.13% of children in the SGA group did not undergo "catch-up growth" (lower than -2 SD). The mean height in these children at various stages was significantly lower than in the AGA group (P<0.05). The prevalence of LGA was 18.06% (1299 cases). A total of 179 children (13.78%) were found to be overweight and 57 children (4.39%) were found to be obese in the LGA group. The mean weight in the LGA group at various stages was significantly higher than in the AGA group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Height and weight development in children born SGA and LGA are different from normal children. More attention should be given to aspects of height and weight development in these school children.

Electrochemiluminescence sensor based on partial sulfonation of polystyrene with carbon nanotubes.

Herein, homogenously partial sulfonation of polystyrene (PSP) was performed. An effective electrochemiluminescence (ECL) sensor based on PSP with carbon nanotube (CNTs) composite film was developed. Cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impendence spectroscopy were applied to characterize this composite film. The PSP was used as an immobilization matrix to entrap the ECL reagent Ru(bpy)3(2+) due to the electrostatic interactions between sulfonic acid groups and Ru(bpy)3(2+) cations. The introduction of CNTs into PSP acted not only as a conducting pathway to accelerate the electron transfer but also as a proper matrix to immobilize Ru(bpy)3(2+) on the electrode by hydrophobic interaction. Furthermore, the results indicated the ECL intensity produced at this composite film was over 3-fold compared with that of the pure PSP film due to the electrocatalytic activity of the CNTs. Such a sensor was verified by the sensitive determinations of 2-(dibutylamino)ethanol and tripropylamine.

Effect of dopamine and metaraminol on the renal function of patients with septic shock.

BACKGROUND: Vasoactive drugs are often necessary for reversing hypotension in patients with severe infection. The standard for evaluating effects of vasoactive drugs should not only be based on the increase of arterial blood pressure, but also on the blood flow perfusion of internal organs. The effects of dopamine and metaraminol on the renal function of the patients with septic shock were investigated retrospectively in this study. METHODS: Ninety-eight patients with septic shock were divided into three groups according to the highest infusing rate of metaraminol, with the lightest infusing rate of (0.1 - 0.5, 0.6 - 1.0, > 1.0) microgxkg(-1)xmin(-1) in group A, B and C respectively. Urine output, mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), urine output, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), urine albumin (U-ALB), urine beta(2)-microglubulin (Ubeta(2)-MG) and Apache III scores were recorded. RESULTS: Before antishock therapy, hypotension, tachycardia and oliguria occurred to all the 98 patients with septic shock and CRE, BUN, U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG and Apache III scoring were abnormal in most cases. With the antishock therapy, MAP, HR, urine output, BUN and CRE in all patients returned gradually to normal (P < 0.05 or < 0.01 compared to those before antishock therapy). U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG output and Apache III scoring also reverted but remained abnormal (P < 0.01 compared to those before antishock therapy). No statistically significant differences in the changes of these indices with the time existed among the three groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Dopamine and metaraminol when applied to the patients with septic shock could effectively maintain the circulatory stability and promote restoration of renal function.

[Effect of dopamine combined with norepinephrine on the renal function in patients with septic shock].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of dopamine and norepinephrine on the renal function in the patients with septic shock. METHODS: Eighty-seven patients with septic shock were divided into three groups (group A, B, C) according to the biggest infusing rate of norepinephrine, with the infusing rate of 0.5 - 0.9, 1.0 - 1.5, 1.6 - 2.0 microg x kg(-1) x min(-1), respectively. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), urine output, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), creatinine (CRE), urine albumin (U-ALB) and urine beta(2)-microglobulin (Ubeta(2)-MG) as well as APACHE III score in all the patients were detected. RESULTS: Before anti-shock therapy was given, hypotension, tachycardia and oliguria occurred in all the 87 patients, and CRE, BUN, U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG and APACHE III score were abnormal in most cases. With the anti-shock therapy, MAP, HR, urine output and BUN, CRE in all patients returned to normal levels gradually, and U-ALB, Ubeta(2)-MG levels and APACHE III score also restored but still remained abnormal. CONCLUSIONS: The first aim of treating septic shock should be restoring the organ blood supply, and based on volume resuscitation, dopamine, noradrenaline and other vasoactive drugs could be combined to maintain circulatory stability.

[Protective effect of shenfu injection against ischemia-reperfusion injury due to pancreas transplantation in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of Shenfu Injection against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury due to pancreas transplantation in rats, and explore its possible mechanism. METHODS: Six normal SD rats with sham operation were taken as the normal control group, 24 steptozozin-induced diabetic SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups, with 6 in each group. Except I/R group, the rats in the other groups were intravenous injected with Shenfu Injection (SF,10 mg/kg), Hongshen Injection (HS, 9 mg/kg) and Fuzi Injection (FZ 1 mg/kg) respectively at the day and 30 minutes before pancreas transplantation performed in the SF group, HS group and FZ group, respectively. At the same time, rats in the normal control group and in the I/R group were intravenously injected the same volume of normal saline. The blood glucose was detected before and after reperfusion, and 2 hours later after reperfusion, the contents of serum nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) , superoxide dismutase (SOD) , and myeloperoxidase (MPO) in the transplanted pancreas tissues were detected. The cell apoptosis of the transplanted pancreas tissue was determined by TUNEL, and the bcl-2 and Bax protein expression was determined by Western blot. RESULTS: After reperfusion, the levels of blood glucose and TNF-alpha decreased and the concentration of NO increased in the SF group, HS group and FZ group, compared with those in the I/R group. The activity of SOD, bcl-2 expression and the ratio of bcl-2 and Bax were higher, while the content of MDA, the activity of MPO, apoptotic indexes, and Bax expression were lower in the SF group, HS group and FZ group than those in the I/R group. CONCLUSION: Shenfu Injection can protect L/R injury due to pancreas transplantation in rats, the possible mechanism may be related to promoting activity of SOD, increasing synthesis of endogenous NO, decreasing the excretion of TNF-alpha, alleviating conglutination and aggregation of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) in pancreas, as well as up-regulating Bcl-2 gene expression and down-regulating the Bax gene expression.