A Study on the Application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) Model on Rational Drug Use Behavior among Second-Level Hospital Outpatients in Anhui,China

BackgroundThe high prevalence of risky irrational drug use behaviors mean that outpatients face high risks of drug resistance and even death. This study represents the first application of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model on rational drug use behavior among second-level hospital outpatients from three prefecture-level cities in Anhui, China. Using the IMB model, our study examined predictors of rational drug use behavior and determined the associations between the model constructs.MethodsThis study was conducted with a sample of 1,214 outpatients aged 18 years and older in Anhui second-level hospitals and applied the structural equation model (SEM) to test predictive relations among the IMB model variables related to rational drug use behavior.ResultsAge, information and motivation had significant direct effects on rational drug use behavior. Behavioral skills as an intermediate variable also significantly predicted more rational drug use behavior. Female gender, higher educational level, more information and more motivation predicted more behavioral skills. In addition, there were significant indirect impacts on rational drug use behavior mediated through behavioral skills.ConclusionsThe IMB-based model explained the relationships between the constructs and rational drug use behavior of outpatients in detail, and it suggests that future interventions among second-level hospital outpatients should consider demographic characteristics and should focus on improving motivation and behavioral skills in addition to the publicity of knowledge.     

Gender-Specific Association between Tobacco Smoking and Central Obesity among 0.5 Million Chinese People: The China Kadoorie Biobank Study

Objectives

Lifestyle factors are well-known important modifiable risk factors for obesity; the association between tobacco smoking and central obesity, however, is largely unknown in the Chinese population. This study examined the relationship between smoking and central obesity in 0.5 million Chinese adults, a population with a low prevalence of general obesity, but a high prevalence of central obesity.

Subjects

A total of 487,527 adults (200,564 males and 286,963 females), aged 30-79 years, were enrolled in the baseline survey of the China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) Study conducted during 2004-2008. Waist circumference (WC) and WC/height ratio (WHtR) were used as measures of central obesity.

Results

The prevalence of regular smokers was significantly higher among males (60.6%) than among females (2.2%). The prevalence of central obesity increased with age and BMI levels, with a significant gender difference (females>males). Of note, almost all obese adults (99.4%) were centrally obese regardless of gender. In multivariable regression analyses, adjusting for age, education, physical activity, alcohol use and survey site, regular smoking was inversely associated with BMI in males (standardized regression coefficients, β= -0.093, p<0.001) and females (β= -0.025, p<0.001). Of interest, in the BMI stratification analyses in 18 groups, all βs of regular smoking for WHtR were positive in both genders; the βs showed a significantly greater increasing trend with increasing BMI in males than in females. In the analyses with model adjustment for BMI, the positive associations between regular smoking and WHtR were stronger in males (β= 0.021, p<0.001) than in females (β= 0.008, p<0.001) (p<0.001 for gender difference). WC showed considerably consistent results.

Conclusions

The data indicate that tobacco smoking is an important risk factor for central obesity, but the association is gender-specific and depends on the adjustment for general obesity.     

The Potential Biomarkers to Identify the Development of Steatosis in Hyperuricemia

Hyperuricemia (HU) often progresses to combine with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the clinical scenario, which further exacerbates metabolic disorders; early detection of biomarkers, if obtained during the HU progression, may be beneficial for preventing its combination with NAFLD. This study aimed to decipher the biomarkers and mechanisms of the development of steatosis in HU. Four groups of subjects undergoing health screening, including healthy subjects, subjects with HU, subjects with HU combined with NAFLD (HU+NAFLD) and subjects with HU initially and then with HU+NAFLD one year later (HU→HU+NAFLD), were recruited in this study. The metabolic profiles of all subjects’ serum were analyzed by liquid chromatography quadruple time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The metabolomic data from subjects with HU and HU+NAFLD were compared, and the biomarkers for the progression from HU to HU+NAFLD were predicted. The metabolomic data from HU→HU+NAFLD subjects were collected for further verification. The results showed that the progression was associated with disturbances of phospholipase metabolism, purine nucleotide degradation and Liver X receptor/retinoic X receptor activation as characterized by up-regulated phosphatidic acid, cholesterol ester (18:0) and down-regulated inosine. These metabolic alterations may be at least partially responsible for the development of steatosis in HU. This study provides a new paradigm for better understanding and further prevention of disease progression.     

白血病患者的肤纹研究

本文分析了l70名经骨髓检查确诊的白血病患者肤纹形态的手纹部分,数据经电子计算机进行判别分析,指纹类型的判对率为52.58±2.67％。根据掌褶类型判别时,其判对率为57±3.8％。指纹类型在判别急非淋患者及正常人时有显著性。掌褶类型的判别力对急非淋及慢粒患者有显著性。慢粒患者猿线出现率高于正常组。急淋患者右手悉尼线出现率高于正常组。此悉尼线在判别分析中有显著意义。急性白血病患者的弓斗指数高于对照组。白血病患者组掌纹白线的出现率也高于正常组。     

Biochar’s effect on crop productivity and the dependence on experimental conditions—a meta-analysis of literature data

Background and aims

For the last decade, there has been an increasing global interest in using biochar to mitigate climate change by storing carbon in soil. However, there is a lack of detailed knowledge on the impact of biochar on the crop productivity in different agricultural systems. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of biochar soil amendment (BSA) on crop productivity and to analyze the dependence of responses on experimental conditions.

Methods

A weighted meta-analysis was conducted based on data from 103 studies published up to April, 2013. The effect of BSA on crop productivity was quantified by characterizing experimental conditions.

Results

In the published experiments, with biochar amendment rates generally <30 t ha^?1, BSA increased crop productivity by 11.0 % on average, while the responses varied with experimental conditions. Greater responses were found in pot experiments than in field, in acid than in neutral soils, in sandy textured than in loam and silt soils. Crop response in field experiments was greater for dry land crops (10.6 % on average) than for paddy rice (5.6 % on average). This result, associated with the higher response in acid and sandy textured soils, suggests both a liming and an aggregating/moistening effect of BSA.

Conclusions

The analysis suggests a promising role for BSA in improving crop productivity especially for dry land crops, and in acid, poor-structured soils though there was wide variation with soil, crop and biochar properties. Long-term field studies are needed to elucidate the persistence of BSA’s effect and the mechanisms for improving crop production in a wide range of agricultural conditions. At current prices and C-trading schemes, however, BSA would not be cost-effective unless persistent soil improvement and crop response can be demonstrated.     

Serum miR-146a and miR-223 as potential new biomarkers for sepsis

Objective

Current biomarkers cannot completely distinguish sepsis from systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) caused by other non-infectious diseases. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) are promising biomarkers for several diseases, but their correlation with sepsis is not totally clarified.

Methods

Seven miRNAs related to inflammation or infection were included in the present study. Serum miRNA expression was investigated in 50 patients diagnosed with sepsis, 30 patients with SIRS and 20 healthy controls to evaluate the diagnostic and prognostic value. Expression levels of serum miRNAs were determined by quantitative PCR using the Qiagen miScript system. Serum CRP and IL-6 levels were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Serum miR-146a and miR-223 were significantly reduced in septic patients compared with SIRS patients and healthy controls. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of miR-146a, miR-223 and IL-6 were 0.858, 0.804 and 0.785, respectively.

Conclusion

Serum miR-146a and miR-223 might serve as new biomarkers for sepsis with high specificity and sensitivity. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00862290.)     

细菌群体感应参与铜绿假单胞菌胞内聚羟基脂肪酸酯合成的调控

群体感应是细菌根据细胞密度变化调控基因表达的一种调节机制。铜绿假单胞菌中QS系统由lasI和rhlI合成的信号分子3OC12-HSL和C4-HSL以及各自的受体蛋白LasR、RhlR组成,它们以级联方式调控多个基因表达。【目的】研究细菌群体感应(QS)对聚羟基脂肪酸酯合成的调控。【方法】利用铜绿假单胞菌PAO1及其QS突变株为材料通过气相色谱、荧光定量PCR在生理和分子水平上研究QS对聚羟基脂肪酸酯合成的调控。【结果】QS信号分子合成抑制剂阿奇霉素处理铜绿假单胞菌PAO1和QS突变株导致胞内PHA积累量显著减少;铜绿假单胞菌PAO1中C4-HSL合成酶基因rhlI缺失突变株PAO210胞内PHA积累量与野生型无差别;而3OC12-HSL合成酶基因lasI缺失突变株PAO55、3OC12-HSL受体合成酶基因lasR缺失突变株PAO56以及lasI/lasR双缺失突变株PAO57胞内PHA含量与野生型相比明显减少;lasI和lasR的突变株体内PHA合成酶基因phaC1的表达量显著降低,信号分子3OC12-HSL回补实验使phaC1的表达量可恢复到野生株水平,但只可部分恢复lasI缺失导致的胞内PHA合成。【结论】由此推测,铜绿假单胞菌群体感应系统中lasI/lasR系统参与胞内聚羟基脂肪酸酯合成的调控。