Nonthermal plasma (NTP) is an advanced technology that has gained extensive attention because of its capacity for decontaminating food from both biological and chemical sources. Plasma‐activated ...water (PAW), a product of NTP's reaction with water containing a rich diversity of highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS), is now being considered as the primary reactive chemical component in food decontamination. Despite exciting developments in this field recently, at present there is no comprehensive review specifically focusing on the comprehensive effects of PAW on food safety and quality. Although PAW applications in biological decontamination have been extensively evaluated, a complete analysis of the most recent developments in PAW technology (e.g., PAW combined with other treatments, and PAW applications in chemical degradation and as curing agents) is nevertheless lacking. Therefore, this review focuses on PAW applications for enhanced food safety (both biological and chemical safeties) according to the latest studies. Further, the subsequent effects on food quality (chemical, physical, and sensory properties) are discussed in detail. In addition, several recent trends of PAW developments, such as curing agents, thawing media, preservation of aquatic products, and the synergistic effects of PAW in combination with other traditional treatments, are also presented. Finally, this review outlines several limitations presented by PAW treatment, suggesting several future research directions and challenges that may hinder the translation of these technologies into real‐life applications.
Abstract
Objectives
Neisseria meningitidis
is one of the major pathogens of meningitis in children worldwide and causes invasive meningococcal disease (IMD), which is a critical illness that mainly ...presents as meningitis and/or septicemia in children. Identification of
N. meningitidis
in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the gold standard for the diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis, but antigen tests have advantages such as timely results, relatively low cost, and convenience. Yet, the diagnostic accuracy of antigen tests remains uncertain. Therefore, the aim of this meta‐analysis was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of antigen tests for
N. meningitidis
in CSF.
Methods
We searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases for studies evaluating the diagnostic accuracy of antigen tests for
N. meningitidis
in CSF. We included studies that provided sufficient data to construct a 2 × 2 table on a per‐sample basis. To determine the overall sensitivity and specificity of the antigen tests, we used polymerase chain reaction (PCR) as the reference standard and employed the hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic model.
Results
Nine studies with 4533 CSF samples were included. The meta‐analysis yielded a pooled sensitivity of 91.2% (95% confidence interval CI: 80.0%–100.0%) and a pooled specificity of 93.8% (95% CI: 83.9%–100.0%). A subgroup analysis of 2 studies that reported the outcomes of MeningoSpeed yielded a pooled sensitivity of 93.4% (95% CI: 90.0%–95.8%) and a pooled specificity of 91.9% (95% CI: 88.6%–94.4%). Antigen testing for the
N. meningitidis
serogroup X had a pooled sensitivity of 92.4% (95% CI: 85.2%–96.2%) and a pooled specificity of 99.2% (95% CI: 78.7%–100.0%).
Conclusions
The studied antigen tests had high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of meningococcal meningitis in CSF specimens. Antigen testing could serve as an accurate diagnostic method for assessing patients who have a suspected
N. meningitidis
infection.
Accuracy of long-form data in the Taiwan cancer registry Kao, Chia-Wen; Chiang, Chun-Ju; Lin, Li-Ju ...
Journal of the Formosan Medical Association,
November 2021, 2021-11-00, 20211101, 2021-11-01, Letnik:
120, Številka:
11
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The Taiwan Cancer Registry (TCR) is a nationwide population-based registry that collects the data of patients with newly diagnosed cancer from hospitals with ≥50 beds. TCR data are high quality in ...terms of completeness and timeliness. However, accuracy is also a crucial quality indicator. This study evaluated the accuracy rates of selected 55 major items in the long-form TCR data between 2014 and 2016 with 700 reported cases randomly selected from 25 long-form-reporting hospitals. We calculated the accuracy rates of the reported data by employing a reabstracted chart review. Among the 55 items, the accuracy rates of 38 (69%) were at least 95%, those of 10 (18%) were between 90% and 95%, those of 5 (9%) were between 85% and 90%, and the remaining 2 (4%) were between 80% and 85%. This demonstrates a high degree of accuracy in the TCR long-form data.
Background
Fatigue is associated with multidimensional factors in heart failure patients. Investigating longitudinal changes in fatigue and its association in patients undergoing cardiac surgery is ...needed to create interventions for improving fatigue during recovery.
Aims
This study examined the trajectory of fatigue and its associated factors over time in patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Methods
This longitudinal study enrolled 125 patients undergoing cardiac surgery in northern Taiwan. Patients completed questionnaires before surgery, at discharge, and at 1, 3 and 6 months post‐discharge. Fatigue was measured using the General Fatigue Scale. Generalised estimating equation models were fitted to identify variables associated with fatigue over time. This study complied with the STROBE checklist.
Results
The sample (mean age = 60.70 ± 10.42) was mostly male (68%). High fatigue was found in 73.6% of patients before cardiac surgery and significantly decreased over the six months after discharge. NYHA III/IV, lower haemoglobin level, more symptom distress, poor sleep quality, higher anxiety and depression and lower social and family support were significantly associated with an increase in fatigue levels over time. Compared with before discharge, decreases in sleep quality at 1, 3 and 6 months were significantly associated with an increase in fatigue levels (p < .001). The increases in social support (B = 0.20, p = .016) and family support (B = 0.37, p = .002) at 6 months were significantly associated with an increase in the fatigue scores.
Conclusion
Fatigue was common and associated with symptoms, sleep quality, emotion and social support in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. In addition to symptom management, improving sleep quality and social support are important to manage fatigue for the long‐term care of patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
Relevance to clinical practice
Patient education on symptom management, sleep hygiene and family support is suggested to improve fatigue in patients recovering from cardiac surgery.
The presence of chemical contaminants in foods and agricultural products is one of the major safety issues worldwide, posing a serious concern to human health. Nonthermal plasma (NTP) containing ...richly reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) has been trialed as a potential decontamination method. Yet, this technology comes with multiple downsides, including adverse effects on the quality of treated foods and limited exposure to entire surfaces on samples with hard-to-reach spots, further hindering real-life applications. Therefore, plasma-activated water (PAW) has been recently developed to facilitate the interactions between RONS and contaminant molecules in the liquid phase, allowing a whole surface treatment with efficient chemical degradation. Here, we review the recent advances in PAW utilized as a chemical decontamination agent in foods. The reaction mechanisms and the main RONS contributors involved in the PAW-assisted removal of chemical contaminants are briefly outlined. Also, the comprehensive effects of these treatments on food qualities (chemical and physical characteristics) and toxicological evaluation of PAW (in vitro and in vivo) are thoroughly discussed. Ultimately, we identified some current challenges and provided relevant suggestions, which can further promote PAW research for real-life applications in the future.
Display omitted
•Detailed insights into the chemical decontamination capability of PAW in foods•Main contributors and chemical degradation mechanisms are elucidated.•Critical factors affecting the chemical degradation efficiency of PAW are highlighted.•Overview on the in vitro and in vivo toxicological assessments of PAW•Bottlenecks of PAW commercialization and suggested solutions are laid out.
Background. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disease associated with accumulation of misfolding proteins and increased neuroinflammation, which may further impair the glymphatic ...system. The purpose of this study was to utilize diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) to evaluate glymphatic system activity and its relationship with systemic oxidative stress status in PD patients. Methods. Magnetic resonance imaging and neuropsychological tests were conducted on 25 PD patients with normal cognition (PDN), 25 PD patients with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI), 38 PD patients with dementia (PDD), and 47 normal controls (NC). Oxidative stress status was assessed by plasma DNA level. Differences in ALPS-index among the subgroups were assessed and further correlated with cognitive functions and plasma DNA levels. Results. The PD-MCI and PDD groups showed significantly lower ALPS-index compared to normal controls. The ALPS-index was inversely correlated with plasma nuclear DNA, mitochondrial DNA levels, and cognitive scores. Conclusions. Lower diffusivity along the perivascular space, represented by lower ALPS-index, indicates impairment of the glymphatic system in PD patients. The correlation between elevated plasma nuclear DNA levels and lower ALPS-index supports the notion that PD patients may exhibit increased oxidative stress associated with glymphatic system microstructural alterations.
Exposure to agrochemical sprays containing pesticides and tank-mix adjuvants has been implicated in post-bloom mortality, particularly of brood, in honey bee colonies brought into California almond ...orchards for pollination. Although adjuvants are generally considered to be biologically inert, some adjuvants have exhibited toxicity and sublethal effects, including decreasing survival rates of next-generation queens. Honey bees have a highly developed olfactory system to detect and discriminate among social signals. To investigate the impact of pesticide-adjuvant combinations on honey bee signal perception, we performed electroantennography assays to assess alterations in their olfactory responsiveness to the brood ester pheromone (BEP), the volatile larval pheromone β-ocimene, and the alarm pheromone 2-heptanone. These assays aimed to uncover potential mechanisms underlying changes in social behaviors and reduced brood survival after pesticide exposure. We found that combining the adjuvant Dyne-Amic with the fungicide Tilt (propiconazole) and the insecticide Altacor (chlorantraniliprole) synergistically enhanced olfactory responses to three concentrations of BEP and as well exerted dampening and compensatory effects on responses to 2-heptanone and β-ocimene, respectively. In contrast, exposure to adjuvant alone or the combination of fungicide and insecticide had no effect on olfactory responses to BEP at most concentrations but altered responses to β-ocimene and 2-heptanone. Exposure to Dyne-Amic, Altacor, and Tilt increased BEP signal amplitude, indicating potential changes in olfactory receptor sensitivity or sensilla permeability to odorants. Given that, in a previous study, next-generation queens raised by nurses exposed to the same treated pollen experienced reduced survival, these new findings highlight the potential disruption of social signaling in honey bees and its implications for colony reproductive success.
Aim
The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically test a new instrument for measuring nurse’s positive energy of retention (NPER).
Background
The shortage of professional nurses is an ...unresolved global issue. Few studies explored the issue of the retention of nurses in terms of a positive psychological viewpoint.
Design
Methodological study.
Methods
Data collection was from June 2016–August 2017. Nurses (N = 947) recruited from northern, central and southern Taiwan covering different levels of hospitals were divided into three samples, which were used for explaratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and cross‐validation respectively.
Results
EFA resulted in a three‐factor solution: proactive and persevering characteristics, nursing professional identity and passion accounting for 61.8% of total variance. The proposed three‐factor model was confirmed by CFA. Cross‐validation provided further evidence for the construct validity of the NPER instrument with 24 items. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of three subscales of the instrument were 0.95, 0.89, and 0.92 separately and 0.96 for the total scale.
Conclusion
Psychometric properties indicate that the newly formulated NPER instrument is a valid and reliable assessment tool to recruit nurses who are more likely to remain in nursing.
Impact
The study addressed the personal intrinsic factors, which are very important for nurses’ retention. The NPER instrument consisted of three subscales is a reliable and psychometrically valid new instrument. Managers could apply the NPER instrument to recruit nurses possessing the attributes of positive energy of retention. Furthermore, researchers could use the rigorous process provided in the study to establish a new instrument.
目的
本研究的目的是开发一种从积极心理学角度进行的测量护士护理人员留任意愿(NPER)的新型工具并对该方法进行心理测量。
背景
专业护士短缺是一个尚未得到解决的全球性问题。很少有研究从积极心理学角度探讨护士留任问题。
设计
方法研究。
方法
本研究收集了2016年6月至2017年8月期间的数据,将来自台湾北部、中部及南部不同层级医院的护士(N = 947)分为三个样本,对样本分别进行了解释性因子分析(EFA)、验证性因子分析(CFA)及交叉验证。
结果
解释性因子分析的结果显示为三因子解:积极和坚持的特点,护理专业认同和激情共占总方差的61.8%。提出的三因素模型得到了验证性因子分析的验证。交叉验证为24项NPER工具的结构有效性提供了进一步的证明。量表三个方面的克朗巴哈系数分别为0.95、0.89和0.92,总分为0.96。
结论
心理测量学特性表明,新编制的NPER量表是一种有效、可靠的评估工具,可用于招聘更有可能继续留任的护士。
影响
本研究探讨了个人内在因素对护士留任意愿的影响。NPER量表由三个分量表组成,是一种可靠的、心理测量有用的新型量表。管理者可以应用NPER量表招聘具有更愿意留任的护士。此外,研究人员可以利用研究中提供的严谨结果以编制其他新型量表。
Systemic inflammation and white matter (WM) alterations have been noted as effects of Parkinson's disease (PD). This study sought to evaluate WM integrity in PD patients using diffusion tensor ...imaging (DTI) and to assess its relationship with systemic inflammation.
Sixty-six patients with PD (23 men and 43 women) and 67 healthy volunteers (29 men and 38 women) underwent blood sampling to quantify inflammatory markers and DTI scans to determine fiber integrity. The inflammatory markers included leukocyte apoptosis, as well as cellular and serum adhesion molecules, in each peripheral blood sample. DTI-related indices including fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD), and mean diffusivity (MD) were derived from DTI scans. The resulting FA maps were compared using voxel-based statistics to determine differences between the PD and control groups. The differences in the DTI indices, clinical severity, and inflammatory markers were correlated.
Exploratory group-wise comparison between the two groups revealed that the PD patients exhibited extensive DTI index differences. Low FA accompanied by high RD and MD, without significant differences in AD, suggesting a demyelination process, were found in the parietal, occipital, cerebellar, and insular WM of the PD patients. The declined DTI indices were significantly correlated with increased clinical disease severity, adhesion molecules, and leukocyte apoptosis.
Patients with PD experience WM integrity damage in vulnerable regions, and these impairments are associated with increased disease severity and systemic inflammation. The possible interactions among them may represent variant neuronal injuries and their consequent processes in PD.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
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