A descriptive phenomenology study of newcomers' experience of maternity care services: Chinese women's perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Maternity health care available in Canada is based on the needs of women born in Canada and often lacks the flexibility to meet the needs of immigrant women. The purpose of this study was to explore immigrant Chinese women's experiences in accessing maternity care, the utilization of maternity health services, and the obstacles they perceived in Canada. METHODS: This descriptive phenomenology study used in-depth semi-structured interviews to examine immigrant Chinese women's experiences. Fifteen participants were recruited from the Chinese community in Toronto, Canada by using purposive sampling. The interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim into written Chinese. The transcripts were analyzed using Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological method. RESULTS: Six themes were extracted from the interviews: (1) preference for linguistically and culturally competent healthcare providers, with obstetricians over midwives, (2) strategies to deal with the inconvenience of the Canadian healthcare system (3) multiple resources to obtain pregnancy information, (4) the merits of the Canadian healthcare system, (5) the need for culturally sensitive care, and (6) the emergence of alternative supports and the use of private services. CONCLUSIONS: The findings provide new knowledge and understanding of immigrant Chinese women's experiences in accessing maternity health services within a large metropolitan Canadian city. Participants described two unique experiences within the themes: preference for linguistically and culturally competent healthcare providers, with obstetricians over midwives, and the emergence of alternative supports and the use of private services. Few studies of immigrant maternity service access have identified these experiences which may be linked to cultural difference. Further investigation with women from different cultural backgrounds is needed to develop a comprehensive understanding of immigrant women's experiences with maternity care.

Proteomic analysis of the effect of diclazuril on second-generation merozoites of Eimeria tenella.

Diclazuril has long been used as an effective benzeneacetonitrile anticoccidial for the control of Eimeria tenella that causes coccidiosis. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the anticoccidial effects of diclazuril remains elusive. In this study, a proteomic analysis of the effect of diclazuril on second-generation merozoites of E. tenella was performed. Using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 13 target proteins were found to be significantly affected by diclazuril treatment, with 11 of these proteins being identified as annotated proteins from E. tenella or other Apicomplexa parasites. These proteins contribute to various functions, including metabolism, protein synthesis, and host cell invasion. Using RT-PCR, we identified the potential pattern of transcriptional regulation induced by diclazuril, and we suggest some promising targets for the intervention of E. tenella infection.

Information derived from cluster ions from DNA-modified gold nanoparticles under laser desorption/ionization: analysis of coverage, structure, and single-nucleotide polymorphism.

In this study, we employed laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) to explore the interactions between thiolated DNA (HS-DNA) and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). Under nanosecond-pulsed laser irradiation (Nd:YAG, 355 nm), the efficiency of Au cluster ion formation from the Au NPs decreased in the presence of HS-DNA. At the optimal laser power density (2.1 × 10(4) W cm(-2)), the intensity of the Au cluster signal was sensitive to the DNA coverage and the length of the DNA strands on the Au NPs (diameter: 13 nm). Using this information, we developed a simple and specific DNA sensor that operates through analysis of the Au cluster ions formed from the fragmentation of Au NPs under LDI conditions. The coverage of the thiolated probe DNA (pDNA) on the Au NPs increased in the presence of its perfectly matched DNA (DNA(pm)). As a result, the intensity of the signal of Au cluster ions decreased upon increasing the concentration of DNA(pm). Coupling these pDNA-Au NPs with LDI-MS allowed the detection of DNA(pm) at concentrations down to the nanomolar regime. Furthermore, we applied this pDNA-Au NP probe to the detection of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the Arg249Ser unit in the TP53 gene. To the best of our knowledge, this paper provides the first example of the use of LDI to analyze the coverage and structure of DNA strands on metal NPs. This simple, rapid, high-throughput detection system, based on the coupling of biofunctional Au NPs with LDI-MS, appears to hold great practicality for bioanalyses of oligonucleotides and proteins.

The assessment of the quality of reporting of systematic reviews/meta-analyses in diagnostic tests published by authors in China.

BACKGROUND: The quality of reporting in systematic reviews (SRs)/meta-analyses (MAs) of diagnostic tests published by authors in China has not been evaluated. The aims of present study are to evaluate the quality of reporting in diagnostic SRs/MAs using the PRISMA statement and determine the changes in the quality of reporting over time. METHODS: According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we searched five databases including Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of knowledge, to identify SRs/MAs on diagnostic tests. The searches were conducted on July 14, 2012 and the cut off for inclusion of the SRs/MAs was December 31(st) 2011. The PRISMA statement was used to assess the quality of reporting. Analysis was performed using Excel 2003, RevMan 5. RESULTS: A total of 312 studies were included. Fifteen diseases systems were covered. According to the PRISMA checklist, there had been serious reporting flaws in following items: structured summary (item 2, 22.4%), objectives (item 4, 18.9%), protocol and registration (item 5, 2.6%), risk of bias across studies (item 15, 26.3%), funding (item 27, 28.8%). The subgroup analysis showed that there had been some statistically significant improvement in total compliance for 9 PRISMA items after the PRISMA was released, 6 items were statistically improved regarding funded articles, 3 items were statistically improved for CSCD articles, and there was a statistically significant increase in the proportion of reviews reporting on 22 items for SCI articles (P<0.050). CONCLUSION: The numbers of diagnostic SRs/MAs is increasing annually. The quality of reporting has measurably been improved over the previous years. Unfortunately, there are still many deficiencies in the reporting including protocol and registration, search, risk of bias across studies, and funding. Future Chinese reviewers should address issues on these aspects.

Pulsed-laser desorption/ionization of clusters from biofunctional gold nanoparticles: implications for protein detections.

In this paper, we describe a pulsed-laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) approach for the detection of proteins with femtomolar sensitivity through the analysis of gold (Au) clusters desorbed from aptamer-modified gold nanoparticles (Apt-AuNPs) on a nitrocellulose membrane (NCM). After the target protein (thrombin) was selectively captured by the surface-bound 29-mer thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA(29)), the thrombin/TBA(29)-AuNP complexes were concentrated and deposited onto the NCM to form a highly efficient background-free surface-assisted LDI substrate. Under pulsed laser irradiation (355 nm), the binding of thrombin decreased the desorption and/or ionization efficiencies of the Au atoms from the AuNP surfaces. The resulting decreases in the intensities of the signals for Au clusters in the mass spectra provided a highly amplified target-labeling indicator for the targeted protein. Under optimized conditions, this probe was highly sensitive (limit of detection: ca. 50 fM) and selective (by at least 1000-fold over other proteins) toward thrombin; it also improved reproducibility (<5%) of ion production by presenting a more-homogeneous substrate surface, thereby enabling LDI-based measurements for the accurate and precise quantification of thrombin in human serum. This novel LDI-MS approach allows high-speed analyses of low-abundance thrombin with ultrahigh sensitivity; decorating the AuNP surfaces with other aptamers also allowed amplification of other biological signals.