Morbidity, Mortality, and Pathologic Outcomes of Transanal Versus Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision for Rectal Cancer Short-term Outcomes From a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the morbidity, mortality, and pathologic outcomes of transanal total mesorectal resection (taTME) versus laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (laTME) among patients with rectal cancer with clinical stage I to III rectal cancer below the peritoneal reflection. BACKGROUND: Studies with sufficient numbers of patients allowing clinical acceptance of taTME for rectal cancer are lacking. Thus, we launched a randomized clinical trial to compare the safety and efficacy of taTME versus laTME. METHODS: A randomized, open-label, phase 3, noninferiority trial was performed at 16 different hospitals in 10 Chinese provinces. The primary endpoints were 3-year disease-free survival and 5-year overall survival. The morbidity and mortality within 30 days after surgery, and pathologic outcomes were compared based on a modified intention-to-treat principle; this analysis was preplanned. RESULTS: Between April 13, 2016, and June 1, 2021, 1115 patients were randomized 1:1 to receive taTME or laTME. After exclusion of 26 cases, modified intention-to-treat set of taTME versus laTME groups included 544 versus 545 patients. There were no significant differences between taTME and laTME groups in intraoperative complications [26 (4.8%) vs 33 (6.1%); difference, -1.3%; 95% confidence interval (CI), -4.2% to 1.7%; P =0.42], postoperative morbidity [73 (13.4%) vs 66 (12.1%); difference, 1.2%; 95% CI, -2.8% to 5.2%; P =0.53), or mortality [1 (0.2%) vs 1 (0.2%)]. Successful resection occurred in 538 (98.9%) versus 538 (98.7%) patients in taTME versus laTME groups (difference, 0.2%; 95% CI, -1.9% to 2.2%; P >0.99). CONCLUSIONS: Experienced surgeons can safely perform taTME in selected patients with rectal cancer.

The global development of community psychology as reflected in the American Journal of Community Psychology.

This commentary presents a virtual special issue on the global growth of community psychology (CP), particularly, but not exclusively, as reflected in the American Journal of Community Psychology (AJCP). CP exists in at least 50 countries all over the world, in many of those for over 25 years. Yet, aside from several early Israeli articles, AJCP rarely published work from or about countries outside the US and Canada until the early 2000s, when the number of international articles began to rise sharply. The focus of CP developed differently in different continents. CP in Australia and New Zealand initially followed North America's emphasis on improving social service systems, but has since focused more on environmental and indigenous cultural and decolonial issues that are as salient in those countries as in North America, but have drawn much more attention. CP came later to most of Asia, where it also tended to follow the North American path, but starting in Japan, India, and Hong Kong and now in China and elsewhere, it is establishing its own way. The other two global hotspots for CP for over 40 years have been Europe and Latin America. The level and focus of CP in Europe varies in each country, with some focused on applied developmental psychology and/or community services and others advancing critical and liberation psychology. CP in Latin America evolved from social psychology, but like CP in Sub-Saharan Africa, is also more explicitly political due to a history of political oppression, social activism, and the limitations of individualistic psychology to focus on social change, overcoming poverty, and interventions by (not just for) community members. Despite those differences, CP literature over the past 23 years suggests an increasingly common interest in social justice, multinational collaborations, and decoloniality. There is still a need for more truly (bidirectional) cross-cultural, comparative work for mutual learning, sharing of ideas, methods, and intervention practices, and for CP to develop in countries and communities throughout the globe where it could have the greatest impact.

Reinvestigation of the Psychological Mechanisms of Construction Experience on Hazard Recognition Performance.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to reinvestigate psychological mechanisms of the influence of construction workers' experience on hazard recognition performance, with signal detection theory (SDT) and electroencephalogram (EEG) readings. BACKGROUND: Existing evidence regarding the effect of experience on hazard recognition performance in the construction industry remains inconsistent. Behavior-wise, identification of dominant hazard recognition factors (sensitivity or response bias, or both) would help determine appropriate training strategies to improve hazard recognition. In terms of neuro-responses, induced gamma-band activity was expected to reflect the cognitive functions mediating the psychological effects of experience. METHOD: Seventy-seven construction workers participated in a predesigned hazard recognition task, in which participants judged whether a hazard was present from a series of construction scenario pictures. We computed and compared the sensitivity and response bias of SDT and time-frequency representations of recorded EEG signals of the two experience-level groups. RESULTS: Novice workers had higher hazard recognition rates. Behavior-wise, novices were more sensitive than more experienced workers. Compared with experienced workers, novices showed stronger gamma-band difference power (hazardous minus safe) in the left frontal and right posterior parietal areas during the hazard recognition process. CONCLUSION: Novices performed better at hazard recognition, indicating their sensitivity to the hazards without a clear difference in response bias. Based on the EEG data, novices' sensitivity may be attributed to more efficient working memory and attentional control. APPLICATION: There is a need for continuous refreshment of hazard recognition skills for experienced workers for safety interventions.

Aging in Chinatowns: the Meaning of Place and Aging Experience for Older Immigrants.

The concept of "Aging in place" has not been fully validated among older immigrant groups living in diverse cultures. The study used a qualitative research approach and interviewed Chinese immigrant older adults across three Chinese enclave communities in New York City to identify whether Chinatowns are a place for Chinese immigrants to age and explore their experience of aging in Chinatowns. The findings showed that Chinese immigrants did consider Chinatown as the place, which conveyed practical, linguistic, social, emotional and cultural meaning. Aging in Chinatown, older adults sought independence, security, and autonomy through various social resources. However, older adults, especially newly arrived immigrants, have faced obstacles that undermine their aging experience. Older immigrants' unique aging experience has provided profound insight in understanding migration and AIP, which help develop proper policies and programs to support the AIP initiative.

Comparison of short-term surgical outcomes and post-operative recovery between single-incision and multi-port laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

Background: To summarise data from previous reports and perform a meta-analysis to compare the short-term surgical outcomes and post-operative recovery between single-incision and multi-port laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (MLDG) for gastric cancer. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed using PubMed and Embase databases and relevant data were extracted. Short-term surgical outcomes and post-operative recovery of single-incision laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (SLDG) and MLDG for gastric cancer were compared using a fixed or random-effect model. Results: In total, we identified five relevant studies involving 983 participants for this systematic review and meta-analysis, and 45.8% (450/983) of patients underwent SLDG. The results demonstrated that mean operation time (weighted mean difference [WMD]:-3.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 14.64,8.19, P = 0.580; I2 = 75.6%), intra-operative blood loss (WMD:-19.77, 95% CI: 40.20,0.65, P = 0.058; I2 = 85.0%) and lymph node yield (WMD:-0.71, 95% CI: 1.47, 0.05, P = 0.068; I2 = 0%) of SLDG were comparable to those of MLDG for gastric cancer. In addition, SLDG had a similar incidence of post-operative complications compared with MLDG (odds ratio: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.55-1.22, P = 0.326; I2 = 0%). There was no significant difference between the two surgical procedures for the conversion to open surgery (OR: 0.32, 95%CI: 0.03-3.15, P = 0.331; I2 = 0%), the length of hospital stay (WMD:-0.05, 95% CI: 0.65, 0.55, P = 0.876; I2 = 44.1%), the time to first flatus (WMD:-0.24, 95% CI: 0.58, 0.10, P = 0.169; I2 = 85.3%) and the time to oral intake (WMD:-0.05, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.10, P = 0.500; I2 = 0%). Conclusion: Single-incision laparoscopic gastrectomy may be technically feasible and safe for gastric cancer. However, it did not show a more obvious advantage over MLDG.

A randomised controlled study on the effects of hernial sac stump fenestration on ultrasound seroma prevention in laparoscopic Type III inguinal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of ultrasound seromas has significantly increased after large hernial sac surgery. Several methods are available for preventing ultrasound seromas, but the clinical results are poor. It has also been demonstrated that hernial sac stump fenestration during laparoscopic incisional hernia repair surgery can significantly decrease the incidence of ultrasound seromas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ninety patients aged 18-75 years who were treated in our hospital for primary Type III indirect inguinal hernia from March 2017 to March 2018 were randomised to a preventive fenestration group and a control group. All patients underwent transabdominal preperitoneal repair. The number of ultrasound seromas in the inguinal regions and ultrasound seroma volume on day 6 and months 1 and 3 after surgery in the two groups were compared. The secondary outcomes included length of surgery, urinary retention, acute pain, chronic pain, length of hospitalisation, recurrence rate and other complications. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in demographic characteristics. Ultrasound seroma incidence and ultrasound seroma volume on day 6 and months 1 and 3 after surgery were significantly lower in the preventive fenestration group than that in the control group. There were no significant differences in the length of hospitalisation or incidence of acute pain or urinary retention between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Hernial sac stump fenestration after hernial sac transection in inguinal hernia repair surgery is a simple method that can effectively reduce post-operative ultrasound seromas.

Effect of Denonvilliers' Fascia Preservation Versus Resection During Laparoscopic Total Mesorectal Excision on Postoperative Urogenital Function of Male Rectal Cancer Patients: Initial Results of Chinese PUF-01 Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the outcomes of laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (L-TME) with Denonvilliers' fascia (DVF) preservation versus resection on urogenital function of male patients with rectal cancer. BACKGROUND: The protective effect of DVF during L-TME on pelvic autonomic nerves and postoperative urogenital function remains controversial. METHODS: Between August 26, 2015 and July 18, 2019, 253 male patients with cT1-4 (T1-2 for anterior wall) N0-2M0 rectal cancer from 11 institutions were enrolled, and randomly assigned to L-TME with DVF preservation (Exp-group, n = 123) or resection procedures (Con-group, n = 130). Urinary function was assessed by residual urine volume, maximal flow rate, and International Prostate Symptom Score; sexual function was assessed by 5-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) and ejaculation grading. RESULTS: The Exp-group patients showed a lower urinary dysfunction rate (6.8% vs 25.4%, P = 0.003), higher maximal flow rate (16.25 ±â€Š8.02 vs 12.40 ±â€Š7.05 mL/s, P = 0.007), and lower International Prostate Symptom Score (6.55 ±â€Š5.86 vs 8.57 ±â€Š5.85, P = 0.026) than the Con-group patients at 2 weeks after surgery. The incidence of erectile dysfunction (IIEF-5 ≤ 11) at 12 months after surgery was lower in the Exp-group than in the Con-group (12.5% vs 34.2%, P = 0.023); Exp-group manifested superior IIEF-5 (16.63 ±â€Š6.28 vs 12.26 ±â€Š6.83, P = 0.018). The incidence of ejaculation dysfunction was lower in the Exp-group than in the Con-group at 12 months after surgery (10.0% vs 29.4%, P = 0.034). CONCLUSIONS: DVF preservation during L-TME revealed protective effects on postoperative urogenital function, and could be a better choice for male rectal cancer patients with specific staging and location. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02435758.

A randomized study on laparoscopic total extraperitoneal inguinal hernia repair with hernia sac transection vs complete sac reduction.

OBJECTIVE: The management of the hernia sac is the core step of laparoscopic indirect inguinal hernioplasty. In this study, a randomized controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the clinical effect of laparoscopic total extraperitoneal inguinal herniorrhaphy (TEP) with hernia sac transection and complete sac reduction. METHOD: From May 2017 to May 2018, 70 patients aged 18-75 with primary indirect inguinal hernia in our hospital were randomly divided into a transected sac group (TS) and a completely reduced sac group (RS). The primary outcomes compared between the two groups were the hernia sac treatment time, operation time, and the incidence of seroma formation after operation. Secondary outcomes included acute pain, chronic pain (pain which lasted for at least 3 months), hospital stay, recurrence rate, and other complications. RESULT: There were no significant differences in baseline demographic characteristics including age, sex, hernia type, size of hernia defect, and follow-up time between the two groups. The times required for hernia sac separation and operation in the TS group were significantly shorter than in the control group (6.1 ± 2.3 vs. 25 ± 5.8 min for hernia sac separation, p < 0.01; and 35.10 ± 3.50 vs. 54.40 ± 4.20 min for operation, p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in hospitalization time, incidence of acute pain, seroma formation, or urinary retention between the two groups. During the 12-month follow-up period, chronic pain, early recurrence, and other complications were not found in either group. CONCLUSION: Both the hernia sac transection technique and the complete sac reduction technique are safe and reliable. The hernia sac transection technique is a simple and effective hernia sac treatment method. It reduces the operation time and does not increase seroma or acute or chronic pain. It is valuable and likely to be popularly applied.

Using inferior epigastric vascular anatomical landmarks for anterior inguinal hernia repair.

BACKGROUND: Inferior epigastric vascular anatomical landmarks for anterior inguinal hernia repair is an alternative surgical procedure. We present our experience and outcome of the way. METHODS: We performed a retrospective analysis of 230 patients who received anterior tension-free hernia repair between May 2016 to May 2017. Among these cases, 120 were performed using the traditional transinguinal preperitoneal (TTIPP) technique while 100 were performed using the vascular anatomic landmark transinguinal preperitoneal (VALTIPP) technique. Between these two groups, we compared the operation time, length of hospital stay, complication rates, and the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain at 2 days, 3 months, and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS: Surgery was well-tolerated in both groups with no significant hemorrhage or complications. The operation times for the VALTIPP and TTIPP groups were 42.52 ± 9.15 and 53.84 ± 10.64 min (P < 0.05), respectively. Ten patients in the VALTIPP group and 17 patients in the TTIPP group reported sensations of foreign bodies (P < 0.05). The VAS pain score in VALTIPP patients at 2 days (4.0 ± 0.5), 3 months (1.0 ± 0.3), and 6 months (0.9 ± 0.3) were significantly lower when compared with those of TTIPP patients (5.3 ± 0.9 at 2 days, 1.8 ± 0.4 at 3 months, and 1.1 ± 0.1 at 6 months, p < 0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in age, gender, BMI, hernia type and location, follow-up period, incidence of post-operative seromas, recurrence rate, or length of hospital stay. CONCLUSION: Anterior inguinal hernia repair using inferior epigastric vascular anatomical landmarks may lead to reduced operation times, reduced sensations of foreign bodies, and reduced post-operative pain. This technique is simple, practical, and effective in the management of inguinal hernias.

The effect of transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernioplasty on chronic pain and quality of life of patients: mesh fixation versus non-fixation.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) inguinal hernioplasty with or without mesh fixation on chronic pain and quality of life of patients. METHODS: One hundred patients with a simple oblique inguinal hernia were included and treated at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from July of 2015 to July of 2016. Patients were randomly assigned to TAPP inguinal hernioplasty with mesh fixation (fixation group, n = 50) or without mesh fixation (non-fixation group, n = 50). Observation indices such as mean operative time, time to ambulation, hospitalization expense, and complications were recorded. The visual analog scale (VAS) was adopted for pain evaluation 2 days, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively. The 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) was adopted for life quality scoring 3 months postoperatively. RESULTS: No recurrence or incisional infections were observed during follow-up in either group. The mean operative time, time to ambulation, and hospitalization expense of the non-fixation group were all significantly reduced compared to those of the fixation group. The VAS score 2 days, 3 months, and 6 months postoperatively of the non-fixation group were significantly lower than in the fixation group. The physical function, role physical, bodily pain, and general health in the non-fixation group were each significantly higher than in the fixation group. In contrast, vitality, social function, role emotional, and mental health showed no significant differences across groups. CONCLUSIONS: For patients with primary unilateral oblique inguinal hernia with a defect size less than 4.0 cm in diameter, TAPP inguinal hernioplasty without mesh fixation was safe and effective. Furthermore, this shortened the operative time, promoted early ambulation, decreased hospitalization expenses, alleviated postoperative pain, and improved quality of life.

Comparison of multi-modal early oral nutrition for the tolerance of oral nutrition with conventional care after major abdominal surgery: a prospective, randomized, single-blind trial.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Early oral nutrition (EON) has been shown to improve recovery of gastrointestinal function, length of stay and mortality after abdominal surgery; however, early oral nutrition often fails during the first week after surgery. Here, a multi-modal early oral nutrition program is introduced to promote recovery of gastrointestinal function and tolerance of oral nutrition. METHODS: Consecutive patients scheduled for abdominal surgery were randomized to the multimodal EON group or a group receiving conventional care. The primary endpoint was the time of first defecation. The secondary endpoints were outcomes and the cost-effectiveness ratio in treating infectious complications. The rate of infectious-free patients was regarded as the index of effectiveness. RESULTS: One hundred seven patients were randomly assigned to groups. Baseline characteristics were similar for both groups. In intention-to-treat analysis, the success rate of oral nutrition during the first week after surgery in the multimodal EON group was 44 (83.0%) versus 31 (57.4%) in the conventional care group (P = 0.004). Time to first defecation, time to flatus, recovery time of bowel sounds, and prolonged postoperative ileus were all less in the multimodal EON group (P < 0.05). The median postoperative length of stay in the multimodal EON group was 8 days (6, 12) versus 10 days (7, 18) in the conventional care group (P < 0.001). The total cost of treatment and nutritional support were also less in the multi-modal early oral nutrition group (P < 0.001). The effectiveness was 84.9 and 79.9% in the multimodal EON and conventional care group, respectively (P = 0.475). However, the cost-effectiveness ratio was USD 537.6 (506.1, 589.3) and USD 637.8 (593.9, 710.3), respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The multi-modal early oral nutrition program was an effective way to improve tolerance of oral nutrition during the first week after surgery, decrease the length of stay and improve cost-effectiveness after abdominal surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration number: ChiCTR-TRC-14004395 . Registered 15 March 2014.

PIPKIγ targets to the centrosome and restrains centriole duplication.

Centriole biogenesis depends on the polo-like kinase (PLK4) and a small group of structural proteins. The spatiotemporal regulation of these proteins at pre-existing centrioles is essential to ensure that centriole duplication occurs once per cell cycle. Here, we report that phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase type-1 gamma (PIP5K1C, hereafter referred to as PIPKIγ) plays an important role in centriole fidelity. PIPKIγ localized in a ring-like pattern in the intermediate pericentriolar materials around the proximal end of the centriole in G1, S and G2 phases, but not in M phase. This localization was dependent upon an association with centrosomal protein of 152 KDa (CEP152). Without detaining cells in S or M phase, the depletion of PIPKIγ led to centriole amplification in a manner that was dependent upon PLK4 and spindle assembly abnormal protein 6 homolog (SAS6). The expression of exogenous PIPKIγ reduced centriole amplification that occurred as a result of endogenous PIPKIγ depletion, hydroxyurea treatment or PLK4 overexpression, suggesting that PIPKIγ is likely to function at the PLK4 level to restrain centriole duplication. Importantly, we found that PIPKIγ bound to the cryptic polo-box domain of PLK4 and that this binding reduced the kinase activity of PLK4. Together, our findings suggest that PIPKIγ is a novel negative regulator of centriole duplication, which acts by modulating the homeostasis of PLK4 activity.

Direct Loading and Tunable Release of Antibiotics from Polyelectrolyte Multilayers To Reduce Bacterial Adhesion and Biofilm Formation.

Bacteria adhesion on the surface of biomaterials and following biofilm formation are important problems in biomedical applications. The charged antibiotics with small molar mass can hardly deposit alternately with polymers into multilayered films to load the drug. Herein, the (poly(acrylic acid)-gentamicin/poly(ethylenimine))n ((PAA-GS/PEI)n) multilayer film was designed and constructed via a layer-by-layer self-assembly method. Low molar mass GS cations were first combined with polyanion PAA and self-assembled with PEI to form multilayer films showing exponential growth behavior. The GS dosage could be adjusted by changing the layer number of films. Furthermore, the thermal cross-linking method was used to control the release rate of GS in PBS buffer. Owing to the diffusion of GS, a zone of inhibition of about 7.0 mm showed the efficient disinfection activity of the multilayer film. It could also be seen from the biofilm inhibition assay that the multilayer film effectively inhibited bacterial adhesion and biofilm formation. As the drug loading dosage was 160 µg/cm(2), the multilayer films showed very low cytotoxicity against human lens epithelial cells. The present work provides an easy way to load GS into multilayer films which can be applied to surface modification of implants and biomedical devices.

Chirality Relay in 2,2'-Substituted 1,1'-Binaphthyl: Access to Propeller Chirality of the Tricoordinate Boron Center.

It is a challenging issue to achieve propeller chirality for triarylboranes owing to the low transition barrier between the P and M forms of the boron center. Herein, we report a new strategy to achieve propeller chirality of triarylboranes. It was found that the chirality relay from axially chiral 1,1'-binaphthyl to propeller chirality of the trivalent boron center can be realized when a Me2 N and a Mes2 B group (Mes=mesityl) are introduced at the 2,2'-positions of the 1,1'-binaphthyl skeleton (BN-BNaph) owing to the strong π-π interaction between the Me2 N-bonded naphthyl ring and the phenyl ring of one adjacent Mes group, which not only exerts great steric hindrance on the rotation of the two Mes groups but also gives unequal stability to the two configurations of the boron center for a given configuration of the binaphthyl moiety. The stereostructures of the boron center were fully characterized through 1 H NMR spectroscopy, X-ray crystal analyses, and theoretical calculations. Detailed comparisons with the analog BN-Ph-BNaph, in which the Mes2 B group is separated from 1,1'-binaphthyl by a para-phenylene spacer, confirmed the essential role of π-π interaction for the successful chirality relay in BN-BNaph.

Impact of nutritional support that does and does not meet guideline standards on clinical outcome in surgical patients at nutritional risk: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of nutritional support on clinical outcomes in patients at nutritional risk who receive nutritional support that meets guideline standards and those who do not. METHODS: This prospective cohort study enrolled hospitalized patients from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from February 2010 to June 2012. The research protocols were approved by the university's ethics committee, and the patients signed informed consent forms. The clinical data were collected based on nutritional risk screening, administration of enteral and parenteral nutrition, surgical information, complications, and length of hospital stay. RESULTS: During the study period, 525 patients at nutritional risk were enrolled in the cohorts. Among patients who received nutritional support that met the guideline standards (Cohort 1), the incidence of infectious complications was lower than that in patients who did not meet guideline standards (Cohort 2) (17.1 % vs. 26.9 %, P = 0.01). Subgroup analysis showed that individuals who received a combination of parenteral nutrition (PN) and enteral nutrition (EN) for 7 or more days had a significantly lower incidence of infectious complications (P = 0.001) than those who received only PN for 7 or more days or those who received nutritional support for less than 7 days or at less than 10 kcal/kg/d. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that, after adjusting for confounding factors, nutritional support that met guideline standards for patients with nutritional risk was a protective factor for complications (OR: 0.870, P < 0.002). CONCLUSIONS: In patients at nutritional risk after abdominal surgery, nutritional support that meets recommended nutrient guidelines (especially regimens involving PN + EN ≥ 7 days) might decrease the incidence of infectious complications and is worth recommending; however, well-designed trials are needed to confirm our findings. Nutritional support that does not meet the guideline standards is considered clinically undesirable.

Health Disparities and Delayed Health care among Older Adults in California: A Perspective from Race, Ethnicity, and Immigration.

OBJECTIVES: To examine racial/ethnic/immigration disparities in health and to investigate the relationships among race/ethnic/immigration status, delayed health care, and health of the elderly. DESIGN AND SAMPLE: Responses from 13,508 people aged 65 and above were analyzed based on the California Health Interview Survey (CHIS) 2011-2012. MEASURES: Key variables include race/ethnicity/immigration status, health outcome, and delayed health care. Age, gender, education, work status, and annual family income are used as covariates. RESULTS: The findings indicate that Whites (regardless of country of birth) and U.S.-born Asians enjoy better health than Latinos, African-Americans, and Foreign-born Asians. Foreign-born Asians and foreign-born Latinos have the poorest self-reported health and mental health, respectively. Delayed use of health care is negatively associated with both self-reported health and mental health status. CONCLUSIONS: Health disparities exist among older adult populations; the combined effects of minority and immigrant status can be approximated from the results in this study. Health care accessibility and the quality of care should be promoted in minority/immigrant populations. Public health nurses have a strong potential to aide in reducing health disparities among an aging American population that continues to exhibit increasing racial/ethnic diversity.

Charge-Transfer Emission in Organoboron-Based Biphenyls: Effect of Substitution Position and Conformation.

A series of organoboron-based biphenyls o,o'-NMe2, o,p'-NMe2, p,p'-NMe2, which contain an electron-donating NMe2 and an electron-accepting BMes2 groups at o,o'-, o,p'-, p,p'-positions of biphenyl skeleton, respectively, as well as o,o'-NBn2, which contains more bulky NBn2 rather than NMe2, were fully characterized to explore the effect of structural modification on the intramolecular charge-transfer emissions. In addition to significant effect of substitution position on photophysical properties, remarkable influence of conformation was also observed for o,o'-substituted compounds. The emission is substantially blue-shifted as conformation changes from the location of NMe2 and BMes2 at same side of biphenyl axis with a close B···N distance, and thus direct B···N electronic interaction in o,o'-NMe2, to the location of NBn2 and BMes2 on two opposite sides in o,o'-NBn2. And o,o'-NMe2 exhibits the longest emission wavelength, but the shortest absorption wavelength, and thus largest Stokes shift among these four organoboron-based biphenyls in both solution and solid state. The theoretical calculations demonstrated that the unique structure of o,o'-NMe2, in which boryl and amino located at the same side of biphenyl axis with close B···N distance and direct B···N electronic interaction, is helpful to stabilize the lowest singly occupied orbital in the exited state.

A highly selective ratiometric bifunctional fluorescence probe for Hg(2+) and F(-) ions.

A triarylborane derivative BN-S, which contains a Hg(2+)-responsive dithioacetal group and a F(-)-responsive boryl group, has been designed and synthesized via the functionalization of 2-dimesitylboryl-2'-(N,N-dimethylamino)biphenyl core skeleton with a dithioacetal substituent. This compound displays intense intramolecular charge transfer fluorescence, even for its nano-aggregates in water. The Hg(2+)-promoted deprotection of the dithioacetal group and complexation of F(-) with the tri-coordinate boron center cause hypochromism of fluorescence to different extents. And thus BN-S behaves as a promising ratiometric bifunctional fluorescence probe to detect Hg(2+) and F(-) simultaneously. In addition, the detection of Hg(2+) is performable in aqueous medium using its nano-aggregates.

[Application of Ion Torrent PGM™ System in Detection of Fetal DNA in Maternal Plasma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the feasibility of detecting of Y-STR of fetal DNA in maternal plasma using Ion Torrent PGM™ System. METHODS: A total of 16 fetal DNA samples from maternal plasmas (8 cases from 38 weeks gestational age and 8 ones from 12 weeks) were prepared and a multiplex assay with 7 STR loci (DYS390, DYS391, DYS393, DYS438, DYS437, DYS456, DYS635) was designed for multiplex-PCR amplification. Using Ion Torrent PGM™ System, the results of Y-STR sequences and capillary electrophoresis were obtained and compared. RESULTS: Y-STR specific alleles were detected in the maternal plasma of all the pregnant women having male babies of second and third trimester, which were higher than that detected by capillary electrophoresis. Consistent Y-STR genotypes were observed between fetal DNA from maternal plasma and genomic DNA from the newborn babies. CONCLUSION: Based on Ion Torrent PGM™ System, the prenatal Y-STR detection method may provide a high-sensitive and high-throughput choice for prenatal STR detection in forensic testing.