Systematic evaluation of influencing factors for Chinese rural doctors' job satisfaction and turnover intention: based on the two-factor theory.

OBJECTIVE: In China, rural doctors (RDs) perform crucial health care missions. However, they have received less attention than their colleagues in urban public hospitals. In this specific group, a severe challenge occurs in sync with a high turnover rate and deficient job satisfaction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study aims to systematically summarize and evaluate the influencing factors of job satisfaction and turnover intention among Chinese rural doctors. Seven databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), were systematically retrieved, and several experts were consulted to acquire holistic publications in this domain. RESULTS: A total of 20 full-text papers and 22,721 samples were included. In addition, 53 influencing factors were evaluated, of which 38 factors may play a significant role. Based on Herzberg's two-factor theory, together with China's cultural tradition and national conditions, we classified these influencing factors into sociodemographic characteristic factors (n=13), incentive factors (n=18), and health care factors (n=22). Meanwhile, we discussed and analyzed the influencing factors of turnover intention and job satisfaction in detail and put forward corresponding measures and suggestions for the government. CONCLUSIONS: We are confident that this research provides a holistic perspective to systematically evaluate the factors influencing the job satisfaction and intention to leave of Chinese rural doctors. Importantly, we hypothesize that the illumination of cases among Chinese rural physicians applies to other countries or regions, which has significant implications for the reformation of the medical system by governments or decision-makers worldwide.

Effect of dietary taurine supplementation on metabolome variation in plasma of Nile tilapia.

Taurine has been considered as an essential nutrient for many aquaculture species. While dietary taurine supplementation is highly recommended, novelty studies on taurine metabolism in fish are needed. The present study aimed to provide insight into the molecular mechanisms involved in multiple metabolome changes in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by studying plasma metabolic profile changes in response to graded levels of dietary taurine supplementation. The analysis used proton nuclear magnetic resonance-based metabolomics. Four groups of tilapias were fed with four diets supplemented with 0.0, 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2% taurine for 84 days. Fish plasma was sampled at multiple time points to provide an accurate snapshot of specific metabolic profiles during growth. Under the effect of taurine supplementation, 21 and 12 metabolites in tilapia plasma shown significant changes in terms of time-dependence and diet-dependence, respectively. These metabolic changes in tilapia plasma were mainly associated with energy and amino acid metabolism, lipids, nucleotides and protein metabolism. The results indicate that 0.8% taurine supplementation could significantly improve the carbohydrate synthesis, protein digestion and absorption, and fat deposition of tilapia and thereby promoted growth and development of tilapia.

Increased birth weight associated with regular pre-pregnancy deworming and weekly iron-folic acid supplementation for Vietnamese women.

BACKGROUND: Hookworm infections are significant public health issues in South-East Asia. In women of reproductive age, chronic hookworm infections cause iron deficiency anaemia, which, upon pregnancy, can lead to intrauterine growth restriction and low birth weight. Low birth weight is an important risk factor for neonatal and infant mortality and morbidity. METHODOLOGY: We investigated the association between neonatal birth weight and a 4-monthly deworming and weekly iron-folic acid supplementation program given to women of reproductive age in north-west Vietnam. The program was made available to all women of reproductive age (estimated 51,623) in two districts in Yen Bai Province for 20 months prior to commencement of birth weight data collection. Data were obtained for births at the district hospitals of the two intervention districts as well as from two control districts where women did not have access to the intervention, but had similar maternal and child health indicators and socio-economic backgrounds. The primary outcome was low birth weight. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The birth weights of 463 infants born in district hospitals in the intervention (168) and control districts (295) were recorded. Twenty-six months after the program was started, the prevalence of low birth weight was 3% in intervention districts compared to 7.4% in control districts (adjusted odds ratio 0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.10 to 0.81, p = 0.017). The mean birth weight was 124 g (CI 68 - 255 g, p<0.001) greater in the intervention districts compared to control districts. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The findings of this study suggest that providing women with regular deworming and weekly iron-folic acid supplements before pregnancy is associated with a reduced prevalence of low birth weight in rural Vietnam. The impact of this health system-integrated intervention on birth outcomes should be further evaluated through a more extensive randomised-controlled trial.

Topical antimicrobials for burn wound infections.

Throughout most of history, serious burns occupying a large percentage of body surface area were an almost certain death sentence because of subsequent infection. A number of factors such as disruption of the skin barrier, ready availability of bacterial nutrients in the burn milieu, destruction of the vascular supply to the burned skin, and systemic disturbances lead to immunosuppression combined together to make burns particularly susceptible to infection. In the 20th century the introduction of antibiotic and antifungal drugs, the use of topical antimicrobials that could be applied to burns, and widespread adoption of early excision and grafting all helped to dramatically increase survival. However the relentless increase in microbial resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobials has led to a renewed search for alternative approaches to prevent and combat burn infections. This review will cover patented strategies that have been issued or filed with regard to new topical agents, preparations, and methods of combating burn infections. Animal models that are used in preclinical studies are discussed. Various silver preparations (nanocrystalline and slow release) are the mainstay of many approaches but antimicrobial peptides, topical photodynamic therapy, chitosan preparations, new iodine delivery formulations, phage therapy and natural products such as honey and essential oils have all been tested. This active area of research will continue to provide new topical antimicrobials for burns that will battle against growing multidrug resistance.

Enhanced electroluminescence from nanoscale silicon p+ -n junctions made with an anodic aluminum oxide pattern.

An enhancement of the electroluminescence (EL) from nanoscale silicon p(+)-n junctions made with an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) pattern was demonstrated. The nanoporous AAO pattern with a pore density of 1.4 x 10(10) cm(-2) and a pore diameter of 50 +/- 10 nm was fabricated by the two-step anodic oxidation method on a n-type silicon wafer. The nanoscale AAO patterned Si p(+)-n junctions achieved an EL enhancement factor up to about 5 compared to the unpatterned Si p(+)-n junctions. The enhancement may originate from a reduction of nonradiative recombination due to partial passivation of the Si surface by the AAO pattern and improvement of the light extraction due to surface nanotextures.