Health Literacy and Use and Trust in Health Information.

There is a need to investigate which health information sources are used and trusted by people with limited health literacy to help identify strategies for addressing knowledge gaps that can contribute to preventable illness. We examined whether health literacy was associated with people's use of and trust in a range of potential health information sources. Six hundred participants from a GfK Internet survey panel completed an online survey. We assessed health literacy using the Newest Vital Sign, the sources participants used to get health information, and the extent to which participants trusted health information from these sources. We performed multivariable regressions, controlling for demographic characteristics. Lower health literacy was associated with lower odds of using medical websites for health information and with higher odds of using television, social media, and blogs or celebrity webpages. People with lower health literacy were less likely to trust health information from specialist doctors and dentists, but more likely to trust television, social media, blogs/celebrity webpages, friends, and pharmaceutical companies. People with limited health literacy had higher rates of using and trusting sources such as social media and blogs, which might contain lower quality health information compared to information from healthcare professionals. Thus, it might be necessary to enhance the public's ability to evaluate the quality of health information sources. The results of this study could be used to improve the reach of high-quality health information among people with limited health literacy and thereby increase the effectiveness of health communication programs and campaigns.

Gualou Xiebai Banxia decoction ameliorates Poloxamer 407-induced hyperlipidemia.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Gualou Xiebai Banxia (GLXBBX) decoction is a well-known traditional Chinese herbal formula that was first discussed in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber by Zhang Zhongjing in the Eastern Han Dynasty. In traditional Chinese medicine, GLXBBX is commonly prescribed to treat cardiovascular diseases, such as coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to examine GLXBBX's preventative capacity and elucidate the potential molecular mechanism of Poloxamer 407 (P407)-induced hyperlipidemia in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both the control and model groups received pure water, and the test group also received a GLXBBX decoction. For each administration, 3 ml of the solution was administered orally. To establish hyperlipidemia, a solution mixed with 0.25 g/kg P407 dissolved in 0.9% normal saline was injected slowly into the abdominal cavity. At the end of the study, the rats' plasma lipid levels were calculated using an automatic biochemical analyzer to evaluate the preventative capability of the GLXBBX decoction, and the serum and liver of the rats were collected. RESULTS: The GLXBBX decoction significantly improved P407-induced hyperlipidemia, including increased plasma triglycerides (TGs), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) elevation, and lipid accumulation. Moreover, GLXBBX decoction treatment increased lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity and mRNA expression of LPL. Furthermore, GLXBBX significantly suppressed the mRNA expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1). CONCLUSION: GLXBBX significantly improved P407-induced hyperlipidemia, which may have been related to enhanced LPL activity, increased LPL mRNA expression, and decreased mRNA expression of SCD1.

Submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor for low-concentration domestic sewage treatment: performance and membrane fouling.

A submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAnMBR) was used to treat low-concentration domestic sewage. The effects of hydraulic retention time (HRT) and organic load (OLR) on chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal, methanogenesis, and membrane fouling of the system were investigated. The SAnMBR achieved good COD removal efficiency as well as stable methane production, which were significantly affected by both OLR and HRT. The influent dissolved organic matter (DOM) was decomposed and transformed over time, and DOM concentration was gradually reduced. It can be inferred that the SAnMBR can effectively intercept the production of extracellular polymeric substances and improve effluent quality. The phenomenon of membrane fouling was investigated using various analytical tools. Results demonstrated that the SAnMBR was achieved good transmembrane pressures (TMP) (10-15 kPa), and the hydraulic force generated by the stirring device has a dynamic physical shearing action on the surface of the membrane, which can partly alleviate membrane fouling.