Contribution of non-socioeconomic factors to healthy quality of life in socioeconomically deprived patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer: Measuring attributable fraction.

BACKGROUND: The quality of life of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer is seriously impaired, and socioeconomic deprivation often has a serious impact on their quality of life. However, little is known about the relative contribution of non-socioeconomic factors to the quality of life of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer with socioeconomic deprivation. AIM: This study aims to investigate the situation and predictors of quality of life of patients with socioeconomic deprivation and evaluate the independent effects of some non-socioeconomic factors. DESIGN: A retrospective study based on cross-sectional design. METHODS: Data were obtained from 1075 patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer who received family palliative treatment in the hospice ward of Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University from March 2010 to October 2020, including demographic and clinical questionnaires, Karnofsky Performance Status scale and Cancer Pain and Quality of Life Questionnaire of Chinese Cancer Patients. RESULTS: The quality of life of patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer with socioeconomic deprivation is impaired and is affected by gait, self-care ability, abdominal distension, nutritional status, weight loss, constipation and posture. Improvement in six of these factors-gait, self-care ability, abdominal distension, nutritional status, weight loss and posture-has an independent positive impact on the development of a healthy quality of life for patients. CONCLUSIONS: Gait, self-care ability, abdominal distension, nutritional status, weight loss and posture are important determinants of healthy quality of life in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer with socioeconomic deprivation, and early identification and strength management of these non-socioeconomic factors may neutralize the negative impact of socioeconomic factors on the quality of life. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This study provides new ideas and intervention entry points for global nurses in practice innovations to improve the quality of life of socioeconomically deprived patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. It enables them to focus on the effectiveness of non-socioeconomic factors in the development and implementation of targeted care plans for patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer experiencing socioeconomic deprivation globally. REPORTING METHOD: This study was reported in strict compliance with the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guideline. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution.

General-purpose mid-infrared micro-spectrometer based on hierarchical residual CNN and data augmentation.

Taking advantage of broad response range and snap-shot operation mode, reconstructive spectrometers based on integrated frequency-modulation microstructure and computational techniques attract lots of attention. The key problems in reconstruction are sparse samplings related with the limited detectors and generalization ability due to data-driving principle. Here, we demonstrate abstractly a mid-infrared micro-spectrometer covering 2.5-5 µm, which utilizes a grating-integrated lead selenide detector array for sampling and a hierarchal residual convolutional neural network (HRCNN) for reconstructions. Leveraging data augmentation and the powerful feature extraction ability of HRCNN, a spectral resolution of 15 nm is realized. Over one hundred chemicals, including untrained chemicals species tested with an average reconstruction error of ∼1E-4, exhibit the excellent reliability of the micro-spectrometer. The demonstration of the micro-spectrometer promotes the development of the reconstructed strategy.

Effectiveness of Group Patient-Led Life Skills Training on Function and Self-Efficacy for People With Schizophrenia: A Quasi-Experimental Study.

The current quasi-experimental study evaluated the effectiveness of group patient-led life skills training (LST) on functional recovery and self-efficacy of people with schizophrenia. Two psychiatric units in a mental health center were randomly assigned to intervention (first psychiatric unit) and control (second psychiatric unit) groups. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants. The intervention group (n = 51) received group patient-led LST, and the control group (n = 53) received routine mental health care services. Outcomes on patients' functional recovery and self-efficacy between groups were compared at baseline, during the intervention (4 weeks), and immediately after the intervention (8 weeks). Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the data. Results showed that the intervention improved functional recovery and self-efficacy of people with schizophrenia (p < 0.05). Therefore, it is recommended that group patient-led LST be integrated in therapy for people with schizophrenia to facilitate their functional recovery and help them achieve their highest potential for independent living. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(2), 60-67.].

The experience of frontline nurses four months after COVID-19 rescue task in China: A qualitative study.

AIMS: The study was to explore the experience of frontline nurses four months after COVID-19 rescue task. BACKGROUND: Frontline medical staff are prone to follow-up mental health problems and different feeling after COVID-19 rescue task. However, the experience of frontline nurses after COVID-19 rescue task has not been well described. METHODS: The study used a qualitative study design with semi-structured interview guide. Individual semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 15 frontline nurses who were involved COVID-19 rescue task from two tertiary-A hospitals in Hefei, China from July 10, to August 28, 2020. We followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. RESULTS: Four main themes emerged from the interviews: recurring involuntary memories about the experience, feeling guilty and depressed, cultivation of occupational ability, increased professional pride and happiness. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that frontline nurses had both positive and negative experiences four months after COVID-19 rescue task. It is necessary to long-term follow up and attention to the experience of the frontline nurses after COVID-19 rescue task. These insights provide a specific direction for the psychological reconstruction of frontline nurses and the construction of nursing team. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Nursing managers should formulate psychological reconstruction plan according to the experience of frontline nurses after COVID-19 rescue task, so as to relieve the psychological stress and promote the mental health of nurses. At the same time, we should strengthen the disaster rescue ability training of nurses should be strengthened to better respond to future rescue task.

Parents' Experiences of Caring for Their Only Child With Mental Illness in China: A Qualitative Study.

The current study explored Chinese parents' experiences of caring for their only child with mental illness. Face-to-face interviews with semi-structured questions were conducted to learn about the care experiences of parents whose only child had mental illness. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit parents (n = 14) and thematic analysis was used. Five themes were identified: (1) Having Responsibility to Care for Children, (2) Feeling Guilt and Self-Blame, (3) Experiencing Loneliness and Helplessness, (4) Drained by Caregiving, and (5) Worrying About the Future. Parents who cared for their only child with mental illness experienced considerable emotional and physical challenges. Professionals and health care providers should recognize and understand the experiences of these parents to identity their needs and provide adequate support. Targeted support services and appropriate professional information should be developed and provided for parents to relieve them of negative caregiving experiences and improve their psychological and physical well-being. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59(1), 29-37.].

The influence of experiences of involvement in the COVID-19 rescue task on the professional identity among Chinese nurses: A qualitative study.

AIMS: To explore the influence of experiences of involvement in the COVID-19 rescue task on professional identity among Chinese nurses from a qualitative method perspective. BACKGROUND: Professional identity of nurses is not static and easily affected by many factors. The COVID-19 epidemic brings the tremendous physical and psychological challenges for rescue nurses. At present, there are limited data on the influence of rescue experiences on the nurses' professional identity. METHODS: This study used a face-to-face interview with semi-structured questions to learn about the influence of rescue experiences on the professional identity of nurses. Purposeful sampling was used to collect participants (n = 14), and interview data were analysed following the Colaizzi's phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: The 'impression of exhaustion and fear', 'feeling the unfairness', 'perceiving incompetence in rescue task' and 'unexpected professional benefits' were the main factors affecting the professional identity of rescue nurses. CONCLUSION: The present study showed that special attention and targeted support measures should be provided to improve the professional identity of rescue nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers should make a post-epidemic recovery plan to help nurses to improve the professional identity. Designed education programmes and complete disaster response system should be developed to deal with infection disease in the future.

Photoluminescence enhancement in wide spectral range excitation in CsPbBr3 nanocrystal/Ag nanostructure via surface plasmon coupling.

This work demonstrates the surface plasmon (SP)-exciton coupling effect on the photoluminescence (PL) enhancement in CsPbBr3 nanocrystal (NC) at PMMA/Ag nanostructure (NS) in wide spectral range excitation. The spectra dependent time resolved PL measurement reveals that the emission photons are from the recombination of localized excitons and the PL enhancement can be attributed to the near-field effect, which is also supported by evidence that the enhancements are nearly the same in the whole excitation wavelength from 200 nm to 900 nm. The non-spectral dependence of the enhancement factor suggests that there is the same dynamic process of hot electrons in CsPbBr3 NC in multiphoton excitation. The hot electrons will relax into localized exciton states, and the electric field generated by SPs will enhance the radiative recombination of excitons. This work will have benefits for revealing dynamics of hot electron relaxing and interactions in multi-photon absorption, as well as the inner mechanism of SP coupling effects.

Affiliate Stigma and Psychosocial Adaption Among Adolescents Who Have a Parent With Serious Mental Illness: Mediation Role of Family Cohesion.

The current cross-sectional study examined the relationship between affiliate stigma and externalizing and internalizing problems by investigating the role of family cohesion among adolescents having a parent with serious mental illness (SMI). One hundred sixty-four adolescents were recruited from two community mental health centers. Family cohesion, affiliate stigma, and adolescent internalizing and externalizing problems were assessed. A significant relationship was found between adolescent externalizing and internalizing problems and family cohesion (r = -0.462, p < 0.01 and r = -0.534, p < 0.001, respectively) and affiliate stigma (r = 0.512, p < 0.01 and r = 0.656, p < 0.001, respectively). Family cohesion partially mediated the relation between affiliate stigma and externalizing problems (Z = -4.97, p < 0.001) and fully mediated the relation between affiliate stigma and internalizing problems (Z = -5.18, p < 0.001). The current study highlights the need for effective interventions aimed at families to support parents with SMI in their parenting role and enhance family cohesion. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 57(12), 39-47.].

Plasmon-enhanced luminescence in novel complex conjugated polymer nanoparticles: publisher's note.

This publisher's note corrects errors in the affiliations in Opt. Lett.42, 3789 (2017).OPLEDP0146-959210.1364/OL.42.003789.

Plasmon-enhanced luminescence in novel complex conjugated polymer nanoparticles.

A core-shell structure of novel complex conjugated polymer nanoparticles (CPNs) consisting of poly(2-methoxy,5-(2'-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene), polyethyleneimine (PEI) is developed. PEI is used to construct CPN@PEI core-shell structure through electrostatic attraction, and shell thickness can be controlled by PEI. Small Au-Ag alloy nanoparticles (ANPs) are then inserted into CPN@PEI core-shell structure to plasmonically tune luminescence properties. The coupling structure with double polymer core-shell CPN@PEI and ANPs presents unique luminescent characters, and maximum luminescence enhancement is realized when shell thickness is 8.6 nm. The strategies taking polymer as shell material in construction of core-shell complex CPNs and tuning optical properties by ANPs shall have significant values in applications of CPNs as probes and fluorescent tags in biological science.

Quality of Life in Patients With Schizophrenia in China: Relationships Among Demographic Characteristics, Psychosocial Variables, and Symptom Severity.

The aim of the current study was to examine the relationships among demographic characteristics, psychosocial variables, symptom severity, and quality of life (QOL), and the way these variables affect QOL in patients with schizophrenia living in Hubei, China. A convenience sample of 178 individuals with schizophrenia participated. The results suggest that the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale was positively and statistically significantly correlated with employment status (r = 0.232, p < 0.01) and monthly household income (r = 0.311, p < 0.01), positively correlated with personal empowerment (r = 0.692; p < 0.001), and negatively correlated with perceived stigma (r = -0.41, p < 0.01) and symptom severity (r = -0.54, p < 0.001). Illness uncertainty was not found to have a relationship with QOL in this sample. Among all variables, personal empowerment (accounting for 22.1% of variance) was the best positive predictor, whereas symptom severity (accounting for 7.6% of variance) was the best negative predictor of QOL in patients with schizophrenia. Implications for future research and practice are discussed. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 55(8), 48-54.].

Electron energy transfer effect in Au NS/CH3NH3PbI3-xClx heterostructures via localized surface plasmon resonance coupling.

Localized surface plasmon resonance coupling effects (LSPR) have attracted much attention due to their interesting properties. This Letter demonstrates significant photoluminescence (PL) enhancement in the Au NS/CH3NH3PbI3-xClx heterostructures via the LSPR coupling. The observed PL emission enhancement is mainly attributed to the hot electron energy transfer effect related to the LSPR coupling. For the energy transfer effect, photo-generated electrons will be directly extracted into Au SPs, rather than relaxed into exciton states. This energy transfer process is much faster than the diffusion and relaxation time of free electrons, and may provide new ideas on the design of high-efficiency solar cells and ultrafast response photodetectors.

Enhanced photoluminescence properties of bismuth sulfide nanocrystals with core-shell Ag@SiO2.

A novel self-assembled hybrid nanocompound consisting of bismuth sulfide nanocrystals (Bi2S3 NCs) and Ag@SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) is used to study the enhancement of photoluminescence by localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). Ag@SiO2 core-shell NPs were prepared by deposition of silica onto the surface of Ag NPs through the sol-gel method and followed by surface modification via 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane for the coming conjugation with Bi2S3 NCs. We propose the photoluminescence enhancement by the LSPR effect through adjusting the thickness of silica shell and the Ag@SiO2 NP concentration. By modulating the thickness of the silica shell and the concentration of Ag NPs, the maximum enhancement of a 5.7 fold can be reached with the thickness of an SiO2 shell at 22.5 nm. A clear red shift of the emission peaks in the Bi2S3 NCs-Ag@SiO2 NPs hybrid structures is observed. Such a metal-enhanced Bi2S3 quantum dot (QD) fluorescence system may have promising applications in optoelectronic device.

[Influence of parameters of ZnS film on the organic/inorganic composite luminescence devices].

In the present paper, to fabricate electroluminescent devices CdSe QDs were used as active materials, TPD (N,N'-biphenyl-N,N'-bis-(3-methylphenyl)-1,1'-biphenyl-4,4'-diamine) was used as a hole transport layer, and ZnS was used as an electron transport layer. The electroluminescent properties of the organic/inorganic composite ITO/TPD/CdSe QDs/ZnS/Ag light emitting devices were studied. Both TPD and CdSe QDs thin films were spin-coated and ZnS thin films were deposited by magnetron sputtering. The surfaces of the devices are smooth. The luminescence (EL) peak of the CdSe QDs is at 580 nm which is assigned to the band-edge exciton emission. Compared to the previous EL device of ITO/ZnS/CdSe QDs/ZnS/Ag, it is seen that the new devices do not display surface state related emission peaks and EL intensity is about 10 folds that of the previous device. The enhancement of luminescence efficiency is attributed to both of the excitation of CdSe QDs by accelerated electron collision and carriers injection into QDs: (1) electrons are accelerated by the ZnS layer and collide with CdSe QDs, which excites electrons in QDs to excited states and allows them to emit photons; (2) the holes injected into QDs recombine with some of electrons excited in the QDs. The authors further studied the influence of thickness variation of ZnS on the luminescent properties. ZnS thin films are of 80, 120, and 160 nm thickness, respectively. It was found that as the thickness of ZnS increases the threshold voltage rises and EL intensity increases, but breakdown voltage decreases. The EL peak position blue shifts when the thickness of ZnS decreases. The explanation of underlying mechanism is given.

"I am not a good enough parent": The experience of self-stigma in parents of children with mental illness in China.

PROBLEM: Self-stigma in parents of children with mental illness is an area easily overlooked by mental health providers. Many studies have shown that self-stigma in parents may result in social interaction avoidance, lower self-esteem, increased psychological pressure, and so on. However, a comprehensive picture of how parents of children with mental illness in China experience self-stigma is lacking. METHODS: Individual semistructured face-to-face interviews were conducted with 20 parents from China during their child's psychiatric hospitalization. We followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. FINDINGS: Four main themes were identified that captured the experience of self-stigma in parents of children with mental illness: (1) losing face and fear, (2) internalizing affiliate stigma, (3) feeling of self-blame and self-doubt, and (4) keeping oneself away from society. CONCLUSIONS: These findings explain how Chinese parents of children with mental illness experience self-stigma. To better effect the treatment and rehabilitation of children with mental illness, it is necessary to recognize this self-stigma in parents and take action to improve their mental health.

The Psychometric Properties of the Chinese version of the Interoceptive Awareness Questionnaire (IAQ) among PATIENTS WITH Cardiovascular Disease.

BACKGROUND: Interoceptive awareness (perception of body conditions and processes) and heart rate variability are connected physiologically in cardiovascular disease (CVD) patients. At present, there is no specific evaluation model for the perception of the physical state and processes of CVD patients in China. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to examine the reliability and validity of the Chinese Interoceptive Awareness Questionnaire (C-IAQ) for Chinese CVD patients. METHODS: 160 CVD patients were recruited from a hospital in Hubei province using a convenient sampling method. A standard "forward-backward" translation method was applied to convert the C-IAQ into Mandarin. Split-half reliability and internal consistency were conducted by using reliability tests. Validity testing was conducted on the content, structure, and criterion-related validity. Criterion-related validity was assessed by using the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-III (ASI-III). RESULTS: The research results indicate that the dual factor structure of the original C-IAQ has 19 items, including attention to unpleasant sensations (9 items) and awareness of neutral body sensations (10 items). Moreover, C-IAQ is positively correlated with ASI-III (r = 0.48, P<0.01). The entire scale has a Cronbach's α value of 0.85 and split-half dependability of 0.77. CONCLUSION: The C-IAQ has favorable psychometric feature. Hence, it can be used to measure the interoceptive awareness of CVD patients.

The experiences of patients with peritoneal dialysis: A systematic review of qualitative evidence protocol.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is on the rise, it has been a major public health problem and places a significant burden on healthcare systems. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an increasingly popular form of renal replacement therapy. Patients undergoing dialysis treatment undergo specific pathophysiological and psychological changes. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the experiences of ESRD patients receiving PD in order to gain deeper insights into their attitudes and beliefs towards this treatment. This will help researchers and health professionals to target interventions to improve the quality of life of PD patients. DESIGN: Protocol for a qualitative systematic review. METHODS: This systematic review protocol will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) meta-analysis methodology. We will conduct a comprehensive search, including English and Chinese databases. It will include all published qualitative studies of patients' experiences with PD. Both English and Chinese literature will be covered. Two reviewers will independently participate in the literature selection, document selection, and data extraction process. Synthesis will be carried out through in-depth reading of the original text and subsequent creation of similar categories. RESULTS: Experiencing is a complex dimension that includes physical, psychological and social aspects. This review will enable nurses to gain a deeper understanding of the feelings and beliefs of patients with PD. Our findings will provide healthcare professionals and policy makers with evidence to provide better care for patients with PD.

Non-polarized and ultra-narrow band filter in MIR based on multilayer metasurface.

We propose an ultra narrow-band filter in the mid infrared region (MIR) using artificial metamaterials (AMM), which is suitable for the design of on-chip photonic spectrometers. 2-D rectangular holes with a cross-like layerout are adopted to enhance the filter's efficiency and precision. Considering the penetration depth of electromagnetic (EM) waves in the metal film, we opt for multi-layer films composed of metal layers and dielectric layers, instead of a single metal layer, to improve the structure's performance in the MIR. This multilayer configuration significantly enhances the efficiency and precision of the AMM structures in the MIR. The transmission peak, with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 30 nm, can be achieved and tuned in the wavelength range from 3.0 µm to 10.0 µm by changing the periods of the unit cell (enlarging the unit cell from 3.0 to 10.0 µm). The proposed AMM structures, with tunable narrow band transmittance in MIR, exhibit promising potential in the fabrication of narrow band photonic detectors and on-chip spectrometers.

Development and Validation of a Nomogram for Predicting the Unresolved Risk of Parents of Adolescents With Psychiatric Diagnoses.

Evaluating the resolution of parents of ill children can help in taking measures to alleviate their distress in a timely manner and promote children's rehabilitation. This study aims to develop and validate a nomogram for predicting the unresolved risk of parents of adolescents with psychiatric diagnoses. The data for 130 parents (modeling dataset = 90; validation dataset = 40) were collected. A nomogram was first developed to predict the unresolved risk for parents based on the logistic regression analysis in the modeling dataset. The internal and external validation then were conducted through quantifying the performance of the nomogram with respect to discrimination and calibration, respectively, in the modeling and validation datasets. Finally, the clinical use was evaluated through decision curve analyses (DCA) in the overall dataset. In the results, the nomogram consisted of six risk factors and provided a good discrimination with areas under the curve of 0.920 (95% CI, 0.862-0.978) in internal validation and 0.886 (95% CI, 0.786-0.986) in external validation. The calibration with good consistency between the observed probability and predicted probability was also found in both internal and external validation. DCA showed that the nomogram had a good clinical utility. In conclusion, the proposed nomogram exhibited a favorable performance with regard to its predictive accuracy, discrimination capability, and clinical utility, and, thus, can be used as a convenient and reliable tool for predicting the unresolved risk of parents of children with psychiatric diagnoses.

Predictors of the health-related quality of life of patients who are newly diagnosed with lung cancer in China.

The purpose of this study was to explore the level and predictors of the health-related quality of life among patients who were newly diagnosed with lung cancer in China. A descriptive survey design was used to collect the data from 108 patients. The relationships among the variables were analyzed by using Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses. The results indicated that the patients in this sample had a poor quality of life in the physical, psychological, and environmental domains of the World Health Organization Quality of Life Questionnaire. Their age, annual family income, social support, and three dimensions of the health locus of control (internal, external, and chance) correlated significantly with the global quality of life. The stepwise multiple regressions showed that only the internal locus of control was statistically significant in predicting the patients' quality of life. The results suggest that healthcare professionals should pay particular attention to demographic characteristics, such as age and family income, and personal characteristics, such as the health locus of control and social support, when treating this patient group.