Risk Perception Scale of Disease Aggravation for older patients with non-communicable diseases: Instrument development and cross-sectional validation study.

AIM: The present study aimed to develop the Risk Perception Scale of Disease Aggravation for older patients with non-communicable diseases and evaluate its psychometric properties. DESIGN: Instrument development and cross-sectional validation study were conducted. METHODS: This study contained four phases. In phase I, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify the conception of disease aggravation and risk perception. In phase II, a draft scale was formulated from face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews by Colaizzi's seven-step qualitative analysis method and group discussions among the researchers. In phase III, domains and items of the scale were revised in accordance with the suggestions from Delphi consultation and patient feedback. In phase IV, psychometric properties were evaluated. FINDINGS: Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses determined four structural factors. Convergent and discriminant validities were acceptable because the average variance extracted coefficients ranged from .622 to .725, and the square roots of the average variance extracted coefficients for the four domains were larger than those of bivariate correlations between domains. The scale also exhibited excellent internal consistency and test-retest reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient = .973, intraclass correlation coefficient = .840). CONCLUSIONS: Risk Perception Scale of Disease Aggravation is a new instrument that measures the risk perception of disease aggravation for older patients with non-communicable diseases, including possible reason, serious outcome, behaviour control and affection experience. The scale contains 40 items that are scored on a 5-point Likert scale, and it has acceptable validity and reliability. IMPACT: The scale is applied to identify different levels of risk perception of disease aggravation for older patients with non-communicable diseases. Clinical nurses can provide targeted interventions to improve older patients' risk perception of disease aggravation based on levels of risk perception during hospitalization and the period before discharge. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Experts provided suggestions for revising the scale dimensions and items. Older patients participated in the scale revision process to improve the wording of the scale.

The study of effect and mechanism of 630-nm laser on human lung adenocarcinoma cell xenograft model in nude mice mediated by hematoporphyrin derivatives.

To investigate the effect and mechanism of 630-nm laser on human lung adenocarcinoma cell xenograft model in nude mice mediated by hematoporphyrin derivatives (HPD) and provide theoretical basis for clinical photodynamic therapy (PDT). Human lung adenocarcinoma cell xenograft model in nude mice was established and randomly divided into four groups: control group, pure photosensitizer group, pure irradiation group, and photodynamic treatment group. The tumor volume growth was compared, and the tumor growth inhibition rate was calculated. HE staining was used for routine pathological observation of tumor sections, and gross conditions of cells, interstitium, and blood vessels in several groups of tumor tissues were observed. TUNEL staining was used to observe and compare the apoptosis induced by photodynamic therapy. Real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to detect the expression level of angiogenesis-related factors VEGF, HIF-1α and apoptosis-related factors Bax and Bcl-2 mRNA in the transplanted tumor tissues. Western blot was employed to detect the expression of angiogenesis-related proteins VEGF, HIF-1α and apoptosis-related proteins Bax, Caspase-3, and Bcl-2. Compared with the other three groups, the tumor growth inhibition rate of the photodynamic treatment group was significantly increased and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). HE staining showed that the animal model of lung adenocarcinoma A549 was successfully established. TUNEL staining revealed that more apoptotic cells were found in the photodynamic treatment group, and the apoptosis index was calculated. Compared with the other three groups, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). RT-PCR results showed that compared with the other three groups, the mRNA expressions of VEGF, HIF-1α, and Bcl-2 in the photodynamic treatment group decreased, while the expression of Bax mRNA increased(P < 0.05), and the differences were statistically significant. Western blot results showed that protein expressions of VEGF, HIF-1α, and Bcl-2 decreased in the photodynamic treatment group, while protein expression level of Bax and Caspase-3 increased (P < 0.05), indicating statistically significant differences. The 630-nm laser mediated by hematoporphyrin derivatives can significantly inhibit the growth of human lung adenocarcinoma xenograft tumor in nude mice, the mechanism of which is related to the inhibition of tumor angiogenesis by down-regulating VEGF and HIF-1α gene expression, and the promotion of tumor apoptosis by up-regulating Bax, Caspase-3, and down-regulating Bcl-2 gene expression.

Advances in the mechanisms of action of cancer-targeting oncolytic viruses.

Cancer virotherapy mediated by oncolytic viruses (OV), has emerged as a novel and effective strategy in cancer therapeutics. Preclinical models have demonstrated anticancer activity against numerous types of cancer. Currently, a number of recombinant viruses are in late phase clinical trials, many of which have demonstrated promising results regarding the safety and reliability of the treatments, particularly when combined with standard antineoplastic therapies. In addition to molecular-targeted therapeutics, genetic engineering of the viruses allows functional complementation to chemotherapy or radiotherapy agents. Co-administration of chemotherapy or radiotherapy is imperative for an effective treatment regime. Additionally, these approaches may be used in combination with current treatments to assist in cancer management. The near future may reveal whether this renewed interest in oncological virotherapy will result in meaningful therapeutic effects in patients. The aim of the present review was to highlight how the knowledge of oncolytic viral specificity and cytotoxicity has advanced in recent years, with a view to discuss OV in clinical application and the future directions of this field.