Regulation of calcium ions on the interaction between amphotericin B and cholesterol-rich phospholipid monolayer in LE phase and LC phase.

Amphotericin B, as a "gold standard", is used to treat invasive fungal infections. The AmB molecule can bind easily to cholesterol and damage cell membranes, so it produces the toxicity on cell membrane, which limits its clinical dose. However, the interaction between AmB and cholesterol-rich membrane is unclear now. The phase state of the membrane and the metal cation outside cell membrane may affect the interaction between AmB and the membrane. In this work, the effects of amphotericin B on the mean molecular area, elastic modulus and stability of mammalian cell membrane rich in cholesterol in the presence of Ca2+ ions were studied using DPPC/Chol mixed Langmuir monolayer as a model. The Langmuir-Blodgett method and AFM test were used to study the effects of this drug on the morphology and height of cholesterol-rich phospholipid membrane in the presence of Ca2+ ions. The influence of calcium ions on the mean molecular area and the limiting molecular area was similar in LE phase and in LC phase. The calcium ions made the monolayer more condensed. However, calcium ions can weaken the shortening effect of AmB on the relaxation time of the DPPC/Chol mixed monolayer in LE phase but enhance it in LC phase. Interestingly, calcium ions caused a LE-LC coexistence phase to occur in the DPPC/Chol/AmB mixed monolayers at 35mN/m, which was confirmed by atomic force microscopy. The results can help to understand the interaction between amphotericin B and cell membrane rich in cholesterol in the calcium ions environment.

Influence of InP/ZnS Quantum Dots on Thermodynamic Properties and Morphology of the DPPC/DPPG Monolayers at Different Temperatures.

In this work, the effects of InP/ZnS quantum dots modified with amino or carboxyl group on the characteristic parameters in phase behavior, elastic modulus, relaxation time of the DPPC/DPPG mixed monolayers are studied by the Langmuir technology at the temperature of 37, 40 and 45 °C. Additionally, the information on the morphology and height of monolayers are obtained by the Langmuir-Bloggett technique and atomic force microscope technique. The results suggest that the modification of the groups can reduce the compressibility of monolayers at a higher temperature, and the most significant effect is the role of the amino group. At a high temperature of 45 °C, the penetration ability of InP/ZnS-NH2 quantum dots in the LC phase of the mixed monolayer is stronger. At 37 °C and 40 °C, there is no clear difference between the penetration ability of InP/ZnS-NH2 quantum dots and InP/ZnS-COOH quantum dots. The InP/ZnS-NH2 quantum dots can prolong the recombination of monolayers at 45 °C and accelerate it at 37 °C and 40 °C either in the LE phase or in the LC phase. However, the InP/ZnS-COOH quantum dots can accelerate it in the LE phase at all temperatures involved but only prolong it at 45 °C in the LC phase. This work provides support for understanding the effects of InP/ZnS nanoparticles on the structure and properties of cell membranes, which is useful for understanding the behavior about the ingestion of nanoparticles by cells and the cause of toxicity.

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.].

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.

The clinical practice experience in psychiatric clinic of nursing students and career intention in China: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students face a lot of complicated situations and problems when they participate in psychiatric clinical practice for the first time. However, the nursing students' internship experience and career intention in psychiatry have not been well described in China. PURPOSE: This study aims to explore the experience and career intention of Chinese nursing undergraduates during their first psychiatric internship. METHOD: This is a qualitative design using phenomenological approach. Data were collected through a case-study, semi-structured, two face-to-face in-depth interviews (N = 13) with third-year nursing students from a university in China on their first clinical internship in a psychiatric department. We followed the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. RESULTS: Four themes were identified: negative stereotype perceptions about mental illness, professional maturation, personal development, attitude towards psychiatric patients and career choice. CONCLUSIONS: The experience of nursing students in psychiatric clinical practice was constantly changing. This study indicated that nursing students went through a continuous development process of psychiatric care professional maturation and personal development. However, psychiatric nursing was not an ideal career choice of nursing students. This study provides guidance for educators to optimize the internship experience and take comprehensive measures to improve the professional attractiveness and professional identity of psychiatric nursing.

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.

Self-Assembly of Single-Diamond-Surface Networks.

Biological scaffolds with hyperbolic surfaces, especially single gyroid and single-diamond structures, have sparked immense interest for creating novel materials due to their extraordinary physical properties. However, the ability of nature to create these unbalanced surfaces has not been achieved in either lyotropic liquid crystals or block copolymer phases due to their thermodynamical instability in these systems. Here, we report the synthesis of a porous silica scaffold with a single-diamond-surface structure fabricated by self-assembly of the poly(ethylene oxide)-b-polystyrene-b-poly(L-lactide) and silica precursors in a mixed solvent of tetrahydrofuran and water. The single-diamond structure with tetrahedral interconnected frameworks was revealed by the electron crystallographic reconstruction. We assume that the formation of single networks is induced by the structural transition and related to the energetic change due to the fluctuations of the Gaussian curvature. This work may provide new insights into these biologically relevant surfaces and related self-assembly systems.

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.

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.].

Fabrication of Photonic Bandgap Materials by Shifting Double Frameworks.

Biological organisms have evolved over millions of years to generate tremendously complex structures on a nanometer to micrometer scale. Among them, a range of three-dimensional (3D) biological photonic structures with minimal surface or constant mean curvature surfaces have been discovered in the wing scales of insects, attracting a great deal of interest because of their unique optical properties, such as structural color, antireflection, light collection, and photonic band gaps. Single-diamond and single-gyroid surface structures are considered to be excellent photonic crystals with complete band gaps. Although the corresponding bicontinuous architectures have been synthesized by self-assembly, single-framework structures are thermodynamically unfavorable and have been only achieved by physical fabrications and the alternating gyroid method. The production of materials derived from the thermodynamically stable double-framework structures provides a feasible solution for their chemical construction. This concept article highlights the significant progress in understanding 3D photonic structures by shifting double-frameworks to form low-symmetry structures, the physical properties of which can be greatly altered. Specifically, a complete photonic band gap can be achieved via a shifted double-diamond structure composed of materials with high dielectric contrast and high refractive index. We believe this concept will provide new insights in interdisciplinary research areas including the study of photonic structures, the self-assembly of amphiphilic molecules and the formation of biological architectures.

Synthesis of Novel Amino Acid-Fipronil Conjugates and Study on Their Phloem Loading Mechanism.

To develop a new pesticide with phloem mobility, a series of new amino acid-fipronil conjugates were designed and synthesized based on derivatization at the 3-position of the pyrazole ring of fipronil. Experiments using a Ricinus communis seedling system showed that all tested conjugates were phloem mobile except for the isoleucine-fipronil conjugate, and that the serine-fipronil conjugate (4g) exhibited the highest concentration in phloem sap (52.00 ± 5.80 µM). According to prediction with log Cf values and uptake experiments with Xenopus oocytes, the phloem loading process of conjugate 4g involved both passive diffusion and an active carrier system (RcANT15). In particular, compared with for a previously reported glycinergic-fipronil conjugate (GlyF), passive diffusion played a more important role for conjugate 4g in the enhancement of phloem mobility. This study suggests that associating a nutrient at a different position of an existing pesticide structure could still be effective in obtaining phloem-mobile derivatives, but the distinct physicochemical properties of resultant conjugates may lead to different phloem loading mechanisms.

Two-Step Spin-Crossover with Three Inequivalent FeII Sites in a Two-Dimensional Hofmann-Type Coordination Polymer.

An unprecedented two-step spin-crossover behavior with the sequence of γHS =1↔γHS =3/4↔γHS =1/4 was observed in two-dimensional Hofmann type coordination polymer [Fe(isoq)2 {Ag(CN)2 }2 ] (isoq=isoquinoline), which resulted from three crystallographically inequivalent FeII sites with distinct transition temperatures.

Silica Scaffold with Shifted "Plumber's Nightmare" Networks and their Interconversion into Diamond Networks.

Bicontinuous structures with hyperbolic surfaces have been found in a variety of natural and synthetic systems. Herein, we present the synthesis and structural study of the shifted double-primitive networks, which is known as the rare "plumber's nightmare", and its interconversion into diamond networks. The scaffold was prepared by self-assembly of an amphiphilic triblock terpolymer and silica precursors. Electron crystallography indicates that the structure consists of two sets of hollow primitive networks shifted along 0.75b and 0.25c axes (2pcu(38 63), space group Cmcm). The "side-by-side" epitaxial relationship of the primitive and diamond networks with unit cell ratio of about 1.30 has been directly observed with the intermediate surface related to the rPD family. These results bring new insights to previous theoretical studies.