110023 research outputs found
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Stages of Change in Dairy Intake among Older Adults: Application of the Transtheoretical Model.
No full text[[abstract]]Adequate dairy product intake can reduce the risk of chronic disease, mortality, low quality of life, and healthcare expenditure. However, the insufficient consumption of dairy products is a serious issue in Eastern societies. To the authors’ knowledge, few studies have explored dairy intake among Taiwanese older adults, especially using the transtheoretical model. The study aims were to address the following unknowns: (i) the distribution of dairy product intake behavior on stages of change (SOC); (ii) differences in variables (intake knowledge (IK), intake cons (IC), intake pros (IP), and intake self-efficacy (ISE)) among SOCs; (iii) discriminative abilities of variables on SOCs; and (iv) predictive ability of variables (IK, IC, IP, and ISE) for dairy product intake behavior on SOC for older adults. An explorative cross-sectional study was conducted to collect data from northern Taiwan using a questionnaire. A total of 342 older adults were recruited. Data were analyzed using multivariate analysis of variance, discriminant analysis, and multiple linear regression. There was a significant difference between the variables and SOCs. There was a better discriminant among the five SOCs. Dairy product intake behaviors were significantly associated with knowledge and self-efficacy in the pre-action stage, and with cons, pros, and self-efficacy in the post-action stage. In conclusion, appropriate nutritional empowerment could benefit older adults by improving dairy intake among the different SOCs
The Acceptance and Use of Smartphones among Older Adults: Differences in UTAUT Determinants before and after Training
No full text[[abstract]]Purpose
This article aims at a Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model framework that was used to investigate the impact of a 16-h smartphone training program on the correlations among different constructs of smartphone use in a sample of older adults.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 208 participants aged 60–78 (mean: 65.4) years completed a questionnaire that collected information on demographic variables and the frequency and duration of smartphone use as well as the answers to questions on the six UTAUT constructs of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, and behavioral intention and usage behavior. The data were analyzed using partial least squares analysis.
Findings
This study was the first to compare post-training changes in the correlations among UTAUT constructs. The results revealed significant post-training changes in all construct correlations. Behavioral intention and facilitating conditions were shown to significantly impact usage behavior both before and after training and performance expectancy was shown to impact behavioral intention before training. After training, both effort expectancy and social influence were found to impact behavioral intention significantly. Moreover, the impact of facilitating conditions on usage behavior was significantly increased after training.
Originality/value
To date, no study published in the literature has investigated the impact of technological training on the technology-use intentions and behaviors of older adults. The findings of this study suggest that, for older adults, the results of the acceptance and use model for smartphones change significantly and positively between pre-smartphone training and post-smartphone training time points. The findings support that technology training has a positive impact on smartphone use in older adult
Isolation and identification of aroma-producing non-Saccharomyces yeasts and their fermentation for wine making
No full text[[abstract]]Microorganisms produce hundreds of aroma-active compounds during fermentation process which affect the flavor of the final wine product. The current study explored the enological characteristics of non-Saccharomyces yeast strains and their influence on aroma compound complexity during fermentation process. Forty-two yeast strains were isolated from fruits by the DNA sequencing identification. Hanseniaspora uvarum Pi235, Pichia kluyveri Pe114, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Gr112 and Hanseniaspora guilliermondii Ki135 were selected for the following experiments due to the safety considerations and aroma diversity. Biochemical characteristics results showed that H. uvarum Pi235, P. kluyveri Pe114 and S. cerevisiae Gr112 exhibited different consumption preference in maltose, xylose and glycerol assimilation compared with their standard strains. Enological characteristics results showed that S. cerevisiae Gr112 exhibited best thermal tolerance, ethanol tolerance and β-glucosidase activity. Results of volatile aroma compounds analysis showed that non-Saccharomyces yeast strains were good at producing esters, such as ethyl acetate and 2-phenethyl acetate which were 11.8–25.4 and 4.1–15.2 folds higher than that from S. cerevisiae Gr112. Non-Saccharomyces yeast strains would provide more divers flavors in wines. The results will increase the applicability of non-Saccharomyces yeasts in the winemaking industry
Impact of Intellectual Capital on International Trade: Knowledge Management and Business Processes as Intermediaries
No full text[[abstract]]The global international trade market is changeable and highly competitive. In order to discover the market competitiveness of trading companies, we develop a second-order research model to explore the impact of intellectual capital on a company’s performance through the intermediaries of knowledge management and business processes. The main purpose of this study is to discover the roles that knowledge management and business process capabilities play when companies introduce intellectual capital. We used a five-part questionnaire to conduct our research. Structural equation modeling techniques were used to analyze the research model, and we used PLS-SEM for data analysis. The analysis results show that the direct impact of intellectual capital on company performance is not significant (path coefficient is 0.08), and if a company only implements knowledge management it will have no significant effect on performance (path coefficient is 0.06). However, these two factors do have a significant impact on company performance through business process capability. Therefore, the results show that knowledge management and business processes mediate intellectual capital to affect a company’s performance and lead to the better identification of the successful elements of competitive export trade strategies in dynamic business environments. Moreover, the results also show that the factor loading of information capital (weight=0.63) in intellectual capital is much higher than the other aspects of intellectual capital. That is, companies must prioritize information capital when investing in intellectual capital
. A Reverse Mutation E143K within the PrM Protein of Zika Virus Asian Lineage Natal RGN Strain Increases Infectivity and Cytopathicity.
No full text[[abstract]]Zika virus (ZIKV) is a positive-sense single-stranded RNA virus in the Flaviviridae, which is classified into two different lineages Asian and African. The outbreak of ZIKV Asian lineage isolates in 2015-2016 is associated with the increase in cases with prenatal microcephaly and Guillain-Barr? syndrome, and has sparked attention throughout the world. Genome sequence alignment and the analysis of Asian and African lineage isolates indicate that amino acid changes, particular in positively charged amino acid substitutions in the pr region of prM protein might involve a phenotypic change that links with the global outbreak of ZIKV Asian-lineage. The study generated and characterized the virological properties of wild type and mutants of single-round infectious particles (SRIPs) and infectious clones (i.c.s) of ZIKV Asian-lineage Natal RGN strain, and then identified the function of amino acid substitutions at the positions 139 [Asn139→Ser139 (N139S)] and 143 [Glu143→Lys143 (E143K)] in ZIKV polyproteins (located within the pr region of prM protein) in the infectivity and cytopathogenicity. The E143K SRIP and i.c. of Natal RGN strain exhibited relatively higher levels of cytopathic effect, EGFP reporter, viral RNA and protein synthesis, and virus yield in three types of human cell lines, TE617, SF268 and HMC3, compared to wild type (WT), N139S SRIPs and i.c.s, which displayed more efficiency in replication kinetics. Additionally, E143K Natal RGN i.c. had greater activities of virus attachment and entry, yielded higher titers of intracellular and extracellular virions, and assembled the E proteins near to the plasma membrane in infected cells than the other i.c.s. The results indicate that the positively charged amino acid residue Lys143, a conserved residue in the pr region of prM of ZIKV African lineages, plays a crucial role in viral replication kinetics, including viral attachment, entry, assembly and egress. Thus, the negatively charged amino acid residue Glu143 within the pr region of prM leads to an alteration of the phenotypes, in particular, a lower replication efficiency of ZIKV Asian-lineage isolates with the attenuation of infectivity and cytopathicity
Comparison between the analytical sensitivity and clinical performance of two cobas SARS-CoV-2 tests based on high-throughput and point-of-care systems.
No full text[[abstract]]Objectives: This study examined analytical sensitivity, specificity, and the clinical performance in detecting SARS-CoV2 of the Cobas SARS-CoV-2 Test based on the high-throughput Cobas 6800 system and the Cobas SARS-CoV-3 & Flu A/
B Test based on the poin ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ??? ?
Assessment of Low Back Pain: Reliability and Minimal Detectable Change of the Brief Pain Inventory
No full text[[abstract]]Importance: The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) is one of the most widely used measures to assess pain and related impacts among patients with low back pain (LBP). However, its test-retest reliability and minimal detectable change (MDC) have rarely been examined in patients with LBP, interfering with its utility.
Objective: To investigate the test-retest reliability and MDC of the BPI among patients with LBP.
Design: Repeated assessments design with a 1-wk interval.
Setting: Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation in a hospital in Taiwan.
Participants: Fifty-four patients with stable LBP conditions.
Outcomes and measures: The BPI has two subscales-Intensity and Interference-that assess pain intensity and pain interference, respectively. Their test-retest reliability was examined using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and MDCs were calculated.
Results: The ICCs of the Intensity and Interference subscales were .62 and .76, respectively. The MDC values for the two subscales were 2.57 and 2.34, respectively. For the four Intensity items, the average-pain score had a higher ICC (.60) than scores on the other items (worst, least, and current pain, which had ICCs of about .40).
Conclusions and relevance: The results suggest that although the BPI is a commonly used measure of pain intensity and pain interference among patients with LBP, caution should be exercised in interpreting the Intensity subscale score and its item scores. What This Article Adds: The BPI is widely used to assess pain and related impacts on daily occupation and functioning among patients with LBP. This study provides information regarding its test-retest reliability. Moreover, the MDC values provide clinicians and researchers with the thresholds for determining real improvement (beyond random measurement error)
Secondary metabolites with anti-inflammatory from the roots of Cimicifuga taiwanensis
No full text[[abstract]]The genus Cimicifuga is one of the smallest genera in the family Ranunculaceae. Cimicifugae Rhizoma originated from rhizomes of Cimicifuga simplex, and C. dahurica, C. racemosa, C. foetida, and C. heracleifolia have been used as anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic remedies in Chinese traditional medicine. Inflammation is related to many diseases. Cimicifuga taiwanensis was often used in folk therapy in Taiwan for inflammation. Phytochemical investigation and chromatographic separation of extracts from the roots of Cimicifuga taiwanensis has led to the isolation of six new compounds: cimicitaiwanins A-F (1-6, respectively). The structures of the new compounds were unambiguously elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data analysis (1D- and 2D-NMR, MS, and UV) and comparison with the literature data. The effect of some isolates on the inhibition of NO production in lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 murine macrophages was evaluated. Of the isolates, 3-6 exhibited potent anti-NO production activity, with IC50 values ranging from 6.54 to 24.58 μM, respectively, compared with that of quercetin, an iNOS inhibitor with an IC50 value of 34.58 μM. This is the first report on metabolite from the endemic Taiwanese plant-C. taiwanensis
Effectiveness of interprofessional shared decision-making training: A mixed-method study
No full text[[abstract]]Objective: This study evaluated the learning effects and examined the participants' perceptions of an interprofessional shared decision-making (IP-SDM) training program.
Methods: This mixed-method study used a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design in the quantitative phase and semi-structured interviews in the qualitative phase. The 6-week curriculum design, based on Kolb's experiential learning cycle, consisted of two simulated objective structured clinical examinations with standardized patients and blended teaching methods through various course modules.
Results: A total of 39 multidisciplinary healthcare personnel completed the 6-week training program, and 32 of them participated in qualitative interviews. The IP-SDM training program effectively improved the SDM process competency of the participants from the perspectives of the participants, standardized patients, and clinical teachers. The interviews illustrated how the curriculum design enhanced learning; the effectiveness results indicated improvements in learners' attitude, knowledge, skills, and teamwork.
Conclusion: This IP-SDM training program improved multidisciplinary healthcare personnel's competency, self-efficacy, and intention to engage in IP-SDM.
Practice implications: Applying Kolb's experiential learning cycle and blended teaching methods to develop and implement the IP-SDM training program can improve multidisciplinary healthcare personnel's knowledge, attitude, skills, and teamwork in IP-SDM
Methylmercury induces mitochondria- and endoplasmic reticulum stress-dependent pancreatic β-cell apoptosis via an oxidative stress-mediated JNK signaling pathway
No full text[[abstract]]Methylmercury (MeHg), a long-lasting organic pollutant, is known to induce cytotoxic effects in mammalian cells. Epidemiological studies have suggested that environmental exposure to MeHg is linked to the development of diabetes mellitus (DM). The exact molecular mechanism of MeHg-induced pancreatic β-cell cytotoxicity is still unclear. Here, we found that MeHg (1-4 μM) significantly decreased insulin secretion and cell viability in pancreatic β-cell-derived RIN-m5F cells. A concomitant elevation of mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic events was observed, including decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased proapoptotic (Bax, Bak, p53)/antiapoptotic (Bcl-2) mRNA ratio, cytochrome c release, annexin V-Cy3 binding, caspase-3 activity, and caspase-3/-7/-9 activation. Exposure of RIN-m5F cells to MeHg (2 μM) also induced protein expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related signaling molecules, including C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP), X-box binding protein (XBP-1), and caspase-12. Pretreatment with 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA; an ER stress inhibitor) and specific siRNAs for CHOP and XBP-1 significantly inhibited their expression and caspase-3/-12 activation in MeHg-exposed RIN-mF cells. MeHg could also evoke c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) activation and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC; 1mM) or 6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid (trolox; 100 μM) markedly prevented MeH-induced ROS generation and decreased cell viability in RIN-m5F cells. Furthermore, pretreatment of cells with SP600125 (JNK inhibitor; 10 μM) or NAC (1 mM) or transfection with JNK-specific siRNA obviously attenuated the MeHg-induced JNK phosphorylation, CHOP and XBP-1 protein expression, apoptotic events, and insulin secretion dysfunction. NAC significantly inhibited MeHg-activated JNK signaling, but SP600125 could not effectively reduce MeHg-induced ROS generation. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that the induction of ROS-activated JNK signaling is a crucial mechanism underlying MeHg-induced mitochondria- and ER stress-dependent apoptosis, ultimately leading to β-cell death