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• The GAI-TC is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing older adults' anxiety symptoms. • The GAI-TC has three factors: cognition anxiety, impact of anxiety, and somatic anxiety. • The optimal cutoff point of the GAI-TC for detecting anxiety in older persons in the community is 9/10. The study aimed to translate the Geriatric Anxiety Inventory into traditional Chinese (GAI-TC), examine its psychometric properties, and identify the optimal cutoff point. This research recruited 337 older adults from two community activity centers. Structured questionnaires were used, including demographic information and characteristics, the GAI-TC, and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). Cronbach's α of the GAI-TC was 0.93. The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.90. The content validity index was 1.0. An exploratory factor analysis revealed that three factors in the GAI-TC, including cognition anxiety, impact of anxiety, and somatic anxiety, explained 59.46 % of the variance. The criterion-related validity showed a significant positive correlation between the GAI-TC and STAI, with an optimal cutoff of 9/10 for detecting anxiety in older persons living in the community. The GAI-TC had good reliability and validity and can provide professionals with a tool for the early identification of anxiety among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ageism is prejudice or discrimination against different age groups, particularly older people. As senior nursing students in the last year of their studies prepare to enter the workforce, it is imperative to understand their level of ageism because of the high probability that they will care for older people during their nursing careers due to the global aging population. However, most research has focused on nursing students' knowledge and attitudes regarding older adults, and few studies have specifically investigated ageism among senior nursing students. This study aimed to understand ageism among senior nursing students and associated factors. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. In total, 249 senior students from 16 four-year Bachelor of Science in Nursing programs in Taiwan were recruited. Inclusion criteria were (1) a senior student enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program and (2) the ability to read Chinese. Data were collected using an online questionnaire consisting of two parts: demographic characteristics and the Fraboni Scale of Ageism. The frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t -test, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson product-moment correlation, and multiple linear regression were used to analyze data. The average score for ageism among senior nursing students was 61.60 ± 7.73, out of a maximum of 116. Having a higher level of concern about ageism issues and having had grandparents who were primary caregivers during childhood were linked to a lower degree of ageism. The only predictor of senior nursing students' ageism was the extent of their concern about ageism issues (F = 18.47, p <.001). Senior nursing students demonstrated a moderate level of ageism. Faculty members should develop strategies to increase nursing students' awareness of ageism issues and develop appropriate interventions to prevent and improve their ageist attitudes. • A medium level of ageism exists among senior nursing students. • Students whose grandparents were the primary caregivers during childhood showed less ageism. • The degree of concern about ageism issues predicted nursing students' ageism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Critical Thinking Disposition Scale is a valid and reliable tool for assessing an individual's attitudes towards critical thinking. However, it is unclear if the scale can be used with Vietnamese nursing students. This study aimed to translate the scale into Vietnamese and examine the psychometric properties of the Vietnamese version of the Critical Thinking Disposition Scale (CTDS-V). Data were collected from senior nursing students at four universities in southern Vietnam in October and December 2022. In total, 398 senior nursing students participated in this study. A cross-cultural adaptation of the CTDS-V was carried out with participants obtained through convenience sampling. Data were collected through an online survey. The study evaluated the validity of the CTDS-V by examining the content validity, concurrent validity, and construct validity, employing both Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses. The study also reported the internal consistency reliability using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest stability of the CTDS-V. The CTDS-V had a good content validity index with a score of at least 0.85 for each item and an excellent overall content validity index of 0.96. Exploratory Factor Analysis identified two factors, critical openness, and reflective scepticism, with 11 items. Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided an acceptable fit model and supported the factor structure of the original scale. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.88, and those of the two subscales were each 0.84. The test-retest stability of the CTDS-V was good with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.98 (95 % confidence interval = 0.96, 0.99). This study indicated that the CTDS-V is a valid and reliable tool for assessing the critical thinking disposition of nursing students. The scale is short, rendering it feasible for regular use in education and research. • The Vietnamese version of CTDS (CTDS-V) has an acceptable reliability and good validity. • The CTDS-V is a suitable tool for measuring nursing students' critical thinking disposition. • The CTDS-V is a brief available tool for routine use in research and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Using a case study to discuss the effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) treatments on Type 1 diabetes mellitus.Clinical Features: A 4-year-old girl with sudden polyuria and nocturia (fasting plasma glucose level: 270mg/dL) was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. Although multiple daily insulin injections were applied, her plasma glucose levels were still unstable. Therefore, she received a complementary TCM therapy by taking modified Liu-Wei-Di-Huang-Wan (3.0g/day; three times daily) for 3 months. After the treatments, her plasma glucose levels appeared to be more stable. HbA1c 6.5% and insulin injections were reduced to only once a day.Conclusions: The results suggest that complementary TCM therapy has the ability to assist some patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus in controlling their plasma glucose levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonpoint source pollution from urban areas has been identified as a leading contributor to impaired water quality. Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) are cultivated plants growing on floating mats in open water. FTWs can be used to remove pollutants from runoff, but data on their effectiveness is limited. We conducted a field study of FTWs in a nutrient enriched urban wet pond to investigate vegetation biomass and phosphorus (P) accumulation/distribution, sustainability under ice encasement stress (which is a concern in temperate regions), and to assess the use of the FTW by species. Planted perennial macrophytes successfully adapted to stresses of the low dissolved oxygen (DO) concentrations (minimum: 1.2 mg/L) in summer, ice encasement in winter, and relatively low nutrient concentrations in the water (median: 0.15 mg/L TP and 1.15 mg/L TN). Pickerelweed produced more biomass and demonstrated higher P removal performance (10.44 g dry weight/plant and 7.58 mg P/plant) than softstem bulrush (2.20 g dry weight/plant and 1.62 mg P/plant). Based on the observed seasonal changes in biomass and P, we recommend harvest of above-ground vegetation is conducted in June for maximum P removal or in September to prevent P release due to senescence. Submerged tissues of pickerelweed, softstem bulrush, and yellow iris ( Iris pseudacorus ) survived ice encasement and regrew in the second year. Additionally, plant diversity increased during the study period through recruitment of both native and exotic wetland plants. Systematic observation of wildlife activities indicated eight classes of organisms inhabiting, foraging, breeding, nursing, or resting in the FTWs. This study suggests above-ground plant harvest can enhance P removal, and that softstem bulrush, yellow iris, and pickerelweed can be sustained over winter on the FTW. Future study is recommended to investigate the feasibility of multiple vegetation harvest and document the possible habitat creation by the use of FTWs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Floating treatment wetlands (FTWs) consist of emergent macrophytes that are placed on a floating mat in a pond for water treatment and aesthetic purposes. FTWs may have unique advantages with respect to treating urban runoff within existing retention ponds for excess nutrients. However, research is lacking in providing guidance on performance of specific species for treating urban runoff, and on timing of harvest. Harvesting is needed to remove nutrients permanently from the retention pond. We investigated vegetation effects on FTWs on nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) removal performance and storage in above-ground FTW macrophyte tissues. The study evaluated pickerelweed (PW, Pontederia cordata L.) and softstem bulrush (SB, Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani ) over time in microcosms flushed with water obtained from a nearby urban retention pond in northern Virginia near Washington, DC. While the literature exhibits a wide range of experimental sizes, using the term mesocosm, we have chosen the term microcosm to reflect the small size of our vessel; and do not include effects of sediment. The experiment demonstrated PW outperformed SB for P and N removal. Based upon analysis of the accumulated nutrient removal over time, a harvest of the whole PW and SB plants in September or October is recommended. However, when harvesting only the aerial parts, we recommend harvesting above-ground PW tissues in July or August to maximize nutrient removal. This is because PW translocates most of its nutrients to below-ground storage organs in the fall, resulting in less nutrient mass in the above-ground tissue compared to the case in the summer (vegetative stage). Further research is suggested to investigate whether vegetation can be overly damaged from multiple harvests on an annual basis in temperate regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper demonstrates a simple and easy approach for the one-step synthesis of Fe3O4-chitosan composite particles with tadpole-like shape. The length and diameter of the particles were adjustable from 638.3μm to ca. 798μm (length), and from 290μm to 412μm (diameter) by varying the flow rate of the dispersed phase. Mitoxantrone was used as the model drug in the drug release study. The encapsulation rate of the drug was 71% for chitosan particles, and 69% for magnetic iron oxide-chitosan particles, respectively. The iron oxide-chitosan composite particles had a faster release rate (up to 41.6% at the third hour) than the chitosan particles (about 24.6%). These iron oxide-chitosan composite particles are potentially useful for biomedical applications, such as magnetic responsive drug carriers, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) enhancers, in the future. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] Develops a unique model of integrated floating treatment wetland (i-FTW) systems. [•] Model incorporates water body characteristics and FTW coverage to simulate i-FTWs. [•] A bootstrap method is used to generate predictions and estimate uncertainty. [•] First order kinetics is a simplified approach that adequately predicts performance. [•] The model fits FTW literature data (2009–2012) well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A pulsatile ultrasound controlled drug release platform with diclofenac-loaded alginate microcapsules (fabricated with a home-made electrostatic device, 75% embedded rate) was established to evaluate anti-inflammation efficiency. Better anti-inflammation efficiency was found using the ultrasound system and the drug delivery can be adjusted based on the programmed ultrasound cycle. The results of the in vitro study show that an approx. 30% higher drug release rate was obtained by using continuous ultrasound irradiation (9-Watt, 180 min), and an approx. 16% higher drug release rate was obtained by using pulsatile ultrasound irradiation (9-Watt, 60 min) compared to without ultrasound activation. For the in vivo study, the anti-inflammatory test with carrageenan-induced rat’s paw edema shows that diclofenac-loaded microcapsules followed by ultrasound irradiation (9-Watt, 60 min) contributed to an 81% inhibition rate, which was significantly higher than diclofenac only (approx. 60% higher). In addition, because of their heat conducting properties, gold nanoparticles encapsulated in the diclofenac-loaded microcapsules resulted in better drug release efficiency, but tended to depress the anti-inflammation effect. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Influence of light-emitting diode (LED) light on antioxidant activity of radiated pea seedlings was first studied using red (625–630nm) and blue (465–470nm) LED lights as light sources in an attempt to determine and compare the changes in chlorophyll and β-carotene contents, and Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC, μM). After radiation for 96h, comparing to white light group, red light radiated seedlings displayed significant (p <0.05) increases in stem length and leaf area, while blue light radiation significantly (p <0.05) increased the stem length and seedling weight. Chlorophyll in leaves increased rapidly when seedlings were radiated by blue light but no significant (p >0.05) difference was observed among light radiated seedlings after 96-h cultivation. β-Carotene content of LED radiated leaves was significantly (p <0.05) higher in red light (54.47±2.35μg/g) group than in the others. TEAC value of ethanol and acetone extracts (50mg/mL) of 240 pieces of red light radiated seedlings cultured for 96h reached 106.48 and 81.68μM, respectively, were higher than the other treatments. In conclusion, the contribution of red light to significant β-carotene expression and antioxidant activity for nutrition and health benefits and blue light to seedling weight and chlorophyll induction of radiated pea seedlings are emphasized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]