1.Factors related to the short-term and long-term intentions of healthy eating among Chinese adults living in Shanghai and parts of Anhui Province of China using the theory of planned behavior
Ani LIU ; Seungwoo LEE ; Ji-Yun HWANG
Journal of Nutrition and Health 2022;55(1):188-199
Purpose:
This study investigated the relationship between 3 major constructs of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), i.e., attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control (PBC) and past experience of healthy eating and intentions of healthy eating in the short-term and long-term in adults living in Shanghai and parts of Anhui Province, China.
Methods:
The online study questionnaire for this cross-sectional study was based on previously validated items. A total of 408 Chinese adults (aged 18–64 years) residing in Shanghai and parts of Anhui Province, China were included to examine relationships between 3 major constructs of TPB and past experience of healthy eating, and short-term and long-term intentions of healthy eating. Multiple linear regression model adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI) was employed to test relationships.
Results:
Only PBC among 3 major constructs of TPB was significantly related to short-term (p < 0.001) and long-term (p = 0.002) intention of healthy eating after adjustment for age and BMI. Past experience of healthy eating was more significantly related to long-term intention (p < 0.001) compared to short-term (p = 0.020) intention of healthy eating. The short-term and long-term intention models explained 70.5% and 48.8% of the variance, respectively.
Conclusion
PBC is a potential determinant of both short-term and long-term behavioral intention of healthy eating regardless of past experience of healthy eating in adults residing in Shanghai and parts of Anhui Province, China. Our results indicate that programs promoting healthy eating to Chinese adults incorporate PCB to perform healthy eating under his or her control.
2.Study on the molecular size distribution and the structural characteristics of group B meningococcal cap-sular polysaccharides
Zhiqiang ZHAO ; Yingying YANG ; Xubo YU ; Yiyang FENG ; Ani LI ; Hongchun FANG ; Ruijie QIAO ; Bing WU ; Fanglei LIU ; Guilin XIE
Chinese Journal of Microbiology and Immunology 2014;(5):381-387
Objective To investigate the molecular size distribution and the structure of group B me-ningococcal capsular polysaccharides for the development of vaccines .Methods The molecular size distribution of group B meningococcal capsular polysaccharides was analyzed by chromatography on a Sepharose CL -4B col-umn.The molecular weight of repeat units were measured by matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS).The structural characteristics of group B meningococcal capsular polysaccharides were analyzed by nuclear magnetic resonance ( NMR) based on the chemical shift of all charac-teristic protons by using group C meningococcal capsular polysaccharides and sialic acid as the controls .Results The KD value of group B meningococcal capsular polysaccharides extracted from 15 strains were ranged from 0.60 to 0.76.The molecular weight of repeat units was 284, which was identical to the theoretical value .The group B meningococcal capsular polysaccharides were 2→8 linked homopolymers of sialic acid lacking O-acetyl groups.Conclusion The group B meningococcal capsular polysaccharides had lower molecular weights , which might result in their poor immunogenicity .The structure of group B meningococcal capsular polysaccharides could be quickly and accurately analyzed by NMR technology .
3.Optimization for extraction of urine exosomes and effects of freezing on exosomal RNA content
Ani NAN ; Yanjun DIAO ; Liu YANG ; Yueyun MA ; Mingquan SU ; Xiaoke HAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science 2019;37(5):325-330
Objective:
To optimize the existing methods of isolation and purification for exosomes from urine and explore the effects of different storage conditions on the content of exosomal RNA in urine.
Methods:
The exosomes in human urine samples were extracted by different precipitation method, i.e., precipitation following first concentrating and direct precipitation, respectively, and the separation efficiency and cost of the two methods were compared. ExoQuick-TCTM precipitation kit was used to extract exosomes. Nanoparticle tracking analysis technique (NTA) was used to detect the concentration and particle size distribution of exosome. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to detect the potential of exosome. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observe morphology of exosomes. western blot was used to analyze the exosomal marker molecules CD63 and Alix. The extraction method of the precipitation following first concentrating was used to verify the reliability of the optimized method in 10 clinical urine samples . Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was used to detect the expression levels of exosomal RNA marker let-7c and PSA mRNA in the urinary exosomes from 20 patients with prostate cancer after repeated freeze-thaw (0 [i.e., fresh], 1 , 3 and 5 times) and 9 patients with prostate cancer frozen at -80 ℃ for different time (0 [i.e., fresh], 1, 2 and 4 weeks), and were statistically analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum test for differences between the 2 groups.
Results:
The size distribution of exosomes extracted by the two methods was 30 to 150 nm by NTA, both of which were displayed as single peaks. The results of DLS showed that the potentials of exosome extracted by the two methods were negative values. The size of the exosomes extracted by the two methods was consistent observed under TEM namely the diameter distribution was 30 to 150 nm. western blot analysis confirmed that CD63 and Alix, the exosome labeling molecules, existed in the optimized method. The concentration of exosomes extracted from the 10 urine samples all reached 10 9 to 10 11 particles/mL. The contents of let-7c and PSA mRNA in exosomes decreased significantly after 5 freeze-thaw cycles, and the Z values were -1.79 and -1.73, respectively (P<0.05). The RNA content of the exosomes remained stable after freezing at -80 ℃ for 1 month.
Conclusion
The optimized exosome extraction method could reduce greatly the cost under the premises of ensuring the concentration and quality of exosomes. The isolated exosomes may keep stable RNA content after freezing at -80 ℃ for a short time, but could not be frozen and thawed repeatedly for more than 5 times.