This report describes the biologic evaluations of [99mTc(HYNIC-3P-RGD2)(tricine)(TPPTS)] (99mTc-3P-RGD2: 6-hydrazinonicotinyl; 3P-RGD2  =  PEG4-E[PEG4-c(RGDfK)]2; PEG4  =  15-amino-4,7,10,13-tetraoxapentadecanoic acid; and TPPTS  =  trisodium triphenylphosphine-3,3',3''-trisulfonate), [99mTc(HYNIC-3G-RGD2)(tricine)(TPPTS)] (99mTc-3G-RGD2: 3G-RGD2  =  G3-E[G3-c(RGDfK)]2 and G3  =  Gly-Gly-Gly), and 99mTcO(MAG2-3G-RGD2) (MAG2  =  mercaptoacetylglycylglycyl) as radiotracers for noninvasive imaging of tumor integrin αvβ3 expression in five xenografted tumor-bearing models. Biodistribution and imaging studies were performed in athymic nude mice bearing U87MG, MDA-MB-435, A549, HT29, or PC-3 tumor xenografts. Immunochemistry was performed using the cultured primary tumor cells and xenografted tumor tissues. It was found that the radiotracer tumor uptake followed the trend U87MG > MDA-MB-435 ≈ HT29 ≈ A549 > PC-3. The total integrin β3 expression levels followed the general trend: U87MG > MDA-MB-435 ≈ A549∼HT29 > PC-3. There is a linear relationship between the radiotracer injected dose per gram tumor uptake and the total integrin β3 expression levels. On the basis of these, it was concluded that radiotracer tumor uptake is contributed by integrin αvβ3 expressed on tumor cells and activated endothelial cells of the tumor neovasculature. 99mTc-3P-RGD2 has the capability to monitor integrin αvβ3 expression in a noninvasive fashion.

An increasing need for Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines in China remains unmet in the mainland and the knowledge and intentions of Chinese youth regarding vaccination is unknown. In the fall of 2013, 44 Chinese international students (CIS) attending a university in the United States Midwest participated in 10 focus group discussions (five female and five male). Result showed that participants have limited awareness and knowledge about HPV infection and vaccination, participants erroneously believed that the causes of cervical cancer are abortion and miscarriage. Participants rely heavily on informal sources such as Chinese-based social media platforms and personal social networks for information on sexually transmitted infections. Sexual cultures and behaviors are perceived differently between CIS born in the 1990s and 1980s. Interestingly, participants' perceived stigma about HPV infection decreased with improving knowledge level during group discussions. In conclusion, HPV vaccine should be further promoted alongside sex education among CIS.

This study engages with the culture-centered approach (CCA) to explore Chinese immigrant restaurant workers' perception of the U.S. health care system and their interactions with the health care system in interpreting meanings of health. Chinese restaurant workers are marginalized because of their struggles on the job, their immigrant identity, and their negotiations with the structural contexts of occupation, migration status, and culture. In-depth interviews were conducted with 18 Chinese immigrant restaurant workers that lasted an average of 1.5 hours each, and were audiotaped. Interviews with participants highlighted critical issues in access to health care and the struggles experienced by restaurant workers in securing access to health, understood in the context of work. Critical to the workers' discourse is the acknowledgment of structural constraints such as lack of insurance coverage, immigration status, and lack of understanding of how the U.S. health care system works.

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the determinants of sugary drink consumption among overweight and obese adults attempting to lose weight using the Integrative Model of Behavioural Prediction (IMB). Design: Cross-sectional design. Method: Determinants of behavioural intentions (attitudes, perceived norms and perceived behavioural control [PBC]) and sugary drink consumption (intentions, skills/abilities, environment and PBC) were evaluated using data collected at a weight loss clinic in a southwestern US city ( n = 338). Determinants of attitudes, injunctive norms, descriptive norms and PBC were evaluated using salient beliefs, which were derived from an elicitation study. Results: Using structural equation modelling, two separate models were evaluated. Both models had good fit (combined model – Comparative Fit Index [CFI] = .970, Tucker–Lewis Index [TLI] = .921, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation [RMSEA] = .062; expanded model – CFI = .966, TLI = .911, RMSEA = .060) and accounted for a significant amount of variance for intentions (40.7%–42%) and sugary drink consumption (16.2%). Conclusion: The IMB appears to be an effective model for planning health education interventions. Health practitioners should operationalise behaviour change techniques and strategies that target attitudes, perceived norms and PBC using the salient beliefs evaluated in this study.

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