The impact of using community home-based elderly care services on older adults’ self-reported health: fresh evidence from China

BackgroundThe rapid population aging in China, characterized by a higher prevalence of illnesses, earlier onset of diseases, and longer durations of living with ailments, substantially engenders challenges within the domain of older adults’ healthcare. Community home-based elderly care services (CHECS) are a feasible solution to solve the problem of older adults’ care and protect older adults’ health. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship, heterogeneity effects and influential mechanisms between older adults’ use of CHECS and their self- reported health.MethodsThe study employs the Instrumental Variable technique and empirically investigates the relationship, heterogeneity effects and influential mechanisms between older adults using CHECS and their self-reported health using data from the China Longitudinal Aging Social Survey from 2018.ResultsThe findings indicate, firstly, that using CHECS considerably improves older adults’ self-reported health. Secondly, the heterogeneity test reveals that the effect is more pronounced for older adults who are under the age of 80, have functional disabilities, are free of chronic diseases, have never attended school, reside in lower-income households, are single, rarely interact with their children, and live in central urban or city/county regions. Thirdly, the mechanism test reveals that the “social network effect” and “family care effect” are the key influence channels of using CHECS.ConclusionAn empirical foundation for the policy reform of community home-based care for seniors is provided by this study with the limitations to discuss the other socioeconomic aspects such as government health expenditure and discuss the specific services aspects such as health care. The findings carry substantial implications for improving the health of older individuals and provide suggestions for establishing a socialized aged care system in China

Development of Electromagnetic Current Meter for Marine Environment

Ocean current is one of the most important parameters in ocean observation, and ocean current measurement based on electromagnetic induction is becoming more and more important because of its advantages such as simple structure and high measurement accuracy. However, it is difficult to detect weak current signals in a complex marine environment. In this paper, an electromagnetic induction current measurement scheme based on lock-in amplification technology is proposed. Key technologies such as the evaluation of induced current intensity, overall design, circuit design, and orientation design of the current meter were studied. The prototype of the electromagnetic current meter was developed and tested in the laboratory and at sea. The repeatability of current velocity and current direction was higher than 1.5 cm/s and 1.5°, respectively. A comparison test between the electromagnetic current meter prototype and Nortek ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) installed on a buoy at sea was carried out, and the correlation coefficients of the current velocity and current direction datum were 0.90 and 0.96, respectively. Through continuous on-site and fault-free operations at sea, the experimental data show that the electromagnetic current meter has good adaptability at sea, which provides feasible technical and equipment support for ocean current observation

Development of Capacitive Rain Gauge for Marine Environment

At present, the methods and instruments for measuring the precipitation on land may not effectively work in the offshore corrosion environment which is characterized by salt and humid. The research look at investigating the reliable and precision approach of measuring rainfall and a capacitive rain gauge for the marine environment is developed. Firstly, according to the working principle and performance requirements of the capacitive rain gauge, the modular mechanical structure and capacitance voltage conversion circuit of the rain gauge are designed, and the calibration and stability experiments of the prototype are tested to evaluate the measurement error and exam the accuracy of the rain gauge measurement results changing over time. Then, environmental adaptability experiment is carried out on the capacitive rain gauge to explore its performance in the environment of temperature and humidity changes as well as salt spray. Finally, the feasibility of the rain gauge used in the marine environment is verified by the sea test of the prototype. The measurement error of the developed capacitive rain gauge is less than 1 mm, which provides a realization method for the measurement of precipitation in the marine environment

Trimodal Therapy in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: Role of Adjuvant Therapy Following Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation and Surgery

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the role of adjuvant therapy after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: The study retrospectively reviewed 447 ESCC patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy. Patients were divided into an adjuvant therapy group and no adjuvant therapy group. Propensity score matching was used to adjust the confounding factors. Results: 447 patients with clinical positive lymph nodes and no distant metastasis treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy were eligible for analysis. After propensity score matching, there were 120 patients remaining in each group. Patients receiving adjuvant therapy had a significantly shorter post-resection overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) when compared to patients not receiving adjuvant therapy (log-rank, OS: p = 0.046, DFS: p p = 0.249) but a significantly unfavorable independent prognostic factor for DFS (HR: 2.061, HR: 1.436–2.958, p Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that adjuvant therapy after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and surgery could reduce the OS and DFS in patients with ESCC. Therefore, adjuvant therapy is not recommended for ESCC patients after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and esophagectomy, especially patients without nodal metastases after neoadjuvant therapy