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With the advancement of science and technology and the popularization of the internet, information resources have become more and more abundant, but the attention of investors has become relatively scarce. In the face of surplus information resources, how investors allocate their attention will affect investors' decision making. This study examines the dynamic relationship between investors' attention and China's stock market liquidity, utilizing weekly data based on the component stocks of the Shenzhen Stock Exchange 100 Index in China from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2020. The analysis reveals that investors' attention, measured by the Google Trends search volume index, negatively affects future stock liquidity. Moreover, a long-term cointegration relationship exists between investor attention and stock liquidity. The negative relationship between investor attention and stock liquidity is robust for an alternative liquidity measure using a stock fixed-effects model. The inverse correlation between investor attention and stock liquidity was more potent before the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic and weakened amid the pandemic. The findings in this paper can enrich the standard of investors' investment decisions and help investors make objective, rational, and scientific investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: ABBV‐3373, an immunology antibody–drug conjugate composed of adalimumab conjugated to a proprietary glucocorticoid receptor modulator (the small‐molecule payload), has the potential to treat immune‐mediated inflammatory diseases. This first‐in‐human study investigated the pharmacokinetics (PK), immunogenicity, pharmacodynamics (PD) using a safety PD marker, and safety/tolerability of ABBV‐3373 in healthy adults. Methods: Fifty‐five participants were randomly assigned to single‐dose subcutaneous (SC; 30, 100 or 300 mg) or intravenous (IV; 30, 300 or 900 mg) ABBV‐3373 or placebo. Eight additional participants received a single dose of 10 mg oral prednisone for evaluation of systemic glucocorticoid effects. Blood samples were collected for up to 85 days postdose for PK, anti‐drug antibody and serum cortisol (safety PD marker) assessments. Results: ABBV‐3373 and total antibody displayed antibody‐like SC/IV PK profiles and the unconjugated/free payload in circulation exhibited formation rate‐limited kinetics with exposure several fold lower than ABBV‐3373 or total antibody. Treatment‐emergent anti‐drug antibody incidence was 69%, with loss of exposure in 6% (SC) and 5% (IV) of participants, but without any impact on safety. ABBV‐3373 up to 300 mg SC/IV had no apparent impact on serum cortisol, and only caused a transient decrease at 900 mg IV. Treatment‐emergent adverse events were primarily mild in severity, and no pattern emerged with respect to dose or route of administration. Conclusions: ABBV‐3373 had favourable PK profiles, manageable immunogenicity, and was generally well‐tolerated. Except for a transient effect at 900 mg IV, there was no apparent impact on serum cortisol. Study results supported further clinical development of ABBV‐3373. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Continuing Medical Education (CME) is an important part of the training process for health workers worldwide. In China, training in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) not only improves the expertise of medical workers, but also supports the Chinese Government's policy of promoting TCM as an equal treatment to western medicine. CME, including learning Traditional Chinese Medicine Technologies (TCMTs), perform poorly and research into the motivation of health workers to engage in CME is urgently required. Using a discrete choice experiment, this study assessed the CME learning preferences of primary health workers, using TCMT as a case study of CME programs. Methods: We conducted a discrete choice experiment among health workers in Shandong Province, Guizhou Province, and Henan provinces from July 1, 2021 to October 1, 2022 on the TCMT learning preferences of primary health workers. The mixed logit model and latent class analysis model were used to analyze primary health workers' TCMT learning preferences. Results: A total of 1,063 respondents participated in this study, of which 1,001 (94.2%) passed the consistency test and formed the final sample. Our key finding was that there were three distinct classes of TCMT learners. Overall, the relative importance of the seven attributes impacting the learning of TCMTs were: learning expenses, expected TCMT efficacy, TCMT learning difficulty, TCMT mode of learning, TCMT type, time required to learn, and expected frequency of TCMT use. However, these attributes differed significantly across the three distinct classes of TCMT learners. Infrequent users (class 1) were concerned with learning expenses and learning difficulty; workaholics (class 2) focused on the mode of learning; and pragmatists (class 3) paid more attention to the expected TCMT efficacy and the expected frequency of TCMT use. We recommend targeted strategies to motivate TCMT learning suited to the requirements of each class of TCMT learners. Conclusion: Rather than a single TCMT medical education program for primary health workers, CME programs should be targeted at different classes of TCMT learners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Varistor coupling is recommended by International Telecommunication Union in combination wave test waveforms of surge protective devices (SPD), although the varistor coupling method and recommendation parameters for the combination wave test are not well understood. The waveform influencing characteristics introduced by varistor coupling are studied in detail in this paper. Low‐voltage varistors, with maximum operating voltages ranging from 130 to 750 V, are adopted here in the OrCAD/PSpice environment to analyze the influence of varistor coupling on the output characteristic of the combination wave generator (CWG) in test levels of 0 to 20 kV. Simulation results show that, owing to varistor coupling, the reverse oscillation phenomena will arise in the open‐circuit voltages (OCVs). Also owing to varistor coupling, compared with those generated directly by a CWG, the peak value, the front time, and the tail time for both OCV and short‐circuit current will decrease, whereas the virtual impedance will increase. Moreover, the lower the test level, or the higher the maximum operating voltage of the varistor, the more serious this effect. Experiments have also been conducted here, and our simulation results are found to match the experimental ones well. It seems that, compared with the conventional capacitor coupling, the range of the voltage of power supply networks and the levels of combination wave test by varistor coupling have to be limited to a great extent. Varistor coupling for combination wave test of SPD should be only used in special cases and special test levels where there are no strict waveform limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The parasitic filariae responsible for onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis are host to an endosymbiotic bacterium, Wolbachia, which is essential to the fertility and development of the parasites. We performed a Phase-I pharmacokinetic, safety and food-effect study on single and multiple ascending doses of flubentylosin (ABBV-4083), a macrolide antibacterial with activity against Wolbachia, intended to sterilize and eliminate the parasites. Methods: Seventy-eight healthy adults were exposed to flubentylosin; 36 were exposed to single ascending 40, 100, 200, 400 or 1000 mg doses; 12 received 1000 mg in the food-effect part; and 30 received multiple ascending daily doses of 100 mg for 7 days, 200 mg for 7 or 14 days, or 400 mg for 7 or 14 days. Twenty-two subjects received placebo. Results: Maximum concentrations (Cmax) of flubentylosin were reached after 1–2 hours, with a half-life < 4 hours at doses ≤ 400 mg. Cmax and AUC increased in a more than dose-proportional manner, with similar exposure after multiple dose administration. The most frequently reported adverse events were nausea (8/78, 10%) and headache (6/78, 8%). Two subjects given a single dose of flubentylosin 1000 mg in the food-effect part experienced reversible asymptomatic ALT and AST elevations at Grade 2 or Grade 4, with no elevation in bilirubin, deemed related to study drug. The effect of food on exposure parameters was minimal. No treatment-related serious adverse events were reported. Discussion: Flubentylosin 400 mg for 14 days was the maximum tolerated dose in this first-in-human, Phase-I study in healthy adults. Based on preclinical pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling, flubentylosin 400 mg once daily for 7 or 14 days is expected to be an effective dose. A Phase-II, proof-of-concept study with flubentylosin using these regimens is currently ongoing in patients with onchocerciasis in Africa. Author summary: Onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis are neglected tropical diseases caused by parasitic filarial nematodes. Current efforts to eliminate these diseases are hindered by a lack of drugs that permanently sterilize and/or kill the adult worms. Antibacterials, including doxycycline, have been shown to deplete Wolbachia, an endosymbiotic bacterium essential to the fertility and development of the adult worms, leading to their permanent sterilization and death. However, doxycycline is contraindicated in women of child-bearing age, breastfeeding women, and children, and must be given for 4–6 weeks to be effective. There is a need for agents with fewer contraindications and a shorter treatment regimen. Flubentylosin is an antibacterial with demonstrated anti-Wolbachia activity in several animal models of filarial disease. The present first-in-human Phase-I clinical study investigated the safety and pharmacokinetics of flubentylosin in healthy male and female subjects after single and multiple ascending doses, as well as the effect of food on the pharmacokinetics of flubentylosin, in order to identify appropriate regimens for Phase-II studies. Treatment regimens with 400 mg flubentylosin for 7 or 14 days were selected for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simulation model composed of an interfering cable and a disturbed cable is established for studying the lightning inductive characteristics between parallel cables. Effects of the horizontal distance between cables (5–40 cm), their height difference (−6–32 cm), as well as the length of disturbed cable (1–100 m) are investigated for the cable induced voltage, which is measured at the resistive load connected between one terminal of the disturbed cable and the ground, when various lightning surge currents (8/20 μs, 5/320 μs, and 0.5 μs/100 kHz) are delivered into the interfering cable. Our findings show that an increase of horizontal distance between cables can give rise to an exponential decrease of the cable induced voltage, and that there exist linear correlations between either the height difference of two cables or the length of disturbed cable and the cable induced voltage, which reaches maximum when the cables are located at the same height and of equal length. Verification experiments for the effect of horizontal distance have also been made, and, in general, they all show a reasonable agreement with the simulations. A detailed theoretical explanation of obtained findings is provided as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the height of wind turbine increases, the lightning strike accident has become a non‐negligible issue. In this paper, the lightning attachment characteristic of a 2‐MW wind turbine generator (WTG) is investigated using a model with a reduced scale of 100. The WTG model is equipped with receptors on the blades and a lightning rod on the nacelle, both serving as its external lightning protection system (LPS). The high‐voltage electrode, which delivers a lightning impulse voltage from a Marx generator, is used to simulate the final stage of downward negative lightning strikes from 29 coming‐leader positions. The experimental results indicate that lightning leaders from either front directions or side directions could be intercepted effectively by LPS, whereas the back‐direction lightning could not. Moreover, with the increase of striking distance, the capture ratio for the insulation part of blade decreases. Electric field intensity distribution simulations for the full‐scale WTG model, using conditions similar to their experimental counterparts, are conducted and compared with the lightning attachment distribution. Based on classical electro‐geometrical model, a simulative method is proposed to predict the lightning attachment distribution of WTG. Our results indicate that it is feasible with this method to produce a satisfactory approximation to the experimentally obtained lightning attachment distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As the main cause of cancer death, lung cancer imposes seriously health and economic burdens on individuals, families, and the health system. In China, there is no national study analyzing the hospitalization expenditures of different payment methods by lung cancer inpatients. Based on the 2010–2016 database of insured urban resident lung cancer inpatients from the China Medical Insurance Research Association (CHIRA), this paper aims to investigate the characteristics and cost of hospitalized lung cancer patient, to examine the differences in hospital expenses and patient out-of-pocket (OOP) expenses under four medical insurance payment methods: fee-for-service (FFS), per-diem payments, capitation payments (CAP) and case-based payments, and to explore the medical insurance payment method that can be conducive to controlling the cost of lung cancer. Method: This is a 2010–2016, 7-year cross-sectional study. CHIRA data are not available to researchers after 2016. The Medical Insurance Database of CHIRA was screened using the international disease classification system to yield 28,200 inpatients diagnosed with lung cancer (ICD-10: C34, C34.0, C34.1, C34.2, C34.3, C34.8, C34.9). The study includes descriptive analysis and regression analysis based on generalized linear models (GLM). Results: The average patient age was 63.4 years and the average length of hospital stay (ALOS) was 14.2 day; 60.7% of patients were from tertiary hospitals; and 45% were insured by FFS. The per-diem payment had the lowest hospital expenses (RMB7496.00/US$1176.87), while CAP had the lowest OOP expenses (RMB1328.18/US$208.52). Compared with FFS hospital expenses, per-diem was 21.3% lower (95% CI = -0.265, -0.215) and case-based payment was 8.4% lower (95% CI = -0.151, -0.024). Compared with the FFS, OOP expenses, per-diem payments were 9.2% lower (95% CI = -0.130, -0.063) and CAP was 15.1% lower (95% CI = -0.151, -0.024). Conclusion: For lung cancer patients, per-diem payment generated the lowest hospital expenses, while CAP meant patients bore the lowest OOP costs. Policy makers are suggested to give priority to case-based payments to achieve a tripartite balance among medical insurers, hospitals, and insured members. We also recommend future studies comparing the disparities of various diseases for the cause of different medical insurance schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Appropriate shielding methods can reduce the lightning induced voltage and current of cables. In this article, different lightning surge currents (8/20 and 5/320 μs) are coupled to the tested multi-core cable with single shielding layer and double shielding layers. The shielding effectiveness (SE) on the lightning surge current is compared for different cable shielding methods. The experimental results show that the cable induced current is effectively reduced when the shielding layer, the shielding spare core wire or the metal tube are grounded at two ends. A better shielding effect for the cable with double shielding layers is achieved by grounding both ends of the outer shielding layer and one end of the inner shielding layer, reducing the induced current to about 5% when the shielding layer is not grounded. Moreover, the SE of the spare core wire, used as the shielding wire in the multi-core cable, is better than that of the external shielding wire of the cable. The SE of the metal tube increases more and more slowly with the increase of the tube coverage percentage. Furthermore, the descending order of the SE of shielding methods involved here are grounding both ends of double shielding layers, grounding both ends of single shielding layer, spare core wire shielding and metal tube shielding. Finally, some engineering recommendations are proposed through the comparison between the shielding methods in this article and relevant works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optical return-stroke speed calculation is vital to analyze the lightning development process. The traditional calculation methods of lightning optical return-stroke speed, including the slope-intercept and percentage-of-peak methods, usually have considerable calculation errors in noise cases. In this article, we generate the simulated optical return-stroke signal within 100 m above the starting point along the lightning channel and use four cross-correlation methods and six traditional methods to calculate the return-stroke speed at different observation points along the channel. We optimize the cross-correlation method and reduce the calculation error to within ±10% by selecting a part of the waveform to participate in the cross-correlation operation and performing the exponential operation on the frequency-domain cross-correlation sequence. The calculation results of the quadratic-correlation method and two optimized cross-correlation methods do not change significantly at different observation points along the channel. Different channel-base waveforms affect the return-stroke speed variation trend. The smaller the dispersion factor λp is, the more pronounced the variation of the calculation result is, and the greater the calculation error is. The optical waveform with generated Gaussian noise will significantly affect the traditional calculation method. In contrast, the cross-correlation calculation method with noise has only a tiny calculation error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has long been widely adopted by the Chinese people and has been covered by China's basic medical insurance schemes to treat ischemic stroke. Previous research has mainly highlighted the therapy effect of TCM on ischemic stroke patients. Some studies have demonstrated that employing TCM can reduce the medical burden on other diseases. But no research has explored whether using TCM could reduce inpatient medical cost for ischemic stroke in mainland China. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the use of TCM on the total inpatient cost of ischemic stroke and to explore whether TCM has played the role of being complementary to, or an alternative for, conventional medicine to treat ischemic stroke. Methods. We conducted a national cross-sectional analysis based on a 5% random sample from claims data of China Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) and Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) schemes in 2015. Mann–Whitney test was used to compare unadjusted total inpatient cost, conventional medication cost, and nonpharmacy cost estimates. Ordinary least square regression analysis was performed to compare demographics-adjusted total inpatient cost and to examine the association between TCM cost and conventional medication cost. Results. A total of 47321 urban inpatients diagnosed with ischemic stroke were identified in our study, with 92.6% (43843) of the patients using TCM in their inpatient treatment. Total inpatient cost for TCM users was significantly higher than TCM nonusers (USD 1217 versus USD 1036, P < 0.001). Conventional medication cost was significantly lower for TCM users (USD 335 versus USD 436, P < 0.001). The average cost of TCM per patient among TCM users was USD 289. Among TCM users, conventional medication costs were found to be positively associated with TCM cost after adjusting for confounding factors (Coef. = 0.144, P < 0.001). Conclusion. Although the use of TCM reduced the cost of conventional medicine compared with TCM nonusers, TCM imposed an extra financial component on the total inpatient cost on TCM users. Our study suggests that TCM mainly played a complementary role to conventional medicine in ischemic stroke treatment in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) is a prevalent type of digestion system malignancies. Dysregulation of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has been proven to be prognostic factors and biological regulators in human cancers. Aims: The current study aimed to explore the role of long intergenic non-protein coding RNA 1436 (LINC01436) and its underlying mechanism in the progression of GC. Methods: RT-qPCR was conducted to measure RNA expression. Western blot was used for exploration of protein level. CCK-8, caspase-3 activity, and transwell assays were applied to evaluate the proliferative, apoptotic, and migratory abilities of GC cells, respectively. Mechanical experiments were used to probe the molecular interplay between genes. Results: High LINC01436 level suggested low overall survival in GC patients, and LINC01436 was highly expressed in GC tissues and cells. Besides, LINC01436 knockdown hampered cell proliferation and migration, while facilitated cell apoptosis. Mechanistically, LINC01436 upregulated mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) expression by competitively binding with miR-585-3p and inhibiting miR-585-3p expression. Furthermore, LINC01436 negatively regulated miR-585-3p expression by enhancing the zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2)-induced trimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27me3) on miR-585-3p promoter. Final rescue assays revealed that overexpression of MAPK1 could rescue the suppressive influence of LINC01436 depletion on GC progression. Conclusions: LINC01436 epigenetically silences miR-585-3p and acts as miR-585-3p to upregulate MAPK1 expression and promote GC progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fixed‐dose combination of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir is approved for treatment of chronic infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes 1‐6. Three phase 1 open‐label studies were conducted in healthy volunteers to evaluate the potential for clinically relevant drug‐drug interactions of the glecaprevir 300‐mg and pibrentasvir 120‐mg combination with the immunosuppressants tacrolimus (1 mg) or cyclosporine (100 and 400 mg). Glecaprevir and pibrentasvir exposure was unaffected by tacrolimus, whereas the tacrolimus area under the curve (AUC) value was 45% higher with glecaprevir and pibrentasvir. Cyclosporine 100 mg had a limited effect on glecaprevir or pibrentasvir exposure (≤37% AUC increase), but cyclosporine 400 mg increased exposure of both glecaprevir and pibrentasvir (410% and 93% AUC increase, respectively). Cyclosporine concentration was unaffected by glecaprevir and pibrentasvir at either cyclosporine dose (≤14% AUC change). Adverse events were all grade 1 (mild), with the most common nausea and flushing attributed to cyclosporine. Findings from these studies supported evaluation of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir in HCV‐infected kidney and liver transplant recipients receiving tacrolimus without additional dose adjustment or receiving cyclosporine up to 100 mg per day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Purpose: The 3 direct-acting antiviral (3D) regimen of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir plus dasabuvir has recently been approved in several Asian geographic regions for the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype (GT) 1 infection. The pharmacokinetics of the components of the 3D regimen with or without ribavirin were evaluated in healthy Chinese subjects and HCV GT1b-infected Chinese, South Korean, and Taiwanese patients, with or without cirrhosis, to determine how the drug exposures in Asian populations compare with historical data in Western populations.Methods: Participants received ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir 25/150/100 mg once daily plus dasabuvir 250 mg twice daily for 14 days (healthy subjects, n = 36) or 12 weeks (HCV patients, n = 754). Patients with compensated cirrhosis also received ribavirin 1000 or 1200 mg divided twice daily, per the local label. Intensive or sparse pharmacokinetic sampling was performed for assessments of plasma drug concentrations.Results: The exposures [maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC)] of the components of the 3D regimen were comparable (< 20% difference) in healthy Chinese subjects residing in China or the United States. In addition, the trough plasma concentrations (Ctrough) in HCV GT1b-infected Asian patients were either similar to (ombitasvir) or within 75% of (paritaprevir and dasabuvir) those in Western patients without cirrhosis, or similar to (ombitasvir and paritaprevir) or within 100% of (dasabuvir) those in Western patients with cirrhosis, with widely overlapping ranges of individual values. Generally comparable drug exposures were observed among Chinese, South Korean, and Taiwanese ethnicities for noncirrhotic and cirrhotic patients.Conclusion: Collectively, the results of these pharmacokinetic analyses support the use of the same dose of the 3D regimen for Asian and Western patients.Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT02534870, NCT02517515, NCT02517528. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Glecaprevir and pibrentasvir are pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral agents for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the drug–drug interaction and safety of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir coadministration in healthy volunteers.Methods: In this open-label, randomized, multiple-dose, Phase 1 study in 72 subjects, glecaprevir (100–1200 mg once daily) and pibrentasvir (40–200 mg once daily) were administered alone for 7 days and then in combination for another 7 days. Intensive blood sampling was performed on Days 1, 7, 8, and 14, and pharmacokinetic interactions were assessed using a repeated measures analysis of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve (AUC).Results: Coadministration of glecaprevir 400 mg increased pibrentasvir 120 and 40 mg steady-state Cmax and AUC values to 2.9–6.3-fold, and coadministration of glecaprevir 700 mg increased pibrentasvir 160 mg steady-state Cmax and AUC24 values to up to sevenfold of the values when pibrentasvir was administered alone. Glecaprevir Cmax and AUC values during coadministration were less than 1.5-fold of the values when glecaprevir was administered alone. The combination of glecaprevir and pibrentasvir at doses up to 400 mg was well tolerated by the healthy subjects in this study. High glecaprevir exposures at 700 and 1200 mg were associated with grade 2/3 elevations in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and/or bilirubin.Conclusions: Coadministration of pibrentasvir 120 mg with glecaprevir doses up to 400 mg resulted in increases in pibrentasvir exposures without significant changes in glecaprevir exposures in the absence of any clinically significant laboratory abnormalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, nonspecific, inflammatory disease for which an effective treatment is lacking. Our previous study found that Qingchang Wenzhong Decoction (QCWZD) can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of UC and ameliorate dextran sulphate sodium- (DSS-) induced ulcerative colitis in rats by downregulating the IP10/CXCR3 axis–mediated inflammatory response. The purpose of the present study was to further explore the mechanism of QCWZD for UC in rats models, which were established by 7-day administration of 4.5% dextran sulphate sodium solution. QCWZD was administered daily for 7 days; then we determined the serum macrophage-stimulating protein concentration (MSP) and recepteur d’origine nantais (RON) expression and its downstream proteins (protein kinase B [Akt], phosphorylated [p] Akt, occludin, zona occluden- [ZO-] 1, and claudin-2) in colon tissue using Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In DSS-induced UC, QCWZD significantly alleviated colitis-associated inflammation, upregulated serum MSP expression and RON expression in the colon, reduced the pAkt levels, promoted colonic occluding and ZO-1 expression, and depressed claudin-2 expression. In conclusion, the MSP/RON signalling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of UC by involving the inflammatory response and improving intestinal barrier function. QCWZD appears to attenuate DSS-induced UC in rats by upregulating the MSP/RON signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between depressive symptoms and diabetes self-care in African American and Hispanic/Latino patients with type 2 diabetes and whether the association, if any, is mediated by diabetes-related self-efficacy. Methods The sample included self-report baseline data of African American and Hispanic/Latino patients with type 2 diabetes who were aged ≥18 years and enrolled in a diabetes self-management intervention study. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. The Summary of Diabetes Self-care Activities measured engagement in healthy eating, physical activity, blood glucose checking, foot care, and smoking. The Diabetes Empowerment Scale–Short Form assessed diabetes-related psychosocial self-efficacy. Indirect effects were examined with the Baron and Kenny regression technique and Sobel testing. Results Sample characteristics (n = 250) were as follows: mean age of 53 years, 68% women, 54% African American, and 74% with income <$20 000. Depressive symptoms showed a significant inverse association with the self-care domains of general diet, specific diet, physical activity, and glucose monitoring in the African American group. In Hispanics/Latinos, depression was inversely associated with specific diet. Self-efficacy served a significant mediational role in the relation between depression and foot care among African Americans. Conclusions Self-efficacy mediated the relationship between depression and foot care in the African American group but was not found to be a mediator of any self-care areas within the Hispanic/Latino group. In clinical practice, alleviation of depressive symptoms may improve self-care behavior adherence. Diabetes education may consider inclusion of components to build self-efficacy related to diabetes self-care, especially among African American patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confusions between drug names that look and sound alike are common, costly, harmful, and difficult to prevent. One prevention strategy is to screen proposed new drug names for confusability before approving them. Widespread acceptance of preapproval tests of confusability is compromised by the lack of experimental designs and statistical methods to support valid inferences about whether a proposed new name is unacceptably confusing. One way of identifying confusing names is to conduct memory and perception experiments on a set of drug names which would include both the new name and a set of control names (e.g., names already on the market). The experiment would yield an observed error rate for every name. Inferences about the acceptability of the new name can be made by comparing the error rate of the new name to the distribution of error rates of the control names. We describe four memory and perception experiments on drug names, carried out using clinicians as participants. Each experiment included drug names designated as test and control names. We demonstrate how to use a combination of logistic regression, Poisson prediction limits, and highly assured credible intervals to identify and apply a threshold for identifying unacceptably confusing names. Our models show an excellent fit to the data. These experimental designs and analytic methods should be useful in the preapproval testing of proposed new drug names and in similar regulatory scenarios where it is necessary to draw inferences about the comparative safety or effectiveness of new vs. old products. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background Recent studies suggest that protracted and excessive alcohol use induces an epigenetic dysregulation in human and rodent brains. We recently reported that DNA methylation dynamics are altered in brains of psychotic ( PS) patients, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder patients. Because PS patients are often comorbid with chronic alcohol abuse, we examined whether the altered expression of multiple members of the DNA methylation/demethylation network observed in postmortem brains of PS patients was modified in PS patients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse. Methods DNA-methyltransferase-1 ( DNMT1) m RNA-positive neurons were counted in situ in prefrontal cortex samples obtained from the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center, Belmont, MA. 10-11-translocation ( TETs 1, 2, 3), apolipoprotein B editing complex enzyme ( APOBEC-3 C), growth and DNA-damage-inducible protein 45β ( GADD45β), and methyl-binding domain protein-4 ( MBD4) m RNAs were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in inferior parietal cortical lobule samples obtained from the Stanley Foundation Neuropathology Consortium, Bethesda, MD. Results We observed an increase in DNMT1 m RNA-positive neurons in PS patients compared with non-PS subjects. In addition, there was a pronounced decrease in APOBEC-3 C and a pronounced increase in GADD45β and TET1 m RNAs in PS patients with no history of alcohol abuse. In PS patients with a history of chronic alcohol abuse, the numbers of DNMT1-positive neurons were not increased significantly. Furthermore, the decrease in APOBEC-3C m RNA was less pronounced, while the increase in TET1 m RNA had a tendency to be potentiated in those PS patients that were chronic alcohol abusers. GADD45β and MBD4 m RNAs were not influenced by alcohol abuse. The effect of chronic alcohol abuse on DNA methylation/demethylation network enzymes cannot be attributed to confounding demographic variables or to the type and dose of medication used. Conclusions Based on these results, we hypothesize that PS patients may abuse alcohol as a potential attempt at self-medication to normalize altered DNA methylation/demethylation network pathways. However, before accepting this conclusion, we need to study alterations in the DNA methylation/demethylation pathways and the DNA methylation dynamics in a substantial number of alcoholic PS and non- PS patients. Additional investigation may also be necessary to determine whether the altered DNA methylation dynamics are direct or the consequence of an indirect interaction of alcohol with the neuropathogenetic mechanisms underlying psychosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stormwater management is a key issue in line with global problems of urbanization and climate change. Assessing the effectiveness in managing stormwater is crucial to maintain urban resilience to flooding risk. A method based on a stormwater management model (SWMM) was developed for assessing the control of stormwater runoff volume and the percentage removal of suspended solids by implementing a Sponge City strategy. An interdisciplinary approach was adopted incorporating Low Impact Development (LID) with urban green infrastructure and grey infrastructure paradigms in a typical old residential community in Suzhou, China. Sponge facilities for reducing stormwater runoff included bio-retention cells, permeable pavements, grassed pitches, and stormwater gardens. The simulation results of SWMM show that the stormwater pipe system can meet the management standard for storms with a five-year recurrence interval. The volume capture ratio of annual runoff was 91%, which is higher than control target of 80%. The suspended solids reduction rate was 56%, which meets the requirement of planning indicators. Thus, the proposed method of spongy facilities can be used for renovation planning in old residential areas in China. Implementing spongy facilities with a LID strategy for stormwater management can significantly enhance urban water resilience and improve ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]