Search

Tingyao Zhao,1,* Xinting Wang,2,* Qian Liu,2 Tianshu Yang,1 Huiyan Qu,1 Hua Zhou2 1Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China; 2Institute of Cardiovascular Disease of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Hua Zhou; Huiyan Qu, Shuguang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, No. 528, Zhangheng Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai, 201203, People’s Republic of China, Email zhouhua@shutcm.edu.cn; 1520043084@qq.comAbstract: Purpose: This study aimed to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms by which GSRd improves cardiac inflammation and immune environment after MI.Materials and Methods: The potential target genes of GSRd were predicted using the STITCH database. In vivo, MI mice models were established by left anterior descending ligation and were divided into the sham group, MI + Vehicle group, and MI + GSRd group. DMSO, DMSO, and GSRd 50 μL/day were intraperitoneally injected, respectively. After 28 days, echocardiography, Masson staining, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, RT-PCR, and Western blot were performed. Mice peritoneal macrophages were extracted in vitro, and Western blot was performed after GSRd and/or Akt inhibitor MK2206 intervention.Results: GSRd significantly improved mouse myocardial function, attenuated cardiac fibrosis, and inhibited inflammation and apoptosis in myocardial tissues after myocardial infarction. Meanwhile, GSRd increased non-classical Ly6Clow Mos/Mps while reduced of classical Ly6Chigh Mos/Mps at the same time in myocardial tissues. In addition, GSRd significantly reversed the activity of p-Akt and p-mTOR in the heart Mos/Mps after MI. In vitro studies showed that the activity of p-Akt and p-mTOR in peritoneal macrophages were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner after GSRd treatment. Furthermore, the AKT inhibitor MK2206 was found to block the enhanced activity of p-Akt and p-mTOR induced by GSRd in peritoneal macrophages.Conclusion: GSRd can enhance the transformation of Ly6Chigh Mos/Mps to Ly6Clow Mos/Mps in mice after MI by activating the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, inhibiting cardiac dysfunction and promoting cardiac repair.Keywords: myocardial infarction, ginsenoside rd, monocytes/macrophages, Akt/mTOR

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore factors correlated with police cadets' perceived commitment to the police profession – whether or not personal attitudes and demographic characteristics can make a difference.Design/methodology/approachThe study used two-year longitudinal data collected from a population of 207 Chinese police cadets. Survey research based on pre-designed instruments was employed to collect the data.FindingsThe results from panel data analysis found that personal interest in adolescence and attitudes toward styles of policing were significant predictors. Specifically, attitudes toward community policing were positively related to the cadets' commitment to the police profession.Originality/valuePolice occupational commitment is essential since the commitment is closely linked to voluntary retention and organizational effectiveness. However, limited empirical research has been available regarding the factors associated with officers' identification and commitment to the occupation. This study provides insight into police officer training and recruitment and offers suggestions for future research.

Objective To screen cuproptosis-relatedlncRNAs and establish a prognostic model of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods Perl and R languages were used to collate the HCC transcriptome and clinical data downloaded from the TCGA database. Cuproptosis-related lncRNAs were obtained through co-expression analysis, and the total samples were randomly divided into the Train group and the Test group. Univariate Cox regression analysis, LASSO regression and multivariate Cox analysis were used to analyze the data of Train group to establish the prognostic model of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs. The accuracy of the model was verified by principal component analysis (PCA), ROC curve, and independent prognostic analysis. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, tumor mutation burden correlation analysis, immunocorrelation analysis and drug sensitivity analysis were conducted in depth. Results Co-expression analysis showed 258 cuproptosis-related lncRNAs, univariate Cox regression analysis showed 31 lncRNAs were correlated with HCC prognosis, and multivariate Cox analysis showed 5 lncRNAs involved in model construction. They are LINC00426, AL590705.3, SPRY4-AS1, AL031985.3, and AC002091.2. Validation analysis showed that the survival of patients in the low-risk group was significantly better than that in the high-risk group, and the model could be used as an independent prognostic factor for HCC. Immunocorrelation analysis showed that patients in the high and low-risk groups significantly differed in immune-related functions and immune-related therapy, which was consistent with the GO and KEGG enrichment analysis results. Tumor mutation burden correlation and drug sensitivity analysis can further guide the diagnosis and treatment of HCC patients. Conclusion The HCC prognostic model constructed by 5 cuproptosis-related lncRNAs has high accuracy and has a certain reference value for clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC patients.

The occurrence and removal of 25 antibiotics, including ten quinolones (QNs), four macrolides (MLs), four tetracyclines (TCs) and seven sulfonamides (SNs), were analysed at two sewage treatment plants (STPs) with different treatment units in Guangxi Province, China. The results showed that 14 and 16 antibiotics were detected in the influent of the two STPs, with concentrations ranging from 13.7–4265.2 ng/L and 14.5–10761.7 ng/L, respectively. Among the antibiotics, TCs were the main type in the study area, accounting for more than 79% of the total concentration of all antibiotics. The antibiotic removal efficiencies of the different process units ranged from −56.73% to 100.0%. It was found that the SN removal efficiency of the multistage composite mobile bed membrane bioreactor (MBBR) process was better than that of the continuous-flow Intermission biological reactor (IBR) process, while the IBR process was better than the MBBR process in terms of removing TCs and MLs; however, there was no obvious difference in the QN removal efficiencies of these two processes. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed a strong correlation between antibiotic concentration and chemical oxygen demand (COD). Risk assessments indicated that algae, followed by invertebrates and fish, were the most sensitive aquatic organisms to the detected antibiotics.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common primary liver cancer associated with a poor prognosis. ICC accounts for about 10% of primary liver malignancies but with increasing incidence in recent years. Recently, some studies suggested that minimally interventional therapy can be used in the treatment of ICC. However, there are few references on interventional therapy for the clinical treatment of ICC. Herein we reported a case of a 48-year-old man who suffered from ICC. The patient was diagnosed with ICC by computerized tomography scan and pathological biopsy. The patient was completely cured by minimally interventional therapy with iodine-125 seed implantation. These results provide an important reference for the treatment option of ICC.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death and disability worldwide. The CVDs are accompanied by inflammatory progression, resulting in innate and adaptive immune responses. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) have an immunosuppressive function and are one of the subsets of CD4+T cells that play a crucial role in inflammatory diseases. Whether using Tregs as a biomarker for CVDs or targeting Tregs to exert cardioprotective functions by regulating immune balance, suppressing inflammation, suppressing cardiac and vascular remodeling, mediating immune tolerance, and promoting cardiac regeneration in the treatment of CVDs has become an emerging research focus. However, Tregs have plasticity, and this plastic Tregs lose immunosuppressive function and produce toxic effects on target organs in some diseases. This review aims to provide an overview of Tregs’ role and related mechanisms in CVDs, and reports on the research of plasticity Tregs in CVDs, to lay a foundation for further studies targeting Tregs in the prevention and treatment of CVDs.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a severe ischemic disease with high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Maladaptive cardiac remodeling is a series of abnormalities in cardiac structure and function that occurs following myocardial infarction (MI). The pathophysiology of this process can be separated into two distinct phases: the initial inflammatory response, and the subsequent longer-term scar revision that includes the regression of inflammation, neovascularization, and fibrotic scar formation. Extracellular vesicles are nano-sized lipid bilayer vesicles released into the extracellular environment by eukaryotic cells, containing bioinformatic transmitters which are essential mediators of intercellular communication. EVs of different cellular origins play an essential role in cardiac remodeling after myocardial infarction. In this review, we first introduce the pathophysiology of post-infarction cardiac remodeling, as well as the biogenesis, classification, delivery, and functions of EVs. Then, we explore the dual role of these small molecule transmitters delivered by EVs in post-infarction cardiac remodeling, including the double-edged sword of pro-and anti-inflammation, and pro-and anti-fibrosis, which is significant for post-infarction cardiac repair. Finally, we discuss the pharmacological and engineered targeting of EVs for promoting heart repair after MI, thus revealing the potential value of targeted modulation of EVs and its use as a drug delivery vehicle in the therapeutic process of post-infarction cardiac remodeling.

Objective: The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between extracurricular activities, stress, and suicidal ideation and to examine the mediating effect of stress between extracurricular activities and suicidal ideation in Chinese college students. Method: A total of 6446 college students were surveyed with a web-based online data collection system using the self-made demographic questionnaire, Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire—Revised (SBQ-R), and the 21-Item Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21). SPSS 24.0 was used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, and the bootstrap method in the process procedure for SPSS Version 3.4.1 was used to construct the mediating effect model. Results: Gender, school grades, living area, and family income status were influencing factors for suicidal ideation, stress, and extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities were negatively correlated with stress (r = −0.083, p < 0.001) and suicidal ideation (r = −0.039, p < 0.01). Extracurricular activities had no direct predictive effect on college students’ suicidal ideation (c = −0.198, CI: −0.418, 0.023), while stress had a mediating effect between extracurricular activities and suicidal ideation; the indirect mediating effect was 0.159. Conclusions: Extracurricular activities indirectly predict college students’ suicidal ideation through stress. A variety of extracurricular activities can decrease the stress and suicidal ideation of college students and benefit their mental health.

Proton exchange membrane fuel cells are limited because they are limited to working temperatures and are susceptible to damage by dramatic electrochemical environments such as hydrogen peroxide/radicals. It is necessary to develop new proton-conducting materials that are water-stable and can operate at high temperatures. The hourglass reduced molybdophosphate-based compound (H2bimb)3[Zn3(H6P4Mo6O31)2] (bimb = 1,4-bis[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]benzene) was designed and synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses demonstrated noticeably that CUST-571 was composed of an hourglass {Zn[P4Mo6]2} structure, which consisted of two fully reduced half-units {P4Mo6}. It was found that CUST-571 possessed an excellent proton conductivity of 4.54 × 10-3 S cm-1 at 85 °C and 98% RH (relative humidity). In addition, CUST-571 is capable of an excellent catalytic decomposition of H2O2, which is beneficial to increase the life of fuel cells. On the basis of the aforementioned results, CUST-571 may be a promising proton-conducting polyoxometalate hybrid material in the future.

Disclosure of HIV status offers potential benefits to individuals and is also good for public health. Limited studies have been conducted to gain insight into the current situation and associated factors of HIV disclosure among HIV-positive Chinese men who have sex with men (MSM) in the era of "treat all." We carried out a cross-sectional study among MSM receiving antiretroviral therapy from October 2020 to January 2021 at a hospital in Jinan, China. We used univariate and multivariable logistic regression to examine the factors associated with general disclosure and disclosure to family, friends, and sexual partners. Of the 585 participants recruited, 62.2% reported HIV disclosure, among which 25.3% had disclosed their status to family members, 25.3% had disclosed it to friends, and 28.4% had disclosed it to partners. The findings suggest that HIV disclosure is more likely to occur among individuals who are younger, married/cohabiting, and who self-identify as homosexual/bisexual. Participants with higher education levels or personal monthly incomes are less likely to disclose their HIV status. Furthermore, related factors of disclosure vary across the types of disclosure targets. Given the positive outcomes of disclosure, interventions and implementation research to facilitate it are urgently needed for MSM.

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is beneficial for several gastrointestinal diseases because it alters the intestinal microbiota of recipients. The efficacy of FMT is related to the microbial structure and composition of the donor. Mild moxibustion is a non-invasive and safe traditional Chinese therapy that can regulate the gut microbiota. In this study, we investigated whether moxibustion improved the efficacy of FMT in donors using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. Normal mice were treated with mild moxibustion at acupoints ST25 and ST36 for 7 days. DSS (2%) was administered for 7 days to induce colitis. FMT was performed on Day 8 and lasted for 7 days. The effect of FMT on mice with DSS was observed on Day 21. Using hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunofluorescence, we analyzed the pathology and cell proliferation after FMT in DSS mice. In addition, using 16 S rDNA sequencing analysis, we investigated the gut microbiota of mice. The results indicated that moxibustion altered the colonic microbial community and increased the relative abundance of specific bacteria without changes in morphology and physiological function in normal mice. FMT using donors with moxibustion reduced body weight loss, inflammation, abnormal microbial community structure, and the relative abundance of some bacteria. These results provide potential strategies for the safe and targeted improvement of FMT donors.粪菌移植(Fecal Microbiota Transplantation, FMT)通过直接改变肠道菌群结构对消化系统疾病发挥治疗作用。研究显示, 粪菌移植疗效与供体肠道菌群结构有关。温和灸是一种无创、安全的传统中医疗法, 能够调节肠道菌群结构。本实验通过分析艾灸对正常小鼠的影响, 以及由其产生的供体菌群对葡聚糖硫酸钠(Dextran Sulfate Sodium, DSS)诱导的实验性溃疡性结肠炎小鼠的影响, 研究艾灸是否能够改善供体粪菌移植的疗效。实验每日于正常小鼠双侧“天枢”(ST25)、“足三里”(ST36)穴进行温和灸, 为期7天。选择2% DSS自由饮用7天以造模实验性溃疡性结肠炎, 第8天开始为期7天的粪菌移植, 随后于第21天取材以观察粪菌移植对DSS小鼠的影响。使用苏木精和伊红染色法观察小鼠结肠组织病理学改变, 评估远端结肠中肥大隐窝的数量；使用免疫荧光染色法评估局部炎症反应和增殖表达；使用16S rDNA菌群测序法评估各组小鼠结肠菌群群落结构。实验结果显示, 艾灸“天枢”, “足三里”未改变正常小鼠基本生理表现, 但显著增加了小鼠结肠部分细菌的相对丰度；艾灸供体的菌群移植改善了DSS小鼠的体重下降、炎症、异常的菌群结构和部分细菌的相对丰度。这些结果为安全和有针对性地改善粪菌移植供体提供了潜在的策略。.

The lysosomal thiol reductase GILT catalyzes the reduction of disulfide bonds of protein antigens, facilitating antigen-presenting cells (APCs) to present antigen to T cells. However, whether GILT expression in tumor cells can be associated with improved T cell-mediated anti-tumor responses remains unknown. Here, we identify that GILT is able to facilitate anti-tumor immune surveillance via promoting MHC class I mediated-antigen presentation in colon carcinoma. By using mice model bearing colon tumors, we find that GILT inhibites tumor growth in vivo with more leucocytes infiltration but has no effect on tumor cell development in vitro in terms of proliferation, cell cycle and migration. Furthermore, by using transgenic OT-I mice, we recognize the tumor-expressing OVA peptide, a surrogate tumor antigen, we find that GILT is capable of enhancing MHC class I mediated antigen presentation and improving specific CD8+ T cell anti-tumor responses in murine colon carcinoma. These findings propose the boost of GILT-MHC-I axis in tumors as a viable option for immune system against cancer.

Prison victimization constitutes a serious problem for organizations and individuals. It disrupts order in an institutional environment, and the experience of victimization can have a long-lasting psychological effect on incarcerated population, particularly juveniles. Relevant research suggests that the deprivation model and the importation model can help explain the occurrence of prison victimization. Using longitudinal data collected from a youth custodial facility in China, the current study examines factors that are believed to be predictors of prison victimization. Negative binomial regression, a commonly used tool for the analysis of prison victimization research using count data, is employed in the current study. The findings suggest that prior victimization experiences, reported record of violent delinquency, prison visitation, and demographics have significant impacts on in-prison victimization. The public policy implications of the findings are discussed at the end of the study.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is one of the most abundant internal modifications of mRNA, which plays important roles in gene expression regulation, and plant growth and development. Vir-like m6A methyltransferase associated (VIRMA) serves as a scaffold for bridging the catalytic core components of the m6A methyltransferase complex. The role of VIRMA in regulating leaf development and its related mechanisms have not been reported. Here, we identified and characterized two upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) VIRMA genes, named as GhVIR-A and GhVIR-D, which share 98.5% identity with each other. GhVIR-A and GhVIR-D were ubiquitously expressed in different tissues and relatively higher expressed in leaves and main stem apexes (MSA). Knocking down the expression of GhVIR genes by the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) system influences leaf cell size, cell shape, and total cell numbers, thereby determining cotton leaf morphogenesis. The dot-blot assay and colorimetric experiment showed the ratio of m6A to A in mRNA is lower in leaves of GhVIR-VIGS plants compared with control plants. Messenger RNA (mRNA) high-throughput sequencing (RNA-seq) and a qRT-PCR experiment showed that GhVIRs regulate leaf development through influencing expression of some transcription factor genes, tubulin genes, and chloroplast genes including photosystem, carbon fixation, and ribosome assembly. Chloroplast structure, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic efficiency were changed and unsuitable for leaf growth and development in GhVIR-VIGS plants compared with control plants. Taken together, our results demonstrate GhVIRs function in cotton leaf development by chloroplast dependent and independent pathways.

N6-methyladenosine (m

To improve the adsorption capacities of ferroferric oxide (Fe3O4) for heavy metals, cerium/ferroferric oxide composites (Ce/Fe3O4) were prepared by a chemical coprecipitation method, and the adsorption capacity of chromium (Cr) from solution by Ce/Fe3O4 was studied. According to the TEM and SEM–EDS results, Ce was successfully doped on Fe3O4, the morphology of Ce/Fe3O4 was irregular and glossy, there were no obvious pores, and distinct boundaries were apparent. According to the XRD results, Ce/Fe3O showed high crystallinity. The crystal grain size of Ce/Fe3O4 was 27.9 nm. The results showed that Ce could increase the crystallinity and crystal size of Fe3O4. The results of batch adsorption experiments, including pH dependence, coexisting ion interference, adsorption kinetics and isotherms, showed that acidic conditions are more favorable than alkaline conditions for Ce/Fe3O4 to adsorb and remove Cr(VI). However, under acidic conditions, Cr(VI) exists in the form of HCrO4−, and Cl−, NO3− and SO42− existing in the solution compete with HCrO4− for adsorption. The adsorption process is mainly physical adsorption, and it can occur spontaneously.

Aim The objective of this analysis was to characterize the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of fevipiprant in asthma patients and to evaluate the effect of baseline covariates on the PK of fevipiprant. Methods PK data from 1281 healthy subjects or asthma patients were available after single or once daily dosing of fevipiprant. Population PK analysis was conducted to describe fevipiprant plasma concentration data using a non-linear mixed effect modeling approach. Results Fevipiprant PK was described by a two-compartment model with first-order absorption and first-order elimination. Exploration of fevipiprant PK in the population from the phase III studies revealed an over-dispersed and skewed distribution. This unusual distribution was described using Tukey’s g-and-h distribution (TGH) on the between-subject variability of apparent clearance (CL/F). The model identified a significant impact of disease status on CL/F, with the value in healthy subjects being 62% higher than that in asthma patients. Bodyweight, age and renal function showed statistically significant impact on fevipiprant clearance; however, compared with a typical asthma patient, the simulated difference in steady-state exposure was at most 16%. Conclusion Fevipiprant PK was described by a two-compartment model with first-order absorption and first-order elimination. The TGH distribution was appropriate to describe the over-dispersed and skewed PK data as observed in the current studies. Asthma patients had approximately 37% higher exposure than healthy subjects did. Other covariates changed exposure by at most 16%.

Although our previous research shows an ameliorated high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance in global SND1 transgenic mice, the involvement of SND1 loss-of-function in hepatic metabolism remains elusive. Herein, we aim to explore the potential impact of hepatocyte-specific SND1 deletion on insulin-resistant mice. As SND1 is reported to be linked to inflammatory response, the pathobiological feature of acute liver failure (ALF) is also investigated. Hence, we construct the conditional liver knockout (LKO) mice of SND1 for the first time. Under the condition of HFD, the absence of hepatic SND1 affects the weight of white adipose tissue, but not the gross morphology, body weight, cholesterol level, liver weight, and hepatic steatosis of mice. Furthermore, we fail to observe significant differences in either HFD-induced insulin resistance or lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine-induced (LPS/D-GaIN) ALF between LKO and wild type (WT) mice in terms of inflammation and tissue damage. Compared with negative controls, there is no differential SND1 expression in various species of sample with insulin resistance or ALF, based on several gene expression omnibus datasets, including GSE23343, GSE160646, GSE120243, GSE48794, GSE13271, GSE151268, GSE62026, GSE120652, and GSE38941. Enrichment result of SND1-binding partners or related genes indicates a sequence of issues related to RNA or lipid metabolism, but not glucose homeostasis or hepatic failure. Overall, hepatic SND1 is insufficient to alter the phenotypes of hepatic insulin resistance and acute liver failure in mice. The SND1 in various organs is likely to cooperate in regulating glucose homeostasis by affecting the expression of lipid metabolism-related RNA transcripts during stress., Graphical Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the effect and duration of supervised field training on police cadets' worldview of police work in China.Design/methodology/approachThe four-wave longitudinal data were collected from graduate students who were pursuing their master's degree in a national Chinese police university from 2016 to 2018. Independent variables including demographic characteristics and knowledge along with experience gained from the internship were used to explain police cadets' attitudes toward police work. Ordinary least square (OLS) regression models were used in the current study.FindingsFindings derived from multiple regression analyses suggest that police cadets' attitudes toward police work are conducive to the “shock” of the real-world experience after three-month field training. However, the effect of the field training on police cadets' attitudes toward police work is temporary, not enduring.Research limitations/implicationsThe data for this study were collected from one national police university, and the findings reported here may not be generalized.Practical implicationsPolice field training is important for cadets to develop positive view of police work. It provides practical knowledge for police training and socializes cadets before entering into the law enforcement filed, avoiding the financial cost of resignation. However, the influence of field training is temporal. Hence, it is more appropriate for police administrators to arrange police cadets' field training close to their graduation date, the third year of their college education.Originality/valueThis study can be considered as an extension of relevant research on law-enforcement-related field training reported in the United States. However, it goes beyond the existing literature by using longitudinal data to answer a long-overdue question: Does supervised field training change the worldview of cadets concerning police work?

Rational choice theory (RCT) is a classical theory in criminology, with deep roots in the Enlightenment. It has secured a privileged place as a mainstream criminological theory in the United States. Ironically, RCT has not been applied to research on juvenile delinquency and related decision making in China. This study attempts to test the relative utility of RCT among adjudicated juvenile offenders incarcerated in an institution located in a southwestern province of China based on their responses to two hypothetical scenarios of offending. The results of the Tobit model analyses emerged from the two-wave longitudinal data lent strong support to the view that RCT can indeed serve as an important theory for explaining delinquent behaviors in China. More specifically, juvenile offenders used cost-benefit analysis to decide if they want to be involved either in the stealing scenario or in the fighting scenario. A discussion of findings and public policy implications are highlighted at the end of the paper

A major objective of plant ecology research is to determine the underlying processes responsible for the observed spatial distribution patterns of plant species. Plants can be approximated as points in space for this purpose, and thus, spatial point pattern analysis has become increasingly popular in ecological research. The basic piece of data for point pattern analysis is a point location of an ecological object in some study region. Therefore, point pattern analysis can only be performed if data can be collected. However, due to the lack of a convenient sampling method, a few previous studies have used point pattern analysis to examine the spatial patterns of grassland species. This is unfortunate because being able to explore point patterns in grassland systems has widespread implications for population dynamics, community‐level patterns, and ecological processes. In this study, we developed a new method to measure individual coordinates of species in grassland communities. This method records plant growing positions via digital picture samples that have been sub‐blocked within a geographical information system (GIS). Here, we tested out the new method by measuring the individual coordinates of Stipa grandis in grazed and ungrazed S. grandis communities in a temperate steppe ecosystem in China. Furthermore, we analyzed the pattern of S. grandis by using the pair correlation function g(r) with both a homogeneous Poisson process and a heterogeneous Poisson process. Our results showed that individuals of S. grandis were overdispersed according to the homogeneous Poisson process at 0–0.16 m in the ungrazed community, while they were clustered at 0.19 m according to the homogeneous and heterogeneous Poisson processes in the grazed community. These results suggest that competitive interactions dominated the ungrazed community, while facilitative interactions dominated the grazed community. In sum, we successfully executed a new sampling method, using digital photography and a geographical information system, to collect experimental data on the spatial point patterns for the populations in this grassland community., A major objective of plant ecology research is to determine the underlying processes responsible for the observed spatial distribution patterns of plant species. Plants can be approximated as points in space for this purpose, and thus, spatial point pattern analysis has become increasingly popular in ecological research. We successfully executed a new sampling method, using digital photography and a geographical information system, to collect experimental data on the spatial point patterns for the populations in this grassland community.

Past research has consistently reported a higher rate of drug use before arrest among incarcerated inmates than that of the general population. However, there is a lack of either qualitative or qua...

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disease that can eventually lead to degeneration, fibrosis, fractures, and defects of the articular cartilage. Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) is a key substance in many processes, such as epigenetic regulation and cell-cycle and cell-differentiation modulation, and its relationship with OA has been repeatedly verified.The study intended to clarify the influence of lncRNA nuclear enriched abundant transcript 1 (NEAT1), lncRNA NEAT1, on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced OA chondrocytes through sponge adsorption of microRNA-378 (miR-378) and to provide novel insights into future diagnosis and treatment of OA.The research team performed an animal study.The study took place in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Linyi People's Hospital in Linyi, Shangdong, China.The study's animals were 10 Sprague Dawley (SD) rats, 3-5 days old and 10-15 g in weight, of the specific-pathogen-free (SPF) grade.The rat chondrocytes for the positive control group (the model group) were treated with 500 ng/mL of LPS to induce OA. Chondrocytes treated with the same amount of normal saline were used as the negative control group. The chondrocytes of the LPS-induced rats were into six groups: (1) a positive control group transfected with NEAT1-interfering RNA, the sh-NEAT1 group; (2) a negative control group not transfected with NEAT1-interfering RNA, the NEAT1 empty vector (NC-NEAT1) group; (3) an intervention group co-transfected with NEAT1 interfering RNA and the miR-378 inhibitor sequence (Inh-miR-378 the sh-NEAT1+ Inh-miR-378 group; (4) a negative control group transfected with NEAT1 interfering RNA but not transfected with the miR-378 inhibitor sequence, the sh-NEAT1+ miR-378 negative control (NC-miR-378) group; (5) a negative control group transfected with the miR-378 inhibitor sequence but not transfected with NEAT1 interfering RNA, the NEAT1 empty vector (NC-NEAT1) + Inh-miR-378 group; (6) a negative control group not transfected with either NEAT1 interfering RNA or the miR-378 inhibitor sequence, the NC-NEAT1 + NC-miR-378 group.An OA-chondrocyte model was induced by LPS and measurements of NEAT1 and miR-378 expression were made by real-time quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)- polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Then, small NEAT1-interfering RNA (sh-NEAT1), empty vector NEAT1 (NC-NEAT1), inhibitor-sequence-miR-378 (Inh-miR-378), and negative-control-miR-378 (NC-miR-378) were transfected into cells, and cell viability and apoptosis rate were measured. Finally, the study verified the relationship between NEAT1 and miR-378.Compared to the control group, NEAT1 was significantly elevated in the model group, and its miR-378 was significantly decreased. Silencing NEAT1 can enhance OA-chondrocyte activity and decrease apoptosis. When NEAT1 and miR-378 were inhibited together, as shown fort the NC-NEAT1 + NC-miR-378 group, NEAT1 expression, as well as the multiplication and apoptosis ability of the OA-model cells, were the same as those of cells transfected with an empty vector, the NC-NEAT1 group. Also, the NEAT1 + NC-miR-378 group's cell activity was lower than that of the sh-NEAT1+NC-miR-378 group but higher than that of the NC-NEAT1 + Inh-miR-378 group. Finally, higher fluorescence activity occurred for NEAT1-mutant type (MUT) transfected with Inh-miR-378.NEAT1, which is highly expressed in OA, mediates LPS-induced OA-chondrocyte activity through sponge adsorption of miR-378.

Background This study aimed to translate the French version of a perioperative satisfaction questionnaire (EVAN-G) scale, a validated questionnaire for assessing perioperative patient satisfaction, into a Chinese version and validate it in Chinese-speaking patients. Methods We developed the Chinese version of the EVAN-G (EVAN-GC) scale based on the original French version of the EVAN-G. The EVAN-GC scale, the Short version of the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (S-STAI), and the McGill pain questionnaire (MGPQ) were administered on the WeChat mini program. We invited patients to complete these questionnaires within 4 to 24 h after surgery. The psychometric validation of the EVAN-GC scale included validity, reliability, and acceptability. Results Among 220 patients, 217 (98.6%) completed the EVAN-GC scale after surgery. The item-internal consistency revealed good construct validity. Compared with the total scores of the S-STAI and MGPQ, the EVAN-GC scale showed excellent convergent validity (ρ = − 0.32, P ρ = − 0.29, P ρ = 0.82, P Conclusions The EVAN-GC scale has good psychometric properties similar to those of the original French version. The EVAN-GC scale is a valid and reliable measurement to assess patient satisfaction in Chinese-speaking patients. Trial registration The Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2100049555.

Background and Objectives: Kanli granule (KG) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), which has a significant effect on chronic heart failure (CHF). KG takes "warming and invigorating the heart and kidney Yang Qi, promoting water and blood circulation" as the treatment principle, which can make the heart Yang vibrate, the kidney water transpiration, and the blood promote the circulation of water without the danger of stopping warter blood stasis. However, due to the complexity of TCM, the action mechanism of KG is unclear. In this study, we employed a network pharmacology approach combined with experimental verification to investigate the mechanism of KG in the treatment of CHF. Materials and methods: The active ingredients and targets of KG were searched by TCMSP and TCM database@Taiwan databases, and the CHF-related targets were collected from DisGeNET, OMIM and TTD databases. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) signal pathway analysis were carried out through DAVID database. Furthermore, the bubble diagrams of GO analysis and KEGG signal pathway analysis are made on OmicShare platform. The network diagram of "herbs–ingredients–targets–pathways" was constructed by Cytoscape3.7.0 software. We established a TAC induced CHF mice model to verify the protective mechanism of KG. Results: 30 active ingredients of KG were screened for the prevention and treatment of CHF, and 37 targets for the prevention and treatment of CHF by the active components of KG, including SERCA2a, PLB. GO analysis showed that there were 219 items related to biological process, 32 items related to cellular composition and 42 items related to molecular function. There are 81 related KEGG signaling pathways, including calcium signaling pathway. The results of animal experiments showed that KG significantly improved cardiac function in CHF mice by reducing LVEF, FS, NT -proBNP, and KG significantly improved cardiac structure in CHF mice by decreasing LVIDd, LVPWd, and the extent of cardiac fibrosis. Further mechanistic studies revealed that KG upregulated SERCA2a expression and activity to ameliorate CHF. Conclusion: KG may prevent and treat CHF by acting on calcium signaling pathway, increasing SERCA2a expression and improving cardiac function and cardiac structure.

Background Research on the relationship between disclosure of HIV status to male sexual partners (HIV disclosure) and quality of life (QOL) revealed complex and even contradictory results. The impact of HIV disclosure on various domains of QOL and the mediation effect between them are unclear. The purposes of this study were to explore the impact of HIV disclosure on QOL among men who have sex with men (MSM), and whether HIV treatment self-efficacy mediated these relationships. Methods The data came from a baseline survey on the design of a randomized control trial conducted in Shandong, China. A total of 579 MSM patients were included. SPSS 24.0 was used to conduct independent samples t test, one-way analysis of variance and nonparametric tests and the PROCESS macro was used to conduct mediation analysis. Results Among 579 participants, 16.06% disclosed their HIV infection status to their male sexual partners. The effect of HIV disclosure on QOL was mediated by treatment self-efficacy. Self-efficacy played partial mediating role in social relationships, meaning that HIV disclosure had both direct and indirect effects on this factor. In the overall QOL and domains of physical, psychological, independence, and environment, HIV disclosure had an indirect effect only through self-efficacy and no significant effect on the spirituality domain. Conclusions The results emphasize the importance of HIV disclosure and self-efficacy on the QOL of MSM patients and suggest that health care providers should assist MSM patients in deciding whether to disclose their HIV status during daily medical services.

Background: CD28 expression is correlated with malignancy development in long-term survivors after liver transplantation. Immune cell activation is mediated by the interaction of CD28 with CD4 and CD8. Objectives: In this study, we attempted to investigate the expression level and prognostic value of CD28 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A total of 54 HCC patients with complete clinical information were examined. The expression level of CD28 in HCC tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The correlations of CD28 expression with clinical characteristics, CD4+/CD8+ T-cells, and prognosis in HCC were analyzed. The expression profile of CD28 and survival time of HCC patients were retrieved from the TCGA database, followed by survival analysis. Results: The positive expression rate of CD28 in HCC tissues was 70.73%. The CD28 expression was significantly higher in the positive expression group (area: 659174.9 ± 670060, IOD: 123348.3 ± 106348.6) than in the negative expression group (area: 8405.7 ± 9983.3, IOD: 1959.6 ± 2117.7) (P < 0.01). The CD4+ and CD8+ cell counts were 526.13 ± 258.17 cells/µL and 383.93 ± 223.39 cells/µL, respectively. The expression level of CD28 was significantly related to the degree of differentiation and the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells (P < 0.05). The survival time of patients was longer in the positive CD28 expression group than in the negative expression group. Based on the CD28 expression profiles of 406 HCC patients retrieved from the TCGA database, patients with high CD28 expression showed a better prognosis than those with low expression (P < 0.05). Conclusions: CD28 may play a vital role in the occurrence, development, and prognosis of HCC by interacting with CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells. Thus, CD28 could be suggested as the immune checkpoint target for HCC treatment.

In this study, silver-ytterbium-modified biochar (MBC) was prepared to adsorb ciprofloxacin hydrochloride. It was compared with biochar (BC) and alkali-modified biochar (NBC). The results show that the MBC had more functional groups and a larger specific surface area than the BC and NBC. The saturated adsorption capacity of the MBC (312.500 mg g

Since the Domestic Violence (DV) Law was passed in China in 2015, knowledge of this mandate has been relatively unexplored. Data from 401 police cadets attending Zhejiang Police College in Hangzhou, China, are analyzed. A pretest/posttest design was used to assess changes in attitudes toward DV after a 30-minute lecture on DV. The influence of gender, whether the cadet views DV as a priority for law enforcement, and knowledge of services are examined. Findings demonstrate the utility of the training while recognizing cadets with prior knowledge of DV may have resisted the training. Given entrance into law enforcement is more likely for individuals who attend a police college in China, implications include incorporating a DV course at police colleges.

Panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) have recently attracted increasing attention for their anti-tumor activities. The aim of this study was to explore the functional role and underlying mechanisms of PNS on the progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The mRNA levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), β-catenin and dishevelled-3 (DVL3) were assessed using qRT-PCR. Western blot was performed to detect the expression levels of VEGF, β-catenin and DVL3. Cell viability and proliferation abilities were determined using MTT assay. Transwell assays were used to evaluate cell migration and invasion capacities. Our data revealed that PNS hampered the viability of ESCC cells. VEGF silencing weakened proliferation, migration and invasion in ESCC cells. Mechanistically, PNS time-dependently reduced VEGF expression and PNS hampered ESCC cell proliferation, migration and invasion through VEGF. Moreover, β-catenin and DVL3 were upregulated in ESCC tissues and cells and positively correlated with VEGF level in ESCC tissues. VEGF regulated DVL3 via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in ESCC cells. Furthermore, PNS repressed DVL3 expression through VEGF in ESCC cells. Our study suggested that PNS suppressed ESCC progression at least partly through repressing VEGF via the DVL3-mediated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, indicating that PNS might be promising anti-tumor agents for ESCC treatment.

In this work, two-component fibrous separators with high electrolyte absorption were fabricated by the delamination of oriented polymer tape which was produced using a unique coextrusion and multip...

Effects of different age groups and different external loading distribution on lower extremity muscle activation during obstacle crossing tasks were tested in this study. Four young participants and five healthy senior participants performed different walking tasks at their own speed carrying multiple different weights while their lower extremity muscle activation patterns were recorded and compared. Older adults showed significantly increased muscle activation patterns in obstacle negotiation. Furthermore, participants showed altered lower extremity muscle activation patterns with different load distribution.

Research into offenders’ adaptation to prison environment has been a topic of enduring interest. Recently, perceived legitimacy in corrections has attracted considerable attention and emerged as an important area of research in the prison settings. The purpose of this study is to examine the factors associated with perceived legitimacy in corrections, and document its effect on juvenile offenders’ adaptation to the institutional environment of a Chinese youth prison. Data for the analysis were collected from the lone youth prison located in an autonomous region with more than 47 million persons of varying ethnicity. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the findings suggest a significant effect for perceived legitimacy on juvenile offender adaptation to prison programs. The final model was able to explain 61% of variation in the outcome variable and identify several prominent contributors to perceived legitimacy. Policy implications were highlighted in the “Discussion and Conclusion” section.

The purpose of the current study is to uncover whether extralegal factors play a significant role in Chinese police officers’ decision-making in response to a hypothetical incident of domestic violence (DV). Data were collected from a sample of Chinese police officers located in southwestern China. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between the attitudes and beliefs of police officers and their decision-making in DV (i.e., recommend putting suspect into custody, victim into custody, and mediation; N = 514). The results suggest extralegal factors associated with culture do exert a significant effect on police officers’ decision-making in cases of DV, but the extent may be minimal. Policy implications and directions for future research are discussed.

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is one of the most common risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). With the continuous improvement of minimally invasive treatment techniques such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA), comprehensive minimally invasive treatment (TACE & RFA) has been widely used in the treatment of early-stage (Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage 0 and A) HCC and has good safety and clinical efficacy. However, recurrence and metastasis after comprehensive minimally invasive treatment are still key factors affecting the survival rate of patients. In recent years, Chinese medicine has highlighted its unique advantages in the adjuvant treatment of liver cancer surgery and minimally invasive treatment. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Fuzheng Xiaoliu granules (FZXLG) for treating early-stage HBV-related HCC after comprehensive minimally invasive treatment and to explore whether FZXLG can delay the progression of HBV-related HCC. Methods: This is a prospective, multicenter, central randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 312 patients with early HBV-related HCC who underwent comprehensive minimally invasive treatment within 2 months were randomized in a 1:1 ratio into two groups: the experimental group and the control group. The experimental group will receive basic FZXLG plus Western medicine treatment, and the control group will receive basic FZXLG simulator plus Western medicine treatment. Each group will be treated for 1 year and followed-up for 1 year. The primary outcome measure is the 2-year recurrence rate of patients with early-stage HBV-related HCC after minimally invasive treatment. The secondary outcomes include (1) measurable active lesions, (2) alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), (3) immunological indicators, such as comparison of CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ absolute values, CD4+/CD8+ before and after the test, (4) hepatitis B virus quantity, and (5) Karnofsky functional status score. Discussion: These results will provide research data on the efficacy and safety of FZXLG for the treatment of early-stage HBV-related HCC after comprehensive minimally invasive treatment. These findings will also be based on laboratory indicators and adverse events for safety assessment to determine whether FZXLG can reduce the 2-year recurrence rate of HCC after minimally invasive surgery, which will provide reliable evidence for the clinical treatment of HCC.Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900022999. Registered on 5 May 2019.

Background Chinese students are extremely vulnerable to developing mental illness. The stigma associated with mental illness presents a barrier to seeking help for their mental health. Objective The Linking Hearts—Linking Youth and ‘Xin’ (hearts) project is an implementation science project that seeks to reduce mental illness stigma and promote the mental health of university students in Jinan, China. The Linking Hearts project consists of 3 components. In this paper, we outline the protocol for the first component, that is, the contextual assessment and analysis of the mental health needs of university students as the first step to inform the adaptation of an evidence-based intervention to be implemented in Jinan, China. Methods Six local universities will participate in the Linking Hearts project. A total of 100 students from each university (n=600) will engage in the contextual assessment through self-report surveys on depression, anxiety, stress, mental health knowledge, and mental health stigma. Quantitative data will be analyzed using several descriptive and inferential analyses via SPSS. A small number of participants (144 students and 144 service providers) will also be engaged in focus groups to assess the socio-environmental contexts of university students’ health and availability of mental health resources. Qualitative data will be transcribed verbatim and NVivo will be used for data management. Social network analysis will also be performed using EgoNet. Results Linking Hearts was funded in January 2018 for 5 years. The protocol of Linking Hearts and its 3 components was approved by the research ethics boards of all participating institutions in China in November 2018. Canadian institutions that gave approval were Ryerson University (REB2018-455) in January 2019, University of Alberta (Pro00089364), York University (e2019-162) in May 2019, and University of Toronto (RIS37724) in August 2019. Data collection took place upon ethics approval and was completed in January 2020. A total of 600 students were surveyed. An additional 147 students and 138 service providers took part in focus groups. Data analysis is ongoing. Results will be published in 2021. Conclusions Findings from this contextual assessment and analysis will generate new knowledge on university students’ mental health status, mental health knowledge, and resources available for them. These findings will be used to adapt and refine the Acceptance and Commitment to Empowerment-Linking Youth N’ Xin intervention model. The results of this contextual assessment will be used to inform the adaptation and refinement of the mental health intervention to promote the mental health of Chinese university students in Jinan. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR1-10.2196/25009

Continuous tapes of polypropylene (PP) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) were produced using a novel multiplication co-extrusion process. The structure of the PP/HDPE tapes consists of co-continuous PP and HDPE domains aligned in the extrusion direction, forming a fiber-like composite structure with individual domain thicknesses of 200–500 nm. This unique structure created a significantly large contact interface between the polymer domains. AFM images suggest strong interfacial interactions between incompatible PP and HDPE domains. Orientation at 130 °C was possible due to the enhanced adhesion arising from epitaxial crystallization and the large interfacial area. The modulus, tensile strength, and orientation factor of the oriented composite tapes increased as the draw ratio increased. The existence of two independent shish kabab-like morphologies in the oriented tapes at different draw ratios was indicated by the appearance of two melting peaks for each material. After one-step orientation at 130 °C to a draw ratio of 25, the moduli of the oriented tapes increased to approximately 10 GPa, and the tensile strength increased to approximately 540 MPa. These oriented tapes are stiffer and stronger than commercial tapes and do not fibrillate during the orientation process indicating some interfacial interaction between the domains.

Xinting Wang et al. Journal of Vegetation Science

QUESTIONS: Plant facilitation often dominates over competition in stressful environments. However, to our knowledge few studies have examined plant facilitation within the context of herbivore pressure. Herbivory‐induced is a classic example of indirect facilitation. For example, in the temperate steppe region of Inner Mongolia, China, the intensive grazing by domestic animals has induced widespread grassland degradation. Here, we ask whether such long‐term overgrazing leads to facilitation in plants. LOCATION: Xilingol steppe region, Inner Mongolia, China. METHODS: We examined the spatial structure of three dominant plant species, including two species that are palatable to sheep (Leymus chinensis and Agropyron michnoi) and one that is unpalatable (Stipa grandis). We examined whether the spatial aggregation of these three species provided evidence for facilitation by comparing their spatial patterns along a recovery gradient: high grazing pressure (HG), an eight‐years grazing exclusion (early‐stage recovery from grazing; ER), and a 21‐years grazing exclusion (late‐stage recovery; LR). To accomplish this, we used the bivariate pair‐correlation function, g₁₂(r), to assess the spatial association between unpalatable and palatable species. A positive spatial association indicates that facilitation dominates over competition (or dispersal limitation, habitat heterogeneity). We used a null model to assess the significance of spatial associations. Furthermore, we evaluated intraspecific spatial aggregation with the g₁₁(r) by combining to three null models at fine spatial scales. RESULTS: The spatial association between palatable and unpalatable species suggests a hump‐shaped relationship along the gradient of the grazing exclusion time. Specifically, Leymus chinensis and Stipa grandis showed a neutral, positive and negative association across the three stages of natural recovery from 21 years of grazing exclusion to current grazing. Similarly, Agropyron michnoi and Stipa grandis showed a negative, very positive and positive spatial association along the same gradient. Moreover, intraspecific spatial aggregation was higher in the current grazing treatment than in the grazing exclusion treatment. This was particularly true at the finest spatial scales (i.e.

This study aimed to explore the association between mental health knowledge level and the prevalence of depressive symptoms among Chinese college students. A cross-sectional study was conducted in six universities in Jinan, Shandong Province, China, and a total of 600 college students were recruited to self-complete a series of questionnaires. The Mental Health Knowledge Questionnaire (MHKQ) was used to investigate the level of mental health knowledge. Depressive symptoms were investigated with the depression subscale of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among college students was 31.2%. Compared with MHKQ scoring in the 1st quartile, college students with MHKQ scoring in the 3rd quartile and in the 4th quartile reported lower levels of depressive symptoms after adjusting for potential confounding factors. Since mental health knowledge level was related to depressive symptoms among college students, increased efforts to promote the level of mental health knowledge in Chinese college students are critical.

This paper presented a method for constructing NB-QC-LDPC (non-binary quasi-cyclic LDPC) codes. First, the initial base matrix of NB-QC-LDPC code was constructed by two arbitrary subsets in a finite field. Then, by combining the number and connectivity of cycles jointly, the new masking method was proposed to construct a type of NB-QC-LDPC codes with larger ACE average values. The simulation illustrates that proposed codes have better error correction performance compared with binary LDPC codes and other NB-LDPC codes.

To improve the decoding speed and reduce the complexity of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes, this paper proposes a hybrid LDPC decoding algorithm that combined with the distribution characteristics of log-likelihood ratio (LLR) of all variable node information before each iteration. During the process of decoding, there is a judgment based on an interval value and a threshold value to select the Belief Propagation (BP) algorithm or the Minimal Sum (MS) algorithm to decode, so the proposed hybrid algorithm effectively combines the excellent performance of BP algorithm and the simple operation of MS algorithm. The simulation results show that the algorithm can greatly reduce the computational complexity and achieve similar decoding performance compared with the BP algorithm.