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This study investigates the foundational elements that contribute to effective emergency management in urban settings, with a particular focus on experiences from Chinese municipalities. Drawing on resource dependence theory and attention allocation theory, this research develops an analytical framework encompassing four pivotal factors: environmental resources, information sharing, social participation, and leadership attention allocation. Utilizing Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), we examine these factors across sixteen critical incidents of urban accidents and disaster responses in China. Our findings reveal that a high degree of leadership attention allocation is an essential prerequisite for municipal governments to exhibit robust emergency management capabilities during crises. Furthermore, two primary pathways affecting emergency management capacity were identified: the "resource–leadership attention type" and the "social participation–resource coordination type". These findings contribute to a nuanced understanding of the complexities of emergency management and enlighten the local governments to take some effective measures to enhance emergency management capacities to mitigate disaster losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Classical swine fever and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome have seriously affected the development of the swine breeding industry in China. Vaccine immunization remains the main way to prevent these infections. The aim of this study was to establish an optimized protocol for vaccine immunization against classical swine fever virus (CSFV) and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV). Methods: Blood samples were collected from the anterior vena cava of pigs after immunization, and blood indices, secreted levels of specific antibodies and neutralizing antibodies associated with humoral immunity, the proliferation capacity of T lymphocytes as a measure of cellular immunity, and secreted levels of IFN-γ and TNF-α were determined. Results: The results showed that simultaneous immunization against CSFV and PRRSV infections induced strong and specific humoral and T-cellular immune responses, high levels of cytokine IFN-γ secretion and delayed secretion of cytokine TNF-α. Moreover, significantly higher lymphocyte percentages and red blood cell and leukocyte counts were found in the group simultaneously immunized against CSFV and PRRSV. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in hemoglobin values, neutrophil counts, and median cell percentages among the S + PRRS, PRRS-S, and S-PRRS groups. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that simultaneous immunization against CSFV and PRRSV had the advantages of inducing a rapid, enhanced, and long-lasting immune response. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the establishment of a reasonable and optimized vaccine immunization protocol against CSFV and PRRSV in combination with a variety of other vaccine inoculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese government issued the foreign investment industry guidance catalog in 2011, which increased efforts to encourage foreign investment. We designed a quasi‐natural experiment based on this event to examine the impact of this policy on innovation and its economic benefits. Under this policy, the number of patent authorizations, mainly involving noninvention patents, increased significantly. The introduction of the policy intensified competition in the industries included in the catalog, and various types of patents obtained by enterprises in those industries significantly improved their total factor productivity (TFP). The nature and internal governance structure of enterprises had heterogeneous effects on productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation efficiency is an important index to measure the innovation performance of high-tech enterprises. Numerous researches have been conducted on innovation efficiency at national, regional, and sectoral levels, while there are comparatively few studies on the innovation efficiency of high-tech small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from a micro perspective. Therefore, innovation efficiency of 251 high-tech SMEs listed in China from 2012 to 2015 is measured with the super-SBM model in this paper. The results suggest that the overall innovation efficiency is low but shows an upward trend. In addition, the antecedents of innovation efficiency are explored using the panel regression model and the conclusions are as follows: (1) government subsidies, ownership concentration, and market competition deter enterprise innovation efficiency, and the impact of ownership concentration is found to be the most significant; (2) firm size and asset-liability ratio bear positively on enterprise innovation efficiency, with the effect of asset-liability ratio being greater; (3) firm age has significantly positive effects on scale efficiency but not on innovation efficiency and pure technical efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, fifteen indicators from four dimensions are selected to construct an evaluation system for the happiness of land-lost farmers. The factors affecting the happiness of land-lost farmers are analyzed using the rough DEMATEL method. The results show that land expropriation compensation (F6) and job stability (F7) are the driving factors for improving the happiness of land-lost farmers. The government can improve the social environment policies, such as land acquisition, social security, and employment to influence other factors and improve the level of happiness of land-losing farmers. This study has important guiding significance and reference value for the reform of China's land expropriation, the protection of land-lost farmers' rights and interests and the improvement of their happiness, and the maintenance of social harmony and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural enterprises play a significant role in China's economic development. However, compared with other enterprises, agricultural enterprises are facing serious financial problems. Financing difficulty is essentially a question of financing efficiency. Based on the DEA method, this paper evaluates the financing efficiency of 39 agricultural listed companies in China from 2013 to 2017. The results suggest that the financing efficiency is generally low, and the Total Factor Productivity of agricultural enterprises' financing has a tendency to decrease first and then increase. The influencing factors of financing efficiency are analyzed using the Tobit regression model and the random forest regression model. And we find the following: (1) The random forest regression model significantly outperformed the Tobit regression model, with determination coefficients (R2) greater than 0.9 in full sample sets. (2) Total liability, financial expenses, return on total assets, and inventory turnover rate are important factors affecting financing efficiency of agricultural listed companies. (3) Return on total assets and inventory turnover rate promote the financing efficiency, while total liability and financial expenses reduce financing efficiency. Finally, the paper makes some suggestions for the financing of agricultural enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Anti–phospholipase A2 receptor (anti-PLA2R) is a promising biomarker for diagnosis, activity evaluation, therapy monitoring, and prognostic estimation of primary membranous neuropathy (pMN). Difference in methodology may be one cause of the discrepancy in anti-PLA2R–positive percentages in reported studies. In this study, we evaluated the determination consistency of anti-PLA2R using indirect immunofluorescence assay (IIF) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Methods A total of 113 patients with pMN, 34 with secondary membranous neuropathy (sMN), and 53 healthy control individuals were enrolled. We tested their circulating anti-PLA2R, along with other biochemical parameters, using IIF and ELISA. Results The sensitivity of anti-PLA2R for pMN was 70.8% by IIF and 67.3% by ELISA, with no statistically significant difference. The overall qualitative agreement of anti-PLA2R was 91.15% (95% confidence interval [CI], 85.91%–96.39%), and the correlation coefficient was 0.79 for IIF versus ELISA. The overall correlation coefficient of anti-PLA2R titers by IIF and concentration by ELISA was 0.85. Through ROC curve analysis, anti-PLA2R as measured by IIF and ELISA showed larger areas under the curve (AUCs) than other biochemical parameters. Conclusion ELISA shows similar performance to IIF, with the advantages of quantitative results and suitability for high throughput. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focused cardiac ultrasound (FCU) and lung ultrasound (LU) are increasingly being used in critically ill patients. This study aimed to investigate the effect of FCU in combination with LU on these patients and to determine if the timing of ultrasound examination was associated with treatment change. This is a multicenter cross-sectional observational study. Consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) were screened for enrollment. FCU and LU were performed within the first 24 h, and treatment change was proposed by the performer based on the ultrasound results and other clinical conditions. Among the 992 patients included, 502 were examined within 6 h of ICU admission (early phase group), and 490 were examined after 6 h of admission (later phase group). The early phase group and the later phase group had similar proportions of treatment change (48.8% vs. 49.0%, χ 2=0.003, P =0.9S6). In the multivariable analysis, admission for respiratory failure was an independent variable associated with treatment change, with an odds ratio (OR) of 2.357 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.284-4.326, P =0.006]; the timing of examination was not associated with treatment change (OR =0.725, 95% CI : 0.407-1.291, P =0.275). FCU in combination with LU, whether performed during the early phase or later phase, had a significant impact on the treatment of critically ill patients. Patients with respiratory failure were more likely to experience treatment change after the ultrasound examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potential relationships between air quality, synoptic weather patterns, and the East Asian Monsoon (EAM) over the North China Plain (NCP) were examined during the time period of 1980–2013 using a weather typing technique and ground-based air pollution index (API) data from three cities: Beijing, Tianjin and Shijiazhuang. Using the Kirchhofer method, circulation patterns during the 34-yr study period were classified into 5 categories, which were further used to understand the quantitative relationship between weather and air quality in NCP. The highest API values were associated with a stagnant weather condition when wide-spread stable conditions controlled most part of NCP, while westerly and southerly wind flowed over the northern and eastern part of this region, resulting in both the regional transport and local build-up of air pollutants. Under the continuous control of this weather pattern, API values were found to increase at a rate of 8.5 per day on average. Based on the qualitative and quantitative analysis, a significant correlation was found between the strength of EAM and inter-annual variability of frequencies of the weather patterns. The strengthening of summer/winter monsoon could increase the frequency of occurrence of cyclone/anticyclone related weather patterns. Time series of climate-induced variability in API over the 34 years were reconstructed based on the quantitative relationship between API and predominant weather patterns during 2001–2010. Significant connections between EAM and reconstructed API were found on both the inter-annual and inter-decadal scales. In winter and summer, strengthening/weakening of EAM, which was generally associated with the change of the representative circulation patterns, could improve/worsen air quality in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) poses a huge threat to the global public health. This study aimed to identify predictive indicators of severe COVID-19., Methods: We retrospectively collected clinical data on hospital admission of all patients with severe COVID-19 and a control cohort (1:1) of gender- and hospital-matched patients with mild disease from 13 designated hospitals in the Hebei Province between 22 January and 15 April 2020., Results: A total of 104 patients (52 with severe COVID-19 and 52 with mild disease) were included. Only age, fever, duration from symptom onset to confirmation, respiratory rate, percutaneous oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) and neutrophilic percentage were independent predictors of severe COVID-19. Age and neutrophilic percentage performed best in predicting severe COVID-19, followed by SpO 2 . 'Age + neutrophilic percentage' (the sum of age and neutrophilic percentage) (area under the curve [AUC] 0.900, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.825-0.950, P < .001) and 'age and neutrophilic percentage' (the prediction probability of age and neutrophilic percentage for severe type obtained by logistic regression analysis) (AUC 0.899, 95% CI 0.824-0.949, P < .001) had excellent predictive performance for severe type. The optimal cut-off for 'age + neutrophilic percentage' was >119.1 (sensitivity, 86.5%; specificity, 84.6%; Youden index, 0.712)., Conclusion: The combination of age and neutrophil percentage could effectively predict severe COVID-19. The sum of age and neutrophil percentage was recommended for clinical application because of its excellent predictive value and practicability., Trail Registration: China Clinical Trial Registry, number ChiCTR2000030226. Registered 26 February 2020-Retrospectively registered, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=49855., (© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Changes in yak mitochondria by natural selection in a hypoxic environment could be utilized to understand adaptation to low-oxygen conditions. Therefore, the differences in proteome profile of skeletal muscle mitochondria from yak, dzo, and cattle were analyzed by mass spectrometry, which were then classified into 3 groups, comparing between yak and dzo, yak and cattle, and dzo and cattle. 376 unique mitochondrial proteins were identified, including 192, 191, and 281 proteins in the yak-dzo, yak-cattle, and dzo-cattle groups, respectively. NRDP1 and COQ8A were expressed at higher levels in yak and dzo compared to those in cattle, indicating higher endurance capacity of yak and dzo in a low-oxygen environment. Gene Ontology (GO) terms of biological processes were significantly enriched in oxidation-reduction process, and that of molecular functions and cellular component were enriched in oxidoreductase activity and the mitochondrion, respectively. The most significantly affected pathways in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and oxidative phosphorylation between the yak-cattle and dzo-cattle groups; while metabolic pathways, citrate cycle, and carbon metabolism were significantly affected pathways in the yak-dzo group. ATP synthases, MTHFD1, MDH2, and SDHB were the most enriched hub proteins in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. These results indicated that mammals living at high altitudes could possibly possess better bioenergy metabolism than those living in the plains. The key proteins identified in the present study may be exploited as candidate proteins for understanding and fine-tuning mammalian adaptation to high altitudes.

Background: In December, 2019, a novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged in Wuhan, China. We aimed to clarify the epidemiology, laboratory examinations, imaging findings, and treatment of critically ill patients with COVID-19 in Hebei province, China., Methods: In this retrospective study, the demographic, laboratory and imaging, and treatment data of patients with severe COVID-19 treated in 13 designated hospitals in Hebei were collected and analyzed., Results: A total of 319 severe COVID-19 patients were treated at the 13 designated hospitals between 22 January, 2020 and 25 March, 2020. Eventually, 51 critically ill (31 severe cases and 20 critically severe cases) patients were included in the analysis. The patients had an average age of 58.9±13.7 years, and 27 (52.9%) were men. Twenty-one (41.2%) were familial cluster, and 33 (64.7%) had chronic illnesses. The patients in critically severe group had longer duration from symptom to confirmation, more severe infections, more severe lung injury, and a lower percentage of lymphocytes. All 51 patients received antiviral drugs, 47 (92.2%) received antibacterial agents, 49 (96.1%) received traditional Chinese drugs, and 46 (90.2%) received methylprednisolone. The critically severe patients received more fluid and more diuretic treatment; 14 (70.0%) required invasive mechanical ventilation, and 13 (65.0%) developed extrapulmonary complications., Conclusions: COVID-19 patients who had underlying diseases and longer confirmation times were more likely to progress to critically severe COVID-19. These patients also presented with a higher risk of respiratory depression, circulatory collapse, extrapulmonary complications, and infection.

B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-associated transcription factor 1 (Bclaf1) is known to be involved in diverse biological processes, but, to date, there has been no evidence for any functional role of Bclaf1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Here, we demonstrate that Bclaf1 is frequently up-regulated in HCC and that Bclaf1 up-regulation is associated with Edmondson grade, lower overall survival rates, and poor prognosis. Overexpression of Bclaf1 in HCC cell lines HepG2 and Huh7 promoted proliferation considerably, whereas Bclaf1 knockdown had the opposite effect. Xenograft tumors grown from Bclaf1 knockdown Huh7 cells had smaller tumor volumes than tumors grown from control cells. Furthermore, our study describes MYC proto-oncogene (c-Myc) as a downstream target of Bclaf1, given that Bclaf1 regulates c-MYC expression posttranscriptionally by its RS domain. To exert this function, Bclaf1 must interact with the molecular chaperone, heat shock protein 90 alpha (Hsp90α). In HCC tissue samples, Hsp90α levels were also increased significantly and Hsp90α-Bclaf1 interaction was enhanced. Bclaf1 interacts with the C-terminal domain of Hsp90α, and this interaction is disrupted by the C-terminal domain inhibitor, novobiocin (NB), resulting in proteasome-dependent degradation of Bclaf1. Moreover, NB-induced disruption of Hsp90α-Bclaf1 interaction dampened the production of mature c-MYC mRNA and attenuated tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that Bclaf1 affects HCC progression by manipulating c-MYC mRNA stability and that the Hsp90α/Bclaf1/c-Myc axis might be a potential target for therapeutic intervention in HCC., (© 2018 The Authors. Hepatology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)