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Recent evidence suggests that not many studies on technology-supported cross-cultural learning considered creating authentic, immersive learning environments and addressing the language barrier in communication among representatives of different cultures which are very critical matters in the field. The present study attempted to address this gap. To this end, we designed the cross-cultural learning activity supported by 360-degree video technology and artificial intelligence-based translation tool. Eleven students from China and thirteen students from Russia participated in the activity. They used 360-degree video technology to create virtual reality (VR) cultural content which enabled authentic, immersive cross-cultural learning experiences. They also used AI-based translation technology to bridge the language barrier when communicating and exchanging culture-related information with each other in their native language. With such learning activity, we aimed to facilitate cross-cultural knowledge and attitudes of the participants. We used the convergent mixed methods design, i.e. both qualitative and quantitative data were collected, related and interpreted in response to the research questions. Personal meaning maps (PMMs) were used to measure knowledge of the students in three aspects (i.e. categories of cross-cultural knowledge, number of related and unrelated concepts, and emerged concepts) before and after the activity. We compared PMM outcomes obtained before the learning activity with those obtained after the activity using a statistical method in order to explore cross-cultural knowledge development. In addition, development in cross-cultural knowledge of the students after participating in the learning activity was explored based on the qualitative data. That is, content of 360-degree videos was analyzed and such qualitative findings were used to support the results of the statistical test. Next, cross-cultural attitudes development was explored in four aspects (i.e. interest, curiosity, openness, and respect) using interviews. Finally, participants' perceptions of the technological support were also researched. The results showed that the cross-cultural learning activity supported by technologies were beneficial for knowledge and attitudes development. More specifically, the activity helped the students acquire cross-cultural knowledge in eight categories. The number of related concepts significantly increased whereas the number of unrelated concepts significantly decreased because of the activity. The students were able to identify, compare and contrast cultural differences, and they maintained an open and respectful attitude toward the culture of their partners after the study; they lacked such knowledge and abilities prior to the study. Finally, the participants positively perceived the technological support. Based on the results, it is suggested that educators and researchers employ 360-degree video and translation technologies in their design of learning activities when focusing on cross-cultural knowledge and attitudes development. Such approach was found to be beneficial to facilitate learning outcomes as authentic and immersive cross-cultural learning environments were created and the language barrier was addressed. The study makes the following contributions: (1) we designed the learning activity supported by 360-degree video and translation technologies to create authentic and immersive cross-cultural learning environments in which the language barrier was addressed, (2) we tested the feasibility of the learning activity supported by technology to facilitate cross-cultural knowledge and attitudes of the participants, and (3) we explored the accuracy rate of translation technology and perceptions of students regarding the learning activity supported by technology. The authenticity of the present study lies in the creation of the technology-supported cross-cultural learning environment in which the students had authentic and immersive learning experiences and were able to communicate with each other without any language barriers.

Amidst ongoing educational reform around the world, the leadership qualities of primary and secondary principals have captured the increased interest of researchers. This article aims to explore the essential components of principal leadership by conducting a literature review of relevant research both in China and other countries. The survey finds that despite the variations in the definitions of principal leadership in different regions and at different times, there are still certain shared key elements in them. It summarizes the core qualities of principal leadership at the basic education level in terms of personal traits, the capacity to influence people, and the ability to make sustainable organizational improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technologies are essential for reducing environmental impact and increasing agricultural productivity. Previous adoption studies indicate several socioeconomic, technological, and institutional variables influencing the adoption of agricultural technologies. With less than a decade to the United Nation's sustainable development agenda for 2030, there are yet reports on farmers' resistance to sustainable agricultural technologies. Using a survey and multistage sampling procedure in selecting the respondents of 405 smallholder Chinese farmers, the study models farmers' adoption intensity of sustainable agricultural technologies and their impact on productivity. A 5-point Likert scale was used to analyse farmers' SAT perception levels. The PSM was used to eliminate a major proportion of bias when estimating a more precise treatment effect or impact of SAT adoption on productivity. The findings showed that farmers have mixed perceptions (positive and negative) about SAT adoption, which is reflected in their adoption decisions. The study found that family members as extension officers positively impacted farmers' adoption behaviour. On the contrary, regular visits by agricultural extension services had no impact on farmers' adoption behaviour, but positive on productivity. The results clearly showed elements of constraints in farmers' decision-making. The ATT results showed a significant and positive impact of SATs' adoption on productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an investigation of important properties, including moisture content, pH, plant nutrients, organic matter, mineral oil, and the contents of heavy metals (HMs) in sewage sludge (SS) collected from 32 urban treatment plants in Shaanxi Province, China, was carried out. The test results showed that the pH and the moisture, organic matter, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and mineral oil contents of the SS varied over different rainfall periods, and most of the indicators met the standard criteria for SS agricultural reuse in China. Principal component analysis (PCA) and correlation analysis indicated that the pollutant characteristics of the SS depended on time span and geographical distribution. The mean contents of Pb, Cd, Cu, Zn, Ni, Cr, Hg, and As in SS were 3.95, 16.38, 5.43, 7.70, 1.31, 1.53, 32.77, and 1.40 times higher than the soil background values, respectively. Speciation analysis showed that the forms of HMs in the SS were significantly different. Assessments based on the geoaccumulation index (Igeo), Nemerow integrated pollution index (NIPI), and potential ecological risk index (RI) suggested that HM pollution risk levels were either uncontaminated or moderately contaminated in some regions and that SS recycled for agricultural applications carried a low risk. In conclusion, certain potential ecological risks exist for SS agricultural utilization in Shaanxi Province, and it is necessary to reduce the HM content before SS resource utilization for land application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:-, a monophasic variant of S. Typhimurium, has become a global serovar causing animal and human infections since its first emergence in the late 1980's. Several previous studies showed the increasing prevalence of S. 4,[5],12:i:-in China, most of which were from swine with multidrug resistance (MDR) profiles. However, the molecular characteristic and evolution of S. 4,[5],12:i:- in the same swine farm are still unknown. In this study, a total of 54 S. enterica strains were isolated from different fattening pigs aged 1, 3, and 6 months, most of which belonged to S. 4,[5],12:i:-. Whole-genome sequencing revealed that all 45 S. 4,[5],12:i:- strains belonged to ST34 and were further divided into two different ribosomal STs and nine different core-genome STs. Phylogenetic analysis of 286 S. 4,[5],12:i:- strains in China, including 241 from the EnteroBase Salmonella database, revealed the genetic diversity of S. 4,[5],12:i:- and indicated that S. 4,[5],12:i:- in this swine farm might have multiple origins. Three different IncHI2 plasmids carrying various resistance genes were characterized by nanopore sequencing and could be conjugated to Escherichia coli. The colistin resistance gene mcr-1 and ESBLs gene blaCTX-M-14 were co-located on the chromosome of one strain. The dynamic changes in antimicrobial resistance regions and transferability of IncHI2 plasmids, as well as the chromosomal location of resistance genes, facilitated the diversity of the antimicrobial resistance characteristics in S. 4,[5],12:i:-. Since the swine farm is regarded as the important reservoir of MDR S. 4,[5],12:i:-, the prevalence and evolution of S. 4,[5],12:i:- from swine farms to pig products and humans should be continually monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the significant cash crops in China. As a leaf crop, nitrogen supply can not only increase the number of new shoots and leaves but also improve the tenderness of the former. However, a conundrum remains in science, which is the molecular mechanism of nitrogen use efficiency, especially long noncoding RNA (lncRNA). In this study, a total of 16,452 lncRNAs were identified through high-throughput sequencing analysis of lateral roots under nitrogen stress and control conditions, of which 9,451 were differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs). To figure out the potential function of nitrogenresponsive lncRNAs, co-expression clustering was employed between lncRNAs and coding genes. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed nitrogen-responsive lncRNAs may involve in many biological processes such as plant hormone signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum. The expression abundance of 12 DE-lncRNAs were further verified by RT-PCR, and their expression trends were consistent with the results of RNA-seq. This study expands the research on lncRNAs in tea plants, provides a novel perspective for the potential regulation of lncRNAs on nitrogen stress, and valuable resources for further improving the nitrogen use efficiency of tea plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) as a novel type of environmental pollutant pose a health risk to humans. Oxazolidinones are one of the most important antibiotics for the treatment of Gram-positive bacterial infections in humans. Although oxazolidinones are not utilized in the livestock industry, florfenicol is commonly used on farms to treat bacterial infections, which may contribute to the spread of the cfr, optrA, and poxtA genes on farms. Using metagenomics sequencing, we looked into the antibiotic resistome context of florfenicol and oxazolidinone in 10 large-scale commercial farms in China. We identified 490 different resistance genes and 1,515 bacterial genera in the fecal samples obtained from 10 farms. Florfenicol-resistant Kurthia, Escherichia, and Proteus were widely present in these samples. The situation of florfenicol and oxazolidone resistance in pig farms is even more severe. The total number of genes and the abundance of drug resistance genes were higher in pigs than in chickens, including optrA and poxtA. All the samples we collected had a high abundance of fexA and floR. Through nanopore metagenomic analysis of the genetic environment, we found that plasmids, integrative and conjugative element (ICE), and transposons (Tn7-like and Tn558) may play an important role in the spread of floR, cfr, and optrA. Our findings suggest that florfenicol and oxazolidinone resistance genes have diverse genetic environments and are at risk of co-transmission with, for example, tetracycline and aminoglycoside resistance genes. The spread of florfenicol- and oxazolidinone-resistant bacteria on animal farms should be continuously monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The appearance of transferable oxazolidinone resistance genes poses a major challenge to public health and environmental safety. These genes not only lead pathogenic bacteria to become resistant to linezolid but also reduce sensitivity to florfenicol, which is widely used in the veterinary field. To verify the dissemination of oxazolidinone resistance genes in enterococcal isolates from pigs at different production stages in a swine farm in China, we collected 355 enterococcal isolates that were resistant to florfenicol from 600 (150 per stage) fresh fecal swabs collected from a swine farm. Through initial PCR screening and whole-genome sequencing, 175 isolates harboring different oxazolidinone resistance genes were identified. All isolates carried the optrA gene. A total of 161 (92%, 161/175) isolates carried only the optrA gene. Three (1.71%, 3/175) isolates carried both the optrA and poxtA genes, and 11 (3.1%, 11/175) isolates contained the optrA gene and poxtA2 and cfr(D) variants. A total of 175 isolates that harbored oxazolidinone resistance genes included 161 E. faecalis, 6 E. faecium, and 8 E. hirae. By sequencing the whole genomes, we found that the 161 isolates of E. faecalis belonged to 28 different STs, including 8 new STs, and the 6 isolates of E. faecium belonged to four different STs, including one new ST. The phylogenetic tree based on SNPs of the core genome showed that both clonal spread and horizontal transfer mediated the diffusion of oxazolidone resistance genes in enterococcal isolates at specific stages in pig farms. Moreover, enterococcal isolates carrying oxazolidone resistance genes could spread from breeding pigs to fattening pigs, while transferable oxazolidone resistance genes in enterococcal isolates could persist on a pig farm throughout all production stages. Representative enterococcal isolates with different oxazolidinone resistance genes were further studied through Nanopore sequencing. We identified a novel plasmid, pM4-80L4 (15,008bp), carrying the poxtA2 and cfr(D) genes in enterococcal isolates at different stages. We also found three different plasmids harboring the poxtA gene with high genetic variation, and all poxtA genes were flanked by two copies of IS1216E elements. In addition, four genetically distinct plasmids carrying the optrA gene were identified, and Tn554 was found to mediate chromosome-localized optrA gene transfer. Our study highlighted that transferable oxazolidinone resistance genes in enterococcal isolates could persist throughout all production stages on a pig farm, and the prevalence and dissemination of oxazolidinone resistance genes in enterococcal isolates from animal farms should be continually monitored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to better improve the martial arts learning effect, this paper puts forward the design method of martial arts motion feedback system based on target intelligent tracking video processing. It optimizes the hardware configuration of the system, adds a composite tracker to the system, to effectively track the motion changes of different human targets, and further combines the real-time target intelligent tracking video processing technology. Build a moving target tracking model; then, based on the calculation of motion characteristic parameters, CRF method is used for motion behavior recognition and feedback. Measuring the data using smart PLS software and running different results included descriptive statistical analysis, correlation analysis, model fitness analysis, and the smart PLS Algorithm model also describes that graphical analysis related to the variables. It is the expectation of the Chinese Government to achieve urban-rural integration and close the urban-rural divide by lowering health inequities and enhancing social connections at the same time. Given that involvement in sports may provide a variety of physical and mental advantages, as a manner of increasing possibilities for social connections, community provision plays an important part in this regard. The overall results found that there is positive and significant relationships in-between [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The overactivation of NF-1B signaling is a key hallmark for the pathogenesis of extranodal natural killer/T cell lymphoma (ENKTL), a very aggressive subtype of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma yet with rather limited control strategies. Previously, we found that the dysregulated exportin-1 (also known as CRM1) is mainly responsible for tumor cells to evade apoptosis and promote tumor-associated pathways such as NF-B signaling. Methods: Herein we reported the discovery and biological evaluation of a potent small molecule CRM1 inhibitor, LFS-1107. We validated that CRM1 is a major cellular target of LFS-1107 by biolayer interferometry assay (BLI) and the knockdown of CRM1 conferred tumor cells with resistance to LFS-1107. Results: We found that LFS-1107 can strongly suppresses the growth of ENKTL cells at low-range nanomolar concentration yet with minimal effects on human platelets and healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Treatment of ENKTL cells with LFS-1107 resulted in the nuclear retention of IkBa and consequent strong suppression of NF-B transcriptional activities, NF-B target genes downregulation and attenuated tumor cell growth and proliferation. Furthermore, LFS-1107 exhibited potent activities when administered to immunodeficient mice engrafted with human ENKTL cells. Conclusions: Therefore, LFS-1107 holds great promise for the treatment of ENKTL and may warrant translation for use in clinical trials. Funding: Yang's laboratory was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant: 81874301), the Fundamental Research Funds for Central University (Grant: DUT22YG122) and the Key Research project of 'be Recruited and be in Command' in Liaoning Province (Personal Target Discovery for Metabolic Diseases). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]