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Sports apps are third-party applications for smartphones or wearables that can help users record fitness data and guide their exercise behavior. Many Chinese college students are compelled to use sports apps for running exercises to improve their physical health and cultivate extracurricular exercise habits; however, the acceptance and use of sports apps by college students in mandatory situations requires elucidation. We explored the influencing factors of university students' behavioral intention and usage behavior to use sports apps in mandatory situations by combining the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology and the Self-Determination Theory. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 249 students of Liaoning University of Technology by using non-probabilistic convenient sampling. Data analysis was performed by employing partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results showed that (1) the research model explained 66% (R2 = 0.66) of the variance in behavioral intention and 30% (R2 = 0.30) of the variance in usage behavior; (2) performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and autonomous motivation significantly positively affected behavioral intention, while controlled motivation negatively affected behavioral intention; and (3) behavioral intention, autonomous motivation, and controlled motivation significantly positively affected usage behavior. The influence of facilitating conditions on usage behavior was non-significant. The results will help technical developers and schools to better understand the influencing factors of college students' use of sports apps in mandatory situations, and formulate corresponding improvement strategies and policies to further promote the role sports apps play in college students' exercise behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crossbreeding of Australian Superfine Merinos (ASMs) with Gansu Alpine Finewool (GAF) sheep and an evaluation of the potential benefits of this genetic cross has not been previously conducted. 13 ASMs were crossbred with GAF sheep over a five year period with backcrossing designed to assess heterosis. Data from 11,178 lambs sired by 189 rams were used in the study. Genotype, birth year, birth type, dam age, sex and/or management group, and record age were fitted as fixed effects and within-genotype sire fitted as a random effect. Crossbreeds of 1/2 ASM expressed the most desirable effects for improving average fiber diameter (AFD), clean fleece weight (CFW), yield, coefficient of variation of AFD (CVAFD), yearling staple length (YSL) to AFD ratio (YSL/AFD), and CFW to metabolic yearling bodyweight (YWT0.75) ratio (CFW/YWT0.75) but showed the least post-weaning average daily gain (powADG) and YWT. Genotype of backcrossing with 1/4 ASM obtained moderate improvements in AFD, CFW, CVAFD, and YSL/AFD but the highest YSL, WWT, and prwADG. Except for yield (-1.42%) and CFW/YWT0.75 (-1%), heterosis estimates were generally low and positive, and ranged from 0.1% for CVAFD to 4% for powADG, which indicates the potential to improve relevant traits through exploiting heterosis to a varying extent. The ASMs sampled in this study were found to be superior to GAFs for AFD, CFW, yield, and CVAFD by 19.82%, 11.68%, 14.47%, and 6.99%, respectively, but inferior for YSL, PowADG, and YWT by 4.36%, 50.97%, and 16.93%, respectively. ASMs also appeared to be more efficient than GAFs in clean wool production (25.34%) and staple length growth (16.17%). The results of our study strongly suggest that an infusion of ASM genes via crossbreeding is an effective and appropriate approach to improve wool microns and wool production from GAF sheep, and we make recommendations to tackle the undesirable traits of YWT and YSL from ASM introduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the maladjustment of Asian (Bangladeshi, Pakistani) and African (Nigerian, Namibian, Ghanaian) peacekeepers and its major influence factors. By random cluster sampling, 300 Asian peacekeepers and 271 African peacekeepers were administered the military psychological maladjustment scale (MPMS) and risk factors questionnaire. Investigation at Day 7 and Day 120 into the peacekeeping deployment period indicated that MPMS total score and factor scores of the Asian peacekeepers were significantly lower than those of the African peacekeepers (p < .01). The total score and each factor score of MPMS of the Asian peacekeepers significantly decreased (p < .01); for the African peacekeepers, only the factor score of emotional disorder of MPMS significantly decreased (p < .05). Stepwise regression analysis showed that the education duration was the influence factor for the emotional disorder factor score in the Asian peacekeepers, and the two factors were positively correlated. Age, military service duration, education duration and marital status were the major influence factors for the MPMS factors of the African peacekeepers, among which age was negatively correlated with the total score and each factor score, and military service duration, education duration and marital status were positively related. We conclude that the Asian peacekeepers are more adaptable and resilient than the African peacekeepers. Education duration was the major influence factor for Emotional Disorder in the Asian peacekeepers. The major influence factors for maladjustment in the African peacekeepers were age, military service duration, education duration and marital status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While prior studies of consumer preferences on electric vehicles (EVs) utilized stated preference (SP) or revealed preference (RP) data, this study examined consumer preferences for EVs through their online behaviour. Using big data and text mining technologies to explore large quantities of Chinese consumers' online behaviour pertaining to EV selection, comparison, purchase inquiry, and comments, we found that EV prices, car classification and powertrain types were the most important factors influencing consumer response. In addition to general interests, we also noted application specific interests. For instance, we observed a preference for small battery electric vehicle (BEV) models with fast-charging batteries, which are well-suited to work commutes and daily life. By contrast, when examining plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), we noticed that consumers expressed a preference for sport utility vehicle (SUV) models. Finally, we found that in addition to price and technical specifications, EV aesthetics play a significant role in consumer choice. These conclusions are valuable for government agencies and EV manufacturers looking to promote EVs and address environmental pollution by appealing to consume interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance Psammosilene tunicoides is one of the important ingredients of a famous Chinese traditional medicine formulation “Yunnan Baiyao”. Also, this plant is commonly used as an anodyne and hemostatic agent in southwest China. Currently, little toxicological information is available on its safety following prolonged use. Aim of the study In this study, we sought to evaluate the toxicity of the three different parts of Psammosilene tunicoides : Psammosilenes Radix (PR), Psammosilenes Radix with Cortex (PRC) and Psammosilenes Cortex (PC) by acute and sub-acute toxicity studies. Materials and methods In the acute toxicity study, mice were orally administrated with different doses of PR, PRC and PC. General behavior and mortality were observed up to 14 days. In sub-acute toxicity study, these aqueous extracts were given orally as a single administration to rats at doses of 0.3, 0.6 and 1.2 g/kg/day, respectively, for 28 days. General behavior, body weight, biochemical, hematological, organ coefficients and pathological morphology parameters were detected. Results In acute study, single oral administration of the aqueous extract of PR, PRC and PC caused dose-dependent general behavior adverse effects and mortality. The LD50 values of PR, PRC and PC were 4.64 g/kg, 4.85 g/kg and 6.40 g/kg, respectively. In sub-acute study, the administration of the extract of PR, PRC and PC during 28 days at all doses reduced spontaneous activities with both genders. Occasional nasal secretion with blood at high doses (1.2 g/kg) of PR, PRC and PC were observed. Daily single oral administration provoked varying degrees of growth retardation in female rats. The relative heart and spleen weight in the female rats were reduced after the administration. On the hematological and biochemical analyses, the administration of the extract of PR, PRC and PC during 28 days mainly caused variation of indexes in female rats. Histopathological analysis has shown vascular congestion in heart, thickened alveolar wall and emphysema in lung, and vascular congestion in kidney of rats after sub-acute oral administrations. Conclusions As shown in the results, Psammosilene tunicoides has a toxic potential in acute and sub-acute oral administrations. However, there is no direct relationship between toxicity and the cortex. Daily oral administration of three different parts from Psammosilene tunicoides (PR, PRC and PC) may cause damages to heart, lung and kidney in rats. Thus these extracts should be used with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bexarotene has been reported to reduce brain amyloid-β (Aβ) levels and to improve cognitive function in transgenic mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Four groups failed to fully replicate the primary results but the original authors claimed overall support for the general conclusions. Because of its potential clinical importance, the current work studied the effects of bexarotene using two animal species and highly relevant paradigms. Rats were tested for the ability of bexarotene to prevent changes induced by an Aβ challenge in the form intracerebroventricular (i.c.v) administration of 7PA2 conditioned medium (7PA2 CM) which contains high levels of Aβ species. Bexarotene had no effect on the long-term potentiation of evoked extracellular field excitatory postsynaptic potentials induced by i.c.v. 7PA2 CM. It also had no effect following subcutaneous administration of 2, 5, 10 and 15 mg/kg on behavioral/cognitive impairment using an alternating-lever cyclic-ratio schedule of operant responding in the rat. The effects of bexarotene were further tested using the APPSwFILon, PSEN1*M146L*L286V transgenic mouse model of AD, starting at the time Aβ deposits first begin to develop. Mice were sacrificed after 48 days of exposure to 100 mg bexarotene per day. No significant difference between test and control mice was found using a water-maze test, and no significant difference in the number of Aβ deposits in cerebral cortex, using two different antibodies, was apparent. These results question the potential efficacy of bexarotene for AD treatment, even if instigated in the preclinical period prior to the onset of cognitive deficits reported for human AD. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled ‘Synaptopathy – from Biology to Therapy’. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]