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Language has always been considered the most effective medium of communication among humans to express their thoughts, opinions, and emotions. As a consequence of globalization, a lot of people end up living, studying, working, and travelling in countries where both their first and the second languages may not be used. This situation creates a need for learning a third language (L3) considering proficiency in first (native) and second (presumably English) languages. Numerous studies have been conducted on L2 and a lot in the field of L3. However, this study found a scope to research specifically on the language (L3) learning intention in terms of its usefulness for international students who are in a country where their native language and the L2 are not in use. More than 161 international students studying under the Chinese Language Learning program as well as students studying in graduate and undergraduate levels at public universities in Yunnan, Beijing, Jiangsu, and Hunan in China participated in this study. By extending the theory of planned behavior with the Self Determination Theory (SDT), along with the influence of the L2, a survey questionnaire was prepared and data was collected from these participants. Later, the data was analyzed by common method variance and path model estimation of Partial Least Square (PLS) algorithm to generate and evaluate predictions for intentions of learning Chinese as the L3 considering the perceived usefulness of the language which eventually validates the mentioned theories.

Like all organisations, good governance is a fundamental requirement for the responsible and accountable management of universities in general and open universities in particular. This is to ensure that these (open) universities remain relevant to their mission of facilitating unfettered access to higher education for citizens and at the same time continue being reliable contributors to personal and institutional developments, the vital ingredients to maintaining sustained national development. While several studies have, in the past, been conducted on governance of universities, almost all of them have centred around conventional, face-to-face institutions. Not much published literature is in evidence on the governance of Open Universities. This paper, drawing from a study on the governance of a few open universities in Asia, tries to discuss the nature of their challenges, and the lessons that can be drawn from their practices and experience. The study focused on aspects relating to institutional autonomies such as curriculum, budgeting and financial management, admission standards, conferment of qualifications, academic staff appointments, development and promotions and research policies. Our findings indicate that, similar to conventional systems, the state plays a crucial role in many aspects of governance both in publicly funded and privately supported institutions. Recent attempts at governance transformation towards greater institutional autonomies is beginning to show limited changes in some but not all jurisdictions studied.

Aim: The study aimed to investigate the association between physical activity and arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Ningbo, China.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using the Metabolic Management Center (MMC) dataset of The First Affiliated Hospital of Ningbo University from 1st March 2018 to 28th February 2023. 4444 adults with T2DM were included in the study. Physical activity was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ)-Short and was categorized into high, moderate, and low. Arterial stiffness was defined as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) ≥ 1800cm/s or common carotid artery intima-media thickness (CCA IMT) ≥ 1mm. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the association between physical activity and arterial stiffness.Results: 6.5%, 47.0%, and 46.5% of patients with T2DM had high, moderate, and low physical activity, respectively. 18.8% and 17.5% of patients had arterial stiffness based on baPWV and CCA IMT, respectively. The odds of arterial stiffness (based on baPWV) were lower in patients having moderate to high physical activity (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.98 and OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.39 to 0.87, respectively). The odds of arterial stiffness (based on CCA IMT) were found to be lower in patients having high physical activity (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.74).Conclusion: Higher physical activity was found to be associated with lower arterial stiffness in patients with T2DM in Ningbo, China. This was a cross-sectional study, and there is a need to conduct longitudinal studies on this topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though long in the offing, US withdrawal from Afghanistan became a reality with the signing of the Doha Agreement on 29 February 2020, ultimately leading to the establishment of Taliban 2.0 in Kabul. The unravelling of the two-decade-old US-led war and reconstruction effort in Afghanistan led to a long-predicted scramble among the regional powers to fill the vacuum created by US withdrawal and threw up a plethora of intriguing questions, particularly regarding China's role and interests in the region. This article seeks to understand and analyze China's ever-growing engagement in Afghanistan through the paradigm of Realism, arguing that China has long-term geo-strategic and geo-economic interests in the region which requires it to coordinate more closely with Pakistan and Iran and innovate diplomatically. This article is divided into two sections. The first section focuses on China's interests in Afghanistan viz. BRI-CPEC extension in Afghanistan, rare earth, and the need to ensure peace and stability. The second section assesses China's response to the emerging situation by focusing on China's engagement with the Taliban 2.0 and co-opting of Pakistan and Iran for safeguarding its long-term interests. This article concludes while looking at the position of India in the gamut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The WHO announced coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) as a pandemic disease globally on March 11, 2020, after it emerged in China. The emergence of COVID-19 has lasted over a year, and despite promising vaccine reports that have been produced, we still have a long way to go until such remedies are accessible to everyone. The immunomodulatory strategy has been kept at the top priority for the research agenda for COVID-19. Corticosteroids have been used to modulate the immune response in a wide range of diseases for the last 70 years. These drugs have been shown to avoid and reduce inflammation in tissues and the bloodstream through non-genomic and genomic effects. Now, the use of corticosteroids increased the chance of survival and relief by combating the viral strong inflammatory impacts and has moved to the forefront in the management of patients seeking supplemental oxygen. The goal of this review is to illuminate dexamethasone and methylprednisolone, i.e., in terms of their chemical and physical properties, role in COVID-19 patients suffering from pneumonia, the proposed mode of action in COVID-19, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, clinical outcomes in immunocompromised populations with COVID-19, interaction with other drugs, and contradiction to explore the trends and perspectives for future research. Literature was searched from scientific databases such as Science Direct, Wiley, Springer, PubMed, and books for the preparation of this review. The RECOVERY trial, a massive, multidisciplinary, randomized, and open-label trial, is mainly accountable for recommendations over the usage of corticosteroids in COVID-19 patients. The corticosteroids such as dexamethasone and methylprednisolone in the form of medication have anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-allergic characteristics, including the ability to inhibit the immune system. These drugs are also recommended for treating symptoms of multiple ailments such as rheumatic and autoimmune diseases, leukemia, multiple myeloma, and Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma along with other drugs. Toxicology studies proved them safe usually at low dosage via oral or other routes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The burden of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in China is increasing, with potential impacts on the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of those who develop the disease. Context‐specific assessment of HRQoL and its associated factors informs the development of contextually appropriate interventions to improve HRQoL. This study aimed to determine the HRQoL and its associated factors in people with T2DM at a tertiary care clinic in Ningbo, China. Methods: A cross‐sectional survey was undertaken among 406 people with T2DM in 2020–21. The primary outcome was HRQoL measured using EQ VAS and EQ‐5D index from the EQ‐5D‐3L questionnaire. Multivariable regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with HRQoL scores. Results: The mean (± standard deviation) EQ VAS score was 68.7 (13.8). Median (interquartile range) EQ‐5D index was 1 (0.027). Prevalence of problems in HRQoL domains was as follows: pain/discomfort (15.7%), anxiety/depression (13.3%), mobility (5.4%), self‐care (3.5%) and managing usual activities (5.2%). The ≥60 years age group had a mean EQ VAS score 8.7 points higher (95% CI 3.4, 13.9; p <.001) than the 18–39 years age group. Those with T2DM >10 years had a mean EQ VAS score 8.6 points lower than those with a duration <1 year (−12.8, −4.4; p =.001). A T2DM duration >10 years was associated with a reduction in the EQ‐5D index of 0.029 (−0.041, −0.016; p <.001) compared with a duration <1 year. Conclusions: Depression/anxiety and pain/discomfort are important domains of reduced HRQoL for this population. A longer duration of T2DM is associated with reduced HRQoL scores, including both EQ VAS and EQ‐5D index. Increasing age may be counterintuitively associated with an increase in EQ VAS score in this population, potentially reflecting a 'paradox of aging' process. Future work should focus on developing, evaluating and implementing interventions to improve HRQoL in T2DM, such as strategies to manage pain and mental health conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is one of the major public health concerns in China. Studies on the association between dietary salt intake and the glycemic response of T2D are lacking in China. The aim was to investigate the association between the levels of dietary salt intake and the plasma glucose, insulin and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in T2D patients. Methods: Patients with T2D, who accepted management and treatment by the National Standardized Metabolic Disease Management Center at Ningbo First Hospital from March 2018 to January 2020, were included in this study. Dietary salt intake was assessed through a standardized food frequency questionnaire. Anthropometry, blood pressure and biomarkers were measured by well-trained endocrinology nurses. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were used to examine the associations. Results: A total of 1145 eligible T2D patients with a mean age of 51.4 years were included in the study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose and 2-hour postprandial insulin were significantly increased across dietary salt categories. The GLMs further showed that dietary salt intake > 8 g/day was positively associated with FPG and HbA1c. Conclusion: Higher daily salt intake was found to be associated with FPG and HbA1c in T2D patients. Lifestyle education and promotion of salt reduction should be provided to T2D patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel coronavirus (nCoV) first emerged in Hubei province of China in December 2019. The virus initially known as 2019-nCoV was renamed to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. The associated disease is known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). As the COVID-19 pandemic has unfolded, interest has grown in antibody testing as a way to measure how far the infection has spread and to identify individuals who may be immune. Molecular diagnostic tests like polymerase chain reaction are developed rapidly, however they are not able to fulfill all the requirements of an epidemic reaction. Hence, to complement molecular diagnostic tests, serology tests emerged as a vital aspect of the overall response by confirming the presence of antibodies during the early stage of the infection. Antibody tests help in assessing herd immunity, data about the ongoing phase of infection, identifying potential donors for convalescent plasma therapy, etc. This review currently focuses on giving an overview about the antibody tests in SARS-CoV-2 infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose if this paper is to examine the turn-of-the-month effect in the equity market of three major emerging countries – Brazil, India and China – from January 2000 to December 2017. Design/methodology/approach: Ordinary least square regression analysis is used to examine the presence of the turn-of-the-month effect and to test the efficiency of the emerging stock markets. The characteristics of the returns during the turn-of-the-month days are compared with that of the non-turn-of-the-month trading days. Findings: The average returns during turn-of-the-month days for all the considered emerging market indices are significantly higher than the non-turn-of-the-month days for the full sample. For the subsample analysis, the average returns for Brazil and India for pre-GFC period are higher on the turn-of-the-month days than on the non-turn-of-the-month days. However, the effect disappears in China during the GFC period. During the crisis period, the results show that the turn-of-the-month effect disappears in Brazil and India, whereas for China, the effect is significant. For the post-GFC period, the-turn-of-the-month effect reappears for all the countries. Practical implications: The results have important implications for both traders and investors. The authors' results indicate that the market participants can time the stock markets of these countries by taking long positions especially during the times when the turn-of-the-month effect is highly significant. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to study the turn-of-the-month effect, in the key emerging countries such as Brazil, China and India. Second, the authors divide the sample into three subperiods based on the 2008 GFC such as pre-GFC, GFC and post-GFC to understand the dynamic behavior of turn-of-the-month effect over time. Most importantly, the authors control for the day-of-the-week effect while examining the turn-of-the-month effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is associated with acute hepatitis disease, which may lead to chronic disease in immunocompromised individuals. The disease is particularly severe among pregnant women (20–30% mortality). The only licensed vaccine against HEV, which is available in China, is the Escherichia coli purified recombinant virus-like particles (VLPs) encompassing the 368–660 amino acids (aa) of the viral ORF2 protein. The viral capsid is formed by the ORF2 protein, which harbors three glycosylation sites. Baculo virus expression system has been employed to generate a glycosylated VLP, which encompasses 112–608aa of the ORF2 protein. Here, we sought to produce a recombinant VLP containing 112–608aa of the ORF2 protein in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris) expression system. The cDNA sequence encoding 112–608aa of the ORF2 protein was fused with the α-mating factor secretion signal coding sequence (for release of the fusion protein to the culture medium) and cloned into the yeast vector pPICZα. Optimum expression of recombinant protein was obtained at 72 h induction in 1.5% methanol using inoculum density (A600) of 80 and at pH-3.0 of the culture medium. Identity of the purified protein was confirmed by mass spectrometry analysis. Further studies revealed the glycosylation pattern and VLP nature of the purified protein. Immunization of BALB/c mice with these VLPs induced potent immune response as evidenced by the high ORF2 specific IgG titer and augmented splenocyte proliferation in a dose dependent manner. 112–608aa ORF2 VLPs produced in P. pastoris appears to be a suitable candidate for development of diagnostic and prophylactic reagents against the hepatitis E. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of polypharmacy prescription among type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients at a tertiary care department in Ningbo, China, and to determine factors that independently predict this polypharmacy prescription. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted using an existing computerised medical records database. This database was screened from 2012 to 2017 for adult patients with T2DM and parameters like prescribed medicines and socio-demographic, behavioural and other medical information. Polypharmacy prescription was defined as the simultaneous prescription of ≥5 medicines by the clinician at the time of discharge for daily usage by the patient as part of his/her long-term treatment plan. Results: The study inclusion criteria were satisfied by 3370 T2DM patients. Over a 5-year period, 72.2% (n = 2432) of T2DM patients were prescribed polypharmacy. On an average, eight medicines were prescribed to them. The odds of polypharmacy prescription increased with patients’ age (18–39 years: 1; 40–59 years: OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.28–2.71; and ≥60 years: 2.42, 1.65–3.55), duration of T2DM (≤1 year: 1; >5–10 years: 1.70, 1.10–2.62; and >10 years: 2.55, 1.68–3.89), and length of hospital stay (≤5 days: 1; >5–10 days: 2.43, 1.86–3.17; and >10 days: 2.99, 2.24–3.99), and were higher in those with poor blood glucose level (2.09, 1.67–2.62) and with comorbidities like other endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases (2.24, 1.76–2.85), circulatory system diseases (4.35, 3.62–5.23), skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases (1.64, 1.04–2.59), and musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases (1.61, 1.27–2.03). The odds of polypharmacy prescription were lower in those with comorbidities like neoplasms (0.51, 0.36–0.70) and during pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium (0.06, 0.01–0.49). Conclusions: Around three fourth of T2DM patients at the tertiary care department were prescribed polypharmacy, and the predictors were identified. The study findings could be taken into consideration in future interventional studies aimed at supporting medicines optimisation (and deprescribing) among these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights China's views regarding CPEC and argues that stakes are very high for China in CPEC, and it is a project that must succeed if BRI is to go down in history as a success. However, CPEC's success cannot be ensured without responding to the security challenge present in Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has the potential to jeopardise the CPEC and as a result the entire BRI. Hence, China is required to engage with both Pakistan and Afghanistan to ensure the long-term security of the CPEC. Building of CPEC and its further extension leaves India with limited options but augmenting economic, political and security concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three new species of Rheotanytarsus Thienemann and Bause are described and illustrated from India. R. nudicornus n. sp. belonging to the aquilus species group is described as adult male and pupa, R. spinicornus n. sp. in the muscicola group is described as adult male, pupa, and larva, and R. caputimberus in the trivittatus group is described as adult male with damaged pupa. A possible placement and inclusion of these three new species from India and other seven species recorded from the Oriental China in the key to males of genus Rheotanytarsus of Kyerematen et al. are proposed. A probable placement and inclusion of the 2 new species from India in the key to pupae of Rheotanytarsus of Kyerematen et al. are also stated. Diagnoses of the muscicola group and trivittatus group are emended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CAB Abstracts published by CABI (Centre for Agriculture and Biosciences International) is the premier database for agricultural and allied sciences literature. The purpose of this study is to determine the extent of index coverage in CAB Abstracts and to identify the core journals in the field of agricultural and allied sciences published in China. The study depicts the trend of Chinese agricultural and allied sciences journals, which is successfully proving a gateway of the agricultural research in China to merge into the main stream of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tibet represents one of the unresolved issues of the world. It represents an area which the nature intended to be peaceful but man had ensured that peace has eluded this area for last sixty years. On the one hand are the Tibetans led by the Dalai Lame who claim that Tibet was an independent nation which was annexed by a stronger neighbour i.e. China. They also claim that their efforts of finding a solution through peaceful negotiations am not being reciprocated by China. They fear that China is pursuing the policy of total assimilation of Tibetan people and their culture, ruthelessly suppressing opposition and waiting for the demise of the Dalai Lama. They also diem that Autonomous Tibetan Region (ATR) in China does not enjoy real autonomy. The Chinese on the other hand claim that Tibet has always been an integral part of China, TAR enjoys real autonomy and the Tibetan people have been benefiting from education and economic development since 1950. Any resistance to Chinese authority by Tibetans is termed by China as a revolt by traditional religious forces. The strategy of Tibetans led by the Dalai Lama so far has been to pressurise the Chinese government through international community to respect human rights of Tibetans and to negotiate with the Dalai Lame on granting meaningful autonomy to TAR. This strategy has so far failed to bring peace in Tibet. The paper makes a case for adoption of Gandhian method for achieving lasting peace in Tibet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infant massage was first introduced in China in 2nd century BC. Massaging the newborn has been a tradition in India and other Asian countries since time immemorial. Various oil-based preparations have been used depending on the regional availability. There has been a recent surge in this ancient art particularly as a therapy among parents and professionals in the Western world. Evidence exists supporting the benefits of touch and massage therapy. We reviewed the literature to look at the various techniques of providing massage, its benefits, possible mechanism of action and adverse effects. The review suggests that massage has several positive effects in terms of weight gain, better sleep-wake pattern, enhanced neuromotor development, better emotional bonding, reduced rates of nosocomial infection and thereby, reduced mortality in the hospitalized patients. Many studies have described the technique and frequency of this procedure. Massage was found to be more useful when some kind of lubricant oil was used. Harmful effects like physical injury and increased risk of infection were encountered when performed inappropriately. The review also discusses the different hypotheses put forward regarding the mechanism of action. As of now there are very few studies describing the long term impact of neonatal massage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about the 14th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering (14WCEE) held at Jiujua Resort and Convention Centre in Beijing, China on October 12-17, 2008 is presented. It notes that the event invited scientists and engineers in order to share their knowledge of earthquakes. Moreover, it mentions that the conference was participated by several delegates from 11 countries who also participated in the first WCEE in 1956. .

The performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules and their component materials under outdoor environmental stresses is the most important indicator of reliability, durability, and safety of PV modules throughout their service life. In this study, fielded modules with polyamide-based back-sheets (PA/PA/PA) and Tedlar PVF-based backsheets (PVF/PET/PVF) (TPT) from arid and subtropical climates in China were collected for comparison analysis. PA and PVF back-sheet samples were removed from the fielded modules. The weatherability of the airside layer of two different types of photovoltaic back-sheets has been compared and studied. Chemical composition, mechanical performance, surface morphology and optical discoloration of these back-sheet samples were evaluated to understand the degradation of back-sheet materials in fielded modules. By a series of measurements, significant differences were found in the durability between them. • The aging behavior of different types backsheets were analyzed synthetically. • For PA-based backsheets, different local microclimates result in different failure modes and mechanisms, which leads to the different modes of cracking. • For Tedlar® PVF-based backsheets, no visual defects are observed in either climate, although the mechanical and physical properties show some change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]