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This study aimed to examine the unique longitudinal role of theory of mind (ToM) on reading comprehension among primary school children, while controlling for other influencing factors. It also examined how this impact varies by grade, text genre, and processing level. A sample of 430 Chinese children in Grades 2, 4, and 6 was observed over a period of 6 months. For each grade, longitudinal hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the unique contribution of ToM to reading comprehension across different text genres and processing levels. By controlling for variables such as reading frequency, decoding, vocabulary, nonverbal intelligence, listening comprehension, and executive function, ToM cannot predict the overall reading comprehension of children in Grade 2, but can predict it of children in Grades 4 and 6. For specific text genres, ToM predicted narrative comprehension in both Grades 4 and 6 and expository comprehension only in Grade 6. For specific processing levels, ToM predicted advanced comprehension in Grades 4 and 6 and basic comprehension only in Grade 6. Furthermore, ToM predicted advanced narrative and expository comprehension in Grades 4 and 6, and basic expository comprehension in Grade 6. These findings highlight the important role of ToM in reading comprehension development, particularly in the middle and upper stages of primary school. These results lay the foundation for further research on exploring the underlying mechanisms of the impact of ToM on reading comprehension and provide a social-cognitive perspective to enhance the development of reading comprehension.

Objective To investigate the impact of CYP2C19 gene polymorphism on clopidogrel reactivity and its association with longterm clinical outcome in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods In total, 675 patients were enrolled. Based on the platelet inhibition rate, patients were categorized into two groups: clopidogrel low responsiveness (CLR) and normal clopidogrel responsiveness (NCR). The CLR group was divided into ticagrelor and clopidogrel group based on the antiplatelet drugs used in the follow-up treatment. Patients were classified into three groups (normal metabolizer, intermediate metabolizer, and poor metabolizer) based on the CYP2C19 genotype. We aimed to evaluate the impact of CYP2C19 gene polymorphism on clopidogrel reactivity. The cumulative rates of 12-month all-cause deaths, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACCEs), and bleeding events were calculated. Results CLR was observed in 44.4% of the overall population. Significant differences were observed in the platelet inhibition rate of clopidogrel among the three metabolic genotypes (P < 0.05). At the 12-month follow-up, 13 patients (1.9%) died and 96 patients (14.2%) experienced MACCEs. Patients with CLR (9.6% vs. 11.7% vs. 22.1%, P < 0.05) or poor metabolizer (10.7% vs. 16.4% vs. 22.6%, P = 0.026) experienced a higher rate of MACCEs. A MACCEs risk score between zero and two was calculated. The highest incidence of MACCEs significantly increased with the 2-positive results, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.712 (95% CI: 0.650-0.774, P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the group with a score of one and the occurrence of MACCEs (P > 0.05). Conclusions Low response to clopidogrel in CHD patients is correlated with CYP2C19 gene polymorphism. CYP2C19 genotyping combined with platelet reactivity is an independent predictor of 12-months MACCEs in patients with clopidogrel treatment after PCI, which is better than either test alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge is an important medicinal herb, which is widely cultivated in most parts of China. It has attracted considerable attention because of its pharmacological properties and potential health benefits. Methods: We used a field experiment to determine the effects of different genotypes and climatic factors on the performance (plant biomass, morphological parameters), active ingredients, rhizosphere soil physicochemical properties and microbial composition of S. miltiorrhiza at five cultivation locations. Results: The results showed that these parameters were significantly different in the six different genotypes of S. miltiorrhiza from five producing areas. Genotype and soil physicochemical properties were the main factors affecting the growth traits of S. miltiorrhiza, while genotype, climate and soil physicochemical properties were the main factors affecting the content of active components of S. miltiorrhiza. Microbial phospholipid fatty acid analysis showed that the biomass of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was affected by the genotypes of S. miltiorrhiza plants, while the biomass of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, fungi, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was affected by climate factors. Discussion: Based on the main results, DS993 was the most suitable genotype for S. miltiorrhiza in the five producing areas from the perspective of comprehensive growth traits and medicinal components, while DS993 and DS2000 were suitable for planting in Shandong province from the perspective of origin. DS996 is not suitable for all of the above production areas. These results are helpful to understand the ecological adaptability of different genotypes of S. miltiorrhiza resources, and to select appropriate S. miltiorrhiza genotypes for specific planting areas, so as to maximize yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is more common among young women in China than in developed countries. This study analyzes the clinicopathological features and prognosis of young women with breast cancer in southwest China. Materials and Methods: We reviewed the records of 406 breast cancer patients = 35 years old from 2008 to 2017 in southwest China, investigating their biological characteristics and prognosis. Results: In southwest China, 8.77% of breast cancer patients were young women. Although the number of breast cancer cases increased over time, the proportion of young women declined. Patients in stages III and IV accounted for 32% of cases. Young women with breast cancer often experienced local and regional recurrence and had a poor prognosis (5-year disease-free survival rate of 54.9% and 5-year overall survival rate of 71.3%). T and N stages were significantly related to disease-free survival and overall survival. Hormone receptor status was associated with overall survival. Conclusions: In southwest China, young women with breast cancer tend to present with late-stage clinical features, and the prognosis remains poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to examine factors that form university students' attitudes toward physical education (ATPE), the preference of their physical activities (PA), and correlation features among all related factors that form their ATPE. Participants were 1,386 university students from six universities in China. An Adapted Attitudes Toward Physical Education and Physical Activity Preferences Questionnaire was employed in data collection. Data analyses included a 2 × 2 × 2 MANOVA and correlation analysis. The results revealed the ATPE mean-scores ranking (e.g., No. 1 "keep physically fit and strong" and No. 2 "good posture and sturdy body"). Significant differences exist in ATPE mean scores between genders with males scoring higher than females and between majors with natural science scoring higher than social science. The PA preferences ranking of the students was team sports, weight lifting, individual sports, aerobic exercise, dual-game sports, and martial arts. Relationships between ATPE and PA in the university students were exposed and analyzed. The reasons behind these findings were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and midterm prognosis of transcatheter device closure of atrial septal defects (ASDs) in sexagenary patients in China. Methods: Forty-six sexagenary patients who underwent transcatheter device closure of ASDs in our hospital were included in this study. The patients' preoperative and postoperative clinical symptoms, echocardiographic results, and quality of life were investigated and analyzed. Results: Of the 46 sexagenary patients who participated in the study, 40 completed the study. After ASD closure, the clinical symptoms of the patients significantly improved, and the number of patients with dyspnea and palpitations significantly decreased after the operation. According to the echocardiographic results, few patients had a tiny residual shunt after closure, but the shunt disappeared completely at the three-month follow-up. The size of the right ventricular cavity was significantly smaller postoperatively compared with preoperatively. Regarding the patients' quality of life, their feedback in all dimensions of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (or SF-36) was significantly improved at the three-month follow-up, and it remained improved at the one-year follow-up. Conclusion: The clinical outcomes and subjective quality of life of sexagenary patients with ASDs improved significantly after transcatheter device closure of ASDs. Therefore, we believe that for sexagenary patients with ASDs, transcatheter device closure is a favorable treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circuit breakers (CBs) are of vital importance for the stability of power systems, and a new two-stage hierarchical state estimation method is proposed for 500 kV sulphur hexafluoride CBs based on Bayesian probability and perceptron neural networks. On the basis of the samples collected from Yunnan Power Grid in China, a new indicator system is constructed by association rules. Bayesian probability is applied to measure the correlation between the individual indicators and comprehensive indicators at the same status level, to weigh the individual indicators. Also, an adaptive perceptron is improved to train the weights of comprehensive indicators in different operational conditions, to eliminate the influence of the imbalance problem of relative deterioration. Then, the operating state of equipment can be inferred according to the calculated comprehensive scores. Finally, taking the actual operating equipment as an example, the effectiveness of this proposed method is proved by sample tests and comparison with other existing linear methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the important contribution of nitrous acid (HONO) to OH radicals in the atmosphere, various technologies have been developed to measure HONO. Among them, wet denuder/ion chromatography (WD/IC) is a widely used measurement method. Here, we found interferences with HONO measurements by WD/IC based on a comparison study of concurrent observations of HONO concentrations using a WD/IC instrument (Monitorfor AeRosols and Gases in ambient Air, MARGA) and long-path absorption photometer (LOPAP) at the Station for Observing Regional Processes of the Earth System (SORPES) in eastern China. The measurement deviation of the HONO concentration by the MARGA instrument, as a typical instrument of WD/IC, is affected by two factors. One is the change in denuder pH influenced by acidic and alkaline gases in the ambient atmosphere, which can affect the absorption efficiency of HONO by the wet denuder to underestimate the HONO concentration up to 200 % in lowest pH. The other is the reaction of NO2 oxidizing SO2 to form HONO in the denuder solution to overestimate the HONO concentration, which can be improved up to 400 % in denuder solutions with highest pH values due to ambient NH3. These processes are in particulate important in polluted east China, where is suffered from the high concentrations of SO2, NH3 and NO2. The overestimation induced by the reaction of NO2 and SO2 is expected to be growing important with the potentially increased denuder pH due to the decrease of SO2. We further established a method to correct the HONO data measured by a WD/IC instrument such as the MARGA. In case a large amount WD/IC techniques based instruments are deployed with the main target to monitor the water soluble composition of PM2.5, our study can help to obtain a long-term multi-sites database of HONO to assess the role of HONO in atmospheric chemistry and air pollution in east China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insect tea is widely used a traditional drink or traditional Chinese medicine in China. This study was conducted with an aim to determine the in vitro anticancer effect of Insect tea in cancer cells. Materials and Methods: The anticancer effects of Insect tea were evaluated in human tongue carcinoma TCA8113 cells using 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, flow cytometry analysis, nuclear staining with 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis, and western bolt assay. Results: At 200 μg/mL, Insect tea inhibited the growth of TCA8113 cells by 80.7%, which was higher than the inhibition caused by 100 μg/mL Insect tea but lower than that of 200 μg/mL green tea. Compared to the control cancer cells, Insect tea significantly (P< 0.05) induced apoptosis as determined by DAPI staining and flow cytometry analysis results. Insect tea significantly induced apoptosis in cancer cells by upregulating BAX, CASP3, CASP9 and downregulating BCL2. Genes encoding nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-KB), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were significantly downregulated by Insect tea, demonstrating its anti-inflammatory properties. Insect tea also exerted a great anti-metastasis effect on cancer cells as demonstrated by decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) genes and increased expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Conclusion: The results showed that Insect tea has good in vitro anticancer effects in TCA8113 cells, like green tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kuding tea (Ilex kudingcha C.J. Tseng) is drunk widely in China. The in vitro anticancer effects of Kuding tea were evaluated in TCA8113 human tongue carcinoma cells using a 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5- diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. At a concentration of 200 μg/ml, Kuding tea exhibited an inhibitory effect of 75% in TCA8113 cells, which was higher than that observed at concentrations of 100 and 50 μg/ml (41 and 10% inhibition, respectively). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and western blot analyses of the apoptosis, inflammation and metastasis genes and proteins in Kuding tea-treated cancer cells were performed. Kuding tea significantly induced apoptosis in TCA8113 cancer cells (P<0.05) by upregulating Bax, caspase-3 and caspase-9 expression, and downregulating Bcl-2 expression. Expression of the NF-κB, iNOS and COX-2 genes that are associated with inflammation was significantly downregulated by Kuding tea, which demonstrated its anti-inflammatory properties. Kuding tea also exerted an anti-metastatic effect on cancer cells. This was demonstrated by the decreased expression of matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and the increased expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and confirmed by the inhibition of the metastasis of U14 squamous cell carcinoma cells in imprinting control region (ICR) mice. The ICR mouse buccal mucosa cancer model was established by injecting the mice with U14 cells. Following injection, the wound at the injection site was topically treated with Kuding tea. It was observed that the tumor volumes for the group treated with Kuding tea were smaller than those from the control mice. Analysis of the sections of buccal mucosa cancer tissue demonstrated that the buccal mucosa cancer degrees of the Kuding tea-treated mice were weaker than that in the control mice. Similar results were observed in the lesion sections of the cervical lymph nodes. Based on these results, Kuding tea exhibited successful in vitro anticancer effects in TCA8113 cells and in vivo buccal mucosa cancer preventive activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. As a significant overlap of 11C-Choline standardized uptake value (SUV) between prostate cancer and benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) tissue, controversy exists regarding the clinical value of 11C-Choline PET/ CT scan in primary prostate cancer. In this study, the SUVmax of the prostate lesions and the pelvic muscles were measured and their ratios (SUVmax-P/M ratio) were calculated. Then we evaluated whether the tracer 11C-Choline uptake, quantified as SUVmax-P/M ratio, correlated with tumour stage, Gleason score, and expression levels of several biomarkers of aggressiveness. Methods. Twenty-six patients with primary prostate cancer underwent 11C-Choline PET/CT. Tumour specimens from these patients were graded histopathologically, and immunnohistochemistry for Ki-67, CD31, androgen receptor (AR), Her-2/neu, Bcl-2, and PTEN were performed. Results. Both SUVmax and SUVmax-P/M ratio showed no significant difference between patients with tumour stage II and III, but significantly elevated in patients with tumour stage IV. SUVmax-P/M ratio was also significantly higher in lesions with Gleason score of 4+3 or higher versus less than or equal to 3+4. SUVmax-P/M ratio was found significantly correlated with expression levels of Ki-67 and CD31. In addition, a higher SUVmax-P/M ratio was demonstrated in Her-2/neu positive subgroup than negative subgroup. At the same time, Gleason score and expression levels of these biomarkers showed no significant association with SUVmax. Conclusions. Using the parameter SUVmax-P/M ratio, 11C-Choline PET/CT may be a valuable non-invasive imaging technology in the diagnosis of primary prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carney complex is a syndrome characterized by skin pigmentation abnormalities, myxomas, endocrine tumors/overactivity, and schwannomas. It is caused by a mutation in the PRKAR1A gene that encodes the enzyme protein kinase A regulatory subunit type 1 alpha. A 23-year old male was diagnosed with Carney complex on the basis of spotty skin lentigines on his face and lips, multiple thyroid neoplasms, a right ventricular myxoma, and bilateral testicular tumors. A total bilateral orchectomy was performed and the pathological findings revealed Leydig's cell tumors on one side and a Sertoli cell tumor on the other side. When his first-degree relatives were examined, his mother was found to have Carney complex as well. This is the first reported case of familial Carney complex in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) infection in Chinese Partridge Shank chickens was confirmed by necropsy, histopathological examinations, antibody tests, viral isolation, immunofluorescence assays, and sequence analysis. Myelocytoma, myeloma, and fibrosarcoma were simultaneously found in Partridge Shank flock with ALV-J infection. Sequence analysis of the env genes of ALVJ demonstrated that both gp85 and gp37 were highly homologous among the three strains from local chickens of those among ALV-J strains isolated from white meat-type chickens. The phylogenetic trees indicated that the three strains isolated in this study were closely related to reference strains isolated in so-called Chinese yellow chickens and some strains isolated from white meat-type chickens, both from the USA and China. The observed ALV-J infection was the first report on Partridge Shank chickens, and myelocytoma, myeloma, and fibrosarcoma were found at the same time in this batch of local chickens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]