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Qian Meng, Fangfang Sun Department of Higher Education, College of Education, Bohai University, Jinzhou 121013, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Qian MengDepartment of Higher Education, College of Education, Bohai University, 19 Keji Road, Jinzhou 121013, People’s Republic of ChinaTel/fax +86 416 340 0230Email mengqian_china@hotmail.comBackground: The primary aim of this research was to examine the role of psychological empowerment on the work engagement of university faculty members in China and the implications for both faculty members and university administrators. The questions of the study focus on the level of psychological empowerment and work engagement of university faculty members and the correlation between psychological empowerment and work engagement.Materials and methods: Data were collected from a sample of 162 faculty members working at a China university. They were asked to complete two self-reported scales with good reliability and validity: the psychological empowerment scale (PES) and the Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES). The responses from the sample were analyzed using SPSS software. The descriptive statistics showed the participants’ statistical characteristics, while independent samplet-tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed group differences among university faculty members. Correlation analysis and multidimensional regression analysis demonstrated how psychological empowerment affected work engagement.Results: The total scores for the PES and UWES were both moderately high. Gender, age, degree attained, and professional ranking were associated with differences in levels of psychological empowerment and work engagement. The results confirmed that psychological empowerment was positively correlated with all the dimensions of work engagement. The regression analysis results showed that the positive role of psychological empowerment in work engagement was mainly realized through two dimensions: meaning and competence.Conclusion: The study results revealed significant group differences in the PES and UWES scores among university faculty members. Universities should give more support to younger and junior faculty. There is highly positive correlation between psychological empowerment and work engagement. University should recognize the role of psychological empowerment and create a supportive environment to promote faculty members’ professional development, which, in turn, can increase universities’ productivity.Keywords: psychological empowerment, work engagement, faculty members, case study

The goal of this study was to characterize the soil constitution and the presence of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) erm(F) in soils across California to investigate the relationship between the levels of anthropogenic influence and ARG erm(F) levels locally and regionally. Soil samples were collected from 26 parks in four cities, San Diego, Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Fresno, where six publicly accessible parks sites were selected in each, and two pristine sites, Yosemite National Park and Mount Baldy. DNA was extracted, normalized, and tested for the presence and quantity of genes 16S rRNA and erm(F) using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Erm(F) quantities were determined via two analysis approaches—on a per gram of soil basis, and relative to 16S gene abundance. Locally among 26 parks, the five quantifiably detected erm(F) sites all occurred in high-level anthropogenic influenced sites. Regionally among four cities, urban and agricultural cities shared the similar soil constitution respectively and urban cities had higher erm(F) gene levels than agricultural ones. Population and population density in each city is positively correlated with erm(F) gene levels whichever analysis approach was applied.

Fang Ren, Christina Shrestha, Huirong Shi, Fangfang Sun, Minghui Zhang, Yuan Cao, Gailing Li Department of Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Fang RenDepartment of Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, No. 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou 450052, People’s Republic of ChinaTel +8613849115866Email renfang@foxmail.comPurpose: The retinoblastoma binding protein RBP2 (KDM5A) is a histone demethylase that promotes cell growth in many human cancers. A series of functional experiments were conducted to explore the role of miR-421/KDM5A in ovarian cancer cells and their underlying molecular mechanisms.Materials and Methods: Public microarray databases were analyzed to assess KDM5A and miR-421 expression in ovarian cancer. KDM5A was predicted to be a target of miR-421 using software analysis. The expression of the miR-421/KDM5A regulatory axis in ovarian cancer and the mechanisms of its effects on proliferation, migration, and invasion of ovarian cancer cell lines were investigated.Results: Compared with normal ovarian tissues, the expression of KDM5A mRNA and protein was elevated (P< 0.05), and miR-421 expression was reduced in ovarian cancer tissue (P< 0.05). miR-421 was found to bind specifically to the KDM5A gene. Silencing KDM5A or overexpressing miR-421 significantly inhibited proliferation, migration, and invasion of OVCAR-8 and SKOV-3 cells. Similarly, compared with nude mice injected with cells transfected with empty capsids, the in vivo proliferation rate of OVCAR-8 cells after miR-421 overexpression was reduced significantly.Conclusion: The miR-421/KDM5A regulatory axis plays an important role in the development and progression of ovarian cancer cells.Keywords: ovarian cancer, KDM5A/RBP2, miR-421, progression