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Aim: To identify DNA methylation and transcription biomarkers in the psoriatic epidermis. Materials & methods: Gene transcription and DNA methylation datasets of psoriatic epidermal tissue were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus. Machine learning algorithm analysis and weighted gene coexpression network analysis were carried out to screen hub genes. Results: Differentially methylated and expressed genes were identified in the psoriatic epidermis. Six hub genes were selected – GZMB, CRIP1, S100A12, ISG15, CRABP2 and VNN1 – whose transcript levels showed a significant correlation with Psoriasis Area and Severity Index scores and immune infiltration. Conclusion: Psoriatic epidermis is primarily in a hypermethylated status. Epidermis-specific hub differentially methylated and expressed genes are potential biomarkers to help judge the condition of psoriasis.

The accuracy of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) models and parameters plays an important role in power system operation. This paper proposes a parameter identification method based on the hybrid genetic algorithm for the control system of DFIG converters. In the improved genetic algorithm, the generation gap value and immune strategy are adopted, and a strategy of “individual identification, elite retention, and overall identification” is proposed. The DFIG operation data information used for parameter identification considers the loss of rotor current, stator current, grid-side voltage, stator voltage, and rotor voltage. The operating data of a wind farm in Zhangjiakou, North China, were used as a test case to verify the effectiveness of the proposed parameter identification method for the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT), constant speed, and constant power operation conditions of the wind turbine.

ObjectivesThis study compares patterns of gender difference in the receipt of informal care among community-dwelling older adults across the United States, Korea, and China where family-oriented systems for providing care to older adults are emphasized.MethodData came from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study, the 2014 Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging, and the 2015 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Logistic regression models were used to predict the receipt of informal care by gender. We also examined how the effects of health and living arrangement on the receipt of informal care differ depending on gender.ResultsIn the United States and China, older women were more likely to receive informal care than men. However, older Korean women were less likely to receive informal care than men. The effects of health and living arrangement on the use of informal care were moderated by gender in different ways across countries.DiscussionThis study provides evidence that patterns of gender differences in the receipt of informal care vary across the three countries. More attention needs to be paid to the design and implementation of long-term supports and services to address the unique patterns of gender difference in care arrangement in each country.

Objectives: We examined the associations of aspects of the immigrant experience—acculturation, neighborhood belonging, and perceived discrimination—with healthy aging in older Chinese Americans and explored whether the associations vary by age and gender. Method: The sample included 3,056 older Chinese Americans. Healthy aging was defined as no disability, no cognitive impairment, and high physical functioning, coded dichotomously (1 = meets all criteria, 0 = otherwise). Acculturation, neighborhood belonging, and perceived discrimination were measured using standardized scales. Results: About 31% of the sample experienced healthy aging. Acculturation was positively associated with healthy aging, with stronger associations in older age and women. A greater sense of neighborhood belonging was associated with higher odds of healthy aging; experiences of discrimination were associated with lower odds. Discussion: Interventions to promote healthy aging in Chinese Americans are needed. Programs that support immigrants with low acculturation levels, strengthen immigrants’ connectedness to their neighbors, and promote inclusiveness may improve population health.

Objectives This study aims to examine the relationship between psychological well-being (PWB) and cognitive function in older adults in China. Methods: Data are from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Analyses were restricted to 9,487 older persons (age ≥ 60) without cognitive impairment at baseline. Respondents were followed over a 12-year period. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (C-MMSE). PWB was assessed using a composite index capturing optimism, conscientiousness, neuroticism, loneliness, personal control, self-esteem, and happiness. Results: Multilevel mixed effects generalized linear models showed that respondents with greater PWB had a slower rate of cognitive decline over time, adjusting for sociodemographic and health characteristics. In addition, multilevel multinomial logistic regression models showed that greater PWB was associated with lower odds of developing cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Findings suggest that fostering PWB may prevent or delay adverse cognitive changes.

The objectives of this investigation were to identify a valid and practical benchmark for the assessment of healthy aging in the Chinese population and examine its socio-structural correlates. Using data from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, we investigated the validity of a continuum of healthy aging definitions. We found that definitions of healthy aging that emphasize disease of “significance” and functional health offer a valid and practical approach to the assessment of healthy aging. Results of multilevel logistic regression analyses indicate that socio-structural characteristics of individuals (age, gender, education, and pension status), their households (structure and wealth), and communities (infrastructure and geographic region) are significantly associated with the odds of healthy aging. Policy-level interventions are needed to enable individuals, regardless of their gender, socioeconomic status, and place of residence to experience a healthy old age.

Background Paeonol is a potent therapy for psoriasis. This study aimed to screen out paeonol-targeted genes in psoriasis and validate the potential of using paeonol for the management of psoriasis. Methods Microarray datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the lesional skin samples and the overlapping genes between DEGs and paeonol- and psoriasis-related genes were defined as potential targets for psoriasis. After being treated with si-ATG5 and pc-ATG5, human HaCaT cells were treated with 100 ng/ml IL-22 and 10 ng/ml TNF-α with and without paeonol. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and expression of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, Beclin 1, ATG5, and p62 in HaCaT cells were determined using ESLIA, PCR, and Western blot analysis. Results A total of 779 DEGs were identified in the lesional skin samples compared with the non-lesional tissues. The autophagy-related 5 (ATG5) gene was the only gene that overlapped between the DEGs and genes related to paeonol and psoriasis. Cell proliferation, inflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-1β), and ATG5 expression were increased in IL-22/TNF-α-stimulated HaCaT (model) cells compared with control. Paeonol treatment rescued all changes. si-ATG5 transfection increased inflammation and apoptosis in model cells compared with controls. pc-ATG5 prevented IL-22/TNF-α-induced changes in HaCaT cells. Also, si-ATG5 decreased p62 and Beclin 1 proteins, while pc-ATG5 increased them both. Conclusions ATG5-dependent autophagy plays a crucial role in psoriasis. The ATG5 gene might be a therapeutic target for the management of in vitro psoriasis.

Previous research has shown the beneficial effects of positive psychological assets on health, but more research is needed to confirm the prospective effects on cognitive function. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between psychological well-being and the earliest onset of cognitive impairment among Chinese older adults. Data came from 2000 to 2014 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. Study sample consisted of 6,225 older adults who were free from cognitive impairment in 2000. Psychological well-being was measured based on seven items that assessed optimism, conscientiousness, self-determination, happiness, self-esteem, pessimism, and loneliness, with responses ranging from “always (1)” to never (5)”. Negative feelings items were reverse coded. Higher score indicated more positive psychological well-being. Cognitive impairment was measured by a Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination. Respondents scored at or above 24 were regarded as having no cognitive impairment. A multi-category time-varying variable was used to capture four potential outcomes: (1) persistently free of cognitive impairment between waves, (2) onset of cognitive impairment, (3) death between waves, and (4) attrition. Socio-demographics, chronical diseases conditions, functional health status were served as controls. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression models that account for clustering of observations within a subject over time were employed for the study. Results show that more positive psychological well-being is significantly associated with reduced risk of cognitive impairment onset and death over time. Results suggest that developing more psychological resilience-based intervention programs among older adults may help them delay the onset of cognitive impairment.

Objectives To advance knowledge of the influence of educational level on trajectories and determinants of healthy ageing in midlife and older Americans. Study design Data are from the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal survey of Americans age 51 and over. We used generalized estimating equations to examine trajectories and determinants of healthy ageing by level of education among 17,591 adults followed over a 14-year period. Educational level was categorized as less than a high school diploma, high school diploma, some college education, and a college or higher degree. Potential determinants included demographic factors, early-life characteristics (childhood health and childhood poverty), health-related factors (health behaviours, physical and mental health conditions), and psychosocial characteristics (perceived neighbourhood safety, volunteerism, and work status). Main outcome measures Informed by earlier work, we defined healthy ageing as freedom from cognitive impairment, freedom from disability, and high physical functioning. Results The log odds of healthy ageing declined over time in all educational groups. Importantly, the decline was smaller in adults with a college or higher degree than in those without a high school diploma. Age, gender, wealth, health behaviours, productive engagement, depressive symptoms, and the presence of chronic conditions predicted healthy ageing across the educational spectrum; however, the impact of several factors (age, gender, race/ethnicity, childhood poverty, and volunteerism) varied by educational level. Conclusions Education shapes trajectories of healthy ageing in the United States. Similarities and differences in determinants of healthy ageing are evident across levels of education. Findings highlight broad-based and education-specific targets for intervention.

Background Photodynamic therapy (PDT) with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is a well-known treatment for non-hypertrophic actinic keratoses and superficial basal-cell carcinomas. Objectives In this study, we first revealed that ALA-PDT treatment effectively ameliorated the psoriasis-like lesion in imiquimod (IMQ)-induced mouse model and further explored the potential molecular mechanism and related signalling pathways during the treatment. Besides, we also confirmed a significant alleviation of ALA-PDT therapy on IFN-γ-induced over-proliferation of keratinocytes. Methods H&E staining was conducted to reveal the histological changes of mice in different groups. The different expression levels of RNA were illustrated by using QRT-PCR. Western blot was performed to confirm the various expression levels of protein in mice. In vitro, cell proliferation and cell cycle were evaluated by cell counting kit-8 and flow cytometry assay, respectively. Results The result showed that ALA-PDT's anti-proliferation effect and regulation on Socs1/3, JAK1/2 and K17 in IFN-γ-induced keratinocytes were largely weakened by NAC, indicating that ALA-PDT attenuated the proliferation of IFN-γ-induced keratinocytes by enhancing ROS level. Conclusions These results demonstrated that ALA-PDT largely activated the productivity of Socs1/3 in a ROS-dependent manner. Socs1/3 is a potential blocker in JAK signalling pathway and inhibits the proliferation and keratinization of keratinocytes in psoriasis.

This study examines whether participation in home-based productive activities impedes or encourages formal volunteering among Chinese older adults. We analyzed data newly collected from a random sample of adults aged 55 and older living in Shanghai in 2018. Respondents were sampled through a stratified multistage probability sampling design. A total of 1,200 older adults were sampled and 882 completed the survey, yielding an overall response rate of 73.5%. Home-based productive activities were defined as engaging in caring for grandchildren or homemaking. Volunteering was dichotomized as either participating in any type of community-based volunteer work. Considering that participation in home-based productive activities is likely to be endogenous–correlated with unobservable variates that are also correlated with volunteering, we used two-stage least squares (TSLS) models for the study. Perception of children’s filial piety (1=not filial to 4=very filial) was served as the instrumental variable. Socio-demographic characteristics and health conditions were included as control variables. Results indicated that older adults who were engaged in home-based productive activities were less likely to volunteer. Unlike evidence found in the Western studies, this study provides support for the competing hypothesis that persons who engage in time-consuming activities such as caregiving likely reduce their commitments to other social activities outside the home. Practitioners or policymakers might use this evidence to identify and develop more culturally acceptable, indigenous forms of volunteering for Chinese older adults.

The onset of disability among older adults is an important risk factor of nursing home admissions. Better understanding antecedents of disability incidence enables researchers and practitioners to design possible interventions to delay the onset of disability. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between productive activity participation and the incidence of ADL disability over time. Data came from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) (2002–2011). The at-risk sample consisted of 10,632 participants aged 60 or older who were free of ADL disability in 2002. A multi-category time-varying variable was used to capture three potential health outcomes: (1) persistently free of any ADL disability between waves, (2) onset of any ADL disability, and (3) death between waves. Attrition (i.e. lost to follow-up) was also included as a competing outcome. Productive activities were defined as engaging in paid work or providing assistance to family. Multilevel multinomial logistic regression models that account for clustering of observations within a subject over time were employed for the study. The results show that providing assistance to family is significantly associated with reduced risk of ADL onset and death over time, controlling for individual socio-demographic characteristics, chronic diseases conditions, and cognitive health status. Results suggest that encouraging participation in productive activities, especially providing assistance to family, may help older Chinese adults delay the onset of disability. Practitioners or policy makers could use this evidence to develop more family-oriented productive activities for Chinese older adults.

An improved particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is proposed to solve the problems of low power prediction accuracy and high randomness of PV power generation. In the first place, by changing the inertia weight and learning factor and concept of the hybrid genetic algorithm is introduced into the particle swarm optimization algorithm, determine the initial weight of the Elman neural network, establish Elman neural network, then using day feature vector selection and forecasting meteorological features high similarity of date, determine the main meteorological factors affecting the photovoltaic output, meteorological data and electricity generation are used as training sets of Elman neural network, prediction model is established. Finally, the simulation results show that the model is superior to the Without optimization Elman neural network, has higher prediction accuracy, and shows good stability and generalization ability.

This study compares patterns of gender difference in the receipt of informal care among community-dwelling older adults across the United States, Korea, and China. Data came from the 2014 HRS, the 2014 KLoSA, and the 2015 CHARLS. Logistic regression models were used to predict the receipt of informal care by gender. We also examined how the effects of health and living arrangement on the receipt of informal care differ depending on gender. In the United States and China, older women were more likely to receive informal care than men. However, older Korean women were less likely to receive informal care than men. The effects of health and living arrangement on the use of informal care were moderated by gender in different ways across countries. Discussions include implications for practice and policy to reduce the gender gap in the receipt of informal care.

Huang, X.L.; Ren, Y.T.; Zhang, J.A.; Wang, D., and Liu, J.P., 2020. Dynamic scheduling optimization of marine oil spill emergency resource. In: Qiu, Y.; Zhu, H., and Fang, X. (eds.), Current Advancements in Marine and Coastal Research for Technological and Sociological Applications. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 107, pp. 437-442. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.With the increasing development of marine resources development and marine transportation, oil spill has become one of the main threats to marine ecological environment. Considering that the oil film has the characteristics of drift, this paper studies the oil spill emergency material scheduling problem with multiple oil films. Firstly, the position of oil film drifting with time under the influence of sea condition is calculated. Secondly, aiming at the shortest scheduling time and the lowest cost, the dynamic scheduling optimization model of oil spill emergency materials is constructed. The maximum threshold of emergency dispatch time is introduced to transform the model, and MPSO algorithm is designed to solve the model. The results show that the emergency materials can be transported to the accident site within the prescribed time, thus preventing the continuous diffusion of pollution. At the same time, it can avoid unnecessary waste and reduce economic loss. And it can provide the theoretical support for the decision-maker to make the emergency material dispatch plan.

Huang, X.L.; Zhang, J.A.; Ren, Y.T.; Dai, X.M., and Wang, Y.W., 2020. Utilizing port yard resources to optimize iron ore supply-chain cost based on “port before factory.” In: Gong, D.; Zhang, M., and Liu, R. (eds.), Advances in Coastal Research: Engineering, Industry, Economy, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 106, pp. 498–501. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208.As a large steel-producing country, China has become the world's largest consumption market of imported iron ore, driving the continuous growth of cargo throughput of China's ports. How can the Port-Steel enterprises in the supply chain optimize the allocation of land resources of the port and material resources of the Port-Steel enterprise to reduce the increased supply-chain costs due to the import of iron ore and achieve win–win of Port-Steel? Considering the batch distribution of iron ore demand, this paper constructs the just-in-time batch model under cooperation and noncooperation. The economic order quantity and single optimal unloading quantity under the two situations are obtained. Then the paper compares the changes of respective cost of Port-Steel and the total supply chain. The results show that under the condition of cooperation, the total supply-chain cost is lower. Through the redistribution of benefit compensation, the two sides can achieve win–win and the operation cost of the port is reduced while the inventory cost of the steel enterprise is also optimized.

Objective: We used three operational definitions of healthy aging to estimate the prevalence of healthy aging among older adults in China. Methods: Data were from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Participants aged 65+ were included (N=4350). The three healthy aging definitions represent a conceptual continuum and all encompass disease, physical and cognitive functioning dimensions. Logistic regression was used to examine the association of age, gender, education, pension, and Hukou (Chinese identification system) on each definition. Results: The prevalence of healthy aging increases when the operational definitions are loosened, ranging from 3.9% (most restrictive definition) to 15.2% (least restrictive). Across definitions, the odds of healthy aging were lower for people of advanced age, low education, female gender, and without pension when compared to their counterparts. Discussion: Our findings regarding prevalence of healthy aging helps to set a benchmark to plan and evaluate initiatives to promote healthy aging in China. Our preliminary findings showed that disability prevalence was higher than that reported in a prior U.S. study. A reason for the difference is that our sample was less likely to have major diseases but more likely to be disabled compared to the U.S. sample. This suggests that the reporting of disease and the path from disease to disability may be different between older adults in China and the U.S. However, socioeconomic disadvantages associated with healthy aging are similarly supported in our and the U.S. study.

This study examined the association between levels of marketization at the province level and individuals’ likelihood of successful aging in China. We merged individual-level data collected from the 2000 Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) with province-level data from various statistical yearbooks of China. The sample included 11,199 oldest-old from 22 provinces. Successful aging was dichotomously measured following Rowe and Kahn’s framework. Levels of marketization were indicated by the proportion of non-state-owned sector employees in the province. Two-level random intercept logistic regression models were estimated. The results indicated a positive association between levels of marketization of the province where older persons resided and their odds of successful aging, controlling for individuals’ socio-demographic characteristics, health-related behaviors, and childhood health-related conditions. Furthermore, this positive association was more pronounced for non-elites than for former elites. More research is needed to understand the potential causal nature of the relationship between levels of marketization and successful aging.

This study used five waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey to examine the relationship between living arrangements, smoking, and drinking among older adults in China from 1998–2008. We found that living arrangements had strong implications for cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption among the elderly. First, the likelihood of smoking was lower among older men living with children, and older women living either with a spouse, or with both a spouse and children, and the likelihood of drinking was lower among both older men, and women living with both a spouse and children, compared with those living alone. Second, among dual consumers (i.e., being a drinker and a smoker), the amount of alcohol consumption was lower among male dual consumers living with children, while the number of cigarettes smoked was higher among female dual consumers living with others, compared with those living alone. Third, among non-smoking drinkers, the alcohol consumption was lower among non-smoking male drinkers in all types of co-residential arrangements (i.e., living with a spouse, living with children, living with both a spouse and children, or living with others), and non-smoking female drinkers living with others, compared with those living alone. Results highlighted the importance of living arrangements to cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption among Chinese elderly. Co-residential arrangements provided constraints on Chinese older adults’ health-risk behaviors, and had differential effects for men and women.

The abstract should summarize the contents of the paper and should contain at least 70 and at most 200 words. It should be set in 9-point font size, justified and should have a hanging indent of 2-centimenter. There should be a space before of 12-point and after of 30-point.

This study aims to (1) examine the association of living arrangements and health among oldest-old Chinese, and (2) investigate gender differences in the association of living arrangements and health. Data were from the first two waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, which included 9,093 Chinese averaging 92 years old. Living arrangements had six mutually exclusive categories: living alone, with spouse, with children, with spouse and children, with others and in institutions. Using multinomial logistic regression, we found that baseline living arrangements are significantly associated with mortality, activities of daily living (ADL) disability, and self-rated health at Wave 2, controlling for baseline health, sociodemographic characteristics and availability of children. Further, the linkages between living arrangements and mortality vary by gender. Among the different living arrangements, having a spouse in the household (either with a spouse only or with both a spouse and children) provides the best health protection. Living alone and living with children are associated with both health advantages and disadvantages. Institutional living lowers mortality risk for men but not women. Living with others provides the least health benefits. Our study has extended the research on living arrangements and health to a unique population—the oldest-old in China—and clarified the health advantages and disadvantages of different living arrangements. Future research should examine the mechanisms linking living arrangements and health, and the experience of institutional living for men and women in China.

Successful aging is a very relevant topic for China, given that it has the largest elderly population in the world and one of the fastest rates of population aging in human history. In this chapter, we review the literature related to three questions. First, has there been more success in successful aging since China began the economic reform in the late 1970s? Second, who among those living in contemporary China are more and less likely to age successfully and why? Third, how would the trend of successful aging in China be affected by rapid industrialization and urbanization? Our literature review suggests that recent cohorts of older Chinese have better health than their precedents. Nonetheless, disparities in older people’s health exist between urban vs. rural areas, regions, socioeconomic strata and gender, suggesting that opportunities for aging successfully are not equally distributed. Moreover, observed improvements in health may not continue in future cohorts of older adults due to lifestyle changes and environmental threats that have accompanied the economic growth. How to enable successful aging among members of socially disadvantaged groups and reduce the negative impact of rapid urbanization on health are challenges to successful aging in China. These challenges are probably shared by other emerging economies as well.

In Chinese tradition, the responsibility for elder care belongs to adult children. However, traditional family model is less sustainable nowadays. This study aims to provide timely information of Chinese older people’s care preferences. Two research questions are addressed: What type of care provision do Chinese older people prefer? What factors affect their care preferences? Data came from a survey completed in Shanghai and Hong Kong between 2014–2015. Respondents (aged 55 and older) were sampled through a stratified multistage probability sampling design. A total of 1,400 were sampled and 1,041 completed, with a response rate of 74.35%. Multinomial probit models were employed to study care preferences, which were coded as: family care provided by children, family care provided by spouse, community care, and residential care. Three sets of explanatory variables were examined: socioeconomic resources, perception of children’s filial piety, and practicality factors. Results show that family care provided by spouse and family care provided by children were most preferred by Shanghai elders and Hong Kong elders, respectively. Community care and residential care were least preferred by Shanghai elders and Hong Kong elders, respectively. Older people who experienced more filial piety from children, and provided grandchild care were more likely to prefer care from children. Living in a relatively aging-friendly community enabled elders to choose community care. The study suggests that modernization does not necessarily result in less traditional familial care preferences. Developing aging-friendly communities encourages community care preference and thus could ease the family burden of increasing demand for elder care.

A sleep-monitoring analysis system was designed to collect and storage people's several kinds of physiology signal without affecting their sleep. It was combined with virtual instrument, which set up a signal processing platform on personal computer, to analyze stored signal by methods like time domain, frequency domain and power spectrum. We can get people's physical condition through that signal. This system is easy to use, functional, inexpensive and causing no burden to the user. The application result shows that this system could provide precise information for doctor. It has great value to apply in the hospital or household healthcare fields.

A novel sleep-monitoring alarm equip-ment based on embedded technology and ARM chips is designed in this paper. The data of sphygmic signal was measured by piezo-film sphygmo-transducers and processed by an embedded microcontroller. The sphygmic data of a person's sleeping in normal case is compared with those detected by the transducer designed in this paper to judge whether the person's sleeping condition is normal. The sleeping quality will be improved by using the excitor-device to disturb the insomnia mechanism without affecting the user's sleeping process. Once any abnormal condition occurs, an alarm signal will send out. The equipment can solve the problem caused by the first-aid of the heart disease and have bright market.

It is essential to study pulse signal processing while researching the embedded sleep-monitoring alarm system. Through the improvement of thin-film pulse sensor, the sensor location-related issues are solved. At the same time, low frequency filtering, second-level enlargement, and multiple analysis by using an embedded microprocessor are involved. Comparing the pulse parameters during human sleep under normal circumstances and the actual measurement of the pulse parameters can determine whether the sleep condition is normal. Under the condition of not influencing the users' sleep, the stimulator disturbs their insomnia mechanism and then improves the sleep quality. Signs of sudden cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases are notified by the alarm signal that is sent out immediately under unusual circumstances.