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Research Findings: This study aims to validate a scale highlighting the applicability of selected TPACK (Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge) domains of knowledge to early childhood education and to explore the internal relationships between TPACK's components in the Chinese context. A survey instrument was designed and administered to 1,192 early childhood (EC) in-service teachers enrolled in their national training programs. The instrument consisted of 29 items classified into four categories that align with the conceptual TPACK framework and are applicable to the EC context, including Technology Knowledge (TK), Technological Pedagogical Knowledge (TPK), Pedagogical Knowledge (PK), and TPACK. CFA and path analysis generated a model with good fit. The confirmed model indicated that (1) TK, TPK, and PK were significantly correlated; (2) TK, TPK, and PK all had direct positive effects on TPACK; however, (3) PK had a smaller influence on TPACK. Practice or Policy: The instrument was a reliable and valid assessment for measuring the TPACK of Chinese EC teachers and may be used to inform future research. The findings suggest that ECE training should shift away from focusing on discrete technological skills (i.e., TK) and instead emphasize preparing teachers with mastery in pedagogic approaches for integrating digital technology into instruction.

Rapid development and expansion of technology has created massive shifts in people's lives around the globe. China's focus on transforming the nation into a global leader in technology has resulted in the proliferation of policies, which are typically interpreted as part of the Western neoliberal economic expansion and imperialism. However, in this article, we contest what we claim to 'know' about technology or technicity (the condition of being technological beings) both locally and globally within the context of early childhood technology development in China. Chinese philosopher Yuk Hui (2016) introduces the provocation that China's history of technics is grounded in Confucian thinking rather than arising from the Greeks, countering the universal assumption that all cultures trace their technological thoughts to Prometheanism. The art of Chinese paper-folding known as Zhezhi is adopted as a metaphor to reconceptualize recent Chinese technology policies and practices in early childhood education as we conceptually bridge traditional and postmodern discourse. We examine the folds to reveal tensions in Chinese approaches to technology integration situated within economic, political, and socio-cultural contexts, and further explore how these elements exist in concert with one another.

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way young children engage in peer communication. The aim of this study was to explore how young children engaged in peer interaction remotely by examining young children's multimodal interactions during the pandemic. Visual and audio data posted to Douyin (China's most popular live-streaming site) between January 23, 2020 and May 6, 2020 were collected and analyzed. Mediated discourse analysis was used to explore young children's remote interactions as captured on video recordings. Results support the critical role of play materials and tangible tools in mediating young children's peer interactions and participation in remote environments.

In the midst of the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic, the virtual home visit became a key strategy among China's multiple approaches to ensure children's continuity of learning, sustain teacher-parent-child relationships, and promote home-preschool collaboration. In this study, using a small stories research narrative paradigm to analyze documented family engagement captured in social media data, we explore how early childhood educators relied on frequent, personal connections with children and families through virtual home visits to mitigate the negative effects of preschool closures in China. Results suggest that the exchange of information and socio-emotional supports during virtual home visits supported and enhanced home-preschool relationships. The virtual home visits evolved into a space for connection and collaboration between the educators and families. We use an ecological-exchange framework to discuss the implications of virtual home visit experiences across time and reflect on pedagogy and practice to enhance development of teachers in online interactions with children and families.

The rapid development of technologies has complicated its adoption and integration into early childhood teacher professional development in China. The government of China has developed policies and provided financial support to improve preschools' ICT infrastructure. Whereas various studies have examined the digital technology development provided to preservice educators around the world, relatively little is known about technology professional supports for early childhood (EC) preservice teachers in China's universities. In this research, we focus on a university in the central part of China as a case study to explore preservice teachers' technology use and self-efficacy while engaged in their field-based student teaching experiences. We collected data through an online questionnaire from 55 participants. Despite preservice educators' positive attitudes toward digital technologies, the results identified several issues that undermined EC preservice teachers' self efficacy for technology use and limited their instructional practices integrating technology in the field. Nonetheless, with adequate supports, preservice teachers were more likely to develop high confidence in their practice, suggesting the importance of improving and upgrading the current teacher preparation program and opportunities for field-based implementation.

With the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in early childhood education (ECE), young children face the challenge of learning to use AI ethically and appropriately. Developing AI education programs requires an age- and culturally-appropriate AI literacy framework. This study addresses this fundamental gap by creating a Chinese framework for early childhood AI literacy through an expert interview study with a grounded theory approach. Seven Chinese experts, including ECE and AI professors, kindergarten principals, and Directors of ECE Information Departments, were purposely sampled and interviewed, representing scholars, policymakers, and practitioners. The synthesis of the transcribed evidence generated five dimensions of young children's AI literacy, namely Safety, Identity, Attitude, Cognition, and Capability, collectively forming a holistic framework titled the 'SIACC' framework. The Chinese definition of early childhood AI literacy was also reported. This study introduces the Chinese framework of AI literacy and provides a scientific basis for policymakers to establish AI literacy standards for young children. Additionally, it offers a conceptual structure for developing systematic indicators and scales within AI literacy in ECE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vascular endothelial cell senescence is a leading cause of age-associated diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Interventions and therapies targeting endothelial cell senescence and dysfunction would have important clinical implications. This study evaluated the effect of 10 resveratrol analogues, including pterostilbene (Pts) and its derivatives, against endothelial senescence and dysfunction. All the tested compounds at the concentrations from [10.sup.-9] M to [10.sup.-6] M did not show cytotoxicity in endothelial cells by MTT assay. Among the 10 resveratrol analogues, Pts and Pts nicotinate attenuated the expression of senescence-associated [beta]-galactosidase, downregulated p21 and p53, and increased the production of nitric oxide (NO) in both angiotensin II - and hydrogen peroxide - induced endothelial senescence models. In addition, Pts and Pts nicotinate elicited endothelium-dependent relaxations, which were attenuated in the presence of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) inhibitor L-NAME or sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) inhibitor sirtinol. Pts and Pts nicotinate did not alter SIRT1 expression but enhanced its activity. Both Pts and Pts nicotinate have high binding activities with SIRT1, according to surface plasmon resonance results and the molecular docking analysis. Inhibition of SIRT1 by sirtinol reversed the anti-senescent effects of Pts and Pts nicotinate. Moreover, Pts and Pts nicotinate shared similar ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) profiles and physiochemical properties. This study suggests that the Pts and Pts nicotinate ameliorate vascular endothelial senescence and elicit endothelium-dependent relaxations via activation of SIRT1. These two compounds may be potential drugs for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases related to endothelial senescence and dysfunction. Key words: endothelial cells, senescence, pterostilbene, sirtuin 1. La senescence des cellules endotheliales vasculaires et l'une des principales causes de maladies associees au vieillissement et de maladies cardiovasculaires. Des interventions et des traitements ciblant la senescence et le dysfonctionnement des cellules endotheliales auraient d'importantes repercussions en clinique. Cette etude visait a evaluer l'effet de 10 analogues du resveratrol, y compris le pterostilbene (Pts) et ses derives, sur la senescence et le dysfonctionnement endotheliaux. Aucun des composes evalues a des concentrations de [10.sup.-9] M a [10.sup.-6] M n'ont montre de cytotoxicite dans les cellules endotheliales soumises au test du MTT. Parmi les 10 analogues du resveratrol, le Pts et le nicotinate de Pts ont permis d'attenuer l'expression de la [beta]-galactosidase associee a la senescence, de reguler a la baisse p21 et p53, ainsi que de faire augmenter la production d'oxyde nitrique (NO) dans des modeles de senescence endotheliale engendree par l'angiotensine II comme le [H.sub.2][O.sub.2]. De plus, le Pts et le nicotinate de Pts ont suscite des relaxations dependantes de l'endothelium, lesquelles s'attenuaient en presence de L-NAME, inhibiteur de la NO synthase endotheliale (eNOS), ou de sirtinol, inhibiteur de la sirtuine 1 (SIRT1). Ni le Pts ni le nicotinate de Pts n'ont altere l'expression de la SIRT1, mais ils ont entraine une augmentation de son activite. Tant le Pts que le nicotinate de Pts ont des activites de liaison elevees avec la SIRT1, selon les resultats de resonance plasmon de surface (SPR) et d'analyses d'arrimage moleculaire. L'inhibition de la SIRT1 par le sirtinol entrainait une inversion des effets anti-senescent du Pts et du nicotinate de Pts. En outre, le Pts et le nicotinate de Pts ont des profils d'ADME et des proprietes physiochimiques similaires. En conclusion, cette etude laisse entendre que le Pts et le nicotinate de Pts permettraient d'attenuer la senescence de l'endothelium vasculaire et de susciter des relaxations dependantes de l'endothelium par l'intermediaire de l'activation de la SIRT1. Ces deux composes pourraient constituer des medicaments eventuels pour le traitement de maladies cardiovasculaires liees a la senescence et au dysfonctionnement de l'endothelium. [Traduit par la Redaction] Mots-cles: cellules endotheliales, senescence, pterostilbene, sirtuine 1., Introduction Vascular endothelial cells play a pivotal role in regulating vascular hemostasis, vascular tone and permeability, angiogenesis, as well as vascular inflammation (Vanhoutte et al. 2017); however, the endothelial cells [...]

In edge computing environments, limited storage and computational resources pose significant challenges to complex super-resolution network models. To address these challenges, we propose an agile super-resolution network via intelligent path selection (ASRN) that utilizes a policy network for dynamic path selection, thereby optimizing the inference process of super-resolution network models. Its primary objective is to substantially reduce the computational burden while maximally maintaining the super-resolution quality. To achieve this goal, a unique reward function is proposed to guide the policy network towards identifying optimal policies. The proposed ASRN not only streamlines the inference process but also significantly boosts inference speed on edge devices without compromising the quality of super-resolution images. Extensive experiments across multiple datasets confirm ASRN's remarkable ability to accelerate inference speeds while maintaining minimal performance degradation. Additionally, we explore the broad applicability and practical value of ASRN in various edge computing scenarios, indicating its widespread potential in this rapidly evolving domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RAD54B belongs to the SNF2/SWI2 superfamily, participating in homologous recombination repair. DNA damage is the central driver of aging, but there is no direct evidence of an association between RAD54B and vascular aging. The present study sought to investigate the role and mechanisms of RAD54B in endothelial senescence. In senescent animal models, including spontaneously hypertensive rats, normal aging mice, and D-gal-induced senescent mice, and senescent cell models induced by H2O2, D-gal, and culture, RAD54B was remarkably downregulated. Knockdown of RAD54B increased the expression of p53 and p21, increased the ratio of SA-β-gal-positive cells, and decreased the proportion of EdU-positive cells. Conversely, overexpression of RAD54B reversed the senescent phenotypes stimulated by H2O2 and delayed replicative endothelial senescence. Mechanistically, silencing RAD54B compensatorily increased the expression of RAD51/XRCC4, which remained unchanged in H2O2-induced senescence. RAD54B lacking the SNF2 domain could still reverse the increasing expression of p53/p21 induced by H2O2. RAD54B reduced γH2A.X expression and inhibited the expression and phosphorylation of CHK1. In conclusion, RAD54B exerts a direct protective effect against DNA damage through enhancing homologous recombination repair in endothelial senescence, resulting in inhibition of the downstream CHK1/p53/p21 pathway, suggesting that RAD54B may be a potential therapeutic target for vascular aging-associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document explores the impact of digital transformations on early childhood education (ECE) and presents nine articles covering various themes for future research. It discusses theoretical frameworks guiding ECE digital transformation and examines the influence of touchscreen technology on learning. The article emphasizes the importance of new literacies, such as digital financial literacy, digital leadership, and AI literacy, in ECE. It also explores the integration of AI in ECE and the challenges it presents, including accessibility and social justice. The article concludes by discussing the digital divide in ECE and the need for inclusive digital learning opportunities for all children. [Extracted from the article]

Research Findings: This study aims to explore the optimal roles, pressing challenges, and future developments of ChatGPT in early childhood education (ECE) by interviewing six expert professors from China and the United States. A content analysis approach that combined inductive and deductive coding was employed to analyze the transcribed interviews. The findings of this study revealed two primary roles of ChatGPT in ECE: (1) conversational agent for young children and (2) on-call facilitator for educators and caregivers. The challenges and risks associated with ChatGPT were categorized using the "3A2S" framework, which includes Accessibility, Affordability, Accountability, Sustainability, and Social Justice. The participants suggest that as knowledge, information retrieval, and integration skills become less critical, human agency and inquiry ability become more important. As a result, they predict that ChatGPT's future trajectory should be as a resource for Intelligence Augmentation (IA) rather than as a replacement for the actions of educators and caregivers. Furthermore, AI opens new domains in ECE, such as AI literacy and AI social interaction, paving the way for novel opportunities and challenges in the field. Practice or Policy: This study contributes to the ongoing discourse on integrating AI technologies in ECE and offers valuable suggestions for policymakers, educators, and caregivers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Findings: This study examined the financial literacy of 5 and 6-year-old children in Shanghai, including their understanding of financial concepts and their preference for and ability to use digital payment methods. Using a mixed-methods research design, a sample of children ranging in age from 62 to 73 months completed multiple tasks to assess their financial literacy and participated in a semi-structured interview. The results suggested that most young Chinese children had a basic understanding of coins and their value, but there was variation in their perceptions of the need to provide change after making a payment. The majority of young children preferred to pay with digital devices and had a positive attitude toward mobile payments, although some children expressed concerns about their ability to use this method accurately. Practice or Policy: The study findings suggest that perceptions of financial literacy may vary across families from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. These results lay the groundwork for future digital financial literacy rating scales or behavior coding studies based on the initial findings of young children from middle-income families. The study also emphasizes the importance of providing formal and informal financial education to young children, particularly in regards to digital literacy, in order to prepare them for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Findings: Digital leadership as an urgent and emerging topic has attracted public attention, but its nature, definition, and constructs have not been thoroughly explored for the Chinese culture. This study uses a grounded theory approach to examine how Chinese principles are utilized at "Model Level" preschools to define, understand, and practice digital leadership in preschools. Eight principals from "Model Level" preschools in Shanghai were purposefully sampled and interviewed individually. The interview transcripts' inductive coding and interpretive analysis revealed a Chinese definition of digital leadership and its three constructs: Attitude, Cognition, and Capability, resulting in a unique "ACC model." This model indicates that this Chinese definition of digital leadership has gone beyond the traditional process-capability dichotomy and is a combination of three major constructs. Practice or Policy: This model provides a scientific foundation for the policymakers to develop "Digital Leadership Standards for Chinese Preschool Principals;" a conceptual structure of digital leadership for developing systematic indicators and scales. Digital leadership training can begin with an emphasis on attitude and cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]