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To better understand heavy metal pollution and the potential ecological risk of mangrove sediments in the Nanliu River estuary, the speciation and distribution characteristics of heavy metals Fe, Mn, Zn, Co, Ni, Cd, Cr, Cu, and Pb in 13 surface sediments in the study area were determined and analyzed using a modified four-step BCR extraction method, and the ecological risk of heavy metals was assessed using the Geo-accumulation Index (Igeo), Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI), Risk Assessment Code (RAC), Pollution Load Index (PLI), Individual contamination factors (ICF) and Global contamination factor (GCF) methods, and source analyses were performed using correlation analysis and cluster analysis. The results showed that the heavy metal was in the order of Fe > Mn > Cu > Zn > Cr > Pb > Co > Ni > Cd. Except for Fe, Zn, Ni, Cr, Pb, and Co, the average heavy metal content of Mn, Cd, and Cu all exceeded the environmental background value; the Fe, Zn, Co, Ni, Cr, Cu, and Pd are mainly in the residual speciation, while Mn and Cd are mainly weak acid extraction and oxidation, respectively, both of which are predominantly in unstable speciation and are easily released into the environment. Mn and Cd pose a substantial ecological risk, while Cu and Pb present a moderate risk and require precaution. The source analysis results indicate that Fe, Mn, Zn, Ni, Cr, and Pb are most likely to originate from natural sources and the transportation industry, Co and Cu are likely to be mainly from ship manufacturing industrial activities, and Cd is likely to be mainly from agriculture and aquaculture. The GCF and PLI results show that places with high heavy metal enrichment and ecological risk are primarily located in areas with high industrial, agricultural, or human activity impacts.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical relevance and biological function of the kinesin super-family protein 4A (KIF4A) expression in prostate cancer (PCa). Methods: We examined 1) the relationship between the expression of KIF4A and clinico-pathological characteristics of PCa patients using a tissue microarray and the Cancer Genome Atlas database, 2) the prognostic value of KIF4A expression in patients using Kaplan-Meier plots and 3) the functions of KIF4A in LNCaP and DU145 cells, such as cell proliferation, cell cycle and cell apoptosis. Results: Compared with normal prostate, the mRNA and protein expressions of KIF4A were up-regulated in PCa. The up-regulation expression rates of KIF4A in PCa were significantly related to the Gleason score (P

Objective. To investigate the mediation effect of approach/avoidance motivation between hardiness and depressive symptoms. Methods. Cross-sectional design was utilized. Two independent samples of military servicemen (G1: military personnel in the Armed Forces; G2: Chinese army military cadets) (n1 = 98, n2 =140) were sampled and investigated. The assessment tools of hardiness scale (DRS), behavioral activation and inhibition scales (BAS/BIS), and Center for Epidemiological Survey-Depression Scale (CES-D)/Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used. General linear model was conducted to examine the predictive role of hardiness (DRS) and motivation (BAS/BIS) on depressive symptoms (CES-D or BDI). The mediating role of BAS/BIS between hardiness and depressive symptoms was examined. Results. (1) Across army soldiers and military medical university cadets, hardiness (β=-0.394, Pβ=0.297, Pβ=-0.043, SE=0.027, 95%CI=-0.130~-0.008). (3) For cadets only, behavioral activation-Drive significantly predicted depressive symptoms (β=-0.237, P=0.012), and hardiness operates through behavioral activation-Drive to influence depressive symptoms (β=-0.057, SE=0.036, 95%CI=-0.151~-0.078). Conclusion. Individuals who are low in hardiness and behavioral activation-Drive and who are high in behavioral inhibition showed more severe depressive symptoms. The relationship between hardiness and depressive symptoms was mediated by behavioral activation-Drive in cadets and behavioral inhibition in soldiers. The proposed model offers a useful approach for the development of hardiness training programs to alter approach/avoidance motivation in the military context. Future training program of hardiness could lay more emphasis on promotion of perseverance in pursuing goals in hardy individuals, which may in turn improve active coping.

Background This study aimed to develop and conduct psychometric testing of the Critical Thinking Disposition Inventory to measure the critical thinking disposition of Chinese medical college students. Methods The study was conducted in two stages: (a) item generation, reliability analysis and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and (b) confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and testing of psychometric properties (Cronbach’ s alpha, test-retest reliability and convergent validity). The subjects included 1035 Chinese medical college students. The test-retest reliability of the instrument was determined at a two-week interval (n = 61). A general linear regression model was developed to examine the predictive effects of gender, age and major on CT disposition. The data were analysed with SPSS 22.0 and Amos 21.0 during item development and the reliability and validity analyses. Vista was utilized for parallel analysis during the principal axis analysis. Results Eighteen final items were sorted into 3 factors, which were identified as “Open-mindedness”, “Systematicity/Analyticity” and “Truth-seeking”, with cumulative variance of 41.37, 46.00 and 49.59%, respectively. The Cronbach’s alpha was 0.924, and the factors’ alphas ranged from 0.824 to 0.862. The correlational analysis indicated significant correlations between the subscales of the CTDI-CM and the total scores of the CTDI-CV, indicating modest evidence for the convergent validity of the CTDI-CM. Gender, age and education significantly predicted the CT disposition of Chinese medical students. Open-mindedness and Systematicity/Analyticity were higher for medical students than for nursing students. Conclusions This study presents a reliable and valid instrument for clinical thinking disposition. Future studies should explore other predictive factors of CT dispositions (e.g., cognitive/motivational) and criterion validity.