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Simple Summary: The western flower thrips (WFT) Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an important invasive pest in agriculture and forestry. It has developed resistance to a frequently used pesticide spinetoram world widely, including the invading area of China. However, the mechanism of resistance to spinetoram is unclear in China. In this study, we found the presence of the G275E mutation in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor Foα6 in the early invading populations, which has now increased to a high frequency in China. There was a correlation between the frequency of the G275E mutation and resistance to spinetoram as characterized by median lethal concentration. Our results showed that G275E mutation is one of the mechanisms conferring spinetoram resistance in invading populations in China, as in many other countries. Our study highlights the rapid spread of the G275E mutation in China in the 2009–2021 period. The western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an important invasive pest worldwide. Field-evolved resistance to the pesticide spinetoram is an increasing problem in the chemical control of this pest. Here, we examined changes in the frequency of a genetic mutation associated with spinetoram resistance, the G275E mutation in the acetylcholine receptor Foα6, in 62 field populations collected from 2009 to 2021 across areas of China invaded by this pest. We found a low frequency of the G275E mutation in populations collected at the early invasion stage, in contrast to a high frequency in native USA populations. However, the frequency of the G275E mutation has increased to a high level in recently collected populations, with the mutation becoming fixed in some populations. There was a correlation between the frequency of the G275E mutation and resistance to spinetoram as characterized by median lethal concentration, although two populations were outliers. These results showed that G275E mutation is one of the mechanisms conferring spinetoram resistance in many invading populations in China. Ongoing dispersal of the WFT may have facilitated a rapid increase in the G275E mutation across China. Our study highlights the rapid evolution of pesticide resistance in an invasive species and points to a useful marker for molecular diagnostics of spinetoram resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with multimorbidity often experience treatment burden as a result of fragmented, specialist‐driven healthcare. The 'family doctor team' is an emerging service model in China to address the increasing need for high‐quality routine primary care. Objective: This study aimed to explore the extent to which treatment burden was associated with healthcare needs and patients' experiences. Methods: Multisite surveys were conducted in primary care facilities in Guangdong province, southern China. Interviewer‐administered questionnaires were used to collect data from patients (N = 2160) who had ≥2 clinically diagnosed long‐term conditions (multimorbidity) and had ≥1 clinical encounter in the past 12 months since enrolment registration with the family doctor team. Patients' experiences and treatment burden were measured using a previously validated Chinese version of the Primary Care Assessment Tool (PCAT) and the Treatment Burden Questionnaire, respectively. Results: The mean age of the patients was 61.4 years, and slightly over half were females. Patients who had a family doctor team as the primary source of care reported significantly higher PCAT scores (mean difference 7.2 points, p <.001) and lower treatment burden scores (mean difference −6.4 points, p <.001) when compared to those who often bypassed primary care. Greater healthcare needs were significantly correlated with increased treatment burden (β‐coefficient 1.965, p <.001), whilst better patients' experiences were associated with lower treatment burden (β‐coefficient −0.252, p <.001) after adjusting for confounders. Conclusion: The inverse association between patients' experiences and treatment burden supports the importance of primary care in managing patients with multimorbidity. Patient Contribution: Primary care service users were involved in the instrument development and data collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Follow-up care is crucial but challenging for disease management particularly in rural areas with limited healthcare resources and clinical capacity, yet few studies have been conducted from the perspective of rural primary care physicians (PCPs). We assessed the frequency of follow-up care delivered by rural PCPs for hypertension and type 2 diabetes – the two most common long-term conditions. Methods: We conducted a multi-centre, self-administered survey study built upon existing general practice course programmes for rural PCPs in four provinces. Information on follow-up care delivery were collected from rural PCPs attending centralised in-class teaching sessions using a set of close-ended, multiple choice questions. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to examine physician-level factors associated with non-attainment of the target frequency of follow-up care for hypertension and type 2 diabetes, respectively. The final sample consisted of rural PCPs from 52 township-level regions. The Complex Samples module was used in the statistical analysis to account for the multistage sample design. Results: The overall response rate was 91.4%. Around one fifth of PCPs in rural practices did not achieve the target frequency of follow-up care delivery (18.7% for hypertension; 21.6% for type 2 diabetes). Higher education level of physicians, increased volume of daily patients seen, and no provision of home visits were risk factors for non-attainment of the target frequency of follow-up care for both conditions. Moreover, village physicians with less working experiences tended to have less frequent follow-up care delivery in type 2 diabetes management. Conclusions: Efforts that are solely devoted to enhancing rural physicians' education may not directly translate into strong motivation and active commitment to service provision given the possible existence of clinical inertia and workload-related factors. Risk factors identified for target non-attainment in the follow-up care delivery may provide areas for capacity building programmes in rural primary care practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combining the application background and development trend of the intelligent distribution network, an AC/DC hybrid distribution network based on multiple voltage levels is designed, and the system advantages and operating characteristics of this distribution network topology are analyzed. To maintain the stability of the bus voltage in this topology modeling research, this paper adopts the proportional + quasi-proportional resonance (P+QPR) voltage and current control strategy, and verifies that the power quality of the distribution network is relatively improved through the control of the pre-unit and post-unit converters. Since the three-phase voltage and current imbalance on the AC side will cause the three-phase power imbalance, the zero-sequence voltage injection method without complicated calculations is used to achieve the phase-to-phase power balance. Based on the simulation research under the Matlab/Simulink environment, the system operation under the unbalanced voltage and harmonic voltage on the AC side of the distribution network is evaluated. The simulation results verify the feasibility of the control strategy based on this topology. The simulation shows that the process is dynamic and the response is relatively fast. The proposed control strategy can ensure the reliable operation of the distribution network system, its transient stability is relatively good, and meet the requirements of safe and reliable operation of the power system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endometriosis is a chronic hormonal inflammatory disease characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterus. Endometriosis often causes infertility, which brings physical and mental pain to patients and their families. Methods: We examined the functions of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) in endometriosis development through cell count assay, cell-scratch assay and clone formation experiments. We used quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blot (WB) to detect HSF1 expression. Glucose and lactate levels were determined using a glucose (GO) assay kit and a lactate assay kit. Furthermore, we used a HSF1 inhibitor-KRIBB11 to establish a mouse model of endometriosis. Results: Our data demonstrated that HSF1 promoted endometriosis development. Interestingly, HSF1 enhanced glycolysis via up-regulating PFKFB3 expression in endometriosis cells, which was a key glycolysis enzyme. Consistently, the HSF1 inhibitor KRIBB11 could abrogate endometriosis progression in vivo and in vitro. Conclusions: Findings indicate that HSF1 plays an important role in endometriosis development, which might become a new target for the treatment of endometriosis. Electronic supplementary material: Supplementary data are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Owing to the highly targeted affinity of cytosine moieties toward the surface of cancer cells, cytosine-functionalized supramolecular nanogels undergo substantially enhanced specific uptake by cancer cells, which increases the cytotoxicity of the encapsulated anticancer drugs, thereby allowing safer, more effective induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. [Display omitted] • Supramolecular polymers containing cytosine groups (PECH-PEG-Cy) were developed. • PECH-PEG-Cy forms self-assembled nanogels with unique physical properties in water. • The nanogels with cytosine moieties exhibit high specificity for cancer cells. • Drug-loaded PECH-PEG-Cy selectively induces programmed cell death in cancer cells. • This new system has high potential for development of targeted cancer treatment. We demonstrate that cytosine moieties within physically cross-linked supramolecular polymers not only manipulate drug delivery and release, but also confer specific targeting of cancer cells to effectively enhance the safety and efficacy of chemotherapy—and thus hold significant potential as a new perspective for development of drug delivery systems. Herein, we successfully developed physically cross-linked supramolecular polymers (PECH-PEG-Cy) comprised of hydrogen-bonding cytosine pendant groups, hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) side chains, and a hydrophobic poly(epichlorohydrin) main chain. The polymers spontaneously self-assemble into a reversibly hydrogen-bonded network structure induced by cytosine and directly form spherical nanogels in aqueous solution. Nanogels with a high hydrogen-bond network density (i.e., a higher content of cytosine moieties) exhibit outstanding long-term structural stability in cell culture substrates containing serum, whereas nanogels with a relatively low hydrogen-bond network density cannot preserve their structural integrity. The nanogels also exhibit numerous unique physicochemical characteristics in aqueous solution, such as a desirable spherical size, high biocompatibility with normal and cancer cells, excellent drug encapsulation capacity, and controlled pH-responsive drug release properties. More importantly, in vitro experiments conclusively indicate the drug-loaded PECH-PEG-Cy nanogels can selectively induce cancer cell-specific apoptosis and cell death via cytosine receptor-mediated endocytosis, without significantly harming normal cells. In contrast, control drug-loaded PECH-PEG nanogels, which lack cytosine moieties in their structure, can only induce cell death in cancer cells through non-specific pathways, which significantly inhibits the induction of apoptosis. This work clearly demonstrates that the cytosine moieties in PECH-PEG-Cy nanogels confer selective affinity for the surface of cancer cells, which enhances their targeted cellular uptake, cytotoxicity, and subsequent induction of programmed cell death in cancer cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stationary probability density function (PDF) solution of a variable-mass system is calculated under Gaussian white noises and Poisson white noises, respectively. For small mass disturbance, the corresponding Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov equation and Kolmogorov–Feller equation of the system are derived. The solution procedure based on the exponential–polynomial closure (EPC) method is formulated to obtain and study the probabilistic solutions of the strongly nonlinear variable-mass system subjected to Gaussian white noises and Poisson white noises. Both odd and even nonlinear variable-mass systems are considered. Compared with Monte Carlo simulation results, good agreement is achieved with the EPC method in the case of sixth-order polynomial. For large mass disturbance, the PDFs and logarithmic PDFs of displacement and velocity are numerically calculated via the fourth-order Runge–Kutta algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In China, because of the growth of economically driven rural-to-urban migration, there are lots of children in rural area who are separating or have separation experience with their parents. Until now, few studies focused on solely maternal separation and no research studied whether its pattern will affect children's later psychological status. Aim: The aim of this study was to determine whether early or late maternal separation affects depression and dysfunctional attitude in middle school students and what is the role of cumulative duration and meeting frequency. Methods: Maternal separation experience was obtained by using questionnaires. We got early maternal separation group first. Then, late maternal separation and control group were obtained with the same number by matching grade, sex and family socioeconomic status. All the students in the three groups completed the scales of Children's Depression Inventory (CDI) and Dysfunctional Attitude Scale (DAS). Results: Both CDI and DAS scores of early separation group are higher than the other two groups. When we split the data by sex, only females presented the same results. When cumulative duration is short, there is significant difference in both scores of CDI and DAS among the three groups, which showed the scores of early separation group are higher than the other two groups. When the cumulative duration is long, there is no significant difference among the three groups. When meeting frequency is high, there is no significant difference among the three groups. When it is low, there is significant difference among the three groups, which showed the CDI and DAS scores of early separation group are higher than the other two groups. Furthermore, the same results are also found in females. Conclusion: Early maternal separation may exert negative influence on student's depression and dysfunctional attitude. The sex, cumulative duration and meeting frequency may also play important roles in the effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the probability density function (PDF) and the mean up-crossing rate of nonlinear ship rolling in random beam seas are investigated. The excitation of stationary random sea waves is approximated as a second-order linear filtered white noise. The Fokker–Planck–Kolmogorov (FPK) equation governing the probability density function of ship rolling is a four-dimensional linear partial differential equation with varying coefficients, and obtaining its exact solution is much more sophisticated. The exponential-polynomial closure (EPC) method is applied to solve the corresponding FPK equation of the system. In numerical examples, linear-plus-cubic damping model and linear-plus-quadratic damping model with three different sea states are further examined. Comparison with the equivalent linearisation (EQL) method and Monte Carlo simulated results show that the proposed procedure is effective to obtain a satisfactory probability density function solution, especially in the tail region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterostructured metal—organic framework (MOF)‐on‐MOF thin films have the potential to cascade the various properties of different MOF layers in a sequence to produce functions that cannot be achieved by single MOF layers. An integration method that relies on van der Waals interactions, and which overcomes the lattice‐matching limits of reported methods, has been developed. The method deposits molecular sieving Cu‐TCPP (TCPP=5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl)porphyrin) layers onto semiconductive Cu‐HHTP (HHTP=2,3,6,7,10,11‐hexahydrotriphenylene) layers to obtain highly oriented MOF‐on‐MOF thin films. For the first time, the properties in different MOF layers were cascaded in sequence to synergistically produce an enhanced device function. Cu‐TCPP‐on‐Cu‐HHTP demonstrated excellent selectivity and the highest response to benzene of the reported recoverable chemiresistive sensing materials that are active at room temperature. This method allows integration of MOFs with cascading properties into advanced functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterostructured metal—organic framework (MOF)‐on‐MOF thin films have the potential to cascade the various properties of different MOF layers in a sequence to produce functions that cannot be achieved by single MOF layers. An integration method that relies on van der Waals interactions, and which overcomes the lattice‐matching limits of reported methods, has been developed. The method deposits molecular sieving Cu‐TCPP (TCPP=5,10,15,20‐tetrakis(4‐carboxyphenyl)porphyrin) layers onto semiconductive Cu‐HHTP (HHTP=2,3,6,7,10,11‐hexahydrotriphenylene) layers to obtain highly oriented MOF‐on‐MOF thin films. For the first time, the properties in different MOF layers were cascaded in sequence to synergistically produce an enhanced device function. Cu‐TCPP‐on‐Cu‐HHTP demonstrated excellent selectivity and the highest response to benzene of the reported recoverable chemiresistive sensing materials that are active at room temperature. This method allows integration of MOFs with cascading properties into advanced functional materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improvements in energy-saving and low-carbon technologies in the economic system are foundations of sustainable economic development. Therefore, measuring the bias of technical change from the perspective of energy-saving and low-carbon is a prerequisite for clarifying whether economic growth is manifested as low-carbon and sustainable. In this paper, the production function from the perspective of energy-saving and low-carbon in China is constructed, and ridge regression is used to estimate it to measure energy and carbon bias in China's technical change. The results indicate that technical change is biased towards energy use and carbon emissions relative to capital and labor, but this bias is weakening. In general, China's economic system has always biased towards carbon emissions, and its carbon-biased technical change has the largest share in directed technical change. However, it is gradually shrinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the potential effects of growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced heart failure (HF) and identify the underlying molecular mechanisms. A rat model of HF was induced in vivo by intraperitoneally administering ISO (5 mg/kg/day) for 7 days. After 4 weeks following establishment of the HF model, hemodynamic analysis demonstrated that ISO induced a significant increase in the left ventricular end-diastolic pressure and a decrease in the left ventricular systolic pressure and maximum contraction velocity. The plasma levels of myocardial injury markers, including lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), CK-muscle/brain which were determined using the corresponding assay kits and plasma brain natriuretic peptide which was detected by an ELISA kit, an important biomarker of HF, increased following ISO treatment. Furthermore, levels of GDF11 expression and protein, which were estimated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and an ELISA kit in plasma and western blotting in the heart tissue, respectively, significantly increased following ISO treatment. To demonstrate the effects of ISO on GDF11 production in cardiomyocytes, H9C2 cells (a cardiomyoblast cell line derived from embryonic rat heart tissue) were treated with ISO (50 nM) for 24 h in vitro; it was revealed that GDF11 protein and mRNA expression levels significantly increased following ISO treatment. In addition, recombinant GDF11 (rGDF11) administered to ISO-treated H9C2 cells resulted in decreased proliferation, which was detected via a CCK-8 assay, and increased LDH levels and cell apoptosis of cells, which was determined using Caspase-3 activity and Hoechst 33258 staining. Additionally, rGDF11 increased the levels of reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde due to the upregulation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase 4 (Nox4) following rGDF11 treatment. Conversely, GDF11 knockdown reduced ISO-induced apoptosis by inhibiting oxidative stress injury. The results suggested that GDF11 production was upregulated in ISO-induced rats with HF and in ISO-treated H9C2 cells, and that rGDF11 treatment increased ISO-induced oxidative stress injury by upregulating Nox4 in H9C2 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zoletil is an anesthetic and immobilizing drug that has been used in the veterinary field for over 50 years; however, the effect of Zoletil, or its constituents, on brain cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) remains unknown. Here, we aimed to determine the effect of Zoletil on rat brain CBS by administering a single intraperitoneal injection of the drug and examining hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) and CBS levels in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus following three distinct behavioral phenotypes associated with the sedation procedure (e.g., loss of the righting reflex, return of the righting reflex, and return of walking). Zoletil administration resulted in significant decreases of endogenous H 2 S in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus, and H 2 S was observed to increase in these brain regions when rats recovered from the anesthesia. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and immunohistochemistry revealed that CBS expression in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus exhibited the same trend as endogenous H 2 S following Zoletil administration. In summary, our results demonstrated that Zoletil induced the expression of CBS which could exert region-specific regulation of H 2 S in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Melatonin can play a protective role in isoflurane-induced nerve injury. • PKCα/Nrf2 signaling pathway is important in antioxidative effect of melatonin. • Melatonin activates PKCα/Nrf2 signaling pathway to protect nerve injury. Abstract Isoflurane, an inhalational anesthesia, has frequently been used in pediatric anesthesia. However, research indicates that isoflurane can induce oxidative stress and affect neural and cognitive development. Melatonin, an endogenous hormone that exhibits antioxidant functions, can play a neuroprotective role by activating the PKCα/Nrf2 signaling pathway in response to oxidative stress. This study aims to determine whether the effect of melatonin on isoflurane-induced oxidative stress is related to activation of the PKCα/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Rat pups at postnatal day 7 were treated with control or 1.5% isoflurane for 4 h after pretreatment for 15 min with either melatonin (10 mg/kg i.p.) or 1% ethanol. The hematoxylin and eosin staining and transmission electron microscopic examination were used for observation of histopathology. The oxidative stress-related indicators were detected by using assay kits. The western blotting, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to detect the activation of PKCα/Nrf2 signaling pathway. Results showed that isoflurane induced nerve damage in the hippocampus, and melatonin could reduce this injury. Oxidative stress-related indicators suggested that isoflurane can significantly increase reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels, and decrease superoxide dismutase and glutathione activity compared with the control group, whereas melatonin ameliorated these indices. Expression of proteins associated with the PKCα/Nrf2 signaling pathway indicated that the neuroprotective effect of melatonin is related to activation of the PKCα/Nrf2 signaling pathway. These results suggest that the attenuating effect of melatonin on isoflurane-induced oxidative stress is related to activation of the PKCα/Nrf2 signaling pathway. These findings promote further research into underlying mechanisms and effective treatments to attenuate anesthesia neurotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To collect visualized proof of Tianmagouteng particles (TMGTP) in alleviating cognitive dysfunction and to explore its effects on brain activity in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) with hyperactivity of liver-yang (Gan Yang Shang Kang, GYSK). Methods Sixteen SHRs were randomized into treatment group and non-treatment. The SHR with GYSK was induced by gavaging aconite decoction (10 mL/kg at 0.2 g/mL). After the SHR models were prepared, the rats in the treatment group were administered TMGTP (10 mL/kg) once a day for 14 days.The rats in the non-treatment group or normal rats (control group) received an equivalent volume of saline. Morris water maze test was conducted before and after the treatment to observe cognitive function. Fluorine 18-deoxy glucose [F-18]FDG micro-PET brain imaging scans was performed after treatment. Data were analyzed with two-sample t -test ( P < 0. 001) using SPM2 image analysis software. Results Compared with the non-treatment group, the escape latency significantly decreased but the frequency of entrance into the target zone significantly increased in the treatment group. Consistent with the alteration of cognitive functions, TMGTP induced strong brain activity in the following sites: right dorsolateral nucleus and ventrolateral nucleus of thalamus, amygdala, left met thalamus, cerebellum leaflets, original crack, front cone crack, loop-shaped leaflets; but deactivation of right medial frontal gyrus, bilateral corpus callosum, hippocampus, and left dentate gyrus. Conclusion TMGTP could alleviate cognitive dysfunction in SHRs with GYSK, which was possibly by inducing alteration of glucose metabolism in different brain regions with corresponding functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The aim of the present study was to reveal the relationship between vascular endothelial growth factor ( VEGF) single nucleotide polymorphisms ( SNPs) and susceptibility to diabetic retinopathy ( DR). Methods A literature review was conducted ( PubMed, Web of Science, Embase) to identify papers about VEGF SNPs and DR published up to 23 September 2015. The VEGF gene SNPs analyzed with regard to DR susceptibility were rs2010963 (G > C), rs833061 (T > C), rs699947 (C > A), rs3025039 (C > T) and rs1570360 (G > A). Pooled odds ratios ( OR) and 95% confidence intervals ( CI) were calculated, and meta-analyses were performed using fixed or random effects models. Results Sixteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Significant associations between the rs3025039 (C > T) polymorphism and increased DR risk were found in the allele model (T/C; pooled OR 1.60, 95% CI 1.07-2.41, P = 0.02), homozygote model ( TT/ CC; pooled OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.29-3.35, P = 0.003), heterozygote model ( TC/ CC; pooled OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.04-2.72, P = 0.04), dominant model ( TT+ TC/ CC; pooled OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.06-2.80, P = 0.03), and recessive model ( TT/ TC+ CC; pooled OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.12-2.90, P = 0.02). For rs833061, a significant association between VEGF SNPs and DR was found only in the allele model (C/T; pooled OR 6.34, 95% CI 2.10-19.14, P = 0.001). Conclusions The rs3025039 and rs833061 SNPs are most likely associated with an increased risk of DR. The T allele in rs3025039 and the C allele in rs833061 are associated with increased DR susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrically bistable materials have important applications in memory, displays, switches, sensors, and quantum computation. This communication reports a metal–organic framework (MOF) material as a new type of electrically bistable material. Taking advantage of the flexible structure of MOF materials, the electrically bistable states of the MOF were reversibly modulated between its crystalline and amorphous phases. Interestingly, the material's amorphous phase exhibited anomalously higher conductivity than the crystalline phase. Our results illustrated a convenient method to develop electrically bistable materials from MOFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a switched system that switches between two Chen systems based on the parameters altered periodically is established. To investigate the mechanism of switching oscillation of the whole system, Poincaré map of the whole system is defined by the switching scheme and the solutions of the subsystems. Different types of periodic switching oscillations revolved around the unstable equilibrium points and their transitions to chaotic oscillations can be observed. We conclude that bifurcation scenarios, such as period-doubling bifurcation, pitchfork bifurcation and saddle-note bifurcation, play an important role in the generation of various (symmetric or asymmetric) periodic oscillations and chaos in the switched system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we demonstrated for the first time a simple method for the fabrication of drug-loaded Microbubbles (MBs) by a single step via coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization (CEHDA). As a proof of concept, a therapeutic agent (tissue plasminogen activator, tPA) and two types of shell materials (phospholipid and bovine serum albumin, BSA) were selected to produce tPA-entrapped MBs. Investigation using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labelled tPA revealed that the tPA-loaded MBs were successfully fabricated in a one-step procedure and the tPA was located in the shell layer for both the BSA and lipid MBs. By optimization of the operating conditions in terms of voltage, core/shell flow rate ratio as well as tPA volume ratio, minimum bubble sizes for tPA-BSA and tPA-lipid MBs were obtained. The fabricated tPA-BSA MBs was ∼41 μm in mean diameter while ∼41% of the tPA-lipid MBs ranged from 3 to 6 μm and ∼36% of them ranged from 6 to 9 μm under optimal operating conditions. Sensitivity analysis on the effects of key process parameters was also performed to guide design and manipulation of bubble sizes. The investigation of gas phase showed that the usage of sulphur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) as the core can enhance the stability of tPA-lipid bubbles. The presented one-step method displayed great flexibility for producing tPA-loaded MBs and thus can potentially serve as a new tool to generate/engineer tPA-bubbles for applications in ischemic stroke therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the influence of posture on the anatomy and function of esophageal sphincters using solid-state high-resolution manometry. Methods Fifty individuals underwent esophageal manometry with a 36-channel solid-state catheter in the supine and upright positions. The length and pressure of the esophageal sphincters, as well as the esophageal and intra-abdominal lengths of lower esophageal sphincter ( LES), were recorded. The residual pressure of the upper esophageal sphincter ( UES) and the 4-s integrated relaxation pressure were also measured when the participants swallowed 10 consecutive servings of water (5 mL each). The Bland-Altman plot was used to assess agreement between these parameters in the supine and upright positions. Results The LES resting pressure was significantly decreased in the upright position compared with the supine position (13.85 ± 5.90 mm Hg vs 18.09 ± 7.80 mm Hg, P = 0.000). Weaker integrated relaxation pressures were observed when the participants were in the upright position (5.66 ± 3.33 mm Hg vs 7.80 ± 3.25 mm Hg, P = 0.000). Compared with the supine position, the upright esophageal length was longer ( P = 0.004) and the upper border of the LES was lower ( P = 0.050) when the individuals were in the upright position. The agreement between the two positions was acceptable for the esophageal length, LES upper border location and LES pressure measurements. Conclusions Body position exerts a greater influence on the LES than on the UES. Thus, it is necessary to establish normal values for the LES basal pressure and residual pressure in different positions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twokinds of aromatic polyesters containing thioether units hadbeen prepared through the reaction of 4,4′-thiodibenzoyl chloride(T-DC) (or 4,4′-bis(4-chloroformylphenylthio)benzene (BPBDC))and 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylethane (BHPPE) by the methodof interfacial polycondensation. These polyesters showed good solubility,and could afford tough films with tensile strengths of 103.6–108.3MPa. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of these polyesters ranged from 189.8 to 235.6 °C and initialdegradation temperatures (Td) were 450–454°C. The activation energies of degradation were in range of 156.6–160.3KJ/mol. The limiting oxygen indexes (LOIs) of these polyesters rangedfrom 37 to 39, and UL-94 V-0 rating could achieve via this approach.The thermal degradation kinetics and thermal pyrolysis mechanism ofthese polyesters was studied by thermogravimetric analysis and Py-GC/MSanalysis, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: It has been shown that nerve growth factor-β (NGF-β) promoted the initiation and progression of many tumors, and we have previously demonstrated that the expression of NGF-β was associated with tumor stage, nerve infiltration and lymph node metastasis in human hilar cholangiocarcinoma. However, whether NGF-β promotes tumor progression in human cholangiocarcinoma requires further investigation. Therefore, we aimed to determine the effects of NGF-β on the progression of human cholangiocarcinoma. Methods: Human cholangiocarcinoma QBC939 stable cell lines with over-expressed or silenced NGF-β genes were generated with pEGFP-N1-NGF-β and pGPU6/GFP/Neo-NGF-β-shRNA recombinant plasmids. Cell proliferation assay, colony formation assay, cell cycle analysis, apoptosis assay and tumorigenicity assay were performed to evaluate the role of NGF-β in the progression of human cholangiocarcinoma. In addition, human lymphatic endothelial cells were co-cultured with QBC939 culture supernatants, and the cell proliferation and migration abilities of the lymphatic endothelial cells were evaluated. Results: Forced expression of NGF-β in QBC939 cell lines promoted proliferation, colony formation and tumorigenicity in these cells and inhibited the apoptosis. However, down-regulation of NGF-β inhibited proliferation, colony formation and tumorigenicity, and increased the apoptotic rate of QBC939 cells. In addition, the NGF-β gain-of-function induced a high expression of vascular endothelial growth factor C and enhanced the proliferation and migration of lymphatic endothelial cells, while NGF-β loss-of-function showed opposite effects. Conclusions: We concluded that NGF-β promoted tumor progression in human cholangiocarcinoma QBC939 cells. Our results provided a new concept to understand the role of NGF-β in cholangiocarcinoma progression, and might provide important information for the development of new targeted therapies in human cholangiocarcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress during the prenatal and early postnatal periods (perinatal stress, PS) is known to impact offspring cognitive, behavioral, and physical development, but effects on skeletal growth are not clear. Our objective was to analyze effects of variable, mild, daily PS exposure on adult offspring long bone length. Twelve pregnant rat dams were randomly assigned to receive variable stress from gestational days 14-21 (Prenatal group), postpartum days 2-9 (Postnatal), both periods (Pre-Post), or no stress (Control). Differences in adult offspring tibia and femur length were analyzed among treatment groups. Mean tibia length differed among groups for males ( P = 0.016) and females ( P = 0.009), and differences for femur length approached significance for males ( P = 0.051). Long bone length was shorter among PS-exposed offspring, especially those exposed to postnatal stress (Postnatal and Pre-Post groups). Results persisted when controlling for nose-tail length. These differences might reflect early stunting that is maintained in adulthood, or delayed growth among PS-exposed offspring. This study suggests that PS results in shorter long bones in adulthood, independently of effects on overall body size. Stunting and growth retardation are major global health burdens. Our study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that PS is a risk factor for poor linear growth. Am J Phys Anthropol 149:307-311, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the association between polymorphism of the human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) and susceptibility of esophageal carcinoma (EC) in Kazakh and Han nationality in Xinjiang. Methods: The 14 bp deletion/insertion (rs16375) and 0105N (rs41557518) of HLA-G genotyping were determined by PCR and PCR-RFLP, respectively in 239 patients and 467 controls. Results: There was a 2.69-fold ( Pc == 0.04, 95% CI: 1.30-5.55) increased risk of developing EC in individuals with the −14 bp/−14 bp genotype (rs16375) compared with those carrying ++14 bp/++14 bp genotype in Kazakh after Bonferroni correction, there was no association of 0105N (rs41557518) both in Kazak and Han population. And there was a 2.82-fold ( Pc == 0.04, 95% CI: 1.32-6.04) increased risk of developing EC in individuals with −14 bp/−14 bp and C/C genotypes compared with those who had ++14 bp/++14 bp and C/C genotypes in Kazakh. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that EC is associated with polymorphism of HLA-G14 bp in Chinese Kazak population. The 14 bp deletion/insertion of HLA-G gene may play a role in EC susceptibility of Kazakh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that antioxidant (butylated hydroxyanisole) treatment ameliorates respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-induced disease and lung inflammation. Melatonin has been reported to exhibit a wide varieties of biological effects, including antioxidant and anti-inflammation, and has no evident toxicity and side effect. But it is not known whether melatonin would modify RSV-induced lung disease and oxidative stress. The present study was to establish the involvement of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of RSV-induced lung inflammation, and to investigate the protective effect of administration of melatonin in mice with RSV-induced oxidative pulmonary injury for 4 days. Malondialdehyde (MDA), an end product of lipid peroxidation, and glutathione (GSH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and nitric oxide (NO) levels were evaluated in lung tissue homogenates by spectrophotometry. Hydroxyl radical (˙OH), one of the indicators of free radical formation, was also detected in lung homogenates by Fenton reaction. Tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) concentrations in mouse serum were measured with ELISA assay. The results demonstrated that the mice intranasally inoculated with RSV resulted in oxidative stress changes by increasing NO, MDA and ˙OH levels, and decreasing GSH and SOD activities, whereas administration of melatonin significantly reversed all these effects. Furthermore, melatonin inhibited production of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-a in serum of RSV-infected mice. These results suggest that melatonin ameliorates RSV-induced lung inflammatory injury in mice via inhibition of oxidative stress and proinflammatory cytokine production and may be as a novel therapeutic agent in virus-induced pulmonary infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Lead (Pb2+) exposure in children can induce long-lasting deficits in cognitive function and has been modeled in experimental animals. Based on previous studies which demonstrated that S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) is beneficial in the treatment of lead intoxication, here, we asked the question if SAM treatment could rescue the impaired cognition and synaptic plasticity induced by lead. Rats drank 1500 ppm lead acetate (PbAc) solution or distilled water throughout gestation and lactation. After weaning at postnatal day 22, one half of the control and lead-exposed male offspring were intraperitoneally injected 20 mg SAM/kg daily over a period of 20–22 days. Electrophysiological and Morris water maze test were performed at 44–54 days of age. The result showed that the impaired learning ability induced by lead could be improved significantly by SAM. Furthermore, our results revealed that long-term potentiation (LTP) of excitatory postsynaptic potential and population spike impairments induced by lead were also ameliorated by SAM treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Double-stranded (ds) RNA has been identified as a ligand for Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3). Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a single-stranded RNA virus and a major respiratory pathogen and pneumovirus in human infants pathogenesis of which relies on early inflammatory and immune events of the host in response to RSV, could be recognized by TLR3 sensing viral dsRNA produced during replication. The downstream signaling pathway from TLR3 leads to activation of IFN regulatory factor (IRF)-3 and/or NF-κB and subsequent expression of numerous proinflammatory factors. Melatonin (MT) is an effective regulator of the immune system. To determine the molecular mechanisms responsible for the suppressive effect of MT on RSV infection, we analyzed signaling molecules involved in the TLR3-mediated activation of inflammatory factors in macrophages infected with RSV and the modulatory role of MT on these mediators. We report that RSV infection of RAW264.7 macrophages time-dependently stimulate the rapid activation of TLR3 and NF-κB, as well as subsequent NF-κB-dependent gene expression such as those encoding TNF-α and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Moreover, we demonstrate that MT decreased TLR3-mediated downstream gene expression in RSV-infected macrophages in a dose- and time-dependent manner, and that MT inhibition of NF-κB activity seemed to be the key event required to explain the reduction in inflammatory gene expression caused by MT. But MT did not influence TLR3 at either the protein or mRNA level or MyD88 transcription. These results could be related to the beneficial immunoregulatory role of MT in RSV-infected macrophages and address the possible therapeutic potential of this indoleamine in human RSV diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The concentrations of naturally occurring radioisotopes (232Th, 228Th, 230Th, 228Ra, 226Ra, and 40K) in typical Korean foods were evaluated. The daily intakes of these radioisotopes were calculated by comparing concentrations in typical Korean foods and the daily consumption rates of these foods. Daily intakes were as follows: 232Th, 0.00–0.23; 228Th, 0.00–2.04; 230Th, 0.00–0.26; 228Ra, 0.02–2.73; 226Ra, 0.01–4.37mBq/day; and 40K, 0.01–5.71Bq/day. The total daily intake of the naturally occurring radioisotopes measured in this study from food was 39.46Bq/day. The total annual internal dose resulting from ingestion of radioisotopes in food was 109.83μSv/y, and the radioisotope with the highest daily intake was 40K. These values were same level compiled in other countries. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The 239+240Pu content of the marine sediments and seawater of the costal sea of Korea was measured. In marine sediments the 239+240Pu concentrations were in the range of 0.11-1.91 Bq/kg dry weight and in the coastal sea of Korea the ratio of 239+240Pu/137Cs was 0.27. The correlations between 239+240Pu and 137Cs concentrations and the content of organic matter (C, O, H, N, S) as well as the grain size of marine sediment were investigated by regression analysis. The distribution coefficient of 239+240Pu was 1.22. 105. The 239+240Pu concentration in seawater increased with seawater depth. However, the 137Cs concentration in seawater did not change considerably with depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical fixation of CO2 to ethylene carbonate proceeds effectively under supercritical conditions by using as catalyst the system of an immobilized cobalt complex in conjunction with a quaternary ammonium salt in a flow apparatus, based on supercritical fluid used as both a solvent and a reactant for continuous synthesis of organic compound. A conversion of up to 85.6% for ethylene oxide was achieved at 110°C and 12.5MPa, which value is about 4.5 times that under subcritical condition (4.0MPa). No byproduct such as polycarbonates or polyester was observed in the obtained products. The immobilized cobalt complex exhibited good stability and was subjected to utilization for 24h with no loss of activity. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns indicate no change in the structure of the supported mesoporous silica during the reaction. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Adherence to lung cancer screening (LCS) programs relies on many factors. • Individual and healthcare provider-related factors were systematically reviewed. • Fifteen factors were extracted from 34 studies: 9 barriers and 6 facilitators. • A tailored LCS program can be constructed based on this behavioral model. Numerous factors contribute to the low adherence to lung cancer screening (LCS) programs. A theory-informed approach to identifying the obstacles and facilitators to LCS uptake is required. This study aimed to identify, assess, and synthesize the available literature at the individual and healthcare provider (HCP) levels based on a social-ecological model and identify gaps to improve practice and policy decision-making. Systematic searches were conducted in nine electronic databases from inception to December 31, 2020. We also searched Google Scholar and manually examined the reference lists of systematic reviews to include relevant articles. Primary studies were scored for quality assessment. Among 3938 potentially relevant articles, 36 studies, including 25 quantitative and 11 qualitative studies, were identified for inclusion in the review. Fifteen common factors were extracted from 34 studies, including nine barriers and six facilitators. The barriers included individual factors (n = 5), health system factors (n = 3), and social/environmental factors (n = 1). The facilitators included only individual factors (n = 6). However, two factors, age and screening harm, remain mixed. This systematic review identified and combined barriers and facilitators to LCS uptake at the individual and HCP levels. The interaction mechanisms among these factors should be further explored, which will allow the construction of tailored LCS recommendations or interventions for the Chinese context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adaptive evolution following colonization can affect the impact of invasive species. The fall webworm (FWW) invaded China 40 years ago through a single introduction event involving a severe bottleneck and subsequently diverged into two genetic groups. The well‐recorded invasion history of FWW, coupled with a clear pattern of genetic divergence, provides an opportunity to investigate whether there is any sign of adaptive evolution following the invasion. Based on genome‐wide SNPs, we identified genetically separated western and eastern groups of FWW and correlated spatial variation in SNPs with geographical and climatic factors. Geographical factors explained a similar proportion of the genetic variation across all populations compared with climatic factors. However, when the two population groups were analysed separately, environmental factors explained more variation than geographical factors. SNP outliers in populations of the western group had relatively stronger response to precipitation than temperature‐related variables. Functional annotation of SNP outliers identified genes associated with insect cuticle protein potentially related to desiccation adaptation in the western group and genes associated with lipase biosynthesis potentially related to temperature adaptation in the eastern group. Our study suggests that invasive species may maintain the evolutionary potential to adapt to heterogeneous environments despite a single invasion event. The molecular data suggest that quantitative trait comparisons across environments would be worthwhile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To assess the influence of health education for type 2 diabetic patients with and without coexisting hypertension in routine primary care where intensive educational consultations were absent.Methods: A longitudinal cohort was constructed from 342 diabetic subjects who previously had regular exposure to face-to-face health education delivered quarterly during 2016-2017 under the national basic public health (BPH) service provision in an urbanised township in China. Clinical parameters were retrieved electronically from computerised BPH data platform at prior check-ups (2016-2017) and at the most recent check-up (2019).Results: The satisfactory clinical improvements upon health education were not sustained during subsequent observational years among study subjects. A significant increase in total cholesterol (0.28 mmol/L for between-group net changes, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.01-0.55 mmol/L, p = 0.039) were observed in diabetic subjects with coexisting hypertension. Older patients (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 0.87, 95%CI = 0.83-0.91, p less than 0.001), males (aOR = 0.50, 95%CI = 0.26-0.98, p = 0.043), and subjects with lower education level (aOR = 0.34, 95%CI = 0.17-0.67, p = 0.002) were less likely to maintain improvement of biomedical parameters.Conclusion: The influence of face-to-face health education may not be prolonged in routine primary care where intensive provisions of educational consultations were less common. Diabetic patients with coexisting hypertension tend to have more difficulties in maintaining optimal lipid profiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xiu, J. and Wang, W.W., 2020. Analysis of financial demand and financial support mode for marine economic development. In: Bai, X. and Zhou, H. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources, Environmental Protection, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 115, pp. 214-216. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. With the continuous growth of the global population, the increasing shortage of land resources and the sharp acceleration of energy consumption, exploring new living environment and development space has become a major issue to be urgently solved by governments and scientists of various countries. In modern marine economy, financial support is the blood of marine economic development. With the deep development and utilization of marine resources, there will inevitably be a large amount of capital demand. Therefore, a strong national financial support policy is extremely necessary. The support of financial system plays an important role in the development of marine economy. In some cases, it is directly related to the success or failure of specific marine economic projects. It is of great significance to study the deep integration of marine industry and financial industry and explore how the financial industry can effectively support the development of blue marine economy in Fujian Province. This paper explores the strategic significance of marine economic development under the new normal of economy, analyzes the characteristics of marine financial demand, and puts forward policy suggestions on financial support for marine economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xiu, J. and Wang, W.W., 2020. Analysis of financial demand and financial support mode for marine economic development. In: Bai, X. and Zhou, H. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources, Environmental Protection, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 115, pp. 214-216. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. With the continuous growth of the global population, the increasing shortage of land resources and the sharp acceleration of energy consumption, exploring new living environment and development space has become a major issue to be urgently solved by governments and scientists of various countries. In modern marine economy, financial support is the blood of marine economic development. With the deep development and utilization of marine resources, there will inevitably be a large amount of capital demand. Therefore, a strong national financial support policy is extremely necessary. The support of financial system plays an important role in the development of marine economy. In some cases, it is directly related to the success or failure of specific marine economic projects. It is of great significance to study the deep integration of marine industry and financial industry and explore how the financial industry can effectively support the development of blue marine economy in Fujian Province. This paper explores the strategic significance of marine economic development under the new normal of economy, analyzes the characteristics of marine financial demand, and puts forward policy suggestions on financial support for marine economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study of a male infant who suffered from infective endocarditis (IE). It relates that the patient was admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) after clinical manifestation of early respiratory distress appeared two days after delivery. It notes that the patient's mother suffered from fever during the fourth month of pregnancy.

Innenrücktitelbild: Van der Waals Heterostructured MOF-on-MOF Thin Films: Cascading Functionality to Realize Advanced Chemiresistive Sensing (Angew. Der MOF-auf-MOF-Dünnfilm zeigt das stärkste Ansprechverhalten auf Benzol, das bisher für regenerierbare chemoresistive Sensormaterialien bei Raumtemperatur berichtet wurde. Gas-Sensoren, Heterostrukturen, MOF-auf-MOF, Dünne Schichten, Van-der-Waals-Grenzflächen. [Extracted from the article]

We design an electromechanical transducer harvesting system with one-to-one internal resonance that can emerge a broader spectrum vibrations. The novel harvester is composed of a Duffing electrical circuit coupled to a mobile rod, and the coupling between both components is realized via the electromagnetic force. Approximate analytical solutions of the electromechanical system are carried out by introducing the multiple scales analysis, also the nonlinear modulation equation for one-to-one internal resonance is obtained. The character of broadband harvesting performance are analyzed, the two peaks and one jump phenomenon bending to the right for variation of control parameters are observed. It is shown that an advanced bandwidth over a corresponding linear model that does not possess a modal energy interchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: [51 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A single-step fabrication method, coaxial electrohydrodynamic atomization (CEHDA), was developed to synthesize drug-loaded microbubbles (MBs) for combination treatment of ischemic stroke. The bioactivity of therapeutic agent (tPA, tissue plasminogen activator) after preparation was evaluated, showing that CEHDA could be very promising method for producing MBs with therapeutic functions. The bubble performance and tPA release profiles were also examined by exposing the bubbles to 2 MHz ultrasound of various intensities. The results showed that the mean diameter of tPA-loaded MBs was found to fluctuate about its original diameter when exposed to ultrasound and higher intensity ultrasound was more effective in triggering the burst of CEHDA MBs. High ultrasound-triggered bubble disintegration effectiveness in a short period (first 5 min) fits well with the requirement of short ultrasound exposure time for human brain. Moreover, a numerical model was also applied to investigate the stability of the fabricated MBs in the bloodstream. It was found that MB dissolution time increased with initial radius, decreased with initial surface tension and increased with initial shell resistance but it was barely affected by the average excessive bloodstream pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The standard first-line treatment for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding is thermal coagulation therapy or through-the-scope hemostatic clips, with or without injection therapy. Over-the-scope clips (OTSCs) are generally used for recurrent or refractory bleeding. This trial compared OTSCs with standard endoscopic hemostatic treatment as first-line therapy for nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Visual Abstract. Use of Over-the-Scope Clips in Nonvariceal Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding.: Nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding is a common clinical problem. The standard first-line treatment involves endoscopic bleeding control using either thermal coagulation therapy or through-the-scope hemostatic clips, with or without injection therapy. Over-the-scope clips have generally been used in the setting of recurrent or refractory bleeding. The objective of this randomized controlled trial from Hong Kong was to compare over-the-scope clips with standard endoscopic hemostatic treatment as first-line therapy in controlling nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. Background: Current endoscopic methods in the control of acute nonvariceal bleeding have a small but clinically significant failure rate. The role of over-the-scope clips (OTSCs) as the first treatment has not been defined. Objective: To compare OTSCs with standard endoscopic hemostatic treatments in the control of bleeding from nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal causes. Design: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03216395) Setting: University teaching hospitals in Hong Kong, China, and Australia. Patients: 190 adult patients with active bleeding or a nonbleeding visible vessel from a nonvariceal cause on upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Intervention: Standard hemostatic treatment (n  = 97) or OTSC (n  = 93). Measurements: The primary outcome was 30-day probability of further bleeds. Other outcomes included failure to control bleeding after assigned endoscopic treatment, recurrent bleeding after initial hemostasis, further intervention, blood transfusion, and hospitalization. Results: The 30-day probability of further bleeding in the standard treatment and OTSC groups was 14.6% (14 of 97) and 3.2% (3 of 93), respectively (risk difference, 11.4 percentage points [95% CI, 3.3 to 20.0 percentage points]; P  = 0.006). Failure to control bleeding after assigned endoscopic treatment in the standard treatment and OTSC groups was 6 versus 1 (risk difference, 5.1 percentage points [CI, 0.7 to 11.8 percentage points]), respectively, and 30-day recurrent bleeding was 8 versus 2 (risk difference, 6.6 percentage points [CI, −0.3 to 14.4 percentage points]), respectively. The need for further interventions was 8 versus 2, respectively. Thirty-day mortality was 4 versus 2, respectively. In a post hoc analysis with a composite end point of failure to successfully apply assigned treatment and further bleeds, the event rate was 15 of 97 (15.6%) and 6 of 93 (6.5%) in the standard and OTSC groups, respectively (risk difference, 9.1 percentage points [CI, 0.004 to 18.3 percentage points]). Limitation: Clinicians were not blinded to treatment and the option of crossover treatment. Conclusion: Over-the-scope clips, as an initial treatment, may be better than standard treatment in reducing the risk for further bleeding from nonvariceal upper gastrointestinal causes that are amenable to OTSC placement. Primary Funding Source: General Research Fund to the University Grant Committee, Hong Kong SAR Government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Demoralization is a prevalent psychological problem among cancer patients and reflects a sense of subjective incompetence. This systematic review aims to identify factors influencing demoralization among cancer patients. Methods: Eleven databases were systematically searched from database inception to 31 December 2020. Google Scholar and relevant reference lists were supplementarily searched. Studies reporting demoralization measured by Demoralization Scale and its influencing factors among cancer patients were included. A qualitative synthesis was conducted owing to the heterogeneity of the study outcome. Results: A total of 49 studies involving 10,712 participants were included in this review. The results showed substantial effect size variation, but the psychological factors showed the strongest magnitude of association. Among the biological factors, the number of physical symptoms (mean r values [rs]: 0.331) was associated with increased demoralization. Among the psychological factors, negative psychological factors include hopelessness (mean rs: 0.633), desire for death (mean rs: 0.620), dignity‐related distress (mean rs: 0.595), depression (mean rs: 0.593), anxiety (mean rs: 0.589), psychological distress (mean rs: 0.465), and suicidal ideation (mean rs: 0.460) were related to increased demoralization; whereas positive psychological factors including hope (mean rs: −0.565), attachment security (mean rs: −0.530), and sense of coherence (mean rs: −0.453) were related to decreased demoralization. Among the social factors, social support (mean rs: −0.330) was negatively related to demoralization, and the demographic factors were still controversial. Quality of life was considered to be at the intersection of biopsychosocial factors and negatively associated with demoralization (mean rs: −0.599). Conclusions: Demoralization is a consequence of the interaction of physical, psychological, and social factors among cancer patients. Factors with a significant effect should not be overlooked when designing an intervention to reduce demoralization. It is necessary to distinguish demoralization from other negative psychological states and further explore positive psychological factors influencing demoralization among cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health belief is an important factor affecting lung cancer screening in high-risk population, but the research based on Chinese cultural background is still insufficient. Therefore, we adapted the English version of the Lung Cancer Screening Health Belief Scales (LCSHB) into the Chinese version (LCSHB-C) and examined its psychometric characteristics.Methods: After obtaining authorization from the original author, the LCSHB-C was adapted based upon Brislin's translation model. Using a variety of community-based recruitment methods, a total of 353 participants were recruited in Fuzhou, Fujian province, China to complete the questionnaires. We combined the classical test theory and item response theory to examine the psychometric properties of the LCSHB-C.Results: The Cronbach's alpha for the four subscales ranged from 0.83 ~ 0.93. The content validity index for the four subscales was ranged from 0.87 ~ 1.0. Confirmatory factor analysis supported each subscale structure model fit well. Rasch analysis results further validated the reliability and validity of the four subscales. The person reliability and separation index of each subscale ranged from 0.77 to 0.87 and 1.83 to 2.63, respectively.Conclusions: The LCSHB-C is a reliable and valid instrument used to measure health beliefs related to lung cancer screening among those high-risk for lung cancer in China, which facilitates the development of lung cancer screening programs and promotes the "three early prevention strategies" of lung cancer (i.e.,early detection, early diagnosis and early treatment). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is little investigation on the independent effects of left-behind experience (LBE) on self-esteem and aggressive behavior in Chinese young adult populations, or the interaction effects of LBE and self-esteem on aggressive behavior. Thus, a school-based health survey was conducted in Anhui province in China in 2017. A total of 4,154 college students completed standard questionnaires which contain details of left-behind–related characters, self-esteem, aggressive behavior, and sociodemographic profile. Of included students, 55.3% were those with LBE (LBEs). Compared to students without left-behind experiences (NLBEs), LBEs had significantly increased scores of aggressive behavior and decreased score of self-esteem. The increased aggression in LBEs was highly related to longer left-behind duration, younger age of left-behind for the first time, and decreased self-esteem. On the other side, the aggressive behavior was demonstrated negatively correlated with self-esteem in both LBEs and NLBEs. There was an interaction effect of left-behind duration and self-esteem on physical aggression and of frequency of contacting with parents and self-esteem on verbal aggression. Besides, the interaction of primary caregiver and self-esteem on hostility and aggression toward self were also observed, respectively. Our results indicated LBEs and low self-esteem are associated with increased risk of aggressive behavior in Chinese young adults. The increased aggressive behavior in LBEs were highly related to longer left-behind duration, younger age of left-behind for the first time and decreased self-esteem. In those LBEs with some certain left-behind–related characters, aggressive behavior decreased more prominently with the increase of self-esteem. Strategies to improve self-esteem, particularly among young adults who have certain characters of LBE, should be a significant component of prevention and interventions of aggressive behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The behaviors of a system that alternates between the Rössler oscillator and Chua's circuit is investigated to explore the influence of the switches on the dynamical evolution. Switches related to the state variables are introduced, upon which a typical switching dynamical model is established. Bifurcation sets of the subsystems are derived via analysis of the related equilibrium points, which divide the parameters into several regions corresponding to different types of attractors. The dynamics behave typically in period orbits with the variation of the parameters. The focus/cycle periodic switching phenomenon is explored in detail to present the mechanism of the movement. The period-doubling bifurcation to chaos can be observed via the doubling increase of the turning points related to the switches. Furthermore, period-decreasing sequences have been obtained, which can be explained by the variation of the eigenvalues associated with the equilibrium points of the subsystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of hydrophobic nanochannel with hydrophilic sites for bionic devices to proximally mimick real bio‐system is still challenging. Taking the advantages of MOF chemistry, a highly oriented CuTCPP thin film has been successfully reconstructed with ultra‐thin nanosheets to produce abundant two‐dimensional interstitial hydrophobic nanochannels with hydrophilic sites. Different from the classical active‐layer material with proton transport in bulk, CuTCPP thin film represents a new type of active‐layer with proton transport in nanochannel for bionic proton field‐effect transistor (H+‐FETs). The resultant device can reversibly modulate the proton transport by varying the voltage on its gate electrode. Meanwhile, it shows the highest proton mobility of ≈9.5×10−3 cm2 V−1 s−1 and highest on‐off ratio of 4.1 among all of the reported H+‐FETs. Our result demonstrates a powerful material design strategy for proximally mimicking the structure and properties of bio‐systems and constructing bionic electrical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]