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Aims: To describe the range of effects experienced due to the drinking of people respondents know and analyze risk and protective factors for harm from the drinking of partners and household members, other relatives and friends and co-workers. Design, setting and participants: Surveys of 2574 participants' experiences were obtained from two samples: 1000 people responded to random digitally dialled Australian mobile calls and 1574 participants responded from the Life in AustraliaTM panel survey. Measurements: Respondents were asked whether they had been negatively affected in the previous 12 months by the drinking of persons they knew who were 'a heavy drinker or drank a lot sometimes' and the nature of these harms. Weighted logistic regressions were used to analyze differences in rates of key negative outcomes from known others' drinking by gender, age and socio-economic status. Findings: Almost two thirds [60.2%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 57.7%-62.7%] of participants reported having heavy drinkers in their lives and 21.8% (95% CI = 19.8%- 23.9%) reported being negatively affected by the drinking of people they knew well in some way. Participants reported a gamut of effects, including, most commonly, adverse social effects: having to transport relatives and friends who had been drinking, role failure and faults, being emotionally hurt or neglected, serious arguments, family problems, having to care for drinkers and verbal abuse. Less commonly, respondents reported physical or sexual harm, property damage, financial stress and threats from others' drinking. Women (odds ratio = 1.49; 95% CI = 1.13-1.95), younger people, rural, Australianborn (vs. respondents born overseas in non-English speaking countries) and more frequent drinkers were more likely to report harm from a drinker they knew than their counterparts after adjusting for other variables in the model. Conclusions: Australians appear to be commonly adversely affected by the drinking of people they know. Harms from known drinkers are more likely to be experienced by women than men, particularly from the people they live with and other relatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: By investigating the incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among residents during a period of low transmission, this study reflects the long-term impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and identify which categories of residents are more likely to develop PTSD due to an acute infectious disease crisis, facilitating the development of targeted strategies to protectmental health after outbreaks of similar acute infectious diseases in the future. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in China from 4 to 26 February 2021. A convenience sampling strategy was adopted to recruit participants. Participants were asked to complete the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). A multivariable linear stepwise regression analysis model was used to identify which factors were associated with PTSD in residents of China. Results: A total of 2,361 Chinese residents completed the questionnaire. The mean PCL-5 score for the respondents was 13.65 (SD = 8.66), with 219 (9.28%) patients having probable PTSD symptoms. Respondents who were female (b = 0.038), had a relative or friend who had contracted COVID-19 (b = 0.041), and had poor health (b = 0.184) had higher PCL-5 scores, while the population aged over 60 years (b = -0.063), who agreed that COVID-19 information was released in a timely manner (b = -0.347), who had experienced a relatively limited impact of COVID-19 on their life (b = -0.069), and who agreed that the local prevention initiatives were sophisticated (b = -0.165) had lower PTSD scores. Conclusions: Outbreaks of acute infectious diseases can have long-term psychological health effects in the general population. In addition, health policy makers need to be concerned about and implement measures to support the mental health of vulnerable groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Cardiac fibrosis is a serious health problem because it is a common pathological change in almost all forms of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by the transdifferentiation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) into cardiac myofibroblasts and the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components produced by activated myofibroblasts, which leads to fibrotic scar formation and subsequent cardiac dysfunction. However, there are currently few effective therapeutic strategies protecting against fibrogenesis. This lack is largely because the molecular mechanisms of cardiac fibrosis remain unclear despite extensive research. The Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling cascade is an extensively present intracellular signal transduction pathway and can regulate a wide range of biological processes, including cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, apoptosis, and immune response. Various upstream mediators such as cytokines, growth factors and hormones can initiate signal transmission via this pathway and play corresponding regulatory roles. STAT3 is a crucial player of the JAK/STAT pathway and its activation is related to inflammation, malignant tumors and autoimmune illnesses. Recently, the JAK/STAT3 signaling has been in the spotlight for its role in the occurrence and development of cardiac fibrosis and its activation can promote the proliferation and activation of CFs and the production of ECM proteins, thus leading to cardiac fibrosis. In this manuscript, we discuss the structure, transactivation and regulation of the JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway and review recent progress on the role of this pathway in cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, we summarize the current challenges and opportunities of targeting the JAK/STAT3 signaling for the treatment of fibrosis. In summary, the information presented in this article is critical for comprehending the role of the JAK/STAT3 pathway in cardiac fibrosis, and will also contribute to future research aimed at the development of effective anti-fibrotic therapeutic strategies targeting the JAK/STAT3 signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of the livestock industry, finding new sources of feed has become a critical issue that needs to be addressed urgently. China is one of the top five sunflower producers in the world and generates a massive amount of sunflower stalks annually, yet this resource has not been effectively utilized. Therefore, in order to tap into the potential of sunflower stalks for animal feed, it is essential to explore and develop efficient methods for their utilization. In this study, various proportions of alfalfa and sunflower straw were co-ensiled with the following mixing ratios: 0:10, 2:8, 4:6, 5:5, 6:4, and 8:2, denoted as A0S10, A2S8, A4S6, A5S5, A6S4, and A8S2, respectively. The nutrient composition, fermentation quality, microbial quantity, microbial diversity, and broad-spectrum metabolomics on the 60th day were assessed. The results showed that the treatment groups with more sunflower straw added (A2S8, A4S6) could start fermentation earlier. On the first day of fermentation, Weissella spp.dominated overwhelmingly in these two groups. At the same time, in the early stage of fermentation, the pH in these two groups dropped rapidly, which could effectively reduce the loss of nutrients in the early stage of fermentation. In the later fermentation period, a declining trend in acetic acid levels was observed in A0S10, A2S8, and A4S6, while no butyric acid production was detected in A0S10 and A2S8 throughout the process. In A4S6, butyric acid production was observed only after 30 days of fermentation. From the perspective of metabolites, compared with sunflower ensiling alone, many bioactive substances such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and terpenes are upregulated in mixed ensiling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable lithium (Li) metal batteries face challenges in achieving stable cycling due to the instability of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI). The Li-ion solvation structure and its desolvation process are crucial for the formation of a stable SEI on Li metal anodes and improving Li plating/stripping kinetics. This research introduces an interfacial desolvation coating technique to actively modulate the Li-ion solvation structure at the Li metal interface and regulate the participation of the electrolyte solvent in SEI formation. Through experimental investigations conducted using a carbonate electrolyte with limited compatibility to Li metal, the optimized desolvation coating layer, composed of 12-crown-4 ether-modified silica materials, selectively displaces strongly coordinating solvents while simultaneously enriching weakly coordinating fluorinated solvents at the Li metal/electrolyte interface. This selective desolvation and enrichment effect reduce solvent participation to SEI and thus facilitate the formation of a LiF-dominant SEI with greatly reduced organic species on the Li metal surface, as conclusively verified through various characterization techniques including XPS, quantitative NMR, operando NMR, cryo-TEM, EELS, and EDS. The interfacial desolvation coating technique enables excellent rate cycling stability (i.e., 1C) of the Li metal anode and prolonged cycling life of the Li,,LiCoO2 pouch cell in the conventional carbonate electrolyte (E/C 2.6 g/Ah), with 80% capacity retention after 333 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we utilized a pharmacological network and bioinformatics approach to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the resistance of Protopine (PRO) against Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). To uncover the underlying mechanism of PRO, we employed network pharmacology analysis. We collected and enriched targets using various databases such as TCMSP, SwissTargetPrediction, PubChem, Genecards, and DAVID. Furthermore, we constructed Potential targets network and components-disease-core targets network by STRING 11.5 and Cytoscape 3.7.1 to investigate the association of targets of PRO with disease targets of TNBC. The results of the network pharmacology approach indicated that PRO may play a key role in protein phosphorylation, protein autophosphorylation, Progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and acting as targets such as PRKACA, JAK2, CDK2, LRRK2, CCNE1, KDR, JAK1. Our findings suggest that PRO exerts its effects against TNBC through multi-channel and multi-target mechanisms. Therefore, this study provides a basis for further research on the mechanism of action of PRO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aberrant DNA methylation of genes is closely linked to many aspects of tumor development. This study focuses on the effect of DNA hypermethylation of von Willebrand factor C domain containing 2 (VWC2) on colorectal cancer (CRC) progression and the underpinning mechanism. According to data in the bioinformatic systems, VWC2 had the highest degree of DNA methylation in colonic adenocarcinoma, and it showed DNA hypermethylation in rectal adenocarcinoma as well. CRC and the para-tumorous tissues were collected from 86 patients. VWC2 was expressed at low levels in CRC samples and inversely correlated with tumor stage and tumor biomarker expression. DNA hypermethylation and reduced expression of VWC2 were also detected in CRC cell lines HCT-116 and HT29. VWC2 overexpression suppressed the malignant growth of cells in vitro and in vivo. Co-immunoprecipitation and western blot assays showed that small ubiqectin-like modifier 1 (SUMO1) mediated SUMOylation of DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) and strengthened its protein stability, which promoted DNA methylation and suppression of the VWC2 gene. In summary, this study demonstrates that SUMO1-mediated activation of DNMT1 induces DNA methylation and downregulation of VWC2 in CRC to augment cancer development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background High turnover among physicians in emergency department is a great challenge in China. However, the rate and the reasons why physicians intend to leave have not been extensively studied yet. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the risk factors of turnover intention among physicians in emergency department. Methods A national cross-sectional survey was conducted from July to August 2018 in China. A total of 10 457 physicians in emergency department were investigated using a structured self-administered questionnaire, which included demographic characteristics, work-related factors, turnover intention, the Patient Health Questionnaire and Positive and Negative Affect Scale. The stepwise logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the risk factors of turnover intention among physicians. Results A total of 55.18% of the physicians in emergency department reported turnover intention in China. Turnover intention were more likely to be reported among physicians who were male (odds ratio (OR) = 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.13-1.38); who perceived medical errors (OR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.23-1.47); who had a lower average monthly income; who provided out-of-hospital resuscitation services; who experienced physical violence (OR = 1.39, 95% CI = 1.26-1.54) and who reported higher score on negative affect and depressive tendency (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.05-1.08; OR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.09-1.12). Conversely, physicians who perceived shortage of manpower (OR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.66-0.81), or reported higher score on positive affect (OR = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.94-0.97) were inclined to stay in emergency department. Conclusion This study shows that turnover intention among physicians in emergency department is high in China and was significantly associated with gender, average monthly income, perceived shortage of physicians, the times for provide out-of-hospital resuscitation services, exposure to workplace violence, depressive tendency, positive affect and negative affect. Targeted interventions are required to improve the retention rate among physicians in emergency department from the comprehensive aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The family Nymphalidae is the largest group of butterflies with high species richeness. Rhinopalpa polynice (Cramer, [1779]), a forest species, was discovered in the mid-stream of the Yuanjiang-Red River Valley of Yunnan Province for the first time, which represents the first record of the genus Rhinopalpa in China. New information The species R. polynice (Cramer, [1779]) is the first record of the genus Rhinopalpa from China. The specimen was collected in the mid-stream of the Yuanjiang-Red River Valley of Yunnan Province. The female genitalia are described for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The complex interrelationships between professional identity, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover intention among general practitioners (GPs) are insufficiently understood in China. This study aimed to investigate the interrelationships between professional identity, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover intention in China, and to examine whether job satisfaction and burnout played mediating roles between professional identity and turnover intention.Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between October, 2017 and February, 2018 in China. The participants were selected using a multistage stratified random sampling method. Data were collected with a self-administered questionnaire from 3236 GPs (response rate, 99.8%) working in community health institutions in China. Professional identity was measured by the 13 items scale, and job satisfaction scale with an 11-item designed by Shi et al. was employed. Burnout was measured using a 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, and turnover intention was measured with a 6 items scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated and groups' differences were estimated Student's t-test and analyses of variance. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to assess the degree of correlation among different dimensions of professional identity, job satisfaction, burnout, and turnover intention. Structural equation modeling analysis was applied to examine the interrelationships among these study variables based on the hypothesized model.Results: The proposed model achieved a good model fit. Job satisfaction had a direct negative effect on turnover intention (β = - 0.38, P < 0.001), burnout had a direct positive effect on turnover intention (β = 0.37, P < 0.001), and professional identity had an indirect negative effect on turnover intention through the mediating effect of job satisfaction and burnout.Conclusions: Our study elucidated the pathways linking professional identity, job satisfaction, and burnout to turnover intention of GPs. This revealed that turnover intention was significantly affected by job satisfaction and burnout, and the effects of professional identity on turnover intention can be mediated by job satisfaction and burnout. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The selective insecticide flonicamid shows highly insecticidal activities against piercing-sucking insects and has been widely used for the control of Hemipteran insect pests, whereas its effects on Lepidopteran insect pests remain largely unknown. Recently, inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channel has been verified to be a target of flonicamid, however, functional characterization of Lepidopteran Kir genes is still lacking. RESULTS: Flonicamid shows no insecticidal toxicity against Chilo suppressalis larvae. However, the feeding and growth of larvae were reversibly inhibited by flonicamid (50–1200 mg L−1). Flonicamid treatment also remarkably reduced and delayed the pupation and eclosion of Chilo suppressalis. Additionally, five distinct Kir channel genes (CsKir1, CsKir2A, CsKir2B, CsKir3A and CsKir3B) were cloned from Chilo suppressalis. Expression profiles analysis revealed that CsKir2A was predominately expressed in the hindgut of larvae, whereas CsKir2B had high expressions in the Malpighian tubules and hindgut. RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knockdown of CsKir2B significantly reduced the growth and increased the mortalities of larvae, whereas silencing of CsKir2A had no obvious effects on Chilo suppressalis. CONCLUSION: Flonicamid exhibits adverse effects on the growth and development of Chilo suppressalis. CsKir2B might be involved in the feeding behavior of Chilo suppressalis. These results provide valuable information on the effects of flonicamid on non-target insects as well as the function of insect Kir channels, and are helpful in developing new insecticide targeting insect Kir channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We systematically studied the electronic properties of zigzag boron nitride nanoribbons periodically embedded with four- and eight-membered rings (new ZBNNRs) and the influence of vacancies on the electronic properties. The results reveal that the band gap of the new ZBNNRs is greatly reduced, down to a range of 3.830–3.995 eV, enabling the allotropes to display semiconductor properties and satisfying the requirements of the third-generation semiconductor bandgap width, and can provide high-quality materials for the preparation of third-generation semiconductor nanodevices. Second, although the vacancy has not changed the semiconductor characteristics of the new ZBNNRs, the band-gap bandwidth will be reduced to some extent due to the difference in vacancy position and electronic state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common microvascular complication of diabetes, and in the advanced diabetic retinopathy appear vitreal fibrovascular membranes that consist of a variety of cells, including vascular endothelial cells (ECs). New therapeutic approaches for this diabetic complication are urgently needed. Here, we report that in cultured human retinal microvascular ECs, high glucose induced expression of p110δ, which was also expressed in ECs of fibrovascular membranes from patients with diabetes. This catalytic subunit of a receptor-regulated PI3K isoform δ is known to be highly enriched in leukocytes. Using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we show that p110δ activity in cultured ECs controls Akt activation, cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation induced by vascular endothelial growth factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, and epidermal growth factor. Using a mouse model of oxygen-induced retinopathy, p110δ inactivation was found to attenuate pathological retinal angiogenesis. p110δ inhibitors have been approved for use in human B-cell malignancies. Our data suggest that antagonizing p110δ constitutes a previously unappreciated therapeutic opportunity for diabetic retinopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aim to quantitatively synthesise available epidemiological evidence on the prevalence rates of workplace violence (WPV) by patients and visitors against healthcare workers. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase and Web of Science from their inception to October 2018, as well as the reference lists of all included studies. Two authors independently assessed studies for inclusion. Data were double-extracted and discrepancies were resolved by discussion. The overall percentage of healthcare worker encounters resulting in the experience of WPV was estimated using random-effects meta-analysis. The heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic. Differences by study-level characteristics were estimated using subgroup analysis and meta-regression. We included 253 eligible studies (with a total of 331 544 participants). Of these participants, 61.9% (95% CI 56.1% to 67.6%) reported exposure to any form of WPV, 42.5% (95% CI 38.9% to 46.0%) reported exposure to non-physical violence, and 24.4% (95% CI 22.4% to 26.4%) reported experiencing physical violence in the past year. Verbal abuse (57.6%; 95% CI 51.8% to 63.4%) was the most common form of non-physical violence, followed by threats (33.2%; 95% CI 27.5% to 38.9%) and sexual harassment (12.4%; 95% CI 10.6% to 14.2%). The proportion of WPV exposure differed greatly across countries, study location, practice settings, work schedules and occupation. In this systematic review, the prevalence of WPV against healthcare workers is high, especially in Asian and North American countries, psychiatric and emergency department settings, and among nurses and physicians. There is a need for governments, policymakers and health institutions to take actions to address WPV towards healthcare professionals globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High efficiency copper(I) halide complexes containing rigid diphosphine ligands have attracted much attention. However, rigid bidentate phosphine ligands have been rarely reported so far. Here, an electron-rich heteroaryl ring grafted with two electron donating methyl groups was first included to construct a rigid bidentate phosphine ligand, three four-coordinate dinuclear copper(I) halide complexes, [CuX(dpmt)]2 (dpmt = 3,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)-2,5-dimethylthiophene, X = I (1), Br (2) and Cl (3)), were synthesized, and their molecular structures and photophysical properties were investigated. The structural analysis reveals that two copper(I) centers are bridged by two halogen ligands to form a dinuclear structure with a four-membered Cu2X2 ring. These complexes exhibit intense bluish green to yellow green emission in the solid state at room temperature and have peak emission wavelengths at 490–543 nm with microsecond lifetimes (τave = 3.9–13.6 μs, Φ = 0.26–0.35). The emission of complex 1 mainly originates from MLCT and ligand-centered transitions. Similar emissive behaviors for complexes 2 and 3 are possibly due to ligand-centered transition. The solution-processed devices of complex 3 exhibit stable yellow emission with CIE(x, y) of (0.42, 0.52) for doped and nondoped devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly emissive three-coordinate copper(i) complexes have received much attention. Here, a new synthetic strategy for the preparation of a bulky terphenyl bidentate phosphine ligand mpdp is presented. A series of mononuclear three-coordinate Cu(i) halide complexes [CuX(mpdp)] (mpdp = 4,4′,4′′,5,5′,5′′–hexamethyl-(1,1′:2′,1′′-terphenyl)-2,2′′-bis(diphenylphosphine), X = I (1), Br (2) and Cl (3)), were synthesized. This method provides a three-coordinate linkage between the bulky bidentate phosphine ligand and CuX. These complexes exhibit green to yellow green emission in the solid state at room temperature and have peak emission wavelengths at 493–533 nm with microsecond lifetimes (τ = 7.2–415.9 μs). Small S1–T1 energy gaps in the solid state indicate that the emission occurs from a thermally activated excited singlet state at ambient temperature. The emission of complexes 1–3 mainly originates from MLCT and XLCT transitions. The solution-processed devices of complex 1 exhibit yellow emission with a CIE (x, y) of (0.44, 0.47). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heavy metals do not degrade and can remain in the environment for a long time. In this study, we analyzed the effects of Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, Hg, and As, on environmental quality, pollutant enrichment, ecological hazard, and source identification of elements in sediments using data collected from samples taken from Shuangtai tidal wetland. The comprehensive pollution indices were used to assess environmental quality; fuzzy similarity analysis and geoaccumulation index were used to analyze pollution accumulation; correlation matrix, principal component analysis, and clustering analysis were used to analyze pollution source; environmental risk index and ecological risk index were used to assess ecological risk. The results showed that the environmental quality was either clean or almost clean. Pollutant enrichment analysis showed that the four sub-regions had similar pollution-causing metals to the background values of the soil element of the Liao River Plain, which were ranked according to their similarity. Source identification showed that all the elements were correlated. Ecological hazard analysis showed that the environmental risk index in the study area was less than zero, posing a low ecological risk. Ecological risk of the six elements was as follows: As > Cd > Hg > Cu > Pb > Zn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alcohol-related harm is a substantial burden on the community in Australia and internationally, particularly harm related to risky drinking practices of young people in the night-time economy. This protocol paper describes a study that will report on the changes in a wide range of health and justice outcome measures associated with major policy changes in the state of Queensland, Australia. A key element includes trading hours restrictions for licensed premises to 2 am for the state and 3 am in Safe Night Precincts (SNPs). Other measures introduced include drinks restrictions after midnight, increased patron banning measures for repeat offenders, mandatory ID scanning of patrons in late-night venues, and education campaigns.Methods: The primary aim of the study is to evaluate change in the levels of harm due to these policy changes using administrative data (e.g., police, hospital, ambulance, and court data). Other study elements will investigate the impact of the Policy by measuring foot traffic volume in SNPs, using ID scanner data to quantify the volume of people entering venues and measure the effectiveness of banning notices, using patron interviews to quantify the levels of pre-drinking, intoxication and illicit drug use within night-time economy districts, and to explore the impacts of the Policy on business and live music, and costs to the community.Discussion: The information gathered through this project aims to evaluate the effectiveness of the Policy and to draw on these findings to inform future prevention and enforcement approaches by policy makers, police, and venue staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative analgesia remains a challenge for orthopedic surgeons. The aim of this meta-analysis is to compare the efficacy of epidural analgesia (EA) and intravenous patientcontrolled analgesia (IV-PCA) following major spine surgery. We searched electronic databases, including the PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid and Cochrane databases, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published before June 2016. The quality of the included trials was assessed using the Cochrane risk-of-bias tool. Random effects models were used to estimate the standardized mean differences (SMDs) and relative risks (RRs), with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup analyses stratified by the type of epidural-infused medication and epidural delivery were also performed. A total of 17 trials matched the inclusion criteria and were chosen for the following meta-analysis. Overall, EA provided significantly superior analgesia, higher patient satisfaction and decreased overall opioid consumption compared with IV-PCA following major spine surgery. Additionally, no differences were found in the side effects associated with these two methods of analgesia. Egger's and Begg's tests showed no significant publication bias. We suggest that EA is superior to IV-PCA for pain management after major spine surgery. More large-scale, high-quality trials are needed to verify these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resveratrol (RSV) as a naturally occurring small molecule has been reported to benefit the cardiovascular system through a dietary supplementation. However, the relevant genetic regulation by RSV has been uncovered. This work is solely to investigate how RSV increases a fecal excretion of total sterols of HF fed C57BL/6J mice to block lipid accumulation in vivo through regulation of PPRAα, HMG-CoA-R, CYP7A1, LDL-R and ABCG5 genes. The results showed that RSV significantly improved the excretion of total sterols through up regulation of mRNA expressions of PPARα, CYP7A1, LDL-R, ABCG5 and down regulation of HMG-CoA-R. These data indicate that beneficial effects from RSV were associated with the favorably altered expression of hepatic and large intestine genes in HF fed mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of para-phenylene terephthalamide pulp modified damping materials were prepared. The dynamic mechanical properties, differential scanning calorimetry, vibration damping properties, vulcanization property, tensile strengths as well as scanning electron microscopy micrographs of the damping materials were studied theoretically and experimentally. The dynamic mechanical properties of para-phenylene terephthalamide pulp modified damping materials were also compared with aramid short-cut fiber, E-glass staple fiber and carbon fiber powder modified damping materials. The results showed that para-phenylene terephthalamide pulp modified damping materials exhibited the best damping property and highest modulus in comparison with the other types of fibers. The storage modulus (E′), loss modulus (E″) and tensile strength of the materials were all increased significantly with increasing pulp content, and this trend was significantly greater in machine direction rather than in cross-machine direction. The second, third and fourth modes modal loss factors (η) of the steel beams coated with para-phenylene terephthalamide pulp modified damping materials increased substantially up to a maximum, and then became stable with increasing pulp amount. The optimal η in machine direction was achieved as the mass ratio of butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber to para-phenylene terephthalamide pulp was 100:30. Excellent damping property was mainly attributed to the extremely high interfacial contact area which significantly improved the efficiency of energy dissipation of internal friction, interfacial sliding and dislocation motion between para-phenylene terephthalamide pulps and butadiene-acrylonitrile rubber chains. Since para-phenylene terephthalamide pulp modified damping materials offer a high E′, excellent vibration damping properties, broad damping temperature and frequency ranges, it is ideal for free-damping structures which are widely utilized in industrial vibration and noise control applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantify the extent of time spent by family and friends caring for drinkers and their dependents, to estimate the cost of this time and to measure which factors predict time spent caring.~Aims~Objective~Data are from a nationwide Alcohol's Harm to Others Survey of 2649 Australians, in which 778 respondents reported they were harmed by a known drinker. Time spent on four caring activities was self-reported by these respondents and tallied to estimate how many hours they spent caring for the drinker, the drinker's children or other dependents. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression models were employed to examine factors predicting time spent caring.~Methods~Methods~Respondents who reported they were harmed by a drinker they knew had spent on average 32 h caring for this drinker and their dependents in the past 12 months. Applying these figures to the Australian population, but discounting by 90% because this time may be seen be a voluntary demonstration of connection, an annual cost of caring in 2008 would amount to AU$250 million. A significant positive association was found between time spent caring and the drinking level and drinking frequency of the heavy drinking other person.~Results~Results~Caring for drinking family members, friends, co-workers and a drinker's dependents can be a substantial burden. Policy approaches that reduce population drinking and individual risky drinking levels are potential means to reduce the burden of caring due to others' drinking.~Conclusion~Conclusions [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To quantify the extent of time spent by family and friends caring for drinkers and their dependents, to estimate the cost of this time and to measure which factors predict time spent caring. Methods: Data are from a nationwide Alcohol's Harm to Others Survey of 2649 Australians, in which 778 respondents reported they were harmed by a known drinker. Time spent on four caring activities was self-reported by these respondents and tallied to estimate how many hours they spent caring for the drinker, the drinker's children or other dependents. Bivariate and multivariate linear regression models were employed to examine factors predicting time spent caring. Results: Respondents who reported they were harmed by a drinker they knew had spent on average 32 h caring for this drinker and their dependents in the past 12 months. Applying these figures to the Australian population, but discounting by 90% because this time may be seen be a voluntary demonstration of connection, an annual cost of caring in 2008 would amount to AU$250 million. A significant positive association was found between time spent caring and the drinking level and drinking frequency of the heavy drinking other person. Conclusion: Caring for drinking family members, friends, co-workers and a drinker's dependents can be a substantial burden. Policy approaches that reduce population drinking and individual risky drinking levels are potential means to reduce the burden of caring due to others' drinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]