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Abstract Advancements in the online food delivery market in China have resulted from the rapid development and popularity of mobile communications and smartphones, which are currently applied by mobile and online application developers to restaurants and food delivery services for high sales revenue and fulfilment of Chinese consumers at home. The current work aims to thoroughly examine the four information quality dimensions (i.e. intrinsic quality, contextual quality, representational quality and accessibility quality), perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived convenience and their subsequent implications on user satisfaction and reuse intention of online food delivery applications. By analysing the roles of these factors, we underscore how innovative technology and entrepreneurial strategies can drive customer engagement and satisfaction in the rapidly evolving online food delivery market. The theoretical model proposed in this study was tested through partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Resultantly, intrinsic quality, contextual quality, representational quality, accessibility quality, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use showed a positive and statistically significant effect on user satisfaction, whereas contextual, representational, and accessibility quality, perceived usefulness, perceived convenience, and customer satisfaction positively and significantly affected users’ intention to reuse the online food delivery applications. The key determinant of reuse intention was customers’ personal satisfaction. In order to improve the continuous usage intention of online food delivery applications, application developers and the food industry should therefore focus on providing accurate and up-to-date information, which is expected to boost user satisfaction and reuse intentions.

In this study, the effects of different recovery methods on the structure and functional properties of sarcoplasmic proteins from silver carp surimi wash water were analyzed. The results showed that acidic pH-shifting and heat treatment had a great effect on the degree of conversion of –SH groups to disulfide bonds, surface hydrophobicity, intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence intensity, solubility and foamability of sarcoplasmic proteins. Secondary structure analysis showed that freeze drying and heat treatment gave rise to a higher relative content of β-sheet; isoelectric point precipitation, acidic pH-shifting alone and in combination with chitosan flocculation resulted in a higher relative content of random coil; chitosan flocculation led to a higher relative content of β-turn. These methods consistently yielded a lower relative content of α-helix, and caused the secondary structure of sarcoplasmic proteins to transform from an ordered to a disordered state. In addition, chitosan could bind to sarcoplasmic proteins to form large molecular mass complexes, whereas acidic pH-shifting caused partial decomposition of sarcoplasmic proteins. The structural changes cause by the different recovery methods affected the functional properties of sarcoplasmic proteins. The sarcoplasmic proteins prepared by acidic pH-shifting coupled with chitosan flocculation had much higher surface hydrophobicity and consequently poorer emulsifying properties, while those obtained by freeze drying, isoelectric point precipitation, and chitosan flocculation had stronger emulsifying properties. Notably, chitosan treatment significantly improved the emulsifying properties of sarcoplasmic proteins.

The present research aims to extend the value-belief-norm model by including health values, health consciousness, healthy eating beliefs, and trust in organic food as the impelling factors. This study empirically tested the holistic framework to understand the important factors in consumers’ decision-making processes concerning organic food consumption. A web-based survey was performed to collect data from a convenience sample of 571 organic food consuming university students in China. The hypotheses were tested using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Based on the findings, health values and health consciousness had substantial impacts on healthy eating beliefs, which in turn positively affected personal norms and awareness of consequences. Additionally, awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility had major effects on personal norms. Likewise, personal norms and trust in organic food had a profound influence on the intention to consume organic foods, which in turn significantly induced actual consumption. The findings not only provide novel insights for researchers to understand the aspects of organic food consumption but present a guideline for marketers to develop appropriate marketing tactics to grow the organic food business. This study recommends that policymakers should focus on increasing the awareness and knowledge of organic food, encouraging organic food production, and prioritising campaigns showcasing the unique health benefits of organic food to stimulate increased consumption.

The integration of triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with electromagnetic generator (EMG) holds promise for the efficient harvesting of broadband wind energy, yet the challenge of coupling these two systems into one high‐durability unit has persisted. Herein, a novel magnetic attraction coupling principle is proposed to enable seamless switching between TENG unit and EMG unit across varying rotation speeds without the need for additional mechanical components, thereby enhancing the energy harvesting efficiency of the magnetotropic hybrid generator (MHG). The rotating magnetic field induces the Si‐Mn steel plates to operate in a contact‐separation mode within a compact space, producing a 270 V open‐circuit voltage output, while the excess magnetic flux is captured by coils to generate an induced current of 5 mA. Most importantly, the overall structure is free from mechanical wear, maintaining consistent performance after 130 000 cycles. The harvested wind energy by MHG is utilized to power human infrared sensors, flame sensors, and Bluetooth hygrometers, providing a long‐term, stable power supply for forest fire early warning systems. This study pioneers a novel and robust mechanism that effectively combines TENG and EMG using magnetotropic property, opening a new avenue for efficiently harvesting wide‐band mechanical energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the premise of the value-belief-norm (VBN) model, this study examined the influence of values, beliefs and norms on social entrepreneurial intention of working adults in China. The cross-sectional design was employed, and an online survey, which involved 1,075 working adults, was conducted. All data were analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The obtained results showed the significant and positive influence of self-enhancement, openness to change, and self-transcendence on the sense of meaning and purpose. Moreover, the sense of meaning and purpose exhibited significant and positive influence on problem awareness, and problem awareness was found to have positive effect on outcome efficacy. Besides that, the sense of meaning and purpose, problem awareness, outcome efficacy, and injunctive social norms were found to exhibit significant and positive on personal norms. Finally, personal norms and injunctive social norms exhibited statistically significant and positive influence on social entrepreneurial intention. The results of effect size confirmed the considerable influence of personal norms and injunctive social norms on social entrepreneurial intention. Therefore, policy development aimed at promoting socioeconomic and environmental sustainability through social entrepreneurship should comprehensively consider the influence of personal norms and injunctive social norms. Increasing the sense of meaning and purpose of the working population, prompting an increased problem consequence and outcome self-efficacy, as well as instilling personal norms and injunctive social norms through various social and environmental incentives are recommended.

The world is witnessing an increasing number of senior adult residents who experience health issues. Healthcare innovation facilitates monitoring the health conditions of senior adults and reducing the burden on healthcare institutions. The study explored the effect of health improvement expectancy, effort expectancy, price value, perceived vulnerability, health consciousness, and perceived reliability on the intention and adoption of medical wearable devices (MWD) among senior adults in China. Furthermore, a cross-sectional design was adopted, while quantitative data was collected from 304 senior adults through an online survey. A hybrid approach of partial least square structural equational modeling and artificial neural network-based analysis technique was adopted. The findings demonstrated that health improvement expectancy, perceived vulnerability, price value, and perceived reliability significantly affected the intention to adopt MWDs. Moreover, the intention to adopt MWDs significantly positively affected the actual adoption of MWDs among senior adults. Although the moderating effect of the pre-existing conditions and income between the intention to use MWDs and actual adoption of MWDs was positive, it was not statistically significant. The artificial neural network analysis has proven that perceived reliability, price value, and vulnerability are the most critical factors contributing to the intention to use MWDs. The current study offered valuable insights into the factors affecting the intention and adoption of MWDs among senior adults. Following that, theoretical and practical contributions were documented to improve the ease of use and price value for the prospective users of MWDs. The correct healthcare policies could curtail the influx of senior adults into the hospital and empower these adults to track and manage their health issues at home.

The purpose of this research is to investigate the mediating role of farmers’ adaptive capacity between adaptation practices and economic, social, natural, technological, and institutional limitations. A survey questionnaire was employed to collect data, which was subsequently analysed using PLS-Structural Equation Modelling Structural equation modelling. The entire population was stratified into 27 Pertubuhan Peladang Kawasan out of which 500 targeted respondents were randomly selected from seven strata for data collection. The findings revealed that only 67% of farmers are aware of adaptation practices, while 33% are uninformed. The study also revealed that economic, social, natural, technological, and institutional barriers affect farmers’ adaptive capacity levels and ultimately hamper their adaptation practices. This result further affirms the influence of farmers’ adaptive capacity level on their adaptation behaviour. Adaptation strategies are essential to mitigate the negative effects of climate change. However, the success of these strategies is contingent upon the farmers’ adaptive capacity level, which is strained by several barriers. The findings contribute to the development of a national adaptation plan in a bid to aid the implementation of the 2011–2020 National Agri-Food Policy (NAP) to increase the competitiveness and production capacity of the entire agri-food industry value chain and ensure food security in Malaysia. This study will help policymakers come up with a good policy framework to get rid of the problems that get in the way of adapting to climate change.

As a potential physical blowing agent, sodium bicarbonate (SB) is environmentally friendly and low in cost, but its low decomposition temperature cannot meet the requirements of polyolefin foam materials. Herein, for enhancing the thermal properties of SB, a modified way was offered to fabricate various SB-based capsules via suspension polymerization. As the modified SB-based capsules, epoxy resin (EP) accompanied with several organic acids was successfully coated on the surface of SB, serving as heat-insulation layer of SB. Various physicochemical characterizations provided reliable evidences for the good coating effect, and the thermal performance of the modified SB was improved. Further, the composite SB capsules were applied for the foaming of polypropylene (PP), and the foaming behavior of the SB-based capsules in PP was significantly improved, with more uniform distribution, smaller cell diameter, and higher cell density. In all, this work fully proved that the coated shells enhanced the thermal properties of SB, and the modified SB capsules significantly improved the foaming quality of foamed PP.

Objective of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of TyG and newly TyG related indicators in detecting CKD and explore which indices were superior in associating with CKD in Chinese population. Methods: Correlation test, logistic regression analysis, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to evaluate the optimal cut-off and value of TyG, TyG-body mass index (TyG-BMI), TyG-waist circumference (TyG-WC), TyG-waist to height ratio (TyG-WHtR) for predicting CKD. Results: TyG-WHtR, TyG-WC, and TyG-BMI correlated with several risk factors for CKD. After adjusting for confounders, TyG-WHtR and TyG-WC remained significantly associated with CKD, while TyG-BMI did not. The highest quartiles of TyG-WHtR and TyG-WC had 1.95- and 1.91-fold increased risk of CKD than the lowest quartiles (P< 0.05). TyG-WHtR had the largest AUC (0.687) for CKD detection, followed by TyG-WC (0.669), TyG (0.652), and TyG-BMI (0.648). A united model that involved TyG-WHtR and other risk variables had higher predictive performance (AUC=0.791) than a single TyG related indicator. However, TyG had the highest OR (2.713, 95% CI, 1.446– 5.090) for reduced eGFR in the fully adjusted model. A united model that involved TyG and WHtR separately had stronger predictive ability (AUC: 0.794) than the model that involved TyG-WHtR individually (AUC:0.791). Conclusion: This study found that TyG-WHtR had a better diagnostic value in the diagnosis of CKD, compared to other TyG related indicators, but none of the TyG related indicators showed a stronger association with CKD than TyG. Further research and more refined algorithms are needed to verify these new indicators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Psoriasis, a systemic disorder mediated by the immune system, can appear on the skin, joints, or both. Individuals with cutaneous psoriasis (PsC) have an elevated risk of developing psoriatic arthritis (PsA) during their lifetime. Despite this known association, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this progression remain unclear. Methods. We performed high-dimensional, in-depth immunophenotyping of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with PsA and psoriasis vulgaris (PsV) by mass cytometry. Blood samples were collected before and after therapy for a longitudinal study. Then three sets of comparisons were made here: active PsA vs. active PsV, untreated PsV vs. treated PsV, and untreated PsA vs. treated PsA. Results. Marked differences were observed in multiple lymphocyte subsets of PsA related to PsV, with expansion of CD4+ T cells, CD16− NK cells, and B cells. Notably, two critical markers, CD28 and CD127, specifically differentiated PsA from PsV. The expression levels of CD28 and CD127 on both Naïve T cells (TN) and central memory CD4+ T cells (TCM) were considerably higher in PsA than PsV. Meanwhile, after treatment, patients with PsV had higher levels of CD28hi CD127hi CD4+ TCM cells, CD28hi CD127hi CD4+ TN cells, and CD16− NK cells. Conclusion. In the circulation of PsA patients, the TN and CD4+ TCM are characterized with more abundant CD28 and CD127, which effectively distinguished PsA from PsV. This may indicate that individuals undergoing PsV could be stratified at high risk of developing PsA based on the circulating levels of CD28 and CD127 on specific cell subsets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, the widely used artificial intelligence image perception technology is composed of discrete detection and processing components, which is mismatching the demand for increasingly sizeable redundant image information processing. The transmission of non-critical information between components limits the efficiency of image perception systems. Inspired by the human vision system, which can extract the key features and reduce the transmission burden at the low-level detection end, we propose a symmetric structured mixed-dimensional n/p/n [n-molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)/p-germanium (Ge)/n-MoS2] interdigital van der Waals heterojunction infrared photodetector that can be tuned by bias voltage in response polarity and magnitude. The MoS2/Ge/MoS2 infrared photodetector has a bias-symmetric optoelectronic response and covers the detection band from visible to short-wave infrared. Through the joint detection of a pair of MoS2/Ge/MoS2 infrared photodetectors, we demonstrate the image in situ edge extraction at the detection end, which provides key features for high-level processing. This work has discovered the potential of retina-inspired infrared photodetectors on a 2D/3D integration platform, providing distinct opportunities for a neuromorphic visual perception hardware. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The millions-worth revenue derived from large-scale food delivery characterises the service as a relatively established phenomenon with potential growth. The current cross-sectional research examined online food delivery service quality on consumer satisfaction and reuse intention. Service quality was divided into seven categories (i.e., reliability, assurance, security, maintaining food quality, system operation, traceability, and perceived service value). Perceived service value offer the unique understanding of the online food delivery consumer satisfaction. Empirical data were elicited from 1352 valid respondents and subsequently assessed through the partial least square structural equation modelling. Findings revealed that reliability, assurance, maintaining food quality, system operation, traceability, and perceived service value could elevate customer satisfaction and optimize the intention to reuse food delivery services. Specific measures to improve service quality, including staff training, improved after-sales service, and system optimisation, were proposed to increase users' satisfaction and intention to reuse optimally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The annual prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) is increasing. Therefore, early screening and recognition of MetS are critical. This study aimed to evaluate the association between high-density lipoprotein (HDL) subclasses and MetS and to examine whether they could serve as early indicators in a Chinese community-based population with normal high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels.Methods: We used microfluidic chip technology to measure HDL subclasses in 463 people with normal HDL levels in 2018. We assessed how HDL subclasses correlated with and predicted insulin resistance (IR) and metabolic syndrome (MetS), evaluated by homeostatic model insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and the 2009 International Diabetes Federation (IDF), the American Heart Association (AHA), and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) criteria, respectively. We used correlation tests and ROC curves for the analysis.Results: The results indicate that there was a negative association between HDL2b% and the risk of IR and MetS in both sexes. Subjects in the highest quartile of HDL2b% had a significantly lower prevalence of IR and MetS than those in the lowest quartile (P< 0.01). Correlation analysis between HDL2b% and metabolic risk factors showed that HDL2b% had a stronger association with these factors than HDL-C did in both sexes. ROC curve analysis also showed that HDL2b% had significant diagnostic value for IR and MetS compared to other lipid indicators.Conclusion: This study showed that MetS alters the distribution of HDL subclasses even when HDL-C levels are within the normal range. HDL-2b% has better diagnostic value for IR and MetS than HDL-C alone and may be a useful marker for early screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secured financial transactions can now be conveniently made via mobile devices for various products and services, such as e-hailing. However, limited research exists on the factors influencing the adoption of mobile payments specifically for e-hailing services, despite the growing interest in mobile payments in China. This cross-sectional study quantitatively assessed the influence of perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, social influence, facilitating conditions, perceived security, and lifestyle compatibility on the intention to adopt and the actual adoption of mobile payment for e-hailing services. An online self-administered survey was conducted, involving 413 respondents from China. The results revealed a significant positive influence of perceived ease of use, social influence, facilitating conditions, and perceived security on the intention to adopt mobile payment. Additionally, the study found that the intention to adopt mobile payment positively influenced the actual adoption of mobile payments. Meanwhile, perceived usefulness and lifestyle compatibility demonstrated an insignificant influence on the intention to adopt mobile payments. Subgroup analysis further revealed gender-based differences, indicating that the influence of the intention to adopt mobile payment on the adoption of mobile payment for e-hailing services varied significantly between male and female respondents. Furthermore, the influence of facilitating conditions on the intention to adopt mobile payment for e-hailing services also differed significantly among respondents of different age groups. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the factors influencing the adoption of mobile payment for e-hailing services and provide insights for service providers and policymakers in promoting its adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exact role of Transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) in tumor progression and immunomodulation remains elusive. We comprehensively investigated the expression pattern, diagnostic value, prognostic impact, genetic and epigenetic alterations of TRPM2 in pan-cancer. Then, we explored underlying pathways associated with TRPM2 and immune-related signatures. Ovarian cancer (OV) specimens were enrolled to test the expression of TRPM2 by immunohistochemistry and RT-qPCR. OV cell A2780 transfected with shRNA targeting TRPM2 was used in subsequent experiments. TRPM2 was aberrantly expressed and associated with unfavorable prognosis across various cancers. It possesses significant diagnostic values with AUC > 0.90. TRPM2 participated in pathways mediating immunoregulation and tumorigenesis. The expression of TRPM2 was significantly correlated with tumor microenvironment scores, tumor-stemness index, macrophages infiltration, immune checkpoints, and immune-related genes. OV single-cell datasets also indicated that TRPM2 was predominantly distributed on macrophages and malignancies. The overexpressed TRPM2 in OV tissues was validated at both the mRNA and protein levels. TRPM2 expression was significantly correlated with type2 macrophage marker CD206. Knockdown of TRPM2 inhibited OV cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis. Overall, TRPM2 has relevance to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by modulating macrophage. It could serve as a powerful biomarker for tumor screening and prognosis, and a potential therapeutic target for tumor treatment, especially for OV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Leprosy, caused by Mycobacterium leprae infection, mainly affects skin and peripheral nerves and may further lead to disability and deformity if not treated timely. The new case detection rate of leprosy in children reflects the active transmission of leprosy infection. This study aims to present the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of new leprosy cases in children in China from 2011 to 2020. Methodology/Principal findings: All data from leprosy patients younger than 15 years old were extracted from the Leprosy Management Information System in China (LEPMIS). Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 17.0 was used for descriptive and analytical statistics of the epidemiological and clinical indicators by the Mann-Whitney test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Fisher's exact test. And geographical distribution was analyzed by ArcGIS 10.6.1. A total of 152 pediatric new cases of leprosy were found over the last decade. The new case detection rate of pediatric leprosy cases decreased from 0.13 to 0.02 per 1,000,000 population over the last ten years. New pediatric cases had a higher new case detection rate in Guizhou, Sichuan, and Yunnan Provinces. All but 7 provinces in China achieved zero new child case for consecutive five years. The onset of leprosy peaked between 10 and 14 years of age, and the male to female ratio was 1.71:1. Pediatric patients were predominantly infected from symptomatic household adult contacts. Multibacillary leprosy (MB) was the most common. However, a low proportion of patients developed leprosy reaction and grade 2 disability. Conclusions/Significance: The new case detection rate of pediatric leprosy cases has decreased over the past ten years in China. Spatial analysis indicated clusters in high-endemic areas. Leprosy transmission has stopped in the majority of provinces in China. However, sporadic cases may continue to exist for a long time. Active surveillance especially contact tracing should be focused on in future plan for management of leprosy, and interventions in leprosy clusters should be prioritized. Author summary: Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease, has long been a great concern in developing countries. Leprosy imposes a substantial burden on patients and society. This disease can impair the skin, nerves, feet, and legs, and then progress to causing deformities, social stigma, and discrimination. The new case detection rate of pediatric leprosy is an essential indicator reflecting recent transmission of the infection. To better understand the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of leprosy cases among children in China, we collected data on new pediatric leprosy cases over the past 10 years from LEPMIS and performed an analysis with different classification groups. We found 152 new pediatric leprosy cases, and the new case detection rate decreased from 0.13 in 2011 to 0.02 in 2020 per 1,000,000 population. Leprosy was more frequent in males, those 10 to 14 years old, HHCs, and MB. The new cases were concentrated in highly endemic areas. The data indicate that active transmission of leprosy infection will still be ongoing in high-endemic areas. Active surveillance, especially contact tracing, plays an important role in interrupting the infection caused by Mycobacterium leprae to pursue the elimination of leprosy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrogenation products of aromatic molecules with reducible groups (such as C=C, NO2, C=O, etc.) are relatively critical intermediate compounds in fine chemicals, but how to accurately reduce only specific groups is still challenging. In this work, a bimetallic Pt-Ni/Chitin catalyst was prepared for the first time by using renewable biomass resource chitin as support. As the carrier, the chitin was constructed into porous nanofibrous microspheres through the sol-gel strategy, which was favorable for the adhesion of nano-metals and the exchange of reactive substances due to its large surface area, porous structure, and rich functional groups. Then the Pt-Ni/Chitin catalyst was applied to selective hydrogenation with the model substrate of 4-nitrostyrene. As the highly dispersed Pt-Ni NPs with abundant exposed active sites and the synergistic effect of bimetals, the Pt-Ni/Chitin catalyst could efficiently and selectively hydrogenate only NO2 or C=C with yields of ~99% and TOF of 660 h−1, as well as good stability. This utilization of biomass resources to build catalyst materials would be important for the green and sustainable chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogel is a polymer network system that can form a hydrophilic three‐dimensional network structure through different cross‐linking methods. In recent years, hydrogels have received considerable attention due to their good biocompatibility and biodegradability by introducing different cross‐linking mechanisms and functional components. Compared with synthetic hydrogels, natural polymer‐based hydrogels have low biotoxicity, high cell affinity, and great potential for biomedical fields; however, their mechanical properties and tissue adhesion capabilities have been unable to meet clinical requirements. In recent years, many efforts have been made to solve these issues. In this review, the recent progress in the field of natural polymer‐based adhesive hydrogels is highlighted. The authors first introduce the general design principles for the natural polymer‐based adhesive hydrogels being used as excellent tissue adhesives and the challenges associated with their design. Next, their usages in biomedical applications are summarised, such as wound healing, haemostasis, nerve repair, bone tissue repair, cartilage tissue repair, electronic devices, and other tissue repairs. Finally, the potential challenges of natural polymer‐based adhesive hydrogels are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diagnosis of paucibacillary (PB) leprosy often possesses a diagnostic challenge, especially for pure neuritic and lesser skin lesions with the zero bacillary load, requiring a sensitive and accurate diagnostic tool. We have included 300 clinically diagnosed new leprosy cases (comprising 98 PB cases) and analyzed the sensitivity and specificity of PB leprosy cases by nested PCR with folP , gyrA , rpoB , RLEP , and 16SrRNA and Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay test (ELISPOT) with MMPII, NDO-BSA, and LID-1 antigens by detecting interferon gamma (IFN-γ) release. The overall positivity rates of genes tested in 300 clinical specimens were identified as 55% of 16SrRNA , 59% of RLEP , 59.3% of folP , 57.3% of rpoB , 61% of gyrA while 90% of nested folP , 92.6% of nested rpoB , and 95% of nested gyrA , and 285 (95%) of at least one gene positive cases. For PB specimens, 95% PCR positivity was achieved by three tested genes in nested PCR. The data obtained from ELISPOT for three antigens were analyzed for IFN-γ expression with 600 subjects. Among 98 PB leprosy cases, the sensitivity of MMP II, LID-1, and NDO-BSA was 90%, 87%, and 83%, respectively, and the specificity was 90%, 91%, and 86%, respectively. The total number of cases positive for at least one antigen was 90 (91.8%) in PB, which is significantly higher than that in multibacillary (MB) leprosy (56.7%). The combination of multi-targets nested PCR and ELISPOT assay provides a specific tool to early clinical laboratory diagnosis of PB leprosy cases. The two assays are complementary to each other and beneficial for screening PB patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Service quality is the soul of express enterprises forever. It is of great practical significance for winning customer satisfaction, improving the market competition, and realizing sustainable performance. Unlike tangible products, express delivery service has the characteristics of intangibility, heterogeneity, indivisibility, and instability. While customer demands are complex and changeable and unpredictable, incorporating complex customer requirements into service design has been a growing interest of researchers and practitioners. This paper proposed an optimization design framework based on the quantitative Kano (QKNO) and the fuzzy quality function deployment (FQFD) to effectively achieve the best matching of enterprise service elements under the uncertainty and imprecise judgment information. An empirical study is conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach. The results show that the framework could guide the express company to prioritize the enterprise service elements to maximize customer satisfaction and provide a reasonable budget allocation scheme to set the best resources match. It has theoretical and practical meaning for express enterprises to implement customization service strategy and improve service quality under the limited budget, which could be further extended to other service industries to make optimization decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delta activity on electroencephalogram (EEG) is considered a biomarker of homeostatic sleep drive. Delta power is often associated with sleep duration and intensity. Here, we reviewed the literature to explore how sleep quality was influenced by changes in delta power. However, we found that both the decrease and increase in delta power could indicate a higher sleep quality due to the various factors below. First, the differences in changes in delta power in patients whose sleep quality is lower than that of the healthy controls may be related to the different diseases they suffered from. We found that the patients mainly suffered from borderline personality disorder, and Rett syndrome may have a higher delta power than healthy individuals. Meanwhile, patients who are affected by Asperger syndrome, respiratory failure, chronic fatigue, and post-traumatic stress disorder have lower delta power. Second, if the insomnia patients received the therapy, the difference may be caused by the treatment method. Cognitive or music therapy shows that a better therapeutic effect is associated with decreased delta power, whereas in drug treatment, there is an opposite change in delta power. Last, for healthy people, the difference in delta change may be related to sleep stages. The higher sleep quality is associated with increased delta power during the NREM period, whereas a deceased delta change accompanies higher sleep quality during the REM period. Our work summarizes the effect of changes in delta power on sleep quality and may positively impact the monitoring and intervention of sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Given their similar appearance and histology, halo nevi (HN) were considered as a type of vitiligo. However, whether HN have stronger immune response than stable vitiligo (VL) remains unclear. In addition, the molecular alterations in HN compared with normal nevocytic nevi (NN) and primary cutaneous melanoma (MM) must be determined. This study aimed to systematically characterize the molecular immunological features of HN. Methods: Skin samples from patients with HN, VL, NN, and MM were obtained with informed consent. Each of the four groups underwent transcriptome sequencing and data analysis were for pairwise comparison. Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) was conducted to confirm the transcriptional expression of some differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were closely related to immunity. Results: A total of 441 and 1507 DEGs were found in the HN/NN and HN/MM groups, respectively. Compared with those of VL, HN lesions contained 162 up-regulated DEGs and 12 down-regulated DEGs. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the up-regulated genes in HN were substantially enriched in immune response, immune deficiency, and immune rejection; biological stimulation (virus, bacteria); and proliferation and activation of immune cells. Immune cell composition analysis also confirmed high expression levels of multiple immunocytes in HN. Conclusion: The molecular immune mechanisms of HN and VL were similar, but the immune activity of HN was stronger than that of VL. Innate and adaptive immunity were involved in the pathogenesis and progression of HN and VL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]