Search

Abstract To explore the effects and mechanisms of the Xianhecao-Huanglian drug pair on autophagy-mediated intervention in acute inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) via the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. The study examined the underlying mechanisms of action of Xianhecao (APL) and Huanglian (CR) using a mouse model of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced acute inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in an in vitro model of IBD induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of the Xianhecao-Huanglian drug combination in a mouse model of IBD caused by DSS included the following parameters: Assessment of weight loss or gain. Measurement of the disease activity index (DAI). Assessment of histological damage. Determination of organ index. Measurement of colon length. Ascertain the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the intestinal tissues and serum of mice. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for the measurement of tight junction protein concentrations in the colon mucosa, including ZO-1, claudin-1, and occludin. Measurement of mucin levels, specifically Mucin 2 (Muc2). Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining for the observation of histopathological alterations in colonic tissues. Examining the effect on goblet cells using periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) labeling. Application of Western blot and immunofluorescence techniques for the detection of autophagy-related markers in colonic tissues and proteins associated with the JAK2/STAT3 pathway. A cell inflammation model of IBD was induced through LPS stimulation, and a serum containing the Xianhecao-Huanglian drug pair (referred to as ACHP-DS) was formulated. Cell viability, anti-proinflammatory cytokines, tight junction proteins, mucins, autophagy-related markers, and the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway were assessed. The Xianhecao-Huanglian drug pair significantly ameliorated the symptoms and survival quality of acute IBD mice, reducing the disease activity index score, raising MUC2 secretion and tight junction protein expression to improve the integrity of the intestinal barrier, and preserving goblet cell function; thus, protecting the intestines. It effectively restrained triggering the signaling pathway that involves JAK2 and STAT3, leading to the suppression of inflammation and amelioration of colonic inflammation damage. Additionally, it induced autophagy in mouse colonic tissues.The in vitro experiments demonstrated that the Xianhecao-Huanglian drug combination enhanced the viability of LOVO and NCM460 cells when exposed to LPS stimulation. Furthermore, it suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-1β, as well as TNF-α, whilst increasing the production of IL-10, ZO-1, along with MUC2. These effects collectively led to the alleviation of inflammation and the restoration of mucosal integrity. The results were consistent with what was shown in the in vivo trial. Moreover, the medication demonstrated effectiveness in reducing JAK2 along with STAT3 phosphorylation levels in the LPS-induced inflammatory model of IBD cells. The intervention with either the Xianhecao-Huanglian drug combination-containing serum or the JAK2/STAT3 pathway inhibitor AG490 reversed the pro-inflammatory effects and increased autophagy levels in the LPS-stimulated cells. The Xianhecao-Huanglian drug combination modulates the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, leading to the induction of autophagy, which serves as an intervention for IBD.

Proline accumulation has been shown to occur in plants in response to various environmental stresses. Although proline metabolism-related genes have been functionally characterized, the inter-organ transport of proline in stressed plants remains unclear. In this study, free proline was detected with significant accumulations in the roots, stems, and leaves of watermelon drought-tolerant germplasm M08 and drought-susceptible line Y34 under drought stress. Expression profiling and enzyme activity measurements revealed that ClP5CS1 gene, rather than its paralog ClP5CS2, mainly contributes to the proline synthesis in leaves via the Glu pathway. Additionally, over-expression of the ClP5CS genes significantly enhanced the drought tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis lines. Furthermore, we confirmed that proline is mainly synthesized in leaves and transported to roots in watermelon under drought stress. Transcriptome and expression analyses revealed that the genes involved in proline metabolism exhibited different expression levels. Specifically, ClP5CS1 was upregulated in leaves and roots, while ClP5CS2 was downregulated under drought stress. Also, 415 and 362 differently expressed TFs were identified in roots and leaves, respectively, with the majority upregulated in the former. Ultimately, a model for proline metabolism was proposed. The findings of this study provided new insights into the biosynthesis, transport, and regulatory mechanism of drought-induced proline in plants.

For deep learning-based object detection, we present a superior network named MSS-YOLOv5, which not only considers the reliability in complex scenes but also promotes its timeliness to better adapt to practical scenarios. First of all, multi-scale information is integrated into different feature dimensions to improve the distinction and robustness of features. The design of the detectors increases the variety of detection boxes to accommodate a wider range of detected objects. Secondly, the pooling method is upgraded to obtain more detailed information. At last, we add the Angle cost and assign new weights to different loss functions to accelerate the convergence and improve the accuracy of network detection. In our network, we explore four variants MSS-YOLOv5s, MSS-YOLOv5m, MSS-YOLOv5x, and MSS-YOLOv5l. Experimental results of MSS-Yolov5s show that our technique improves mAP on the PASCAL VOC2007 and PASCAL 2012 datasets by 2.4% and 2.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, it maintains a fast inference speed. At the same time, the other three models have different degrees of performance improvement in terms of balancing speed and precision in challenging detection regions.

The transformation of agricultural production modes is an inevitable trend in China’s agricultural development. It is important to study the willingness of smallholder farmers to adjust their agricultural production modes to promote the transformation of China’s agricultural production modes. Agricultural production services are an effective way to realize the organic linkage between smallholder farmers and modern agriculture. To analyze the impact of agricultural production services on smallholder farmers’ willingness to adjust their agricultural production modes, this study uses data from a thematic study of 590 smallholder farmers in the Huang–Huai–Hai regions in 2022 to measure the extent of smallholder farmers’ full-cycle adoption of agricultural production services from the perspective of regional cropping systems for the first time and analyzes the impact of agricultural production services on farmers’ willingness to adjust their agricultural production modes. The study results show that the extent of full-cycle adoption of agricultural production services significantly affects farmers’ willingness to adjust their agricultural production modes. For each unit increase in the extent of full-cycle adoption of agricultural production services in line with the regional cropping system, the probability of farmers choosing “farmland transfer” and “agricultural production trusteeship” becomes 11.31 and 7.24 times higher than that of choosing “self-growing”, respectively. Based on the research results, this paper proposes the following countermeasures: first, we should pay more attention to the supply and demand of agricultural production services, especially to support the key weak links in developing agricultural production services for the process of grain production. Second, we should undertake more active and effective publicity measures to make full use of expressions that are acceptable to farmers to improve their understanding of productive agricultural services further and enhance their willingness to adopt productive agricultural services.

Currently, China is facing the problems of chaotic governance of end-use agricultural water conservancy facilities and a serious waste of agricultural water. To address the above issues, China launched a pilot policy of reforming the property rights of agricultural water facilities in 2014. In this study, we obtained data from 328 farm households through a microscopic study of the pilot property rights reform in Yunnan Province. We found that the reform has resulted in two typical property rights models: “Multiple cooperative governance” and “Private contract governance”. The impact of the reform on the maintenance quality of irrigation facilities and farmers’ water-saving technology adoption behavior was empirically analyzed using the Oprobit and IV-Oprobit methods. The study found that: (1) the property rights reform significantly improved the quality of maintenance of facilities while promoting farmers’ water-saving technology adoption behavior. (2) Heterogeneity analysis revealed that the degree of non-farming of farmers had a negative moderating effect on the quality of facility maintenance and a positive moderating effect on the adoption of water-saving technologies, and the physical health of farmers had a negative moderating effect on the quality of facility maintenance. (3) There was no significant difference in the quality of facility maintenance between the “Private contract model” and the “Multiple cooperative governance model”, but the former had higher water supply capacity; in addition, farmers under the “Multiple cooperative governance model” mainly used drip irrigation technology, whereas farmers under the “Private contract governance model” mainly used sprinkler irrigation technology. The findings of this study provide Chinese experience in promoting the governance of agricultural water facilities and promoting the water-saving behavior of farmers.

Abstract Background With the development and progression of genetic technology, preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) has made it possible to block the inheritance of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) as early as possible. However, we need to know the patients’ fertility intentions and their acceptance of PGT. Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data on the basic demographic data, quality of life, social support, fertility willingness, and level of understanding of genetic testing for blocking the inheritance of ADPKD among patients aged 18–45 years in seven hospitals from January 2018 to December 2018. After verification, statistics were calculated. Results A total of 260 patients with ADPKD were interviewed, including 137males (52.7%) and 123 females (47.3%). The overall fertility willingness rate was low (n = 117, 45.0%). The proportion of married patients aged 25–34 years that were at the optimal reproductive age but did not yet have children was relatively high (n = 77, 67.0%). The fertility intentions of ADPKD patients were significantly influenced by age (OR: 0.101, 95% CI 0.045–0.225, P

Active magnetic suspension bearing technology has been widely used in the field of high-speed motors because of its many technical advantages. A switching power amplifier is an important part of active magnetic bearing. This paper first analyzes the topology of a switching power amplifier and proposes an optimized switching power amplifier topology, which can significantly reduce the number of switches used in a power amplifier. Then, by studying the transfer function of the system, the boundary conditions of the power amplifier bandwidth, stiffness and damping, which maintain system stability, are obtained. Furthermore, an improved current control strategy is proposed, and this strategy can significantly improve the bandwidth of the switching power amplifier and improve the stability and dynamic performance of the system. Simulations and experiments verify the practicability and effectiveness of the topology and current control strategy proposed in this paper.

The fabrication of supramolecular host in combination biomolecules is an interesting idea in modern drug delivery for development of new polymer with advanced chemical and biological properties. Herein, hyper-crosslinked copolymer was fabricated from β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and sialic acid (SA) monomers, which can be undoublty considered as a new class of copolymer. The as-synthesized copolymer has complexation properties, which could cover the drug within the structure and deliver to the site of action. The well-known inclusion capability of β-CD and targeted efficacy of SA made it more appropriate for targeted drug delivery. The copolymer was characterized using a wide range of spectroscopic and microscopic techniques such as synchrotron radiation based FTIR spectroscopy (SR-FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The surface area and porosity were calculated by using Nitrogen adsorption method. Doxorubicin (Dox) was selected as a model drug to evaluate the loading efficiency and cellular penetration ability of the copolymer. The copolymer showed high adsorption towards Dox with no significant cytotoxic effects on HeLa cells as proved by cell viability assay. High cellular penetration of Dox loaded copolymer was also recorded by confocal microscopy when compared with free Dox in HeLa cells at 4 h of exposure. Thus, β-CD-SA copolymer could be a useful carrier for targeted drug delivery of cancer and has the potential for further investigation in viral and nervous disease due to the targeting ability of SA. Keywords: Sialic acid, Cyclodextrin, Supramolecular copolymer, Site specific drug delivery

The efficacy of tumour starvation therapy is limited by lack of persistent tumour suppression, tumour metastasis and recurrence. Here, the authors report biocompatible gold nanorods and thermal-sensitive hydrogel to promote narrowing of blood vessels and show this to reduce tumour growth and metastasis.

The protection of unstable anticancer molecules and their delivery to lesions are challenging issues in cancer treatment. Topotecan (TPT), a classic cytotoxic drug, is widely used for treating refractory lung cancer. However, the therapeutic effects of TPT are jeopardized by its active lactone form that is intrinsically hydrolyzed in physiological fluids, resulting in low bioavailability. Herein, the TPT-loaded crosslinked cyclodextrin metal-organic framework (TPT@CL-MOF) was engineered to improve the local bioavailability of TPT for the treatment of lung cancer. CL-MOF exhibited the efficient loading (12.3 wt%) of TPT with sustained release characteristics. In particular the formulation offered excellent protection in vitro against hydrolysis and increased the half-life of TPT from approximately 0.93 h to 22.05 h, which can be attributed to the host–guest interaction between cyclodextrin and TPT, as confirmed by molecular docking. The TPT@CL-MOF could effectively kill the cancer cells and inhibit the migration and invasion of B16F10 cells in vitro. Moreover, TPT@CL-MOF was efficiently distributed in the lungs after intravenous administration. In an in vivo study using a B16F10 pulmonary metastatic tumor model, TPT@CL-MOF significantly reduced the number and size of metastatic lung nodules at a reduced low dose by five times, and no noticeable side effects were observed. Therefore, this study provides a possible alternative therapy for the treatment of lung cancer with the camptothecin family drugs or other unstable therapeutically significant molecules.

Objectives Building individuals’ positive attitudes during a pandemic is essential for facilitating psychological resilience. However, little is known about how public health measures may improve people’s positive attitudes during a pandemic. We investigated the potential mechanism underlying the association between individuals’ perceived effectiveness of public health measures and positive attitudes towards the success of pandemic control during the COVID-19 pandemic, by examining the parallel mediating effects of three types of threat appraisals: concerns about contracting the virus, perceived impact of the pandemic on life and estimated duration of the pandemic.Design, setting and participants In February 2020 when the COVID-19 infection was spreading rapidly in China, a large cross-sectional survey was conducted among 132 054 adults from the 16 districts in Shanghai, China.Outcome measures Perceived effectiveness of the public health measures, positive attitudes towards the success of pandemic control and threat appraisals.Results Results of structural equation modelling supported the hypothesised mediation model: perceived effectiveness of public health measures was associated with lower levels of concerns about contracting the virus (β=−0.20), perceived impact of the pandemic (β=−0.13) and perceived duration of the pandemic (β=−0.20), which were then associated with higher levels of positive attitudes towards the success of pandemic control (βs=−0.12 to −0.25).Conclusions The findings suggest that threat appraisals may be important pathways through which individuals’ evaluations of prevention strategies may influence their attitudes towards the success of pandemic control. The health authorities should consider reducing people’s inappropriate threat appraisals when designing public health policies to facilitate people’s positive attitudes during a pandemic.

Abstract Background Many reports have also shown that the silver nanoparticles can effectively increase the anticancer drug activity and intensely enhance the drug curative effect. The adsorption of 6MP on nanomaterials has received a lot of attentions because of the drug coordination to its chemotherapeutic activity. The geometrical structures, chemical bonds, molecular orbital properties as well as density of states for the configurations were analyzed to deeply understand the interactions between the 6MP and Ag8 clusters for high effect anticancer drug production. Results In this work, the density functional theory B3LYP has been used to investigate the structures and properties of the configurations between 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) and Ag8 clusters using 6-311++G** level as well as an effective pseudo potential LANL2DZ. The geometries of ten configurations were optimized with full freedom. The geometrical structures, chemical bonds, molecular orbital properties as well as density of states for partial configurations were analyzed based on the density functional calculations. Polarizable continuum solvent model (PCM) in self-consistent reaction field (SCRF) were used for the aqueous calculations. The influences of temperature and pressure on the stability of the predominant configurations in the gas phase were further considered using standard statistical thermodynamic methods from 50 to 500 K and at 1 bar or 100 bar. Conclusion The result shows that there are ten stable configurations in the gas phase and there is a strong chemical bond between a Ag and S atom in the most stable configuration. The analysis of density of states also shows that the Ag–S chemical bond in the most stable configuration has been formed. Moreover, the results show that the temperature and the pressure will significantly influence the stability of the configurations in the gas phase. Additionally, when the solvent effect was considered, we found that there are only seven stable configurations and the solvent have different effect on various configurations.

Purpose: Marfan syndrome (MFS) is one of the most common hereditary connective tissue disorders, with various adverse manifestations ranging from typical ocular, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal abnormalities to manifestations involving the lungs, skin, and central nervous system. In patients with MFS, the most lethal manifestations are aortic lesion presenting as aortic insufficiency, thoracic and abdominal aortic dilatation, aneurysm, and dissection. Clinically, these patients often present with various types of arrhythmias and abnormal electrocardiographs (EKGs); however, there have been few studies of MFS-associated arrhythmias either in China or abroad. This investigation aims to elucidate the association between Marfan-associated aortic lesions and accompanying arrhythmia characteristics. Methods: From September 2016 to January 2018, 75 consecutive patients diagnosed with MFS and aortic disease manifestation were enrolled in the study (MFS group). During the same time period, 76 consecutive nonMFS patients with aortic disease were enrolled as positive controls (dissection group) and 100 consecutive healthy patients were enrolled during routine health checkups as negative controls (checkup group). EKG characteristics between the three groups were analyzed. Results: Compared to the checkup group, both the MFS group and dissection group showed more EKG abnormalities (P < 0.01). Even though there was no significant difference in the incidence of EKG abnormalities between the MFS group and the dissection group (P > 0.05), the MFS group showed a significantly higher occurrence of sinus bradycardia and first-degree atrioventricular block (P < 0.05) compared to the dissection group. Furthermore, the MFS group showed a significantly higher occurrence of left ventricular high voltage with accompanying ST-T change (P < 0.01) compared to the dissection group. Finally, the MFS group showed a significantly higher occurrence of left atrial abnormality (P < 0.05) compared to the dissection group. Conclusion: Patients with MFS and aortic disease manifestation have unique EKG abnormality characteristics. This may be associated with the connective tissue disease affecting the physiological electric conduction in the heart and long-term volume overload leading to myocardial damage.

Objective Evaluate the risk of pre-existing comorbidities on COVID-19 mortality, and provide clinical suggestions accordingly.Setting A nested case–control design using confirmed case reports released from the news or the national/provincial/municipal health commissions of China between 18 December 2019 and 8 March 2020.Participants Patients with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, excluding asymptomatic patients, in mainland China outside of Hubei Province.Outcome measures Patient demographics, survival time and status, and history of comorbidities.Method A total of 94 publicly reported deaths in locations outside of Hubei Province, mainland China, were included as cases. Each case was matched with up to three controls, based on gender and age ±1 year old (94 cases and 181 controls). The inverse probability-weighted Cox proportional hazard model was performed, controlling for age, gender and the early period of the outbreak.Results Of the 94 cases, the median age was 72.5 years old (IQR=16), and 59.6% were men, while in the control group the median age was 67 years old (IQR=22), and 64.6% were men. Adjusting for age, gender and the early period of the outbreak, poor health conditions were associated with a higher risk of COVID-19 mortality (HR of comorbidity score, 1.31 [95% CI 1.11 to 1.54]; p=0.001). The estimated mortality risk in patients with pre-existing coronary heart disease (CHD) was three times that of those without CHD (p

Fire-driven flows associated with wind intervention can dangerously threaten buildings in bushfire-prone areas by increasing pressure load on the structures through fire-wind enhancement phenomenon. This phenomenon through which wind is enhanced by interacting with fire is exacerbated when the affected terrain is located in a positive slope area. This study employs LES simulations using FireFOAM platform to investigate the extent to which the wind enhanced by a point source of fire is affected by terrain slope. A module was appended to the FireFOAM solver to extract and output fire-induced forces and acceleration components for the analysis. The effects of terrain slope on wind velocity enhancement as well as the location at which local maximum wind enhancement occurs were studied. The LES results showed that with the increase of terrain upslope angle, wind enhancement along the centerline is significantly intensified, whereas local maximum wind enhancement that occurs at each side of the centerline is less affected. It was also shown that global maximum wind enhancement occurs immediately downstream of the fire source for all upslope angles. Moreover, similar to the local maximum wind enhancement, the rate of increase in global maximum wind enhancement reduces with the increase of terrain upslope angle. Keywords: Fire-wind enhancement, Point source fire, Terrain slope, Local and global maximum wind enhancement

Objective: This study aims to determine the current incidence of atrial fibrillation postaortic repair surgery and further identify its clinical predictors. Patients and Methods: Over a 17-month period starting on September 1, 2016, and ending on January 31, 2018, diverse types of aortic surgery were performed on 126 consecutive patients (age range, 8–75 years and median age, 43 years) with aneurysm (n = 67) or dissection (n = 59) of the ascending, arch, thoracic, or abdominal aorta. Totally 41 patients received operations on an emergency basis because of acute Type A dissection. Potential predictors of postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) were estimated by a logistic regression model. Results: The incidence of postoperative new onset of atrial fibrillation (AF) was 26.2% (n = 33). Patients who developed POAF were more likely to be of advanced age (51 ± 16 vs. 40 ± 14, P < 0.01), and female patients were more likely to develop POAF compared with male patients (48.5% vs. 26.9%, P = 0.02). Patients with cardiac dysfunction (39.4% vs. 10.8%, P < 0.01), and those who underwent operations on the ascending aorta (48.5% vs. 29.0%, P = 0.04) were also more likely to develop POAF. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that only advanced age and cardiac dysfunction were independent predictors of POAF (P = 0.029, odds ratio [OR] = 1.01, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.001–0.012; P = 0.003, OR = 1.34, 95% CI: 0.103–0.487). Conclusions: The prevalence of POAF is not rare in terms of patients undergoing aortic repair surgeries. Perioperative heart failure and increasing age may be correlating risk factors.

Poor nutrition or insufficient physical activity (PA) are risk factors for obesity and chronic diseases. This 2019 cross-sectional study from the school health survey examined the dietary and PA behaviors of Chinese adolescents. A total of 12,860 adolescents aged 11–18 participated through multistage and stratified cluster random sampling. A questionnaire collected data on weight, PA, sedentary lifestyle, and eating habits. Unhealthy behaviors were identified and summed up for each behavior. Participants were then classified into high and low amounts of risk behaviors. Weight status was defined using Body Mass Index (BMI) cutoff points for Chinese individuals aged 6–18. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess effects of lifestyle behaviors on weight status. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 22.3% among all participants (30.6% in boys, 13.2% in girls). Females engaged in more risk physical activities (4.12 vs. 3.80, p < 0.05), while males engaged in more risk dietary activities (2.20 vs. 2.02, p < 0.05). Higher number of risk dietary, PA, and sedentary behaviors were all significantly correlated with higher BMI (dietary: r = 0.064; PA: r = 0.099; sedentary: r = 0.161; p < 0.001 for all) and body weight (dietary: r = 0.124; PA: r = 0.128; sedentary: r = 0.222; p < 0.001 for all). Risk sedentary behaviors was a significant risk factor for overweight/obesity (Adjusted Odds Ratio AOR = 1.30, 95% Confidence Interval CI 1.11–1.52). Obesity and unhealthy lifestyle behaviors remain a concern among Chinese adolescents. These results provide an update on the factors contributing to overweight/obesity among adolescents and call for efforts to address obesity among adolescents.

In this article, a risk based approach to design for bushfire protection in view of adaptation to global warming is discussed. The concept of design bushfire is explained in an analogy to design flood or design earthquake in terms of event of prescribed return period. In lieu of using the Global Climate Model, the current study is based on the analysis of historical fire weather data from multiple locations in a state wide region. The generalized extreme value (GEV) analysis method is employed to establish the recurrence models for predicting the fire weather index of given return period and the associated fire intensity. To examine the impacts of the climate change, a moving GEV method is utilized to the weather data records over the period of 44 years. The result demonstrated a heterogeneity in the impact of climate change in terms of a given recurrence fire danger index and the potential bushfire severity over the region studied. The implication of this outcome is that the traditional prescriptive approach to design for bushfire protection may not be suited for adaptation to climate change.

The study aims to characterize physical activity (PA) participation by intensity and examine the biopsychosocial correlates among middle-aged and older adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in China. Data were examined from the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. The percentages of participation in vigorous, moderate, and light activity among participants with CKD were 22.7%, 42.1%, and 76.3%, respectively. The participants were less likely to engage in vigorous and moderate PA if they were 70 years of age or older, were not married/partnered, were unemployed, lived in urban areas, had an advanced stage of disease, had heart disease, and/or experienced mobility limitations. The magnitude of the associations between biophysical factors and PA participation was small for light PA. The higher the intensity of regular PA, the less likely older adults with CKD were to participate. Practitioners could consider the psychosocial characteristics of the older adults with CKD and facilitate their participation in PA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and sensitive cloud point extraction method for the preconcentration of ultra-trace amounts of nickel as a prior step to its determination by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry was proposed. It is based on the reaction of nickel with 2-(5-bromo-2-pyridylazo)-5-dimethylaminoaniline (5-Br-PADMA) in HAc–NaAc buffer media and mixed micelle-mediated extraction of the complex using the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate sodium (SDS) and non-ionic surfactant (1,1,3,3-Tetramethylbutyl)phenyl-polyethylene (Triton X-114). The optimal reaction and extraction conditions such as pH, concentration of 5-Br-PADMA, SDS and Triton X-114, equilibrium temperature, incubation, and centrifuge time were evaluated and optimized. Under the optimal conditions, the calibration graph was linear over the range 0.1–5.5 ng/mL of nickel with a correlation coefficient of 0.9942. The detection limit obtained was 0.031 ng/mL, and the relative standard deviation was 2.1% for nickel (c = 2 ng/mL, n = 6). The proposed method was successfully applied to the determination of nickel in water samples.

BackgroundSmoking among youths is a worldwide problem, particularly in China. Many endogenous and environmental factors influence smokers' intentions to smoke; therefore, a comprehensive model is needed to understand the significance and relationship of predictors. This study aimed to develop a prediction model based on problem-behavior theory (PBT) to interpret intentions to smoke among Chinese youths.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study of 26,675 adolescents from junior, senior, and vocational high schools in Shanghai, China. Data on smoking status, smoking knowledge, attitude toward smoking, parents' and peers' smoking, and media exposure to smoking were collected from students. A structural equation model was used to assess the developed prediction model.ResultsThe experimental smoking rate and current smoking rate among the students were 11.0% and 3%, respectively. Our constructed model showed an acceptable fit to the data (comparative fit index = 0.987, root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.034). Intention to smoke was predicted by perceived environment (β = 0.455, P < 0.001) system consisting of peer smoking (β = 0.599, P < 0.001), parent smoking (β = 0.152, P < 0.001), and media exposure to smoking (β = 0.226, P < 0.001), and behavior system (β = 0.487, P < 0.001) consisting of tobacco experimentation (β = 0.663, P < 0.001) and current smoking (β = 0.755, P < 0.001). Smoking intention was irrelevant for personality system in students (β = -0.113, P>0.05) which consisted of acceptance of tobacco use (β = 0.668, P < 0.001) and academic performance (β = 0.171, P < 0.001).ConclusionThe PBT-based model we developed provides a good understanding of the predictors of intentions to smoke and it suggests future interventions among youths should focus on components in perceived environment and behavior systems, and take into account the moderating effects of personality system.

Coordination reaction is a usual way for the concentration of metal ions in aqueous solution. In this work, 5-(5-iodine-2-pyridine azo)-2,2 amie toluene (5-PADAT) was firstly casting onto carbon glass electrode (GCE), play a role of ‘bait’; then, immersed 5-PADAT modified GCE into immersed aqueous solution containing order of magnitude ppm Palladium ions (Pd2+, play a role of ‘fishes’); ‘Fishes’ were captured by ‘bait’ with the reaction process of 5-PADAT and Pd2+, leading to the concentration of Pd2+ onto the GCE; Cyclic voltammetry was employed to reduce Pd2+ in situ, formed Pd nanoparticles (PdNPs) modified GCE. It can be used to detect the oxidation of hydrazine hydrate at a very low potential, 0.1 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controllable preparation of nanopores to promote the performance of electrochemical biosensing interfaces has become one of the researching frontiers in biosensing. A double biocatalysis signal amplification of glucose biosensor for the study of electrochemical behaviors of glucose oxidase (GOx) was proposed by using horseradish peroxidase biosynthesized porous graphene (PGR) as the platform for the biocatalytic deposition of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The biosensor showed a linear range from 0.25 to 27.5 μM with a detection limit of 0.05 μM (S/N = 3) towards glucose. Furthermore, the proposed AuNPs/GOx–PGR modified glassy carbon electrode (AuNPs/GOx–PGR/GCE) achieved direct electron transfer of GOx.

In order to ensure the safety of inflammable and explosive chemical substance such as nitrocellulose (NC) mixtures in the process of handing, storage, and usage, it is necessary to obtain the fire properties of NC with different exterior structures. In present study, fire properties of two commonly used nitrocelluloses with soft fiber structure and white chip structure were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the ISO 5660 cone calorimeter. Experimental findings revealed that the most important fire properties such as ignition time, mass loss rate and ash content exhibited significant differences between the two structures of NC. Compared with the soft fiber NC, chip NC possesses a lower fire hazard, and its heat release rate intensity (HRRI) is mainly affected by the sample mass. In addition, oxygen consumption (OC) calorimetry method was compared with thermal chemistry (TC) method based on stoichiometry for HRRI calculation. HRRI results of NC with two structures obtained by these two methods showed a good consistency.

A highly sensitive method based on cloud point extraction (CPE) separation/preconcentration and graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (GFAAS) detection has been developed for the determination of ultra-trace amounts of rhodium in water samples. A new reagent, 2-(5-iodo-2-pyridylazo)-5-dimethylaminoaniline (5-I-PADMA), was used as the chelating agent and the nonionic surfactant TritonX-114 was chosen as extractant. In a HAc-NaAc buffer solution at pH 5.5, Rh(III) reacts with 5-I-PADMA to form a stable chelate by heating in a boiling water bath for 10 min. Subsequently, the chelate is extracted into the surfactant phase and separated from bulk water. The factors affecting CPE were investigated. Under the optimized conditions, the calibration graph was linear in the range of 0.1–6.0 ng/mL, the detection limit was 0.023 ng/mL for rhodium and relative standard deviation was 3.67% (c = 1.0 ng/mL, n = 11)．The method has been applied to the determination of trace rhodium in water samples with satisfactory results

Adolescent smoking is a worldwide problem that is particularly severe in low- and middle-income countries. Many endogenous and environmental factors affect the intention to smoke, so a comprehensive model is needed to understand the significance and relationship of predictors. The study aimed to test the associations among information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model constructs as predictors of intention to smoke in junior high school students in Shanghai, China.We conducted a cross-sectional study of 16,500 junior high school students in Shanghai, China. Data on tobacco-related information, motivation, behavioral skills, and behaviors were collected from students. Structural equation model (SEM) was used to assess the IMB model.The mean age of participants was 13.8 years old (standard deviation = 1.02; range 11-17). The experimental smoking rate among junior high school students was 6.6% and 8.7% of the participants expected that they would be smokers in 5 years. The IMB model provided acceptable fit to the data (comparative fit index = 0.984, root mean square error of approximation = 0.04). Intention to smoke was predicted by behavioral skills (β = 0.670, P < 0.001) and motivation (β = 0.095, P

Successful pregnancy depends on the precise regulation of extravilloustrophoblast (EVT) invasion into the uterine decidua. SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine) is a matricellular glycoprotein that plays critical roles in the pathologies associated with obesity and diabetes, as well as tumorigenesis. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of SPARC in the process of trophoblast invasion which shares many similarities with tumor cell invasion. By Western blot, higher expression of SPARC was observed in mouse brain, ovary and uterus compared to other mouse tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis revealed a spatio-temporal expression of SPARC in mouse uterus in the periimplantation period. At the implantation site of d8 pregnancy, SPARC mainly accumulated in the secondary decidua zone (SDZ), trophoblast cells and blastocyst. The expression of SPARC was also detected in human placental villi and trophoblast cell lines. In a Matrigel invasion assay, we found SPARC-specific RNA interference significantly reduced the invasion of human extravilloustrophoblast HTR8/SVneo cells. Microarray analysis revealed that SPARC depletion upregulated the expression of interleukin 11 (IL11), KISS1, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 (IGFBP4), collagen type I alpha 1 (COLIA1), matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9), and downregulated the expression of the alpha polypeptide of chorionic gonadotropin (CGA), MMP1, gap junction protein alpha 1 (GJA1), et al. The gene array result was further validated by qRT-PCR and Western blot. The present data indicate that SPARC may play an important role in the regulation of normal placentation by promoting the invasion of trophoblast cells into the uterine decidua.

INTRODUCTION Studies examining e-cigarette use among adolescents in Shanghai, China, have focused largely on middle school students. Given the vast differences between vocational and traditional schools, we aimed to explore school-type differences in e-cigarette use and correlates among adolescents in Shanghai. METHODS The study was conducted in September 2017 through multistage and stratified cluster random sampling, which consisted of 10699 adolescents aged 13-17 years attending traditional and vocational schools in Shanghai. Descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regressions were conducted to assess the weighted prevalence and correlates of ever e-cigarette use stratified by school type. RESULTS The weighted prevalence of e-cigarette use was 5.21% among all respondents. Although e-cigarette use was more prevalent among students attending vocational schools (p<0.001), its correlates were similar across both school types. Among vocational school students, ever tobacco use (OR=3.10; 95% CI: 2.36--4.08) was the most significant correlate, followed by having most friends as smokers (OR=2.97; 95% CI: 1.84--4.81) and having morning cravings (OR=1.90; 95% CI: 1.64--2.20). Among traditional school students, having most friends as smokers (OR=4.87; 95% CI: 2.78--8.54) and ever tobacco use (OR=3.78; 95% CI: 2.68--5.34) were the most significant correlates, followed by knowledge of pro-tobacco advertisements (OR=2.12; 95% CI: 1.54--2.91). CONCLUSIONS Joint efforts from the national, school and family levels are needed to control e-cigarette use among adolescents in China, and such efforts should be tailored to address differences in school characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

INTRODUCTION Exposure to tobacco-related information is an important factor in youth smoking initiation. This study aims to explore the relationship between exposure to pro-smoking and anti-smoking media and adolescents' current smoking status and susceptibility to smoking, as well as the interaction between exposure to pro-smoking and anti-smoking media information. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017. We recruited 12278 students from junior, senior and vocational high schools located in Shanghai, China. The exposure of participants to tobacco promotional and control messages over the past 30 days was examined, as well as current smoking and susceptibility to never smokers' initiation. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using complex samples procedure logistic regression, adjusting for related covariables. RESULTS There were 89.3% and 91.5% of adolescents exposed to tobacco pro- smoking and anti-smoking messages. Exposure was more prevalent among males, suburb school and vocational school students. Exposure to pro-tobacco and anti- tobacco messages, separately, increased and decreased the risk of current smoking and susceptibility to never-smokers' smoking, respectively, especially among males and junior high school students. Risk was associated with the exposure level (p-trend<0.001). Tobacco control messaging was found to mitigate the influences of tobacco promotion on the risk of both current smoking (AOR=0.64; 95% CI: 0.41--0.99) and susceptibility to smoking (AOR=0.65; 95% CI: 0.46--0.93). CONCLUSIONS Exposure to tobacco-related messages was highly prevalent and associated with youth smoking and susceptibility to smoking. It is therefore important to enhance the comprehensiveness and enforcement of promotion bans. Given that tobacco control information can counter the impact of tobacco promotion information on smoking risk, the publicity and dissemination of tobacco control information should be consistently strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]