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Background: A large rural labor force has been attracted to urban areas with the acceleration of urbanization in China. This significant change in environment for migrant children from rural to urban may lead to psychological problems, such as decreased subjective wellbeing (WB) and increased perceived discrimination (PD). However, previous studies have focused on the influence of PD on WB by using a cross-sectional design, ignoring the causality and intrinsic mechanisms between WB and PD. The current study investigates the causal association and internal relations between migrant children's PD and WB. Methods: A total of 466 (222 females, 47.64%) migrant children (Mage = 11.78, SD = 1.80) were recruited from Beijing in China. The participants filled in the questionnaire twice, with an interval of 1 year, including a basic information questionnaire, wellbeing index scale, perceived discrimination questionnaire, and self-esteem scale. Results: Overall, cross-lagged regression analysis revealed that WB (T1) had a predictive effect on PD (T2) but that PD (T1) had no predictive effect on WB (T2). Mediation results indicated that self-esteem (SE) (T1) mediated the relation between WB (T1) and PD (T2). Moderated mediation results further proved that the link between WB (T1) on SE (T1) and the indirect effect between WB (T1) and PD (T2) were more robust for migrant children who attended public school than those in the migrant children's school. Conclusion: These findings implied that a decrease in WB may increase the perception of subjective discrimination and that SE could be an intrinsic factor between migrant children's WB and PD, especially in public schools. Therefore, educators and parents should also pay attention to mental health problems to improve the well-being and self-esteem of migrant children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cambodian People's Party (CPP} has consistently emphasized its ability to deliver economic growth to claim performance-based legitimacy for its rule. Given the dynamic nature of performance legitimacy, the CPP is thus in continuous search of additional resources to sustain economic development. Given Cambodia's deteriorating political relationships with Western countries, the CPP has become increasingly reliant on engagement with China to support the country's economic growth and preserve the party's legitimacy. Drawing mainly from fieldwork conducted in Cambodia from 2018 to 2020, this article analyses the CPP's tactics in pursuit of performance-based legitimation from 1993 to 2021 and the impact of engagement with China on the Cppy continuing quest for legitimacy. It concludes that although increased trade with and investment from China has enhanced the Cppy performance-based legitimacy, there have also been negative outcomes arising from the intersection of Cambodia's neo-patrimonial system and Chinese capital and resident nationals, as is evident in the case of the Chinese presence in Sihanoukville. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease. However, the exact mechanism underlying SLE-related osteopenia and osteoporosis in patients newly diagnosed with SLE remains unknown. Methods: 60 male subjects with SLE aged 20-30 years were enrolled. Serum osteocalcin was examined as a marker of bone formation and type I collagen degradation products (β-crosslaps) as markers of bone resorption. Lumbar spine (L1-L4) and total hip bone mineral density (BMD) were determined by dual energy X-ray absorption (DXA). Results: Among the 60 subjects with SLE at the time of diagnosis, the cohort showed a significant reduction of osteocalcin (12.62±2.16 ng/mL), and serum β-crosslaps level (992.6±162.6 pg/mL) was markedly elevated. Univariate correlation analyses revealed negative correlations between osteocalcin and SLEDAI, dsDNA antibody and β-crosslaps. A positive correlation was also observed between osteocalcin and C3, C4, 25-OH vitamin D, BMD L1-L4 and BMD total hip (see Table 3). Osteocalcin and β-crosslaps were strongly associated with SLE disease activity by multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Osteocalcin was negatively associated with SLE disease activity, and β-crosslaps was positively associated with SLE disease activity, suggesting SLE disease activity itself directly contributed to the development of SLE-associated osteopenia and osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, English for Specific Purposes has been widely adopted in College English courses, which presents a great challenge for all English teachers. With particular characteristics, ESP calls for the interdisciplinary knowledge to meet the needs of learners. Accordingly, teachers' role changes dramatically from the traditional language lecturer to multiple roles especially as a cooperator with content teachers. Cooperation with content teachers is a complex process which involves what and how to cooperate. By analyzing the previous researches and different specialisms of English teachers and content teachers, English teachers will not strive to learn as much content knowledge as possible but find their own and unique status in teaching with their linguistic knowledge. In this way a successful teaching of ESP can be achieved. Along with the challenges, ESP also provides a platform to conduct the communicative approach in class. With the equal status and the common ground built in ESP class, communicative teaching will be more effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. This paper systematically evaluated the efficacy and safety of compound Danshen dropping pill (CDDP) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), comparing CDDP with no intervention, placebo, or conventional western medicine, were retrieved. Data extraction and analyses were conducted in accordance with the Cochrane standards. We assessed risk of bias for each included study and evaluated the strength of evidence on prespecified outcomes. Results. Seven RCTs enrolling 1215 patients were included. CDDP was associated with statistically significant reductions in the risk of cardiac death and heart failure compared with no intervention based on conventional therapy for AMI. In addition, CDDP was associated with improvement of quality of life and impaired left ventricular ejection fraction. Nevertheless, the safety of CDDP was unproven for the limited data. The quality of evidence for each outcome in the main comparison (CDDP versus no intervention) was "low" or "moderate." Conclusion. CDDP showed some potential benefits for AMI patients, such as the reductions of cardiac death and heart failure. However, the overall quality of evidence was poor, and the safety of CDDP for AMI patients was not confirmed. More evidence from high quality RCTs is warranted to support the use of CDDP for AMI patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brain atlases are designed to provide a standard reference coordinate system of the brain for neuroscience research. Existing human brain atlases are widely used to provide anatomical references and information regarding structural characteristics of the brain. The majority of them, however, are derived from one participant or small samples of the Western population. This poses a limitation for scientific studies on Eastern subjects. In this study, 10 new Chinese brain atlases for different ages and genders were constructed using MR anatomical images based on HAMMER (Hierarchical Attribute Matching Mechanism for Elastic Registration). A total of 1,000 Chinese volunteers ranging from 18 to 70 years old participated in this study. These population-specific brain atlases represent the basic structural characteristics of the Chinese population. They may be utilized for basic neuroscience studies and clinical diagnosis, including evaluation of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, in Chinese patients and those from other Eastern countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the reduction in the use of broad-spectrum insecticides, Adelphocoris suturalis (Hemiptera: Miridae) has become an important pest of transgenic cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., in China. A. suturalis is a highly mobile insect, moving rapidly in and out of crop fields, and traps baited with sex pheromones may be useful in monitoring and controlling its numbers. However, little is currently known regarding the chemical communication based on sex pheromones by this species. To use the synthesized sex pheromone effectively as part of the integrated pest management, some fundamental biological parameters under which the pheromone is produced must be understood. In this study, attractiveness of adult females or males of A. suturalis to conspecific individuals was examined by Y-tube bioassay; we also investigated the female sexually mature age and circadian rhythm of male attraction to females of A. suturalis in the field in 2008 and 2010. Y-tube bioassay results indicated that only males were attracted to odors from sexually mature virgin females. Two-year field trapping experiments showed that 4-18-d-old virgin females effectively attracted males, and males were attracted to virgin females during the scotophase, with a peak between 1900 and 2300 hours. These results improve our understanding of the sexual communication behavior of A. suturalis and provide evidence of female-produced sex pheromone in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) has now been widely recognized as an economically important disease. The objective of this study was to compare the molecular and biological characteristics of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) field isolates in China to those of the modified live virus (MLV) PRRS vaccine and its parent strain (ATCC VR2332). Results: Five genes (GP2, GP3, GP4, GP5 and NSP2) of seven isolates of PRRSV from China, designated LS-4, HM-1, HQ-5, HQ-6, GC-2, GCH-3 and ST-7/2008, were sequenced and analyzed. Phylogenetic analyses based on the nucleotide sequence of the ORF2-5 and NSP2 showed that the seven Chinese isolates belonged to the same genetic subgroup and were related to the North American PRRSV genotype. Comparative analysis with the relevant sequences of another Chinese isolate (BJ-4) and North American (VR2332 and MLV) viruses revealed that these isolates have 80.8-92.9% homology with VR-2332, and 81.3-98.8% identity with MLV and 80.7-92.9% with BJ-4. All Nsp2 nonstructural protein of these seven isolates exhibited variations (a 29 amino acids deletion) in comparison with other North American PRRSV isolates. Therefore, these isolates were novel strain with unique amino acid composition. However, they all share more than 97% identity with other highly pathogenic Chinese PRRSV strains. Additionally, there are extensive amino acid (aa) mutations in the GP5 protein and the Nsp2 protein when compared with the previous isolates. Conclusions: These results might be useful to study the genetic diversity of PRRSV in China and to track the infection sources as well as for vaccines development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the extent to which social sexism affects Chinese women's perception and evaluation of other women's performance. A sample of 100 college women was selected in a top university in Beijing, China, and was asked to read six scholastic essays and then evaluate the quality of the essays and competence of the authors. Male and female names were randomly assigned as authors of the essays, and the respondents were blind to the arrangement. Results showed that the essays assumed to be written by male authors did not receive higher scores than those assumed to be written by female authors on quality or competence items. Sexism is not marked among these highly educated young women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Danggui Buxue Tang (DBT), a classical traditional Chinese formula comprising Radix Angelicae Sinensis (RAS) and Radix Astragali (RA), has been widely used to treat menopausal irregularity in Chinese women for nearly 800 years. In this study, a comprehensive analytical method of simultaneously determining the main types of bioactive constituents, eighteen in all from the formula, involving flavonoids, saponins, organic acid and some volatile compounds, was developed. This method was based on HPLC coupled to a diode array and evaporative light scattering detectors (HPLC–DAD–ELSD) on a common reverse-phase C18 column. Liquid chromatography coupled with on-line electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS) was also used to further validate and analyze the constituents. It was found that 0.3% aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile was the optimum mobile phase for gradient elution. This method, which showed good precision and accuracy, was successfully used to quantify the bioactive constituents in six products. As a result, the validated HPLC method, together with the LC–ESI–MS analysis, provided a new basis for assessing the quality of traditional Chinese medicinal compound preparations (TCMCPs) consisting of many bioactive components. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven polymorphic microsatellite loci were characterized for the endangered conifer Taxus yunnanensis. Eight loci were isolated through SSR-anchored PCR, one locus was developed by cross-species amplification tests, while the last two loci were obtained from cross-species microsatellite sequences available in GenBank. Variability of these markers was tested in 48 individuals collected from its main distribution range in Southwest China. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 9, and the observed and expected heterozygosity varied from 0.000 to 0.625 and from 0.062 to 0.853, respectively. Ten of these eleven loci were significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg expectation, except TS07 which showed a distinct heterozygote excess. The availability of these new polymorphic microsatellite markers will provide an ideal marker system for detailed population genetics studies in T. yunnanensis and potentially also for closely related species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a retrospective study on the risk factors for HIV transmission among serodiscordant couples in Henan Province, China. The study uses Cox proportional-hazards model to assess the connection between the risk factors and HIV seroconversion. The study found that condom use and lower quality of life cannot be always linked with increased risk transmission among rural serodiscordant couples. The study suggests that effective treatment must prioritize HIV prevention intervention.

Background and Objectives: To investigate the nutritional status of patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) and the factors involved.Methods and Study Design: We used the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) of nutritional status, a general questionnaire, dietary records, and laboratory parameters from 3 consecutive days to develop a NS assessment with it, we assessed 240 patients undergoing CAPD at a dialysis center in Henan Province.Results: In this setting, the prevalence of malnutrition in patients undergoing CAPD was 11.7%. Univariate analysis showed that patient characteristics related to NS included energy and protein intakes, weight and BMI, dialysis duration, urinary creatinine, and total creatinine clearance rate. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that dialysis duration (p<0.001) and energy intake (p=0.01) were the principal predictors of nutritional status and allowed 81% of the variance in nutritional status to be explained.Conclusions: Effective collaboration between nutritionists and other health care workers to minimise dialysis duration and optimize energy intake should improve the nutritionally-related quality of life and well-being among CAPD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the optimization mode of the spatial organization of rural settlements based on the two-way interactive mechanism between the space of rural settlements and quality-of-life theory. It examines three main aspects: the integration of spatial function, the optimization of spatial structure, and the regulation of spatial scale. In this paper, we built an optimization mode and framework of spatial organization, called the road-oriented mode of rural settlements, based on quality-of-life theory. We systematically analyzed the mode's conceptual connotation, construction principles, frame, type, and spatial scale. At the same time, this paper realized the reasonable proportion and optimized combination of internal spatial type in settlements and focused on a reasonably sized scale of a single settlement and the distance scale between settlements. Our findings can be used as insight into the theoretical development of the spatial structure of rural areas. Results also provide a scientific basis for future spatial optimization and integration of rural settlements to improve quality of life.