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Underdeveloped reading comprehension skills can limit academic success; a particular challenge for English language learners (ELLs). The current study investigated whether a web-based text structure strategy, delivered via the Intelligent Tutoring of Structure Strategy (ITSS) program to adult Chinese ELLs, improved students' use of reading strategies and/or overall reading comprehension. Using a quasi-experimental nonequivalent control group design, 207 adult Chinese ELLs from four classes were assigned to intervention or control groups. The intervention group utilized the ITSS to support their English reading instruction, whereas the control group was exposed to only traditional instruction. Our results indicate that the ITSS intervention had a statistically significant positive effect on adult Chinese ELLs' reading comprehension ([beta] = 3.07, p < 0.001) with Cohen's d = 0.43, as measured by the College English Test--4 (CET-4). Furthermore, we found that Chinese ELLs reported using more higher-order reading strategies (p < 0.01) after the intervention and there was no significant change of reported reading strategy usage for the control group from pretest and post-test. However, the current study did not provide evidence that the change in use of reading strategies mediated the relationship between the intervention/control condition and Chinese ELLs' reading comprehension.

Understanding the school nurse's experience in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine promotion can reduce vaccine disparities. HPV vaccination is critical to cancer prevention. Despite the importance of the school nurse in vaccine promotion, there is a lack of understanding. This article aims to examine the knowledge, attitude, experience, and role of school nurses related to HPV vaccination and promotion in school settings. A systematic search for school nurses and their experiences related to HPV vaccination was conducted. A thematic synthesis was undertaken using the socioecological model. This review highlights the complexity of HPV vaccine promotion in schools over time. Multilevel factors impact nursing practice. Nurses have good vaccine knowledge and positive attitudes. Poor workflow processes, competing demands, and vaccine communication challenge school nurses. The themes that were synthesized informed the LEADS model. With the support of school nurses, reaching the goal of eliminating cervical cancer as a public health problem is possible.

We consider the problem of assessing the changing performance levels of individual students as they go through online courses. This student performance modeling problem is a critical step for building adaptive online teaching systems. Specifically, we conduct a study of how to utilize various types and large amounts of log data from earlier students to train accurate machine learning models that predict the performance of future students. This study is the first to use four very large sets of student data made available recently from four distinct intelligent tutoring systems. Our results include a new machine learning approach that defines a new state of the art for logistic regression based student performance modeling, improving over earlier methods in several ways: First, we achieve improved accuracy of student modeling by introducing new features that can be easily computed from conventional question-response logs (e.g., features such as the pattern in the student's most recent answers). Second, we take advantage of features of the student history that go beyond question-response pairs (e.g., features such as which video segments the student watched, or skipped) as well as background information about prerequisite structure in the curriculum. Third, we train multiple specialized student performance models for different aspects of the curriculum (e.g., specializing in early versus later segments of the student history), then combine these specialized models to create a group prediction of the student performance. Taken together, these innovations yield an average AUC score across these four datasets of 0.808 compared to the previous best logistic regression approach score of 0.767, and also outperforming state-of-the-art deep neural net approaches. Importantly, we observe consistent improvements from each of our three methodological innovations, in each diverse dataset, suggesting that our methods are of general utility and likely to produce improvements for other online tutoring systems as well.

Objectives: To characterize the health behaviors and outcomes of first-year international students (FYIS) studying in the U.S. Participants and methods: Three different cohorts of FYIS from a large midwestern university in the U.S. completed three laboratory visits between August and March. The study began in 2017 and ended in March 2020. Anthropometrics, acculturative stress, eating behaviors, sleep, physical activity, and eating habits were assessed. Results: Fifty-four students completed the study. Females had a significant increase in percent body fat (p = 0.036) and a decrease in sleep quality (p = 0.006) at the final visit vs. baseline, and uncontrolled (p = 0.006) and emotional (p < 0.001) eating behaviors were higher. FYIS who gained more than the median 1.2 kg over the study period experienced higher acculturative stress (p = 0.004) and a decline in sleep quality (p = 0.003). Conclusion: Reducing acculturative stress and improving sleep quality should be explored as interventions to protect against undesirable changes in adiposity among FYIS.

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of an intensive lifestyle modification program tailored to rural Chinese women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus compared with usual care. In a cluster randomized controlled trial, 16 towns (clusters) in two distinct rural areas in China were randomly selected (8 towns per district); and 320 women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus were recruited from these towns. With stratification for the two study districts, eight towns (160 women) were randomly assigned to the intervention group of a tailored intensive lifestyle modification program and 8 towns (160 women) to the control group. Process measures were collected on attendance, engagement, fidelity, and satisfaction. Primary efficacy outcomes included glycemic and weight-related outcomes, while secondary efficacy outcomes were behavioral outcomes and type 2 diabetes risk score, which were collected at baseline, 3-month, and 6-month follow-up. Generalized estimation equations were used to analyze the data. High attendance (72% of sessions), engagement (67% of interactive activities and group discussions), fidelity (98%), and satisfaction (92%) with the tailored intensive lifestyle modification program were achieved. There were significant reductions in fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test 2 h, waist circumference, and type 2 diabetes risk score of participants in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). There was no significant intervention effect on body mass index or behavioral outcomes (p > 0.05). In this study, we demonstrate the successful efficacy of an Intensive Lifestyle Modification Program in reducing type 2 diabetes risk among younger women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus. This tailored program delivered by local healthcare providers is a promising approach for diabetes prevention in rural China, reducing health disparities in rural communities about diabetes prevention. Registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2000037956) on 3rd Jan 2018.

Entrepreneurship education in higher education has been actively encouraged by the Chinese government. However, entrepreneurship education using active learning methods can be at odds with traditional Chinese educational practices. Value creation pedagogy has been posited as an innovative teaching method to bridge the gap between didactic and progressive pedagogy to support entrepreneurship education across a range of students. However, there is a paucity of research into the use of value creation pedagogy and the application of novel pedagogy in the Chinese context. This research explores the views of students at a Chinese university on the value and limitations of value creation pedagogy in supporting learning and developing entrepreneurial behaviours.

International service-learning (ISL) programs in physical and occupational therapy programs are increasing in number. This paper describes a needs assessment and initial program evaluation conducted for a physical therapy ISL program at an orphanage in China. Chinese orphanage staff and Widener University physical therapy students were surveyed. Chinese staff expressed satisfaction with the training and provided suggestions for programming needs. Students identified areas for further education of orphanage staff and suggestions for future program design.

Encouragement by the Chinese government for education to move from an emphasis on passive learning, rote memorisation and mechanical training towards the development and delivery of education using active, student-centred education approaches has resulted in tensions and challenges, one of which is the reaction of students previously used to traditional passive transmission learning. To study the challenges that Chinese students face when undertaking a constructivist experience-based entrepreneurship course focused on process rather than content, eight groups of business students at a Chinese university were tasked with developing projects which would add value to the university's international community. The qualitative research identified four key themes: a lack of familiarity with the constructivist learning process; group work and group dynamics; the linkage of taught content to practical activities; and the reflective process of learning in constructivist education. The findings and suggested remedies as to how these challenges can be minimised are discussed.

The psychological impact of medical care accessibility during the pandemic has been widely studied, but little attention has been given to Asian immigrants in Canada. This study aimed to fill this literature gap by using a cross-sectional survey, which aimed to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese immigrants in North America during the second wave of the pandemic. The study focused on Chinese immigrants aged 16 or older in Canada. Covariates included sociodemographic variables, delayed access to medical care (i.e., treatment or health assessment), and other COVID-19 related variables. We used logistic LASSO regression for model selection and multivariate logistic regression models to evaluate the association between delayed access to treatment/health assessment and psychological distress outcome, as measured by the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI). Missing data were handled using multiple imputation. Our study included 746 respondents, with 47.18% in the normal CPDI group and 36.82% in the mild-to-severe CPDI group. Most respondents were originally from Mainland China and residing in Ontario. Over half have stayed in Canada for at least 15 years. The multivariate logistic regression models identified significant risk predictors of psychological distress status: delayed access to medical care (OR = 1.362, 95% CI: 1.078–1.720, p = 0.0095), fear of COVID-19 (OR = 1.604, 95% CI: 1.293–1.989, p < 0.0001), and social loneliness (OR = 1.408, 95%CI: 1.314–1.508, p < 0.0001). Sociodemographic variables and other COVID-19-related variates did not significantly impact the study's outcome. Our findings shed light on the importance of timely medical care access to psychological well-being among Chinese Canadians. Reliable health information, mental health support, and virtual care tailored to immigrants should be considered to mitigate this impact and promote their overall health and well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is a major cause of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and measurement of different EBV antibodies in blood may improve early detection of NPC. Prospective studies can help assess the roles of different EBV antibodies in predicting NPC risk over time. Methods A case-cohort study within the prospective China Kadoorie Biobank of 512 715 adults from 10 (including two NPC endemic) areas included 295 incident NPC cases and 745 subcohort participants. A multiplex serology assay was used to quantify IgA and IgG antibodies against 16 EBV antigens in stored baseline plasma samples. Cox regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for NPC and C-statistics to assess the discriminatory ability of EBV-markers, including two previously identified EBV-marker combinations, for predicting NPC. Results Sero-positivity for 15 out of 16 EBV-markers was significantly associated with higher NPC risk. Both IgA and IgG antibodies against the same three EBV-markers showed the most extreme HRs, i.e. BGLF2 (IgA: 124.2 (95% CI: 63.3–243.9); IgG: 8.6 (5.5–13.5); LF2: [67.8 (30.0–153.1), 10.9 (7.2–16.4)]); and BFRF1: 26.1 (10.1–67.5), 6.1 (2.7–13.6). Use of a two-marker (i.e. LF2/BGLF2 IgG) and a four-marker (i.e. LF2/BGLF2 IgG and LF2/EA-D IgA) combinations yielded C-statistics of 0.85 and 0.84, respectively, which persisted for at least 5 years after sample collection in both endemic and non-endemic areas. Conclusions In Chinese adults, plasma EBV markers strongly predict NPC occurrence many years before clinical diagnosis. LF2 and BGLF2 IgG could identify NPC high-risk individuals to improve NPC early detection in community and clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid development of marine infrastructures can be observed along the global coasts. Offshore wind farms, oil and gas platforms, artificial islands, aquaculture, and more, are being constructed without a proper quantification of these human activities. Therefore, effective monitoring is required to maintain transparency towards environmental standards, marine resource management, inventorying objects, and global security. This study reviews remote sensing-based approaches to offshore infrastructure detection over the past 12 years. We analyzed 89 studies from over 30 scientific journals, highlighting spatial and temporal trends, methodological approaches, and regional and thematic research foci. Our results show a significant increase in research interest, especially since 2019. Asia, and especially China, is the predominant focus region in terms of first authorship, funding, and areas of investigation. Aquaculture is the most studied infrastructure, followed by platforms, offshore wind farms, and artificial islands. Gaofen, Sentinel, and Landsat are the most used satellite sensors for detection. The apparent shift towards automated detection methods, especially Deep Learning algorithms, reflects advances in computer vision. This study highlights the key role of earth observation in the field of off-shore infrastructure detection, which can contribute towards outlining effective monitoring practices for marine activities, as well as highlighting important knowledge gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the high prevalence of snoring in Asia, little is known about the genetic etiology of snoring and its causal relationships with cardiometabolic traits. Based on 100,626 Chinese individuals, a genome-wide association study on snoring was conducted. Four novel loci were identified for snoring traits mapped on SLC25A21, the intergenic region of WDR11 and FGFR, NAA25, ALDH2, and VTI1A, respectively. The novel loci highlighted the roles of structural abnormality of the upper airway and craniofacial region and dysfunction of metabolic and transport systems in the development of snoring. In the two-sample bi-directional Mendelian randomization analysis, higher body mass index, weight, and elevated blood pressure were causal for snoring, and a reverse causal effect was observed between snoring and diastolic blood pressure. Altogether, our results revealed the possible etiology of snoring in China and indicated that managing cardiometabolic health was essential to snoring prevention, and hypertension should be considered among snorers. A genome-wide association study in the China Kadoorie Biobank identified four novel loci related to snoring, and highlights the relevance of cardiometabolic health to snoring prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Most naturalized plants are escapees from cultivation. Inventories of cultivated introduced species thus offer unique, still underutilized, opportunities to assess naturalization drivers of introduced plants. We used a comprehensive inventory of 13,718 introduced species cultivated in China's botanical gardens to test which species characteristics distinguish the 739 species that have naturalized. Locations: China. Methods: We used generalized linear models to test whether the naturalization of cultivated introduced plants in China is associated with functional traits, propagule pressure, environmental niche and introduction history. To test direct and indirect effects of those variables and their relative importance in driving naturalization, we used structural equation models. Results: We showed that species were more likely to naturalize when they originate from the Americas, are more widely cultivated, and have a longer residence time. Moreover, species were more likely to naturalize if they have a good environmental match, are short‐lived herbs, are predominantly propagated from seeds, and, in the case of herbs, are relatively tall compared to other herbs. Part of the latter effects are mediated by how these variables relate to propagule pressure proxies, and this varies among short‐lived herbs, long‐lived herbs and woody plants. Main Conclusions: Naturalization is partly driven by life‐form‐dependent cultivation biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study drew on Conservation of Resources Theory to explain the adoption of servant leadership behaviours vis-a-vis targeted followers and these behaviours' positive association with worker effectiveness. We collected 365 follower-leader dyadic questionnaire responses in mainland China and conducted 20 interviews in Hong Kong. Results showed that followers' proactive personality and high person-supervisor fit are positively associated with supervisors' servant leadership behaviours, with the latter in turn positively associated with followers' work effectiveness. Our findings challenge the conventional assumption that servant leadership is solely a manifestation of the traits of the leader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is one of the pioneers in developing innovative models for credit business through a partnership between FinTech firms and traditional financial institutions such as banks. There are two main business models of FinTech-bank partnership, namely the loan facilitation model and the co-lending model. While this partnership brings many benefits, it has significant risks, including outsourcing risks, monopolistic practices, data protection, algorithmic bias, and financial systemic risk. This paper critically examines the Chinese regulatory responses to those risks with a focus on the outsourcing issue. Drawing upon the experiences of some overseas jurisdictions, including the US, the UK, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Switzerland, this paper makes relevant suggestions for improving the Chinese regulation. China is advised to adopt a staged and differentiated approach to regulate FinTech-bank partnership. The first step is to establish a regulatory sandbox for FinTech firms to test their innovative activities, and, depending on the specific circumstances, an umbrella entity mechanism could also be introduced. Further, a sophisticated licensing regime can be established to set out differentiated rules for FinTech firms according to the nature and extent of the FinTech-Bank partnership, thus addressing the problem of regulatory arbitrage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The relevance of folic acid for stroke prevention in low-folate populations such as in China is uncertain. Genetic studies of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism, which increases plasma homocysteine (tHcy) levels, could clarify the causal relevance of elevated tHcy levels for stroke, ischaemic heart disease (IHD) and other diseases in populations without folic acid fortification. Methods In the prospective China Kadoorie Biobank, 156 253 participants were genotyped for MTHFR and 12 240 developed a stroke during the 12-year follow-up. Logistic regression was used to estimate region-specific odds ratios (ORs) for total stroke and stroke types, IHD and other diseases comparing TT genotype for MTHFR C677T (two thymine alleles at position 677 of MTHFR C677T polymorphism) vs CC (two cytosine alleles) after adjustment for age and sex, and these were combined using inverse-variance weighting. Results Overall, 21% of participants had TT genotypes, but this varied from 5% to 41% across the 10 study regions. Individuals with TT genotypes had 13% (adjusted OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.09–1.17) higher risks of any stroke [with a 2-fold stronger association with intracerebral haemorrhage (1.24, 1.17–1.32) than for ischaemic stroke (1.11, 1.07–1.15)] than the reference CC genotype. In contrast, MTHFR C677T was unrelated to risk of IHD or any other non-vascular diseases, including cancer, diabetes and chronic obstructive lung disease. Conclusions In Chinese adults, the MTHFR C677T polymorphism was associated with higher risks of stroke. The findings warrant corroboration by further trials of folic acid and implementation of mandatory folic acid fortification programmes for stroke prevention in low-folate populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper critically examines China's national security review regime of foreign investment and compares it with that of the United States. Over the years, China has gradually established a comprehensive legal framework for national security review of foreign investment. Recent efforts were made to refine the public enforcement mechanism of the review in tandem with a new "pre-establishment national treatment plus negative list" system under the 2020 Foreign Investment Law. The United States also enacted the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act of 2018 to enhance its national security review regime. By analyzing the law and practices of China and the United States, this paper finds that the national security review regimes of the two jurisdictions have functional convergences despite some formal divergences caused by diverse political-economy landscapes. Their functional convergences are highlighted by China's local practices, such as the de-facto national security screening in the name of anti-monopoly review. There are many factors affecting China's national security review regime for foreign investment, including the ongoing (and escalating) US-China competition (or conflict) at the international level and the evolution of state or party capitalism at the domestic level. These research findings will not only contribute to the existing comparative law scholarship but also benefit multinational enterprises that seek to enter Chinese and the US markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper estimates a knowledge production function to study the effects of local spillovers on the patenting activity and new innovation sales of Chinese firms during a period marked by rapid economic reform. We show that local spillovers expected to arise between co-located firms in related industries encourages firm innovation outcomes, especially among firms that diversify their core competencies into new related (versus unrelated) technological domains. Exploiting the gradual and spatially uneven economic transitioning process as a quasi-natural experiment, we find that the positive effects of relatedness on firm innovation are significantly larger in size following more intense market-oriented reforms. The results are potentially relevant for policy-makers in transitioning economies, highlighting for the first time the importance of firms' own diversification process and market-oriented reforms for encouraging innovation-enhancing technological related spillovers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Overwhelming evidence suggests that increasing alcohol taxes is an effective strategy for curbing alcohol consumption. However, research on the effects of such strategies in low- and middle-income nations is limited. Objective: The aim is to explore the temporal effect of alcohol tax policy in China. Methods: We employ interrupted time series analysis to investigate the temporal effects of tax policy changes on alcohol consumption and related consequences in Mainland China from 1961 to 2019. The study population, the total population of mainland region of China, aged more than 15 years. Results: The results show that the volume tax policy, which was announced in 2000 and implemented in 2001, led to an immediate reduction in the alcohol consumption (coefficient = −0.429, p <.001). Following the implementation of higher alcohol taxes in 1998 and 2001, the prevalence of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) and related years lived with disability (YLDs) gradually decreased. The relaxation of tax policy in 2006 led to a significant increase in alcohol consumption, both immediately (coefficient = 0.406, p <.001) and in the middle term (coefficient = 0.495, p <.001), as well as contribute to an immediate or medium term significant increase in the prevalence of AUDs (coefficient = 0.038, p =.010; coefficient = 0.032, p <.001) and YLDs (coefficient = 4.363, p =.001; coefficient = 4.226, p <.001). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that changes in alcohol consumption and related consequences (increase or decrease) have followed corresponding changes in alcohol tax policies (easing or tightening), indicating that increasing alcohol taxes can be an effective strategy in China for controlling alcohol consumption and related harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new species of the genus Ficophagus was recovered from the syconia of Ficus pisocarpa from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, China. It is described herein as Ficophagus pisocarpae n. sp. and is characterised by possessing the combined characters of a short PUS (6.4-9.3 μ m or 0.3-0.4 VBD long), an excretory pore near the head, presence of crustaformeria, amoeboid sperm, three pairs of subventral papillae on the male tail (one pair just adcloacal (P2), one pair halfway between cloacal aperture and tail terminus (P3a), and one pair near tail tip (P4)), rounded male tail tip without mucron, absence of gubernaculum and rose-thorn-shaped spicule with conical rostrum. Ficophagus pisocarpae n. sp. was differentiated from other sequenced species by the partial small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene and D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis with the LSU D2-D3 expansion segment sequence suggested that F. pisocarpae n. sp. is clustered in the same highly supported monophyletic clade with F. annulatae , F. benjamina , F. curtipes and F. microcarpus. It differs morphologically from these species in lateral incisure number, EP position, spicule and uterus morphology and some morphometric characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the findings of a study that examined the preparation and teaching practice of ten teachers of grades 7-12 from the Shandong province in China. This study revealed that a multi-dimensional training system has been developed to help the teachers gradually build up their knowledge base for teaching. The findings of this study indicated that the prospective teacher education emphasized a deep understanding of advanced mathematics, while the teacher professional development provided meaningful and effective ongoing activities for the enhancement of teaching skills. The teacher professional development appears to be an essential supplement to the prospective teacher education for improving teachers' performance and developing teaching expertise.

The aim of this study is to examine the direct and indirect relationships between empowering leadership (EL), work-family spillover and manager turnover intentions, and to explore the moderating impact of perceived organizational support (POS) on these relationships. The study collected data from 220 participants—middle-level managers and their immediate subordinates working in hotels and tourism-related enterprises in central China. The results highlighted a significant relationship between EL and work-family positive spillover (WFPS) and manager turnover intentions, whereas the mediating effect of work-family negative spillover (WFNS) was found to be insignificant. The results further indicated that POS exerted a significant moderating impact on the association between EL and manager turnover intentions, and a significant mediating impact on WFPS. The study also determined that neither the mediating impact of WFNS nor the relationship between EL and WFNS was affected by POS. The study provides a unique perspective on empowering leadership based on the Conservation of Resources theory, and contributes to the understanding of its effects on manager turnover intentions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Helicobacter pylori infection is a major cause of non-cardia gastric cancer (NCGC), but uncertainty remains about the associations between sero-positivity to different H. pylori antigens and risk of NCGC and cardia gastric cancer (CGC) in different populations. Methods A case-cohort study in China included ∼500 each of incident NCGC and CGC cases and ∼2000 subcohort participants. Sero-positivity to 12 H. pylori antigens was measured in baseline plasma samples using a multiplex assay. Hazard ratios (HRs) of NCGC and CGC for each marker were estimated using Cox regression. These were further meta-analysed with studies using same assay. Results In the subcohort, sero-positivity for 12 H. pylori antigens varied from 11.4% (HpaA) to 70.8% (CagA). Overall, 10 antigens showed significant associations with risk of NCGC (adjusted HRs: 1.33 to 4.15), and four antigens with CGC (HRs: 1.50 to 2.34). After simultaneous adjustment for other antigens, positive associations remained significant for NCGC (CagA, HP1564, HP0305) and CGC (CagA, HP1564, HyuA). Compared with CagA sero-positive only individuals, those who were positive for all three antigens had an adjusted HR of 5.59 (95% CI 4.68–6.66) for NCGC and 2.17 (95% CI 1.54–3.05) for CGC. In the meta-analysis of NCGC, the pooled relative risk for CagA was 2.96 (95% CI 2.58–3.41) [Europeans: 5.32 (95% CI 4.05–6.99); Asians: 2.41 (95% CI 2.05–2.83); Pheterogeneity <0.0001]. Similar pronounced population differences were also evident for GroEL, HP1564, HcpC and HP0305. In meta-analyses of CGC, two antigens (CagA, HP1564) were significantly associated with a higher risk in Asians but not Europeans. Conclusions Sero-positivity to several H. pylori antigens was significantly associated with an increased risk of NCGC and CGC, with varying effects between Asian and European populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: A new species of the genus Ficophagus was recovered from the syconia of Ficus annulata from Xishuangbanna, Yunnan province, China. It is described herein as Ficophagus annulatae n. sp. and is characterised by possessing the combined characters of a short PUS (9-18 μ m or 0.3-0.6 VBD long), an excretory pore (EP) located at the level between stylet basal knobs and metacorpus, presence of crustaformeria, amoeboid sperm, three pairs of subventral papillae on the male tail (one pair just adcloacal (P2), one pair halfway between cloacal aperture and tail terminus (P3), and one pair near tail tip (P4)), rounded male tail tip without mucron, absence of gubernaculum and bow-shaped spicule with indistinct rostrum. Ficophagus annulatae n. sp. was differentiated from other sequenced species by the partial small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene and D2-D3 expansion segments of the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis with the LSU D2-D3 expansion segment sequence suggested that F. annulatae n. sp. is clustered in the same highly supported monophyletic clade with F. benjamina , F. curtipes and F. microcarpus. It differs morphologically from these species in EP position, spicule and uterus morphology, and some morphometric characters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of educating for economic, cultural, and pedagogical purposes have existed since the early inception of art education. Looking at how and why these aims evolved in the early era of art and design education has potential for better understanding how and why design should be incorporated into the art education curricula today. This article places a special focus on economic considerations. In this climate of economic instability, some countries are considering design and design education as important for their competitive edge in the global economy. This is reminiscent of the call for education to improve design during the Industrial Revolution and should be considered germane again today. (Contains 4 figures.)

Since China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was announced almost a decade ago, circumstances in global politics have changed radically. The trade war between the United States and China, and most recently the Covid-19 pandemic have caused a partial reshuffling of the international economic architecture. At the same time, China has become stronger and more self-confident, more innovative and more embedded in global value chains. Under the framework of the BRI it has become the world's largest official creditor in 2017. As of recently, an increasing number of countries have fallen into debt distress, some of which have received substantial investment from China. The question is then how the image of the BRI has evolved as these conditions have shifted. Drawing on global media reports, we conduct an analysis of the sentiment towards China's Belt and Road Initiative across geographies and of how this sentiment has evolved over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We examine how adolescent free time allocation—namely, screen time and outdoor time—is associated with mental health and academic performance in rural China. Methods: This paper used a large random sample of rural junior high school students in Ningxia (n = 20,375; age=13.22), with data collected from self-reported demographic questionnaires (to assess free time allocation), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (to assess mental health), and a standardized math test (to measure academic performance). We utilized a multivariate OLS regression model to examine associations between free time allocation and adolescent outcomes, controlling for individual and family characteristics. Results: Our sample's screen time and outdoor time both averaged around 1 hour. About 10% of the sample adolescents reported behavioral difficulties, while a similar percentage (11%) reported abnormal prosocial behaviors. Adolescents with higher levels of screen time (> 2 hours) were 3 percentage points more likely to have higher levels of behavioral difficulties (p< 0.001), indicating that excessive screen time was associated with worse mental health. Meanwhile, outdoor time was associated with better mental health, and positive correlations were observed at all levels of outdoor time (compared to no outdoor time, decreasing the likelihood of higher levels of behavioral difficulties by between 3 and 4 percentage points and of lower prosocial scores by between 6 and 8 percentage points; all p's< 0.001). For academic performance, average daily screen times of up to 1 hour and 1– 2 hours were both positively associated with standardized math scores (0.08 SD, p< 0.001; 0.07 SD, p< 0.01, respectively), whereas there were no significant associations between outdoor time and academic performance. Conclusion: Using a large sample size, this study was the first to examine the association between adolescent free time allocation with mental health and academic performance, providing initial insights into how rural Chinese adolescents can optimize their free time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the concept of bricolage as 'making do' with and recombining limited resources for new purposes, our study analyzed how organization members in three MNC subsidiaries circumnavigated resource and market constraints to develop locally initiated and designed innovations in China. We developed two main contributions. First, the subsidiaries engaged selectively in bricolage, often combining it with ingénieuring, that is, formal, systematic methodologies, to bring innovations to fruition, and they could involve clients in the bricolage, through either convention‐based or familiarity‐based collaboration. The second contribution relates to reverse transfer of bricolage‐based innovations, which was especially challenging for the focal subsidiaries as they lacked global R&D mandates. Gaining HQ approval at the outset or early stages of the project, respecting the boundaries and regulations set by the HQ, establishing the pragmatic legitimacy of the solutions, and demonstrating the innovated product or service during an HQ visit appeared to be essential for reverse transfer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Once-daily and once-weekly injectable glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist therapies (GLP-1 RAs) are established in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In T2DM, both once-daily and once-weekly insulin are expected to be available. This study elicited utilities associated with these treatment regimens from members of the general public in the UK, Canada, and China, to quantify administration-related disutility of more-frequent injectable treatment, and allow economic modelling. Methods: Two anchor states (no pharmacological treatment), and seven treatment states (daily oral tablet and generic injectable regimens of variable frequency), with identical outcomes were tested A broadly representative sample of the general public in each country participated (excluding individuals with diabetes or pharmacologically treated obesity). An adapted Measurement and Valuation of Health protocol was administered 1:1 in web-enabled interviews by trained moderators: visual analogue scale (VAS) as a "warm-up", and time trade-off (TTO) using a 20-year time horizon for utility elicitation. Results: A total of 310 individuals participated. The average disutility of once-daily versus once-weekly GLP-1 RA was − 0.048 in obesity and − 0.033 in T2DM; the corresponding average disutility for insulin was − 0.064. Disutilities were substantially greater in China, relative to UK and Canada. Discussion: Within obesity and T2DM, more-frequent treatment health states had lower utility. Scores by VAS also followed a logical order. The generated utility values are suitable for use in modelling injectable therapy regimens in obesity and T2DM, due to the use of generic descriptions and assumption of equal efficacy. Future research could examine the reasons for greater administration-related disutility in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines cultural influences on child temperament, including how broadly shared cultural values influence parents' socialization goals for their children. Nearly 40% of children in the United States are being raised in families that may espouse somewhat different socialization goals and may value different "ideal" traits than those promoted among Anglo-American families. For example, in China, teachers viewed shy, sensitive children as socially and academically competent. In North America, teachers viewed shy, sensitive children as lonely and depressed. In Sweden, shy, socially reserved behavior was not consistently associated with any negative long-term outcomes, yet in North America, such behavior was found to hinder careers. The authors ask how, in a diverse society, infant-toddler professionals can adapt their practices to best facilitate the development of bicultural participants and examine key issues and possibilities surrounding this question.

China accounts for an estimated third of the world's suicides, yet individuals experiencing suicidality typically do not seek out or receive treatment. This study examines community perceptions and public stigma toward suicide. In Shanghai, China 186 adults were recruited to participate in a survey with an experimental vignette describing a suicidal individual, manipulated on gender and age, followed by questions eliciting attitudes toward suicide. Most participants agreed that the suicidal subject had a serious problem, with seriousness of the problem decreasing with participant's age. Participants reported moderate levels of public stigma. More stigma was found toward adolescent subjects rather than adult. Male subjects were perceived as being more likely to change than females. The public's accurate view of suicide without biases could help prevent suicide from getting worse. Public perceptions regarding a suicidal individual's likelihood to change could lead to stigma reduction, which can subsequently help with effective crisis intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many lifestyle interventions have demonstrated efficacy up to one-year follow-up, yet maintaining improvements at longer-term follow-up is a well-recognized worldwide challenge, especially in underserved areas. The purpose of this study is to compare the 18-month efficacy of an Intensive LifeStyle Modification Program to usual care in reducing the risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Methods: We conducted a two-arm, cluster randomized controlled trial among women with a history of GDM in China. A total of 16 towns (clusters) in two distinct rural areas in south-central China were randomly selected (8 towns per area) and assigned (1:1) to the intervention (Intensive LifeStyle Modification Program) or control (usual care) group with stratification in the two rural areas. The strategies for maintaining intervention effects were used (including setting recursive goals and providing a supportive environment, etc.) under the guidance of social cognitive theory. The primary outcome was a change in T2D risk; secondary outcomes included glycemic, weight-related, behavioral, and psychological variables. All outcomes were collected at baseline, 6, and 18 months. All participants entered the intention-to-treat analysis. Data were analyzed via generalized estimation equation models (accounting for clusters) at the individual level, with subgroup analysis included in the model. Results: The sample included 320 women from 16 clusters (20 women per cluster). At 18 months, the intervention group demonstrated a significant improvement in T2D risk score, fasting blood glucose, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, intention to eat low glycemic index food, perceived stress, quality of life in psychological and environmental domains, and social support over time (p < 0.05) based on the intention-to-treat analysis set. Subgroup analysis showed a significant interaction effect on T2D risk score in subgroups of different BMI, waist circumference, and blood glucose (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Over 18 months, the Intensive LifeStyle Modification Program reduced T2D risk among rural women with a history of GDM in China. Women who were overweight, had high abdominal adiposity, or had blood glucose intolerance benefited more from this intervention. This program serves as a potential diabetes prevention model for women with a history of GDM in low-resource settings worldwide. Trial registration: Registered on Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800015023) on 1st March 2018, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=25569 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Transformational leadership and service performance of civil servants greatly affect the government's administrative effectiveness. However, there are few studies on the influence mechanism of transformational leadership on service performance in the context of public organizations. Based on the social exchange theory, this study aims to construct and examine the dual path mediating process of affective trust and cognitive trust for the effects of transformational leadership on service performance. Design/methodology/approach: Drawing from 268 supervisor–subordinate dyads civil servants at the municipal level in China across three waves. Findings: Both affective trust and cognitive trust partly mediated the relationships between transformational leadership and service performance, which supported the underlying theoretical mechanism of social exchange theory and transformational leadership theory in explaining the dual relationship between leaders and subordinates. This study innovatively and empirically examined the effects of transformational leadership on service performance through dual trust in civil servants in China, thus bridging the gap in this knowledge. Originality/value: This study innovatively and empirically examined the effects of transformational leadership on service performance through dual trust in civil servants in China, thus bridging the gap in this knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ilyocypris leptolinea Wang & Zhai, sp. nov. is described from late Quaternary sediments in central-eastern Inner Mongolia, northern China. The new species, which has a carapace shape and pitted surface typical of the genus, is characterised by double rows of fine, densely arranged marginal ripplets, separated by an inner list, along both anterior and posterior calcified inner lamellae in the left valve. Outline analysis and Principal Component Analysis indicate that its morpho-space overlaps with I. bradyi Sars, 1890, I. japonica Okubo, 1990, and I. mongolica Martens, 1991, which have living or fossil representatives in Inner Mongolia, but it is clearly discriminated from I. innermongolica Zhai & Xiao, 2013. Judging from the relatively coarse lithology dominated by silt and sand, and the lack of accompanying brackish-water ostracods, I. leptolinea Wang & Zhai, sp. nov. may have lived in a relatively shallow freshwater lake. It perhaps can be added to the list of species that went extinct during the Quaternary, but the timing and process of extinction await further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing internationalization of its securities market, China has recently introduced Article 2(4) of the 2019 Securities Law, in order to deal with the important issue of extraterritorial jurisdiction over cross-border securities transactions. While it represents an important development, the provision is couched in very broad terms, bringing uncertainties and difficulties to its application in practice. This article proposes a phased reform agenda for improvement: in the short run, the effect test under Article 2(4) should be clarified with more guidance; in the long run, China should go beyond the effect test to consider other relevant tests such as the conduct test and the transactional test. The recent high-profile case of Luckin Coffee is carefully studied to show the factors that China may consider in applying Article 2(4), including the test of national interests, the principle of international comity, and the issue of judicial recourse constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Background: Public stigma is a form of devaluation by other people's negative reactions to a specific behavior or mental health condition. When dealing with the physical consequences of addiction, substance users experience distress due to negative prejudice against them and their families. Method: In Shanghai, China, a community survey was conducted with four experimental vignettes to examine the general public's experience with mental health issues and their perceptions toward substance users. Respondents were randomly assigned to answer one of these vignettes regarding public stigma toward a male or female vignette subject (VS) with substance addiction. Results: Data from 123 respondents showed no statistical significance in public stigma perception toward a male or female subject either with alcohol or cocaine misuse problems. However, older individuals perceived mental illness more negatively when it is connected to substance addiction. These respondents see public stigma as a matter of "family shame," "hostility," "discrimination," and "labeling" that represent the risks that hinder help-seeking. Conclusion: This study suggests designing culturally sensitive treatment models that could help substance users recognize face-saving factors in their help-seeking process. Community education as a prevention measure should emphasize the importance of treating substance users as an individual, not as a problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite universal vaccination of newborns, the prevalence of chronic hepatitis virus B (HBV) infection and the associated disease burden remain high among adults in China. We investigated risk factors for chronic HBV infection in a community-based study of 512,726 individuals aged 30–79 years recruited from ten diverse areas during 2004–2008. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positivity recorded at baseline by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, and medical history. In a random subset (n = 69,898) we further assessed the association of 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) previously shown to be associated with HBsAg positivity and development of chronic liver disease (CLD) (1600 cases). Several factors showed strong associations with HBsAg positivity, particularly younger age (< 40 vs. ≥ 60 years: OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.32–1.66), male sex (1.40, 1.34–1.46) and urban residency (1.55, 1.47–1.62). Of the 18 SNPs selected, 17 were associated with HBsAg positivity, and 14 with CLD, with SNPs near HLA-DPB1 were most strongly associated with both outcomes. In Chinese adults a range of genetic and non-genetic factors were associated with chronic HBV infection and CLD, which can inform targeted screening to help prevent disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research mainly analyzes the influence of foreign investment in the era of big data on China's economic growth, in the process of analyzing the impact of foreign investment on the national economy, based on the analysis of the current situation of foreign investment and error-correction model, etc., through the correlation coefficient matrix to determine the variables data needed to fit the model; after fitting the model, the residual model is extracted, and the stationarity of the residual sequence is tested. On the basis of the above, this paper analyzes the difference of foreign direct investment in different regions, combined with the coastal areas and central region model and actual situation analysis, analyzes the two foreign direct investment (FDI) development speeds, base development speed, and average development speed, at the same time for the two regions in 2017; the specific direction of FDI do a detailed analysis. Finally, a series of conclusions are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera is a cosmopolitan pest and its diverse habitats plausibly contribute to the formation of diverse lineages. Despite the significant threat it poses to economic crops worldwide, its evolutionary history and genetic basis of local adaptation are poorly understood. In this study, we de novo assembled a high‐quality chromosome‐level reference genome of H. a. armigera (contig N50 = 7.34 Mb), with 99.13% of the HaSCD2 assembly assigned to 31 chromosomes (Z‐chromosome + 30 autosomes). We constructed an ultradense variation map across 14 cotton bollworm populations and identified a novel lineage in northwestern China. Historical inference showed that effective population size changes coincided with global temperature fluctuation. We identified nine differentiated genes in the three H. armigera lineages (H. a. armigera, H. a. conferta and the new northwestern Chinese lineage), of which per and clk genes are involved in circadian rhythm. Selective sweep analyses identified a series of Gene Ontology categories related to climate adaptation, feeding behaviour and insecticide tolerance. Our findings reveal fundamental knowledge of the local adaptation of different cotton bollworm lineages and will guide the formulation of cotton bollworm management measures at different scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have a higher risk of developing elevated depressive symptoms than women without GDM. The aim of this study was to investigate the sociodemographic (eg, location), clinical (eg, health care–seeking behaviors), and psychological (eg, active coping skills) factors associated with elevated depressive symptoms in Chinese women with GDM. Methods: This was a secondary data analysis of a cross‐sectional study among Chinese women with GDM. Data (n = 323) were collected in 2018 from two hospitals in Hunan Province in China. The Center for Epidemiological Survey Depression Scale was used, with a criterion score ≥20 indicative of clinically elevated depressive symptoms. Descriptive, bivariate, and multiple logistic regression analyses were completed. Findings: The women had a mean age of 32.71 (SD = 5.17), and the majority were married (84.2%), college‐educated (65.6%), and with Han ethnicity (89.8%). About 68% of women had elevated depressive symptoms. Women with higher active coping scores were less likely (OR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.10‐0.38) to have elevated depressive symptoms. Women from one geographical location (Changde) who had more emergency room visits had higher odds (OR = 3.10, 95% CI: 1.88‐5.10) of elevated depressive symptoms. Discussion: There was a high co‐occurrence of GDM and elevated depressive symptoms among pregnant women in our sample. Assessment for depressive symptoms in women with GDM is warranted. More research about increasing active coping skills may improve health outcomes in women with GDM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pancreatic cancer has a very poor prognosis. Biomarkers that may help predict or diagnose pancreatic cancer may lead to earlier diagnosis and improved survival.Methods: The prospective China Kadoorie Biobank (CKB) recruited 512 891 adults aged 30-79 years during 2004-08, recording 702 incident cases of pancreatic cancer during 9 years of follow-up. We conducted a case-subcohort study measuring 92 proteins in 610 cases and a subcohort of 623 individuals, using the OLINK immuno-oncology panel in stored baseline plasma samples. Cox regression with the Prentice pseudo-partial likelihood was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for risk of pancreatic cancer by protein levels.Results: Among 1233 individuals (including 610 cases), several chemokines, interleukins, growth factors and membrane proteins were associated with risk of pancreatic cancer, with adjusted HRs per 1 standard deviation (SD) of 0.86 to 1.86, including monocyte chemotactic protein 3 (MCP3/CCL7) {1.29 [95% CI (confidence interval) (1.10, 1.51)]}, angiopoietin-2 (ANGPT2) [1.27 (1.10, 1.48)], interleukin-18 (IL18) [1.24 (1.07, 1.43)] and interleukin-6 (IL6) [1.21 (1.06, 1.38)]. Associations between some proteins [e.g. matrix metalloproteinase-7 (MMP7), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9 [TNFRSF9)] and risk of pancreatic cancer were time-varying, with higher levels associated with higher short-term risk. Within the first year, the discriminatory ability of a model with known risk factors (age, age squared, sex, region, smoking, alcohol, education, diabetes and family history of cancer) was increased when several proteins were incorporated (weighted C-statistic changed from 0.85 to 0.99; P for difference = 4.5 × 10-5), although only a small increase in discrimination (0.77 to 0.79, P = 0.04) was achieved for long-term risk.Conclusions: Several plasma proteins were associated with subsequent diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. The potential clinical utility of these biomarkers warrants further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new flightless click beetle species, Pseudocsikia choui sp. nov. and Pseudocsikia chanjuan sp. nov., are described and illustrated from Taiwan, China. Their habitus and diagnostic characters are illustrated. The two species most resemble P. formosana, which is endemic to Taiwan, by the strongly protruding pronotal anterior angles accompanied by pits and the shape of aedeagus. They can be all grouped as the P. formosana-species group. A key to the species of the P. formosana-species group and an updated checklist of Chinese Pseudocsikia with supplementary notes on type localities are provided. The discovery of two new species highlights the potential species-richness of the flightless click-beetles on Taiwan Island. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]