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With increased competition for talented students and academic staff, many universities have recognised the importance of brand building to better position in the field. This study selected a recently founded public university in China as the case to explore in what way a young university's brand is constructed and to what extent such a brand is recognised by different stakeholder groups. Multiple sources of both quantitative and qualitative data were collected and analysed, informed by the theoretical lens of Bourdieu's symbolic capital. Findings of this study show that a university's brand conveys symbolic meaning and serves the function of distinguishing oneself from competitors in a non-market field. This study also suggests that the value of a particular university's brand is not equally recognised by different stakeholders. A properly managed brand can generate advantages for universities, particularly young ones, to occupy their position in the field.

Background and objective Pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinoma (PSC) is a rare subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which is featured by low incidence, high malignancy rate, robust aggressive behavior and inferior prognosis. To date, there is no standardized treatment. The aim of this study is to better understand and accumulate more clinical experience of the disease by summarizing the clinicopathological features, diagnosis methods, therapeutic regimen and prognostic factors of PSC. Methods A total of 39 patients with PSC who diagnosed and received treatment in Beijing Chest Hospital from December 2013 to December 2023 were retrospectively recruited, and information including demographic characteristics, clinicopathological features, tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage, diagnosis method and therapeutic regimen were carefully collected. Meanwhile, follow-up was conducted. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the prognostic factors of the disease. Results The PSC patients in this study ranged in age from 45 to 76 years old, including 35 males and 4 females. There were no specific clinical manifestations of PSC at initial diagnosis. Among the 39 patients, 20 underwent surgical resection and 19 received palliative chemoradiation or symptomatic supportive treatment. The 1-year and 5-year survival rates were 61.90% and 35.20% respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that family history of carcinoma, primary tumor site, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, distant metastasis, whether or not received surgical resection, surgical method, treatment regimens, tumor tissue programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression ≥1% and mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) pathway abnormalities were correlated with the overall survival (OS) of patients (P<0.05). In the subsequent multivariate analysis, lymph node metastasis emerged as the only independent prognosticator in predicting inferior OS (P=0.037). Conclusion PSC is rarely seen in clinical practice and commonly occurs in elder men with smoking history. Tumor tissue PD-L1 expression ≥1% and MET abnormalities may predict inferior prognosis of PSC and lymph node metastasis was determined as the independent prognosticator of PSC. Surgical resection along with adjuvant medical treatment is the cornerstone for early and locally advanced patients, and the clinical utility of molecular targeting therapy and immunotherapy in PSC needs to be further investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the rapid rise of the village revitalization in China, the study examines the impact of grassroots autonomous organizations embedding level and farmer non-agriculture employment on the farmer homestead exit behavior. Based on 421 household surveys in Qionglai, this study obtained three results through empirical analysis. (1) The system embedding level of grassroots autonomous organization and the interests embedding level of grassroots autonomous organization have a significant positive impact on the farmer homestead withdrawal behavior, but the emotion embedding level of grassroots autonomous organizations has a significant negative impact on the farmer homestead withdrawal behavior. (2) The farmer non-agriculture employment level is beneficial for the farmer homestead exit behavior. (3) Further mechanism analysis shows that the non-agricultural employment level plays an inhibitory role in the positive influence of grassroots organizations to mobilize farmers to exit homestead. Therefore, it is suggested that when mobilizing farmers to voluntarily withdraw from the homestead, grassroots organizations should actively improve their embedding level, improve the construction of farmers' social network, and accelerate the accumulation of farmers' material capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nutrient deficiency leads to a high fruit abscission rate and low yields of Sapindus mukorossi Gaertn. (Soapberry), which is one of the most widely cultivated biodiesel feedstock forests in China. Exogenous sucrose can provide a solution to nutrient deficiency and fruit abscission leading to low yields; therefore, it was applied to whole trees at two stages, 20 days before blooming (DBB stage) and before fruit abscission [days before fruit abscission (DBFA) stage]. Six sucrose concentrations, 0%, 1%, 1.5%, 3%, 5%, and 7%, were sprayed three times using a completely randomized block design with five replications and six treatments. 13CO2 labeling experiments were performed after the three sprayings. The results indicated that the 3% treatment had the highest yield, reaching 15.9 kg/tree. During the DBB stage, the 3% treatment significantly increased the inflorescence fructose and glucose contents 1- to 1.2-times and resulted in the highest fruit gibberellic acid, leaf indole acetic acid (IAA), fruit IAA, and fruit zeatin contents; however, it decreased the inflorescence abscisic acid (ABA) from 16 lg/g to 4 lg/g. The 1.5% and 3% treatments significantly increased the carbohydrate content and decreased the fruit ABA content to 30% to 50% of the control level during the DBFA stage. High-concentration sugar treatment (>3%) increased the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium contents, which decreased the calcium and magnesium contents. The 13C-dispatching ability of the inflorescence was three-times greater than that of leaves under the high-concentration sugar treatment during the DBB stage. Supplying 1.5% sucrose nearly doubled the allocation capacity during the DBFA stage. The source-sink nutrient migration pathway showed that leaf and fruit sugars were directly correlated with phosphorus. Fruit fructose and glucose contents affected the leaf mineral element contents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mental health stigma undermines collaborative work and creates communication breakdowns for students to face real-world challenges. Moreover, project-based English learning in East-Asian nations is a significant challenge for advancing students' effective learning, while students lack mental health self-awareness. Unawareness causes distractions and results in learning inefficiencies. Furthermore, without institutional support (IS) achieving effective learning could never be possible. Therefore, this study investigates the relationships between project-based learning (PBL) and mental health awareness (MHA) with effective English language teaching among university students in China. We also tested the moderation effect of IS in the relationships between PBL and MHA with effective English language learning (EEL). Using the purposive sampling technique, we collected valid responses from 713 students studying English as a foreign language in universities and colleges in Harbin, China. The findings interestingly supported the direct hypotheses between PBL and EEL, as well as MHA and EEL. Moreover, the moderating role of IS established a significant effect on both PBL and EEL, as well as MHA and EEL, respectively. Policymakers, practitioners, and academicians should understand that integrating PBL as an inclusive pedagogy method with proper IS may enhance effective learning; however, it will consume more time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The establishment of large-scale forest plantations in the arid and semi-arid area of the Qilian Mountains in China has effectively protected water and soil resources and enhanced carbon sequestration capacity of forest ecosystems. However, the effects of different management practices in these plantations on soil water holding capacity (SWHC) and soil water availability (SWA) are uncertain in this fragile ecosystem. Here, we investigated the effects of no thinning (NT), light thinning (LT, 20% thinning intensity), and heavy thinning (HT, 40% thinning intensity) on SWHC and SWA in different soil depths of a forest plantation, and compared them to those in a natural Picea crassifolia forest (NF). Our results revealed that at low soil water suction stage, SWHC in the plantations (LT, HT, and NT) was greater in the topsoil layer (0-40 cm) than that in the NF site, while SWHC in the subsoil layer (40-80 cm) in NF was significantly greater than that in the thinning stands. At medium and highwater suction stage, SWHC in LT and NF stands was greater than that in HT and NT. Soil water characteristic curves fitted by VG model showed that the relative change in soil water content in LT topsoil layer was the smallest and SWHC was greatest. Changes in soil physicochemical properties included higher bulk density and lower total porosity, which reduced the number of macropores in the soil and affected SWHC. The bulk density, total porosity, silt content, and field capacity were the main factors jointly affecting SWA. High planting density was the main reason for the low SWA and SWHC in NT, but this can be alleviated by stand thinning. Overall, 20% thinning intensity (light intensity thinning) may be an effective forest management practice to optimize SWHC and SWA in P. crassifolia plantations to alleviate soil water deficits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chimonanthi Praecocis Flos, namely wintersweet flower, is the edible flower or flower bud of Chimonanthus praecox (L.) Link which is a deciduous shrub plant originated from China and is widely cultivated as a garden or ornamental plant all over the world. However, few studies focused on its anti-inflammatory property. In the present study, we explored the anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities of ethanol extract of Chimonanthi Praecocis Flos (CPE) which contained 7.980% ± 0.176% total flavonoids and 1.461% ± 0.041% total alkaloids. In LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, CPE significantly decreased the production of NO and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) through reducing the expressions of their synthases--inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). It also suppressed the transcription and translation of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Further research revealed that CPE impeded the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBa, thus restraining the nuclear translocation of p65, and consequently dampening NF-κB signaling. In endotoxemia mice, several proinflammatory cytokines in serum were also decreased after CPE treatment. Besides anti-inflammatory activity, anti-oxidative activity is another important capacity of wintersweet flower. Indeed, CPE reduced LPS-elevated intracellular total reactive oxygen species (ROS) level by weakening NADPH oxidase activity in cell system. Moreover, it directly scavenged DPPH radical and superoxide anion, and exerted ferric reducing ability in cell-free system. Our findings demonstrate that wintersweet flower can be used as a beneficial natural product or an additive by virtue of its anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruan Jian Qing Mai formula (RJQM), a multicomponent herbal formula, has been widely used to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) in China. However, its active compounds and mechanisms of action are still unknown. First, RNA sequencing analysis of 15 healthy and 16 PAD samples showed that 524 PAD differential genes were significantly enriched in Go Ontology (ribonucleotide metabolic process, oxidoreductase complex, and electron transfer activity), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and GSEA pathways (OXPHOS and TCA cycle), miRNA (MIR183), and kinase (PAK6). Fifty-three active ingredients in RJQM had similar structures to the seven drug molecules in CLUE. Then, network topology analysis of the 53 components-target-pathway-disease network yielded 10 active ingredients. Finally, computational toxicity estimations showed that the median lethal dose (LD50) of the 10 active ingredients was above 1000 mg/kg, and eight of them did not cause hepatotoxicity, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, cytotoxicity, and immunotoxicity nor activate 12 toxic pathways. In conclusion, RJQM has a protection effect on PAD by regulating a complex molecular network. Part of the mechanism is associated with the regulation of OXPHOS by 10 active components, which may alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction and pathological metabolic programming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the water quality factors of Lake Wuzhou. This was achieved through an analysis of the annual dynamics of the water quality of Lake Wuzhou. This study also aimed at revealing the annual response mechanism of water factors, which not only includes the ecological theoretical significance, but also the extensive practical application potential for the management and evaluation of aquatic ecosystems in small water bodies. A total of 11 sampling points were chosen in Lake Wuzhou waters to collect sub-surface 2017, July 2017, September 2017 and November 2017 January 2018, and March 2018. After sample collection, pH, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) were analyzed. The findings for the annual dynamics of water quality in Lake Wuzhou were as follows: (1) COD and BOD parameters were consistent except for those in March 2018 and May 2017 which were significantly lower than those for the other months; the annual dynamics findings for May 2017, September 2017 November, and January 2018 show an increasing trend. The results for TN and TP water quality parameters also show consistency for all the months except for those in January and March which are significantly lower than those in the other months. NH3-N is significantly lower in March and September than those in the other months. The results for NO3-N and Chl-a demonstrate high consistency for all the months except for those in November which were significantly higher than those in the other months while the results for May were significantly lower than those in other months. (2) BOD test measurements indicated that Lake Wuzhou water bodies are classified as class V water in the month of March 2018 and May 2017 but the results for BOD test measurements for all the other months indicated inferior class V water. The annual results for COD, NH3-N, TN and TP of the water of Lake Wuzhou indicate an inferior class to class V water and this demonstrates that they are severely eutrophic water bodies. Carlson trophic state index was used to assess the nutritional status of water and the measurements led to the conclusion that Lake Wuzhou is severely eutrophic. (3) The correlation results of water quality factors of Lake Wuzhou waters were as follows: there is an extremely significant positive correlation between Chl-a and BOD, COD, TN, TP, NH3-N, a significant negative correlation between pH and TN, TP, NO3-N (p < 0.05), and an extremely significant negative correlation between NO3-N and NH3-N. In conclusion, Lake Wuzhou demonstrates a high presence of eutrophication which is driven by the accumulation of nutrients. To control the eutrophication, it is recommended that the density of reed communities should be increased while the density of lotus communities should be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Few studies have assessed the characteristics of spousal psychopathologies among parents of schoolchildren with and without psychological disorders (PD) in China. Methods. Parental symptoms were measured using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ) in 275 mothers and 278 fathers of 298 schoolchildren with PDs diagnosed in a population survey and in 825 mothers and 834 fathers of 894 schoolchildren without PDs as a 1:3 matched comparison group. Spousal GHQ scores were compared. Childhood PD type, presence of childhood comorbidities, and multiple parental and family characteristics were examined as predictors for parental GHQ scores by multiple linear regression analyses. Results. The GHQ scores were significantly higher among mothers and fathers of children with any PD. MaternalGHQscores were higher than paternal scores and significantly correlated with paternal GHQ scores in both groups. Spousal GHQ, personal PD history, and childhood PD comorbidity were significant independent predictors of both parents' GHQ scores. There were also significant associations among parental chronic disease, low family income, and paternal and maternal GHQ score, as well as among low maternal education, less common disorder (LCD) prevalence in children and maternal GHQ score. The rate of GHQ score =3 for both parents was significantly higher in the study group than the control group (15.1 vs.7.0%). Conclusions. Parents of children with any PD type demonstrate significantly elevated psychopathologies, and psychopathology tends to occur concomitantly and resemble that of the other spouse. Screening and treatment of parental psychiatric symptoms will benefit all family members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The COVID-19 outbreak required the significantly increased working time and intensity for health professionals in China, which may cause stress signs. Methods. From March 2-13 of 2020, 4,618 health professionals in China were included in an anonymous, self-rated online survey regarding their concerns on exposure to the COVID-19 outbreak. The questionnaires consisted of five parts: basic demographic information and epidemiological exposure; occupational and psychological impact; concerns during the episode; coping strategies; and the Huaxi Emotional-Distress Index (HEI). Results. About 24.2% of respondents experienced high levels of anxiety or/and depressive symptoms since the COVID-19 outbreak. Respondents who worried about their physical health and those who had COVID-19 infected friends or close relatives were more likely to have high HEI levels, than those without these characteristics. Further, family relationship was found to have an independent protective effect against high HEI levels. Their main concerns were that their families would not be cared for and that they would not be able to work properly. Compared to respondents with clear emotional problems, those with somewhat hidden emotional issues adopted more positive coping measures. Conclusions. About a quarter of medical staff experienced psychological problems during the pandemic of COVID-19. The psychological impact of stressful events was related to worrying about their physical health, having close COVID-19 infected acquaintances and family relationship issues. Therefore, the psychological supprot for medical staff fighting in the COVID-19 pandemic may be needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and objective In recent years, a number of clinical trials have shown that immunocheck-point inhibitors (ICI) have brought survival benefits to patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, such clinical trials comprise cohorts selected based on strict and complex entry and exclusion criteria, and the results cannot fully reflect the real world situation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of immunother¬apy in the real world, as well as possible prognostic factors. Methods Patients with advanced NSCLC receiving immunothera¬py in Beijing Chest Hospital from January 2017 to July 2019 were retrospectively collected, and the following information were collected: curative effect, progression-free surival (PFS) and adverse reactions. The occurrence of adverse reactions and clinical curative effect and prognosis factors that may be relevant were explored. Results 34 patients were enrolled in this study, me¬dian PFS was 5.66 months (95%CI: 4.48-6.84), grade 1-2 and 3-4 incidence of adverse events was 61.71% (22/34) and 14.71% (5/34), there were 3 patients (8.82%) experienced fatal immune related adverse events (irAE), 2 cases were immune associated pneumonia, 1 case was immune related myocarditis. Univariate analysis showed that tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) stage and metastatic site were correlated with median PFS (P<0.05), and multivariate analysis showed that patients with extrapulmonary metastasis (OR=6.42, P=0.029) and pleural metastasis (OR = 14.14, P=0.006) had shorter median PFS. Conclusion In the real world, immunotherapy has good efficacy in patients with advanced NSCLC, but the incidence of severe irAE is also higher. Distant metastasis and pleural metastasis are poor prognostic factors for advanced NSCLC patients receiving immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the epidemiological features of breast cancer laterality and molecular subtypes in southern China.Materials and methods: A total of 2,049 cases who were diagnosed with unilateral breast cancer in the past 5 years were classified based on laterality and molecular subtypes. Molecular subtypes were defined in accordance with the 2013 St. Gallen recommendations.Results: Breast cancer was more likely to be diagnosed in the left breast than in the right at a rate of around 5%. In the case of invasive carcinomas, the right breast was more commonly affected than the left in young (<40 years old) patients (left-to-right [L:R] ratio 0.80, 95% CI 0.65, 0.98), whereas the opposite trend was found in old (≥40 years old) patients (L:R ratio 1.06, 95% CI 1.02, 1.73). Except for invasive mucinous and invasive medullary breast cancers, the other histological types occurred more frequently on the left side than on the right. In situ cancer with a defined subtype was likely to be diagnosed as luminal B(HER-2+). Except for invasive medullary and invasive nonspecific cancers, other invasive carcinomas with a defined subtype were most likely to be diagnosed as luminal B(HER-2–). The age of ≥40 years was a risk factor for luminal B(HER-2+), and a significant correlation was present between the right breast and luminal B(HER-2+).Conclusion: We explored the risk factors of breast cancer laterality and various molecular subtypes and found that age may be a predictor of breast cancer laterality. We found that age and laterality are the probable risk factors of the luminal B(HER-2+) type of breast cancer. These results provide a basis for the epidemiological characterization of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aims to investigate the differences of water temperature, pH, total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll a (Chla) between the island with grass and the island with trees of Yihe River, China, and provide an important reference for the protection of water resources. Three plots were set up in Yihe River: waters of island with grass, waters of island with trees and waters of riverway. Eight replicated water samples were taken from each site in May, August and October, 2016. Results: water temperature of Yihe River: waters of riverway > waters of island with grass > waters of island with trees. The pH and TN contents are the highest in waters of island with trees. TP content: waters of riverway > waters of island with trees > waters of island with grass. The content of Chla is the highest in waters of island with grass. Indication: (1) the island with grass and the island with trees can reduce the water temperature nearby, and effect of the island with trees is smaller than the island with grass. (2) The island with trees can obviously increase water pH and TN content nearby. (3) The island with grass and the island with trees can reduce the water TP content nearby, and the effect of the island with grass is smaller than the island with trees. (4) The island with grass can significantly increase the content of Chla nearby. Suggestions: (1) protect the existing island with grass and the island with trees in the shallow waters of Yihe River, improve plant coverage, restore the ecology of native wetlands and enhance interception and purification of nitrogen and phosphorus. (2) Release purifying fish such as chub, bighead; control the growth of algae and improve the self-purification ability of water bodies. (3) Pay attention to the purification effect of the wetlands on the island with grass and the island with trees so as to achieve a win-win situation between economic development and environmental improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Dream of the Red Chamber (Honglou meng or The Story of the Stone), composed by Cao Xueqin in the middle of the eighteenth century during the Qing dynasty, is celebrated as the greatest of all classical Chinese novels. However, little effort has been made to explore its theological dimension, as well as the theological interaction with Chinese classical philosophy in the field of Redology (the name for research around this text). This article aims to fill this gap to explore the theological influences upon the thematic ideas of this novel. Attending to the newly discovered theological materials in recent studies, I argue that the author of Honglou meng is not ignorant of Christianity, and in fact, used a triadic image to refer to the trinitarian persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key to simulating soil erosion is to calculate the vegetation cover (C) factor. Methods that apply remote sensing to calculate the C factor at a regional scale cannot directly use the C factor formula. That is because the C factor formula is obtained by experiments, and needs the coverage ratio data of croplands, woodlands, and grasslands at a standard plot scale. In this paper, we present a C factor conversion method from a standard plot to a km-sized grid based on large sample theory and multi-scale remote sensing. The results show that: (1) Compared with the existing C factor formula, our method is based on the coverage ratio of croplands, woodlands, and grasslands on a km-sized grid, and takes the C factor formula obtained from the standard plot experiment and applies it to a regional scale. This method improves the applicability of the C factor formula, and can satisfy the need to simulate soil erosion in large areas; (2) The vegetation coverage obtained by remote sensing interpretation is significantly consistent (paired samples t-test, t = −0.03, df = 0.12, 2-tail significance p < 0.05) and significantly correlated with the measured vegetation coverage; (3) The C factor of the study area is smaller in the middle, southern, and northern regions, and larger in the eastern and western regions. The main reason for that is the distribution of woodlands, the Hunshandake and Horqin sandy lands, and the valleys affected by human activities; (4) The method presented in this paper is more meticulous than the C factor method based on the vegetation index, improves the applicability of the C factor formula, and can be used to simulate soil erosion on a large scale and provide strong support for regional soil and water conservation planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the marked increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, it was the purpose of our study to assess a potential association of time-cumulated exposure to systolic (CumSBP) and of diastolic blood pressure (CumDBP) with onset of impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus.Methods: The prospective investigation included participants of the longitudinal Kailuan Study with three baseline examinations in 2006-2007, 2008-2009 and 2010-2011, re-examination in 2012-2013, and no diabetes mellitus at baseline. Cumulative blood pressure (BP) was calculated as cumBP = [(BP1 + BP2)/2 × time1-2] + [(BP2 + BP3)/2 × time2-3]. Based on cumSBP, the study population was stratified into four groups (cumSBP < 480mmHgxyear;n = 15,339; 480mmHgxyear ≤ cumSBP < 520mmHgxyear;n = 7214; 520mmHgxyears ≤ cumSBP < 560mmHgxyears;n = 5675; and cumSBP ≥ 560mmHgxyears;n = 10,576).Results: After adjusting for demographic, anthropomorphic, biochemical, socioeconomic and lifestyle parameters and as compared with the first group, the second, third and fourth group showed a significantly higher incidence of diabetes (P-trend < 0.001;hazard ratio (HR);95% confidence interval (CI):1.28(1.08,1.51),1.54(1.29,1.84), and 2.33(1.98,2.73), respectively), higher incidence of impairment of glucose tolerance (P-trend < 0.001;HR;95% CI1.17(1.02,1.33), 1.43(1.25,1.64), and 2.09(1.85,2.37), respectively), and higher incidence of diabetes developing out of an impairment of glucose tolerance (P-trend < 0.001;HR;95% CI:1.22(0.97,1.54),1.47(1.16,1.86), and 2.01(1.62,2.50), respectively). An increase in cumSBP by 10 mmHg/year or an increase in cumDBP by 5 mmHg/year was associated with a hazard ratio of incident diabetes of 1.04 (95% CI:1.03,1.04) and 1.02(1.02,1.03), respectively, with a hazard ratio of incident impairment of glucose tolerance of 1.04(95% CI:1.03,1.04) and 1.03(95% CI:1.02,1.03), respectively, and with a hazard ratio of incident diabetes developing from impairment of glucose tolerance of 1.04(95% CI:1.03,1.04) and 1.03(95% CI:1.02,1.03), respectively.Conclusions: Time-cumulated exposure to elevated blood pressure was significantly associated with an elevated incidence of impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) shows a potential of rapid death, but the natural history of the infection is poorly known. This study aimed to examine the natural history of EV-A71 infection.Methods: This was a prospective longitudinal observational study performed between January 1st and October 31st, 2012, at three hospitals in Guangdong, China. Subjects with positive EV-A71 RNA laboratory test results were included. Disease progression was documented with MRI, autopsies, and follow-up. Symptoms/signs with potential association with risk of death were analyzed.Results: Among the 288 patients, neurologic symptoms and signs were observed (emotional movement disorders, dyskinesia, involuntary movements, autonomic dysfunction, and disturbance of consciousness). Some of them occurred as initial symptoms. Myoclonic jerks/tremors were observed among >50% of the patients; nearly 40% of patients presented fatigue and 25% were with vomiting. Twenty-eight patients (9.7%) presented poor peripheral perfusion within 53.4 ± 26.1 h; 23 patients (8.0%) presented pulmonary edema and/or hemorrhage within 62.9 ± 28.6 h. Seventeen (5.9%) patients were in a coma. Seven (2.4%) patients died within 62.9 ± 28.6 h. Seventy-seven survivors underwent head and spinal cord MRI and 37.7% (29/77) showed abnormalities. Two fatal cases showed neuronal necrosis, softening, perivascular cuffing, colloid, and neuronophagia phenomenon in the brainstem.Conclusions: Patients with EV-A71 infection showed high complexity of symptoms and onset timing. Death risk may be indicated by autokinetic eyeball, eyeball ataxia, severe coma, respiratory rhythm abnormality, absent pharyngeal reflex, ultrahyperpyrexia, excessive tachycardia, pulmonary edema and/or hemorrhage, and refractory shock and ataxic respiration. Early assessment of these symptoms/signs is important for proper management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of climate change on hydrological cycles and water resource distribution is particularly concerned with environmentally vulnerable areas, such as the Loess Plateau, where precipitation scarcity leads to or intensifies serious water related problems including water resource shortages, land degradation, and serious soil erosion. Based on a geographical information system (GIS), and using gauged hydrological data from 2001 to 2010, digital land-use and soil maps from 2005, a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was applied to the Xichuan Watershed, a typical hilly-gullied area in the Loess Plateau, China. The relative error, coefficient of determination, and Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient were used to analyze the accuracy of runoffs and sediment yields simulated by the model. Runoff and sediment yield variations were analyzed under different precipitation scenarios. The increases in runoff and sediment with increased precipitation were greater than their decreases with reduced precipitation, and runoff was more sensitive to the variations of precipitation than was sediment yield. The coefficients of variation (CVs) of the runoff and sediment yield increased with increasing precipitation, and the CV of the sediment yield was more sensitive to small rainfall. The annual runoff and sediment yield fluctuated greatly, and their variation ranges and CVs were large when precipitation increased by 20%. The results provide local decision makers with scientific references for water resource utilization and soil and water conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shuang-Huang-Lian (SHL) is a common traditional Chinese preparation extracted from Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, Scutellariae Radix, and Fructus Forsythiae. In this study, we demonstrate the anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects of SHL on lipopolysaccharide-(LPS-) induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. SHL reduced the lung wet/dry weight ratio, lowered the number of total cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and decreased the myeloperoxidase activity in lung tissues 6 h after LPS treatment. It also inhibited the overproduction of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histological studies demonstrated that SHL attenuated LPS-induced interstitial edema, hemorrhage, and the infiltration of neutrophils into the lung tissue. Moreover, SHL could also enhance the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, increase the reduced glutathione content, and decrease the malondialdehyde content. The present results suggest that SHL possesses antiinflammatory and antioxidative properties that may protect mice against LPS-induced ALI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article studies the evolution of Deng Zihui's attitude toward different rural social classes and the shaping of his conclusions about rural class politics in the Communist revolution before the founding of the People's Republic. The core of his political practice of rural class struggle was based on his observation that poor peasants and agricultural laborers were the most determined supporters of the revolution, much more reliable than rich peasants and middle peasants, especially in times of crisis. Always based on this observation, Deng's class politics emphasized especially the agency of poor peasants and agricultural laborers, the establishment of their political dominance in rural areas, and the satisfaction of their economic interests, even at the expense of sacrificing the rich peasants and the landlords. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorinated paraffins (CPs) are industrially produced in large quantities in the Liaohe River Basin. Their discharge inevitably causes environmental contamination. However, very limited information is available on their environmental levels and distributions in this typical industrial region In this study, short chain CPs (SCCPs) were analyzed in sediments, paddy soils, and upland soils from the Liaohe River Basin, with concentrations ranging from 39.8 to 480.3 ng/g dry weight A decreasing trend in SCCP concentrations was found with increasing distance from the cities, suggesting that local industrial activity was the major source of SCCP contamination. A preliminary sediment inventory of SCCPs indicated approximately 30.82 tonnes of SCCPs residual in the sediments from the Liaohe River. The average discharge of SCCPs was estimated to be about 74.4 mg/tonne industrial wastewater. The congener group profiles showed that the relative abundances of shorter chain and lower chlorinated CP congeners (C10-CPs with S or 6 chlorine atoms) in soils in rural areas were higher than in sites near dries, which demonstrated that long-range atmospheric transportation could be the major transport pathway. Environmental degradation of SCCPs might occur, where higher chlorinated congeners could dechlorinate to form the lower chlorinated congeners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marxist as well as classical and neo-liberal theories expect that the development of capitalist agriculture will be accompanied by the spread of an agricultural proletariat. That was what happened in eighteenth-century England; it is also what is happening in contemporary India. This article asks, first of all: just what is the size of China’s present agricultural proletariat? And how do we understand and explain those dimensions? Our finding is that, contrary to our own initial expectations, hired agricultural year-workers in China today total only 3 percent of all labor input in agriculture (and short-term workers another 0.4 percent), in sharp contrast to India’s 45 percent, this even while the past two decades have seen very substantial “capitalization” (i.e., increased capital input per unit of land) in agriculture. We term the phenomenon “capitalization without proletarianization,” perhaps the most distinctive characteristic of recent Chinese agricultural development. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The “every peasant household’s income to grow by 10,000 yuan” project in Chongqing’s “two wings” region is an important movement implemented by the Chongqing government to spur development in the rural areas of Chongqing’s poorest region. The project has two key components at the policy level. The first is to promote agricultural “industry-ization” 产业化 and to construct corresponding chains of production, processing, and sales in the two wings, thus forming the basis of growth in peasants’ income. The second is the emphasis on people’s livelihood, which is based on the ambition of accomplishing “balanced income growth” or “income growth for every household.” The project includes both “drawing in business and investment” 招商引资 and “industry planning” 产业规划 as well as “cadres to go into peasant households and support them directly” 入户帮扶. Some of the practices of Chongqing cadres in supporting peasants show that the government can improve the microeconomic environment for peasant households and enhance the vitality of their small farms. This article first analyzes the policies and practices of agricultural industry-ization in the income growth project and the efforts of the Chongqing government to achieve “income growth for every household.” The theoretical implications of the project, including the role of government in economic development and the vitality of small farming in China, are then discussed through dialogue with social science theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acetylcholine induced inwardly rectifying current (I KACh) is a heteromultimeric complex formed by Kir3.1 and Kir3.4 subunits and plays important roles in the development of atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is a common disorder among Chinese, the frequency of AF is about 0.61%, and in patients with strokes it is 12.1%. We hypothesise that lone paroxysmal AF genetic variation in Kir3.4 may predispose the atria to fibrillation in the Chinese population. Methods: We recruited 186 patients with lone paroxysmal AF, and 210 matched controls by age (49.61±8.04 years), sex, smoking habit, and left atrial dimension in Zhejiang Province, China. Genotype of Kir3.4 was determined with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing. The SPSS statistical software was used for χ 2 test. LD and haplotypes were calculated using SHESIS software package. Results: Three synonymous known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in Kir3.4 were genotyped, including C171T (rs6590357), G810T (rs7118824) and C834T (rs7118833). We found low levels of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between C171T and G810T (D′=0.272), complete LD between SNPs G810T and C834T (D′=1) in AF patients and controls. The case–control analysis revealed that the frequency of genotype and allele in three SNPs are significantly different between lone paroxysmal AF patients than in control subjects. The odds ratio (OR) for AF 171T and 810T alleles were 1.546 (95% CI 1.015–2.355) and 1.520 (95% CI 1.012–2.284), respectively, when compared with patients without Kir3.4T alleles in these two loci. The OR for AF in patients with C–T genotype were 13.364 (95% CI 5.710–31.278) and 37.135 (95% CI 9.050–152.381) when comparing patients with T–G genotype. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that C171T and G810T SNPs in Kir3.4 gene might be risk factors for lone paroxysmal AF in Chinese population. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract  We investigated the prevalence of peptic ulcer in dyspeptic patients in China to analyze the influence of age, sex, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection. The results showed that the prevalence of gastric and duodenal ulcer increased with age. In patients under 60 years old, the prevalence of duodenal and gastric ulcers in females was markedly lower than that in males, especially the prevalence of duodenal ulcer. The prevalence of duodenal ulcer and gastric ulcer in H. pylori-infected patients was markedly higher than in patients without H. pylori infection. In the patients under 60 years old, sex differences were still seen in both H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative patients. The prevalence of gastric and duodenal ulcers was markedly increased with age in both H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative patients. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age, male sex, and H. pylori infection were three independent risk factors for gastric and duodenal ulcers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rocks in the crust are pervaded by stress-aligned fluid-saturated microcracks, and the complex fault tectonics and stress control the configuration of the microcracks, however shear-wave splitting could indicate this kind of characteristics. In this paper, Capital Area Seismograph Network (CASN), the widest scope and highest density of regional seismograph network presently in China, is adopted to deduce the principal compressive stress field distribution pattern from polarizations of fast shearwaves, based on shear-wave splitting analysis. The principal compressive stress in capital area of China is at NE85.7° ± 41.0° in this study. Compared with the results of principal compressive stress field in North China obtained from other methods, the results in this study are reliable in the principal compressive stress field distribution in capital area. The results show that it is an effective way, although it is the first time to directly obtain crustal stress field from seismic anisotropy. It is effectively applied to the zones with dense seismograph stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the relationship between filmmaker Zhang Yimou's works and the culture of his home province, Shaanxi. Zhang's films, such as "Yellow Earth," "The Curse of the Golden Flower," and "Hero," are seen to showcase cultural archetypes based on his native Shaanxi. Straightforwardness, succinctness and contrast are qualities which are based on Shaanxi's pride in inheriting the Qin dynasty. The historical nature of the yellow earth landscape was used because of his Maoist education, which emphasizes rural land and peasants. Zhang's selection of the color yellow is a recognition of the imperial Chinese families and the Shaanxi landscape. Music in his films represent the Orthodox Qin culture, and miscellany such as shadow play is an imitation of Shaanxi's local drama programs.

Euonymus alatus (E. alatus) has been used as a folk medicine for diabetes in China for more than one thousand years. In order to identify major active components, effects of different fractions of E. alatus on the plasma glucose levels were investigated in normal mice and alloxan-induced diabetic mice. Our results show that ethyl acetate fraction (EtOAc Fr.) displayed significant effects on reducing plasma glucose. In oral glucose tolerance, EtOAc Fr. at 17.2 mg/kg could significantly decrease the blood glucose of both normal mice and diabetic mice. After 4 weeks administration of the EtOAc Fr, when compared with the diabetic control, there were significant difference in biochemical parameters, such as glycosylated serum protein, superoxide dismutase and malondial dehyde, triglyceride, and total cholesterol, between alloxan-induced diabetic mice and the control group. Additional histopathological studies of pancreatic islets also showed EtOAc Fr. has beneficial effects on diabetic mice. Chemical analysis with three-dimensional HPLC demonstrated that the major components from EtOAc Fr were flavonoids and phenolic acids, which had anti-oxidative effects on scavenging DPPH-radical in vitro. All these experimental results suggest that EtOAc Fr. is an active fraction of E. alatus and can prevent the progress of diabetes. The mechanism of E. alatus for glucose control may be by stimulating insulin release, improving glucose uptake and improving oxidative-stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines temporal changes in shear-wave splitting at an isolated swarm of small earthquakes in Hainan Island, China. Value of the mean azimuth of faster shear wave; Variations in time and space of time delays between split shear waves; Correlation of variations in shear-wave-splitting time delay with changes in crustal stress from nearby small-magnitude earthquake activity.

The article presents research from China's academic journals including wave gravitational detectors by Australian physicist David Blair, fullerene-based electron acceptors by Xiamen University's Su-Yuan Xie and Yi Zhao and testicular tissue xenografting by Institute of Neurosciences' Qiang Sun.