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Muscle type of pyruvate kinase (PKM) is one of the key mediators of the Warburg effect and tumor metabolism. Due to alternative splicing, there are at least 12 known isoforms of the PKM gene, of which PKM1 and PKM2 are two major isoforms with only a 23 amino acid sequenced difference but quite different characteristics and functions. It was previously thought the isoform switch from PKM1 to PKM2 resulted in high PKM2 expression in tumors, providing a great advantage to tumor cells. However, this traditional view was challenged by two recent studies; one study claimed that this isoform switch does not occur during the Warburg effect; the other study asserted that the isoform switch is tissue-specific. Here, we re-analyzed the RNA sequencing data of 25 types of human tumors from The Cancer Genome Atlas Data Portal, and confirmed that PKM2 was the major isoform in the tumors and was highly elevated in addition to the entire PKM gene. We further demonstrated that the expression level of PKM1 significantly declined even though there was substantially increased expression of the entire PKM gene. The proportion of PKM1 in total transcript variants also significantly declined in tumors but the proportion of PKM2 did not change accordingly. Therefore, we conclude that the isoform switch of PKM1 does indeed occur, but it switches to other isoforms rather than PKM2. Considering the change in the expression levels of PKM1, PKM2 and the entire PKM gene, we propose that the upregulation of PKM2 is primarily due to elevated transcriptional levels of the entire PKM gene, instead of the isoform switch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the accuracy of detecting the expression of miRNAs by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) is highly dependent on reliable reference miRNAs, many commonly used reference miRNAs are not stably expressed and as such are not suitable for quantification and normalization of qRT-PCR data. To solve this problem, we analyzed the global expression profiles of thousands of samples in 14 types of common human tumors released by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), and identified the most stably and highly expressed miRNAs as candidate reference miRNAs in each type of tumor. We found that miR-361-5p and let-7i-5p were the most recommended candidate reference miRNAs in nine and eight types of tumors, respectively, followed by let-7a-5p, mir-28-5p and miR-99b-5p. Our results are of important value to those researchers focused on miRNA; however, these candidate reference miRNAs still need to be validated prior to their use in qRT-PCR studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The high-quality La0.7Ba0.3MnO3 (LBMO) epitaxial films were deposited on (001) oriented LaAlO3 (LAO) substrates by magnetron sputtering technique. The low temperature electrical transport behavior of the films was investigated in details. In the low temperature ferromagnetic metallic state, a common feature, i.e., the minimum of electrical resistivity, was found in both of the films post annealed in oxygen and argon atmosphere. By taking the unusual combination of factors including spin dependent Kondo-like scattering, electron–electron and electron–phonon interactions into account, the resistivity minimum can be fitted well. It was found that the spin dependent Kondo-like scattering plays an important role in both the films, indicating the intrinsic spin disorder in strongly correlated manganites. Furthermore, in a lower temperature interval 4–25K, a stronger electron–electron interaction was observed in the Ar annealed films, which can be attributed to the enhanced disorder arising from oxygen vacancy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this article, the CoFe 2 O 4 /MoS 2 composites have been well constructed via a facial hydrothermal method, from which the porous CoFe 2 O 4 microspheres were embedded into MoS 2 ultrathin nanosheets. As a typical two-dimensional transition metal sulfide, MoS 2 with high electrical conductivity and flexible properties is expected to exhibit high dielectric loss and magnetic loss when combined with magnetic material CoFe 2 O 4. Meanwhile, the unique hierarchical structure of as-synthesized MoS 2 nanoflowers is conducive to scattering and reflection of electromagnetic waves, and endows designed composites with competitive microwave absorption properties. Notably, although the saturation magnetization of MoS 2 /CoFe 2 O 4 composites is significantly decreased compared to pure CoFe 2 O 4 microspheres, the coercivity still maintains a high value of 626.1 Oe. As expected, the results demonstrate that as-fabricated MoS 2 /CoFe 2 O 4 composites do have superior microwave absorption properties in comparison with CoFe 2 O 4 and MoS 2. It is found that the complex permittivity is enhanced with increasing filling ratio from 45 wt% to 60 wt%, which is helpful for obtaining a moderate permittivity value. When the filling ratio is 50 wt%, the MoS 2 /CoFe 2 O 4 composites exhibit a minimum reflection loss (RL min) of − 53.1 dB at 12.08 GHz when the thickness is 2.5 mm. An effective absorption bandwidth less than − 10 dB of 6.61 GHz from 11.28 to 17.89 GHz is achieved with a thin thickness of 2.2 mm, almost covering the whole Ku-band. The improvement in microwave absorption properties can be ascribed to the synergistic effect of the magnetic CoFe 2 O 4 and dielectric MoS 2. The impedance matching characteristic and interfacial polarization are significantly optimized by inserting CoFe 2 O 4 spheres onto the surface of MoS 2 nanosheets. Considering the excellent performance of as-fabricated MoS 2 /CoFe 2 O 4 composites, it is believed that the MoS 2 -based composites can be applied as a promising candidate of highly effective microwave absorbers with strong absorption intensity and broad absorption frequency. • CoFe 2 O 4 spheres embedded into MoS 2 ultra-thin nanosheets have been constructed. • The optimal filling ratio of the composites is 50 wt%. • Minimum reflection loss of − 53.1 dB is obtained at 12.08 GHz. • Effective absorption bandwidth (RL<−10 dB) is 6.61 GHz within 2.2 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a facile approach to preparing laponite (LAP) bioceramics via sintering LAP powder compacts for bone tissue engineering applications. The sintering behavior and mechanical properties of LAP compacts under different temperatures, heating rates, and soaking times were investigated. We show that LAP bioceramic with a smooth and porous surface can be formed at 800°C with a heating rate of 5°C/h for 6 h under air. The formed LAP bioceramic was systematically characterized via different methods. Our results reveal that the LAP bioceramic possesses an excellent surface hydrophilicity and serum absorption capacity, and good cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility as demonstrated by resazurin reduction assay of rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) and hemolytic assay of pig red blood cells, respectively. The potential bone tissue engineering applicability of LAP bioceramic was explored by studying the surface mineralization behavior via soaking in simulated body fluid (SBF), as well as the surface cellular response of rMSCs. Our results suggest that LAP bioceramic is able to induce hydroxyapatite deposition on its surface when soaked in SBF and rMSCs can proliferate well on the LAP bioceramic surface. Most strikingly, alkaline phosphatase activity together with alizarin red staining results reveal that the produced LAP bioceramic is able to induce osteoblast differentiation of rMSCs in growth medium without any inducing factors. Finally, in vivo animal implantation, acute systemic toxicity test and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-staining data demonstrate that the prepared LAP bioceramic displays an excellent biosafety and is able to heal the bone defect. Findings from this study suggest that the developed LAP bioceramic holds a great promise for treating bone defects in bone tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study reports an easy chemical conversion route toward large-scale fabrication of carbon nanotube (CNT)–porous nickel oxide (NiO) hybrid nanocomposites as supercapacitor electrode materials. The electrocapacitive performance of CNT–porous NiO hybrids is evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge–discharge measurements. The synthesized CNT–NiO hybrid nanocomposite electrode presents a high specific capacitance of 759 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1 in 6 M KOH aqueous electrolyte, which is almost twice that of pure NiO nanoparticle (388 F g−1) electrodes and nine times of that of commercial NiO particle (88.4 F g−1) electrodes. Furthermore, good capacitance retention is achieved after 1000 cycles of galvanostatic charge–discharge. The synergistic effects from the pseudocapacitance of porous NiO particles, good electrical conductivity, and open tip CNTs attribute to the high capacitance performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, graphene oxide/zinc oxide (GO/ZnO) hybrid was prepared through a facile hydrothermal process. Transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectra and N2 adsorption and desorption isotherms were used to investigate the morphology, crystal structure, optical properties and specific surface area of GO/ZnO hybrid. It was shown that the well-dispersed ZnO nanorods were deposited on GO homogeneously. Photocatalytic properties of GO/ZnO nanorods hybrid were evaluated under 375 nm light-emitting diode light irradiation for photodegradation of methylene blue (MB). The synergic effect between GO and ZnO was found to lead to an improved photo-generated carrier separation. An optimal GO content has been determined to be 3 wt%, and corresponding the apparent pseudo-first-order rate constant is 0.0248 min−1, 4.3 times and 2.5 times more than that of pure ZnO nanorods and commercial P25 photocatalyst, respectively. Moreover, the cyclic photocatalytic test indicated that GO/ZnO hybrid can be reused for degradation of MB, suggesting the possible application of GO/ZnO hybrid as excellent candidate for water treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Graphene oxide (GO) in situ composited with MnO2 nanowires was achieved through a hydrothermal process. The morphology and structure of the products were investigated by using field emission scanning electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectra and X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the product consisted of α-MnO2 nanowires with the diameter of 20∼40nm and the length of 0.5∼2μm that well dispersed on the surfaces of GO. The excellent electrochemical performance of as-prepared GO/MnO2 hybrids was obtained due to the unique chemical interactions between GO and MnO2. The maximum specific capacitances of 360.3 F/g measured by chronopotentiometry at a current density of 0.5 A/g were obtained in a 1M Na2SO4 aqueous solution. This value is much higher than that of pure MnO2 nanowire electrodes (128.0 F/g) and commercial MnO2 microparticles electrodes (22.8 F/g). Furthermore, GO/MnO2 nanowires hybrids also exhibit good cycling stability with more than 93% capacitance retention over 1000 cycles. The present synthesis strategy may be readily extended to the preparation of other hybrids based on GO nanosheets for potential applications in energy storage and conversion devices. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Accurate determination of highly toxic organic pollutants in the water environment is urgent for the protection of environment and human health. Nevertheless, the development of sensitive nanomaterials for p-nitrophenol (PNP) and o-nitrophenol (ONP) electroanalysis remains a big challenge due to the electrochemical redox inertness of organics, which requires the nanomaterials to own considerable catalytic performance. In this work, FeSe 2 with high electronic conductivity and large active area was successfully prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and thermally induced selenization method. The results under the optimized conditions show that the FeSe 2 modified electrode exhibits high sensitivity (0.397 and 0.377 μA μM−1) and low detection limit (0.030 and 0.036 μM) for PNP and ONP, respectively. Besides, the catalytic rate constant, diffusion coefficient and adsorption capacity determined by chronoamperometry and adsorption experiments are 4745.06 M−1 s−1, 2.98 × 10−4 cm2 s−1 and 5.81 mg g−1, respectively, which indicate that the impressive electrochemical behavior of the prepared electrode should attribute to the combined effect of adsorption and catalysis. Moreover, the constructed high-efficiency sensor exhibits superior selectivity, stability, reproducibility, and also realizes the electrochemical detection of organic pollutants in subsidence area water samples. [Display omitted] • Combining hydrothermal method and thermally induced selenization, FeSe 2 was successfully prepared. • Hypersensitive detection of PNP and ONP was achieved by FeSe 2. • The impressive sensitivities for PNP and ONP are 0.397 and 0.377 μA μM−1, respectively. • The sensor exhibits high anti-interference and robust stability. • The synergistic effect of adsorption and catalysis improves the sensitivity of detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The reactions occurred and growth process in the preparation of copper aluminum borate (Cu2Al6B4O17) whiskers based on flux method (Al2(SO4)3/CuSO4/H3BO3 as raw materials, K2SO4 as flux) were investigated. The thermogravimetric and differential scanning calorimetry analysis (TG-DSC), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrum analysis (ICP-AES) and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) results of reactants mixture quenched at various temperatures and phase diagrams of K2SO4–Al2(SO4)3 system and B2O3–Al2O3 system showed that the reaction process proceeds through three steps: the formation and decomposition of two different kinds of potassium aluminum sulfate (K 3 Al(SO4)3 and KAl(SO4)2); the formation of aluminum borate (Al4B2O9) and decomposition of copper sulfate (CuSO4) and boric acid (H3BO3); growth and formation of copper aluminum borate (Cu2Al6B4O17) whiskers. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis results indicated that morphology in growth of Cu2Al6B4O17 whiskers develops through three stages: nanoparticles, fan-shaped whiskers and agminate-needlelike whiskers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• 2D ultrathin CoMn LDHs were synthesized by reduction–oxidation method. • The composition of products can be easily tuned. • The BET surface area of the products was 276.9 m2/g. • The OER activity highly depends on the Co-Mn composition. • The overpotential of Co 8 Mn 2 -LDH is 307 mV with a 86 mV/dec Tafel slope. • Co 8 Mn 2 -LDH Shows excellent durability and stability. Oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is an important half-cell reaction of water splitting. The OER involves a multiple proton-coupled electron transfer process, which leads to the sluggish kinetic reaction. Searching for highly efficient route to synthesize electrocatalysts for OER is significant for developing sustainable energy systems. Herein, the 2D ultrathin cobalt-manganese layered double hydroxides (CoMn-LDHs) nanosheets with a typical hydrotalcite structure are prepared by a specific reduction–oxidation method. Particularly, the Co 8 Mn 2 -LDH electrocatalyst exhibits the highest activity along with a large surface area of 276.9 m2/g among different Co/Mn ratios of the CoMn-LDHs. The as-prepared Co 8 Mn 2 -LDH shows an overpotential as low as 307 mV at the 10 mA/cm2 current density and a small Tafel slope of 86 mV/dec. The Co 8 Mn 2 -LDH still maintains a satisfactory durability after a long-term continuous measurement. Such excellent electrocatalytic performance may be attributed to the huge surface area and the unique layered structure, which will do favor to the charge transport between the interface of solution and catalyst. Therefore, the reduction–oxidation method provides a highly efficient route to synthesize LDHs for OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mode cross-over from ductile response to brittle failure is observed. • The effective number of nails in a row is suggested. • Folz's model is capable of predicting the load-slip relationship of the connection. Laminated bamboo lumber (LBL) nailed connection made with LBL main member and sandwiched by LBL side members is introduced, which plays an essential role in the safe and reliability of bamboo buildings. However, little research attention has been paid on to the mechanical behavior of connections. This paper reports an experimental study on the effect of parameters on reference loads (yield load and maximum load), stiffness and load-slip behavior of the connections, including nail diameter, number of lines and rows of nails. For single nail connection, nail pull-through and plastic hinges forms in LBL members. Mode cross-over from ductile response to brittle failure is observed in multi-nail connections with one or more splitting cracks develop from the nails hole edges toward the ends of the side or middle members. A decreasing ductility of connections is investigated with increasing diameter and number of nails. The capacity of effective number of nails in a row is evaluated and compared with that obtained from existing analytical formulas. Predictions from existed various theoretical modes are compared with experimentally determined capacities of nailed connection per shear plane per nail and conclude that the load carrying capacity of connections with laterally load nails can be applied to accurately estimate using European yield models (EYMs). Furthermore, the model developed by Folz is capable of predicting the load-slip relationship of LBL nailed connections. The findings of this study will provide the scientific basis and useful information for the design and finite element numerical simulation of engineered bamboo structures containing LBL nailed connections and promote the rational use of bamboo resources in the field of civil engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the aim of profitable conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) in an efficient, economical, and sustainable manner, we developed a CuBr/ionic liquid (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate) catalytic system that could efficiently catalyze the three-component reactions of propargylic alcohols, 2-aminoethanols, and CO2 to produce 2-oxazolidinones and α-hydroxy ketones. Remarkably, this catalytic system employed lower metal loading (0.0125–0.5 mol%) but exhibited the highest turnover number (2960) ever reported, demonstrating its excellent activity and sustainability. Moreover, our catalytic system could efficiently work under 1 atm of CO2 pressure and recycle among the metal-catalyzed systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• BP-QDs induce cytotoxicity, oxidativestress and cell cycle arrest in twokinds of human lung epithelial cells. • Inhibition of cellular uptake restoresthe cytotoxicity of BP-QDs. • Oxidative stress contributes to cellcycle arrest and cell damage causedby BP-QDs. Black phosphorus quantum dots (BP-QDs) are a new type of zero-dimensional (0D) nanomaterial that has been widely used due of their superior properties in many biomedical fields, but limited studies have focused on the biocompatibility of BP-QDs, particularly in the respiratory system. In this study, we investigated the potential lung cell toxicity of BP-QDs in vitro. Two human lung-derived cells, A549 and Beas-2B, were treated with 5∼20 μg/mL BP-QDs for 24 h. The results showed that BP-QDs triggered significant lung cell toxicity, including a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, cell shape changes, cellular oxidative stress and cell cycle arrest. In addition, pretreatment with the classical phagocytosis inhibitor cytochalasin D (Cyto D) alleviated the decrease in cell viability and LDH leakage induced by BP-QDs. In contrast, BP-QDs induced the production of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreases in the glutathione level, whereas the ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) could protect A549 and Beas-2B cells from BP-QD-induced cellular oxidative stress. Taken together, the results from this study indicate that the potential toxic effects and mechanisms of BP-QDs in two different human lung cells should be considered to evaluate the lung cell safety of BP-QDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Simple fabrication of small sized Co 3 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposite with oxygen vacancy. • Surface abundant oxygen vacancy enhanced the sensitivity of electroanalysis. • Co 3 O 4 /ZnO achieves high sensitivity (504.74 μA cm−2 μM-1) for Hg(II) detection. • The sensor exhibits high anti-interference and robust stability. Metal-oxide based nanocomposites have superior benefits to fabricate sensing interface for electroanalysis of heavy metal ions (HMIs) due to the introduction of various advantages (i.e. environmentally friendly, low-cost and high activity) into one material. Herein, Co 3 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposite with small size (sub-40 nm) and abundant oxygen vacancy was successfully prepared through one-step hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent annealing treatment, as well as the engineering of Co-Zn molar ratio. Moreover, the loose structure of Co 3 O 4 /ZnO nanocomposite can effectively improve the exposure of active sites on surface and enhance mass transfer. As a result, the as-obtained Co 3 O 4 /ZnO sensor has an impressive performance with sensitivity of 504.74 μA μM-1 cm-2 for electroanalysis of Hg(II) by square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV). Otherwise, diverse detection performances of the product with different Co:Zn molar ratio are investigated, proving the superiority for constructing Co 3 O 4 /ZnO sensor with molar ratio of 2Co/Zn. In addition, the electroanalytical behavior of the proposed sensors toward Hg(II) in subsidence area water was also realized with considerable result. By designing multifunctional nanocomposite with bimetal oxide nanomaterials, this work will provide a novel strategy to gain nanocomposite with controlling morphology and enriching oxygen vacancies, which are expected to be excellent candidate electrode materials for electroanalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mn-Co oxide multi-shell hiberarchy microsphere was fabricated as sensing interface. • Hypersensitive detection of Pb(II) was achieved with sensitivity of 120.72 µA µM−1. • Mn, Co and O exposed on surface are active sites for redox reaction and adsorption. • The variable valence mediation effect highly improves the sensing behavior. • The electrode has impressive performance for the water of mining subsidence area. It still remains unclear that the intrinsic structure-sensing property interplay of diverse transition metal oxides based sensing materials, although they have been applied in the field of environmental analysis and have achieved great progress. In this work, we performed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and in situ electrochemical experiment to investigate the structure-sensing interplay of Mn-Co oxide (MnCo 2 O 4) multi-shell hiberarchy microsphere. The comprehensive studies conclusively show that the active sites on MnCo 2 O 4 surface work as key role in determining the electrochemical behavior through the aspect of adsorption and electrocatalytic activity. In detail, the exposed oxygen on the surface of MnCo 2 O 4 forming amounts of –OH can act as grippers to adsorb the Pb(II) in water, and then the adsorbed Pb(II) can directly occur redox in situ by the mediation of Mn(II)/(III) and Co(II)/(III) cycle on the exposed Mn and Co active sites. As a result, an excellent electroanalytical behavior (sensitivity of 120.72 µA µM−1) toward Pb(II) could be effectively improved on MnCo 2 O 4. The fabricated electrode also showed impressive electroanalytical performance for Pb(II) in mining subsidence area. Our findings will provide new insights and effective directions for designing ultr-sensitive nanomaterials based on variable valence mediation engineering in tuning the activity of transition metal oxides. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The close interfacial contact between the MoSe 2 @rGO cathode coating and the sulfur cathode provided an efficient electron transfer pathway, thereby ensuring significant improvements in the recycling of the adsorbed active materials. The MoSe 2 @rGO cathode coating efficiently enhanced the cycling performance and stability of the lithium-sulfur batteries. • The MoSe 2 @rGO composite with a unique cotton-like porous structure is synthesized. • The MoSe 2 @rGO composite is excellent in electron transfer and polysulfide anchoring. • The MoSe 2 @rGO cathode coating is superior to the separator coating counterpart. • The MoSe 2 @rGO cathode coating serves as an efficient polysulfide barrier. The practical applications of high-performance lithium-sulfur batteries are severely hindered by the insulating nature of sulfur and intractable shuttling of the polysulfide intermediates. In this work, we report a novel MoSe 2 @rGO cathode coating consisting of two-dimensional MoSe 2 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a multifunctional barrier to suppress polysulfide shuttling. Few-layered MoSe 2 nanosheets are in situ grown on the rGO surface by basal plane contact. Besides, some cotton-like MoSe 2 nanospheres assembled from porous nanosheets are decorated on the surface of rGO nanosheets. Benefitted from the strong chemical adsorption of polar MoSe 2 and excellent electrical conductivity of rGO, the MoSe 2 @rGO coatings exhibit highly efficient polysulfide anchoring and significantly enhanced electrocatalytic chemistry. Moreover, the MoSe 2 @rGO cathode coatings are much superior to its separator coatings in the recycling of the adsorbed active materials because of good interfacial conductivities. The cell with the MoSe 2 @rGO cathode coating delivers a high reversible capacity up to 1216 mAh g−1 at 0.2 C and outstanding cycling stability with a low capacity fading rate of 0.03% at 1 C over 1000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This study examined the expression of exchange protein directly activated by c AMP1 ( Epac1), PDE4, and PKC in esophageal cancer tissues, and analyzed the association of each protein with the pathological parameters of the samples. Methods Epac1, PDE4, and PKC protein expression was evaluated by PV-9000 two-step immunohistochemical techniques in 51 esophageal cancer specimens and 10 para-carcinoma tissues. Results The positive expression rates of Epac1 and PKC in esophageal cancer tissues (62.7% and 68.6%, respectively) were higher compared to those in para-carcinoma tissues (20% and 20%, respectively) ( P < 0.05). The positive expression rate of PDE4 in esophageal cancer tissues (54.1%) was higher than in para-carcinoma tissues (30%), ( P > 0.05). Epac1, PDE4, and PKC protein expression levels were not associated with the extent of tumor differentiation and/or lymph node metastasis ( P > 0.05). Epac1 protein expression levels correlated with PDE4, PKC, and AKAP95 protein expression levels. In addition, there was a correlation between PKC and Cx43 protein levels ( P < 0.05). Conclusion The expression rates of Epac1, PDE4, and PKC protein in esophageal cancer tissues were significantly higher compared to the rates in para-carcinoma tissues, suggesting an association between these proteins and the development and progression of esophageal cancer. The correlations between these proteins also revealed that they may exert a synergistic effect during the development of esophageal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STUDY DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey by anonymous self-assessment questionnaire was given to 3600 high school students from 30 high schools. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of neck and shoulder pain (NSP) and its effects among high school students in Shanghai, China. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: NSP has become a problem in many countries in recent years among adolescents. No recent studies have estimated the prevalence of NSP in Chinese school populations. METHODS: A total of 3600 high school students from all 3 grades chosen from 30 random schools participated in this study. Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire on NSP and to provide information on demographic items, family factors, schooling, and lifestyles. [chi] tests were used to compare the incidence of NSP, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to obtain influencing factors of NSP. RESULTS: In total, 3600 questionnaires were distributed, and 2842 were valid. The cross-sectional prevalence of NSP was 41.1%, with more girls (653 of 1478, i.e., 44.2%) reporting having NSP than boys (514 of 1364, i.e., 37.7%) (odds ratio = 0.764; 95% confidence interval = 0.657-0.888; P < 0.05). The frequency, duration, and degree of NSP in girls were also higher than in boys. For high school years 1, 2, and 3, the incidence of NSP was 40.1%, 40.7%, and 45.4%, respectively. The multivariate logistic regression indicated that sex, family history of NSP, school furniture, long sitting time, computer use, insufficient rest time, sleep time, commuting method, perceived schoolbag weight, and smoking had a significant effect on NSP. CONCLUSION: The incidence of NSP in high school students in Shanghai is quite high. The occurrence of NSP is related to several factors including sex and school year, as well as some factors related to family, schooling, and lifestyles.Level of Evidence: 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose:This study investigates the neck/shoulder pain (NSP) and low back pain (LBP) among current high school students in Shanghai and explores the relationship between these pains and their possible influences, including digital products, physical activity, and psychological status. Methods:An anonymous self-assessment was administered to 3,600 students across 30 high schools in Shanghai. This questionnaire examined the prevalence of NSP and LBP and the level of physical activity as well as the use of mobile phones, personal computers (PC) and tablet computers (Tablet). The CES-D (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression) scale was also included in the survey. The survey data were analyzed using the chi-square test, univariate logistic analyses and a multivariate logistic regression model. Results:Three thousand sixteen valid questionnaires were received including 1,460 (48.41%) from male respondents and 1,556 (51.59%) from female respondents. The high school students in this study showed NSP and LBP rates of 40.8% and 33.1%, respectively, and the prevalence of both influenced by the student’s grade, use of digital products, and mental status; these factors affected the rates of NSP and LBP to varying degrees. The multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that Gender, grade, soreness after exercise, PC using habits, tablet use, sitting time after school and academic stress entered the final model of NSP, while the final model of LBP consisted of gender, grade, soreness after exercise, PC using habits, mobile phone use, sitting time after school, academic stress and CES-D score. Conclusions:High school students in Shanghai showed high prevalence of NSP and LBP that were closely related to multiple factors. Appropriate interventions should be implemented to reduce the occurrences of NSP and LBP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]