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Abstract Aim To explore the mediating role of self‐esteem in the relationship between perceived organizational support and professional benefits among Registered Nurses in China. Design This was an online, cross‐sectional study involving 1850 nurses from six hospitals in China. Methods Data were collected using a 4‐part questionnaire including a sociodemographic questionnaire, perceived organizational support scale, self‐esteem scale and brief nurses' perceived professional benefits questionnaire from September to November 2021. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to explore the associations among them. Results Perceived organizational support was positively correlated with self‐esteem and perceived professional benefits among nurses, whereas self‐esteem positively predicted nurses' perceived professional benefits . Self‐esteem partially mediated the relationship between the two variables. The ratio of the mediating effect to the total effect was 16.7%.

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a disease associated with suffering and high lethality, but to date without any effective pharmacological management in the clinic. In the pathological mechanisms of ALI, a strong inflammatory response plays an important role. Herein, based on macrophage ‘homing’ into inflammation sites and cell membrane coating nanotechnology, we developed a biomimetic anti-inflammation nanosystem (MM-CEP/NLCs) for the treatment of ALI. MM-CEP/NLCs were made with nanostructured lipid carriers (NLCs) coated with natural macrophage membranes (MMs) to achieve effective accumulation of cepharanthine (CEP) in lung inflammation to achieve the effect of treating ALI. With the advantage of suitable physicochemical properties of NLCs and unique biological functions of the macrophage membrane, MM-CEP/NLCs were stabilized and enabled sustained drug release, providing improved biocompatibility and long-term circulation. In vivo, the macrophage membranes enabled NLCs to be targeted and accumulated in the inflammation sites. Further, MM-CEP/NLCs significantly attenuated the severity of ALI, including lung water content, histopathology, bronchioalveolar lavage cellularity, protein concentration, and inflammation cytokines. Our results provide a bionic strategy via the biological properties of macrophages, which may have greater value and application prospects in the treatment of inflammation.

As one of the most frequent complications of critical illness, acute lung injury (ALI) carries a high risk of clinical morbidity and mortality. Cepharanthine (CPA) has significant anti-inflammatory activity, however, due to poor water solubility, low bioavailability, and short half-life, it fails to provide effective clinical management measures. Here, we explored the flexibility of an erythrocyte-anchoring strategy using CPA-encapsulated chitosan-coating nanoparticles (CPA-CNPs) anchored onto circulating erythrocytes for the treatment of ALI. CPA-CNPs adhered to erythrocytes successfully (E-CPA-CNPs) and exhibited high erythrocyte adhesion efficiency (>80%). Limited toxicity and favorable biocompatibility enabled further application of E-CPA-CNPs. Next, the reticuloendothelial system evasion features were analyzed in RAW264.7 macrophages and Sprague-Dawley rats. Compared with bare CPA-CNPs, erythrocyte-anchored CNPs significantly decreased cellular uptake in immune cells and prolonged circulation time in vivo. Notably, the erythrocyte-anchoring strategy enabled CNPs to be delivered and accumulated in the lungs (up to 6-fold). In the ALI mouse model, E-CPA-CNPs attenuated the progression of ALI by inhibiting inflammatory responses. Overall, our results demonstrate the outstanding advantages of erythrocyte-anchored CPA-CNPs in improving the pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of CPA, which offers great promise for a lung-targeted drug delivery system for the effective treatment of ALI.

Interaction between animals and plants is an important way to maintain terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem function, but little is known about the structure of reciprocal networks between fruit plants and frugivore birds in urban habitats. To explore the characteristics of the plant–frugivore network and network roles of species, we observed the fruit ripening phenology of 21 species of fruit plants and the interactions between these plants and 39 species of frugivore birds during the whole year in a large urban park. Then, we assessed the characteristics of the total plant–frugivore and seasonal networks, and analyzed the network roles of species and the relationship between their network roles and ecological traits. Fruit ripened mainly in autumn and winter, and interaction connections in the two seasons contributed 39.68% and 44.83% to the total network, respectively. The specialization (H2′), connectance (C), nestedness, and interaction evenness (eH2) of the network were lower in autumn and winter, while the interaction diversity was higher. Compared with the networks (N = 1000) generated by the null model, the observed network exhibited higher nestedness and interaction diversity (E2) and lower specialization (H2′), connectance (C), and interaction evenness (eH2). A correlation analysis combining ecological traits and network roles showed that plants with black fruit had higher effective partners and partner diversity, while other traits of plants and birds were not significantly correlated with their network parameters. The important plants (N = 6) and birds (N = 3) contributed to 71.78% and 67.55% of the total network connection, they were mainly evergreen plants with black and red drupes and omnivorous generalist birds with medium and large sizes. Our research highlighted the seasonal differences in urban plant–frugivore network and the value of important species in maintaining network structures and providing ecosystem services.

Abstract Background The association between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) status and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) gained attention in recent years, however the conclusion is still controversial due to many interfering factors, such as region of living, environment, lifestyle, and food supplements. Other metabolites (laboratory parameters) are also important in reflecting gestational states. This study aimed to investigate the association of serum 25(OH)D status in early pregnancy with GDM and other laboratory parameters in pregnant women. Methods A total of 1516 pregnant women whose blood glucose were normal before pregnancy in the city of Foshan in Guangdong, China were enrolled in this study. GDM was diagnosed between 24 to 28 weeks of pregnancy following the guidelines from the American Diabetes Association. Maternal serum 25(OH)D and other laboratory parameters—including hematology, coagulation, chemistry, and bone density—were measured utilizing various analytical methods in clinical laboratory at gestational weeks 11 to 14. Results The average 25(OH)D concentration was 59.1 ± 12.6 nmol/L. None of the study subjects had 25(OH)D

Abstract Background The optimal threshold of birthweight discordance (BWD) remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the associations between BWD at different thresholds and early neonatal outcomes and to assess their predictive accuracy. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using a birthweight data with the chorionicity information of 2348 liveborn twin pairs at a gestational age of ≥26 weeks, from 2012 to 2018. The percentage of BWD was calculated by dividing the actual birthweight difference by the weight of the larger twin and multiplying by 100. Outcomes of interest included neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS), ventilator support and a composite outcome combining major morbidities and neonatal death. Logistic regression models were performed to estimate the association between neonatal outcomes and BWD with different thresholds (≥15.0%, ≥20.0%, ≥25% and ≥ 30%). Generalized estimated equation (GEE) models were used to address intertwin correlation. Restrictive cubic spline (RCS) models were established to draw the dose-response relationship between BWD and the odds ratios of outcomes. Clustered receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the predictive accuracy. Results Of 2348 twin pairs, including 1946 dichorionic twin pairs and 402 monochorionic twin pairs, BWD was significantly associated with NICU admission, regardless of the thresholds used. The incidence of NRDS, ventilator support and the composite outcome were significantly higher when a threshold of ≥20% or greater was chosen. The dose-response relationship showed nonlinear growth in the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes with increasing BWD. ROC analyses showed a low significant AUROC of 0.569 (95% CI: 0.526–0.612) for predicting NICU admission but no significant AUROCs for predicting other outcomes. A BWD of ≥30% provided a moderate increase in the likelihood of NICU admission [positive likelihood ratio (LR+) = 5.77]. Conclusion Although BWD is independently associated with adverse neonatal outcomes, it is not a single predictor for neonatal outcomes given the weak discriminative ability to predict neonatal outcomes. A cutoff of 30% is more practical for risk stratification among twin gestations.

Satellite-based soil moisture products allow direct monitoring of agricultural drought, especially in regions with sparse ground-based observations. In this study, a soil moisture drought index only based on satellite soil moisture is developed and adopted to assess drought in Mainland Southeast Asia (MSA). We report here on an exceptionally severe Mainland Southeast Asia drought in 2016, which is believed to be strongly linked to the 2015–2016 super El Niño strongly. The event began in February 2016 and lasted until May 2016, with more than 50% of the study areas suffering from moderate drought or worse at peak period. We assess the evolution of agricultural droughts (defined as prolonged deficit in soil moisture) by placing it in the context of the forcing meteorological drought (prolonged deficit in precipitation). The drought assessment using satellite soil moisture is temporally consistent with precipitation-based metrics, but allows for better mapping of the spatial and temporal patterns of how a precipitation deficit may or may not lead to a soil moisture deficit. The specific advantages of a remote-sensing approach—wide-coverage without need for spatially-dense, ground-based climatological records, and sensitivity to otherwise unmeasured irrigation inputs—suggest further opportunity for drought monitoring in ungauged regions, particularly in agricultural contexts.

Abstract Available evidence shows conflicting results regarding the association between hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDPs)/preeclampsia (PE) and small for gestational age (SGA) and birthweight discordance (BWD). This retrospective study of 2131 twin pregnancies aimed to evaluate the association of HDPs/PE with the presence of SGA and BWD. The eligible pregnancies were categorized into four study groups: concordant pairs without SGA fetuses, discordant pairs without SGA fetuses, concordant pairs with SGA fetuses, and discordant pairs with SGA fetuses. We applied binary logistic regression models to compare the incidence of HDPs/PE and multinomial logit regression models to evaluate the severity of PE between the study groups. The models were adjusted for potential confounders. Increases in HDPs were observed in concordant (aOR, 2.33; 95% CI: 1.46–3.73) and discordant (aOR, 3.50; 95% CI: 2.26–5.43) pregnancies with SGA fetuses but not in discordant pregnancies without SGA fetuses (aOR, 1.42; 95% CI: 0.81–2.49); increases in PE were also found in concordant (aOR, 1.87; 95% CI: 1.08–3.23) and discordant (aOR, 3.75; 95% CI: 2.36–5.96) pregnancies with SGA fetuses but not in discordant pregnancies without SGA fetuses (aOR, 1.34; 95% CI: 0.71–2.52). Discordant pregnancies with SGA fetuses were associated with severe PE (aRRR, 3.48; 95% CI: 1.79–6.77), whereas concordant pregnancies with SGA fetuses were associated with only mild PE (aRRR, 2.54; 95% CI: 1.33–4.88). Our results suggest that SGA is associated with the development of HDP/PE, while discordant growth is associated with the severity of PE. These associations need to be further investigated using estimated fetal weight (EFW).

ObjectiveTo compare the outcomes between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) vs. non-GDM twin gestations.MethodsA retrospective cohort study of 2,151 twin pregnancies was performed in a tertiary hospital in Foshan, China, 2012–2020. Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes were compared between women with vs. without GDM using 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) and multivariable logistic models. For neonatal outcomes, generalized estimating equation (GEE) approach was used to address the intertwin correlation.ResultsOf the 2,151 participants, 472 women (21.9%) were diagnosed with GDM. Women with GDM were older and more likely to be overweight or obese, and more likely have chronic hypertension, assisted pregnancies and dichorionic twins. In the PSM cohort of 942 pregnancies, there was no statistical difference when comparing GDM twin pregnancies and non-GDM in any of the perinatal outcomes, especially in terms of preterm birth (PTB)

Abstract Background Twin birth weight percentiles are less popular in clinical management among twin pregnancies compared with singleton ones in China. This study aimed to compare the incidence and neonatal outcomes of small for gestational age (SGA) twins between the use of singleton and twin birth weight percentiles. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study of 3,027 pregnancies with liveborn twin pairs at gestational age of > 28 weeks. The newborns were categorized as SGA when a birthweight was less than the 10th percentile based on the singleton and twin references derived from Chinese population. Logistic regression models with generalized estimated equation (GEE) were utilized to evaluate the association between SGA twins and neonatal outcomes including neonatal unit admission, neonatal jaundice, neonatal respiratory distress (NRDS), neonatal asphyxia, ventilator support, hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), culture-proven sepsis, neonatal death within 28 days after birth as well as the composite outcome. Results The incidence of SGA was 33.1 % based on the singleton reference and 7.3 % based on the twin reference. Both of SGA newborns defined by the singleton and twin references were associated with increases in neonatal unit admission, neonatal jaundice and ventilator support. In addition, SGA newborns defined by the twin reference were associated with increased rates of BPD (aOR, 2.61; 95 % CI: 1.18–5.78) as well as the severe composite outcome (aOR, 1.93; 95 % CI: 1.07–3.47). Conclusions The use of singleton birth weight percentiles may result in misdiagnosed SGA newborns in twin gestations and the twin birth weight percentiles would be more useful to identify those who are at risk of adverse outcomes.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess curative effect of hysteroscopic and laparoscopic myomectomy for type II submucous myomas between 3 and 5 cm in diameter and explore the optimal surgical indications.Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed of those who underwent hysteroscopic or laparoscopic myomectomy from January 2008 to January 2013. The patients were divided into three subgroups according to the myomas diameter (namely, 30 mm ≤ myomas diameter <40 mm; 40 mm ≤ myomas diameter <50 mm; and myomas diameter ≥ 50 mm). Clinical data such as operation time, amount of bleeding, postoperative anal exsufflation time, hospital stay, and complications were collected.Results: There was no significant difference regarding operation time and amount of bleeding in two groups. We found significant difference in hysteroscopic group (within-subgroup) difference regarding operation time and amount of bleeding, whereas no significant difference in the laparoscopic group, while significant differences between-subgroup differences regarding operation time. Complete removal of myoma was seen in all patients.Conclusions: Both techniques are feasible for type II submucous myomas. Laparoscopic operation has higher advantages in type II submucous myomas of greater than 4 cm in diameter whereas hysteroscopic operation has higher advantages in type II submucous myomas of lower than 4 cm in diameter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

rapid and simple miniaturized liquid-liquid extraction method has been developed for the determination of topramezone in soil, corn, wheat, and water samples using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-electrospray ionization (ESI)/MS/MS). The established method for the extraction and purification procedure was based on liquid-liquid partitioning into an aqueous solution at a low pH (pH ≈ 2.5), followed by back-partitioning into water at pH > 9. Two precursor, product ion transitions for topramezone were measured and evaluated to provide the maximum degree of confidence in the results. Under negative ESI conditions, quantitation was achieved by monitoring the fragment at m/ z = 334 and the qualitative fragment at m/ z = 318, whereas also collecting the corresponding parent ion at m/ z = 362. Chromatographic separation was achieved using gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and a 0.01% aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution. Recovery studies for soil, corn, wheat, and water were conducted at four different topramezone concentrations (5 or 10, 50, 100, and 1,000 μg kg); the overall average recoveries ranged from 79.9% to 98.4% with intra-day relative standard deviations (RSD) of 3.1~8.7% and inter-day RSD of 4.3~7.5%. Quantitative results were determined from calibration curves of topramezone standards containing 1-500 μg L with an R ≥ 0.9994. Method sensitivities expressed as limits of quantitation were typically 6, 8, 9, and 1 μg kg in soil, corn, wheat, and water, respectively. The results of the method validation confirmed that this proposed method was convenient and reliable for the determination of topramezone residues in soil, corn, wheat, and water. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses a study which developed and validated a method for the simultaneous quantitative determination of aminopyralid, clopyralid and picloram in vegetables and fruits using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (LC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS). The herbicides used in the study were separated successfully and confirmed in a single run. It also used different extraction and cleanup methods to optimize the pretreatment processes of the residue analysis method.

Objectives. To compare the epidemic prevention ability of COVID-19 of each province in China and to evaluate the existing prevention and control capacity of each province. Methods. We established a quasi-Poisson linear mixed-effects model using the case data in cities outside Wuhan in Hubei Province, China. We adapted this model to estimate the number of potential cases in Wuhan and obtained epidemiological parameters. We estimated the initial number of cases in each province by using passenger flowrate data and constructed the extended susceptible-exposed-infectious-recovered model to predict the future disease transmission trends. Results. The estimated potential cases in Wuhan were about 3 times the reported cases. The basic reproductive number was 3.30 during the initial outbreak. Provinces with more estimated imported cases than reported cases were those in the surrounding provinces of Hubei, including Henan and Shaanxi. The regions where the number of reported cases was closer to the predicted value were most the developed areas, including Beijing and Shanghai. Conclusions. The number of confirmed cases in Wuhan was underestimated in the initial period of the outbreak. Provincial surveillance and emergency response capabilities vary across the country.