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No fully validated Chinese instrument measuring severity of drug dependence exists. The Chinese Opiate Addiction Severity Inventory (OASI) and the translated Chinese version of the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS) were validated in this study. A total of 178 eligible participants were recruited using snowballing method. The 11-item revised version of OASI (OASI-R) exhibited good reliability (item-total correlation coefficients ranged from 0.50 to 0.73, Cronbach's alpha was 0.85, test-retest Intra-class Correlation Coefficient was 0.81, p < 0.001). Two factors were identified by principal component method and correlated significantly with the Quality of Life-Drug Addiction (QOL-DA). The 3-item revised version of SDS (SDS-R) was one of the two factors of SDS (item-total correlation coefficients were 0.79 to 0.86, Cronbach's alpha was 0.78, test-retest Intra-class Correlation Coefficient was 0.64, p < 0.001). It correlated significantly with QOL-DA. OASI-R and SDS-R were also significantly correlated with each other and with some heroin-related characteristics. The validation of the Chinese version of OASI-R and SDS-R would facilitate research in different Chinese populations. SDS has been translated to different languages and the Chinese version allows for international comparison. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study evaluates the overall effectiveness of intervention programs among female sex workers in a Chinese community. Study Design: Behavioral surveillance data in 2003, 2004, and 2005 obtained from 2 communities (intervened and control) were compared. Results: The baseline data (2003) of the 2 counties were not significantly different. In 2004 and 2005, the intervened county had significantly higher prevalence of condom use with their clients and regular sex partners (last-time and consistent use in the last month; OR = 2.2-33.2 in 2004 and 3.8-8.3 in 2005), higher HIV-related knowledge level (OR = 7.9 in 2004 and 17.3 in 2005), and lower STD prevalence (OR = 0.22 in 2004 and 0.11 in 2005). Coverage rates of HIV antibody testing and HIV-related services increased in the intervened county but decreased in the control county. Conclusions: Intervention programs may result in substantial behavioral changes in a community within a few years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two longitudinal surveys were carried out in 1996 and 1999 aimed at describing the situations of AIDS-related discrimination in the workplace and evaluating the effectiveness of some social interventions against discrimination towards HIV-positive employees. Two hundred and ninety-nine and 212 companies completed a questionnaire in 1996 and 1999, respectively. The results are mixed. Although most of the sampled companies had no HIV/AIDS-related policy, their awareness of related legislation increased over the three-year period. Over the three-year study period, more companies indicated they would disclose information of their HIV-positive employees if known to the company; however, fewer companies indicated they would dismiss an employee because of his or her HIV-positive status. Only a few companies indicated that they would provide counselling and support to an HIV-positive employee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Large population growth surveys of children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 y were undertaken in Hong Kong in 1963 and 1993. The global epidemic of obesity is a major public health concern. To monitor the impact of this epidemic in Hong Kong children and to identify secular changes in growth, a further growth survey was undertaken in 2005/6. Methods: Cross-sectional height and weight measurements of 14,842 children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 y from Hong Kong's 18 districts were obtained during the 2005/6 school year. Percentile curves were constructed using LMS method and sex-specific percentile values of weight-for-age, height-for-age, and BMI-for-age were compared with those data from 1963 and 1993. Results: Secular changes in height, weight and BMI were noted between 1963 and 1993 and between 1993 and 2005/6. In the latter period, greater changes were observed at younger ages, and particularly in boys. On an annual basis, the 1993-2005/6 changes were less than those during 1963-1993. Using the International Obesity Task Force cut-offs, 16.7% of children were overweight or obese in 2005/6, which was a 5.1% increase since 1993. Conclusion: These data provide policy-makers with further evidence of the secular changes in child growth and the increasing obesity epidemic among Hong Kong children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The electronic configuration of transition metal centers and their ligands is crucial for redox reactions in metal catalysis and electrochemistry. We characterize the electronic structure of gas-phase nickel monohalide cations via nickel L 2,3 -edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Comparison with multiplet charge-transfer simulations and experimental spectra of selectively prepared nickel monocations in both ground- and excited-state configurations are used to facilitate our analysis. Only for [NiF] + with an assigned ground state of 3 Π can the bonding be described as predominantly ionic, while the heavier halides with assigned ground states of 3 Π or 3 Δ exhibit a predominantly covalent contribution. The increase in covalency is accompanied by a transition from a classical ligand field for [NiF] + to an inverted ligand field for [NiCl] + , [NiBr] + , and [NiI] + , resulting in a leading 3d 9 L̲ configuration with a ligand hole (L̲) and a 3d occupation indicative of nickel(I) compounds. Hence, the absence of a ligand hole in [NiF] + precludes any ligand-based redox reactions. Additionally, we demonstrate that the shift in energy of the L 3 resonance is reduced compared to that of isolated atoms upon the formation of covalent compounds.

Purpose: Use of social networking sites (SNS) is highly prevalent among college and university students. Conflicting findings were found on the effects of SNS use on well-being, and very few studies examined the effects of social interaction with strong ties and weak ties on SNS on online and offline social support. The present study examined the association between social interaction with weak ties and strong ties on SNS and life satisfaction among Chinese college and university students. The mediating role of online social support and offline social support was also examined., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 26,547 students from 30 colleges/universities in Shanxi province, China., Results: Social interaction with strong ties on SNS was associated with increased offline social support but had no significant association with online support. Social interaction with weak ties on SNS was associated with higher level of online support, but lower level of offline social support. Both offline and online social support were associated with life satisfaction. The direct effects of social interaction with strong ties and weak ties on life satisfaction were not significant. Mediation analyses supported the full mediating effect of offline social support in the relationship between social interaction with strong ties and life satisfaction, while online and offline support mediated the relationship between social interaction with weak ties and life satisfaction., Discussion: Social interaction with strong ties and weak ties on the SNS was associated with life satisfaction through different pathways. Interventions to maximize the benefits of SNS use are warranted., (Copyright © 2023 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The role of experts in news coverage has become increasingly prominent, but the evidence regarding the effectiveness of expert opinions in affecting public behavior remains mixed. This study seeks to examine the influence of expert opinions covered in the news on the public's response to public health crises. By adopting a macro-level framing perspective, we investigated how framing consistency, a macro-level concept indicating the agreement between expert opinions in news coverage and government policies or among peer experts, evolves over time and its temporal causal relationship with public behavior. Specifically, this study collected all press news coverage in Hong Kong over four months during the fifth outbreak, including 1,416 articles with 650 expert opinions, as well as the vaccination data that paralleled with this period. We constructed time series of expert opinions and vaccination behavior, and then conducted Vector Autoregressive (VAR) models with Granger causality analysis to examine how framing consistency of expert opinions in news coverage influenced vaccination. The results indicate that the consistent framing between expert opinions and government policies increased COVID-19 vaccination during the fifth outbreak in Hong Kong, while conflicting opinions responding to government policies had no significant effect on vaccination. Opinions among medical experts on COVID-19 issues also did not significantly impact vaccination. The implications for designing communication strategies and enhancing public behavioral support during public health crises are discussed.

The spin state of metal centers in many catalytic reactions has been demonstrated to be a rate limiting factor when high-valent metal centers such as manganese are involved. Although numerous manganese(V) complexes, including a few manganese(V) oxo complexes, have been identified, thus far only one of these, [Mn V H 3 buea(O)], has been directly confirmed to exist in a high spin state. Such a high-spin manganese(V) center may play a crucial role in the dioxygen formation process in the elusive S 4 state of the Kok cycle in photosystem II. In this study, we provide direct experimental evidence, using X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), of gas phase [OMnO] + as the second known high-spin manganese(V) oxo complex. We conclusively assign the ground state as 3 B 1 ( C 2v ). Additionally, we provide fingerprint spectra not only for [OMn V O] + , but also for the high-spin hydroxidooxidomanganese(IV) ion [OMn IV OH] + in its 4 A'' ( C s ) ground state that is expected to exhibit similar XAS and XMCD spectral signatures to neutral dioxidomanganese(IV).

"Tin-oxo cage" organometallic compounds are considered as photoresists for extreme ultraviolet (EUV) photolithography. To gain insight into their electronic structure and reactivity to ionizing radiation, we trapped bare gas-phase n -butyltin-oxo cage dications [(BuSn) 12 O 14 (OH) 6 ] 2+ in an ion trap and investigated their fragmentation upon soft X-ray photoabsorption by means of mass spectrometry. In complementary experiments, the tin-oxo cages with hydroxide and trifluoroacetate counter-anions were cast in thin films and studied using X-ray transmission spectroscopy. Quantum-chemical calculations were used to interpret the observed spectra. At the carbon K-edge, a distinct pre-edge absorption band can be attributed to transitions in which electrons are promoted from C1s orbitals to the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals, which are delocalized orbitals with strong antibonding (Sn-C σ*) character. At higher energies, the most prominent resonant transitions involve C-C and C-H σ* valence states and Rydberg (3s and 3p) states. In the solid state, the onset of continuum ionization is shifted by ∼5 eV to lower energy with respect to the gas phase, due to the electrostatic effect of the counterions. The O K-edge also shows a pre-edge absorption, but it is devoid of any specific features, because there are many transitions from the different O1s orbitals to a large number of vacant orbitals. In the gas phase, formation of the parent [(BuSn) 12 O 14 (OH) 6 ] 3+ radical ion is not observed at the C K-edge nor at the O K-edge, because the loss of a butyl group from this species is very efficient. We do observe a number of triply charged photofragment ions, some of which have lost up to 5 butyl groups. Structures of these species are proposed based on quantum-chemical calculations, and pathways of formation are discussed. Our results provide insight into the electronic structure of alkyltin-oxo cages, which is a prerequisite for understanding their response to EUV photons and their performance as EUV photoresists.

The tetraoxido ruthenium(VIII) radical cation, [RuO 4 ] + , should be a strong oxidizing agent, but has been difficult to produce and investigate so far. In our X-ray absorption spectroscopy study, in combination with quantum-chemical calculations, we show that [RuO 4 ] + , produced via oxidation of ruthenium cations by ozone in the gas phase, forms the oxygen-centered radical ground state. The oxygen-centered radical character of [RuO 4 ] + is identified by the chemical shift at the ruthenium M 3 edge, indicative of ruthenium(VIII), and by the presence of a characteristic low-energy transition at the oxygen K edge, involving an oxygen-centered singly-occupied molecular orbital, which is suppressed when the oxygen-centered radical is quenched by hydrogenation of [RuO 4 ] + to the closed-shell [RuO 4 H] + ion. Hydrogen-atom abstraction from methane is calculated to be only slightly less exothermic for [RuO 4 ] + than for [OsO 4 ] + ., (© 2023 The Authors. ChemPhysChem published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Metal centers in transition metal-ligand complexes occur in a variety of oxidation states causing their redox activity and therefore making them relevant for applications in physics and chemistry. The electronic state of these complexes can be studied by X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which is, however, due to the complex spectral signature not always straightforward. Here, we study the electronic structure of gas-phase cationic manganese acetylacetonate complexes Mn(acac) 1-3 + using X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the metal center and ligand constituents. The spectra are well reproduced by multiconfigurational wave function theory, time-dependent density functional theory as well as parameterized crystal field and charge transfer multiplet simulations. This enables us to get detailed insights into the electronic structure of ground-state Mn(acac) 1-3 + and extract empirical parameters such as crystal field strength and exchange coupling from X-ray excitation at both the metal and ligand sites. By comparison to X-ray absorption spectra of neutral, solvated Mn(acac) 2,3 complexes, we also show that the effect of coordination on the L 3 excitation energy, routinely used to identify oxidation states, can contribute about 40-50% to the observed shift, which for the current study is 1.9 eV per oxidation state.

Introduction: It is essential to protect cancer patients from contracting COVID-19 through vaccination. A majority of cancer patients are recommended by international health authorities to take up the vaccines. COVID-19 vaccine refusal among cancer patients during the pandemic period is under-researched. This study investigated factors of vaccine refusal based on the Health Belief Model (HBM)., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among female breast cancer patients, male/female thyroid cancer patients, and gynecological cancer patients in Shantou, China from April to August 2022 ( n = 1,115). Multinomial logistic regression analysis adjusted for socio-demographics was conducted to test factors of COVID-19. Adjusted odds ratios of the two models comparing vaccine refusal vs. "vaccine non-refusal" and vaccine refusal vs. ever-vaccination were derived and presented., Results: Of all the participants, the prevalence of vaccine refusal, "vaccine non-refusal," and ever-vaccination was 25.9, 22.2, and 51.8%, respectively. In both multinomial logistic regression models, significant factors of vaccine refusal included socio-demographics (age, education level, employment status, monthly household income, cancer type, duration since cancer diagnosis, current treatment status) and some vaccine-related HBM (perceived benefits, perceived barriers, cue to action, and self-efficacy). Perceived severity of COVID-19 was significant only in the vaccine refusal vs. ever-vaccination model. In neither model, perceived susceptibility to contract COVID-19 was statistically significant., Conclusion: About ¼ of the participants expressed vaccine refusal. Interventions are warranted. Future longitudinal studies are needed to verify this study's findings. Pilot interventions should also be launched to test effectiveness of interventions modifying the significant HBM factors found in this study., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Xie, Lau, Liang, Ouyang, Chen, Lin, Yao, Hu, Lin, Yu and Zeng.)

Traditional surveys only provide local observations about the topological structure of isolated individuals. This study aims to develop a novel data-driven approach to reconstructing the social network of men who have sex with men (MSM) communities from locally observed information by surveys. A large social network consisting of 1075 users and their public relationships was obtained manually from BlueD.com. We followed the same survey-taking procedure to sample locally observed information and adapted an Exponential Random Graph Model (ERGM) to model the full structure of the BlueD social network (number of local nodes N  = 1075, observed average degree k  = 6.46). The parameters were learned and then used to reconstruct the MSM social networks by two real-world survey datasets in Hong Kong ( N  = 600, k  = 5.61) and Guangzhou ( N  = 757, k  = 5). Our method performed well on reconstructing the BlueD social network, with a high accuracy (90.3%). In conclusion, this study demonstrates the feasibility of using parameters learning methods to reconstruct the social networks of HIV key populations. The method has the potential to inform data-driven intervention programs that need global social network structures.

The Hippo pathway is a key growth control pathway that is conserved across species. The downstream effectors of the Hippo pathway, YAP (Yes-associated protein) and TAZ (transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif), are frequently activated in cancers to drive proliferation and survival. Based on the premise that sustained interactions between YAP/TAZ and TEADs (transcriptional enhanced associate domain) are central to their transcriptional activities, we discovered a potent small-molecule inhibitor (SMI), GNE-7883, that allosterically blocks the interactions between YAP/TAZ and all human TEAD paralogs through binding to the TEAD lipid pocket. GNE-7883 effectively reduces chromatin accessibility specifically at TEAD motifs, suppresses cell proliferation in a variety of cell line models and achieves strong antitumor efficacy in vivo. Furthermore, we uncovered that GNE-7883 effectively overcomes both intrinsic and acquired resistance to KRAS (Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog) G12C inhibitors in diverse preclinical models through the inhibition of YAP/TAZ activation. Taken together, this work demonstrates the activities of TEAD SMIs in YAP/TAZ-dependent cancers and highlights their potential broad applications in precision oncology and therapy resistance., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Understanding how charge and energy, as well as protons and hydrogen atoms, are transferred in molecular systems as a result of an electronic excitation is fundamental for understanding the interaction between ionizing radiation and biological matter on the molecular level. To localize the excitation at the atomic scale, it was chosen to target phosphorus atoms in the backbone of gas-phase oligonucleotide anions and cations, by means of resonant photoabsorption at the L- and K-edges. The ionic photoproducts of the excitation process were studied by a combination of mass spectrometry and X-ray spectroscopy. The combination of absorption site selectivity and photoproduct sensitivity allowed the identification of X-ray spectral signatures of specific processes. Moreover, charge and/or energy as well as H transfer from the backbone to nucleobases has been directly observed. Although the probability of one versus two H transfer following valence ionization depends on the nucleobase, ionization of sugar or phosphate groups at the carbon K-edge or the phosphorus L-edge mainly leads to single H transfer to protonated adenine. Moreover, our results indicate a surprising proton-transfer process to specifically form protonated guanine after excitation or ionization of P 2p electrons., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the associations between frequent exposure to positive/negative information about vaccine efficacy/safety on social media and intention of COVID-19 vaccination, and to test if media literacy and perceived information quality would moderate such associations., Design: A multi-city cross-sectional survey., Setting: At five universities in different regions of China., Subjects: 6922 university students (a response rate of 72.3%)., Measures: frequency of exposure to social media information about COVID-19 vaccination, media literacy, perceived information quality, intention of COVID-19 vaccination, and sociodemographic characteristics., Analysis: Logistic regression analysis was conducted to test main and interaction effects., Results: Higher exposure to positive information about vaccine efficacy (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.30, P < .001) and vaccine safety (AOR = 1.27, P < .001) were positively associated with vaccination intention. No significant associations were shown between exposure to negative information about vaccine efficacy/safety and vaccination intention. Higher net exposure to negative vs positive information was negatively associated with vaccination intention (AOR = .82, P < .001). High media literacy was further found to attenuate the effect of negative information exposure and strengthen that of positive information exposure. Perceived information quality was not a significant moderator., Conclusion: The valence of social media information regarding the efficacy and safety of COVID-19 vaccines and individuals' media literacy jointly shaped COVID-19 vaccination intention. The findings can inform the development of effective health promotion strategies for enhancing COVID-19 vaccination.

A stable salt of the metalloradical [Ni(C 6 H 6 ) 2 ] + hitherto unknown in the condensed phase was synthesized from [Ni(CO) 4 ] + [WCA] - and benzene ([WCA] - =[F{Al(OR F ) 3 } 2 ] - ; R F =C(CF 3 ) 3 ). Single crystal XRD reveals a remarkable asymmetrically η 3 ,η 6 -slipped sandwich structure. The magnetic properties of the [Ni(C 6 H 6 ) 2 ] + cation were determined in solution and in the gas phase. Oxidation with the synergistic Ag + /0.5 l 2 system led to the salt [Ni(C 6 H 6 ) 2 ] 2+ ([WCA] - ) 2 . All products were fully characterized by means of IR, Raman, NMR/EPR, single crystal and powder XRD., (© 2022 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Although the highest possible oxidation states of all transition elements are rare, they are not only of fundamental interest but also relevant as potentially strong oxidizing agents. In general, the highest oxidation states are found in the electron-rich late transition elements of groups 7-9 of the periodic table. Rhodium is the first element of the 4d transition metal series for which the highest known oxidation state does not equal its group number of 9, but reaches only a significantly lower value of +6 in exceptional cases. Higher oxidation states of rhodium have remained elusive so far. In a combined mass spectrometry, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, and quantum-chemical study of gas-phase R h O n + (n=1-4), we identify R h O 3 + as the 1 A 1 ' trioxidorhodium(VII) cation, the first chemical species to contain rhodium in the +7 oxidation state, which is the third-highest oxidation state experimentally verified among all elements in the periodic table., (© 2022 The Authors. Angewandte Chemie International Edition published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Oxidation states are integer in number but d n configurations of transition metal centers vary continuously in polar bonds. We quantify the shifts of the iron L 3 excitation energy, within the same formal oxidation state, in a systematic L-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy study of diatomic gas-phase iron(II) halide cations, [FeX] + ,where X = F, Cl, Br, I. These shifts correlate with the electronegativity of the halogen, and are attributed exclusively to a fractional increase in population of 3d-derived orbitals along the series as supported by charge transfer multiplet simulations and density functional theory calculations. We extract an excitation energy shift of 420 meV ± 60 meV spanning the full range of possible 3d occupations between the most ionic bond in [FeF] + and covalently bonded [FeI] + .

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination is expected to end the pandemic; a high coverage rate is required to meet this end. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of behavioral intention of free/self-paid COVID-19 vaccination and its associations with prosociality and social responsibility among university students in China., Methods: An anonymous online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 6922 university students in five provinces in China during November 1-28, 2020. With informed consent, participants filled out an online survey link distributed to them via WeChat study groups. The response rate was 72.3%., Results: The prevalence of behavioral intentions of free COVID-19 vaccination was 78.1%, but it dropped to 57.7% if the COVID-19 vaccination involved self-payment (400 RMB; around 42 USD). After adjusting for background factors, prosociality (free vaccination: adjusted odds ratio [ORa] = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.09-1.12; self-paid vaccination: ORa = 1.08, 95% CI: 1.07-1.09) and social responsibility (free vaccination: ORa = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.14-1.19; self-paid vaccination: ORa = 1.13, 95% CI: 1.11-1.14) were positively associated with the two variables of COVID-19 vaccination intention., Conclusion: The present study demonstrated the positive effects of prosociality and social responsibility on the intention of COVID-19 vaccination. Accordingly, modification of prosociality and social responsibility can potentially improve COVID-19 vaccination. Future longitudinal and intervention studies are warranted to confirm such associations across populations and countries., (© 2022 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

The metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been well linked with coronary heart disease (CHD) in the general population, but studies have rarely explored their association among patients with stroke. We examine prevalence of MetS and its association with CHD in patients with first-ever ischemic stroke. This hospital-based study included 1851 patients with first-ever ischemic stroke (mean age 61.2 years, 36.5% women) who were hospitalized into two university hospitals in Shandong, China (January 2016-February 2017). Data were collected through interviews, physical examinations, and laboratory tests. MetS was defined following the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) criteria, the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria, and the Chinese Diabetes Society (CDS) criteria. CHD was defined following clinical criteria. Data were analyzed using binary logistic regression models. The overall prevalence of MetS was 33.4% by NECP criteria, 47.2% by IDF criteria, and 32.5% by CDS criteria, with the prevalence being decreased with age and higher in women than in men (p < 0.05). High blood pressure, high triglycerides, and low HDL-C were significantly associated with CHD (multi-adjusted odds ratio [OR] range 1.27-1.38, p < 0.05). The multi-adjusted OR of CHD associated with MetS defined by the NECP criteria, IDF criteria, and CDS criteria (vs. no MetS) was 1.27 (95% confidence interval 1.03-1.57), 1.44 (1.18-1.76), and 1.27 (1.03-1.57), respectively. In addition, having 1-2 abnormal components (vs. none) of MetS was associated with CHD (multi-adjusted OR range 1.66-1.72, p < 0.05). MetS affects over one-third of patients with first-ever ischemic stroke. MetS is associated with an increased likelihood of CHD in stroke patients., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

The study compared the level of physical activity (PA) between older people living with HIV (PLWH) and their HIV-negative counterparts in China and tested the mediational roles of self-compassion, attitudes toward aging, and perceived stress in the between-group difference in PA. From December 2017 to August 2018, face-to-face interviews were conducted among 337 and 363 HIV-positive and -negative people aged ≥ 50 in Yongzhou City, Hunan, China. Path analysis was performed. The proportions of low, moderate, and high levels of PA in the HIV-positive and -negative groups were 18.9% versus 6.7%, 43.1% versus 32.0%, and 38.0% versus 61.3%, respectively, yielding a statistically significant difference. The path analysis showed that older PLWH reported less self-compassion and positive attitudes toward aging, which was in turn associated with more perceived stress and ultimately associated with less PA. Chinese older PLWH were more sedentary than their HIV-negative counterparts. Future PA interventions may modify the mediators., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest.

We present experimental evidence for soft X-ray induced intramolecular hydrogen transfer in the protonated synthetic tri-oligonucleotide d ( F UAG) in the gas-phase ( F U: fluorouracil). The trinucleotide cations were stored in a cryogenic ion trap and exposed to monochromatic synchrotron radiation. Photoionization and photofragmentation product ion yields were recorded as a function of photon energy. Predominanly glycosidic bond cleavage leading to formation of nucleobase-related fragments is observed. In most cases, glycosidic bond cleavage is accompanied by single or double hydrogen transfer. The combination of absorption-site-sensitive soft X-ray spectroscopy with fragment specific mass spectrometry allows to directly relate X-ray absorption site and fragmentation site. We observe pronounced resonant features in the competition between single and double hydrogen transfer towards nucleobases. A direct comparison of experimental data with time-dependent density functional theory calculations, using short range corrected hybrid functionals, reveal that these hydrogen transfer processes are universal and not limited to population of particular excited states localized at the nucleobases. Instead, hydrogen transfer can occur upon X-ray absorption in any nucleobase and in the DNA backbone. Resonances seem to occur because of site-selective suppression of hydrogen transfer channels. Furthermore, non-covalent interactions of the optimized ground state geometries were investigated to identify intramolecular hydrogen bonds along which hydrogen transfer is most likely.

We demonstrate site-specific X-ray induced fragmentation across the sulfur L-edge of protonated cystine, the dimer of the amino acid cysteine. Ion yield NEXAFS were performed in the gas phase using electrospray ionization (ESI) in combination with an ion trap. The interpretation of the sulfur L-edge NEXAFS spectrum is supported by Restricted Open-Shell Configuration Interaction (ROCIS) calculations. The fragmentation pathway of triply charged cystine ions was modeled by Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations. We have deduced a possible pathway of fragmentation upon excitation and ionization of S 2p electrons. The disulfide bridge breaks for resonant excitation at lower photon energies but remains intact upon higher energy resonant excitation and upon ionization of S 2p. The larger fragments initially formed subsequently break into smaller fragments.

Manganese-oxo species catalyze key reactions, including C-H bond activation or dioxygen formation in natural photosynthesis. To better understand relevant reaction intermediates, we characterize electronic states and geometric structures of [MnO n ] + manganese-oxo complexes that represent a wide range of manganese oxidation states. To this end, we apply soft X-ray spectroscopy in a cryogenic ion trap, combined with multiconfigurational wavefunction calculations. We identify [MnO 2 ] + as a rare high-spin manganese(V) oxo complex with key similarities to six-coordinated manganese(V) oxo systems that are proposed as reaction intermediates in catalytic dioxygen bond formation.

The present study investigated the associations between the three psychological needs (autonomy, competence and relatedness) derived from the Self-determination Theory and well-being [health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and subjective well-being (SWB)] among older people in Hong Kong SAR, China. A cross-sectional study was conducted from May to August 2018 in Hong Kong. A total of 230 participants aged 60-year-old or above were recruited from eight community service centres. Results from adjusted regression analysis showed that, among the three psychological needs, competence and relatedness were positively associated with SWB, while relatedness was positively associated with physical health domain of HRQOL. The three psychological needs had no significant associations with mental health domain of HRQOL. Interventions to improve HRQOL and SWB should promote older people's sense of competence and relatedness. Longitudinal studies are warranted to clarify the causal relationships and look at other physical, mental and social health outcomes., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Rationale: Mass testing is considered as an important policy response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and high population coverage is pivotal to its effectiveness. A range of factors derived from health behaviour theories were hypothesized to be associated with public uptake of mass testing, including illness representations of COVID-19, perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, perceived efficacy of the testing program, and general trust toward governmental measures for controlling COVID-19., Objective: This study aimed to investigate the multi-dimensional factors associated with participation in a free and voluntary population-wide mass COVID-19 testing program., Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Hong Kong within two weeks after the Universal Community Testing Program for COVID-19 concluded on September 14, 2020. A random population-based telephone survey interviewed 443 Hong Kong general adults who were aged ≥18 and had not joined other COVID-19 testing programs. The dependent variable was participation in the Universal Community Testing Program. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to test the associations of participation in the program with the proposed factors., Results: The standardized participation rate of the testing program was estimated to be about 37.2% among the general adults (33.0% among males; 40.8% among females) in Hong Kong. The participation rates were significantly lower among males and younger adults. Adjusted for socio-demographics, significant factors included four dimensions of illness representations of COVID-19 (treatment control: adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.41; illness identity: AOR = 1.10; concern: AOR = 1.14; emotions: AOR = 1.10), perceived susceptibility to COVID-19 (AOR = 1.40), perceived efficacy of the testing program (AOR = 2.73), and trust toward governmental control measures (AOR = 4.30)., Conclusions: The participation rate of the population-wide mass testing program was not high among general adults in Hong Kong, evidence-based health promotion is necessary. The study informs some critical factors to be addressed to effectively boost public support for the mass testing policy in response to emerging infectious diseases., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The phenomenon of single molecule magnet (SMM) behavior of mixed valent Mn 12 coordination clusters of general formula [Mn III 8 Mn IV 4 O 12 (RCOO) 16 (H 2 O) 4 ] had been exemplified by bulk samples of the archetypal [Mn III 8 Mn IV 4 O 12 (CH 3 COO) 16 (H 2 O) 4 ] (4) molecule, and the molecular origin of the observed magnetic behavior has found support from extensive studies on the Mn 12 system within crystalline material or on molecules attached to a variety of surfaces. Here we report the magnetic signature of the isolated cationic species [Mn 12 O 12 (CH 3 COO) 15 (CH 3 CN)] + (1) by gas phase X-ray Magnetic Circular Dichroism (XMCD) spectroscopy, and we find it closely resembling that of the corresponding bulk samples. Furthermore, we report broken symmetry DFT calculations of spin densities and single ion tensors of the isolated, optimized complexes [Mn 12 O 12 (CH 3 COO) 15 (CH 3 CN)] + (1), [Mn 12 O 12 (CH 3 COO) 16 ] (2), [Mn 12 O 12 (CH 3 COO) 16 (H 2 O) 4 ] (3), and the complex in bulk geometry [Mn III 8 Mn IV 4 O 12 (CH 3 COO) 16 (H 2 O) 4 ] (5). The found magnetic fingerprints - experiment and theory alike - are of a remarkable robustness: The Mn IV 4 core bears almost no magnetic anisotropy while the surrounding Mn III 8 ring is highly anisotropic. These signatures are truly intrinsic properties of the Mn 12 core scaffold within all of these complexes and largely void of the environment. This likely holds irrespective of bulk packing effects., (© 2021 The Authors. Chemistry - A European Journal published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Good family relationships are important for mental health. However, the mechanism linking family perceptions to mental wellness during political and social turmoil remains unclear. This study aimed to examine whether psychological and social factors could protect university students from detrimental mental health conditions in a time of social chaos., Methods: Participants included young adults (n = 1874, mean age = 22.19 years) who had been enrolled in Hong Kong local tertiary intuitions during Hong Kong's 2019 social movement. An online survey assessing various conditions, including family satisfaction, social support, personal resilience, negative moods, sense of school belonging, and mental health conditions before and during the movement, was administered to these students. Mediation analyses were performed to examine the role of negative affect, support from family, and school belongingness as mediators of the association between family satisfaction and mental health condition during the movement overall and by resilience subgroups., Results: Higher levels of satisfaction with family relationships before the onset of movement was associated with lower levels of negative affect and higher levels of support from family and school belongingness during the movement, in turn benefiting the student's mental health. The links of family satisfaction and school belongingness with mental wellness were particularly strong among low-resilient students., Limitations: Mediation analysis using retrospective survey data CONCLUSIONS: Family conditions would interact with personal resilience to influence mental health status during social turmoil. The findings underscore the importance of early interventions particularly for those students facing family difficulties to enhance their social chaos and emergency preparedness., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Gaming disorder, including internet gaming disorder (IGD), was recently defined by the World Health Organization as a mental disease in the 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11). Thus, reducing IGD is warranted. Maladaptive cognitions related to internet gaming (MCIG) have been associated with IGD, while impulsivity, self-control, parental influences, and peer influences are key risk factors of IGD. Previous literature suggests that MCIG is associated with the aforementioned 4 risk factors and IGD, and may thus mediate between these risk factors and IGD. These potential mediations, if significant, imply that modification of MCIG may possibly alleviate these risk factors' harmful impacts on increasing IGD. These mediation hypotheses were tested in this study for the first time., Objective: This study tested the mediation effects of MCIG between intrapersonal factors (impulsivity and self-control) and IGD, and between interpersonal factors (parental influences and peer influences) and IGD among adolescents in China., Methods: An anonymous, cross-sectional, and self-administered survey was conducted among secondary school students in classroom settings in Guangzhou and Chengdu, China. All grade 7 to 9 students (7 to 9 years of formal education) of 7 secondary schools were invited to join the study, and 3087 completed the survey. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) checklist was used to assess IGD. MCIG was assessed by using the Chinese version of the Revised Internet Gaming Cognition Scale. Impulsivity, self-control, and parental or peer influences were measured by using the motor subscale of the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, the Brief Self-Control Scale, and the modified interpersonal influence scale, respectively. Structural equation modeling was conducted to examine the mediation effects of MCIG between these risk factors and IGD., Results: The prevalence of IGD was 13.57% (418/3081) and 17.67% (366/2071) among all participants and adolescent internet gamers, respectively. The 3 types of MCIG (perceived rewards of internet gaming, perceived urges for playing internet games, and perceived unwillingness to stop playing without completion of gaming tasks) were positively associated with IGD. Impulsivity, self-control, parental influences, and peer influences were all significantly associated with the 3 types of MCIG and IGD. The 3 types of MCIG partially mediated the associations between the studied factors and IGD (effect size of 30.0% to 37.8%)., Conclusions: Impulsivity, self-control, and interpersonal influences had both direct and indirect effects via MCIG on IGD. Modifications of the 3 types of MCIG can potentially reduce the harmful impacts of impulsivity and interpersonal influences on IGD and enhance the protective effect of self-control against IGD. Future longitudinal studies are warranted., (©Yanqiu Yu, Phoenix Kit-Han Mo, Jianxin Zhang, Jibin Li, Joseph Tak-Fai Lau. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (https://www.jmir.org), 27.10.2021.)

Background: Vaccination resistance is the key hurdle against herd immunity as it limits the final vaccination coverage. This study investigated the prevalence and factors of COVID-19 vaccination resistance (i.e., those indicating definitely not taking up COVID-19 vaccination), including individualism, perceived personal benefits (PPB) and perceived societal benefits (PSB) of COVID-19 vaccination, and related mechanisms of the association., Methods: A random telephone survey interviewed 395 unvaccinated adults aged 18-75 not having scheduled for COVID-19 vaccination in May 2021 in Hong Kong, China (response rate = 56.8%)., Results: The prevalence of vaccination resistance was 56.5%. Adjusted for background factors, individualism, PPB, and PSB were significantly associated with vaccination resistance. Path analysis showed that individualism exhibited a direct effect on vaccination resistance and a 3-step indirect effect (individualism → PSB → PPB→ vaccination resistance) that explained 46.8% of the total effect. The two 2-step indirect paths via PPB only and via PSB only were non-significant., Conclusion: High prevalence of vaccination resistance was observed. Individualism increased vaccination resistance via its direct and indirect effects. Health promotion may emphasize collective good to reduce the impact of individualism and promote PPB/PSB, which may reduce vaccination resistance directly and alleviate the impact of individualism on vaccination resistance indirectly.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate associations between mental distress and COVID-19-related changes in behavioral outcomes and potential modifiers (age, gender, educational attainment) of such associations., Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study., Methods: An online survey using anonymous network sampling was conducted in China from April to May 2020 using a 74-item questionnaire. A national sample of 10,545 adults in 31 provinces provided data on sociodemographic characteristics, COVID-19-related mental distress, and changes in behavioral outcomes. Structural equation models were used for data analyses., Results: After adjusting for covariates, greater mental distress was associated with increased smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 1.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.20-1.68 and OR = 1.54, 95% CI: 1.31-1.82 per one standard deviation [SD] increase in mental distress) and alcohol consumption (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.45-1.92 and OR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.24-1.75 per one SD increase in mental distress) among current smokers and drinkers and with both increased and decreased physical activity (ORs ranged from 1.32 to 1.56). Underweight adults were more likely to lose body weight (≥1 kg; OR = 1.63, 95% CI: 1.30-2.04), whereas overweight adults were more likely to gain weight (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.46-1.78) by the same amount. Association between mental distress and change in physical activity was stronger in adults aged ≥40 years (ORs ranged from 1.43 to 2.05) and those with high education (ORs ranged from 1.43 to 1.77). Mental distress was associated with increased smoking in males (OR = 1.60, 95% CI: 1.37-1.87) but not females (OR = 1.11, 95% CI: 0.82-1.51)., Conclusions: Greater mental distress was associated with some positive and negative changes in behavioral outcomes during the pandemic. These findings inform the design of tailored public health interventions aimed to mitigate long-term negative consequences of mental distress on outcomes., (Copyright © 2021 The Royal Society for Public Health. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

As an example of symmetry breaking in NEXAFS spectra of protonated species we present a high resolution NEXAFS spectrum of protonated dinitrogen, the diazynium ion N 2 H + . By ab initio calculations we show that the spectrum consists of a superposition of two nitrogen 1s absorption spectra, each including a π* band, and a nitrogen 1s to H + charge transfer band followed by a weak irregular progression of high energy excitations. Calculations also show that, as an effect of symmetry breaking by protonation, the π* transitions are separated by 0.23 eV, only slightly exceeding the difference in the corresponding dark (symmetry forbidden) and bright (symmetry allowed) core excitations of neutral N 2 . By DFT and calculations and vibrational analysis, the complex π* excitation band of N 2 H + is understood as due to the superposition of the significantly different vibrational progressions of excitations from terminal and central nitrogen atoms, both leading to bent final state geometries. We also show computationally that the electronic structure of the charge transfer excitation smoothly depends on the nitrogen-proton distance and that there is a clear extension of the spectra going from infinity to close nitrogen-proton distance where fine structures show some, although not fully detailed, similarities. An interesting feature of partial localization of the nitrogen core orbitals, with a strong, non-monotonous, variation with nitrogen-proton distance could be highlighted. Specific effects could be unraveled when comparing molecular cation NEXAFS spectra, as represented by recently recorded spectra of N 2 + and CO + , and spectra of protonated molecules as represented here by the N 2 H + ion. Both types containing rich physical effects not represented in NEXAFS of neutral molecules because of the positive charge, whereas protonation also breaks the symmetry. The effect of the protonation on dinitrogen can be separated in charge, which extends the high-energy part of the spectrum, and symmetry-breaking, which is most clearly seen in the low-energy π* transition.

This study examined the associations between minority stressors, poor mental health, and sexual risk behaviors, and whether there were interactive effects of minority stress and mental health factors in their associations with sexual risk behaviors in a sample of Chinese transgender women sex workers (TGSW). A cross-sectional study was conducted in 204 TGSW in Shenyang, China (mean age 33.4 years and 18.1% self-reported as HIV positive). We found a high prevalence of condomless anal intercourse (CAI) with male clients (27.9%) and CAI with male regular partners (49.5%) in the past three months among TGSW. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that discrimination, victimization, and life dissatisfaction were significantly associated with higher odds of CAI with male clients (AOR range: 1.05-1.42, all p < 0.05). Likewise, CAI with male regular partners was more frequently reported by participants who experienced higher levels of victimization, rejection, and anxiety (AOR range: 1.37-2.88, all p < 0.05). No significant interaction effects of gender minority stress and mental health on sexual behaviors were observed. Interventions addressing the multiple psychosocial risks are warranted to prevent behavioral risks of TGSW.

The conformation and the electronic structure of gas-phase oligonucleotides depends strongly on the protonation site. 5'-d(FUAG) can either be protonated at the A-N1 or at the G-N7 position. We have stored protonated 5'-d(FUAG) cations in a cryogenic ion trap held at about 20 K. To identify the protonation site and the corresponding electronic structure, we have employed soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy at the nitrogen K-edge. The obtained spectra were interpreted by comparison to time-dependent density functional theory calculations using a short-range exchange correlation functional. Despite the fact that guanine has a significantly higher proton affinity than adenine, the agreement between experiment and theory is better for the A-N1 protonated system. Furthermore, an inverse site sensitivity is observed in which the yield of the nucleobase fragments that contain the absorption site appears substantially reduced, which could be explained by non-statistical fragmentation processes, localized on the photoabsorbing nucleobase.

There is a critical need to develop small-molecule inhibitors of mucin-type O-linked glycosylation. The best-known reagent currently is benzyl-GalNAc, but it is effective only at millimolar concentrations. This article demonstrates that Ac 5 GalNTGc, a peracetylated C-2 sulfhydryl-substituted GalNAc, fulfills this unmet need. When added to cultured leukocytes, breast cells, and prostate cells, Ac 5 GalNTGc increased cell-surface VVA binding by ∼10-fold, indicating truncation of O-glycan biosynthesis. Cytometry, mass spectrometry, and western blot analysis of HL-60 promyelocytes demonstrated that 50-80 μM Ac 5 GalNTGc prevented elaboration of 30%-60% of the O-glycans beyond the Tn-antigen (GalNAcα1-Ser/Thr) stage. The effect of the compound on N-glycans and glycosphingolipids was small. Glycan inhibition induced by Ac 5 GalNTGc resulted in 50%-80% reduction in leukocyte sialyl-Lewis X expression and L-/P-selectin-mediated rolling under flow conditions. Ac 5 GalNTGc was pharmacologically active in mouse. It reduced neutrophil infiltration to sites of inflammation by ∼60%. Overall, Ac 5 GalNTGc may find diverse applications as a potent inhibitor of O-glycosylation., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests We do not have competing financial or non-financial interests., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The prevalence of HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM) in southwest China is still increasing. This study aimed to investigate the trend in HIV incidence and its associated risk factors among MSM in Chengdu, China., Method: Incidence data were collected from the largest local non-governmental organization (NGO) serving MSM in Chengdu between 2012 and 2018, while information on sexual behaviors was collected from 2014. All MSM who received voluntary counseling and testing services (VCT) in the collaborating NGO at least twice during the study period were included. We calculated the HIV incidence density among MSM every 2 years and the overall incidence rate. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was employed to identify risk factors for HIV infection., Result: A total of 4578 HIV-negative participants were included in the cohort. The total incidence density was 5.95 (95% CI: 5.37-6.56)/100 person-years (PYs) between 2012 and 2018. The segmented incidence density was 9.02 (95% CI: 7.46-10.78), 5.85 (95% CI: 4.86-6.97), 5.43 (95% CI: 4.53-6.46), and 3.09 (95% CI: 2.07-4.41)/100 PYs in 2012-2013, 2014-2015, 2016-2017, and 2018, respectively. After adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics, compared to participants without sexual partners within 6 months, MSM with one fixed partner (Adjusted Hazard Ratio, AHR = 1.18, 95% CI: 0.44-3.19) and more than five partners (AHR = 2.24, 95% CI: 0.81-6.20) had increased risk of HIV infection. MSM who used condom inconsistently had a higher risk of HIV infection (AHR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.46-2.38) compared to consistent condom users., Conclusion: The decreased HIV incidence density among MSM was potentially related to the successful comprehensive HIV prevention strategies in Chengdu. Multiple male sexual partnerships and inconsistent condom use during anal intercourse were risk factors associated with HIV occurrence.

Background: Poor mental health status and associated risk factors of public health workers have been overlooked during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used the effort-reward imbalance model to investigate the association between work-stress characteristics (effort, over-commitment, reward) and mental health problems (anxiety and depression) among front-line public health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in China., Methods: A total of 4850 valid online questionnaires were collected through a self- constructed sociodemographic questionnaire, the adapted ERI questionnaire, the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the 7-item General Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the association between ERI factors and mental health problems (i.e., depression and anxiety), with reward treated as a potential moderator in such associations., Results: The data showed that effort and over-commitment were positively associated with depression and anxiety, while reward was negatively associated with depression and anxiety. Development and job acceptance were the two dimensions of reward buffered the harmful effect of effort/over-commitment on depression and anxiety, whereas esteem was non-significant., Conclusions: This study confirmed the harmful effects of effort and over-commitment on mental health among public health workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Such effects could be alleviated through an appropriate reward system, especially the development and job acceptance dimensions of such a system. These findings highlight the importance of establishing an emergency reward system, comprising reasonable work-allocation mechanism, bonuses and honorary titles, a continuous education system and better career-development opportunities.

Near-edge X-ray absorption mass spectrometry (NEXAMS) is an action-spectroscopy technique of growing interest for investigations into the spatial and electronic structure of biomolecules. It has been used successfully to give insights into different aspects of the photodissociation of peptides and to probe the conformation of proteins. It is a current question whether the fragmentation pathways are sensitive toward effects of conformational isomerism, tautomerism, and intramolecular interactions in gas-phase peptides. To address this issue, we studied the cationic fragments of cryogenically cooled gas-phase leucine enkephalin ([LeuEnk+H] + ) and methionine enkephalin ([MetEnk+H] + ) produced upon soft X-ray photon absorption at the carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen K-edges. The interpretation of the experimental ion yield spectra was supported by density-functional theory and restricted-open-shell configuration interaction with singles (DFT/ROCIS) calculations. The analysis revealed several effects that could not be rationalized based on the peptide's amino acid sequences alone. Clear differences between the partial ion yields measured for both peptides upon C 1s → π*(C═C) excitations in the aromatic amino acid side chains give evidence for a sulfur-aromatic interaction between the methionine and phenylalanine side chain of [MetEnk+H] + . Furthermore, a peak associated with N 1s → π*(C═N) transitions, linked to a tautomeric keto-to-enol conversion of peptide bonds, was only present in the photon energy resolved ion yield spectra of [MetEnk+H] + .