High-efficient subwavelength structure engineered grating couplers for 2-µm waveband high-speed data transmission.

The 2-µm waveband is becoming an emerging window for next-generation high-speed optical communication. To enable on-chip high-speed data transmission, improving the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) by suppressing the coupling loss of a silicon chip is critical. Here, we report grating couplers for TE and TM polarized light at the 2-µm waveband. With a single-step fully etched process on the 340 nm silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform, the devices experimentally demonstrate high coupling efficiency of -4.0 dB and 1-dB bandwidth of 70 nm for the TE polarized light, while -4.5 dB coupling efficiency and 58 nm 1-dB bandwidth for the TM polarized light. For comprehensive performance, both of them are among the best grating couplers operating in the 2-µm waveband so far. We also demonstrate 81Gbps high-speed on-chip data transmission using pulse amplitude modulation 8-level (PAM-8) signals.

The influence of subjective well-being on mental health in nursing students: the role of student cynicism.

Previous studies have reported high rates of poor mental health among nursing students, but few studies focused on the internal pathway of mental health. This cross-sectional study was conducted at a vocational medical school and investigated 384 nursing students. Symptom Check List-90, Index of Well-Being Scale and Cynical Attitudes Toward College Scale were used to test mental health, subjective well-being (SWB) and cynicism of nursing students, respectively. Academic cynicism, social cynicism and institutional cynicism were negatively related to mental health. SWB not only directly had positive effect on mental health, but had an indirect effect on mental health through academic cynicism, social cynicism and institutional cynicism.

Psychological capital of petrochemical corporate employees during COVID-19 social isolation: a longitudinal analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a major public health emergency and a significant stressor to most people. The objective of this study was to examine the mental health status and social support level of participants from 2019 to 2020. The study aimed to investigate the changes in people's psychological capital state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A longitudinal study was performed to study the psychosocial predictors of mental health among a sample of 2,999 Chinese employees in 2019, and the follow-up survey was conducted one year later. Regression coefficients were visualized in a heatmap. Path analysis was performed base on the structural equation model (SEM) to measure the associations between study variables. The status of mental health, resilience, and optimism changed significantly during the pandemic (P < 0.05). The level of employee's social support in 2019 could significantly and positively predicted the level of employee's psychological capital in 2020, and the level of employee mental health in 2019 significantly and negatively predicted the level of employee psychological capital in 2020. The mental health of employees played an intermediary role between social support and psychological capital. These results highlight that the COVID-19 pandemic has a strong impact on the psychological capital of company employees. While demanding performance, corporations should ensure timely intervention in the mental health of their employees.

Association between eNOS rs1799983 polymorphism and hypertension: a meta-analysis involving 14,185 cases and 13,407 controls.

BACKGROUND: Essential hypertension is a complex disease determined by the interaction of genetic and environmental factors, eNOS is considered to be one of the susceptible genes for hypertension. Our study aimed to evaluate the association between eNOS rs1799983 polymorphism and hypertension, and to provide evidence for the etiology of hypertension. METHODS: Case-control studies of eNOS rs1799983 polymorphism and hypertension were included by searching PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline, Scopus, WanFang datebase, Vip datebase, and CNKI database according to PRISMA guideline. Eligible data were extracted and pooled, and were analyzed using R software based on five different genetic models. RESULTS: A total of 60 eligible articles involving 14,185 cases and 13,407 controls were finally selected. We found significant association between eNOS rs1799983 polymorphism and hypertension under any genetic model (T vs G: OR = 1.44, 95% CI 1.26-1.63; GT vs GG: OR 1.34, 95% CI 1.18-1.52; TT vs GG: OR 1.80, 95% CI 1.41-2.31; GT + TT vs GG: OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.25-1.63; TT vs GG + GT: OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.35-2.08; GT vs GG + TT: OR 1.24, 95% CI 1.11-1.40). CONCLUSIONS: We found that eNOS rs1799983 polymorphism is associated with the increased risk of hypertension under any genetic model. Moreover, investigations of gene-gene and gene-environment interactions are needed to give more insight into the association between eNOS rs1799983 polymorphism and hypertension.

The relationship between bullying victimization and depression in adolescents: multiple mediating effects of internet addiction and sleep quality.

Various studies have found that bullying victimization is an important factor affecting depression. However, few studies have explored the underlying mechanism of this effect.  The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of bullying victimization on depression, as well as the mediating roles of internet addiction and sleep quality. The participants were 2022 Chinese junior high school students who completed questionnaires regarding bullying victimization, internet addiction, sleep quality and depression. Correlation analysis indicated that bullying victimization, poor sleep quality, internet addiction, and depression have significant, positive correlations with each other. Hayes' PROCESS macro revealed that internet addiction and sleep quality played multiple mediation roles in the relationship between bullying victimization and depression. These results suggested that effective strategies focusing on improving problematic internet use along with sleep quality may contribute to reducing the negative effect of bullying victimization on depressive symptoms.

Does Social Support Moderate Wound Pain and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Chronic Wounds? A Multicenter Descriptive Cross-sectional Study.

PURPOSE: We sought to explore the relationships among social support, health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and wound pain, and to examine whether social support would moderate the relationship between wound pain and HRQOL. DESIGN: A multicenter descriptive cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS AND SETTINGS: Individuals with chronic wounds attending wound clinics affiliated with 3 public hospitals in Beijing, China. METHODS: Sociodemographic and wound characteristics of 162 participants were retrieved from medical records. Participants completed questionnaires for wound-related pain intensity (Numerical Rating Scale), social support (Social Support Rating Scale), and HRQOL (Medical Outcome Study Short Form-36). The moderating effect analysis was examined using the PROCESS analytic tool developed by Hayes, based on the bias-corrected bootstrapping method. RESULTS: Results revealed that higher pain intensity was significantly related to lower HRQOL (P < .01), and higher social support was associated with better HRQOL (P < .01). However, there was no significant correlation between social support and wound pain (P = .55). Importantly, the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between wound pain and HRQOL was statistically significant (P = .008). CONCLUSIONS: We found that social support moderated the impact of wound pain on HRQOL in patients with chronic wounds. This finding suggests that support obtained from social networks may be a beneficial intervention to improve the HRQOL of patients with chronic wounds, especially those suffering from high-intensity wound pain.

ε2 allele and ε2-involved genotypes (ε2/ε2, ε2/ε3, and ε2/ε4) may confer the association of APOE genetic polymorphism with risks of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic nephropathy (DN) contributes to end-stage renal failure. Microvascular injury resulted from reactive oxygen species is implicated in the pathogenesis of DN. Genetic polymorphism of Apolipoprotein E (APOE) influences the antioxidative properties of the protein. The relationship of APOE polymorphism with the risks of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes (T2DN) remains elusive. METHODS: An up-to-date meta-analysis was conducted on the basis of studies selected from PubMed, WanFang database, Embase, Vip database, Web of Science, Scopus, and CNKI database. RESULTS: A total of 33 studies conferring 3266 cases and 3259 controls were selected on the basis of criteria of inclusion and exclusion in this meta-analysis. For APOE alleles, the pooled odds ratio (OR) of ε2 vs. ε3 was 1.89 (95% confidence intervals [95% CI]: 1.49-2.38, P < 0.0001). With regard to APOE genotypes, ε2/ε2, ε2/ε3, and ε2/ε4 increased the risk of T2DN (ε2/ε2 vs. ε3/ε3: OR = 2.32, 95% CI: 1.52-3.56, P = 0.0001; ε2/ε3 vs. ε3/ε3: OR = 1.97, 95% CI: 1.50-2.59, P<0.0001; ε2/ε4 vs. ε3/ε3: OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.18-2.44, P = 0.0046). CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis found that the APOE ε2 allele and the ε2-involved genotypes (ε2/ε2, ε2/ε3, and ε2/ε4) are the risk factors of T2DN.

Relationships among economic stress, social support, age and quality of life in patients with chronic wounds: A moderated mediation model.

AIMS: The aims of this study were as follows: (a) to determine if social support mediates the relationship between economic stress and quality of life; and (b) to explore whether participants' ages would moderate the indirect relationship between economic stress and quality of life through social support. DESIGN: A questionnaire-based, cross-sectional study. METHODS: From January 2015-June 2016, a total of 300 patients with chronic wounds were recruited from three hospitals. Data regarding economic stress, social support and quality of life were collected through survey questionnaires. The moderated mediation analysis was examined using the Hayes' PROCESS macro modelling tool, based on the bias-corrected bootstrapping method. RESULTS: Economic stress was negatively correlated with quality of life and social support. The indirect effect of economic stress on quality of life through social support was negative. Furthermore, age moderated the relationship between economic stress and quality of life, as well as the relationship between economic stress and social support. CONCLUSION: Reducing economic stress and improving social support are important strategies for improving quality of life in patients with chronic wounds, especially for younger patients. IMPACT: Patients with chronic wounds experience considerable economic stress and severely impaired quality of life; however, little is known about the inner mechanisms of this relationship. This study emphasized the importance of providing social support in coping with the damage that economic stress causes to health. Clinical nurses should strengthen the comprehensive assessment of the socioeconomic status of patients and adjust nursing plans timely, to reduce the economic burden of patients based on the rational use of wound care materials. Moreover, when nursing for patients with chronic wounds, especially the elders, caregivers should strengthen the evaluation of social support and develop interventions to improve social support.

The Effect of COVID-19 on Youth Mental Health.

The purposes of this study was to assess the youth mental health after the coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) occurred in China two weeks later, and to investigate factors of mental health among youth groups. A cross-sectional study was conducted two weeks after the occurrence of COVID-19 in China. A total of 584 youth enrolled in this study and completed the question about cognitive status of COVID-19, the General Health Questionnaire(GHQ-12), the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version (PCL-C) and the Negative coping styles scale. Univariate analysis and univariate logistic regression were used to evaluate the effect of COVID-19 on youth mental health. The results of this cross-sectional study suggest that nearly 40.4% the sampled youth were found to be prone to psychological problems and 14.4% the sampled youth with Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Univariate logistic regression revealed that youth mental health was significantly related to being less educated (OR = 8.71, 95%CI:1.97-38.43), being the enterprise employee (OR = 2.36, 95%CI:1.09-5.09), suffering from the PTSD symptom (OR = 1.05, 95%CI:1.03-1.07) and using negative coping styles (OR = 1.03, 95%CI:1.00-1.07). Results of this study suggest that nearly 40.4% of the youth group had a tendency to have psychological problems. Thus, this was a remarkable evidence that infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, may have an immense influence on youth mental health. Therefor, local governments should develop effective psychological interventions for youth groups, moreover, it is important to consider the educational level and occupation of the youth during the interventions.

Prevalence and Correlates of Suicidal Behaviors among College Students in Northeastern China: a Cross-Sectional Study.

The present study aimed to investigate the prevalence and correlates of suicidal behaviors among college students in Jilin Province, China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2016, using a self-reported questionnaire. Convenience sampling method was used to select college students as participants. The analysis was based on a sample of 730 college students. We use multivariate logistic model to determine the risk factors of suicidal behaviors.The prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicidal plan, suicidal attempts were respectively 13.2%, 3.3% and 3.4%. After controlling for the potential confounding factors, history of family psychiatric illness, depression and quality of life were significantly associated with suicidal ideation. Besides, suicidal plan was predicted significantly by not living together with university roommates and depression. In terms of suicidal attempts, not living together with university roommates and history of family psychiatric illness were its risk factors. Comprehensive interventions regarding aims at risk factors may be critical as effective strategies to protect college students from suicide.

Flumethrin exposure perturbs gut microbiota structure and intestinal metabolism in honeybees (Apis mellifera).

Flumethrin mitigates Varroa's harm to honeybee colonies; however, its residues in colonies threaten the fitness of honeybee hosts and gut microbiota. Our previous research has shown that flumethrin induces significant physiological effects on honeybee larvae; but the effects of flumethrin on the gut microbiota and metabolism of adult honeybees are still unknown. In this study, 1-day-old honeybees were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/L flumethrin for 14 days and the impacts of flumethrin on the intestinal system were evaluated. The results showed that exposure to 1 mg/L flumethrin significantly reduced honeybee survival and the activities of antioxidative enzymes (superoxide dismutase and catalase) and detoxification enzymes (glutathione S-transferase) in honeybee heads. Moreover, exposure to 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/L flumethrin significantly decreased the diversity of the honeybee gut microbiota. Results from untargeted metabolomics showed that long-term exposure to 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/L flumethrin caused changes in the metabolic pathways of honeybee gut microbes. Furthermore, increased metabolism of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan derivatives was observed in honeybee gut microbes. These findings underscore the importance of careful consideration in using pesticides in apiculture and provide a basis for safeguarding honeybees from pollutants, considering the effects on gut microbes.

Effect of artificial sugar supplement on the lifespan and learning memory ability of honey bee (Apis cerana) worker bee offspring.

Honeybees maintain their growth and reproduction mainly by collecting nutrients from nectar-source plants. Apis cerana, a unique species of honeybee in China, is capable of sporadically collecting nectar. In traditional beekeeping, sugar syrup or a honey-water solution must be artificially fed to bees to supplement their diet during rainy weather or nectar-deficient periods. In this study, 2 groups of honeybee colonies were each fed sugar syrup or a honey-water solution, and a third group consisting of colonies that were allowed to naturally forage without any dietary supplement was used as the control. The effects of the 2 sugar sources on A. cerana worker bee offspring were compared. The results showed that the sugar source affected the lifespan and learning memory of the worker bee offspring. The lifespan, learning memory ability, and expression of related genes in the sugar syrup group were significantly lower than those in the honey-water solution and natural nectar foraging groups (P < 0.05). A honey-water solution supplement was more beneficial to the healthy development of worker bee offspring than a sugar syrup supplement when the colonies lacked dietary resources. These findings provide a theoretical basis that can guide beekeepers in choosing the appropriate dietary supplements for honeybees.

Effects of Artificial Sugar Supplementation on the Composition and Nutritional Potency of Honey from Apis cerana.

In the global apiculture industry, reward feeding and supplementary feeding are essential for maintaining bee colonies. Beekeepers provide artificial supplements to their colonies, typically in the form of either a honey-water solution or sugar syrup. Owing to cost considerations associated with beekeeping, most beekeepers opt for sugar syrup. However, the effects of different types of artificial sugar supplements on bee colonies and their subsequent impact on honey composition remain unclear. To address this gap, this study compared the chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and nutritional potency of three types of honey: honey derived from colonies fed sugar syrup (sugar-based product, SP) or a honey-water solution (honey-sourced honey, HH) and naturally sourced honey (flower-sourced honey, FH), which served as the control. The results revealed that FH outperformed HH and SP in terms of total acidity, sugar content, total protein content, and antioxidant capacity, and HH outperformed SP. Regarding nutritional efficacy, including the lifespan and learning and memory capabilities of worker bees, FH exhibited the best outcomes, with no significant differences observed between HH and SP. This study underscores the importance of sugar source selection in influencing honey quality and emphasizes the potential consequences of substituting honey with sugar syrup in traditional apiculture practices.

Effect of Stöber Nano-SiO2 Particles on the Hydration Properties of Calcined Coal Gangue-Blended Cement.

This study focuses on the calcined coal gangue (CCG)-blended cements containing Stöber nano-SiO2 (SNS) particles. The effects of SNS particles on the workability, hydration behaviour, mechanical properties and microstructure evolution of the blended cements were comprehensively investigated at curing ages ranging from 1 to 28 d. The hydration behaviour was studied via isothermal calorimetry test, X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetric (TG) tests. The microstructural evolution was studied using mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results show that the incorporation of SNS led to a significant reduction in fluidity, particularly at an SNS content of 3%. The SNS significantly increased the compressive strength of the CCG-blended cement at all curing ages, and the optimum SNS content was found to be 2%. SNS significantly accelerated not only the early cement hydration but also the pozzolanic reaction of CCG at later curing ages, resulting in a decrease in portlandite, as evidenced by the isothermal calorimetry, XRD and TG analysis. Microstructural analysis shows that the incorporation of SNS effectively refined the pore structure of the CCG-blended cement, resulting in the formation of a dense microstructure. All these beneficial effects of SNS provides advantages in the development of the compressive strength of the CCG-blended cement at all curing ages.

miR-30d-5p inhibits proliferation, invasion and migration of breast cancer cells by targeting SERPINE1 and promoting fatty acid ß-oxidation.

Breast cancer (BC) is among the top three most prevalent cancers across the world, especially in women, and its pathogenesis is still unknown. Fatty acid ß-oxidation is highly associated with breast cancer. Serpin family E member 1 (SERPINE1)-induced down-regulation of fatty acid ß-oxidation can facilitate BC cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. In this paper, the difference of miR-30d-5p expressions in both cancerous tissues and para-carcinoma tissues was first detected. Next, the expressions of SERPINE1, long-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (LCAD) and medium-chain acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (MCAD) in the aforementioned tissues were analyzed. Finally, miR-30d-5p mimics were supplemented to breast cancer cells to observe the miR-30d-5p effect upon breast cancer cells. Via immunofluorescence assay and Western blotting, it was found that cancerous tissues had lower expressions of miR-30d-5p, MCAD and LCAD and a higher expression of SERPINE1 than para-carcinoma tissues. The miR-30d-5p mimic group had a decreased SERPINE1 expression and increased MCAD and LCAD expressions compared with the NC group, thus inhibiting BC cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. To sum up, miR-30d-5p blocks the cell proliferation, invasion and metastasis by targeting SERPINE1 and promoting fatty acid ß-oxidation. Preclinical studies are further required to establish a fatty acid ß-oxidation-targeting therapy for breast cancer.

The Influence of Retreated Lithium Slag with a High Content of Alkali, Sulfate and Fluoride on the Composition and the Microstructure of Autoclaved Aerated Concrete.

In this paper, the possibility of retreated lithium slag (RTLS) with a high content of alkali, sulfate and fluoride as a partial replacement for fly ash (FA) to produce autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) was investigated. The influence of the RTLS dosage on the AAC performance were examined. The composition and microstructure of hydrates as well as the microstructure of the RTLS-FA-based AAC compositions were determined by XRD, FTIR, TG-DSC and SEM. The results illustrated that the incorporation of RTLS changed the crystal structure and the microstructure of the tobermorite. With increased RTLS contents, the morphology of tobermorite was changed, and the grass-like tobermorite gradually transformed into network-like tobermorite. The newly formed tobermorite improved the mechanical performance of the AAC. Compared with the RTLS10, the content of tobermorite in the RTLS30 increased by 8.6%.

Influence of Curing Temperature on the Performance of Calcined Coal Gangue-Limestone Blended Cements.

The utilization of calcined coal gangue (CCG) and limestone for the preparation of blended cement is an efficient approach to address the issue of coal gangue disposal. However, the compressive strength development of blended cement is slow, particularly at high substitution levels of CCG. Therefore, this study aimed to promote the hydration and mechanical properties of the calcined coal gangue-limestone blended cements by increasing the curing temperature. In this study, the samples were cured at two different temperatures, namely 20 and 40 °C. The four groups of samples contained 15 wt.%, 30 wt.%, 45 wt.% and 60 wt.% cement substitutions using CCG and limestone (2:1 mass ratio). The compressive strength, hydration and microstructure were investigated at the ages of 1 to 28 d. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and thermogravimetry (TG) were used to study the hydration behavior of samples. Mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to determine the microstructure of the samples. The results indicate that an increase in curing temperature significantly promotes the compressive strength of the calcined coal gangue-limestone blended cements from 1 to 28 d. The microstructural analysis indicates that increasing the curing temperature not only promotes cement hydration but also facilitates the reaction of CCG, which precipitated more hydrates such as C-A-S-H gel, Hc and Mc. These hydrates are conducive to refining the pore structures and densifying the microstructure, which sufficiently explains the enhanced compressive strength of the calcined coal gangue-limestone blended cements.

Impact of Lime Saturation Factor on Alite-Ye'Elimite Cement Synthesis and Hydration.

Alite(C3S)-Ye'elimite(C4A3$) cement is a high cementitious material that incorporates a precise proportion of ye'elimite into the ordinary Portland cement. The synthesis and hydration behavior of Alite-Ye'elimite clinker with different lime saturation factors were investigated. The clinkers were synthesized using a secondary thermal treatment process, and their compositions were characterized. The hydrated pastes were analyzed for their hydration products, pore structure, mechanical strength, and microstructure. The clinkers and hydration products were characterized using XRD, TG-DSC, SEM, and MIP analysis. The results showed that the Alite-Ye'elimite cement clinker with a lime saturation factor (KH) of 0.93, prepared through secondary heat treatment, contained 64.88% C3S and 2.06% C4A3$. At this composition, the Alite-Ye'elimite cement clinker demonstrated the highest 28-day strength. The addition of SO3 to the clinkers decreased the content of tricalcium aluminate (C3A) and the ratio of Alite/Belite (C3S/C2S), resulting in a preference for belite formation. The pore structure of the hydrated pastes was also investigated, revealing a distribution of pore sizes ranging from 0.01 to 10 µm, with two peaks on each differential distribution curve corresponding to micron and sub-micron pores. The pore volume decreased from 0.22 ± 0.03 to 0.15 ± 0.18 cm3 g-1, and the main peak of pore distribution shifted towards smaller sizes with increasing hydration time.

The Effect of Peer Victimization During Adolescence on Depression and Gender Differences: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Peer victimization during adolescence has a detrimental impact on the mental health of victims throughout their lives. However, it remains unclear whether these effects are gender-specific. The present study conducted a systematic review to examine the effects of peer victimization on depression status, explore potential sources of heterogeneity, and investigate gender differences in these effects. We systematically searched four electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and CNKI) for relevant articles that published as far as July 2022. We then extracted odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) to assess the association between peer victimization during adolescence and depression, and potential gender differences in the relation. Meta-analysis was performed, using fixed effects models and random effects models, to evaluate the association between each exposure and the outcome. A meta-analysis of 27 studies revealed that peer victimization during adolescence was significantly associated with higher risks of depression (OR = 2.79, 95% CI [2.43, 3.21], p < .001). This finding was consistent across subgroup analyses. In particular, the effect of peer victimization during adolescence on depression was found to be more pronounced in studies conducted in Asia (OR = 3.06, 95% CI [2.38, 3.92], p < .001). Furthermore, five studies focused on gender differences demonstrated that peer victimization has a stronger association with the risk of depression in women (OR = 2.84, 95% CI [2.49, 3.26], p < .001). Peer victimization during adolescence is a significant risk factor for depression, with a greater impact on women and individuals residing in Asia. Further prospective studies are needed to investigate the relationship between peer victimization and depression.

Does workplace violence affect healthcare workers' turnover intention?

AIMS: This study aimed to explore the association between workplace violence and turnover intention among Chinese healthcare workers and explore the role of gender as a moderator in this relation. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey recruited 692 healthcare workers from a single center in a Chinese province. The content included a questionnaire regarding workplace violence, authoritarian leadership, and turnover intention. The moderated mediation effects were analyzed using the PROCESS tool in SPSS and bootstrap method was used to extract 5000 samples to estimate the 95% confidence interval of each effect. RESULTS: The results indicated that the effect of workplace violence on turnover intention was mediated by authoritarian leadership. In addition, gender moderated the association between authoritarian leadership and turnover intention. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare worker managers should establish a workplace violence intervention system and change the leadership style of direct leaders to reduce healthcare workers' turnover intention.