How enterprises' public welfare low-carbon behavior affects consumers' green purchase behavior.

The Chinese economy has undergone high-speed, high-quality growth, and the concept of low-carbon technology has gained popular support. Businesses and consumers must jointly endeavor to achieve low-carbon economic development. Moreover, it is important to investigate whether enterprises' low-carbon behavior is correlated with consumers' green consumption behavior. We built a theoretical model to depict the relationship between corporate public welfare low-carbon behavior, consumers' green purchase intention, and green purchase behavior. We then divided corporate public welfare low-carbon behavior into three dimensions. We proposed hypotheses, collected data through a questionnaire survey, and analyzed the data using statistical analysis software of SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0. Public welfare low-carbon behavior was significantly correlated with consumers' green purchase intention, and public welfare low-carbon participation and public welfare low-carbon motivation were significantly correlated with green purchase intention. Finally, we proposed suggestions from three perspectives: the public welfare low-carbon mechanism, public welfare low-carbon participation, and public welfare low-carbon motivation. The results provide theoretical support for research methods related to the low-carbon growth of enterprises and green consumption, as well as guidance and decision-making support for enterprises in carrying out cause marketing.

Carbon emissions in the logistics industry: driving factors and decoupling effects.

The explosive growth of the logistics industry has led to an increase in energy consumption and carbon emissions. To reduce emissions and increase the efficiency of the logistics industry, we studied the driving factors and decoupling effects of carbon emissions of logistics industry (LICE). First, an energy coefficient method is used to calculate the LICE. Second, the Logarithmic Mean Divisia Index (LMDI) decomposition method is used to decompose the driving factors of LICE into five types. Third, the decoupling model is used to explore the decoupling relationship between economic growth and LICE. Considering Anhui Province as an example, this study describes the method's implementation process based on a comparison of the four Yangtze River Delta provinces and cities. The results indicate that the growth rate of LICE in Anhui Province has decreased during the research period, from 9.7% in 2013 to 2.1% in 2021; however, the Tapio decoupling elasticity has been approximately 0.4 for the last 2 years, remaining in a weak decoupling stage from economic development. The LMDI decomposition results indicate that the average contribution of economic level to carbon emissions is 1.763. This study proposes some solutions and recommendations for the logistics industry's low-carbon development to offer methodological and theoretical support for LICE research.

Prediction of tumor lysis syndrome in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia based on machine learning models: a retrospective study.

Background: Tumor lysis syndrome (TLS) often occurs early after induction chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and can rapidly progress. This study aimed to construct a machine learning model to predict the risk of TLS using clinical indicators at the time of ALL diagnosis. Methods: This observational cohort study was conducted at the National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disease. Data were collected from pediatric ALL patients diagnosed between December 2008 and December 2021. Four machine learning models were constructed using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) to select key clinical indicators for model construction. Results: The study included 2,243 pediatric ALL patients, and the occurrence of TLS was 8.87%. A total of 33 indicators with missing values ≤30% were collected, and 12 risk factors were selected through LASSO regression analysis. The CatBoost model with the best performance after feature screening was selected to predict the TLS of ALL patients. The CatBoost model had an AUC of 0.832 and an accuracy of 0.758. The risk factors most associated with TLS were the absence of potassium, phosphorus, aspartate transaminase (AST), white blood cell count (WBC), and urea levels. Conclusion: We developed the first TLS prediction model for pediatric ALL to assist clinicians in risk stratification at diagnosis and in developing personalized treatment protocols. This study is registered on the China Clinical Trials Registry platform (ChiCTR2200060616). Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2200060616.

Prognostic implications of CD9 in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia: insights from a nationwide multicenter study in China.

The outcomes of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have been incrementally improved with risk-directed chemotherapy but therapy responses remain heterogeneous. Parameters with added prognostic values are warranted to refine the current risk stratification system and inform appropriate therapies. CD9, implicated by our prior single-center study, holds promise as one such parameter. To determine its precise prognostic significance, we analyzed a nationwide, multicenter, uniformly treated cohort of childhood ALL cases, where CD9 status was defined by flow cytometry on diagnostic samples of 3781 subjects. CD9 was expressed in 88.5% of B-ALL and 27.9% of T-ALL cases. It conferred a lower 5-year EFS and a higher CIR in B-ALL but not in T-ALL patients. The prognostic impact of CD9 was most pronounced in the intermediate/high-risk arms and those with minimal residual diseases, particularly at day 19 of remission induction. The adverse impact of CD9 was confined to specific cytogenetics, notably BCR::ABL1+ rather than KMT2A-rearranged leukemia. Multivariate analyses confirmed CD9 as an independent predictor of both events and relapse. The measurement of CD9 offers insights into patients necessitating intervention, warranting its seamless integration into the diagnostic marker panel to inform risk level and timely introduction of therapeutic intervention for childhood ALL.

Predictive model for early death risk in pediatric hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis patients based on machine learning.

Background: Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and life-threatening disease in children, with a high early mortality rate. This study aimed to construct machine learning model to predict the risk of early death using clinical indicators at the time of HLH diagnosis. Methods: This observational cohort study was conducted at the National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disease. Data was collected from pediatric HLH patients diagnosed by the HLH-2004 protocol between January 2006 and December 2022. Six machine learning models were constructed using the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) to select key clinical indicators for model construction. Results: The study included 587 pediatric HLH patients, and the early mortality rate was 28.45 %. The logistic and XGBoost model with the best performance after feature screening were selected to predict early death of HLH patients. The logistic model had an AUC of 0.915 and an accuracy of 0.863, while the XGBoost model had an AUC of 0.889 and an accuracy of 0.829. The risk factors most associated with early death were the absence of immunochemotherapy, decreased TC levels, increased BUN and total bilirubin, and prolonged TT. We developed an online calculator tool for predicting the probability of early death in children with HLH. Conclusions: We developed the first web-based early mortality prediction tool for pediatric HLH to assist clinicians in risk stratification at diagnosis and in developing personalized treatment protocols. This study is registered on the China Clinical Trials Registry platform (ChiCTR2200061315).

Rheological and mechanical performance analysis and proportion optimization of cemented gangue backfill materials based on response surface methodology.

Cemented backfill mining is a green mining method that enhances the coal mining rate and the safety of mined-out regions. To transport the cemented gangue backfill material (CGBM) into the mined-out regions, it is essential to ensure high flowability and adequate compressive strength after hardening. Based on the response surface methodology (RSM), 29 experiments were conducted in this paper to test the yield stress and plastic viscosity of CGBM slurry. Cubic specimens with dimensions of 100 mm were prepared and underwent uniaxial compression tests to obtain the compressive strength at a curing age of 28 days. Quadratic polynomial regression models were established for yield stress, plastic viscosity, and compressive strength to explore the effects of fly ash content, water-cement ratio, mass concentration, and superplasticizer dosage on the properties of CGBM. Multi-objective optimization was conducted to determine the optimal material proportion of CGBM. The research results indicate that (1) the mass concentration most profoundly affected the yield stress and plastic viscosity of CGBM, and it increased with an increase in mass concentration. Fly ash content had an inverse relationship with compressive strength. Superplasticizer was found to improve the flowability and strength of CGBM. (2) The established response surface model could reflect the relationship between CGBM's material proportion and rheological and mechanical properties, and predict relevant parameters. (3) Multi-objective optimization determined the optimal proportion of CGBM to be 80% fly ash content, 54% water-cement ratio, 79% mass concentration, and 3% superplasticizer dosage. The research findings offer valuable guidance to mining backfill engineering.

New insight into pectic fractions of cell wall: Impact of extraction on pectin structure and in vitro gut fermentation.

Pectic polysaccharides modulate gut fermentation ability, which is determined by structural characteristics. In this work, apple pectins were extracted by HCl (HAEP), NaOH (AEP), cellulase (EAEP), and in parallel cell wall pectic fractions were sequentially extracted by water (WEP), chelator (CEP) and NaOH (NEP). The aim is to comprehensively compare the impact of extraction on pectin structure and gut fermentation behavior. Results showed that high content of galacturonic acid (90.65 mol%) and large molecular weight (675 kg/mol) were detected in the HAEP. Molecular morphology of the HAEP presented high linearity, while AEP, EAEP and WEP exhibited compact filamentous structures with highly branched patterns. The AEP was characterized by high yield (33.1 g/100 g d.b.), moderate molecular weight (304 kg/mol) and large extent of rhamnogalacturonan-I region (24.88 %) with low degree of branching (1.77). After in vitro simulated gut fermentation for 24 h, total content of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) generated with the AEP supplement increased to 36.8 mmol/L, followed by EAEP, HAEP and WEP (25.2, 24.2 and 20.3 mmol/L, respectively). Meanwhile, WEP simultaneously produced the highest ammonia content (22.4 mmol/L). This investigation suggests that the fermentation of AEP produces more beneficial SCFA and less ammonia, thus indicating a better gut fermentation property.

Genomic signatures and prognosis of advanced stage Chinese pediatric T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma by whole exome sequencing.

Objective: To investigate the genomic signatures and prognosis of advanced-stage T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T-LBL) and to examine the relationship between T-LBL and T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). Methods: 35 Chinese T-LBL children with stage III or IV disease were recruited for this study. They were treated with combination chemotherapy and whole exome sequencing. The relationship of the clinical features, prognosis and specific gene mutations was researched. Gene chips of T-LBL and T-ALL were downloaded from a database, and differential gene expression was analyzed. Results: Germline causal gene mutations (CARS or MAP2K2) were detected in 2 patients; 3.06 ± 2.21 somatic causal gene mutations were identified in the 35 patients, and somatic mutations were observed in the NOTCH1, FBXW7, PHF6 and JAK3 genes. NOTCH1 mutations were significantly associated with FBXW7 mutations, and the age at diagnosis of patients with NOTCH1-FBXW7 mutations was less than that of patients without such mutations (P < 0.05). 32 patients achieved complete remission (CR), and 14 and 18 patients were classified into the intermediate risk (IR) group and high risk (HR) group. During a median follow-up of 44 months, 3 patients relapsed. Three-year prospective event free survival (pEFS) was 82.286%, and no significant differences of pEFS were found for different sexes, ages, or statuses of NOTCH1-FBXW7 mutations, (P > 0.05); however, the mean survival time of the IR group was longer than that of the HR group (P < 0.05). Differential expression of genes in the T-LBL and/or T-ALL datasets was analyzed using the R package limma, and 1/3 of the differentially expressed genes were found in both the T-ALL and T-LBL datasets. High expression of PI3K-Akt signal pathway genes and the USP34 gene was found in the T-LBL dataset. Conclusion: Although T-ALL and T-LBL both originate from precursor T-cells and are considered different manifestations of the same disease and the outcome of T-LBL is favorable when using T-ALL-based chemotherapy, there are differences in the gene distribution between T-LBL and T-ALL. It seems that the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the USP34 gene play important roles in T-LBL, but medicines targeting the USP34 gene or the PI3K-Akt pathway may be invalid.

Creep and strength characteristics of cemented gangue backfill under coupling effect of load and acid corrosion.

Cemented gangue backfill technology is beneficial to the reuse of solid waste and sustainable economic development. However, mine water has a great impact on the strength and deformation of cemented gangue backfill (CGB). In this study, the CGB specimens under load were placed in simulated acid mine water (H2SO4 solution). The changes in deformation, resistivity, and ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of CGB were monitored. On the 360th day, the stress-strain curve and acoustic emission (AE) energy of the specimen during loading were recorded. The degradation mechanism of CGB was discussed by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the deformation of CGB increased with time. The effect of H2SO4 solution concentration on the deformation was different in the early and late stages. Applying an 80% stress-strength ratio (SSR) reduced the strength and increased the deformation. The UPV and resistivity had different characteristics at different corrosion ages, which could be used for long-term stability monitoring of CGB. The CGB showed the strongest AE energy characteristics near the peak stress. The AE energy decreased with the increase of pH value in the pore compaction stage, and the AE activity of the CGB under 80% SSR was much greater than that of the CGB under 40% SSR. The erosion of the H2SO4 solution on the CGB was inhibited by applying a small load. Excessive load aggravated the erosion deterioration of CGB due to initial plastic damage. The research results can provide a reference for the durability design of CGB.

Rheological properties of cemented gangue backfill material based on fractal characteristics of waste coal gangue.

The study herein was intended to evaluate the rheological properties of cemented gangue backfill material (CGBM). For this purpose, the rheological test of CGBM with fractal aggregate particle size distribution was carried out, and variations of static yield stress, dynamic yield stress, and plastic viscosity were investigated as a function of fractal dimension and time. The results reveal that aggregate particle size distribution exerts a significant influence upon the rheological properties of CGBM, and with the escalation of the fractal dimension of the aggregate, the yield stress and plastic viscosity initially decline and then increase. In addition, with elapsing time, the correlation between the static yield stress and the fractal dimension of CGBM specimens increases, while the correlations between the dynamic yield stress and the plastic viscosity and the fractal dimension decrease. The relationships between rheological parameters and fractal dimensions at different times are established based on the experimental results. The influence mechanism of aggregate particle size distribution on CGBM is analyzed from the perspective of the aggregate packing state. This study can provide a basis for the ratio design of CGBM in backfill mining.

Effects of width-height ratio and roof-floor strength on the mechanical characteristics of cemented gangue backfill pier-column.

Cemented gangue backfill pier-column (CGBP) which was made of coal gangue, fly ash, cement, and water is the supporting component of the goaf in partial backfill mining or constructional backfill mining for controlling the surface subsidence of coal mining. The width-height ratio and roof-floor strength directly affect the bearing capacity of CGBP under axial compression, which is essential for the design of CGBP. Herein, the effect of width-height ratio (1:3-1:1) on the mechanical characteristics of CGBP with different curing ages under uniaxial compression was system studied through experiment, and the damage process was analyzed by ultrasonic equipment and DIC. Based on the experimental results and discrete element theory, a three-phase numerical model for CGBP was established, which considered the real aggregate shape and distribution and the mechanical characteristics of each phase. Then, the effects of the end friction coefficient and the strength ratio of roof-CGBP-floor combination on the strength and failure characteristics of CGBP (large width-height ratio: 1:1-4:1) were investigated. The results show that CGBP shows the width-height ratio effect obviously and the strength and ductility increase with the increase of the width-height ratio, and the width-height ratio effect increases with the increase of curing age and strength ratio. The end friction constraint is the main reason for the width-height ratio effect, and the higher the friction coefficient is, the larger the width-height ratio effect shows, and the width-height ratio effect disappears without end friction constraint. The increase of the width-height ratio of CGBP and the strength ratio of the roof-CGBP-floor combination increases the strength of the combination. Whether the strength of the combination is greater than that of CGBP may have a roof-floor strength threshold or a strength ratio threshold, which are between 31.44-54.11 MPa and 3.75-6.44, respectively. When the strength of the roof and floor is different, the strength of the combination is mainly controlled by the weak carrier and increases with the increase of the strength of the weak carrier. The peak strain energy of CGBP and combination increases with the increase of end friction coefficient, width-height ratio, and strength of roof and floor. The experimental and simulation results can be used to guide the design of CGBP in constructional backfill mining or partial backfill mining.

Poor treatment responses were related to poor outcomes in pediatric B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia with KMT2A rearrangements.

BACKGROUND: The KMT2A gene, formerly named the MLL gene, is rearranged (KMT2Ar) in 70-75% of infants, 5-6% of children and 10-15% of adult patients with B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). The outcome after chemotherapy of pediatric cases remains poor, and only a few studies have investigated the clinical and laboratory features, treatment response and prognosis in Chinese populations. METHODS: A total of 48 B-ALL children with KMT2Ar were enrolled in the study, and clinical and laboratory data were collected and analyzed by age group. The relationship between prognosis and traditional risk factors and treatment response was investigated for these patients who received chemotherapy. RESULTS: The 48 enrolled patients included 28 males and 20 females; 18 (37.50%) or 30 (62.50%) patients were an age of < 12 m (infant B-ALL) or of > 12 m at onset. An initial WBC count of 300 × 109/L was detected in 7 (14.58%) patients; testicular leukemia (TL) or central nervous system involvement was found in 5 (10.41%) or 3 (6.25%) patients, respectively. Statistical differences were not found in the age groups of sex or initial WBC count, whereas TL was more common in the infant group (P < 0.05). 11q23 was detected in 18 patients; KMT2Ar was detected in 46 (95.83%) or 45 (93.75%) patients by FISH or multiplex RT-PCR technology, respectively; RNA-seq data were obtained for 18 patients, and 3 patients with uncommon KMT2Ar were identified. KMT2A-AFF1, KMT2A-MLLT3 and KMT2A-MLLT1 were the most common transcripts. Statistical differences were not found in treatment response by age groups, including dexamethasone induction, bone marrow (BM) smear status and minimal residual disease (MRD) level at different time points (TP), treatment-related mortality (TRM), or complete remission (CR) rate (P > 0.05); MRD levels monitored by FCM or PCR were unequal at the same TP. Four patients died of treatment, and TRM was 8.33%; 40 patients achieved CR, and the CR rate for the cohort was 83.33%. Seven patients quit, 15 patients relapsed, and the 5 yr cumulative relapse rate was 59.16 ± 9.16%; the 5 yr prospective EFS (pEFS) for patients who were included or excluded from the TRM group was 36.86 ± 8.48% or 40.84 ± 9.16%, respectively. Multivariate analysis for prognosis and hazard ratio was performed for 37 patients without TRM and revealed that an initial WBC count of > 300 × 109/L and a positive level of FCM-MRD were strongly related to a poor outcome for B-ALL patients with KMT2Ar (P < 0.05).

Modulation of ice crystal formation behavior in pectin cryogel by xyloglucan: Effect on microstructural and mechanical properties.

To fully understand the role of xyloglucan (XyG) on the microstructural and mechanical properties of pectin cryogels, we formulated two types of low methoxyl pectin cryogels containing different XyG content (with or without an ionic network) using freeze-drying. The interaction between the pectin and XyG was explored, and the morphologies of ice crystals were characterized by the pore morphometric of freeze-dried scaffolds. Results showed that XyG and pectin could be cross-linked via hydrogen bonding interactions. When the ionic network was present, XyG accelerated pectin gelation but decreased the size of ice crystals during freezing, reducing the pore diameters of cryogels from 340 to 350 µm to 210-230 µm while shifting the structural thickness from 50 to 70 µm to 30-50 µm. When the ionic network was absent, the addition of XyG increased the pore size of the pectin cryogel from 30 to 50 µm to 70-90 µm, while rising the pore wall thickness from 50 to 70 µm to 70-90 µm. The ionic cross-links between the pectin chains gave freeze-dried scaffolds mechanical strength and crispiness, and the incorporation of XyG further strengthened the mechanical resistance of cryogels.

Xingnao Kaiqiao Acupuncture Method Combined with Temporal Three-Needle in the Treatment of Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the difference between the clinical effectiveness of two acupuncture methods in the treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and provide more evidence-based medical evidence of acupuncture's effectiveness in stroke rehabilitation. Methods: We conducted an outcome assessor-and data analyst-blinded, randomized, and controlled trial. Seventy-two participants were randomly allocated to the observation group and control group with a 1 : 1 allocation ratio by the generating of a random number table.The observation group received the "Xingnao kaiqiao" acupuncture method combined with "Temporal three needles," and the control group received conventional acupuncture "Scalp acupuncture" combined with the traditional "body acupuncture" method. The acupuncture treatment was performed once per day for one week by trained acupuncturists. Both groups underwent secondary prevention of cerebral infarction and received a 3-months' followup. After a 1-week acupuncture intervention, the changes of NIHSS (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale) scores, Percent Change and Absolute Change of NIHSS scores, MBI (Modified Barthel Index), and the rate of MBI ≥ 80 in two groups were observed. After 3 months' followup, the mRS (Modified Ranking Scale) and the clinical efficacy of the two groups were compared. Results: The apparent efficiency rate of the observation group was 63.9%, higher than 19.4% of the control group, and the difference was significant (P < 0.05). After treatment, NIHSS scores, Percent Change, and Absolute Change of NIHSS scores in the observation group had a significant reduction than the control group (all P < 0.05). MBI in the observation group increased significantly more than in the control group (P < 0.05), but the rate of MBI ≥ 80 in the two groups was not significantly different (P > 0.05). After 3 months' of followup, the mRS score frequencies of the observation group were not statistically different from the control group (P > 0.05). The rate of mRS scores of 0-1 in the observation and control group were 55.6% and 38.9%, and there was no significant difference either (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Compared with "Scalp acupuncture" combined with "body acupuncture," "Xingnao kaiqiao" acupuncture method combined with "Temporal three-needle" had superiority in the improvement of neurological deficit, potential functional disability, and score of basic activities of daily living. As to the independent rate to basic activities of daily living and good prognosis of 3 months, there were no statistical differences.

Phylogeographical Pattern and Population Evolution History of Indigenous Elymus sibiricus L. on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau.

Elymus sibiricus L. is a perennial allotetraploid belonging to Triticeae of Poaceae, Elymus L., as the type species of genus Elymus L. The existing geographical distribution pattern and genetic spatial structure of E. sibiricus on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) are not yet clear. In this study, population genetic structure and demography history of 216 individuals from 44 E. sibiricus populations on QTP were studied used specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq). The result of genetic diversity showed that there was no single genetic diversity center was observed across all E. sibiricus populations. The results of genetic variation showed that 44 populations were clearly divided into the following three groups: Qinghai Plateau (Group I), South Tibet (Group II), and Hengduan Mountains (Group III). From the three analyses of AMOVA, Mantel test and Treemix, strong genetic differentiation across all populations and low genetic differentiation among populations within three groups. Molecular dating indicated that E. sibiricus diverged at 16.08 Ma (during the early Miocene) can be linked to the Himalayan Motion stage of QTP uplift. It is speculated that the reasons affecting the current phylogeographical pattern are as follows: (1) The environmental changes due to the uplift of the QTP; (2) The geographic distance between the populations (Groups I and III are close in geographic distance, and gene flow are frequent); (3) Geographical barriers (the Tanggula and Bayangela Mountains between Groups I and II). This study provides new evidence and historical perspective to the future exploration of the evolution and geographic distribution pattern of Elymus L.