Classification of nomophobia among Chinese college students: Evidence from latent profile and ROC analysis.

Background and aims: Nomophobia (NMP) is a contemporary digital ailment referring to the improper utilization of smartphones which can have significant impacts on the physical and mental health of college students. However, as a result of unclear cutoff points, the proportion of people with NMP may be exaggerated. This study therefore aimed to determine the critical value of NMP and assess the extent to which Chinese college students are impacted by NMP using the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q). Methods: Latent profile analysis (LPA) and the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were combined to determine the critical value based on NMP-Q scores using a large sample of 3,998 college students (Mage = 20.58; SD = 1.87). Results: Based on latent profile (i.e., at-risk NMP group), ROC revealed an optimal cut-off point of 73 (Sensitivity = 0.965, Specificity = 0.970, Accuracy = 0.968, AUC = 99.60%, Youden's index = 0.935), and the percentage of NMP students being 28.04%, with 1,121 participants identified as positive cases (probable cases). Positive cases were found to exhibit more severe depression and anxiety symptoms, with a higher proportion of females were observed in the positive group (N = 829; 73.95%). Conclusions: These findings provide evidence that the proportion of NMP individuals may have been overestimated in the past. Furthermore, this study helps to validate the NMP-Q as a valid tool to identify NMP in college-aged individuals.

Core features of callous-unemotional traits: a cross-cultural comparison of youth in four countries.

With considerable debate concerning the impact of culture on the expression of callous-unemotional (CU) traits, it is unclear whether the core features of CU traits generalize to youth across cultures. This study aimed to examine whether cultural differences are reflected in the core features of CU traits and the associations among these features. Network analysis was employed to identify the core features and to examine the network structure of CU traits operationalized by the Inventory of Callous Unemotional traits (ICU) in four community youth samples from different nations (Australia, N = 190; the UK, N = 437; the USA, N = 330; China, N = 503). The item "Apologizes to people" was identified as a cross-cultural core feature in the ICU network with a greater centrality of this item compared to others in all four samples. In addition, some items were identified as culture-specific core features in the network, differing in their centrality across samples. The network structures of the youth self-report ICU items were moderately similar across samples, while the structures of parent-report items showed substantial differences. These findings have important implications for cross-cultural research on CU traits as well as practical implications for screening and treatment. The core features of ICU appear to be generalizable in youth across cultures, although cultural-specific manifestations should be noted.

Proteogenomic characterization of small cell lung cancer identifies biological insights and subtype-specific therapeutic strategies.

We performed comprehensive proteogenomic characterization of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) using paired tumors and adjacent lung tissues from 112 treatment-naive patients who underwent surgical resection. Integrated multi-omics analysis illustrated cancer biology downstream of genetic aberrations and highlighted oncogenic roles of FAT1 mutation, RB1 deletion, and chromosome 5q loss. Two prognostic biomarkers, HMGB3 and CASP10, were identified. Overexpression of HMGB3 promoted SCLC cell migration via transcriptional regulation of cell junction-related genes. Immune landscape characterization revealed an association between ZFHX3 mutation and high immune infiltration and underscored a potential immunosuppressive role of elevated DNA damage response activity via inhibition of the cGAS-STING pathway. Multi-omics clustering identified four subtypes with subtype-specific therapeutic vulnerabilities. Cell line and patient-derived xenograft-based drug tests validated the specific therapeutic responses predicted by multi-omics subtyping. This study provides a valuable resource as well as insights to better understand SCLC biology and improve clinical practice.

The Chinese Parenting Stress Scale for Preschoolers' Parents: Development and Initial Validation.

Parenting stress is the experience of discomfort or distress that results from the demands associated with the role of parenting. Although there are numerous parenting stress scales, relatively few scales have been developed with consideration of the Chinese cultural context. This study aimed to develop and validate the Chinese Parenting Stress Scale (CPSS) with a multidimensional and hierarchical structure for Mainland Chinese preschoolers' parents (N = 1,427, Mage = 35.63 years, SD = 4.69). In Study 1, a theoretical model and an initial 118 items were developed, drawing on prior research and existing measures of parenting stress. Exploratory factor analysis yielded 15 first-order factors with 60 items. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analyses supported a higher order solution consisting of 15 first-order factors covering four domains: Child Development (12 items), Difficult Child (16 items), Parent-Child Interaction (12 items), and Parent's Readjustment to Life (20 items). Measurement invariance indicated no gender differences between parents for the scale scores. The convergent, discriminant, and criteria validity of the CPSS scores was supported by its association with related variables in the expected directions. Moreover, the CPSS scores added significant incremental variance in predicting somatization, anxiety, and child's emotional symptoms more so than the Parenting Stress Index-Short Form-15. The CPSS total and subscale scores all had acceptable Cronbach's αs in both samples. The overall findings support the CPSS as a psychometrically sound tool.

TaCHP encoding C1-domain protein stably enhances wheat yield in saline-alkaline fields.

Overexpression of the zinc finger gene TaCHP stably enhanced wheat yield in saline-alkaline conditions in a multi-year, three-site field trial, and the genetic variations in its promoter contribute to saline-alkaline tolerance of wheat accessions. TaCHP and its tolerant haplotype have great potential for molecular breeding of stress-tolerant wheat.

Resting heart rate moderates the relationship between parental emotion socialization and callous-unemotional traits in children.

Although empirical findings have indicated that both familial and neurobiological risk factors contribute to the development of callous-unemotional (CU) traits in children, relatively few studies have investigated how these two factors interact to influence these traits. The current study focused on the combined effects of parental emotion socialization and child's resting heart rate on CU traits. Parents of Chinese children (N = 166) completed the Coping with Children's Negative Scale when children were 9.39 years old (SD = 0.92), while children's resting heart rate data were collected when they were 10.21 years old (SD = 0.72). When they were 11.15 years old (SD = 0.67), parents completed the Inventory of Callous-Unemotional Traits Short-Form. Results showed that parental supportive emotion socialization was negatively associated with CU traits and Callous behaviors in particular. In addition, resting heart rate moderated the relationship between parental emotion socialization and child's CU traits. Findings provide further evidence that an interdisciplinary approach that combines both psychosocial and biological factors is essential to further our understanding of CU traits in youth.

An Inflammatory Checkpoint Generated by IL1RN Splicing Offers Therapeutic Opportunity for KRAS-Mutant Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

KRAS mutations are causally linked to protumor inflammation and are identified as driving factors in tumorigenesis. Here, using multiomics data gathered from a large set of patients, we showed that KRAS mutation was associated with a specific landscape of alternative mRNA splicing that connected to myeloid inflammation in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA). Then, we identified a negative feedback mechanism in which the upregulation of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN)-201/203 due to alternative splicing confers vital anti-inflammatory effects in KRAS-mutant iCCA. In KRAS-mutant iCCA mice, both IL1RN-201/203 upregulation and anakinra treatment ignited a significant antitumor immune response by altering neutrophil recruitment and phenotypes. Furthermore, anakinra treatment synergistically enhanced anti-PD-1 therapy to activate intratumoral GZMB+ CD8+ T cells in KRAS-mutant iCCA mice. Clinically, we found that high IL1RN-201/203 levels in patients with KRAS-mutant iCCA were significantly associated with superior response to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. SIGNIFICANCE: This work describes a novel inflammatory checkpoint mediated by IL1RN alternative splicing variants that may serve as a promising basis to develop therapeutic options for KRAS-mutant iCCA and other cancers. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 2109.

Allelic variation of TaWD40-4B.1 contributes to drought tolerance by modulating catalase activity in wheat.

Drought drastically restricts wheat production, so to dissect allelic variations of drought tolerant genes without imposing trade-offs between tolerance and yield is essential to cope with the circumstance. Here, we identify a drought tolerant WD40 protein encoding gene TaWD40-4B.1 of wheat via the genome-wide association study. The full-length allele TaWD40-4B.1C but not the truncated allele TaWD40-4B.1T possessing a nonsense nucleotide variation enhances drought tolerance and grain yield of wheat under drought. TaWD40-4B.1C interacts with canonical catalases, promotes their oligomerization and activities, and reduces H2O2 levels under drought. The knock-down of catalase genes erases the role of TaWD40-4B.1C in drought tolerance. TaWD40-4B.1C proportion in wheat accessions is negatively correlative with the annual rainfall, suggesting this allele may be selected during wheat breeding. The introgression of TaWD40-4B.1C enhances drought tolerance of the cultivar harboring TaWD40-4B.1T. Therefore, TaWD40-4B.1C could be useful for molecular breeding of drought tolerant wheat.

TaBAS1 encoding a typical 2-Cys peroxiredoxin enhances salt tolerance in wheat.

Efficient antioxidant enzymatic system contributes to salt tolerance of plants via avoiding ROS over-accumulation. Peroxiredoxins are crucial components of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging machinery in plant cells, but whether they offer salt tolerance with potential for germplasm improvement has not been well addressed in wheat. In this work, we confirmed the role of a wheat 2-Cys peroxiredoxin gene TaBAS1 that was identified through the proteomic analysis. TaBAS1 overexpression enhanced the salt tolerance of wheat at both germination and seedling stages. TaBAS1 overexpression enhanced the tolerance to oxidative stress, promoted the activities of ROS scavenging enzymes, and reduced ROS accumulation under salt stress. TaBAS1 overexpression promoted the activity of ROS production associated NADPH oxidase, and the inhibition of NADPH oxidase activity abolished the role of TaBAS1 in salt and oxidative tolerance. Moreover, the inhibition of NADPH-thioredoxin reductase C activity erased the performance of TaBAS1 in the tolerance to salt and oxidative stress. The ectopic expression of TaBAS1 in Arabidopsis exhibited the same performance, showing the conserved role of 2-Cys peroxiredoxins in salt tolerance in plants. TaBAS1 overexpression enhanced the grain yield of wheat under salt stress but not the control condition, not imposing the trade-offs between yield and tolerance. Thus, TaBAS1 could be used for molecular breeding of wheat with superior salt tolerance.

Hand Posture and Force Estimation Using Surface Electromyography and an Artificial Neural Network.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to develop an approach to predict hand posture (pinch versus grip) and grasp force using forearm surface electromyography (sEMG) and artificial neural networks (ANNs) during tasks that varied repetition rate and duty cycle. BACKGROUND: Prior studies have used electromyography with machine learning models to predict grip force but relatively few studies have assessed whether both hand posture and force can be predicted, particularly at varying levels of duty cycle and repetition rate. METHOD: Fourteen individuals participated in this experiment. sEMG data for five forearm muscles and force output data were collected. Calibration data (25, 50, 75, 100% of maximum voluntary contraction (MVC)) were used to train ANN models to predict hand posture (pinch versus grip) and force magnitude while performing tasks that varied load, repetition rate, and duty cycle. RESULTS: Across all participants, overall hand posture prediction accuracy was 79% (0.79 ± .08), whereas overall hand force prediction accuracy was 73% (0.73 ± .09). Accuracy ranged between 0.65 and 0.93 based on varying repetition rate and duty cycle. CONCLUSION: Hand posture and force prediction were possible using sEMG and ANNs, though there were important differences in the accuracy of predictions based on task characteristics including duty cycle and repetition rate. APPLICATION: The results of this study could be applied to the development of a dosimeter used for distal upper extremity biomechanical exposure measurement, risk assessment, job (re)design, and return to work programs.

The Shift in Synonymous Codon Usage Reveals Similar Genomic Variation during Domestication of Asian and African Rice.

The domestication of wild rice occurred together with genomic variation, including the synonymous nucleotide substitutions that result in synonymous codon usage bias (SCUB). SCUB mirrors the evolutionary specialization of plants, but its characteristics during domestication were not yet addressed. Here, we found cytosine- and guanidine-ending (NNC and NNG) synonymous codons (SCs) were more pronounced than adenosine- and thymine-ending SCs (NNA and NNT) in both wild and cultivated species of Asian and African rice. The ratios of NNC/G to NNA/T codons gradually decreased following the rise in the number of introns, and the preference for NNA/T codons became more obvious in genes with more introns in cultivated rice when compared with those in wild rice. SCUB frequencies were heterogeneous across the exons, with a higher preference for NNA/T in internal exons than in terminal exons. The preference for NNA/T in internal but not terminal exons was more predominant in cultivated rice than in wild rice, with the difference between wild and cultivated rice becoming more remarkable with the rise in exon numbers. The difference in the ratios of codon combinations representing DNA methylation-mediated conversion from cytosine to thymine between wild and cultivated rice coincided with their difference in SCUB frequencies, suggesting that SCUB reveals the possible association between genetic and epigenetic variation during the domestication of rice. Similar patterns of SCUB shift in Asian and African rice indicate that genomic variation occurs in the same non-random manner. SCUB representing non-neutral synonymous mutations can provide insight into the mechanism of genomic variation in domestication and can be used for the genetic dissection of agricultural traits in rice and other crops.

Alteration of synonymous codon usage bias accompanies polyploidization in wheat.

The diploidization of polyploid genomes is accompanied by genomic variation, including synonymous nucleotide substitutions that may lead to synonymous codon usage bias (SCUB). SCUB can mirror the evolutionary specialization of plants, but its effect on the formation of polyploidies is not well documented. We explored this issue here with hexaploid wheat and its progenitors. Synonymous codons (SCs) ending in either cytosine (NNC) or guanidine (NNG) were more frequent than those ending in either adenosine (NNA) or thymine (NNT), and the preference for NNC/G codons followed the increase in genome ploidy. The ratios between NNC/G and NNA/T codons gradually decreased in genes with more introns, and the difference in these ratios between wheat and its progenitors diminished with increasing ploidy. SCUB frequencies were heterogeneous among exons, and the bias preferred to NNA/T in more internal exons, especially for genes with more exons; while the preference did not appear to associate with ploidy. The SCUB alteration of the progenitors was different during the formation of hexaploid wheat, so that SCUB was the homogeneous among A, B and D subgenomes. DNA methylation-mediated conversion from cytosine to thymine weakened following the increase of genome ploidy, coinciding with the stronger bias for NNC/G SCs in the genome as a function of ploidy, suggesting that SCUB contribute to the epigenetic variation in hexaploid wheat. The patterns in SCUB mirrored the formation of hexaploid wheat, which provides new insight into genome shock-induced genetic variation during polyploidization. SCs representing non-neutral synonymous mutations can be used for genetic dissection and improvement of agricultural traits of wheat and other polyploidies.

Wheat genomic study for genetic improvement of traits in China.

Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a major crop that feeds 40% of the world's population. Over the past several decades, advances in genomics have led to tremendous achievements in understanding the origin and domestication of wheat, and the genetic basis of agronomically important traits, which promote the breeding of elite varieties. In this review, we focus on progress that has been made in genomic research and genetic improvement of traits such as grain yield, end-use traits, flowering regulation, nutrient use efficiency, and biotic and abiotic stress responses, and various breeding strategies that contributed mainly by Chinese scientists. Functional genomic research in wheat is entering a new era with the availability of multiple reference wheat genome assemblies and the development of cutting-edge technologies such as precise genome editing tools, high-throughput phenotyping platforms, sequencing-based cloning strategies, high-efficiency genetic transformation systems, and speed-breeding facilities. These insights will further extend our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and regulatory networks underlying agronomic traits and facilitate the breeding process, ultimately contributing to more sustainable agriculture in China and throughout the world.

Analysis of the auricles and auricular shape types for ear-related wearables: A study of mainland Chinese sample aged 15-79.

BACKGROUND: Comprehension of the complex shape of the auricle and how it differs in terms of factors such as sex, age, and side have become an imperative aspect of the fabrication and service delivery of products that are natural, functional, and healthy for users. OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at providing a clear understanding of the anthropometric characteristics based on age, sex, size, and side and shape type of the auricles of mainland Chinese samples. METHODS: Casting and 3D scanning were employed to obtain eighteen auricular measurement variables from 1120 subjects (aged 15-79). Examination of sex-related and bilateral differences were conducted. Furthermore, factor analysis was employed to establish the factors associated with the variations in auricular shape. Also, hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to classify the auricular shapes of individuals. RESULTS: The auricular inclination angle, conchal depth and tragal height did not exhibit any specific trend across the age groups. No significant bilateral difference was observed in both genders. The auricular shapes were classified into five types according to six major factors. CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that measurement variables of the Chinese auricles changed continuously with age, with most of the linear variables exhibiting a steady increase. The apparent strong association between the auricular types and age groups indicate that a person's auricular shape may change with age.

TaSRO1 plays a dual role in suppressing TaSIP1 to fine tune mitochondrial retrograde signalling and enhance salinity stress tolerance.

Initially discovered in yeast, mitochondrial retrograde signalling has long been recognised as an essential in the perception of stress by eukaryotes. However, how to maintain the optimal amplitude and duration of its activation under natural stress conditions remains elusive in plants. Here, we show that TaSRO1, a major contributor to the agronomic performance of bread wheat plants exposed to salinity stress, interacted with a transmembrane domain-containing NAC transcription factor TaSIP1, which could translocate from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) into the nucleus and activate some mitochondrial dysfunction stimulon (MDS) genes. Overexpression of TaSIP1 and TaSIP1-∆C (a form lacking the transmembrane domain) in wheat both compromised the plants' tolerance of salinity stress, highlighting the importance of precise regulation of this signal cascade during salinity stress. The interaction of TaSRO1/TaSIP1, in the cytoplasm, arrested more TaSIP1 on the membrane of ER, and in the nucleus, attenuated the trans-activation activity of TaSIP1, therefore reducing the TaSIP1-mediated activation of MDS genes. Moreover, the overexpression of TaSRO1 rescued the inferior phenotype induced by TaSIP1 overexpression. Our study provides an orchestrating mechanism executed by the TaSRO1-TaSIP1 module that balances the growth and stress response via fine tuning the level of mitochondria retrograde signalling.

SDG-oriented multi-scenario sustainable land-use simulation under the background of urban expansion.

With the continuous improvement of urbanization level and the continuous expansion of city scale, there are some unreasonable land development and utilization problems, which will make the contradiction between people and land more prominent and the risk of ecological environment deterioration more serious. It hinders the sustainable land use (SLU) and then affects the realization of regional Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). SDGs have become a programmatic document for all countries in the world to implement sustainable development. It provides a guideline and direction for the sustainable urban expansion. The sustainable urban expansion promotes the realization of SDGs worldwide. By combining the SDGs with the urban SLU, this paper obtains the optimized future land-use demand of the multi-scenario city and the urban expansion simulation scenario to the SDGs under the multi-scenario through the uncertain mathematical model (MIFCCP) and the spatial simulation model (PLUS). We find that firstly, the net profit of land use (LNB) reaches the highest value under the economic development scenario (ED), when the probability of environmental constraint violation p = 0.01 and p = 0.15, LNB = [2625.48, 3244.98] × 109 CNY, and [2646.95, 3271.51] × 109 CNY. Ecosystem service value (ESV) reached the highest value under the sustainable development scenario (SD), when p = 0.01 and p = 0.15, ESV = [75.34, 93.12] × 109 CNY, and [72.62, 95.56] × 109 CNY. The net carbon emissions from land use (LNC) reached the minimum value in SD scenario, and when p = 0.01 and p = 0.15, the LNC reached [57.46, 71.02] × 106 ton and [56.12, 76.04] × 106 ton. Secondly, the contribution degree of 15 driving factors to the change of local types is excavated, among which, the driving factors of traffic stations have the highest contribution degree to the change of construction land and cultivated land, and the third-class roads have the highest contribution degree to the change of wetland area. Furthermore, by analyzing the indicators related to SLU in SDGs, we can build an optimization model of land use quantity structure under uncertain conditions, and the optimized results can meet the targets of economic benefits, ecological benefits, and net carbon emissions of land use under different development plans. By linking SDGs and SLU, the coupled model framework can provide scientific basis for urban land expansion strategy based on ecological environment constraints and scientific support for sustainable management of land use.

Do You Feel Included? A Latent Profile Analysis of Inclusion in the Chinese Context.

Although the importance of inclusion has been firmly supported by prior studies, the question of whether certain subgroups exist in the workplace whose members feel more or less included remains under-explored, limiting our understanding of how an inclusive workplace can be achieved. To address this gap, the current study conducted a latent profile analysis (LPA) to obtain evidence-based information regarding employees' sense of inclusion in their organizations. Using a sample of 1,168 participants engaged in multiple industries in China, we identified three profiles of inclusion, with a largest proportion feeling a moderate level of inclusion (69.5%), a smaller proportion feeling a high level of inclusion (22.7%), and a tiny proportion feeling a low level of inclusion (7.8%). The three profiles differ significantly on key variables, demonstrating that the group feeling more included tends to be more aged and tenured, hold a higher educational degree, work in the high-tech sector, and come from a developed area. Such a group also shows more engagement in their work but less exhaustion, feels that they have more opportunities for development, and gains more support from colleagues and supervisors. Our findings point to the existence of subgroups of inclusion within the Chinese context and highlight the characteristics of these profiles, which in turn shed lights on how we can reach the goal of inclusion.

The Influence of Land Disposition Derived from Land Finance on Urban Innovation in China: Mechanism Discussion and Empirical Evidence.

As China's economy advances into a new stage of high-quality development driven by scientific and technological innovation, it is of great practical importance to probe what effects land disposition, which underpinned the previous round of rapid economic growth, and may have an exertion on developing innovation. Based on a deep exploration of the potential positive and negative influences of land disposition in relation to the effects of land finance on urban innovation, we employed a dynamic spatial Durbin model, along with panel data from 266 Chinese prefecture-level cities over the period 2004-2017. The empirical results show that the development of China's urban innovation has had significant path dependence, spatial agglomeration, and inhibiting effects on neighboring cities, and these effects are attributed to inter-governmental competition and the Matthew effect. Overall, the combined impacts of land disposition modes on urban innovation have changed, from facilitative in the early stage to inhibitory at present. In the developed cities of east China, the facilitative effect of land disposition has weakened gradually, and tends to disappear entirely, while the change in impact over time in less developed mid-western cities is consistent with the national sample. This study broadens our understanding of the role of land disposition in China's urban innovative development and has meaningful direct implications for policymakers.

Assessing the threshold effects of road infrastructure construction on farmland use transition: an empirical study in China.

China's rapid road infrastructure construction (RIC) occupies farmland and promotes the flow of rural development factors, which causes farmland use transition (FUT). Although prior research on RIC and their impact on FUT has attracted considerable attention, few studies have investigated the threshold effect of RIC on FUT. Threshold effect is the phenomenon that when the level of RIC reaches a certain critical value, the level of FUT changes abruptly. This paper uses China's provincial panel data from 2004 to 2018 to evaluate FUT. We also consider the spatial spillover effect of RIC and construct a panel threshold regression model to assess the impact of RIC on FUT. The results demonstrate that, considering the spatial spillover effect, RIC significantly promotes FUT, and the threshold effect first rises and then falls. Also, the threshold effect of RIC on FUT also has significant regional heterogeneity. There is a significant single threshold effect for RIC in central and western China, with threshold values of 0.90 and 0.84, respectively, while the spatial lag of RIC in eastern China has a single threshold with a value of 1.10. Our research indicates that the Chinese central government should promote the synergistic increase in RIC and sustainable farmland use by improving the accessibility of road infrastructure and basing RIC planning on the actual development needs of the region.