A scoping review and theory-informed conceptual model of professional identity formation in medical education.

INTRODUCTION: Professional identity formation (PIF) is a central tenet of effective medical education. However, efforts to support, assess and study PIF are hindered by unclear definitions and conceptualisations of what it means to 'think, act, and feel like a physician'. Gaps in understanding PIF, and by extension, its support mechanisms, can predispose individuals towards disengaged or unprofessional conduct and institutions towards short-sighted or reactionary responses to systemic issues. METHODS: A Systematic Evidence-Based Approach-guided systematic scoping review of PIF theories was conducted related to medical students, trainees and practising doctors, published between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2021 in PubMed, Embase, ERIC and Scopus databases. RESULTS: A total of 2441 abstracts were reviewed, 607 full-text articles evaluated and 204 articles included. The domains identified were understanding PIF through the lens of pivotal theories and characterising PIF by delineating the underlying factors that influence it and processes that define it. CONCLUSIONS: Based on regnant theories and frameworks related to self-concepts of identity and personhood, the relationships between key PIF influences, processes and outcomes were examined. A theory-backed integrated conceptual model was proposed to delineate the interconnected relationships among these, aiming to untangle some of the complexities inherent to PIF, to shed light on existing practices and to identify shortcomings in our understanding so as to develop mechanisms in support of its multifaceted, interlinked components.

Room temperature operation of germanium-silicon single-photon avalanche diode.

The ability to detect single photons has led to the advancement of numerous research fields1-11. Although various types of single-photon detector have been developed12, because of two main factors-that is, (1) the need for operating at cryogenic temperature13,14 and (2) the incompatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) fabrication processes15,16-so far, to our knowledge, only Si-based single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD)17,18 has gained mainstream success and has been used in consumer electronics. With the growing demand to shift the operation wavelength from near-infrared to short-wavelength infrared (SWIR) for better safety and performance19-21, an alternative solution is required because Si has negligible optical absorption for wavelengths beyond 1 µm. Here we report a CMOS-compatible, high-performing germanium-silicon SPAD operated at room temperature, featuring a noise-equivalent power improvement over the previous Ge-based SPADs22-28 by 2-3.5 orders of magnitude. Key parameters such as dark count rate, single-photon detection probability at 1,310 nm, timing jitter, after-pulsing characteristic time and after-pulsing probability are, respectively, measured as 19 kHz µm-2, 12%, 188 ps, ~90 ns and <1%, with a low breakdown voltage of 10.26 V and a small excess bias of 0.75 V. Three-dimensional point-cloud images are captured with direct time-of-flight technique as proof of concept. This work paves the way towards using single-photon-sensitive SWIR sensors, imagers and photonic integrated circuits in everyday life.

Damage Evolution and Acoustic Emission Characteristics of Sandstone under Freeze-Thaw Cycles.

The deformation and fracture characteristics of rocks under freeze-thaw cycles were investigated by using uniaxial compression tests with acoustic emission (AE) monitoring. The results showed that the sandstone peak stress and elastic modulus decreased with an increasing number of freeze-thaw cycles, and the strain increased significantly. The rates of increase in the total energy and elastic energy decreased with an increasing number of freeze-thaw cycles. The freeze-thaw damage factor De was directly proportional to the number of freeze-thaw cycles. The total damage factor D was inversely proportional to the freeze-thaw cycles when the freeze-thaw-induced damage and load-induced damage were coupled. By analyzing the AE energy rate, event rate, amplitude, and frequency of the sandstone during damage, it was found that the amplitude varies irregularly with the freeze-thaw cycles and that the AE energy and event rates can better show the development of internal cracks in the sandstone. The peak frequency was the most sensitive and could be used as an index to predict when the sandstone ultimately failed. The increase in the number of freeze-thaw cycles encouraged the development of internal cracks in the sandstone. The crack characteristics change from mixed tensile-shear fractures before they undergo freeze-thaw cycles to tensile fracturing after a high number of freeze-thaw cycles. These research results provide a valuable reference for understanding the mechanisms of rock damage caused by freeze-thaw cycles as well as for making predictions about the safety of engineering structures in cold climates.

Assessing professional identity formation (PIF) amongst medical students in Oncology and Palliative Medicine postings: a SEBA guided scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Introduction to a multi-professional team who are working and caring for the dying, and facing complex moral and ethical dilemmas during Oncology and Palliative Medicine postings influence a medical student's professional identity formation (PIF). However, limited appreciation of PIF, inadequate assessments and insufficient support jeopardise this opportunity to shape how medical students think, feel and act as future physicians. To address this gap, a systematic scoping review (SSR) of PIF assessment methods is proposed. METHODS: A Systematic Evidence-based Approach (SEBA) guided SSR of assessments of PIF in medical schools published between 1st January 2000 and 31st December 2021 in PubMed, Embase, ERIC and Scopus databases was carried out. Included articles were concurrently content and thematically analysed using SEBA's Split Approach and the themes and categories identified were combined using SEBA's Jigsaw Perspective. The review hinged on the following questions: "what is known about the assessment of professional identity formation amongst medical students?", "what are the theories and principles guiding the assessment of professional identity formation amongst medical students?", "what factors influence PIF in medical students?", "what are the tools used to assess PIF in medical students?", and "what considerations impact the implementation of PIF assessment tools amongst medical students?". RESULTS: Two thousand four hundred thirty six abstracts were reviewed, 602 full-text articles were evaluated, and 88 articles were included. The 3 domains identified were 1) theories, 2) assessment, and 3) implementation in assessing PIF. Differing attention to the different aspects of the PIF process impairs evaluations, jeopardise timely and appropriate support of medical students and hinder effective implementation of PIF assessments. CONCLUSION: The Krishna-Pisupati model combines current theories and concepts of PIF to provide a more holistic perspective of the PIF process. Under the aegis of this model, Palliative Care and Oncology postings are envisaged as Communities of Practice influencing self-concepts of personhood and identity and shaping how medical students see their roles and responsibilities as future physicians. These insights allow the forwarding of nine recommendations to improve assessments of PIF and shape the design of a PIF-specific tool that can direct timely and personalized support of medical students.

An integrated microfluidic platform featuring real-time reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification for detection of COVID-19.

An integrated microfluidic platform (IMP) utilizing real-time reverse-transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) was developed here for detection and quantification of three genes of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2; i.e., coronavirus diseases 2019 (COVID-19)): RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, the envelope gene, and the nucleocapsid gene for molecular diagnosis. The IMP comprised a microfluidic chip, a temperature control module, a fluidic control module that collectively carried out viral lysis, RNA extraction, RT-LAMP, and the real-time detection within 90 min in an automatic format. A limit of detection of 5 × 103 copies/reaction for each gene was determined with three samples including synthesized RNAs, inactive viruses, and RNAs extracted from clinical samples; this compact platform could be a useful tool for COVID-19 diagnostics.

A New Fitting Method for Ambipolar Diffusion Length Extraction in Thin Film Structures Using Photoluminescence Measurement with Scanning Excitation.

A new simple method is proposed to extract the ambipolar diffusion length for two-dimensional (2D) electronic transport in thin film structures using a scanning photoluminescence microscopy (SPLM) setup. No spatially-resolved photoluminescence detection methods are required. By measuring the excitation-position-dependent PL intensity across the edge of a semiconductor, ambipolar diffusion length can be extracted from the SPLM profile through a simple analytic fitting function. Numerical simulation was first used to verify the fitting method. Then the fitting method was applied to extract the ambipolar diffusion length from the measured SPLM profile of a GaAs thin film structure. Carrier lifetime was obtained in an accompanying time-resolved photoluminescence measurement under the same excitation condition, and thus the ambipolar diffusion coefficient can be determined simultaneously. The new fitting method provides a simple way to evaluate carrier transport properties in 2D electronic transport structures such as thin films or quantum wells.

Identification of Chinese Herbal Compounds with Potential as JAK3 Inhibitors.

The Janus kinases (JAKs) consist of four similar tyrosine kinases and function as key hubs in the signaling pathways that are implicated in both innate and adaptive immunity. Among the four members, JAK3 is probably the more attractive target for treatment of inflammatory diseases because its inhibition demonstrates the greatest immunosuppression and most profound effect in the treatment of such disorders. Although many JAK3 inhibitors are already available, certain shortcomings have been identified, mostly acquired drug resistance or unwanted side effects. To discover and identify new promising lead candidates, in this study, the structure of JAK3 (3LXK) was obtained from the Protein Data Bank and used for simulation modeling and protein-ligand interaction analysis. The ~36,000 Chinese herbal compounds obtained from TCM Database@Taiwan were virtually screened by AutoDock Vina docking program and filtered with Lipinski's Rules and ADME/T virtual predictions. Because of high occurrence of fake hits during docking, we selected 12 phytochemicals which have demonstrated modulating JAKs expressions among the top 50 chemicals from docking results. To validate whether these compounds are able to directly mediate JAK3 kinase, we have investigated the inhibitory activity using enzymatic activity assays, western blot, and HEK 293 cell STAT5 transactivity assays. The molecular analysis included docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in order to investigate structural conformations and to explore the key amino acids in the interaction between JAK3 kinase and its putative ligands. The results demonstrated that Cryptotanshinone, Icaritin, and Indirubin exhibited substantial inhibitory activity against JAK3 kinase in vitro. The results also provide binding models of the protein-ligand interaction, detailing the interacting amino acid residues at the active ATP-binding domains of JAK3 kinase. In conclusion, our work discovered 3 potential natural inhibitors of JAK3 kinase and could provide new possibilities and stimulate new insights for the treatment of JAK3-targeted diseases.

[Concentrations and pollution assessment of mercury in farmland soil of Xinqiao Mining Area of Tongling, Anhui, China.] / é“œé™µæ–°æ¡¥çŸ¿åŒºå‘¨è¾¹å†œç”°åœŸå£¤æ±žå«é‡åˆ†å¸ƒç‰¹å¾åŠå ¶æ±¡æŸ“è¯„ä»·.

To investigate the effects of mining activities on mercury (Hg) enrichment in farmland soil, soil samples were collected from four villages (Xinjian Village, Yehu Village, Xinhu Village and Hucheng Village) in the vicinity of Xinqiao Mining Area, Tongling. Hg concentration was measured by atomic fluorescence spectrophotometer. The geo-accumulation index was used to evaluate the Hg pollution level of the soils. The results showed that average concentration of total Hg in farmland soil was (0.137±0.078) mg·kg-1, which exceeded the background value of soil Hg in Tongling area. The average concentration of Hg in four villages followed the order of Xinjian Village (0.221 mg·kg-1)>Xinhu Village (0.118 mg·kg-1)>Yehu Village(0.115 mg·kg-1)>Hucheng Village (0.096 mg·kg-1). Moreover, the average Hg concentration of different forms in Xinjian Village followed the order of residue (0.036 mg·kg-1) > alkali soluble (0.031 mg·kg-1) > hydrogen peroxide soluble (0.022 mg·kg-1)> acid soluble (0.020 mg·kg-1)> water soluble (0.012 mg·kg-1). The distance from the mining area was the main factor affecting the distribution of soil Hg concentration in farmlands. The contaminated Xinqiao River, to some degree, had exa-cerbated soil Hg pollution. Soil organic matter affected the accumulation and transformation of total Hg and hydrogen peroxide Hg in the farmlands. The order of the geo-accumulation index followed as Xinjian Village(1.559) >Xinhu Village(0.654) >Yehu Village(0.616) >Hucheng Village(0.356). The pollution level of farmland soil in Xinjian Village belonged to middle level of Hg pollution,which deserved more attention.

Computational Study of H2S Release in Reactions of Diallyl Polysulfides with Thiols.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gasotransmitter molecule recognized for its role in cell signaling. Garlic-derived polysulfides including diallyl disulfide (DADS) and diallyl trisulfide (DATS) have been shown to release H2S. We investigated the mechanism of the reaction of DADS and DATS with biological thiols, including cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH), using density functional theory. We propose that Cys and GSH react with DADS and DATS in their anionic forms. Thiol anions are much more likely to attack the sulfur atoms of DADS and DATS than the α-carbon of allyl groups. We found that nucleophilic attack of thiol anions on the peripheral sulfur of DATS is kinetically and thermodynamically more favorable than that on the central sulfur atom, resulting in the formation of allyl perthiol anion (ASS-). In the presence of Cys or GSH, H2S is released by proton-shuffle from the thiol to ASS-, followed by another nucleophilic attack by thiol anion on ASSH. Our computed potential energy surfaces revealed that GSH and Cys are capable of releasing H2S from DATS and that DADS is a much poorer H2S donor than DATS.

Sirolimus Versus Tacrolimus as Primary Immunosuppressant After Renal Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis and Economics Evaluation.

Sirolimus and tacrolimus are the major immunosuppressants for renal transplantation. Several studies have compared these 2 drugs, but the outcomes were not consistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacoeconomics of sirolimus and tacrolimus in the treatment of renal transplantation and provide evidence for the selection of essential drugs. Trials were identified through a computerized literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane controlled trials register, Cochrane Renal Group Specialized Register of randomized controlled trials, and Chinese Biomedical database. Two independent reviewers assessed trials for eligibility and quality and then extracted data. Data were extracted for patient and graft mortality, acute rejection (AR), and adverse events. Dichotomous outcomes were reported as relative risk with 95% confidence intervals. A decision tree model was populated with data from a literature review and used to estimate costs and QALYs gained and incremental cost-effectiveness. Altogether, 1189 patients from 8 randomized controlled trials were included. The results of our analysis were that tacrolimus reduced the risks after renal transplantation of AR and patient withdrawn. Nevertheless, tacrolimus increased the risk of infection. Pharmacoeconomic analysis showed that tacrolimus represented a more cost-effective treatment than does cyclosporine for the prevention of adverse events after renal transplant. Tacrolimus is an effective and safe immunosuppressive agent, and it may be more cost-effective than cyclosporine for the primary prevention of AR in renal transplant recipients. However, it should be noted that such superiority was reversal when the cost of sirolimus and tacrolimus changed.

Tacrolimus Versus Cyclosporine as Primary Immunosuppressant After Renal Transplantation: A Meta-Analysis and Economics Evaluation.

Tacrolimus and cyclosporine are the major immunosuppressants for renal transplantation. Several studies have compared these 2 drugs, but the outcomes were not consistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and pharmacoeconomics of cyclosporine and tacrolimus in the treatment of renal transplantation and provide evidence for the selection of essential drugs. Trials were identified through a computerized literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Cochrane Renal Group Specialized Register of randomized controlled trials, and Chinese Biomedical database. Two independent reviewers assessed trials for eligibility and quality and then extracted data. Data were extracted for patient and graft mortality, acute rejection, and adverse events. Dichotomous outcomes were reported as relative risk with 95% confidence intervals. A decision tree model was populated with data from a literature review and used to estimate costs and quality-adjusted life years gained and incremental cost-effectiveness. Altogether, 6137 patients from 27 randomized controlled trials were included. The results of our analysis were that tacrolimus reduced the risks after renal transplantation of patient mortality, graft loss, acute rejection, and hypercholesterolemia. Nevertheless, tacrolimus increased the risk of new-onset diabetes. Pharmacoeconomic analysis showed that tacrolimus represented a more cost-effective treatment than does cyclosporine for the prevention of adverse events following renal transplant. Tacrolimus is an effective and safe immunosuppressive agent and it may be more cost-effective than cyclosporine for the primary prevention of graft rejection in renal transplant recipients. However, new-onset diabetes should be closely monitored during the medication period.

All-optical switching in GaAs microdisk resonators by a femtosecond pump-probe technique through tapered-fiber coupling.

We demonstrate ultrafast all-optical switching in GaAs microdisk resonators using a femtosecond pump-probe technique through tapered-fiber coupling. The temporal tuning of the resonant modes resulted from the refractive index change due to photoexcited carrier density variation inside the GaAs microdisk resonator. Transmission through the GaAs microdisk resonator can be modulated by more than 10 dB with a switching time window of 8 ps in the switch-off operation using pumping pulses with energies as low as 17.5 pJ. The carrier lifetime was fitted to be 42 ps, much shorter than that of the bulk GaAs, typically of the order of nanoseconds. The above observation indicates that the surface recombination plays an important role in increasing the switching speed.

Alkali-soluble polysaccharide, isolated from Lentinus edodes, induces apoptosis and G2/M cell cycle arrest in H22 cells through microtubule depolymerization.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the pro-apoptotic effects of polysaccharides derived from Lentinus edodes and further elucidated the mechanisms of this action. Our results demonstrated that marked morphological changes of apoptosis were observed after treatment of L. edodes polysaccharides [Lentinan (LTN)]. Moreover, LTN-induced cell apoptosis was characterized by a rapid stimulation of reactive oxygen species production, the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and an increase in intracellular concentration of Ca(2+) . In addition, the results of the haematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL assay further confirmed that LTN-induced apoptosis in vivo. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis showed that LTN could arrest the cell cycle at G2/M phase, and immunofluorescence showed LTN caused disruption of microtubule. These results suggest that disruption of cellular microtubule network, arrest of the cell cycle at G2/M phase and induction of apoptosis may be one of the possible mechanisms of anti-tumour effect of LTN.

Diacylglycerol lipase regulates lifespan and oxidative stress response by inversely modulating TOR signaling in Drosophila and C. elegans.

Target of rapamycin (TOR) signaling is a nutrient-sensing pathway controlling metabolism and lifespan. Although TOR signaling can be activated by a metabolite of diacylglycerol (DAG), phosphatidic acid (PA), the precise genetic mechanism through which DAG metabolism influences lifespan remains unknown. DAG is metabolized to either PA via the action of DAG kinase or 2-arachidonoyl-sn-glycerol by diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL). Here, we report that in Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans, overexpression of diacylglycerol lipase (DAGL/inaE/dagl-1) or knockdown of diacylglycerol kinase (DGK/rdgA/dgk-5) extends lifespan and enhances response to oxidative stress. Phosphorylated S6 kinase (p-S6K) levels are reduced following these manipulations, implying the involvement of TOR signaling. Conversely, DAGL/inaE/dagl-1 mutants exhibit shortened lifespan, reduced tolerance to oxidative stress, and elevated levels of p-S6K. Additional results from genetic interaction studies are consistent with the hypothesis that DAG metabolism interacts with TOR and S6K signaling to affect longevity and oxidative stress resistance. These findings highlight conserved metabolic and genetic pathways that regulate aging.

The evaluation of efficacy and safety of sunitinib on EGFR-TKI pretreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer patients in China.

BACKGROUND: Sunitinib is an oral multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) exhibiting antiagiogenic and antitumor effects. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and potential toxicity of sunitinib therapy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in China. METHODS: From January 2009 to August 2011, 30 patients with stage IV NSCLC, who were pretreated with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-TKIs and then received sunitinib, were retrospectively reviewed. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to determine the potential prognostic risk factors influencing NSCLC survival. RESULTS: The median progression-free survival (PFS) and median overall survival (OS) of all 30 treated patients was 1.25 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.90-1.9 months] and 3.40 months (95% CI: 3.00-6.80 months), respectively. Cox regression analysis suggested that Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) is predictive of both PFS (P=0.001) and OS (P<0.001). Common adverse events (AEs) included hand-foot syndrome (53.3%), mucositis (40.0%), rash (36.7%) and diarrhea (33.3%). CONCLUSION: No sign of overall clinical benefits of sunitinib was detected in patients with pretreated EGFR-TKIs. Most patients suffered AEs from mild to moderate severity. ECOG PS is highly associated with PFS and OS rate. Further studies in NSCLC are required to determine whether sunitinib is beneficial nor not.

Inactivated influenza virus vaccine is efficient and reduces IL-4 and IL-6 in allergic asthma mice.

BACKGROUND: Allergic asthma is a globally respiratory inflammatory disease. Influenza virus is a respiratory pathogen that causes yearly epidemics and results in high rates of morbidity and mortality. Patients with allergic asthma had a more severe symptom and a higher mortality when they were infected with influenza virus. Hence, influenza vaccination is recommended for patients with asthma. OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the efficacy and effects of influenza vaccination on allergic asthma in a mouse model. METHODS: Ovalbumin-immunized mice were inoculated with inactivated influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (PR8) as vaccines and morbidity or mortality and allergic asthma features of these mice were analyzed. RESULTS: Mice inoculated with inactivated PR8 induced high levels of anti-PR8 IgG2a and upregulation of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7. Vaccinated allergic mice were healthy when they were challenged with live influenza virus while none of non-vaccinated allergic mice survived. Furthermore, inactivated influenza virus vaccine induced neither extra airway inflammation nor asthma features such as IgE, airway hyper-reactivity, and eosinophilia in allergic mice. Particularly, decreased frequency of immune cell infiltrated airways and Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-6 production in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were noted in vaccinated allergic mice. These results suggested that inactivated influenza virus vaccine is efficient to protect allergic mice from further influenza infection, and it does not exacerbate but reduces IL-4 and IL-6 of allergic asthma. CONCLUSION: Influenza vaccination is essential and efficient for allergic subjects to protect influenza virus infection.

Probing dynamics and mechanism of exchange process of quaternary ammonium dimeric surfactants, 14-s-14, in the presence of conventional surfactants.

In this Article, we investigated effects of different types of conventional surfactants on exchange dynamics of quaternary ammonium dimeric surfactants, with chemical formula C(14)H(29)N(+)(CH(3))(2)- (CH(2))(s)-N(+)(CH(3))(2)C(14)H(29)·2Br(-), or 14-s-14 for short. Two nonionic surfactants, TritonX-100 (TX-100) and polyethylene glycol (23) laurylether (Brij-35), and one cationic surfactant, n-tetradecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (TTAB), and one ionic surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) were chosen as typical conventional surfactants. Exchange rates of 14-s-14 (s = 2, 3, and 4) between the micelle form and monomer in solution were detected by two NMR methods: one-dimensional (1D) line shape analysis and two-dimensional (2D) exchange spectroscopy (EXSY). Results show that the nonionic surfactants (TX-100 and Brij-35), the cationic surfactant (TTAB), and the ionic surfactant (SDS) respectively accelerated, barely influenced, and slowed the exchange rate of 14-s-14. The effect mechanism was investigated by the self-diffusion experiment, relaxation time measurements (T(2)/T(1)), the fluorescence experiment (I(1)/I(3)) and observed chemical shift variations. Results reveal that, nonionic conventional surfactants (TX-100 and Brij-35) loosened the molecule arrangement and decreased hydrophobic interactions in the micelle, and thus accelerated the exchange rate of 14-s-14. The cationic conventional surfactant (TTAB) barely changed the molecule arrangement and thus barely influenced the exchange rate of 14-s-14. The ionic conventional surfactant (SDS) introduced the electrostatic attraction effect, tightened the molecule arrangement, and increased hydrophobic interactions in the micelle, and thus slowed down the exchange rate of 14-s-14. Additionally, the two-step exchange mechanism of 14-s-14 in the mixed solution was revealed through interesting variation tendencies of exchange rates of 14-s-14.

Polysaccharide isolated from Angelica sinensis inhibits hepcidin expression in rats with iron deficiency anemia.

A novel polysaccharide named Angelica sinensis polysaccharide (ASP) was obtained from the powdered and defatted roots of A. sinensis (Oliv.) Diels. The molecular weight of ASP was determined to be 78 kDa and was 95.0% sugars consisting of mostly arabinose, glucose, and galactose with a molar ratio of 1:5.68:3.91. A previous study indicated that ASP may increase plasma iron levels by suppressing the expression of hepcidin, a negative regulator of body iron metabolism, in the liver. The present study aims to clarify the inhibitory effect of ASP on hepcidin expression in rat models of iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and clarify the mechanisms involved. It was demonstrated that ASP significantly reduced hepcidin expression by inhibiting the expression of mothers against decapentaplegic protein 4 (SMAD4) in liver and stimulating the secretion of erythropoietin, which further downregulated hepcidin by repressing CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α (C/EBPα) and the phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3/5. The results indicate that ASP can suppress the expression of hepcidin in rats with IDA, and may be useful for the treatment of IDA.

The International Alcohol Control (IAC) study-evaluating the impact of alcohol policies.

BACKGROUND: This paper describes a new multicountry collaborative project to assess the impact of alcohol control policy. Longitudinal surveys of drinkers in a number of participating countries and analysis of the policy context allow for the assessment of change over time within countries and comparison between countries. The design of the study is modeled on the International Tobacco Control study and aims to assess the impact of alcohol policies in different cultural contexts on policy-related behaviors and alcohol consumption. A survey instrument and protocol for policy analysis have been developed by the initial participating countries: England, Scotland, Thailand, South Korea, and New Zealand. The first round of data collection is scheduled for 2011-2012. MEASUREMENTS: The survey instrument (International Alcohol Control [IAC] survey) measures key policy relevant behaviors: place and time of purchase, amounts purchased and price paid; ease of access to alcohol purchase; alcohol marketing measures; social supply; perceptions of alcohol affordability and availability and salience of price; perceptions of enforcement; people's experiences with specific alcohol restrictions; support for policy and consumption (typical quantity, frequency using beverage and location-specific measures). The Policy Analysis Protocol (PoLAP) assesses relevant aspects of the policy environment including regulation and implementation. RESULTS: It has proved feasible to design instruments to collect detailed data on behaviors relevant to alcohol policy change and to assess the policy environment in different cultural settings. CONCLUSIONS: In a policy arena in which the interest groups and stakeholders have different perceptions of appropriate policy responses to alcohol-related harm, a robust methodology to assess the impact of policy will contribute to the debate.