Effects of a Multicomponent Intervention With Cognitive Training and Lifestyle Guidance for Older Adults at Risk of Dementia: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: This study examined the effects of a multicomponent intervention program on cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD).Methods: This was a 2-arm, randomized controlled trial in which a multicomponent intervention was applied. Participants were recruited from June 2020 to August 2020, randomization and intervention began in August 2020, and the entire program ended in January 2021. It included cognitive training (mnemonic strategy training) and lifestyle guidance (diet, sleep, and exercise guidance) for 7 weeks. A total of 123 Chinese community-dwelling older adults experiencing MCI or SCD were randomly divided into a multicomponent intervention group (n = 62) and a health education group (n = 61). The global cognitive function was measured using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The cognitive domains outcomes included memory functions measured using the immediate and delayed tests of the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT) and Logical Memory Test (LMT), and executive function and attention measured using the Digital Symbol Substitution Test (DSST) and Digit Span Test (DST). Data were collected at baseline and postintervention.Results: For cognitive outcome, the results of linear mixed-effect model showed significant time × group effects in the MMSE (Cohen d =0.63 [95% CI, 0.27 to 1.00], F = 10.25, P = .002). This study found significant time × group effects in AVLT-immediate (Cohen d = 0.47 [95% CI, 0.11 to 0.83], F = 8.18, P = .005), AVLT delayed (Cohen d = 0.45 [95% CI, 0.10 to 0.81], F = 4.59, P = .034), LMT-delayed (Cohen d = 0.71 [95% CI, 0.34 to 1.07], F = 4.59, P = .034), DSST (Cohen d = 0.27 [95% CI, -0.08 to 0.63], F = 4.83, P = .030), and DST (Cohen d =0.69 [95% CI, 0.33 to 1.05], F = 8.58, P = .004).Conclusions and Implications: The results support the feasibility and effectiveness of the multicomponent intervention program in improving cognitive function in community dwelling older adults at risk of dementia. The high adherence of this program shows its potential for promotion in the community and supports a larger and longer trial.Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200061420).

Physical activity and health-related quality of life in older adults: depression as a mediator.

BACKGROUND: Physical activity(PA) is associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among older adults, and both are associated with mood, such as depression. However, the indirect effects of PA on HRQoL in older adults have not been clearly established. This study explained how different types and intensities of PA were associated with HRQoL while considering the effects of depression in older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 7,518 community-dwelling older adults aged 60 years and older. PA (leisure-time, household, and work-related), depression, and HRQoL were measured using the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE), the 30-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30), and the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), respectively. Information on age, gender, education, monthly income, activities of daily living, smoking, and alcohol drinking was also collected. Regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between PA, depression and HRQoL, and a mediation effect test process was used to verify the mediating mechanism of the depression on this relationship. RESULTS: The study showed that after adjusting for a set of covariates, SF-36 Physical Component Summary (PCS) scores were negatively associated with depression (B = -2.046, 95% CI [2.584, -1.509]) and positively with PA (p < 0.001). Similarly, SF-36 Mental Component Summary (MCS) scores were negatively associated with depression (B = -11.657, 95% CI [-12.190, -11.124]). In mediation analyses, we found that depression partially mediated the relationship between different types and intensities PA and PCS (moderate leisure-time PA: B = 0.223, 95%CI [0.153,0.293], P < 0.001; vigorous leisure-time PA: B = 0.323, 95%CI [0.232,0.413], P < 0.001; moderate household PA: B = 0.092, 95%CI [0.045,0.139], P < 0.001; vigorous household PA: B = 0.137, 95%CI [0.085,0.190], P < 0.001; work-related PA: B = 0.193, 95%CI [0.658,0.190], P < 0.001) and MCS (moderate leisure-time PA: B = 1.243, 95%CI [1.008,1.479], P < 0.001; vigorous leisure-time PA: B = 1.800, 95%CI [1.585,2.015], P < 0.001; moderate household PA: B = 0.496, 95%CI [0.274,0.718], P < 0.001; vigorous household PA: B = 0.742, 95%CI [0.521,0.963], P < 0.001; work-related PA: B = 1.026, 95%CI [0.819,1.234], P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that leisure-time, household, and work-related PA were negatively associated with depression, while positively affecting HRQoL in Chinese older adults. The relationships between different types and intensities of PA and HRQoL were mediated by depression. Interventions aimed at promoting purposeful exercise and different types of PA may have mental health benefits. It is recommended that geriatric health managers and healthcare planners prioritize interventions to help improve PA intensities, alleviate depressive symptoms to promote beneficial effects on HRQoL in older adults.

Extra- and intranuclear heat perception and triggering mechanisms in plants.

The escalating impact of global warming on crop yield and quality poses a significant threat to future food supplies. Breeding heat-resistant crop varieties holds promise, but necessitates a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant heat tolerance. Recent studies have shed light on the initial events of heat perception in plants. In this review, we provide a comprehensive summary of the recent progress made in unraveling the mechanisms of heat perception and response in plants. Calcium ion (Ca2+), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and nitric oxide (NO) have emerged as key participants in heat perception. Furthermore, we discuss the potential roles of the NAC transcription factor NTL3, thermo-tolerance 3.1 (TT3.1), and Target of temperature 3 (TOT3) as thermosensors associated with the plasma membrane. Additionally, we explore the involvement of cytoplasmic HISTONE DEACETYLASE 9 (HDA9), mRNA encoding the phytochrome-interacting factor 7 (PIF7), and chloroplasts in mediating heat perception. This review also highlights the role of intranuclear transcriptional condensates formed by phytochrome B (phyB), EARLY FLOWERING 3 (ELF3), and guanylate-binding protein (GBP)-like GTPase 3 (GBPL3) in heat perception. Finally, we raise the unresolved questions in the field of heat perception that require further investigation in the future.

Photosynthesis Response and Transcriptional Analysis: Dissecting the Role of SlHB8 in Regulating Drought Resistance in Tomato Plants.

Deciphering drought resistance in crops is crucial for enhancing water productivity. Previous studies have highlighted the significant role of the transcription factor SlHB8 in regulating developmental processes in tomato plants but its involvement in drought resistance remains unclear. Here, gene overexpression (SlHB8-OE) and gene knockout (slhb8) tomato plants were utilized to study the role of SlHB8 in regulating drought resistance. Our findings showed that slhb8 plants exhibited a robust resistant phenotype under drought stress conditions. The stomata of slhb8 tomato leaves displayed significant closure, effectively mitigating the adverse effects of drought stress on photosynthetic efficiency. The slhb8 plants exhibited a decrease in oxidative damage and a substantial increase in antioxidant enzyme activity. Moreover, slhb8 effectively alleviated the degree of photoinhibition and chloroplast damage caused by drought stress. SlHB8 regulates the expression of numerous genes related to photosynthesis (such as SlPSAN, SlPSAL, SlPSBP, and SlTIC62) and stress signal transduction (such as SlCIPK25, SlABA4, and SlJA2) in response to drought stress. Additionally, slhb8 plants exhibited enhanced water absorption capacity and upregulated expression of several aquaporin genes including SlPIP1;3, SlPIP2;6, SlTIP3;1, SlNIP1;2, and SlXIP1;1. Collectively, our findings suggest that SlHB8 plays a negative regulatory role in the drought resistance of tomato plants.

Social support and cognitive function in Chinese older adults who experienced depressive symptoms: is there an age difference?

Objective: This study examined the moderating effect of overall social support and the different types of social support on cognitive functioning in depressed older adults. We also investigated whether the moderating effect varied according to age. Methods: A total of 2,500 older adults (≥60 years old) from Shanghai, China were enrolled using a multistage cluster sampling method. Weighted linear regression and multiple linear regression was utilized to analyze the moderating effect of social support on the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function and to explore its differences in those aged 60-69, 70-79, and 80 years and above. Results: After adjusting for covariates, the results indicated that overall social support (ß = 0.091, p = 0.043) and support utilization (ß = 0.213, p < 0.001) moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive function. Support utilization reduced the possibility of the cognitive decline in depressed older adults aged 60-69 years (ß = 0.310, p < 0.001) and 80 years and above (ß = 0.199, p < 0.001), while objective support increased the possibility of cognitive decline in depressed older people aged 70-79 years (ß = -0.189, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our findings highlight the buffering effects of support utilization on cognitive decline in depressed older adults. We suggest that age-specific measures should be taken when providing social support to depressed older adults in order to reduce the deterioration of cognitive function.

Study of Temperature on the Corrosion Behavior of Antibacterial Steel by a Large-Scale Multiphase Flow Corrosion Test Loop.

The System #2 flow loop used in this study is a 4-inch-diameter, high-temperature, high-pressure system. In situ corrosion and electrochemical measurements were performed using a homemade flat corrosion specimen and a three-electrode probe. The experiment results show that temperature has an accelerated influence on the corrosion of antibacterial alloy steel. With the increase of temperature and the presence of O2 in the environment, a loose and porous corrosion product film was formed on the surface of the resistant steel, which made it easier for the corrosion medium to enter the corrosion product film from the pore, thus accelerating the corrosion.

Effects of cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms on health-related quality of life in community-dwelling older adults: The mediating role of disability in the activities of daily living and the instrumental activities of daily living.

The objective of this study was to estimate the joint effects of cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and to explore the mediating role of disability among Chinese community-dwelling older adults. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 2525 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥60 years and living in Shanghai, China in 2019. Participants were divided into four groups: (1) non-depressed without dementia, (2) non-depressed with probable MCI, (3) depressed without dementia and (4) depressed with probable mild cognitive impairment (MCI). HRQoL was assessed using the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey. Cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms were evaluated with the AD8 and the Geriatric Depression Scale respectively. Activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) disability and other sociodemographic variables were also assessed. The results of this study showed that controlling for sociodemographic characteristics, significant differences in a physical component score (PCS) and a mental component score (MCS) of HRQoL were found across the four groups. Compared to those who were non-depressed without dementia, older adults who were depressed with probable MCI reported the lowest level of PCS and MCS, followed by older adults who were depressed without dementia. Both ADL and IADL disabilities played mediating roles in the relationship between cognitive impairment and depressive symptoms and PCS. Based on this study, we suggest that the early detection and adequate management of depressive symptoms and cognitive status-as well as efforts to improve individuals' ability to manage their ADLs and IADLs-may help to maintain or improve their HRQoL.

Association between physical activity and mild cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults: Depression as a mediator.

Introduction: Dementia has become a public health priority and is irreversible. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI), an intermediate state between normal cognition and dementia, is the prime time for early diagnosis and intervention. The activities of daily living of dementia patients are usually insufficient. Therefore, continuing to explore the risk factors of MCI, especially the influence of physical activity on MCI and its mechanism can enrich the relevant research fields in China. Materials and methods: For this cross-sectional study, 2,518 adults aged 60 years or older in Xinzhuang, Minhang District, Shanghai were recruited between July 2019 and April 2019, using a multistage, cluster-sampling method. A binary unconditional logistic regression model was used with MCI status as the dependent variable. Different types of physical activity were separately included in the multifactor model to test their correlations. Sensitivity analysis was performed using BADL as a stratification factor. The mediating effect of depression between physical activity and MCI was examined using the Bootstrap method. Results: This research includes 271 (10.8%) MCI. Old age (odds ratio 2.967 [95%CI 2.063∼4.269]), having diabetes (1.816 [1.302∼2.534]), and depression (3.012 [2.209∼4.108]) were possible risk factors for MCI. High education level (0.722 [0.523∼0.999]), medium level of physical activity (0.459 [0.326∼0.645]), and high level of physical activity (0.396 [0.270∼0.580]) were possible protective factors. Medium (0.548 [0.396∼0.757]) and high levels (0.557 [0.366∼0.846]) of physical exercise and medium (0.433 [0.318∼0.590]) and high levels (0.487 [0.296∼0.801]) of household chores are possible protective factors of MCI and their significance remained in the mutually adjusted model. Sensitivity analysis showed that physical activity and household chores were possible protective factors in all strata (P < 0.05). Physical exercise and work-related activities showed a protective effect in fully independent older adults, but the effect disappeared in those who cannot be fully independent. Depression played a partially mediating role with an indirect effect of 6.67%. Discussion: Overall, our results highlight that physical activity is a possible protective factor for MCI. Physical exercise and household chores have strong protective effects and future interventions could be targeted from this perspective. Depression plays a partially mediating role and more attention should be paid to the mental health of older adults.

The SlTPL3-SlWUS module regulates multi-locule formation in tomato by modulating auxin and gibberellin levels in the shoot apical meristem.

Malformed fruits depreciate a plant's market value. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), fruit malformation is associated with the multi-locule trait, which involves genes regulating shoot apical meristem (SAM) development. The expression pattern of TOPLESS3 (SlTPL3) throughout SAM development prompted us to investigate its functional significance via RNA interference (RNAi) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9 (Cas9)-mediated gene editing. Lower SlTPL3 transcript levels resulted in larger fruits with more locules and larger SAMs at the 5 d after germination (DAG5) stage. Differentially expressed genes in the SAM of wild-type (WT) and SlTPL3-RNAi plants, identified by transcriptome deep sequencing (RNA-seq), were enriched in the gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis and plant hormone signaling pathways. Moreover, exogenous auxin and paclobutrazol treatments rescued the multi-locule phenotype, indicating that SlTPL3 affects SAM size by mediating auxin and GA levels in the SAM. Furthermore, SlTPL3 interacted with WUSCHEL (SlWUS), which plays an important role in SAM size maintenance. We conducted RNA-seq and DNA affinity purification followed by sequencing (DAP-seq) analyses to identify the genes regulated by SlTPL3 and SlWUS in the SAM and to determine how they regulate SAM size. We detected 24 overlapping genes regulated by SlTPL3 and SlWUS and harboring an SlWUS-binding motif in their promoters. Furthermore, functional annotation revealed a notable enrichment for functions in auxin transport, auxin signal transduction, and GA biosynthesis. Dual-luciferase assays also revealed that SlTPL3 enhances SlWUS-mediated regulation (repression and activation) of SlPIN3 and SlGA2ox4 transcription, indicating that the SlTPL3-SlWUS module regulates SAM size by mediating auxin distribution and GA levels, and perturbations of this module result in enlarged SAM. These results provide novel insights into the molecular mechanism of SAM maintenance and locule formation in tomato and highlight the SlTPL3-SlWUS module as a key regulator.

Patterns of physical activity and their relationship with depression among community-dwelling older adults in Shanghai, China: a latent class approach.

BACKGROUND: Few studies have explored patterns of physical activity (PA) and examined their relationship with depression among community-dwelling older adults. We aimed to identify the patterns of PA through a person-centered analytical approach and examine the association between quantity and patterns of PA, and depression among community-dwelling older adults. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey study in the Minhang district, Shanghai, China, in August 2019, and used a self-administered questionnaire to collect data through home visits. The total sample included 2525 older adults. This study used the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE) to assess the quantity of PA in older adults. Depression was evaluated with the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS). Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to identify subpopulations by shared item response patterns. Logistic regressions were performed to estimate the relationship between PASE score, patterns of PA, and depression. An exploratory analysis of joint levels and patterns of PA effects on depression was based on sample subgroups with combinations of levels and patterns of PA. Logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratio for combined subgroups. RESULTS: Four latent classes were identified: "domestic types," "athletic types," "gardening/caring types," and "walkers." PASE scores and patterns of PA both were associated with depression. Older adults who were the most active (PASE quartile: 75-100%) and the athletic types had the strongest significant association with depression (OR = 0.19, 95% CI: 0.06-0.65), followed by those who were the most active (PASE quartile: 75-100%) and the walkers (OR = 0.28, 95% CI: 0.14-0.57) when compared with older adults with the least activity (PASE quartile: 0-25%) and domestic types. CONCLUSION: This study suggests both the quantity and patterns of physical activity are associated with depressive symptoms among community-dwelling older adults. Population-level intervention should encourage community-dwelling older adults to increase their quantity of PA to reduce the risk of depression. Athletics and walkers are recommended. To develop individual-level tailored interventions, more attention should be paid to older adults who are highly engaged in gardening/caring for others.

Remaining Useful Life Prognostics of Bearings Based on a Novel Spatial Graph-Temporal Convolution Network.

As key equipment in modern industry, it is important to diagnose and predict the health status of bearings. Data-driven methods for remaining useful life (RUL) prognostics have achieved excellent performance in recent years compared to traditional methods based on physical models. In this paper, we propose a novel data-driven method for predicting the remaining useful life of bearings based on a deep graph convolutional neural network with spatiotemporal domain convolution. This network uses the average sliding root mean square (ASRMS) as the health factor to identify the healthy and degraded states, and then uses correlation coefficient analysis on the hybrid features of the degraded data to construct a spatial graph according to the strength of the correlation between the obtained features. In the time domain, we introduce historical data as the input to the temporal convolution. After the data are processed by the spatial map and the temporal dimension, we perform the prediction of the remaining useful life. The experimental results show the accuracy of the method.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Stigma Related to Dementia Among Illiterate and Literate Older Adults in Shanghai.

BACKGROUND: China has the largest population of patients with dementia worldwide, no assessment of illiterate old population's dementia knowledge, attitudes, stigma have been conducted so far in China. AIM: This study focused on the impact of education on knowledge, attitudes, and stigma related to dementia. METHODS: The community-based sample used in this study was recruited using multi-stage random sampling from residents aged ≥60 years registered in Shanghai. We used the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-30) to identify depression, and the Ascertain Dementia 8 questionnaire (AD8) for evaluating participants' cognitive impairment. Knowledge, Attitude, Belief, and Practice scale, Perceptions Regarding Investigational Screening for Memory in Primary Care (PRISM-PC) were used for measuring dementia knowledge, attitudes, stigma. We separated the population into illiterate and literate group, propensity score matching based on age, sex, depression, and cognitive impairment. We calculated the difference of knowledge, attitudes, and stigma related to dementia between illiterate and literate groups. RESULTS: Two thousand five hundred and eighteen participants completed the survey. After propensity score matching, 186 pairs of matched participants left. The overall correct rate of dementia knowledge was 70.34%. The illiterate group had a lower percentage of correct answers for each knowledge item. The item "Dementia is not a disease, it is forgetfulness due to aging" had the lowest accuracy rate in both groups (38.71% vs. 50.54%, p=0.022). Illiterate older adults were less accepting of dementia than literate older adults. The majority of participants did not agree that: "There is no need to visit a doctor when older people have memory loss, difficulty communicating, or finding words" (56.99% vs. 68.28%). Illiterate older adults had higher scores for the items assessing stigma toward dementia than literate older adults. CONCLUSION: Dementia-related knowledge and attitudes among community-dwelling older adults in Shanghai may be related to literacy.

Radiomics Approaches for Predicting Liver Fibrosis With Nonenhanced T1 -Weighted Imaging: Comparison of Different Radiomics Models.

BACKGROUND: Liver fibrosis is a common process resulting from various etiologies. Sustained progression of liver fibrosis leads to cirrhosis, even hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, noninvasive staging of liver fibrosis is of clinical importance. Radiomics is an emerging approach for staging liver fibrosis. However, the feature selection methods and classifier models are complicated, and may result in a discrepancy of diagnostic performance owing to different radiomics models. PURPOSE: To identify the optimal feature selection and classifier methods for predicting liver fibrosis by using nonenhanced T1 -weighted imaging. STUDY TYPE: Prospective. ANIMAL MODEL: Wistar rats, total 97. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE: 3T, 3D T1 -weighted images with fast-spoiled gradient echo (FSPGR). ASSESSMENT: Liver fibrosis rats were induced via subcutaneous injection of a mixture of carbon tetrachloride. Rats in the control group were injected with saline. Segmentation and feature extraction were performed by 3D slicer and the image biomarker explorer (IBEX) software package. Data preprocessing, feature selection, model building, and model comparative evaluation were conducted with Python. The liver fibrosis stage was determined by pathological examination. STATISTICAL TESTS: Receiver operating characteristic curve, fuzzy comprehensive evaluation. RESULTS: For discriminating between F0 and F1-2, F0 and F3-4, F0 and F1-4, F0-1 and F2-4, F0-2 and F3-4, and F0-3 and F4, the accuracies of 12 radiomics models were 77.27-90.91%, 73.33-86.67%, 80.56-91.67%, 74.07-88.89%, 76.47-88.24%, and 79.49-92.31%, respectively. The AUCs of the radiomics models were 0.86-0.97, 0.85-0.95, 0.89-0.97, 0.81-0.96, 0.82-0.93, and 0.85-0.96, respectively. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator / support vector machine (LASSO-SVM) model had high AUCs of 0.93-0.97. For discriminating between F0 and F1-2, F0 and F3-4, F0 and F1-4, F0-1 and F2-4, and F0-2 and F3-4, the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation showed that the LASSO-SVM model had a high fuzzy score/order of 0.087-0.091/1. DATA CONCLUSION: LASSO-SVM appears to be the optimal model for predicting liver fibrosis by using nonenhanced T1 -weighted imaging in a rodent model of liver fibrosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2. TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.

Validity and reliability of the Brain Health Self-Efficacy Scale for the elderly.

BACKGROUND: With the rapid increase in ageing population, China is confronted with the daunting challenge of a growing number of patients with neurocognitive disorders (NCDs). This trend makes the maintenance of self-health and early intervention essential, highlighting the need for a tool that assesses self-efficacy of older adults in maintaining brain health or cognitive function. AIM: This study aimed to design the Brain Health Self-Efficacy Scale (BHSES) to measure elderly individuals' attitudes to NCDs, motivations and future plans for controlling risks. The psychometric properties of BHSES have been validated. METHODS: Based on the current literature and relevant models, a 19-item scale was created during the first stage. A total of 660 older adults in the Yinhang community of Shanghai were included. The statistical approaches of item analysis, exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), criterion-related validity and reliability test were used to evaluate the quality of BHSES. In addition, the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) were used as criteria to test the criterion-related validity. RESULTS: To test item differentiation, the study adopted item analysis and excluded item 8. Selecting a random half of the sample for EFA, the BHSES was refined to 16 items, which were categorised into the following three dimensions: 'memory belief efficacy', 'self-care efficacy' and 'future planning efficacy'. These were highly consistent with the hypothesis model. Its cumulative variance contribution rate reached 61.14%, with factor loads of all items above 0.5. The three-factor model was confirmed by the remaining data through CFA. All fit indices reached the acceptable level (χ2=3.045, Goodness of Fit Index=0.898, adjusted Goodness of Fit Index=0.863, Comparative Fit Index=0.916, Incremental Fit Index=0.917, Tucker-Lewis Index=0.900, root mean square error of approximation=0.079 and root mean residual=0.068). The GDS and SAS scores revealed significant correlations with the BHSES score, indicating a high criterion-related validity. The overall Cronbach's α coefficient was 0.793, with the α coefficients' distribution of subdimensions ranging from 0.748 to 0.883. CONCLUSIONS: The 16-item, self-compiled BHSES is a reliable and valid measurement. It could help identify older adults with potential risks for developing NCDs or with high suspicion of cognitive impairment onset in recent periods and also offer insight into tracking brain health self-efficacy in association with cognition status.

Retraction notice to Plexin-B1 and Semaphorin 4D Cooperate to Promote Perineural Invasion in a RhoA/ROK-Dependent Manner Am J Pathol 180 (2012) 1232-1242.

This article has been retracted: please see Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal (https://www.elsevier.com/about/our-business/policies/article-withdrawal). This article is being retracted following correspondence from the Office of Accountability and Compliance at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. An internal investigation into this manuscript by the University of Maryland, Baltimore, found evidence that there are errors with the presentation of the standard deviations and statistical significance shown in Figure 6 which are not supported by the original data, and that these inaccuracies warrant retraction to correct the scientific record. Despite extensive efforts, the journal was unable to contact Dr. Ying-hua Yang and Dr. Hua Zhou with regard to this retraction.

Retraction Note to: Semaphorin 4D cooperates with VEGF to promote angiogenesis and tumor progression.

The Editors-in-Chief have retracted this article [1] following an investigation by the University of Maryland. The institution found that in Figures 1B and 1D, the cell lines are different and all published histograms show SEMA4D mRNA level whereas Excel data have two histograms showing SEMA4D expression and two histograms showing VEGF expression. In Figure 2B, the metadata for one image shows different treatment conditions than those reported in the article. The published image labelled "VEGF + VEGFR-2 shRNA" has a metadata label of S4d-plexinB1 shRNA2". In Figure 2E, statistical significance was shown in the published figure for four comparisons, but upon recalculation, one comparison noted as significant was not. In Figure 6A, the lower left image is labelled "VEGF shRNA" in the published figure, but the metadata label is "S4DshRNA-HN121-20X". In Figure 6C, specifically, within columns 2-4, for each antibody used for immunocytochemistry, the three images have been swapped so that the original images do not match the shRNA labels in the figure (the labels for the two antibodies were correct). In Figure 7D, the first published image is labelled as "IgG" in the paper, but the metadata show a label of "Restore (V+S).tif". The third published image has a label of "anti-VEGF IgG", and the metadata show a label of "con sh.tif". Due to these errors, the Editors-in-Chief have found that the results are no longer reliable.

Local-Migrant Gaps in Healthcare Utilization Between Older Migrants and Local Residents in China.

BACKGROUND: Older migrants in China without local resident registration (hukou) are a vulnerable population and face barriers to receiving local healthcare. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to quantify the disparities in healthcare utilization between older migrants and local residents in Shanghai, China. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. SETTING: The study was conducted in Shanghai, China, in 2016. PARTICIPANTS: Older adults (aged ≥60 years) were recruited based on a three-stage stratified cluster sampling method (2571 older locals and 1920 older migrants). MEASUREMENTS: We compared utilization of outpatient care, inpatient care, preventive care, emergency room (ER) admission, and dental care, as well as medication use between older migrants and local residents. The local-migrant gap was parsed into observed and unobserved components using the Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition method. RESULTS: Older migrants were less likely to utilize outpatient (odds ratio [OR] = 0.757; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.617-0.928), inpatient (OR = 0.642; 95% CI = 0.443-0.931), and preventive care (OR = 0.743; 95% CI = 0.643-0.858) and were more likely to use medication (OR = 1.254; 95% CI = 1.089-1.445) than local residents. Differences in ER admissions and dental care utilization were not significant in the regression analysis. The decomposition results indicated that 55% and 71% of the local-migrant gap in outpatient and preventive care utilization were attributable to individual characteristics, like health insurance. Unobserved components, including hukou-related factors and personal heterogeneous preferences, contributed 59% and 63% to utilization of inpatient care and medication use, respectively. CONCLUSION: We identified local-migrant gaps in healthcare utilization among older adults in China. Further research is needed into integration of the health insurance system, accessibility of public health welfare benefits, and reconstruction of social networks among older migrants. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:1560-1567, 2020.

Correction to: Rho-mediated activation of PI(4)P5K and lipid second messengers is necessary for promotion of angiogenesis by Semaphorin 4D.

Figure 3c of this article originally contained standard deviation values which had not been calculated correctly. A single standard deviation value was used for all 5 time points for each condition.

Retraction Note to: The Semaphorin 4D-Plexin-B1-RhoA signaling axis recruits pericytes and regulates vascular permeability through endothelial production of PDGF-B and ANGPTL4.

The Editors-in-Chief have retracted this article [1] following an investigation by the University of Maryland. The institution found that in Figure 1C, the graph showing PDGF-B does not match the original data for the 24-hour time point. The graph shows the value to be over 1000 pg/ml, but the original data have a value of 106.626. In Figure 1F, the data were entered manually to create the standard deviation bars. The data manually entered do not match the original data. When the standard deviations for the original data were calculated, the p values were no longer significant using a paired student t test. In Figure 2C, the original data do not match the published data. In Figure 4B, the images in the first lane and the fifth lane are from the same micrograph (i.e., the same set of conditions). However, the published figure claims that they are different conditions. The metadata in this figure also shows different cell lines than those noted in the article. The first and last images are labelled as "Du145 shAR3 anti AR3.jpg". The second image is labelled as "Du145 shAR8 anti AR8.jpg". The third image is labelled as "Cos1 mARs3 mS3-2 antibody-2.jpg." The fourth image is labelled as "R1 3634 bleed.jpg". Due to these errors, the Editors-in-Chief have found that the results are no longer reliable.