Lower fractional dimension in Alzheimer's disease correlates with reduced locus coeruleus signal intensity.

This study aimed to determine the pattern of fractional dimension (FD) in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, and investigate the relationship between FD and the locus coeruleus (LC) signal intensity.A total of 27 patients with AD and 25 healthy controls (HC) were collected to estimate the pattern of fractional dimension (FD) and cortical thickness (CT) using the Computational Anatomy Toolbox (CAT12), and statistically analyze between groups on a vertex level using statistical parametric mapping 12. In addition, they were examined by neuromelanin sensitive MRI(NM-MRI) technique to calculate the locus coeruleus signal contrast ratios (LC-CRs). Additionally, correlations between the pattern of FD and LC-CRs were further examined.Compared to HC, AD patients showed widespread lower CT and FD Furthermore, significant positive correlation was found between local fractional dimension (LFD) of the left rostral middle frontal cortex and LC-CRs. Results suggest lower cortical LFD is associated with LCCRs that may reflect a reduction due to broader neurodegenerative processes. This finding may highlight the potential utility for advanced measures of cortical complexity in assessing brain health and early identification of neurodegenerative processes.

Circular RNAs: New players involved in the regulation of cognition and cognitive diseases.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs), a type of covalently closed endogenous single-stranded RNA, have been regarded as the byproducts of the aberrant splicing of genes without any biological functions. Recently, with the development of high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatics, thousands of circRNAs and their differential biological functions have been identified. Except for the great advances in identifying circRNA roles in tumor progression, diagnosis, and treatment, accumulated evidence shows that circRNAs are enriched in the brain, especially in the synapse, and dynamically change with the development or aging of organisms. Because of the specific roles of synapses in higher-order cognitive functions, circRNAs may not only participate in cognitive functions in normal physiological conditions but also lead to cognition-related diseases after abnormal regulation of their expression or location. Thus, in this review, we summarized the progress of studies looking at the role of circRNA in cognitive function, as well as their involvement in the occurrence, development, prognosis, and treatment of cognitive-related diseases, including autism, depression, and Alzheimer's diseases.

Study on the preparation and properties of acellular matrix from the skin of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix).

Acellular matrices are mainly composed of mammalian tissues, and aquatic tissues with lower biological risks and less religious restrictions are considered alternatives to mammalian tissues. The acellular fish skin matrix (AFSM) has been commercially available. Silver carp has the advantages of farmability, high yield and low price, but there are few studies on the silver carp acellular fish skin matrix (SC-AFSM). In this study, an acellular matrix with low DNA and endotoxin was prepared from the skin of silver carp. After treatment with trypsin/sodium dodecyl sulfate and Triton X-100 solutions, the DNA content in SC-AFSM reached 11.03 ± 0.85 ng/mg, and the endotoxin removal rate was 96.8%. The porosity of SC-AFSM was 79.64% ± 0.17%, which is favorable for cell infiltration and proliferation. The relative cell proliferation rate of SC-AFSM extract was 117.79% ± 15.26%. The wound healing experiment showed that SC-AFSM had no adverse acute pro-inflammatory response, which had a similar effect as commercial products in promoting tissue repair. Therefore, SC-AFSM has great application potential in biomaterials.

[Biomechanical evaluation of effects of percutaneous cement discoplasty and percutaneous cement interbody fusion on spinal stability].

Objective: To investigate the effects of percutaneous cement discoplasty (PCD) and percutaneous cement interbody fusion (PCIF) on spinal stability by in vitro biomechanical tests. Methods: Biomechanical test was divided into intact (INT) group, percutaneous lumbar discectomy (PLD) group, PCD group, and PCIF group. Six specimens of L 4, 5 (including vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs) from fresh male cadavers were taken to prepare PLD, PCD, and PCIF specimens, respectively. Before treatment and after the above treatments, the MTS multi-degree-of-freedom simulation test system was used to conduct the biomechanical test. The intervertebral height of the specimen was measured before and after the axial loading of 300 N, and the difference was calculated. The range of motion (ROM) and stiffness of the spine in flexion, extension, left/right bending, and left/right rotation under a torque of 7.5 Nm were calculated. Results: After axial loading, the change of intervertebral height in PLD group was more significant than that in other three groups ( P<0.05). Compared with INT group, the ROM in all directions significantly increased and the stiffness significantly decreased in PLD group ( P<0.05). Compared with INT group, the ROM of flexion, extension, and left/right rotation in PCD group significantly increased and the stiffness significantly decreased ( P<0.05); compared with PLD group, the ROM of flexion, extension, and left/right bending in PCD group significantly decreased and the stiffness significantly increased ( P<0.05). Compared with INT group, ROM of left/right bending in PCIF group significantly decreased and stiffness significantly increased ( P<0.05); compared with PLD group, the ROM in all directions significantly decreased and the stiffness significantly increased ( P<0.05); compared with PCD group, the ROM of flexion, left/right bending, and left/right rotation significantly decreased and stiffness significantly increased ( P<0.05). Conclusion: Both PCD and PCIF can provide good biomechanical stability. The former mainly affects the stiffness in flexion, extension, and bending, while the latter is more restrictive on lumbar ROM in all directions, especially in bending and rotation.

Decreased locus coeruleus signal associated with Alzheimer's disease based on neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging technique.

Objective: Neuromelanin-sensitive magnetic resonance imaging (NM-MRI) technique was used to detect the changes of the locus coeruleus (LC) signals in Alzheimer's disease patients (AD), and to analyze its correlation with cognitive function. Materials and methods: A total of 27 patients with AD, 15 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 25 healthy controls (HC) were examined by NM-MRI technique. ImageJ software was used to measure the LC signals. The locus coeruleus signal contrast ratios (LC-CRs) were calculated, along with the measurement of neuropsychological scales. Results: The LC-CRs of AD patients were significantly different from that of HC (p = 0.007, 95% CI: -0.053∼-0.007). However, such significant differences were not observed between MCI and HC (p = 1.000, 95% CI: -0.030∼0.024), AD and MCI (p = 0.050, 95% CI: -0.054∼0.000). Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was identified between LC-CRs and MMSE sub item Drawing (r = 0.484, p = 0.011) in the AD group, MoCA sub item Attention (r = 0.519, p = 0.047) in the MCI group. The area under the curve of LC-CRs in the diagnosis of AD was 0.749 (p = 0.002, 95% CI: 0.618∼0.880), with a sensitivity of 85.2% and a specificity of 56.0%. Conclusion: The NM-MRI technique could quantify the pathological degenerations of the LC in AD. Such LC degenerations can be employed to distinguish AD from healthy elderly.

The relationship between neuroticism and mobile phone use among college students in love: The masking effect of self-emotional assessment.

The relationship between neuroticism and mobile phone use is a hot research topic in the academic community. The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of self-emotional assessment and love status in the mechanism through which college students' neuroticism influences mobile phone use.We construct a moderated mediation model, and taking 869 Chinese college students as the research object and testing the mediating role of self-emotional assessment and the moderating role of love status. The results show that: (1) neuroticism was significantly positively related to mobile phone use and significantly negatively related to self-emotional assessment; self-emotional assessment was significantly positively related to mobile phone use; (2) self-emotional assessment had a masking effect on the relationship between neuroticism and mobile phone use; (3) love status not only moderated the relationship between self-emotional assessment and mobile phone use but also moderated the process through which self-emotional assessment masked the effect of neuroticism on mobile phone use. Our research expands the literature on the mechanisms underlying the effects of neuroticism on mobile phone use, enriches the understanding of the pertinent boundary conditions, and provides a better explanatory basis for the mobile phone use of college students.

Lockdown Social Isolation and Lockdown Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China: The Impact of Mindfulness.

This study is aimed to examine the impact of mindfulness in the relationship between social isolation, job and financial insecurity, and stress during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on Conservation of Resources theory, Psychological Contract theory, Mindfulness theory, and Awareness notion, we propose that lockdown job insecurity partially mediates the link from lockdown social isolation to lockdown financial insecurity, and that the relationship between lockdown social isolation and lockdown stress is mediated as follows: first, simple partial mediation through both lockdown job and financial insecurity and second, sequential mediation through lockdown job and financial insecurity, respectively. Moreover, we assume that mindfulness moderates the relationship between lockdown financial insecurity and lockdown stress. The results from our SEM analyses, using a sample of 1,356 respondents in China, support all the research hypotheses. Based on this empirical work, this study concludes that mindfulness, which is considered by many people to play a role in reducing stress during the COVID-19 lockdown period, is de facto endangering their mental health (that is, they experience more stress) instead. Theoretical and practical implications, as well as limitations and proposals for future research are discussed.

Analyzing the Spatiotemporal Distribution and Characteristics of Liver Cirrhosis in Hospitalized Patients in Wuwei, Gansu Province During 1995-2016: A Long-Term Retrospective Study.

Objectives: This was a long-term retrospective study, aiming to understand the temporal and spatial trend of cirrhosis in Wuwei from 1995 to 2016, explore its spatio-temporal aggregation, and find out the high incidence areas. To provide theoretical basis for the formulation of comprehensive prevention and treatment strategy of cirrhosis in Wuwei. Methods: Herein, we extracted data of cirrhosis patients who were treated in 12 sentinel hospitals in Wuwei from their medical records. We used SAS and Joinpoint Regression Program for data analysis, SaTScan 9.4 software for clustering area detection, and ArcGIS 10.2 software for geographical distribution mapping. Results: Among 3308 patients with liver cirrhosis (average age, 55.34 years) included in this study, 15.9% were aged 50-54 years. The majority were men (2716, 65.8%), with a sex ratio of 1.92:1 and peasants by occupation (1369, 60.3%). The basic social medical insurance system covered the healthcare costs of 1271 patients (63%). A Joinpoint regression analysis done for 1995-2016 revealed an increase in the standardized cirrhosis rate [average annual percent change (AAPC) = 16.7% (95% CI, 10.2-23.5%)] with three joinpoints in 2010, 2013, and 2016. The annual percent change (APC) from 1995 to 2010 was 11.13% (95% CI: 6.5-16.0), and APC from 2010 to 2013 was 66.48% (95% CI:16.0-138.9); conversely, from 2013 to 2016, APC was 4.4% (95% CI, -7.5-17.8%). Hongshagang Town showed the highest average incidence. Each township showed a gradual increase in the incidence after 2010. The results revealed that in each township, liver cirrhosis incidence had some spatial aggregation and was nonrandom. Four liver cirrhosis clusters were noted in 75 townships in Wuwei. Data were gathered from 2011 to 2016. Conclusions: From 1995 to 2016, the incidence of cirrhosis in Wuwei still showed an increasing trend, but the growth rate slowed down since 2013. In Wuwei, the rate of standardization of cirrhosis in female patients increased steadily and faster than in male patients. It is necessary to strengthen the diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and control measures of cirrhosis-related diseases. The results of spatial scanning, basic spatial distribution, aggregation time, and time trend analysis were consistent.

The Impact of Employees' Psychological Capital on Innovative Work Behavior: The Chain Mediating Effect of Knowledge Donating and Knowledge Collecting.

This study aimed to test the mediating role of knowledge sharing, which includes two central processes of knowledge collecting and knowledge donating, in the relationship of psychological capital and innovative work behavior (IWB). The proposed theoretical framework was based on the theory of reasoned action and social exchange theory. In a field study, using a research sample of 345 valid leader-subordinate matching data, we tested three competitive models to explore the different mediating effects of knowledge collecting and donating. Results indicated that knowledge donating and knowledge collecting played a chain mediating role between psychological capital and IWB, and the independent mediating effect of knowledge collecting was also significant. From the perspective of knowledge sharing, the present study deeply analyzes the psychological processing mechanism of psychological capital on IWB, confirms the positive significance of knowledge donating at the individual level, and provides a new perspective for organizations to promote employees' knowledge sharing and stimulate their IWB.

Social Isolation, Loneliness and Well-Being: The Impact of WeChat Use Intensity During the COVID-19 Pandemic in China.

This study is aimed to examine the impact of WeChat use intensity on social isolation, loneliness, and well-being during the lockdown period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the regulatory loop model of loneliness, the notions of Internet Paradox, the Time Displacement hypothesis and previous literature on WeChat use intensity, we propose that lockdown loneliness (partially) mediates the relationship between lockdown WeChat use intensity and well-being (i.e., lockdown stress and lockdown life satisfaction). Moreover, we assume that lockdown WeChat use intensity moderates the relationship between lockdown social isolation and well-being (i.e., lockdown stress and lockdown life satisfaction) in both a direct and in an indirect way, that is through lockdown loneliness. The results from our Structural Equation Modeling analyses, using a sample of 1,805 Chinese respondents, indicate that all of our research hypotheses are confirmed. From this empirical work, it becomes clear that online social interactions, which are believed by many people to be able to compensate for the lack of offline social interactions during the COVID-19 lockdown period, in fact are endangering their mental health and life satisfaction instead. This article concludes with theoretical and practical implications of our study, followed by its limitations and recommendations for future research.

The Role of Filial Piety in the Relationships between Work Stress, Job Satisfaction, and Turnover Intention: A Moderated Mediation Model.

In China, filial piety, which usually refers to showing respect and obedience to parents, has exerted an important effect in the relationship between work stress and turnover intention. However, the mechanism behind this effect is still unclear. To address this gap in the existing literature, we developed and tested a moderated mediation model of the relationship that work stress shares with job satisfaction and turnover intention. In accordance with the dual filial piety model and the stress-moderation model, our hypothesized model predicted that the mediating effect of job satisfaction on the relationship between work stress and turnover intention would be moderated by reciprocal filial piety (RFP) and authoritarian filial piety (AFP). The analytic results of data that were obtained from 506 employees of manufacturing industries in China supported this model. Specifically, RFP and AFP, as a contextualized personality construct, positively moderated the direct relationship between work stress and turnover intention as well as the corresponding indirect effect through job satisfaction. In particular, RFP and AFP strengthened the positive effect of work stress on turnover intention. Based on these findings, recommendations to help employees fulfill their filial duties and reduce the effect of work stress on turnover intention among employees of Chinese manufacturing industries are delineated.

A new method for determining the denaturation temperature of collagen.

The denaturation temperature of collagen has been determined using several methods, such as circular dichroism, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry, etc. Such methods need specific equipment or mass samples (more than 75 mg samples), which means higher inspection costs. In this study, Sirius red was employed to determine the Tds of collagen from calf tendon, silver carp skin, frog and salmon skins (38.2 °C, 32.6 °C, 33.8 °C, and 15.6 °C, respectively) to explore a new method that does not require special equipment and only needs 2-3 mg sample for one measurement. This method was suitable for the determination of the denaturation temperature of collagen from terrestrial, aquatic and amphibian animals. Analysis of variance and t-test revealed that no significant difference was found between Sirius Red and viscosity methods. However, the Sirius Red method needs simpler equipment and less sample than viscosity and other methods. So it could be used as a convenient approach to determine the denaturation temperature of collagen instead of the viscosity method.

A Configurational Analysis of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises' Radical Innovations: The Perspective of Dynamic Capabilities.

Adopting a configurational perspective, this study explored the pathways for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to achieve high levels of radical innovation. On the basis of dynamic capabilities theory, six causal conditions for radical innovation were identified at both external and internal levels-that is, environmental turbulence (i.e., technological and market turbulence) and absorptive capacity (i.e., knowledge base, explorative, transformative, and exploitative learning processes). The results of a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) of 82 Chinese SMEs identified four solutions for high radical innovation. The six causal conditions interacted interdependently and different combinations of these conditions were equally effective pathways for SMEs to achieve radical innovation. Hence, SMEs could generate radical innovation through flexibly allocating resources and capabilities based on the environmental circumstances. By using the fsQCA method, this study contributes to the related literature with an investigation of the complex causal relationship between environmental turbulence, absorptive capacity, and SMEs' radical innovation. The results resolve some prior contradictory findings and provide new insights for future research. Other theoretical contributions, practical implications, and directions for future research are also discussed.

The Influence of Transactive Memory System on Individual Career Resilience: The Role of Taking Charge and Self-Promotion.

The transactive memory system is known as an effective group cognitive system as well as a knowledge-sharing structure for organizations to keep competitive advantages in today's dynamic and knowledge-based business environment. However, its influence at the individual level remains vague. The purpose of this study is to explore the influence of a transactive memory system (TMS) on individual career resilience through the theoretical perspective of conservation of resources theory (COR). This research proposes and examines a moderated mediation model that elaborates how a transactive memory system affects individual career resilience. A two-stage empirical study was conducted among 328 employees from companies in China. The findings suggest that a transactive memory system significantly influences individual career resilience positively, and employee taking-charge behavior plays a mediating role in that relationship. Furthermore, the results supported our moderated mediation model, which indicates that individuals with high self-promotion motives are more likely to engage in taking-charge behavior than those with low self-promotion motives, and the former reported higher career resilience than the latter eventually. Theoretical and practical implications are also provided in the discussion section.

Does Differentiated Leadership Threaten Who I Am? Introducing a Self-Verification Perspective to Explain the Curvilinear Effect of Differentiated Empowering Leadership.

Based on the self-verification theory, this research proposed a multi-level model for exploring whether, how, and when differentiated leadership had curvilinear effects on relationship conflict within a team and further on team members' counterproductive work behaviors toward individuals (CWBI). Drawing on a sample of 297 team members nested in 78 teams, we found that differentiated empowering leadership had no direct curvilinear effects on relationship conflict. However, the results showed that the team competence variance could moderate the curvilinear relationship between differentiated empowering leadership and relationship conflict. Specifically, only in teams with high competence variance among members, differentiated empowering leadership had a U-shaped effect on relationship conflict. Moreover, differentiated empowering leadership interacted with team competence variance had a downstream effect on team members' CWBI through relationship conflict. We ended up by discussing the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.

Role of feline sarcoma­related protein in the viability and apoptosis of bladder cancer cells.

Feline sarcoma­related protein (Fer) is a type of nuclear and cytoplasmic non­receptor protein tyrosine kinase, which is associated with the progression of numerous types of cancer. Previously, we identified that Fer is associated with the migration and invasion of bladder cancer. The present study aimed to investigate the role of Fer in bladder cancer cell viability and apoptosis. Reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot analysis were performed to detect the expression levels of Fer; short interference RNA (siRNA) and overexpression vectors were used to downregulate or upregulate Fer expression, respectively. The effects on cell proliferation ability and cell apoptosis were then tested by MTT assay and flow cytometry. The results revealed that Fer expression was upregulated in bladder cancer cell lines. Downregulation of Fer expression by siRNA significantly suppressed T24 cell viability and induced apoptosis, as well as inducing cell cycle arrest. Conversely, Fer overexpression in 5637 cells significantly promoted cell viability and cell cycle progression, but inhibited cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the suppression and overexpression of Fer significantly altered the expression of cleaved caspase­3 and Bcl­2, and dysregulated the P38 mitogen­activated protein kinase signaling pathway. The findings of the present study indicate a possible molecular mechanism of Fer in bladder cancer and may be considered as a potential target in the treatment of this disease.

How Does Leader Narcissism Influence Employee Voice: The Attribution of Leader Impression Management and Leader-Member Exchange.

Recently, the influence of leader's personality traits on employee behavior has become an emerging research area. Leaders play a crucial role in any organization because team members look up to them for policy and behavioral guidelines. Based on the social exchange theory, this study is focused on the relationship of employee-perceived leader narcissism and employee voice behavior. Through the analysis of 239 questionnaires, we find that leader narcissism has a significant influence on the motivation of leadership impression management. The narcissistic leader uses impression management that is more likely to have self- serving purpose rather than pro-social motivation. This motivation impacts leader-member exchange (LMX) quality which influences employee voice behavior. This study has significant theoretical and practical implications as it is the first study that empirically verifies the stated relationship in this under-researched area.

A Study of the Mechanism of the Congruence of Leader-Follower Power Distance Orientation on Employees' Task Performance.

Based on implicit leadership theory, we examine the congruence effect of leader-follower power distance orientation (PDO) on follower trust in supervisor and work engagement, which in turn influences employees' task performance. Results of polynomial regressions on 526 dyads supported the congruence effect hypothesis. The results show that (1) the congruence of leader-follower PDO leads to better performance; (2) under the condition of congruence, subordinate task performance is higher when leader-follower PDO matching in low-low ratings congruence than it is in high-high ratings congruence; (3) under the condition of asymmetrical incongruence, the follower had higher task performance when a leader's PDO is lower than a follower's PDO; (4) trust in supervisor and the work engagement mediate the effect of congruence of leader-follower PDO on employees' task performance; (5) trust in supervisor also mediates the effect of congruence of leader-follower PDO on employees' work engagement.

Seed mass of angiosperm woody plants better explained by life history traits than climate across China.

Seed mass is a basic trait in studies of functional ecology. Examining how seed mass is affected by biotic and abiotic factors could improve our understanding of ecological strategies in plants. Here we examined the relationships of seed mass with 13 climate variables and seven life history traits, and partitioned the relative effects of life history traits vs. climate, based on seed mass data for 1265 woody angiosperm species in China. Our results showed that seed mass decreased with latitude, and most climate variables were positively correlated with seed mass. Geographic seed mass pattern was affected by both energy and water availability in the growing season, but the effect of energy availability was more important. Seed mass was also significantly related to other traits such as growth form, fruit type, dispersal mode, breeding system, leaf habit, fruit development time, and minimum juvenile period, with growth form and dispersal mode being the most closely related traits. Our results showed that climate explained much less variation in seed mass than life history traits, and that phylogeny played an important role in shaping the large-scale patterns of seed mass.

A population-based study examining hepatitis B virus infection and immunization rates in Northwest China.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Current baseline data regarding the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections and the immune status in hyperendemic areas is necessary in evaluating the effectiveness of ongoing HBV prevention and control programs in northwest China. This study aims to determine the prevalence of chronic HBV infections, past exposure rates, and immune response profiles in Wuwei City, northwest China in 2010. METHODS: Cross-sectional household survey representative of the Wuwei City population. 28,579 participants were interviewed in the seroepidemiological survey ≥1 year of age. House to house screening was conducted using a standard questionnaire. All serum samples were screened by enzyme-linked immunoassays for the presence of hepatitis B surface antigen, antibodies against HBV surface antigen, and antibodies to the hepatitis B core antigen. RESULTS: Among individuals ≥1 year of age, 7.2% (95%CI: 6.3-8.1%) had chronic HBV infections, 43.9% (CI: 40.4-47.4%) had been exposed to HBV, and 23.49% (CI: 21.6-25.3%) had vaccine-induced immunity. Multi-factor weighted logistic regression analysis showed that having household contact with HBV carriers (OR = 2.6, 95%CI: 2.3-3.0) and beauty treatments in public places (OR = 1.2, 95%CI: 1.1-1.3) were the risk factors of HBV infection in whole population. Having household contact with HBV carriers (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 2.2-6.5) and lack of hepatitis vaccination (OR = 2.0, 95% CI: 1.4-3.3) were the risk factors for HBV infection in children aged 1-14 years. CONCLUSIONS: Hepatitis B infection remains a serious public health problem in northwest China. Having household contact with HBV carriers and beauty treatments in public places represented HBV infection risk factors. Hepatitis B vaccine immunization strategies need further improvement, particularly by targeting the immunization of rural migrant workers.