A Study of Classics-Reading Curriculum, Classics-Reading Promotion, and Classics-Reading Effect Modeling Exploration in Elementary Schools

The purposes of this study are to test reliabilities and validities of classics-reading curriculum (CRC) scale, classics-reading promotion (CRP) scale, and classics-reading effect (CRE) scale and to examine the relationships between CRC, CRP, and CRE in elementary schools through applying CORPS framework. The pilot sample and formal sample contain 141 and 500 participants from elementary school faculties and classics-reading volunteers in the north, central, south, and east regions of Taiwan. The findings indicate that Cronbach α coefficients of curriculum cognition (CC), curriculum teaching (CT), inside-school promotion (IP), outside-school promotion (EP), learning effect (LE), and class management effect (CME) subscales are .88, .85, .93, .91, .91, .94, respectively, through exploratory factor analysis and they have good internal reliabilities and construct validities, respectively, through confirmatory factor analysis. Moreover, CC, CT, IP, and EP have positive influences on LE (standardized coefficients .34, .25, .14, and .22) and on CME (standardized coefficients .41, .14, .14, and .20), respectively. CC, CT, IP, and EP can explain 69% of LE and 61% of CME. The model is supported by the data. Lastly, this study proposes some suggestions regarding the classics-reading education for elementary schools

Recent advances in the study of anesthesia-and analgesia-related mechanisms of S-ketamine

Ketamine is a racemic mixture of equal amounts of R-ketamine and S-ketamine and is well known to anesthesiologists for its unique dissociative anesthetic properties. The pharmacological properties of ketamine, namely, its sympathetic excitation, mild respiratory depression, and potent analgesia, are still highly valued in its use as an anesthetic for some patients. In particular, since its advent, S-ketamine has been widely used as an anesthetic in many countries due to its increased affinity for NMDA receptors and its enhanced anesthetic and analgesic effects. However, the anesthetic and analgesic mechanisms of S-ketamine are not fully understood. In addition to antagonizing NMDA receptors, a variety of other receptors or channels may be involved, but there are no relevant mechanistic summaries in the literature. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to review the mechanisms of action of S-ketamine on relevant receptors and systems in the body that result in its pharmacological properties, such as anesthesia and analgesia, with the aim of providing a reference for its clinical applications and research

Spatially resolved Spectro-photometry of M81: Age, Metallicity and Reddening Maps

In this paper, we present a multi-color photometric study of the nearby spiral galaxy M81, using images obtained with the Beijing Astronomical Observatory 60/90 cm Schmidt Telescope in 13 intermediate-band filters from 3800 to 10000{\AA}. The observations cover the whole area of M81 with a total integration of 51 hours from February 1995 to February 1997. This provides a multi-color map of M81 in pixels of 1\arcsec.7 \times 1\arcsec.7. Using theoretical stellar population synthesis models, we demonstrate that some BATC colors and color indices can be used to disentangle the age and metallicity effect. We compare in detail the observed properties of M81 with the predictions from population synthesis models and quantify the relative chemical abundance, age and reddening distributions for different components of M81. We find that the metallicity of M81 is about $Z=0.03$ with no significant difference over the whole galaxy. In contrast, an age gradient is found between stellar populations of the central regions and of the bulge and disk regions of M81: the stellar population in its central regions is older than 8 Gyr while the disk stars are considerably younger, $\sim 2$ Gyr. We also give the reddening distribution in M81. Some dust lanes are found in the galaxy bulge region and the reddening in the outer disk is higher than that in the central regions.Comment: Accepted for publication in AJ (May 2000 issue). 27 pages including 6 figures. Uses AASTeX aasms4 styl

The role of glucocorticoids in increasing cardiovascular risk

IntroductionDifferent studies provide conflicting evidence regarding the potential for glucocorticoids (GCs) to increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. This study performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the correlation between GCs and cardiovascular risk, including major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), death from any cause, coronary heart disease (CHD), heart failure (HF), and stroke.MethodsWe performed a comprehensive search in PubMed and Embase (from inception to June 1, 2022). Studies that reported relative risk (RR) estimates with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the associations of interest were included.ResultsA total of 43 studies with 15,572,512 subjects were included. Patients taking GCs had a higher risk of MACE (RR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.15–1.40), CHD (RR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.11–1.41), and HF (RR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.51–2.45). The MACE risk increased by 10% (95% CI: 6%–15%) for each additional gram of GCs cumulative dose or by 63% (95% CI: 46%–83%) for an additional 10 μg daily dose. The subgroup analysis suggested that not inhaled GCs and current GCs use were associated with increasing MACE risk. Similarly, GCs were linked to an increase in absolute MACE risk of 13.94 (95% CI: 10.29–17.58) cases per 1,000 person-years.ConclusionsAdministration of GCs is possibly related with increased risk for MACE, CHD, and HF but not increased all-cause death or stroke. Furthermore, it seems that the risk of MACE increased with increasing cumulative or daily dose of GCs

A superconducting nanowire photon number resolving four-quadrant detector-based Gigabit deep-space laser communication receiver prototype

Deep space explorations require transferring huge amounts of data quickly from very distant targets. Laser communication is a promising technology that can offer a data rate of magnitude faster than conventional microwave communication due to the fundamentally narrow divergence of light. This study demonstrated a photon-sensitive receiver prototype with over Gigabit data rate, immunity to strong background photon noise, and simultaneous tracking ability. The advantages are inherited from a joint-optimized superconducting nanowire single-photon detector (SNSPD) array, designed into a four-quadrant structure with each quadrant capable of resolving six photons. Installed in a free-space coupled and low-vibration cryostat, the system detection efficiency reached 72.7%, the detector efficiency was 97.5%, and the total photon counting rate was 1.6 Gcps. Additionally, communication performance was tested for pulse position modulation (PPM) format. A series of signal processing methods were introduced to maximize the performance of the forward error correction (FEC) code. Consequently, the receiver exhibits a faster data rate and better sensitivity by about twofold (1.76 photons/bit at 800 Mbps and 3.40 photons/bit at 1.2 Gbps) compared to previously reported results (3.18 photon/bit at 622 Mbps for the Lunar Laser Communication Demonstration). Furthermore, communications in strong background noise and with simultaneous tracking ability were demonstrated aimed at the challenges of daylight operation and accurate tracking of dim beacon light in deep space scenarios

Distinct Expression Levels and Patterns of Stem Cell Marker, Aldehyde Dehydrogenase Isoform 1 (ALDH1), in Human Epithelial Cancers

Peer reviewe

Intermediate-band Surface Photometry of the Edge-on Galaxy: NGC 4565

We present a deep, 42.79 hr image of the nearby, edge-on galaxy NGC 4565 in the Beijing-Arizona-Taipei-Connecticut (BATC) 6660A band using the large-format CCD system on the 0.6m Schmidt telescope at the Xinglong Station of the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC). we obtain a final image that is calibrated to an accuracy of 0.02 mag in zero point, and for which we can measure galaxy surface brightness to an accuracy of 0.25 mag at a surface brightness at 27.5 mag arcsec^-2 at 6660A, corresponding to a distance of 22 kpc from the center of the disk. The integrated magnitude of NGC4565 in our filter is m6660=8.99 (R magnitude of 9.1) to a surface brightness of 28 mag arcsec-2. We analyze the faint outer parts of this galaxy using a two-dimensional model comprised of three components: an exponential thin disk, an exponential thick disk, and a power-law halo. A total of 12 parameters are included in our model. We determine the best values of our model parameters via 10,000 random initial values, 3,700 of which converge to final values. The thin disk and thick disk parameters we determine here are consistent with those of previous studies of this galaxy. However, our very deep image permits a better determination of the power law fit to the halo, constraining this power law to be between r^-3.2 and r^-4.0, with a best fit value of r^-3.88. We find the axis ratio of the halo to be 0.44 and its core radius to be 14.4 kpc (for an adopted distance of 14.5 Mpc).Comment: 34 pages, 11 figures, will appear in March 2002 of A

Expression of Activated PIK3CA in Ovarian Surface Epithelium Results in Hyperplasia but Not Tumor Formation

activation is one of the early genetic events in ovarian cancer. However, its role in malignant transformation of ovarian surface epithelium (OSE) is largely unclear..

Arp2/3 Complex Regulates Asymmetric Division and Cytokinesis in Mouse Oocytes

Mammalian oocyte meiotic maturation involves oocyte polarization and a unique asymmetric division, but until now, the underlying mechanisms have been poorly understood. Arp2/3 complex has been shown to regulate actin nucleation and is widely involved in a diverse range of processes such as cell locomotion, phagocytosis and the establishment of cell polarity. Whether Arp2/3 complex participates in oocyte polarization and asymmetric division is unknown. The present study investigated the expression and functions of Arp2/3 complex during mouse oocyte meiotic maturation. Immunofluorescent staining showed that the Arp2/3 complex was restricted to the cortex, with a thickened cap above the meiotic apparatus, and that this localization pattern was depended on actin. Disruption of Arp2/3 complex by a newly-found specific inhibitor CK666, as well as by Arpc2 and Arpc3 RNAi, resulted in a range of effects. These included the failure of asymmetric division, spindle migration, and the formation and completion of oocyte cytokinesis. The formation of the actin cap and cortical granule-free domain (CGFD) was also disrupted, which further confirmed the disruption of spindle migration. Our data suggest that the Arp2/3 complex probably regulates oocyte polarization through its effect on spindle migration, asymmetric division and cytokinesis during mouse oocyte meiotic maturation

SPINK1, PRSS1, CTRC, and CFTR genotypes influence disease onset and clinical outcomes in chronic pancreatitis

Objectives Rare pathogenic variants in the SPINK1, PRSS1, CTRC, and CFTR genes have been strongly associated with a risk of developing chronic pancreatitis (CP). However, their potential impact on the age of disease onset and clinical outcomes, as well as their potential interactions with environmental risk factors, remain unclear. These issues are addressed here in a large Chinese CP cohort. Methods We performed targeted next-generation sequencing of the four CP-associated genes in 1061 Han Chinese CP patients and 1196 controls. To evaluate gene–environment interactions, the patients were divided into three subgroups, idiopathic CP (ICP; n = 715), alcoholic CP (ACP; n = 206), and smoking-associated CP (SCP; n = 140). The potential impact of rare pathogenic variants on the age of onset of CP and clinical outcomes was evaluated using the Kaplan–Meier model. Results We identified rare pathogenic genotypes involving the SPINK1, PRSS1, CTRC, and/or CFTR genes in 535 (50.42%) CP patients but in only 71 (5.94%) controls (odds ratio = 16.12; P < 0.001). Mutation-positive patients had significantly earlier median ages at disease onset and at diagnosis of pancreatic stones, diabetes mellitus and steatorrhea than mutation-negative ICP patients. Pathogenic genotypes were present in 57.1, 39.8, and 32.1% of the ICP, ACP, and SCP patients, respectively, and influenced age at disease onset and clinical outcomes in all subgroups. Conclusions We provide evidence that rare pathogenic variants in the SPINK1, PRSS1, CTRC, and CFTR genes significantly influence the age of onset and clinical outcomes of CP. Extensive gene–environment interactions were also identified