Influencing factors of farmers’ participation in domestic waste classification: An empirical analysis based on the semi-nonparametric estimation extended model

Farmers are the main participants of domestic waste classification, and their willingness and behavior to participate are directly related to the success or failure of domestic waste classification and the construction of “beautiful countryside.” Based on the analysis of the influence mechanism of exemplary behavior and social supervision on farmers’ participation willingness and behavior, an empirical analysis of 988 survey data of farmers in Henan Province is carried out using a semi-non-parametric estimation extended model. The results show that: (1) 85.63% of farmers are willing to participate in the classification of domestic waste, but their willingness and behavior are not consistent. (2) The exemplary behavior of relatives can only increase the willingness of farmers. The exemplary behavior of neighbors and village cadres not only has a positive impact on the behavior, but also facilitates the transformation of willingness to behavior. (3) The supervision of village cadres can increase the willingness of farmers. Although the supervision of villagers and cleaners will reduce the willingness of farmers, it has a significant positive impact on the behavior of farmers. Based on the research conclusions, suggestions are made to play the leading role of village cadres, attach importance to the supervision of villagers and cleaners, broaden publicity channels and strengthen publicity to special groups, improve supporting policies and classification equipment, in order to promote the classification of rural domestic waste

Identification of a danger-associated peptide from apolipoprotein B100 (ApoBDS-1) that triggers innate proatherogenic responses

Background: Subendothelial deposited low-density lipoprotein particles are a known inflammatory factor in atherosclerosis. However, the causal components derived from low-density lipoprotein are still poorly defined. Apolipoprotein B100 (ApoB100) is the unexchangeable protein component of low-density lipoprotein, and the progression of atherosclerosis is associated with immune responses to ApoB100-derived peptides. In this study, we analyzed the proinflammatory activity of ApoB100 peptides in atherosclerosis. Methods and Results: By screening a peptide library of ApoB100, we identified a distinct native peptide referred to as ApoB100 danger-associated signal 1 (ApoBDS-1), which shows sequence-specific bioactivity in stimulation of interleukin-8, CCL2, and interleukin-6. ApoBDS-1 activates mitogen-activated protein kinase and calcium signaling, thereby effecting the expression of interleukin-8 in innate immune cells. Ex vivo stimulation of carotid plaques with ApoBDS-1 enhances interleukin-8 and prostaglandin E2 release. Furthermore, we demonstrated that ApoBDS-1–positive peptide fragments are present in atherosclerotic lesions using immunoassays and that low-molecular-weight fractions isolated from plaque show ApoBDS-1 activity inducing interleukin-8 production. Conclusions: Our data show that ApoBDS-1 is a previously unrecognized peptide with robust proinflammatory activity, contributing to the disease-promoting effects of low-density lipoprotein in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. (Circulation. 2011;124:2433-2443.)Swedish Heart-Lung FoundationSwedish Foundation for Strategic ResearchSwedish Research CouncilCenter of Excellence for Research on Inflammation and Cardiovascular Disease Linnaeus ProgramLeducq FoundationEuropean UnionChina Scholarship Council.Publishe

Transcriptional response of USP18 predicts treatment outcomes of interferon-alpha in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B patientsefere.

Ubiquitin-specific protease 18 (USP18) is an important inhibitor of interferon (IFN) antiviral activity, and the aim of this study was to investigate the association between the USP18 mRNA level change in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) when stimulated with IFN in vitro before initiating treatment and the treatment outcomes in HBeAg-positive chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients treated with IFN. A total of 44 patients who received standard IFN-based anti-HBV therapy and follow-up were enrolled in the study. The in vitro IFN-induced USP18 mRNA change (USP18IFN-N ) was measured via comparison of quantitative PCR-determined USP18 transcription levels of BPMCs cultured with and without IFN stimulation. Either for virological (VR) or serological response (SR), the baseline USP18IFN-N was significantly higher (P = 0.018 for VR, P = 0.008 for SR) among nonresponders (n = 23 for VR, n = 33 for SR) than that of responders (n = 21 for VR, n = 11 for SR). Multivariate analyses revealed baseline USP18IFN-N was a novel independent predictor for either VR (OR = 0.292, 95% CI = 0.102-0.835, P = 0.022) or SR (OR = 0.173, 95% CI = 0.035-0.849, P = 0.031) in our cohort. In addition, baseline USP18IFN-N in combination with HBV DNA loads or HBeAg levels showed improved accuracy of pretreatment prediction for VR or SR responders, respectively. Baseline USP18IFN-N levels are associated with both virological and serological response, and have the potential to become a clinical predictor for treatment outcomes in HBeAg-positive CHB patients before initiating IFN-α therapy

A study on China’s Agricultural Products Exports to Kazakhstan Based on CMS Model

This article applies the modified CMS model and selects the data about exports of China’s agricultural products to Kazakhstan from 1998 to 2019 according to SITC (Rev.3) so as to make an empirical analysis of the factors influencing the growth of China’s agricultural products exports to Kazakhstan based on both the overall and classification perspectives. The results show that the structural change effects promoted the growth of China’s agricultural products exports to Kazakhstan before the “Belt and Road” initiative was proposed, followed by the inhibiting effect. The competitiveness effect is inhibitory, and then it is promoting. The interaction effects before and after the “Belt and Road” initiative was proposed are both inhibitory

Analysis of Influencing Factors of China's Agricultural Products Exports to SCO Based on CMS Model

This article applies CMS model and selects the data about exports of agricultural products to all the other members of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) except for China from 1998 to 2018 to decompose the influencing factors of exports of agricultural products from China to all the other members of SCO. The results show that the competitiveness effects plays an important role in promoting the growth of exports while structural change effects is the inhibition effect

Application of a Novel Multiscale Global Graph Convolutional Neural Network to Improve the Accuracy of Forest Type Classification Using Aerial Photographs

The accurate classification of forest types is critical for sustainable forest management. In this study, a novel multiscale global graph convolutional neural network (MSG-GCN) was compared with random forest (RF), U-Net, and U-Net++ models in terms of the classification of natural mixed forest (NMX), natural broadleaved forest (NBL), and conifer plantation (CP) using very high-resolution aerial photographs from the University of Tokyo Chiba Forest in central Japan. Our MSG-GCN architecture is novel in the following respects: The convolutional kernel scale of the encoder is unlike those of other models; local attention replaces the conventional U-Net++ skip connection; a multiscale graph convolutional neural block is embedded into the end layer of the encoder module; and various decoding layers are spliced to preserve high- and low-level feature information and to improve the decision capacity for boundary cells. The MSG-GCN achieved higher classification accuracy than other state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods. The classification accuracy in terms of NMX was lower compared with NBL and CP. The RF method produced severe salt-and-pepper noise. The U-Net and U-Net++ methods frequently produced error patches and the edges between different forest types were rough and blurred. In contrast, the MSG-GCN method had fewer misclassification patches and showed clear edges between different forest types. Most areas misclassified by MSG-GCN were on edges, while misclassification patches were randomly distributed in internal areas for U-Net and U-Net++. We made full use of artificial intelligence and very high-resolution remote sensing data to create accurate maps to aid forest management and facilitate efficient and accurate forest resource inventory taking in Japan

Monitoring the penetration and accumulation of gold nanoparticles in rat skin ex vivo using surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectroscopy

Contamination by accidental cutaneous contact with the commercial products and the air pollutants raised a considerable health and safety issue. This study aimed to trace the dynamics of the 20 nm gold nanoparticle (GNP) penetration and accumulation in rat skin tissues using a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique. After the topical application of GNPs on rat skin surface, the SERS spectra were recorded for every 15 μm to an overall depth of 75 μm from skin surface for 150 min. The processes of GNP penetration in rat skin were accompanied by aggregation of GNPs, which affected SERS spectra. The results revealed that 20 nm GNPs can penetrate through stratum corneum layer, viable epidermis layer, and then into dermis layer. This study demonstrated for the first time the potential of SERS spectroscopy to monitor the penetration and accumulation of GNPs in rat skin

Black phosphorus–polypyrrole nanocomposites for high-performance photothermal cancer therapy

The favorable biocompatibility, biodegradability and broadband absorption in the ultraviolet to near-infrared (NIR) region have made black phosphorus (BP) a new generation two-dimensional nanomaterial with great potential for photothermal therapy (PTT). However, an appropriate but not low dosage of nanoagent is required to achieve the satisfactory therapeutic effect in BP-based NIR PTT, due to the decreasing light absorption of BP in the NIR region. In this work, nanohybrids composed of BP nanosheets and several polypyrrole (PPy) nanoparticles attached to them (BP/PPy NSs) are fabricated for high-performance NIR PTT, benefiting from the superimposed NIR absorption characteristics of the two components. The nanocomposites exhibit irregular, speckled and flake-like morphologies with good biocompatibility and superior NIR photothermal transduction efficiency compared with that of the bare nanosheets. The utilization of BP/PPy NSs as novel nanotherapeutic agent for enhanced NIR photothermal cancer therapy is accomplished in vitro and in vivo