Effects of Information Exposure, Emotions, and Self-Efficacy On Risk Perception and Travel Intention During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Living in the information age, people acquire knowledge from various sources. These resources can play key roles in individuals’ perceptions during disease outbreaks. Especially amid COVID-19, risk perceptions are critical in determining individuals’ behavioral intentions. Researchers have investigated risk perceptions related to numerous diseases (e.g., swine flu, severe acute respiratory syndrome, Middle East respiratory syndrome, the Zika virus, and Ebola). However, few tourism studies have focused on health risks. Different from the above-mentioned illnesses, the relatively new virus of COVID-19 could have unique effects on individuals’ risk perceptions and behavioral intentions; the disease has been spreading worldwide for more than a year with a high infection rate. Moreover, little research has explored individuals’ emotional responses to information received via multiple communication channels. People’s emotions could play major roles in how individuals process information sources and perceive risk. This study investigated the effects of information sources on individuals’ risk perceptions and travel intentions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also explored the impacts of people’s emotional responses to pandemic-related information and self-efficacy on their risk perceptions and travel intentions amid COVID-19. Online surveys were distributed via Amazon Mechanical Turk for the pilot study and main study. Two samples (pilot study: N = 149; main study: N = 388) were established. The hypothesized relationships among mass media exposure, social media exposure, interpersonal communication, emotion, self-efficacy, risk perception, and vi travel intention were tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Results demonstrated varied impacts of information sources on people’s emotions and risk perceptions. Mass media exposure significantly influenced individuals’ emotions (fear, anger, and anxiety) and risk perceptions, whereas social media exposure and interpersonal communication each had no direct impact on risk perceptions. Interpersonal communication had a significant effect on emotions; however, social media only influenced fear. Meanwhile, fear and anxiety each played a significant mediating role in the relationship between different information sources and risk perceptions. Unexpectedly, this study did not reveal a significant negative relationship between risk perception and travel intention during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. This study contributes to hospitality and tourism both theoretically and practically. From a theoretical standpoint, the study extends the tourism literature by building a theoretical link between psychology, communication, and tourism. This research also improves understanding of individuals’ risk perceptions and travel intentions by examining the effects of information sources, emotions, and self-efficacy during the pandemic. From a practical perspective, findings offer service providers in the hospitality and tourism industry a comprehensive understanding of individuals’ risk perceptions and associated influencing factors, thus helping stakeholders develop recovery strategies

Glycoproteomics of Lubricin-Implication of Important Biological Glyco- and Peptide-Epitopes in Synovial Fluid

Sustainabilit

Chinese as a Second Language Pronunciation Teaching Survey

This survey study aims to provide an overview of Chinese as a second language (CSL) pronunciation teaching in the higher educational institutions in the US. 80 respondents participated in and completed an online survey. The survey elicited the participants’ responses in the following constructs: the context of Chinese pronunciation teaching, the status of Chinese pronunciation teaching, the CSL learners’ motivation and goal of Chinese pronunciation teaching, approach of pinyin teaching, difficulties in segments and suprasegmentals, and issues related to the training of Chinese pronunciation teaching. Not only have the findings from the study shed new light on many important issues in Chinese pronunciation teaching, they also have important pedagogical implications for all parties in CSL teaching: learners, instructors, researchers, textbook compilers, and administrators. While this study raises more questions than answers in Chinese pronunciation teaching, the survey highlights some critical issues that entail the joint efforts of the CSL field and points to the direction of further studies on Chinese pronunciation and Chinese pronunciation teaching

Helicobacter suis infection alters glycosylation and decreases the pathogen growth inhibiting effect and binding avidity of gastric mucins

Helicobacter suis is the most prevalent non-Helicobacter pylori Helicobacter species in the human stomach and is associated with chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma. H. suis colonizes the gastric mucosa of 60-95% of pigs at slaughter age, and is associated with chronic gastritis, decreased weight gain, and ulcers. Here, we show that experimental H. suis infection changes the mucin composition and glycosylation, decreasing the amount of H. suis-binding glycan structures in the pig gastric mucus niche. Similarly, the H. suis-binding ability of mucins from H. pylori-infected humans is lower than that of noninfected individuals. Furthermore, the H. suis growth-inhibiting effect of mucins from both noninfected humans and pigs is replaced by a growth-enhancing effect by mucins from infected individuals/pigs. Thus, Helicobacter spp. infections impair the mucus barrier by decreasing the H. suis-binding ability of the mucins and by decreasing the antiprolific activity that mucins can have on H. suis. Inhibition of these mucus-based defenses creates a more stable and inhabitable niche for H. suis. This is likely of importance for long-term colonization and outcome of infection, and reversing these impairments may have therapeutic benefits

Active Vibration Suppression of a 3-DOF Flexible Parallel Manipulator Using Efficient Modal Control

This paper addresses the dynamic modeling and efficient modal control of a planar parallel manipulator (PPM) with three flexible linkages actuated by linear ultrasonic motors (LUSM). To achieve active vibration control, multiple lead zirconate titanate (PZT) transducers are mounted on the flexible links as vibration sensors and actuators. Based on Lagrange’s equations, the dynamic model of the flexible links is derived with the dynamics of PZT actuators incorporated. Using the assumed mode method (AMM), the elastic motion of the flexible links are discretized under the assumptions of pinned-free boundary conditions, and the assumed mode shapes are validated through experimental modal test. Efficient modal control (EMC), in which the feedback forces in different modes are determined according to the vibration amplitude or energy of their own, is employed to control the PZT actuators to realize active vibration suppression. Modal filters are developed to extract the modal displacements and velocities from the vibration sensors. Numerical simulation and vibration control experiments are conducted to verify the proposed dynamic model and controller. The results show that the EMC method has the capability of suppressing multimode vibration simultaneously, and both the structural and residual vibrations of the flexible links are effectively suppressed using EMC approach

An integrated natural remanent magnetization acquisition model for the Matuyama-Brunhes reversal recorded by the Chinese loess

Geomagnetic polarity reversal boundaries are key isochronous chronological controls for the long Chinese loess sequences, and further facilitate paleoclimatic correlation between Chinese loess and marine sediments. However, owing to complexity of postdepositional remanent magnetization (pDRM) acquisition processes related to variable dust sedimentary environments on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP), there is a long-standing dispute concerning the downward shift of the pDRM recorded in Chinese loess. In this study, after careful stratigraphic correlation of representative climatic tie points and the Matuyama-Brunhes boundaries (MBB) in the Xifeng, Luochuan, and Mangshan loess sections with different pedogenic environments, the downward shift of the pDRM is semiquantitatively estimated and the acquisition model for the loess natural remanent magnetization (NRM) is discussed. The measured MB transition zone has been affected by the surficial mixing layer (SML) and remagnetization. Paleoprecipitation is suggested to be the dominant factor controlling the pDRM acquisition processes. Rainfall-controlled leaching would restrict the efficiency of the characterized remanent magnetization carriers aligning along the ancient geomagnetic field. We conclude that the MBB in the central CLP with moderate paleoprecipitation could be considered as an isochronous chronological control after moderate upward adjustment. A convincing case can then be made to correlate L8/S8 to MIS 18/1

The O-glycomap of lubricin, a novel mucin responsible for joint lubrication, identified by site-specific glycopeptide analysis

The lubricative, heavily glycosylated mucin-like synovial glycoprotein lubricin has previously been observed to contain glycosylation changes related to rheumatoid and osteoarthritis. Thus, a site-specific investigation of the glycosylation of lubricin was undertaken, in order to further understand the pathological mechanisms involved in these diseases. Lubricin contains an serine/threonine/proline (STP)-rich domain composed of imperfect tandem repeats (EPAPTTPK), the target for O-glycosylation. In this study, using a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry approach, employing both collision-induced and electron-transfer dissociation fragmentation methods, we identified 185 O-glycopeptides within the STP-rich domain of human synovial lubricin. This showed that adjacent threonine residues within the central STP-rich region could be simultaneously and/or individually glycosylated. In addition to core 1 structures responsible for biolubrication, core 2 O-glycopeptides were also identified, indicating that lubricin glycosylation may have other roles. Investigation of the expression of polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase genes was carried out using cultured primary fibroblast-like synoviocytes, a cell type that expresses lubricin in vivo. This analysis showed high mRNA expression levels of the less understood polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 15 and 5 in addition to the ubiquitously expressed polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 and 2 genes. This suggests that there is a unique combination of transferase genes important for the O-glycosylation of lubricin. The site-specific glycopeptide analysis covered 82% of the protein sequence and showed that lubricin glycosylation displays both micro- and macroheterogeneity. The density of glycosylation was shown to be high: 168 sites of O-glycosylation, predominately sialylated, were identified. These glycosylation sites were focused in the central STP-rich region, giving the domain a negative charge. The more positively charged lysine and arginine residues in the N and C termini suggest that synovial lubricin exists as an amphoteric molecule. The identification of these unique properties of lubricin may provide insight into the important low-friction lubricating functions of lubricin during natural joint movement

Nucleotide and Nucleotide Sugar Analysis by Liquid Chromatography-Electrospray Ionization-Mass Spectrometry on Surface-Conditioned Porous Graphitic Carbon

We examined the analysis of nucleotides and nucleotide sugars by chromatography on porous graphitic carbon with mass spectrometric detection, a method that evades contamination of the MS instrument with ion pairing reagent. At first, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and other triphosphate nucleotides exhibited very poor chromatographic behavior on new columns and could hardly be eluted from columns previously cleaned with trifluoroacetic acid. Satisfactory performance of both new and older columns could, however, be achieved by treatment with reducing agent and, unexpectedly, hydrochloric acid. Over 40 nucleotides could be detected in cell extracts including many isobaric compounds such as ATP, deoxyguanosine diphosphate (dGTP), and phospho-adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate or 3′,5′-cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP) and its much more abundant isomer 2′,3′-cylic AMP. A fast sample preparation procedure based on solid-phase extraction on carbon allowed detection of very short-lived analytes such as cytidine 5'-monophosphate (CMP)-2-keto-deoxy-octulosonic acid. In animal cells and plant tissues, about 35 nucleotide sugars were detected, among them rarely considered metabolites such as uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP)-l-arabinopyranose, UDP-l-arabinofuranose, guanosine 5'-diphosphate (GDP)-l-galactofuranose, UDP-l-rhamnose, and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-sugars. Surprisingly, UDP-arabinopyranose was also found in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Due to the unique structural selectivity of graphitic carbon, the method described herein distinguishes more nucleotides and nucleotide sugars than previously reported approaches

Evaluation of the Effect of New Multimodal Analgesia Regimen for Cardiac Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized Controlled, Single-Center Clinical Study

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of multimodal regimen by paracetamol, gabapentin, ketamine, lidocaine, dexmedetomidine and sufentanil among cardiac surgery patients, and compare the analgesia efficacy with conventional sufentanil-based regimen. DESIGN: A single-center, prospective, randomized, controlled clinical trial. SETTING: One participating center, the cardiovascular center of the major integrated teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 115 patients were assessed for eligibility: 108 patients were randomized, 7 cases were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: The control group (group T) received conventional anesthesia management. Interventions in the multimodal group (group M) were as follows in addition to the standard of care: gabapentin and acetaminophen 1 hour before surgery; ketamine for induction and to maintain anesthesia with lidocaine and dexmedetomide. Ketamine, lidocaine, and dexmedetomidine were added to routine sedatives postoperatively in group M. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The incidence of moderate-to-severe pain on coughing made no significant difference (68.5% vs 64.8%, CONCLUSION: Our multimodal regimen in cardiac surgery is feasible, but was not superior to traditional sufentanil-based regimen in the aspects of analgesia effects; however, it did reduce perioperative opioid consumption along with rescue analgesia rate. Moreover, it showed the same length of stay and the incidences of postoperative complications