How long do the Hong Kong Chinese expect their URTI to last? – Effects on antibiotic use

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Coralline Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca thermometer for the northern South China Sea: calibration and primary application high resolution on high-resolution SST reconstructing

利用全谱直读等离子体光谱(ICP2AES) 的分析方法精确分析了南海珊瑚的SrPCa 和MgPCa 比值,结合实测表层海水温度(SST),标定了海南岛南部三亚海域和西沙海域两个滨珊瑚的SrPCa 和MgPCa 温度计。在此基础上,尝试对两个南海北部全新世时期的珊瑚进行SST记录重建。结果显示约540aB.P. (小冰期) 西沙海域夏季月均SST 较现代低约1℃,而约6 500aB.P. (大暖期) 海南岛三亚海域夏季月均SST则高出现代1.0～1.5℃。The method for precisely and simultaneously measuring the coralline Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios was established using inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Using this method, the high-resolution Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca ratios of two Porites lutea from Sanya, South Hainan Island and Xisha Islands were measured. By comparing to the instrumentally measured sea surface temperatures in these two areas, the coralline Sr/Ca thermometer and the Mg/Ca thermometer were calibrated. These two thermometers can provide SST records with an error bar < 0.2℃, and they are suitable for high-resolution SST reconstructions in these areas. Based on these two thermometers, two short SST records were reconstructed from two Holocene Porites corals of the northern South China Sea. The results indicated that the monthly summer SSTs in Xisha Islands at about 540 years ago (the Little Ice Age) were 1℃ lower than that at present, and the monthly summer SSTs in Sanya, southern Hainan Island at 6 500 years ago (the Megathermal) were about 1℃ to 1 5℃ higher than that at present.published_or_final_versio

The expression patterns of nogo-A, myelin associated glycoprotein and oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein in the retina after ocular hypertension : the expression of myelin proteins in the retina in glaucoma

Nogo-A, a major myelin inhibitory protein, inhibits axon growth and synaptic function in the central nervous system. Glaucoma is a progressive neuropathy as a result of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death. Synaptic degeneration is thought to be an early pathology of neurodegeneration in glaucoma and precedes RGC loss. Here experimental ocular hypertension model was induced in adult rats with laser coagulation of the episcleral and limbal veins. The expression of Nogo-A, myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) and oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein (OMgp) in the retina was investigated using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. We found that Nogo-A was expressed in the RGCs and upregulated after the induction of ocular hypertension. OMgp was only expressed in the inner plexiform layer. There was no MAG expression in the retina. Our data provided, for the first time, the expression patterns of three myelin proteins in the adult retina and suggested an important role of Nogo-A in the RGC death and synaptic degeneration in glaucoma. © 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.postprin

Five-year outcomes of western mental health training for Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners

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Nano-Engineered Environment for Nerve Regeneration: Scaffolds, Functional Molecules and Stem Cells

One of the most complex systems in the human body is the nervous system, which is divided into the central and peripheral nervous systems. The regeneration of the CNS is a complex and challenging biological phenomenon hindered by the low regenerative capacity of neurons and the prohibition factors in response to nerve injuries. To date, no effective approach can achieve complete recovery and fully restore the functions of the nervous system once it has been damaged. Developments in neuroscience have identified properties of the local environment with a critical role in nerve regeneration. Advances in biomaterials and biomedical engineering have explored new approaches of constructing permissive environments for nerve regeneration, thereby enabling optimism with regard to nerve-injury treatment. This article reviews recent progress in nanoengineered environments for aiding nerve-injury repair and regeneration, including nanofibrous scaffolds, functional molecules, and stem cells.postprin

Nano-Engineered Environment for Nerve Regeneration: Scaffolds, Functional Molecules and Stem Cells

One of the most complex systems in the human body is the nervous system, which is divided into the central and peripheral nervous systems. The regeneration of the CNS is a complex and challenging biological phenomenon hindered by the low regenerative capacity of neurons and the prohibition factors in response to nerve injuries. To date, no effective approach can achieve complete recovery and fully restore the functions of the nervous system once it has been damaged. Developments in neuroscience have identified properties of the local environment with a critical role in nerve regeneration. Advances in biomaterials and biomedical engineering have explored new approaches of constructing permissive environments for nerve regeneration, thereby enabling optimism with regard to nerve-injury treatment. This article reviews recent progress in nanoengineered environments for aiding nerve-injury repair and regeneration, including nanofibrous scaffolds, functional molecules, and stem cells.postprin

The effect of an NgR1 antagonist on the neuroprotection of cortical axons after cortical infarction in rats

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Heterogeneity of passenger exposure to air pollutants in public transport microenvironments

Epidemiologic studies have linked human exposure to pollutants with adverse health effects. Passenger exposure in public transport systems contributes an important fraction of daily burden of air pollutants. While there is extensive literature reporting the concentrations of pollutants in public transport systems in different cities, there are few studies systematically addressing the heterogeneity of passenger exposure in different transit microenvironments, in cabins of different transit vehicles and in areas with different characteristics. The present study investigated PM2.5 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters smaller than 2.5μm), black carbon (BC), ultrafine particles (UFP) and carbon monoxide (CO) pollutant concentrations in various public road transport systems in highly urbanized city of Hong Kong. Using a trolley case housing numerous portable air monitors, we conducted a total of 119 trips during the campaign. Transit microenvironments, classified as 1). busy and secondary roadside bus stops; 2). open and enclosed termini; 3). above- and under-ground Motor Rail Transport (MTR) platforms, were investigated and compared to identify the factors that may affect passenger exposures. The pollutants inside bus and MTR cabins were also investigated together with a comparison of time integrated exposure between the transit modes. Busy roadside and enclosed termini demonstrated the highest average particle concentrations while the lowest was found on the MTR platforms. Traffic-related pollutants BC, UFP and CO showed larger variations than PM2.5 across different microenvironments and areas confirming their heterogeneity in urban environments. In-cabin pollutant concentrations showed distinct patterns with BC and UFP high in diesel bus cabins and CO high in LPG bus cabins, suggesting possible self-pollution issues and/or penetration of on-road pollutants inside cabins during bus transit. The total passenger exposure along selected routes, showed bus trips had the potential for higher integrated passenger exposure compared to MTR trips. The present study may provide useful information to better characterize the distribution of passenger exposure pattern in health assessment studies and the results also highlight the need to formulate exposure reduction based air policies in large cities. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.postprin

Public views towards community health and hospital-based outpatient services and their utilisation in Zhejiang, China: a mixed methods study

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