Physiological effects of combined NaCl and NaHCO3 stress on the seedlings of two maple species

Salt stress impacts growth and physiological processes in plants, and some plants exposed to salt stress will produce physiological mechanisms to adapt to the new environment. However, the effects of combined NaCl and NaHCO3 stress on the seedlings of Acer species are understudied. In this study, we designed an experiment to measure physiological characteristics by establishing a range of NaCl and NaHCO3 concentrations (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mmol L-1) to estimate the compound salt tolerance of Acer ginnala and Acer palmatum. When the concentrations of NaCl and NaHCO3 were 25 mmol L-1, the leaf water content, relative conductivity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, proline content, soluble sugar content, and chlorophyll did not change (p > 0.05) in two maple seedlings. At concentrations greater than 50 mmol L-1, the relative conductivity and MDA content increased, proline and soluble sugars accumulated, and the potential activity of PS II (Fv/Fo), potential photochemical efficiency of PS II (Fv/Fm), PS II actual photochemical efficiency (Yield), and photosynthetic electron transfer efficiency (ETR) decreased (p < 0.05). The superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities showed the same trend of first increasing and then decreasing (p < 0.05). The peroxidase (POD) activity increased only when concentrations of NaCl and NaHCO3 were 100 mmol L-1, while there was no statistical difference between the other treatments and the control. Therefore, the two maple seedlings adjusted their osmotic balance and alleviated oxidative stress by accumulating proline, soluble sugars and increasing CAT and SOD activities. Further analysis showed that both species are salt tolerant and the salt tolerance of Acer ginnala is better than that of Acer palmatum

Seizing the window of opportunity to mitigate the impact of climate change on the health of Chinese residents

The health threats posed by climate change in China are increasing rapidly. Each province faces different health risks. Without a timely and adequate response, climate change will impact lives and livelihoods at an accelerated rate and even prevent the achievement of the Healthy and Beautiful China initiatives. The 2021 China Report of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change is the first annual update of China’s Report of the Lancet Countdown. It comprehensively assesses the impact of climate change on the health of Chinese households and the measures China has taken. Invited by the Lancet committee, Tsinghua University led the writing of the report and cooperated with 25 relevant institutions in and outside of China. The report includes 25 indicators within five major areas (climate change impacts, exposures, and vulnerability; adaptation, planning, and resilience for health; mitigation actions and health co-benefits; economics and finance; and public and political engagement) and a policy brief. This 2021 China policy brief contains the most urgent and relevant indicators focusing on provincial data: The increasing health risks of climate change in China; mixed progress in responding to climate change. In 2020, the heatwave exposures per person in China increased by 4.51 d compared with the 1986–2005 average, resulting in an estimated 92% increase in heatwave-related deaths. The resulting economic cost of the estimated 14500 heatwave-related deaths in 2020 is US$176 million. Increased temperatures also caused a potential 31.5 billion h in lost work time in 2020, which is equivalent to 1.3% of the work hours of the total national workforce, with resulting economic losses estimated at 1.4% of China’s annual gross domestic product. For adaptation efforts, there has been steady progress in local adaptation planning and assessment in 2020, urban green space growth in 2020, and health emergency management in 2019. 12 of 30 provinces reported that they have completed, or were developing, provincial health adaptation plans. Urban green space, which is an important heat adaptation measure, has increased in 18 of 31 provinces in the past decade, and the capacity of China’s health emergency management increased in almost all provinces from 2018 to 2019. As a result of China’s persistent efforts to clean its energy structure and control air pollution, the premature deaths due to exposure to ambient particulate matter of 2.5 μm or less (PM2.5) and the resulting costs continue to decline. However, 98% of China’s cities still have annual average PM2.5 concentrations that are more than the WHO guideline standard of 10 μg/m3. It provides policymakers and the public with up-to-date information on China’s response to climate change and improvements in health outcomes and makes the following policy recommendations. (1) Promote systematic thinking in the related departments and strengthen multi-departmental cooperation. Sectors related to climate and development in China should incorporate health perspectives into their policymaking and actions, demonstrating WHO’s and President Xi Jinping’s so-called health-in-all-policies principle. (2) Include clear goals and timelines for climate-related health impact assessments and health adaptation plans at both the national and the regional levels in the National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy for 2035. (3) Strengthen China’s climate mitigation actions and ensure that health is included in China’s pathway to carbon neutrality. By promoting investments in zero-carbon technologies and reducing fossil fuel subsidies, the current rebounding trend in carbon emissions will be reversed and lead to a healthy, low-carbon future. (4) Increase awareness of the linkages between climate change and health at all levels. Health professionals, the academic community, and traditional and new media should raise the awareness of the public and policymakers on the important linkages between climate change and health.</p

Changes of T-lymphocyte subpopulation and differential expression pattern of the T-bet and GATA-3 genes in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients after chemotherapy

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: T cell-mediated immunity plays an important role in enhancing antitumor response.This study aimed to investigate the changes in the T-lymphocyte subpopulation and to characterize the differential expression pattern of corresponding regulatory genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) patients before and after chemotherapy. METHODS: A total of 56 DLBCL patients were recruited for analysis of T-cell subset distribution in the peripheral blood using flow cytometry; serum interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 levels using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays; and early growth response protein 1 (EGR-1), T-bet, GATA-binding protein 3 (GATA-3), and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β mRNA levels using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Twenty-six healthy subjects served as controls. RESULTS: The percentage of CD3(+)CD4(+)T lymphocytes in peripheral blood from DLBCL patients was significantly decreased, whereas the percentages of CD3(+)CD8(+)T and CD4(+)CD25(+)T cells were significantly increased compared to those in controls (p < 0.05). Serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were also significantly lower in DLBCL patients than those in controls (p < 0.05), and the levels of EGR-1, T-bet, and GATA-3 mRNA in PBMCs were lower (2.69 ± 1.48, 9.43 ± 2.14, and 20.83 ± 9.05 fold, respectively) in DLBCL patients than those in controls. Furthermore, there was a positive association between the levels of EGR-1 and T-bet mRNA (p = 0.001). However, the level of TGF-β mRNA was significantly increased in DLBCL patients, which was inversely associated with the T-bet mRNA level (p = 0.008), but positively associated with the percentage of T regulatory cells in PBMCs (p = 0.011). After three cycles of chemotherapy, the distribution of T-lymphocyte subsets in DLBCL patients were changed, and the levels of EGR-1, T-bet, and GATA-3 mRNA were significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared to those before chemotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the changes in T-lymphocyte subpopulations and the altered expression 34 pattern of the corresponding regulatory genes in PBMCs from DLBCL patients after chemotherapy, which are associated with the response of patients to treatment. The preferential expression of the T-bet gene after chemotherapy was closely correlated with the increased expression of the EGR-1 gene and decreased expression of the TGF-β gene

台灣文化創意產業經營之研究

　　文化創意產業乃近年來政府所大力推動的重點產業，儘管文化究係一種「服務」或「產業」，爭議頗多，然而睽諸世界先進國家，如英國設有事權統一之文化媒體體育部(The Department of Culture, Media and Sport)職司全英文化政策之擬訂，並以發行彩券部份收入，鼓勵新穎多元之創作；再如丹麥政府早就發現企業界和文化界的語言渾然不同，發現國家需要教育課程來訓練學生如何經營文化事業，這包括建立對整個產業的知識，能夠斡旋協調、解決衝突，並擁有處理預算、智慧財產權、合約及版稅的能力，於是當務之急，是希望商學院可以把注意力多放在文化界的發展潛力上，增加相關主題、課程和所謂「第三級教育」的訓練；澳洲則就文化產業核心，從精英藝術與社區藝術之論述，進一步發展到休閒與娛樂；其文化態度，亦跳脫文化公民權之爭論，邁入文化消費期。凡此種種，皆從發展文化創意「產業」之角度，作為施政方針。 　　反觀台灣文化創意產業之經營環境日益艱困，至今未有事權統一之「文化部」，文化創意政府分工上，教育部獨置身事外以及至今未能建立諸如好萊塢的「完工保證」制度以吸引投資者等，因此本研究所欲探討之主題計有四項： 1.文化創意產特質為何？與過去台灣所擅長的製造業的價值鏈、商業模式等，有何不同？ 2.政府政策之制訂與產業界之需求，其緊密度為何？是否尚有政策調整之空間與方向？ 3.文化創意產業之經營者係一「守門人」之角色，此守門人之角色如何整合「線上成本」與「線下成本」中之各個成員角色，在「彈性專業化」的合作關係中，形成一種商業模式？ 4.文化創意人普遍缺乏避險觀念，因此如何「以銷定產」，透過「創業財務」理論，經由「高概念」與「國際分工」募集資金，迴避風險，是為本研究所要深入探討的主題。The idea of developing cultural and creative industries has been putting forward by the government in recent years even though the arguments of culture being as a service or an industry remains disputable. However, policymakers in more advanced countries have moved beyond the debate and recognized the importance of the industries at different level: The United Kingdom sets up the Department of Culture, Media and Sport as the solo division in charge of policy formulation. Part of the income from National Lottery is devoted to encourage creation; Being aware of the differences between business professionals and creative talents, Denmark educates students with the know-how of cultural industry management, including the skills of negotiation and conflict solving and the abilities to deal with budget, copyright, contract and royalties. It also urges business schools to enhance entrepreneurial potential by adding more topics, classes and so-called “tertiary education” to their curriculums. Australia, on the other hand, has extended the core value of culture and creative industries from elite and community arts to recreation and entertainment. It has moved from the phrase of debating cultural citizenship into cultural consumption. With reference to the experience of other countries, we can conclude that culture and creativity sectors should be considered as “industries” rather than “services” for policy measures. On contrary, the business environment has become difficult for the cultural and creative sectors in Taiwan. There’s no one single government entity to take account of cul-tural factors and attach greater importance to promoting the development of cultural indus-tries in the course of policy formulation and implementation; Ministry of Education has not partake in studying the vision for development and direction for the industries; Lacking of completion guarantees leaves investors with big doubts and consequently hider the estab-lishment of finance resources. To solve the above-mentioned issues, this research will fo-cus on: 1.The characteristics of cultural/creative industries. How are they different from the value chains and business models of manufacturing that has dominated Taiwan's industrial sector? 2.The gaps between current policies and the real needs of the industries. What can be done to favor the development of the sectors? Any adjustment to make or ap-proach to establish? 3.The role of decision makers in cultural/creative industries as “gatekeepers.” How do they control the above and below the line costs and utilizing the concept of flexible specialization to manage their businesses? 4.The sales and marketing of creative products. Traditionally, creative talents have little knowledge on risk control. How to develop new products or services in the context of existing provision in the market? How to avoid risk and raise money by bringing in the notion of “high concept” and “co-production” in filmmaking