Household Responses To The Environmental Problem

This study examines household responses to The Environmental Problem (TEP). TEP is a conceptualization of the complex of natural and human forces and processes that threaten irreversible destruction, degradation, and contamination of earth-sustaining conditions. TEP represents any or all environmental conditions of concern to human beings, at whatever scale, in whatever form(s), exceeding natural recovery capacities. Human beings are taken to be an integral part of the environment, exerting a distinctive environmental force.;Cluster analysis was used to define five separate and socioeconomically distinctive neighborhoods in London, Ontario, from which by stratified random sampling, 300 households were selected. Global Action Plan (GAP) group members were used as a benchmark.;A questionnaire was developed to elicit data about households\u27 responses to TEP. Three major interconnected dimensions of response were identified: information, attitude, behavior. Index scores were developed for each of these, as well as for an overall Environmental Orientation Index (EOI).;There was a positive relationship among information, attitude, and behavior. Households had a good and broad knowledge of environmental issues, events, and organizations. Attitudes were positive. The congruence of behavior was, however, limited.;Against expectation, there were no statistically significant differences on environmental dimensions or overall orientation among the five socioeconomically different locations. Household EOI was aspatial. The classical distance decay effects of spaital and temporal scale or distance on knowledge and response were not found.;Most household environmental information was from mass media, but those who made greater private efforts had more knowledge. Household formal education was the most identifiable explanatory factor; other socio-economic factors had little impact. Income correlated up to an upper middle level, but then lessened. Members of environmental groups, especially GAP, stood out from non-members. There was a strong correlation with sound exological, but not with endological, values.;Findings provide empirical evidence of time-space compression in the post-industrial era. Consciousness of the coincidence of human goals and environmental viability is emerging in the adoption of a Human-Environment Sustainability Paradigm (HESP). Concern for and willingness to change to protect the earth are widespread in society. The environment matters

The differential game theory of RMB exchange rate under Marshall-Lerner Conditions and Constraints

The Marshall-Lerner condition is a theory to study how the exchange rate changes influence the payment balance in international trade. However, in the international trade business, using the Marshall - Lerner condition for decision-making model always leads to conclusions that is contrary to expectations and it lacks of satisfactory technical demonstration effect. Therefore, this deficit tends to make the Marshall - Lerner Condition trapped in the scientific confusion. In this paper, differential game theory is applied to the Marshall - Lerner condition. The Marshall - Lerner condition correction model is derived, then the old Marshall - Lerner conditions are expanded. The new model meets the scope of control of the international trade balance and provides a new technical analysis tools.  This preliminary research created precedent study of the Marshall-Lerner condition dynamics

Exploring the "Class-Enterprise Cooperation" Training Mode for International Economics and Trade Undergraduate Students: a case study in Wenzhou University

After years of curriculum development for the undergraduate majoring in International economic and trade, Wenzhou University has achieved some success in professional trainings as well as industrial practice. However, with the rapid pace of the economic and job market development, there is a growing demand for application-oriented university graduates. This articles takes "Class-Enterprise Cooperation" Training Mode in the curriculum development of Oujiang College, Wenzhou University as an example to explore the application-oriented university training model. The practical meaning of the "Class-enterprise cooperation" is examined and how this new teaching and training model would promote the undergraduate program reform is explored. Keywords: Class-Enterprise Cooperation, practice and teaching

Why do people choose courts to resolve disputes? A fuzzy-set analysis of Chinese citizens’ judicial reliance

We use the concept of judicial reliance to describe the willingness and extent to which citizens seek the help of the court in a dispute. There are obvious local differences in the degree of judicial reliance in different provinces, with some citizens more willing to resort to the courts to settle disputes, whereas others are indifferent to the courts. Based on the judicial survey data of 31 provinces in China, we use fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to explore the possible reasons for differences in citizens’ judicial reliance in China. We find that citizens’ judicial reliance is deeply influenced and restricted by five judicial conditions: transparency, corruption, independence, procedure, and professionalism. These causal conditions influence and interact with each other, thus forming six configurations that produce high judicial reliance. Among these six configurations, judicial professionalism is always the core condition. In recent years, China has indeed attached great importance to the construction of judicial professionalism, which not only optimizes the quality of the internal personnel of the court but also strengthens the public’s recognition of the court

Altered gut microbiota in temporal lobe epilepsy with anxiety disorders

IntroductionPatients with epilepsy are particularly vulnerable to the negative effects of anxiety disorders. In particular, temporal lobe epilepsy with anxiety disorders (TLEA) has attracted more attention in epilepsy research. The link between intestinal dysbiosis and TLEA has not been established yet. To gain deeper insight into the link between gut microbiota dysbiosis and factors affecting TLEA, the composition of the gut microbiome, including bacteria and fungi, has been examined.MethodsThe gut microbiota from 51 temporal lobe epilepsy patients has been subjected to sequencing targeting 16S rDNA (Illumina MiSeq) and from 45 temporal lobe epilepsy patients targeting the ITS-1 region (through pyrosequencing). A differential analysis has been conducted on the gut microbiota from the phylum to the genus level.ResultsTLEA patients' gut bacteria and fungal microbiota exhibited distinct characteristics and diversity as evidenced by high-throughput sequencing (HTS). TLEA patients showed higher abundances of Escherichia-Shigella (genus), Enterobacterales (order), Enterobacteriaceae (family), Proteobacteria (phylum), Gammaproteobacteria (class), and lower abundances of Clostridia (class), Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae (family), Lachnospirales (order), and Ruminococcus (genus). Among fungi, Saccharomycetales fam. incertae sedis (family), Saccharomycetales (order), Saccharomycetes (class), and Ascomycota (phylum) were significantly more abundant in TLEA patients than in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy but without anxiety. Adoption and perception of seizure control significantly affected TLEA bacterial community structure, while yearly hospitalization frequency affected fungal community structures in TLEA patients.ConclusionHere, our study validated the gut microbiota dysbiosis of TLEA. Moreover, the pioneering study of bacterial and fungal microbiota profiles will help in understanding the course of TLEA and drive us toward preventing TLEA gut microbiota dysbiosis

The Effect of Long-Term or Repeated Use of Antibiotics in Children and Adolescents on Cognitive Impairment in Middle-Aged and Older Person(s) Adults: A Cohort Study

Objectives: We evaluated the effects of long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood on developing cognitive impairment in middle and old age from UK Biobank Database. Methods: UK Biobank recruited participants aged 37–73 years. Cognitive impairment was ascertained by fluid intelligence questionnaire. Primary outcome was the occurrence of cognitive impairment in middle and old age. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to explore the relationship between long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics and cognitive impairment. Results: Over 3.8–10.8 years’ follow-up, 4,781 of the 35,921 participants developed cognitive impairment. The odds of cognitive impairment in middle and old age among long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood were increased by 18% compared with their counterparts (adjusted odd ratio 1.18, 95% confidence interval 1.08–1.29, p < 0.01). The effect of long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood on cognitive impairment was homogeneous across different categories of various subgroup variables such as sex, age, APOE4, ethnic groups, income before tax, smoking status, alcohol status, BMI, hypertension and diabetes but the effect of long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood was modified by the educational qualification (p-value for interaction <0.05). Conclusion: Long-term/recurrent use of antibiotics in childhood may increase the risk of cognitive impairment in middle and old age

RETRACTED PAPER: Circ_0067835 acts as an oncogenic factor in colorectal cancer by increasing MAPK1 expression via sponging miR-873-5p

Many circular RNAs (circRNAs) were recognized to affect the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Herein, we investigated the functions and mechanisms of circ_0067835 in CRC progression. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay was performed to examine the expression of circ_0067835, microRNA-873-5p (miR-873-5p) and Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 (MAPK1). Cell counting kit (CCK)-8 assay and colony formation assay were used to assess cell proliferation, and flow cytometry was conducted to monitor cell apoptosis. Transwell assay was applied to detect cell migration and invasion. Western blot assay was implemented to determine the protein levels of MAPK1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway-related proteins. Interaction between miR-873-5p and circ_0067835 or MAPK1 was validated by dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays. Moreover, the role of circ_0067835 in vivo was evaluated via xenograft model assay. Circ_0067835 and MAPK1 were highly expressed in CRC tissues and cells, while miR-873-5p expression was downregulated. Depletion of circ_0067835 suppressed cell viability, clonogenicity, migration, invasion, survival, and the activity of PI3K/AKT pathway in CRC cells, while these effects were reversed by miR-873-5p inhibition. Circ_0067835 was mainly located at the cytoplasm, and it could sponge miR-873-5p. MiR-873-5p targeted MAPK1 to hamper cell proliferation and metastasis, and inactivated PI3K/AKT pathway. Additionally, circ_0067835 deficiency exerted an inhibitory effect on tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0067835 played an oncogenic role in CRC development through the miR-873-5p-MAPK1-PI3K/AKT pathway, offering a possible molecular strategy for CRC therapy

Ultra-sensitive UV and H2S dual functional sensors based on porous In2O3 nanoparticles operated at room temperature

A dual functional sensor for detecting both UV light and H2S gas was fabricated using the hexagonal phase porous In2O3 nanoparticles, which were prepared using the hydrothermal and calcination process. The porous In2O3 nanoparticles with large surface areas and pore volumes could provide plenty of active sites to produce much active oxygen species, which were beneficial for the UV light and H2S gas sensing reactions, thus resulting in a good sensing performance. At room temperature, the dual functional sensor based on porous In2O3 nanoparticles exhibited ultra-high responses for sensing both UV light (with a wavelength of 365 nm) and H2S gas. As a UV sensor, its response was 12886.0 for a UV power intensity of 1.287 mW/cm2 and its detection limit was 0.013 mW/cm2. As a H2S gas sensor, the sensor exhibited an ultra-high response (26268.5–1 ppm H2S) and a very low detection limit (1 ppb of H2S), and it also have excellent selectivity, reversibility and stability