Task-efficacy predicts perceived enjoyment and subsequently barrier-efficacy: investigating a psychological process underpinning schoolchildren's physical activity

Self-efficacy and perceived enjoyment have been recognised as important psychological correlates of children’s physical activity (PA). However, research investigating the psychological process underpinning self-efficacy and perceived enjoyment has generated “contradictory” findings – with some regarding self-efficacy as an antecedent of enjoyment while the others arguing for the reverse. To mitigate this confusion, we have embraced the largely overlooked distinction between task- and barrier-efficacy in PA research and have examined the proposal that task-efficacy enhances perceived enjoyment and, subsequently, increases barrier-efficacy and PA. In a sample of 331 eight-to-ten years old schoolchildren (169 boys), task-efficacy manifested an indirect effect on accelerometer-based measures of MVPA and total PA via perceived enjoyment and subsequently barrier-efficacy. Perceived enjoyment served as a mediator of task-efficacy on MVPA but not total PA. Barrier-efficacy appeared to be a consistent mediator underlying schoolchildren’s PA regardless of PA intensity. The findings suggest that (1) the distinction between task- and barrier-efficacy warrants consideration in children’s PA promotion and (2) the psychological drivers of more vigorous types of PA differ compared to lower intensity PA. Future research would do well to explore the key psychological factors underpinning less vigorous types of PA to inform the development of effective PA interventions for those who have difficulties engaging in MVPA

Simultaneous determination of caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid in Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. from different sources in Xinjiang by a novel rapid resolution liquid chromatography method

A simple and sensitive rapid resolution liquid chromatography method with a short run time was developed for the simultaneous determination of caffeic acid and rosmarinic acid in Ziziphora clinopodioides Lam. A good chromatographic separation was obtained on an XDB-C18 reversed-phase analytical column (50 mm × 4.6 mm, 1.8 μm) by gradient elution with methanol and water containing 1 % acetic acid (v/v) at 0.9 mL/min flow rate. The detection wavelength was set at 330 nm. The mean recoveries of the two compounds were 101.6 % for caffeic acid and 104.2 % for rosmarinic acid. The method was successfully applied to determine the two compounds in 10 Z. clinopodioides Lam. samples of different origins. A significant variation in the contents of the two compounds among the 10 samples was observed. Therefore, this method provides a new basis for the overall routine quality control assessment of Z. clinopodioides Lam.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

Arabidopsis LFR, a SWI/SNF complex component, interacts with ICE1 and activates ICE1 and CBF3 expression in cold acclimation

Low temperatures restrict the growth and geographic distribution of plants, as well as crop yields. Appropriate transcriptional regulation is critical for cold acclimation in plants. In this study, we found that the mutation of Leaf and flower related (LFR), a component of SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex (CRC) important for transcriptional regulation in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), resulted in hypersensitivity to freezing stress in plants with or without cold acclimation, and this defect was successfully complemented by LFR. The expression levels of CBFs and COR genes in cold-treated lfr-1 mutant plants were lower than those in wild-type plants. Furthermore, LFR was found to interact directly with ICE1 in yeast and plants. Consistent with this, LFR was able to directly bind to the promoter region of CBF3, a direct target of ICE1. LFR was also able to bind to ICE1 chromatin and was required for ICE1 transcription. Together, these results demonstrate that LFR interacts directly with ICE1 and activates ICE1 and CBF3 gene expression in response to cold stress. Our work enhances our understanding of the epigenetic regulation of cold responses in plants

Spillover effects of government subsidies on agricultural supply chains under risk-sharing mechanisms

This paper focuses on the agricultural supply chain and proposes a new financing model of risk sharing: the collateralized loan. In order to examine the operational effectiveness of the risk-sharing mechanism, we consider the effects of government subsidies and risk aversion factors. In the collateralized loan, the purchaser serves as the leader to provide loans to the farmer when the farmer provides collateral. The simulation results demonstrate that government subsidies can bring significant spillover effects to the whole supply chain. The effect’s extent increases as the subsidy increases. And the spillover effect is more obvious under the collateralized loan than bank financing. The discount factor also generates a spillover effect for the agricultural supply chain through the inversion mechanism. The lower the discount factor, the more obvious the spillover effect. The increase in government subsidies facilitates the operation of risk-sharing mechanisms, while the increase in risk aversion hinders the operation of the mechanisms. This paper provides new insights into the issue of agricultural finance and prompts policymakers to make full use of policy tools to precisely assist farmers in greater need

Incorporating ‘Mortgage-Loan’ Contracts into an Agricultural Supply Chain Model under Stochastic Output

This paper constructs an internal financing model in which the purchaser acts as the core leading enterprise to provide loans when the farmer has fixed assets as collateral. Numerical results show that the existence of fixed assets will increase the expected profit of the farmer, redistributing the risk and profit between the purchaser and the farmer. At the same time, the purchaser and the government are encouraged to provide more funds to the farmer with low value of its fixed assets, which will aid the overall return of the supply chain and the development of supply chain finance. In addition, under the framework of this model, the increase of agricultural production is beneficial to the farmer, not the purchaser. In the case of the same output level, we can alleviate this problem by selecting high-end agricultural products with high price elasticity of demand and high choking price so as to improve the profits of both purchaser and farmer

Research on the mechanism of drug–drug interaction between salvianolate injection and aspirin based on the metabolic enzyme and PK-PD model: study protocol for a PK-PD trial

Abstract Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a common cardiovascular disease accounting for 10–20% mortality by heart disease worldwide. The gold standard treatment to manage CHD is aspirin, which may prevent myocardial infarction and sudden death; however, long-term use of aspirin may increase its side effects. Currently, more and more clinicians are exploring different approaches to use the right combination of medicine to enhance the efficacy and reduce side effects. Salvianolate can significantly inhibit the aggregation and activation of platelets in patients with CHD; however, its optimum combination with western medicine is not established or supported by clinical trial results. Methods/design This trial is a prospectively planned, open-labeled, parallel-grouped, single-centered clinical trial with aggregated pharmacodynamics-pharmacokinetics (PK-PD) data. All treatment courses will last for 10 days and blood sample will be acquired before administration on days 8, 9, and 10, and after administration at 5 min, 15 min, 30 min, 45 min, 1 h, 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 12 h, and 24 h on day 10. This trial uses PK-PD modeling to provide a description of the concentration–effect relationship and an estimate of pharmacological potency of the medicine. The primary outcome will be changes in aspirin esterase and catechol-o-methyltransferase (COMT) activity at different blood concentrations to determine the PK-PD characteristics of the combination of salvianolate and aspirin, followed by analysis of the correlation between exposure level and pharmacodynamic index of the medicines. Discussion This trial will aim to evaluate the relationship between changes in the pharmacokinetics and therapeutic effect index in the combined use of salvianolate and aspirin. It also discusses the possible mechanism of medicine combination in the treatment for CHD and provides an experimental basis for a clinically rational medicine combination. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03306550. Registered on 9 October 2017. ClinicalTrials.gov https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/prs/app/action/SelectProtocol?sid=S0007D8H&selectaction=Edit&uid=U0003QY8&ts=2&cx=oiuc9

Simultaneous Quantification of Aspirin, Its Metabolite Salicylic Acid, and Salvianolic Acid B in Human Plasma Using UPLC-MS/MS

Salvianolic acid B is the main active ingredient in salvianolate injection, which is produced by extracting danshen, the most commonly used Chinese herbal medicine for cardiovascular treatment. Clinically, salvianolate injection and aspirin are commonly combined to treat coronary heart diseases in patients with stable angina. To support clinical studies on drug-drug interactions (DDIs) between salvianolate injection and aspirin, a rapid and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), its metabolite salicylic acid, and salvianolic acid B in human plasma was developed. The analytes and internal standard were extracted from the acidified plasma by liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate and then separated by gradient elution with acetonitrile/0.5% formic acid in water on a C18 column. Salvianolic acid B, acetylsalicylic acid, and salicylic acid were quantified in multiple-reaction monitoring mode with negative ion electrospray ionization. The method was fully validated according to the current regulatory guidance for bioanalysis. Calibration curves in the range 5–6000 ng/mL, all with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99, were established using linear regression models for salvianolic acid B and acetylsalicylic acid and a quadratic model for salicylic acid. The validated method was successfully used to measure salvianolic acid B, acetylsalicylic acid, and salicylic acid concentrations in human plasma samples from 16 patients to observe the pharmacokinetic changes caused by DDIs

Research on Strategies and Methods of Improving Teachers’ Digital Literacy in Classroom Teaching in Higher Vocational Colleges

With the continuous development and application of digital technology, higher vocational education is also facing the demand of digital transformation. The digital transformation of higher vocational education is the key to the high quality development of higher vocational education. In order to promote the digitization of education and enhance the adaptability of vocational education, it is necessary to continuously improve teachers’ ability and literacy. In order to adapt to and lead the digital new normal, it is an important starting point for the high-quality development of vocational education to build a comprehensive and multi-channel digital literacy of higher vocational teachers and the digital improvement path of classroom teaching. The research of this paper will provide guidance and reference for the cultivation of teachers’ digital literacy and the improvement of classroom teaching effect in higher vocational colleges