Coupling coordination spatial pattern between natural attractions and tourism potential with study travel implications: China case

AbstractJiangxi has superior natural environmental conditions, but tourism development is insufficient. This study analysed the distribution characteristics of natural tourism resources in Jiangxi Province, evaluated the potential of ecotourism, spatialized the coupling and coordination relationship between tourism resources and tourism potential and proposed the direction of tourism development and study travel planning. Results: (1) Natural tourist attractions in Jiangxi are relatively dense in the north and northeast, while relatively sparse in the south. (2) Natural tourism potential is generally high in the surrounding and low in the middle and high in the south and low in the north, and are distributed in a strip like manner. (3) Jiangxi is basically in a coordinated state, with the overall coupling index is relatively high, while the spatial differences in coordination index are significant, indicating that natural tourism resources and natural tourism potential have a strong mutual influence but their distribution characteristics do not match. (4) Future optimized development zone of natural tourism will be in the north and northeast, and the expanded development zone will be in the northwest and southeast. Both thematic and comprehensive study travel routes can be launched in regions with relatively concentrated natural tourist attractions. This article provides a research perspective on the interaction between tourism resource endowment and development practices, and the results can provide reference for relevant fields, natural tourism development, and study travel practices

Charged language on Twitter: A predictive model of cyberbullying to prevent victimization

Cyberbullying is not a crime, but has significant potential to harm victims’ mental health in the online world as enabled by information and communication technology (ICT). This research in progress aims to derive a predictive mechanism that can protect potential victims from abuse and harm by cyberbullying. The study is based on the collection and processing of 140,000 tweets, and uses a logistic regression model to predict a tendency for cyberbullying based on the manifestation of emotionally charged language on Twitter. Our findings show high potency and statistical significance in the identification of charged language that has the potential to victimize others. The study contributes to a preventative confirmation of cyberbullying, in an effort to provide early warnings for parental mediation and/or mitigation agencies, including school counselors, online bystanders, and law enforcement agencies

Association of spirometric restriction with mortality in the silicotics: a cohort study

Abstract Background Restrictive spirometry pattern (RSP), defined as reduced forced vital capacity (FVC) in absence of airflow obstruction (AFO), is associated with increased risk of mortality in general population. However, evidence in the patients with silicosis is limited. This study was aimed to investigate the relationship between RSP and the risk of death in a silicotic cohort. Method This retrospective cohort study used data from the Pneumoconiosis Clinic, Hong Kong Department of Health that containing 4315 patients aged 18–80 years and diagnosed with silicosis during 1981–2019, with a follow-up till 31 December 2019. Spirometry was carried out at the diagnostic examination of silicosis. Lung function categories were classified as normal spirometry (FEV1/FVC ≥ 0.7, FVC ≥ 80% predicted), RSP only (FEV1/FVC ≥ 0.7, FVC < 80% predicted), AFO only (FEV1/FVC < 0.7, FVC ≥ 80% predicted), and RSP&AFO mixed (FEV1/FVC < 0.7, FVC < 80% predicted). The hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were computed using a Cox proportional hazards model adjusting for age, body mass index, history of tuberculosis, smoking status, pack-years, and radiographic characteristics of silicotic nodules. Results Among the 4315 patients enrolled in the study, the prevalence of RSP was 24.1% (n = 1038), including 11.0% (n = 473) with RSP only and 13.1% (n = 565) with mixed RSP and AFO. During the follow-up period, a total of 2399 (55.6%) deaths were observed. Compared with the silicotics with normal spirometry, those with RSP only had significantly increased risk of all-cause mortality (HR = 1.63, 95% CI 1.44–1.85) and respiratory-related mortality (HR = 1.56, 95% CI 1.31–1.85). Notably, a higher risk of mortality was observed in silicotics with mixed ventilatory defects of both RSP and AFO (all-cause mortality: HR = 2.22, 95% CI 1.95–2.52; respiratory-related mortality: HR = 2.59, 95% CI 2.18–3.07) than in those with RSP only. Conclusion RSP is significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause and respiratory-related mortality in the silicotics, and patients with mixed restrictive and obstructive ventilatory defect have higher risk of mortality than those with single RSP or AFO. These findings emphasize the importance of recognizing RSP in the occupational settings, especially for the silicotic patients with mixed ventilatory defect

Association of smoking cessation with airflow obstruction in workers with silicosis: A cohort study.

BackgroundStudies in general population reported a positive association between tobacco smoking and airflow obstruction (AFO), a hallmark of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, this attempt was less addressed in silica dust-exposed workers.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study consisted of 4481 silicotic workers attending the Pneumoconiosis Clinic during 1981-2019. The lifelong work history and smoking habits of these workers were extracted from medical records. Spirometry was carried out at the diagnosis of silicosis (n = 4177) and reperformed after an average of 9.4 years of follow-up (n = 2648). AFO was defined as forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)/force vital capacity (FVC) less than lower limit of normal (LLN). The association of AFO with smoking status was determined using multivariate logistics regression, and the effect of smoking cessation on the development of AFO was evaluated Cox regression.ResultsSmoking was significantly associated with AFO (current smokers: OR = 1.92, 95% CI 1.51-2.44; former smokers: OR = 2.09, 95% CI 1.65-2.66). The risk of AFO significantly increased in the first 3 years of quitting smoking (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.02-1.47) but decreased afterwards with increasing years of cessation. Smoking cessation reduced the risk of developing AFO no matter before or after the confirmation of silicosis (pre-silicosis cessation: HR = 0.58, 95% CI 0.46-0.74; post-silicosis cessation: HR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.48-0.79).ConclusionsSmoking cessation significantly reduced the risk of AFO in the workers with silicosis, although the health benefit was not observed until 3 years of abstinence. These findings highlight the importance of early and long-term smoking cessation among silicotic or silica dust-exposed workers

ASC-J9 Suppresses Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Growth through Degradation of Full-length and Splice Variant Androgen Receptors12

Early studies suggested androgen receptor (AR) splice variants might contribute to the progression of prostate cancer (PCa) into castration resistance. However, the therapeutic strategy to target these AR splice variants still remains unresolved. Through tissue survey of tumors from the same patients before and after castration resistance, we found that the expression of AR3, a major AR splice variant that lacks the AR ligand-binding domain, was substantially increased after castration resistance development. The currently used antiandrogen, Casodex, showed little growth suppression in CWR22Rv1 cells. Importantly, we found that AR degradation enhancer ASC-J9 could degrade both full-length (fAR) and AR3 in CWR22Rv1 cells as well as in C4-2 and C81 cells with addition of AR3. The consequences of such degradation of both fAR and AR3 might then result in the inhibition of AR transcriptional activity and cell growth in vitro. More importantly, suppression of AR3 specifically by short-hairpin AR3 or degradation of AR3 by ASC-J9 resulted in suppression of AR transcriptional activity and cell growth in CWR22Rv1-fARKD (fAR knockdown) cells in which DHT failed to induce, suggesting the importance of targeting AR3. Finally, we demonstrated the in vivo therapeutic effects of ASC-J9 by showing the inhibition of PCa growth using the xenografted model of CWR22Rv1 cells orthotopically implanted into castrated nude mice with undetectable serum testosterone. These results suggested that targeting both fAR- and AR3-mediated PCa growth by ASC-J9 may represent the novel therapeutic approach to suppress castration-resistant PCa. Successful clinical trials targeting both fAR and AR3 may help us to battle castration-resistant PCa in the future