Where is the "Frugal Olympics"?

The one-year countdown to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and its media fanfare have come and gone, leaving behind persistent calls for an "economical and practical" Olympics to counteract perceived waste and excess in preparing for the Games. Increasingly, in the past few years, such sentiments have found their way onto the Internet, in blogs, discussion forums and local papers as a full accounting of the spending on various Olympic constructions and events has yet to be fully disclosed to the public.Similar to the open letter "OneWorld,One Dream and Universal Human Rights" from 40 Chinese academics, writers and human rights activists, these sentiments against an extravagant and wasteful Olympics provide another perspective often hidden from themedia glare aimed at festivities and publicity campaigns. This HRIC Issues Brief provides a sample of the range and diversity of these critical views on the Beijing Olympic Games expressed by Chinese Netizens on general blogs and Internet discussion and news forums

Do Chinese exporters still need learning spillovers from foreign MNEs?

The study investigates learning spillovers from local firms as well as MNEs in China, and their indirect effects on other firms’ exporting, paying particular attention to inter- and intra-industry spillovers. We develop a synthetic model based on the treatment of spillovers in economics, geography and international business, testing four different spillover effects, measured by export propensity and intensity of local Chinese firms associated with four types of export agglomeration. We find significant, positive spillovers effects. Surprisingly, spillovers transmitted from locally-owned exporters to local firms turn out to be stronger than those from foreign-owned exporters to local firms. Unsurprisingly, spillovers transmitted within the same industry are stronger than with different industries. The evidence suggests that after 30 years of openness to international trade and export-oriented development, China’s indigenous firms have started to make a significant contribution to the export performance of other local firms. This finding is different from findings from previous empirical analysis, which reveals that maybe there’s a diminishing teaching effects from foreign MNEs to local firms

Superior effects of eccentric to concentric knee extensor resistance training on physical fitness, insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles of elderly men

It has been reported that eccentric training of knee extensors is effective for improving blood insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles to a greater extent than concentric training in young women. However, it is not known whether this is also the case for elderly individuals. Thus, the present study tested the hypothesis that eccentric training of the knee extensors would improve physical function and health parameters (e.g., blood lipid profiles) of older adults better than concentric training. Healthy elderly men (60–76 years) were assigned to either eccentric training or concentric training group (n=13/group), and performed 30–60 eccentric or concentric contractions of knee extensors once a week. The intensity was progressively increased over 12 weeks from 10 to 100% of maximal concentric strength for eccentric training and from 50 to 100% for concentric training. Outcome measures were taken before and 4 days after the training period. The results showed that no sings of muscle damage were observed after any sessions. Functional physical fitness (e.g., 30-s chair stand) and maximal concentric contraction strength of the knee extensors increased greater (P ≤ 0.05) after eccentric training than concentric training. Homeostasis model assessment, oral glucose tolerance test and whole blood glycosylated hemoglobin

The impacts of suspended mariculture on coastal zones in China and the scope for Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture

Introduction: China is responsible for more than 60\% of global aquaculture production. As the frontiers of food production have expanded, the cultivation of marine organisms in coastal zones and the open ocean has grown rapidly. The dominant mariculture industry in China is suspended mariculture, which uses net cages, ropes, or other structures suspended in the water column to cultivate aquatic organisms. This systematic, quantitative review provides a clear and comprehensive account of research that has investigated the adverse impacts of suspended mariculture in China and reviews research that has applied Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA) systems for mitigating impacts. This work builds on 218 peer reviewed papers that have been published in English-language journals. Outcomes: Eighteen impacts were identified, including chemical, ecological, physical, and socioeconomic impacts. Eighteen measures for improving suspended mariculture were recommended consisting of government department, farm management, and ecological engineering measures. IMTA was the most frequently recommended measure. The capabilities of IMTA for bioremediation and increased farm production were the most frequently studied advantages. Seven other benefits have been explored but remain understudied. The current challenges facing the expansion of commercial IMTA include limited use of new technology, limited skills development, decreasing production of low trophic-level species, biogeographic and temporal barriers, and negative system feedbacks. Conclusion: Despite challenges, implementing commercial IMTA is a promising measure for reducing the impacts of suspended mariculture because it presents a range of secondary benefits that can improve the overall sustainability of aquaculture in the coastal zone

Regenerative responses of rabbit corneal endothelial cells to stimulation by fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) derivatives, TTHX1001 and TTHX1114

Utilising rabbit corneal endothelial cells (CEC) in three different paradigms, two human FGF1 derivatives (TTHX1001 and TTHX1114), engineered to exhibit greater stability, were tested as proliferative agents. Primary CECs and mouse NIH 3T3 cells treated with the two FGF1 derivatives showed equivalent E

Steric Determinants of Pt/DNA Interactions and Anticancer Activity

Studies directed at establishing the structural features that control Pt/DNA interactions and the anticancer activity of Pt drugs are described. [1H, 15N]-HSQC 2D NMR spectroscopic studies of the reactions of cisplatin with oligonucleotides containing ApG and GpA binding sites reveal dramatic differences in the rates of formation of monofunctional adducts at the two sites. When the reactant is cis-[Pt(NH3)2(OH2)2]2+ no such differences are observed suggesting that outer-sphere interactions between the reactant and the oligonucleotide may play a substantial role in determining the rates. Rates of closure to the bifunctional adducts are similar to those observed for cisplatin. Studies of the adduct profiles formed by sterically bulky and/or optically active complexes reveal that steric interactions play a major role in mediating the binding of Pt(ll) to DNA but that hydrogen bonds play less of a role. In vitro cytotoxic activities for these complexes do not always follow the trends that would be expected on the basis of the adduct profiles

Comparison of antipsychotic dose equivalents for acute bipolar mania and schizophrenia

Are antipsychotic dose equivalents between acute mania and schizophrenia the same? Study selection and analysis Six databases were systematically searched (from inception to 17 September 2022) to identify blinded randomised controlled trials (RCTs) that used a flexible-dose oral antipsychotic drug for patients with acute mania. The mean and SD of the effective dose and the pre–post changes in manic symptoms were extracted. A network meta-analysis (NMA) under a frequentist framework was performed to examine the comparative efficacy between the antipsychotics. A classic mean dose method (sample size weighted) was used to calculate each antipsychotic dose equivalent to 1 mg/day olanzapine for acute mania. The antipsychotic dose equivalents of acute mania were compared with published data for schizophrenia. Findings We included 42 RCTs which enrolled 11 396 participants with acute mania. The NMA showed that risperidone was superior to olanzapine (reported standardised mean difference: −022, 95% CI −0.41 to –0.02), while brexpiprazole was inferior to olanzapine (standardised mean difference: 0.36, 95% CI 0.08 to 0.64). The dose equivalents to olanzapine (with SD) were 0.68 (0.23) for haloperidol, 0.32 (0.07) for risperidone, 0.60 (0.11) for paliperidone, 8.00 (1.41) for ziprasidone, 41.46 (5.98) for quetiapine, 1.65 (0.32) for aripiprazole, 1.23 (0.20) for asenapine, 0.53 (0.14) for cariprazine and 0.22 (0.03) for brexpiprazole. Compared with the olanzapine dose equivalents for schizophrenia, those of acute mania were higher for quetiapine (p<0.001, 28.5%) and aripiprazole (p<0.001, 17.0%), but lower for haloperidol (p<0.001, –8.1%) and risperidone (p<0.001, –15.8%). Conclusions Antipsychotic drugs have been considered first-line treatment for acute mania, warranting specific dose equivalence for scientific and clinical purposes

Major Miocene geological events in southern Tibet and eastern Asia induced by the subduction of the Ninetyeast Ridge

Cenozoic adakitic rocks in the Gangdese changed from barren continental melts to ore-forming slab melts at ~ 23 Ma. The distribution and chemical characteristics of the ore-forming adakites point to an association with the Ninetyeast Ridge. The subduction of the thick, rigid Ninetyeast Ridge changed the geometry and rheology of the eastern Tibetan Plateau lithosphere and asthenosphere, restrained the eastward escape of asthenospheric mantle as well as continental fragments, and promoted the uplift and building of the Tibetan Plateau, which consequently changed the tectonic and climatic regimes in eastern Asia.This study was supported by NSFC 91328204 to W.D.S. and Strategic Priority Research Program (B) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDB18020102) to W.D.S. and X.L.S