Citizen–media interaction in China’s local participatory reform: a contingent participation model

Mass media play an important role in grassroots democracy, yet the dynamics of media-citizen interaction remains under-researched. Using the case of “Civil Monitory Organization” (CMO) program in Zhejiang’s Wenzhou city, we show how local media and the local government to whom the local media are held accountable shape citizen participation. We develop the framework of “contingent participation” to analyze the constraints on local political participation. Based on our observation of the CMO activism, we typologize four participation behaviours: (1) symbolic participation, (2) instrumental participation, (3) managed participation, and (4) transgressive participation. We conclude that contingent participation yields paradoxical results inherent under authoritarian rule: it aims to mobilize citizens to solve governance problems, yet denies the free flow of information and full participation of citizens

Inhibition of Phosphodiesterase-4 Reverses Aβ-Induced Memory Impairment by Regulation of HPA Axis Related cAMP Signaling

Beta amyloid peptides (Aβ) are found to be associated with dysfunction of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis) that leads to memory and cognitive deficits in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) inhibitors increase the intracellular cAMP activities, which may ameliorate cognitive deficits associated with AD. However, it remains unclear whether PDE4-mediated reversal of cognitive impairment in mouse model of AD is related to HPA axis and downstream cAMP-dependent pathway. The present study investigated the effects of PDE4 inhibitor rolipram on Aβ1-42-induced cognitive dysfunction and its underlying mechanisms. The step-down passive avoidance (PA) and Morris water-maze (MWM) tests were conducted 1 week (1 W), 2 months (2 M), and 6 months (6 M) after intracerebroventricular microjection (i.c.v.) of Aβ1-42. The results suggested that memory impairment emerged as early as 1 W, peaked at 2 M, and lasted until 6 M after injection. Chronic treatment with rolipram (0.1, 0.5, 1.0 mg/kg/d, i.p.) for 2 weeks (i.e., treatment started at 1.5 months after Aβ1-42 microinjection) dose-dependently improved memory performance in both MWM and PA tests. Moreover, rolipram reversed the Aβ-induced increases in serum corticosterone (CORT), corticotropin-releasing factor, and glucocorticoid receptors (CRF-R and GR) levels, whereas it decreases in brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and the ratio of pCREB to CREB expression. These effects of rolipram were prevented by pre-treatment with PKA inhibitor H89. The findings indicated that the protective effects of rolipram against Aβ1-42-induced memory deficits might involve HPA axis and cAMP-CREB-BDNF signaling

Case report: Indocyanine green fluorescence-guided imaging in laparoscope, a more sensitive detection technique of lateral lymph nodes metastases from rectal neuroendocrine tumors

BackgroundThe diagnosis and surgical strategy of lateral lymph node metastases of rectal neuroendocrine tumors are still controversial. At present, the major diagnostic means rely on imaging examinations, but will be affected by the size of lymph nodes leading to false negativity. We provide a new technique to determine lateral lymph node metastases during surgery.Clinical caseA 68-year-old man developed abdominal pain, bloating and fever for a month. Colonoscopy revealed the mass is 2.4 cm x 2.0 cm in size, with a wide stratum, poor mobility, and a rough but intact surface mucosa. Therefore, rectal neuroendocrine tumors (R-NET) were diagnosed. Multiple imaging methods, such as CT, octreotide imaging and endoscopic ultrasonography, have not found lateral lymph node metastases from rectal neuroendocrine tumors. But indocyanine green (ICG)-enhanced near-infrared fluorescence-guided imaging during surgery found left lateral lymph nodes metastases, which was proved by postoperative pathological examination.ConclusionsWe believe that applying ICG-enhanced near-infrared fluorescence-guided imaging in laparoscope can improve the detection of positive LLNs in those R-NET patients who did not reveal LNM on imaging examinations

Measurement of ultra-trace level of intact oxytocin in plasma using SALLE combined with nano-LC–MS

Measurement of peptides such as oxytocin in plasma is a critical challenge in clinical research because of their extreme low concentrations as well as the tremendous interferencing substances co-presented in plasma. In this study, we developed an efficient salt-out assisted liquid-liquid extraction (SALLE) to treat plasma, and then analyzed the samples using nano-LC–MS to quantify intact oxytocin (OT) in human and rat plasmas. Our results showed that the use of SALLE (Isopropanol/K2HPO4 (4  M)) allows efficient removal of various disrupters, including proteins, inorganic salts, and lipids, which helps avoid the risk of blocked capillary columns and matrix effects. Moreover, instant SALLE can reduce the possible binding between OT and proteins, thus allowing high repeatability of OT extraction from the original plasma. This combination of SALLE and nano-LC–MS method provided in the end a 1 pg/m L of detection limit. Comparative analysis showed that the concentration of OT in the plasma taken from 12 volunteers ranged from 3 to 214 pg/m L, about one order less than those in the plasma of rats. Compared to the previously reported LC–MS and immunoassay methods, the combination of SALLE and nano-LC–MS permits reliable measurement of intact OT even in human plasma. Our approach may be an alternative method for quantitative determination of other ultra-trace peptides in plasma, which would help the investigators understand the role of peptides in behaviours and diseases

Resveratrol Improves Brain-Gut Axis by Regulation of 5-HT-Dependent Signaling in the Rat Model of Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is at high risk of co-morbid depression and anxiety, which reduces patients’ quality of life and increases the burden of health care costs. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible for IBS still remain unknown. This study investigated the effects of resveratrol on stress-related depression, anxiety, intestinal and visceral dysfunction in rat model of IBS. Rats received chronic acute combining stress (CACS) for 22 days exhibited depression/anxiety-like behavior, visceral hypersensitivity and altered intestinal motility, as measured by the forced swimming, marble bury, abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) and intestinal tract motility (ITM) tests. These abnormalities were accompanied by reduced 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) level in the hippocampus and increased 5-HT expression in the gut (ileum and colon) after CACS. Chronic treatment of IBS rats with resveratrol dose-dependently normalized CACS-induced both central nervous and peripheral dysfunction, which were consistent with its differentially regulating 5-HT contents in the brain and intestine. Pretreatment with the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist NAN-190 hydrobromide (NAN-190) prevented such effects. While sub-threshold of 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT potentiated the effects of low dose of resveratrol (10 mg/kg) on CACS-related behavioral abnormalities. Furthermore, resveratrol markedly increased PKA, p-cAMP-response element binding protein (p-CREB) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the hippocampus of IBS rats, while decreased PKA, pCREB and BDNF levels were found in the ileum and colon. These effects were prevented by NAN-190, which were consistent with the behavioral changes. The present results suggested that resveratrol improved anti-IBS-like effects on depression, anxiety, visceral hypersensitivity and intestinal motility abnormality through regulating 5-HT1A-dependent PKA-CREB-BDNF signaling in the brain-gut axis

Entropy and Semi-Entropies of Regular Symmetrical Triangular Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Variables

Fuzzy entropy has a wide range of applications in uncertainty problems. Due to the dual-complexity of its characteristics and calculation, the study on type-2 fuzzy entropy is rare, let alone the semi-ones. Given this, the paper takes the lead in proposing the credibility-based type-2 entropy and semi-entropies delivered around a specific symmetric type-2 fuzzy variable. After presenting the relevant theorems and definitions, we give the corresponding examples of linear entropy and semi-entropies to illustrate and verify the favorable property of our study. This series of formulas on type-2 entropy proposed has a strong advantage in reducing computational complexity. It can be commonly applied to measure fuzziness and solve return-oriented and cost-oriented problems in the business field. A sequence of measures on type-2 fuzzy entropy developed in this paper delivers fresh insights into this field. It also provides a new reasonable tool for the decision-making on cost and investment control in companies

Entropy and Semi-Entropies of Regular Symmetrical Triangular Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Variables

Fuzzy entropy has a wide range of applications in uncertainty problems. Due to the dual-complexity of its characteristics and calculation, the study on type-2 fuzzy entropy is rare, let alone the semi-ones. Given this, the paper takes the lead in proposing the credibility-based type-2 entropy and semi-entropies delivered around a specific symmetric type-2 fuzzy variable. After presenting the relevant theorems and definitions, we give the corresponding examples of linear entropy and semi-entropies to illustrate and verify the favorable property of our study. This series of formulas on type-2 entropy proposed has a strong advantage in reducing computational complexity. It can be commonly applied to measure fuzziness and solve return-oriented and cost-oriented problems in the business field. A sequence of measures on type-2 fuzzy entropy developed in this paper delivers fresh insights into this field. It also provides a new reasonable tool for the decision-making on cost and investment control in companies

Citizen-Media Interaction in China's Local Participatory Reform: a Contingent Participation Model

Mass media play an important role in grassroots democracy, yet the dynamics of media–citizen interaction remains under-researched. Using the case of the ‘Civil Monitory Organization’ (CMO) programme in Zhejiang’s Wenzhou city, this article shows how local media, and the local government to whom the local media are held accountable, shape citizen participation. This article develops the framework of ‘contingent participation’ to analyze the constraints on local political participation. Based on the observation of CMO activism, this article typologizes four participation behaviours: (1) symbolic participation; (2) instrumental participation; (3) managed participation; and (4) transgressive participation. This article concludes that contingent participation yields paradoxical results inherent under authoritarian rule: it aims to mobilize citizens to hold government accountable, yet denies the free flow of information and full participation of citizens

Extensive characterization and differential analysis of endogenous peptides from Bombyx batryticatus using mass spectrometric approach

Bombyx batryticatus, the dried larva of Bombyx mori L (4th-5th instars) infected with Beauveria bassiana Vuill, is an important animal-derived medicine effective against several diseases. The metamorphosis of silkworm can result insignificant changes in the levels of proteins and polypeptides in the 4th and 5th instar larvae. Here, we performed extensive characterization of Bombyx batryticatus peptides, including polypeptides containing cysteines, using an MS-based data mining strategy. A total of 779 peptides with various PTMs (post-translational modifications) were identified through database search and de novo sequencing. Some of these peptides might have important biological activities. Besides, the differential analysis of polypeptides between the head and body of Bombyx batryticatus was performed to provide a clinical basis for rational use of the drugs derived from it. This study illustrates the abundance and sequences of endogenous Bombyx batryticatus polypeptides, and thus, provides potential candidates for the screening of active compounds for future biological research and drug discovery studies. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved