National identity and attachment among overseas Chinese children: Diaspora tourism experiences

Immigrants' national identities in relation to their homelands have received considerable academic attention. Although childhood plays a substantial part in national identity, studies on diaspora tourism and immigrants have often overlooked children's experiences. Ethnic and cultural symbols are embedded in place and contribute to one's emotional attachment to a territory for identity development. This study explores the nexus between diaspora tourism, national identity, and place attachment from children's perspectives. An integrative approach including a metaphor elicitation technique and participant observations was used to examine how overseas Chinese children make sense of their "homeland" national identity and place attachment in a diaspora tourism context. Findings address how overseas Chinese children's cultural pride, social connections, and self-representation intertwine with meaningful symbols tied to China and Chineseness. These symbols influence their national identities and attachment to the country. Theoretical and practical implications are presented in closing

Relationship of screen time and dietary behaviors with depressive symptoms in junior high school students in five provinces in China

Objective·To explore the relationship of screen time and dietary behaviors with depressive symptoms in junior high school students in 5 provinces in China.Methods·A total of 1 067 junior high school students were selected from Zhejiang and Guangdong in the eastern region, Jiangxi in the central region, Sichuan and Guizhou in the western region of China by using stratified random cluster sampling method for a questionnaire survey, which included general demographic characteristics, health behaviors, diatery behaviors, and depressive symptoms. Univariate analysis was used to analyze the report rates of depressive symptoms, daily screen time and dietary behaviors of the students with variant demographic characteristics, and Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the relationship of daily screen time and dietary behaviors with depressive symptoms and the interaction effects as well.Results·The report rate of depressive symptoms was 12.9% in the junior high school students in 5 provinces. The students who were in the western region, were not only children, had a weekly allowance of over 100 yuan, had smoked or consumed alcohol, had daily screen time≥2 h, or had unhealthy dietary behaviors, had higher reporting rates of depressive symptoms (P<0.05). A total of 15.2% students had daily screen time≥2 h, who had a higher reporting rate of depressive symptoms than the others after the confounding factors being adjusted (OR=1.89, 95%CI 1.22‒2.95). A total of 29.5% of students had unhealthy dietary behaviors, who had a higher reporting rate of depressive symptoms than the others after the confounding factors being adjusted (OR=2.16, 95%CI 1.47‒3.19). A total of 6.4% of students had both daily screen time≥2 h and unhealthy dietary behaviors, who had a higher reporting rate of depressive symptoms than the students having daily screen time<2 h and healthy dietary behaviors after the confounding factors being adjusted (OR=4.26, 95%CI 2.24‒7.56). After adjusting for the confounding factors, the analysis of the interaction between daily screen time and dietary behaviors showed an additive interaction with the relative excess risk due to interaction (RERI) of 1.21 (95%CI 1.02‒1.51), the attributable proportion due to interaction (AP) of 0.19 (95%CI 0.13‒0.31), and the synergy index (S) of 1.35 (95%CI 1.12‒1.69).Conclusion·The junior high school students with both long screen time and unhealthy dietary behaviors are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms in China; long screen time and unhealthy dietary behaviors have an additive interactive effect on depressive symptoms

Effect of additives and moisture on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of high moisture ear corn

Maize (Zea mays L) is one of the most widely cultivated crops used as energy feeds. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of two lactic acid bacteria additives on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of high moisture ear corn (HMEC) silage at different moisture levels. The study utilized corn kernels and cobs harvested at the stage of complete ripeness as the primary material. The cob was crushed and divided into three treatment groups: an untreated control group (CK), a group treated with a mixture of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brucei (TQ), or a group treated with a mixture of Lactococcus lactis and Lactobacillus brucei (KT). Moisture contents were adjusted to 37.5% (L), 42.5% (M) or 47.5% (H) and then silaged for 180 days. Compared to CK, TQ, and KT elevated the dry matter, crude protein, starch, lactic and acetic acid content of HMEC and reduced the pH, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and ammonia nitrogen content (p &lt; 0.05). Even though both additives improved the bacterial community structure after fermentation, KT experienced the greater enhancement. At a phylum and genus level, KT had the higher relative abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus, respectively. Compared with the group of 37.5% (L) moisture content, the 42.5% (M) and 47.5% moisture content (H) group increased lactic acid, acetic acid and ammonia nitrogen concentrations and reduced the pH value (p &lt; 0.05). In conclusion, the addition of TQ and KT at the appropriate moisture content might be helpful for producing high-quality HMEC. Among the three moisture contents, 42.5% (M) moisture content provides the best silage qualities

Comparisons between cross-section and long-axis-section in the quantification of aneurysmal wall enhancement of fusiform intracranial aneurysms in identifying aneurysmal symptoms

BackgroundTo investigate the quantification of aneurysmal wall enhancement (AWE) in fusiform intracranial aneurysms (FIAs) and to compare AWE parameters based on different sections of FIAs in identifying aneurysm symptoms.MethodsConsecutive patients were prospectively recruited from February 2017 to November 2019. Aneurysm-related symptoms were defined as sentinel headache and oculomotor nerve palsy. All patients underwent high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) protocol, including both pre and post-contrast imaging. CRstalk (signal intensity of FIAs' wall divided by pituitary infundibulum) was evaluated both in the cross-section (CRstalk−cross) and the long-axis section (CRstalk−long) of FIAs. Aneurysm characteristics include the maximal diameter of the cross-section (Dmax), the maximal length of the long-axis section (Lmax), location, type, and mural thrombus. The performance of parameters for differentiating symptomatic and asymptomatic FIAs was obtained and compared by a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.ResultsForty-three FIAs were found in 43 patients. Eighteen (41.9%) patients who presented with aneurysmal symptoms were classified in the symptomatic group. In univariate analysis, male sex (P = 0.133), age (P = 0.013), FIAs type (P = 0.167), mural thrombus (P = 0.130), Lmax (P = 0.066), CRstalk−cross (P = 0.027), and CRstalk−long (P = 0.055) tended to be associated with aneurysmal symptoms. In the cross-section model of multivariate analysis, male (P = 0.038), age (P = 0.018), and CRstalk−cross (P = 0.048) were independently associated with aneurysmal symptoms. In the long-axis section model of multivariate analysis, male (P = 0.040), age (P = 0.010), CRstalk−long (P = 0.046), and Lmax (P = 0.019) were independently associated with aneurysmal symptoms. In the combination model of multivariate analysis, male (P = 0.027), age (P = 0.011), CRstalk−cross (P = 0.030), and Lmax (P = 0.020) were independently associated with aneurysmal symptoms. CRstalk−cross has the highest accuracy in predicting aneurysmal symptoms (AUC = 0.701). The combination of CRstalk−cross and Lmax exhibited the highest performance in discriminating symptomatic from asymptomatic FIAs (AUC = 0.780).ConclusionAneurysmal wall enhancement is associated with symptomatic FIAs. CRstalk−cross and Lmax were independent risk factors for aneurysmal symptoms. The combination of these two factors may improve the predictive performance of aneurysmal symptoms and may also help to stratify the instability of FIAs in future studies

Perioperative Toripalimab Plus Chemotherapy for Patients With Resectable Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: The Neotorch Randomized Clinical Trial

IMPORTANCE: Adjuvant and neoadjuvant immunotherapy have improved clinical outcomes for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the optimal combination of checkpoint inhibition with chemotherapy remains unknown. OBJECTIVE: To determine whether toripalimab in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy will improve event-free survival and major pathological response in patients with stage II or III resectable NSCLC compared with chemotherapy alone. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This randomized clinical trial enrolled patients with stage II or III resectable NSCLC (without EGFR or ALK alterations for nonsquamous NSCLC) from March 12, 2020, to June 19, 2023, at 50 participating hospitals in China. The data cutoff date for this interim analysis was November 30, 2022. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomized in a 1:1 ratio to receive 240 mg of toripalimab or placebo once every 3 weeks combined with platinum-based chemotherapy for 3 cycles before surgery and 1 cycle after surgery, followed by toripalimab only (240 mg) or placebo once every 3 weeks for up to 13 cycles. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: The primary outcomes were event-free survival (assessed by the investigators) and the major pathological response rate (assessed by blinded, independent pathological review). The secondary outcomes included the pathological complete response rate (assessed by blinded, independent pathological review) and adverse events. RESULTS: Of the 501 patients randomized, 404 had stage III NSCLC (202 in the toripalimab + chemotherapy group and 202 in the placebo + chemotherapy group) and 97 had stage II NSCLC and were excluded from this interim analysis. The median age was 62 years (IQR, 56-65 years), 92% of patients were male, and the median follow-up was 18.3 months (IQR, 12.7-22.5 months). For the primary outcome of event-free survival, the median length was not estimable (95% CI, 24.4 months-not estimable) in the toripalimab group compared with 15.1 months (95% CI, 10.6-21.9 months) in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.40 [95% CI, 0.28-0.57], P \u3c .001). The major pathological response rate (another primary outcome) was 48.5% (95% CI, 41.4%-55.6%) in the toripalimab group compared with 8.4% (95% CI, 5.0%-13.1%) in the placebo group (between-group difference, 40.2% [95% CI, 32.2%-48.1%], P \u3c .001). The pathological complete response rate (secondary outcome) was 24.8% (95% CI, 19.0%-31.3%) in the toripalimab group compared with 1.0% (95% CI, 0.1%-3.5%) in the placebo group (between-group difference, 23.7% [95% CI, 17.6%-29.8%]). The incidence of immune-related adverse events occurred more frequently in the toripalimab group. No unexpected treatment-related toxic effects were identified. The incidence of grade 3 or higher adverse events, fatal adverse events, and adverse events leading to discontinuation of treatment were comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: The addition of toripalimab to perioperative chemotherapy led to a significant improvement in event-free survival for patients with resectable stage III NSCLC and this treatment strategy had a manageable safety profile. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04158440

Cathelicidin-BF, a Snake Cathelicidin-Derived Antimicrobial Peptide, Could Be an Excellent Therapeutic Agent for Acne Vulgaris

Cathelicidins are a family of antimicrobial peptides acting as multifunctional effector molecules in innate immunity. Cathelicidin-BF has been purified from the snake venoms of Bungarus fasciatus and it is the first identified cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide in reptiles. In this study, cathelicidin-BF was found exerting strong antibacterial activities against Propionibacterium acnes. Its minimal inhibitory concentration against two strains of P. acnes was 4.7 µg/ml. Cathelicidin-BF also effectively killed other microorganisms including Staphylococcus epidermidis, which was possible pathogen for acne vulgaris. Cathelicidin-BF significantly inhibited pro-inflammatory factors secretion in human monocytic cells and P. acnes-induced O2.− production of human HaCaT keratinocyte cells. Observed by scanning electron microscopy, the surfaces of the treated pathogens underwent obvious morphological changes compared with the untreated controls, suggesting that this antimicrobial peptide exerts its action by disrupting membranes of microorganisms. The efficacy of cathelicidin-BF gel topical administering was evaluated in experimental mice skin colonization model. In vivo anti-inflammatory effects of cathelicidin-BF were confirmed by relieving P. acnes-induced mice ear swelling and granulomatous inflammation. The anti-inflammatory effects combined with potent antimicrobial activities and O2.− production inhibition activities of cathelicidin-BF indicate its potential as a novel therapeutic option for acne vulgaris

Systemic immune-inflammation index is associated with aneurysmal wall enhancement in unruptured intracranial fusiform aneurysms

IntroductionInflammation plays a key role in the progression of intracranial aneurysms. Aneurysmal wall enhancement (AWE) correlates well with inflammatory processes in the aneurysmal wall. Understanding the potential associations between blood inflammatory indices and AWE may aid in the further understanding of intracranial aneurysm pathophysiology.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed 122 patients with intracranial fusiform aneurysms (IFAs) who underwent both high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and blood laboratory tests. AWE was defined as a contrast ratio of the signal intensity of the aneurysmal wall to that of the pituitary stalk ≥ 0.90. The systemic immune-inflammation (SII) index (neutrophils × platelets/lymphocytes) was calculated from laboratory data and dichotomized based on whether or not the IFA had AWE. Aneurysmal symptoms were defined as sentinel headache or oculomotor nerve palsy. Multivariable logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were performed to determine how well the SII index was able to predict AWE and aneurysmal symptoms. Spearman’s correlation coefficients were used to explore the potential associations between variables.ResultsThis study included 95 patients, of whom 24 (25.3%) presented with AWE. After adjusting for baseline differences in neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios, leukocytes, and neutrophils in the multivariable logistic regression analysis, smoking history (P = 0.002), aneurysmal symptoms (P = 0.047), maximum diameter (P = 0.048), and SII index (P = 0.022) all predicted AWE. The SII index (P = 0.038) was the only independent predictor of aneurysmal symptoms. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the SII index was able to accurately distinguish IFAs with AWE (area under the curve = 0.746) and aneurysmal symptoms (area under the curve = 0.739).DiscussionAn early elevation in the SII index can independently predict AWE in IFAs and is a potential new biomarker for predicting IFA instability

Impact of AlphaFold on Structure Prediction of Protein Complexes: The CASP15-CAPRI Experiment

We present the results for CAPRI Round 54, the 5th joint CASP-CAPRI protein assembly prediction challenge. The Round offered 37 targets, including 14 homo-dimers, 3 homo-trimers, 13 hetero-dimers including 3 antibody-antigen complexes, and 7 large assemblies. On average ~70 CASP and CAPRI predictor groups, including more than 20 automatics servers, submitted models for each target. A total of 21941 models submitted by these groups and by 15 CAPRI scorer groups were evaluated using the CAPRI model quality measures and the DockQ score consolidating these measures. The prediction performance was quantified by a weighted score based on the number of models of acceptable quality or higher submitted by each group among their 5 best models. Results show substantial progress achieved across a significant fraction of the 60+ participating groups. High-quality models were produced for about 40% for the targets compared to 8% two years earlier, a remarkable improvement resulting from the wide use of the AlphaFold2 and AlphaFold-Multimer software. Creative use was made of the deep learning inference engines affording the sampling of a much larger number of models and enriching the multiple sequence alignments with sequences from various sources. Wide use was also made of the AlphaFold confidence metrics to rank models, permitting top performing groups to exceed the results of the public AlphaFold-Multimer version used as a yard stick. This notwithstanding, performance remained poor for complexes with antibodies and nanobodies, where evolutionary relationships between the binding partners are lacking, and for complexes featuring conformational flexibility, clearly indicating that the prediction of protein complexes remains a challenging problem

Impact of AlphaFold on structure prediction of protein complexes: The CASP15-CAPRI experiment

We present the results for CAPRI Round 54, the 5th joint CASP-CAPRI protein assembly prediction challenge. The Round offered 37 targets, including 14 homodimers, 3 homo-trimers, 13 heterodimers including 3 antibody-antigen complexes, and 7 large assemblies. On average ~70 CASP and CAPRI predictor groups, including more than 20 automatics servers, submitted models for each target. A total of 21 941 models submitted by these groups and by 15 CAPRI scorer groups were evaluated using the CAPRI model quality measures and the DockQ score consolidating these measures. The prediction performance was quantified by a weighted score based on the number of models of acceptable quality or higher submitted by each group among their five best models. Results show substantial progress achieved across a significant fraction of the 60+ participating groups. High-quality models were produced for about 40% of the targets compared to 8% two years earlier. This remarkable improvement is due to the wide use of the AlphaFold2 and AlphaFold2-Multimer software and the confidence metrics they provide. Notably, expanded sampling of candidate solutions by manipulating these deep learning inference engines, enriching multiple sequence alignments, or integration of advanced modeling tools, enabled top performing groups to exceed the performance of a standard AlphaFold2-Multimer version used as a yard stick. This notwithstanding, performance remained poor for complexes with antibodies and nanobodies, where evolutionary relationships between the binding partners are lacking, and for complexes featuring conformational flexibility, clearly indicating that the prediction of protein complexes remains a challenging problem