Workplace Social Capital and Mental Health among Chinese Employees: A Multi-Level, Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Whereas the majority of previous research on social capital and health has been on residential neighborhoods and communities, the evidence remains sparse on workplace social capital. To address this gap in the literature, we examined the association between workplace social capital and health status among Chinese employees in a large, multilevel, cross-sectional study. Methods: By employing a two-stage stratified random sampling procedure, 2,796 employees were identified from 35 workplaces in Shanghai during March to November 2012. Workplace social capital was assessed using a validated and psychometrically tested eight-item measure, and the Chinese language version of the WHO-Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) was used to assess mental health. Control variables included sex, age, marital status, education level, occupation status, smoking status, physical activity, and job stress. Multilevel logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore whether individual- and workplace-level social capital was associated with mental health status. Results: In total, 34.9% of workers reported poor mental health (WHO-5,13). After controlling for individual-level sociodemographic and lifestyle variables, compared to workers with the highest quartile of personal social capital, workers with the third, second, and lowest quartiles exhibited 1.39 to 3.54 times greater odds of poor mental health, 1.39 (95% CI: 1.10– 1.75), 1.85 (95% CI: 1.38–2.46) and 3.54 (95% CI: 2.73–4.59), respectively. Corresponding odds ratios for workplace-level social capital were 0.95 (95% CI: 0.61–1.49), 1.14 (95% CI: 0.72–1.81) and 1.63 (95% CI: 1.05–2.53) for the third, second, and lowest quartiles, respectively. Conclusions: Higher workplace social capital is associated with lower odds of poor mental health among Chinese employees. Promoting social capital at the workplace may contribute to enhancing employees’ mental health in China

Recent Advancements in Augmented Reality for Robotic Applications: A Survey

Robots are expanding from industrial applications to daily life, in areas such as medical robotics, rehabilitative robotics, social robotics, and mobile/aerial robotics systems. In recent years, augmented reality (AR) has been integrated into many robotic applications, including medical, industrial, human–robot interactions, and collaboration scenarios. In this work, AR for both medical and industrial robot applications is reviewed and summarized. For medical robot applications, we investigated the integration of AR in (1) preoperative and surgical task planning; (2) image-guided robotic surgery; (3) surgical training and simulation; and (4) telesurgery. AR for industrial scenarios is reviewed in (1) human–robot interactions and collaborations; (2) path planning and task allocation; (3) training and simulation; and (4) teleoperation control/assistance. In addition, the limitations and challenges are discussed. Overall, this article serves as a valuable resource for working in the field of AR and robotic research, offering insights into the recent state of the art and prospects for improvement

The genome of the Hi5 germ cell line from Trichoplusia ni, an agricultural pest and novel model for small RNA biology

We report a draft assembly of the genome of Hi5 cells from the lepidopteran insect pest, Trichoplusia ni, assigning 90.6% of bases to one of 28 chromosomes and predicting 14,037 protein-coding genes. Chemoreception and detoxification gene families reveal T. ni-specific gene expansions that may explain its widespread distribution and rapid adaptation to insecticides. Transcriptome and small RNA data from thorax, ovary, testis, and the germline-derived Hi5 cell line show distinct expression profiles for 295 microRNA- and \u3e 393 piRNA-producing loci, as well as 39 genes encoding small RNA pathway proteins. Nearly all of the W chromosome is devoted to piRNA production, and T. ni siRNAs are not 2 -O-methylated. To enable use of Hi5 cells as a model system, we have established genome editing and single-cell cloning protocols. The T. ni genome provides insights into pest control and allows Hi5 cells to become a new tool for studying small RNAs ex vivo

Towards Exoscope Automation in Neurosurgery: A Markerless Visual-Servoing Approach

Exoscopes are a promising tool for neurosurgeons, offering improved visualisation and ergonomics compared with traditional surgical microscopes. They consist of an external scope that projects the surgical field onto a 2D or 3D monitor, providing a wider field of view and better access to the surgical site. Despite the advantages, exoscopes present some limitations, such as the need for manual or foot joystick repositioning, which can disrupt the flow of the procedure and increase the risk of user error. In this study, a markerless visual-servoing approach for autonomous exoscope control is proposed to address these limitations and enhance the ergonomics and reduce the physical and cognitive load compared with traditional joystick control. The system uses visual information from the operating field to control the exoscope, eliminating the need for markers or additional tracking devices. The proposed approach was validated using a 7-DOF robotic manipulator with a stereo camera in an eyein-hand configuration. Results showed that the system achieved 89% accuracy in detecting the target and tracking its movement with a tracking error ranging from 0.50 +/- 0.17 cm for lowspeed movements to 1.38 +/- 0.73 cm for high-speed movements. The proposed system also demonstrated improved efficiency, with a shorter execution time of 72.07 +/- 19.36 s compared with 106.52 +/- 18.50 s for the foot-joystick control. Additionally, the time out of the FoV was significantly higher in the joystick control mode and the frequency of appearance of the instrument in the centre of the image was higher when using the proposed system. The NASA TLX results indicated lower physical and cognitive load compared with the joystick control-based modality

Association between body fat and sarcopenia in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A cross-sectional study

ObjectivesTo investigate the association between body fat (BF%) and sarcopenia in older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and potential link with increased levels of inflammatory indicators and insulin resistance.MethodsA total of 543 older adults with T2DM were included in this cross-sectional study. Appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM), handgrip strength and gait speed were measured to diagnose sarcopenia according to the updated Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria. Body composition data were tested using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). Levels of serum high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), interleukin-6, fasting blood insulin (FINS), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH) D3] were also determined.ResultsThe prevalence of sarcopenia in all participants was 8.84%, of which 11.90% were male and 5.84% females. The Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed that BF% was negatively correlated with gait speed in men and women (R =-0.195, P=0.001; R = -0.136, P =0.025, respectively). After adjusting for all potential confounders, sarcopenia was positive associated with BF% (male, OR: 1.38, 95% CI: 1.15–1.65, P< 0.001; female, OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.07–1.56, P=0.007), and negatively associated with body mass index (BMI) (male, OR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.44–0.73, P<0.001; female, OR: 0.48, 95% CI: 0.33–0.70, P<0.001). No significant differences were found in hs-CRP, interleukin-6, and insulin resistance between older T2DM adults with and without sarcopenia.ConclusionHigher BF% was linked to an increased risk of sarcopenia in older adults with T2DM, suggesting the importance of assessing BF% rather than BMI alone to manage sarcopenia

The growth in newspaper coverage of tobacco control in China, 2000-2010

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Media coverage of tobacco-related issues can potentially shape individual beliefs, attitudes and behaviors about tobacco use. This study aims to describe news coverage of tobacco control related issues in Chinese newspapers from 2000 to 2010.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>All 1149 articles related to tobacco control were extracted from the Database of Chinese Important Newspapers and content analyzed for the period Jan 1, 2000 to Dec 31, 2010. The changing pattern of tobacco control topic, article type, viewpoint, and article origin, and their relationship were analysed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>News coverage of tobacco control related issues increased significantly (<it>p </it>< 0.01) from 2000 to 2010, with news coverage being relatively intensive in May and June (<it>p </it>< 0.01), around World No Tobacco Day. 24.9% (n = 286) of all articles focused on secondhand smoke, 25.3% (n = 291) warned about the dangers of active smoking, and 10.0% (n = 115) focused on prevention and cessation programs and campaigns. Tobacco control topics varied significantly between national vs city/regional newspapers (<it>χ</it>²= 24.09, <it>p </it>= 0.002) and article types (<it>χ</it>²= 193.35, <it>p </it>< 0.001). Articles in national newspapers had more coverage of the dangers of tobacco and on enforcing bans on tobacco-advertising. News stories centered around monitoring tobacco use and smoke free activity, while editorials focused on enforcing bans on tobacco-advertising, youth access and programs and campaigns. Letters to editors focused on the dangers of smoking, raising tax, and smoking cessation. More articles (50.4%) took an anti-tobacco position (compared with 10.5% which were pro-smoking), with the amount of negative coverage growing significantly across the decade. National articles tended to lean toward anti-tobacco, however, local articles tended mix of pro-tobacco and neutral/balance positions. Editorials seemed to be more anti-tobacco oriented, but letters to the editor tended to show a mix of anti-tobacco and pro-tobacco positions.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Chinese newspapers are giving increasing attention to tobacco control, but coverage remains lower than in the USA and Australia. Health workers need to give higher priority to efforts to increase news coverage beyond the present concentration around World No Tobacco Day and to develop strategies for making tobacco control issues more newsworthy to both national and local news outlets.</p

Lenalidomide or bortezomib as maintenance treatment remedy the inferior impact of high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities in non-transplant patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma: a real-world multi-centered study in China

Maintenance treatment is a pivotal part in the whole process management of multiple myeloma (MM), which further deepens response and improves survival. However, evidence of maintenance in non-transplant MM patients is inadequate in real-world practice. Here, we retrospectively analyzed the efficacy and survival of 375 non-transplant MM patients from 11 centers between 2010 and 2021 in north China. After a median of seven cycles of front-line regimens, there were 141, 79, and 155 patients receiving lenalidomide maintenance (L-MT), bortezomib maintenance (B-MT), or thalidomide maintenance (T-MT), respectively. Patients on L-MT and B-MT had significantly greater proportions of high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (HRCAs) detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), which was defined as 1q21 gain, 17p deletion, adverse immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) translocations. Although the progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were comparable among the three groups, L-MT and B-MT remedied the negative impact of HRCAs on survival (PFS of patients with HRCAs vs. patients without HRCAs: L-MT, 26.9 vs. 39.2 months, p=0.19; B-MT, 20.0 vs. 29.7 months, p=0.36; OS not reached in all groups). Patients with HRCAs in the T-MT group presented inferior clinical outcomes compared to standard-risk patients (PFS, 12.1 vs. 22.8 months, p=0.02, HR=1.8, 95% CI 1.0–3.4; OS, 54.9 months vs. NR, p&lt;0.001, HR=3.2, 95% CI 1.5–7.0). Achieving complete response (CR) after induction therapy led to superior PFS compared to other degrees of response, regardless of maintenance medication. Furthermore, maintenance duration over 24 months correlated with favorable survival. Due to the large gap of transplant eligibility in China, optimizing maintenance therapy is important for non-transplant MM patients. In this real-world multi-centered study, our findings suggest that clinicians prefer to prescribe lenalidomide or bortezomib as maintenance therapy in high-risk settings, which are superior to thalidomide in non-transplant MM patients. Achievement of CR and maintenance duration over 2 years are positive factors that influence survival