Since its initiation in 2008, the Beijing Forum on Human Rights has been bent on promoting our mutual understanding and expanding our common grounds. It has carried out very fruitful exchanges and researches around ma...Since its initiation in 2008, the Beijing Forum on Human Rights has been bent on promoting our mutual understanding and expanding our common grounds. It has carried out very fruitful exchanges and researches around many important questions concerning human rights development, and hence attained great achievements. It has played avery constructive role in promoting exchanges about and cooperation in human rights between China and other countries, becoming an important and influential platform for international dialogs over human rights.展开更多
The Sixth Beijing Forum on Human Rights is opened today, which is co-spon- sored by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the China Foundation for Human Rights Development. First, on behalf of the China Found...The Sixth Beijing Forum on Human Rights is opened today, which is co-spon- sored by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the China Foundation for Human Rights Development. First, on behalf of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, I would like to express warm congratulations to the opening of the Forum, and heartfelt thanks tothe friends who have always cared for and supported for the development and progress of human rights cause of China.展开更多
As early as in 2002, the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the China Foundationfor Human Rights Development co-sponsored an international symposium titled "Oriental Culture and Human Rights Development," ma...As early as in 2002, the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the China Foundationfor Human Rights Development co-sponsored an international symposium titled "Oriental Culture and Human Rights Development," marking an important milestone for the human rights organizations of China to confidently open themselves to the world and voluntarily perform mul- tilateral cooperation. In the past tenyears, the exchanges and cooperation in human rights between China and other countries in the world have been increasingly extended and deepened, and the world human rights cause has increasingly shown a positive trend of close contact, mutual dependence and collective development for all countries.展开更多
Migration is a potential strategy to reduce poverty in the Global South.In China,the Poverty-alleviation Relocation(PAR)is a government-led,large-scale migration initiative aimed at eliminating poverty and promoting e...Migration is a potential strategy to reduce poverty in the Global South.In China,the Poverty-alleviation Relocation(PAR)is a government-led,large-scale migration initiative aimed at eliminating poverty and promoting environmental sustainability.To examine the ecological and socio-economic effects of the PAR,we quantified the changes in five types of ecosystem services(ES)as well as the subjective well-being of rural residents in Fuping county,Hebei province of China,by using ES mapping,household survey,and semi-structured interviews.We found that the PAR improves people's quality of life,with the well-being scores associated with transportation,communication,education,and healthcare increasing by 0.45–0.81.Additionally,the PAR enhances the supply of ES,evidenced by the increases in four types of ES in both in-migration and out-migration areas.The ES growth rates in in-migration areas ranged from 0.7%to 3.9%,while in out-migration areas,the rates ranged from 0.4%to 2.5%.However,the changes in income and food well-being are minimal,with scores at 0 and 0.32,respectively.More importantly,the elderly and low-educated residents experience minimal improvements in well-being after relocation.Our findings suggest that for other developing countries seeking to adopt PAR,it is crucial to provide targeted support for livelihood transitions,particularly for marginalized social groups,restore out-migration areas,and strengthen cross-regional cooperation to better address ecological constraints on livelihoods.展开更多
Androgens have potent anabolic effects on skeletal muscle and decline with age in parallel to losses in muscle mass and strength. This loss of muscle mass and function, known as sarcopenia, is the central event in dev...Androgens have potent anabolic effects on skeletal muscle and decline with age in parallel to losses in muscle mass and strength. This loss of muscle mass and function, known as sarcopenia, is the central event in development of frailty, the vulnerable health status that presages adverse outcomes and rapid functional decline in older adults. The potential role of falling androgen levels in the development of frailty and their utility as function promoting therapies in older men has therefore attracted considerable attention. This review summarizes current concepts and definitions in muscle ageing, sarcopenia and frailty, and evaluates recent developments in the study of androgens and frailty. Current evidence from observational and interventional studies strongly supports an effect of androgens on muscle mass in ageing men, but effects on muscle strength and particularly physical function have been less clear. Androgen treatment has been generally well-tolerated in studies of older men, but concerns remain over higher dose treatments and use in populations with high cardiovascular risk. The first trials of selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) suggest similar effects on muscle mass and function to traditional androgen therapies in older adults. Important future directions include the use of these agents in combination with exercise training to promote functional ability across different populations of older adults, as well as more focus on the relationships between concurrent changes in hormone levels, body composition and physical function in observational studies.展开更多
Despite the identification of key genes such as Sry integral to embryonic gonadal development, the genomic classification and identification of chromosomal activation of this process is still poorly understood. To bet...Despite the identification of key genes such as Sry integral to embryonic gonadal development, the genomic classification and identification of chromosomal activation of this process is still poorly understood. To better understand the genetic regulation of gonadal development, we performed Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) to profile the genes and novel transcripts, and an average of 152,000 tags from male embryonic gonads at E10.5 (embryonic day 10.5), E11.5, E12.5, E13.5, E15.5 and E17.5 were analyzed. A total of 275,583 non-singleton tags that do not map to any annotated sequence were identified in the six gonad libraries, and 47,255 tags were mapped to 24,975 annotated sequences, among which 987 sequences were uncharacterized. Utilizing an unsupervised pattern identification technique, we established molecular staging of male gonadal development. Rather than providing a static descriptive analysis, we developed algorithms to cluster the SAGE data and assign SAGE tags to a corresponding chromosomal position; these data are displayed in chromosome graphic format. A prominent increase in global genomic activity from E10.5 to E17.5 was observed. Important chromosomal regions related to the developmental processes were identified and validated based on established mouse models with developmental disorders. These regions may represent markers for early diagnosis for disorders of male gonad development as well as potential treatment targets.展开更多
Autograft or metal implants are routinely used in skeletal repair.However,they fail to provide long-term clinical resolution,necessitating a functional biomimetic tissue engineering alternative.The use of native human...Autograft or metal implants are routinely used in skeletal repair.However,they fail to provide long-term clinical resolution,necessitating a functional biomimetic tissue engineering alternative.The use of native human bone tissue for synthesizing a biomimeticmaterial inkfor three-dimensional(3D)bioprintingof skeletal tissueis anattractivestrategyfor tissueregeneration.Thus,human bone extracellular matrix(bone-ECM)offers an exciting potential for the development of an appropriate microenvironment for human bone marrow stromal cells(HBMSCs)to proliferate and differentiate along the osteogenic lineage.In this study,we engineered a novel material ink(LAB)by blending human bone-ECM(B)with nanoclay(L,Laponite®)and alginate(A)polymers using extrusion-based deposition.The inclusion of the nanofiller and polymeric material increased the rheology,printability,and drug retention properties and,critically,the preservation of HBMSCs viability upon printing.The composite of human bone-ECM-based 3D constructs containing vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)enhanced vascularization after implantation in an ex vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane(CAM)model.The inclusion of bone morphogenetic protein-2(BMP-2)with the HBMSCs further enhanced vascularization and mineralization after only seven days.This study demonstrates the synergistic combination of nanoclay with biomimetic materials(alginate and bone-ECM)to support the formation of osteogenic tissue both in vitro and ex vivo and offers a promising novel 3D bioprinting approach to personalized skeletal tissue repair.展开更多
Many studies have been dedicated to the development of scaffolds for improving post-traumatic nerve regeneration. The goal of this study was to assess the effect on nerve regeneration, associating a hybrid chitosan me...Many studies have been dedicated to the development of scaffolds for improving post-traumatic nerve regeneration. The goal of this study was to assess the effect on nerve regeneration, associating a hybrid chitosan membrane with non-differentiated human mesenchymal stem cells isolated from Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord, in peripheral nerve reconstruction after crush injury. Chromosome analysis on human mesenchymal stem cell line from Wharton's jelly was carried out and no structural alterations were found in metaphase. Chitosan membranes were previously tested in vitro, to assess their ability in supporting human mesenchymal stem cell survival, expansion, and differentiation. For the in vivo testing, Sasco Sprague adult rats were divided in 4 groups of 6 or 7 animals each: Group 1, sciatic axonotmesis injury without any other intervention (Group 1-Crush); Group 2, the axonotmesis lesion of 3 mm was infiltrated with a suspension of 1 250 -1 500 human mesenchymal stem cells (total volume of 50 pL) (Group 2-CrushCell); Group 3, axonotmesis lesion of 3 mm was enwrapped with a chitosan type Ill membrane covered with a monolayer of non-differentiated human mesenchymal stem cells (Group 3-CrushChitlllCell) and Group 4, axonotmesis lesion of 3 mm was enwrapped with a chitosan type III membrane (Group 4-CrushChiUll). Motor and sensory functional recovery was evaluated throughout a healing period of 12 weeks using sciatic functional index, static sciatic index, extensor postural thrust, and withdrawal reflex latency. Stereological analysis was carded out on regenerated nerve fibers. Results showed that infiltration of human mesenchymal stem cells, or the combination of chitosan membrane enwrapment and human mesenchymal stem cell enrichment after nerve crush injury provide a slight advantage to post-traumatic nerve regeneration. Results obtained with chitosan type III membrane alone confirmed that they significantly improve post-traumatic axonal regrowth and may represent a very promising clinical tool in peripheral nerve reconstructive surgery. Yet, umbilical cord human mesenchymal stem cells, that can be expanded in culture and induced to form several different types of cells, may prove, in future experiments, to be a new source of cells for cell therapy, including targets such as peripheral nerve and muscle.展开更多
1 Introduction Fresh or saline,lakes constantly exchange with other water bodies on the Earth.Together,they form a crucial part of the water cycle–one of the most important ecosystem functions supporting humans and o...1 Introduction Fresh or saline,lakes constantly exchange with other water bodies on the Earth.Together,they form a crucial part of the water cycle–one of the most important ecosystem functions supporting humans and other biological communities.Lakes have provided invaluable and irreplaceable ecosystem services(benefits)for the展开更多
The Belt and Road Initiative makes an important contribution to the right to development in theory and practice in the current world. Since the reform and opening-up, the Chinese government puts the rights to subsiste...The Belt and Road Initiative makes an important contribution to the right to development in theory and practice in the current world. Since the reform and opening-up, the Chinese government puts the rights to subsistence and development before any other human rights, which effectively guarantees and accelerates a rapid economic development in China. Nowadays, countries along the Belt and Road have joined a "community of common destiny". Inside the "community of common destiny," countries have enjoyed not only the responsibility, rights and benefit of the right to development, but also a win-win cooperation that ensured the right to development. Therefore, the Belt and Road initiative enriches the UN Declaration on the Right to Development, and "community of common destiny" of countries becomes a higher form of the right to development.展开更多
The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between semen quality and the secondary sex ratio (SSR), defined as the ratio of male to female live births. Our study cohort comprised 227 male partners who wer...The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between semen quality and the secondary sex ratio (SSR), defined as the ratio of male to female live births. Our study cohort comprised 227 male partners who were enrolled prior to conception in Michigan and Texas between 2005 and 2009, and prospectively followed through delivery of a singleton birth. The male partners provided a baseline and a follow-up semen sample a month apart. Semen analysis was conducted to assess 27 parameters including five general characteristics, six sperm head measures, 14 morphology measures, and two sperm chromatin stability assay measures. Modified Poisson regression models with a robust error variance were used to estimate the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of a male birth for each semen parameter, after adjusting for potential confounders. Of the 27 semen parameters, only the percentage of bicephalic sperm was significantly associated with the SSR (2nd VS Ist quartile, RR, 0.65, 95% CI, 0.45-0.95, P= 0.03; 4TM vs 1St quartile, RR, 0.61, 95% CI, 0.38-1.00, P 〈 0.05 before rounding to two decimal places), suggestive of a higher percentage of bicephalic sperm being associated with an excess of female births. Given the exploratory design of the present study, this preconception cohort study suggests no clear signal that human semen quality is associated with offspring sex determination.展开更多
Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) include a broad spectrum of defects of various gene products that affect interme-diary metabolism in the body. Studying the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of those inherited dis...Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) include a broad spectrum of defects of various gene products that affect interme-diary metabolism in the body. Studying the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of those inherited disorder, systematically summarizing the disease phenotype and natural history, providing diagnostic rationale and methodology and treatment strategy comprise the context of human biochemical genetics. This session focused on: (1) manifestations of representative metabolic disorders; (2) the emergent technology and application of newborn screening of metabolic disorders using tandem mass spec-trometry; (3) principles of managing IEM; (4) the concept of carrier testing aiming prevention. Early detection of patients with IEM allows early intervention and more options for treatment.展开更多
The aim of the study was to investigate the representation of taste in human prefrontal cortex (PFC), in particular, to compare the representation of a pleasant and an aversive taste using functional near-infrared spe...The aim of the study was to investigate the representation of taste in human prefrontal cortex (PFC), in particular, to compare the representation of a pleasant and an aversive taste using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), so as to obtain further understanding of the taste preference mechanism. The pleasant stimulus used was sweet taste (10% sucrose), and the unpleasant stimulus was sour taste (1% critic acid). Based on event-related design, the experiments were performed with 16 healthy volunteers using the OEG-16 fNIRS sensor. A general linear model was used to analyze the collected data. For the concentration change of oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔoxyHb), we found that significant deactivation was induced by sweetness and sourness in parts of the frontopolar area, orbitofrontal area and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in bilateral hemisphere of human brain. And the right PFC showed different levels of activation between sweetness and sourness. In addition, brain activities were more sensitive to sourness than sweetness. Finally, we confirmed that the PFC was involved in sweet and sour taste processing, and fNIRS provided an alternative way for studying taste-related brain function under more natural conditions.展开更多
The sensor area in the brain remains active during the wake-sleep transition. However, the behavioral mechanisms of sensor sensitivity involved in the transition from a state of wakefulness to a sleep state remain poo...The sensor area in the brain remains active during the wake-sleep transition. However, the behavioral mechanisms of sensor sensitivity involved in the transition from a state of wakefulness to a sleep state remain poorly understood. To detect sensitivity index (d) changes during the wake-sleep transition, the present study recorded response times of wakefulness versus wake-sleep transition in 14 healthy undergraduate volunteers. During wake-sleep transition testing, morphological changes in the time courses of behavior response revealed 2 typical phases (stages A and B). In stage A, subject behavior responses exhibited temporal fluctuations, and all subjects displayed a high accuracy rate. In stage B, subjects did not exhibit behavioral responses. The sensitivity index d' during the wake-sleep transition (stage A) was significantly weaker than during wakefulness. Results demonstrated that at the behavioral level, sensation capacity for transfer information from the external world into the internal system significantly decreased during the transition to sleep.展开更多
The main goal of this work is to demonstrate the suitability of survival analysis for ontogenetic studies. The research material includes retrospective data of the age of the occurrence of ontogenetic events such as b...The main goal of this work is to demonstrate the suitability of survival analysis for ontogenetic studies. The research material includes retrospective data of the age of the occurrence of ontogenetic events such as birth (N = 487), menarche (N = 2016) and menopause (N = 3597). In order to study the time of occurrence of ontogenetic events and to indicate the impact of environmental factors the survival analysis was applied. First, the percentiles of functions established for studied events were calculated. Next, the Kaplan-Meier survival curves were derived. In the last step theinfluence of environmental factors was established and the comparison of groups determined based on the chosen factors was performed. The delivery time shows that 14% of infants were bornpreterm. The risk of preterm delivery increases with the severity of factors disrupting pregnancy (from none to coexisting maternal and fetal risk factors) (;p < 0.001). In the case of menarche percentile positions indicate that the menarche occurs between the 12thand the 14thyear of life as the period in which most girls exceed the puberty threshold. The Cox’s proportional hazard model indicates that the time of menarche occurrence is significantly depended (;p < 0.001) on the place of the mother’s residence and number of children in the family (respectively p < 0.03 and p < 0.001). The time interval established for 50% occurrence of this experience was designated between the 49th and the 52nd years of life. The time of menopause occurrence is significantly depended on both of considered factors: the educational level and smoking cigarettes (, p < 0.001). Survival analysis is suitable for studies of the distribution in time of developmental events. It can be used to indicate the factors which significantly influence the course of development by modifying the duration of developmental stages.展开更多
Background: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend that Americans age two years and older consume seafood, especially fish high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, at least twice a week. Although fish...Background: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend that Americans age two years and older consume seafood, especially fish high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, at least twice a week. Although fish is of particular importance during childhood to support proper brain and eye development, it is under-consumed in the US pediatric population. This study examined if substituting salmon for chicken would increase preschooler’s fish consumption. Methods: Two-to-five years old children (n = 45) were served eight lunches (four pairs of comparable chicken versus salmon dishes) twice, totaling sixteen lunches over a period of three months to test the hypothesis that children will consume fish at least once a week, thus increasing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake. The plate waste method was used to collect intake data and consumption of total energy and DHA intake in the chicken and the fish dishes were compared using contrasts within a mixed effect ANOVA (significance at P Results: Dietary intake estimates showed that there were no significant differences in energy intake when the chicken and fish dishes looked similar (macaroni-and-cheese and wraps), but when the fish dishes looked new (nuggets and dumplings), energy intake on fish days was lower than on the chicken day. DHA intake increased significantly on all days the fish was served. Conclusions: This pilot study indicates that fish intake can meet recommendations if salmon is incorporated into familiar dishes such as salad wraps or macaroni-and-cheese, in the childcare setting. Although fish is more expensive, childcare centers may serve this highly nutritious protein once a week without experiencing undue amounts of food wastes if incorporated into well-accepted main dishes. Further studies in larger and more diverse samples of children, different experimental dishes, and longer exposure periods may elucidate additional venues to increase children’s diet quality by increasing consumption of fatty fish.展开更多
Embryo quality is crucial when selecting embryos for transfer. Variation in quality may be attributed to poor oocytes, semen, stress, inflammation, and potential immune system dysregulation. OmniGen-AF<sup>&...Embryo quality is crucial when selecting embryos for transfer. Variation in quality may be attributed to poor oocytes, semen, stress, inflammation, and potential immune system dysregulation. OmniGen-AF<sup>®</sup> (OG) feeding supports immune system function and animal health. Our laboratory recently reported lower percent degenerate embryos recovered and increased plasma progesterone in beef cattle donors fed OG during superovulation. <i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">In vitro</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i> development of embryos recovered from donor cows fed OG prior to collection is presented here. Embryos were recovered from 24 beef cows assigned to four treatment groups: 0 g OG/hd/d and 200 mg Folltropin<sup>®</sup>-V (FSH) (0/200);0 g OG/hd/d and 400 mg FSH (0/400), 56 g OG/hd/d, 200 mg FSH (56/200) and 56 g OG/hd/d and 400 mg FSH (56/400). Good to excellent quality early blastocysts were cultured for 8 d. and development through hatching, embryonic volume and plasminogen activator (PA) production were quantified. The complete protocol was repeated 90 - 120 d later as Replicate 2. Optimal development was observed by embryos recovered from 0/200 cows where percent blastocysts hatching was greater </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> < 0.05)</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana;">compared to 56/200 and 0/400 cows and embryonic volume was greatest (</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> < 0.05) in Replicate 1. However, percent blastocysts hatching from 0/200 cows</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> was similar (<i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i> > 0.10) to 56/400 cows and embryos recovered from 56/400 cows in Replicate 1 produced more (<i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i> < 0.05) PA compared to all other groups. For cows superovulated with the standard 400-mg FSH dose, feeding OG supported </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">in vitro</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> embryo development similar to that observed for 0/200 cows.展开更多
BACKGROUND Cell division cyclin 25C(CDC25C)is a protein that plays a critical role in the cell cycle,specifically in the transition from the G2 phase to the M phase.Recent research has shown that CDC25C could be a pot...BACKGROUND Cell division cyclin 25C(CDC25C)is a protein that plays a critical role in the cell cycle,specifically in the transition from the G2 phase to the M phase.Recent research has shown that CDC25C could be a potential therapeutic target for cancers,particularly for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the specific regulatory mechanisms underlying the role of CDC25C in HCC tumorigenesis and development remain incompletely understood.AIM To explore the impact of CDC25C on cell proliferation and apoptosis,as well as its regulatory mechanisms in HCC development.METHODS Hepa1-6 and B16 cells were transduced with a lentiviral vector containing shRNA interference sequences(LV-CDC25C shRNA)to knock down CDC25C.Subsequently,a xenograft mouse model was established by subcutaneously injecting transduced Hepa1-6 cells into C57BL/6 mice to assess the effects of CDC25C knockdown on HCC development in vivo.Cell proliferation and migration were evaluated using a Cell Counting Kit-8 cell proliferation assays and wound healing assays,respectively.The expression of endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress-related molecules(glucose-regulated protein 78,X-box binding protein-1,and C/EBP homologous protein)was measured in both cells and subcutaneous xenografts using quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)and western blotting.Additionally,apoptosis was investigated using flow cytometry,qRT-PCR,and western blotting.RESULTS CDC25C was stably suppressed in Hepa1-6 and B16 cells through LV-CDC25C shRNA transduction.A xenograft model with CDC25C knockdown was successfully established and that downregulation of CDC25C expression significantly inhibited HCC growth in mice.CDC25C knockdown not only inhibited cell proliferation and migration but also significantly increased the ER stress response,ultimately promoting ER stress-induced apoptosis in HCC cells.CONCLUSION The regulatory mechanism of CDC25C in HCC development may involve the activation of ER stress and the ER stress-induced apoptosis signaling pathway.展开更多
Background: Despite humans being exposed to complex chemical mixtures, much of the available research continues to focus on a single compound or metabolite or a select subgroup of compounds inconsistent with the natur...Background: Despite humans being exposed to complex chemical mixtures, much of the available research continues to focus on a single compound or metabolite or a select subgroup of compounds inconsistent with the nature of human exposure. Uncertainty regarding how best to model chemical mixtures coupled with few analytic approaches remains a formidable challenge and served as the impetus for the study. Objectives: To identify the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener(s) within a chemical mixture that was most associated with an endometriosis diagnosis using novel graphical modeling techniques. Methods: Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) models were developed and empirically assessed in a cohort comprising 84 women aged 18 - 40 years who underwent a laparoscopy or laparotomy between 1999 and 2000;79 (94%) women had serum concentrations for 68 PCB congeners quantified. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for endometriosis were estimated for individual PCB congeners using BBN models. Results: PCB congeners #114 (AOR = 3.01;95% CI = 2.25, 3.77) and #136 (AOR = 1.79;95% CI = 1.03, 2.55) were associated with an endometriosis diagnosis. Combinations of mixtures inclusive of PCB #114 were all associated with higher odds of endometriosis, underscoring its potential relation with endometriosis. Conclusions: BBN models identified PCB congener 114 as the most influential congener for the odds of an endometriosis diagnosis in the context of a 68 congener chemical mixture. BBN models offer investigators the opportunity to assess which compounds within a mixture may drive a human health effect.展开更多
Elder abuse is an emerging issue of serious concern with life-threatening consequences. This study aimed to develop and assess the validity and reliability of a new scale to assess elder abuse. A cross-sectional multi...Elder abuse is an emerging issue of serious concern with life-threatening consequences. This study aimed to develop and assess the validity and reliability of a new scale to assess elder abuse. A cross-sectional multistage sampling technique was used to obtain a nationally representative sample of older Malaysians. The iterative development process resulted in a 16-item, four-dimension scale. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 10-item scale with three factors. The value of Cronbach’s alpha for total scale and its subscales indicated sufficient internal consistency. Multitrait scaling analysis also showed good convergent and discriminant validity. Furthermore, predictive validity of the proposed scale was established by demonstrating a statistically significant association between elder abuse and depression through multiple logistic regression analysis. The findings from this study demonstrate an acceptable level of validity and reliability for new scale. This scale can be used by health and social care workers to identify elder abuse cases.展开更多
文摘Since its initiation in 2008, the Beijing Forum on Human Rights has been bent on promoting our mutual understanding and expanding our common grounds. It has carried out very fruitful exchanges and researches around many important questions concerning human rights development, and hence attained great achievements. It has played avery constructive role in promoting exchanges about and cooperation in human rights between China and other countries, becoming an important and influential platform for international dialogs over human rights.
文摘The Sixth Beijing Forum on Human Rights is opened today, which is co-spon- sored by the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the China Foundation for Human Rights Development. First, on behalf of the China Foundation for Human Rights Development, I would like to express warm congratulations to the opening of the Forum, and heartfelt thanks tothe friends who have always cared for and supported for the development and progress of human rights cause of China.
文摘As early as in 2002, the China Society for Human Rights Studies and the China Foundationfor Human Rights Development co-sponsored an international symposium titled "Oriental Culture and Human Rights Development," marking an important milestone for the human rights organizations of China to confidently open themselves to the world and voluntarily perform mul- tilateral cooperation. In the past tenyears, the exchanges and cooperation in human rights between China and other countries in the world have been increasingly extended and deepened, and the world human rights cause has increasingly shown a positive trend of close contact, mutual dependence and collective development for all countries.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.42361144859Team Construction Project of Faculty of Geographical Science,BNU,No.2024-JXTD-03,No.2024-KYTD-09The Beijing Normal University Tang Scholar,No.2021。
文摘Migration is a potential strategy to reduce poverty in the Global South.In China,the Poverty-alleviation Relocation(PAR)is a government-led,large-scale migration initiative aimed at eliminating poverty and promoting environmental sustainability.To examine the ecological and socio-economic effects of the PAR,we quantified the changes in five types of ecosystem services(ES)as well as the subjective well-being of rural residents in Fuping county,Hebei province of China,by using ES mapping,household survey,and semi-structured interviews.We found that the PAR improves people's quality of life,with the well-being scores associated with transportation,communication,education,and healthcare increasing by 0.45–0.81.Additionally,the PAR enhances the supply of ES,evidenced by the increases in four types of ES in both in-migration and out-migration areas.The ES growth rates in in-migration areas ranged from 0.7%to 3.9%,while in out-migration areas,the rates ranged from 0.4%to 2.5%.However,the changes in income and food well-being are minimal,with scores at 0 and 0.32,respectively.More importantly,the elderly and low-educated residents experience minimal improvements in well-being after relocation.Our findings suggest that for other developing countries seeking to adopt PAR,it is crucial to provide targeted support for livelihood transitions,particularly for marginalized social groups,restore out-migration areas,and strengthen cross-regional cooperation to better address ecological constraints on livelihoods.
文摘Androgens have potent anabolic effects on skeletal muscle and decline with age in parallel to losses in muscle mass and strength. This loss of muscle mass and function, known as sarcopenia, is the central event in development of frailty, the vulnerable health status that presages adverse outcomes and rapid functional decline in older adults. The potential role of falling androgen levels in the development of frailty and their utility as function promoting therapies in older men has therefore attracted considerable attention. This review summarizes current concepts and definitions in muscle ageing, sarcopenia and frailty, and evaluates recent developments in the study of androgens and frailty. Current evidence from observational and interventional studies strongly supports an effect of androgens on muscle mass in ageing men, but effects on muscle strength and particularly physical function have been less clear. Androgen treatment has been generally well-tolerated in studies of older men, but concerns remain over higher dose treatments and use in populations with high cardiovascular risk. The first trials of selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) suggest similar effects on muscle mass and function to traditional androgen therapies in older adults. Important future directions include the use of these agents in combination with exercise training to promote functional ability across different populations of older adults, as well as more focus on the relationships between concurrent changes in hormone levels, body composition and physical function in observational studies.
基金supported in part by the Intramural Re-search Program of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, USAgrants from the Congres-sionally Directed Biomedical Research in Prostate Cancer of the Department of Defense, the Research Enhancement Award in Prostate Cancer, and a Merit Award of the De-partment of Veterans Affairs, USA.
文摘Despite the identification of key genes such as Sry integral to embryonic gonadal development, the genomic classification and identification of chromosomal activation of this process is still poorly understood. To better understand the genetic regulation of gonadal development, we performed Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) to profile the genes and novel transcripts, and an average of 152,000 tags from male embryonic gonads at E10.5 (embryonic day 10.5), E11.5, E12.5, E13.5, E15.5 and E17.5 were analyzed. A total of 275,583 non-singleton tags that do not map to any annotated sequence were identified in the six gonad libraries, and 47,255 tags were mapped to 24,975 annotated sequences, among which 987 sequences were uncharacterized. Utilizing an unsupervised pattern identification technique, we established molecular staging of male gonadal development. Rather than providing a static descriptive analysis, we developed algorithms to cluster the SAGE data and assign SAGE tags to a corresponding chromosomal position; these data are displayed in chromosome graphic format. A prominent increase in global genomic activity from E10.5 to E17.5 was observed. Important chromosomal regions related to the developmental processes were identified and validated based on established mouse models with developmental disorders. These regions may represent markers for early diagnosis for disorders of male gonad development as well as potential treatment targets.
基金supported by grants from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council(Nos.BBSRC LO21071/and BB/L00609X/1)UK Regenerative Medicine Platform Hub Acellular Approaches for Therapeutic Delivery(No.MR/K026682/1)+3 种基金Acellular Hub,SMART Materials 3D Architecture(No.MR/R015651/1)the UK Regenerative Medicine Platform(No.MR/L012626/1 Southampton Imaging)to ROCOMRCAMED Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research Initiative(No.MR/V00543X/1)to JID,ROCO and YHKGC acknowledges funding from AIRC Aldi Fellowship under grant agreement No.25412.
文摘Autograft or metal implants are routinely used in skeletal repair.However,they fail to provide long-term clinical resolution,necessitating a functional biomimetic tissue engineering alternative.The use of native human bone tissue for synthesizing a biomimeticmaterial inkfor three-dimensional(3D)bioprintingof skeletal tissueis anattractivestrategyfor tissueregeneration.Thus,human bone extracellular matrix(bone-ECM)offers an exciting potential for the development of an appropriate microenvironment for human bone marrow stromal cells(HBMSCs)to proliferate and differentiate along the osteogenic lineage.In this study,we engineered a novel material ink(LAB)by blending human bone-ECM(B)with nanoclay(L,Laponite®)and alginate(A)polymers using extrusion-based deposition.The inclusion of the nanofiller and polymeric material increased the rheology,printability,and drug retention properties and,critically,the preservation of HBMSCs viability upon printing.The composite of human bone-ECM-based 3D constructs containing vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)enhanced vascularization after implantation in an ex vivo chick chorioallantoic membrane(CAM)model.The inclusion of bone morphogenetic protein-2(BMP-2)with the HBMSCs further enhanced vascularization and mineralization after only seven days.This study demonstrates the synergistic combination of nanoclay with biomimetic materials(alginate and bone-ECM)to support the formation of osteogenic tissue both in vitro and ex vivo and offers a promising novel 3D bioprinting approach to personalized skeletal tissue repair.
基金supported by Technology and Science Foundation(FCT),Education and Science Ministry,Portugal,through the financed research project PTDC/DES/104036/2008by QREN N°1372-Nucleus I&DT for the Development of Products for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapies-Núcleo Biomat&CellAndrea Grtner has a Doctoral Grantfrom Technology and Science Foundation(FCT),Education and Science Ministry,Portugal,SFRH/BD/70211/2010
文摘Many studies have been dedicated to the development of scaffolds for improving post-traumatic nerve regeneration. The goal of this study was to assess the effect on nerve regeneration, associating a hybrid chitosan membrane with non-differentiated human mesenchymal stem cells isolated from Wharton's jelly of umbilical cord, in peripheral nerve reconstruction after crush injury. Chromosome analysis on human mesenchymal stem cell line from Wharton's jelly was carried out and no structural alterations were found in metaphase. Chitosan membranes were previously tested in vitro, to assess their ability in supporting human mesenchymal stem cell survival, expansion, and differentiation. For the in vivo testing, Sasco Sprague adult rats were divided in 4 groups of 6 or 7 animals each: Group 1, sciatic axonotmesis injury without any other intervention (Group 1-Crush); Group 2, the axonotmesis lesion of 3 mm was infiltrated with a suspension of 1 250 -1 500 human mesenchymal stem cells (total volume of 50 pL) (Group 2-CrushCell); Group 3, axonotmesis lesion of 3 mm was enwrapped with a chitosan type Ill membrane covered with a monolayer of non-differentiated human mesenchymal stem cells (Group 3-CrushChitlllCell) and Group 4, axonotmesis lesion of 3 mm was enwrapped with a chitosan type III membrane (Group 4-CrushChiUll). Motor and sensory functional recovery was evaluated throughout a healing period of 12 weeks using sciatic functional index, static sciatic index, extensor postural thrust, and withdrawal reflex latency. Stereological analysis was carded out on regenerated nerve fibers. Results showed that infiltration of human mesenchymal stem cells, or the combination of chitosan membrane enwrapment and human mesenchymal stem cell enrichment after nerve crush injury provide a slight advantage to post-traumatic nerve regeneration. Results obtained with chitosan type III membrane alone confirmed that they significantly improve post-traumatic axonal regrowth and may represent a very promising clinical tool in peripheral nerve reconstructive surgery. Yet, umbilical cord human mesenchymal stem cells, that can be expanded in culture and induced to form several different types of cells, may prove, in future experiments, to be a new source of cells for cell therapy, including targets such as peripheral nerve and muscle.
文摘1 Introduction Fresh or saline,lakes constantly exchange with other water bodies on the Earth.Together,they form a crucial part of the water cycle–one of the most important ecosystem functions supporting humans and other biological communities.Lakes have provided invaluable and irreplaceable ecosystem services(benefits)for the
文摘The Belt and Road Initiative makes an important contribution to the right to development in theory and practice in the current world. Since the reform and opening-up, the Chinese government puts the rights to subsistence and development before any other human rights, which effectively guarantees and accelerates a rapid economic development in China. Nowadays, countries along the Belt and Road have joined a "community of common destiny". Inside the "community of common destiny," countries have enjoyed not only the responsibility, rights and benefit of the right to development, but also a win-win cooperation that ensured the right to development. Therefore, the Belt and Road initiative enriches the UN Declaration on the Right to Development, and "community of common destiny" of countries becomes a higher form of the right to development.
文摘The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between semen quality and the secondary sex ratio (SSR), defined as the ratio of male to female live births. Our study cohort comprised 227 male partners who were enrolled prior to conception in Michigan and Texas between 2005 and 2009, and prospectively followed through delivery of a singleton birth. The male partners provided a baseline and a follow-up semen sample a month apart. Semen analysis was conducted to assess 27 parameters including five general characteristics, six sperm head measures, 14 morphology measures, and two sperm chromatin stability assay measures. Modified Poisson regression models with a robust error variance were used to estimate the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) of a male birth for each semen parameter, after adjusting for potential confounders. Of the 27 semen parameters, only the percentage of bicephalic sperm was significantly associated with the SSR (2nd VS Ist quartile, RR, 0.65, 95% CI, 0.45-0.95, P= 0.03; 4TM vs 1St quartile, RR, 0.61, 95% CI, 0.38-1.00, P 〈 0.05 before rounding to two decimal places), suggestive of a higher percentage of bicephalic sperm being associated with an excess of female births. Given the exploratory design of the present study, this preconception cohort study suggests no clear signal that human semen quality is associated with offspring sex determination.
文摘Inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) include a broad spectrum of defects of various gene products that affect interme-diary metabolism in the body. Studying the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of those inherited disorder, systematically summarizing the disease phenotype and natural history, providing diagnostic rationale and methodology and treatment strategy comprise the context of human biochemical genetics. This session focused on: (1) manifestations of representative metabolic disorders; (2) the emergent technology and application of newborn screening of metabolic disorders using tandem mass spec-trometry; (3) principles of managing IEM; (4) the concept of carrier testing aiming prevention. Early detection of patients with IEM allows early intervention and more options for treatment.
文摘The aim of the study was to investigate the representation of taste in human prefrontal cortex (PFC), in particular, to compare the representation of a pleasant and an aversive taste using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), so as to obtain further understanding of the taste preference mechanism. The pleasant stimulus used was sweet taste (10% sucrose), and the unpleasant stimulus was sour taste (1% critic acid). Based on event-related design, the experiments were performed with 16 healthy volunteers using the OEG-16 fNIRS sensor. A general linear model was used to analyze the collected data. For the concentration change of oxygenated hemoglobin (ΔoxyHb), we found that significant deactivation was induced by sweetness and sourness in parts of the frontopolar area, orbitofrontal area and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in bilateral hemisphere of human brain. And the right PFC showed different levels of activation between sweetness and sourness. In addition, brain activities were more sensitive to sourness than sweetness. Finally, we confirmed that the PFC was involved in sweet and sour taste processing, and fNIRS provided an alternative way for studying taste-related brain function under more natural conditions.
文摘The sensor area in the brain remains active during the wake-sleep transition. However, the behavioral mechanisms of sensor sensitivity involved in the transition from a state of wakefulness to a sleep state remain poorly understood. To detect sensitivity index (d) changes during the wake-sleep transition, the present study recorded response times of wakefulness versus wake-sleep transition in 14 healthy undergraduate volunteers. During wake-sleep transition testing, morphological changes in the time courses of behavior response revealed 2 typical phases (stages A and B). In stage A, subject behavior responses exhibited temporal fluctuations, and all subjects displayed a high accuracy rate. In stage B, subjects did not exhibit behavioral responses. The sensitivity index d' during the wake-sleep transition (stage A) was significantly weaker than during wakefulness. Results demonstrated that at the behavioral level, sensation capacity for transfer information from the external world into the internal system significantly decreased during the transition to sleep.
文摘The main goal of this work is to demonstrate the suitability of survival analysis for ontogenetic studies. The research material includes retrospective data of the age of the occurrence of ontogenetic events such as birth (N = 487), menarche (N = 2016) and menopause (N = 3597). In order to study the time of occurrence of ontogenetic events and to indicate the impact of environmental factors the survival analysis was applied. First, the percentiles of functions established for studied events were calculated. Next, the Kaplan-Meier survival curves were derived. In the last step theinfluence of environmental factors was established and the comparison of groups determined based on the chosen factors was performed. The delivery time shows that 14% of infants were bornpreterm. The risk of preterm delivery increases with the severity of factors disrupting pregnancy (from none to coexisting maternal and fetal risk factors) (;p < 0.001). In the case of menarche percentile positions indicate that the menarche occurs between the 12thand the 14thyear of life as the period in which most girls exceed the puberty threshold. The Cox’s proportional hazard model indicates that the time of menarche occurrence is significantly depended (;p < 0.001) on the place of the mother’s residence and number of children in the family (respectively p < 0.03 and p < 0.001). The time interval established for 50% occurrence of this experience was designated between the 49th and the 52nd years of life. The time of menopause occurrence is significantly depended on both of considered factors: the educational level and smoking cigarettes (, p < 0.001). Survival analysis is suitable for studies of the distribution in time of developmental events. It can be used to indicate the factors which significantly influence the course of development by modifying the duration of developmental stages.
文摘Background: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010 recommend that Americans age two years and older consume seafood, especially fish high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, at least twice a week. Although fish is of particular importance during childhood to support proper brain and eye development, it is under-consumed in the US pediatric population. This study examined if substituting salmon for chicken would increase preschooler’s fish consumption. Methods: Two-to-five years old children (n = 45) were served eight lunches (four pairs of comparable chicken versus salmon dishes) twice, totaling sixteen lunches over a period of three months to test the hypothesis that children will consume fish at least once a week, thus increasing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) intake. The plate waste method was used to collect intake data and consumption of total energy and DHA intake in the chicken and the fish dishes were compared using contrasts within a mixed effect ANOVA (significance at P Results: Dietary intake estimates showed that there were no significant differences in energy intake when the chicken and fish dishes looked similar (macaroni-and-cheese and wraps), but when the fish dishes looked new (nuggets and dumplings), energy intake on fish days was lower than on the chicken day. DHA intake increased significantly on all days the fish was served. Conclusions: This pilot study indicates that fish intake can meet recommendations if salmon is incorporated into familiar dishes such as salad wraps or macaroni-and-cheese, in the childcare setting. Although fish is more expensive, childcare centers may serve this highly nutritious protein once a week without experiencing undue amounts of food wastes if incorporated into well-accepted main dishes. Further studies in larger and more diverse samples of children, different experimental dishes, and longer exposure periods may elucidate additional venues to increase children’s diet quality by increasing consumption of fatty fish.
文摘Embryo quality is crucial when selecting embryos for transfer. Variation in quality may be attributed to poor oocytes, semen, stress, inflammation, and potential immune system dysregulation. OmniGen-AF<sup>®</sup> (OG) feeding supports immune system function and animal health. Our laboratory recently reported lower percent degenerate embryos recovered and increased plasma progesterone in beef cattle donors fed OG during superovulation. <i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">In vitro</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i> development of embryos recovered from donor cows fed OG prior to collection is presented here. Embryos were recovered from 24 beef cows assigned to four treatment groups: 0 g OG/hd/d and 200 mg Folltropin<sup>®</sup>-V (FSH) (0/200);0 g OG/hd/d and 400 mg FSH (0/400), 56 g OG/hd/d, 200 mg FSH (56/200) and 56 g OG/hd/d and 400 mg FSH (56/400). Good to excellent quality early blastocysts were cultured for 8 d. and development through hatching, embryonic volume and plasminogen activator (PA) production were quantified. The complete protocol was repeated 90 - 120 d later as Replicate 2. Optimal development was observed by embryos recovered from 0/200 cows where percent blastocysts hatching was greater </span><span style="font-family:Verdana;">(</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> < 0.05)</span> <span style="font-family:Verdana;">compared to 56/200 and 0/400 cows and embryonic volume was greatest (</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"><i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i></span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> < 0.05) in Replicate 1. However, percent blastocysts hatching from 0/200 cows</span><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> was similar (<i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i> > 0.10) to 56/400 cows and embryos recovered from 56/400 cows in Replicate 1 produced more (<i></span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">P</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"></i> < 0.05) PA compared to all other groups. For cows superovulated with the standard 400-mg FSH dose, feeding OG supported </span><i><span style="font-family:Verdana;">in vitro</span></i><span style="font-family:Verdana;"> embryo development similar to that observed for 0/200 cows.
基金Supported by Natural Science Foundation of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region,China,No.2023GXNSFAA026070 and No.2018GXNSFAA281071.
文摘BACKGROUND Cell division cyclin 25C(CDC25C)is a protein that plays a critical role in the cell cycle,specifically in the transition from the G2 phase to the M phase.Recent research has shown that CDC25C could be a potential therapeutic target for cancers,particularly for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).However,the specific regulatory mechanisms underlying the role of CDC25C in HCC tumorigenesis and development remain incompletely understood.AIM To explore the impact of CDC25C on cell proliferation and apoptosis,as well as its regulatory mechanisms in HCC development.METHODS Hepa1-6 and B16 cells were transduced with a lentiviral vector containing shRNA interference sequences(LV-CDC25C shRNA)to knock down CDC25C.Subsequently,a xenograft mouse model was established by subcutaneously injecting transduced Hepa1-6 cells into C57BL/6 mice to assess the effects of CDC25C knockdown on HCC development in vivo.Cell proliferation and migration were evaluated using a Cell Counting Kit-8 cell proliferation assays and wound healing assays,respectively.The expression of endoplasmic reticulum(ER)stress-related molecules(glucose-regulated protein 78,X-box binding protein-1,and C/EBP homologous protein)was measured in both cells and subcutaneous xenografts using quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR)and western blotting.Additionally,apoptosis was investigated using flow cytometry,qRT-PCR,and western blotting.RESULTS CDC25C was stably suppressed in Hepa1-6 and B16 cells through LV-CDC25C shRNA transduction.A xenograft model with CDC25C knockdown was successfully established and that downregulation of CDC25C expression significantly inhibited HCC growth in mice.CDC25C knockdown not only inhibited cell proliferation and migration but also significantly increased the ER stress response,ultimately promoting ER stress-induced apoptosis in HCC cells.CONCLUSION The regulatory mechanism of CDC25C in HCC development may involve the activation of ER stress and the ER stress-induced apoptosis signaling pathway.
文摘Background: Despite humans being exposed to complex chemical mixtures, much of the available research continues to focus on a single compound or metabolite or a select subgroup of compounds inconsistent with the nature of human exposure. Uncertainty regarding how best to model chemical mixtures coupled with few analytic approaches remains a formidable challenge and served as the impetus for the study. Objectives: To identify the polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congener(s) within a chemical mixture that was most associated with an endometriosis diagnosis using novel graphical modeling techniques. Methods: Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) models were developed and empirically assessed in a cohort comprising 84 women aged 18 - 40 years who underwent a laparoscopy or laparotomy between 1999 and 2000;79 (94%) women had serum concentrations for 68 PCB congeners quantified. Adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for endometriosis were estimated for individual PCB congeners using BBN models. Results: PCB congeners #114 (AOR = 3.01;95% CI = 2.25, 3.77) and #136 (AOR = 1.79;95% CI = 1.03, 2.55) were associated with an endometriosis diagnosis. Combinations of mixtures inclusive of PCB #114 were all associated with higher odds of endometriosis, underscoring its potential relation with endometriosis. Conclusions: BBN models identified PCB congener 114 as the most influential congener for the odds of an endometriosis diagnosis in the context of a 68 congener chemical mixture. BBN models offer investigators the opportunity to assess which compounds within a mixture may drive a human health effect.
文摘Elder abuse is an emerging issue of serious concern with life-threatening consequences. This study aimed to develop and assess the validity and reliability of a new scale to assess elder abuse. A cross-sectional multistage sampling technique was used to obtain a nationally representative sample of older Malaysians. The iterative development process resulted in a 16-item, four-dimension scale. Exploratory factor analysis yielded a 10-item scale with three factors. The value of Cronbach’s alpha for total scale and its subscales indicated sufficient internal consistency. Multitrait scaling analysis also showed good convergent and discriminant validity. Furthermore, predictive validity of the proposed scale was established by demonstrating a statistically significant association between elder abuse and depression through multiple logistic regression analysis. The findings from this study demonstrate an acceptable level of validity and reliability for new scale. This scale can be used by health and social care workers to identify elder abuse cases.