This study aimed to characterize the most updated utilization of eye care services and obtain a holistic understanding of barriers among patients with diabetes in China.
This was a convergent mixed ...methods study.
A convergent triangulation mixed methods approach was used, with a quantitative cross-sectional survey of patients with diabetes and semistructured interviews involving patients and health workers. Following the conceptual framework of the World Health Organization Determinants of Health Behaviours, multivariate logistic regression for quantitative analysis and thematic analysis for qualitative data were used to examine barriers to seeking eye care among patients with diabetes. Triangulation was used to integrate quantitative and qualitative results.
Among 1167 surveyed patients who participated in the quantitative component, 29.1% had undergone eye examinations within the last 12 months, and 9.3% had received eye surgery. Awareness that diabetes causes eye diseases (P < 0.001) and knowing laser treatment can treat diabetic retinopathy (DR; P < 0.001) were associated with higher examination rates. In the qualitative component, involving 20 patients and 11 health workers, barriers were identified from individual, social, and cultural environmental factors. Integration of data highlighted the complex interplay of these factors in shaping care-seeking behaviors and the importance of non-economic factors, including patients' information about costs of DR services and cultural environmental factors.
Diabetic eye care utilization remains suboptimal in China, emphasizing the impact of cultural and contextual factors. Comprehensive education strategies, along with training for primary health workers and task-shifting, are likely to enhance eye care service utilization in underserved settings.
Abstract
We collect 133 fast radio bursts (FRBs), including 110 nonrepeating and 23 repeating ones, and systematically investigate their observational properties. To check the frequency dependence of ...FRB classifications, we define our samples with a central frequency below/above 1 GHz as subsample I/II. First, we find that there is a clear bimodal distribution of pulse width for subsample I. If we classify FRBs into short FRBs (
s
FRBs; <100 ms) and long FRBs (
l
FRBs; >100 ms) as done for short and long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), the
s
FRBs at higher central frequency are commonly shorter than those at lower central frequency not only for nonrepeating but also repeating
s
FRBs. Second, we find that fluence and peak flux density are correlated with a power-law relation of
F
∝
S
p
,
obs
γ
for both
s
FRBs and
l
FRBs whose distributions are obviously different. Third, the
l
FRBs with isotropic energies ranging from 10
42
to 10
44
erg are more energetic than the
s
FRBs in the
F
–
DM
EX
plane, indicating that they are two representative types. Finally, it is interesting to note that the peak flux density behaves independently on the redshift when the distance of the FRBs becomes far enough, which is similar to the scenario of the peak flux evolving with redshift in the field of GRBs. We predict that fainter FRBs at a higher redshift of
z
> 2 can be successfully detected by FAST and the Square Kilometre Array in the near future.
Abstract
Appropriate regulation of the Integrated stress response (ISR) and mTORC1 signaling are central for cell adaptation to starvation for amino acids. Halofuginone (HF) is a potent inhibitor of ...aminoacylation of tRNAPro with broad biomedical applications. Here, we show that in addition to translational control directed by activation of the ISR by general control nonderepressible 2 (GCN2), HF increased free amino acids and directed translation of genes involved in protein biogenesis via sustained mTORC1 signaling. Deletion of GCN2 reduced cell survival to HF whereas pharmacological inhibition of mTORC1 afforded protection. HF treatment of mice synchronously activated the GCN2-mediated ISR and mTORC1 in liver whereas Gcn2-null mice allowed greater mTORC1 activation to HF, resulting in liver steatosis and cell death. We conclude that HF causes an amino acid imbalance that uniquely activates both GCN2 and mTORC1. Loss of GCN2 during HF creates a disconnect between metabolic state and need, triggering proteostasis collapse.
The gene for E3 ubiquitin ligase WWP1 is located at 8q21, a region frequently amplified in human cancers, including prostate cancer. Recent studies have shown that WWP1 negatively regulates the ...TGFbeta tumor suppressor pathway by inactivating its molecular components, including Smad2, Smad4 and TbetaR1. These findings suggest an oncogenic role of WWP1 in carcinogenesis, but direct supporting evidence has been lacking. In this study, we examined WWP1 for gene dosage, mRNA expression, mutation and functions in a number of human prostate cancer samples. We found that the WWP1 gene had copy number gain in 15 of 34 (44%) xenografts and cell lines from prostate cancer and 15 of 49 (31%) clinical prostate cancer samples. Consistently, WWP1 was overexpressed in 60% of xenografts and cell lines from prostate cancer. Mutation of WWP1 occurred infrequently in prostate cancer. Functionally, WWP1 overexpression promoted colony formation in the 22Rv1 prostate cancer cell line. In PC-3 prostate cancer cells, WWP1 knockdown significantly suppressed cell proliferation and enhanced TGFbeta-mediated growth inhibition. These findings suggest that WWP1 is an oncogene that undergoes genomic amplification at 8q21 in human prostate cancer, and WWP1 overexpression is a common mechanism involved in the inactivation of TGFbeta function in human cancer.
ABSTRACT
In this work, we restudy the dependence of luminosity function and event rates for different gamma-ray burst samples on the criteria of sample selection and threshold effect. To compare with ...many previous studies, we have chosen two samples including 88 and 118 long bursts with known redshift and peak flux over 2.6 ph cm−2 s−1, from which 79 bursts are picked out to constitute our complete sample. It is found that the evolution of luminosity with redshift can be expressed by L∝(1 + z)k with a diverse k relied more on the sample selection. Interestingly, the cumulative distributions of either non-evolving luminosities or redshifts are found to be also determined by the sample selection rather than the instrumental sensitivity. Nevertheless, the non-evolving luminosities of our samples are similarly distributed with a comparable break luminosity of L0 ∼ 1051 erg s−1. Importantly, we verify with a K-S test that three cases of event rates for the two burst samples evolve with redshift similarly except a small discrepancy due to sampling differences at low-redshift of z < 1, in which all event rates show an excess of Gaussian profile instead of monotonous decline no matter whether the sample is complete. Most importantly, it is found that the burst rates violate the star formation rate at low redshift, while both of them are good in agreement with each other in the higher-redshift regions as many authors discovered previously. Therefore, we predict that two types of long bursts are favored in terms of their associations with both the star formation and the cosmic metallicity.
We investigated the effect of a 12-d exposure to 34°C plus dietary inclusion of the probiotic Bacillus licheniformis on the egg production, gut morphology, and intestinal mucosal immunity of laying ...hens. Ninety-six commercial hens (Hy-Line Brown) at the age of 60 wk were randomly allocated to 4 groups. After a period of laying rate adjustment (14 d), all the hens were subjected to 2 temperature treatments (12 d). Birds in 1 group were raised at 21°C and fed a basal diet, and birds in the other 3 groups were raised at 34°C and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 10(6), or 10(7) cfu of B. licheniformis per gram of feed, respectively. Rearing at 34°C depressed egg production and feed intake (P < 0.05). Compared with birds kept at 21°C, birds kept at 34°C had elevated serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (d 6), IL-1 (d 6 and 12), and corticosterone (d 6); decreased villus height (ileum: d 6; cecum: d 6 and 12) and ratio of villus height to crypt depth (ileum: d 6; cecum: d 6 and 12); fewer intraepithelial lymphocytes (ileum: d 6; cecum: d 6) and IgA-secreting cells (ileum: d 6; cecum: d 6 and 12); and more mast cells (ileum: d 6; cecum: d 6 and 12; P < 0.05). The number of goblet cells in the cecum increased at d 6 in heat-treated birds, and then deceased at d 12 (P < 0.05). Moreover, morphological examination showed injury to the villi of birds kept at 34°C. In general, inclusion of 10(7) cfu/g of B. licheniformis in the diet of heat-stressed hens was effective in overcoming the observed decline in egg production and feed intake, restoring the impaired villus structure, and sustaining a balanced mucosal immune response. Therefore, the probiotic B. licheniformis may be useful for ameliorating the adverse influence of heat on the egg production and gut health of laying hens.
Abstract In the present study, the hypothesis that sex-related differences in glutamate-evoked rat masseter muscle afferent discharge may result from estrogen-related modulation of peripheral N ...-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptor activity and/or expression was tested by examining afferent fiber discharge in response to masseter injection of NMDA and the expression of NR2A/B subunits by masseter ganglion neurons in male and female rats. The results showed that injection of NMDA into the masseter muscle evoked discharges in putative mechanonociceptive afferent fibers and increased blood pressure that was concentration-dependent, however, a systemic action of NMDA appeared responsible for increased blood pressure. NMDA-evoked afferent discharge was significantly greater in female than in male rats, was positively correlated with plasma estrogen levels in females and was significantly greater in ovariectomized female rats treated with a high dose (5 μg/day) compared with a low dose (0.5 μg/day) of estrogen. Pre-treatment of high dose estrogen-treated–ovariectomized female rats with the Src tyrosine kinase inhibitor PP2 did not affect NMDA-evoked afferent discharge. NMDA-evoked afferent discharge was attenuated by the antagonists ketamine and ifenprodil, which is selective for NR2B containing NMDA receptors. Fewer masseter ganglion neurons expressed the NR2A (16%) subunit as compared with the NR2B subunit (38%), which was expressed at higher frequencies in intact female (46%) and high dose estrogen-treated ovariectomized female (60%) rats than in male (31%) rats. Taken together, these results suggest that sex-related differences in NMDA-evoked masseter afferent discharge are due, at least in part, to an estrogen-mediated increase in expression of peripheral NMDA receptors by masseter ganglion neurons in female rats.
We studied the electronic Raman spectra of (Li1−xFex) OHFeSe as a function of light polarization and temperature. In the B1g spectra alone we observe the redistribution of spectral weight expected ...for a superconductor and two well-resolved peaks below Tc. The nearly resolution-limited peak at 110 cm−1 (13.6 meV) is identified as a collective mode. The peak at 190 cm−1 (23.6 meV) is presumably another collective mode since the line is symmetric and its energy is significantly below the gap energy observed by single-particle spectroscopies. Given the experimental band structure of (Li1−xFex) OHFeSe , the most plausible explanations include conventional spin-fluctuation pairing between the electron bands and the incipient hole band and pairing between the hybridized electron bands. The absence of gap features in A1g and B2g symmetry favors the second case. Thus, in spite of various differences between the pnictides and chalcogenides, this Letter demonstrates the proximity of pairing states and the importance of band structure effects in the Fe-based compounds.
Abstract
We investigate a series of three small‐scale flux transfer events (FTEs) associated with reconnected flux ropes, recently generated by a nearby, dayside magnetic reconnection line. The data ...are observed by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft near noon local time. We find that the associated FTEs are created by secondary magnetic reconnection and have different magnetic field topologies, which is a similar condition to that expected in the multiple X‐line magnetic reconnection (MR) model. The calculated results show that the sizes of the FTEs become larger with the time elapsed and the MR reconnection jets at the FTEs are all located on the trailing and outer edges. The above features indicate that these FTEs are still in the evolutionary stage after they are ejected from the reconnection region. Our observations suggest that mesoscale or even typical size FTEs can be created from secondary MR, initially, and subsequently can evolve to a typical size in the process of spreading.
Key Points
A series of (three) ion‐scale FTEs are observed within 1 min before MMS crosses the magnetopause reconnection dissipation region
These FTEs are created by secondary magnetic reconnection and still in the evolution stage after they are ejected from reconnection region
These FTEs appear to be associated with secondary MR reconnection but have different magnetic field topologies
Sestrin 3 (Sesn3) belongs to the three‐member sestrin protein family. Sestrins have been implicated in antioxidative stress, adenosine monophosphate–activated protein kinase and mammalian target of ...rapamycin signal transduction, and metabolic homeostasis. However, the role of Sesn3 in the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has not been previously studied. In this work, we generated Sesn3 whole‐body knockout and liver‐specific transgenic mice to investigate the hepatic function of Sesn3 in diet‐induced NASH. With only 4 weeks of dietary treatment, Sesn3 knockout mice developed severe NASH phenotype as characterized by hepatic steatosis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Strikingly, after 8‐week feeding with a NASH‐inducing diet, Sesn3 transgenic mice were largely protected against NASH development. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that multiple extracellular matrix–related processes were up‐regulated, including transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) signaling and collagen production. Further biochemical and cell biological analyses have illustrated a critical control of the TGF‐β–mothers against decapentaplegic homolog (Smad) pathway by Sesn3 at the TGF‐β receptor and Smad3 levels. First, Sesn3 inhibits the TGF‐β receptor through an interaction with Smad7; second, Sesn3 directly inhibits the Smad3 function through protein–protein interaction and cytosolic retention. Conclusion: Sesn3 is a critical regulator of the extracellular matrix and hepatic fibrosis by suppression of TGF‐β–Smad3 signaling.
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