This research provide a case study to analyses how Chinese government’s social-media accounts were used to communicate during the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of agenda-setting. Two most active ...Chinese government official accounts on Sina Weibo, the most popular Chinese social media platform, are selected as examples. The frequencies and content of postings between December 2019 and May 2020, namely the period of the first outbreak of COVID-19, are analysed. The research argues that Chinese government official accounts frequently posted during this period, and three aspects were most salient in the communication: information regarding the virus, US-China relations during the pandemic, and emotional tributes to public servants. The salience of these aspects contributed to narratives that reinforce Chinese government’s efforts in fighting the pandemic, and enable positive portrayal of government to be more visible in the online public space.
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•Synergic electrochemical process with cathodic EF and anodic oxidation was proposed.•97% PFOA and 93% TOC removal was reached in 4 h by synergic anodic and cathodic effect.•BDD has ...strong anodic oxidation ability in synergic electrochemical process.•Fe10MnC had high catalytic activity both for 2e− ORR and Fenton oxidation to form OH.•Reasonable catalytic mechanism was proposed for indicating efficient PFOA removal.
A synergic electrochemical process between cathodic electro-Fenton and anodic oxidation was proposed for efficient degradation of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in this work. The electron-transfer ability and hydroxyl radicals (OH) concentration are the key parameters for the PFOA degradation efficiency. Boron-doped diamond (BDD) anode exhibited the highest anodic oxidation ability compared to platinum and carbon stick. The integrated FeMn-doped carbon aerogel was fabricated as cathode for in-situ enhancing the generation of OH. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) indicated the main composition of cathode is Fe0 and MnO. The Fe in the integrated cathode favors the electro-catalytic ability of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), while MnO enhances the selectivity of 2-electron ORR with H2O2 as main product. The electroformed H2O2 would be onsite catalytic decomposition with FeII and MnII as Fenton catalysts for in-situ generating OH radicals. The optimal cathode with Fe/10Mn weight ratio can generate the highest concentration of OH. The catalytic degradation efficiency in this synergic electro-catalysis process with BDD as anode and Fe10MnC as cathode reached nearly 97% PFOA removal and 93% TOC removal after 4 h, suggesting the prominent synergic combination of cathodic electro-Fenton and anodic oxidation. The amount of intermediates C6F13COO− was decreased while others including C5F11COO−, C4F9COO−, C3F7COO−, C2F5COO−, CF3COO− were increased with increasing electro-catalysis time. The NEXAFS analysis of F in solution and cathode surface further confirmed the continuously synergic electro-catalysis between anodic and cathodic electro-Fenton oxidation.
This article discusses how the Chinese government engages in online political debates and whether it adjusts its policies to respond to public concerns raised in such debates. This research explores ...government actions and discourses by using debates between Chinese net-users and the government around the building of an oil refinery in Kunming as a case study. It finds that the government used traditional party newspapers and social media as platforms to express its opinions and to interact with net-users regarding the oil refinery. The reports published in party media and government social media posts acknowledged the government’s awareness of the public’s concerns, demonstrated their reaction to the concerns and reinforced the government’s agenda. However, although the government engaged with the debate, it did not change its decisions about the oil refinery to respond to the public concerns raised online.
This article discusses the function of linguistic violence in online political communication in China, by using the specific example of 鸡的屁 (pronounced “ji de pi”), an ironic metaphor for gross ...domestic product. By using systemic functional linguistics as its methodology, the article demonstrates that the term is linguistically violent, and reveals that such a term is used to represent gross domestic product but also means “the fart of a chicken.” It is used in online discussions to show disagreement with and disdain toward the government’s gross domestic product-centric policies. The article argues the use of 鸡的屁, demonstrates Chinese Internet users’ creativities in online discourses, and their use of language to resist government policies that fail to serve their interests. It is not only a way to express oppositional opinions but also the public’s strong emotion of anger.
This paper analyses the online communication around American figure skater Nathan Chen (陈巍, Chen Wei) on China's social media platform Sina Weibo during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games in order ...to critically unfold the agendas surrounding him. Engaging with agenda-setting theory and scholarship that conceptualises the contentious characteristics of China's online communication, and by using content analysis and network analysis, this paper presents empirical data to argue that online discussions around Chen were multiple and contentious. The communications consist of multiple topics surrounding the Games, the performances of different figure skaters, and the controversies surrounding Chen. The attitudes towards Chen were also diverse, such as nationalistic sentiments, appreciation of Chen's achievements, and disapproval of his performance all co-existed.
This paper presents a comparative approach that discusses whether British newspapers with different political agendas report China differently, in the post-Brexit referendum UK. As UK still remains ...as a member country of the EU 3 years after the vote, the relationship between China and the UK is still a source that impacts China–EU relations. Specifically, political agendas of British newspapers heavily impact their reports of domestic political issues and of the EU; this research questions whether such a difference can be observed in reports of China or not. The research selects four popular newspapers in the UK, The Sun, The Times, The Guardian and The Mirror, and analyses their coverage of China between 01/01/2017 and 31/12/2018. Among them, The Sun and The Times are right-wing/leaning newspapers and support the Conservative Party, while The Guardian and The Mirror are left-wing/leaning and the Labour Party supporters. This study applies content analysis and compares three perspectives in these four newspapers’ reports of China: the number of reports, the topics of reports and the associations (threats or cooperate) with China. By comparing the similarity and difference in those four newspapers’ coverages, this paper aims to understand what image of China those popular British newspapers were creating for their readers, what impressions of China were generated and whether and how the coverage reflects the changing Sino–UK relations in the post-Brexit era. If so, how the right-leaning and left-leaning newspapers frame China differently.
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•Oriented pore architecture provides a physical cue to inhibit the proliferation and overactivation of astrocyte.•The expression of growth factors and inflammatory factors was ...down-regulated via the suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.•Inhibiting of astrocyte activation caused by oriented pores was attributed to the blocking of cell interaction.•The anisotropic scaffold shows a promising non-pharmacologic alternative to suppress neuropathic pain.
Astrocyte activation is an important cause of neuropathic pain. Inhibiting the hyperactivation of astrocytes is beneficial to control over neuropathic pain. However, there is a lack of non-pharmaceutical ways to inhibit the hyperactivation of astrocytes. This study aimed at regulating the activity of glial cells via the architecture of 3D porous scaffolds. Herein, the 3D porous scaffolds with co-continuous and oriented pores were prepared via solid-phase stretching of co-continuous polymer blends followed by selective phase extraction. Compared to the isotropic scaffold, the proliferation of astrocytes slowed down on the oriented scaffolds. Meanwhile, the expression of growth factors and inflammatory factors secreted by astrocyte activation was inhibited by the oriented pores. It led to the suppression of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway that is crucial to determine chronic neuropathic pain. Immunofluorescence staining displayed that the hyperactivation of astrocytes was inhibited, and the expression of kindlin-1, a key protein that activates astrocytes, was downregulated. The proposed strategy offers a probable physical means to relieve neuropathic pain.
We aimed to explore the association between epidural-related maternal fever (ERMF) and prognosis of parturients. 159 parturients who underwent vaginal delivery under labor epidural analgesia (LEA) ...received noninvasive continuous core body temperature monitoring. 122 of them completed the 42-day postpartum follow-up. Parturients with body temperature ≥38°C during labor were categorized as the Fever group, while the others were categorized as the No-Fever group. Compared to No-Fever group, Fever group had a greater proportion of primiparas, greater gestational age of parturients, and longer third stage of labor. The cesarean section and forceps delivery rates, and the amount of intrapartum hemorrhage in Fever group were significantly higher. There were no significant between-group differences with respect to puerperal infection, and amniotic fluid turbidity degree, neither significant between-group difference at 42-days postpartum. We found that ERMF was associated with some short-term outcomes. However, it showed no relation with long-term prognosis of the parturients at 42-days postpartum.
Background
Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome of decline that affects multiple systems and predisposes to adverse health outcomes. Although chronological age is the major risk factor, ...inter‐individual variation in risk is not fully understood. Leucocyte telomere length (LTL), a proposed marker of biological age, has been associated with risk of many diseases. We sought to determine whether LTL is associated with risk of frailty.
Methods
We utilized cross‐sectional data from 441 781 UK Biobank participants (aged 40–69 years), with complete data on frailty indicators and LTL. Frailty was defined as the presence of at least three of five indicators: weaker grip strength, slower walking pace, weight loss in the past year, lower physical activity, and exhaustion in the past 2 weeks. LTL was measured using a validated qPCR method and reported as a ratio of the telomere repeat number (T) to a single‐copy gene (S) (T/S ratio). Association of LTL with frailty was evaluated using adjusted (chronological age, sex, deprivation, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, and multimorbidity) multinomial and ordinal regression models, and results are presented as relative risk (RRR) or odds ratios (OR), respectively, alongside the 95% confidence interval (CI). Mendelian randomization (MR), using 131 genetic variants associated with LTL, was used to assess if the association of LTL with frailty was causal.
Results
Frail participants (4.6%) were older (median age difference (95% CI): 3 (2.5; 3.5) years, P = 2.73 × 10−33), more likely to be female (61%, P = 1.97 × 10−129), and had shorter LTL (−0.13SD vs. 0.03SD, P = 5.43 × 10−111) than non‐frail. In adjusted analyses, both age and LTL were associated with frailty (RRR = 1.03 (95% CI: 1.02; 1.04) per year of older chronological age, P = 3.99 × 10−12; 1.10 (1.08; 1.11) per SD shorter LTL, P = 1.46 × 10−30). Within each age group (40–49, 50–59, 60–69 years), the prevalence of frailty was about 33% higher in participants with shorter (−2SD) versus longer telomeres (+2SD). MR analysis showed an association of LTL with frailty that was directionally consistent with the observational association, but not statistically significant (MR‐Median: OR (95% CI): 1.08 (0.98; 1.19) per SD shorter LTL, P = 0.13).
Conclusions
Inter‐individual variation in LTL is associated with the risk of frailty independently of chronological age and other risk factors. Our findings provide evidence for an additional biological determinant of frailty.
•Iron-copper embedded carbon aerogel (FeCuC) was a promising cathode for heterogeneous EF system.•Catalytic mechanism of ORR in heterogeneous electro-Fenton process was proposed.•Fe@Fe3C promotes ORR ...activity, Cu enhances the selectivity of 2e O2 reduction.•High TOC removal (88–99%) of many pollutants with FeCuC in 240min was obtained.•Sanitary sewage were successively treated to meet the national discharge standard.
The selective two-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) for an onsite Fenton oxidation reaction over an integrated cathode is a promising method for environmental restoration. Here, an economic iron-copper-embedded carbon aerogel (FeCuC) exhibited high ORR activity (half-wave potential of −0.19V vs SCE). The electron transfer number (n) over FeCuC was 2.9. Indeed, Fe@Fe3C promoted the ORR activity, while Cu enhanced the selectivity of the two-electron ORR. Meanwhile, the simultaneous incorporation of Fe and Cu simultaneously facilitated the sequential Fenton oxidation induced by H2O2. The individual rate constants for ORR and the oxidation reaction successfully revealed the fact that the efficient Fenton oxidation reaction again promotes again the 2-electron O2 reduction pathway. The application of FeCuC as a cathode in the electro-Fenton (EF) process, involving both high ORR and high Fenton oxidation activities, exhibited efficient total organic carbon (TOC) removal (88–99%) in 240min for dimethyl phthalate (DMP), imidacloprid (IMI), bisphenol A (BPA) and perfluorooctanoate (PFOA). Moreover, five types of sanitary sewage were successively treated to meet the national discharge standards (chemical oxygen demand (COD)<50mgL−1) with relatively low specific energy consumption (20–40kW·h·(kgCOD)−1) using FeCuC in the heterogeneous EF process.
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