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Thugs-for-Hire: The Rise and Fall of Political–Criminal Co-Governance in Rural China
Get PDFIn political-criminal co-governance, governments and gangs share authority and collaborate to implement policy. This article draws on empirical data to investigate partnerships between local governments and rural gangs in many Chinese villages. It argues that insufficient finance, limited compliance from villagers and public policy that lacks social legitimacy have compelled township and village governments to use informal coercion via gangsters and adopt political-criminal co-governance to implement unpopular policies and pursue local interests. It also explores how far China's most recent anti-crime campaign has led to the demise of this type of co-governance in the countryside, enhancing understanding of thugs-for-hire and state-crime relations.published_or_final_versio
Simple and High-Precision Hamiltonian Simulation by Compensating Trotter Error with Linear Combination of Unitary Operations
No full textTrotter and linear combination of unitary (LCU) operations are two popular Hamiltonian simulation methods. The Trotter method is easy to implement and enjoys good system-size dependence endowed by commutator scaling, while the LCU method admits high-accuracy simulation with a smaller gate cost. We propose Hamiltonian simulation algorithms using LCU to compensate Trotter error, which enjoy both of their advantages. By adding few gates after the Kth-order Trotter formula, we realize a better time scaling than 2Kth-order Trotter. Our first algorithm exponentially improves the accuracy scaling of the Kth-order Trotter formula. For a generic Hamiltonian, the estimated gate counts of the first algorithm can be 2 orders of magnitude smaller than the best analytical bound of fourth-order Trotter formula. In the second algorithm, we consider the detailed structure of Hamiltonians and construct LCU for Trotter errors with commutator scaling. Consequently, for lattice Hamiltonians, the algorithm enjoys almost linear system-size dependence and quadratically improves the accuracy of the Kth-order Trotter. For the lattice system, the second algorithm can achieve 3 to 4 orders of magnitude higher accuracy with the same gate costs as the optimal Trotter algorithm. These algorithms provide an easy-to-implement approach to achieve a low-cost and high-precision Hamiltonian simulation
Understanding the link between autism severity, oral hygiene behavior, and oral health-related quality of life in preschoolers with ASD
No full textBackground: This research examined the role of oral hygiene behavior as a mediator between autism severity and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL).Method: Parents of 64 children aged 3-6 with ASD completed questionnaires on child OHRQoL (impacts on child across symptom, function, psychology, and social domains), family OHRQoL (impacts on family covering parental distress and family function), child’s oral hygiene behavior, and ASD symptom severity.Results: Higher ASD symptom severity predicted poorer oral hygiene behaviors (β=-0.156, p=0.016), which in turn hindered child OHRQoL (β=-0.289, p=0.035). Significant indirect effect (β=0.045, 95% CI [0.001, 0.108]) confirmed partial mediation. Family OHRQoL as a covariate strongly predicted child OHRQoL (β=0.646, p=0.001), outweighing the mediation effect. Dental caries showed marginal associations with oral hygiene but not child OHRQoL.Discussion: ASD symptom severity contributed to worsened oral hygiene practices and lower child OHRQoL. The strong family-child impact connection indicated that family adaptation to oral care challenges shaped children’s oral health. Limited direct impact of caries suggested that psychological and behavioral factors might be more central to OHRQoL among children with ASD.Implications: School psychologists may consider incorporating oral health strategies into behavioral plans for preschoolers with ASD and fostering cross-disciplinary communication to develop family-based interventions.</p
Towards cultural self-awareness in research: a study of Chinese scholars in the humanities and social sciences
No full textThe global knowledge asymmetries are increasingly interrogated by non-Western humanities and social sciences (HSS) scholars whose research is anchored in local contexts yet must adhere to international (Western) standards. Under this circumstance, the study aims to examine how the cultural self-awareness of non-Western HSS scholars is manifested in research through a Chinese lens. Based on previous theoretical perspectives and Fei Xiaotong’s theory of cultural self-awareness, the study first constructs two analytical dimensions: academic self-reflexivity and cultural appreciation attitudes. It then performs a qualitative investigation including 28 Mainland Chinese HSS scholars through interviews and literature analyses. The findings highlight key principles for academic self-reflexivity, namely reflecting on intellectual extraversion, dichotomous thinking, and the reemphasis on Chinese culture and knowledge. The cultural appreciation attitudes are also elaborated, which are embodied in the recognition and revaluation of traditional Chinese knowledge, the continued appreciation of modern Western knowledge, and the synthesis of different cultures and knowledge in research. These findings develop Fei’s cultural self-awareness theory and add new discourses to address global knowledge imbalances, promoting a more diverse and inclusive global higher education landscape
Dissecting the causal association of periodontitis with biological aging and its underlying mechanisms: findings from Mendelian randomization and integrative genetic analysis
Get PDFPurposeChronic low-grade inflammation is linked to the biology of aging; however, evidence supporting a causal relationship between periodontitis—a dysbiotic biofilm-initiated inflammatory disease—and accelerated aging remains limited. This study investigated the causality between periodontitis and biological aging and identified potentially shared genomic loci, genes, and pathways.MethodsWe conducted a 2-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to explore the causality of periodontitis on age acceleration measures (DNAm PhenoAge acceleration, GrimAge acceleration, Hannum age acceleration, and intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration) using a dataset from genome-wide association studies of European ancestry populations. Independent genetic variants associated with each trait were used as instrumental variables. The inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method served as the primary MR approach, supplemented by sensitivity testing. We also performed additional statistical genetic analyses to identify pleiotropic loci, shared functional genes, and potential biological pathways, integrating large-scale expression quantitative trait loci data from blood samples.ResultsThe MR analysis indicated a causal relationship between periodontitis and DNAm PhenoAge acceleration (IVW β=0.308; 95% confidence interval, 0.056–0.561; P=0.017), a finding corroborated by sensitivity analyses. There was a significant genetic overlap between periodontitis and age acceleration. Pleiotropic analysis revealed 24 shared SNPs associated with 242 genes, predominantly involved in immune functions and pathways related to cellular processes. Further integration analysis showed that 91 of these pleiotropic genes were causally linked to both conditions, with C6orf183 identified as a potential mediator.ConclusionsThis study presents compelling genetic evidence supporting a causal relationship between periodontitis and accelerated aging. Further research is required to validate these findings and investigate the underlying mechanisms.published_or_final_versio
Suicide risk in persons with polycystic ovarian syndrome: a systematic review
Get PDFBackground: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common and increasingly prevalent reproductive and metabolic endocrine disorder that is characterized by metabolic alterations, hyperandrogenism, menstrual irregularities as well as an increased risk of depression. Available evidence suggests PCOS may also be associated with disparate aspects of suicidality. Herein, we sought to determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviours and completed suicide in the PCOS population. Methods: We systematically searched PubMed, Ovid and Scopus databases from inception to January 7, 2024. A manual search was conducted on Google Scholar. Two reviewers independently screened the retrieved studies against the eligibility criteria (S.W. and G.H.L.). Human studies investigating suicide outcomes in women of reproductive age with a confirmed diagnosis of PCOS were included. Results: Eleven studies meeting our eligibility criteria were included. Although results were mixed, available evidence suggests that persons with PCOS are at an increased risk of suicidal ideation, self-harm and suicide attempts and are also differentially affected by psychiatric comorbidities (e.g., depressive disorders). Notwithstanding, suicide risk was not fully accounted for by the presence of mental illness, which suggests that PCOS may also be contributory. Conclusion: PCOS is associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation and behaviour and associated psychiatric comorbidities. Persons with PCOS should be routinely evaluated for the presence of clinically significant suicidality. Whether increased suicidality in PCOS populations is a direct effect of the disease state and/or is largely moderated by psychiatric comorbidity is a future research vista.published_or_final_versio
Deep Learning for Automated Visualization and Measurement of Dental Plaque Using 3D Intraoral Scanning—A Cross-Sectional Study
No full textBackground and Aim: The management of dental plaque is of great importance for the prevention of plaque-associated oral diseases (periodontitis and caries). However, due to their transparent and colorless nature, dental biofilms are challenging to identify visually. Additionally, their irregular shape and distribution make quantification difficult, limiting the efficacy of plaque control and oral health improvement. This study aimed to develop a reliable method for automated visualization and quantification of dental plaque based on deep learning algorithms in 3D intraoral scans.Methods: This was a cross-sectional study on a convenience sample of 110 adult dental hospital attendees. Plaque was disclosed with a two-tone disclosing solution, followed by a full mouth intra oral scanning and a full mouth plaque assessment using the modified O’Leary plaque score index by 6 trained and calibrated dentists. The high inter-examiner reliability was indicated by a Cohen’s kappa value of 0.838. The intra oral scans were annotated by another calibrated examiner who is blind to the clinical examination. A deep learning model was performed to quantify the plaque, and its accuracy was assessed by the intersection over Union (IoU) and the Dice Coefficient (Dice IoU).Results: Overall, the dental plaque coverage on the full dentition ranged from 4.3% to 73.4%, with the mean 29.3% and standard deviation of 10.6%. The IoU for detecting plaque on intra oral scans was 0.584 and the Dice IoU was 0.731.Conclusions: The deep learning model demonstrated a clinically acceptable performance in measuring dental plaque in a 3D structure of the full dentition, reducing the time and human involvement required. This discovery highlights the potential of AI technology in enhancing periodontal health.</p
Mechanistic effects of lipid binding pockets within soluble signaling proteins: lessons from acyl-CoA-binding and START-domain-containing proteins
Get PDFWhile lipids serve as important energy reserves, metabolites, and cellular constituents in all forms of life, these macromolecules also function as unique carriers of information in plant communication given their diverse chemical structures. The signal transduction process involves a sophisticated interplay between messengers, receptors, signal transducers, and downstream effectors. Over the years, an array of plant signaling proteins have been identified for their crucial roles in perceiving lipid signals. However, the mechanistic effects of lipid binding on protein functions remain largely elusive. Recent literature has presented numerous fascinating models that illustrate the significance of protein–lipid interactions in mediating signaling responses. This review focuses on the category of lipophilic signaling proteins that encompass a hydrophobic binding pocket located outside of cellular membranes and provides an update on the lessons learned from two of these structures, namely the acyl-CoA–binding and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-related lipid transfer domains. It begins with a brief overview of the latest advances in understanding the functions of the two protein families in plant communication. The second part highlights five functional mechanisms of lipid ligands in concert with their target signaling proteins.published_or_final_versio
