49 research outputs found
Correction to: Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell conditioned medium attenuates renal fibrosis by reducing inflammation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition via the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro
No full textAbstract The original article [1] contains an error whereby the corresponding authorship is mistakenly designated to the author Fengxia Ding
Willingness to Report and Willingness to Accept Compensation of Avian Influenza: Based on the Examples of Hai'an, Guannan of Jiangsu Province [Chinese language]
No full textThe progress of livestock industry has been an important aspect of the agricultural development for a long time. However, with the development of stockbreeding and increase of import and export of livestock products, the epidemic disease of livestock products has been spreading abroad, which results in enormous economic impact on livestock industry and also threatens the public health safety. For instance, highly pathogenic avian influenza is a badly dangerous epidemic disease of animals infecting both human beings and animals. In addition, with regard to the report written by the Ministry of Public Health of our country to World Health Organization, since the year of 2009, the cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza in China have been on the rise, and avian influenza has still threatened us on the way.
In order to avoid the avian influenza, the Chinese government has executed 100% free immunization of poultry. In the meantime, according to Temporarily Administer method Prevention and Cure Funds of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, once highly pathogenic avian influenza breaks out, in order to avoid spreading of avian influenza virus it will block the epidemic place within 3km of it and kill all of the poultry in the exclusion zone. Its relief standard is regulated as the following: the farmers will be compensated 10 Yuan per poultry such as chicken, duck, and goose. Of course, the authority can adjust the relief standard differing in different kinds of poultry, or between poult and teleoptile according to the actual conditions of different regions. However, it is generally assumed that the average level of compensation is too low to make the raisers’ losses, especially for household of scale. The raisers as rational persons are possible to conceal the actual situation or sell their diseased animals by various kinds of approaches to cut down their losses before reporting the epidemic situation. After the raisers’ “rational alternative”, only the rest animals are left for the government to kill. Thus, on outbreak of the avian influenza, the report of raisers has greatly impact on the actual results of controlling this disease. It is necessary for us to study on the raisers’ willingness of report and compensation, which is beneficial to the control of avian influenza.
Consequently, this thesis studies on the farmers’ willingness to report and WTA based on the statistics of investigation on Hai’an and Guannan of Jiangsu Province. In particular, it is divided into there parts: firstly, the author makes generally statistical analysis of raisers’ conscience of avian influenza, willingness to report and the rearing situation. Secondly, the author analyses the factors influencing the reporting willingness of larger scale farmers, backyard farmers and of non-poultry family by Logit Model. The study concludes that the report willingness of the above three households’ report is remarkably influenced by farmers’ knowledge of AI’ zoonosis, AI threats and individual risk perception. Trust in the government’s killing compensation policy pays a great effect on whether the farmers would like to report. Flock size is another important factor affecting scale farmers to report their own epidemic situation, but is of no consequence to the report of backyard farmers. Thirdly, the author gives a statistical interpretation on willingness of compensation of scale farmers, and applies Cox' Proportional Hazard Model to the influencing factors of their WTA. The study shows evidence that the rearing costs is the main factor affecting the WTA of scaled household. Through the above analysis, the main policy proposals are: 1) to advocate the larger scale rearing and gradually decrease the number of backyard poultry; 2) to strengthen publicity of the culling compensation policy of avian influenza; 3) to ensure adequate compensation and cut down the execution lag of compensation policy; 4) to establish reasonable compensation level; 5) to reinforce the technical supervision and guide the scale farmers to decrease the rearing costs.Master's degre
PD-L1 siRNA hitched polyethyleneimine-elastase constituting nanovesicle induces tumor immunogenicity and PD-L1 silencing for synergistic antitumor immunotherapy
No full textAbstract Background PD-1/PD-L1 blockade has become a powerful method to treat malignant tumors. However, a large proportion of patients still do not benefit from this treatment, due to low tumor immunogenicity and low tumor penetration of the agents. Recently, neutrophil elastase has been shown to induce robust tumor immunogenicity, while the insufficient enzyme activity at the tumor site restricted its anti-tumor application. Here, we designed polyethyleneimine-modified neutrophil elastase (PEI-elastase) loaded with PD-L1small interfering RNA (PD-L1 siRNA) for improving enzymatic activity and delivering siRNA to tumor, which was expected to solve the above-mentioned problems. Results We first demonstrated that PEI-elastase possessed high enzymatic activity, which was also identified as an excellent gene-delivery material. Then, we synthesized anti-tumor lipopolymer (P-E/S Lip) by encapsulating PEI-elastase and PD-L1siRNA with pH-responsive anionic liposomes. The P-E/S Lip could be rapidly cleaved in tumor acidic environment, leading to exposure of the PEI-elastase/PD-L1 siRNA. Consequently, PEI-elastase induced powerful tumor immunogenicity upon direct tumor killing with minimal toxicity to normal cells. In parallel, PEI-elastase delivered PD-L1siRNA into the tumor and reduced PD-L1 expression. Orthotopic tumor administration of P-E/S Lip not only attenuated primary tumor growth, but also produced systemic anti-tumor immune response to inhibit growth of distant tumors and metastasis. Moreover, intravenous administration of P-E/S Lip into mice bearing subcutaneous tumors leaded to an effective inhibition of established B16-F10 tumor and 4T1 tumor, with histological analyses indicating an absence of detectable toxicity. Conclusions In our study, a protease-based nanoplatform was used to cooperatively provoke robust tumor immunogenicity and down-regulate PD-L1 expression, which exhibited great potential as a combination therapy for precisely treating solid tumors. Graphical Abstrac
Optimal allocation of policy limits and deductibles in a model with mixture risks and discount factors
No full textAbstractBy maximizing the expected utility, we study the optimal allocation of policy limits and deductibles from the viewpoint of a policyholder, where the dependence structure of losses is unknown. In Cheung (2007) [K.C. Cheung, Optimal allocation of policy limits and deductibles, Insurance: Mathematics and Economics 41 (2007) 382–391], the author had considered similar problems. He supposed that a policyholder was exposed to n random losses, and the losses were general risks there, i.e., the loss on each policy was just a random variable. In this paper, the model is extended in two directions. On one hand, we assume that n policies of the n losses are effected by random environments. For each policy, the loss under a fixed environment is characterized by a random variable, so the loss on each policy is a mixture of some fundamental random variables. On the other hand, loss frequencies, which are stochastic, are also considered. Therefore, the whole model is equipped with mixture risks and discount factors. Finally, we get the orderings of the optimal allocations of policy limits and deductibles. Our conclusions also extend the main results in Hua and Cheung (2008) [L. Hua, K.C. Cheung, Stochastic orders of scalar products with applications, Insurance: Mathematics and Economics 42 (2008) 865–872]
Application of deep eutectic solvents on extraction of flavonoids
No full textDeep eutectic solvents (DESs), as a new type of eco-friendly solvent, have attracted increasing attention on the extraction and separation of flavonoid compounds from various samples, owing to their excellent properties such as biodegradability and ease of handling with very low toxicity. This article provides a status review of the applications of DESs in the extraction of flavonoids, including the introduction of flavonoid compounds, the properties and superiority of DESs, and extraction methods (ultrasonic-assisted extraction, heating reflux extraction, matrix solid-phase dispersion, and solid-phase extraction). Finally, prospects and challenges in the application of DESs on extraction and separation are extensively elucidated and critically reviewed
Modern Cryptography Volume 2
No full textThis open access book covers the most cutting-edge and hot research topics and fields of post-quantum cryptography. The main purpose of this book is to focus on the computational complexity theory of lattice ciphers, especially the reduction principle of Ajtai, in order to fill the gap that post-quantum ciphers focus on the implementation of encryption and decryption algorithms, but the theoretical proof is insufficient. In Chapter 3, Chapter 4 and Chapter 6, author introduces the theory and technology of LWE distribution, LWE cipher and homomorphic encryption in detail. When using random analysis tools, there is a problem of "ambiguity" in both definition and algorithm. The greatest feature of this book is to use probability distribution to carry out rigorous mathematical definition and mathematical demonstration for various unclear or imprecise expressions, so as to make it a rigorous theoretical system for classroom teaching and dissemination. Chapters 5 and 7 further expand and improve the theory of cyclic lattice, ideal lattice and generalized NTRU cryptography. This book is used as a professional book for graduate students majoring in mathematics and cryptography, as well as a reference book for scientific and technological personnel engaged in cryptography research
Imports From China and Food Safety Issues
No full textThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) increased attention to food imports from China is an indicator of safety concerns as imported food becomes more common in the United States. U.S. food imports from China more than tripled in value between 2001 and 2008. Addressing safety risks associated with these imports is difficult because of the vast array of products from China, China’s weak enforcement of food safety standards, its heavy use of agricultural chemicals, and its considerable environmental pollution. FDA import refusal data highlight food safety problems that appear to recur in trade and where FDA has focused its import alerts and monitoring efforts. FDA refusals of food shipments from China suggest recurring problems with “filth,” unsafe additives, labeling (typically introduced in food processing and handling), and veterinary drug residues in fish and shellfish (introduced at the farm). Chinese authorities try to control food export safety by certifying exporters and the farms that supply them. However, monitoring such a wide range of products for the different hazards that can arise at varying points in the supply chain is a difficult challenge for Chinese and U.S. officials.China, food imports, food safety, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, misbranding, labeling, refusals, shipment, violation., Agricultural and Food Policy, Food Consumption/Nutrition/Food Safety, International Relations/Trade,
What Limits the Capacity of Layered Oxide Cathodes in Lithium Batteries?
No full textWhat Limits the Capacity of Layered Oxide Cathodes
in Lithium Batteries
Role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and nerve growth factor in the regulation of Neuropeptide W in vitro and in vivo
No full textNerve growth factor (NGF) and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) are neurotrophic factors involved in the growth, survival and functioning of neurons. In addition, a possible role of neurotrophins, particularly BDNF, in HPA axis hyperactivation has recently been proposed. Neuropeptide W (NPW) is an endogenous peptide ligand for the GPR7 and GPR8 and a stress mediator in the hypothalamus. It activates the HPA axis by working on hypothalamic corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH). No information is available about the interrelationships between neurotrophines like NGF/BDNF and NPW. We studied the effect and underlying mechanisms of NGF/BDNF on the production of NPW in PC12\ua0cells and hypothalamus. NGF time- and concentration-dependently stimulated the expression of NPW in PC12\ua0cells. The effect of NGF was blocked by the inhibition of PI3K/Akt signal pathway with specific inhibitors for PI3K or AktsiRNA for Akt while inhibition of ERK pathway had no effect. Moreover, BDNF concentration-dependently induced the expression of NPW mRNA and decreased the expression of NPY mRNA in primary cultured hypothalamic neurons which was also blocked by a PI3K kinase inhibitor. Finally, in\ua0vivo study showed that exogenous BDNF injected icv increased NPW production in the hypothalamus and this effect was reversed by a PI3 kinase inhibitor. These results and the fact that BDNF was able to stimulate the expression of CRH demonstrated that neurotrophines can modulate the expression of NPW in neuronal cells via the PI3K/Akt pathway and suggest that BDNF might be involved in functions of the HPA axis, at least in part by modulating the expression of NPW/NPY and CRH
