"We are not abnormal": experiences and management of stigma among Chinese women struggling with infertility.

Background: While numerous studies have highlighted the stigma experienced by women facing infertility, there is limited research that delves into the specific types of stigmas they encounter. Despite extensive discussions surrounding the Stigma Management Communication (SMC) theory and its application in managing stigma across various contexts, its utilisation in understanding and addressing the stigma experienced by women with infertility has been largely overlooked. This study seeks to bridge this gap by identifying forms of stigma that Chinese women experiencing infertility encounter and analysing the strategies they use to manage it.

Searching for Love and Babies: A Qualitative Study on Online Social Support Among Women with Infertility.

With the popularity of computer-mediated communication, accessing online social support has become more accessible for women confronting infertility, yet the role of such support for Chinese women remains understudied. This study investigates the online social support experiences of Chinese women navigating infertility within the framework of Cutrona and Suhr's social support. Employing netnography and semi-structured interviews alongside thematic analysis, the findings highlight challenges in informational support due to limitations in online information dissemination, with some degree of overlap observed between informational support and network support.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons emissions from biomass-fueled boilers in China.

Biomass serves as a sustainable energy source; however, the environmental risks associated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from industrial biomass-fueled boilers are not well understood. This study analyzed 16 priority PAHs in both particulate and gaseous phases from 13 representative real-world industrial biomass-fueled boilers. Flue gas samples were collected from the stacks and analyzed using advanced techniques.

Prognostic Value of Dynamic Segmented Neutrophil to Monocyte (SeMo) Ratio Changes in Patients with Moderate to Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in trauma patients, necessitating reliable prognostic tools. The segmented neutrophil-to-monocyte (SeMo) ratio, indicative of the inflammatory response, has emerged as a valuable biomarker. This study evaluates the prognostic value of dynamic changes in the SeMo ratio in predicting outcomes for patients with moderate to severe TBI.

Trust Associated with South Korean Sojourners' Chinese COVID-19 Vaccination Intent and Concerns: A Qualitative Study.

People's willingness to get vaccinated determines whether the campaigns against the COVID-19 pandemic can be successful in part. Considering the fact that both foreigners and its nationals are exposed to the risk of infection in China, the Chinese government has taken measures favorable to foreigners in terms of the vaccination, yet South Korean sojourners were reluctant to get China-developed COVID-19 vaccines. This study employed the trust in institutions and trust in media as a theoretical framework and seeks to analyze how these two affect South Korean sojourners' intention to get Chinese COVID-19 vaccines.

Media Dependency Among South Korean Sojourners in China During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Approach.

This study employs the media system dependency theory to explore both macro- and micro-level dependencies between South Korean sojourners and Chinese media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through semi-structured interviews with 25 South Korean sojourners in Beijing, we find that under the influence of Confucianism and collectivistic culture, South Korean sojourners are hard to identify with China's media environment and rely on Chinese media. Apart from Chinese television meeting South Korean sojourners' goal of play, other traditional media outlets, new media, and interpersonal communication with Chinese people fail to fulfill their goals of understanding, orientation, and play.

Inorganic Flame-Retardant Coatings Based on Magnesium Potassium Phosphate Hydrate.

A magnesium potassium phosphate hydrate-based flame-retardant coating (MKPC) is formulated by dead-burnt magnesium oxide (magnesia) and potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4), behaving as a matrix. Constituents of the MKPC include wollastonite, vermiculite, aluminum fluoride, aluminum trihydroxide, and calcium carbonate. Some of the ingredients inter-react to produce mullite whiskers at high temperatures, despite an acid-base hydration induced reaction between magnesia and KH2PO4.

Administration of anti-ERMAP antibody ameliorates Alzheimer's disease in mice.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating age-related neurodegenerative disorder and characterized by progressive loss of memory and cognitive functions, which are associated with amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques. Immune cells play an important role in the clearance of Aβ deposits. Immune responses are regulated by immune regulators in which the B7 family members play a crucial role.

A network autoregressive model with GARCH effects and its applications.

In this study, a network autoregressive model with GARCH effects, denoted by NAR-GARCH, is proposed to depict the return dynamics of stock market indices. A GARCH filter is employed to marginally remove the GARCH effects of each index, and the NAR model with the Granger causality test and Pearson's correlation test with sharp price movements is used to capture the joint effects caused by other indices with the most updated market information. The NAR-GARCH model is designed to depict the joint effects of nonsynchronous multiple time series in an easy-to-implement and effective way.

Administration of Amyloid Precursor Protein Gene Deleted Mouse ESC-Derived Thymic Epithelial Progenitors Attenuates Alzheimer's Pathology.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. Although amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaque deposition and chronic neuroinflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) contribute to AD pathology, neither Aβ plaque removal nor anti-inflammatory therapy has shown much clinical success, suggesting that the combinational therapies for the disease-causative factors may be needed for amelioration. Recent data also suggest that systemic immunity in AD should be boosted, rather than suppressed, to drive an immune-dependent cascade needed for Aβ clearance and brain repair.

ERMAP is a B7 family-related molecule that negatively regulates T cell and macrophage responses.

T cell activation and tolerance are tightly regulated by costimulatory and coinhibitory molecules. B7 family members play a crucial role in regulating immune responses. In this study, we identified erythroid membrane-associated protein (ERMAP) as a novel T cell inhibitory molecule.

Transplantation of MHC-mismatched mouse embryonic stem cell-derived thymic epithelial progenitors and MHC-matched bone marrow prevents autoimmune diabetes.

Background: Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease resulting from the destruction of insulin-secreting islet β cells by autoreactive T cells. Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice are the widely used animal model for human T1D. Autoimmunity in NOD mice is associated with particular major histocompatibility complex (MHC) loci and impaired islet autoantigen expression and/or presentation in the thymus, which results in defects in both central and peripheral tolerance.

Skint8, a Novel B7 Family-Related Molecule, Negatively Regulates T Cell Responses.

Immune responses are tightly controlled by T cell costimulatory and coinhibitory molecules. In this study, we identify Skint8 as a new member of the T cell coinhibitory group, whose extracellular domains share significant homology with existing B7 family members. Skint8 mRNA is expressed in resting and activated B cells, monocytes, and CD4 T cells.

A CD300c-Fc Fusion Protein Inhibits T Cell Immunity.

T cell responses are fine-tuned by co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules. Among the T cell regulators, the B7 family members are of central importance. The recent success in targeting the B7 family molecules for the treatment of immune-related diseases has attracted intense interest in identifying additional B7-related molecules.

In vivo administration of recombinant BTNL2-Fc fusion protein ameliorates graft-versus-host disease in mice.

Although hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been widely used in the treatment of many diseases, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) remains a major complication after allogeneic HSCT. Butyrophilin-like 2 (BTNL2) protein has been reported to have the ability to inhibit T cell proliferation in vitro; its ability to inhibit T cell responses in vivo has not been determined. We show here that in vivo administration of recombinant BTNL2-IgG2a Fc (rBTNL2-Ig) fusion protein ameliorates GVHD in mice.

Investigation of MicroRNA in Mitochondrial Apoptotic Pathway in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that microRNAs play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This study tested the hypothesis that microRNA is associated with the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway in patients with SLE.

Methods: Thirteen patients were in the clinical comparison study and microRNA study and overall 19 patients in the study of intracellular protein.

[Characteristics of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Emitted from Typical Industrial Biomass Boilers].

This research selected 13 types of industrial biomass boilers and used GC-MS technology to investigate the characteristics of 15 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from the boils. The results show that the total emissions of the 15 PAHs was 0.02-27.

Tumor Volume Changes During and After Temozolomide Treatment for Newly Diagnosed Higher-Grade Glioma (III and IV).

Background: A standard post-concomitant radiochemotherapy involving adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ) was stopped after 6 cycles for high-grade gliomas (HGG). Several studies demonstrated that prolonged TMZ treatment increased survival for these patients.

Methods: This retrospective study aimed to compare changes in tumor volume during and after adjuvant TMZ treatment and overall survival (OS).

Effect of Baroreceptor Sensitivity on Outcomes in Patients with Acute Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage.

Background: Reduced baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) has been reported in patients with acute cardiovascular events. We tested the hypothesis that BRS is substantially reduced in patients with spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and that BRS can predict treatment outcomes.

Methods: We examined BRS and other cardiovascular autonomic parameters in 35 patients with ICH over the course of 30 days.