Explore the vast range of titles available.

Differentiation antagonizing non-protein coding RNA (DANCR) is a valuable long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) that involves in the progress of various cancers. However, the functions of DANCR in endometrial carcinoma (EC) have not been validated. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the roles of DANCR in EC and explore the underlying mechanism. Expression patterns of DANCR in EC specimens and normal control specimens were determined using qRT-PCR. DANCR was knocked down in EC cell lines (AN3CA and HEC-1B) through transfection with small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting DANCR (si-DANCR). Cell proliferation was examined using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Cell apoptosis was measured by flow cytometry. Online software starBase was used to predict the target gene of DANCR. Luciferase reporter assay was carried out to confirm the association between DANCR and the predicted target microRNA (miRNA). DANCR expression was up-regulated in EC tissues as compared to the normal control tissues. Knockdown of DANCR in AN3CA and HEC-1B cells markedly suppressed cell proliferation and induced cell apoptosis. miR-214 was found to be a target miRNA of DANCR and its expression was significantly decreased in EC tissues. Suppression of miR-214 abolished the effects of si-DANCR on cell proliferation and apoptosis in AN3CA and HEC-1B cells. DANCR played an important role in promoting tumorigenesis of EC via sponging miR-214. DANCR might serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of EC.

Water consumption is one of the most important concerns for a textile dyeing company in the era of global energy revolution. Different from the traditional production scheduling which focuses on the production efficiency improvement, the dyeing scheduling emphasizes the constraints of resource consumption. Besides, different from the traditional production scheduling where the task relevance is seldomly considered, the colour depth heavily impacts the water consumption and the dyeing scheduling results, which aggravates the uncertainty and complexity when modelling the dyeing scheduling optimization. Therefore, how to select proper dyeing orders among a large number of orders and schedule them for the purpose of generating more profit is challenging. To address the above issue, an optimization model with objective of maximizing profit and consideration of water consumption, delivery due time, and machine capacity, is built, and genetic algorithm is adopted to solve the problem. A numeric experiment is conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Surface sediment samples in the near shore area of the north Shandong Peninsula are collected for grain size and element analyses. The results indicate that the surface sediments in the study area are primarily composed of the silt-sized components similar to the Huanghe River. The total concentration of aluminum varies from 5.57% to7.37%（average（6.33 ± 0.40）%）, and its spatial distribution is mainly controlled by the grain size. Correlations between the ratio of aluminum to titanium concentration and aluminum concentration, titanium concentration and the mean grain size indicate that aluminum in the near shore surface sediments is affected majorly by the terrigenous source, and partially by the anthropogenic source. The ratios of aluminum to titanium concentrations are larger than the background value of loess matter at some stations due to the existence of excess aluminum associated with human activities. Thus, the sources of aluminum should be identified firstly when aluminum is used as an index of terrigenous matter even in the near shore area dominated by terrigenous deposits.

ObjectivesTo investigate the value of radiomics based on CT imaging in predicting invasive adenocarcinoma manifesting as pure ground-glass nodules (pGGNs).MethodsThis study enrolled 395 pGGNs with histopathology-confirmed benign nodules or adenocarcinoma. A total of 396 radiomic features were extracted from each labeled nodule. A Rad-score was constructed with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) in the training set. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to establish the radiographic model and the combined radiographic–radiomics model. The predictive performance was validated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Based on the multivariate logistic regression analysis, an individual prediction nomogram was developed and the clinical utility was assessed.ResultsFive radiomic features and four radiographic features were selected for predicting the invasive lesions. The combined radiographic–radiomics model (AUC 0.77; 95% CI, 0.69–0.86) performed better than the radiographic model (AUC 0.71; 95% CI, 0.62–0.81) and Rad-score (AUC 0.72; 95% CI, 0.63–0.81) in the validation set. The clinical utility of the individualized prediction nomogram developed using the Rad-score, margin, spiculation, and size was confirmed in the validation set. The decision curve analysis (DCA) indicated that using a model with Rad-score to predict the invasive lesion would be more beneficial than that without Rad-score and the clinical model.ConclusionsThe proposed radiomics-based nomogram that incorporated the Rad-score, margin, spiculation, and size may be utilized as a noninvasive biomarker for the assessment of invasive prediction in patients with pGGNs.Key Points• CT-based radiomics analysis helps invasive prediction manifested as pGGNs.• The combined radiographic–radiomics model may be utilized as a noninvasive biomarker for predicting invasive lesion for pGGNs.• Radiomics-based individual nomogram may serve as a vital decision support tool to identify invasive pGGNs, obviating further workup and blind follow-up.

This study assessed the cost-effectiveness of different diabetic retinopathy (DR) screening strategies in rural regions in China by using a Markov model to make health economic evaluations. In this study, we determined the structure of a Markov model according to the research objectives, which required parameters collected through field investigation and literature retrieval. After perfecting the model with parameters and assumptions, we developed a Markov decision analytic model according to the natural history of DR in TreeAge Pro 2011. For this model, we performed Markov cohort and cost-effectiveness analyses to simulate the probabilistic distributions of different developments in DR and the cumulative cost-effectiveness of artificial intelligence (AI)-based screening and ophthalmologist screening for DR in the rural population with diabetes mellitus (DM) in China. Additionally, a model-based health economic evaluation was performed by using quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Last, one-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the stability of the results. From the perspective of the health system, compared with no screening, AI-based screening cost more (the incremental cost was 37,257.76 RMB (approximately 5,211.31 US dollars)), but the effect was better (the incremental utility was 0.33). Compared with AI-based screening, the cost of ophthalmologist screening was higher (the incremental cost was 14,886.76 RMB (approximately 2,070.19 US dollars)), and the effect was worse (the incremental utility was -0.31). Compared with no screening, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of AI-based DR screening was 112,146.99 RMB (15,595.47 US dollars)/QALY, which was less than the threshold for the ICER (< 3 times the per capita gross domestic product (GDP), 217,341.00 RMB (30,224.03 US dollars)). Therefore, AI-based screening was cost-effective, which meant that the increased cost for each additional quality-adjusted life year was merited. Compared with no screening and ophthalmologist screening for DR, AI-based screening was the most cost-effective, which not only saved costs but also improved the quality of life of diabetes patients. Popularizing AI-based DR screening strategies in rural areas would be economically effective and feasible and can provide a scientific basis for the further formulation of early screening programs for diabetic retinopathy.

The mobility of skilled employees from developing to developed cities is a prominent phenomenon in China. However, little is known about whether and how micro factors (e.g., unfair treatment) in the workplace affect employees’ cross-city mobility. The aim of this study is thus to investigate the effect of employees’ perceived workplace unfairness on their intentions to withdraw from the city where they work, specifically, to shed light on the moderating role of urban identification in this effect. Through a survey of 453 skilled employees working in developing cities in northeast China, this study reveals that (a) both perceived distributive and procedural unfairness have a positive effect on employees’ urban dissatisfaction, which in turn reinforces their urban withdrawal intention; (b) urban identification can amplify the positive effect of perceived distributive/procedural unfairness on urban dissatisfaction; and (c) the positive joint effect of perceived distributive/procedural unfairness and urban identification on urban dissatisfaction can further carry over to urban withdrawal intentions. This study therefore sheds new lights on how employees’ workplace unfairness shapes their withdrawal intentions toward the city where they work and how their urban identification moderates this process, offering implications for how developing cities and firm managers can retain skilled employees. Plain language summary Numerous prior studies have argued that individuals’ urban identification (a sense of belonging and/or affective commitment to a city) helps them to accept the city’s imperfections and facilitates their intentions to stay. This implies that urban identification plays a buffering role in individuals’ reactions to a city’s imperfections. However, this study challenges the buffering role of urban identification with the argument: if employees experience unfairness in the workplace regarding distribution and procedures, and they attribute blame to the city, an increase in their intentions to leave the city may be witnessed. More importantly, urban identification will play a “love becomes hate” amplifying effect between the experience of workplace unfairness and the intentions to leave the city. Empirical analyses based on a survey of 453 employees from developing cities in northeastern China confirms the above arguments. The key implication is that for employees working in developing cities who experience unfairness in the workplace and attribute blame to the city where they work, fostering their urban identification does not buffer their intentions to leave the city, but may instead reinforce their willingness to leave. The main limitation of the very present study is that our findings are based on only one sample from developing cities in Northeast China.

PurposeThis study investigated the potential negative effects of a sponsored team's losing performance on audiences' trust and purchase intention toward the sponsoring brand. Shedding light on the moderating role of sponsoring brand familiarity among audiences and audience team identification regarding such negative effects, the study establishes when sports sponsorship may incur risk to a sponsoring brand.Design/methodology/approachThree experimental designs (audience as stimulus of a team's losing vs control condition) were used to indicate whether and when losing performance influences participants' trust and purchase intention toward the sponsoring brand.FindingsThe participants in the losing condition report lower brand trust and purchase intention. Brand trust mediates the relationship between losing results and decreased purchase intention. The negative effects of losing on brand trust and purchase intention only appear when the sponsoring brand has low familiarity among audiences and only for audiences with low identification.Practical implicationsThe strategy of a brand with low familiarity sponsoring a team that frequently loses has risks and is not worth advocating. However, if an unknown brand has already sponsored a team that often loses, the efforts to cultivate audiences' identification with the team can reduce the potential risks.Originality/valueThe affirmed negative effects of losing performance on brand trust and purchase intention have value for firm sponsorship decisions. This study contributes to the sponsorship literature by revealing two boundary conditions (sponsoring brand familiarity and audiences' team identification) for those negative effects.

In spite of lots of methods in improving the performance of heap leaching, much controversy on the industrial applications remain. A relatively new and effective idea of introducing aeration to heap leaching, especially in abiotic heap leaching, may be a better way. Experiments on water content (WC) of the leaching columns employing a novel heap leaching apparatus and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) by changing aeration intensity (AI) were conducted. The results show that WC within the heap can be effectively increased which may enlarge the area of liquid-solid interface to probably improve the leaching efficiency and performance.

Background The triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index has been linked to various cardiovascular diseases. However, it's still unclear whether the TyG index is associated with arterial stiffness and coronary artery calcification (CAC). Methods We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of relevant studies until September 2022 in the PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. We used a random-effects model to calculate the pooled effect estimate and the robust error meta-regression method to summarize the exposure-effect relationship. Results Twenty-six observational studies involving 87,307 participants were included. In the category analysis, the TyG index was associated with the risk of arterial stiffness (odds ratio [OR]: 1.83; 95% CI 1.55–2.17, I 2  = 68%) and CAC (OR: 1.66; 95% CI 1.51–1.82, I 2  = 0). The per 1-unit increment in the TyG index was also associated with an increased risk of arterial stiffness (OR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.35–1.69, I 2  = 82%) and CAC (OR: 1.73, 95% CI 1.36–2.20, I 2  = 51%). Moreover, a higher TyG index was shown to be a risk factor for the progression of CAC (OR = 1.66, 95% CI 1.21–2.27, I 2  = 0, in category analysis, OR = 1.47, 95% CI 1.29–1.68, I 2  = 41% in continuity analysis). There was a positive nonlinear association between the TyG index and the risk of arterial stiffness (P nonlinearity  < 0.001). Conclusion An elevated TyG index is associated with an increased risk of arterial stiffness and CAC. Prospective studies are needed to assess causality. Graphical Abstract

PurposeThis study investigated a new attributional phenomenon in a brand scandal setting in which consumers tend to blame the top management of a brand, even though it was the frontline parties that caused the scandal. The authors termed this phenomenon upward blame attribution (UBA), shedding light on whether consumers in a host country indicate a higher UBA for a multinational (vs domestic) brand scandal, which in turn reinforces their revenge and impairs their reconciliation reactions, and whether these effects are contingent on consumer animosity.Design/methodology/approachTwo experimental studies were conducted with real and fictitious brand/product and country stimuli with 1,399 Chinese participants.FindingsBoth studies verified UBA and found that Chinese consumers' UBA is higher for multinational (vs domestic) brand scandals, which drives their stronger desire for revenge and weaker desire for reconciliation. Moreover, consumers with high (vs low) animosity toward a multinational brand's home country reported a higher UBA for the multinational (vs domestic) brand scandal, which in turn reinforces their desire for revenge and impairs their desire for reconciliation.Practical implicationsThe study provides new insights into host-country consumers' more severe UBA and responses toward multinational versus domestic brand scandals and the amplifying role of consumer animosity in these processes. It also has implications for mitigating host-country consumers' UBA and negative responses to multinational brand scandals.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the blame attribution literature by verifying consumers' UBA and the country-of-origin (COO) literature by revealing host-country consumers' higher UBA, stronger revenge desire and weaker reconcile desire toward multinational (vs domestic) brand scandals. It extends the knowledge regarding consumers' blame attributions toward the top management of a multinational (vs domestic) brand in scandals and the impact of such attributions.