Background: Frailty is a natural consequence of the aging process. With the increasing aging population in Mainland China, the quality of life and end-of-life care for frail older people need to be taken into consideration. Advance Care Planning has also been used worldwide in long-term facilities, hospitals and communities to improve the quality of end-of-life care, increase patient and family satisfaction, and reduce healthcare costs and hospital admissions in Western countries. However, it has not been practiced in China. Research objective: (...) This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified Advance Care Planning intervention in certainty of end-of-life care, preferences for end-of-life care, quality of life concerns, and healthcare utilization among frail older people. Research design: This study used a quasi-experimental design, with a single-blind, control group, pretest and repeated posttest approach. Participants and research context: A convenience sample of 74 participates met the eligibility criteria in each nursing home. A total of 148 frail older people were recruited in two nursing homes in Zhejiang Province, China. Ethical considerations: The study received ethical approval from the Clinical Research Ethics Committee, the Faculty of Medicine, and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, CREC Ref. No: 2016.059. Findings: The results indicated the Advance Care Planning programme was effective at increasing autonomy in decision making on end-of-life care issues, decreasing decision-making conflicts over end-of-life care issues, and increasing their expression about end-of-life care. Discussion: This study promoted the participants’ autonomy and broke through the inherent custom of avoiding talking about death in China. Conclusion: The modified Advance Care Planning intervention is effective and recommended to support the frail older people in their end-of-life care decision in Chinese society. (shrink)

Quantum theory might make the cosmos more certain than classical physics ever did.

There is controversy as to whether children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and those with high-functioning autism plus language impairment (HFA-LI) share similar language profiles. This study investigated the similarities and differences in the production of Chinese negative sentences by children with DLD and children with HFA-LI to provide evidence relevant to this controversy. The results reflect a general resemblance between the two groups in their lower-than-TDA (typically developing age-matched) performance. Both groups encountered difficulties in using negative markers, which suggests (...) that they might be impaired in feature agreement. Slight differences were detected between the two groups. Specifically, children with DLD experienced difficulties with the agreement on the feature [+telic] and that on the feature [+dynamic], while children with HFA-LI had difficulties with the agreement on the feature [+dynamic] and that on the feature [−dynamic]. This study supports the idea of a common symptomatology for the two disorders. More importantly, it suggests that these two disorders, DLD and HFA-LI, are not altogether the same in terms of language impairment. This paper concludes that general labels should not be simply attached to any children with language disorders. Instead, atypical language is very worthy of further analysis in the categorization of language disorders. (shrink)

Background: Ethical behaviour in nursing practice is integral to establishing a harmonious nurse-patient relationship and improving the quality of care. A multitude of factors shapes such behaviour. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the interplay between these factors. Research objectives: This study aimed to explore the mechanisms underlying the influence of moral sensitivity on nurses’ ethical behaviour and clarify the mediating role of moral courage. Research design: This cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted between July and August 2023. Participants and Research (...) Context: The sample comprised 465 clinical nurses from three tertiary hospitals in Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, China. Data were collected using the Chinese version of the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire-Revised Version, Nurses’ Moral Courage Scale, and Ethical Behaviour Scale for Nurses. Data analysis was performed with SPSS 26.0 and AMOS 24.0, using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, structural equation modelling, and bootstrapping methods. Ethical considerations: This study was approved by the Ethical Review Committee of Life Sciences of Zhengzhou University, China. Results: The participants were predominantly female (95.1%), with a mean age of 31.9 years. Moral courage and moral sensitivity were positively correlated with ethical behaviour. Moral sensitivity was positively associated with moral courage. Moral courage partially mediates the relationship between moral sensitivity and ethical behaviour. The indirect effect of nurses’ moral sensitivity on ethical behaviour was quantified through moral courage (indirect effect = 0.290). Conclusion: Moral courage intermediates nurses’ moral sensitivity and ethical behaviour. This conclusion provides nursing administrators with the insight that improving clinical nurses’ moral sensitivity and courage can contribute to ensuring appropriate ethical behaviour. (shrink)

This study proposed a novel construct – green core competence – to explore its positive effects on green innovation and green images of firms. The results showed that green core competences of firms were positively correlated to their green innovation performance and green images. In addition, this research also verified two types of green innovation performance had partial mediation effects between green core competences and green images of firms. Therefore, investment in the development of green core competence was helpful to (...) businesses for the enhancement of their green innovation and green images. Furthermore, this study found that green core competence, two types of green innovation performance, and green images of medium & small enterprises (SMEs) were all significantly less than those of large enterprises in the information and electronics industry in Taiwan. Therefore, there was the advantage of firm size for the green core competence in this industry, and it was imperative for SMEs to develop and create their green core competences to strengthen their green innovation performance, and green images. (shrink)

When modelling spacetime and classical physical fields, one typically assumes smoothness (infinite differentiability). But this assumption and its philosophical implications have not been sufficiently scrutinized. For example, we can appeal to analytic functions instead, which are also often used by physicists. Doing so leads to very different philosophical interpretations of a theory. For instance, our world would be ‘hyperdeterministic’ with analytic functions, in the sense that every field configuration is uniquely determined by its restriction to an arbitrarily small region. Relatedly, (...) the hole argument of general relativity does not get off the ground. We argue that such an appeal to analytic functions is technically feasible and, conceptually, not obviously objectionable. The moral is to warn against rushing to draw philosophical conclusions from physical theories, given their drastic sensitivity to mathematical formalisms. (shrink)

Moral issues have been included in the studies of consumer misbehavior research, but little is known about the joint moderating effect of moral intensity and moral judgment on the consumer’s use intention of pirated software. This study aims to understand the consumer’s use intention of pirated software in Taiwan based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) proposed by Ajzen (Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 179, 1991). In addition, moral intensity and moral judgment are adopted as a joint (...) moderator to examine their combined influence on the proposed research framework. The results obtained from this Taiwan case reveal that the antecedent constructs proposed in the TPB model–an individual’s attitude and subjective norms toward using pirated software, and perceived behavioral control to use pirated software–indeed have positive impacts on the consumer’s use intention of pirated software. In addition, the joint moderating effect of moral intensity and moral judgment is manifested in the consumer’s use intention of pirated software. The results of this study not only could substantiate the results of consumer misbehavior research, but also could provide some managerial suggestions for Taiwanese government authorities concerned and the related software industries devoted to fighting pirated software. (shrink)

Due in large part to the trends towards economic globalization, English has become the most widely disseminated and ubiquitous international language. The purpose of the study was to investigate what Taiwan?s EFL teachers at the elementary level believe about the policy of English as a compulsory subject and how they perceive the benefits and obstacles of the policy?s implementation. Ten elementary English teachers in Tainan City and its suburban areas participated in this study. Data were collected through teachers? interviews, classroom (...) observation and document analysis. Results found that all ten teachers agreed with the policy for English as a compulsory subject at the elementary level. They observed both positive and negative sides of this top?down policy. Classroom observation and interview data revealed that EFL teachers had to plan their English classes with the constraints on a large class of students with mixed levels of proficiency, limited teaching hours and resources. Parents? expectations of and attitudes towards English learning also became an obstacle. (shrink)

Punishment is fundamental to the evolution of cooperative norms in teams, organizations, and societies. Based on findings that people are faster when punishing others (relative to when withholding punishment), dual-process theories of punishment assert that humans have an intuitive tendency to punish, which requires effortful deliberation to overcome. Here, we propose an alternative single-process theory that models punishment decisions as a sequential sampling process. We provide supporting evidence for this theory using a public goods game experiment that experimentally manipulates the (...) cost–benefit tradeoff across the game. We show that people are not systematically faster when punishing (versus withholding) across tradeoffs. We also find an inverted-U-shaped relationship between response times and the strength of preferences for punishing, and a negative association between punishment rates and the relative speed of punishment across individuals. Further computational analysis using the drift–diffusion model (DDM) reveals that, on average, people exhibit a pre-disposition to withhold punishment. Our study provides a unified single-process framework for studying the micro-foundations of punishment and integrating process measures to better describe and predict behavior. (shrink)

This article explores micro- and macro-level variables that influence the incidence of bribery payouts by firms. A rich data set with information from 55 countries was utilized to achieve this objective. Results of logit regression models indicate that there are a number of micro- and macro-level factors that significantly affect the incidence of bribery payouts. This suggests that it is not only the characteristics of a firm but also the environment of doing business that affect the firm's bribery decision. The (...) results of this study provides information that may help firms develop strategies to reduce corruption in their respective industries and thereby improve their image of corporate social responsibility. The analysis also points to possible policy directions that governments could undertake in order to reduce the incidence of bribery in their country. (shrink)

While previous research has primarily focused on the impact of climate risk on corporate socially responsible behaviors, this study investigates how climate risk may influence corporate social irresponsibility. Using panel data from Chinese listed firms spanning from 2003 to 2020, we find that heightened exposure to climate risk correlates with an increased likelihood of fraud commission. Moreover, we observe that financial distress positively moderates the relationship between climate risk and corporate fraud, particularly within climate-vulnerable industries or financially constrained firms. Our (...) findings further suggest that climate risk exacerbates corporate fraud by increasing pressures related to performance, debt financing, and shareholder demand. This study highlights the detrimental role of climate risk in shaping corporate ethics and amplifying the incidences of corporate fraud. (shrink)

In this article, first, we argue that the concept of ‘vitality forms’ endows direct social perception (DSP) with suitable constructed percepts. Vitality forms capture how embodied actions unfold in the process, encapsulating the how-dimension of action, which provides a new dimension for understanding the multiplicities of action. Second, we discuss how vitality forms, as a diachronic gestalt, are completed and recognized in the process of dyadic sharing. We attempt to invoke another concept advocated by Daniel Stern, ‘moments of meeting’, thereby (...) emphasizing the temporality problem of the constructed percepts in DSP. In these special moments, the minds of both parties intersect and co-construct a shared experience that can be perceived or seen by each participant. That is, vitality forms are a consequence of the co-construction within the dyad at the moments of meeting. (shrink)

Our understanding of the complexity of the oral biome and of the role of the various constituent bacteria in the aetiology of dental disease is growing. Probiotics and their relationship with prebiotics, as well as other microbiome‐based interventions, could be useful in preventing and treating dental disease and in promoting oral health. However, given the promise and early stage of this treatment approach, there are also a number of ethical, social and regulatory issues associated with innovative probiotic therapy. In this (...) article, a brief update is given on contemporary theories of the aetiology and management of the two commonest dental diseases, and on the roles of pre‐ and probiotics and oral biome transplant in the management of these diseases. The focus is primarily on four core issues: informed consent, risk–benefit assessment, how to determine suitable healthy donors, and commercialization and regulation. We discuss the safety and benefits of oral probiotics, not only concerning the products and quality control during their manufacture, but also regarding the depth of public knowledge about this topic. We point out that the requirement of listing ingredients honestly might be insufficient, and that the prevalent rhetoric of ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ as well as some health claims in the translational, innovative probiotic industry and markets are themselves misleading and should be carefully scrutinized. Finally, we suggest an ethical imperative to find a balance between scientific research and industry, and public health in the regulation of probiotics. (shrink)

With the global spread of Chekhov’s plays in the 20th century, his works have transcended their literary origins to become foundational texts in modern theatre, influencing both dramatic realism and avant-garde experimentation. Beyond their structural and thematic innovations, Chekhov’s plays engage deeply with existential, metaphysical, and spiritual questions, making them fertile ground for religious and philosophical inquiry. His dramatic texts possess a _meta-theatrical_ quality, not only reflecting the human condition but also serving as a medium for grappling with themes of (...) faith, meaning, and transcendence. This study examines Chekhov’s plays as philosophical theatre, exploring how they resonate with religious and metaphysical thought in their engagement with fate, suffering, and the search for purpose. Through an analysis of theatrical interpretations—including Stanislavsky’s psychological realism, the metaphysical dimensions in productions by the Koriada Theater, Red Torch Theater, and Alexander Linski Theater—this research reveals how Chekhov’s works have been adapted to reflect contemporary existential and spiritual concerns. His dramas often evoke a sense of waiting, disillusionment, and silent prayer, mirroring theological reflections on divine silence, existential uncertainty, and the search for redemption in a seemingly indifferent world. By examining the interplay between _theatrical realism_, _meta-theatrical awareness_, and _philosophical reflection_, this study highlights Chekhov’s enduring influence as a dramatist whose works not only depict reality but also invite meditations on the sacred, the absurd, and the metaphysical. This research contributes to the broader discourse on religious philosophy and dramatic arts, arguing that Chekhov’s theatre functions as a _metaphysical space_ where philosophical and theological themes—such as the confrontation with mortality, the longing for transcendence, and the ethical dilemmas of human agency—are staged and explored. Future studies should further investigate how Chekhov’s dramaturgy engages with religious existentialism and the spiritual dimensions of theatrical performance, deepening the connection between theatre, philosophy, and metaphysical inquiry. (shrink)

The dance traditions embedded within the intangible cultural heritage of Shaanxi are not merely artistic expressions but also profound carriers of spiritual narratives, ritualistic symbolism, and collective memory. However, the modernization process has led to significant challenges in their preservation, including the aging of inheritors and the weakening of traditional transmission mechanisms. This study explores the philosophical and spiritual dimensions of Shaanxi’s intangible dance heritage, emphasizing its role in religious ceremonies, moral teachings, and metaphysical expressions of human connection to the (...) cosmos. Guided by theories of intangible cultural heritage protection and cultural ecology, this research examines the preservation and inheritance of Shaanxi’s traditional dance forms, integrating both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. National and provincial intangible cultural heritage dance traditions are systematically analyzed, and an evaluative framework is developed to assess their historical, cultural, and spiritual significance. Using the hierarchical analysis method, the study determines weighted evaluation indices and applies a fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model to quantify the value of these dance traditions. The results reveal that _Ansai Waist Drum_ holds exceptional historical and cultural significance (95 points) and strong regional characteristics (95 points), reflecting its deep-rooted ritualistic and communal importance. Similarly, _Shaanbei Yangge_ scores highly in historical and cultural value (85 points) and regional identity (90 points), demonstrating its role in shaping the spiritual consciousness of the local community. In contrast, _Huazhou Back Flower Drums_ face considerable challenges in preservation, with lower scores across cultural value (65), regional significance (75), and innovation potential (50), highlighting the urgent need for renewed conservation efforts. By situating these dance traditions within the broader discourse of religious philosophy and sacred aesthetics, this study argues that Shaanxi’s intangible dance heritage embodies more than artistic expression—it serves as a bridge between past and present, the material and the transcendent. The research proposes targeted preservation strategies that prioritize not only cultural continuity but also the revitalization of the spiritual and philosophical dimensions inherent in these dances. Future research should explore the intersection of ritual, movement, and metaphysical thought in dance traditions, further contributing to the understanding of intangible cultural heritage as a medium of religious and philosophical reflection. (shrink)

Moral ‘saints and heroes’ are generally considered to be admirable, moral exemplars worthy of emulation. J. O. Urmson characterizes them as morally laudable agents who perform supererogatory actions. This characterization, combined with relevant empirical evidence, presents a paradox in which supererogatory acts appear to become, not optional, but obligatory for moral saints and heroes. This is termed the ‘agent–observer disparity’. Drawing on Bernard Williams’ ideas, the concepts of practical necessity and moral incapacity, which are expressive of and grounded in one’s (...) character, are utilized to account for moral saints and heroes’ subjective morality and illuminate their exceptional strength of character. In response to misgivings regarding the imitability of moral saints and heroes and the attainability of their excellences of character, this study suggests that the considerable gap between the characteristics of extreme exemplars and ordinary individuals can provide ordinary individuals with the freedom to consider the moral perspectives of these exemplars that evoke wonder without the exemplars’ actions becoming a threat to ordinary people’s self-concept. The earnest aspiration to reach the moral ideals of moral saints and heroes can move ordinary individuals and trigger an aretaic impulse to act more virtuously without causing stress. It is concluded that moral saints and heroes as extreme exemplars complement the influence of ordinary ‘close-by’ moral mentors and both are key in exemplar-based character education. (shrink)

We use institutional-related theories and a unique natural experiment that enables an exogenous test of the influence of controlling shareholders on managerial accountability to corporate fraud. In China, prior to the Split Share Structure Reform, state shareholders held restricted shares that could not be traded. This restriction mitigated state-owned enterprise controlling shareholders’ incentives to monitor managers. The data examined show the SSSR strengthens incentives of state-owned enterprise controlling shareholders to replace fraudulent management. Our findings support the view that economic incentives (...) are important to promote corporate governance and deter fraud. (shrink)

张岂之先生毕生从事中国思想史的研究与教学, 为中国思想史学科的发展倾注了大量心血. 七月中旬, 来自全国各地的一百余位学者, 在西安就先生最关心的中国思想史研究事业进行回顾总结.

本书介绍了证据法学的基本知识、基本理论,并以科学性、准确性为原则来解决实务问题。.

A common Chinese addressing practice is to address non-kin people with kinship terms, a phenomenon sometimes described as ‘kinship term generalization’. Previous studies have mainly focused on the characteristics and functions of kinship term generalization, confined to certain specific generalized kinship terms, and limited to GKTs in some Chinese dialects or certain Chinese literary works. The present study adopts the socio-pragmatic perspective to examine the phenomenon among Chinese graduate students, a social group not heeded in the literature. Based on the (...) analysis of the data collected, we argue that Chinese graduate students’ varying use of GKTs in academic settings is a pragmatic strategy, characterized by the family-centered cultural values of the Chinese society. It is hoped that the present study at the intersection between pragmatics and sociolinguistics may enrich the study of address forms in general, and in particular of Chinese GKTs. (shrink)

Critics frequently target Ernest Nagel’s model of reduction for its purported inadequacy in addressing the issue of approximation. In response, proponents of Nagel’s model have integrated approximations into the more comprehensive Generalized Nagel-Schaffner model, or the GNS model. However, this article contends that the pertinent criticisms and responses are both misplaced: There are no barriers to Nagel’s model incorporating approximations, and it assimilates them in a manner distinctly dissimilar to the approach of the GNS model. Indeed, Nagel’s model is fundamentally (...) _static_, providing invariant formal and informal conditions for reduction; and it is the _dynamic_ history of science that fulfills relevant conditions for reduction, thereby achieving different _degrees of reductive success_. Consequently, approximations are essentially extraneous to Nagel’s model, since they pertain chiefly to temporally based scientific knowledge and concern merely the _means_ (e.g., approximate or exact deductions) of fulfilling the conditions for reduction within specific problem contexts. This article also develops a Nagelian treatment of approximation, demonstrating how distinctive types of approximations aid in fulfilling various conditions for reduction and contribute to different degrees of reductive success. Two case studies are presented to illustrate the Nagelian treatment: The first examines the specific heat ratio anomaly within the traditional endeavor of reducing thermodynamics to statistical mechanics, and the second addresses the consumption puzzle in the context of reducing macroeconomics to microeconomics. (shrink)

Seamus Heaney's exploration of identity politics has long been a subject of debate among scholars. While some view him as a creator of his own ethnic identity, others critique him as a fabricator of myths and idealized origins. However, the truth of Heaney’s engagement with ethnic identity is far more nuanced. His journey, evolving from a focus on communal attachment to active alienation, and ultimately to the deconstruction of binary oppositions, marks a significant shift from essentialism to pluralism. This transformation (...) is deeply intertwined with Heaney's evolving aesthetic and philosophical reflections on key identity-related themes—such as place and displacement, nationalist claims and political martyrdom, center and emptiness, and border and transcendence. Through this process, Heaney engages in a continual negotiation of personal and collective anxieties, producing poetry that is marked by ongoing revision and renewal. His reflections on identity and their poetic revisions provide profound insights into the ethical dimensions of his work, which not only enhances our understanding of his intellectual development but also positions him within the broader context of Western intellectual traditions. In light of contemporary global conflicts, Heaney’s poetic engagement with themes of identity, place, border, and transcendence offers valuable perspectives on the relationship between self and other, as well as between in-group and out-group dynamics. This essay considers how Heaney's reflections can inform contemporary philosophical discussions on identity and the ethical implications of belonging in a divided world. (shrink)

The perception of speech tempo is influenced by both the acoustic properties of speech and the cognitive state of the listener. However, there is a lack of research on how speech comprehension affects the perception of speech tempo. This study aims to disentangle the impact of speech comprehension on the perception of speech tempo by manipulating linguistic structures and measuring perceptual speech tempo at explicit and implicit levels. Three experiments were conducted to explore these relationships. In Experiment 1, two explicit (...) speech tasks revealed that listeners tend to overestimate the speech tempo of sentences with low comprehensibility, although this effect decreased with repeated exposure to the speech. Experiment 2, utilizing an implicit speech tempo task, replicated the main findings of Experiment 1. Furthermore, the results from the drift‐diffusion model eliminated the possibility that participants’ responses were based on the type of sentence. In Experiment 3, non‐native Chinese speakers with varying levels of language proficiency completed the implicit speech rate task. The results showed that non‐native Chinese speakers exhibited distinct behavioral patterns compared to native Chinese speakers, as they did not perceive differences in speech tempo between high and low comprehensibility conditions. These findings highlight the intricate relationship between the perception of speech tempo and the comprehensibility of processed speech. (shrink)

In this study, we examine the individual social responsibility of corporate executives in the context of excessive executive pay and further explore whether executives’ individual social responsibility can translate into their firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR). Given the morally charged discussion surrounding excessive executive pay, we analyze the research questions through the lens of social–psychological theories of morality. We find that executives’ individual social responsibility in the form of personal donations is a responsive moral cleansing action that executives take to (...) restore their threatened moral self-image due to the public disclosure of their excessive pay. However, executives who make personal donations to charities do not engage their corporations in more CSR activities. The findings demonstrate that corporate executives’ individual social responsibility does not necessarily translate into corporate social responsibility. We attribute the lack of transferability from individual to corporate social responsibility to the compensatory nature of morality. (shrink)

Resumo: Para revelar como esculturas de gelo e neve redefinem a beleza natural no contexto da arte moderna e explorar suas implicações para o design de arquitetura paisagística, este artigo usa uma combinação de revisão de literatura e análise de caso, a fim de explorar o valor estético, forma artística e fundamento filosófico de esculturas de gelo e neve em jardins, e examina casos específicos de formas de arte de escultura de gelo e neve na arquitetura paisagística. Pesquisas mostraram que (...) a compreensão da filosofia da arte moderna da beleza natural ultrapassou o escopo da estética tradicional e está mais preocupada com a interação entre a natureza e os seres humanos. A escultura de gelo e neve é uma forma única de arquitetura paisagística, que não só incorpora as características estéticas dos materiais naturais, mas também expressa reflexões profundas sobre o ambiente natural, através da inovação tecnológica, criação artística e outros meios. Este texto fornece uma nova perspectiva para a criação da arquitetura paisagística e enriquece ainda mais a conotação estética dos jardins modernos. (shrink)

In recent years, while extensive researches on various networks properties have been proposed and accomplished, little has been proposed and done on network robustness and node vulnerability assessment under cascades in directed large-scale online community networks. In essential, an online directed social network is a group-centered and information spread-dominated online platform which is very different from the traditional undirected social network. Some further research studies have indicated that the online social network has high robustness to random removals of nodes but (...) fails to the intentional attacks, particularly to those attacks based on node betweenness or node directed coefficient. To explore on the robustness of directed social network, in this article, we have proposed two novel node centralities of ITG and I M p v. These two new centrality models are designed to capture this cascading effect in directed online social networks. Furthermore, we also propose a new and highly efficient computing method based on iterations for I M p v. Then, with the abundant experiments on the synthetic signed network and real-life networks derived from directed online social media and directed human mobile phone calling network, it has been proved that our ITG and I M p v based on directed social network robustness and node vulnerability assessment method is more accurate, efficient, and faster than several traditional centrality methods such as degree and betweenness. And we also have proposed the solid reasoning and proof process of iteration times k in computation of I M p v. To the best knowledge of us, our research has drawn some new light on the leading edge of robustness on the directed social network. (shrink)

Replication protein A (RPA) is the main eukaryotic single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein, having essential roles in all DNA metabolic reactions involving ssDNA. RPA binds ssDNA with high affinity, thereby preventing the formation of secondary structures and protecting ssDNA from the action of nucleases, and directly interacts with other DNA processing proteins. Here, we discuss recent results supporting the idea that one function of RPA is to prevent annealing between short repeats that can lead to chromosome rearrangements by microhomology‐mediated end (...) joining or the formation of hairpin structures that are substrates for structure‐selective nucleases. We suggest that replication fork catastrophe caused by depletion of RPA could result from cleavage of secondary structures by nucleases, and that failure to cleave hairpin structures formed at DNA ends could lead to gene amplification. These studies highlight the important role RPA plays in maintaining genome integrity. (shrink)

Chinese mind-body exercises are positively associated with executive function, but their effects on EF, from synthesized evidence using systematic and meta-analytic reviews, have not been conducted. Therefore, the present systematic review with meta-analysis attempted to determine whether CMBEs affect EF and its sub-domains, as well as how exercise, sample, and study characteristics moderate the causal relationship between CMBEs and EF in middle-aged and older adults. Seven electronic databases were searched for relevant studies published from the inception of each database through (...) June 2020. Randomized controlled trials with at least one outcome measure of CMBEs on EF in adults of mean age ≥ 50 years with intact cognition or mild cognitive impairment and with or without chronic diseases were included. A total of 29 studies ultimately were included in this study. The results indicated that CMBEs improved overall EF, as well as its sub-domains of working memory and shifting. The beneficial effects of CMBEs on EF occurred regardless of type, frequency of group classes, session time, total training time, and length of the CMBEs, in addition to that more frequent participation in both group classes and home practice sessions resulted in more beneficial effects. The positive effects of CMBEs on EF were also demonstrated, regardless of participants mean age, sex, and cognitive statuses, health status, as well as training mode and study language. This review thus suggests that CMBEs can be used as an effective method with small to moderate and positive effects in enhancing EF, and that more frequent group classes and home practice sessions may increase these effects. However, certain limitations, including strictly design studies, limited ES samples for specific variables, and possible biased publications, required paying particular attention to, for further exploring the effects of CMBEs on EF. (shrink)

Drug abuse has been and continues to be, a common social issue worldwide, yet the efficiency of widely adopted sweeping speech for anti-drug campaigns has proven inefficient. To provide students with a safe and efficient learning situation related to drug refusal skills, we used a novel approach rooted in a serious learning game and concept map during a brief extracurricular period to help students understand drugs and their negative effects. The proposed game-based situational learning system allowed all students to participate (...) simultaneously and individually in multiple scenarios of drug temptation posed by peers and classmates to practice responding and refusing drugs in school and community settings. Moreover, to explore whether different personality traits result in different anti-drug responses, we used a serious game to conduct an anti-drug experiment on 53 junior middle school students aged 13–15. Each participant’s decision-making process was recorded in the serious game as behavioral patterns for lag sequential analysis. The outcomes revealed seven behavioral patterns including differentiation, acceptance, effective and ineffective responses, effective and ineffective solution-seeking, and failure to refuse. The GSEQ which is a computer program for analyzing sequential observational data was used. The results indicated the following: Neuroticism was performed at a relatively low level under the guidance of a concept map. “Neuroticism” was associated with the lowest risk of accepting drugs. Students with “openness to experiences” were at high risk of accepting drugs. Almost all personality behavioral transition diagrams showed that failure to refuse drugs was followed by inefficient seeking of help and inefficient refusal. These findings provide reference points for designing adaptive anti-drug education programs. (shrink)

The evolution of the technology standard alliance is examined using complex adaptive system theory. Taking TSA as a dynamic CAS, an echo model is constructed to depict the mechanism of its evolution, and a model is simulated on the NetLogo platform. The echo model includes a basic model, an extended model, and a three-layer echo model. The adhesive aggregation of agents is explained, and the three evolutionary stages of agents’ entry, migration, and exit are analyzed. Moreover, the adaptability of agents (...) in TSA is quantified. The results of simulation show the evolution of the TSA in relation to the two aspects of agent adhesion aggregation and agent resource interaction, and they demonstrate the dynamic and complex hierarchical structure of the TSA system. It is proposed that greater matching ability, moderate behavior income, and lower behavior cost are more conducive to the evolution and development of TSA. Additionally, the echo model is reconstructed to expand the range of application of CAS theory. (shrink)

This study examines the mechanism of maternal parenting stress on marital satisfaction based on the Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Model, and draws on the needs theory to explore the role of alone time in marital relationships under different solitude preferences. The marital satisfaction Scale, Self-rating Depression Scale, Parenting Stress Scale, Preference for Solitude Scale, and alone time scale were used to conduct a questionnaire survey of 1,387 Chinese mothers in their parenting stage. The results found that: in the overall group and the high (...) and low solitude preference level group, depression plays a significant mediating role between parenting stress and marital satisfaction. For mothers who prefer solitude, alone time can reduce the positive impact of parenting stress on depression, and but it cannot alleviate the negative impact of parenting stress and depression on marital satisfaction. In the low solitude preference level group, alone time can aggravate the positive impact of parenting stress on depression and the negative impact of parenting stress on marital satisfaction. (shrink)

In this article, we consider the possible application of the European General Data Protection Regulation to “citizen scientist”-led health research with mobile devices. We argue that the GDPR likely does cover this activity, depending on the specific context and the territorial scope. Remaining open questions that result from our analysis lead us to call for lex specialis that would provide greater clarity and certainty regarding the processing of health data by for research purposes, including these non-traditional researchers.