Browsing by Subject "China"
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Item Open Access A Decentralized Iron Cage: Do Chinese Local Officials Comply with the Central Government?(2016) Ge, HaosenThis paper contributes to the literature in nancial aid and authoritarian institutions.
For a long time, scholars are debating whether nancial aid is able to facilitate
development and governance. Though abundant evidence is provided, the answer is
still inconclusive. On the other hand, scholars investigating China argue that the
leadership uses various institutions to ensure local ocials' compliance. In this paper,
we nd that the nancial aid does not bring a positive impact and the central
government in China does not have enough monitoring capacity to force local o-
cials to comply. We study a redevelopment program established by Chinese central
government after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. By adopting a geographic regression
discontinuity combining with a dierence-in-dierences design, we show that
the redevelopment program does not signicantly develop the disaster area. On the
contrary, the evidence implies that the economy in the disaster area is worse after
receiving the aid. The results imply that local ocials do not follow the central government's
regulations and misuse the aid money for other purposes. In the future, we
expect to further investigate through which mechanism do local ocials undermine
the existing institutions.
iii
Item Open Access A Functional Polymorphism (rs2494752) in the AKT1 Promoter Region and Gastric Adenocarcinoma Risk in an Eastern Chinese Population.(Scientific reports, 2016-01-28) Wang, Meng-Yun; He, Jing; Zhu, Mei-Ling; Teng, Xiao-Yan; Li, Qiao-Xin; Sun, Meng-Hong; Wang, Xiao-Feng; Yang, Ya-Jun; Wang, Jiu-Cun; Jin, Li; Wang, Ya-Nong; Wei, Qing-YiAKT is an important signal transduction protein that plays a crucial role in cancer development. Therefore, we evaluated associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the AKT promoter region and gastric cancer (GCa) risk in a case-control study of 1,110 GCa patients and 1,114 matched cancer-free controls. We genotyped five SNPs (AKT1 rs2494750G >C, AKT1 rs2494752A >G, AKT1 rs10138227C >T, AKT2 rs7254617G>A and AKT2 rs2304186G >T) located in the 5' upstream regulatory, first intron or promoter regions. In the logistic regression analysis, a significantly elevated GCa risk was associated with the rs2494752 AG/GG variant genotypes (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.02-1.42) under a dominant genetic model, and this risk was more evident in subgroups of ever drinkers. The luciferase reporter assay showed that the rs2494752 G allele significantly increased luciferase activity. Our results suggest that the potentially functional AKT1 rs2494752 SNP may affect GCa susceptibility, likely by modulating the AKT1 promoter transcriptional activity. Larger, independent studies are warranted to validate our findings.Item Open Access A genome-wide association study identifies susceptibility variants for type 2 diabetes in Han Chinese.(PLoS Genet, 2010-02-19) Tsai, Fuu-Jen; Yang, Chi-Fan; Chen, Ching-Chu; Chuang, Lee-Ming; Lu, Chieh-Hsiang; Chang, Chwen-Tzuei; Wang, Tzu-Yuan; Chen, Rong-Hsing; Shiu, Chiung-Fang; Liu, Yi-Min; Chang, Chih-Chun; Chen, Pei; Chen, Chien-Hsiun; Fann, Cathy SJ; Chen, Yuan-Tsong; Wu, Jer-YuarnTo investigate the underlying mechanisms of T2D pathogenesis, we looked for diabetes susceptibility genes that increase the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in a Han Chinese population. A two-stage genome-wide association (GWA) study was conducted, in which 995 patients and 894 controls were genotyped using the Illumina HumanHap550-Duo BeadChip for the first genome scan stage. This was further replicated in 1,803 patients and 1,473 controls in stage 2. We found two loci not previously associated with diabetes susceptibility in and around the genes protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type D (PTPRD) (P = 8.54x10(-10); odds ratio [OR] = 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36-1.82), and serine racemase (SRR) (P = 3.06x10(-9); OR = 1.28; 95% CI = 1.18-1.39). We also confirmed that variants in KCNQ1 were associated with T2D risk, with the strongest signal at rs2237895 (P = 9.65x10(-10); OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.19-1.40). By identifying two novel genetic susceptibility loci in a Han Chinese population and confirming the involvement of KCNQ1, which was previously reported to be associated with T2D in Japanese and European descent populations, our results may lead to a better understanding of differences in the molecular pathogenesis of T2D among various populations.Item Open Access A New Chinese First Lady: Is There Systematic Development?(2016) He, ZiweiExamining the full set of leaders and their spouses in both China and the U.S. during the last quarter century, this paper explores how the first lady of China has become a more important position, why she has become a more public figure, how this compares with the American first lady, and why her position in China is similar to, but different from that in the U.S., in determining whether the recent change in Chinese First Ladyship is due to systematic development or just the relationship between Mrs. Xi and her husband. After investigating the current relationship in China, furthermore, this paper also intends to discuss what we can expect with the new First Ladyship in the future.
Item Open Access A pri-miR-218 variant and risk of cervical carcinoma in Chinese women.(BMC cancer, 2013-01-15) Shi, Ting-Yan; Chen, Xiao-Jun; Zhu, Mei-Ling; Wang, Meng-Yun; He, Jing; Yu, Ke-Da; Shao, Zhi-Ming; Sun, Meng-Hong; Zhou, Xiao-Yan; Cheng, Xi; Wu, Xiaohua; Wei, QingyiBACKGROUND: MicroRNA (miRNA)-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may compromise miRNA binding affinity and modify mRNA expression levels of the target genes, thus leading to cancer susceptibility. However, few studies have investigated roles of miRNA-related SNPs in the etiology of cervical carcinoma. METHODS: In this case-control study of 1,584 cervical cancer cases and 1,394 cancer-free female controls, we investigated associations between two miR-218-related SNPs involved in the LAMB3-miR-218 pathway and the risk of cervical carcinoma in Eastern Chinese women. RESULTS: We found that the pri-miR-218 rs11134527 variant GG genotype was significantly associated with a decreased risk of cervical carcinoma compared with AA/AG genotypes (adjusted OR=0.77, 95% CI=0.63-0.95, P=0.015). However, this association was not observed for the miR-218 binding site SNP (rs2566) on LAMB3. Using the multifactor dimensionality reduction analysis, we observed some evidence of interactions of these two SNPs with other risk factors, especially age at primiparity and menopausal status, in the risk of cervical carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS: The pri-miR-218 rs11134527 SNP was significantly associated with the risk of cervical carcinoma in Eastern Chinese women. Larger, independent studies are warranted to validate our findings.Item Open Access A U-shaped Association Between Blood Pressure and Cognitive Impairment in Chinese Elderly.(Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 2017-02) Lv, Yue-Bin; Zhu, Peng-Fei; Yin, Zhao-Xue; Kraus, Virginia Byers; Threapleton, Diane; Chei, Choy-Lye; Brasher, Melanie Sereny; Zhang, Juan; Qian, Han-Zhu; Mao, Chen; Matchar, David Bruce; Luo, Jie-Si; Zeng, Yi; Shi, Xiao-MingObjectives
Higher or lower blood pressure may relate to cognitive impairment, whereas the relationship between blood pressure and cognitive impairment among the elderly is not well-studied. The study objective was to determine whether blood pressure is associated with cognitive impairment in the elderly, and, if so, to accurately describe the association.Design
Cross-sectional data from the sixth wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) conducted in 2011.Setting
Community-based setting in longevity areas in China.Participants
A total of 7144 Chinese elderly aged 65 years and older were included in the sample.Measures
Systolic blood pressures (SBP) and diastolic blood pressures (DBP) were measured, pulse pressure (PP) was calculated as (SBP) - (DBP) and mean arterial pressures (MAP) was calculated as 1/3(SBP) + 2/3(DBP). Cognitive function was assessed via a validated Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).Results
Based on the results of generalized additive models (GAMs), U-shaped associations were identified between cognitive impairment and SBP, DBP, PP, and MAP. The cutpoints at which risk for cognitive impairment (MMSE <24) was minimized were determined by quadratic models as 141 mm Hg, 85 mm Hg, 62 mm Hg, and 103 mm Hg, respectively. In the logistic models, U-shaped associations remained for SBP, DBP, and MAP but not PP. Below the identified cutpoints, each 1-mm Hg decrease in blood pressure corresponded to 0.7%, 1.1%, and 1.1% greater risk in the risk of cognitive impairment, respectively. Above the cutpoints, each 1-mm Hg increase in blood pressure corresponded to 1.2%, 1.8%, and 2.1% greater risk of cognitive impairment for SBP, DBP, and MAP, respectively.Conclusion
A U-shaped association between blood pressure and cognitive function in an elderly Chinese population was found. Recognition of these instances is important in identifying the high-risk population for cognitive impairment and to individualize blood pressure management for cognitive impairment prevention.Item Open Access Access to and affordability of healthcare for TB patients in China: issues and challenges.(Infect Dis Poverty, 2016-01-29) Tang, Shenglan; Wang, Lixia; Wang, Hong; Chin, Daniel PThis paper introduces the background, aim and objectives of the project entitled "China-the Gates Foundation Collaboration on TB Control in China" that has been underway for many years. It also summarizes the key findings of the nine papers included in this special issue, which used data from the baseline survey of Phase II of the project. Data were collected from the survey of TB and MDR-TB patients, from designated hospitals, health insurance agencies and the routine health information systems, as well as key informant interviews and focus group discussions with relevant key stakeholders. Key issues discussed in this series of papers include the uses of TB services and anti-TB medicines and their determining factors related to socio-economic and health systems development; expenditures on TB care and the financial burden incurred on TB patients; and the impact of health insurance schemes implemented in China on financial protection.Item Open Access Addressing the "Elephant in the Room": Rumor Rebuttal in China during the COVID-19 Outbreak(2021) Chi, YingThis study aims to explain the logic behind rumor rebuttal, a form of responsivepropaganda, in authoritarian countries during COVID-19, the story of which initially unfolded as ”rumor”. Taking China at the beginning stage of the outbreak as an example, I generate an original data of unverified and undesirable information on social media set, by combining both refuted and censored posts through keyword matching. I find that when faced with a dilemma between being responsive to the social need of accurate information to control the pandemic and securing authoritarian rule by not repeating rumor so as to increase its spreading power, the Chinese government chooses to refute rumors that have no political implications. When refuting rumors with political implications, censorship is also adopted. This study contributes to an understudying of information politics in authoritarian regimes. I analyze how an authoritarian government carries out a campaign against undesirable information using multiple techniques simultaneously, and I make a clear distinction between rumor content and political implications, which is noted in the literature but has not been used to understand authoritarian government communication behavior so far.
Item Open Access An mHealth-Based Medication Reminder Program for Patients with Coronary Heart Disease(2019) Ni, ZhaoProblem and Purpose:
Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the second leading cause of death in China. The treatment of CHD typically involves long-term pharmaceutical therapy. For patients with CHD, cardio-protective medications can prevent the enlargement of harmful clots, cardiovascular symptoms, and poor therapeutic outcomes such as uncontrolled high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, arrhythmia, heart failure, and sudden cardiac death. However, in China, poor adherence to cardio-protective medications has been cited as a public health concern. This poor adherence to cardio-protective medications has been linked to increases in healthcare costs due to poor therapeutic outcomes typically requiring major medical interventions, such as coronary angioplasty and coronary artery bypass grafting.
In China, local primary healthcare clinics are often not the first choice for treatment. Instead, patients with serious illnesses such as CHD prefer to utilize hospitals. Consequently, many of the 100 million people diagnosed with CHD in China receive prescriptions and medication-related knowledge in hospitals only without a primary care clinician to monitor their treatment. Under this healthcare utilization model, patients are often not provided with proper treatment maintenance and knowledge regarding their medication-taking behaviors. This lack of follow-up care decreases patients’ awareness of the importance of taking medications the way they were prescribed.
Mobile health, known as mHealth, is the use of portable electronic devices with software applications to provide healthcare services and manage patient information. China has 1.3 billion mobile phone users, and 97% of Chinese netizens access the Internet by using a mobile phone. These conditions in China are ideal for implementing an mHealth intervention to improve health and practice. The purpose of this study is to develop an mHealth intervention to improve medication adherence among patients with CHD.
Methods:
First, a pilot study with two phases was conducted in the Cardiology Department of West China Hospital, located in Chengdu, China. Phase I was conducted to inform the development of an mHealth intervention by integrating two mobile applications. The content of reminders and educational materials, the frequency and timing of the intervention were developed in this phase. Based on Phase I, the mHealth intervention was refined and an exploratory randomized controlled trial was conducted in Phase II to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of using mHealth as a tool to assist CHD patients to take their cardio-protective medications. The cohorts of participants in the two phases were mutually exclusive. Next, a larger scale study with 196 participants was conducted to assess if the mHealth intervention could improve medication adherence and relevant health outcomes (systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate) among patients with CHD in comparison to a control group that receives general educational materials over a period of 60 days.
Results:
In the larger scale study, we recruited 230 participants and randomized 116 to the experimental group and 114 to the control group. Of the 230 participants, 34 participants did not provide their baseline data, thus they did not receive the allocated intervention; we collected baseline data from 196 participants. Of the 196 participants, six participants dropped out of the study and nine were lost during the follow-up period. Finally, 181 participants completed the study, 97 in the experiemental group, 84 in the control group. The majority of the participants were married (92.4%), male (80.1%), Han Chinese (93.9%), and living in urban China (82.1%). Participants’ average age was 61 years old, and half were retired (53.9%). Three out of five participants (61.7%) were prescribed at least five medications. The total medication non-adherence score decreased at 60 days and 90 days in both groups when compared to baseline. At 60 days, the mean of the decrease in medication non-adherence score in the experimental group (M = −1.21, SD = 2.59, N = 103) was greater than the decrease in the control group (M = −0.42, SD = 2.63, N = 93), meaning that the medication adherence improved more in the experimental group. Likewise, at 90 days, the mean of the decrease in medication non-adherence score in the experimental group (M = −1.58, SD = 2.49, N = 103) was greater than the decrease in the control group (M = −0.08, SD = 3.15, N = 93). This difference between the two groups was statistically significant at both 60 days (t = 2.04, df = 179, P = 0.04) and 90 days (t = 3.48, df = 155, P < 0.01).
Heart rate decreased at 60 days and 90 days in both groups compared to baseline, but the mean of the decrease was not statistically significant between the two groups at either 60 days (t = -0.28, df = 148, p=0.78) or 90 days (t = 0.32, df = 145, p=0.75). Systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure decreased in the experimental group, but increased in the control group. The mean of the decrease in diastolic blood pressure was statistically significant at both 60 days (t = 2.07, df = 160, p=0.04) and 90 days (t = 2.21, df = 164, p=0.03). The mean of the decrease in systolic blood pressure was statistically significant at 90 days (t = 3.12, df = 165, p < 0.01), but not significant at 60 days (t = 1.92, df = 161, p=0.06). In addition to comparing the mean of the decreases in health outcomes, we also compared the proportional rates of normal systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate between the experimental group and the control group. The proportional rates of normal systolic and diastolic blood pressures in both groups increased at 60 days and 90 days compared to baseline, but the difference between the two groups at both times was not statistically significant. The proportional rate of normal heart rate in both groups decreased at both times, but the difference between the two groups at both times was not statistically significant.
Conclusion:
In this dissertation, a mobile-phone based mHealth intervention was developed for patients with CHD through integrating two mobile applications to improve medication adherence. The intervention delivered medication-taking reminders and educational materials using two mobile applications. The results showed that the mHealth intervention can increase medication adherence, and potentially lower blood pressure among patients with CHD. These findings can serve as a reference for future research to increase medication adherence and lower blood pressure.
Item Open Access Analysis of the equity of emergency medical services: a cross-sectional survey in Chongqing city.(Int J Equity Health, 2015-12-21) Liu, Yalan; Jiang, Yi; Tang, Shenglan; Qiu, Jingfu; Zhong, Xiaoni; Wang, YangBACKGROUND: Due to reform of the economic system and the even distribution of available wealth, emergency medical services (EMS) experienced greater risks in equity. This study aimed to assess the equity of EMS needs, utilisation, and distribution of related resources, and to provide evidence for policy-makers to improve such services in Chongqing city, China. METHODS: Five emergency needs variables (mortality rate of maternal, neonatal, cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, injury and poisoning) from the death surveillance, and two utilisation variables (emergency room visits and rate of utilisation) were collected from Chongqing Health Statistical Year Book 2008 to 2012. We used a concentration index (CI) to assess equality in the distribution of needs and utilisation among three areas with different per-head gross domestic product (GDP). In each area, we randomly chose two districts as sample areas and selected all the medical institutions with emergency services as subjects. We used the Gini coefficient (G) to measure equity in population and geographic distribution of facilities and human resources related EMS. RESULTS: Maternal-caused (CI: range -0.213 to -0.096) and neonatal-caused (CI: range -0.161 to -0.046)deaths declined in 2008-12, which focusing mainly on the less developed area. The maternal deaths were less equitably distributed than neonatal, and the gaps between areas gradually become more noticeable. For cerebrovascular (CI: range 0.106 to 0.455), cardiovascular (CI: range 0.101 to 0.329), injury and poisoning (CI: range 0.001 to 0.301) deaths, we documented a steady improvement of mortality; the overall equity of these mortalities was lower than those of maternal and neonatal mortalities, but distinct decreases were seen over time. The patients in developed area were more likely to use EMS (CI: range 0.296 to 0.423) than those in less developed area, and the CI increased over the 5-year period, suggesting that gaps in equity were increasing. The population distribution of facilities, physicians and nurses (G: range 0.2 to 0.3) was relatively equitable; the geographic distribution (G: range 0.4 to 0.5) showed a big gap between areas. CONCLUSIONS: In Chongqing city, equity of needs, utilization, and resources allocation of EMS is low, and the provision of such services has not met the needs of patients. To narrow the gap of equity, improvement in the capability of EMS to decrease cerebrovascular, cardiovascular, injury and poisoning cases, should be regarded as a top priority. In poor areas, allocation of facilities and human resources needs to be improved, and the economy should also be enhanced.Item Open Access Analyze China's CO2 Emission Pattern and Forecast Its Future Emission(2009-08-28T13:47:02Z) Sun, XiaojingGreenhouse gas emission from China is projected to exceed that from the U.S. according to the widely cited paper Forecasting the Path of China’s CO2 Emissions Using Province Level Information, published by Professor Auffhammer and Carson from UC Berkeley. This conclusion has important implications on international relations and strategies in combating global climate change. The current work examines the statistical basis of this projection. The results suggest that the conclusion is potentially flawed for the following two reasons. First, the model proposed by Auffhammer and Carson assumes a common relationship between CO2 emission and GDP growth for all 30 provinces over the study period. Second, the preferred models in Auffhammer and Carson’s work failed to properly address time dependence in data. The two structural errors in the models will potentially lead to biased predictions because the models’ incorrectly handled data and model error. The current study developed models that corrected the two model error structure issues in UC Berkeley’s paper. These models result in different CO2 emission trajectory from the ones predicted by Auffhammer and Carson.Item Open Access Anatomy of provincial level inequality in maternal mortality in China during 2004-2016: a new decomposition analysis.(BMC public health, 2020-05) Zhang, Xinyu; Ye, Yingfeng; Fu, Chaowei; Dou, Guanshen; Ying, Xiaohua; Qian, Mengcen; Tang, ShenglanBackground
The maternal mortality ratio (MMR) is an important indicator of maternal health and socioeconomic development. Although China has experienced a large decline in MMR, substantial disparities across regions are still apparent. This study aims to explore causes of socioeconomic related inequality in MMR at the province-level in China from 2004 to 2016.Methods
We collected data from various issues of the China Health Statistics Yearbook, China Statistics Yearbook, and China Population and Employment Statistics Yearbook to construct a longitudinal sample of all provinces in China. We first examined determinants of the MMR using province fixed-effect models, accounted for socioeconomic condition, health resource allocation, and access to health care. We then used the concentration index (CI) to measure MMR inequality and employed the direct decomposition method to estimate the marginal impact of the determinants on the inequality index. Importance of the determinants were compared based on logworth values.Results
During our study period, economically more deprived provinces experienced higher MMR than better-off ones. There was no evidence of improved socioeconomic related inequality in MMR. Illiteracy proportion was positively associated with the MMR (p < 0.01). In contrast, prenatal check-up rate (p = 0.05), hospital delivery rate (p < 0.01) and rate of delivery attended by professionals (p = 0.02) were negatively associated with the MMR. We also find that higher maternal health profile creation rate (p < 0.01) was associated with a pro-poor change of MMR inequality.Conclusion
Access to healthcare was the most important factor in explaining the persistent MMR inequality in China, followed by socioeconomic condition. We do not find evidence that health resource allocation was a contributing factor.Item Restricted Application description and policy model in collaborative environment for sharing of information on epidemiological and clinical research data sets.(PLoS One, 2010-02-19) de Carvalho, EC; Batilana, AP; Simkins, J; Martins, H; Shah, J; Rajgor, D; Shah, A; Rockart, S; Pietrobon, RBACKGROUND: Sharing of epidemiological and clinical data sets among researchers is poor at best, in detriment of science and community at large. The purpose of this paper is therefore to (1) describe a novel Web application designed to share information on study data sets focusing on epidemiological clinical research in a collaborative environment and (2) create a policy model placing this collaborative environment into the current scientific social context. METHODOLOGY: The Database of Databases application was developed based on feedback from epidemiologists and clinical researchers requiring a Web-based platform that would allow for sharing of information about epidemiological and clinical study data sets in a collaborative environment. This platform should ensure that researchers can modify the information. A Model-based predictions of number of publications and funding resulting from combinations of different policy implementation strategies (for metadata and data sharing) were generated using System Dynamics modeling. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The application allows researchers to easily upload information about clinical study data sets, which is searchable and modifiable by other users in a wiki environment. All modifications are filtered by the database principal investigator in order to maintain quality control. The application has been extensively tested and currently contains 130 clinical study data sets from the United States, Australia, China and Singapore. Model results indicated that any policy implementation would be better than the current strategy, that metadata sharing is better than data-sharing, and that combined policies achieve the best results in terms of publications. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our empirical observations and resulting model, the social network environment surrounding the application can assist epidemiologists and clinical researchers contribute and search for metadata in a collaborative environment, thus potentially facilitating collaboration efforts among research communities distributed around the globe.Item Open Access Are tuberculosis patients adherent to prescribed treatments in China? Results of a prospective cohort study.(Infect Dis Poverty, 2016-05-05) Lei, Xun; Huang, Ke; Liu, Qin; Jie, Yong-Feng; Tang, Sheng-LanBACKGROUND: Tuberculosis (TB) patients face numerous difficulties adhering to the long-term, rigorous TB treatment regimen. Findings on TB patients' treatment adherence vary across existing literature and official reports. The present study attempted to determine the actual treatment adherence of new TB patients and to identify factors leading to non-adherence. METHODS: A prospective cohort of 481 newly confirmed TB patients from three counties in western China were enrolled during June to December 2012 and was followed until June 2013. Patients who missed at least one dose of drugs or one follow-up re-examination during the treatment course were deemed as non-adherent. Influencing factors were identified using a logistic regression model. RESULTS: A total of 173 (36.0 %) patients experienced non-adherence and the loss to follow-up cases reached 136 (28.2 %). Only 13.9 % of patients took drugs under direct observation, and 60.5 % of patients were supervised by phone calls. Factor analyses suggested that patients who were observed by family members (OR:5.54, 95 % CI:2.87-10.69) and paying monthly service expenses above 450 RMB (OR:2.08, 95 % CI:1.35-3.19) were more likely to be non-adherent, while supervision by home visit (OR:0.06, 95 % CI:0.01-0.28) and phone calls (OR:0.27, 95 % CI:0.17-0.44) were protective factors. CONCLUSIONS: Despite recent efforts, a large proportion of newly confirmed TB patients could not adhere to standard TB treatment, and patients' lost to follow-up was still a serious problem. Poor treatment supervision and heavy financial burden might be the main causes for non-adherence. More needs to be done to enhance treatment supervision policies and financial supports to both health providers and TB patients.Item Open Access As the Fairy Tales Unfold(2016-05-05) Geng, YangyangThis project consists of two parts. The first part is a photo book, which includes my photographs of children and an accompanying text of individual stories of childhood, including my own. The second part is an analytical essay, which explores my process in creating and editing my photographs in the larger context of how other artists have approached the depiction of childhood. Specifically, I look at the work of photographers Wendy Ewald, Sally Mann and Olive Pierce, as each of these artists chose to depict the days of childhood by giving individual voice to the children who are most often overlooked or ignored. Over the summer of 2015, I worked with and photographed children in an orphanage school in China. I continued to make photographs of children in Durham, North Carolina and in Cuba in 2015 and 2016. As the photographs pulled me back to the past of my own childhood, I discovered that in a child’s world, ordinary things became magical vehicles and that childhood is often about the awkward process of learning to inhabit a newly bulky, changed body with aggressive needs and intensified fantasies. As a photographer, I am drawn to the beauty and pathos of the moments, when, for example, a boy, in his games, becomes a pirate, a soldier, or a sailor, or a little girl plays with a doll and imagines she is the princess. I have tried to capture and evoke the daydreams and the feelings of being lost that are specific to childhood. With my writing and in my photo book project, I have also tried to create spaces in which I allow other’s perceptions to surface with my own.Item Open Access Assessing the nonlinear association of environmental factors with antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in the Yangtze River Mouth, China.(Scientific reports, 2023-11) Miao, Jiazheng; Ling, Yikai; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Wu, Siyuan; Liu, Xinyue; Xu, Shixin; Umar, Sajid; Anderson, Benjamin DThe emergence of antibacterial resistance (ABR) is an urgent and complex public health challenge worldwide. Antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs) are considered as a new pollutant by the WHO because of their wide distribution and emerging prevalence. The role of environmental factors in developing ARGs in bacterial populations is still poorly understood. Therefore, the relationship between environmental factors and bacteria should be explored to combat ABR and propose more tailored solutions in a specific region. Here, we collected and analyzed surface water samples from Yangtze Delta, China during 2021, and assessed the nonlinear association of environmental factors with ARGs through a sigmoid model. A high abundance of ARGs was detected. Amoxicillin, phosphorus (P), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), calcium (Ca), and strontium (Sr) were found to be strongly associated with ARGs and identified as potential key contributors to ARG detection. Our findings suggest that the suppression of ARGs may be achieved by decreasing the concentration of phosphorus in surface water. Additionally, Group 2A light metals (e.g., magnesium and calcium) may be candidates for the development of eco-friendly reagents for controlling antibiotic resistance in the future.Item Open Access Associations of genotypes and haplotypes of IL-17 with risk of gastric cancer in an eastern Chinese population.(Oncotarget, 2016-12) Zhou, Fei; Qiu, Li-Xin; Cheng, Lei; Wang, Meng-Yun; Li, Jin; Sun, Meng-Hong; Yang, Ya-Jun; Wang, Jiu-Cun; Jin, Li; Wang, Ya-Nong; Wei, Qing-YiInterleukin-17 plays a crucial role in inflammation-related carcinogenesis. We hypothesize that genetic variants in IL-17 are associated with gastric cancer (GCa) risk, and we genotyped five potentially functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs1974226 G > A, rs2275913 A > G, rs3819024 A > G, rs4711998 A > G, and rs8193036 C > T) of IL-17 in 1121 GCa patients and 1216 cancer-free controls in an eastern Chinese population. Logistic regression analysis was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). Meta-analysis and genotype-mRNA expression correlation were performed to further validate positive associations. We found that an increased GCa risk was independently associated with rs1974226 (adjusted OR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.27-5.32 for AA vs. GG + GA) and rs2275913 (adjusted OR = 1.33, 95% CI = 1.03-1.72 for GA + AA vs. GG), while a decreased GCa risk was independently associated with rs3819024 (adjusted OR = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.54-0.96 for GG vs. AA + AG). Additional meta-analyses confirmed the observed risk association with rs2275913. We also found that two IL-17 haplotypes (G-G-G-A-C) and (A-G-G-A-C) (in the order of rs1974226, rs2275913, rs3819024, rs4711998 and rs8193036) were associated with a reduced GCa risk (adjusted OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.46-0.89 and adjusted OR = 0.38, 95% CI = 0.17-0.81, respectively). However, the expression Quantitative Trait Locus (eQTL) analysis for the genotype-phenotype correlation did not find mRNA expression changes associated with either the genotypes. In conclusions, genetic variants of IL-17 are likely to be associated with risk of GCa, and additional larger studies with functional validation are needed to explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the observed associations.Item Open Access Associations of PI3KR1 and mTOR polymorphisms with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma risk and gene-environment interactions in Eastern Chinese populations.(Scientific reports, 2015-01) Zhu, Jinhong; Wang, Mengyun; Zhu, Meiling; He, Jin; Wang, Jiu-Cun; Jin, Li; Wang, Xiao-Feng; Xiang, Jia-Qing; Wei, QingyiSingle nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway may contribute to carcinogenesis. We genotyped five potentially functional PIK3R1 and mTOR SNPs in 1116 esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC) patients and 1117 cancer-free controls to assess their associations with ESCC risk. We observed no association with ESCC risk for any of the selected SNPs. However, the combined analysis of these SNPs revealed that subjects with one-to-three risk genotypes had an increased ESCC risk. Stratified analysis by body mass index (BMI) found that ESCC risk was significantly associated with each of three mTOR SNPs among subjects with BMI < 25.0. Specifically, we found that subjects carrying ≥ 1 risk genotypes had significantly increased ESCC risk, particularly for males, ever-smokers, ever-drinkers, and those with age > 60, or BMI < 25.0. Moreover, three mTOR haplotypes were associated with an increase in ESCC risk. Our meta-analysis of mTOR rs2295080 and cancer risk provided further evidence that mTOR SNPs might modulate cancer susceptibility. In this population, such risk effects might be modified by other risk factors, highlighting the importance of gene-environment interaction in esophageal carcinogenesis. Additional, larger studies are warranted to validate our findings.Item Open Access Between Hard and Soft Balancing: Are we witnessing the formation of an anti-China coalition in the Asia-Pacific region?(2024) Li, JinhongThe thesis investigates the nuanced responses of states in the Asia-Pacific region to the emergence of a powerful China, focusing on theories of balancing in international relations. Scholars have debated whether neighboring nations actively balance against China's growing influence and in what ways they do so. The study addresses gaps in the literature by examining both hard and soft balancing strategies employed by states in response to perceived threats from China. Through a systematic analysis of case studies, it reveals that while hard balancing is pursued in response to direct security threats, states often resort to soft balancing to counter China's influence when the threat level is manageable. The research contributes fresh insights into the conditions and strategies used by states when responding to China's rise, shedding light on the complexities of regional dynamics.
Item Open Access "Birds of Passage" and "Sojourners": A Historical and Ethnographic Analysis of Chinese Migration to Prato, Italy(2010-04-21) Chang, AngelaToday’s Europe is at a crossroads. Europe is currently facing a phenomenal reversal of its historical migration trajectory, becoming a primary destination for immigrants rather than just a sending source. This international migratory trend comes at a critical point in Europe’s history when the European Union (EU) is seeking to form a united European identity in part through the formulation of new migration policies. How have immigrants entering the EU affected intra-European integration and the concept of a singular European identity? To explore this question, I will examine the province of Prato in Italy, which currently hosts one of the densest Chinese populations in Europe. I hypothesize that the tensions between the Chinese and Italians in Prato are in part affected by the respective communities’ historical experience with migration; only by looking at their history can we begin to understand the present-day situation within Prato. The intersection of these two communities in Prato results from the overlap occurring between the new European migratory trends and the ongoing global movements of the Chinese diasporas. Prato’s residents must not only contend with the crossroad of historical experience, but they must also cope with sociopolitical and economic pressures laid upon them regionally, nationally, and supra-nationally. To supplant my secondary sources, I conducted field research in Prato from May to June of 2009. Utilizing Chinese, English, and Italian, I was able to interview a number of people and learn from their personal histories and opinions. Every person with whom I spoke had a different story to tell, influenced by his/her personal history. It is impossible to study migration without considering the big-picture trends. However, without revealing the people and their stories behind migration, the greater themes in history are rendered meaningless.