Han Chinese Research Articles

Prognostic impact of lean diabetes mellitus on aortic stenosis

Abstract Background Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) has traditionally been thought to coexist. Lean DM is a distinct condition defined by body mass index (BMI) < 25, associated with elevated insulin resistance, rapid beta-cell failure, absence of ketosis and malnutrition. Lean DM has been linked to poor cardiovascular outcomes, but remains an understudied entity in valvular heart disease. Purpose This study aims to demonstrate the prognostic implications of lean DM on aortic stenosis (AS). Methods Between 2011 to 2021, 700 consecutive patients with index echocardiographic diagnoses of aortic stenosis were stratified into 4 groups, namely lean (BMI < 25) DM, lean non-DM, obese (BMI > 25) DM, and obese non-DM. Demographics, co-morbidities, echocardiographic findings and clinical outcomes were collected. Clinical outcomes were compared using Kaplan-Meier curves and a multivariate Cox regression model was constructed. Results 396 (56.6%) patients were female, and 435 (62.1%) patients were of Chinese ethnicity. 279 (39.9%) patients had DM, of whom 155 (55.6%) patients had lean DM. The mean BMI in the lean group was 21.4 ± 2.4 kg/m² compared to 29.5 ± 4.9 kg/m² in the obese group. Irregardless of BMI, higher proportions of DM patients were on baseline antiplatelets and statins compared to non-DM patients. Echocardiographically, obese DM had smaller indexed left ventricular volumes and mass - left ventricular end diastolic volume index (LVEDVi) (65.7 ± 21.7 ml/m² vs. 70.8 ± 23.6 ml/m², p = 0.002) and left ventricular mass index (LVMi) (115.7 ± 31.9 g/m² vs. 116.3 ± 36.5 g/m², p = 0.401) compared to lean DM respectively. Obese DM was associated with more cardiovascular risk factors compared to lean DM in terms of hypertension (91.9%, n = 114 vs. 89.0%, n = 138, p < 0.001), hyperlipidaemia (82.3%, n = 102 vs. 73.5%, n = 114, p < 0.001) and chronic kidney disease (50.8%, n = 62 vs. 45.5%, n = 70, p < 0.001). On the contrary, lean DM was associated with more cardiovascular sequelae of acute myocardial infarction (36.8%, n = 57 vs. 24.2%, n = 30, p < 0.001) compared to obese DM. AS patients with lean DM experienced the highest significant all-cause mortality (71%, n = 110 in lean DM vs. 58.9%, n = 73 in obese DM vs. 49.1%, n = 86 in obese non-DM vs. 65%, n = 160 in lean non-DM, p < 0.001) compared to all other groups. On the contrary, AS patients with lean DM had the lowest heart failure incidence (17.4%, n = 27 in lean DM vs. 23.4%, n = 29 in obese DM vs. 33.1%, n = 58 in obese non-DM vs. 23.2%, n = 57 in lean non-DM, p = 0.009). On multivariate analyses adjusted for age, comorbidities, and echocardiographic parameters, lean DM was an independent predictor of worse all-cause mortality in AS patients (HR 1.60, CI: 1.19 - 2.16, p = 0.010). Conclusion Lean DM in AS patients was associated with worse all-cause mortality. Lean DM was a prognostic marker of all-cause mortality in patients with AS.Figure 1

When TCM debate meets Covid-19 discourse

Abstract The Covid-19 pandemic has pushed medical discourse to the forefront of everyday communication, but limited scholarly attention has been given to its intersection with social-mediated language use in the Chinese context. From a corpus-pragmatic view, we examined textual data collected from Zhihu, the most popular Chinese community question-answering site. Our analysis focused on the linguistic mechanism of evidential expression in social-mediated debates on Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Within the realm of medical scientific discussion, we identified a prevailing epistemic stance of doubt and uncertainty towards the efficacy of TCM, emphasising its socio-political significance. We also demonstrated how the ‘source of knowledge’ value and the ‘speaker commitment’ value of evidentiality interact at the semantic-pragmatic interface. Our findings shed light on a promising research trajectory for sociolinguistic intervention in the formal, descriptive line of evidentiality research, thus, advancing existing corpus pragmatics literature on evidentiality and epistemics in social-mediated communication.

Reciprocal Relationships Between Parental Involvement and Academic Performance in Early Adolescence: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study in China.

Previous literature has focused on the overall influence of parental involvement on adolescents' academic performance, while less attention has been accorded to the reciprocal relationships between different forms of parental involvement and academic performance across gender. The present study examined the reciprocal associations between different forms of parental involvement and adolescents' academic performance using nationally representative data. A total of 9449 Chinese adolescents (47.82% girls, Mage = 13.21, SD = 0.65, 91.20% Han Ethnicity) have participated in the two-year and two-wave longitudinal study. Cross-lagged model results indicated reciprocal associations between parent-reported involvement and academic performance. Autonomy-supportive parental involvement in Grade 7 was positively associated with better academic performance in Grade 8, while behavioral control was negatively associated with later academic performance. Parental socialization practices vary by adolescent's gender. Compared with girls, boys experienced increased parental behavioral control in response to better academic performance. The findings reflect the persistence of stereotypical gender expectations and gender socialization in contemporary China.

Analysis of the Main Contradictions and Solutions in Achieving Educational Equity under China's "Double Reduction" Policy

This article aims to analyze the obstacles encountered by Chinese society in implementing the "double reduction" policy and the main contradictions in achieving educational equity, explore the new contradictions and problems brought by the "double reduction" policy to the education sector, and provide corresponding countermeasures for Chinese society, communities, families, and schools. It is hoped that this can improve the "double reduction" policy while eradicating the remaining irrationality in the Chinese education sector, enhance the level and quality of Chinese education, and develop an educational powerhouse. A comprehensive review was conducted through literature review, combined with knowledge in the fields of educational equity, educational policies, and comparative education. This article explores the four major contradictions behind the "double reduction policy" and proposes four guiding suggestions: balancing educational resources, optimizing the rationality of education and training, clarifying the responsibilities of families and schools, establishing a communication mechanism between families and schools, implementing a comprehensive evaluation system, strengthening the enrollment form of higher education, enhancing community resources, and improving community after-school services.

Medications to Modify Aspiration Risk: Those That Add to Risk and Those That May Reduce Risk.

Aspiration pneumonia results from the abnormal entry of fluids into the respiratory tract. We present a review of drugs known to affect the risk of aspiration. Drugs that increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia can be broadly divided into those that affect protective reflexes (like cough and swallowing) due to direct or indirect mechanisms, and drugs that facilitate gastric dysbiosis or affect esophageal and intestinal motility. Chief among the first group are benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, while proton pump inhibitors are the most well-studied in the latter group. Pill esophagitis may also exacerbate swallowing dysfunction. On the other hand, some research has also focused on pharmaceutical modulation of the risk of aspiration pneumonia. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have been demonstrated to be associated with a decrease in the hazard of aspiration pneumonia in high-risk patients of Chinese or Japanese origin. Drugs like amantadine, nicergoline, or folic acid have shown some promising results in stroke patients, although the available evidence is thus far not enough to allow for any meaningful conclusions. Importantly, antimicrobial prophylaxis has been proven to be ineffective. Focusing on modifiable risk factors for aspiration pneumonia is relevant since this may help to reduce the incidence of this often severe problem. Among these, several commonly used drug classes have been shown to increase the risk of aspiration pneumonia. These drugs should be withheld in the high-risk population whenever possible, alongside general measures, such as the semirecumbent position during sleep and feeding.

Identification and Functional Investigation of SOX4 as a Novel Gene Underpinning Familial Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) signifies the most prevalent supraventricular arrhythmia in humans and may lead to cerebral stroke, cardiac failure, and even premature demise. Aggregating strong evidence points to genetic components as a cornerstone in the etiopathogenesis of familial AF. However, the genetic determinants for AF in most patients remain elusive. Methods: A 4-generation pedigree with idiopathic AF and another cohort of 196 unrelated patients with idiopathic AF as well as 278 unrelated healthy volunteers were recruited from the Chinese population of Han ethnicity. A family-based whole-exome sequencing examination followed by a Sanger sequencing assay in all research subjects was implemented. The functional impacts of the identified SOX4 mutations were explored via a dual-reporter assay. Results: Two new heterozygous SOX4 mutations, NM_003107.3: c.211C>T; p.(Gln71*) and NM_003107.3: c.290G>A; p.(Trp97*), were observed in the family and 1 of 196 patients with idiopathic AF, respectively. The two mutations were absent in the 278 control individuals. The biochemical measurements revealed that both Gln71*- and Trp97*-mutant SOX4 failed to transactivate GJA1 (Cx43). Moreover, the two mutations nullified the synergistic activation of SCN5A by SOX4 and TBX5. Conclusions: The findings first indicate SOX4 as a gene predisposing to AF, providing a novel target for antenatal genetic screening, individualized prophylaxis, and precision treatment of AF.

Association Between Changes in Central Blood Pressure and Peripheral Blood Pressure With New-Onset Hypertension in a Chinese Community-Based Population.

Spot central and peripheral blood pressure are predictors for future hypertension, but the associations between central or peripheral systolic blood pressure (SBP) changes and new-onset hypertension are unclear. Annual changes in central and peripheral SBP over a mean interval of 2.36 years were calculated for 815 Chinese community residents without cardiovascular disease and hypertension at the first two visits, with the formula: ([2nd SBP-1st SBP]/1st SBP) × 100%/time interval (years). The independent and joint associations of these SBP changes with new-onset hypertension at the third visit were assessed with multivariable logistic regression models. During a mean follow-up interval of 4.37 years since the second visit, 171 new cases of hypertension were observed. Central and peripheral SBP changes were significantly associated with new-onset hypertension (central SBP change rate: odds ratio [OR]: 1.19 [95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.13, 1.26]; peripheral SBP change rate: OR: 1.25 [95% CI 1.17, 1.33]), even after adjusting for each other. Compared to the group with neither SBP increased, the group with both SBPs increased showed asignificantly higher risk of new-onset hypertension (OR: 4.52 [95% CI 2.54, 8.04]). The model including both SBP changes had a higher area under the curve (AUC) for predicting hypertension in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses than those with either change alone. Central and peripheral SBP changes are independently and jointly associated with new-onset hypertension. It is recommended to regularly monitor both central and peripheral blood pressures.

Studying Chinese immigrants’ spatial distribution in the Raleigh–Durham area by linking survey and commercial data using romanized names

Abstract Many population surveys do not provide information on respondents’ residential addresses, instead offering coarse geographies like zip code or higher aggregations. However, fine resolution geography can be beneficial for characterizing neighbourhoods, especially for relatively rare populations such as immigrants. One way to obtain such information is to link survey records to records in auxiliary databases that include residential addresses by matching on variables common to both files. We present an approach based on probabilistic record linkage that enables matching survey participants in the Chinese Immigrants in Raleigh–Durham Study to records from InfoUSA, an information provider of residential records. The two files use different Chinese name romanization practices, which we address through a novel and generalizable strategy for constructing records’ pairwise comparison vectors for romanized names. Using a fully Bayesian record linkage model, we characterize the geospatial distribution of Chinese immigrants in the Raleigh–Durham area of North Carolina.

An Ethnographic Study of Chinese Business Expatriates in Tanzania

This ethnographic study investigates the motivations and experiences of Chinese business expatriates in Tanzania, focusing on their life management, language proficiency, and engagement with petty corruption. Chinese expatriates’ motivation for expatriation is often pragmatic, prioritizing family-oriented well-being over individual well-being. Language proficiency is shown to mediate power dynamics and reduce information asymmetry, while petty corruption is a strategic investment to navigate bureaucracy and secure benefits, despite an imbalance in reciprocity. This study enhances our understanding of the cross-cultural experiences of Chinese expatriates in Tanzania and offers valuable insights for effective International Human Resource Management (IHRM) practices.

Elevated 1-Hour Post Load Glucose as a Predictor for Telomere Attrition: a study based on a Chinese Community population.

1-hour post-load glucose (1h-PG) detects dysglycemia-related disorders more effectively than traditional glycemic parameters. Hyperglycemia accelerates aging, whether 1h-PG outperforms in predicting aging remains unclear. To Compare the effectiveness of 1h-PG with other glycemic parameters in identifying and predicting telomere attrition. We conducted a cross-sectional and longitudinal study based on a Chinese community cohort. Multivariate linear regression and logistic regression were used to analyze the associations between glycemic parameters and telomere length. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve were used to compare the differentiating and predictive ability. Populations were regrouped by glucose tolerance status and 1h-PG to compare telomere length. Analyses were separately conducted in non-diabetic and diabetic populations. The cross-sectional study included 715 participants. Only 1h-PG was significantly negatively associated with RTL in both non-diabetic (β = -0.106, 95%CI -0.068 to -0.007, P = 0.017) (odds ratio [OR] = 1.151, 95% CI 1.069 to 1.239, P = 0.005) and diabetic (β = -0.222, 95%CI -0.032 to -0.007, P = 0.002) (OR = 1.144, 95% CI 1.041 to 1.258, P = 0.035) populations. The longitudinal study recruited 437 populations and 112 remained in 7-years follow-up. 1h-PG was associated with telomere shortening in the non-diabetic group (β = -0.314, 95%CI -0.276 to -0.032, P = 0.016) (OR = 2.659, 95% CI 1.158 to 6.274, P = 0.021). AUROC analysis showed that 1h-PG outperformed other glycemic parameters in identifying and predicting telomere attrition. Reclassification revealed that normal glucose tolerance and prediabetic individuals with elevated 1h-PG had telomere lengths comparable to prediabetic and diabetic populations, respectively. 1h-PG outperforms other glycemic parameters in predicting telomere attrition and can be a valuable marker for early aging detection.

Talking about the Artistic Features of the Dance Drama "If Life Could Just Be Like First Meeting"

The dance drama "Life Is Just Like the First Meeting" takes the love affair between Nalan Xingde and Lu Shi and the friendship with Gu Zhenguan, Cao Yin and Kangxi as the main content, and runs through the whole text. The traditional elements of the Han and Mongolian peoples are integrated and displayed on the stage using unique and novel stage art techniques. This paper mainly analyzes and discusses the artistic features embodied in "If Life Could Just Be Like First Meeting" from three aspects: the dance image, the narrative art and the comprehensive use of the stage.

‘Happy Loong Year”: translating festive language into English in Shantou’s coffee shops

ABSTRACT Temporal markers provide unique opportunities for a community to revisit traditions, construct identity, and negotiate solidarity. The linguistic landscape (LL) encapsulating the celebration of the Chinese New Year, a momentous festival for both the Chinese community and people worldwide, presents a distinctive avenue for exploring the contestation and negotiation of diverse values and viewpoints in envisioning the future in the public sphere. The paper investigates the use of multilingual and multimodal resources to commemorate the Chinese New Year in Shantou’s coffee shops, revealing a diverse textual and visual narrative of celebration. In this process, socially constructed linguistic borders dissolve, facilitating the meshing and fusion of languages and enabling the reimagination, reinterpretation, and rewriting of the New Year. The juxtaposition of elements in differing linguistic and semiotic repertoires opens a dialogue, wherein values and traditions associated with the New Year are negotiated and reconstructed within the context of the evolving social attitudes and beliefs in post-pandemic Shantou.

Research on Corps University Students' Awareness and Attitudes Toward the Consciousness of the Chinese National Community

In the context of globalization and multi-ethnic backgrounds in the new era, cultivating the consciousness of the Chinese national community is particularly important. This paper focuses on Corps university students, exploring their awareness and attitudes towards the Chinese national community consciousness through surveys and analysis. Corps universities, as higher education institutions managed by the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, provide rich material for this study due to their unique social background and diverse student population. The study finds that most students hold a positive attitude towards the Chinese national community, but there are variations in their sense of identification, participation, and cultural recognition. Factors influencing students' attitudes include personal background, educational experience, social environment, and policy promotion. The paper suggests optimizing educational content, enhancing cultural exchanges, and strengthening policy promotion to improve students' consciousness of the Chinese national community. The research results provide a reference for relevant policy formulation and implementation and lay a foundation for further research.

How Corps Universities Strengthen the Cultivation of the Consciousness of the Chinese National Community through Curriculum Design

The cultivation of the consciousness of the Chinese national community plays a crucial role in promoting ethnic unity and social harmony. As unique educational institutions in China, Corps universities bear the important mission of fostering ethnic unity and maintaining social stability. However, the current curriculum design in Corps universities shows deficiencies in integrating the consciousness of the Chinese national community. This paper aims to explore how Corps universities can strengthen the cultivation of this consciousness through optimizing curriculum strategies. By systematically analyzing course content, teaching methods, and evaluation mechanisms, the paper proposes strategies such as adding courses related to ethnic unity, deepening the integration of course content with the consciousness of the national community, innovating teaching methods, and improving evaluation mechanisms. Implementation steps and safeguard measures are also developed to enhance the overall educational effectiveness of curriculum design, thereby promoting the in-depth cultivation of the consciousness of the Chinese national community.

Research on the Impact of the Consciousness of the Chinese National Community on the Ideological and Political Education of Students in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps Universities

The consciousness of the Chinese national community, as a key force promoting national identity, has a profound impact on the ideological and political education of students in Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) universities. This paper explores the formation and development of the consciousness of the Chinese national community, examining its theoretical foundations, historical trajectory, and contemporary characteristics. It further analyzes the basic theories of ideological and political education, the current situation, and practical applications within XPCC universities, focusing on how the consciousness of the Chinese national community plays a role in these institutions. The research reveals that this consciousness significantly enhances students' sense of national identity and the shaping of their values, optimizes educational content and resources, and drives innovations in educational methods and strategies. This study provides theoretical support and practical guidance for further improving the quality of ideological and political education in XPCC universities.

The influence of consumer ethnocentrism and cosmopolitanism on purchase intentions of Chinese pre-made dishes

With the flourishing development of domestic and international market potential for pre-made dishes (PMDs), an increasing number of PMD enterprises are redirecting their focus towards foreign markets, particularly within the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) member countries. This study aims to analyze the intentions of overseas Chinese consumers to consume Chinese PMDs by employing structural equation modeling (SEM) within the framework of the theory of planned behavior, utilizing a sample of 594 overseas Chinese people residing in RCEP member countries. The findings reveal that home ethnocentrism and cosmopolitanism positively influence their purchase intentions, whereas host ethnocentrism exerts a negative influence. Subjective norms, attitude, and perceived behavioral control mediated these relationships, with food quality moderating the mediating pathways. These insights contribute to a deeper understanding of purchase intentions and their underlying mechanisms within overseas Chinese people, providing valuable guidance for Chinese PMD enterprises regarding their strategic expansion into international markets. Furthermore, this study offers important insights for enterprises from other countries engaged in food export, facilitating their penetration into global markets.

Chinese Christian Community in Modern Singapore: The Case of the Jubilee Church, 1883–1942

The Chinese Christian community occupies an essential position in the pluralistic religious landscape of modern Singapore, which is known as a multicultural and multiracial immigrant society. Despite being a minority compared with Buddhists and Taoists in Singapore, the historical formation and contemporary existence of the Chinese Christian community in Singapore not only embodies religious diversity, but also contributes significantly to Singapore’s social development. This paper zooms into the founding and evolution of the Jubilee Church to see how Chinese Christians contributed to the revolutionary cause, took part in the anti-opium movement, and advanced educational activities in Singapore. Particularly, by establishing the Singapore Reading Room, participating in the founding of the Anti-Opium Society and the Chinese Kindergarten, the Jubilee Church played an important role in Singapore’s history, contributing to the modernization of Singapore in terms of advancing ideas, improving social order, and promoting education. We aim to shed light on how Chinese Christians were engaged in social activities, taking up significant roles in the transformation of the Chinese diaspora in Singapore. More importantly, we argue that these varied social engagements significantly impacted the development of Christianity. Through a detailed historical case study on the Jubilee Church, this paper proposes that social functions and religious evangelization are mutually constitutive, thus complicating our understanding of the entangled relationship among Chinese diaspora, Christianity, and motherland China.

‘Smartness’ narratives: A critical discourse analysis of smart eldercare in urban China

AbstractThe rise of smart technology, endorsed by government institutions and recognised for its societal benefits and potential for urban management, has carved a niche for smart eldercare. However, discourses around smart care vary among stakeholders, leading to a constant (re)production of it. This paper investigates three overlapping and sometimes converging stakeholders' (governments, corporations and capital investors) discourses in defining ‘smart eldercare’, arguing that these discourses significantly influence the promotion, implementation and acceptance of smart eldercare in urban Chinese communities. Government entities view smart eldercare as an efficient tool for facilitating community‐based population governance and providing a social safety net. In contrast, eldercare corporations view smart eldercare as a powerful narrative to attract investment and secure government funding, while also serving as a means of surveilling in‐home care labour. For capital investors, eldercare stands out as a burgeoning and resilient sector, encompassing latent values that warrant careful consideration, especially during periods of economic downturn. Through the lens of discourse analysis, this study underscores the tensions between different discourses and the ways it produces ‘smartness’ in urban China. This paper advocates for understanding ‘smartness’ as a complex, multifaceted concept shaped by diverse stakeholder discourses and socio‐economic‐political contexts, necessitating flexible, context‐sensitive interpretations through discourse analysis. To advance ongoing debates in geography on smart care, smart cities and ageing, this paper reveals how these stakeholder discourses co‐produce the notion of ‘smartness’ in urban eldercare, while highlighting the socio‐political dynamics underlying technology‐driven governance in China.

Reconsidering ‘Sook Ching’ victimhood: A microhistory of Singapore’s Nishimura trial

Abstract This article highlights the cross-disciplinary methodological potential of Third World approaches to international law (TWAIL) and microhistory by studying the active and complex exercise of agency by victims in an understudied historical instance of post-war justice, namely, the Singapore ‘Sook Ching’ trial or Nishimura trial. This trial dealt with the arbitrary massacre of Chinese residents by the Japanese military during the Second World War. Using TWAIL and microhistory methods, this article analyses trial transcripts and archival material on the Nishimura trial, with a focus on the trial experiences of witnesses, survivors, and community representatives. By studying the Nishimura trial as mobilization and meaning-making opportunity, this microhistory draws attention to the exercise of social and political agency by the Chinese community under difficult post-war conditions and British colonial rule. Chinese community leaders represented the community as collectively victimized and united in the pursuit of post-war justice. However, a close analysis of trial transcripts reveals tensions within the community and the need for a more complex understanding of victimhood.

Circadian variation pattern of sudden cardiac arrest occurred in Chinese community

BackgroundThe circadian variation pattern of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurred in Chinese community including both community healthcare centres and primary hospitals remains unknown. This study analysed the circadian variation of...