Significant Influencing Factors Research Articles

Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 expression level and combined positive score can evaluate efficacy of advanced gastric cancer

BACKGROUND Although treatment options for gastric cancer (GC) continue to advance, the overall prognosis for patients with GC remains poor. At present, the predictors of treatment efficacy remain controversial except for high microsatellite instability. AIM To develop methods to identify groups of patients with GC who would benefit the most from receiving the combination of a programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitor and chemotherapy. METHODS We acquired data from 63 patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative GC with a histological diagnosis of GC at the Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences between November 2020 and October 2022. All of the patients screened received a PD-1 inhibitor combined with chemotherapy as the first-line treatment. RESULTS As of July 1, 2023, the objective response rate was 61.9%, and the disease control rate was 96.8%. The median progression-free survival (mPFS) for all patients was 6.3 months. The median overall survival was not achieved. Survival analysis showed that patients with a combined positive score (CPS) ≥ 1 exhibited an extended trend in progression-free survival (PFS) when compared to patients with a CPS of 0 after receiving a PD-1 inhibitor combined with oxaliplatin and tegafur as the first-line treatment. PFS exhibited a trend for prolongation as the expression level of HER2 increased. Based on PFS, we divided patients into two groups: A treatment group with excellent efficacy and a treatment group with poor efficacy. The mPFS of the excellent efficacy group was 8 months, with a mPFS of 9.1 months after excluding a cohort of patients who received interrupted therapy due to surgery. The mPFS was 4.5 months in patients in the group with poor efficacy who did not receive surgery. Using good/poor efficacy as the endpoint of our study, univariate analysis revealed that both CPS score (P = 0.004) and HER2 expression level (P = 0.015) were both factors that exerted significant influence on the efficacy of treatment the combination of a PD-1 inhibitor and chemotherapy in patients with advanced GC (AGC). Finally, multivariate analysis confirmed that CPS score was a significant influencing factor. CONCLUSION CPS score and HER2 expression both impacted the efficacy of immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy in AGC patients who were non-positive for HER2.

Health Outcome Comparison Based on Dietary Inflammatory Levels among Sample of Korean Elderly.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a senior-friendly diet based on the dietary inflammatory index (DII) on the nutritional status and health indicators of older people. A total of 256 participants were classified into tertiles based on their DII values and split into intervention (n = 201) and control (n = 55) groups. The intervention group was provided with a senior-friendly diet, and the control group was allowed to eat their usual diet. Before and after the trial, anthropometric measurements, blood analyses, and questionnaires were completed for both groups. The mean age of the participants was 82.49 years, and 66.4% were female. On average, participants had 2.5 medical conditions, with a notable prevalence of cardiovascular disease. Following the intervention, the energy, carbohydrate, protein, and fat intakes significantly increased in the intervention group compared to pre-intervention levels. Tertile 3 exhibited substantial improvements in total nutrition score, NQ-E balance, and DII total score, as well as in triglycerides and blood glucose, attributed to this dietary intervention compared to other groups. In comparison with Tertile 1, nutrient intake and nutritional status in Tertile 3 were closely associated with significant influencing factors of the dietary intervention. For the group with the worst DII (Tertile 3), this dietary intervention greatly improved nutritional status, nutrient intake, and clinical indicators; thus, this senior-friendly diet appears to be beneficial for elderly people with nutritional vulnerabilities.

The impact of corneal higher-order aberrations on dynamic visual acuity post cataract surgery.

To explore the influence of corneal higher-order aberrations (HOAs) on dynamic visual acuity (DVA) post cataract surgery. A total of 27 patients with 45 eyes following cataract surgery were included in this study. The postoperative monocular object-moving DVA at the velocity of 20, 40, and 80 degrees per second (dps) were examined at 1 month. The total corneal HOAs were measured with Scheimpflug-based corneal topography. The correlation between postoperative DVA and HOAs was analyzed. Significant difference was shown among DVA at different velocities (P < 0.001). The 20 dps DVA was significantly better than 40 (P < 0.001) and 80 (P < 0.001) dps DVA. No significant difference was observed between 40 and 80 dps DVA (P = 0.420). The vertical coma and the root mean square (RMS) of coma (RMScoma) were statistically correlated with 80 dps DVA (P < 0.05). The vertical trefoil, RMStrefoil and total RMSHOA were statistically correlated with 40 and 80 dps DVA (P < 0.05). The spherical aberration was not significantly associated with postoperative DVA (P > 0.05 for all velocites). The multivariate linear regression model revealed that age was a significant influential factor for 20 dps DVA (P = 0.002), and RMStrefoil (4 mm) and age were significantly associated with 40 and 80 dps DVA (P ≤ 0.01). The research demonstrated that larger corneal HOAs, especially coma and trefoil aberrations were significantly associated with worse high-speed DVA, but not spherical aberration post cataract surgery.

Calibration and Verification of Discrete Element Parameters of Surface Soil in Camellia Oleifera Forest

To analyze the interaction between the surface soil and the soil-contacting component (65 Mn) in the camellia oleifera forest planting area in Changsha City, Hunan, China, in this study, we conducted discrete element calibration using physical and simulation tests. The chosen contact model was Hertz–Mindlin with JKR cohesion, with the soil repose angle as the response variable. The repose angle of the soil was determined to be 36.03° based on the physical tests. The significant influencing factors of the repose angle determined based on the Plackett–Burman test were the soil–soil recovery coefficient, soil–soil rolling friction coefficient, soil-65 Mn static friction coefficient, and surface energy of soil for the JKR model. A regression model for the repose angle was developed using the Box–Behnken response surface optimization method to identify the best parameter combination. The optimal parameter combination for the JKR model was determined as follows: surface energy of soil: 0.400, soil–soil rolling friction coefficient: 0.040, soil-65 Mn static friction coefficient: 0.404, and soil–soil recovery coefficient: 0.522. The calibrated discrete element parameters were validated through experiments on the repose angle and steel rod insertion. The results indicated that the relative errors obtained from the two verification methods were 2.44% and 1.71%, respectively. This research offers fundamental insights for understanding the interaction between soil and soil-contacting components and optimizing their design.

Health-related quality of life and influencing factors of patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in China

BackgroundParoxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare blood disorder, leading to various complications and impairments in patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Limited research has been conducted to evaluate the HRQOL of Chinese patients with PNH. Understanding the HRQOL in this specific population is crucial for providing effective healthcare interventions and improving patient’ health outcomes. This study aimed to assess HRQOL of Chinese patients with PNH, and identify key determinants.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted during 2022 to recruit patients with PNH in China. The study population was recruited from PNH China, one of the largest public welfare PNH patient mutual aid organization in China. Data were collected via an online questionnaire including the EQ-5D-5L (5L), and social-demographic and clinical characteristics. Descriptive statistics were employed to summarize the characteristics of the participants and their HRQOL. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were adopted to explore key factors affecting HRQOL.ResultsA total of 329 valid questionnaires were collected. The mean (SD) age of the patients was 35.3 (10.0) years, with 52.3% of them being male. The patients reported more problems in Anxiety/Depression (81.5%) and Pain/Discomfort (69.9%) dimensions compared to the other three 5L dimensions. The mean (SD) of 5L health utility score (HUS) and EQ-VAS score were 0.76 (0.21) and 62.61 (19.20), respectively. According to multiple linear regression, initial symptoms (i.e., Anemia [fatigue, tachycardia, shortness of breath, headache] and back pain) and complication of thrombosis were significant influencing factors affecting 5L HUS. Total personal income of the past year, initial symptom of hemoglobinuria and complication of thrombosis were significantly influencing factors of VAS score. Social-demographic and clinical characteristics, such as gender, income, and thrombosis, were also found to be significantly related to certain 5L health problems as well.ConclusionOur study manifested the HRQOL of PNH patients in China was markedly compromised, especially in two mental-health related dimensions, and revealed several socio-demographic and clinical factors of their HRQOL. These findings could be used as empirical evidence for enhancing the HRQOL of PNH patients in China.

Performance and mechanism of lanthanum-modified MnO2 for defluoridation from water: The role of MnO2 crystal forms

MnO2 has a large potential for defluoridation, however, the influences of its crystal forms on the performance and mechanism of defluoridation are unknown. The research systematically investigated the defluoridation performance and mechanism of a total of eight materials with different crystal forms of MnO2 (α, β, γ, δ) before and after lanthanum modification, separately. It was indicated that the largest Langmuir adsorption of α-MnO2 and La-γ-MnO2 for fluoride achieved 5.04 mg/g and 42.39 mg/g, correspondingly. The surface hydroxyl group and lanthanum loading of the material proved to be the major contributors to defluoridation. For the adsorption performance of eight materials on fluoride, pH was a significant influencing factor, with the highest adsorption performance at pH 5 ∼ 6. The eight materials showed consistent selectivity for fluoride adsorption in the existence of different anions, with the order of influence on the removal efficiency: CO32–> NO3–> SO42-> Cl-. The studies of FTIR, XPS, and variation of solution pH further illustrated that the adsorption mechanism of the eight materials on fluoride was the ion-exchange interaction and the complexation reaction. In addition, the effect of crystal forms on the adsorption of fluoride ions was further elaborated by DFT analysis. Finally, this study provided an in-depth discussion of the parameters of the dynamic process as well as the nature of the penetration curves by applying the Thomas, Clark, and BDST models.

Hydrodynamics and dissolved organic matter components shaped the fate of dissolved heavy metals in an intensely anthropogenically disturbed estuary

Anthropogenic activities and natural erosion caused abundant influx of heavy metals (HMs) and organic matter (OM) into estuaries characterized by the dynamic environments governed by tidal action and river flow. Similarities and differences in the fate of HM and OM as well as the influences of OM on HMs remain incomplete in estuaries with seasonal human activity and hydrodynamic force. To address this gap, dissolved HMs (dHMs) and fluorescence dissolved OM (FDOM) were investigated in the Pearl River Estuary, a highly seasonally anthropogenic and dynamic estuary. It aimed to elucidate the effects of hydrodynamic conditions and DOM on the seasonal fate of dHMs via the multivariate statistical methods. Our findings indicated dHMs and FDOM exhibited consistently higher levels in the upper estuarine and coastal waters in both seasons, predominantly controlled by the terrestrial/anthropogenic discharge. In the wet season, dHMs and humic-like substances (HULIS) were positively correlated, showing that dHMs readily combined with HULIS. This association led to a synchronous decrease offshore along the axis of the estuary and the transport following the river plume in the surface affected by the salt wedge. Contrarily, dHMs were prone to complex with protein-like components impacted by the hydrodynamics during the dry season. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) results revealed the terrestrial/anthropogenic inputs and the fresh-seawater mixing process were the most crucial factors responsible for the fate of dHM in wet and dry seasons, respectively, with DOM identified as a secondary but significant influencing factor in both seasons. This study holds significance in providing valuable insights into the migration, transformation, the ultimate fate of dHMs in anthropogenically influenced estuaries, as well as the intricate dynamics governing coastal ecosystems.

Experimental Study on the Thermal Reduction of CO2 by Activated Solid Carbon-Based Fuels

Experimental Study on the Thermal Reduction of CO2 by Activated Solid Carbon-Based Fuels

Intention to have a third child among millennial parents with two children in eastern China: A cross-sectional survey.

This Study Aimed to Assess the Intention to Have a Third Child among Millennial Parents (25-40 years old) with Two Children in a City in Eastern China and to Explore the Influencing Factors Related to Fertility Intention. A cross-sectional design study. A convenience sampling method was used to enrol participants of childbearing age who visited two tertiary hospitals in Hang zhou, a city in eastern China,from June 2021 to March 2022. We conducted a face-to-face questionnaire survey with 520 participants and calculated the prevalence of intention-related factors. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyse the independent influencing factors of fertility intention. In total, 105 (20.2%) participants had the intention to have a third child. The results showed that 'employment status', 'age', 'reasons for wanting a third child', the considered 'biggest barrier to having a third child', 'views on the three-child policy', 'desired free services', 'supporting work policies' and 'assistance policies' were significant independent influencing factors of intention to have a third child (p-value < 0.05). The intention of the participants 'over 30 years old' was 2.466 times that of those '30 years old and under', and 'older age/personal health status' was considered the 'biggest barrier to having a third child'. Regarding policy and social reasons, the participants who need 'medical assistance' policy negatively affect the intention to have a third child (OR = 0.453, 95% CI = 0.247-0.830). Nursing plays an important role in health promotion. Nurses can help couples make wise decisions about fertility by providing professional consultation, education, evaluation and support. They can also provide corresponding nursing and guidance to improve couples' health quality and overall reproductive success. The general level of intention to have a third child of Millennial parents with two children is still low. The participants who are 'housewives/househusbands', 'over 30 years old', and satisfied with the state of 'medical assistance' have higher fertility intentions. It is particularly meaningful for the policymakers to improve the social support system and raise universal awareness to encourage childbirth.

Prevalence and influencing factors of kinesiophobia in older patients with primary osteoporosis: A cross-sectional survey

AimTo explore the prevalence of kinesiophobia in older patients with primary osteoporosis and analyze its influencing factors. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted among 221 older patients with primary osteoporosis in a general hospital in Kunming, China. Data were collected through a sociodemographic-clinical questionnaire, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-11 (TSK-11), Global Pain Scale (GPS), Five Facets Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FFMQ-SF), and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). SPSS 27.0 software was utilized for univariate and binary logistic regression analyses. ResultsThe findings revealed that the prevalence of kinesiophobia in this study was 57.01 %. Age, history of fractures, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lumbar disc herniation, chronic pain, mindfulness, anxiety, and depression were identified as significant influencing factors of kinesiophobia in the binary logistic regression analyses. ConclusionHealthcare professionals should be attentive to occurrence of kinesiophobia. Timely measures should be implemented to improve pain, anxiety and depression, and employ mindfulness interventions to mitigate kinesiophobia.

Factors Related to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among Intensive Care Unit Nurses

PurposeTo identify the factors affecting the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms of intensive care unit (ICU) nurses. The variables include event experiences, cognitive flexibility, and co-worker support. MethodsA survey was conducted among 153 ICU nurses working in a general hospital or an advanced general hospital. The questionnaire was completed between October and December 2018, and 153 copies were used for the final analysis. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression to determine the factors associated with PTSD symptoms among ICU nurses. ResultsThe level of PTSD symptoms of ICU nurses was 1.20±0.82 out of 4. Full PTSD, signified by a total score of 25 or more, was reported by 45.1% of the study's 153 participants. The significant influencing factors of PTSD symptoms among ICU nurses were the “experience of traumatic events”, “trusted alliance”, which is a sub-area of “coworker support,” and both “control” and “alternative”, which are sub-areas of “cognitive flexibility.” The explanatory power (49.8%) was statistically significant. ConclusionThese results suggest that a program to enhance the cognitive flexibility and coworker support of ICU nurses needs to be developed to reduce the PTSD symptoms of ICU nurses.

A prospective study of sleep status, anxiety, and depression levels of college students at a university in Shandong Province, China.

To investigate the changes in sleep conditions, anxiety, and depression levels among college students before and after entering the university. Utilizing a random sampling method, 692 new students from a college in Shandong province were selected in September 2019, and relevant indices were statistically analyzed in September 2021 following a comprehensive follow-up. Sleep status, anxiety, and depression levels were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), respectively. Gender, passive smoking, exercise, intake of fruits, and intake of seafood were identified as significant influencing factors on college students' sleep status, anxiety, and depression levels (p < 0.05). A substantial difference was observed in the sleep quality of college students between the early enrollment stage and the follow-up stage (p < 0.05). Moreover, a significant positive correlation was found between PSQI scores and the levels of anxiety and depression (p < 0.05), cumulatively explaining approximately 10% of the variance in anxiety and depression levels. The sleep quality of college students exhibited significant improvement after enrollment compared to the early enrollment period. Engaging in appropriate exercise and consuming fruits and seafood demonstrated a positive impact on sleep conditions, anxiety, and depression levels. These findings underscore the importance of fostering healthy lifestyle habits for promoting overall well-being among college students.

Risk prediction model based on machine learning for predicting miscarriage among pregnant patients with immune abnormalities.

Introduction: It is known that patients with immune-abnormal co-pregnancies are at a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Traditional pregnancy risk management systems have poor prediction abilities for adverse pregnancy outcomes in such patients, with many limitations in clinical application. In this study, we will use machine learning to screen high-risk factors for miscarriage and develop a miscarriage risk prediction model for patients with immune-abnormal pregnancies. This model aims to provide an adjunctive tool for the clinical identification of patients at high risk of miscarriage and to allow for active intervention to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes. Methods: Patients with immune-abnormal pregnancies attending Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital were collected through electronic medical records (EMR). The data were divided into a training set and a test set in an 8:2 ratio. Comparisons were made to evaluate the performance of traditional pregnancy risk assessment tools for clinical applications. This analysis involved assessing the cost-benefit of clinical treatment, evaluating the model's performance, and determining its economic value. Data sampling methods, feature screening, and machine learning algorithms were utilized to develop predictive models. These models were internally validated using 10-fold cross-validation for the training set and externally validated using bootstrapping for the test set. Model performance was assessed by the area under the characteristic curve (AUC). Based on the best parameters, a predictive model for miscarriage risk was developed, and the SHapley additive expansion (SHAP) method was used to assess the best model feature contribution. Results: A total of 565 patients were included in this study on machine learning-based models for predicting the risk of miscarriage in patients with immune-abnormal pregnancies. Twenty-eight risk warning models were developed, and the predictive model constructed using XGBoost demonstrated the best performance with an AUC of 0.9209. The SHAP analysis of the best model highlighted the total number of medications, as well as the use of aspirin and low molecular weight heparin, as significant influencing factors. The implementation of the pregnancy risk scoring rules resulted in accuracy, precision, and F1 scores of 0.3009, 0.1663, and 0.2852, respectively. The economic evaluation showed a saving of ¥7,485,865.7 due to the model. Conclusion: The predictive model developed in this study performed well in estimating the risk of miscarriage in patients with immune-abnormal pregnancies. The findings of the model interpretation identified the total number of medications and the use of other medications during pregnancy as key factors in the early warning model for miscarriage risk. This provides an important basis for early risk assessment and intervention in immune-abnormal pregnancies. The predictive model developed in this study demonstrated better risk prediction performance than the Pregnancy Risk Management System (PRMS) and also demonstrated economic value. Therefore, miscarriage risk prediction in patients with immune-abnormal pregnancies may be the most cost-effective management method.

HBeAg-positive patients hepatic tissue inflammatory activity and influencing factors during normal ALT and indeterminate phases

Objective: To analyze the hepatic tissue inflammatory activity and influencing factors in HBeAg-positive patients during normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and indeterminate phases so as to provide a basis for evaluating the disease condition. Methods: Patients with HBeAg-positive with normal ALT and HBV DNA levels below 2 × 10(7) IU/ml from January 2017 to December 2021 were selected as the study subjects. A histopathologic liver test was performed on these patients. Age, gender, time of HBV infection, liver function, HBsAg level, HBV DNA load, genotype, portal vein inner diameter, splenic vein inner diameter, splenic thickness, and others of the patients were collected. Significant influencing factors of inflammation were analyzed in patients using logistic regression analysis, and its effectiveness was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Of the 178 cases, there were 0 cases of inflammation in G0, 52 cases in G1, 101 cases in G2, 24 cases in G3, and one case in G4. 126 cases (70.8%) had inflammatory activity ≥ G2. Infection time (Z=-7.138, P<0.001), γ-glutamyltransferase (t =-2.940, P=0.004), aspartate aminotransferase (t =-2.749, P=0.007), ALT (t =-2.153, P=0.033), HBV DNA level (t =-4.771, P=0.010) and portal vein inner diameter (t =-4.771, P<0.001) between the ≥G2 group and < G2 group were statistically significantly different. A logistic regression analysis showed that significant inflammation in liver tissue was independently correlated with infection time [odds ratio (OR)=1.437, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.267-1.630; P<0.001)] and portal vein inner diameter (OR=2.738, 95% CI: 1.641, 4.570; P<0.001). The area under the curve (AUROC), specificity, and sensitivity for infection time and portal vein inner diameter were 0.84, 0.71, 0.87, 0.72, 0.40, and 0.95, respectively. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of HBeAg-positive patients have inflammation grade ≥G2 during normal ALT and indeterminate phases, pointing to the need for antiviral therapy. Additionally, inflammatory activity has a close association with the time of infection and portal vein inner diameter.

Research on Risk Assessment Model for Brushing Type Telecom Network Fraud Victim Based on Bayesian Network

Assessing the risk level and exploring the risk characteristics of victims of brushing type telecom network fraud is of practical significance for crime risk prevention and control. Starting from the demographic characteristics of victims and case characteristics, this paper establishes a Bayesian network model with a tuple composed of loss amount and contact duration as the evaluation index of victim risk level, aiming to provide ideas for police to implement precise anti-fraud propaganda. The research shows that the tuple victim risk assessment model has a high prediction accuracy and can take into account both the loss amount and contact duration, which is feasible as a victim risk assessment model; there is no significant single influencing factor characteristic that affects the victim risk level; among the key victim groups of women who are commerce service personnel and use social media platforms, police should focus on highly educated groups, and among people with the same educational background, police should focus on young people under 28 years old.

Big Data on Exploring Influencing Factors of the Reading Achievement between China and Finland

This paper is based on Big Data analysis in computer science to find the significant influencing factors in reading achievement in China and Finland and differentiate factors between the two countries so as to find the implications and suggestions for the government policy and then reach the education equality and educational core competition. Reading is the main subject in PISA 2018. In 2018, about 60,000 students from 79 participating nations and economies finished the evaluation, accounting for around 32 million 15-year-olds. In all, 12058 samples in China( B-S-J-Z) and 5496 samples in Finland participate in the PISA 2018. The Plausible Value in Cognitive Process Subscale of Reading entails locate information, understand, evaluate, and reflect. Reading achievement is related to student-level, school-family level and country level. We use student-level constructs to measure every construct including GRADE, MISS, POSS, READINT, CLSSIZE, SELF, SES, SEX, READACH and design a model of three-level HLM in Big Data of factors influencing reading achievement. The Big Data statistics shows the PISA outcome has unstable level in PISA in 2012, 2015, and 2018 and the outcome cannot be applied to other places in China because it just includes four cities, B-S-J-Z. Also, big data also reflects the higher teaching level and teaching staffs in China and Finland than OECD Average although we cannot get all the data of regions in two countries.

Study on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of Chinese college students: a cross-sectional analysis.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of college students, prompting the need for universities to implement measures to mitigate these adverse effects. This study aims to assess the mental health status and mitigation measures of college students, identify the primary factors contributing to their mental health challenges, and provide suggestions for educational institutions to reduce negative psychological impacts. In February 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 1,445 college students. Statistical analysis was performed on the survey results, and multiple regression models were used to identify significant influencing factors and optimize the model. The study revealed correlations between factors affecting mental health during the pandemic, with interactions observed among some factors. Significant differences in mental health status were found among different groups of college students based on their information-sharing habits through apps and engagement in thesis research. Multiple regression analysis indicated that conducting academic research related to COVID-19 significantly increased the psychological stress of college students during the pandemic (p = 0.043). Among all mitigation measures, playing games demonstrated significant effectiveness in model analysis (p = 0.047). The optimization of the model showed that the multiple regression model considering the interaction of factors was more effective. Our research identifies crucial factors influencing the mental health of college students and investigates the mental health status of various student groups. We recommend that educational institutions adopt proactive strategies and a multifaceted approach to support the mental health of college students and address potential issues that may arise.

The influence of visual marketing on consumers' purchase intention of fast fashion brands in China-An exploration based on fsQCA method.

Under the rapid development of e-commerce, offline brick-and-mortar stores have been severely impacted. However, the importance of the visual, sensory and even psychological experience in the apparel industry makes offline stores still irreplaceable. The impact on consumers' visual experience cannot be ignored and is a significant influencing factor in determining consumers' psychological change and purchase intention. Especially for fast fashion brands which pursue low costs, visual marketing strategies is a cost-effective marketing tool to enhance the visual experience. In this paper, by adapting SOR theory and using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) research method, 15 fast fashion apparel brands and 374 valid questionnaires are adapted in China to explore not only the influence of individual dimensions in visual marketing on consumers' purchase intention, but also the action of multi-dimensional combinations. The research finds that: (1) there are two driving paths for high consumers' purchase intention. The first path is a combination of high clarity of arrangement and low display density; the second path is a combination of low light intensity, high clarity of arrangement, high tonal harmony and high window appeal. (2) There are also two paths that drive non-high consumers' purchase intentions, and they are asymmetrically related to the paths that drive high consumers' purchase intentions. The findings of this study help to provide direction and suggestions for offline visual marketing strategies of fast fashion apparel brands to increase consumers' psychological perception and purchase intention through a range of visual presentation techniques.

Evade or rush? Investigating jaywalkers' sequential crossing decisions at mid-blocks without crossing facilities

Jaywalking at the mid-blocks without crossing facilities is a common yet dangerous crossing behavior in China. Due to inadequate protection of jaywalkers’ right-of-way, they often need to navigate through vehicular traffic. In such cases, jaywalkers could make sequential crossing decisions, which usually indicate a more complicated crossing scenario, but have been rarely investigated in existing studies. To fill this research gap, this study examines jaywalkers’ sequential decisions, specially focusing on evading and rushing decisions. Specifically, evading decisions include “decelerating/stopping”, “swerving behind the vehicle”, and “swerving along the vehicle”, while rushing decision refers to the decision of “accelerating to cross first”.Descriptive analysis results reveal that as the decision sequence increases, the proportion of rushing decision significantly increases. Moreover, jaywalkers who previously made rushing decisions tend to maintain an accelerating status in the next jaywalker-vehicle interaction and continue making rushing decisions. Furthermore, a grouped random parameters multinomial logit model is employed to capture significant influencing factors of sequential decisions. Model results suggest that aggressive vehicle statuses, including accelerating or maintaining a constant speed, are associated with a higher probability of evading decisions. Conversely, conservative vehicle statuses, such as decelerating, stopping or swerving, are associated with a higher probability of rushing decisions. Besides, evading jaywalkers exhibit greater tolerance for close jaywalker-vehicle spatial proximity, while rushing jaywalkers require larger jaywalker-vehicle distances. Additionally, when interacting with non-motor vehicles, jaywalkers could tolerate closer proximity. We further provide practical implications to help with predicting jaywalkers’ crossing decisions and improving pedestrian safety at mid-blocks without crossing facilities.

Influence of disease course and comprehensive management on blood glucose level in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the status of glycemic control, and assess the effects of the disease course and comprehensive management measures on the blood glucose level in children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study collected the clinical data of type 2 diabetes patients in Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2015 to September 2020. Patients were grouped based on the disease course to compare their glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, islet β-cell function, insulin resistance and comprehensive management measures. Of the 170 participants, the median disease course was 2.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 1.0-4.0 years). The baseline HbA1c was 11.2% (IQR 9.2-12.4%). According to the grouping by the disease course, the median HbA1c was the lowest (5.7% [IQR 5.3-6.1%]) in the half-year course group and the highest in the 4-year course group (9.0 [IQR 6.8%-11.3%]). Compared with the group with a disease duration <2 years, patients in the >4 years group had a lower proportion of patients with HbA1c <7% (29.2% vs 66.2%), a lower homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function, and a lower proportion with a controlled diet, moderate-intensity exercise, regular follow up and no drug treatment. We deemed HbA1c as the dependent variable, and found that disease duration, homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function at follow up, continuous moderate-intensity exercise, regular review and treatment regimen were significant influencing factors for glycemic control. Children and adolescents with type 2 diabetes and a prolonged disease course showed poor glycemic control and decreased islet β-cell function. A good lifestyle, especially moderate-intensity exercise, can help such cases better control their blood glucose level.