Role of bitter contributors and bitter taste receptors:a comprehensive review of their sources,functions and future development

Bitterness,one of the 5“basic tastes”,is usually undesired by humans.However,abundant literature reported that bitter fruits and vegetables have beneficial health effects due to their bitter contributors.This review provided an updated overview of the main bitter contributors of typical bitter fruits and vegetables and their health benefits.The main bitter contributors,including phenolics,terpenoids,alkaloids,amino acids,nucleosides and purines,were summarized.The bioactivities and wide range of beneficial effects of them on anti-cancers,anti-inflammations,anti-microbes,neuroprotection,inhibiting chronic and acute injury in organs,as well as regulating behavior performance and metabolism were reported.Furthermore,not only did the bitter taste receptors(taste receptor type 2 family,T2Rs)show taste effects,but extra-oral T2Rs could also be activated by binding with bitter components,regulating physiological activities via modulating hormone secretion,immunity,metabolism,and cell proliferation.This review provided a new perspective on exploring and explaining the nutrition of bitter foods,revealing the relationship between the functions of bitter contributors from food and T2Rs.Future trends may focus on revealing the possibility of T2Rs being targets for the treatment of diseases,exploring the mechanism of T2Rs mediating the bioactivities,and making bitter foods more acceptable without getting rid of bitter contributors.

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Aims and scope Being an international journal, China Ocean Engineering(COE) takes its prime function as the integration of new research concepts, equipment,technology, materials and structures and other scientific advances within the field of estuarial, coastal, offshore, and deepwater engineering with particular reference to developments. The Journal is concerned with all engineering aspects involved in the exploration and utilization of ocean resources.

Information for Contributors

Aims and scope Being an international journal,China Ocean Engineering(COE)takes its prime function as the integration of new research concepts,equipment,technology,materials and structures and other scientific advances within the field of estuarial,coastal,offshore,and deepwater engineering with particular reference to developments.The Journal is concerned with all engineering aspects involved in the exploration and utilization of ocean resources.Topics regularly covered include research,design and construction of structures(including wharfs,dikes,breakwaters,platforms,mooring systems,etc.),instrumentation/testing(physical model and numerical model),wave dynamics,sedimentation,structural/stress analysis,soil mechanics,and material research.

Information for Contributors

Aims and scope Being an international journal,China Ocean Engineering(COE)takes its prime function as the integration of new research concepts,equipment,technology,materials and structures and other scientific advances within the field of estuarial,coastal,offshore,and deepwater engineering with particular reference to developments.The Journal is concerned with all engineering aspects involved in the exploration and utilization of ocean resources.Topics regularly covered include research.

Resolved concerns after 28 years of Bt cottonin China

Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner(Bt)cotton was widely grown in China from 1997.Since then,it has resulted in many misunderstandings and concerns about Bt cotton.However,extensive research and practical experience over the past 28 years in China have led to the resolution of many of these concerns.This short review explores how the concerns has been resolved,and provides valuable insights for the future utilization of genetically modified products.

Information for Contributors

Aims and scope Being an international journal,China Ocean Engineering(COE) takes its prime function as the integration of new research concepts,equipment,technology,materials and structures and other scientific advances within the field of estuarial,coastal,offshore,and deepwater engineering with particular reference to developments.The Journal is concerned with all engineering aspects involved in the exploration and utilization of ocean resources.

A“Going Concern”and the Need to Fully Integrate Economics in the Business School Curriculum

In response to the recommendation by the American Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business(AACSB,2002),which urged business schools to embark on interdisciplinary programs to facilitate boundary-spanning teaching and learning,many colleges have conducted one form of curriculum integration or the other.Many of these team-taught course integrations,however,concentrate on core business courses without reaching out to related courses in other disciplines.Moreover,due to some factors,the informational contents of management disclosures in annual reports and audit unqualified opinions may not align with the future viability of an enterprise.Using a“going concern concept”,this paper demonstrates how the addition of economics in business school curriculum integration could produce well-rounded business graduates.Economics concepts could unambiguously support the tests that cast doubts on firms’ability to continue operations.

MODELING METHOD FOR CROSSCUTTING CONCERNS IN CONCURRENT SOFTWARE SYSTEM

A method for modeling crosscutting concerns in the concurrent software system is presented based on the aspect-oriented（A-O） technique and the statechart of unified modeling language （UML）. Modeled with UML statechart diagrams, the primary system functions and corresponding traversal features are enveloped into various orthogonal regions of a composite state. The mutual relationships between orthogonal regions are implied by the orders of broadcast events. Using a modular transition system as a basic computational model, the formalization description of A-O statechart models is proposed. The precise semantics of model elements and modeling procedures is given. The example study indicates that the separation strategy of crosscutting concerns is implemented in the design phase of the concurrent software system with this method. Meanwhile, the software modeling method has advantages of loose coupling, adaptability and traceability.

Identifying pain-related concerns in routine follow-up clinics following oral and oropharyngeal cancer

AIM:To describe clinical characteristics of head and neck cancer(HNC)patients with pain and those wishing to discuss pain concerns during consultation.METHODS:Cross-sectional,questionnaire study using University of Washington Quality of Life,version 4(UWQOL)and the Patients Concerns Inventory(PCI)in disease-free,post-treatment HNC cohort.Significant pain on UW-QOL and indicating"Pain in head and neck"and"Pain elsewhere"on PCI.RESULTS:One hundred and seventy-seven patientscompleted UW-QOL and PCI.The prevalence of selfreported pain issues was 38%(67/177)comprising25%(44/177)with significant problems despite medications and 13%(23/177)with lesser or no problems but wishing to discuss pain.Patients aged under 65years and patients having treatment involving radiotherapy were more likely to have pain issues.Just over half,55%(24/44)of patients with significant pain did not express a need to discuss this.Those with significant pain or others wanting to discuss pain in clinic had greater problems in physical and social-emotional functioning,reported suboptimal QOL,and also had more additional PCI items to discuss in clinic compared to those without significant pain and not wishing to discuss pain.CONCLUSION:Significant HNC-related pain is prevalent in the disease-free,posttreatment cohort.Onward referral to a specialist pain team may be beneficial.The UW-QOL and PCI package is a valuable tool that may routinely screen for significant pain in outpatient clinics.

Nanotechnology in Cosmetics: Basics, Current Trends and Safety Concerns—A Review

As nanotechnology finds new applications, the formulation and use of nano-particulate structures in the production of cosmetics and cosmeceuticals keeps increasing. Nano-sized materials such as cubosomes, nanodots, liposomes, dendrimers, nano-emulsions are now becoming regular ingredients in the cosmetic space. These nanoparticle-based cosmetics or nano-cosmeceuticals have extended the boundaries of the applications of cosmetics in managing conditions of wrinkling, dehydrated and inelastic skin associated with aging and dispersed hyperpigmentation. With so many claims by giant cosmetic manufacturers on the several possibilities achievable by such products containing these, there remain valid questions needing answers. Such includes: what are the actual facts as opposed to unfounded expectations on use of nano-materials in cosmetics? What are the peculiar properties of Nano-sized structures? Any potential or actual health risks associated with nanoparticle-incorporated cosmetic products? What roles are the regulating authorities and academic researchers playing in the light of all these developments? This review attempts to answer these questions, taking a look at the updates on nano-sized materials used in cosmetics, while presenting actual advances made in nano-cosmetics amidst the seemingly not too obvious hidden risks.

Professional Ethical Concerns and Recommendations on Psychological Interventions during the COVID-19 Pandemic in China

When COVID-19 pandemic hit China,Chinese clinical psychologists,counselors and other practitioners reacted quickly to provide psychological interventions for different target groups.Different professional ethical concerns and potential transgressions arose during different stages of pandemic.This paper aimed to summarize different ethical concerns and transgressions during different stages of pandemic in China,as well as how the professional ethical workgroup in the registration system of clinical psychologists and professional organizations of Chinese Psychological Society(CPS)to publish a series of documents as recommendations on ethical practice.It is hoped by providing a picture of“problems vs.solutions”in terms of professional ethical issues on psychological interventions for COVID-19 pandemic in China,the paper may provide certain inspirations as well as emotional support to clinical practitioners from other countries and regions who have beenfighting the pandemic.

Role of Trust, Privacy Concerns and Data Governance in Managers’ Decision on Adoption of Big Data Systems

This paper investigates the role of trust, privacy concerns, and data governance on managers’ intention to use big data systems. In literature, trusting beliefs, such as functionality, helpfulness, and reliability were found to be antecedent of trust in technological artifacts. Notice, access, choice, and security principles were found to be crucial in eliminating privacy concerns. On the other hand, this paper focuses on data storage and data collection which have been significant criterion for managers in evaluating companies’ data governance policies. A model depicting the relationships amongst all these factors and their relation to users’ intention to adopt big data systems and a scale was proposed in the paper.

Notes for Contributors

Global Review is a bilingual(Chinese and English) bimonthly in IR category,the first of the kind in China,published by SIIS and the co-publisher Shanghai Association of International Relations.We invite contributions submitted by Chinese as well

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ＣｏｎｔｒｉｂｕｔｏｒｓｔｏｔｈｉｓｉｓｕｅＺＨＩ┐ＱＩＡＮＧＨＡＮ（韩志强）ＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈＡｓｓｉｓｔａｎｔｏｆＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＧｅｏｐｈｙｓｉｃｓ，ＳｔａｔｅＳｅｉｓｍｏｌｏｇｉｃａｌＢｕｒｅａｕ．ＧｒａｄｕａｔｅｄｆｒｏｍｔｈｅＤｅｐａ...

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Plasma Science and Technology (ISSN 1009-0630, CN 34-1187/TL), an English journal of the Instituteof Plasma Physics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), accepts papers about new achievements andphase results of plasma physics. Specific interest areas include: fundamental research, experiment facilityconstruction and applications on high temperature plasma, low temperature plasma, astronomy and spaceplasma and discharge plasma. It also publishes reviews of new development of these areas as well as currentprogress of interdisciplinary and application sciences relating to plasma physics.

Concerns about One’s Own Future or Securing Child’s Future: Paradox of Childbearing Decision Making

Background and Purpose: Researchers’ incomplete perception of the concerns about childbearing decision making process is revealed in discussions about policies and programs that are designed to influence fertility. Perceiving the concerns of women is essential to explain process of decision making for childbearing. This study aimed to understand women’s main concerns about childbearing decision making. Methods: This qualitative study was performed by conventional content analysis approach. The participants included 22 married women in Tehran who were pregnant for the first time or were using contraceptive methods. Purposeful sampling began and continued up to data saturation. To collect data, the unstructured in-depth interviews were used. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis by Lundman and Graneheim method. Findings: Four categories were obtained from data including “fear”, “uncertainty”, “hope” and “financial security”. The main category or theme was “concerns about one’s own future or securing child’s future” that was extracted as the main concern of women about childbearing decision making process. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that concerns about one’s own future or securing child’s future are the main concerns of women about childbearing decision making. Deep understanding of women’s concerns about childbearing will help midwives and other service providers to provide services, strategies and more sensitive and appropriate interventions.

India's Major Concerns about China and the Future of China-India Relations

Since 2014, the development of the China-India relationship has followed a trend of starting high and ending low. The China-India relationship warmed up rapidly in the first two years, which nevertheless failed to bring about a substantial breakthrough in their bilateral relations, as India's strategic doubts about China and their differences of interests on numerous issues still pose difficulties.

Notes for Contributors

The Chinese Journal of Chemical Engineering is the official journal of The Chemical Industry and Engineering Society of China and published by the Chemical Industry Press. The aim of the journal is to develop the international exchange of scientific and technical information in the field of chemical engineering.

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ＣｏｎｔｒｉｂｕｔｏｒｓｔｏｔｈｉｓｉｓｕｅＪＩＥＬＩＵ（刘洁）ＡｓｓｉｓｔａｎｔｐｒｏｆｅｓｓｏｒｏｆＩｎｓｔｉｔｕｔｅｏｆＧｅｏｌｏｇｙ，ＳＳＢ，Ｃｈｉｎａ．ＧｒａｄｕａｔｅｄｆｒｏｍｔｈｅＳｐｅｃｉａｌｉｔｙｏｆＧｅｏｈｙｄｒｏｌｏｇｙａｎｄＥ...

Instructions to Contributors

Petroleum Science, as a new academic journal in English, sponsored by the China University of Petroleum,