Commentary on "Association of daily sitting time and leisure-time physical activity with body fat among U.S.adults"

In their study,association of daily sitting time and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) with body fat among U.S.Adults,Liao et al.^(1) analyzed data from the 2011-2018 National Health and Examination Survey to examine associations between h/day sitting,meeting (or not meeting) the U.S.Physical Activity Guidelines of≥150 min/week of moderate-and vigorous-intensity LTPA,and combinations of sitting time and LTPA on totaland trunk percent body fat (BF%).

Design of a Landscape Device for Children from the Perspective of Embodied Cognition in the New Era

In recent years,embodied cognition has ushered in a new research upsurge in the academic field,and has become a hot topic in the field of cognitive psychology.In this paper,from the perspective of embodied cognition,the interaction ways of a landscape device for children were discussed to achieve a more real and harmonious interaction between children and scenes.The research data of embodied cognition used by children was analyzed,and the drawbacks and breakthrough points of current landscape devices for children were discussed.The core characteristics of children’s growth period were extracted to establish children’s interaction model and summarize the interactive design methods of landscape devices for children.Embodied cognition has become the most intuitive way for children to know and understand the environment,and plays a pivotal role in children’s growth.Based on embodied cognition principle and interactive behavior mode,the interactive design of a landscape device for children was studied,and three interactive design modes,including simple and convenient interaction mode,multi-sensory interaction mode and game natural interaction mode were summarized.On the basis of this research,relevant design practice and research were carried out to bring a new vision to the design of children’s landscape.

The Reception Commemorating the 45th Anniversary of China-U.S.Diplomatic Ties Held in Beijing

On January 5,the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs jointly hosted a reception commemorating the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and the United States in Beijing.Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the commemoration and delivered aspeech.David Meale,ChargédAffaires at the U.S.Embassy in China,addressed the reception.He extended on behalf of the U.S.side congratulations on the anniversary,expressing the readiness of the U.S.to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and promote the steady development of U.S.-China relations.More than 350 people from all walks of life of both countries attended the reception.

The Influence of Christian Nationalism on U.S.Foreign Policy

This paper explores the influence of Christian nationalism on U.S.foreign policy,examining its historical roots,ideological foundations,and contemporary implications.Christian nationalism,an ideology that links Christianity with national identity,has shaped U.S.foreign policy in areas such as religious freedom,Middle East diplomacy,and national security.Through its emphasis on the moral duty to defend Christianity and its promotion of conservative social values,Christian nationalism has affected U.S.relations with countries around the world,particularly in the Middle East and with religious minorities.The paper discusses the complexities and controversies surrounding Christian nationalism,its impact on the U.S.’s global image,and the challenges it poses to religious pluralism.The future of Christian nationalism’s influence on U.S.foreign policy is uncertain,as societal shifts and evolving global dynamics may prompt a reevaluation of its role in shaping America’s international actions.Overall,the paper provides a nuanced analysis of how Christian nationalism has intertwined with U.S.foreign policy and how its influence might evolve in the future.

Gamma-glutamyl transferase 5 overexpression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells improves brain pathology,cognition,and behavior in APP/PS1 mice

In patients with Alzheimer’s disease,gamma-glutamyl transferase 5(GGT5)expression has been observed to be downregulated in cerebrovascular endothelial cells.However,the functional role of GGT5 in the development of Alzheimer’s disease remains unclear.This study aimed to explore the effect of GGT5 on cognitive function and brain pathology in an APP/PS1 mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease,as well as the underlying mechanism.We observed a significant reduction in GGT5 expression in two in vitro models of Alzheimer’s disease(Aβ_(1-42)-treated hCMEC/D3 and bEnd.3 cells),as well as in the APP/PS1 mouse model.Additionally,injection of APP/PS1 mice with an adeno-associated virus encoding GGT5 enhanced hippocampal synaptic plasticity and mitigated cognitive deficits.Interestingly,increasing GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells reduced levels of both soluble and insoluble amyloid-βin the brains of APP/PS1 mice.This effect may be attributable to inhibition of the expression ofβ-site APP cleaving enzyme 1,which is mediated by nuclear factor-kappa B.Our findings demonstrate that GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells is inversely associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathogenesis,and that GGT5 upregulation mitigates cognitive deficits in APP/PS1 mice.These findings suggest that GGT5 expression in cerebrovascular endothelial cells is a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for Alzheimer’s disease.

“Speech on Hitler’s Invasion of the U.S.S.R.”(汉译文)的美学赏析

语言作为人类精神的产物和文明的载体应具有审美价值,而演讲作为一种特殊的语言表现形式,它的审美价值在于能够使受众在愉悦中自觉地去接受或容纳演讲的主旨。Speech on Hitler’s Invasion of the U.S.S.R.是丘吉尔政治生涯中重要的演讲作品之一,既具有时效性和实效性,又具有历久弥新的语言审美价值。

Comparison of Corn Production Costs in China,the U.S. and Brazil and Its Implications

This paper analyzes the corn production cost in China, the U.S. and Brazil from 1997 to 2014. According to the results,（1） corn production cost in China is the highest among these three countries;（2） the rapid growth of labor cost and land cost is the major factor that promotes the increase of total corn production cost in China;（3） the level of agricultural mechanization in China has been gradually improving, and the gap between agricultural mechanization levels in China and other two countries is constantly narrowing;（4） differing from the U.S. and Brazil,China exhibits a ＂high input, low output＂ agricultural production mode. Based on the above analyses, corresponding suggestions have been presented to reduce corn production cost in China.

China’s alfalfa market and imports: Development, trends, and potential impacts of the U.S.-China trade dispute and retaliations

This study examines the development and trends of China’s alfalfa market and imports, identifies key factors for the rapid increase in China’s alfalfa imports, and discusses potential impacts of the U.S.-China trade dispute and retaliations on the alfalfa markets and trade in both nations. China’s rapid transition toward larger-scale commercial dairy production, with enhanced feed and cost management as well as quality and safety control, and its limited resources for high-quality alfalfa production are key factors for the dramatic increase in its alfalfa imports, from 19 601 metric tons in 2008 to 1.38 million metric tons(mmt) in 2018. While the United States dominated China’s alfalfa imports with an average share of 97.01% from 2007 to 2017, the share dropped to 83.76% in 2018 and 63.28% in January 2019 due to the trade dispute and retaliations started in 2018. China will likely remain a large importer of alfalfa because of both its growing demand and the comparative advantages of imported alfalfa in quality and price, but the imports from the United States will be highly affected by the ongoing trade dispute and negotiations. China is also expected to make more efforts to reduce its dependence on U.S. alfalfa through increased investment in domestic alfalfa production and identification of alternative sources of alfalfa and other hay imports.

Distinguishing normal brain aging from the development of Alzheimer＇s disease：inflammation,insulin signaling and cognition

As populations age, prevalence of Alzheimer＇s disease（AD） is rising. Over 100 years of research has provided valuable insights into the pathophysiology of the disease, for which age is the principal risk factor. However, in recent years, a multitude of clinical trial failures has led to pharmaceutical corporations becoming more and more unwilling to support drug development in AD. It is possible that dependence on the amyloid cascade hypothesis as a guide for preclinical research and drug discovery is part of the problem. Accumulating evidence suggests that amyloid plaques and tau tangles are evident in non-demented individuals and that reducing or clearing these lesions does not always result in clinical improvement. Normal aging is associated with pathologies and cognitive decline that are similar to those observed in AD, making differentiation of AD-related cognitive decline and neuropathology challenging. In this mini-review, we discuss the difficulties with discerning normal, age-related cognitive decline with that related to AD. We also discuss some neuropathological features of AD and aging, including amyloid and tau pathology, synapse loss, inflammation and insulin signaling in the brain, with a view to highlighting cognitive or neuropathological markers that distinguish AD from normal aging. It is hoped that this review will help to bolster future preclinical research and support the development of clinical tools and therapeutics for AD.

The withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement and its impact on global climate change governance

The global community has prepared for the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement since Donald Trump was elected as the president of the U.S. However, Trump's formal declaration of withdrawal still caused worldwide reaction. Trump will use the withdrawal to build his political reputation and to renegotiate the Paris Agreement despite its negative effects on the political credibility, international relationships, and potential long-term economic growth of the U.S. In general, the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement will not change the development of low-carbon technologies and the transformation trend of the global climate governance regime. However, the long-term goals and international cooperation on climate change will be affected by budget cuts in American climate change research and the cancelation of donations from the multilateral environmental fund of the U.S. If the Paris Agreement is renegotiated, the common but differentiated principle of responsibility of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will be challenged again. Nevertheless, climate change governance remains a main theme of future sustainable development. Instead of national governments, local governments and non-governmental organizations will develop strategies for technical innovation and emphasize pragmatic cooperation, thus expanding their roles in climate change governance. The capacity building on climate change research and public awareness should be enhanced as a long-term objective of global climate change governance.

Investigation of factors influencing roof stability at a Western U.S.longwall coal mine

The coal mine roof rating(CMRR) was developed to bridge the gap between geological variation in underground coal mines and engineering design. The CMRR accounts for the compressive strength of the immediate roof, the shear strength and intensity of any discontinuities present, and the moisture sensitivity of the immediate roof. The CMRR has been widely used and validated in Eastern US coal mines, but it has seen limited application in the Western US. This study focuses on roof behavior at a Western coal mine(Mine A). Mine A shows significant lateral geological variation, along with localized faulting and a laterally extensive sandstone channel network. The CMRR is not used to predict roof instability at the mine. It is, therefore, hypothesized that there are other factors that are correlated with roof instability in underground coal mines that could potentially also be considered in conjunction with the CMRR.This hypothesis was tested by collecting 30 CMRR measurements at Mine A. At each measurement location, a binary record of the roof condition(stable or unstable) was made, and other parameters such as depth of cover, presence of faulting, and sandstone channels were also recorded. ANOVA tests showed that the CMRR values and the roof conditions were not strongly correlated, indicating that the CMRR input criteria are not fully predictive of roof stability at this mine. The CMRR values showed statistically significant correlations(p less than 0.05) with faulting as well as with location at an intersection. For areas that had previously experienced roof fall but were currently stable, faulting was correlated with roof condition(p less than 0.05) only when the condition was classified as unstable.

The impacts of U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on the carbon emission space and mitigation cost of China, EU, and Japan under the constraints of the global carbon emission space

Based on the Computable General Equilibrium (CGE) model and scenario analysis, the impacts of the U.S. withdrawal from the Paris Agreement on the carbon emission space and mitigation cost in China, European Union (EU), and Japan are assessed under Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and 2
C scenarios due to the changed emission pathway of the U.S. The results show that, under the condition of constant global cumulative carbon emissions and a fixed burden-sharing scheme among countries, the failure of the U.S. to honor its NDC commitment to different degrees will increase the U.S. carbon emission space and decrease its mitigation cost. However, the carbon emission space of other parties, including China, EU, and Japan, will be reduced and their mitigation costs will be increased. In 2030, under the 2
C target, the carbon price will increase by 4.4e14.6 US$ t1 in China, by 9.7e35.4 US$ t1 in the EU, and by 16.0e53.5 US$ t1 in Japan. In addition, China, EU, and Japan will incur additional Gross Domestic Production (GDP) loss. Under the 2
C target, the GDP loss of China would increase by US$22.0e71.1 billion (equivalent to 16.4e53.1 US$ per capita), the EU's GDP loss would increase by US$9.4e32.1 billion (equivalent to 20.7e71.1 US$ per capita), and Japan's GDP loss will increase by US$4.1e13.5 billion (equivalent to 34.3e111.6 US$ per capita).

The Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Effects on Cognition in Persons with Parkinson’s Disease: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review of the literature is to examine the cerebrovascular and cardiovascular effects on cognition in persons with Parkinson’s disease. Relevance: Physical therapy treatment of persons with Parkinson’s disease (PD) has traditionally focused on lessening the impact of disease severity by improving quality of life and functional capacity. Research has shown that quality of life in persons with PD is not only significantly affected by motor symptoms, but also by the presence of defined non-motor symptoms such as cerebrovascular perfusion, cardiovascular dysfunction, and cognitive impairment. This study seeks to determine a causative effect among these non-motor symptoms with the intention to better manage cognitive impairment in persons with PD. Methods: A literature search was conducted utilizing the following databases: Scopus, PubMed, and CINAHL. After evaluating and grading studies using the Downs and Black Checklist, a total of seven studies remained for the final review. Results: Five common domains of cognition emerged throughout the seven studies: executive function, attention, verbal memory and fluency, visual memory, and working memory. Considering the articles reviewed, a relationship between cerebrovascular and cardiovascular deficiency and cognitive impairment in persons with PD was established. Conclusions: Persons with PD and certain cerebrovascular and cardiovascular risk factors, including orthostatic hypotension and systemic hypertension, should be referred to appropriate professionals for comprehensive neuropsychological testing secondary to an increased risk for more severe cognitive deficit.

Early active immunization with Aβ3–10-KLH vaccine reduces tau phosphorylation in the hippocampus and protects cognition of mice

Active and passive anti-Aβimmunotherapies have successfully been used for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease animal models.However,clinical use of these immunotherapies is not effective,because the vaccination is administered too late.At 1 month of age,100μL of Aβ3–10-KLH peptide(vaccine,2μg/μL)was subcutaneously injected into the neck of an amyloid precursor protein/presenilin-1/tau transgenic(3×Tg-AD)mouse model.Aβ3–10-KLH peptide was re-injected at 1.5,2.5,3.5,4.5,5.5,and 6.5 months of age.Serum levels of Aβantibody were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,while spatial learning and memory ability were evaluated by Morris water maze.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect total tau with HT7 and phosphorylated tau with AT8(phosphorylation sites Ser202 and Thr205)and AT180(phosphorylation site Thr231)antibodies in the hippocampus.In addition,western blot analysis was used to quantify AT8 and AT180 expression in the hippocampus.The results showed that after vaccine injection,mice produced high levels of Aβantibody,cognitive function was significantly improved,and total tau and phosphorylated tau levels were significantly reduced.These findings suggest that early active immunization with Aβ3–10-KLH vaccine can greatly reduce tau phosphorylation,thereby mitigating the cognitive decline of 3×Tg-AD mice.This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of China Medical University,China(approval No.103-316)on April 2,2016.

Methane Generation and Capture of U.S.Landfills

Analysis of the U.S.EPA(Environmental Protection Agency)database of 2,549 MSW(Municipal Solid Waste)landfills showed that there were 1,164 operating landfills in which 348 million short tons(316 million metric tons)of waste were landfilled in 2017.In total,these landfills occupy about 370 million square meters of land so it is not possible to monitor the generation of LFG(Landfill Gas)generation accurately,or collect most of the LFG generated.This study was based on the hypothesis that,on the average,methane generation is proportional to the tonnage of wastes landfilled annually.The Landfill Methane Outreach Program of the EPA(EPA-LMOP)compiles annual operating data of all methane-capturing landfills.Our analysis of the 2018 data for 396 LMOP operating landfills showed that 210 million short tons of wastes were deposited and 5.06 million short tons of methane were captured,i.e.,an average capture of 0.024-ton CH4/ton waste.On the basis of the anaerobic reaction of the DOC(Degradable Organic Carbon)in landfilled wastes,the average rate of methane generation from all operating U.S.landfills was estimated to be 0.05 ton of CH4 per ton of annual capacity;this number corresponds to bioreaction of about one half of the total organic carbon in MSW.On this basis,the average rate of CH4 emission from the 396 LMOP landfills was estimated to be 0.026-ton CH4 per annual ton of deposition and the average efficiency of LFG capture,48%.Adding up all 1,164 operating landfills,their total emission of methane was estimated at 11.9 million metric tons of CH4.At CH4/CO2 equivalence of 25,this number corresponds to CO2-eq emissions of 270 million metric tons,i.e.,5.1%of the U.S.energy related carbon dioxide emissions.

Effects of Planting Date on Winter Canola Growth and Yield in the Southwestern U.S.

Canola (Brassica napus L.) has potential to become alternative cash crop (healthy oil for human and meals for animal uses) with tremendous rotational benefits in the Southwestern U.S., a region dominated by cereal-fallow cropping systems. However, information on optimum planting date for its successful production is limited. Field experiments were conducted in 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons under irrigation condition to study the response of canola growth and yield to planting dates at Clovis, NM. Three planting dates (mid-September, late-September and early-October) and four canola varieties (early flowering: DKW41-10 and DKW46-15;medium flowering: Riley and Wichita) are studied. Fall plant stand density is significantly higher for early-October than mid- and late-September plantings. However, a ratio of fall to spring plant stand density indicates a greater reduction in spring plant stand density with early-October (25%) and mid-September (19%) than late-September (7%). Vegetative (by 13 days) and flowering (by 7 days) duration phases are significantly shortened with delay in planting. The decline in aboveground dry matter (DM) due to delayed planting resulted in significant seed yield reduction in both 2011-12 (26%) and in 2012-13 (8%) when early-October and mid-September plantings were compared. There was a positive relationship between final DM and canola seed yield, accounting for 84 and 34% variation for 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons, respectively with the 2011-12 environmental conditions being conducive for genetically controlled variation in DM production to be more apparent and strong in explaining the variation in seed yield among varieties. Medium-flowering varieties produced higher DM (9741 vs. 8371 Kg•ha-1) and seed yield (2785 vs. 2035 Kg•ha-1) than early-flowering varieties. In addition to seed yield, DM can be used as an indirect selection criterion for seed yield in variety selection and appropriate planting dates including a guarantee for high crop residues (~75% of the total aboveground biomass) production to make canola a potential alternative cash and rotational break crop in the Southwestern U.S.

COVID‑19 and instability of stock market performance:evidence from the U.S.

The effect of COVID-19 on stock market performance has important implications for both financial theory and practice.This paper examines the relationship between COVID-19 and the instability of both stock return predictability and price volatility in the U.S over the period January 1st,2019 to June 30th,2020 by using the methodologies of Bai and Perron(Econometrica 66:47–78,1998.https://doi.org/10.2307/2998540;J Appl Econo 18:1–22,2003.https://doi.org/10.1002/jae.659),Elliot and Muller(Optimal testing general breaking processes in linear time series models.University of California at San Diego Economic Working Paper,2004),and Xu(J Econ 173:126–142,2013.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecon om.2012.11.001).The results highlight a single break in return predictability and price volatility of both S&P 500 and DJIA.The timing of the break is consistent with the COVID-19 outbreak,or more specifically the stock sellingoffs by the U.S.senate committee members before COVID-19 crashed the market.Furthermore,return predictability and price volatility significantly increased following the derived break.The findings suggest that the pandemic crisis was associated with market inefficiency,creating profitable opportunities for traders and speculators.Furthermore,it also induced income and wealth inequality between market participants with plenty of liquidity at hand and those short of funds.

EEG Analysis of the Contribution of Music Therapy and Virtual Reality to the Improvement of Cognition in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting nearly 9.9 million new people every year. The disease provokes important memory and cognitive impairment, eventually causing individuals to forget their loved ones and rendering them completely dependent on their caretakers. Alzheimer’s patients typically experience more negative emotions, such as frustration and apathy, than healthy older adults. There is currently no cure for the disease. Our research group explores how the integration of virtual reality (VR) and an EEG-based intelligent agent in music therapy can alleviate psychological and cognitive symptoms of the disease. We propose a theory explaining how, through activation of the brain reward system, music can reduce negative emotions, increase positive emotions and as a result increase performance on cognitive tasks. The results of our experimental study concord with our theory: emotional states of participants are improved, as per recorded through EEG, and performances on memory tasks show improvement following the intervention. We believe that the combination of EEG brain assessment, VR and music therapy is a promising method for emotional states and cognitive symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease.

Assessment of China's International Environment and U.S. Strategic Trend

It is of great significance to have a clear understanding of the international environment that China faces. But this is an uneasy job. Since September 11, the world situation has become so complicated that it is hard to grasp its essence even with painstaking efforts. To judge such an already complicated international environment from China’s perspective adds more difficulties, for different people usually have different views due to the different angles from which they see the situation and different methods they adopt. This, understandably, leads to hot debates within the Chinese academic circles. To provide a stage for exchange of views, at the invitation of the CIR Expert Forum, some well-known scholars and experts on international relations from Beijing gathered to hold a symposium on November 5, 2002, with the theme of "How to assess the international environment that China faces". The speeches at the symposium will be published in two installments. Following are the first half.

A review of the neurotransmitter system associated with cognitive function of the cerebellum in Parkinson's disease

The dichotomized brain system is a concept that was generalized from the‘dual syndrome hypothesis’to explain the heterogeneity of cognitive impairment,in which anterior and posterior brain systems are independent but partially overlap.The dopaminergic system acts on the anterior brain and is responsible for executive function,working memory,and planning.In contrast,the cholinergic system acts on the posterior brain and is responsible for semantic fluency and visuospatial function.Evidence from dopaminergic/cholinergic imaging or functional neuroimaging has shed significant insight relating to the involvement of the cerebellum in the cognitive process of patients with Parkinson’s disease.Previous research has reported evidence that the cerebellum receives both dopaminergic and cholinergic projections.However,whether these two neurotransmitter systems are associated with cognitive function has yet to be fully elucidated.Furthermore,the precise role of the cerebellum in patients with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive impairment remains unclear.Therefore,in this review,we summarize the cerebellar dopaminergic and cholinergic projections and their relationships with cognition,as reported by previous studies,and investigated the role of the cerebellum in patients with Parkinson’s disease and cognitive impairment,as determined by functional neuroimaging.Our findings will help us to understand the role of the cerebellum in the mechanisms underlying cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease.