COMMUNITY, CAMPUS, AND CLIMATE AT CENTRAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE-3C INITIATIVE Kearney Center Living Learning Lab and Ecosystem

INTRODUCTION Central Community College (CCC) has multiple campuses and centers in rural agri-cultural communities throughout Central Nebraska and College President, Dr. Greg Smith, was an early adopter to the vision of economic and environmental sustain-ability. Central Community College has been a Cum Laude Leader since 2011 and signatory of the Climate Commitment as part of the Climate Leadership Network (previously the ACUPCC). CCC made a commitment to educate, implement and model the practices needed for a sustainable future. For our communities and ultimately globally, we believe environmental sustainability is important and nec-essary for healthy communities, people and economic sustainability. Each CCC campus and center also has available land to commit to renewable energy, typically not available in most major metropolitan campuses. The State of Nebraska is a late adopter to renewable energy, but with the potential for reduced operating costs, is now embracing sustainable development with CCC and providing leadership with our 3C initiative and Environmental Sustainability Action Plan.

Strong ground motion characteristics observed in the February 6,2023 M_(W)7.7 Türkiye earthquake

Türkiye is located in a seismically active region,where the Anatolian,African,and Arabian tectonic plates converge.High seismic hazards cause the region to be struck repeatedly by major earthquakes.On February 06,2023,a devastating M_(W)7.7 earthquake struck Türkiye at 01:17 am local time(01:17 UTC).In this regard,near and far-field ground motion data within the distance of 120 km are compiled and later characterized to identify the key ground motion intensity measures.Additionally,the vertical components of ground motions were examined to capture the complete three-dimensional nature of the seismic event.Moreover,the effect of Pulse-Like(PL)and Non-Pulse-Like(NPL)ground motion on a representative RC frame structure built as per the Türkiye code was investigated.The results indicate that PL behavior was observed in both horizontal and vertical components of ground motions and PL behavior were noted both near the epicenter and at higher distances from the epicenter.Moreover,the ratio of the peak vertical acceleration to peak horizontal acceleration at certain stations was found to be close to 1.Finally,the non-linear time history analysis of the representative reinforced concrete frame structure for ground motions recorded at stations located equidistant from the epicenter,indicated that PL ground motions led to more significant damage compared to NPL ground motions.

Psychometric testing of the cross-culturally adapted Thai version of the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale version 3.0 in individuals with chronic illnesses

Objective:To assess the psychometric properties of the Thai version of the Self-Care Self-Efficacy Scale version 3.0(SCSES-v3.0)in individuals with chronic illnesses.Although originally developed and tested in a Western context,its applicability in Asian populations,including Thailand,remains inadequately explored.Methods:Psychometric tests were guided by COSMIN principles.This included the translation of the English version into Thai based on the ISPOR framework.Nine nursing experts evaluated the content validity.Data were obtained from a multicenter cross-sectional study conducted between July and November 2022.This study included individuals with chronic conditions from 16 primary care centers in Thailand.We tested the structural validity using exploratory factor analysis(EFA)and confirmatory factor analysis(CFA),and concurrent validity in relation to the Self-Care of Chronic Illness Inventory version 4.c(SC-CII-v4.c).We tested the scale’s reliability with McDonald’s u,Cronbach’s a,and the intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC).Results:The Thai SCSES-v3.0 demonstrated excellent content validity(k¼1.00).Thefinal analysis included a total of 385 participants.The EFA with thefirst split-half subsample(n¼193)extracted a twofactor structure.One reflected SCSES for maintenance and monitoring behaviors and another captured SCSES for management behaviors(item 6e10).CFA with the second split-half subsample(n¼192)and the overall sample(n¼385)supported the scale’s two-factor model with high factor loadings.Each dimension and the overall SCSES-v3.0 positively correlated with each scale and the overall SC-CII-v4.c.McDonald’s u and Cronbach’s a(both ranged 0.91e0.94)and ICC(ranged 0.95e0.96),indicated excellent internal reliability and test-retest reliability,respectively.Conclusions:The identification of a valid and reliable two-factor model for the Thai SCSES-v3.0 renders it a valuable tool for clinicians and investigators,facilitating the assessment of self-efficacy in self-care across diverse contexts.

Risk of cardiovascular death in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma based on the Fine-Gray model

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is one of the most common types of cancers worldwide,ranking fifth among men and seventh among women,resulting in more than 7 million deaths annually.With the development of medical tech-nology,the 5-year survival rate of HCC patients can be increased to 70%.How-ever,HCC patients are often at increased risk of cardiovascular disease(CVD)death due to exposure to potentially cardiotoxic treatments compared with non-HCC patients.Moreover,CVD and cancer have become major disease burdens worldwide.Thus,further research is needed to lessen the risk of CVD death in HCC patient survivors.METHODS This study was conducted on the basis of the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results database and included HCC patients with a diagnosis period from 2010 to 2015.The independent risk factors were identified using the Fine-Gray model.A nomograph was constructed to predict the CVM in HCC patients.The nomograph performance was measured using Harrell’s concordance index(C-index),calibration curve,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,and area under the ROC curve(AUC)value.Moreover,the net benefit was estimated via decision curve analysis(DCA).RESULTS The study included 21545 HCC patients,of whom 619 died of CVD.Age(<60)[1.981(1.573-2.496),P<0.001],marital status(married)[unmarried:1.370(1.076-1.745),P=0.011],alpha fetoprotein(normal)[0.778(0.640-0.946),P=0.012],tumor size(≤2 cm)[(2,5]cm:1.420(1.060-1.903),P=0.019;>5 cm:2.090(1.543-2.830),P<0.001],surgery(no)[0.376(0.297-0.476),P<0.001],and chemotherapy(none/unknown)[0.578(0.472-0.709),P<0.001]were independent risk factors for CVD death in HCC patients.The discrimination and calibration of the nomograph were better.The C-index values for the training and validation sets were 0.736 and 0.665,respectively.The AUC values of the ROC curves at 2,4,and 6 years were 0.702,0.725,0.740 in the training set and 0.697,0.710,0.744 in the validation set,respectively.The calibration curves showed that the predicted probab-ilities of the CVM prediction model in the training set vs the validation set were largely consistent with the actual probabilities.DCA demonstrated that the prediction model has a high net benefit.CONCLUSION Risk factors for CVD death in HCC patients were investigated for the first time.The nomograph served as an important reference tool for relevant clinical management decisions.

Oncologic outcomes with and without amniotic membranes in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy:A propensity score matched analysis

Objective:Placement of human placenta derived grafts during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP)hastens the return of continence and potency.The long-term impact on the oncologic outcomes remains to be investigated.Our objective was to determine the oncologic outcomes of patients with dehydrated human amnion chorion membrane(dHACM)at RARP compared to a matched cohort.Methods:In a referral centre,from August 2013 to October 2019,599 patients used dHACM in bilateral nerve-sparing RARP.We excluded patients with less than 12 months follow-up,simple prostatectomy,and unilateral nerve-sparing.Patients with dHACM(amnio group)were 529,and were propensity score matched 1:1 to 2465 patients without dHACM(non-amnio group)and a minimum follow-up of 36 months.At the time of RARP,dHACM was placed around the neurovascular bundle in the amnio group.Continuous and categorical variables in matched groups was tested by two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Fisher's exact test respectively.Outcomes measured were biochemical recurrence(BCR),adjuvant and salvage therapy rates.Results:Propensity score matching resulted in two groups of 444 patients.Cumulative incidence functions for BCR did not show a difference between the groups(p=0.3).Patients in the non-amnio group required salvage therapy more frequently than the amnio group,particularly after partial nerve-sparing RARP(6.3%vs.2.3%,p=0.001).Limitations are the absence of prospective randomization.Conclusion:The data suggest that using dHACM does not have a negative impact on BCR in patients.Outcomes of cancer specific and overall survival will require follow-up study to increase our understanding of these grafts’impact on prostate cancer biology.

Intratumoural microorganism can affect the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND Several recent studies have confirmed that intratumoural microorganisms can affect the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC);however,their role in tumor progression remains unclear.Hence,there is a need for further research on the role of intratumoural microorganisms in HCC.AIM To investigate the changes in intratumoural microorganisms in HCC and the effect of Propionibacterium on HCC progression.METHODS HCC and normal liver tissue specimens were subjected to fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH).After performing 16S rRNA sequencing on HCC and peritumoral tissues to analyze the differences between the two groups.Propionibacterium was cocultured with HCC cells in vitro.Changes in cell proliferation and migration capacity were evaluated.The expression of NF-κB pathway related proteins in tumor cells was compared.The orthotopic liver implantation model and the subcutaneous xenograft model were constructed.liver tissues and subcutaneous tumors were collected 2 weeks later.RESULTS FISH demonstrated the presence of microorganisms in HCC and normal liver tissues.16S rRNA sequencing revealed an abundance of Lysobacter,Lachnospiraceae,Pseudomonas,and Lactobacillus in HCC tissues.The distribution and abundance of Propionibacterium showed differences between HCC and peritumoral tissues(P<0.05).In vitro studies demonstrated that Propionibacterium and its metabolite propionic acid(PA)inhibited the proliferation and migration of HCC cells(P<0.05).The expression of the proteins in NF-κB signaling pathway also decreased in HCC cells(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Microorganisms in HCC and normal liver tissues displayed significant disparities.The PA-producing bacterium Propionibacterium in HCC exerts an effect on the NF-κB pathway,thereby affecting the biological behavior of HCC.

STAT3 as a target for inducing apoptosis in solid and hematological tumors

Studies in the past few years have provided compelling evidence for the critical role of aberrant Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 （STAT3） in malignant transformation and tumorigenesis. Thus, it is now generally accepted that STAT3 is one of the critical players in human cancer formation and represents a valid target for novel anticancer drug design. This review focuses on aberrant STAT3 and its role in promoting tumor cell survival and sup- porting the malignant phenotype. A brief evaluation of the current strategies targeting STAT3 for the development of novel anticancer agents against human tumors harboring constitutively active STAT3 will also be presented.

Environment friendly protocol for the synthesis of nitriles from aldehydes

A rapid and eco-friendly one-pot protocol for the synthesis of nitriles has been developed by treating various araldehydes bearing electron withdrawing as well as electron donating groups with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in the presence of non-toxic,non-corrosive and reusable zinc oxide（ZnO） as the catalyst under solvent-free microwave irradiation.The present approach offers the advantages of a clean reaction,simple methodology,employing readily available catalyst,short reaction duration（〈1 min）,high selectivity;and high yield（90-98%）.

Amberlite IR-120:一种可重复利用的微波辅助条件下胺类化合物与甲酸N-甲酰化反应的催化剂(英文)

A rapid and practical green route for the N-formylation of amines with formic acid using Amberlite IR-120 as a catalyst is described.This method provides an efficient and much improved modification over the reported methods in terms of yield,reaction time,and work-up procedure.A wide variety of substituents is tolerated,which is not the case for existing procedures.

硅胶硫酸:一种在温和及无溶剂条件下一锅法合成1,4-二氢吡啶的高效多相催化剂(英文)

A series of 1,4-dihydropyridines have been prepared by a one-pot condensation of aldehydes,ethyl acetoacetate,and ammonium acetate in the presence of a heterogeneous catalyst silica sulfuric acid at room temperature under solvent-free condition. This new protocol has the advantage of short reaction time and excellent yields,and is an environmentally benign route to the synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridines.

Impact of non-oncological factors on tumor recurrence after liver transplantation in hepatocellular carcinoma patients

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary neoplasm of the liver and is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death worldwide. Liver transplantation (LT) has become one of the best curative therapeutic options for patients with HCC, although tumor recurrence after LT is a major and unaddressed cause of mortality. Furthermore, the factors that are associated with recurrence are not fully understood, and most previous studies have focused on the biological properties of HCC, such as the number and size of the HCC nodules, the degree of differentiation, the presence of hepatic vascular invasion, elevated serum levels of alpha-fetoprotein, and the tumor stage outside of the Milan criteria. Thus, little attention has been given to factors that are not directly related to HCC (i.e., &#x0201c;non-oncological factors&#x0201d;), which have emerged as predictors of tumor recurrence. This review was performed to assess the effects of non-oncological factors on tumor recurrence after LT. The identification of these factors may provide new research directions and clinical strategies for the prophylaxis and surveillance of tumor recurrence after LT, which can help reduce recurrence and improve patient survival.

Neural stem cell transplantation with Nogo-66 receptor gene silencing to treat severe traumatic brain injury

Inhibition of neurite growth, which is mediated by the Nogo-66 receptor （NgR）, affects nerve regeneration following neural stem cell （NSC） transplantation. The present study utilized RNA interference to silence NgR gene expression in NSCs, which were subsequently transplanted into rats with traumatic brain injury. Following transplantation of NSCs transfected with small interfering RNA, typical neural cell-like morphology was detected in injured brain tissues, and was accompanied by absence of brain tissue cavity, increased growth-associated protein 43 mRNA and protein expression, and improved neurological function compared with NSC transplantation alone. Results demonstrated that NSC transplantation with silenced NgR gene promoted functional recovery following brain injury.

Role of PTPN2/22 polymorphisms in pathophysiology of Crohn's disease

AIM To establish the relationship of protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 2 and 22(PTPN2/22) polymorphisms and mycobacterial infections in Crohn's disease(CD). METHODS All 133 subjects' blood samples were genotyped for nine single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs) in PTPN2/22 using TaqMan^(?) genotyping, while the effect of the SNPs on PTPN2/22 and IFN-γ gene expression was determined using RT-PCR. Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis(MAP) IS900 gene was done by nPCR after DNA extraction from the isolated leukocytes of each subjects' blood samples. T-cells isolated from the patient samples were tested for response to phytohematoagglutonin(PHA) mitogen or mycobacterial antigens by Brd U proliferation assays for T-cell activity. RESULTS Out of the nine SNPs examined, subjects with either heterozygous(TC)/minor(CC) alleles in PTPN2:rs478582 occurred in 83% of CD subjects compared to 61% healthy controls(P-values < 0.05; OR = 3.03). Subjects with either heterozygous(GA)/minor(AA) alleles in PTPN22:rs2476601 occurred in 16% of CD compared to 6% healthy controls(OR = 2.7). Gene expression in PTPN2/22 in CD subjects was significantly decreased by 2 folds compared to healthy controls(P-values < 0.05). IFN-γ expression levels were found to be significantly increased by approxiately 2 folds in subjects when either heterozygous or minor alleles in PTPN2:rs478582 and/or PTPN22:rs2476601 were found(P-values < 0.05). MAP DNA was detected in 61% of CD compared to only 8% of healthy controls(P-values < 0.05, OR = 17.52), where subjects with either heterozygous or minor alleles in PTPN2:rs478582 and/or PTPN22:rs2476601 had more MAPbacteremia presence than subjects without SNPs did. T h e average T-cell proliferation in CD treated with PHA or mycobacteria antigens was, respectively, 1.3 folds and 1.5 folds higher than healthy controls without any significant SNP. CONCLUSION The data suggests that SNPs in PTPN2/22 affect the negative regulation of the immune response in CD patients, thus leading to an increase in inflammation/apoptosis and susceptibility of mycobacteria.

miR-30b inhibits autophagy to alleviate hepatic ischemiareperfusion injury via decreasing the Atg12-Atg5 conjugate

AIM: To explore the role and potential mechanism of miR-30 b regulation of autophagy in hepatic ischemiareperfusion injury(IRI).METHODS: An animal model of hepatic IRI was generated in C57BL/6 mice. For in vitro studies, AML12 cells were immersed in mineral oil for 1 h and then cultured in complete Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium(DMEM)/F12 to simulate IRI. Mice and cells were transfected with miR-30 b agomir/mimics or antagomir/inhibitor to examine the effect of miR-30 b on autophagy to promote hepatic IRI. The expression of miR-30 b was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Apoptotic cells were detected by terminal uridine nickend labeling(TUNEL) staining, and cell viability was detected by methylthiazole tetrazolium assay. The expression of light chain 3, autophagy-related gene(Atg)12, Atg5, P62, and caspase-3 were detected by western blotting analysis.RESULTS: miR-30 b levels were significantly downregulated after hepatic IRI, and the numbers of autophagosomes were increased in response to IRI both in vivo and in vitro. These findings demonstrate that low levels of miR-30 b could promote hepatic IRI. Furthermore, we found that miR-30 b interacted with Atg12-Atg5 conjugate by binding to Atg12. Overexpression of miR-30 b diminished Atg12 and Atg12-Atg5 conjugate levels, which promoted autophagy in response to IR. In contrast, downregulation of miR-30 b was associated with increased Atg12-Atg5 conjugate levels and increased autophagy.CONCLUSION: miR-30 b inhibited autophagy to alleviate hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury via decreasing the Atg12-Atg5 conjugate.

CXCR7/CXCL12 axis is involved in lymph node and liver metastasis of gastric carcinoma

AIM To investigate the role of CXC chemokine receptor (CXCR)-7 and CXCL12 in lymph node and liver metastasis of gastric carcinoma. METHODS In 160 cases of gastric cancer, the expression of CXCR7 and CXCL12 in tumor and matched tumoradjacent non-cancer tissues, in the lymph nodes around the stomach and in the liver was detected using immunohistochemistry to analyze the relationship between CXCR7/CXCL12 expression and clinicopathological features and to determine whether CXCR7 and CXCL12 constitute a biological axis to promote lymph node and liver metastasis of gastric cancer. Furthermore, the CXCR7 gene was silenced and overexpressed in human gastric cancer SGC-7901 cells, and cell proliferation, migration and invasiveness were measured by the MTT, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. RESULTS CXCR7 expression was up-regulated in gastric cancer tissues (P = 0.011). CXCR7/CXCL12 expression was significantly related to high tumor stage and lymph node (r = 0.338, P = 0.000) and liver metastasis (r = 0.629, P = 0.000). The expression of CXCL12 in lymph node and liver metastasis was higher than that in primary gastric cancer tissues (chi(2) = 6.669, P = 0.010; chi(2) = 25379, P = 0.000), and the expression of CXCL12 in lymph node and liver metastasis of gastric cancer was consistent with the positive expression of CXCR7 in primary gastric cancer (r = 0.338, P = 0.000; r = 0.629, P = 0.000). Overexpression of the CXCR7 gene promoted cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Silencing of the CXCR7 gene suppressed SGC-7901 cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Human gastric cancer cell lines expressed CXCR7 and showed vigorous proliferation and migratory responses to CXCL12. CONCLUSION The CXCR7/CXCL12 axis is involved in lymph node and liver metastasis of gastric cancer. CXCR7 is considered a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of gastric cancer.

Effects of heme oxygenase-1-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells on microcirculation and energy metabolism following liver transplantation

AIM To investigate the effects of heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)-modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMMSCs)on the microcirculation and energy metabolism of hepatic sinusoids following reduced-size liver transplantation(RLT)in a rat model.METHODS BMMSCs were isolated and cultured in vitro using an adherent method,and then transduced with HO-1-bearing recombinant adenovirus to construct HO-1/BMMSCs.A rat acute rejection model following 50%RLT was established using a two-cuff technique.Recipients were divided into three groups based on the treatment received:normal saline(NS),BMMSCs and HO-1/BMMSCs.Liver function was examined at six time points.The levels of endothelin-1(ET-1),endothelial nitric-oxide synthase(e NOS),inducible nitric-oxide synthase(i NOS),nitric oxide(NO),and hyaluronic acid(HA)were detected using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The portal vein pressure(PVP)was detected by Power Lab ML880.The expressions of ET-1,i NOS,e NOS,and von Willebrand factor(v WF)protein in the transplanted liver were detected using immunohistochemistry and Western blotting.ATPase in the transplanted liver was detected by chemical colorimetry,and the ultrastructural changes were observed under a transmission electron microscope.RESULTS HO-1/BMMSCs could alleviate the pathological changes and rejection activity index of the transplanted liver,and improve the liver function of rats following 50%RLT,with statistically significant differences compared with those of the NS group and BMMSCs group(P<0.05).In term of the microcirculation of hepatic sinusoids:The PVP on POD7 decreased significantly in the HO-1/BMMSCs and BMMSCs groups compared with that of the NS group(P<0.01);HO-1/BMMSCs could inhibit the expressions of ET-1 and i NOS,increase the expressions of e NOS and inhibit amounts of NO production,and maintain the equilibrium of ET-1/NO(P<0.05);and HO-1/BMMSCs increased the expression of v WF in hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells(SECs),and promoted the degradation of HA,compared with those of the NS group and BMMSCs group(P<0.05).In term of the energy metabolism of the transplanted liver,HO-1/BMMSCs repaired the damaged mitochondria,and improved the activity of mitochondrial aspartate aminotransferase(ASTm)and ATPase,compared with the other two groups(P<0.05).CONCLUSION HO-1/BMMSCs can improve the microcirculation of hepatic sinusoids significantly,and recover the energy metabolism of damaged hepatocytes in rats following RLT,thus protecting the transplanted liver.

Application value of mixed reality in hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND As a new digital holographic imaging technology,mixed reality(MR)technology has unique advantages in determining the liver anatomy and location of tumor lesions.With the popularization of 5 G communication technology,MR shows great potential in preoperative planning and intraoperative navigation,making hepatectomy more accurate and safer.AIM To evaluate the application value of MR technology in hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS The clinical data of 95 patients who underwent open hepatectomy surgery for HCC between June 2018 and October 2020 at our hospital were analyzed retrospectively.We selected 95 patients with HCC according to the inclusion criteria and exclusion criteria.In 38 patients,hepatectomy was assisted by MR(Group A),and an additional 57 patients underwent traditional hepatectomy without MR(Group B).The perioperative outcomes of the two groups were collected and compared to evaluate the application value of MR in hepatectomy for patients with HCC.RESULTS We summarized the technical process of MR-assisted hepatectomy in the treatment of HCC.Compared to traditional hepatectomy in Group B,MR-assisted hepatectomy in Group A yielded a shorter operation time(202.86±46.02 min vs 229.52±57.13 min,P=0.003),less volume of bleeding(329.29±97.31 mL vs 398.23±159.61 mL,P=0.028),and shorter obstructive time of the portal vein(17.71±4.16 min vs 21.58±5.24 min,P=0.019).Group A had lower alanine aminotransferas and higher albumin values on the third day after the operation(119.74±29.08 U/L vs 135.53±36.68 U/L,P=0.029 and 33.60±3.21 g/L vs 31.80±3.51 g/L,P=0.014,respectively).The total postoperative complications and hospitalization days in Group A were significantly less than those in Group B[14(37.84%)vs 35(60.34%),P=0.032 and 12.05±4.04 d vs 13.78±4.13 d,P=0.049,respectively].CONCLUSION MR has some application value in three-dimensional visualization of the liver,surgical planning,and intraoperative navigation during hepatectomy,and it significantly improves the perioperative outcomes of hepatectomy for HCC.

聚合物负载的钯-咪唑催化烯烃加氢(英文)

A polymer-supported palladium-imidazole catalyst was used to catalyze the hydrogenation of various olefins under mild conditions. The rate of hydrogenation was studied. The effects of factors such as substrate concentration,catalyst concentration,partial pressure of hydrogen and temperature on initial rate of reaction of selected olefins were investigated. A mechanism for the reaction was proposed from the rate equation. The effects of the solvent and structure of the olefin on the rate of hydrogenation were investigated. The catalyst showed good reusability without any leaching of metal from the support. The homologous analog of the polymer-supported catalyst could not be used as catalyst for the hydrogenation of olefins in methanol because there was precipitation of the metal during reaction.

Using Social Media to Promote Intercultural Communication Between Chinese and American University Students

This paper reports a five-year computer-mediated intercultural exchange project between Chinese and American university students that explores the use of various social media tools with WeChat application as the main medium in collaborative intercultural assignments. The study combines quantitative and qualitative approaches by using questionnaires and action research, to investigate how Chinese EFL and American CFL learners increase their intercultural communication competence by assessing their knowledge, awareness, attitudes, and skills of discovery and awareness. The findings reveal their changes and progress in the following variables: knowledge about the variety and subtlety of both the home and target cultures, a different worldview, and cultural study methods;awareness of the importance of differences and similarities between the home and target cultures, their negative reactions to these differences(e.g., fear, ridicule, disgust, feeling of superiority, etc.) and therefore, critical evaluation of the target and home cultures;attitudes from excitement or blind admiration of the target culture to confusion, anxiety or frustration about the cultural differences, later to toleration and appreciation of cultural differences, adaptation to the target culture, and eventually to openness and readiness to suspend disbelief about other cultures and belief about one’s own;skills to contrast the target culture with their own, to demonstrate a capacity to interact appropriately in a variety of different social situations in the target culture and resolve cross-cultural conflicts and misunderstandings. This research will serve as a valuable reference for computer-mediated intercultural communication teaching and open up new possibilities to extend classroom teaching by bridging the gap between second-hand knowledge and hands-on experience.

On Meromorphic Functions That Share One Small Function of Differential Polynomials with Their Derivatives

In this paper, we study the problem of meromorphic functions that share one small function of differential polynomial with their derivatives and prove one theorem. The theorem improves the results of Jin-Dong Li and Guang-Xin Huang [1].