Yi Zhu

Value co-creation goes through the stage of co-production, customer experience, service-dominant logic, and service ecosystem. The integration of science and technology has become a key factor to the process of VCC. The rise and application of artificial intelligence technology has added a new driving force to VCC and began to affect its original practical logic. Based on the consumer perspective, this study uses Q-methodology to measure consumer cognitive attitude toward the use of AI technology in VCC, aiming to explore the key factors that affect VCC. The study found that content quality, information security, efficiency concern, and degree of manipulation have become the important concerns of consumers for VCC under AI integration. Moreover, their different statements have their specific focus and direction. The study demonstrates and analyzes the importance of the four factors and proposes the combination of human and non-human actors to shape the new model of VCC in the future, which is worth further deepening and exploring for academia and enterprises.

© 2017 Macmillan Publishers Limited, part of Springer Nature. All rights reserved.Metal-organic frameworks are crystalline porous materials with designable topology, porosity and functionality, having promising applications in gas storage and separation, ion conduction and catalysis. It is challenging to observe MOFs with transmission electron microscopy due to the extreme instability of MOFs upon electron beam irradiation. Here, we use a direct-detection electron-counting camera to acquire TEM images of the MOF ZIF-8 with an ultralow dose of 4.1 electrons per square ångström to retain the structural integrity. The obtained image involves structural information transferred up to 2.1 Å, allowing the resolution of individual atomic columns of Zn and organic linkers in the framework. Furthermore, TEM reveals important local structural features of ZIF-8 crystals that cannot be identified by diffraction techniques, including armchair-type surface terminations and coherent interfaces between assembled crystals. These observations allow us to understand how ZIF-8 crystals self-assemble and the subsequent influence of interfacial cavities on mass transport of guest molecules.

© 2016 American Society of Plant Biologists. All rights reserved.Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase has been shown to play an important role in abscisic acid -induced antioxidant defense and enhance the tolerance of plants to drought stress. However, its downstream molecular events are poorly understood. Here, we identify a NAC transcription factor, ZmNAC84, in maize, which physically interacts with ZmCCaMK in vitro and in vivo. ZmNAC84 displays a partially overlapping expression pattern with ZmCCaMK after ABA treatment, and H2O2 is required for ABA-induced ZmNAC84expression. Functional analysis reveals that ZmNAC84 is essential for ABA-induced antioxidant defense in a ZmCCaMK-dependent manner. Furthermore, ZmCCaMK directly phosphorylates Ser-113 of ZmNAC84 in vitro, and Ser-113 is essential for the ABA-induced stimulation of antioxidant defense by ZmCCaMK. Moreover, overexpression of ZmNAC84 in tobacco can improve drought tolerance and alleviate drought-induced oxidative damage of transgenic plants. These results define a mechanism for ZmCCaMK function in ABA-induced antioxidant defense, where ABA-produced H2O2 first induces expression of ZmCCaMK and ZmNAC84 and activates ZmCCaMK. Subsequently, the activated ZmCCaMK phosphorylates ZmNAC84 at Ser-113, thereby inducing antioxidant defense by activating downstream genes.

© 2015 by the Shock Society.Lung ischemia-reperfusion complicates numerous clinical processes, such as cardiac arrest, transplantation, and major trauma. These conditions generate sterile inflammation, which can cause or worsen acute lung injury. We previously reported that lung and systemic inflammation in a mouse model of ventilated lung IR depends on Toll-like receptor 4 signaling and the presence of alveolar macrophages. Here, we tested the hypothesis that the intestinal microbiome has a role in influencing the inflammatory response to lung IR. Lung IR was created in intubated mechanically ventilated mice via reversible left pulmonary artery occlusion followed by reperfusion. Inflammatory markers and histology were tracked during varying periods of reperfusion. Separate groups of mice were given intestinally localized antibiotics for 8 to 10 weeks and then were subjected to left lung IR and analysis of lungs and plasma for markers of inflammation. Alveolar macrophages from antibiotic-treated or control mice were tested ex vivo for inflammatory responses to bacterial TLR agonists, namely, lipopolysaccharide and Pam3Cys. We found that inflammation generated by left lung IR was rapid in onset and dissipated within 12 to 24 h. Treatment of mice with intestinally localized antibiotics was associated with a marked attenuation of circulating and lung inflammatory markers as well as reduced histologic evidence of infiltrating cells and edema in the lung after IR. Alveolar macrophages from antibiotic-treated mice produced less cytokines ex vivo when stimulated with TLR agonists as compared with those from control mice. Our data indicate that the inflammatory response induced by nonhypoxic lung IR is transient and is strongly influenced by intestinal microbiota. Furthermore, these data suggest that the intestinal microbiome could potentially be manipulated to attenuate the post-IR pulmonary inflammatory response.

Objective: Previous studies have shown that cortical-evoked potentials on magnetic stimulation of muscles are influenced by muscle contraction, vibration, and muscle spasm. This study was carried out to determine whether these potentials correlate with palpatory muscle spasm, patient symptoms, and disability in patients with low back pain. Methods: A prospective observational study was performed on 13 subjects with a history of low back pain visiting an orthopedic hospital-based clinic. Patients were screened for serious pathologic conditions by an orthopedic surgeon. The patients were then evaluated for the presence of muscle spasm by one of the investigators who was blinded to the results of the evoked potential studies. Patients were asked to complete a low back pain visual analogue scale and a Roland-Morris Activity Scale. Cortical-evoked potentials were recorded with a magnetic stimulator placed over the lumbar paraspinal muscles with the patient in the prone position. The palpatory examination, VAS, RMAS, and the cortical potentials were repeated after 2 weeks of therapy commonly used to reduce muscle spasm. Results: The patients demonstrated a significant decrease in low back pain VAS and RMAS scores after treatment compared with before treatment. There was a reduction in the amount of palpatory muscle spasm in 11 of 13 cases. The cortical potentials before treatment were attenuated compared with previously reported controls and showed a significant increase before and after treatment in the amplitude of these potentials with multivariate analysis of variance. There was significant correlation between the changes in cortical potentials after treatment and the changes noted in paraspinal muscle spasm and VAS and RMAS scores. Conclusions: This study confirms the previous report that the amplitude of cerebral-evoked potentials on magnetic stimulation of paraspinal muscles is depressed in the presence of palpable muscle spasm. The close correlation among these potentials, paraspinal muscle spasm, and clinical symptoms suggests that the measurement of muscle activity may be more important in the assessment of low back pain than is commonly accepted. © 2000 JMPT.

Somatosensory evoked potentials were recorded from the scalp in man to magnetic stimulation of various skeletal muscles. The potentials consisted of several components, the earliest of which decreased in latency as the stimulated site moved rostrally, ranging from 46 msec for stimulation of the gastrocnemius, to 14 msec for stimulation of the deltoid. Experiments were performed to distinguish the mechanisms by which magnetic stimulation of the muscle was effective in evoking these cerebral potentials. For the gastrocnemius, the intensity of the magnetic stimulus needed for evoking cerebral potentials was less than that required for activating mixed or sensory nerves in proximity to the muscle belly. Vibration of the muscle or passive lengthening of the muscle, procedures which activate muscle spindles, were accompanied by a significant attenuation of the potentials evoked by magnetic stimulation of the muscle. Anesthesia of the skin underlying the stimulating coil had no effect on the latency or amplitude of the early components of the magnetically evoked potentials, whereas electrically evoked potentials from skin electrodes were abolished. Thus, the cerebral potentials accompanying magnetic stimulation of the muscle appear to be due to activation of muscle afferents. We suggest that magnetic stimulation of muscle can provide a relatively simple method for quantifying the function of muscle afferents originating from a wide variety of skeletal musculature. Copyright © 1991 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

© 2015 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved. Genome-wide gene expression measurements have enabled comprehensive studies that integrate the changes of gene expression and phenotypic information to uncover their novel associations. Here we reported the association analysis between psychophysical phenotypes and genome-wide gene expression changes in human adaptation to one of the most extreme climates on Earth, the Antarctic Dome Argus. Dome A is the highest ice feature in Antarctica, and may be the coldest, driest and windiest location on earth. It is considered unapproachable due to its hostile environment. In 2007, a Chinese team of 17 male explorers made the expedition to Dome A for scientific investigation. Overall, 133 psychophysical phenotypes were recorded, and genome-wide gene expression profiles from the blood samples of the explorers were measured before their departure and upon their arrival at Dome A. We found that mood disturbances, including tension, depression, anger and fatigue, had a strong, positive, linear relationship with the level of a male sex hormone, testosterone, using the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis. We also demonstrated that significantly lowest-level Gene Ontology groups in changes of gene expression in blood cells with erythrocyte removal were consistent with the adaptation of the psychophysical characteristics. Interestingly, we discovered a list of genes that were strongly related to significant phenotypes using phenotype and gene expression PCC analysis. Importantly, among the 70 genes that were identified, most were significantly related to mood disturbances, where 42 genes have been reported in the literature mining, suggesting that the other 28 genes were likely novel genes involved in the mood disturbance mechanism. Taken together, our association analysis provides a reliable method to uncover novel genes and mechanisms related to phenotypes, although further studies are needed.

© 2015 by the American Thoracic Society. Rationale: Microvesicles are anuclear fragments of cells released from the endosomal compartment or shed from surface membranes. We and other investigators demonstrated that MVs released by mesenchymal stem cells were as effective as the cells themselves in inflammatory injuries, such as after endotoxininduced acute lung injury. However, the therapeutic effects of MVs in an infectious model of acute lung injury remain unknown. Objectives: We investigated the effects of human MSC MVs on lung inflammation, protein permeability, bacterial clearance, and survival after severe bacterial pneumonia. Methods: We tested the effects of MVs derived from human MSCs on Escherichia coli pneumonia in mice. We also studied the interactions between MVs and human monocytes and human alveolar epithelial type 2 cells. Measurements and Main Results: Administration of MVs derived from human MSCs improved survival in part through keratinocyte growth factor secretion and decreased the influx of inflammatory cells, cytokines, protein, and bacteria in mice injured with bacterial pneumonia. In primary cultures of human monocytes or alveolar type 2 cells, the uptake of MVs was mediated by CD44 receptors, which were essential for the therapeutic effects. MVs enhanced monocyte phagocytosis of bacteria while decreasing inflammatory cytokine secretion and increased intracellular ATP levels in injured alveolar epithelial type 2 cells. Prestimulation of MSCs with a toll-like receptor 3 agonist further enhanced the therapeutic effects of the released MVs. Conclusions: MVs derived from human MSCs were as effective as the parent stem cells in severe bacterial pneumonia.

Background and ObjectiveThere is vast published literature proposing repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation technology on the motor cortex for the treatment of neuropathic pain. Systematic reviews focus on a specific problem and do not provide a comprehensive overview of a research area. This study aimed to summarize and analyze the evidence of rTMS on the M1 for NP treatment through a new synthesis method called evidence mapping.MethodsSearches were conducted in PubMed, EMBASE, Epistemonikos, and The Cochrane Library to identify the studies that summarized the effectiveness of rTMS for NP. The study type was restricted to SRs with or without meta-analysis. All literature published before January 23, 2021, was included. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, assessed the methodological quality, and extracted the data. The methodological quality of the included SRs was assessed by using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews. Data were extracted following a defined population, intervention, comparison, and outcome framework from primary studies that included SRs. The same PICO was categorized into PICOs according to interventions [frequency, number of sessions ] and compared. The evidence map was presented in tables and a bubble plot.ResultsA total of 38 SRs met the eligibility criteria. After duplicate primary studies were removed, these reviews included 70 primary studies that met the scope of evidence mapping. According to the AMSTAR-2 assessment, the quality of the included SRs was critically low. Of these studies, 34 SRs scored “critically low” in terms of methodological quality, 2 SR scored “low,” 1 SR scored “moderate,” and 1 SR scored “high.”ConclusionEvidence mapping is a useful methodology to provide a comprehensive and reliable overview of studies on rTMS for NP. Evidence mapping also shows that further investigations are necessary to highlight the optimal stimulation protocols and standardize all parameters to fill the evidence gaps of rTMS. Given that the methodological quality of most included SRs was “critically low,” further investigations are advised to improve the methodological quality and the reporting process of SRs.

The electron-optical phase shift induced in the electron beam due to the interaction with the electromagnetic field of magnetized nanoparticles of defined shape and arbitrary dimensions is calculated, presented and discussed. Together with the computable knowledge of vector potential and magnetic induction, including the demagnetizing field, and with the extension to more realistic geometries which will be presented in part II, this theoretical framework can be employed for the interpretation of transmission electron microscopy experiments on magnetic particles on the nanometre scale

A method is presented to compute the electron-optical phase shift for a magnetized polyhedral nanoparticle, with either a uniform magnetization or a closure domain . The method relies on an analytical expression for the shape amplitude, combined with a reciprocal-space description of the magnetic vector potential. The model is used to construct two building blocks from which more complex structures can be generated. Phase computations are also presented for the five Platonic and 13 Archimedean solids. Fresnel and Foucault imaging mode simulations are presented for a range of particle shapes and microscope imaging conditions

In the People’s Republic of China (PRC), we investigated the relationships between supervisor–subordinate guanxi and trust in supervisor in firms with different types of ownership from both supervisor and subordinate’s sides. Utilising a qualitative approach, the findings of this study showed there was a direct relationship of superior–subordinate guanxi on trust in supervisor. The findings were discussed in the theoretical context of—social exchange theory, social identity theory and the theory of reasoned action as the theoretical foundations on the relationships between superior–subordinate guanxi and trust in supervisor.