Factors influencing female students' entrepreneurial intention in vocational colleges: A multi-group analysis based on household income.

Female entrepreneurs have irreplaceable status and essential significance in entrepreneurship research. Improving females' entrepreneurial intentions is an important topic in this area. Accordingly, this study, based on the theory of planned behavior, investigates the factors that affect female students' entrepreneurial intention at China's vocational colleges and whether household income moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial education, attitude, competence, self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention. 2149 females from vocational colleges in Guangdong Province, Zhejiang Province, and Jiangxi Province were randomly chosen to participate in the study. They had taken part in entrepreneurial courses throughout 2021-2022. In addition, data were analyzed by structural equation modeling partial least squares. The results demonstrate that entrepreneurial education did not directly affect female students' intentions. Entrepreneurial competence, self-efficacy, and attitude positively affect entrepreneurial intention. It is further concluded that household income significantly moderates the relationship between entrepreneurial education, attitude, competence, and intention. However, there is no significant difference in the relationship between self-efficacy and entrepreneurial intention between high and low-household-income students. While females continue to confront sexism in the workplace, it is crucial that we conduct empirical research into the factors influencing female entrepreneurial intention to boost economic growth and gender parity. This research helps bridge a gap in the prior literature and adds substantial value to encouraging female entrepreneurs.

Learning and Short-Term Retention of Simulation-Based Arthroscopic Skills.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to examine the learning curve and short-term retention of arthroscopic skills acquired on a simulator. DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Clinical Skills Training Center of Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University PARTICIPANT AND METHODS: Orthopaedic residents (n = 14) without previous arthroscopy experience were included. After basic information was collected and an initial arthroscopy knowledge level test was administered, the subjects received standardised training on the simulator (day 1); then, they completed tasks on the simulator, including guided diagnostics (4 times), triangulation (5 times) and loose body removal (7 times). A learning curve for each skill was generated based on the total scores. The score of the last repetition of each task was the training level. RESULTS: A total of 14 orthopedic residents were enrolled. All participants completed the training and testing. There was a learning curve over the course of training for all 3 arthroscopic skills (p < 0.001). On day 8 after the training, the mean score for guided diagnostics decreased from 49.9 to 48.9 (p = 0.001), and the retention rate was 97.8%. For triangulation, the mean total score decreased from 58.9 to 53.6 (p < 0.001), and the retention rate was 90.8%. For loose body removal, the mean total score decreased from 87.1 to 80.7 (p < 0.001), and the retention rate was 92.7%. CONCLUSIONS: Orthopaedic residents' arthroscopic skills learned through simulator training declined significantly in 1 week after the training, especially more difficult skills.

Profile of biological characterizations and clinical application of corneal stem/progenitor cells.

Corneal stem/progenitor cells are typical adult stem/progenitor cells. The human cornea covers the front of the eyeball, which protects the eye from the outside environment while allowing vision. The location and function demand the cornea to maintain its transparency and to continuously renew its epithelial surface by replacing injured or aged cells through a rapid turnover process in which corneal stem/progenitor cells play an important role. Corneal stem/progenitor cells include mainly corneal epithelial stem cells, corneal endothelial cell progenitors and corneal stromal stem cells. Since the discovery of corneal epithelial stem cells (also known as limbal stem cells) in 1971, an increasing number of markers for corneal stem/progenitor cells have been proposed, but there is no consensus regarding the definitive markers for them. Therefore, the identification, isolation and cultivation of these cells remain challenging without a unified approach. In this review, we systematically introduce the profile of biological characterizations, such as anatomy, characteristics, isolation, cultivation and molecular markers, and clinical applications of the three categories of corneal stem/progenitor cells.

Lentivirus-mediated PD-L1 overexpression in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells induces immune tolerance in a rat keratoplasty model.

PURPOSE: The side effects of immune suppressants on immune rejection have become increasingly apparent after keratoplasty. To find out new alternative immunotherapy strategies, we studied the role of programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) co-stimulatory pathway in inducing immune tolerance of rat keratoplasty. METHODS: The PD-L1 protein was constitutively overexpressed via lentiviral transduction in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) from rats, then infused via the tail vein into rats before undergoing keratoplasty. Western blot analysis of PD-L1 protein confirmed the effectiveness of lentivirus-mediated. The phenotype of immature BMDC was confirmed by flow cytometry analysis with CD80, CD86, CD11c and MHC-II antibodies. To investigate the mechanism of the immune tolerance induced by BMDCs transfusion, PD-L1, IFN-γ and IL-17 in serum and cell culture supernatant were assessed by ELISA and qPCR. RESULTS: After LPS stimulation, immature dendritic cells with over-expression of PD-L1 still showed high expression of PD-L1(p < 0.001), and low expression of IL-17 and IFN-γ (p < 0.001), which reduced neovascularization (p < 0.05), and prolonged the survival after corneal implants. CONCLUSION: Immature DC cells with overexpression of PD-L1 have low ability to activate T cells，which is a potential treatment for avoiding graft rejection by promoting natural immunosuppression. This cellular treatment is expected to reduce the use of immune suppressants and the occurrence of side effects.

A Histogram Model to Predict the Risk of Bleeding from Oesophageal and Gastric Variceal Rupture in Cirrhosis.

OBJECTIVE: To establish and verify a nomogram for individualized prediction of patients with oesophageal and gastric variceal rupture and haemorrhage in cirrhosis. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Digestive Internal Medicine, Funan County People's Hospital, Anhui, China, from June 2017 to June 2020. METHODOLOGY: Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the risk factors for oesophageal and gastric variceal bleeding in cirrhosis. An individualized risk prediction model was established, which was validated by the parallel bootstrap method and an external validation set. RESULTS: It was found that emotional stimuli (OR=4.591, 95% CI: 1.419-14.852), improper diet (OR=3.702, 95% CI: 1.606-8.526), overwork (OR=3.529, 95% CI: 1.331-9.366), lower temperature (OR=3.013, 95% CI: 1.242-7.308), and increased abdominal pressure (OR=2.416, 95% CI: 0.900-6.487) were independent risk factors for oesophageal and gastric variceal bleeding in cirrhosis. A risk prediction model was established based on the five risk factors, and the R equation test showed that the C-index of the modelling group and the verification group was 0.815 (95% CI: 0.794-0.836) and 0.812 (95% CI: 0.793-0.831), respectively. CONCLUSION: The results of the correction curve showed little difference, which indicated that the risk prediction model has good accuracy and differentiation. KEY WORDS: Cirrhosis, Oesophagus varices and gastric fundus varices, Bleeding, Risk factors, Risk model, Validation.

The lupus autoantigen La/Ssb is an Xist-binding protein involved in Xist folding and cloud formation.

Using the programmable RNA-sequence binding domain of the Pumilio protein, we FLAG-tagged Xist (inactivated X chromosome specific transcript) in live mouse cells. Affinity pulldown coupled to mass spectrometry was employed to identify a list of 138 candidate Xist-binding proteins, from which, Ssb (also known as the lupus autoantigen La) was validated as a protein functionally critical for X chromosome inactivation (XCI). Extensive XCI defects were detected in Ssb knockdown cells, including chromatin compaction, death of female mouse embryonic stem cells during in vitro differentiation and chromosome-wide monoallelic gene expression pattern. Live-cell imaging of Xist RNA reveals the defining XCI defect: Xist cloud formation. Ssb is a ubiquitous and versatile RNA-binding protein with RNA chaperone and RNA helicase activities. Functional dissection of Ssb shows that the RNA chaperone domain plays critical roles in XCI. In Ssb knockdown cells, Xist transcripts are unstable and misfolded. These results show that Ssb is critically involved in XCI, possibly as a protein regulating the in-cell structure of Xist.

Interleukin-1 induces receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand-independent osteoclast differentiation in RAW264.7 cells.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which induces bone destruction in various diseases, such as osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. RAW264.7 cells are frequently used in studies as osteoclast precursors, however it remains unclear whether IL-1 can induce osteoclast differentiation from RAW264.7 cells without the stimulation of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL). Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the effects of IL-1 on the formation of osteoclasts from RAW264.7 cells. The cell viability was determined via the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Protein and gene expression were measured by western blotting and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR, respectively. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and the resorption pit assay were performed to determine the formation and activity of osteoclasts. A significantly increased quantity of osteoclasts were found in the IL-1 group compared with the control group, and also in the RANKL+IL-1 group compared with the RANKL group. In addition IL-1 significantly increased both the protein and mRNA expression of specific genes associated with osteoclastogenesis, including nuclear factor of activated T cells cytoplasmic 1, matrix metalloprotein-9, cathepsin K and TRAP. The findings of the present study suggested that IL-1 can induce osteoclast differentiation and upregulate the quantity of osteoclasts differentiated from RAW264.7 cells. These results may lay a foundation for further study of diseases involving inflammation-associated bone loss. The combined blockade of IL-1 and RANKL may be effective for the prevention of inflammatory bone loss.

Osterix controls cementoblast differentiation through downregulation of Wnt-signaling via enhancing DKK1 expression.

Osterix (Osx), a transcriptional factor essential for osteogenesis, is also critical for in vivo cellular cementum formation. However, the molecular mechanism by which Osx regulates cementoblasts is largely unknown. In this study, we initially demonstrated that overexpression of Osx in a cementoblast cell line upregulated the expression of markers vital to cementogenesis such as osteopontin (OPN), osteocalcin (OCN), and bone sialoprotein (BSP) at both mRNA and protein levels, and enhanced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Unexpectedly, we demonstrated a sharp increase in the expression of DKK1 (a potent canonical Wnt antagonist), and a great reduction in protein levels of ß-catenin and its nuclear translocation by overexpression of Osx. Further, transient transfection of Osx reduced protein levels of TCF1 (a target transcription factor of ß-catenin), which were partially reversed by an addition of DKK1. We also demonstrated that activation of canonical Wnt signaling by LiCl or Wnt3a significantly enhanced levels of TCF1 and suppressed the expression of OPN, OCN, and BSP, as well as ALP activity and formation of extracellular mineralized nodules. Importantly, we confirmed that there were a sharp reduction in DKK1 and a concurrent increase in ß-catenin in Osx cKO mice (crossing between the Osx loxP and 2.3 Col 1-Cre lines), in agreement with the in vitro data. Thus, we conclude that the key role of Osx in control of cementoblast proliferation and differentiation is to maintain a low level of Wnt-ß-catenin via direct up-regulation of DKK1.

MicroRNA-134 modulates the differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells, where it causes post-transcriptional attenuation of Nanog and LRH1.

Hundreds of microRNAs (miRNAs) are expressed in mammalian cells, where they aid in modulating gene expression by mediating mRNA transcript cleavage and/or regulation of translation rate. Functional studies to date have demonstrated that several of these miRNAs are important during development. However, the role of miRNAs in the regulation of stem cell growth and differentiation is not well understood. We show herein that microRNA (miR)-134 levels are maximally elevated at day 4 after retinoic acid-induced differentiation or day 2 after N2B27-induced differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), but this change is not observed during embryoid body differentiation. The elevation of miR-134 levels alone in mESCs enhances differentiation toward ectodermal lineages, an effect that is blocked by a miR-134 antagonist. The promotion of mESC differentiation by miR-134 is due, in part, to its direct translational attenuation of Nanog and LRH1, both of which are known positive regulators of Oct4/POU5F1 and mESC growth. Together, the data demonstrate that miR-134 alone can enhance the differentiation of mESCs to ectodermal lineages and establish a functional role for miR-134 in modulating mESC differentiation through its potential to target and regulate multiple mRNAs.