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Negative binomial (NB) regression model has been used to analyze crime in previous studies. The disadvantage of the NB model is that it cannot deal with spatial effects. Therefore, spatial regression models, such as the geographically weighted Poisson regression (GWPR) model, were introduced to address spatial heterogeneity in crime analysis. However, GWPR could not account for overdispersion, which is commonly observed in crime data. The geographically weighted negative binomial model (GWNBR) was adopted to address spatial heterogeneity and overdispersion simultaneously in crime analysis, based on a 3-year data set collected from ZG city, China, in this study. The count of residential burglaries was used as the dependent variable to calibrate the above models, and the results revealed that the GWPR and GWNBR models performed better than NB for reducing spatial dependency in the model residuals. GWNBR outperformed GWPR for incorporating overdispersion. Therefore, GWNBR was proven to be a promising tool for crime modeling.

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This study aimed to examine hTERC gene in different grades of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and cervical cancer, and the association between hTERC and high risk-human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) infection. Patients who underwent cervical cancer screening at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University between October 2010 and December 2011 were enrolled. All patients underwent liquid-based cytology test and hybrid capture 2 (HC2) for HPV detection. hTERC was examined using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Cervical colposcopy biopsy was performed if any of the three results was positive. HC2, FISH, and pathology were compared. A total of 1200 women underwent screening, 150 patients underwent cervical biopsy: 32 in the normal group, 38 in the CIN1 group, 66 in the CIN2/3 group, and 14 in the invasive cervical cancer group. More patients had HR-HPV infection in the CIN2/3 group and ICC group compared with the CIN1 group. hTERC increased with increasing histological dysplasia. There was significant difference in hTERC positive rate between each of the three groups. More patients with hTERC gene amplification were observed in the positive HR-HPV group than in the HR-HPV negative group. In conclusion, hTERC is a potential marker for precancerous cervical cancer lesions. hTERC might be correlated with HR-HPV infection in cervical diseases.

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As the only route formed in the inner Qinghai-Tibet plateau, the Tang-Tibet Ancient Road promoted the extension of the Overland Silk Roads to the inner Qinghai-Tibet plateau. Considering the Complex geographical and environmental factors of inner Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, we constructed a weighted trade route network based on geographical integration factors, and then adopted the principle of minimum cost and the shortest path on the network to simulate the ancient Tang-Tibet Ancient Road. We then compared the locations of known key points documented in the literature, and found a significant correspondence in the Qinghai section. However, there was a certain deviation between the key points recorded in Tibetan section and the simulated route; we found that the reason is the relative oxygen content (ROC) became a limited factor of the choice of the Tibetan section road. Moreover, we argue that the warm and humid climate and the human migration to the hinterland of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau were the fundamental driving forces for the formation of the Tang-Tibet Ancient Road.

Background/Aims: Ovarian cancer is one of the most common malignancies with a high rate of mortality in women. However, current therapies for ovarian cancer treatment are ineffective. Therefore, novel target identification is an urgent requisite. The present study aimed to investigate the role of microRNA-214 (miR-214) in ovarian cancer. Methods: The expression of miR-214, β-catenin, cyclin D1, c-myc, and TCF-1 at the transcriptional level was measured by real-time PCR, while that of β-catenin, Cyclin D1, and c-Myc at the protein level were detected by western blot. Colony formation assay and transwell assay were used to explore the invasion ability of the cancer cells. Cell cycle was measured by flow cytometry. Results: Real-time PCR showed that miR-214 expression in ovarian cancer cell lines was lower than that in the human normal ovarian epithelial cells, IOSE80. Furthermore, the low expression of miR-214 was correlated with high pathological grade. The rate of colony formation and invasion of miR-214 overexpression in SKOV-3 cells were weaker than that in control cells. Moreover, miR-214 overexpression led to the G0/G1 phase arrest. The expression of β-catenin, Cyclin D1, and c-Myc was suppressed by the overexpression of miR-214. Conclusion: These results suggested that miR-214 may serve as a tumor suppressor of ovarian cancer by targeting the β-catenin pathway.

Synthetic expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) membrane has a wide range of applications, including aerosol and dust removal, and exhibits high dust-removing efficiency, high air permeability, and cost-effectiveness. However, the intrinsic oleophilic surface of ePTFE limits its application in the oil-bearing gas−solid separation process. Herein, we report a surface modification method to prepare amphiphobic ePTFE membranes via coating of a layer of 1H,1H,2H,2Hperfluorooctyltrimethoxysilane (PFTMS) − modified nano-SiO 2 onto the surface of ePTFE fibers. The oil contact angle of the modified ePTFE membranes was increased from 0 to 123°, while retaining the initial water contact angle of 142°. The amphiphobic membrane shows excellent oil aerosol filtration efficiency with a comparative low pressure drop and high oil rejection rate of 99.5%. Remarkably, the membrane can be reused after simple rinsing with water. The oil aerosol filtration efficiency of membrane remained as high as 98.5% after five cycles of filtration and cleaning.