Displaying publications 21 - 37 of 37 in total

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  1. Wang J, Shao Y, Ma Y, Zhang D, Aziz SB, Li Z, et al.
    ACS Nano, 2024 Apr 09;18(14):10230-10242.
    PMID: 38546180 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c00599
    The realization of sodium-ion devices with high-power density and long-cycle capability is challenging due to the difficulties of carrier diffusion and electrode fragmentation in transition metal selenide anodes. Herein, a Mo/W-based metal-organic framework is constructed by a one-step method through rational selection, after which MoWSe/C heterostructures with large angles are synthesized by a facile selenization/carbonization strategy. Through physical characterization and theoretical calculations, the synthesized MoWSe/C electrode delivers obvious structural advantages and excellent electrochemical performance in an ethylene glycol dimethyl ether electrolyte. Furthermore, the electrochemical vehicle mechanism of ions in the electrolyte is systematically revealed through comparative analyses. Resultantly, ether-based electrolytes advantageously construct stable solid electrolyte interfaces and avoid electrolyte decomposition. Based on the above benefits, the Na half-cell assembled with MoWSe/C electrodes demonstrated excellent rate capability and a high specific capacity of 347.3 mA h g-1 even after cycling 2000 cycles at 10 A g-1. Meanwhile, the constructed sodium-ion capacitor maintains ∼80% capacity retention after 11,000 ultralong cycles at a high-power density of 3800 W kg-1. The findings can broaden the mechanistic understanding of conversion anodes in different electrolytes and provide a reference for the structural design of anodes with high capacity, fast kinetics, and long-cycle stability.
  2. Kurniawan TA, Mohyuddin A, Othman MHD, Goh HH, Zhang D, Anouzla A, et al.
    Water Environ Res, 2024 Jul;96(7):e11070.
    PMID: 39005104 DOI: 10.1002/wer.11070
    Every year, the global production of plastic waste reaches a staggering 400 million metric tons (Mt), precipitating adverse consequences for the environment, food safety, and biodiversity as it degrades into microplastics (MPs). The multifaceted nature of MP pollution, coupled with its intricate physiological impacts, underscores the pressing need for comprehensive policies and legislative frameworks. Such measures, alongside advancements in technology, hold promise in averting ecological catastrophe in the oceans. Mandated legislation represents a pivotal step towards restoring oceanic health and securing the well-being of the planet. This work offers an overview of the policy hurdles, legislative initiatives, and prospective strategies for addressing global pollution due to MP. Additionally, this work explores innovative approaches that yield fresh insights into combating plastic pollution across various sectors. Emphasizing the importance of a global plastics treaty, the article underscores its potential to galvanize collaborative efforts in mitigating MP pollution's deleterious effects on marine ecosystems. Successful implementation of such a treaty could revolutionize the plastics economy, steering it towards a circular, less polluting model operating within planetary boundaries. Failure to act decisively risks exacerbating the scourge of MP pollution and its attendant repercussions on both humanity and the environment. Central to this endeavor are the formulation, content, and execution of the treaty itself, which demand careful consideration. While recognizing that a global plastics treaty is not a panacea, it serves as a mechanism for enhancing plastics governance and elevating global ambitions towards achieving zero plastic pollution by 2040. Adopting a life cycle approach to plastic management allows for a nuanced understanding of possible trade-offs between environmental impact and economic growth, guiding the selection of optimal solutions with socio-economic implications in mind. By embracing a comprehensive strategy that integrates legislative measures and technological innovations, we can substantially reduce the influx of marine plastic litter at its sources, safeguarding the oceans for future generations.
  3. Tang J, Li T, Wang X, Xue H, Zhang D, Liu X, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2024 Nov 13;14(1):27862.
    PMID: 39537656 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-76510-x
    To investigate the difference in preoperative retinal function in patients with type 2 diabetes cataract (DC) without obvious retinopathy and to explore the clinical application of full blood glucose management for improving the postoperative vision in DC patients. This was a retrospective analysis in which we estimated the changes in visual electrophysiology (N75, P100, photopic flash electroretinogram(FERG), and scotopic FERG, paraoptic retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (pRNFL) and paraoptic radial capillary network blood flow density (ppVD) of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients at different phases of disease progression along with fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbAlC) levels before and after DC surgery at Ziyang Central Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. Additionally, trends in the above data throughout the entire process of glucose management intervention were examined. As the course of T2DM progressed, FBG and HbA1c increased, the N75 and P100 latency periods of patients gradually increased, and the values of photopic FERG, scotopic FERG, pRNFL, and ppVD gradually decreased at each postoperative time point. Moreover, the best corrected visual acuity(BCVA) of patients after surgery gradually decreased (P 
  4. Guan R, Van Le Q, Yang H, Zhang D, Gu H, Yang Y, et al.
    Chemosphere, 2021 May;271:129499.
    PMID: 33445014 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129499
    Phytochemicals refer to active substances in plant-based diets. Phytochemicals found in for example fruits, vegetables, grains and seed oils are considered relatively safe for consumption due to mammal-plant co-evolution and adaptation. A number of human diseases are related to oxidative stress caused by for example chemical environmental contaminants in air, water and food; while also lifestyle including smoking and lack of exercise and dietary preferences are important factors for disease development in humans. Here we explore the dietary sources of antioxidant phytochemicals that have beneficial effects on oxidative stress, cardiovascular and neurological diseases as well as cancer. Plant-based diets usually contain phenolic acids, flavonoids and carotenoids, which have strong antioxidant properties, and therefore remove the excess of active oxygen in the body, and protect cells from damage, reducing the risk of cardiovascular and Alzheimer's disease. In most cases, obesity is related to diet and inactivity and plant-based diets change lipid composition and metabolism, which reduce obesity related hazards. Cruciferous and Allium vegetables are rich in organic sulphides that can act on the metabolism of carcinogens and therefore used as anti-cancer and suppressing agents while dietary fibres and plant sterols may improve intestinal health and prevent intestinal diseases. Thus, we recommend a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains as its content of phytochemicals may have the potential to prevent or improve a broad sweep of various diseases.
  5. Wang Y, Cho SH, Lin HC, Ghoshal AG, Bin Abdul Muttalif AR, Thanaviratananich S, et al.
    Int Arch Allergy Immunol, 2018;177(1):69-79.
    PMID: 29874659 DOI: 10.1159/000489015
    BACKGROUND: Allergic rhinitis (AR), asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and rhinosinusitis are common and little studied in the Asia-Pacific region.

    OBJECTIVES: We sought to investigate real-world practice patterns for these respiratory diseases in India, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional observational study enrolled adults (age ≥18 years) presenting to general practitioners (GP) or specialists for physician-diagnosed AR, asthma, COPD, or rhinosinusitis. Physicians and patients completed study-specific surveys at one visit, recording patient characteristics, health-related quality of life (QoL), work impairment, and healthcare resource use. Findings by country and physician category (GP or specialist) were summarized.

    RESULTS: Of the 13,902 patients screened, 7,243 (52%) presented with AR (18%), asthma (18%), COPD (7%), or rhinosinusitis (9%); 5,250 of the 7,243 (72%) patients were eligible for this study. Most eligible patients (70-100%) in India, Korea, Malaysia, and Singapore attended GP, while most (83-85%) in Taiwan and Thailand attended specialists. From 42% (rhinosinusitis) to 67% (AR) of new diagnoses were made by GP. On average, patients with COPD reported the worst health-related QoL, particularly to GP. Median losses of work productivity for each condition and activity impairment, except for asthma, were numerically greater for patients presenting to GP vs. specialists. GP prescribed more antibiotics for AR and asthma, and fewer intranasal corticosteroids for AR, than specialists (p < 0.001 for all comparisons).

    CONCLUSIONS: Our findings, albeit mostly descriptive and influenced by between-country differences, suggest that practice patterns differ between physician types, and the disease burden may be substantial for patients presenting in general practice.
  6. Li Y, Ling Ma N, Chen H, Zhong J, Zhang D, Peng W, et al.
    Environ Int, 2023 Nov;181:108279.
    PMID: 37924601 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108279
    According to the World Health Organization, women's breast cancer is among the most common cancers with 7.8 million diagnosed cases during 2016-2020 and encompasses 15 % of all female cancer-related mortalities. These mortality events from triple-negative breast cancer are a significant health issue worldwide calling for a continuous search of bioactive compounds for better cancer treatments. Historically, plants are important sources for identifying such new bioactive chemicals for treatments. Here we use high-throughput screening and mass spectrometry analyses of extracts from 100 plant species collected in Chinese ancient forests to detect novel bioactive breast cancer phytochemicals. First, to study the effects on viability of the plant extracts, we used a MTT and CCK-8 cytotoxicity assay employing triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) MDA-MB-231 and normal epithelial MCF-10A cell lines and cell cycle arrest to estimate apoptosis using flow cytometry for the most potent three speices. Based on these analyses, the final most potent extracts were from the Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii) wood/root bark and Nigaki (Picrasma quassioides) wood/root bark. Then, 5 × 106 MDA-MB-231 cells were injected subcutaneously into the right hind leg of nude mice and a tumour was allowed to grow before treatment for seven days. Subsequently, the four exposed groups received gavage extracts from Amur honeysuckle and Nigaki (Amur honeysuckle wood distilled water, Amur honeysuckle root bark ethanol, Nigaki wood ethanol or Nigaki root bark distilled water/ethanol (1:1) extracts) in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), while the control group received only PBS. The tumour weight of treated nude mice was reduced significantly by 60.5 % within 2 weeks, while on average killing 70 % of the MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells after 48 h treatment (MTT test). In addition, screening of target genes using the Swiss Target Prediction, STITCH, STRING and NCBI-gene database showed that the four plant extracts possess desirable activity towards several known breast cancer genes. This reflects that the extracts may kill MBD-MB-231 breast cancer cells. This is the first screening of plant extracts with high efficiency in 2 decades, showing promising results for future development of novel cancer treatments.
  7. Peng W, Ma NL, Zhang D, Zhou Q, Yue X, Khoo SC, et al.
    Environ Res, 2020 12;191:110046.
    PMID: 32841638 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110046
    Locusts differ from ordinary grasshoppers in their ability to swarm over long distances and are among the oldest migratory pests. The ecology and biology of locusts make them among the most devastating pests worldwide and hence the calls for actions to prevent the next outbreaks. The most destructive of all locust species is the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria). Here, we review the current locust epidemic 2020 outbreak and its causes and prevention including the green technologies that may provide a reference for future directions of locust control and food security. Massive locust outbreaks threaten the terrestrial environments and crop production in around 100 countries of which Ethiopia, Somalia and Kenya are the most affected. Six large locust outbreaks are reported for the period from 1912 to 1989 all being closely related to long-term droughts and warm winters coupled with occurrence of high precipitation in spring and summer. The outbreaks in East Africa, India and Pakistan are the most pronounced with locusts migrating more than 150 km/day during which the locusts consume food equivalent to their own body weight on a daily basis. The plague heavily affects the agricultural sectors, which is the foundation of national economies and social stability. Global warming is likely the main cause of locust plague outbreak in recent decades driving egg spawning of up to 2-400,000 eggs per square meter. Biological control techniques such as microorganisms, insects and birds help to reduce the outbreaks while reducing ecosystem and agricultural impacts. In addition, green technologies such as light and sound stimulation seem to work, however, these are challenging and need further technological development incorporating remote sensing and modelling before they are applicable on large-scales. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, the 2020 locust outbreak is the worst in 70 years probably triggered by climate change, hurricanes and heavy rain and has affected a total of 70,000 ha in Somalia and Ethiopia. There is a need for shifting towards soybean, rape, and watermelon which seems to help to prevent locust outbreaks and obtain food security. Furthermore, locusts have a very high protein content and is an excellent protein source for meat production and as an alternative human protein source, which should be used to mitigate food security. In addition, forestation of arable land improves local climate conditions towards less precipitation and lower temperatures while simultaneously attracting a larger number of birds thereby increasing the locust predation rates.
  8. Li L, Li Q, Huang L, Wang Q, Zhu A, Xu J, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2020 Aug 25;732:139282.
    PMID: 32413621 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139282
    The outbreak of COVID-19 has spreaded rapidly across the world. To control the rapid dispersion of the virus, China has imposed national lockdown policies to practise social distancing. This has led to reduced human activities and hence primary air pollutant emissions, which caused improvement of air quality as a side-product. To investigate the air quality changes during the COVID-19 lockdown over the YRD Region, we apply the WRF-CAMx modelling system together with monitoring data to investigate the impact of human activity pattern changes on air quality. Results show that human activities were lowered significantly during the period: industrial operations, VKT, constructions in operation, etc. were significantly reduced, leading to lowered SO2, NOx, PM2.5 and VOCs emissions by approximately 16-26%, 29-47%, 27-46% and 37-57% during the Level I and Level II response periods respectively. These emission reduction has played a significant role in the improvement of air quality. Concentrations of PM2.5, NO2 and SO2 decreased by 31.8%, 45.1% and 20.4% during the Level I period; and 33.2%, 27.2% and 7.6% during the Level II period compared with 2019. However, ozone did not show any reduction and increased greatly. Our results also show that even during the lockdown, with primary emissions reduction of 15%-61%, the daily average PM2.5 concentrations range between 15 and 79 μg m-3, which shows that background and residual pollutions are still high. Source apportionment results indicate that the residual pollution of PM2.5 comes from industry (32.2-61.1%), mobile (3.9-8.1%), dust (2.6-7.7%), residential sources (2.1-28.5%) in YRD and 14.0-28.6% contribution from long-range transport coming from northern China. This indicates that in spite of the extreme reductions in primary emissions, it cannot fully tackle the current air pollution. Re-organisation of the energy and industrial strategy together with trans-regional joint-control for a full long-term air pollution plan need to be further taken into account.
  9. Shen D, Qi H, Lin W, Zhang W, Bian D, Shi X, et al.
    Sci Adv, 2021 Jun;7(23).
    PMID: 34088662 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abf0614
    Balancing the biodegradability and mechanical integrity of a bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) with time after implantation to match the remodeling of the scaffolded blood vessel is important, but a key challenge in doing so remains. This study presents a novel intercalated structure of a metallic BRS by introducing a nanoscale Zn sacrificial layer between the nitrided Fe platform and the sirolimus-carrying poly(d,l-lactide) drug coating. The PDLLA-Zn-FeN BRS shows a multistage biodegradation behavior, maintaining mechanical integrity at the initial stage and exhibiting accelerated biodegradation at the subsequent stage in both rabbit abdominal aortas and human coronary arteries, where complete biodegradation was observed about 2 years after implantation. The presence of the nanoscale Zn sacrificial layer with an adjustable thickness also contributes to the tunable biodegradation of BRS and allows the reduction of the metallic strut thickness to 53 μm, with radial strength as strong as that of the current permanent drug-eluting stents.
  10. Sun Y, Tang H, Du S, Chen Y, Ou Z, Zhang M, et al.
    Eco Environ Health, 2023 Dec;2(4):208-218.
    PMID: 38435359 DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2023.08.001
    Indoor microorganisms impact asthma and allergic rhinitis (AR), but the associated microbial taxa often vary extensively due to climate and geographical variations. To provide more consistent environmental assessments, new perspectives on microbial exposure for asthma and AR are needed. Home dust from 97 cases (32 asthma alone, 37 AR alone, 28 comorbidity) and 52 age- and gender-matched controls in Shanghai, China, were analyzed using high-throughput shotgun metagenomic sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Homes of healthy children were enriched with environmental microbes, including Paracoccus, Pseudomonas, and Psychrobacter, and metabolites like keto acids, indoles, pyridines, and flavonoids (astragalin, hesperidin) (False Discovery Rate 
  11. Liu C, Kanazawa T, Tian Y, Mohamed Saini S, Mancuso S, Mostaid MS, et al.
    Transl Psychiatry, 2019 08 27;9(1):205.
    PMID: 31455759 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0532-4
    Over 3000 candidate gene association studies have been performed to elucidate the genetic underpinnings of schizophrenia. However, a comprehensive evaluation of these studies' findings has not been undertaken since the decommissioning of the schizophrenia gene (SzGene) database in 2011. As such, we systematically identified and carried out random-effects meta-analyses for all polymorphisms with four or more independent studies in schizophrenia along with a series of expanded meta-analyses incorporating published and unpublished genome-wide association (GWA) study data. Based on 550 meta-analyses, 11 SNPs in eight linkage disequilibrium (LD) independent loci showed Bonferroni-significant associations with schizophrenia. Expanded meta-analyses identified an additional 10 SNPs, for a total of 21 Bonferroni-significant SNPs in 14 LD-independent loci. Three of these loci (MTHFR, DAOA, ARVCF) had never been implicated by a schizophrenia GWA study. In sum, the present study has provided a comprehensive summary of the current schizophrenia genetics knowledgebase and has made available all the collected data as a resource for the research community.
  12. Barkham T, Zadoks RN, Azmai MNA, Baker S, Bich VTN, Chalker V, et al.
    PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 2019 06;13(6):e0007421.
    PMID: 31246981 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007421
    BACKGROUND: In 2015, Singapore had the first and only reported foodborne outbreak of invasive disease caused by the group B Streptococcus (GBS; Streptococcus agalactiae). Disease, predominantly septic arthritis and meningitis, was associated with sequence type (ST)283, acquired from eating raw farmed freshwater fish. Although GBS sepsis is well-described in neonates and older adults with co-morbidities, this outbreak affected non-pregnant and younger adults with fewer co-morbidities, suggesting greater virulence. Before 2015 ST283 had only been reported from twenty humans in Hong Kong and two in France, and from one fish in Thailand. We hypothesised that ST283 was causing region-wide infection in Southeast Asia.

    METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a literature review, whole genome sequencing on 145 GBS isolates collected from six Southeast Asian countries, and phylogenetic analysis on 7,468 GBS sequences including 227 variants of ST283 from humans and animals. Although almost absent outside Asia, ST283 was found in all invasive Asian collections analysed, from 1995 to 2017. It accounted for 29/38 (76%) human isolates in Lao PDR, 102/139 (73%) in Thailand, 4/13 (31%) in Vietnam, and 167/739 (23%) in Singapore. ST283 and its variants were found in 62/62 (100%) tilapia from 14 outbreak sites in Malaysia and Vietnam, in seven fish species in Singapore markets, and a diseased frog in China.

    CONCLUSIONS: GBS ST283 is widespread in Southeast Asia, where it accounts for a large proportion of bacteraemic GBS, and causes disease and economic loss in aquaculture. If human ST283 is fishborne, as in the Singapore outbreak, then GBS sepsis in Thailand and Lao PDR is predominantly a foodborne disease. However, whether transmission is from aquaculture to humans, or vice versa, or involves an unidentified reservoir remains unknown. Creation of cross-border collaborations in human and animal health are needed to complete the epidemiological picture.

  13. Cao Y, Chen L, Chen H, Cun Y, Dai X, Du H, et al.
    Natl Sci Rev, 2023 Apr;10(4):nwac287.
    PMID: 37089192 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwac287
  14. Hayrapetyan A, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Andrejkovic JW, Bergauer T, Chatterjee S, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2024 Nov 08;133(19):191902.
    PMID: 39576923 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.133.191902
    The first search for soft unclustered energy patterns (SUEPs) is performed using an integrated luminosity of 138  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collision data at sqrt[s]=13  TeV, collected in 2016-2018 by the CMS detector at the LHC. Such SUEPs are predicted by hidden valley models with a new, confining force with a large 't Hooft coupling. In events with boosted topologies, selected by high-threshold hadronic triggers, the multiplicity and sphericity of clustered tracks are used to reject the background from standard model quantum chromodynamics. With no observed excess of events over the standard model expectation, limits are set on the cross section for production via gluon fusion of a scalar mediator with SUEP-like decays.
  15. Aad G, Abbott B, Abeling K, Abicht NJ, Abidi SH, Aboulhorma A, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2024 Jan 12;132(2):021803.
    PMID: 38277607 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.021803
    The first evidence for the Higgs boson decay to a Z boson and a photon is presented, with a statistical significance of 3.4 standard deviations. The result is derived from a combined analysis of the searches performed by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations with proton-proton collision datasets collected at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) from 2015 to 2018. These correspond to integrated luminosities of around 140  fb^{-1} for each experiment, at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The measured signal yield is 2.2±0.7 times the standard model prediction, and agrees with the theoretical expectation within 1.9 standard deviations.
  16. Hayrapetyan A, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Andrejkovic JW, Bergauer T, Chatterjee S, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2024 Jun 28;132(26):261902.
    PMID: 38996325 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.261902
    A combination of fifteen top quark mass measurements performed by the ATLAS and CMS experiments at the LHC is presented. The datasets used correspond to an integrated luminosity of up to 5 and 20  fb^{-1} of proton-proton collisions at center-of-mass energies of 7 and 8 TeV, respectively. The combination includes measurements in top quark pair events that exploit both the semileptonic and hadronic decays of the top quark, and a measurement using events enriched in single top quark production via the electroweak t channel. The combination accounts for the correlations between measurements and achieves an improvement in the total uncertainty of 31% relative to the most precise input measurement. The result is m_{t}=172.52±0.14(stat)±0.30(syst)  GeV, with a total uncertainty of 0.33 GeV.
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