Displaying publications 121 - 140 of 370 in total

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  1. A Pseudo-nitzschia metabarcoding approach with a calibrated ITS1 reference sequence database applied in the Taiwan Strait
    Niu B, Pang J, Lundholm N, Liang C, Teng ST, Zheng Q, et al.
    Harmful Algae, 2024 Mar;133:102602.
    PMID: 38485439 DOI: 10.1016/j.hal.2024.102602
    Pseudo-nitzschia is a cosmopolitan phytoplankton genus of which some species can form blooms and produce the neurotoxin domoic acid (DA). Identification of Pseudo-nitzschia is generally based on field material or strains followed by morphological and/or molecular characterization. However, this process is time-consuming and laborious, and can not obtain a relatively complete and reliable profile of the Pseudo-nitzschia community, because species with low abundance in the field or potentially unavailable for culturing may easily be overlooked. In the present study, specific ITS primer sets were designed and evaluated using in silico matching. The primer set ITS-84F/456R involving the complete ITS1 region was found optimal. Based on matching with a Pseudo-nitzschia ITS1 reference sequence database carefully-calibrated in this study, a metabarcoding approach using annotated amplicon sequence variants (ASV) was applied in the Taiwan Strait of the East China Sea during two cruises in the spring and summer of 2019. In total, 48 Pseudo-nitzschia species/phylotypes including 36 known and 12 novel were uncovered, and verified by haplotype networks, ITS2 secondary structure comparisons and divergence analyses. Correlation analyses revealed that temperature was a key factor affecting the seasonal variation of the Pseudo-nitzschia community. This study provides an overview of the Pseudo-nitzschia community in the Taiwan Strait, with new insights into the diversity. The developed metabarcoding approach may be used elsewhere as a standard reference for accurate annotation of Pseudo-nitzschia.
  2. Impact of fee-revision policy for gastrostomy on its implementation among older adults with dementia in Japan
    Liu N, Babazono A, Jamal A, Yoshida S, Yamao R, Ishihara R, et al.
    Public Health, 2024 Feb;227:63-69.
    PMID: 38118244 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.11.032
    OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the policy to reduce the reimbursement fee for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) on the number of PEG procedures performed among older adults with dementia.

    STUDY DESIGN: Interrupted time series (ITS).

    METHODS: We used the monthly aggregated data of the number of PEG procedures in older adults with dementia (both broad and narrow definitions), between 2012 and 2018, from the claims data in Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. A single ITS design was used to estimate changes in the outcome following each intervention (i.e., first, second, and third interventions performed in 2014, 2015, and 2016, respectively). A controlled ITS design was applied to estimate the effects after the sequence of interventions (pre-intervention: 2012-2014; post-intervention: 2016-2018). The control group comprised patients with malignant head and neck tumors who underwent PEG procedures outside the scope of this policy restriction.

    RESULTS: The number of PEG procedures decreased significantly only in the month wherein the third intervention was introduced (broad definition: IRR = 0.11, CI = 0.03-0.49; narrow definition: IRR = 0.15, CI = 0.03-0.75). No significant difference was observed between the treatment and control groups during the post-intervention phase.

    CONCLUSIONS: The impact of fee-revision policy for PEG on the decrease in PEG procedures among older adults with dementia is remarkably minimal. It is difficult to reduce unnecessary PEG procedures by relying on this financial incentive alone. Policy decision-makers should consider methods to prevent inappropriate use of artificial nutrition for older adults at their end-of-life stage by reforming the health delivery system.

  3. Executive function measures of participants with mild cognitive impairment: Systematic review and meta-analysis of event-related potential studies
    Che J, Cheng N, Jiang B, Liu Y, Liu H, Li Y, et al.
    Int J Psychophysiol, 2024 Mar;197:112295.
    PMID: 38266685 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.112295
    OBJECTIVE: Objective measurements of executive functions using event-related potential (ERP) may be used as markers for differentiating healthy controls (HC) from patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). ERP is non-invasive, cost-effective, and affordable. Older adults with MCI demonstrate deteriorated executive function, serving as a potentially valid neurophysiological marker for identifying MCI. We aimed to review published ERP studies on executive function in older adults with MCI and summarize the performance differences by component between healthy older adults and older adults with MCI.

    METHODS: Eight electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, American Psychological Association PsycNet, Cochrane Library, Scopus, Embase, and Ovid) were searched for the study. Articles published from January 1 to December 31, 2022, were considered for this review. A random-effects meta-analysis and between-study heterogeneity analysis were conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis V3.0 software.

    RESULTS: We identified 7829 articles of which 28 met the full inclusion criteria and were included in the systematic review and analyses. Our pooled analysis suggested that participants with MCI can be differentiated from HC by significant P200, P300, and N200 latencies. The P100 and P300 amplitudes were significantly smaller in participants with MCI when compared with those in the HCs, and the patients with MCI showed increased N200 amplitudes. Our findings provide new insights into potential electrophysiological biomarkers for diagnosing MCI.

  4. Characteristics of second-hand exposure to aerosols from e-cigarettes: A literature review since 2010
    Cui T, Lu R, Liu C, Wu Z, Jiang X, Liu Y, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2024 May 20;926:171829.
    PMID: 38537812 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171829
    In recent years, the use of electronic vaping products (also named e-cigarettes) has increased due to their appealing flavors and nicotine delivery without the combustion of tobacco. Although the hazardous substances emitted by e-cigarettes are largely found to be much lower than combustible cigarettes, second-hand exposure to e-cigarette aerosols is not completely benign for bystanders. This work reviewed and synthesized findings on the second-hand exposure of aerosols from e-cigarettes and compared the results with those of the combustible cigarettes. In this review, different results were integrated based upon sampling locations such as residences, vehicles, offices, public places, and experimental exposure chambers. In addition, the factors that influence the second-hand exposure levels were identified by objectively reviewing and integrating the impacts of combustible cigarettes and e-cigarettes on the environment. It is a challenge to compare the literature data directly to assess the effect of smoking/vaping on the indoor environment. The room volume, indoor air exchange rate, puffing duration, and puffing numbers should be considered, which are important factors in determining the degree of pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate the "emission rate" to normalize the concentration of pollutants emitted under various experimental conditions and make the results comparable. This review aims to increase the awareness regarding the harmful effects of the second-hand exposure to aerosols coming from the use of cigarettes and e-cigarettes, identify knowledge gaps, and provide a scientific basis for future policy interventions with regard to the regulation of smoking and vaping.
  5. Fulltext Multidimensional impact of sport types on the psychological well-being of student athletes: A multivariate investigation
    Li J, Leng Z, Tang K, Na M, Li Y, Shah Alam S
    Heliyon, 2024 Jun 15;10(11):e32331.
    PMID: 38947484 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32331
    The correlation between sports participation and psychological well-being is well-documented, revealing a complex interplay influenced by competition level and cultural context. This is particularly relevant in Korea, where the university sports culture significantly impacts student life. This study evaluates how competitive versus non-competitive sports affect Korean university students' psychological well-being using a quantitative approach with SmartPLS 4 for multi-group analysis. Findings reveal that competitive sports significantly enhance mental toughness and stress management through structured coping mechanisms and robust social support, improving coping strategy effectiveness by 34 % compared to non-competitive sports. Conversely, participants in non-competitive sports experience greater general well-being with a 40 % higher use of informal support. These insights suggest that university sports programs could benefit from targeted interventions incorporating specific coping strategies and social support frameworks tailored to the competitive context. This research underscores the need for precise stress management techniques and resilience-building exercises in sports curricula to optimize psychological well-being across different sports environments in Korean universities.
  6. A potential slow-release fertilizer based on biogas residue biochar: Nutrient release patterns and synergistic mechanism for improving soil fertility
    Luo Z, Li Y, Pei X, Woon KS, Liu M, Lin X, et al.
    Environ Res, 2024 May 04;252(Pt 4):119076.
    PMID: 38710430 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119076
    The large yield of anaerobic digestates and the suboptimal efficacy of nutrient slow-release severely limit its practical application. To address these issues, a new biochar based fertilizer (MAP@BRC) was developed using biogas residue biochar (BRC) to recover nitrogen and phosphorus from biogas slurry. The nutrient release patterns of MAP@BRC and mechanisms for enhancing soil fertility were studied, and it demonstrated excellent performance, with 59% total nitrogen and 50% total phosphorus nutrient release rates within 28 days. This was attributed to the coupling of the mechanism involving the dissolution of struvite skeletons and the release of biochar pores. Pot experiments showed that crop yield and water productivity were doubled in the MAP@BRC group compared with unfertilized planting. The application of MAP@BRC also improved soil nutrient levels, reduced soil acidification, increased microbial populations, and decreased soil heavy metal pollution risk. The key factors that contributed to the improvement in soil fertility by MAP@BRC were an increase in available nitrogen and the optimization of pH levels in the soil. Overall, MAP@BRC is a safe, slow-release fertilizer that exhibits biochar-fertilizer interactions and synergistic effects. This slow-release fertilizer was prepared by treating a phosphorus-rich biogas slurry with a nitrogen-rich biogas slurry, and it simultaneously addresses problems associated with livestock waste treatment and provides a promising strategy to promote zero-waste agriculture.
  7. Spinal Cord Injury: From MicroRNAs to Exosomal MicroRNAs
    Xu X, Liu R, Li Y, Zhang C, Guo C, Zhu J, et al.
    Mol Neurobiol, 2024 Aug;61(8):5974-5991.
    PMID: 38261255 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-03954-7
    Spinal cord injury (SCI) is an unfortunate experience that may generate extensive sensory and motor disabilities due to the destruction and passing of nerve cells. MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules that do not code for proteins but instead serve to regulate protein synthesis by targeting messenger RNA's expression. After SCI, secondary damage like apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, and autophagy occurs, and differentially expressed microRNAs show a function in these procedures. Almost all animal and plant cells release exosomes, which are sophisticated formations of lipid membranes. These exosomes have the capacity to deliver significant materials, such as proteins, RNAs and lipids, to cells in need, regulating their functions and serving as a way of communication. This new method offers a fresh approach to treating spinal cord injury. Obviously, the exosome has the benefit of conveying the transported material across performing regulatory activities and the blood-brain barrier. Among the exosome cargoes, microRNAs, which modulate their mRNA targets, show considerable promise in the pathogenic diagnosis, process, and therapy of SCI. Herein, we describe the roles of microRNAs in SCI. Furthermore, we emphasize the importance of exosomal microRNAs in this disease.
  8. Research advance of non-thermal processing technologies on ovalbumin properties: The gelation, foaming, emulsification, allergenicity, immunoregulation and its delivery system application
    Chen Q, Dong L, Li Y, Liu Y, Xia Q, Sang S, et al.
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2024;64(20):7045-7066.
    PMID: 36803106 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2023.2179969
    Ovalbumin (OVA) is the most abundant protein in egg white, with excellent functional properties (e.g., gelling, foaming, emulsifying properties). Nevertheless, OVA has strong allergenicity, which is usually mediated by specific IgE thus results in gut microbiota dysbiosis and causes atopic dermatitis, asthma, and other inflammation actions. Processing technologies and the interactions with other active ingredients can influence the functional properties and allergic epitopes of OVA. This review focuses on the non-thermal processing technologies effects on the functional properties and allergenicity of OVA. Moreover, the research advance about immunomodulatory mechanisms of OVA-mediated food allergy and the role of gut microbiota in OVA allergy was summarized. Finally, the interactions between OVA and active ingredients (such as polyphenols and polysaccharides) and OVA-based delivery systems construction are summarized. Compared with traditional thermal processing technologies, novel non-thermal processing techniques have less damage to OVA nutritional value, which also improve OVA properties. OVA can interact with various active ingredients by covalent and non-covalent interactions during processing, which can alter the structure or allergic epitopes to affect OVA/active components properties. The interactions can promote OVA-based delivery systems construction, such as emulsions, hydrogels, microencapsulation, nanoparticles to encapsulate bioactive components and monitor freshness for improving foods quality and safety.
  9. Multi-omics reveals the particle size effect of nanoplastics on the hepatopancreas and intestinal toxicity of crustacean model Neospoda palmata
    Han M, Zhu T, Zhou Z, Li Y, Yu C, Liang J, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2024 Oct 10;946:174267.
    PMID: 38936730 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174267
    Nano-plastics (NPs) have emerged as prevalent contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, gaining significant research interest. Nonetheless, limited research has addressed the toxicity mechanisms associated with PS-NPs (polystyrene nanoplastics) of varying particle sizes. In this investigation, genotoxicity, growth patterns, hepatopancreatic damage, and intestinal flora alterations in freshwater shrimp Neocaridina palmata (Shen 1948), subjected to 35 days PS-NPs exposure (two size PS-NPs: 75 nm and 200 nm were used for this experiment, and five concentrations were set: 0 mg/L, 0.5 mg/L, 2.5 mg/L, 5 mg/L, and 10 mg/L concentrations PS-NP concentrations were examined using RNA sequencing, histopathological analyses, enzyme activity assessments, and 16S rRNA sequencing. Noteworthy variations in differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified across groups exposed to different PS-NPs sizes. We observed that PS-NPs predominantly instigated cellular component-related processes and induced apoptosis and oxidative stress across tissues via the mitochondrial pathway. Although the 200 nm-PS-NPs are stronger than the 75 nm-PS-NPs in terms of fluorescence intensity, 75 nm-PS-NPs are more likely to promote apoptosis than 200 nm-PS-NPs. PS-NPs impeded standard energy provision in N. palmata, potentially contributing to decreased body length and weight. Moreover, PS-NPs inflicted damage on intestinal epithelial and hepatopancreatic tissues and significantly modified intestinal microbial community structures. Specifically, PS-NPs-induced intestinal damage was marked by a decline in some probiotics (notably Lactobacilli) and a surge in pathogenic bacteria. Moreover, supplementing N. palmata with Lactobacilli appeared ameliorate oxidative stress and strengthen energy metabolism. Our findings provided valuable insights into crustacean toxicity mechanisms when subjected to PS-NPs and the potential risks that different PS-NPs sizes posed to terrestrial ecosystems.
  10. Tailpipe emissions and fuel consumption of a heavy-duty diesel vehicle using palm oil biodiesel blended fuels
    He L, Li Y, Min Y, Yoong J, Chen S, Jiao J, et al.
    Sci Total Environ, 2024 Dec 10;955:177048.
    PMID: 39447901 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.177048
    Biodiesel application, such as using waste cooking oil biodiesel in Shanghai, China, is a sustainable solution that addresses the challenges posed by escalating air pollution, energy security, and climate change. Future efforts may involve blending biodiesel from alternative sources like crude palm oil with diesel in China. This study tested a China V heavy-duty diesel vehicle equipped with a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system using various palm oil biodiesel blended fuels (i.e., B0, B5, B10, and B20). The findings indicated that using biodiesel blends led to reductions in carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbon (HC), and particle number (PN) emissions compared to B0, while nitrogen oxide (NOX) emissions remained similar. Higher biodiesel content significantly reduced petroleum diesel consumption, but no statistically significant differences were found in total carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and fuel consumption. Various factors such as vehicle speed, payload, and cold starts influence tailpipe emissions and fuel consumption. Specifically, high-speed phases notably reduced CO, HC, and PN emissions with the use of biodiesel blends. Lower payloads were linked to decreased CO2 emissions and fuel consumption but increased NOX emissions. Cold starts increased HC and NOX emissions, especially with higher biodiesel blending ratios. These results can provide valuable empirical insights into palm oil biodiesel emissions.
  11. An interpretable (explainable) model based on machine learning and SHAP interpretation technique for mapping wind erosion hazard
    Gholami H, Darvishi E, Moradi N, Mohammadifar A, Song Y, Li Y, et al.
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2024 Nov 15.
    PMID: 39546243 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-35521-x
    Soil erosion by wind poses a significant threat to various regions across the globe, such as drylands in the Middle East and Iran. Wind erosion hazard maps can assist in identifying the regions of highest wind erosion risk and are a valuable tool for the mitigation of its destructive consequences. This study aims to map wind erosion hazards by developing an interpretable (explainable) model based on machine learning (ML) and Shapley additive exPlanation (SHAP) interpretation techniques. Four ML models, namely random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), extreme gradient boosting (XGB), and quadratic discriminant analysis (QDA) were used. Thirteen features associated with wind erosion were mapped spatially and then subjected to a multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS) feature selection algorithm, and then, tolerance coefficient (TC) and variance inflation factor (VIF) statistical tests were used to explore multicollinearity among the variables. MARS analysis shows that eight features consisting of elevation (or DEM), soil bulk density, precipitation, aspect, slope, soil sand content, vegetation cover (or NDVI), and lithology were the most effective for wind erosion, while no collinearity existed among these variables. The ML models were used for ranking the effective features, and the research introduces the application of an interpretable ML model for the interpretation of predictive model's output. The ranking of effective features by RF-as the most typical ML model-revealed that elevation and soil bulk density were the two most important features. According to the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) (with a value > 90%) and precision-recall (PR) (with a value > 90%) curves, all four ML models performed with great accuracy. According to the PR curve, the SVM model performed slightly better than others, and its results revealed that 20.9%, 23%, and 16.6% of the total area in Hormozgan Province is characterized by moderate, high, and very high hazard classes to wind erosion, respectively. SHAP revealed that soil sand content and elevation are the most important variables contributing to the predictive model output. Overall, our research is one of the pioneering applications of interpretable ML models in mapping wind erosion hazards in Southern Iran. We recommend that future research should address the aspect of interpretability in order to better understand predictive model outputs.
  12. Emergence of Artificial Intelligence Art Therapies (AIATs) in Mental Health Care: A Systematic Review
    Luo X, Zhang A, Li Y, Zhang Z, Ying F, Lin R, et al.
    Int J Ment Health Nurs, 2024 Dec;33(6):1743-1760.
    PMID: 39020473 DOI: 10.1111/inm.13384
    The application of artificial intelligence art therapies (AIATs) in mental health care represents an innovative merger between digital technology and the therapeutic potential of creative arts. This systematic review aimed to assess the effectiveness and ethical considerations of AIATs, incorporating robots, AI painting and AI Chatbots to augment traditional art therapies. Aligning with the Preferred Reporting Items for systematic reviews (PRISMA) guidelines, we meticulously searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science and CNKI, resulting in 15 selected articles for detailed analysis. To ensure methodological quality, we applied the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) criteria for quality assessment and extracted data using the PICO(S) format, specifically targeting randomised controlled trials (RCTs). Our findings suggest that AIATs can profoundly enhance the therapeutic experience by providing new creative outlets and reinforcing existing methods, despite possible drawbacks and ethical challenges. This examination underscores AIATs' potential to enrich mental health therapies, emphasising the critical importance of ethical considerations and the responsible application of AI as the field evolves. With a focus on expanding treatment efficacy and patient expressiveness, the promise of AIATs in mental health care necessitates a careful balance between innovation and ethical responsibility. Trial Registration: PROSPERO: CRD42024504472.
  13. Long-term PS micro/nano-plastic exposure: Particle size effects on hepatopancreas injury in Parasesarma pictum
    Liang J, Abdullah ALB, Li Y, Wang H, Xiong S, Han M
    Sci Total Environ, 2024 Dec 01;954:176530.
    PMID: 39332714 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.176530
    With the widespread use of plastic products, microplastics and nanoplastics have emerged as prevalent pollutants in coastal aquatic ecosystems. Parasesarma pictum, a common estuarine crab species, was selected as a model organism. P. pictum was exposed to polystyrene (PS) particles of sizes 80 nm (80PS), 500 nm (500PS), and 1000 nm (1000PS), as well as to clean seawater (CK) for 21 days. Histological and fluorescent staining results showed that PS particles of all three sizes induced hepatopancreatic nuclear pyknosis, cell junction damage, and necrosis. The degree of damage was observed as 1000PS > 80PS > 500PS. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that major differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were associated with cellular processes, membrane components, and catalytic activity. The respiratory chain disruptions and immune exhaustion induced by 1000PS were notably stronger than those by 80PS and 500PS. Additionally, necrosis caused hepatopancreas injury in P. pictum rather than apoptosis or autophagy after long-term PS particle exposure. Furthermore, PS particles of all three sizes inhibited innate immunity, while the complement pathway was not significantly affected in the 80PS group. This study elucidated potential distinctions in how plastic particles of varying sizes (nanoplastics, microplastics, and micro/nanoplastics) impact P. pictum, providing a reference for toxicological mechanism research on microplastics and nanoplastics in aquatic organisms. Future research should focus on exploring long-term effects and potential mitigation strategies for microplastics and nanoplastics of more types and a wider range of particle size pollution in aquatic environments.
  14. Fulltext Multi-Strategy Bald Eagle Search Algorithm Embedded Orthogonal Learning for Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) Coverage Optimization
    Niu H, Li Y, Zhang C, Chen T, Sun L, Abdullah MI
    Sensors (Basel), 2024 Oct 23;24(21).
    PMID: 39517691 DOI: 10.3390/s24216794
    Coverage control is a fundamental and critical issue in plentiful wireless sensor network (WSN) applications. Aiming at the high-dimensional optimization problem of sensor node deployment and the complexity of the monitoring area, an orthogonal learning multi-strategy bald eagle search (OLMBES) algorithm is proposed to optimize the location deployment of sensor nodes. This paper incorporates three kinds of strategies into the bald eagle search (BES) algorithm, including Lévy flight, quasi-reflection-based learning, and quadratic interpolation, which enhances the global exploration ability of the algorithm and accelerates the convergence speed. Furthermore, orthogonal learning is integrated into BES to improve the algorithm's robustness and premature convergence problem. By this way, population search information is fully utilized to generate a more superior position guidance vector, which helps the algorithm jump out of the local optimal solution. Simulation results on CEC2014 benchmark functions reveal that the optimization performance of the proposed approach is better than that of the existing method. On the WSN coverage optimization problem, the proposed method has greater network coverage ratio, node uniformity, and stronger optimization stability when compared to other state-of-the-art algorithms.
  15. Fulltext Neurodegenerative diseases and blood pressure variability: A comprehensive review from HOPE Asia
    Turana Y, Shen R, Nathaniel M, Chia YC, Li Y, Kario K
    J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich), 2022 Sep;24(9):1204-1217.
    PMID: 36196471 DOI: 10.1111/jch.14559
    Asia has an enormous number of older people and is the primary contributor to the rise in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. The therapy of many neurodegenerative diseases has not yet progressed to the point where it is possible to alter the course of the disease. Mid-life hypertension is an important predictor of later-life cognitive impairment and brain neurodegenerative conditions. These findings highlight the pivotal role of preventing and managing hypertension as a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease. Autonomic dysfunction, neuropsychiatric and sleep disturbances can arise in neurodegenerative diseases, resulting in blood pressure variability (BPV). The BPV itself can worsen the progression of the disease. In older people with neurodegenerative disease and hypertension, it is critical to consider 24-h blood pressure monitoring and personalized blood pressure therapy.
  16. Study on adsorption behavior of humic acid on aluminum in Enteromorpha prolifera
    Mo Y, Zhou L, Fu S, Yang H, Lin B, Zhang J, et al.
    J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng, 2024 Sep 01.
    PMID: 39219225 DOI: 10.1080/10934529.2024.2396728
    High level of aluminum content in Enteromorpha prolifera posed a growing threat to both its growth and human health. This study focused on exploring the factors, impacts, and process of removing aluminum from Enteromorpha prolifera using humic acid. The results showed that under experimental conditions of 0.0330 g·L-1 humic acid concentration, pH 3.80, 34 °C, and a duration of 40 min, the removal rate was up to 80.18%. The levels of major flavor components, proteins, and amino acids in Enteromorpha prolifera increased significantly after treatment, while polysaccharides and trace elements like calcium and magnesium decreased significantly. Infrared spectroscopy demonstrated that the main functional groups involved in binding with Al3+ during humic acid adsorption were hydroxyl, carboxyl, phenol, and other oxygen-containing groups. The adsorption process of Al3+ by humic acid was a spontaneous phenomenon divided into three key stages: fast adsorption, slow adsorption, and adsorption equilibrium, which resulted from both physical and chemical adsorption effects. This study provided a safe and efficient method in algae metal removal.
  17. Chronic hepatitis C virus infection triggers spontaneous differential expression of biosignatures associated with T cell exhaustion and apoptosis signaling in peripheral blood mononucleocytes
    Barathan M, Gopal K, Mohamed R, Ellegård R, Saeidi A, Vadivelu J, et al.
    Apoptosis, 2015 Apr;20(4):466-80.
    PMID: 25577277 DOI: 10.1007/s10495-014-1084-y
    Persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection appears to trigger the onset of immune exhaustion to potentially assist viral persistence in the host, eventually leading to hepatocellular carcinoma. The role of HCV on the spontaneous expression of markers suggestive of immune exhaustion and spontaneous apoptosis in immune cells of chronic HCV (CHC) disease largely remain elusive. We investigated the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of CHC patients to determine the spontaneous recruitment of cellular reactive oxygen species (cROS), immunoregulatory and exhaustion markers relative to healthy controls. Using a commercial QuantiGenePlex(®) 2.0 assay, we determined the spontaneous expression profile of 80 different pro- and anti-apoptotic genes in persistent HCV disease. Onset of spontaneous apoptosis significantly correlated with the up-regulation of cROS, indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), cyclooxygenase-2/prostaglandin H synthase (COX-2/PGHS), Foxp3, Dtx1, Blimp1, Lag3 and Cd160. Besides, spontaneous differential surface protein expression suggestive of T cell inhibition viz., TRAIL, TIM-3, PD-1 and BTLA on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, and CTLA-4 on CD4+ T cells was also evident. Increased up-regulation of Tnf, Tp73, Casp14, Tnfrsf11b, Bik and Birc8 was observed, whereas FasLG, Fas, Ripk2, Casp3, Dapk1, Tnfrsf21, and Cflar were moderately up-regulated in HCV-infected subjects. Our observation suggests the spontaneous onset of apoptosis signaling and T cell exhaustion in chronic HCV disease.
  18. Fulltext High-Throughput Non-Contact Vitrification of Cell-Laden Droplets Based on Cell Printing
    Shi M, Ling K, Yong KW, Li Y, Feng S, Zhang X, et al.
    Sci Rep, 2015 Dec 14;5:17928.
    PMID: 26655688 DOI: 10.1038/srep17928
    Cryopreservation is the most promising way for long-term storage of biological samples e.g., single cells and cellular structures. Among various cryopreservation methods, vitrification is advantageous by employing high cooling rate to avoid the formation of harmful ice crystals in cells. Most existing vitrification methods adopt direct contact of cells with liquid nitrogen to obtain high cooling rates, which however causes the potential contamination and difficult cell collection. To address these limitations, we developed a non-contact vitrification device based on an ultra-thin freezing film to achieve high cooling/warming rate and avoid direct contact between cells and liquid nitrogen. A high-throughput cell printer was employed to rapidly generate uniform cell-laden microdroplets into the device, where the microdroplets were hung on one side of the film and then vitrified by pouring the liquid nitrogen onto the other side via boiling heat transfer. Through theoretical and experimental studies on vitrification processes, we demonstrated that our device offers a high cooling/warming rate for vitrification of the NIH 3T3 cells and human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) with maintained cell viability and differentiation potential. This non-contact vitrification device provides a novel and effective way to cryopreserve cells at high throughput and avoid the contamination and collection problems.
  19. Fulltext Engineering artificial machines from designable DNA materials for biomedical applications
    Qi H, Huang G, Han Y, Zhang X, Li Y, Pingguan-Murphy B, et al.
    Tissue Eng Part B Rev, 2015 Jun;21(3):288-97.
    PMID: 25547514 DOI: 10.1089/ten.TEB.2014.0494
    Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) emerges as building bricks for the fabrication of nanostructure with complete artificial architecture and geometry. The amazing ability of DNA in building two- and three-dimensional structures raises the possibility of developing smart nanomachines with versatile controllability for various applications. Here, we overviewed the recent progresses in engineering DNA machines for specific bioengineering and biomedical applications.
  20. Engineering physical microenvironment for stem cell based regenerative medicine
    Han YL, Wang S, Zhang X, Li Y, Huang G, Qi H, et al.
    Drug Discov Today, 2014 Jun;19(6):763-73.
    PMID: 24508818 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2014.01.015
    Regenerative medicine has rapidly evolved over the past decade owing to its potential applications to improve human health. Targeted differentiations of stem cells promise to regenerate a variety of tissues and/or organs despite significant challenges. Recent studies have demonstrated the vital role of the physical microenvironment in regulating stem cell fate and improving differentiation efficiency. In this review, we summarize the main physical cues that are crucial for controlling stem cell differentiation. Recent advances in the technologies for the construction of physical microenvironment and their implications in controlling stem cell fate are also highlighted.
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