Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 61 in total

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  1. Zhang K, Teng Z, Shao W, Wang Y, Li M, Lam SS
    J Hazard Mater, 2020 10 05;397:122754.
    PMID: 32361140 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.122754
    Phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSBs) shows high potential to be used for lead passivation in sediments due to the abilities of releasing phosphate and the subsequent formation of insoluble Pb-phosphate compounds. In this research, microbial capsules implemented with sodium alginate and CaCl2, containing Leclercia adecarboxylata L15 (a lead resistant PSB) and Ca3(PO4)2, were developed and the performance on lead passivation under different conditions was examined. The optimal concentrations of sodium alginate and CaCl2 for formulating the capsules were determined to be 0.3% and 10%, respectively. The removal efficiency of Pb2+ by capsules containing L15 and Ca3(PO4)2 was up to 98% with a capsule dosage of 2%, initial Pb2+ concentration of 1mM and pH of 3.0, which was better than that of free L15 (18%) and capsules containing only L15 (34%). Lead was immobilized via the formation of Pb5(PO4)3Cl on the surface and Pb3(PO4)2 in the interior of the capsules. The simulated sediment remediation experiments showed that the acid soluble fraction of lead reduced from 28% to 14% and transformed into more stable fractions after 10 days. The experiment results indicated that PSBs capsules coupled with phosphate materials have a great promise for application in remediation of lead contaminated sediments.
  2. Zhan SZ, Li JH, Zhang GH, Liu XW, Li M, Zheng J, et al.
    Chem Commun (Camb), 2019 Oct 03;55(80):11992-11995.
    PMID: 31498358 DOI: 10.1039/c9cc05236d
    A luminescent edge-interlocked heteroleptic metallocage based on Cu3(pyrazolate)3 was prepared through a ligand replacement reaction from a homoleptic metallocage and a new ligand. Its structure was confirmed by XRD and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Theoretical calculations revealed the new ligand was evidently responsible for the bathochromic shift of the optimal excitation. This work provides a heteroleptic strategy to regulate the interlocking fashion and photophysical mechanism of metallocages based on Cu3(pyrazolate)3.
  3. Zhan SZ, Li M, Zheng J, Wang QJ, Ng SW, Li D
    Inorg Chem, 2017 Nov 06;56(21):13446-13455.
    PMID: 29023107 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.7b02144
    Six daughter complexes based on two-dimensional (2-D) luminescent Cu4I4-Cu3Pz3(Pz = pyrazolate) coordination networks, which exhibit an uncommon Cu4I4L3L' (L = pyridine; L' = acetonitrile, pyridine, pyrazine, 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane, triphenylphosphine, none) local configuration, were prepared through a postsynthetic modification method starting from a parent complex (L' = NH3). This work has successfully implemented the single-site substitution of Cu4I4-based coordination frameworks, which have rarely been reported for isolated Cu4I4-type compounds, by taking advantage of the solvent-assisted ligand substitution strategy recently developed in metal-organic framework (MOF) chemistry. Such a procedure not only resulted in the variation of local geometry in the Cu4I4units but also led to interlayer network displacement and entanglement. Particularly, an interesting topological transformation (from 2-D to 2-D → 3-D interpenetration) occurred when linear bidentate linkers (e.g., pyrazine and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) are inserted between the 2-D layers. Moreover, the variation in the L' sites can effectively tune the emission colors, ranging from green to orange (λemmax540-605 nm at room temperature). The photoluminescence origins are tentatively assigned to be a mixture of3MLCT and3XLCT, different from that of the well-studied isolated Cu4I4-type complexes.
  4. Zhan SZ, Liu YL, Cai H, Li MD, Huang Q, Wang XD, et al.
    Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 2023 Oct 23;62(43):e202312698.
    PMID: 37682089 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202312698
    The first coordination-saturated buckyball with a C60 molecule totally encased in an icosidodecahedral Cu30 in a (μ30 -(η2 )30 )-fashion, namely C60 @Cu30 @Cl36 N12 , has been successfully realized by a C60 -templated assembly. The 48 outmost coordinating atoms (36Cl+12N) comprise a new simple polyhedron that is described by a ccf topology. Charge transfer from (CuI , Cl) to C60 explains the expansion of the light absorption up to 700 nm, and accounts for an ultrafast photophysical process that underpins its high photothermal conversion efficiency. This work makes a giant step forward in exohedral metallofullerene (ExMF) chemistry.
  5. Yao S, Lu H, Zhou T, Jiang Q, Jiang C, Hu W, et al.
    Food Funct, 2024 Apr 03.
    PMID: 38566566 DOI: 10.1039/d3fo04527g
    High-fat diet (HFD) has been associated with certain negative bone-related outcomes, such as bone metabolism disruption and bone loss. Sciadonic acid (SC), one of the main nutritional and functional components of Torreya grandis seed oil, is a unique Δ5-unsaturated-polymethylene-interrupted fatty acid (Δ5-UPIFA) that has been claimed to counteract such disorders owing to some of its physiological effects. However, the role of SC in ameliorating bone metabolism disorders due to HFD remains unclear. In the present investigation, we observed that SC modulates the OPG/RANKL/RANK signaling pathway by modifying the lipid metabolic state and decreasing inflammation in mice. In turn, it could balance bone resorption and formation as well as calcium and phosphorus levels, enhance bone strength and bone mineral density (BMD), and improve its microstructure. In addition, SC could inhibit fat vacuoles in bone, reverse the phenomenon of reduced numbers and poor continuity of bone trabeculae, and promote orderly arrangement of collagen fibers and cartilage repair. This study provides some theoretical basis for SC as a dietary intervention agent to enhance bone nutrition.
  6. Xu LL, Zhang HF, Li M, Ng SW, Feng JH, Mao JG, et al.
    J Am Chem Soc, 2018 09 19;140(37):11569-11572.
    PMID: 30141923 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.8b06725
    Chiroptical activity is observed from an achiral adenine-containing metal-organic framework (MOF) named ZnFDCA. Such a seemingly counterintuitive phenomenon can, in fact, be predicted by the intrinsic crystal symmetry of 4̅2 m point group. Although theoretically allowed, examples of optically active achiral crystals are extremely rare. ZnFDCA is the first reported achiral MOF showing optical activity, as demonstrated by a pair of circular dichroism signals with opposite signs and enhanced intensity. Moreover, simply through adding an amino substituent to adenine, the chiroptical activity, as well as nonlinear optical activity, of the analogous MOF, namely ZnFDCA-NH2, disappears due to diverse packing pattern giving rise to centrosymmetric crystal symmetry.
  7. Xiong A, Luo B, Li M, Chong M, Wang J, Liao S
    Sleep Med, 2022 Dec;100:198-205.
    PMID: 36113232 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2022.08.025
    STUDY OBJECTIVES: Menopausal symptoms exist in most climacteric women, which can harm the quality and satisfaction of life for them. Moreover, a series of ineluctable negative life changes experienced in middle-age usually make the situation more complicated and stressful. We aimed to determine the trajectories and influential factors of sleep quality and menopausal symptoms and their longitudinal interrelationships among climacteric women.

    METHODS: A total of 1875 community-dwelling climacteric women were included in this study. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) were adopted to assess sleep quality and menopausal symptoms, respectively. Data were collected 4 times from March 2019 to December 2019, at a 3-month interval.

    RESULTS: The Cross-lagged analysis showed that worse sleep quality and more severe menopausal symptoms over time after controlling for specified covariates, and more severe menopausal symptoms were predicted by declined sleep quality. The Generalized estimation equation model showed that education level, marital status, chronic diseases, life events, income, and age were the influential factors of sleep quality, while menopausal symptoms were impacted by marital status and income.

    CONCLUSIONS: Increasing negative sleep quality and more severe menopausal symptoms over time contribute to the health burden of climacteric women. Menopausal symptoms could be alleviated by sleep quality improvement, which is influenced by education level, marital status, chronic diseases, life events, age, and economic factors.

  8. Wu M, Li M, Yuan J, Liang S, Chen Z, Ye M, et al.
    Pharmacol Res, 2020 05;155:104693.
    PMID: 32057896 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104693
    Hormone therapy continues to be a favourable option in the management of menopausal symptomatology, but the associated risk-benefit ratios with respect to neurodegenerative diseases remain controversial. The study aim was to determine the relation between menopausal hormone therapy and Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and Parkinson's disease in human subjects. A literature search was performed in PubMed/Medline, Cochrane collaboration, and Scopus databases from onset of the database to September 2019. Random-effects model was used to estimate pooled odd ratio (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI). Subgroup analysis was performed based on the type and formulation of hormone. In addition, the time-response effect of this relationship was also assessed based on duration of hormone therapy. Associations between hormone therapy and Alzheimer's disease, dementia, and Parkinson's disease in menopausal women were reported in 28 studies. Pooled results with random effect model showed a significant association between hormone therapy and Alzheimer's disease (OR 1.08, 95 % CI 1.03-1.14, I2: 69 %). This relationship was more pronounced in patients receiving the combined estrogen-progestogen formulation. Moreover, a significant non-linear time-response association between hormone therapy and Alzheimer's disease was also identified (Coef1 = 0.0477, p1<0.001; Coef2 = -0.0932, p2<0.001). Similarly, pooled analysis revealed a significant association between hormone therapy and all-cause dementia (OR 1.16, 95 % CI 1.02-1.31, I2: 19 %). Interestingly, no comparable relationship was uncovered between hormone therapy as a whole and Parkinson's disease (OR 1.14, 95 % CI 0.95-1.38, I2: 65 %); however, sub-group analysis revealed a significant relationship between the disease and progestogen (OR 3.41, 95 % CI 1.23-9.46) or combined estrogen-progestogen formulation use (OR 1.49, 95 % CI 1.34-1.65). Indeed, this association was also found to be driven by duration of exposure (Coef1 = 0.0626, p1 = 0.04). This study reveals a significant direct relationship between the use of certain hormonal therapies and Alzheimer's disease, all-cause dementia, and Parkinson's disease in menopausal women. However, the association appears to shift in direct after five years in the context of Alzheimer's disease, adding further weight to the critical window or timing hypothesis of neurodegeneration and neuroprotection.
  9. Wolffsohn JS, Calossi A, Cho P, Gifford K, Jones L, Jones D, et al.
    Cont Lens Anterior Eye, 2020 02;43(1):9-17.
    PMID: 31761738 DOI: 10.1016/j.clae.2019.11.002
    PURPOSE: A survey in 2015 identified a high level of eye care practitioner concern about myopia with a reported moderately high level of activity, but the vast majority still prescribed single vision interventions to young myopes. This research aimed to update these findings 4 years later.

    METHODS: A self-administrated, internet-based questionnaire was distributed in eight languages, through professional bodies to eye care practitioners globally. The questions examined: awareness of increasing myopia prevalence, perceived efficacy of available strategies and adoption levels of such strategies, and reasons for not adopting specific strategies.

    RESULTS: Of the 1336 respondents, concern was highest (9.0 ± 1.6; p 

  10. Wang S, Ibrahiem MH, Li M
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Dec 18;19(24).
    PMID: 36554915 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192417034
    As one of the largest payment platforms in China, Alipay, launched a green behavior project called Ant Forest. The purpose of taking this initiative by Alipay is to make the world greener. This mobile application has motivated many users to plant millions of trees. However, minimal studies have been conducted to empirically disclose the factors that motivate Alipay users to participate in Ant Forest. A mixed-method approach is used to examine the factors influencing Alipay users to participate in Ant Forest and the level of satisfaction they got from it. The qualitative method was carried out through a structured questionnaire from 400 Alipay users and qualitative data from 20 users who have applied to Ant Forest and successfully planted trees. Additionally, alongside the mixed method employed to rationalize the relationship highlighted, a multiple regression model was employed to predict the value of a dependent variable (level of satisfaction) based on the value of several independent variables (namely, number of years engaged with Ant Forest activities, age, gender, profession, and education). The empirical results show that intrinsic motivations (enjoyment, social interaction, fulfilment, altruism) and extrinsic motivations (external rewards, competition) influence Alipay users to participate in the Ant Forest project. Further insights are presented in the concluding section for all stakeholders for environmental sustainability among the users of Alipay.
  11. Wang K, Goldenberg A, Dorison CA, Miller JK, Uusberg A, Lerner JS, et al.
    Nat Hum Behav, 2021 Aug;5(8):1089-1110.
    PMID: 34341554 DOI: 10.1038/s41562-021-01173-x
    The COVID-19 pandemic has increased negative emotions and decreased positive emotions globally. Left unchecked, these emotional changes might have a wide array of adverse impacts. To reduce negative emotions and increase positive emotions, we tested the effectiveness of reappraisal, an emotion-regulation strategy that modifies how one thinks about a situation. Participants from 87 countries and regions (n = 21,644) were randomly assigned to one of two brief reappraisal interventions (reconstrual or repurposing) or one of two control conditions (active or passive). Results revealed that both reappraisal interventions (vesus both control conditions) consistently reduced negative emotions and increased positive emotions across different measures. Reconstrual and repurposing interventions had similar effects. Importantly, planned exploratory analyses indicated that reappraisal interventions did not reduce intentions to practice preventive health behaviours. The findings demonstrate the viability of creating scalable, low-cost interventions for use around the world. PROTOCOL REGISTRATION: The stage 1 protocol for this Registered Report was accepted in principle on 12 May 2020. The protocol, as accepted by the journal, can be found at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4878591.v1.
  12. Tsubota K, Yokoi N, Watanabe H, Dogru M, Kojima T, Yamada M, et al.
    Eye Contact Lens, 2020 Jan;46 Suppl 1:S2-S13.
    PMID: 31425351 DOI: 10.1097/ICL.0000000000000643
    The 2017 consensus report of the Asia Dry Eye Society (ADES) on the definition and diagnosis of dry eyes described dry eye disease as "Dry eye is a multifactorial disease characterized by unstable tear film causing a variety of symptoms and/or visual impairment, potentially accompanied by ocular surface damage." The report emphasized the instability of tear film and the importance of visual dysfunction in association with dry eyes, highlighting the importance of the evaluation of tear film stability. This report also discussed the concept of tear film-oriented therapy, which stemmed from the definition, and which is centered on provision of insufficient components in each tear film layer and ocular surface epithelium. The current ADES report proposes a simple classification of dry eyes based on the concept of tear film-oriented diagnosis and suggests that there are three types of dry eye: aqueous-deficient, decreased wettability, and increased evaporation. It is suggested that these three types respectively coincide with the problems of each layer: aqueous, membrane-associated mucins, and lipid/secretory mucin. Although each component cannot be quantitatively evaluated with the current technology, a practical diagnosis based on the patterns of fluorescein breakup is recommended. The Asia Dry Eye Society classification report suggests that for a practical use of the definition, diagnostic criteria and classification system should be integrated and be simple to use. The classification system proposed by ADES is a straightforward tool and simple to use, only through use of fluorescein, which is available even to non-dry eye specialists, and which is believed to contribute to an effective diagnosis and treatment of dry eyes.
  13. Tsai HJ, Liou B, Li MC
    Malays J Pathol, 2013 Dec;35(2):177-80.
    PMID: 24362481
    Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) of the uterine cervix is a rare malignancy of the female genital tract with a poorer clinical outcome than SCC of the uterine cervix. We report a case of BSCC of the uterine cervix developing rapidly in a young adult Taiwanese. A 35-year-old woman, Para 2, visited the emergency room with severe dizziness, palpitations and sudden excessive vaginal bleeding with hemoglobin of 3.6 g/dl. She had been well and healthy but intermittent vaginal spotting developed for around 6 months previously and was treated as abnormal uterine bleeding by ob-gyn practitioners. She had a repeat cesarean operation 16 months prior to this episode and the last Pap smear showed reactive change 12 months ago at our hospital. On examination, she had an ulcerated, necrotic, and punched-out lesion of 5 cm of the cervix. A cervical biopsy revealed poorly differentiated typical BSCC. Abdominal/pelvic computerized tomography and whole body positron emission tomography confirmed FIGO staging IB2. She responded well to concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Follow-up for the patient is ongoing. This is a rapid developing BSCC of the uterine cervix, although we cannot actually ascertain when it started and how rapidly it progressed.
  14. Tong T, Hao C, Shen J, Liu S, Yan S, Aslam MS, et al.
    Brain Res Bull, 2024 Jan;206:110838.
    PMID: 38123022 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2023.110838
    BACKGROUND: Depression is associated with lowered mood, anxiety, anhedonia, cognitive impairments, and even suicidal tendencies in severe cases. Yet few studies have directed acupuncture's mechanism toward enhancing axonal repair correlated with synaptic plasticity and anti-inflammatory effects related to oxidative stress in the hippocampus.

    METHODS: Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into control group (CON), chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) group, CUMS + electroacupuncture group (EA), and CUMS + fluoxetine group (FLX) (n = 10/group). Rats were given a 28-day treatment at the Shangxing (GV23) and Fengfu (GV16) acupoints with electroacupuncture or fluoxetine (2.1 mg/kg).

    RESULTS: Rats exposed to CUMS induced depression-like behaviors and spatial learning-memory impairment, changed the ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (IBA-1), Vglut1, myelin basic protein (MBP), and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) level of hippocampal, increased the Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), atypical squamous cell (ASC), Caspase level and hippocampal reactive oxygen species (ROS), and prompted the activation of Epha4-mediated signaling and an inflammatory response. Conversely, electroacupuncture administration reduced these changes and prevented depression-like behaviors and cognitive impairment. Electroacupuncture also promoted hippocampal expression of Sirtuin1(SIRT1), Nuclear factor erythroid 2-like (Nrf2), Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1); reduced the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α); and prevented neural damage, particularly the synaptic myelin sheath, and neuroinflammation by regulating Eph receptor A4 (EphA4) in the hippocampal.

    CONCLUSION: These results indicate that electroacupuncture prevents depression-like behaviors with cognitive impairment and synaptic and neuronal damage, probably by reducing EphA4, which mediates ROS hyperfunction and the inflammatory response.

  15. Tan X, Li M, Arsad N, Wen X, Lu H
    Rev Sci Instrum, 2018 Mar;89(3):035005.
    PMID: 29604764 DOI: 10.1063/1.5017639
    Hydrogen is a kind of promising clean energy resource with a wide application prospect, which will, however, cause a serious security issue upon the leakage of hydrogen gas. The measurement of its concentration is of great significance. In a traditional approach of ultrasonic hydrogen sensing, a temperature drift of 0.1 °C results in a concentration error of about 250 ppm, which is intolerable for trace amount of gas sensing. In order to eliminate the influence brought by temperature drift, we propose a feasible approach named as linear compensation algorithm, which utilizes the linear relationship between the pulse count and temperature to compensate for the pulse count error (ΔN) caused by temperature drift. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed approach is capable of improving the measurement accuracy and can easily detect sub-100 ppm of hydrogen concentration under variable temperature conditions.
  16. Sun RW, Zhang M, Li D, Zhang ZF, Cai H, Li M, et al.
    Chemistry, 2015 Dec 14;21(51):18534-8.
    PMID: 26459298 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201503656
    A dinuclear gold(I) pyrrolidinedithiocarbamato complex (1) with a bidentate carbene ligand has been constructed and shows potent in vitro cytotoxic activities towards cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells A2780cis. Its rigid scaffold enables a zinc(II)-based metal-organic framework (Zn-MOF) to be used as a carrier in facilitating the uptake and release of 1 in solutions. Instead of using a conventional dialysis approach for the drug-release testing, in this study, a set of transwell assay-based experiments have been designed and employed to examine the cytotoxic and antimigratory activities of 1@Zn-MOF towards A2780cis.
  17. Sun P, Hu SB, Cheng X, Li M, Guo B, Song ZF, et al.
    Hernia, 2015 Apr;19 Suppl 1:S157-65.
    PMID: 26518794 DOI: 10.1007/BF03355344
  18. Rodin G, Skelton M, Bhoo-Pathy N, Dewachi O, Li M, Trapani D, et al.
    Lancet Oncol, 2023 Aug;24(8):835-837.
    PMID: 37541269 DOI: 10.1016/S1470-2045(23)00346-7
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