Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 86 in total

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  1. Cai M, Li X, Zhao H, Liu C, You Y, Lin F, et al.
    PMID: 34637273 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.1c15973
    Broadening light absorption and improving charge carrier separation are very critical to boost the water splitting efficiency in photoelectrochemical (PEC) systems. We herein reported a heterostructured photoanode consisting of BiVO4 and eco-friendly, near-infrared (NIR) CuInSeS@ZnS core-shell quantum dots (QDs) for PEC water oxidation. The decoration of core-shell QDs concurrently extends the absorption range of BiVO4 from the ultraviolet-visible to NIR region and promotes the effective separation and transfer of photo-excited electrons and holes. Without any sacrificial agents and co-catalysts, the as-fabricated NIR core-shell QDs/BiVO4 heterostructured photoanodes exhibit an approximately fourfold higher photocurrent density than that of the bare BiVO4, up to 3.17 mA cm-2 at 1.23 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. It is revealed that both a suitable band alignment and an intimate interfacial junction between QDs and BiVO4 are the main factors that result in enhanced charge separation and transfer efficiencies. We also highlight that the NIR CISeS QDs passivated with a ZnS shell can suppress the non-radiative recombination and enhance the stability of the QD photoanodes for optimized PEC performance. This work provides a facile and effective approach to boost the water oxidation efficiency of semiconductor photoanodes via utilizing NIR core-shell QDs as a light sensitizer and charge carrier separator.
  2. Ma L, Liu C, Cheah I, Yeo KT, Chambers GM, Kamar AA, et al.
    Acta Paediatr, 2019 01;108(1):70-75.
    PMID: 30080290 DOI: 10.1111/apa.14533
    AIM: The attitudes of neonatologists towards the active management of extremely premature infants in a developing country like China are uncertain.

    METHODS: A web-based survey was sent to neonatologists from 16 provinces representing 59.6% (824.2 million) of the total population of China on October 2015 and December 2017.

    RESULTS: A total of 117 and 219 responses were received in 2015 and 2017, respectively. Compared to 2015, respondents in 2017 were more likely to resuscitate infants <25 weeks of gestation (86% vs. 72%; p < 0.05), but few would resuscitate infants ≤23 weeks of gestation in either epoch (10% vs. 6%). In both epochs, parents were responsible for >50% of the costs of intensive care, but in 2017, significantly fewer clinicians would cease intensive care (75% vs. 88%; p < 0.05) and more would request for economic aid (40% vs. 20%; p < 0.05) if parents could not afford to pay. Resource availability (e.g. ventilators) was not an important factor in either initiation or continuation of intensive care (~60% in both epochs).

    CONCLUSION: Cost is an important factor in the initiation and continuation of neonatal intensive care in a developing country like China. Such factors need to be taken into consideration when interpreting outcome data from these regions.

  3. Klionsky DJ, Abdelmohsen K, Abe A, Abedin MJ, Abeliovich H, Acevedo Arozena A, et al.
    Autophagy, 2016;12(1):1-222.
    PMID: 26799652 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2015.1100356
  4. Klionsky DJ, Abdel-Aziz AK, Abdelfatah S, Abdellatif M, Abdoli A, Abel S, et al.
    Autophagy, 2021 Jan;17(1):1-382.
    PMID: 33634751 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1797280
    In 2008, we published the first set of guidelines for standardizing research in autophagy. Since then, this topic has received increasing attention, and many scientists have entered the field. Our knowledge base and relevant new technologies have also been expanding. Thus, it is important to formulate on a regular basis updated guidelines for monitoring autophagy in different organisms. Despite numerous reviews, there continues to be confusion regarding acceptable methods to evaluate autophagy, especially in multicellular eukaryotes. Here, we present a set of guidelines for investigators to select and interpret methods to examine autophagy and related processes, and for reviewers to provide realistic and reasonable critiques of reports that are focused on these processes. These guidelines are not meant to be a dogmatic set of rules, because the appropriateness of any assay largely depends on the question being asked and the system being used. Moreover, no individual assay is perfect for every situation, calling for the use of multiple techniques to properly monitor autophagy in each experimental setting. Finally, several core components of the autophagy machinery have been implicated in distinct autophagic processes (canonical and noncanonical autophagy), implying that genetic approaches to block autophagy should rely on targeting two or more autophagy-related genes that ideally participate in distinct steps of the pathway. Along similar lines, because multiple proteins involved in autophagy also regulate other cellular pathways including apoptosis, not all of them can be used as a specific marker for bona fide autophagic responses. Here, we critically discuss current methods of assessing autophagy and the information they can, or cannot, provide. Our ultimate goal is to encourage intellectual and technical innovation in the field.
  5. Deng L, Lou H, Zhang X, Thiruvahindrapuram B, Lu D, Marshall CR, et al.
    BMC Genomics, 2019 Nov 12;20(1):842.
    PMID: 31718558 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6226-8
    BACKGROUND: Recent advances in genomic technologies have facilitated genome-wide investigation of human genetic variations. However, most efforts have focused on the major populations, yet trio genomes of indigenous populations from Southeast Asia have been under-investigated.

    RESULTS: We analyzed the whole-genome deep sequencing data (~ 30×) of five native trios from Peninsular Malaysia and North Borneo, and characterized the genomic variants, including single nucleotide variants (SNVs), small insertions and deletions (indels) and copy number variants (CNVs). We discovered approximately 6.9 million SNVs, 1.2 million indels, and 9000 CNVs in the 15 samples, of which 2.7% SNVs, 2.3% indels and 22% CNVs were novel, implying the insufficient coverage of population diversity in existing databases. We identified a higher proportion of novel variants in the Orang Asli (OA) samples, i.e., the indigenous people from Peninsular Malaysia, than that of the North Bornean (NB) samples, likely due to more complex demographic history and long-time isolation of the OA groups. We used the pedigree information to identify de novo variants and estimated the autosomal mutation rates to be 0.81 × 10- 8 - 1.33 × 10- 8, 1.0 × 10- 9 - 2.9 × 10- 9, and ~ 0.001 per site per generation for SNVs, indels, and CNVs, respectively. The trio-genomes also allowed for haplotype phasing with high accuracy, which serves as references to the future genomic studies of OA and NB populations. In addition, high-frequency inherited CNVs specific to OA or NB were identified. One example is a 50-kb duplication in DEFA1B detected only in the Negrito trios, implying plausible effects on host defense against the exposure of diverse microbial in tropical rainforest environment of these hunter-gatherers. The CNVs shared between OA and NB groups were much fewer than those specific to each group. Nevertheless, we identified a 142-kb duplication in AMY1A in all the 15 samples, and this gene is associated with the high-starch diet. Moreover, novel insertions shared with archaic hominids were identified in our samples.

    CONCLUSION: Our study presents a full catalogue of the genome variants of the native Malaysian populations, which is a complement of the genome diversity in Southeast Asians. It implies specific population history of the native inhabitants, and demonstrated the necessity of more genome sequencing efforts on the multi-ethnic native groups of Malaysia and Southeast Asia.

  6. Moriyama T, Yang YL, Nishii R, Ariffin H, Liu C, Lin TN, et al.
    Blood, 2017 Sep 07;130(10):1209-1212.
    PMID: 28659275 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2017-05-782383
    Prolonged exposure to thiopurines (eg, mercaptopurine [MP]) is essential for curative therapy in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), but is also associated with frequent dose-limiting hematopoietic toxicities, which is partly explained by inherited genetic polymorphisms in drug metabolizing enzymes (eg, TPMT). Recently, our group and others identified germ line genetic variants in NUDT15 as another major cause of thiopurine-related myelosuppression, particularly in Asian and Hispanic people. In this article, we describe 3 novel NUDT15 coding variants (p.R34T, p.K35E, and p.G17_V18del) in 5 children with ALL enrolled in frontline protocols in Singapore, Taiwan, and at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Patients carrying these variants experienced significant toxicity and reduced tolerance to MP across treatment protocols. Functionally, all 3 variants led to partial to complete loss of NUDT15 nucleotide diphosphatase activity and negatively influenced protein stability. In particular, the p.G17_V18del variant protein showed extremely low thermostability and was completely void of catalytic activity, thus likely to confer a high risk of thiopurine intolerance. This in-frame deletion was only seen in African and European patients, and is the first NUDT15 risk variant identified in non-Asian, non-Hispanic populations. In conclusion, we discovered 3 novel loss-of-function variants in NUDT15 associated with MP toxicity, enabling more comprehensive pharmacogenetics-based thiopurine dose adjustments across diverse populations.
  7. Hayat A, Sohail M, Ali Shah Syed J, Al-Sehemi AG, Mohammed MH, Al-Ghamdi AA, et al.
    Chem Rec, 2022 Feb 09.
    PMID: 35138017 DOI: 10.1002/tcr.202100310
    Being one of the foremost enticing and intriguing innovations, heterogeneous photocatalysis has also been used to effectively gather, transform, and conserve sustainable sun's radiation for the production of efficient and clean fossil energy as well as a wide range of ecological implications. The generation of solar fuel-based water splitting and CO2 photoreduction is excellent for generating alternative resources and reducing global warming. Developing an inexpensive photocatalyst can effectively split water into hydrogen (H2 ), oxygen (O2 ) sources, and carbon dioxide (CO2 ) into fuel sources, which is a crucial problem in photocatalysis. The metal-free g-C3 N4 photocatalyst has a high solar fuel generation potential. This review covers the most recent advancements in g-C3 N4 preparation, including innovative design concepts and new synthesis methods, and novel ideas for expanding the light absorption of pure g-C3 N4 for photocatalytic application. Similarly, the main issue concerning research and prospects in photocatalysts based g-C3 N4 was also discussed. The current dissertation provides an overview of comprehensive understanding of the exploitation of the extraordinary systemic and characteristics, as well as the fabrication processes and uses of g-C3 N4 .
  8. Yan L, Chen W, Wang C, Liu S, Liu C, Yu L, et al.
    Chemosphere, 2022 Feb;288(Pt 2):132510.
    PMID: 34627823 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.132510
    Tetracycline is a potentially hazardous residual antibiotic detected in various sewages. High concentration (mg/L) of tetracycline is found in pharmaceutical/hospital wastewater and wastewater derived from livestock and poultry. So far, only antibiotics in μg/L level have been reported in granulation of aerobic sludge during wastewater treatment, but its effects in high concentration are rarely reported. In this study, the influence of tetracycline in high concentration (∼2 mg/L) on the formation of granular sludge, structure, and metabolic function of the microbial community during the granulation of aerobic sludge was investigated to improve the understanding of the aerobic granular sludge formation under high-level of tetracycline. The role of extracellular polymers substances (EPSs) derived from granular sludge in the granulation and tetracycline removal process was also investigated, showing that tetracycline improved the relative hydrophobicity, flocculability and protein/polysaccharide ratio of EPSs, accelerating the granulation of sludge. Succession of microbial communities occurred during the domestication of functional bacteria present in the sludge and was accompanied with regulation of metabolic function. The addition of tetracycline lead to an increase of tetracycline-degrading bacteria or antibiotic resistance genus. Those findings provide new perspectives of the influence of tetracycline on aerobic sludge granulation and the removal mechanism of tetracycline.
  9. Fung HW, Cong CW, Tan CS, Yuan GF, Liu C, He KL, et al.
    Child Abuse Negl, 2023 Nov;145:106436.
    PMID: 37690435 DOI: 10.1016/j.chiabu.2023.106436
    BACKGROUND: Childhood trauma is one of the most preventable risk factors for mental health problems. Considering the substantial amount of time that young people spend in school during their early years, it is important to understand the potential impacts of teachers' behaviors on students' mental health.

    OBJECTIVES: This study examined the relationship between exposure to teacher violence and mental health problems.

    PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: An international sample of young adults aged 18 to 24 (N = 283).

    METHODS: Participants completed self-report measures of childhood trauma, exposure to teacher violence, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress, and alcohol misuse.

    RESULTS: Exposure to teacher violence could be reliably and validly measured using the Teacher Violence Scale (TVS). Current mental health problems - including depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress, and alcohol misuse - were associated with exposure to teacher violence during high school years, but not with childhood non-betrayal trauma.

    CONCLUSIONS: Our findings expand the application of the betrayal trauma theory to school settings and point to the importance of preventing and managing teacher violence. It is important to provide more support and training to teachers and enhance monitoring measures in schools. More research on the prevalence and correlates of exposure to teacher violence is needed. We also provided first evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the English version of the TVS to facilitate future research.

  10. Fang J, Liu C, Law CL, Mujumdar AS, Xiao HW, Zhang C
    Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr, 2023;63(27):8720-8736.
    PMID: 35389273 DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2059440
    Heat processing is one of the most efficient strategies used in food industry to improve quality and prolong shelf life. However, conventional processing methods such as microwave heating, burning charcoal treatment, boiling, and frying are energy-inefficient and often lead to inferior product quality. Superheated steam (SHS) is an innovative technology that offers many potential benefits to industry and is increasingly used in food industry. Compared to conventional processing methods, SHS holds higher heat transfer coefficients, which can reduce microorganisms on surface of foodstuffs efficiently. Additionally, SHS generates a low oxygen environment, which prevents lipid oxidation and harmful compounds generation. Furthermore, SHS can facilitate development of desired product quality, such as protein denaturation with functional characteristics, proper starch gelatinization, and can also reduce nutrient loss, and improve the physicochemical properties of foodstuffs. The current work provides a comprehensive review of the impact of SHS on the nutritional, physicochemical, and safety properties of various foodstuffs including meat, fruits, and vegetables, cereals, etc. Additionally, it also provides food manufacturers and researchers with basic knowledge and practical techniques for SHS processing of foodstuffs, which may improve the current scope of SHS and transfer current food systems to a healthy and sustainable one.
  11. Liu C, Hirakawa H, Tanaka K, Mohd Saaya F, Nenoi M, Fujimori A, et al.
    Dose Response, 2019 03 04;17(1):1559325819833840.
    PMID: 30858771 DOI: 10.1177/1559325819833840
    Radiotherapy (RT) treats cancer effectively with high doses of ionizing radiation (IR) to killing cancer cells and shrinking tumors while bearing the risk of developing different side effects, including secondary cancer, which is most concerning for long-term health consequences. Genomic instability (GI) is a characteristic of most cancer cells, and IR-induced GI can manifest as delayed homologous recombination (HR). Radioadaptive response (RAR) is capable of reducing genotoxicity, cell transformation, mutation, and carcinogenesis, but the rational evidence describing its contributions to the reduction of radiation risk, in particular, carcinogenesis, remains fragmented. In this work, to investigate the impact of RAR on high-dose, IR-induced GI measured as delayed HR, the frequency of recombinant cells was comparatively studied under RAR-inducible and -uninducible conditions in the nucleated cells in hematopoietic tissues (bone marrow and spleen) using the Rosa26 Direct Repeat-green fluorescent protein (RaDR-GFP) homozygote mice. Results demonstrated that the frequency of recombinant cells was significantly lower in hematopoietic tissues under RAR-inducible condition. These findings suggest that reduction in delayed HR may be at least a part of the mechanisms underlying decreased carcinogenesis by RAR, and application of RAR would contribute to a more rigorous and scientifically grounded system of radiation protection in RT.
  12. Zhu J, Li Y, Jiang H, Liu C, Lu W, Dai W, et al.
    Ecotoxicology, 2018 May;27(4):411-419.
    PMID: 29404868 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-018-1904-x
    The novel mesoionic insecticide triflumezopyrim was highly effective in controlling both imidacloprid-susceptible and resistant planthopper populations in Malaysia. However, the toxicity of triflumezopyrim to planthopper populations and their natural enemies has been under-investigated in China. In this study, the median lethal concentrations (LC50) of triflumezopyrim were determined in eight field populations of Nilaparvata lugens and one population of Sogatella furcifera from China under laboratory conditions. Triflumezopyrim showed higher toxicity to planthopper populations than the commonly-used insecticide, imidacloprid. Furthermore, the lethal effect of triflumezopyrim on eight beneficial arthropods of planthoppers was investigated in the laboratory and compared with three commonly-used insecticides, thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and abamectin. Triflumezopyrim was harmless to Anagrus nilaparvatae, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis and Paederus fuscipes, while thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and abamectin were moderately harmful or harmful to the insect parasitoid and predators. Triflumezopyrim and thiamethoxam were harmless to the predatory spiders Pirata subpiraticus, Ummeliata insecticeps, Hylyphantes graminicola and Pardosa pseudoannulata, and slightly harmful to Theridion octomaculatum. Chlorpyrifos caused slight to high toxicity to four spider species except U. insecticeps. Abamectin was moderately to highly toxic to all five spider species. Our results indicate that triflumezopyrim has high efficacy for rice planthoppers populations and is compatibile with their natural enemies in China.
  13. Liu C, Zhang F, Wang X, Chan NW, Rahman HA, Yang S, et al.
    PMID: 34993791 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17886-5
    Surface water quality deterioration is commonly associated with environmental changes and human activities. Although some research has been carried out to evaluate the relationship between various influencing factors and water quality, there is still very little scientific understanding on how to accurately define the key factors of water quality deterioration. This study aims to quantify the impact of environmental factors and land use land cover (LULC) changes on water quality in the Ebinur Lake Watershed, Xinjiang, China. A total of 20 water parameters were used to calculate the Environment Water Quality Index (CWQI). Meanwhile, the partial least squares-structural equation model (PLS-SEM) was used to quantify the impact of eleven factors influencing water quality in the watershed. About 33.3% of the monitoring points that located mostly in the downstream region with dominant anthropogenic activities were detected as poor quality. There were no obvious temporal changes in water quality from 2016 to 2019. The PLS-SEM simulation shows that the latent variable "land use/cover types" (path coefficient =  - 0.600) and "Environmental factor" (path coefficient =  - 0.313) are two major factors affected water quality in the Ebinur Lake Watershed, with a strong explanatory power to water quality change (R2 = 0.727). In the latent variable "Environmental factors", the "NDVI" and "night light brightness value" have a great influence on water quality, with the weights of 0.451 and 0.427, respectively. Correspondingly, the "farmland" and "forest land" within the latent variable of "Land use/cover type" have a considerable impact water quality, with the weights of 0.361 and - 0.340, respectively. In conclusion, the influence of anthropogenic activities on surface water quality of the Ebinur Lake Watershed is greater than that of environmental factors. Compared with the traditional multivariate statistical method, PLS-SEM provides a new insight for quantifying the complex relationship between different influencing factors and water quality.
  14. Li X, Zhang F, Shi J, Chan NW, Cai Y, Cheng C, et al.
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2024 Feb;31(6):9333-9346.
    PMID: 38191729 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-31702-2
    As an inland dryland lake basin, the rivers and lakes within the Lake Bosten basin provide scarce but valuable water resources for a fragile environment and play a vital role in the development and sustainability of the local societies. Based on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform, combined with the geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS) technology, we used the index WI2019 to extract and analyze the water body area changes of the Bosten Lake basin from 2000 to 2021 when the threshold value is -0.25 and the slope mask is 8°. The driving factors of water body area changes were also analyzed using the partial least squares-structural equation model (PLS-SEM). The result shows that in the last 20 years, the area of water bodies in the Bosten Lake basin generally fluctuated during the dry, wet, and permanent seasons, with a decreasing trend from 2000 to 2015 and an increasing trend between 2015 and 2019 followed by a steadily decreasing trend afterward. The main driver of the change in wet season water bodies in the Bosten Lake basin is the climatic factors, with anthropogenic factors having a greater influence on the water body area of dry season and permanent season than that of wet season. Our study achieved an accurate and convenient extraction of water body area and drivers, providing up-to-date information to fully understand the spatial and temporal variation of surface water body area and its drivers in the basin, which can be used to effectively manage water resources.
  15. Koh MT, Liu CS, Chiu CH, Boonsawat W, Watanaveeradej V, Abdullah N, et al.
    Epidemiol Infect, 2016 Apr;144(6):1192-200.
    PMID: 26468043 DOI: 10.1017/S0950268815002393
    Surveillance data on the burden of pertussis in Asian adults are limited. This cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence of serologically confirmed pertussis in adults with prolonged cough in Malaysia, Taiwan and Thailand. Adults (⩾19 years) with cough lasting for ⩾14 days without other known underlying cause were enrolled from outpatient clinics of seven public and/or private hospitals. Single blood samples for anti-pertussis toxin antibodies (anti-PT IgG) were analysed and economic impact and health-related quality of life (EQ-5D) questionnaires assessed. Sixteen (5·13%) of the 312 chronically coughing adults had serological evidence of pertussis infection within the previous 12 months (anti-PT IgG titre ⩾62·5 IU/ml). Three of them were teachers. Longer duration of cough, paroxysms (75% seroconfirmed, 48% non-seroconfirmed) and breathlessness/chest pain (63% seroconfirmed, 36% non-seroconfirmed) were associated with pertussis (P < 0·04). Of the seroconfirmed patients, the median total direct medical cost per pertussis episode in public hospitals (including physician consultations and/or emergency room visits) was US$13 in Malaysia, US$83 in Taiwan (n = 1) and US$26 in Thailand. The overall median EQ-5D index score of cases was 0·72 (range 0·42-1·00). Pertussis should be considered in the aetiology of adults with a prolonged or paroxysmal cough, and vaccination programmes considered.
    Study site in Malaysia: Klinik Kesihatan Seremban, Negeri Sembilan; Primary Care Clinic, University Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  16. Liu C, Wang ST, Tan CH, Lin ZE, Lee WJ
    PMID: 38422382 DOI: 10.1080/19440049.2024.2319271
    Glycidyl esters (GEs) and 3-monochloropropanediol esters (3-MCPDEs) are process contaminants commonly found in refined edible oils which are often added to infant formulas. The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) launched regulations for GEs in infant formulas that went into effect on 1 July 2021. To investigate levels of GEs and 3-MCPDEs in infant formula powder, 45 products were sampled and analysed during 2020-2021. The contents of GEs and 3-MCPDEs in formulas of different brands significantly varied, but their concentrations in all of the formulas complied with European Union (EU) regulations. Infant formulas containing palm oil had significantly higher 3-MCPDE levels in both extracted oils and milk powder than those without palm oil. Concentrations of GEs and 3-MCPDEs in infant formula powder and extracted oils were significantly lower in products from Europe than those from Australia and New Zealand. Infants aged 0-1 years in Taiwan who consumed only infant formula showed a margin of exposure (MoE) exceeding 25,000. Mean consumer exposures to 3-MCPDEs stayed below the tolerable daily intake (TDI), while high exposures at the 95th percentile (P95) exceeded the TDI by 1.7-fold. Herein, we present the changing trends in the risk assessment results of infant formula across various countries in the decade. Implementation of regulations and mitigation strategy effectively reduced the risk of infants being exposed to GEs and 3-MCPDEs through infant formula.
  17. Zhong M, Lin B, Pathak JL, Gao H, Young AJ, Wang X, et al.
    Front Med (Lausanne), 2020;7:580796.
    PMID: 33363183 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2020.580796
    Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) that mainly transfers from human to human via respiratory and gastrointestinal routes. The S-glycoprotein in the virus is the key factor for the entry of SARS-CoV-2 into the cell, which contains two functional domains: S1 is an angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor binding domain, and S2 is necessary for fusion of the coronavirus and cell membranes. Moreover, it has been reported that ACE2 is likely to be the receptor for SARS-CoV-2. In addition, mRNA level expression of Furin enzyme and ACE2 receptor had been reported in airway epithelia, cardiac tissue, and enteric canals. However, the expression patterns of ACE2 and Furin in different cell types of oral tissues are still unclear. Methods: In order to investigate the potential infective channel of the new coronavirus via the oropharyngeal cavity, we analyze the expression of ACE2 and Furin in human oral mucosa using the public single-cell sequence datasets. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry was performed in mucosal tissue from different oral anatomical sites to confirm the expression of ACE2 and Furin at the protein level. Results: The bioinformatics results indicated the differential expression of ACE2 and Furin on epithelial cells from different oral anatomical sites. Immunohistochemistry results revealed that both the ACE2-positive and Furin-positive cells in the target tissues were mainly positioned in the epithelial layers, partly expressed in fibroblasts, further confirming the bioinformatics results. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we speculated that SARS-CoV-2 could invade oral mucosal cells through two possible routes: binding to the ACE2 receptor and fusion with cell membrane activated by Furin protease. Our results indicated that oral mucosa tissues are susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 that could facilitate COVID-19 infection via respiratory and fecal-oral routes.
  18. Tan B, Li Y, Liu T, Tan X, He Y, You X, et al.
    Front Plant Sci, 2021;12:691651.
    PMID: 34456936 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.691651
    As natural agroecology deteriorates, controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems become the backup support for coping with future resource consumption and potential food crises. Compared with natural agroecology, most of the environmental parameters of the CEA system rely on manual management. Such a system is dependent and fragile and prone to degradation, which includes harmful bacteria proliferation and productivity decline. Proper water management is significant for constructing a stabilized rhizosphere microenvironment. It has been proved that water is an efficient tool for changing the availability of nutrients, plant physiological processes, and microbial communities within. However, for CEA issues, relevant research is lacking at present. The article reviews the interactive mechanism between water management and rhizosphere microenvironments from the perspectives of physicochemical properties, physiological processes, and microbiology in CEA systems. We presented a synthesis of relevant research on water-root-microbes interplay, which aimed to provide detailed references to the conceptualization, research, diagnosis, and troubleshooting for CEA systems, and attempted to give suggestions for the construction of a high-tech artificial agricultural ecology.
  19. Liu C, Rahman MNA
    Front Psychol, 2022;13:936253.
    PMID: 36081719 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.936253
    Previous studies have shown that sibling conflicts are detrimental to physical and psychological development, as well as long-term human development. Although many studies have discovered relations between parenting style and sibling conflicts, these findings were contentious and did not provide a universal solution. Therefore, the meta-analysis was used as the method to determine the nature and magnitude of the relationships. There were a total of 14,356 participants in the 16 included studies, from which 55 effect sizes were extracted. According to the overall meta-analysis results, authoritative parenting (r = -0.201) did have the potential to reduce sibling conflicts. Neglectful (r = 0.389), inconsistent (r = 0.364), indulgent (r = 0.293), and authoritarian (r = 0.235) parenting styles were related to sibling conflicts in a positive way. Moreover, the study investigated the effectiveness of several moderator variables, such as children's gender, age, region, outcome measure, and publication year. The research indicates that authoritative parenting is a protective factor of sibling conflicts. Moderator analyses found that gender, age, region, outcome measure, and publication year played moderating roles in the relationships. Finally, research limitations in the current study and expectations for future research, as well as theoretical contributions and implications for parenting practice, were presented.

    SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: [https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2022-8-0020/], identifier [INPLASY202280020].

  20. Zhao Y, Soh KG, Saad HA, Liu C, Ding C
    Front Public Health, 2024;12:1320112.
    PMID: 38420024 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1320112
    BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to critically review the existing literature on the effects of active video games (AVGs) on physical activity in overweight and obese college students to determine whether AVGs can promote and achieve recommended levels of physical activity. The results should provide constructive input for future research.

    METHODS: A total of five international databases including PubMed, SCOPUS, Web of Science, CINAHL Plus, and EBSCOhost were searched with keywords related to "active video games," "physical activity," and "obese college students" from July 2022. A systematic review was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines and randomised controlled trial (RCT) studies that met the inclusion criteria were included. Furthermore, the quality assessment of the studies was measured using the PEDro scale.

    RESULTS: One thousand and twenty-three articles were retrieved, of which eight randomised controlled trial studies met the inclusion criteria. AVGs can reduce sedentary behaviour and positively affect physical activity, time spent on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), positive psychological factors, and game attendance rate. Combining AVGs with other assistive devices (such as mini-trampolines and stationary bikes) can enhance the effects of AVGs and provide greater physiological stimulation. Different types of AVGs and game modes can achieve different emotional responses, physiological stimulation, and physical activity levels.

    CONCLUSION: The research findings prove that AVGs can be a viable intervention to increase physical activity in overweight or obese college students, ultimately reaching the recommended physical activity level(PAL). Physical activity can be further increased by incorporating assistive devices or using features supported by self-determination theory (SDT). As a new modality, AVGs could be a potential alternative to traditional physical activity.Systematic Review Registration:https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier: CRD42022363993.

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