Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 349 in total

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  1. United in Fight against prOstate cancer registry (UFO): Treatment patterns and quality of life from a large, multi-center, longitudinal cohort study in Asia
    Kanesvaran R, Uemura H, Ye D, Chiong E, Lojanapiwat B, Pu YS, et al.
    Ann Oncol, 2018 Nov;29 Suppl 9:ix67.
    PMID: 32178107 DOI: 10.1093/annonc/mdy434
  2. Fulltext Guidelines for the use and interpretation of assays for monitoring autophagy (3rd edition)
    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
  3. Fulltext Developing Pandemic Prevention and Control by ANP-QFD Approach: A Case Study on Urban Furniture Design in China Communities
    Liu J, Kamarudin KM, Liu Y, Zou J
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2021 Mar 06;18(5).
    PMID: 33800764 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18052653
    BACKGROUND: An infectious disease can affect human beings at an alarming speed in modern society, where Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has led to a worldwide pandemic, posing grave threats to public security and the social economies. However, as one of the closest attachments of urban dwellers, urban furniture hardly contributes to pandemic prevention and control.

    METHODS: Given this critical challenge, this article aims to propose a feasible solution to coping with pandemic situations through urban furniture design, using an integrated method of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Analytic Network Process (ANP). Eight communities in China are selected as the research sites, since people working and living in these places have successful experience preventing and containing pandemics.

    RESULTS: Three user requirements (URs), namely, usability and easy access, sanitation, and health and emotional pleasure, are determined. Meanwhile, seven design requirements (DRs) are identified, including contact reduction, effective disinfection, good appearance, social and cultural symbols, ergonomics, smart system and technology and sustainability. The overall priorities of URs and DRs and their inner dependencies are subsequently determined through the ANP-QFD method, comprising the House of Quality (HQQ). According to the theoretical results, we propose five design strategies for pandemic prevention and control.

    CONCLUSION: It is demonstrated that the incorporated method of ANP-QFD has applicability and effectiveness in the conceptual product design process. This article can also provide a new perspective for pandemic prevention and control in densely populated communities in terms of product design and development.

  4. Fulltext Arbuscular mycorrhizal trees influence the latitudinal beta-diversity gradient of tree communities in forests worldwide
    Zhong Y, Chu C, Myers JA, Gilbert GS, Lutz JA, Stillhard J, et al.
    Nat Commun, 2021 May 25;12(1):3137.
    PMID: 34035260 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-23236-3
    Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) and ectomycorrhizal (EcM) associations are critical for host-tree performance. However, how mycorrhizal associations correlate with the latitudinal tree beta-diversity remains untested. Using a global dataset of 45 forest plots representing 2,804,270 trees across 3840 species, we test how AM and EcM trees contribute to total beta-diversity and its components (turnover and nestedness) of all trees. We find AM rather than EcM trees predominantly contribute to decreasing total beta-diversity and turnover and increasing nestedness with increasing latitude, probably because wide distributions of EcM trees do not generate strong compositional differences among localities. Environmental variables, especially temperature and precipitation, are strongly correlated with beta-diversity patterns for both AM trees and all trees rather than EcM trees. Results support our hypotheses that latitudinal beta-diversity patterns and environmental effects on these patterns are highly dependent on mycorrhizal types. Our findings highlight the importance of AM-dominated forests for conserving global forest biodiversity.
  5. Multi-dimensional conditional mutual information with application on the EEG signal analysis for spatial cognitive ability evaluation
    Wen D, Li R, Jiang M, Li J, Liu Y, Dong X, et al.
    Neural Netw, 2021 Dec 25;148:23-36.
    PMID: 35051867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neunet.2021.12.010
    This study aims to explore an effective method to evaluate spatial cognitive ability, which can effectively extract and classify the feature of EEG signals collected from subjects participating in the virtual reality (VR) environment; and evaluate the training effect objectively and quantitatively to ensure the objectivity and accuracy of spatial cognition evaluation, according to the classification results. Therefore, a multi-dimensional conditional mutual information (MCMI) method is proposed, which could calculate the coupling strength of two channels considering the influence of other channels. The coupled characteristics of the multi-frequency combination were transformed into multi-spectral images, and the image data were classified employing the convolutional neural networks (CNN) model. The experimental results showed that the multi-spectral image transform features based on MCMI are better in classification than other methods, and among the classification results of six band combinations, the best classification accuracy of Beta1-Beta2-Gamma combination is 98.3%. The MCMI characteristics on the Beta1-Beta2-Gamma band combination can be a biological marker for the evaluation of spatial cognition. The proposed feature extraction method based on MCMI provides a new perspective for spatial cognitive ability assessment and analysis.
  6. Fulltext Molecular identification of natural hybridization between Melastoma malabathricum and Melastoama beccarianum in Sarawak, Malaysia
    Wu R, Zou P, Tan G, Hu Z, Wang Y, Ning Z, et al.
    Ecol Evol, 2019 May;9(10):5766-5776.
    PMID: 31160997 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5160
    Hybridization is very common in flowering plants and it plays a significant role in plant evolution and adaptation. Melastoma L. (Melastomataceae) comprises about 80-90 species in tropical Asia and Oceania, among which 41 species occur in Borneo. Natural hybridization is frequently reported in Melastoma in China, but so far there have been no confirmed cases of hybridization in Southeast Asia (including Borneo), where most species occur. Here, we identified a case of natural hybridization between Melastoma malabathricum L. and Melastoma beccarianum Cogn. in Sarawak, Malaysia, by using sequence data of three nuclear genes and one chloroplast intergenic spacer. Melastoma malabathricum is the most widespread species of this genus, occurring in almost the whole range of this genus, while M. beccarianum is a local species endemic to northern Borneo. Our results showed that natural hybridization and introgression occur between M. malabathricum and M. beccarianum, and the introgression was asymmetrical, mainly from M. malabathricum to M. beccarianum. As adaptive traits can be transferred by introgression, our study suggests that natural hybridization should be a significant mechanism for the evolution and adaptation of Melastoma in Southeast Asia. However, introgression from the common species M. malabathricum to the relatively rare species M. beccarianum may cause the decline of M. beccarianum, incurring conservation concern. With a large number of species of Melastoma and almost year-around flowering in Southeast Asia, more cases of natural hybridization are expected to be found and identified in near future.
  7. Fulltext Research on Cartilage 3D Printing Technology Based on SA-GA-HA
    Chen Y, Gong Y, Shan L, Tan CY, Al-Furjan MS, Ramesh S, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2023 Jul 28;16(15).
    PMID: 37570016 DOI: 10.3390/ma16155312
    Cartilage damage is difficult to heal and poses a serious problem to human health as it can lead to osteoarthritis. In this work, we explore the application of biological 3D printing to manufacture new cartilage scaffolds to promote cartilage regeneration. The hydrogel made by mixing sodium alginate (SA) and gelatin (GA) has high biocompatibility, but its mechanical properties are poor. The addition of hydroxyapatite (HA) can enhance its mechanical properties. In this paper, the preparation scheme of the SA-GA-HA composite hydrogel cartilage scaffold was explored, the scaffolds prepared with different concentrations were compared, and better formulations were obtained for printing and testing. Mathematical modeling of the printing process of the bracket, simulation analysis of the printing process based on the mathematical model, and adjustment of actual printing parameters based on the results of the simulation were performed. The cartilage scaffold, which was printed using Bioplotter 3D printer, exhibited useful mechanical properties suitable for practical needs. In addition, ATDC-5 cells were seeded on the cartilage scaffolds and the cell survival rate was found to be higher after one week. The findings demonstrated that the fabricated chondrocyte scaffolds had better mechanical properties and biocompatibility, providing a new scaffold strategy for cartilage tissue regeneration.
  8. Fulltext One-step synthesis of interpenetrating network hydrogels: Environment sensitivities and drug delivery properties
    Lu J, Li Y, Hu D, Chen X, Liu Y, Wang L, et al.
    Saudi J Biol Sci, 2016 Jan;23(1):S22-31.
    PMID: 26858562 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2015.06.012
    A novel interpenetrating network hydrogel for drug controlled release, composed of modified poly(aspartic acid) (KPAsp) and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCTS), was prepared in aqueous system. The surface morphology and composition of hydrogels were characterized by SEM and FTIR. The swelling properties of KPAsp, KPAsp/CMCTS semi-IPN and KPAsp/CMCTS IPN hydrogels were investigated and the swelling dynamics of the hydrogels was analyzed based on the Fickian equation. The pH, temperature and salt sensitivities of hydrogels were further studied, and the prepared hydrogels showed extremely sensitive properties to pH, temperature, the ionic salts kinds and concentration. The results of controlled drug release behaviors of the hydrogels revealed that the introduction of IPN observably improved the drug release properties of hydrogels, the release rate of drug from hydrogels can be controlled by the structure of the hydrogels and pH value of the external environment, a relative large amount of drug released was preferred under simulated intestinal fluid. These results illustrated high potential of the KPAsp/CMCTS IPN hydrogels for application as drug carriers.
  9. Dual Attention Mechanisms and Feature Fusion Networks Based Method for Predicting LncRNA-Disease Associations
    Liu Y, Yu Y, Zhao S
    Interdiscip Sci, 2022 Jan 24.
    PMID: 35067893 DOI: 10.1007/s12539-021-00492-x
    LncRNAs play a part in numerous momentous processes of biology such as disease diagnoses, preventions and treatments. The associations between various diseases and lncRNAs are one of the crucial approaches to learn the role and status of lncRNAs in human diseases. With the researches on lncRNA and diseases, multiple methods based on neural network have been employed to predict these associations. However, the deep and complicated characteristic representations of lncRNA-disease associations were failed to be extracted, and the discriminative contributions of the interactions, correlations, and similarities among miRNAs diseases, and lncRNAs for the correlation predictions were ignored. In this paper, based on the multibiology premise of lncRNAs, miRNAs, and diseases, a dual attention network was proposed to predict the model of lncRNA-disease associations for miRNAs, the disease characteristic matrix, and lncRNAs. Through two attention modules, we enable the model to learn the nonlinear, more complex and useful features of lncRNA, miRNA, and disease characteristic matrix. For the feature embedding matrix composed of lncRNA-disease, the connection between lncRNA-disease feature embedding matrix and lncRNA, miRNA, and disease characteristic matrix was enhanced through deconvolution and feature fusion layer. Compared with several latest methods, the method proposed in this paper can produce better performance. Researches on the cases of osteosarcoma, lung cancer, and gastric cancer have confirmed the effective recognition of potential lncRNA-disease associations.
  10. Religion, Psychological Strain, and Suicidality in China: A Preliminary Study
    Zhang J, Lew B, Liu Y, Chistopolskaya K, Zhao S
    Omega (Westport), 2024 May;89(1):275-291.
    PMID: 35098786 DOI: 10.1177/00302228211072985
    BACKGROUND: There is a lack of religiosity studies in China especially in relation to mental health and suicidality. In this research, we focus our studies on medical workers of which some studies reported to have higher stress, and to pilot our studies in this adult age-group.

    DATA AND METHODOLOGY: Data were obtained by a questionnaire survey in a large public hospital in a big metropolitan city of China. The final sample consisted of 1012 respondents with 237 (23.4%) being male and 775 (76.6%) being female. The respondents were of three groups: (1) Believers (n = 34; 3.5%); (2) Non-Believers or Atheists (n = 547; 55.8%); and (3) Agnostics or Fence-Sitters (n = 400; 40.8%). Suicidality was measured by the NCS-Suicidality Scale, and standard measures were employed for other major variables.

    FINDINGS: In line with other recent studies in China, the religion rate among the urban adults remained low (3.5%). However, about 40.8% of the respondents chose "don't know" and could be fence-sitters on the issue of religious belief. Many of them are involved in various folk beliefs which may not be considered as religious. The religious believers were at higher risk of suicidality and depression than the atheists and the fence-sitters. However, the fence-sitters were higher than the believers and atheists on psychological strains, and they were higher on depression compared to the atheists.

    CONCLUSION: The religious believers and religious fence-sitters have higher psychopathologic risks and suicidal risk than the atheist group. Religion as of low prevalence in Chinese societies is a social value deviant from the norm and its practitioners are likely to be marginalized or stigmatized. The Strain Theory of Suicide is used for detailed explanations.

  11. Fulltext Food Consumption Structure and Food Security-Through Mediating Effect Analysis of Agricultural R&D and Agricultural Investment
    Bi W, Song Y, Liu Y, Li Z, Zhang Y
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2022 Sep 30;19(19).
    PMID: 36231821 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191912524
    Food security is the cornerstone that ensures the stable development of a country. Based on panel data of 31 provinces (including autonomous regions and municipalities) in China from 2015 to 2019, we use the mediating effect model to explore the mechanism by which food consumption structure affects food security. The results indicate that grain consumption has a significant promoting effect on food security, while plant and animal food consumption have significant inhibiting effects on food security. Furthermore, agricultural R&D and investment play mediating roles in the impact of food consumption structure on food security. Obvious differences exist in the relationship between food consumption structure and food security between urban and rural areas, as well as between Eastern, Central, and Western regions. Animal food consumption had a negative and significant impact on food security, with a stronger effect on rural residents than on urban residents. Compared with the central and western regions, grain consumption and animal food consumption in the eastern region had a stronger marginal impact on food security. This paper enriches and expands the research on influencing factors of food security from the perspective of consumer demand, which has important theoretical value and practical significance for ensuring food security.
  12. Fulltext Occurrence of Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) in China
    Li R, Liu Y, Yin C, Sun K, Zhang P
    Plant Dis, 2022 Oct 24.
    PMID: 36281022 DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-06-22-1427-PDN
    Tomato leaf curl New Delhi virus (ToLCNDV), a member of the genus Begomovirus in the family Geminiviridae is naturally transmitted by the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (order Hemiptera, family Aleyrodidae) in a circulative and persistent manner (Moriones et al. 2017). ToLCNDV has occurred in Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Italy, Malaysia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Spain, Thailand and Tunisia (Moriones et al. 2017). To date, The primary cultivated host of ToLCNDV has been identified as tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), but the virus is also known to infect 43 other plant species from a range of families including Cucurbitaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Solanaceae, Malvaceae and Fabaceae (Zaidi et al. 2017). In August 2021, virus-like symptoms including leaf deformation and curing were observed on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) in a greenhouse of about 0.5 hectares in Zhejiang Province, China. To identify viral agents potentially associated with this disease, an Oxford Nanopore cDNA library from a symptomatic sample was generated and sequenced. Total RNA was extracted using RNAiso Plus (TaKaRa, Tokyo, Japan). Libraries were constructed using Oxford Nanopore PCR-cDNA Sequencing Kit (SQK-PCS109; Oxford Nanopore Technologies, Oxford, UK), as recommended. Approximately 8.7 million reads were obtained from the Oxford MinION platform. After removing the adapters and low-quality reads, the clean reads were subjected to BLASTn analysis against the nt database. Approximately 797 and 168 reads produced high nt identities to the genome of ToLCNDV DNA-A (GeneBank Accession No. U15015.2) and ToLCNDV DNA-B (GeneBank Accession No. U15017.2) respectively. We designed 6 primer pairs (Table S1) to obtain the sequence of ToLCNDV Zhejiang (ToLCNDV-ZJ) isolate DNA-A and DNA-B. Briefly, total DNA from ToLCNDV-infected tomato was extracted using standard cetyl trimethylammonium bromide method. Segments of ToLCNDV DNA-A and DNA-B were amplified using high-fidelity DNA polymerase KOD-Plus-Neo (Toyobo, Osaka, Japan). PCR products were cloned into the pLB vector (Tiangen, Beijing, China) and Sanger sequenced. The obtained sequences were assembled into complete sequences of ToLCNDV-ZJ DNA-A (2,739 nt, GeneBank Accession No. OP356207) and DNA-B (2,693 nt, GeneBank Accession No. OP356208). Pairwise sequence comparison revealed that the ToLCNDV -ZJ shared the highest nt sequence identities of 98.7% and 98.4% with the genome segments of New Delhi isolate (genome A: HM159454) and India:Delhi:Cucumis:2012 isolate (genome B: KC545813) respectively. Furthermore, we performed PCR detection on 10 collected samples using the primer pair P1F and P1R. All eight symptomatic plants showing upward leaf curling and leaf distortion tested positive for ToLCNDV infection, whereas two asymptomatic plants were ToLCNDV free. To our knowledge, this is the first report of ToLCNDV infecting tomato in China, and with the widespread presence of B. tabaci in green houses, ToLCNDV may be a potential threat to the cultivation of tomato in China. In addition, ToLCNDV is an exceptional Old World bipartite begomovirus. In China, monopartite DNA satellite-associated begomoviruses with mostly narrow geographical ranges predominate, and are widespread (Li et al., 2022). The occurrence of ToLCNDV in China, which indicates that the success of this virus would become an emerging threat to vegetable and fiber crops.
  13. Testing the Strain Theory of Suicide - The Moderating Role of Social Support
    Lew B, Chistopolskaya K, Liu Y, Talib MA, Mitina O, Zhang J
    Crisis, 2020 Mar;41(2):82-88.
    PMID: 30935245 DOI: 10.1027/0227-5910/a000604
    Background: According to the strain theory of suicide, strains, resulting from conflicting and competing pressures in an individual's life, are hypothesized to precede suicide. But social support is an important factor that can mitigate strains and lessen their input in suicidal behavior. Aims: This study was designed to assess the moderating role of social support in the relation between strain and suicidality. Methods: A sample of 1,051 employees were recruited in Beijing, the capital of China, through an online survey. Moderation analysis was performed using SPSS PROCESS Macro. Social support was measured with the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and strains were assessed with the Psychological Strains Scale. Results: Psychological strains are a good predictor of suicidality, and social support, a basic need for each human being, moderates and decreases the effects of psychological strains on suicidality. Limitations: The cross-sectional survey limited the extent to which conclusions about causal relationships can be drawn. Furthermore, the results may not be generalized to the whole of China because of its diversity. Conclusion: Social support has a tendency to mitigate the effects of psychological strains on suicidality.
  14. Fulltext Author Correction: Dense sampling of bird diversity increases power of comparative genomics
    Feng S, Stiller J, Deng Y, Armstrong J, Fang Q, Reeve AH, et al.
    Nature, 2021 Apr;592(7856):E24.
    PMID: 33833441 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-021-03473-8
  15. Fulltext Dense sampling of bird diversity increases power of comparative genomics
    Feng S, Stiller J, Deng Y, Armstrong J, Fang Q, Reeve AH, et al.
    Nature, 2020 11;587(7833):252-257.
    PMID: 33177665 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2873-9
    Whole-genome sequencing projects are increasingly populating the tree of life and characterizing biodiversity1-4. Sparse taxon sampling has previously been proposed to confound phylogenetic inference5, and captures only a fraction of the genomic diversity. Here we report a substantial step towards the dense representation of avian phylogenetic and molecular diversity, by analysing 363 genomes from 92.4% of bird families-including 267 newly sequenced genomes produced for phase II of the Bird 10,000 Genomes (B10K) Project. We use this comparative genome dataset in combination with a pipeline that leverages a reference-free whole-genome alignment to identify orthologous regions in greater numbers than has previously been possible and to recognize genomic novelties in particular bird lineages. The densely sampled alignment provides a single-base-pair map of selection, has more than doubled the fraction of bases that are confidently predicted to be under conservation and reveals extensive patterns of weak selection in predominantly non-coding DNA. Our results demonstrate that increasing the diversity of genomes used in comparative studies can reveal more shared and lineage-specific variation, and improve the investigation of genomic characteristics. We anticipate that this genomic resource will offer new perspectives on evolutionary processes in cross-species comparative analyses and assist in efforts to conserve species.
  16. International Alliance of Urolithiasis (IAU) guideline on staghorn calculi management
    Zhong W, Osther P, Pearle M, Choong S, Mazzon G, Zhu W, et al.
    World J Urol, 2024 Mar 25;42(1):189.
    PMID: 38526675 DOI: 10.1007/s00345-024-04816-6
    BACKGROUND: The stone burden based management strategy reported in the guidelines published by different associations is well known for a long time. Staghorn calculi, representing the largest burden and most complex stones, is one of the most challenging cases to practicing urologists in clinical practice. The International Alliance of Urolithiasis (IAU) has released a series of guidelines on the management of urolithiasis.

    PURPOSE: To develop a series of recommendations for the contemporary management management of staghorn calculi and to provide a clinical framework for urologists treating patients with these complex stones.

    METHODS: A comprehensive literature search for articles published in English between 01/01/1976 and 31/12/2022 in the PubMed, OVID, Embase and Medline database is performed. A series of recommendations are developed and individually graded following the review of literature and panel discussion.

    RESULTS: The definition, pathogenesis, pathophysiology, preoperative evaluation, intraoperative treatment strategies and procedural advice, early postoperative management, follow up and prevention of stone recurrence are summarized in the present document.

    CONCLUSION: A series of recommendations regarding the management of staghorn calculi, along with related commentary and supporting documentation offered in the present guideline is intended to provide a clinical framework for the practicing urologists in the management of staghorn calculi.

  17. Fulltext An open dataset of Plasmodium vivax genome variation in 1,895 worldwide samples
    MalariaGEN, Adam I, Alam MS, Alemu S, Amaratunga C, Amato R, et al.
    Wellcome Open Res, 2022;7:136.
    PMID: 35651694 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17795.1
    This report describes the MalariaGEN Pv4 dataset, a new release of curated genome variation data on 1,895 samples of Plasmodium vivax collected at 88 worldwide locations between 2001 and 2017. It includes 1,370 new samples contributed by MalariaGEN and VivaxGEN partner studies in addition to previously published samples from these and other sources. We provide genotype calls at over 4.5 million variable positions including over 3 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as well as short indels and tandem duplications. This enlarged dataset highlights major compartments of parasite population structure, with clear differentiation between Africa, Latin America, Oceania, Western Asia and different parts of Southeast Asia. Each sample has been classified for drug resistance to sulfadoxine, pyrimethamine and mefloquine based on known markers at the dhfr, dhps and mdr1 loci. The prevalence of all of these resistance markers was much higher in Southeast Asia and Oceania than elsewhere. This open resource of analysis-ready genome variation data from the MalariaGEN and VivaxGEN networks is driven by our collective goal to advance research into the complex biology of P. vivax and to accelerate genomic surveillance for malaria control and elimination.
  18. Need for developing a security robot-based risk management for emerging practices in the workplace using the Advanced Human-Robot Collaboration Model
    Zheyuan C, Rahman MA, Tao H, Liu Y, Pengxuan D, Yaseen ZM
    Work, 2021;68(3):825-834.
    PMID: 33612525 DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203416
    BACKGROUND: The increasing use of robotics in the work of co-workers poses some new problems in terms of occupational safety and health. In the workplace, industrial robots are being used increasingly. During operations such as repairs, unmanageable, adjustment, and set-up, robots can cause serious and fatal injuries to workers. Collaborative robotics recently plays a rising role in the manufacturing filed, warehouses, mining agriculture, and much more in modern industrial environments. This development advances with many benefits, like higher efficiency, increased productivity, and new challenges like new hazards and risks from the elimination of human and robotic barriers.

    OBJECTIVES: In this paper, the Advanced Human-Robot Collaboration Model (AHRCM) approach is to enhance the risk assessment and to make the workplace involving security robots. The robots use perception cameras and generate scene diagrams for semantic depictions of their environment. Furthermore, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) have utilized to develop a highly protected security robot based risk management system in the workplace.

    RESULTS: The experimental results show that the proposed AHRCM method achieves high performance in human-robot mutual adaption and reduce the risk.

    CONCLUSION: Through an experiment in the field of human subjects, demonstrated that policies based on the proposed model improved the efficiency of the human-robot team significantly compared with policies assuming complete human-robot adaptation.

  19. Fulltext Global Epidemiology of Dengue Outbreaks in 1990-2015: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
    Guo C, Zhou Z, Wen Z, Liu Y, Zeng C, Xiao D, et al.
    Front Cell Infect Microbiol, 2017;7:317.
    PMID: 28748176 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00317
    Dengue is an arthropod-borne infectious disease caused by dengue virus (DENV) infection and transmitted byAedesmosquitoes. Approximately 50-100 million people are infected with DENV each year, resulting in a high economic burden on both governments and individuals. Here, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize information regarding the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, and serotype distribution and risk factors for global dengue outbreaks occurring from 1990 to 2015. We searched the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases through December 2016 using the term "dengue outbreak." In total, 3,853 studies were identified, of which 243 studies describing 262 dengue outbreaks met our inclusion criteria. The majority of outbreak-associated dengue cases were reported in the Western Pacific Region, particularly after the year 2010; these cases were primarily identified in China, Singapore and Malaysia. The pooled mean age of dengue-infected individuals was 30.1 years; of the included patients, 54.5% were male, 23.2% had DHF, 62.0% had secondary infections, and 1.3% died. The mean age of dengue patients reported after 2010 was older than that of patients reported before 2010 (34.0 vs. 27.2 years); however, the proportions of patients who had DHF, had secondary infections and died significantly decreased after 2010. Fever, malaise, headache, and asthenia were the most frequently reported clinical symptoms and signs among dengue patients. In addition, among the identified clinical symptoms and signs, positive tourniquet test (OR= 4.86), ascites (OR= 13.91) and shock (OR= 308.09) were identified as the best predictors of dengue infection, DHF and mortality, respectively (bothP< 0.05). The main risk factors for dengue infection, DHF and mortality were living with uncovered water container (OR= 1.65), suffering from hypotension (OR= 6.18) and suffering from diabetes mellitus (OR= 2.53), respectively (allP< 0.05). The serotype distribution varied with time and across WHO regions. Overall, co-infections were reported in 47.7% of the evaluated outbreaks, and the highest pooled mortality rate (2.0%) was identified in DENV-2 dominated outbreaks. Our study emphasizes the necessity of implementing programs focused on targeted prevention, early identification, and effective treatment.
  20. Foodomics Reveals Anti-Obesity Properties of Cannabinoids from Hemp Oil
    Ding Z, Jiang F, Shi J, Wang Y, He M, Tan CP, et al.
    Mol Nutr Food Res, 2023 Jan;67(2):e2200508.
    PMID: 36382382 DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202200508
    SCOPE: Molecular networking (MN) analysis intends to provide chemical insight of untargeted mass spectrometry (MS) data to the user's underlying biological questions. Foodomics is the study of chemical compounds in food using advanced omics methods. In this study, an MS-MN-based foodomics approach is developed to investigate the composition and anti-obesity activity of cannabinoids in hemp oil.

    METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 16 cannabinoids are determined in optimized microwave pretreatment of hemp oil using the developed approach. Untargeted metabolomics analysis reveals that cannabinoid extract (CE) and its major constituent (cannabidiol, CBD), can alleviate high glucose-induced increases in lipids and carbohydrates, and decreases in amino acid and nucleic acid. Moreover, CE and CBD are also found to suppress the expression levels of mdt-15, sbp-1, fat-5, fat-6, fat-7, daf-2, and elevate the expression level of daf-1, daf-7, daf-16, sod-3, gst-4, lipl-4, resulting in the decrease of lipid synthesis and the enhance of kinetism. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) uncovers strong associations between specific metabolic alterations and gene expression levels.

    CONCLUSION: These findings from this exploratory study offer a new insight into the roles of cannabinoids in the treatment of obesity and related complications.

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