Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 190 in total

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  1. He G, Sun Z, Zhao Y, Zhang S, Chen H, Zhao Z, et al.
    Int J Clin Exp Pathol, 2020;13(5):1060-1065.
    PMID: 32509079
    In recent years, the incidence and mortality of infectious diseases in China are increasing. Infectious diseases, especially new infectious diseases, seriously threaten people's lives. Recent works found that most of the emerging infectious diseases come from wild life. At the same time, the impact of human activities on the environment has further deteriorated the living environment of wildlife. However, with the conducted in-depth research on virus, human beings increase the risk of getting infected. Taking Beta Coronavirus as the example, we analyzed the transmission risks of coronavirus in the prevention and control of the outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases, and recommend the prevention and control strategies before, during and after the viral outbreak. Additional works are urgently needed to better define the biological and epidemiological characteristics of these viruses.
  2. Hu FJ, Li YD, Jiao SL, Zhang S
    Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi, 2013 Dec;47(12):1100-4.
    PMID: 24529267
    To investigate the epidemiological characteristics of influenza B viruses and explore the genetic evolution characteristics of the hemagglutinin(HA) and neuraminidase(NA) genes of local isolated strains in Ningbo, Southeast China, during 2010 to 2012.
  3. Zhang S, Chong LH, Woon JYX, Chua TX, Cheruba E, Yip AK, et al.
    Commun Biol, 2023 Jan 18;6(1):62.
    PMID: 36653484 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04421-0
    Biochemical signaling and mechano-transduction are both critical in regulating stem cell fate. How crosstalk between mechanical and biochemical cues influences embryonic development, however, is not extensively investigated. Using a comparative study of focal adhesion constituents between mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) and their differentiated counterparts, we find while zyxin is lowly expressed in mESCs, its levels increase dramatically during early differentiation. Interestingly, overexpression of zyxin in mESCs suppresses Oct4 and Nanog. Using an integrative biochemical and biophysical approach, we demonstrate involvement of zyxin in regulating pluripotency through actin stress fibres and focal adhesions which are known to modulate cellular traction stress and facilitate substrate rigidity-sensing. YAP signaling is identified as an important biochemical effector of zyxin-induced mechanotransduction. These results provide insights into the role of zyxin in the integration of mechanical and biochemical cues for the regulation of embryonic stem cell fate.
  4. Yip AK, Zhang S, Chong LH, Cheruba E, Woon JYX, Chua TX, et al.
    Front Cell Dev Biol, 2021;9:735298.
    PMID: 34869319 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.735298
    Focal adhesions (FAs) are specialized structures that enable cells to sense their extracellular matrix rigidity and transmit these signals to the interior of the cells, bringing about actin cytoskeleton reorganization, FA maturation, and cell migration. It is known that cells migrate towards regions of higher substrate rigidity, a phenomenon known as durotaxis. However, the underlying molecular mechanism of durotaxis and how different proteins in the FA are involved remain unclear. Zyxin is a component of the FA that has been implicated in connecting the actin cytoskeleton to the FA. We have found that knocking down zyxin impaired NIH3T3 fibroblast's ability to sense and respond to changes in extracellular matrix in terms of their FA sizes, cell traction stress magnitudes and F-actin organization. Cell migration speed of zyxin knockdown fibroblasts was also independent of the underlying substrate rigidity, unlike wild type fibroblasts which migrated fastest at an intermediate substrate rigidity of 14 kPa. Wild type fibroblasts exhibited durotaxis by migrating toward regions of increasing substrate rigidity on polyacrylamide gels with substrate rigidity gradient, while zyxin knockdown fibroblasts did not exhibit durotaxis. Therefore, we propose zyxin as an essential protein that is required for rigidity sensing and durotaxis through modulating FA sizes, cell traction stress and F-actin organization.
  5. Huang Y, Liu S, Zhang J, Syed-Hassan SSA, Hu X, Sun H, et al.
    Bioresour Technol, 2020 Jul;307:123192.
    PMID: 32220819 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2020.123192
    This study investigated the interactions between volatile and char during biomass pyrolysis at 400 °C, employing a β-5 lignin dimer and amino-modified graphitized carbon nanotube (CNT-NH2) as their models, respectively. The results demonstrated that both -NH2 and its carrier (CNT) facilitated the conversion of the β-5 dimer, which significantly increased from 9.7% (blank run), to 61.6% (with CNT), and to 96.6% (with CNT-NH2). CNT mainly favored the breakage of C-O bond in the feedstock to produce dimers with a yield of 55.5%, while CNT-NH2 promoted the cleavage of both C-O and C-C bonds to yield monomers with a yield up to 63.4%. Such significant changes in the pyrolysis behaviors of the β-5 lignin dimer after the introduction of CNT-NH2 were considered to be mainly caused by hydrogen-bond formations between -NH2 and the dimeric feedstock/products, in addition to the π-π stacking between CNT and aromatic rings.
  6. Zhang S, Anser MK, Yao-Ping Peng M, Chen C
    Resour Policy, 2023 Jan;80:103182.
    PMID: 36530833 DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2022.103182
    After the COVID-19 outbreak, this study examines the influence of modifications in China's Sustainable Growth Goals (SDGs) and economic development goals on Chinese enterprises' energy conservation and emissions reduction behavior. Meanwhile, the COVID-19 epidemic has erupted, displacing the flimsy traditional techniques. As a result, the post-COVID-19 pandemic emphasizes the need for a long-term sustainable development method compatible with the local and regional environmental systems. The main objective of this study is used as a roadmap to steer the post-COVID-19 pandemic on a sustainable green path by emphasizing sustainable energy strategies to connect in SDG-related efforts. The investigation in this paper begins with examining significant impacts in the energy industry and their impact on progress toward sustainability. The empirical findings that the CO2 emissions reduction objectives in long-term development plans had a considerable impact on energy saving and emissions reduction, lowering energy consumption intensity by 3.33% and carbon emission intensity by 4.23% between 2010 and 2019. Besides, the results and long and short run techniques are built to describe the Sustainable Development Goals interface, with the result revealing that Sustainable Development Goals enhance the green economic recovery performance. Furthermore, this study recommends that the key natural resources and green economic recovery policies to overcome the climate change impacts by COVID-19 pandemic.
  7. Zhang S, Lee G, Davies JW, Hull R
    Arch Virol, 1997;142(9):1873-9.
    PMID: 9672645
    The variation in the sequence of the coat protein genes of four isolates of rice tungro spherical virus from different countries, Malaysia, Thailand, India and Bangladesh, was compared with an isolate from the Philippines. The evidence from RT-PCR, Southern blot hybridization and sequences of the coat protein genes indicated that the isolates appeared to fall into two groups. One comprised the Philippine and Malaysian isolates (about 95% sequence similarity) and the other the Bangladeshi and Indian isolates, the sequences of which differed by about 15% from that of the Philippine isolate. The Thai isolate seemed to be a mixture of these two subgroups.
  8. Zhang S, Ching CK, Huang D, Liu YB, Rodriguez-Guerrero DA, Hussin A, et al.
    Heart Rhythm, 2020 03;17(3):468-475.
    PMID: 31561030 DOI: 10.1016/j.hrthm.2019.09.023
    BACKGROUND: Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are underutilized in Asia, Latin America, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The Improve SCA Study is the largest prospective study to evaluate the benefit of ICD therapy in underrepresented geographies. This analysis reports the primary objective of the study.

    OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study was to determine whether patients with primary prevention (PP) indications with specific risk factors (1.5PP: syncope, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia, premature ventricular contractions >10/h, and low ventricular ejection fraction <25%) are at a similar risk of life-threatening arrhythmias as patients with secondary prevention (SP) indications and to evaluate all-cause mortality rates in 1.5PP patients with and without devices.

    METHODS: A total of 3889 patients were included in the analysis to evaluate ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation therapy and mortality rates. Patients were stratified as SP (n = 1193) and patients with PP indications. The PP cohort was divided into 1.5PP patients (n = 1913) and those without any 1.5PP criteria (n = 783). The decision to undergo ICD implantation was left to the patient and/or physician. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to compute hazard ratios.

    RESULTS: Patients had predominantly nonischemic cardiomyopathy. The rate of ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation in 1.5PP patients was not equivalent (within 30%) to that in patients with SP indications (hazard ratio 0.47; 95% confidence interval 0.38-0.57) but was higher than that in PP patients without any 1.5PP criteria (hazard ratio 0.67; 95% confidence interval 0.46-0.97) (P = .03). There was a 49% relative risk reduction in all-cause mortality in ICD implanted 1.5PP patients. In addition, the number needed to treat to save 1 life over 3 years was 10.0 in the 1.5PP cohort vs 40.0 in PP patients without any 1.5PP criteria.

    CONCLUSION: These data corroborate the mortality benefit of ICD therapy and support extension to a selected PP population from underrepresented geographies.

  9. Wu X, Zhang S, Lai J, Lu H, Sun Y, Guan W
    Exp Clin Transplant, 2020 12;18(7):823-831.
    PMID: 33349209 DOI: 10.6002/ect.2020.0108
    OBJECTIVES: Liver fibrosis is inevitable in the healing process of liver injury. Liver fibrosis will develop into liver cirrhosis unless the damaging factors are removed. This study investigated the potential therapy of Bama pig adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in a carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis Institute of Cancer Research strain mice model.

    MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were injected intravenously into the tails of mice of the Institute of Cancer Research strain that had been treated with carbon tetrachloride for 4 weeks. Survival rate, migration, and proliferation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells in the liver were observed by histochemistry, fluorescent labeling, and serological detection.

    RESULTS: At 1, 2, and 3 weeks after adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cell injection, liver fibrosis was significantly ameliorated. The injected adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells had hepatic differentiation potential in vivo, and the survival rate of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells declined over time.

    CONCLUSIONS: The findings in this study confirmed that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells derived from the Bama pig can be used in the treatment of liver fibrosis, and the grafted adipose-derived mesenchy-mal stem cells can migrate, survive, and differentiate into hepatic cells in vivo.

  10. Ritter P, Duray GZ, Zhang S, Narasimhan C, Soejima K, Omar R, et al.
    Europace, 2015 May;17(5):807-13.
    PMID: 25855677 DOI: 10.1093/europace/euv026
    Recent advances in miniaturization technologies and battery chemistries have made it possible to develop a pacemaker small enough to implant within the heart while still aiming to provide similar battery longevity to conventional pacemakers. The Micra Transcatheter Pacing System is a miniaturized single-chamber pacemaker system that is delivered via catheter through the femoral vein. The pacemaker is implanted directly inside the right ventricle of the heart, eliminating the need for a device pocket and insertion of a pacing lead, thereby potentially avoiding some of the complications associated with traditional pacing systems.
  11. Ching CK, Hsieh YC, Liu YB, Rodriguez DA, Kim YH, Joung B, et al.
    J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, 2021 08;32(8):2285-2294.
    PMID: 34216069 DOI: 10.1111/jce.15149
    BACKGROUND: In primary prevention (PP) patients the utilization of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) and cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators (CRT-D) remains low in many geographies, despite the proven mortality benefit.

    PURPOSE: The objective of this analysis was to examine the mortality benefit in PP patients by guideline-indicated device type: ICD and CRT-D.

    METHODS: Improve sudden cardiac arrest was a prospective, nonrandomized, nonblinded multicenter trial that enrolled patients from regions where ICD utilization is low. PP patient's CRT-D or ICD eligibility was based upon the 2008 ACC/AHA/HRS and 2006 ESC guidelines. Mortality was assessed according to guideline-indicated device type comparing implanted and nonimplanted patients. Cox proportional hazards methods were used, adjusting for known factors affecting mortality risk.

    RESULTS: Among 2618 PP patients followed for a mean of 20.8 ± 10.8 months, 1073 were indicated for a CRT-D, and 1545 were indicated for an ICD. PP CRT-D-indicated patients who received CRT-D therapy had a 58% risk reduction in mortality compared with those without implant (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.28-0.61, p 

  12. Liu J, Long J, Zhang S, Fang X, Luo Y
    J Pediatr (Rio J), 2013 07 11;89(5):434-43.
    PMID: 23850112 DOI: 10.1016/j.jped.2013.01.008
    OBJECTIVE: To determine whether three variants (388 G>A, 521 T>C, and 463 C>A) of the solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 1B1 (SLCO1B1) are associated with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

    DATA SOURCE: The China National Knowledge Infrastructure and MEDLINE databases were searched. The systematic review with meta-analysis included genetic studies which assessed the association between neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and 388 G>A, 521 T>C, and 463 C>A variants of SLCO1B1 between January of 1980 and December of 2012. Data selection and extraction were performed independently by two reviewers.

    SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS: Ten articles were included in the study. The results revealed that SLCO1B1 388 G>A is associated with an increased risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia (OR, 1.39; 95% CI, 1.07-1.82) in Chinese neonates, but not in white, Thai, Latin American, or Malaysian neonates. The SLCO1B1 521 T>C mutation showed a low risk of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Chinese neonates, while no significant associations were found in Brazilian, white, Asian, Thai, and Malaysian neonates. There were no significant differences in SLCO1B1 463 C>A between the hyperbilirubinemia and the control group.

    CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the 388 G>A mutation of the SLCO1B1 gene is a risk factor for developing neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Chinese neonates, but not in white, Thai, Brazilian, or Malaysian populations; the SLCO1B1 521 T>C mutation provides protection for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Chinese neonates, but not in white, Thai, Brazilian, or Malaysian populations.

  13. Zhang SS, Noordin MM, Rahman SO, Haron MJ
    Vet Hum Toxicol, 2001 Apr;43(2):83-7.
    PMID: 11308125
    An attempt was made to clarify the association between zinc (Zn) and antioxidants due to Zn supplementation on lipid peroxidation occurring during Brachiaria decumbens intoxication. The concentration of Zn, copper, malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and gluthathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were determined in tissues. There was a gradual increment in the concentration of Zn and MDA in serum and hepatocytic SOD in groups given Zn + B decumbens. A decline in erythrocytic GSH-Px and SOD, and lower concentration of reduced glutathione in hepatocyte cytosols were also detected in these sheep. It is highly suggestive that Zn supplementation may depress antioxidant status and enhance lipid peroxidation during B decumbens intoxication.
  14. Noordin MM, Zhang SS, Rahman SO, Haron J
    Vet Hum Toxicol, 2000 Oct;42(5):276-9.
    PMID: 11003117
    Samples of Brachiaria decumbens collected from 5 farms representing the Peninsular Malaysia were subjected to selected trace mineral and phytate analyses to explain the pathogenesis of B decumbens intoxication. Concentrations of Cu, Zn, Fe and Mo were comparable to other grasses while that of phytate was low. The molar ratios of Cu:Zn, Cu:Mo, and Cu:Fe warrant that Cu deficiency is involved in the toxicity of B decumbens. This might aggravate the development of photosensitization of unpigmented or lightly pigmented areas of affected animals. The Zn:phytate ratio could predispose to Zn deficiency during intoxication.
  15. Romanello M, Di Napoli C, Drummond P, Green C, Kennard H, Lampard P, et al.
    Lancet, 2022 Nov 05;400(10363):1619-1654.
    PMID: 36306815 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)01540-9
  16. Romanello M, McGushin A, Di Napoli C, Drummond P, Hughes N, Jamart L, et al.
    Lancet, 2021 Oct 30;398(10311):1619-1662.
    PMID: 34687662 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)01787-6
  17. Chen A, Jiang J, Luo Y, Zhang G, Hu B, Wang X, et al.
    PeerJ, 2023;11:e16337.
    PMID: 38130929 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16337
    Drought monitoring is crucial for assessing and mitigating the impacts of water scarcity on various sectors and ecosystems. Although traditional drought monitoring relies on soil moisture data, remote sensing technology has have significantly augmented the capabilities for drought monitoring. This study aims to evaluate the accuracy and applicability of two temperature vegetation drought indices (TVDI), TVDINDVI and TVDIEVI, constructed using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) vegetation indices for drought monitoring. Using Guangdong Province as a case, enhanced versions of these indices, developed through Savitzky-Golay filtering and terrain correction were employed. Additionally, Pearson correlation analysis and F-tests were utilized to determine the suitability of the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) in correlation with TVDINDVI and TVDIEVI. The results show that TVDINDVI had more meteorological stations passing both significance test levels (P 
  18. Mak KK, Zhang S, Chellian J, Mohd Z, Epemolu O, Dinkova-Kostova AT, et al.
    Antioxidants (Basel), 2023 Feb 27;12(3).
    PMID: 36978843 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12030595
    Our previous studies have reported the effect of swietenine (a major bioactive component of Swietenia macrophylla seeds) in reversing and potentiating the effect of metformin in hyperglycemia and hyperlipidaemia in diabetic rats. Moreover, we reported that the anti-inflammatory effect of swietenine is mediated via the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). This study evaluated the effect of swietenine and its mechanisms in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in high-fat diet/streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. The effect was assessed by determining blood biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, alanine transaminase (ALT), asparate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), glutathione (GSH), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) and liver biochemical parameters (liver index, cholesterol, and triglycerides). Hepatic lipid accumulation (initial causative factor in NAFLD) was determined by oil-O-red staining. Gene expression (qPCR) and immunohistochemical studies were performed to elucidate the mechanism of swietenine's effect in NAFLD. The critical regulators (genes and proteins) involved in lipogenesis (ACLY, ACC1, FASN, SREBP1c, and ChREBPβ) and oxidative stress (Nrf2, NQO-1 and HO-1) pathways were determined. In mice fed with a high-fat diet followed by streptozotocin injection, the liver cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipids were elevated. These increases were reversed by the oral administration of swietenine, 80 mg/kg body weight, on alternate days for eight weeks. Gene expression and immunohistochemical studies showed that swietenine reversed the elevated levels of crucial enzymes of lipogenesis (ACLY, ACC1 and FASN) and their master transcription factors (SREBP1c and ChREBPβ). Furthermore, swietenine activated the Nrf2 antioxidant defense mechanism, as evidenced by the upregulated levels of Nrf2, NQO-1, and HO-1. It is concluded that swietenine shows beneficial effects in diabetes-induced NAFLD via inhibiting lipogenesis and activating the Nrf2 pathway.
  19. Sirunyan AM, Tumasyan A, Adam W, Ambrogi F, Asilar E, Bergauer T, et al.
    Eur Phys J C Part Fields, 2019;79(2):123.
    PMID: 30863200 DOI: 10.1140/epjc/s10052-019-6620-z
    Measurements of normalized differential cross sections as functions of the multiplicity and kinematic variables of charged-particle tracks from the underlying event in top quark and antiquark pair production are presented. The measurements are performed in proton-proton collisions at a center-of-mass energy of 13 Te , and are based on data collected by the CMS experiment at the LHC in 2016 corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 35.9 fb - 1 . Events containing one electron, one muon, and two jets from the hadronization and fragmentation of b quarks are used. These measurements characterize, for the first time, properties of the underlying event in top quark pair production and show no deviation from the universality hypothesis at energy scales typically above twice the top quark mass.
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