Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 161 in total

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  1. Sun C, Lee WG, Ma Q, Zhang X, Song F, Cai X
    Arch Orthop Trauma Surg, 2024 Apr;144(4):1781-1792.
    PMID: 38147077 DOI: 10.1007/s00402-023-05168-3
    BACKGROUND: Positioning implant components and restoring patient anatomy during total hip arthroplasty (THA) are essential for joint stability, polyethylene liner wear, and range of motion. Previous studies comparing intraoperative fluoroscopy with no fluoroscopy during the posterior or posterolateral approach have reported conflicting results. This meta-analysis evaluated if intraoperative fluoroscopy improves component positioning and femoral component position compared to no fluoroscopy during posterior or posterolateral approach total hip arthroplasty.

    METHODS: The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses standards were followed when conducting the systematic review. We searched Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Cochrane Library, Highwire, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang database in May 2023 to identify studies involving Intraoperative fluoroscopy versus no fluoroscopy during posterior or posterolateral approach total hip arthroplasty. Finally, we identified 1133 patients (1145 hips) assessed in seven studies.

    RESULTS: There were no significant differences in terms of acetabular cup inclination angle (ACIA, P = 0.43), ACIA within safe zone rate (P = 0.58), acetabular cup anteversion angle (ACAA, P = 0.46); ACAA within safe zone rate (P = 0.72), Combined safe zone rate (P = 0.28), dislocation rate (P = 0.64) and infection rate (P = 0.94) between two groups. Compared with the no fluoroscopy group, the intraoperative fluoroscopy group had more operation time (P 

  2. Li H, Mustapha WAW, Liu J, Zhang X
    Food Chem X, 2024 Mar 30;21:101230.
    PMID: 38426076 DOI: 10.1016/j.fochx.2024.101230
    This work expands the functionality of fish scale gelatin (FSG) as a carrier of hydrophobic bioactive substances. The hydrophobicity of FSG was enhanced to promote its interaction with hydrophobic curcumin and to increase its bioavailability. This results in a remarkable increase in the curcumin loading capacity of acid-hydrolyzed FSG (HFSG) from 1.08 ± 0.08 μg/mg (0 h) to 9.15 ± 0.21 μg/mg (3 h). The amino acid composition indicated that acid hydrolysis effectively increased the ratio of hydrophobic amino acids of FSG. Acid hydrolysis facilitated the transformation of the α-helical conformation into a β-sheet structure. Hydrophobic interactions between HFSG and curcumin were strengthened by moderate acid hydrolysis. A sustained-release profile emerged for the curcumin-loaded HFSG during simulated gastrointestinal digestion, thereby improving the bioaccessibility and bioavailability of curcumin. These findings contribute to the application of acid hydrolysis in modifying FSG for enhanced hydrophobicity and curcumin loading capacity in the food industry.
  3. Wang C, Lin X, Zhang X, Show PL
    Environ Pollut, 2024 Mar 25.
    PMID: 38537803 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123860
    Algae, comprising microalgae and macroalgae, have emerged as a promising feedstock for the production of functional biochar. Recently, the application of algal biochar in environmental remediation gains increasing attention. This review summarizes research advancements in the synthesis and application of algal biochar, a versatile and sustainable material for environmental remediation ranging from wastewater treatment to soil improvement. Algal biochar can be prepared by pyrolysis, microwave-assisted pyrolysis, and hydrothermal carbonization. Physical and chemical modifications have proven to be effective for improving biochar properties. Algal biochar is promising for removing diverse pollutants including heavy metals, organic pollutants, and microplastics. The role in soil improvement signifies a sustainable approach to enhancing soil structure, nutrient retention, and microbial activity. Research gaps are identified based on current understanding, necessitating further exploration into variations in biochar characteristics, the performance improvement, large-scale applications, and the long-term evaluation for environmental application. This review provides a better understanding of algal biochar as a sustainable and effective tool in environmental remediation.
  4. Asmawi A, Dong H, Zhang X, Sun L
    Heliyon, 2024 Jan 30;10(2):e24276.
    PMID: 38293544 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e24276
    This paper thoroughly examines the time distribution, author collaboration, research institutions, research hotspots, theme clustering, and research changes and trends based on 345 CNKI literatures in the field of blended learning for Business English majors in China from 2012 to 2022. It reveals that: Research on blended learning for Business English majors in China from 2012 to 2022 can be divided into Steady Start Stage (2012-2017), Rapid Growth Stage (2018-2020) and Stable Development Stage (2021-2022). High-frequency keywords such as blended teaching mode, MOOC, flipped classroom, SPOC, etc. are hotspots of current scholars' attention. The themes of research on blended learning of business English majors in China mainly include Teaching Reform of Business English Majors, Exploration of Blended Teaching Mode and Design, and Application of Internet Teaching Platform. "Teaching Reform", "Online and Offline", "Application of Smart Platform" are the current research frontier issues in the development of blended learning for Business English majors in China. In general, China's research on blended learning for business English majors has achieved fruitful results under China's policies. Future research should concentrate on the construction of a technology environment for blended learning between learners, a variety of intelligent learning tools and mobile devices, and should be steadily bolstered in the field of blended learning for business English majors, particularly in practical application, effectiveness analysis, distance education, training and continuing education, innovation education, etc.
  5. Li H, Wan Mustapha WA, Tian G, Dong N, Zhao F, Zhang X, et al.
    Food Chem, 2024 Jan 15;431:137102.
    PMID: 37579608 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2023.137102
    To enhance the solubility of hydrophobic nutrients, the hydrophobicity of fish scale gelatin hydrolysate (FSGH) was increased with moderate acid or alkali hydrolysis. Acid-induced FSG hydrolysate (AcFSGH) at 3 h showed a superior curcumin loading efficiency (18.30 ± 0.38 μg/mL) among all FSGHs. Compared with FSG, the proportion of hydrophobic amino acids (from 41.1% to 46.4%) and the hydrophobic interaction (from 12.72 to 20.10 mg/mL) was significantly increased in the AcFSGH. Meanwhile, the transformation of the α-helix (from 12.8% to 4.9%) to the β-sheet (from 29.0% to 42.8%) was also observed in the AcFSGH. Based on the observation in the molecular weight and morphological analysis, AcFSGH acquired the best hydrophobic interaction with curcumin, presumably due to the formation of the flexible structure of the linear hydrolyzates. The above results call for an investigation of the role of FSG hydrolysate in the synthesis of nanoparticles loaded with bioactive lipophilic compounds.
  6. Khan AA, Zhang X, Hajjej F, Yang J, Ku CS, Por LY
    Heliyon, 2024 Jan 15;10(1):e23254.
    PMID: 38163235 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23254
    Ambient Intelligence is a concept that relates to a new paradigm of pervasive computing and has the objective of automating responses from the system to humans without any human intervention. In social media forensics, gathering, analyzing, storing, and validating relevant evidence for investigation in a heterogeneous environment is still questionable. There is no hierarchy for automation, even though standardization and secure processes from data collection to validation have not yet been discussed. This poses serious issues for the current investigation procedures and future evidence chain of custody management. This paper contributes threefold. First, it proposes a framework using a blockchain network with a dual chain of data transmission for privacy protection, such as on-chain and off-chain. Second, a protocol is designed to detect and separate local and global cyber threats and undermine multiple federated principles to personalize search space broadly. Third, this study manages personalized updates by means of optimizing backtracking parameters and automating replacements, which directly affects the reduction of negative influence on the social networking environment in terms of imbalanced and distributed data issues. This proposed framework enhances stability in digital investigation. In addition, the simulation uses an extensive social media dataset in different cyberspaces with a variety of cyber threats to investigate. The proposed work outperformed as compared to traditional single-level personalized search and other state-of-the-art schemes.
  7. Aad G, Abbott B, Abeling K, Abicht NJ, Abidi SH, Aboulhorma A, et al.
    Phys Rev Lett, 2024 Jan 12;132(2):021803.
    PMID: 38277607 DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.132.021803
    The first evidence for the Higgs boson decay to a Z boson and a photon is presented, with a statistical significance of 3.4 standard deviations. The result is derived from a combined analysis of the searches performed by the ATLAS and CMS Collaborations with proton-proton collision datasets collected at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) from 2015 to 2018. These correspond to integrated luminosities of around 140  fb^{-1} for each experiment, at a center-of-mass energy of 13 TeV. The measured signal yield is 2.2±0.7 times the standard model prediction, and agrees with the theoretical expectation within 1.9 standard deviations.
  8. Zhao X, Wider W, Zhang X, Fauzi MA, Wong CH, Jiang L, et al.
    PLoS One, 2024;19(3):e0297791.
    PMID: 38536845 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297791
    This cross-sectional study investigated the effects of value-based leadership and growth mindset on the intrinsic work motivation of Chinese lecturers. In addition, this study used age as a categorical moderator to investigate generational differences between the effects of Millennials and their predecessors. A sample of 518 lecturers from various Chinese universities was used to collect data, and SEM-PLS was used to analyse the data. The results showed that value-based leadership and growth mindset had a significant positive impact on both younger and older lecturers' intrinsic work motivation, with the effect of value-based leadership on younger lecturers' intrinsic motivation being significantly stronger than on older lecturers' intrinsic motivation, whereas the effect of growth mindset on intrinsic work motivation did not differ significantly between the younger and older groups. This study contributes to the existing research literature by contrasting the value-based leadership and growth mindset in relation to lecturers' intrinsic work motivation across younger and older groups in Chinese higher education settings, where greater heterogeneity between age groups was identified. The findings also provided university administrators with recommendations for boosting the intrinsic work motivation of lecturers, influencing future education policy.
  9. Lu M, Yao Y, Liu H, Zhang X, Li X, Liu Y, et al.
    JCI Insight, 2023 Dec 08;8(23).
    PMID: 37917215 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.175461
    Nipah virus (NiV), a bat-borne paramyxovirus, results in neurological and respiratory diseases with high mortality in humans and animals. Developing vaccines is crucial for fighting these diseases. Previously, only a few studies focused on the fusion (F) protein alone as the immunogen. Numerous NiV strains have been identified, including 2 representative strains from Malaysia (NiV-M) and Bangladesh (NiV-B), which differ significantly from each other. In this study, an F protein sequence with the potential to prevent different NiV strain infections was designed by bioinformatics analysis after an in-depth study of NiV sequences in GenBank. Then, a chimpanzee adenoviral vector vaccine and a DNA vaccine were developed. High levels of immune responses were detected after AdC68-F, pVAX1-F, and a prime-boost strategy (pVAX1-F/AdC68-F) in mice. After high titers of humoral responses were induced, the hamsters were challenged by the lethal NiV-M and NiV-B strains separately. The vaccinated hamsters did not show any clinical signs and survived 21 days after infection with either strain of NiV, and no virus was detected in different tissues. These results indicate that the vaccines provided complete protection against representative strains of NiV infection and have the potential to be developed as a broad-spectrum vaccine for human use.
  10. Cheung JTK, Zhang X, Wong GL, Yip TC, Lin H, Li G, et al.
    Aliment Pharmacol Ther, 2023 Dec;58(11-12):1194-1204.
    PMID: 37724633 DOI: 10.1111/apt.17722
    BACKGROUND: Early screening may prevent fibrosis progression in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD).

    AIMS: We developed and validated MAFLD fibrosis score (MFS) for identifying advanced fibrosis (≥F3) among MAFLD patients.

    METHODS: This cross-sectional, multicentre study consecutively recruited MAFLD patients receiving tertiary care (Malaysia as training cohort [n = 276] and Hong Kong and Wenzhou as validation cohort [n = 431]). Patients completed liver biopsy, vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE), and clinical and laboratory assessment within 1 week. We used machine learning to select 'highly important' predictors of advanced fibrosis, followed by backward stepwise regression to construct MFS formula.

    RESULTS: MFS was composed of seven variables: age, body mass index, international normalised ratio, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, platelet count, and history of type 2 diabetes. MFS demonstrated an area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve of 0.848 [95% CI 0.800-898] and 0.823 [0.760-0.886] in training and validation cohorts, significantly higher than aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index (0.684 [0.603-0.765], 0.663 [0.588-0.738]), Fibrosis-4 index (0.793 [0.735-0.854], 0.737 [0.660-0.814]), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease fibrosis score (0.785 [0.731-0.844], 0.750 [0.674-0.827]) (DeLong's test p 

  11. Zhang X, Yip TC, Wong GL, Leow WX, Liang LY, Lim LL, et al.
    Gut, 2023 Nov 24;72(12):2364-2371.
    PMID: 37549979 DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2023-330269
    OBJECTIVE: We aimed to test the hypothesis that automated fibrosis score calculation and electronic reminder messages could increase the detection of advanced liver disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

    DESIGN: In this pragmatic randomised controlled trial at five general medical or diabetes clinics in Hong Kong and Malaysia, we randomly assigned patients in a 1:1 ratio to the intervention group with Fibrosis-4 index and aspartate aminotransferase-to-platelet ratio index automatically calculated based on routine blood tests, followed by electronic reminder messages to alert clinicians of abnormal results, or the control group with usual care. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients with increased fibrosis scores who received appropriate care (referred for hepatology care or specific fibrosis assessment) within 1 year.

    RESULTS: Between May 2020 and Oct 2021, 1379 patients were screened, of whom 533 and 528 were assigned to the intervention and control groups, respectively. A total of 55 out of 165 (33.3%) patients with increased fibrosis scores in the intervention group received appropriate care, compared with 4 of 131 (3.1%) patients in the control group (difference 30.2% (95% CI 22.4% to 38%); p<0.001). Overall, 11 out of 533 (2.1%) patients in the intervention group and 1 out of 528 (0.2%) patients in the control group were confirmed to have advanced liver disease (difference 1.9% (95% CI 0.61% to 3.5%); p=0.006).

    CONCLUSION: Automated fibrosis score calculation and electronic reminders can increase referral of patients with type 2 diabetes and abnormal fibrosis scores at non-hepatology settings.

    TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT04241575.

  12. Lin X, Lee SY, Ni J, Zhang X, Hu X, Zou P, et al.
    Int J Mol Sci, 2023 Oct 13;24(20).
    PMID: 37894819 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015138
    Bougainvillea is popular in ornamental horticulture for its colorful bracts and excellent adaptability, but the complex genetic relationship among this genus is fuzzy due to limited genomic data. To reveal more genomic resources of Bougainvillea, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequences of Bougainvillea spectabilis 'Splendens'. The cp genome size was 154,869 bp in length, containing 86 protein-coding genes, 38 tRNAs, and eight rRNAs. Cp genome comparison across 12 Bougainvillea species (B. spectabilis, B. glabra, B. peruviana, B. arborea, B. praecox, B. stipitata, B. campanulata, B. berberidifolia, B. infesta, B. modesta, B. spinosa, and B. pachyphylla) revealed five mutational hotspots. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that B. spectabilis published previously and B. glabra clustered into one subclade as two distinct groups, sister to the subclade of B. spectabilis 'Splendens'. We considered the phylogeny relationships between B. spectabilis and B. glabra to be controversial. Based on two hypervariable regions and three common plastid regions, we developed five molecular markers for species identification in Bougainvillea and applied them to classify 53 ornamental Bougainvillea cultivars. This study provides a valuable genetic resource for Bougainvillea breeding and offers effective molecular markers to distinguish the representative ornamental species of Bougainvillea.
  13. Li Z, Zhang G, Pan K, Niu X, Shu-Chien AC, Chen T, et al.
    PMID: 37406959 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111474
    Crustacean molting is highly related to energy and lipid metabolism. This study was conducted to detect the changes of total lipids (TL), triacylglyceride (TAG), phospholipid (PL) and lipid droplets in hepatopancreas, and then to investigate the gene expression patterns related to hepatopancreatic lipid metabolism during the molting cycle of Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis. Hepatopancreatic TL and TAG increased significantly from post-molt stage to pre-molt stage, then decreased significantly from pre-molt stage to ecdysis stage, which is consistent to the changes of neutral lipid-rich adipocytes in hepatopancreas. By transcriptomic analysis, 65,325 transcripts were sequenced and assembled, and 28,033 transcripts were annotated. Most genes were related to energy metabolism, and the enriched genes were involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and biosynthesis, especially in de novo synthesis of fatty acids and TAG, and ketone body production. Compared to the inter-molt stages, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase and other genes related to the synthesis of fatty acids were upregulated in the pre-molt stage. TAG synthesis related genes, including Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase and 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases, were upregulated in the post-molt stage compared to the inter-molt stage. The expression of ketone body-related genes had no significant changes during the molting cycle. Compared to the TAG synthetic pathway, ketone body biosynthesis may contribute less/secondarily to fatty acid metabolic processes, which could be involved in the other physiological processes or metabolism. In conclusion, these results showed that TAG is the major lipid deposition during inter- and pre-molt stages, and the most genes are related to the fatty acids and TAG metabolism in the hepatopancreas during the molting cycle of E. sinensis.
  14. Tang Z, Zhang X
    Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2023 Sep;30(44):99992-100005.
    PMID: 37624492 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29114-3
    Sustainable crowdfunding has emerged as a significant factor in the quest for alternative funding streams in recent times. The process has entailed the removal of financial obstacles and intermediaries, facilitating proximity between entrepreneurs' initiatives and fund providers, thereby initiating modifications in conventional investment and profitability criteria. The correlation between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainable business returns is a significant metric that may enhance funding costs. CSR initiatives and crowdfunding possess the potential for mutually beneficial outcomes in terms of fundraising. However, fundraisers encounter obstacles and competition in their efforts to attain their donation objectives. As an illustration, CSR endeavors may provide a chance to raise capital via crowdfunding. Conversely, crowdfunding has the potential to serve as a means of micro-funding various social initiatives that align with a corporation's corporate social responsibility objectives. The present research investigates the correlation between efficacious donation fundraising campaigns in the context of crowdfunding endeavors that hold the possibility of transforming into corporate social responsibility initiatives. The present study investigates the correlation between the initial amount of funds raised on the first day of a fundraising campaign and the target amount of funds sought by the fundraiser, as well as the type of activities involved. The present study utilizes data derived from crowdfunding endeavors in Southeast Asian nations to scrutinize the funds amassed through donations by juxtaposing trends, cultures, and characteristics of fundraisers employing donation-based crowdfunding. The present investigation employs data collected between the period spanning from the beginning of September 2021 to the end of September 2021 in the economies of Southeast Asia, including Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines. The present investigation utilizes the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach for the estimation of the variables. The findings of the hypothesis indicate that there exists a positive correlation between crowdfunding, environmental nonprofit organizations, organizational profitability, and CSR.
  15. Cui Z, Cui S, Qin L, An Y, Zhang X, Guan J, et al.
    Asian J Pharm Sci, 2023 Sep;18(5):100848.
    PMID: 37881796 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajps.2023.100848
    Virus-capsid mimicking mucus-permeable nanoparticles are promising oral insulin carriers which surmount intestinal mucus barrier. However, the impact of different virus-capsid mimicking structure remains unexplored. In this study, utilizing biotin grafted chitosan as the main skeleton, virus-mimicking nanoparticles endowed with biologic-shell (streptavidin coverage) and polymeric-shell (hyaluronic acid/alginate coating) were designed with insulin as a model drug by self-assembly processes. It was demonstrated that biologic-shell mimicking nanoparticles exhibited a higher intestinal trans-mucus (>80%, 10 min) and transmucosal penetration efficiency (1.6-2.2-fold improvement) than polymeric-shell counterparts. Uptake mechanism studies revealed caveolae-mediated endocytosis was responsible for the absorption of biologic-shell mimicking nanoparticles whereas polymeric-shell mimicking nanoparticles were characterized by clathrin-mediated pathway with anticipated lysosomal insulin digestion. Further, in vivo hypoglycemic study indicated that the improved effect of regulating blood sugar levels was virus-capsid structure dependent out of which biologic-shell mimicking nanoparticles presented the best performance (5.1%). Although the findings of this study are encouraging, much more work is required to meet the standards of clinical translation. Taken together, we highlight the external structural dependence of virus-capsid mimicking nanoparticles on the muco-penetrating and uptake mechanism of enterocytes that in turn affecting their in vivo absorption, which should be pondered when engineering virus-mimicking nanoparticles for oral insulin delivery.
  16. Wei R, Wang Z, Zhang X, Wang X, Xu Y, Li Q
    Public Health, 2023 Sep;222:75-84.
    PMID: 37531713 DOI: 10.1016/j.puhe.2023.06.034
    OBJECTIVES: Understanding iodine deficiency (ID) burdens and trends in Asia can help guide effective intervention strategies. This study aims to report the incidence, prevalence, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of ID in 48 Asian countries during the period 1990-2019.

    STUDY DESIGN: Data on ID were retrieved from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019 and estimated by age, sex, geographical region, and sociodemographic index (SDI).

    METHODS: The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to evaluate the changing trend of age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR), and age-standardized DALYs rate (ASDR) related to ID during the period 1990-2019.

    RESULTS: In Asia, there were 126,983,965.8 cases with 5,466,213.1 new incidence and 1,765,995.5 DALYs of ID in 2019. Between 1999 and 2019, the EAPC in ASIR, ASPR and ASDR were -0.6 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.8 to -0.4), -0.9 (95% CI, -1.2 to -0.7), and -1.6 (95% CI, -1.8 to -1.5), respectively. Malaysia charted the largest decrease in ASIR, ASPR, and ASDR (82.4%, 85.3%, and 80.9% separately), whereas the Philippines and Pakistan were the only two countries that witnessed an increase in ASIR and ASPR. ID burdens were more pronounced in women, countries located to the south of the Himalayas, and low-middle SDI regions.

    CONCLUSIONS: The incidence, prevalence, and DALYs of ID in Asia substantially decreased from 1990 to 2019. Women and low-middle SDI countries have relatively high ID burdens. Governments need to pay constant attention to the implementation and monitoring of universal salt iodization.

  17. Zhong H, Wu M, Sonne C, Lam SS, Kwong RWM, Jiang Y, et al.
    Eco Environ Health, 2023 Sep;2(3):142-151.
    PMID: 38074987 DOI: 10.1016/j.eehl.2023.07.004
    Increasing studies of plastisphere have raised public concern about microplastics (MPs) as vectors for pathogens, especially in aquatic environments. However, the extent to which pathogens affect human health through MPs remains unclear, as controversies persist regarding the distinct pathogen colonization on MPs as well as the transmission routes and infection probability of MP-associated pathogens from water to humans. In this review, we critically discuss whether and how pathogens approach humans via MPs, shedding light on the potential health risks involved. Drawing on cutting-edge multidisciplinary research, we show that some MPs may facilitate the growth and long-range transmission of specific pathogens in aquatic environments, ultimately increasing the risk of infection in humans. We identify MP- and pathogen-rich settings, such as wastewater treatment plants, aquaculture farms, and swimming pools, as possible sites for human exposure to MP-associated pathogens. This review emphasizes the need for further research and targeted interventions to better understand and mitigate the potential health risks associated with MP-mediated pathogen transmission.
  18. Wang H, Ren L, Liang Y, Zheng K, Guo R, Liu Y, et al.
    Microbiol Spectr, 2023 Aug 17;11(4):e0533522.
    PMID: 37272818 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.05335-22
    Psychrobacter is an important bacterial genus that is widespread in Antarctic and marine environments. However, to date, only two complete Psychrobacter phage sequences have been deposited in the NCBI database. Here, the novel Psychrobacter phage vB_PmaS_Y8A, infecting Psychrobacter HM08A, was isolated from sewage in the Qingdao area, China. The morphology of vB_PmaS_Y8A was characterized by transmission electron microscopy, revealing an icosahedral head and long tail. The genomic sequence of vB_PmaS_Y8A is linear, double-stranded DNA with a length of 40,226 bp and 44.1% G+C content, and encodes 69 putative open reading frames. Two auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) were identified, encoding phosphoadenosine phosphosulfate reductase and MarR protein. The first AMG uses thioredoxin as an electron donor for the reduction of phosphoadenosine phosphosulfate to phosphoadenosine phosphate. MarR regulates multiple antibiotic resistance mechanisms in Escherichia coli and is rarely found in viruses. No tRNA genes were identified and no lysogeny-related feature genes were detected. However, many similar open reading frames (ORFs) were found in the host genome, which may indicate that Y8A also has a lysogenic stage. Phylogenetic analysis based on the amino acid sequences of whole genomes and comparative genomic analysis indicate that vB_PmaS_Y8A contains a novel genomic architecture similar only to that of Psychrobacter phage pOW20-A, although at a low similarity. vB_PmaS_Y8A represents a new family-level virus cluster with 22 metagenomic assembled viral genomes, here named Minviridae. IMPORTANCE Although Psychrobacter is a well-known and important bacterial genus that is widespread in Antarctic and marine environments, genetic characterization of its phages is still rare. This study describes a novel Psychrobacter phage containing an uncharacterized antibiotic resistance gene and representing a new virus family, Minviridae. The characterization provided here will bolster current understanding of genomes, diversity, evolution, and phage-host interactions in Psychrobacter populations.
  19. Xiong X, Wong NH, Ernawati L, Sunarso J, Zhang X, Jin Y, et al.
    J Colloid Interface Sci, 2023 Aug 15;644:533-545.
    PMID: 37012113 DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2023.03.180
    Metal-organic polymers (MOPs) can enhance the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation performance of BiVO4 photoanodes, but their PEC mechanisms have yet to be comprehended. In this work, we constructed an active and stable composite photoelectrode by overlaying a uniform MOP on the BiVO4 surface using Fe2+ as the metal ions and 2,5-dihydroxyterephthalic acid (DHTA) as ligand. Such modification on the BiVO4 surface yielded a core-shell structure that could effectively enhance the PEC water oxidation activity of the BiVO4 photoanode. Our intensity-modulated photocurrent spectroscopy analysis revealed that the MOP overlayer could concurrently reduce the surface charge recombination rate constant (ksr) and enhance the charge transfer rate constant (ktr), thus accelerating water oxidation activity. These phenomena can be ascribed to the passivation of the surface that inhibits the recombination of the charge carrier and the MOP catalytic layer that improves the hole transfer. Our rate law analysis also demonstrated that the MOP coverage shifted the reaction order of the BiVO4 photoanode from the third-order to the first-order, resulting in a more favorable rate-determining step where only one hole accumulation is required to overcome water oxidation. This work provides new insights into the reaction mechanism of MOP-modified semiconductor photoanodes.
  20. Sun C, Lee WG, Ma Q, Zhang X, Zhao Z, Cai X
    J Orthop Surg Res, 2023 Aug 08;18(1):586.
    PMID: 37553600 DOI: 10.1186/s13018-023-04023-w
    BACKGROUND: The positioning of implant components for total hip arthroplasty (THA) is essential for joint stability, polyethylene liner wear, and range of motion. One potential benefit of the direct anterior approach (DAA) for THA is the ability to use intraoperative fluoroscopy for acetabular cup positioning and limb-length evaluation. Previous studies comparing intraoperative fluoroscopy with no fluoroscopy during DAA have reported conflicting results. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate whether intraoperative fluoroscopy improves component positioning compared to no fluoroscopy during direct anterior total hip arthroplasty.

    METHODS: A systematic review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines was conducted. We searched Web of Science, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Cochrane Library, Highwire, CBM, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang database in May 2023 to identify studies involving intraoperative fluoroscopy versus no fluoroscopy during direct anterior total hip arthroplasty. Finally, we identified 1262 hips assessed in seven studies.

    RESULTS: There were no significant differences in terms of acetabular cup inclination angle (ACIA, P = 0.21), ACIA within safe zone rate (P = 0.97), acetabular cup anteversion angle (ACAA, P = 0.26); ACAA within safe zone rate (P = 0.07), combined safe zone rate (P = 0.33), and limb-length discrepancy (LLD, P = 0.21) between two groups.

    CONCLUSION: Even though intraoperative fluoroscopy was not related to an improvement in cup location or LDD. With fewer experienced surgeons, the benefit of intraoperative fluoroscopy might become more evident. More adequately powered and well-designed long-term follow-up studies were required to determine whether the application of the intraoperative fluoroscopy for direct anterior total hip arthroplasty will have clinical benefits and improve the survival of prostheses.

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