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[International multi-center evaluation of a rapid antigen test based on gold immunochromatographic assay for detection of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2]

Zhang PP, Zhang J, Sun ZL, Zhou YG, Wang Y, Zhang HR, et al.

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi, 2022 Jun 13;102:1-6.
PMID: 35701088 DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.112137-20220426-00922

Objective: The gold immunochromatographic assay for detection of SARS-CoV-2 antigen was evaluated by international multi-center clinical trial. Methods: A total of 1 855 clinical parallel samples with valid test results (for nucleic acid and antigen tests, respectively) were collected from nine countries, including Germany, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, France, India, Thailand, Malaysia, the United States of America and Brazil, with sampling period from January 3, 2021 to September 22, 2021. These samples were detected by SARS-CoV-2 antigen test kit (colloidal gold immunochromatography assay) and nucleic acid detection kit (real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction). Positive coincidence rates [(number of antigen-positive cases/nucleic acid-positive cases)×100%], negative coincidence rates [(number of antigen-negative cases/nucleic acid-negative cases)×100%], total coincidence rates [(number of cases with consistent results for both antigen and nucleic acid detection/number of total cases) ×100%], as well as Kappa values were calculated. The differences of the above indictors among different countries were evaluated by the coefficient of variation. The detection rates of the antigen test for samples with different cycle threshold values (Ct values) for the nucleic acid detection, different characteristics and different mutant strains were analyzed. Results: For all samples, the positive, negative, and total coincidence rate between the antigen test and nucleic acid assay was 90.8% (569/627), 99.7% (1 224/1 228) and 96.7% (1 793/1 855), respectively, and the consistency coefficient Kappa value was 0.924. Among these countries, the coefficient of variation for positive coincidence rates (except for Malaysia with a lot of samples with Ct value>30), negative coincidence rates (except for France without negative samples) and total coincidence rates (except for France) was 6%,<1%, and 6%, respectively. When Ct values were less than 25, the detection rates of antigen test were 83.3%-100% for each countries (the coefficient of variation was 6%); The total detection rate and the coefficient of variation was 93.4% (428/458) and 5%, respectively, for asymptomatic infected persons and cases within 7 days post onset of symptoms; the total detection rate for various SARS-CoV-2 mutant strains was 97.5% (119/122); and it showed negative results for samples from cases infected with other viruses, including influenza A virus subtype H1N1, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus subgroups A and B, coxsackievirus 16, human metapneumovirus, parainfluenza virus types 1 and 4, Epstein-Barr virus and adenovirus. Conclusion: The SARS-CoV-2 antigen test kit showed excellent authenticity, and there were few differences for its indictors among nine countries, therefore it can meet the needs of large-scale early screening of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Constructed wetland integrated microbial fuel cell system: looking back, moving forward

Wang Y, Zhao Y, Xu L, Wang W, Doherty L, Tang C, et al.

Water Sci Technol, 2017 Jul;76(2):471-477.
PMID: 28726712 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2017.190

In the last 10 years, the microbial fuel cell (MFC) has been extensively studied worldwide to extract energy from wastewater via electricity generation. More recently, a merged technique of embedding MFC into a constructed wetland (CW) has been developed and appears to be increasingly investigated. The driving force to integrate these two technologies lies in the fact that CWs naturally possess a redox gradient (depending on flow direction and wetland depth), which is required by MFCs as anaerobic anode and aerobic cathode chambers. No doubt, the integration of MFC with a CW will upgrade the CW to allow it to be used for wastewater treatment and, simultaneously, electricity generation, making CWs more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Currently, published work shows that India, China, Ireland, Spain, Germany and Malaysia are involved in the development of this technology although it is in its infant stage and many technical issues are faced on system configuration, operation and maximisation of electricity production. This paper aims to provide an updated review and analysis of the CW-MFC development. Focuses are placed on the experience gained so far from different researchers in the literature and further research directions and proposals are discussed in great detail.
Flotation separation of poly (ethylene terephthalate and vinyl chloride) mixtures based on clean corona modification: Optimization using response surface methodology

Zhao Y, Han F, Guo L, Zhang J, Zhang H, Abdelaziz IIM, et al.

Waste Manag, 2021 Dec;136:184-194.
PMID: 34689097 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2021.10.018

Postconsumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) has potential applications in many areas of manufacturing, but contamination by hazardous polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in common waste streams can reduce its recyclable value. Separating collected PET-PVC mixtures before recycling remains very challenging because of the similar physicochemical properties of PET and PVC. Herein, we describe a novel flotation process with corona modification pretreatment to facilitate the separation of PET-PVC mixtures. Through water contact angle, surface free energy, X-ray photoelectron and FT-IR characterization, we found that polar hydroxyl groups can be more easily introduced on the PVC surface than on the PET surface induced by corona modification. This selective wetting can suppress the floatability of PVC, leading to the separation of PET as floating product. A reliable mechanism including two different hydrogen-abstraction pathways was established. Response surface methodology consisting of Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken designs was adopted for optimization of the combined process, and control parameters were solved based on high-quality prediction models, with fitting from significant variables and interactions. For physical or chemical circulation strategies with PET purity prioritization, the validated purity of the product reached 96.05% at a 626 W corona power, 5.42 m/min passing speed, 24.78 mg/L frother concentration and 286 L/h air flow rate. For the energy recuperation strategy with PET recovery prioritization, the factual recovery reached 98.08% under a 601 W corona power, 6.04 m/min passing speed, 27.55 mg/L frother concentration and 184 L/h air flow rate. The current work provides technological insights into the cleaner disposal of waste plastics.
A collective statement in support of saving pangolins

Choo SW, Chong JL, Gaubert P, Hughes AC, O'Brien S, Chaber AL, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2022 Feb 14.
PMID: 35176378 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153666
Exposure to polystyrene nanoplastics induces apoptosis, autophagy, histopathological damage, and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis of the Pacific whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

Li Y, Ye Y, Yuan H, Rihan N, Han M, Liu X, et al.

Sci Total Environ, 2024 Apr 01;919:170924.
PMID: 38360329 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170924

Nanoplastics (NPs) are widely distributed environmental pollutants that can disrupt intestinal immunity of crustaceans. In this study, the effects of NPs on gut immune enzyme activities, cell morphology, apoptosis, and microbiota diversity of Litopenaeus vannamei were investigated. L. vannamei was exposed to five concentrations of NPs (0, 0.1, 1, 5, and 10 mg/L) for 28 days. The results showed that higher concentrations of NPs damaged the intestinal villi, promoted formation of autophagosomes, increased intestinal non-specific immunoenzyme activities, and significantly increased apoptosis at 10 mg/L. In response to exposure to NPs, the expression levels of ATG3, ATG4, ATG12, Caspase-3, p53, and TNF initially increased and then decreased. In addition, the concentration of NPs was negatively correlated to the expression levels of the genes of interest and intestinal enzyme activities, suggesting that exposure to NPs inhibited apoptosis and immune function. The five dominant phyla of the gut microbiota (Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Acidobacteria, and Actinomycetes) were similar among groups exposed to different concentrations of NPs, but the abundances tended to differ. Notably, exposure to NPs increased the abundance of pathogenic bacteria. These results confirm that exposure to NPs negatively impacted intestinal immune function of L. vannamei. These findings provide useful references for efficient breeding of L. vannamei.
Air pollutant emissions caused by receiving international industrial transfer in Southeast Asian developing countries from 1990 to 2018

Liu L, Wang Y, Zhao Y

Sci Total Environ, 2024 Feb 22;921:171110.
PMID: 38395172 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171110

Receiving international industrial transfer (mainly foreign direct investment, FDI) is extremely important for economic development but also brings negative environmental impacts for Southeast Asian developing countries (SEADCs). Due to relatively low labor costs and large market potential, SEADCs have become an attractive destination for industrial transfer after China, while studies were far from sufficient on the associated air pollutant emissions that would worsen air quality and threaten human health. We develop an exploratory framework to estimate the long-term trends of relevant air pollutant emissions in eight major SEADCs, including Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. During 1990-2018, the emissions generally show a fluctuating upward trend and increased significantly in Cambodia, Laos, Philippines, and Vietnam. The total emissions of CO, NMVOC, SO2, NOX, PM2.5, and NH3 from the eight SEADCs increased from 19.0, 4.3, 3.6, 1.5, 0.5, and 0.4 kilotons (kt) to 391.6, 260.9, 271.1, 182.4, 48.4, and 12.2 kt, respectively. The emission growth in almost all SEADCs accelerated after 2008 and faster than FDI growth. The disparities in emissions among SEADCs basically grew first and then declined to a level lower than that of 1990, but generally exceeded the disparities in FDI. Productivity gain and emission intensity decrease primarily caused the emission growth and reduction, respectively. Relatively small reductions in emission intensity are found for NOX and SO2. In general, most SEADCs have utilized FDI for economic development without sufficient efforts on air pollutant emission controls. Our outcomes can inform the formulation and optimization of relevant policies reconciling economic development and air quality improvement in SEADCs.
Fulltext Asian consensus on assessment and management of mild to moderate plaque psoriasis with topical therapy

Imafuku S, Zheng M, Tada Y, Zhang X, Theng C, Thevarajah S, et al.

J Dermatol, 2018 Jul;45(7):805-811.
PMID: 29740870 DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.14338

A working group of dermatologists in Asian countries assessed the current status of psoriatic management in the region to prepare a consensus report on topical treatment in mild to moderate plaque psoriasis. Even though the association of psoriasis with systemic comorbidities is increasingly acknowledged, psoriasis is still lower in health-care priority lists in the region. The psychosocial impact of psoriasis may be greater in Asian countries due to cultural norms and social discrimination. Non-adherence to treatment is also common among Asians. The current care given to patients with mild to moderate psoriasis needs to be streamlined, enhanced and organized with a patient-centered care approach to achieve better outcomes. A comprehensive assessment of the disease severity and its impact on a patient's life is required before initiating treatment. Education and active involvement of the patient in the treatment plan is an important part of psoriatic management. It is recommended to personalize topical treatment to meet the needs of the patient, depending on disease severity, psychosocial impact, the patient's expectations and, more importantly, the patient's willingness and ability to actively follow the treatment procedure. Fixed-dose combination of corticosteroid and vitamin D analogs is the preferred topical medication for both initial and maintenance phases of treatment. The fast containment of the disease is the goal of the initial phase of 4-8 weeks and it demands a potent fast-acting topical therapy. Satisfactory control of the disease and prevention of relapses should be achieved during the maintenance phase with twice a week or weekend applications.
Mapping gender networks of music self-concept and music emotions: A network analysis study of music majors in China

Yang X, Song L, Zhao Y, Cheng D

Br J Educ Psychol, 2024 Jun;94(2):642-660.
PMID: 38418284 DOI: 10.1111/bjep.12671

BACKGROUND: Students' music self-concept and music emotions are becoming prominent topics within the area of music education.
AIMS, SAMPLES AND METHODS: The majority of previous research on self-concept and music emotions has examined the two constructs independently and focused on gender differences in externalizing behaviours in music learning, but has neglected the internal interactions between individual music self-concept and music emotions. Network analysis is a promising method for visually examining music self-concept and music emotions as part of a network of interactions to identify core features and interrelationships among nodes in the network. In this study, 515 students majoring in music from a Chinese university were recruited.
RESULTS: The results showed that high music self-concept and boredom were the common features at the core of the network for both men and women college students. The boredom exhibited by women differed from that of men in that men's boredom was directed at the entire music course, while boredom in women manifested as daydreaming and boredom with learning materials.
CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to explore gender differences in the music self-concept and music emotions from a holistic perspective. The findings could help music teachers gain insight into the complex system of music self-concept and music emotions. Music teachers could capture the respective features of men and women to design individualized teaching strategies.
Characterization of a Saccharum spontaneum with a basic chromosome number of x = 10 provides new insights on genome evolution in genus Saccharum

Meng Z, Han J, Lin Y, Zhao Y, Lin Q, Ma X, et al.

Theor Appl Genet, 2020 Jan;133(1):187-199.
PMID: 31587087 DOI: 10.1007/s00122-019-03450-w

KEY MESSAGE: A novel tetraploid S. spontaneum with basic chromosome x = 10 was discovered, providing us insights in the origin and evolution in Saccharum species. Sugarcane (Saccharum spp., Poaceae) is a leading crop for sugar production providing 80% of the world's sugar. However, the genetic and genomic complexities of this crop such as its high polyploidy level and highly variable chromosome numbers have significantly hindered the studies in deciphering the genomic structure and evolution of sugarcane. Here, we developed the first set of oligonucleotide (oligo)-based probes based on the S. spontaneum genome (x = 8), which can be used to simultaneously distinguish each of the 64 chromosomes of octaploid S. spontaneum SES208 (2n = 8x = 64) through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). By comparative FISH assay, we confirmed the chromosomal rearrangements of S. spontaneum (x = 8) and S. officinarum (2n = 8x = 80), the main contributors of modern sugarcane cultivars. In addition, we examined a S. spontaneum accession, Np-X, with 2n = 40 chromosomes, and we found that it was a tetraploid with the unusual basic chromosome number of x = 10. Assays at the cytological and DNA levels demonstrated its close relationship with S. spontaneum with basic chromosome number x = 8 (the most common accessions in S. spontaneum), confirming its S. spontaneum identity. Population genetic structure and phylogenetic relationship analyses between Np-X and 64 S. spontaneum accessions revealed that Np-X belongs to the ancient Pan-Malaysia group, indicating a close relationship to S. spontaneum with basic chromosome number of x = 8. This finding of a tetraploid S. spontaneum with basic chromosome number of x = 10 suggested a parallel evolution path of genomes and polyploid series in S. spontaneum with different basic chromosome numbers.
Fulltext Genomic reconnaissance of clinical isolates of emerging human pathogen Mycobacterium abscessus reveals high evolutionary potential

Choo SW, Wee WY, Ngeow YF, Mitchell W, Tan JL, Wong GJ, et al.

Sci Rep, 2014;4:4061.
PMID: 24515248 DOI: 10.1038/srep04061

Mycobacterium abscessus (Ma) is an emerging human pathogen that causes both soft tissue infections and systemic disease. We present the first comparative whole-genome study of Ma strains isolated from patients of wide geographical origin. We found a high proportion of accessory strain-specific genes indicating an open, non-conservative pan-genome structure, and clear evidence of rapid phage-mediated evolution. Although we found fewer virulence factors in Ma compared to M. tuberculosis, our data indicated that Ma evolves rapidly and therefore should be monitored closely for the acquisition of more pathogenic traits. This comparative study provides a better understanding of Ma and forms the basis for future functional work on this important pathogen.
Fulltext Exploring hidden diversity in Southeast Asia's Dermogenys spp. (Beloniformes: Zenarchopteridae) through DNA barcoding

Nurul Farhana S, Muchlisin ZA, Duong TY, Tanyaros S, Page LM, Zhao Y, et al.

Sci Rep, 2018 Jul 17;8(1):10787.
PMID: 30018357 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-29049-7

Members of the freshwater halfbeak genus Dermogenys are hard to identify to the species level, despite several previous attempts to isolate fixed meristic, morphometric and colour pattern differences. This has led to ongoing confusion in scientific literature, records of species occurrence, and entries in museum collections. Here, a DNA barcoding study was conducted on the genus to gain further understanding of its taxonomic status across the Southeast Asian region. Fish were collected from 33 localities, spanning freshwater and brackish habitats in Malaysia, Western Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam. In total, 290 samples of Dermogenys spp. were amplified for a 651 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit I (COI) gene. Analysis was able to successfully differentiate the three species: D. collettei, D. siamensis, D. sumatrana; reveal the presence of a new putative species, Dermogenys sp., that was sampled in sympatry with D. collettei at three locations; as well as uncovering two genetic lineages of a fifth species, D. bispina, that display non-overlapping geographical distributions in drainages of northern Borneo; Kudat and Sandakan. This study expands the barcode library for Zenarchopteridae, demonstrates the efficacy of DNA barcoding techniques for differentiating Dermogenys species, and the potential thereof in species discovery.
Fulltext Electrospun nanofiber membrane diameter prediction using a combined response surface methodology and machine learning approach

Pervez MN, Yeo WS, Mishu MMR, Talukder ME, Roy H, Islam MS, et al.

Sci Rep, 2023 Jun 15;13(1):9679.
PMID: 37322139 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-36431-7

Despite the widespread interest in electrospinning technology, very few simulation studies have been conducted. Thus, the current research produced a system for providing a sustainable and effective electrospinning process by combining the design of experiments with machine learning prediction models. Specifically, in order to estimate the diameter of the electrospun nanofiber membrane, we developed a locally weighted kernel partial least squares regression (LW-KPLSR) model based on a response surface methodology (RSM). The accuracy of the model's predictions was evaluated based on its root mean square error (RMSE), its mean absolute error (MAE), and its coefficient of determination (R2). In addition to principal component regression (PCR), locally weighted partial least squares regression (LW-PLSR), partial least square regression (PLSR), and least square support vector regression model (LSSVR), some of the other types of regression models used to verify and compare the results were fuzzy modelling and least square support vector regression model (LSSVR). According to the results of our research, the LW-KPLSR model performed far better than other competing models when attempting to forecast the membrane's diameter. This is made clear by the much lower RMSE and MAE values of the LW-KPLSR model. In addition, it offered the highest R2 values that could be achieved, reaching 0.9989.
Landscape of global urban environmental resistome and its association with local socioeconomic and medical status

Wu J, Hu Y, Perlin MH, Danko D, Lu J, Oliveira M, et al.

Sci China Life Sci, 2024 Mar 12.
PMID: 38489008 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-023-2504-1

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a critical threat to global health and development, with environmental factors-particularly in urban areas-contributing significantly to the spread of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). However, most research to date has been conducted at a local level, leaving significant gaps in our understanding of the global status of antibiotic resistance in urban environments. To address this issue, we thoroughly analyzed a total of 86,213 ARGs detected within 4,728 metagenome samples, which were collected by the MetaSUB International Consortium involving diverse urban environments in 60 cities of 27 countries, utilizing a deep-learning based methodology. Our findings demonstrated the strong geographical specificity of urban environmental resistome, and their correlation with various local socioeconomic and medical conditions. We also identified distinctive evolutionary patterns of ARG-related biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) across different countries, and discovered that the urban environment represents a rich source of novel antibiotics. Our study provides a comprehensive overview of the global urban environmental resistome, and fills a significant gap in our knowledge of large-scale urban antibiotic resistome analysis.
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.
Fulltext Effect of core training on athletic and skill performance of basketball players: A systematic review

Luo S, Soh KG, Zhao Y, Soh KL, Sun H, Nasiruddin NJM, et al.

PLoS One, 2023;18(6):e0287379.
PMID: 37347733 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0287379

A limited number of studies focus on the effect of core training on basketball players' athletic performance and skills. This systematic reviewaimed to comprehensively and critically review the available studies in the literature that investigate the impact of core training on basketball players' physical and skill performance, and then offer valuable recommendations for both coaches and researchers. Thedata collection, selection, and analysis adhered to the PRISMA protocol. English databases, including Ebscohost, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar,were searched until September 2022. A total of eight articles were included, with four studies comparing the effects of core training versus traditional strength training or usual basketball training. All studies investigated the impact of core training on athletic performance. The findings revealed that core training can help players improve their overall athletic and skill performance, particularly in the areas of strength, sprinting,jumping, balance, agility, shooting, dribbling, passing, rebounding, and stepping. In addition, core training, particularly on unstable surfaces,as well as combining static and dynamic core training,improvebasketball players' athletic and skill performance. Despite the relativelylittle evidence demonstrating the effect of core training on endurance, flexibility, and defensive skills, this review demonstrates that it should be incorporated into basketball training sessions.
Fulltext The expectations and acceptability of a smart nursing home model among Chinese elderly people: A mixed methods study protocol

Zhao Y, Sazlina SG, Rokhani FZ, Su J, Chew BH

PLoS One, 2021;16(8):e0255865.
PMID: 34424931 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255865

Nursing homes integrated with smart information such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and digital health could improve not only the quality of care but also benefit the residents and health professionals by providing effective care and efficient medical services. However, a clear concept of a smart nursing home, the expectations and acceptability from the perspectives of the elderly people and their family members are still unclear. In addition, instruments to measure the expectations and acceptability of a smart nursing home are also lacking. The study aims to explore and determine the levels of these expectations, acceptability and the associated sociodemographic factors. This exploratory sequential mixed methods study comprises a qualitative study which will be conducted through a semi-structured interview to explore the expectations and acceptability of a smart nursing home among Chinese elderly people and their family members (Phase I). Next, a questionnaire will be developed and validated based on the results of a qualitative study in Phase I and a preceding scoping review on smart nursing homes by the same authors (Phase II). Lastly, a nationwide survey will be carried out to examine the levels of expectations and acceptability, and the associated sociodemographic factors with the different categories of expectations and acceptability (Phase III). With a better understanding of the Chinese elderly people's expectations and acceptability of smart technologies in nursing homes, a feasible smart nursing home model that incorporates appropriate technologies, integrates needed medical services and business concepts could be formulated and tested as a solution for the rapidly ageing societies in many developed and developing countries.
Fulltext Research on cultural and creative design method of 2022 World Cup lamps based on AHP-FCE

Wang T, Chen H, Hamat B, Zhao Y

PLoS One, 2023;18(11):e0286682.
PMID: 37988342 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286682

AIMS: Through an in-depth study of Qatari culture, to explore the application of the essence of the unique national culture to World Cup creative design, and to provide new ideas and reference design framework and ideas for the integration of culture and World Cup creative design.
METHOD: Carry out design practice with Qatari culture, and discuss in detail the specific strategy of integrating national culture into the cultural and creative design of the World Cup. First, conduct user interviews based on grounded theory to collect and evaluate demand indicators and establish a hierarchical model, and then use the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to analyze user needs, construct design elements for the World Cup cultural and creative design, and calculate the weight of each design element to determine the design Ordering among elements. Finally, the optimal scheme is selected by scoring the scheme through fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method (FCE), so as to determine the final design scheme of the product.
CONCLUSION: The article explores the specific practice method of integrating culture and design, and provides a solution reference for how to integrate excellent national culture into the World Cup cultural and creative design, which not only improves the cultural and spiritual connotation of the product, but also effectively realises the heritage and innovation of culture.
Fulltext Effects of high-intensity functional training on physical fitness and sport-specific performance among the athletes: A systematic review with meta-analysis

Wang X, Soh KG, Samsudin S, Deng N, Liu X, Zhao Y, et al.

PLoS One, 2023;18(12):e0295531.
PMID: 38064433 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295531

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to meta-analyze the impact of high-intensity functional training on athletes' physical fitness and sport-specific performance.
METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in five well-known academic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and the Cochrane Library) up to July 1, 2023. The literature screening criteria included: (1) studies involving healthy athletes, (2) a HIFT program, (3) an assessment of outcomes related to athletes' physical fitness or sport-specific performance, and (4) the inclusion of randomized controlled trials. The Physical Therapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale was used to evaluate the quality of studies included in the meta-analysis.
RESULTS: 13 medium- and high-quality studies met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review, involving 478 athletes aged between 10 and 24.5 years. The training showed a small to large effect size (ES = 0.414-3.351; all p < 0.05) in improving upper and lower body muscle strength, power, flexibility, and sport-specific performance.
CONCLUSION: High-intensity functional training effectively improves athletes' muscle strength, power, flexibility, and sport-specific performance but has no significant impact on endurance and agility. Future research is needed to explore the impact of high-intensity functional training on athletes' speed, balance, and technical and tactical performance parameters.
Fulltext Research on an innovative design and evaluation method of Chinese tea sets based on GT-AHP-FCE

Zhao Y, Hamat B, Wang T, Wang S, Pang LLL

PLoS One, 2024;19(4):e0302005.
PMID: 38603676 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302005

AIMS: In order to explore new consumer demands for Chinese tea set products, propose an innovative tea set product design and evaluation method to improve the user experience and satisfaction of the produced tea sets, thereby promoting the development of the tea set market and the promotion of tea culture.
METHODS: Firstly, grounded theory (GT) was used to analyze interview data to extract consumer demand indicators and construct a design evaluation hierarchical model. Secondly, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to calculate the weights of the indicators, determine their priority of importance, and obtain several indicators that have a greater impact on the tea set design to guide innovative design practice. Lastly, the tea set design schemes were evaluated using the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method to select the optimal design scheme and also to act as a guideline for further design optimization.
CONCLUSION: This study explores the innovative design and evaluation method for tea set products based on GT-AHP-FCE and validates the feasibility of this approach through a practical example of tea set design inspired by "The Classic of Mountains and Seas.". It provides innovative theoretical and practical guidance for designers of subsequent tea set products and also provides a new path for the inheritance and innovation of traditional culture.
Fulltext First Report of Bronzing Disease Caused by Pantoea stewartii on Jackfruit in China

Zhao Y, Xiao M, Yan C, Hu FC, Zhang S, Wang X, et al.

Plant Dis, 2023 Feb 23.
PMID: 36825316 DOI: 10.1094/PDIS-11-22-2740-PDN

Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) is an important tropical commercial fruit crop grown in Hainan province, China. In recent years, severe jackfruit bronzing disease has been found in 11 cities and counties in Hainan. On average, 80% of trees in a jackfruit orchard are affected once bronzing disease is detected. The disease is characterized by yellow-orange to reddish discoloration of the pulp and rags of infected fruit (Hernández-Morales et al. 2017). Jackfruit bronzing disease has been reported previously in the Philippines (Gapasin et al. 2012), Malaysia (Zulperi et al. 2017), and Mexico (Hernández-Morales et al. 2017). Diseased samples of jackfruit 'Tai Eight' with the bronzing symptoms were collected from a plantation in Changjiang, Hainan. The samples were sterilized with 75% ethanol for 30 s, then soaked with 1% sodium hypochlorite for 8 min, and rinsed with sterilized distilled water. The sterilized tissues were ground in 2 mL sterile water, and allowed to stand for 30 min. Then, 500 μL of the supernatant was spread on Glucose-Yeast agar medium and incubated overnight at 28ºC. Representative bacterial colonies were lemon-yellow, convex and smooth, transparent with entire edges. Colonies were Gram-negative, positive for catalase and gelatin liquefaction, which were consistent with the characteristics of P. stewartii subsp. stewartii. In PCR amplifications, an 920 bp amplicon of strain JTPE2 with the primers ES16/ESIG2c (Coplin et al. 2002) and an 1100 bp amplicon of strain JTPC2 with the primers CPSL1/CPSR2c (Ibrahim et al. 2019) were obtained, whereas no bands were observed for the negative control samples. The ES16/ESIG2c and CPSL1/CPSR2c fragments were sequenced for nucleotide BLAST (BLASTn) searches of the NCBI database and phylogenetic tree construction. The obtained ES16/ESIG2c sequences (SAR accession no. SRR22405292) showed 99.07%-99.60% similarity with P. stewartii subsp. stewartii (CP017581, AJ311838 and MF598163). The obtained CPSL1/CPSR2c sequences (SAR accession no. SRR22405293) showed 99.40%-99.99% similarity with P. stewartii subsp. stewartii (MW971422, MH752485 and MH257287). Phylogenetic analysis based on cpsDE sequences (Ibrahim et al. 2019) using the maximum likelihood method revealed that strains JTPE2 and JTPC2 were clustered together with P. stewartii subsp. stewartii. A pathogenicity test was conducted by injecting 2 mL of 108 CFU/ml bacterial suspension into pulp from healthy, surface-sterilized jackfruit. Pulp injected with sterilized distilled water served as a negative control. All inoculated samples produced bronzing symptoms from 2-3 weeks post-inoculation similar to the field-observed symptoms, whereas control fruit were asymptomatic. The strains were reisolated from symptomatic jackfruit pulp to complete Koch's postulates. The bacterial suspension was inoculated on 2-week-old maize seedlings to supplement in vivo pathogenicity testing. Typical Stewart's disease leaf symptoms were visible at 2 weeks post-inoculation. Based on morphological, biochemical, and physiological evidence, pathogenicity tests, and molecular analyses, the pathogenic bacterium isolated from 'Tai Eight' jackfruit was identified as P. stewartii subsp. stewartii. To our knowledge, this is the first report of bronzing disease caused by P. stewartii subsp. stewartii on jackfruit in China, which may assist in preventing the global spread of jackfruit bronzing disease.

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