Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 60 in total

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  1. Nejat N, Vadamalai G, Davis RE, Harrison NA, Sijam K, Dickinson M, et al.
    Int J Syst Evol Microbiol, 2013 Feb;63(Pt 2):540-548.
    PMID: 22523165 DOI: 10.1099/ijs.0.041467-0
    This study addressed the taxonomic position and group classification of a phytoplasma responsible for virescence and phyllody symptoms in naturally diseased Madagascar periwinkle plants in western Malaysia. Unique regions in the 16S rRNA gene from the Malaysian periwinkle virescence (MaPV) phytoplasma distinguished the phytoplasma from all previously described 'Candidatus Phytoplasma' species. Pairwise sequence similarity scores, calculated through alignment of full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences, revealed that the MaPV phytoplasma 16S rRNA gene shared 96.5 % or less sequence similarity with that of previously described 'Ca. Phytoplasma' species, justifying the recognition of the MaPV phytoplasma as a reference strain of a novel taxon, 'Candidatus Phytoplasma malaysianum'. The 16S rRNA gene F2nR2 fragment from the MaPV phytoplasma exhibited a distinct restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profile and the pattern similarity coefficient values were lower than 0.85 with representative phytoplasmas classified in any of the 31 previously delineated 16Sr groups; therefore, the MaPV phytoplasma was designated a member of a new 16Sr group, 16SrXXXII. Phytoplasmas affiliated with this novel taxon and the new group included diverse strains infecting periwinkle, coconut palm and oil palm in Malaysia. Three phytoplasmas were characterized as representatives of three distinct subgroups, 16SrXXXII-A, 16SrXXXII-B and 16SrXXXII-C, respectively.
  2. Naderali N, Nejat N, Vadamalai G, Davis RE, Wei W, Harrison NA, et al.
    Int J Syst Evol Microbiol, 2017 Oct;67(10):3765-3772.
    PMID: 28905707 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.002187
    Landscape-grown foxtail palm (Wodyetia bifurcata A. K. Irvine) trees displaying symptoms of severe foliar chlorosis, stunting, general decline and mortality reminiscent of coconut yellow decline disease were observed in Bangi, Malaysia, during 2012. DNA samples from foliage tissues of 15 symptomatic palms were analysed by employing a nested PCR assay primed by phytoplasma universal ribosomal RNA operon primer pairs, P1/P7 followed by R16F2n/R2. The assay yielded amplicons of a single band of 1.25 kb from DNA samples of 11 symptomatic palms. Results from cloning and sequence analysis of the PCR-amplified 16S rRNA gene segments revealed that, in three palms, three mutually distinct phytoplasmas comprising strains related to 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' and 'Candidatus Phytoplasma cynodontis', as well as a novel phytoplasma, were present as triple infections. The 16S rRNA gene sequence derived from the novel phytoplasma shared less than 96 % nucleotide sequence identity with that of each previously describedspecies of the provisional genus 'Ca. Phytoplasma', justifying its recognition as the reference strain of a new taxon, 'Candidatus Phytoplasma wodyetiae'. Virtual RFLP profiles of the R16F2n/R2 portion of the 16S rRNA gene and the pattern similarity coefficient value (0.74) supported the delineation of 'Ca. Phytoplasma wodyetiae' as the sole representative subgroup A member of a new phytoplasma ribosomal group, 16SrXXXVI.
  3. 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
  4. 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.
  5. Wu J, Danko D, Afshinnekoo E, Bezdan D, Bhattacharyya M, Castro-Nallar E, et al.
    Environ Res, 2022 May 01;207:112183.
    PMID: 34637759 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.112183
    In urban ecosystems, microbes play a key role in maintaining major ecological functions that directly support human health and city life. However, the knowledge about the species composition and functions involved in urban environments is still limited, which is largely due to the lack of reference genomes in metagenomic studies comprises more than half of unclassified reads. Here we uncovered 732 novel bacterial species from 4728 samples collected from various common surface with the matching materials in the mass transit system across 60 cities by the MetaSUB Consortium. The number of novel species is significantly and positively correlated with the city population, and more novel species can be identified in the skin-associated samples. The in-depth analysis of the new gene catalog showed that the functional terms have a significant geographical distinguishability. Moreover, we revealed that more biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) can be found in novel species. The co-occurrence relationship between BGCs and genera and the geographical specificity of BGCs can also provide us more information for the synthesis pathways of natural products. Expanded the known urban microbiome diversity and suggested additional mechanisms for taxonomic and functional characterization of the urban microbiome. Considering the great impact of urban microbiomes on human life, our study can also facilitate the microbial interaction analysis between human and urban environment.
  6. 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.
  7. Haagsma JA, James SL, Castle CD, Dingels ZV, Fox JT, Hamilton EB, et al.
    Inj Prev, 2020 Oct;26(Supp 1):i12-i26.
    PMID: 31915273 DOI: 10.1136/injuryprev-2019-043296
    BACKGROUND: The epidemiological transition of non-communicable diseases replacing infectious diseases as the main contributors to disease burden has been well documented in global health literature. Less focus, however, has been given to the relationship between sociodemographic changes and injury. The aim of this study was to examine the association between disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from injury for 195 countries and territories at different levels along the development spectrum between 1990 and 2017 based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 estimates.

    METHODS: Injury mortality was estimated using the GBD mortality database, corrections for garbage coding and CODEm-the cause of death ensemble modelling tool. Morbidity estimation was based on surveys and inpatient and outpatient data sets for 30 cause-of-injury with 47 nature-of-injury categories each. The Socio-demographic Index (SDI) is a composite indicator that includes lagged income per capita, average educational attainment over age 15 years and total fertility rate.

    RESULTS: For many causes of injury, age-standardised DALY rates declined with increasing SDI, although road injury, interpersonal violence and self-harm did not follow this pattern. Particularly for self-harm opposing patterns were observed in regions with similar SDI levels. For road injuries, this effect was less pronounced.

    CONCLUSIONS: The overall global pattern is that of declining injury burden with increasing SDI. However, not all injuries follow this pattern, which suggests multiple underlying mechanisms influencing injury DALYs. There is a need for a detailed understanding of these patterns to help to inform national and global efforts to address injury-related health outcomes across the development spectrum.

  8. van Doorslaer E, O'Donnell O, Rannan-Eliya RP, Somanathan A, Adhikari SR, Garg CC, et al.
    Health Econ, 2007 Nov;16(11):1159-84.
    PMID: 17311356
    Out-of-pocket (OOP) payments are the principal means of financing health care throughout much of Asia. We estimate the magnitude and distribution of OOP payments for health care in fourteen countries and territories accounting for 81% of the Asian population. We focus on payments that are catastrophic, in the sense of severely disrupting household living standards, and approximate such payments by those absorbing a large fraction of household resources. Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal and Vietnam rely most heavily on OOP financing and have the highest incidence of catastrophic payments. Sri Lanka, Thailand and Malaysia stand out as low to middle income countries that have constrained both the OOP share of health financing and the catastrophic impact of direct payments. In most low/middle-income countries, the better-off are more likely to spend a large fraction of total household resources on health care. This may reflect the inability of the poorest of the poor to divert resources from other basic needs and possibly the protection of the poor from user charges offered in some countries. But in China, Kyrgyz and Vietnam, where there are no exemptions of the poor from charges, they are as, or even more, likely to incur catastrophic payments.
  9. Zhao Y, Hamidi M, Abd Wahab H
    Omega (Westport), 2023 Apr 02.
    PMID: 37005345 DOI: 10.1177/00302228231167044
    As cancer has become the second most common cause of death in the world today, how to allow advanced cancer patients to die with dignity has gotten gradually more and more taken paid attention. The study aims to explore the current status and challenges of palliative care for advanced cancer patients in the Chinese Mainland. This study used a semi-structured interview approach by interviewing 14 respondents. The respondents involved patients, family members and relevant practitioners in two regions in China in discovering and summarizing the current status of palliative care implementation for advanced cancer patients in the Chinese Mainland. The study found three challenges of palliative care in the Chinese Mainland: the development of theory and practice being out of sync, the dilemma of operation and promotion, and multiple challenges between different characters. The government should devote multi-dimensional developments and put advanced cancer patients in a central position to respond to patients' needs. The study suggests that the government should promote specialization, enlarge publicity, improve policy, and advocate death education and living wills to respond to the challenges.
  10. 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.
  11. Zhao Y, Lu K, Piao X, Song Y, Wang L, Zhou R, et al.
    Food Chem, 2023 May 01;407:135157.
    PMID: 36529012 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2022.135157
    Surimi products have unsatisfactory gel properties. Hence, this study evaluates the effect of collagen-adding on surimi gel properties and provides the first observation results regarding collagen type influence. With higher water solubility and more charged amino acids than type II, collagen type I intertwines with surimi myofibrillar proteins better to induce higher exposure of protein functional domains, more sufficient conformational changes of myosin and greater formation of chemical forces among proteins. These enhancements accelerate the gelation rate, leading to a well-stabilized surimi gel. The collagen I-containing surimi gels show more compact structures with uniformly distributed smaller pores than those containing collagen II, thereby providing the final products with higher water holding capacity and better textural profiles. As such, the surimi gel fortification performance of collagen I and the well-elucidated collagen-myofibrillar protein interaction mechanism will guide the further exploitation of collagen as an effective additive in the food industry.
  12. Wu CH, McCloskey EV, Lee JK, Itabashi A, Prince R, Yu W, et al.
    J Clin Densitom, 2014 Jan-Mar;17(1):150-5.
    PMID: 23916756 DOI: 10.1016/j.jocd.2013.06.002
    The fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX(®)) has been developed for the identification of individuals with high risk of fracture in whom treatment to prevent fractures would be appropriate. FRAX models are not yet available for all countries or ethnicities, but surrogate models can be used within regions with similar fracture risk. The International Society for Clinical Densitometry (ISCD) and International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) are nonprofit multidisciplinary international professional organizations. Their visions are to advance the awareness, education, prevention, and treatment of osteoporosis. In November 2010, the IOF/ISCD FRAX initiative was held in Bucharest, bringing together international experts to review and create evidence-based official positions guiding clinicians for the practical use of FRAX. A consensus meeting of the Asia-Pacific (AP) Panel of the ISCD recently reviewed the most current Official Positions of the Joint Official Positions of ISCD and IOF on FRAX in view of the different population characteristics and health standards in the AP regions. The reviewed position statements included not only the key spectrum of positions but also unique concerns in AP regions.
  13. 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.
  14. Zhao Y, Rokhani FZ, Shariff Ghazali S, Chew BH
    BMJ Open, 2021 02 18;11(2):e041452.
    PMID: 33602703 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-041452
    INTRODUCTION: Smart technologies, digital health and eHealth have been shown to enhance institutional elderly care. Because of the rapidly ageing societies, information technologies in geriatric healthcare are urgently needed. A lot of innovation in smart healthcare has occurred in the past decade, and its use in nursing care assessment, daily living activities and service management is yet to be defined. More fundamentally, the concepts, definitions and scopes of a smart nursing home are still vague. Thus, this scoping review aims to examine the extent, range (variety) and nature (characteristics) of evidence on the existing smart concepts and feasible healthcare technologies, types of medical services in nursing home settings and acceptability of a smart nursing home by the elderly people ≥60 years old, their caregivers, nursing home operators and government agencies.

    METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This scoping review will be guided by the smart technology adoption behaviours of elder consumers theoretical model (Elderadopt) by Golant and reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses for Scoping Reviews. First, we will conduct an internet search for nursing homes and websites and databases related to the stakeholders to retrieve the definitions, concepts and criteria of a smart nursing home (phase 1). Second, we will conduct an additional systematic electronic database search for published articles on any measures of technological feasibility and integration of medical services in nursing home settings and their acceptability by nursing home residents and caregivers (phase 2). The electronic database search will be carried out from 1999 to 30 September 2020 and limited to works published in English and Chinese languages. For phase 2, the selection of literature is further limited to residents of nursing homes aged ≥60 years old with or without medical needs but are not terminally ill or bed-bound. Qualitative data analysis will follow the Framework Methods and thematic analysis using combined inductive and deductive approaches, conducted by at least two reviewers.

    ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This protocol is registered on osf.io (URL: https://osf.io/qtwz2/). Ethical approval is not necessary as the scoping review is not a primary study, and the information is collected from selected articles that are publicly available sources. All findings will be disseminated at conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

  15. Luo N, Tan LC, Zhao Y, Lau PN, Au WL, Li SC
    Mov Disord, 2009 Jan 30;24(2):183-7.
    PMID: 18972545 DOI: 10.1002/mds.22240
    The aim of our study was to assess the longitudinal validity of the 8-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-8) in terms of responsiveness and test-retest reliability and to determine the minimally important difference (MID) for PDQ-8 using the anchor-based approach in Asians with Parkinson's disease (PD). A consecutive sample of PD patients attending a tertiary neuroscience clinic in Singapore completed the English or Chinese version of PDQ-8 twice during two different clinic visits. During the second visit, patients were also asked to rate their changes in health in general, PD severity, and overall impact of PD since at the time of their first visit 1 year ago using a 5-point response scale. A total of 96 patients participated in the study. For patients who reported changed conditions in the second visit, responsiveness measured by Cohen's effect size, standardized response mean, and Guyatt's responsiveness index ranged from 0.21 to 0.68. The intraclass correlation coefficient values calculated using patients reporting no change in health or PD status ranged from 0.64 to 0.76. The mean changed PDQ-8 summary index score in patients who reported that their health or PD status worsened only "a little bit" ranged from 5.8 to 7.4 points. Our current results show that PDQ-8 is a longitudinally reliable and responsive measure for assessing the health-related quality of life in patients with PD. The MID of the PDQ-8 estimated in the study will further support the use of this instrument in both clinical research and practice.
  16. Chandran M, Mitchell PJ, Amphansap T, Bhadada SK, Chadha M, Chan DC, et al.
    Osteoporos Int, 2021 Jul;32(7):1249-1275.
    PMID: 33502559 DOI: 10.1007/s00198-020-05742-0
    Guidelines for doctors managing osteoporosis in the Asia-Pacific region vary widely. We compared 18 guidelines for similarities and differences in five key areas. We then used a structured consensus process to develop clinical standards of care for the diagnosis and management of osteoporosis and for improving the quality of care.

    PURPOSE: Minimum clinical standards for assessment and management of osteoporosis are needed in the Asia-Pacific (AP) region to inform clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and to improve osteoporosis care. We present the framework of these clinical standards and describe its development.

    METHODS: We conducted a structured comparative analysis of existing CPGs in the AP region using a "5IQ" model (identification, investigation, information, intervention, integration, and quality). One-hundred data elements were extracted from each guideline. We then employed a four-round Delphi consensus process to structure the framework, identify key components of guidance, and develop clinical care standards.

    RESULTS: Eighteen guidelines were included. The 5IQ analysis demonstrated marked heterogeneity, notably in guidance on risk factors, the use of biochemical markers, self-care information for patients, indications for osteoporosis treatment, use of fracture risk assessment tools, and protocols for monitoring treatment. There was minimal guidance on long-term management plans or on strategies and systems for clinical quality improvement. Twenty-nine APCO members participated in the Delphi process, resulting in consensus on 16 clinical standards, with levels of attainment defined for those on identification and investigation of fragility fractures, vertebral fracture assessment, and inclusion of quality metrics in guidelines.

    CONCLUSION: The 5IQ analysis confirmed previous anecdotal observations of marked heterogeneity of osteoporosis clinical guidelines in the AP region. The Framework provides practical, clear, and feasible recommendations for osteoporosis care and can be adapted for use in other such vastly diverse regions. Implementation of the standards is expected to significantly lessen the global burden of osteoporosis.

  17. 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.
  18. Zhao Y, Soh KG, Saad HA, Liu C, Ding C
    Front Public Health, 2024;12:1320112.
    PMID: 38420024 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1320112
    BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to critically review the existing literature on the effects of active video games (AVGs) on physical activity in overweight and obese college students to determine whether AVGs can promote and achieve recommended levels of physical activity. The results should provide constructive input for future research.

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

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

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

  19. 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.

  20. 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.
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