Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 28 in total

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  1. Jia M, Wei Y, Ma Y, Shen Y, Zhang Y
    Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi, 1997 Aug;22(8):454-8, 510.
    PMID: 11038909
    Through the investigation on botanical origin, output and sales of Togcao in producing areas, it has been proved that there are twenty-two species of six families used as Tongcao. The medicinal parts are the pith of stems or petioles. The provinces featuring more species and larger output of Tongcao are Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, Guangxi, Hunan and Shaanxi. A hundred and two pieces of commercial samples collected from twenty-six provinces in China, Hongkong area, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Republic of Korea have been identified. The result shows that both Xiaotongcao and Datongcao are called by the same name Tongcao. The main species is Xiaotongcao, which takes a proportion of 70% in Tongcao. And the Tongcao(Tetrapanax papyriferus, taking a proportion of 20%) as recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (1995 edition) is seldom used.
  2. Ma Y, Hu M, Zafar Q
    Front Public Health, 2022;10:824073.
    PMID: 35174125 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.824073
    In this study, our main objective is to find the impact of FDI and external debt on health outcomes in emerging Asian economies from 1991 to 2019. To that end, we have collected data for seven economies: Bangladesh, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Sri Lanka, China, and India. We have relied on the panel ARDL (PARDL) method for empirical analysis. The study's findings confirmed that the debt has increased infant mortality and decreased life expectancy in emerging Asian economies in the long run. On the other side, the FDI causes infant mortality to fall and life expectancy to rise in the long run in emerging Asian economies. Similarly, the health expenditures also reduced the infant mortality rate, though the impact is insignificant, and improved the life expectancy in emerging Asian economies. The causal analysis confirmed the two-way causality between health expenditure, infant mortality, and health expenditure and debt.
  3. Ma Y, Noh CIC, Pare R
    Transl Cancer Res, 2025 Feb 28;14(2):1157-1170.
    PMID: 40104731 DOI: 10.21037/tcr-24-1315
    BACKGROUND: The cell death pathway, including apoptosis, autophagy, and necroptosis, plays an essential role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression and outcome. However, the integration of the three cell death pathways into a prognostic signature has not yet been reported in HCC. This study aimed to investigate the association among cell death-related genes (CDRGs), prognosis, immune microenvironment, and immune checkpoint.

    METHODS: The RNA expression profiles and corresponding clinical data of HCC were retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC). Univariate Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the relevant prognostic genes, and Lasso Cox regression analysis was employed to calculate the risk score. The relationship between the risk score and clinicopathological characteristics, immune cell infiltration, and immune checkpoint expression was analyzed.

    RESULTS: A prognostic risk model for HCC was constructed from the identified CDRGs and patients were subgrouped based on risk score. High-risk patients for HCC exhibited a significantly lower overall survival (OS) rate than the low-risk patients. In addition, the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve demonstrated the predictive ability of the risk score. Patients in the high-risk group exhibited lower immune cell infiltration and higher expression levels of immune checkpoint molecules.

    CONCLUSIONS: The cell death-related signature established herein provides a valuable predictive tool for survival and holds promise as a potential therapeutic biomarker for HCC.

  4. Zhao J, Xiao J, Lee ML, Ma Y
    Springerplus, 2016;5(1):1633.
    PMID: 27722051
    Slopes are subjected to stress redistributions during underground mining activities, and this may eventually cause deformation or landslide. This paper takes Madaling landslide in Guizhou Province, China as a case study to investigate the failure mechanism and its run-out behaviours by using discrete element method. Previous qualitative analysis indicated that the slope experienced four stages of failure mechanisms: (1) development of tension cracks, (2) development of stepped-like creep cracks, (3) development of potential rupture surfaces, and (4) occurrence of the landslide. PFC2D program was employed to model the pre-failure deformation characteristics in order to verify the failure mechanisms quantitatively. Subsequently, the run-out behaviours of the landslide were analyzed by PFC3D program. The results indicated that the movement could be summarized into four stages: acceleration stage, constant movement stage, rapid movement stage, and deceleration and deposition stage.
  5. Han C, Zhai C, Li A, Ma Y, Hallajzadeh J
    Front Cardiovasc Med, 2024;11:1432468.
    PMID: 39553846 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2024.1432468
    Myocardial infarction (MI), a widespread cardiovascular issue, mainly occurs due to blood clot formation in the coronary arteries, which reduces blood flow to the heart muscle and leads to cell death. Incorporating exercise into a lifestyle can significantly benefit recovery and reduce the risk of future cardiac events for MI patients. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play various roles in the effects of exercise on myocardial infarction (MI). ncRNAs regulate gene expression, influence cardiac remodeling, angiogenesis, inflammation, oxidative stress, apoptosis, cardioprotection, and cardiac electrophysiology. The expression of specific ncRNAs is altered by exercise, leading to beneficial changes in heart structure, function, and recovery after MI. These ncRNAs modulate molecular pathways that contribute to improved cardiac health, including reducing inflammation, enhancing angiogenesis, promoting cell survival, and mitigating oxidative stress. Furthermore, they are involved in regulating changes in cardiac remodeling, such as hypertrophy and fibrosis, and can influence the electrical properties of the heart, thereby decreasing the risk of arrhythmias. Knowledge on MI has entered a new phase, with investigations of ncRNAs in physical exercise yielding invaluable insights into the impact of this therapeutic modality. This review compiled research on ncRNAs in MI, with an emphasis on their applicability to physical activity.
  6. Ma Y, Fuchs AV, Boase NR, Rolfe BE, Coombes AG, Thurecht KJ
    Eur J Pharm Biopharm, 2015 Aug;94:393-403.
    PMID: 26117186 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2015.06.014
    Anti-cancer drug loaded-nanoparticles (NPs) or encapsulation of NPs in colon-targeted delivery systems shows potential for increasing the local drug concentration in the colon leading to improved treatment of colorectal cancer. To investigate the potential of the NP-based strategies for colon-specific delivery, two formulations, free Eudragit® NPs and enteric-coated NP-loaded chitosan-hypromellose microcapsules (MCs) were fluorescently-labelled and their tissue distribution in mice after oral administration was monitored by multispectral small animal imaging. The free NPs showed a shorter transit time throughout the mouse digestive tract than the MCs, with extensive excretion of NPs in faeces at 5h. Conversely, the MCs showed complete NP release in the lower region of the mouse small intestine at 8h post-administration. Overall, the encapsulation of NPs in MCs resulted in a higher colonic NP intensity from 8h to 24h post-administration compared to the free NPs, due to a NP 'guarding' effect of MCs during their transit along mouse gastrointestinal tract which decreased NP excretion in faeces. These imaging data revealed that this widely-utilised colon-targeting MC formulation lacked site-precision for releasing its NP load in the colon, but the increased residence time of the NPs in the lower gastrointestinal tract suggests that it is still useful for localised release of chemotherapeutics, compared to NP administration alone. In addition, both formulations resided in the stomach of mice at considerable concentrations over 24h. Thus, adhesion of NP- or MC-based oral delivery systems to gastric mucosa may be problematic for colon-specific delivery of the cargo to the colon and should be carefully investigated for a full evaluation of particulate delivery systems.
  7. Zhu JJ, Ma Y, Xia G, Salle SM, Huang H, Sannusi SN
    Front Psychol, 2023;14:1217014.
    PMID: 38440371 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1217014
    The effects of short movies on social media platforms are gaining worldwide popularity and are now attracting global academic attention. Employing self-perception theory and qualitative research methodology, the study examines the influence of short video applications (TikTok) on app-user engagement and evaluates the self-perceived cognitive psychological understanding of Chinese university students. The findings show that identity, attitude change, emotional perception, and civic engagement are the most influential aspects of Chinese youths' self-perceptions. Furthermore, the positive and negative correlated components influence the distribution of short video values. Such tactical use of personality construction contributes to the present psychological research of Chinese university students.
  8. Jia J, Ma Y, Xu S, Zheng J, Ma X, Zhang Y, et al.
    Psychol Res Behav Manag, 2023;16:2417-2424.
    PMID: 37426390 DOI: 10.2147/PRBM.S413382
    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the impact of academic self-efficacy on test anxiety among higher vocational students, as well as the role of sense of life meaning, fear of failure, and gender difference in mediating this relationship.

    METHODS: A total of 2231 higher vocational students from Shandong Province were surveyed by means of Academic Self-efficacy Questionnaire, Meaning in Life Questionnaire, and Test Anxiety Scale.

    RESULTS: There were significant negative correlations among academic self-efficacy, sense of life meaning, and test anxiety. Fear of failure was positively correlated with test anxiety. Sense of life meaning and fear of failure played a mediating role in the relationship between academic self-efficacy and test anxiety. The chain mediating effect was significant only in the female group, not in the male group. In contrast, academic self-efficacy indirectly predicted test anxiety by the independent mediating effect of sense of life meaning or fear of failure in the male group.

    CONCLUSION: Academic self-efficacy may influence test anxiety through the independent mediating effect of sense of life meaning, fear of failure, and the chain mediating effect, and there is a gender difference in these effects.

  9. Ma Y, Gao Y, Xu R, Li D, Waiho K, Wang Y, et al.
    Mar Environ Res, 2024 Jan;193:106277.
    PMID: 38040551 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2023.106277
    Nanoplastics (NPs) and antibiotics (ABs) are two of the emerging marine contaminants that have drawn the most attention in recent years. Given the necessity of figuring out the effects of plastic and antibiotic contamination on marine organism life and population in the natural environment, it is essential to apply rapid and effective biological indicators to evaluate their comprehensive toxic effects. In this study, using mussel (Mytilus coruscus) as a model, we investigated the combined toxic effects of NP (80 nm polystyrene beads) and AB (Norfloxacin, NOR) at environmental-relevant concentrations on antioxidant and immune genes. In terms of the antioxidant genes, NPs significantly increased the relative expression of Cytochrome P450 3A-1 (CYP3A-1) under various concentrations of NOR conditions, but they only significantly increased the relative expression of CYP3A-2 in the high concentration (500 μg L-1 NOR) co-exposure group. In the NP-exposure group which exposed to no or low concentrations of NOR, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was upregulated. In terms of the immune genes, interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) -1 showed a significant increase in the low-concentration NOR group while a significant inhibition in the high-concentration NOR group. Due to the presence of NPs, exposure to NOR resulted in a significant increase in both IRAK-4 and heat shock protein (HSP) 70. Our findings indicate that polystyrene NPs can exacerbate the effects of NOR on the anti-oxidant and immune defense performance of mussels. This study delves into the toxic effects of NPs and ABs from a molecular perspective. Given the expected increase in environmental pollution due to NPs and ABs, future research is needed to investigate the potential synergistic effect of NPs and ABs on other organisms.
  10. Qi Y, Mohamad E, Azlan AA, Zhang C, Ma Y, Wu A
    J Med Internet Res, 2025 Jan 23;27:e64981.
    PMID: 39847411 DOI: 10.2196/64981
    BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major global health issue, with approximately 70% of cases linked to modifiable risk factors. Digital health solutions offer potential for CVD prevention; yet, their effectiveness in covering the full range of prevention strategies is uncertain.

    OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to synthesize current literature on digital solutions for CVD prevention, identify the key components of effective digital interventions, and highlight critical research gaps to inform the development of sustainable strategies for CVD prevention.

    METHODS: Following PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we conducted a comprehensive search in Web of Science, Scopus, and PubMed to identify original English-language studies published between January 2000 and May 2024 that examined primary or secondary CVD prevention through digital solutions. The exclusion criteria included: telephone-only interventions, abstract-only publications, methodology-focused studies without primary data, studies without participants or specific groups, and studies with no follow-up period. The literature search used the string with terms like "digital health," "mHealth," "mobile health," "text message," "short message service," "SMS," "prevention," "prevent," "cardiovascular disease," "CVD," etc. Study bias was assessed using the RoB 2 (Cochrane Collaboration) and the ROBINS-I tool (Cochrane Collaboration). Data on prevention components, prevention types, study design, population, intervention, follow-up duration, personnel, and delivery settings were extracted.

    RESULTS: A total of 2871 studies were identified through the search. After excluding ineligible studies, 30 studies remained, including 24 randomized controlled trials. The reviewed digital solutions for CVD prevention focused on baseline assessment (29/30, 97%), physical activity counseling (18/30, 60%), tobacco cessation (14/30, 47%), blood pressure management (13/30, 43%), and medication adherence (10/30, 33%). The technologies used were categorized into 3 types, smartphones and wearables (16/30, 53%), email and SMS communications (12/30, 40%), and websites or web portals (3/30, 10%). The majority of the study outcomes addressed blood pressure (14/30, 47%), exercise capacity (12/30, 40%), weight (12/30, 40%), and lipid profile (11/30, 37%), while fewer focused on nicotine dependence (9/30, 30%), medication use (8/30, 27%), quality of life (7/30, 23%), dietary habits (5/30, 17%), intervention adherence (4/30, 13%), waist circumference (4/30, 13%), and blood glucose levels (2/30, 7%).

    CONCLUSIONS: Digital solutions can address challenges in traditional CVD prevention by improving preventive behaviors and monitoring health indicators. However, most evaluated interventions have focused on medication use, quality of life, dietary habits, adherence, and waist circumference. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term impact of more comprehensive interventions on key cardiovascular outcomes.

  11. Zhou Z, Ma Y, Zhang J, Firdaus M, Roleda MY, Duan D
    Sci Data, 2025 Feb 12;12(1):249.
    PMID: 39939323 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-025-04583-y
    Kappaphycus striatus is one of the carrageenan-producing red algae, and found primarily in tropical and subtropical coastal regions. Its global distribution is mainly in the Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia, among other locations. Here, through the high-quality chromosome-level genome sequences and assembly with PacBio HiFi and Hi-C sequencing data, we assembled one genome with a total of 211.46 Mb in size, containing a contig N50 length of 5.04 Mb and a scaffold N50 length of 5.39 Mb. After Hi-C assembly and manual adjustment to the heatmap, we deduced that 199.42 Mb of genomic sequences were anchored to 33 presumed chromosomes, which accounting for 94.31% of the entire genome. One total of 14,596 protein-coding genes and 1,673 non-coding RNAs were identified, and the 100.96 Mb of repetitive sequences accounting for 47.73% of the assembled genome. Our chromosome-level genome assembly data provide valuable references for K. striatus future nursery and breeding, and will be useful for the functional genomics interpretations and evolutionary studies of eukaryotes.
  12. Yang Y, Razak SRA, Ismail IS, Ma Y, Yunus MA
    Cancer Cell Int, 2025 Mar 14;25(1):94.
    PMID: 40087755 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-025-03666-5
    Cancer remains a major global health challenge due to its rising prevalence and high mortality rates. The field of microRNAs (miRNAs) has made significant progress in the understanding of tumorigenesis and has broadened our knowledge of their targeting, especially in cancer therapy. miRNAs, a class of small non-coding RNAs, participate in post-transcriptional gene regulation by translational inhibition or mRNA degradation. Among these, microRNA-192 (miR-192) is located on human chromosome 11q13.1, and is highly correlated with the occurrence and development of various human cancers. Dysregulation of miR-192 has been extensively studied in various pathological processes, including tumorigenesis, making it a valuable biomarker for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. The functional role of miR-192 varies across cancer types, acting as either a tumor suppressor or as an oncogene through the modulation of multiple gene expressions and downstream signaling pathways. However, the roles of miR-192 in cancer appear inconsistent across types, with current research often focused on specific genes or pathways, limiting insight into its broader impact on cellular signaling networks. Therefore, this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of miR-192 research. The paper reviews differences in miR-192 expression in cancer and systematically summarizes the role of miR-192 in cancers. The review further explores the complex roles of miR-192 in various pathological processes, emphasizing its regulatory pathways, interaction networks, and association with tumor progression. This review also illustrates the clinical application of miR-192 as a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker for non-invasive cancer detection, as it is consistently present in both serum and exosomes. A comprehensive summary and analysis of the relationship between miR-192 and various cancers may provide valuable insights, potentially guiding novel approaches in clinical diagnosis, therapeutic strategies, and foundational cancer research.
  13. Zhang C, Mohamad E, Azlan AA, Wu A, Ma Y, Qi Y
    J Med Internet Res, 2025 Mar 26;27:e66058.
    PMID: 40138684 DOI: 10.2196/66058
    BACKGROUND: The advent of social media has significantly transformed health communication and the health-related actions of older adults, offering both obstacles and prospects for this generation to embrace eHealth developments.

    OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the correlation between social media and eHealth literacy in older individuals and answer four research questions: (1) What are the specific social media behaviors (including general use behaviors and health behaviors) of older adults on social media? (2) How do these behaviors impact their eHealth literacy? (3) How does eHealth literacy influence older adults' social media behaviors? and (4) What factors influence older adults' use of social media for health-related purposes?

    METHODS: Using predetermined keywords and inclusion criteria, we searched Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases for English-language journal articles published from 2000 to 2024, following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) principles. The initial search identified 1591 publications, and after removing duplicates, 48.21% (767/1591) of publications remained. Ultimately, 1% (16/1591) of studies met the inclusion criteria. A research question-driven manual qualitative thematic analysis was conducted, guided by the categorization of social media use behaviors, the definition of eHealth literacy, and the social-ecological model to provide direction for coding and thematic analysis. In addition, attention was given to identifying unanticipated behaviors or phenomena during the coding process, and these were subsequently incorporated into the analytical framework.

    RESULTS: The results indicated that older adults' general social media use behaviors are primarily characterized by social media preferences, with 2 subthemes identified. Their social media health behaviors revealed 5 main themes and 14 subthemes. Among the primary themes, health information behavior appeared most frequently (12/16, 75%), followed by self-management (8/16, 50%). Other themes included health decision-making (4/16, 25%), telemedicine (3/16, 19%), and health interventions (2/16, 13%). Cross-thematic analysis confirmed that older adults' social media use behaviors and their eHealth literacy had a reciprocal relationship. Finally, the study revealed that the use of social media to improve eHealth literacy among older adults was influenced by individual, interpersonal, institutional or organizational, and social factors.

    CONCLUSIONS: The reciprocal relationship between older adults' social media use and eHealth literacy highlights the importance of establishing a long-term positive mechanism that mutually reinforces social media health practices and eHealth literacy. Based on the findings, this review proposes key directions for efforts to achieve this goal: (1) leveraging postpandemic momentum to enhance eHealth literacy among older adults through social media, (2) reconsidering the dimensions of eHealth literacy among older adults in the context of Web 2.0, (3) actively developing age-friendly integrated social media health service platforms, (4) optimizing social media for engaging and reliable health information for older adults, and (5) integrating social support systems to foster lifelong eHealth learning for older adults.

  14. Hamid M, Bustamante-Manaog T, Truong VD, Akkhavong K, Fu H, Ma Y, et al.
    Lancet, 2005 Nov 19;366(9499):1758-60.
    PMID: 16298204 DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(05)67709-4
  15. Yan L, Yu J, Zhong Y, Gu Y, Ma Y, Li W, et al.
    J Nanosci Nanotechnol, 2020 03 01;20(3):1605-1612.
    PMID: 31492322 DOI: 10.1166/jnn.2020.17340
    The present study focuses on the microstructural and bioactive properties evolution in selective laser melting (SLM) β titanium alloys. We have applied cross-scan strategy for improving mechanical properties and lower elastic modulus of SLMed Ti-20Mg-5Ta alloys which has been shown to be altering the microstructure and refining the grain size. The cross-scan strategy can refine the microstructure and induce various deformation textures in contrast to the conventional scan strategy. The microstructures of Ti-20Mg-5Ta alloys indicate that the cross-scan strategy will yield the best mechanical properties and lower elastic modulus. The corrosion behavior of the Ti-20Mg-5Ta alloys was studied during immersion in an acellular simulated body fluid (SBF) at 37±0.50 °C for 28 days. Both the mechanical and bioactive properties showed that the novel Ti-20Mg-5Ta alloys should be ideal for bone implants.
  16. Li X, Gao D, Paudel YN, Li X, Zheng M, Liu G, et al.
    ACS Chem Neurosci, 2022 Feb 02;13(3):330-339.
    PMID: 35044760 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00656
    Parkinson's disease (PD) is a devastating disease of the central nervous system that occurs mainly in the elderly age group, affecting their quality of life. The PD pathogenesis is not yet fully understood and lacks the disease-modifying treatment strategies. Sanghuangprous vaninii (S. vaninii) is a perennial fungus with a plethora of pharmacological activities including anti-cancer and antioxidant activity and so on. However, no study till date has reported its neuroprotective effect against symptoms that are similar to PD in pre-clinical investigation. In the current study, we investigated anti-PD-like effects of S. vaninii mycelium extracts (SvMEs) on MPTP-induced PD in zebrafish. We observed that the loss of dopaminergic neurons and neurovascular reduction were reversed by using SvMEs in the zebrafish brain in a concentration-independent manner. Moreover, it also relieved locomotor impairments in MPTP-induced PD zebrafish. In addition, SvMEs exerted significant antioxidant activity in vitro, which was also demonstrated in vivo on ktr4:NTR-hKikGR zebrafish. Upon investigating the underlying mechanism, we found that SvMEs may alleviate oxidant stress and accelerate α-synuclein degradation and then alleviate PD-like symptoms. Antioxidant-related genes (sod1, gss, gpx4a, gclm, and cat) implied that the SvMEs exhibited anti-PD activity due to the antioxidation mechanism. Finally, upon analysis of chemical composition of SvMEs by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, we identified 10 compounds that are plausibly responsible for the anti-PD-like effect of SvMEs. On the limiting part, the finding of the study would have been more robust had we investigated the protein expression of genes related to PD and oxidative stress and compared the effects of SvMEs with any standard anti-PD therapy. Despite this, our results indicated that SvMEs possess anti-PD effects, indicating SvMEs as a potential candidate that is worth exploring further in this avenue.
  17. Ma'som M, Bhoo-Pathy N, Nasir NH, Bellinson J, Subramaniam S, Ma Y, et al.
    BMJ Open, 2016 08 04;6(8):e011022.
    PMID: 27491667 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2015-011022
    OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the attitudes and acceptability of self-administered cervicovaginal sampling compared with conventional physician-acquired Papanicolaou (Pap) smear among multiethnic Malaysian women.

    METHOD: A cross-sectional study was carried out via interviewer-administered surveys from August 2013 through August 2015 at five government-run, urban health clinics in the state of Selangor. Subjects were participants from an ongoing community-based human papillomavirus (HPV) prevalence study who answered a standard questionnaire before and after self-sampling. The cervicovaginal self-sampling for HPV genotyping was performed using a simple brush ('Just for Me'; Preventive Oncology International, Hong Kong). Detailed data on sociodemographics, previous Pap smear experience, and attitudes towards self-administered cervicovaginal sampling were collected and analysed. Acceptability was inferred using a five-item Likert scale that included six different subjective descriptives: experience, difficulty, convenience, embarrassment, discomfort or pain, and confidence in collecting one's own sample.

    RESULTS: Of the 839 participants, 47.9% were Malays, followed by 30.8% Indians, 18.8% Chinese and 2.5% from other ethnicities. The median age of the participants was 38 years (IQR 30-48). Some 68.2% of participants indicated a preference for self-sampling over the Pap test, with 95% indicating willingness to follow-up a positive result at the hospital. Age, ethnicity and previous Pap test experience were significant independent factors associated with preference for self-sampling. The older the individual, the less likely they were to prefer self-sampling (adjusted OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.90 to 0.98). The Chinese were less likely to prefer self-sampling (72.6%) than the Malays (85.1%) (adjusted OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.33 to 0.98, p=0.004). Participants who had never undergone a Pap smear were also more likely to prefer self-sampling (88.5%) than women who had undergone a previous Pap (80.9%) (adjusted OR 0.06, 95% CI 0.35 to 0.87).

    CONCLUSIONS: Overall, urban Malaysian women from multiethnic backgrounds found self-sampling to be an acceptable alternative to Pap smear.
  18. Wang J, Shao Y, Ma Y, Zhang D, Aziz SB, Li Z, et al.
    ACS Nano, 2024 Apr 09;18(14):10230-10242.
    PMID: 38546180 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.4c00599
    The realization of sodium-ion devices with high-power density and long-cycle capability is challenging due to the difficulties of carrier diffusion and electrode fragmentation in transition metal selenide anodes. Herein, a Mo/W-based metal-organic framework is constructed by a one-step method through rational selection, after which MoWSe/C heterostructures with large angles are synthesized by a facile selenization/carbonization strategy. Through physical characterization and theoretical calculations, the synthesized MoWSe/C electrode delivers obvious structural advantages and excellent electrochemical performance in an ethylene glycol dimethyl ether electrolyte. Furthermore, the electrochemical vehicle mechanism of ions in the electrolyte is systematically revealed through comparative analyses. Resultantly, ether-based electrolytes advantageously construct stable solid electrolyte interfaces and avoid electrolyte decomposition. Based on the above benefits, the Na half-cell assembled with MoWSe/C electrodes demonstrated excellent rate capability and a high specific capacity of 347.3 mA h g-1 even after cycling 2000 cycles at 10 A g-1. Meanwhile, the constructed sodium-ion capacitor maintains ∼80% capacity retention after 11,000 ultralong cycles at a high-power density of 3800 W kg-1. The findings can broaden the mechanistic understanding of conversion anodes in different electrolytes and provide a reference for the structural design of anodes with high capacity, fast kinetics, and long-cycle stability.
  19. Huang M, Ma Y, Qian J, Sokolova IM, Zhang C, Waiho K, et al.
    J Hazard Mater, 2024 Apr 15;468:133801.
    PMID: 38377908 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2024.133801
    Pollution with anthropogenic contaminants including antibiotics and nanoplastics leads to gradual deterioration of the marine environment, which threatens endangered species such as the horseshoe crab Tachypleus tridentatus. We assessed the potential toxic mechanisms of an antibiotic (norfloxacin, 0, 0.5, 5 μg/L) and polystyrene nanoparticles (104 particles/L) in T. tridentatus using biomarkers of tissue redox status, molting, and gut microbiota. Exposure to single and combined pollutants led to disturbance of redox balance during short-term (7 days) exposure indicated by elevated level of a lipid peroxidation product, malondialdehyde (MDA). After prolonged (14-21 days) exposure, compensatory upregulation of antioxidants (catalase and glutathione but not superoxide dismutase) was observed, and MDA levels returned to the baseline in most experimental exposures. Transcript levels of molting-related genes (ecdysone receptor, retinoic acid X alpha receptor and calmodulin A) and a molecular chaperone (cognate heat shock protein 70) showed weak evidence of response to polystyrene nanoparticles and norfloxacin. The gut microbiota T. tridentatus was altered by exposures to norfloxacin and polystyrene nanoparticles shown by elevated relative abundance of Bacteroidetes. At the functional level, evidence of suppression by norfloxacin and polystyrene nanoparticles was found in multiple intestinal microbiome pathways related to the genetic information processing, metabolism, organismal systems, and environmental information processing. Future studies are needed to assess the physiological and health consequences of microbiome dysbiosis caused by norfloxacin and polystyrene nanoparticles and assist the environmental risk assessment of these pollutants in the wild populations of the horseshoe crabs.
  20. Ma Y, Yuan X, Wei A, Li X, Patar A, Su S, et al.
    Redox Biol, 2024 Oct 05;77:103376.
    PMID: 39423458 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2024.103376
    The significance of protein S-palmitoylation in angiogenesis has been largely overlooked, leaving various aspects unexplored. Recent identification of Gpx1 as a palmitoylated protein has generated interest in exploring its potential involvement in novel pathological mechanisms related to angiogenesis. In this study, we demonstrate that Gpx1 undergoes palmitoylation at cysteine-76 and -113, with PPT1 playing a crucial role in modulating the depalmitoylation of Gpx1. Furthermore, we find that PPT1-regulated depalmitoylation negatively impacts Gpx1 protein stability. Interestingly, inhibiting Gpx1 palmitoylation, either through expression of a non-palmitoylated Gpx1 mutant or by expressing PPT1, significantly enhances neovascular angiogenesis. Conversely, in PPT1-deficient mice, angiogenesis is notably attenuated compared to wild-type mice in an Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy (OIR) model, which mimics pathological angiogenesis. Physiologically, under hypoxic conditions, Gpx1 palmitoylation levels are drastically reduced, suggesting that increasing Gpx1 palmitoylation may have beneficial effects. Indeed, enhancing Gpx1 palmitoylation by inhibiting PPT1 with DC661 effectively suppresses retinal angiogenesis in the OIR disease model. Overall, our findings highlight the pivotal role of protein palmitoylation in angiogenesis and propose a novel mechanism whereby the PPT1-Gpx1 axis modulates angiogenesis, thereby providing a potential therapeutic strategy for targeting PPT1 to combat angiogenesis.
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