Comparison of the degradations of diphenamid by homogeneous photolysis and heterogeneous photocatalysis in aqueous solution

2009-2010 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

Effects of dissolved oxygen, pH, and anions on the 2,3-dichlorophenol degradation by photocatalytic reaction with anodic TiO?nanotube films

2008-2009 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalAccepted ManuscriptPublishe

治理与规管──试析如何走出医疗卫生改革困境

2006-2007 > Academic research: refereed > Publication in refereed journalVersion of RecordPublishe

Solution structure of the dimerization domain of the eurkaryotic stalk P1/P2 complex reveals the structural organization of the eukaryotic stalk

Poster Presentation: abstract A01The lateral ribosomal stalk is responsible for the kingdom‐specific binding of translation factors and activation of GTP hydrolysis during protein synthesis. The eukaryotic stalk consists of the scaffold P0 protein which binds two copies of P1/P2 hetero‐dimers to form a P0(P1/P2)2 pentameric P‐complex. The structure of the eukaryotic stalk is currently not known. To provide a better understanding on the structural organization of eukaryotic stalk, we have determined the solution structure of the N‐terminal dimerization domain …postprin

Sex-based differences in risk of ischaemic stroke or systemic embolism after BNT162b2 or CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccination in patients with atrial fibrillation: a self-controlled case series and nested case-control study

AIMS: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have a higher risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism with a greater risk for female patients. This study aims to evaluate the risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism and bleeding following COVID-19 vaccination in patients with AF and the sex differences. METHODS AND RESULTS: Self-controlled case series (SCCS) analysis was conducted to evaluate the risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism and bleeding following BNT162b2 or CoronaVac in patients with AF, using the territory-wide electronic medical records from the Hospital Authority and vaccination records from the Department of Health in Hong Kong. Patients with a primary diagnosis of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism or bleeding in the inpatient setting between February 23, 2021 and March 31, 2022 were included. A nested case-control analysis was also conducted with each case randomly matched with ten controls according to sex, age, Charlson comorbidity index and date of hospital admission. Conditional Poisson regression was used in the SCCS analysis and conditional logistic regression was used in nested case-control analysis to assess the risks and all analyses were stratified by sex and type of vaccines. Among 51 158 patients with AF, we identified an increased risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism after the first dose of BNT162b2 in SCCS analysis during 0-13 days (incidence rate ratio 6.60[95% CI 1.51-28.77]) and 14-27 days (6.53[95% CI 1.31-32.51]), and nested case-control analysis during 0-13 days (adjusted odds ratio 6.21 [95% CI 1.14-33.91]) and 14-27 days (5.52 [95% CI 1.12-27.26]) only in female patients. The increased risk in female patients following the first dose of CoronaVac was only detected during 0-13 days (3.88 [95% CI 1.67-9.03]) in the nested case-control analysis. No increased risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism was identified in male patients and no increased risk of bleeding was detected in all patients with AF for both vaccines. An increased risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism after COVID-19 was also observed in both females (17.42 [95% CI 5.08-59.73]) and males (6.63 [95% CI 2.02-21.79]). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of ischemic stroke or systemic embolism after COVID-19 vaccination was only increased in female patients with AF. However, as the risk after COVID-19 was even higher, proactive uptake of COVID-19 vaccines is recommended to prevent the potential severe outcomes after infection

In patient stroke rehabilitation efficiency: Influence of organization of service delivery and staff numbers

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Outcomes of inpatient stroke rehabilitation need to be reviewed in terms of optimal resource utilization (staff time, service organization, and duration of stay). We compared FIM efficiency scores between three hospitals, and also variation in FIM scores over a ten year period in one hospital undergoing reduction in staff numbers, to examine the relationship between outcome and service characteristics.</p> <p>Method</p> <p>This is a retrospective study comparing the mean FIM efficiency for stroke patients (FIM score – FIM admission score) divided by duration of stay for 2005 among three rehabilitation hospitals adjusting for age and baseline FIM score, and a longitudinal study of changes in mean FIM efficiency during a ten year period in one hospital, to examine the effects of different service organization and staff numbers.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>FIM efficiency (FIMEG) was inversely associated with age, and positively associated with admission FIM score. FIMEG was higher in the hospital with a coordinated care plan involving medical, nursing, occupational, physiotherapy staff and other healthcare providers working as a team, with a seamless interface with community rehabilitation services. Over a ten year period, reduction in staff numbers was associated with reduction in FIMEG, which may be offset to some extent by service re-engineering.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Within hospital organization of stroke rehabilitation services may influence outcome. A critical number of staff may be identified for the provision of services, below which rehabilitation efficiency may be affected.</p

Attachment of Salmonella strains to a plant cell wall model is modulated by surface characteristics and not by specific carbohydrate interactions

Background: Processing of fresh produce exposes cut surfaces of plant cell walls that then become vulnerable to human foodborne pathogen attachment and contamination, particularly by Salmonella enterica. Plant cell walls are mainly composed of the polysaccharides cellulose, pectin and hemicelluloses (predominantly xyloglucan). Our previous work used bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models to study the interaction between Salmonella and the various plant cell wall components. We demonstrated that Salmonella attachment was favoured in the presence of pectin while xyloglucan had no effect on its attachment. Xyloglucan significantly increased the attachment of Salmonella cells to the plant cell wall model only when it was in association with pectin. In this study, we investigate whether the plant cell wall polysaccharides mediate Salmonella attachment to the bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models through specific carbohydrate interactions or through the effects of carbohydrates on the physical characteristics of the attachment surface. Results: We found that none of the monosaccharides that make up the plant cell wall polysaccharides specifically inhibit Salmonella attachment to the bacterial cellulose-based plant cell wall models. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that Salmonella cells can penetrate and attach within the tightly arranged bacterial cellulose network. Analysis of images obtained from atomic force microscopy revealed that the bacterial cellulose-pectin-xyloglucan composite with 0.3 % (w/v) xyloglucan, previously shown to have the highest number of Salmonella cells attached to it, had significantly thicker cellulose fibrils compared to other composites. Scanning electron microscopy images also showed that the bacterial cellulose and bacterial cellulose-xyloglucan composites were more porous when compared to the other composites containing pectin. Conclusions: Our study found that the attachment of Salmonella cells to cut plant cell walls was not mediated by specific carbohydrate interactions. This suggests that the attachment of Salmonella strains to the plant cell wall models were more dependent on the structural characteristics of the attachment surface. Pectin reduces the porosity and space between cellulose fibrils, which then forms a matrix that is able to retain Salmonella cells within the bacterial cellulose network. When present with pectin, xyloglucan provides a greater surface for Salmonella cells to attach through the thickening of cellulose fibrils

Electric-field controlled ferromagnetism in MnGe magnetic quantum dots

Electric-field control of ferromagnetism in magnetic semiconductors at room temperature has been actively pursued as one of the important approaches to realize practical spintronics and non-volatile logic devices. While Mn-doped III-V semiconductors were considered as potential candidates for achieving this controllability, the search for an ideal material with high Curie temperature (Tc>300 K) and controllable ferromagnetism at room temperature has continued for nearly a decade. Among various dilute magnetic semiconductors (DMSs), materials derived from group IV elements such as Si and Ge are the ideal candidates for such materials due to their excellent compatibility with the conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) technology. Here, we review recent reports on the development of high-Curie temperature Mn0.05Ge0.95 quantum dots (QDs) and successfully demonstrate electric-field control of ferromagnetism in the Mn0.05Ge0.95 quantum dots up to 300 K. Upon the application of gate-bias to a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor, the ferromagnetism of the channel layer (i.e. the Mn0.05Ge0.95 quantum dots) was modulated as a function of the hole concentration. Finally, a theoretical model based upon the formation of magnetic polarons has been proposed to explain the observed field controlled ferromagnetism

Reduced Serotonin Reuptake Transporter (SERT) Function Causes Insulin Resistance and Hepatic Steatosis Independent of Food Intake

Serotonin reuptake transporter (SERT) is a key regulator of serotonin neurotransmission and a major target of antidepressants. Antidepressants, such as selectively serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), that block SERT function are known to affect food intake and body weight. Here, we provide genetic evidence that food intake and metabolism are regulated by separable mechanisms of SERT function. SERT-deficient mice ate less during both normal diet and high fat diet feeding. The reduced food intake was accompanied with markedly elevated plasma leptin levels. Despite reduced food intake, SERT-deficient mice exhibited glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, and progressively developed obesity and hepatic steatosis. Several lines of evidence indicate that the metabolic deficits of SERT-deficient mice are attributable to reduced insulin-sensitivity in peripheral tissues. First, SERT-deficient mice exhibited beta-cell hyperplasia and islet-mass expansion. Second, biochemical analyses revealed constitutively elevated JNK activity and diminished insulin-induced AKT activation in the liver of SERT-deficient mice. SERT-deficient mice exhibited hyper-JNK activity and hyperinsulinemia prior to the development of obesity. Third, enhancing AKT signaling by PTEN deficiency corrected glucose tolerance in SERT-deficient mice. These findings have potential implications for designing selective SERT drugs for weight control and the treatment of metabolic syndromes