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Zheng M, McBride C, Ho CSH, Chan JKC, Choy KW, Paracchini S. Prevalence and heritability of handedness in a Hong Kong Chinese twin and singleton sample. BMC Psychol 2020; 8:37. [PMID: 32321583 PMCID: PMC7178737 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-020-00401-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Left-handedness prevalence has been consistently reported at around 10% with heritability estimates at around 25%. Higher left-handedness prevalence has been reported in males and in twins. Lower prevalence has been reported in Asia, but it remains unclear whether this is due to biological or cultural factors. Most studies are based on samples with European ethnicities and using the preferred hand for writing as key assessment. Here, we investigated handedness in a sample of Chinese school children in Hong Kong, including 426 singletons and 205 pairs of twins, using both the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory and Pegboard Task. RESULTS Based on a binary definition of writing hand, we found a higher prevalence of left-handedness (8%) than what was previously reported in Asian datasets. We found no evidence of increased left-handedness in twins, but our results were in line with previous findings showing that males have a higher tendency to be left-handed than females. Heritability was similar for both hand preference (21%) and laterality indexes (22%). However, these two handedness measures present only a moderate correlation (.42) and appear to be underpinned by different genetic factors. CONCLUSION In summary, we report new reference data for an ethnic group usually underrepresented in the literature. Our heritability analysis supports the idea that different measures will capture different components of handedness and, as a consequence, datasets assessed with heterogeneous criteria are not easily combined or compared.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mo Zheng
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Catherine McBride
- Department of Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Connie Suk-Han Ho
- Department of Psychology, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | | | - Kwong Wai Choy
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Silvia Paracchini
- School of Medicine, University of St Andrews, St. Andrews, Scotland.
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Lou UK, Wong CH, Chen Y. A simple and rapid colorimetric detection of serum lncRNA biomarkers for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. RSC Adv 2020; 10:8087-8092. [PMID: 35497850 PMCID: PMC9049936 DOI: 10.1039/c9ra07858d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A colorimetric assay is developed for detection of lncRNA HOTTIP by one-step reverse transcription-loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) coupled with positively-charged gold nanoparticles ((+)AuNP) for diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. This assay allows simple, rapid, and sensitive quantification of lncRNA down to 50 copies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ut Kei Lou
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin NT Hong Kong +852 26035123 +852 39431100
| | - Chi Hin Wong
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin NT Hong Kong +852 26035123 +852 39431100
| | - Yangchao Chen
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin NT Hong Kong +852 26035123 +852 39431100
- Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shenzhen 518087 China
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Wu J, Gao LG, Ren W, Truhlar DG. Anharmonic kinetics of the cyclopentane reaction with hydroxyl radical. Chem Sci 2020; 11:2511-2523. [PMID: 34084417 PMCID: PMC8157450 DOI: 10.1039/c9sc05632g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclopentane is one of the major constituents of transportation fuels, especially jet fuel and diesel, and also is a volatile organic compound with a significant presence in the atmosphere. Hydrogen abstraction from cyclopentane by hydroxyl radical plays a significant role in combustion and atmospheric chemistry. In this work we study the kinetics of this reaction at 200-2000 K using direct dynamics calculations in which the potential energy surface is obtained by quantum mechanical electronic structure calculations. The forward and reverse barrier heights and reaction energies obtained by the CCSD(T)-F12a/jun-cc-pVTZ coupled cluster calculations are used as a benchmark to select an accurate electronic structure method among 36 combinations of exchange-correlation functional and basis set. The selected M06-2X/MG3S method shows the best performance with a mean unsigned deviation from the benchmark of only 0.22 kcal mol-1 for reaction energies and barrier heights. A quadratic-quartic function is adopted to describe the ring bending potential of cyclopentane, and the quartic anharmonicity in the bending mode is treated by a one-dimensional Schrödinger equation using both Wentzel-Kramers-Brillouin (WKB) and Fourier Grid Hamiltonian (FGH) methods. The torsional anharmonicity in the transition state is treated in turn by the free rotor approximation, the one-dimensional hindered rotor approximation, and the multi-structural torsional anharmonicity method. Rate constants of the title reaction are computed by canonical variational transition state theory including tunneling by the multi-dimensional small-curvature tunneling approximation (CVT/SCT). The final rate constants include the quasiharmonic, quadratic-quartic, and torsional anharmonicity. Our calculations are in excellent agreement with all the experimental data available at both combustion and atmospheric temperatures with a deviation of less than 30%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junjun Wu
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong New Territories Hong Kong SAR China
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical Theory Center and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota Minneapolis USA
| | - Lu Gem Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical Theory Center and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota Minneapolis USA
- Center for Combustion Energy, Department of Energy and Power Engineering, Key Laboratory for Thermal Science and Power Engineering of Ministry of Education, Tsinghua University Beijing China
| | - Wei Ren
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong New Territories Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Donald G Truhlar
- Department of Chemistry, Chemical Theory Center and Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota Minneapolis USA
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Heater BS, Chan WS, Lee MM, Chan MK. Directed evolution of a genetically encoded immobilized lipase for the efficient production of biodiesel from waste cooking oil. Biotechnol Biofuels 2019; 12:165. [PMID: 31297153 PMCID: PMC6598307 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1509-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We have recently developed a one-step, genetically encoded immobilization approach based on fusion of a target enzyme to the self-crystallizing protein Cry3Aa, followed by direct production and isolation of the fusion crystals from Bacillus thuringiensis. Using this approach, Bacillus subtilis lipase A was genetically fused to Cry3Aa to produce a Cry3Aa-lipA catalyst capable of the facile conversion of coconut oil into biodiesel over 10 reaction cycles. Here, we investigate the fusion of another lipase to Cry3Aa with the goal of producing a catalyst suitable for the conversion of waste cooking oil into biodiesel. RESULTS Genetic fusion of the Proteus mirabilis lipase (PML) to Cry3Aa allowed for the production of immobilized lipase crystals (Cry3Aa-PML) directly in bacterial cells. The fusion resulted in the loss of PML activity, however, and so taking advantage of its genetically encoded immobilization, directed evolution was performed on Cry3Aa-PML directly in its immobilized state in vivo. This novel strategy allowed for the selection of an immobilized PML mutant with 4.3-fold higher catalytic efficiency and improved stability. The resulting improved Cry3Aa-PML catalyst could be used to catalyze the conversion of waste cooking oil into biodiesel for at least 15 cycles with minimal loss in conversion efficiency. CONCLUSIONS The genetically encoded nature of our Cry3Aa-fusion immobilization platform makes it possible to perform both directed evolution and screening of immobilized enzymes directly in vivo. This work is the first example of the use of directed evolution to optimize an enzyme in its immobilized state allowing for identification of a mutant that would unlikely have been identified from screening of its soluble form. We demonstrate that the resulting Cry3Aa-PML catalyst is suitable for the recyclable conversion of waste cooking oil into biodiesel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley S. Heater
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Wai Shan Chan
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Marianne M. Lee
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
| | - Michael K. Chan
- School of Life Sciences & Center of Novel Biomaterials, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR China
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Graham CA, Leung LY, Lo RS, Lee KH, Yeung CY, Chan SY, Cattermole GN, Hung KK. Agreement between capillary and venous lactate in emergency department patients: prospective observational study. BMJ Open 2019; 9:e026109. [PMID: 30948594 PMCID: PMC6500234 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Capillary blood lactate testing with handheld analysers has great advantages to reduce the time needed for clinical decisions, and for extended use in the prehospital setting. We investigated the agreement of capillary lactate measured using handheld analysers (CL-Nova and CL-Scout+ measured by Nova and Lactate Scout+ analyzers) and the reference venous level assessed using a point-of-care testing (POCT) blood gas analyser (VL-Ref). DESIGN A prospective observational study. SETTING A university teaching hospital emergency department in Hong Kong. PARTICIPANTS Patients triaged as 'urgent' (Category 3 of a 5-point scale), aged ≥18 years during 2016 were eligible. 240 patients (mean age 69.9 years) were recruited. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome measure was the agreement of the capillary blood lactate level measured by handheld lactate analyser when compared with the reference standard technique, namely venous blood samples obtained by venepuncture and analysed using the blood gas analyser. The secondary outcome measure was the difference in values of venous lactate using blood gas analysers and handheld lactate analysers. RESULTS The results of VL-Ref ranged from 0.70 to 5.38 mmol/L (mean of 1.96 mmol/L). Regarding capillary lactate measurements, the bias (mean difference) between VL-Ref and CL-Scout+ was -0.22 with 95% limits of agreement (LOA) of -2.17 to 1.73 mmol/L and the bias between VL-Ref and CL-Nova was 0.46, with LOA of -1.08 to 2.00 mmol/L. For venous lactate, results showed the bias between VL-Ref and VL-Scout+ was 0.22 with LOA being -0.46 to 0.90 mmol/L, and the bias between VL-Ref and VL-Nova was 0.83 mmol/L with LOA -0.01 to 1.66 mmol/L. CONCLUSION Our study shows poor agreement between capillary lactate and reference values. The study does not support the clinical utility of capillary lactate POCT. However, venous lactate measured by Scout+ handheld analyser may have potential for screening patients who may need further testing. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT02694887.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin A Graham
- Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- Emergency Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Ling Yan Leung
- Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Ronson Sl Lo
- Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Kwok Hung Lee
- Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- Emergency Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR
| | - Chun Yu Yeung
- Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Suet Yi Chan
- Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Giles N Cattermole
- Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
| | - Kevin Kc Hung
- Accident and Emergency Medicine Academic Unit, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- Emergency Department, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR
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Xie R, Zhang M, Venkatraman P, Zhang X, Zhang G, Carmer R, Kantola SA, Pang CP, Ma P, Zhang M, Zhong W, Leung YF. Normalization of large-scale behavioural data collected from zebrafish. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0212234. [PMID: 30768618 PMCID: PMC6377122 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0212234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Many contemporary neuroscience experiments utilize high-throughput approaches to simultaneously collect behavioural data from many animals. The resulting data are often complex in structure and are subjected to systematic biases, which require new approaches for analysis and normalization. This study addressed the normalization need by establishing an approach based on linear-regression modeling. The model was established using a dataset of visual motor response (VMR) obtained from several strains of wild-type (WT) zebrafish collected at multiple stages of development. The VMR is a locomotor response triggered by drastic light change, and is commonly measured repeatedly from multiple larvae arrayed in 96-well plates. This assay is subjected to several systematic variations. For example, the light emitted by the machine varies slightly from well to well. In addition to the light-intensity variation, biological replication also created batch-batch variation. These systematic variations may result in differences in the VMR and must be normalized. Our normalization approach explicitly modeled the effect of these systematic variations on VMR. It also normalized the activity profiles of different conditions to a common baseline. Our approach is versatile, as it can incorporate different normalization needs as separate factors. The versatility was demonstrated by an integrated normalization of three factors: light-intensity variation, batch-batch variation and baseline. After normalization, new biological insights were revealed from the data. For example, we found larvae of TL strain at 6 days post-fertilization (dpf) responded to light onset much stronger than the 9-dpf larvae, whereas previous analysis without normalization shows that their responses were relatively comparable. By removing systematic variations, our model-based normalization can facilitate downstream statistical comparisons and aid detecting true biological differences in high-throughput studies of neurobehaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Xie
- Department of Statistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Mengrui Zhang
- Department of Statistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Prahatha Venkatraman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Xinlian Zhang
- Department of Statistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Gaonan Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Robert Carmer
- Department of Statistics, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Skylar A. Kantola
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Chi Pui Pang
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China
| | - Ping Ma
- Department of Statistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Mingzhi Zhang
- Joint Shantou International Eye Center of Shantou University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shantou, China
- * E-mail: (MZ); (WZ); (YFL)
| | - Wenxuan Zhong
- Department of Statistics, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MZ); (WZ); (YFL)
| | - Yuk Fai Leung
- Department of Biological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Indiana University School of Medicine Lafayette, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- Purdue Institute for Integrative Neuroscience, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- Purdue Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, United States of America
- * E-mail: (MZ); (WZ); (YFL)
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Ng JKC, Kwan BCH, Chow KM, Pang WF, Cheng PMS, Leung CB, Li PKT, Szeto CC. Asymptomatic fluid overload predicts survival and cardiovascular event in incident Chinese peritoneal dialysis patients. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202203. [PMID: 30102739 PMCID: PMC6089451 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2018] [Accepted: 07/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Fluid overload is common among asymptomatic peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. We aim to determine the prevalence and prognostic significance of fluid overload, as measured by bioimpedance spectroscopy, in asymptomatic incident PD patients. Methods We performed a single-center study on 311 incident PD patients. Volume status was represented by the volume of overhydration (OH), OH/extracellular water (ECW) ratio, ECW/total body water (TBW) ratio, and ECW to intracellular water (ICW) ratio (E:I ratio). Patient survival, technique survival and cardiovascular event-free survival were determined. Results The median period of follow up was 27.3 months. Fluid overload was present in 272 patients (87.5%) when defined as OH volume over 1.1L. All hydration parameters significantly correlated with Charlson Comorbidity Index, and inversely with total Kt/V, and serum albumin. Multivariate cause-specific Cox analysis showed that volume status independently predicted patient survival; every 0.1 unit increase in E:I ratio was associated with 24.5% increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted cause-specific hazard ratio [ACSHR] 1.245, p = 0.002). Hydration status was also an independent predictor of cardiovascular event-free survival after excluding hospital admission for congestive heart failure; each 0.1 unit increase in E:I ratio was associated with 18.7% decrease in cardiovascular event-free survival (ACSHR 1.187, p = 0.011). In contrast, hydration parameters were not associated with technique survival. Conclusions Fluid overload is common in asymptomatic incident PD patients and is a strong predictor of patient survival and cardiovascular event. The impact of bioimpedance spectroscopy-guided fluid management on the outcome of PD patients deserves further study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack Kit-Chung Ng
- Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Bonnie Ching-Ha Kwan
- Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Kai-Ming Chow
- Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wing-Fai Pang
- Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Phyllis Mei-Shan Cheng
- Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chi-Bon Leung
- Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Philip Kam-To Li
- Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Cheuk-Chun Szeto
- Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre, Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong SAR, China
- * E-mail:
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So WC, Wong MKY, Lam WY, Cheng CH, Yang JH, Huang Y, Ng P, Wong WL, Ho CL, Yeung KL, Lee CC. Robot-based intervention may reduce delay in the production of intransitive gestures in Chinese-speaking preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder. Mol Autism 2018; 9:34. [PMID: 29796238 PMCID: PMC5966929 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-018-0217-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Past studies have shown that robot-based intervention was effective in improving gestural use in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The present study examined whether children with ASD could catch up to the level of gestural production found in age-matched children with typical development and whether they showed an increase in verbal imitation after the completion of robot-based training. We also explored the cognitive and motor skills associated with gestural learning. Methods Children with ASD were randomly assigned to two groups. Four- to 6-year-old children with ASD in the intervention group (N = 15) received four 30-min robot-based gestural training sessions. In each session, a social robot, NAO, narrated five stories and gestured (e.g., both hands clapping for an awesome expression). Children with ASD were told to imitate the gestures during training. Age-matched children with ASD in the wait-list control group (N = 15) and age-matched children with typical development (N = 15) received the gestural training after the completion of research. Standardized pretests and posttests (both immediate and delayed) were administered to assess the accuracy and appropriateness of gestural production in both training and novel stories. Children's language and communication abilities, gestural recognition skills, fine motor proficiencies, and attention skills were also examined. Results Children with ASD in the intervention condition were more likely to produce accurate or appropriate intransitive gestures in training and novel stories than those in the wait-list control. The positive learning outcomes were maintained in the delayed posttests. The level of gestural production accuracy in children with ASD in the delayed posttest of novel stories was comparable to that in children with typical development, suggesting that children with ASD could catch up to the level of gestural production found in children with typical development. Children with ASD in the intervention condition were also more likely to produce verbal markers while gesturing than those in the wait-list control. Gestural recognition skills were found to significantly predict the learning of gestural production accuracy in the children with ASD, with such relation partially mediated via spontaneous imitation. Conclusions Robot-based intervention may reduce the gestural delay in children with ASD in their early childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wing-Chee So
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Miranda Kit-Yi Wong
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Wan-Yi Lam
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Chun-Ho Cheng
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Jia-Hao Yang
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Phoebe Ng
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Wai-Leung Wong
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Chiu-Lok Ho
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Kit-Ling Yeung
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Cheuk-Chi Lee
- Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China
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Ha AS, Ng JYY. Rope skipping increases bone mineral density at calcanei of pubertal girls in Hong Kong: A quasi-experimental investigation. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189085. [PMID: 29220384 PMCID: PMC5722366 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bone mineral accrual during puberty is important, especially in girls, because it is related to reduced risks of osteoporosis in adulthood. Previous research has shown that jumping or plyometric exercises may be effective in increasing bone mineral density in adolescents. Rope skipping is a form of activity that involves jumping, thus regular skipping may also increase bone mineral density in pubertal girls. To this end, we conducted a quasi-experimental to examine the effects of rope skipping on girls' bone mineral density and cardiovascular fitness. 176 Hong Kong girls (age = 12.23 ± 1.80 years at baseline) were recruited to take part in the study. Bone density at their forearms and calcanei were measured twice over two academic years (mean time between visits was 10.3 months). Using multilevel modeling analyses and adjusting for participants' height and physical activity, we found that girls who participated in weekly rope skipping activities, compared to those who did not, had higher levels of bone density at the calcanei (B = 0.023, p < .01). However, no differences were found for bone density at forearms or participants' cardiovascular fitness. The rates of change of these variables across time were also not significantly different. Results suggest that regular rope skipping may increase girls' bone density at the lower extremities, irrespective of the amount of self-report physical activity. However, further research is required to examine the potential dose-response relation between skipping behaviors and the measured outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy S. Ha
- Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
- * E-mail:
| | - Johan Y. Y. Ng
- Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong
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Huang J, Jin N, Qin H, Shi X, Liu Y, Cheung W, Wang CC, Chan TF, Li TC. Transcriptomic profiles in peripheral blood between women with unexplained recurrent implantation failure and recurrent miscarriage and the correlation with endometrium: A pilot study. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0189159. [PMID: 29216287 PMCID: PMC5720758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0189159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim To study the transcriptome profiles in the blood of recurrent implantation failure (RIF), recurrent miscarriage (RM) and fertile women during the window of implantation, and further analysis the correlation of transcriptome profiles between blood and endometrium. Methods This is an observational prospective study. In total 9 subjects were recruited, 3 RIF, 3 RM, and 3 controls. Paired samples (endometrium and peripheral blood) from the same subjects were precisely timed on the 7th days after luteal hormone surge (LH+7). RNA sequencing was applied to investigate the transcriptome profiles. Results The results of transcriptome in peripheral blood cannot be used to characterize women with RIF and unexplained RM. There was a medium level correlation between transcriptome in peripheral blood and endometrium during the window of implantation. Conclusion The differential transcriptome patterns in blood are not representative of those in endometrium, and the blood transcriptome cannot differentiate among the women with RIF, RM or fertile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Huang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Nana Jin
- School of Life Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Hao Qin
- School of Life Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Xiao Shi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Yingyu Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Wingching Cheung
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Chi Chiu Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- School of Biomedical Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Ting Fung Chan
- School of Life Sciences, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Tin Chiu Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
- * E-mail:
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Xu M, Cheung CCM, Chow C, Lun SWM, Cheung ST, Lo KW. Overexpression of PIN1 Enhances Cancer Growth and Aggressiveness with Cyclin D1 Induction in EBV-Associated Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0156833. [PMID: 27258148 PMCID: PMC4892693 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a peculiar Epstein Barr virus (EBV)-associated malignancy that is prevalent in South-East Asia. Peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase NIMA-interacting 1 (PIN1) isomerizes specific phosphorylated amino acid residues, which makes it an important regulator in cell survival and apoptosis. In this study, we investigated the contribution made by PIN1 in NPC tumorigenesis and PIN1’s potential role as a therapeutic target. Methods The expression of PIN1 was examined in a panel of NPC cell lines, xenografts and primary tumors. The functional roles of PIN1 in NPC cells were elucidated by the knockdown and overexpression of PIN1 in in vitro and in vivo nude mice models by siRNA and lenti-viral transfection, respectively. The antitumor effects of the PIN1 inhibitor Juglone in NPC cells were also evaluated. Results We revealed the consistent overexpression of PIN1 in almost all EBV-associated NPC cell lines, xenografts and primary tumors. PIN1 suppression was capable of inhibiting cyclin D1 expression and activating caspase-3 in NPC cells. It positively regulated NPC cell proliferation, colony formation and anchorage-independent growth. The inhibition of PIN1 suppressed tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions This study demonstrates the oncogenic role of PIN1 in NPC tumorigenesis, and shows that its overexpression can enhance tumor cell growth via the upregulation of cyclinD1. Our findings inform the development of novel treatments targeting PIN1 for NPC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Xu
- Department of Oral Pathology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Hospital of Stomatology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Chartia Ching-Mei Cheung
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Chit Chow
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Samantha Wei-Man Lun
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Siu-Tim Cheung
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
| | - Kwok-Wai Lo
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, State Key Laboratory in Oncology in South China, Prince of Wales Hospital, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
- Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Science, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, N.T., Hong Kong
- * E-mail:
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