Type 2 diabetes pathway-specific polygenic risk scores elucidate heterogeneity in clinical presentation, disease progression and diabetic complications in 18,217 Chinese individuals with type 2 diabetes.

Aims/hypothesis: Type 2 diabetes is a complex and heterogeneous disease and the aetiological components underlying the heterogeneity remain unclear in the Chinese and East Asian population. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether specific pathophysiological pathways drive the clinical heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes.

Methods: We employed newly developed type 2 diabetes hard-clustering and soft-clustering pathway-specific polygenic risk scores (psPRSs) to characterise individual genetic susceptibility to pathophysiological pathways implicated in type 2 diabetes in 18,217 Chinese patients from Hong Kong.

Circulating metabolomic markers linking diabetic kidney disease and incident cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes: analyses from the Hong Kong Diabetes Biobank.

Aims/hypothesis: The aim of this study was to describe the metabolome in diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and its association with incident CVD in type 2 diabetes, and identify prognostic biomarkers.

Methods: From a prospective cohort of individuals with type 2 diabetes, baseline sera (N=1991) were quantified for 170 metabolites using NMR spectroscopy with median 5.2 years of follow-up.

Facile Preparation of Carbon Nanotubes/Cellulose Nanofibrils/Manganese Dioxide Nanowires Electrode for Improved Solid-Sate Supercapacitor Performances.

Wearable energy storage devices require high mechanical stability and high-capacitance flexible electrodes. In this study, we design a flexible supercapacitor electrode consisting of 1-dimensional carbon nanotubes (CNT), cellulose nanofibrils (CNF), and manganese dioxide nanowires (MnO NWs). The flexible and conductive CNT/CNF-MnO NWs suspension was first prepared via ultrasonic dispersion approach, followed by vacuum filtration and hot press to form the composite paper electrode.

Identification of a Common Variant for Coronary Heart Disease at PDE1A Contributes to Individualized Treatment Goals and Risk Stratification of Cardiovascular Complications in Chinese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

Objective: In this study we aim to unravel genetic determinants of coronary heart disease (CHD) in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and explore their applications.

Research Design And Methods: We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study for CHD in Chinese patients with T2D (3,596 case and 8,898 control subjects), followed by replications in European patients with T2D (764 case and 4,276 control subjects) and general populations (n = 51,442-547,261). Each identified variant was examined for its association with a wide range of phenotypes and its interactions with glycemic, blood pressure (BP), and lipid controls in incident cardiovascular diseases.

Altered human gut virome in patients undergoing antibiotics therapy for Helicobacter pylori.

Transient gut microbiota alterations have been reported after antibiotic therapy for Helicobacter pylori. However, alteration in the gut virome after H. pylori eradication remains uncertain.

Chitosan-Bead-Encapsulated Polystyrene Sulfonate for Adsorption of Methylene Blue and Regeneration Studies: Batch and Continuous Approaches.

Textile industrialization causes water pollution due to the discharge of industrial effluents into the environment. To reduce the impact of industrial effluent, it must be treated in wastewater treatment plants before discharge into rivers. Among all wastewater treatment approaches, the adsorption process is one method to remove pollutants from wastewater, but it has some limitations in term of reusability and ionic selective adsorption properties.

Chitosan Fibers Loaded with Limonite as a Catalyst for the Decolorization of Methylene Blue via a Persulfate-Based Advanced Oxidation Process.

Wastewater generated from industries seriously impacts the environment. Conventional biological and physiochemical treatment methods for wastewater containing organic molecules have some limitations. Therefore, identifying other alternative methods or processes that are more suitable to degrade organic molecules and lower chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater is necessary.

Biogenic Synthesis of Copper-Based Nanomaterials Using Plant Extracts and Their Applications: Current and Future Directions.

Plants have been used for multiple purposes over thousands of years in various applications such as traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. More recently, the special properties of phytochemicals within plant extracts have spurred researchers to pursue interdisciplinary studies uniting nanotechnology and biotechnology. Plant-mediated green synthesis of nanomaterials utilises the phytochemicals in plant extracts to produce nanomaterials.

The impact of antenatal massage practice on intrapartum massage application and their associations with the use of analgesics during labour : Sub-analysis of a randomised control trial.

Background: Massage during labour is one form of intrapartum non-pharmacological pain relief but it is not known whether the frequency of practicing these massage techniques among couples during the antenatal period could enhance the effectiveness of intrapartum massage. This study was to evaluate the association between compliance of antenatal massage practice with intrapartum application and their impact on the use of analgesics during labour.

Methods: This was a sub-analysis of a childbirth massage programme which was carried out in two public hospitals with total births of around 8000 per year.

Clinical Predictors and Long-term Impact of Acute Kidney Injury on Progression of Diabetic Kidney Disease in Chinese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes.

We aim to assess the long-term impact of acute kidney injury (AKI) on progression of diabetic kidney disease (DKD) and all-cause mortality and investigate determinants of AKI in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). A consecutive cohort of 9,096 Chinese patients with T2D from the Hong Kong Diabetes Register was followed for 12 years (mean ± SD age 57 ± 13.2 years; 46.

Nonalbuminuric Diabetic Kidney Disease and Risk of All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular and Kidney Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes: Findings From the Hong Kong Diabetes Biobank.

Rationale & Objective: Nonalbuminuric diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has become the prevailing DKD phenotype. We compared the risks of adverse outcomes among patients with this phenotype compared with other DKD phenotypes.

Study Design: Multicenter prospective cohort study.

Application of droplet digital polymerase chain reaction of plasma methylated septin 9 on detection and early monitoring of colorectal cancer.

Methylated septin 9 (SEPT9) has been approved for non-invasive screening of colorectal cancer (CRC), but data on monitoring of CRC is sparse. Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR), with higher detection precision and simpler quantification than conventional PCR, has not been applied in SEPT9 detection. We explored the role of SEPT9 ddPCR for CRC detection and to measure serial SEPT9 levels in blood samples of CRC patients before and 3-month after surgery.

Obesity, clinical, and genetic predictors for glycemic progression in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes: A cohort study using the Hong Kong Diabetes Register and Hong Kong Diabetes Biobank.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a progressive disease whereby there is often deterioration in glucose control despite escalation in treatment. There is significant heterogeneity to this progression of glycemia after onset of diabetes, yet the factors that influence glycemic progression are not well understood. Given the tremendous burden of diabetes in the Chinese population, and limited knowledge on factors that influence glycemia, we aim to identify the clinical and genetic predictors for glycemic progression in Chinese patients with T2D.

A Hong Kong Chinese kindred with familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia caused by mutation.

Familial hypocalciuric hypercalcaemia (FHH) is a genetic disorder of altered calcium homeostasis. Mutations in the , and genes have been reported to cause FHH. We report a Hong Kong Chinese kindred with FHH type 3 (FHH3) caused by mutations in .

Methylated Septin 9 and Carcinoembryonic Antigen for Serological Diagnosis and Monitoring of Patients with Colorectal Cancer After Surgery.

With the increasing incidence and mortality of colorectal cancer (CRC), early and accurate diagnosis is of paramount priority to combat this cancer. Epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation are innovative biomarkers for CRC, due to their stability, frequency, and accessibility in bodily fluids. In this study, blood samples were prospectively collected from patients before and after operation for CRC for determination of methylated septin 9 (mSEPT9) and compared to carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).

Highly stable binder free CNTs/rGO aerogel electrode for decolouration of methylene blue & palm oil mill effluent electro-Fenton oxidation process.

In this study, single wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs)/reduced graphene oxides (rGO) aerogels were prepared by a one-pot hydrothermal process without using a binder. The produced CNTs/rGO aerogel was used as cathode in electro-Fenton system for the decolouration of methylene blue (MB) and palm oil mill effluent (POME). The addition of CNTs increased the surface area, pore volume and conductivity of the rGO aerogel, which further enhanced their performance as cathode towards the decolouration of MB and POME electro-Fenton reaction.

Savouring and psychological well-being in family dyads coping with cancer: An actor-partner interdependence model.

Previous studies have investigated interdependence of the associations between predictors and negative psychological outcomes in dyads of cancer patients and family caregivers. This study examined the dyadic effects of perceived capability of savouring the moment on psychological well-being. A total of 152 dyads of cancer patients and caregivers reported their perceived capability of savouring the moment (Savoring Beliefs Inventory), state positive affect (Chinese Affect Scale) and life satisfaction (Satisfaction With Life Scale) within 6 months following diagnosis.

Association between educational level and cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes: a prospective study in the Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation Program.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to describe the association between educational level and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in Hong Kong Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Patients And Methods: We included 12,634 patients with type 2 diabetes who were enrolled into the Joint Asia Diabetes Evaluation Program between June 1, 2007, and June 30, 2017. We classified patients' educational level into the following three groups: ≤6 years, 6-13 years, and >13 years.

Unravelling the Role of O-glycans in Influenza A Virus Infection.

The initial stage of host cell infection by influenza A viruses (IAV) is mediated through interaction of the viral haemagglutinin (HA) with cell surface glycans. The binding requirement of IAVs for Galβ(1,4)Glc/ GlcNAc (lactose/lactosamine) glycans with a terminal α(2,6)-linked (human receptors) or α(2,3)-linked (avian receptors) N-acetylneuraminic residue commonly found on N-glycans, is well-established. However the role and significance of sialylated Galβ(1,3)GalNAc (core 1) epitopes that are typical O-glycoforms in influenza virus pathogenesis remains poorly detailed.

Outcomes of community-based and home-based pulmonary rehabilitation for pneumoconiosis patients: a retrospective study.

Background: Pneumoconiosis patients receive community-based or home-based pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) for symptom management and enhancement of physical and mental well-being. This study aimed to review the clinical benefits of community-based rehabilitation programmes (CBRP) and home-based rehabilitation programmes (HBRP) for PR of pneumoconiosis patients.

Methods: Archival data of pneumoconiosis patients who participated in CBRP and HBRP between 2008 and 2011 was analysed.

Specificity and affinity of neuraminic acid exhibited by canine rotavirus strain K9 carbohydrate-binding domain (VP8*).

The outer capsid spike protein VP4 of rotaviruses is a major determinant of infectivity and serotype specificity. Proteolytic cleavage of VP4 into 2 domains, VP8* and VP5*, enhances rotaviral infectivity. Interactions between the VP4 carbohydrate-binding domain (VP8*) and cell surface glycoconjugates facilitate initial virus-cell attachment and subsequent cell entry.

Effects of diabetes mellitus on the clinical presentation and treatment response in tuberculosis.

Background And Objective: With the colliding global epidemics of diabetes mellitus (DM) and tuberculosis (TB), we studied the effects of DM on the presentation of TB and its response to treatment.

Methods: Consecutive TB patients from 2006 to 2010 in a territory-wide treatment programme offering 9-month extended treatment for TB patients with DM were examined and followed up prospectively to assess their treatment response. Successful treatment completers were tracked through the TB registry and death registry for relapse, death or till 31 December 2014, whichever was the earliest.

Predictors of the success and failure of emergency pelvic artery embolisation for primary postpartum haemorrhage: a 12-year review.

Introduction: This study aimed to identify predictors of the outcome and clinical efficacy of emergency pelvic artery embolisation (PAE) for primary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) and to assess the post-embolisation fertility of PAE patients in a regional hospital setting.

Methods: A 12-year retrospective study of patients undergoing emergency PAE was conducted at a regional acute general hospital. Clinical and procedural parameters, clinical outcomes and post-embolisation pregnancy success rates were analysed.