Browsing by Author "Zhang H"

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    An Evaluation of Different Digestion Methods for the Quantitation of Inorganic Elements in Human Hair Using ICP-MS.
    (John Wiley and Sons, 2022-12-01) Liu Y; Yang Y; Xia Y-Y; de Seymour JV; Zhao D-Z; Li Y-M; Zhang H; Han T-L; Kowalski R
    The inorganic elements have unique properties in biochemical processes in humans. An increasing number of pathologies have been associated with essential element ions, such as lead, mercury, and cadmium. Hair has become an attractive clinical specimen for studying the longitudinal exposure to elements from the external environment. Inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) coupled with nitric acid (HNO3) digestion is the most common approach for determining inorganic elements from human hair. This study aims to optimize the digestion method for the absolute quantitation of 52 elements using ICP-MS, for a large cohort study in human hair. Five different HNO3 (65%) digestion methods were investigated and evaluated for their internal standard solution stability, reproducibility, element coverage, and standard solution recovery efficiency, namely, room temperature for 24 h (RT), 90°C for 4 h (T90), ultrasonic-assisted digestion (UltraS), programmed digestion of microwave digestion (MicroD), and ordinary microwave oven digestion (O-MicroD). Our results demonstrated that O-MicroD, MicroD, and RT were the best performing digestion methods for coefficient of variation (CV) scores, coverage, and recovery efficiency, respectively. In particular, the O-MicroD method detected multiple elements in a small quantity of hair (3 mg), with minimum nitric acid usage (200 μl) and a short digestion time (30 min). The O-MicroD method had excellent reproducibility, as demonstrated by a continuous thousand injections of hair samples with three internal standards (CV: 103Rh = 3.59%, 115In = 3.61%, and 209Bi = 6.31%). Future studies of the elemental content of hair should carefully select their digestion method to meet the primary purpose of their study.
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    An Investigation of the Relationship Between Dietary Patterns in Early Pregnancy and Maternal/Infant Health Outcomes in a Chinese Cohort
    (Frontiers Media S A, 2022-04-22) de Seymour JV; Beck KL; Conlon CA; Jones MB; Colombo J; Xia Y-Y; Han T-L; Qi H-B; Zhang H; Baker PN; Juturu V
    BACKGROUND: Studies assessing links between maternal diet and pregnancy outcomes have focused predominantly on individual nutrients or foods. However, nutrients are typically consumed in combinations of foods or beverages (i.e., dietary patterns). Taking into account the diet as a whole appreciates that nutrient absorption and metabolism are influenced by other nutrients and the food matrix. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between dietary pattern consumption in early pregnancy and pregnancy/infant outcomes, including gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational weight gain, preeclampsia, placental weight, gestational age at delivery, small-for-gestational-age, large-for-gestational-age, macrosomia, measures of infant body composition, and scores on two main indices of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development [Mental Development Index (MDI) and the Psychomotor Development Index (PDI)] at 12 months. DESIGN: Our study included 1,437 participants from a mother-infant cohort in Chongqing, China. Maternal diet was assessed using a 96-item food frequency questionnaire at 11-14 weeks gestation. Dietary patterns were constructed using principal component analysis. Multivariate regressions were performed to assess associations between maternal dietary pattern scores and pregnancy and infant outcomes, adjusting for confounders. RESULTS: Two dietary patterns were derived: a pattern high in pasta, sweetened beverages, and oils and condiments (PSO-based dietary pattern) and a pattern high in fish, poultry, and vegetables (FPV-based dietary pattern). Higher scores on the PSO-based dietary pattern were associated with lower infant standardized scores on the PDI of the Bayley Scales of Infant Development, β (95% confidence interval) = -1.276 (-2.392, -0.160); lower placental weight, β (95% CI) = -6.413 (-12.352g, -0.473); and higher infant's tricep skinfold thickness at 6 weeks of age. β (95% CI) = 0.279 (0.033, 0.526). Higher scores on the FPV-based dietary pattern were associated with higher gestational weight gain between visit 1 (11-14 week's gestation) and 3 (32-34 week's gestation). β (95% CI) = 25.612 (13.255, 37.969). No significant associations were observed between dietary pattern scores and the remaining pregnancy/infant outcomes investigated or MDI scores on the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. This was the first study to investigate the association between dietary patterns in early pregnancy and infant neurocognition in a Chinese cohort.
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    Clonostachys rosea Promotes Root Growth in Tomato by Secreting Auxin Produced through the Tryptamine Pathway
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-11-04) Han Z; Ghanizadeh H; Zhang H; Li X; Li T; Wang Q; Liu J; Wang A; Feng M-G
    Clonostachys rosea (Link) Schroers is a filamentous fungus that has been widely used for biological control, biological fermentation, biodegradation and bioenergy. In this research, we investigated the impact of this fungus on root growth in tomato and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that C. rosea can promote root growth in tomato, and tryptophan enhances its growth-promoting impacts. The results also showed that tryptophan increases the abundance of metabolites in C. rosea, with auxin (IAA) and auxin-related metabolites representing a majority of the highly abundant metabolites in the presence of tryptophan. It was noted that C. rosea could metabolize tryptophan into tryptamine (TRA) and indole-3-acetaldehyde (IAAId), and these two compounds are used by C. rosea to produce IAA through the tryptamine (TAM) pathway, which is one of the major pathways in tryptophan-dependent IAA biosynthesis. The IAA produced is used by C. rosea to promote root growth in tomato. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on IAA biosynthesis by C. rosea through the TAM pathway. More research is needed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying IAA biosynthesis in C. rosea, as well as to examine the ability of this fungus to boost plant development in the field.
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    Exploring the Global Research Trends of Supply Chain Management of Construction Projects Based on a Bibliometric Analysis: Current Status and Future Prospects
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2023-02) Shiping W; Tang H; Ying JF; Wu G; Fathollahi-Fard AM; Dulebenets MA; Zhang H; Tian G
    With the increasing scale and complexity of construction projects, a considerably growing number of studies have focused on managing supply chain scientifically to improve performance. To explore this field in depth, this paper uses the Bibliometrix R encapsulation tool to conduct a bibliometric analysis and visually display key findings on construction project supply chain management from 1998 to 2021. By using a series of indexes in econometric analysis, this paper introduces an overview of construction project supply chain research. Further, the current situation, historical evolution, and development of this field are explored using the content analysis of keywords. The results suggest that: (1) the number of publications in the field of the supply chain management of construction projects has increased over time and entered a period of rapid growth after 2015. During this period, articles related to ‘sustainability’, ‘prefabricated housing’, ‘reverse logistics’, and ‘lean management’ were widely cited by scholars, but the most frequently cited was ‘partnership’. (2) The keywords in the field of construction project supply chain management can be divided into ‘simulation research’, ‘sustainable research’, ‘method research’, ‘cooperation and integration’, ‘whole life cycle,’ ‘trust and communication’, and so on. The keywords ‘Radio Frequency Identification’ (RFID), ‘waste management’, ‘case study’, and ‘social responsibility’ are the current research hotspots. (3) The theme development of construction project supply chain management can be divided into supply chain integration and management, supply chain process design and optimization, the application of advanced technology, and sustainable supply chain management. This paper summarizes the main discoveries and developments in construction project supply chain management.
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    Factors affecting Chinese short-term international students’ cross-cultural adaptation in psychology, learning, and life
    (Hindawi, 20/08/2022) Zhang H; Li M
    Although Chinese international students’ cross-cultural adaptation has achieved intense research, factors in developing Chinese SISs’ cross-cultural adaptation remain under-researched. This study examined the factors through a survey of Chinese SISs’ transitional adaptation in psychology, life, and learning. Mixed-method research was conducted: a survey of 155 SISs from a top Chinese university undertaking study across 16 countries and in-depth interviews with 15 SISs. Results indicate that knowledge of the host country and university, language proficiency, sense of participation, and engagement are the crucial factors in developing Chinese SISs’ cross-cultural adaptation. These factors reveal significant correlations with the students’ adaptive performances in psychology, life, and learning. However, the factor of duration indicates no significant correlation with students’ cross-cultural adaptation, which demonstrates an inconsistency with the previous studies. The findings of this study highlight the need for developing Chinese SISs’ sense of engagement, enhancing the language training, and building up the knowledge of the host cultures previous to the study abroad.
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    Hair and cord blood element levels and their relationship with air pollution, dietary intake, gestational diabetes mellitus, and infant neurodevelopment.
    (Elsevier B.V., 2023-08-23) Xia Y-Y; de Seymour JV; Yang X-J; Zhou L-W; Liu Y; Yang Y; Beck KL; Conlon CA; Mansell T; Novakovic B; Saffery R; Han T-L; Zhang H; Baker PN
    BACKGROUND & AIMS: Exposure to a range of elements, air pollution, and specific dietary components in pregnancy has variously been associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk or infant neurodevelopmental problems. We measured a range of pregnancy exposures in maternal hair and/or infant cord serum and tested their relationship to GDM and infant neurodevelopment. METHODS: A total of 843 pregnant women (GDM = 224, Non-GDM = 619) were selected from the Complex Lipids in Mothers and Babies cohort study. Forty-eight elements in hair and cord serum were quantified using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis. Binary logistic regression was used to estimate the associations between hair element concentrations and GDM risk, while multiple linear regression was performed to analyze the relationship between hair/cord serum elements and air pollutants, diet exposures, and Bayley Scales of infant neurodevelopment at 12 months of age. RESULTS: After adjusting for maternal age, BMI, and primiparity, we observed that fourteen elements in maternal hair were associated with a significantly increased risk of GDM, particularly Ta (OR = 9.49, 95% CI: 6.71, 13.42), Re (OR = 5.21, 95% CI: 3.84, 7.07), and Se (OR = 5.37, 95% CI: 3.48, 8.28). In the adjusted linear regression model, three elements (Rb, Er, and Tm) in maternal hair and infant cord serum were negatively associated with Mental Development Index scores. For dietary exposures, elements were positively associated with noodles (Nb), sweetened beverages (Rb), poultry (Cs), oils and condiments (Ca), and other seafood (Gd). In addition, air pollutants PM2.5 (LUR) and PM10 were negatively associated with Ta and Re in maternal hair. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the potential influence of maternal element exposure on GDM risk and infant neurodevelopment. We identified links between levels of these elements in both maternal hair and infant cord serum related to air pollutants and dietary factors.
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    Molecular Detection of Zoonotic and Veterinary Pathogenic Bacteria in Pet Dogs and Their Parasitizing Ticks in Junggar Basin, North-Western China
    (Frontiers Media S.A., 2022-07) Guo J; Song S; Cao S; Sun Z; Zhou Q; Deng X; Zhao T; Chai Y; Zhu D; Chen C; Baryshnikov PI; Blair HT; Wang Z; Wang Y; Zhang H
    Despite the recognized epidemiological importance of ticks as vectors for pathogens that cause numerous zoonotic and veterinary diseases, data regarding the pathogens of pet dogs and their parasitic ticks in the Junggar Basin are scarce. In this study, a total of 178 blood samples and 436 parasitic ticks were collected from pet dogs in Junggar Basin, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR), north-western China. All ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus turanicus sensu stricto (s.s.) according to morphological and molecular characteristics. Rh. turanicus s.s. ticks were collected from pet dogs in China for the first time. Seven tick-borne pathogens, such as Ehrlichia chaffeensis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Rickettsia massiliae, Candidatus R. barbariae, Brucella spp., Rickettsia sibirica, and Anaplasma ovis, were detected from ticks, whereas the first five bacteria were detected from blood samples of dogs. Brucella spp. was the most predominant pathogen in both blood samples and ticks of pet dogs, with the detection rates of 16.29 and 16.74%, respectively. Moreover, 17 ticks and 1 blood sample were co-infected with two pathogens, and 1 tick was co-infected with three pathogens. This study provided molecular evidence for the occurrence of Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp., and Brucella spp. circulating in pet dogs and their parasitic ticks in Junggar Basin, north-western China. These findings extend our knowledge of the tick-borne pathogens in pet dogs and their parasitic ticks in Central Asia; therefore, further research on these pathogens and their role in human and animal diseases is required.
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    Prediction of seasonal population dynamics of Grapholita molesta (Busck) and Adoxophyes orana (Fischer von Röslerstamm) in peach orchards using sex pheromone trap and degree-days and its implications in pest management
    (2023-10-04) Ma A; Zhang H; Ran H; Yang X; J Hao J; Zhang J; Li H; Yu Z; Wang X; He X; Li J
    The successful management of lepidopteran moths in orchards usually depends on the precise forecast of adult activity. However, the seasonal phenology of moths varies between crop cultivars and years, making it difficult to schedule the control measures. Here, we monitored male flight activity of oriental fruit moth Grapholita molesta and summer fruit tortrix moth Adoxophyes orana by using sex pheromone traps in peach orchards of three different cultivars for three successive years. We developed a logistic multiple-peaks model to fit data and then calculated degree-days (DD) required for male activity and neonate emergency. Results show that G. molesta and A. orana males had 4–5 and 3 flight peaks per year, respectively. The seasonal phenology of G. molesta or A. orana was quite stable with an identical timing of each flight peak between cultivars in a year. The flight activity was usually higher in the second and third peaks for both moths, with a higher cumulative number of G. molesta males captured than that of A. orana. Compared to A. orana, G. molesta emerged early in spring and required lower degree-days to reach the subsequent flight peaks and for neonate emergency. Our results suggest that to decline the possibility of outbreaks of moths during the growing seasons, pheromone traps should be scheduled in April with a cumulative DD between 49.6 and 207.1 for G. molesta and in mid-May–early June with a cumulative DD between 450.4 and 866.7 for A. orana, aiming to trap the newly emerged male adults or disrupting female mating success of overwintered moths in orchards. Based on the thermal requirement for egg hatching (i.e., 79.4 DD for G. molesta and 90.0 DD for A. orana), insecticide treatments would be applied in late-April–early May and late May–early June to reduce the field population density of neonates of G. molesta and A. orana, respectively, to reduce fruit damage in orchards. Furthermore, pheromone traps set up in late July–early August (573.8–1025.2 DD) for G. molesta and in mid-September (1539.7–1788.9 DD) for A. orana may suppress overwintering populations and thus decrease pest infestation in next year.
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    The Flagellar Transcriptional Regulator FtcR Controls Brucella melitensis 16M Biofilm Formation via a betI-Mediated Pathway in Response to Hyperosmotic Stress
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-09) Guo J; Deng X; Zhang Y; Song S; Zhao T; Zhu D; Cao S; Baryshnikov PI; Cao G; Blair HT; Chen C; Gu X; Liu L; Zhang H
    The expression of flagellar proteins in Brucella species likely evolved through genetic transference from other microorganisms, and contributed to virulence, adaptability, and biofilm formation. Despite significant progress in defining the molecular mechanisms behind flagellar gene expression, the genetic program controlling biofilm formation remains unclear. The flagellar transcriptional factor (FtcR) is a master regulator of the flagellar system’s expression, and is critical for B. melitensis 16M’s flagellar biogenesis and virulence. Here, we demonstrate that FtcR mediates biofilm formation under hyperosmotic stress. Chromatin immunoprecipitation with next-generation sequencing for FtcR and RNA sequencing of ftcR-mutant and wild-type strains revealed a core set of FtcR target genes. We identified a novel FtcR-binding site in the promoter region of the osmotic-stress-response regulator gene betI, which is important for the survival of B. melitensis 16M under hyperosmotic stress. Strikingly, this site autoregulates its expression to benefit biofilm bacteria’s survival under hyperosmotic stress. Moreover, biofilm reduction in ftcR mutants is independent of the flagellar target gene fliF. Collectively, our study provides new insights into the extent and functionality of flagellar-related transcriptional networks in biofilm formation, and presents phenotypic and evolutionary adaptations that alter the regulation of B. melitensis 16M to confer increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress.
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    The relationship between hair metabolites, air pollution exposure and gestational diabetes mellitus: A longitudinal study from pre-conception to third trimester.
    (Frontiers Media S.A., 2022-12-02) Chen X; Zhao X; Jones MB; Harper A; de Seymour JV; Yang Y; Xia Y; Zhang T; Qi H; Gulliver J; Cannon RD; Saffery R; Zhang H; Han T-L; Baker PN; Zhou N
    BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic condition defined as glucose intolerance with first presentation during pregnancy. Many studies suggest that environmental exposures, including air pollution, contribute to the pathogenesis of GDM. Although hair metabolite profiles have been shown to reflect pollution exposure, few studies have examined the link between environmental exposures, the maternal hair metabolome and GDM. The aim of this study was to investigate the longitudinal relationship (from pre-conception through to the third trimester) between air pollution exposure, the hair metabolome and GDM in a Chinese cohort. METHODS: A total of 1020 women enrolled in the Complex Lipids in Mothers and Babies (CLIMB) birth cohort were included in our study. Metabolites from maternal hair segments collected pre-conception, and in the first, second, and third trimesters were analysed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Maternal exposure to air pollution was estimated by two methods, namely proximal and land use regression (LUR) models, using air quality data from the air quality monitoring station nearest to the participant's home. Logistic regression and mixed models were applied to investigate associations between the air pollution exposure data and the GDM associated metabolites. RESULTS: Of the 276 hair metabolites identified, the concentrations of fourteen were significantly different between GDM cases and non-GDM controls, including some amino acids and their derivatives, fatty acids, organic acids, and exogenous compounds. Three of the metabolites found in significantly lower concentrations in the hair of women with GDM (2-hydroxybutyric acid, citramalic acid, and myristic acid) were also negatively associated with daily average concentrations of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2, CO and the exposure estimates of PM2.5 and NO2, and positively associated with O3. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the maternal hair metabolome reflects the longitudinal metabolic changes that occur in response to environmental exposures and the development of GDM.
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    Whole-genome resequencing of the native sheep provides insights into the microevolution and identifies genes associated with reproduction traits
    (BioMed Central Ltd, 2023-07-11) Zhu M; Yang Y; Yang H; Zhao Z; Zhang H; Blair HT; Zheng W; Wang M; Fang C; Yu Q; Zhou H; Qi H
    BACKGROUND: Sheep genomes undergo numerous genes losses, gains and mutation that generates genome variability among breeds of the same species after long time natural and artificial selection. However, the microevolution of native sheep in northwest China remains elusive. Our aim was to compare the genomes and relevant reproductive traits of four sheep breeds from different climatic environments, to unveil the selection challenges that this species cope with, and the microevolutionary differences in sheep genomes. Here, we resequenced the genomes of 4 representative sheep breeds in northwest China, including Kazakh sheep and Duolang sheep of native breeds, and Hu sheep and Suffolk sheep of exotic breeds with different reproductive characteristics. RESULTS: We found that these four breeds had a similar expansion experience from ~ 10,000 to 1,000,000 years ago. In the past 10,000 years, the selection intensity of the four breeds was inconsistent, resulting in differences in reproductive traits. We explored the sheep variome and selection signatures by FST and θπ. The genomic regions containing genes associated with different reproductive traits that may be potential targets for breeding and selection were detected. Furthermore, non-synonymous mutations in a set of plausible candidate genes and significant differences in their allele frequency distributions across breeds with different reproductive characteristics were found. We identified PAK1, CYP19A1 and PER1 as a likely causal gene for seasonal reproduction in native sheep through qPCR, Western blot and ELISA analyses. Also, the haplotype frequencies of 3 tested gene regions related to reproduction were significantly different among four sheep breeds. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide insights into the microevolution of native sheep and valuable genomic information for identifying genes associated with important reproductive traits in sheep.