The Stent-Assisted Coil-Jailing Technique Facilitates Efficient Embolization of Tiny Cerebral Aneurysms

Cong-Hui Li,Xian-Hui Su,Bo Zhang,Yong-Feng Han,Er-Wei Zhang,Lei Yang,Dong-Liang Zhang,Song-Tao Yang,Zhen-Quan Yan,Bu-Lang Gao 대한영상의학회 2014 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.15 No.6

Objective: Tiny cerebral aneurysms are difficult to embolize because the aneurysm’s sac is too small for a single small coil, and coils within the aneurysm may escape from the confinement of a stent. This study was performed to introduce the stent-assisted coil-jailing technique and to investigate its effect on the coil embolization of tiny intracranial aneurysms. Materials and Methods: Sixteen patients with tiny intracranial aneurysms treated with the stent-assisted coil-jailing technique between January 2011 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed and followed-up. Results: All aneurysms were successfully treated with the coil-jailing technique, and at the end of embolization, complete occlusion of the aneurysm was achieved in 9 cases (56.3%), incomplete occlusion in 6 (37.5%), and partial occlusion in 1 (6.3%). Intraprocedural complications included acute thrombosis in one case (6.3%) and re-rupture in another (6.3%). Both complications were managed appropriately with no sequela. Follow-up was performed in all patients for 3–24 months (mean, 7.7 months) after embolization. Complete occlusion was sustained in the 9 aneurysms with initial complete occlusion, progressive thrombosis to complete occlusion occurred in the 6 aneurysms with initial near-complete occlusion, and one aneurysm resulted in progressive thrombosis to complete occlusion after initial partial occlusion. No migration of stents or coils occurred at follow-up as compared with their positions immediately after embolization. At follow-up, all patients had recovered with no sequela. Conclusion: The stent-assisted coil-jailing technique can be an efficient approach for tiny intracranial aneurysms, even though no definite conclusion regarding its safety can be drawn from the current data.

Disruption of endothelial barrier function is linked with hyposecretion and lymphocytic infiltration in salivary glands of Sjögren's syndrome

Cong, Xin,Zhang, Xue-Ming,Zhang, Yan,Wei, Tai,He, Qi-Hua,Zhang, Li-Wei,Hua, Hong,Lee, Sang-Woo,Park, Kyungpyo,Yu, Guang-Yan,Wu, Li-Ling Elsevier 2018 Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of Vol.1864 No.10

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes hyposecretion in salivary glands. Endothelial tight junctions (TJs) play crucial roles in salivation and barrier function of blood vessels. However, whether the alteration of endothelial TJs were involved in pathogenesis of SS was still unknown. Here, the ultrastructure and function of endothelial TJs in submandibular glands (SMGs) were detected by transmission electron microscopy and in vivo paracellular permeability assay in different aged NOD mouse model for SS. CFSE-labeled lymphocytes were injected into tail vein to trace the infiltration, while claudin-5 expression and distribution were detected by immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and western blot. Results showed that the stimulated salivary flow rate was gradually decreased and lymphocytic infiltration was found as age increased in 12- and 21-week-old NOD mice, but not 7-week-old NOD mice. Blood vessels were dilated, while endothelial TJ width and paracellular tracer transport were increased in 12-week-old NOD mice. Moreover, the injected CFSE-labeled lymphocytes were observed in SMGs of 12-week-old NOD mice. Claudin-5 level was increased and relocalized from the apical portion of neighboring endothelial cells to lateral membranes and cytoplasm in 12-week-old NOD mice. Additionally, the alteration of claudin-5 expression and distribution was further confirmed in labial salivary glands and bilateral parotid glands from SS patients. In cultured human microvessel endothelial cell line (HMEC-1), IFN-γ stimulation significantly increased claudin-5 expression. Taken together, we identified that the endothelial TJ barrier was disrupted and contributed to the development of salivary hyposecretion and lymphocytic infiltration in SS.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Endothelial tight junction barrier is disrupted in hyposecretory submandibular glands from Sjögren's syndrome mouse model </LI> <LI> The disrupted salivary endothelial barrier is linked with lymphocytic infiltration in Sjögren's syndrome mouse model </LI> <LI> The redistribution of claudin-5 is responsible for disrupted endothelial barrier in salivary glands from Sjögren's syndrome </LI> </UL> </P>

Adsorption removal of pefloxacin from water by halloysite nanotubes

Cong-Liang Zhang,Shu-Jie Cui,Yan Wang 한국공업화학회 2015 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.23 No.-

Batch adsorption experiments were carried out for the removal of pefloxacin from water using halloysite nanotubes as adsorbent. The effects of various parameters such as contact time, initial solution concentration and temperature on the adsorption system were investigated. The optimum contact time was found to be 100 min. The isotherm adsorption data fit well with Freundlich model, and the kinetic data fit well with the pseudo-second order and the intra-particle diffusion model. Intra-particle diffusion analysis demonstrates that pefloxacin diffuses quickly among the particles at the beginning of the adsorption process, and then the diffusion slows down and stabilizes. Thermodynamic parameters such as DG, DH and DS were also calculated. The negative Gibbs free energy change and the positive enthalpy change indicated the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the adsorption, and the positive entropy change indicated that the adsorption process was aided by increased randomness

Highly Enantioselective Addition of Diethylzinc to Aldehydes Catalyzed by Novel Chiral tert-Amino Alcohols

Zhang, Cong-Hai,Yan, Sheng-Jiao,Pan, Sheng-Qiang,Huang, Rong,Lin, Jun Korean Chemical Society 2010 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.31 No.4

A series of novel chiral tert-amino alcohols 4a-h derived from enantiomerically pure phenylalanine were synthesized efficiently and used as chiral ligands in the catalytic enantioselective ethylation of aldehydes with diethylzinc (diethylzinc-to-aldehyde addition). The use of 10 mol % of the amino alcohols led to the corresponding sec-alcohols with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 100% ee) and high yields.

Reconfiguring active particles by electrostatic imbalance

Yan, Jing,Han, Ming,Zhang, Jie,Xu, Cong,Luijten, Erik,Granick, Steve Nature Publishing Group 2016 Nature Materials Vol.15 No.10

<P>Active materials represent a new class of condensed matter in which motile elements may collectively form dynamic, global structures out of equilibrium(1-3). Here, we present a general strategy to reconfigure active particles into various collective states by introducing imbalanced interactions. We demonstrate the concept with computer simulations of self-propelled colloidal spheres, and experimentally validate it in a two-dimensional (2D) system of metal-dielectric Janus colloids subjected to perpendicular a.c. electric fields. The mismatched, frequency-dependent dielectric responses of the two hemispheres of the colloids allow simultaneous control of particle motility and colloidal interactions. We realized swarms, chains, clusters and isotropic gases from the same precursor particle by changing the electric-field frequency. Large-scale polar waves, vortices and jammed domains are also observed, with the persistent time-dependent evolution of their collective structure evoking that of classical materials. This strategy of asymmetry-driven active self-organization should generalize rationally to other active 2D and three-dimensional (3D) materials.</P>

Highly Enantioselective Addition of Diethylzinc to Aldehydes Catalyzed by Novel Chiral tert-Amino Alcohols

Cong-hai Zhang,Sheng-jiao Yan,Sheng-qiang Pan,Rong Huang,Jun Lin 대한화학회 2010 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.31 No.4

A series of novel chiral tert-amino alcohols 4a-h derived from enantiomerically pure phenylalanine were synthesized efficiently and used as chiral ligands in the catalytic enantioselective ethylation of aldehydes with diethylzinc (diethylzinc-to-aldehyde addition). The use of 10 mol % of the amino alcohols led to the corresponding sec-alcohols with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 100% ee) and high yields.

Genetic analysis of roots and shoots in rice seedling by association mapping

Yan Zhao,Cong‑hui Jiang,Rashid Muhammad Abdul Rehman,Hong‑liang Zhang,Jinjie Li,Zi‑chao Li 한국유전학회 2019 Genes & Genomics Vol.41 No.1

The vigorous shoots and roots help to improve drought resistance and post-transplanting recovery in rice seedlings (Oryza sativa L.). Hundreds of loci related to root system have been identified recently, but little research has been done on shoot traits, and the relationship between roots and shoots development is also still unclear. The objective of this study was to identify associated loci for roots and shoots in rice seedlings as well as to screen pleiotropic QTLs involved in coordinated development of roots and shoots. Using mini core collection of 273 cultivated rice accessions and 280 simple-sequence repeat markers, we investigated six traits [root length (RL), root thickness (RT), root weight (RW), shoot length (SL), shoot weight (SW) and ratio of root-to-shoot mass] in seedlings. Study was performed in hydroponic medium and genetic analysis was performed by association mapping using general linear model (GLM) with population structure (Q) and mixed linear model (MLM) involving Q and familial relatedness (K). Two subgroups indica and japonica showed significant differences in RT, RW and SW. Maximum correlation was observed between RW and SW. Using GLM 65 QTLs for root and 43 QTLs associated with shoot traits were detected. Among them, seven QTLs were present between RL and RW and five common QTLs were detected between SL and SW with high phenotypic variation effects (PVEs). Two key pleiotropic QTLs were also identified involved in collaborative development of roots and shoots in rice seedlings. Importantly, 17 and 10 QTLs were identified for root and shoot traits respectively in both studies of GLM and MLM. More common QTLs with high PVEs between root and shoot traits suggested that longitudinal growth (RL and SL) played an important role in accumulation of biomass (RW and SW). Considering the obvious phenotypic differences and fewer common QTLs between indica and japonica, we suggested that there could be different mechanisms of seedling development between both subpopulations. Key pleiotropic QTLs and QTLs identified for root and shoot traits in both studies of GLM and MLM could be preferentially used in marker-assisted breeding for strong rice seedling.

A Novel Low-cost Thin-film Flat Plate Photobioreactor for Microalgae Cultivation

Chenghu Yan,Qinghua Zhang,Shengzhang Xue,Zhongliang Sun,Xia Wu,Zhihui Wang,Yunming Lu,Wei Cong 한국생물공학회 2016 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.21 No.1

In this study, a novel thin-film flat plate photobioreactor (FPPBR) mounted with baffles and a 61.2 m2 (2,000 L) photobioreactor system based on the FPPBR were developed. The flow of the fluid in the thinfilm photobioreactor was investigated by means of computational fluid dynamics (CFD). The cultivation of Chlorella sp. and Scenedesmus dimorphus in the thin-film FPPBR was carried out outdoors. The results showed that the flow of culture medium in different channels was uniform. In outdoor cultivation, the biomass productivity in the FPPBR with baffles was 25.2% higher than that in the FPPBR without baffles. In the pilot-scale FPPBR system, the maximum area productivity of Scenedesmus dimorphus reached 21.9 g/m2/day. When the service time of the photobioreactor was 1 and 3 years, the capital cost of the photobioreactor was 4.72 and 2.45 $ kgalgae, respectively. The results demonstrated that the thin-film FPPBR was cost effective, and it has the potential to be used for mass cultivation of microalgae.

Studies on PEGylated Gold Nanoparticles Loaded with 5-Hydroxydecanoate for Chemo-Photothermal Therapy of Human Lung Adenocarcinomas In Vitro

Fu-Yan Zhuge,CONG-WANG ZHANG,CHANG-CHUN ZENG,Han-Ping Liu 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2015 NANO Vol.10 No.7

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) have promising applications in the fields of drug delivery and photothermal therapy. 5-hydroxydecanoate (5-HD) is a kind of highly selective mitochondrial ATP sensitive potassium (mitoKATP) channel blocker. In this research, firstly, 5-HD was studied whether it could induce human lung adenocarcinomas (A549) cells apoptosis; secondly, PEGylated gold nanoparticles loaded with 5-HD (Au NPs-PEG-5-HD) were prepared to develop a new chemotherapy and photothermal therapy in one system under the irradiation of green light-emitting diode (LED). Subsequently, in vitro cytotoxicity test was analyzed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), the change of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) was determined by immunofluorescence microscopy with R-123 fluorescence, and cell apoptosis and necrosis rate were detected by flow cytometry. The results of CCK8 revealed that the inhibition rates of A549 cells were all greatly increased when cells were treated with free 5-HD, free 5-HD +LED irradiation, Au NPs-PEG-5-HD and Au NPs-PEG-5-HD+LED irradiation, and Au NPs-PEG-5-HD had enhanced cell-killing effect compared with 5-HD, furthermore, the Au NPs-PEG-5-HD and LED irradiation played a very great synergy effect. The immunofluorescence microscopy data also exhibited a reduction of Δψm correspondingly. Flow cytometric analysis showed that the apoptosis rate of cells that were incubated with free 5-HD, 5-HD+LED irradiation, Au NPsPEG-5-HD or Au NPs–PEG–5-HD+LED irradiation significantly increased to about 9.2%, 10.7%, 18.3% or 12.4% and the percentage of necrosis cells increased to around 8.8%, 9.7%, 48.0% or 69.8%, respectively. In a word, all the results indicated that the 5-HD had shown the ability to induce A549 cells apoptosis as a chemotherapy agent, and its ability would be improved when 5-HD is loaded on PEGylated Au NPs, as well as Au NPs-PEG-5-HD exhibited significantly enhanced photothermal effects for treatment of lung adenocarcinomas.

Evaluation of Galactomannan Enzyme Immunoassay and Quantitative Real-Time PCR for the Diagnosis of Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis in a Rat Model

( Jian Cong Lin ),( Yan Li Xing ),( Wen Ming Xu ),( Ming Li ),( Pang Bo ),( Yuan Yuan Niu ),( Chang Ran Zhang ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2014 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.24 No.8

Since there is no consensus about the most reliable assays to detect invasive aspergillosis from samples obtained by minimally invasive or noninvasive methods, we compared the efficacy of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for galactomannan (GM) detection and quantitative real-time PCR assay (qRT-PCR) for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Neutropenic, male Sprague-Dawley rats (specific pathogen free; 8 weeks old; weight, 200 ± 20 g) were immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide and infected with Aspergillus fumigatus intratracheally. Tissue and whole blood samples were harvested on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-infection and examined with GM ELISA and qRT-PCR. The A. fumigatus DNA detection sequence was detected in the following number of samples from 12 immunosuppressed, infected rats examined on the scheduled days: day 1 (0/12), day 3 (0/12), day 5 (6/12), and day 7 (8/12) post-infection. The sensitivity and specificity of the qRT-PCR assay was 29.2% and 100%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis indicated a Ct (cycle threshold) cut-off value of 15.35, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.627. The GM assay detected antigen in sera obtained on day 1 (5/12), day 3 (9/12), day 5 (12/12), and day 7 (12/12) post-infection, and thus had a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 100%. The ROC of the GM assay indicated that the optimal Ct cut-off value was 1.40 (AUC, 0.919). The GM assay was more sensitive than the qRT-PCR assay in diagnosing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in rats.