Effect of Zhongyi paste on inflammatory pain in mice by regulation of the extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2-cyclooxygenase-2-prostaglandin E₂ pathway

Xiao, Ailan,Wu, Chuncao,Kuang, Lei,Lu, Weizhong,Zhao, Xin,Kuang, Zhiping,Hao, Na The Korean Pain Society 2020 The Korean Journal of Pain Vol.33 No.4

Background: Zhongyi paste is a traditional Chinese medicine herbal paste that is externally applied to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Methods: An acute foot swelling inflammation model in C57BL/6J mice was established by carrageenan-induced pathogenesis. Zhongyi paste raised the pain threshold and also reduced the degree of swelling in mice with carrageenan-induced foot swelling. Results: Analysis indicated that serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1 beta, and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) cytokine levels and PGE₂ levels in the paw tissue of the mice were decreased by Zhongyi paste treatment. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot results showed that Zhongyi paste downregulated the mRNA and protein expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and also downregulated the mRNA expression of PGE₂. At the same time, the Zhongyi paste exerted a stronger effect as an external drug than that of indomethacin, which is an oral drug, and voltaren, which is an externally applied drug. Conclusions: Our results indicated that Zhongyi paste is a very effective drug to reduce inflammatory swelling of the foot, and its mechanism of action is related to regulation of the ERK1/2-COX-2-PGE₂ pathway.

Fast-response thermo-sensitive actuator based on asymmetric structured PNIPAM hydrogel with inorganic particles embedding

Fan Zhuanzhuan,Weizhong Xu,Ruofei Wang,Huaping Wu,Aiping Liu 한국고분자학회 2023 Macromolecular Research Vol.31 No.6

Hydrogel actuators have potential applications in many fields because of their multiple responsiveness to environmental stimuli. However, it is still very challenging to design a hydrogel actuator with simple preparation, fast response, and good mechanical properties. In this work, a facile and convenient method to obtain a fast responsive hydrogel actuator has been successfully developed by embedding uniform inorganic particles into Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel network to form an asymmetric structure. By controlling the types and contents of inorganic particles, a wide range of adjustable actuation property can be achieved. At the same time, the introduction of inorganic particles greatly increases the mechanical properties of hydrogels, which is also very important for actuation performance improvement of hydrogel actuators. The optimized hydrogel exhibits relatively fast bending deformation under thermal stimulation (60 ℃), with a bending velocity of about 13.0° s−1 within first 10 s and a bending amplitude of about 328.1° within 1 min. The hydrogel can be designed to be temperature-controlled claw actuators with programmable shapes, indicating its application prospects in encapsulating, grasping, and transporting objects in water environment.

Robust People Counting in Complicated Situations

Zhi Zhong,Ning Ding,Weizhong Ye,Xinyu Wu,Yangsheng Xu 동국대학교 정보융합기술원 2008 International Journal of Assistive Robotics and Sy Vol.9 No.2

People counting is a basic yet important aspect in intelligent video surveillance. In some places full of moving pedestrians or objects, it is a real challenge for traditional image processing approaches. This paper addresses the issue of how to enhance the robustness of people counting in two complicated situations, one is to count individuals mixed with objects and the other is to count people in a crowded scene. Based on modeling method and machine learning, we employ a new way to tackle the problem, which reduces the error rate and the miss rate dramatically. Experimental results have demonstrated the robust function of the system.

Robust People Counting in Complicated Situations

Zhi Zhong,Ning Ding,Weizhong Ye,Xinyu Wu,Yangsheng Xu 한국과학기술원 인간친화 복지 로봇 시스템 연구센터 2008 International Journal of Assistive Robotics and Me Vol.9 No.2

  People counting is a basic yet important aspect in intelligent video surveillance. In some places full of moving pedestrians or objects, it is a real challenge for traditional image processing approaches. This paper addresses the issue of how to enhance the robustness of people counting in two complicated situations, one is to count individuals mixed with objects and the other is to count people in a crowded scene. Based on modeling method and machine learning, we employ a new way to tackle the problem, which reduces the error rate and the miss rate dramatically. Experimental results have demonstrated the robust function of the system.

A Chlamydomonas reinhardtii nuclear-encoded MinE homologue recognizes the Escherichia coli division site, and the evolutionary implications of MinE gene transfer from chloroplast to nucleus

Lei Wang,Zhili Wu,Linyan Li,Weizhong Liu,Yong Hu 한국식물학회 2017 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.60 No.2

Escherichia coli MinE is required for placement of a division septum. A nucleus-encoded and plastidtargeted MinE homologue, CrMinE, was identified from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Similar to the Arabidopsis nucleus-encoded AtMinE, the CrMinE protein possesses extra N-terminal and C-terminal extensions relative to the eubacterial and other algal plastid-encoded MinE proteins. The CrMinE protein functions in plastids, as revealed by a transient expression assay using a full-length CrMinE protein fused to enhanced green fluorescent protein. In addition, the overexpressed CrMinE:EGFP in wild-type E. coli with clear coiled structures could still recognize the cell division site of the host cell, which suggests evolutionary conservation of the MinE mode of action. No MinE homologue was found in a search of all researched plastid genome sequences of land plants; moreover, the researched MinEs of land plants are encoded by nuclear genomes. Thus, the identification of the CrMinE located in the nuclear genome implies that the transfer events of MinE from plastid to nucleus might have occurred before the evolution of land plants and during the evolution of green algae.

Bioinformatic and integrated analysis identifies an lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA interaction mechanism in gastric adenocarcinoma

Yong Liao,Wen Cao,Kunpeng Zhang,Yang Zhou,Xin Xu,Xiaoling Zhao,Xu Yang,Jitao Wang,Shouwen Zhao,Shiyu Zhang,Longfei Yang,Dengxiang Liu,Yanpeng Tian,Weizhong Wu 한국유전학회 2021 Genes & Genomics Vol.43 No.6

Background lncRNAs–miRNAs–mRNAs networks play an important role in Gastric adenocarcinoma (GA). Identifcation of these networks provide new insight into the role of these RNAs in gastric cancer. Objectives Biological information databases were screened to characterize and examine the regulatory networks and to further investigate the potential prognostic relationship this regulation has in GA. Methods By mining The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, we gathered information on GA-related lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs. We identifed diferentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs using R software. The lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA interaction network was constructed and subsequent survival examination was performed. Representative genes were selected out using The Biological Networks Gene Ontology plug-in tool on Cytoscape. Additional analysis of Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) terms were used to screen representative genes for functional enrichment. Reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) were used to identify the expression of fve candidate diferential expressed RNAs. Results Information of samples from 375 cases of gastric cancer and 32 healthy cases (normal tissues) were downloaded from the TCGA database. A total of 1632 DE-mRNAs, 1008 DE-lncRNAs and 104 DE-miRNAs were identifed and screened. Among them, 65 DE-lncRNAs, 10 DE-miRNAs, and 10 DE-mRNAs form lncRNAs–miRNAs–mRNAs regulatory network. Additionally, 10 lncRNAs and 2 mRNAs were associated with the prognosis of GA. Multivariable COX analysis revealed that AC018781.1 and VCAN-AS1 were independent risk factors for GA. GO functional enrichment analysis found DE-mRNA was signifcantly enriched TERM (P<0.05). The KEGG signal regulatory network analysis found 11 signifcantly enrichment networks, the most prevailing was for the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway associated with Diabetic complications. Results of RT-qPCR was consistent with the in silico results. Conclusions The results of the present study represent a view of GA from a analysis of lncRNA, miRNA and mRNA. The network of lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA interactions revealed here may potentially further experimental studies and may help biomarker development for GA.