Salivary amylase gene (AMY1) copy number variation has only a minor correlation with body composition in Chinese adults

Zhang Xinming,Moran Colin,Wang Ruiyuan,Zhou Yue,Brooks Naomi 한국유전학회 2023 Genes & Genomics Vol.45 No.7

Background According to the WHO, about 39% of the global adult population were overweight or obese in 2016. Obesity has high heritability, with more than 1000 variants so far identified. There have been reports indicating that salivary amylase gene (AMY1) copy number was one of these variants, yet its association with obesity remains controversial. Objective Our research aimed to provide more evidence on the relationship of AMY1 copy number variation (CNV) with body mass index (BMI) and body composition. Methods We recruited 133 Chinese adults (65 males, 68 females, 18–25 years old) with normal fasting blood glucose and blood pressure levels. 19 males were selected for a 10-week intervention to change body composition. After anthropometric measurements, BMI was calculated, and body composition was measured using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). For the 19 selected participants, we collected their height, weight, and body composition data one more time after intervention. All participants were required to leave their saliva samples and their AMY1 copy number was determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR. Results We failed to find any significant difference in BMI and body composition between different copy number groups. Only a weak correlation was found between body muscle mass and body fat mass. After adjusted for height and weight, AMY1 CNV explained 4.83% of the variance and one single increase in AMY1 CNV can increase 0.214 kg of the body muscle mass, while one single increase in AMY1 CNV can decrease 0.217 kg of the body fat mass and explained 4.69% of the variance. Conclusions As a genetic factor, the AMY1 gene copy number variation has only a minor correlation with BMI and body composition, and its effect can easily be hidden by other factors such as individual diet and exercise habit.

Quantitative Analysis and Comparisons between In-Phase Control and Energy-Optimized Control for Series Power Quality Controllers

Xinming, Hunag,Jinjun, Liu,Hui, Zhang The Korean Institute of Power Electronics 2009 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.9 No.4

In-phase control and energy-optimized control are the two major control strategies proposed for series power quality controllers (SPQC). However quantitative analysis and comparison between these two control strategies is quite limited in previous publications. In this paper, an extensive quantitative analysis is carried out on these two control strategies through phasor diagram approach, and a detailed quantitative comparison is conducted accordingly. The load current is used as the reference phasor, and this leads to a simpler and clearer phasor diagram for the quantitative relationship. Subsequently detailed analysis of SPQC using in-phase control and energy-optimized control are provided respectively, under different modes both for under voltage/voltage sag and for over voltage/voltage swell. The closed form analytic expressions and the curves describing SPQC compensation characteristics are obtained. The detailed system power flow is figured out for each mode, and the detailed quantitative comparison between the two control strategies is then carried out. The comparison covers several aspects of SPQC, such as required compensating voltage magnitude, required capacity of energy storage component, and maximal ride-through time. In the end, computer simulation and prototype experimental results are shown to verify the validity of all the analysis and the result of the comparison.

Detection of Sequence-Specific Gene by Multi-Channel Electrochemical DNA Chips

Zhang, Xuzhi,Ji, Xinming,Cui, Zhengguo,Yang, Bing,Huang, Jie Korean Chemical Society 2012 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.33 No.1

Five-channel electrochemical chips were fabricated based on the Micro-electromechanical System (MEMS) technology and were used as platforms to develop DNA arrays. Different kinds of thiolated DNA strands, whose sequences were related to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) gene, were separately immobilized onto different working electrodes to fabricate a combinatorial biosensor system. As a result, different kinds of target DNA could be analyzed on one chip via a simultaneous recognition process using potassium ferricyanide as an indicator. To perform quantitative target DNA detection, a limit of 70 nM (S/N=3) was found in the presence of 600 nM coexisting noncomplementary ssDNA. The real samples of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) products were detected by the proposed method with satisfactory result, suggesting that the multichannel chips had the potential for a high effective microdevice to recognize specific gene sequence for pointof-care applications.

Detection of Sequence-Specific Gene by Multi-Channel Electrochemical DNA Chips

Xuzhi Zhang,Xinming Ji,Zhengguo Cui,Bing Yang,Jie Huang 대한화학회 2012 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.33 No.1

Five-channel electrochemical chips were fabricated based on the Micro-electromechanical System (MEMS)technology and were used as platforms to develop DNA arrays. Different kinds of thiolated DNA strands,whose sequences were related to white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) gene, were separately immobilized onto different working electrodes to fabricate a combinatorial biosensor system. As a result, different kinds of target DNA could be analyzed on one chip via a simultaneous recognition process using potassium ferricyanide as an indicator. To perform quantitative target DNA detection, a limit of 70 nM (S/N=3) was found in the presence of 600 nM coexisting noncomplementary ssDNA. The real samples of loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) products were detected by the proposed method with satisfactory result, suggesting that the multichannel chips had the potential for a high effective microdevice to recognize specific gene sequence for pointof-care applications.

Quantitative Analysis and Comparisons between In-Phase Control and Energy-Optimized Control for Series Power Quality Controllers

Huang Xinming,Liu Jinjun,Zhang Hui 전력전자학회 2009 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.9 No.4

In-phase control and energy-optimized control are the two major control strategies proposed for series power quality controllers (SPQC). However quantitative analysis and comparison between these two control strategies is quite limited in previous publications. In this paper, an extensive quantitative analysis is carried out on these two control strategies through phasor diagram approach, and a detailed quantitative comparison is conducted accordingly. The load current is used as the reference phasor, and this leads to a simpler and clearer phasor diagram for the quantitative relationship. Subsequently detailed analysis of SPQC using in-phase control and energy-optimized control are provided respectively, under different modes both for under voltage/voltage sag and for over voltage/voltage swell. The closed form analytic expressions and the curves describing SPQC compensation characteristics are obtained. The detailed system power flow is figured out for each mode, and the detailed quantitative comparison between the two control strategies is then carried out. The comparison covers several aspects of SPQC, such as required compensating voltage magnitude, required capacity of energy storage component, and maximal ride-through time. In the end, computer simulation and prototype experimental results are shown to verify the validity of all the analysis and the result of the comparison.

Alterations in Spontaneous Brain Activity in Drug-Naïve First-Episode Schizophrenia: An Anatomical/Activation Likelihood Estimation Meta-Analysis

Xiaolei Qiu,Rongrong Zhang,Lu Wen,Fuli Jiang,Hongjun Mao,Wei Yan,Shiping Xie,Xinming Pan 대한신경정신의학회 2022 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.19 No.8

Objective The etiology of schizophrenia is unknown and is associated with abnormal spontaneous brain activity. There are no consistent results regarding the change in spontaneous brain activity of people with schizophrenia. In this study, we determined the specific changes in the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation/fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF/fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) in patients with drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia (Dn-FES). Methods A comprehensive search of databases such as PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase was conducted to find articles on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging using ALFF/fALFF and ReHo in schizophrenia patients compared to healthy controls (HCs) and then, anatomical/activation likelihood estimation was performed. Results Eighteen eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis. Compared to the spontaneous brain activity of HCs, we found changes in spontaneous brain activity in Dn-FES based on these two methods, mainly including the frontal lobe, putamen, lateral globus pallidus, insula, cerebellum, and posterior cingulate cortex. Conclusion We found that widespread abnormalities of spontaneous brain activity occur in the early stages of the onset of schizophrenia and may provide a reference for the early intervention of schizophrenia

Analysis of Undrained Shear Characteristics and Structural Damage of Granite Residual Soil

Song Yin,Pengfei Liu,Pan Yan,Xianwei Zhang,Xinming Li 대한토목학회 2023 KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering Vol.27 No.9

Three-dimensional consolidation testing, scanning electron microscopy, and undrained triaxial testing of granite residual soil (GRS) in Shenzhen, China, were conducted. The effect of the structural strength of GRS was quantitatively analyzed using the method of comprehensive structure potential parameter description. The failure strength ratio of the soil decreases with increasing confining pressure, and it is approximately 1 when the confining pressure is higher than the yield stress (σs). The undrained shear strength (Su) of the undisturbed soil varies in stages with confining pressure σ3. The relationship between Su and σ3 for the reconstituted soil is approximated as a straight line through the origin. The soil’s comprehensive structure potential parameters (the structural contribution rates of the tangential shear modulus, mE, and the deviatoric stress, md) decrease linearly with increasing σ3. The mE and md sample values are similar under the same confining pressure. It is reasonable to use structure potential parameters to quantitatively evaluate the structure contribution rate of GRS. The microstructure is constantly adjusted, and the soil microstructure form for different confining pressures strongly correlates with its shear characteristics.

Precipitation Behavior in Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloy After Direct Quenching

Shengdan Liu,Chengbo Li,Yunlai Deng,Xinming Zhang,Qiming Zhong 대한금속·재료학회 2014 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.20 No.2

The precipitation behavior in an Al-6.8Zn-1.9Mg-1.0Cu-0.12Zr alloy after direct quenching from solutionheat treatment temperature of 470 °C to 205-355 °C was investigated by means of hardness tests, electricalconductivity tests, and transmission electron microscopy. At temperatures below 265 °C, the hardnessincreased gradually to a peak value and then decreased rapidly with time. At 265 °C, the hardness wasalmost unchanged within the initial 2000 s and then decreased gradually. At higher temperatures, the hardnessdecreased slowly with time. The electrical conductivity started to increase after a certain period oftime and then tended to maintain a constant value at all temperatures. Microstructure examination indicatedheterogeneous precipitation of the η phase at grain boundaries and inside grains during holding at205 °C and 325 °C. Based on the electrical conductivity data, the precipitation kinetics could be describedquite well by the Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Komolgorov relationship with a n value varying between 0.78 and1.33. The activation energy was estimated to be about 44.9 kJ/mol, which is close to that expected for a dislocationdiffusion mechanism. Time-temperature-transformation diagrams were constructed and the nosetemperature ranged from 295 °C to 325 °C.

Upregulation of miR-20b Protects Against Cerebral Ischemic Stroke by Targeting Thioredoxin Interacting Protein (TXNIP)

Dejiang Yang,Yu Tan,Huanhuan Li,Xiaowei Zhang,Xinming Li,Feng Zhou 한국뇌신경과학회 2021 Experimental Neurobiology Vol.30 No.2

Dysregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is involved in abnormal development and pathophysiology in the brain. Although miR-20b plays essential roles in various human diseases, its function in cerebral ischemic stroke remains unclear. A cell model of oxygen glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) and A rat model of middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) were constructed. qRT-PCR and western blot were used to evaluate the expression of miR-20b and TXNIP. Cell viability was detected by MTT assay, and cell apoptosis was evaluated by flow cytometry. Targetscan and Starbase were used to predict the potential targets of miR-20b. Luciferase reporter assay was applied to determine the interaction between miR-20b and TXNIP. Rescue experiments were conducted to confirm the functions of miR-20b/TXNIP axis in cerebral ischemic stroke. MiR-20b was significantly downregulated after I/R both in vitro and in vivo. Upregulation of miR-20b inhibited OGD/R-induced neurons apoptosis and attenuated ischemic brain injury in rat model. Bioinformatic prediction suggested that TXNIP might be a target of miR-20b, and luciferase reporter assay revealed that miR-20b negatively regulated TXNIP expression by directly binding to the 3’-UTR of TXNIP. Downregulation of TXNIP inhibited OGD/R-induced neurons apoptosis in vitro and ischemic brain injury in vivo. Rescue experiments indicated that downregulation of TXNIP effectively reversed the effect of miR-20b inhibitor in neurons apoptosis after OGD/R-treatment and ischemic brain injury in a mouse model after MCAO/R-treatment. Our study demonstrated that upregulation of miR-20b protected the brain from ischemic brain injury by targeting TXNIP, extending our understanding of miRNAs in cerebral ischemic stroke

Effect of Grain Size Inhomogeneity of Ingot on Dynamic Softening Behavior and Processing Map of Al-8Zn-2Mg-2Cu alloy

Di Feng,Guoying Wang,Hongmei Chen,XinMing Zhang 대한금속·재료학회 2018 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.24 No.1

The effect of grain size inhomogeneity of large ingot on the hot deformation behavior of Al-8Zn-2Mg-2Cu alloywere investigated using hot compression tests over a temperature range from 300 °C to 450 °C with strain rate from0.1 s-1to 10 s-1. It was found that the grain size (100 μm) in surface layer of the ingot is finer than that of the centrallayer (>200 μm). The surface specimen exhibited lower flow stress than that of central one in the temperature rangefrom 350 °C to 450 °C and the strain rate range from 0.1 s-1to 1 s-1. The softening mechanism is dynamic recovery,together with a partial dynamic recrystallization (DRX) at high temperature and low strain rate condition regardlessthe grain size. The nucleation mechanism of DRX is the strain induced grain boundary migration. Therefore,the DRX fraction is higher in surface specimen because the higher grain boundary density provides more nucleationsites. Based on processing maps, the applicable hot deformation parameters for the large size ingot are determinedto be at the temperature range of 440-450 °C and the strain rate of 0.1-0.3 s-1when taking the grain sizeinhomogeneity into account.