A review of experimental methods for characterising composite viscosities of continuous fibre-reinforced polymer composites

Wang Jinhuo,Han Yang,Ge Xiaohong,Qi Zhengbing,Zhao Jun,Wang Rongwen,Wu Huawei,Han Taiping,Sun Shaoxun,Wang Hui,Lin Jia,Liu Yuejun,Kong Xiangsong,Chen Qiming,Zeng Xiangxu 한국유변학회 2023 Korea-Australia rheology journal Vol.35 No.2

Optimisation design of composite structures requires an accurate predictive model for forming behaviour. The simulation process contains a number of model parameters which include transverse and longitudinal viscosities of continuous fibrereinforced viscous composites, fundamental to predicting the shear rheology. Shearing the unidirectional composite along the fibre direction gives a measure of the longitudinal viscosity (LV), whilst shearing across or transverse to the fibre direction gives a measure of the transverse viscosity (TV). Numerous experimental work was conducted in the past to measure these two viscosities for various materials. However, conflicting measurements by different test methods were obtained and these apparent discrepancies had not yet been systematically investigated in any single study. This paper reviews previous work on characterisation techniques to further understand the cause of such discrepancy, and hence to improve measurement accuracy, which would benefit future work on theoretical modelling of the composite viscosities and optimisation simulation of composites forming. Some important findings, such as effects of resin-rich areas, contributory factors of elastic effects, non-Newtonian behaviour for composites with Newtonian matrix, aspect ratio and end effects of test samples, geometry effects of fibres and fibre rearrangement during shearing, existence of a mathematical relationship between LV and TV and necessary benchmarking exercise using Newtonian matrix composites, were summarised.

Anti-tumor Effects of Penfluridol through Dysregulation of Cholesterol Homeostasis

Wu, Lu,Liu, Yan-Yang,Li, Zhi-Xi,Zhao, Qian,Wang, Xia,Yu, Yang,Wang, Yu-Yi,Wang, Yi-Qin,Luo, Feng Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.1

Background: Psychiatric patients appear to be at lower risk of cancer. Some antipsychotic drugs might have inhibitory effects on tumor growth, including penfluridol, a strong agent. To test this, we conducted a study to determine whether penfluridol exerts cytotoxic effects on tumor cells and, if so, to explore its anti-tumor mechanisms. Methods: Growth inhibition of mouse cancer cell lines by penfluridol was determined using the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cytotoxic activity was determined by clonogenic cell survival and trypan blue assays. Animal tumor models of these cancer cells were established and to evaluate penfluridol for its anti-tumor efficacy in vivo. Unesterified cholesterol in cancer cells was examined by filipin staining. Serum total cholesterol and tumor total cholesterol were detected using the cholesterol oxidase/p-aminophenazone (CHOD-PAP) method. Results: Penfluridol inhibited the proliferation of B16 melanoma (B16/F10), LL/2 lung carcinoma (LL/2), CT26 colon carcinoma (CT26) and 4T1 breast cancer (4T1) cells in vitro. In vivo penfluridol was particularly effective at inhibiting LL/2 lung tumor growth, and obviously prolonged the survival time of mice bearing LL/2 lung tumors implanted subcutaneously. Accumulated unesterified cholesterol was found in all of the cancer cells treated with penfluridol, and this effect was most evident in LL/2, 4T1 and CT26 cells. No significant difference in serum cholesterol levels was found between the normal saline-treated mice and the penfluridol-treated mice. However, a dose-dependent decrease of total cholesterol in tumor tissues was observed in penfluridol-treated mice, which was most evident in B16/F10-, LL/2-, and 4T1-tumor-bearing mice. Conclusion: Our results suggested that penfluridol is not only cytotoxic to cancer cells in vitro but can also inhibit tumor growth in vivo. Dysregulation of cholesterol homeostasis by penfluridol may be involved in its anti-tumor mechanisms.

Development of Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Based on Solidification of Floating Organic Drop for the Sensitive Determination of Trace Copper in Water and Beverage Samples by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Wu, Chunxia,Zhao, Bin,Li, Yingli,Wu, Qiuhua,Wang, Chun,Wang, Zhi Korean Chemical Society 2011 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.32 No.3

A dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet (DLLME-SFO) has been developed as a new approach for the extraction of trace copper in water and beverage samples followed by the determination with flame atomic absorption spectrometry. In the DLLME-SFO, 8-hydroxy quinoline, 1-dodecanol, and methanol were used as chelating agent, extraction solvent and dispersive solvent, respectively. The experimental parameters related to the DLLME-SFO such as the type and volume of the extraction and dispersive solvent, extraction time, sample volume, the concentration of chelating agent and salt addition were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factor for copper was 122. The method was linear in the range from 0.5 to $300\;ng\;mL^{-1}$ of copper in the samples with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9996 and a limit of detection of $0.1\;ng\;mL^{-1}$. The method was applied to the determination of copper in water and beverage samples. The recoveries for the spiked water and beverage samples at the copper concentration levels of 5.0 and $10.0\;ng\;mL^{-1}$ were in the range between 92.0% and 108.0%. The relative standard deviations (RSD) varied from 3.0% to 5.6%.

Establishment and validation of five autophagy-related signatures for predicting survival and immune microenvironment in glioma

Zhao Zijun,Wu Yue,Wang Zairan,Xu Jiayi,Wang Yizheng,Zhao Zongmao 한국유전학회 2022 Genes & Genomics Vol.44 No.1

Background: Gliomas, especially Glioblastoma multiforme, are the most frequent type of primary tumors in central nervous system. Increasing researches have revealed the relationship between autophagy and tumor, while the molecular mechanism of autophagy in glioma is still rarely reported. Objective: Our research aims to conform the autophagy-related genes (ARGs) implicated in the development and progression of glioma and improve our understanding of autophagy in glioma. Methods: 20 candidate ARGs were screened through the protein-protein interaction network. We also downloaded the publicly accessible glioma data for 665 individuals from TCGA and 970 individuals from CGGA with RNA sequences and clinicopathological information. Subsequently, univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis identified 5 key ARGs among the 20 candidate genes as key prognostic genes for survival, GSEA and immune response analysis. Results: ATG5, BCL2L1, CASP3, CASP8, GAPDH were identified as key ARGs in our research. Further studies showed that the high-risk population was linked to a dismal prognosis and suggested an immune-inhibitory microenvironment. GSEA results demonstrated that high risk population was closely related to DNA repair, hypoxia pathways, implicated in immunosuppression and carcinogenesis. Through CMap, we finally identified 14 candidate drugs for the ARG high risk population. Conclusions: This study established and verified an ARG risk model, which can serve as an independent predictor for prognosis, reflect on the strength of the immune response and predict the potential drugs in glioma. Our findings offer new understandings of ARG molecular mechanism and promising therapeutic targets for glioma treatment.

Mechanistic Analysis of Taxol-induced Multidrug Resistance in an Ovarian Cancer Cell Line

Wang, Ning-Ning,Zhao, Li-Jun,Wu, Li-Nan,He, Ming-Feng,Qu, Jun-Wei,Zhao, Yi-Bing,Zhao, Wan-Zhou,Li, Jie-Shou,Wang, Jin-Hua Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.9

Objectives: To establish a taxol-resistant cell line of human ovarian carcinoma (A2780/Taxol) and investigate its biological features. Methods: The drug-resistant cell line (A2780/Taxol) was established by continuous stepwise selection with increasing concentrations of Taxol. Cell morphology was assessed by microscopy and growth curves were generated with in vitro and in vivo tumor xenograft models. With rhodamine123 (Rh123) assays, cell cycle distribution and the apoptotic rate were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). Drug resistance-related and signal associated proteins, including P-gp, MRPs, caveolin-1, PKC-${\alpha}$, Akt, ERK1/2, were detected by Western blotting. Results: A2780/Taxol cells were established with stable resistance to taxol. The drug resistance index (RI) was 430.7. Cross-resistance to other drugs was also shown, but there was no significant change to radioresistance. Compared with parental cells, A2780/Taxol cells were significantly heteromorphous, with a significant delay in population doubling time and reduced uptake of Rh123 (p<0.01). In vivo, tumor take by A2780 cells was 80%, and tumor volume increased gradually. In contrast, with A2780/Taxol cells in xenograft models there was no tumor development. FCM analysis revealed that A2780/Taxol cells had a higher percentage of G0/G1 and lower S phase, but no changes of G2 phase and the apoptosis rate. Expression of P-gp, MRP1, MRP2, BCRP, LRP, caveolin-1, PKC-${\alpha}$, Phospho-ERK1/2 and Phospho-JNK protein was significantly up-regulated, while Akt and p38 MARK protein expression was not changed in A2780/Taxol cells. Conclusion: The A2780/Taxol cell line is an ideal model to investigate the mechanism of muti-drug resistance related to overexpression of drug-resistance associated proteins and activation of the PKC-${\alpha}/ERK$ (JNK) signaling pathway.

High-density single nucleotide polymorphism chip-based conservation genetic analysis of indigenous pig breeds from Shandong Province, China

Wang, Yanping,Zhao, Xueyan,Wang, Cheng,Wang, Wenwen,Zhang, Qin,Wu, Ying,Wang, Jiying Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2021 Animal Bioscience Vol.34 No.7

Objective: Shandong indigenous pig breeds are important Chinese pig resources. Their progressive population decline in recent decades has attracted attention towards their conservation. Conservation genetics of these indigenous breeds are essential for developing a conservation and utilization scheme. Methods: A high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (HD-SNP) chip-based comparative analysis of genetic characteristics was performed for seven Shandong indigenous pig breeds in the context of five Western commercial breeds. Results: The results showed that Shandong indigenous pig breeds varied greatly in genetic diversity, effective population size, inbreeding level, and genetic distance with the Western commercial breeds. Specifically, Laiwu and Dapulian displayed low genetic diversity, and had a genetically distant relationship with the Western commercial breeds (average F statistics [F_ST] value of 0.3226 and 0.2666, respectively). Contrastingly, the other five breeds (Yantai, Licha, Yimeng, Wulain, and Heigai) displayed high genetic diversity within breed and had some extent of mixture pattern with the Western commercial breeds, especially Duroc and Landrace (F_ST values from 0.1043 to 0.2536). Furthermore, intensive gene flow was discovered among the seven Shandong indigenous breeds, particularly Wulian, Licha, and Heigai, as indicated by the large cluster formed in the principal component analysis scatterplot and small population differentiation (average of 0.1253) among them. Conclusion: Our study advances the understanding of genetic characteristics of Shandong indigenous breeds and provides essential information for developing an appropriate conservation and utilization scheme for these breeds.

A brain somatic RHEB doublet mutation causes focal cortical dysplasia type II

Shanshan Zhao,Zhenghui Li,Muxian Zhang,Lingliang Zhang,Honghua Zheng,Jinhuan Ning,Yanyan Wang,Feng-Peng Wang,Xiaobin Zhang,Hexia Gan,Yuanqing Wang,Xian Zhang,Hong Luo,Guojun Bu,Huaxi Xu,Yi Yao,Yun-wu 생화학분자생물학회 2019 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.51 No.-

Focal cortical dysplasia type II (FCDII) is a cerebral cortex malformation characterized by local cortical structure disorganization, neuronal dysmorphology, and refractory epilepsy. Brain somatic mutations in several genes involved in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway are associated with FCDII, but they are only found in a proportion of patients with FCDII. The genetic causes underlying the development FCDII in other patients remain unclear. Here, we carried out whole exome sequencing and targeted sequencing in paired brain–blood DNA from patients with FCDII and identified a brain somatic doublet mutation c.(A104T, C105A) in the Ras homolog, mTORC1 binding (RHEB) gene, which led to the RHEB p.Y35L mutation in one patient with FCDII. This RHEB mutation carrier had a dramatic increase of ribosomal protein S6 phosphorylation, indicating mTOR activation in the region of the brain lesion. The RHEB p.Y35L mutant protein had increased GTPλS-binding activity compared with wild-type RHEB. Overexpression of the RHEB p. Y35L variant in cultured cells also resulted in elevated S6 phosphorylation compared to wild-type RHEB. Importantly, in utero electroporation of the RHEB p.Y35L variant in mice induced S6 phosphorylation, cytomegalic neurons, dysregulated neuron migration, abnormal electroencephalogram, and seizures, all of which are found in patients with FCDII. Rapamycin treatment rescued abnormal electroencephalograms and alleviated seizures in these mice. These results demonstrate that brain somatic mutations in RHEB are also responsible for the pathogenesis of FCDII, indicating that aberrant activation of mTOR signaling is a primary driver and potential drug target for FCDII.

Development of Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction Based on Solidification of Floating Organic Drop for the Sensitive Determination of Trace Copper in Water and Beverage Samples by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

Chunxia Wu,Bin Zhao,Qiuhua Wu,Chun Wang,Zhi Wang,Yingli Li 대한화학회 2011 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.32 No.3

A dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction based on solidification of floating organic droplet (DLLME-SFO)has been developed as a new approach for the extraction of trace copper in water and beverage samples followed by the determination with flame atomic absorption spectrometry. In the DLLME-SFO, 8-hydroxy quinoline, 1-dodecanol, and methanol were used as chelating agent, extraction solvent and dispersive solvent,respectively. The experimental parameters related to the DLLME-SFO such as the type and volume of the extraction and dispersive solvent, extraction time, sample volume, the concentration of chelating agent and salt addition were investigated and optimized. Under the optimum conditions, the enrichment factor for copper was 122. The method was linear in the range from 0.5 to 300 ng mL^(−1) of copper in the samples with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.9996 and a limit of detection of 0.1 ng mL^(−1). The method was applied to the determination of copper in water and beverage samples. The recoveries for the spiked water and beverage samples at the copper concentration levels of 5.0 and 10.0 ng mL^(−1) were in the range between 92.0% and 108.0%. The relative standard deviations (RSD) varied from 3.0% to 5.6%.

Adsorption of Pb(II) from aqueous solution to Ni-doped bamboo charcoal

Yin Wang,Xuejiang Wang,Xin Wang,Mian Liu,Zhen Wu,Lianzhen Yang,Siqing Xia,Jianfu Zhao 한국공업화학회 2013 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.19 No.1

Bamboo charcoal (BC) obtained by pyrolysis of Makino bamboo in the absence of oxygen was used as support for the preparation of Ni-doped adsorbent (Ni-BC). The low-cost composite was characterized and used as an adsorbent for Pb(II) removal from water. The results showed that both BET surface area and total pore volume of Ni-BC increased. The adsorption of Pb(II) strongly depended on solution pH,temperature and ionic strength. The adsorption isotherms followed Langmuir isotherm model well, and the maximum adsorption capacities of Pb(II) at 298 K were 25.0 and 142.7 mg/g for BC and Ni-BC,respectively. The adsorption processes were well fitted by pseudo-second-order kinetic model. Thermodynamic parameters showed that the adsorptions of Pb(II) onto both adsorbents were feasible,spontaneous, and exothermic under the studied conditions. The spent Ni-BC could be readily regenerated for reuse.

Salivary Pepsin as an Intrinsic Marker for Diagnosis of Sub-types of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-related Disorders

( Yan-jun Wang ),( Xiu-qiong Lang ),( Dan Wu ),( Yu-qin He ),( Chun-hui Lan ),( Xiao-xiao ),( Bin Wang ),( Duo-wu Zou ),( Ji-min Wu ),( Yong-bin Zhao ),( Peter W Dettmar ),( Dong-feng Chen ),( Min Yan 대한소화기 기능성질환·운동학회 2020 Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (JNM Vol.26 No.1

Background/Aims To determine the value of salivary pepsin in discriminating sub-types of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and GERD-related disorders. Methods Overall, 322 patients with different sub-types of GERD and 45 healthy controls (HC) were studied. All patients took Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GerdQ) and underwent endoscopy and 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring and manometry. Salivary pepsin concentration (SPC) was detected by using colloidal gold double-antibody immunological sandwich assay. Oral esomeprazole treatment was administrated in the patients with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and extra-esophageal symptoms (EES). Results Compared to HC, patients with erosive esophagitis, NERD, EES, EES plus typical GERD symptoms, or Barrett’s esophagus had a higher prevalence of saliva and SPC (all P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the positive rate for pepsin in patients with functional heartburn or GERD with anxiety and depression, compared to HC. After esomeprazole treatment, the positive rate and SPC were significantly reduced in NERD (both P < 0.001) and in EES (P = 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). Of the 64 NERD patients, 71.9% (n = 46) were positive for salivary pepsin, which was significantly higher than the rate (43.8%, n = 28) of pathological acid reflux as detected by 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring (P = 0.002). Conclusions Salivary pepsin has an important significance for the diagnosis of GERD and GERD-related disorders. Salivary pepsin and 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring may complement with each other to improve the diagnostic efficiency.