A Fibrin Matrix Promotes the Differentiation of EMSCs Isolated from Nasal Respiratory Mucosa to Myelinating Phenotypical Schwann-Like Cells

Zhijian Zhang,Qian Chen,Jinbo Liu,Qinghua He,Yuepeng Zhou,Genbao Shao,Xianglan Sun,Xudong Cao,Aihua Gong,Ping Jiang 한국분자세포생물학회 2015 Molecules and cells Vol.38 No.3

Because Schwann cells perform the triple tasks of myelination, axon guidance and neurotrophin synthesis, they are candidates for cell transplantation that might cure some types of nervous-system degenerative diseases or injuries. However, Schwann cells are difficult to obtain. As another option, ectomesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs) can be easily harvested from the nasal respiratory mucosa. Whether fibrin, an important transplantation vehicle, can improve the differentiation of EMSCs into Schwann-like cells (SLCs) deserves further research. EMSCs were isolated from rat nasal respiratory mucosa and were purified using anti-CD133 magnetic cell sorting. The purified cells strongly expressed HNK-1, nestin, p75NTR, S-100, and vimentin. Using nuclear staining, the MTT assay and Western blotting analysis of the expression of cell-cycle markers, the proliferation rate of EMSCs on a fibrin matrix was found to be significantly higher than that of cells grown on a plastic surface but insignificantly lower than that of cells grown on fibronectin. Additionally, the EMSCs grown on the fibrin matrix expressed myelination-related molecules, including myelin basic protein (MBP), 2’,3’-cyclic nucleotide 3’-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) and galactocerebrosides (GalCer), more strongly than did those grown on fibronectin or a plastic surface. Furthermore, the EMSCs grown on the fibrin matrix synthesized more neurotrophins compared with those grown on fibronectin or a plastic surface. The expression level of integrin in EMSCs grown on fibrin was similar to that of cells grown on fibronectin but was higher than that of cells grown on a plastic surface. These results demonstrated that fibrin notonly promoted EMSC proliferation but also the differentiation of EMSCs into the SLCs. Our findings suggested that fibrin has great promise as a cell transplantation vehicle for the treatment of some types of nervous system diseases or injuries.

Effects of Chicory Inulin on Serum Metabolites of Uric Acid, Lipids, Glucose, and Abdominal Fat Deposition in Quails Induced by Purine-Rich Diets

Zhijian Lin,Bing Zhang,Xiaoqing Liu,Rui Jin,Wenjing Zhu 한국식품영양과학회 2014 Journal of medicinal food Vol.17 No.11

Inulin, a group of dietary fibers, is reported to improve the metabolic disorders. In the present study, we investigated the effects of chicory inulin on serum metabolites of uric acid (UA), lipids, glucose, and abdominal fat deposition in quail model induced by a purine-rich diet. In this study, 60 male French quails were randomly allocated to five groups: CON (control group), MOD (model group), BEN (benzbromarone-treated group), CHI-H (high-dosage chicory inulin-treated group), and CHI-L (low-dosage chicory inulin-treated group). The serum UA level was significantly increased in the model group from days 7 to 28, as well as triglyceride (TG) and free fatty acid (FFA) increased later in the experimental period. The abdominal fat ratio was increased on day 28. Benzbromarone can decrease UA levels on days 14 and 28. The high and low dosage of chicory inulin also decreased serum UA levels on days 7, 14, and 28. The abdominal fat ratio, activity, and protein of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) were decreased in chicory inulin-treated groups. The activities of xanthine oxidase (XOD) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) were increased in the model group and decreased in the benzbromarone and chicory inulin groups. This study evaluated a quail model of induced hyperuricemia with other metabolic disorders caused by a high-purine diet. The results indicated that a purine-rich diet might contribute to the development of hyperuricemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and abdominal obesity. Chicory inulin decreased serum UA, TG, and abdominal fat deposition in a quail model of hyperuricemia by altering the ACC protein expression and FAS and XOD activities.

Genome-wide identification and resistance expression analysis of the NBS gene family in Triticum urartu

Jing Liu,Linyi Qiao,Xiaojun Zhang,Xin Li,Haixian Zhan,Huijuan Guo,Jun Zheng,Zhijian Chang 한국유전학회 2017 Genes & Genomics Vol.39 No.6

As the largest class of resistant genes, the nucleotide binding site (NBS) has been studied extensively at a genome-wide level in rice, sorghum, maize, barley and hexaploid wheat. However, no such comprehensive analysis has been conducted of the NBS gene family in Triticum urartu, the donor of the A genome to the common wheat. Using a bioinformatics method, 463 NBS genes were isolated from the whole genome of T. urartu, of which 461 had location information. The expansion pattern and evolution of the 461 NBS candidate proteins were analyzed, and 118 of them were duplicated. By calculating the lengths of the copies, it was inferred that the NBS resistance gene family of T. urartu has experienced at least two duplication events. Expression analysis based on RNA-seq data found that 6 genes were differentially expressed among Tu38, Tu138 and Tu158 in response to Blumeria graminis f.sp.tritici (Bgt). Following Bgt infection, the expression levels of these genes were up-regulated. These results provide critical references for further identification and analysis of NBS family genes with important functions.

On Some Skew Constants in Banach Spaces

Yuankang Fu,Zhijian Yang,Qi Liu,Yongjin Li 경북대학교 자연과학대학 수학과 2023 Kyungpook mathematical journal Vol.63 No.2

We introduce the constants E[t, X], CNJ[X] and J[t, X] to describe the asym metry of the norm. They can be seen as the skew version of the Gao’s parameter, von Neumann-Jordan constant and Milman’s moduli, respectively. We establish basic proper ties of these constants, relating them other well known constants, and use these properties to calculate the constants for specific spaces. We then use these constants to study Hilbert spaces, uniformly non-square spaces and their normal structures. With the Banach-Mazur distance, we use them to study isomorphic Banach spaces

b-Cyclodextrin-based poly(ionic liquids) membranes enable the efficient separation of the amino acids mixture

Wang Yu,Lianglei Liu,Fenfang Li,Zhijian Tan 한국공업화학회 2021 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.103 No.-

As a kind of novel polyelectrolyte materials, poly(ionic liquids) (PILs) have excellent potentiality in theseparation of ampholytes suchlike amino acids. Herein, the b-cyclodextrin-based PILs had been synthesized,followed by blending with poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) to prepare poly(ionic liquid) membranes(PILMs). The Fourier transformed infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance(1H NMR), scanning electron microscope (SEM), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), mechanical strength,zeta potential, and pore size distribution were characterized for these membranes or their intermediates. These PILMs had been developed for the selection separation of the amino acids mixture of L-glutamicacid (L-Glu) and L-threonine (L-Thr). The factors influencing the separation result were investigated,including the solution pH of the amino acids mixture and the PVDF amount in PILMs. The maximumselectivity of 55% can be obtain by one-step separation under the optimal conditions. This separation processusing PILMs had the advantages of good selectivity, low operating pressure, larger water flux, andgood reusability, which had the potentiality in the separation of various amino acids mixtures.

SALT-INDUCED CHLOROPLAST PROTEIN (SCP) is Involved in Plant Tolerance to Salt Stress in Arabidopsis

Yong Zhuang,Yangxuan Liu,Yuxiang Li,Ming Wei,Yuying Tang,Penghui Li,Zhijian Liu,Hui Li,Weizao Huang,Songhu Wang 한국식물학회 2019 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.62 No.6

Soil salinization threats the agricultural productionand food security worldwide. Salt stress induced plantsenescence and chloroplast degradation. However, it remainslargely unknown how the chloroplast-localized proteins affectplant response to salt stress. Here, we characterized a novelgene (At5g39520) in Arabidopsis, which is induced by saltstress and encodes a chloroplast-localized protein. Thus, thisgene was named SALT-INDUCED CHLOROPLAST PROTEIN(SCP). A T-DNA insertion mutant of SCP gene (scp-1)showed the enhanced tolerance to salt stress, as indicated bythe increased survival rates, fresh weights and chlorophyllcontents compared with wild type plants under salt treatment. Salt-induced leaf senescence was also delayed in scp-1 mutant. The scp-1 complementation line and SCP overexpressionlines displayed the hypersensitivity to salt stress. The qRTPCRanalysis indicated that the transcripts of CHLOROPLASTVESICULATION (CV), which mediates stress-inducedchloroplast degradation, were altered in scp-1 mutant andSCP overexpression lines. Taken together, our results suggestthat SCP gene plays a negative role in response to salt stress andhas potential application for genetic modification of improvingplant tolerance to salt stress.

Phase transition enhanced thermoelectric performance for perovskites: The case of AgTaO3

Wang Zhijun,He Zhijian,Lei Chihou,Zou Daifeng,Liu Yunya 한국물리학회 2023 Current Applied Physics Vol.48 No.-

In general, perovskite materials, such as AgTaO3, can exhibit complex structural phase transitions when the temperature changes. Different phase structures may show distinct thermoelectric properties. However, the effects of phase transition on the thermoelectric performance of AgTaO3 have yet to be systematically investigated. Thus, in this work, the electronic structures and thermoelectric properties of the p-type AgTaO3 in various phase structures are investigated by utilizing first-principles calculations and semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory. The results show that the p-type AgTaO3 in the cubic phase shows a superior power factor because the cubic phase possesses a large Seebeck coefficient and intermediate electrical conductivity. The calculated thermoelectric performance is consistent with the predictions and explanations from the analyses of the electronic structures. When the p-type AgTaO3 is transformed from the tetragonal phase to the cubic phase, its power factor is tripled, suggesting that a suitable phase transition can improve the thermoelectric properties of perovskites.

A Fibrin Matrix Promotes the Differentiation of EMSCs Isolated from Nasal Respiratory Mucosa to Myelinating Phenotypical Schwann-Like Cells

Chen, Qian,Zhang, Zhijian,Liu, Jinbo,He, Qinghua,Zhou, Yuepeng,Shao, Genbao,Sun, Xianglan,Cao, Xudong,Gong, Aihua,Jiang, Ping Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2015 Molecules and cells Vol.38 No.3

Because Schwann cells perform the triple tasks of myelination, axon guidance and neurotrophin synthesis, they are candidates for cell transplantation that might cure some types of nervous-system degenerative diseases or injuries. However, Schwann cells are difficult to obtain. As another option, ectomesenchymal stem cells (EMSCs) can be easily harvested from the nasal respiratory mucosa. Whether fibrin, an important transplantation vehicle, can improve the differentiation of EMSCs into Schwann-like cells (SLCs) deserves further research. EMSCs were isolated from rat nasal respiratory mucosa and were purified using anti-CD133 magnetic cell sorting. The purified cells strongly expressed HNK-1, nestin, $p75^{NTR}$, S-100, and vimentin. Using nuclear staining, the MTT assay and Western blotting analysis of the expression of cell-cycle markers, the proliferation rate of EMSCs on a fibrin matrix was found to be significantly higher than that of cells grown on a plastic surface but insignificantly lower than that of cells grown on fibronectin. Additionally, the EMSCs grown on the fibrin matrix expressed myelination-related molecules, including myelin basic protein (MBP), 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase) and galactocerebrosides (GalCer), more strongly than did those grown on fibronectin or a plastic surface. Furthermore, the EMSCs grown on the fibrin matrix synthesized more neurotrophins compared with those grown on fibronectin or a plastic surface. The expression level of integrin in EMSCs grown on fibrin was similar to that of cells grown on fibronectin but was higher than that of cells grown on a plastic surface. These results demonstrated that fibrin not only promoted EMSC proliferation but also the differentiation of EMSCs into the SLCs. Our findings suggested that fibrin has great promise as a cell transplantation vehicle for the treatment of some types of nervous system diseases or injuries.

High sensitivity thermometry and optical heating Bi-function of Yb3+/Tm3+ Co-doped BaGd2ZnO5 phosphors

Zhen Sun,Guofeng Liu,Zuoling Fu,Xiangtong Zhang,Zhijian Wu,Yanling Wei 한국물리학회 2017 Current Applied Physics Vol.17 No.2

Yb3þ/Tm3þ co-doped BaGd2ZnO5 phosphors have been effectively synthesized by traditional sol-gel method. The graph of X-ray diffraction (XRD) exhibited that the obtained phosphors were pure orthorhombic phase. The morphology and composition of the samples were obtained by field emissionscanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and the energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). From upconversion luminance (UCL) emission spectra, the two strong blue emissions were obviously observed at 478 and 485 nm under the excitation of 980 nm. The possible energy diagram and UC mechanism were explained in detail. Optical temperature (T) sensing performances were evaluated in the temperature ranging 313 K - 573 K. And the highest sensor sensitivity calculated was 0.0055 K『1 at 323 K. Additionally, the laser excitation heating effect was also explored. The results indicated that Yb3þ/Tm3þ codoped BaGd2ZnO5 phosphors could be applied on optical temperature sensors and optical heater.

Genomic Sequence Analysis and Organization of BmKαTx11 and BmKαTx15 from Buthus martensii Karsch: Molecular Evolution of α-toxin genes

Xu, Xiuling,Cao, Zhijian,Sheng, Jiqun,Wu, Wenlan,Luo, Feng,Sha, Yonggang,Mao, Xin,Liu, Hui,Jiang, Dahe,Li, Wenxin Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2005 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.38 No.4

Based on the reported cDNA sequences of $BmK{\alpha}Txs$, the genes encoding toxin $BmK{\alpha}Tx11$ and $BmK{\alpha}Tx15$ were amplified by PCR from the Chinese scorpion Buthus martensii Karsch genomic DNA employing synthetic oligonucleotides. Sequences analysis of nucleotide showed that an intron about 500 bp length interrupts signal peptide coding regions of $BmK{\alpha}Tx11$ and $BmK{\alpha}Tx15$. Using cDNA sequence of $BmK{\alpha}Tx11$ as probe, southern hybridization of BmK genome total DNA was performed. The result indicates that $BmK{\alpha}Tx11$ is multicopy genes or belongs to multiple gene family with high homology genes. The similarity of $BmK{\alpha}$-toxin gene sequences and southern hybridization revealed the evolution trace of $BmK{\alpha}$-toxins: $BmK{\alpha}$-toxin genes evolve from a common progenitor, and the genes diversity is associated with a process of locus duplication and gene divergence.