Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Extracted from Lycium barbarum Leaves Ameliorates Asthma in Mice by Reducing Inflammation and Modulating Gut Microbiota

Fang Cui,Chun-li Shi,Xiao-jing Zhou,Wang Wen,Xiao-ping Gao,Li-ying Wang,Bin He,Mei Yin,Jia-qing Zhao 한국식품영양과학회 2020 Journal of medicinal food Vol.23 No.7

This study was designed to explore the impact of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) on inflammation and gut microbiota in mice with allergic asthma. Mice were divided into four groups: control group, OVA (ovalbumin) group, Con+LBP group, OVA+LBP group. After 28 days of LBP intervention, mice were euthanized and associated indications were investigated. Histopathological examination demonstrated that LBP reduced lung injury. The results of our current study provide evidence that supplementation with LBP in asthmatic mice decreases TNF, IL-4, IL-6, MCP-1, and IL-17A in plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Sequencing and analysis of gut microbiota indicated that compared with the OVA group, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were increased, but Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Alistipes, and Clostridiales were decreased in the OVA+LBP group. We also found that gut microbiota were related to inflammation-related factors. Therefore, we speculate that LBP may improve allergic asthma by altering gut microbiota and inhibiting inflammation in mice.

Alu Tandem Sequences Inhibit GFP Gene Expression by Triggering Chromatin Wrapping

Xiu Fang Wang,Xiao Yan Wang,Jing Liu,Jing Jing Feng,Wen Li Mu,Xiao Juan Shi,Qin Qing Yang,Xiao Cui Duan,Ying Xie,Zhan Jun Lu 한국유전학회 2009 Genes & Genomics Vol.31 No.3

Alu elements belonging to the short interspersed nuclear elements (SINE) of repetitive elements are present in more than one million copies which altogether represent 10% of the whole human genome. In this study, the roles of Alu tandem sequences in the process of GFP gene (GFP) expression and packing into chromatin of its DNA were studied. To detect the effect of Alu repeats on gene expression, different copies of Alus were inserted GFP downstream respectively in pEGFP-C1 vector. We found that Alu sequences decreased the amount of GFP transcription, the percentage of GFP positive cells and the accessibility to DNase I in length-dependent manner. Inserting Alu caused the production of higher-molecular-mass RNA, indicating Alu sequence did not induce premature transcriptional termination. Tight packing chromatins keep silent and resist to DNase I digestion, which is a general phenomenon. We suggested that head and tail tandem Alu sequences suppressed GFP expression in length dependent manner by triggering chromatin packing.

Thermal Stability and Crystallization Kinetics of Cu-Zr-Al-Ag BMGs Investigated with Isothermal Electrical Resistance Measurement

Li-Fang Wang,Xiao Cui,Qi-Dong Zhang,Fang-Qiu Zu 대한금속·재료학회 2014 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.20 No.4

The thermal stability and crystallization kinetics of the CuxZr84-xAl8Ag8 (x = 42, 40, 38, and 36) bulk metallicglasses (BMGs) were studied by measurement of isothermal electrical-resistance. As the composition becomesricher in Zr, the longer incubation time at the same relative annealing temperature, and the larger local activationenergy needed to achieve the same crystallized volume-fraction, indicate improved thermal stability,which resists crystallization. The improved thermal stability is attributed to a denser atomic random-stackingstructure and larger negative heat-of-mixing. During isothermal annealing processes, the four BMGs exhibitedthe same nucleation mechanism, which is a decreasing rate of nucleation over time. However, the crystal growthmechanisms of the four BMGs are different. The crystallization of the Cu36Zr48Al8Ag8 and Cu38Zr46Al8Ag8BMGs is interface-controlled growth, contrasting with diffusion-controlled growth for the Cu40Zr44Al8Ag8 andCu42Zr42Al8Ag8 alloys. The different growth modes may be caused by fluctuations in composition due tochanges in the quantity and distribution of Cu-rich and Ag-rich regions.

Tailoring the Impact Toughness of Sintered NdFeB Magnets via Surface Coating

X. G. Cui,J. X. Pan,C. Y. Cui,P. Mei,X. H. Wang,C. Fang,T. Y. Ma,C. Wang,X. C. Peng 한국자기학회 2018 Journal of Magnetics Vol.23 No.1

Metallic coating by electroplating is commonly attractive for improving the corrosion resistance of sintered NdFeB magnets. However, its tailoring of mechanical characteristics for sintered NdFeB magnets has been seldom concerned. Herein, the impact toughnesses of sintered NdFeB magnets with various metallic coatings (Ni or Ni/Sn) were comparatively investigated. The results indicate that the impact toughnesses of sintered NdFeB magnets are both improved by Ni coating and Ni/Sn bilayer coating. And Ni/Sn bilayer coating exhibits more enhancement of the impact toughness, increased by 41.6% compared with the original magnet. Moreover, the microstructural observations of the metallic coatings and the fracture were conducted, and the enhanced mechanism of impact toughness for the magnet is analyzed. These findings may provide a reference for toughening the brittle materials.

Intravenous Tenecteplase for Acute Ischemic Stroke Within 4.5–24 Hours of Onset (ROSE-TNK): A Phase 2, Randomized, Multicenter Study

Wang Lu,Dai Ying-Jie,Cui Yu,Zhang Hong,Jiang Chang-Hao,Duan Ying-Jie,Zhao Yong,Feng Ye-Fang,Geng Shi-Mei,Zhang Zai-Hui,Lu Jiang,Zhang Ping,Zhao Li-Wei,Zhao Hang,Ma Yu-Tong,Song Cheng-Guang,Zhang Yi,Ch 대한뇌졸중학회 2023 Journal of stroke Vol.25 No.3

Background and Purpose Intravenous tenecteplase (TNK) efficacy has not been well demonstrated in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) beyond 4.5 hours after onset. This study aimed to determine the effect of intravenous TNK for AIS within 4.5 to 24 hours of onset. Methods In this pilot trial, eligible AIS patients with diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI)-fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) mismatch were randomly allocated to intravenous TNK (0.25 mg/kg) or standard care within 4.5–24 hours of onset. The primary endpoint was excellent functional outcome at 90 days (modified Rankin Scale [mRS] score of 0–1). The primary safety endpoint was symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH). Results Of the randomly assigned 80 patients, the primary endpoint occurred in 52.5% (21/40) of TNK group and 50.0% (20/40) of control group, with no significant difference (unadjusted odds ratio, 1.11; 95% confidence interval 0.46–2.66; <i>P</i>=0.82). More early neurological improvement occurred in TNK group than in control group (11 vs. 3, <i>P</i>=0.03), but no significant differences were found in other secondary endpoints, such as mRS 0–2 at 90 days, shift analysis of mRS at 90 days, and change in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score at 24 hours and 7 days. There were no cases of sICH in this trial; however, asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 3 of the 40 patients (7.5%) in the TNK group. Conclusion This phase 2, randomized, multicenter study suggests that intravenous TNK within 4.5–24 hours of onset may be safe and feasible in AIS patients with a DWI-FLAIR mismatch.

Proteomic Analysis on Exosomes Derived from Patients’ Sera Infected with Echinococcus granulosus

Wen Wang,Xiaojing Zhou,Fang Cui,Chunli Shi,Yulan Wang,Yanfei Men,Wei Zhao,Jiaqing Zhao 대한기생충학ㆍ열대의학회 2019 The Korean Journal of Parasitology Vol.57 No.5

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), a zoonotic disease caused by Echinococcus granulosus at the larval stage, predominantly develops in the liver and lungs of intermediate hosts and eventually results in organ malfunction or even death. The interaction between E. granulosus and human body is incompletely understood. Exosomes are nanosized particles ubiquitously present in human body fluids. Exosomes carry biomolecules that facilitate communication between cells. To the best of our knowledge, the role of exosomes in patients with CE is not reported. Here, we isolated exosomes from the sera of patients with CE (CE-exo) and healthy donors and subjected them to liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis. Proteomic analysis identified 49 proteins specifically expressed in CE-exo, including 4 proteins of parasitic origin. The most valuable parasitic proteins included tubulin alpha-1C chain and histone H4. And 8 proteins were differentially regulated in CE-exo (fold change>1.5), as analyzed with bioinformatic methods such as annotation and functional enrichment analyses. These findings may improve our understanding about the interaction between E. granulosus and human body, and may contribute to the diagnosis and prevention of CE.

Hydration, Compressive Strength and Durability of Eco-friendly Cement Mortars Containing Recycled Brick Powder and Metakaolin

Hao Wang,Liang Wang,Xin Qian,Ke Cao,Ying Xu,Yi Fang,Liyun Cui 대한토목학회 2022 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.26 No.9

Grinding brick waste into powder for use as a supplementary cementitious material has shown to be a promising recycling method for the reuse of construction and demolition waste.However, the strength and durability of concrete containing recycled brick powder (RBP) will significantly decrease due to the poor pozzolanic activity of RBP, limiting its wider applications. This study attempted to overcome these defects through metakaolin (MK) addition. The hydration, compressive strength, durability, and environmental impact of eco-friendly mortars containing RBP and MK were investigated. The results showed that MK promoted the early-stage hydration of cement, creating a suitable hydration environment for the hydration of RBP at a later age. As a result, the volume fractions of low-density calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) and high-density C-S-H increased according to the nanoindentation test results. In addition, the strength, chloride penetration resistance, and reinforcement bar corrosion resistance of the blended mortars obviously improved due to the synergistic effect of RBP and MK. Lastly, we achieved CO2 emissions that were 22.1 – 30.2% lower and energy consumption that was 21.4 – 27.0% lower by incorporating 20% RBP and 5 – 15% MK.

Association between ERBB4 gene polymorphism in the microRNA binding site and endometrial carcinoma risk

Lingdi Wang,Lei Fang,Yulan Cui 한국유전학회 2015 Genes & Genomics Vol.37 No.12

The relationship between the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of ERBB4 gene in the microRNA binding site and the susceptibility of endometrial carcinoma was investigated. A total of 1671 patients with endometrial carcinoma and 1796 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Genotypes of the ERBB4 gene in the microRNA binding sites at rs1595066 and rs16845990 were then determined using the TaqMan SNP method. The endometrial carcinoma patients and healthy controls showed significant differences in three ERBB4 gene genotypes in the microRNA binding site at rs1595066 (P = 0.044), whereas no difference was observed at the rs16845990 site (P = 0.313). Carriers of the AG and AA genotypes at the rs1595066 site showed lower risk of endometrial carcinoma than the carriers of the GG genotype [odds ratio (OR) = 0.82 and 95 % confidence interval (CI) = 0.70–0.94, and OR = 0.74 and 95 % CI = 0.56–0.94, respectively]. Stratified analysis showed that this protective effect was significant in subjects older than 50 years and those without a history of benign endometrial disease or a family history of cancer. The polymorphism of rs1595066 G[A in the microRNA binding site of the ERBB4 gene is possibly associated with the reduction of endometrial carcinoma risk.

Novel asymmetric duty modulation for DAB converters to improve light load efficiency

Feng Wang,Xinyu Cui,Fang Zhuo,Jiachen Tian,Zhi Zheng,Ruixin Xu 전력전자학회 2023 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.23 No.4

In a DC distribution network, the solid-state transformer (SST) and energy storage systems require an isolated bidirectionalDC–DC converter (IBDC). Among the many IBDCs, the dual active bridge (DAB) converter has been widely studied dueto its advantages in terms of high power density and high efficiency. The traditional control strategy for DAB is phase shiftcontrol. However, when the primary and secondary side voltages do not match, the soft-switching characteristic and increasingcurrent in the phase shift control affect the application of DAB in scenarios involving input and output voltage changes. To improve the above-mentioned defects, a novel asymmetric duty modulation (ADM) control is proposed in this paper. Among the various multi-variable ADM controls, the two-variable ADM control is simple, but its current is higher under light loads. To improve this defect, this paper introduces trapezoidal modulation (TZM) control proposed for phase shift control into ADM to form a similar TZM (STZM) control corresponding to TZM control. This paper first expounds the basic principle of STZM control. On this basis, its basic characteristics are researched. With current stress as the optimization goal, an optimal STZM (OSTZM) control scheme with minimum current stress is proposed, and the effectiveness of the theoretical analysis is verified on the experimental bench. The result shows that STZM control can improve efficiency under light loads by reducing the current and ensuring full ZVS.

Performance and Spatial Succession of a Full-Scale Anaerobic Plant Treating High-Concentration Cassava Bioethanol Wastewater

( Gao Rui Fang ),( Xu Feng Yuan ),( Jia Jia Li ),( Xiao Fen Wang ),( Xu Cheng ),( Wan Bin Zhu ),( Zong Jun Cui ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2012 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.22 No.8

A novel two-phase anaerobic treatment technology was developed to treat high-concentration organic cassava bioethanol wastewater. The start-up process and contribution of organics (COD, total nitrogen, and NH4+-N) removal in spatial succession of the whole process and spatial microbial diversity changing when sampling were analyzed. The results of the start-up phase showed that the organic loading rate could reach up to 10 kg COD/m3d, with the COD removal rate remaining over 90% after 25 days. The sample results indicated that the contribution of COD removal in the pre-anaerobic and anaerobic phases was 40% and 60%, respectively, with the highest efficiency of 98.5%; TN and NH4+-N had decreased to 0.05 g/l and 0.90 g/l, respectively, and the mineralization rate of total nitrogen was 94.8%, 76.56% of which was attributed to the anaerobic part. The microbial diversity changed remarkably among different sample points depending on the physiological characteristics of identified strains. Moraxellaceae, Planococcaceae, and Prevotellaceae were dominant in the pre-anaerobic phase and Bacteroidetes, Campylobacterales, Acinetobacter, Lactobacillus, Clostridium, and Bacillus for the anaerobic phase. Methanosarcinaceae and Methanosaeta were the two main phylotypes in the anaerobic reactor.