Synergistic Effects of Leflunomide and Benazepril in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Nephropathy

Jin, Hua,Piao, Shang Guo,Jin, Ji Zhe,Jin, Ying Shun,Cui, Zhen Hua,Jin, Hai Feng,Zheng, Hai Lan,Li, Jin Ji,Jiang, Yu Ji,Yang, Chul Woo,Li, Can S.Karger 2014 The Nephron Journals Vol.126 No.3

<P>Abstract</P><P><B><I>Background:</I></B> Leflunomide (LEF) and benazepril have renoprotective effects on diabetic nephropathy (DN) through their anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic activities. This study investigated whether combined treatment using LEF and benazepril affords superior protection compared with the respective monotherapies. <B><I>Methods:</I></B> Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin (STZ, 65 mg/kg) by intraperitoneal injection in male Wistar rats. Two weeks after STZ injection, diabetic rats were treated daily for 12 weeks with LEF (10 mg/kg), benazepril (10 mg/kg), or a combination of both. Basic parameters (body weight, fasting blood glucose level, and 24 h urinary protein excretion), histopathology, inflammatory [inflammatory cell infiltration (ED-1), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR-2)] and glomerulosclerotic factors [transforming growth factor-β<SUB>1</SUB> (TGF-β<SUB>1</SUB>) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)], and oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG) were studied. <B><I>Results:</I></B> Benazepril or LEF treatment significantly prevented body weight loss and 24 h urinary protein excretion induced by diabetes; combined treatment with LEF and benazepril further improved these parameters compared with giving each drug alone (all p < 0.01). Increased expression of inflammatory (MCP-1 and TLR-2) and glomerulosclerotic (TGF-β<SUB>1</SUB> and CTGF) factors in diabetic rat kidney was reduced by treatment with either LEF or benazepril and was further reduced by the combined administration of the two drugs (p < 0.01). These effects were accompanied by suppression of urinary 8-OHdG excretion. There was no significant between-group difference in blood glucose level. <B><I>Conclusions:</I></B> LEF treatment lessens DN, and combined treatment with LEF and benazepril provides synergistic effects in preventing DN.</P><P>© 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel</P>

Optimization of biodiesel production from trap grease via acid catalysis

Jin-Suk Lee,Zhong-Ming Wang,Ji-Yeon Park,Chuang-Zhi Wu,Zhen-Hong Yuan 한국화학공학회 2008 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.25 No.4

As a kind of waste collected from restaurants, trap grease is a chemically challenging feedstock for biodiesel production for its high free fatty acid (FFA) content. A central composite design was used to evaluate the effect of methanol quantity, acid concentration and reaction time on the synthesis of biodiesel from the trap grease with 50% free fatty acid, while the reaction temperature was selected at 95 oC. Using response surface methodology, a quadratic polynomial equation was obtained for ester content by multiple regression analysis. Verification experiments confirmed the validity of the predicted model. To achieve the highest ester content of crude biodiesel (89.67%), the critical values of the three variables were 35.00 (methanol-to-oil molar ratio), 11.27 wt% (catalyst concentration based on trap grease) and 4.59 h (reaction time). The crude biodiesel could be purified by a second distillation to meet the requirement of biodiesel specification of Korea.

Novel biodiesel production technology from soybean soapstock

Jin-Suk Lee,Ji-Yeon Park,Chuang-Zhi Wu,Zhen-Hong Yuan,Zhong-Ming Wang 한국화학공학회 2007 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.24 No.6

Probability Hypothesis Density Filter Based on Strong Tracking MIE for Multiple Maneuvering Target Tracking

Jin-Long Yang,Hong-Bing Ji,Zhen-Hua Fan 제어·로봇·시스템학회 2013 International Journal of Control, Automation, and Vol.11 No.2

Taking into account the difficulties of multiple maneuvering target tracking due to the unknown target number and the uncertain acceleration, a novel multiple maneuvering target tracking algorithm based on the Probability Hypothesis Density (PHD) filter and Modified Input Estimation (MIE) technique is proposed in this paper. First, the unknown acceleration vector is added to the target state to form a new augmented state vector. Then, strong tracking filter multiple fading factors are introduced to the MIE method which can adjust the prediction covariance and the corresponding filter gain at different rates in real time, so that the MIE method can adaptively track high maneuvering targets well. Finally, we combine this adaptive MIE method with the PHD filter, which can effectively track multiple maneuvering targets without much prior information. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm has a higher tracking precision and a better real-time performance than the conventional maneuvering target tracking algorithms.

2D Computational Analysis of Overtopping Wave Energy Convertor

Zhen Liu,Beom-Soo Hyun,Ji-Yuan Jin 한국해양공학회 2009 韓國海洋工學會誌 Vol.23 No.6

An Overtopping Wave Energy Convertor (OWEC) is an offshore wave energy convertor used for collecting overtopping waves and converting the water pressure head into electric power through hydro turbines installed in a vertical dud affixed to the sea bed. A numerical wave tank based on the commercial computational fluid dynamics code Fluent is established for the corresponding analysis. The Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equation and two-phase VOF model are utilized to generate the 20 numerical linear propagating waves, which are validated by the overtopping experiment results. Calculations are made for several incident wave conditions and shape parameters for the overtopping device. Both the incident wave periods and heights have evident effects on the overtopping performance of the OWEC device. The computational analysis demonstrates that the present overtopping device is more compatible with longer incident wave periods.

A Study on Integrated OWC System within Turbine Effects

Zhen Liu,Beom-Soo Hyun,Key-Yong Hong,Young-Yeon Lee,Ji-Yuan Jin 한국해양공학회 2010 韓國海洋工學會誌 Vol.24 No.2

Oscillating Water Column is one of the most widely used converting systems all over the world. The operating performance is influenced by the efficiencies of the two converting stages in the owe Chamber-turbine integrated system. In order to study the effects of the pressure drop induced by the air turbine, the experiments using the impulse turbine and the orifice device are carried out in the wave simulator test rig. The numerical simulation utilizing the orifice and porous media modules is calculated and validated by the corresponding experimental data. The numerical wave tank based on the two-phase VOF model embedded with the above modules is employed to investigate the wave elevation, pressure variation inside the chamber and the air flow velocity in the duct. The effects of the air turbine on the integrated system and interaction among the uaoe elevation, pressure and air flow velocities variations are investigated, Which demonstrates that the present numerical model are more accurate to be employed.

Numerical Analysis of Wave Field in OWC Chamber Using VOF Model

ZHEN LIU,BEOM-SOO HYUN,JI-YUAN JIN 한국해양공학회 2008 韓國海洋工學會誌 Vol.22 No.2

Recently Oscillating Water Column (OWC) plants have been widely employed in wave energy conversion applications. It is necessary to investigate the chamber and optimize its shape parameters for maximizing air flow and energy conversion due to wave conditions. A 2D numerical wave tank based on a Fluent and VOF model is developed to generate the incident waves and is validated by theoretical solutions. The oscillating water column motion in the chamber predicted by the numerical method is compared with the available experimental data. Several geometric scales of the chamber are calculated to investigate the effect of the shape parameters on the oscillating water column motion and wave energy conversion.

The Application of FBNWT in Wave Overtopping Analysis

ZHEN LIU,BEOM-SOO HYUN,JI-YUAN JIN 한국해양공학회 2008 韓國海洋工學會誌 Vol.22 No.1

A 2-D Fluent-based wave tank wave tank (FBNWT) capable of simulating wave propagating and overtopping is presented. The FBNWT model is based on the Reynolds averaged Naiver - Stokes equations and VOF free surface tracking method. The piston wave maker system is realized by dynamic mesh technology (DMT) and user defined function (UDF). The non-iteration time advancement (NITA) PISO algorithm is employed for the velocity and pressure coupling. The FBNWT numerical solutions of linear wave propagation have been validated by analytical solutions. Several overtopping problems are simulated and the prediction results shaw good agreements with the experimental data, which demonstrates that the present male! can be utilized in the corresponding analysis.

Study on Characteristics of Heat Transfer and Flow in Plate Heat Exchanger

김진화(Zhen-Hua Jin),이광성(Kwang-sung Lee),지명국(Myoung-Kuk Ji),정한식(Han-Shik Chung),정효민(Hyo-Min Jeong) 대한설비공학회 2009 대한설비공학회 학술발표대회논문집 Vol.2009 No.-

In present work, experiments conducted to investigate the heat transfer characteristics and relationship between operating parameters and production of fresh water as output of the system. Plate Heat Exchanger (PHE) applied in vacuum evaporator for product fresh water that system intended to efficiently use low grade heat. PHE have become popular in chemical, power, food and refrigeration industries due to the efficient heat transfer performance, extremely compact design and flexibility of extend or modify to suit changed duty. The heat transfer part contains corrugated plates with 60 degree of chevron angle which verified by many researchers and commonly apply. Fresh water can be produced from saline water under near vacuum pressure by operating ejector. Consequently, evaporating temperature stay around 51-57 ℃ so it is possible to use any low grade heat source or renewable source. The maximum fresh water produced by freshwater generator with plat heat exchanger applied in the study was designed as 1.0 Ton/day.

Correlation of Overexpression of Nestin with Expression of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-Related Proteins in Gastric Adenocarcinoma

Liu, Jin-Kai,Chen, Wan-Cheng,Ji, Xiao-Zhen,Zheng, Wen-Hong,Han, Wei,An, Jing Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.7

Background: Nestin is associated with neoplastic transformation. However, the mechanisms by which nestin contributes regarding invasion and malignancy of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) remain unknown. Recent studies have shown that the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important in invasion and migration of cancer cells. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the expression of nestin and its correlation with EMT-related proteins in GAC. Materials and Methods: The expression of nestin and EMT-related proteins was examined in GAC specimens and cell lines by immunohistochemistry and Western blotting. Clinicopathological features and survival outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Positive nestin immunostaining was most obviously detected in the cytoplasm, nucleus or both cytoplasm and nucleus of tumor cells in 19.2% (24/125) of GAC tissues, which was significantly higher than that in normal gastric mucosa tissues (1.7%, 1/60) (p=0.001). Nestin expression was closely related to several clinicopathological factors and EMT-related proteins (E-cadherin, vimentin and Snail) and displayed a poor prognosis. Interestingly, simultaneous cytoplasmic and nuclear nestin expression correlated with EMT-related proteins (E-cadherin, vimentin and Snail) (p<0.05) and lymph node metastasis (p=0.041) and a shorter survival time (p<0.05), but this was not the case with cytoplasmic or nuclear nestin expression. Conclusions: Nestin, particularly expression in both cytoplasm and nucleus, might be involved in regulating EMT and malignant progression in GAC, with potential as an unfavorable indicator in tumor diagnosis and a target for clinical therapy.