Effect of Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus Immunotherapy on Upper and Lower Airway Eosinophilic Inflammatory Response to Nasal Allergen Challenge

Renbin Huang,Rundong Qin,Qiurong Hu,Zheng Zhu,YuKai Liu,Tian Luo,Jing Li 대한천식알레르기학회 2020 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.12 No.5

Purpose: It remains unknown whether allergen-specific immunotherapy (AIT) could attenuate airway inflammatory response triggered by allergen exposure. Methods: We performed Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Der-p) nasal provocation tests (NPTs) in allergic rhinitis (AR) and/or asthma patients without AIT (non-AIT), or at 16, 52, 104, or 156 weeks after Der-p AIT. Rhinitis and asthma visual analog scale (VAS; VAS of nasal symptoms [VAS-NS], VAS of asthma symptoms), the rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire (RQLQ), nasal lavage, sputum induction, fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), nasal airway resistance, pulmonary function, and airway hyperresponsiveness were performed before and after NPT. Results: Non-AIT subjects demonstrated significantly higher VAS-NS before and after NPT compared to AIT subjects (P < 0.05). NPT response was positive in 14 (100%) non-AIT, 7 (70%) 16 weeks-AIT, 6 (60%) 52 weeks-AIT, 6 (60%) 104 weeks-AIT, and 2 (20%) 156 weeks-AIT subjects. The NPT grade significantly correlated with AIT duration and baseline RQLQ score (r = −0.561, P < 0.001 and r = 0.525, P < 0.001, respectively). Sputum and nasal lavage eosinophil count, and FeNO in non-AIT subjects were significantly increased 6 hours after NPT (P < 0.05). AIT subjects did not change their sputum or nasal lavage eosinophil count before and after NPT. Subjects with 156 weeks-AIT demonstrated significantly lower levels of sputum and nasal lavage eosinophil count before and after NPT when compared with non-AIT patients (P < 0.05). Sputum eosinophil counts positively correlated with nasal lavage eosinophil counts at baseline and 6 hours after NPT (r = 0.719, P = 0.006 and r = 0.823, P < 0.001, respectively) in non-AIT patients. Conclusion: Our results show that AIT can attenuate both upper and lower airway immune response to nasal allergen exposure in patients with AR and/or asthma.

Dyeing and Functionalization of Wool Fabric with Alizarin Red S via Covalent Combination Catalyzed by Horseradish Peroxidase and Hydrogen Peroxide

Renbin Sun,Jiangfei Lou,Xuerong Fan,Weidong Gao,Zhengbiao Gu 한국섬유공학회 2023 Fibers and polymers Vol.24 No.12

Metal ion mordants are commonly used in the process of dyeing natural fabrics, such as cotton, wool, and silk, to improve their color fastness, but the use of metal salts results in toxic metal wastes which can harm the environment and are costly to process. This study investigated the dyeing and functionalization of wool fabrics with Alizarin Red S (ARS), catalyzed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and H2O2, as well as the polymerization mechanism of the ARS/HRP-H2O2 system and possible covalent conjugation mechanisms with wool fiber proteins. The dyeing process was optimized by determining the effects of HRP and ARS dosages, reaction temperature, and reaction time on ARS dyeing performance, as well as the color fastness and antibacterial properties of the resulting dyed fabrics. The HRP and H2O2 catalyzed polymerization of ARS and covalent attachment of the polymers to the wool fibers resulted in dyed fabrics with high color fastness; the rubbing and washing fastness were both 4–5. The antibacterial properties of dyed wool fabrics were excellent, achieving 92.3% growth inhibition of Escherichia coli. Therefore, the HRP-H2O2 system has great potential to replace metal mordants in the dyeing process of natural fibers and reduce the production of toxic wastes by this industry.

The effects of cigarettes and alcohol on intestinal microbiota in healthy men

Lin Renbin,Zhang Yawen,Chen Luyi,Qi Yadong,He Jiamin,Hu Mengjia,Zhang Ying,Fan Lina,Yang Tao,Wang Lan,Si Misi,Chen Shujie 한국미생물학회 2020 The journal of microbiology Vol.58 No.11

Human intestinal microbiota is affected by the exogenous microenvironment. This study aimed to determine the effects of cigarettes and alcohol on the gut microbiota of healthy men. In total, 116 healthy male subjects were enrolled and divided into four groups: non-smoking and non-drinking (Group A), smoking only (Group B), drinking only (Group C), and smoking and drinking combined (Group D). Fecal samples were collected and sequenced using 16S rRNA to analyze the microbial composition. Short-chain fatty acid (SCFAs) levels in feces were determined by gas chromatography. We found that cigarette and alcohol consumptions can alter overall composition of gut microbiota in healthy men. The relative abundances of phylum Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes and more than 40 genera were changed with cigarette and alcohol consumptions. SCFAs decreased with smoking and alcohol consumption. Multivariate analysis indicated that when compared with group A, group B/C/D had higher Bacteroides, and lower Phascolarctobacterium, Ruminococcaceae_ UCG-002, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-003, and Ruminiclostridium_ 9 regardless of BMI and age. Additionally, the abundance of Bacteroides was positively correlated with the smoking pack-year (r = 0.207, p < 0.05), the abundance of predicted pathway of bacterial toxins (r = 0.3672, p < 0.001) and the level of carcinoembryonic antigen in host (r = 0.318, p < 0.01). Group D shared similar microbial construction with group B, but exerted differences far from group C with lower abundance of Haemophilus. These results demonstrated that cigarette and alcohol consumption separately affected the intestinal microbiota and function in healthy men; furthermore, the co-occurrence of cigarette and alcohol didn’t exacerbate the dysbiosis and cigarette played the predominated role on the alteration.

A topology optimization approach to structure design with self-supporting constraints in additive manufacturing

Wu Zijun,Xiao Renbin 한국CDE학회 2022 Journal of computational design and engineering Vol.9 No.2

The manufacturability model of complex structure is the premise of manufacturing, and it is necessary to consider material properties, structure design, manufacturing constraints, and so on. However, due to the inconsistent restrictions between design and manufacturing, it is not easy to obtain the manufacturable structure that matches its design performance using layer-wise manufacturing. This paper presents a topology optimization method for manufacturable form, which incorporates the self-supporting factors such as overhang angle and length based on the characteristics of the generic additive manufacturing process. The support relationship between the supporting and supported elements in self-supporting constraints is mapped to a cascade relationship between two adjacent layers. To avoid a low-density structure supporting multiple high-density ingredients, we establish a fabrication model using the smax and smin operators. Also, the sensitivity analysis and variable updating method are given under the Solid Isotropic Material with Penalization method. Furthermore, numerical examples are shown to validate the correctness and superiority of this proposed self-supporting structure design method.

A local solution approach for level-set based structural topology optimization in isogeometric analysis

Zijun Wu,Shuting Wang,Renbin Xiao,Lianqing Yu 한국CDE학회 2020 Journal of computational design and engineering Vol.7 No.4

This paper develops a new topology optimization approach for minimal compliance problems based on the parameterized level set method in isogeometric analysis. Here, we choose the basis functions as level set functions. The design variables are obtained with Greville abscissae based on the corresponding collocation points. The zero-level set boundaries are derived from the level set function values of the interpolation points in all knot spans. In the optimization iteration process, the whole design domain is discretized into two types of subdomains around the zero-level set boundaries, undesign area with void materials and redesign domain with solid materials. To decrease the size of equations and the computational consumptions, only the solid material area is recalculated and the void material area is discarded according to the high accuracy of isogeometric analysis. Numerical examples demonstrate the validity of the proposed optimization method.

Applying Axiomatic design method in data-driven product design

Yang Bin,Xiao Renbin 한국경영정보학회 2021 한국경영정보학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2021 No.11

Big data has become viable as cost-effective approaches have emerged to tame the Volume, Velocity, Variety,Value (4Vs) of massive data. Within Big Data lies valuable patterns and information, previously hidden because of the tremendous amount of work required to extract them. Data-driven product design can guide designers making proper and accurate decisions, this design method is effective and useful, it becomes more and more popular today. Axiomatic design method is equally based on two design axioms of functional independency and information minimum, through “zigzag” decomposition, assigning design task to different design domains to complete design. This paper investigates how to apply Axiomatic design method in data-driven product design in order to bring new opportunities to enhance the production efficiency and product competitiveness.

Sputum Autoantibodies Are More Relevant in Autoimmune Responses in Asthma than Are Serum Autoantibodies

Rundong Qin,Fei Long,Xiaojun Xiao,Jing Xiao,Zhengyu Zheng,Mulin Feng,Renbin Huang,Tao Peng,Jing Li 대한천식알레르기학회 2019 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.11 No.3

Purpose: The data on the differences between sputum autoantibodies (Sp-Abs) and serum autoantibodies (Se-Abs) in reflection of autoimmune responses to lungs is still lacking. Methods: Ten types of Abs were investigated in matched Se and Sp samples collected from recruited subjects. Correlations between Ab levels and airway inflammatory parameters and measures of pulmonary function were assessed. The network-based and inter-correlated analysis was performed to explore the patterns of Sp- and Se-Ab profiles. Results: Fifty stable asthmatic patients and 24 healthy volunteers were recruited for our study, 15 with mild asthma, 18 with moderate asthma and 17 with severe asthma. The concentrations of Sp-Ab against U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (Sp-anti-U1-SnRNP), Sp-Ab against Smith antigen and Se-Ab against thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) in severe asthmatics and Sp-anti-U1-SnRNP in moderate asthmatics were significantly higher compared to healthy controls and mild asthmatic subjects (P < 0.05). Sp-anti-U1-SnRNP levels were positively correlated with the dose of inhaled corticosteroids, Sp eosinophil counts and fractional exhaled nitric oxide (r = 0.326, P = 0.022; r = 0.356, P = 0.012; r = 0.241, P = 0.025, respectively) and negatively correlated with Sp neutrophil counts (r = −0.308, P = 0.031) with adjustment for age. Spearman's correlation matrix showed multiple inter-correlations among Sp-Abs and Se-Abs (P < 0.05) while only the levels of Ab against DNA topoisomerase and anti-TPO in Se were correlated with those Sp-Ab counterparts (P < 0.05). The network-based analysis defined 2 clusters: clusters 1 and 2 contained 10 Sp-Abs and 10 Se-Abs, respectively. Conclusions: This study observes that Sp-Abs are more associated with clinical parameters and the severity of disease in asthma compared to Se-Abs. Targeting on Sp-Abs which are the hallmark of the localized autoimmune event might help us better understand the role of autoimmunity in the pathological mechanism of asthma. Keywords: Asthma; autoimmunity; autoantibodies; sputum; se