Design of MRI compatible biopsy needle capable of force measurement

Rongrong Liu,Binxiang Xu,Seong Young Ko 제어로봇시스템학회 2021 제어로봇시스템학회 국제학술대회 논문집 Vol.2021 No.10

Prostate biopsy is a gold standard for diagnosing prostate cancer. Clinically, since targeting the biopsy needle to exact positions of the cancer is not easy, multiple sampling technique is generally used. During the biopsy process, a surgeon uses the biopsy needle to perform a prostate puncture under ultrasound guidance and remove a small number of thin strips of prostate tissue for pathological analysis under a microscope to ensure a clear diagnosis of prostate cancer. This paper is about development of a prostate biopsy needle capable of force measurement that can be used in an MRI environment. The needle’s body is made of Nitinol, and the Fiber Bragg Grating (FBG) sensor is used to sense the axial force. A unique beam-slot structure is designed to accommodate the FBG sensor and analyzed its performance to improve its force measurement sensitivity.

New snakeflies of the genus Inocellia Schneider, 1843 (Raphidioptera: Inocelliidae) from the Hengduan Mountains, China

Shen Rongrong,Liu Xingyue 한국응용곤충학회 2021 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.24 No.4

Three species of the snakefly genus Inocellia Schneider, 1843 (Raphidioptera: Inocelliidae) are reported from the Hengduan Mountains in southwestern China. Among them, Inocellia yulongensis sp. nov. is described as new to science. Inocellia cheni Liu, H. Aspöck, Yang & U. Aspöck, 2010 is first recorded from Sichuan Province based on a newly collected male from a locality over 4200 m a.s.l. Inocellia obtusangularis Liu, H. Aspöck, Yang & U. Aspöck, 2010 is first recorded from Yunnan Province. The rich species diversity of snakeflies and its biogeographic significance from the Hengduan Mountains are discussed.

Effect of an Antagonistic Peptide of CCR5 on the Expression of Autophagy-related Genes and β-Arrestin 2 in Lung Tissues of Asthmatic Mice

Liu Juan,Liang Rongrong,Huang Huarong,Zhang Yingli,Xie Aicen,Zhong Yingqiang 대한천식알레르기학회 2021 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.13 No.1

Purpose: The mechanisms of CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) in the process of autophagy remain unknown. In this study, we examined the role of HY peptide, which is an antagonistic peptide specifically binding the second extracellular loop of CCR5, in the expression of autophagy genes and β-arrestin 2 in lung tissues of asthmatic mice. Methods: Experimental asthmatic mice were treated with HY peptide and dexamethasone sodium phosphate (Dex). Airway inflammation, autophagy-related genes, autophagic vacuoles (AVs) and β-arrestin 2 were examined in lung tissues, and the correlation between β-arrestin 2 and LC3 expression was assessed. Results: HY peptide and Dex treatments alleviate airway inflammation. The expression of autophagy-related genes, such as BECN1, ATG5 and LC3, was decreased in the lung tissues of the asthmatic mice. However, HY peptide and Dex treatments increased the expression of these genes as well as the formation of AVs. Additionally, the expression of the β-arrestin 2 protein was significantly increased in the HY peptide-treated group, and positive cells expressing β-arrestin 2 were mainly located in the membrane and cytoplasm of bronchial epithelial cells. The β-arrestin 2 expression was positively correlated with the expression of LC3 in the model and HY peptide-treated groups. Conclusions: HY peptide inhibits airway inflammation, autophagic dysfunction exists in asthmatic mice, and targeting HY peptide increases the expression of autophagy-related genes. Thus, β-arrestin 2 may participate in the mechanisms underlying these processes.

Proliferation, Accumulation of Polyphenols, and Antioxidant Activities of Callus from the 'Anji Baicha' Cultivar of Tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze.]

Liu, Mingfei,Wang, Junli,Tian, Birui,Huang, Jingjing,Zhang, Rongrong,Lin, Yuxing,Xiao, Zefeng Korean Society of Horticultural Science 2017 원예과학기술지 Vol.35 No.2

Tea is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide and the relatively high levels polyphenols is benefit for health. In this study, we developed an efficient system for proliferation of callus from 'Anji Baicha', a cultivar of tea (Camellia sinensis). Callus tissue was initially induced by culturing leaf explants on medium containing different plant growth regulators. For callus induction, thidiazuron (TDZ) was more effective than 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), ${\alpha}-naphthalene$ acetic acid (NAA), and $N^6-benzyladenine$ (BA). The frequency of callus induction from leaf explants reached 90.21% on $1.0mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ TDZ and the developed callus was reddish and friable. We also tested the effect of different concentrations of NAA, 2,4-D, indole 3-acetic acid (IAA), BA, and TDZ, alone and in combinations, on callus proliferation. Medium supplemented with TDZ in combination with IAA was suitable for callus proliferation and accumulation of tea polyphenols. The growth index value and tea polyphenol content of callus cultured on MS medium containing $0.5mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ TDZ and $1.0mg{\cdot}L^{-1}$ IAA was maximally 1,351% and 23.24%, respectively, and the relative abundance of epicatechin was as high as 17.449%. We also measured the antioxidant activity of all samples and the callus with the highest tea polyphenol content also exhibited high potential radical scavenging activity.

MicroRNA-708-3p as a potential therapeutic target via the ADAM17-GATA/STAT3 axis in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Bo Liu,Rongrong Li,Jinjin Zhang,Chao Meng,Jie Zhang,Xiaodong Song,Changjun Lv 생화학분자생물학회 2018 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.50 No.-

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for many diseases. However, the miRNAs that control the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and act as potential therapeutic targets for the disease are rarely studied. In the present study, we analyzed the function and regulatory mechanism of microRNA-708-3p (miR-708-3p) and evaluated this marker’s potential as a therapeutic target in IPF. The clinical and biological relevance of fibrogenesis for miR-708-3p was assessed in vivo and in vitro, specifically in matching plasma and tissue samples from 78 patients with IPF. The data showed that the miR-708-3p levels decreased during fibrosis and inversely correlated with IPF. The experiments showed that the decreased miR-708 promoter activity and primer-miR-708(pri-miR-708) expression were the potential causes. By computational analysis, a dual luciferase reporter system, rescue experiments and a Cignal Finder 45-Pathway system with siADAM17 and a miR-708-3p mimic, we identified that miR-708-3p directly regulates its target gene, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17 (ADAM17), through a binding site in the 3′ untranslated region, which depends on the GATA/STAT3 signaling pathway. Finally, an miR-708-3p agomir was designed and used to test the therapeutic effects of the miR-708-3p in an animal model. Small-animal imaging technology and other experiments showed that the dynamic image distribution of the miR-708-3p agomir was mainly concentrated in the lungs and could block fibrogenesis. In conclusion, the miR-708-3p– ADAM17 axis aggravates IPF, and miR-708-3p can serve as a potential therapeutic target for IPF.

Proliferation, Accumulation of Polyphenols, and Antioxidant Activities of Callus from the ‘Anji Baicha’ Cultivar of Tea [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Ktze.]

Mingfei Liu,Junli Wang,Birui Tian,Jingjing Huang,Rongrong Zhang,Yuxing Lin,Zefeng Xiao 한국원예학회 2017 원예과학기술지 Vol.35 No.2

Tea is one of the most consumed beverages worldwide and the relatively high levels polyphenols is benefit for health. In this study, we developed an efficient system for proliferation of callus from ‘Anji Baicha’, a cultivar of tea (Camellia sinensis ). Callus tissue was initially induced by culturing leaf explants on medium containing different plant growth regulators. For callus induction, thidiazuron (TDZ) was more effective than 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and N6-benzyladenine (BA). The frequency of callus induction from leaf explants reached 90.21% on 1.0 mg·L<SUP>-1</SUP> TDZ and the developed callus was reddish and friable. We also tested the effect of different concentrations of NAA, 2,4-D, indole 3-acetic acid (IAA), BA, and TDZ, alone and in combinations, on callus proliferation. Medium supplemented with TDZ in combination with IAA was suitable for callus proliferation and accumulation of tea polyphenols. The growth index value and tea polyphenol content of callus cultured on MS medium containing 0.5 mg·L<SUP>-1</SUP> TDZ and 1.0 mg·L<SUP>-1</SUP> IAA was maximally 1,351% and 23.24%, respectively, and the relative abundance of epicatechin was as high as 17.449%. We also measured the antioxidant activity of all samples and the callus with the highest tea polyphenol content also exhibited high potential radical scavenging activity.

Non-thermal plasma coupled liquid-phase catalysis /Fe2+ for VOCs removal: Enhanced mechanism of protocatechuic acid

Caihong Qin,Rongrong Liu,Chaochao Jiang,Mengke Guo,Rui Yu,Jiayu Huang,Wenwen Bai,Xiaoqing Dang 한국공업화학회 2023 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.122 No.-

Non-thermal plasma coupling Fe2+ containing liquid-phase catalysis (NTP-LC/ Fe2+) can effectively reusethe byproduct ozone (O3) of NTP in LC/ Fe2+ for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) degradation. However,the low recycling rate of Fe2+/Fe3+ resulted in poor catalytic effect of the coupling system. In this study,the chelator protocatechuic acid (PCA) was added to LC/Fe2+ to enhance the removal of representativeVOC acetone. The results showed that adding PCA increased the acetone removal efficiency to 91% andkept O3 100% removed within 180 min. The mechanism of PCA-enhanced acetone degradation was thatPCA accelerated the Fe3+/Fe2+ cycle by generating PCA-Fe3+ chelates, which prevented the Fe3+ from precipitationand promoted the production of OH and O2 - for acetone oxidation.

Genome-wide association study reveals genetic loci and candidate genes for average daily gain in Duroc pigs

Quan, Jianping,Ding, Rongrong,Wang, Xingwang,Yang, Ming,Yang, Yang,Zheng, Enqin,Gu, Ting,Cai, Gengyuan,Wu, Zhenfang,Liu, Dewu,Yang, Jie Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2018 Animal Bioscience Vol.31 No.4

Objective: Average daily gain (ADG) is an important target trait of pig breeding programs. We aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and genomic regions that are associated with ADG in the Duroc pig population. Methods: We performed a genome-wide association study involving 390 Duroc boars and by using the PorcineSNP60K Beadchip and two linear models. Results: After quality control, we detected 3,5971 SNPs, which included seven SNPs that are significantly associated with the ADG of pigs. We identified six quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions for ADG. These QTLs included four previously reported QTLs on Sus scrofa chromosome (SSC) 1, SSC5, SSC9, and SSC13, as well as two novel QTLs on SSC6 and SSC16. In addition, we selected six candidate genes (general transcription factor 3C polypeptide 5, high mobility group AT-hook 2, nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, oligodendrocyte transcription factor 1, pleckstrin homology and RhoGEF domain containing G4B, and ENSSSCG00000031548) associated with ADG on the basis of their physiological roles and positional information. These candidate genes are involved in skeletal muscle cell differentiation, diet-induced obesity, and nervous system development. Conclusion: This study contributes to the identification of the casual mutation that underlies QTLs associated with ADG and to future pig breeding programs based on marker-assisted selection. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of the identified candidate genes in the physiological processes involved in ADG regulation.

Influence of Simulated Precipitation on Dryland Soil Respiration in the Loess Plateau, China

Jun Wang,Quanquan Liu,Rongrong Chen,Upendra M. Sainju 한국토양비료학회 2014 한국토양비료학회 학술발표회 초록집 Vol.2014 No.6

Involvement of Lysosome Membrane Permeabilization and Reactive Oxygen Species Production in the Necrosis Induced by Chlamydia muridarum Infection in L929 Cells

( Lixiang Chen ),( Cong Wang ),( Shun Li ),( Xin Yu ),( Xue Liu ),( Rongrong Ren ),( Wenwen Liu ),( Xiaojing Zhou ),( Xiaonan Zhang ),( Xiaohui Zhou ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2016 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.26 No.4

Chlamydiae, obligate intracellular bacteria, are associated with a variety of human diseases. The chlamydial life cycle undergoes a biphasic development: replicative reticulate bodies (RBs) phase and infectious elementary bodies (EBs) phase. At the end of the chlamydial intracellular life cycle, EBs have to be released to the surrounded cells. Therefore, the interactions between Chlamydiae and cell death pathways could greatly influence the outcomes of Chlamydia infection. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we investigated host cell death after Chlamydia infection in vitro, in L929 cells, and showed that Chlamydia infection induces cell necrosis, as detected by the propidium iodide (PI)-Annexin V double-staining flow-cytometric assay and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), an important factor in induction of necrosis, was increased after Chlamydia infection, and inhibition of ROS with specific pharmacological inhibitors, diphenylene iodonium (DPI) or butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), led to significant suppression of necrosis. Interestingly, live-cell imaging revealed that Chlamydia infection induced lysosome membrane permeabilization (LMP). When an inhibitor upstream of LMP, CA-074-Me, was added to cells, the production of ROS was reduced with concomitant inhibition of necrosis. Taken together, our results indicate that Chlamydia infection elicits the production of ROS, which is dependent on LMP at least partially, followed by induction of host-cell necrosis. To our best knowledge, this is the first live-cell-imaging observation of LMP post Chlamydia infection and report on the link of LMP to ROS to necrosis during Chlamydia infection.