Comparison of Transforming Growth Factor-Beta1 and Lovastatin on Differentiating Mesenchymal Stem Cells toward Nucleus Pulposus-like Phenotype: An In Vitro Cell Culture Study

Shu-Hua Yang,Kai-Chiang Yang,Chih-Wei Chen,Ting-Chun Huang,Yuanhui Sun,Ming-Hsiao Hu 대한척추외과학회 2019 Asian Spine Journal Vol.13 No.5

Study Design: In vitro cell culture study. Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) and lovastatin on differentiating human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) toward nucleus pulposus (NP)-like phenotype. Overview of Literature: MSCs offer a cell source to the cell-based therapy for intervertebral disc degeneration. TGF-β1 is used to induce MSCs to differentiate into NP-like cells; however, an undesired expression of collagen type I has been reported. Statins reportedly stimulate expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and promote the chondrogenic phenotype to NP cells. However, the effects of statins with or without TGF-β1 on the differentiation of MSCs into NP-like cells remain unclear. Methods: Human MSCs were treated with TGF-β1 alone, lovastatin alone, and simultaneous or sequential treatment with TGF-β1 and lovastatin. After the proposed stimulation, the total RNA was extracted to assess the expression profile of NP cells-specific genes. Hematoxylin–eosin staining was used for examining the microscopic morphology. Furthermore, we detected the syntheses of S-100 protein, aggrecan , and collagen type II in the extracellular matrix using immunohistochemical staining. Results: Simultaneous or sequential treatment of TGF-β1 and lovastatin could further augment the BMP-2 overexpression compared with lovastatin-alone treatment. However, the mRNA expression of aggrecan and collagen type II was not compatible with the expression level of BMP-2 . Immunohistochemical studies revealed compatible production of aggrecan, collagen type II , and S-100 protein in all three groups treated with lovastatin. Cells in groups treated with lovastatin were less populated than that in the group treated with TGF-β1 alone. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a promising role of lovastatin in inducing human MSCs into NP-like cells. However, further optimization of cell density before lovastatin treatment, treatment duration, and combination with TGF-β1 are warranted to attain better stimulatory effects.

Numerical simulation and analysis of flow characteristics in the front chamber of a centrifugal pump

Yang Wu,Xiaoping Chen,Hua-Shu Dou,Lulu Zheng,ZuChao Zhu,BaoLing Cui,Boo Cheong Khoo 대한기계학회 2017 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.31 No.11

We performed numerical simulations to study the flow characteristic in a centrifugal pump based on the RANS equations and the RNG k-ε turbulent model. The flow field, including the front and back pump chambers, the impeller wear-ring, the impeller passage, the volute casing, the inlet section and outlet section was calculated to obtain accurate numerical results of fluid flow in a centrifugal pump. The flow characteristic was studied from the internal flow structure in pump chambers, the radial velocity at impeller outlet as well as the pressure inside of the pump, the circumferential velocity and the radial velocity in front pump chamber. The variation of flow parameters in internal flow versus flow rate in the centrifugal pump was analyzed. The results show that the overall performance of the pump is in good agreement with the experimental data. The simulation results show that the distribution of flow field in the front pump chamber is axial asymmetry. The energy dissipation at the impeller outlet is larger than other areas. The distribution of the circumferential velocity and that of radial velocity are similar along the axial direction in the front pump chamber, but the distribution of flow is different along the circumferential and the radial directions. It was also found that the vorticity is large at the impeller inlet compared with other areas.

The Crucial Role of the Establishment of Computed Tomography Density Conversion Tables for Treating Brain or Head/Neck Tumors

Yang, Shu-Chin,Lo, Su-Hua,Shie, Li-Tsuen,Lee, Sung-Wei,Ho, Sheng-Yow Korean Society of Medical Physics 2021 의학물리 Vol.32 No.3

Purpose: The relationship between computed tomography (CT) number and electron density (ED) has been investigated in previous studies. However, the role of these measures for guiding cancer treatment remains unclear. Methods: The CT number was plotted against ED for different imaging protocols. The CT number was imported into ED tables for the Pinnacle treatment planning system (TPS) and was used to determine the effect on dose calculations. Conversion tables for radiation dose calculations were generated and subsequently monitored using a dosimeter to determine the effect of different CT scanning protocols and treatment sites. These tables were used to retrospectively recalculate the radiation therapy plans for 41 patients after an incorrect scanning protocol was inadvertently used. The gamma index was further used to assess the dose distribution, percentage dose difference (DD), and distance-to-agreement (DTA). Results: For densities <1.1 g/cm³, the standard deviation of the CT number was ±0.6% and the greatest variation was noted for brain protocol conditions. For densities >1.1 g/cm³, the standard deviation of the CT number was ±21.2% and the greatest variation occurred for the tube voltage and head and neck (H&N) protocol conditions. These findings suggest that the factors most affecting the CT number are the tube voltage and treatment site (brain and H&N). Gamma index analyses for the 41 retrospective clinical cases, as well as brain metastases and H&N tumors, showed gamma passing rates >90% and <90% for the passing criterion of 2%/2 and 1%/1 mm, respectively. Conclusions: The CT protocol should be carefully decided for TPS. The correct protocol should be used for the corresponding TPS based on the treatment site because this especially affects the dose distribution for brain metastases and H&N tumor recognition. Such steps could help reduce systematic errors.

Comparison of Two Different Schemes of Once-weekly Ovum Pick Up in Dairy Heifers

Yang, Xiao-Yu,Li, Hua,Huang, Wen-Ying,Huang, Shu-Zhen,Zeng, Yi-tao Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2005 Animal Bioscience Vol.18 No.3

To compare two different schemes, continuous scheme (CS) and discontinuous scheme (DCS), of once-weekly ovum pick up (OPU) with ultrasound-guided follicular puncture technique, Holstein heifers were randomly divided into two groups of five. After characterization of their two normal estrous cycles, the heifers were subjected to consecutive 20 weeks of once-weekly OPU under two schemes: the CS (one week interval between continuous OPU, total 100 OPU sessions performed) and the DCS (OPU fixed to the day 3 and day 10 of each estrus). Then, the status of ovaries and artificial insemination results were observed. On oocyte yield, the total number of punctured follicles using DCS was lower than that using CS, but the mean numbers of punctured follicles and recovered oocytes per session were higher in DCS than CS group. So the total number of recovered oocytes was similar in both groups. There were also no differences in the quality of recovered oocytes, nor in the developmental ability of oocytes fertilized in vitro between groups. The heifers in the DCS group showed regular estrous cycles with stable estrous signs through the periods of before, during, and after OPU, while those in CS group showed longer estrous cycles and less estrous signs during and/or after OPU compared with before period. Furthermore, the mean number of inseminations required for obtaining pregnancy after completion of the experiments was lower in DCS than CS group. The research demonstrates that similar quantity and quality oocytes can be achieved, and the side effects on donors are lower in DCS that needs fewer OPUs than CS group, and DCS is superior to CS.

The white gene in Nilaparvata lugens and its expression pattern under two different survival stresses

Shu Hua Liu,Bao Jun Yang,Ai YingWang,Ju Luo,Jian Tang 한국응용곤충학회 2018 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.21 No.2

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stål), is a serious pest of rice. Chemical control and pestresistant rice breeding are always two major management strategies of BPH. In order to keep effective control, understanding the detoxification mechanism of this insect pest appears to be high important. In addition to be an eye pigment transporter, White protein is also important for its non-eye roles, such as a potential target for insecticides and Bt toxin. In this study, we characterized the full-length white orthologues gene in N. lugens (Nlwhite). NlWhite, the deduced protein of Nlwhite, has feature motifs of the eye pigment transporter. Knocking down Nlwhite transcript, the compound eye color partially changed to white. Nlwhite can be detected in all developmental stages and body parts, indicating that it is not a developmental or tissue-specific expression gene. The expression levels of Nlwhite were all significantly upregulated in both pymetrozine-selection and Mudgoselection BPH strains, which were selected for several generations. These results indicated that NlWhite participated in the detoxification not only for the exogenous insecticides but also for the endogenous toxic substance.

Knockdown of an ABC transporter leads to bright red eyes in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphacidae)

Shu Hua Liu,Ai YingWang,Bao Jun Yang,Ju Luo,Jian Tang 한국응용곤충학회 2017 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.20 No.2

Compound eye color is an important biological character of insects,which is determined by the nature of eye pigments. Ommochrome is the solely source of eye color for some insects, while pteridines is also needed for the other insect species. However, little is known about the eye pigment composition for any planthopper. Scarlet is an ABC (ATP-binding cassette) transporter protein, which functions as the transmembrane transporter for ommochrome precursor. The failure of Scarlet function can cause bright red or white eyes in different species, which depending on the nature of eye pigments. Here, we identified a scarlet ortholog gene (Nlst) from the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, which is a destructive insect pest of rice. Nlst is the first characterized eye pigment transporter gene from Hemipteran. NlSt, the protein deduced from Nlst, has an open reading frame (ORF) of 629 amino acidswith the two sequence logos for eye pigment transporters. Expression profile revealed that Nlst expressed at all development stages and had the highest transcript level in head. Knockdown the Nlst transcript, the wild-type eye color partially changed to bright red, while not to white. Meantime, the ommochrome level in heads reduced to 73.4%. These results suggested that the eye coloration of BPH needs both ommochrome and pteridines pigments. Because nymphal RNAi with Nlst leading to a clearly distinguished phenotype from the control individuals, Nlst maybe a suitable genetic marker to exploit embryonic RNAi technique in this insect pest.

Prognostic Role of Nucleophosmin in Colorectal Carcinomas

Yang, Yu-Feng,Zhang, Xi-Ying,Yang, Mei,He, Ze-Hua,Peng, Ning-Fu,Xie, Shu-Rui,Xie, Yan-Fang Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.5

Aim: Recent research suggests that nucleophosmin (NPM) may be a prognostic marker in colorectal carcinomas (CRC). We here tested its use to predict the survival of CRC patients. Methods: We investigated NPM expression by immunohistochemistry in histologically normal to malignant colorectal tissues and evaluated its association with clinicopathological variables. Overall and disease-free survival after tumor removal were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method, and differences in survival curves were analyzed by the log-rank test. The Cox proportional hazards model was used for multivariate analysis of prognostic factors. Results: NPM expression was found significantly upregulated in CRC compared to adjacent colorectal tissue, villous adenoma, tubular adenoma and normal colorectal mucosa (p<0.05 for all). NPM expression was statistically linked to cancer embolus, lymph node metastasis, differentiation grade, and recurrence of CRC. Overall and disease-free survival of NPM-negative CRC patients tended to be better than those for patients with NPM-positive lesions (log-rank statistic, p<0.05 for all). Multivariate analysis indicated NPM expression as an independent prognostic indicator for CRC patients (p<0.05 ). Conclusion: Our results suggest that NPM expression can predict the survival of CRC patients. Prognosis of CRC is determined by not only many known prognostic factors but also by NPM expression.

A simulant study of the Network of Five Elements by using the computer

Yang, jian hua,Zhang, zhi guang,Zhang, guang nian,Lin, Shu huang 한국정신과학학회 1997 한국정신과학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.7 No.-

The theory of Chinese medicine is a based theory to research the paranomarl function of human body including ESP and PK etc. The theory of the traditional Chinese medicine indictes that the life prosesses can be discribed by the system of five elements (SFE), which are: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. We take the SFE for a network consisted of this five elements (NFE), and study the characteries of the structure of this NFE. they include multi-cross character; directiong and irreversible character; mesomerism character; "open" character and Fuzzy character etc. Then, based on these characters, we simulate the partial function of NFE by using computer. The results of simulation show that the NFE is a very useful network to explain the physiological and pathological phenomenan of human body according to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine.

Haloactinobacterium album gen. nov., sp. nov., a halophilic actinobacterium, and proposal of Ruaniaceae fam. nov.

Tang, Shu-Kun,Zhi, Xiao-Yang,Wang, Yun,Wu, Jin-Yuan,Lee, Jae-Chan,Kim, Chang-Jin,Lou, Kai,Xu, Li-Hua,Li, Wen-Jun Microbiology Society 2010 International journal of systematic and evolutiona Vol.60 No.9

<P>A Gram-staining-positive, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile and moderately halophilic actinobacterium, designated YIM 93306<SUP>T</SUP>, was isolated from a salt lake in Xinjiang province, north-west China, and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic study. Strain YIM 93306<SUP>T</SUP> grew in the presence of 2-16 % (w/v) NaCl and did not grow without NaCl. The peptidoglycan type was A4<I>α</I> with an l-Lys-l-Glu interpeptide bridge. The whole-cell sugars were glucosamine, arabinose, mannose and two unknown sugars. The predominant menaquinone was MK-8(H4). The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0. The polar lipids comprised diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol, one unknown phosphoglycolipid and one unknown phospholipid. The DNA G+C content was 68.3 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain YIM 93306<SUP>T</SUP> fell within the radius of the suborder <I>Micrococcineae</I>. Its closest phylogenetic neighbour was the type strain of <I>Ruania albidiflava</I> (AS 4.3142<SUP>T</SUP>; 96.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), the sole recognized species of the genus <I>Ruania</I>. Sequence similarities between strain YIM 93306<SUP>T</SUP> and members of other genera of the suborder <I>Micrococcineae</I> were <95.2 %. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis, phenotypic characteristics and chemotaxonomic differences, a novel genus and species, <I>Haloactinobacterium album</I> gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed. The type strain of the species is YIM 93306<SUP>T</SUP> (=DSM 21368<SUP>T</SUP> =KCTC 19413<SUP>T</SUP> =CCTCC AB 208069<SUP>T</SUP>). Based on phylogenetic characteristics and 16S rRNA gene signature nucleotide patterns, the genera <I>Ruania</I> and <I>Haloactinobacterium</I> gen. nov. are proposed to belong to a novel family, <I>Ruaniaceae</I> fam. nov.</P>

Efficacy and Safety of Intravenous Urapidil for Older Hypertensive Patients with Acute Heart Failure: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Wei Yang,Qi Hua,Yu-Jie Zhou,Yan Fu,Jian Qin,Shu Qin,Xiao-Min Chen,Jin-Cheng Guo,De-Zhao Wang,Hong Zhan,Jing Li,Jing-Yu He 연세대학교의과대학 2017 Yonsei medical journal Vol.58 No.1

Purpose: Urapidil is putatively effective for patients with hypertension and acute heart failure, although randomized controlled trials thereon are lacking. We investigated the efficacy and safety of intravenous urapidil relative to that of nitroglycerin in older patients with hypertension and heart failure in a randomized controlled trial. Materials and Methods: Patients (>60 y) with hypertension and heart failure were randomly assigned to receive intravenous urapidil (n=89) or nitroglycerin (n=91) for 7 days. Hemodynamic parameters, cardiac function, and safety outcomes were compared. Results: Patients in the urapidil group had significantly lower mean systolic blood pressure (110.1±6.5 mm Hg) than those given nitroglycerin (126.4±8.1 mm Hg, p=0.022), without changes in heart rate. Urapidil was associated with improved cardiac function as reflected by lower N terminal-pro B type natriuretic peptide after 7 days (3311.4±546.1 ng/mL vs. 4879.1±325.7 ng/mL, p=0.027) and improved left ventricular ejection fraction (62.2±3.4% vs. 51.0±2.4%, p=0.032). Patients given urapidil had fewer associatedadverse events, specifically headache (p=0.025) and tachycardia (p=0.004). The one-month rehospitalization and all-cause mortality rates were similar. Conclusion: Intravenous administration of urapidil, compared with nitroglycerin, was associated with better control of blood pressure and preserved cardiac function, as well as fewer adverse events, for elderly patients with hypertension and acute heart failure.