Ethanol enhances cucurbitacin B-induced apoptosis by inhibiting cucurbitacin B-induced autophagy in LO2 hepatocytes

Qian Ding,Jiaolin Bao,Wenwen Zhao,Jinjian Lu,Hong Zhu,Xiuping Chen,Xiuping Chen 대한독성 유전단백체 학회 2016 Molecular & cellular toxicology Vol.12 No.1

Ethanol is a common risk factor for liver injury. Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is a natural product with potent cytotoxic activities mediated by inducing apoptosis. This study investigated the effect of ethanol on CuB-induced cytotoxicity in LO2 hepatocytes. Low concentration of ethanol alone showed no significant cytotoxic effect on LO2 cells. CuB dose-dependently decreased cell viability. However, ethanol co-treatment significantly enhanced CuB-induced cytotoxicity. CuB-induced mitochondria membrane potential (ΔΨ) depolarization was further decreased by ethanol. Furthermore, CuB-induced apoptosis was augmented by ethanol, as evidenced by DNA fragmentation, Annexin V staining, and apoptotic protein expression. Ethanol inhibited CuB-induced autophagy, as determined by MDC staining, autophagic protein expression, and transmission electron microscopy. Therefore, the present data suggested that ethanol enhanced CuB cytotoxicity in LO2 hepatocytes, which was mediated by inhibiting autophagy and augmenting apoptosis.

High-performance Zinc-Tin-Oxide thin film transistors based on environment friendly solution process

Qian Zhang,Guodong Xia,Lubin Li,Wenwen Xia,Hong-Yu Gong,Sumei Wang 한국물리학회 2019 Current Applied Physics Vol.19 No.2

Zinc-Tin-Oxide (ZTO) thin films were fabricated using a simple and eco-friendly sol-gel method and their application in thin film transistors (TFTs) was investigated. Annealing temperature has a crucial influence on the structure and electrical properties of sol-gel ZTO thin films. The ZTO thin films annealed at 300–600 °C revealed smooth and uniform surfaces with amorphous state, in addition, a high optical transparency over 90% of the ZTO films in the visible range was obtained. The electrical performance of ZTO TFTs showed obvious dependence on annealing temperature. The ZTO TFTs annealed at 500 °C showed a high carrier mobility of 5.9 cm2 /V, high on/off current ratio (Ion/off) of 106 -107 , and threshold voltage (Vth) of 1.03 V. To demonstrate the application of sol-gel ZTO films in low-power display fields, we also fabricated ZTO TFTs with a solution-processed high-permittivity (high-k) ZrTiOx dielectric layer. The ZTO/ZrTiOx TFTs showed high mobility of 17.9 cm2 /V and Ion/off of 105 -106 at a low operation voltage of 3 V, indicating that Indium-free ZTO thin films would be potential candidates for low cost, high performance oxide TFT devices.

Whole-genome identification and salt- and ABA-induced expression trends of the Nicotiana tabacum CKX gene family

Chen Wenwen,Wang Genhong,Yi Meiqin,Gao Tianke,Song Chunman,Gao Qian,Xia Qingyou,Xiang Haiying 한국식물생명공학회 2023 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.17 No.3

Cytokinin hormones are indispensable for plant growth and development. Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) helps regulate the dynamic balance of endogenous cytokinin levels. However, little is known about the CKX genes of Nicotiana tabacum (NtCKXs). In silico analyses were used to isolate, characterize, and elucidate the phylogenetic relationships of 15 NtCKX genes. Multi-species phylogenetic tree construction placed NtCKX1–15 on five of the eight branches of the CKX phylogenetic tree. Protein structure and network analyses revealed that NtCKX genes located on the same phylogenetic branch generally contained several conserved motifs and have highly similar structures, with structural domains related to flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) and cytokinin-binding found on all of the predicted NtCKX-encoded proteins. The upstream promotor region of NtCKX genes contained many abiotic stress-responsive cis-acting elements, including DRE, ERE, MBS, MYB, and MYC. Gene expression analysis revealed that each NtCKX gene responded differently to salt stress and exogenous abscisic acid (ABA) treatment. Four NtCKX genes exhibited ABA-induced expression trends with varying peak times. Under salt stress, NtCKX expression was significantly suppressed in two genes and upregulated in five others. In summary, we provided basic information regarding the CKX gene family of N. tabacum and elucidated their gene expression patterns under abiotic stresses, including ABA treatment and salt stress. The findings of this work can serve as a foundation for future study of the functions of NtCKX genes.

Study on Anharmonic Effect of the Unimolecular Reaction of CH2(D2)FO

Jingjun Zhong,Qian Li,Ji Luo,Wenwen Xia,Li Yao,S. H. Lin 대한화학회 2014 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.35 No.12

Study on the unimolecular reaction for CH2FO and CD2FO is carried out. The structures, energy barriers and zero point energy of the three channels in the title unimolecular reactions are computed with the MP2/6- 311++G(3df, 3pd) method. RRKM theory is used to calculate the rate constants of canonical case at temperature range of 500–5000 K and microcanonical system at total energy of 19.05–71.68 kcal/mol. The results indicate that the anharmonic effect and isotope effect are very small for the three channels, and the anharmonic rate constants, around 109–1011 s−1, are close to the experimental prediction reasonably.

Tensile Behavior of High-Strength Stainless Steel Wire Rope (HSSSWR)-Reinforced ECC

Xinling Wang,Guanghua Yang,Wenwen Qian,Ke Li,Juntao Zhu 한국콘크리트학회 2021 International Journal of Concrete Structures and M Vol.15 No.6

Engineered cementitious composites (ECC) show the distinguished characteristics of high post-cracking resistance and ductility. High-strength stainless steel wire rope (HSSSWR) has been successfully used for restoring or strengthening of existing structures. By combining the advantages of these two materials, a new composite system formed by embedding HSSSWR into ECC was proposed and expected to be a promising engineering material for repair or strengthening of structures. To investigate the tensile failure mechanism and mechanical properties of HSSSWR-reinforced ECC, an experimental study on 27 HSSSWR-reinforced ECC plates was conducted considering the effects of the reinforcement ratio of longitudinal HSSSWRs, formula of ECC and width of the plate. Test results revealed that HSSSWR-reinforced ECC exhibit superior post-cracking resistance, deformation capacity and crack-width control capacity. Increasing the reinforcement ratio of longitudinal HSSSWRs can effectively enhance the tensile strength, crack-width control capacity, deformation capacity and tensile toughness of HSSSWR-reinforced ECC. Adding thickener in ECC can significantly improve the crack-width control capacity and deformation capacity of HSSSWR-reinforced ECC due to enhancing uniform distribution of polyvinyl alcohol fibers, but would slightly reduce the cracking stress and maximum tensile stress by bringing small bubbles in the matrix. The tensile properties of HSSSWR-reinforced ECC plates are almost not affected by varying the plate width. Besides, a tensile constitutive model was developed for charactering the stress-strain relationship of HSSSWR-reinforced ECC in tension. Based on mechanical theories and failure characteristics of HSSSWR-reinforced ECC, the model parameters were determined, and calculation equations of cracking stress and tensile strength were proposed. The accuracy of the developed model and calculation equations was verified by test results.

Study on Anharmonic Effect of the Unimolecular Reaction of CH₂(D₂)FO

Zhong, Jingjun,Li, Qian,Luo, Ji,Xia, Wenwen,Yao, Li,Lin, S.H. Korean Chemical Society 2014 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.35 No.12

Study on the unimolecular reaction for $CH_2FO$ and $CD_2FO$ is carried out. The structures, energy barriers and zero point energy of the three channels in the title unimolecular reactions are computed with the MP2/6-311++G(3df, 3pd) method. RRKM theory is used to calculate the rate constants of canonical case at temperature range of 500-5000 K and microcanonical system at total energy of 19.05-71.68 kcal/mol. The results indicate that the anharmonic effect and isotope effect are very small for the three channels, and the anharmonic rate constants, around $10^9-10^{11}s^{-1}$, are close to the experimental prediction reasonably.

AN ULTRA-LUMINOUS QUASAR AT <i>z</i> = 5.363 WITH A TEN BILLION SOLAR MASS BLACK HOLE AND A METAL-RICH DLA AT <i>z</i> ∼ 5

Wang, Feige,Wu, Xue-Bing,Fan, Xiaohui,Yang, Jinyi,Cai, Zheng,Yi, Weimin,Zuo, Wenwen,Wang, Ran,McGreer, Ian D.,Ho, Luis C.,Kim, Minjin,Yang, Qian,Bian, Fuyan,Jiang, Linhua IOP Publishing 2015 ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS - Vol.807 No.1

<P>We report the discovery of an ultra-luminous quasar J030642.51+185315.8 (hereafter J0306+1853) at redshift 5.363, which hosts a supermassive black hole with M-BH = (1.07 +/- 0.27) x 10(10) M-circle dot. With an absolute magnitude M-1450 = -28.92 and a bolometric luminosity L-bol similar to 3.4 x 10(14) L-circle dot, J0306+1853 is one of the most luminous objects in the early universe. It is not likely to be a beamed source based on its small flux variability, low radio loudness, and normal broad emission lines. In addition, a z = 4.986 damped Ly alpha system (DLA) with [M/H] = -1.3 +/- 0.1, among the most metal-rich DLAs at z greater than or similar to 5, is detected in the absorption spectrum of this quasar. This ultra-luminous quasar puts strong constraints on the bright end of the quasar luminosity function and massive end of the black hole mass function. It will provide a unique laboratory for the study of BH growth and the co-evolution between a BH and the host galaxy with multi-wavelength follow-up observations. The future high-resolution spectra will give more insight into the DLA and other absorption systems along the line of sight of J0306+1853.</P>

SDSS J013127.34-032100.1: A NEWLY DISCOVERED RADIO-LOUD QUASAR AT <i>z</i> = 5.18 WITH EXTREMELY HIGH LUMINOSITY

Yi, Wei-Min,Wang, Feige,Wu, Xue-Bing,Yang, Jinyi,Bai, Jin-Ming,Fan, Xiaohui,Brandt, William N.,Ho, Luis C.,Zuo, Wenwen,Kim, Minjin,Wang, Ran,Yang, Qian,Zhang, Ju-jia,Wang, Fang,Wang, Jian-Guo,Ai, Yanl IOP Publishing 2014 ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL LETTERS - Vol.795 No.2

<P>Very few of the z > 5 quasars discovered to date have been radio-loud, with radio-to-optical flux ratios (radio-loudness parameters) higher than 10. Here we report the discovery of an optically luminous radio-loud quasar, SDSS J013127.34-032100.1 (J0131-0321 in short), at z = 5.18 +/- 0.01 using the Lijiang 2.4 m and Magellan telescopes. J0131-0321 has a spectral energy distribution consistent with that of radio-loud quasars. With an i-band magnitude of 18.47 and a radio flux density of 33 mJy, its radio-loudness parameter is similar to 100. The optical and near-infrared spectra taken by Magellan enable us to estimate its bolometric luminosity to be L-bol similar to 1.1 x 10(48) erg s(-1), approximately 4.5 times greater than that of the most distant quasar known to date. The black hole mass of J0131-0321 is estimated to be 2.7 x 10(9) M-circle dot, with an uncertainty up to 0.4 dex. Detailed physical properties of this high-redshift, radio-loud, potentially super-Eddington quasar can be probed in the future with more dedicated and intensive follow-up observations using multi-wavelength facilities.</P>