Biodegradable cross-linked poly(L-lactide-co-e-caprolactone) networks for ureteral stent formed by gamma irradiation under vacuum

Xiliang Liu,Song Liu,Youkun Fan,Jin Qi,Xin Wang,Wei Bai,Dongliang Chen,Chengdong Xiong,Lifang Zhang 한국공업화학회 2021 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.104 No.-

The poly(L-lactide-co-e-caprolactone) (PLCL) ureteral stent creeps and loses shape stability, increasingthe risk of stent tube dislocation. The rubbery biodegradable cross-linked PLCL networks were preparedthrough gamma irradiation under vacuum in the presence of trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA),pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (PET4A), and pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA). At a standard sterilizationdose of 25 kGy, the gel content and network density of PLCL networks increased with increasingcrosslinking agent content (1, 3, 5, 7 wt%), and crosslinking efficiency decreased in the order ofPETA > PET4A > TMPTA. The average molecular weight (Mc ) between two crosslinks ranged from 2000to 105 g/mol. To perform the beneficial semi-interpenetrated polymer network and characterized bythe principle, the networks were processed in several doses (25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 kGy). In place ofthe Charlesby-Pinner equation, the irradiation cross-linking followed the Chen-Liu-Tang equation. ThePLCL network with 7 wt% PETA had a gel fraction of 83%, tensile strength of 34.7 MPa, and tensile setvalue as low as 5%. Furthermore, degradation in vitro was slowed down. Thus, PLCL networks with appropriateelasticity and flexibility, inherent biodegradability, and excellent biocompatibility can provide apromising alternative method for soft tissue repair engineering, such as ureteral stents.

The Arabidopsis callose synthase gene GSL8 is required for cytokinesis and cell patterning.

Chen, Xiong-Yan,Liu, Lin,Lee, Eunkyoung,Han, Xiao,Rim, Yeonggil,Chu, Hyosub,Kim, Seon-Won,Sack, Fred,Kim, Jae-Yean American Society of Plant Physiologists 2009 Plant Physiology Vol.150 No.1

<P>Cytokinesis is the division of the cytoplasm and its separation into two daughter cells. Cell plate growth and cytokinesis appear to require callose, but direct functional evidence is still lacking. To determine the role of callose and its synthesis during cytokinesis, we identified and characterized mutants in many members of the GLUCAN SYNTHASE-LIKE (GSL; or CALLOSE SYNTHASE) gene family in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Most gsl mutants (gsl1-gsl7, gsl9, gsl11, and gsl12) exhibited roughly normal seedling growth and development. However, mutations in GSL8, which were previously reported to be gametophytic lethal, were found to produce seedlings with pleiotropic defects during embryogenesis and early vegetative growth. We found cell wall stubs, two nuclei in one cell, and other defects in cell division in homozygous gsl8 insertional alleles. In addition, gsl8 mutants and inducible RNA interference lines of GSL8 showed reduced callose deposition at cell plates and/or new cell walls. Together, these data show that the GSL8 gene encodes a putative callose synthase required for cytokinesis and seedling maturation. In addition, gsl8 mutants disrupt cellular and tissue-level patterning, as shown by the presence of clusters of stomata in direct contact and by islands of excessive cell proliferation in the developing epidermis. Thus, GSL8 is required for patterning as well as cytokinesis during Arabidopsis development.</P>

Controlling the Thickness of Thermally Expanded Films of Graphene Oxide

Chen, Xianjue,Li, Wei,Luo, Da,Huang, Ming,Wu, Xiaozhong,Huang, Yuan,Lee, Sun Hwa,Chen, Xiong,Ruoff, Rodney S. American Chemical Society 2017 ACS NANO Vol.11 No.1

<P>'Paper-like' film material made from stacked and overlapping graphene oxide sheets can be exfoliated (expanded) through rapid heating, and this has until now been done with no control of the final geometry of the expanded graphene oxide material, i.e., the expansion has been physically unconstrained. (As a consequence of the heating and exfoliation, the graphene oxide is 'reduced', i.e., the graphene oxide platelets are deoxygenated to a degree.) We have used a confined space to constrain the expanding films to a controllable and uniform thickness. By changing the gap above the film, the final thickness of expanded films prepared from, e.g., a 10 mu m-thick graphene oxide film, could be controlled to values such as 20, 30, 50, or 100 mu m. When the expansion of the films was unconstrained, the final film was broken into pieces or had many cracks. In contrast, when the expansion was constrained, it never cracked or broke. Hot pressing the expanded reduced graphene oxide films at 1000 degrees C yielded a highly compact structure and promoted graphitization. Such thickness-controlled expansion of graphene oxide films up to tens or hundreds of times the original film thickness was used to emboss patterns on the films to produce areas with different thicknesses that remain connected 'in plane'. In another set of experiments, we treated the original graphene oxide film with NaOH before its controlled expansion resulted in a different structure featuring uniformly distributed pores and interconnected layers as well as simultaneous activation of the carbon.</P>

Transport of macromolecules through plasmodesmata and the phloem

Chen, Xiong-Yan,Kim, Jae-Yean Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2006 Physiologia plantarum Vol.126 No.4

<P>Cell-to-cell communication is a pivotal process in the determination of cell fate during development and physiological adaptation in response to environmental stimuli. The intercellular trafficking of proteins and RNAs has emerged as a novel mechanism of cell-to-cell signaling in plants. As a strategy for efficient intercellular communication, plants have evolved plant-specific symplasmic communication networks via plasmodesmata (PD) and the phloem. PD are symplasmic channels connecting the cytoplasm of neighboring cells and are responsible for the local exchange of metabolites and signaling molecules. The phloem is the sieve-tube system that allows rapid, long-distance translocation of molecules. Together, PD and phloem conduits have been shown to allow the transport of proteins and RNAs in non-selective or/and selective modes. This review describes the current understanding of macromolecule trafficking through PD and the phloem.</P>

SDC4 Gene Silencing Favors Human Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma Cell Apoptosis and Inhibits Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition via Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway

Chen, Liang-Liang,Gao, Ge-Xin,Shen, Fei-Xia,Chen, Xiong,Gong, Xiao-Hua,Wu, Wen-Jun Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2018 Molecules and cells Vol.41 No.9

As the most common type of endocrine malignancy, papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) accounts for 85-90% of all thyroid cancers. In this study, we presented the hypothesis that SDC4 gene silencing could effectively attenuate epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT), and promote cell apoptosis via the $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ signaling pathway in human PTC cells. Bioinformatics methods were employed to screen the determined differential expression levels of SDC4 in PTC and adjacent normal samples. PTC tissues and adjacent normal tissues were prepared and their respective levels of SDC4 protein positive expression, in addition to the mRNA and protein levels of SDC4, $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ signaling pathway, EMT and apoptosis related genes were all detected accordingly. Flow cytometry was applied in order to detect cell cycle entry and apoptosis. Finally, analyses of PTC migration and invasion abilities were assessed by using a Transwell assay and scratch test. In PTC tissues, activated $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ signaling pathway, increased EMT and repressed cell apoptosis were determined. Moreover, the PTC K1 and TPC-1 cell lines exhibiting the highest SDC4 expression were selected for further experiments. In vitro experiments revealed that SDC4 gene silencing could suppress cell migration, invasion and EMT, while acting to promote the apoptosis of PTC cells by inhibiting the activation of the $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ signaling pathway. Besides, $si-{\beta}-catenin$ was observed to inhibit the promotion of PTC cell migration and invasion caused by SDC4 overexpression. Our study revealed that SDC4 gene silencing represses EMT, and enhances cell apoptosis by suppressing the activation of the $Wnt/{\beta}-catenin$ signaling pathway in human PTC.

Clinical Significance of Joint Detection of Serum VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF in Patients with Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma before and after Percutaneous Microwave Coagulation Therapy

Chen, Ji-Dong,Xiong, Yan-Qun,Dong, Ke,Luo, Jun,Yue, Lin-Xian,Chen, Qin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.11

Objective: To investigate the changes of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), soluble interleukin-2 receptor (SIL-2R) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) contents in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) before and after percutaneous microwave coagulation therapy (PMCT) and determine their clinical significance. Materials and Methods: Fasting venous blood (3 mL) from 81 patients with primary HCC diagnosed by pathology was collected in the mornings 1 day before PMCT, and 1 day, 7 days and 1 month after PMCT, and then the serum was separated and stored in $-70^{\circ}C$. The contents of VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: The serum VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF contents in 81 patients with primary HCC had obviously dynamic changes before and after PMCT. By comparison to 1 day after PMCT with pre-operation, there was no statistical significance regarding VEGF and SIL-2R contents (P>0.05), but HGF content showed significant difference (P<0.01). Compared with pre-operation, VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF contents 7 days and 1 month after PMCT all manifested significant differences (P<0.01). By comparison to 7 days with 1 month after PMCT, there was no statistical significance regarding the VEGF content (P>0.05), whereas SIL-2R and HGF contents showed significant change (P<0.01). Conclusions: The contents of serum VEGF, SIL-2R and HGF have obviously dynamic changes in primary HCC before and after PMCT, and their joint detection is expected to be an effective hematologic evaluation index of PMCT for primary HCC.

Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals B cell–related molecular biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease

Xiong Liu-Lin,Xue Lu-Lu,Du Ruo-Lan,Niu Rui-Ze,Chen Li,Chen Jie,Hu Qiao,Tan Ya-Xin,Shang Hui-Fang,Liu Jia,Yu Chang-Yin,Wang Ting-Hua 생화학분자생물학회 2021 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.53 No.-

In recent years, biomarkers have been integrated into the diagnostic process and have become increasingly indispensable for obtaining knowledge of the neurodegenerative processes in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in human blood have been reported to participate in a variety of neurodegenerative activities. Here, a single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of PBMCs from 4 AD patients (2 in the early stage, 2 in the late stage) and 2 normal controls was performed to explore the differential cell subpopulations in PBMCs of AD patients. A significant decrease in B cells was detected in the blood of AD patients. Furthermore, we further examined PBMCs from 43 AD patients and 41 normal subjects by fluorescence activated cell sorting (FACS), and combined with correlation analysis, we found that the reduction in B cells was closely correlated with the patients’ Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores. To confirm the role of B cells in AD progression, functional experiments were performed in early-stage AD mice in which fibrous plaques were beginning to appear; the results demonstrated that B cell depletion in the early stage of AD markedly accelerated and aggravated cognitive dysfunction and augmented the Aβ burden in AD mice. Importantly, the experiments revealed 18 genes that were specifically upregulated and 7 genes that were specifically downregulated in B cells as the disease progressed, and several of these genes exhibited close correlation with AD. These findings identified possible B cell-based AD severity, which are anticipated to be conducive to the clinical identification of AD progression.

An Active Damping Scheme Based on a Second Order Resonant Integrator for LCL-Type Grid-Connected Converters

Chen Chen,Jian Xiong,Kai Zhang 전력전자학회 2017 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.17 No.4

This paper proposes a novel active damping scheme to suppress LCL-filter resonance with only grid-current feedback control in grid-connected voltage-source converters. The idea comes from the concept of the model reference adaptive control (MRAC). A detailed theoretical derivation is given, and the effectiveness of this method is explained based on its physical nature. According to the control structure of this method, the active damping compensator, which is essentially a second order resonant integrator (SORI) filter, provides an effective solution to damp LCL resonance and to eliminate the need for additional sensors. Compared with extra feedback methods, the cost and complexity are reduced. A straightforward tuning procedure for the active damping method has been presented. A stability analysis is illustrated in the discrete domain while considering a one-step delay. Finally, experimental results are presented to validate the analysis and to demonstrate the good performance of the proposed method.

Chemical and bioactive comparison of Panax notoginseng root and rhizome in raw and steamed forms

Xiong, Yin,Chen, Lijuan,Man, Jinhui,Hu, Yupiao,Cui, Xiuming The Korean Society of Ginseng 2019 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.43 No.3

Background: The root and rhizome are historically and officially utilized medicinal parts of Panax notoginseng (PN) (Burk.) F. H. Chen, which in raw and steamed forms are used differently in practice. Methods: To investigate the differences in chemical composition and bioactivities of PN root and rhizome between raw and steamed forms, high-performance liquid chromatography analyses and pharmacologic effects evaluated by tests of anticoagulation, antioxidation, hemostasis, antiinflammation, and hematopoiesis were combined. Results: With the duration of steaming time, the contents of ginsenosides $Rg_1$, Re, $Rb_1$, Rd, and notoginsenoside $R_1$ in PN were decreased, while those of ginsenosides $Rh_1$, $20(S)-Rg_3$, $20(R)-Rg_3$, $Rh_4$, and $Rk_3$ were increased gradually. Raw PN samples steamed for 6 h at $120^{\circ}C$ with stable levels of most constituents were used for the subsequent study of bioeffects. Raw PN showed better hemostasis, anticoagulation, and antiinflammation effects, while steamed PN exhibited stronger antioxidation and hematopoiesis activities. For different parts of PN, contents of saponins in PN rhizome were generally higher than those in the root, which could be related to the stronger bioactivities of rhizome compared with the same form of PN root. Conclusion: This study provides basic information about the chemical and bioactive comparison of PN root and rhizome in both raw and steamed forms, indicating that the change of saponins may have a key role in different properties of raw and steamed PN.

Graphitization of graphene oxide films under pressure

Chen, Xianjue,Deng, Xiaomei,Kim, Na Yeon,Wang, Yu,Huang, Yuan,Peng, Li,Huang, Ming,Zhang, Xu,Chen, Xiong,Luo, Da,Wang, Bin,Wu, Xiaozhong,Ma, Yufei,Lee, Zonghoon,Ruoff, Rodney S. Elsevier 2018 Carbon Vol.132 No.-

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Lightweight, flexible graphite foils that are chemically inert, high-temperature resistant, and highly electrically and thermally conductive can be used as component materials in numerous applications. “Graphenic” foils can be prepared by thermally transforming graphene oxide films. For this transformation, it is desirable to maintain a densely packed film structure at high heating rates as well as to lower the graphitizing temperatures. In this work, we discuss the pressure-assisted thermal decomposition of graphene oxide films by hot pressing at different temperatures (<I>i.e.</I>, 300 °C, 1000 °C, or 2000 °C). The films pressed at 1000 °C or 2000 °C were subsequently heated at 2750 °C to achieve a higher degree of graphitization. The combination of heating and pressing promotes the simultaneous thermal decomposition and graphitic transformation of G-O films. Films pressed at 2000 °C as well as films further graphitized at 2750 °C show high chemical purity, uniformity, and retain their flexibility. For films pressed at 2000 °C and then further heated at 2750 °C, the mechanical performances outperform the reported values of the “graphite” foils prepared by calendering exfoliated graphite flakes; the electrical conductivity is ∼3.1 × 10<SUP>5</SUP> S/m and the in-plane thermal conductivity is ∼1.2 × 10<SUP>3</SUP> W/(m·K).</P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>