Molecular Cloning and Function Analysis of an Anthocyanidin Synthase Gene from Ginkgo biloba, and Its Expression in Abiotic Stress Responses

Feng Xu,Hua Cheng,Rong Cai,Lin Ling Li,Jie Chang,Jun Zhu,Feng Xia Zhang,Liu Ji Chen,Yan Wang,Shu Han Cheng,Shui Yuan Cheng 한국분자세포생물학회 2008 Molecules and cells Vol.26 No.6

Anthocyanidin synthase (ANS, leucoanthocyanidin oxygenase), a 2-oxoglutarate iron-dependent oxygenase, catalyzed the penultimate step in the biosynthesis of the anthocyanin class of flavonoids, from the colorless leucoanthocyanidins to the colored anthocyanidins. The full-length cDNA and genomic DNA sequences of ANS gene (designated as GbANS) were isolated from Ginkgo biloba for the first time. The full-length cDNA of GbANS contained a 1062-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 354-amino-acid protein. The genomic DNA analysis showed that GbANS gene had three exons and two introns. The deduced GbANS protein showed high identities to other plant ANSs. The conserved amino acids (H-X-D) ligating ferrous iron and residues (R-X-S) participating in 2-oxoglutarate binding were found in GbANS at the similar positions like other ANSs. Southern blot analysis indicated that GbANS belonged to a multi-gene family. The expression analysis by real-time PCR showed that GbANS expressed in a tissue-specific manner in G. biloba. GbANS was also found to be up-regulated by all of the six tested abiotic stresses, UV-B, abscisic acid, sucrose, salicylic acid, cold and ethylene, consistent with the promoter region analysis of GbANS. The recombinant protein was successfully expressed in E. coli strain with pET-28a vector. The in vitro enzyme activity assay by HPLC indicated that recombinant GbANS protein could catalyze the formation the cyanidin from leucocyanidin and conversion of dihydroquercetin to quercetin, suggesting GbANS is a bifunctional enzyme within the anthocyanidin and flavonol biosynthetic pathway.

Clinical Implications of p57^KIP2 Expression in Breast Cancer

Xu, Xiao-Yin,Wang, Wen-Qian,Zhang, Lei,Li, Yi-Ming,Tang, Miao,Jiang, Nan,Cai, Shou-Liang,Wei, Liang,Jin, Feng,Chen, Bo Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.10

Objective: To study the relationship between expression of $p57^{KIP2}$ and prognosis and other clinicopathological parameters in invasive breast cancers. Methods: We assessed the expression of $p57^{KIP2}$ in 89 cases of invasive breast cancer and 20 cases of normal breast tissue by immunohistochemical methods and analyzed the results with SPSS software (ver. 16.0). Result: The positive expression rates of $p57^{KIP2}$ protein in the invasive breast cancers and surrounding normal tissue were 30.3% (27/89) and 65% (13/20), respectively. Cases with no $p57^{KIP2}$ expression exhibited a significantly higher post-operative distant metastasis rate than those with $p57^{KIP2}$ expression (37.9% vs. 14.8%; P = 0.01). DFS analysis showed that $p57^{KIP2}$-/C-erbB-2+ tumors also exhibited a significantly higher post-operative distant metastasis rate than the other groups (66.7% vs. 29.2%; P = 0.007), as did $p57^{KIP2}$-/p53+ tumors (64.3% vs. 22.7%; P = 0.001). Survival analysis revealed that $p57^{KIP2}$ was associated with breast cancer-specific survival overall (P = 0.045, log-rank test). Subgroup analysis demonstrated that individuals with $p57^{KIP2}$-/C-erbB-2+tumors experienced significantly worse post-operative survival than those with $p57^{KIP2}$-/C-erbB-2- or other tumors (P = 0.006, log-rank test). $p57^{KIP2}$-/p53+ tumors were associated with significantly worse post-operative survival than $p57^{KIP2}$-/p53- or other tumors (P = 0.001, log-rank test). Cox regression analysis showed that $p57^{KIP2}$ was a non-independent prognostic factor for breast cancer (P = 0.303). Conclusions: $p57^{KIP2}$ is expressed at low levels in invasive breast cancer and is associated with better overall survival rate and disease-free survival in breast cancer patients, but it was a non-independent prognostic factor for breast cancer. Thus, the connection between $p57^{KIP2}$/p53 and $p57^{KIP2}$/C-erbB-2 may provide biomarkers for breast cancer.

Preparation of lithium-doped NaV6O15 thin film cathodes with high cycling performance in SIBs

Xu Hai-Yan,Ruan Jun Hai,Liu Fang Lin,Li Dong-Cai,Zhang Feng-Jun,Wang Ai-Guo,Sun Dao-Sheng,오원춘 한국세라믹학회 2022 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.59 No.3

Lithium ions-doped NaV6O15 thin films have been prepared using a simple low temperature liquid phase deposition method and subsequent annealing process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), scanning elec- tron microscopy (SEM), and photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been used to study the structural and physicochemical characteristics of the NaV6O15 film. The films were grown on the FTO conductive glass and used directly as an electrode of sodium ion batteries. The prepared lithium ions-doped NaV6O15 thin film electrodes showed an excellent cycling stability and discharge capacity, which may be attributed to the stability of the Li+ embedded into the gap between the V–O layers to maintain the structure and its stable β-phase structure transformed after the first cycle. The cycling stability greatly improved with increasing annealing temperature, while the discharge capacity decreased. The capacities of the film electrodes annealed at 400 °C and 450 °C maintained above 97% after 100 cycles. The lithium-doped NaV6O15 underwent a phase transition dur- ing the first charge/discharge cycle. The new transformed phase has perfect crystal structure stability undergoing insertion and deinsertion of Na+. Therefore, the lithium-doped NaV6O15 thin film possesses good cycling stability and is expected to be a promising thin film cathode for sodium-ion batteries.

Association of Perceived Stress With Depression Among Vaccinated Healthcare Workers During the SARS-CoV-2 Variant Outbreak: The Mediating Role of Compassion Fatigue

Cai Xue,Li Guohong,Feng Haixia,Wang Xiaoyan,He Lijun,Luo Dan,Xu Cuirong,Huang Yingzi,Qiu Shanhu 대한신경정신의학회 2023 PSYCHIATRY INVESTIGATION Vol.20 No.4

Objective Depression was common during coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, while the association of perceived stress with depression among vaccinated healthcare workers has not been investigated. This study aimed to address this issue.Methods We included a total of 898 fully vaccinated healthcare workers during the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 Delta variant in Nanjing, 2021. Depression was ascertained by Patient Health Questionnaire-9, with a cut-off score of ≥5 indicative of mild-to-severe depression. Perceived stress, resilience, and compassion fatigue were assessed by Perceived Stress Scale-10, Resilience Scale-25, and Professional Quality of Life Scale version-5, respectively. Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI), along with subgroup and mediation analyses.Results The prevalence of mild-to-severe depression was 41.1% in vaccinated healthcare workers. The odd of mild-to-severe depression was increased with higher perceived stress. Compared with vaccinated healthcare workers with the lowest tertile of perceived stress, those with the highest tertile had increased odds of mild-to-severe depression by 120% (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.46 to 3.31) after multivariable-adjustment. However, perceived stress was not associated with mild-to-severe depression in vaccinated healthcare workers with strong resilience, but was in those with weak resilience (p_interaction=0.004). Further analysis showed that compassion fatigue mediated the relationship between perceived stress and mild-to-severe depression, with a mediating effect of 49.7%.Conclusion Perceived stress was related to an increased odd of mild-to-severe depression in vaccinated healthcare workers during COVID-19 pandemic, and this relationship might be explained by compassion fatigue.

A liquid phase deposited porous flower-like HNaV6O16⋅4H2O film developed for a novel adsorbent to remove Pb2+, Cu2+, Mn2+ and Cd2+

Xu Hai-Yan,Yang Yi Cai,Li Dong-Cai,Wu Ran Ran,Wang Ai-Guo,Sun Dao-Sheng,Zhang Feng-Jun,오원춘 한국세라믹학회 2023 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.60 No.3

Heavy metal ion pollution of water resources is becoming increasingly serious, and adsorption is one of the most effective strategies for removing heavy metal ions. In the paper, hydrated hydrogen sodium vanadium oxide (HNaV 6O164H2O) fi lm developed for heavy metal ion adsorption was prepared directly via a low-temperature liquid-phase deposition approach. The prepared film shows an interesting porous flower-like morphology and has large spacing ( d = 10.87 Å). The highest adsorption capacity of the obtained HNaV 6O164H2O fi lm for Pb 2+, Cu 2+, Cd 2+ and Mn 2+ is 513 mg/g (2565 mg/m 2), 430 mg/g (2150 mg/m 2), 134 mg/g (875 mg/m 2) and 175 mg/g (670 mg/m 2), respectively. The adsorption percentage of the sample decreased from 92.2 to 86.3% after 4 cycles. The adsorption process follows the Langmuir adsorption isotherm and the pseudo second-order dynamic model, indicating that heavy metal ion adsorption by the fi lm is a single molecular layer chemical adsorption. In combination with various characterizations and comparison tests of samples after adsorption, the adsorption mechanisms include surface electrostatic attraction, complexation, and cation exchange. The results indicate that the fi lm is a potential material to remove heavy metal ions from the aqueous solution.

Preparation of porous cordierite ceramic with acid-leached coal gangue

Wang Xu-Dong,Xu Hai-Yan,Zhang Feng-Jun,Li Dong-Cai,Wang Ai-Guo,Sun Dao-Sheng,오원춘 한국세라믹학회 2020 한국세라믹학회지 Vol.57 No.4

The eff ect of impurities in coal gangue on the sintering and properties (porosity and compressive strength) of porous cordierite ceramics has been investigated by adjusting the amount of impurities by controlling the acid–gangue ratio during acid leaching. The sintering behavior and microstructure of the porous ceramics have been characterized via X-ray diff ractometry and scanning electron microscopy. The eff ects of both the acid–gangue ratio and sintering temperature on the porosity and compressive strength have been also investigated. The results indicated that both porosity and compressive strength of the porous cordierite ceramics prepared using acid-leached coal gangue were evidently improved. The content of the impurities in coal gangue was adjusted via acid leaching by controlling the acid–gangue ratio. The appropriate content of impurities in coal gangue facilitated the sintering process and improved the porosity and compressive strength of the obtained porous cordierite ceramics.

Shear Resistance Prediction of Post-fire Reinforced Concrete Beams Using Artificial Neural Network

Bin Cai,Long-Fei Xu,Feng Fu 한국콘크리트학회 2019 International Journal of Concrete Structures and M Vol.13 No.6

In this paper, a prediction method based on artificial neural network was developed to rapidly determine the residual shear resistance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams after fire. Firstly, the temperature distribution along the beam section was determined through finite element analysis using software ABAQUS. A residual shear strength calculation model was developed and validated using the test data. Using this model, 384 data entries were derived for training and testing. The input layer of neural network involved parameters of beam height, beam width, fire exposure time, cross-sectional area of stirrup, stirrup spacing, concrete strength, and concrete cover thickness. The output was the shear resistance of RC beams. It was found that use of BP neural network could precisely predict the post-fire shear resistance of RC beams. The predicted data were highly consistent with the target data. Thus, this is a novel method for computing post-fire shear resistance of RC beams. Using this new method, further investigation was also made on the effects of different parameters on the shear resistance of the beams.

Dynamic analysis of a cylindrical boom based on Miura origami

Jianguo Cai,Ya Zhou,Xinyu Wang,Yixiang Xu,Jian Feng 국제구조공학회 2018 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.28 No.5

The dynamic behavior of the deployment and folding process of a foldable boom based on the Miura origami pattern is investigated in this paper. Firstly, mechanical behavior of a single storey during the motion is studied numerically. Then the deployment and folding of a multi-storey boom is discussed. Moreover, the influence of the geometry parameters and the number of Miura-ori elements n on the dynamic behavior of the boom is also studied. Finally, the influence of the imperfection on the dynamic behavior is investigated. The results show that the angles between the diagonal folds and horizontal folds will have great effect on the strains during the motion. A bistable configuration can be obtained by choosing proper fold angles for a given multi-storey boom. The influence of the imperfection on the folding behavior of the foldable mast is significant.

Non-linear stability analysis of a hybrid barrel vault roof

Jianguo Cai,Ya Zhou,Yixiang Xu,Jian Feng 국제구조공학회 2013 Steel and Composite Structures, An International J Vol.14 No.6

This paper focuses on the buckling capacity of a hybrid grid shell. The eigenvalue buckling, geometrical non-linear elastic buckling and elasto-plastic buckling analyses of the hybrid structure were carried out. Then the influences of the shape and scale of imperfections on the elasto-plastic buckling loads were discussed. Also, the effects of different structural parameters, such as the rise-to-span ratio, beam section, area and pre-stress of cables and boundary conditions, on the failure load were investigated. Based on the comparison between elastic and elasto-plastic buckling loads, the effect of material non-linearity on the stability of the hybrid barrel vault is found significant. Furthermore, the stability of a hybrid barrel vault is sensitive to the anti-symmetrical distribution of loads. It is also shown that the structures are highly imperfection sensitive which can greatly reduce their failure loads. The results also show that the support conditions pose significant effect on the elasto-plastic buckling load of a perfect hybrid structure.

Short hairpin RNA targeting of fibroblast activation protein inhibits tumor growth and improves the tumor microenvironment in a mouse model

Fan Cai,Zhi Yong Li,Chun Ting Wang,Shuang Xian,Guang Chao Xu,Feng Peng,Yu Quan Wei,You Lu 생화학분자생물학회(구 한국생화학분자생물학회) 2013 BMB Reports Vol.46 No.5