Value of Exhaled Nitric Oxide and FEF25–75 in Identifying Factors Associated With Chronic Cough in Allergic Rhinitis

Xiaofang Liu,Xiangdong Wang,Xiujuan Yao,Yuhong Wang,Yongchang Sun,Luo Zhang 대한천식알레르기학회 2019 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.11 No.6

Purpose: Chronic cough in allergic rhinitis (AR) patients is common with multiple etiologies including cough variant asthma (CVA), non-asthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (NAEB), gastroesophageal reflux-related cough (GERC), and upper airway cough syndrome (UACS). Practical indicators that distinguish these categories are lacking. We aimed to explore the diagnostic value of the fraction of exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) and forced expiratory flow at 25% and 75% of pulmonary volume (FEF25–75) in specifically identifying CVA and NAEB in these patients. Methods: Consecutive AR patients with chronic cough were screened and underwent induced sputum, FeNO, nasal nitric oxide, spirometry, and methacholine bronchial provocation testing. All patients also completed gastroesophageal reflux disease questionnaires. Results: Among 1,680 AR patients, 324 (19.3%) were identified with chronic cough, of whom 316 (97.5%) underwent etiology analyses. Overall, 87 (27.5%) patients had chronic cough caused by NAEB, 78 (24.7%) by CVA, 16 (5.1%) by GERC, and 81 (25.6%) by UACS. Patients with either NAEB or CVA (n = 165, in total) were further assigned to a common group designated as CVA/NAEB, because they both responded to corticosteroid therapy. Receiver operating characteristic curves of FeNO revealed obvious differences among CVA, NAEB, and CVA/NAEB (area under the curve = 0.855, 0.699, and 0.923, respectively). The cutoff values of FeNO at 43.5 and 32.5 ppb were shown to best differentiate CVA and CVA/NAEB, respectively. FEF25–75 was significantly lower in patients with CVA than in those with other causes. A FEF25–75 value of 74.6% showed good sensitivity and specificity for identifying patients with CVA. Conclusions: NAEB, CVA, and UACS are common causes of chronic cough in patients with AR. FeNO can first be used to discriminate patients with CVA/NAEB, then FEF25–75 (or combined with FeNO) can further discriminate patients with CVA from those with CVA/NAEB.

Development of a Method Based on Surface Enhanced Laser Desorption and Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry for Rapid Identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae

Daiwen Xiao,Yongchang Yang,Hua Liu,Hua Yu,Yingjun Yan,Wenfang Huang,Wei Jiang,Weijin Liao,Qi Hu,Bo Huang 한국미생물학회 2009 The journal of microbiology Vol.47 No.5

A method based on surface enhanced laser desorption and ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS) was developed for the rapid identification of Klebsiella pneumoniae by directly applying bacterial colonies without further protein extraction. A total of 40 K. pneumoniae and 114 other related microorganisms isolated clinically were analyzed by SELDI-TOF MS. An identification model for K. pneumoniae was established by artificial neural networks (ANNs) with classification accuracy of 100%. The model was blindly tested with 43 K. pneumoniae and 53 control bacteria again. The results showed that the model was successful with accuracy of 96.9%, sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 94.3%. This strategy is potential for rapid identification of K. pneumoniae.

Hot Deformation Behavior and Recrystallization Mechanism in an As-Cast CoNi-Based Superalloy

Yong Guan,Yongchang Liu,Zongqing Ma,Huijun Li,Hongyao Yu 대한금속·재료학회 2022 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.28 No.6

The hot deformation behavior of as-cast CoNi-based superalloy was investigated by means of hot compression tests. Thecorresponding microstructure evolution after hot deformation was examined by optical microscope, as well as the TEMtechnique. The constitutive equation and processing map as a function of deformation temperature and strain rate were developed. Results show that the efficiency peak of the processing map is 0.38 at the temperature of 1130 °C and the strain rate of0.01 s−1. The discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (DDRX) related to the strain-induced grain boundary migration (SIBM)is the dominant recrystallization mechanism during hot working. Meanwhile, the DRX also occurs by forming sub-grainsaround MC carbides and shear band. In addition, the existence of fine γ′ precipitates are found to retard the recrystallization.

Development of Ferrite/Bainite Bands and Study of Bainite Transformation Retardation in HSLA Steel During Continuous Cooling

Lei Shi,Zesheng Yan,Yongchang Liu,Xu Yang,Zhixia Qiao,Baoqun Ning,Huijun Li 대한금속·재료학회 2014 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.20 No.1

The development of banded structure in HSLA steel during continuous cooling has been systematicallystudied using dilatometry and microstructural observations. At low cooling rates (<10 °C/min), the micro-structure contains alternating bands of ferrite and a mixture of pearlite and bainite. At higher cooling rate(>10 °C/min), the formation of pearlite is suppressed, and the corresponding microstructure consists ofbanded ferrite and bainite. Dilatometric analysis indicates that as ferrite and pearlite transformation at lowrates (or ferrite transformation at higher rates) completes, Manganese (Mn) and Carbon (C) concentrationin austenite can retard the bainitic transformation and result in the transformation stagnancy phenomenon. The magnitude of retardation and the bainite morphology are affected by Mn and C concentration. Theincreased cooling rate decreases Mn and C content in bainite, and then the length of the stagnant stagedecreases and bainite morphology changes from lower bainite to acicular ferrite.

Herringbone Structure and Signifi cantly Enhanced Hardness in W-Modifi ed Ti 2 AlNb Alloys by Spark Plasma Sintering

Junpeng Yang,Qi Cai,Yongchang Liu,Chong Li,Zongqing Ma,Huijun Li 대한금속·재료학회 2019 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.25 No.4

The W-modifi ed Ti 2 AlNb-based alloys synthesized at 1100 °C by spark plasma sintering were solution treated at 1300 °Cfor 4 h and then aged at 800–1000 °C for 1 h. The phase composition, microstructure evolution, and microhardness of theaged alloys are investigated in this study. A signifi cant enhancement of hardness, ~ 750 HV, is obtained in the alloy aged at900 °C, while that of the one without W addition is only ~ 470 HV. The hardness is also higher than that of common β-Ti andTi–6Al–4V alloys. As the ageing temperature increases, the B2/O structure evolves from B2 + O colonies to Widmannstättenstructure, followed by a “disordering to ordering” procedure. This process also involves the variation of the angle betweenadjacent O phase from 90° to 60°. Specifi cally, a herringbone Widmannstätten B2 + O structure is constructed in the alloysaged in the α 2 + B2 + O phase region, which is related to the diff usion of W and the substitution of W for Nb in the latticeof B2 or O.

Production and immunogenicity of chimeric virus-like particles containing the spike glycoprotein of infectious bronchitis virus

Lishan Lv,Xiaoming Li,Genmei Liu,Ran Li,Qiliang Liu,Huifang Shen,Wei Wang,Chunyi Xue,Yongchang Cao 대한수의학회 2014 JOURNAL OF VETERINARY SCIENCE Vol.15 No.2

Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) poses a severe threat to thepoultry industry and causes heavy economic losses worldwide. Vaccination is the most effective method of preventing infectionand controlling the spread of IBV, but currently availableinactivated and attenuated virus vaccines have somedisadvantages. We developed a chimeric virus-like particle(VLP)-based candidate vaccine for IBV protection. The chimericVLP was composed of matrix 1 protein from avian influenzaH5N1 virus and a fusion protein neuraminidase (NA)/spike 1 (S1)that was generated by fusing IBV S1 protein to the cytoplasmicand transmembrane domains of NA protein of avian influenzaH5N1 virus. The chimeric VLPs elicited significantly higherS1-specific antibody responses in intramuscularly immunizedmice and chickens than inactivated IBV viruses. Furthermore,the chimeric VLPs induced significantly higher neutralizationantibody levels than inactivated H120 virus in SPF chickens. Finally, the chimeric VLPs induced significantly higher IL-4production in mice. These results demonstrate that chimericVLPs have the potential for use in vaccines against IBV infection.

Influence of Al Addition Upon the Microstructure and Mechanical Property of Dual‑Phase 9Cr‑ODS Steels

Xiaosheng Zhou,Zongqing Ma,Liming Yu,Yuan Huang,Huijun Li,Yongchang Liu 대한금속·재료학회 2019 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.25 No.1

With Al addition, dual-phase oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) steels consisting of martensite and ferrite are fabricatedby spark plasma sintering. It is found that Al addition has a negligible effect on martensite lath size, while the amount andsize of ferrite grains are related to the Al content. M23C6(M = Fe, Cr) carbides have been identified within the ferrite grainsor along ferrite boundaries. With increasing Al concentration, more fine Y–Al–O oxide nanoparticles are formed. Uponannealing treatment, homogeneous and refined distribution of ferrite grains is obtained, which may involve the particlestimulatednucleation of recrystallization caused by the large sized M23C6. As Al is increased from 0.05 to 0.1 wt%, thetensile strength of the annealed steel is decreased, as well as its ductility. For the annealed 9Cr-ODS steel containing 0.1 wt%Al, in tensile loading the large sized M23C6along ferrite boundaries would facilitate the cracking along boundaries betweenthe hard annealed ferrite and soft annealed martensite, producing the mixed fracture of dimple and intergranular fracture.