Clinicopathological Significance of Reduced SPARCL1 Expression in Human Breast Cancer

Cao, Fang,Wang, Kuo,Zhu, Rong,Hu, Yong-Wei,Fang, Wen-Zheng,Ding, Hou-Zhong Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.1

Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteines-like protein 1 (SPARCL1), an extracellular matrix glycoprotein, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several disorders including cancer. However, little is known about the expression and significance of SPARCL1 in human breast cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the expression pattern and clinicopathological significance of SPARCL1 in a Chinese breast cancer cohort. mRNA and protein expression of SPARCL1 in human breast cancer cell lines and breast cancer tissues was detected using the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, real-time quantitative PCR, and Western blotting, respectively. Immunostaining of SPARCL1 in 282 Chinese breast cancer samples was examined and associations with clinicopathological parameters were analyzed. Compared to the positive expression in immortalized human breast epithelial cells, SPARCL1 was nearly absent in human breast cancer cell lines. Similarly, a significantly reduced expression of SPARCL1 was observed in human breast cancer tissues compared to that in normal breast epithelial tissues, for both mRNA and protein levels (P < 0.001). Immunohistochemical analysis showed that strong cytoplasmic immunostaining of SPARCL1 was observed in almost all normal breast samples (43/45) while moderate and strong immunostaining of SPARCL1 was only detected in 191 of 282 (67.7%) breast cancer cases. Moreover, down-regulation of SPARCL1 was significantly correlated with lymphatic metastasis (P = 0.020) and poor grade (P = 0.044). In conclusion, SPARCL1 may be involved in the breast tumorigenesis and serve as a promising target for therapy of breast cancer.

Numerical Simulation of Hot-Carrier Gate and Injection Current in Deep-Submicron Thin-Film SOI/MOSFET Using Exact Field Distribution

Cao,Jain Min,Wu,Chuan Liang,Shen,Wen ZhEng,Huang,Chang,Li,Yin Bo,Xu,Yang Zhen 대한전자공학회 1997 ICVC : International Conference on VLSI and CAD Vol.5 No.1

Start with 2D simulation of hot-carrier injection current. in this pier, we have discussed the influence of different silicon film thickness (Tsi), gate oxide thickness (Tox1) and substrate doping (Na) an the hot-carrier effects of thin-film deep submicron SOI/MOSFET. Simulation results indicate that, with reduction of Tsi, the hot-carrier current is reduced (by more than 2 orders); and in Tsi range of 0.05-0.1μ. the hot carrier carrent is smallest and insensitive to Tox1, Na and Tsi. These are helpful to the design of high reliability SOI/MOSFET.

Online monitoring of IGBT junction temperature based on V_ce measurement

Cao, Han,Ning, Puqi,Chai, Xiaoguang,Zheng, Dan,Kang, Yuhui,Wen, Xuhui The Korean Institute of Power Electronics 2021 JOURNAL OF POWER ELECTRONICS Vol.21 No.2

In this paper, an online junction temperature monitoring method based on the on-state voltage under high collector current density measurements for IGBT power modules is proposed. Unlike the conventional junction temperature monitoring method, the presented method can extract the junction temperature during operation without altering the modulation strategy or topology of the converter. The proposed method is verified by simulations and the JEDEC-51 standard recommended approach. To accurately extract the on-state voltage during operation, a measurement circuit that combines the advantages of both the active MOSFET clamp and the diode clamp is designed and tested. It has been shown to have good accuracy and a rapid response time. After the calibration results are obtained, the presented method is applied to a three-phase voltage source converter controlled by a closed-loop SVPWM modulation strategy.

Induces Vasodilatation of Rat Mesenteric Artery in vitro Mainly by Inhibiting Receptor-Mediated $Ca^{2+}$ -Influx and $Ca^{2+}$ -Release

Cao Yong-Xiao,Zheng Jian-Pu,He Jian-Yu,Li Jie,Xu Cang-Bao,Edvinsson Lars The Pharmaceutical Society of Korea 2005 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.28 No.6

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of atropine on peripheral vasodilation and the mechanisms involved. The isometric tension of rat mesenteric artery rings was recorded in vitro on a myograph. The results showed that atropine, at concentrations greater than 1$\mu$M, relaxed the noradrenalin (NA)-precontracted rat mesenteric artery in a concentration-dependent manner. Atropine-induced vasodilatation was mediated, in part, by an endothelium-dependent mechanism, to which endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor may contribute. Atropine was able to shift the NA-induced concentration-response curve to the right, in a non-parallel manner, suggesting the mechanism of atropine was not mediated via the ${\alpha}_1$-adrenoreceptor. The $\beta$-adrenoreceptor and ATP sensitive potassium channel, a voltage dependent calcium channel, were not involved in the vasodilatation. However, atropine inhibited the contraction derived from NA and $CaCl_2$ in $Ca^{2+}$-free medium, in a concentration dependent manner, indicating the vasodilatation was related to the inhibition of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ influx through the receptor-operated calcium channels and intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release from the $Ca^{2+}$ store. Atropine had no effect on the caffeine-induced contraction in the artery segments, indicating the inhibition of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release as a result of atropine most likely occurs via the IP3 pathway rather than the ryanodine receptors. Our results suggest that atropine-induced vasodilatation is mainly from artery smooth muscle cells due to inhibition of the receptor-mediated $Ca^{2+}$-influx and $Ca^{2+}$-release, and partly from the endothelium mediated by EDHF.

BRCA1 Gene Exon 11 Mutations in Uighur and Han Women with Early-onset Sporadic Breast Cancer in the Northwest Region of China

Cao, Yu-Wen,Fu, Xin-Ge,Wan, Guo-Xing,Yu, Shi-Ying,Cui, Xiao-Bin,Li, Li,Jiang, Jin-Fang,Zheng, Yu-Qin,Zhang, Wen-Jie,Li, Feng Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.11

The prevalence of BRCA1 gene mutations in breast cancer differs between diverse ethnic groups. Relatively little information is known about patterns of BRCA1 mutations in early-onset breast cancer in women of Uighur or Han descent, the major ethnic populations of the Xinjiang region in China. The aim of this study was to identify BRCA1 mutations in Uighur and Han patients with early-onset (age <35 years), and sporadic breast cancer for genetic predisposition to breast cancer. For detection of BRCA1 mutations, we used a polymerase chain reaction single-stranded conformation polymorphism approach, followed by direct DNA sequencing in 22 Uighur and 13 Han women with early-onset sporadic breast cancer, and 32 women with benign breast diseases. The prevalence of BRCA1 mutations in this population was 22.9% (8/35) among early-onset sporadic breast cancer cases. Of these, 31.8% (7/22) of Uighur patients and 7.69% (1/13) of Han patients were found to have BRCA1 mutations. In 7 Uighur patients with BRCA1 mutations, there were 11 unique sequence alterations in the BRCA1 gene, including 4 clearly disease-associated mutations on exon 11 and 3 variants of uncertain clinical significance on exon 11, meanwhile 4 neutral variants on intron 20 or 2. None of the 11 BRCA1 mutations identified have been previously reported in the Breast Cancer Information Core database. These findings reflect the prevalence of BRCA1 mutations in Uighur women with early-onset and sporadic breast cancer, which will allow for provision of appropriate genetic counseling and treatment for Uighur patients in the Xinjiang region.

Impact of Artificial Intelligence on the Development of Art Projects: Opportunities and Limitations

Zheng, Xiang,Xiong, Jinghao,Cao, Xiaoming,Nazarov, Y.V. International Journal of Computer ScienceNetwork S 2022 International journal of computer science and netw Vol.22 No.9

To date, the use of artificial intelligence has already brought certain results in such areas of art as poetry, painting, and music. The development of AI and its application in the creative process opens up new perspectives, expanding the capabilities of authors and attracting a new audience. The purpose of the article is to analyze the essential, artistic, and technological limitations of AI art. The article discusses the methods of attracting AI to artistic practices, carried out a comparative analysis of the methods of using AI in visual art and in the process of writing music, identified typical features in the creative interaction of the author of a work of art with AI. The basic principles of working with AI have been determined based on the analysis of ways of using AI in visual art and music. The importance of neurobiology mechanisms in the course of working with AI has been determined. The authors conclude that art remains an area in which AI still cannot replace humans, but AI contributes to the further formation of methods for modifying and rethinking the data obtained into innovative art projects.

Fabrication of Powder Feedstock for Thermal Spraying and Evaluation of the Composite Coating

Cao Peng,Gabbitas Brian,Zheng Ling,Zhang Deliang 한국분말야금학회 2006 한국분말야금학회 학술대회논문집 Vol.2006 No.1

[ ] composite powders were produced by high energy mechanical milling of a mixture of Al and powders followed by a combustion reaction. The powders were subsequently thermally sprayed on H13 steel substrates. Microstructural examination was conducted on the composite powders and thermally sprayed coatings, using X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The performance of the coatings was evaluated in terms of micro-hardness and thermal fatigue. The thermally sprayed coatings performed very well in the preliminary thermal fatigue tests and showed no wetting tendency to molten aluminum.

Prognostic Value of C-Reactive Protein in Esophageal Cancer: a Meta-analysis

Zheng, Tian-Liang,Cao, Ke,Liang, Cui,Zhang, Kai,Guo, Hai-Zhou,Li, De-Ping,Zhao, Song Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.19

Background: The classical inflammatory biomarker, C-reactive protein (CRP), has been identified to be related to progression of esophageal cancer. Some research showed that elevated pretreatment serum CRP indicated a poor prognosis, but results have been inconsistent. Materials and Methods: We searched the Medline, Embase and the Cochrane Central Search Library for suitable studies and a meta-analysis of eleven (1,886 patients) was conducted to examine the relationship between elevated serum CRP level and overall survival (OS) in esophageal cancer cases. Moreover, correlation analyses were conducted to assess links between pretreatment serum CRP level and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage as well as T, N, M grade, respectively. Results: The pooled analysis showed that elevated pretreatment serum CRP level was significantly associated with poorer overall survival (HR 2.09, 95%CI 1.52-2.87, p<0.01). Subgroup analyses were conducted by "country", "cut-off value", "treatment" and "number of patients", and no single factor could alter the result. Elevated pretreatment serum CRP was significantly correlated with more advanced TNM stage and T, N, M grade respectively. Conclusions: Elevated pretreatment serum CRP levels are associated with poorer prognosis in esophageal cancer patients, and could serve as a useful biomarker for outcome prediction.

Genomic Analysis of 13 Putative Active Prophages Located in the Genomes of Walnut Blight Pathogen Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis

Zheng Cao,Du Cuiying,Fu Benzhong 한국미생물·생명공학회 2022 한국미생물·생명공학회지 Vol.50 No.4

Xanthomonas arboricola pv. juglandis (Xaj) is a globally important bacterial pathogen of walnut trees that causes substantial economic losses in commercial walnut production. Although prophages are common in bacterial plant pathogens and play important roles in bacterial diversity and pathogenicity, there has been limited investigation into the distribution and function of prophages in Xaj. In this study, we identified and characterized 13 predicted prophages from the genomes of 12 Xaj isolates from around the globe. These prophages ranged in length from 11.8 kb to 51.9 kb, with between 11-75 genes and 57.82-64.15% GC content. The closest relatives of these prophages belong to the Myoviridae and Siphoviridae families of the Caudovirales order. The phylogenetic analysis allowed the classification of the prophages into five groups. The gene constitution of these predicted prophages was revealed via Roary analysis. Amongst 126 total protein groups, the most prevalent group was only present in nine prophages, and 22 protein groups were present in only one prophage (singletons). Also, bioinformatic analysis of the 13 identified prophages revealed the presence of 431 genes with an average length of 389.7 bp. Prokka annotation of these prophages identified 466 hypothetical proteins, 24 proteins with known function, and six tRNA genes. The proteins with known function mainly comprised prophage integrase IntA, replicative DNA helicase, tyrosine recombinase XerC, and IS3 family transposase. There was no detectable insertion site specificity for these prophages in the Xaj genomes. The identified Xaj prophage genes, particularly those of unknown function, merit future investigation.

Daubechies' Wavelet Method for Angular Solution of the Neutron Transport Equation

Zheng, Y.,Wu, H.,Cao, L.,Cho, N.Z. AMERICAN NUCLEAR SOCIETY 2010 Nuclear science and engineering Vol.164 No.2