Design of Micro Biopsy Device for Wireless Autonomous Endoscope

Wen-Wen Chen,Guo-Zheng Yan,Hua Liu,Ping-Ping Jiang,Zhi-Wu Wang 한국정밀공학회 2014 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol. No.

Well-established technology that provides assistance from outside the patient may soon give way to alternative approaches that bythe wireless robotic mechanisms inside the patient through natural orifices. For this study, two kinds of micro biopsy mechanisms weredeveloped for capsule endoscope which could traverse the gut environment automatically. This mobility allows the biopsy device tomove to the area of interest to sample specific tissues. Based on the medical and mechanism considerations, we concerned on designprecise biopsy jaw with sufficient cutting force, and the biopsy process should be safe, repeatable and visible. The lead-screw linkagesystem that actuated jaw of biopsy allowing for large force production. Using one micro-motor, the biopsy process was carried outquickly by three motions: stretching to sampling point; bite and cutting off; withdrawing into capsule body with the sample. With thecontrol and vision system, the biopsy process could compete automatically. The robot was capable of traversing in the gut environmentwirelessly and had been successfully used to biopsy gut tissue in vitro. In addition, experimental analysis of the biopsy mechanismshowed good results towards more elaborate tissue manipulation in the future.

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus G Glycoprotein and ATRA Enhanced Bystander Killing of Chemoresistant Leukemic Cells by Herpes Simplex Virus Thymidine Kinase/Ganciclovir

( Bin Yin ),( Chen Xi Hu ),( Zheng Chen ),( Wen Jun Zhao ),( Li Rong Wei ),( Yan Wen Zheng ),( Chao He ),( Yan Zeng ) 한국응용약물학회 2014 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.22 No.2

Vesicular Stomatitis Virus G Glycoprotein and ATRA EnhancedBystander Killing of Chemoresistant Leukemic Cells by HerpesSimplex Virus Thymidine Kinase/Ganciclovir

Influence of the properties of corundum aggregates on the strength and slag resistance of refractory castables

Wen Yan,Nan Li,Zheng Miao,Guangping Liu,Yuanyuan Li 한양대학교 세라믹연구소 2012 Journal of Ceramic Processing Research Vol.13 No.3

Three refractory castables containing corundum aggregates with different porosities, average pore size and strength and the same matrices were fabricated. The effects of the properties of corundum aggregates on the strength and slag resistance of refractory castables were investigated through an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), mercury porosimetry measurements, etc. It was found that the properties of corundum aggregates have an important effect on the bulk density, porosity, compressive strength and slag resistance of refractory castables, but have little effect on the flexural strength of refractory castables. Compared with a castable containing white fused corundum aggregate (with a porosity of 4.2% and a bulk density of 3.62 g/cm3), the castable containing a porous corundum aggregate (with a porosity of 42.0% and a bulk density of 2.29 g/cm3) has a higher porosity of 35.7%, a lower bulk density of 2.44 g/cm3, a lower but sufficient compressive strength (80.4 MPa) and a lower slag resistance, but has a similar flexural strength (20.3 MPa), and then has a potential application for a non-slag working lining of a ladle to decrease the consumption of energy and Al2O3 material.

Development and Validation of Nomograms to Provide Individualized Predictions of Sur-vival Benefits from Surgery in Patients with Intermediate/Advanced Hepatocel-lular Carcinoma

( Wen-tao Yan ),( Jia-he Wang ),( Ming-da Wang ),( Zheng Wang ),( Bing Quan ),( Ya-hao Zhou ),( Wei-min Gu ),( Hong Wang ),( Ting-hao Chen ),( Tian Yang ) 대한간학회 2018 춘·추계 학술대회 (KASL) Vol.2018 No.1

Aims: According to the BCLC treatment guidelines, surgery does not be recommended for intermediate/advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). In real world, however, liver resections are often performed in patients with intermediate/ advanced but resectable HCC, especially in the East. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated multicentric data of 1,325 patients newly diagnosed with intermediate/advanced HCC who underwent curative resection. We randomly divided the subjects into development (n = 875) and validation (n = 450) samples. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models were developed and separately validated on the basis of patients’ clinicopathological variables assessed for associations with 1-year recurrence and 3-year mortality. The discriminatory accuracy of these models was compared with conventional tools by analyzing receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: He statistical nomograms built based on performance status, Child-Pugh grade, portal hypertension, preoperative alpha-fetoprotein level, tumor rupture, largest tumor diameter, tumor number, macrovascular and microvascular invasion, and satellites had good calibration and discriminatory abilities, with c-indices of 0.70 (1-year recurrence) and 0.68 (3-year survival), respectively. These models showed satisfactory goodness-of-fit and discrimination abilities in the validation cohort (c-index, 0.68 for 1-year recurrence and 0.69 for 3-year survival). The areas under the ROC curve using these nomograms exceeded those of traditional staging systems, indicating superior discriminatory capability (c-indices, 0.60-0.63 and 0.56-0.62, respectively). Conclusions: Our proposed online nomograms, which present graphically postoperative prognostic models for recurrence and survival in patients with intermediate/advanced but resectable HCC, offer valuable guidance to surgeons and hepatologists for individually predicting survival benefits from surgery and planning recurrence surveillance and adjuvant therapy.

Expression of Transcription Factor FOXC2 in Cervical Cancer and Effects of Silencing on Cervical Cancer Cell Proliferation

Zheng, Chun-Hua,Quan, Yuan,Li, Yi-Yang,Deng, Wei-Guo,Shao, Wen-Jing,Fu, Yan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.4

Objective: Forkhead box C2 (FOXC2) is a member of the winged helix/forkhead box (Fox) family of transcription factors. It has been suggested to regulate tumor vasculature, growth, invasion and metastasis, although it has not been studied in cervical cancer. Here, we analyzed FOXC2 expression in cervical tissues corresponding to different stages of cervical cancer development and examined its correlation with clinicopathological characteristics. In addition, we examined the effects of targeting FOXC2 on the biological behavior of human cervical cancer cells. Methods: The expression of FOXC2 in normal human cervix, CIN I-III and cervical cancer was examined by immunohistochemistry and compared among the three groups and between cervical cancers with different pathological subtypes. Endogenous expression of FOXC2 was transiently knocked down in human Hela and SiHa cervical cells by siRNA, and cell viability and migration were examined by scratch and CCK8 assays, respectively. Results: In normal cervical tissue the frequency of positive staining was 25% (10/40 cases), with a staining intensity (PI) of $0.297{\pm}0.520$, in CIN was 65% (26/40cases), with a PI of $3.00{\pm}3.29$, and in cancer was 91.8% (68/74 cases), with a PI of $5.568 {\pm}3.449$. The frequency was 100% in adenocarcinoma (5/5 cases) and 91.3% in SCCs (63/69 cases). The FOXC2 positive expression rate was 88.5% in patients with cervical SCC stage I and 100% in stage II, showing significant differences compared with normal cervix and CIN. With age, pathologic differentiation degree and tumor size, FOXC2 expression showed no significant variation. On transient transfection of Hela and SiHa cells, FOXC2-siRNA inhibition rates were 76.2% and 75.7%; CCK8 results showed reduced proliferation and relative migration (in Hela cells from $64.5{\pm}3.16$ to $49.5{\pm}9.24$ and in SiHa cells from $60.1{\pm}3.05$ to $44.3{\pm}3.98$) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: FOXC2 gene expression increases with malignancy, especially with blood vessel hyperplasia and invasion degree. Targeted silencing was associated with reduced cell proliferation as well as invasion potential.

Novel HMW glutenin genes from Aegilops tauschii and their unique structures

Wen-Jie Chen,Zhong-Wei Yuan,Lian-Quan Zhang,Xing Fan,Ze-Hong Yan,Ji-Rui Wang,You-Liang Zheng,Huai-Gang Zhang,Deng-Cai Liu 한국유전학회 2012 Genes & Genomics Vol.34 No.3

A pair of novel high-molecular-weight glutenin subunits (HMW-GS) 1Dx5.3t and 1Dy12.1**t were revealed and characterized from Ae. tauschii accession PI554324. SDS-PAGE band of 1Dx5.3t was between those of 1Bx6 and 1Bx7, while 1Dy12.1**t with slightly faster migration rate than that of 1Dy12. The lengths of 1Dx5.3t and 1Dy12.1**t were 2115 bp and 1986 bp, encoding 703 and 660 amino acid residues,respectively. Their authenticity was confirmed by successful expression of the coding regions in Escherichia coli. 1Dx5.3t is the shortest of the known Dx-type alleles. 1Dy12.1**t is also a special subunit since it has an additional cysteine in the front of the central repetitive domain. This cysteine that is not existed in previously reported Dy-type genes may be useful for improving bread wheat quality. Median-joining Network analysis indicated that 1Dy12.1**t may be a key site in the genealogy of the Glu-Dy.

Plasma metabolites associated with physiological and biochemical indexes indicate the effect of caging stress on mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos)

Zheng Chao,Wu Yan,Liang Zhen Hua,Pi Jin Song,Cheng Shi Bin,Wei Wen Zhuo,Liu Jing Bo,Lu Li Zhi,Zhang Hao 아세아·태평양축산학회 2022 Animal Bioscience Vol.35 No.2

Objective: Cage rearing has critical implications for the laying duck industry because it is convenient for feeding and management. However, caging stress is a type of chronic stress that induces maladaptation. Environmental stress responses have been extensively studied, but no detailed information is available about the comprehensive changes in plasma metabolites at different stages of caging stress in ducks. We designed this experiment to analyze the effects of caging stress on performance parameters and oxidative stress indexes in ducks. Methods: Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) was used to determine the changes in metabolites in duck plasma at 5 (CR5), 10 (CR10), and 15 (CR15) days after cage rearing and traditional breeding (TB). The associated pathways of differentially altered metabolites were analyzed using Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) database. Results: The results of this study indicate that caging stress decreased performance parameters, and the plasma total superoxide dismutase levels were increased in the CR10 group compared with the other groups. In addition, 1,431 metabolites were detected. Compared with the TB group, 134, 381, and 190 differentially produced metabolites were identified in the CR5, CR10, and CR15 groups, respectively. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) show that the selected components sufficiently distinguish the TB group and CR10 group. KEGG analysis results revealed that the differentially altered metabolites in duck plasma from the CR5 and TB groups were mainly associated with ovarian steroidogenesis, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and phenylalanine metabolism. Conclusion: In this study, the production performance, blood indexes, number of metabolites and PCA were compared to determine effect of the caging stress stage on ducks. We inferred from the experimental results that caging-stressed ducks were in the sensitive phase in the first 5 days after caging, caging for approximately 10 days was an important transition phase, and then the duck continually adapted. Objective: Cage rearing has critical implications for the laying duck industry because it is convenient for feeding and management. However, caging stress is a type of chronic stress that induces maladaptation. Environmental stress responses have been extensively studied, but no detailed information is available about the comprehensive changes in plasma metabolites at different stages of caging stress in ducks. We designed this experiment to analyze the effects of caging stress on performance parameters and oxidative stress indexes in ducks.Methods: Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) was used to determine the changes in metabolites in duck plasma at 5 (CR5), 10 (CR10), and 15 (CR15) days after cage rearing and traditional breeding (TB). The associated pathways of differentially altered metabolites were analyzed using Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) database.Results: The results of this study indicate that caging stress decreased performance parameters, and the plasma total superoxide dismutase levels were increased in the CR10 group compared with the other groups. In addition, 1,431 metabolites were detected. Compared with the TB group, 134, 381, and 190 differentially produced metabolites were identified in the CR5, CR10, and CR15 groups, respectively. The results of principal component analysis (PCA) show that the selected components sufficiently distinguish the TB group and CR10 group. KEGG analysis results revealed that the differentially altered metabolites in duck plasma from the CR5 and TB groups were mainly associated with ovarian steroidogenesis, biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, and phenylalanine metabolism.Conclusion: In this study, the production performance, blood indexes, number of metabolites and PCA were compared to determine effect of the caging stress stage on ducks. We inferred from the experimental results that caging-stressed ducks were in the sensitive phase in the first 5 days after caging, caging for approximately 10 days was an important transition phase, and then the duck continually adapted.

Preoperative Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Factor in Patients with Non-metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Wen, Ru-Min,Zhang, Yi-Jing,Ma, Sha,Xu, Ying-Li,Chen, Yan-Su,Li, Hai-Long,Bai, Jin,Zheng, Jun-Nian Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.9

Background: The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is a strong predictor of mortality in patients with colorectal, lung, gastric cancer, pancreatic and metastatic renal cell carcinoma. We here evaluated whether preoperative NLR is an independent prognostic factor for non-metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Materials and Methods: Data from 327 patients who underwent curative or palliative nephrectomy were evaluated retrospectively. In preoperative blood routine examination, neutrophils and lymphocytes were obtained. The predictive value of NLR for non-metastatic RCC was analyzed. Results: The NLR of 327 patients was $2.72{\pm}2.25$. NLR <1.7 and NLR ${\geq}1.7$ were classified as low and high NLR groups, respectively. Chi-square test showed that the preoperative NLR was significantly correlated with the tumor size (P=0.025), but not with the histological subtype (P=0.095)and the pT stage (P=0.283). Overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. Effects of NLR on OS (P=0.007) and DFS (P=0.011) were significant. To evaluate the independent prognostic significance of NLR, multivariate COX regression models were applied and identified increased NLR as an independent prognostic factor for OS (P=0.015), and DFS (P=0.019). Conclusions: Regarding patient survival, an increased NLR represented an independent risk factor, which might reflect a higher risk for severe cardiovascular and other comorbidities. An elevated blood NLR may be a biomarker of poor OS and DFS in patients with non-metastatic RCC.

Pulsed-laser-diode Intermittently Pumped 2-μm Acousto-optic Q-switched Tm:LuAG Laser

Ya Wen,Yan Jiang,Hao Zheng,Hongliang Zhang,Chao Wang,Chunting Wu,Guangyong Jin 한국광학회 2020 Current Optics and Photonics Vol.4 No.3

The heat distribution in crystals in a 2-µm acousto-optic Q-switched Tm:LuAG laser pumped by pulsed-laser-diode (pulsed-LD) intermittent-pumping technology was analyzed using COMSOL software. The thermal lensing effect of the Tm:LuAG crystal can be mitigated by pulsed-LD intermittent-pumping techniques. An experimental setup using this kind of approach achieved maximum output energy of 8.31 mJ, minimum pulse width of 101.9 ns, and highest peak power of 81.55 kW, reached at a Q-switched repetition rate of 200 Hz. It offers significant improvement of performance of the output laser beam, compared to pulsed-LD double-ended pumping technology at the same repetition rate.

Correlation of Adventitial Vasa Vasorum with Intracranial Atherosclerosis: A Postmortem Study

Lu Zheng,Wen Jie Yang,Chun Bo Niu,Hai Lu Zhao,Ka Sing Wong,Thomas Wai Hong Leung,Xiang Yan Chen 대한뇌졸중학회 2018 Journal of stroke Vol.20 No.3

Background and Purpose Vasa vasorum (VV) have been believed to be rare or non-existent in small-caliber intracranial arteries. In a series of human cerebral artery specimens, we identified and examined the distribution of VV in association with co-existing intracranial atherosclerosis. Methods We obtained cerebral artery specimens from 32 consecutive autopsies of subjects aged 45 years or above. We scrutinized middle cerebral artery (MCA), vertebral artery (VA), and basilar artery (BA) for the presence of adventitial VV. We described the distribution of VV, and the characteristics of co-existing atherosclerotic lesions. Results Among 157 intracranial arteries, adventitial VV were present in 74 of the 157 specimens (47%), involving MCA (n=13, 18%), BA (n=14, 19%), and VA (n=47, 64%). Although qualitatively these 74 adventitial VV distributed similarly in arteries with or without atherosclerotic lesions (disease-free arteries n=4/8; arteries of pre-atherosclerosis n=17/42; and arteries of progressive atherosclerosis n=53/107), the presence of adventitial VV in intracranial VA was associated with a heavier plaque load (1.72±1.66 mm2 vs. 0.40±0.32 mm2, P<0.001), severer luminal stenosis (25%±21% vs. 12%±9%, P=0.002), higher rate of concentric lesions (79% vs. 36%, P=0.002), and denser intraplaque calcification (44% vs. 0%, P=0.003). Histologically, intracranial VA with VV had a larger diameter (3.40±0.79 mm vs. 2.34±0.58 mm, P<0.001), thicker arterial wall (0.31±0.13 mm vs. 0.23±0.06 mm, P=0.002), and a larger intima-media (0.19±0.09 mm vs. 0.13± 0.04 mm, P=0.003) than VA without VV. Conclusions Our study demonstrated the distribution of adventitial VV within brain vasculature and association between vertebral VV and progressive atherosclerotic lesions with a heavier plaque load and denser intraplaque calcification.