Epithelial CST1 Promotes Airway Eosinophilic Inflammation in Asthma via the AKT Signaling Pathway

Du Lijuan,Xu Changyi,Tang Kun,Shi Jia,Tang Lu,Lisha Xiao,Lei Chengcheng,Liu Huicong,Liang Yuxia,Guo Yubiao 대한천식알레르기학회 2023 Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Research Vol.15 No.3

Purpose: Epithelial cystatin SN (CST1), a type 2 cysteine protease inhibitor, was significantly upregulated in asthma. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential role and mechanism of CST1 in eosinophilic inflammation in asthma. Methods: Bioinformatics analysis on Gene Expression Omnibus datasets were used to explore the expression of CST1 in asthma. Sputum samples were collected from 76 asthmatics and 22 control subjects. CST1 mRNA and protein expression in the induced sputum were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and western blotting. The possible function of CST1 was explored in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced eosinophilic asthma. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to predict the possible regulated mechanism of CST1 in bronchial epithelial cells. Overexpression or knockdown of CST1 was further used to verify potential mechanisms in bronchial epithelial cells. Results: CST1 expression was significantly increased in the epithelial cells and induced sputum of asthma. Increased CST1 was significantly associated with eosinophilic indicators and T helper cytokines. CST1 aggravated airway eosinophilic inflammation in the OVA-induced asthma model. In addition, overexpression of CST1 significantly enhanced the phosphorylation of AKT and the expression of serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade B, member 2 (SERPINB2), while knockdown using anti-CST1 siRNA reversed the trend. Furthermore, AKT had a positive effect on SERPINB2 expression. Conclusions: Increased sputum CST1 may play a key role in the pathogenesis of asthma through involvement in eosinophilic and type 2 inflammation through activation of the AKT signaling pathway, further promoting SERPINB2 expression. Therefore, targeting CST1 might be of therapeutic value in treating asthma with severe and eosinophilic phenotypes.

Evaluation of the effect of aggregate on concrete permeability using grey correlation analysis and ANN

Lijuan Kong,Xiaoyu Chen,Yuanbo Du 사단법인 한국계산역학회 2016 Computers and Concrete, An International Journal Vol.17 No.5

In this study, the influence of coarse aggregate size and type on chloride penetration of concrete was investigated, and the grey correlation analysis was applied to find the key influencing factor. Furthermore, the proposed 6-10-1 artificial neural network (ANN) model was constructed, and performed under the MATLAB program. Training, testing and validation of the model stages were performed using 81 experiment data sets. The results show that the aggregate type has less effect on the concrete permeability, compared with the size effect. For concrete with a lower w/b, the coarse aggregate with a larger particle size should be chose, however, for concrete with a higher w/c, the aggregate with a grading of 5-20 mm is preferred, too large or too small aggregates are adverse to concrete chloride diffusivity. A new idea for the optimum selection of aggregate to prepare concrete with a low penetration is provided. Moreover, the ANN model predicted values are compared with actual test results, and the average relative error of prediction is found to be 5.62%. ANN procedure provides guidelines to select appropriate coarse aggregate for required chloride penetration of concrete and will reduce number of trial and error, save cost and time.

A novel multiemissive Ln/covalent-organic frameworks for ratiometric detection of 2,6-dipicolinic acid

Lijuan Kuang,Yue Du,Shiqi Wang,Li Yang,Yonghai Song 한국공업화학회 2022 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.106 No.-

As one of the specific biomarkers of anthrax, timely, sensitive and accurate detection of 2,6-dipicolinicacid (DPA) plays an important role in preventing biological weapons attacks and disease outbreaks. Here, multiemission Eu3+/covalent- organic framework (COFDTA-TFP) and Tb3+/COFDTA-TFP were constructedby the coordination between Eu3+ or Tb3+ with fluorescent COFDTA-TFP which was prepared byamine-aldehyde dehydration condensation between 2,5-diaminoterephthalic acid and 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol for the first time. The Eu3+/COFDTA-TFP and Tb3+/COFDTA-TFP can emit nonoverlappingfluorescence of COFDTA-TFP and Eu3+ or Tb3+, which was used to ratiometric detection ofDPA. Due to the strong coordination between the nitrogen atoms in the pyridine ring and the oxygenatoms in the carboxyl group of DPA with Eu3+ or Tb3+, DPA replaced coordinated H2O to sensitize fluorescenceof Eu3+ or Tb3+ by ‘‘antenna” effect but fluorescence of COFDTA-TFP with two-dimensional lamellarstructure was kept constant as a reference. The linear range and detection limit of ratiometric fluorescencesensor based on Eu3+/COFDTA-TFP for detection of DPA are 0.01–12 mM and 4.2 nM, respectively. The linear range and detection limit of ratiometric fluorescence sensor based on Tb3+/COFDTA-TFP fordetection of DPA are 0.01–9.0 mM and 2.9 nM, respectively.

Acid–base bifunctional catalysis by a heteropolyacid and amines on the polyetheretherketone fiber for cleaner acceleration of the one-pot tandem reactions

Lijuan Jiang,Xian-Lei Shi,Yue Lv,Honghui Gong,Shuangshuang Liu,Mengmeng Du,Qianqian Hu,Keren Shi 한국공업화학회 2022 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.113 No.-

The development of highly efficient, economical and environmentally friendly catalytic systems is ofgreat significance from the green chemistry point of view. In this paper, we presented a succinct approachto create a heterogeneous acid–base bifunctional catalyst for one-pot tandem reaction from the commerciallyavailable textile fiber. The ultra-high strength textile fiber polyetheretherketone (PEEK) was functionalizedby a post-grafting method to combine two antagonistic active functions in a synergisticcatalyst, and the resulting fiber samples were characterized in detail by morphology, mechanical properties,elemental analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emissionspectrometry, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectrum,nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, and further revealed thatthe amines and the heteropolyacid were immobilized by acid–base interactions in the PEEK surface layerwith sufficient stability. Moreover, the acid–base bifunctional catalyst can be successfully applied in theacceleration of the one-pot tandem deacetalization–Knoevenagel reactions with high-efficiency (lowercatalyst dosage 0.3 mol%, higher product yields 81–92%), whereas the homogeneous catalysts wereunable to initiate the reaction due to their mutual neutralization in solution, and the catalytic mechanismwas elucidated by comparison. Furthermore, the fibrous catalyst could maintain its activities more than10 cycles with a simple post-processing, and the mediated system was capable of enlarging to the gramscale,which are envisaged for industrial operations and cleaner productions.

Quantitative Evaluation of Gastrocnemius Medialis Stiffness During Passive Stretching Using Shear Wave Elastography in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A Prospective Preliminary Study

Yin Lu,Du Lijuan,Li Yuanzi,Xiao Yang,Zhang Shiquan,Ma Huizi,He Wen 대한영상의학회 2021 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.22 No.11

Objective: To prospectively investigate the feasibility of shear wave elastography (SWE) as a new quantitative and objective method for evaluating the stiffness of the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) muscle during passive stretching in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Materials and Methods: SWE of the GM muscle was performed in 28 patients with PD [13 female and 15 male; mean age ± standard deviation (SD): 63.0 ± 8.5 years] and 12 healthy controls (5 female and 7 male; mean age ± SD: 59.3 ± 6.4 years) during passive ankle rotation. A Young’s modulus-ankle angle curve was constructed. The GM slack angle and baseline Young’s modulus (E0) were compared between the markedly symptomatic and mildly symptomatic sides of patients with PD, and healthy controls. Additionally, the correlation between the GM slack angle and the severity of rigidity, and the observer reproducibility of SWE in determining the GM slack angle were evaluated. Results: The GM slack angle was smaller on both the markedly and mildly symptomatic sides in patients with PD than in healthy controls (mean ± SD of -29.13° ± 3.79° and -25.65° ± 3.39°, respectively, vs. -21.22° ± 3.52°; p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). Additionally, in patients with PD, the GM slack angle on the markedly symptomatic side was smaller than that on the mildly symptomatic side (p = 0.003). The E0 value was lower on both the markedly and mildly symptomatic sides in patients with PD than in healthy controls (mean ± SD of 10.11 ± 2.85 kPa and 10.08 ± 1.88 kPa, respectively, vs. 12.23 ± 1.02 kPa; p = 0.012 and p < 0.001, respectively). However, no significant difference was found between the markedly and mildly symptomatic sides in patients with PD (p = 0.634). A negative linear relationship was observed between the GM slack angle and lower limb rigidity score on the markedly symptomatic side in patients with PD (r = -0.719; p < 0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficients for observer reproducibility of SWE ranged from 0.880 to 0.951. Conclusion: The slack angle determined by SWE may be a useful quantitative and reproducible method for evaluating muscle stiffness in patients with PD.

Highly Sensitive Detection of Malathion Based on FRET between Au/Fe3O4 and Rhodamine B

Di Jia,Dongqing Ma,Xiaodong Du,Lijuan An 대한화학회 2019 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.40 No.8

In this paper, Au/Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Au/Fe3O4 NPs) were prepared and a method for detecting malathion was constructed based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between Au/Fe3O4 NPs and Rhodamine B (RhB). RhB could be electrostatically adsorbed to the surface of Au/Fe3O4 NPs resulting in a low fluorescent background. The malathion hydrolysate with -SH can compete with RhB to form a stronger Au─S bond, thereby promoting the desorption of RhB from the surface of Au/Fe3O4 NPs. This process causes the fluorescence emission to recover. The result demonstrated that fluorescence quenching efficiency of Au/Fe3O4 could reach 50% at 579?nm and the fluorescence recovery efficiency of malathion hydrolysate could reach 61% at 579?nm. The limit of detection (LOD) of malathion was as low as 0.59 ?M. The linear range of detection was 27.24?99.89 ?M. Au/Fe3O4 NPs could be reused by a magnetic concentration-washing process.

Long-term continuously monocropped peanut significantly disturbed the balance of soil fungal communities

Chen Mingna,Zhang Jiancheng,Liu Hu,Wang Mian,Pan LiJuan,Chen Na,Wang Tong,Jing Yu,Chi Xiaoyuan,Du Binghai 한국미생물학회 2020 The journal of microbiology Vol.58 No.7

Balancing soil microbial diversity and abundance is critical to sustaining soil health, and understanding the dynamics of soil microbes in a monocropping system can help determine how continuous monocropping practices induce soil sickness mediated by microorganisms. This study used previously constructed gradient continuous monocropping plots and four varieties with different monocropping responses were investigated. The feedback responses of their soil fungal communities to short-term and long-term continuous monocropping were tracked using high-throughput sequencing techniques. The analyses indicated that soil samples from 1 and 2 year monocropped plots were grouped into one class, and samples from the 11 and 12 year plots were grouped into another, regardless of variety. At the species level, the F. solani, Fusarium oxysporum, Neocosmospora striata, Acrophialophora levis, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus corrugatus, Thielavia hyrcaniae, Emericellopsis minima, and Scedosporium aurantiacum taxa showed significantly increased abundances in the long-term monocropping libraries compared to the short-term cropping libraries. In contrast, Talaromyces flavus, Talaromyces purpureogenus, Mortierella alpina, Paranamyces uniporus, and Volutella citrinella decreased in the long-term monocropping libraries compared to the shortterm libraries. This study, combined with our previous study, showed that fungal community structure was significantly affected by the length of the monocropping period, but peanut variety and growth stages were less important. The increase in pathogen abundances and the decrease in beneficial fungi abundances seem to be the main cause for the yield decline and poor growth of long-term monocultured peanut. Simplification of fungal community diversity could also contribute to peanut soil sickness under long-term monocropping. Additionally, the different responses of peanut varieties to monocropping may be related to variations in their microbial community structure.