Effect of TiO2@Carbon Nanotubes and Praseodymium on the Microhardness and Corrosion Properties of AZ91 Alloy

Qianwen Ran,Hong Yan,Jiajia He,Ning Li,Yushun Lei 대한금속·재료학회 2022 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.28 No.8

Effect of 1 wt% TiO2@carbon nanotubes (TiO2@CNTs) and 1 wt% praseodymium (Pr) on the microhardness and corrosionproperties of AZ91 magnesium alloy were discussed. The microhardness test, electrochemistry test that AZ91 magnesiumalloy with 1 wt% TiO2@CNTs and 1 wt% Pr addition exhibits excellent microhardness (111 HV), low corrosion currentdensity (0.165 mA·cm−2), and low polarization resistance (537.15 Ω·cm2) compared with AZ91 magnesium alloy (89 HV,0.184 mA·cm−2, 261.06 Ω·cm2). After 1 wt% TiO2@CNTs and 1 wt% Pr added to AZ91, the average crystallite size wasreduced and microhardness was increased. Additionally, the Al11Pr3phase formed by the combination of Pr and Al transformedthe morphology of β-Mg17Al12 phase into weeny particles and decreased the volume fraction of β-Mg17Al12 phase. The reduction and refinement of cathode phase (β-Mg17Al12 phase) weakened the micro-galvanic corrosion and sloweddown the corrosion rate.

Evaluating and predicting net energy value of wheat and wheat bran for broiler chickens

Ning Ran,Cheng Zichen,Liu Xingbo,Ban Zhibin,Guo Yuming,Nie Wei 아세아·태평양축산학회 2022 Animal Bioscience Vol.35 No.11

Objective: It is crucial to accurately determine the net energy (NE) values of feed ingredients because the NE system is expected to be applied to the formulation of broilers feed. The NE values of 5 wheat and 5 wheat brans were determined in 12-to 14-day old Arbor Acres (AA) broilers with substitution method and indirect calorimetry method. Methods: A total of 12 diets, including 2 reference diets (REF) and 10 test diets (5 wheat diets and 5 wheat bran diets) containing 30% of test ingredients, were randomly fed to 864 male AA birds with 6 replicates of 12 birds per treatment. These birds were used to determine metabolizable energy (ME) (8 birds per replicate) in the chicken house and NE (4 birds per replicate) in the chamber respectively at the same time. After a 4-d dietary and environment adaptation period, growth performance, energy values, energy balance and energy utilization were measured during the following 3 d. Multiple linear regression analyses were further performed to generate prediction equations for NE values based on the chemical components and ME values. The NE prediction equation were also validated on another wheat diet and another wheat bran diet with high correlation (r = 0.98, r = 0.75). Results: The NE values of 5 wheat and 5 wheat bran samples are 9.34, 10.02, 10.27, 11.33, and 10.49 MJ/kg, and 5.37, 5.17, 4.87, 5.06, and 4.88 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The equation with the best fit were NE = 1.968AME–0.411×ADF–14.227 (for wheat) and NE = –0.382×CF –0.362×CP–0.244×ADF+20.870 (for wheat bran). Conclusion: The mean NE values of wheat and wheat bran are 10.29 and 5.07 MJ/kg DM in AA broilers. The NE values of ingredients could be predicted by their chemical composition and energy value with good fitness. Objective: It is crucial to accurately determine the net energy (NE) values of feed ingredients because the NE system is expected to be applied to the formulation of broilers feed. The NE values of 5 wheat and 5 wheat brans were determined in 12-to 14-day old Arbor Acres (AA) broilers with substitution method and indirect calorimetry method.Methods: A total of 12 diets, including 2 reference diets (REF) and 10 test diets (5 wheat diets and 5 wheat bran diets) containing 30% of test ingredients, were randomly fed to 864 male AA birds with 6 replicates of 12 birds per treatment. These birds were used to determine metabolizable energy (ME) (8 birds per replicate) in the chicken house and NE (4 birds per replicate) in the chamber respectively at the same time. After a 4-d dietary and environment adaptation period, growth performance, energy values, energy balance and energy utilization were measured during the following 3 d. Multiple linear regression analyses were further performed to generate prediction equations for NE values based on the chemical components and ME values. The NE prediction equation were also validated on another wheat diet and another wheat bran diet with high correlation (r = 0.98, r = 0.75).Results: The NE values of 5 wheat and 5 wheat bran samples are 9.34, 10.02, 10.27, 11.33, and 10.49 MJ/kg, and 5.37, 5.17, 4.87, 5.06, and 4.88 MJ/kg DM, respectively. The equation with the best fit were NE = 1.968AME–0.411×ADF–14.227 (for wheat) and NE = –0.382×CF–0.362×CP–0.244×ADF+20.870 (for wheat bran).Conclusion: The mean NE values of wheat and wheat bran are 10.29 and 5.07 MJ/kg DM in AA broilers. The NE values of ingredients could be predicted by their chemical composition and energy value with good fitness.

Synthesis and structure–activity relationship of N-(piperidin-4-yl)benzamide derivatives as activators of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 pathways

Zhi-Ning Huang,Han Liang,Hong Qiao,Bao-Rui Wang,Ning Qu,Hua Li,Run-Run Zhou,Li-Juan Wang,Shan-Hua Li,Fu-Nan Li 대한약학회 2018 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.41 No.12

Guided by bioisosterism and pharmacokinetic parameters, we designed and synthesized a series of novel benzamide derivatives. Preliminary in vitro studies indicated that compounds 10b and 10j show significant inhibitory bioactivity in HepG2 cells (IC50 values of 0.12 and 0.13 μM, respectively). Compounds 10b and 10j induced the expression of HIF-1α protein and downstream target gene p21, and upregulated the expression of cleaved caspase-3 to promote tumor cells apoptosis.

Mitochondrial NDUFA4L2 attenuates the apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells induced by oxidative stress via the inhibition of mitophagy

Wen-Ning Xu,Huo-Liang Zheng,Run-Ze Yang,Tao Liu,Wei Yu,Xin-Feng Zheng,Bo Li,Sheng-Dan Jiang,Lei-Sheng Jiang 생화학분자생물학회 2019 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.51 No.-

The main pathological mechanism of intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is the programmed apoptosis of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. Oxidative stress is a significant cause of IVDD. Whether mitophagy is induced by strong oxidative stress in IVDD remains to be determined. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between oxidative stress and mitophagy and to better understand the mechanism of IVDD in vivo and in vitro. To this end, we obtained primary NP cells from the human NP and subsequently exposed them to TBHP. We observed that oxidative stress induced mitophagy to cause apoptosis in NP cells, and we suppressed mitophagy and found that NP cells were protected against apoptosis. Interestingly, TBHP resulted in mitophagy through the inhibition of the HIF-1α/NDUFA4L2 pathway. Therefore, the upregulation of mitochondrial NDUFA4L2 restricted mitophagy induced by oxidative stress. Furthermore, the expression levels of HIF-1α and NDUFA4L2 were decreased in human IVDD. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the upregulation of NDUFA4L2 ameliorated the apoptosis of NP cells by repressing excessive mitophagy, which ultimately alleviated IVDD. These findings show for the first time that NDUFA4L2 and mitophagy may be potential therapeutic targets for IVDD.

Overexpressed Derlin-1 Inhibits ER Expansion in the Endothelial Cells Derived from Human Hepatic Cavernous Hemangioma

Hu, Dong,Ran, Yu-Liang,Zhong, Xing,Hu, Hai,Yu, Long,Lou, Jin-Ning,Sun, Li-Xing,Yang, Zhi-Hua Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2006 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.39 No.6

Proteins that are unfolded or misfolded in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) must be targeted for refolding or degradation to maintain the homeostasis of the ER. Derlin-1 was reportedly implicated in the retro-translocation of misfolded proteins from the ER to the cytosol for degradation. In this report, we showed that Derlin-1 was down-regulated in the endothelial cells derived from human hepatic cavernous hemangioma (CHEC) compared with other tested cells. Electron microscopy analysis showed that ER was aberrantly enlarged in CHEC cells, but not in other tested cells. When overexpressed, Derlin-1 induced the dilated ER to return normal size. This ER dynamic was associated with the activation of unfolded protein response (UPR). In CHEC cells where Derlin-1 was down-regulated, increased expression of the immunoglobulin heavy chain-binding protein (Bip) and UPR-specific splicing of X-box DNA-binding protein 1 (XBP1) mRNA were detected, as compared with that in other tested cells, indicating that UPR was activated. After Derlin-1 overexpression, the extent of UPR activation diminished, as evidenced by decreased expression of Bip, reduced amount of the spliced form of XBP1 ($XBP1_S$), and elevated expression of the unspliced form of XBP1 ($XBP1_U$). Taken together, these findings provide another example of a single protein being able to affect ER dynamic in mammalian cells, and an insight into the possible molecular mechanism(s).

Ionic liquid extraction of silkworm pupa protein and its biological characteristics

Zeng Qing-Lei,Zhang Ning,Zhang Yue-Yue,Xin Xiang-Dong,Attaribo Thomas,Shao Ying,Tang Liu-Mei,Zhang Ran,이광식,진병래,Gui Zhongzheng 한국응용곤충학회 2021 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.24 No.1

Silkworm (Bombyx mori) pupa protein (SPP) is a high-quality source of animal protein with substantial nutri tional benefits and health value. To develop an efficient extraction method for SPP that is environmentally friendly, we selected choline hydroxide ionic liquid (CH-IL) as the extraction solvent and performed orthogonal experiments to optimize the extraction conditions. We demonstrated that 3% CH-IL, a solid-to-liquid ratio (g/mL) of 1:30, an extraction temperature of 40 ◦ C, and an extraction time of 1 h facilitated the most efficient extraction. Compared to the conventional alkali solubilization–acid precipitation method, the CH-IL extraction increased protein content by 12.14%. Protein structure analysis showed that the β-sheet content increased by 10.98% and that of disulfide bonds reduced by 16.4%. The processing properties of the CH-IL extracted protein showed that the solubility, emulsification, and foaming capacity were enhanced by 82.87%, 15.44%, and 18.97%, respec tively. The physical properties of SPP remarkably improved relative to the increased stretching of the poly peptide chains. The findings of this study provide technical knowledge that will enhance the processing performance of pupal proteins.

Overexpressed Derlin-1 Inhibits ER Expansion in the Endothelial Cells Derived from Human Hepatic Cavernous Hemangioma

( Dong Hu ),( Yu Liang Ran ),( Xing Zhong ),( Hai Hu ),( Long Yu ),( Jin Ning Lou ),( Li Xing Sun ),( Zhi Hua Yang ) 생화학분자생물학회 2006 BMB Reports Vol.39 No.6

Transverse Tensile Deformation and Failure of Three-dimensional Five-directional Braided Carbon Fiber Composites

Wei Zhou,Zhi-yuan Wei,Guang-fei Wang,Kang-ning Han,Ran Liu,Lian-Hua Ma 한국섬유공학회 2021 Fibers and polymers Vol.22 No.4

Accurate characterisation of transverse tensile deformation and damage evolution is of importance for evaluatingthe failure behaviors of three-dimensional (3D) braided composites. In the present study, a finite element method (FEM) andseveral non-destructive testing methods including acoustic emission, digital image correlation, and infrared thermography aredeveloped to investigate the transverse tensile deformation and damage evolution of 3D five-directional braided composites. In the finite element approach, a matrix-impregnated fiber bundles (MIFB) model and a representative volume cell (RVC)model, which take into account the fiber bundles and matrix, are respectively established to predict the effective mechanicalproperties of fiber bundles and simulate the deformation and progressive damage of such composites. The damaged locationsand the failure modes including matrix crack, fiber debonding and shear fracture of fiber are predicted and verified byexperimental tests. The non-destructive tests show that the transverse tensile fracture process can be divided into four stageswhich correspond to acoustic emission signals severally. The combination of the FEM based numerical modeling andmultiple non-destructive characterisation methods can accurately monitor the deformation and damage behaviors of 3Dbraided composites under transverse tensile loads and thus provide a reference for structural health monitoring of compositesin practical application.

Characterization and function of a short peptidoglycan recognition protein from the Chinese oak silkworm, Antheraea pernyi

Li-Shang Dai,Cen Qian, LeiWang,Guo-Qing Wei,Qiu-Ning Liu,Yu Sun,Cong-Fen Zhang,Jun Li,Dong-Ran Liu,Bao-Jian Zhu,Chao-Liang Liu 한국응용곤충학회 2015 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.18 No.4

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) are conserved proteins in animals from insects to mammals and play an important role in immune response by recognizing peptidoglycan on microbial surfaces. In this study, a PGRP gene from Antheraea pernyi, named Ap-PGRP-A, was isolated and characterized. Sequence analysis revealed that the full-length cDNA of Ap-PGRP-A was 961 bp, containing a 40 bp 5′-untranslated sequence, a 339 bp 3′-untranslated region and an open reading frame of 582 bp. This gene encoded a putative protein of 193 amino acid residues. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Ap-PGRP-A had the closest protein sequence similarity to Antheraea mylitta PGRP. The recombinant protein was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli cells and a rabbit anti-Ap-PGRP-A antibody was also prepared. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that Ap-PGRP-A was extensively expressed in the fat body, midgut, hemocyte,malpighian tubule and epidermis of A. pernyi, especially in the fat body and midgut. The expression levels of Ap-PGRP-A were significantly up-regulated by three types of microorganisms, and Ap-PGRP-A expression was more sensitive in response to the Gram-negative bacterium E. coli than the Gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis or the fungus Beauveria bassiana. These data indicate that Ap-PGRP-A may play a role in the innate immune responses of A. pernyi.

Short Low Concentration Cisplatin Treatment Leads to an Epithelial Mesenchymal Transition-like Response in DU145 Prostate Cancer Cells

Liu, Yi-Qing,Zhang, Guo-An,Zhang, Bing-Chang,Wang, Yong,Liu, Zheng,Jiao, Yu-Lian,Liu, Ning,Zhao, Yue-Ran Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.3

Background: Prostate cancer is one of the main causes of cancer death, and drug resistance is the leading reason for therapy failure. However, how this occurs is largely unknown. We therrfore aimed to study the response of DU145 cells to cisplatin. Materials and Methods: Du145 prostate cancer cells were treated with a low dose of cisplatin for 24 h and cell viability and number were determined by MTT assay and trypan blue exclusion assay, respectively. The real time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to assess responses to cisplatin treatment. Results: After 24h $2{\mu}g/ml$ treatment did not result in significant reduction in cell viability or number. However, it led to enhanced cancer cell invasiveness. E-cadherin mRNA was reduced, and vimentin, Snail, Slug, metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9) mRNA expression increased significantly, a feature of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Conclusions: Short time low concentration cisplatin treatment leads to elevated invasiveness of DU145 cancer cells and this is possibly due to EMT.