A Novel Homozygous CAPN1 Pathogenic Variant in a Chinese Patient with Pure Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

You Chen,Zhidong Cen,Xiaosheng Zheng,Fei Xie,Si Chen,Wei Luo 대한신경과학회 2019 Journal of Clinical Neurology Vol.15 No.2

Effect of Gas Sensing Properties by Sn-Rh Codoped ZnO Nanosheets

Ziwei Chen,Zhidong Lin,Mengying Xu,Yuyuan Hong,Na Li,Ping Fu,Ze Chen 대한금속·재료학회 2016 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.12 No.3

The hierarchically porous Sn-Rh codoped ZnO, Sn-doped ZnO and pureZnO nanosheets have been successfully synthesized through a simplehydrothermal reaction process without any surfactant or template at 180°C. The morphology and composition were carefully characterized by X-raydiffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer, field emission scanningelectronic microscopy and BET. The gas-sensing testing results indicatedthat the Sn-Rh codoped ZnO nanosheets, with the specific surface area was26.9 m2/g, exhibited enhanced gas-sensing performance compared withthat of pure ZnO and Sn-doped ZnO. The high sensitivity of the sensorbased on Sn-Rh codoped ZnO was 149.38 to 100 ppm ethanol and thedetection limit was less than 5 ppm (5.8). The response and recovery timeswere measured to be ~3 s and ~10 s when exposed to 100 ppm ethanol atthe test temperature of 300°C. The good sensing performance of the Sn-Rhcodoped ZnO sensor indicated that hierarchically porous Sn-Rh codopedZnO could be a promising candidate for highly sensitive gas sensors.

Knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Apoptosis and Extracellular Matrix Disruption in a Murine Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Model

Zhidong Zhang,Gangqiang Zou,Xiaosan Chen,Wei Lu,Jianyang Liu,Shuiting Zhai,Gang Qiao 한국분자세포생물학회 2019 Molecules and cells Vol.42 No.3

This study was designed to determine the effects of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) disruption in a murine abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) model. After injection of PVT1-silencing lentiviruses, AAA was induced in Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE?/?) male mice by angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion for four weeks. After Ang II infusion, mouse serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were analysed, and aortic tissues were isolated for histological, RNA, and protein analysis. Our results also showed that PVT1 expression was significantly upregulated in abdominal aortic tissues from AAA patients compared with that in controls. Additionally, Ang II treatment significantly increased PVT1 expression, both in cultured mouse VSMCs and in AAA murine abdominal aortic tissues. Of note, the effects of Ang II in facilitating cell apoptosis, increasing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, reducing tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP)-1, and promoting switching from the contractile to synthetic phenotype in cultured VSMCs were enhanced by overexpression of PVT1 but attenuated by knockdown of PVT1. Furthermore, knockdown of PVT1 reversed Ang II-induced AAA-associated alterations in mice, as evidenced by attenuation of aortic diameter dilation, marked adventitial thickening, loss of elastin in the aorta, enhanced aortic cell apoptosis, elevated MMP-2 and MMP-9, reduced TIMP-1, and increased proinflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 suppresses VSMC apoptosis, ECM disruption, and serum pro-inflammatory cytokines in a murine Ang II-induced AAA model.

Investigation on Driver’s Lower Limb Injury Based on 3D Active Muscle Model During Offset Frontal Impact

Wu Chen,Sen Xiao,Zhidong Qu,Xinran Liu 한국정밀공학회 2021 International Journal of Precision Engineering and Vol.22 No.5

Lower limb injuries occupy a high percentage of the traffic accident injuries among road users. However, the injury outcomes in accident statistics is somehow different from the results in cadaver tests. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of active muscle function on the kinetics result of lower limb injuries during emergency braking in car frontal collision. Based on a human body numerical model regrading a Chinese 50th percentile male lower extremity with active muscles, frontal collisions under different overlaps were established. Then, by comparing the peak forces and moments of the femur and tibia, the dynamic responses of lower limbs under different load conditions were determined. Furthermore, the distribution of stress indicators was analyzed to determine the influence of active muscle and collision overlaps on the injury outcomes at a micro level. Results show that active muscle has a significant effect on the lower limbs, which are particularly affected by the increase of bending moments. The moment caused by the active muscles in the right tibia is 3.7 times greater than that of the femur. Moreover, the effect of active muscle is more significant in small overlap frontal impact. In the 25% overlap collision, the moment caused by the active muscles of the tibia increase by 1.2 times that of the 40% off set collision. In conclusion, this study can provide an explanation on the differences of lower limb injuries between the cadaveric tests and traffic accidents statistics.

Knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 Inhibits Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Apoptosis and Extracellular Matrix Disruption in a Murine Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Model

Zhang, Zhidong,Zou, Gangqiang,Chen, Xiaosan,Lu, Wei,Liu, Jianyang,Zhai, Shuiting,Qiao, Gang Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2019 Molecules and cells Vol.42 No.3

This study was designed to determine the effects of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) on vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) disruption in a murine abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) model. After injection of PVT1-silencing lentiviruses, AAA was induced in Apolipoprotein E-deficient ($ApoE^{-/-}$) male mice by angiotensin II (Ang II) infusion for four weeks. After Ang II infusion, mouse serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines were analysed, and aortic tissues were isolated for histological, RNA, and protein analysis. Our results also showed that PVT1 expression was significantly upregulated in abdominal aortic tissues from AAA patients compared with that in controls. Additionally, Ang II treatment significantly increased PVT1 expression, both in cultured mouse VSMCs and in AAA murine abdominal aortic tissues. Of note, the effects of Ang II in facilitating cell apoptosis, increasing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, reducing tissue inhibitor of MMP (TIMP)-1, and promoting switching from the contractile to synthetic phenotype in cultured VSMCs were enhanced by overexpression of PVT1 but attenuated by knockdown of PVT1. Furthermore, knockdown of PVT1 reversed Ang II-induced AAA-associated alterations in mice, as evidenced by attenuation of aortic diameter dilation, marked adventitial thickening, loss of elastin in the aorta, enhanced aortic cell apoptosis, elevated MMP-2 and MMP-9, reduced TIMP-1, and increased pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that knockdown of lncRNA PVT1 suppresses VSMC apoptosis, ECM disruption, and serum pro-inflammatory cytokines in a murine Ang II-induced AAA model.

Enhanced Formaldehyde Gas Sensing Properties of ZnO Nanosheets Modified with Graphene

Ziwei Chen,Yuyuan Hong,Zhidong Lin,Li-Ming Liu,Xiao-Wen Zhang 대한금속·재료학회 2017 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.13 No.3

In this study, pure ZnO (ZnO-1, ZnO-2) with two different morphologies, andgraphene doped ZnO-2 (G-ZnO-2) were synthesized using a simplehydrothermal process at 150 °C. The formaldehyde gas sensing performanceof the G-ZnO-2 composite, synthesized by an in-situ method was investigated. The morphologies and the structures of the nanomaterials were characterizedby X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electronic microscopy, andtransmission electron microscopy. The experimental results indicate that the GZnO-2 based sensor exhibits unique advantages for the sensing offormaldehyde gas at concentrations in the range of 2 to 2000 ppm, such as fastresponse/recovery time and good selectivity, at an optimal workingtemperature of 200 °C. The improved sensing performance of the G-ZnO-2composite indicates that the addition of graphene is effective in improving theformaldehyde sensing performance of ZnO-based sensors.

Facile One-Pot Synthesis and Optical Properties of Quinary Wurtzite Cu3ZnInSnS6 Nanocrystals

Dehui Li,Chen Zhang,Yajie Zhang,Weichen Qi,Jinxiang Dong,Jing Yang,Zhidong Qiu 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2016 NANO Vol.11 No.11

Nearly monodisperse bullet-like Cu3ZnInSnS6 (CZITS) nanocrystals with wurtzite structure were successfully synthesized through optimized noninjection method. The structure, composition, morphology and optical properties of CZITS nanocrystals were characterized by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive spectrometry, transmission electron microscopy and UV-Vis–NIR absorption. Their suitable bandgap and photoresponsive behavior indicate a high potential application in the field of solar cells. The growth mechanism of the as-synthesized CZITS nanocrystals was preliminarily discussed. It was found that the formation of CZITS could be separated into two steps: nucleation of Cu7S4 and growth of the CZITS main body.

The Construction of the Heterostructural Bi2O3/g-C3N4 Composites with an Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

Jinhua Zhang,Huiyue Qian,Wencheng Liu,Hao Chen,Yang Qu,Zhidong Lin 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2018 NANO Vol.13 No.6

A heterostructural composite composed of g-C3N4 and Bi2O3 was achieved by the one-pot and thermal-induced polycondensation method using melamine and Bi(NO3)3 as precursor at 550 ℃ under air atmosphere. The crystalline phase, components and morphologies of the as-prepared composites were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Besides, the photocatalytic activity of composites was evaluated by degrading RhB aqueous solution at room temperature under visible light irradiation. Compared with bulk g-C3N4, the photocatalytic efficiency of the 0.5% Bi2O3/g-C3N4 (Bi–CN) was increased by up to four times. The introduction of Bi2O3 enhances not only the light absorption ability, but also the separation of photogenerated electron–hole pairs.

Effect of Lactic Acid on the Photoelectrocatalytic Water Splitting of Hematite Prepared by Hydrothermal Method

Longzhu Li,Huidong Tang,Yuwei Chen,Rong Yang,Daxiang Tian,Zhidong Chen 대한금속·재료학회 2020 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.16 No.5

The photoelectrocatalytic water splitting performance of the pristine hematite is limited because of its poor bulk chargeseparation efficiency. In this study, the lactic acid modified hematite films were grown in situ on Fluorine-doped tin oxidesubstrates by hydrothermal method and then annealed in nitrogen atmosphere. At 1.5 V versus RHE, the photocurrent densityof the optimal lactic acid modified hematite photoanode (0.075LA-Fe2O3) was 1.5 mA cm−2, which was three times that ofthe based hematite (0.5 mA cm−2). The enhanced photoelectrocatalytic performance of the lactic acid modified hematitewas attributed to its increased bulk charge separation efficiency caused by the oxygen vacancies and island-like pattern, aswell as its improved surface charge injection efficiency. The effect of lactic acid on the morphology, crystalline structure andphotoelectrocatalytic performance of the hematite photoanode are studied by systematical characterization.

Carbon Coated α‑Fe2O3 Photoanode Synthesized by a Facile Anodic Electrodeposition for Highly Efficient Water Oxidation

Honglei Zhang,Longzhu Li,Changhai Liu,Wenchang Wang,Penghua Liang,Naotoshi Mitsuzak,Zhidong Chen 대한금속·재료학회 2018 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.14 No.3

This work provides a facile anodic electrodeposition method for synthesizing carbon coated α-Fe2O3 photoanode followedby annealing treatment with argon atmosphere. Compared with bare hematite photoanode, the carbon coated α-Fe2O3 photoanodesannealed at lower temperature (Fe2O3/C-L) and higher temperature (Fe2O3/C-H) have higher photocurrent densityas 0.3 and 0.5 mA cm−2 (at 1.23 V vs. RHE), respectively. The excellent PEC performance is attributed to the synergisticreaction of carbon and vacancy oxygen. The morphology and properties of the sample were characterized with scanningelectron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, UV–Vis spectra, X-raydiffractometry, X-ray photoelectron spectra, and photoelectrical measurements.