Antimycobacterial Activity of Fusaric Acid from a Mangrove Endophyte and its Metal Complexes

Jia-Hui Pan,Yi Chen,Yu-Hong Huang,Yi-Wen Tao,Jun Wang,Yan Li,Yi Peng,Tao Dong,Xiao-Min Lai,Yong-Cheng Lin 대한약학회 2011 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.34 No.7

Due to the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis, there is an urgent need for new antituberculosis drugs that have novel mechanisms of action. As part of our ongoing search for antimycobacterial metabolites from mangrove endophytes, chemical analysis of the active extract of a strain of Fusarium sp. was performed, which led to the isolation of fusaric acid as the predominant constituent. A variety of metal complexes of fusaric acid were prepared. Antimycobacterial assays showed that Cadmium (II) and Copper (II) complexes exhibited potent inhibitory activity against the M. bovis BCG strain [minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 4 μg/mL] and the M. tuberculosis H37Rv strain (MIC = 10 μg/mL), respectively. This is the first report of the antimycobacterial activity of the mangrove Fusarium metabolite and its coordinating metal complexes.

0BTimSim: An Efficient Simulator for Wireless Ad-hoc Networks

Hui Xia,Jia Yu,Guo-Dong Wang,Zhen-Kuan Pan 보안공학연구지원센터 2016 International Journal of Future Generation Communi Vol.9 No.4

With the growth of increasingly complex in wireless ad-hoc networks, performance modeling and evaluation play a crucial part in their design process to ensure successful deployment and exploitation in practice. Compared with the actual implementation (testbeds), simulation has become a valuable tool, which allows studying large scale systems that cannot be built practically. However, most simulators currently used for such networks are intended to evaluate individual routing protocol, which should be extracted from the source code and rewritten in accordance with the simulator’s requirements. Thus, in this paper, we design a new wireless ad-hoc network simulator, called Time Step-based Wireless Ad-hoc Network Simulator (TimSim). It is intended to facilitate the migration of simulation code to real devices via providing useful APIs with real device driver. We use a discrete event processor with time step-based feature as the simulating engine, and the data can be transmitted in bit-level. A unique feature of TimSim is its ability to support the simulation of multi-thread programming. Additionally, we import database access to store the simulation information. Extensive experiments have been conducted to evaluate the efficiency of TimSim. Furthermore, a case study on a real system has been presented to illustrate its practicability.

Down-regulated serum microRNA-101 is associated with aggressive progression and poor prognosis of cervical cancer

Wei Jiang,Jia-Jia Pan,Ying-Hui Deng,Mei-Rong Liang,Li-Hua Yao 대한부인종양학회 2017 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.28 No.6

Objective: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a vital role in pathogenesis and progression of many cancers, including cervical cancer. However, importance of serum level of miR-101 in cervical cancer has rarely been studied. In the present study, clinical significance and prognostic value of serum miR-101 for cervical cancer was investigated. Methods: Association between miR-101 level in cervical cancer tissues and prognosis of patients was analyzed by using data retrieved from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, which was followed with our clinical study in which miR-101 serum level comparison between cervical cancer patients and healthy controls was conducted by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: TCGA database demonstrated that miR-101 was down-regulated in cervical cancer tissues compared with normal cervical tissues, and univariate Cox regression analysis indicated that decreased miR-101 expression was a highly significant negative risk factor. Similar trend was found in the serum miR-101. Serum level of miR-101 was associated with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage (p=0.003), lymph node metastasis (p=0.001), and serum squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC-Ag) level >4 (p=0.007). The overall survival time of cervical cancer patients with a higher level of serum miR-101 was significantly longer than that of patients with a lower level of serum miR-101. Moreover, multivariate Cox regression analysis indicated that the down-regulated serum level of miR-101 was an independent predictor for the unfavorable prognosis of cervical cancer. Conclusion: Serum level of miR-101 is closely associated with metastasis and prognosis of cervical cancer; and, hence could be a potential biomarker and prognostic predictor for cervical cancer.

Fluorescent Nanoparticles for Observing Primo Vascular System Along Sciatic Nerve

Zhao-Feng Jia,Ki-Hoon Eom,Jin-Myung Cha,Jin-Kyu Lee,Zhen-Dong Su,Wen-Hui Yu,Pan Dong Ryu,소광섭,Byung-Cheon Lee 사단법인약침학회 2010 Journal of Acupuncture & Meridian Studies Vol.3 No.3

The primo vascular system was found in the epineurium along the rat sciatic nerve following subcutaneous injection of fluorescent nanoparticles at the Zusanli acupoint (ST-36). Nanoparticles were injected into the primo-vessel near ST-36 and flowed along the sciatic nerve. Fluorescence revealed a structure in the epineurium that was hardly detectable. Images of the isolated sample stained with 4’,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole were captured using confocal microscopy. These images showed the distinctive nuclei distribution and multi-lumen structure of primo-vessels that differentiate them from lymphatic vessels, blood capillaries and nerves. This study demonstrates a new use for nanoparticles in fluorescence reflectance imaging techniques during in vivo imaging of primo-vessels.

Silencing of long noncoding RNA PVT1 inhibits podocyte damage and apoptosis in diabetic nephropathy by upregulating FOXA1

Dong-Wei Liu,Jia-Hui Zhang,Feng-Xun Liu,Xu-Tong Wang,Shao-Kang Pan,Deng-Ke Jiang,Zi-Hao Zhao,Zhang-Suo Liu 생화학분자생물학회 2019 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.51 No.-

The number of patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) is still on the rise worldwide, and this requires the development of new therapeutic strategies. Recent reports have highlighted genetic factors in the treatment of DN. Herein, we aimed to study the roles of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) and histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) in DN. A model of DN was established by inducing diabetes in mice with streptozotocin. Mouse podocyte clone 5 (MPC5) podocytes and primary podocytes were cultured in normal and high glucose media to observe cell morphology and to quantify PVT1 expression. The roles of PVT1 and enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) were validated via loss-of-function and gain-of-function in vitro experiments to identify the interactions among PVT1, EZH2, and forkhead box A1 (FOXA1). The podocyte damage and apoptosis due to PVT1 and FOXA1 were verified with in vivo experiments. PVT1 was highly expressed in MPC5 and primary podocytes in DN patients and in cultures grown in high glucose medium. A large number of CpG (C-phosphate-G) island sites were predicted at the FOXA1 promoter region, where PVT1 recruited EZH2 to promote the recruitment of H3K27me3. The silencing of PVT1 or the overexpression of FOXA1 relieved the damage and inhibited the apoptosis of podocytes in DN, as was evidenced by the upregulated expression of synaptopodin and podocin, higher expression of Bcl-2, and lower expression of Bax and cleaved caspase-3. The key findings of this study collectively indicate that the suppression of lncRNA PVT1 exerts inhibitory effects on podocyte damage and apoptosis via FOXA1 in DN, which is of clinical significance.

Decolorization of Dyeing Wastewater with Use of Chitosan Materials

Xin, Chen,Sun, Hui-Li,Pan, Jia-Hui The Korean Society of Oceanography 2006 Ocean science journal Vol.41 No.4

More attention has been paid to the research on decolorization of dyeing wastewater nowadays. In this study, an investigation into the decolorization of dyeing wastewater was conducted using a combination of coagulant, carboxymethyl chitosan (NOCC) and coagulant aid, polyscrylamide (PAM). The factors influencing the decolorization efficiency, such as pH value, coagulant and the dosages of coagulant, were discussed. The results showed that using PAM as coagulant aid could reach a high decolorization efficiency compared with using NOCC alone. The optimal conditions were pH 2.3, 480 mg/L for NOCC, and 4-8 mg/L for PAM. Under the optimum conditions, the rate of decolorization could achieve 99%, and the removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) could achieve 90%. In addition, the membrane processes with chitosan/rare-earth-metals could enhance the decolorization rate of Direct Black FF to 94.7%, and Indanthren Red F3B to 98.2%, respectively.

Lightweight and Ultrastrong Polymer Foams with Unusually Superior Flame Retardancy

Xu, Linli,Xiao, Linhong,Jia, Pan,Goossens, Karel,Liu, Peng,Li, Hui,Cheng, Chungui,Huang, Yong,Bielawski, Christopher W.,Geng, Jianxin American Chemical Society 2017 ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES Vol.9 No.31

<P>High-performance flame-retardant materials are urgently needed to address outstanding issues that pertain to safety. Traditional flame retardants are toxic to the environment and/or lack the physical properties required for use in many contemporary applications. Here, we show that isocyanate-based polyimide (PI) foam, a flammable material, can exhibit unusually superior flame retardancy as well as, other excellent properties, such as being lightweight and displaying high mechanical strength, by incorporating red phosphorus (RP)-hybridized graphene. The covalent bonds formed between the graphene platelets and the PI matrix provide the resultant PI foam with a specific Young's modulus (83 kNm kg(-1)) that is comparable to or even higher than those displayed by state-of-the-art foams, including silica aerogels, polystyrene foams, and polyurethane foams. In addition, even a low content of the RP -hybridized graphene (2.2 wt %) results in an exceptionally higher limiting oxygen index (39.4) than those of traditional flame-retardant polymer-based materials (typically 20-30). The resultant PI foam also exhibits thermal insulation properties that are similar to that of air. Moreover, the RP -hybridized graphene is prepared using a one-step ball milling process in 100% yield, and does not require solvent or produce waste. The preparation of the flame-retardant PI foams can be scaled as the starting materials are commercially available and the techniques employed are industrially compatible.</P>

Practical Calculation Method for the Short‑Circuit Current of Power Grids with High Temperature Superconducting Fault Current Limiters

Hai‑feng Hong,Meng‑ze Yu,Xiao‑hui Zhang,Jia‑jia Huan,Yu Sui,Xian‑xian Pan 대한전기학회 2020 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.15 No.2

With the expansion of the power grid scale and the enhancement of network structure interconnection, the short-circuit current of power grids is increasingly close to the upper capacity limit of circuit breakers. The fault current limiter is efective in suppressing the short-circuit current of power grids, and with the mature development of superconducting technology, high-temperature superconducting fault current limiters (HTS-FCLs) have been widely used in power grids. Due to the nonlinear impedance–current characteristic of HTS-FCLs, the traditional short-circuit current calculation method is inapplicable to power grids with HTS-FCLs. First, based on the establishment of the electromechanical transient model and the short-circuit calculation model, the short-circuit current calculation procedure for power grids with HTS-FCLs is proposed. Second, the calculation methods for three-phase and single-phase short-circuit currents at the substation bus in power grids with HTS-FCLs are analyzed. Finally, three-phase and single-phase short-circuit currents at the 500 kV Xijiang substation bus in the Guangdong power grid are calculated as the study case. Simulation results show that compared with the situation where there is no HTS-FCL installed, the short-circuit current on the 500 kV bus decreases from 65.34 to 58.31 kA in terms of the three-phase short-circuit fault, and decreases from 54.56 to 46.62 kA in terms of the single-phase short-circuit fault, thus verifying the efectiveness and practicability of HTS-FCLs in suppressing the short-circuit current, which is signifcant for the safe, stable and reliable operation of the power grid.