Improved conditions for fluorescent staining of proteins with 4,4′-dianilino-1,1′-binaphthyl-5,5′-disulfonic acid in SDS-PAGE

Cong, Wei-Tao,Hwang, Sun-Young,Jin, Li-Tai,Choi, Jung-Kap WILEY-VCH Verlag 2008 Electrophoresis Vol.29 No.22

<P>A simple and sensitive fluorescent staining method for the detection of proteins in SDS-PAGE, namely IB (improved 4,4′-dianilino-1,1′-binaphthyl-5,5′-disulfonic acid) stain, is described. Non-covalent hydrophobic probe 4,4′-dianilino-1,1′-binaphthyl-5,5′-disulfonic acid was applied as a fluorescent dye, which can bind to hydrophobic sites in proteins non-specifically. As low as 1 ng of protein band can be detected briefly by 30 min washing followed by 15 min staining without the aiding of stop or destaining step. The sensitivity of the new presented protocol is similar to that of SYPRO Ruby, which has been widely accepted in proteomic research. Comparative analysis of the MS compatibility of IB stain and SYPRO Ruby stain allowed us to address that IB stain is compatible with the downstream of protein identification by PMF.</P>

Clinicopathologic and Prognostic Significance of the Zinc Finger of the Cerebellum Family in Invasive Breast Cancer

Wei Han,Cong Zhang,Xiao-jiao Gao,Hua-bing Wang,Fang Chen,Fang Cao,Yong-wei Hu,Jun Ma,Xing Gu,Hou-zhong Ding 한국유방암학회 2018 Journal of breast cancer Vol.21 No.1

Purpose: Five members of the zinc finger of the cerebellum (ZIC) family—ZIC1, ZIC2, ZIC3, ZIC4, and ZIC5—have been shown to be involved in various carcinomas. Here, we aimed to explore the clinicopathologic and prognostic roles of ZIC family members in invasive breast cancer patients using immunohistochemical analysis, western blotting analysis, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Methods: A total of 241 female invasive breast cancer patients who underwent radical mastectomy between 2009 and 2011 were enrolled. ZIC proteins in 241 pairs of breast tumors and corresponding normal tissues were investigated using immunohistochemistry and the clinicopathologic roles of proteins were analyzed using Pearson’s chi-square test. Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis were also used to analyze the prognostic value of the ZIC proteins. In addition, 12 pairs of fresh-frozen breast tumors and matched normal tissues were used in the western blotting analysis and RT-qPCR. Results: Only ZIC1 expression in normal tissues was obviously higher than that in tumors (p<0.001). On multivariate analysis, ZIC1 expression (in overall survival analysis: hazard ratio [HR], 0.405, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.233–0.702, p=0.001; in disease-free survival analysis: HR, 0.395, 95% CI, 0.234–0.669, p=0.001) was identified as a prognostic indicator of invasive breast cancer. Conclusion: ZIC1, but not the other proteins, was obviously decreased in breast tumors and associated with clinicopathologic factors. Thus, ZIC1 might be a novel indicator to predict the overall and disease-free survival of invasive breast cancer patients.

High-throughput negative detection of SDS-PAGE separated proteins and its application for proteomics

Cong, Wei-Tao,Hwang, Sun-Young,Jin, Li-Tai,He, Hong-Zhang,Choi, Jung-Kap WILEY-VCH Verlag 2010 Electrophoresis Vol.31 No.2

<P>A negative detection method for proteins on SDS-PAGE is described. In this method, Eosin Y (EY) was selectively precipitated in the gel background, which is absent from those zones where proteins are located through the formation of a stable water-soluble protein–dye complex. Negative staining of proteins using EY, allows high-sensitivity, low-cost, and simple protocol. The new described method takes less than an hour to complete all the protocol, with a detection limit of 0.5 ng of single protein band. Comparing with imidazole-zinc negative stain, EY dye provides broader linear dynamic range, higher sensitivity and reproducibility, and better obvious contrast between the protein bands or spots and background. Furthermore, the novel technique developed here presented a real practical method for simultaneous processing of multiple gels, which makes it possible to perform high-throughput staining for proteome research. Additionally, we have also compared the influence of staining method on the quality of mass spectra by PMF.</P>

Prevalence and Genetic Characterization of Toxoplasma gondii in House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) in Lanzhou, China

Wei Cong,Si-Yang Huang,Dong-Hui Zhou,Xiao-Xuan Zhang,Nian-Zhang Zhang,Quan Zhao,Xing-Quan Zhu 대한기생충학열대의학회 2013 The Korean Journal of Parasitology Vol.51 No.3

A Two-stage Stochastic Programming Model for Optimal Reactive Power Dispatch with High Penetration Level of Wind Generation

Wei Cui,Wei Yan,Wei-Jen Lee,Xia Zhao,Zhouyang Ren,Cong Wang 대한전기학회 2017 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.12 No.1

The increasing of wind power penetration level presents challenges in classical optimal reactive power dispatch (ORPD) which is usually formulated as a deterministic optimization problem. This paper proposes a two-stage stochastic programming model for ORPD by considering the uncertainties of wind speed and load in a specified time interval. To avoid the excessive operation, the schedule of compensators will be determined in the first-stage while accounting for the costs of adjusting the compensators (CACs). Under uncertainty effects, on-load tap changer (OLTC) and generator in the second-stage will compensate the mismatch caused by the first-stage decision. The objective of the proposed model is to minimize the sum of CACs and the expected energy loss. The stochastic behavior is formulated by three-point estimate method (TPEM) to convert the stochastic programming into equivalent deterministic problem. A hybrid Genetic Algorithm-Interior Point Method is utilized to solve this large-scale mixed-integer nonlinear stochastic problem. Two case studies on IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 118-bus system are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Disruption of endothelial barrier function is linked with hyposecretion and lymphocytic infiltration in salivary glands of Sjögren's syndrome

Cong, Xin,Zhang, Xue-Ming,Zhang, Yan,Wei, Tai,He, Qi-Hua,Zhang, Li-Wei,Hua, Hong,Lee, Sang-Woo,Park, Kyungpyo,Yu, Guang-Yan,Wu, Li-Ling Elsevier 2018 Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of Vol.1864 No.10

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes hyposecretion in salivary glands. Endothelial tight junctions (TJs) play crucial roles in salivation and barrier function of blood vessels. However, whether the alteration of endothelial TJs were involved in pathogenesis of SS was still unknown. Here, the ultrastructure and function of endothelial TJs in submandibular glands (SMGs) were detected by transmission electron microscopy and in vivo paracellular permeability assay in different aged NOD mouse model for SS. CFSE-labeled lymphocytes were injected into tail vein to trace the infiltration, while claudin-5 expression and distribution were detected by immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and western blot. Results showed that the stimulated salivary flow rate was gradually decreased and lymphocytic infiltration was found as age increased in 12- and 21-week-old NOD mice, but not 7-week-old NOD mice. Blood vessels were dilated, while endothelial TJ width and paracellular tracer transport were increased in 12-week-old NOD mice. Moreover, the injected CFSE-labeled lymphocytes were observed in SMGs of 12-week-old NOD mice. Claudin-5 level was increased and relocalized from the apical portion of neighboring endothelial cells to lateral membranes and cytoplasm in 12-week-old NOD mice. Additionally, the alteration of claudin-5 expression and distribution was further confirmed in labial salivary glands and bilateral parotid glands from SS patients. In cultured human microvessel endothelial cell line (HMEC-1), IFN-γ stimulation significantly increased claudin-5 expression. Taken together, we identified that the endothelial TJ barrier was disrupted and contributed to the development of salivary hyposecretion and lymphocytic infiltration in SS.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Endothelial tight junction barrier is disrupted in hyposecretory submandibular glands from Sjögren's syndrome mouse model </LI> <LI> The disrupted salivary endothelial barrier is linked with lymphocytic infiltration in Sjögren's syndrome mouse model </LI> <LI> The redistribution of claudin-5 is responsible for disrupted endothelial barrier in salivary glands from Sjögren's syndrome </LI> </UL> </P>

Model Tests of Jacked-Pile Penetration into Sand Using Transparent Soil and Incremental Particle Image Velocimetry

Cong Liu,Xiao-Wei Tang,Huanwei Wei,Pengpeng Wang,Honghua Zhao 대한토목학회 2020 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.24 No.4

This paper presents a series of physical modelling tests of jacked-pile penetration into sand, combining the transparent soil and incremental reliability-guided particle image velocimetry, which provides a non-intrusively internal deformation measurement approach to monitor the internal movement of soil caused by jacked-pile penetration. The difference between the full-model test and the half-model test was analyzed quantitatively for the first time. This paper aims to provide some new insight into the penetration mechanisms of different shapes of pile tip. In addition, the phenomenon of meta-stable sand plug in the process of jacked-pile penetration was studied by means of the method of partial replacement with dyed particles. Experimental evidence has shown that the boundary and interaction effect causes the experimental phenomenon of the half-model test to be different from the true condition. The shape effect of pile tip on the governing penetration mechanisms was discussed, and the disturbance effect of different shapes of pile tip was evaluated and compared based on a large number of model tests and published literatures. The paper intuitively demonstrates that the different penetration mechanism of flat-ended pile and cone-ended pile is mainly due to the formation of the meta-stable sand plug beneath the pile tip.

A study on the wake structure of the double vortex tubes in a ventilated supercavity

Wei Wang,Cong Wang,Yingjie Wei,Wuchao Song 대한기계학회 2018 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.32 No.4

To study the wake structure of the double vortex tubes in a ventilated supercavity, the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method based on the finite volume method and the volume of fluids (VOF) multiphase flow model were used to solve the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations for performing numerical simulation analysis on the wake structure of a supercavitating vehicle. By analyzing the reasons for the upward drift in the tail section of the supercavity and the formation of the double vortex tubes, the effects of gravity and the attack angle of the vehicle on the formation of gas leakage in the double vortex tubes of the supercavity were explained. The pressure and vorticity inside the vortex tubes were thereby analyzed as well. The results showed that, in addition to the gravitational condition, the wetted area of the vehicle with an attack angle also caused the supercavitating tail to form gas leakage in the form of double vortex tubes. Moreover, the wetted area played a dominant role compared to the role of gravity. The supercavity closure to the inside tail section was a high-pressure area, and this area separated downstream into two parts, resulting in the generation of the double vortex tubes. The vorticity and pressure in the vicinity of the vortex tubes attenuated downstream in the direction of the vortex tubes. When the tail section of the cavity leaked gas via three vortex tubes, the values of the vorticity inside the upper part of the vortex tubes became very small, and the air flow inside the upper part of the vortex tubes increased with the attack angle of the vehicle.

Structural Design of Polynomial Neural Networks with the Aid of Random Selection and L2-norm Regularization

Cong-Cong Zhang(장총총),Sung-Kwun Oh(오성권),Zun-wei Fu(준웨이 부) 대한전기학회 2018 대한전기학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.2018 No.-

A Two-stage Stochastic Programming Model for Optimal Reactive Power Dispatch with High Penetration Level of Wind Generation

Cui, Wei,Yan, Wei,Lee, Wei-Jen,Zhao, Xia,Ren, Zhouyang,Wang, Cong The Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers 2017 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.12 No.1

The increasing of wind power penetration level presents challenges in classical optimal reactive power dispatch (ORPD) which is usually formulated as a deterministic optimization problem. This paper proposes a two-stage stochastic programming model for ORPD by considering the uncertainties of wind speed and load in a specified time interval. To avoid the excessive operation, the schedule of compensators will be determined in the first-stage while accounting for the costs of adjusting the compensators (CACs). Under uncertainty effects, on-load tap changer (OLTC) and generator in the second-stage will compensate the mismatch caused by the first-stage decision. The objective of the proposed model is to minimize the sum of CACs and the expected energy loss. The stochastic behavior is formulated by three-point estimate method (TPEM) to convert the stochastic programming into equivalent deterministic problem. A hybrid Genetic Algorithm-Interior Point Method is utilized to solve this large-scale mixed-integer nonlinear stochastic problem. Two case studies on IEEE 14-bus and IEEE 118-bus system are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.