Effect of Different Cooling Rates in High Rheological Rate Forming Process on Mechanical Properties of Zr57Cu20Al10Ni8Ag5 Bulk Metallic Glass

Xiao‑Bo Mei,Bao‑Chuan Liu,Wei Jiang,Quan Xu,Qi‑Dong Zhang,Yu‑Bai Ma,Fang‑Qiu Zu 대한금속·재료학회 2020 METALS AND MATERIALS International Vol.26 No.9

The influence of cooling rates on the mechanical properties of a Zr-based bulk metallic glass prepared with high rheologicalrate forming (HRRF) was investigated and compared with traditional suction cast methods. Amorphous samples of Zr57Cu-20Ni8Al10Ag5 were prepared in copper molds with different sizes in order to obtain different cooling rates for both HRRFand traditional cast methods. These specimens were subjected to compression experiments, including microhardness testing,X-ray diffraction testing and differential scanning calorimetry analysis. The results indicate that the plasticity of the samplesformed by HRRF are higher than that of the as-cast ones at the same cooling rates, while the microhardness manifests theopposite principle. As the cooling rate increases further, the difference in plasticity further increases between two methods,indicating that the plasticity of metallic glasses is more sensitive to cooling rates during the HRRF process. At the core ofthis phenomenon is the fact that HRRF methods can introduce more free volume into glasses than traditional cast methodswith an elevated cooling rate are able to.

The catalytic core of DEMETER guides active DNA demethylation in <i>Arabidopsis</i>

Zhang, Changqing,Hung, Yu-Hung,Rim, Hyun Jung,Zhang, Dapeng,Frost, Jennifer M.,Shin, Hosub,Jang, Hosung,Liu, Fang,Xiao, Wenyan,Iyer, Lakshminarayan M.,Aravind, L.,Zhang, Xiang-Qian,Fischer, Robert L. National Academy of Sciences 2019 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF Vol.116 No.35

<P><B>Significance</B></P><P>Flowering plants reproduce via a unique double-fertilization event, producing the zygote and the nutritive endosperm. The genome of the central cell, the precursor of the endosperm, undergoes extensive demethylation prior to fertilization. This epigenetic reconfiguration, directed by the DEMETER (DME) glycosylase at thousands of loci in <I>Arabidopsis</I>, differentiates the epigenetic landscapes of parental genomes and establishes parent of origin-specific expression of many imprinted genes in endosperm essential for seed development. However, how DME is targeted to various locations remains unknown. Here we show that the multidomain DME is organized into 2 functional regions: the C-terminal region, which guides localization and catalysis, and the N-terminal region, which likely recruits chromatin remodelers to facilitate demethylation within heterochromatin.</P><P>The <I>Arabidopsis</I> DEMETER (DME) DNA glycosylase demethylates the maternal genome in the central cell prior to fertilization and is essential for seed viability. DME preferentially targets small transposons that flank coding genes, influencing their expression and initiating plant gene imprinting. DME also targets intergenic and heterochromatic regions, but how it is recruited to these differing chromatin landscapes is unknown. The C-terminal half of DME consists of 3 conserved regions required for catalysis in vitro. We show that this catalytic core guides active demethylation at endogenous targets, rescuing <I>dme</I> developmental and genomic hypermethylation phenotypes. However, without the N terminus, heterochromatin demethylation is significantly impeded, and abundant CG-methylated genic sequences are ectopically demethylated. Comparative analysis revealed that the conserved DME N-terminal domains are present only in flowering plants, whereas the domain architecture of DME-like proteins in nonvascular plants mainly resembles the catalytic core, suggesting that it might represent the ancestral form of the 5mC DNA glycosylase found in plant lineages. We propose a bipartite model for DME protein action and suggest that the DME N terminus was acquired late during land plant evolution to improve specificity and facilitate demethylation at heterochromatin targets.</P>

Patterns of Lymph Node Recurrence after Radical Surgery Impacting on Survival of Patients with pT1-3N0M0 Thoracic Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Xiao-li Chen,,Tian-wu Chen,Zhi-jia Fang,Xiao-ming Zhang,Zhen-lin Li,Hang Li,Hong-jie Tang,Li Zhou,Dan Wang,Zishu Zhang 대한의학회 2014 Journal of Korean medical science Vol.29 No.2

The aim of this study was to investigate how patterns of lymph nodes recurrence after radical surgery impact on survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. One hundred eighty consecutive patients with thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma underwent radical surgery, and the tumors were staged as pT1-3N0M0 by postoperative pathology. Lymph nodes recurrence was detected with computed tomography 3-120 months after the treatment. The patterns of lymph nodes recurrence including stations, fields and locations of recurrent lymph nodes, and impacts on patterns of survival were statistically analyzed. There was a decreasing trend of overall survival with increasing stations or fields of postoperative lymph nodes involved (all P<0.05). Univariate analysis showed that stations or fields of lymph nodes recurrence, and abdominal or cervical lymph nodes involved were prognostic factors for survival(all P<0.05). Cox analyses revealed that the field was an independent factor (P<0.05, odds ratio=2.73). Lymph nodes involved occurred predominantly in cervix and upper mediastinum (P<0.05). In conclusion, patterns of lymph node recurrence especially the fields of lymph nodes involved are significant prognostic factors for survival of patients with pT1-3N0M0 thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Perioperative Comprehensive Supportive Care Interventions for Chinese Patients with Esophageal Carcinoma: a Prospective Study

Zhang, Xiao-Dan,Zhao, Qing-Yu,Fang, Yi,Chen, Guan-Xuan,Zhang, Hui-Fang,Zhang, Wen-Xiao,Yang, Xiao-Ping Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.12

Objective: To assess the effects of perioperative comprehensive supportive care interventions on outcome of Chinese esophageal cancer patients in a prospective study. Methods: 60 patients with primary esophageal carcinoma were randomized into an intervention group (IG, n=31) and a control group (CG, n=29). The Chinese version of symptom checklist-90 (SCL-90) was adopted to assess their psychological status. The interventions, including health education, psychological support, stress management, coping strategies and behavior training, were carried out in 3 phases (preoperative, postoperative I and postoperative II), and psychological effects were thereafter evaluated accordingly before surgery, and 1 week, 4 weeks and 24 weeks post-surgery. Medical costs were estimated at discharge. Survival of patients was estimated each year post-surgery. General health status and satisfaction-with-hospital were surveyed by a follow-up questionnaire 4 years post-surgery. Results: All the subjects demonstrated higher scores in the preoperative phase than the normal range of Chinese population concerning 7 psychological domains including somatization, obsessive-compulsive, depression, anxiety, hostility, phobic anxiety and paranoid ideation. Although no significant difference was observed between the two groups at admission, the scores of IG, which tended to decrease at a faster rate, were generally lower than those of CG at weeks 1, 4 and 24 post-surgery. The length of hospital stay and medical costs of IG were significantly less than those of CG and satisfaction-with-hospital was better. However, there was no significant difference in 4-year survival or health status between two groups. Conclusions: Appropriate perioperative comprehensive supportive care interventions help to improve the psychological state of Chinese patients with esophageal carcinoma, to reduce health care costs and to promote satisfaction of patients and their families with hospital.

Effects of Insect Hormones on the Replication of Nucleopolyhedrovirus

Zhang, Zhi-Fang,Yi, Yong-Zhu,Xiao, Qing-Li,He, Jia-Lu,Zhou, Ya-Jing,Zhang, Yuan-Xing Korean Society of Sericultural Science 2002 International Journal of Industrial Entomology Vol.4 No.2

An experimental study was undertaken to quantify the effects of insect hormones on the replication of nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV). The results demonstrated that TCID/ sub 50/ at 72 h post-infection (hpi) rose systematically from 0.55$\times$10$^{8}$ /m1, for untreated cells, up to 1.67$\times$10$^{8}$ / ml at 3$\mu$g/ml, then dropped down to 1.45$\times$10$^{8}$ /m1 at 4 $\mu$g/ml, by adding ecdysone to the culture medium for Bm-N cells infected with a wild-type Bambyx mori. nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV). The optimum enhancement of about 3 times on budded virus (BV) titer at 72 hpi was given at 3 $\mu$g/ml of ecdysone. While the polyhedra number had no obvious variation within the range of concentrations from 0 to 4 $\mu$g/ml. By addition of juvenile hormone analogue (JHA) into the media with this concentration range, the BmNPV TCID/ sub 50/ and polyhedra number at 72 hpi did not show significant changes. Also, the addition of either 3 $\mu$g/ml of ecdysone or 3 $\mu$g/ml of JHA to the culture media did not appear to affect the TCID/ sub 50/ and polyhedra number significantly in infected Sf-21 cells with the autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV).

SPON2 Promotes M1-like Macrophage Recruitment and Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Metastasis by Distinct Integrin–Rho GTPase–Hippo Pathways

Zhang, Yan-Li,Li, Qing,Yang, Xiao-Mei,Fang, Fang,Li, Jun,Wang, Ya-Hui,Yang, Qin,Zhu, Lei,Nie, Hui-Zhen,Zhang, Xue-Li,Feng, Ming-Xuan,Jiang, Shu-Heng,Tian, Guang-Ang,Hu, Li-Peng,Lee, Ho-Young,Lee, Su-J American Association for Cancer Research 2018 Cancer research Vol.78 No.9

<P>Matricellular protein SPON2 acts as an HCC suppressor and utilizes distinct signaling events to perform dual functions in HCC microenvironment.</P><P>Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) represent key regulators of the complex interplay between cancer and the immune microenvironment. Matricellular protein SPON2 is essential for recruiting lymphocytes and initiating immune responses. Recent studies have shown that SPON2 has complicated roles in cell migration and tumor progression. Here we report that, in the tumor microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), SPON2 not only promotes infiltration of M1-like macrophages but also inhibits tumor metastasis. SPON2-α4β1 integrin signaling activated RhoA and Rac1, increased F-actin reorganization, and promoted M1-like macrophage recruitment. F-Actin accumulation also activated the Hippo pathway by suppressing LATS1 phosphorylation, promoting YAP nuclear translocation, and initiating downstream gene expression. However, SPON2-α5β1 integrin signaling inactivated RhoA and prevented F-actin assembly, thereby inhibiting HCC cell migration; the Hippo pathway was not noticeably involved in SPON2-mediated HCC cell migration. In HCC patients, SPON2 levels correlated positively with prognosis. Overall, our findings provide evidence that SPON2 is a critical factor in mediating the immune response against tumor cell growth and migration in HCC.</P><P><B>Significance:</B> Matricellular protein SPON2 acts as an HCC suppressor and utilizes distinct signaling events to perform dual functions in HCC microenvironment.</P><P><B>Graphical Abstract:</B> http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/canres/78/9/2305/F1.large.jpg. <I>Cancer Res; 78(9); 2305–17. ©2018 AACR</I>.</P><P><B>Graphical Abstract</B></P><P> [Figure]</P>

Autophagy-associated Targeting Pathways of Natural Products during Cancer Treatment

Zhang, Shu-Fang,Wang, Xiao-Lu,Yang, Xiao-Qi,Chen, Ning Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.24

It is well known that conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy can result in toxicity to both normal cells and tumor cells, which causes limitations in the application of these therapeutic strategies for cancer control. Novel and effective therapeutic strategies for cancers with no or low toxicity for normal cells are a high priority. Therefore, natural products with anticancer activity have gained more and more attention due to their favorable safety and efficacy profiles. Pre-clinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that several representative natural compounds such as resveratrol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate, curcumin, allicin and ginsenosides have obvious anticancer potential. In this article, we summarize autophagy-associated targeting pathways of such natural products for inducing the death of cancer cells, and discuss the core autophagic pathways involved in cancer treatments. Recent advances in the discovery, evaluation and exploitation of natural compounds as therapeutic agents for cancers will provide references and support in pre-clinical and clinical application of novel natural drugs for the treatment of primary and metastatic tumors in the future.

Melatonin Attenuates Noise Stress-induced Gastrointestinal Motility Disorder and Gastric Stress Ulcer: Role of Gastrointestinal Hormones and Oxidative Stress in Rats

( Lei Zhang ),( Ji T Gong ),( Hu Q Zhang ),( Quan H Song ),( Guang H Xu ),( Lei Cai ),( Xiao D Tang ),( Hai F Zhang ),( Fang E Liu ),( Zhan S Jia ),( Hong W Zhang ) 대한소화기기능성질환·운동학회 2015 Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (JNM Vol.21 No.2

Background/Aims There are increasing evidences for gastrointestinal motility disorder (GIMD) and gastric stress ulcer induced by noise stress. The present study was to investigate the reversed effect of melatonin on GIMD and gastric stress ulcer induced by noise stress and potential mechanism. Methods Noise stress was induced on rats, and melatonin (15 mg/kg) was administered to rats by intraperitoneal injection. Differences were assessed in gastric residual rate (GRR), small intestine propulsion rate (SPR), Guth injury score, cortisol, gastrointestinal hormones (calcitonin-gene-related peptide and motilin) and oxidative stress markers (superoxide dismutase and malondialde hyde) in blood plasma as well as gastric mucosa homogenate with or without melatonin. The pathological examination of gastric mucosa was also performed. Results The GRR and SPR were improved by noise stress compared with control (P < 0.05). The pathological examination and Guth injury score revealed gastric stress ulcer. Moreover, the levels of cortisol, motilin and malondialdehyde in blood plasma and malondialdehyde in gastric mucosa homogenate were increased by noise stress (P < 0.05). CGRP and superoxide dismutase activity in both of blood plasma and gastric mucosa homogenate were significantly decreased (P< 0.05). Furthermore, melatonin reversed changes in GRR, SPR, pathological examination, Guth injury score, cortisol, motilin, CGRP, superoxide dismutase activity and malondialdehyde (P < 0.05). Conclusions Melatonin is effective in reversing the GIMD and gastric stress ulcer induced by noise stress. The underlying mechanism may be involved in oxidative stress and gastrointestinal hormones. (J Neurogastroenterol Motil 2015;21:189-199)

旅游目的地的形象,感知价値及游客滿意度關系的分析 -訪韓中國游客위僞例

초방방 ( Fang Fang Xiao ),장요희 ( Yao Xi Zhang ),김시중 ( Si Joong Kim ) 관광경영학회 2015 관광경영연구 Vol.64 No.-

This study examines the relationships between cognitive image, affective image, perceived value and tourist satisfaction. Destination images play a significant influencing role in destination selection. This study was conducted with the specific goal of determining the destination images of South Korea as perceived by Chinese travelers. A conceptual framework was developed to model these relationships, which was validated with an empirical data set. The survey was conducted with Chinese tourists to South Korea by questionnaire from September 1st to September 25th, 2014. Based on the response of a total of 400 Chinese tourists obtained from the empirical research, this study reviewed reliability and fitness of the research model and verified a total of 3 hypotheses using SPSS21.0 program. The hypothesized relationship in the model were tested simultaneously by using regression analysis. The results shows that cognitive and affective image as independent variables had an effect on perceived value. The perceived value had influence on tourist satisfaction. Moreover, perceived value, and tourist satisfaction are strongly influenced by destination image. Finally, the implications and future research suggestions were discussed in the conclusion section. Recommendations are provided to offer valuable direction to Korean tourism offices and marketers to better promote South Korea as a valuable destination for Chinese tourists.

The Lung Function Impairment in Non-Atopic Patients With Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Its Correlation Analysis

Linghao Zhang,Lu Zhang,Chun-Hong Zhang,Xiao-Bi Fang,Zhen-Xiao Huang,Qing -Yuan Shi,Li-Ping Wu,Peng Wu,Zhen-Zhen Wang,Zhi-Su Liao 대한이비인후과학회 2016 Clinical and Experimental Otorhinolaryngology Vol.9 No.4

Objectives. Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is common disease in otorhinolaryngology and will lead to lower airway abnormality. However, the only lung function in CRS patients and associated factors have not been much studied. Methods. One hundred patients with CRS with nasal polyps (CRSwNP group), 40 patients with CRS without nasal polyps (CRSsNP group), and 100 patients without CRS were enrolled. The difference in lung function was compared. Meanwhile, CRSwNP and CRSsNP group were required to undergo a bronchial provocation or dilation test. Additionally, subjective and objective outcomes were measured by the visual analogue scale (VAS), 20-item Sino-Nasal Outcome Test (SNOT-20), Lund-Mackay score, Lund-Kennedy endoscopic score. The correlation and regression methods were used to analyze the relationship between their lung function and the above parameters. Results. The forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced expiratory flow between 25% and 75% of forced vital capacity (FEF25-75) of CRSwNP group were significantly lower than other groups (P<0.05). On peak expiratory flow, there was no difference between three groups. In CRSwNP group, FEV1 was negatively correlated with peripheral blood eosinophil count (PBEC) and duration of disease (r=–0.348, P=0.013 and r=–0.344, P=0.014, respectively), FEF25-75 negatively with VAS, SNOT-20 (r=–0.490, P=0.028 and r=–0.478, P=0.033, respectively) in CRSsNP group. The incidence of positive bronchial provocation and dilation test was lower in CRSwNP group (10% and 0%, respectively), with both 0% in CRSsNP group. The multiple linear regression analysis indicated that change ratio of FEV1 before and after bronchial provocation or dilation test were correlated with PBEC in CRSwNP group (β=0.403, P=0.006). Conclusion. CRS leading to impaired maximum ventilation and small airway is associated with the existence of nasal polyp. Lung function impairments can be reflected by PBEC, duration, VAS, and SNOT-20. In CRSwNP patients, PBEC is independent predictor of FEV1 change ratio.