Experimental and analytical behavior of a prestressed U-shaped girder bridge

Xun Wu,Hui Li 국제구조공학회 2017 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.61 No.3

This paper presents an experimental and analytical investigation on the behavior of a U-shaped girder subjected to operation, cracking and ultimate loads. A full-scale destructive test was conducted on a U-shaped girder to study the cracking process, load-carrying capacity, failure mechanism and load-deformation relationships. Accordingly, the tested U-shaped girder was modeled using ANSYS and a non-linear element analysis was conducted. The investigation shows that the U-shaped girder meets the specified requirements of vertical stiffness, cracking and ultimate load capacity. Unfavorable torsional effect is tolerable during operation. However, compared with box girders, the U-shaped girder has a more transverse mechanical effect and longitudinal cracks are apt to occur in the bottom slab.

Conventional Ultrasonography and Real Time Ultrasound Elastography in the Differential Diagnosis of Degenerating Cystic Thyroid Nodules Mimicking Malignancy and Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas

Wu, Hong-Xun,Zhang, Bing-Jie,Wang, Jun,Zhu, Bei-Lin,Zang, Ya-Ping,Cao, Yue-Long Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.2

Background: To evaluate the diagnostic utility of conventional ultrasonography and real time ultrasound elastography in differentiating degenerating cystic thyroid nodules mimicking malignancy from papillary thyroid carcinoma. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed conventional ultrasonographic and elastographic characteristics of 19 degenerating cystic thyroid nodules mimicking malignancy in 19 patients, with 30 surgically confirmed PTCs as controls. Based on size, the nodules had been grouped into less than 10mm (group A) and greater than 10 mm (group B). We evaluated conventional parameters and elasticity pattern. Color-scaled elastograms were graded as to stiffness of nodules using an elasticity pattern from I (soft) to IV (stiff). Results: Degenerating cystic thyroid nodules were similar to PTCs in conventional ultrasonographic findings, but the former frequently showed oval to round in shape (group A, 69.2% vs 18.8%, P=0.017; group B, 66.7% vs 7.14%, P=0.017) and punctuate hyperechoic foci (group A, 61.5% vs 0, P<0.001; group B, 50% vs 0, P<0.001). On real time ultrasound elastography, 7 of 13 degenerating cystic thyroid nodules in group A were pattern I, 5 were pattern II, 1 was pattern III. One degenerating cystic thyroid nodule in group B was pattern II, 5 were pattern III. The area under the curve for elastography was 0.98 in group A (sensitivity 92.3%, specificity 100%, P = 0.002), and 0.88 in group B (sensitivity 16.7%, specificity 100%, P = 0.014). Conclusions: As a dependable imaging technique, elastography helps increase the performance in differential diagnosis of degenerating cystic thyroid nodule and malignancy.

Association Between Three eNOS Polymorphisms and Cancer Risk: a Meta-analysis

Wu, Xun,Wang, Zhi-Feng,Xu, Yin,Ren, Rui,Heng, Bao-Li,Su, Ze-Xuan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.13

Polymorphisms in the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) gene may influence the risk of cancer, but the results are still debatable. Therefore, we performed a systematic review to provide a more complete picture and conducted a meta-analysis to derive a precise estimation. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, EBSCO, Google Scholar and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases until April 2014 to identify eligible studies. Thirty-one studies with cancer patients and controls were included in the meta-analysis. Overall, the polled analysis revealed that the T-786C polymorphism was significantly associated with increased cancer risk under multiple genetic models (C vs T: OR=1.135, 95%CI=1.048-1.228; CC vs TT: OR=1.278, 95%CI=1.045-1.562; TC vsTT: OR=1.136, 95%CI=1.023-1.261; CC+TC vs TT: OR=1.159, 95%CI=1.047-1.281; CC vs TC+TT: OR=1.204, 95%CI= 1.003-1.447). G894T was associated with significant risk for females (TT vs GG: OR=1.414, 95%CI=1.056-1.892; TT vs GT+GG: OR=1.356, 95%CI=1.108-1.661) and for breast cancer (T vs G: OR=1.097, 95%CI=1.001-1.203; TT vs GG: OR=1.346, 95%CI=1.012-1.789; TT vs GT+GG: OR=1.269, 95%CI=1.028-1.566). Increased susceptibility was revealed for prostate cancer with 4a/b (ba vs bb: OR=1.338, 95%CI=1.013-1.768; aa+ba vs bb: OR=1.474, 95%CI=1.002-2.170). This meta-analysis indicated that the eNOS T-786C polymorphism is associated with elevated cancer risk; the G894T polymorphism contributes to susceptibility to breast cancer and cancer generally in females; and the 4a/b polymorphism may be associated with prostate cancer risk.

Hierarchical porous ECM scaffolds incorporating GDF-5 fabricated by cryogenic 3D printing to promote articular cartilage regeneration

Wu Jiang,Fu Liwei,Yan Zineng,Yang Yu,Yin Han,Li Pinxue,Yuan Xun,Ding Zhengang,Kang Teng,Tian Zhuang,Liao Zhiyao,Tian Guangzhao,Ning Chao,Li Yuguo,Sui Xiang,Chen Mingxue,Liu Shuyun,Guo Quanyi 한국생체재료학회 2023 생체재료학회지 Vol.27 No.00

In recent years, there has been significant research progress on in situ articular cartilage (AC) tissue engineering with endogenous stem cells, which uses biological materials or bioactive factors to improve the regeneration microenvironment and recruit more endogenous stem cells from the joint cavity to the defect area to promote cartilage regeneration.In this study, we used ECM alone as a bioink in low-temperature deposition manufacturing (LDM) 3D printing and then successfully fabricated a hierarchical porous ECM scaffold incorporating GDF-5.Comparative in vitro experiments showed that the 7% ECM scaffolds had the best biocompatibility. After the addition of GDF-5 protein, the ECM scaffolds significantly improved bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) migration and chondrogenic differentiation. Most importantly, the in vivo results showed that the ECM/GDF-5 scaffold significantly enhanced in situ cartilage repair.In conclusion, this study reports the construction of a new scaffold based on the concept of in situ regeneration, and we believe that our findings will provide a new treatment strategy for AC defect repair.

Rhododendron Species and Communities in Guizhou (China)

Xun Chen,Bixia Xie,Huamei Wu,Lihua Huang 한국원예학회 2006 한국원예학회 기타간행물 Vol.- No.-

Effects of coolant temperature on particulate deposition and cooling efficiency of EGR coolers

Xun Zhang,Wei Tian,Jinhui Li,Zhiqiang Han,Xueshun Wu 대한기계학회 2021 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.35 No.7

Porous fouling layers formed by particulate deposition in the EGR cooler tubes degrade the cooling efficiency of the EGR coolers. This research has investigated the changes of the particulate concentration under varied coolant temperature conditions and the effects of the coolant temperature on the cooling efficiency of the cooler tubes by measuring the particulate concentration and size distribution at the cooler inlet and outlet. The experiment results indicate that for the particulates of different sizes, the thermophoretic force acting on them and the regeneration vary under the same experiment conditions, presenting distinctive effects on the particulate concentration distribution in the exhaust gas and causing concentrations of nuclear particulates and aggregated particulates to change, respectively. The mass of fouling layers inside the cooler tubes increases as the coolant temperature decreases. Decreasing the coolant temperature not only increases the quantity of fouling particulates but also forms more particulates of big sizes, causing cooling efficiency of the cooler tube per unit length to decrease with the decrease of coolant temperature and the increase of the tube length.

Effects of gas flow on particulate deposition in EGR coolers

Xun Zhang,Jihui Li,Zhiqiang Han,Xunshun Wu,Wei Tian 대한기계학회 2022 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.36 No.1

This paper presents the test approach to investigate the effects of gas flow rate on particulate deposition inside the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) coolers. The tests were carried out on a diesel engine equipped with the EGR cooler that a given total gas flow rate passed through and that contained pluggable exchanger tubes to adjust the flow rate in the tubes. Test results show that under the given coolant temperature and EGR gas temperature, the lower flow rate in the exchanger tube is and the longer tubes are, the more particulate with D p > 50 nm deposit in the cooler. With the given total gas flow rate passing through the cooler, the lower flow rate in the exchanger tube is and the longer tubes are, the larger deposit mass is inside the cooler. In the cases of longer tubes, the effects of gas flow rate on the deposit mass are depends on the effects of gas velocity on the particulate deposition, rather than the effects of flow rate on the particulate number passing through the heat exchanger tube per minute.

NOX4/Src regulates ANP secretion through activating ERK1/2 and Akt/GATA4 signaling in beating rat hypoxic atria

Wu, Cheng-zhe,Li, Xiang,Hong, Lan,Han, Zhuo-na,Liu, Ying,Wei, Cheng-xi,Cui, Xun The Korean Society of Pharmacology 2021 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.25 No.2

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidases (NOXs) are the major enzymatic source of reactive oxygen species (ROS). NOX2 and NOX4 are expressed in the heart but its role in hypoxia-induced atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) secretion is unclear. This study investigated the effect of NOX on ANP secretion induced by hypoxia in isolated beating rat atria. The results showed that hypoxia significantly upregulated NOX4 but not NOX2 expression, which was completely abolished by endothelin-1 (ET-1) type A and B receptor antagonists BQ123 (0.3 μM) and BQ788 (0.3 μM). ET-1-upregulated NOX4 expression was also blocked by antagonists of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2; varespladib, 5.0 μM) and cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2; CAY10650, 120.0 nM), and ET-1-induced cPLA2 expression was inhibited by varespladib under normoxia. Moreover, hypoxia-increased ANP secretion was evidently attenuated by the NOX4 antagonist GLX351322 (35.0 μM) and inhibitor of ROS N-Acetyl-D-cysteine (NAC, 15.0 mM), and hypoxia-increased production of ROS was blocked by GLX351322. In addition, hypoxia markedly upregulated Src expression, which was blocked by ET receptors, NOX4, and ROS antagonists. ET-1-increased Src expression was also inhibited by NAC under normoxia. Furthermore, hypoxia-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and protein kinase B (Akt) were completely abolished by Src inhibitor 1 (1.0 μM), and hypoxia-increased GATA4 was inhibited by the ERK1/2 and Akt antagonists PD98059 (10.0 μM) and LY294002 (10.0 μM), respectively. However, hypoxia-induced ANP secretion was substantially inhibited by Src inhibitor. These results indicate that NOX4/Src modulated by ET-1 regulates ANP secretion by activating ERK1/2 and Akt/GATA4 signaling in isolated beating rat hypoxic atria.

Characterization of Cucurbita maxima Fruit Metabolomic Profiling and Transcriptome to Reveal Fruit Quality and Ripening Gene Expression Patterns

He-Xun Huang,Ting Yu,Jun-Xing Li,Shu-Ping Qu,왕만만,Ting-Quan Wu,Yu-Juan Zhong 한국식물학회 2019 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.62 No.3

Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima) fruit is the importantdietary source of carotenoid and is known for the goodflavour and texture due to the accumulation of sugar andstarch. However, lack of transcriptional information hindersour understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlyingfruit quality attributes and nutrition in C. maxima. To provideinsight into transcriptional regulation of fruit quality formationof C. maxima, quality analysis and high-throughput RNAsequencing of fruits at different developing stages werecharacterized. The quality analyses consist of dry mattervalues, percent soluble solids, carotenoid contents, and starchand sugar contents in seven stages of fruit development. Fruit transcriptome of C. maxima at five stages throughoutdevelopment was assembled to elucidate the molecularregulation of fruit development. Almost 18 billion nucleotidebases were sequenced in total, and 48,471 unigenes weredetected. A total of 32,397 (66.8%) unigenes were identifiedto be differentially expressed. We found there was a correlationbetween ripening-associated transcripts and metabolites andthe functions of regulating genes. KEGG analysis showedthere are multiple transcripts enriched in starch, sugar, carotenoid,plant hormone signal transduction and pectin pathways andseveral pathways regulating quality formation were identified. Candidate genes involving in sugar, starch, pectin, fruitsoftening and carotenoid metabolism in fruit were firstlyidentified for the species of C. maxima. Combining the sugar, starch and carotenoid accumulating patterns duringfruit development, a series of possible rate limiting geneswere identified. These findings will provide valuable informationfor further studies regarding fruit quality and development.

Effects of Various Salts on Aging Induced by D-galactose and Long Term Diets in Rats

Mingyue Wu,Jingrui Zhu,Kitipong Promyo,Suthipong Pongworn,Xun Zhu,Ying Chen,Jiaxing Ji,Sun-Young Park,Jeong-Yong Cho,Kyung-Sik Ham 한국식품영양과학회 2014 한국식품영양과학회 학술대회발표집 Vol.2014 No.10