Continuous DC-CIK Infusions Restore CD8⁺ Cellular Immunity, Physical Activity and Improve Clinical Efficacy in Advanced Cancer Patients Unresponsive to Conventional Treatments

Zhao, Yan-Jie,Jiang, Ni,Song, Qing-Kun,Wu, Jiang-Ping,Song, Yu-Guang,Zhang, Hong-Mei,Chen, Feng,Zhou, Lei,Wang, Xiao-Li,Zhou, Xin-Na,Yang, Hua-Bing,Ren, Jun,Lyerly, Herbert Kim Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.6

Background: There are few choices for treatment of advanced cancer patients who do not respond to or tolerate conventional anti-cancer treatments. Therefore this study aimed to deploy the benefits and clinical efficacy of continuous dendritic cell-cytokine induced killer cell infusions in such patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 381 infusions (from 67 advanced cases recruited) were included in this study. All patients underwent peripheral blood mononuclear cell apheresis for the following cellular therapy and dendritic cells-cytokine induced killer cells were expanded in vitro. Peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets were quantified through flow cytometry to address the cellular immunity status. Clinical efficacy and physical activities were evaluated by RECIST criteria and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group scores respectively. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the association between cellular infusions and clinical benefits. Results: An average of $5.7{\pm}2.94{\times}10^9$ induced cells were infused each time and patients were exposed to 6 infusions. Cellular immunity was improved in that cytotoxic $CD8^+CD28^+$ T lymphocytes were increased by 74% and suppressive $CD8^+CD28^-$ T lymphocytes were elevated by 16% (p<0.05). Continuous infusion of dendritic cells-cytokine induced killer cells was associated with improvement of both patient status and cellular immunity. A median of six infusions were capable of reducing risk of progression by 70% (95%CI 0.10-0.91). Every elevation of one ECOG score corresponded to a 3.90-fold higher progression risk (p<0.05) and 1% increase of $CD8^+CD28^-$ T cell proportion reflecting a 5% higher risk of progression (p<0.05). Conclusions: In advanced cancer patients, continuous dendritic cell-cytokine induced killer cell infusions are capable of recovering cellular immunity, improving patient status and quality of life in those who are unresponsive to conventional cancer treatment.

A Comparative Study on Ternary Low-Platinum Catalysts with Various Constructions for Oxygen Reduction and Methanol Oxidation Reactions

Yan-Ni Wu,Hai-Fu Guo,Peng Hu,Xiao-Peng Xiao,Zhao-Wang Xiao,Shi-Jun Liao 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2016 NANO Vol.11 No.7

Three types of ternary low-platinum nanocatalysts, alloy PdPtIr/C, core–shell PdPt@PtIr/C and Pd@PtIr/C, have been prepared, and their catalytic behaviors toward methanol oxidation reaction (MOR)/oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are comparatively investigated via cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry analysis in an acidic medium. Through a two-step colloidal technique, the synthesized core–shell structured catalyst PtPd@PtIr/C with alloy core and alloy shell show the best catalytic activity toward MOR and the best poisoning tolerance. The alloy PdPtIr/C catalyst prepared via a one-step colloidal technique exhibits the best performance toward ORR among the three catalysts. All the three catalysts are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and other characterization techniques.

Crushing Characteristics on Square Tubes Under Progressive Buckling

Kaibo Yan,Sisi Lu,Pan Wang,Weitao Ni,Zhaowei Chen,Shuen Zhao,Shuguang Yao 한국강구조학회 2023 International Journal of Steel Structures Vol.23 No.1

This paper presented the research on crushing characteristics for progressive bucking square tubes under axial loading using the dimensional analysis method. According to the mechanical properties of mild steel and aluminium alloy, the finite element models of progressive buckling square tubes made up of different materials were established. Then dimensional analysis was developed to obtain the influence of inherent parameters on energy absorption characteristics of progressive buckling square tubes, and a theoretical prediction model was proposed to predict the energy absorption characteristics of progressive buckling square tubes subjected to axial loading. The theoretical prediction results were found to match well with finite element analysis and dynamic test results. Furthermore, the equivalence methods of square tubes made up of different materials and geometric parameters were discussed. The results showed that the equivalence of deformation displacement and equivalence of mean crushing force are better equivalence methods for lightweight design, and keeping a constant length and width to obtain an equivalent thickness for progressive buckling square tubes is a more stable equivalence method.

Transcriptome sequencing revealed the inhibitory mechanism of ketoconazole on clinical Microsporum canis

Mingyang Wang,Yan Zhao,Lingfang Cao,Silong Luo,Binyan Ni,Yi Zhang,Zeliang Chen 대한수의학회 2021 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.22 No.1

Background: Microsporum canis is a zoonotic disease that can cause dermatophytosis in animals and humans. Objectives: In clinical practice, ketoconazole (KTZ) and other imidazole drugs are commonly used to treat M. canis infection, but its molecular mechanism is not completely understood. The antifungal mechanism of KTZ needs to be studied in detail. Methods: In this study, one strain of fungi was isolated from a canine suffering with clinical dermatosis and confirmed as M. canis by morphological observation and sequencing analysis. The clinically isolated M. canis was treated with KTZ and transcriptome sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed genes in M. canis exposed to KTZ compared with those unexposed thereto. Results: At half-inhibitory concentration (½MIC), compared with the control group, 453 genes were significantly up-regulated and 326 genes were significantly down-regulated (p < 0.05). Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis verified the transcriptome results of RNA sequencing. Gene ontology enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that the 3 pathways of RNA polymerase, steroid biosynthesis, and ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes are closely related to the antifungal mechanism of KTZ. Conclusions: The results indicated that KTZ may change cell membrane permeability, destroy the cell wall, and inhibit mitosis and transcriptional regulation through CYP51, SQL, ERG6, ATM, ABCB1, SC, KER33, RPA1, and RNP genes in the 3 pathways. This study provides a new theoretical basis for the effective control of M. canis infection and the effect of KTZ on fungi.Background: Microsporum canis is a zoonotic disease that can cause dermatophytosis in animals and humans. Objectives: In clinical practice, ketoconazole (KTZ) and other imidazole drugs are commonly used to treat M. canis infection, but its molecular mechanism is not completely understood. The antifungal mechanism of KTZ needs to be studied in detail. Methods: In this study, one strain of fungi was isolated from a canine suffering with clinical dermatosis and confirmed as M. canis by morphological observation and sequencing analysis. The clinically isolated M. canis was treated with KTZ and transcriptome sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed genes in M. canis exposed to KTZ compared with those unexposed thereto. Results: At half-inhibitory concentration (½MIC), compared with the control group, 453 genes were significantly up-regulated and 326 genes were significantly down-regulated (p < 0.05). Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis verified the transcriptome results of RNA sequencing. Gene ontology enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis revealed that the 3 pathways of RNA polymerase, steroid biosynthesis, and ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes are closely related to the antifungal mechanism of KTZ. Conclusions: The results indicated that KTZ may change cell membrane permeability, destroy the cell wall, and inhibit mitosis and transcriptional regulation through CYP51, SQL, ERG6, ATM, ABCB1, SC, KER33, RPA1, and RNP genes in the 3 pathways. This study provides a new theoretical basis for the effective control of M. canis infection and the effect of KTZ on fungi.

3D-quantitative structure–activity relationship and antiviral effects of curcumin derivatives as potent inhibitors of infl uenza H1N1 neuraminidase

Yanni Lai,Yiwen Yan,Shanghui Liao,Yun Li,Yi Ye,Ni Liu,Fang Zhao,Peiping Xu 대한약학회 2020 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.43 No.5

Curcumin derivatives have been shown to inhibitreplication of human infl uenza A viruses (IAVs). However, itis not clear whether curcumin and its derivatives can inhibitneuraminidase (NA) of influenza virus. In this study, ameaningful 3D quantitative structure–activity relationshipmodel (comparative molecular fi eld analysis R 2 = 0.997,q 2 = 0.527, s = 0.064, F = 282.663) was built to understandthe chemical–biological interactions between their activitiesand neuraminidase. Molecular docking was used to predictbinding models between curcumin derivatives and neuraminidase. Real-time polymerase chain reactions showed thatthe fi ve active curcumin derivatives might have direct eff ectson viral particle infectivity in H1N1-infected lung epithelial(MDCK) cells. Neuraminidase activation assay showed thatfi ve active curcumin derivatives decreased H1N1-inducedneuraminidase activation in MDCK cells. Indirect immunofluorescence assay indicated that two active curcuminderivatives (tetramethylcurcumin and curcumin) down-regulatedthe nucleoprotein expression. Curcumin inhibited IAVin vivo. The therapeutic mechanism of curcumin in the treatmentof infl uenza viral pneumonia is related to improvingthe immune function of infected mice and regulating secretionof tumor necrosis-α, interleukin-6, and interferon-γ. These results indicate that curcumin derivatives inhibit IAVby blocking neuraminidase in the cellular model and curcuminalso has anti-IAV activity in the animal model.

Simulation of computational fluid dynamics and comparison of cephalosporin C fermentation performance with different impeller combinations

Shengbing Duan,Guoqiang Yuan,Yanli Zhao,Weijia Ni,Hongzhen Luo,Zhongping Shi,Fan Liu 한국화학공학회 2013 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.30 No.5

Cephalosporin C (CPC) fermentation by Acremonium chrysogenum is an extremely high oxygen-consuming process and oxygen transfer rate in a bioreactor directly affects fermentation performance. In this study, fluid dynamics and oxygen transfer in a 7 L bioreactor with different impellers combinations were simulated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. Based on the simulation results, two impeller combinations with higher oxygen transfer rate (KLa) were selected to conduct CPC fermentations, aiming at achieving high CPC concentration and low accumulation of major by-product, deacetoxycephalosporin (DAOC). It was found that an impeller combination with a higher KLa and moderate shear force is the prerequisite for efficient CPC production in a stirred bioreactor. The best impeller combination, which installed a six-bladed turbine and a four-pitched-blade turbine at bottom and upper layers but with a shortened impellers inter-distance, produced the highest CPC concentration of 35.77 g/L and lowest DAOC/CPC ratio of 0.5%.

Porous Structure of Aerogel Made From Nanofibrillated Cellulose

Chen Gong,Yu Shi,Jian-Ping Ni,Xiao-Bo Yang,Yan-Zhao Liu,Chao Tian 한국펄프·종이공학회 2016 한국펄프·종이공학회 학술발표논문집 Vol.2016 No.10

Investigation of Porous Structure of Aerogel Prepared from Nanofibrillated Cellulose

Chen Gong,Yu Shi,Jian-Ping Ni,Xiao-Bo Yang,Yan-Zhao Liu,Chao Tian 한국펄프·종이공학회 2016 펄프.종이기술 Vol.48 No.6

Cellulose aerogels were prepared through changing the concentration of TEMPO-oxidized cellulose suspension and applying high-pressure homogenization, followed by regular or rapid freeze drying methods. The prepared cellulose aerogel was studied by scanning electron microscopy, BET analysis (nitrogen gas adsorption), and mercury intrusion porosimetry to investigate the effect of variables on the porous properties. In the present study, the porous structure of cellulose aerogel was well obtained by varying concentration of NFC and applying rapid freeze drying approach. The specific surface area of prepared cellulose aerogels varied linearly with adjusting concentrations of NFC, and the highest surface area of cellulose aerogel was attained at 2.0% concentration of NFC in this study. Compared to regular freezing in the freezer, rapid freezing in the liquid nitrogen prepared cellulose aerogel has a lower BET value but more uniform structure with relatively narrow pore size distribution.

Identification and characterization of heat shock proteins in a parasitic wasp Chouioia cuneae (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae)

Li‐Na Pan,Feng-ZhuWANG,Xin-Yue ZHANG,Yan-Ni ZHAO,Geng-Ping ZHU,Min LI 한국곤충학회 2018 Entomological Research Vol.48 No.3

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are known to be induced in response to various stress factors. Although HSPs have been studied in a number of insects, not much is known about HSPs in the natural enemies of insects, especially parasitoids. In this study, we identified and characterized five full‐length HSP genes (Cchsp40, Cchsp60, Cchsp70, Cchsp83, and Cchsp90) from an endoparasitic chalcid wasp, Chouioia cunea, which parasitizes the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea pupae, a worldwide pest. The expression of Cchsps in response to temperature, pesticide stresses and UV radiation were also investigated by quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). The results showed that all five Cchsps were induced in response to hot and cold temperatures. Four pesticides induced the abundant expression of Cchsp70, Cchsp83 and Cchsp90 while ultraviolet radiation up‐regulated Cchsp40, Cchsp70, Cchsp83 and Cchsp90. These results indicate the different transcriptional profiles of the five different Cchsps in response to various abiotic stresses. The findings of this study provide insights into the response of C. cunea to abiotic stresses and insight into the use of this parasitoid in biological control strategies.