Characterization of a Blend-Biosurfactant of Glycolipid and Lipopeptide Produced by Bacillus subtilis TU2 Isolated from Underground Oil-Extraction Wastewater

( Fang Yu Cheng ),( Cheng Tang ),( Huan Yang ),( Hui Min Yu ),( Yu Chen ),( Zhong Yao Shen ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2013 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.23 No.3

Biosurfactants have versatile properties and potential industrial applications. A new producer, B. subtilis TU2, was isolated from the underground oil-extraction wastewater of Shengli Oilfield, China. Preliminary flask culture showed that the titer of biosurfactant obtained from the broth of TU2 was ~1.5 g/l at 48 h (718 mg/l after purification), with a reduced surface tension of 32.5 mN/m. The critical micelle concentration was measured as 50 mg/l and the surface tension maintained stability in solution with 50 g/l NaCl and 16 g/l CaCl2 after 5 days of incubation at 70oC. FT-IR spectra exhibited the structure information of both glycolipid and lipopeptide. MALDI-TOF-MS analyses confirmed that the biosurfactant produced by B. subtilis TU2 was a blend of glycolipid and lipopeptide, including rhamnolipid, surfactin, and fengycin. The blended biosurfactant showed 86% of oil-washing efficiency and fine emulsification activity on crude oil, suggesting its potential application in enhanced oil recovery.

Corydalis yanhusuo Polysaccharides Ameliorate Chronic Stress-Induced Depression in Mice through Gut Microbiota-Derived Short-Chain Fatty Acid Activation of 5-Hydroxytryptamine Signaling

Yu Fang,Yanqing Li,Xin Liao,Jie Deng,Qiannan Wang,Jingtao Liang,Bohua Yan 한국식품영양과학회 2023 Journal of medicinal food Vol.26 No.12

Depression, a prevalent psychiatric disorder, presents a serious health risk to humans. Increasing evidencesuggested that the gut microbiota and the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) pathway both contribute significantly to depression. This research aimed to investigate how Corydalis yanhusuo polysaccharides (CYP) could potentially alleviate depressioninduced by chronic unpredictable mild stress in mice, as well as its underlying mechanism. The sucrose preference test, tailsuspension test, and forced swimming test were employed to evaluate the behavior of mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbentassay and PCR techniques were utilized to measure depression-related factors (dopamine [DA], 5-HT, norepinephrine [NE],brain-derived neurotrophic factor [BDNF], tryptophan hydroxylase 2 [TPH-2], 5-hydroxytryptophan [5-HTP], and tryptophanhydroxylase [TPH-1] levels). Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Nissl staining were conducted to observe histopathologicalchanges in the hippocampus, the differences in the diversity of gut flora between groups were analyzed using 16S rRNAsequencing, and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry metabolomics was utilized to evaluate short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)concentrations. The findings indicated that CYP treatment increased the sucrose preference index, decreased the immobilitytime, and improved neuropathological injury. In depressed mice, CYP improved the dysregulation of the gut microbiota, andincreased the SCFA levels. In addition, CYP enhanced the DA, 5-HT, NE, BDNF, and TPH-2 levels in the brain and theexpression of 5-HTP and TPH-1 in the colon, while SCFAs were positively correlated with these levels. In summary, ourstudy suggested that CYP may mitigate depression by ameliorating gut microbiota dysregulation, promoting the generation ofSCFAs, and activation of 5-HT signaling expression.

Efficacy and Survival-associated Factors with Gefitinib Combined with Cisplatin and Gemcitabine for Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Fang, Hong,Lin, Rong-Yan,Sun, Ming-Xia,Wang, Qian,Zhao, Yu-Liang,Yu, Jing-Lin,Tian, Yan,Wang, Xiao-Yun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.24

Objective: To analyze the efficacy and survival associated factors of gefitinib combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine for advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Materials and Methods: A total of 57 patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), who received platinum-based chemotherapy regimens for more than 1 cycle, were treated with gefitinib combined with cisplatin and gemcitabine until disease progression. Efficacy, survival time and adverse reactions were observed. The Kaplan-Meier method was adopted for analysis of survival and Cox regression for associated influencing factors. Results: The patients were followed up until October 31, 2013, and the median follow-up time was 19 months. Of 57 patients, there were 4 (7.0%) with complete remission (CR), 8 (14.0%) with partial remission, 31 (54.4%) with stable disease, and 14 (24.6%) with disease progression. The remission rate was 21.1% and the disease control rate was 75.4%. The median progression-free survival (PFS) time and the median overall survival time were 10 months and 15.2 months. The one-year, two-year and three-year survival rates were 47.4%, 23.3% and 10.0%. Gender and pathological types were the independent risk factors influencing PFS time (P=0.028, P=0.009). Tumor pathological type and early efficacy were independent factors for the prognosis (P=0.018, P=0.000). Adverse reactions were mostly rashes of I~II degree and diarrhea and slightly increasing level of aminopherase. The skin adverse event incidence of III degree or above was 1.8% (1/57) and brain metastasis was foudn in 31.6% (18/57). Conclusions: Gefitinib combined with cisplatin andgemcitabine, is effective for patients with IIIb~IV NSCLC who received multiple cycles of chemotherapy.

Changes in Glucose Metabolism after Adrenalectomy or Treatment with a Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonist for Primary Aldosteronism

Yu-Fang Lin,Kang-Yung Peng,Chia-Hui Chang,Ya-Hui Hu,Vin-Cent Wu,Shiu-Dong Chung,Taiwan Primary Aldosteronism Investigation (TAIPAI) Study Group 대한내분비학회 2020 Endocrinology and metabolism Vol.35 No.4

Background: Data on the effects of excess aldosterone on glucose metabolism are inconsistent. This study compared the changes in glucose metabolism in patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) after adrenalectomy or treatment with a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA). Methods: Overall, 241 patients were enrolled; 153 underwent adrenalectomy and 88 received an MRA. Fasting glucose, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and homeostatic model assessment of β-cell function (HOMA-β) were compared between the treatment groups after 1 year. Plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and factors determining HOMA-IR and PAC were evaluated. Results: No baseline differences were observed between the groups. Fasting insulin, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-β increased in both groups and there were no significant differences in fasting glucose following treatment. Multiple regression analysis showed associations between PAC and HOMA-IR (β=0.172, P=0.017) after treatment. Treatment with spironolactone was the only risk factor associated with PAC >30 ng/dL (odds ratio, 5.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7 to 10; P<0.001) and conferred a 2.48-fold risk of insulin resistance after 1 year compared with surgery (95% CI, 1.3 to 4.8; P=0.007). Conclusion: Spironolactone treatment might increase insulin resistance in patients with PA. This strengthened the current recommendation that adrenalectomy is the preferred strategy for patient with positive lateralization test. Achieving a post-treatment PAC of <30 ng/dL for improved insulin sensitivity may be appropriate.

Dynamic response analysis of generally damped linear system with repeated eigenvalues

Yu, Rui-Fang,Zhou, Xi-Yuan,Yuan, Mei-Qiao Techno-Press 2012 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.42 No.4

For generally damped linear systems with repeated eigenvalues and defective eigenvectors, this study provides a decomposition method based on residue matrix, which is suitable for engineering applications. Based on this method, a hybrid approach is presented, incorporating the merits of the modal superposition method and the residue matrix decomposition method, which does not need to consider the defective characteristics of the eigenvectors corresponding to repeated eigenvalues. The method derived in this study has clear physical concepts and is easily to be understood and mastered by engineering designers. Furthermore, this study analyzes the applicability of step-by-step methods, including the Newmark beta and Runge-Kutta methods for dynamic response calculation of defective systems. Finally, the implementation procedure of the proposed hybrid approach is illustrated by analyzing numerical examples, and the correctness and the effectiveness of the formula are judged by comparing the results obtained from the different methods.

Inhibition of Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Experimental Colitis in Mice by Angelica Sinensis Polysaccharide

Fang Cheng,Yu Zhang,Qiang Li,Fang Zeng,Kaiping Wang 한국식품영양과학회 2020 Journal of medicinal food Vol.23 No.6

Studies have confirmed that Angelica sinensis, which is a famous medicinal food in China, can effectively alleviate the symptoms of ulcerative colitis (UC) in rats. However, as the major water-soluble ingredient, the specific effects of A. sinensis polysaccharide (ASP) on UC and potential mechanisms were uncertain. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the protective effects of ASP on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced UC and to further explore the mechanisms. ASP could significantly ameliorate the symptoms of weight loss, disease activity index score, and colon shortening caused by DSS. ASP treatment also significantly suppressed the myeloperoxidase activity in colon tissues. Furthermore, after ASP administration, the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin [IL]-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) induced by DSS was remarkably suppressed, and there was a definite improvement in the expressions of tight junction proteins, such as zona occludens 1, occludin, and claudin-1. In addition, the results of apoptosis experiments showed that the apoptotic events were noticeably reduced after ASP treatment. Taken together, these results suggested that ASP may be a potential natural agent against UC.

A Corpus-Based Study of Adverbial Clauses in Mandarin Chinese Conversations: A Preliminary Analysis

( Yu Fang Wang ) 한국언어정보학회 1995 국제 워크샵 Vol.1995 No.-

In conversation, adverbial clause subordination is most commonly achieved through temporal, conditional, concessive, and causal conjunctions, such as dang (``when``), rnguo(``if), suiran (``although``), yinwei (``because``), etc. in Mandarin Chinese. This study aims at exploring adverbial clauses in spoken Mandarin conversations on the basis of quantitative analysis. There were two-hour conversation database in this research. The adverbial clauses in our database were divided into (a) preposed clauses to their modified material with continuing intonation, (b) postposed clauses to their modified material \-vith continuing intonation, and (c) postposed clauses to their modified material with final intonation (rising question intonation or final falling intonation) After an inspection of our data, we fmd that the temporal, conditional, and concessive clauses favor to occur before their modified material; and the causal ones, after their associated material. Our data show that causal clauses are fundamentally different from temporal, conditional, and concessive ones in their use.

Stereo Matching Based on Least Square

Yu Haihao,Fang Yurun,Kong Leilei,Wang Xin 보안공학연구지원센터 2015 International Journal of Multimedia and Ubiquitous Vol.10 No.2

Least Square method is widely adopted in stereo matching owing to it high precision, but the fact that transformation parameters is obtained by solving linear equations leads to the instability of its solutions and the process of matching oscillates and decreases convergence speed. To overcome this disadvantage, improve convergence speed and keep high precision, this paper provides gradient method to resolve stereo matching. The experiments show that the algorithm is valid and practical.

Gut Microbiota Community and Its Assembly Associated with Age and Diet in Chinese Centenarians

( Fang Wang ),( Ting Yu ),( Guo Hong Huang ),( Da Cai ),( Xiaolin Liang ),( Hai Yan Su ),( Zhenjun Zhu ),( Danlei Li ),( Yang Yang ),( Pei Hong Shen ),( Rui Feng Mao ),( Lian Yu ),( Mou Ming Zhao ),( 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2015 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.25 No.8

Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota underpin the development of health and longevity. However, our understanding of what influences the composition of this community of the longevous has not been adequately described. Therefore, illumina sequencing analysis was performed on the gut microbiota of centenarians (aged 100-108 years; RC) and younger elderlies (aged 85-99 years; RE) living in Bama County, Guangxi, China and the elderlies (aged 80-92 years; CE) living in Nanning City, Guangxi, China. In addition, their diet was monitored using a semiquantitative dietary questionary (FFQ 23). The results revealed the abundance of Roseburia and Escherichia was significantly greater, whereas that of Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas, Coprococcus, Megamonas, Mitsuokella, Sutterella, and Akkermansia was significantly less in centenarians at the genus level. Both clustering analysis and UniFraq distance analysis showed structural segregation with age and diet among the three populations. Using partial least square discriminate analysis and redundancy analysis, we identified 33 and 34 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) as key OTUs that were significantly associated with age and diet, respectively. Age-related OTUs were characterized as Ruminococcaceae, Clostridiaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, and the former two were increased in the centenarians; diet-related OTUs were classified as Bacteroidales, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae. The former two were deceased, whereas the later one was increased, in the high-fiber diet. The age and high-fiber diet were concomitant with changes in the gut microbiota of centenarians, suggesting that age and high-fiber diet can establish a new structurally balanced architecture of gut microbiota that may benefit the health of centenarians.

Evaluation of expression of the Wnt signaling components in canine mammary tumors via RT2 Profiler PCR Array and immunochemistry assays

Fang Yu,Roberta Rasotto,Hong Zhang,Shimin Pei,Bin Zhou,Xu Yang,Yipeng Jin,Di Zhang,Degui Lin 대한수의학회 2017 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.18 No.3

The Wnt signaling pathway and its key component b-catenin have critical roles in the development of diseases such as tumors in mammals. However, little has been reported about involvement of the Wnt/b-catenin signaling pathway in canine mammary tumors (CMTs). The present study detected expression of 30 Wnt signaling pathway-related genes in CMTs; the results are potentially useful for molecular-based diagnosis of CMTs and the development of new targeted therapies. Significant upregulations of dickkopf-1 protein, secreted frizzled-related sequence protein 1 (SFRP1), frizzled 3, b-catenin, and lymphoid enhancer-binding factor 1 (LEF1) were detected in highly malignant CMTs compared to levels in normal mammary gland tissues; moreover, highly significant upregulation of WNT5A was observed in low malignancy CMTs. Downregulation was only detected for SFRP4 in malignant CMT samples. The subcellular location of b-catenin and cyclin D1 in 100 CMT samples was investigated via immunohistochemical analysis, and significantly increased expressions of b-catenin in cytoplasm and cyclin D1 in nuclei were revealed. Western blotting analysis revealed that the expression of b-catenin and LEF1 increased in in the majority of CMT samples. Taken together, the results provide important evidence of the activation status of the Wnt pathway in CMTs and valuable clues to identifying biomarkers for molecular-based diagnosis of CMT.