Intravoxel Incoherent Motion Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Assessing Parotid Gland Tumors: Correlation and Comparison with Arterial Spin Labeling Imaging

Ma Gao,Xu Xiao-Quan,Zhu Liu-Ning,Jiang Jia-Suo,Su Guo-Yi,Hu Hao,Bu Shou-Shan,Wu Fei-Yun 대한영상의학회 2021 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.22 No.2

Objective: To compare and correlate the findings of intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and arterial spin labeling (ASL) imaging in characterizing parotid gland tumors. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 56 patients with parotid gland tumors evaluated by MR imaging. The true diffusion coefficient (D), pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*), and fraction of perfusion (f) values of IVIM imaging and tumor-to-parotid gland signal intensity ratio (SIR) on ASL imaging were calculated. Spearman rank correlation coefficient, chi-squared, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests with the post-hoc Dunn-Bonferroni method and receiver operating characteristic curve assessments were used for statistical analysis. Results: Malignant parotid gland tumors showed significantly lower D than benign tumors (p = 0.019). Within subgroup analyses, pleomorphic adenomas (PAs) showed significantly higher D than malignant tumors (MTs) and Warthin’s tumors (WTs) (p < 0.001). The D* of WTs was significantly higher than that of PAs (p = 0.031). The f and SIR on ASL imaging of WTs were significantly higher than those of MTs and PAs (p < 0.05). Significantly positive correlation was found between SIR on ASL imaging and f (r = 0.446, p = 0.001). In comparison with f, SIR on ASL imaging showed a higher area under curve (0.853 vs. 0.891) in discriminating MTs from WTs, although the difference was not significant (p = 0.720). Conclusion: IVIM and ASL imaging could help differentiate parotid gland tumors. SIR on ASL imaging showed a significantly positive correlation with f. ASL imaging might hold potential to improve the ability to discriminate MTs from WTs.

Ammonia etched petroleum pitch-based porous carbon as efficient catalysts for CO2 electroreduction

Ning Hui,Guo Zhihao,Wang Wenhang,Wang Xiaoshan,Yang Zhongxue,Ma Zhengguang,Tian Yangming,Wu Chenghao,Hao Jian,Wu Mingbo 한국탄소학회 2022 Carbon Letters Vol.32 No.3

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide to valuable chemicals is a promising way of storing renewable energy through electric-to-chemical energy conversion, while its large-scale application is in urgent need of cheap and high-performance catalysts. Herein, we invent a convenient method to synthesize N-doped porous carbon by ammonia etching the pyrolysis carbon of petroleum pitch. We found the ammonia etching treatment not only increase the pyridinic-N content, but also enlarge the specific surface area of the petroleum pitch-based porous carbon. As a cheap and easily available catalyst for carbon dioxide electroreduction, up to 82% of Faradaic efficiency towards carbon monoxide was obtained at − 0.9 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode in 0.1 M KHCO3. After a long time electrocatalysis of more than 20 h, the Faradaic efficiency of carbon monoxide remains 80%, indicating the porous carbon as made have an ultra-high stability as catalyst for carbon dioxide reduction. Our work provides a new technology to economically prepare efficient electrocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction.

Modeling, Testing and Numerical Simulation on Hot Forming of HSS

Ning Ma Ping Hu,Guozhe Shen Wenhua Wu 한국소성가공학회 2010 기타자료 Vol.2010 No.6

The thermal-mechanical-transformation coupled relationship of microalloy steel has important significance in forming mechanism and numerical simulation of hot forming. Tensile and quenching experiments are implemented at high temperature, and then the thermal-mechanical-transformation coupled constitutive models of hot forming are developed. Based these models, the nonlinear large-deformation dynamic explicit finite element equations are proposed. The phase transformation latent heat is introduced into the analysis of temperature field during the hot forming process. Based on the independently developed commercial CAE software for sheet metal forming, named KMAS (King-Mesh Analysis System), the numerical simulation module of hot forming is developed, which considers multi-field coupled models, nonlinear and large deformation analysis. Then the hot forming process of a reinforced beam inside the automobile door is simulated by the KMAS software, and compared with its hot forming experimental testing. The experimental results indicate the validity and efficiency of the present multi-field coupled constitutive models and numerical simulation software KMAS of hot forming.

Effects of biochar and Trichoderma on bacterial community diversity in continuous cropping soil

Xia Cao,Ning Zhang,Xiaoyu Zeng,Qinglin Lan,Nan Ma,Chuncheng Wu 한국원예학회 2022 Horticulture, Environment, and Biotechnology Vol.63 No.1

Soil acidifi cation has become a serious issue in protected production in northern China as a consequence of many years ofcontinuous cropping. Besides aff ecting the growth and quality of vegetables, soil acidifi cation also restricts the sustainabledevelopment of vegetables grown in protected environments. A single application of biochar or Trichoderma can repair thesoil environment, optimize the microbial community structure, reduce plant diseases, and promote plant growth. However,it is not known whether biochar combined with Trichoderma has a synergistic eff ect on these parameters. In this study,long-term continuous cropping of cucumbers in a greenhouse was used to study the eff ect of biochar and Trichoderma onmicro-ecological environmental changes in acidifi ed soil using Illumina sequencing. The results showed that the combinedapplication of biochar and Trichoderma promoted cucumber growth; signifi cantly enhanced root vitality and superoxidedismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activities in leaves; and reduced malondialdehyde content. In addition, soil physicaland chemical properties improved; cation exchange capacity, the activity of soil polyphenol oxidase and invertase, and thediversity of soil bacterial communities increased; and the structure and relative abundance of soil bacteria changed after thecombined application of biochar and Trichoderma . Correlation analysis of environmental factors showed that total nitrogenand soil pH had the greatest impact on bacterial communities. The metabolic function of soil bacteria was improved, andthe circulation of soil nutrients was increased as a consequence of the combined application of biochar and Trichoderma .

p38 MAPK Signaling Mediates Mitochondrial Apoptosis in Cancer Cells Induced by Oleanolic Acid

Liu, Jia,Wu, Ning,Ma, Lei-Na,Zhong, Jia-Teng,Liu, Ge,Zheng, Lan-Hong,Lin, Xiu-Kun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.11

Oleanolic acid (OA) is a nutritional component widely distributed in various vegetables. Although it has been well recognized for decades that OA exerts certain anti-tumor activity by inducing mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, it is still unclear that what molecular signaling is responsible for this effect. In this study, we employed cancer cell lines, A549, BXPC-3, PANC-1 and U2OS to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying OA anti-tumor activity. We found that activation of MAPK pathways, including p-38 MAPK, JNK and ERK, was triggered by OA in both a dose and time-dependent fashion in all the tested cancer cells. Activation was accompanied by cleavage of caspases and PARP as well as cytochrome C release. SB203580 (p38 MAPK inhibitor), but not SP600125 (JNK inhibitor) and U0126 (ERK inhibitor), rescued the pro-apoptotic effect of OA on A549 and BXPC-3 cells. OA induced p38 MAPK activation promoted mitochondrial translocation of Bax and Bim, and inhibited Bcl-2 function by enhancing their phosphorylation. OA can induce reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent ASK1 activation, and this event was indispensable for p38 MAPK-dependent apoptosis in cancer cells. In vivo, p38 MAPK knockdown A549 tumors proved resistant to the growth-inhibitory effect of OA. Collectively, we elucidated that activation of ROS/ASK1/p38 MAPK pathways is responsible for the apoptosis stimulated by OA in cancer cells. Our finding can contribute to a better understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the antitumor activity of nutritional components.

Two type III polyketide synthases from Polygonum cuspidatum: gene structure, evolutionary route and metabolites

Guo, Yan-Wu,Guo, Hui-Li,Li, Xing,Huang, Li-Li,Zhang, Bo-Ning,Pang, Xiao-Bin,Liu, Ben-Ye,Ma, Lan-Qing,Wang, Hong 한국식물생명공학회 2013 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.7 No.3

In our recent work (Ma et al., in Planta 229(3):457-469, 2009a and 229(4):1077-1086, 2009b), two three-intron type III PKS genes, PcPKS1 and PcPKS2, were isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. Phylogenetic and functional analyses revealed PcPKS1 is a three-intron chalcone synthase (CHS) gene, and PcPKS2 is found to be a three-intron benzalacetone synthase (BAS) gene. The regular CHS encoded by a single intron gene have not been isolated and characterized from P. cuspidatum. In this work a further CHS with one intron (PcPKS3) and a stilbene synthase (STS) gene with three-intron (PcPKS5) were isolated and characterized by functional and phylogenetic analyses. In comparison with PcPKS1, a bifunctional enzyme with both CHS and BAS activity, the enzymatic product of recombinant PcPKS3 was naringenin, bis-noryangonin (BNY) and 4-coumaroyltriacetic acid lactone (CTAL) occurred as side products. The PcPKS5 synthesized resveratrol and a trace amount of naringenin from p-coumaroyl-CoA. To our knowledge, PcPKS5 is the first reported three-intron STS gene in flowering plants. In this work, we speculated that this involved a possible evolutionary route of plant-specific type III PKS superfamily in P. cuspidatum.

Two type III polyketide synthases from Polygonum cuspidatum: gene structure, evolutionary route and metabolites

Lan-Qing Ma,Yan-Wu Guo,Hui-Li Guo,Xing Li,Li-Li Huang,Bo-Ning Zhang,Xiao-Bin Pang,Ben-Ye Liu,Hong Wang 한국식물생명공학회 2013 Plant biotechnology reports Vol.7 No.3

In our recent work (Ma et al., in Planta229(3):457–469, 2009a and 229(4):1077–1086, 2009b),two three-intron type III PKS genes, PcPKS1 and PcPKS2,were isolated from Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb. et Zucc. Phylogenetic and functional analyses revealed PcPKS1 is athree-intron chalcone synthase (CHS) gene, and PcPKS2 isfound to be a three-intron benzalacetone synthase (BAS)gene. The regular CHS encoded by a single intron genehave not been isolated and characterized from P. cuspidatum. In this work a further CHS with one intron (PcPKS3)and a stilbene synthase (STS) gene with three-intron(PcPKS5) were isolated and characterized by functionaland phylogenetic analyses. In comparison with PcPKS1, abifunctional enzyme with both CHS and BAS activity, theenzymatic product of recombinant PcPKS3 was naringenin,bis-noryangonin (BNY) and 4-coumaroyltriacetic acidlactone (CTAL) occurred as side products. The PcPKS5synthesized resveratrol and a trace amount of naringeninfrom p-coumaroyl-CoA. To our knowledge, PcPKS5 is thefirst reported three-intron STS gene in flowering plants. Inthis work, we speculated that this involved a possibleevolutionary route of plant-specific type III PKS superfamilyin P. cuspidatum.

A Novel Al-Bridged Trinuclear Iron(II) Bis(imino)pyridyl Complex with Catalytic Ethylene Polymerization Behavior

Long, Zerong,Li, Zhongquan,Ma, Ning,Wu, Biao Korean Chemical Society 2011 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.32 No.8

A self-assembled Al-bridged diiminopyridine-based ligand (3) was synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, ESI-MS and NMR spectroscopy. Electron spectral titrations were performed to confirm the formation of a novel trinuclear bis(imino)pyridyl iron(II) complex (4) upon addition of $FeCl_2$ into Al-bridged ligand 3 in methanol solution. Simultaneously, a typical bis(imino)pyridine-iron(II) complex (2) was synthesized and fully characterized. The X-ray crystal study of the iron(II) complex 2 disclosed a five-coordinate, distorted square-pyramidal structure with the tridentate N^N^N ligand and chlorides. The optimal molecular structure of 4 was obtained by means of molecular mechanics, which showed that each iron atom in the complex 4 is surrounded by two chlorides, a tridentate N^N^N ligand and one oxygen atom, supporting considerations about the possibility of six-coordinate geometry from MMAO or the ethylene access. A comparison of 4 with the reference 2 revealed a remarkable decrease of the catalytic activity and MMAO consumption (activity up to $0.41{\times}10^3\;kg\;{mol_{Fe}}^{-1}h^{-1}bar^{-1}$, Al/Fe = 650 for 4 and $7.02{\times}10^3\;kg\;{mol_{Fe}}^{-1}h^{-1}bar^{-1}$, Al/Fe = 1600 for 2).

Treatment of bladder cancer by geoinspired synthetic chrysotile nanocarrier-delivered circPRMT5 siRNA

Chunping Yu,Yi Zhang,Ning Wang,Wensu Wei,Ke Cao,Qun Zhang,Peiying Ma,Dan Xie,Pei Wu,Biao Liu,Jiahao Liu,Wei Xiang,Xing Hu,Xuewen Liu,Jianfei Xie,Jin Tang,Zhi Long,Long Wang,Hongliang Zeng,Jianye Liu 한국생체재료학회 2022 생체재료학회지 Vol.26 No.1

Background: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have important functions in many fields of cancer biology. In particular, we previously reported that the oncogenic circRNA, circPRMT5, has a major role in bladder cancer progression. Therapy based on circRNAs have good prospects as anticancer strategies. While anti-circRNAs are emerging as therapeutics, the specific in vivo delivery of anti-circRNAs into cancer cells has not been reported and remains challenging. Methods: Synthesized chrysotile nanotubes (SCNTs) with a relatively uniform length (~ 200 nm) have been designed to deliver an siRNA against the oncogenic circPRMT5 (si-circPRMT5) inhibit circPRMT5. In addition, the antitumor effects and safety evaluation of SCNTs/si-circPRMT5 was assessed with a series of in vitro and in vivo assays. Results: The results showed that SCNTs/si-circPRMT5 nanomaterials prolong si-circPRMT5’s half-life in circulation, enhance its specific uptake by tumor cells, and maximize the silencing efficiency of circPRMT5. In vitro, SCNTs encapsulating si-circPRMT5 could inhibit bladder cancer cell growth and progression. In vivo, SCNTs/si-circPRMT5 inhibited growth and metastasis in three bladder tumor models (a subcutaneous model, a tail vein injection lung metastatic model, and an in situ model) without obvious toxicities. Mechanistic study showed that SCNTs/sicircPRMT5 regulated the miR-30c/SNAIL1/E-adherin axis, inhibiting bladder cancer growth and progression. Conclusion: The results highlight the potential therapeutic utility of SCNTs/si-circPRMT5 to deliver si-circPRMT5 to treat bladder cancer.

Analysis of the low velocity impact response of functionally graded carbon nanotubes reinforced composite spherical shells

Chun-Hao Yang,Wu-Ning Ma,Da-wei Ma,Qiang He,Jian-Lin Zhong 대한기계학회 2018 JOURNAL OF MECHANICAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY Vol.32 No.6

The low velocity impact analysis of functionally graded carbon nanotubes reinforced composite (FG-CNTRC) spherical shells including the contact force and indentation of the shell surface center was presented. The material properties were set according to the rule of mixture. The fibers and polymeric matrix were temperature-dependent. Timoshenko-Midlin assumption was used to establish the dimensionless nonlinear governing equations of the axis-symmetric transverse isotropy spherical shells. The Hertz contact theory was established to obtain the force and displacement between the spherical shell and impactor. Seven species of comparison analyses including grading profiles and volume fraction were mentioned to investigate the influence on the low velocity impact response of the FG-CNTRC spherical shells. The results revealed that the contact force was determined by the material properties of both contact surface and noncontact surface collectively. Furthermore, the increase of volume fraction can result in the larger contact force and shorter contact time.