Thyroid-Associated Orbitopathy: Evaluating Microstructural Changes of Extraocular Muscles and Optic Nerves Using Readout-Segmented Echo-Planar Imaging-Based Diffusion Tensor Imaging

Huan-Huan Chen,Hao Hu,Wen Chen,Dai Cui,Xiao-Quan Xu,Fei-Yun Wu,Tao Yang 대한영상의학회 2020 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.21 No.3

Objective: We aimed to investigate the ability of readout-segmented echo-planar imaging (rs-EPI)-based diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in assessing the microstructural change of extraocular muscles (EOMs) and optic nerves in patients with thyroidassociated orbitopathy (TAO) as well as in evaluating disease activity. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 35 TAO patients and 22 healthy controls (HCs) who underwent pre-treatment rs-EPIbased DTI. Mean, axial, and radial diffusivity (MD, AD, and RD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the medial and lateral EOMs and optic nerve for each orbit were calculated and compared between TAO and HC groups and between active and inactive TAO groups. Factors such as age, sex, disease duration, mediation, and smoking history between groups were also compared. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of significant variables for disease activity. Results: Disease duration was significantly shorter in active TAOs than in inactive ones (p < 0.001). TAO patients showed significantly lower FA and higher MD, AD, and RD than HCs for both medial and lateral EOMs (p < 0.001), but not the AD value of lateral EOMs (p = 0.619). Active patients had significantly higher FA, MD, and AD than inactive patients for medial EOMs (p < 0.005), whereas only FA differed significantly in the lateral EOMs (p = 0.018). The MD, AD, and RD of optic nerves were significantly lower in TAO patients than HCs (p < 0.05), except for FA (p = 0.129). Multivariate analysis showed that the MD of medial EOMs and disease duration were significant predictors for disease activity. The combination of these two parameters showed optimal diagnostic efficiency for disease activity (area under the curve, 0.855; sensitivity, 68.4%; specificity, 96.9%). Conclusion: rs-EPI-based DTI is promising in assessing microstructural changes of EOMs and optic nerves and can help to indicate the disease activity of TAO, especially through the MD of medial EOMs.

Topology Optimal Interior Permanent Magnet Machine to Improve the Utilization Ratio of Permanent Magnet

Xu Tao(도욱),Dianhai Zhang(장전해),Lixun Zhu(주립훈),Chang-Seop Koh(고창섭) 대한전기학회 2015 대한전기학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.2015 No.7

Parallel computation for debonding process of externally FRP plated concrete

Xu, Tao,Zhang, Yongbin,Liang, Z.Z.,Tang, Chun-An,Zhao, Jian Techno-Press 2011 Structural Engineering and Mechanics, An Int'l Jou Vol.38 No.6

In this paper, the three dimensional Parallel Realistic Failure Process Analysis ($RFPA^{3D}$-Parallel) code based on micromechanical model is employed to investigate the bonding behavior in FRP sheet bonded to concrete in single shear test. In the model, the heterogeneity of brittle disordered material at a meso-scale was taken into consideration in order to realistically demonstrate the mechanical characteristics of FRP-to-concrete. Modified Mohr-coulomb strength criterion with tension cut-off, where a stressed element can damage in shear or in tension, was adopted and a stiffness degradation approach was used to simulate the initiation, propagation and growth of microcracks in the model. In addition, a Master-Slave parallel operation control technique was adopted to implement the parallel computation of a large numerical model. Parallel computational results of debonding of FRP-concrete visually reproduce the spatial and temporal debonding failure progression of microcracks in FRP sheet bonded to concrete, which agrees well with the existing testing results in laboratory. The numerical approach in this study provides a useful tool for enhancing our understanding of cracking and debonding failure process and mechanism of FRP-concrete and our ability to predict mechanical performance and reliability of these FRP sheet bonded to concrete structures.

Association Between TP53 Arg72Pro Polymorphism and Hepatocellular Carcinoma Risk: A Meta-analysis

Xu, Chang-Tao,Zheng, Fang,Dai, Xin,Du, Ji-Dong,Liu, Hao-Run,Zhao, Li,Li, Wei-Min Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.9

Background: Previous studies on the association between the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) risk obtained controversial findings. This study aimed to quantify the strength of the association by meta-analysis. Methods: We searched PubMed and Wangfang databases for published studies on the association between the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and HCC risk, using the pooled odds ratio (OR) with its 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for assessment. Results: 10 studies with a total of 2,026 cases and 2,733 controls were finally included into this meta-analysis. Overall, the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism was not associated with HCC risk (all P values greaterth HCC risk in Caucasians in three genetic models (For Pro versus Arg, OR = 1.20, 95%CI 1.03-1.41; For ProPro versus ArgArg, OR = 1.74, 95%CI 1.23-2.47; For ProPro versus ArgPro/ArgArg, OR = 1.85, 95%CI 1.33-2.57). However, there was no significant association between the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism and HCC risk in East Asians (all P values greater than 0.10). No evidence of publication bias was observed. Conclusion: Meta-analyses of available data suggest an obvious association between the TP53 Arg72Pro and HCC risk in Caucasians. However, the TP53 Arg72Pro polymorphism may have a race-specific effect on HCC risk and further studies are needed to elucidate this possible effect.

Cotton GhKCH2, a Plant-specific Kinesin, is Low-affinitive and Nucleotide-independent as Binding to Microtubule

Xu, Tao,Sun, Xuewei,Jiang, Shiling,Ren, Dongtao,Liu, Guoqin Korean Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biol 2007 Journal of biochemistry and molecular biology Vol.40 No.5

Kinesin is an ATP-driven microtubule motor protein that plays important roles in control of microtubule dynamics, intracellular transport, cell division and signal transduction. The kinesin superfamily is composed of numerous members that are classified into 14 subfamilies. Animal kinesins have been well characterized. In contrast, plant kinesins have not yet to be characterized adequately. Here, a novel plant-specific kinesin gene, GhKCH2, has been cloned from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fibers and biochemically identified by prokaryotic expression, affinity purification, ATPase activity assay and microtubule-binding analysis. The putative motor domain of GhKCH2, $M_{396-734}$ corresponding to amino acids Q396-N734 was fused with 6$\times$His-tag, soluble-expressed in E. coli and affinity-purified in a large amount. The biochemical analysis demonstrated that the basal ATPase activity of $M_{396-734}$ is not activated by $Ca^{2+}$, but stimulated 30-fold max by microtubules. The enzymatic activation is microtubule-concentration-dependent, and the concentration of microtubules that corresponds to half-maximum activation was about 11 ${\mu}M$, much higher than that of other kinesins reported. The cosedimentation assay indicated that $M_{396-734}$ could bind to microtubules in vitro whenever the nucleotide AMP-PNP is present or absent. As a plant-specific microtubule-dependent kinesin with a lower microtubule-affinity and a nucleotide-independent microtubule-binding ability, cotton GhKCH2 might be involved in the function of microtubules during the deposition of cellulose microfibrils in fibers or the formation of cell wall.

Amperometric Morphine Detection Using Pt-Co Alloy Nanowire Array-modified Electrode

Tao, Manlan,Xu, Feng,Li, Yueting,Xu, Quanqing,Chang, Yanbing,Wu, Zaisheng,Yang, Yun-Hui Korean Chemical Society 2010 Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society Vol.31 No.7

Pt-Co alloy nanowire array was directly synthesized by electrochemical deposition with polycarbonate template at -1.0V and subsequent chemical etching of the template. The use of Pt-Co alloy nanowire array-modified electrode (Pt-Co NAE) for the determination of morphine (MO) is described. The morphology of the Pt-Co alloy nanowire array has been investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy disperse X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis), respectively. The resulting Pt-Co NAE offered a linear amperometric response for morphine ranging from $2.35\times10^{-5}$ to $2.39\times10^{-3}$ M with a detection limit of $7.83\times10^{-6}$ M at optimum conditions. This sensor displayed high sensitivity and long-term stability.

Integrated Voltage and Power Flow Management Considering the Cost of Opera in Active Distribution Networks

Tao Xu,Lingxu Guo,Wei Wei,Xiaoxue Wang,Chengshan Wang,Jun Lin,Tianchu Li 대한전기학회 2016 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.11 No.2

The increasing penetration of distributed energy resources on the distribution networks have brought a number of technical impacts where voltage and thermal variations have been identified as the dominant effects. Active network management in distribution networks aims to integrate distributed energy resources with flexible network management so that distributed energy resources are organized to make better use of existing capacity and infrastructure. This paper propose active solutions which aims to solve the voltage and thermal issues in a distributed manner utilizing a collaborative approach. The proposed algorithms have been fully tested on a distribution network with distributed generation units.

Battery Management System Design and Implementation of Intelligent Emergency Light Based on the Technology of Loose Capacitance and FSM

Xu Chunyan,Jiang Yan,Zhang Weichong,Xu Tao 보안공학연구지원센터 2015 International Journal of Smart Home Vol.9 No.9

This paper presents a design and implement method of battery management system about emergency light based on loose capacitance synchronous sampling measure technology and balanced technology. Through the real-time data acquisition, charge and discharge control, the low voltage detection and protection mechanisms of the system, the system achieves protecting the battery pack of emergency light successfully, collecting data accurately and processing the collected data.

Nickle nanoparticles highly dispersed on reduced graphene oxide for ammonia decomposition to hydrogen

Tao Meng,Tie-Zhen Ren,Qian-Qian Xu,Yin-Tao Li,Jian-Li Chang,Zhong-Yong Yuan 한국공업화학회 2015 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.32 No.-

The Ni/reduced graphene oxide catalysts are synthesized by an in situ hydrothermal method, using thegraphene oxide as the support precursor. The textural and structural properties of the prepared Ni/reduced graphene oxide catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmissionelectron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, H2-Temperature-programmed reduction, andelectrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The catalytic performances of the prepared Ni/reducedgraphene oxide catalysts for ammonia decomposition display the enhanced activity. The effect ofreduced graphene oxide support and the influence of nickel content on catalytic activity are evaluated,and the Ni/reduced graphene oxide catalysts exhibit higher catalytic activity than reduced grapheneoxide support and the pure NiO. The ammonia has a conversion of 81.9% and 27.4 mmol/min gcat H2 rateat 700 8C when the 10%-Ni/reduced graphene oxide catalyst used.

The Arabidopsis homolog of human minor spliceosomal protein U11-48K plays a crucial role in U12 intron splicing and plant development

Xu, Tao,Kim, Bo Mi,Kwak, Kyung Jin,Jung, Hyun Ju,Kang, Hunseung Oxford University Press 2016 Journal of experimental botany Vol.67 No.11

<P>The minor U12 introns are removed from precursor mRNAs by the U12 intron-specific minor spliceosome. Among the seven ribonucleoproteins unique to the minor spliceosome, denoted as U11/U12-20K, U11/U12-25K, U11/U12-31K, U11/U12-65K, U11-35K, U11-48K, and U11-59K, the roles of only U11/U12-31K and U11/U12-65K have been demonstrated in U12 intron splicing and plant development. Here, the functional role of the Arabidopsis homolog of human U11-48K in U12 intron splicing and the development of <I>Arabidopsis thaliana</I> was examined using transgenic knockdown plants. The <I>u11-48k</I> mutants exhibited several defects in growth and development, such as severely arrested primary inflorescence stems, formation of serrated leaves, production of many rosette leaves after bolting, and delayed senescence. The splicing of most U12 introns analyzed was impaired in the <I>u11-48k</I> mutants. Comparative analysis of the splicing defects and phenotypes among the <I>u11/u12-31k</I>, <I>u11-48k</I>, and <I>u11/12-65k</I> mutants showed that the severity of abnormal development was closely correlated with the degree of impairment in U12 intron splicing. Taken together, these results provide compelling evidence that the Arabidopsis homolog of human U11-48K protein, as well as U11/U12-31K and U11/U12-65K proteins, is necessary for correct splicing of U12 introns and normal plant growth and development.</P>