181 results on '"Yi Feng"'
Search Results
2. Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 Genetic Diversity and Drugs Resistance Mutations among People Living with HIV in Karachi, Pakistan.
- Author
-
Rashid, Abdur, Kang, Li, Yi, Feng, Chu, Qingfei, Shah, Sharaf Ali, Mahmood, Syed Faisal, Getaneh, Yimam, Wei, Min, Chang, Song, Abidi, Syed Hani, and Shao, Yiming
- Subjects
HIV ,HIV-positive persons ,GENETIC variation ,DRUG resistance ,HIV prevention ,GENETIC mutation - Abstract
The human immunodeficiency virus type-1 epidemic in Pakistan has significantly increased over the last two decades. In Karachi, Pakistan, there is a lack of updated information on the complexity of HIV-1 genetic diversity and the burden of drug resistance mutations (DRMs) that can contribute to ART failure and poor treatment outcomes. This study aimed to determine HIV-1 genetic diversity and identify drug-resistance mutations among people living with HIV in Karachi. A total of 364 HIV-positive individuals, with a median age of 36 years, were enrolled in the study. The HIV-1 partial pol gene was successfully sequenced from 268 individuals. The sequences were used to generate phylogenetic trees to determine clade diversity and also to assess the burden of DRMs. Based on the partial pol sequences, 13 distinct HIV-1 subtypes and recombinant forms were identified. Subtype A1 was the most common clade (40%), followed by CRF02_AG (33.2%). Acquired DRMs were found in 30.6% of the ART-experienced patients, of whom 70.7%, 20.7%, and 8.5% were associated with resistance to NNRTIs, NRTIs, and PIs, respectively. Transmitted DRMs were found in 5.6% of the ART-naïve patients, of whom 93% were associated with resistance against NNRTIs and 7% to PIs. The high prevalence of DRMs in ART-experienced patients poses significant challenges to the long-term benefits and sustainability of the ART program. This study emphasizes the importance of continuous HIV molecular epidemiology and drug resistance surveillance to support evidence-based HIV prevention, precise ART, and targeted AIDS care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. GateView: A Multi-Omics Platform for Gene Feature Analysis of Virus Receptors within Human Normal Tissues and Tumors.
- Author
-
Sun, Yang, Huang, Zi-Liang, Chen, Wen-Xin, Zhang, Yi-Feng, Lei, Hao-Tian, Huang, Qiao-Juan, Lun, Zhao-Rong, Qu, Liang-Hu, and Zheng, Ling-Ling
- Subjects
MULTIOMICS ,CELL receptors ,VIRAL tropism ,MEMBRANE proteins ,INTRACELLULAR pathogens ,TISSUES - Abstract
Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that rely on cell surface receptor molecules to complete the first step of invading host cells. The experimental method for virus receptor screening is time-consuming, and receptor molecules have been identified for less than half of known viruses. This study collected known human viruses and their receptor molecules. Through bioinformatics analysis, common characteristics of virus receptor molecules (including sequence, expression, mutation, etc.) were obtained to study why these membrane proteins are more likely to become virus receptors. An in-depth analysis of the cataloged virus receptors revealed several noteworthy findings. Compared to other membrane proteins, human virus receptors generally exhibited higher expression levels and lower sequence conservation. These receptors were found in multiple tissues, with certain tissues and cell types displaying significantly higher expression levels. While most receptor molecules showed noticeable age-related variations in expression across different tissues, only a limited number of them exhibited gender-related differences in specific tissues. Interestingly, in contrast to normal tissues, virus receptors showed significant dysregulation in various types of tumors, particularly those associated with dsRNA and retrovirus receptors. Finally, GateView, a multi-omics platform, was established to analyze the gene features of virus receptors in human normal tissues and tumors. Serving as a valuable resource, it enables the exploration of common patterns among virus receptors and the investigation of virus tropism across different tissues, population preferences, virus pathogenicity, and oncolytic virus mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Dual-Coupled-Inductor-Based High-Step-Up Boost Converter with Active-Clamping and Zero-Voltage Switching.
- Author
-
Chen, Sheng-Hua, Chen, Chuan-Ting, and Lin, Yi-Feng
- Subjects
ZERO voltage switching ,UNINTERRUPTIBLE power supply ,CONVERTERS (Electronics) ,HIGH voltages ,PHOTOVOLTAIC power systems ,ELECTRIC power conversion ,DC-to-DC converters - Abstract
Many applications, such as photovoltaic systems, uninterruptible power supplies, and automobile headlamps, need a high step-up DC–DC converter without isolation. The conventional boost converter has the advantages of simple topology and easy control. However, it has some shortcomings, such as insufficient step-up voltage ratio and poor efficiency when operating at large duty-cycle conditions. One of the popular topologies used to overcome these problems is the coupled-inductor boost converter. It utilizes the turn ratio of the coupled inductor to realize a higher step-up voltage ratio. The drawback is that the leakage inductance of the coupled inductor causes a huge voltage spike when the power switches are turned off. Moreover, because coupled inductors are characterized by their large volume and high profile, a conventional coupled-inductor boost converter is unsuited for photovoltaic systems, such as the solar microinverter. This study proposes a novel high-step-up boost converter to solve these problems. This proposed converter uses dual coupled inductors instead of the conventional coupled-inductor boost converter. The secondary side of the coupled inductor is connected in series to increase the step-up voltage ratio. The proposed converter utilizes active clamping to achieve zero-voltage switching (ZVS) for suppressing voltage spike and improving conversion efficiency. In addition, low-profile designs can be fulfilled easily for solar microinverters. The proposed converter and its control method are introduced. The operation principle, circuit characteristics, and circuit analysis are presented. A prototype converter with 300 W output power 25–40 VDC input voltage and 200 VDC output voltage was tested. All functions, including high step-up voltage ratio, ZVS, and active clamping, were achieved, and the highest efficiency was around at 94.7%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. RBFNN-Based Adaptive Integral Sliding Mode Feedback and Feedforward Control for a Lower Limb Exoskeleton Robot.
- Author
-
Yuan, Ting, Zhang, Chi, Yi, Feng, Lv, Pingping, Zhang, Meitong, and Li, Shupei
- Subjects
ROBOTIC exoskeletons ,SLIDING mode control ,ADAPTIVE fuzzy control ,RADIAL basis functions ,FRICTION ,FEEDFORWARD neural networks ,INTEGRALS - Abstract
In this paper, an adaptive trajectory tracking control method combining proportional–integral–derivative (PID) control, Radial Basis Function neural network (RBFNN)-based integral sliding mode control (ISMC), and feedforward control, i.e., the PIDFF-ISMC method, is proposed. The PIDFF-ISMC method aims to deal with the dynamic uncertainties, disturbances, and slow response in lower limb exoskeleton robot systems. Firstly, the Lagrange function is utilized to establish dynamic models that include frictional force and unmodeled dynamics. Secondly, the feedback controller is composed of PID and RBFNN-based ISMC to improve tracking performance and decrease the chattering phenomenon. The feedforward controller is adopted to reduce the response time by employing inverse dynamic models. Finally, the Lyapunov function proves the stability of the proposed control method. The experimental results show that the proposed control method can effectively reduce the trajectory tracking error and response time at two different speeds while alleviating control input chattering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. CSINet: A Cross-Scale Interaction Network for Lightweight Image Super-Resolution.
- Author
-
Ke, Gang, Lo, Sio-Long, Zou, Hua, Liu, Yi-Feng, Chen, Zhen-Qiang, and Wang, Jing-Kai
- Subjects
HIGH resolution imaging ,CONVOLUTIONAL neural networks ,NETWORK performance ,IMAGE reconstruction algorithms - Abstract
In recent years, advancements in deep Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have brought about a paradigm shift in the realm of image super-resolution (SR). While augmenting the depth and breadth of CNNs can indeed enhance network performance, it often comes at the expense of heightened computational demands and greater memory usage, which can restrict practical deployment. To mitigate this challenge, we have incorporated a technique called factorized convolution and introduced the efficient Cross-Scale Interaction Block (CSIB). CSIB employs a dual-branch structure, with one branch extracting local features and the other capturing global features. Interaction operations take place in the middle of this dual-branch structure, facilitating the integration of cross-scale contextual information. To further refine the aggregated contextual information, we designed an Efficient Large Kernel Attention (ELKA) using large convolutional kernels and a gating mechanism. By stacking CSIBs, we have created a lightweight cross-scale interaction network for image super-resolution named "CSINet". This innovative approach significantly reduces computational costs while maintaining performance, providing an efficient solution for practical applications. The experimental results convincingly demonstrate that our CSINet surpasses the majority of the state-of-the-art lightweight super-resolution techniques used on widely recognized benchmark datasets. Moreover, our smaller model, CSINet-S, shows an excellent performance record on lightweight super-resolution benchmarks with extremely low parameters and Multi-Adds (e.g., 33.82 dB@Set14 × 2 with only 248 K parameters). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Correlation of Hematological Indices and Acute-Phase Reactants in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients on Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs: A Retrospective Cohort Analysis.
- Author
-
Pan, Yu-Jen, Su, Kuei-Ying, Shen, Chih-Lung, and Wu, Yi-Feng
- Subjects
ANTIRHEUMATIC agents ,RHEUMATOID arthritis ,MONOCYTE lymphocyte ratio ,JOINT pain ,COHORT analysis - Abstract
Acute-phase markers are often used to evaluate the disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Occasionally, the serum levels of acute-phase reactants remain normal in patients with obvious inflamed joints. Hematological indices derived from complete blood counts have been shown to correlate with disease activity. This provides a potential practical implementation in daily practice. Only a few studies have evaluated the relation between hematological indices and novel RA treatment (i.e., biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs); no research has examined the changes in hematological indices in RA treatments longitudinally. We conducted a retrospective study involving 273 RA patients with b/tsDMARD treatment and followed them for at least a year. Baseline, 3-month, and 6-month lab data were collected. The results indicated a reduction in the neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet–lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte–lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) post-treatment. Higher baseline PLRs and SIIs were associated with a more significant reduction in ESR at three months (η
2 = 0.03/0.13, p = 0.21/0.023). NLR and SII correlated with CRP moderately at three months (r = 0.373/0.394, p < 0.001/< 0.001). A correlation comparison showed that the correlation of NLR and PLR with CRP differs during different periods (p = 0.037/0.004). Subgroup analysis revealed that the time effect on correlation is related to treatment with Janus kinase inhibitor and anti-interleukin-6 but not antitumor necrosis factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Sedimentation Behavior of Flocculant-Treated Dredged Slurry under Filtration of Woven Geotextiles.
- Author
-
Wu, Haimin, Zhang, Maoxue, Zheng, Honghui, and Yi, Feng
- Subjects
FLOCCULANTS ,SLURRY ,GEOTEXTILES ,SEDIMENTATION & deposition ,DREDGES ,SCANNING electron microscopy ,DREDGING - Abstract
Geotextile tubes have offered a cost-effective and convenient solution for the treatment of dredged slurry in recent years. Despite their benefits, the dewatering process of this method remains cumbersome and time-consuming. The incorporation of flocculants into dredged slurries has been shown to mitigate the clogging of geotextile tubes, thereby enhancing the efficiency of the dewatering process. To quantify the impact of flocculant addition on the dewatering performance, a series of laboratory tests were conducted to investigate the sedimentation behavior of flocculant-treated river-dredged slurries under filtration of woven geotextiles. The impact of different flocculants is evaluated with the sedimentation rates of dredged slurries, specifically nonionic polyacrylamide (NPAM) and cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM). Results demonstrated that both NPAM and CPAM, at an optimal concentration of around 250 mg/L, could substantially increase the settling rates of slurries when filtered through geotextiles. At equivalent flocculant concentration, NPAM outperforms CPAM in accelerating sedimentation rates. It is also evidenced that adding flocculants can significantly augment the particle size and permeability of slurries. After adding flocculants, the water content and dry density of the final sediments exhibit a more uniform distribution in the vertical direction compared to the original slurry. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy was employed to analyze the micromorphology of the final sediments treated with different NPAM concentrations. The results showed that the slurries exhibited significant void structure under treatment with the optimal concentration of NPAM, demonstrating the flocculants' effectiveness in enhancing the dewatering process of river-dredged slurries when filtered with geotextiles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. A Comparative Analysis of Active Learning for Rumor Detection on Social Media Platforms.
- Author
-
Yi, Feng, Liu, Hongsheng, He, Huaiwen, and Su, Lei
- Subjects
MACHINE learning ,ACTIVE learning ,SUPERVISED learning ,RUMOR ,SOCIAL networks ,SOCIAL media - Abstract
In recent years, the ubiquity of social networks has transformed them into essential platforms for information dissemination. However, the unmoderated nature of social networks and the advent of advanced machine learning techniques, including generative models such as GPT and diffusion models, have facilitated the propagation of rumors, posing challenges to society. Detecting and countering these rumors to mitigate their adverse effects on individuals and society is imperative. Automatic rumor detection, typically framed as a binary classification problem, predominantly relies on supervised machine learning models, necessitating substantial labeled data; yet, the scarcity of labeled datasets due to the high cost of fact-checking and annotation hinders the application of machine learning for rumor detection. In this study, we address this challenge through active learning. We assess various query strategies across different machine learning models and datasets in order to offer a comparative analysis. Our findings reveal that active learning reduces labeling time and costs while achieving comparable rumor detection performance. Furthermore, we advocate for the use of machine learning models with nonlinear classification boundaries on complex environmental datasets for more effective rumor detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Hollow-Architected Heteroatom-Doped Carbon-Supported Nanoscale Cu/Co as an Enhanced Magnetic Activator for Oxone to Degrade Toxicants in Water.
- Author
-
Trang, Tran Doan, Lin, Jia-Yin, Chang, Hou-Chien, Huy, Nguyen Nhat, Ghotekar, Suresh, Lin, Kun-Yi Andrew, Munagapati, Venkata Subbaiah, Yee, Yeoh Fei, and Lin, Yi-Feng
- Subjects
COPPER ,PEROXYMONOSULFATE ,METAL-organic frameworks ,POISONS ,CARBONACEOUS aerosols ,POLLUTANTS - Abstract
Even though transition metals can activate Oxone to degrade toxic contaminants, bimetallic materials possess higher catalytic activities because of synergistic effects, making them more attractive for Oxone activation. Herein, nanoscale CuCo-bearing N-doped carbon (CuCoNC) can be designed to afford a hollow structure as well as CuCo species by adopting cobaltic metal organic frameworks as a template. In contrast to Co-bearing N-doped carbon (CoNC), which lacks the Cu dopant, CuCo alloy nanoparticles (NPs) are contained by the Cu dopant within the carbonaceous matrix, giving CuCoNC more prominent electrochemical properties and larger porous structures and highly nitrogen moieties. CuCoNC, as a result, has a significantly higher capability compared to CoNC and Co
3 O4 NPs, for Oxone activation to degrade a toxic contaminant, Rhodamine B (RDMB). Furthermore, CuCoNC+Oxone has a smaller activation energy for RDMB elimination and maintains its superior effectiveness for removing RDMB in various water conditions. The computational chemistry insights have revealed the RDMB degradation mechanism. This study reveals that CuCoNC is a useful activator for Oxone to eliminate RDMB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Tele-Mentored Handheld Ultrasound System for General Practitioners: A Prospective, Descriptive Study in Remote and Rural Communities.
- Author
-
Zhou, Yu-Jing, Guo, Le-Hang, Bo, Xiao-Wan, Sun, Li-Ping, Zhang, Yi-Feng, Chai, Hui-Hui, Ye, Rui-Zhong, Peng, Cheng-Zhong, Qin, Chuan, and Xu, Hui-Xiong
- Subjects
GENERAL practitioners ,RESOURCE-limited settings ,ULTRASONIC imaging ,DIAGNOSTIC imaging - Abstract
Background: Rural general practitioners (GPs) have insufficient diagnostic information to deal with complex clinical scenarios due to the inequality in medical imaging resources in rural and remote communities. The objective of this study is to explore the value of a tele-mentored handheld ultrasound (tele-HHUS) system, allowing GPs to provide ultrasound (US) services in rural and remote communities. Methods: Overall, 708 patients underwent tele-HHUS examination between March and October 2021 and March and April 2022 across thirteen primary hospitals and two tertiary-care general hospitals. All US examinations were guided and supervised remotely in real time by US experts more than 300 km away using the tele-HHUS system. The following details were recorded: location of tele-HHUS scanning, primary complaints, clinical diagnosis, and US findings. The recommendations (referral or follow-up) based on clinical experience alone were compared with those based on clinical experience with tele-HHUS information. Results: Tele-HHUS examinations were performed both in hospital settings (90.6%, 642/708) and out of hospital settings (9.4%, 66/708). Leaving aside routine physical examinations, flank pain (14.2%, 91/642) was the most common complaint in inpatients, while chest distress (12.1%, 8/66) and flank discomfort (12.1%, 8/66) were the most common complaints in out-of-hospital settings. Additionally, the referral rate increased from 5.9% to 8.3% (kappa = 0.202; p = 0.000). Conclusions: The tele-HHUS system can help rural GPs perform HHUS successfully in remote and rural communities. This novel mobile telemedicine model is valuable in resource-limited areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. A Novel High-Isolation Dual-Polarized Patch Antenna with Two In-Band Transmission Zeros.
- Author
-
Li, Fuwang, Cheng, Yi-Feng, Wang, Gaofeng, and Luo, Jiang
- Subjects
TRANSMISSION zeros ,ANTENNAS (Electronics) ,HARBORS - Abstract
In this study, we present a novel dual-polarized patch antenna that exhibits high isolation and two in-band transmission zeros (TZs). The design consists of a suspended metal patch, two feeding probes connected to an internal neutralization line (I-NL), and a T-shaped decoupling network (T-DN). The I-NL is responsible for generating the first TZ, and its decoupling principles are explained through an equivalent circuit model. Rigorous design formulas are also derived to aid in the construction of the feeding structure. The T-DN realizes the second TZ, resulting in further improvement of the decoupling bandwidth. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed antenna has a wide operating bandwidth (2.5–2.7 GHz), high port isolation (>30 dB), and excellent efficiency (>85%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Characterization and Electrochemical Analysis of Acidic Condensate-Induced Corrosion on Aluminized Coating on Steel in Residential Heaters.
- Author
-
Sulejmanovic, Dino, Jun, Jiheon, Gao, Zhiming, and Su, Yi-Feng
- Subjects
ELECTROCHEMICAL analysis ,STEEL corrosion ,STEEL ,NATURAL gas ,AUTOMOBILE parts ,PITTING corrosion ,STEEL welding - Abstract
Condensing furnace residential heaters are starting to replace outdated and less efficient non-condensing units in homes across the US. However, the burning of natural gas in these new units produces acidic gases, which can form acid droplets (H
2 SO4 , HNO3 , H2 CO3 , etc.) that are corrosive to low-grade heat exchanger metallic materials. Type-1 aluminized steel has been used in industrial applications, such as marine, heating, and automobile parts, due to its resistance to oxidation at elevated temperature. Many components of the condensing furnaces, including heat exchangers, are made from type-1 aluminized steel. We investigated the interaction of type-1 aluminized steel substrates with two acidic condensate liquids by 500 h corrosion exposures as well as short-term electrochemical impedance measurements. SEM plan and cross-sectional view images revealed damage to the Al-Si rich layer and exposure of the steel substrate. The non-uniform damage in the Al-Si rich layer was likely attributed to a pitting corrosion mechanism and induced by high acidity of the condensate liquid. Electrochemical impedance measurements in an acidic condensate revealed lower corrosion resistance of the aluminized steel surface with a weld line, identifying welded sections as preferential corrosion initiation sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Abstracts of the 2023 49th Annual NATAS Conference.
- Author
-
LaVan, David, Yi, Feng, Adams, Tina, Tao, Ran, Pelczar, Elizabeth, Xia, Han, Hu, Xiao, Sauerbrunn, Stephen, and Matisons, Janis
- Subjects
- *
THERMAL analysis , *CAPITAL cities , *NAVAL warfare , *PHYSICS laboratories , *CONFERENCES & conventions - Abstract
We are pleased to announce that the 49th annual meeting of NATAS cwill be held in Rockville, MD, a beautiful city that is part of the Washington D.C. National Capital Area, on the DC metro system (allowing easy access to Washington museums and sites), and close to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Army Research Laboratory (ARL), Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU-APL), Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC), Georgetown University, George Washington University, George Mason University, and the University of Maryland. The North American Thermal Analysis Society is a venerable organization that offers scientists and practitioners the opportunity to explore the frontiers of thermal analysis, rheology, and materials characterization. The NATAS meeting always features new developments in the science of thermal analysis as well as applications of these techniques in a wide variety of fields. The meeting includes exhibits from vendors allowing for personalized attention and connecting with providers of instrumentation and software related to thermal analysis. The Society appreciates the financial support of the following contributing sponsors this year: NIST, Mettler-Toledo, TA Instruments, SETARAM, Anton Paar USA, MDPI AG, TAFDV, and QΔT Lab. Exhibitors include AKTS SA, Anton Paar USA, Mettler-Toledo, McCrone Microscopes & Accessories, NETZSCH Instruments North America, TA Instruments, and Thermtest, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. HIV-1 Disease Progression and Drug Resistance Mutations among Children on First-Line Antiretroviral Therapy in Ethiopia.
- Author
-
Getaneh, Yimam, Getnet, Fentabil, Ning, Feng, Rashid, Abdur, Liao, Lingjie, Yi, Feng, and Shao, Yiming
- Subjects
DRUG resistance ,DISEASE progression ,ANTIRETROVIRAL agents ,REVERSE transcriptase inhibitors ,HIV-positive children - Abstract
Background: High rates of disease progression and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) among adults taking highly active antiretroviral treatment (HAART) in Sub-Saharan Africa were previously documented. However, children were generally not considered despite their greater risk. Hence, this study was aimed to evaluate HIV-1 disease progression and drug resistance mutation among children on first-line antiretroviral therapy in Ethiopia. Method: A longitudinal study was conducted among 551 HIV-positive children (<15 years old) recruited between 2017 and 2019 at 40 antiretroviral treatment delivery sites in Ethiopia. Disease progression was retrospectively measured over a 12-year (2007–2019) follow-up as the progress towards immunosuppression. Two consecutive viral load (VL) tests were conducted in 6-month intervals to assess virologic failure (VF). For children with VF, HIV-1 genotyping and sequencing was performed for the pol gene region using in-house assay validated at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Stanford HIVDB v9.0 algorithm was used for identification of drug resistance mutations. The Kaplan–Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards regression model were used to estimate the rate and predictors of disease progression, respectively. Results: The disease progression rate was 6.3 per 100 person-years-observation (95% CI = 4.21–8.53). Overall immunosuppression (CD4 count < 200 cells/mm
3 ) during the 12-year follow-up was 11.3% (95% CI = 7.5–15.1). Immunosuppression was significantly increased as of the mean duration of 10.5 (95% CI = 10.1–10.8) years (38.2%) to 67.8% at 12 years (p < 0.001). Overall, 14.5% had resistance to at least one drug, and 6.2% had multi-drug resistance. A resistance of 67.8% was observed among children with VF. Resistance to non-nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) and nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI) drugs were 11.4% and 10.1%, respectively. Mutations responsible for NRTI resistance were M184V (30.1%), K65R (12.1%), and D67N (5.6%). Moreover, NNRTI-associated mutations were K103N (14.8%), Y181C (11.8%), and G190A (7.7%). Children who had a history of opportunistic infection [AHR (95% CI) = 3.4 (1.8–6.2)], vitamin D < 20 ng/mL [AHR (95% CI) = 4.5 (2.1–9.9)], drug resistance [AHR (95% CI) = 2.2 (1.4–3.6)], and VF [AHR (95% CI) = 2.82 (1.21, 3.53)] had a higher hazard of disease progression; whereas, being orphan [AOR (95% CI) = 1.8 (1.2–3.1)], history of drug substitution [(AOR (95% CI) = 4.8 (2.1–6.5), hemoglobin < 12 mg/dL [AOR (95% CI) = 1.2 (1.1–2.1)] had higher odds of developing drug resistance. Conclusions: Immunosuppression was increasing over time and drug resistance was also substantially high. Enhancing routine monitoring of viral load and HIVDR and providing a vitamin-D supplement during clinical management could help improve the immunologic outcome. Limiting HAART substitution is also crucial for children taking HAART in Ethiopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Stage-specific transcriptomes of the Mussel Mytilus coruscus reveals the developmental Program for the Planktonic to Benthic Transition
- Author
-
Yu-Qing Wang, Qi Liu, Yan Zhou, Lizhi Chen, Yue-Ming Yang, Xue Shi, Deborah M. Power, and Yi-Feng Li
- Subjects
pediveliger larvae ,Larval settlement and metamorphosis ,hard-shelled mussel ,Genetics ,Pediveliger larva ,larval settlement and metamorphosis ,Mytilus coruscu ,Hard-shelled mussel ,Transcriptome ,Mytilus coruscus ,transcriptome ,Genetics (clinical) - Abstract
Many marine invertebrate larvae undergo complex morphological and physiological changes during the planktonic—benthic transition (a.k.a. metamorphosis). In this study, transcriptome analysis of different developmental stages was used to uncover the molecular mechanisms underpinning larval settlement and metamorphosis of the mussel, Mytilus coruscus. Analysis of highly upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at the pediveliger stage revealed enrichment of immune-related genes. The results may indicate that larvae co-opt molecules of the immune system to sense and respond to external chemical cues and neuroendocrine signaling pathways forecast and trigger the response. The upregulation of adhesive protein genes linked to byssal thread secretion indicates the anchoring capacity required for larval settlement arises prior to metamorphosis. The results of gene expression support a role for the immune and neuroendocrine systems in mussel metamorphosis and provide the basis for future studies to disentangle gene networks and the biology of this important lifecycle transformation. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
- Published
- 2023
17. A Bandpass Filter Realized by Using Pixel Structure and Genetic Algorithm Optimization.
- Author
-
He, Yangyang, Cheng, Yi-Feng, and Luo, Jiang
- Subjects
GENETIC algorithms ,PIXELS ,INSERTION loss (Telecommunication) ,LABOR time ,MICROSTRIP transmission lines - Abstract
This paper presents a flexible method for designing a bandpass filter (BPF) using pixel structure and genetic algorithm (GA) optimization. The pixel structure is made up of a grid of metallic microstrip stubs, and the GA is utilized to determine the connections between these stubs. The pixel structure enables the construction of step impedance and shunt branches, which are used to design a traditional BPF. To enhance the design freedom, one side of the discrete grids is connected to the ground via metallic holes. For verification, a BPF was designed, simulated, and measured. The experimental results showed that the 10 dB return loss bandwidth ranges from 1.1 to 1.9 GHz and the insertion loss is approximately 2.5 dB. There is good agreement between the calculation, EM simulation, and measurement results. The proposed GA-based design method offers significant advantages in terms of one-time EM simulation, feasibility, and labor time savings, making it more convenient than the traditional design method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. Performance Analysis of the CHAID Algorithm for Accuracy.
- Author
-
Yang, Yeling, Yi, Feng, Deng, Chuancheng, and Sun, Guang
- Subjects
- *
DECISION trees , *SUPERVISED learning , *ALGORITHMS , *CUSTOMER satisfaction , *PREDICTION models - Abstract
The chi-squared automatic interaction detector (CHAID) algorithm is considered to be one of the most used supervised learning methods as it is adaptable to solving any kind of problem at hand. We are keenly aware of the non-linear relationships among CHAID maps, and they can empower predictive models with stability. However, we do not precisely know how high its accuracy. To determine the perfect scope the CHAID algorithm fits into, this paper presented an analysis of the accuracy of the CHAID algorithm. We introduced the causes, applicable conditions, and application scope of the CHAID algorithm, and then highlight the differences in the branching principles between the CHAID algorithm and several other common decision tree algorithms, which is the first step towards performing a basic analysis of CHAID algorithm. We next employed an actual branching case to help us better understand the CHAID algorithm. Specifically, we used vehicle customer satisfaction data to compare multiple decision tree algorithms and cited some factors that affect the accuracy and some corresponding countermeasures that are more conducive to obtaining accurate results. The results showed that CHAID can analyze the data very well and reliably detect significantly correlated factors. This paper presents the information required to understand the CHAID algorithm, thereby enabling better choices when the use of decision tree algorithms is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Treatment of Magnesium Alloy for Enhanced Coating Adhesion and Corrosion Resistance.
- Author
-
Jang, Gyoung Gug, Jun, Jiheon, Yeom, Sinchul, Yoon, Mina, Su, Yi Feng, Wade, John, Stephens, Michael S., and Keum, Jong K.
- Subjects
CORROSION resistance ,MAGNESIUM alloys ,ATMOSPHERIC pressure plasmas ,SALT spray testing ,SURFACE coatings ,AIR cylinders - Abstract
Atmospheric pressure plasma (AP) treatment, using an open-air jet of ionized CO
2, N2 , or air, was applied to AZ91D Mg alloy surfaces to investigate its effects on primer coating adhesion and corrosion resistance. The CO2 and air AP treatments formed an O- and C-rich surface layer (Mg-O-C) consisting of agglomerated nanoparticles and pits with a depth of a few microns and increasing the surface roughness by 6–8 times compared with the reference 600 grit-finished surface. Then, three commercial primers, zinc phosphate (ZnP), chromate-containing epoxy, and MIL23377, were applied on the treated surfaces to evaluate the corrosion resistance associated with the coating adhesion. Microscopic analysis demonstrated stronger interlocking between the primer layer and the nano-/microrough Mg-O-C surface compared to the untreated (600 grit-finished) surfaces, indicating improved coating adhesion and corrosion resistance. Crosscut tests of the MIL23377 primer on the CO2 and air AP-treated surfaces showed the highest level of adhesion, ASTM class 5B. Salt spray corrosion tests showed that after 8 days of exposure, the primer coatings on air AP-treated surfaces had corrosion areas that were more than four times smaller than that of the 600 grit-finished surface. The N2 AP treatment showed similar adhesion enhancement. The preliminary operation expenses for AP treatment using CO2 , N2 , and air were estimated at USD 30.62, USD 35.45, and USD 29.75 (from an air cylinder)/USD 0.66 (from an air compressor) per m2 , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Platelet Activation and Cytokine Release of Interleukin-8 and Interferon-Gamma-Induced Protein 10 after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Coronavirus Vaccine Injection.
- Author
-
Shen, Chih-Lung, Wang, Tso-Fu, Liu, Chao-Zong, and Wu, Yi-Feng
- Subjects
BLOOD platelet activation ,COVID-19 vaccines ,INTERLEUKIN-8 ,COVID-19 ,IDIOPATHIC thrombocytopenic purpura ,CORONAVIRUS diseases - Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines are associated with serious thromboembolic or thrombocytopenic events including vaccine-induced immune thrombocytopenia and thrombosis and immune thrombocytopenia, particularly AZD1222/ChAdOx1. According to the proposed mechanism, COVID-19 vaccines stimulate inflammation and platelet activation. In this study, we analyzed the role of AZD1222/ChAdOx1 vaccines in the activation of platelets and the release of anti-PF4 antibodies and inflammatory cytokines in a cohort of healthy donors without vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT). Forty-eight healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. Blood samples were collected from peripheral blood at three time points: before vaccination and 1 and 7 days after vaccination. Compared with the prevaccination data, a decrease in the leukocyte and platelet counts was observed 1 day after vaccination, which recovered 7 days after injection. The percentage of activated GPIIb/IIIa complex (PAC-1) under high ADP or thrombin receptor-activating peptide stimulation increased 1 day after vaccination. Furthermore, interluekin-8 (IL-8) and interferon-gamma-induced protein 10 (IP-10) increased significantly. Additionally, platelet activation and inflammation, with the release of cytokines, were observed; however, none of the individuals developed VITT. Mild thrombocytopenia with platelet activation and inflammation with an elevation of IL-8 and IP-10 were observed after AZ vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. A Meta-Analysis Showing the Quantitative Evidence Base of Preemptive Pregabalin for Postoperative Pain from Cancer-Related Surgery.
- Author
-
Wang, Qian, Dong, Jing, Ye, Xin, and Ren, Yi-Feng
- Subjects
CANCER pain ,POSTOPERATIVE pain ,PREGABALIN ,ANALGESIA ,SURGERY ,DATABASE searching - Abstract
Background and Objectives: As an adjunct to postoperative multimodal analgesic regimens, pregabalin has been reported in reducing postoperative acute pain and opioid consumption. However, there is only a small amount of evidence for preemptive pregabalin in patients undergoing cancer-related surgery. This systematic review was conducted to integrate high-quality evidence to evaluate the preemptive analgesic effects of pregabalin in cancer-related surgery. Materials and Methods: Seven electronic databases were searched in a combination of subject terms and free words. Efficacy and safety of preemptive pregabalin on postoperative pain for cancer-related surgery were evaluated by assessing resting and dynamic pain scores postoperatively, cumulative morphine equivalent consumption, time to first analgesic request, hemodynamic parameters, and the safety indicators. Results: Thirteen trials were incorporated for quantitative synthesis. The pooled results showed administration of pregabalin preoperatively is clinically significant for improving resting (weighted mean difference (WMD), −1.53 cm; 95% CI, −2.30 to −0.77) and dynamic (WMD, −1.16 cm; 95% CI, −2.22 to −0.11) pain severity scores at 2 h postoperatively and prolonging time to first analgesic request (WMD, 2.28 h; 95% CI, 0.79 to 3.77) in cancer-related surgery. Preemptive pregabalin was also statistically effective in some other pain indicators but would increase the risk of pregabalin-related side effects after surgery. Conclusions: Our findings do not support the administration of pregabalin in doses larger than 300 mg when put in cancer-related surgery. Taken together, more high-quality research particularly focused on the optimal dosages and timing of pregabalin in cancer-related surgery is needed in the future to establish stronger evidence for therapeutic effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Stage-Specific Transcriptomes of the Mussel Mytilus coruscus Reveals the Developmental Program for the Planktonic to Benthic Transition.
- Author
-
Wang, Yu-Qing, Liu, Qi, Zhou, Yan, Chen, Lizhi, Yang, Yue-Ming, Shi, Xue, Power, Deborah M., and Li, Yi-Feng
- Subjects
DEVELOPMENTAL programs ,MYTILUS ,MARINE invertebrates ,MUSSELS ,TRANSCRIPTOMES ,GENE regulatory networks ,METAMORPHOSIS - Abstract
Many marine invertebrate larvae undergo complex morphological and physiological changes during the planktonic—benthic transition (a.k.a. metamorphosis). In this study, transcriptome analysis of different developmental stages was used to uncover the molecular mechanisms underpinning larval settlement and metamorphosis of the mussel, Mytilus coruscus. Analysis of highly upregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at the pediveliger stage revealed enrichment of immune-related genes. The results may indicate that larvae co-opt molecules of the immune system to sense and respond to external chemical cues and neuroendocrine signaling pathways forecast and trigger the response. The upregulation of adhesive protein genes linked to byssal thread secretion indicates the anchoring capacity required for larval settlement arises prior to metamorphosis. The results of gene expression support a role for the immune and neuroendocrine systems in mussel metamorphosis and provide the basis for future studies to disentangle gene networks and the biology of this important lifecycle transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Survival Analysis and Risk Factors of Pulpectomy among Children with Severe Early Childhood Caries Treated under General Anesthesia: A Retrospective Study.
- Author
-
He, Shu-yang, Li, Jin-yi, Dai, Shan-shan, Yang, Yu-hui, Wen, Yi-feng, Guo, Qing-yu, and Liu, Fei
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Corrosion Compatibility of Stainless Steels and Nickel in Pyrolysis Biomass-Derived Oil at Elevated Storage Temperatures.
- Author
-
Jun, Jiheon, Su, Yi-Feng, Keiser, James R., Wade IV, John E., Kass, Michael D., Ferrell III, Jack R., Christensen, Earl, Olarte, Mariefel V., and Sulejmanovic, Dino
- Abstract
Corrosion compatibility of stainless steels and nickel (Ni200) was assessed in fast pyrolysis bio-oil produced from pyrolysis of high ash and high moisture forest residue biomass. Sample mass change, ICP-MS and post-exposure electron microscopy characterization was used to investigate the extent of corrosion. Among the tested samples, type 430F and type 316 stainless steels (SS430F and SS316) and Ni200 (~98.5% Ni) showed minimal mass changes (less than 2 mg∙cm
−2 ) after the bio-oil exposures at 50 and 80 °C for up to 168 h. SS304 was also considered to be compatible in the bio-oil due to its relatively low mass change (1.6 mg∙cm−2 or lower). SS410 samples showed greater mass loss values even after exposures at a relatively low temperature of 35 °C. Fe/Cr values from ICP-MS data implied that Cr enrichment in stainless steels would result in a protective oxide layer associated with corrosion resistance against the bio-oil. Post exposure characterization showed continuous and uniform Cr distribution in the surface oxide layer of SS430F, which showed a minimal mass change, but no oxide layer on a SS430 sample, which exhibited a significant mass loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. Self-Decoupled MIMO Antenna Realized by Adjusting the Feeding Positions.
- Author
-
He, Yangyang, Cheng, Yi-Feng, and Luo, Jiang
- Subjects
ANTENNAS (Electronics) ,ANTENNA feeds ,HARBORS ,STATISTICAL correlation - Abstract
This paper proposes a novel decoupling technique achieved by adjusting the position of feeding probes of antennas. Two inherent radiation modes (patch mode and monopole mode), with different patterns and polarizations, are simultaneously excited by the same feeding probe. High isolation is realized based on manipulating the relationship of two-mode couplings by moving the feeding positions. Since the two radiation modes are generated by the same antenna element, the proposed MIMO antenna features a simple structure and compact size. For verification, a two-element array with center-to-center spacing of 0.404 λ 0 ( λ 0 is the wavelength in the air) is prototyped and characterized. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed novel technique can offer higher port isolation (>18.1 dB), increased efficiency (>70%), and a lower envelope correlation coefficient (ECC < 0.1) in the operating frequency band (11.61–12.49 GHz). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Clinical Study of Intraoperative Microelectrode Recordings during Awake and Asleep Subthalamic Nucleus Deep Brain Stimulation for Parkinson's Disease: A Retrospective Cohort Study.
- Author
-
Zhao, Guang-Rui, Cheng, Yi-Feng, Feng, Ke-Ke, Wang, Min, Wang, Yan-Gang, Wu, Yu-Zhang, and Yin, Shao-Ya
- Subjects
- *
DEEP brain stimulation , *PARKINSON'S disease , *SUBTHALAMIC nucleus , *LOCAL anesthesia , *GENERAL anesthesia , *COHORT analysis - Abstract
Our objective is to analyze the difference of microelectrode recording (MER) during awake and asleep subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation (STN-DBS) for Parkinson's disease (PD) and the necessity of MER during "Asleep DBS" under general anesthesia (GA). The differences in MER, target accuracy, and prognosis under different anesthesia methods were analyzed. Additionally, the MER length was compared with the postoperative electrode length by electrode reconstruction and measurement. The MER length of two groups was 5.48 ± 1.39 mm in the local anesthesia (LA) group and 4.38 ± 1.43 mm in the GA group, with a statistical significance between the two groups (p < 0.01). The MER length of the LA group was longer than its postoperative electrode length (p < 0.01), however, there was no significant difference between the MER length and postoperative electrode length in the GA group (p = 0.61). There were also no significant differences in the postoperative electrode length, target accuracy, and postoperative primary and secondary outcome scores between the two groups (p > 0.05). These results demonstrate that "Asleep DBS" under GA is comparable to "Awake DBS" under LA. GA has influences on MER during surgery, but typical STN discharges can still be recorded. MER is not an unnecessary surgical procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Fight or Flight? Alternative Defense of the Pea Aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum on Different Host Plants
- Author
-
Zhiqiang Lu, Li Ma, Martin John Martin, Yi Feng, and Yueming Li
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,Offspring ,Science ,Zoology ,Bassiana ,Fungus ,pea aphids ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,Article ,Predation ,Fight-or-flight response ,03 medical and health sciences ,host plant ,030304 developmental biology ,0303 health sciences ,Aphid ,biology ,fungi ,food and beverages ,biochemical phenomena, metabolism, and nutrition ,biology.organism_classification ,Fecundity ,infection ,Acyrthosiphon pisum ,winged offspring ,Insect Science ,fecundity compensation - Abstract
Simple Summary In the event of a pathogen attack, fecundity compensation and production of winged offspring are critical in pea aphids. However, little is known about the effects of the host plant on these responses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of host plant on these two alternative defenses in pea aphids. We took a single adult female from a pink colony of pea aphids that was originally from broad beans and allowed her to reproduce offspring in the laboratory. Some offspring were fed broad beans, while others were fed alfalfa for over 30 generations. We first investigated the backgrounds of their facultative symbionts before infecting them with pathogens and found that the composition of secondary symbionts in our aphid colony was not affected by the host plants. Broad bean reared pea aphids produced more offspring in infected and uninfected conditions, whereas alfalfa reared pea aphids produced more winged offspring when confronting challenges caused by Staphylococcus aureus and Beauveria bassiana. Our findings showed that the host plant influences the pea aphid’s alternative responses to mortality risks. Abstract Non-immunological responses are important alternative strategies for animals to deal with pathogens. It has long been recognized that fecundity compensation and production of winged offspring are two common non-immunological responses used by aphids when confronted with predators or pathogens. However, the effects of host plant on these responses have received little attention. This study investigated the effects of host plant on non-immunological defense in the pea aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum, after bacterial and fungal infections. The aphids were raised in two groups, with one group being raised on broad beans and the other group being raised on alfalfa. The secondary symbiont background was examined, and the aphids were then infected with bacteria and fungus to assess fecundity and winged offspring production. We found that aphids that had been fed alfalfa had fewer offspring than those fed broad beans. Alfalfa-fed aphids produced more winged offspring in response to S. aureus and B. bassiana infections. Our findings suggest that the host plant plays a key role in fecundity and winged offspring production in pea aphid colony.
- Published
- 2021
28. Design of Amine-Modified Zr–Mg Mixed Oxide Aerogel Nanoarchitectonics with Dual Lewis Acidic and Basic Sites for CO 2 /Propylene Oxide Cycloaddition Reactions.
- Author
-
Lin, Yi-Feng, Lai, Yu-Rou, Sung, Hsiang-Ling, Chung, Tsair-Wang, and Lin, Kun-Yi Andrew
- Subjects
- *
CARBON dioxide , *AEROGELS , *HETEROGENEOUS catalysts , *RING formation (Chemistry) , *OXIDES , *INDUSTRIAL capacity - Abstract
The utilization of CO2 attracts much research attention because of global warming. The CO2/epoxide cycloaddition reaction is one technique of CO2 utilization. However, homogeneous catalysts with both Lewis acidic and basic and toxic solvents, such as DMF, are needed in the CO2/epoxide cycloaddition reaction. As a result, this study focuses on the development of heterogeneous catalysts with both Lewis acidic and basic sites for the CO2 utilization of the CO2/epoxide cycloaddition reactions without the addition of a DMF toxic solvent. For the first time, the Zr–Mg mixed oxide aerogels with Lewis acidic and basic sites are synthesized for the CO2/propylene oxide (PO) cycloaddition reactions. To further increase the basic sites, 3-Aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) with -NH2 functional group is successfully grafted on the Zr–Mg mixed oxide aerogels. The results indicate that the highest yield of propylene carbonate (PC) is 93.1% using the as-developed APTMS-modified Zr–Mg mixed oxide aerogels. The as-prepared APTMS-modified Zr–Mg mixed oxide aerogels are great potential in industrial plants for CO2 reduction in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Effect of Carboxylic Acids on Corrosion of Type 410 Stainless Steel in Pyrolysis Bio-Oil.
- Author
-
Sulejmanovic, Dino, Keiser, James R., Su, Yi-Feng, Kass, Michael D., Ferrell III, Jack R., Olarte, Mariefel V., Wade IV, John E., and Jun, Jiheon
- Abstract
Biomass-derived oils are renewable fuel sources and commodity products and are proposed to partially or entirely replace fossil fuels in sectors generally considered difficult to decarbonize such as aviation and maritime propulsion. Bio-oils contain a range of organic compounds with varying functional groups which can lead to polarity-driven phase separation and corrosion of containment materials during processing and storage. Polar compounds, such as organic acids and other oxygenates, are abundant in bio-oils and are considered corrosive to structural alloys, particularly to those with a low-Cr content. To study the corrosion effects of small carboxylic acids present in pyrolysis bio-oils, type 410 stainless steel (SS410) specimens were exposed in bio-oils with varying formic, acetic, propionic and hexanoic acid contents at 50 °C during 48 h exposures. The specific mass change data show a linear increase in mass loss with increasing formic acid concentration. Interestingly, a mild corrosion inhibition effect on the corrosion of SS410 specimens was observed with the addition of acetic, propionic and hexanoic acids in the bio-oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Targeted Approaches to HER2-Low Breast Cancer: Current Practice and Future Directions.
- Author
-
Lai, Heng-Zhou, Han, Jie-Rong, Fu, Xi, Ren, Yi-Feng, Li, Zhuo-Hong, and You, Feng-Ming
- Subjects
BREAST cancer prognosis ,THERAPEUTIC use of antineoplastic agents ,ONCOGENES ,CELL receptors ,CELLULAR signal transduction ,BREAST tumors - Abstract
Simple Summary: HER2-low breast cancer (BC) accounts for more than half of breast cancer patients. Anti-HER2 therapy has been ineffective in HER2-low BC, for which palliative chemotherapy is the main treatment modality. The definitive efficacy of T-Dxd in HER2-low BC breaks previous treatment strategies, which will redefine HER2-low and thus reshape anti-HER2 therapy. This review summarizes detection technologies and novel agents for HER2-low BC, and explores their possible role in future clinics, to provide ideas for the diagnosis and treatment of HER2-low BC. HER2-low breast cancer (BC) has a poor prognosis, making the development of more suitable treatment an unmet clinical need. While chemotherapy is the main method of treatment for HER2-low BC, not all patients benefit from it. Antineoplastic therapy without chemotherapy has shown promise in clinical trials and is being explored further. As quantitative detection techniques become more advanced, they assist in better defining the expression level of HER2 and in guiding the development of targeted therapies, which include directly targeting HER2 receptors on the cell surface, targeting HER2-related intracellular signaling pathways and targeting the immune microenvironment. A new anti-HER2 antibody-drug conjugate called T-DM1 has been successfully tested and found to be highly effective in clinical trials. With this progress, it could eventually be transformed from a disease without a defined therapeutic target into a disease with a defined therapeutic molecular target. Furthermore, efforts are being made to compare the sequencing and combination of chemotherapy, endocrine therapy, and HER2-targeted therapy to improve prognosis to customize the subtype of HER2 low expression precision treatment regimens. In this review, we summarize the current and upcoming treatment strategies, to achieve accurate management of HER2-low BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Radioactive Iodine Treatment for Thyroid Cancer Patients Increases the Risk of Long-Term Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Analysis.
- Author
-
Lee, Yueh, Chung, Chi-Hsiang, Lin, Li-Fan, Chiu, Chuang-Hsin, Chen, Yi-Feng, Chang, Chao-Feng, Cheng, Cheng-Yi, and Chien, Wu-Chien
- Subjects
STOMACH tumors ,THYROIDECTOMY ,THYROID gland tumors ,LOG-rank test ,GASTROINTESTINAL diseases ,RETROSPECTIVE studies ,ATROPHIC gastritis ,SURGERY ,PATIENTS ,IODINE radioisotopes ,RISK assessment ,COMPARATIVE studies ,CANCER patients ,SECONDARY primary cancer ,KAPLAN-Meier estimator ,RADIATION doses ,PEPTIC ulcer ,DUODENAL ulcers ,LONGITUDINAL method ,PROPORTIONAL hazards models ,COMORBIDITY ,DISEASE risk factors - Abstract
Simple Summary: The standard treatment for well-differentiated thyroid cancer is thyroidectomy followed by radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment or active surveillance. Despite adequate documentation of acute gastrointestinal adverse effects after RAI treatment, whether the gastrointestinal exposure causes long-term comorbidity or not remained unclear. We conducted a nationwide, population-based retrospective cohort study using the data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) to clarify the association between long-term gastrointestinal disorders (including ulcers, atrophic gastritis, and secondary stomach malignancy) and RAI treatment in thyroid cancer patients. We found that patients with RAI treatment were at a significantly higher risk of developing gastric and duodenal ulcers than those without. In addition, a higher cumulative dose is associated with higher risk. Therefore, follow-ups at gastrointestinal clinics might be of great importance for patients presenting with chronic gastrointestinal discomforts, after receiving a single RAI dose of more than 1.11 GBq, and undergoing repeated treatment due to recurrent or residual thyroid cancer. (1) Background: The study aimed to investigate the association between radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment and long-term gastrointestinal disorders including ulcers, atrophic gastritis, and secondary malignant neoplasm of the stomach in patients with thyroid cancer. (2) Methods: The data of the study were extracted from the National Health Insurance Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan between 2000 to 2015. Patients of ages older than 20 with thyroid cancer after thyroidectomy were included and divided into groups with RAI (study cohort) and without RAI (comparison cohort). Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and the Kaplan–Meier method were used for statistical analysis. (3) Results: A total of 7250 (with RAI: 5800, without RAI: 1450) patients were included. The Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significantly higher cumulative risk for overall gastrointestinal disorders in the group with RAI (log-rank p = 0.034). The risk for gastrointestinal disorders was higher when receiving a cumulative RAI dose higher than 1.11 GBq in the Cox regression analysis. In the subgroup analysis, the risks of gastric and duodenal ulcers are significantly higher in the group with RAI treatment. (4) Conclusions: This study revealed that RAI was associated with an increased risk for long-term gastrointestinal disorders, specifically gastric and duodenal ulcers, in thyroid cancer, especially when the cumulative dose exceeds 1.11 GBq. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. Facile Preparation of Hydrophobic PLA/PBE Micro-Nanofiber Fabrics via the Melt-Blown Process for High-Efficacy Oil/Water Separation.
- Author
-
Li, Han, Zhang, Heng, Hu, Jun-Jie, Wang, Guo-Feng, Cui, Jing-Qiang, Zhang, Yi-Feng, and Zhen, Qi
- Subjects
POLYLACTIC acid ,POLYMER blends ,PETROLEUM ,THREE-dimensional textiles ,CONTACT angle ,TEXTILES ,THERMAL stability - Abstract
Polylactic acid (PLA) micro-nanofiber fabrics with a large specific surface area and excellent biodegradability are commonly used in oil/water separation; however, challenges remain due to their poor mechanical properties. Herein, a thermoplastic polylactic acid/propylene-based elastomer (PLA/PBE) polymer was prepared by blending PLA with PBE. Then, PLA/PBE micro-nanofiber fabrics were successfully prepared using a melt-blown process. The results show that the PLA/PBE micro-nanofiber fabric has a three-dimensional porous structure, improving the thermal stability and fluidity of the PLA/PBE blended polymers. The PLA/PBE micro-nanofiber fabric demonstrated a significantly reduced average fiber diameter and an enhanced breaking strength. Moreover, the water contact angle of the prepared samples is 134°, which suggests a hydrophobic capacity. The oil absorption rate of the fabric can reach 10.34, demonstrating excellent oil/water separation performance. The successful preparation of PLA/PBE micro-nanofiber fabrics using our new method paves the way for the large-scale production of promising candidates for high-efficacy oil/water separation applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Prognostic Value of Baseline Radiomic Features of 18F-FDG PET in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma
- Author
-
Kun-Han Lue, Yi Feng Wu, Yu-Hung Chen, Hsin-Hon Lin, Sheng-Chieh Chan, Tsung-Cheng Hsieh, and Shu-Hsin Liu
- Subjects
Oncology ,18F-FDG ,PET ,radiomics ,prognosis ,diffuse large B-cell lymphoma ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Clinical Biochemistry ,Article ,030218 nuclear medicine & medical imaging ,03 medical and health sciences ,0302 clinical medicine ,International Prognostic Index ,Internal medicine ,medicine ,In patient ,Survival analysis ,lcsh:R5-920 ,business.industry ,Proportional hazards model ,Hazard ratio ,medicine.disease ,Lymphoma ,Gray level ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,business ,lcsh:Medicine (General) ,Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma - Abstract
This study investigates whether baseline 18F-FDG PET radiomic features can predict survival outcomes in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We retrospectively enrolled 83 patients diagnosed with DLBCL who underwent 18F-FDG PET scans before treatment. The patients were divided into the training cohort (n = 58) and the validation cohort (n = 25). Eighty radiomic features were extracted from the PET images for each patient. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression were used to reduce the dimensionality within radiomic features. Cox proportional hazards model was used to determine the prognostic factors for progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). A prognostic stratification model was built in the training cohort and validated in the validation cohort using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis. In the training cohort, run length non-uniformity (RLN), extracted from a gray level run length matrix (GLRLM), was independently associated with PFS (hazard ratio (HR) = 15.7, p = 0.007) and OS (HR = 8.64, p = 0.040). The International Prognostic Index was an independent prognostic factor for OS (HR = 2.63, p = 0.049). A prognostic stratification model was devised based on both risk factors, which allowed identification of three risk groups for PFS and OS in the training (p < 0.001 and p < 0.001) and validation (p < 0.001 and p = 0.020) cohorts. Our results indicate that the baseline 18F-FDG PET radiomic feature, RLNGLRLM, is an independent prognostic factor for survival outcomes. Furthermore, we propose a prognostic stratification model that may enable tailored therapeutic strategies for patients with DLBCL.
- Published
- 2020
34. Correction: Shen et al. Platelet Activation and Cytokine Release of Interleukin-8 and Interferon-Gamma-Induced Protein 10 after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Coronavirus Vaccine Injection. Vaccines 2023, 11 , 456.
- Author
-
Shen, Chih-Lung, Wang, Tso-Fu, Liu, Chao-Zong, and Wu, Yi-Feng
- Subjects
BLOOD platelet activation ,COVID-19 vaccines ,INTERLEUKIN-8 ,CYTOKINES ,INJECTIONS - Abstract
This document is a correction notice for a published paper titled "Platelet Activation and Cytokine Release of Interleukin-8 and Interferon-Gamma-Induced Protein 10 after ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Coronavirus Vaccine Injection." The authors have identified errors in the placement of Figures 3 and 4, as well as typing errors in the abstract and discussion section. The corrections have been made and approved by the Academic Editor, and the original publication has been updated. The scientific conclusions of the paper remain unaffected. The paper was authored by Chih-Lung Shen, Tso-Fu Wang, Chao-Zong Liu, and Yi-Feng Wu. [Extracted from the article]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Topical Application of Antrodia cinnamomea Ointment in Diabetic Wound Healing.
- Author
-
Su, Ruey-Chih, Leu, Jyh-Gang, Chen, Yuan-Hsin, Chen, Chao-Yi, Yang, Yi-Feng, Yen, Chih-Cheng, Chou, Shiu-Huey, and Liang, Yao-Jen
- Subjects
OINTMENTS ,TOPICAL drug administration ,WOUND healing ,WESTERN immunoblotting ,PEOPLE with diabetes ,BLOOD sugar ,ETIOLOGY of diabetes - Abstract
The number of diagnosed diabetic patients is increasing worldwide. Many people with diabetes develop wounds that are slow to, or never, heal, which can lead to serious health issues. Diabetes causes long-term excessive blood glucose buildup in human body, which leads to an over-reactive inflammatory response and excessive oxidative stress. As a result, varied wound healing effects were observed according to different circumstances and stage of healing. We used two diabetic wound animal models to analyze the wound healing effect of Antrodia cinnamomea ointment in either topical application and/or oral administration, and explored its mechanism by Western blot analysis. The results showed that topical Antrodia cinnamomea treatment can significantly promote wound healing. The increased expressions of angiopoietin 1 and angiopoietin 2 protein and reduction of CD68 expression were found around wound area. Simultaneous treatment of oral and topical Antrodia cinnamomea ointment did not show an accelerated healing effect in our animal model. This study is the first report to demonstrate the effect of topical application of Antrodia cinnamomea ointment on diabetic wounds healing, and its relationship with angiogenesis. This may also open a new field for future development and application of Taiwan Antrodia cinnamomea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Prognostic Values of Inflammatory Indexes and Clinical Factors in Patients with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutations in Lung Adenocarcinoma and Treated with Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.
- Author
-
Chang, Bee-Song, Peng, Tai-Chu, Wu, Yi-Feng, Hsieh, Tsung-Cheng, and Huang, Chun-Hou
- Subjects
EPIDERMAL growth factor receptors ,PROTEIN-tyrosine kinase inhibitors ,EPIDERMAL growth factor ,PROGNOSIS ,PROPORTIONAL hazards models ,MONOCYTE lymphocyte ratio - Abstract
This study aimed to access the predictive value of inflammatory indices and clinical factors in toxicity and survival in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated lung adenocarcinoma receiving first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-treatment. A total of 259 patients with stage IIIB–IV lung adenocarcinoma and actionable EGFR mutation who received first-line TKI treatment between 2008 and 2020 were retrospectively enrolled and analyzed. The prognostic factors of TKI-related toxicity, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) were identified by using logistic regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards models. Pre-TKI high platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was associated with post-TKI anemia. Hypoalbuminemia was associated with acneiform rash. Elderly age (≥70 years) and lower body mass index (<18.5 kg/m
2 ) were also associated with hypoalbuminemia. Elderly age, stage IV, EGFR-mutated with L858R and uncommon mutations, and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio were found to be independent prognostic factors for PFS, while elderly age, uncommon EGFR-related mutations, and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio were found to be independent prognostic factors for OS. A useful prognostic scoring tool for improving the survival risk stratification of patients was established by incorporating the above essential factors. Baseline hypoalbuminemia and PLR could be crucial clinical assessment factors when initiating TKI therapy. In addition, the optimization of individualized treatment strategies for these patients may be assisted by using the risk-scoring model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
37. Inflammatory Responses during Tumour Initiation: From Zebrafish Transgenic Models of Cancer to Evidence from Mouse and Man
- Author
-
Yi Feng, Abigail Elliot, and Henna Myllymäki
- Subjects
pre-neoplastic ,Neutrophils ,Transgene ,ved/biology.organism_classification_rank.species ,Inflammation ,Review ,macrophage ,immunology ,Animals, Genetically Modified ,03 medical and health sciences ,Mice ,0302 clinical medicine ,Live cell imaging ,tumour model ,Neoplasms ,medicine ,Leukocytes ,Macrophage ,cancer ,Animals ,Humans ,Model organism ,Zebrafish ,lcsh:QH301-705.5 ,030304 developmental biology ,tumour initiation ,0303 health sciences ,Innate immune system ,biology ,ved/biology ,Macrophages ,Cancer ,neutrophil ,General Medicine ,live imaging ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,zebrafish ,Immunity, Innate ,Cell biology ,Disease Models, Animal ,Cell Transformation, Neoplastic ,lcsh:Biology (General) ,030220 oncology & carcinogenesis ,tumourigenesis ,medicine.symptom - Abstract
The zebrafish is now an important model organism for cancer biology studies and provides unique and complementary opportunities in comparison to the mammalian equivalent. The translucency of zebrafish has allowed in vivo live imaging studies of tumour initiation and progression at the cellular level, providing novel insights into our understanding of cancer. Here we summarise the available transgenic zebrafish tumour models and discuss what we have gleaned from them with respect to cancer inflammation. In particular, we focus on the host inflammatory response towards transformed cells during the pre-neoplastic stage of tumour development. We discuss features of tumour-associated macrophages and neutrophils in mammalian models and present evidence that supports the idea that these inflammatory cells promote early stage tumour development and progression. Direct live imaging of tumour initiation in zebrafish models has shown that the intrinsic inflammation induced by pre-neoplastic cells is tumour promoting. Signals mediating leukocyte recruitment to pre-neoplastic cells in zebrafish correspond to the signals that mediate leukocyte recruitment in mammalian tumours. The activation state of macrophages and neutrophils recruited to pre-neoplastic cells in zebrafish appears to be heterogenous, as seen in mammalian models, which provides an opportunity to study the plasticity of innate immune cells during tumour initiation. Although several potential mechanisms are described that might mediate the trophic function of innate immune cells during tumour initiation in zebrafish, there are several unknowns that are yet to be resolved. Rapid advancement of genetic tools and imaging technologies for zebrafish will facilitate research into the mechanisms that modulate leukocyte function during tumour initiation and identify targets for cancer prevention.
- Published
- 2020
38. Design and Trajectory Tracking Control of a Magnetorheological Prosthetic Knee Joint.
- Author
-
Zuo, Qiang, Zhao, Jinpeng, Mei, Xin, Yi, Feng, and Hu, Guoliang
- Subjects
ARTIFICIAL knees ,KNEE ,PROBLEM solving ,ARTIFICIAL joints ,PROSTHETICS ,MECHANICAL models ,GAIT in humans - Abstract
This paper developed a new magnetorheological (MR) prosthetic knee joint using an MR damper as the brake. According to the gait data of healthy people walking on flat ground, the structure of a MR prosthetic knee joint was expounded in detail, and its motion and dynamic model was also established. In addition, an MR damper was developed according to the specific needs of an MR prosthesis. The forward and reverse mechanical models of the MR damper were established, and its damping performance was obtained through experimental tests. In addition, to solve the problems of uncertainty and external interference in the MR prosthetic knee joint system, a second-order sliding mode controller was proposed. The experimental test results show the maximum positive error of the knee joint swing trajectory is 9.4°, which effectively tracks the reference swing trajectory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. Air Pollution Exposure and Physical Activity in China: Current Knowledge, Public Health Implications, and Future Research Needs
- Author
-
Yi Feng, Leichao Liang, Yu Liu, Rena Li, and Jiaojiao Lü
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,China ,health promotion ,Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis ,Physical activity ,Air pollution ,lcsh:Medicine ,physical activity ,Review ,Motor Activity ,medicine.disease_cause ,Urbanization ,Environmental health ,Air Pollution ,medicine ,Humans ,Enforcement ,Air quality index ,Exercise ,Public health ,lcsh:R ,public health ,Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health ,Health promotion ,Business - Abstract
Deteriorating air quality in China has created global public health concerns in regard to health and health-related behaviors. Although emerging environmental regulations address ambient air pollution in China, the level of enforcement and long-term impact of these measures remain unknown. Exposure to air pollution has been shown to lead to multiple adverse health outcomes, including increased rates of heart disease and mortality. However, a lesser-known but increasingly significant concern is the relationship between air pollution and its effects on outdoor exercise. This is especially important in China, which has a culturally rooted lifestyle that encourages participation in outdoor physical activity. This article evaluates the intersection of air pollution and outdoor exercise and provides a discussion of issues related to its public health impact in China, where efforts to promote a healthy lifestyle may be adversely affected by the ambient air pollution that has accompanied rapid economic development and urbanization.
- Published
- 2015
40. Molecular Diversity of Alkenal Double Bond Reductases in the Liverwort Marchantia paleacea
- Author
-
Ai-Xia Cheng, Yi-Feng Wu, Hongbo Zheng, Xin-Yan Liu, and Hong-Xiang Lou
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Marchantia paleacea ,alkenal double bond reductase ,Models, Molecular ,Double bond ,Stereochemistry ,Pharmaceutical Science ,Detoxication ,Article ,Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic ,Analytical Chemistry ,lcsh:QD241-441 ,03 medical and health sciences ,lcsh:Organic chemistry ,Plant Growth Regulators ,Phylogenetics ,Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ,Catalytic Domain ,Drug Discovery ,Marchantia ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,Binding site ,microbial type ,Phylogeny ,Plant Proteins ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Phylogenetic tree ,biology ,Organic Chemistry ,Substrate (chemistry) ,hydroxycinnamyl aldehydes ,biology.organism_classification ,030104 developmental biology ,chemistry ,Chemistry (miscellaneous) ,expression pattern ,Molecular Medicine ,Hydrogenation ,Oxidoreductases - Abstract
Alkenal double bond reductases (DBRs), capable of catalyzing the NADPH-dependent reduction of the &alpha, &beta, unsaturated double bond, play key roles in the detoxication of alkenal carbonyls. Here, the isolation and characterization of two DBRs encoded by the liverwort species Marchantia paleacea are described. The two DBRs share a relatively low similarity, and phylogenetic analysis indicated that MpMDBRL is more closely related to microbial DBRs than to other plant DBRs, while MpDBR shares common ancestry with typical plant DBRs. Both DBR proteins exhibited hydrogenation ability towards hydroxycinnamyl aldehydes, however, their temperature optimums were strikingly different. MpMDBRL demonstrated slightly weaker catalytic efficiency compared to MpDBR, and the structural models of their active binding sites to the substrate may provide a parsimonious explanation. Furthermore, both DBRs significantly responded to phytohormone treatment. In conclusion, M. paleacea produces two distinct types of functional DBRs, both of which participate in the protection against environmental stress in liverwort. The presence of a microbial type of DBR in a plant is herein reported for the first time.
- Published
- 2018
41. Towards Automatic Landslide-Quake Identification Using a Random Forest Classifier.
- Author
-
Lin, Guan-Wei, Hung, Ching, Chang Chien, Yi-Feng, Chu, Chung-Ray, Liu, Che-Hsin, Chang, Chih-Hsin, and Chen, Hongey
- Subjects
LANDSLIDES ,AUTOMATIC identification ,SEISMIC waves ,RANDOM forest algorithms ,SEISMOLOGY - Abstract
Landslide-generated seismic waves (landslide-quakes), exhibiting distinctive waveforms and frequency characteristics, can be recorded by nearby seismometers. Implementing an automatic classifier for landslide-quakes could help provide objective and accurate initiation times of landslides with efficiency. This study collected and analyzed the time information of 214 landslide seismic records due to 33 documented landslide events, from the Broadband Array in Taiwan for Seismology (BATS). In addition, equal numbers of earthquake and noise signals were also incorporated. The 642 seismic signals and time information were carefully examined using the random forest algorithm to create an automatic landslide-quake classifier. By validating the signal attributes of the landslide, earthquake, and noise events, specifically in the time and frequency domains, it was shown that the proposed classifier can reach an accuracy (the proportion of all correctly classified events to the total number of events) of 91.3%. To further evaluate the applicability of the automatic classifier, landslide-quakes generated during the devastating Typhoon Morakot (2009) and Typhoon Soudelor (2015) were also verified, showing that the sensitivity of the classifier is higher than 98%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. A New Sesquiterpene with a Novel 1β, 8β-Oxygen Bridge from Heteropappus altaicus (willd.) Novopokr
- Author
-
Hai Huang, Yi-Feng Han, and Xiao-Jing Gao
- Subjects
sesquiterpene ,Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ,Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy ,Stereochemistry ,Pharmaceutical Science ,oxide bridge ,Asteraceae ,Sesquiterpene ,Bridge (interpersonal) ,Article ,Analytical Chemistry ,lcsh:QD241-441 ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,lcsh:Organic chemistry ,Drug Discovery ,Physical and Theoretical Chemistry ,Heteropappus altaicus (willd.) Novopokr ,Organic Chemistry ,Oxygen ,chemistry ,Chemistry (miscellaneous) ,Molecular Medicine ,Oxygen bridge ,Sesquiterpenes ,Heteropappus altaicus - Abstract
A new guaiane-type sesquiterpene, 4α,7β-dihydroxy-10βH-guai-5-en-1β,8β-endoxide (1), was isolated from Heteropappus altaicus (Compositea). The structure of compound 1, which contains exhibited a rare 1,8-oxide bridge, was established on the basis of spectroscopic data.
- Published
- 2011
43. Molecular Diversity of Alkenal Double Bond Reductases in the Liverwort Marchantia paleacea.
- Author
-
Yi-Feng Wu, Hong-Bo Zheng, Xin-Yan Liu, Ai-Xia Cheng, and Hong-Xiang Lou
- Abstract
Alkenal double bond reductases (DBRs), capable of catalyzing the NADPH-dependent reduction of the α,β-unsaturated double bond, play key roles in the detoxication of alkenal carbonyls. Here, the isolation and characterization of two DBRs encoded by the liverwort species Marchantia paleacea are described. The two DBRs share a relatively low similarity, and phylogenetic analysis indicated that MpMDBRL is more closely related to microbial DBRs than to other plant DBRs, while MpDBR shares common ancestry with typical plant DBRs. Both DBR proteins exhibited hydrogenation ability towards hydroxycinnamyl aldehydes; however, their temperature optimums were strikingly different. MpMDBRL demonstrated slightly weaker catalytic efficiency compared to MpDBR, and the structural models of their active binding sites to the substrate may provide a parsimonious explanation. Furthermore, both DBRs significantly responded to phytohormone treatment. In conclusion, M. paleacea produces two distinct types of functional DBRs, both of which participate in the protection against environmental stress in liverwort. The presence of a microbial type of DBR in a plant is herein reported for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. Cloning and Functional Characterization of Two 4-Coumarate: CoA Ligase Genes from Selaginella moellendorffii.
- Author
-
Xin-Yan Liu, Ping-Ping Wang, Yi-Feng Wu, Ai-Xia Cheng, and Hong-Xiang Lou
- Abstract
Selaginella is an extant lycopodiophyte genus, which is representative of an ancient lineage of tracheophytes. The important evolutionary status makes it a valuable resource for the study of metabolic evolution in vascular plants. 4-coumarate: CoA ligase (4CL) is the pivotal enzyme that controls the flow of carbon through the phenylpropanoid metabolic pathway into the specific lignin, flavonoid, and wall-bound phenolics biosynthesis pathways. Although 4CLs have been extensively characterized in other vascular plants, little is known of their functions in Selaginella. Here, we isolated two 4CL genes (Sm4CL1 and Sm4CL2) from Selaginella moellendorffii. Based on the enzymatic activities of the recombinant proteins, both of these genes encoded bona fide 4CLs. The 4CL isoforms in S. moellendorffii have different activities: Sm4CL2 was more active than Sm4CL1. The enzymatic properties and gene expression patterns indicated that the 4CL genes have been conserved in the evolution of vascular plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. MDG-1, a Potential Regulator of PPARα and PPARγ, Ameliorates Dyslipidemia in Mice.
- Author
-
Xu Wang, Linlin Shi, Yuan Wang, Yi Feng, and Sun Joyce
- Subjects
HYPERLIPIDEMIA ,HYPERLIPIDEMIA treatment ,DNA microarrays ,LIPID analysis ,DIABETES - Abstract
Hyperlipidemia is a serious epidemic disease caused by lipid metabolism disorder, which is harmful to human health. MDG-1, a β-D-fructan polysaccharide extracted from Ophiopogon japonicus, has been shown to improve abnormal blood lipid levels and alleviate diabetes. However, the underlying mechanism on hyperlipidemia is largely unknown. In this study, male C57BL/6 mice were randomly separated into three groups, respectively: low-fat diet (Con), high-fat diet (HFD), and high-fat diet plus 5MDG-1 (HFD + MDG-1). Body weight was measured and the serum lipid levels were analyzed. Using gene microarray, various core pathways, together with levels of gene expression within hepatocytes, were analyzed. RT-PCR was used to confirm the identity of the differentially expressed genes. MDG-1 could prevent obesity in HFD-induced mice and improve abnormal serum lipids. Besides, MDG-1 could regulate hyperlipidemia symptoms, specifically, and decrease fasting blood glucose, improve glucose tolerance, and ameliorate insulin resistance. According to results from gene microarray, most of the identified pathways were involved in the digestion and absorption of fat, biosynthesis, and catabolism of fatty acids as well as the secretion and biological synthesis of bile acids. Furthermore, MDG-1 may act upon peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) α and γ, activating PPARα whilst inhibiting PPAR γ, thus having a potent hypolipidemic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. A High-Efficiency Isolated LCLC Multi-Resonant Three-Port Bidirectional DC-DC Converter.
- Author
-
Cheng-Shan Wang, Wei Li, Yi-Feng Wang, Fu-Qiang Han, and Bo Chen
- Subjects
DC-to-DC converters ,CONVERTERS (Electronics) ,DIRECT currents ,ZERO voltage switching ,PROTOTYPES - Abstract
In this paper, an isolated multi-resonant three-port bidirectional direct current-direct current (DC-DC) converter is proposed, which is composed of three full bridges, two inductor-capacitor-inductor-capacitor (LCLC) multi-resonant tanks and a three-winding transformer. The phase shift control method is employed to manage the power transmission among three ports. Relying on the appropriate parameter selection, both of the fundamental and the third order power can be delivered through the multi-element LCLC resonant tanks, and consequently, it contributes to restrained circulating energy and the desirable promoted efficiency. Besides, by adjusting the driving frequency under different load conditions, zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) characteristics of all the switches of three ports are guaranteed. Therefore, lower switching loss and higher efficiency are achieved in full load range. In order to verify the feasibility of the proposed topology, a 1.5 kW prototype is established, of which the maximum efficiencies under forward and reverse operating conditions are 96.7% and 96.9% respectively. In addition, both of the bidirectional efficiencies maintain higher than 95.5% when the power level is above 0.5 kW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Optimum Subsidy to Promote Electric Boiler Investment to Accommodate Wind Power.
- Author
-
Da Liu, Shou-Kai Wang, Jin-Chen Liu, Han Huang, Xing-Ping Zhang, Yi Feng, and Wei-Jun Wang
- Abstract
The increasing development of combined heat and power (CHP) plants is exacerbating the wind power curtailment problem in regional power grids during the winter heating season. Electric boilers (EBs) were proposed to be employed within CHP plants to relieve this problem. However, CHP plants usually have no incentive for investing in EBs. Therefore, CHP plants must be incentivized to make such investments through appropriate compensation from beneficiaries, i.e., government and wind farms, although this has not previously been discussed. We propose a game theory model to simulate the impact of government subsidies on EB investment. We analyzed the utilization of the involved parties with the marginal cost and average cost and applied game theory to simulate the investment decisions. Then, an approximate enumeration technique was developed to identify the optimum government subsidy. An actual case of a regional power grid in northern China was investigated to validate the proposed method. A minimum government subsidy to maximize total social benefit was calculated; this subsidy can incentivize wind farms and CHP plants to invest in and use EBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Control Method Based on Demand Response Needs of Isolated Bus Regulation with Series-Resonant Converters for Residential Photovoltaic Systems.
- Author
-
Shu-Huai Zhang, Feng-Zhang Luo, Yi-Feng Wang, Jiang-Hua Liu, Yong-Peng He, and Yue Dong
- Subjects
DC-to-DC converters ,ELECTRIC inductors ,CAPACITORS ,PHOTOVOLTAIC power generation ,HARMONIC analysis (Mathematics) - Abstract
Considering the effects of isolation and high efficiency, a series-resonant DC-DC converter (L-L-C type, with two inductors and a capacitor) has been introduced into a residential photovoltaic (PV) generation and storage system in this work, and a voltage gain curve upwarp drifting problem was found. In this paper, the reason of upwarp drifting in the voltage gain curve is given, and a new changing topological control method to solve the voltage regulation problem under light load conditions is proposed. Firstly, the ideal and actual first harmonic approximation (FHA) models are given, and this drifting problem is ascribed to the multiple peaks of higher-order resonance between resonant tank and parasitic capacitors. Then the paper presents the pulse-frequency-modulation (PFM) driver signals control method to translate the full-bridge LLC into a half-bridge LLC converter, and with this method the voltage gain could easily be reduced by half. Based on this method, the whole voltage and resonant current sharing control methods in on-line and off-line mode are proposed. The parameters design and optimization methods are also discussed in detail. Finally, a residential PV system platform based on the proposed parallel 7-kW full-bridge LLC converter is built to verify the proposed control method and theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. The Effect of Salt Intake and Potassium Supplementation on Serum Gastrin Levels in Chinese Adults: A Randomized Trial.
- Author
-
Yuan-Yuan Wang, Wen-Wen He, Yan-Chun Liu, Yi-Feng Lin, and Lu-Fei Hong
- Abstract
Excess dietary salt is strongly correlated with cardiovascular disease, morbidity, and mortality. Conversely, potassium likely elicits favorable effects against cardiovascular disorders. Gastrin, which is produced by the G-cells of the stomach and duodenum, can increase renal sodium excretion and regulate blood pressure by acting on the cholecystokinin B receptor. The aim of our study was to assess the effects of altered salt and potassium supplementation on serum gastrin levels in humans. A total of 44 subjects (38-65 years old) were selected from a rural community in northern China. All subjects were sequentially maintained on a relatively low-salt diet for 7 days (3.0 g/day of NaCl), a high-salt diet for 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl), and then a high-salt diet supplemented with potassium for another 7 days (18.0 g/day of NaCl + 4.5 g/day of KCl). The high-salt intake significantly increased serum gastrin levels (15.3 ± 0.3 vs. 17.6 ± 0.3 pmol/L). This phenomenon was alleviated through potassium supplementation (17.6 ± 0.3 vs. 16.5 ± 0.4 pmol/L). Further analyses revealed that serum gastrin was positively correlated with 24 h urinary sodium excretion (r = 0.476, p < 0.001). By contrast, gastrin level was negatively correlated with blood pressure in all dietary interventions (r = ±0.188, p = 0.031). The present study indicated that variations in dietary salt and potassium supplementation affected the serum gastrin concentrations in the Chinese subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. An Isolated Three-Port Bidirectional DC-DC Converter with Enlarged ZVS Region for HESS Applications in DC Microgrids.
- Author
-
Cheng-Shan Wang, Wei Li, Yi-Feng Wang, Fu-Qiang Han, Zhun Meng, and Guo-Dong Li
- Subjects
ELECTRIC potential ,ENERGY storage ,ENERGY transfer ,ENERGY density ,CONTACT potential - Abstract
In this paper, a two-stage three-port isolated bidirectional DC-DC converter (BDC) for hybrid energy storage system (HESS) applications in DC microgrids is proposed. It has an enlarged zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) region and reduced power circulation loss. A front-end three-phase interleaved BDC is introduced to the supercapacitor (SC) channel to compensate voltage variations of SC. Consequently, wide ZVS range and reduced circulation power loss for SC and DC bus ports are achieved under large-scale fluctuating SC voltage. Furthermore, a novel modified pulse-width-modulation (PWM) and phase-shift (PHS) hybrid control method with two phase-shift angles is proposed for BA port. And it contributes to an increasing number of switches operating in ZVS mode with varying battery (BA) voltage. Phase shift control with fixed driving frequency is applied to manage power flow. The ZVS range as well as the current stress of resonant tanks under varying port voltages is analyzed in detail. Finally, a 1 kW prototype with peak efficiency of 94.9% is built, and the theoretical analysis and control method are verified by experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.