PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Liming Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Liming Zhang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Self-mode-locked single-section Fabry-Perot semiconductor lasers at 1.56 microm.

The mode-locking mechanism of a single-section multi-spatial-mode Fabry-Perot semiconductor laser is analyzed by the additive pulse mode-locking (APM) master equation model. Critical parameters of the equivalent saturable absorber as well as the self-phase modulation are estimated. The mode-locking operation regime in terms of pulse chirp and output power is predicted by the APM model and the prediction is shown to be in good agreement with the experimental results of a 40 GHz, 6.7 ps pulse width mode-locked operation at 1.56 microm.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2007

Quantitative 2D HSQC NMR determination of polymer structures by selecting suitable internal standard references.

A new analytical method based on the 2D HSQC NMR sequence is presented, which can be applied for quantitative structural determination of complicated polymers. The influence of T1 and T2 relaxations, off-resonance effects, coupling constants and homonuclear couplings are discussed. It was found that the T2 values measured on polymeric samples with the conventional HSQC-CPMG sequence could not be used to correct the errors caused by T2 relaxations during the polarization transfer delay. A unique way of selecting the proper internal standard reference signal(s) is therefore proposed to eliminate the major errors caused by T2 relaxations, resonance offsets, coupling constant deviations and homonuclear couplings. Two polymer samples, a cellulose triacetate and an acetylated lignin, have been used to illustrate the principles. The methodology developed in this work is robust to instrument miss-setting and it can find wide-spread applications in areas where a quantitative analysis of structurally complicated polymers is necessary.

Acetylation↗
PubMed2006

A gold-catalyzed unique cycloisomerization of 1,5-enynes: efficient formation of 1-carboxycyclohexa-1,4-dienes and carboxyarenes.

A novel Au-catalyzed migratory cycloisomerization strategy is advanced. Implementation of this strategy led to the development of a unique Au-catalyzed 1,5-enyne cycloisomerizatioin involving carboxy migration and Au-mediated C-C single bond formation. 1-Carboxycyclohexa-1,4-dienes and carboxyarenes can be prepared with good efficiency and with flexible substitution patterns.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Non-enzymatic reduction of quinone methides during oxidative coupling of monolignols: implications for the origin of benzyl structures in lignins.

Lignin is believed to be synthesized by oxidative coupling of 4-hydroxyphenylpropanoids. In native lignin there are some types of reduced structures that cannot be explained solely by oxidative coupling. In the present work we showed via biomimetic model experiments that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), in an uncatalyzed process, reduced a beta-aryl ether quinone methide to its benzyl derivative. A number of other biologically significant reductants, including the enzyme cellobiose dehydrogenase, failed to produce the reduced structures. Synthetic dehydrogenation polymers of coniferyl alcohol synthesized (under oxidative conditions) in the presence of the reductant NADH produced the same kind of reduced structures as in the model experiment, demonstrating that oxidative and reductive processes can occur in the same environment, and that reduction of the in situ-generated quinone methides was sufficiently competitive with water addition. In situ reduction of beta-beta-quinone methides was not achieved in this study. The origin of racemic benzyl structures in lignins therefore remains unknown, but the potential for simple chemical reduction is demonstrated here.

Benzene↗
PubMed2006

Au- and pt-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of 1,5-enynes to cyclohexadienes with a broad alkyne scope.

We describe the development of gold- and platinum-catalyzed cycloisomerizations of 1,5-enynes. This catalytic process displays a wide alkyne scope and furnishes a range of highly functionalized 1,4- and 1,3-cyclohexadienes. In the case of 1-siloxy-1-yne-5-enes, the reactions are efficiently catalyzed by AuCl (1 mol %) at ambient temperature to afford siloxy cyclohexadienes or the corresponding 1,2- and 1,3-cyclohexenones upon subsequent protodesilylation. We propose that the reaction proceeds via a novel mechanism involving a series of 1,2-alkyl shifts. Elucidation of this unusual reaction mechanism enabled us, in turn, to significantly expand the scope of the cycloisomerization by incorporation of a quaternary center at the C(3) position of the enyne. Indeed, we established that PtCl(2) (5 mol %) efficiently catalyzed the cycloisomerizations of 1,5-enynes containing terminal, internal, and arene-conjugated alkynes. Since a variety of 1,5-enynes are readily accessible, the cycloisomerization provides a rapid approach to a wide range of highy substituted cyclohexadienes for many subsequent synthetic applications.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

A highly efficient preparative method of alpha-ylidene-beta-diketones via Au(III)-catalyzed acyl migration of propargylic esters.

A highly efficient synthesis of alpha-alkylidene or benzylidene-beta-diketones from readily available propargylic esters has been developed. The proposed key transformation is a novel intramolecular acyl migration to nucleophilic AuIII-C(sp2) bonds. Noteworthy features of this method are its efficiency and stereoselectivity. The yields of this reaction were mostly close to quantitative, and high to excellent stereoselectivities were observed in the cases of dienyl beta-diketones.

Acylation↗
PubMed2006

A membrane form of TNF-alpha presented by exosomes delays T cell activation-induced cell death.

In common with many other cell types, synovial fibroblasts produce exosomes. In this study, we show that the exosomes produced by synovial fibroblasts obtained from individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RASF), but not exosomes produced by synovial fibroblasts obtained from individuals with osteoarthritis, contain a membrane bound form of TNF-alpha as demonstrated by colloidal gold immunostaining of TNF-alpha and confirmed by both Western blot and mass spectrometry. The RASF-derived exosomes, but not exosomes derived from fibroblasts obtained from individuals with osteoarthritis, are cytotoxic for the L929 cell, a TNF-alpha-sensitive cell line, and stimulate activation of NF-kappaB and induction of collagenase-1 in RASF. These effects are blocked by addition of soluble TNFR1 (sTNFbp), suggesting that a TNF-alpha-signaling pathway mediates these biological activities. sTNFbp also reduced the production of exosomes by RASF, suggesting the interruption of a positive amplification loop. Exosomes can transmit signals between cells, and RASF exosomes, effectively taken up by anti-CD3-activated T cells, activated AKT and NF-kappaB and rendered these activated T cells resistant to apoptosis. Neutralization of exosomal membrane TNF-alpha by sTNFbp partially reversed this resistance, suggesting that not only TNF-alpha but also additional exosomal proteins may contribute to the development of apoptosis resistance.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Sex-based transmural differences in cardiac repolarization and ionic-current properties in canine left ventricles.

The female sex is associated with longer electrocardiographic QT intervals and increased proarrhythmic risks of QT-prolonging drugs. This study examined the hypothesis that sex differences in repolarization may be associated with differential transmural ion-current distribution. Whole cell patch-clamp and current-clamp were used to study ionic currents and action potentials (APs) in isolated canine left ventricular cells from epicardium, midmyocardium, and endocardium. No sex differences in AP duration (APD) were found in cells from epicardium versus endocardium. In midmyocardium, APD was significantly longer in female dogs (e.g., at 1 Hz, female vs. male: 288 +/- 21 vs. 237 +/- 8 ms; P < 0.05), resulting in greater transmural APD heterogeneity in females. No sex differences in inward rectifier K+ current (I(K1)) were observed. Transient outward K+ current (I(to)) densities in epicardium and midmyocardium also showed no sex differences. In endocardium, female dogs had significantly smaller I(to) (e.g., at +30 mV, female vs. male: 2.5 +/- 0.2 vs. 3.5 +/- 0.3 pA/pF; P < 0.05). Rapid delayed-rectifier K+ current (I(Kr)) density and activation voltage-dependence showed no sex differences. Female dogs had significantly larger slow delayed-rectifier K+ current (I(Ks)) in epicardium and endocardium (e.g., at +40 mV; tail densities, female vs. male; epicardium: 1.3 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.8 +/- 0.1 pA/pF; P < 0.001; endocardium: 1.2 +/- 0.1 vs. 0.7 +/- 0.1 pA/pF; P < 0.05), but there were no sex differences in midmyocardial I(Ks). Female dogs had larger L-type Ca2+ current (I(Ca,L)) densities in all layers than male dogs (e.g., at -20 mV, female vs. male, epicardium: -4.2 +/- 0.4 vs. -3.2 +/- 0.2 pA/pF; midmyocardium: -4.5 +/- 0.5 vs. -3.3 +/- 0.3 pA/pF; endocarium: -4.5 +/- 0.4 vs. -3.2 +/- 0.3 pA/pF; P < 0.05 for each). We conclude that there are sex-based transmural differences in ionic currents that may underlie sex differences in transmural cardiac repolarization.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Efficient synthesis of cyclopentenones from enynyl acetates via tandem Au(I)-catalyzed 3,3-rearrangement and the Nazarov reaction.

A highly efficient method for the synthesis of versatile cyclopentenones from readily available enynyl acetates via tandem Au(I)-catalyzed 3,3-rearrangement and the Nazarov reaction is developed. Significant substrate flexibility and excellent control of the double bond position in the cyclopentenone ring render this an attractive method for cyclopentenone synthesis.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Murine mammary carcinoma exosomes promote tumor growth by suppression of NK cell function.

Many tumor cells shed specialized membrane vesicles known as exosomes. In this study, we show that pretreatment of mice with exosomes produced by TS/A or 4T.1 murine mammary tumor cells resulted in accelerated growth of implanted tumor cells in both syngeneic BALB/c mice and nude mice. As implanted TS/A tumor cells grew more rapidly in mice that had been depleted of NK cells, we analyzed the effects of the tumor-derived exosomes on NK cells. The tumor-derived exosomes inhibit NK cell cytotoxic activity ex vivo and in vitro as demonstrated by chromium release assays. The treatment of mice with TS/A tumor exosomes also led to a reduction in the percentages of NK cells, as determined by FACS analysis, in the lungs and spleens. Key features of NK cell activity were inhibited, including release of perforin but not granzyme B, as well as the expression of cyclin D3 and activation of the Jak3-mediated pathways. Human tumor cell lines also were found to produce exosomes that were capable of inhibiting IL-2-stimulated NK cell proliferation. Exosomes produced by dendritic cells or B cells did not. The presentation of tumor Ags by exosomes is under consideration as a cancer vaccine strategy; however, we found that pretreatment of mice with tumor exosomes blunted the protective effect of syngeneic dendritic cells pulsed ex vivo with tumor exosomes. We propose that tumor exosomes contribute to the growth of tumors by blocking IL-2-mediated activation of NK cells and their cytotoxic response to tumor cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

JAB1 determines the response of rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts to tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA FLSs) exhibit prosurvival, rather than apoptotic, response to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha stimulation. Here, we show that JAB1 is a critical regulator of the TNF-alpha-mediated anti-apo-ptosis pathways in RA FLSs. We found that knockdown of JAB1 using small interfering (si)RNA led to restoration of the TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis response, reduction of nuclear factor-kappaB activity, delayed degradation of IkappaB-alpha, and inhibited phosphorylation of JNK. Analysis of the interactions of JAB1 by reciprocal co-immunoprecipitations and confocal microscopy revealed that JAB1 interacts with TNF receptor-associated-factor 2 (TRAF2). The generation of the anti-apoptotic signal on binding of TNF-alpha to the TNF receptor (TNFR)1 has been shown to be associated with the recruitment of TRAF2 to the TNFR1 in a process that requires ubiquitination of TRAF2 with lysine-63-linked polyubiquitin chains. We found that TNF-alpha stimulation of JAB1 siRNA-transfected RA FLSs failed to stimulate ubiquitination of TRAF2. Thus, we conclude that JAB1-regulated ubiquitination of TRAF2 is a novel mechanism whereby TNF-alpha can induce anti-apoptosis signaling and production of matrix metalloproteinases through activation of nuclear factor-kappaB and JNK in RA FLSs.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed2006

[Study on modified guar gum microsphere as a protein drug carrier].

A biodegradable modified guar gum microsphere was prepared for the first time by ionic gelation of the guar gum derivative containing quarternary ammonium group with tripolyphosphate at room temperature in the absence of emulsifying agent or organic solvent. Its average particle diameter was about 140 microm and the particle size had a narrow and normal gauss distribution. From the loading experiment of bovine serum album (BSA) with various concentrations, it was found that the encapsulation efficiency is more than 80%. By the investigation of in vitro release from the BSA-loaded microsphere, it was found that the BSA had a continuous release for more than 6 hours and the release percentage was affected by the initial concentration of the BSA and temperature.

Biocompatible Materials↗
PubMed2005

Tandem au-catalyzed 3,3-rearrangement-[2 + 2] cycloadditions of propargylic esters: expeditious access to highly functionalized 2,3-indoline-fused cyclobutanes.

The treatment of readily available propargylic indole-3-acetates with a catalytic amount of AuCl(PPh3)/AgSbF6 leads to tandem activations of the propargylic esters and the in situ generated allenylic esters, resulting in expeditious access to highly functionalized cyclobutanes with fused 2,3-indoline and gamma-lactone rings and an exocyclic E-double bond through sequential 3,3-rearrangement and [2 + 2] cyclization.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

The design and synthesis of human branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase inhibitors for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

The inhibition of the cytosolic isoenzyme BCAT that is expressed specifically in neuronal tissue is likely to be useful for the treatment of neurodegenerative and other neurological disorders where glutamatergic mechanisms are implicated. Compound 2 exhibited an IC50 of 0.8 microM in the hBCATc assays; it is an active and selective inhibitor. Inhibitor 2 also blocked calcium influx into neuronal cells following inhibition of glutamate uptake, and demonstrated neuroprotective efficacy in vivo. SAR, pharmacology, and the crystal structure of hBCATc with inhibitor 2 are described.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Gold-catalyzed assembly of heterobicyclic systems.

We have described an efficient gold-catalyzed double cyclization of 1,5-enynes to afford a range of heterobicyclic compounds, including oxabicylclo[3.2.1]octenes, azabicyclo[3.2.1]octenes, oxaspiro[5.4]decene, azaspiro[5.4]decene, oxaspiro[5.5]undecene, oxabicyclo[4.3.0]nonene, azabicyclo[4.3.0]nonene, and oxabicyclo[4.4.0]decene. The mechanism of this reaction is proposed to involve a chemoselective gold-based alkyne activation, carbocyclization, intramolecular nucleophilic addition, followed by protodemetalation. The most notable aspect of this process is the efficient and diastereospecific interception of the reactive intermediate of the initial 6-endo-dig (or 5-endo-dig) cyclization with either oxygen- or nitrogen-based nucleophiles.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Atrial tachycardia remodeling of pulmonary vein cardiomyocytes: comparison with left atrium and potential relation to arrhythmogenesis.

BACKGROUND: The pulmonary veins (PVs) are important in the pathophysiology of atrial fibrillation (AF), as is atrial tachycardia (AT) remodeling. The relative importance of AT remodeling in PVs versus other atrial sites is unknown. The present study assessed AT-induced cellular changes in PVs versus left atrium (LA) and their relationship to arrhythmogenesis. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied ionic currents (single-cell patch clamp) and action potentials (APs; coronary-perfused multicellular preparations) in the PVs and LA free wall of dogs after 7-day AT pacing (400 bpm), as well as in nonpaced control dogs. In controls, rapid (I(Kr)) and slow (I(Ks)) delayed-rectifier currents were larger in PVs; transient-outward (I(to)), inward-rectifier (I(K1)), and L-type Ca2+ (I(Ca)) currents and AP duration were smaller. AT remodeling reduced I(Ca) and I(to), left I(Kr) and I(Ks) unchanged, and increased I(K1) in both LA and PV. AT reduced action potential duration in both LA and PV. LA-PV AP differences became smaller in AT than in control dogs. Premature extrastimuli induced atrial tachyarrhythmias at 4.5+/-2.8% (mean+/-SEM) sites in 6 control multicellular preparations compared with 64.2+/-7.3% sites in 9 AT-remodeled preparations (P<0.001). Resection of all PVs failed to alter atrial tachyarrhythmia inducibility in AT-remodeled preparations (67.5+/-13.1%). PV resection did not significantly change tachyarrhythmia duration (mean 3.9 seconds per heart, range 0.7 to 15.7 seconds before resection; mean 7.0 seconds per heart, range 0.9 to 36.0 seconds after resection) or cycle length (120+/-6 ms before resection, 115+/-8 ms after resection). CONCLUSIONS: AT produces qualitatively similar ionic remodeling in LA and PVs but reduces PV-LA AP differences. PVs are not essential for AT-induced atrial tachyarrhythmia promotion in this model, which may relate to the failure of PV isolation to prevent AF in some patient populations.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed2005

Reconstruction of air contaminant concentration distribution in a two-dimensional plane by computed tomography and remote sensing FTIR spectroscopy.

This research combined open path FTIR (OP-FTIR) technique and computed tomography (CT) to reconstruct air contaminant concentration distribution in a two-dimensional plane. Remote sensing FTIR instrument was used to scan radial beam geometry and obtain path integrated concentration (PIC) data of acetone gas in the measuring plane. Smooth basis function minimization (SBFM) algorithm was adopted to reconstruct gaseous concentration distribution. For the purpose of finding out the preferable number of Gaussians used in SBFM algorithm, single-Gaussian, double-Gaussian, and three-Gaussian models were used respectively. Experimental results showed that the reconstruction result of acetone concentration distribution by SBFM algorithm with double-Gaussian model agreed with real distribution more qualitatively and quantitatively than single-Gaussian and three-Gaussian. Also, it has been proved that simulated annealing algorithm used in the optimization process of SBFM reconstruction was feasible and effective. Although computed tomography and remote sensing FTIR technique (CT-RS-FTIR) is still at the laboratory study stage, with further improvement of SBFM algorithm and beam geometry, it promises to be used in air pollution monitoring widely.

Acetone↗