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Biomedical subjects

Yingchun Liu

Publications and source records attributed to Yingchun Liu.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

Fluid structure and transport properties of water inside carbon nanotubes.

The fluid structure and transport properties of water confined in single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with different diameters have been investigated by molecular-dynamics simulation. The effects of CNT diameter, density of water, and temperature on the molecular distributions and transport behaviors of water were analyzed. It is interesting that the water molecules ordered in helix inside the (10, 10) CNT, and the layered distribution was clearly observed. It was found that the axial and radial diffusivities in CNTs were much lower than that of the bulk, and it ever decreased as the diameter of CNT decreases. The axial thermal conductivity and shear viscosity in CNTs are obviously larger than that of the bulk and those in the radial direction, they increase sharply as the diameter of CNT decreases, which is clearly in contrast to the diffusivity. The inner space of CNT and the interactions between water molecules and the confining walls play a key role in the structure and transport properties of water confined in the CNTs.

Journal Article↗

Dynamics and density profile of water in nanotubes as one-dimensional fluid.

The transport and structural properties of water confined in nanotubes with different diameters were studied by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The effects of pore size, molecule-wall interaction, and the helicity of CNT on the diffusivity, thermal conductivity, and shear viscosity as well as density profile were analyzed. For diffusivity, in model NT > in armchair CNT > in zigzag CNT at similar conditions. However in contrast to the diffusivity, the thermal conductivity and the shear viscosity increase as the pore size decreases, in zigzag CNT > in armchair CNT > (or approximately ) in model NT. The ordered layer distribution of water molecules in nanotubes is clear. It suggests the structure of fluid in the zigzag CNTs is more ordered, and more solidlike. In the nanotubes, where the molecule and the pore dimensions are of similar order of magnitude, the nature of water-water and water-wall interactions, the confinement effect of space, and the helicity of CNT become more significant.

Molecular Dynamics Simulation↗

The adsorption and localization of mixtures of C4-C7 alkane isomers in zeolites by computer simulation.

Grand canonical Monte Carlo and configurational-bias Monte Carlo techniques were employed to simulate the adsorption of binary mixtures of C(4)-C(7) alkane isomers in ISV and MOR zeolites at 300 K, and the results were compared to that in MFI. Unlike in MFI, the amount of adsorption of the linear and branched alkanes all increases with pressure increasing in ISV and MOR for 0.5-0.5 gas-phase mixtures. The location of alkane isomers is astatic, and it does not exhibit obvious orientation in ISV and MOR. The interaction energy of 2-methylpropane-zeolite is obviously higher than that of n-butane-zeolite in MFI. As to ISV and MOR, the interaction energy between 2-methylpropane and zeolite is a little lower than that between n-butane and zeolite. It can be found that the zeolite MFI behaves quite differently in adsorption from ISV and MOR.

Journal Article↗

Gene expression profiling demonstrates that TGF-beta1 signals exclusively through receptor complexes involving Alk5 and identifies targets of TGF-beta signaling.

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta) regulates cellular functions like proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. On the cell surface, TGF-beta binds to receptor complexes consisting of TGF-beta receptor type II (TbetaRII) and activin-like kinase receptor-5 (Alk5), and the downstream signaling is transduced by Smad and MAPK proteins. Recent data have shown that alternative receptor combinations aside from the classical pairing of TbetaRII/Alk5 can be relevant for TGF-beta signaling. We have screened for alternative receptors for TGF-beta and also for gene targets of TGF-beta signaling, by performing functional assays and microarray analysis in murine embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cell lines lacking Alk5. Data from TGF-beta-stimulated Alk5(-/-) cells show them to be completely unaffected by TGF-beta. Additionally, 465 downstream targets of Alk5 signaling were identified when comparing Alk5(-/-) or TGF-beta-stimulated Alk5(+/+) MEFs with unstimulated Alk5(+/+) cells. Our results demonstrate that, in MEFs, TGF-beta signals exclusively through complexes involving Alk5, and give insight to its downstream effector genes.

Activin Receptors, Type I↗

Transport properties and distribution of water molecules confined in hydrophobic nanopores and nanoslits.

The transport properties, including the diffusivity and viscosity, of water confined in hydrophobic nanopores and nanoslits were studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that the diffusion coefficient in nanopores and nanoslits is markedly lower than that in the bulk. But the viscosity is much larger than that in bulk. The parallel diffusion coefficient is obviously larger than the perpendicular ones. The diffusion coefficient in the channel pore is ever less than that in the slit pore at the same pore width, but the viscosity is larger. The temperature and density affect significantly the diffusivity and viscosity in nanopores and nanoslits. Lower density water exhibits some special characteristics on density profiles in nanopores and nanoslits at lower temperatures, and the density profiles show a change from homogeneous to inhomogeneous as the pore width is reduced. Even clusters occurred in micropores.

Journal Article↗

Multiclass discovery in array data.

BACKGROUND: A routine goal in the analysis of microarray data is to identify genes with expression levels that correlate with known classes of experiments. In a growing number of array data sets, it has been shown that there is an over-abundance of genes that discriminate between known classes as compared to expectations for random classes. Therefore, one can search for novel classes in array data by looking for partitions of experiments for which there are an over-abundance of discriminatory genes. We have previously used such an approach in a breast cancer study. RESULTS: We describe the implementation of an unsupervised classification method for class discovery in microarray data. The method allows for discovery of more than two classes. We applied our method on two published microarray data sets: small round blue cell tumors and breast tumors. The method predicts relevant classes in the data sets with high success rates. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that the proposed method is accurate and efficient in finding biologically relevant classes in microarray data. Additionally, the method is useful for quality control of microarray experiments. We have made the method available as a computer program.

Breast Neoplasms↗

The first nonthiolic, odorless 1,3-propanedithiol equivalent and its application in thioacetalization.

2-[2-Chloro-1-(1-chlorovinyl)allylidene]-1,3-dithiane 1 was synthesized by the chlorination of 3-(1,3)-dithianylidenepentane-2,4-dione 2 using the Vilsmeier-Haack reagent in 99% yield. As a novel nonthiolic, odorless 1,3-propanedithiol equivalent, 1 was investigated in the thioacetalization reaction. Various types of aldehydes and ketones 3 were converted to the corresponding dithianes 4 in the presence of 1 in high yields (79-97%). Moreover, 1 exhibited obvious chemoselectivity between aldehyde and ketone in this thioacetalization reaction. A mechanism for this thioacetalization reaction is proposed.

Journal Article↗

Arsenic speciation in the urine and hair of individuals exposed to airborne arsenic through coal-burning in Guizhou, PR China.

The extent of exposure of residents of Changqing (Guizhou, PR China) to arsenic through coal-burning was investigated. Despite the low coal-arsenic content (56.3+/-42.5 mg As kg(-1)) when compared with coals collected at different location and times from the same province, more than 30% of the study subjects have shown symptoms of arsenicosis. Coal, urine, hair, and water samples were collected in mid-September 2001 and analysed for arsenic. The average urinary and hair-arsenic concentrations in the exposed subjects were 71.4+/-37.1 microg As g(-1) creatinine (control 41.6+/-12.1) and 7.99+/-8.16 mg kg(-1), respectively. A positive correlation between the hair and urinary-arsenic concentration (R(2)=0.601) was found. There was no significant difference between females and males for both urinary and hair-arsenic concentrations. Females were found to have a higher dimethylarsinic acid but lower percentages of inorganic arsenic and monomethylarsonic acid in their urine than males.

Adult↗

[Progresses on adverse health effects of automobile exhaust].

The progresses on the latest studies at home and abroad on adverse health effects of automobile exhaust were reviewed in this paper. Particulates and poisonous gases from automobile exhaust were considered to be harmful to respiratory system, immune system and reproductive system. It showed that increased prevalence of respiratory disease (e.g. chronic bronchitis and asthma), and decreased lung function, immunity were associated with automobile exhaust. The carcinogenic potential from the exposure to automobile exhausts needs to be further explored because the carcinogenesis is multifactorial.

Animals↗