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Yu Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Yu Zhang.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Prediction of a family of cage-shaped boric acid clusters.

Equilibrium geometries, energies, and vibrational frequencies of cage-shaped boric acid clusters including the onion-like structure have been calculated at the HF/6-31G and B3LYP/6-31G(d) levels of theory. A family of cage-shaped boric acid clusters becomes evident according to our calculations. Each member of the family is formed by strong O-H...O hydrogen bonds. Higher cage-shaped boric acid clusters are more stable. The calculated stabilization energies for the cage-shaped boric acid clusters appear to steadily increase with the number of boric acid molecules (n) and are nearly linear in n. Similarities between cage-shaped boric acid clusters and fullerenes are also discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

Beta1 integrins regulate mammary gland proliferation and maintain the integrity of mammary alveoli.

Integrin-extracellular matrix interactions play important roles in the coordinated integration of external and internal cues that are essential for proper development. To study the role of beta1 integrin in the mammary gland, Itgbeta1(flox/flox) mice were crossed with WAPiCre transgenic mice, which led to specific ablation of beta1 integrin in luminal alveolar epithelial cells. In the beta1 integrin mutant mammary gland, individual alveoli were disorganized resulting from alterations in cell-basement membrane associations. Activity of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) was also decreased in mutant mammary glands. Luminal cell proliferation was strongly inhibited in beta1 integrin mutant glands, which correlated with a specific increase of p21 Cip1 expression. In a p21 Cip1 null background, there was a partial rescue of BrdU incorporation, providing in vivo evidence linking p21 Cip1 to the proliferative defect observed in beta1 integrin mutant glands. A connection between p21 Cip1 and beta1 integrin as well as FAK was also established in primary mammary cells. These results point to the essential role of beta1 integrin signaling in mammary epithelial cell proliferation.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Cloning and characterization of mouse homolog of the CXC chemokine receptor CXCR1.

CXCR2/IL-8RB was the only receptor previously reported in mice for ELR+ CXC chemokines, whereas the receptors for these chemokines in human include both CXCR1 and CXCR2. In this study, we cloned the full length cDNA of the mouse CXCR1 (mCXCR1) gene. The deduced amino acid of mCXCR1 was 77% and 58% identical to the rat and human CXCR1, respectively. RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis showed that mCXCR1 mRNA was expressed in lung, spleen, thymus, peripheral blood leukocytes, as well as in the isolated neutrophils. In a mouse respiratory inflammation model induced by lipopolysaccharide, a large number of neutrophils infiltrated into the lung and, meanwhile, the mCXCR1 expression was significantly increased in the recruited neutrophils, suggesting that mCXCR1 may mediate the recruitment of neutrophils to the inflammation site under certain infections.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Using oxidized carbon nanotubes as matrix for analysis of small molecules by MALDI-TOF MS.

Oxidized carbon nanotubes are tested as a matrix for analysis of small molecules by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Compared with nonoxidized carbon nanotubes, oxidized carbon nanotubes facilitate sample preparation because of their higher solubility in water. The matrix layer of oxidized carbon nanotubes is much more homogeneous and compact than that of nonoxidized carbon nanotubes. The efficiency of desorption/ionization for analytes and the reproducibility of peak intensities within and between sample spots are greatly enhanced on the surface of oxidized carbon nanotubes. The advantage of the oxidized carbon nanotubes in comparison with alpha-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CCA) and carbon nanotubes is demonstrated by MALDI-TOF-MS analysis of an amino acid mixture. The matrix is successfully used for analysis of synthetic hydroxypropyl beta-cyclodextrin, suggesting a great potential for monitoring reactions and for product quality control. Reliable quantitative analysis of jatrorrhizine and palmatine with a wide linear range (1-100 ng/mL) and good reproducibility of relative peak areas (RSD less than 10%) is achieved using this matrix. Concentrations of jatrorrhizine (8.65 mg/mL) and palmatine (10.4 mg/mL) in an extract of Coptis chinensis Franch are determined simultaneously using the matrix and a standard addition method.

Calibration↗
PubMed2005

Transcriptional profiling of human herpesvirus type B (HHV-6B) in an adult T cell leukemia cell line as in vitro model for persistent infection.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6), which is present in more than 90% of the human, is known to cause infectious diseases in immuno-compromised patients, e.g., transplant patients. To clarify the possible role of the pattern of expression of HHV-6 genes in various types of HHV-6B infection, we sought to determine whether or not viral DNA microarray could be used for detailed characterization of viral transcription using a HHV-6B DNA microarray that contains 97 known open reading frames of HHV-6B. A subset of genes are preferentially expressed in persistent infection: U16 (IE-B, transactivator, US22 gene family), U18 (IE-B, homolog to HCMV IE glycoprotein), U20 (glycoprotein), U27 (DNA polymerase processivity transactivator), U82 (gL, gH accessory protein), U83 (chemokine), U85 (OX-2 homology, glycoprotein), U90 (IE-A), and U94 (transactivator), respectively. Although the function of each HHV-6B is not fully understood, our study suggests that comprehensive analysis of HHV-6B transcription is useful not only to clarify the pathogenesis of the virus but also to develop new strategies for anti-viral drugs.

Cell Line, Tumor↗
PubMed2005

[Perioperative detection of MAGE-1mRNA and AFP mRNA in peripheral blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: relationships with recurrence].

OBJECTIVE: To detect MAGE-1 mRNA and AFP mRNA in the peripheral blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) perioperatively, and explore their relationships with recurrence. METHODS: Peripheral blood from 45 patients with HCC, obtained perioperatively, was tested for the presence of MAGE-1 mRNA and AFP mRNA by nested RT-PCR. All patients were followed for metastatic recurrence for average 11 months after surgery. The peripheral blood from 22 patients with hepatitis B and cirrhosis, 11 patients with hepatic hemangioma, 12 patients with metastatic liver cancer and 20 healthy volunteers served as control. RESULTS: Four of the twelve (33.3%) metastatic hepatic cancer patients were positive for MAGE-1 mRNA, and three of the twenty-two (13.6%) patients with hepatitis B and cirrhosis were positive for AFP mRNA while the other controls kept negative in their peripheral blood. Detection rates for MAGE-1 mRNA/AFP mRNA in the peripheral blood of patients with HCC were 42.2%/51.1% before operation, 20%/24.4% seven days after surgery, and 15.6%/22.2% 28 days later respectively. In chi-square analysis, detection of peripheral-blood MAGE-1 mRNA and AFP mRNA 28 days after surgery indicated metastatic recurrence. Furthermore, the two-marker detection had a higher specificity for prediction of metastatic recurrence than single marker detection. CONCLUSION: Combined detection of cancer-specific MAGE-1 mRNA and hepatocyte-specific AFP mRNA by nested RT-PCR in the peripheral blood of patients with HCC 28 days after surgery may be useful for the prediction of metastatic recurrence.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Determination of flavone C-glucosides in antioxidant of bamboo leaves (AOB) fortified foods by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet diode array detection.

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) with ultraviolet diode array detection (UV-DAD) was used for the simultaneous determination of four flavone C-glucosides, i.e. orientin, homoorientin, vitexin and isovitexin in several food systems fortified by the antioxidant of bamboo leaves (AOB), such as high temperature sterilized milk, sunflower seed oil and extruded rice cake for the first time. The method included extraction of flavone C-glucosides from AOB-fortified foods by methanol aqueous solution, deproteinating with saturated lead acetate solution and potassium oxalate, defatting with n-hexane and clean-up by solid-phase extraction (SPE) with Phenomenex C18 cartridges. Analytes were separated with Luna C18 5 microm 250mm x 4.6mm column using acetonitrile and 1% (v/v) acetic acid (pH 3.0) as mobile phase. Good results were obtained with respect to repeatability (relative standard deviation (RSD)< 2.2%) and recovery (81.4-91.8%) which fulfilled the requirements defined by European Union (EU) legislation. The total amounts of four flavone C-glucosides were 12.56 microg/100 mL, 881.08 microg/100 mL and 1420.83 microg/100 g dry weight in AOB-fortified sterilized milk, sunflower seed oil and extruded rice cake, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the analysis of flavone C-glucosides in AOB-fortified samples. The optimized procedure could also be referenced for the separation of flavone C-glucosides in other fortified foodstuffs.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed2005

Fatigue sensitivity of Y-TZP to microscale sharp-contact flaws.

The strength degrading effects of sharp-contact damage are examined for Y-TZP ceramic plates bonded to a plastic substrate. Contacts are made with Vickers and Berkovich diamond indenters at low loads (0.1 N to 100 N) in the ceramic lower surfaces prior to bonding to the substrates. The indentations remain in the subthreshold region, that is, without visible corner radial cracks, over the lower region (< 10 N) of the load range. A concentrated load is then applied sinusoidally to the ceramic upper surface, with the loading axis centered on the subsurface indentation flaw, thereby subjecting the flaw to cyclic tension. Relative to polished surfaces, the indentations diminish the single-cycle strength by an amount that increases with increasing indentation load. The critical number of cycles required to cause failure from the indentation flaws is then measured at specified maximum lower surface tensile stresses. At each indentation load, the strength of the ceramic plates diminishes with increased cycling. The scale of degradation is compared with that from previous studies on Y-TZP surfaces containing larger-scale surface damage: sandblast damage, as used in dental crown preparation; and blunt-contact trauma from a spherical indenter at 3000 N. These other damage modes are shown to be equivalent in their strength-degrading capacity to diamond pyramid indentations in the microscale load range 0.1 N to 1 N, attesting to the highly deleterious nature of sharp particulate contacts. The mechanism of fatigue is considered in terms of microcrack evolution within the indentation damage zone.

Equipment Failure Analysis↗
PubMed2005

Study on the behavior of hyper-rayleigh scattering for silver nanoparticles with aggregation effects.

The absorption spectra as well as the Hyper-Rayleigh scattering (HRS) signals of a highly monodisperse 10.5-nm diameter silver colloids with the addition of KNO(3) and pyridine have been measured. Strongly enhanced HRS signals are observed by 15x and 6x, respectively. Through size distribution and TEM measurements, the morphology of aggregated silver nanoparticles has been observed as a chainlike aggregation. The dramatically enhanced second-order nonlinearity was explained by the enhanced electromagnetic (EM) field near the surface of the silver nanoparticles as they approached. The different enhancement between these two kinds of aggregates was considered with the diversity of separated distance between silver nanoparticles. The experimental results reveal that there is an optimum size for the aggregates to yield the maximum HRS response.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2005

An Eulerian path approach to local multiple alignment for DNA sequences.

Expensive computation in handling a large number of sequences limits the application of local multiple sequence alignment. We present an Eulerian path approach to local multiple alignment for DNA sequences. The computational time and memory usage of this approach is approximately linear to the total size of sequences analyzed; hence, it can handle thousands of sequences or millions of letters simultaneously. By constructing a De Bruijn graph, most of the conserved segments are amplified as heavy Eulerian paths in the graph, and the original patterns distributed in sequences are recovered even if they do not exist in any single sequence. This approach can accurately detect unknown conserved regions, for both short and long, conserved and degenerate patterns. We further present a Poisson heuristic to estimate the significance of a local multiple alignment. The performance of our method is demonstrated by finding Alu repeats in the human genome. We compare the results with Alus marked by repeatmasker, where the two programs are in good agreement. Our method is robust under various conditions and superior to other methods in terms of efficiency and accuracy.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Synchronized pseudorandom systems and their application to speech communication.

An approach to the synchronization of pseudorandom systems is proposed and applied to secure speech communication. The encoding signal produced by the pseudorandom synchronization scheme passes the random test, and shows much more complex dynamics, better random properties, and greater sensitivity to parameter mismatches than that produced by the active-passive decomposition scheme. Also, two coupled pseudorandom systems can be exactly synchronized despite their different initial states or seeds. Pseudorandom encoding and synchronization may yield great security in communication.

Biophysical Phenomena↗
PubMed2005

Deep-penetrating conical cracks in brittle layers from hydraulic cyclic contact.

A study is made of fracture from cyclic loading of WC spheres on the top surfaces of thick (1 mm) brittle layers on polymeric substrates, as representative of repetitive occlusal contact on dental crown structures. The advantage of glass layers is that internal cracks can be followed in situ during the entire cyclic loading process. The glass surfaces are first given a surface-abrasion treatment to control the flaw state, such that the strengths match those of dental porcelains. Cyclic contact tests are carried out at prescribed maximum loads and frequencies, in water. In addition to conventional cone cracks that form outside the contact circle, additional, inner cone cracks form within the contact in the water environment. These inner cones are observed only in cyclic loading in water and are accelerated at higher frequencies, indicating a strong mechanical driving force. They tend to initiate after the outer cones, but subsequently catch up and penetrate much more rapidly and deeply, ultimately intersecting the underlying coating/substrate interface. Comparative tests on glass/polymer bilayers versus monolithic glass, in cyclic versus static loading, in water versus air environment, on abraded versus etched surfaces, and with glass instead of WC indenters, confirm the existence of a dominant mechanical element in the inner-cone crack evolution. It is suggested that the source of the mechanical driving force is hydraulic pressure from intrusion and entrapment of liquid in surface fissures at the closing contact interface. This new type of cone cracking may limit dental crown veneer lifetimes under occlusal fatigue conditions, especially in thicker layers, where competing modes-such as undersurface radial cracks-are suppressed.

Aluminum Oxide↗
PubMed2005

Toxicology and safety of anti-oxidant of bamboo leaves. Part 1: Acute and subchronic toxicity studies on anti-oxidant of bamboo leaves.

The anti-oxidant of bamboo leaves (AOB) has recently been certificated as a novel kind of natural anti-oxidant by the Ministry of Health of the People's Republic of China, and has been used in various food systems. Here, AOB was subjected to a series of acute and subchronic toxicological tests to evaluate its safety. It was examined to evaluate acute oral toxicity by using Kun-Ming mice and Sprague-Dawley rats, and its mutagenic potential assessed by reverse mutation test using Salmonella typhimurium, bone marrow cell micronucleus test using Kun-Ming mice, and sperm abnormality test using Kun-Ming mice. In addition, a 90-day oral toxicity study using Sprague-Dawley rats was conducted to evaluate subchronic toxicology. The results showed that the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of AOB was >10 g/kg body weight in both rats and in mice, which can be regarded as virtually non-toxic. No mutagenicity evidence was detected in any of the three mutagenic tests. Administration at levels of 1.43, 2.87 and 4.30 g/kg per day to the rats for 90 days did not induce significant hematological, clinic, chemical and histopathological changes, and suggested a no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of 4.30 g/kg per day. These results indicate that AOB can be generally regarded as safe for use as a food additive.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2005

Carbon nanotubes as adsorbent of solid-phase extraction and matrix for laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry.

A method with carbon nanotubes functioning both as the adsorbent of solid-phase extraction (SPE) and the matrix for matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) to analyze small molecules in solution has been developed. In this method, 10 microL suspensions of carbon nanotubes in 50% (vol/vol) methanol were added to the sample solution to extract analytes onto surface of carbon nanotubes because of their dramatic hydrophobicity. Carbon nanotubes in solution are deposited onto the bottom of tube with centrifugation. After removing the supernatant fluid, carbon nanotubes are suspended again with dispersant and pipetted directly onto the sample target of the MALDI-MS to perform a mass spectrometric analysis. It was demonstrated by analysis of a variety of small molecules that the resolution of peaks and the efficiency of desorption/ionization on the carbon nanotubes are better than those on the activated carbon. It is found that with the addition of glycerol and sucrose to the dispersant, the intensity, the ratio of signal to noise (S/N), and the resolution of peaks for analytes by mass spectrometry increased greatly. Compared with the previously reported method by depositing sample solution onto thin layer of carbon nanotubes, it is observed that the detection limit for analytes can be enhanced about 10 to 100 times due to solid-phase extraction of analytes in solution by carbon nanotubes. An acceptable result of simultaneously quantitative analysis of three analytes in solution has been achieved. The application in determining drugs spiked into urine has also been realized.

Adsorption↗
PubMed2005

Core suture purchase affects strength of tendon repairs.

PURPOSE: It generally is considered that a certain distance should be maintained between the site of the tendon-suture junction and the laceration level of the tendon. In this study we assessed how the length of core suture purchase may affect the repair strength of transversely cut tendons using a 2-strand modified Kessler method and a 4-strand circle-locking method. METHODS: Seventy-four fresh pig flexor tendons were transected. Fifty-eight tendons were divided into 4 groups and repaired with a 2-strand grasping repair technique with the core suture purchase in the tendon stump ranging from 0.4 to 1.2 cm. Sixteen tendons were repaired with a 4-strand circle-locking tendon-suture repair technique. The core suture purchase of these tendons was 0.4 and 1.0 cm, respectively. The tendons were subjected to a linear, noncyclic, load-to-failure test in a tensile testing machine. The forces measured for initial gap formation, 2-mm gap formation, and ultimate strength were recorded for each repair. RESULTS: The resistance to gap formation and ultimate strength of 2-strand grasping technique repairs increased significantly as the suture purchase increased from 0.4 to 0.7, 1.0, and 1.2 cm although strength remained constant from 0.7 to 1.2 cm. The strength of 4-strand circle-locking repairs with a suture purchase of 1.0 cm was statistically greater than that of the repairs with a suture purchase of 0.4 cm. CONCLUSIONS: For both the 2-strand grasping and 4-strand circle-locking repair methods, the length of core suture purchase significantly influences the resistance to 2-mm gap formation and the ultimate strength of repairs in transversely lacerated flexor tendons. We determined that the optimal length of purchase is between 0.7 and 1.0 cm and that increased length of purchase from 0.7 to 1.2 cm does not increase the strength of the repair. Core suture purchase length of 0.4 cm or less results in significantly weaker repairs.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Perturbation and nonlinear dynamic analyses of voices from patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis.

This study used perturbation methods (eg, jitter and shimmer) and nonlinear dynamic methods (eg, phase space reconstruction and correlation dimension) to analyze sustained voices generated by normal subjects and patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis. We found that normal and pathological voices had low-dimensional dynamic characteristics. For nearly periodic voices, jitter and shimmer values of pathological voices from patients with unilateral laryngeal paralysis were significantly different from normal voices. For nearly periodic and aperiodic voices, the correlation dimensions of pathological voices were statistically higher than normal voices. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to evaluate the diagnostic performances of jitter, shimmer, and correlation dimension. High sensitivity and specificity of these three acoustic analyses in distinguishing unilateral laryngeal paralysis patients from normal subjects were found. We concluded that combining traditional perturbation analysis and nonlinear dynamic analysis might provide efficient descriptions of pathological voices and represent a valuable tool for clinical diagnosis of laryngeal paralysis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Ab initio and DFT studies on vibrational spectra of some mixed carbonyl-halide complexes of ruthenium(II).

The vibrational spectra of Ru(CO)6(2+) and some of its mixed carbonyl-halide complexes, cis-Ru(CO)2X4(2-), fac-Ru(CO)3X3- and Ru(CO)5X+ (X = F, Cl, Br and I), have been systematically investigated by ab initio RHF and density functional B3LYP methods with LanL2DZ and SDD basis sets. The calculated vibrational frequencies of complexes Ru(CO)6(2+), cis-Ru(CO)2X4(2-) and fac-Ru(CO)3X3- are evaluated via comparison with the experimental values. In the infrared frequency region, the C-O stretching vibrational frequencies calculated at B3LYP level with two basis sets are in good agreement with the observed values with deviations less than 5%. In the far-infrared region, the B3LYP/SDD method achieved the best results with deviations less than 8% for Ru-X stretching and less than 2% for Ru-C stretching vibrational frequencies. The vibrational frequencies for Ru(CO)5X+ that have not been experimentally reported were predicted.

Carbon↗