Biomedical subjects

Zhenxi Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Zhenxi Zhang.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Examination of depth-weighted optical signals during cardiac optical mapping: a simulation study.

Optical mapping has become a powerful tool to explore complex cardiac propagation. Many experiments and studies claimed that the fluorescence obtained from tissue surface is the averaged response of the transmembrane potential upon probing depth rather than only on the surface. With the electrical propagation model and the photon transport model, the effects of depth-weighted optical signals are examined both during a normal excitation wave and a spiral wave. Our results indicate that depth-weighted optical signals may infer cardiac activation dynamics, such as the mode and the direction of the propagation, the spatial distribution of depolarization or repolarization.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed2006

F0F1-ATPase as biosensor to detect single virus.

F(0)F(1)-ATPase within chromatophore was constructed as a biosensor (immuno-rotary biosensor) for the purpose of capturing single virus. Capture of virus was based on antibody-antigen reaction. The detection of virus based on proton flux change driven by ATP-synthesis of F(0)F(1)-ATPase, which was indicated by F1300, was directly observed by a fluorescence microscope. The results demonstrate that the biosensor loading of virus particles has remarkable signal-to-noise ratio (3.8:1) compared to its control at single molecular level, and will be convenient, quick, and even super-sensitive for detecting virus particles.

Biosensing Techniques↗

PubMed2006

Preparation and drug release characteristics of Pingyangmycin-loaded dextran cross-linked gelatin microspheres for embolization therapy.

Gelatin microspheres (GMs) containing Pingyangmycin hydrochloride were prepared for the interventional embolization by a double-phase emulsified thermal gelation method using oxidized dextran (ox-dex) as the cross-linking agent. The average diameter of the microspheres was 82 microm with 74% ranging from 50-200 microm. Drug content and the characteristics of drug release in vitro and in vivo were evaluated using UV-spectroscopy and HPLC, respectively. The prepared microspheres showed a rather high percentage of encapsulation ranging from 85 to 88% and drug content at 7.2%. The results of in vitro experiments showed that about 65.5% of the total amount of the encapsulated drug was released after 6 h at 37 degrees C. Experiments conducted through artery perfusion and artery embolization in rabbits revealed that the local drug concentration was significantly higher than the systemic blood-drug concentration, with a high level of local drug concentration maintained for more than 120 min after artery embolization with the Pingyangmycin-loaded ox-dex-GMs. The results indicated that the external carotid artery embolization with Pingyangmycin-loaded ox-dex-GMs at reduced dosages prolonged the local drug concentration at a higher level, and could achieve the purpose of a localized targeting tumor therapy. Compared with other embolization materials, ox-dex-GMs are an excellent alternative interventional embolization material for the treatment of head and neck tumors.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

[Study of cellular electrophysiology based on Noble98 dynamic model of ventricular action potential].

On the basis of mammalian ventricular action potential model Noble98, and with the use of Runge-Kutta for solution, the Wenckebach periodicity phenomenon, the transmural heterogeneity of the ventricular myocardium and its rate dependence are studied. The results indicate that these inherent properties may, lead to temporal-space disorganized in the normal heart,and may become the underlying factors for arrhythmias. At the same time, in this study are established the basic methods for quantitative cellular electrophysiology which is essential for future studies on the mechanism of arrhythmia.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed2006

[Optical mapping of the membrane potential with voltage-sensitive dyes].

Optical mapping of the membrane potential with voltage-sensitive dyes is an advanced approach that involves in many theories such as molecular photonica, physiology and computer science. Compared with the conventional techniques of membrane patch-clamp and microelectrode, the optical mapping system can measure not only the changes of a single membrane potential from multiple sites simultaneously but also the conduction properties of the cell populations. So this technique provides an important method for studying the electrophysiology of the small cell, the tiny neurite and the cardiac arrhythmia, etc. Because this technique can also avoid the electromagnetic interferences, it uniquely provides an ideal means for studying the mechanisms such as cardiac defibrillation. In this paper the principles and the system structure of the optical mapping are introduced, its applications and future developments are also presented at the same time.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

[Computer simulation study of the re-entry mechanisms in one-dimensional ischaemic myocardium].

Torsades de Pointes is a kind of severe ventricular arrhythmia. Myocardial ischaemia is one of the major causes leading to TdP. In this paper the mechanisms of the TdP were quantitatively studied under the condition of ischaemia based on the Noble98 dynamic model of the ventricular action potential. The study was conducted on one-dimensional homogeneous myocardium with the method of computer simulation. The models were firstly developed to simulate the lower excitability, extracellular accumulation of the K+ concentration or the decreased gap junctions in ischaemic myocardium. By separately reducing the Na+ conductance, increasing the extracellular K+ concentration or decreasing the conductance of the gap junctions enabled us to study the effect of each change in isolation. Then different degrees of ischaemic models were established to study their physiological features. The study showed that the conduction velocity became slower with the ischaemia aggravation, the action potential duration became shorter and the width of the vulnerable window obviously became larger than the normal conditions. The results illustrated that ischaemia was easily leading to unidirectional conduction block and resulted in re-entry and arrhythmias.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2005

Effect of Sanguis draxonis (a Chinese traditional herb) on the formation of insulin resistance in rats.

Sanguis draxonis (SD) is a Chinese traditional herb that is prescribed for the handling of diabetic disorders. In this study, the effects of an oral administration of SD at dosages of 100, 300, and 500 mg kg(-1) once a day, respectively, on the formation of insulin resistance were investigated in vivo in two models of insulin-resistant rats, HFD rats (high-fat diet-induced insulin-resistant rats) and IILI rats (induced by the intraperitoneal injections of long-acting insulin at dosage of 0.5 U kg(-1) three times daily). The insulin resistance was indicated using the loss of tolbutamide-induced hypoglycemic activity. After the oral administration of SD (300 and 500 mg kg(-1) once a day for 7 days) to HFD rats, both plasma glucose and insulin concentration were decreased significantly, while the hypoglycemic activity of tolbutamide (10 mg kg(-1), i.p.) was significantly enhanced as compared with that of the vehicle-treatment (0.9% saline solution used as vehicle to disperse SD, w/v). Moreover, the formation of insulin resistance in IILI rats had been improved significantly with SD treatment (100, 300, 500 mg kg(-1) once a day for 14 days), but the influence of SD treatment on both plasma glucose and insulin concentration was not observed. For STZ-induced diabetic rats, the action of SD (300 and 500 mg kg(-1) once a day for 14 days) showed more effective on an increase of response to the exogenous short-acting porcine insulin than that of the metformin administrated orally at dosage of 320 mg kg(-1) three times daily. The present studies suggest that an oral administration of SD can increase insulin sensitivity and improve the development of insulin resistance in rats.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Inhibition of viral replication by ribozyme: mutational analysis of the site and mechanism of antiviral activity.

A controlled mutational study was used to determine the site and mechanism of the antiviral action of ribozymes that inhibit Sindbis virus replication. A hairpin ribozyme targeting G575 of the Sindbis virus genomic RNA was designed and cloned into a minimized alphavirus amplicon vector. Cells that were stably transfected with this construct expressed low levels of a constitutive transcript containing the ribozyme plus recognition sequences for Sindbis RNA replicase. Upon infection, the ribozyme transcript was amplified to high levels by the viral replicase, resulting in decreased viral production from infected ribozyme-expressing cells. Mutations were then introduced into the viral RNA target sequence to interfere with ribozyme binding, and compensatory changes were generated in the ribozyme recognition sequence. Single mutations in the virus or ribozyme decreased the efficacy of the ribozyme's inhibition of viral replication, and compensatory mutations restored it. To confirm that ribozyme-catalyzed RNA cleavage was actually needed for inhibition, we performed tests with a cell line expressing an inactivated ribozyme and with a virus containing a single nucleotide target mutation that allowed the ribozyme to bind but blocked cleavage at the recognition site. The results show that most of the antiviral activity of ribozymes is due to ribozyme-catalyzed cleavage at the targeted RNA sequence, but some additional inhibition seems to occur through an antisense mechanism.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Replication of chimeric yellow fever virus-dengue serotype 1-4 virus vaccine strains in dendritic and hepatic cells.

ChimeriVax-dengue (DEN) viruses are live attenuated vaccine candidates. They are constructed by replacing the premembrane (prM) and envelope (E) genes of the yellow fever (YF) 17D virus vaccine with the corresponding genes from wild-type DEN viruses (serotypes 1-4) isolated from humans. In this study, the growth kinetics of ChimeriVax-DEN1-4 and parent viruses (wild-type DEN-1-4 and YF 17D) were assessed in human myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) and in three hepatic cell lines (HepG2, Huh7, and THLE-3). In DC, ChimeriVax-DEN-1-4 showed similar growth kinetics to their parent viruses, wild-type DEN virus (propagated in Vero cells), or YF 17D virus (peak titers ~3-4.5 log(10) plaque-forming units (PFU)/mL at 48-72 hours post-infection). Parent wild-type DEN-1-4 viruses derived from C6/36 mosquito cells did not show any growth at a multiplicity of infection of 0.1 in DCs, except for DEN-2 virus, which grew to a modest titer of 2.5 log(10) PFU/mL at 48 hours post-infection. ChimeriVax-DEN1-4 grew to significantly lower titers (2-5 log(10) PFU/mL) than YF 17D virus in hepatic cell lines THLE-3 and HepG2, but not in Huh7 cells. These experiments suggest that ChimeriVax-DEN1-4 viruses replicate similarly to YF-VAX in DCs, but at a lower level than YF 17D virus in hepatic cell lines. The lack of growth of chimeric viruses in human hepatic cells suggests that these viruses may be less hepatotropic than YF 17D virus vaccine in humans.

Aedes↗

PubMed2005

[An experimental study on destruction of K562 and HL60 induced by 5-aminolaevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy].

This experiment was designed to explore the pattern of K562 and HL60 leukemia cells death, the effects on their cell cycle and the cytoplasmic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) induced by 5-aminolaevulinic acid-based photodynamic therapy (ALA-PDT). Under the transmission electron microscope (TEM), two kinds of leukemia cells' ultrastructure were observed. Flow cytometry combined with Annexin V-FITC/PI labeling was used to detect the pattern of K562 and HL60 cells' death induced by ALA-PDT. Flow cytometry combined with PI labeling was used to analyze the change in the cell cycle induced by ALA-PDT, and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) combining with calcium fluorescence probe was used to detect the change in the cytoplasmic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i). Immediately after irradiation, many typical apoptotic bodies were seen in the cells treated. Most of the cells treated were necrotic at 24 hours following irradiation. Flow cytometry analysis suggested that the main patterns of the cells' death were apoptosis immediately after irradiation and necrosis post-apoptosis at 24 hours post irradiation. Immediately and 24 hours after irradiation, the proportion of S phase of K562 was 57. 67% +/- 1.13% and 84.77% +/- 6.20% respectively, and the proportion of S phase of HL60 was 74.60% +/- 7.27% and 84.60% 1.74% respectively. Both [Ca+]i of the treated K562 and HL60 were increased obviously. In the best experiment condition, the initial pattern of the K562 and HL60 leukemia cells' death induced by PDT was apoptosis and the main pattern was necrosis post apoptosis. The two kinds of cells were arrested at S phase by ALA-PDT. During the death of the leukemia cells, the increase in intracellular free calcium concentration could be responsible for the ALA photodynamically induced damage to K562 and HL60 cells.

Aminolevulinic Acid↗

PubMed2005

[Mathematical model of cardiac action potential and its computer simulations].

Malignant arrhythmias and ventricular fibrillation are generally accepted as one of the major causes of death in cardiovascular diseases. Based on the H-H equations, the mathematical model of the cardiac cell action potential consists of the ion channels, pumps, exchangers and transporters that are closely connected with intra- and extra-cellular ion concentrations, the channel's conditions, nerve transductors and drugs. It can build the link between cell electrophysiology and clinical pathophysiology. By altering the cellular environments the computer simulating study on this kind of model can help us look into the electrophysiological changes of the cardiac tissue and even the whole heart and investigate the mechanisms of the cardiac arrhythmias as well. The components of the model and its computer simulating study are introduced in the paper.

Action Potentials↗

PubMed2002

[Synthesis and characteristics of porous hydroxyapatite bioceramics].

The macroporous structure of human bone allows the ingrowth of the soft tissues and organic cells into the bone matrix, profits the development and metabolism of bone tissue, and adapts the bone to the change of load. There is great requirement for artificial biomimic porous bioactive ceramics with the similar structure of bone tissue that can be used clinically for repairing lost bone. Fine hydroxyapatite (HAp) powder produced by wet chemical reaction was mixed with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), polyvinyl alcohol, methyl cellulose or other pores-making materials to form green cake. After drying at low temperature (below 100 degrees C) and decarbonizing at about 300 degrees C-400 degrees C, the spongy ceramic block was sintered at high temperature, thus, macroporous HAp bioceramic with interconnected pores and reasonable porosity and pore-diameter was manufactured. This kind of porous HAp bioceramics were intrinsically osteoinductive to a certain degree, but its outstanding property was that they can absorb human bone morphogenetic proteins and other bone growth factors to form composites, so that the macroporous HAp bioactive ceramic has appropriate feasibility for clinical application. From the point of biomedical application, the recent developments in synthesis and characteristics investigation of macroporous HAp are reviewed in this paper.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2002

[5-Aminolevulinic acid esters based photodynamic therapy].

As exogenous ALA (5-aminolevulinic acid) esters can induce the production and accumulation of endogenous photosensitizer PpIX (protoporphyrin IX) in tumor tissues more effectively, they have been the most active photosensitizer prodrug in PDT(photodynamic therapy) field. In this article, along with the procedure of ALA esters based PDT, some primary mechanism and experimental results were considered, which include: first, cellular uptake of ALA esters and its conversion into ALA; second, the production and accumulation of endogenous photosensitizer PpIX induced by eNdogenous ALA esters; last, the photosensitization of PpIX.

Aminolevulinic Acid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Blood cell counting and classification by nonflowing laser light scattering method.

We present a nonflowing laser light scattering method for automatically counting and classifying blood cells. A linear charge-coupled device (CCD) and a silicon photoelectric cell (which is placed behind a pinhole plate on the CCD) form a double-detector structure: the CCD is used to detect the scattered light intensity distribution of the blood cells and the silicon photoelectric cell to complete the focusing process. An isotropic sphere, with relative refractivity near 1, is used to model the blood cell. Mie theory is used to describe the scattering of white blood cells and platelets, and anomalous diffraction, red blood cells. To obtain the size distribution of blood cells from their scattered light intensity distribution, the nonnegative constraint least-squares (NNLS) method combined with the Powell method and the precision punishment method are used. Both numerical simulation and experimental results are presented. This method can be used not only to measure the mean and the distribution of red blood cell size, but also to divide the white blood cells into three classes: lymphocytes, middle-sized cells, and neutrocytes. The experimental results show a linear relationship between the blood cell (both white and red blood cells) concentration and the scattered light intensity, and therefore, the number of blood cells in a unit volume can be determined from this relationship.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Elevation of plasma membrane permeability by laser irradiation of selectively bound nanoparticles.

Irradiation of nanoabsorbers with pico- and nanosecond laser pulses could result in thermal effects with a spatial confinement of less than 50 nm. Therefore absorbing nanoparticles could be used to create controlled cellular effects. We describe a combination of laser irradiation with nanoparticles, which changes the plasma membrane permeability. We demonstrate that the system enables molecules to penetrate impermeable cell membranes. Laser light at 532 nm is used to irradiate conjugates of colloidal gold, which are delivered by antibodies to the plasma membrane of the Hodgkin's disease cell line L428 and/or the human large-cell anaplastic lymphoma cell line Karpas 299. After irradiation, membrane permeability is evaluated by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry using propidium iodide (PI) and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) dextran. The fraction of transiently permeabilized and then resealed cells is affected by the laser parameter, the gold concentration, and the membrane protein of the different cell lines to which the nanoparticles are bound. Furthermore, a dependence on particle size is found for these interactions in the different cell lines. The results suggest that after optimization, this method could be used for gene transfection and gene therapy.

Biopolymers↗