33 research outputs found
Yangjing capsule attenuates cyclophosphamide-induced deficiency of testicular microcirculation in mice
Purpose: To explore the protective effects of Yangjing capsule (YC) on testicular microcirculation in a mouse model of deficiency of testicular microcirculation.
Methods: Immunohistochemistry was applied to determine the effects of YC on microvascular density of mice. The protein level of CD34 and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF A) was measured by western blot. The viability of Testicular cell line (TM4 cells) was examined by CCK-8 assay.
Results: Histopathological changes demonstrated that CP-induced decrease of microvascular density of the mice was rescued by YC dose-dependently (p < 0.5). Western blot data showed that the protein levels of CD34 and VEGF A in CP group were significantly decreased, but dose-dependently increased by YC, respectively, following co-administration of CP + YC, compared with those in CP group (p < 0.5). The results from CCK-8 assay showed that the cell viability of TM4 cells increased with the amount of YC administered, and that high concentrations of YC (0.1 and 1 mg/mL) showed significant effects (p < 0.5). Moreover, YC showed little effect on VEGF A mRNA and protein expression in TM4 cells.
Conclusion: YC may be considered an alternative therapeutic agent for the management of testicular microcirculation disease. However, further studies are required to ascertain this.
Keywords: Yangjing Capsule, Testicular microcirculation, Cyclophosphamide, Vascular endothelial growth factor
Efficient sunlight promoted nitrogen fixation from air under room temperature and ambient pressure via Ti/Mo composites
Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation is an important pathway for carbon
neutralization and sustainable development. Inspired by nitrogenase, the
participation of molybdenum can effectively activate nitrogen. A novel Ti/Mo
composites photocatalyst is designed by sintering the molybdenum
acetylacetonate precursor with TiO. The special carbon-coated hexagonal
photocatalyst is obtained which photocatalytic nitrogen fixation performance is
enhanced 16 times compared to pure TiO at room temperature and ambient
pressure. The abundant surface defects in this composite were confirmed to be
the key factor for nitrogen fixation. The N isotope labeling
experiment was used to demonstrate the feasibility of nitrogen to ammonia
conversion. Also, modelling on the interactions between light and the
synthesized photocatalyst particle was examined for the light absorption. The
optimum nitrogen fixation conditions have been examined, and the nitrogen
fixation performance can reach up to 432
ggh. Numerical simulations via
the field-only surface integral method were also carried out to study the
interactions between light and the photocatalytic particles to further confirm
that it can be a useful material for photocatalyst. This newly developed Ti/Mo
composites provide a simple and effective strategy for photocatalytic nitrogen
fixation from air directly under ambient conditions
Efficient photocatalytic nitrogen fixation from air under sunlight via iron-doped WO
Photocatalytic nitrogen fixation from air directly under sunlight can
contribute significantly to carbon neutralization. It is an ideal pathway to
replace the industrial Haber Bosch process in future. A Fe-doped layered WO
photocatalyst containing oxygen vacancies was developed which can fix nitrogen
from air directly under sunlight at atmospheric pressure. The iron doping
enhances the transport efficiency of photogenerated electrons. The
photocatalytic efficiency is around 4 times higher than that of pure WO.
The optimum nitrogen fixation conditions were examined by orthogonal
experiments and its nitrogen fixation performance could reach up to 477 under sunlight.
In addition, the process of nitrogen fixation was detected by situ infrared,
which confirmed the reliability of nitrogen fixation. Also, modelling on the
interactions between light and the photocatalyst was carried out to study the
distribution of surface charge and validate the light absorption of the
photocatalyst. This work provides a simple and cheap strategy for
photocatalytic nitrogen fixation from air under mild conditions
Utility of chest CT in diagnosis of COVID-19 pneumonia
PURPOSEWe aimed to explore the imaging findings of computed tomography (CT) in diagnosing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its clinical value for further evaluation of suspected cases.METHODSFiles of 155 patients visiting the fever clinics at our hospital and affiliated hospitals from January 20th to February 9th, 2020 were searched. Among them, 140 cases (including 82 males and 58 females) were included as suspected COVID-19 cases based on clinical and epidemiological history; the CT image features of 70 cases with suggestive findings on CT, confirmed by positive nucleic acid test were analyzed and evaluated. The sensitivity and specificity of CT in diagnosing COVID-19 were evaluated in patients with epidemiological history.RESULTSOf the 70 patients, 84.3% showed bilateral lung involvement on CT; 27 cases (38.6%) showed ground-glass opacity (GGO), which was mostly distributed in the subpleural area (55.7%), and this sign was mainly observed in early COVID-19 patients. In addition, 41 cases (58.6%) manifested GGO combined with focal consolidation opacity, 2 (2.8%) had flake-like consolidation opacity, with involvements of the periphery of lung field and the central zone (44.3%), and this sign was mostly observed in severe or critical patients. Concomitant signs such as pleural effusion and mediastinal lymph node enlargement were rare. Among patients with epidemiological history, the sensitivity of CT in diagnosing COVID-19 was 89.7% (70/78), and the specificity was 88.7% (55/62).CONCLUSIONCT shows high sensitivity and specificity in diagnosing COVID-19. CT is an important examination method in evaluation of suspected cases and assessment of disease severity
Murine model of elastase-induced proximal thoracic aortic aneurysm through a midline incision in the anterior neck
ObjectiveThis study was performed to develop a murine model of elastase-induced proximal thoracic aortic aneurysms (PTAAs).MethodsThe ascending thoracic aorta and aortic arch of adult C57BL/6J male mice were exposed through a midline incision in the anterior neck, followed by peri-adventitial elastase or saline application. The maximal ascending thoracic aorta diameter was measured with high-resolution micro-ultrasound. Twenty-eight days after the operation, the aortas were harvested and analyzed by histopathological examination and qualitative polymerase chain reaction to determine the basic characteristics of the aneurysmal lesions.ResultsFourteen days after the operation, the dilation rate (mean ± standard error) in the 10-min elastase application group (n = 10, 71.44 ± 10.45%) or 5-min application group (n = 9, 42.67 ± 3.72%) were significantly higher than that in the saline application group (n = 9, 7.37 ± 0.94%, P < 0.001 for both). Histopathological examination revealed aortic wall thickening, degradation of elastin fibers, loss of smooth muscle cells, more vasa vasorum, enhanced extracellular matrix degradation, augmented collagen synthesis, upregulated apoptosis and proliferation capacity of smooth muscle cells, and increased macrophages and CD4+ T cells infiltration in the PTAA lesions. Qualitative analyses indicated higher expression of the proinflammatory markers, matrix metalloproteinase-2 and -9 as well as Collagen III, Collagen I in the PTAAs than in the controls.ConclusionWe established a novel in vivo mouse model of PTAAs through a midline incision in the anterior neck by peri-adventitial application of elastase. This model may facilitate research into the pathogenesis of PTAA formation and the treatment strategy for this devastating disease
Modeling phase separation in grain-fluid mixture flows by a depth-averaged approach with dilatancy effects
This dataset contains the results data and MATLAB scripts for figures in the paper "Modeling phase separation in grain-fluid mixture flows by a depth-averaged approach with dilatancy effects"
Scripts and computed eigenvalues of plane Couette flow with wall-transpiration
This data set contains the MATLAB and Maple scripts employed for the paper written on the linear stability of plane Couette flow with wall-transpiration as well as the emerging computed eigenvalues
Scripts and computed eigenvalues of plane Couette flow with wall-transpiration
This data set contains the MATLAB and Maple scripts employed for the paper written on the linear stability of plane Couette flow with wall-transpiration as well as the emerging computed eigenvalues