Biomedical subjects

Rui Huang

Publications and source records attributed to Rui Huang.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Insights into the fate and dynamics of antibiotic resistance in multidrug-resistant Bacillus cereus during in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion.

Bacillus cereus, an important pathogen responsible for causing foodborne diseases worldwide, releases pore-forming enterotoxins, which target host epithelial cells, leading to osmotic lysis and ultimately manifesting as diarrheal syndrome. Moreover, some B. cereus strains carry antimicrobial resistance genes that confer multidrug resistance against a spectrum of antibiotics. Characterizing the survival traits of multidrug-resistant (MDR) B. cereus strains in the intestinal microenvironment is essential for developing targeted strategies to effectively manage diarrheal foodborne diseases caused by this pathogen. This study used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to evaluate the pre- and post-digestion toxigenic potential, antimicrobial resistance profiles, and genetic diversity of MDR B. cereus strains isolated from food samples in Guangdong Province, China. The four B. cereus isolates investigated in this study exhibited a genetic diversity, as determined by multilocus sequence typing analysis of WGS data. All four isolates produced the diarrheal toxins Hbl, Nhe, and CytK to varying levels, indicative of their potential to cause outbreaks of foodborne diseases. Each of the four isolates exhibited resistance to more than three classes of antibiotics, fulfilling the criterion for multidrug resistance. At an initial concentration of 9 log colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, the intestinal concentration of these four isolates crossed the threshold required to induce widespread diarrhea in the general population. Under rice slurry protection, all tested isolates maintained intestinal concentration beyond the threshold when the initial concentration was increased to ≥8 log CFU/mL. Moreover, the upregulations of genes associated with acid tolerance, bile tolerance and stress response were observed in the surviving MDR B. cereus isolates. Digestion markedly altered the antibiotic resistance profiles of the MDR B. cereus isolates. In the absence of a food matrix, the MDR isolates lost their resistance to imipenem, meropenem, amoxicillin-clavulanic acid, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole post-digestion and was influenced by the initial concentration of the strains. In the presence of food matrix rice slurry, the effects of digestion on the antibiotic resistance of MDR B. cereus isolates can be mitigated, enabling them to maintain their antibiotic resistance to the greatest extent. Most remarkably, after digestion, the isolates Bce055 and Bce166 exhibited newly emergent resistance to cefotetan and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, respectively. Our findings clarify the fate of MDR B. cereus isolates in the gastrointestinal tract and inform the development of prevention and control strategies for foodborne diseases caused by this pathogen.

Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial↗

PubMed2026

Risk factors for lung metastasis in children and adolescent patients with papillary thyroid cancer: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Pediatric papillary thyroid cancer (pPTC) exhibits a higher incidence of lung metastasis (LM) compared to its adult counterpart. This study supplements the gap in pediatric management guidelines by exploring factors associated with LM in pPTC and characterizing relevant genetic alterations. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed pPTC patients under 20 years who underwent initial surgery at our center between December 2008 and December 2022. Clinicopathological features, treatment approaches, outcomes, and target-gene sequencing were reviewed to identify risk factors and genetic variations. RESULTS: Among 114 pPTC cases, 17 developed LM. Risk factors associated with LM included younger age, male gender, larger tumor size, multifocality, extrathyroidal extension, lymphatic invasion, and the number of metastatic lymph nodes (NMLNs), with NMLNs > 14 identified as an independent predictor (OR = 18.20, p = 0.037). Treatment responses with radioiodine related to postoperative stimulated thyroglobulin (sTg) levels (p = 0.003). Genomic analysis identified 1007 somatic mutations, including in the BRAF, APC, RET, and ATM genes, with RET-NCOA4 fusions observed in the LM subgroup. CONCLUSION: LM is common in pPTC, and NMLNs > 14 is a critical risk indicator. The genetic profile, particularly RET mutations, highlights potential therapeutic targets. Further large-scale studies are needed to validate these findings.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Causal relationship between white matter structural connectivity and epilepsy.

White matter structural connectivity has recently been linked to epilepsy pathogenesis, yet its causal role remains unclear. This study used Mendelian randomization (MR) to investigate the causal relationship between white matter structural connectivity and epilepsy. GWAS summary statistics for white matter structural connectivity were sourced from the UK Biobank, while epilepsy data were obtained from FinnGen R10 and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). Our MR analysis revealed significant causal links between white matter structural connectivity and epilepsy risk. Increased connectivity between the right hemisphere visual and salience/ventral attention networks (RH Vis to RH Sal/VentAttn WMSC) was associated with higher epilepsy risk in FinnGen_R10_FE_STRICT (OR = 2.25, 95 % CI = 1.43-3.56, p < 0.01, FDR P = 0.019). Conversely, increased connectivity between left and right hemisphere salience/ventral attention networks (LH Sal/VentAttn to RH Sal/VentAttn WMSC) was linked to reduced epilepsy risk in FinnGen_R10_GE_STRICT (OR = 0.17, 95 % CI = 0.07-0.46, p < 0.01, FDR P = 0.033). A total of 15 nominally significant associations were identified across datasets. These findings suggest a causal relationship between white matter structural connectivity and epilepsy, offering insights into disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.

Humans↗

PubMed2025

Dissecting metabolic dysfunction- and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD) using proteomic and metabolomic profiles.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Metabolic dysfunction- and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD) is a poorly understood condition that bridges cardiometabolic and alcohol-related pathological characteristics. We aimed to differentiate patients with MetALD whose molecular signatures more closely resemble either alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) or metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), and to assess their relative risks of complications and mortality. METHODS: We analysed data from 443,453 European participants in the UK Biobank, including 34,147 with MetALD, 11,220 with ALD, and 124,034 with MASLD. Elastic net regression was used to classify ALD and MASLD based on 249 plasma metabolites and/or 2,941 plasma proteins, with multiple sensitivity analyses. We then applied the resulting concise model to patients with MetALD to identify an alcohol-predominant group (classified as ALD) and a cardiometabolic-predominant group (classified as MASLD). Finally, we evaluated their 15-year risk of major outcomes (heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and mortality) using Cox regression. RESULTS: The metabolome alone discriminated ALD from MASLD with an AUC of 0.86, while the proteome alone achieved an AUC of 0.96. Adding age, sex, BMI, liver enzymes, or metabolome information did not enhance the AUC of the proteome model. A 10-protein model differentiated ALD from MASLD with an AUC of 0.93. This model identified that patients with alcohol-predominant MetALD had significantly higher risks of mortality, and cirrhosis, along with elevated fibrosis scores and higher fibrosis stages, compared to patients with cardiometabolic-predominant MetALD. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights the value of proteomic subtyping in MetALD, enabling more personalized treatment strategies and improved prognostic assessment. IMPACT AND IMPLICATIONS: This study underscores the critical importance of distinguishing subtypes of metabolic dysfunction- and alcohol-associated liver disease (MetALD) using proteomic data, providing a foundation for personalized treatment strategies. The findings hold significant relevance for healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers by highlighting the differing risks associated with alcohol-predominant vs. cardiometabolic-predominant MetALD. Clinicians can apply the classification model developed in this study to more accurately assess patients and guide targeted therapies and preventive measures based on individual profiles. However, limitations of the study, such as reliance on self-reported alcohol consumption and the specificity of diagnostic criteria, necessitate further validation in diverse cohorts.

Humans↗

PubMed2007

Bifunctional polymeric organocatalysts and their application in the cooperative catalysis of Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions.

A series of soluble, non-cross-linked polystyrene-supported triphenylphosphane and 4-dimethylaminopyridine reagents were prepared. Some of these polymeric reagents contained either alkyl alcohol or phenol groups on the polymer backbone. The use of these materials as organocatalysts in a range of Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions indicated that hydroxyl groups could participate in the reactions and accelerate product formation. In the cases examined, phenol groups were more effective than alkyl alcohol groups for catalyzing the reactions. This article is one of the first reports of the synthesis and use of non-natural, bifunctional polymeric reagents for use in organic synthesis in which both functional groups can cooperatively participate in the catalysis of reactions.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Effect of architecture on the tensile properties of triblock copolymers in a lamellar phase.

We have used self-consistent field theory to calculate the tensile moduli of triblock copolymers in lamellar microstructures prepared from linear and star architectures. The extensional moduli K(33) are the main contributors to the tensile moduli, and the contribution of K(U)33 (the internal energy contribution to K(33)) is the main component of the value of K(33). We find that the tensile moduli of ABC three-miktoarm star terpolymers are smaller than those of ABC linear triblock copolymers having identical components, presumably for two main reasons. First, for the ABC three-miktoarm star terpolymers, the contributions of K(U)33 are larger than those of the linear triblock copolymers; we attribute this phenomenon to the star terpolymers having smaller lamellar domain sizes at equilibrium relative to those of the linear triblock copolymers. Second, conformational entropies play an important role in affecting the tensile moduli, mainly because of the different degrees of freedom of the various chains. In contrast, the shear moduli contribute negligibly to the tensile moduli.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Dynamics of wrinkle growth and coarsening in stressed thin films.

A stressed thin film on a soft substrate can develop complex wrinkle patterns. The onset of wrinkling and initial growth is well described by a linear perturbation analysis, and the equilibrium wrinkles can be analyzed using an energy approach. In between, the wrinkle pattern undergoes a coarsening process with a peculiar dynamics. By using a proper scaling and two-dimensional numerical simulations, this paper develops a quantitative understanding of the wrinkling dynamics from initial growth through coarsening till equilibrium. It is found that, during the initial growth, a stress-dependent wavelength is selected and the wrinkle amplitude grows exponentially over time. During coarsening, both the wrinkle wavelength and amplitude increases, following a power-law scaling under uniaxial compression. More complicated dynamics is predicted under equibiaxial stresses, which starts with a faster coarsening rate before asymptotically approaching the same scaling under uniaxial stresses. At equilibrium, a parallel stripe pattern is obtained under uniaxial stresses and a chaotic labyrinth pattern under equibiaxial stresses. Under stresses of the same magnitude, the two patterns have the same average wavelength, but different amplitudes. It is noted that the dynamics of wrinkling, while analogous to other phase ordering phenomena, is distinct and rich under the effects of stress and substrate elasticity.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Influence of Michael acceptor stereochemistry on intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman reactions.

[reaction: see text] A study of the effect of Michael acceptor stereochemistry on the efficiency of intramolecular Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reactions has been performed. The reactions were catalyzed by a phosphine, and the reaction substrates studied were enones containing a pendant aldehyde moiety attached at the beta-position of the alkene group. In all cases examined with PPh3 as the catalyst, cyclization substrates possessing (Z)-alkene stereochemistry afforded a much higher yield of the desired product than did the E isomeric substrates under identical reaction conditions. This was also true when a polymer-supported phosphine catalyst was used. While both alkene isomers afforded the same product, in parallel reactions, the Z isomer afforded 2.5-8.5 times higher yield than did the corresponding E isomer. It is proposed that steric effects are a possible source of this dramatic difference in reactivity. Substrates where the beta-substituent is cis to the electron-withdrawing substituent are relatively more accessible to react with the nucleophile catalyst than are their trans counterparts. These findings are expected to be useful in the design of synthetic intermediates, as intramolecular MBH reactions are being increasingly used in the preparation of complex synthetic targets.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

An inherited macrothrombocytopenic disorder with abnormal large granules.

Inherited giant platelet syndromes are a heterogeneous group of rare bleeding disorders. In the current study, a patient was reported with prolonged bleeding time, thrombocytopenia and giant platelets. Both the patient's red and white cell counts were normal without morphological abnormalities. The electron microscopy of platelets showed abnormal large electron-dense granules in the cytoplasm with exocytosis being easily observed. Her fathers platelets had the same abnormalities. The expression of glycoprotein (GP)Ib, GPIIb and GPIIIa on the surface of the patient's platelets was normal, and her platelet aggregation in response to ADP and ristocetin was also normal. Immunogold probes combined to monoclonal antibodies against GPIIIa, P-selectin or CD63 could not identify any relationship between the aberrant structures and alpha granules or lysosomes of platelet. Serotonin level was normal in the platelets of the patient, indicating the electron opaque granules are not dense bodies. The morphological abnormalities of the platelets from the patient are clearly distinguishable from other hereditary giant platelet disorders. We propose that the abnormal large granules from the patient's platelets probably represent a novel inherited thrombocytopenic disorder.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Torsional vibrations of circular elastic plates with thickness steps.

This paper presents a theoretical study of torsional vibrations in isotropic elastic plates. The exact solutions for torsional vibrations in circular and annular plates are first reviewed. Then, an approximate method is developed to analyze torsional vibrations of circular plates with thickness steps. The method is based on an approximate plate theory for torsional vibrations derived from the variational principle following Mindlin's series expansion method. Approximate solutions for the zeroth- and first-order torsional modes in the circular plate with one thickness step are presented. It is found that, within a narrow frequency range, the first-order torsional modes can be trapped in the inner region where the thickness exceeds that of the outer region. The mode shapes clearly show that both the displacement and the stress amplitudes decay exponentially away from the thickness step. The existence and the number of the trapped first-order torsional modes in a circular mesa on an infinite plate are determined as functions of the normalized geometric parameters, which may serve as a guide for designing distributed torsional-mode resonators for sensing applications. Comparisons between the theoretical predictions and experimental measurements show close agreements in the resonance frequencies of trapped torsional modes.

Biocompatible Materials↗

PubMed2005

Effect of polydispersity on the tensile modulus of diblock copolymers in a lamellar phase.

We have calculated the tensile moduli of nanomaterials having lamellar microstructures prepared through the self-assembly of a polydisperse diblock copolymer. We observed that the extensional moduli K33 provided the major contribution to the tensile modulus and that the value of K33 depended mainly on the contribution of K33(U) (the internal energy contribution to K33). We found that a larger polydispersity index (PDI) weakens the material for our polydisperse model; we attribute this phenomenon to the larger lamellar domain size at equilibrium when the polydispersity of the block increases and to the competition between short and long chains. We found that longer chains in this system strengthen the material, but shorter chains weaken it as a result of the influence of the PDI. The shear modulus contributed negligibly to the extensional moduli.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

[Preparation of 125I-oligonucleotide-long-circulation liposomes].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the preparation and the encapsulation efficiency of 125I-oligonucleotide(ON)-long-circulation liposomes (LCL). METHODS: (1) Oligonucleotide was labeled with 125I using thallium chloride tetrahydrate (TICl3) as an oxidizing agent. 125I-oligonucleotide was separated from free 125I by Sephadex G25 column chromatography. The following radiolabeling efficiency, radiochemistry purity and specific radioactivity were obtained respectively. Subsequently, the stability of 125I-ON was observed. (2) 125I-ON-LCL were prepared by means of reverse-phase evaporation. The quality of 125I-ON-LCL was evaluated after the crude LCL were repeatedly extruded through 400 nm, 200 nm, 100 nm polycarbonate membranes consecutively. Results (1) The radiolabeling efficiency, radiochemistry purity and specific radioactivity of 125I-antisense oigonucleotide (ASON) were (72.80 +/- 0.68)%, (98. 33 +/- 0.39)% and (0.63 +/- 0.11) MBq/microg; of 125I-sense oigonucleotide (SON) were (72.21 +/- 0.60)%, (98.28 +/- 0.36)%, (0.63 +/- 0.14) MBq/microg; and of 125I-nonsense oligonucleotide (NON) were (72.77 +/- 0.81)%, (98.42 +/- 0.40)%, (0.62 +/- 0.11) MBq/microg, respectively. (2) The radiochemistry purity of 125I-ON, in 0.01 mol/L HEPES buffer and human serum at 1 h, 2 h and 4 h were all above 93%, 80%, respectively. (3) LCL formulations were 115 nm in mean diameter with a PDI (polydispersibility index) of 0.103 and Zeta potential of -29.23. The encapsulation efficiencies of 125I-ASON, 125I-SON and 125I-NON were (66.21 +/- 0.21)%, (70.93 +/- 0.03)% and (67.67 +/- 0.10)% respectively. CONCLUSION: LCL were prepared in high loading efficiency for 125I-ON with small particle sizes and symmetric distributions.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2005

[Construction of the recombinant adenovirus carrying sodium/iodide symporter gene].

Human Sodium/Iodide symporter gene cDNA was amplified from thyroid tissue of the patient suffering from Graves disease by RT-PCR, and T/A cloned into pGEM-TEasy-NIS for sequencing, subcloned into shuttle plasmid pAdTrack-CMV which contained a green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene, and then forwarded to homologous recombinant in the bacteria BJ5183 that already contained AdEasy-1 plasmid. Positive recombinant adenovirus vector was selected, packaged and amplified in the 293 cells to obtain recombinant adenovirus. The results showed that the recombinant AdNIS was correctly constructed and confirmed by restriction enzyme analysis and PCR. The viral titer was 2. 5 - 3 x 10(9) efu/ml. So, the recombinant adenovirus vector carrying hNIS was successfully constructed, thus providing a basis for researches on 131I therapy in nonthyroid carcinoma.

Adenoviridae↗

PubMed2005

Molecular analysis and identification of virulence gene on pR(ST98) from multi-drug resistant Salmonella typhi.

pR(ST98) is a large and conjugative resistant plasmid (R plasmid) of 98.6 mega-dalton from multi-drug resistant Salmonella typhi (S. typhi), which was classified to incompatibility group C (Inc C). It has been found that pRST98 made its host bacteria not only antibiotic resistant but also more virulent. In this study we explored the possibility of plasmid pRST98 in S. typhi carrying the Salmonella plasmid virulence gene - spv. The plasmid pRST98 was isolated, purified and then digested by nine restriction endonucleases to make the plasmid enzyme profile. Spv-specific PCR and Southern blot were applied to identify the virulence gene on pR(ST98). The amplified spv fragments spvR and spvB were cloned into pGEM-T EASY and then the DNA sequences were analysed. The fragments of pRST98 digested by endonucleases Bgl II, Pst I and Sac II were identified, which may be useful for molecular analysis and further epidemiological surveillance of pR(ST98). The results of PCR and Southern blot showed that spv homologous genetic sequence which had been found in all pathogenesis Salmonella spp. except S. typhi was also presented on pR(ST98). The ORF of spvR and spvB of pRST98 were 894 bp and 1,776 bp, respectively. They have more than 99% homology with that of spvR and spvB on virulence plasmid in S. typhmurium. The genotype research on pR(ST98) revealed that there is a plasmid carrying genes responsible for drug resistance and virulence in S. typhi. This is the first report for such kind chimerical plasmid in S. typhi.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2002

Effects of a liquid layer on thickness-shear vibrations of rectangular AT-cut quartz plates.

Thickness-shear vibrations of a rectangular AT-cut quartz with one face in contact with a layer of Newtonian (linearly viscous and compressible) fluid are studied. The two-dimensional (2-D) governing equations for vibrations of piezoelectric crystal plates given previously are used in the present study. The solutions for 1-D shear wave and compressional wave in a liquid layer are obtained, and the stresses at the bottom of the liquid layer are used as approximations to the stresses exerting on the crystal surface in the plate equations. Closed form solutions are obtained for both free and piezoelectrically forced thickness-shear vibrations of a finite, rectangular AT-cut quartz in contact with a liquid layer of finite thickness. From the present solutions, a simple and explicit formula is deduced for the resonance frequency of the fundamental thickness-shear mode, which includes the effects of both shear and compressional waves in the liquid layer and the effect of the thickness-to-length ratio of the crystal plate. The formula reduces to the widely used frequency equation obtained by many previous investigators for infinite plates. The resonance frequency of a rectangular AT-cut quartz, computed as a function of the thickness of the adjacent liquid layer, agrees closely with the experimental data measured by Schneider and Martin.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2002

Mechanical effects of electrodes on the vibrations of quartz crystal plates.

A system of approximate first-order equations is extracted from an infinite system of 2-D equations for piezoelectric crystal plates with thickness-graded material properties, which is deduced from the 3-D equations of linear piezoelectricity. These equations are used to study mechanical effects on the thickness-shear (TS), flexural (F), and face-shear (FS) vibrations of an AT-cut quartz plated with two identical electrodes. Dispersion curves are calculated from the present 2-D equations as well as the 3-D equations. The comparison of these curves shows that the agreement is very close for all three frequency branches of TS, F, and FS modes in a range up to the 1.5 times the fundamental TS frequency and for gold and aluminum electrodes with R, the ratio of the mass of the electrodes to that of the plate, equal to 0.05. without introducing any correction factors. In order to assess electrode effects, spectra of omega vs. a/bq (length-to-thickness ratio of the quartz) are computed for plates with gold and aluminum electrodes and different R ratios. And the spectrum of omega vs. R is computed for plates with aluminum electrodes and a given a/bq ratio. For a plate with gold electrodes, the frequencies of predominant TS, F, and FS modes are decreasing as R increases, but the amount of frequency changes for the TS mode is much greater than those for the other two modes. However, for a plate with aluminum electrodes, the frequencies of the TS and FS modes are decreasing, but those of the F modes are increasing as R increases.

Aluminum↗

PubMed2002

Extensional, thickness-stretch and symmetric thickness-shear vibrations of piezoceramic disks.

A set of two-dimensional (2-D), second-order approximate equations for extensional, thickness-stretch and symmetric thickness-shear vibrations of piezoelectric ceramic plates with electroded faces is extracted from the infinite system of 2-D equations deduced previously. The new truncation procedure developed recently is used for it improves the accuracy of calculated dispersion curves. Closed-form solutions are obtained for free vibrations of circular disks of barium titanate. Dispersion curves calculated from the present approximate 2-D equations are compared with those obtained from the 3-D equations, and the predicted resonance frequencies are compared with experimental data. Both comparisons show good agreement without any corrections. The frequencies of the edge modes calculated from the present 2-D equations are very close to the experimental data. Furthermore, mode shapes at various frequencies are calculated in order to identify the frequency segments of the spectrum at which one of the coupled modes--i.e., the radial extension (R), edge mode (Eg), thickness-stretch (TSt), and symmetric thickness-shear (s.TSh)--is predominant.

Barium Compounds↗

PubMed2002

[Separation of saccharides in tobacco by capillary zone electrophoresis].

A method for the separation of derivatized saccharides in tobacco with high performance capillary electrophoresis and ultraviolet spectrophotometry (HPCE-UV) is presented. Five saccharides in tobacco were derivatized with p-aminobenzonitrile, separated at pH 10.5 with 50 mmol/L borate buffer containing 5% (volume fraction, the same in the following percentage concentration) methanol, 5% acetonitrile, 2.5% ethyleneglycol, 2.5% 2-propanol and 1 mmol/L sodium dodecyl sulfate, and detected at 285 nm.

Electrophoresis, Capillary↗