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Biomedical subjects

X Y Xu

Publications and source records attributed to X Y Xu.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Selection and expression of peptides which can change the conformation of p20 protein of rice stripe virus.

Phages with high affinity to the P20 protein of rice stripe virus (RSV) were enriched from phage-displayed random 12-mer peptide library after three rounds of phage display screening. Nine different peptides from the enriched library were selected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The P20 protein from raw extracts of rice leaves infected with RSV could be detected by those 9 peptides displayed on the phage, which suggested that a peptide could be an effective tool for diagnosis of RSV in rice and planthopper. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of P20 fusion proteins with the binding phages and non-binding phages showed that the conformation of P20 protein was changed after binding to each of the 9 selected 12-mer peptides, which suggested that these peptides might disrupt the function of the P20 protein. Thereafter, those peptides might be used to develop plant resistance and disrupt virus transmission. Three of the 12-mer peptide genes were fused with the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) gene in the vector pGEX 3X. The fusion proteins were obtained from an Escherichia coli expression system and purified. The fusion proteins might have a potential to develop a plant peptide-based resistance to its pathogens and virus diagnosis. It also provided a tool (i) to confirm the inhibition of the function of P20 protein by the fusion peptides in vivo, and (ii) to detect the function of P20 protein and the interaction between the virus and its vector.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗
PubMed2001

Genetic variation in angiotensin-converting enzyme does not prevent development of cardiac hypertrophy or upregulation of angiotensin II in response to aortocaval fistula.

BACKGROUND: Experimental and clinical evidence suggests that angiotensin II may be an important mediator of cardiac hypertrophy in response to hemodynamic stress. We investigated the effect of genetic variation in angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) on the development of cardiac hypertrophy and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in response to volume overload. METHODS AND RESULTS: Male heterozygous ACE knockout (1/0) and wild-type (1/1) mice were studied 4 weeks after the creation of an aortocaval fistula (ACF). The LV weight/body weight ratio increased 74% in ACF versus sham-operated control mice but did not differ between genotypes. Echocardiographic circumferential stress versus rate-corrected velocity of circumferential shortening curves demonstrated depressed LV function in ACF versus sham-operated mice but no difference between genotypes. LV ACE activity was higher in 1/1 versus 1/0 mice and in ACF versus sham-operated mice, and it increased significantly more in the 1/1 versus the 1/0 mice after ACF (P<0.001 for effect of genotype, ACF/sham operation, and interaction term). LV angiotensin II was higher in ACF versus sham-operated mice but did not differ between genotypes, despite 3-fold higher LV ACE activity in ACF 1/1 versus ACF 1/0 mice. CONCLUSIONS: ACE underexpression does not prevent cardiac hypertrophy or LV dysfunction in response to volume overload. LV angiotensin II is unaffected by ACE genotype, both at baseline and after volume overload, indicating that the heart can maintain angiotensin II levels across a broad range of genetic ACE variation under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions.

Angiotensin II↗
PubMed2001

MRI measurement of wall shear stress vectors in bifurcation models and comparison with CFD predictions.

Steady fluid flow was studied in a simple bifurcation model and in a physiologically realistic model of the human carotid bifurcation. Wall shear stress (WSS) vectors were calculated from phase-contrast (PC) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of the velocity field. Velocity measurements in the inflow regions were also used as boundary conditions for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) calculations of WSS, which were compared with those derived from MRI alone. In regions of well-behaved flow, MRI and CFD estimates of WSS were in good general agreement. In regions of disturbed flow, for example near the bifurcation, the quality of the MRI measurements was sufficient for reliable calculation of WSS vectors when a sensitive surface coil was used. The combination of MRI and CFD would seem to be a powerful technique for the investigation of flow phenomena.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed2001

Cloning and sequencing of a gene encoding a novel salt stress-induced membrane protein from Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp. dentrificans.

The gene encoding a membrane protein, SspA, induced under salt stress conditions was cloned and sequenced from a photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides f. sp. denitrificans IL106. A single open reading frame consisting of 972 base pairs that encoded a polypeptide composed of a signal peptide of 24 amino acids and a mature protein of 300 amino acids (Mr 33,386) was found. A database search failed to detect any highly homologous sequences, indicating that SspA is a novel protein. The protein was present in the outer membrane as a transmembrane protein and was specifically induced by salt stress, but not by heat shock.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Numerical investigation of physiologically realistic pulsatile flow through arterial stenosis.

Numerical simulations of pulsatile blood flow in straight tube stenosis models were performed to investigate the poststenotic flow phenomena. In this study, three axisymmetrical and three asymmetrical stenosis models with area reduction of 25%, 50% and 75% were constructed. A measured human common carotid artery blood flow waveform was used as the upstream flow condition which has a mean Reynold's number of 300. All calculations were performed with high spatial and temporal resolutions. Flow features such as velocity profiles, flow separation zone (FSZ), and wall shear stress (WSS) distributions in the poststenotic region for all models are presented. The results have demonstrated that the formation and development of FSZs in the poststenotic region are very complex, especially in the flow deceleration phase. In axisymmetric stenoses the poststenotic flow is more sensitive to changes in the degree of stenosis than in asymmetric models. For severe stenoses, the stenosis influence length is shorter in asymmetrical models than in axisymmetrical cases. WSS oscillations (between positive and negative values) have been observed at various downstream locations in some models. The amplitude of the oscillation depends strongly on the axial location and the degree of stenosis.

Arterial Occlusive Diseases↗
PubMed2001

[Estimating cardiovascular age of civil flying personnel by means of heart rate and blood pressure variability analysis].

Objective. To estimate the cardiovascular age of civil flying personnel by means of heart rate and blood pressure variability analysis and to evaluate its significance in aviation medicine. Method. First, heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure variability (BPV) and spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were analyzed among 89 healthy civil flying personnel by using conventional AR spectral analysis and sequence method respectively. Then, principal component analysis was conducted over original and derived variables of HRV and BPV spectral and BRS data. Finally, by the use of multiple regression in which the chronological age acted as the dependent variable and the components significantly related to age were used as the regressors, the equation for estimating the cardiovascular age was established. Result. Only seven principal components can exactly reflect the same information of autonomic regulatory function which was embodied in the 17 variables of HRV and BPV spectral and BRS parameters. Among the seven principal components, the PC2orig, PC4orig and PC2deri were negatively correlated with chronological age (P<0.05), whereas the PC3orig was positively correlated with the chronological age (P<0.01). The cardiovascular age derived from the equation was significantly correlated with the chronological age of the civil flying personnel (r= 0.73, P<0.01). Conclusion. The cardiovascular age estimated by means of a multi-variate analysis of HRV, BPV and BRS can be treated as a comprehensive indicator reflecting the age dependency of autonomic regulatory function of cardiovascular system in healthy civil flying personnel, and its interpretation and significance in application are surely worthy of further and fully dedicated efforts.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Heterogeneity of T cell clones specific for a single indirect alloantigenic epitope (I-Ab/H-2Kd54-68) that mediate transplant rejection.

BACKGROUND: One of the complexities of solid organ allograft rejection is the inherent diversity of the specific T cell antigenic epitopes that participate in this response, including the role of direct alloantigen recognition and indirect recognition of donor-derived peptides in recipient antigen-presenting cells. To probe the role of distinct T cell receptor (TCR) avidity differences and the role of cytokine expression patterns of different effector T cells that may participate in allograft rejections, we have identified a dominant allopeptide derived from the H-2Kd molecule, recognized by H-2b CD4 T cells in the context of syngeneic I-Ab. METHODS: To identify a stimulatory peptide derived from the H-2Kd molecule, a panel of synthetic overlapping peptides was screened for immunogenicity and a panel of T cell clones established. These clones were characterized for TCR Vbeta usage by mAb staining and/or reverse transcribed-polymerase chain reaction analysis, peptide dose sensitivity as a marker of TCR avidity, cytokine expression phenotype in vitro, and their ability to mediate rejection of a vascularized cardiac allograft after adoptive transfer to immunodeficient mice. RESULTS: The H-2Kd54-68 peptide was identified as a dominant stimulatory peptide by the ability of T cells from C57BL/6 (H-2b) mice primed by a combination of allogeneic spleen cell injection and mixed peptide immunization to mount an in vitro proliferative response and interferon-gamma production by peptide stimulation. Furthermore, direct immunization with synthetic H-2Kd54-68 peptide of normal C57BL/6 mice resulted in accelerated rejection of both skin and cardiac allografts from B10.D2 (H-2d) mice, but not 3rd party B10.BR (H-2k) grafts. A panel of 15 distinct CD4+ clones specific for H-2Kd54-68 peptide were established and shown to utilize a variety of TCR Vbeta and different apparent TCR avidities to H-2Kd54-68 peptide when stimulated in vitro. To characterize these clones further, two clones were chosen based on the difference of avidity to H-2Kd54-68 peptide. The cytokine expression pattern was determined and indirect alloantigen specificity confirmed by analysis of responses to purified peptide and B10.D2 spleen cells using normal H.2b and I-Abeta chain knockout mice as APC donors. Both of these T cell clones were able to mediate rejection of B10.D2, but not B10.BR hearts, in immunodeficient mice, but the morphological pattern of T cell infiltration was distinct. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate the potential importance of fine dissection of the alloantigeneic response to solid organ transplants and provide unique insights into the role of TCR avidity and cytokine expression patterns in different morphological patterns of transplant rejection.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Reconstruction of blood flow patterns in a human carotid bifurcation: a combined CFD and MRI study.

The carotid bifurcation is a common site for clinically significant atherosclerosis, and the development of this disease may be influenced by the local hemodynamic environment. It has been shown that vessel geometry and pulsatile flow conditions are the predominant factors that determine the detailed blood flow patterns at the carotid bifurcation. This study was initiated to quantify the velocity profiles and wall shear stress (WSS) distributions in an anatomically true model of the human carotid bifurcation using data acquired from magnetic resonance (MR) imaging scans of an individual subject. A numerical simulation approach combining the image processing and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques was developed. Individual vascular anatomy and pulsatile flow conditions were all incorporated into the computer model. It was found that the geometry of the carotid bifurcation was highly complex, involving helical curvature and out-of-plane branching. These geometrical features resulted in patterns of flow and wall shear stress significantly different from those found in simplified planar carotid bifurcation models. Comparisons between the predicted flow patterns and MR measurement demonstrated good quantitative agreement.

Arteriosclerosis↗
PubMed2000

Numerical study of blood flow in an anatomically realistic aorto-iliac bifurcation generated from MRI data.

Magnetic resonance imaging and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) have been used in combination to simulate flow patterns at the human aorto-iliac bifurcation. Vascular anatomy was reconstructed from stacked two-dimensional (2D) time-of-flight images, and revealed asymmetric, nonplanar geometry with curvature in the abdominal aorta and right iliac artery. The left iliac artery was straight and exhibited a smaller take off angle than the right iliac artery. The anatomical reconstruction was used to generate a computational mesh and obtain CFD predictions of flow and wall shear stress (WSS) within the region of interest. The dynamic boundary conditions necessary were specified by 2D cine phase contrast measurements of velocity profiles in each component vessel. Predicted flow patterns were in good quantitative agreement with experiment and demonstrated major differences in WSS distributions between the iliac arteries. This noninvasive approach has considerable potential to evaluate local geometries and WSS as risk factors for arterial disease in individual subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Blood flow and vessel mechanics in a physiologically realistic model of a human carotid arterial bifurcation.

The pulsatile flow in an anatomically realistic compliant human carotid bifurcation was simulated numerically. Pressure and mass flow waveforms in the carotid arteries were obtained from an individual subject using non-invasive techniques. The geometry of the computational model was reconstructed from magnetic resonance angiograms. Maps of time-average wall shear stress, contours of velocity in the flow field as well as wall movement and tensile stress on the arterial wall are all presented. Inconsistent with previous findings from idealised geometry models, flow in the carotid sinus is dominated by a strong helical flow accompanied by a single secondary vortex motion. This type of flow is induced primarily by the asymmetry and curvature of the in vivo geometry. Flow simulations have been carried out under the rigid wall assumption and for the compliant wall, respectively. Comparison of the results demonstrates the quantitative influence of the vessel wall motion. Generally there is a reduction in the magnitude of wall shear stress, with its degree depending on location and phase of the cardiac cycle. The region of slow or reversed flow was greater, in both spatial and temporal terms in the compliant model, but the global characteristics of the flow and stress patterns remain unchanged. The analysis of mechanical stresses on the vessel surface shows a complicated stress field. Stress concentration occurs at both the anterior and posterior aspects of the proximal internal bulb. These are also regions of low wall shear stress. The comparison of computed and measured wall movement generally shows good agreement.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2000

[3D geometric simulation of mandible with dental arch from CT data].

OBJECTIVE: A 3D geometric simulation of mandible with dental arch from CT has been obtained in this study. METHODS: This process uses automatic system assisted with interactive action to get 2D contour data from CT images,then 3D wireframe model and solid model were obtained by using CAD/CAM software Pro-E(USA) and DELCAM(UK). RESULTS: 3D solid model of mandible with dental arch were presented which can be fully edited. CONCLUSION: This model can be applied to further educational and clinical researches such as RP,biomechanics simulation in prosthetic dentistry.The processes of simulation has wide applications in clinical practice of dentistry and dental education.

English Abstract↗
PubMed2000

[3D solid model of mandible with dental arch via LOM method].

OBJECTIVE: Based on 3D reconstruction data from CT scanning, a solid model of mandible with dental arch is obtained via a rapid prototype machine using LOM method. METHODS: 3D reconstruction data is transferred to STL file using software of Delcam(UK),which will be fed to Magics RP software for detection and rebuilding. Reproduction of the papery model of mandible with dental arch is then performed with highly geometric similarity. RESULTS: The RP model of mandible with dental arch is obtained. CONCLUSION: Accuracy of the reproduction model meets the demands of students in prosthetic dentistry,which gives the possibility of computer aided design of prosthetic dentistry based on 3D solid model.

English Abstract↗
PubMed1999

Flow in carotid bifurcations: effect of the superior thyroid artery.

The superior thyroid artery was ignored in previous fluid dynamics studies of carotid bifurcations. However, it is not clear to what extent the flow patterns within the carotid might be influenced by the presence of this outflow tract in reality. In this study, quantitative effects of the superior thyroid artery upon the flow patterns and wall shear stress in the carotid bifurcation were investigated in detail by a numerical simulation method. Comparisons of the maximum reversed flow velocities, flow patterns and wall shear stress were made between models with and without the superior thyroid artery. Results demonstrate that this small artery has only a marginal effect on the overall flow characteristics within the carotid sinus. However, it does have significant effects on flow patterns in the common-external side branch. An alternative approach is proposed to compensate for the absence of this small artery in numerical calculations.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Memory/effector T cells in TCR transgenic mice develop via recognition of enteric antigens by a second, endogenous TCR.

The majority of clonotypic CD4(+) T cells in the intestinal lamina propria of DO11.10 TCR transgenic mice have an activated/memory phenotype and produce effector cytokines despite the absence of prior exposure to ovalbumin (OVA), the transgene-specific antigen. A small number of splenic T cells have a similar phenotype. Clonotypic T cells from Peyer's patch are intermediate in both phenotype and effector cytokine production. Flow cytometric analysis of cells isolated from thymectomized, OVA-naive DO11.10 mice treated with continuous administration of BrdU indicated that a significant fraction of clonotype-positive T cells in the lamina propria and Peyer's patch were in the cell cycle, with significantly fewer cycling cells in the spleen. Most of the cycling cells from each anatomic site expressed low levels of CD45RB. Effector cytokine expression was enriched in the CD45RB(low) populations. These memory/effector cell populations were eliminated in DO11.10/SCID and DO11.10/RAG-2(-/-) mice, suggesting that recognition of non-OVA antigens through a second, non-clonotypic TCR was driving differentiation of memory/effector cells in naive BALB/c DO11.10 mice. Clonotypic CD4(+) T cells isolated from DO11.10, but not from DO11.10/SCID or DO11.10/RAG-2(-/-) mice, were stimulated to enter the cell cycle by antigen-presenting cells pulsed with an intestinal bacterial antigen extract. These data provide direct evidence that enteric bacterial antigens can activate transgenic T cells through a second, non-clonotypic TCR, and support the notion that the development and turnover of memory/effector cells in vivo is driven by the intestinal flora.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase is a heparin-binding protein.

Proteins with affinity to heparin under physiological conditions were isolated from bovine cerebral cortex. First, the extract of cerebral cortex was applied to a chondroitin polysulfate column under physiological conditions. Then, the pass-through fraction was applied to a heparin column. Among the bands on SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the fraction bound to the heparin column, the major one was identified as fructose 1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FPA), a cytosolic enzyme involved in the glycolytic pathway. The results indicated that FPA is a heparin-binding protein which exhibits no affinity to chondroitin polysulfate. The results of affinity chromatographies revealed that FPA binds to intact heparin and modified heparins desulfated at C2 OH of the iduronic acid residue or at C6 OH or C2 NH2 of the glucosamine residue. When 6-O-desulfated heparin was employed as the affinity ligand, a single peak having FPA activity was isolated from the extract of bovine cerebral cortex. By further Mono Q chromatography and Superdex gel-filtration, five isoenzymes were purified with more than 50% recovery. These isoenzymes were identified as FPA A4, A3C1, A2C2, A1C3, and C4 by native electrophoresis with and without 4 M urea and subsequent amino acid sequence analysis. The use of 6-O-desulfated heparin affinity chromatography thus facilitated the purification of FPA.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Reconstruction of blood flow patterns in human arteries.

Local haemodynamic factors in large arteries are associated with the pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis and strokes. In search of these factors and their correlation with atheroma formation, quantitative haemodynamic data in realistic arterial geometry become crucial. At present no in vivo non-invasive technique is available that can provide accurate measurement of three-dimensional blood velocities and shear stresses in curved and branching sites of vessels where atherosclerotic plaques are found frequently. This paper presents a computer modelling technique which combines state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics (CFD) with new noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging techniques to provide the complete haemodynamic data in 'real' arterial geometries. Using magnetic resonance angiographic and velocity images acquired from the aortic bifurcation of a healthy human subject, CFD simulations have been carried out and the predicted flow patterns demonstrate the non-planar-type flow characteristics found in experimental studies.

Aorta, Abdominal↗
PubMed1998

Magnetic resonance image processing and structured grid generation of a human abdominal bifurcation.

Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) offers a non-invasive approach to the acquisition of anatomically accurate human arterial structure. Combining the latest computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques with clinical data from MRA, the detailed haemodynamics information in the human circulation system can be obtained. In this paper, a novel computer method is presented, which generates automatically a computational grid for a human abdominal bifurcation from a set of conventional MRA images. The method covers the complete sequence from MR image segmentation, 3-D model construction, grid generation, to grid quality evaluation. Results demonstrate that the computer program developed is capable of generating a good quality grid for human arterial bifurcations from MRA images with minimum user input. The resultant grid can be used directly for further computer simulation of the flow.

Abdomen↗