Peng Cao - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Peng Cao

Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architectures (CGRAs) can achieve both high performance and flexibi... more Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architectures (CGRAs) can achieve both high performance and flexibility, and CGRAs with multi-array are used to meet the increasing performance requirement of multimedia applications. Meanwhile, the context size also becomes quite large, so many CGRAs use a configuration cache to reduce reconfiguration overhead. However, with high power consumption, configuration cache management is still a challenge. This paper first analyzes context features of media algorithms, and introduces the base hardware architecture. Then a configuration cache management technique is proposed to implement H.264 video decoding on the base architecture. It includes a novel configuration cache structure and a configuration cache replacement algorithm based on Context Sequence Prefetching & Priority (CSPP). The experimental results show that the proposed approach can drastically improve system performance and reduce power consumption. The average configuration cache hit rate of CS...

With the increasingly efficient streaming of multimedia standard and the computational resources ... more With the increasingly efficient streaming of multimedia standard and the computational resources in the coarse grained reconfigurable architecture (CGRA), how to provide high data throughput for the CGRA for multimedia application in real time becomes a bottleneck challenge. In this paper, a data reuse method is proposed based on the pre-parsing mechanism of MB information in advance. The pre-parsed information guides the replacement process of the data buffer. By employing the data reuse method, the required bandwidth can be reduced by nearly 50% on average and the CGRA can support 1080p@30fps video decoding at the frequency of 200MHz.

International Journal of Modern Physics B, 2009

Development of innovative techniques to produce gamma TiAl based alloys, with good mechanical pro... more Development of innovative techniques to produce gamma TiAl based alloys, with good mechanical properties, while still maintaining ultra fine grain size can be rewarding, but also is a great challenge. In the present study study a Ti-47Al-2Cr (at %) alloy has been synthesized by directly forging green powder compacts of a Ti/Al/Cr composite powder produced by high energy mechanical milling

Molecular medicine reports, Jan 29, 2015

Excessive apoptosis and high expression levels of interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) in disc cells have been ... more Excessive apoptosis and high expression levels of interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) in disc cells have been reported to serve important roles in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Previous studies investigating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have indicated potential for their use in the treatment of IVDD. However, the therapeutic potential and anti‑apoptotic ability of MSCs remains to be fully elucidated. The present study aimed to establish an in vitro model for bone marrow‑derived MSC (BMSC) therapy by investigating the anti‑apoptotic effects, in addition to the migration of BMSCs to nucleus pulposus (NP) cells stimulated by IL‑1β. A co-culture system of BMSCs and NP cells was founded. Following inflammatory stimulation, the NP cells exhibited increased indexes for inflammation‑induced degeneration. The degenerative and apoptotic indexes were significantly reduced when NP cells were co‑cultured with BMSCs. Compared with the indirect co-culture group, the direct co-culture group exhibite...

Nature structural & molecular biology, Jan 10, 2015

The photosystem II protein PsbS has an essential role in qE-type nonphotochemical quenching, whic... more The photosystem II protein PsbS has an essential role in qE-type nonphotochemical quenching, which protects plants from photodamage under excess light conditions. qE is initiated by activation of PsbS by low pH, but the mechanism of PsbS action remains elusive. Here we report the low-pH crystal structures of PsbS from spinach in its free form and in complex with the qE inhibitor N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), revealing that PsbS adopts a unique folding pattern, and, unlike other members of the light-harvesting-complex superfamily, it is a noncanonical pigment-binding protein. Structural and biochemical evidence shows that both active and inactive PsbS form homodimers in the thylakoid membranes, and DCCD binding disrupts the lumenal intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the active PsbS dimer. Activation of PsbS by low pH during qE may involve a conformational change associated with altered lumenal intermolecular interactions of the PsbS dimer.

Organic letters, Jan 23, 2015

Highly efficient and enantioselective copper(I)-catalyzed pinacolboryl addition of N-Boc-imines i... more Highly efficient and enantioselective copper(I)-catalyzed pinacolboryl addition of N-Boc-imines is reported. By using a single chiral sulfoxide-(dialkyl)phosphine (SOP) ligand, both enantiomeric isomers of α-amino boronic esters were obtained through an achiral counteranion switch.

2013 2nd IAPR Asian Conference on Pattern Recognition, 2013

ABSTRACT In this paper, we propose a novel robust and efficient minutia-based fingerprint matchin... more ABSTRACT In this paper, we propose a novel robust and efficient minutia-based fingerprint matching algorithm. There are two key contributions. First, we apply a set of global level minutia dependent features, i.e., the qualities that measure the reliabilities of the extracted minutiae and the area of overlapping regions between the query and template images of fingerprints. The implementation of these easy-to-get minutia dependent features presents coherence to the well-accepted fingerprint template standards. Besides, the reasonable combination of them results in the robustness to poor quality fingerprint images. Second, we implement a hierarchical recognition strategy, which applies a procedure of global matching that refines the local matching decision towards a genuine result over the entire images. Other than the much improved accuracy, our algorithm also promotes the efficiency, because compared with other state-of-the-art matching approaches, it does not make use of any time-consuming operations or any complex feature structures. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed method exhibits an excellent accuracy that exceeds the performances of well-known minutia based matchers. Meanwhile, the proposed algorithm presents potentials to serve a real-time fingerprint recognition system.

Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2015

Nrf2 is the key transcription factor regulating the antioxidant response which is crucial for cyt... more Nrf2 is the key transcription factor regulating the antioxidant response which is crucial for cytoprotection against extracellular stresses. Numerous in vivo studies indicate that Nrf2 plays a protective role in anti-inflammatory response. 3-(3-Pyridylmethylidene)-2-indolinone (PMID) is a synthesized derivative of 2-indolinone compounds. Our previous study suggested that PMID induces the activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway, then protecting against oxidative stress-mediated cell death. However, little is known regarding the anti-inflammatory properties of PMID in severe inflammatory phenotypes. In the present study we determined if PMID treatment protects mice from dextran sodium sulphate- (DSS-) induced colitis. The result suggests that treatment with PMID prior to colitis induction significantly reduced body weight loss, shortened colon length, and decreased disease activity index compared to control mice. Histopathological analysis of the colon revealed attenuated inflammation in PMID ...

International Journal of Modern Physics B, 2009

ABSTRACT The use of thermal spray coatings provides protection to the surfaces operating in sever... more ABSTRACT The use of thermal spray coatings provides protection to the surfaces operating in severe environments. The main goal of the current work is to investigate the possibility of using a high velocity air fuel (HVAF) thermally sprayed wear resistant Ti(Al,O)/Al2O3 coating on tool steel (H13) which is used for making dies for aluminium high pressure die casting and dummy blocks aluminium extrusion. A feedstock of Ti(Al,O)/Al2O3 composite powder was produced from a mixture of Al and TiO2 powders by high energy mechanical milling, followed by a thermal reaction process. The feedstock was then thermally sprayed using a high velocity air-fuel (HVAF) technique onto H13 steel substrates to produce a composite coating. The present study describes and compares the tribological properties such as friction and sliding wear rate of the coating both at room and high temperature (700°C). The wear resistance of the coating was investigated by a tribometer using a spherical ended alumina pin as a counter body under dry and lubricating conditions. The results showed that composite coating has lower wear rate at high temperature than at room temperature without using lubricant. The composite coating was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). This paper reports the experimental observations and discusses the wear resistance performance of the coatings at room and high temperatures.

Materials Science Forum, 2007

ABSTRACT

Chinese medical journal, 2014

Cervical disc replacement (CDR) as a substitute for traditional fusion surgery has been widely us... more Cervical disc replacement (CDR) as a substitute for traditional fusion surgery has been widely used in treating degenerative cervical disc diseases. The objectives of this study were to assess the clinical and radiological findings for patients with heterotopic ossification (HO) following CDR and to detect the risk factors of HO after CDR. A total of 125 patients with symptomatic cervical single- or double-level disc diseases, who underwent CDR procedure with Discover prosthesis in Department of Spine Surgery, Changzheng Orthopedics Hospital from March 2009 to March 2011, were enrolled in this retrospective study. Occurrence of HO was defined by the McAfee classification on cervical lateral X-rays in this study. Prosthesis vertebral ratio (PVR) was used to determine the matching degree between the cervical disc prosthesis and cervical vertebra. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factors of HO. Variables evaluated for their association with HO occurrenc...

PloS one, 2014

C5 palsy is a serious but poorly understood complication after posterior cervical decompression t... more C5 palsy is a serious but poorly understood complication after posterior cervical decompression that could lead to muscle weakness, brachialgia and numbness of the upper limbs. The incidence of C5 palsy varies greatly between studies. The risk factors are inconclusive and even conflicting. To perform a systematic review on the incidence and risk factors of C5 palsy after posterior cervical decompression. Four databases, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane CENTRAL, were searched to identify eligible studies. Either a fixed- or a random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled odd ratio (RR) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with its 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Of the 589 pre-recruited studies, 25 were included in this study for systematic review. The pooled incidence of C5 palsy after posterior decompression was 5.8% (95%CI: 4.4-7.2%). The incidence after open-door laminoplasty, double-door laminoplasty and laminectomy was 4.5%, 3.1% and 11.3%, respectively. Th...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Jan 17, 2013

Complexin, a presynaptic protein that avidly binds to assembled SNARE complexes, is widely acknow... more Complexin, a presynaptic protein that avidly binds to assembled SNARE complexes, is widely acknowledged to activate Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis. In addition, studies of invertebrate complexin mutants and of mouse neurons with a double knockdown (DKD) of complexin-1 and -2 suggested that complexin maintains the readily releasable pool (RRP) of vesicles and clamps spontaneous exocytosis. In contrast, studies of mouse neurons with a double knockout (DKO) of complexin-1 and -2, largely carried out in hippocampal autapses, did not detect changes in the RRP size or in spontaneous exocytosis. To clarify complexin function, we here directly compared in two different preparations, cultured cortical and olfactory bulb neurons, the phenotypes of complexin DKD and DKO neurons. We find that complexin-deficient DKD and DKO neurons invariably exhibit a ~50% decrease in vesicle priming. Moreover, the DKD consistently increased spontaneous exocytosis, but the DKO did so in cortical but not olfactory...

Biochimie, 2006

A fusion between gene encoding fluoresce-enhanced green fluorescent protein variant (EGFP) and so... more A fusion between gene encoding fluoresce-enhanced green fluorescent protein variant (EGFP) and soluble domain of human B-cell-activating factor of the TNF family (sBAFF) was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli. The EGFP/sBAFF had an apparent molecular weight of 45 kDa and was detected with anti-hsBAFF and anti-His(6) monoclonal antibodies. After being purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC), the fusion protein retained similar fluorescence spectra to those of EGFP. Biological activity assays showed the EGFP/sBAFF as well as sBAFF could co-stimulated human B lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. In addition, EGFP/sBAFF has shown specific binding to BAFF receptors positive-cells and the stained cells could be analyzed with flow cytometry. Thus, the fusion protein represents a readily obtainable source of biologically active sBAFF that may prove useful in further studies on BAFF and its receptors.

Oncotarget, Jan 30, 2014

To understand the transcriptional regulation of p73 by promoter methylation and Nrf-2 in breast c... more To understand the transcriptional regulation of p73 by promoter methylation and Nrf-2 in breast carcinogenesis, ChIP assay indicated that Nrf-2 can bind to both promoters and can activate the transcription of TAp73 and ΔNp73 in MCF-7 cell line, knockdown of Nrf-2 gene resulted in an abrogation of TAp73 and ΔNp73 expression in the cells transfected with sh-Nrf-2 as well as Nrf-2 knock out mouse model. However, we found Nrf-2 induced ΔNp73 expression was abolished with 5-aza-dC treatment, thus lead to a down-regulated ΔNp73 and an up-regulated TAp73 expression in breast cancer cells lines. Consistent with this model, we detected decreased TAp73 and increased ΔNp73 expression in breast cancer tissue, along with increased TAp73 but decreased ΔNp73 expression in corresponding surrounding noncancerous tissues (NCTs) in a breast cancer tissue assay. A significant inverse correlation was found between TAp73 and ΔNp73 expression in the above tissue-array (P = 0.047) and validated in another ...

Chinese medical journal, 2014

The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the surgical outcomes of simple discectomy... more The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the surgical outcomes of simple discectomy and instrumented posterior lumbar interbody fusion (iPLIF) in patients with lumbar disc herniation and Modic endplate changes. Our hypothesis was that iPLIF could provide better outcome for patients with refractory lumbar disc herniation and Modic changes (LDH-MC). Ninety-one patients with single-segment LDH-MC were recruited. All patients experienced low back pain as well as radicular leg pain, and low back pain was more severe than leg pain. Forty-seven patients were treated with discectomy and 44 were treated with iPLIF. The outcomes of both low back pain and radicular leg pain using visual analogue scale (VAS) as well as the clinical outcome related to low back pain using Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score were assessed before and 18 months after surgery, respectively. Both low back and leg pain were significantly improved 18 months after simple discectomy and iPLIF. Compa...

Molecular plant, Jan 9, 2015

Interventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences

Onyx has been widely adopted for the treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). However, it... more Onyx has been widely adopted for the treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). However, its control demands operators accumulate a considerable learning curve. We describe our initial experience using a novel injection method for the embolization of AVMs. We retrospectively reviewed the data of all 22 patients with brain AVMs (12 men, 10 women; age range, 12-68 years; mean age, 43.2 years) treated by the transarterial coil-augmented Onyx injection technique. The size of the AVMs ranged from 25 mm to 70 mm (average 35.6 mm). The technical feasibility of the procedure, procedure-related complications, angiographic results, and clinical outcome were evaluated. In every case, endovascular treatment (EVT) was completed. A total of 31 sessions were performed, with a mean injection volume of 6.1 mL (range, 1.5-16.0 mL). An average of 96.7% (range 85%-100%) estimated size reduction was achieved, and 18 AVMs could be completely excluded by EVT alone. The results remained stable on fol...

Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architectures (CGRAs) can achieve both high performance and flexibi... more Coarse-Grained Reconfigurable Architectures (CGRAs) can achieve both high performance and flexibility, and CGRAs with multi-array are used to meet the increasing performance requirement of multimedia applications. Meanwhile, the context size also becomes quite large, so many CGRAs use a configuration cache to reduce reconfiguration overhead. However, with high power consumption, configuration cache management is still a challenge. This paper first analyzes context features of media algorithms, and introduces the base hardware architecture. Then a configuration cache management technique is proposed to implement H.264 video decoding on the base architecture. It includes a novel configuration cache structure and a configuration cache replacement algorithm based on Context Sequence Prefetching & Priority (CSPP). The experimental results show that the proposed approach can drastically improve system performance and reduce power consumption. The average configuration cache hit rate of CS...

With the increasingly efficient streaming of multimedia standard and the computational resources ... more With the increasingly efficient streaming of multimedia standard and the computational resources in the coarse grained reconfigurable architecture (CGRA), how to provide high data throughput for the CGRA for multimedia application in real time becomes a bottleneck challenge. In this paper, a data reuse method is proposed based on the pre-parsing mechanism of MB information in advance. The pre-parsed information guides the replacement process of the data buffer. By employing the data reuse method, the required bandwidth can be reduced by nearly 50% on average and the CGRA can support 1080p@30fps video decoding at the frequency of 200MHz.

International Journal of Modern Physics B, 2009

Development of innovative techniques to produce gamma TiAl based alloys, with good mechanical pro... more Development of innovative techniques to produce gamma TiAl based alloys, with good mechanical properties, while still maintaining ultra fine grain size can be rewarding, but also is a great challenge. In the present study study a Ti-47Al-2Cr (at %) alloy has been synthesized by directly forging green powder compacts of a Ti/Al/Cr composite powder produced by high energy mechanical milling

Molecular medicine reports, Jan 29, 2015

Excessive apoptosis and high expression levels of interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) in disc cells have been ... more Excessive apoptosis and high expression levels of interleukin‑1β (IL‑1β) in disc cells have been reported to serve important roles in intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD). Previous studies investigating mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have indicated potential for their use in the treatment of IVDD. However, the therapeutic potential and anti‑apoptotic ability of MSCs remains to be fully elucidated. The present study aimed to establish an in vitro model for bone marrow‑derived MSC (BMSC) therapy by investigating the anti‑apoptotic effects, in addition to the migration of BMSCs to nucleus pulposus (NP) cells stimulated by IL‑1β. A co-culture system of BMSCs and NP cells was founded. Following inflammatory stimulation, the NP cells exhibited increased indexes for inflammation‑induced degeneration. The degenerative and apoptotic indexes were significantly reduced when NP cells were co‑cultured with BMSCs. Compared with the indirect co-culture group, the direct co-culture group exhibite...

Nature structural & molecular biology, Jan 10, 2015

The photosystem II protein PsbS has an essential role in qE-type nonphotochemical quenching, whic... more The photosystem II protein PsbS has an essential role in qE-type nonphotochemical quenching, which protects plants from photodamage under excess light conditions. qE is initiated by activation of PsbS by low pH, but the mechanism of PsbS action remains elusive. Here we report the low-pH crystal structures of PsbS from spinach in its free form and in complex with the qE inhibitor N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCCD), revealing that PsbS adopts a unique folding pattern, and, unlike other members of the light-harvesting-complex superfamily, it is a noncanonical pigment-binding protein. Structural and biochemical evidence shows that both active and inactive PsbS form homodimers in the thylakoid membranes, and DCCD binding disrupts the lumenal intermolecular hydrogen bonds of the active PsbS dimer. Activation of PsbS by low pH during qE may involve a conformational change associated with altered lumenal intermolecular interactions of the PsbS dimer.

Organic letters, Jan 23, 2015

Highly efficient and enantioselective copper(I)-catalyzed pinacolboryl addition of N-Boc-imines i... more Highly efficient and enantioselective copper(I)-catalyzed pinacolboryl addition of N-Boc-imines is reported. By using a single chiral sulfoxide-(dialkyl)phosphine (SOP) ligand, both enantiomeric isomers of α-amino boronic esters were obtained through an achiral counteranion switch.

2013 2nd IAPR Asian Conference on Pattern Recognition, 2013

ABSTRACT In this paper, we propose a novel robust and efficient minutia-based fingerprint matchin... more ABSTRACT In this paper, we propose a novel robust and efficient minutia-based fingerprint matching algorithm. There are two key contributions. First, we apply a set of global level minutia dependent features, i.e., the qualities that measure the reliabilities of the extracted minutiae and the area of overlapping regions between the query and template images of fingerprints. The implementation of these easy-to-get minutia dependent features presents coherence to the well-accepted fingerprint template standards. Besides, the reasonable combination of them results in the robustness to poor quality fingerprint images. Second, we implement a hierarchical recognition strategy, which applies a procedure of global matching that refines the local matching decision towards a genuine result over the entire images. Other than the much improved accuracy, our algorithm also promotes the efficiency, because compared with other state-of-the-art matching approaches, it does not make use of any time-consuming operations or any complex feature structures. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed method exhibits an excellent accuracy that exceeds the performances of well-known minutia based matchers. Meanwhile, the proposed algorithm presents potentials to serve a real-time fingerprint recognition system.

Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity, 2015

Nrf2 is the key transcription factor regulating the antioxidant response which is crucial for cyt... more Nrf2 is the key transcription factor regulating the antioxidant response which is crucial for cytoprotection against extracellular stresses. Numerous in vivo studies indicate that Nrf2 plays a protective role in anti-inflammatory response. 3-(3-Pyridylmethylidene)-2-indolinone (PMID) is a synthesized derivative of 2-indolinone compounds. Our previous study suggested that PMID induces the activation of Nrf2/ARE pathway, then protecting against oxidative stress-mediated cell death. However, little is known regarding the anti-inflammatory properties of PMID in severe inflammatory phenotypes. In the present study we determined if PMID treatment protects mice from dextran sodium sulphate- (DSS-) induced colitis. The result suggests that treatment with PMID prior to colitis induction significantly reduced body weight loss, shortened colon length, and decreased disease activity index compared to control mice. Histopathological analysis of the colon revealed attenuated inflammation in PMID ...

International Journal of Modern Physics B, 2009

ABSTRACT The use of thermal spray coatings provides protection to the surfaces operating in sever... more ABSTRACT The use of thermal spray coatings provides protection to the surfaces operating in severe environments. The main goal of the current work is to investigate the possibility of using a high velocity air fuel (HVAF) thermally sprayed wear resistant Ti(Al,O)/Al2O3 coating on tool steel (H13) which is used for making dies for aluminium high pressure die casting and dummy blocks aluminium extrusion. A feedstock of Ti(Al,O)/Al2O3 composite powder was produced from a mixture of Al and TiO2 powders by high energy mechanical milling, followed by a thermal reaction process. The feedstock was then thermally sprayed using a high velocity air-fuel (HVAF) technique onto H13 steel substrates to produce a composite coating. The present study describes and compares the tribological properties such as friction and sliding wear rate of the coating both at room and high temperature (700°C). The wear resistance of the coating was investigated by a tribometer using a spherical ended alumina pin as a counter body under dry and lubricating conditions. The results showed that composite coating has lower wear rate at high temperature than at room temperature without using lubricant. The composite coating was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), optical microscopy and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). This paper reports the experimental observations and discusses the wear resistance performance of the coatings at room and high temperatures.

Materials Science Forum, 2007

ABSTRACT

Chinese medical journal, 2014

Cervical disc replacement (CDR) as a substitute for traditional fusion surgery has been widely us... more Cervical disc replacement (CDR) as a substitute for traditional fusion surgery has been widely used in treating degenerative cervical disc diseases. The objectives of this study were to assess the clinical and radiological findings for patients with heterotopic ossification (HO) following CDR and to detect the risk factors of HO after CDR. A total of 125 patients with symptomatic cervical single- or double-level disc diseases, who underwent CDR procedure with Discover prosthesis in Department of Spine Surgery, Changzheng Orthopedics Hospital from March 2009 to March 2011, were enrolled in this retrospective study. Occurrence of HO was defined by the McAfee classification on cervical lateral X-rays in this study. Prosthesis vertebral ratio (PVR) was used to determine the matching degree between the cervical disc prosthesis and cervical vertebra. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the risk factors of HO. Variables evaluated for their association with HO occurrenc...

PloS one, 2014

C5 palsy is a serious but poorly understood complication after posterior cervical decompression t... more C5 palsy is a serious but poorly understood complication after posterior cervical decompression that could lead to muscle weakness, brachialgia and numbness of the upper limbs. The incidence of C5 palsy varies greatly between studies. The risk factors are inconclusive and even conflicting. To perform a systematic review on the incidence and risk factors of C5 palsy after posterior cervical decompression. Four databases, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane CENTRAL, were searched to identify eligible studies. Either a fixed- or a random-effects model was used to calculate the pooled odd ratio (RR) or standardized mean difference (SMD) with its 95% confidence interval (95%CI). Of the 589 pre-recruited studies, 25 were included in this study for systematic review. The pooled incidence of C5 palsy after posterior decompression was 5.8% (95%CI: 4.4-7.2%). The incidence after open-door laminoplasty, double-door laminoplasty and laminectomy was 4.5%, 3.1% and 11.3%, respectively. Th...

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Jan 17, 2013

Complexin, a presynaptic protein that avidly binds to assembled SNARE complexes, is widely acknow... more Complexin, a presynaptic protein that avidly binds to assembled SNARE complexes, is widely acknowledged to activate Ca(2+)-triggered exocytosis. In addition, studies of invertebrate complexin mutants and of mouse neurons with a double knockdown (DKD) of complexin-1 and -2 suggested that complexin maintains the readily releasable pool (RRP) of vesicles and clamps spontaneous exocytosis. In contrast, studies of mouse neurons with a double knockout (DKO) of complexin-1 and -2, largely carried out in hippocampal autapses, did not detect changes in the RRP size or in spontaneous exocytosis. To clarify complexin function, we here directly compared in two different preparations, cultured cortical and olfactory bulb neurons, the phenotypes of complexin DKD and DKO neurons. We find that complexin-deficient DKD and DKO neurons invariably exhibit a ~50% decrease in vesicle priming. Moreover, the DKD consistently increased spontaneous exocytosis, but the DKO did so in cortical but not olfactory...

Biochimie, 2006

A fusion between gene encoding fluoresce-enhanced green fluorescent protein variant (EGFP) and so... more A fusion between gene encoding fluoresce-enhanced green fluorescent protein variant (EGFP) and soluble domain of human B-cell-activating factor of the TNF family (sBAFF) was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli. The EGFP/sBAFF had an apparent molecular weight of 45 kDa and was detected with anti-hsBAFF and anti-His(6) monoclonal antibodies. After being purified by immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC), the fusion protein retained similar fluorescence spectra to those of EGFP. Biological activity assays showed the EGFP/sBAFF as well as sBAFF could co-stimulated human B lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. In addition, EGFP/sBAFF has shown specific binding to BAFF receptors positive-cells and the stained cells could be analyzed with flow cytometry. Thus, the fusion protein represents a readily obtainable source of biologically active sBAFF that may prove useful in further studies on BAFF and its receptors.

Oncotarget, Jan 30, 2014

To understand the transcriptional regulation of p73 by promoter methylation and Nrf-2 in breast c... more To understand the transcriptional regulation of p73 by promoter methylation and Nrf-2 in breast carcinogenesis, ChIP assay indicated that Nrf-2 can bind to both promoters and can activate the transcription of TAp73 and ΔNp73 in MCF-7 cell line, knockdown of Nrf-2 gene resulted in an abrogation of TAp73 and ΔNp73 expression in the cells transfected with sh-Nrf-2 as well as Nrf-2 knock out mouse model. However, we found Nrf-2 induced ΔNp73 expression was abolished with 5-aza-dC treatment, thus lead to a down-regulated ΔNp73 and an up-regulated TAp73 expression in breast cancer cells lines. Consistent with this model, we detected decreased TAp73 and increased ΔNp73 expression in breast cancer tissue, along with increased TAp73 but decreased ΔNp73 expression in corresponding surrounding noncancerous tissues (NCTs) in a breast cancer tissue assay. A significant inverse correlation was found between TAp73 and ΔNp73 expression in the above tissue-array (P = 0.047) and validated in another ...

Chinese medical journal, 2014

The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the surgical outcomes of simple discectomy... more The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the surgical outcomes of simple discectomy and instrumented posterior lumbar interbody fusion (iPLIF) in patients with lumbar disc herniation and Modic endplate changes. Our hypothesis was that iPLIF could provide better outcome for patients with refractory lumbar disc herniation and Modic changes (LDH-MC). Ninety-one patients with single-segment LDH-MC were recruited. All patients experienced low back pain as well as radicular leg pain, and low back pain was more severe than leg pain. Forty-seven patients were treated with discectomy and 44 were treated with iPLIF. The outcomes of both low back pain and radicular leg pain using visual analogue scale (VAS) as well as the clinical outcome related to low back pain using Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) score were assessed before and 18 months after surgery, respectively. Both low back and leg pain were significantly improved 18 months after simple discectomy and iPLIF. Compa...

Molecular plant, Jan 9, 2015

Interventional neuroradiology : journal of peritherapeutic neuroradiology, surgical procedures and related neurosciences

Onyx has been widely adopted for the treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). However, it... more Onyx has been widely adopted for the treatment of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). However, its control demands operators accumulate a considerable learning curve. We describe our initial experience using a novel injection method for the embolization of AVMs. We retrospectively reviewed the data of all 22 patients with brain AVMs (12 men, 10 women; age range, 12-68 years; mean age, 43.2 years) treated by the transarterial coil-augmented Onyx injection technique. The size of the AVMs ranged from 25 mm to 70 mm (average 35.6 mm). The technical feasibility of the procedure, procedure-related complications, angiographic results, and clinical outcome were evaluated. In every case, endovascular treatment (EVT) was completed. A total of 31 sessions were performed, with a mean injection volume of 6.1 mL (range, 1.5-16.0 mL). An average of 96.7% (range 85%-100%) estimated size reduction was achieved, and 18 AVMs could be completely excluded by EVT alone. The results remained stable on fol...