Publications by authors named "Xiancheng Zhang"
Small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) plays a pivotal role in diverse cellular processes and is implicated in diseases such as cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. However, large-scale identification of endogenous SUMO-1 faces challenges due to limited enrichment methods and its lower abundance compared to SUMO-2/3. Here we propose a novel combinatorial peptide strategy, combined with anti-adhesive polymer development, to enrich endogenous SUMO-1 modified peptides, revealing a comprehensive SUMOylation landscape.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFatigue failure is invariably the most crucial failure mode for metallic structural components. Most microstructural strategies for enhancing fatigue resistance are effective in suppressing either crack initiation or propagation, but often do not work for both synergistically. Here, we demonstrate that this challenge can be overcome by architecting a gradient structure featuring a surface layer of nacre-like nanolaminates followed by multi-variant twinned structure in pure titanium.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUmami peptides are small molecular weight oligopeptides that play a role in umami taste attributes. However, the identification of umami peptides is easily limited by environmental conditions, and the abundant source and high chromatographic separation efficiency remain difficult. Herein, we report a robust strategy based on a phage random linear heptapeptide library that targets the T1R1-Venus flytrap domain (T1R1-VFT).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLipopolysaccharide (LPS) is the primary bacterial toxin that is vital to the pathogenesis and progression of sepsis associated with extremely high morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, specific clearance of LPS from circulating blood is highly challenging because of the structural complexity and its variation between/within bacterial species. Herein, a robust strategy based on phage display screening and hemocompatible peptide bottlebrush polymer design for specific clearance of targeted LPS from circulating blood is proposed.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF. This study aims to accurately identify the effects of respiration on the hemodynamics of the human cardiovascular system, especially the cerebral circulation.: we have developed a machine learning (ML)-integrated zero-one-dimensional (0-1D) multiscale hemodynamic model combining a lumped-parameter 0D model for the peripheral vascular bed and a one-dimensional (1D) hemodynamic model for the vascular network.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSuperhydrophobic surfaces can be derived from roughening hydrophobic materials. However, the superhydrophobic surfaces with various micro/nano morphologies present variations of chemical and mechanical durability, which limits their practical applications. Very little actually is known about comparing durability and corrosion resistance of concave and convex superhydrophobic surface structures systematically.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and refractory autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation with unknown aetiology. Immune system dysfunction mediated by CD4 T lymphocytes, which is regulated by the cytokine osteopontin (OPN), plays an important role in the pathogenesis of RA.
Methods: In this study, the levels of peripheral CD4 T subsets and serum OPN in patients with active RA were measured and analysed to determine the possible pathogenesis of RA and to provide potential therapeutic targets.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable and fatal progressive neurodegenerative disorder associated with memory and cognition impairment. AD is one of the top medical care concerns across the world with a projected economic burden of $2 trillion by 2030. To date, however, there remains no effective disease-modifying therapy available.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUltrasonic surface deep rolling (USDR), oxygen boost diffusion (OBD), and their combination (USDR-OBD) were all used to improve the surface hardening of pure titanium. The microstructure, microhardness, and fatigue life of pure titanium treated by USDR, OBD, and USDR-OBD methods were analyzed. USDR treatment induced a severe deformation area, while OBD treatment produced a brittle oxygen diffusion zone.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWear-Resistant TiC Strengthening CoCrNi-Based High-Entropy Alloy Composite.
Materials (Basel)
August 2021
In order to improve the wear resistance of CoCrNi alloy, TiC was introduced into the alloy and wear-resistant CoCrNi/(TiC) composites were designed. The effects of TiC contents on the microstructure, mechanical properties, and wear resistance of CoCrNi matrix were investigated, respectively. It was found that the TiC produced dissolution and precipitation process in CoCrNi alloy, and a large number of needled and blocky TiC particles were precipitated in the composites.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThermal sprayed aluminum coatings are widely scalable to corrosion protection of the offshore steel structure. However, the corrosion rate of the Al coating increases considerably due to the severe marine environment. It has remained a challenge to improve the corrosion resistance and protective ability of Al coatings.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSenile dementia is associated with pronounced alterations in cerebral circulation. A fundamental understanding of intracranial hemodynamics and wave dynamics is essential for assessing dementia risk. Recent findings suggest that higher carotid artery wave intensity (WI) can predict future cognitive impairments in the elderly.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCopper (Cu) has been implicated in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and aggregation of Cu and amyloid β peptide (Aβ) are considered key pathological features of AD. Metal chelators are considered to be potential therapeutic agents for AD because of their capacity to reduce metal ion-induced Aβ aggregation through the regulation of metal ion distribution. Here, we used phage display technology to screen, synthesize, and evaluate a novel Cu(II)-binding peptide that specifically blocked Cu-triggered Aβ aggregation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSucrose amendment could promote ammonia assimilation and reduce nitrogen loss in sewage sludge (SS) composting, but the effects of sucrose amendment on nitrification and denitrification are still unknown that were firstly researched in present paper. Result showed that sucrose amendment reduced 33.0% of NO emission by changing the physicochemical indexes, nitrogen forms, related bacteria and functional genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAlzheimer's disease (AD) is an insidious and progressive neurodegenerative disease with few disease-modifying treatments. A variety of peptide/protein drugs have neuroprotective effects, which brings new hope for the treatment of AD. However, the application of these drugs is limited because of their low specificity and difficulty in crossing the blood-brain barrier.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHighly Strong and Solvent-Resistant Cellulose Nanocrystal Photonic Films for Optical Coatings.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces
April 2021
Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are powerful photonic building blocks for the fabrication of biosourced colored films. A combination of the advantages of self-assembled CNCs and multiple templating agents offers access to the development of novel physicochemical sensors, structural coatings, and optic devices. However, due to the inherent brittleness and water instability of CNC-derived materials, their further applications are widely questionable and restrictive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn present study, the effects of carbon sources on compost process and quality were evaluated in the lab-scale sewage sludge (SS) composting. The composting experiments were performed for 32 days in 5 L reactors. The results showed that carbon sources could change the nitrogen conversion and improve the compost quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTauopathies refer to a group of neurodegenerative disorders caused by the accumulation of insoluble hyperphosphorylated Tau protein in the brain. The inhibition and interruption of Tau aggregation are considered important strategies to ameliorate the neurodegenerative process. Previous work has shown that hexapeptide VQIVYK (PHF6) located in the repeat domain 3 of Tau protein drives Tau aggregation and itself forms a β-sheet structure similar to those of Tau-oligomers and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe present study included lab-scale sewage sludge (SS) composting amended by molasses and spent mushroom substrate (SMS) in 5 L composting reactor system. The influence of molasses and SMS amendment on nitrogen loss and humification of SS composting was evaluated. The results showed that SMS amendment, especially combination with molasses raised composting temperature, increased CO volatilization, promoted organic matter degradation, improve germination index and humification process.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFor the purpose of providing transducers for long-term monitoring of wall thinning of critical pressure equipment in corrosion or high temperature environments, the optimal design methodology for tapered waveguide units was proposed in the present study. Firstly, the feasibility of the quasi-fundamental shear horizontal (SH0*) wave propagating in the tapered waveguide units was analyzed via numerical simulations, and the transmitting limitations of the non-dispersive SH0* wave were researched. Secondly, several tapered waveguide transducers with varying cross-sections to transmit pure SH0* wave were designed according to the numerical results.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn a priori map is often unavailable for a mobile robot in a new environment. In a large-scale environment, relying on manual guidance to construct an environment map will result in a huge workload. Hence, an autonomous exploration algorithm is necessary for the mobile robot to complete the exploration actively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis thematic issue on advanced simulation tools applied to materials development and design predictions gathers selected extended papers related to power generation systems, presented at the XIX International Colloquium on Mechanical Fatigue of Metals (ICMFM XIX) organized at University of Porto, Portugal, in 2018. Guest editors express special thanks to all contributors for the success of this special issue-authors, reviewers, and journal staff.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZn2+ has been implicated in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), as amyloid-β protein (Aβ) aggregation and neurotoxicity are mediated by zinc ions. Therefore, development of metal chelators for inhibiting and regulating metal-triggered Aβ aggregation has received attention as a strategy for treating AD. Here, we used an approach based on phage display to screen for a Zn(ii)-binding peptide that specifically blocks Zn-triggered Aβ aggregation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImpact of ductus arteriosus constriction and restrictive foramen ovale on global hemodynamics for term fetuses with d-TGA.
Int J Numer Method Biomed Eng
November 2021
The ductus arteriosus (DA) constriction and restrictive foramen ovale (FO) are known as the leading cause of compromise and death of fetuses with dextro-transposition of the great arteries (d-TGA). Although the d-TGA fetal hemodynamics is of great importance in making diagnosis and management of the congenital heart defect, it remains poorly understood, particularly in terms of abnormal DA and FO. In this study, we developed a closed-loop 0-1D multiscale model of the fetal cardiovascular system (CVS) specified for the d-TGA circulation and conducted a systematic study of the impact of the DA constriction and restrictive FO on fetal hemodynamics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWhile zero- and one-dimensional multiscale modeling of the adult cardiovascular system (CVS) has been recognized as a useful tool in cardiovascular research and clinical applications, there are still not any generic cardiovascular models for a broad range of age groups. To study age-related alterations in cardiovascular parameters and hemodynamics, we here presented a versatile multiscale cardiovascular model considering the cardiovascular growth and development during aging. An adult cardiovascular model was first established by utilizing population-averaged physiological data.
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