Comparative Phylogenetic Relationships and Genetic Structure of the Caterpillar Fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis and Its Host Insects Inferred from Multiple Gene Sequences

Qing-Mei Quan,Qing-Xia Wang,Xue-Li Zhou,Shan Li,Xiao-Ling Yang,Yun-Guo Zhu,Zhou Cheng 한국미생물학회 2014 The journal of microbiology Vol.52 No.2

Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Ascomycota: Ophiocordycipitaceae)is a native fungal parasite of Hepialidae caterpillars and oneof the most economically important medicinal caterpillarfungi in China. However, little is known about the phylogeneticand evolutionary relationships between O. sinensis andits host insects. In this study, nuclear ITS and β-tubulin sequencesfrom O. sinensis and mitochondrial COI, COII, andCytb sequences from its hosts were analyzed across 33 populationssampled from five regions in China. Phylogenetically,both O. sinensis and its hosts were divided into three geographicallycorrelated clades, and their phylogenies were congruent. Analysis of molecular variance and calculated coefficientsof genetic differentiation revealed significant geneticdivergence among the clades within both O. sinensis (FST=0.878, NST=0.842) and its hosts (FST=0.861, NST=0.816). Estimatedgene flow was very low for O. sinensis (Nm=0.04) andthe host insects (Nm=0.04) among these three clades. Manteltests demonstrated a significant correlation (P<0.01) betweenthe genetic distances for O. sinensis and its hosts, as well as asignificant association (P<0.05) between geographic and geneticdistances in both. The similar phylogenetic relationships,geographic distributions, and genetic structure and differentiationbetween O. sinensis and its hosts imply that they have coevolved.

Gonadotropins Improve Porcine Oocyte Maturation and Embryo Development through Regulation of Maternal Gene Expression

Qing-Ling Wang,Ming-Hui Zhao,Yong-Xun Jin,Nam-Hyung Kim,Xiang-Shun Cui 韓國受精卵移植學會 2013 한국동물생명공학회지 Vol.28 No.4

The present study assessed the effect of FSH and LH on oocyte meiotic, cytoplasmic maturation and on the expression level and polyadenylation status of several maternal genes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in the presence of FSH, LH, or the combination of FSH and LH. Significant cumulus expansion and nuclear maturation was observed upon exposure to FSH alone and to the combination of FSH and LH. The combination of FSH and LH during entire IVM increased the mRNA level of four maternal genes, C-mos, Cyclin B1, Gdf9 and Bmp15, at 28 h. Supplemented with FSH or LH significantly enhanced the polyadenylation of Gdf9 and Bmp15; and altered the expression level of Gdf9 and Bmp15. Following parthenogenesis, the exposure of oocytes to combination of FSH and LH during IVM significantly increased cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rate and total cell number, and decreased apoptosis. In addition, FSH and LH down-regulated the autophagy gene Atg6 and upregulated the apoptosis gene Bcl-xL at the mRNA level in blastocysts. These data suggest that the FSH and LH enhance meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation, possibly through the regulation of maternal gene expression and polyadenylation. Overall, we show here that FSH and LH inhibit apoptosis and autophagy and improve parthenogenetic embryo competence and development.

Performance Evaluation of Multi-Hop Communication Based on a Mobile Multi-Robot System in a Subterranean Laneway

Qing Ling Liu,Duk Hwan Oh 한국정보처리학회 2012 Journal of information processing systems Vol.8 No.3

Distributed Decision-Making in Wireless Sensor Networks for Online Structural Health Monitoring

Ling, Qing,Tian, Zhi,Li, Yue The Korea Institute of Information and Commucation 2009 Journal of communications and networks Vol.11 No.4

In a wireless sensor network (WSN) setting, this paper presents a distributed decision-making framework and illustrates its application in an online structural health monitoring (SHM) system. The objective is to recover a damage severity vector, which identifies, localizes, and quantifies damages in a structure, via distributive and collaborative decision-making among wireless sensors. Observing the fact that damages are generally scarce in a structure, this paper develops a nonlinear 0-norm minimization formulation to recover the sparse damage severity vector, then relaxes it to a linear and distributively tractable one. An optimal algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) and a heuristic distributed linear programming (DLP) algorithm are proposed to estimate the damage severity vector distributively. By limiting sensors to exchange information among neighboring sensors, the distributed decision-making algorithms reduce communication costs, thus alleviate the channel interference and prolong the network lifetime. Simulation results in monitoring a steel frame structure prove the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.

Inhibition of Poly(I:C)-Induced Inflammation by Salvianolic Acid A in Skin Keratinocytes

( Qing-ling Zhang ),( Ri-hua Jiang ),( Xue Mei Li ),( Jung-woo Ko ),( Chang Deok Kim ),( Ming Ji Zhu ),( Jeung-hoon Lee ) 대한피부과학회 2019 Annals of Dermatology Vol.31 No.3

Background: Skin keratinocytes participate actively in inducing immune responses when external pathogens are introduced, thereby contributing to elimination of pathogens. However, in condition where the excessive inflammation is occurred, chronic skin disease such as psoriasis can be provoked. Objective: We tried to screen the putative therapeutics for inflammatory skin disease, and found that salvianolic acid A (SAA) has an inhibitory effect on keratinocyte inflammatory reaction. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the effects of SAA in poly(I:C)-induced inflammatory reaction in skin keratinocytes. Methods: We pre-treated keratinocytes with SAA then stimulated with poly(I:C). Inflammatory reaction of keratinocytes was verified using real-time polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot. Results: When skin keratinocytes were pre-treated with SAA, it significantly inhibited poly (I:C)-induced expression of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-α, and CCL20. SAA inhibited poly(I:C)-induced activation of nuclear factor-κB signaling. And SAA also inhibited inflammasome activation, evidenced by decrease of IL-1β secretion. Finally, SAA markedly inhibited poly(I:C)-induced NLRP3 expression. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that SAA has an inhibitory effect on poly(I:C)-induced inflammatory reaction of keratinocytes, suggesting that SAA can be developed for the treatment of inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis. (Ann Dermatol 31(3) 279∼285, 2019)

SMYD3-associated pathway is involved in the anti-tumor effects of sulforaphane on gastric carcinoma cells

Qing-Qing Dong,Qiu-Tong Wang,Lei Wang,Ya-Xin Jiang,Mei-Ling Liu,Hai-Jie Hu,Yong Liu,Hao Zhou,Hong-Peng He,Tong-Cun Zhang,Xuegang Luo 한국식품과학회 2018 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.27 No.4

Sulforaphane (SFN), a natural compound derived from cruciferous vegetables, has been proved to possess potent anti-cancer activity. SMYD3 is a histone methyltransferase which is closely related to the proliferation and migration of cancer cells. This study showed that SFN could dose-dependently induce cell cycle arrest, stimulate apoptosis, and inhibit proliferation and migration of gastric carcinoma cells. Accompanied with these anticancer effects, SMYD3 and its downstream genes, myosin regulatory light chain 9, and cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61, was downregulated by SFN. Furthermore, overexpression of SMYD3 via transfection could abolish the effects of SFN, suggesting that SMYD3 might be an important mediator of SFN. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the role of SMYD3 in the anti-cancer of SFN. These findings might throw light on the development of novel anti-cancer drugs and functional food using SFN-rich cruciferous vegetables.

Distributed Decision-Making in Wireless Sensor Networks for Online Structural Health Monitoring

Qing Ling,Zhi Tian,Yue Li 한국통신학회 2009 Journal of communications and networks Vol.11 No.4

In a wireless sensor network (WSN) setting, this paper presents a distributed decision-making framework and illustrates its application in an online structural health monitoring (SHM) system. The objective is to recover a damage severity vector, which identifies, localizes, and quantifies damages in a structure, via distributive and collaborative decision-making among wireless sensors. Observing the fact that damages are generally scarce in a structure, this paper develops a nonlinear 0-norm minimization formulation to recover the sparse damage severity vector, then relaxes it to a linear and distributively tractable one. An optimal algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) and a heuristic distributed linear programming (DLP) algorithm are proposed to estimate the damage severity vector distributively. By limiting sensors to exchange information among neighboring sensors, the distributed decision-making algorithms reduce communication costs, thus alleviate the channel interference and prolong the network lifetime. Simulation results in monitoring a steel frame structure prove the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.

An Innovation Path of Catch-up by Semiconductor Latecomers: The Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation Case

Qing, Lingli,Ma, Xiang,Zhang, Xuming,Chun, Dongphil Institute of Management Research 2022 Journal of East Asia Management Vol.3 No.2

Exploring innovations for latecomers to catch up has been a popular concern in industry and academia. Over the last decade, more and more East Asian latecomer firms have moved beyond imitation and are delivering innovative products and services to the market. However, the semiconductor latecomers from China have limited success in catching up with more mature semiconductor firms. Our study examines how semiconductor latecomers to break through the latecomer's dilemma by innovation and achieve catch-up. We use a single-case approach for the Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (SMIC) vertical development process to analysis its innovation path of catching up. The study's results showed that SMIC relied on the government's policy and funding support, and based on the strategic endurance of entrepreneurs, it persisted in technology R&D investment and independent innovation for 20 years. SMIC finally smashed the dilemma of latecomers and successfully achieved catch-up. With these findings, we believe that the path of catching up innovation for semiconductor latecomers should be equipped with independent innovation of technology, strategic leadership of entrepreneurs and support of government policies. As these factors are combined, latecomer firms' position is expected to rise and catch-up will become visible. Our study contributes to some enlightenment on the innovation path for latecomers in China and global semiconductors to achieve their catch-up.

Doxorubicin Induces Early Embryo Apoptosis by PARP in Mice

Qing-Ling Wang,Shao-Chen Sun,Sung-Hyun Lee,Xiang-Shun Cui,Nam-Hyung Kim 한국동물번식학회 2012 Reproductive & Developmental Biology(Supplement) Vol.36 No.2s

Doxorubicin, a widely used chemotherapeutic agent, were found rapidly undergo morphological and biochemical changes via discrete effector signaling pathways consistent with the occurrence of apoptosis of oocyte. In this report, we elucidated the molecular requirements for actions of this drug in early embryos. Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a DNA repair enzyme, and its homologues have recently been shown in female oocyte cells. However, the cleavage of PARP by caspase-3 inactivates it and inhibits PARP's DNA-repairing abilities. Cleaved PARP (cPARP) may be considered a marker of apoptosis. Doxorubicin inhibited the early embryo development, but the treatment could still reach the BL (blastocyst) stage that suggested that involved in DNA synthesis and repaired progress. Herein, the higher expression of PARP family shown especially in 2, 4 cell stagy. There was evidence of expression of Caspase3 and Bcl2l1 during embryogenesis (2 cell, 4 cell, morula and BL stage), suggesting that modulations of apoptosis-related genes and PARP were cause by DXR. Furthermore, the effect of doxorubicin on early embryo development was assessed different stage rates, and apoptosis index also conformed doxorubicin modulate embryo development by regulating apoptosis-related genes and PARP family genes. In conclusion, Doxorubicin blocked pre-implantation development in early mouse embryos by altering apoptosis-related gene expression and inactivating DNA repair by Parp.

The Participation of BMP15 and GDF9 Signaling Pathways in Mediating Porcine Oocyte Maturation In Vitro

Qing-Ling Wang,Shao-Chen Sun,Xing-Wei Liang,Sung-Hyun Lee,Nam-Hyung Kim,Xiang-Shun Cui 한국동물번식학회 2012 Reproductive & Developmental Biology(Supplement) Vol.36 No.2s

It is well established that mammalian cumulus cell (CC) expansion requires BMP15 (bone morphogenetic protein bone morphogenetic protein 15) and GDF9 (growth differentiation factor 9). However, the mechanisms of the factors in CC expansion are largely unclear. This study was conducted to examine the two paracrine factors and their receptor SMAD intracellular signaling mechanism of mediating porcine CC expansion and oocyte maturation, and to compare COCs (Cumulus-oocyte complexes) maturation to DOs (Denuded oocytes). COCs and DOs were in vitro matured in medium with FSH, LH and TGFB superfamily antagonists. Our results showed that the expansion of COCs was unaffected by addition of GDF9 and BMP15 recombinant protein, but cumulus cell proliferation and DOs maturation rate were enhanced. The mRNA expressions of SMAD receptor confirmed that oocytes secreted factors that activate SMAD3,4 and SMAD1 in granulosa cells and oocytes, but unaffected SMAD2. Treatment of COCs with a SMAD2/3 phosphorylation inhibitor (SB431542) inhibited CC expansion and expression of TNFAIP6. SB431542 also was revealed to inhibit DOs maturation. The activation of CC SMAD signaling by oocytes, and the requirement of SMAD2/3 signaling for expansion and oocyte maturation were studied in pig. Nonetheless, porcine oocyte maturation without SMAD2/3 signaling is likely to be needed for optimal matrix formation, but also BMP15 and GDF9 is likely to be needed in oocyte.