Isolation and identification of a canine coronavirus strain from giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)

Feng-Shan Gao,Xian-zhu Xia,Yu-Wei Gao,Ya-Duo Bai,Xiao-Huan Zou,Gui-Xue Hu 대한수의학회 2009 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.10 No.3

Two giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) died of unknown causes in a Chinese zoo. The clinical disease profile suggested that the pandas may have suffered a viral infection. Therefore, a series of detection including virus isolation, electron microscopy, cytobiological assay, serum neutralization and RT-PCR were used to identify the virus. It was determined that the isolated virus was a canine coronavirus (CCV), on the basis of coronavirus, neutralization by canine anti-CCV serum, and 84.3% to 100% amino acid sequence similarity with CCV. The results suggest that the affected pandas had been infected with CCV.

Punicic Acid from Trichosanthes kirilowii Seed Oil Is Rapidly Metabolized to Conjugated Linoleic Acid in Rats

Gao-Feng Yuan,Jing-Qun Yuan,Duo Li 한국식품영양과학회 2009 Journal of medicinal food Vol.12 No.2

The incorporation and metabolism of orally administered punicic acid (PA), one isomer of conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA), in rat tissues and plasma were studied over a 24-hour period. The punic acid was derived from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seed oil, a unique PA-containing material, and identified and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results show that PA was incorporated and metabolized to 9c,11t-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in rat plasma, liver, kidney, heart, brain, and adipose tissue. The level of PA and CLA in liver and plasma was higher than in brain, heart, kidney, and adipose tissue, and the lowest accumulation occurred in the brain. The observation that PA can be converted into 9c,11t-CLA has gained increased importance since it has been demonstrated that 9c,11t-CLA exerts many biological activities. Therefore natural resources containing CLNA, especially edible T. kirilowii seed, could be a potential dietary source of CLA, following PA metabolism. PA is expected to be used as a functional food and nutraceutical.

Improvements of Metabolites Tolerance in Clostridium acetobutylicum by Micronutrient Zinc Supplementation

You-Duo Wu,Chuang Xue,Li-Jie Chen,WenJie Yuan,Feng-Wu Bai 한국생물공학회 2016 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.21 No.1

Micronutrient zinc is of great importance for acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by Clostridium acetobutylicum. The effect of zinc supplementation on toxic metabolites (formic, acetic, butyric acid and butanol) tolerance during ABE fermentation was investigated under various stress-shock conditions without pH control. Great improvements on cell growth, glucose utilization and butanol production were achieved. In the presence of 0.45 g/L formic acid, zinc contributed to 11.28 g/L butanol produced from 55.24 g/L glucose compared to only 5.27 g/L butanol from 29.49 g/L glucose in the control without zinc supplementation. More importantly, relatively higher levels of 7.5 g/L acetic acid, 5.5 g/L butyric acid and 18 g/L butanol could be tolerated by C. acetobutylicum with zinc supplementation while no fermentation was observed under the same stress-shock condition respectively, suggesting that the acids and butanol tolerance in C. acetobutylicum could be significantly facilitated by pleiotropic regulation of micronutrient zinc. Thus, this paper provides an efficient bioprocess engineering strategy for improving stress tolerance in Clostridium species.

A novel, reversible, Chinese text information hiding scheme based on lookalike traditional and simplified Chinese characters

( Bin Feng ),( Zhi-hui Wang ),( Duo Wang ),( Ching-yun Chang ),( Ming-chu Li ) 한국인터넷정보학회 2014 KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Syst Vol.8 No.1

Compared to hiding information into digital image, hiding information into digital text file requires less storage space and smaller bandwidth for data transmission, and it has obvious universality and extensiveness. However, text files have low redundancy, so it is more difficult to hide information in text files. To overcome this difficulty, Wang et al. proposed a reversible information hiding scheme using left-right and up-down representations of Chinese characters, but, when the scheme is implemented, it does not provide good visual steganographic effectiveness, and the embedding and extracting processes are too complicated to be done with reasonable effort and cost. We observed that a lot of traditional and simplified Chinese characters look somewhat the same (also called lookalike), so we utilize this feature to propose a novel information hiding scheme for hiding secret data in lookalike Chinese characters. Comparing to Wang et al.`s scheme, the proposed scheme simplifies the embedding and extracting procedures significantly and improves the effectiveness of visual steganographic images. The experimental results demonstrated the advantages of our proposed scheme.

Punicic Acid from Trichosanthes kirilowii Seed Oil Is Rapidly Metabolized to Conjugated Linoleic Acid in Rats

Yuan, Gao-Feng,Yuan, Jing-Qun,Li, Duo The Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition 2009 Journal of medicinal food Vol.12 No.2

The incorporation and metabolism of orally administered punicic acid (PA), one isomer of conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA), in rat tissues and plasma were studied over a 24-hour period. The punic acid was derived from Trichosanthes kirilowii Maxim seed oil, a unique PA-containing material, and identified and analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results show that PA was incorporated and metabolized to 9c,11t-conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) in rat plasma, liver, kidney, heart, brain, and adipose tissue. The level of PA and CLA in liver and plasma was higher than in brain, heart, kidney, and adipose tissue, and the lowest accumulation occurred in the brain. The observation that PA can be converted into 9c,11t-CLA has gained increased importance since it has been demonstrated that 9c,11t-CLA exerts many biological activities. Therefore natural resources containing CLNA, especially edible T. kirilowii seed, could be a potential dietary source of CLA, following PA metabolism. PA is expected to be used as a functional food and nutraceutical.

Direct bandgap type-I Ge quantum dots/GeSnSi for SWIR and MWIR lasers

Liyao Zhang,Peng Yu,Shuang Yao,Duo Feng,Jinmeng Dai 대한금속·재료학회 2022 ELECTRONIC MATERIALS LETTERS Vol.18 No.1

A direct bandgap type-I Ge QDs/Ge1−y−zSnySiz double-heterostructure on Ge1−xSnx virtual substrates is proposed for SWIRand MWIR lasers. The Ge1−y−zSnySiz barrier is lattice-matched to Ge1−xSnx. The band structures are calculated with differentto Sn contents in Ge1−y−zSnySiz and Ge1−xSnx. The band edge energies of Ge QDs vary linearly with x, and independent withy. The Γ-valley is below L-valley when x exceeds 7.5%. The ground states of electrons of Γ- and L-conduction band varieswith both x and y. High x and y can increase the conduction band offsets and decrease the valence band offsets. Emissionwavelengths range from 1.91 to 4.6 μm are achieved from the proposed structure with proper Sn contents.

Inhibition of Nemo-like Kinase Increases Taxol Sensitivity in Laryngeal Cancer

Dong, Ji-Rui,Guo, Nan,Zhao, Jian-Pu,Liu, Pin-Duo,Feng, Hui-Hong,Li, Yan Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.12

Several studies have shown that nemo-like kinase (NLK) plays a vital role in apoptosis of cancer cells. The present research concerned effects and mechanisms of Taxol on NLK knockdown human laryngeal cancerHep-2 cell lines in vitro. Using RNAi, methyl-thiazoltetrazolium (MTT) assays, real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting and flow cytometry analysis, growth and the cell cycle progression of NLK knockdown Hep-2 cells and expression of downstream molecules were observed. Cell growth was obviously suppressed in the Taxol treated group (P<0.001, 48 hours). Cell numbers of combined Taxol-based chemotherapy with lentivirus mediated RNAi treatment group (Lv-shNLK+Taxol goup) were significantly different from NLK-specific siRNA lentivirus infected group (Lv-shNLK group) (p<0.001). Flow cytometry analysis revealed that Lv-shNLK+Taxol caused the G0/G1-phase DNA content to decrease from 44.1 to 3.33% (p<0.001) and the S-phase DNA content to increase from 38.4 to 82.0% (p<0.001), in comparison with the Lv-shNLK+Taxol group. Immunoblot analysis showed that knockdown of NLK led to significant reduction in the levels of cyclin D1, PCNA and PARP, whereas cyclin B1 was elevated in. Cell growth was also obviously suppressed in the Hep-2 cell line, knockdown of NLK making them more sensitive to Taxol treatment. NLK is expected to become a target of new laryngeal cancer gene therapies.

HPV16 CTL Epitope Peptide-activated Dendritic Cell and Natural Killer Co-culture for Therapy of Cervical Cancer in an Animal Model

Hu, Yan-Xia,Li, Min,Jia, Xiao-Hui,Du, Qu-Xiao,Miao, Feng-Tai,Yao, Li,Shen, Ji-Duo Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.12

There is increasing evidence that natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in antitumor immunity following dendritic cell (DC) vaccination. Little is known, however, about the optimal stimulation of DCs by epitopes and NK interactions for cytotoxicity in tumors. In this study, DC cells activated by the HPV16E7.49-57 epitope and LPS were co-cultured with NK cells in vitro, and then used ot immunize mice to study CTL activity of TC-1, which constitutively expresses HPV16E6E7, with an LDH release assay. Cytotoxicity in mice immunized with DC loaded with epitope HPVE7.49-57 vaccine co-cultured with NK was enhanced significantly (p<0.01). In conclusion, talk-across between DC and NK cells enhances their functions, also improving cytotoxicity againsttumor cells, suggesting that activated DC-NK by epitopes has potential application for cancer-specific immuno-cellular therapy.

CADMIUM TELLURIDE NANOCRYSTALS: SYNTHESIS, GROWTH MODE AND EFFECT OF REACTION TEMPERATURE ON CRYSTAL STRUCTURES

XIAO-YING QI,KAN-YI PU,QU-LI FAN,DUO-FENG TANG,GUI-AN WEN,FREDDY Y. C. BOEY,LIAN-HUI WANG,WEI HUANG,HUA ZHANG 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2008 NANO Vol.3 No.2

A series of cadmium telluride (CdTe) nanocrystals were synthesized by a modified organometallic synthesis method at various reaction temperatures ranging from 130 to 250°C. In this method, octadecylamine (ODA) was introduced as an additional coordinating component to the mixture of trioctylphosphine oxide (TOPO) and trioctylphosphine (TOP). CdO was used as a precursor. The prepared CdTe nanocrystals were studied by the absorption and emission spectra as well as the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns. The result shows that besides the traditional continuous-growth mode observed frequently at relatively high reaction temperature, a discontinuous-growth mode was confirmed at the initial growth stage of CdTe nanocrystals, arising from the change of the absorption spectra of CdTe nanocrystals with the reaction time at relatively low reaction temperature. The structures of CdTe nanocrystals, e.g., the cubic zinc blende structure at 160°C and the hexagonalwurtzite structure at 250°C, were characterized by XRD.

Salivary Pepsin as an Intrinsic Marker for Diagnosis of Sub-types of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease-related Disorders

( Yan-jun Wang ),( Xiu-qiong Lang ),( Dan Wu ),( Yu-qin He ),( Chun-hui Lan ),( Xiao-xiao ),( Bin Wang ),( Duo-wu Zou ),( Ji-min Wu ),( Yong-bin Zhao ),( Peter W Dettmar ),( Dong-feng Chen ),( Min Yan 대한소화기 기능성질환·운동학회 2020 Journal of Neurogastroenterology and Motility (JNM Vol.26 No.1

Background/Aims To determine the value of salivary pepsin in discriminating sub-types of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and GERD-related disorders. Methods Overall, 322 patients with different sub-types of GERD and 45 healthy controls (HC) were studied. All patients took Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease Questionnaire (GerdQ) and underwent endoscopy and 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring and manometry. Salivary pepsin concentration (SPC) was detected by using colloidal gold double-antibody immunological sandwich assay. Oral esomeprazole treatment was administrated in the patients with non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) and extra-esophageal symptoms (EES). Results Compared to HC, patients with erosive esophagitis, NERD, EES, EES plus typical GERD symptoms, or Barrett’s esophagus had a higher prevalence of saliva and SPC (all P < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the positive rate for pepsin in patients with functional heartburn or GERD with anxiety and depression, compared to HC. After esomeprazole treatment, the positive rate and SPC were significantly reduced in NERD (both P < 0.001) and in EES (P = 0.001 and P = 0.002, respectively). Of the 64 NERD patients, 71.9% (n = 46) were positive for salivary pepsin, which was significantly higher than the rate (43.8%, n = 28) of pathological acid reflux as detected by 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring (P = 0.002). Conclusions Salivary pepsin has an important significance for the diagnosis of GERD and GERD-related disorders. Salivary pepsin and 24-hour esophageal pH monitoring may complement with each other to improve the diagnostic efficiency.