Correlations among Six Hormone-Induced Transcription Factors and the Alcohol Acyltransferase Gene in Apple

Qing-Qing Li,JIN SHENG,Pengcheng Li,Dapeng Li,Cheng-Chao Zheng,Dequan Li,Huairui Shu 한국식물학회 2012 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.55 No.4

Alcohol acyltransferase (AAT) plays an important role in ester biogenesis in ripening fruit. In apple, MdAAT2 is up-regulated in response to treatment with defense-related hormones. We cloned a novel MdAAT2 promoter via thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (TAIL-PCR). Sequence analysis indicated the presence of salicylic acid (SA)- and methyl jasmonate (MeJA)-responsive elements in the promoter region. To examine further the operational mechanism for transcription factors (TFs) in regulating expression of the MdAAT2 promoter, we isolated and investigated six potential stress-induced TFs -- MdMYB1, MdMYB2, MdMYB6,MdERF1, MdERF2, and WRKY. These were monitored during various stages of fruit development as well as under several hormonal treatments. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed that all of these TF genes, as well as MdAAT2, were detectable in the stigmas. Levels of expression by MdMYB1, MdMYB2, and MdERF1were significantly correlated with that by MdAAT2 during fruit ontogeny. Moreover, transcription of three TFs (MdMYB1,MdMYB6, and MdERF1) was significantly correlated with that of MdAAT2 upon exposure to ethephon, SA, or MeJA. Sequence analysis demonstrated that CAAT, CCAAT elements,and several MYB transcription factor binding sites (CNGTTmotif,AACCA, and CTAACCA elements) existed in the MdAAT2 promoter region. Using that analysis, we performed modeling of MdMYB1 and MdMYB6 based on PROTEINDNA complex1 and complex3 (PDB Accession Numbers 1H88 and 1H8A). There, similarities were found with the protein complex of CAAT or CCAAT consensus sequences. Thus, we propose that two TFs -- MdMYB1 and MdMYB6-- are directly or indirectly involved in the activation of MdAAT2 expression in apple fruit.

Strength and Deformation Characteristics of Calcareous Sands Improved by PFA

Qing-Sheng Chen,Wan Peng,Gao-LiangTao,Sanjay Nimbalkar 대한토목학회 2021 KSCE JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.25 No.1

Calcareous sand is widely distributed in the islands of the South China Sea, which could be promisingly used as the construction materials. However, particle breakage commonly occurs in calcareous sands, which may significantly influence their mechanical characteristics. To address these issues, an eco-friendly agent, i.e., polyurethane foam adhesive (PFA) is proposed to improve the engineering properties of calcareous sands, compared to the commonly used alkaline stabilizing agents (e.g., lime, cement). The objective of this work is to examine the effectiveness of using PFA in improving the strength-deformation properties of calcareous sand. A series of laboratory tests including direct shear tests, unconfined compression tests, and oedometer tests were performed on the calcareous sands improved by PFA. In addition, A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was conducted to reveal microstructural analysis of using PFA for calcareous sand. The experimental results provided insights into the shear strength, deformation modulus, as well as the micro-structural characteristics of improved calcareous sands with various PFA contents and particle size distributions.

Influence of Guide Vane Number on the Internal Flow of Francis Hydro Turbine Model

Qing-Sheng Wei,Young-Do Choi 한국마린엔지니어링학회 2012 한국마린엔지니어링학회 학술대회 논문집 Vol.2012 No.10

폴리프로필렌/폴리아미드 엘라스토머 블렌드

Qing Sheng Liu,Yan Xu,Hong Xia Zhang,Yu Hao Li,Bing Yao Deng 한국고분자학회 2014 폴리머 Vol.38 No.5

The polypropylene/polyamide elastomer (PP/PAE) blends were prepared by melt mixing. PP and PAE in PP/PAE were immiscible completely. The size of PAE domains was large and the clear gap in the interface between PP and PAE existed, which did not meet the conditions enhancing toughness of polymers by elastomer. Therefore, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MP) was used to improve the miscibility between PP and PAE. The miscibility between PP and PAE was improved and the size of dispersed phase PAE decreased by introducing MP. The crystallization of PP became easier by introducing PAE as a nucleating agent. With the increase of PAE content, the melt-crystallization temperatures of PP components in PP/PAE/MP blends increased gradually. The melt-crystallization of the polytetramethyleneoxide segment of PAE component in PP/PAE blends were hampered by PP component. In addition, PAE can enhance significantly the toughness of PP, and the tensile strength and modulus did not decrease.

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Are Associated with Viral Persistence and Downregulation of TCRζ Chain Expression on CD8+ T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Qing-Lei Zeng,Bin Yang,Hong-Qi Sun,Guo-Hua Feng,Lei Jin,Zheng-Sheng Zou,Zheng Zhang,Ji-Yuan Zhang,Fu-Sheng Wang 한국분자세포생물학회 2014 Molecules and cells Vol.37 No.1

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an important role in impairing the function of T cells. We characterized MDSCs in two chronic hepatitis C (CHC) cohorts: a cross-sectional group that included 61 treatment-naive patients with CHC, 14 rapid virologic response (RVR) cases and 22 early virologic response (EVR) cases; and a longitudinal group of 13 cases of RVR and 10 cases of EVR after pegylated-interferon-α/ribavirin treatment for genotype 1b HCV infection. Liver samples from 32 CHC patients and six healthy controls were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis. MDSCs frequency in treatmentnaive CHC was significantly higher than in RVR, EVR, or healthy subjects and was positively correlated with HCV RNA. Patients infected with HCV genotype 2a had a significantly higher frequency of MDSCs than those infected with genotype 1b. Decreased T cell receptor (TCR) ζ expression on CD8+ T cells was significantly associated with an increased frequency of MDSCs in treatment-naive CHC patients and was restored by L-arginine treatment in vitro. Increased numbers of liver arginase-1+ cells were closely associated with the histological activity index in CHC. The TCR ζ chain was significantly downregulated on hepatic CD8+ T cells in CHC. During antiviral follow up, MDSCs frequency in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was directly correlated with the HCV RNA load in the plasma and inversely correlated with TCR ζ chain expression in CD8+ T cells in both RVR and EVR cases. Notably, the RVR group had a higher frequency of MDSCs at baseline than the EVR group. Collectively, this study provides evidence that MDSCs might be associated with HCV persistence and downregulation of CD8 ζ chain expression.

A review on Fluorides Uptake Characters of Tea Plant (Camellia sinensis L.)

Qing-Sheng Li,Yue-Rong Liang 한국차학회 2015 한국차학회지 Vol.- No.S

Tea plants accumulate large amounts of fluoride while the mechanism of F uptake by tea plants is still unclear. The objectives of this study are, therefore, to summarize recent researches about F uptake characters of tea plants especially pH, Al, Ca, anion channel blockers and metabolism inhibitors influences. Al facilitating F uptake by tea plants might have occurred mainly in the processes of uptake and been less likely during the translocation from roots to shoots. And it was convinced that the concentration of F in tealeaves reached maximum, when soil pH came to 5.5. Meanwhile Ca was important for the stabilization of plant cell walls and membranes. Reasonably, the reduced F uptake by tea plants was possibly related to a decreased passage of F as the properties of the cell wall or membrane permeability were altered considerably by Ca addition. Also the uptake of F by roots of accumulator tea plants was likely an active process and energy dependent and probably through a kind of anion transport system.

Corrosion Resistance and Compressive Strength of Cemented Soil Mixed with Nano-Silica in Simulated Seawater Environment

Qing-Sheng Chen,Hongyu Zhang,Jianjun Ye,Gao-LiangTao,Sanjay Nimbalkar 대한토목학회 2023 KSCE Journal of Civil Engineering Vol.27 No.4

Cemented soil structures are frequently exposed to the corrosive environment of seawater for an extended period, severely affecting their interior structure and mechanical qualities. This study presents laboratory-based approach to investigate the effect of nano-SiO2 on the structural and mechanical properties of cemented soil in a simulated seawater environment. The unconfined compressive strength (UCS), elastic modulus and other mechanical properties of cemented soil mixed with nano-SiO2 and ordinary silicate cemented soil were evaluated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to deduce the crystalline composition and microstructure characteristics of the modified cemented soil. The results show that the addition of nano-SiO2 greatly increased the compressive strength and corrosion resistance of the cemented soil. In a 3C (105% salinity) simulated saltwater curing environment, the compressive strength of the cemented soil containing 2% nano-SiO2increased by 86% and 158% at 30days and 60days, respectively. XRD and SEM showed that nano-SiO2 enhanced the interface structure of cemented soil and increased the compactness of the cement-soil system. The current study demonstrates that nano-SiO2 could considerably improve the mechanical characteristics and corrosion resistance of cemented soil when exposed to simulated seawater.

Comparative Study between ZOOMit and Conventional Intravoxel Incoherent Motion MRI for Assessing Parotid Gland Abnormalities in Patients with Early- or Mid-Stage Sjögren’s Syndrome

Zhou Qing-Qing,Zhang Wei,Yu Yu-Sheng,Li Hong-Yan,Wei Liang,Li Xue-Song,He Zhen-Zhen,Zhang Hong 대한영상의학회 2022 Korean Journal of Radiology Vol.23 No.4

Objective: To compare the reproducibility and performance of quantitative metrics between ZOOMit and conventional intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the diagnosis of early- and mid-stage Sjögren’s syndrome (SS). Materials and Methods: Twenty-two patients (mean age ± standard deviation, 52.0 ± 10.8 years; male:female, 2:20) with early- or mid-stage SS and 20 healthy controls (46.9 ± 14.6 years; male:female, 7:13) were prospectively enrolled in our study. ZOOMit IVIM and conventional IVIM MRI were performed simultaneously in all individuals using a 3T scanner. Quantitative IVIM parameters - including tissue diffusivity (D), pseudodiffusion coefficient (D*), and perfusion fraction (f) - inter- and intra-observer reproducibility in measuring these parameters, and their ability to distinguish patients with SS from healthy individuals were assessed and compared between ZOOMit IVIM and conventional IVIM methods, appropriately. MR gland nodular grade (MRG) was also examined. Results: Inter- and intra-observer reproducibility was better with ZOOMit imaging than with conventional IVIM imaging (ZOOMit vs. conventional, intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.897–0.941 vs. 0.667–0.782 for inter-observer reproducibility and 0.891–0.968 vs. 0.814–0.853 for intra-observer reproducibility). Significant differences in ZOOMit f, ZOOMit D*, conventional D*, and MRG between patients with SS and healthy individuals (all p < 0.05) were observed. ZOOMit D* outperformed conventional D* in diagnosing early- and mid-stage SS (area under receiver operating curve, 0.867 and 0.658, respectively; p = 0.002). The combination of ZOOMit D*, MRG, and ZOOMit f as a new diagnostic index for SS, increased diagnostic area under the curve to 0.961, which was higher than that of any single parameter (all p < 0.01). Conclusion: Considering its better reproducibility and performance, ZOOMit IVIM may be preferred over conventional IVIM MRI, and may subsequently improve the ability to diagnose early- and mid-stage SS.

A Study on the Role of China"s Local Government in the Marine Environmental Protection

Ma, Sheng-Qing(마승청),Kim, Sang-Goo(김상구) 한국해양대학교 국제해양문제연구소 2015 해항도시문화교섭학 Vol.0 No.12

인류의 생존환경은 해양에 의해 큰 영향을 받는 결과, 이제는 인류의 생존은 해양에 달려 있다고들 단언하고 있다. 인류의 생존을 위한 해양자원 개발은 모든 국가의 전략에 포함되어 있고, 개발에 따른 해양환경 오염사고들도 빈번히 발생하고 있다. 개별 국가의 해양환경 보호시스템은 점점 더 많은 문제점들에 노출하게 되었고, 이 결과 세계적인 해양환경 문제들이 갈수록 심각해짐에 따라 해양환경보호 사안들은 각 국가 뿐만 아니라, 세계적인 공동의제로 논의되고 있다. 환경보호를 위한 아젠다 21에 따라 지방정부도 해양환경에 대해 더 많은 관심을 가지게 되었고, 해양환경 보호를 위한 다양한 프로그램들을 활발히 시행하기 시작했다. 그러나 현재 시행되고 있는 해양환경보호 및 관리는 중앙정부에서 담당함에 따라 최근까지도 지방정부는 그들의 능력을 충분히 발휘할 수 없었다. 따라서 지방정부의 해양환경보호에 대한 법률적 권한을 강화하는 것은 확실히 중요하다고 할 수 있겠다. 이러한 관점에서 본 논문은 중국 산동반도 녹색경제구역에 관한 사례를 가지고서 다양한 관점에서 해양환경보호 문제점들에 대하여 분석을 실시하였다. 그리고 해양환경보호와 관련 있는 문제점들을 해결하기 위한 대안으로 지방정부의 권한 강화 방안들을 제시하였다. Human survival depends on the marine, the human living environment is affected by marine. Marine resources development into national strategies, marine environmental pollution incidents often occur, the marine environmental protection system is increasingly exposed many problems. With the global marine environmental problems become increasingly serious, marine environment protection issues were put on the national agenda. The local government has paid more and more attention, and started to actively implement various programmes. But existing marine environmental protection and management are the central government to undertake, local government so far has not played its role. Local government as marine environmental protection law enforcement main body, strengthening and perfecting legal responsibility is very important. In this case, this paper with Blue Shandong Peninsula Economic Zone(山東半島藍色經濟區) as an example, from the angle of sustainable development to study the problems of marine environmental protection. In order to solve the problems related to marine environmental protection, put forward the corresponding countermeasures and suggestions.

Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Are Associated with Viral Persistence and Downregulation of TCR ζ Chain Expression on CD8⁺ T Cells in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients

Zeng, Qing-Lei,Yang, Bin,Sun, Hong-Qi,Feng, Guo-Hua,Jin, Lei,Zou, Zheng-Sheng,Zhang, Zheng,Zhang, Ji-Yuan,Wang, Fu-Sheng Korean Society for Molecular and Cellular Biology 2014 Molecules and cells Vol.37 No.1

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play an important role in impairing the function of T cells. We characterized MDSCs in two chronic hepatitis C (CHC) cohorts: a cross-sectional group that included 61 treatment-naive patients with CHC, 14 rapid virologic response (RVR) cases and 22 early virologic response (EVR) cases; and a longitudinal group of 13 cases of RVR and 10 cases of EVR after pegylated-interferon-${\alpha}$/ribavirin treatment for genotype 1b HCV infection. Liver samples from 32 CHC patients and six healthy controls were subjected to immunohistochemical analysis. MDSCs frequency in treatment-naive CHC was significantly higher than in RVR, EVR, or healthy subjects and was positively correlated with HCV RNA. Patients infected with HCV genotype 2a had a significantly higher frequency of MDSCs than those infected with genotype 1b. Decreased T cell receptor (TCR) ${\zeta}$ expression on $CD8^+$ T cells was significantly associated with an increased frequency of MDSCs in treatment-naive CHC patients and was restored by L-arginine treatment in vitro. Increased numbers of liver arginase-$1^+$ cells were closely associated with the histological activity index in CHC. The TCR ${\zeta}$ chain was significantly downregulated on hepatic $CD8^+$ T cells in CHC. During antiviral follow up, MDSCs frequency in peripheral blood mononuclear cells was directly correlated with the HCV RNA load in the plasma and inversely correlated with TCR ${\zeta}$ chain expression in $CD8^+$ T cells in both RVR and EVR cases. Notably, the RVR group had a higher frequency of MDSCs at baseline than the EVR group. Collectively, this study provides evidence that MDSCs might be associated with HCV persistence and downregulation of CD8 ${\zeta}$ chain expression.