Characterization of Vaginal Microbiota Associated with Pregnancy Outcomes of Artificial Insemination in Dairy Cows

Shi-Yi Chen,Feilong Deng,Ming Zhang,Xian-Bo Jia,Song-Jia Lai 한국미생물·생명공학회 2020 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.30 No.6

The profitability of the dairy and beef industries is largely affected by the actually achieved reproductive efficiency. Although a large proportion of cows worldwide are bred by artificial insemination (AI) services, many potential factors affecting the outcome of pregnancy by AI remain to be addressed. In the present study, we investigated the vaginal microbiota by high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene and analyzed their association with differential pregnancy outcomes (i.e., pregnant vs. nonpregnant) of multiple AI services in dairy cows. Sequencing of the V3-V4 region totally produced 512,046 high-quality sequences that were computationally clustered into 2,584 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). All OTUs were taxonomically assigned to 10 bacterial phyla. There were statistically significant differences among the three AI service times (T1, T2 and T3) with respect to the Shannon index and number of observed OTUs (p < 0.05). Bray-Curtis distance-based PCoA analysis also revealed that T2 group could be significantly distinguished from T1 and T3. However, no significant difference between the pregnant and nonpregnant cows was found in confidence regarding both alpha diversity and beta diversity. These results could help us better understand the possible influence of vaginal microbial community on pregnancy outcomes of AI service in cows.

Recurrent Support Vector Regression for a Nonlinear ARMA Model with Applications to Forecasting Financial Returns

진시일 ( Shi Yi Chen ),정기호 ( Ki Ho Jeong ) 한국국제경제학회 2007 한국국제경제학회 동계학술대회 Vol.2007 No.2

Causal Relations between Exposome and Stroke: A Mendelian Randomization Study

Hong-Qi Li,Yi-Wei Feng,Yu-Xiang Yang,Xin-Yi Leng,Prof Can Zhang,Shi-Dong Chen,Kevin Kuo,Shu-Yi Huang,Xue-Qing Zhang,Yi Dong,Xiang Han,Xin Cheng,Mei Cui,Lan Tan,Qiang Dong,Jin-Tai Yu 대한뇌졸중학회 2022 Journal of stroke Vol.24 No.2

Background and Purpose To explore the causal relationships of elements of the exposome with ischemic stroke and its subtypes at the omics level and to provide evidence for stroke prevention. Methods We conducted a Mendelian randomization study between exposure and any ischemic stroke (AIS) and its subtypes (large-artery atherosclerotic disease [LAD], cardioembolic stroke [CE], and small vessel disease [SVD]). The exposure dataset was the UK Biobank involving 361,194 subjects, and the outcome dataset was the MEGASTROKE consortium including 52,000 participants. Results We found that higher blood pressure (BP) (systolic BP: odds ratio [OR], 1.02; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01 to 1.04; diastolic BP: OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.05; pulse pressure: OR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.06), atrial fibrillation (OR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.25), and diabetes (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 1.07 to 1.18) were significantly associated with ischemic stroke. Importantly, higher education (OR, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.60 to 0.79) decreased the risk of ischemic stroke. Higher systolic BP (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.10), pulse pressure (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.14), diabetes (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.13 to 1.45), and coronary artery disease (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.25 to 2.00) could cause LAD. Atrial fibrillation could cause CE (OR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.71 to 2.11). For SVD, higher systolic BP (OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.07), diastolic BP (OR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.01 to 1.12), and diabetes (OR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.10 to 1.36) were causal factors. Conclusions The study revealed elements of the exposome causally linked to ischemic stroke and its subtypes, including conventional causal risk factors and novel protective factors such as higher education.

Prognostic Threshold of Neuroendocrine Differentiation in Gastric Carcinoma: a Clinicopathological Study of 945 Cases

Yi Zou,Linying Chen,Xingfu Wang,Yupeng Chen,Liwen Hu,Saifan Zeng,Pengcheng Wang,Guoping Li,Ming Huang,Liting Wang,Shi He,Sanyan Li,Lihui Jian,Sheng Zhang 대한위암학회 2019 Journal of gastric cancer Vol.19 No.1

Purpose: The significance of neuroendocrine differentiation (NED) in gastric carcinoma (GC) is controversial, leading to ambiguous concepts in traditional classifications. This study aimed to determine the prognostic threshold of meaningful NED in GC and clarify its unclear features in existing classifications. Materials and Methods: Immunohistochemical staining for synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and neural cell adhesion molecule was performed for 945 GC specimens. Survival analysis was performed using the log-rank test and univariate/multivariate models with percentages of NED (PNED) and demographic and clinicopathological parameters. Results: In total, 275 (29.1%) cases were immunoreactive to at least 1 neuroendocrine (NE) marker. GC-NED was more common in the upper third of the stomach. PNED, and Borrmann's classification and tumor, lymph node, metastasis stages were independent prognostic factors. The cutoff PNED was 10%, beyond which patients had significantly worse outcomes, although the risk did not increase with higher PNED. Tumors with ≥10% NED tended to manifest as Borrmann type III lesion with mixed/diffuse morphology and poorer histological differentiation; the NE components in this population mainly grew in insulae/nests, which differed from the predominant growth pattern (glandular/acinar) in GC with <10% NED. Conclusions: GC with ≥10% NED should be classified as a distinct subtype because of its worse prognosis, and more attention should be paid to the necessity of additional therapeutics for NE components.

Serum Peroxiredoxin3 is a Useful Biomarker for Early Diagnosis and Assessemnt of Prognosis of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Chinese Patients

Shi, Liang,Wu, Li-Li,Yang, Jian-Rong,Chen, Xiao-Fei,Zhang, Yi,Chen, Zeng-Qiang,Liu, Cun-Li,Chi, Sheng-Ying,Zheng, Jia-Ying,Huang, Hai-Xia,Yu, Fu-Jun,Lin, Xiang-Yang Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.7

Background: Recently, peroxiredoxin3 (PRDX3) was identified as a novel molecular marker for the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its potential clinical application as a serum marker for the early diagnosis and prognosis of HCC has not been investigated. Methods: PRDX3, alpha-fetaprotein (AFP), and other biochemical parameters were measured in serum samples from 297 Chinese patients, including 96 with HCC, 98 with liver cirrhosis (LC), and 103 healthy controls (HCs). Correlations between serum PRDX3 expression and clinicopathological variables and the relationship between serum PRDX3 expression and prognosis were analyzed. Results: Serum PRDX3 was significantly higher in HCC patients than in the LC and HC groups. The sensitivity and specificity of serum PRDX3 for the diagnosis of HCC were 85.9% and 75.3%, respectively, at a cutoff of 153.26 ng/mL, and the area under the curve was 0.865. Moreover, serum PRDX3 expression was strongly associated with AFP level, tumor diameter, TNM stage, and portal vein invasion. Kaplan-Meier curve analysis revealed that HCC patients with high serum PRDX3 expression had a shorter median survival time than those with low PRDX3 expression. Moreover, serum PRDX3 expression was an independent risk factor for overall survival. The inverse correlation between serum PRDX3 and patient survival remained significant in patients with early-stage HCC and in those with normal serum AFP levels. Conclusions: Serum PRDX3 can be used as a noninvasive biomarker for the diagnosis and/or prognosis of HCC.

Transportation and Deposition of Modern Sediments in the Southern Yellow Sea

Shi, Xuefa,Chen, Zhihua,Cheng, Zhenbo,Cai, Deling,Bu, Wenrui,Wang, Kunshan,Wei, Jianwei,Yi, Hi-Il The Korean Society of Oceanography 2004 Journal of the Korean Society of Oceanography Vol.39 No.1

Based on the data obtained under the China-Korea joint project (1997-2001) and historic observations, the distribution, transportation and sedimentation of sediment in the southern Yellow Sea (SYS) are discussed, and the controversial formation mechanism of muddy sediments is also explored. The sediment transport trend analysis indicates that the net transport direction of sediment in the central SYS (a fine-grained sediment deposited area) points to $123.4^{\circ}E,\;35.1^{\circ}N$, which is a possible sedimentation center in the central SYS. The sediment transport pattern is verified by the distribution of total suspended matter (TSM) concentration and ${\delta}^{13}C$ values of particulate organic carbon (POC), the latter indicates that the bottom water plays a more important role than the surface water in transporting the terrigenous material to the central deep-water area of the SYS, and the Yellow Sea circulation is an important control factor for the sediment transport pattern in the SYS. The carbon isotope signals of organic matter in sediments indicate that the Shandong subaqueous delta has high sedimentation rate and the deposited sediments originate mainly from the modern Yellow River. The terrigenous sediments in deep-water area of the SYS originate mainly from the old Yellow River and the modern Yellow River, and only a small portion originates from the modern Yangtze River. The analytical results of TSM and stable carbon isotopes are further confirmed by another independent tracer of sediment source, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Five light mineral provinces in the SYS can be identified and they indicate inhomogeneity in sources and sedimentary environment. The modern shelf sedimentary processes in the SYS are controlled by shelf dynamic factors. The muddy depositional systems are produced in the shelf low-energy environments, which are controlled by some meso-scale cyclonic eddies (cold eddies) in the central SYS and the area southwest of the Cheju Island. On the contrary, an anticyclonic muddy depositional system (warm eddy sediment) appears in the southeast of the SYS (the area northwest of the Cheju Island). In this study, we give the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddy sedimentation patterns.

Advances in plant-derived natural products for antitumor immunotherapy

Yi Yang,Qinying Liu,Xianai Shi,Qiuhong Zheng,Li Chen,Yang Sun 대한약학회 2021 Archives of Pharmacal Research Vol.44 No.11

In recent years, immunotherapy has emergedas a novel antitumor strategy in addition to traditional surgery,radiotherapy and chemotherapy. It uniquely focuses onimmune cells and immunomodulators in the tumor microenvironmentand helps eliminate tumors at the root by rebuildingthe immune system. Despite remarkable breakthroughs,cancer immunotherapy still faces many challenges: lack ofpredictable and prognostic biomarkers, adverse side eff ects,acquired treatment resistance, high costs, etc. Therefore,more effi cacious and effi cient, safer and cheaper antitumorimmunomodulatory drugs have become an urgent requirement. For decades, plant-derived natural products obtainedfrom land and sea have provided the most important sourcefor the development of antitumor drugs. Currently, moreattention is being paid to the discovery of potential cancerimmunotherapy modulators from plant-derived naturalproducts, such as polysaccharides, phenols, terpenoids, quinonesand alkaloids. Some of these agents have outstandingadvantages of multitargeting and low side eff ects and lowcost compared to conventional immunotherapeutic agents.

Study on Volume Reduction of Radioactive Perlite Thermal Insulation Waste by Heat Treatment with Potassium Carbonate

Yi-Sin Chou,Bhupendra Singh,Yong-Song Chen,Shi-Chern Yen 한국원자력학회 2022 Nuclear Engineering and Technology Vol.54 No.1

Perlite is one of the major constituents of the radioactive thermal insulation waste (RTIW) originatingfrom nuclear power plants and, for proper waste management, a significant reduction in its volume isrequired prior to disposal. In this work, the volume reduction of perlite is studied by high-temperaturetreatment method with using K2CO3 as a flux. The perlite is ground with 0e30 wt% K2CO3, and differentialthermal analysis/thermogravimetric analysis is used to monitor the glass transition temperature(Tg) and weight loss. The Tg varied between ~772.2 and 837.1 C with the minima at ~643.5 C with theaddition of ~10 wt% K2CO3. It is observed that compared to the pure perlite the volume reduction ratio(VRR) increases with the addition of K2CO3. The VRR of 11.20 is observed with 5 wt% K2CO3 at 700 C, ascompared to VRR of 5.56 without K2CO3 at 700 C. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanningelectron microscopy are used to characterize perlite samples heat-treated without/with 5 wt% K2CO3 at700 C. Moreover, the atomic absorption spectroscopy indicates that the proposed heat-treatmentprocedure is able to completely retain the radionuclides present in the perlite RTIW.

Safety and antifatigue effect of Korean Red Ginseng capsule: A randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled clinical trial

Yi Yang,Hong Wang,Ming Zhang,Mengxue Shi,Cailing Yang,Qiang Ni,Qi Wang,Jing Li,Xuemei Wang,Chen Zhang,Zhi Li 고려인삼학회 2022 Journal of Ginseng Research Vol.46 No.4

Background: In physical activity or labor, the human body is in a state of high intensity stress, and allparts or physiological functions of the body respond positively to maintain or balance the need formovement. The human body has many physiological changes in the process of movement, and fatigue isthe external manifestation of various complex changes inside the human body. Fatigue is also a physiologicalmechanism of self-protection after the body reaches a certain level of activity, which can preventthe occurrence of life-threatening excessive functional failure. The generation of fatigue is a very complexprocess, and its mechanism has not been concluded yet. Therefore, it is an important work to search andscreen the effective components of natural plants that have anti-fatigue effect and to explore theirmechanism. Methods: This was a 8-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. A total of 110subjects who passed physical examination were included according to the scheme design, and randomlydivided into a test group which was given KRG and a placebo control group. The calculation is carried outaccording to the standard of sub-high-intensity exercise test. Results: There was no adverse effect on safety index of subjects after taking red ginseng capsule. AfterKRG treatment, subjective strength grade is significant lower than placebo treatment. Blood lactic acidcontent is significantly get lower after trial in KRG group, and significant lower than placebo group. Creatine phosphokinase(CK) content is significantly get lower after trial in KRG group, and significantlower than placebo group. Conclusion: According to the criterion in the test scheme, the result shows that KRG is helpful onrelieving physical fatigue.

Identification of a Novel Streptomyces chattanoogensis L10 and Enhancing Its Natamycin Production by Overexpressing Positive Regulator ScnRII

Yi-Ling Du,Shi-Fei Chen,Liang-Ying Cheng,Xue-Ling Shen,Yuan Tian,Yong-Quan Li 한국미생물학회 2009 The journal of microbiology Vol.47 No.4

A novel Streptomyces strain, L10, which is capable of producing natamycin, was isolated from a soil sample collected from Zhejiang province, China. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis of rpoB gene and 16S rDNA sequences, as well as phenotypic comparison, strain L10 (CGMCC 2644) is proposed to be a previously uncharacterized strain of S. chattanoogensis. By screening a cosmid library of strain L10 and primer walking, a partial sequence of scnRI and the entire sequence of scnRII were obtained, which are orthologues to the pathway-specific positive regulator genes of natamycin biosynthesis in S. natalensis. The engineered S. chattanoogensis D1, generated by inserting an additional copy of scnRII into the chromosome of strain L10, increased its natamycin production by 3.3 fold in YSG medium and 4.6 fold in YEME medium without sucrose.