Effects of Gate-Pulse Shape on the Accuracy of Charge-Pumping Measurement

Lai,P. T.,Xu,J. P.,Xu,C. K. Poek,ChEng,Y. C. 대한전자공학회 1997 ICVC : International Conference on VLSI and CAD Vol.5 No.1

Charge-pumping (CP) measurement is performed on MOSFETs with their gates tied to sawtooth pulses. Influence of both rise time (t_r) and fall time (t_f) on CP current is investigated. Results show that the dominant mechanism affecting the measurement accuracy is the energy range of interface-trap distribution D_(it)(E) swept by the gate signal for low frequencies and carrier emissions for high frequencies. Hence, it is suggested that low frequency is more favorable than high frequency, especially for sawtooth pulses with long t_r and short t_f, due to little carrier emission and negligible geometric effects. Thus, the optimum frequency and corresponding t_r/t_f of the sawtooth pulses are determined to be about 100 kHz and 9/1 ㎲ which can be used to accurately estimate the density of interface states in MOSFETs.

Functional characterization of a plastid-specific ribosomal protein PSRP2 in Arabidopsis thaliana under abiotic stress conditions

Xu, T.,Lee, K.,Gu, L.,Kim, J.I.,Kang, H. Gauthier-Villars ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2013 Plant physiology and biochemistry Vol.73 No.-

Plastids possess a small set of proteins unique to plastid ribosome, named plastid-specific ribosomal proteins (PSRPs). Among the six PSRPs found in Arabidopsis thaliana, PSRP2 is unique in that it harbors two RNA-recognition motifs found in diverse RNA-binding proteins. A recent report demonstrated that PSRP2 is not essential for ribosome function and plant growth under standard greenhouse conditions. Here, we investigated the functional role of PSRP2 during Arabidopsis seed germination and seedling growth under different light environments and various stress conditions, including high salinity, dehydration, and low temperature. The transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing PSRP2 showed delayed germination compared with that of the wild-type plants under salt, dehydration, or low temperature stress conditions. The T-DNA insertion psrp2 mutant displayed better seedling growth but PSRP2-overexpressing transgenic plants showed poorer seedling growth than that of the wild-type plants under salt stress conditions. No noticeable differences in seedling growth were observed between the genotypes when grown under different light environments including dark, red, far-red, and blue light. Interestingly, the PSRP2 protein possessed RNA chaperone activity. Taken together, these results suggest that PSRP2 harboring RNA chaperone activity plays a role as a negative regulator in seed germination under all three abiotic stress conditions tested and in seedling growth of Arabidopsis under salt stress but not under cold or dehydration stress conditions.

Investigation of PCR-RFLPs within Major Histocompatibility Complex B-G Genes Using Two Restriction Enzymes in Eight Breeds of Chinese Indigenous Chickens

R. F. Xu,K. Li,G. H. Chen,B. Y. Z. Qiang,D. L. Mo,B. Fan,C. C. Li,M. Yu,M. J. Zhu,T. A. Xiong,B. Liu 아세아·태평양축산학회 2005 Animal Bioscience Vol.18 No.7

New polymorphism of major histocompatibility complex B-G genes was investigated by amplification and digestion of a 401bp fragment including intron 1 and exon 2 using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCRRFLP) technique with two restriction enzymes of Msp I and Tas I in eight breeds of Chinese indigenous chickens and one exotic breed. In the fragment region of the gene, three novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected at the two restriction sites. We found the transition of two nucleotides of A294G and T295C occurred at Tas I restriction site, and consequently led to a nonsynonymous substitution of asparagine into serine at position 54 within the deduced amino acid sequence of immunoglobulin variableregion- like domain encoded by the exon 2 of B-G gene. It was observed at rare frequency that a single mutation of A294G occurring at the site, also caused an identical substitution of amino acid, asparagine 54-to-serine, to that we described previously. And the transversion of G319C at Msp I site led to a non-synonymous substitution, glutamine 62-to-histidine. The new alleles and allele frequencies identified by the PCR-RFLP method with the two enzymes were characterized, of which the allele A and B frequencies at Msp I and Tas I loci were given disequilibrium distribution either in the eight Chinese local breeds or in the exotic breed. By comparison, allele A at Msp I locus tended to be dominant, while, the allele B at Tas I locus tended to be dominant in all of the breeds analyzed. In Tibetan chickens, the preliminary association analysis revealed that no significant difference was observed between the different genotypes identified at the Msp I and Tas I loci and the laying performance traits, respectively.

Effects of Dietary Dihydropyridine Supplementation on Laying Performance and Fat Metabolism of Laying Hens

Zou, X.T.,Xu, Z.R.,Zhu, J.L.,Fang, X.J.,Jiang, J.F. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2007 Animal Bioscience Vol.20 No.10

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dihydropyridine on laying performance and fat metabolism of laying hens. Five hundred and forty laying hens, 40 weeks old, were randomly allotted to three groups, each of which included four replicates of 45 hens. The groups were given a basal corn-soybean meal diet supplemented with 0, 150 mg/kg and 300 mg/kg dihydropyridine. Results showed that compared with the control group (0 mg/kg dihydropyridine), supplements of 150 and 300 mg/kg dihydropyridine increased egg production rate by 9.39% (p<0.01) and 12.97% (p<0.01), increased mean egg weight by 3% (p>0.05) and 4.8% (p>0.05), and improved feed efficiency by 9.54% (p<0.05) and 7.25% (p<0.05), respectively; The addition of 150 and 300 mg/kg dihydropyridine decreased percentage of abdominal fat by 35.4% (p<0.05) and 46.9% (p<0.05), decreased liver fat content by 32.4% (p<0.05) and 10.5% (p<0.05), increased HSL activity of abdominal fat by 39.64% (p<0.05) and 48.48% (p<0.05), increased HSL activity of liver by 9.4% (p>0.05) and 47.34% (p<0.05) and increased the content of cAMP in adenohypophysis by 14.67% (p<0.05) and 10.91% (p<0.05), respectively; The inclusion of 150 mg/kg dihydropyridine increased liver superoxide dismutase activity by 69.61% (p<0.05), and increased hepatic apoB concentration by 53.96% (p<0.05); The supplementation of 150 or 300 mg/kg dihydropyridine decreased malondialdehyde concentration of hepatic mitochondria by 30.90% (p<0.01) and 10.39% (p<0.05), respectively; Supplemented dihydropyridine had no significant effects on TG, Ch HDL-C and VLDL-C concentrations in serum; addition of 150 or 300 mg/kg dihydropyridine increased T3 levels in serum by 15.34% (p<0.05) and 11.88% (p<0.05) and decreased insulin concentration by 40.44% (p<0.05) and 54.37% (p<0.05), respectively. The results demonstrated that adding dihydropyridine had the tendency of improving very low density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR) content in the ovary. It was concluded that dihydropyridine could improve laying performance and regulate the fat metabolism of laying hens and that 150 mg/kg dihydropyridine is the optimum dose for laying birds in practical conditions.

Milk Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) Profile and Metabolic Responses of Dairy Cows Fed with High-temperature-micro-time (HTMT) Treated Diets Containing High Quantity Extruded Soybean (ESB)

Lee, H.G.,Hong, Z.S.,Wang, J.H.,Xu, C.X.,Jin, Y.C.,Kim, T.K.,Kim, Y.J.,Song, M.K.,Choi, Yun.-Jaei Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2009 Animal Bioscience Vol.22 No.11

A feeding trial was conducted to examine the effect of high-temperature-micro-time (HTMT) processing of diets containing extruded soybean (ESB) in high quantity on milk fat production, metabolic responses, and the formation of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and trans-vaccenic acid (TVA). Twenty-one multiparous Holstein cows in mid-lactation were blocked according to milk yield in the previous lactation. Cows within each block were randomly assigned to either normal concentrate or HTMT treated diets containing ESB (7.5% HTMT-ESB and 15% HTMT-ESB). It was hypothesized that the HTMT-ESB would affect the undegradable fatty acids in the rumen and, thus, would modify the fatty acid profile of milk fat. Both 7.5% and 15% HTMT-ESB did not affect milk yield, fat, protein, lactose and solid-not-fat (SNF), but the proportion of cis-9, trans-11 CLA in milk fat was significantly increased by these treatments. Content of TVA in milk fat was not affected by HTMT-ESB. The HTMT-ESB influenced the fatty acid profile in milk fat, but there was little difference between 7.5% and 15% of supplementation. HTMT-ESB feeding significantly decreased the concentration of plasma insulin and glucose, while plasma growth hormone (GH), triglyceride (TG), non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) and HDLcholesterol were increased by 7.5% and 15% ESB-HTMT supplementation in comparison to the control group (p<0.05). However, no significant difference was observed in plasma LDL-cholesterol, insulin like growth factor (IGF)-1, T3, T4, and leptin concentrations among treatments (p>0.05). The present results showed that cis-9, trans-11 CLA production was increased by HTMT treatment of dietary ESB without reduction of milk fat, and the unchanged milk fat and yield was assumed to be associated with the constant level of thyroid hormones, leptin, and IGF-1.

Effects of Coated Compound Proteases on Apparent Total Tract Digestibility of Nutrients and Apparent Ileal Digestibility of Amino Acids for Pigs

Pan, L.,Zhao, P.F.,Yang, Z.Y.,Long, S.F.,Wang, H.L.,Tian, Q.Y.,Xu, Y.T.,Xu, X.,Zhang, Z.H.,Piao, X.S. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2016 Animal Bioscience Vol.29 No.12

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of coated compound proteases (CC protease) on apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nitrogen (N) and energy, and apparent ileal digestibility (AID) of amino acids (AA) and nutrients in diets for pigs. In Exp. 1, 12 crossbred barrows (initial body weight: $20.79{\pm}1.94kg$) were housed in individual metabolism crates and allotted into 2 treatments with 6 piglets per treatment according to weight in a randomized complete block design. The 2 diets were corn-soybean meal basal diets with (0.2 g/kg) or without CC protease supplementation. The CC protease supplementation increased (p<0.05) the digestible and metabolizable N and energy values and the digestibility and retention rate of N in the diet. The ATTD of energy and nutrients had been improved (p<0.05) in the diet supplemented with CC protease. In Exp. 2, 12 crossbred barrows (initial body weight: $20.79{\pm}1.94kg$), fitted with T-cannulas at the distal ileum, were blocked by body weight into 2 groups with 6 pigs each. The diets were the same as those in Exp. 1. The CC protease increased (p<0.05) the AID of crude protein and some essential AA including arginine, isoleucine and leucine. The AID and ATTD of energy and nutrients had been improved (p<0.05) by supplemental CC protease, but the hindgut digestibility of nutrients was unaffected. Overall, the CC protease improved the ATTD of N and energy and AID of some indispensible AA and nutrients in the corn-soybean meal diet for pigs. Therefore, the CC protease supplement could improve the utilization of protein in the corn-soybean meal diet and thus contribute to lower N excretion to the environment.

A chloroplast-localized DEAD-box RNA helicaseAtRH3 is essential for intron splicing and plays an important role in the growth and stress response in Arabidopsis thaliana

Gu, L.,Xu, T.,Lee, K.,Lee, K.H.,Kang, H. Gauthier-Villars ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2014 Vol. No.

Although many DEAD-box RNA helicases (RHs) are targeted to chloroplasts, the functional roles of the majority of RHs are still unknown. Recently, the chloroplast-localized Arabidopsis thaliana AtRH3 has been demonstrated to play important roles in intron splicing, ribosome biogenesis, and seedling growth. To further understand the functional role of AtRH3 in intron splicing and growth and the stress response in Arabidopsis, the newly-generated artificial microRNA-mediated knockdown plants as well as the previously characterized T-DNA tagged rh3-4 mutant were analyzed under normal and stress conditions. The rh3 mutants displayed retarded growth and pale-green phenotypes, and the growth of mutant plants was inhibited severely under salt or cold stress but marginally under dehydration stress conditions. Splicing of several intron-containing chloroplast genes was defective in the mutant plants. Importantly, splicing of ndhA and ndhB genes was severely inhibited in the mutant plants compared with the wild-type plants under salt or cold stress but not under dehydration stress conditions. Moreover, AtRH3 complemented the growth-defect phenotype of the RNA chaperone-deficient Escherichia coli mutant and had the ability to disrupt RNA and DNA base pairs, indicating that AtRH3 possesses RNA chaperone activity. Taken together, these results demonstrate that AtRH3 plays a prominent role in the growth and stress response of Arabidopsis, and suggest that proper splicing of introns governed by RNA chaperone activity of AtRH3 is crucial for chloroplast function and the growth and stress response of plants.

Nutritive Values of Chinese Peanut Meal for Growing-Finishing Pigs

Li, Defa,Xu, X.X.,Qiao, S.Y.,Zheng, C.T.,Chen, Y.,Piao, X.S.,Han, In K.,Thacker, P. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2000 Animal Bioscience Vol.13 No.3

Two experiments were conducted to determine the apparent ileal digestibility of the amino acids contained in peanut meal using the regression technique and then applying the values obtained, in a growth trial, using growing-finishing pigs. For the digestibility trial, four 20 kg crossbred (Yorkshire${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Beijing Black) barrows were fitted with simple T-cannula in the terminal ileum. After recovery, the barrows were fed one of four experimental diets according to a $4{\times}4$ Latin Square design. The pigs were fed corn-soybean meal based diets supplemented with 0, 25, 50 or 75% peanut meal. For the growth trial, 200 crossbred (Yorkshire${\times}$Landrace${\times}$Beijing Black) growing pigs (20.9 kg) were fed corn-soybean meal diets supplemented with 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20% peanut meal. Five pens (4 gilts and 4 castrates) were assigned to each treatment. With the exception of arginine, histidine and phenylalanine, the digestibility coefficients for the indispensible amino acids declined as the level of peanut meal in the diet increased. There was a good agreement between the amino acid digestibilities for lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan determined using the regression technique and amino acid digestibilities previously published for peanut meal. During both the growing (21-54 kg) and finishing (54-99 kg) periods, the addition of peanut meal decreased average daily gain (p=0.01) and feed conversion in a linear manner (p<0.05). Feed intake was not significantly different among treatments. The overall results suggest that peanut meal can be used at levels up to 15% in diets fed to growing-finishing pigs provided that the diet has been balanced for digestible amino acids.

Inducible costimulator promotes helper T-cell differentiation through phosphoinositide 3-kinase

Gigoux, M.,Shang, J.,Pak, Y.,Xu, M.,Choe, J.,Mak, T.W.,Suh, W.-K. National Academy of Sciences 2009 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF Vol.106 No.48

Observation of a γ-decaying millisecond isomeric state in ¹²⁸Cd₈₀

Jungclaus, A.,Grawe, H.,Nishimura, S.,Doornenbal, P.,Lorusso, G.,Simpson, G.S.,Soderstrom, P.A.,Sumikama, T.,Taprogge, J.,Xu, Z.Y.,Baba, H.,Browne, F.,Fukuda, N.,Gernhauser, R.,Gey, G.,Inabe, N.,Isobe North-Holland Pub. Co 2017 Physics letters. Section B Vol.772 No.-

A new high-spin isomer in the neutron-rich nucleus <SUP>128</SUP>Cd was populated in the projectile fission of a <SUP>238</SUP>U beam at the Radioactive Isotope Beam Factory at RIKEN. A half-life of T<SUB>½</SUB>=6.3(8) ms was measured for the new state which was tentatively assigned a spin/parity of (15<SUP>-</SUP>). The experimental results are compared to shell model calculations performed using state-of-the-art realistic effective interactions and to the neighbouring nucleus <SUP>129</SUP>Cd. In the present experiment no evidence was found for the decay of a 18<SUP>+</SUP>E6 spin-trap isomer, based on the complete alignment of the two-neutron and two-proton holes in the 0h<SUB>1½</SUB> and the 0g<SUB>9/2</SUB> orbit, respectively, which is predicted to exist by the shell model.