Characterization of the Structure and DNA Complexity of Mung Bean Mitochondrial Nu-cleoids

Yih-Shan Lo,Lin-June Hsiao,Ning Cheng,Alexandra Litvinchuk,Hwa Dai 한국분자세포생물학회 2011 Molecules and cells Vol.31 No.3

Electron microscopic images of mitochondrial nucleoids isolated from mung bean seedlings revealed a relatively homogeneous population of particles, each consisting of a chromatin-like structure associated with a membrane com-ponent. Association of F-actin with mitochondrial nucleoids was also observed. The mitochondrial nucleoid structure identified in situ showed heterogeneous genomic organization. After pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), a large proportion of the mitochondrial nucleoid DNA remained in the well, whereas the rest migrated as a 50-200 kb smear zone. This PFGE migration pattern was not af-fected by high salt, topoisomerase I or latrunculin B treatments; however, the mobility of a fraction of the fast-moving DNA decreased conspicuously following an in-gel ethidium-enhanced UV-irradiation treatment, suggesting that molecules with intricately compact structures were present in the 50-200 kb region. Approximately 70% of the mitochondrial nucleoid DNA molecules examined via electron microscopy were open circles, supercoils, complex forms, and linear molecules with interspersed sigma-shaped structures and/or loops. Increased sensitivity of mtDNA to DNase I was found after mitochondrial nucleoids were pretreated with high salt. This result indicates that some loosely bound or peripheral DNA binding proteins protected the mtDNA from DNase I degradation.

Significant down-regulation of growth hormone receptor expression revealed as a new unfavorable prognostic factor in hepatitis C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

( Ching-chih Lin ),( Ta-wei Liu ),( Ming-lun Yeh ),( Yi-shan Tsai ),( Pei-chien Tsai ),( Chung-feng Huang ),( Jee-fu Huang ),( Wan-long Chuang ),( Chia-yen Dai ),( Ming-lung Yu ) 대한간학회 2021 Clinical and Molecular Hepatology(대한간학회지) Vol.27 No.2

Background/Aims: Growth hormone (GH) is the main regulator of somatic growth, metabolism, and gender dimorphism in the liver. GH receptor (GHR) signaling in cancer is derived from a large body of evidence, although the GHR signaling pathway involved in the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV)-related HCC, remains unclear. We aimed to explore the expression of GHR and analyze its association with clinicopathologic features and prognosis of patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCC. Methods: The expression of GHR mRNA was investigated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in paired tumors and adjacent non-tumorous (ANT) liver tissues of 200 patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCC. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays using the HCV-infected Huh7.5.1 cell model was performed. Results: GHR mRNA was significantly lower in HCV-HCC tissues than in corresponding ANT liver tissues. GHR mRNA and protein levels also decreased in the HCV-infected Huh7.5.1 cell model. Notably, lower GHR expression was associated with age of >60 years (P=0.0111) and worse clinicopathologic characteristics, including alpha-fetoprotein >100 ng/mL (P=0.0403), cirrhosis (P=0.0075), vascular invasion (P=0.0052), pathological stage II-IV (P=0.0002), and albumin ≤4.0 g/dL (P=0.0055), which were linked with poor prognosis of HCC. Most importantly, the high incidence of recurrence and poor survival rates in patients with a low ratio of tumor/ANT GHR (≤0.1) were observed, indicating that low expression levels of GHR had great risk for development of HCC in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates a significant down-regulation of GHR expression as a new unfavorable independent prognostic factor in patients with chronic hepatitis C and HCC. (Clin Mol Hepatol 2021;27:313-328)

Modeling and Analysis of CM Noise Behaviors of Transformers in Power Converters

Fu Kai-Ning,Dai Lin-Shan,Lan Wei 대한전기학회 2024 Journal of Electrical Engineering & Technology Vol.19 No.1

In isolated power converters, electromagnetic feld coupling inside the transformer signifcantly afects its conducted common mode (CM) characteristics. Special concern must be focused on the sophisticated efects of electromagnetic felds on the high-frequency conducted CM noise behaviors of the transformer. The efective frequency range of the existing transformer CM characteristic modeling approaches cannot cover the frequency range from 150 kHz to 30 MHz. Accurately predicting the high frequency conducted CM behavior of transformers is necessary for electromagnetic compatibility design, which avoids the use of unnecessary time in trial and error. In this paper, the scattering parameter is introduced to investigate the high-frequency CM noise behaviors and conducted mechanism of transformers by fnite element method (FEM) simulation tool, and the sensitive factors generating CM noise and causing nonlinear behaviors in the high-frequency range are determined. Good agreement is achieved between FEM simulation results and the measurement in the range of 150 kHz–30 MHz. The proposed simulation modeling method can accurately predict the electric and magnetic feld distribution variation with frequency inside transformer winding window in the design stage, then the high frequency conducted CM noise behavior can also be efectively predicted.

IGF-1 from Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Promotes Radioresistance of Breast Cancer Cells

Yang, Hui-Ying,Qu, Rong-Mei,Lin, Xiao-Shan,Liu, Tong-Xin,Sun, Quan-Quan,Yang, Chun,Li, Xiao-Hong,Lu, Wei,Hu, Xiao-Fang,Dai, Jing-Xing,Yuan, Lin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.23

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate effects of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMSCs) on radioresistance of breast cancer cells. Materials and Methods: MTT assays were used to detect any influence of AMSC supernatants on proliferation of breast cancer cells; cell migration assays were used to determine the effect of breast cancer cells on the recruitment of AMSCs; the cell survival fraction post-irradiation was assessed by clonogenic survival assay; ${\gamma}$-H2AX foci number post-irradiation was determined via fluorescence microscopy; and expression of IGF-1R was detected by Western blotting. Results: AMSC supernatants promoted proliferation and radioresistance of breast cancer cells. Breast cancer cells could recruit AMSCs, especially after irradiation. IGF-1 derived from AMSCs might be responsible for the radioresistance of breast cancer cells. Conclusions: Our results suggest that AMSCs in the tumor microenvironment may affect the outcome of radiotherapy for breast cancer in vitro.

Ternary Phase Diagram-Facilitated Rapid Screening of Double Perovskites As Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Evolution Reaction

Sun, Hainan,Hu, Zhiwei,Xu, Xiaomin,He, Juan,Dai, Jie,Lin, Hong-Ji,Chan, Ting-Shan,Chen, Chien-Te,Tjeng, Liu Hao,Zhou, Wei,Shao, Zongping American Chemical Society 2019 Chemistry of materials Vol.31 No.15

<P>The development of cost-effective, non-noble metal electrocatalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of paramount importance for sustainable technologies. Efficient screening strategies for electrocatalysts can greatly increase the commercialization speed of these advanced technologies. Here, ternary phase diagrams with large-scale tuning and designated-scale tuning strategies are applied for the first time to provide a new method for screening perovskite oxide-based electrocatalysts for OERs. Specifically, the family of double perovskites (Sr<SUB>2</SUB>Fe<SUB>1.5-<I>x</I>-<I>y</I></SUB>Co<SUB><I>x</I></SUB>Ni<SUB><I>y</I></SUB>Mo<SUB>0.5</SUB>O<SUB>6−δ</SUB>, 0 ≤ <I>x</I>, <I>y</I> ≤ 1.5) was utilized to understand the role of transition metals in perovskite oxides. Ternary phase diagrams can facilitate a rapid screening process, provide a straightforward relationship between phase structures and catalytic activities, and help to confirm the effects of various combinations of transition metals on the OER activity. The Fe-Co system (Sr<SUB>2</SUB>Fe<SUB>1.5-<I>x</I></SUB>Co<SUB><I>x</I></SUB>Mo<SUB>0.5</SUB>O<SUB>6−δ</SUB>) improves the catalytic activities, as demonstrated by the reduced Tafel slope and enhanced stability, while the Fe-Ni system (Sr<SUB>2</SUB>Fe<SUB>1.5-<I>y</I></SUB>Ni<SUB><I>y</I></SUB>Mo<SUB>0.5</SUB>O<SUB>6−δ</SUB>) improves the surface kinetic properties of the OER, as demonstrated by its reduced overpotential. Significantly, the Co, Ni, and Fe ternary phase systems can serve as the synergistic coactive sites (Sr<SUB>2</SUB>Fe<SUB>1.5-<I>x</I>-<I>y</I></SUB>Co<SUB><I>x</I></SUB>Ni<SUB><I>y</I></SUB>Mo<SUB>0.5</SUB>O<SUB>6−δ</SUB>) to catalyze the OER, resulting in an improved overall OER performance. This systematic study not only demonstrates a new strategy to allow the rapid screening of double perovskite OER catalysts based on large-scale tuning and designated-scale tuning strategies but, more importantly, also provides an insightful understanding of the use of multitransition metal-based double perovskites for catalysis of the OER.</P> [FIG OMISSION]</BR>

Tug of War-Who is the Winner? Canker Disease Restructures the Endophytic Bacterial Community of Citrus

Jian-Yu Zhou,Yi Zhang,Wen-Ping Xu,Misbah Naz,Xiao-Meng Li,Xu Li,Bi-Ying Zhao,Shan-Shan Qi,Zhi-Cong Dai,Dao-Lin Du 한국원예학회 2023 원예과학기술지 Vol.41 No.5

High-throughput sequencing and a 16S rRNA gene clone library amplicon analysis were used to study the endophytic microbial diversity in citrus leaves in response to a Xanthomonas citri pv. Citri (Xcc) infection in an effort to develop a biocontrol scheme for citrus canker disease. There are more species of moderate citrus canker disease (MCD) than severe citrus canker disease (SCD) in terms of both Shannon and Simpson index measurements. Taxonomy has shown that the MCD Firmicutes group (25.2%) outnumber the SCD group (0.55%). Some Firmicutes can suppress Xcc, but in SCD leaves, they are in a competitive position and do not have a dominating niche; therefore, their population is greatly decreased. Sphingomonas and Methylobacterium, two genera of the phylum Proteobacteria, are growth-promoting and stress-resistant in most plants and comprise approximately 60% of the SCD group, whereas the MCD group was less abundant. In conclusion, citrus canker disease restructures bacterial communities in infected leaves, causing the endophytic community to evolve toward “weakening its spear and strengthening its shield.” This research provides support for the idea that introducing helpful bacterial strains in advance may alter the relative abundance of bacteria in a given area and hence decrease the likelihood of infection by harmful bacteria. The future of sequencing technology lies in research on microbial community functions, the elucidation of plant processes and pathogen occurrence, and support for the development of plant biological control technologies.