• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.945-950
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• 2014

Purpose: To explore the value of systemic inflammatory markers as independent prognostic factors and the extent these markers improve prognostic classification for patients with inoperable advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (GC) receiving palliative chemotherapy. Methods: We studied the prognostic value of systemic inflammatory factors such as circulating white blood cell count and its components as well as that combined to form inflammation-based prognostic scores (Glasgow Prognostic Score (GPS), Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Prognostic Index (PI) and Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI)) in 384 patients with inoperable advanced or metastatic gastric cancer (GC) receiving first-line chemotherapy. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to examine the impact of inflammatory markers on overall survival (OS). Results: Univariate analysis revealed that an elevated white blood cell, neutrophil and/or platelet count, a decreased lymphocyte count, a low serum albumin concentration, and high CRP concentration, as well as elevated NLR/PLR, GPS, PI, PNI were significant predictors of shorter OS. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only elevated neutrophil count (HR 3.696, p=0.003) and higher GPS (HR 1.621, p=0.01) were independent predictors of poor OS. Conclusion: This study demonstrated elevated pretreatment neutrophil count and high GPS to be independent predictors of shorter OS in inoperable advanced or metastatic GC patients treated with first-line chemotherapy. Upon validation of these data in independent studies, stratification of patients using these markers in future clinical trials is recommended.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.1684-1688
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• 2013

A rapid and sensitive method for determining usnic acid of Lethariella cladonioides in rat was established using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) tandem mass (MS/MS). Rat plasma was pretreated by mixture of acetonitrile and chloroform to precipitate plasma proteins. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a column ($50{\times}2.1$ mm, $5{\mu}m$) with a mobile phase consisting of water (containing $5{\times}10^{-3}$ M ammonium formate, pH was adjusted to 3.0 with formic acid) and acetonitrile (20:80, v/v) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. A tandem mass spectrometric detection with an electrospray ionization (ESI) interface was conducted via collision induced dissociation (CID) under negative ionization mode. The MS/MS transitions monitored were m/z 343.0448 ${\rightarrow}$ m/z 313.2017 for usnic acid and m/z 153.1024 ${\rightarrow}$ m/z 136.2136 for protocatechuic acid (internal standard). The linear range was calculated to be 2.0-160.0 ng/mL with a detection limit of 3.0 pg/mL. The inter- and intra-day accuracy and precision were within ${\pm}7.0%$. Pharmacokinetic study showed that the apartment of usnic acid in vivo confirmed to be a two compartment open model. The method was fully valid and will probably be an alternative for pharmacokinetic study of usnic acid.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.242-248
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• 2015

In this paper, three carbon sources, i.e., solid graphite, gaseous CH4 and liquid ethanol, and one solid silicon source were employed to synthesize SiC/C nanocomposite powders by arc-discharge plasma. The processing conditions such as the component ratios of raw materials, atmospheric gases, etc. were adjusted for controllable synthesis of the nanopowders. It is indicated that both of solid graphite and silicon can be co-evaporated and reacted to form nanophases of cubic ${\beta}$-SiC with ~50 nm in mean size and a little free graphite; the carbon atoms decomposed from gaseous $CH_4$ favor to combine with the evaporated silicon atoms to form the dominant SiC nanophase; liquid carbon source of ethanol can also be used to harvest the main ${\beta}$-SiC and minor 6H-SiC phases in the assembly of nanoparticles. The as-prepared SiC/C nanocomposite powders were further purified by a heat-treatment in air and their photocatalytic performances were then greatly improved.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1661-1667
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• 2016

The ginsenoside-hydrolyzing β-glucosidase gene (bgy2) was cloned from Lactobacillus brevis. We expressed this gene in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), isolated the resulting protein, and then utilized the enzyme for the biotransformation of ginsenosides. The bgy2 gene contains 2,223 bp, and encodes a protein of 741 amino acids that is a member of glycosyl hydrolase family 3. β-Glucosidase (Bgy2) cleaved the outer glucose moieties of ginsenosides at the C-20 position, and the inner glucose at the C-3 position. Under optimal conditions (pH 7.0, 30℃), we used 0.1 mg/ml Bgy2 in 20 mM sodium phosphate buffer (PBS) for enzymatic studies. In these conditions, 1.0 mg/ml ginsenoside Rb1 and ginsenoside F2 were converted into 0.59 mg/ml ginsenoside Rd and 0.72mg/ml compound K, with molar conversion productivities of 69% and 91%, respectively. In pharmaceutical and commercial industries, this recombinant Bgy2 would be suitable for producting ginsenoside Rd and compound K.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.92-100
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• 2017

Acetoin (AC) is a volatile platform compound with various potential industrial applications. AC contains two stereoisomeric forms: (3S)-AC and (3R)-AC. Optically pure AC is an important potential intermediate and widely used as a precursor to synthesize novel optically active materials. In this study, chiral (3R)-AC production from meso-2,3-butanediol (meso-2,3-BD) was obtained using recombinant Escherichia coli cells co-expressing meso-2,3-butanediol dehydrogenase (meso-2,3-BDH), NADH oxidase (NOX), and hemoglobin protein (VHB) from Serratia sp. T241, Lactobacillus brevis, and Vitreoscilla, respectively. The new biocatalyst of E. coli/pET-mbdh-nox-vgb was developed and the bioconversion conditions were optimized. Under the optimal conditions, 86.74 g/l of (3R)-AC with the productivity of 3.61 g/l/h and the stereoisomeric purity of 97.89% was achieved from 93.73 g/l meso-2,3-BD using the whole-cell biocatalyst. The yield and productivity were new records for (3R)-AC production. The results exhibit the industrial potential for (3R)-AC production via whole-cell biocatalysis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.515-525
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• 2020

Interferon (IFN)-λ plays an essential role in mucosal cells which exhibit strong antiviral activity. Lactobacillus plantarum (L. plantarum) has substantial application potential in the food and medical industries because of its probiotic properties. Alphacoronaviruses, especially porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) and transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), cause high morbidity and mortality in piglets resulting in economic loss. Co-infection by these two viruses is becoming increasingly frequent. Therefore, it is particularly important to develop a new drug to prevent diarrhea infected with mixed viruses in piglets. In this study, we first constructed an anchored expression vector with CWA (C-terminal cell wall anchor) on L. plantarum. Second, we constructed two recombinant L. plantarum strains that anchored IFN-λ3 via pgsA (N-terminal transmembrane anchor) and CWA. Third, we demonstrated that both recombinant strains possess strong antiviral effects against coronavirus infection in the intestinal porcine epithelial cell line J2 (IPEC-J2). However, recombinant L. plantarum with the CWA anchor exhibited a more powerful antiviral effect than recombinant L. plantarum with pgsA. Consistent with this finding, Lb.plantarum-pSIP-409-IFN-λ3-CWA enhanced the expression levels of IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) (ISG15, OASL, and Mx1) in IPEC-J2 cells more than did recombinant Lb.plantarum-pSIP-409-pgsA'-IFN-λ3. Our study verifies that recombinant L. plantarum inhibits PEDV and TGEV infection in IPEC-J2 cells, which may offer great potential for use as a novel oral antiviral agent in therapeutic applications for combating porcine epidemic diarrhea and transmissible gastroenteritis. This study is the first to show that recombinant L. plantarum suppresses PEDV and TGEV infection of IPEC-J2 cells.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.2819-2826
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• 2015

Combinations of multiple biomarkers representing distinct aspects of metastasis may have better prognostic value for breast cancer patients, especially those in late stages. In this study, we evaluated the protein levels of N-${\alpha}$-acetyltransferase 10 protein (Naa10p), synuclein-${\gamma}$ (SNCG), and phosphatase of regenerating liver-3 (PRL-3) in 365 patients with breast cancer by immunohistochemistry. Distinct prognostic subgroups of breast cancer were identified by combination of the three biomarkers. The Naa10p+SNCG-PRL-3-subgroup showed best prognosis with a median distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) of 140 months, while the Naa10p-SNCG+PRL-3+subgroup had the worst prognosis with a median DMFS of 60.5 months. Multivariate analysis indicated Naa10p, SNCG, PRL-3, and the TNM classification were all independent prognostic factors for both DMFS and overall survival (OS). The three biomarker combination of Naa10p, SNCG and PRL-3 performed better in patients with lymph node metastasis, especially those with more advanced tumors than other subgroups. In conclusion, the combined expression profile of Naa10p, SNCG and PRL-3, alone or in combination with the TNM classification system, may provide a precise estimate of prognosis of breast cancer patients.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.7
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• pp.490-495
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• 2011

Transcription factor AP-$2{\alpha}$ involves in the process of mammalian embryonic development and tumorigenesis. Many studies have shown that AP-$2{\alpha}$ functions in association with other interacting proteins. In a two-hybrid screening, the regulatory subunit ${\beta}$ of protein casein kinase 2 ($CK2{\beta}$) was identified as an interacting protein of AP-$2{\alpha}$; we confirmed this interaction using in-vitro GST pull-down and in-vivo co-immunoprecipitation assays; in an endogenous co-immunoprecipitation experiment, we further found the catalytic subunit ${\alpha}$ of protein casein kinase 2 ($CK2{\alpha}$) also exists in the complex. Phosphorylation analysis revealed that AP-$2{\alpha}$ was phosphorylated by CK2 kinase majorly at the site of Ser429, and such phosphorylation could be blocked by CK2 specific inhibitor 4,5,6,7-tetrabromobenzotriazole (TBB) in a dose-dependent manner. Luciferase assays demonstrated that both $CK2{\alpha}$ and $CK2{\beta}$ enhanced the transcription activity of AP-$2{\alpha}$; moreover, $CK2{\beta}$ increased the stability of AP-$2{\alpha}$. Our data suggest a novel cellular function of CK-2 as a transcriptional co-activator of AP-$2{\alpha}$.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.623-635
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• 2018

In order to study the mechanical behavior of shield tunnel segments during assembly stage, the in-situ tests and FDM numerical simulation were conducted based on the Foguan Shiziyang Tunnel with large cross-section. Analysis for the load state of the assembling segments in different assembly steps as well as the investigation for the changing of inner forces and longitudinal stress of segments with assembling steps were carried out in this paper. By comparing the tested results with the simulated results, the conclusions and suggestions could be drawn as follows: (1) It is the most significant for the effects on axial force and bending moment caused by the assembly of adjacent segment, followed by the insertion of key segment while the effects in the other assembly steps are relative smaller. With the increasing value of axial force, the negative bending moment turns into positive and remains increasing in most monitored sections, while the bending moment of segment B1and B6 are negative and keeping increasing; (2) The closer the monitored section to the adjacent segments or the key segment, the more significant the internal forces response, and the monitored effects of key segment insertion are more obvious than that of calculation; (3) The axial forces are all in compression during assembling and the monitored values are about 1.5~1.75 times larger than the calculated values, and the monitored values of bending moment are about 2 times the numerical calculation. The bending moment is more sensitive to the segments assembly process compared with axial force, and it will result in the large bending moment of segments during assembling when the construction parameters are not suitable or the assembly error is too large. However, the internal forces in assembly stage are less than those in normal service stage; (4) The distribution of longitudinal stress has strong influence on the changing of the internal forces. The segment side surface and intrados in the middle of two adjacent jacks are the crack-sensitive positions in the early assembly stage, and subsequently segment corners far away from the jacks become the crack-sensitive parts either.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.775-780
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• 2014

Objectives: TCR-gamma-delta+T cells (${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells) are non-conventional T lymphocytes that can recognize and eradicate tumor cells. Our previous studies showed that infiltration and function of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells were substantially attenuated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, their prognostic value was not clarified. Methods: The association between ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells and the clinical outcomes was determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in a HCC patient cohort (n = 342). Results:Immunohistochemistry showed decreased infiltration of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells in tumoral tissues compared with paired peritumoral tissues. The counts of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells in peritumoral tissues were negatively correlated with tumor size (P = 0.005). Survival analysis showed that the levels of peritumoral ${\gamma}{\delta}$T cells were related to both time to recurrence (TTR) and overall survival (OS) (P = 0.010 and P = 0.036, respectively) in univariate analysis, and related to TTR in multivariate analysis (P = 0.014, H.R. [95% CI] = 0.682 [0.502-0.927]). Furthermore, the level of peritumoral ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells showed independent prognostic value for TTR in Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) stage A patients (P = 0.038, H.R. [95% CI] = 0.727 [0.537-0.984]). However, tumoral ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells did not show independent prognostic value for either TTR or OS in HCC patients. Conclusions: Low counts of ${\gamma}{\delta}$ T cells in peritumoral liver tissue are related to a higher incidence of recurrence in HCC and can predict postoperative recurrence, especially in those with early-stage HCC.