• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제13권10호
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• pp.5069-5074
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• 2012

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between methylation status of the Dact1 gene and MTHFR a1298c polymorphic forms in transitional cell carcinoma tissues in a Chinese population. Methods: Polymorphisms of folate metabolism enzyme gene MTHFR were assessed by restrictive fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) methods and PCR-based DNA methylation analysis was used to determine the CpG island methylation status of the Dact1 gene. Associations between the methylation status of the Dact1 gene and clinical characteristics, as well as MTHFR a1298c polymorphisms, were analyzed. Results: aberrant methylation of the Dact1 gene was found in 68.3% of cancer tissues and 12.4% of normal tissues,. The methylation rate of the Dact1 gene in cancer tissues was significantly higher in patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis (46.3% vs. 17.2%, P = 0.018). No association was found between aberrant DNA methylation and selected factors including sex, age, tobacco smoking, alcohol consumption and green tea consumption. After adjusting for potential confounding variables, variant allele of MTHFR a1298c was found to be associated with methylation of the Dact1 gene. Compared with wild type CC, the odds ratio was 4.33 (95% CI: 1.06-10.59) for AC and 4.95 (95% CI: 1.18-12.74) for AA. The N stage in TNM staging and the occurrence of lymph node metastasis were associated with an MTHFR 1298 AA+AC genotype (P<0.05). Conclusion: MTHFR 1298 AC and AA genotypes might help maintain a normal methylation status of the Dact1 gene, aberrant CpG island methylation of which is closely related to the genesis and progression of transitional cell carcinoma.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제46권1호
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• pp.27-31
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• 2016

It has been investigated what kind of characteristic X-ray in electron probe micro-analyzer (EPMA) is effective for the determination of compounds of Si series materials. After comparing the characteristic X-rays among the primary and secondary lines in $K_{\alpha}$ and $K_{\beta}$ obtained from the Si series standard samples, it was found that the secondary line of $K_{\alpha}$ exhibited the most informative spectrum although the intensity was considerably weak. As a result of analyzing the spectrum shapes of the Si series standard samples, the spectrum shape of the secondary line of $K_{\alpha}$ for SiC was different from those for other Si compounds. To grasp the characteristics of the shape, a line was perpendicularly drawn from the peak top to base line in order to divide a spectrum into two areas. The area ratio of right to left was defined to call as the asymmetry index here. As a result, the asymmetry index value of the SiC was greater than one, while those of other Si compounds were less than one. It was found from the EPMA analysis that identification of SiC became successful to distinguish from other Si compounds and this method was applicable for micro-sized compounds in a practical composite material.

• Wind and Structures
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• 제20권5호
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• pp.701-718
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• 2015

The joint distribution of wind speed and wind direction at a bridge site is vital to the estimation of the basic wind speed, and hence to the wind-induced vibration analysis of long-span bridges. Instead of the conventional way relying on the weather stations, this study proposed an alternate approach to obtain the original records of wind speed and the corresponding directions based on field measurement supported by the Structural Health Monitoring System (SHMS). Specifically, SHMS of Sutong Cable-stayed Bridge (SCB) is utilized to study the basic wind speed with directional information. Four anemometers are installed in the SHMS of SCB: upstream and downstream of the main deck center, top of the north and south tower respectively. Using the recorded wind data from SHMS, the joint distribution of wind speed and direction is investigated based on statistical methods, and then the basic wind speeds in 10-year and 100-year recurrence intervals at these four key positions are calculated. Analytical results verify the reliability of the recorded wind data from SHMS, and indicate that the joint probability model for the extreme wind speed at SCB site fits well with the Weibull model. It is shown that the calculated basic wind speed is reduced by considering the influence of wind direction. Compared to the design basic wind speed in the Specification of China, basic wind speed considering the influence of direction or not is much smaller, indicating a high safety coefficient in the design of SCB. The results obtained in this study can provide not only references for further wind-resistance research of SCB, but also improve the understanding of the safety coefficient for wind-resistance design of other engineering structures in the similar area.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.316-322
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• 2007

Zinc finger transcription factor genes are a significant fraction of the genes in the vertebrate genome. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a human zinc finger-containing gene, ZNF435, from a fetal brain cDNA library. ZNF435 cDNA is 1290 base pairs in length and contains an open reading frame encoding 349 amino acids with four C2H2-type zinc fingers at its carboxyl terminus and a SCAN motif at its amino terminus. RT-PCR results showed that ZNF435 was expressed in all tested tissues. A ZNF435-GFP fusion protein was located in the nucleus and the four zinc fingers acted as nuclear localization signals (NLSs). ZNF435 was found to be capable of homo-association, and this effect was independent of its zinc fingers. Furthermore, ZNF435 proved to be a transcription repressor as its overexpression in AD293 cells inhibited the transcriptional activities of AP-1.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제32권5호
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• pp.701-710
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• 2019

Objective: This study investigated the effect of different acute heat stress (HS) levels on chicken meat quality and ultra-structure. Methods: Chickens were randomly divided into 7 groups to receive different HS treatments: i) $36^{\circ}C$ for 1 h, ii) $36^{\circ}C$ for 2 h, iii) $38^{\circ}C$ for 1 h, iv) $38^{\circ}C$ for 2 h, v) $40^{\circ}C$ for 1 h, vi) $40^{\circ}C$ for 2 h, and vii) un-stressed control group ($25^{\circ}C$). Blood cortisol level, breasts initial temperature, color, pH, water holding capacity (WHC), protein solubility and ultra-structure were analyzed. Results: HS temperatures had significant effects on breast meat temperature, lightness ($L^*$), redness ($a^*$), cooking loss and protein solubility (p<0.05). The HS at $36^{\circ}C$ increased $L^*{_{24h}}$ value (p<0.01) and increased the cooking loss (p<0.05), but decreased $a^*{_{24h}}$ value (p<0.05). However, as the temperature increased to $38^{\circ}C$ and $40^{\circ}C$, all the values of $L^*{_{24h}}$, cooking loss and protein denaturation level decreased, and the differences disappeared compared to control group (p>0.05). Only the ultimate $pH_{24h}$ at $40^{\circ}C$ decreased compared to the control group (p<0.01). The pH in $36^{\circ}C$ group declined greater than other heat-stressed group in the first hour postmortem, which contributed breast muscle protein degeneration combining with high body temperature, and these variations reflected on poor meat quality parameters. The muscle fiber integrity level in group $40^{\circ}C$ was much better than those in $36^{\circ}C$ with the denatured position mainly focused on the interval of muscle fibers which probably contributes WHC and light reflection. Conclusion: HS at higher temperature (above $38^{\circ}C$) before slaughter did not always lead to more pale and lower WHC breast meat. Breast meat quality parameters had a regression trend as HS temperature raised from $36^{\circ}C$. The interval of muscle fibers at 24 h postmortem and greater pH decline rate with high body temperature in early postmortem period could be a reasonable explanation for the variation of meat quality parameters.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.713-722
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• 2011

The aim of this study was to confirm Pseudomonas spp. as the specific spoilage organism (SSO) of chilled beef during aerobic storage and to establish a model to predict the shelf life of beef. Naturally contaminated beef was stored at $4^{\circ}C$, and the spoilage limit of Pseudomonas organisms was determined by measuring several quality indicators during storage, including the number of Pseudomonas organisms, total number of bacteria, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN) values, L value color scale scores and sensory evaluation scores. The beef was then stored at 0, 4, 7, 10, 15 or $20^{\circ}C$ for varying amounts of time, and the number of Pseudomonas organisms were counted, allowing a corresponding growth model to be established. The results showed that the presence of Pseudomonas spp. was significantly correlated to each quality characteristic (p<0.01), demonstrating that Pseudomonas spp. are the SSO of chilled beef and that the spoilage limit was $10^{8.20}$ cfu/g. The Baranyi and Roberts equation can predict the growth of Pseudomonas spp. in beef, and the $R^2$ value of each model was greater than 0.95. The square root model was used as follows, and the absolute values of the residuals were less than ${0.05:\;{\mu_{max}}^{1/2}$ = 0.15604 [T+(-0.08472)] (p<0.01), $R^2$ = 0.98, $\lambda^{-1/2}$ = 0.0649+0.0242T (p<0.01, $R^2$ = 0.94). The model presented here describes the impact of different temperatures on the growth of Pseudomonas spp., thereby establishing a model for the prediction of the shelf life of beef stored between 0 to $20^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.1101-1108
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• 2008

Geldanamycin and its analogs are important anticancer agents that inhibit the newly targeted heat-shock protein (Hsp) 90, which is a chaperone protein in eukaryotic cells. To resolve which geldanamycin biosynthetic genes are responsible for particular post-polyketide synthase (PKS) processing steps and in which order the reactions occur, we individually inactivated candidate genes in Streptomyces hygroscopicus subsp. duamyceticus JCM4427 and isolated and elucidated the structures of intermediates from each mutant. The results indicated that gel7 governs at least one of the benzoquinone ring oxidation steps. The gel16 was found to be involved in double-bond formation between C-4 and C-5 of 4,5-dihydrogeldanamycin, which confirmed our previous findings that this double bond is reduced during the post-PKS modification of the polyketide assembly. In addition, pro-geldanamycin, which does not possess a double bond at C-4/5, was purified from the gel7 and gel8 double-gene-inactivated mutant.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.643-646
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• 2014

Objective: This study aimed to explore the expression of tissue factor (TF), protease activated receptor-2 (PAR-2), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and influence on invasiveness. Methods: Stable MCF-7 cells transfected with TF cDNA and with TF ShRNA were established. TF, PAR-2, and MMP-9 protein expression was analyzed using indirect immunofluorescence and invasiveness was evaluated using a cell invasion test. Effects of an exogenous PAR-2 agonist were also examined. Results: TF protein expression significantly differed between the TF cDNA and TF ShRNA groups. MMP-9 protein expression was significantly correlated with TF protein expression, but PAR-2 protein expression was unaffected. The PAR-2 agonist significantly enhanced MMP-9 expression and slightly increased TF and PAR-2 expression in the TF ShRNA group, but did not significantly affect protein expression in MCF-7 cells transfected with TF cDNA. TF and MMP-9 expression was positively correlated with the invasiveness of tumor cells. Conclusion: TF, PAR-2, and MMP-9 affect invasiveness of MCF-7 cells. TF may increase MMP-9 expression by activating PAR-2.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.263-278
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• 2019

Moving train load parameters, including train speed, axle spacing, gross train weight and axle weights, are identified based on strain-monitoring data. In this paper, according to influence line theory, the classic moving force identification method is enhanced to handle time-varying velocity of the train. First, the moments that the axles move through a set of fixed points are identified from a series of pulses extracted from the second derivative of the structural strain response. Subsequently, the train speed and axle spacing are identified. In addition, based on the fact that the integral area of the structural strain response is a constant under a unit force at a unit speed, the gross train weight can be obtained from the integral area of the measured strain response. Meanwhile, the corrected second derivative peak values, in which the effect of time-varying velocity is eliminated, are selected to distribute the gross train weight. Hence the axle weights could be identified. Afterwards, numerical simulations are employed to verify the proposed method and investigate the effect of the sampling frequency on the identification accuracy. Eventually, the method is verified using the real-time strain data of a continuous steel truss railway bridge. Results show that train speed, axle spacing and gross train weight can be accurately identified in the time domain. However, only the approximate values of the axle weights could be obtained with the updated method. The identified results can provide reliable reference for determining fatigue deterioration and predicting the remaining service life of railway bridges.

• 한국축산식품학회지
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.179-196
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• 2019

We investigated the effect of high density lipoprotein from egg yolk (EYHDL) on serum, hepatic and fecal lipid and fatty acids (FAs) levels and on gene expression involved in FAs metabolism. Male KM mice were fed either normal diet (ND; n=20), high fat diet (HFD; n=20), or high fat diet containing EYHDL (EYHDL; 0.6 mg/g, every day by oral gavage, n=20) for 100 days. At the end of the experiment, the effects of treatments on biochemical parameters, FAs profiles and involved gene expression were analyzed. Our results revealed that EYHDL markedly suppressed the body weight gain, accumulation of abdominal fat tissues, serum concentrations of LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) and triglycerides, hepatic triglycerides and cholesterol accumulation, while increased serum concentration of HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C). EYHDL intake also increased total cholesterol (TC) excretions compared with HFD group. Moreover, it alleviated the severity of fatty liver and improved glucose and insulin tolerance compared with HFD. More importantly, EYHDL partially normalized FAs profiles in serum, liver and fecaces and neutralized the HFD-induced upregulation of SREBP-1c, Acaca, Fasn, GPAT and Scd1. In conclusion, our findings indicate that EYHDL may have the potential to improve metabolic disturbances that occur in HFD mice and can be considered as an appropriate dietary recommendation for the treatment of metabolic syndrome (MetS).