• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.373-378
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• 2017

Ocotillol-type saponins are one kind of tetracyclic triterpenoids, sharing a tetrahydrofuran ring. Natural ocotillol-type saponins have been discovered in Panax quinquefolius L., Panax japonicus, Hana mina, and Vietnamese ginseng. In recent years, the semisynthesis of 20(S/R)-ocotillol-type saponins has been reported. The biological activities of ocotillol-type saponins include neuroprotective effect, antimyocardial ischemia, antiinflammatory, antibacterial, and antitumor activities. Owing to their chemical structure, pharmacological actions, and the stereoselective activity on antimyocardial ischemia, ocotillol-type saponins are subjected to extensive consideration. In this review, we sum up the discovery, semisynthesis, biological activities, and metabolism of ocotillol-type saponins.

• Current Applied Physics
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1422-1425
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• 2018

$NaTa_{1-x}Fe_xO_3$ ($0{\leq}x{\leq}0.40$) nanocubes were synthesized by a relatively low temperature hydrothermal method, using $Ta_2O_5$, $FeCl_3$ and NaOH as the precursors. The UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra showed that $NaTa_{1-x}Fe_xO_3$ had significant visible-light-absorbing capability, and the absorption edge of $NaTaO_3$ shifted to longer wavelength with the increase of Fe dopants. Moreover, $NaTa_{1-x}Fe_xO_3$ exhibited room-temperature ferromagnetism when $Fe^{3+}$ occupied $Ta^{5+}$ sites in $NaTaO_3$ crystal lattice. The ferromagnetism is mainly attributed to the superexchange interactions between doped $Fe^{3+}$, rather than the contribution of oxygen vacancies caused by Fe doping. Therefore, Fe doping can simultaneously regulate the optical and magnetic properties of $NaTaO_3$ semiconductor, which will enable its potential applications in multifunctional optical-electronics and opticalspintronics devices.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.4377-4384
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• 2014

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 1.37 million people died of lung cancer all around the world in 2008, occupying the first place in all cancer-related deaths. However, this number might be decreased if patients were detected earlier and treated appropriately. Unfortunately, traditional imaging techniques are not sufficiently satisfactory for early detection of lung cancer because of limitations. As one alternative, breath volatile organic compounds (VOCs) may reflect the biochemical status of the body and provide clues to some diseases including lung cancer at early stage. Early detection of lung cancer based on breath analysis is becoming more and more valued because it is non-invasive, sensitive, inexpensive and simple. In this review article, we analyze the limitations of traditional imaging techniques in the early detection of lung cancer, illustrate possible mechanisms of the production of VOCs in cancerous cells, present evidence that supports the detection of such disease using breath analysis, and summarize the advances in the study of E-noses based on gas sensitive sensors. In conclusion, the analysis of breath VOCs is a better choice for the early detection of lung cancer compared to imaging techniques. We recommend a more comprehensive technique that integrates the analysis of VOCs and non-VOCs in breath. In addition, VOCs in urine may also be a trend in research on the early detection of lung cancer.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.54 no.11
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• pp.4013-4021
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• 2022

A kind of zirconium phosphate mesoporous coordination polymer Zr-EDTMPA was successfully synthesized and characterized using XRD, FTIR, TGA, EA, SEM-EDS, and N₂ sorption-desorption measurements. The prepared Zr-EDTMPA was first employed for the removal of Co(II) from an aqueous solution, and the effects of pH, contact time, temperature, initial Co(II) concentration, reusability, and sorption mechanism were systematically investigated. The results showed that the Zr-EDTMPA is a zirconium phosphate complex formed by the coordination of EDTMPA to Zr in a molar ratio of 1:1. The sorption of Co(II) by Zr-EDTMPA was a pH-dependent, spontaneous and endothermic process, which was better fitted to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir isotherm model. The Zr-EDTMPA was demonstrated to have excellent reusability and presented a high sorption capacity of 73.0 mg·g^-1 for Co(II) at pH 8.0. The sorption mechanism was mainly attributed to the strong coordination between cobalt and the untapped hydroxyl functional groups on Zr-EDTMPA, which was confirmed by XPS spectra. Therefore, as a candidate sorbent with high sorption capacity and excellent reusability, Zr-EDTMPA has a great potential for the removal of Co(II) from aqueous solutions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.33-43
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• 2015

GAM-1 and GAM-2, two themostable glucoamylases from Aspergillus niger B-30, possess different molecular masses, glycosylation, and thermal stability. In the present study, the effects of additives on the thermal inactivation of GAM-1 and GAM-2 were investigated. The half-lives of GAM-1 and GAM-2 at 70℃ were 45 and 216 min, respectively. Data obtained from fluorescence spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, UV absorption spectroscopy, and dynamic light scattering demonstrated that during the thermal inactivation progress, combined with the loss of the helical structure and a majority of the tertiary structure, tryptophan residues were partially exposed and further led to glucoamylases aggregating. The thermal stability of GAM-1 and GAM-2 was largely improved in the presence of sorbitol and trehalose. Results from spectroscopy and Native-PAGE confirmed that sorbitol and trehalose maintained the native state of glucoamylases and prevented their thermal aggregation. The loss of hydrophobic bonding and helical structure was responsible for the decrease of glucoamylase activity. Additionally, sorbitol and trehalose significantly increased the substrate affinity and catalytic efficiency of the two glucoamylases. Our results display an insight into the thermal inactivation of glucoamylases and provide an important base for industrial applications of the thermally stable glucoamylases.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.236-241
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• 2015

Carbon-coated Ni, Cu and Sn nanocapsules were investigated by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and a four-point probe device. All of these nanocapsules were prepared by an arc-discharge method, in which the bulk metals were evaporated under methane ($CH_4$) atmosphere. Three pure metals (Ni, Cu, Sn) were typically diverse in formation of the carbon encapsulated nanoparticles and their different mechanisms were investigated. It was indicated that a thick carbon layers formed on the surface of Ni(C) nanocapsules, whereas a thin shell of carbon with 1~2 layers covered on Cu(C) nanocapsules, and the Sn(C) nanocapsules was, in fact, a longger multi-walled carbon nanotubes partially-filled with metal Sn. As one typical magnetic/dielectric nanocomposite particles, Ni(C) nanocapsules and its counterpart of oxide-coated Ni(O) nanocapsules were compared in the electrically conductive behaviors for further applications as the electromagnetic materials.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1701-1707
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• 2016

Lipoxygenase (LOX) is an industrial enzyme with wide applications in food and pharmaceutical industries. The available structure information indicates that eukaryotic LOXs consist of N terminus β-barrel and C terminus catalytic domains. However, the latest crystal structure of Pseudomonas aeruginosa LOX shows it is significantly different from those of eukaryotic LOXs, including the N-terminal helix domain. In this paper, the functions of this N-terminal helix domain in the soluble expression and catalysis of P. aeruginosa LOX were analyzed. Genetic truncation of this helix domain resulted in an insoluble P. aeruginosa LOX mutant. The active C-terminal domain was obtained by dispase digestion of the P. aeruginosa LOX derivative containing the genetically introduced dispase recognition sites. This functional C-terminal domain showed raised substrate affinity but reduced catalytic activity and thermostability. Crystal structure analyses demonstrate that the broken polar contacts connecting the two domains and the exposed hydrophobic substrate binding pocket may contribute to the insoluble expression of the C terminus domain and the changes in the enzyme properties. Our data suggest that the N terminus domain of P. aeruginosa LOX is required for its soluble expression in E. coli, which is different from that of the eukaryotic LOXs. Besides this, this N-terminal domain is not necessary for catalysis but shows positive effects on the enzyme properties. The results presented here provide new and valuable information on the functions of the N terminus helix domain of P. aeruginosa LOX and further improvement of its enzyme properties by molecular modification.

• 한국정보디스플레이학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2009.10a
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• pp.1608-1611
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• 2009

Here the hydrogen passivation treatment has been adopted to enhance the performance of poly-Si crystallized by YAG laser annealing (LA poly-Si). We have investigated the effects of passivation time, passivation power and passivation temperature on the hall mobility of the LA poly-Si and analyzed the mechanism of the hydrogen passivation preliminary. It has been found that the quality of the poly-Si annealed by YAG laser could be improved after proper hydrogen plasma treatment.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.175-183
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• 2022

To study the working mechanism and size effect of an innovative dovetail UHPC joint originated from the 5th Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge, a large-scale testing subject to negative bending moment was conducted and compared with the previous scaled specimens. The static responses, i.e., the crack pattern, failure mode, ductility and stiffness degradation were analyzed. It was found that the scaled specimens presented similar working stages and working mechanism with the large-scale ones. However, the post-cracking ductility and relative stiffness degradation all decrease with the enlarged length/scale, apart from the relative stiffness after flexural cracking. The slab stiffness at the flexural cracking stage is 90% of the initial stiffness while only 24% of the initial stiffness reserved in the ultimate stage. Finite element model (FEM) was established and compared with the experiments to verify its effectiveness in exploring the working mechanism of the innovative joint. Based on this effective method, a series of FEMs were established to further study the influence of material strength, pre-stressing level and ratio of reinforcement on its deflection-load relationship. It is found that the ratio of reinforcement can significantly improve its load-carrying capacity among the three major-influenced factors.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.525-531
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• 2007

As a $\beta_2$-adrenergic agonist, clenbuterol decreases body fat, but the molecular mechanism underlying this process is unclear. In the present study, we treated 293T and L-02 cells with clenbuterol and found that clenbuterol downregulates SREBP-1c expression and upregulates CREB1 expression. Considering SREBP-1c has the function of regulating the transcription of several lipogenic enzymes, we considered that the downregulation of SREBP-1c is responsible for body fat reduction by clenbuterol. Many previous studies have found that clenbuterol markedly increases intracellular cAMP levels, therefore, we also investigated whether CREB1 is involved in this process. The data from our experiments indicate that CREB1 overexpression inhibits SREBP-1c transcription, and that this action is antagonized by CREB2, a competitive inhibitor of CREB1. Furthermore, since PPARs are able to repress SREBP-1c transcription, we investigated whether clenbuterol and CREB1 function via a pathway involving PPAR activation. However, our results showed that clenbuterol or CREB1 overexpression suppressed PPARs transcription in 293T and L-02 cells, which suggested that they impair SREBP-1c expression in other ways.