Displaying publications 21 - 35 of 35 in total

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  1. Fulltext Oxidative trans to cis Isomerization of Olefins in Polyketide Biosynthesis
    Yamamoto T, Tsunematsu Y, Hara K, Suzuki T, Kishimoto S, Kawagishi H, et al.
    Angew Chem Int Ed Engl, 2016 05 17;55(21):6207-10.
    PMID: 27072782 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201600940
    Geometric isomerization can expand the scope of biological activities of natural products. The observed chemical diversity among the pseurotin-type fungal secondary metabolites is in part generated by a trans to cis isomerization of an olefin. In vitro characterizations of pseurotin biosynthetic enzymes revealed that the glutathione S-transferase PsoE requires participation of the bifunctional C-methyltransferase/epoxidase PsoF to complete the trans to cis isomerization of the pathway intermediate presynerazol. The crystal structure of the PsoE/glutathione/presynerazol complex indicated stereospecific glutathione-presynerazol conjugate formation is the principal function of PsoE. Moreover, PsoF was identified to have an additional, unexpected oxidative isomerase activity, thus making it a trifunctional enzyme which is key to the complexity generation in pseurotin biosynthesis. Through the study, we identified a novel mechanism of accomplishing a seemingly simple trans to cis isomerization reaction.
  2. Holistic process evaluation of non-conventional palm oil mill effluent (POME) treatment technologies: A conceptual and comparative review
    Cheng YW, Chong CC, Lam MK, Ayoub M, Cheng CK, Lim JW, et al.
    J Hazard Mater, 2021 05 05;409:124964.
    PMID: 33418292 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2020.124964
    Thriving oil palm agroindustry comes at a price of voluminous waste generation, with palm oil mill effluent (POME) as the most cumbersome waste due to its liquid state, high strength, and great discharge volume. In view of incompetent conventional ponding treatment, a voluminous number of publications on non-conventional POME treatments is filed in the Scopus database, mainly working on alternative or polishing POME treatments. In dearth of such comprehensive review, all the non-conventional POME treatments are rigorously reviewed in a conceptual and comparative manner. Herein, non-conventional POME treatments are sorted into the five major routes, viz. biological (bioconversions - aerobic/anaerobic biodegradation), physical (flotation & membrane filtration), chemical (Fenton oxidation), physicochemical (photooxidation, steam reforming, coagulation-flocculation, adsorption, & ultrasonication), and bioelectrochemical (microbial fuel cell) pathways. For aforementioned treatments, the constraints, pros, and cons are qualitatively and quantitatively (with compiled performance data) detailed to indicate their process maturity. Authors recommended (i) bioconversions, adsorption, and steam reforming as primary treatments, (ii) flotation and ultrasonication as pretreatments, (iii) Fenton oxidation, photooxidation, and membrane filtration as polishing treatments, and (iv) microbial fuel cell and coagulation-flocculation as pretreatment or polishing treatment. Life cycle assessments are required to evaluate the environmental, economic, and energy aspects of each process.
  3. Parasites in soil samples from Signy island, Antarctica
    Lim PKC, Lee XC, Mohd Nazmi NMA, Tang YY, Wong SF, Mak JW, et al.
    Trop Biomed, 2018 Dec 01;35(4):1007-1016.
    PMID: 33601848
    Studies on parasite populations in Antarctic soils are scarce and thus little is known about the threat of these parasites towards either the natural fauna or human visitors. However, human presence in Antarctica, mainly through research and tourism, keeps increasing over time, potentially exposing visitors to zoonotic infections from Antarctic wildlife and environment. Most available literature to date has focused on faecal samples from Antarctic vertebrates. Therefore, this study addressed the possible presence of parasites in Antarctic soil that may be infectious to humans. Soil samples were obtained from five locations on Signy Island (South Orkney Islands, maritime Antarctic), namely North Point and Gourlay Peninsula (penguin rookeries), Pumphouse (relic coal-powered pump house), Jane Col (barren high altitude fellfield) and Berntsen Point (low altitude vegetated fellfield close to current research station). Approximately 10% of the soil samples (14/135) from 3 out of the 5 study sites had parasites which included Diphyllobotridae spp. eggs, Cryptosporidium sp., an apicomplexan protozoa (gregarine), Toxoplasma gondii, helminths (a cestode, Tetrabothrius sp., and a nematode larva) and mites. The presence of parasites in the 3 sites are most likely due to the presence of animal and human activities as two of these sites are penguin rookeries (North Point and Gourlay Peninsula) while the third site (Pumphouse Lake) has human activity. While some of the parasite species found in the soil samples appear to be distinctive, there were also parasites such as Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma gondii that have a global distribution and are potentially pathogenic.
  4. Morphology, ultrastructure, and molecular phylogeny of Wangodinium sinense gen. et sp. nov. (Gymnodiniales, Dinophyceae) and revisiting of Gymnodinium dorsalisulcum and Gymnodinium impudicum
    Luo Z, Hu Z, Tang Y, Mertens KN, Leaw CP, Lim PT, et al.
    J Phycol, 2018 10;54(5):744-761.
    PMID: 30144373 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.12780
    The genus Gymnodinium includes many morphologically similar species, but molecular phylogenies show that it is polyphyletic. Eight strains of Gymnodinium impudicum, Gymnodinium dorsalisulcum and a novel Gymnodinium-like species from Chinese and Malaysian waters and the Mediterranean Sea were established. All of these strains were examined with light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. SSU, LSU and internal transcribed spacers rDNA sequences were obtained. A new genus, Wangodinium, was erected to incorporate strains with a loop-shaped apical structure complex (ASC) comprising two rows of amphiesmal vesicles, here referred to as a new type of ASC. The chloroplasts of Wangodinium sinense are enveloped by two membranes. Pigment analysis shows that peridinin is the main accessory pigment in W. sinense. Wangodinium differs from other genera mainly in its unique ASC, and additionally differs from Gymnodinium in the absence of nuclear chambers, and from Lepidodinium in the absence of Chl b and nuclear chambers. New morphological information was provided for G. dorsalisulcum and G. impudicum, e.g., a short sulcal intrusion in G. dorsalisulcum; nuclear chambers in G. impudicum and G. dorsalisulcum; and a chloroplast enveloped by two membranes in G. impudicum. Molecular phylogeny was inferred using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference with independent SSU and LSU rDNA sequences. Our results support the classification of Wangodinium within the Gymnodiniales sensu stricto clade and it is close to Lepidodinium. Our results also support the close relationship among G. dorsalisulcum, G. impudicum, and Barrufeta. Further research is needed to assign these Gymnodinium species to Barrufeta or to erect new genera.
  5. Fulltext [Key processes and progress in phytomining of nickel contaminated soils: a review]
    Geng K, Sun S, Huang Z, Huang C, Wu C, Deng T, et al.
    Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao, 2020 Mar 25;36(3):436-449.
    PMID: 32237538 DOI: 10.13345/j.cjb.200023
    Phytomining technology cultivates hyperaccumulator plants on heavy metal contaminated soils, followed by biomass harvesting and incineration to recover valuable metals, offering an opportunity for resource recycling and soil remediation. Large areas of ultramafic soils, naturally rich in nickel (Ni), are present in numerous places around the world. As an environmentally friendly and cost-effective soil remediation technology, phytomining has a broad application prospect in such areas and thus has attracted great attention from global researchers. The key processes of phytomining include: (1) high-selectivity response of hyperaccumulator plants to Ni the underlying mechanisms involved in the rhizosphere; (2) underlying mechanisms of high-efficiency uptake and translocation of Ni in hyperaccumulators; and (3) resource recycling of high-added value Ni products from the Ni-rich bio-ore of hyperaccumulators. In recent 30 years, phytomining practices have successfully carried out in United States, Albania and Malaysia. However, the research and application of this technology in China are still in the fledging stage. This paper reviews the key processes and research progress of phytomining, and points out the bottleneck, to provide theoretical basis and technical guidance for phytomining.
  6. Fulltext Deposition, Characterization, and Modeling of Scandium-Doped Aluminum Nitride Thin Film for Piezoelectric Devices
    Zhang Q, Chen M, Liu H, Zhao X, Qin X, Wang F, et al.
    Materials (Basel), 2021 Oct 27;14(21).
    PMID: 34771961 DOI: 10.3390/ma14216437
    In this work, we systematically studied the deposition, characterization, and crystal structure modeling of ScAlN thin film. Measurements of the piezoelectric device's relevant material properties, such as crystal structure, crystallographic orientation, and piezoelectric response, were performed to characterize the Sc0.29Al0.71N thin film grown using pulsed DC magnetron sputtering. Crystal structure modeling of the ScAlN thin film is proposed and validated, and the structure-property relations are discussed. The investigation results indicated that the sputtered thin film using seed layer technique had a good crystalline quality and a clear grain boundary. In addition, the effective piezoelectric coefficient d33 was up to 12.6 pC/N, and there was no wurtzite-to-rocksalt phase transition under high pressure. These good features demonstrated that the sputtered ScAlN is promising for application in high-coupling piezoelectric devices with high-pressure stability.
  7. Correction of Lying Ear and Aesthetic Modification of Helix and Ear Lobule with Hyaluronic Acid Filler Injection: Experience in Chinese Patients
    Li Y, Dong W, Zhang L, Yang Y, Song Y, Shi N, et al.
    Aesthet Surg J, 2024 Jan 25.
    PMID: 38271268 DOI: 10.1093/asj/sjae010
    BACKGROUND: Large and long ears are regarded as symbols of wealth and health in eastern Asian culture, patients with lying ears wish their ears to be more exposed and prominent. Surgeries correcting lying ears have been documented.

    OBJECTIVES: We report correction of lying ears and aesthetic modification of helix and ear lobule with HA injections.

    METHODS: We performed HA injections at auriculocephalic sulcus (AS) to increase cranioauricular angle (CA) and correct lying ears. The injections at helix and lobule were case-specific. The CA was measured and photographs were taken at baseline and 1-, 3-, 6-, and 10-month follow-ups. Efficacy was assessed using a 5-point global aesthetic improvement scale (GAIS). Adverse events (AEs) were recorded.

    RESULTS: Forty-six patients (92 ears) received HA injections and completed follow-ups. Instant correction outcomes were observed. Sixteen (34.8%) patients received one touch-up injection, whose clinical efficacy persisted for 1 to 1.5 years. The GAIS for over 90% of cases with touch-up treatment was "very much improved" or "much improved" at all follow-ups. The GAIS for over 70% of cases without touch-up treatment was "very much improved" or "much improved" at 1, 3, and 6-month follow-ups. CA increased significantly compared with the baseline. Patients also reported "more V-shaped face shape" and "lifted jawline" effects. No serious AEs occurred.

    CONCLUSIONS: As an alternative technique to surgeries, HA filler injections at AS effectively corrected lying ears. This technique produced immediate, long-lasting, and aesthetically pleasing results. The side effects and downtime were minimal.

  8. Fulltext Involvement of Lipocalin-like CghA in Decalin-Forming Stereoselective Intramolecular [4+2] Cycloaddition
    Sato M, Yagishita F, Mino T, Uchiyama N, Patel A, Chooi YH, et al.
    Chembiochem, 2015 Nov 2;16(16):2294-8.
    PMID: 26360642 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201500386
    Understanding enzymatic Diels-Alder (DA) reactions that can form complex natural product scaffolds is of considerable interest. Sch 210972 1, a potential anti-HIV fungal natural product, contains a decalin core that is proposed to form through a DA reaction. We identified the gene cluster responsible for the biosynthesis of 1 and heterologously reconstituted the biosynthetic pathway in Aspergillus nidulans to characterize the enzymes involved. Most notably, deletion of cghA resulted in a loss of stereoselective decalin core formation, yielding both an endo (1) and a diastereomeric exo adduct of the proposed DA reaction. Complementation with cghA restored the sole formation of 1. Density functional theory computation of the proposed DA reaction provided a plausible explanation of the observed pattern of product formation. Based on our study, we propose that lipocalin-like CghA is responsible for the stereoselective intramolecular [4+2] cycloaddition that forms the decalin core of 1.
  9. Fulltext Evolution of nuchal glands, unusual defensive organs of Asian natricine snakes (Serpentes: Colubridae), inferred from a molecular phylogeny
    Takeuchi H, Savitzky AH, Ding L, de Silva A, Das I, Nguyen TT, et al.
    Ecol Evol, 2018 Oct;8(20):10219-10232.
    PMID: 30397460 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4497
    A large body of evidence indicates that evolutionary innovations of novel organs have facilitated the subsequent diversification of species. Investigation of the evolutionary history of such organs should provide important clues for understanding the basis for species diversification. An Asian natricine snake, Rhabdophis tigrinus, possesses a series of unusual organs, called nuchal glands, which contain cardiotonic steroid toxins known as bufadienolides. Rhabdophis tigrinus sequesters bufadienolides from its toad prey and stores them in the nuchal glands as a defensive mechanism. Among more than 3,500 species of snakes, only 17 Asian natricine species are known to possess nuchal glands or their homologues. These 17 species belong to three nominal genera, Balanophis, Macropisthodon, and Rhabdophis. In Macropisthodon and Rhabdophis, however, species without nuchal glands also exist. To infer the evolutionary history of the nuchal glands, we investigated the molecular phylogenetic relationships among Asian natricine species with and without nuchal glands, based on variations in partial sequences of Mt-CYB, Cmos, and RAG1 (total 2,767 bp). Results show that all species with nuchal glands belong to a single clade (NGC). Therefore, we infer that the common ancestor of this clade possessed nuchal glands with no independent origins of the glands within the members. Our results also imply that some species have secondarily lost the glands. Given the estimated divergence time of related species, the ancestor of the nuchal gland clade emerged 19.18 mya. Our study shows that nuchal glands are fruitful subjects for exploring the evolution of novel organs. In addition, our analysis indicates that reevaluation of the taxonomic status of the genera Balanophis and Macropisthodon is required. We propose to assign all species belonging to the NGC to the genus Rhabdophis, pending further study.
  10. Fulltext The Role of 1-Methylcyclopropene in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis and ethylene receptor gene expression in Mangifera indica L. (Mango Fruit)
    Li L, Shuai L, Sun J, Li C, Yi P, Zhou Z, et al.
    Food Sci Nutr, 2020 Feb;8(2):1284-1294.
    PMID: 32148834 DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.1417
    Mango (Mangifera indica L.) is respiratory climacteric fruit that ripens and decomposes quickly following their harvest. 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP) is known to affect the ripening of fruit, delaying the decay of mango stored under ambient conditions. The objective of this study was to clarify the role of 1-MCP in the regulation of ethylene biosynthesis and ethylene receptor gene expression in mango. 1-MCP significantly inhibited the 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) content. The activity of ACC oxidase (ACO) increased on days 6, 8, and 10 of storage, whereas delayed ACC synthase (ACS) activity increased after day 4. The two homologous ethylene receptor genes, ETR1 and ERS1 (i.e., MiETR1 and MiERS1), were obtained and deposited in GenBank® (National Center for Biotechnology Information-National Institutes of Health [NCBI-NIH]) (KY002681 and KY002682). The MiETR1 coding sequence was 2,220 bp and encoded 739 amino acids (aa). The MiERS1 coding sequence was 1,890 bp and encoded 629 aa, similar to ERS1 in other fruit. The tertiary structures of MiETR1 and MiERS1 were also predicted. MiERS1 lacks a receiver domain and shares a low homology with MiETR1 (44%). The expression of MiETR1 and MiERS1 mRNA was upregulated as the storage duration extended and reached the peak expression on day 6. Treatment with 1-MCP significantly reduced the expression of MiETR1 on days 4, 6, and 10 and inhibited the expression of MiETR1 on days 2, 4, 6, and 10. These results indicated that MiETR1 and MiERS1 had important functions in ethylene signal transduction. Treatment with 1-MCP might effectively prevent the biosynthesis of ethylene, as well as ethylene-induced ripening and senescence. This study presents an innovative method for prolonging the storage life of mango after their harvest through the regulation of MiETR1 and MiERS1 expression.
  11. Results of PROFILE 1029, a Phase III Comparison of First-Line Crizotinib versus Chemotherapy in East Asian Patients with ALK-Positive Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer
    Wu YL, Lu S, Lu Y, Zhou J, Shi YK, Sriuranpong V, et al.
    J Thorac Oncol, 2018 10;13(10):1539-1548.
    PMID: 29966800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtho.2018.06.012
    INTRODUCTION: The phase III randomized PROFILE 1014 study demonstrated superiority of crizotinib to first-line chemotherapy in prolonging progression-free survival (PFS) in previously untreated patients with ALK receptor tyrosine kinase gene (ALK)-positive advanced nonsquamous NSCLC. This result was consistent with that in the smaller subset of East Asian patients in PROFILE 1014. The subsequent study reported here prospectively evaluated crizotinib in a larger East Asian patient population.

    METHODS: In this open-label phase III study (PROFILE 1029), patients were randomized 1:1 to receive orally administered crizotinib 250 mg twice daily continuously (3-week cycles) or intravenously administered chemotherapy (pemetrexed 500 mg/m2, plus cisplatin 75 mg/m2, or carboplatin [at a dose to produce area under the concentration-time curve of 5-6 mg·min/mL]) every 3 weeks for a maximum of six cycles. PFS confirmed by independent radiology review was the primary end point.

    RESULTS: Crizotinib significantly prolonged PFS (hazard ratio, 0.402; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.286-0.565; p < 0.001). The median PFS was 11.1 months with crizotinib and 6.8 months with chemotherapy. The objective response rate was 87.5% (95% CI: 79.6-93.2%) with crizotinib versus 45.6% (95% CI: 35.8-55.7%) with chemotherapy (p < 0.001). The most common adverse events were increased transaminase levels, diarrhea, and vision disorders with crizotinib and leukopenia, neutropenia, and anemia with chemotherapy. Significantly greater improvements from baseline in patient-reported outcomes were seen in crizotinib-treated versus chemotherapy-treated patients.

    CONCLUSIONS: First-line crizotinib significantly improved PFS, objective response rate, and patient-reported outcomes compared with standard platinum-based chemotherapy in East Asian patients with ALK-positive advanced NSCLC, which is similar to the results from PROFILE 1014. The safety profiles of crizotinib and chemotherapy were consistent with those previously published.

  12. Fulltext Reliable, verifiable and efficient monitoring of biodiversity via metabarcoding
    Ji Y, Ashton L, Pedley SM, Edwards DP, Tang Y, Nakamura A, et al.
    Ecol Lett, 2013 Oct;16(10):1245-57.
    PMID: 23910579 DOI: 10.1111/ele.12162
    To manage and conserve biodiversity, one must know what is being lost, where, and why, as well as which remedies are likely to be most effective. Metabarcoding technology can characterise the species compositions of mass samples of eukaryotes or of environmental DNA. Here, we validate metabarcoding by testing it against three high-quality standard data sets that were collected in Malaysia (tropical), China (subtropical) and the United Kingdom (temperate) and that comprised 55,813 arthropod and bird specimens identified to species level with the expenditure of 2,505 person-hours of taxonomic expertise. The metabarcode and standard data sets exhibit statistically correlated alpha- and beta-diversities, and the two data sets produce similar policy conclusions for two conservation applications: restoration ecology and systematic conservation planning. Compared with standard biodiversity data sets, metabarcoded samples are taxonomically more comprehensive, many times quicker to produce, less reliant on taxonomic expertise and auditable by third parties, which is essential for dispute resolution.
  13. Fulltext The FLUXNET2015 dataset and the ONEFlux processing pipeline for eddy covariance data
    Pastorello G, Trotta C, Canfora E, Chu H, Christianson D, Cheah YW, et al.
    Sci Data, 2020 07 09;7(1):225.
    PMID: 32647314 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-020-0534-3
    The FLUXNET2015 dataset provides ecosystem-scale data on CO2, water, and energy exchange between the biosphere and the atmosphere, and other meteorological and biological measurements, from 212 sites around the globe (over 1500 site-years, up to and including year 2014). These sites, independently managed and operated, voluntarily contributed their data to create global datasets. Data were quality controlled and processed using uniform methods, to improve consistency and intercomparability across sites. The dataset is already being used in a number of applications, including ecophysiology studies, remote sensing studies, and development of ecosystem and Earth system models. FLUXNET2015 includes derived-data products, such as gap-filled time series, ecosystem respiration and photosynthetic uptake estimates, estimation of uncertainties, and metadata about the measurements, presented for the first time in this paper. In addition, 206 of these sites are for the first time distributed under a Creative Commons (CC-BY 4.0) license. This paper details this enhanced dataset and the processing methods, now made available as open-source codes, making the dataset more accessible, transparent, and reproducible.
  14. Fulltext Author Correction: The FLUXNET2015 dataset and the ONEFlux processing pipeline for eddy covariance data
    Pastorello G, Trotta C, Canfora E, Chu H, Christianson D, Cheah YW, et al.
    Sci Data, 2021 Feb 25;8(1):72.
    PMID: 33633116 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-021-00851-9
  15. Platform presentations
    Pereda J, Niimi G, Kaul JM, Mishra S, Pangtey B, Peri D, et al.
    Surg Radiol Anat, 2009 Sep;31 Suppl 1:49-93.
    PMID: 27392491 DOI: 10.1007/BF03371485
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