Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Di Li.
The activities of the enzymes tyrosinase and thrombin are probed by the association of the ferrocene boronic acid label to the enzyme-generated catechol ligand, and by the cleavage of the ligand-redox complex tethered to a peptide, respectively.
Hybrid systems composed of a glucose oxidase (GOx)/peroxidase-mimicking DNAzyme, and of microperoxidase-11 (MP-11)/anti-thrombin aptamer were synthesized. The hybrid systems were employed as amplifying labels for the colorimetric or chemiluminescence detection of an enzyme functions, and thrombin analysis, respectively. In the GOx/DNAzyme system, the GOx-mediated oxidation of glucose led to the formation of H(2)O(2), and this activated the oxidation of ABTS to a colored product, or to the generation of chemiluminescence in the presence of luminol. The MP-11/anti-thrombin aptamer enabled the amplified analysis of thrombin by the MP-11-mediated generation of chemiluminescence in the presence of luminol/H(2)O(2).
Hydrolysate of extruded corn gluten with higher solubility and antioxidative property was prepared. Extrusion and starch removal of corn gluten were applied as pretreatment before enzymatic hydrolysis by Alcalase. The amylase hydrolysis of starch at 70 degrees C for 3 h resulted in the removal of the starch from the extruded corn gluten. The best hydrolysis results can be obtained by conducting the hydrolysis at 60 degrees C with water addition 20 g/g protein, enzyme addition 0.048 Ansen units/g protein, pH 8.5, and 120 min. Degree of hydrolysis of extruded and nonextruded corn gluten reached 39.54 and 31.16%, respectively, under the optimal condition. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the optimal hydrolysate revealed that proteolysis of extruded corn gluten was more extensive than proteolysis of its counterpart which was not subjected to extrusion. The molecular weight of the peptides in the optimal hydrolysate was mainly over 3,710-660 Da as determined by gel filtration chromatography. The hydrolysates displayed good solubility and antioxidative activity. The separation profile of the hydrolysate on an ion exchange chromatography of Q-Sepharose Fast Flow showed that many kinds of peptides had antioxidative effect. A new peptide with antioxidative activity was purified, and its amino acid sequence was Phe-Pro-Leu-Glu-Met-Met-Pro-Phe, which was identified by Q-TOF2 mass spectrometry.
Both G1 and mitotic cyclins have been implicated in regulating Candida albicans filamentous growth. We have investigated the functions of Grr1 whose orthologue in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is known to mediate ubiquitin-dependent degradation of the G1 cyclins Cln1 and Cln2. Here, we report that deleting C. albicans GRR1 causes significant stabilization of two G1 cyclins Ccn1 and Cln3 and pseudohyphal growth. grr1Delta cells are highly heterogeneous in length and many of them fail to separate after cytokinesis. Interestingly, some isolated rod-like G1 cells of similar sizes are present in the grr1Delta culture. Time-lapse microscopy revealed that the rod-shaped G1 cells first grew exclusively in width before budding and then the bud grew exclusively by apical extension until after cytokinesis, yielding rod-like daughter cells. Consistently, actin patches persistently localize to the bud tip until around the time of cytokinesis. Despite the pseudohyphal phenotype, grr1Delta cells respond normally to hyphal induction. Hyperphosphorylated Cln3 isoforms accumulate in grr1Delta cells, indicating that Grr1 selectively mediates their degradation in wild-type cells. grr1Delta pseudohyphal growth requires neither Hgc1 nor Swel, two important regulators of cell morphogenesis. Furthermore, the cellular level of Hof1, a protein having a role in cytokinesis, is also significantly increased in grr1Delta cells.
The objective of this research was to determine the relationship between YMDD mutations and the genotypes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) during lamivudine treatment. HBV genotypes were determined by nested PCR with 6 pairs of HBV genotype-specific primers (A to F) in serum specimens from 142 hepatitis B patients receiving lamivudine antiviral therapy. YMDD mutations were detected by fluorescent hybridization bioprobe PCR and melting curve assay (FH-PCR-MC). Among 142 serum specimens, 13 samples were genotype B (9.2%), 125 samples were genotype C (88%), 4 samples were genotype D (2.8%), and 80 YMDD mutations were found. The YMDD mutation rates were 69.2 and 54.4% in genotype B and genotype C, respectively. There was no significant difference in the YMDD mutation rate between genotypes B and C. Nine genotype B sera with YMDD mutations were found, including 2 YIDD mutations and 7 YVDD (M + V) mutations. Sixty-eight genotype C sera with YMDD mutations were found, including 34 mutations I (M + I) and 17 mutations V (M + V). There was a significant difference in the YMDD mutation types between genotypes B and C. Our results suggested that the YMDD mutation rate was 56.3% in patients treated with lamivudine for 2-4 years. YIDD was the main mutation type. The YMDD mutation rate showed no significant difference between HBV types B and C (P > 0.05), while the YMDD mutation types showed a significant difference between HBV types B and C in Northern China (chi2 test = 4.6, P < 0.05).
Associations were studied between the polymorphism of northern Han Chinese leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles and the outcomes of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and HBV genotypes. HLA-A, B, and DRB1 alleles in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with sequence-specific primers. The PBMCs were collected from 61 persons who tested positive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) for more than 6 months (Persistent group), 32 persons who tested negative for both HBsAg and HBV DNA but positive for both anti-HBc and anti-HBs (Recovered group), and 40 persons who tested negative for all serologic markers of HBV infection (Uninfected group). HBV genotypes in serum specimens from 56 of 61 patients with persistent HBV infection were determined by nested PCR with 6 pairs of HBV genotype-specific primers (A to F). The frequency of HLA-DRB1*12 was significantly higher in the Persistent group than in the Recovered group (P=0.004). HLA-A*02 was significantly higher in the Recovered group than in the Persistent group (P=0.044). HLA-DRB1*15 was significantly higher in the HBV genotype B group than in the C group (P=0.013). These findings suggested that there were associations not only between HLA polymorphisms and outcomes of HBV infection but also between HLA polymorphisms and the infected HBV genotypes.
Transparent, ordered nanoporous TiO2/Al2O3 composite films doped with metal elements (Ru, Si, and Te) and nonmetal elements (N, C, and S) were fabricated by successive anodization and sol-gel process directly on glass substrates covered with a tin-doped indium oxide (ITO) film. The doping of ruthenium, nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur in TiO2 exhibited an enhanced effect on the absorbance, while the doping of silicon and tellurium showed little effect. Particularly, the N- and Ru-doped TiO2/Al2O3 films on ITO/glass developed an enhanced absorption red shift of 580 nm (-N) and 500 nm (-Ru). The nanoporous TiO2/Al2O3 composite film exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity in decomposing acetaldehyde under ultraviolet-light irradiation, with a value of 13 times in initial reaction rate or 7.8 times in quantum yield higher than a commercially available TiO2 material, Degussa P25. The ultraviolet-light photocatalytic activities of nanoporous TiO2/Al2O3 films were enhanced by the doping of nitrogen, carbon, and sulfur but slightly weakened by the doping of ruthenium, silicon, and tellurium. Particularly, the nanoporous N-doped TiO2/Al2O3 films exhibited effective photocatalytic activity on ultraviolet light decomposition of a highly toxic dioxin, HpCDD, and gave the highest decomposition rate of approximately 95% (via 7 h of irradiation) for the specimen with a dopant content of 1.7 wt % nitrogen.
Oxalic acid (Ox) and 1,2,3,4-cyclobutanetetracarboxylic acid (CBTCA) were employed as capping ligands in the preparation of gold colloids. FTIR indicated that Ox adopted a linear configuration through one oxygen atom and one gold atom, while CBTCA adopted a bridge configuration through two oxygen atoms and two gold atoms. Ox-gold colloids exhibited aggregation upon addition of NaClO(4), while they remained as isolated particles upon NaCl. For CBTCA-gold colloids, not NaClO(4) but NaCl resulted in aggregation. The reversed results were considered to have been influenced by the different configurations of Ox and CBTCA, which were combined results of the Lewis basicity and steric hindrance of the added ions.
Highly luminescent water-soluble CdTe nanorods were prepared with the assistance of the mixed ligand system of cysteine and thioglycolic acid; the aspect ratio and photoluminescence of the CdTe nanorods could be controlled by the refluxing time.
Unique nanostructure materials with highly ordered spherical aggregates have been obtained by self-organization of single CdTe nanocrystals using gold nanoparticles as seeds, and a red shift of the photoluminescence peak was observed.
Colored N-containing MOx-ZnO (M = W, V) composite powders with high surface area were synthesized by spray pyrolysis. The nitrogen content was controlled from 600 to 3000 ppm by changing the powder ingredients and the spray pyrolysis temperature. Ultraviolet-visible spectra indicated that the N-containing MOx-ZnO powders absorbed not only ultraviolet light like pure ZnO powder, but also some visible-light. Acetaldehyde decomposition was used as a probe reaction to evaluate the photocatalysis of these MOx-ZnO powders. The photocatalytic activity of the N-containing ZnO powder was pronouncedly enhanced by the WO3 or V2O5 addition under both UV and visible-light irradiation. This enhancement was ascribed to the MOx acting as a sink for photogenerated electrons in the UV case, and to a synergistic effect of N-doping and MOx-ZnO coupling in the case of visible-light.
Numerous reports have focused on ferrocene-terminated electroactive self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on a flat Au surface but only a few on ferrocene SAMs on Au colloid. In this paper, we employ 4-ferrocene thiophenol as a novel capping agent to produce electroactive gold nanoparticles in consideration of the peculiar pi-conjugated structure. Transmission electron microscopy shows the narrow-dispersed gold core with an average core diameter of ca. 2.5 nm. UV/vis spectra examine the pi-conjugated structure of 4-ferrocene thiophenol and surface plasmon absorbance of the indicated gold nanoparticles. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals electronic properties of the Au core and thiol ligands. Electrochemical measurement shows that the oxidation peak current is proportional to the scan rate, indicating the electrode process is controlled by adsorbed layer reaction. The formal potential of the Fc-MPCs is compared with that of free ferrocene in MeCN solution and the Fc-SAMs. The shifts are attributed to the phenyl moiety in the 4-ferrocene thiophenol and dielectric constant of the solvation environment.
ZnO powders with different morphologies were synthesized by alkali precipitation, organo-zinc hydrolysis, and spray pyrolysis. Acetaldehyde decomposition was used as a probe reaction to evaluate the photocatalysis of these ZnO powders. We investigated the relationship between photocatalytic activity and crystallinity, surface area, or morphology. Results indicate that the photocatalytic activity of ZnO powder depends on crystallinity rather than surface area for the same original ZnO powders prepared by equal conditions other than the difference in calcination temperature. However, no direct relationship between photocatalytic activity and crystallinity or surface area was found for the differently original ZnO powders prepared by different methods, or the same method with different conditions. Instead, we find that the particle morphology significantly affects its photocatalysis.
Rice allelopathy is implemented through its release of allelochemicals to environment. Many researchers considered that rice allelochemicals were phenolics. The action mechanisms of rice against weeds allelochemicals included the inhibition of seed germination and emergence, the effect on the balance of hormones, the damage on the integrity of cell membrane systems, the effect on photosynthesis and respiration, the disturbance of nutrient and water uptake and the effect on the protein synthesis and gene expression. Rice allelopathy is controlled by polygenes, and inherited quantitatively. Several QTLs were identified by the methods of molecular biological techniques and allelopathic bioassay. It might be the important research work to locate the QTLs accurately and to clone the allelopathic genes with the method of marker-assisted selection and the near isogenic lines.
By using the relay seeding technique with slight modification, a population of 134 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between indica rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivar Zhong 156 x Gumei 2 and contained 168 DNA markers covering all 12 chromosomes with 1447.9 cM spans was employed to evaluate the rice allelopathic effect on barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (I.) Beauv.]. The phenotyping values of the biomass of barnyardgrass infested with rice materials were employed to map the genes of allelopathic activity on barnyardgrass. One main effect of QTL on 7 chromosomes was identified, which explained 32.30% of the phenotypic variation. Six pairs of digenic epistatic loci were also detected, which collectively explained 47.83% of the phenotypic variation. The main QTL and epistatic loci totally explained 80.13% of the phenotypic variation of allelopathic activity.