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Biomedical subjects

J H He

Publications and source records attributed to J H He.

15 recordsLinked to original sources

Bombardment-induced tunable superlattices in the growth of Au-Ni films.

Highly ordered superlattices are typically created through the sequential deposition of two different materials. Here, we report our experimental observation of spontaneous formation of superlattices in coevaporation of Au and Ni under energetic ion bombardment. The superlattice periodicities are on the order of a few nanometers and can be adjusted through the energy and flux of ion beams. Such a self-organization process is a consequence of the bombardment-induced segregation and uphill diffusion within the advancing nanoscale subsurface zone in the film growth. Our observations suggest that ion beams can be employed to make tunable natural superlattices in the deposition of phase-separated systems with strong bombardment-induced segregation.

Journal Article↗

Dietary thyroid hormone improves growth and muscle protein accumulation of black-boned chickens.

1. The objective of the study was to examine the effect of dietary thyroid hormone on performance and muscle protein accumulation of black-boned chickens. 2. A total of 720 1-d-old birds was housed in 24 pens and assigned to 4 diets containing triiodothyronine (T3) at 0, 0.1, 0.3 or 0.5 mg/kg. 3. The trial was split into starter (0 to 4 weeks) and grower (5 to 8 weeks) phases. At the beginning of the grower phase, each pen was split into two; one subgroup was fed basal diet (T3-) and the other continued with T3-added diet (T3+). 4. Dietary T3 at 0.1 mg/kg improved average daily body weight gain until week 6 but retarded it thereafter. However, T3 at 0.5 mg/kg depressed growth throughout the whole period. During weeks 7 to 8, T3 retarded growth, whereas growth recovered when T3 was withdrawn from the diet. 5. Birds fed the diet containing 0.1 mg/kg during weeks 0 to 4 and those receiving basal diet during weeks 5 to 8 showed the greatest thigh muscle growth, but this growth was depressed when they were fed the 0.5 mg/kg diet during weeks 0 to 8. 6. Serum T3 concentration was increased, while thyroxine (T4) concentration was decreased by dietary T3 treatment at 2 weeks old. At 4 weeks old, T3 and T4 concentrations decreased. At 6 and 8 weeks old, among T3-treated groups the serum T3 concentration of the T3- group was higher than that of the T3+ group. 7. In conclusion, dietary T3 improved weight gain and muscle growth of black-boned chickens before week 6, whereas supplementation depressed growth after 6 weeks. Optimum dietary T3 concentrations showed a carry-over effect on both body weight gain and thigh muscle growth.

Animal Feed↗

Effect of dietary oligochitosan supplementation on ileal digestibility of nutrients and performance in broilers.

The effect of dietary chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) supplementation on ileal digestibilities of nutrients and performance in broilers was assessed by feeding graded levels (0, 50, 100, 150 mg/kg) of COS. Two thousand four hundred male commercial Avian broilers (1-d-old) were assigned randomly to 5 dietary treatment groups (60 birds per pen with 8 pens per treatment). Diet A was a typical corn- and soybean meal-based diet supplemented with 6 mg/kg of an antibiotic flavomycin (positive control). Diet B was the basal diet without any supplement. Diets C, D, and E were formulated by adding 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg of COS to the basal diet, respectively. On the morning of d 21 and 42, 64 birds (8 per pen with 8 pens per treatment) from the growth trial for each age group were killed by cervical dislocation for determination of the ileal digestibilities of nutrients. Dietary supplementation with COS and antibiotic enhanced (P < 0.05) the ileal digestibilities of DM, Ca, P, CP, and all amino acids (except for alanine in the 21-d-old birds or phenylalanine, glutamate, and glycine for the 42-d-old birds). Feed efficiency was improved (P < 0.05) in response to dietary supplementation of an antibiotic or COS (150 mg/kg for d 1 to 21, and 100 and 150 mg/kg for d 21 to 42). The results demonstrate for the first time to our knowledge that dietary COS supplementation was effective in increasing the ileal digestibilities of nutrients and feed efficiency in broilers. Our findings may explain a beneficial effect of COS on chicken growth performance.

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗

Effects of the silanized mica surface on protein crystallization.

A freshly cleaved mica surface silanized by 3-aminopropyl triethoxysilane is flat over a large area, displays a controlled degree of hydrophobicity and contains positive charges. In this paper, mica sheets silanized by this method have been used as crystallization surfaces for lysozyme, trichosanthin and three other proteins of unknown structure. Crystallization experiments have been carried out by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion technique and the results indicate that the silanized mica surface can ameliorate the protein crystallization process considerably compared with a silanized glass cover slip control. For lysozyme on the silanized mica surface, the induction time required for crystal growth decreases markedly. For trichosanthin, the crystal size is obviously larger and the number of crystals grown is much lower. For the three proteins of unknown structure, the diffraction ability of the crystals is improved considerably.

Aluminum Silicates↗

Icosahedral short-range order in amorphous alloys.

We have characterized the icosahedral short-range order in amorphous solids using local environment probes. Such topological local order is pronounced even in an amorphous alloy that does not form quasicrystalline phases upon crystallization, as demonstrated by the extended x-ray absorption fine structure and x-ray absorption near-edge structure of a Ni-Ag amorphous alloy analyzed through reverse Monte Carlo simulations.

Journal Article↗

Dietary methionine requirement of the Chinese egg-laying duck.

1. The dietary methionine requirement of egg-laying ducks was assessed by feeding diets supplemented with graded levels of DL-methionine (0, 4, 8, 12, 16 g/kg dietary protein) for 8 weeks. The basal diet contained 175 g protein and 2.6 g methionine per kg feed (or 14.9 g/kg protein) and an estimated ME of 11.5 MJ/kg. 2. A total of 800 Shaoxin laying ducks (420 d old) were randomly divided into 5 groups of 160 each and fed in 4 separate pens. 3. Dietary supplementation of methionine significantly increased egg production and feed conversion efficiency. 4. Dietary methionine requirement for optimum egg production was estimated to be 25.7 g/kg of dietary protein or 4.5 g/kg of the diet or 380 mg/bird-d. 5. Methionine supplementation increased the methionine level in plasma, and the free glutamic acid and aspartic acid concentrations in plasma were quadratically related to dietary methionine levels. Increasing dietary methionine had little effect on egg quality characteristics.

Amino Acids↗

Homogeneity of a supersaturated solid solution.

Extended x-ray absorption fine structures, small-angle x-ray scattering, and atomistic model calculations have been employed to probe the homogeneity of the fcc solution created in Ag-Cu, a classical system demonstrating the extension of solubility across the entire miscibility gap through rapid quenching. Our results reveal that in many cases the supersaturated solutions formed have decomposition features on the scale of 1 nm. Conventional diffraction methods are inadequate in determining the level of supersaturation or the uniformity of such solid solution alloys.

Journal Article↗

Amorphous structures in the immiscible Ag-Ni system.

Vapor quenching in the phase-separating Ag-Ni system creates alloys that appear homogeneously amorphous under conventional probes. However, an atomic-level structural analysis based on extended x-ray absorption fine structures in combination with reverse Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrates that these new phases are characterized by nonuniform, spinodal-like structures on an extremely fine scale. This heterogeneous nature of the structure is directly responsible for the unexpectedly low heat (and temperature) of crystallization observed in calorimetric measurements.

Journal Article↗

Altered expression of the suppressors PML and p53 in glioblastoma cells with the antisense-EGF-receptor.

Gene amplification and enhanced expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) represent the major molecular genetic alteration in glioblastomas and it may play an essential role in cell growth and in the carcinogenic process. On the other hand, the nuclear suppressor proteins PML and p53 are also known to play critical roles in cancer development and in suppressing cell growth. Here we report that, in glioblastoma cells with defective EGFR function, the expressions of both promyelocytic leukaemia (PML) and p53 were altered. Cells that were transfected with the antisense-cDNA of EGFR were found to have more cells in G1 and fewer cells in S phase. In addition, the transfected cells were found to be non-responsive to EGF-induced cell growth. Interestingly, the expression of the suppressors p53 and PML were found to be significantly increased by immunohistochemical assay in the antisense-EGFR cells. Moreover, the PML expression in many of the cells was converted from the nuclear dot pattern into fine-granulated staining pattern. In contrast, the expressions of other cell cycle regulated genes and proto-oncogene, including the cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4), retinoblastoma, p16INK4a and p21H-ras, were not altered. These data indicate that there are specific inductions of PML and p53 proteins which may account for the increase in G1 and growth arrest in antisense-EGFR treated cells. It also indicates that the EGF, p53 and PML transduction pathways were linked and they may constitute an integral part of an altered growth regulatory programme. The interactions and cross-talks of these critical molecules may be very important in regulating cell growth, differentiation and cellular response to treatment in glioblastomas.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Anticancer effect of Howiinol A and its mechanism of action.

Howiinol A (GHM-10) is a kind of phenylethylene pyrone compounds isolated from Goniothalamus howii. By using the techniques of cell growth curve determination, MTT test, soft agar colony assay and experimental therapy of transplantable tumors in mice, it is found that GHM-10 exerts potent inhibitory effect on cancer cells but its influence on normal cells is relatively slight; the sensitivity of a drug-resistant cell line, KB/VCR 2000, to GHM-10 is similar to its parent cell line KB. Remarkable therapeutic effect can be seen in mice bearing H22 hepatoma and Lewis lung cancer and in mice with ascetic sarcoma 180 when GHM-10 is orally or intraperitoneally administered. The IC50s of L1210 cells treated with GHM-10 for 1 and 24 h are 6.85 and 3.32 micrograms.ml-1 respectively. The ratio of IC50 1 h and IC50 24 h is only 2.06, indicating that the action of GHM-10 is conformed to a cell cycle non-specific cytotoxic agent. By using trypan blue exclusive test and morphological examination, it is demonstrated that the main effect of GHM-10 is to inhibit the cell proliferation. Flow cytometery technique is used to analyze the cell cycle of L1210 cells. The results show that to some extent, GHM-10 blocks the cell cycle transition from G1 phase to S phase. By using [3H] labeled precursor incorporation technique, it is shown that GHM-10 significantly suppresses the biosynthesis of DNA, RNA and protein in L1210 cells, and the DNA synthesis is mostly affected. At 1 h after the cells were treated with GHM-10, these inhibitory effects have already been irreversible, suggesting that GHM-10 may cause structural damage on DNA molecules. However, GHM-10 is unable to intercalate into DNA molecules or to destroy its structure directly. By using single cell gel electrophoresis and alkaline elution technology, it is confirmed that GHM-10 causes DNA molecule damage and single strand breakage in L1210 cells. Further studies show that GHM-10 markedly inhibits DNA dehelix induced by DNA topoisomerase II both inside and outside the cells, indicating that GHM-10 is acting as an inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase II.

Animals↗

[A study on the transmission of plague though seven kinds of fleas in rat type and wild rodent type plague foci in Yunnan].

In order to assess vector position and vector action of seven kinds of fleas in the rat type and wild rodent type plague foci in Yunnan, we studied the indices as: infection rate, rate of feed bacterial emboli, colony transmission vector efficiency, life-span, bloodthirsty to human, body weight, quantity of blood-sucking, rate of dissociation by using animal model and raise film method. The results showed that Xenopsylla cheopis and Neopsylla specialis specialis were the main vectors of two type plague foci. Pulex irritans was an important vector of human plague in Yunnan. This paper reported that Xenopsylla cheopis and Neopsylla special special could twice form bacterial emboli, and with other information about vector efficiency, Index of Pulex irritans, Neopsylla special special, Frontopsylla spadix, Monopsyllus anisus, rate of bloodthirsty to human and life-span of seven kinds of fleas. Reason from quiescence to resuscitate was also deduced and the vector position of Leptopsylla segnis was revised. The vector action of main vector for Ctenophalmus quadratus was negated which proved that Apodemus chevrieri was the main reservoirs in these plague foci.

Animals↗

A study of siliceous pneumoconiosis in a desert area of Sunan County, Gansu Province, China.

Three hundred and ninety five residents in a desert area were examined with chest radiographs and 28 cases with siliceous pneumoconiosis were found. The prevalence of siliceous pneumoconiosis was 7.09%, and that over 40 years of age was 21%. The histological findings of lungs from a camel living in that area for 20 years also confirmed to have siliceous pneumoconiosis.

Adult↗

Serotyping and antigenic comparison of some animal rotaviruses isolated in China.

Eight strains of rotaviruses isolated from diarrheal animals (4 from calves and 4 from piglets) in China were compared by serotyping with reference animal rotavirus strains (bovine NCDV, porcine OSU and simian SA-11 and human rotavirus Wa strain). Two-way cross neutralization test showed no antigenic difference between all 4 local strains of bovine rotavirus (BRV007, BRV014, HN-7 and BRV6555) and reference NCDV, so they belonged to rotavirus serotype 6 (bovine rotavirus serotype 1 or NCDV-serotype). Meanwhile, the four strains of Chinese porcine rotavirus could be determined into 2 different serotypes. One (Li99) was neutralised to a high titer with the antiserum against reference OSU virus and probably related to OSU (serotype 5 or porcine serotype 1). The other three strains (Lin71, Nan86 and Jiang150) were antigenically obviously different from Li99 and did not react with the antiserum against OSU. They were tentatively considered as porcine rotavirus serotype 2. All the strains of bovine and porcine rotavirus did not cross-neutralise with simian SA-11 and human Wa strain. There was also no antigenic relationship between bovine rotaviruses and porcine rotaviruses.

Animals↗

In-vivo and in-vitro studies on the effects of chronic dexamethasone treatment on cardiovascular responses to sympathetic stimulation.

Rats treated with dexamethasone, 1.5 mg/kg s.c. weekly for 3 weeks exhibited significantly greater increases in mean arterial pressure than their controls, following either sympathetic nerve stimulation or noradrenaline administration. The atria from dexamethasone-treated rats showed greater chronotropic activity in response to noradrenaline but not to field stimulation, whereas the force of contraction was significantly less than that of the controls after either field or noradrenaline stimulation. Isolated rat tail artery preparations from dexamethasone-treated rats were found to be twice more sensitive to noradrenaline than the controls. Prazosin antagonised the noradrenaline-induced pressor response to the same extent in control and dexamethasone-treated rats. Dexamethasone treatment did not significantly increase the sensitivity to KCl or the angiotensin-potentiated pressor response to noradrenaline. This study shows that dexamethasone treatment increases postsynaptic sensitivity of the cardiovascular system to noradrenaline in rats.

Animals↗