Biomedical subjects

Kai Xiao

Publications and source records attributed to Kai Xiao.

12 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Blue cooperative luminescence in Yb3+-doped barium gallogermanate glass excited at 976 nm.

The Yb3+-doped barium gallogermanate glass has been prepared via the conventional melt method. The absorption spectra, the near infrared emission spectra, the upconversion emission spectra and the differential scanning calorimetry have been measured. Bright blue upconversion emission centered at 476 nm has been observed under the 976 nm laser diode excitation at room temperature. The blue upconversion emission mechanism has been discussed on the blue emission intensity and the measured lifetime. The slope of the log-log plot of the blue emission intensity versus the pump power is equal to 1.98, and the blue luminescence decay time is half of the near infrared fluorescence decay time, confirming that the blue emission comes from Yb3+-Yb3+ pairs cooperative upconversion mechanism. The result of differential scanning calorimetry suggests that this type of glass is suitable as a potential candidate for fiber drawing.

Calorimetry, Differential Scanning↗

PubMed2006

Fusarium graminearum-induced changes in gene expression between Fusarium head blight-resistant and susceptible wheat cultivars.

Fusarium head blight (FHB), primarily caused by Fusarium graminearum Schw., is a destructive disease of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Although several genes related to FHB resistance have been reported, global analysis of gene expression in response to FHB infection remains to be explored. The expression patterns of transcriptomes from wheat spikes of FHB-resistant cultivar Ning 7840 and susceptible cultivar Clark were monitored during a period of 72 h after inoculation (hai) with F. graminearum. Microarray analysis, coupled with suppression subtractive hybridization technique, identified 44 significantly differentially expressed genes between cv. Ning 7840 and cv. Clark. More differentially expressed genes were identified from susceptible libraries than from resistance libraries. The up-regulation of defense-related genes in Ning 7840 relative to cultivar Clark occurred during early fungal stress (3-12 hai). Three genes, with unknown function that were up-regulated in cv. Ning 7840 at most time points investigated, might play an important role in enhancing FHB resistance.

Fusarium↗

PubMed2006

[Expression characteristics of MtPAP1 and its exotic expression in Arabidopsis affecting organic phosphorus absorption of plants].

The MtPAP1 encodes 465 amino acids (Fig.1). The transcript of MtPAP1 was detected mainly in leaf under high-phosphate conditions (Fig.2). While under low-phosphate condition, the transcript level was low in leaves and very high in roots, with the strongest hybridization signal detected in roots (Fig.2). Chimeric MtPAP1 binary vector was constructed and the transcript levels of MtPAP1 in roots of transgenic T(3) Arabidopsis lines were analyzed (Fig.3). Under the condition in which phytate was the sole source of phosphorus, transgenic Arabidopsis plants over-expressing MtPAP1 showed acid phosphatase activities in root apoplast increasing markedly than that of the control plant (Fig.4). The results of analysis of organic phosphorus degradation in liquid culture by HPLC indicated that the APase secreted by the transgenic plants could quickly degrade the phytate (Fig.5). Significant increase in biomass production, Pi and total phosphorus content of plants achieved in the transgenic lines when phytate, an organic phosphorus compound, was supplied as the sole source of phosphorus (Fig.6,7).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2006

[Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus application rate on population growth and grain yield of hybrid wheat C6-38/ Py85-1].

This paper studied the effects of different nitrogen and phosphorous application rates (112.5-337.5 kg N x hm(-2) and 90-270 kg P2O5 x hm(-2)) on the population growth and grain yield of hybrid wheat C6-38/Py85-1 under field condition. The results showed that the total number of population stems (PS), population dry weight (PDW), leaf area index (LAI) , photosynthetic potential (PP) and crop growth rate (CGR) were the lowest under low fertilization rate (112.5 kg N x hm(-2) and 90 kg P2O5 x hm(-2)), PS and PDW were higher under high fertilization rate (337.5 kg N x hm(-2) and 270 kg P2O5, hm(-2)) than under medium fertilization rate (225 kg N hm(-2) and 180 kg P2O5 x hm(-2)), and LAI, PP and CGR were higher under high than under medium fertilization rate before flagging, jointing, and anthesis stage, respectively, but in adverse after these stages. Under low and medium fertilization rates, PS had no mid-parent heterosis (Hm), while under high fertilization rate, it had the positive values of 6.3%, 49.7%, 4.2% and 10.8% at before winter, jointing, anthesis, and maturing stages, respectively. The Hm of LAI and PDW increased significantly with increasing fertilization rate, except that the Hm of LAI was 3.8% higher under medium than under high fertilization rate at filling stage while that of PDW had no significant difference between these two fertilization rates at maturing stage. The Hm values of PP and CGR were the lowest in the whole growth period under low fertilization rate, and lower before jointing-flagging and flagginganthesis stage but higher after these stages respectively under medium than under high fertilization rate. The grain yield and its Hm of the hybrid wheat were the highest under medium fertilization rate, lower under high fertilization rate, and the lowest under low fertilization rate. The grain yield under medium fertilization rate was 216.2 kg x hm(-2) higher than that under high fertilization rate, but its Hm had no significant difference between these two fertilization rates.

Biomass↗

PubMed2005

A highly pi-stacked organic semiconductor for field-effect transistors based on linearly condensed pentathienoacene.

We present the synthesis and characterization of a fused-ring compound, dithieno[2,3-d:2',3'-d']thieno[3,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene (pentathienoacene, PTA). In contrast to pentacene, PTA has a larger band gap than most semiconductors used in organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) and therefore is expected to be stable in air. The large pi-conjugated and planar molecular structure of PTA would also form higher molecular orders that are conductive for carrier transport. X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy experiments on its films show that the molecules stack in layers with their long axis upright from the surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy suggests that there are no chemical bonds at the PTA/Au interface. OFETs based on the PTA have been constructed, and their performances as p-type semiconductors are also presented. A high mobility of 0.045 cm(2)/V s and an on/off ratio of 10(3) for a PTA OFET have been achieved, demonstrating the potential of PTA for application in future organic electronics.

Electric Conductivity↗

PubMed2005

Thin-film transistors based on Langmuir-Blodgett films of heteroleptic bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth complexes.

An ordered molecular assembly of heteroleptic bis(phthalocyaninato) rare earth complexes M(Pc)[Pc(OC8H17)8] [M = Tb, Lu; H2Pc = phthalocyanine; H2Pc(OC8H17)8 = 2,3,9,10,16,17,23,24-octakis(octyloxy)phthalocyanine] has been fabricated by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique and characterized by surface pressure-area isotherms, electronic absorption and polarized electronic absorption spectroscopy, low-angle X-ray diffraction, and atomic force microscopy. The molecular ordering in the LB multilayer film on SiO2 substrate was made into a p-channel field effect transistor (FET), which was generally operated in the enhanced mode. The energy levels of the highest occupied molecular orbital and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital as well as the energy band diagram can be deduced from the electrochemical measurement results. The charge mobilities of Tb(Pc)[Pc(OC8H17)8] and Lu(Pc)[Pc(OC8H17)8] were calculated to be about 6.4 x 10(-4) and 1.7 x 10(-3) cm2 V(-1) s(-1), respectively.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

n-Type field-effect transistors made of an individual nitrogen-doped multiwalled carbon nanotube.

We report on the fabrication and characterization of field-effect transistor based on an individual multiwalled nitrogen-doped carbon nanotube. Our measurements show that the N-doped carbon nanotubes have n-type properties. The contact properties of the tube and Pt electrodes are also studied in detail. Temperature dependence of two-terminal transport experiments suggests that transport is dominated by thermionic emission and tunneling through a 0.2 eV Schottky contact barrier.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Transgenic expression of a novel M. truncatula phytase gene results in improved acquisition of organic phosphorus by Arabidopsis.

A full-length cDNA encoding an extracellular form of phytase was isolated from the model legume Medicago truncatula. The phytase cDNA (MtPHY1) has an open reading frame of 1,632 bp predicted to encode 543 amino acids including an N-terminal signal peptide of 27 amino acids. The MtPHY1 gene is 5,151 bp in length, containing 7 exons and 6 introns. MtPHY1 transcripts were detected in leaves and roots and levels elevated in roots during growth in low phosphate conditions. Transgenic Arabidopsis lines expressing MtPHY1 under the control of the root-specific MtPT1 promoter or the constitutive CaMV35S promoter were created. Phytase activities in root apoplast of the transgenic Arabidopsis were 12.3- to 16.2-fold higher than those of the control plants. The expressed phytase was secreted into the rhizosphere as demonstrated by enzyme activity staining and HPLC analysis of phytate degradation by root exudates. Transgenic expression of the MtPHY1 led to significant improvement in organic phosphorus utilization and plant growth. When phytate was supplied as the sole source of phosphorus, dry weight of the transgenic Arabidopsis lines were 3.1- to 4.0-fold higher than the control plants and total phosphorus contents were 4.1- to 5.5-fold higher than the control. Transgenic expression of phytase genes of plant origin has great potential for improving plant phosphorus acquisition and for phytoremediation.

6-Phytase↗

PubMed2005

Differential regulation of female rat olfactory preference and copulatory pacing by the lateral septum and medial preoptic area.

We examined the effect of bilateral radiofrequency lesions in the lateral septum (LS) or medial preoptic area (MPOA) on olfactory preference (time spent sniffing odors derived from either a stud or castrated male) and pacing behavior (paracopulatory behavior in a cage with a compartment inaccessible to males) in ovariectomized rats following different hormonal regimes. Sham-operated and LS-lesioned females, but not MPOA-lesioned females, preferred odors from the stud males to the castrated males. MPOA lesions significantly decreased total nose-poking time, compared to that of sham-operated females. When mounted by stud males, both LS- and MPOA-lesioned females showed significantly higher lordosis quotients than sham-operated females. On the other hand, LS-lesioned females spent a significantly longer time in the male compartment, and stayed with the males even after they were mounted. These results suggest that the LS and MPOA play different roles in the sociosexual activity in female rats, and that the two regions exert an inhibitory influence on lordosis.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2005

Preparation and in vitro evaluation of liposomal/niosomal delivery systems for antifungal drug clotrimazole.

Clotrimazole, an imidazole derivative antifungal agent is widely used for the treatment of mycotic infections of the genitourinary tract. In order to develop alternative formulation for the vaginal administration of clotrimazole to provide sustained and controlled release of appropriate drug for local vaginal therapy, liposomes/niosomes were evaluated as delivery vehicles. To optimize the preparation of liposomes/niosomes with regards to size and entrapment efficiency, multilamellar liposomes/niosomes containing drug were prepared by lipid hydration method. The ability of the systems to deliver clotrimazole into and through the mucosa was evaluated in vitro using rabbit vaginal mucosa with vertical Franz diffusion cells. The in vitro permeation data showed that the liposomes/niosomes system increased the clotrimazole total penetration through the vaginal mucosa by 1.6, 1.5-fold, the accumulation of clotrimazole into the mucosa was increased by 3.1, 2.3-fold, respectively, as compared with control during 24 hr. These results suggest that the studied liposomes/niosomes systems may be appropriate vesicles for the vaginal mucosa delivery of clotrimazole for local vaginal therapy.

Administration, Topical↗

PubMed2004

Sex-specific effects of gonadal steroids on conspecific odor preference in the rat.

Effects of gonadal steroids on conspecific odor preference for either (1) sexually active male or active female, (2) sexually active or gonadectomized (gdx) males, (3) sexually active or gdx females, and (4) gdx males or gdx females were determined in male and female rats in a three-chamber apparatus. For the first test, gdx females were made sexually active by treatments with estradiol benzoate (EB) and progesterone (P), and sexually active males were selected by prior screening. Sexually active males and females preferred opposite-sex odor over same-sex odor. Odor of sexually active opposite-sex conspecifics was preferred over that of inactive ones. Immediately after the completion of the first test, sexually active males were gdx and females were left without hormonal treatment. Second and third tests were carried out 2 and 5 weeks after the first test. In the second test, gdx males preferred odor of sexually active males rather than that of receptive females (male-directed preference); in the third test, both males and females showed no preference when tested with four stimulus pairs. The final tests were carried out in gdx males with EB and P, and gdx females with 2-week exposure to testosterone (T). Males with EB and P showed a male-directed preference again, whereas T-treated females kept their own female preference. Injection of EB alone to gdx males did not induce any preference. The present study clearly demonstrated sex difference in conspecific odor preference. Although both male and female preferences depend on their circulating sex steroids, the direction of male preference is more susceptible to their hormonal states, compared to that of females.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Constituents from Polygonum cuspidatum.

Two lignan sulfates, a stilbene derivative and a phenol sulfate, together with 10 known compounds, were isolated from an aqueous extract of the root of Polygonum cuspidatum. The new compounds were elucidated based on chemical evidence and spectroscopic techniques including two-dimensional NMR methods. They exhibited no inhibition of lipid peroxidation and no cytotoxic and DNA cleavage activities.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗