• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.119-123
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• 2009

Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) gamma1 in the pig genome have the potential to act as harmful factors in xenotransplantation (pig-to-human). Long terminal repeats (LTRs) are known to be strong promoter elements that could control the transcription activity of PERV elements and the adjacent functional genes. To investigate the transcribed PERV gamma1 LTR elements in pig tissues, bioinformatic and experimental approaches were conducted. Using RT-PCR amplification and sequencing approaches, 69 different transcribed LTR elements were identified. And 69 LTR elements could be divided into six groups (15 subgroups) by internal variation including tandem repeated sequences, insertion and deletion (INDEL). Remarkably, all internal variations were indentified in U3 region of LTR elements. Taken together, the identification and characterization of various PERV LTR transcripts allow us to extend our knowledge of PERV and its transcriptional study.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.89-92
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• 2011

The routine identification and differentiation of Brucella species is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, which frequently places personnel at risk of laboratory-acquired infection. Here, we describe the development of a rapid multiplex PCR assay for the confirmation of presumptive Brucella isolates. The assay was able to identify and differentiate major human pathogens, namely B. abortus, B. melitensis, and B. suis, in a single test of less than an hour and a half.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1475-1481
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• 2009

Anthrax is a zoonotic disease caused by Bacillus anthracis, and well recognized as a potential agent for bioterrorism. B. anthracis can be identified by detecting the virulence factors genes located on two plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2. The aim of the present study was to determine the presence of virulence genes in 27 isolates of B. anthracis isolated from clinical and environmental samples. For this purpose, multiplex PCR and DNA probes were designed to detect protective antigen (pag), edema factor (cya), lethal factor (lef), and capsule (cap) genes. Our results indicated that all the isolates contained all the above virulence genes, suggesting that the isolates were virulent. To the best our knowledge, this is the first study about the determination of virulence marker genes in clinical and environmental isolates of B. anthracis using multiplex PCR and DNA probes in India. We suggest that the above methods can be useful in specific identification of virulent B. anthracis in clinical and environmental samples.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.818-826
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• 1999

Antidiabetic activity and mechanism of Sangbackpitang (SBPT) was examined in db/db mice, which is a spontaneously hyperglycemic, hyperinsulinemic and obese animal model. SBPT and acarbose were administered orally for 4 weeks. Fasting and non-fasting serum glucose, glycated hemoglobin and triglyceride were all reduced when compared between db/db control group and SBPT treated group. At 12th week after birth, SBPT increased an insulin secretion although statistic significance was not seen. Total activities of sucrase, maltase and lactase in SBPT treated group were all decreased when compared to db/db control. On the other hand, sucrase and maltase activities in acarbose treated groups were increased. Effect of SBPT on mRNA expression of glucose transporter(GLUT-4) was also examined. Quantitation of glucose transporter was performed by RT-PCR and in vitro transcription with co-amplification of rat-action gene as an internal standard. Muscular GLUT-4 mRNA expression in SBPT treated group was increased significantly. These results may suggest that SBPT lowered blood glucose ascribing to inhibition of glycosidase-catalyzed reaction and upregulation of muscular GLUT-4 mRNA expression.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.338-348
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• 1997

Background : Endotoxin, the component of outermembrane of gram negative organism, plays an important role in the initiation and amplification of inflammatory reaction by its effects on inflammatory cells. Until recently, there have been continuing efforts to delinate the mechanisms of the signal trasduction pathway of endotoxin stimuli on inflammatory cells. By uncovering the mechanisms of signal transduction pathway of endotoxin stimuli, we can expect to have tools to control the excessive inflammatory responses which sometimes may be fatal to the involved host. It was generally accepted that endotoxin exerts its inflammatory effects through inflammatory cytokines that are produced by endotoxin-stimulated inflammatory cells and there were some reports on the importance of protein kinase C and protein tyrosine kinase activation in the production of inflammatory cytokines by endotoxin So we evaluated the effect of pretreatment of protein kinase C inhibitors (H7, Staurosporin) and protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors(Herbimycin, Genistein) on the endotoxin-stimulated cytokines(IL-8 & TNF-$\alpha$) mRNA expression. Method : Peripheral blood monocytes were isolated from healthy volunteers by Ficoll-Hypaque density gradient method and purified by adhesion to 60mm Petri dishes. Endotoxin(LPS 100ng/ml) was added to each dishes except one control dish, and each endotoxin-stimulated dishes was preincubated with H7, Staurosporin(protein kinase C inhibitor), Herbimycin or Genistein(protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor) respectively except one dish. Four hours later the endotoxin stimulation, total RNA was extracted and Northern blot analysis for IL-8 mRNA and TNF-$\alpha$ mRNA was done. Result : Endotoxin stimulation increased the expression of IL-8 mRNA and TNF-$\alpha$ mRNA expression in human peripheral blood monocyte as expected and the stimulatory effect of endotoxin on TNF-$\alpha$ mRNA expression was inhibited by protein kinase C inhibitors(H7, Staurosporin) and protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Herbimycin, Genistein). The inhibitory effect of each drugs was increased with increasing concentration. The stimulatory effect of endotoxin on IL-8 mRNA was also inhibited by H7 and protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors (Herbimycin, Genistein) dose-dependently but not by Staurosporin. Conclusion : Protein kinase C and protein tyrosine kinase are involved in the endotoxin induced signal transduction pathway in human peripheral blood monocyte.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2009

Local malaria transmission in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) came to an end in 1997. Nevertheless, UAE has been subjected to substantial importation of malaria cases from abroad, concerning both UAE nationals and immigrants from malarious countries with a total number of 2,119 cases in 2007. To evaluate a new DNA extraction technique using nested PCR, blood samples were collected from 132 individuals who presented to Infectious Diseases Department in Rashid Hospital, Dubai, and Central Department of Malaria Control with fever and persistent headache. Giemsa-stained blood films and ELISA test for malaria antibodies were carried out for detection of Plasmodium infection. Plasmodium infections were identified with the genus-specific primer set and species differentiation using nested PCR. A rapid procedure for diagnosis of malaria infections directly from dried blood spots using for the first time DNA extract from FTA Elute cards was evaluated in contrast to extraction techniques using FTA classic cards and rapid boiling technique. Our new simple technique for DNA extraction using FTA Elute cards was very sensitive giving a sensitivity of 100% compared to 94% using FTA classic cards and 62% in the rapid boiling technique. No complex preparation of blood samples was required prior to the amplification. The production cost of DNA isolation in our PCR assay was much less incomparable to that of other DNA extraction protocols. The nested PCR detected plasmodial infection and could differentiate P. falciparum from P. vivax, and also detected the mixed infection.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1928-1936
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• 2018

Recently, human infections caused by severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV), which can lead to fatality, have dramatically increased in East Asia. With the unavailability of vaccines or antiviral drugs to prevent and/or treat SFTSV infection, early rapid diagnosis is critical for prevention and control of the disease. Here, we report the development of a simple, rapid and sensitive portable detection method for SFTSV infection applying reverse transcription-loop mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) combined with one-pot colorimetric visualization and electro-free reaction platform. This method utilizes a pocket warmer to facilitate diagnosis in a resource-limited setting. Specific primers were designed to target the highly-conserved region of L gene of SFTSV. The detection limit of the RT-LAMP assay was approximately $10^0$ viral genome copies from three different SFTSV strains. This assay exhibited comparable sensitivity to qRT-PCR and 10-fold more sensitivity than conventional RT-PCR, with a rapid detection time of 30 to 60 minutes. The RT-LAMP assay using SFTSV clinical specimens has demonstrated a similar detection rate to qRT-PCR and a higher detection rate compared to conventional RT-PCR. Moreover, there was no observed cross-reactive amplification of other human infectious viruses including Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), Dengue, Enterovirus, Zika, Influenza and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV). This highly sensitive, electro- and equipment-free rapid colorimetric visualization method is feasible for resource-limited SFTSV field diagnosis.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.73-79
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• 2012

Phytophthora katsurae is a fungal pathogen responsible for chestnut ink disease. We designed two duplex primer sets (SOPC 1F/1R+KatI 3F/5R, SOPC 1-1F/1-1R+KatI 3F/5R) to detect P. katsurae. SOPC 1F/1R and SOPC 1-1F/1-1R primer pairs were designed for sequence characteristic amplification regions (SCAR) marker, and KatI 3F/5R primer pair was used for P. katsurae-specific primer designed from internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. To assess the sensitivity of duplex PCR, genomic DNA was serially diluted 10-fold to make the final concentrations from 1 mg/ml to 1 ng/ml. The sensitivity for two primer sets were 1 ${\mu}g/ml$ and 100 ng/ml, respectively. To find detection limits for zoospores of P. katsurae, each zoospore suspension was serially diluted 10-fold to make the final concentrations from $1{\times}10^6$ to $1{\times}10^2$ cells/ml, and then DNA was extracted. The limits of detection for all of two primer sets were $1{\times}10^5$ cells/ml. All of two primer sets were specific to P. katsurae in PCR detection and did not produce any P. katsurae-specific PCR amplicons from other 16 Phytophthora species used as the control. This study shows that duplex PCR using two primer sets might be a useful tool for rapid and efficient detection of P. katsurae.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.866-871
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• 2007

Testis-specific protein (TSPY) is a Y-specific gene, with up to 200 copy numbers in bulls. In order to make bovine embryo sexing under farm condition more feasible, the possibility of using a non-electrophoretic method to detect the TSPY gene for sexing bovine early embryos was examined. Primers were designed to amplify a portion of the TSPY gene and a common gene as an internal control primer. PCR optimization was carried out using a DNA template from bovine whole blood. Furthermore, embryo samples were diagnosed by this method and the sexing results were contrasted with those of the Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) method. The results showed that TSPY was as reliable a sexing method as LAMP. Forty-three morula and blastocyst embryos collected from superovulated donor dairy cattle were sexed by this method, and twenty-one embryos judged to be female embryos were transferred non-surgically to recipients 6 to 8 days after natural estrus. Out of 21 recipients, 9 were pregnant (42.86%) and all delivered female calves. The results showed that the sex predicted by this protocol was 100% accurate. In conclusion, the TSPY gene was a good male specific marker and indicated that a non-electrophoretic method was feasible and accurate to detect the TSPY gene for sexing preimplantation bovine embryos.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.24-28
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• 2010

A simulation study of a current-mode direct current (DC)-DC buck converter is presented in this paper. The converter, with a fully integrated power module, is implemented by using sense method metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) and bipolar complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (BiCMOS) technology. When the MOSFET is used in a current sensor, the sensed inductor current with an internal ramp signal can be used for feedback control. In addition, the BiCMOS technology is applied in the converter for an accurate current sensing and a low power consumption. The DC-DC converter is designed using the standard $0.35\;{\mu}m$ CMOS process. An off-chip LC filter is designed with an inductance of 1 mH and a capacitance of 12.5 nF. The simulation results show that the error between the sensing signal and the inductor current can be controlled to be within 3%. The characteristics of the error amplification and output ripple are much improved, as compared to converters using conventional CMOS circuits.