Evaluation of the zoonotic potential of a novel reassortant H1N2 swine influenza virus with gene constellation derived from multiple viral sources

Lee, J.H.,Pascua, P.N.Q.,Decano, A.G.,Kim, S.M.,Park, S.J.,Kwon, H.I.,Kim, E.H.,Kim, Y.I.,Kim, H.,Kim, S.Y.,Song, M.S.,Jang, H.K.,Park, B.K.,Choi, Y.K. Elsevier Science 2015 INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION Vol.34 No.-

In 2011-2012, contemporary North American-like H3N2 swine influenza viruses (SIVs) possessing the 2009 pandemic H1N1 matrix gene (H3N2pM-like virus) were detected in domestic pigs of South Korea where H1N2 SIV strains are endemic. More recently, we isolated novel reassortant H1N2 SIVs bearing the Eurasian avian-like swine H1-like hemagglutinin and Korean swine H1N2-like neuraminidase in the internal gene backbone of the H3N2pM-like virus. In the present study, we clearly provide evidence on the genetic origins of the novel H1N2 SIVs virus through genetic and phylogenetic analyses. In vitro studies demonstrated that, in comparison with a pre-existing 2012 Korean H1N2 SIV [A/swine/Korea/CY03-1½012 (CY03-1½012)], the 2013 novel reassortant H1N2 isolate [A/swine/Korea/CY0423/2013 (CY0423-12/2013)] replicated more efficiently in differentiated primary human bronchial epithelial cells. The CY0423-12/2013 virus induced higher viral titers than the CY03-1½012 virus in the lungs and nasal turbinates of infected mice and nasal wash samples of ferrets. Moreover, the 2013 H1N2 reassortant, but not the intact 2012 H1N2 virus, was transmissible to naive contact ferrets via respiratory-droplets. Noting that the viral precursors have the ability to infect humans, our findings highlight the potential threat of a novel reassortant H1N2 SIV to public health and underscore the need to further strengthen influenza surveillance strategies worldwide, including swine populations.

Effect of the Length of Feed Withdrawal on Weight Loss, Yield and Meat Color of Broiler

Kim, D.H.,Yoo, Y.M.,Kim, S.H.,Jang, B.G.,Park, B.Y.,Cho, S.H.,Seong, P.N.,Hah, K.H.,Lee, J.M.,Kim, Y.K.,Hwang, I.H. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2007 Animal Bioscience Vol.20 No.1

The current study was conducted to determine the optimum length of feed withdrawal for pre-harvest broilers. A total of three hundred broilers were sampled from an industrial population, and 30 chicks for each weight group (e.g., 1.5 and 2.5 kg) were randomly assigned to feed withdrawal treatments for 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 h. Weight loss, yield, muscle pH, objective meat color and weights of gastro intestinal contents, crop, gizzard, provenriculus, small intestine, caecum, and rectum were determined. Live weight loss was significantly (p<0.05) increased as length of feed withdrawal extended. A significant (p<0.05) carcass yield for both 1.5 and 2.5 kg groups coincided after 9 and 6 h feed withdrawal, respectively. Net weights of intestinal contents for crop and gizzard were significantly (p<0.05) reduced by 6 h, and the reduction for proventriculus and small intestine occurred from 3 h. A noticeable effect of feed withdrawal on pH for breast muscle at 3 h postmortem occurred only when chicks were fasted for 3 h of which pH (6.05) was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that for other groups including the control (5.74). There was a linear tendency of higher lightness (Hunter L* value) numerically for chicks fasted for longer periods. The highest coefficient of determinations of regression models to estimate weight loss as a function of fasting period and body weights were achieved, when the models included both linear and quadratic terms for fasting period, and linear term for both 1.5 ($R^2=0.76$) and 2.5 kg ($R^2=0.78$) body weight groups. Given the practical aspect, approximately 1.5 kg of body weight is dominant, weight loss could be predicted by the following function; live weight $loss=26.6-0.28{\times}(fasting period)^2+12.34{\times}pasting\;period-0.012{\times}body\;weight$, $R^2=0.76$. Current data implied that the optimum fasting time for pre-slaughter chicks varied depending on slaughter weight; 6 and 9-h fasting were recommendable for 2.5 and 1.5 kg chicks, with little effect on objective meat color.

Expression and N-glycan analysis of human 90K glycoprotein in Drosophila S2 cells

Kim, K.R.,Kim, Y.K.,Cheong, H.,Kim, J.Y.H.,Cha, H.J. IPC Science and Technology Press ; Elsevier Scienc 2013 Enzyme and microbial technology Vol.53 No.3

Human 90K (h90K; Mac-2-binding protein) glycoprotein is a potential pharmaceutical due to its inhibitory activity against cancer metastasis and expansion. Here, h90K glycoprotein was produced in insect Drosophila S2 cell system, and its N-glycan pattern was analyzed. A plasmid encoding h90K gene, fused with a hexahistidine tag under the control of Drosophila metallotionein promoter, was stably transfected into S2 cells. After copper sulfate induction, transfected S2 cells secreted recombinant h90K at a good expression level of 28mg/L in a 150-mL spinner flask culture. The purified recombinant h90K showed an apparent molecular weight of ~78kDa which was much smaller than that (~97kDa) of the natural h90K. Because de-N-glycosylated h90K appeared at ~60kDa protein band, it was suggested that the recombinant h90K from S2 cells has small N-glycans with about half the molecular weight (~18kDa) of N-glycans of the natural h90K. Through detail analyses using high-performance liquid chromatography and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, the S2-derived recombinant h90K was confirmed that it has simple paucimannosidic structures containing two or three mannose residues with core fucose as the major (~79%) N-glycans.

Genetic and phylogenetic characterizations of a novel genotype of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N8 viruses in 2016/2017 in South Korea

Kim, Y.I.,Park, S.J.,Kwon, H.I.,Kim, E.H.,Si, Y.J.,Jeong, J.H.,Lee, I.W.,Nguyen, H.D.,Kwon, J.J.,Choi, W.S.,Song, M.S.,Kim, C.J.,Choi, Y.K. Elsevier Science 2017 INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION Vol.53 No.-

<P>During the outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N6 viruses in 2016 in South Korea, novel H5N8 viruses were also isolated from migratory birds. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the HA gene of these H5N8 viruses belonged to clade 2.3.4.4, similarly to recent H5Nx viruses, and originated from A/Brk/Korea/Gochang1/14(H5N8), a minor lineage of H5N8 that appeared in 2014 and then disappeared. At least four reassortment events occurred with different subtypes (H5N8, H7N7, H3N8 and H10N7) and a chicken challenge study revealed that they were classified as HPAI viruses according to OIE criteria. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</P>

Effect of substrate concentration on continuous Photo-fermentative hydrogen production from lactate using Rhodobacter sphaeroides

Kim, D.H.,Son, H.,Kim, M.S. Pergamon Press ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2012 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY - Vol.37 No.20

The information on continuous operation and the use of actual waste as a feedstock are essential for the practical application of photo-fermentative H<SUB>2</SUB> production. For the first 200 days, continuous H<SUB>2</SUB> production from lactate was attempted using purple non-sulfur (PNS) bacteria, Rhodobacter sphaeroides KD131, under an illumination of 110 W/m<SUP>2</SUP>. During the continuous operation, 30% of the fermenter volume was replaced by fresh feedstock once a day, and substrate concentration was gradually increased from 5 mM to 30 mM. H<SUB>2</SUB> production was negligible at 5 mM, which was ascribed to the fact that the electrons contained in lactate were mostly consumed for cell growth and soluble microbial products (SMPs) production. As lactate concentration increased, H<SUB>2</SUB> production gradually increased and reached a maximum at 20 mM, showing a substrate conversion efficiency (SCE) of 38%, a H<SUB>2</SUB> yield of 2.3 mol H<SUB>2</SUB>/mol lactate<SUB>added</SUB>, and a H<SUB>2</SUB> production rate of 309 mL H<SUB>2</SUB>/L-fermenter/d. Further increases of lactate concentration resulted in a drop of H<SUB>2</SUB> production (<1.0 mol H<SUB>2</SUB>/mol lactate<SUB>added</SUB>). When the feedstock was changed to actual waste obtained from a 1-day lactate fermentation of food waste, stable H<SUB>2</SUB> production was maintained, but showed a decreased SCE of 24%. It was speculated that the low performance was due to the fact that actual waste contained not only pure lactate but also other organic compounds that could not be utilized by PNS bacteria. In addition, compared to feeding with pure lactate, the electron consumption to the cell growth was higher in feeding with actual waste, which led to the lower performance.

WO₃ nanofibers functionalized by protein-templated RuO₂ nanoparticles as highly sensitive exhaled breath gas sensing layers

Kim, K.H.,Kim, S.J.,Cho, H.J.,Kim, N.H.,Jang, J.S.,Choi, S.J.,Kim, I.D. Elsevier Sequoia 2017 Sensors and actuators. B, Chemical Vol.241 No.-

<P>In this work, a novel catalytic synthesis and functionalization method using apoferritin is used to fabricate RuO2 nanoparticles (NPs) loaded WO3 nanofibers (NFs) for potential diagnosis of diabetes. Catalytic ruthenium (Ru) NPs with very small average diameters of 1.8 +/- 0.9 nm were synthesized using apoferritin which is a hollow protein cage, and were easily functionalized on WO3 NFs by introducing electrospinning solution with W precursor and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). As-spun Ru NPs-loaded W precursor/PVP composite NFs were calcined at 600 degrees C for 1 h in air atmosphere to achieve RuO2-functionalized WO3 NFs. The small size and uniform distribution of catalytic RuO2 NPs were well maintained due to hollow nature of apoferritin cages after calcination. The chemo-resistive sensors using RuO2-functionalized WO3 NFs showed significantly enhanced acetone (CH3COCH3) sensing response (R-air/R-gas = 78.61-5 ppm), which was 7.4 times higher than the response (R-air/R-gas =10.61-5 ppm) of pristine WO3 NFs at highly humid atmosphere (95% RH). In addition, the RuO2-functionalized WO3 NFs showed outstanding selectivity toward acetone gas in comparison with other gases such as hydrogen sulfide (H2S), toluene (C6H5CH3), ethanol (C2H5OH), pentane (C5H12), ammonia (NH3), hydrogen (H-2), and water vapor (H2O) at 5 ppm. These results represent potential feasibility for the detection of acetone in exhaled breath for diagnosis of diabetes. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</P>

Ex situ catalytic upgrading of lignocellulosic biomass components over vanadium contained H-MCM-41 catalysts

Kim, B.S.,Jeong, C.S.,Kim, J.M.,Park, S.B.,Park, S.H.,Jeon, J.K.,Jung, S.C.,Kim, S.C.,Park, Y.K. Elsevier Science Publishers 2016 CATALYSIS TODAY - Vol.265 No.-

<P>H-V-MCM-41 catalysts containing 5, 10, and 30 wt% of vanadium were synthesized and applied to the ex situ catalytic pyrolysis (CP) of three polymeric components of lignocellulosic biomass for the first time. Characterization of the catalysts was performed using N-2 adsorption-desorption, XRD, FT-IR, and NH3-TPD. The results of XRD analysis showed that 5 wt% and 10 wt% H-V-MCM-41 catalysts maintained the mesoporous structure, whereas the mesoporous structure was destroyed in 30 wt% H-V-MCM-41 with considerable amount of small V2O5 crystalline outside the framework. NH3-TPD showed that H-V-MCM-41 has mostly weak acid sites and that 10 wt% H-V-MCM-41 had the largest quantity of acid sites due to framework vanadium. In the case of CP of cellulose using Py-GC/MS, 10 wt% H-V-MCM-41 showed the highest catalytic activity for the production of valuable furanic compounds such as furfural because of the enhanced deoxygenation over the acid sites formed on framework vanadium. In the case of CP of xylan as well, 10 wt% H-V-MCM-41 led to the largest yield of mono-aromatics. The production of acetic acid was also promoted by H-V-MCM-41 catalysts. The CP of lignin over H-V-MCM-41 catalysts promoted substantially the production of important feedstock chemicals for the petrochemical industry: phenolics and mono-aromatics. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</P>

A multi-virus detectable microfluidic electrochemical immunosensor for simultaneous detection of H1N1, H5N1, and H7N9 virus using ZnO nanorods for sensitivity enhancement

Han, J.H.,Lee, D.,Chew, C.H.C.,Kim, T.,Pak, J.J. Elsevier Sequoia 2016 Sensors and actuators. B Chemical Vol.228 No.-

This paper describes a multi-detectable and nano-flow immunosensor based on ZnO nanorods (NRs) grown on the inner surface of PDMS sensor region for sensing H1N1, H5N1, and H7N9 influenza viruses simultaneously using electrochemical method. Nanostructured ZnO NRs with a high isoelectric point (IEP ~9.5) tend to interact electrostatically with proteins with lower IEP such as H1N1, H5N1, and H7N9 antibodies. ZnO NRs were hydrothermally grown on the upper inner surface of the nano-flow PDMS sensor region. The forementioned three influenza viruses were successfully detected from three separate sensing regions by measuring the oxidation current of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated on capture antibody of those influenza viruses when proper potential was applied. The proposed immunosensors were evaluated using 1pg/ml, 10pg/ml, 100pg/ml, 1ng/ml, and 10ng/ml of H1N1, H5N1, and H7N9 antigens by amperometry. These immunosensors showed high selectivity toward H1N1, H5N1, and H7N9, which was successfully confirmed by distinguishing the target virus individually from a mixture of three virus antigens. A low limit of detection was demonstrated by detecting as low as 1pg/ml of each virus and it is believed that this was possible by enhancing the sensitivity with the ZnO NRs grown on the PDMS surface in the sensing region. The steady-state oxidation current output linearly increased with respect to the logarithm of the H1N1, H5N1, and H7N9 virus concentrations in the range of 1-10ng/ml.

Cold stress causes rapid but differential changes in properties of plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase of camelina and rapeseed

Kim, H.S.,Oh, J.M.,Luan, S.,Carlson, J.E.,Ahn, S.J. G. Fischer 2013 Journal of plant physiology Vol.170 No.9

Camelina (Camelina sativa) and rapeseed (Brassica napus) are well-established oil-seed crops with great promise also for biofuels. Both are cold-tolerant, and camelina is regarded to be especially appropriate for production on marginal lands. We examined physiological and biochemical alterations in both species during cold stress treatment for 3 days and subsequent recovery at the temperature of 25<SUP>o</SUP>C for 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 6, and 24h, with particular emphasis on the post-translational regulation of the plasma membrane (PM) H<SUP>+</SUP>-ATPase (EC3.6.3.14). The activity and translation of the PM H<SUP>+</SUP>-ATPase, as well as 14-3-3 proteins, increased after 3 days of cold stress in both species but recovery under normal conditions proceeded differently. The increase in H<SUP>+</SUP>-ATPase activity was the most dramatic in camelina roots after recovery for 2h at 25<SUP>o</SUP>C, followed by decay to background levels within 24h. In rapeseed, the change in H<SUP>+</SUP>-ATPase activity during the recovery period was less pronounced. Furthermore, H<SUP>+</SUP>-pumping increased in both species after 15min recovery, but to twice the level in camelina roots compared to rapeseed. Protein gel blot analysis with phospho-threonine anti-bodies showed that an increase in phosphorylation levels paralleled the increase in H<SUP>+</SUP>-transport rate. Thus our results suggest that cold stress and recovery in camelina and rapeseed are associated with PM H<SUP>+</SUP>-fluxes that may be regulated by specific translational and post-translational modifications.

On the selection of primal unknowns for a FETI-DP formulation of the Stokes problem in two dimensions

Kim, H.H.,Lee, C.O.,Park, E.H. Pergamon Press ; Elsevier Science Ltd 2010 COMPUTERS & MATHEMATICS WITH APPLICATIONS - Vol.60 No.12

Selection of primal unknowns is important in convergence of FETI-DP (dual-primal finite element tearing and interconnecting) methods, which are known to be the most scalable dual iterative substructuring methods. A FETI-DP algorithm for the Stokes problem without primal pressure unknowns was developed and analyzed by Kim et al. (2010) [1]. Only the velocity unknowns at the subdomain vertices are selected to be the primal unknowns and convergence of the algorithm with a lumped preconditioner is determined by the condition number bound C(H/h)(1+log(H/h)), where H/h is the number of elements across subdomains. In this work, primal unknowns corresponding to the averages on edges are introduced and a better condition number bound C(H/h) is proved for such a selection of primal unknowns. Numerical results are included.