field-identification-matricaria-chamomilla-using-portable-qpcr

Field Identification of <em>Matricaria chamomilla</em> using a Portable qPCR System

Quality control in botanical products begins with the raw material supply. Traditionally, botanical identification is performed through morphological ...

preparation-neovascular-tissues-from-human-glioma-tissues-for

Preparation Of Neovascular Tissues from Human Glioma Tissues for Quantitative Proteomics Analysis of Tumor Angiogenesis

Glioma represents primary malignant tumors of the central nervous system with significant incidence and mortality. Tumor angiogenesis is the hallmark of ...

Herbalife International of America, Inc.

Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Science

AOAC SMPR 2015.015.

AOAC SMPR 2015.016.

DNA-based methods have been gaining recognition as a tool for botanical authentication in herbal medicine; however, their application in processed botanical materials is challenging due to the low quality and quantity of DNA left after extensive manufacturing processes. The low amount of DNA recovered from processed materials, especially extracts, is "invisible" by current technology, which has casted doubt on the presence of amplifiable botanical DNA. A method using adapter-ligation and PCR amplification was successfully applied to visualize the "invisible" DNA in botanical extracts. The size of the "invisible" DNA fragments in botanical extracts was around 20-220 bp compared to fragments of around 600 bp for the more easily visualized DNA in botanical powders. This technique is the first to allow characterization and visualization of small fragments of DNA in processed botanical materials and will provide key information to guide the development of appropriate DNA-based botanical authentication methods in the future.

Visualization of DNA in highly processed botanical materials.

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) leaf is an herb widely consumed for its health benefits. Due to similar morphological and chemical profiles, celery leaf may be a source of substitution in commercial parsley materials. In order to detect this substitution, the present work characterized parsley and celery leaf at the cultivar level by physical, chemical and DNA approaches. In contrast to the variations observed in physical appearances and chemical profiles that make verification of authenticity difficult, consistent differences observed between their DNA sequences are suitable for verifying parsley material authenticity. To identify parsley and detect celery simultaneously, a multiplex qPCR assay was developed and validated with respect to efficiency and specificity. Further testing indicated the assay can be used to detect 1% (w/w) celery in parsley materials with a probability of detection greater than 0.9. The developed method is well-suited for routine quality control to prevent parsley material misidentification in commercial trade.

Development and validation of a probe-based qPCR method to prevent parsley leaf material misidentification.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), which is a frequently reported and concerning disease worldwide, is a severe burden on societies globally, especially in the countries of East and Southeast Asia. Coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) is one of the most important causes of HFMD and a severe threat to human health, especially in children under 5 years of age. To investigate the epidemiological characteristics, spread dynamics, recombinant forms (RFs), and other features of CV-A16, we leveraged the continuous surveillance data of CV-A16-related HFMD cases collected over an 18-year period. With the advent of the EV-A71 vaccine since 2016, which targeted the EV-A71-related HFMD cases, EV-A71-related HFMD cases decreased dramatically, whereas the CV-A16-related HFMD cases showed an upward trend from 2017 to October 2019. The CV-A16 strains observed in this study were genetically related and widely distributed in the mainland of China. Our results show that three clusters (B1a-B1c) existed in the mainland of China and that the cluster of B1b dominates the diffusion of CV-A16 in China. We found that eastern China played a decisive role in seeding the diffusion of CV-A16 in China, with a more complex and variant transmission trend. Although EV-A71 vaccine was launched in China in 2016, it did not affect the genetic diversity of CV-A16, and its genetic diversity did not decline, which confirmed the epidemiological surveillance trend of CV-A16. Two discontinuous clusters (2000-13 and 2014-18) were observed in the full-length genome and arranged along the time gradient, which revealed the reason why the relative genetic diversity of CV-A16 increased and experienced more complex fluctuation model after 2014. In addition, the switch from RFs B (RF-B) and RF-C co-circulation to RF-D contributes to the prevalence of B1b cluster in China after 2008. The correlation between genotype and RFs partially explained the current prevalence of B1b. This study provides unprecedented full-length genomic sequences of CV-A16 in China, with a wider geographic distribution and a long-term time scale. The study presents valuable information about CV-A16, aimed at developing effective control strategies, as well as a call for a more robust surveillance system, especially in the Asia-Pacific region.

Genomic epidemiology of coxsackievirus A16 in mainland of China, 2000-18.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the causative agent of COVID-19, encodes several accessory proteins that have been shown to play crucial roles in regulating the innate immune response. However, their expressions in infected cells and immunogenicity in infected humans and mice are still not fully understood. This study utilized various techniques such as luciferase immunoprecipitation system (LIPS), immunofluorescence ​assay (IFA), and western ​blot (WB) to detect accessory protein-specific antibodies in sera of COVID-19 patients. Specific antibodies to proteins 3a, 3b, 7b, 8 and 9c can be detected by LIPS, but only protein 3a antibody was detected by IFA or WB. Antibodies against proteins 3a and 7b were only detected in ICU patients, which may serve as a marker for predicting disease progression. Further, we investigated the expression of accessory proteins in SARS-CoV-2-infected cells and identified the expressions of proteins 3a, 6, 7a, 8, and 9b. We also analyzed their ability to induce antibodies in immunized mice and found that only proteins 3a, 6, 7a, 8, 9b and 9c were able to induce measurable antibody productions, but these antibodies lacked neutralizing activities and did not protect mice from SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our findings validate the expression of SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins and elucidate their humoral immune response, providing a basis for protein detection assays and their role in pathogenesis.

Characterization of humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins in infected patients and mouse model.

Hypertension, a major modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular disease, exhibits significant heterogeneity due to genetic, metabolic, and environmental influences. Traditional one-size-fits-all management is inadequate, necessitating predictive, preventive, and personalized medicine (3PM) approaches.

ArticleTotal : 2	Year
Publication title	2020
Publication title	2026

Article	Year
AOAC SMPR 2015.015. Journal of AOAC International\| PubMed ID: 28483002	2016
AOAC SMPR 2015.016. Journal of AOAC International\| PubMed ID: 28483003	2016
Visualization of DNA in highly processed botanical materials. Food chemistry\| PubMed ID: 29287321	2018
Development and validation of a probe-based qPCR method to prevent parsley leaf material misidentification. Fitoterapia\| PubMed ID: 32534007	2020
Genomic epidemiology of coxsackievirus A16 in mainland of China, 2000-18. Virus evolution\| PubMed ID: 33343924	2020
Characterization of humoral immune responses against SARS-CoV-2 accessory proteins in infected patients and mouse model. Virologica Sinica\| PubMed ID: 38677713	2024
The use of predictive, preventive, and personalized medical approaches to optimize hypertension management. The EPMA journal\| PubMed ID: 41311994	2025

Yanjun Zhang

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