Sensitive and rapid detection of Trueperella pyogenes using loop-mediated isothermal amplification method.

Here we report the design and evaluation of a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for detecting Trueperella pyogenes DNA based on the plo gene sequence that encodes pyolysin. The results showed that target DNA was amplified specifically and with a detection limit 100-fold greater than PCR.

Mapping B-cell linear epitopes of NS3 protein of bovine viral diarrhea virus.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is a member of the genus Pestivirus within the family Flaviviridae. NS3 is one of the immunodominance regions of the BVDV viral proteins. To identify the potential B-cell linear antigenic epitopes within BVDV NS3 region, serial overlapping truncations covering the whole region were expressed and purified, and screened by multistep of Western-blot.

[Effects of brassinolide on the leaf mitochondria and chloroplast ultrastructure and photosynthesis of cucumber seedlings under hypoxia stress].

A hydroponic experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) on the leaf mitochondria and chloroplast ultrastructure and photosynthesis of cucumber seedlings under hypoxia stress. Under the stress, the apparent quantum yield (AQY) and carboxylation efficiency (CE) decreased significantly, while the light compensation point (LCP), dark breathing rate (R(d)), and CO2 compensation point (CCP) had a significant increase. The application of EBR increased the CE significantly by 29.

Complete genome sequence of a bovine viral diarrhea virus 2 from commercial fetal bovine serum.

We isolated a bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) from commercial fetal bovine serum and designated it HLJ-10. The complete genome is 12,284 nucleotides (nt); the open reading frame is 11,694 nt, coding 3,898 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that this strain belongs to BVDV group 2.

[Evaluating the current protocol of influenza A (H1N1) based on the epidemic situations of Zhengzhou,a middle-sized city in China].

Objective: From May 2009-January 2010, a total of 3768 biosamples were tested for influenza A (H1N1) infection at Zhengzhou center for disease control and prevention, China. 1452 cases were laboratory confirmed H1N1 infection and 2316 were considered suspected victims. To evaluate the current protocol of influenza A (H1N1) based on the epidemic situations of Zhengzhou, relationships among features were explored and whether additional clinical characteristics should be part of H1N1 diagnosis protocols were determined.

D-ring modified novel isosteviol derivatives: design, synthesis and cytotoxic activity evaluation.

A series of polyhydric, amino alcohol and tricyclic derivatives were facilely synthesized by D-ring modification of isosteviol. These compounds were screened for their cytotoxic activities against four human tumor cell lines in vitro. Among them, the 15-α-aminomethyl-16-β-hydroxyl isosteviol 23 exhibits significant cytotoxicity superior to the positive control (cisplatin) against EC9706, PC-3 and HCT-116 cell lines.

A general fractional-order dynamical network: synchronization behavior and state tuning.

A general fractional-order dynamical network model for synchronization behavior is proposed. Different from previous integer-order dynamical networks, the model is made up of coupled units described by fractional differential equations, where the connections between individual units are nondiffusive and nonlinear. We show that the synchronous behavior of such a network cannot only occur, but also be dramatically different from the behavior of its constituent units.

[Determination of trace amounts of mercury in sediments by sequential injection cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry coupled with microwave-assisted digestion].

A novel method for the determination of trace amounts of mercury in sediments by sequential injection cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry coupled with microwave assisted digestion was developed in this paper. Satisfactory results were found when the digestion was carried out at 140 degrees C for 5 min by using 10% HCl-50% HNO3- 40% H2O or 30% HCl-20% HNO3- 50% H2O media. The linear range was 0.

Bulky adamantanethiolate and cyclohexanethiolate ligands favor smaller gold nanoparticles with altered discrete sizes.

Use of bulky ligands (BLs) in the synthesis of metal nanoparticles (NPs) gives smaller core sizes, sharpens the size distribution, and alters the discrete sizes. For BLs, the highly curved surface of small NPs may facilitate growth, but as the size increases and the surface flattens, NP growth may terminate when the ligand monolayer blocks BLs from transporting metal atoms to the NP core. Batches of thiolate-stabilized Au NPs were synthesized using equimolar amounts of 1-adamantanethiol (AdSH), cyclohexanethiol (CySH), or n-hexanethiol (C6SH).

Monoclonal antibodies against NS1 protein of Goose parvovirus.

In the present study, monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against NS1 protein of Goose parvovirus (GPV) were generated. The secreted MAbs were obtained by fusing mouse myeloma cells and spleen cells of BALB/c mice, which were immunized with the plasmid pcDNA3.1-GPV-NS1 and recombinant protein of GPV-NS1.

Phenyliodine bis(trifluoroacetate)-mediated oxidative C-C bond formation: synthesis of 3-hydroxy-2-oxindoles and spirooxindoles from anilides.

The reaction of phenyliodine bis(trifluoroacetate) (PIFA) with a series of anilides 1 (E = CO(2)Et) in CF(3)CH(2)OH was found to give 3-hydroxy-2-oxindole derivatives 2, while that with various anilides 1' (E = CON(R(4))Ar) afforded the C(2)-symmetric or unsymmetric spirooxindoles 3. These processes feature a metal-free oxidative C(sp(2))-C(sp(3)) bond formation, followed by oxidative hydroxylation or spirocyclization.

Maximizing biomarker discovery by minimizing gene signatures.

Background: The use of gene signatures can potentially be of considerable value in the field of clinical diagnosis. However, gene signatures defined with different methods can be quite various even when applied the same disease and the same endpoint. Previous studies have shown that the correct selection of subsets of genes from microarray data is key for the accurate classification of disease phenotypes, and a number of methods have been proposed for the purpose.

Distributed Proportional-spatial Derivative control of nonlinear parabolic systems via fuzzy PDE modeling approach.

In this paper, a distributed fuzzy control design based on Proportional-spatial Derivative (P-sD) is proposed for the exponential stabilization of a class of nonlinear spatially distributed systems described by parabolic partial differential equations (PDEs). Initially, a Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy parabolic PDE model is proposed to accurately represent the nonlinear parabolic PDE system. Then, based on the T-S fuzzy PDE model, a novel distributed fuzzy P-sD state feedback controller is developed by combining the PDE theory and the Lyapunov technique, such that the closed-loop PDE system is exponentially stable with a given decay rate.

Localization of linear B-cell epitopes on goose parvovirus structural protein.

Goose parvovirus (GPV), a small non-enveloped ssDNA virus, can cause Derzsy's disease, a highly contagious and lethal disease in goslings and muscovy ducklings, leading to a huge economic loss. However, little is known about the localization of B-cell epitopes on GPV structural protein. To address the issue, the structural protein of GPV was dissected into sets of partially overlapping fragments and expressed in Escherichia coli.

An ELISA based on the repeated foot-and-mouth disease virus 3B epitope peptide can distinguish infected and vaccinated cattle.

To develop a strategy of differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) with foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV), a short (27aa) peptide containing three conserved linear B cell epitopes of the FMDV 3B nonstructural protein was designed. This novel BF peptide was synthesized using a gene splicing by overlap extension protocol with preferred codons for Escherichia coli. The resultant eight tandem repeat multimer (1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 24, and 32BF) were expressed as soluble fusion proteins in E.

Sinter-free phase conversion and scanning transmission electron microscopy of FePt nanoparticle monolayers.

Thermally robust monolayers of 4-6 nm diameter FePt nanoparticles (NPs) were fabricated by combining chemical synthesis and atomic layer deposition. Spin-cast monolayers of FePt NPs were coated with thin, 11 nm-thick layers of amorphous Al(2)O(3), followed by annealing to convert the FePt NPs from an alloy (A1) into intermetallic FePt (L1(0)) and FePt(3) (L1(2)) phases. The Al(2)O(3) layer serves as a barrier that prevents sintering between NPs during annealing at temperatures up to 730 °C.

The effect of down regulation of calcineurin Aα by lentiviral vector-mediated RNAi on the biological behavior of small-cell lung cancer and its bone metastasis.

Bone is the third most common site of cancer metastasis. Over 30 to 40% of lung cancers can develop skeletal metastasis and no effective curative therapy exists in clinic cases. Previously we screened the different expression of proteins between SBC-5 cells and SBC-3 cells by proteomic study methods (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS) and found that calcineurin (hereafter referred as Cn) overexpresses in SBC-5 which has special priority in metastasis to bone in a multiple-organ metastasis mice model.

Goose parvovirus structural proteins expressed by recombinant baculoviruses self-assemble into virus-like particles with strong immunogenicity in goose.

Goose parvovirus (GPV), a small non-enveloped ssDNA virus, can cause Derzsy's disease, and three capsid proteins of VP1, VP2, and VP3 are encoded by an overlapping nucleotide sequence. However, little is known on whether recombinant viral proteins (VPs) could spontaneously assemble into virus-like particles (VLPs) in insect cells and whether these VLPs could retain their immunoreactivity and immunogenicity in susceptible geese. To address these issues, genes for these GPV VPs were amplified by PCR, and the recombinant VPs proteins were expressed in insect cells using a baculovirus expression system for the characterization of their structures, immunoreactivity, and immunogenicity.

[Sequence analysis of the phosphoprotein gene of peste des petits ruminants virus of Chinese origin].

The nucleotide sequences of P gene from a field strain of peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV) ("China/Tib/Gej/07-30") was firstly determined. The P gene is 1,655 nucleotides long with two overlapping open reading frames (ORFs). The first ORF is 1530 nucleotides long and would produce P protein of 509 amino acid residues.

Mixed outer synchronization of coupled complex networks with time-varying coupling delay.

In this paper, the problem of outer synchronization between two complex networks with the same topological structure and time-varying coupling delay is investigated. In particular, we introduce a new type of outer synchronization behavior, i.e.

Formation and grain analysis of spin-cast magnetic nanoparticle monolayers.

Ligand-stabilized magnetic nanoparticles (NPs) with diameters of 4-7 nm were spin-cast into monolayers on electron-transparent silicon nitride (SiN) substrates. SiN membranes facilitate detailed high-resolution characterization of the spin-cast monolayers by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and approximate spin-casting onto wafers. Suspending the NPs in hexanes and pretreating the substrate with ultraviolet light and ozone (UVO) gives the best results.

Endoscopic removal of a cystic choroid plexus papilloma of the third ventricle: a case report and review of the literature.

Cystic choroid plexus papilloma (CPP) of the third ventricle is rare. The authors have reported a case of cystic CPP resected successfully through neuroendoscopic approach. An 18-year-old young man was admitted to our hospital, presented with blurred vision and paroxysmal, intermittent, severe headache for 1 month as well as nausea and vomiting.

Effects of ligand monolayers on catalytic nickel nanoparticles for synthesizing vertically aligned carbon nanofibers.

Vertically aligned carbon nanofibers (VACNFs) were synthesized using ligand-stabilized Ni nanoparticle (NP) catalysts and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Using chemically synthesized Ni NPs enables facile preparation of VACNF arrays with monodisperse diameters below the size limit of thin film lithography. During pregrowth heating, the ligands catalytically convert into graphitic shells that prevent the catalyst NPs from agglomerating and coalescing, resulting in a monodisperse VACNF size distribution.

A mutant of Asia 1 serotype of Foot-and-mouth disease virus with the deletion of an important antigenic epitope in the 3A protein.

Foot-and-mouth disease is a highly contagious viral disease of cloven-hoofed animals. The availability of a vaccine for differentiating infected from vaccinated animals (DIVA) is crucial for the control and eradication of Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV). Because traditional inactivated vaccines may contain trace nonstructural proteins interfering with the DIVA, we hypothesized that mutant FMDV with deletion of immunodominant epitopes may be valuable.