Codon optimization, expression, purification, and functional characterization of recombinant human IL-25 in Pichia pastoris

Interleukin (IL)-25 (also known as IL-17E) is a distinct member of the IL-17 cytokine family which induces IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 expression and promotes pathogenic T helper (Th)-2 cell responses in various organs. IL-25 has been shown to have crucial role between innate and adaptive immunity and also a key component of the protection of gastrointestinal helminthes. In this study, to produce bioactive recombinant human IL-25 (rhIL-25), the cDNA of mature IL-25 was performed codon optimization based on methylotropic yeast Pichia pastoris codon bias and cloned into the expression vector pPICZαA. The recombinant vector was transformed into P. pichia strain X-33 and selected by zeocin resistance. Benchtop fermentation and simple purification strategy were established to purify the rhIL-25 with about 17 kDa molecular mass. Functional analysis showed that purified rhIL-25 specifically bond to receptor IL-17BR and induce G-CSF production in vitro. Further annexin V-FITC/PI staining assay indicated that rhIL-25 induced apoptosis in two breast cancer cells, MDA-MB-231 and HBL-100. This study provides a new strategy for the large-scale production of bioactive IL-25 for biological and therapeutic applications

Fluorescent Oxidation Products and Risk of Coronary Heart Disease: A Prospective Study in Women

Background: Oxidative stress is implicated in the etiology of coronary heart disease (CHD). New measures to capture oxidative stress are warranted. Fluorescent oxidation products (FlOPs) can be measured in plasma and have been shown to reflect levels of oxidative stress and to predict risk of CHD in men over 6 years of follow‐up. The objective of this study is to determine whether measures of FlOPs are associated with risk of CHD in women over an extended follow‐up period. Methods and Results: We measured FlOP by spectrofluorometer in a nested case–control study within the Nurses' Health Study, with baseline blood collection in 1990 and follow‐up of 397 incident CHD cases through 2004 matched 1:2 with controls. Level of FlOPs was independently associated with CHD. The relative risk across extreme quintiles was 1.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.06 to 2.53) when adjusted for lifestyle factors, lipids and C‐reactive protein (P trend across quintiles=0.01). A slightly stronger association was observed when analyses were restricted to women fasting >8 hours at blood draw (RR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.16 to 3.15). In exploratory time to event analyses, high levels of FlOPs measured ≥5 years before the CHD event, but not closer to the CHD event, were associated with the risk of CHD. Conclusions: Higher levels of FlOPs were associated with the risk of CHD in women. The association appeared strongest for long‐term prediction of CHD events

Pure-Silica-Zeolite MFI and MEL Low-Dielectric-Constant Films with Fluoro-Organic Functionalization

The synthesis of organic-functionalized pure-silica-zeolites (PSZs) with MFI- and MEL-type structures for low-k applications prepared through a direct-synthesis method by adding a fluorinated silane to the synthesis solution is reported. The added fluorine functionality increases the hydrophobicity of the zeolites, which are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, 29Si and 19F solid-state NMR spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption, and thermogravimetric analysis. The functionalized zeolite powders have low water content and calcined spin-on films prepared from the functionalized nanoparticle suspensions exhibit higher water contact angles and lower k values (2.1 and 1.8 for the functionalized MFI- and MEL-type zeolites, respectively) than PSZ films. The use of a direct-synthesis method to decrease the moisture adsorption in the films eliminates the extra post-spin-on silylation steps that are traditionally used to render the zeolite films hydrophobic

Innovative Development of chinese Regions: Experience and Recommendations for Russia

Purpose: of the article is a parametric comparison of the features of the development of the regions of China and Russia for the possibility of using the Chinese experience in managing innovative development.Methods: comparison of the innovative potential of Russia and the PRC, as well as the possibilities of using the Chinese experience in the management of scientific, technical and innovative development in Russia was carried out using linear regression analysis and comparison of its indicators. Analysis and comparison were carried out using statistical data on innovative and economic development in statistical collections of Russia and China.Results: the article discusses the possibilities of using Chinese management experience in the development of the spheres of science, technology and higher education for the innovative and economic development of Russian regions. To a large extent, the experience of the PRC is already actively used in Russian state practice, while, in the context of Russia's economic difficulties in recent decades, it does not always work successfully. The work shows that the regions of the PRC are rapidly increasing their innovative activity in recent years, which contributes to the rapid growth of the well-being of their population. The number of regions-innovative and economic leaders is growing. Among all regions of Russia, only Moscow in level of innovational activity and GRP corresponds to the leading regions of China. The paper also shows that changes in the indicators of innovation activity of Russian regions have a relatively weak effect on their economic development.Conclusions and Relevance: it is recommended to carefully study the experience of the Chinese regions-innovation leaders and the Chinese innovation policy in general for application in Russia, as well as the development of Russian-Chinese innovation and scientific and technological cooperation

A144: Effect of Reduced Plantar Cutaneous Sensation on Balance Control Among People with Chronic Ankle Instability

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine whether reduced plantar cutaneous sensation could influence static balance control among people with and without chronic ankle instability (CAI). METHODS: Thirty-one people with CAI (female=7, age=22.03±1.73 years, height=174.41±9.83 cm, body mass=71.79±14.95 kg) and twenty-nine people without CAI (female=5, age=22.86±1.59 years, height=172.81±7.99 cm, body mass=69.04±11.32 kg) were recruited. Static balance controls were represented by the mean displacement of the center of pressure (CoP) in the anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions on a force plate during unilateral standing with eyes open. The participants placed their bare foot on shaved ice for 10 minutes to reduce plantar cutaneous sensation. Plantar cutaneous sensation at the 5th metatarsal was measured with a set of twenty Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments (SWM) to confirm reduced sensation levels. A higher value of SWM indicated a decreased sensation and higher threshold. Plantar cutaneous sensation threshold and standing tests were conducted before (pre-ice) and after (post-ice) ice immersion. Two-way repeated ANOVA tests were used to analyze data. RESULTS: Plantar cutaneous sensation threshold in the CAI group (pre-ice: 3.11±0.34 gauge, post-ice: 4.15±0.29 gauge, p \u3c 0.001, d=3.29) and non-CAI group (pre-ice: 2.95±0.34 gauge, post-ice: 4.10±0.34, p \u3c 0.001, d=3.38) significantly increased after ice immersion, indicating a significant reduction in the plantar cutaneous sensitivity. A significant interaction was detected in the mean displacement of CoP in the AP direction (p = 0.047, η2 = 0.069). Compared to pre-ice, the mean CoP displacement in the AP direction (pre-immersion: 7.29±0.22, post-immersion: 6.62±0.22, p = 0.002, d = 3.05) decreased in the CAI group while remaining unchanged in the control group after ice immersion. CONCLUSION: The reduction in plantar cutaneous sensation induced by ice immersion enhanced static balance control in individuals with CAI, with no observable effect on those without CAI. The results of this study suggest that people with CAI produced adaptive changes compared to people without CAI, which allows them to maintain balance to avoid injury

Structural damage detection based on cloud model and Dempster-Shafer evidence theory

Cloud model and D-S theory have been widely used in uncertainty reasoning. Meanwhile, modal strain energy and Inner Product Vector are also utilized as damage-sensitive features to detect structural damage. In this paper, a new structural damage identification approach is proposed based on Dempster-Shafer theory and cloud model. Cloud models were created to make uncertainty reasoning in damage structures by modal strain energy and the Inner Product Vector of acceleration. Then the results of the two methods were combined by using the Dempster-Shafer theory. Due to the classical D-S theory involves counter – intuitive behavious when the high conflicting evidences exists, the distance function was introduced to correct the conflict factor K and combine the evidences. Moreover, a model of simple beam was created to verify the feasibility and accuracy for the single-damage and the multiple-damage. The effects of noise on damage detection were investigated simultaneously. The results show that the method has strong anti-noise ability and high accuracy

A079: Effects of Reduced Plantar Cutaneous Sensation on Landing Strategies in People with Chronic Ankle Instability

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate whether reduced plantar cutaneous sensation could alter the movement strategies of the lower extremities in people with chronic ankle instability (CAI) during single leg drop landing. METHODS: Fourteen adults with CAI were recruited (female: 6, age: 22.03±1.73 years, height: 1.72±0.11 m, body weight: 71.53±15.49 kg) in this study. Participants placed their bare foot on shaved ice for 10 minutes to reduce plantar cutaneous sensation sensitivity. The plantar skin sensation on the fifth metatarsal was measured with a set of Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments. The higher values indicated lower sensitivity and higher thresholds. The participants executed three single-leg drop landings from a 20-cm platform both before (pre-) and after (post-) ice immersion. The moment of landing was determined using a 20 N threshold in vertical ground reaction force. These indicators, including angle, angular velocity, range of motion (ROM) and net torque at the ankle, knee and hip, were measured using a motion capture system at 100Hz and a force plate at 1000Hz. Kinematic and kinetic indicators were filtered with low-pass filters at 10 and 50Hz, respectively. Joint torque was standardized using body weight. A paired-sample t-test was used to analyze data. RESULTS: Plantar cutaneous sensation threshold (pre: 3.07±0.38 gauge, post: 4.12±0.28 gauge, p \u3c 0.001) significantly increased after ice immersion. Peak internal rotation angle at the ankle (pre: 11.14±3.44, post: 10.16±3.67, p = 0.018), ankle ROM (pre: 16.63±3.90, post: 15.19±3.27, p = 0.011) and ankle angular velocity (pre: 353.50±110.94/s, post: 324.60±116.25/s, p = 0.033) were significantly decreased. Furthermore, peak adduction torques at the knee (pre: 0.13±0.27 Nm/kg, post: 0.34±0.33 Nm/kg, p = 0.02) and hip (pre: 0.06±0.05 Nm/kg, post: 0.30±0.25 Nm/kg, p \u3c 0.001) were significantly increased, while hip internal rotation torque (pre: 0.72±0.20 Nm/kg, post: 0.55±0.17 Nm/kg, p \u3c 0.001) significantly decreased after acute ice immersion. CONCLUSION: Acute reduction in plantar cutaneous sensation induced by ice immersion primarily affected the internal rotation kinematics at the ankle and altered movement strategies of proximal segments at the knee and hip in the frontal plane. These adaptive changes highlighted the importance of sensory input in maintaining postural control during single leg drop landing in people with CAI

Hybrid Renormalization for Quasi Distribution Amplitudes of A Light Baryon

We develop a hybrid scheme to renormalize quasi distribution amplitudes of a light baryon on the lattice, which combines the self-renormalization and ratio scheme. By employing self-renormalization, the UV divergences and linear divergence at large spatial separations in quasi distribution amplitudes are removed without introducing extra nonperturbative effects, while making a ratio with respect to the zero-momentum matrix element can properly remove the UV divergences in small spatial separations. As a specific application, distribution amplitudes of the $\Lambda$ baryon made of $uds$ are investigated, and the requisite equal-time correlators, which define quasi distribution amplitudes in coordinate space, are perturbatively calculated up to the next-to-leading order in strong coupling constant $\alpha_s$. These perturbative equal-time correlators are used to convert lattice QCD matrix elements to the continuum space during the renormalization process. Subsequently, quasi distribution amplitudes are matched onto lightcone distribution amplitudes by integrating out hard modes and the corresponding hard kernels are derived up to next-to-leading order in $\alpha_s$ including the hybrid counterterms. These results are valuable in the lattice-based investigation of the lightcone distribution amplitudes of a light baryon from the first principles of QCD.Comment: 25 pages, 4 figure