Induction of protective immune response to intranasal administration of influenza virus-like particles in a mouse model

Human influenza A viruses (IAVs) cause global pandemics and epidemics, which remains a nonignorable serious concern for public health worldwide. To combat the surge of viral outbreaks, new treatments are urgently needed. Here, we design a new vaccine based on virus-like particles (VLPs) and show how intranasal administration of this vaccine triggers protective immunity, which can be exploited for the development of new therapies. H1N1 VLPs were produced in baculovirus vectors and were injected into BALB/c mice by the intramuscular (IM) or intranasal (IN) route. We found that there were significantly higher inflammatory cell and lymphocyte concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage samples and the lungs of IN immunized mice; however, the IM group had little signs of inflammatory responses. On the basis of our results, immunization with H1N1 influenza VLP elicited a strong T cell immunity in BALB/c mice. Despite T cell immunity amplification after both IN and IM vaccination methods in mice, IN-induced T cell responses were significantly more intense than IM-induced responses, and this was likely related to an increased number of both CD11b^high and CD103⁺ dendritic cells in mice lungs after IN administration of VLP. Furthermore, evaluation of interleukin-4 and interferon gamma cytokines along with several chemokine receptors showed that VLP vaccination via IN and IM routes leads to a greater CD4⁺ Th1 and Th2 response, respectively. Our findings indicated that VLPs represent a potential strategy for the development of an effective influenza vaccine; however, employing relevant routes for vaccination can be another important part of the universal influenza vaccine puzzle.     

Aqueous Solution‐Processable Small Molecular Metal‐Chelate Complex Electrolyte for Flexible All‐Solid State Energy Storage Devices

A small molecular metal‐chelate complex, tris(8‐hydroxyquinoline‐5‐sulfonic acid) aluminum (AlQSA₃), that has three sulfonic acid groups per molecule leading to an excellent solubility in water is reported as a liquid‐free perfect solid‐state electrolyte for flexible film‐type all‐solid‐state energy storage devices. The AlQSA₃ material is synthesized by one‐step reaction of aluminum triisopropoxide and 8‐hydroxyquinoline‐5‐sulfonic acid. The aqueous solutions of AlQSA₃ are applied to fabricate flexible film‐type all‐solid state electric double layer capacitors with indium‐tin oxide thin film electrodes. The ion conductivity of the AlQSA₃ film reaches 0.116 mS cm^?1, while a pronounced hysteresis are obtained in the cyclic voltammetry measurement. The AlQSA₃ film capacitors exhibit an output voltage of 1.5 V at 20 μA cm^?2, which is considerably stable by the repeated operation. In particular, the peak output voltage is well kept even after 180° bending for 500 times in the case of the flexible AlQSA₃ film capacitors.     

Structural basis for assembly of the CBF3 kinetochore complex

Eukaryotic chromosomes contain a specialised region known as the centromere, which forms the platform for kinetochore assembly and microtubule attachment. The centromere is distinguished by the presence of nucleosomes containing the histone H3 variant, CENP‐A. In budding yeast, centromere establishment begins with the recognition of a specific DNA sequence by the CBF3 complex. This in turn facilitates CENP‐A^Cse4 nucleosome deposition and kinetochore assembly. Here, we describe a 3.6 Å single‐particle cryo‐EM reconstruction of the core CBF3 complex, incorporating the sequence‐specific DNA‐binding protein Cep3 together with regulatory subunits Ctf13 and Skp1. This provides the first structural data on Ctf13, defining it as an F‐box protein of the leucine‐rich‐repeat family, and demonstrates how a novel F‐box‐mediated interaction between Ctf13 and Skp1 is responsible for initial assembly of the CBF3 complex.     

Texture of Cooked Rice Prepared from Aged Rice and Its Improvement by Reducing Agents

The textures of cooked rice prepared from aged rice grains and their improvement by reducing agents were investigated. For aged rice that was stored for 5 months without air by the operation of a vacuum packing machine, the stickiness/hardness ratio of cooked rice was as low as that of aged rice stored in air. The results of electrophoresis showed that oxidation of proteins in the former was advanced to the same degree as in the latter. The stickiness/hardness ratios of the aged rice were increased by the addition of sodium sulfite, cysteine, and dithiothreitol to the cooking water. Sodium sulfite, cysteine, and dithiothreitol cleave disulfide bonds to sulfhydryl groups. Therefore, cleaving disulfide bonds to sulfhydryl groups improved the texture. The addition of them to the cooking water also increased the extractable solids at the time of heating. Hence cleaving disulfide bonds to sulfhydryl groups must increase extractable solids. Consequently, the gelatinized paste layer thickened and the thick paste layer softened the cooked rice.     

黑曲霉SL2-111复合酶固体发酵工艺研究

以酸性蛋白酶酶活为响应值,采用单因素搜索和正交试验对黑曲霉（Aspergillus niger）SL2－111固体发酵工艺进行优化,结果表明最适培养基的组成为：新鲜麸皮8．25g,米糠4．5g、豆饼粉1．5g、（NH4)2SO40.3g、K2HPO40．66g、CaCl20.075g、水8．6mL,pH5．5,变温培养,前30h28℃、后30h为23℃,培养时间为60h。采用最适培养基和优化工艺,在250mL三角瓶中进行验证实验,酸性蛋白酶酶活可达12586U/g,果胶酶和纤维素酶分别为16490U/g、9822U／g。     

基因枪法介导GNA基因遗传转化甘蔗的研究

目的:将含有雪花莲外源凝集素(GNA)基因的植物表达载体用基因枪法分别导入一个果蔗和一个糖蔗品种中,以期获得转基因植株。方法:将GNA基因插入到植物表达载体上,构建出不同选择标记、不同启动子的表达载体,并用基因枪法将之导入甘蔗胚性愈伤组织,分别在G418、PPT和Hyg的选择压力下,筛选抗性植株,并进行分子杂交鉴定。结果:通过斑点杂交和PCR-Southern杂交证明GNA基因已整合到甘蔗基因组中。结论:用基因枪法成功获得了含有GNA基因的甘蔗转化株,为培育抗甘蔗绵蚜(Ceratovacuna lanigeraZehnther)的新品种提供了基础。     

Effects of proliferation,maturation, and desiccation methods on conversion of soybean somatic embryos

Summary Cermination of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill] somatic embryos and conversion to whole plants are generally low. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of proliferation, maturation, and desiccation methods on conversion of soybean somatic embryos to plants. Soybean cv. Jack somatic embryos, proliferated on a solid medium containing 90.5 μM (20 mgl⁻¹) 2.4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2.4-D) (MSD20), showed a regeneration rate signficantly higher than those proliferated in a liquid medium containing 45.25 μM (10mgl⁻¹) 2,4-D (FN Lite). When a liquid medium without 2,4-D and B5 vitamins (FN Superlite) was used for maturation, the duration of time necessary for embryo development could be shortened by more than a month compared to maturation on a standard solid medium (MSM6AC). An air-drying method, in which somatic embryos were desiccated in an empty sealed Petri dish for 3–5d, gave rise to the best germination efficiency among the four desiccation methods tested: fast, slow, air, and KCl methods. The final percentage of moisture seems important since embyros over-dried by the fast and slow methods did not convert well into plants.     

Phallus impudicus loaded with γ-Fe2O3 as solid phase bioextractor for the preconcentrations of Zn(II) and Cr(III) from water and food samples

We investigated the application of fungus Phallus impudicus loaded γ-Fe₂O₃ nanoparticles as a biosorbent for magnetic solid phase extractions of trace levels of Zn(II) and Cr(III) ions from natural samples before their measurements by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. The characterization of magnetized P. impudicus was performed using the scanning electron microscope, the energy dispersive X-ray and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Important experimental factors were investigated. The experimental results fitted well to the Langmuir adsorption model and pseudo-second order kinetic model. Limit of detections of targeted ions by magnetic solid phase extraction method based on use of P. impudicus were found as 10.5 ngL⁻¹ and 12.6 ngL⁻¹ respectively for Cr(III) and Zn(II). The sorption capacities of the biosorbent were 22.8 mgg⁻¹ for Cr(III) and 25.6 mgg⁻¹ for Zn(II). The preconcentration factors were achieved as 100 for both of ions. RSDs for inter- and intraday precisions were found as lower than 2.0% and 2.1% respectively for both of targeted ions. The accuracy of the recommended process was tested by recovery measurements on the certificated reference materials and successfully applied for quantification recoveries of Cr(III) and Zn(II) ions from water and food samples.