Hapten Synthesis and Monoclonal Antibody Preparation for Simultaneous Detection of Albendazole and Its Metabolites in Animal-Origin Food

Albendazole (ABZ) is one of the benzimidazole anthelmintics, and the overuse of ABZ in breeding industry can lead to drug resistance and a variety of toxic effects in humans. Since the residue markers of ABZ are the sum of ABZ and three metabolites (collectively referred to as ABZs), albendazole-sulfone (ABZSO2), albendazole-sulfoxide (ABZSO), and albendazole-2-amino-sulfone (ABZNH2SO2), an antibody able to simultaneously recognize ABZs with high affinity is in urgent need to develop immunoassay for screening purpose. In this work, an unreported hapten, 5-(propylthio)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-amine, was designed and synthesized, which maximally exposed the characteristic sulfanyl group of ABZ to the animal immune system to induce expected antibody. One monoclonal antibody (Mab) that can simultaneously detect ABZs was obtained with IC50 values of 0.20, 0.26, 0.77, and 10.5 μg/L for ABZ, ABZSO2, ABZSO, and ABZNH2SO2 in ic-ELISA under optimized conditions respectively, which has been never achieved in previous reports. For insight into the recognition profiles of the Mab, we used computational chemistry method to parameterize cross-reactive molecules in aspects of conformation, electrostatic fields, and hydrophobicity, revealing that the hydrophobicity and conformation of characteristic group of molecules might be the key factors that together influence antibody recognition with analytes. Furthermore, the practicability of the developed ic-ELISA was verified by detecting ABZs in spiked milk, beef, and liver samples with recoveries of 60% to 108.8% and coefficient of variation (CV) of 1.0% to 15.9%.

On the weak lensing masses of a new sample of galaxy groups

Galaxy group masses are important to relate these systems with the dark matter halo hosts. However, deriving accurate mass estimates is particularly challenging for low-mass galaxy groups. Moreover, calibration of observational mass-proxies using weak-lensing estimates have been mainly focused on massive clusters. We present here a study of halo masses for a sample of galaxy groups identified according to a spectroscopic catalogue, spanning a wide mass range. The main motivation of our analysis is to assess mass estimates provided by the galaxy group catalogue derived through an abundance matching luminosity technique. We derive total halo mass estimates according to a stacking weak-lensing analysis. Our study allows to test the accuracy of mass estimates based on this technique as a proxy for the halo masses of large group samples. Lensing profiles are computed combining the groups in different bins of abundance matching mass, richness and redshift. Fitted lensing masses correlate with the masses obtained from abundance matching. However, when considering groups in the low- and intermediate-mass ranges, masses computed according to the characteristic group luminosity tend to predict higher values than the determined by the weak-lensing analysis. The agreement improves for the low-mass range if the groups selected have a central early-type galaxy. Presented results validate the use of mass estimates based on abundance matching techniques which provide good proxies to the halo host mass in a wide mass range.

Analysis of factors affecting the income of agritourism farms in Lam Dong Province

The study used descriptive statistical methods, interval regression to analyze factors affecting the income of Agritourism Farms (DLNN) in Lam Dong province. On the basis of the resource-based efficiency theory, the previous studies along with the implementation situation to propose model the factors affecting farmers' income. With valid 189 answer sheets, the study combined qualitative analysis with quantitative analysis to identify problems. The findings indicate that the income of farms engaged in agritourism is strongly influenced from group factors such as Characteristic group of household head: age, education; Farm characteristics group: area size, number of years participating in foreign tourism, foreign tourism service activities, distance; Group of social capital: trust, relationship with tourism companies, local authorities; Local authorities and Group factors supported by the state, local government: open class training knowledge on tourism, support loan assistance. In other words, from the reality of the agritourism business situation of farmers in Lam Dong province, the research results show the importance of the above group factors. This is proposing some main functions aimed at improving income for farmers doing business in foreign tourism, while contributing to the development of agritourism in Lam Dong province.

Functional and Structural Variation among Sticholysins, Pore-Forming Proteins from the Sea Anemone Stichodactyla helianthus

Venoms constitute complex mixtures of many different molecules arising from evolution in processes driven by continuous prey–predator interactions. One of the most common compounds in these venomous cocktails are pore-forming proteins, a family of toxins whose activity relies on the disruption of the plasmatic membranes by forming pores. The venom of sea anemones, belonging to the oldest lineage of venomous animals, contains a large amount of a characteristic group of pore-forming proteins known as actinoporins. They bind specifically to sphingomyelin-containing membranes and suffer a conformational metamorphosis that drives them to make pores. This event usually leads cells to death by osmotic shock. Sticholysins are the actinoporins produced by Stichodactyla helianthus. Three different isotoxins are known: Sticholysins I, II, and III. They share very similar amino acid sequence and three-dimensional structure but display different behavior in terms of lytic activity and ability to interact with cholesterol, an important lipid component of vertebrate membranes. In addition, sticholysins can act in synergy when exerting their toxin action. The subtle, but important, molecular nuances that explain their different behavior are described and discussed throughout the text. Improving our knowledge about sticholysins behavior is important for eventually developing them into biotechnological tools.

A Retrospective Analysis of Microbiologic Profile of Foot Infections in Patients With Diabetic End-Stage Renal Disease

Objective Individuals with diabetes and end-stage renal disease (ESRD) are at increased risk of foot ulceration and lower extremity amputation. Although risk factors and microbiologic analysis of diabetic foot infections ( DFIs) have been extensively studied, there are limited data available for this characteristic group. Methods Clinical, demographic, laboratory, microbiological data, and foot examination information were collected retrospectively regarding 94 patients with ESRD who were referred for DFI between 2006 and 2016 to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Results In 6 of 94 patients with ESRD (mean age 60 years; 65 males [69.1%], 29 women [30.8%]; 91 undergoing hemodialysis [96.8%], one peritoneal dialysis [1%], two [2%] recent renal transplants), the lesions were bilateral; therefore, the evaluations were made over 100 DFIs. The most common pathogens isolated in deep wound cultures were Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively, contributing to 27 (21.2%) and 16 (12.5%) of all 127 isolates. When the distribution of the isolates according to different Wagner grades were analyzed, it was found that the proportion of Gramnegative isolates increased statistically significantly with the ascending Wagner grade (P = .004). Conclusion DFIs indicate a serious complication associated with a high risk of amputation, prolonged antibiotic treatment, increased hospital and procedure demands, and the cost of health care, on patients with ESRD. The familiarization of causative pathogens underlying DFIs can aid the clinicians in the choice of appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment. This study emphasizes the need for greater attention to risk factors and the microbiologic profile of DFIs in this characteristic group.

Graphically Loanword from the Japanese Language in Modern Chinese Language

This article is devoted to the study of Japanese loanwords in Chinese and their classification. Particular attention is paid to the lexical units in writing in Chinese characters, coming from the Japanese language as graphic loanwords in modern Chinese and Japanese, popular on the Chinese-language Internet. The material of the study is loanwords of Japanese origin, selected from dictionaries and scientific works on this topic, as well as word usage in messages on Russian and Chinese Internet forums. We distinguish between two types of Japanese loanwords in Chinese according to how they are borrowed: phonetic and graphic borrowed words. Graphic borrowed from the Japanese language, including the actual Japanese words spelled in Chinese characters, and words created by the Japanese using Chinese characters to convey tokens of other languages, as well as the words of the ancient Chinese language, rethought by the Japanese to create terms, then returned back to modern Chinese language, constitute a characteristic group of graphic loanwords in Chinese.

Identification and evolution of glucosinolate sulfatases in a specialist flea beetle

Glucosinolates, a characteristic group of specialized metabolites found in Brassicales plants, are converted to toxic isothiocyanates upon herbivory. Several insect herbivores, including the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala), prevent glucosinolate activation by forming desulfo-glucosinolates. Here we investigated the molecular basis of glucosinolate desulfation in P. chrysocephala, an important pest of oilseed rape. Enzyme activity assays with crude beetle protein extracts revealed that glucosinolate sulfatase (GSS) activity is associated with the gut membrane and has narrow substrate specificity towards the benzenic glucosinolate sinalbin. In agreement with GSS activity localization in vivo, we identified six genes encoding arylsulfatase-like enzymes with a predicted C-terminal transmembrane domain, of which five showed GSS activity upon heterologous expression in insect cells. PcGSS1 and PcGSS2 used sinalbin and indol-3-ylmethyl glucosinolate as substrates, respectively, whereas PcGSS3, PcGSS4, and PcGSS5 showed weak activity in enzyme assays. RNAi-mediated knock-down of PcGSS1 and PcGSS2 expression in adult beetles confirmed their function in vivo. In a phylogenetic analysis of coleopteran and lepidopteran arylsulfatases, the P. chrysocephala GSSs formed a cluster within a coleopteran-specific sulfatase clade distant from the previously identified GSSs of the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella, suggesting an independent evolution of GSS activity in ermine moths and flea beetles.

Venoms of Iranian Scorpions (Arachnida, Scorpiones) and Their Potential for Drug Discovery

Scorpions, a characteristic group of arthropods, are among the earliest diverging arachnids, dating back almost 440 million years. One of the many interesting aspects of scorpions is that they have venom arsenals for capturing prey and defending against predators, which may play a critical role in their evolutionary success. Unfortunately, however, scorpion envenomation represents a serious health problem in several countries, including Iran. Iran is acknowledged as an area with a high richness of scorpion species and families. The diversity of the scorpion fauna in Iran is the subject of this review, in which we report a total of 78 species and subspecies in 19 genera and four families. We also list some of the toxins or genes studied from five species, including Androctonus crassicauda, Hottentotta zagrosensis, Mesobuthus phillipsi, Odontobuthus doriae, and Hemiscorpius lepturus, in the Buthidae and Hemiscorpiidae families. Lastly, we review the diverse functions of typical toxins from the Iranian scorpion species, including their medical applications.

Birth palsy in congenital varicella syndrome: A lesson in anatomy

ABSTRACTWhile brachial plexus palsy sustained due to birth trauma is well known, congenital palsies are decidedly rare. We report such a case caused by congenital varicella syndrome, with associated congenital Horner's syndrome and heterochromia iridis. The surprising juxtaposition of a classic upper plexus palsy and a Horner's syndrome raises points of interest. Similar reports in literature are reviewed, and the genesis of a very characteristic group of findings is discussed.

The solution curing performance of high-ortho epoxy phenolic fibers

The high-ortho epoxy phenolic fibers (HEPFs) were prepared by the crosslinking of as-spun filaments derived from melt-spinning of the epoxy novolac resins copolymerized among epichlorohydrin (ECH), phenol and formaldehyde, and cured in a combined solution of formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid with a different heating rate. The changes in functional groups, thermal performance and mechanical properties during the different heating rates in solution curing were characterized. The results show that a peak of thermal stability and mechanical properties can be obtained with increasing heating rate, and crosslinking structure and characteristic group have changed after the solution curing. The epoxy phenolic fibers show great potential in the application of elastic flame-resistant textiles, aero-composites and precursors for activated carbon fibers used in electronic devices.