Evaluation of Lethal Giant Larvae as a Schistosomiasis Vaccine Candidate

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease of humans, and it is considered to be the second most devastating parasitic disease after malaria. Eggs produced by normally developed female worms are important in the transmission of the parasite, and they responsible for the pathogenesis of schistosomiasis. The tumor suppressor gene lethal giant larvae (lgl) has an essential function in establishing apical-basal cell polarity, cell proliferation, differentiation, and tissue organization. In our earlier study, downregulation of the lgl gene induced a significant reduction in the egg hatching rate of Schistosoma japonicum (Sj) eggs. In this study, the Sjlgl gene was used as a vaccine candidate against schistosomiasis, and vaccination achieved and maintained a stable reduction of the egg hatching rate, which is consistent with previous studies, in addition to reducing the worm burden and liver egg burden in some trials

Insights into the genetic influences of the microbiota on the life span of a host

Escherichia coli (E. coli) mutant strains have been reported to extend the life span of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). However, the specific mechanisms through which the genes and pathways affect aging are not yet clear. In this study, we fed Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) various E. coli single-gene knockout strains to screen mutant strains with an extended lifespan. The results showed that D. melanogaster fed with E. coli purE had the longest mean lifespan, which was verified by C. elegans. We conducted RNA-sequencing and analysis of C. elegans fed with E. coli purE (a single-gene knockout mutant) to further explore the underlying molecular mechanism. We used differential gene expression (DGE) analysis, enrichment analysis, and gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) to screen vital genes and modules with significant changes in overall expression. Our results suggest that E. coli mutant strains may affect the host lifespan by regulating the protein synthesis rate (cfz-2) and ATP level (catp-4). To conclude, our study could provide new insights into the genetic influences of the microbiota on the life span of a host and a basis for developing anti-aging probiotics and drugs

第828回千葉医学会例会・第6回磯野外科例会 88-3.

Western blotting was performed to examine the protein levels of Twist in the indicated cells; β-actin was used as control. (JPG 151 kb

Czech perceptions of the rise of China : a survey among university students

China has increased its investment and influence in Central-Eastern European (CEE) countries through the “16 + 1” framework in 2011 and the One Belt One Road (OBOR) initiatives in 2013. Given China’s rising influence, this paper explores civilian views of China in the Czech Republic. Using survey analysis of 663 respondents in 11 Czech universities, we find that our respondents’ impression of China is neither negative nor positive. By contrast, they do not have a good impression of Russia. Their impression of Japan is the best. Our respondents recognize that China is the most influential player in Asia. Albeit divided, there is a tendency for respondents to believe that China will surpass the USA as the world’s leading power, but they cannot reach consensus on whether such development will be peaceful or not. Our survey also finds out that, while the Czech government wishes to get closer to China politically and economically, citizens are somewhat divided on various dimensions of issues concerning China. This is a pattern that continues from the past. The 2013 change of political landscape in the Czech Republic does not seem to have altered many of the societal responses to China.Peer reviewe

Challenges to Chinese Foreign Policy: Diplomacy, Globalization, and the Next World Power

When Beijing hosted the 2008 Summer Olympics, China symbolically asserted its role as an emerging world power—a position it is not likely to relinquish anytime soon. China’s growing economy, military reforms, and staggering productivity have contributed to its ascendancy as a major player in international affairs. Western scholars have attempted to explain Chinese foreign policy using historical or theoretical evidence, but until this volume, few studies from a Chinese perspective have been published in English. In Challenges to Chinese Foreign Policy: Diplomacy, Globalization, and the Next World Power, editors Yufan Hao, C. X. George Wei, and Lowell Dittmer reveal how Chinese scholars view their nation’s rise to global dominance. Drawing from a wealth of foreign relations experts including scholars native to the region, this volume examines the unique challenges China faces as it adapts in its role as a world leader, and it analyzes how China’s evolving international relationships are shaping the global landscape of the twenty-first century. Yufan Hao is professor of political science at Colgate University, as well as professor and dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, the University of Macau. George Wei is associate professor of history at Susquehanna University, PA, as well as associate professor and coordinator of the History Program, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, the University of Macau. Lowell Dittmer is professor of political science at the University of California at Berkeley. This is an important and timely work. It increases our understanding of PRC foreign policy and the factors that shape it. —Dennis V. Hickey, author of Foreign Policy Making in Taiwan: From Principles to Pragmatism This volume makes a significant contribution to scholarship in Chinese foreign policy by examining challenging theoretical and policy issues. The authors ask important questions and help to solve multiple puzzles in Chinese foreign policy. —Guoli Liu “This collection . . . seeks to offer an alternative approach to western views of China’s rapidly developing international relations in light of sweeping changes to its global role...as well as fresh insights on some of the most important past and present issues relating to the country’s ongoing opening to the world.”—International Affairs “The essays afford insight into China’s aims and attitudes. There are equally useful chapters on the questions of Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, and North Korea. —Asian Affairs “Empirically rich . . . this book is one of the very few in English that present the perspectives of Chinese scholars on China\u27s foreign policy.”—China Review International “Eight highly knowledgeable scholars have jointly made this book exemplary.”—Journal of Chinese Political Science “The volume is a great resource for students and researchers working on Chinese diplomatic history, as it gives a useful survey of the various topics in Chinese foreign relations. —China Quarterlyhttps://uknowledge.uky.edu/upk_political_science_international_relations/1008/thumbnail.jp

Introducing Chlorine into Epoxy Resin to Modulate Charge Trap Depth in the Material

International audienceThe epoxy insulators in DC gas insulated transmission lines (GIL) tend to accumulate surface charges, which causes insulation flashover. Increasing the surface conductivity of epoxy resin, which can restrain the accumulation of surface charges on the epoxy insulator, is a potential method to improve the insulation performance of DC GIL insulators. The conductivity of polymer dielectric is strongly influenced by the charge trap characteristics of the polymer. In this work, we introduce chlorine with strong electronegativity and a larger atomic radius into the epoxy group segment of epoxy resin to improve the distributed energy level structure, which in turn reduces the electron trap depth, so as to increase the surface conductivity of epoxy insulating material without affecting its intrinsic dielectric strength. Based on the results of quantum chemistry calculation, the modulation laws of introduced chlorine (including the chlorine in form of hydrolyzable chlorine atom and non-hydrolyzable chlorine atom) on distributed energy levels of epoxy resin molecule are anticipated. These laws are explained from the microscopic perspectives of electron energy structure and electron cloud offset. Both the inductive effect of the chlorine atom and the conjugation effect of 2p electron orbital of oxygen atom in epoxy group impact the distributed energy levels through changing the spatial distribution of electron cloud density between and on valence bonds

Infrared Spectroscopic Study on the Modified Mechanism of Aluminum-Impregnated Bone Charcoal

Fluoride contamination in drinking water is a prominent and widespread problem in many parts of the world. Excessive ingestion of fluoride through water can lead to the high risk of fluorosis in human body. Bone charcoal, with the principal active component of hydroxyapatite, is a frequently used adsorbent for fluoride removal. Many laboratory experiments suggest that the aluminum-impregnated bone charcoal is an effective adsorbent in defluoridation. However, the mechanisms underlying this modification process are still not well understood, which in turn greatly impedes the further studies on other different modified adsorbents. To address this issue, we used the infrared spectroscopy to examine the bone charcoal and the aluminum-impregnated bone charcoal, respectively. The comparative results show that the −OH peak of infrared spectroscopy has been intensified after modification. This significant change helped speculate the modified mechanism of the aluminum-impregnated bone charcoal. In addition, it is found that the hydroxide ion dissociates from hydroxyapatite in the modification process. Such finding implies that the tetrahydroxoaluminate can be combined with the hydroxyapatite and the aluminum ion can be impregnated onto the bone char surface

Collaborative decision-making in supply chain management: A review and bibliometric analysis

AbstractAlthough collaborative decision-making with multiple stakeholders in supply chain has become an important research issue in recent years, current research on the mechanism/process, methods, and performance assessment of collaborative decision-making still lags behind the practical needs in supply chain management. This paper reviews the existing literature in the past decade on collaborative supply chain from the perspective of decision-making in four stages with a causal framework. This paper reveals a general retrospect of the main subjects developed and investigated with related applications of cases, which includes both theoretical assumptions and practical data. The findings indicate that most articles in this field are based on a direct relationship between collaboration and performance improvement but lack of a mechanism between them. Additionally, dynamic collaboration with members in the whole supply chain both horizontally and vertically has not been conducted by previous studies. This paper provides a new conceptual framework and future research directions for further study in supply chain collaboration