Production of a soluble and functional recombinant apolipoproteinD in the Pichia pastoris expression system

ApolipoproteinD (ApoD) is a human glycoprotein from the lipocalin family. ApoD contains a conserved central motif of an 8-stranded antiparallel β-sheet, which forms a beta-barrel that can be used for transport and storage of diverse hydrophobic ligands. Due to hydrophobic nature of ApoD, it has been difficult to generate a recombinant version of this protein. In the present work, we aimed at the production of ApoD in the robust Pichia pastoris expression system. To this end, the ApoD gene sequence was synthesized and subcloned for expression in the yeast host cells. Following integration of the ApoD gene into the yeast genomic region using homologous recombination, the ApoD recombinant protein was induced using methanol, reaching its maximum induction at 96 h. Having purified the ApoD recombinant protein by affinity chromatography, we measured the dissociation constant (KD) using its natural ligands: progesterone and arachidonic acid. Our results provide a viable solution to the production of recombinant ApoD protein in lieu of previous obstacles in generating soluble and functional ApoD protein. © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Capital inflows and exchange rate in LDCs: The Dutch disease problem revisited

In this paper, the link between capital inflows and real exchange rate movements in LDCs is revisited theoretically and empirically. On the theoretical side we present a simple model to show that the real exchange rate depends mainly on "real fundamentals" such as terms of trade or productivity differentials. Empirically, we take into account the heterogeneity of the sample, the dynamics of the RER and the non stationary nature of the data. Capital inflows can be oil revenues, foreign aid, remittances or FDI. We show that real fundamentals are the main driving forces of real exchange rate movements in LDCs and not capital inflows. The Balassa-Samuelson effect by itself accounts for 57% of the RER variations while capital inflows account only for 19% of RER variations. The Dutch Disease theory is not rejected but its effect on RER movements in LDCs is weak.Dutch disease ; capital inflows ; real exchange rate ; dynamic and heterogeneous panel

Nanomolecular detection of human influenza virus type A using reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification assisted with rod-shaped gold nanoparticles

Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) and rod-shaped gold nanoparticles (gold nanorods; GNRs) were employed for nanomolecular detection of human influenza virus type A RNA. After cDNA synthesis from the RNA, the primers targeting the M protein gene were used for LAMP amplification. A blue shift from red to purple from the GNR inserting into the LAMP-DNAs can be seen by the naked eye. Transmission electron microscopy revealed the formation GNR aggregates due to their interactions with LAMP DNA. One pg RNA (10-3 dilution of the viral cDNA) was detected using this colorimetric test. The nanomolecular test showed 100% sensitivity and 95.8% specificity in comparison to results by RT-PCR. Also, the test indicated 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity in comparison to results by RT-LAMP. The described nanomolecular test could detect human influenza virus type A RNA in nearly 1 hour. This journal is © the Partner Organisations 2014

Euro-Crisis and Spillover Effects on the Emerging Economies

I present some evidence showing that the advanced economies' banks were contributing in spreading the Euro-crisis to the emerging economies. For this purpose, I test the common lender channel among other channels of contagion, by using international banking flows data. Based on a constructed crisis-index for the Euro area, I find that countries with higher level of exposure to GIIPS, deleveraged more in riskier periods, i.e. during periods with high crisis index. Among all emerging economies in our sample, the Latin American countries were not affected as much as the emerging economies Asia and Europe, despite their high exposures to Spain. While the impact of the Euro-crisis stopped to show sign in Asia after 2011, it continued to affect the emerging Europe. The Euro-area banks were deleveraging more in the Emerging Europe than their peers in non-Euro advanced economies, whereas most of their deleveraging in Asia happened in 2010. Although the results present evidence in favour of local impacts of the Euro-crisis, they show the importance of spillover through multinational banks

Studies on the interaction of HSV-1 multifunctional protein ICP27 with the nuclear pore complex proteins

Herpes simplex virus (HSV-1) ICP27 is a multifunctional immediate early (IE) protein, required for expression of several early and late genes and acts at transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. ICP27 contains both a nuclear localization signal and a nuclear export signal and shuttles between the nucleus and the cytoplasm. It interacts directly with various cellular proteins including REF and cellular mRNA export receptor TAP to export viral mRNAs. However other transport mechanisms may also be employed. All transport across the nuclear envelope must occur via the nuclear pore complex, which consists of proteins called nucleoporins (NUPs). NUPs act to regulate the transport cargos by interaction with mRNA bound proteins and transport receptors, karyopherins. To further explore the transport requirements for ICP27 and viral mRNA export, we investigated its direct interaction with nucleoporins and show that ICP27 interacts directly with nucleoporins tested, in vitro and in wild type and mutant virus infected cells and from RNase I treated and untreated cell extracts indicating that this interaction is not mediated via RNA. Implications of this interaction is discussed in this thesis

Capital inflows and exchange rate in LDCs: The Dutch disease problem revisited

In this paper, the link between capital inflows and real exchange rate movements in LDCs is revisited theoretically and empirically. On the theoretical side we present a simple model to show that the real exchange rate depends mainly on "real fundamentals" such as terms of trade or productivity differentials. Empirically, we take into account the heterogeneity of the sample, the dynamics of the RER and the non stationary nature of the data. Capital inflows can be oil revenues, foreign aid, remittances or FDI. We show that real fundamentals are the main driving forces of real exchange rate movements in LDCs and not capital inflows. The Balassa-Samuelson effect by itself accounts for 57% of the RER variations while capital inflows account only for 19% of RER variations. The Dutch Disease theory is not rejected but its effect on RER movements in LDCs is weak.Dans cet article, les liens entre flux de capitaux et taux de change réel (TCR) dans les PVD sont réexaminés théoriquement et empiriquement. Théoriquement en développant un modèle simple qui montre que le taux change réel dépend principalement des fondamentaux "réels" tels que les termes de l'échange et les différentiels de productivité, et empiriquement en prenant en compte l'hétérogénéité de l'échantillon, la dynamique du TCR, et la non-stationnarité des données. Les flux de capitaux peuvent être l'aide étrangère, les revenus du pétrole, les IDE, etc. Empiriquement, il est aussi montré que ces fondamentaux réels sont les principaux déterminants des variations du TCR comparés aux flux de capitaux. L'effet Balassa-Samuelson explique à lui seul 57% des variationsdu TCR tandis que les flux de capitaux n'expliquent que 19% de ces variations. La théorie du Dutch disease n'est pas rejetée mais son impact sur les mouvements du TCR apparaît très faible

Herpes Simplex virus meningitis in children in South East of Caspian Sea, Iran

Background: Herpes simplex virus (HSV) is a member of Herpesviridae and a leading cause of human viral diseases. Meningitis occurs as a complication of HSV-1 or HSV-2 primary infection. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate HSV meningitis in children in Gorgan province, Iran. Patients and Methods: Forty-five cerebrospinal fluid samples were taken from children referred with meningitis symptoms. Samples with negative bacterial culture results were tested for viral, biochemical and cytological assays. DNA extraction and PCR were performed. Results: HSV-1 detected in 4 (8.8%) samples without any HSV-2 infections. Cases with positive results had fever and CSF pleocytosis. Vomiting, headache and higher count of WBC were observed in 3, 2 and 3 cases respectively. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) glucose and protein levels were normal and 3 cases showed positive C-reactive protein (CRP) results. Also erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) was higher than normal in all positive cases. Conclusions: Distribution of HSV types in children with meningitis in our area predominantly was type 1 compared with type 2, which has been reported more in other area. © 2014, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences; Published by Kowsar Corp

Carry trade and return crash risk

We build two leveraged and non-leveraged strategies for carry trading. In the non-leveraged carry trade we show that the Sharpe ratio as a proxy for profitability has a concave form with respect to the interest rate differentials. Our model predicts the concavity of the Sharpe ratio and data confirm it as well. However, high interest rate currencies have greater currency crash risk exposure and this is investigated through skewness and kurtosis of 9 most used currencies against Japanese yen. Skewness has a decreasing relationship and kurtosis an increasing relative to the interest rate differentials. We also simulate the positive shocks to the interest rates and negative shock to exchange rates skewness and we study the response of profit. Finally for the leveraged strategy, we show whenever the volatility of the funding currency is low and its covariance with the target currency is large enough, the trader should increase its short-selling position.carry trade ; crash risk ; exchange rate risk premium ; Sharpe ratio

Correlation between hepatitis B G1896A precore mutations and HBeAg in chronic HBV patients

Background: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is an important health concern worldwide, with critical outcomes. Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) negative chronic hepatitis B is frequently caused by a mutation (G1896A) in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) precore (PC) reading frame, which creates a stop codon, causing premature termination of the HBe protein. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the G1896A PC mutation and its effect on HBeAg detection in chronic HBV patients. Patients and Methods: In this study, 120 chronic HBV patients neither vaccinated or who had benefited from immunoglobulin therapy, were recruited. The HBV-DNA was extracted from plasma and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was performed. Positive PCR products were subjected to automated sequencing. The HBV serological markers hepatitis B s antigen (HBsAg), HBeAg were tested. Results: One hundred out of 120 (83.3%) patients were HBeAg negative and 100% were HBsAg positive. The comparison of nucleotide sequences with the reference sequence (Accession number: AB033559) in HBeAg negative patients showed that there was a high rate of mutations in G1896A (93.18%). Conclusions: This study indicates that the rate of G1896A mutation at the PC region among HBeAg negative patients, in the Golestan province of Iran, was similar to the average rate encountered in other parts of Iran. The PC stop codon mutation was detected in 93.18% of HBeAg negative patients. Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to elucidate the exact role of these mutations in the clinical course of chronic HBV infection. © 2015, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences

A Model of Transfer Problem with Application to LDCs

This paper studies a form of Dutch disease known as the Transfer problem in developing countries. On the theoretical side, we propose a model which unifies the channel proposed by Keynes (1929), Balassa (1964) and Samuelson (1964), and Yano and Nugent (1999). The real exchange rate dynamic is decomposed in three components: the productivity differential, the terms-of-trade, and international transfer. The effects of international transfer on the real exchange rate depend mainly on the propensity of governments to subsidize the tradable or the nontradable sectors. In the empirical section we take into account the heterogeneity of the sample, the dynamic of the real exchange rate and the non stationary nature of the data. Furthermore, we demonstrate empirically that the channels identified by Balassa, Samuelson and Keynes are the main driving forces of real exchange rate movements in developing countries. The Balassa-Samuelson effect by itself accounts for 57% of RER variations while capital inflows account only for 19% of RER variations. The Transfer problem through capital inflows is not rejected but its impact on RER movements in the LDCs is weak