Data_Sheet_1_The serodiagnositic value of Chlamydia trachomatis antigens in antibody detection using luciferase immunosorbent assay.docx

IntroductionAmong the different antigens used in the detection of anti-Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies, significant differences in sensitivity and specificity have been observed. Further evaluation of C. trachomatis antigens in antibody detection is urgently needed for the development and application of C. trachomatis serologic assays.MethodsChlamydia trachomatis antigens Pgp3, TmeA, InaC, and HSP60 were selected and used in luciferase immunosorbent assay (LISA). The detection results obtained from well-defined C. trachomatis positive and negative samples were compared with the commercial C. trachomatis ELISA (Mikrogen) for performance evaluation.ResultsPgp3, TmeA, InaC, and HSP60-based LISA showed sensitivity of 92.8, 88.8, 90.4, and 94.4%, and specificity of 99.2, 99.2, 99.2, and 92%, respectively. ROC analysis indicated that Pgp3-based LISA showed similar performance to Mikrogen ELISA (AUC 0.986 vs. 0.993, p = 0.207). Furthermore, four C. trachomatis antigens achieved strong diagnostic efficiency, i.e., positive likelihood ratios [+LR] ≥ 10 in C. trachomatis-infected women and negative likelihood ratios [−LR] ≤ 0.1 in C. trachomatis negative low exposure risk children, but only Pgp3 and TmeA showed strong diagnostic value in general adults. In addition, Pgp3, TmeA, and InaC, but not HSP60, achieved high performance, i.e., both positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) ≥ 90.9%, and showed no significant cross-reactivity with anti-Chlamydiapneumoniae.ConclusionThree C. trachomatis species-specific antigens Pgp3, TmeA, and InaC show superior performance in the detection of anti-C. trachomatis antibody, indicating the potential to be used in developing C. trachomatis serologic tests.</p

The architecture of conserved protein motifs and intron pattern of ZmE2s.

<p>(A) Architecture of conserved protein motifs of UBC proteins. (B) The gene structure is presented by blue exon(s) and spaces between the blue box corresponding to intron (s). The sizes of the exons and intron can be estimated using the horizontal lines.</p

The information of ZmE2 gene family.

<p>The information of ZmE2 gene family.</p

Differential expression levels of <i>ZmUBC</i> genes following NaCl, PEG 6000, and 4°C treatment.

<p>The X-axis indicates time course/treatment and the Y-axes are scales of relative expression levels. The maize <i>actin</i> gene was used as internal control. The presented data are representative of three independent experiments.</p

Phylogenetic relationship of various ZmE2s.

<p>The ML tree includes 75 UBC proteins from <i>Zea mays</i>, 15 from <i>Saccharomyces cerevisiae</i>, and 48 from <i>Arabidopsis thaliana</i>. The tree shows 15 phylogenetic subgroups depicted in various colors to distinguish diversification of subfamilies into clusters.</p

Chromosomal and gene duplication events involving <i>ZmUBC</i> genes.

<p>The chromosomal position of each UBC-encoding gene was mapped to the maize genome. The chromosomal number is indicated at the top of each chromosome. The number below represented the number of UBC-encoding genes in each chromosome. The segmental duplication genes are connected by a blue straight line. The tandemly duplicated genes are linked by a red straight line. Chromosomal distances are in Mbp.</p

Tissue-specific expression of <i>ZmUBC</i> genes.

<p>(A) Semi-quantitative RT-PCR analysis of <i>ZmUBC</i> genes. (B) RT-qPCR analysis of representative <i>ZmUBC</i> genes. The letter R above the column of the expression data refers to root, St represents stem, L indicates leaf, T refers to tassel, Ys indicates young seed, and Si represents silk.</p

Design of a Photoactive Hybrid Bilayer Dielectric for Flexible Nonvolatile Organic Memory Transistors

Organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) featuring a photoactive hybrid bilayer dielectric (PHBD) that comprises a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of photochromic diarylethenes (DAEs) and an ultrathin solution-processed hafnium oxide layer are described here. We photoengineer the energy levels of DAE SAMs to facilitate the charging and discharging of the interface of the two dielectrics, thus yielding an OFET that functions as a nonvolatile memory device. The transistors use light signals for programming and electrical signals for erasing (≤3 V) to produce a large, reversible threshold-voltage shift with long retention times and good nondestructive signal processing ability. The memory effect can be exercised by more than 10⁴ memory cycles. Furthermore, these memory cells have demonstrated the capacity to be arrayed into a photosensor matrix on flexible plastic substrates to detect the spatial distribution of a confined light and then store the analog sensor input as a two-dimensional image with high precision over a long period of time

Robust Single-Supermolecule Switches Operating in Response to Two Different Noncovalent Interactions

Supramolecular electronics provide an opportunity to introduce molecular assemblies into electronic devices through a combination of noncovalent interactions such as [π···π] and hydrogen-bonding interactions. The fidelity and dynamics of noncovalent interactions hold considerable promise when it comes to building devices with controllable and reproducible switching functions. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for building electronically robust switches by harnessing two different noncovalent interactions between a couple of pyridine derivatives. The single-supermolecule switch is turned ON when compressing the junction enabling [π···π] interactions to dominate the transport, while the switch is turned OFF by stretching the junction to form hydrogen-bonded dimers, leading to a dramatic decrease in conductance. The robustness and reproducibility of these single-supermolecule switches were achieved by modulating the junction with Ångström precision at frequencies of up to 190 Hz while obtaining high ON/OFF ratios of ∼600. The research presented herein opens up an avenue for designing robust bistable mechanoresponsive devices which will find applications in the building of integrated circuits for microelectromechanical systems

The Association between <i>RAD23B</i> Ala249Val Polymorphism and Cancer Susceptibility: Evidence from a Meta-Analysis

<div><p>Background</p><p>A number of studies have investigated associations of genetic variation in <i>RAD23B</i> Ala249Val (rs1805329 C>T) with cancer susceptibility; however, the findings are inconsistent. We performed a meta-analysis to acquire a more precise estimation of the relationship.</p><p>Method</p><p>We searched literatures from PubMed, Embase and Web of Science. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the association between Ala249Val polymorphism and cancer risk.</p><p>Results</p><p>A total of 23 studies consisting of 10837 cases and 13971 controls were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, no significant associations were found between <i>RAD23B</i> Ala249Val polymorphism and cancer risk (Val/Val vs. Ala/Ala: OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.75–1.25; Ala/Val vs. Ala/Ala: OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 0.96–1.22; recessive model: OR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.76–1.14 and dominant model: OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.94–1.20). We did not find any significant associations in the further stratification analyses by cancer type, ethnicity and source of control.</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>Despite some limitations, this meta-analysis indicates that it is unlikely that the <i>RAD23B</i> 249Val/Val polymorphism may contribute to the individual susceptibility to cancer risk. However, further advanced designed studies with larger sample size and different ethnicities should be conducted to confirm our results.</p></div