Cloning, molecular characterization of a 13-kDa antigen from Schistosoma japonicum, Sj13, a putative salivary diagnosis candidate for Schistosomiasis japonica.

Saliva has been suggested as an easily accessible and a noninvasive diagnostic alternative for detection of antibodies. To identify and characterize Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) antigens that are recognized by saliva of infected host, we have used a pool of saliva from infected patients to immunoscreen an egg cDNA library of S. japonicum. The open reading frame of the isolated two clones encodes same protein of 116 amino acids exhibiting 100% identity to an amino acid sequence (AY222893) of S. japonicum in NCBInr database. The protein encoded is inferred a secretory protein with a molecular mass of 13 kDa (Sj13) and shares no homology to any entries in the NCBInr database, demonstrating that Sj13 might be a schistosome-specific protein. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and immunolocalization analysis revealed Sj13 could be detected in cercaria, adult, and egg and was localized to forehead and tegument of cercaria, cell body ("cytons") of adult worm, egg shell, and epidermal plate of miracidium. Furthermore, Sj13 showed a good antigenicity when reacted with saliva or serum from schistosomiasis patients. The recombinant Sj13 (rSj13) expressed and purified from Escherichia coli was applied to detect its specific salivary antibody for schistosomiasis diagnosis by an indirect enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Preliminary laboratory test of 116 subjects, 40 with parasitologically proven S. japonicumm infection, 46 with other infectious diseases, and 30 negative controls exhibited 92.50% sensitivity with saliva/rSj13 and 95.00% with serum/SWAP (P > 0.05). The specificity of the ELISA using saliva/rSj13 was 92.11% versus 85.53% with serum/SWAP (P < 0.05). No direct correlations of anti-Sj13 IgG levels with egg counts in stool were observed in saliva detection. These results suggest that Sj13 specific salivary antibody detection may be useful as an antigen for the salivary diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica and contribute to epidemiological study of schistosomiasis infection in endemic areas.

High photoluminescent carbon based dots with tunable emission color from orange to green.

A one-pot hydrothermal method was proposed for the synthesis of carbon based dots (CDs) with high quantum yield and controllable long-wavelength photoluminescence (PL). The PL mechanisms of the CDs were discussed, and a common model has been proposed. Furthermore, the obtained CDs showed excellent biocompatibility and high PLQYs (more than 20%), and presented great potential bio-applications.

[Effect of investment composition ratio for pure titanium crown and bridge on some mechanical properties of mould].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the optimal composition of a self-developing investment material by measuring physical and mechanical properties of mould. METHODS: L(9) (3(4)) orthogonal design was adopted. One hundred and fifty specimens with the size of 80 mm × 20 mm × 20 mm were prepared to measure the atmospheric temperature bending strength, high temperature bending strength and residual bending strength. Nine specimens with the size of 5 mm diameter 25 mm heigh were prepared to survey the thermal expansion curve from ambient temperature to 1150°C. RESULTS: Strengths were greatly affected by fine powder proportion in refractory and water/powder ratio. When the content of fine powder was 35% and water/powder ratio was 1:7.5, adequate atmospheric temperature strength and high temperature strength could be achieved. Moreover, the residual strength was moderate. The thermal extension curves of specimens in experiment group were almost similar. And the average linear expansion coefficient was (4 ∼ 5) × 10(-6)/°C. CONCLUSIONS: The three kinds of bending strength of self-developing investment material are compared with commercialized investment material for titanium casting when water/powder ratio and the content of fine powder are carefully controlled.

[Effect of investment for titanium crown and bridge on reactive layer of castings].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of self-developing investment (FUS-invest) on the reactive layer of titanium castings. METHODS: Three 10 mm x 10 mm x 1 mm pure titanium castings were founded using FUS-invest. Metallographical structure of reactive layer was observed. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope with energy-dispersive spectrum (EDS) were used to analyze the status of composition of the casting surface. Micro-Vickers hardness was measured. RESULTS: The metallograph indicated that the reactive layer was composed of coarse flake-shaped alpha phase of grains. The value of micro-Vickers hardness with the range 243 to 314 MPa had not significantly difference under the depth of 105 microm beneath the surface. The XRD pattern clearly showed the peaks of ZrO2, SiO2, Mg2TiO4 and TiO2. EDS analysis demonstrated that the main elements were Al, Si, Zr and Cl. CONCLUSION: FUS-invest is suited for pure titanium casting because of the thin reactive layer and less change to metallographical structure.

[Effects of the improved FUS-invest investment for zirconium-oxide titanium crown and bridge on the reaction layer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the improved FUS-invest investment for zirconium-oxide titanium crown and bridge on the reaction layer. METHODS: 10 mm x 10 mm x 1 mm titanium castings were invested. Spectrum analysis was done to its reaction layer, the metallographic examination was observed and Vickers hardness was measured. RESULTS: The reaction layer was not obvious by the metallographic examination. The layer with plenty of Si was hardly detectable. The needle crystal layer diffused distribution on the surface of the titanium matrix. The depth was about 55 microm. Spectrum analysis showed that the contents of Si and Zr decreased as the depth increased. The microhardness, which obviously decreased from the surface to the matrix, tended to be equal with the hardness of the matrix after the depth reached 75 microm from the surface. CONCLUSION: The thickness of the reaction layer of the improved FUS-invest investment for zirconium-oxide titanium crown and bridge was decreased to 55 microm from 85 microm, which was the thickness before improvement.