Associations of different inflammatory factors with atherosclerosis among patients with psoriasis vulgaris.

Background: This study aimed to measure the associations between different inflammatory factors, namely interleukin (IL)-17A, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and atherosclerosis in patients with psoriasis vulgaris. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at two hospitals in Hanoi, Vietnam. A total of 125 patients with psoriasis vulgaris and 50 healthy controls were recruited. Clinical characteristics and atherosclerosis were assessed. IL-17A, TNF-α, and hs-CRP levels were measured. Results: Psoriasis vulgaris patients with atherosclerosis had higher levels of hs-CRP (median = 1.22; interquartile range-IQR = 0.34-12.11) and IL-17A (median = 1.30; IQR = 0.43-4.28), but a lower level of TNF-α (median = 0.54; IQR = 0.13-3.41) compared to those without atherosclerosis (p < 0.05). Only LogIL-17A was positively related to atherosclerosis in psoriasis patients (Odds Ratio-OR = 2.16, 95% CI = 1.06-4.38, p < 0.05). After excluding systemically treated patients, LogIL-17A and Log TNF-α were associated with the likelihood of atherosclerosis (p < 0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests a link between elevated levels of IL-17A and TNF-α and subclinical atherosclerosis. Further investigation on a larger scale is required to establish the causality of this relationship.

Photoclick reaction for rapid and simple fluorescence detection of itaconic acid and its derivatives in fungal cultures.

Itaconic acid (IA) and its derivatives produced by fungi have significant potential as industrial feedstocks. We recently developed a method for the detection of these compounds based on their terminal C-C double bonds. However, the presence of reducing agents, such as glucose and other fungal metabolites, leads to undesirable side reactions, and consequently, deteriorates the detection specificity. Therefore, we developed a fluorescence detection method for IA and its derivatives underpinned by a photoclick reaction. The photoclick reaction between conjugated IA and 5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-phenyl-2H-tetrazole under UV irradiation affords a fluorescent product. No fluorescence was detected when succinic acid was subjected to the reaction, indicating that a terminal C-C double bond is required to induce fluorescence. Optimal reaction conditions were determined to be a combination of 80% final dimethyl sulfoxide concentration, 30-s UV irradiation, and a pH of 2. Two weeks after the reaction at 4 °C, 89.0% of the initial intensity was retained, indicating that the reaction product was relatively stable. Glucose and kojic acid did not induce fluorescence after the reaction, indicating that these reducing agents did not affect fluorescence. IA was detected in a culture of Aspergillus terreus, and its quantification using the photoclick reaction was in agreement with the results obtained using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. Interestingly, the IA derivative avenaciolide present in submillimolar quantities was also detectable in a culture of Aspergillus avenaceus using this method. The established method will enable the development of high-throughput screening methods to identify fungi that produce IA and its derivatives.

Production of glycerate from glucose using engineered Escherichiacoli.

In this study, glycerate was produced from glucose using engineered Escherichia coli BW25113. Plasmid pSR3 carrying gpd1 and gpp2 encoding two isoforms of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and plasmid pLB2 carrying aldO encoding alditol oxidase from Streptomyces violaceoruber were introduced into E. coli to enable the production of glycerate from glucose via glycerol. Disruptions of garK and glxK genes in the E. coli genome were performed to minimize the consumption of glycerate produced. As a result, E. coli carrying these plasmids could produce nearly three times higher concentration of glycerate (0.50 ± 0.01 g/L) from 10 g/L glucose compared to E. coli EG_2 (0.14 ± 0.02 g/L). In M9 medium, disruption of garK and glxK resulted in an impaired growth rate with low production of glycerate, while supplementation of 0.5 g/L casamino acids and 0.5 g/L manganese sulfate to the medium replenished the growth rate and elevated the glycerate titer. Further disruption of glpF, encoding a glycerol transporter, increased the glycerate production to 0.80 ± 0.00 g/L. MR2 medium improved the glycerate production titers and specific productivities of E. coli EG_4, EG_5, and EG_6. Upscale production of glycerate was carried out in a jar fermentor with MR2 medium using E. coli EG_6, resulting in an improvement in glycerate production up to 2.37 ± 0.46 g/L with specific productivity at 0.34 ± 0.11 g-glycerate/g-cells. These results indicate that E. coli is an appropriate host for glycerate production from glucose.

Biological responses of MC3T3-E1 on calcium carbonate coatings fabricated by hydrothermal reaction on titanium.

Titainum (Ti) implants have been successfully used in orthopaedic and dental surgery. However, poor early bone tissue integration is still a common cause of implant failure. This could be modulated by improving the material bonding or adhesion directly to the bone by surface roughening and/or a bioresorbable and osteoconductive coating. In this study, we report on the biological behaviours of the Ti substrate with modified surface roughness and/or a calcium carbonate (CaCO3) coating. The roughened Ti surface was prepared using an acid etching reaction, and the CaCO3 coating on the substrates was synthesized by the hydrothermal treatment of Ti in calcium citrate complexes. This study demonstrates that surface roughening of Ti alone does not improve the biological response of the MC3T3-E1 cells, but a CaCO3 coating on the smooth Ti surface increases cell responses, and these effects are further enhanced by the combination of coating a roughened Ti surface with CaCO3. The larger the cell area, the greater the cell proliferation and increased bone-like nodule formation were observed on the CaCO3 coating of the roughened Ti surface. This observation was also supported by a higher ALP value. The cell behaviours found in the current study further support the development of CaCO3 coatings towards clinical application.

Molecular surveillance and temporal monitoring of malaria parasites in focal Vietnamese provinces.

BACKGROUND: While the World Health Organization (WHO) Southeast Asia region has the second highest incidence of malaria worldwide, malaria in Vietnam is focal to few provinces, where delayed parasite clearance to anti-malarial drugs is documented. This study aims to understand Plasmodium species distribution and the genetic diversity of msp1 and msp2 of parasite populations using molecular tools. METHODS: A total of 222 clinical isolates from individuals with uncomplicated malaria were subjected to Plasmodium species identification by nested real-time PCR. 166 isolates positive for Plasmodium falciparum mono infections were further genotyped for msp1 (MAD20, K1, and RO33), and msp2 allelic families (3D7 and FC27). Amplicons were resolved through capillary electrophoresis in the QIAxcel Advanced system. RESULTS: Mono-infections were high and with 75% P. falciparum, 14% Plasmodium vivax and 9% P. falciparum/P. vivax co-infections, with less than 1% Plasmodium malariae identified. For msp1, MAD20 was the most prevalent (99%), followed by K1 (46%) allelic family, with no sample testing positive for RO33 (0%). For msp2, 3D7 allelic family was predominant (97%), followed by FC27 (10%). The multiplicity of infection of msp1 and msp2 was 2.6 and 1.1, respectively, and the mean overall multiplicity of infection was 3.7, with the total number of alleles ranging from 1 to 7. CONCLUSIONS: Given the increasing importance of antimalarial drugs in the region, the genetic diversity of P. falciparum msp1 and msp2 should be regularly monitored with respect to treatment outcomes and/or efficacy studies in regions, where there are ongoing changes in the malaria epidemiology.

Continuous production of d-lactic acid from cellobiose in cell recycle fermentation using ß-glucosidase-displaying Escherichia coli.

The present study demonstrates continuous production of d-lactic acid from cellobiose in a cell recycle fermentation with a hollow fiber membrane using recombinant Escherichia coli constructed by deleting its pyruvate formate-lyase activating enzyme gene pflA and expressing a heterologous ß-glucosidase on its cell surface. The ß-glucosidase gene bglC from Thermobifida fusca YX was cloned into a cell surface display vector pGV3, resulting in pGV3-bglC. Recombinant E. coli JM109 harboring the pGV3-bglC showed ß-glucosidase activity (18.9 ± 5.7 U/OD600), indicating the cell surface functioning of mutant ß-glucosidase. pH-stat cultivation using d-lactic acid producer E. coli BW25113 (ΔpflA) harboring pGV3-bglC in minimum medium with 10 g/L cellobiose in a jar fermentor under anaerobic condition resulted in 5.2 ± 0.1 g/L of d-lactic acid was obtained after 84 h cultivation, indicating that the engineered E. coli produced d-lactic acid directly from cellobiose. For continuous d-lactic acid production, cell recycle fermentation was conducted under anaerobic condition and the culture was continuously ultrafiltrated with a hollow fiber cartridge. The permeate was drawn to the reservoir and a minimum medium containing 10 g/L cellobiose was fed to the fermentor at the same rate (dilution rate, 0.05 h-1). Thus, this system maintained the d-lactic acid production (4.3-5.0 g/L), d-lactic acid production rate (0.22-0.25 g/L/h), and showed no residual cellobiose in the culture during 72 h operation. Interestingly, the d-lactic acid production rate in cell recycle fermentation was more than 3 times higher than that in the batch operation (0.06 ± 0.00 g/L/h).

A review on the fabrication of polymer-based thermoelectric materials and fabrication methods.

Thermoelectricity, by converting heat energy directly into useable electricity, offers a promising technology to convert heat from solar energy and to recover waste heat from industrial sectors and automobile exhausts. In recent years, most of the efforts have been done on improving the thermoelectric efficiency using different approaches, that is, nanostructuring, doping, molecular rattling, and nanocomposite formation. The applications of thermoelectric polymers at low temperatures, especially conducting polymers, have shown various advantages such as easy and low cost of fabrication, light weight, and flexibility. In this review, we will focus on exploring new types of polymers and the effects of different structures, concentrations, and molecular weight on thermoelectric properties. Various strategies to improve the performance of thermoelectric materials will be discussed. In addition, a discussion on the fabrication of thermoelectric devices, especially suited to polymers, will also be given. Finally, we provide the challenge and the future of thermoelectric polymers, especially thermoelectric hybrid model.