High-energy high-dose microfocus X-ray computed tomography driven by high-average-current photo-injector.

High-energy, high-dose, microfocus X-ray computed tomography (HHM CT) is one of the most effective methods for high-resolution X-ray radiography inspection of high-density samples with fine structures. Minimizing the effective focal spot size of the X-ray source can significantly improve the spatial resolution and the quality of the sample images, which is critical and important for the performance of HHM CT. The objective of this study is to present a 9 MeV HHM CT prototype based on a high-average-current photo-injector in which X-rays with about 70µm focal spot size are produced via using tightly focused electron beams with 65/66µm beam size to hit an optimized tungsten target. In digital radiography (DR) experiment using this HHM CT, clear imaging of a standard 0.1 mm lead DR resolution phantom reveals a resolution of 6 lp/mm (line pairs per mm), while a 5 lp/mm resolution is obtained in CT mode using another resolution phantom made of 10 mm ferrum. Moreover, comparing with the common CT systems, a better turbine blade prototype image was obtained with this HHM CT system, which also indicates the promising application potentials of HHM CT in non-destructive inspection or testing for high-density fine-structure samples.

Pontixanthobacter rizhaonensis sp. nov., a marine bacterium isolated from surface seawater of the Yellow Sea, and proposal of Pseudopontixanthobacter gen. nov., Pseudopontixanthobacter confluentis comb. nov. and Pseudopontixanthobacter sediminis comb. nov.

A bacterial strain designated RZ02T was isolated from surface seawater collected from the Yellow Sea in PR China and characterized by polyphasic taxonomy. Cells of strain RZ02T were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, catalase- and oxidase-positive rods forming ochre-pigmented colonies. Growth occurred at 7-36 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and with 1-5 % (optimum, 2 %) NaCl. The major cellular fatty acids (>10 %) of strain RZ02T were summed feature 8 (C18 : 1 ω6c and/or C18 : 1 ω7c), summed feature 3 (C16 : 1 ω7c and/or C16 : 1 ω6c) and C16 : 0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, diphosphatidylglycerol and sphingoglycolipid. The genome size of strain RZ02T was 2.79 Mbp with a G+C content of 55.5 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain RZ02T was mostly related to Pontixanthobacter luteolus SW-109T and Pontixanthobacter aestiaquae HDW-31T (97.3 and 97.1% sequence similarity, respectively), and formed a phyletic lineage with members of the genus Pontixanthobacter. The phylogenetic analysis based on the up-to-date bacterial core gene sequences confirmed that strain RZ02T clustered within the genus Pontixanthobacter. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain RZ02T and P. luteolus SW-109T and P. aestiaquae HDW-31T were 72.8 and 72.9 % and 18.7 and 18.5%, respectively. Based on these evidences, strain RZ02T is proposed to represent a novel species of the genus Pontixanthobacter under the name Pontixanthobacter rizhaonensis sp. nov. The type strain is RZ02T (=KCTC 62828T=MCCC 1K04521T). In addition, based on the results of whole genome analyses, proposals of Pseudopontixanthobacter gen. nov., Pseudopontixanthobacter confluentis comb. nov. and Pseudopontixanthobacter sediminis comb. nov. are also included.

EB virus-positive tumors are inhibited by rBCG expressing hGM-CSF and LMP2A.

For the development of safe and effective EBV (Epstein-Barr virus) vaccines, the Ag85A signal peptide from M. tuberculosis H37Rv was used to construct a recombinant secretory BCG (Bacillus Chalmette-Guérin) plasmid. The Ag85A gene, fused to the EBV LMP2A (latent membrane protein) and hGM-CSF (human granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor) genes, was inserted into the pMV261 vector (secretory BCG plasmid). The expression levels of the hGM-CSF and LMP2A proteins in rBCG (recombinant BCG) were measured by Western blot analysis. Humoral immunity, cellular immunity, and antitumor effects were determined by a series of experiments. The recombinant pMVGCA plasmid effectively expressed GCA (hGM-CSF and LMP2A fusion protein) in BCG after transformation, and the rBCG proteins were recognized by antibodies against hGM-CSF and LMP2A. Six weeks after immunization, the maximum dose of rBCG resulted in antibody titers of 1:19,800 (hGM-CSF antibody) and 1:21,800 (LMP2A antibody). When the effector:target ratio was 40:1, specific lysis was maximal and approximately two times stronger than that in mice immunized with the control. Tumorigenicity was lower in the rBCG treatment group, with a tumor inhibition rate of 0.81 ± 0.09 compared with the control groups. EB virus-positive tumors are inhibited by rBCG expressing an hGM-CSF and LMP2A fusion protein.

[Experimental study on cross-resistance of Culex pipiens pallens to 3 kinds of chemical pesticides].

OBJECTIVE: To understand the cross-resistance of Culex pipiens pallens to common pesticides, so as to provide the evidence for improving the application of chemical pesticides. METHODS: The IV instar larvae of DDVP-resistant, propoxur-resistant and cypermethrin-resistant strains as well as the sensitive strain of Culex pipiens pallens were collected to detect the resistance to DDVP, propoxur and cypermethrin based on the WHO bioassay method. RESULTS: The resistance coefficients of DDVP-resistant strain to DDVP, propoxur and cypermethrin were 14.47, 8.96 and 207.27 respectively. The resistance coefficients of propoxur-resistant strain to DDVP, propoxur and cypermethrin were 3.27, 6.93 and 8.65 respectively. The resistance coefficients of cypermethrin-resistant strain to DDVP, propoxur and cypermethrin were 2.93, 1.61 and 501.11 respectively. CONCLUSION: The resistance and cross-resistance could be generated during the long-term application of a single kind of chemical pesticide, and we should pay more attention to the varieties and dosages of them.

Manipulation of CD98 resolves type 1 diabetes in nonobese diabetic mice.

The interplay of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells targeting autoantigens is responsible for the progression of a number of autoimmune diseases, including type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate T cell activation is crucial for designing effective therapies for autoimmune diseases. We probed a panel of Abs with T cell-modulating activity and identified a mAb specific for the H chain of CD98 (CD98hc) that was able to suppress T cell proliferation. The anti-CD98hc mAb also inhibited Ag-specific proliferation and the acquisition of effector function by CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in vitro and in vivo. Injection of the anti-CD98hc mAb completely prevented the onset of cyclophosphamide-induced diabetes in NOD mice. Treatment of diabetic NOD mice with anti-CD98hc reversed the diabetic state to normal levels, coincident with decreased proliferation of CD4(+) T cells. Furthermore, treatment of diabetic NOD mice with CD98hc small interfering RNA resolved T1D. These data indicate that strategies targeting CD98hc might have clinical application for treating T1D and other T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases.

[Differences of acetylcholinesterase level in variety classes and strains of Culex pipiens pallens].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diversity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity in variety classes and strains of Culex pipiens pallens and provide a basis for the insecticide-resistance detection of mosquito by biochemical method. METHODS: AChE insensitivity of single mosquito was determined, using acetythiocholine iodide (ATch) as the substrate, 5,5'-dithio-bis (2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) as the developer, and propoxur as the inhibitor. RESULT: There were significant differences in AChE activity among the four types of IV instar larvae and 3-day-old adult female of sensitive strain mosquito (P<0.01). The AChE activity of the 3-day-old adult female was higher than that of IV instar larvae of the four types of sensitive strain mosquito (P<0.01). The AChE activity of anti-DDVP (Rd) and anti-propoxur (Rp) strains of Culex pipiens pallens was significantly higher than that of sensitive (S) strain (P<0.01), while the AChE activity of anti-cypermethrin (Rc) strain of Culex pipiens pallens was similar to that of S strain (P>0.05). The individual frequency of insensitive AChE of Rd and Rp strains of Culex pipiens pallens was significantly higher than that of sensitive (S) strain (P<0.01), while the individual frequency of insensitive AChE of Rc strain of Culex pipiens pallens was similar to that of S strain(P>0.05). CONCLUSION: The AChE activity determination can be used to examine the insecticide-resistance of mosquito.

[Drug resistance evolution of dichlorvos-resistant and cypermethrin-resistant strains of Culex pipiens pallens].

Susceptible strain of Culex pipiens pallens was selected with dichlorvos and cypermethrin for 42 generations in the laboratory. At generation 42, the resistance level to dichlorvos and cypermethrin was 12.2-fold and 534.3-fold, respectively, in comparison to their parent generations. The dichlorvos-resistant and cypermethrin-resistant strains were then conventionally bred for another 20 generations, the resistance level to dichlorvos and cypermethrin decreased to 6.1-fold and 83.3-fold, respectively. The results indicated that the two resistant strains showed different development of resistance.

Vdelta1+ T cells are crucial for repertoire formation of gammadelta T cells in the lung.

The pulmonary resident T lymphocytes (RPLs) expressing a nearly invariant T cell receptor gammadelta heterodimer (gammadeltaTCR) migrate from fetal thymus to the lung epithelium, followed by RPL subsets expressing diverse sets of gammadeltaTCRs after birth. However, it remains unclear whether the fetal type Vgamma6/Vdelta1+ RPLs are essential for gammadelta T cell repertoire formation in the lung epithelium. In this study, we found a marked decrease in the number of gammadeltaRPLs at 4 weeks of age in Vdelta1-/- mice and they predominantly expressed Vgamma6 and Vdelta4 genes. The skewed diversity towards the Vdelta4-(Ddelta1)-Ddelta2-Jdelta2 junctional region was observed only in gammadelta RPLs from 4-week-old Vdelta1-/- mice, compared with those from 8-week-old Vdelta1-/- mice and the both ages of wild-type mice. These results suggest that the invariant Vdelta1+ T cells are crucial not only for optimal gammadelta T cell expansion but also for affecting the migration or microenvironment for other gammadelta T cells in the lung epithelium.