Unusual Δ7,12,19 C35:3 Alkenone Produced by the Mutant Emiliania huxleyi strain CCMP2758 in Culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Y.; Huang, Y.; Zhang, Y.; Dillon, J. T.

2015-12-01

Alkenones with chain length ranging from C37 to C40 are highly specific biomarkers for certain haptophyte algae in ocean and lake sediments and have been widely used for paleoclimate studies. Short chain alkenones (e.g., C35 and C36) have been found in environmental and culture samples but the origin and structures of these compounds are not fully understood. The benchmark marine alkenone producer, Emiliania huxleyi CCMP2758 strain (the mutant of strain CCMP1742, NEPCC55a) was reported to make 35:2 alkenone when cultured at 15 °C (Prahl et al., 2006). Here we show, when this strain is cultured at lower temperatures (e.g., 4°C), CCMP2758 produces large amount of 35:3 alkenone with unusual double bond positions of Δ7,12,19. We determined the double bond positions of the C35:3 methyl ketonee based on GC-MS analysis of cyclobutylimine derivatives and dimethyl disulfide derivatives respectively, and provide the first temperature calibrations based on the unsaturation ratios of C35 alkenones. Previous studies have found 35:2 alkenone with three methylene interruption in the Black Sea sediment, but it is the first time that an alkenone with a mixed three and five methylene interruption is found. The discovery of short chain alkenones with unusual double bond positions may shed new light to alkenone biosynthesis.

Dealloyed Pt3Co nanoparticles with higher geometric strain for superior hydrogen evolution reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saquib, Mohammad; Halder, Aditi

2018-06-01

In the present work, the effect of surface strain in the carbon supported Pt3Co dealloy catalyst towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) has been reported. Dealloying process is adopted to generate the geometric strain in Pt3Co/C alloy by preferential dissolution of non-noble metal (Co) from the alloy. The developed geometric strain has been estimated by different microstructural characterization techniques. Electrochemical studies showed that the highest current density for HER was obtained for Pt3Co/C dealloy catalyst and it was nearly 2 and 5 times higher than Pt3Co/C alloy and Pt/C respectively. Tafel slope for HER was improved from 49 (Pt/C) to 34 mV dec-1 (Pt3Co/C dealloy), indicating that the surface strain plays important role in the improvement of the catalytic activity of Pt3Co catalyst. The chronoamperometry data, LSV curves and ECSA values before and after chronoamperometry confirmed that Pt3Co/C dealloy catalyst was a stable as well as a durable electrocatalyst for HER.

Investigation of the interface characteristics of Y2O3/GaAs under biaxial strain, triaxial strain, and non-strain conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Li-Bin; Liu, Xu-Yang; Dong, Hai-Kuan

2016-09-01

We investigate the interface behaviors of Y2O3/GaAs under biaxial strain, triaxial strain, and non-strain conditions. This study is performed by first principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT). First of all, the biaxial strain is realized by changing the lattice constants in ab plane. Averaged electrostatic potential (AEP) is aligned by establishing Y2O3 and GaAs (110) surfaces. The band offsets of Y2O3/GaAs interface under biaxial strain are investigated by generalized gradient approximation and Heyd-Scuseria-Ernzerhof (HSE) functionals. The interface under biaxial strain is suitable for the design of metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) devices because the valence band offsets (VBO) and conduction band offsets (CBO) are larger than 1 eV. Second, the triaxial strain is applied to Y2O3/GaAs interface by synchronously changing the lattice constants in a, b, and c axis. The band gaps of Y2O3 and GaAs under triaxial strain are investigated by HSE functional. We compare the VBO and CBO under triaxial strain with those under biaxial strain. Third, in the absence of lattice strain, the formation energies, charge state switching levels, and migration barriers of native defects in Y2O3 are assessed. We investigate how they will affect the MOS device performance. It is found that VO+2 and Oi-2 play a very dangerous role in MOS devices. Finally, a direct tunneling leakage current model is established. The model is used to analyze current and voltage characteristics of the metal/Y2O3/GaAs.

Serrated Flow and Dynamic Strain Aging in Fe-Mn-C TWIP Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lan, Peng; Zhang, Jiaquan

2018-01-01

The tensile behavior, serrated flow, and dynamic strain aging of Fe-(20 to 24)Mn-(0.4 to 0.6)C twinning-induced plasticity (TWIP) steel have been investigated. A mathematical approach to analyze the DSA and PLC band parameters has been developed. For Fe-(20 to 24)Mn-(0.4 to 0.6)C TWIP steel with a theoretical ordering index (TOI) between 0.1 and 0.3, DSA can occur at the very beginning of plastic deformation and provide serrations during work hardening, while for TOI less than 0.1 the occurrence of DSA is delayed and twinning-dominant work hardening remains relatively smooth. The critical strain for the onset of DSA and PLC bands in Fe-Mn-C TWIP steels decreases as C content increases, while the numbers of serrations and bands increase. As Mn content increases, the critical strain for DSA and PLC band varies irregularly, but the numbers of serrations and bands increase. For Fe-(20 to 24)Mn-(0.4 to 0.6)C TWIP steel with grain size of about 10 to 20 μm, the twinning-induced work hardening rate is about 2.5 to 3.0 GPa, while the DSA-dominant hardening rate is about 2.0 GPa on average. With increasing engineering strain from 0.01 to 0.55 at an applied strain rate of 0.001s-1, the cycle time for PLC bands in Fe-Mn-C TWIP steel increases from 6.5 to 162 seconds, while the band velocity decreases from 4.5 to 0.5 mm s-1, and the band strain increases from 0.005 to 0.08. Increasing applied strain rate leads to a linear increase of band velocity despite composition differences. In addition, the influence of the Mn and C content on the tensile properties of Fe-Mn-C TWIP steel has been also studied. As C content increases, the yield strength and tensile strength of Fe-Mn-C TWIP steel increase, but the total elongation variation against C content is dependent on Mn content. As Mn content increases, the yield strength and tensile strength decrease, while the total elongation increases, despite C content. Taking both tensile properties and serrated flow behavior into

Effects of C and Si on strain aging of strain-based API X60 pipeline steels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sung, Hyo Kyung; Lee, Dong Ho; Lee, Sunghak; Lee, Byeong-Joo; Hong, Seung-Pyo; Kim, Young-Woon; Yoo, Jang Yong; Hwang, Byoungchul; Shin, Sang Yong

2017-05-01

Four types of strain-based API X60 pipeline steels were fabricated by varying the C and Si contents, and the effects of C and Si on strain aging were investigated. The 0.05 wt% C steels consisted mainly of polygonal ferrite (PF), whereas the 0.08 wt% C steels consisted of acicular ferrite (AF). The volume fraction of AF increased with increasing C content because C is an austenite stabilizer element. The volume fractions of bainitic ferrite (BF) of the 0.15 wt% Si steels were higher than those of the 0.25 wt% Si steels, whereas the volume fractions of the secondary phases were lower. From the tensile properties before and after the aging process of the strainbased API X60 pipeline steels, the yield strength increased and the uniform and total elongation decreased, which is the strain aging effect. The strain aging effect in the strain-based API X60 pipeline steels was minimized when the volume fraction of AF was increased and secondary phases were distributed uniformly. On the other hand, an excessively high C content formed fine precipitates, and the strain aging effect occurred because of the interactions among dislocations and fine precipitates.

Purification, characterization and function of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase from the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain P.C.C. 7119.

PubMed Central

Serrano, A

1992-01-01

A dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (dihydrolipoamide: NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.8.1.4) (DLD) has been found in the soluble fraction of cells of both unicellular (Synechococcus sp. strain P.C.C. 6301) and filamentous (Calothrix sp. strain P.C.C. 7601 and Anabaena sp. strain P.C.C. 7119) cyanobacteria. DLD from Anabaena sp. was purified 3000-fold to electrophoretic homogeneity. The purified enzyme exhibited a specific activity of 190 units/mg and was characterized as a dimeric FAD-containing protein with a native molecular mass of 104 kDa, a Stokes' radius of 4.28 nm and a very acidic pI value of about 3.7. As is the case with the same enzyme from other sources, cyanobacterial DLD showed specificity for NADH and lipoamide, or lipoic acid, as substrates. Nevertheless, the strong acidic character of the Anabaena DLD is a distinctive feature with respect to the same enzyme from other organisms. The presence of essential thiol groups was suggested by the inactivation produced by thiol-group-reactive reagents and heavy-metal ions, with lipoamide, but not NAD+, behaving as a protective agent. The function and physiological significance of Anabaena DLD are discussed in relation to the fact that 2-oxoacid dehydrogenase complexes have not been detected so far in filamentous cyanobacteria. Glycine decarboxylase activity, which might be involved in photorespiratory metabolism, has been found, however, in cell extracts of Anabaena sp. strain P.C.C. 7119 as the present study demonstrates. Images Fig. 2. PMID:1471997

Octahedral rotation patterns in strained EuFeO 3 and other Pbnm perovskite films: Implications for hybrid improper ferroelectricity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Choquette, A. K.; Smith, C. R.; Sichel-Tissot, R. J.

2016-07-01

We report the relationship between epitaxial strain and the crystallographic orientation of the in-phase rotation axis and A-site displacements in Pbnm-type perovskite films. Synchrotron diffraction measurements of EuFeO3 films under strain states ranging from 2% compressive to 0.9% tensile on cubic or rhombohedral substrates exhibit a combination of a(-)a(+)c(-) and a(+)a(-)c(-) rotational patterns. We compare the EuFeO3 behavior with previously reported experimental and theoretical work on strained Pbnm-type films on nonorthorhombic substrates, as well as additional measurements from LaGaO3, LaFeO3, and Eu0.7Sr0.3MnO3 films on SrTiO3. Compiling the results from various material systems reveals a general strain dependence in which compressivemore » strain strongly favors a(-)a(+)c(-) and a(+)a(-)c(-) rotation patterns and tensile strain weakly favors a(-)a(-)c(+) structures. In contrast, EuFeO3 films grown on Pbnm-type GdScO3 under 2.3% tensile strain take on a uniform a(-)a(+)c(-) rotation pattern imprinted from the substrate, despite strain considerations that favor the a(-)a(-)c(+) pattern. These results point to the use of substrate imprinting as a more robust route than strain for tuning the crystallographic orientations of the octahedral rotations and A-site displacements needed to realize rotation-induced hybrid improper ferroelectricity in oxide heterostructures.« less

Octahedral rotation patterns in strained EuFeO 3 and other Pbnm perovskite films: Implications for hybrid improper ferroelectricity

DOE PAGES

Choquette, A. K.; Smith, C. R.; Sichel-Tissot, R. J.; ...

2016-07-07

Here, we report the relationship between epitaxial strain and the crystallographic orientation of the in-phase rotation axis and A -site displacements in Pbnm-type perovskite films. Synchrotron diffraction measurements of EuFeO 3 films under strain states ranging from 2% compressive to 0.9% tensile on cubic or rhombohedral substrates exhibit a combination of a - a + c - and a + a - c - rotational patterns. We compare the EuFeO 3 behavior with previously reported experimental and theoretical work on strained Pbnm-type films on nonorthorhombic substrates, as well as additional measurements from LaGaO 3 ,more » LaFeO 3 , and Eu 0.7Sr 0.3 MnO 3 films on SrTiO 3 . Compiling the results from various material systems reveals a general strain dependence in which compressive strain strongly favors a - a + c - and a + a - c - rotation patterns and tensile strain weakly favors a - a - c + structures. In contrast, EuFeO 3 films grown on Pbnm-type GdScO 3 under 2.3% tensile strain take on a uniform a - a + c - rotation pattern imprinted from the substrate, despite strain considerations that favor the a - a - c + pattern. Our results point to the use of substrate imprinting as a more robust route than strain for tuning the crystallographic orientations of the octahedral rotations and A -site displacements needed to realize rotation-induced hybrid improper ferroelectricity in oxide heterostructures.« less

Comparative c-type cytochrome expression analysis in Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 and Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans strain 2CP-C grown with soluble and insoluble oxidised metal electron acceptors

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nissen, Silke; Liu, Xiaoxin; Chourey, Karuna

2012-01-01

The genomes of Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 and Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans strain 2CP-C encode 40 and 69 putative c-type cytochrome genes, respectively. Deletion mutant and biochemical studies have assigned specific functions to a few c-type cytochromes involved in electron transfer to oxidised metals in Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1. Although promising, the genetic approach is limited to gene deletions that produce a distinct phenotype, and organism for which a genetic system is available. To more comprehensively investigate and compare c-type cytochrome expression in Shewanella oneidensis strain MR-1 and Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans strain 2CP-C, proteomic measurements were used to characterise lysates of cells grownmore » with soluble Fe(III) (as ferric citrate) and insoluble Mn(IV) (as MnO2) as electron acceptors. Strain MR-1 expressed 19 and 20, and strain 2CP-C expressed 27 and 25 c-type cytochromes when grown with Fe(III) and Mn(IV), respectively. The majority of c-type cytochromes (77% for strain MR-1 and 63% for strain 2CP-C) were expressed under both growth conditions; however, the analysis also revealed unique c-type cytochromes that were specifically expressed in cells grown with soluble Fe(III) or insoluble Mn(IV). Proteomic characterisation proved to be a promising approach for determining the c-type cytochrome complement expressed under different growth conditions, and will help elucidating the specific functions of more c-type cytochromes that are the basis for Shewanella and Anaeromyxobacter respiratory versatility.« less

Genetic Diversity among 3-Chloroaniline- and Aniline-Degrading Strains of the Comamonadaceae

PubMed Central

Boon, Nico; Goris, Johan; De Vos, Paul; Verstraete, Willy; Top, Eva M.

2001-01-01

We examined the diversity of the plasmids and of the gene tdnQ, involved in the oxidative deamination of aniline, in five bacterial strains that are able to metabolize both aniline and 3-chloroaniline (3-CA). Three strains have been described and identified previously, i.e., Comamonas testosteroni I2 and Delftia acidovorans CA28 and BN3.1. Strains LME1 and B8c were isolated in this study from linuron-treated soil and from a wastewater treatment plant, respectively, and were both identified as D. acidovorans. Both Delftia and Comamonas belong to the family Comamonadaceae. All five strains possess a large plasmid of ca. 100 kb, but the plasmids from only four strains could be transferred to a recipient strain by selection on aniline or 3-CA as a sole source of carbon and/or nitrogen. Plasmid transfer experiments and Southern hybridization revealed that the plasmid of strain I2 was responsible for total aniline but not 3-CA degradation, while the plasmids of strains LME1 and B8c were responsible only for the oxidative deamination of aniline. Several transconjugant clones that had received the plasmid from strain CA28 showed different degradative capacities: all transconjugants could use aniline as a nitrogen source, while only some of the transconjugants could deaminate 3-CA. For all four plasmids, the IS1071 insertion sequence of Tn5271 was found to be located on a 1.4-kb restriction fragment, which also hybridized with the tdnQ probe. This result suggests the involvement of this insertion sequence element in the dissemination of aniline degradation genes in the environment. By use of specific primers for the tdnQ gene from Pseudomonas putida UCC22, the diversity of the PCR-amplified fragments in the five strains was examined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). With DGGE, three different clusters of the tdnQ fragment could be distinguished. Sequencing data showed that the tdnQ sequences of I2, LME1, B8c, and CA28 were very closely related, while the

Selection against BALB/c strain cells in mouse chimaeras

PubMed Central

Tang, Pin-Chi; MacKay, Gillian E.; Flockhart, Jean H.; Keighren, Margaret A.; Kopakaki, Anna

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT It has been shown previously that BALB/c strain embryos tend to contribute poorly to mouse aggregation chimaeras. In the present study we showed that BALB/c cells were not preferentially allocated to any extraembryonic lineages of mouse aggregation chimaeras, but their contribution decreased during the early postimplantation period and they were significantly depleted by E8.5. The development of BALB/c strain preimplantation embryos lagged behind embryos from some other strains and the contribution that BALB/c and other embryos made to chimaeras correlated with their developmental stage at E2.5. This relationship suggests that the poor contribution of BALB/c embryos to aggregation chimaeras is at least partly a consequence of generalised selection related to slow or delayed preimplantation development. The suitability of BALB/c embryos for maximising the ES cell contribution to mouse ES cell chimaeras is also discussed. PMID:29330350

Metabolism of tetralin (1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalene) in Corynebacterium sp. strain C125

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sikkema, J.; Bont, J.A.M. de

1993-02-01

Tetralin, widely used as a solvent in the petrochemical industry and in paints and waxes, degrades slowly in mixed cultures of microorganisms or in the presence of cosubstrates. This study reports on the metabolism of tetralin in the o-xylene-isolated Corynebacterium sp. strain C125. The researchers found that this organism attacks tetralin by an initial oxidation of the aromatic nucleus at positions C-5 and C-6 and they propose a four step inducible degradation pathway for tetralin starting at that point. The presence of the pathway makes this bacteria an excellent catalyst for the specific production of special cis-dihydro diols.

High strain rate behavior of a SiC particulate reinforced Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} ceramic matrix composite

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hall, I.W.; Guden, M.

The high strain rate deformation behavior of composite materials is important for several reasons. First, knowledge of the mechanical properties of composites at high strain rates is needed for designing with these materials in applications where sudden changes in loading rates are likely to occur. Second, knowledge of both the dynamic and quasi-static mechanical responses can be used to establish the constitutive equations which are necessary to increase the confidence limits of these materials, particularly if they are to be used in critical structural applications. Moreover, dynamic studies and the knowledge gained form them are essential for the further developmentmore » of new material systems for impact applications. In this study, the high strain rate compressive deformation behavior of a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) consisting of SiC particles and an Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} matrix was studied and compared with its quasi-static behavior. Microscopic observations were conducted to investigate the deformation and fracture mechanism of the composite.« less

Bioprocessing analysis of Pyrococcus furiosus strains engineered for CO2-based 3-hydroxypropionate production

PubMed Central

Hawkins, Aaron B.; Lian, Hong; Zeldes, Benjamin M.; Loder, Andrew J.; Lipscomb, Gina L.; Schut, Gerrit J.; Keller, Matthew W.; Adams, Michael W.W.; Kelly, Robert M.

2015-01-01

Metabolically engineered strains of the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus(Topt 95-100°C), designed to produce 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) from maltose and CO2 using enzymes from the Metallosphaera sedula (Topt73°C) carbon fixation cycle, were examined with respect to the impact of heterologous gene expression on metabolic activity, fitness at optimal and sub-optimal temperatures, gas-liquid mass transfer in gas-intensive bioreactors, and potential bottlenecks arising from product formation. Transcriptomic comparisons of wild-type P. furiosus, a genetically-tractable, naturally-competent mutant (COM1), and COM1-based strains engineered for 3HP production revealed numerous differences after being shifted from 95°C to 72°C, where product formation catalyzed by the heterologously-produced M. sedula enzymes occurred. At 72°C, significantly higher levels of metabolic activity and a stress response were evident in 3HP-forming strains compared to the non-producing parent strain (COM1). Gas-liquid mass transfer limitations were apparent, given that 3HP titers and volumetric productivity in stirred bioreactors could be increased over 10-fold by increased agitation and higher CO2 sparging rates, from 18 mg/L to 276 mg/L and from 0.7 mg/L/hr to 11 mg/L/hr, respectively. 3HP formation triggered transcription of genes for protein stabilization and turnover, RNA degradation, and reactive oxygen species detoxification. The results here support the prospects of using thermally diverse sources of pathways and enzymes in metabolically engineered strains designed for product formation at sub-optimal growth temperatures. PMID:25753826

Pathogenesis of a genotype C strain of bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 infection in albino guinea pigs.

PubMed

Shi, Hong-Fei; Zhu, Yuan-Mao; Dong, Xiu-Mei; Cai, Hong; Ma, Lei; Wang, Shu; Yan, Hao; Wang, Xue-Zhi; Xue, Fei

2014-08-08

Bovine parainfluenza virus type 3 (BPIV3) is one of the most important of the known viral respiratory tract agents of both young and adult cattle and widespread among cattle around the world. Up to present, three genotypes A, B and C of BPIV3 have been described on the basis of genetic and phylogenetic analysis and only limited studies on the pathogenesis of the genotype A of BPIV3 infection in calves and laboratory animals have been performed. The report about experimental infections of the genotypes B and C of BPIV3 in laboratory animals and calves was scant. Therefore, an experimental infection of guinea pigs with the Chinese BPIV3 strain SD0835 of the genotype C was performed. Sixteen guinea pigs were intranasally inoculated with the suspension of SD0835, while eight control guinea pigs were also intranasally inoculated with the same volume of supernatant from uninfected MDBK cells. The virus-inoculated guinea pigs displayed a few observable clinical signs that were related to the respiratory tract disease and two of the sixteen experimentally infected guinea pigs died at 2 and 3 days post inoculation (PI), respectively, and apparent gross pneumonic lesions were observed at necropsy. The gross pneumonic lesions in guinea pigs inoculated with SD0835 consisted of dark red, slightly depressed, irregular areas of consolidation in the lung lobes from the second to 9th day of infection at necropsy, and almost complete consolidation and atelectasis of the lung lobes were seen at 7 days PI. Histopathological changes including alveoli septa thickening and focal cellulose pneumonia were also observed in the lungs of guinea pigs experimentally infected with SD0835. Viral replication was detectable by virus isolation and titration, real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining in the respiratory tissues of guinea pigs as early as 24h after intranasal inoculation with SD0835. The results of virus isolation and titration showed that guinea pigs were permissive for

Hepatitis C Virus Strain-Dependent Usage of Apolipoprotein E Modulates Assembly Efficiency and Specific Infectivity of Secreted Virions.

PubMed

Weller, Romy; Hueging, Kathrin; Brown, Richard J P; Todt, Daniel; Joecks, Sebastian; Vondran, Florian W R; Pietschmann, Thomas

2017-09-15

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is extraordinarily diverse and uses entry factors in a strain-specific manner. Virus particles associate with lipoproteins, and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) is critical for HCV assembly and infectivity. However, whether ApoE dependency is common to all HCV genotypes remains unknown. Therefore, we compared the roles of ApoE utilizing 10 virus strains from genotypes 1 through 7. ApoA and ApoC also support HCV assembly, so they may contribute to virus production in a strain-dependent fashion. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed abundant coexpression of ApoE, ApoB, ApoA1, ApoA2, ApoC1, ApoC2, and ApoC3 in primary hepatocytes and in Huh-7.5 cells. Virus production was examined in Huh-7.5 cells with and without ApoE expression and in 293T cells where individual apolipoproteins (ApoE1, -E2, -E3, -A1, -A2, -C1, and -C3) were provided in trans All strains were strictly ApoE dependent. However, ApoE involvement in virus production was strain and cell type specific, because some HCV strains poorly produced infectious virus in ApoE-expressing 293T cells and because ApoE knockout differentially affected virus production of HCV strains in Huh-7.5 cells. ApoE allelic isoforms (ApoE2, -E3, and -E4) complemented virus production of HCV strains to comparable degrees. All tested strains assembled infectious progeny with ApoE in preference to other exchangeable apolipoproteins (ApoA1, -A2, -C1, and -C3). The specific infectivity of HCV particles was similar for 293T- and Huh-7.5-derived particles for most strains; however, it differed by more than 100-fold in some viruses. Collectively, this study reveals strain-dependent and host cell-dependent use of ApoE during HCV assembly. These differences relate to the efficacy of virus production and also to the properties of released virus particles and therefore govern viral fitness at the level of assembly and cell entry. IMPORTANCE Chronic HCV infections are a major cause of liver disease. HCV is highly variable

Relative importance of bacteriocin-like genes in antagonism of Xanthomonas perforans tomato race 3 to Xanthomonas euvesicatoria tomato race 1 strains.

PubMed

Hert, A P; Roberts, P D; Momol, M T; Minsavage, G V; Tudor-Nelson, S M; Jones, J B

2005-07-01

In a previous study, tomato race 3 (T3) strains of Xanthomonas perforans became predominant in fields containing both X. euvesicatoria and X. perforans races T1 and T3, respectively. This apparent ability to take over fields led to the discovery that there are three bacteriocin-like compounds associated with T3 strains. T3 strain 91-118 produces at least three different bacteriocin-like compounds (BCN-A, BCN-B, and BCN-C) antagonistic toward T1 strains. We determined the relative importance of the bacteriocin-like compounds by constructing the following mutant forms of a wild-type (WT) T3 strain to evaluate the antagonism to WT T1 strains: Mut-A (BCN-A-), Mut-B (BCN-B-), Mut-C (BCN-C-), Mut-AB, Mut-BC, and Mut-ABC. Although all mutant and WT T3 strains reduced the T1 populations in in planta growth room experiments, Mut-B and WT T3 were significantly more effective. Mutants expressing BCN-B and either BCN-A or BCN-C reduced T1 populations less than mutants expressing only BCN-A or BCN-C. The triple-knockout mutant Mut-ABC also had a significant competitive advantage over the T1 strain. In pairwise-inoculation field experiments where plants were coinoculated with an individual mutant or WT T3 strain and the T1 strain, the mutant strains and the WT T3 strain were reisolated from more than 70% of the lesions. WT T3 and Mut-B were the most frequently reisolated strains. In field experiments where plants were group inoculated with Mut-A, Mut-B, Mut-C, Mut-ABC, and WT T1 and T3 strains, Mut-B populations dominated all three seasons. In greenhouse and field experiments, the WT and mutant T3 strains had a selective advantage over T1 strains. Bacterial strains expressing both BCN-A and BCN-C appeared to have a competitive advantage over all other mutant and WT strains. Furthermore, BCN-B appeared to be a negative factor, with mutant T3 strains lacking BCN-B having a selective advantage in the field.

Characterization of Strain Due to Nitrogen Doping Concentration Variations in Heavy Doped 4H-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yu; Guo, Jianqiu; Raghothamachar, Balaji; Chan, Xiaojun; Kim, Taejin; Dudley, Michael

2018-02-01

Highly doped 4H-SiC will show a significant lattice parameter difference with respect to the undoped material. We have applied the recently developed monochromatic contour mapping technique for 4H-SiC crystals to a 4H-SiC wafer crystal characterized by nitrogen doping concentration variation across the whole sample surface using a synchrotron monochromatic x-ray beam. Strain maps of 0008 and - 2203 planes were derived by deconvoluting the lattice parameter variations from the lattice tilt. Analysis reveals markedly different strain values within and out of the basal plane indicating the strain induced by nitrogen doping is anisotropic in the 4H-SiC hexagonal crystal structure. The highest strain calculated along growth direction [0001] and along [1-100] on the closed packed basal plane is up to - 4 × 10-4 and - 2.7 × 10-3, respectively. Using an anisotropic elasticity model by separating the whole bulk crystal into numerous identical rectangular prism units, the measured strain was related to the doping concentration and the calculated highest nitrogen level inside wafer crystal was determined to be 1.5 × 1020 cm-3. This is in agreement with observation of double Shockley stacking faults in the highly doped region that are predicted to nucleate at nitrogen levels above 2 × 1019 cm-3.

Infectious Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (Strain NADL) RNA from Stable cDNA Clones: a Cellular Insert Determines NS3 Production and Viral Cytopathogenicity

PubMed Central

Mendez, Ernesto; Ruggli, Nicolas; Collett, Marc S.; Rice, Charles M.

1998-01-01

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV), strain NADL, was originally isolated from an animal with fatal mucosal disease. This isolate is cytopathic in cell culture and produces two forms of NS3-containing proteins: uncleaved NS2-3 and mature NS3. For BVDV NADL, the production of NS3, a characteristic of cytopathic BVDV strains, is believed to be a consequence of an in-frame insertion of a 270-nucleotide cellular mRNA sequence (called cIns) in the NS2 coding region. In this study, we constructed a stable full-length cDNA copy of BVDV NADL in a low-copy-number plasmid vector. As assayed by transfection of MDBK cells, uncapped RNAs transcribed from this template were highly infectious (>105 PFU/μg). The recovered virus was similar in plaque morphology, growth properties, polyprotein processing, and cytopathogenicity to the BVDV NADL parent. Deletion of cIns abolished processing at the NS2/NS3 site and produced a virus that was no longer cytopathic for MDBK cells. This deletion did not affect the efficiency of infectious virus production or viral protein production, but it reduced the level of virus-specific RNA synthesis and accumulation. Thus, cIns not only modulates NS3 production but also upregulates RNA replication relative to an isogenic noncytopathic derivative lacking the insert. These results raise the possibility of a linkage between enhanced BVDV NADL RNA replication and virus-induced cytopathogenicity. PMID:9573238

Bioprocessing analysis of Pyrococcus furiosus strains engineered for CO 2-based 3-hydroxypropionate production

DOE PAGES

Hawkins, Aaron B.; Lian, Hong; Zeldes, Benjamin M.; ...

2015-06-11

In this paper, metabolically engineered strains of the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus (T opt 95–100°C), designed to produce 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) from maltose and CO 2 using enzymes from the Metallosphaera sedula (T opt 73°C) carbon fixation cycle, were examined with respect to the impact of heterologous gene expression on metabolic activity, fitness at optimal and sub-optimal temperatures, gas-liquid mass transfer in gas-intensive bioreactors, and potential bottlenecks arising from product formation. Transcriptomic comparisons of wild-type P. furiosus, a genetically-tractable, naturally-competent mutant (COM1), and COM1-based strains engineered for 3HP production revealed numerous differences after being shifted from 95°C to 72°C, where product formationmore » catalyzed by the heterologously-produced M. sedula enzymes occurred. At 72°C, significantly higher levels of metabolic activity and a stress response were evident in 3HP-forming strains compared to the non-producing parent strain (COM1). Gas–liquid mass transfer limitations were apparent, given that 3HP titers and volumetric productivity in stirred bioreactors could be increased over 10-fold by increased agitation and higher CO 2 sparging rates, from 18 mg/L to 276 mg/L and from 0.7 mg/L/h to 11 mg/L/h, respectively. 3HP formation triggered transcription of genes for protein stabilization and turnover, RNA degradation, and reactive oxygen species detoxification. Lastly, the results here support the prospects of using thermally diverse sources of pathways and enzymes in metabolically engineered strains designed for product formation at sub-optimal growth temperatures.« less

Bioprocessing analysis of Pyrococcus furiosus strains engineered for CO 2-based 3-hydroxypropionate production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hawkins, Aaron B.; Lian, Hong; Zeldes, Benjamin M.

In this paper, metabolically engineered strains of the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus (T opt 95–100°C), designed to produce 3-hydroxypropionate (3HP) from maltose and CO 2 using enzymes from the Metallosphaera sedula (T opt 73°C) carbon fixation cycle, were examined with respect to the impact of heterologous gene expression on metabolic activity, fitness at optimal and sub-optimal temperatures, gas-liquid mass transfer in gas-intensive bioreactors, and potential bottlenecks arising from product formation. Transcriptomic comparisons of wild-type P. furiosus, a genetically-tractable, naturally-competent mutant (COM1), and COM1-based strains engineered for 3HP production revealed numerous differences after being shifted from 95°C to 72°C, where product formationmore » catalyzed by the heterologously-produced M. sedula enzymes occurred. At 72°C, significantly higher levels of metabolic activity and a stress response were evident in 3HP-forming strains compared to the non-producing parent strain (COM1). Gas–liquid mass transfer limitations were apparent, given that 3HP titers and volumetric productivity in stirred bioreactors could be increased over 10-fold by increased agitation and higher CO 2 sparging rates, from 18 mg/L to 276 mg/L and from 0.7 mg/L/h to 11 mg/L/h, respectively. 3HP formation triggered transcription of genes for protein stabilization and turnover, RNA degradation, and reactive oxygen species detoxification. Lastly, the results here support the prospects of using thermally diverse sources of pathways and enzymes in metabolically engineered strains designed for product formation at sub-optimal growth temperatures.« less

Tensile deformation damage in SiC reinforced Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lerch, Bradley A.; Saltsman, James F.

1991-01-01

The damage mechanisms of a laminated, continuous SiC fiber reinforced Ti-15V-3Cr-3Al-3Sn (Ti-15-3) composite were investigated. Specimens consisting of unidirectional as well as cross-ply laminates were pulled in tension to failure at room temperature and 427 C and subsequently examined metallographically. Selected specimens were interrupted at various strain increments and examined to document the development of damage. When possible, a micromechanical stress analysis was performed to aid in the explanation of the observed damage. The analyses provide average constituent microstresses and laminate stresses and strains. It was found that the damage states were dependent upon the fiber architecture.

Molecular characterization of different equine-like G3 rotavirus strains from Germany.

PubMed

Pietsch, Corinna; Liebert, Uwe G

2018-01-01

The genetic heterogeneity of rotaviruses constitutes a substantial burden to human and animal health. Occasional interspecies transmissions can generate novel virus strains in the human population. We detected equine-like G3P[8] strains in feces sampled from three children in Germany in 2015 and 2016, respectively. Thereof two showed a DS-1-like backbone. In one strain the NSP2 gene segment was of distinct genotype (G3-P[8]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N1-T2-E2-H2). Phylogenetic analyses of the German strains showed a relation to other equine-like G3 rotaviruses circulating in different countries. The reconstruction of reassortment events in the evolution of novel equine-like G3 rotaviruses suggests an independent introduction of the three strains into the local human rotavirus population. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of native plasmids to fitness of Pantoea vagans strain C9-1

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pantoea vagans strain C9-1 is a biological control agent for fire blight caused by Erwinia amylovora. We cured C9-1 of two of its three plasmids: pPag2, pPag3, and both pPag2 and pPag3, tested phenotypes of the derivatives, and evaluated blossom colonization in the field. pPag2 (166 kb) encodes for ...

Complete genome sequence of Leptospirillum ferrooxidans strain C2-3, isolated from a fresh volcanic ash deposit on the island of Miyake, Japan.

PubMed

Fujimura, Reiko; Sato, Yoshinori; Nishizawa, Tomoyasu; Oshima, Kenshiro; Kim, Seok-Won; Hattori, Masahira; Kamijo, Takashi; Ohta, Hiroyuki

2012-08-01

A diazotrophic, acidophilic, iron-oxidizing bacterium, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, known to be difficult to cultivate, was isolated from a fresh volcanic ash deposit on the island of Miyake, Japan. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a cultured strain, C2-3.

Molecular epidemiology of C. diphtheriae strains during different phases of the diphtheria epidemic in Belarus

PubMed Central

Kolodkina, Valentina; Titov, Leonid; Sharapa, Tatyana; Grimont, Francine; Grimont, Patrick AD; Efstratiou, Androulla

2006-01-01

Background The reemergence of epidemic diphtheria in Belarus in 1990s has provided us with important information on the biology of the disease and the diversity of the causative agent Corynebacterium diphtheriae. Molecular investigations were conducted with the aim to analyze the genetic variability of C diphtheriae during the post-epidemic period. Methods The biotype and toxigenicity status of 3513 C. diphtheriae strains isolated from all areas in Belarus during a declining period of diphtheria morbidity (1996–2005) was undertaken. Of these, 384 strains were isolated from diphtheria cases, 1968 from tonsillitis patients, 426 from contacts and 735 from healthy carriers. Four hundred and thirty two selected strains were ribotyped. Results The C diphtheriae gravis biotype, which was prevalent during 1996–2000, was "replaced" by the mitis biotype during 2001–2005. The distribution of toxigenic C. diphtheriae strains also decreased from 47.1% (1996) to 5.8% (2005). Changes in the distribution of the epidemic ribotypes Sankt-Peterburg and Rossija were also observed. During 2001–2005 the proportion of the Sankt-Peterburg ribotype decreased from 24.3% to 2.3%, in contrast to the Rossija ribotype, that increased from 25.1% to 49.1%. The circulation of other toxigenic ribotypes (Otchakov, Lyon, Bangladesh), which were prevalent during the period of high diphtheria incidence, also decreased. But at the same time, the proportion of non-toxigenic strains with the Cluj and Rossija ribotypes dramatically increased and accounted for 49.3% and 30.1%, respectively. Conclusion The decrease in morbidity correlated with the dramatic decrease in the isolation of the gravis biotype and Sankt Peterburg ribotype, and the prevalence of the Rossija ribotype along with other rare ribotypes associated with non-toxigenic strains (Cluj and Rossija, in particular). PMID:16911772

Complete Genome Sequence of Leptospirillum ferrooxidans Strain C2-3, Isolated from a Fresh Volcanic Ash Deposit on the Island of Miyake, Japan

PubMed Central

Fujimura, Reiko; Sato, Yoshinori; Nishizawa, Tomoyasu; Oshima, Kenshiro; Kim, Seok-Won; Hattori, Masahira; Kamijo, Takashi

2012-01-01

A diazotrophic, acidophilic, iron-oxidizing bacterium, Leptospirillum ferrooxidans, known to be difficult to cultivate, was isolated from a fresh volcanic ash deposit on the island of Miyake, Japan. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of a cultured strain, C2-3. PMID:22815442

3D printed high performance strain sensors for high temperature applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahman, Md Taibur; Moser, Russell; Zbib, Hussein M.; Ramana, C. V.; Panat, Rahul

2018-01-01

Realization of high temperature physical measurement sensors, which are needed in many of the current and emerging technologies, is challenging due to the degradation of their electrical stability by drift currents, material oxidation, thermal strain, and creep. In this paper, for the first time, we demonstrate that 3D printed sensors show a metamaterial-like behavior, resulting in superior performance such as high sensitivity, low thermal strain, and enhanced thermal stability. The sensors were fabricated using silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs), using an advanced Aerosol Jet based additive printing method followed by thermal sintering. The sensors were tested under cyclic strain up to a temperature of 500 °C and showed a gauge factor of 3.15 ± 0.086, which is about 57% higher than that of those available commercially. The sensor thermal strain was also an order of magnitude lower than that of commercial gages for operation up to a temperature of 500 °C. An analytical model was developed to account for the enhanced performance of such printed sensors based on enhanced lateral contraction of the NP films due to the porosity, a behavior akin to cellular metamaterials. The results demonstrate the potential of 3D printing technology as a pathway to realize highly stable and high-performance sensors for high temperature applications.

Experimental and analytical analysis of stress-strain behavior in a (90/0 deg)2s, SiC/Ti-15-3 laminate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lerch, Bradley A.; Melis, Matthew E.; Tong, Mike

1991-01-01

The nonlinear stress strain behavior of 90 degree/0 degree sub 2s, SiC/Ti-15-3 composite laminate was numerically investigated with a finite element, unit cell approach. Tensile stress-strain curves from room temperature experiments depicted three distinct regions of deformation, and these regions were predicted by finite element analysis. The first region of behavior, which was linear elastic, occurred at low applied stresses. As applied stresses increased, fiber/matrix debonding in the 90 degree plies caused a break in the stress-strain curve and initiated a second linear region. In this second region, matrix plasticity in the 90 degree plies developed. The third region, which was typified by nonlinear, stress-strain behavior occr red at high stresses. In this region, the onset of matrix plasticity in the 0 degree plies stiffened the laminate in the direction transverse to the applied load. Metallographic sections confirmed the existence of matrix plasticity in specific areas of the structure. Finite element analysis also predicted these locations of matrix slip.

Characterization of epidemic Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C strains in several Brazilian states.

PubMed Central

Sacchi, C T; Tondella, M L; de Lemos, A P; Gorla, M C; Berto, D B; Kumiochi, N H; Melles, C E

1994-01-01

Epidemic strains of the Neisseria meningitidis C:2b:P1.3 electrophoretic type 11 complex were responsible for an outbreak in Curitiba, Parana State, Brazil, from 1990 to 1991. Strains of this complex were also isolated in other Brazilian states and were responsible for a meningococcal disease epidemic in São Paulo State in 1990. Serotyping both with monoclonal antibodies and by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis was useful for typing these epidemic strains related to the increased incidence of meningococcal disease. The genetic similarity of members of the electrophoretic type 11 complex was confirmed by the ribotyping method by using EcoRI or ClaI endonuclease restriction enzymes. Images PMID:7929775

Magnetic orders of LaTiO3 under epitaxial strain: A first-principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Yakui; Huang, Xin; Tang, Yankun; Dong, Shuai

2014-05-01

Perovskite LaTiO3 bulk is a typical Mott-insulator with G-type antiferromagnetic order. In this work, the biaxial strain effects on the ground magnetic order of LaTiO3 films grown on various substrates have been studied. For the compressive strain, LaTiO3 films grown on LaAlO3, LaGaO3, and SrTiO3 substrates undergo a phase transition from the original G-type antiferromagnet to A-type antiferromagnet. The underlying physical mechanisms are the lattice distortions tunned by strain. While for the tensile strain, the BaTiO3 and LaScO3 substrates have been tested, which show a tendency to transit the LaTiO3 to the C-type antiferromagnet. Furthermore, our calculations find that the magnetic transitions under epitaxial strain do not change the insulating fact of LaTiO3.

Dynamic strain aging behavior of 10Cr steel under low cycle fatigue at 650°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishnev, Roman; Dudova, Nadezhda; Kaibyshev, Rustam

2017-12-01

The low cycle fatigue behavior of a 10Cr-2W-0.7Mo-3Co-NbV steel with 80 ppm of B additions was studied at elevated temperatures of 600 and 650°C. The steel after normalizing and tempering at 770°C was tested under fully reversed tension-compression loading with the total strain amplitude controlled from ±0.2 to ±1.0% at temperatures of 600 and 650°C. It was revealed that the steel exhibits a positive temperature dependence of both the cyclic strain hardening exponent n' and the cyclic strength coefficient K ' during cyclic loading at 650°C. It was suggested that dynamic strain aging causes fatigue resistance degradation through facilitating microcrack initiation.

Genetic studies on experimental autoimmune gastritis induced by neonatal thymectomy using recombinant inbred strains between a high-incidence strain, BALB/c, and a low-incidence strain, DBA/2.

PubMed Central

Mori, Y; Hosono, M; Murakami, K; Katoh, H; Yoshikawa, Y; Kuribayashi, K; Kannagi, R; Sakai, M; Okuma, M; Masuda, T

1991-01-01

Thymectomy on day 3 after birth induced autoimmune gastritis (AIG) at the age of 2 months in 51-73% of BALB/c mice, and in only 3-5% of DBA/2 mice. AIG was detected by histological and serological (immunofluorescence staining for detecting anti-parietal cell autoantibody) examination. However, autoantibody was weakly positive in almost all of these DBA/2 mice when measured by ELISA using extract of murine gastric mucosa as the antigen. To investigate genetically the mechanism controlling the incidence of AIG, II recombinant inbred strains established by brother-sister mating of (BALB/c x DBA/2) F2 mice (C x D2 strains) were used. Among 26 markers tested, the Mls-1 locus on BALB/c chromosome 1 and the Hc locus coding a complement component (C5) on BALB/c chromosome 2 were found to be associated with high susceptibility to AIG. However, if one or both of the loci were of DBA/2 origin, mice showed medium or low susceptibility to AIG. For further analysis, F1, F2 and back-cross generations of these two strains were tested, but segregation of a single susceptibility or insusceptibility gene was not obtained. Taken together, it seems probable that two or more genes are involved in the induction mechanism of AIG. We did not detect C5 deposition in AIG lesions, nor complement-dependent cytotoxic antibody to parietal cells in serum from AIG mice. However, injection of irradiated spleen cells of DBA/2 mice into BALB/c mice thymectomized on day 3 augmented the incidence of AIG from 71 to 100%, but not that of oophoritis (33%). A relationship between Mls-1a determinants and the pathogenesis of AIG was further suggested from the fact that V beta 6 TcR-expressing T cells increased in number in AIG-bearing compared with normal BALB/c mice. Images Fig. 1 PMID:1901777

Ninety-six haploid yeast strains with individual disruptions of open reading frames between YOR097C and YOR192C, constructed for the Saccharomyces genome deletion project, have an additional mutation in the mismatch repair gene MSH3.

PubMed

Lehner, Kevin R; Stone, Megan M; Farber, Rosann A; Petes, Thomas D

2007-11-01

As part of the Saccharomyces Genome Deletion Project, sets of presumably isogenic haploid and diploid strains that differed only by single gene deletions were constructed. We found that one set of 96 strains (containing deletions of ORFs located between YOR097C and YOR192C) in the collection, which was derived from the haploid BY4741, has an additional mutation in the MSH3 mismatch repair gene.

Biosynthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoate from Steamed Soybean Wastewater by a Recombinant Strain of Pseudomonas sp. 61-3.

PubMed

Hokamura, Ayaka; Yunoue, Yuko; Goto, Saki; Matsusaki, Hiromi

2017-08-08

Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 accumulates a blend of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] homopolymer and a random copolymer, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate- co -3-hydroxyalkanoate) [P(3HB- co -3HA)], consisting of 3HA units of 4-12 carbon atoms. Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 possesses two types of PHA synthases, PHB synthase (PhbC) and PHA synthases (PhaC1 and PhaC2), encoded by the phb and pha loci, respectively. The P(94 mol% 3HB- co -6 mol% 3HA) copolymer synthesized by the recombinant strain of Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 ( phbC :: tet ) harboring additional copies of phaC1 gene is known to have desirable physical properties and to be a flexible material with moderate toughness, similar to low-density polyethylene. In this study, we focused on the production of the P(3HB- co -3HA) copolymer using steamed soybean wastewater, a by-product in brewing miso , which is a traditional Japanese seasoning. The steamed soybean wastewater was spray-dried to produce a powder (SWP) and used as the sole nitrogen source for the synthesis of P(3HB- co -3HA) by the Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 recombinant strain. Hydrolyzed SWP (HSWP) was also used as a carbon and nitrogen source. P(3HB- co -3HA)s with relatively high 3HB fractions could be synthesized by a recombinant strain of Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 ( phbC :: tet ) harboring additional copies of the phaC1 gene in the presence of 2% glucose and 10-20 g/L SWP as the sole nitrogen source, producing a PHA concentration of 1.0-1.4 g/L. When HSWP was added to a nitrogen- and carbon-free medium, the recombinant strain could synthesize PHA without glucose as a carbon source. The recombinant strain accumulated 32 wt% P(3HB- co -3HA) containing 80 mol% 3HB and 20 mol% medium-chain-length 3HA with a PHA concentration of 1.0 g/L when 50 g/L of HSWP was used. The PHA production yield was estimated as 20 mg-PHA/g-HSWP, which equates to approximately 1.0 g-PHA per liter of soybean wastewater.

Biosynthesis of Polyhydroxyalkanoate from Steamed Soybean Wastewater by a Recombinant Strain of Pseudomonas sp. 61-3

PubMed Central

Hokamura, Ayaka; Yunoue, Yuko; Goto, Saki; Matsusaki, Hiromi

2017-01-01

Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 accumulates a blend of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(3HB)] homopolymer and a random copolymer, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyalkanoate) [P(3HB-co-3HA)], consisting of 3HA units of 4–12 carbon atoms. Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 possesses two types of PHA synthases, PHB synthase (PhbC) and PHA synthases (PhaC1 and PhaC2), encoded by the phb and pha loci, respectively. The P(94 mol% 3HB-co-6 mol% 3HA) copolymer synthesized by the recombinant strain of Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 (phbC::tet) harboring additional copies of phaC1 gene is known to have desirable physical properties and to be a flexible material with moderate toughness, similar to low-density polyethylene. In this study, we focused on the production of the P(3HB-co-3HA) copolymer using steamed soybean wastewater, a by-product in brewing miso, which is a traditional Japanese seasoning. The steamed soybean wastewater was spray-dried to produce a powder (SWP) and used as the sole nitrogen source for the synthesis of P(3HB-co-3HA) by the Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 recombinant strain. Hydrolyzed SWP (HSWP) was also used as a carbon and nitrogen source. P(3HB-co-3HA)s with relatively high 3HB fractions could be synthesized by a recombinant strain of Pseudomonas sp. 61-3 (phbC::tet) harboring additional copies of the phaC1 gene in the presence of 2% glucose and 10–20 g/L SWP as the sole nitrogen source, producing a PHA concentration of 1.0–1.4 g/L. When HSWP was added to a nitrogen- and carbon-free medium, the recombinant strain could synthesize PHA without glucose as a carbon source. The recombinant strain accumulated 32 wt% P(3HB-co-3HA) containing 80 mol% 3HB and 20 mol% medium-chain-length 3HA with a PHA concentration of 1.0 g/L when 50 g/L of HSWP was used. The PHA production yield was estimated as 20 mg-PHA/g-HSWP, which equates to approximately 1.0 g-PHA per liter of soybean wastewater. PMID:28952548

Complete genome sequence of Streptococcus mutans GS-5, a serotype c strain.

PubMed

Biswas, Saswati; Biswas, Indranil

2012-09-01

Streptococcus mutans, a principal causative agent of dental caries, is considered to be the most cariogenic among all oral streptococci. Of the four S. mutans serotypes (c, e, f, and k), serotype c strains predominate in the oral cavity. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of S. mutans GS-5, a serotype c strain originally isolated from human carious lesions, which is extensively used as a laboratory strain worldwide.

Inducamides A–C, Chlorinated Alkaloids from an RNA Polymerase Mutant Strain of Streptomyces sp.

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Inducamides A–C (1–3), three new chlorinated alkaloids featuring an amide skeleton generated by a tryptophan fragment and a 6-methylsalicylic acid unit, were isolated from a chemically induced mutant strain of Streptomyces sp. with the inducamides only being produced in the mutant strain. Their structures, including stereochemistry, were determined by spectroscopic analysis, Marfey’s method, and CD spectroscopy. PMID:25338006

Copper tolerance in Frankia sp. strain EuI1c involves surface binding and copper transport.

PubMed

Rehan, Medhat; Furnholm, Teal; Finethy, Ryan H; Chu, Feixia; El-Fadly, Gomaah; Tisa, Louis S

2014-09-01

Several Frankia strains have been shown to be copper-tolerant. The mechanism of their copper tolerance was investigated for Frankia sp. strain EuI1c. Copper binding was shown by binding studies. Unusual globular structures were observed on the surface of the bacterium. These globular structures were composed of aggregates containing many relatively smaller "leaf-like" structures. Scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDAX) analysis of these structures indicated elevated copper and phosphate levels compared to the control cells. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis indicated an increase in extracellular phosphate on the cell surface of copper-stressed cells. Bioinformatics' analysis of the Frankia sp. strain EuI1c genome revealed five potential cop genes: copA, copZ, copC, copCD, and copD. Experiments with Frankia sp. strain EuI1c using qRT-PCR indicated an increase in messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of the five cop genes upon Cu(2+) stress. After 5 days of Cu(2+) stress, the copA, copZ, copC, copCD, and copD mRNA levels increased 25-, 8-, 18-, 18-, and 25-fold, respectively. The protein profile of Cu(2+)-stressed Frankia sp. strain EuI1c cells revealed the upregulation of a 36.7 kDa protein that was identified as FraEuI1c_1092 (sulfate-binding periplasmic transport protein). Homologues of this gene were only present in the genomes of the Cu(2+)-resistant Frankia strains (EuI1c, DC12, and CN3). These data indicate that copper tolerance by Frankia sp. strain EuI1c involved the binding of copper to the cell surface and transport proteins.

Magnetic Orders of LaTiO3 and YTiO3 Under Epitaxial Strain: a First-Principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Yakui; Huang, Xin; Tang, Yankun; Dong, Shuai

2014-03-01

Perovskite RTiO3 family is a typical Mott-insulator with localized 3d electrons. In this work, the epitaxial strain effects on the ground magnetic orders of LaTiO3 and YTiO3 films have been studied using the first-principles density-functional theory. For the YTiO3 films, A-type antiferromagnetic order emerges against the original ferromagnetic order under the in-plane compressive strain by LaAlO3 (001) substrate, although the A-type antiferromagnetic order does not exist in any RTiO3 bulks. Then, for the LaTiO3 films under the compressive strain, e.g. LaTiO3 films grown on LaAlO3, LaGaO3, and SrTiO3 substrates, undergo a phase transition from the original G-type antiferromagnetism to A-type antiferromagnetism. While under the tensile strain, e.g. grown on the BaTiO3 and LaScO3 substrate, LaTiO3 films show a tendency to transit to the C-type antiferromagnetism. Furthermore, our calculations find that the magnetic transitions under epitaxial strain do not change the insulating fact of LaTiO3 and YTiO3.

Chemokines expression during Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni infection in resistant BALB/c and susceptible C3H/HeJ mice.

PubMed

da Silva, Josefa B; Ramos, Tatiane M V; de Franco, Marcelo; Paiva, Delhi; Ho, Paulo Lee; Martins, Elizabeth A L; Pereira, Martha M

2009-08-01

The role of innate immune responses in protection against leptospirosis remains unclear. We examined the expression of the chemokines CCL2/JE (MCP-1), CCL3/MIP-1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha) and CXCL1/KC (IL-8) regarding resistance and susceptibility to leptospirosis in experimental mice models BALB/c and C3H/HeJ, respectively. A virulent strain of Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni was used in this study. Twenty-five animals of each mouse strain of C3H/HeJ and BALB/c, were infected intraperitoneally with 10(6) cells. Five un-infected animals of each strain were kept as control. Mortality of C3H/HeJ mouse was observed while BALB/c mice were asymptomatic. The presence of leptospire DNA in tissues of infected animals was demonstrated by PCR. Chemokines were measured in serum, spleen, liver, kidney and lung of both strains of animals using immunoenzymatic assay (ELISA). Elevations in the levels of chemokines MCP-1 and IL-8 occurred in all organs and sera of C3H/HeJ and BALB/c infected mice. The levels of MIP-1 alpha were lower when compared to MCP-1 and IL-8 in all analyzed organs, with a slight increase in liver and kidney. Our results indicate that the expression of inflammatory mediators can vary greatly, depending on the tissue and mouse strains. It is possible that the resistance to Leptospira can be partially correlated to the increase of MIP-1 alpha observed in BALB/c mice, while an increasing and a sustained expression of MCP-1 and IL-8 in the lungs of C3H/HeJ mice can be correlated to the severity and progression of leptospirosis.

Genetic Diversity among Clostridium botulinum Strains Harboring bont/A2 and bont/A3 Genes

PubMed Central

Raphael, Brian H.; Joseph, Lavin A.; Meno, Sarah R.; Fernández, Rafael A.; Maslanka, Susan E.

2012-01-01

Clostridium botulinum type A strains are known to be genetically diverse and widespread throughout the world. Genetic diversity studies have focused mainly on strains harboring one type A botulinum toxin gene, bont/A1, although all reported bont/A gene variants have been associated with botulism cases. Our study provides insight into the genetic diversity of C. botulinum type A strains, which contain bont/A2 (n = 42) and bont/A3 (n = 4) genes, isolated from diverse samples and geographic origins. Genetic diversity was assessed by using bont nucleotide sequencing, content analysis of the bont gene clusters, multilocus sequence typing (MLST), and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). Sequences of bont genes obtained in this study showed 99.9 to 100% identity with other bont/A2 or bont/A3 gene sequences available in public databases. The neurotoxin gene clusters of the subtype A2 and A3 strains analyzed in this study were similar in gene content. C. botulinum strains harboring bont/A2 and bont/A3 genes were divided into six and two MLST profiles, respectively. Four groups of strains shared a similarity of at least 95% by PFGE; the largest group included 21 out of 46 strains. The strains analyzed in this study showed relatively limited genetic diversity using either MLST or PFGE. PMID:23042179

Genetic characterization of enterovirus strains identified in Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD): Emergence of B1c, C1 subgenotypes, E2 sublineage of CVA16, EV71 and CVA6 strains in India.

PubMed

Ganorkar, Nital N; Patil, Pooja R; Tikute, Sanjay S; Gopalkrishna, Varanasi

2017-10-01

Hand, Foot and Mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood disease and caused due to Enterovirus-A (EV-A), EV-B and EV-C species worldwide. Cases of HFMD were reported from, Ahmedabad (Gujarat, 2012) and Pune (Maharashtra, 2013-2014) in India. The present study highlights the identification of EV strains (CVA16, CVA6, CVA4 and Echo12), characterization of subgenotypes of CVA16, CVA6 strains during 2012-14 and CVA16, CVA6, EV71 strains reported from the earlier study (2009-10) in HFMD cases from India. A total 158 clinical specimens collected from 64 HFMD cases (2012-2014) were included in the study. EV detection was carried out by 5'NCR based RT-PCR, molecular typing and subgenotyping was by VP1/2A junction or VP1, full VP1 gene amplification respectively followed by phylogenetic analysis. The present study reports 63.92% (101/158) EV positivity by RT-PCR. Ninety four of the 101 (93.06%) EV positive strains were amplified by VP1/2A junction or VP1 regions. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of CVA16 (61.7%), CVA6 (34.04%), CVA4 and Echo12 (4.3%). A total of 114 EV positive strains were genotyped using full and partial VP1 region. All CVA16 Indian strains (n=70) clustered with rarely reported B1c subgenotype, CVA6 (n=43) and EV71 (n=1) strains clustered with sub-lineage E2 and C1 subgenotypes respectively. In summary, the study reports genetic characterization of CVA16, CVA6, CVA4 and Echo12 strains in HFMD cases from India. Circulation of B1c subgenotype of CVA16, E2 sub-lineage of CVA6 and C1 subgenotype of EV 71 strains in HFMD cases were reported for the first time from India. This study helps to understand the genotype distribution, genetic diversity of EV strains associated with HFMD from Eastern, Western and Southern regions in India. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Draft Genome Sequence of Sphingobium ummariense Strain RL-3, a Hexachlorocyclohexane-Degrading Bacterium

PubMed Central

Kohli, Puneet; Dua, Ankita; Sangwan, Naseer; Oldach, Phoebe; Khurana, J. P.

2013-01-01

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of the hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)-degrading bacterium Sphingobium ummariense strain RL-3, which was isolated from the HCH dumpsite located in Lucknow, India (27°00′N and 81°09′E). The annotated draft genome sequence (4.75 Mb) of strain RL-3 consisted of 139 contigs, 4,645 coding sequences, and 65% G+C content. PMID:24233594

Pushing the Limits of Piezoresistive Effect by Optomechanical Coupling in 3C-SiC/Si Heterostructure.

PubMed

Md Foisal, Abu Riduan; Qamar, Afzaal; Phan, Hoang-Phuong; Dinh, Toan; Tuan, Khoa-Nguyen; Tanner, Philip; Streed, Erik W; Dao, Dzung Viet

2017-11-22

This letter reports a giant opto-piezoresistive effect in p-3C-SiC/p-Si heterostructure under visible-light illumination. The p-3C-SiC/p-Si heterostructure has been fabricated by growing a 390 nm p-type 3C-SiC on a p-type Si substrate using the low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) technique. The gauge factor of the heterostructure was found to be 28 under a dark condition; however, it significantly increased to about -455 under illumination of 635 nm wavelength at 3.0 mW/cm 2 . This gauge factor is over 200 times higher than that of commercial metal strain gauge, 16 times higher than that of 3C-SiC thinfilm, and approximately 5 times larger than that of bulk Si. This enhancement of the gauge factor was attributed to the opto-mechanical coupling effect in p-3C-SiC/p-Si heterostructure. The opto-mechanical coupling effect is the amplified effect of the photoconductivity enhancement and strain-induced band structure modification in the p-type Si substrate. These findings enable extremely high sensitive and robust mechanical sensors, as well as optical sensors at low cost, as no complicated nanofabrication process is required.

Complete genome sequence of the fish pathogen Flavobacterium columnare strain C#2

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Flavobacterium columnare is a Gram-negative bacterial pathogen that causes columnaris disease of freshwater fish. Flavobacterium columnare strain C#2 was isolated from a diseased warm water fish and is typed as genomovar II. The genome consists of a single 3.33 Mb circular chromosome with 2,689 pred...

Complete Genome Sequence of Leuconostoc kimchii Strain C2, Isolated from Kimchi

PubMed Central

Lee, Seung Hyeon; Jung, Ji Young; Lee, Se Hee; Jeon, Che Ok

2011-01-01

Leuconostoc kimchii strain C2 was isolated from fermented kimchi in Korea. Here we announce the complete genome sequence of Leuconostoc kimchii strain C2, consisting of a 1,877,174-bp chromosome with a G+C content of 37.9% and no plasmid and describe major findings from its annotation. PMID:21914872

Peptidase-3 (Pep-3), dipeptidase variant in the rat homologous to mouse pep-3 (Dip-1) and human PEP-c.

PubMed

Womack, J E; Cramer, D V

1980-10-01

Starch gel electrophoresis and histochemical staining with L-leucyl-L-tyrosine have revealed genetic variation for dipeptidase in Rattus norvegicus. The tissue distribution, substrate specificity, and heterozygous expression as a monmeric protein suggest homology of the variant peptidase to human PEP-C and mouse Pep-3 (Dip-1). We propose Peptidase-3 (Pep-3) as a name for this autosomal locus in the rat. The allele responsible for slower (less anodal) electrophoretic migration is designated Pep-3a and is characteristic of strain ACI/Pit. A faster (more anodal) electrophoretic mobility is the product of the Pep-3b allele in strain F344/Pit. Twenty-five additional inbred strains carry Pep-3a and 16 others carry Pep-3b. Wild rats trapped in Pittsburgh were polymorphic for this locus. Alleles at Pep-3 segregated independently of c (linkage group I), a (linkage group IV), RT2 and Es-1 (linkage group V), h (linkage group VI), and RTI (linkage group VIII).

Degradation of carbazole, dibenzothiophene, and dibenzofuran at low temperature by Pseudomonas sp. strain C3211.

PubMed

Jensen, Anne-Mette; Finster, Kai Waldemar; Karlson, Ulrich

2003-04-01

Pseudomonas sp. strain C3211 was isolated from a temperate climate soil contaminated with creosote. This strain was able to degrade carbazole, dibenzothiophene and dibenzofuran at 10 degrees C with acetone as a co-substrate. When dibenzothiophene was degraded by strain C3211, an orange compound, which absorbed at 472 nm, accumulated in the medium. Degradation of dibenzofuran was followed by accumulation of a yellowish compound, absorbing at 462 nm. The temperature optimum of strain C3211 for degradation of dibenzothiophene and dibenzofuran was at 20 to 21 degrees C, while the maximum temperature for degradation was at 27 degrees C. Both compounds were degraded at 4 degrees C. Degradation at 10 degrees C was faster than degradation at 25 degrees C. This indicates that strain C3211 is adapted to life at low temperatures.

Secreted Expression of the Cap Gene of Porcine Circovirus Type 2 in Classical Swine Fever Virus C-Strain: Potential of C-Strain Used as a Vaccine Vector.

PubMed

Zhang, Lingkai; Li, Yongfeng; Xie, Libao; Wang, Xiao; Gao, Xulei; Sun, Yuan; Qiu, Hua-Ji

2017-10-16

Bivalent vaccines based on live attenuated viruses expressing a heterologous protein are an attractive strategy to address co-infections with various pathogens in the field. Considering the excellent efficacy and safety of the lapinized live attenuated vaccine C-strain (HCLV strain) of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), we proposed that C-strain has the potential as a viral vector for developing bivalent vaccines. To this end, we generated three recombinant viruses based on C-strain, one expressing the capsid ( Cap ) gene of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) with the nuclear localization signal (NLS) (rHCLV-2ACap), and the other two expressing the PCV2 Cap gene without the NLS yet containing the signal peptide of the prolactin gene (rHCLV-pspCap) or that of the ubiquitin-specific peptidase gene (rHCLV-uspCap). All the recombinant viruses exhibited phenotypes similar to those of the parental virus and produced high-level anti-CSFV neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in rabbits. Interestingly, rHCLV-uspCap and rHCLV-pspCap, but not rHCLV-2ACap, elicited detectable anti-Cap and -PCV2 NAbs in rabbits. Taken together, our data demonstrate that C-strain can be used as a viral vector to develop bivalent vaccines.

Secreted Expression of the Cap Gene of Porcine Circovirus Type 2 in Classical Swine Fever Virus C-Strain: Potential of C-Strain Used as a Vaccine Vector

PubMed Central

Zhang, Lingkai; Li, Yongfeng; Xie, Libao; Wang, Xiao; Gao, Xulei; Sun, Yuan; Qiu, Hua-Ji

2017-01-01

Bivalent vaccines based on live attenuated viruses expressing a heterologous protein are an attractive strategy to address co-infections with various pathogens in the field. Considering the excellent efficacy and safety of the lapinized live attenuated vaccine C-strain (HCLV strain) of classical swine fever virus (CSFV), we proposed that C-strain has the potential as a viral vector for developing bivalent vaccines. To this end, we generated three recombinant viruses based on C-strain, one expressing the capsid (Cap) gene of porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) with the nuclear localization signal (NLS) (rHCLV-2ACap), and the other two expressing the PCV2 Cap gene without the NLS yet containing the signal peptide of the prolactin gene (rHCLV-pspCap) or that of the ubiquitin-specific peptidase gene (rHCLV-uspCap). All the recombinant viruses exhibited phenotypes similar to those of the parental virus and produced high-level anti-CSFV neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) in rabbits. Interestingly, rHCLV-uspCap and rHCLV-pspCap, but not rHCLV-2ACap, elicited detectable anti-Cap and -PCV2 NAbs in rabbits. Taken together, our data demonstrate that C-strain can be used as a viral vector to develop bivalent vaccines. PMID:29035292

Virulence of Serovar C-1 Strains of Avibacterium paragallinarum.

PubMed

Trujillo-Ruíz, H H; Shivaprasad, H L; Morales-Erasto, V; Talavera-Rojas, M; Salgado-Miranda, C; Salazar-García, F; Blackall, P J; Soriano-Vargas, E

2016-12-01

The bacterium Avibacterium paragallinarum is the etiologic agent of infectious coryza of chickens. There are nine serovars of A. paragallinarum , and serovar C-1 has emerged in outbreaks of infectious coryza in layer hens in the Americas, with all isolates having been obtained from infectious coryza-vaccinated chickens. In the current study, the clinical and histopathologic outcomes of experimental infections in chickens with A. paragallinarum of serovar C-1 were investigated. The Japanese serovar reference strain, H-18, and a Mexican isolate, ESV-135, were included in the study. No differences in clinical sign scores or morbidity were observed between the two strains. The two bacterial strains caused microscopic lesions of lymphoplasmacytic inflammation in the mucosa of the nasal cavity, infraorbital sinus, and trachea. Similar severe lesions were observed in birds inoculated with both H-18 and ESV-135 strains. The lesions were present 48 hr after inoculation and persisted until day 10 after inoculation. Slight to severe, extensive hemorrhages were observed in the lumen, mucous membranes, and lamina propria of the nasal cavity and infraorbital sinus in most of the chickens inoculated with either the reference strain H-18 or the ESV-135 isolate. Hemorrhages in the upper respiratory tract of chickens experimentally infected with A. paragallinarum are reported here for the first time. The results have confirmed the high virulence of the reference strain H-18 as previously reported and have shown that the Mexican isolate was as virulent as the reference strain. The virulence of A. paragallinarum isolates may play a role in explaining why severe infectious coryza outbreaks are being seen in both vaccinated and nonvaccinated chicken flocks.

New Introductions of Enterovirus 71 Subgenogroup C4 Strains, France, 2012

PubMed Central

Henquell, Cécile; Mirand, Audrey; Coste-Burel, Marianne; Marque-Juillet, Stéphanie; Desbois, Delphine; Lagathu, Gisèle; Bornebusch, Laure; Bailly, Jean-Luc; Lina, Bruno

2014-01-01

In France during 2012, human enterovirus 71 (EV-A71) subgenogroup C4 strains were detected in 4 children hospitalized for neonatal fever or meningitis. Phylogenetic analysis showed novel and independent EV-A71 introductions, presumably from China, and suggested circulation of C4 strains throughout France. This observation emphasizes the need for monitoring EV-A71 infections in Europe. PMID:25061698

Characterization of triclosan metabolism in Sphingomonas sp. strain YL-JM2C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulla, Sikandar I.; Wang, Han; Sun, Qian; Hu, Anyi; Yu, Chang-Ping

2016-02-01

Triclosan (TCS) is one of the most widespread emerging contaminants and has adverse impact on aquatic ecosystem, yet little is known about its complete biodegradation mechanism in bacteria. Sphingomonas sp, strain YL-JM2C, isolated from activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant, was very effective on degrading TCS. Response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize the conditions like temperature and pH. From RSM, the optimal TCS degradation conditions were found to be 30 °C and pH 7.0. Under optimal conditions, strain YL-JM2C completely mineralized TCS (5 mg L-1) within 72 h. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed that 2,4-dichlorophenol, 2-chlorohydroquinone and hydroquinone are three main by-products of TCS. Furthermore, stable isotope experimental results revealed that the 13C12-TCS was completely mineralized into CO2 and part of heavier carbon (13C) of labeled TCS was utilized by strain YL-JM2C to synthesize fatty acids (PLFAs). Cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and degradation test results suggested that the strain could enhance degradation capacity of TCS through increasing CSH. In addition, the bacterium also completely degraded spiked TCS (5 mg L-1) in wastewater collected from the wastewater treatment plant. Hence, these results suggest that the strain has potential to remediate TCS in the environment.

Entericidin is required for a probiotic treatment (Enterobacter sp. strain C6-6) to protect trout from cold-water disease challenge.

PubMed

Schubiger, Carla B; Orfe, Lisa H; Sudheesh, Ponnerassery S; Cain, Kenneth D; Shah, Devendra H; Call, Douglas R

2015-01-01

Flavobacterium psychrophilum causes bacterial cold-water disease in multiple fish species, including salmonids. An autochthonous Enterobacter strain (C6-6) inhibits the in vitro growth of F. psychrophilum, and when ingested as a putative probiotic, it provides protection against injection challenge with F. psychrophilum in rainbow trout. In this study, low-molecular-mass (≤3 kDa) fractions from both Enterobacter C6-6 and Escherichia coli K-12 culture supernatants inhibited the growth of F. psychrophilum. The ≤3-kDa fraction from Enterobacter C6-6 was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, and subsequent tandem mass spectroscopy identified EcnB, which is a small membrane lipoprotein that is a putative pore-forming toxin. Agar plate diffusion assays demonstrated that ecnAB knockout strains of both Enterobacter C6-6 and E. coli K-12 no longer inhibited F. psychrophilum (P < 0.001), while ecnAB-complemented knockout strains recovered the inhibitory phenotype (P < 0.001). In fish experiments, the engineered strains (C6-6 ΔecnAB and C6-6 ΔecnAB) and the wild-type strain (C6-6) were added to the fish diet every day for 38 days. On day 11, the fish were challenged by injection with a virulent strain of F. psychrophilum (CSF 259-93). Fish that were fed C6-6 had significantly longer survival than fish fed the ecnAB knockout strain (P < 0.0001), while fish fed the complemented knockout strain recovered the probiotic phenotype (P = 0.61). This entericidin is responsible for the probiotic activity of Enterobacter C6-6, and it may present new opportunities for therapeutic and prophylactic treatments against similarly susceptible pathogens. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Entericidin Is Required for a Probiotic Treatment (Enterobacter sp. Strain C6-6) To Protect Trout from Cold-Water Disease Challenge

PubMed Central

Schubiger, Carla B.; Orfe, Lisa H.; Sudheesh, Ponnerassery S.; Cain, Kenneth D.; Shah, Devendra H.

2014-01-01

Flavobacterium psychrophilum causes bacterial cold-water disease in multiple fish species, including salmonids. An autochthonous Enterobacter strain (C6-6) inhibits the in vitro growth of F. psychrophilum, and when ingested as a putative probiotic, it provides protection against injection challenge with F. psychrophilum in rainbow trout. In this study, low-molecular-mass (≤3 kDa) fractions from both Enterobacter C6-6 and Escherichia coli K-12 culture supernatants inhibited the growth of F. psychrophilum. The ≤3-kDa fraction from Enterobacter C6-6 was analyzed by SDS-PAGE, and subsequent tandem mass spectroscopy identified EcnB, which is a small membrane lipoprotein that is a putative pore-forming toxin. Agar plate diffusion assays demonstrated that ecnAB knockout strains of both Enterobacter C6-6 and E. coli K-12 no longer inhibited F. psychrophilum (P < 0.001), while ecnAB-complemented knockout strains recovered the inhibitory phenotype (P < 0.001). In fish experiments, the engineered strains (C6-6 ΔecnAB and C6-6 ΔecnAB) and the wild-type strain (C6-6) were added to the fish diet every day for 38 days. On day 11, the fish were challenged by injection with a virulent strain of F. psychrophilum (CSF 259-93). Fish that were fed C6-6 had significantly longer survival than fish fed the ecnAB knockout strain (P < 0.0001), while fish fed the complemented knockout strain recovered the probiotic phenotype (P = 0.61). This entericidin is responsible for the probiotic activity of Enterobacter C6-6, and it may present new opportunities for therapeutic and prophylactic treatments against similarly susceptible pathogens. PMID:25381243

X-ray microbeam three-dimensional topography for dislocation strain-field analysis of 4H-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanuma, R.; Mori, D.; Kamata, I.; Tsuchida, H.

2013-07-01

This paper describes the strain-field analysis of threading edge dislocations (TEDs) and basal-plane dislocations (BPDs) in 4H-SiC using x-ray microbeam three-dimensional (3D) topography. This 3D topography enables quantitative strain-field analysis, which measures images of effective misorientations (Δω maps) around the dislocations. A deformation-matrix-based simulation algorithm is developed to theoretically evaluate the Δω mapping. Systematic linear calculations can provide simulated Δω maps (Δωsim maps) of dislocations with different Burgers vectors, directions, and reflection vectors for the desired cross-sections. For TEDs and BPDs, Δω maps are compared with Δωsim maps, and their excellent correlation is demonstrated. Two types of asymmetric reflections, high- and low-angle incidence types, are compared. Strain analyses are also conducted to investigate BPD-TED conversion near an epilayer/substrate interface in 4H-SiC.

Effect of strain on evolution of dynamic recrystallization in Nb-1 wt%Zr-0.1 wt%C alloy at 1500 and 1600 °C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Behera, A.N.

Uniaxial compression tests were carried out on Nb-1 wt%Zr-0.1 wt%C alloy at temperature of 1500 and 1600 °C and strain rate of 0.1 s{sup −1} to study the evolution of dynamic recrystallization with strain. Electron back scatter diffraction was used to quantify the microstructural evolution. Nb-1Zr-0.1C alloy showed a necklace structure at a strain of 0.9 when deformed at 1500 °C and at strain of 0.6 when deformed at 1600 °C, both at strain rate of 0.1 s{sup −1}. This suggested the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization. At 1500 °C and strain of 0.9 the local average misorientation and the grainmore » orientation spread was low confirming the presence of dynamic recrystallization at this deformation condition. At both 1500 and 1600 °C and all measured strains the recrystallized grains had a strong fiber component of <001>. - Highlights: • Necklace formation of dynamically recrystallized grains occurred at strain of 0.6 and 0.9 for 1500 and 1600 °C, respectively. • Equiaxed microstructures were seen with increase in strain for both 1500 and 1600 °C. • At large strains the predominant recrystallized texture evolved to <001> pole.« less

Evasion of Complement-Mediated Lysis and Complement C3 Deposition Are Regulated by Francisella tularensis Lipopolysaccharide O Antigen1

PubMed Central

Clay, Corey D.; Soni, Shilpa; Gunn, John S.; Schlesinger, Larry S.

2009-01-01

The bacterium Francisella tularensis (Ft) is a potential weapon of bioterrorism when aerosolized. Macrophage infection is necessary for disease progression and efficient phagocytosis by human macrophages requires serum opsonization by complement. Microbial complement activation leads to surface deposition of a highly regulated protein complex resulting in opsonization or membrane lysis. The nature of complement component C3 deposition, i.e., C3b (opsonization and lysis) or C3bi (opsonization only) fragment deposition, is central to the outcome of activation. In this study, we examine the mechanisms of Ft resistance to complement-mediated lysis, C3 component deposition on the Ft surface, and complement activation. Upon incubation in fresh nonimmune human serum, Schu S4 (Ft subsp. tularensis), Fn (Ft subsp. novicida), and LVS (Ft subsp. holarctica live vaccine strain) were resistant to complement-mediated lysis, but LVSG and LVSR (LVS strains altered in surface carbohydrate structures) were susceptible. C3 deposition, however, occurred on all strains. Complement-susceptible strains had markedly increased C3 fragment deposition, including the persistent presence of C3b compared with C3bi, which indicates that C3b inactivation results in survival of complement-resistant strains. C1q, an essential component of the classical activation pathway, was necessary for lysis of complement-susceptible strains and optimal C3 deposition on all strains. Finally, use of Francisella LPS mutants confirmed O Ag as a major regulator of complement resistance. These data provide evidence that pathogenic Francisella activate complement, but are resistant to complement-mediated lysis in part due to limited C3 deposition, rapid conversion of surface-bound C3b to C3bi, and the presence of LPS O Ag. PMID:18832715

Cutting edge: guinea pigs with a natural C3a-receptor defect exhibit decreased bronchoconstriction in allergic airway disease: evidence for an involvement of the C3a anaphylatoxin in the pathogenesis of asthma.

PubMed

Bautsch, W; Hoymann, H G; Zhang, Q; Meier-Wiedenbach, I; Raschke, U; Ames, R S; Sohns, B; Flemme, N; Meyer zu Vilsendorf, A; Grove, M; Klos, A; Köhl, J

2000-11-15

Asthma is a major cause of morbidity worldwide with prevalence and severity still increasing at an alarming pace. Hallmarks of this disease include early-phase bronchoconstriction with subsequent eosinophil infiltration, symptoms that may be mimicked in vivo by the complement-derived C3a anaphylatoxin, following its interaction with the single-copy C3aR. We analyzed the pathophysiological role of the C3a anaphylatoxin in a model of experimental OVA-induced allergic asthma, using an inbred guinea pig strain phenotypically unresponsive to C3a. Molecular analysis of this defect revealed a point mutation within the coding region of the C3aR that creates a stop codon, thereby effectively inactivating gene function. When challenged by OVA inhalation, sensitized animals of this strain exhibited a bronchoconstriction decreased by approximately 30% in comparison to the corresponding wild-type strain. These data suggest an important role of C3a in the pathogenesis of asthma and define a novel target for drug intervention strategies.

Symmetry of Highly-Strained BiFeO3 Films in the Ultrathin Regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yongsoo; Senabulya, Nancy; Clarke, Roy; Schlepütz, Christian M.; Beekman, Christianne; Siemons, Wolter; Christen, Hans M.

2014-03-01

At room temperature, highly-strained BiFeO3 (BFO) films grown on LaAlO3 substrates exhibit a monoclinic structure with a giant c/a ratio (~1.3) when the films are thicker than 4 nm. Their structural symmetry can be controlled by adjusting the temperature [Appl. Phys. Express 4, 095801 (2011), Adv. Mater. 25, 5561 (2013)], with a high-temperature tetragonal phase being observed. We report that a structural phase transition can also be achieved by controlling the film thickness: synchrotron x-ray diffraction data shows that the Bragg peak splitting associated with the monoclinic phase disappears as the film thickness decreases below 3 nm, indicating a tetragonal symmetry, but still maintaining the giant c/a ratio. Unlike a similar transition reported for moderately strained BFO grown on SrTiO3 [APL Mater. 1, 052102 (2013)], the half-order Bragg peaks indicate that this transition does not involve a significant change in the octahedral tilt pattern of the film. This suggests that the structural evolution of highly-strained BFO films should be understood in terms of the unique (non-octahedral) oxygen coordination of the Fe ion in this highly-strained BFO, not the corner-connectivity of the oxygen octahedra between the film and the substrate. Funding: U.S. Department of Energy, BES-MSED (U. Michigan: DE-FG02-06ER46273, and at ORNL). Measurements: 13-BMC, 33-IDD, 33-BMC of the Advanced Photon Source, ANL (DE-AC02-06CH11357).

The ipdC, hisC1 and hisC2 genes involved in indole-3-acetic production used as alternative phylogenetic markers in Azospirillum brasilense.

PubMed

Jijón-Moreno, Saúl; Marcos-Jiménez, Cynthia; Pedraza, Raúl O; Ramírez-Mata, Alberto; de Salamone, I García; Fernández-Scavino, Ana; Vásquez-Hernández, Claudia A; Soto-Urzúa, Lucia; Baca, Beatriz E

2015-06-01

Plant growth-promoting bacteria of the genus Azospirillum are present in the rhizosphere and as endophytes of many crops. In this research we studied 40 Azospirillum strains isolated from different plants and geographic regions. They were first characterized by 16S rDNA restriction analysis, and their phylogenetic position was established by sequencing the genes 16S rDNA, ipdC, hisC1, and hisC2. The latter three genes are involved in the indole-3-pyruvic acid (IPyA) biosynthesis pathway of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Furthermore, the suitability of the 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer sequence (IGS) for the differentiation of closely related Azospirillum taxa and development of PCR protocols allows for specific detection of strains. The IGS-RFLP analysis enabled intraspecies differentiation, particularly of Azospirillum brasilense and Azospirillum lipoferum strains. Results demonstrated that the ipdC, hisC1, and hisC2 genes are highly conserved in all the assessed A. brasilense isolates, suggesting that these genes can be used as an alternative phylogenetic marker. In addition, IAA production determined by HPLC ranged from 0.17 to 98.2 μg mg(-1) protein. Southern hybridization with the A. brasilense ipdC gene probe did not show, a hybridization signal with A. lipoferum, Azospirillum amazonense, Azospirillum halopreferans and Azospirillum irakense genomic DNA. This suggests that these species produce IAA by other pathways. Because IAA is mainly synthesized via the IPyA pathway in A. brasilense strains, a species that is used worldwide in agriculture, the identification of ipdC, hisC1, and hisC2 genes by PCR may be suitable for selecting exploitable strains.

Detection in Japan of an equine-like G3P[8] reassortant rotavirus A strain that is highly homologous to European strains across all genome segments.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Wakako; Nakagomi, Toyoko; Gauchan, Punita; Agbemabiese, Chantal Ama; Noguchi, Atsuko; Nakagomi, Osamu; Takahashi, Tsutomu

2018-03-01

Equine-like G3P[8] rotavirus A strains with DS-1-like backbone genes have emerged since 2013. An equine-like RVA/Human-wt/JPN/15R429/2015/G3P[8] strain possessing I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E2-H2 was detected in Japan in 2015. Its VP7 gene was ≥ 99.3% identical to those of equine-like G3P[4] strains detected in Japan, and the remaining 10 genes were 98.6-99.8% identical to G1P[8] double-gene reassortants detected in Japan, Thailand and the Philippines. Thus, 15R429 was likely generated through reassortment between the equine-like G3P[4] and G1P[8] reassortant strains. Notably, 15R429 was 98.5-99.8% identical across all 11 genes of the equine-like G3P[8] strains detected in Spain and Hungary in 2015.

Epitaxy of boron phosphide on AlN, 4H-SiC, 3C-SiC and ZrB2 substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padavala, Balabalaji

The semiconductor boron phosphide (BP) has many outstanding features making it attractive for developing various electronic devices, including neutron detectors. In order to improve the efficiency of these devices, BP must have high crystal quality along with the best possible electrical properties. This research is focused on growing high quality crystalline BP films on a variety of superior substrates like AlN, 4H-SiC, 3C-SiC and ZrB2 by chemical vapor deposition. In particular, the influence of various parameters such as temperature, reactant flow rates, and substrate type and its crystalline orientation on the properties of BP films were studied in detail. Twin-free BP films were produced by depositing on off-axis 4H-SiC(0001) substrate tilted 4° toward [11¯00] and crystal symmetry matched zincblende 3C-SiC. BP crystalline quality improved at higher deposition temperature (1200°C) when deposited on AlN, 4H-SiC, whereas increased strain in 3C-SiC and increased boron segregation in ZrB2 at higher temperatures limited the best deposition temperature to below 1200°C. In addition, higher flow ratios of PH 3 to B2H6 resulted in smoother films and improved quality of BP on all substrates. The FWHM of the Raman peak (6.1 cm -1), XRD BP(111) peak FWHM (0.18°) and peak ratios of BP(111)/(200) = 5157 and BP(111)/(220) = 7226 measured on AlN/sapphire were the best values reported in the literature for BP epitaxial films. The undoped films on AlN/sapphire were n-type with a highest electron mobility of 37.8 cm2/V˙s and a lowest carrier concentration of 3.15x1018 cm -3. Raman imaging had lower values of FWHM (4.8 cm-1 ) and a standard deviation (0.56 cm-1) for BP films on AlN/sapphire compared to 4H-SiC, 3C-SiC substrates. X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy revealed residual tensile strain in BP on 4H-SiC, 3C-SiC, ZrB2/4H-SiC, bulk AlN substrates while compressive strain was evident on AlN/sapphire and bulk ZrB2 substrates. Among the substrates studied, Al

Non-linear optical probing of strain-enabled ferroelectricity in CaTiO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlahos, Eftihia; Brooks, Charles; Ecklund, Carl Johan; Biegalski, Mike; Rabe, Karin; Schlom, Darrell; Gopalan, Venkatraman

2010-03-01

First principles calculations predict CaTiO3, under tensile strain, to become ferroelectric with a spontaneous polarization of up to 0.5 C/m^2. Comparative second harmonic generation (SHG) studies of a series of strained CaTiO3 thin films were undertaken in order to determine their transition temperature and point group symmetry. The epitaxial strain ranged from -1.7% to 3.3%. Symmetry analysis of the SHG polar plots confirms that for the samples under tensile strain, the polarization is along the <110>p directions and the point group of the ferroelectric phase is mm2. SHG ``hysteresis'' loops were also obtained; these show clear switching. The experimental results are in excellent agreement with the first principles calculations predictions, and low temperature dielectric measurements that were performed on the same samples.

[Occurrence of AmpC-positive Klebsiella pneumoniae strains in patients with haematological malignancies].

PubMed

Chromá, Magdaléna; Kolár, Milan; Sauer, Pavel; Faber, Edgar; Stosová, Tatána; Koukalová, Dagmar; Indrák, Karel

2008-10-01

Currently, important bacterial beta-lactamases of increasing clinical significance include AmpC enzymes. The aim was to assess their occurrence in Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated from patients with haematological malignancies in a prospective study. Over a 2-month period, strains of the species were isolated from clinical material obtained from patients hospitalized at the Department of Haemato-Oncology of the University Hospital Olomouc. The strains were identified using standard microbiological techniques and the Vitek 2 automated system. Production of AmpC beta-lactamases was roughly determined by phenotypic tests and subsequently confirmed by PCR detection of genes encoding these enzymes. During the above-mentioned period, a total of 35 K. pneumoniae isolates were collected. In 7 of them, production of AmpC beta-lactamases was preliminarily detected by phenotypic test. The multiplex PCR method confirmed phenotyping and determined DHA types in all the isolates. All AmpC-positive isolates were false-susceptible to at least one of the tested third-generation cephalosporins. In one patient, clinically apparent infection caused by this strain was documented. The reported results suggest the possibility of occurrence of AmpC-beta-lactamases in K. pneumoniae strains with clinical significance.

CVD growth and properties of boron phosphide on 3C-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padavala, Balabalaji; Frye, C. D.; Wang, Xuejing; Raghothamachar, Balaji; Edgar, J. H.

2016-09-01

Improving the crystalline quality of boron phosphide (BP) is essential for realizing its full potential in semiconductor device applications. In this study, 3C-SiC was tested as a substrate for BP epitaxy. BP films were grown on 3C-SiC(100)/Si, 3C-SiC(111)/Si, and 3C-SiC(111)/4H-SiC(0001) substrates in a horizontal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system. Films were produced with good crystalline orientation and morphological features in the temperature range of 1000-1200 °C using a PH3+B2H6+H2 mixture. Rotational twinning was absent in the BP due to the crystal symmetry-matching with 3C-SiC. Confocal 3D Raman imaging of BP films revealed primarily uniform peak shift and peak widths across the scanned area, except at defects on the surface. Synchrotron white beam X-ray topography showed the epitaxial relationship between BP and 3C-SiC was (100) 〈 011 〉 BP||(100) 〈 011 〉 3C-SiC and (111) 〈 11 2 ̅ 〉 BP||(111) 〈 11 2 ̅ 〉 3C-SiC. Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated residual tensile strain in the films and improved crystalline quality at temperatures below 1200 °C. These results indicated that BP properties could be further enhanced by employing high quality bulk 3C-SiC or 3C-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC substrates.

CVD growth and properties of boron phosphide on 3C-SiC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Padavala, Balabalaji; Frye, C. D.; Wang, Xuejing

Improving the crystalline quality of boron phosphide (BP) is essential for realizing its full potential in semiconductor device applications. In this study, 3C-SiC was tested as a substrate for BP epitaxy. BP films were grown on 3C-SiC(100)/Si, 3C-SiC(111)/Si, and 3C-SiC(111)/4H-SiC(0001) substrates in a horizontal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) system. Films were produced with good crystalline orientation and morphological features in the temperature range of 1000–1200 °C using a PH3+B2H6+H2 mixture. Rotational twinning was absent in the BP due to the crystal symmetry-matching with 3C-SiC. Confocal 3D Raman imaging of BP films revealed primarily uniform peak shift and peak widths acrossmore » the scanned area, except at defects on the surface. Synchrotron white beam X-ray topography showed the epitaxial relationship between BP and 3C-SiC was (100) <011>BP||(100) <011>3C-SiC and (111)View the MathML sourceBP||(111)View the MathML source3C-SiC. Scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction analysis indicated residual tensile strain in the films and improved crystalline quality at temperatures below 1200 °C. These results indicated that BP properties could be further enhanced by employing high quality bulk 3C-SiC or 3C-SiC epilayers on 4H-SiC substrates.« less

Antibodies to the Central Conserved Region of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) G Protein Block RSV G Protein CX3C-CX3CR1 Binding and Cross-Neutralize RSV A and B Strains0

PubMed Central

Choi, Youngjoo; Mason, Caleb S.; Jones, Les P.; Crabtree, Jackelyn; Jorquera, Patricia A.

2012-01-01

Abstract Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a primary cause of severe lower respiratory tract disease in infants, young children, and the elderly worldwide, and despite decades of effort, there remains no safe and effective vaccine. RSV modifies the host immune response during infection by CX3C chemokine mimicry adversely affecting pulmonary leukocyte chemotaxis and CX3CR1+ RSV-specific T-cell responses. In this study we investigated whether immunization of mice with RSV G protein polypeptides from strain A2 could induce antibodies that block G protein–CX3CR1 interactions of both RSV A and B strains. The results show that mice immunized with RSV A2 G polypeptides generate antibodies that block binding of RSV A2 and B1 native G proteins to CX3CR1, and that these antibodies effectively cross-neutralize both A and B strains of RSV. These findings suggest that vaccines that induce RSV G protein–CX3CR1 blocking antibodies may provide a disease intervention strategy in the efforts to develop safe and efficacious RSV vaccines. PMID:22551066

Strain tolerance in technical Nb3Al superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banno, N.; Takeuchi, T.; Kitaguchi, H.; Tagawa, K.

2006-10-01

We observed crack formation in transformation-processed Nb3Al wires at room temperature, the wire being bent with a small clamp fixture with a curvature. The polished cross-section parallel to the longitudinal axis was observed, using a high power optical microscope or a field-emission scanning electron microscope. The bend strain limit for microcrack formation is found, changing the radius of the curvature of the clamp. The bend strain limit was found to be around 0.3% for standard Nb3Al wires. This corresponds to the irreversible tensile strain limit of the Ic characteristics determined with a 0.1 µV cm-1 criterion. Reduction of the barrier thickness should be avoided to keep to the bend strain limit. A new configuration of the Nb3Al wire is demonstrated to improve the bend strain limit. The filament is divided into segments in the transverse cross-section. The wire is fabricated by a double-stacking method. The bend strain limit is enhanced to about 0.85% for the wire surface; the equivalent strain of the outermost filament location is about 0.66%. A simple react and wind test for this wire was performed, where the wire experienced 0.86% bend strain. The degradation of Jc was found to be very small.

Phylogenetic Analysis and Polyphasic Characterization of Clavibacter michiganensis Strains Isolated from Tomato Seeds Reveal that Nonpathogenic Strains Are Distinct from C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis

PubMed Central

Durand, Karine; Orgeur, Geoffrey; Balidas, Samuel; Fricot, Céline; Bonneau, Sophie; Quillévéré, Anne; Audusseau, Corinne; Olivier, Valérie; Grimault, Valérie; Mathis, René

2012-01-01

The genus Clavibacter comprises one species and five subspecies of plant-pathogenic bacteria, four of which are classified as quarantine organisms due to the high economic threat they pose. Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is one of the most important pathogens of tomato, but the recommended diagnostic tools are not satisfactory due to false-negative and/or -positive results. To provide a robust analysis of the genetic relatedness among a worldwide collection of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains, relatives (strains from the four other C. michiganensis subspecies), and nonpathogenic Clavibacter-like strains isolated from tomato, we performed multilocus sequence-based analysis and typing (MLSA and MLST) based on six housekeeping genes (atpD, dnaK, gyrB, ppK, recA, and rpoB). We compared this “framework” with phenotypic and genotypic characteristics such as pathogenicity on tomato, reaction to two antisera by immunofluorescence and to five PCR identification tests, and the presence of four genes encoding the main C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis pathogenicity determinants. We showed that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is monophyletic and is distinct from its closest taxonomic neighbors. The nonpathogenic Clavibacter-like strains were identified as C. michiganensis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These strains, while cross-reacting with C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis identification tools, are phylogenetically distinct from the pathogenic strains but belong to the C. michiganensis clade. C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis clonal complexes linked strains from highly diverse geographical origins and also strains isolated over long periods of time in the same location. This illustrates the importance of seed transmission in the worldwide dispersion of this pathogen and its survival and adaptation abilities in a new environment once introduced. PMID:23001675

Phylogenetic analysis and polyphasic characterization of Clavibacter michiganensis strains isolated from tomato seeds reveal that nonpathogenic strains are distinct from C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis.

PubMed

Jacques, Marie-Agnès; Durand, Karine; Orgeur, Geoffrey; Balidas, Samuel; Fricot, Céline; Bonneau, Sophie; Quillévéré, Anne; Audusseau, Corinne; Olivier, Valérie; Grimault, Valérie; Mathis, René

2012-12-01

The genus Clavibacter comprises one species and five subspecies of plant-pathogenic bacteria, four of which are classified as quarantine organisms due to the high economic threat they pose. Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is one of the most important pathogens of tomato, but the recommended diagnostic tools are not satisfactory due to false-negative and/or -positive results. To provide a robust analysis of the genetic relatedness among a worldwide collection of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains, relatives (strains from the four other C. michiganensis subspecies), and nonpathogenic Clavibacter-like strains isolated from tomato, we performed multilocus sequence-based analysis and typing (MLSA and MLST) based on six housekeeping genes (atpD, dnaK, gyrB, ppK, recA, and rpoB). We compared this "framework" with phenotypic and genotypic characteristics such as pathogenicity on tomato, reaction to two antisera by immunofluorescence and to five PCR identification tests, and the presence of four genes encoding the main C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis pathogenicity determinants. We showed that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is monophyletic and is distinct from its closest taxonomic neighbors. The nonpathogenic Clavibacter-like strains were identified as C. michiganensis using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. These strains, while cross-reacting with C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis identification tools, are phylogenetically distinct from the pathogenic strains but belong to the C. michiganensis clade. C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis clonal complexes linked strains from highly diverse geographical origins and also strains isolated over long periods of time in the same location. This illustrates the importance of seed transmission in the worldwide dispersion of this pathogen and its survival and adaptation abilities in a new environment once introduced.

A constitutive model accounting for strain ageing effects on work-hardening. Application to a C-Mn steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Sicong; Mazière, Matthieu; Forest, Samuel; Morgeneyer, Thilo F.; Rousselier, Gilles

2017-12-01

One of the most successful models for describing the Portevin-Le Chatelier effect in engineering applications is the Kubin-Estrin-McCormick model (KEMC). In the present work, the influence of dynamic strain ageing on dynamic recovery due to dislocation annihilation is introduced in order to improve the KEMC model. This modification accounts for additional strain hardening rate due to limited dislocation annihilation by the diffusion of solute atoms and dislocation pinning at low strain rate and/or high temperature. The parameters associated with this novel formulation are identified based on tensile tests for a C-Mn steel at seven temperatures ranging from 20 °C to 350 °C. The validity of the model and the improvement compared to existing models are tested using 2D and 3D finite element simulations of the Portevin-Le Chatelier effect in tension.

Genes for ribitol and D-arabitol catabolism in Escherichia coli: their loci in C strains and absence in K-12 and B strains.

PubMed Central

Reiner, A M

1975-01-01

Escherichia coli C strains can grow at the expense of the two natural pentitols ribitol and D-arabitol, sugar alcohols previously thought not to be utilized by E. coli. E. coli strains K-12 and B cannot utilize either compound. The genetic loci responsible for pentitol catabolism in E. coli C, designated rtl and atl, are separate and closely linked. Each lies between metG and his and is highly co-transducible with metG and with a P2 prophage attachment site. rtl and atl readily can be transduced into E. coli K-12 or B strains, in which they integrate at, or very near, their E. coli C location. Transduction also can be used to insert rtl and atl into certain E. coli K-12 F' plasmids. No recombination between E. coli C strains and either K-12 or B strains occurs within the rtl-atl genetic region after interstrain conjugations or transductions. No cryptic rtl or atl genes in K-12 or B strains can be detected by complementation, recombination, or mutagenesis. These results are consistent with the view that the rtl-atl portion of the E. coli C chromosome has no counterpart in E. coli K-12 or B and may have been obtained from an extrageneric source. Detailed biochemical and genetic comparisons of penitol utilization in E. coli and Klebsiella aerogenes are in progress. The ability to catabolize xylitol is conferred upon E. coli C strains by a mutation at or adjacent to the rtl locus, whereas in E. coli K-12 or B strains harboring rtl an additional mutation at a separate locus is required for xylitol utilization. PMID:1097416

Bulk photovoltaic effect at infrared wavelength in strained Bi2Te3 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yucong; Chen, Jiadong; Wang, Chao; Deng, Huiyong; Zhu, Da-Ming; Hu, Gujin; Chen, Xiaoshuang; Dai, Ning

2016-12-01

As a prominent three-dimensional (3-D) topological insulator, traditional thermoelectric material Bi2Te3 has re-attracted greater interest in recent years. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that c-axis oriented strained Bi2Te3 films exhibit the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) at infrared wavelengths, which was only found in wide band-gap ferroelectric materials before. Moreover, further experiments show that the bulk photovoltaic effect probably comes from the flexoelectric effect which was induced by the stress gradient in strained Bi2Te3 films. And we anticipate that the results are generalizable to other layer-structured or two-dimensional (2-D) materials, e.g., Bi2Se3 and MoS2.

Nanometre-scale 3D defects in Cr2AlC thin films.

PubMed

Chen, Y T; Music, D; Shang, L; Mayer, J; Schneider, J M

2017-04-20

MAX-phase Cr 2 AlC containing thin films were synthesized by magnetron sputtering in an industrial system. Nanometre-scale 3D defects are observed near the boundary between regions of Cr 2 AlC and of the disordered solid solution (CrAl) x C y . Shrinkage of the Cr-Cr interplanar distance and elongation of the Cr-Al distance in the vicinity of the defects are detected using transmission electron microscopy. The here observed deformation surrounding the defects was described using density functional theory by comparing the DOS of bulk Cr 2 AlC with the DOS of a strained and unstrained Cr 2 AlC(0001) surface. From the partial density of states analysis, it can be learned that Cr-C bonds are stronger than Cr-Al bonds in bulk Cr 2 AlC. Upon Cr 2 AlC(0001) surface formation, both bonds are weakened. While the Cr-C bonds recover their bulk strength as Cr 2 AlC(0001) is strained, the Cr-Al bonds experience only a partial recovery, still being weaker than their bulk counterparts. Hence, the strain induced bond strengthening in Cr 2 AlC(0001) is larger for Cr d - C p bonds than for Cr d - Al p bonds. The here observed changes in bonding due to the formation of a strained surface are consistent with the experimentally observed elongation of the Cr-Al distance in the vicinity of nm-scale 3D defects in Cr 2 AlC thin films.

Effect of crossing C57BL/6 and FVB mouse strains on basal cytokine expression.

PubMed

Szade, Agata; Nowak, Witold N; Szade, Krzysztof; Gese, Anna; Czypicki, Ryszard; Waś, Halina; Dulak, Józef; Józkowicz, Alicja

2015-01-01

C57BL/6 is the most often used laboratory mouse strain. However, sometimes it is beneficial to cross the transgenic mice on the C57BL/6 background to the other strain, such as FVB. Although this is a common strategy, the influence of crossing these different strains on homeostatic expression of cytokines is not known. Here we have investigated the differences in the expression of selected cytokines between C57BL/6J and C57BL/6JxFVB mice in serum and skeletal muscle. We have found that only few cytokines were altered by crossing of the strains. Concentrations of IL5, IL7, LIF, MIP-2, and IP-10 were higher in serum of C57BL/6J mice than in C57BL/6JxFVB mice, whereas concentration of G-CSF was lower in C57BL/6J. In the skeletal muscle only the concentration of VEGF was higher in C57BL/6J mice than in C57BL/6JxFVB mice. Concluding, the differences in cytokine expression upon crossing C57BL/6 and FVB strain in basal conditions are not profound.

Enhanced reactivity in dioxirane C-H oxidations via strain release: a computational and experimental study.

PubMed

Zou, Lufeng; Paton, Robert S; Eschenmoser, Albert; Newhouse, Timothy R; Baran, Phil S; Houk, K N

2013-04-19

The site selectivities and stereoselectivities of C-H oxidations of substituted cyclohexanes and trans-decalins by dimethyldioxirane (DMDO) were investigated computationally with quantum mechanical density functional theory (DFT). The multiconfiguration CASPT2 method was employed on model systems to establish the preferred mechanism and transition state geometry. The reaction pathway involving a rebound step is established to account for the retention of stereochemistry. The oxidation of sclareolide with dioxirane reagents is reported, including the oxidation by the in situ generated tBu-TFDO, a new dioxirane that better discriminates between C-H bonds on the basis of steric effects. The release of 1,3-diaxial strain in the transition state contributes to the site selectivity and enhanced equatorial C-H bond reactivity for tertiary C-H bonds, a result of the lowering of distortion energy. In addition to this strain release factor, steric and inductive effects contribute to the rates of C-H oxidation by dioxiranes.

A Filamentous Phage Associated with Recent Pandemic Vibrio parahaemolyticus O3:K6 Strains

PubMed Central

Nasu, Hatsumi; Iida, Tetsuya; Sugahara, Tomomi; Yamaichi, Yoshiharu; Park, Kwon-Sam; Yokoyama, Katsushi; Makino, Kozo; Shinagawa, Hideo; Honda, Takeshi

2000-01-01

A specific serotype, O3:K6, of Vibrio parahaemolyticus has recently been causing epidemics of gastroenteritis in Southeast Asia, Japan, and North America. To examine whether the new O3:K6 strains possess characteristics that may exacerbate outbreaks, we compared V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6 strains with non-O3:K6 strains using strains isolated from individuals with traveler's diarrhea at Kansai Airport Quarantine Station, Osaka, Japan. All 24 O3:K6 strains possessed a common plasmid, pO3K6 (DNA size, 8,782 bp, with 10 open reading frames [ORFs]). The gene organization of pO3K6 was similar to that of Vf33, a filamentous phage previously described in V. parahaemolyticus. We isolated a phage (phage f237) from the culture supernatant of V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6 strain KXV237, which formed a turbid plaque on an indicator strain. The genome of f237 was single-stranded DNA, and the double-stranded DNA obtained by treatment of the genome with DNA polymerase was identical to that of pO3K6 when analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis after HindIII digestion. Furthermore, the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the f237 major coat protein was found in ORF4 of pO3K6. Our results showed that pO3K6 is a replicative form of f237. Among the ORFs found in the f237 genome, the sequence of ORF8 had no significant homology to those of any proteins in databases. ORF8 was located on a region corresponding to the distinctive region of Vf33, and its G+C content was apparently lower than that of the remaining DNA sequence of f237. By colony hybridization, ORF8 was detected only in O3:K6 strains isolated since 1996 and was not found in O3:K6 strains isolated before 1996 and clinical V. parahaemolyticus strains other than those of serotype O3:K6. Thus, this study shows that f237 is exclusively associated with recent V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6 strains. The ORF8 gene can be a useful genetic marker for the identification of the recently widespread O3:K6 strains of V. parahaemolyticus. PMID:10834969

Ferroelectric domain structure of anisotropically strained NaNbO3 epitaxial thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarzkopf, J.; Braun, D.; Schmidbauer, M.; Duk, A.; Wördenweber, R.

2014-05-01

NaNbO3 thin films have been grown under anisotropic biaxial strain on several oxide substrates by liquid-delivery spin metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Compressive lattice strain of different magnitude, induced by the deposition of NaNbO3 films with varying film thickness on NdGaO3 single crystalline substrates, leads to modifications of film orientation and phase symmetry, which are similar to the phase transitions in Pb-containing oxides near the morphotropic phase boundary. Piezoresponse force microscopy measurements exhibit large out-of-plane polarization components, but no distinctive domain structure, while C-V measurements indicate relaxor properties in these films. When tensile strain is provoked by the epitaxial growth on DyScO3, TbScO3, and GdScO3 single crystalline substrates, NaNbO3 films behave rather like a normal ferroelectric. The application of these rare-earth scandate substrates yields well-ordered ferroelectric stripe domains of the type a1/a2 with coherent domain walls aligned along the [001] substrate direction as long as the films are fully strained. With increasing plastic lattice relaxation, initially, a 2D domain pattern with still exclusively in-plane electric polarization, and finally, domains with in-plane and out-of-plane polar components evolve.

Tuning the Electronic and Optical Properties of Two-Dimensional Graphene-like C_2N Nanosheet by Strain Engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phuc, Huynh V.; Tuan, Vu V.; Hieu, Nguyen N.; Ilyasov, Victor V.; Fedorov, Igor A.; Hoi, Bui D.; Phuong, Le T. T.; Hieu, Nguyen V.; Feddi, Elmustapha; Nguyen, Chuong V.

2018-05-01

Using density functional theory, we have studied the structural, electronic and optical properties of two-dimensional graphene-like C_2N nanosheet under in-plane strains. Our results indicate that the C_2N nanosheet is a semiconductor with a direct band gap of 1.70 eV at the equilibrium state opening between the highest valence band and lowest conduction band located at the Γ point. The band gap of the C_2N nanosheet decreases with the increasing of both uniaxial/biaxial strains. In the presence of the strain, we found band shift and band splitting of the occupied and unoccupied energy states of the valence and conduction bands, resulting in a decrease of the band gap. Furthermore, the absorption and reflectance spectra for the C_2N nanosheet have a broad peak around 2.6 eV, where a maximum absorption value is up to 3.2 × 10^{-5} cm^{-1} and reflectance is about 0.27%. Moreover, our calculations also show that the optical properties of the C_2N nanosheets can be controlled by applying the biaxial and uniaxial strains. The obtained results might provide potential applications for the C_2N nanosheets in nanoelectronics and optoelectronics.

Influence of endogenous plasmids on phenotypes of Pantoea vagans strain C9-1 associated with epiphytic fitness

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Pantoea vagans strain C9-1 is an effective biological control agent for fire blight of pear and apple. C9-1 carries three circular plasmids: pPag1 (168 kb), pPag2 (166 kb), and pPag3 (530 kb). Of these, pPag3, a member of the large Pantoea plasmid family, was proposed to contribute to epiphytic fitn...

Characterization of 3C-SiC Films Grown on 4H- and 6H-SiC Substrate Mesas During Step-Free Surface Heteroepitaxy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.; Powel J. Anthony; Spry, David J.; Trunek, Andrew J.; Huang, Xianrong; Vetter, William M.; Dudley, Michael; Skowronski, Marek; Liu, Jinqiang

2002-01-01

This paper reports detailed structural characterization of 3C-SiC heteroepitaxial films grown on 4H- and 6H-SiC mesa surfaces. 3C-SiC heterofilms grown by the "step-free surface heteroepitaxy" process, free of double-positioning boundary (DPB) and stacking-fault (SF) defects, were compared to less-optimized 3C-SiC heterofilms using High Resolution X-ray Diffraction (HRXRD), High Resolution Cross-sectional Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRXTEM), molten potassium hydroxide (KOH) etching, and dry thermal oxidation. The results suggest that step free surface heteroepitaxy enables remarkably benign partial lattice mismatch strain relief during heterofilm growth.

Strain differences in the proteome of dioxin-sensitive and dioxin-resistant mice treated with 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin.

PubMed

Nguyen, Hoa Thanh; Tsuchiya, Maria Claret Lauan; Yoo, Jean; Iida, Midori; Agusa, Tetsuro; Hirano, Masashi; Kim, Eun-Young; Miyazaki, Tatsuhiko; Nose, Masato; Iwata, Hisato

2017-04-01

Dioxins cause various toxic effects through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) in vertebrates, with dramatic species and strain differences in susceptibility. Although inbred mouse strains C3H/HeJ-lpr/lpr (C3H/lpr) and MRL/MpJ-lpr/lpr (MRL/lpr) are known as dioxin-sensitive and dioxin-resistant mice, respectively, the molecular mechanism underlying this difference remains unclear. The difference in the hepatic proteome of the two mouse strains treated with vehicle or 2,3,7,8-tetrabromodibenzo-p-dioxin (TBDD) was investigated by a proteomic approach of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight/time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF). To confirm the strain-difference in response to TBDD treatment, cytochrome P450 (CYP) 1A1 and 1A2 protein levels were measured in both strains. A dose of 10 µg/kg body weight of TBDD induced hepatic CYP1A1 and CYP1A2 expression in both strains, but the expression levels of both CYP1A proteins were higher in C3H/lpr mice than in MRL/lpr mice, supporting that C3H/lpr mice are more sensitive to dioxins than MRL/lpr mice. Proteins that were more induced or suppressed by TBDD treatment in C3H/lpr mice were successfully identified by 2-DE and MALDI-TOF/TOF, including proteins responsible for AHR activation through production of endogenous ligands such as aspartate aminotransferase, indolethylamine N-methyltransferase, and aldehyde dehydrogenases, as well as proteins reducing oxidative stress, such as superoxide dismutase and peroxiredoxins. Taken together, our results provide insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the high dioxin susceptibility of the C3H/lpr strain, in which AHR activation by TBDD is more prompted by the production of endogenous ligands, but the adaptation to oxidative stress is also acquired.

A C. trachomatis Cloning Vector and the Generation of C. trachomatis Strains Expressing Fluorescent Proteins under the Control of a C. trachomatis Promoter

PubMed Central

Agaisse, Hervé; Derré, Isabelle

2013-01-01

Here we describe a versatile cloning vector for conducting genetic experiments in C. trachomatis. We successfully expressed various fluorescent proteins (i.e. GFP, mCherry and CFP) from C. trachomatis regulatory elements (i.e. the promoter and terminator of the incDEFG operon) and showed that the transformed strains produced wild type amounts of infectious particles and recapitulated major features of the C. trachomatis developmental cycle. C. trachomatis strains expressing fluorescent proteins are valuable tools for studying the C. trachomatis developmental cycle. For instance, we show the feasibility of investigating the dynamics of inclusion fusion and interaction with host proteins and organelles by time-lapse video microscopy. PMID:23441233

BALB/c and C57BL6 mouse strains vary in their ability to heal corneal epithelial debridement wounds

PubMed Central

Pal-Ghosh, Sonali; Tadvalkar, Gauri; Jurjus, Rosalyn A.; Zieske, James D.; Stepp, Mary Ann

2008-01-01

Genetically engineered mice are usually produced on a mixed genetic background and can be derived from several mouse strains including 129SvJ, C57BL6, and BALB/c. To determine whether differences in recurrent corneal epithelial erosions (RCEEs), corneal epithelial stem cell deficiency (CESCD), and cell migration rate vary between two different mouse strains (BALB/c and C57BL6), 8 week mice were subjected to 1.5 (small) or 2.8 mm (large) manual debridement wounds and allowed to heal for 4 weeks. Syndecan-1 (sdc-1) null mice backcrossed seven generations onto a BALB/c genetic background were also included in the RCEE and CESCD studies to permit comparisons between genotypes within a single strain. After sacrifice, corneas were assessed for the presence of recurrent erosions; no fewer than 15 corneas were used for each strain or genotype studied. Data show that the frequency of recurrent erosions after small wounds was 81 +/− 9% in the C57BL6 mice, 73 +/− 2% in the BALB/c mice, and 32 +/− 6% in sdc-1 null mice. Neither strain developed CESCD after small wounds. The frequency of erosions after large wounds was greater (88 +/− 8%) in the C57BL6 mice compared to BALB/c (60 +/− 2%), and sdc-1 null mice (32 +/− 5%). 4 weeks after the large wounds, fixed, flat mounted corneas were assessed for evidence of CESCD with antibodies against the conjunctival keratin K8 and the goblet cell marker, the mucin Muc5AC. The frequency of CESCD 4 weeks after the large wounds was significantly greater in the C57BL6 mice than in the BALB/c or sdc-1 null mice. To assess cell migration rates, corneas were subjected to 1.5 mm wounds and allowed to heal for 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24 hours. After sacrifice, corneas were stained with Richardson stain (BALB/c) or propidium iodide (C57BL6) to assess reepithelialization rates. While reepithelialization rates were similar for the early times after wounding, by 24 hours the C57BL6 corneas had healed faster: 16 of 30 corneas from the C57BL6

Strain induced optical properties of BaReO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumavat, Sandip R.; Kansara, Shivam; Gupta, Sanjeev K.; Sonvane, Yogesh

2018-05-01

Here, we have performed strain induce optical properties of BaReO3 by using density functional theory (DFT). We noticed that after applying intrinsic and extrinsic strain to the BaReO3, it shows the metallic behavior. We also studied optical properties, which show good activity in the ultraviolet region. The results show that after applying intrinsic and extrinsic strain to BaReO3 the absorption peaks are shifted towards the high UV region of the spectrum. Thus, we concluded that, BaReO3 material with extrinsic strain can be useful for high frequency UV device and optoelectronic devices.

Diversity of HIV-1 subtype C strains isolated in Romania.

PubMed

Paraschiv, Simona; Foley, Brian; Otelea, Dan

2011-03-01

Two unique aspects particularities of the HIV-1 epidemics in Romania are the high prevalence of subtype F1 strains and the large pediatric population infected in the late 1980s and early 1990s. During recent years, more infections with other subtypes have been seen in newly diagnosed patients. After subtype B, subtype C was the most frequent one. This subtype is prevalent in countries from sub-Saharan Africa and India, being responsible for half of the total HIV-1 infections in the world. We have identified 37 patients infected with subtype C, sequenced the reverse transcriptase and protease regions of their pol genes, and applied phylogenetic analyses to the sequences. We have also included 20 subtype F1 strains isolated from both teenagers (children at the time of diagnosis) and adults. The phylogenetic analysis was performed by using the PhyML method, the GTR (general time reversible) model of evolution and gamma distribution of variability of rates between sites, empirically calculated from the data. The epidemiological data indicates that the main route of transmission for the adult subjects was by heterosexual contact and a relatively small number of patients were possibly infected abroad. In three cases, blood transfusion prior to 1989 or surgical procedures at early ages were suspected to be the cause of the HIV infection and three other patients were most probably parenterally infected. The phylogenetic analyses showed that the Romanian C strains are very diverse overall, clustered in several groups characterized by common transmission route (transfusion/surgical procedures) or local geographical relatedness. The HIV-1 epidemics in Romania apparently followed different patterns for subtypes F and C. While subtype F1 seems to have been monoclonally introduced and extensively spread in the 80s, the subtype C strains, although present in the late 80s, failed to spread to the same extent. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strain tuning of electronic structure in Bi 4Ti 3O 12-LaCoO 3 epitaxial thin films

DOE PAGES

Choi, Woo Seok; Lee, Ho Nyung

2015-05-08

In this study, we investigated the crystal and electronic structures of ferroelectric Bi 4Ti 3O 12 single-crystalline thin films site-specifically substituted with LaCoO 3 (LCO). The epitaxial films were grown by pulsed laser epitaxy on NdGaO 3 and SrTiO 3 substrates to vary the degree of strain. With increasing the LCO substitution, we observed a systematic increase in the c-axis lattice constant of the Aurivillius phase related with the modification of pseudo-orthorhombic unit cells. These compositional and structural changes resulted in a systematic decrease in the band gap, i.e., the optical transition energy between the oxygen 2p and transition-metal 3dmore » states, based on a spectroscopic ellipsometry study. In particular, the Co 3d state seems to largely overlap with the Ti t 2g state, decreasing the band gap. Interestingly, the applied tensile strain facilitates the band-gap narrowing, demonstrating that epitaxial strain is a useful tool to tune the electronic structure of ferroelectric transition-metal oxides.« less

Financial strain, inflammatory factors, and haemoglobin A1c levels in African American women.

PubMed

Cutrona, Carolyn E; Abraham, William T; Russell, Daniel W; Beach, Steven R H; Gibbons, Frederick X; Gerrard, Meg; Monick, Martha; Philibert, Robert

2015-09-01

Type 2 diabetes disproportionately affects African American women, a population exposed to high levels of stress, including financial strain (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, 2011, http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2011.pdf). We tested a mediational model in which chronic financial strain among African American women contributes to elevated serum inflammation markers, which, in turn, lead to increased haemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) levels and risk for type 2 diabetes. We assessed level of financial strain four times over a 10-year period and tested its effect on two serum inflammation markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) and soluble interleukin-6 receptor (sIL-6R) in year 11 of the study. We tested the inflammation markers as mediators in the association between chronic financial strain and HbA1c, an index of average blood glucose level over several months. Data were from 312 non-diabetic African American women from the Family and Community Health Study (FACHS; Cutrona et al., 2000, J. Pers. Soc. Psychol., 79, 1088). Chronic financial strain predicted circulating sIL-6R after controlling for age, BMI, health behaviours, and physical health measures. In turn, sIL-6R significantly predicted HbA1c levels. The path between chronic financial strain and HbA1c was significantly mediated by sIL-6R. Contrary to prediction, CRP was not predicted by chronic financial strain. Results support the role of inflammatory factors in mediating the effects of psychosocial stressors on risk for type 2 diabetes. Findings have implications for interventions that boost economic security and foster effective coping as well as medical interventions that reduce serum inflammation to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes. © 2014 The British Psychological Society.

Absence of strong strain effects in behavioral analyses of Shank3-deficient mice

PubMed Central

Drapeau, Elodie; Dorr, Nate P.; Elder, Gregory A.; Buxbaum, Joseph D.

2014-01-01

Haploinsufficiency of SHANK3, caused by chromosomal abnormalities or mutations that disrupt one copy of the gene, leads to a neurodevelopmental syndrome called Phelan-McDermid syndrome, symptoms of which can include absent or delayed speech, intellectual disability, neurological changes and autism spectrum disorders. The SHANK3 protein forms a key structural part of the post-synaptic density. We previously generated and characterized mice with a targeted disruption of Shank3 in which exons coding for the ankyrin-repeat domain were deleted and expression of full-length Shank3 was disrupted. We documented specific deficits in synaptic function and plasticity, along with reduced reciprocal social interactions, in Shank3 heterozygous mice. Changes in phenotype owing to a mutation at a single locus are quite frequently modulated by other loci, most dramatically when the entire genetic background is changed. In mice, each strain of laboratory mouse represents a distinct genetic background and alterations in phenotype owing to gene knockout or transgenesis are frequently different across strains, which can lead to the identification of important modifier loci. We have investigated the effect of genetic background on phenotypes of Shank3 heterozygous, knockout and wild-type mice, using C57BL/6, 129SVE and FVB/Ntac strain backgrounds. We focused on observable behaviors with the goal of carrying out subsequent analyses to identify modifier loci. Surprisingly, there were very modest strain effects over a large battery of analyses. These results indicate that behavioral phenotypes associated with Shank3 haploinsufficiency are largely strain-independent. PMID:24652766

Reduction of Heavy Metals by Cytochrome c(3)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

ABDELOUAS,A.; GONG,W.L.; LUTZE,W.

2000-01-18

We report on reduction and precipitation of Se(VI), Pb(II), CU(II), U(VI), Mo(VI), and Cr(VI) in water by cytochrome c{sub 3} isolated from Desulfomicrobium baczdatum [strain 9974]. The tetraheme protein cytochrome c{sub 3} was reduced by sodium dithionite. Redox reactions were monitored by UV-visible spectroscopy of cytochrome c{sub 3}. Analytical electron microscopy work showed that Se(VI), Pb(II), and CU(II) were reduced to the metallic state, U(W) and Mo(W) to U(IV) and Mo(IV), respectively, and Cr(VI) probably to Cr(III). U(IV) and Mo(W) precipitated as oxides and Cr(III) as an amorphous hydroxide. Cytochrome c{sub 3} was used repeatedly in the same solution withoutmore » loosing its effectiveness. The results suggest usage of cytochrome c{sub 3} to develop innovative and environmentally benign methods to remove heavy metals from waste- and groundwater.« less

Strain driven sequential magnetic transitions in strained GdTiO3 on compressive substrates: a first-principles study.

PubMed

Yang, Li-Juan; Weng, Ya-Kui; Zhang, Hui-Min; Dong, Shuai

2014-11-26

The compressive strain effect on the magnetic ground state and electronic structure of strained GdTiO3 has been studied using the first-principles method. Unlike the cases of congeneric YTiO3 and LaTiO3, both of which become the A-type antiferromagnetism on the (0 0 1) LaAlO3 substrate despite their contrastive magnetism, the ground state of strained GdTiO3 on the LaAlO3 substrate changes from the original ferromagnetism to a G-type antiferromagnetim, instead of the A-type one although Gd(3+) is between Y(3+) and La(3+). It is only when the in-plane compressive strain is large enough, e.g. on the (0 0 1) YAlO3 substrate, that the ground state finally becomes the A-type. The band structure calculation shows that the compressive strained GdTiO3 remains insulating, although the band gap changes a little in the strained GdTiO3.

Isolation of Thermus strains from hot composts (60 to 80 degrees C).

PubMed Central

Beffa, T; Blanc, M; Lyon, P F; Vogt, G; Marchiani, M; Fischer, J L; Aragno, M

1996-01-01

High numbers (10(7) to 10(10) cells per g [dry weight]) of heterotrophic, gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-sporeforming, aerobic, thermophilic bacteria related to the genus Thermus were isolated from thermogenic composts at temperatures between 65 and 82 degrees C. These bacteria were present in different types of wastes (garden and kitchen wastes and sewage sludge) and in all the industrial composting systems studied (open-air windows, boxes with automated turning and aeration, and closed bioreactors with aeration). Isolates grew fast on a rich complex medium at temperatures between 40 and 80 degrees C, with optimum growth between 65 and 75 degrees C. Nutritional characteristics, total protein profiles, DNA-DNA hybridization (except strain JT4), and restriction fragment length polymorphism profiles of the DNAs coding for the 16S rRNAs (16S rDNAs) showed that Thermus strains isolated from hot composts were closely related to Thermus thermophilus HB8. These newly isolated T. thermophilus strains have probably adapted to the conditions in the hot-compost ecosystem. Heterotrophic, ovalspore-forming, thermophilic bacilli were also isolated from hot composts, but none of the isolates was able to grow at temperatures above 70 degrees C. This is the first report of hot composts as habitats for a high number of thermophilic bacteria related to the genus Thermus. Our study suggests that Thermus strains play an important role in organic-matter degradation during the thermogenic phase (65 to 80 degrees C) of the composting process. PMID:8633870

Genomic and antigenic characterization of bovine parainfluenze-3 viruses in the United States including modified live virus vaccine (MLV) strains and field strains from cattle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study investigated the genetic and antigenic characterization of parainfluenza-3 virus (PI3V) of cattle. Using molecular tests including real time PCR and viral genome sequencing, PI3V strains could be separated into PI3V types, including PI3V A, PI3V B, and PI3V C. Isolates from cattle with bo...

The pressure dependence of physical properties of (W2/3Ti1/3)3AlC2 and its counterpart W3AlC2 by first-principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yefei; Sun, Liang; Xing, Jiandong; Ma, Shengqiang; Zheng, Qiaoling; Liu, Yangzhen

2017-12-01

First-principles calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) were used to investigate the mechanical properties, elastic anisotropy, electronic structure, optical properties and thermodynamic properties of a new quaternary MAX phase (W2/3Ti1/3)3AlC2 and its counterpart W3AlC2 under hydrostatic pressure. The results indicate that the volumetric shrinkage of (W2/3Ti1/3)3AlC2 is faster than that of axial shrinkage under hydrostatic pressure. The stress-strain method and Voigt-Reuss-Hill approximation were used to calculate elastic constants and moduli, respectively. These compounds are mechanically stable under hydrostatic pressure. Moreover, the moduli of (W2/3Ti1/3)3AlC2 and W3AlC2 increase with an increase in pressure. The anisotropic indexes and surface constructions of bulk and Young’s moduli were used to illustrate the mechanical anisotropy under hydrostatic pressure. Electronic structure and optical property of (W2/3Ti1/3)3AlC2 and W3AlC2 have also been discussed. The results of Debye temperature reveal that the covalent bonds among atoms in (W2/3Ti1/3)3AlC2 may be stronger than that of W3AlC2. The heat capacity, Cp-Cv, and thermal expansion coefficient of (W2/3Ti1/3)3AlC2 and W3AlC2 were discussed in the ranges of 0-30 GPa and 0-2000 K using quasi-harmonic Debye model considering the phonon effects.

Engineering epitaxial γ-Al2O3 gate dielectric films on 4H-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanner, Carey M.; Toney, Michael F.; Lu, Jun; Blom, Hans-Olof; Sawkar-Mathur, Monica; Tafesse, Melat A.; Chang, Jane P.

2007-11-01

The formation of epitaxial γ-Al2O3 thin films on 4H-SiC was found to be strongly dependent on the film thickness. An abrupt interface was observed in films up to 200 Å thick with an epitaxial relationship of γ-Al2O3(111)‖4H-SiC(0001) and γ-Al2O3(44¯0)‖4H-SiC(112¯0). The in-plane alignment between the film and the substrate is nearly complete for γ-Al2O3 films up to 115 Å thick, but quickly diminishes in thicker films. The films are found to be slightly strained laterally in tension; the strain increases with thickness and then decreases in films thicker than 200 Å, indicating strain relaxation which is accompanied by increased misorientation. By controlling the structure of ultrathin Al2O3 films, metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with Al2O3 gate dielectrics on 4H-SiC were found to have a very low leakage current density, suggesting suitability of Al2O3 for SiC device integration.

High electromechanical strain and enhanced temperature characteristics in lead-free (Na,Bi)TiO3-BaTiO3 thin films on Si substrates.

PubMed

Tanaka, Yoshiaki; Okamoto, Shoji; Hashimoto, Kazuya; Takayama, Ryoichi; Harigai, Takakiyo; Adachi, Hideaki; Fujii, Eiji

2018-05-18

Here, we demonstrate the high electromechanical strain and enhanced temperature characteristics in the c-axis-oriented lead-free (Na,Bi)TiO 3 -BaTiO 3 (NBT-BT) polycrystalline thin film prepared on Si substrates by rf magnetron sputtering. The effective transverse piezoelectric coefficient, e 31 * , estimated from the electromechanical strain measured under high electric field, reaches a high level of -12.5 C/m 2 , and is comparable to those of conventional Pb(Zr,Ti)O 3 films. In-situ X-ray diffraction measurement and electron diffraction analysis revealed the electromechanical strain of the NBT-BT film to originate predominantly in elongation of the tetragonal (P4bm) crystal lattice in the c-axis direction. In addition to the large e 31 * , the NBT-BT film exhibits enhanced permittivity maximum temperature, T m , of ~400 °C and no depolarization below T m , as compared to bulk NBT-BT having T m ≈ 300 °C and a depolarization temperature of ~100 °C. We conclude that the enhancement of temperature characteristics is associated with the distorted P4bm crystal lattice formed by deposition-induced stress and defects. We believe that the present study paves the way for practical applications of lead-free piezoelectric thin films in electromechanical devices.

Mutant strain of C. acetobutylicum and process for making butanol

DOEpatents

Jain, Mahendra K.; Beacom, Daniel; Datta, Rathin

1993-01-01

A biologically pure asporogenic mutant of Clostridium acetobutylicum is produced by growing sporogenic C. acetobutylicum ATCC 4259 and treating the parent strain with ethane methane sulfonate. The mutant which as been designated C. acetobutylicum ATCC 55025 is useful in an improved ABE fermentation process, and produces high concentrations of butanol and total solvents.

Experimental reinfection of BALB/c mice with different recombinant type I/III strains of Toxoplasma gondii: involvement of IFN-gamma and IL-10.

PubMed

Brandão, Geane Peroni; Melo, Maria Norma; Gazzinelli, Ricardo Tostes; Caetano, Braulia Costa; Ferreira, Adriana Melo; Silva, Letícia Azevedo; Vitor, Ricardo Wagner Almeida

2009-03-01

To assess reinfection of BALB/c mice with different Toxoplasma gondii strains, the animals were prime infected with the non-virulent D8 strain and challenged with virulent recombinant strains. Thirty days after challenge, brain cysts were obtained from surviving BALB/c mice and inoculated in Swiss mice to obtain tachyzoites for DNA extraction and PCR-RFLP analysis to distinguish the different T. gondii strains present in possible co-infections. Anti-Toxoplasma immune responses were evaluated in D8-primed BALB/c mice by detecting IFN-gamma and IL-10 produced by T cells and measuring immunoglobulin levels in serum samples. PCR-RFLP demonstrated that BALB/c mice were reinfected with the EGS strain at 45 days post prime infection (dpi) and with the EGS and CH3 strains at 180 dpi. High levels of IFN-gamma were detected after D8 infection, with no significant difference between 45 and 180-day intervals. However, higher IL-10 levels and higher plasmatic IgG1 and IgA were detected from samples obtained 180 days after infection. BALB/c mice were susceptible to reinfection with different recombinant T. gondii strains and this susceptibility correlated with enhancement of IL-10 production.

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) hyperproduction by a global nitrogen regulator NtrB mutant strain of Paracoccus denitrificans PD1222

PubMed Central

Olaya-Abril, Alfonso; Luque-Almagro, Víctor M; Manso, Isabel; Gates, Andrew J; Moreno-Vivián, Conrado; Richardson, David J

2017-01-01

Abstract Paracoccus denitrificans PD1222 accumulates short-length polyhydroxyalkanoates, poly(3-hydroxybutyrate), under nitrogen-deficient conditions. Polyhydroxybutyrate metabolism requires the 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase PhaA, the acetoacetyl-CoA dehydrogenase/reductase PhaB and the synthase PhaC for polymerization. Additionally, P. denitrificans PD1222 grows aerobically with nitrate as sole nitrogen source. Nitrate assimilation is controlled negatively by ammonium through the two-component NtrBC system. NtrB is a sensor kinase that autophosphorylates a histidine residue under low-nitrogen concentrations and, in turn, transfers a phosphoryl group to an aspartate residue of the response regulator NtrC protein, which acts as a transcriptional activator of the P. denitrificans PD1222 nasABGHC genes. The P. denitrificans PD1222 NtrB mutant was unable to use nitrate efficiently as nitrogen source when compared to the wild-type strain, and it also overproduced poly(3-hydroxybutyrate). Acetyl-CoA concentration in the P. denitrificans PD1222 NtrB mutant strain was higher than in the wild-type strain. The expression of the phaC gene was also increased in the NtrB mutant when compared to the wild-type strain. These results suggest that accumulation of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) in the NtrB mutant strain of PD1222 responds to the high levels of acetyl-CoA that accumulate in the cytoplasm as consequence of its inability to efficiently use nitrate as nitrogen source. PMID:29228177

Understanding overpressure in the FAA aerosol can test by C3H2F3Br (2-BTP)✩

PubMed Central

Linteris, Gregory Thomas; Babushok, Valeri Ivan; Pagliaro, John Leonard; Burgess, Donald Raymond; Manion, Jeffrey Alan; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Katta, Viswanath Reddy; Baker, Patrick Thomas

2018-01-01

Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations, as well as perfectly-stirred reactor (PSR) simulations with detailed reaction kinetics, are performed for a potential halon replacement, C3H2F3Br (2-BTP, C3H2F3Br, 2-Bromo-3,3,3-trifluoropropene), to understand the reasons for the unexpected enhanced combustion rather than suppression in a mandated FAA test. The high pressure rise with added agent is shown to depend on the amount of agent, and is well-predicted by an equilibrium model corresponding to stoichiometric reaction of fuel, oxygen, and agent. A kinetic model for the reaction of C3H2F3Br in hydrocarbon-air flames has been applied to understand differences in the chemical suppression behavior of C3H2F3Br vs. CF3Br in the FAA test. Stirred-reactor simulations predict that in the conditions of the FAA test, the inhibition effectiveness of C3H2F3Br at high agent loadings is relatively insensitive to the overall stoichiometry (for fuel-lean conditions), and the marginal inhibitory effect of the agent is greatly reduced, so that the mixture remains flammable over a wide range of conditions. Most important, the flammability of the agent-air mixtures themselves (when compressively preheated), can support low-strain flames which are much more difficult to extinguish than the easy-to extinguish, high-strain primary fireball from the impulsively released fuel mixture. Hence, the exothermic reaction of halogenated hydrocarbons in air should be considered in other situations with strong ignition sources and low strain flows, especially at preheated conditions. PMID:29628525

Common genomic features of Campylobacter jejuni subsp. doylei strains distinguish them from C. jejuni subsp. jejuni

PubMed Central

Parker, Craig T; Miller, William G; Horn, Sharon T; Lastovica, Albert J

2007-01-01

Background Campylobacter jejuni has been divided into two subspecies: C. jejuni subsp. jejuni (Cjj) and C. jejuni subsp. doylei (Cjd). Nearly all of the C. jejuni strains isolated are Cjj; nevertheless, although Cjd strains are isolated infrequently, they differ from Cjj in two key aspects: they are obtained primarily from human clinical samples and are associated often with bacteremia, in addition to gastroenteritis. In this study, we utilized multilocus sequence typing (MLST) and a DNA microarray-based comparative genomic indexing (CGI) approach to examine the genomic diversity and gene content of Cjd strains. Results A geographically diverse collection of eight Cjd strains was examined by MLST and determined to be phylogenetically distinct from Cjj strains. Microarray-based CGI approach also supported this. We were able to demonstrate that Cjd strains exhibited divergence from Cjj strains NCTC 11168 and RM1221 in many of the intraspecies hypervariable regions. Moreover, multiple metabolic, transport and virulence functions (e.g. cytolethal distending toxin) were shown to be absent in the Cjd strains examined. Conclusion Our data demonstrate that Cjd are phylogenetically distinct from Cjj strains. Using the CGI approach, we identified subsets of absent genes from amongst the C. jejuni genes that provide clues as to the potential evolutionary origin and unusual pathogenicity of Cjd. PMID:17535437

3,6-Anhydro-L-galactonate cycloisomerase from Vibrio sp. strain EJY3: crystallization and X-ray crystallographic analysis.

PubMed

Lee, Saeyoung; Yun, Eun Ju; Kim, Kyoung Heon; Kim, Hye Yeon; Choi, In Geol

2017-09-01

3,6-Anhydro-L-galactonate cycloisomerase (ACI), which is found in the marine bacterium Vibrio sp. strain EJY3, converts 3,6-anhydro-L-galactonate into 2-keto-3-deoxygalactonate. ACI is a key enzyme in the metabolic pathway of 3,6-anhydro-L-galactose (AHG). Study of AHG metabolism is important for the efficient fermentation of agar and biofuel production, because AHG is a sugar that is non-fermentable by commercial microorganisms. The aci gene from Vibrio sp. strain EJY3 was cloned, and the recombinant protein was overexpressed and crystallized in order to determine the structure and understand the function of the protein. The crystals diffracted to 2.2 Å resolution and belonged to space group P4 1 2 1 2 or P4 3 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 87.9, c = 143.5 Å. The Matthews coefficient was 2.3 Å 3  Da -1 , with a solvent content of 47%.

Characterisation of two quorum sensing systems in the endophytic Serratia plymuthica strain G3: differential control of motility and biofilm formation according to life-style.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoguang; Jia, Jinli; Popat, Roman; Ortori, Catherine A; Li, Jun; Diggle, Stephen P; Gao, Kexiang; Cámara, Miguel

2011-02-01

N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum sensing (QS) systems have been described in many plant-associated Gram-negative bacteria to control certain beneficial phenotypic traits, such as production of biocontrol factors and plant growth promotion. However, the role of AHL-mediated signalling in the endophytic strains of plant-associated Serratia is still poorly understood. An endophytic Serratia sp. G3 with biocontrol potential and high levels of AHL signal production was isolated from the stems of wheat and the role of QS in this isolate was determined. Strain G3 classified as Serratia plymuthica based on 16S rRNA was subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Using primers to conserved sequences of luxIR homologues from the Serratia genus, splIR and spsIR from the chromosome of strain G3 were cloned and sequenced. AHL profiles from strain G3 and Escherichia coli DH5α expressing splI or spsI from recombinant plasmids were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This revealed that the most abundant AHL signals produced by SplI in E. coli were N-3-oxo-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL), N-3-oxo-heptanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C7-HSL), N-3-hydroxy-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-hydroxy-C6-HSL), N-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (C6-HSL), and N-heptanoyl homoserine lactone (C7-HSL); whereas SpsI was primarily responsible for the synthesis of N-butyrylhomoserine lactone (C4-HSL) and N-pentanoylhomoserine lactone (C5-HSL). Furthermore, a quorum quenching analysis by heterologous expression of the Bacillus A24 AiiA lactonase in strain G3 enabled the identification of the AHL-regulated biocontrol-related traits. Depletion of AHLs with this lactonase resulted in altered adhesion and biofilm formation using a microtiter plate assay and flow cells coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy respectively. This was different from the closely related S. plymuthica strains HRO-C48 and RVH1, where biofilm formation for both strains is AHL

Characterisation of two quorum sensing systems in the endophytic Serratia plymuthica strain G3: differential control of motility and biofilm formation according to life-style

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background N-acylhomoserine lactone (AHL)-based quorum sensing (QS) systems have been described in many plant-associated Gram-negative bacteria to control certain beneficial phenotypic traits, such as production of biocontrol factors and plant growth promotion. However, the role of AHL-mediated signalling in the endophytic strains of plant-associated Serratia is still poorly understood. An endophytic Serratia sp. G3 with biocontrol potential and high levels of AHL signal production was isolated from the stems of wheat and the role of QS in this isolate was determined. Results Strain G3 classified as Serratia plymuthica based on 16S rRNA was subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Using primers to conserved sequences of luxIR homologues from the Serratia genus, splIR and spsIR from the chromosome of strain G3 were cloned and sequenced. AHL profiles from strain G3 and Escherichia coli DH5α expressing splI or spsI from recombinant plasmids were identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This revealed that the most abundant AHL signals produced by SplI in E. coli were N-3-oxo-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C6-HSL), N-3-oxo-heptanoylhomoserine lactone (3-oxo-C7-HSL), N-3-hydroxy-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (3-hydroxy-C6-HSL), N-hexanoylhomoserine lactone (C6-HSL), and N-heptanoyl homoserine lactone (C7-HSL); whereas SpsI was primarily responsible for the synthesis of N-butyrylhomoserine lactone (C4-HSL) and N-pentanoylhomoserine lactone (C5-HSL). Furthermore, a quorum quenching analysis by heterologous expression of the Bacillus A24 AiiA lactonase in strain G3 enabled the identification of the AHL-regulated biocontrol-related traits. Depletion of AHLs with this lactonase resulted in altered adhesion and biofilm formation using a microtiter plate assay and flow cells coupled with confocal laser scanning microscopy respectively. This was different from the closely related S. plymuthica strains HRO-C48 and RVH1, where biofilm formation for both strains is

Strain driven sequential magnetic transitions in strained GdTiO3 on compressive substrates: a first-principles study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Li-Juan; Weng, Ya-Kui; Zhang, Hui-Min; Dong, Shuai

2014-11-01

The compressive strain effect on the magnetic ground state and electronic structure of strained GdTiO3 has been studied using the first-principles method. Unlike the cases of congeneric YTiO3 and LaTiO3, both of which become the A-type antiferromagnetism on the (0 0 1) LaAlO3 substrate despite their contrastive magnetism, the ground state of strained GdTiO3 on the LaAlO3 substrate changes from the original ferromagnetism to a G-type antiferromagnetim, instead of the A-type one although Gd3+ is between Y3+ and La3+. It is only when the in-plane compressive strain is large enough, e.g. on the (0 0 1) YAlO3 substrate, that the ground state finally becomes the A-type. The band structure calculation shows that the compressive strained GdTiO3 remains insulating, although the band gap changes a little in the strained GdTiO3.

The effect of static and cyclic axial strain on I sub c of cable in conduit net subcables

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Specking, W.; Klemm, M.; Flukiger, R.

1991-03-01

This paper reports on the effect of static and cyclic axial strain, {epsilon}{sub a}, on the critical current, l{sub c}, of Nb{sub 3}Sn Cable in Conduit (CIC) subconductors measured at l{sub c} {le} 10 kA and magnetic fields of B {le} 12.5 T. The conductors exhibit a maximum of l{sub c} at {epsilon}{sub a} {approx} 0.7% and a degradation of l{sub c} being about 50% at {epsilon}{sub a} = 0 and B = 12.5 T. As a major result, the l{sub c} vs {epsilon}{sub a} characteristic is unaffected up to 10{sup 3} strain cycles at {epsilon}{sub a} {le} 1%. Themore » subcables were fabricated by ABB within the frame of the European Fusion Technology Program designing a 40 kA/12.5 T CIC conductor for the NET OH coils following the wind and react technique. Two different types of cable were developed, based either on a braid or on a triplet cable, inserted in a stainless steel jacket with 44% void fraction. For both cables a modified jelly roll (MJR) processed basic Nb{sub 3}Sn wire was used.« less

Influence of axial tensile strain on the electronic and structural properties as well as NO gas sensitivity and reactivity of C-doped SW-BNNTs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roohi, Hossein; Maleki, Layla

2017-11-01

The insulating character of BNNTs strongly imposes a great restriction on their applicability in nano-electronic devices. Therefore, it is desirable to find the practical routes for reducing the H-L gap. In this work, we demonstrate that the structural and electronic properties of the C-doped SW-BNNT can be significantly engineered and tuned by applying the axial tensile strain. Defect formation energies, cohesive energies, dipole moments, NBO charges, and global reactivity descriptors for un-doped SW-BNNT and C1-3-doped SW-BNNTs are calculated upon the axial strain. The B3LYP/6-31 +G(d) calculated H-L gap for five C-doped SW-BNNTs are expected to be smaller than that of un-doped SW-BNNT. At 10% axial tensile strain, CB NT is a suitable conductance with a 1.947 eV H-L gap. The decrease in the H-L gap for 2C-doped CN,B (-0.839 eV) NT within 15% strain is greater than 1C- and 3C-doped SW-BNNTs. In the second part of this work, reactivity and the sensitivity of strained C1-2-doped SW-BNNTs toward NO gas were evaluated at M06-2X/6-31 ++G(d,p) level of theory. Optimized structures, molecular graphs, adsorption energies (AE), dispersion corrected AEs, H-L gap, NBO charges, charge transfer values, density of states and electrostatic potentials were calculated. The strained C1-doped SW-BNNTs showed an increased ability for the sensitivity and adsorption of NO molecule, as compared with unstrained doped SW-BNNT. In general, the CN,B NTs have practically less potential for the adsorption of NO molecule than CB and CN ones.

Three Substrains of the Cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. Strain PCC 7120 Display Divergence in Genomic Sequences and hetC Function.

PubMed

Wang, Yali; Gao, Yuan; Li, Chao; Gao, Hong; Zhang, Cheng-Cai; Xu, Xudong

2018-07-01

Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 is a model strain for molecular studies of cell differentiation and patterning in heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria. Subtle differences in heterocyst development have been noticed in different laboratories working on the same organism. In this study, 360 mutations, including single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), small insertion/deletions (indels; 1 to 3 bp), fragment deletions, and transpositions, were identified in the genomes of three substrains. Heterogeneous/heterozygous bases were also identified due to the polyploidy nature of the genome and the multicellular morphology but could be completely segregated when plated after filament fragmentation by sonication. hetC is a gene upregulated in developing cells during heterocyst formation in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 and found in approximately half of other heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria. Inactivation of hetC in 3 substrains of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 led to different phenotypes: the formation of heterocysts, differentiating cells that keep dividing, or the presence of both heterocysts and dividing differentiating cells. The expression of P hetZ - gfp in these hetC mutants also showed different patterns of green fluorescent protein (GFP) fluorescence. Thus, the function of hetC is influenced by the genomic background and epistasis and constitutes an example of evolution under way. IMPORTANCE Our knowledge about the molecular genetics of heterocyst formation, an important cell differentiation process for global N 2 fixation, is mostly based on studies with Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120. Here, we show that rapid microevolution is under way in this strain, leading to phenotypic variations for certain genes related to heterocyst development, such as hetC This study provides an example for ongoing microevolution, marked by multiple heterogeneous/heterozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), in a multicellular multicopy-genome microorganism. Copyright © 2018 American Society for

Diverse Effects of Cyclosporine on Hepatitis C Virus Strain Replication

PubMed Central

Ishii, Naoto; Watashi, Koichi; Hishiki, Takayuki; Goto, Kaku; Inoue, Daisuke; Hijikata, Makoto; Wakita, Takaji; Kato, Nobuyuki; Shimotohno, Kunitada

2006-01-01

Recently, a production system for infectious particles of hepatitis C virus (HCV) utilizing the genotype 2a JFH1 strain has been developed. This strain has a high capacity for replication in the cells. Cyclosporine (CsA) has a suppressive effect on HCV replication. In this report, we characterize the anti-HCV effect of CsA. We observe that the presence of viral structural proteins does not influence the anti-HCV activity of CsA. Among HCV strains, the replication of genotype 1b replicons was strongly suppressed by treatment with CsA. In contrast, JFH1 replication was less sensitive to CsA and its analog, NIM811. Replication of JFH1 did not require the cellular replication cofactor, cyclophilin B (CyPB). CyPB stimulated the RNA binding activity of NS5B in the genotype 1b replicon but not the genotype 2a JFH1 strain. These findings provide an insight into the mechanisms of diversity governing virus-cell interactions and in the sensitivity of these strains to antiviral agents. PMID:16611911

Analysis of 3D strain in the human medial meniscus.

PubMed

Kolaczek, S; Hewison, C; Caterine, S; Ragbar, M X; Getgood, A; Gordon, K D

2016-10-01

This study presents a method to evaluate three-dimensional strain in meniscal tissue using medical imaging. Strain is calculated by tracking small teflon markers implanted within the meniscal tissue using computed tomography imaging. The results are presented for strains in the middle and posterior third of the medial menisci of 10 human cadaveric knees, under simulated physiologically relevant loading. In the middle position, an average compressive strain of 3.4% was found in the medial-lateral direction, and average tensile strains of 1.4% and 3.5% were found in the anterior-posterior and superior-inferior directions respectively at 5° of knee flexion with an applied load of 1× body weight. In the posterior position, under the same conditions, average compressive strains of 2.2% and 6.3% were found in the medial-lateral and superior-inferior directions respectively, and an average tensile strain of 3.8% was found in the anterior-posterior direction. No statistically significant difference between strain in the middle or posterior of the meniscus or between the global strains is uncovered. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Third Replicon of Members of the Burkholderia cepacia Complex, Plasmid pC3, Plays a Role in Stress Tolerance

PubMed Central

Agnoli, Kirsty; Frauenknecht, Carmen; Freitag, Roman; Schwager, Stephan; Jenul, Christian; Vergunst, Annette; Carlier, Aurelien

2014-01-01

The metabolically versatile Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) occupies a variety of niches, including the plant rhizosphere and the cystic fibrosis lung (where it is often fatal to the patient). Bcc members have multipartite genomes, of which the third replicon, pC3 (previously chromosome 3), has been shown to be a nonessential megaplasmid which confers virulence and both antifungal and proteolytic activity on several strains. In this study, pC3 curing was extended to cover strains of 16 of the 17 members of the Bcc, and the phenotypes conferred by pC3 were determined. B. cenocepacia strains H111, MCO-3, and HI2424 were previously cured of pC3; however, this had not proved possible in the epidemic strain K56-2. Here, we investigated the mechanism of this unexpected stability and found that efficient toxin-antitoxin systems are responsible for maintaining pC3 of strain K56-2. Identification of these systems allowed neutralization of the toxins and the subsequent deletion of K56-2pC3. The cured strain was found to exhibit reduced antifungal activity and was attenuated in both the zebrafish and the Caenorhabditis elegans model of infection. We used a PCR screening method to examine the prevalence of pC3 within 110 Bcc isolates and found that this replicon was absent in only four cases, suggesting evolutionary fixation. It is shown that plasmid pC3 increases the resistance of B. cenocepacia H111 to various stresses (oxidative, osmotic, high-temperature, and chlorhexidine-induced stresses), explaining the prevalence of this replicon within the Bcc. PMID:24334662

Enhanced Proton Conductivity in Y-Doped BaZrO3 via Strain Engineering.

PubMed

Fluri, Aline; Marcolongo, Aris; Roddatis, Vladimir; Wokaun, Alexander; Pergolesi, Daniele; Marzari, Nicola; Lippert, Thomas

2017-12-01

The effects of stress-induced lattice distortions (strain) on the conductivity of Y-doped BaZrO 3 , a high-temperature proton conductor with key technological applications for sustainable electrochemical energy conversion, are studied. Highly ordered epitaxial thin films are grown in different strain states while monitoring the stress generation and evolution in situ. Enhanced proton conductivity due to lower activation energies is discovered under controlled conditions of tensile strain. In particular, a twofold increased conductivity is measured at 200 °C along a 0.7% tensile strained lattice. This is at variance with conclusions coming from force-field simulations or the static calculations of diffusion barriers. Here, extensive first-principles molecular dynamic simulations of proton diffusivity in the proton-trapping regime are therefore performed and found to agree with the experiments. The simulations highlight that compressive strain confines protons in planes parallel to the substrate, while tensile strain boosts diffusivity in the perpendicular direction, with the net result that the overall conductivity is enhanced. It is indeed the presence of the dopant and the proton-trapping effect that makes tensile strain favorable for proton conduction.

Pleiotropy of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Inhibition by CHIR99021 Promotes Self-Renewal of Embryonic Stem Cells from Refractory Mouse Strains

PubMed Central

Ye, Shoudong; Tan, Li; Yang, Rongqing; Fang, Bo; Qu, Su; Schulze, Eric N.; Song, Houyan; Ying, Qilong; Li, Ping

2012-01-01

Background Inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) improves the efficiency of embryonic stem (ES) cell derivation from various strains of mice and rats, as well as dramatically promotes ES cell self-renewal potential. β-catenin has been reported to be involved in the maintenance of self-renewal of ES cells through TCF dependent and independent pathway. But the intrinsic difference between ES cell lines from different species and strains has not been characterized. Here, we dissect the mechanism of GSK-3 inhibition by CHIR99021 in mouse ES cells from refractory mouse strains. Methodology/Principal Findings We found that CHIR99021, a GSK-3 specific inhibitor, promotes self-renewal of ES cells from recalcitrant C57BL/6 (B6) and BALB/c mouse strains through stabilization of β-catenin and c-Myc protein levels. Stabilized β-catenin promoted ES self-renewal through two mechanisms. First, β-catenin translocated into the nucleus to maintain stem cell pluripotency in a lymphoid-enhancing factor/T-cell factor–independent manner. Second, β-catenin binds plasma membrane-localized E-cadherin, which ensures a compact, spherical morphology, a hallmark of ES cells. Further, elevated c-Myc protein levels did not contribute significantly to CH-mediated ES cell self-renewal. Instead, the role of c-Myc is dependent on its transformation activity and can be replaced by N-Myc but not L-Myc. β-catenin and c-Myc have similar effects on ES cells derived from both B6 and BALB/c mice. Conclusions/Significance Our data demonstrated that GSK-3 inhibition by CH promotes self-renewal of mouse ES cells with non-permissive genetic backgrounds by regulation of multiple signaling pathways. These findings would be useful to improve the availability of normally non-permissive mouse strains as research tools. PMID:22540008

Thermophilic fermentation of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol by a novel Geobacillus strain

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Acetoin and 2,3-butanediol are two important biorefinery platform chemicals. They are currently fermented below 40°C using mesophilic strains, but the processes often suffer from bacterial contamination. Results This work reports the isolation and identification of a novel aerobic Geobacillus strain XT15 capable of producing both of these chemicals under elevated temperatures, thus reducing the risk of bacterial contamination. The optimum growth temperature was found to be between 45 and 55°C and the medium initial pH to be 8.0. In addition to glucose, galactose, mannitol, arabionose, and xylose were all acceptable substrates, enabling the potential use of cellulosic biomass as the feedstock. XT15 preferred organic nitrogen sources including corn steep liquor powder, a cheap by-product from corn wet-milling. At 55°C, 7.7 g/L of acetoin and 14.5 g/L of 2,3-butanediol could be obtained using corn steep liquor powder as a nitrogen source. Thirteen volatile products from the cultivation broth of XT15 were identified by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Acetoin, 2,3-butanediol, and their derivatives including a novel metabolite 2,3-dihydroxy-3-methylheptan-4-one, accounted for a total of about 96% of all the volatile products. In contrast, organic acids and other products were minor by-products. α-Acetolactate decarboxylase and acetoin:2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol oxidoreductase in XT15, the two key enzymes in acetoin metabolic pathway, were found to be both moderately thermophilic with the identical optimum temperature of 45°C. Conclusions Geobacillus sp. XT15 is the first naturally occurring thermophile excreting acetoin and/or 2,3-butanediol. This work has demonstrated the attractive prospect of developing it as an industrial strain in the thermophilic fermentation of acetoin and 2,3-butanediol with improved anti-contamination performance. The novel metabolites and enzymes identified in XT15 also indicated its strong promise as a precious

Description of strain 3CB-1, a genomovar of Thauera aromatica, capable of degrading 3-chlorobenzoate coupled to nitrate reduction.

PubMed

Song, B; Palleroni, N J; Häggblom, M M

2000-03-01

A Gram-negative bacterium, strain 3CB-1, isolated from a 3-chlorobenzoate enrichment culture inoculated with a sediment sample is capable of degrading various aromatic compounds and halogenated derivatives with nitrate as electron acceptor. Compounds capable of serving as carbon and energy sources include 3-chlorobenzoate, 3-bromobenzoate, 2-fluorobenzoate, 4-fluorobenzoate, benzoate, 3-hydroxybenzoate, 4-hydroxybenzoate, 3-aminobenzoate, protocatechuate, m-cresol and p-cresol. Oxygen, nitrate and nitrite were used as electron acceptors for growth. Cells are Gram-negative short rods with peritrichous flagellation. The predominant fatty acids are cis-9-hexadecenoic acid (16:1 omega 7c), hexadecanoic acid (16:0), octadecanoic acid (18:0), octadecenoic acid (18:1), 3-hydroxydecanoic acid (10:0 3OH) and dodecanoic acid (12:0). The sequence of the 16S rRNA gene, as well as the fatty acid composition, indicate that the strain is a member of the genus Thauera in the beta-subclass of the Proteobacteria and very close to Thauera aromatica. DNA-DNA hybridization and nutrient screening indicate that strain 3CB-1 is a genomovar of Thauera aromatica with the proposed name Thauera aromatica genomovar chlorobenzoica.

Establishing normal plasma and 24-hour urinary biochemistry ranges in C3H, BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice following acclimatization in metabolic cages.

PubMed

Stechman, Michael J; Ahmad, Bushra N; Loh, Nellie Y; Reed, Anita A C; Stewart, Michelle; Wells, Sara; Hough, Tertius; Bentley, Liz; Cox, Roger D; Brown, Steve D M; Thakker, Rajesh V

2010-07-01

Physiological studies of mice are facilitated by normal plasma and 24-hour urinary reference ranges, but variability of these parameters may increase due to stress that is induced by housing in metabolic cages. We assessed daily weight, food and water intake, urine volume and final day measurements of the following: plasma sodium, potassium, chloride, urea, creatinine, calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, albumin, cholesterol and glucose; and urinary sodium, potassium, calcium, phosphate, glucose and protein in 24- to 30-week-old C3H/HeH, BALB/cAnNCrl and C57BL/6J mice. Between 15 and 20 mice of each sex from all three strains were individually housed in metabolic cages with ad libitum feeding for up to seven days. Acclimatization was evaluated using general linear modelling for repeated measures and comparison of biochemical data was by unpaired t-test and analysis of variance (SPSS version 12.0.1). Following an initial 5-10% fall in body weight, daily dietary intake, urinary output and weight in all three strains reached stable values after 3-4 days of confinement. Significant differences in plasma glucose, cholesterol, urea, chloride, calcium and albumin, and urinary glucose, sodium, phosphate, calcium and protein were observed between strains and genders. Thus, these results provide normal reference values for plasma and urinary biochemistry in three strains housed in metabolic cages and demonstrate that 3-4 days are required to reach equilibrium in metabolic cage studies. These variations due to strain and gender have significant implications for selecting the appropriate strain upon which to breed genetically-altered models of metabolic and renal disease.

Tuning the magnetic properties of LaCoO3 thin films by epitaxial strain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, D.; Arac, E.; Pinta, C.; Schuppler, S.; Schneider, R.; v. Löhneysen, H.

2008-01-01

Ferromagnetic order can be induced in LaCoO3 (LCO) thin films by epitaxial strain. Here, we show that the magnetic properties can be “tuned” by epitaxial strain imposed on LCO thin films by the epitaxial growth on various substrate materials, i.e., (001) oriented SrLaAlO4 , LaAlO3 , SrLaGaO4 , (LaAlO3)0.3(Sr2AlTaO6)0.7 , and SrTiO3 . The lattice mismatch at room temperature of the in-plane lattice parameters between the substrate, as , and bulk LCO, ab , ranges from -1.31% to +2.63% . Single-phase, ⟨001⟩ oriented LCO thin films were grown by pulsed laser deposition on all these substrates. Due to the difference of the thermal-expansion coefficients between LCO and the substrates, the films experience an additional tensile strain of about +0.3% during the cooling process after the deposition at Ts=650°C . The film lattice parameters display an elastic behavior, i.e., an increase of the in-plane film lattice parameter with increasing as . From the ratio between the out-of-plane and in-plane strain, we obtain a Poisson ratio of ν≈1/3 . All films show a ferromagnetic transition as determined from magnetization measurements. The magnetization increases strongly with increasing tensile strain, whereas the transition temperature TC after a rapid initial rise appears to saturate at TC≈85K above a=3.86Å . The effective magnetic moment μeff in the paramagnetic state increases almost linearly as a function of the mean lattice parameter ⟨a⟩ , indicating an enhanced population of higher spin states, i.e., intermediate- or high-spin states. The experimental results are discussed in terms of a decrease of the octahedral-site rotation with increasing tensile strain.

Dynamic strain aging in the high-temperature low-cycle fatigue of SA508 Cl. 3 forging steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Byung Ho; Kim, In Sup

1995-10-01

The effect of dynamic strain aging on cyclic stress response and fatigue resistance of ASME SA508 Cl.3 forging steel for nuclear reactor pressure vessels has been evaluated in the temperature range of room temperature to 500°C. Total strain ranges and strain rates were varied from 0.7 to 2.0% and from 4 × 10 -4 to 1 × 10 -2 s -1, respectively. The cyclic stress response depended on the testing temperature, strain rate, and range. Generally, the initial cyclic hardening was immediately followed by cyclic softening at all strain rates. However, at 300°C, the operating temperature of nuclear reactor pressure vessels, the variation of cyclic stress amplitude showed the primary and secondary hardening stages dependent on the strain rate and strain range. Dynamic strain aging was manifested by enhanced cyclic hardening, distinguished secondary hardening, and negative strain rate sensitivity. A modified cell shutting model was described for the onset of the secondary hardening due to the dynamic strain aging and it was in good agreement with the experimental results. Fatigue life increased in strain rate at all testing temperatures. Specifically the fatigue life was longer at the dynamic strain aging temperature. Further, the dynamic strain aging was easy to initiate the crack, while crack propagation was retarded by crack branching and suppression of plastic zone, hence the dynamic strain aging caused the improvement of fatigue resistance.

Understanding Strain-Induced Phase Transformations in BiFeO3 Thin Films.

PubMed

Dixit, Hemant; Beekman, Christianne; Schlepütz, Christian M; Siemons, Wolter; Yang, Yongsoo; Senabulya, Nancy; Clarke, Roy; Chi, Miaofang; Christen, Hans M; Cooper, Valentino R

2015-08-01

Experiments demonstrate that under large epitaxial strain a coexisting striped phase emerges in BiFeO 3 thin films, which comprises a tetragonal-like ( T ') and an intermediate S ' polymorph. It exhibits a relatively large piezoelectric response when switching between the coexisting phase and a uniform T ' phase. This strain-induced phase transformation is investigated through a synergistic combination of first-principles theory and experiments. The results show that the S ' phase is energetically very close to the T ' phase, but is structurally similar to the bulk rhombohedral ( R ) phase. By fully characterizing the intermediate S ' polymorph, it is demonstrated that the flat energy landscape resulting in the absence of an energy barrier between the T ' and S ' phases fosters the above-mentioned reversible phase transformation. This ability to readily transform between the S ' and T ' polymorphs, which have very different octahedral rotation patterns and c / a ratios, is crucial to the enhanced piezoelectricity in strained BiFeO 3 films. Additionally, a blueshift in the band gap when moving from R to S ' to T ' is observed. These results emphasize the importance of strain engineering for tuning electromechanical responses or, creating unique energy harvesting photonic structures, in oxide thin film architectures.

The magnetic transition temperature tuned by strain in YMn0.9Ru0.1O3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, L. P.; Zhang, A. M.; Wang, K.; Wu, X. S.; Zhai, Z. Y.

2018-05-01

Epitaxial orthorhombic YMn0.9Ru0.1O3 films with different thickness have been grown on (001)-SrTiO3 substrates by pulsed laser deposition (PLD). The crystal structure is well investigated by X-ray Diffraction. It is found that the out-of-plane parameter c slowly increases with decreasing thickness of samples because of the tensile strain between the films and substrates along c axis. The lengths of in-plane Mn-O bonds expand with the enhancement of strains, which is proved by Raman scatting. The magnetic measurements reveal that there exist two magnetic transition temperatures TN1 and TN2. The TN1 is close to that of orthorhombic YMnO3 bulk. With decreasing thickness of the films, TN1 keeps almost constant because of the small stain along c-axis. TN2, however, obviously increases from 117 K to 134 K, which could be related to the expansion of in-plane Mn-O bonds. Results show that the magnetic transition temperature of YMn0.9Ru0.1O3 films can be sensitively manipulated by the strain of the films.

Utilization of Sugarcane Bagasse by Halogeometricum borinquense Strain E3 for Biosynthesis of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)

PubMed Central

Salgaonkar, Bhakti B.; Bragança, Judith M.

2017-01-01

Sugarcane bagasse (SCB), one of the major lignocellulosic agro-industrial waste products, was used as a substrate for biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) by halophilic archaea. Among the various wild-type halophilic archaeal strains screened, Halogeometricum borinquense strain E3 showed better growth and PHA accumulation as compared to Haloferaxvolcanii strain BBK2, Haloarcula japonica strain BS2, and Halococcus salifodinae strain BK6. Growth kinetics and bioprocess parameters revealed the maximum PHA accumulated by strain E3 to be 50.4 ± 0.1 and 45.7 ± 0.19 (%) with specific productivity (qp) of 3.0 and 2.7 (mg/g/h) using NaCl synthetic medium supplemented with 25% and 50% SCB hydrolysate, respectively. PHAs synthesized by strain E3 were recovered in chloroform using a Soxhlet apparatus. Characterization of the polymer using crotonic acid assay, X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy analysis revealed the polymer obtained from SCB hydrolysate to be a co-polymer of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) [P(3HB-co-3HV)] comprising of 13.29 mol % 3HV units. PMID:28952529

Deconvoluting simulated metagenomes: the performance of hard- and soft- clustering algorithms applied to metagenomic chromosome conformation capture (3C)

PubMed Central

DeMaere, Matthew Z.

2016-01-01

Background Chromosome conformation capture, coupled with high throughput DNA sequencing in protocols like Hi-C and 3C-seq, has been proposed as a viable means of generating data to resolve the genomes of microorganisms living in naturally occuring environments. Metagenomic Hi-C and 3C-seq datasets have begun to emerge, but the feasibility of resolving genomes when closely related organisms (strain-level diversity) are present in the sample has not yet been systematically characterised. Methods We developed a computational simulation pipeline for metagenomic 3C and Hi-C sequencing to evaluate the accuracy of genomic reconstructions at, above, and below an operationally defined species boundary. We simulated datasets and measured accuracy over a wide range of parameters. Five clustering algorithms were evaluated (2 hard, 3 soft) using an adaptation of the extended B-cubed validation measure. Results When all genomes in a sample are below 95% sequence identity, all of the tested clustering algorithms performed well. When sequence data contains genomes above 95% identity (our operational definition of strain-level diversity), a naive soft-clustering extension of the Louvain method achieves the highest performance. Discussion Previously, only hard-clustering algorithms have been applied to metagenomic 3C and Hi-C data, yet none of these perform well when strain-level diversity exists in a metagenomic sample. Our simple extension of the Louvain method performed the best in these scenarios, however, accuracy remained well below the levels observed for samples without strain-level diversity. Strain resolution is also highly dependent on the amount of available 3C sequence data, suggesting that depth of sequencing must be carefully considered during experimental design. Finally, there appears to be great scope to improve the accuracy of strain resolution through further algorithm development. PMID:27843713

Comparison analysis of microRNAs in response to dengue virus type 2 infection between the Vero cell-adapted strain and its source, the clinical C6/36 isolated strain.

PubMed

Yang, Jiajia; Lin, Yao; Jiang, Liming; Xi, Juemin; Wang, Xiaodan; Guan, Jiaoqiong; Chen, Junying; Pan, Yue; Luo, Jia; Ye, Chao; Sun, Qiangming

2018-05-02

To elucidate the differences in microRNAs during dengue virus infection between Vero cell-adapted strain (DENV-2-Vero) and its source, the clinical C6/36 isolated strain (DENV-2-C6/36), a comparison analysis was performed in Vero cells by high throughput sequencing. The results showed that the expression of 16 known and 3 novel miRNAs exhibited marked differences. 5 known miRNAs were up-regulated in DENV-2-C6/36 group, while 11 known microRNAs were down-regulated in DENV-2-Vero group. The GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis showed that there was a distinct difference in regulating viral replication between two strains. In DENV-2-Vero infection group, significantly enriched GO terms included virion attachment to host cells, viral structural protein/genome processing and packaging. Meanwhile, the regulation of cell death and apoptosis between two groups were different in the early stage of infection. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that DENV-2-C6/36 infection induced more intense regulation of immune-related pathways, including Fc gamma R-mediated phagocytosis, etc. DENV-2-Vero infection could partially alleviate the immune defense of Vero cells compared with DENV-2-C6/36. The results indicated that the distinct microRNA changes induced by two DENV-2 strains may be partly related to their infective abilities. Our data provide useful insights that help elucidate the host-pathogen interactions following DENV infection. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

O-Antigens of Escherichia coli Strains O81 and HS3-104 Are Structurally and Genetically Related, Except O-Antigen Glucosylation in E. coli HS3-104.

PubMed

Zdorovenko, E L; Wang, Y; Shashkov, A S; Chen, T; Ovchinnikova, O G; Liu, B; Golomidova, A K; Babenko, V V; Letarov, A V; Knirel, Y A

2018-05-01

Glycerophosphate-containing O-specific polysaccharides (OPSs) were obtained by mild acidic degradation of lipopolysaccharides isolated from Escherichia coli type strain O81 and E. coli strain HS3-104 from horse feces. The structures of both OPSs and of the oligosaccharide derived from the strain O81 OPS by treatment with 48% HF were studied by monosaccharide analysis and one- and two-dimensional 1H- and 13C-NMR spectroscopy. Both OPSs had similar structures and differed only in the presence of a side-chain glucose residue in the strain HS3-104 OPS. The genes and the organization of the O-antigen biosynthesis gene cluster in both strains are almost identical with the exception of the gtr gene cluster responsible for glucosylations in the strain HS3-104, which is located elsewhere in the genome.

Association rate constants for reactions between resonance-stabilized radicals: C 3H 3 + C 3H 3, C 3H 3 + C 3H 5, and C 3H 5 + C 3H 5

DOE PAGES

Georgievskii, Yuri; Miller, James A.; Klippenstein, Stephen J.

2007-05-18

Reactions between resonance-stabilized radicals play an important role in combustion chemistry. The theoretical prediction of rate coefficients and product distributions for such reactions is complicated by the fact that the initial complex-formation steps and some dissociation steps are barrierless. In this work, direct variable reaction coordinate transition state theory (VRC-TST) is used to predict accurately the association rate constants for the self and cross reactions of propargyl and allyl radicals. For each reaction, a set of multifaceted dividing surfaces is used to account for the multiple possible addition channels. Because of their resonant nature the geometric relaxation of the radicalsmore » is important. Here, the effect of this relaxation is explicitly calculated with the UB3LYP/cc-pvdz method for each mutual orientation encountered in the configurational integrals over the transition state dividing surfaces. The final energies are obtained from CASPT2/cc-pvdz calculations with all π-orbitals in the active space. Evaluations along the minimum energy path suggest that basis set corrections are negligible. The VRC-TST approach was also used to calculate the association rate constant and the corresponding number of states for the C 6H 5 + H → C 6H 6 exit channel of the C 3H 3 + C 3H 3 reaction, which is also barrierless. For this reaction, the interaction energies were evaluated with the CASPT2(2e,2o)/cc-pvdz method and a 1-D correction is included on the basis of CAS+1+2+QC/aug-cc-pvtz calculations for the CH 3 + H reference system. For the C 3H 3 + C 3H 3 reaction, the VRC-TST results for the energy and angular momentum resolved numbers of states in the entrance channels and in the C 6H 5 + H exit channel are incorporated in a master equation simulation to determine the temperature and pressure dependence of the phenomenological rate coefficients. The rate constants for the C 3H 3 + C 3H 3 and C 3H 5 + C 3H 5 self-reactions compare favorably

NS3 from Hepatitis C Virus Strain JFH-1 Is an Unusually Robust Helicase That Is Primed To Bind and Unwind Viral RNA

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhou, Ting; Ren, Xiaoming; Adams, Rebecca L.

Hepatitis C viruses (HCV) encode a helicase enzyme that is essential for viral replication and assembly (nonstructural protein 3 [NS3]). This helicase has become the focus of extensive basic research on the general helicase mechanism, and it is also of interest as a novel drug target. Despite the importance of this protein, mechanistic work on NS3 has been conducted almost exclusively on variants from HCV genotype 1. Our understanding of NS3 from the highly active HCV strains that are used to study HCV genetics and mechanism in cell culture (such as JFH-1) is lacking. We therefore set out to determinemore » whether NS3 from the replicatively efficient genotype 2a strain JFH-1 displays novel functional or structural properties. Using biochemical assays for RNA binding and duplex unwinding, we show that JFH-1 NS3 binds RNA much more rapidly than the previously studied NS3 variants from genotype 1b. Unlike NS3 variants from other genotypes, JFH-1 NS3 binds RNA with high affinity in a functionally active form that is capable of immediately unwinding RNA duplexes without undergoing rate-limiting conformational changes that precede activation. Unlike other superfamily 2 (SF2) helicases, JFH-1 NS3 does not require long 3' overhangs, and it unwinds duplexes that are flanked by only a few nucleotides, as in the folded HCV genome. To understand the physical basis for this, we solved the crystal structure of JFH-1 NS3, revealing a novel conformation that contains an open, positively charged RNA binding cleft that is primed for productive interaction with RNA targets, potentially explaining robust replication by HCV JFH-1. IMPORTANCEGenotypes of HCV are as divergent as different types of flavivirus, and yet mechanistic features of HCV variants are presumed to be held in common. One of the most well-studied components of the HCV replication complex is a helicase known as nonstructural protein 3 (NS3). We set out to determine whether this important mechanical component

Evaluation of De-O-Acetylated Meningococcal C Polysaccharide-Tetanus Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine in Infancy: Reactogenicity, Immunogenicity, Immunologic Priming, and Bactericidal Activity against O-Acetylated and De-O-Acetylated Serogroup C Strains

PubMed Central

Richmond, Peter; Borrow, Ray; Findlow, Jamie; Martin, Sarah; Thornton, Carol; Cartwright, Keith; Miller, Elizabeth

2001-01-01

The polysaccharide capsule of serogroup C Neisseria meningitidis (MenC) has been integral to vaccine development. Licensed MenC vaccines contain the O-acetylated (OAc+) form of polysaccharide. Some MenC strains have de-O-acetylated (OAc−) polysaccharide, which may affect antibody specificity and functional activity when used in a vaccine. We evaluated an OAc-MenC conjugate-tetanus toxoid conjugate (MCC-TT) vaccine given concomitantly with whole-cell diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and oral polio immunization in 83 infants at 2, 3, and 4 months of age. Serum bactericidal activities (SBA) against OAc+ and OAc− MenC strains and OAc+ and OAc− polysaccharide-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels were evaluated. MCC-TT vaccine was well tolerated. All infants produced SBA titers of ≥8 after a single dose at 2 months of age. The SBA geometric mean titer for OAc+ strain C11 increased from 2.7 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.2 to 3.2) to 320 (95% CI, 237 to 432), 773 (95% CI, 609 to 982), and 1,063 (95% CI, 856 to 1319) after one, two, and three doses of MCC-TT, respectively. OAc− IgG levels were twice as high as OAc+ IgG levels after the primary series of MCC-TT vaccine, and the SBA was significantly higher against the OAc− MenC strain. Antibody responses to booster vaccination with either OAc+ MenC polysaccharide vaccine (MACP) or a fourth dose of MCC-TT at 14 months of age provided evidence of immunologic memory. The acetylation status of the booster vaccine influenced the specificity of the response, with significantly higher OAc− IgG levels and SBA after MCC-TT vaccine compared to MACP vaccine but similar OAc+ antibody levels. MCC-TT vaccine is highly immunogenic and primes for immunologic memory against OAc+ and OAc− MenC strains in infancy. PMID:11254596

COMPARISON OF OVERALL METABOLISM OF 2, 3, 7, 8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-P-DIOXIN IN CYP1A2(-/-) KNOCKOUT AND C57BL/6N PARENTAL STRAINS OF MICE

EPA Science Inventory

Comparison of Overall Metabolism of 2,3,7,8-TCDD
in CYP1A2 (-/-) Knockout and C57BL/6N Parental Strains of Mice

Heldur Hakk* and Janet J. Diliberto**

* USDA-ARS Biosciences Research Laboratory, P.O. Box 5674, Fargo, ND, USA
** US-EPA ORD, National Health Eff...

Biochemical Characterization of 3-Methyl-4-nitrophenol Degradation in Burkholderia sp. Strain SJ98

PubMed Central

Min, Jun; Lu, Yang; Hu, Xiaoke; Zhou, Ning-Yi

2016-01-01

Several strains have been reported to grow on 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (3M4NP), the primary breakdown product of the excessively used insecticide fenitrothion. However, the microbial degradation of 3M4NP at molecular and biochemical levels remains unknown. Here, methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (MBQ) and methylhydroquinone (MHQ), rather than catechol proposed previously, were identified as the intermediates before ring cleavage during 3M4NP degradation by Burkholderia sp. strain SJ98. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis indicated that the pnpABA1CDEF cluster involved in para-nitrophenol (PNP) and 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol (2C4NP) catabolism was also likely responsible for 3M4NP degradation in this strain. Purified PNP 4-monooxygenase (PnpA) is able to catalyze the monooxygenation of 3M4NP to MBQ and exhibited an apparent Km value of 20.3 ± 2.54 μM for 3M4NP, and pnpA is absolutely necessary for the catabolism of 3M4NP by gene knock-out and complementation. PnpB, a 1,4-benzoquinone reductase catalyzes the reduction of MBQ to MHQ, and also found to enhance PnpA activity in vitro in the conversion of 3M4NP to MBQ. By sequential catalysis assays, PnpCD, PnpE, and PnpF were likely involved in the lower pathway of 3M4NP catabolism. Although NpcCD, NpcE, and NpcF are able to catalyze the sequential conversion of MHQ in vitro, these enzymes are unlikely involved in 3M4NP catabolism because their coding genes were not upregulated by 3M4NP induction in vivo. These results revealed that the enzymes involved in PNP and 2C4NP catabolism were also responsible for 3M4NP degradation in strain SJ98. This fills a gap in our understanding of the microbial degradation of 3M4NP at molecular and biochemical levels and also provides another example to illustrate the adaptive flexibility in microbial catabolism for structurally similar compounds. PMID:27252697

Large piezoelectric strain with ultra-low strain hysteresis in highly c-axis oriented Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 films with columnar growth on amorphous glass substrates.

PubMed

Nguyen, Minh D; Houwman, Evert P; Rijnders, Guus

2017-10-10

Thin films of PbZr 0 . 52 Ti 0 . 48 O 3 (PZT) with largely detached columnar grains, deposited by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on amorphous glass substrates covered with Ca 2 Nb 3 O 10 nanosheets as growth template and using LaNiO 3 electrode layers, are shown to exhibit very high unipolar piezoelectric strain and ultra-low strain hysteresis. The observed increase of the piezoelectric coefficient with increasing film thickness is attributed to the reduction of clamping, because of the increasingly less dense columnar microstructure (more separation between the grains) with across the film thickness. A very large piezoelectric coefficient (490 pm/V) and a high piezoelectric strain (~0.9%) are obtained in 4-µm-thick film under an applied electric field of 200 kV/cm, which is several times larger than in usual PZT ceramics. Further very low strain hysteresis (H≈2-4%) is observed in 4 to 5 µm thick films. These belong to the best values demonstrated so far in piezoelectric films. Fatigue testing shows that the piezoelectric properties are stable up to 10 10 cycles. The growth of high quality PZT films with very large strain and piezoelectric coefficients, very low hysteresis and with long-term stability on a technologically important substrate as glass is of great significance for the development of practical piezo driven microelectromechanical actuator systems.

Identification and genetic characterization of unique HIV-1 A1/C recombinant strain in South Africa.

PubMed

Musyoki, Andrew M; Rakgole, Johnny N; Selabe, Gloria; Mphahlele, Jeffrey

2015-03-01

HIV isolates from South Africa are predominantly subtype C. Sporadic isolation of non-C strains has been reported mainly in cosmopolitan cities. HIV isolate j51 was recovered from a rural South African heterosexual female aged 51 years. Near full length amplification of the genome was attempted using PCR with primers targeting overlapping segments of the HIV genome. Analysis of 5593 bp (gag to vpu) at a bootstrap value greater than 70% found that all but the vpu gene was HIV-1 subtype A1. The vpu gene was assigned HIV-1 subtype C. The recombination breaking point was estimated at position 6035+/- 15 bp with reference to the beginning of the HXB2 reference strain. Isolate j51 revealed a unique genome constellation to previously reported recombinant strains with parental A/C backbones from South Africa though a common recombination with subtype C within the vpu gene. Identification of recombinant strains supports continued surveillance of HIV genetic diversity.

Preliminary report on the biological effects of space flight on the producing strain of a new immunosuppressant, Kanglemycin C.

PubMed

Zhou, Jianqin; Sun, Chenghang; Wang, Nanjin; Gao, Rongmei; Bai, Shuoke; Zheng, Huanrong; You, Xuefu; Li, Rongfeng

2006-08-01

Kanglemycin C (K-C) is a new immunosuppressant isolated from the culture broth of Nocardia mediterranei var. kanglensis 1747-64. To improve the productivity of K-C and to study the biological effects of space flight on its producing strain, spores from five K-C producing strains (U-10, U-15, U-7, M-13, gamma-33) mutated from the wild strain N. mediterranei var. kanglensis 1747-64 were carried into space by an unmanned spaceship, "Shenzhou III" (Divine Vessel III) on March 25, 2002. Comparatively, the strain U-7 was the highest K-C producing strain among the above five starting strains when cultivated in 500-ml Erlenmeyer flasks. After a 6 day and 18 h flight, the treated spores went through serial screening processes to screen for high-yield K-C mutant strains, using thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The K-C yield produced by one mutant strain, designated as F-16, derived from the starting strain U-7 was increased by up to 200% when compared to that produced by the starting strain U-7 in 500-ml Erlenmeyer flasks after careful postflight HPLC analysis. Another mutant strain, designated as F-210, derived from the starting strain M-13 showed reduced productivity of K-C as well as exhibited changes in some morphological and physiological characteristics. For example, the broth color of the strain F-210 changed from yellow to purple after 96 h of culture, but that of the ground control strain M-13 remained yellow. Similarly, the mycelium morphological change from filamentous to coccoid of F-210 occurred later than that of ground control M-13. Examination of the survivability of postflight spores indicated that exposure to radiation, during the 162 h of space flight, plays a critical role in the survival rates of spores such that spores exposed to strong radiation exhibited lower survival rates than spores exposed to weak radiation.

Clinical Chemistry Reference Intervals for C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, and C3HeB/FeJ Mice (Mus musculus)

PubMed Central

Otto, Gordon P; Rathkolb, Birgit; Oestereicher, Manuela A; Lengger, Christoph J; Moerth, Corinna; Micklich, Kateryna; Fuchs, Helmut; Gailus-Durner, Valérie; Wolf, Eckhard; de Angelis, Martin Hrabě

2016-01-01

Although various mouse inbred strains are widely used to investigate disease mechanisms and to establish new therapeutic strategies, sex-specific reference intervals for laboratory diagnostic analytes that are generated from large numbers of animals have been unavailable. In this retrospective study, we screened data from more than 12,000 mice phenotyped in the German Mouse Clinic from January 2006 through June 2014 and selected animals with the genetic background of C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, or C3HeB/FeJ. In addition, we distinguished between the C57BL/6NTac substrain and C57BL/6N mice received from other vendors. The corresponding data sets of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, inorganic phosphate), lipids (cholesterol, triglyceride), and enzyme activities (ALT, AST, ALP, α-amylase) and urea, albumin, and total protein levels were analyzed. Significant effects of age and sex on these analytes were identified, and strain- or substrain- and sex-specific reference intervals for 90- to 135-d-old mice were calculated. In addition, we include an overview of the literature that reports clinical chemistry values for wild-type mice of different strains. Our results support researchers interpreting clinical chemistry values from various mouse mutants and corresponding wild-type controls based on the examined strains and substrains. PMID:27423143

Clinical Chemistry Reference Intervals for C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, and C3HeB/FeJ Mice (Mus musculus).

PubMed

Otto, Gordon P; Rathkolb, Birgit; Oestereicher, Manuela A; Lengger, Christoph J; Moerth, Corinna; Micklich, Kateryna; Fuchs, Helmut; Gailus-Durner, Valérie; Wolf, Eckhard; Hrabě de Angelis, Martin

2016-01-01

Although various mouse inbred strains are widely used to investigate disease mechanisms and to establish new therapeutic strategies, sex-specific reference intervals for laboratory diagnostic analytes that are generated from large numbers of animals have been unavailable. In this retrospective study, we screened data from more than 12,000 mice phenotyped in the German Mouse Clinic from January 2006 through June 2014 and selected animals with the genetic background of C57BL/6J, C57BL/6N, or C3HeB/FeJ. In addition, we distinguished between the C57BL/6NTac substrain and C57BL/6N mice received from other vendors. The corresponding data sets of electrolytes (sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, inorganic phosphate), lipids (cholesterol, triglyceride), and enzyme activities (ALT, AST, ALP, α-amylase) and urea, albumin, and total protein levels were analyzed. Significant effects of age and sex on these analytes were identified, and strain- or substrain- and sex-specific reference intervals for 90- to 135-d-old mice were calculated. In addition, we include an overview of the literature that reports clinical chemistry values for wild-type mice of different strains. Our results support researchers interpreting clinical chemistry values from various mouse mutants and corresponding wild-type controls based on the examined strains and substrains.

Clinical feasibility and validation of 3D principal strain analysis from cine MRI: comparison to 2D strain by MRI and 3D speckle tracking echocardiography.

PubMed

Satriano, Alessandro; Heydari, Bobak; Narous, Mariam; Exner, Derek V; Mikami, Yoko; Attwood, Monica M; Tyberg, John V; Lydell, Carmen P; Howarth, Andrew G; Fine, Nowell M; White, James A

2017-12-01

Two-dimensional (2D) strain analysis is constrained by geometry-dependent reference directions of deformation (i.e. radial, circumferential, and longitudinal) following the assumption of cylindrical chamber architecture. Three-dimensional (3D) principal strain analysis may overcome such limitations by referencing intrinsic (i.e. principal) directions of deformation. This study aimed to demonstrate clinical feasibility of 3D principal strain analysis from routine 2D cine MRI with validation to strain from 2D tagged cine analysis and 3D speckle tracking echocardiography. Thirty-one patients undergoing cardiac MRI were studied. 3D strain was measured from routine, multi-planar 2D cine SSFP images using custom software designed to apply 4D deformation fields to 3D cardiac models to derive principal strain. Comparisons of strain estimates versus those by 2D tagged cine, 2D non-tagged cine (feature tracking), and 3D speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) were performed. Mean age was 51 ± 14 (36% female). Mean LV ejection fraction was 66 ± 10% (range 37-80%). 3D principal strain analysis was feasible in all subjects and showed high inter- and intra-observer reproducibility (ICC range 0.83-0.97 and 0.83-0.98, respectively-p < 0.001 for all directions). Strong correlations of minimum and maximum principal strain were respectively observed versus the following: 3D STE estimates of longitudinal (r = 0.81 and r = -0.64), circumferential (r = 0.76 and r = -0.58) and radial (r = -0.80 and r = 0.63) strain (p < 0.001 for all); 2D tagged cine estimates of longitudinal (r = 0.81 and r = -0.81), circumferential (r = 0.87 and r = -0.85), and radial (r = -0.76 and r = 0.81) strain (p < 0.0001 for all); and 2D cine (feature tracking) estimates of longitudinal (r = 0.85 and -0.83), circumferential (r = 0.88 and r = -0.87), and radial strain (r = -0.79 and r = 0.84, p < 0.0001 for all). 3D

Effect of epitaxial strain on ferroelectric polarization in multiferroic BiFeO3 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Dae Ho; Lee, Ho Nyung; Biegalski, Michael D.; Christen, Hans M.

2008-01-01

Multiferroic BiFeO3 epitaxial films with thicknesses ranging from 40to960nm were grown by pulsed laser deposition on SrTiO3 (001) substrates with SrRuO3 bottom electrodes. X-ray characterization shows that the structure evolves from angularly distorted tetragonal with c /a≈1.04 to more bulklike distorted rhombohedral (c/a≈1.01) as the strain relaxes with increasing thickness. Despite this significant structural evolution, the ferroelectric polarization along the body diagonal of the distorted pseudocubic unit cells, as calculated from measurements along the normal direction, barely changes.

Efficacy evaluation of the C-strain-based vaccines against the subgenotype 2.1d classical swine fever virus emerging in China.

PubMed

Luo, Yuzi; Ji, Shengwei; Lei, Jian-Lin; Xiang, Guang-Tao; Liu, Yan; Gao, Yao; Meng, Xing-Yu; Zheng, Guanglai; Zhang, En-Yu; Wang, Yimin; Du, Ming-Liang; Li, Yongfeng; Li, Su; He, Xi-Jun; Sun, Yuan; Qiu, Hua-Ji

2017-03-01

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a devastating infectious disease of pigs caused by classical swine fever virus (CSFV). The disease has been controlled following extensive vaccination with the lapinized attenuated vaccine C-strain for decades in China. However, frequent CSF outbreaks occurred recently in a large number of C-strain-vaccinated pig farms in China and a new subgenotype 2.1d of CSFV has been reported to be responsible for the outbreaks. Here we analyzed the molecular variations and antigenic differences among the C-strain-based commercial vaccines of different origins from different manufacturers in China, and reevaluated the vaccines against the emerging subgenotype 2.1d strain of CSFV. The results showed that the C-strain adapted to the continuous ST cell line (C ST ) contain a unique M290K variation on the E2 protein, compared to those of primary BT cells (C BT ) or rabbit origin (C RT ) and the traditional C-strain sequences available in the GenBank database. Serum neutralization test revealed the antigenic differences between C ST and C BT or C RT . Notably, the neutralizing titers of porcine anti-C-strain sera against the CSFV isolate of subgenotype 2.1d were significantly lower than those against C-strain or Shimen strain. The C-strain-vaccinated, subgenotype 2.1d HLJZZ2014 strain-challenged pigs did not show any clinical signs and all survived. However, these pigs displayed mild pathological and histological lesions, and the CSFV viral RNA was detected in the various tissue and blood samples. Taken together, the C-strain-based vaccines of different origins showed molecular variations and antigenic differences, and could provide clinical but not pathological and virological protection against the subgenotype 2.1d CSFV emerging in China. Further investigation is needed to comprehensively assess the efficacy of C-strain of different doses against the subgenotype 2.1d CSFV. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strain activation of bovine aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation and alignment: study of strain dependency and the role of protein kinase A and C signaling pathways

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mills, I.; Cohen, C. R.; Kamal, K.; Li, G.; Shin, T.; Du, W.; Sumpio, B. E.

1997-01-01

Smooth muscle cell (SMC) phenotype can be altered by physical forces as demonstrated by cyclic strain-induced changes in proliferation, orientation, and secretion of macromolecules. However, the magnitude of strain required and the intracellular coupling pathways remain ill defined. To examine the strain requirements for SMC proliferation, we selectively seeded bovine aortic SMC either on the center or periphery of silastic membranes which were deformed with 150 mm Hg vacuum (0-7% center; 7-24% periphery). SMC located in either the center or peripheral regions showed enhanced proliferation compared to cells grown under the absence of cyclic strain. Moreover, SMC located in the center region demonstrated significantly (P < 0.005) greater proliferation as compared to those in the periphery. In contrast, SMC exposed to high strain (7-24%) demonstrated alignment perpendicular to the strain gradient, whereas SMC in the center (0-7%) remained aligned randomly. To determine the mechanisms of these phenomena, we examined the effect of cyclic strain on bovine aortic SMC signaling pathways. We observed strain-induced stimulation of the cyclic AMP pathway including adenylate cyclase activity and cyclic AMP accumulation. In addition, exposure of SMC to cyclic strain caused a significant increase in protein kinase C (PKC) activity and enzyme translocation from the cytosol to a particulate fraction. Further study was conducted to examine the effect of strain magnitude on signaling, particularly protein kinase A (PKA) activity as well as cAMP response element (CRE) binding protein levels. We observed significantly (P < 0.05) greater PKA activity and CRE binding protein levels in SMC located in the center as compared to the peripheral region. However, inhibition of PKA (with 10 microM Rp-cAMP) or PKC (with 5-20 ng/ml staurosporine) failed to alter either the strain-induced increase in SMC proliferation or alignment. These data characterize the strain determinants for activation of

Production of high titer attenuated poliovirus strains on the serum-free PER.C6(®) cell culture platform for the generation of safe and affordable next generation IPV.

PubMed

Sanders, Barbara P; Oakes, Isabel de los Rios; van Hoek, Vladimir; Liu, Ying; Marissen, Wilfred; Minor, Philip D; Wimmer, Eckard; Schuitemaker, Hanneke; Custers, Jerome H H V; Macadam, Andrew; Cello, Jeronimo; Edo-Matas, Diana

2015-11-27

As poliovirus eradication draws closer, alternative Inactivated Poliovirus Vaccines (IPV) are needed to overcome the risks associated with continued use of the Oral Poliovirus Vaccine and of neurovirulent strains used during manufacture of conventional (c) IPV. We have previously demonstrated the susceptibility of the PER.C6(®) cell line to cIPV strains; here we investigated the suspension cell culture platform for growth of attenuated poliovirus strains. We examined attenuated Sabin strain productivity on the PER.C6(®) cell platform compared to the conventional Vero cell platform. The suitability of the suspension cell platform for propagation of rationally-attenuated poliovirus strains (stabilized Sabin type 3 S19 derivatives and genetically attenuated and stabilized MonoCre(X) strains), was also assessed. Yields were quantified by infectious titer determination and D-antigen ELISA using either serotype-specific polyclonal rabbit sera for Sabin strains or monoclonal cIPV-strain-specific antibodies for cIPV, S19 and MonoCre(X) strains. PER.C6(®) cells supported the replication of Sabin strains to yields of infectious titers that were in the range of cIPV strains at 32.5°C. Sabin strains achieved 30-fold higher yields (p<0.0001) on the PER.C6(®) cell platform as compared to the Vero cell platform in infectious titer and D-antigen content. Furthermore, Sabin strain productivity on the PER.C6(®) cell platform was maintained at 10l scale. Yields of infectious titers of S19 and MonoCre(X) strains were 0.5-1 log10 lower than seen for cIPV strains, whereas D-antigen yield and productivities in doses/ml using rationally-attenuated strains were in line with yields reported for cIPV strains. Sabin and rationally-attenuated polioviruses can be grown to high infectious titers and D-antigen yields. Sabin strain infection shows increased productivity on the PER.C6(®) cell platform as compared to the conventional Vero cell platform. Novel cell platforms with the potential

Mouse strain differences in Gurmarin-sensitivity of sweet taste responses are not associated with polymorphisms of the sweet receptor gene, Tas1r3.

PubMed

Sanematsu, Keisuke; Yasumatsu, Keiko; Yoshida, Ryusuke; Shigemura, Noriatsu; Ninomiya, Yuzo

2005-07-01

Gurmarin (Gur) is a peptide that selectively inhibits responses of the chorda tympani (CT) nerve to sweet compounds in rodents. In mice, the sweet-suppressing effect of Gur differs among strains. The inhibitory effect of Gur is clearly observed in C57BL/6 mice, but only slightly, if at all, in BALB/c mice. These two mouse strains possess different alleles of the sweet receptor gene, Sac (Tas1r3) (taster genotype for C57BL/6 and non-taster genotype for BALB/c mice), suggesting that polymorphisms in the gene may account for differential sensitivity to Gur. To investigate this possibility, we examined the effect of Gur in another Tas1r3 non-taster strain, 129 X 1/Sv mice. The results indicated that unlike non-taster BALB/c mice but similar to taster C57BL/6 mice, 129 X 1/Sv mice exhibited significant inhibition of CT responses to various sweet compounds by Gur. This suggests that the mouse strain difference in the Gur inhibition of sweet responses of the CT nerve may not be associated with polymorphisms of Tas1r3.

Marine Mammal Brucella Reference Strains Are Attenuated in a BALB/c Mouse Model.

PubMed

Nymo, Ingebjørg H; Arias, Maykel A; Pardo, Julián; Álvarez, María Pilar; Alcaraz, Ana; Godfroid, Jacques; Jiménez de Bagüés, María Pilar

2016-01-01

Brucellosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution with numerous animal host species. Since the novel isolation of Brucella spp. from marine mammals in 1994 the bacteria have been isolated from various marine mammal hosts. The marine mammal reference strains Brucella pinnipedialis 12890 (harbour seal, Phoca vitulina) and Brucella ceti 12891 (harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena) were included in genus Brucella in 2007, however, their pathogenicity in the mouse model is pending. Herein this is evaluated in BALB/c mice with Brucella suis 1330 as a control. Both marine mammal strains were attenuated, however, B. ceti was present at higher levels than B. pinnipedialis in blood, spleen and liver throughout the infection, in addition B. suis and B. ceti were isolated from brains and faeces at times with high levels of bacteraemia. In B. suis-infected mice serum cytokines peaked at day 7. In B. pinnipedialis-infected mice, levels were similar, but peaked predominantly at day 3 and an earlier peak in spleen weight likewise implied an earlier response. The inflammatory response induced pathology in the spleen and liver. In B. ceti-infected mice, most serum cytokine levels were comparable to those in uninfected mice, consistent with a limited inflammatory response, which also was indicated by restricted spleen and liver pathology. Specific immune responses against all three strains were detected in vitro after stimulation of splenocytes from infected mice with the homologous heat-killed brucellae. Antibody responses in vivo were also induced by the three brucellae. The immunological pattern of B. ceti in combination with persistence in organs and limited pathology has heretofore not been described for other brucellae. These two marine mammal wildtype strains show an attenuated pattern in BALB/c mice only previously described for Brucella neotomea.

Solving the critical thermal bowing in 3C-SiC/Si(111) by a tilting Si pillar architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albani, Marco; Marzegalli, Anna; Bergamaschini, Roberto; Mauceri, Marco; Crippa, Danilo; La Via, Francesco; von Känel, Hans; Miglio, Leo

2018-05-01

The exceptionally large thermal strain in few-micrometers-thick 3C-SiC films on Si(111), causing severe wafer bending and cracking, is demonstrated to be elastically quenched by substrate patterning in finite arrays of Si micro-pillars, sufficiently large in aspect ratio to allow for lateral pillar tilting, both by simulations and by preliminary experiments. In suspended SiC patches, the mechanical problem is addressed by finite element method: both the strain relaxation and the wafer curvature are calculated at different pillar height, array size, and film thickness. Patches as large as required by power electronic devices (500-1000 μm in size) show a remarkable residual strain in the central area, unless the pillar aspect ratio is made sufficiently large to allow peripheral pillars to accommodate the full film retraction. A sublinear relationship between the pillar aspect ratio and the patch size, guaranteeing a minimal curvature radius, as required for wafer processing and micro-crack prevention, is shown to be valid for any heteroepitaxial system.

Constituent Effects on the Stress-Strain Behavior of Woven Melt-Infiltrated SiC Composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morscher, Gregory N.; Eldridge, Jeff I.; Levine, Stanley (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The stress-strain behavior of 2D woven SiC fiber reinforced, melt-infiltrated SiC matrix composites with BN interphases were studied for composites fabricated with different fiber tow ends per unit length, different composite thickness, and different numbers of plies. In general, the stress-strain behavior, i.e., the 'knee' in the curve and the final slope of the stress-strain curve, was controlled by the volume fraction of fibers. Some of the composites exhibited debonding and sliding in between the interphase and the matrix rather than the more common debonding and sliding interface between the fiber and the interphase. Composites that exhibited this 'outside debonding' interface, in general, had lower elastic moduli and higher ultimate strains as well as longer pull-out lengths compared to the 'inside debonding' interface composites. Stress-strain curves were modeled where matrix crack formation as a function of stress was approximated from the acoustic emission activity and the measured crack density from the failed specimens. Interfacial shear strength measurements from individual fiber push-in tests were in good agreement with the interfacial shear strength values used to model the stress-strain curves.

High frequency of Polio-like Enterovirus C strains with differential clustering of CVA-13 and EV-C99 subgenotypes in a cohort of Malawian children.

PubMed

Brouwer, Lieke; van der Sanden, Sabine M G; Calis, Job C J; Bruning, Andrea H L; Wang, Steven; Wildenbeest, Joanne G; Rebers, Sjoerd P H; Phiri, Kamija S; Westerhuis, Brenda M; van Hensbroek, Michaël Boele; Pajkrt, Dasja; Wolthers, Katja C

2018-05-28

Enteroviruses (EVs) are among the most commonly detected viruses infecting humans worldwide. Although the prevalence of EVs is widely studied, the status of EV prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa remains largely unknown. The objective of our present study was therefore to increase our knowledge on EV circulation in sub-Saharan Africa. We obtained 749 fecal samples from a cross-sectional study conducted on Malawian children aged 6 to 60 months. We tested the samples for the presence of EVs using real time PCR, and typed the positive samples based on partial viral protein 1 (VP1) sequences. A large proportion of the samples was EV positive (89.9%). 12.9% of the typed samples belonged to EV species A (EV-A), 48.6% to species B (EV-B) and 38.5% to species C (EV-C). More than half of the EV-C strains (53%) belonged to subgroup C containing, among others, Poliovirus (PV) 1-3. The serotype most frequently isolated in our study was CVA-13, followed by EV-C99. The strains of CVA-13 showed a vast genetic diversity, possibly representing a new cluster, 'F'. The majority of the EV-C99 strains grouped together as cluster B. In conclusion, this study showed a vast circulation of EVs among Malawian children, with an EV prevalence of 89.9%. Identification of prevalences for species EV-C comparable to our study (38.5%) have only previously been reported in sub-Saharan Africa, and EV-C is rarely found outside of this region. The data found in this study are an important contribution to our current knowledge of EV epidemiology within sub-Saharan Africa.

Selected wild strains of Agaricus bisporus produce high yields of mushrooms at 25°C.

PubMed

Navarro, Pilar; Savoie, Jean-Michel

2015-01-01

To cultivate the button mushroom Agaricus bisporus in warm countries or during summer in temperate countries, while saving energy, is a challenge that could be addressed by using the biological diversity of the species. The objective was to evaluate the yield potential of eight wild strains previously selected in small scale experiments for their ability to produce mature fruiting bodies at 25°C and above. Culture units of 8 kg of compost were used. The yield expressed as weight or number per surface unit and earliness of fruiting were recorded during cultivation in climatic rooms at 17, 25 or 30°C. Only strains of A. bisporus var. burnettii were able to fruit at 30°C. At 25°C they produced the highest yields (27 kg m(-2)) and had best earliness. The yields at 25°C for the strains of A. bisporus var. bisporus ranged from 12 to 16 kg m(-2). The yield ratios 25°C/17°C ranged from 0.8 to 1.2. The variety burnettii originated in the Sonoran Desert in California showed adaptation for quickly producing fruiting bodies at high temperature when humidity conditions were favorable. Strains of the variety bisporus showed interesting potentials for their ability to produce mature fruiting bodies at higher temperature than present cultivars and might be used in breeding programs. Copyright © 2012 Revista Iberoamericana de Micología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Isolation and characterization of Bacillus subtilis strain BY-3, a thermophilic and efficient cellulase-producing bacterium on untreated plant biomass.

PubMed

Meng, F; Ma, L; Ji, S; Yang, W; Cao, B

2014-09-01

Bioconversion of biomass, particularly crop wastes, into biofuels is being developed as an alternative approach in meeting the high energy demand. In this study, a thermophilic bacterial strain BY-3 that exhibits cellulolytic potential was isolated from faecal samples of Tibetan pigs; this strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis. The strain can produce cellulase when grown on various substrates, including carboxymethyl cellulose, rice straw, corn stover, soluble starch and wheat bran. The maximum cellulase activity of the strain was up to 4·323 ± 0·065 U ml(-1) when cultivated in the medium containing corn stover (30 g l(-1) ) for 24 h. The results demonstrated that corn stover is the most suitable substrate for cellulase production by the strain BY-3. The crude cellulase of strain BY-3 was most active at pH 5·5 and 60°C, and the enzyme in acetate buffer (50 mmol l(-1) ) demonstrated a good stability at 60°C for at least 1 h. The crude cellulase exhibited a strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. The strain can be used in cost-efficient cellulase production for bioconversion of agricultural residual biomass into biofuels. The increased consumption of fossil fuels has caused serious energy crisis and environmental problem. Thus, an alternative energy source is necessary. Bioconversion of biomass, particularly agricultural residuals, into value-added bioproducts, such as biofuels and chemical solvents, has received considerable attention. In this study, the newly isolated thermophilic Bacillus subtilis strain BY-3 produces cellulase efficiently with the use of untreated corn stover as a sole carbon source. This strain possesses the thermostable cellulase that is active with diverse crop wastes with a broad pH range and is a highly promising candidate for agricultural waste management. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Uniaxial strain orientation dependence of superconducting transition temperature (Tc) and critical superconducting pressure (Pc) in β-(BDA-TTP)2I3.

PubMed

Kikuchi, Koichi; Isono, Takayuki; Kojima, Masayuki; Yoshimoto, Haruo; Kodama, Takeshi; Fujita, Wataru; Yokogawa, Keiichi; Yoshino, Harukazu; Murata, Keizo; Kaihatsu, Takayuki; Akutsu, Hiroki; Yamada, Jun-ichi

2011-12-14

Dependence of the superconducting transition temperature (T(c)) and critial superconducting pressure (P(c)) of the pressure-induced superconductor β-(BDA-TTP)(2)I(3) [BDA-TTP = 2,5-bis(1,3-dithian-2-ylidene)-1,3,4,6-tetrathiapentalene] on the orientation of uniaxial strain has been investigated. On the basis of the overlap between the upper and lower bands in the energy dispersion curve, the pressure orientation is thought to change the half-filled band to the quarter-filled one. The observed variations in T(c) and P(c) are explained by considering the degree of application of the pressure and the degree of contribution of the effective electronic correlation at uniaxial strains with different orientations parallel to the conducting donor layer. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Enhancement of ferroelectric Curie temperature in BaTiO3 films via strain-induced defect dipole alignment.

PubMed

Damodaran, Anoop R; Breckenfeld, Eric; Chen, Zuhuang; Lee, Sungki; Martin, Lane W

2014-09-01

The combination of epitaxial strain and defect engineering facilitates the tuning of the transition temperature of BaTiO3 to >800 °C. Advances in thin-film deposition enable the utilization of both the electric and elastic dipoles of defects to extend the epitaxial strain to new levels, inducing unprecedented functionality and temperature stability in ferroelectrics. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Efficient infectious cell culture systems of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) prototype strains HCV-1 and H77.

PubMed

Li, Yi-Ping; Ramirez, Santseharay; Mikkelsen, Lotte; Bukh, Jens

2015-01-01

The first discovered and sequenced hepatitis C virus (HCV) genome and the first in vivo infectious HCV clones originated from the HCV prototype strains HCV-1 and H77, respectively, both widely used in research of this important human pathogen. In the present study, we developed efficient infectious cell culture systems for these genotype 1a strains by using the HCV-1/SF9_A and H77C in vivo infectious clones. We initially adapted a genome with the HCV-1 5'UTR-NS5A (where UTR stands for untranslated region) and the JFH1 NS5B-3'UTR (5-5A recombinant), including the genotype 2a-derived mutations F1464L/A1672S/D2979G (LSG), to grow efficiently in Huh7.5 cells, thus identifying the E2 mutation S399F. The combination of LSG/S399F and reported TNcc(1a)-adaptive mutations A1226G/Q1773H/N1927T/Y2981F/F2994S promoted adaptation of the full-length HCV-1 clone. An HCV-1 recombinant with 17 mutations (HCV1cc) replicated efficiently in Huh7.5 cells and produced supernatant infectivity titers of 10(4.0) focus-forming units (FFU)/ml. Eight of these mutations were identified from passaged HCV-1 viruses, and the A970T/I1312V/C2419R/A2919T mutations were essential for infectious particle production. Using CD81-deficient Huh7 cells, we further demonstrated the importance of A970T/I1312V/A2919T or A970T/C2419R/A2919T for virus assembly and that the I1312V/C2419R combination played a major role in virus release. Using a similar approach, we found that NS5B mutation F2994R, identified here from culture-adapted full-length TN viruses and a common NS3 helicase mutation (S1368P) derived from viable H77C and HCV-1 5-5A recombinants, initiated replication and culture adaptation of H77C containing LSG and TNcc(1a)-adaptive mutations. An H77C recombinant harboring 19 mutations (H77Ccc) replicated and spread efficiently after transfection and subsequent infection of naive Huh7.5 cells, reaching titers of 10(3.5) and 10(4.4) FFU/ml, respectively. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) was discovered in 1989 with

Draft Genome Sequence of Caloramator australicus Strain RC3T, a Thermoanaerobe from the Great Artesian Basin of Australia ▿

PubMed Central

Ogg, Christopher D.; Patel, Bharat K. C.

2011-01-01

Caloramator australicus strain RC3T (JCM 15081T = KCTC 5601T) is the type strain of a newly identified thermophilic species, which was isolated from red microbial mats that thrive at 66°C in the runoff channel of a Great Artesian Basin bore (New Lorne bore, registered number 17263) in outback Queensland, Australia. The ability of the C. australicus strain to use metals as terminal electron acceptors has led to concerns that it could colonize and enhance corrosion of the metal casing of Great Artesian Basin bore well pipes and that this could subsequently lead to bore failure and loss of water availability for the community which is so reliant on it. The genome of the C. australicus strain has been sequenced, and annotation of the ∼2.65-Mb sequence indicates that the attributes are consistent with physiological and phenotypic traits. PMID:21421756

Understanding strain-induced phase transformations in BiFeO 3 thin films

DOE PAGES

Dixit, Hemant; Beekman, Christianne; Schlepütz, Christian M.; ...

2015-05-01

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO 3) is a promising lead free multiferroic with large polarization, ferroelectricity and robust antiferomagnetism. Experiments demonstrate that epitaxial strain substantially enhance the piezoelectric response of BiFeO 3 thin films. Here, through a synergestic combination of theory and experiments, we characterize the co-existing polymorphs (specifically an intermediate S' phase between the bulk rhombohedral-R and the pseudotetragonal T' phases) observed in strained BiFeO 3 thin films. We show that the S' phase, although energetically very close to the T' phase, exhibits structural similarities with the bulk R phase. G-type antiferromagnetic ordering is predicted for the S' and R phases,more » whereas, the G/C-type antiferromagnetic order types are energetically indistinguishable for the T' phase. Furthermore, we predict a blue-shift in the band gap Eg when moving from R to S' to T', which we confirm by Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy measurements. The flat energy landscape and the absence of an energy barrier between the T and S' phases indicate that a reversible phase transformation between the two is possible under the application of an external electric field. This may make it possible to strain engineer the electromechanical response or, utilizing the corresponding changes in Eg, create unique photonic structures.« less

Distinct binding of PET ligands PBB3 and AV-1451 to tau fibril strains in neurodegenerative tauopathies

PubMed Central

Ono, Maiko; Sahara, Naruhiko; Kumata, Katsushi; Ji, Bin; Ni, Ruiqing; Koga, Shunsuke; Dickson, Dennis W.; Trojanowski, John Q.; Lee, Virginia M-Y.; Yoshida, Mari; Hozumi, Isao; Yoshiyama, Yasumasa; van Swieten, John C.; Nordberg, Agneta; Suhara, Tetsuya; Zhang, Ming-Rong; Higuchi, Makoto

2017-01-01

Abstract Diverse neurodegenerative disorders are characterized by deposition of tau fibrils composed of conformers (i.e. strains) unique to each illness. The development of tau imaging agents has enabled visualization of tau lesions in tauopathy patients, but the modes of their binding to different tau strains remain elusive. Here we compared binding of tau positron emission tomography ligands, PBB3 and AV-1451, by fluorescence, autoradiography and homogenate binding assays with homologous and heterologous blockades using tauopathy brain samples. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated intense labelling of non-ghost and ghost tangles with PBB3 and AV-1451, while dystrophic neurites were more clearly detected by PBB3 in brains of Alzheimer’s disease and diffuse neurofibrillary tangles with calcification, characterized by accumulation of all six tau isoforms. Correspondingly, partially distinct distributions of autoradiographic labelling of Alzheimer’s disease slices with 11C-PBB3 and 18F-AV-1451 were noted. Neuronal and glial tau lesions comprised of 4-repeat isoforms in brains of progressive supranuclear palsy, corticobasal degeneration and familial tauopathy due to N279K tau mutation and 3-repeat isoforms in brains of Pick’s disease and familial tauopathy due to G272V tau mutation were sensitively detected by PBB3 fluorescence in contrast to very weak AV-1451 signals. This was in line with moderate 11C-PBB3 versus faint 18F-AV-1451 autoradiographic labelling of these tissues. Radioligand binding to brain homogenates revealed multiple binding components with differential affinities for 11C-PBB3 and 18F-AV-1451, and higher availability of binding sites on progressive supranuclear palsy tau deposits for 11C-PBB3 than 18F-AV-1451. Our data indicate distinct selectivity of PBB3 compared to AV-1451 for diverse tau fibril strains. This highlights the more robust ability of PBB3 to capture wide-range tau pathologies. PMID:28087578

Evidence for a natural humoral response in dairy cattle affected by persistent botulism sustained by non-chimeric type C strains.

PubMed

Bano, Luca; Drigo, Ilenia; Tonon, Elena; Berto, Giacomo; Tavella, Alexander; Woudstra, Cedric; Capello, Katia; Agnoletti, Fabrizio

2015-12-01

Bovine botulism is a sporadic acute disease that usually causes catastrophic losses in the herds. The unusual clinical evolution of a persistent mild outbreak in a dairy herd, prompted us to characterize the neurotoxin gene profile of the strain involved and to evaluate whether seroconversion had occurred. Diagnosis was based on mild classical symptoms and was supported by PCR and bacteriological findings, which revealed the involvement of a non-mosaic type C strain. An in-house ELISA was developed to detect antibodies to botulinum neurotoxin type C and its performance was evaluated in a vaccination study. Fifty days after the index case, fecal and serum samples were collected from the 14 animals of the herd and screened for Clostridium botulinum and anti-botulinum neurotoxin antibodies type C, respectively. The in-house developed ELISA was also used to test 100 sera samples randomly collected from 20 herds. Strong ELISA reactions were observed in 3 convalescent and 5 asymptomatic animals involved in the studied outbreak. The ELISA-positive cows all tested positive for non-mosaic C. botulinum type C in the feces and the same strain was also detected in the alfalfa hay, suspected to be the carrier source. Ten out of the 100 randomly collected sera tested positive for anti-botulinum neurotoxin type C antibodies: 7 had borderline values and 3 from the same herd showed titers three times higher than the cut-off. We concluded that type C botulism in cattle may occur with variable severity and that prolonged exposure to sublethal doses of botulinum neurotoxin C may occur, resulting in detectable antibodies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Controllable piezoelectricity of Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3 film via in situ misfit strain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Hyeon Jun; Guo, Er-Jia; Kwak, Jeong Hun; Hwang, Seung Hyun; Dörr, Kathrin; Lee, Jun Hee; Young Jo, Ji

2017-01-01

The tetragonality (c/a) of a PbZr0.2Ti0.8O3 (PZT) thin film on La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/ 0.72Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.28PbTiO3 (PMN-PT) substrates was controlled by applying an electric field on the PMN-PT substrate. The piezoelectric response of the PZT thin film under various biaxial strains was observed using time-resolved micro X-ray diffraction. The longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d33) was reduced from 29.5 to 14.9 pm/V when the c/a ratio of the PZT film slightly changed from 1.051 to 1.056. Our results demonstrate that the tetragonality of the PZT thin film plays a critical role in determining d33, and in situ strain engineering using electromechanical substrate is useful in excluding the extrinsic effect resulting from the variation in the film thickness or the interface between substrate.

Characterization of early follicular cDNA library suggests evidence for genetic polymorphisms in the inbred strain C108 of Bombyx mori.

PubMed

Mills, D R; Goldsmith, M R

2000-04-01

Recent work towards the completion of a saturated molecular genetic linkage map for the lepidopteran silkworm, Bombyx mori (n = 28), has provided evidence for existing polymorphisms in the inbred strain C108. Two inbred parental strains, p50 and C108, were crossed to produce the F1 (P/C) hybrid offspring. The populations used in this project were comprised of a combination of 29 F2 (F1 x F1) and 31 reciprocal backcross (P/C x C/C, P/C x P/P) progeny. All restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) for the initial analysis were hybridized with anonymous probes derived from a random early follicular cDNA (Rcf) library from Bombyx. A total of 19 Rcf probes were selected as showing scorable codominant polymorphic patterns when screened against F2 and backcross DNAs digested with the restriction enzymes EcoRI, HindIII, or PstI, and Southern blotted to nylon membranes for hybridization. Of the newly reported Rcf probes, 7 (37%) were characterized as producing 'simple' polymorphic patterns, while 12 (63%) were characterized as producing 'complex' polymorphic patterns. Further characterization of the complex patterns subdivided this group into two general classes: polymorphisms that contained an additional allele, and multiple bands that contained an easily scored two banded polymorphism. Because the extra allele class was limited to the (P/C x C/C) backcross progeny, it is suggested that the inbred parental strain C108 harbors polymorphic loci that are inherited in a simple Mendelian fashion. A genetic analysis discussing plausible origins and maintenance of these polymorphisms is presented.

Stimulation of complement component C3 synthesis in macrophagelike cell lines by group B streptococci.

PubMed Central

Goodrum, K J

1987-01-01

Complement levels and complement activation are key determinants in streptococcus-induced inflammatory responses. Activation of macrophage functions, such as complement synthesis, by group B streptococci (GBS) was examined as a possible component of GBS-induced chronic inflammation. Using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, secreted C3 from mouse macrophagelike cell lines (PU5-1.8 and J774A.1) was monitored after cultivation with GBS. Whole, heat-killed GBS (1 to 10 CFU per macrophage) of both type Ia and III strains induced 25 to 300% increases in secreted C3 in both cell lines after a 24-h cultivation. GBS-treated cell lines exhibited increases in secreted lysozyme (10%) and in cellular protein (25 to 50%). Inhibition of macrophage phagocytosis by cytochalasin B inhibited GBS stimulation of C3. Purified cell walls of GBS type III strain 603-79 (1 to 10 micrograms/ml) also enhanced C3 synthesis. Local enhancement of macrophage C3 production by ingested streptococci or by persistent cell wall antigens may serve to promote chronic inflammatory responses. PMID:3552987

Interim estimates of divergence date and vaccine strain match of human influenza A(H3N2) virus from systematic influenza surveillance (2010-2015) in Hangzhou, southeast of China.

PubMed

Li, Jun; Zhou, Yin-yan; Kou, Yu; Yu, Xin-fen; Zheng, Zhi-bei; Yang, Xu-hui; Wang, Hao-qiu

2015-11-01

In the post-pandemic period 2010-2015, seasonal influenza A(H3N2) virus predominated in Hangzhou, southeast of China, with an increased activity and semi-annual seasons. This study utilized HA virus gene segment sequences to analyze the divergence date and vaccine strain match of human influenza A(H3N2) virus from systematic influenza surveillance in Hangzhou. Virological and serological analyses of 124 representative A(H3N2) viruses from prospective studies of systematic surveillance samples were conducted to quantify the genetic and antigenic characteristics and their vaccine strain match. Bayesian phylogenetic inference showed that two separate subgroups 3C.3 and 3C.2 probably diverged from group 3C in early 2012 and then evolved into groups 3C.3a and 3C.2a, respectively, in the 2014/15 influenza season. Furthermore, high amino acid substitution rates of the HA1 subunit were found in A(H3N2) group 3C.2a variants, indicating that increased antigenic drift of A(H3N2) group 3C.2a virus is associated with a vaccine mismatch to the 2015/16 vaccine reference strain Switzerland/9715293/2013 (group 3C.3a). A portion of the group 3C.2a isolates are not covered by the current A(H3N2) vaccine strain. These findings offer insights into the emergence of group 3C.2a variants with epidemic potential in the imminent influenza seasons. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Functional characterization of 3-ketosteroid 9α-hydroxylases in Rhodococcus ruber strain chol-4.

PubMed

Guevara, Govinda; Heras, Laura Fernández de Las; Perera, Julián; Llorens, Juana María Navarro

2017-09-01

The 3-Ketosteroid-9α-Hydroxylase, also known as KshAB [androsta-1,4-diene-3,17-dione, NADH:oxygen oxidoreductase (9α-hydroxylating); EC 1.14.13.142)], is a key enzyme in the general scheme of the bacterial steroid catabolism in combination with a 3-ketosteroid-Δ 1 -dehydrogenase activity (KstD), being both responsible of the steroid nucleus (rings A/B) breakage. KshAB initiates the opening of the steroid ring by the 9α-hydroxylation of the C9 carbon of 4-ene-3-oxosteroids (e.g. AD) or 1,4-diene-3-oxosteroids (e.g. ADD), transforming them into 9α-hydroxy-4-androsten-3,17-dione (9OHAD) or 9α-hydroxy-1,4-androstadiene-3,17-dione (9OHADD), respectively. The redundancy of these enzymes in the actinobacterial genomes results in a serious difficulty for metabolic engineering this catabolic pathway to obtain intermediates of industrial interest. In this work, we have identified three homologous kshA genes and one kshB gen in different genomic regions of R. ruber strain Chol-4. We present a set of data that helps to understand their specific roles in this strain, including: i) description of the KshAB enzymes ii) construction and characterization of ΔkshB and single, double and triple ΔkshA mutants in R. ruber iii) growth studies of the above strains on different substrates and iv) genetic complementation and biotransformation assays with those strains. Our results show that KshA2 isoform is needed for the degradation of steroid substrates with short side chain, while KshA3 works on those molecules with longer side chains. KshA1 is a more versatile enzyme related to the cholic acid catabolism, although it also collaborates with KshA2 or KshA3 activities in the catabolism of steroids. Accordingly to what it is described for other Rhodococcus strains, our results also suggest that the side chain degradation is KshAB-independent. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Efficacy of 3,4-Diaminopyridine as a Therapy for Type C Botulism

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-12-09

0 of type A botulinum neurotoxin. The difference in the effectiveness of 3,-LAPaanttpD n ouiu toxins may be due to variations in the mechanism of...effectiveness of 3,4-DAP against t4a A and C botulinum toxins may be due to variations in the mechanism of action of these neurotoxins at the molecular...contained 2.0 X 107 LDsdml. For the production of type C toxin , the Stockholm strain of Clostridium botulinum type C was grown in a medium containing 2.0

Multiphase nanodomains in a strained BaTiO3 film on a GdScO3 substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Shunsuke; Inoue, Kazutoshi; Kato, Takeharu; Ikuhara, Yuichi; Yamamoto, Takahisa

2018-02-01

Controlling the crystal structure of ferroelectric materials via epitaxial strain, which is a well-known technique in strain engineering, can lead to the formation of unique domain structures generating non-intrinsic phenomena such as electronic conductivity, photovoltages, and enhanced piezoelectric characteristics. Strained BaTiO3 films are promising ferroelectric materials as theoretical modeling predicts that different domain morphologies can introduce additional properties not observed in conventional BaTiO3 ceramics. To rationally design materials for practical application, a thorough understanding of the formation mechanisms and stabilities of different domain structures in strained BaTiO3 films is required. However, there have been very few experimental reports on this topic, and details about the domain structures in strained BaTiO3 films are currently lacking. In this paper, we report multiphase nanodomains in a strained BaTiO3 film deposited on an orthorhombic GdScO3 substrate. The phase-transition behavior of the strained BaTiO3 film reveals that it contains multiple phases at room temperature; the film first undergoes a phase-transition upon heating at around 550 K, and then a paraelectric phase forms at temperatures above 690 K. A picometer-scale analysis of the Ti ion displacements, using an advanced scanning transmission electron microscopy technique, is used to characterize the complex multiphase nanodomains, providing useful insights into the control of domain structures in BaTiO3 films by applying epitaxial strain.

Isolation and characterization of Halomonas sp. strain C2SS100, a hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium under hypersaline conditions.

PubMed

Mnif, S; Chamkha, M; Sayadi, S

2009-09-01

To isolate and characterize an efficient hydrocarbon-degrading bacterium under hypersaline conditions, from a Tunisian off-shore oil field. Production water collected from 'Sercina' petroleum reservoir, located near the Kerkennah island, Tunisia, was used for the screening of halotolerant or halophilic bacteria able to degrade crude oil. Bacterial strain C2SS100 was isolated after enrichment on crude oil, in the presence of 100 g l(-1) NaCl and at 37 degrees C. This strain was aerobic, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile, oxidase + and catalase +. Phenotypic characters and phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene of the isolate C2SS100 showed that it was related to members of the Halomonas genus. The degradation of several compounds present in crude oil was confirmed by GC-MS analysis. The use of refined petroleum products such as diesel fuel and lubricating oil as sole carbon source, under the same conditions of temperature and salinity, showed that significant amounts of these heterogenic compounds could be degraded. Strain C2SS100 was able to degrade hexadecane (C16). During growth on hexadecane, cells surface hydrophobicity and emulsifying activity increased indicating the production of biosurfactant by strain C2SS100. A halotolerant bacterial strain Halomonas sp. C2SS100 was isolated from production water of an oil field, after enrichment on crude oil. This strain is able to degrade hydrocarbons efficiently. The mode of hydrocarbon uptake is realized by the production of a biosurfactant which enhances the solubility of hydrocarbons and renders them more accessible for biodegradation. The biodegradation potential of the Halomonas sp. strain C2SS100 gives it an advantage for possibly application on bioremediation of water, hydrocarbon-contaminated sites under high-salinity level.

Longitudinal compressive behaviour of 3D braided composite under various temperatures and strain rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Zhongxiang; Gu, Bohong; Sun, Baozhong

2015-03-01

This paper reports the longitudinal compressive behaviour of 3D braided basalt fibre tows/epoxy composite materials under strain-rate range of 1,200-2,400 s-1 and temperature range of 23-210 °C both in experimental and finite element analyses (FEA). A split Hopkinson pressure bar system with a heating device was designed to test the longitudinal compressive behaviour of 3D braided composite materials. Testing results indicate that longitudinal compression modulus, specific energy absorption and peak stress decreased with elevated temperatures, whereas the failure strain increased with elevated temperatures. At some temperatures above the T g of epoxy resin, such as at 120 and 150 °C, strain distributions and deformations in fibre tows and epoxy resin tended to be the same. It results in relatively slighter damage status of the 3D braided composite material. The FEA results reveal that heating of the material due to the dissipative energy of the inelastic deformation and damage processes generated in resin is more than that in fibre tows. The braiding structure has a significant influence on thermomechanical failure via two aspects: distribution and accumulation of the heating leads to the development of the shear band paths along braiding angle; the buckling inflection segment rather than the straight segment generates the maximum of the heating in each fibre tows. The damage occurs at the early stage when the temperature is below T g, while at the temperature above T g, damage stage occurs at the rear of plastic deformation.

Segregation of genes from donor strain during the production of recombinant congenic strains.

PubMed

van Zutphen, L F; Den Bieman, M; Lankhorst, A; Demant, P

1991-07-01

Recombinant congenic strains (RCS) constitute a set of inbred strains which are designed to dissect the genetic control of multigenic traits, such as tumour susceptibility or disease resistance. Each RCS contains a small fraction of the genome of a common donor strain, while the majority of genes stem from a common background strain. We tested at two stages of the inbreeding process in 20 RCS, derived from BALB/cHeA and STS/A, to see whether alleles from the STS/A donor strain are distributed over the RCS in a ratio as would theoretically be expected. Four marker genes (Pep-3; Pgm-1; Gpi-1 and Es-3) located at 4 different chromosomes were selected and the allelic distribution was tested after 3-4 and after 12 generations of inbreeding. The data obtained do not significantly deviate from the expected pattern, thus supporting the validity of the concept of RCS.

Safety characterisation and inhibition of fungi and bacteria by a novel multiple enterocin-producing Enterococcus lactis 4CP3 strain.

PubMed

Ben Braïek, Olfa; Cremonesi, Paola; Morandi, Stefano; Smaoui, Slim; Hani, Khaled; Ghrairi, Taoufik

2018-03-07

This study aims to characterise a potential bacteriocinogenic lactic acid bacterial strain isolated from a raw pink shrimp (Palaemon serratus) and evaluate its safety aspect. The strain designated as 4CP3 was noted to display antibacterial activities (P < 0.05) against Gram-positive and Gram-negative foodborne pathogens (Listeria monocytogenes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and some filamentous fungi (e.g. Aspergillus niger A79). Phenotypic and molecular techniques as well as phylogenetic analysis identified the isolate 4CP3 as Enterococcus lactis. Its produced antimicrobial substance was determined as a bacteriocin that was stable over a wide range of pH (2-10) and after heating at 100 °C for 15 min. The maximum bacteriocin production was 1400 AU/ml recorded after 12 h of incubation in de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) broth medium at 30 °C. The mode of action of the bacteriocin produced by 4CP3 strain was identified as bactericidal against L. monocytogenes EGDe 107776 and P. aeruginosa ATCC 27853. By specific PCR amplifications, E. lactis 4CP3 was shown to produce the enterocins A, B and P. To our knowledge, this feature is newly described for E. lactis strain isolated from raw shrimps. Regarding safety aspect of E. lactis 4CP3, it has been demonstrated that this strain was not haemolytic, gelatinase negative, sensitive to vancomycin, and free of common antibiotic resistance genes and virulence factors. Therefore, it may be useful as a safe natural agent in preservation of foods or as a new probiotic strain in food and feed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Activation Strain Analysis of SN2 Reactions at C, N, O, and F Centers

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Fundamental principles that determine chemical reactivity and reaction mechanisms are the very foundation of chemistry and many related fields of science. Bimolecular nucleophilic substitutions (SN2) are among the most common and therefore most important reaction types. In this report, we examine the trends in the SN2 reactions with respect to increasing electronegativity of the reaction center by comparing the well-studied backside SN2 Cl– + CH3Cl with similar Cl– substitutions on the isoelectronic series with the second period elements N, O, and F in place of C. Relativistic (ZORA) DFT calculations are used to construct the gas phase reaction potential energy surfaces (PES), and activation strain analysis, which allows decomposition of the PES into the geometrical strain and interaction energy, is employed to analyze the observed trends. We find that SN2@N and SN2@O have similar PES to the prototypical SN2@C, with the well-defined reaction complex (RC) local minima and a central barrier, but all stationary points are, respectively, increasingly stable in energy. The SN2@F, by contrast, exhibits only a single-well PES with no barrier. Using the activation strain model, we show that the trends are due to the interaction energy and originate mainly from the decreasing energy of the empty acceptor orbital (σ*A–Cl) on the reaction center A in the order of C, N, O, and F. The decreasing steric congestion around the central atom is also a likely contributor to this trend. Additional decomposition of the interaction energy using Kohn–Sham molecular orbital (KS-MO) theory provides further support for this explanation, as well as suggesting electrostatic energy as the primary reason for the distinct single-well PES profile for the FCl reaction. PMID:28045531

Activation Strain Analysis of SN2 Reactions at C, N, O, and F Centers.

PubMed

Kubelka, Jan; Bickelhaupt, F Matthias

2017-02-02

Fundamental principles that determine chemical reactivity and reaction mechanisms are the very foundation of chemistry and many related fields of science. Bimolecular nucleophilic substitutions (S N 2) are among the most common and therefore most important reaction types. In this report, we examine the trends in the S N 2 reactions with respect to increasing electronegativity of the reaction center by comparing the well-studied backside S N 2 Cl - + CH 3 Cl with similar Cl - substitutions on the isoelectronic series with the second period elements N, O, and F in place of C. Relativistic (ZORA) DFT calculations are used to construct the gas phase reaction potential energy surfaces (PES), and activation strain analysis, which allows decomposition of the PES into the geometrical strain and interaction energy, is employed to analyze the observed trends. We find that S N 2@N and S N 2@O have similar PES to the prototypical S N 2@C, with the well-defined reaction complex (RC) local minima and a central barrier, but all stationary points are, respectively, increasingly stable in energy. The S N 2@F, by contrast, exhibits only a single-well PES with no barrier. Using the activation strain model, we show that the trends are due to the interaction energy and originate mainly from the decreasing energy of the empty acceptor orbital (σ* A-Cl ) on the reaction center A in the order of C, N, O, and F. The decreasing steric congestion around the central atom is also a likely contributor to this trend. Additional decomposition of the interaction energy using Kohn-Sham molecular orbital (KS-MO) theory provides further support for this explanation, as well as suggesting electrostatic energy as the primary reason for the distinct single-well PES profile for the FCl reaction.

Evaluation of UV-C mutagenized Scheffersomyces stipitis strains for ethanol production.

PubMed

Geiger, Melanie; Gibbons, Jaimie; West, Thomas; Hughes, Stephen R; Gibbons, William

2012-12-01

We evaluated fermentation capabilities of five strains of Scheffersomyces stipitis (WT-2-1, WT-1-11, 14-2-6, 22-1-1, and 22-1-12) that had been produced by UV-C mutagenesis and selection for improved xylose fermentation to ethanol using an integrated automated robotic work cell. They were incubated under both facultative and anaerobic conditions to evaluate ethanol production on glucose, xylose, cellobiose, and a combination of all three sugars. The medium contained 50 g/L total sugar and 5 g/L yeast extract. The strains performed significantly better under facultative compared with anaerobic conditions. As expected, glucose was the most readily fermented sugar with ~100% fermentation efficiency (FE) under facultative conditions but only 5% to 16% FE anaerobically. Xylose utilization was 20% to 40% FE under facultative conditions but 9% to 25% FE anaerobically. Cellobiose was the least fermented sugar, at 18% to 27% FE facultatively and 8% to 11% anaerobically. Similar trends occurred in the sugar mixture. Under facultative conditions, strain 22-1-12 produced 19.6 g/L ethanol on glucose, but strain 14-2-6 performed best on xylose (4.5 g/L ethanol) and the sugar combination (8.0 g/L ethanol). Ethanol titers from glucose under anaerobic conditions were again highest with strain 22-1-12, but none of the strains produced ethanol from xylose. Future trials will evaluate nutrient addition to boost microaerophilic xylose fermentation.

Thermal Hysteresis of MEMS Packaged Capacitive Pressure Sensor (CPS) Based 3C-SiC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marsi, N.; Majlis, B. Y.; Mohd-Yasin, F.; Hamzah, A. A.; Mohd Rus, A. Z.

2016-11-01

Presented herein are the effects of thermal hysteresis analyses of the MEMS packaged capacitive pressure sensor (CPS). The MEMS CPS was employed on Si-on-3C-SiC wafer that was performed using the hot wall low-pressure chemical vapour deposition (LPCVD) reactors at the Queensland Micro and Nanotechnology Center (QMNC), Griffith University and fabricated using the bulk-micromachining process. The MEMS CPS was operated at an extreme temperature up to 500°C and high external pressure at 5.0 MPa. The thermal hysteresis phenomenon that causes the deflection, strain and stress on the 3C-SiC diaphragm spontaneously influence the MEMS CPS performances. The differences of temperature, hysteresis, and repeatability test were presented to demonstrate the functionality of the MEMS packaged CPS. As expected, the output hysteresis has a low hysteresis (less than 0.05%) which has the hardness greater than the traditional silicon. By utilizing this low hysteresis, it was revealed that the MEMS packaged CPS has high repeatability and stability of the sensor.

Tuning the Energy Gap of SiCH3 Nanomaterials Under Elastic Strain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Shengqian; Li, Feng; Geng, Jiguo; Zhu, Mei; Li, Suyan; Han, Juguang

2018-05-01

SiCH3 nanomaterials have been studied using the density functional theory. When the nanosheets and nanoribbons (armchair and zigzag) are introduced, their energy gap is modulated under elastic strain and width. The results show that the band gap of SiCH3 nanomaterials can be easily tuned using elastic strains and widths. Surprisingly, the band gap can be modulated along two directions, namely, compressing and stretching. The band gap decreases when increasing stretching strain or decreasing compressing strain. In addition, the band gap decreases when increasing the nanoribbon width. For energy gap engineering, the band gap can be tuned by strains and widths. Therefore, the SiCH3 nanomaterials play important roles in potential applications for strain sensors, electronics, and optical electronics.

Flexible surface acoustic wave strain sensor based on single crystalline LiNbO3 thin film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hongsheng; Dong, Shurong; Xuan, Weipeng; Farooq, Umar; Huang, Shuyi; Li, Menglu; Wu, Ting; Jin, Hao; Wang, Xiaozhi; Luo, Jikui

2018-02-01

A flexible surface acoustic wave (SAW) strain sensor in the frequency range of 162-325 MHz was developed based on a single crystalline LiNbO3 thin film with dual resonance modes, namely, the Rayleigh mode and the thickness shear mode (TSM). This SAW sensor could handle a wide strain range up to ±3500 μɛ owing to its excellent flexibility, which is nearly six times the detecting range of bulk piezoelectric substrate based SAW strain sensors. The sensor exhibited a high sensitivity of 193 Hz/ μɛ with a maximum hysteresis less than 1.5%. The temperature coefficients of frequency, for Rayleigh and TSM modes, were -85 and -59 ppm/ °C , respectively. No visible deterioration was observed after cyclic bending for hundreds of times, showing its desirable stability and reliability. By utilizing the dual modes, the strain sensor with a self-temperature calibrated capability can be achieved. The results demonstrate that the sensor is an excellent candidate for strain sensing.

[Studying of molecular mechanisms of rubella virus attenuation evidence from Russian strain C-77].

PubMed

Dmitriev, G V; Borisova, T K; Faĭzuloev, E B; Zabiiaka, Iu I; Desiatskova, R G; Zverev, V V

2012-01-01

Live attenuated rubella vaccine is used for vaccination. Temperature-sensitive (ts) phenotype was proved for almost all rubella vaccine strains, and the acquisition of the ts phenotype during cold adaptation was strongly correlated with the attenuation of the wild-type viruses. Nevertheless, the molecular mechanisms of the attenuation have been insufficiently understood for rubella virus. Study ofthese mechanisms, identifying genotypic markers of attenuation, which together with the sequence analyses could be used for genetic stability control of vaccine strains, is still of current interest. In this work, we determined nearly complete genome sequences of attenuated (ca) and the wildtype progenitor (wt) of the rubella virus strain C-77 isolated in Russia. Possible genetic determinants of attenuation were detected. Thus, 13 nucleotide differences leading to 6 amino acid substitutions were found. Four amino acid substitutions were found to be almost unique. Special consideration should be given to Tyr1042Cys substitution in the protease domain of C-77 strain, because it most probably plays the crucial role in acquisition of ts-phenotype.

Complete Genomic Sequences of H3N8 Equine Influenza Virus Strains Used as Vaccine Strains in Japan

PubMed Central

Yamanaka, Takashi; Bannai, Hiroshi; Tsujimura, Koji; Kokado, Hiroshi

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT We sequenced the eight segments of influenza A virus strains A/equine/Ibaraki/1/2007 and A/equine/Yokohama/aq13/2010, which are strains of the Florida sublineage clades 1 and 2 of the H3N8 subtype equine influenza virus. These strains have been used as vaccine strains in Japan since 2016 in accordance with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recommendations. PMID:29567739

Complete Genomic Sequences of H3N8 Equine Influenza Virus Strains Used as Vaccine Strains in Japan.

PubMed

Nemoto, Manabu; Yamanaka, Takashi; Bannai, Hiroshi; Tsujimura, Koji; Kokado, Hiroshi

2018-03-22

We sequenced the eight segments of influenza A virus strains A/equine/Ibaraki/1/2007 and A/equine/Yokohama/aq13/2010, which are strains of the Florida sublineage clades 1 and 2 of the H3N8 subtype equine influenza virus. These strains have been used as vaccine strains in Japan since 2016 in accordance with World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) recommendations. Copyright © 2018 Nemoto et al.

Nutritional environment influences transcription of a pantocin A biosynthesis gene in Pantoea vagans strain C9-1

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The histidine-reversible antibiotic pantocin A is produced by Pantoea vagans strain C9-1 and Pantoea agglomerans strains Eh252, EH318 and P10c and contributes significantly to efficacy of biological control of fire blight of pear and apple flowers caused by Erwinia amylovora. Antibiosis by pantocin ...

Isolation, characterization and antioxidative activity of C-phycocyanin from Limnothrix sp. strain 37-2-1

PubMed Central

Gantar, Miroslav; Simović, Dragan; Djilas, Sonja; Gonzalez, Walter W.; Miksovska, Jaroslava

2012-01-01

C-phycocyanin (C-PC) is a blue colored accessory photosynthetic pigment found in cyanobacteria. Some of the medicinal properties of Spirulina have been attributed to this pigment, which includes anticancer, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activity. We have screened cyanobacteria isolated from freshwater habitats in Florida for their high content of C-PC. Of 125 strains tested, one filamentous strain identified as Limnothrix sp. was selected for further research. This strain produced 18% C-PC of total dry biomass. Here we describe a simple method for obtaining C-PC of high purity without the use of ion exchange chromatography. The procedure is based on pigment precipitation from the cell lysate with an appropriate concentration of ammonium sulfate, then purification with activated carbon and chitosan, followed by a sample concentration using tangential flow filtration. We have shown that when the lower concentration of ammonium sulfate was used, C-PC with higher purity index was recovered. Characterization of C-PC from Limnothrix showed that it had an absorbance maximum at 620 nm and fluorescence at 639 nm. The molecular mass of intact C-PC was estimated to be ~50 kDa with α and β subunits forming dimmers. When C-PC content per unit biomass was compared to that of marketed Spirulina powder, we found that Limnothrix was superior. C-phycocyanin from Limnothrix had an antioxidative activity on DPPH free radicals similar to that found in a natural antioxidant – rutin. PMID:22353597

Genome characterization of a novel binary toxin-positive strain of Clostridium difficile and comparison with the epidemic 027 and 078 strains.

PubMed

Peng, Zhong; Liu, Sidi; Meng, Xiujuan; Liang, Wan; Xu, Zhuofei; Tang, Biao; Wang, Yuanguo; Duan, Juping; Fu, Chenchao; Wu, Bin; Wu, Anhua; Li, Chunhui

2017-01-01

Clostridium difficile is an anaerobic Gram-positive spore-forming gut pathogen that causes antibiotic-associated diarrhea worldwide. A small number of C. difficile strains express the binary toxin (CDT), which is generally found in C. difficile 027 (ST1) and/or 078 (ST11) in clinic. However, we isolated a binary toxin-positive non-027, non-078 C. difficile LC693 that is associated with severe diarrhea in China. The genotype of this strain was determined as ST201. To understand the pathogenesis-basis of C. difficile ST201, the strain LC693 was chosen for whole genome sequencing, and its genome sequence was analyzed together with the other two ST201 strains VL-0104 and VL-0391 and compared to the epidemic 027/ST1 and 078/ST11 strains. The project finally generated an estimated genome size of approximately 4.07 Mbp for strain LC693. Genome size of the three ST201 strains ranged from 4.07 to 4.16 Mb, with an average GC content between 28.5 and 28.9%. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that the ST201 strains belonged to clade 3. The ST201 genomes contained more than 40 antibiotic resistance genes and 15 of them were predicted to be associated with vancomycin-resistance. The ST201 strains contained a larger PaLoc with a Tn6218 element inserted than the 027/ST1 and 078/ST11 strains, and encoded a truncated TcdC. In addition, the ST201 strains contained intact binary toxin coding and regulation genes which are highly homologous to the 027/ST1 strain. Genome comparison of the ST201 strains with the epidemic 027 and 078 strain identified 641 genes specific for C. difficile ST201, and a number of them were predicted as fitness and virulence associated genes. The presence of those genes also contributes to the pathogenesis of the ST201 strains. In this study, the genomic characterization of three binary toxin-positive C. difficile ST201 strains in clade 3 was discussed and compared to the genomes of the epidemic 027 and the 078 strains. Our analysis identified a number

Comprehensive identification of mutations responsible for heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA)-to-VISA conversion in laboratory-generated VISA strains derived from hVISA clinical strain Mu3.

PubMed

Matsuo, Miki; Cui, Longzhu; Kim, Jeeyoung; Hiramatsu, Keiichi

2013-12-01

Heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) spontaneously produces VISA cells within its cell population at a frequency of 10(-6) or greater. We established a total of 45 VISA mutant strains independently obtained from hVISA Mu3 and its related strains by one-step vancomycin selection. We then performed high-throughput whole-genome sequencing of the 45 strains and their parent strains to identify the genes involved in the hVISA-to-VISA phenotypic conversion. A comparative genome study showed that all the VISA strains tested carried a unique set of mutations. All of the 45 VISA strains carried 1 to 4 mutations possibly affecting the expression of a total of 48 genes. Among them, 32 VISA strains carried only one gene affected by a single mutation. As many as 20 genes in more than eight functional categories were affected in the 32 VISA strains, which explained the extremely high rates of the hVISA-to-VISA phenotypic conversion. Five genes, rpoB, rpoC, walK, pbp4, and pp2c, were previously reported as being involved in vancomycin resistance. Fifteen remaining genes were newly identified as associated with vancomycin resistance in this study. The gene most frequently affected (6 out of 32 strains) was cmk, which encodes cytidylate kinase, followed closely by rpoB (5 out of 32), encoding the β subunit of RNA polymerase. A mutation prevalence study also revealed a sizable number of cmk mutants among clinical VISA strains (7 out of 38 [18%]). Reduced cytidylate kinase activity in cmk mutant strains is proposed to contribute to the hVISA-to-VISA phenotype conversion by thickening the cell wall and reducing the cell growth rate.

Comprehensive Identification of Mutations Responsible for Heterogeneous Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA)-to-VISA Conversion in Laboratory-Generated VISA Strains Derived from hVISA Clinical Strain Mu3

PubMed Central

Matsuo, Miki; Cui, Longzhu; Kim, Jeeyoung

2013-01-01

Heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (hVISA) spontaneously produces VISA cells within its cell population at a frequency of 10−6 or greater. We established a total of 45 VISA mutant strains independently obtained from hVISA Mu3 and its related strains by one-step vancomycin selection. We then performed high-throughput whole-genome sequencing of the 45 strains and their parent strains to identify the genes involved in the hVISA-to-VISA phenotypic conversion. A comparative genome study showed that all the VISA strains tested carried a unique set of mutations. All of the 45 VISA strains carried 1 to 4 mutations possibly affecting the expression of a total of 48 genes. Among them, 32 VISA strains carried only one gene affected by a single mutation. As many as 20 genes in more than eight functional categories were affected in the 32 VISA strains, which explained the extremely high rates of the hVISA-to-VISA phenotypic conversion. Five genes, rpoB, rpoC, walK, pbp4, and pp2c, were previously reported as being involved in vancomycin resistance. Fifteen remaining genes were newly identified as associated with vancomycin resistance in this study. The gene most frequently affected (6 out of 32 strains) was cmk, which encodes cytidylate kinase, followed closely by rpoB (5 out of 32), encoding the β subunit of RNA polymerase. A mutation prevalence study also revealed a sizable number of cmk mutants among clinical VISA strains (7 out of 38 [18%]). Reduced cytidylate kinase activity in cmk mutant strains is proposed to contribute to the hVISA-to-VISA phenotype conversion by thickening the cell wall and reducing the cell growth rate. PMID:24018261

UDP-N-Acetylmuramic Acid l-Alanine Ligase (MurC) Inhibition in a tolC Mutant Escherichia coli Strain Leads to Cell Death

PubMed Central

Humnabadkar, Vaishali; Prabhakar, K. R.; Narayan, Ashwini; Sharma, Sreevalli; Guptha, Supreeth; Manjrekar, Praveena; Chinnapattu, Murugan; Ramachandran, Vasanthi; Hameed, Shahul P.; Ravishankar, Sudha

2014-01-01

The Mur ligases play an essential role in the biosynthesis of bacterial peptidoglycan and hence are attractive antibacterial targets. A screen of the AstraZeneca compound library led to the identification of compound A, a pyrazolopyrimidine, as a potent inhibitor of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa MurC. However, cellular activity against E. coli or P. aeruginosa was not observed. Compound A was active against efflux pump mutants of both strains. Experiments using an E. coli tolC mutant revealed accumulation of the MurC substrate and a decrease in the level of product upon treatment with compound A, indicating inhibition of MurC enzyme in these cells. Such a modulation was not observed in the E. coli wild-type cells. Further, overexpression of MurC in the E. coli tolC mutant led to an increase in the compound A MIC by ≥16-fold, establishing a correlation between MurC inhibition and cellular activity. In addition, estimation of the intracellular compound A level showed an accumulation of the compound over time in the tolC mutant strain. A significant compound A level was not detected in the wild-type E. coli strain even upon treatment with high concentrations of the compound. Therefore, the lack of MIC and absence of MurC inhibition in wild-type E. coli were possibly due to suboptimal compound concentration as a consequence of a high efflux level and/or poor permeativity of compound A. PMID:25114134

Distinct signatures of host–microbial meta-metabolome and gut microbiome in two C57BL/6 strains under high-fat diet

PubMed Central

Walker, Alesia; Pfitzner, Barbara; Neschen, Susanne; Kahle, Melanie; Harir, Mourad; Lucio, Marianna; Moritz, Franco; Tziotis, Dimitrios; Witting, Michael; Rothballer, Michael; Engel, Marion; Schmid, Michael; Endesfelder, David; Klingenspor, Martin; Rattei, Thomas; Castell, Wolfgang zu; de Angelis, Martin Hrabé; Hartmann, Anton; Schmitt-Kopplin, Philippe

2014-01-01

A combinatory approach using metabolomics and gut microbiome analysis techniques was performed to unravel the nature and specificity of metabolic profiles related to gut ecology in obesity. This study focused on gut and liver metabolomics of two different mouse strains, the C57BL/6J (C57J) and the C57BL/6N (C57N) fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 3 weeks, causing diet-induced obesity in C57N, but not in C57J mice. Furthermore, a 16S-ribosomal RNA comparative sequence analysis using 454 pyrosequencing detected significant differences between the microbiome of the two strains on phylum level for Firmicutes, Deferribacteres and Proteobacteria that propose an essential role of the microbiome in obesity susceptibility. Gut microbial and liver metabolomics were followed by a combinatory approach using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) and ultra performance liquid chromatography time of tlight MS/MS with subsequent multivariate statistical analysis, revealing distinctive host and microbial metabolome patterns between the C57J and the C57N strain. Many taurine-conjugated bile acids (TBAs) were significantly elevated in the cecum and decreased in liver samples from the C57J phenotype likely displaying different energy utilization behavior by the bacterial community and the host. Furthermore, several metabolite groups could specifically be associated with the C57N phenotype involving fatty acids, eicosanoids and urobilinoids. The mass differences based metabolite network approach enabled to extend the range of known metabolites to important bile acids (BAs) and novel taurine conjugates specific for both strains. In summary, our study showed clear alterations of the metabolome in the gastrointestinal tract and liver within a HFD-induced obesity mouse model in relation to the host–microbial nutritional adaptation. PMID:24906017

Dielectric response and structure of in-plane tensile strained BaTiO3 thin films grown on the LaNiO3 buffered Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Liang; Bi, Xiaofang

2008-02-01

Highly (001)-textured BaTiO3 films were grown epitaxially on the LaNiO3 buffered Si substrate. A strong in-plane tensile strain has been revealed by using x-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The BaTiO3 film has exhibited a small remnant polarization, indicating the presence of ca1/ca2/ca1/ca2 polydomain state in the film. Temperature dependent dielectric permittivity has demonstrated that two phase transitions occurred at respective temperatures of 170 and 30°C. The result was discussed in detail based on the misfit strain-temperature phase diagrams theory.

Controllable piezoelectricity of Pb(Zr 0.2Ti 0.8)O 3 film via in situ misfit strain

DOE PAGES

Lee, Hyeon Jun; Guo, Er-Jia; Martin Luther Univ. of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle; ...

2017-01-18

In this paper, the tetragonality (c/a) of a PbZr 0.2Ti 0.8O 3 (PZT) thin film on La 0.7Sr 0.3MnO 3/0.72Pb(Mg 1/3Nb 2/3)O 3-0.28PbTiO 3 (PMN-PT) substrates was controlled by applying an electric field on the PMN-PT substrate. The piezoelectric response of the PZT thin film under various biaxial strains was observed using time-resolved micro X-ray diffraction. The longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d 33) was reduced from 29.5 to 14.9 pm/V when the c/a ratio of the PZT film slightly changed from 1.051 to 1.056. Finally, our results demonstrate that the tetragonality of the PZT thin film plays a critical role inmore » determining d 33, and in situ strain engineering using electromechanical substrate is useful in excluding the extrinsic effect resulting from the variation in the film thickness or the interface between substrate.« less

Controllable piezoelectricity of Pb(Zr 0.2Ti 0.8)O 3 film via in situ misfit strain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lee, Hyeon Jun; Guo, Er-Jia; Martin Luther Univ. of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle

In this paper, the tetragonality (c/a) of a PbZr 0.2Ti 0.8O 3 (PZT) thin film on La 0.7Sr 0.3MnO 3/0.72Pb(Mg 1/3Nb 2/3)O 3-0.28PbTiO 3 (PMN-PT) substrates was controlled by applying an electric field on the PMN-PT substrate. The piezoelectric response of the PZT thin film under various biaxial strains was observed using time-resolved micro X-ray diffraction. The longitudinal piezoelectric coefficient (d 33) was reduced from 29.5 to 14.9 pm/V when the c/a ratio of the PZT film slightly changed from 1.051 to 1.056. Finally, our results demonstrate that the tetragonality of the PZT thin film plays a critical role inmore » determining d 33, and in situ strain engineering using electromechanical substrate is useful in excluding the extrinsic effect resulting from the variation in the film thickness or the interface between substrate.« less

Strain effects on oxygen vacancy energetics in KTaO 3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xi, Jianqi; Xu, Haixuan; Zhang, Yanwen

Due to lattice mismatch between epitaxial films and substrates, in-plane strain fields are produced in the thin films, with accompanying structural distortions, and ion implantation can be used to controllably engineer the strain throughout the film. Because of the strain profile, local defect energetics are changed. In this study, the effects of in-plane strain fields on the formation and migration of oxygen vacancies in KTaO 3 are investigated using first-principles calculations. In particular, the doubly positive charged oxygen vacancy (V 2+O) is studied, which is considered to be the main charge state of the oxygen vacancy in KTaO 3. Wemore » find that the formation energies for oxygen vacancies are sensitive to in-plane strain and oxygen position. The local atomic configuration is identified, and strong relaxation of local defect structure is mainly responsible for the formation characteristics of these oxygen vacancies. Based on the computational results, formation-dependent site preferences for oxygen vacancies are expected to occur under epitaxial strain, which can result in orders of magnitude differences in equilibrium vacancy concentrations on different oxygen sites. In addition, all possible migration pathways, including intra- and inter-plane diffusions, are considered. In contrast to the strain-enhanced intra-plane diffusion, the diffusion in the direction normal to the strained plane is impeded under the epitaxial strain field. Lastly, these anisotropic diffusion processes can further enhance site preferences.« less

Strain effects on oxygen vacancy energetics in KTaO 3

DOE PAGES

Xi, Jianqi; Xu, Haixuan; Zhang, Yanwen; ...

2017-02-07

Due to lattice mismatch between epitaxial films and substrates, in-plane strain fields are produced in the thin films, with accompanying structural distortions, and ion implantation can be used to controllably engineer the strain throughout the film. Because of the strain profile, local defect energetics are changed. In this study, the effects of in-plane strain fields on the formation and migration of oxygen vacancies in KTaO 3 are investigated using first-principles calculations. In particular, the doubly positive charged oxygen vacancy (V 2+O) is studied, which is considered to be the main charge state of the oxygen vacancy in KTaO 3. Wemore » find that the formation energies for oxygen vacancies are sensitive to in-plane strain and oxygen position. The local atomic configuration is identified, and strong relaxation of local defect structure is mainly responsible for the formation characteristics of these oxygen vacancies. Based on the computational results, formation-dependent site preferences for oxygen vacancies are expected to occur under epitaxial strain, which can result in orders of magnitude differences in equilibrium vacancy concentrations on different oxygen sites. In addition, all possible migration pathways, including intra- and inter-plane diffusions, are considered. In contrast to the strain-enhanced intra-plane diffusion, the diffusion in the direction normal to the strained plane is impeded under the epitaxial strain field. Lastly, these anisotropic diffusion processes can further enhance site preferences.« less

Alteration of medial-edge epithelium cell adhesion in two Tgf-β3 null mouse strains

PubMed Central

Martínez-Sanz, Elena; Del Río, Aurora; Barrio, Carmen; Murillo, Jorge; Maldonado, Estela; Garcillán, Beatriz; Amorós, María; Fuerte, Tamara; Fernández, Álvaro; Trinidad, Eva; Rabadán, M Ángeles; López, Yamila; Martínez, M Luisa; Martínez-Álvarez, Concepción

2008-01-01

Although palatal shelf adhesion is a crucial event during palate development, little work has been carried out to determine which molecules are responsible for this process. Furthermore, whether altered palatal shelf adhesion causes the cleft palate presented by Tgf-β3 null mutant mice has not yet been clarified. Here, we study the presence/distribution of some extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules at the time of the contact of palatal shelves in both wild-type and Tgf-β3 null mutant palates of two strains of mice (C57/BL/6J (C57), and MF1) that develop cleft palates of different severity. We have performed immunohistochemistry with antibodies against collagens IV and IX, laminin, fibronectin, the α5- and β1-integrins, and ICAM-1; in situ hybridization with a Nectin-1 riboprobe; and palatal shelf cultures treated or untreated with TGF-β3 or neutralizing antibodies against fibronectin or the α5-integrin. Our results show the location of these molecules in the wild-type mouse medial edge epithelium (MEE) of both strains at the time of the contact of palatal shelves; the heavier (C57) and milder (MF1) alteration of their presence in the Tgf-β3 null mutants; the importance of TGF-β3 to restore their normal pattern of expression; and the crucial role of fibronectin and the α5-integrin in palatal shelf adhesion. We thus provide insight into the molecular bases of this important process and the cleft palate presented by Tgf-β3 null mutant mice. PMID:18431835

Circulation of two Enterovirus C105 (EV-C105) lineages in Europe and Africa.

PubMed

Piralla, A; Daleno, C; Girello, A; Esposito, S; Baldanti, F

2015-06-01

The coding sequences of five human enterovirus (HEV)-C genotype 105 strains recovered in Italy, Romania and Burundi from patients with upper and lower respiratory tract infections were analysed and phylogenetically compared with other circulating HEV-C strains. The EV-C105 was closely related to EV-C109 and EV-C118 strains. The European strains were similar to other circulating EV-C105 strains, while the two African EV-C105 clustered in separate bootstrap-supported (>0.90) branches of the P2 and P3 region trees. Minor inconsistencies in the clustering pattern of EV-C105 in the capsid region (P1) and non-capsid region (P3) suggest that recombination may have occurred in EV-C105 group B viruses. In conclusion, phylogenetic analysis revealed the circulation of two distinct EV-C105 lineages in Europe and Africa. A different pattern of evolution could be hypothesized for the two EV-C105 lineages. © 2015 The Authors.

Highly pathogenic influenza H5N1 virus of clade 2.3.2.1c in Western Siberia.

PubMed

Marchenko, V Y; Susloparov, I M; Kolosova, N P; Goncharova, N I; Shipovalov, A V; Ilyicheva, T N; Durymanov, A G; Chernyshova, O A; Kozlovskiy, L I; Chernyshova, T V; Pryadkina, E N; Karimova, T V; Mikheev, V N; Ryzhikov, A B

2016-06-01

In the spring of 2015, avian influenza virus surveillance in Western Siberia resulted in isolation of several influenza H5N1 virus strains. The strains were isolated from several wild bird species. Investigation of biological features of those strains demonstrated their high pathogenicity for mammals. Phylogenetic analysis of the HA gene showed that the strains belong to clade 2.3.2.1c.

Development of Genetically Stable Escherichia coli Strains for Poly(3-Hydroxypropionate) Production

PubMed Central

Gao, Yongqiang; Liu, Changshui; Ding, Yamei; Sun, Chao; Zhang, Rubing; Xian, Mo; Zhao, Guang

2014-01-01

Poly(3-hydroxypropionate) (P3HP) is a biodegradable and biocompatible thermoplastic. In our previous study, a pathway for P3HP production was constructed in recombinant Esecherichia coli. Seven exogenous genes in P3HP synthesis pathway were carried by two plasmid vectors. However, the P3HP production was severely suppressed by strain instability due to plasmid loss. In this paper, two strategies, chromosomal gene integration and plasmid addiction system (PAS) based on amino acid anabolism, were applied to construct a genetically stable strain. Finally, a combination of those two methods resulted in the best results. The resultant strain carried a portion of P3HP synthesis genes on chromosome and the others on plasmid, and also brought a tyrosine-auxotrophy based PAS. In aerobic fed-batch fermentation, this strain produced 25.7 g/L P3HP from glycerol, about 2.5-time higher than the previous strain with two plasmids. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest P3HP production from inexpensive carbon sources. PMID:24837211

[Vitamin B12-independent strains of Methylophaga marina isolated from Red Sea algae].

PubMed

Li, Ts D; Doronina, N V; Ivanova, E G; Trotsenko, Iu A

2007-01-01

Two strains (KM3 and KM5) of halophilic methylobacteria isolated from Red Sea algae do not require vitamin B12 for growth and can use methanol, methylamine, dimethylamine, trimethylamine, dimethyl sulfide, and fructose as sources of carbon and energy. The cells of these strains are gram-negative motile monotrichous (strain KM3) or peritrichous (strain KM5) rods. The strains are strictly aerobic and require Na+ ions but not growth factors for growth. They are oxidase- and catalase-positive and reduce nitrates to nitrites. Both strains can grow in a temperature range of 4 to 37 degrees C (with optimal growth at 29-34 degrees C), at pH between 5.5 and 8.5 (with optimal growth at pH 7.5-8.0), and in a range of salt concentrations between 0.5 and 15% NaCl (with optimal growth at 5-9% NaCl). The phospholipids of these strains are dominated by phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol and also include phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine, and cardiolipin. The dominant fatty acids are C(16:1omega7c) and C(16:0). The major ubiquinone is Q8. The cells accumulate ectoin, glutamate, and sucrose as intracellular osmoprotectants. The strains implement the 2-keto-3-deoxy-6-phosphogluconate-dependent variant of the ribulose monophosphate pathway. The G+C content of the DNA is 44.4-44.7 mol %. Analysis of the 16S rRNA genes showed that both strains belong to Gammaproteobacteria and have a high degree of homology (99.4%) to Methylophaga marina ATCC 35842T . Based on the data of polyphasic taxonomy, strains KM3 and KM5 are identified as new strains M. marina KM3 (VKM B-2386) and M. marina KM5 (VKM B-2387). The ability of these strains to produce auxins (indole-3-acetic acid) suggests their metabolic association with marine algae.

Whole-gene analysis of two groups of hepatitis B virus C/D inter-genotype recombinant strains isolated in Tibet, China

PubMed Central

Liu, Tiezhu; Wang, Fuzhen; Zhang, Shuang; Wang, Feng; Meng, Qingling; Zhang, Guomin; Cui, Fuqiang; Dunzhu, Dorji; Yin, Wenjiao; Bi, Shengli

2017-01-01

Tibet is a highly hepatitis B virus (HBV) endemic area. Two types of C/D recombinant HBV are commonly isolated in Tibet and have been previously described. In an effort to better understand the molecular characteristic of these C/D recombinant strains from Tibet, we undertook a multistage random sampling project to collect HBsAg positive samples. Molecular epidemiological and bio-informational technologies were used to analyze the characteristics of the sequences found in this study. There were 60 samples enrolled in the survey, and we obtained 19 whole-genome sequences. 19 samples were all C/D recombinant, and could be divided into two sub-types named C/D1 and C/D2 according to the differences in the location of the recombinant breakpoint. The recombination breakpoint of the 10 strains belonging to the C/D1 sub-type was located at nt750, while the 9 stains belonging to C/D2 had their recombination break point at nt1530. According to whole-genome sequence analysis, the 19 identified strains belong to genotype C, but the nucleotide distance was more than 5% between the 19 strains and sub-genotypes C1 to C15. The distance between C/D1with C2 was 5.8±2.1%, while the distance between C/D2 with C2 was 6.4±2.1%. The parental strain was most likely sub-genotype C2. C/D1 strains were all collected in the middle and northern areas of Tibet including Lhasa, Linzhi and Ali, while C/D2 was predominant in Shannan in southern Tibet. This indicates that the two recombinant genotypes are regionally distributed in Tibet. These results provide important information for the study of special HBV recombination events, gene features, virus evolution, and the control and prevention policy of HBV in Tibet. PMID:28654691

The coxBAC Operon Encodes a Cytochrome c Oxidase Required for Heterotrophic Growth in the Cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis Strain ATCC 29413

PubMed Central

Schmetterer, Georg; Valladares, Ana; Pils, Dietmar; Steinbach, Susanne; Pacher, Margit; Muro-Pastor, Alicia M.; Flores, Enrique; Herrero, Antonia

2001-01-01

Three genes, coxB, coxA, and coxC, found in a clone from a gene library of the cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis strain ATCC 29413, were identified by hybridization with an oligonucleotide specific for aa3-type cytochrome c oxidases. Deletion of these genes from the genome of A. variabilis strain ATCC 29413 FD yielded strain CSW1, which displayed no chemoheterotrophic growth and an impaired cytochrome c oxidase activity. Photoautotrophic growth of CSW1, however, was unchanged, even with dinitrogen as the nitrogen source. A higher cytochrome c oxidase activity was detected in membrane preparations from dinitrogen-grown CSW1 than from nitrate-grown CSW1, but comparable activities of respiratory oxygen uptake were found in the wild type and in CSW1. Our data indicate that the identified cox gene cluster is essential for fructose-dependent growth in the dark, but not for growth on dinitrogen, and that other terminal respiratory oxidases are expressed in this cyanobacterium. Transcription analysis showed that coxBAC constitutes an operon which is expressed from two transcriptional start points. The use of one of them was stimulated by fructose. PMID:11591688

NTP toxicity studies of sodium dichromate dihydrate (CAS No. 7789-12-0) administered in drinking water to male and female F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice and male BALB/c and am3-C57BL/6 mice.

PubMed

Bucher, John R

2007-01-01

mg/L or greater and male and female mice exposed to 125 mg/L or greater was generally less than that by the control groups, and decreases in urine volume and increases in urine specific gravity in rats were related to reduced water consumption. Exposure to sodium dichromate dihydrate caused a microcytic hypochromic anemia in rats and mice, but the severity was less in mice. Serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were decreased in rats. Increased bile acid concentrations in exposed groups of rats may have been due to altered hepatic function. The incidences of histiocytic cellular infiltration were generally significantly increased in the duodenum of rats and mice, the liver of female rats, and the mesenteric lymph node of mice exposed to 125 mg/L or greater. Significantly increased nonneoplastic lesions (focal ulceration, regenerative epithelial hyperplasia, and squamous epithelial metaplasia) occurred in the glandular stomach of male and female rats exposed to 1,000 mg/L. Incidences of epithelial hyperplasia of the duodenum were significantly increased in all exposed groups of mice. In study 2, sodium dichromate dihydrate was administered in drinking water to groups of 10 male B6C3F1, 10 male BALB/c, and five male am3-C57BL/6 mice for 3 months at exposure concentrations of 0, 62.5, 125, or 250 mg/L (equivalent to average daily doses of approximately 8, 15, or 25 mg/kg sodium dichromate dihydrate or 2.8, 5.2, or 8.7 mg/kg chromium to B6C3F1, BALB/c, and am3-C57BL/6 mice). All mice in study 2 survived until study termination. Mean body weights of 125 and 250 mg/L B6C3F1 and BALB/c mice and all exposed groups of am3-C57BL/6 mice were less than those of the control groups. Mice exposed to 250 mg/L consumed less water than the control groups. Exposure concentration-related decreases in mean red cell volumes and mean red cell hemoglobin values were observed in all three mouse strains. Erythrocyte counts were increased in exposed B6C3F1 and BALB/c mice but not

Strain dependence of interfacial antiferromagnetic coupling in La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 superlattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Sujit; Herklotz, Andreas; Pippel, Eckhard; Guo, Er-Jia; Rata, Diana; Dörr, Kathrin

2015-03-01

We have investigated the magnetic response of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/SrRuO3 superlattices to biaxial in-plane strain applied in-situ. Superlattices grown on piezoelectric substrates of 0.72PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3-0.28PbTiO3(001) (PMN-PT) show strong antiferromagnetic coupling of the two ferromagnetic components. The coupling field of μ0HAF = 1.8 T is found to change by μ0 ΔHAF / Δɛ ~ -520 mT %-1 under reversible biaxial strain (Δɛ) at 80 K in a [La0.7Sr0.3MnO3(22 Å)/SrRuO3(55 Å)]15 superlattice. This reveals a significant strain effect on interfacial coupling. The applied in-plane compression enhances the ferromagnetic order in the manganite layers which are under as-grown tensile strain. It is thus difficult to disentangle the contributions from strain-dependent antiferromagnetic Mn-O-Ru interface coupling and Mn-O-Mn ferromagnetic double exchange near the interface, since the enhanced magnetic order of Mn spins leads to a larger net coupling of SrRuO3 layers at the interface. We discuss our experimental findings taken into account both the strain-dependent orbital occupation in a single-ion picture and the enhanced Mn order at the interface. This work was supported by the DFG within the Collaborative Research Center SFB 762 ``Functionality of Oxide Interfaces.''

Dimensional isotropy of 6H and 3C SiC under neutron irradiation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Snead, Lance L.; Katoh, Yutai; Koyanagi, Takaaki

2016-01-16

This investigation experimentally determines the as-irradiated crystal axes dimensional change of the common polytypes of SiC considered for nuclear application. Single crystal α-SiC (6H), β-SiC (3C), CVD β-SiC, and single crystal Si have been neutron irradiated near 60 °C from 2 × 10 23 to 2 × 10 26 n/m 2 (E > 0.1 MeV), or about 0.02–20 dpa, in order to study the effect of irradiation on bulk swelling and strain along independent crystalline axes. Single crystal, powder diffractometry and density measurement have been carried out. For all neutron doses where the samples remained crystalline all SiC materials demonstratedmore » equivalent swelling behavior. Moreover the 6H–SiC expanded isotropically. The magnitude of the swelling followed a ~0.77 power law against dose consistent with a microstructure evolution driven by single interstitial (carbon) mobility. Extraordinarily large ~7.8% volume expansion in SiC was observed prior to amorphization. Above ~0.9 × 10 25 n/m 2 (E > 0.1 MeV) all SiC materials became amorphous with an identical swelling: a 11.7% volume expansion, lowering the density to 2.84 g/cm 3. As a result, the as-amorphized density was the same at the 2 × 10 25 and 2 × 10 26 n/m 2 (E > 0.1 MeV) dose levels.« less

UDP-N-acetylmuramic acid l-alanine ligase (MurC) inhibition in a tolC mutant Escherichia coli strain leads to cell death.

PubMed

Humnabadkar, Vaishali; Prabhakar, K R; Narayan, Ashwini; Sharma, Sreevalli; Guptha, Supreeth; Manjrekar, Praveena; Chinnapattu, Murugan; Ramachandran, Vasanthi; Hameed, Shahul P; Ravishankar, Sudha; Chatterji, Monalisa

2014-10-01

The Mur ligases play an essential role in the biosynthesis of bacterial peptidoglycan and hence are attractive antibacterial targets. A screen of the AstraZeneca compound library led to the identification of compound A, a pyrazolopyrimidine, as a potent inhibitor of Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa MurC. However, cellular activity against E. coli or P. aeruginosa was not observed. Compound A was active against efflux pump mutants of both strains. Experiments using an E. coli tolC mutant revealed accumulation of the MurC substrate and a decrease in the level of product upon treatment with compound A ,: indicating inhibition of MurC enzyme in these cells. Such a modulation was not observed in the E. coli wild-type cells. Further, overexpression of MurC in the E. coli tolC mutant led to an increase in the compound A MIC by ≥16-fold, establishing a correlation between MurC inhibition and cellular activity. In addition, estimation of the intracellular compound A level showed an accumulation of the compound over time in the tolC mutant strain. A significant compound A level was not detected in the wild-type E. coli strain even upon treatment with high concentrations of the compound. Therefore, the lack of MIC and absence of MurC inhibition in wild-type E. coli were possibly due to suboptimal compound concentration as a consequence of a high efflux level and/or poor permeativity of compound A. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The influence of strain rate and hydrogen on the plane-strain ductility of Zircaloy cladding

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Link, T.M.; Motta, A.T.; Koss, D.A.

1998-03-01

The authors studied the ductility of unirradiated Zircaloy-4 cladding under loading conditions prototypical of those found in reactivity-initiated accidents (RIA), i.e.: near plane-strain deformation in the hoop direction (transverse to the cladding axis) at room temperature and 300 C and high strain rates. To conduct these studies, they developed a specimen configuration in which near plane-strain deformation is achieved in the gage section, and a testing methodology that allows one to determine both the limit strain at the onset of localized necking and the fracture strain. The experiments indicate that there is little effect of strain rate (10{sup {minus}3} tomore » 10{sup 2} s{sup {minus}1}) on the ductility of unhydrided Zircaloy tubing deformed under near plane-strain conditions at either room temperature or 300 C. Preliminary experiments on cladding containing 190 ppm hydrogen show only a small loss of fracture strain but no clear effect on limit strain. The experiments also indicate that there is a significant loss of Zircaloy ductility when surface flaws are present in the form of thickness imperfections.« less

Evaluation of UV-C mutagenized Scheffersomyces stipitis strains for ethanol production

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We evaluated fermentation capabilities of five strains of Scheffersomyces stipitis (WT-2-1, WT-1-11, 14-2-6, 22-1-1, and 22-1-12) that had been produced by UV-C mutagenesis and selection for improved xylose fermentation to ethanol using an integrated automated robotic work cell. They were incubated ...

STRAIN-SPECIFIC SENSITIVITY TO INDUCTION OF MURINE LUNG TUMORS FOLLOWING IN UTERO EXPOSURE TO 3-METHYLCHOLANTHRENE

EPA Science Inventory

We previously demonstrated that different strains of fetal mice were more sensitive to lung tumor induction by 3-methylcholanthrene (MC) than were adults. Offspring from either a D2 x B6D2F1 backcross or from parental Balb/c mice exhibited a similar high incidence of lung tumors ...

Biodegradation of di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP) by a novel endophytic Bacillus megaterium strain YJB3.

PubMed

Feng, Nai-Xian; Yu, Jiao; Mo, Ce-Hui; Zhao, Hai-Ming; Li, Yan-Wen; Wu, Bing-Xiao; Cai, Quan-Ying; Li, Hui; Zhou, Dong-Mei; Wong, Ming-Hung

2018-03-01

Phthalic acid esters (PAEs) are a group of recalcitrant and hazardous organic compounds that pose a great threat to both ecosystem and human beings. A novel endophytic strain YJB3 that could utilize a wide range of PAEs as the sole carbon and energy sources for cell growth was isolated from Canna indica root tissue. It was identified as Bacillus megaterium based on morphological characteristics and 16S rDNA sequence homology analysis. The degradation capability of the strain YJB3 was investigated by incubation in mineral salt medium containing di-n-butyl-phthalate (DBP), one of important PAEs under different environmental conditions, showing 82.5% of the DBP removal in 5days of incubation under the optimum conditions (acetate 1.2g·L -1 , inocula 1.8%, and temperature 34.2°C) achieved by two-step sequential optimization technologies. The DBP metabolites including mono-butyl phthalate (MBP), phthalic acid (PA), protocatechuic acid (PCA), etc. were determined by GC-MS. The PCA catabolic genes responsible for the aromatic ring cleavage of PCA in the strain YJB3 were excavated by whole-genome sequencing. Thus, a degradation pathway of DBP by the strain YJB3 was proposed that MBP was formed, followed by PA, and then the intermediates were further utilized till complete degradation. To our knowledge, this is the first study to show the biodegradation of PAEs using endophyte. The results in the present study suggest that the strain YJB3 is greatly promising to act as a competent inoculum in removal of PAEs in both soils and crops. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Uranium(VI) Reduction by Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans Strain 2CP-C

PubMed Central

Wu, Qingzhong; Sanford, Robert A.; Löffler, Frank E.

2006-01-01

Previous studies demonstrated growth of Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans strain 2CP-C with acetate or hydrogen as the electron donor and Fe(III), nitrate, nitrite, fumarate, oxygen, or ortho-substituted halophenols as electron acceptors. In this study, we explored and characterized U(VI) reduction by strain 2CP-C. Cell suspensions of fumarate-grown 2CP-C cells reduced U(VI) to U(IV). More-detailed growth studies demonstrated that hydrogen was the required electron donor for U(VI) reduction and could not be replaced by acetate. The addition of nitrate to U(VI)-reducing cultures resulted in a transitory increase in U(VI) concentration, apparently caused by the reoxidation of reduced U(IV), but U(VI) reduction resumed following the consumption of N-oxyanions. Inhibition of U(VI) reduction occurred in cultures amended with Fe(III) citrate, or citrate. In the presence of amorphous Fe(III) oxide, U(VI) reduction proceeded to completion but the U(VI) reduction rates decreased threefold compared to control cultures. Fumarate and 2-chlorophenol had no inhibitory effects on U(VI) reduction, and both electron acceptors were consumed concomitantly with U(VI). Since cocontaminants (e.g., nitrate, halogenated compounds) and bioavailable ferric iron are often encountered at uranium-impacted sites, the metabolic versatility makes Anaeromyxobacter dehalogenans a promising model organism for studying the complex interaction of multiple electron acceptors in U(VI) reduction and immobilization. PMID:16672509

Stabilization of weak ferromagnetism by strong magnetic response to epitaxial strain in multiferroic BiFeO 3

DOE PAGES

Cooper, Valentino R.; Lee, Jun Hee; Krogel, Jaron T.; ...

2015-08-06

Multiferroic BiFeO 3 exhibits excellent magnetoelectric coupling critical for magnetic information processing with minimal power consumption. Thus, the degenerate nature of the easy spin axis in the (111) plane presents roadblocks for real world applications. Here, we explore the stabilization and switchability of the weak ferromagnetic moments under applied epitaxial strain using a combination of first-principles calculations and group-theoretic analyses. We demonstrate that the antiferromagnetic moment vector can be stabilized along unique crystallographic directions ([110] and [-110]) under compressive and tensile strains. A direct coupling between the anisotropic antiferrodistortive rotations and Dzyaloshinskii-Moria interactions drives the stabilization of weak ferromagnetism. Furthermore,more » energetically competing C- and G-type magnetic orderings are observed at high compressive strains, suggesting that it may be possible to switch the weak ferromagnetism on and off under application of strain. These findings emphasize the importance of strain and antiferrodistortive rotations as routes to enhancing induced weak ferromagnetism in multiferroic oxides.« less

Fumonisins B, A and C profile and masking in Fusarium verticillioides strains on fumonisin-inducing and maize-based media.

PubMed

Lazzaro, Irene; Falavigna, Claudia; Dall'asta, Chiara; Proctor, Robert H; Galaverna, Gianni; Battilani, Paola

2012-10-01

The production of fumonisin B, A and C and hidden and partially hydrolysed fumonisin occurrence was investigated in 3 strains of Fusarium verticillioides isolated from maize, cultured for 21-45days on malt extract medium at 25°C and 0.955-0.990 water activity (a(w)). Fumonisin A-B and C series were produced by all the strains in all conditions studied, with B-fumonisin≫C-fumonisin>A-fumonisin following a similar trend. The dynamic of fumonisin production was significantly influenced by factors considered and their interaction, with a(w)=0.990 as favourable condition in ITEM 10026 and ITEM 10027. All fumonisins were maximised at 30days incubation in ITEM 10027 and ITEM 1744 and at 45days incubation in ITEM 10026. Partially hydrolysed fumonisins were detected only for the B-group. Hidden fumonisins were never observed in Fusarium cultures grown on malt extract medium but were detected in the additional trial on maize-based medium, suggesting that the masking phenomenon can occur only in a complex matrix. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic and thermoelectric properties of atomically thin C₃Si₃/C and C₃Ge₃/C superlattices.

PubMed

Ali, Muhammad; Pi, Xiaodong; Liu, Yong; Yang, Deren

2017-12-01

The nanostructuring of graphene into superlattices offers the possibility of tuning both the electronic and thermal properties of graphene. Using classical and quantum mechanical calculations, we have investigated the electronic and thermoelectric properties of the atomically thin superlattice of C3Si3/C (C3Ge3/C) formed by the incorporation of Si (Ge) atoms into graphene. The bandgap and phonon thermal conductivity of C3Si3/C (C3Ge3/C) are 0.54 (0.51) eV and 15.48 (12.64) Wm-1K-1, respectively, while the carrier mobility of C3Si3/C (C3Ge3/C) is 1.285 x 105 (1.311 x 105) cm2V-1s-1 at 300 K. The thermoelectric figure of merit for C3Si3/C (C3Ge3/C) can be optimized via the tuning of carrier concentration to obtain the prominent ZT value of 1.95 (2.72). © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Competition between structural instabilities in strained ABO3 nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bousquet, E.

2010-03-01

In spite of their simple structure, the family of ABO3 compounds present a large variety of phase transitions involving polar and non polar distortions as well as magnetic orders. Here we will discuss the microscopic origin of these properties and how they are affected in nanostructures through the concept of structural instabilities. We will from the fact that the ferroelectric (FE) and the antiferrodistortive (AFD) instabilities are in competition at the bulk level and are strongly sensitive to pressure and strain. From these considerations we will describe the possibilities to tune this FE/AFD competition by playing with strain and interface engineering. To that end we will first consider the effect of epitaxial strain on BaTiO3, SrTiO3, PbTiO3 and CaTiO3 thin films. In all of these compounds, the epitaxial strain can strongly modify the phase diagrams giving rise to different pure or mixed FE/AFD ground states. We will also extend the discussion on magnetic perovskites like CaMnO3 and will present the different strategies to induce or tune multiferroic properties. Second we will focus on the interface effects as present in bicolor superlattices. As an example we will examine the case of PbTiO3/SrTiO3 superlattice and will show that it exhibits totally unique properties arising from unexpected FE/AFD couplings at the interface between the layers. We will then investigate to which extent similar types of FE/AFD couplings can be induced in other artificially layered systems. We will consider different bicolor superlattices obtained from the combination of PbTiO3, SrTiO3, CaTiO3 and BaTiO3 and discuss how the intrinsic tendency of these compounds to favor either the FE or the AFD instabilities shifts or even suppresses the FE/AFD coupling.

Inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes by Carnobacterium spp. strains in a simulated cold smoked fish system stored at 4 degrees C.

PubMed

Duffes, F; Leroi, F; Boyaval, P; Dousset, X

1999-03-01

Preservation of smoked salmon from bacterial spoilage, and especially from Listeria monocytogenes by bacteriocin producers is a promising challenge. Over a hundred lactic acid bacteria, isolated from commercial vacuum packaged cold smoked salmon, were screened for their antagonistic activity against L. innocua. Twenty-two strains were able to produce bacteriocin-like proteinaceous substances. These strains were characterized physiologically and biochemically as Carnobacterium strains. Three different groups were determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis after Sma I and Apa I DNA digestion. Peptidoglycan hydrolases patterns completed the characterization of these strains. All were confirmed as being Carnobacterium piscicola. Growth and bacteriocin production of three strains of each group and two well known bacteriocin producers (C. divergens V41 and C. piscicola V1) were tested in a simulated cold smoked fish system at 4 degrees C. These strains were able to reach 10(8) cfu ml(-1) in 21 days and to produce as much bacteriocin activities in the cold smoked fish system as in the rich media. Carnobacterium divergens V41 and C. piscicola V1 were the most effective strains in co-culture experiments, inhibiting L. monocytogenes as early as day 4, whereas C. piscicola SF668 inhibiting effect was observed at day 13. The potential for using such biopreservation treatments on whole smoked salmon is discussed.

Physiological strain of stock car drivers during competitive racing.

PubMed

Carlson, Lara A; Ferguson, David P; Kenefick, Robert W

2014-08-01

Heat strain experienced by motorsport athletes competing in National Association for Stock Car Automobile Racing (NASCAR) may be significant enough to impair performance or even result in a life-threatening accident. There is a need to carefully quantify heat strain during actual NASCAR race competitions in order to faithfully represent the magnitude of the problem and conceptualize future mitigation practices. The purpose of this investigation was to quantify the thermoregulatory and physiological strain associated with competitive stock car driving. Eight male stock car drivers (29.0±10.0yr; 176.2±3.3cm, 80.6±15.7kg) participated in sanctioned stock car races. Physiological measurements included intestinal core (Tc) and skin (Tsk) temperatures, heart rate (HR), blood pressure, and body mass before and after completion of the race. Pre-race Tc was 38.1±0.1°C which increased to 38.6±0.2°C post-race (p=0.001). Tsk increased from 36.1±0.2°C pre-race to 37.3±0.3°C post-race (p=0.001) whereas the core-to-skin temperature gradient decreased from a pre-race value of 2.0±0.3°C to 1.3±0.3°C post-race (p=0.005). HRs post-race were 80±0.1% of the drivers' age-predicted maximum HR. Physiological Strain Index (PSI) post-race was 4.9, which indicates moderate strain. Drivers' thermal sensation based on the ASHRAE Scale increased from 1.3±0.5 to 2.8±0.4, and their perception of exertion (RPE) responses also increased from 8.4±1.6 to 13.9±1.8 after competition. Heat strain associated with competitive stock car racing is significant. These findings suggest the need for heat mitigation practices and provide evidence that motorsport should consider strategies to become heat acclimatized to better meet the thermoregulatory and cardiovascular challenges of motorsport competition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Metabolic engineering of a laboratory-evolved Thermobifida fusca muC strain for malic acid production on cellulose and minimal treated lignocellulosic biomass.

PubMed

Deng, Yu; Mao, Yin; Zhang, Xiaojuan

2016-01-01

Malic acid is mainly used as an acidulant and taste enhancer in the beverage and food industry. Previously, a mutant strain Thermobifida fusca muC, obtained by adaptive evolution was found to accumulate malic acid on cellulose with low yield. In this study, the malic acid synthesis pathway in T. fusca muC was confirmed to be from phosphoenolpyruvate to oxaloacetate, followed by reduction of oxaloacetate to malate. To increase the yield of malic acid by the muC strain significantly, the carbon flux from pyruvate was redirected to oxaloacetate by expressing an exogenous pyruvate carboxylase (PCx) gene from Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 in the chromosome of T. fusca muC-16. The yield of malic acid in the engineered strain muC-16 was increased by 47.9% compared to the parent strain muC. The muC-16 strain was then grown on ∼100 g/L cellulose and the highest titer of malic acid was 62.76 g/L by batch fermentation. T. fusca muC-16 strain converted milled corn stover to malic acid with the highest titer of 21.47 g/L with minimal treatment. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Strain-Engineered Multiferroicity in Pnma NaMnF_{3} Fluoroperovskite.

PubMed

Garcia-Castro, A C; Romero, A H; Bousquet, E

2016-03-18

In this study we show from first principles calculations the possibility to induce multiferroic and magnetoelectric functional properties in the Pnma NaMnF_{3} fluoroperovskite by means of epitaxial strain engineering. Surprisingly, we found a very strong nonlinear polarization-strain coupling that drives an atypical amplification of the ferroelectric polarization for either compression or expansion of the cell. This property is associated with a noncollinear antiferromagnetic ordering, which induces a weak ferromagnetism phase and makes the strained NaMnF_{3} fluoroperovskite multiferroic. The magnetoelectric response was calculated and it was found to be composed of linear and nonlinear components with amplitudes similar to the ones of Cr_{2}O_{3}. These findings show that it is possible to move the fluoride family toward functional applications with unique responses.

Insights into metabolism and sodium chloride adaptability of carbaryl degrading halotolerant Pseudomonas sp. strain C7.

PubMed

Trivedi, Vikas D; Bharadwaj, Anahita; Varunjikar, Madhushri S; Singha, Arminder K; Upadhyay, Priya; Gautam, Kamini; Phale, Prashant S

2017-08-01

Pseudomonas sp. strain C7 isolated from sediment of Thane creek near Mumbai, India, showed the ability to grow on glucose and carbaryl in the presence of 7.5 and 3.5% of NaCl, respectively. It also showed good growth in the absence of NaCl indicating the strain to be halotolerant. Increasing salt concentration impacted the growth on carbaryl; however, the specific activity of various enzymes involved in the metabolism remained unaffected. Among various enzymes, 1-naphthol 2-hydroxylase was found to be sensitive to chloride as compared to carbaryl hydrolase and gentisate 1,2-dioxygenase. The intracellular concentration of Cl - ions remained constant (6-8 mM) for cells grown on carbaryl either in the presence or absence of NaCl. Thus the ability to adapt to the increasing concentration of NaCl is probably by employing chloride efflux pump and/or increase in the concentration of osmolytes as mechanism for halotolerance. The halotolerant nature of the strain will be beneficial to remediate carbaryl from saline agriculture fields, ecosystems and wastewaters.

Strain dependence of antiferromagnetic interface coupling in La 0.7Sr 0.3MnO 3/SrRuO 3 superlattices

DOE PAGES

Das, Sujit; Herklotz, Andreas; Pippel, Eckhard; ...

2015-04-06

We have investigated the magnetic response of La 0.7Sr 0.3MnO 3/SrRuO 3 superlattices to biaxial in-plane strain applied in situ. Superlattices grown on piezoelectric substrates of 0.72PbMg 1/3Nb 2/3O 3-0.28PbTiO 3(001) (PMN-PT) show strong antiferromagnetic coupling of the two ferromagnetic components. The coupling field of mu H-0(AF) = 1.8 T is found to change by mu(0)Delta H-AF/Delta epsilon similar to -520 mT %(-1) under reversible biaxial strain Delta epsilon at 80 K in a [La 0.7Sr 0.3MnO 3(22 angstrom)/SrRuO 3(55 angstrom)] 15 superlattice. This reveals a significant strain effect on interfacial coupling. The applied in-plane compression enhances the ferromagnetic ordermore » in the manganite layers, which are under as-grown tensile strain, leading to a larger net coupling of SrRuO 3 layers at the interface. It is thus difficult to disentangle the contributions from strain-dependent antiferromagnetic Mn-O-Ru interface coupling and Mn-O-Mn ferromagnetic double exchange near the interface for the strength of the apparent antiferromagnetic coupling. We discuss our results in the framework of available models.« less

Recombinant M. bovis BCG expressing the PLD protein promotes survival in mice challenged with a C. pseudotuberculosis virulent strain.

PubMed

Leal, Karen Silva; de Oliveira Silva, Mara Thais; de Fátima Silva Rezende, Andréa; Bezerra, Francisco Silvestre Brilhante; Begnini, Karine; Seixas, Fabiana; Collares, Tiago; Dellagostin, Odir; Portela, Ricardo Wagner; de Carvalho Azevedo, Vasco Ariston; Borsuk, Sibele

2018-06-14

The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of mice inoculated with M. bovis BCG Pasteur recombinant expressing the PLD protein and challenged with a C. pseudotuberculosis virulent strain. Four groups were immunized with a sterile 0.9% saline solution (G1), 10 6  CFU of M. bovis BCG Pasteur (G2), 10 6  CFU of M. bovis BCG/pld (G3) or 10 6  CFU of M. bovis BCG/pld with a booster with rPLD (G4) and challenged with 10 4 CFU of C. pseudotuberculosis MIC-6 strain. The highest survival rate of 88% was observed in G4, followed by 77% in G3 and 66% in G2. A significant statistical difference was observed in the levels of cytokines IFN-γ and IL-10 in vaccinated groups (G3 and G4) when compared with the control group (G1) (p < 0.05). The results seem promising as the recombinant vaccine elicited a cellular immune response and provided significant survival after a high virulent challenge. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Myocardial strains from 3D displacement encoded magnetic resonance imaging

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The ability to measure and quantify myocardial motion and deformation provides a useful tool to assist in the diagnosis, prognosis and management of heart disease. The recent development of magnetic resonance imaging methods, such as harmonic phase analysis of tagging and displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE), make detailed non-invasive 3D kinematic analyses of human myocardium possible in the clinic and for research purposes. A robust analysis method is required, however. Methods We propose to estimate strain using a polynomial function which produces local models of the displacement field obtained with DENSE. Given a specific polynomial order, the model is obtained as the least squares fit of the acquired displacement field. These local models are subsequently used to produce estimates of the full strain tensor. Results The proposed method is evaluated on a numerical phantom as well as in vivo on a healthy human heart. The evaluation showed that the proposed method produced accurate results and showed low sensitivity to noise in the numerical phantom. The method was also demonstrated in vivo by assessment of the full strain tensor and to resolve transmural strain variations. Conclusions Strain estimation within a 3D myocardial volume based on polynomial functions yields accurate and robust results when validated on an analytical model. The polynomial field is capable of resolving the measured material positions from the in vivo data, and the obtained in vivo strains values agree with previously reported myocardial strains in normal human hearts. PMID:22533791

Mixed-strain housing for female C57BL/6, DBA/2, and BALB/c mice: validating a split-plot design that promotes refinement and reduction.

PubMed

Walker, Michael; Fureix, Carole; Palme, Rupert; Newman, Jonathan A; Ahloy Dallaire, Jamie; Mason, Georgia

2016-01-27

Inefficient experimental designs are common in animal-based biomedical research, wasting resources and potentially leading to unreplicable results. Here we illustrate the intrinsic statistical power of split-plot designs, wherein three or more sub-units (e.g. individual subjects) differing in a variable of interest (e.g. genotype) share an experimental unit (e.g. a cage or litter) to which a treatment is applied (e.g. a drug, diet, or cage manipulation). We also empirically validate one example of such a design, mixing different mouse strains -- C57BL/6, DBA/2, and BALB/c -- within cages varying in degree of enrichment. As well as boosting statistical power, no other manipulations are needed for individual identification if co-housed strains are differentially pigmented, so also sparing mice from stressful marking procedures. The validation involved housing 240 females from weaning to 5 months of age in single- or mixed- strain trios, in cages allocated to enriched or standard treatments. Mice were screened for a range of 26 commonly-measured behavioural, physiological and haematological variables. Living in mixed-strain trios did not compromise mouse welfare (assessed via corticosterone metabolite output, stereotypic behaviour, signs of aggression, and other variables). It also did not alter the direction or magnitude of any strain- or enrichment-typical difference across the 26 measured variables, or increase variance in the data: indeed variance was significantly decreased by mixed- strain housing. Furthermore, using Monte Carlo simulations to quantify the statistical power benefits of this approach over a conventional design demonstrated that for our effect sizes, the split- plot design would require significantly fewer mice (under half in most cases) to achieve a power of 80%. Mixed-strain housing allows several strains to be tested at once, and potentially refines traditional marking practices for research mice. Furthermore, it dramatically illustrates the

MO-C-17A-08: Evaluation of Lung Deformation Using Three Dimensional Strain Maps

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cui, T; Huang, Q; Miller, W

2014-06-15

Purpose: To develop a systematic approach to generate three dimensional (3D) strain maps of lung using the displacement vector field (DVF) during the respiratory deformation, and to demonstrate its application in evaluating deformable image registration (DIR). Methods: A DVF based strain tensor at each voxel of interest (VOI) was calculated from the relative displacements between the VOI and each of the six nearest neighbors. The maximum and minimum stretches of a VOI can be determined by the principal strains (E{sub 1}, E{sub 2} and E{sub 3}), which are the eigenvalues and the corresponding strain tensors. Two healthy volunteers enrolled inmore » this study under IRB-approved protocol, each was scanned using 3D Hyperpolarized He-3 tagging-MRI and 3D proton-MRI with TrueFISP sequence at the endof- inhalation (EOI) and the end-of-exhalation (EOE) phases. 3D DVFs of tagging- and proton-MRI were obtained by the direct measurements of the tagging grid trajectory and by the DIR method implemented in commercial software. Results: 3D strain maps were successfully generated for all DVFs. The principal strain E1s were calculated as 0.43±0.05 and 0.17±0.25 for tagging-MRI and proton-MRI, respectively. The large values of E{sub 1} indicate the predominant lung motion in the superior-inferior (SI) direction. Given that the DVFs from the tagging images are considered as the ground truth, the discrepancies in the DIR-based strain maps suggest the inaccuracy of the DIR algorithm. In the E{sub 1} maps of tagging-MRI for subject 1, the fissures were distinguishable by the larger values (0.49±0.02) from the adjacent tissues (0.41±0.03) due to the larger relative displacement between the lung lobes. Conclusion: We have successfully developed a methodology to generate DVF-based 3D strain maps of lung. It can potentially enable us to better understand the pulmonary biomechanics and to evaluate and improve the DIR algorithms for the lung deformation. We are currently studying more

The complete genome sequences of 65 Campylobacter jejuni and C. coli strains

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Campylobacter jejuni (Cj) and C. coli (Cc) are genetically highly diverse based on various molecular methods including MLST, microarray-based comparisons and the whole genome sequences of a few strains. Cj and Cc diversity is also exhibited by variable capsular polysaccharides (CPS) that are the maj...

Model of the non-linear stress-strain behavior of a 2D-SiC/SiC ceramic matrix composite (CMC)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guillaumat, L; Lamon, J.

The non-linear stress-strain behaviour of a 2D-SiC/SiC composite reinforced with fabrics of fiber bundles was predicted from properties of major constituents. A finite element analysis was employed for stress computation. The different steps of matrix damage identified experimentally were duplicated in the mesh. Predictions compared satisfactorily with experimental data.

Strain engineering on electronic structure and carrier mobility in monolayer GeP3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Bowen; Long, Mengqiu; Zhang, Xiaojiao; Dong, Yulan; Li, Mingjun; Yi, Yougen; Duan, Haiming

2018-06-01

Using density functional theory coupled with the Boltzmann transport equation with relaxation time approximation, we have studied the strain effect on the electronic structure and carrier mobility of two-dimensional monolayer GeP3. We find that the energies of valence band maximum and conduction band minimum are nearly linearly shifted with a biaxial strain in the range of  ‑4% to 6%, and the band structure experiences a remarkable transition from semiconductor to metal with the appropriate compression (‑5% strain). Under biaxial strain, the mobility of the electron and hole in monolayer GeP3 reduces and increases by more than one order of magnitude, respectively. It is suggested that it is possible to perform successive transitions from an n-type semiconductor (‑4% strain) to a good performance p-semiconductor (+6% strain) by applying strain in monolayer GeP3, which is potentially useful for flexible electronics and nanosized mechanical sensors.

Very high commutation quality factor and dielectric tunability in nanocomposite SrTiO 3 thin films with T c enhanced to >300 °C

DOE PAGES

Sangle, Abhijeet L.; Lee, Oon Jew; Kursumovic, Ahmed; ...

2018-02-05

We report on nanoengineered SrTiO 3–Sm2O 3 nanocomposite thin films with the highest reported values of commutation quality factor (CQF or K-factor) of >2800 in SrTiO 3 at room temperature. The films also had a large tunability of dielectric constant (49%), low tangent loss (tan δ = 0.01) and a Curie temperature for SrTiO 3 > 300 °C, making them very attractive for tunable RF applications. The enhanced properties originate from the unique nanostructure in the films, with <20 nm diameter strain-controlling Sm 2O 3 nanocolumns embedded in a SrTiO 3 matrix. Very large out-of-plane strains (up to 2.6%) andmore » high tetragonality (c/a) (up to 1.013) were induced in the SrTiO 3. Finally, the K-factor was further enhanced by adding 1 at% Sc 3+ (acceptor) dopant in SrTiO 3 to a value of 3300 with the tangent loss being ≤0.01 up to 1000 kV cm -1.« less

Very high commutation quality factor and dielectric tunability in nanocomposite SrTiO 3 thin films with T c enhanced to >300 °C

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sangle, Abhijeet L.; Lee, Oon Jew; Kursumovic, Ahmed

We report on nanoengineered SrTiO 3–Sm2O 3 nanocomposite thin films with the highest reported values of commutation quality factor (CQF or K-factor) of >2800 in SrTiO 3 at room temperature. The films also had a large tunability of dielectric constant (49%), low tangent loss (tan δ = 0.01) and a Curie temperature for SrTiO 3 > 300 °C, making them very attractive for tunable RF applications. The enhanced properties originate from the unique nanostructure in the films, with <20 nm diameter strain-controlling Sm 2O 3 nanocolumns embedded in a SrTiO 3 matrix. Very large out-of-plane strains (up to 2.6%) andmore » high tetragonality (c/a) (up to 1.013) were induced in the SrTiO 3. Finally, the K-factor was further enhanced by adding 1 at% Sc 3+ (acceptor) dopant in SrTiO 3 to a value of 3300 with the tangent loss being ≤0.01 up to 1000 kV cm -1.« less

Bioprocessing of Stichococcus bacillaris strain siva2011

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Globally, the development of a cost-effective long-term renewable energy infrastructure is one of the most challenging problems faced by society today. Microalgae are rich in potential biofuel substrates such as lipids, including triacylglycerols (TAGs). Some of these algae also biosynthesize small molecule hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons can often be used as liquid fuels, often with more versatility and by a more direct approach than some TAGs. However, the appropriate TAGs, accumulated from microalgae biomass, can be used as substrates for different kinds of renewable liquid fuels such as biodiesel and jet fuel. Results This article describes the isolation and identification of a lipid-rich, hydrocarbon-producing alga, Stichococcus bacillaris strain siva2011, together with its bioprocessing, hydrocarbon and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles. The S. bacillaris strain siva2011 was scaled-up in an 8 L bioreactor with 0.2% CO2. The C16:0, C16:3, C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3 were 112.2, 9.4, 51.3, 74.1 and 69.2 mg/g dry weight (DW), respectively. This new strain produced a significant amount of biomass of 3.79 g/L DW on day 6 in the 8 L bioreactor and also produced three hydrocarbons. Conclusions A new oil-rich microalga S. bacillaris strain siva2011 was discovered and its biomass has been scaled-up in a newly designed balloon-type bioreactor. The TAGs and hydrocarbons produced by this organism could be used as substrates for jet fuel or biodiesel. PMID:24731690

Bioprocessing of Stichococcus bacillaris strain siva2011.

PubMed

Sivakumar, Ganapathy; Jeong, Kwangkook; Lay, Jackson O

2014-01-01

Globally, the development of a cost-effective long-term renewable energy infrastructure is one of the most challenging problems faced by society today. Microalgae are rich in potential biofuel substrates such as lipids, including triacylglycerols (TAGs). Some of these algae also biosynthesize small molecule hydrocarbons. These hydrocarbons can often be used as liquid fuels, often with more versatility and by a more direct approach than some TAGs. However, the appropriate TAGs, accumulated from microalgae biomass, can be used as substrates for different kinds of renewable liquid fuels such as biodiesel and jet fuel. This article describes the isolation and identification of a lipid-rich, hydrocarbon-producing alga, Stichococcus bacillaris strain siva2011, together with its bioprocessing, hydrocarbon and fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles. The S. bacillaris strain siva2011 was scaled-up in an 8 L bioreactor with 0.2% CO2. The C16:0, C16:3, C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3 were 112.2, 9.4, 51.3, 74.1 and 69.2 mg/g dry weight (DW), respectively. This new strain produced a significant amount of biomass of 3.79 g/L DW on day 6 in the 8 L bioreactor and also produced three hydrocarbons. A new oil-rich microalga S. bacillaris strain siva2011 was discovered and its biomass has been scaled-up in a newly designed balloon-type bioreactor. The TAGs and hydrocarbons produced by this organism could be used as substrates for jet fuel or biodiesel.

Isolation and genetic characterization of an Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovar K12:O3 strain.

PubMed

Ito, Hiroya; Matsumoto, Atsuko

2015-01-01

An atypical Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serovar 12 strain, termed QAS106, was isolated from a clinical case of porcine pleuropneumonia in Japan. An immunodiffusion (ID) test identified the strain as serovar 12. However, the ID test also demonstrated that strain QAS106 shared antigenic determinants with both the serovar 3 and 15 reference strains. Strain QAS106 was positive in the capsular serovar 12-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, while the PCR toxin gene profiling and omlA PCR typing assays indicated that strain QAS106 was similar to serovar 3. The nucleotide sequence of the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) of strain QAS106 was identical with that of serovars 3 and 12, but it showed 99.7% identity with that of serovar 15. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that genes involved in biosynthesis of the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of strain QAS106 were identical to those of serovar 12 at the amino acid level. On the other hand, strain QAS106 would express putative proteins involved in the biosynthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O-polysaccharide (O-PS), the amino acid sequences of which were identical or nearly identical to those of serovars 3 and 15. In conclusion, strain QAS106 should be recognized as K12:O3, even though typical serovar 12 strains are K12:O12. The emergence of an atypical A. pleuropneumoniae serovar 12 strain expressing a rare combination of CPS and O-PS antigens would hamper precise serodiagnosis by the use of either CPS- or LPS-based serodiagnostic methodology alone. © 2014 The Author(s).

Strain-tuned enhancement of ferromagnetic TC to 176 K in Sm-doped BiMnO3 thin films and determination of magnetic phase diagram.

PubMed

Choi, Eun-Mi; Kleibeuker, Josée E; MacManus-Driscoll, Judith L

2017-03-03

BiMnO 3 is a promising multiferroic material but it's ferromagnetic T C is well below room temperature and the magnetic phase diagram is unknown. In this work, the relationship between magnetic transition temperature (T C ) and the substrate induced (pseudo-) tetragonal distortion (ratio of out-of-plane to in-plane lattice parameters, c/a) in BiMnO 3 thin films, lightly doped to optimize lattice dimensions, was determined. For c/a > 0.99, hidden antiferromagnetism was revealed and the magnetisation versus temperature curves showed a tail behaviour, whereas for c/a < 0.99 clear ferromagnetism was observed. A peak T C of up to 176 K, more than 70 K higher than for bulk BiMnO 3 , was achieved through precise strain tuning. The T C was maximised for strong tensile in-plane strain which produced weak octahedral rotations in the out-of-plane direction, an orthorhombic-like structure, and strong ferromagnetic coupling.

Identification of Recombinant Human Rhinovirus A and C in Circulating Strains from Upper and Lower Respiratory Infections

PubMed Central

Kim, Hak; Kim, Kisoon; Kim, Dae-Won; Jung, Hee-Dong; Min Cheong, Hyang; Kim, Ki Hwan; Soo Kim, Dong; Kim, You-Jin

2013-01-01

Human rhinoviruses (HRVs), in the Enterovirus genus within the family Picornaviridae, are a highly prevalent cause of acute respiratory infection (ARI). Enteroviruses are genetically highly variable, and recombination between serotypes is known to be a major contribution to their diversity. Recently it was reported that recombination events in HRVs cause the diversity of HRV-C. This study analyzed parts of the viral genes spanning the 5′ non- coding region (NCR) through to the viral protein (VP) encoding sequences of 105 HRV field isolates from 51 outpatient cases of Acute Respiratory Infectious Network (ARINET) and 54 inpatient cases of severe lower respiratory infection (SLRI) surveillance, in order to identify recombination in field samples. When analyzing parts of the 5′NCR and VP4/VP2 encoding sequences, we found intra- and interspecies recombinants in field strains of HRV-A and -C. Nineteen cases of recombination events (18.1%) were found among 105 field strains. For HRV-A, there were five cases (4.8%) of intraspecies recombination events and three cases (2.8%) of interspecies recombination events. For HRV-C, there were four cases (3.8%) of intraspecies recombination events and seven cases (6.7%) of interspecies recombination events. Recombination events were significantly more frequently observed in the ARINET samples (18 cases) than in the SLRI samples (1 case; P< 0.0001). The recombination breakpoints were located in nucleotides (nt) 472–554, which comprise stem-loop 5 in the internal ribosomal entry site (IRES), based on the HRV-B 35 sequence (accession no. FJ445187). Our findings regarding genomic recombination in circulating HRV-A and -C strains suggest that recombination might play a role in HRV fitness and could be a possible determinant of disease severity caused by various HRV infections in patients with ARI. PMID:23826363

USE OF CYP1A2(-/-) KNOCKOUT AND CYP1A2(+/+) C57BL/6N PARENTAL STRAINS OF MICE TO COMPARE METABOLISM OF 2,3,7,8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-P-DIOXIN (TCDD)

EPA Science Inventory

USE OF CYP1A2 (-/-) KNOCKOUT AND CYP1A2 (+/+) C57BL/6N PARENTAL STRAINS OF MICE TO COMPARE METABOLISM OF 2,3,7,8-TETRACHLORODIBENZO-P-DIOXIN (TCDD). J J Diliberto1 and H Hakk2. 1USEPA ORD, NHEERL, ETD, PKB, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA; 2USDA-ARS, BRL, Fargo, ND, USA. Spons...

Strain-Induced Ferromagnetism in Antiferromagnetic LuMnO3 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, J. S.; Bator, M.; Hu, Y.; Luetkens, H.; Stahn, J.; Capelli, S.; Das, S.; Döbeli, M.; Lippert, Th.; Malik, V. K.; Martynczuk, J.; Wokaun, A.; Kenzelmann, M.; Niedermayer, Ch.; Schneider, C. W.

2013-07-01

Single phase and strained LuMnO3 thin films are discovered to display coexisting ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic orders. A large moment ferromagnetism (≈1μB), which is absent in bulk samples, is shown to display a magnetic moment distribution that is peaked at the highly strained substrate-film interface. We further show that the strain-induced ferromagnetism and the antiferromagnetic order are coupled via an exchange field, therefore demonstrating strained rare-earth manganite thin films as promising candidate systems for new multifunctional devices.

Genealogy of principal strains of the yeast genetic stock center.

PubMed

Mortimer, R K; Johnston, J R

1986-05-01

We have constructed a genealogy of strain S288C, from which many of the mutant and segregant strains currently used in studies on the genetics and molecular biology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been derived. We have determined that its six progenitor strains were EM93, EM126, NRRL YB-210 and the three baking strains Yeast Foam, FLD and LK. We have estimated that approximately 88% of the gene pool of S288C is contributed by strain EM93. The principal ancestral genotypes were those of segregant strains EM93-1C and EM93-3B, initially distributed by C. C. Lindegren to several laboratories. We have analyzed an isolate of lyophilized culture of strain EM93 and determined its genotype as MATa/MAT alpha SUC2/SUC2 GAL2/gal2 MAL/MAL mel/mel CUP1/cup1 FLO1/flo1. Strain EM93 is therefore the probable origin of genes SUC2, gal2, CUP1 and flo1 of S288C. We give details of the current availability of several of the progenitor strains and propose that this genealogy should be of assistance in elucidating the origins of several types of genetic and molecular heterogeneities in Saccharomyces.

Ultra-high strain in epitaxial silicon carbide nanostructures utilizing residual stress amplification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Phan, Hoang-Phuong; Nguyen, Tuan-Khoa; Dinh, Toan; Ina, Ginnosuke; Kermany, Atieh Ranjbar; Qamar, Afzaal; Han, Jisheng; Namazu, Takahiro; Maeda, Ryutaro; Dao, Dzung Viet; Nguyen, Nam-Trung

2017-04-01

Strain engineering has attracted great attention, particularly for epitaxial films grown on a different substrate. Residual strains of SiC have been widely employed to form ultra-high frequency and high Q factor resonators. However, to date, the highest residual strain of SiC was reported to be limited to approximately 0.6%. Large strains induced into SiC could lead to several interesting physical phenomena, as well as significant improvement of resonant frequencies. We report an unprecedented nanostrain-amplifier structure with an ultra-high residual strain up to 8% utilizing the natural residual stress between epitaxial 3C-SiC and Si. In addition, the applied strain can be tuned by changing the dimensions of the amplifier structure. The possibility of introducing such a controllable and ultra-high strain will open the door to investigating the physics of SiC in large strain regimes and the development of ultra sensitive mechanical sensors.

Construction of a psb C deletion strain in Synechocystis 6803.

PubMed

Goldfarb, N; Knoepfle, N; Putnam-Evans, C

1997-01-01

Synechocystis 6803 is a cyanobacterium that carries out-oxygenic photosynthesis. We are interested in the introduction of mutations in the large extrinsic loop region of the CP43 protein of Photosystem II (PSII). CP43 appears to be required for the stable assembly of the PSII complex and also appears to play a role in photosynthetic oxygen evolution. Deletion of short segments of the large extrinsic loop results in mutants incapable of evolving oxygen. Alterations in psbC, the gene encoding CP43, are introduced into Synechocystis 6803 by transformation and homologous recombination. Specifically, plasmid constructs bearing the site-directed mutations are introduced into a deletion strain where the portion of the gene encoding the area of mutation has been deleted and replaced by a gene conferring antibiotic resistance. We have constructed a deletion strain of Synechocystis appropriate for the introduction of mutations in the large extrinsic loop of CP43 and have used it successfully to produce site-directed mutants.

The Effects of Job Instability and Financial Strain on C-Reactive Protein in a Sample of Mexican Immigrants.

PubMed

Steffen, Patrick R; Walker, Jill; Meredith, Richard; Anderson, Chris

2016-01-21

Mexican immigrants have lower cardiovascular disease risk than US citizens, but risk increases with level of acculturation. Our study investigated whether job stress and financial strain would be related to inflammation (C-reactive protein), lipids, and blood pressure, and if they would play a role in the acculturation process in Mexican immigrants. A sample of 310 Mexican immigrants living in the United States were studied on measures of job stress, financial strain, acculturation, and cardiovascular disease risk factors (C-reactive protein, lipids, and blood pressure). Job instability, financial strain, and acculturation, were related to inflammation, but psychological demands and decision latitude were not related. Lipids and blood pressure were not related to the variables of interest. Body mass index (BMI) was related to both increased acculturation and inflammation, and when controlling for BMI, acculturation was no longer a significant predictor of inflammation. Job instability and financial strain remained significant predictors of inflammation after controlling for BMI, sex, and age. Job instability and financial strain were not related to acculturation, suggesting that these factors are significant stressors for both newly arrived and more established immigrants. Job instability and financial strain predict increased inflammation in Mexican immigrants but they do not play a role in the relationship between acculturation and C-reactive protein. The effects of acculturation on inflammation in this study were mediated by BMI.

Reversible strain effect on the magnetization of LaCoO3 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herklotz, A.; Rata, A. D.; Schultz, L.; Dörr, K.

2009-03-01

The magnetization (M) of a LaCoO3 film grown epitaxially on a piezoelectric substrate has been investigated in dependence on the biaxial in-plane strain. M decreases with the reversible release of tensile strain, with a maximum change of at least 6% per 0.1% of biaxial strain near the Curie temperature (TC) . The biaxial strain response of TC is estimated to be below 5 K/% in the tensile strain state. This is in agreement with results from statically strained films on various substrates. As possible origins of the strain-induced magnetization are considered (i) the strain-dependent Curie temperature, (ii) a strain-dependent magnetically inhomogeneous (phase-separated) state, and (iii) a strain-dependent magnetic moment (spin state) of Co ions. The TC shift is found insufficient to explain the measured strain-induced magnetization change but contributions from mechanism (ii) or (iii) must be involved.

Antascomicins A, B, C, D and E. Novel FKBP12 binding compounds from a Micromonospora strain.

PubMed

Fehr, T; Sanglier, J J; Schuler, W; Gschwind, L; Ponelle, M; Schilling, W; Wioland, C

1996-03-01

5 novel ascomycin-like compounds, antascomicins A, B, C, D and E were isolated from a strain of Micromonospora. The antascomicins bind strongly to the FK506-binding protein FKBP12 and antagonize the immunosuppressive activity of FK506 and rapamycin. The strain description, fermentation, structure elucidation and biological activity of these compounds are described.

Isolation and Evaluation of Bacillus Strains for Industrial Production of 2,3-Butanediol.

PubMed

Song, Chan Woo; Rathnasingh, Chelladurai; Park, Jong Myoung; Lee, Julia; Song, Hyohak

2018-03-28

Biologically produced 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BDO) has diverse industrial applications. In this study, schematic isolation and screening procedures were designed to obtain generally regarded as safe (GRAS) and efficient 2,3-BDO producers. Over 4,000 candidate strains were isolated by pretreatment and enrichment, and the isolated Bacillus strains were further screened by morphological, biochemical, and genomic analyses. The screened strains were then used to test the utilization of the most common carbon (glucose, xylose, fructose, sucrose) and nitrogen (yeast extract, corn steep liquor) sources for the economical production of 2,3-BDO. Two-stage fed-batch fermentation was finally carried out to enhance 2,3-BDO production. In consequence, a newly isolated Bacillus licheniformis GSC3102 strain produced 92.0 g/l of total 2,3-BDO with an overall productivity and yield of 1.40 g/l/h and 0.423 g/g glucose, respectively, using a cheap and abundant nitrogen source. These results strongly suggest that B. licheniformis , which is found widely in nature, can be used as a host strain for the industrial fermentative production of 2,3-BDO.

Molybdenum-independent nitrogenases of Azotobacter vinelandii: a functional species of alternative nitrogenase-3 isolated from a molybdenum-tolerant strain contains an iron-molybdenum cofactor.

PubMed Central

Pau, R N; Eldridge, M E; Lowe, D J; Mitchenall, L A; Eady, R R

1993-01-01

Nitrogenase-3 of Azotobacter vinelandii is synthesized under conditions of molybdenum and vanadium deficiency. The minimal metal requirement for its synthesis, and its metal content, indicated that the only transition metal in nitrogenase-3 was iron [Chisnell, Premakumar and Bishop (1988) J. Bacteriol. 170, 27-33; Pau, Mitchenall and Robson (1989) J. Bacteriol. 171, 124-129]. A new species of nitrogenase-3 has been purified from a strain of A. vinelandii (RP306) lacking structural genes for the Mo- and V-nitrogenases and containing a mutation which enables nitrogenase-3 to be synthesized in the presence of molybdenum. SDS/PAGE showed that component 1 contained a 15 kDa polypeptide which N-terminal amino acid sequence determination showed to be encoded by anfG. This confirms that nitrogenase-3, like V-nitrogenase, comprises three subunits. Preparations of the nitrogenase-3 from strain RP306 contained 24 Fe atoms and 1 Mo atom per molecule. Characterization of the cofactor centre of the enzyme by e.p.r. spectroscopy and an enzymic cofactor assay, together with stimulation of the growth of strain RP306 by Mo, showed that nitrogenase-3 can incorporate the Mo-nitrogenase cofactor (FeMoco) to form a functional enzyme. The specific activities (nmol of product produced/min per mg of protein) determined from activity titration curves were: under N2, NH3 formation 110, with concomitant H2 evolution of 220; under argon, H2 evolution 350; under 10% acetylene (C2H2) in argon, ethylene (C2H4) 58, ethane (C2H6) 26, and concomitant H2 evolution 226. The rate of formation of C2H6 was non-linear, and the C2H6/C2H4 ratio strongly dependent on the ratio of nitrogenase components. PMID:8392330

Mitotic stability and nuclear inheritance of integrated viral cDNA in engineered hypovirulent strains of the chestnut blight fungus.

PubMed Central

Chen, B; Choi, G H; Nuss, D L

1993-01-01

Transmissible hypovirulence is a novel form of biological control in which virulence of a fungal pathogen is attenuated by an endogenous RNA virus. The feasibility of engineering hypovirulence was recently demonstrated by transformation of the chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica, with a full-length cDNA copy of a hypovirulence-associated viral RNA. Engineered hypovirulent transformants were found to contain both a chromsomally integrated cDNA copy of the viral genome and a resurrected cytoplasmically replicating double-stranded RNA form. We now report stable maintenance of integrated viral cDNA through repeated rounds of asexual sporulation and passages on host plant tissue. We also demonstrate stable nuclear inheritance of the integrated viral cDNA and resurrection of the cytoplasmic viral double-stranded RNA form in progeny resulting from the mating of an engineered hypovirulent C. parasitica strain and a vegetatively incompatible virulent strain. Mitotic stability of the viral cDNA ensures highly efficient transmission of the hypovirulence phenotype through conidia. Meiotic transmission, a mode not observed for natural hypovirulent strains, introduces virus into ascospore progeny representing a spectrum of vegetative compatibility groups, thereby circumventing barriers to anastomosis-mediated transmission imposed by the fungal vegetative incompatibility system. These transmission properties significantly enhance the potential of engineered hypovirulent C. parasitica strains as effective biocontrol agents. Images PMID:8344241

Comparative Studies on Behavioral, Cognitive and Biomolecular Profiling of ICR, C57BL/6 and Its Sub-Strains Suitable for Scopolamine-Induced Amnesic Models

PubMed Central

Karthivashan, Govindarajan; Park, Shin-Young; Kim, Joon-Soo; Cho, Duk-Yeon

2017-01-01

Cognitive impairment and behavioral disparities are the distinctive baseline features to investigate in most animal models of neurodegenerative disease. However, neuronal complications are multifactorial and demand a suitable animal model to investigate their underlying basal mechanisms. By contrast, the numerous existing neurodegenerative studies have utilized various animal strains, leading to factual disparity. Choosing an optimal mouse strain for preliminary assessment of neuronal complications is therefore imperative. In this study, we systematically compared the behavioral, cognitive, cholinergic, and inflammatory impairments of outbred ICR and inbred C57BL/6 mice strains subject to scopolamine-induced amnesia. We then extended this study to the sub-strains C57BL/6N and C57BL/6J, where in addition to the above-mentioned parameters, their endogenous antioxidant levels and cAMP response-element binding protein (CREB)/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein expression were also evaluated. Compared with the ICR strain, the scopolamine-inflicted C57BL/6 strains exhibited a substantial reduction of spontaneous alternation and an approximately two-fold increase in inflammatory protein expression, compared to the control group. Among the sub-strains, scopolamine-treated C57BL/6N strains exhibited declined step-through latency, elevated acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and inflammatory protein expression, associated with reduced endogenous antioxidant levels and p-CREB/BDNF expression, compared to the control and tacrine-treated groups. This indicates that the C57BL/6N strains exhibit significantly enhanced scopolamine-induced neuronal impairment compared to the other evaluated strains. PMID:28792471

Comparative Studies on Behavioral, Cognitive and Biomolecular Profiling of ICR, C57BL/6 and Its Sub-Strains Suitable for Scopolamine-Induced Amnesic Models.

PubMed

Karthivashan, Govindarajan; Park, Shin-Young; Kim, Joon-Soo; Cho, Duk-Yeon; Ganesan, Palanivel; Choi, Dong-Kug

2017-08-09

Cognitive impairment and behavioral disparities are the distinctive baseline features to investigate in most animal models of neurodegenerative disease. However, neuronal complications are multifactorial and demand a suitable animal model to investigate their underlying basal mechanisms. By contrast, the numerous existing neurodegenerative studies have utilized various animal strains, leading to factual disparity. Choosing an optimal mouse strain for preliminary assessment of neuronal complications is therefore imperative. In this study, we systematically compared the behavioral, cognitive, cholinergic, and inflammatory impairments of outbred ICR and inbred C57BL/6 mice strains subject to scopolamine-induced amnesia. We then extended this study to the sub-strains C57BL/6N and C57BL/6J, where in addition to the above-mentioned parameters, their endogenous antioxidant levels and cAMP response-element binding protein (CREB)/brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein expression were also evaluated. Compared with the ICR strain, the scopolamine-inflicted C57BL/6 strains exhibited a substantial reduction of spontaneous alternation and an approximately two-fold increase in inflammatory protein expression, compared to the control group. Among the sub-strains, scopolamine-treated C57BL/6N strains exhibited declined step-through latency, elevated acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and inflammatory protein expression, associated with reduced endogenous antioxidant levels and p-CREB/BDNF expression, compared to the control and tacrine-treated groups. This indicates that the C57BL/6N strains exhibit significantly enhanced scopolamine-induced neuronal impairment compared to the other evaluated strains.

Evaluation of the immunogenic capability of the BCG strains BCGΔBCG1419c and BCGΔBCG1416c in a three-dimensional human lung tissue model.

PubMed

Parasa, Venkata Ramanarao; Rose, Jeronimo; Castillo-Diaz, Luis Alberto; Aceves-Sánchez, Michel de Jesús; Vega-Domínguez, Perla Jazmín; Lerm, Maria; Flores-Valdez, Mario Alberto

2018-03-27

Tuberculosis (TB) still remains as an unmet global threat. The current vaccine is not fully effective and novel alternatives are needed. Here, two vaccine candidate strains derived from BCG carrying deletions in the BCG1416c or BCG1419c genes were analysed for their capacity to modulate the cytokine/chemokine profile and granuloma formation in a human lung tissue model (LTM). We show that the clustering of monocytes, reminiscent of early granuloma formation, in LTMs infected with BCG strains was similar for all of them. However, BCGΔBCG1419c, like M. tuberculosis, was capable of inducing the production of IL-6 in contrast to the other BCG strains. This work suggests that LTM could be a useful ex vivo assay to evaluate the potential immunogenicity of novel TB vaccine candidates. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Clostridium species strain BOH3 tolerates and transforms inhibitors from horticulture waste hydrolysates.

PubMed

Yan, Yu; He, Jianzhong

2017-08-01

Conversion of lignocellulosic hydrolysate to biofuels is impeded by the toxic effects of inhibitors that are generated during pretreatment and hydrolysis processes. Here we describe a wild-type Clostridium sp. strain BOH3 with high tolerance to the lignocellulose-derived inhibitors and its capability to transform these inhibitors. Strain BOH3 is capable of tolerating over 60 mM furfural, 60 mM hydroxymethylfurfural, and 6.6 mM vanillin, respectively, and is able to convert 53.74 ± 0.37 mM furfural into furfuryl alcohol within 90 h. The high furfural tolerance and its biotransformation by strain BOH3, which is correlated to the high transcription levels of two short-chain dehydrogenase/reductases, enable strain BOH3 to produce 5.15 ± 0.52 g/L butanol from dilute sulfuric acid pretreated horticultural waste hydrolysate (HWH) that bypassed the detoxification step. The capability of strain BOH3 to produce butanol from un-detoxified HWH lays the foundation of cost-effective biofuel production from lignocellulosic materials.

SVAS3: Strain Vector Aided Sensorization of Soft Structures

PubMed Central

Culha, Utku; Nurzaman, Surya G.; Clemens, Frank; Iida, Fumiya

2014-01-01

Soft material structures exhibit high deformability and conformability which can be useful for many engineering applications such as robots adapting to unstructured and dynamic environments. However, the fact that they have almost infinite degrees of freedom challenges conventional sensory systems and sensorization approaches due to the difficulties in adapting to soft structure deformations. In this paper, we address this challenge by proposing a novel method which designs flexible sensor morphologies to sense soft material deformations by using a functional material called conductive thermoplastic elastomer (CTPE). This model-based design method, called Strain Vector Aided Sensorization of Soft Structures (SVAS3), provides a simulation platform which analyzes soft body deformations and automatically finds suitable locations for CTPE-based strain gauge sensors to gather strain information which best characterizes the deformation. Our chosen sensor material CTPE exhibits a set of unique behaviors in terms of strain length electrical conductivity, elasticity, and shape adaptability, allowing us to flexibly design sensor morphology that can best capture strain distributions in a given soft structure. We evaluate the performance of our approach by both simulated and real-world experiments and discuss the potential and limitations. PMID:25036332

SVAS3: Strain Vector Aided Sensorization of Soft Structures.

PubMed

Culha, Utku; Nurzaman, Surya G; Clemens, Frank; Iida, Fumiya

2014-07-17

Soft material structures exhibit high deformability and conformability which can be useful for many engineering applications such as robots adapting to unstructured and dynamic environments. However, the fact that they have almost infinite degrees of freedom challenges conventional sensory systems and sensorization approaches due to the difficulties in adapting to soft structure deformations. In this paper, we address this challenge by proposing a novel method which designs flexible sensor morphologies to sense soft material deformations by using a functional material called conductive thermoplastic elastomer (CTPE). This model-based design method, called Strain Vector Aided Sensorization of Soft Structures (SVAS3), provides a simulation platform which analyzes soft body deformations and automatically finds suitable locations for CTPE-based strain gauge sensors to gather strain information which best characterizes the deformation. Our chosen sensor material CTPE exhibits a set of unique behaviors in terms of strain length electrical conductivity, elasticity, and shape adaptability, allowing us to flexibly design sensor morphology that can best capture strain distributions in a given soft structure. We evaluate the performance of our approach by both simulated and real-world experiments and discuss the potential and limitations.

[Fatty acids composition of cellular lipids of the collected and newly isolated Pseudomonas lupini strains].

PubMed

Hvozdiak, R I; Dankevych, L A; Votselko, S K; Holubets', O V

2005-01-01

Fatty acid composition of cellular lipids of 23 Pseudomonas lupini strains (Beltjukova et Koroljova 1968) has been investigated. Cellular fatty acids which contained from C10 to C19 carbon atoms have been identified. Basic fatty acid of those Pseudomonas cells are hexadecanoic, hexadecenoic and octadecanoic acids. The 3-hydroxydecanoic (C10:0 3OH), 3-hydroxydodecanoic (C12:0 3OH), 2-hydroxydodecanoic (C12:0 2OH) and cyclopropane fatty acids which contain 17 and 19 carbon atoms have been detected in cellular lipids. The cellular fatty acids spectra of 22 P. lupini strains are similar to cellular fatty acids spectrum of the type strain Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 8511. Pathogenic isolate 2, which fatty acid content of cell lipids significantly differ from lipids of cell fatty acids from P. lupini strains and cell lipids of fatty acids of typical strains Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae 8511 and Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola 9066 is the exception.

Effect of cerulenin on fatty acid composition and gene expression pattern of DHA-producing strain Colwellia psychrerythraea strain 34H.

PubMed

Wan, Xia; Peng, Yun-Feng; Zhou, Xue-Rong; Gong, Yang-Min; Huang, Feng-Hong; Moncalián, Gabriel

2016-02-06

Colwellia psychrerythraea 34H is a psychrophilic bacterium able to produce docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Polyketide synthase pathway is assumed to be responsible for DHA production in marine bacteria. Five pfa genes from strain 34H were confirmed to be responsible for DHA formation by heterogeneous expression in Escherichia coli. The complexity of fatty acid profile of this strain was revealed by GC and GC-MS. Treatment of cells with cerulenin resulted in significantly reduced level of C16 monounsaturated fatty acid (C16:1(Δ9t), C16:1(Δ7)). In contrast, the amount of saturated fatty acids (C10:0, C12:0, C14:0), hydroxyl fatty acids (3-OH C10:0 and 3-OH C12:0), as well as C20:4ω3, C20:5ω3 and C22:6ω3 were increased. RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) revealed the altered gene expression pattern when C. psychrerythraea cells were treated with cerulenin. Genes involved in polyketide synthase pathway and fatty acid biosynthesis pathway were not obviously affected by cerulenin treatment. In contrast, several genes involved in fatty acid degradation or β-oxidation pathway were dramatically reduced at the transcriptional level. Genes responsible for DHA formation in C. psychrerythraea was first cloned and characterized. We revealed the complexity of fatty acid profile in this DHA-producing strain. Cerulenin could substantially change the fatty acid composition by affecting the fatty acid degradation at transcriptional level. Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase gene family involved in the first step of β-oxidation pathway may be important to the selectivity of degraded fatty acids. In addition, inhibition of FabB protein by cerulenin may lead to the accumulation of malonyl-CoA, which is the substrate for DHA formation.

Reductive dehalogenation of 3,5-dibromo-4-hydroxybenzoate by an aerobic strain of Delftia sp. EOB-17.

PubMed

Chen, Kai; Jian, Shanshan; Huang, Linglong; Ruan, Zhepu; Li, Shunpeng; Jiang, Jiandong

2015-12-01

To confirm the reductive dehalogenation ability of the aerobic strain of Delftia sp. EOB-17, finding more evidences to support the hypothesis that reductive dehalogenation may occur extensively in aerobic bacteria. Delftia sp. EOB-17, isolated from terrestrial soil contaminated with halogenated aromatic compounds, completely degraded 0.2 mM DBHB in 28 h and released two equivalents of bromides under aerobic conditions in the presence of sodium succinate. LC-MS analysis revealed that DBHB was transformed to 4-hydroxybenzoate via 3-bromo-4-hydroxybenzoate by successive reductive dehalogenation. Highly conserved DBHB-degrading genes, including reductive dehalogenase gene (bhbA3) and the extra-cytoplasmic binding receptor gene (bhbB3), were also found in strain EOB-17 by genome sequencing. The optimal temperature and pH for DBHB reductive dehalogenation activity are 30 °C and 8, respectively, and 0.1 mM Cd(2+), Cu(2+), Hg(2+) and Zn(2+) strongly inhibited dehalogenation activity. The aerobic strain of Delftia sp. EOB-17 was confirmed to reductively dehalogenate DBHB under aerobic conditions, providing another evidence to support the hypothesis that reductive dehalogenation occurs extensively in aerobic bacteria.

Fatigue properties of JIS H3300 C1220 copper for strain life prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harun, Muhammad Faiz; Mohammad, Roslina

2018-05-01

The existing methods for estimating strain life parameters are dependent on the material's monotonic tensile properties. However, a few of these methods yield quite complicated expressions for calculating fatigue parameters, and are specific to certain groups of materials only. The Universal Slopes method, Modified Universal Slopes method, Uniform Material Law, the Hardness method, and Medians method are a few existing methods for predicting strain-life fatigue based on monotonic tensile material properties and hardness of material. In the present study, nine methods for estimating fatigue life and properties are applied on JIS H3300 C1220 copper to determine the best methods for strain life estimation of this ductile material. Experimental strain-life curves are compared to estimations obtained using each method. Muralidharan-Manson's Modified Universal Slopes method and Bäumel-Seeger's method for unalloyed and low-alloy steels are found to yield batter accuracy in estimating fatigue life with a deviation of less than 25%. However, the prediction of both methods only yield much better accuracy for a cycle of less than 1000 or for strain amplitudes of more than 1% and less than 6%. Manson's Original Universal Slopes method and Ong's Modified Four-Point Correlation method are found to predict the strain-life fatigue of copper with better accuracy for a high number of cycles of strain amplitudes of less than 1%. The differences between mechanical behavior during monotonic and cyclic loading and the complexity in deciding the coefficient in an equation are probably the reason for the lack of a reliable method for estimating fatigue behavior using the monotonic properties of a group of materials. It is therefore suggested that a differential approach and new expressions be developed to estimate the strain-life fatigue parameters for ductile materials such as copper.

Antidepressant-like Responses to Lithium in Genetically Diverse Mouse Strains

PubMed Central

Can, Adem; Blackwell, Robert A.; Piantadosi, Sean C.; Dao, David T.; O’Donnell, Kelley C.; Gould, Todd D.

2011-01-01

A mood stabilizing and antidepressant response to lithium is only found in a subgroup of bipolar disorder and depression patients. Identifying strains of mice that are responsive and non-responsive to lithium may elucidate genomic and other biological factors that play a role in lithium responsiveness. Mouse strains were tested in the forced swim, tail suspension, and open field tests after acute and chronic systemic, and intracerebroventricular and chronic lithium treatments. Serum and brain lithium levels were measured. Three (129S6/SvEvTac, C3H/HeNHsd, C57BL/6J) of the eight inbred strains tested, and one (CD-1) of the three outbred strains, showed an antidepressant-like response in the forced swim test following acute systemic administration of lithium. The three responsive inbred strains, as well as the DBA/2J strain, were also responsive in the forced swim test after chronic administration of lithium. However, in the tail suspension test, acute lithium resulted in an antidepressant-like effect only in C3H/HeNHsd mice. Only C57BL/6J and DBA/2J were responsive in the tail suspension test after chronic administration of lithium. Intracerebroventricular lithium administration resulted in a similar response profile in BALB/cJ (non-responsive) and C57BL/6J (responsive) strains. Serum and brain lithium concentrations demonstrated that behavioral results were not due to differential pharmacokinetics of lithium in individual strains, suggesting that genetic factors likely regulate responsiveness to lithium. Our results indicate that responsiveness to lithium in tests of antidepressant efficacy varies among genetically diverse mouse strains. These results will assist in identifying genomic factors associated with lithium responsiveness and the mechanisms of lithium action. PMID:21306560

Enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic bacteria disinfection by g-C3N4-AgBr.

PubMed

Deng, Jun; Liang, Jialiang; Li, Mian; Tong, Meiping

2017-04-01

g-C 3 N 4 -AgBr was synthesized by depositing AgBr nanoparticles onto g-C 3 N 4 . Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) and Photoluminescence (PL) spectra were employed to characterize the as-synthesized photocatalysts. The disinfection activities towards representative Gram-negative strain E. coli and Gram-positive strain S. aureus were examined under visible light irradiation. Complete inactivation of 3×10 6 CFU/mL viable cell density was reached in 60min for E. coli and 150min for S. aureus, respectively. Ag + released from the photocatalysts did not contribute to the photocatalytic disinfection process. Direct contact of g-C 3 N 4 -AgBr composites and bacterial cells, as well as the presence of O 2 was indispensable for the cell inactivation. Photo-generated holes, surface bounded OH, and indirect generation of intracellular active species played important roles in disinfection process of g-C 3 N 4 -AgBr under visible light irradiation. The disruption of outside structure of cells as well as inner cell injury led to the inactivation. High pH condition led to increasing the cell disinfection due to the generation of surface bounded OH. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tensile Lattice Strain Accelerates Oxygen Surface Exchange and Diffusion in La1–xSrxCoO3−δ Thin Films

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The influence of lattice strain on the oxygen exchange kinetics and diffusion in oxides was investigated on (100) epitaxial La1–xSrxCoO3−δ (LSC) thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition. Planar tensile and compressively strained LSC films were obtained on single-crystalline SrTiO3 and LaAlO3. 18O isotope exchange depth profiling with ToF-SIMS was employed to simultaneously measure the tracer surface exchange coefficient k* and the tracer diffusion coefficient D* in the temperature range 280–475 °C. In accordance with recent theoretical findings, much faster surface exchange (∼4 times) and diffusion (∼10 times) were observed for the tensile strained films compared to the compressively strained films in the entire temperature range. The same strain effect—tensile strain leading to higher k* and D*—was found for different LSC compositions (x = 0.2 and x = 0.4) and for surface-etched films. The temperature dependence of k* and D* is discussed with respect to the contributions of strain states, formation enthalpy of oxygen vacancies, and vacancy mobility at different temperatures. Our findings point toward the control of oxygen surface exchange and diffusion kinetics by means of lattice strain in existing mixed conducting oxides for energy conversion applications. PMID:23527691

Strain and Ni substitution induced ferromagnetism in LaCoO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Ashok; Kumar, Vinod; Kumar, Rajesh; Kumar, Ravi

2018-05-01

We have grown epitaxial strained films of LaCoO3 and LaCo0.7Ni0.3O3 on LaAlO3 (100) substrate via pulsed laser deposition. Superconducting quantum interference device magnetization measurements show that, unlike its bulk counterpart, the ground state of the strained LaCoO3 on LAO is ferromagnetic. The saturation magnetization has been found increase strongly from a value of 118 emu/cm3 to 350 emu/ cm3 for Ni substituted thin film. Present study reveals that strain can stabilize FM order in these thin films down to low temperature, which can further be tuned to higher saturation magnetization with the Ni substitution.

Comparison of proteolytic activity of Candida sp. strains depending on their origin.

PubMed

Modrzewska, B; Kurnatowski, P; Khalid, K

2016-06-01

The aim of the research was to evaluate the proteolytic activity of various Candida strains isolated from the oral cavity of persons without clinical symptoms of fungal infection, outpatients with oral cavity disorders and patients hospitalized due to head and neck tumors. A secondary aim was to confirm the presence of secreted aspartyl protease (SAP) genes in the isolated strains and then to compare it depending on the fungal species. Material consisted of 134 fungal strains that were analysed by a modified Staib method and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the use of specific primer pairs. The greatest proteolytic activity of fungi was observed at pH 3.5. The proteolysis were the strongest for strains isolated from dental patients and the weakest from persons without changes in the oral cavity. In total, 61.9% of the strains exhibited the presence of at least one of the SAP1-3 genes in all examined groups, SAP1 being the most common; SAP4-6 genes were not observed. All genes were more frequent in the strains isolated from the dental patients than from other groups. SAP1-3 genes were present in Candida albicans, C. tropicalis, C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. humicola and C. lipolytica, but were not noted in other isolated species. The lowest activity of proteolytic enzymes and the least number of aspartyl protease genes are observed among strains isolated from patients without clinical symptoms of mycosis. SAP1-3 genes are most frequently detected in the strains isolated from the oral cavity; their presence varies depending on the species of the fungi. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Performance of real-time strain elastography, transient elastography, and aspartate-to-platelet ratio index in the assessment of fibrosis in chronic hepatitis C.

PubMed

Ferraioli, Giovanna; Tinelli, Carmine; Malfitano, Antonello; Dal Bello, Barbara; Filice, Gaetano; Filice, Carlo; Above, Elisabetta; Barbarini, Giorgio; Brunetti, Enrico; Calderon, Willy; Di Gregorio, Marta; Lissandrin, Raffaella; Ludovisi, Serena; Maiocchi, Laura; Michelone, Giuseppe; Mondelli, Mario; Patruno, Savino F A; Perretti, Alessandro; Poma, Gianluigi; Sacchi, Paolo; Zaramella, Marco; Zicchetti, Mabel

2012-07-01

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the diagnostic performance of transient elastography, real-time strain elastography, and aspartate-to-platelet ratio index in assessing fibrosis in patients with chronic hepatitis C by using histologic Metavir scores as reference standard. Consecutive patients with chronic hepatitis C scheduled for liver biopsy were enrolled. Liver biopsy was performed on the same day as transient elastography and real-time strain elastography. Transient elastography and real-time strain elastography were performed in the same patient encounter by a single investigator using a medical device based on elastometry and an ultrasound machine, respectively. Diagnostic performance was assessed by using receiver operating characteristic curves and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) analysis. One hundred thirty patients (91 men and 39 women) were analyzed. The cutoff values for transient elastography, real-time strain elastography, and aspartate-to-platelet ratio index were 6.9 kPa, 1.82, and 0.37, respectively, for fibrosis score of 2 or higher; 7.3 kPa, 1.86, and 0.70, respectively, for fibrosis score of 3 or higher; and 9.3 kPa, 2.33, and 0.70, respectively, for fibrosis score of 4. AUC values of transient elastography, real-time strain elastography, aspartate-to-platelet ratio index were 0.88, 0.74, and 0.86, respectively, for fibrosis score of 2 or higher; 0.95, 0.80, and 0.89, respectively, for fibrosis score of 3 or higher; and 0.97, 0.80, and 0.84, respectively, for fibrosis score of 4. A combination of the three methods, when two of three were in agreement, showed AUC curves of 0.93, 0.95, and 0.95 for fibrosis scores of 2 or higher, 3 or higher, and 4, respectively. Transient elastography, real-time strain elastography, and aspartate-to-platelet ratio index values were correlated with histologic stages of fibrosis. Transient elastography offered excellent diagnostic performance in assessing severe fibrosis and

First-principles study of strain-induced ferromagnetism in LaCoO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Hosung; Demkov, Alexander

2011-03-01

We study theoretically the effect of biaxial strain on magnetic properties of LaCo O3 (LCO) using density functional theory combined with the Hubbard U method. LCO is normally a non-magnetic insulator with trivalent cobalt ions in low-spin state (t 2g 6) . Owing to close interplay between orbital, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom, it shows rich magnetic behavior such as temperature-induced spin state transition. Recently, the ferromagnetic tensile-strained LCO films have been reported. The underlying physics of the ferromagnetic state is, however, unclear. Using a large tetragonal cell we calculate full structural response of the system to applied strain for non-magnetic and magnetic solutions. We show that beyond tensile strain of 3.8% the ferromagnetic solution with Co ions in intermediate-spin state (t 2g 5 e g 1) is stabilized accompanied by partial untilting of Co O6 octahedral network. We also perform the calculation for compressive-strained structures and the difference between these and the tensile strained structures will be presented.

Accessible switching of electronic defect type in SrTi O3 via biaxial strain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, Yen-Ting; Youssef, Mostafa; Sun, Lixin; Van Vliet, Krystyn J.; Yildiz, Bilge

2018-05-01

Elastic strain is used widely to alter the mobility of free electronic carriers in semiconductors, but a predictive relationship between elastic lattice strain and the extent of charge localization of electronic defects is still underdeveloped. Here we considered SrTi O3 , a prototypical perovskite as a model functional oxide for thin film electronic devices and nonvolatile memories. We assessed the effects of biaxial strain on the stability of electronic defects at finite temperature by combining density functional theory (DFT) and quasiharmonic approximation (QHA) calculations. We constructed a predominance diagram for free electrons and small electron polarons in this material, as a function of biaxial strain and temperature. We found that biaxial tensile strain in SrTi O3 can stabilize the small polaron, leading to a thermally activated and slower electronic transport, consistent with prior experimental observations on SrTi O3 and distinct from our prior theoretical assessment of the response of SrTi O3 to hydrostatic stress. These findings also resolved apparent conflicts between prior atomistic simulations and conductivity experiments for biaxially strained SrTi O3 thin films. Our computational approach can be extended to other functional oxides, and for the case of SrTi O3 our findings provide concrete guidance for conditions under which strain engineering can shift the electronic defect type and concentration to modulate electronic transport in thin films.

Multilocus enzyme electrophoresis on agarose gel as an aid to the identification of entomopathogenic Bacillus sphaericus strains.

PubMed

Zahner, V; Rabinovitch, L; Cavados, C F; Momen, H

1994-04-01

Sixty strains of Bacillus sphaericus, including 31 insect pathogens were studied by multilocus enzyme electrophoresis and were classified into 44 zymovars (electrophoretic types). Among the entomopathogenic strains, 11 belong to the same zymovar (Z59) indicating a widespread frequent genotype. Bands of enzyme activity were not detected among the strains for the loci GPI (E.C.5.3.1.9), G6P (E.C.1.1.1.49), 6PG (E.C.1.1.1.44) and ME (E.C.1.1.1.40). The enzymatic loci NP (E.C.2.4.2.1) and ACON (E.C.4.2.1.3) were monomorphic while the other enzymes, MDH (E.C.1.1.1.37), LeDH (E.C.1.4.1.9), ADH (E.C.1.4.1.1), EST (E.C.3.1.1.1), PEP-2 (E.C.3.4.11.1), PEP-3 (E.C.3.4.11) and PEP-D (E.C. 3.4.13.9) were polymorphic. The genetic variation in the non-insect pathogenic group seemed to be greater than in the entomopathogenic group. This latter group appears to be distinct from other strains of these species. All insect pathogens were recovered in the same phenetic cluster and a diagnostic allele is reported for the identification of entomopathogenic strains.

Ab initio study of point defects near stacking faults in 3C-SiC

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xi, Jianqi; Liu, Bin; Zhang, Yanwen

Interactions between point defects and stacking faults in 3C-SiC are studied using an ab initio method based on density functional theory. The results show that the discontinuity of the stacking sequence considerably affects the configurations and behavior of intrinsic defects, especially in the case of silicon interstitials. The existence of an intrinsic stacking fault (missing a C-Si bilayer) shortens the distance between the tetrahedral-center site and its second-nearest-neighboring silicon layer, making the tetrahedral silicon interstitial unstable. Instead of a tetrahedral configuration with four C neighbors, a pyramid-like interstitial structure with a defect state within the band gap becomes a stablemore » configuration. In addition, orientation rotation occurs in the split interstitials that has diverse effects on the energy landscape of silicon and carbon split interstitials in the stacking fault region. Moreover, our analyses of ionic relaxation and electronic structure of vacancies show that the built-in strain field, owing to the existence of the stacking fault, makes the local environment around vacancies more complex than that in the bulk.« less

Ab initio study of point defects near stacking faults in 3C-SiC

DOE PAGES

Xi, Jianqi; Liu, Bin; Zhang, Yanwen; ...

2016-07-02

Interactions between point defects and stacking faults in 3C-SiC are studied using an ab initio method based on density functional theory. The results show that the discontinuity of the stacking sequence considerably affects the configurations and behavior of intrinsic defects, especially in the case of silicon interstitials. The existence of an intrinsic stacking fault (missing a C-Si bilayer) shortens the distance between the tetrahedral-center site and its second-nearest-neighboring silicon layer, making the tetrahedral silicon interstitial unstable. Instead of a tetrahedral configuration with four C neighbors, a pyramid-like interstitial structure with a defect state within the band gap becomes a stablemore » configuration. In addition, orientation rotation occurs in the split interstitials that has diverse effects on the energy landscape of silicon and carbon split interstitials in the stacking fault region. Moreover, our analyses of ionic relaxation and electronic structure of vacancies show that the built-in strain field, owing to the existence of the stacking fault, makes the local environment around vacancies more complex than that in the bulk.« less

Strain and sex differences in anxiety-like and social behaviors in C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice.

PubMed

An, Xiao-Lei; Zou, Jun-Xian; Wu, Rui-Yong; Yang, Ying; Tai, Fa-Dao; Zeng, Shuang-Yan; Jia, Rui; Zhang, Xia; Liu, En-Qi; Broders, Hugh

2011-01-01

Mood disorders are more frequent in women than men, however, the majority of research has focused on male rodents as animal models. We used a variety of common behavioral tests to look for differences in anxiety-like and social behaviors between and within C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice. Our results show that female C57BL/6J mice exhibited lower levels of anxiety-like behavior and higher levels of activity than female BALB/cJ during the open field and elevated plus maze tests. Principal component analysis generated more factors in the behavioral variables of males than females. In the open field, a sex difference was also found and factor 1 emerged as anxiety in males, and motor activity in females. While C57BL/6J mice were found to have higher levels of social exploration and social contacts, differences were found between the sexes (females were more social) in both strains for this measure and also for anxiety-like behaviors. When interacting with animals of the same sex, levels of sniffing body and huddling in both male and female C57BL/6J mice were higher than those in male and female BALB/cJ mice. However, in the between-sex interactions, male C57BL/6J mice sniffed the stimulus mouse less, and female C57BL/6J mice sniffed the stimulus more compared to BALB/cJ mice. This study provides important behavioral phenotypes and confirms the multidimensional behavioral structure of two widely used mice strains.

The interstellar chemistry of C3H and C3H2 isomers

PubMed Central

Loison, Jean-Christophe; Agúndez, Marcelino; Wakelam, Valentine; Roueff, Evelyne; Gratier, Pierre; Marcelino, Núria; Nuñez Reyes, Dianailys; Cernicharo, José; Gerin, Maryvonne

2017-01-01

We report the detection of linear and cyclic isomers of C3H and C3H2 towards various starless cores and review the corresponding chemical pathways involving neutral (C3Hx with x=1,2) and ionic (C3Hx+ with x = 1,2,3) isomers. We highlight the role of the branching ratio of electronic Dissociative Recombination (DR) reactions of C3H2+ and C3H3+ isomers showing that the statistical treatment of the relaxation of C3H* and C3H2* produced in these DR reactions may explain the relative c,l-C3H and c,l-C3H2 abundances. We have also introduced in the model the third isomer of C3H2 (HCCCH). The observed cyclic-to-linear C3H2 ratio vary from 110 ± 30 for molecular clouds with a total density around 1×104 molecules.cm-3 to 30 ± 10 for molecular clouds with a total density around 4×105 molecules.cm-3, a trend well reproduced with our updated model. The higher ratio for low molecular cloud densities is mainly determined by the importance of the H + l-C3H2 → H + c-C3H2 and H + t-C3H2 → H + c-C3H2 isomerization reactions. PMID:29142332

The interstellar chemistry of C3H and C3H2 isomers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loison, Jean-Christophe; Agúndez, Marcelino; Wakelam, Valentine; Roueff, Evelyne; Gratier, Pierre; Marcelino, Núria; Reyes, Dianailys Nuñez; Cernicharo, José; Gerin, Maryvonne

2017-10-01

We report the detection of linear and cyclic isomers of C3H and C3H2 towards various starless cores and review the corresponding chemical pathways involving neutral (C3Hx with x = 1,2) and ionic (C3Hx+ with x = 1,2,3) isomers. We highlight the role of the branching ratio of electronic dissociative recombination (DR) reactions of C3H2+ and C3H3+ isomers, showing that the statistical treatment of the relaxation of C3H* and C3H2* produced in these DR reactions may explain the relative c,l-C3H and c,l-C3H2 abundances. We have also introduced in the model the third isomer of C3H2 (HCCCH). The observed cyclic-to-linear C3H2 ratio varies from 110 ± 30 for molecular clouds with a total density of about 1 × 104 molecules cm-3 to 30 ± 10 for molecular clouds with a total density of about 4 × 105 molecules cm-3, a trend well reproduced with our updated model. The higher ratio for molecular clouds with low densities is determined mainly by the importance of the H + l-C3H2 → H + c-C3H2 and H + t-C3H2 → H + c-C3H2 isomerization reactions.

Fatigue-environment interactions in a SiC/Ti-15-3 composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gayda, J.; Gabb, T. P.; Lerch, B. A.

1993-01-01

Load-controlled isothermal and nonisothermal fatigue lives of a (0-deg)s SiC/Ti-15-3 were evaluated at temperatures between 150 and 550 C and a target strain range of about 0.45 percent. In nonisothermal fatigue tests, load was first cycled at minimum temperature and then temperature was cycled at zero load. For fatigue tests with peak temperatures at or above 300 C, fatigue life was dramatically reduced compared to that at 150 C. The shortest life was produced by the nonisothermal test with the greatest temperature range (Delta T = 400 C) and highest peak temperature (T(max) = 550 C). Vacuum testing showed that much of the life reduction under isothermal and nonisothermal conditions was related to environmental effects, although the nature of the fatigue-environment interaction was decidedly different for the isothermal and nonisothermal test cycles which were studied.

Self-association and domain rearrangements between complement C3 and C3u provide insight into the activation mechanism of C3.

PubMed

Li, Keying; Gor, Jayesh; Perkins, Stephen J

2010-10-01

Component C3 is the central protein of the complement system. During complement activation, the thioester group in C3 is slowly hydrolysed to form C3u, then the presence of C3u enables the rapid conversion of C3 into functionally active C3b. C3u shows functional similarities to C3b. To clarify this mechanism, the self-association properties and solution structures of C3 and C3u were determined using analytical ultracentrifugation and X-ray scattering. Sedimentation coefficients identified two different dimerization events in both proteins. A fast dimerization was observed in 50 mM NaCl but not in 137 mM NaCl. Low amounts of a slow dimerization was observed for C3u and C3 in both buffers. The X-ray radius of gyration RG values were unchanged for both C3 and C3u in 137 mM NaCl, but depend on concentration in 50 mM NaCl. The C3 crystal structure gave good X-ray fits for C3 in 137 mM NaCl. By randomization of the TED (thioester-containing domain)/CUB (for complement protein subcomponents C1r/C1s, urchin embryonic growth factor and bone morphogenetic protein 1) domains in the C3b crystal structure, X-ray fits showed that the TED/CUB domains in C3u are extended and differ from the more compact arrangement of C3b. This TED/CUB conformation is intermediate between those of C3 and C3b. The greater exposure of the TED domain in C3u (which possesses the hydrolysed reactive thioester) accounts for the greater self-association of C3u in low-salt conditions. This conformational variability of the TED/CUB domains would facilitate their interactions with a broad range of antigenic surfaces. The second dimerization of C3 and C3u may correspond to a dimer observed in one of the crystal structures of C3b.

Crystallite size strain analysis of nanocrystalline La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 perovskite by Williamson-Hall plot method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Dinesh; Verma, Narendra Kumar; Singh, Chandra Bhal; Singh, Akhilesh Kumar

2018-04-01

The nanocrystalline Sr-doped LaMnO3 (La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 = LSMO) perovskite manganites having different crystallite size were synthesized using the nitrate-glycine auto-combustion method. The phase purity of the manganites was checked by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurement. The XRD patterns of the sample reveal that La0.7S0.3MnO3 crystallizes into rhombohedral crystal structure with space group R-3c. The size-dependence of structural lattice parameters have been investigated with the help of Rietveld refinement. The structural parameters increase as a function of crystallite size. The crystallite-size and internal strain as a function of crystallite-size have been calculated using Williamson-Hall plot.

Si(111) strained layers on Ge(111): Evidence for c (2 ×4 ) domains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhachuk, R.; Coutinho, J.; Dolbak, A.; Cherepanov, V.; Voigtländer, B.

2017-08-01

The tensile-strained Si (111 ) layers grown on top of Ge (111 ) substrates are studied by combining scanning tunneling microscopy, low-energy electron diffraction, and first-principles calculations. It is shown that the layers exhibit c (2 ×4 ) domains, which are separated by domain walls along <1 ¯10 > directions. A model structure for the c (2 ×4 ) domains is proposed, which shows low formation energy and good agreement with the experimental data. The results of our calculations suggest that Ge atoms are likely to replace Si atoms with dangling bonds on the surface (rest-atoms and adatoms), thus significantly lowering the surface energy and inducing the formation of domain walls. The experiments and calculations demonstrate that when surface strain changes from compressive to tensile, the (111) reconstruction converts from dimer-adatom-stacking fault-based to adatom-based structures.

Differences in susceptibility of mouse strains to tetrodotoxin.

PubMed

Suzuki, Hodaka

2016-09-01

The mouse bioassay for tetrodotoxin has been used for many years in Japan. To the best of our knowledge, however, there have only been a few reports that have specifically investigated differences in susceptibility to tetrodotoxin among mouse strains. In this study, we investigated the response of various mouse strains to tetrodotoxin. Tetrodotoxin solution was injected intraperitoneally into male mice of 5 inbred strains (A/J, BALB/c, C3H/He, C57BL/6, and DBA/2) and male and female mice of 2 non-inbred strains (ddY and ICR). Significant differences in susceptibility to tetrodotoxin were found among the mouse strains tested. In comparison to the ddY male mice, which are designated to be used in the Japanese reference method, the 5 inbred strains of mice tested were significantly more resistant to tetrodotoxin. However, no significant differences in tetrodotoxin susceptibility were observed between ddY male and female mice or between ddY male mice and ICR male and female mice. These results indicate that the users of the mouse bioassay should pay attention to differences in mouse strain in susceptibility to tetrodotoxin. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

3D Tendon Strain Estimation Using High-frequency Volumetric Ultrasound Images: A Feasibility Study.

PubMed

Carvalho, Catarina; Slagmolen, Pieter; Bogaerts, Stijn; Scheys, Lennart; D'hooge, Jan; Peers, Koen; Maes, Frederik; Suetens, Paul

2018-03-01

Estimation of strain in tendons for tendinopathy assessment is a hot topic within the sports medicine community. It is believed that, if accurately estimated, existing treatment and rehabilitation protocols can be improved and presymptomatic abnormalities can be detected earlier. State-of-the-art studies present inaccurate and highly variable strain estimates, leaving this problem without solution. Out-of-plane motion, present when acquiring two-dimensional (2D) ultrasound (US) images, is a known problem and may be responsible for such errors. This work investigates the benefit of high-frequency, three-dimensional (3D) US imaging to reduce errors in tendon strain estimation. Volumetric US images were acquired in silico, in vitro, and ex vivo using an innovative acquisition approach that combines the acquisition of 2D high-frequency US images with a mechanical guided system. An affine image registration method was used to estimate global strain. 3D strain estimates were then compared with ground-truth values and with 2D strain estimates. The obtained results for in silico data showed a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.07%, 0.05%, and 0.27% for 3D estimates along axial, lateral direction, and elevation direction and a respective MAE of 0.21% and 0.29% for 2D strain estimates. Although 3D could outperform 2D, this does not occur in in vitro and ex vivo settings, likely due to 3D acquisition artifacts. Comparison against the state-of-the-art methods showed competitive results. The proposed work shows that 3D strain estimates are more accurate than 2D estimates but acquisition of appropriate 3D US images remains a challenge.

Enhancement of 2,3-butanediol production from Jerusalem artichoke tuber extract by a recombinant Bacillus sp. strain BRC1 with increased inulinase activity.

PubMed

Park, Jang Min; Oh, Baek-Rock; Kang, In Yeong; Heo, Sun-Yeon; Seo, Jeong-Woo; Park, Seung-Moon; Hong, Won-Kyung; Kim, Chul Ho

2017-07-01

A Bacillus sp. strain named BRC1 is capable of producing 2,3-butanediol (2,3-BD) using hydrolysates of the Jerusalem artichoke tuber (JAT), a rich source of the fructose polymer inulin. To enhance 2,3-BD production, we undertook an extensive analysis of the Bacillus sp. BRC1 genome, identifying a putative gene (sacC) encoding a fructan hydrolysis enzyme and characterizing the activity of the resulting recombinant protein expressed in and purified from Escherichia coli. Introduction of the sacC gene into Bacillus sp. BRC1 using an expression vector increased enzymatic activity more than twofold. Consistent with this increased enzyme expression, 2,3-BD production from JAT was also increased from 3.98 to 8.10 g L -1 . Fed-batch fermentation of the recombinant strain produced a maximal level of 2,3-BD production of 28.6 g L -1 , showing a high theoretical yield of 92.3%.

Effect of strain on thermoelectric properties of SrTiO3: First-principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zou, Daifeng; Liu, Yunya; Xie, Shuhong; Lin, Jianguo; Li, Jiangyu

2013-10-01

The electronic structures of strained SrTiO3 were investigated by using first-principles calculations, and the anisotropic thermoelectric properties of n-type SrTiO3 under biaxial strain were calculated on the base of the semi-classical Boltzmann transport theory. It was theoretically found that the in-plane and out-of-plane power factors of n-type SrTiO3 can be increased under compressive and tensile strains, respectively, and such dependence can be explained by the strain-induced redistribution of electrons. To further optimize the thermoelectric performance of n-type SrTiO3, the maximum power factors and the corresponding optimal n-type doping levels were evaluated.

Fate and metabolism of tetrabromobisphenol A in soil slurries without and with the amendment with the alkylphenol degrading bacterium Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3.

PubMed

Li, Fangjie; Wang, Jiajia; Nastold, Peter; Jiang, Bingqi; Sun, Feifei; Zenker, Armin; Kolvenbach, Boris Alexander; Ji, Rong; François-Xavier Corvini, Philippe

2014-10-01

Transformation of ring-(14)C-labelled tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) was studied in an oxic soil slurry with and without amendment with Sphingomonas sp. strain TTNP3, a bacterium degrading bisphenol-A. TBBPA degradation was accompanied by mineralization and formation of metabolites and bound-residues. The biotransformation was stimulated in the slurry bio-augmented with strain TTNP3, via a mechanism of metabolic compensation, although this strain did not grow on TBBPA. In the absence and presence of strain TTNP3, six and nine metabolites, respectively, were identified. The initial O-methylation metabolite (TBBPA-monomethyl ether) and hydroxytribromobisphenol-A were detected only when strain TTNP3 was present. Four primary metabolic pathways of TBBPA in the slurries are proposed: oxidative skeletal rearrangements, O-methylation, ipso-substitution, and reductive debromination. Our study provides for the first time the information about the complex metabolism of TBBPA in oxic soil and suggests that type II ipso-substitution could play a significant role in the fate of alkylphenol derivatives in the environment. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacteriocinogenic potential of a probiotic strain Bacillus coagulans [BDU3] from Ngari.

PubMed

Abdhul, Kaja; Ganesh, Mohan; Shanmughapriya, Santhanam; Vanithamani, Shanmugam; Kanagavel, Murugesan; Anbarasu, Kumarasamy; Natarajaseenivasan, Kalimuthusamy

2015-08-01

Bacteriocin producing strain BDU3 was isolated from a traditional fermented fish of Manipur Ngari. The strain BDU3 was identified as Bacillus coagulans by phenotypic and genotypic characterization. The BDU3 produced novel bacteriocin, which showed an antimicrobial spectrum toward a wide spectrum of food borne, and closely related pathogens with a MIC that ranged between 0.5 and 2.5 μg/mL. The isolate was able to tolerate pH as low as 2.0 and up to 0.2% bile salt concentration. Three step purification was employed to increase the specific activity of the antimicrobial compound. The fractions were further chromatographed by Rp-HPLC C-18 column and the purified bacteriocin had a specific activity of ∼8500 AU/mg. However, the potency of bacteriocin was susceptible to digestion with Proteinase K, Pepsin, SDS, EDTA and Urea. Molecular mass of purified bacteriocin was found to be 1.4 kDa using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF). The functional group was revealed by FTIR analysis. The cytotoxicity assay (MTT) using purified bacteriocin showed 2 times lower EC50 values compared to SDS. This is the smaller bacteriocin ever reported before from B. coagulans with greater antimicrobial potency with lower cytotoxicity. This bacteriocin raises the possibilities to be used as a biopreservative in food industries. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Strain Phase Diagram of SrTiO3 Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Feizhou; Shapiro, S. M.

2005-03-01

SrTiO3 thin films were used as a model system to study the effects of strain and epitaxial constraint on structural phase transitions of oxide films. The basic phenomena revealed will apply to a variety of important structural transitions including the ferroelectric transition. Highly strained, epitaxial films of SrTiO3 were grown on different substrates. The structural phase transition temperature Tc increases from 105 K in bulk STO to 167 K for films under tensile strain and 330 K for films with compressive strain. The measured temperature-strain phase diagram is qualitatively consistent with theory [1], however the increase in Tc is much larger than predicted in all cases. The symmetry of the phases involved in the transition is different from the corresponding bulk structures largely because of epitaxial constraint, the clamping effect. Thus the shape of the STO unit cell is tetragonal at all temperatures. The possibility exists of a very unique low temperature phase with orthorhombic symmetry (Cmcm) but tetragonal unit cell shape. More generally, we have characterized at least three different manifestations of the clamping effect, showing it is much more subtle than usually recognized. This work is supported through NSF DMR-0239667, DMR-0132918, by the Research Corp, and at BNL by the US DOE DE-AC02-98CH10886. [1] N. A. Pertsev, A. K. Tagantsev and N. Setter, Phys. Rev. B61, R825 (2000).

Novel method for measuring a dense 3D strain map of robotic flapping wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Beiwen; Zhang, Song

2018-04-01

Measuring dense 3D strain maps of the inextensible membranous flapping wings of robots is of vital importance to the field of bio-inspired engineering. Conventional high-speed 3D videography methods typically reconstruct the wing geometries through measuring sparse points with fiducial markers, and thus cannot obtain the full-field mechanics of the wings in detail. In this research, we propose a novel system to measure a dense strain map of inextensible membranous flapping wings by developing a superfast 3D imaging system and a computational framework for strain analysis. Specifically, first we developed a 5000 Hz 3D imaging system based on the digital fringe projection technique using the defocused binary patterns to precisely measure the dynamic 3D geometries of rapidly flapping wings. Then, we developed a geometry-based algorithm to perform point tracking on the precisely measured 3D surface data. Finally, we developed a dense strain computational method using the Kirchhoff-Love shell theory. Experiments demonstrate that our method can effectively perform point tracking and measure a highly dense strain map of the wings without many fiducial markers.

Separation of similar yeast strains by IEF techniques.

PubMed

Horká, Marie; Růzicka, Filip; Holá, Veronika; Slais, Karel

2009-06-01

Rapid and reliable identification of the etiological agents of infectious diseases, especially species that are hardly distinguishable by routinely used laboratory methods, e.g. Candida albicans from C. dubliniensis, is necessary for early administration of an appropriate therapy. Similarly, the differentiation between biofilm-positive and biofilm-negative yeast strains is necessary for the choice of a therapeutic strategy due to higher resistance of the biofilm-positive strains to antifungals. In this study rapid separation and identification of similar strains of Candida, cells and/or their lysates, based on IEF are outlined. The isoelectric points of the monitored "similar pairs" of Candidas, C. albicans and C. dubliniensis and the biofilm-positive C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis and their biofilm-negative strains were determined by CIEF with UV detection in the acidic pH gradient. The differences between their isoelectric points were up to 0.3 units of pI. Simultaneously, a fast and a simple technique was developed for the lysis of the outer membrane cell and characteristic fingerprints were found in lysate electrophoreograms and in gels from the capillary or the gel IEF, respectively.

Displacement and Strain Measurement up to 1000 °C Using a Hollow Coaxial Cable Fabry-Perot Resonator.

PubMed

Zhu, Chen; Chen, Yizheng; Zhuang, Yiyang; Huang, Jie

2018-04-24

We present a hollow coaxial cable Fabry-Perot resonator for displacement and strain measurement up to 1000 °C. By employing a novel homemade hollow coaxial cable made of stainless steel as a sensing platform, the high-temperature tolerance of the sensor is dramatically improved. A Fabry-Perot resonator is implemented on this hollow coaxial cable by introducing two highly-reflective reflectors along the cable. Based on a nested structure design, the external displacement and strain can be directly correlated to the cavity length of the resonator. By tracking the shift of the amplitude reflection spectrum of the microwave resonator, the applied displacement and strain can be determined. The displacement measurement experiment showed that the sensor could function properly up to 1000 °C. The sensor was also employed to measure the thermal strain of a steel plate during the heating process. The stability of the novel sensor was also investigated. The developed sensing platform and sensing configurations are robust, cost-effective, easy to manufacture, and can be flexibly designed for many other measurement applications in harsh high-temperature environments.

Displacement and Strain Measurement up to 1000 °C Using a Hollow Coaxial Cable Fabry-Perot Resonator

PubMed Central

Chen, Yizheng; Zhuang, Yiyang

2018-01-01

We present a hollow coaxial cable Fabry-Perot resonator for displacement and strain measurement up to 1000 °C. By employing a novel homemade hollow coaxial cable made of stainless steel as a sensing platform, the high-temperature tolerance of the sensor is dramatically improved. A Fabry-Perot resonator is implemented on this hollow coaxial cable by introducing two highly-reflective reflectors along the cable. Based on a nested structure design, the external displacement and strain can be directly correlated to the cavity length of the resonator. By tracking the shift of the amplitude reflection spectrum of the microwave resonator, the applied displacement and strain can be determined. The displacement measurement experiment showed that the sensor could function properly up to 1000 °C. The sensor was also employed to measure the thermal strain of a steel plate during the heating process. The stability of the novel sensor was also investigated. The developed sensing platform and sensing configurations are robust, cost-effective, easy to manufacture, and can be flexibly designed for many other measurement applications in harsh high-temperature environments. PMID:29695063

Purification and Characterization of a Cyclomaltodextrin Glucanotransferase From Paenibacillus campinasensis Strain H69-3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alves-Prado, Heloiza Ferreira; Gomes, Eleni; da Silva, Roberto

A cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase (E.C. 2.4.1.19) from a newly isolated alkalophilic and moderately thermophilic Paenibacillus campinasensis strain H69-3 was purified as a homogeneous protein from culture supernatant. Cyclomaltodextrin glucanotransferase was produced during submerged fermentation at 45°C and purified by gel filtration on Sephadex G50 ion exchange using a Q-Sepharose column and ion exchange using a Mono-Q column. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was 70 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and the pI was 5.3. The optimum pH for enzyme activity was 6.5, and it was stable in the pH range 6.0-11.5. The optimum temperature was 65°C at pH 6.5, and it was thermally stable up to 60°C without substrate during 1 h in the presence of 10 mM CaCl2 The enzyme activity increased in the presence of Co2+, Ba2+, and Mn2+. Using maltodextrin as substrate, the K m and K cat were 1.65 mg/mL and 347.9 μmol/mg-min, respectively.

Computational prediction of over-annotated protein-coding genes in the genome of Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Jia-Feng; Sui, Tian-Xiang; Wang, Hong-Mei; Wang, Chun-Ling; Jing, Li; Wang, Ji-Hua

2015-12-01

Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain C58 is a type of pathogen that can cause tumors in some dicotyledonous plants. Ever since the genome of A. tumefaciens strain C58 was sequenced, the quality of annotation of its protein-coding genes has been queried continually, because the annotation varies greatly among different databases. In this paper, the questionable hypothetical genes were re-predicted by integrating the TN curve and Z curve methods. As a result, 30 genes originally annotated as “hypothetical” were discriminated as being non-coding sequences. By testing the re-prediction program 10 times on data sets composed of the function-known genes, the mean accuracy of 99.99% and mean Matthews correlation coefficient value of 0.9999 were obtained. Further sequence analysis and COG analysis showed that the re-annotation results were very reliable. This work can provide an efficient tool and data resources for future studies of A. tumefaciens strain C58. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61302186 and 61271378) and the Funding from the State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics of Southeast University.

Strain-induced nanostructure of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 on SrTiO3 epitaxial thin films with low PbTiO3 concentration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiguchi, Takanori; Fan, Cangyu; Shiraishi, Takahisa; Konno, Toyohiko J.

2017-10-01

The singularity of the structure in (1 - x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 (PMN-xPT) (x = 0-50 mol %) epitaxial thin films of 100 nm thickness was investigated from the viewpoint of the localized residual strain in the nanoscale. The films were deposited on SrTiO3 (STO) (001) single-crystal substrates by chemical solution deposition (CSD) using metallo-organic decomposition (MOD) solutions. X-ray and electron diffraction patterns revealed that PMN-xPT thin films included a single phase of the perovskite-type structure with the cube-on-cube orientation relationship between PMN-xPT and STO: (001)Film ∥ (001)Sub, [100]Film ∥ [100]Sub. X-ray reciprocal space maps showed an in-plane tensile strain in all the compositional ranges considered. Unit cells in the films were strained from the rhombohedral (pseudocubic) (R) phase to a lower symmetry crystal system, the monoclinic (MB) phase. The morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) that split the R and tetragonal (T) phases was observed at x = 30-35 for bulk crystals of PMN-xPT, whereas the strain suppressed the transformation from the R phase to the T phase in the films up to x = 50. High-angle annular dark field-scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) analysis and its related local strain analysis revealed that all of the films have a bilayer morphology. The nanoscale strained layer formed only above the film/substrate semi-coherent interface. The misfit dislocations generated the localized and periodic strain fields deformed the unit cells between the dislocation cores from the R to an another type of the monoclinic (MA) phase. Thus, the singular and localized residual strains in the PMN-xPT/STO (001) epitaxial thin films affect the phase stability around the MPB composition and result in the MPB shift phenomena.

A Revised Mechanism for the Activation of Complement C3 to C3b

PubMed Central

Rodriguez, Elizabeth; Nan, Ruodan; Li, Keying; Gor, Jayesh; Perkins, Stephen J.

2015-01-01

The solution structure of complement C3b is crucial for the understanding of complement activation and regulation. C3b is generated by the removal of C3a from C3. Hydrolysis of the C3 thioester produces C3u, an analog of C3b. C3b cleavage results in C3c and C3d (thioester-containing domain; TED). To resolve functional questions in relation to C3b and C3u, analytical ultracentrifugation and x-ray and neutron scattering studies were used with C3, C3b, C3u, C3c, and C3d, using the wild-type allotype with Arg102. In 50 mm NaCl buffer, atomistic scattering modeling showed that both C3b and C3u adopted a compact structure, similar to the C3b crystal structure in which its TED and macroglobulin 1 (MG1) domains were connected through the Arg102–Glu1032 salt bridge. In physiological 137 mm NaCl, scattering modeling showed that C3b and C3u were both extended in structure, with the TED and MG1 domains now separated by up to 6 nm. The importance of the Arg102–Glu1032 salt bridge was determined using surface plasmon resonance to monitor the binding of wild-type C3d(E1032) and mutant C3d(A1032) to immobilized C3c. The mutant did not bind, whereas the wild-type form did. The high conformational variability of TED in C3b in physiological buffer showed that C3b is more reactive than previously thought. Because the Arg102-Glu1032 salt bridge is essential for the C3b-Factor H complex during the regulatory control of C3b, the known clinical associations of the major C3S (Arg102) and disease-linked C3F (Gly102) allotypes of C3b were experimentally explained for the first time. PMID:25488663

Metal-Insulator Transition of strained SmNiO3 Thin Films: Structural, Electrical and Optical Properties

PubMed Central

Torriss, B.; Margot, J.; Chaker, M.

2017-01-01

Samarium nickelate (SmNiO3) thin films were successfully synthesized on LaAlO3 and SrTiO3 substrates using pulsed-laser deposition. The Mott metal-insulator (MI) transition of the thin films is sensitive to epitaxial strain and strain relaxation. Once the strain changes from compressive to tensile, the transition temperature of the SmNiO3 samples shifts to slightly higher values. The optical conductivity reveals the strong dependence of the Drude spectral weight on the strain relaxation. Actually, compressive strain broadens the bandwidth. In contrast, tensile strain causes the effective number of free carriers to reduce which is consistent with the d-band narrowing. PMID:28098240

The effects of strain relaxation on the dielectric properties of epitaxial ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)TiO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Asif Islam; Yu, Pu; Trassin, Morgan; Lee, Michelle J.; You, Long; Salahuddin, Sayeef

2014-07-01

We study the effects of strain relaxation on the dielectric properties of epitaxial 40 nm Pb(Zr0.2Ti0.8)TiO3 (PZT) films. A significant increase in the defect and dislocation density due to strain relaxation is observed in PZT films with tetragonality c/a < 1.07 grown on SrTiO3 (001) substrates, which results in significant frequency dispersion of the dielectric constant and strong Rayleigh type behavior in those samples. This combined structural-electrical study provides a framework for investigating strain relaxation in thin films and can provide useful insights into the mechanisms of fatigue in ferroelectric materials.

Effects of CYP1A2 on disposition of 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 2,3,4,7,8-pentachlorodibenzofuran, and 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl in CYP1A2 knockout and parental (C57BL/6N and 129/Sv) strains of mice.

PubMed

Diliberto, J J; Burgin, D E; Birnbaum, L S

1999-08-15

TCDD is the prototype and most potent member of the highly lipophilic polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons (PHAHs), which are persistent and ubiquitous environmental contaminants. In both acute and subchronic animal studies, there is a specific accumulation of TCDD in liver greater than in adipose tissue. The inducible hepatic binding protein responsible for this hepatic sequestration of TCDD and its congeners has been shown by our laboratory to be CYP1A2 (J. J. Diliberto, D. Burgin, and L. S. Birnbaum, 1997, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 236, 431-433). The present study was conducted using knockout (KO) mice lacking expression of CYP1A2 (CYP1A2-/-) in order to investigate the role of CYP1A2 gene on the disposition of TCDD, 4-PeCDF (a dioxin-like PHAH), and PCB 153 (a nondioxin-like PCB) in KO (CYP1A2-/-) mice and age-matched parental mice strains (C57BL/6N: CYP1A2+/+, Ah(b/b) and 129/Sv: CYP1A2+/+, Ah(d/d)). Mice were dosed (25 microgram [(3)H]TCDD/kg, 300 microgram [(14)C]4-PeCDF/kg, or 35.8 mg [(14)C]PCB 153/kg bw in a corn oil vehicle) orally and terminated after 4 days. Residues of administered compounds in collected tissues and daily excreta were quantitated using (3)H or (14)C activity. Results demonstrated differential effects in disposition for the various treatments within the three genetically different groups of mice. In KO mice, TCDD, 4-PeCDF, and PCB 153 had very little hepatic localization of chemical, and the major depot was adipose tissue. In contrast, parental strains demonstrated hepatic sequestration of TCDD and 4-PeCDF, whereas disposition of PCB 153 in parental strains was similar to that in KO mice. Another difference between KO mice and parental strains was the enhanced urinary excretion of 4-PeCDF. This study demonstrates the importance of CYP1A2 in pharmacokinetic behavior and mechanistic issues for TCDD and related compounds. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Use of essential gene, encoding prophobilinogen deaminase from extreme psychrophilic Colwellia sp. C1, to generate temperature-sensitive strain of Francisella novicida.

PubMed