Tracking humoral responses using self assembling protein microarrays

The humoral immune response is a highly specific and adaptive sensor for changes in the body's protein milieu, which responds to novel structures of both foreign and self antigens. Although Igs represent a major component of human serum and are vital to survival, little is known about the response specificity and determinants that govern the human immunome. Historically, antigen-specific humoral immunity has been investigated using individually produced and purified target proteins, a labor-intensive process that has limited the number of antigens that have been studied. Here, we present the development of methods for applying self-assembling protein microarrays and a related method for producing 96-well formatted macroarrays for monitoring the humoral response at the proteome scale. Using plasmids encoding full-length cDNAs for over 850 human proteins and 1700 pathogen proteins, we demonstrate that these microarrays are highly sensitive, specific, reproducible, and can simultaneously measure immunity to thousands of proteins without a priori protein purification. Using this approach, we demonstrate the detection of humoral immunity to known and novel self-antigens, cancer antigens, autoimmune antigens, as well as pathogen-derived antigens. This represents a powerful and versatile tool for monitoring the immunome in health and disease.     

One‐component epoxy resin with imine as water‐initiated latent hardener: Improvement of the mechanical and adhesive properties by the addition of methacrylate copolymer

The effect of addition of methacrylate polymer into a one‐component epoxy resin, containing Epikote 828 and diimine as a water‐initiated hardener, was examined. Although the cured epoxy resin in the presence of methyl methacrylate–butyl acrylate (MMA–BA) copolymer was very brittle, the resin containing MMA–BA–[γ‐(methacryloxy)propyl]trimethoxysilane (TMSMA) copolymer showed good mechanical and adhesive properties. The adhesive strength of the cured epoxy resin containing MMA–BA–TMSMA copolymer was much higher than that without its polymer. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1943–1949, 2005     

非比例阻尼体系随机平稳反应解

本文在状态空间推求金井功率谱地面运动激发下非比例阻尼体系平稳反应的精确封闭解。这一解答形式较简,计算方便,可在需要考虑非比例阻尼特点的各种体系抗震研究中采用。     

Antiproliferative Activity of β-Hydroxy-β-Arylalkanoic Acids

Article describes the synthesis of fifteen β-hydroxy-β-arylalkanoic acids by Reformatsky reaction using the 1-ethoxyethyl-2-bromoalkanoates, aromatic or cycloalkyl ketones or aromatic aldehydes. The short survey of previously reported synthetic procedures for title compounds, is given. The majority of obtained compounds exert antiproliferative activity in vitro toward human: HeLa, Fem-X cells, K562, and LS174 cells, having IC₅₀ values from 62.20 to 205 μM. The most active compound is 3-OH-2,2-di-Me-3-(4- biphenylyl)-butanoic acid, having the IC₅₀ value 62.20 μM toward HeLa cells. Seven examined compounds did not affect proliferation of healthy human blood peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC and PBMC+ PHA), IC₅₀ > 300 μM. The preliminary QSAR results show that estimated lipophilicity of compounds influences their antiproliferative activity in the first place. The ability of dehydration, and the spatial arrangement of hydrophobic portion, HBD and HBA in molecules are has almost equal importance as lipophilicity.     

Synthesis and Chiroptical Properties of Poly(phenylacetylene)s Carrying Two Amino Acid Moieties per Monomer Unit

Novel phenylacetylenes carrying two amino acid moieties 1–3 were synthesized by the condensation of alanine, leucine, and phenylalanine with 4-ethynylphthalic anhydride. The corresponding polymers [poly(1)–poly(3)] with high molecular weights were obtained in 50–93% yields. The large specific rotations and intense CD signals indicated that poly(1)–poly(3) formed a helical structure with predominantly one-handed screw sense in CHCl₃. The helical conformation of the polymers was stable to heating but susceptible to MeOH.     

The study of Raman enhancement efficiency as function of nanoparticle size and shape

This work is focused on studying the dependence of Raman enhancement of p-aminothiophenol molecules adsorbed on self-assembled gold monolayers as function of nanoparticle size and shape. Gold nanoparticles of different sizes (ranging from 18 nm to 100 nm) and shapes (round and ellipsoidal) were synthesized by reduction of tetrachloroauric acid (HAuCl₄) in aqueous medium by varying the ratio between the reducing agent (trisodium citrate) and gold salt, and were immobilized on functionalized glass substrates. The optical properties of the prepared samples were investigated by absorbance measurements taken before and after the adsorption of the molecule. We found that the Raman enhancement of probe molecules measured under 633 nm laser line strongly depends on the sizes of self-assembled gold nanoparticles.     

Phosphonamidates as thermally latent initiators in the polymerization of epoxides

Summary Phosphonamidates, O,O-di-tert-butyl 1-piperidinyl phosphonamidate (BP-1) and O-tert-butyl di-1-piperidinyl phosphonamidate (BP-2), were synthesized by the reaction of phosphorus oxychloride and piperidine in the presence of triethylamine, followed by the reaction with tert-butyl alcohol in the presence of sodium hydride. The polymerization of GPE was carried out at 110–190 °C for 12 h with BP-1 and BP-2 as thermally latent initiators (3 mol %). The polymerization with O-tert-butyl P-phenyl 1-piperidinyl phosphonamidate (BP) previously reported was also examined for comparison. No polymerization of GPE took place below 110 °C, whereas it proceeded rapidly above the temperature. The activity order was BP-2 > BP > BP-1. Epikote 828 was cured with BP (5 mol %) at 190 °C to afford the solvent-insoluble gelled epoxy resin quantitatively. A mixture of GPE and phosphonamidate BP (3 mol %) did not react at 50 °C for 4 months. Received: 26 February 2001/Revised version: 12 April 2001/Accepted: 13 April 2001     

Testing covariates of Type 2 diabetes-cognition associations in older adults: Moderating or mediating effects?

Objective: The general goal of this study was to advance our understanding of Type 2 diabetes (T2D)-cognition relationships in older adults by linking and testing comprehensive sets of potential moderators, potential mediators, and multiple cognitive outcomes. Method: We identified in the literature 13 health-related (but T2D-distal) potential covariates, representing four informal domains (i.e., biological vitality, personal affect, subjective health, lifestyle activities). Cross-sectional data from the Victoria Longitudinal Study (age range = 53–90 years; n = 41 T2D and n = 458 control participants) were used. We first examined whether any of the 13 potential covariates influenced T2D-cognition associations, as measured by a comprehensive neuropsychological battery (15 measures). Next, using standard regression-based moderator and mediator analyses, we systematically tested whether the identified covariates would significantly alter observed T2D-cognition relationships. Results: Six potential covariates were found to be sensitive to T2D associations with performance on seven cognitive measures. Three factors (systolic blood pressure, gait-balance composite, subjective health) were significant mediators. Each mediated multiple cognitive outcomes, especially measures of neurocognitive speed, executive functioning, and episodic memory. Conclusions: Our findings offer a relatively comprehensive perspective of T2D-related cognitive deficits, comorbidities, and modulating influences. The implications for future research reach across several fields of study and application. These include (1) neuropsychological research on neural and biological bases of T2D-related cognitive decline, (2) clinical research on intervention and treatment strategies, and (3) larger-scale longitudinal studies examining the potential multilateral and dynamic relationships among T2D status, related comorbidities, and cognitive outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Optimisation of the synthesis of 5-chloromethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde from D-fructose dehydration and in-situ chlorination of 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde

A stepwise method for the conversion of D-fructose into 5-chloromethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde is described. The sugar was first subjected to acid-catalysed dehydration in N,N-dimethylformamide to give 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furancarboxaldehyde as an intermediate. The latter was then chlorinated in situ with phosphorylchloride, to give the named chloro-compound in an 85% overall yield, in the absence of any humic matter or tarry product.     

Syntheses and radical ring-opening polymerizations of 1,1-bis(hydroxymethyl)-2-vinylcyclopropane and 1,1-bis(methoxymethyl)-2-vinylcyclopropane

Homo- and copolymerizations of 1,5-hexadiene with ethene and styrene using halfsandwich metallocene catalyst Me₂Si(Me₄Cp)(N-tert.-butyl)TiCl₂/MAO (Cp = cyclopentadienyl, Me = methyl, MAO = methylalumoxane) were investigated. According to ¹³C-NMR spectroscopic microstructure analysis, cyclopolymerization of 1,5-hexadiene afforded randomly distributed cis- and trans-cyclopentane rings in the homo- and copolymer backbone. 1,5-hexadiene incorporation reached 52 mol-%. The ratio of vinyl side chains to cyclopentane rings was controlled by 1,5-hexadiene concentration, where low 1,5-hexadiene concentration promoted cyclopolymerization. Copolymer glass transition temperatures increased with increasing content of cyclic units in the backbone. Styrene was used successfully as termonomer in ethene/1,5-hexadiene polymerization, resulting in a semicrystalline terpolymer with cyclic and styrenic units in the polymer backbone. Received: 5 September 1996/Accepted: 11 November 1996