Bioinformatic Analysis of Non-VP1 Capsid Protein of Coxsackievirus A6

This study bioinformatically analyzed the non-VP1 capsid proteins（VP2-VP4） of Coxasckievirus A6（CVA6）, with an attempt to predict their basic physicochemical properties, structural/functional features and linear B cell eiptopes. The online tools Sub Loc, Target P and the others from Ex PASy Bioinformatics Resource Portal, and SWISS-MODEL（an online protein structure modeling server）, were utilized to analyze the amino acid（AA） sequences of VP2-VP4 proteins of CVA6. Our results showed that the VP proteins of CVA6 were all of hydrophilic nature, contained phosphorylation and glycosylation sites and harbored no signal peptide sequences and acetylation sites. Except VP3, the other proteins did not have transmembrane helix structure and nuclear localization signal sequences. Random coils were the major conformation of the secondary structure of the capsid proteins. Analysis of the linear B cell epitopes by employing Bepipred showed that the average antigenic indices（AI） of individual VP proteins were all greater than 0 and the average AI of VP4 was substantially higher than that of VP2 and VP3. The VP proteins all contained a number of potential B cell epitopes and some eiptopes were located at the internal side of the viral capsid or were buried. We successfully predicted the fundamental physicochemical properties, structural/functional features and the linear B cell eiptopes and found that different VP proteins share some common features and each has its unique attributes. These findings will help us understand the pathogenicity of CVA6 and develop related vaccines and immunodiagnostic reagents.

Argonaute protein as a linker to command center of physiological processes

MicroRNAs （miRNAs） post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by binding to target mRNAs with perfect or imperfect complementarity, recruiting an Argonaute （AGO） protein complex that usually results in degradation or translational repression of the target mRNA. AGO proteins function as the Slicer enzyme in miRNA and small interfering RNA （siRNA） pathways involved in human physiological and pathophysiological processes, such as antiviral responses and disease formation. Although the past decade has witnessed rapid advancement in studies of AGO protein functions, to further elucidate the molecular mechanism of AGO proteins in cellular function and biochemical process is really a challenging area for researchers. In order to understand the molecular causes underlying the pathological processes, we mainly focus on five fundamental problems of AGO proteins, including evolution, functional domain, subcellular location, post-translational modification and protein-protein interactions. Our discussion highlight their roles in early diagnosis, disease prevention, drug target identification, drug response, etc.

Analysis of the Cellular Localization of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Immediate-early Protein ICP22

Nuclear proteins often form punctiform structures, but the precise mechanism for this process is unknown. As a preliminary study, we investigated the aggregation of an HSV-1 immediate-early protein, infected-cell protein 22 （ICP22）, in the nucleus by observing the localization of ICP22-EGFP fusion protein Results showed that, in high-level expression conditions, ICP22-EGFP gradually concentrates in the nucleus, persists throughout the cell cycle without disaggregation even in the cell division phase, and is finally distributed to daughter cells. We subsequently constructed a mammalian cell expression system, which had tetracycline- dependent transcriptional regulators. Consequently, the location of ICP22-EGFP in the nucleus changed with distinct induction conditions. This suggests that the cellular location of ICP22 is also influenced by promoter regulation, in addition to its own structure. Our findings provide new clues for the investigation of transcriptional regulation of viral genes. In addition, the non-protease reporter system we constructed could be utilized to evaluate the role of intemal ribosome entry sites （IRES） on transcriptional regulation.

Structure-function relationship in viral RNA genomes: The case of hepatitis C virus

The acquisition of a storage information system beyond the nucleotide sequence has been a crucial issue for the propagation and dispersion of RNA viruses. This system is composed by highly conserved, complex structural units in the genomic RNA, termed functional RNA domains. These elements interact with other regions of the viral genome and/or proteins to direct viral translation, replication and encapsidation. The genomic RNA of the hepatitis C virus(HCV) is a good model for investigating about conserved structural units. It contains functional domains, defined by highly conserved structural RNA motifs, mostly located in the 5'-untranslatable regions(5'UTRs) and 3'UTR, but also occupying long stretches of the coding sequence. Viral translation initiation is mediated by an internal ribosome entry site located at the 5' terminus of the viral genome and regulated by distal functional RNA domains placed at the 3' end. Subsequent RNA replication strongly depends on the 3'UTR folding and is also influenced by the 5' end of the HCV RNA. Further increase in the genome copy number unleashes the formation of homodimers by direct interaction of two genomic RNA molecules, which are finally packed and released to the extracellular medium. All these processes, as well as transitions between them, are controlled by structural RNA elements that establish a complex, direct and long-distance RNARNA interaction network. This review summarizes current knowledge about functional RNA domains within the HCV RNA genome and provides an overview of the control exerted by direct, long-range RNA-RNA contacts for the execution of the viral cycle.

An Empirical Study on Codeswitching of Chinese English Teachers on Tertiary Level

The paper explores the universal laws of codeswitching among the three language varieties, namely, English, the Standard Chinese, and dialects on the part of Chinese English teachers at tertiary level on the basis of the questionnaire data derived from thirty-one doctoral graduate teachers. The Chi-square test results confirm American sociolinguist J. Fishman＇s Domain Theory. However, the author holds that the theory should be revised when applied to the study of codeswitching by Chinese English teachers at tertiary level, the original church domain is to be deleted, a novel public affairs domain is to be added to. Meanwhile the author further points out that the SC acquires linguistically functional reversibility whereas English and dialects are functionally irreversible. Finally the. author interprets that the nature of codeswitching turns out the reestablishment of social situation attempting to bring about intended social status and distance to the interlocutors.

WAVE MAKING COMPUTATION IN TIME DOMAIN FOR MULTI-HULL SHIPS

A method Green function satisfying of three-dimensional time domain linear conditions at free surface and body surface boundary was employed to analyze the wave resistance and wave profile of a displacement multi-hull ship. The wave profile induced by a moving time domain point source was compared with those by a Havelock source, and satisfactory results were obtained. The panel method based on the time domain source distribution on the ship mean wetted hull surface was used to perform the wave making com- putations tbr mono-hull ships, catamaran and trimaran. Reasonable results were also obtained. Using the numerical method the wave profile simulations of multi-hull ships for a given Froude number were conducted.

MODIFICATION OF ONE-DIMENSION COUPLED HYSTERESIS MODEL FOR GMM WITH THE DOMAIN FLEXING FUNCTION

This paper focuses on eliminating the unphysical negative susceptibility which ap- pears when magnetic field is at unsaturated excitation level and reduces from extremity of the hysteresis loop in one-dimension coupled hysteresis model. The domain flexing function c （H） is used to replace the domain flexing constant c in one-dimension coupled hysteresis model. The fea- sibility and rationality of proposed modification are convinced by comparing the magnetization and magnetostriction curves with experimental data and another typical modification results. The effects of pre-stress and temperature on magnetic-elastic-thermal coupling property and hysteresis behavior are investigated.

Existence of inner functions on classical domain

IN function of one complex variable, the inner function on the unit disc plays an important role in the theory of H^p functions. In the mid-1960s, W. Rudin and A. Vitushkin independently raised the question of whether there exist nonconstant inner functions on the unit ball B_n. Then quickly amassed considerable evidence indicated that such functions would be so pathological that they could not exist. Lately Rudin posed the conjecture on the nonexistence

Efficient approach and application of the Green's functions in spatial domain in multilayered media

Based on the dipole source method, all components of the Green＇s functions in spectral domain are restructured concisely by four basis functions, and in terms of the two-level discrete complex image method （DCIM） with the high order Sommerfeld identities, an efficient algorithm for closed-form Green＇s functions in spatial domain in multilayered media is presented. This new work enjoys the advantages of the surface wave pole extraction directly carried out by the generalized integral path without troubles of that all components of Green＇s function in spectral domain should be reformed respectively in transmission line network analogy, and then the Green＇s functions for mixed-potential integral equation （MPIE） analysis in both near-field and far-field in multilayered media are obtained. In addition, the curl operator for coupled field in MPIE is avoided conveniently. It is especially applicable and useful to characterize the electromagnetic scattering by, and radiation in the presence of, the electrically large 3-D objects in multilayered media. The numerical results of the S-parameters of a microstrip periodic bandgap （PBG） filter, the radar cross section （RCS） of a large microstrip antenna array, the characteristics of scattering, and radiation from the three-dimensional （3-D） targets in multilayered media are obtained, to demonstrate better effectiveness and accuracy of this technique.

Modern Teaching Support Platform Design

A modern teaching support platform was designed based on application integration and the Nolan model. The system design used top-level design, information-sharing, management modeling, and user experience. The system emphasized openness, compatibility, security, extensibility, and practicability. Multi-department management is realized by dividing function domains. Intercommunications and intercon-nections use a level-division modular design, so the system can be easily extended. The teaching support platform is people oriented with people foremost environment for the users, the associated application environment, the integrated data environment, and the operating environment for high availability. The system plays an important role in university information construction.