Ionic potency regulation of coagulation bath induced by saline solution to control over the pore structure of PBI membrane for highperformance lithium metal batteries

In this study,we have explored the use of water as a non-solvent for tuning the microstructure of poly-benzimidazole(PBI)membranes,which are potential separators for lithium metal batteries(LMBs).The traditional method for membrane synthesis called nonsolvent-induced phase separation(NIPS),usually relies on hazardous and costly organic non-solvents.By dissolving sodium chloride(Nacl)in water,we could adjust the water ionic potency and the exchange speed of the non-solvent with the DMAC solution to change the micropore structure of the PBI membrane.With increasing Nacl concentration,the micro-pores in the PBI membrane transitioned from finger-like to sponge-like morphology.Compared to com-mercial separators like the Celgard separator,the PBI membrane with sponge-like micropores exhibited better regulation of lithium deposition and improved Li^(+) transportation capability due to its good wetta-bility with the electrolyte.Consequently,the PBI membrane-based Li/Li symmetric cell and Li/LiFePO_(4) full cell demonstrated superior performance compared to the Celgard-based ones.This research proposes an eco-friendly and scalable synthetic approach for fabricating commercial separators for LMBs,addressing the issue of lithium dendrite growth and improving overall battery safety and performance.

Additive potential of ginger starch on antifungal potency of honey against Candida albicans

Objective:To evaluate the additive action of ginger starch on the antifungal activity of honey against Candida albicans(C.albicans).Methods:C.albicans was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC)of four varieties of Algerian honey.Lower concentrations of honey than the MIC were incubated with a set of concentrations of starch and then added to media to detennine the minimum additive inhibitory concentration(MAIC).Results:The MIC for the four varieties of honey without starch against C.albicans ranged between 38%and 42%(v/v).When starch was incubated with honey and then added to media,a MIC drop was noticed with each variety.MAIC of the four varieties ranged between 32%honey(v/v)with 4%starch and 36%honey(v/v) with 2%starch.Conclusions:The use of ginger starch allows honey benefit and will constitute an alternative way against the resistance to antifungal agents.

Selection of appropriate analytical tools to determine the potency and bioactivity of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance

Antibiotics are the chemotherapeutic agents that kill or inhibit the pathogenic microorganisms.Resistance of microorganism to antibiotics is a growing problem around the world due to indiscriminate and irrational use of antibiotics.In order to overcome the resistance problem and to safely use antibiotics,the correct measurement of potency and bioactivity of antibiotics is essential.Microbiological assay and high performance liquid chromatography（HPLC） method are used to quantify the potency of antibiotics.HPLC method is commonly used for the quantification of potency of antibiotics,but unable to determine the bioactivity;whereas microbiological assay estimates both potency and bioactivity of antibiotics.Additionally,bioassay is used to estimate the effective dose against antibiotic resistant microbes.Simultaneously,microbiological assay addresses the several parameters such as minimal inhibitory concentration（MIC）,minimum bactericidal concentration（MBC）,mutation prevention concentration（MPC） and critical concentration（Ccr） which are used to describe the potency in a more informative way.Microbiological assay is a simple,sensitive,precise and cost effective method which gives reproducible results similar to HPLC.However,the HPLC cannot be a complete substitute for microbiological assay and both methods have their own significance to obtain more realistic and precise results.

Surrogate potency assays:Comparison of binding profiles complements dose response curves for unambiguous assessment of relative potencies

Surface plasmon resonance(SPR) systems are widely used for detailed characterization of antibody activities including antigen and Fc-receptor binding. During the later stages of development, where the focus is to ensure that established critical quality attributes(CQAs) are maintained during cell culture,purification and formulation processes, analysis is simplified, and relative potencies are often determined. Here, simulation of binding data revealed that relative potency values, determined via parallel line analysis(PLA) and half maximal effective concentration(EC50) analysis accurately reflect changes in active concentration only if binding kinetics remain unchanged. Changes in the association rate constant shifted dose response curves, and therefore relative potencies, in the same way as changes in analyte concentration do. However, for interactions characterized by stable binding, changes in the dissociation rate constant did not result in any shift, suggesting that this type of change may go unnoticed in the dose response curve. Thus, EC50 and PLA analyses of dose response curves obtained with an anti-TNF-α antibody were complemented with the Biacore functionality for sensorgram comparison analysis, whereby changes in antigen and Fc-receptor binding profiles could be detected. Next, analysis of temperature stressed TNF-α antibody revealed that calibration free concentration analysis(CFCA) data correlated perfectly with relative potency values. Together, these results demonstrate that combinations of SPR based dose response curves, sensorgram comparison and CFCA can be used to strengthen the confidence in relative potency assessments, and suggest that SPR can potentially be used as a surrogate potency assay in the quality control of biotherapeutic medicines.

A Semi-quantitative Serological Method to Assess the Potency of Inactivated Rabies Vaccine for Veterinary Use

Potency is one of the most important indexes of inactivated vaccines.A number of methods have been established to assay the potency,of which the NIH test and single-dose mouse protection test are the "prescribed methods".Here,we report a method to semi-quantitatively assay the potency of an inactivated rabies vaccine,which uses fewer animals and takes less time to complete.Depending on the quality requirements of a vaccine(e.g.minimum potency),a rabies reference vaccine is,for example,diluted to the minimum potency,and 50 μL of the dilution is taken to inoculate 10 mice.The same amount of the test rabies vaccine is inoculated into another 10 mice.After two weeks,all mice are bled and serum samples are assayed for viral neutralizing antibody by the fluorescent antibody virus neutralization(FAVN) test.By comparing the median and interquartile range of antibody titers of the reference vaccine with those of the test vaccine,the test vaccine potency can be semi-quantitatively judged as to whether it is in accord with the required quality.The reliability of this method was also confirmed in dogs.The procedure can be recommended for batch potency testing during inactivated rabies vaccine production.

Photosynthetic Performance and Potency of <i>Cannabis sativa</i>L. Grown under LED and HPS Illumination

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used as an energy efficient alternative to high-pressure sodium (HPS), which have historically been the standard for supplemental lighting in cannabis cultivation. However, there is a lack of scientific understanding in the cannabis industry regarding plant physiology, which has resulted in the adoption of cannabis cultivation methods based on hearsay rather than scientific research. The goals of this study were to 1) compare LED lighting options that are commonly used in the cannabis industry and 2) compare the top performing LED light with an industry standard HPS light. Specifically, three LED lights were compared (California Light Works ((SolarSystem 1100), BIOS Lighting (Icarus Gi2), and Fluence Bioengineering (now Fluence by Osram) (SPYDR xPLUS)), based on light distribution, leaf temperature, and photosynthetic performance indices. The LED versus HPS comparison was based on light response curves measured at photosynthetic photon flux densities (PPFD) of (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750 and 2000 μmol∙m−2∙s−1), carbon assimilation rates (A) μmol CO2 m−2∙s−1 using a LiCor-6800 and resulting cannabinoid potency (THCA). The SPYDR xPLUS-Fluence by Osram had the highest performing LED light used in the LED comparison. At the suggested distance from bulb to canopy in the HPS versus LED comparison (6 inches for LEDs and 4 ft for HPS), carbon assimilation rates displayed a 142% percent increase in plants grown under LED vs. HPS with average photon flux densities of 795 and 298 μmol∙m−2∙s−1 for LED and HPS, respectively. All cultivars of Cannabis sativa L. showed increased cannabinoid potency when grown under LED illumination. The results of this study provide further insight regarding the selection of supplemental light to achieve maximum productivity of Cannabis sativa L.

Developmental potency of mouse primitive ectoderm cells, embryonic ectoderm cells and primordial germ cells after blastocyst injection

Developmental potency of primitive and embryonic ectoderm cells from 4.50-day to 6.25-day post-coitum (p.c.) mouse embryos and primordial germ cells from 12.50-day p.c.male genital ridges of fetal mice were studied by direct introducing them into 3.50-day p.c.blastocysts.Sixteen (61.5) overt chimaeras out of 26(50%) offsprings were obtained after transfer of 52 blastocysts injected with 4.50-day primitive ectoderm cells;four (16.0%) overt chimaeras were obtained out of 25 (51.0%) offsprings with 4.75-day primitive ectoderm cells from 49 transferred blastocysts.However,no overt chimaera was obtained with either 5.25-day or 6.25-day embryonic ectoderm cells or 12.50-day male primordial germ cells.GPI analysis of mid-gestation conceptuses developed from injected blastocysts showedthat 5.25-day embryonic ectoderm cells could only contributed to yolk sac of conceptus.Results suggested that implantation acts as a trigger for the determination of primitive ectoderm cells,and their developmental potency becomes limited within a short period of time in normal development.

Immunohistochemical Analysis of the Acid Secretion Potency in Gastric Parietal Cells

Gastric parietal cells are important in acid secretion, but it is unclear which cells throughout the gastric gland have the highest secretion potency. Here, we used immunohistochemical methods with anti-H+, K+-ATPase, phosphoryl ezrin and CD44 antibodies to study the distribution of gastric acid secretion activity. Stomach tissues from freely fed and starved rats were cryofixed for light microscopy or fixed by high-pressure freezing for electron microscopy. Parietal cells from freely fed animals corresponded to the active secretion phase and to the inactive resting phase from starved rats. Anti-H+, K+-ATPase and anti-phosphoryl ezrin labeling were observed on the membrane of the intracellular canaliculi and the tubulovesicle from freely fed rats, while cells from starved animals showed weak labeling with anti-phosphoryl ezrin antibody staining. Morphometrical analysis at the electron microscopic level was performed on active and inactive acid secretory phases between the upper and base regions of the gland. H+, K+-ATPase and CD44 were distributed on both sites of the microvillous and tubulovesicle membrane in the same cells, but phosphoryl ezrin localized predominantly on the microvillous membrane in active cells of the glandular neck and upper base. Therefore, the highest secreting potency appeared to be in cells of the glandular neck and upper base.

Determination of the Potency of Extracted, Purified and Formulated Insulin from the Pancreatic Organs of the Sudanese Beef Cattle

The treatment of type 1 diabetes is mainly dependent on insulin therapy and current formulated insulin formulations are used for its control all over the world. The presented study was designed to evaluate the potency of extracted, purified and formulated insulin from the pancreatic organs of the Sudanese beef cattle. Twenty healthy rabbits were used to conduct the study following subcutaneous administration of the sample insulin, to determine the hypoglycemic effect and to analyze the potency of the testing insulin by the hypoglycemic seizure method, blood sugar method and glucose enzymatic colorimetric test (GOD-PAP) respectively. The potency of the injected insulin samples was estimated by comparing the variation in blood glucose levels produced in the treated animals with that produced by a standard insulin preparation under the suitable conditions of the blood sugar method. The results revealed that the potency of the testing beef insulin samples was slightly higher (i.e., 2.2 USP units/ml, 9%) compared to the standard and assumed potency of the prepared insulin preparations (i.e., 1-2 USP units/ml) which indicated that the solvents and diluents used to prepare the assay dilution might be of higher potency and must be diluted to such an extent that the testing insulin potency must be compatible with the standard dilutions. Furthermore, to determine the choice of an assay to analyze the potency of insulin preparations, not only the accuracy of the result but also the purpose for which the test is to be used and the time limit must be taken into consideration.

The biological potency of benzapyrene in the humates composition

The aim of the paper was to determine benz(a)-pyrene in the preparations containing humates and study the benz(a)pyrene biological potency for the agricultural plants. The research methodology included the determination of the dependencies in the system “substance concentration (dose)—effect on the plant”. Concentrations of benz(a)pyrene in 12 samples of the humates preparations and fertilizers based on their trademarks “Irkutsk humates”, obtained from brown coal, varied in the range from 0.3 to 50 mcg/kg, which creates no soil contamination in conditions of the use of preparations. Between contents of benz(a)pyrene and humates there is a correlation (rxy = 0.95;α = 0.05). It is ascertained that the effects of stimulation and/or inhibition of the growth and yield of agricultural plants depend on the concentration of benz(a)pyrene and the method of plant processing. Optimal concentrations of benz(a)pyrene were 150-200 ng/dm3 for preplant way of processing of potato tubers, 3-10 ng/dm3—for top dressing (spraying) and 0.1-0.3 ng/dm3—for dressing under the roots (hydroponic). The obtained results allowed us to offer one of the possible mechanisms of biological potency of humates as the plant growth stimulants, and also a way testing of the preparations by screening of their benz(a)pyrene content.

Confidence limit calculation for antidotal potency ratio derived from lethal dose 50

AIM:To describe confidence interval calculation for antidotal potency ratios using bootstrap method.METHODS:We can easily adapt the nonparametric bootstrap method which was invented by Efron to construct confidence intervals in such situations like this.The bootstrap method is a resampling method in which the bootstrap samples are obtained by resampling from the original sample.RESULTS:The described confidence interval calculation using bootstrap method does not require the sampling distribution antidotal potency ratio.This can serve as a substantial help for toxicologists,who are directed to employ the Dixon up-and-down method with the application of lower number of animals to determine lethal dose 50 values for characterizing the investigated toxic molecules and eventually for characterizing the antidotal protections by the test antidotal systems.CONCLUSION:The described method can serve as a useful tool in various other applications.Simplicity ofthe method makes it easier to do the calculation using most of the programming software packages.

Effects of Different Enucleation Methods on Developmental Potency of Pig Handmade Clone Reconstructed Embryos

Effects of different enucleation methods on developmental potency of pig handmade clone（HMC）reconstructed embryo was investigated in the paper.We compared enucleation efficiency of blind cut method,first polar body（Pb1）positioning method and demecolcine（DM）assisted enucleation,as well as their effects on development of HMC reconstructed embryos.The results showed that overall enucleation efficiency of Pb1 positioning method was significantly higher than that of blind cut method（P〈0.05）.The protuberance rate and overall enucleation efficiency of 0.4μg/mL DM treated group for 60 min was significantly higher than that of other concentrations and time treatment groups（P〈0.05）.For effects on development of HMC reconstructed embryos,there was no significant difference between DM-assisted enucleation and Pb1 positioning method.In conclusion,appropriate addition of DM could enhance enucleation efficiency of HMC,which had no significant influence on developmental potency of reconstructed embryos.

Establishment of animal model for potency evaluationof inactivated SARS virus experimental vaccine

The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of source virus strain for the manufacture of the inactivated SARS virus vaccine, and establish an experimental method and preliminary standard for potency evaluation. Mice were divided into groups for being immunized with corresponding serially diluted experimental SARS virus inactivated vaccine. And the rabbits were immunized with undiluted vaccine. Challenge assay was conducted with a heterologous SARS virus. And the neutralization antibody was determined with plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), to which the neutralization antibody in the convalescent serum of SARS patients was compared. The experimental vaccine viral strains were proved to be suitable for manufacturing the vaccine. Mice immunized by vaccines of serial dilutions were able to elicit neutralizing antibody. The antibody titer from mice immunized with the undiluted vaccine could reach up to 1∶495.2, while those of rabbits immunized with the undiluted vaccine could reach a GMT of 55.0-79.9. The capability of the antibody to neutralize the virus from Guangdong is more efficient than that from Beijing. The GMT of neutralizing antibody in SARS convalescents living in south and north China ranged from 50.12 to 54.95, and the titers of convalescents from north China were higher than those from south China. Mice and rabbits used as the model for evaluation of potency are of sensitivity, and the test is of reproducibility. The candidate challenge viral strains showed a relatively consistent effect on evaluating antibodies produced by various batches and different vaccine-source strains, hence they can be used to evaluate potency of the vaccine. The method for testing the vaccine potency and the evaluation standard was established preliminarily.

Dual role of lipids for genome stability and pluripotency facilitates full potency of mouse embryonic stem cells

While Mek1/2 and Gsk3βinhibition("2i")supports the maintenance of murine embryonic stem cells(EsCs)in a homogenous naive state,prolonged culture in 2i results in aneuploidy and DNA hypomethylation that impairs developmental potential.Additionally,2i fails to support derivation and culture of fully potent female ESCs.Here we find that mouse ESCs cultured in 2i/LIF supplemented with lipid-rich albumin(AlbuMAx)undergo pluripotency transition yet maintain genomic stability and full potency over long-term culture.Mechanisticaily,lipids in AlbuMAx impact intracellular metabolism including nucleotide biosynthesis,lipid biogenesis,and TCA cycle intermediates,with enhanced expression of DNMT3s that prevent DNA hypomethylation.Lipids induce a formative-like pluripotent state through direct stimulation of Erk2 phosphorylation,which also alleviates X chromosome loss in female ESCs.Importantly,both male and female"all-ESc"mice can be generated from de novo derived ESCs using AlbuMAXbased media.Our findings underscore the importance of lipids to pluripotency and link nutrient cues to genome integrity in early development.

Effects of linker amino acids on the potency and selectivity of dimeric antimicrobial peptides

Dimerization is an effective strategy for designing antimicrobial peptides that combine the advantages of different native peptides. In this study, we explored the effects of different linker amino acids, including leucine, proline and aminocaproic acid, on the anticancer, antimicrobial and hemolytic activities of the heteromeric antimicrobial peptides AM-1, AM-2, and AM-3. Proline and aminocaproic acid are ideal linkers for increasing the potency and selectivity of heteromeric antimicrobial peptides. The results of MD simulations provided a rationalization for this observation. Both AM-2, which had a proline linker,and AM-3, which had an aminocaproic acid linker, adopted a compact conformation in water and a bent conformation in membranes. This change in the flexible structures of AM-2 and AM-3 could have resulted in decreased binding of these peptides to zwitterionic lipid bilayers and increased damage to mixed lipid bilayers containing acidic phospholipids. In short, these findings obtained via assessing the effects of linker amino acids will contribute to the design of ideal heteromeric antimicrobial peptides with high selectivity and potency.

Influence of Y151 F mutation in loop B on the agonist potency in insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors （nAChRs） are ligand-gated ion channels, which mediate fast cholinergic synaptic transmission in insect and vertebrate nervous systems. The nAChR agonist-binding site is present at the interface of adjacent subunits and is formed by loops A-C present in α subunits together with loops D-F present in either non-α subunits or homomer-forming α subunits. Although Y151 in loop B has been identified as important in agonist binding, various residues at the 151-site are found among vertebrate and invertebrate nAChR α subunits, such as F 151. In Xenopus oocytes expressing Nlα1 or Nlα1^Y151F plus rat β2, Y151F mutation was found to significantly change the rate of receptor desensitization and altered the pharmacological properties of acetylcholine, but not imidacloprid, including the decrease Of Imax, the increase of EC50 （the concentration causing 50% of the maximum response） and the fast time-constant of decay （τf）. By comparisons of residue structure, the hydroxyl group in the side chain of Y151 was thought to be important in the interaction between Nlα1/β2 nAChRs and acetylcholine, and the phenyl group to be important between Nlα1/β2 nAChRs and imidacloprid.

重组全人源抗表皮生长因子受体单克隆抗体生物学活性检测方法的Potency验证

目的对已建立的重组全人源抗表皮生长因子受体(epidermal growth factor receptor,EGFR)单克隆抗体生物学活性检测方法进行Potency验证。方法共4个验证批次,每个批次包括1个对照组和3个考察组,对照组抗体浓度设定为100%,8个浓度梯度,考察组抗体浓度为对照组的60%、70%、80%、100%、120%、130%和140%。用已建立的生物学活性检测方法测定对照组和各考察组的抗体活性,得到的结果用PLA 3.0软件进行分析,判断回归、线性、平行性、等效性是否合格,并得到实测效能。准确度以回收率表示。并以标称效能为横坐标,实测效能为纵坐标作线性回归,验证其线性和范围。结果各考察组的回归、线性、平行性、等效性均合格;各考察组的回收率均值在80%~125%范围内;标称效能与实测效能作线性回归,y轴截距为-1.716 5,斜率为0.984 6,相关系数为0.867 9,均符合标准。结论该方法用于评价目标活性的样品浓度区间在上述考察范围内(即60%~140%)时,可以真实地反映抗EGFR单抗的生物学活性。

Antibacterial potency screening of Capparis zeylanica Linn.

Objective:To conduct the antibacterial potency and minimum inhibitory concentration of extracts(n-hexane,acetone,chloroform and methanol)obtained from the root,leaf and stem of Capparis zeylanica.Methods:The powdered leaf,root and stem samples were Soxhlet extracted sequentially in n-hexane,acetone,chloroform and methanol.Antibacterial potency was evaluated by following the agar diffusion method and amoxicillin disc was used as a control.Results:In vitro antibacterial activity against 12 bacteria was performed with crude extracts.Among them,all the bacteria showed the moderate activity but chloroform and methanolic extracts showed promising antibacterial potency against Staphylococcus aureus,Sarcina lutea,Bacillus megaterium,Bacillus subtilis,Salmonella typhi and Shigella dysenteriae(leaf>root>stem).This activity was evaluated using disc diffusion method with a standard antibiotic,30μg/disc of amoxicillin.Conclusions:Strong antibacterial potency of chloroform and methanolic extracts provides new antibacterial compounds.

Study on Integral Dissolution Model Based on Biological Potency for Compound Chinese Materia Medica

Objective To investigate the integral dissolution model based on biological potency in order to evaluate the dissolution of Compound Chinese materia medica（CCMM） in vitro. Methods The contents of paeoniflorin, phillyrin, ginsenoside Rg1, and adenosine of ten batches of Compound Biejia Ruangan Tablet（CBRT） were determined at different times. The self-defined weighting coefficient based on the contents has been created to establish the integral dissolution model. In addition, the biological potency of CBRT was measured by MTT assay. Then, the f2 similar factor was used to evaluate the similarity of the batches. Results Compared with batch a, some batches’ f2 values of paeoniflorin and adenosine were less than 50, while f2 values of ginsenoside Rg1, phillyrin, and integral component were more than 50. Likewise, ginsenoside Rg1, phillyrin, and integral component were all in good correlation with biological dissolution. Conclusion The results of the integral dissolution based on biological test of CBRT demonstrate that the bioassay method may be a promising supplement for its quality evaluation.

“Too Soon on Earth”: A Biophilosophical Model of Schizophrenia. Some Implications for Humanoid Robots

This paper presents a new explanatory model for schizophrenia based upon philosophical, molecular and neurobiological hypotheses as well as on years of experience in observing and treating these patients. To start with, a novel interpretation of the Hegelian concept of mediation is presented. Mediation is defined as the rejection of non-realizable programs, such as thoughts and ideas, at a certain point in time in the evolution of a living system. Whenever a system treats non-realizable programs as if they were realizable, its ability to “test the reality” is lost, and consequently a loss of ego-boundaries may occur. On the molecular level, I will try to show how “non-splicing” of introns during the mRNA splicing process is equivalent to a loss of the rejection function corresponding to mediation. At the cellular level in the brain, mediation can be explained in terms of glial-neuronal interactions. Glia exert a spatio-temporal boundary setting function determining the grouping of neurons into functional units. Mutations in genes that result in non-splicing of introns can produce truncated (“chimeric”) neurotransmitter receptors. I propose that such dysfunctional receptors are generated in glial cells and that they cannot interact properly with their cognate neurotransmitters. The glia will then lose their inhibitory-rejecting function with respect to the information processing within neuronal networks. This loss of glial boundary setting could be an explanation for the loss of ego or body boundaries in schizophrenia. Pertinent examples of case studies are given attempting to deduce the main symptoms of schizophrenia from the proposed hypothesis. Some implications for the design of delusional robots are also discussed. Finally, the evolutionary potency of non-coding introns is philosophically interpreted that schizophrenics may be “too soon on earth”.