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Summary: In this study, we describe the development and evaluation of a novel multiple-antigen ELISA for rapid diagnosis and screening of active tuberculosis (TB). The humoral immune responses of 136 active TB patients and 57 healthy subjects against antigens Rv3425, 38kDa and lipoarabinomannan (LAM) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv were examined by ELISA. Three essential results were obtained. (i) Rv3425 antigen is a potential candidate for serodiagnosis of active TB. Of 136 active TB patients, Rv3425 antigen provided a sensitivity of 31.6%, lower than that of LAM antigen, but higher than that of 38kDa antigen, with an overall specificity of 100%. (ii) For 62 smear-negative pulmonary TB patients and 15 extra-pulmonary TB patients, the multiple-antigen test provided a sensitivity of 43.5% and 26.7%, respectively, representing an improvement over acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear-based diagnosis. (iii) Compared with the single-antigen ELISA and the two available commercial kits, the multiple-antigen test offered the highest accuracy (71.0%). In conclusion, the multiple-antigen ELSIA test based on Rv3425, 38kDa, and LAM antigens is a potentially useful tool for the serodiagnosis and screening of active TB. Combinations of Rv3425 with other mycobacterial antigens may also be worthy of further investigation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel di-copperII-complex substituted monovacant Keggin polyoxotungstate [Cu(2,2′-bpy)(H2O)][H2PW11O39Cu2(2,2′-bpy)2(H2O)(OH)]·1.5H2O (1) (2,2′-bpy=2,2′-bipyridine) with a 1D polymeric chain has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. To our knowledge, 1 is the rare magnetic di-transition metal-complex substituted monovacant Keggin polyoxotungstate with a unique 1D dual-bridging chain structure. Its magnetic behavior has been quantitatively analyzed by the Bleaney–Bowers equation, indicating the presence of weak antiferromagnetic interactions within dinuclear CuII centers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The reaction of the mono-lacunary silicotungstate ligand α-K8SiW11O39 · 13H2O with praseodymiumIII cation results in a new Keggin-type derivative K3[(Pr(H2O)4SiW11O39)(NaPr2(H2O)12)(Pr(H2O)4SiW11O39)] · 13.5H2O (1), whose polyanion consists of two crystallographically distinct [Pr(H2O)4SiW11O39]5- building block units and one [NaPr2(H2O)12]7+ subunit, which are connected by alternating praseodymium and sodium centers via the terminal and bridging oxygen atoms from the precursor [α-SiW11O39]8- to construct a 1D infinitely chainlike structure. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An unprecedented Keggin-type tungstogermanate dimer bearing dinuclear copper-organic coordination ions {H8[Cu(phen)(μ2-CH3COO)2Cu(phen)(H2O)]2[Ge2W23CuO80]}·24H2O has been synthesized and characterized by IR, UV, ICP analyses, ESR spectra, element analysis, TG and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The compound is built up from a dimeric heteropolyanion constituted by two corner-shared Keggin-type building subunits and two dinuclear copper-organic coordination cations [Cu(phen)(μ2-CH3COO)2Cu(phen)(H2O)]2+, each of which consists two square pyramidal copper-phen ions bridged by two μ2-acetate ligands. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The special configuration of a serial-parallel type machine tool possesses five degrees of freedom and provides more flexibility in NC machining. The parallel spindle platform plays the key role in manipulating three directions of movement. In this study, the inverse kinematics analysis of the platform is derived first. A sensitivity model of the spindle platform subject to the structure parameters is then proposed and analyzed. All the parameters influencing the position and orientation of the spindle platform are discussed based on the sensitivity model and the simulated examples. Critical parameters to the accuracy of the cutter location can then be found, which are the slider position, the strut length, and the tool length. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel 2-D hexa-CuII substituted sandwich-type polyoxotungstate [Cu(H2O)4][Cu(dien)(H2O)2]2[Cu(dien)(H2O)]2[Cu6(en)2(H2O)2(B-α-HGeW9O34)2][Cu6(Hdien)2(H2O)2(B-α-HGeW9O34)2]·24 H2O (1, en=ethylenediamine, dien=diethylenetriamine) has been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. 1 represents the first 2-D inorganic–organic hybrid sandwich-type germanotungstate constructed by two kinds of hexa-CuII substituted sandwich-type POM hybrid units accompanying the mixed organoamine components in the structure. The TGA curve of 1 displays two continuous weight loss stages. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: 4-Cyclohexyl-1-(1-(pyrazin-2-yl)ethylidene)thiosemicarbazide (HL) and its transition metal complexes formulated as [Mn(L)2] (1) and [Ni(L)2] (2) have been prepared in 55–75% yield and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, MS, NMR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. Biological activities of the synthesized compounds have been evaluated against selected Gram positive bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Gram negative bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the K562 leukemia cell line, respectively. The cytotoxicity data suggest that these compounds may be endowed with important biological properties, especially the nickel complex 2 with MIC = 31.2 μg/mL and IC50 = 0.53 μM, respectively. Effect of the free ligand and its two complexes on Mitochondria membrane potential (MMP) and PI-associated fluorescence intensity as well as their effect on cell apoptosis in K562 leukemia cell line was also studied. The tested compounds may exert their cytotoxicity activity via induced loss of MMP. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]