Near-infrared Fourier transform room-temperature photoluminescence of erbium complexes

A modified Fourier transform (FT) Raman bench spectrometer designed for the detection of weak light emission in the 800–1700 nm wavelength region has been used to demonstrate the advantages of FT spectroscopy for measuring near-infrared photoluminescence spectra of lanthanide complexes with a good resolution and very good sensitivity. This apparatus has been tested with an ultraviolet laser source (325 nm) on three standard erbium complexes. The 4I13/24I15/2 emission of tris-(acetylacetonato) (1,10 phenanthroline) erbium [Er(acac)3(phen)], tris-(4,4,4,-trifluoro-1-(2 thenoyl)-1,3-butenedione) (1,10 phenanthroline) erbium [Er(TTFA)3(phen)] and tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato) erbium [Erq3] has thus been recorded in solution and in the solid state and compared with literature. ©2003 American Institute of Physics

Different serological cross-reactivity of Trypanosoma rangeli forms in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected patients sera

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>American Trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease is caused by <it>Trypanosoma cruzi </it>which currently infects approximately 16 million people in the Americas causing high morbidity and mortality. Diagnosis of American trypanosomiasis relies on serology, primarily using indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) with <it>T. cruzi </it>epimastigote forms. The closely related but nonpathogenic <it>Trypanosoma rangeli </it>has a sympatric distribution with <it>T. cruzi </it>and is carried by the same vectors. As a result false positives are frequently generated. This confounding factor leads to increased diagnostic test costs and where false positives are not caught, endangers human health due to the toxicity of the drugs used to treat Chagas disease.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the present study, serologic cross-reactivity between the two species was compared for the currently used epimastigote form and the more pathologically relevant trypomastigote form, using IFA and immunoblotting (IB) assays. Our results reveal an important decrease in cross reactivity when <it>T. rangeli </it>culture-derived trypomastigotes are used in IFA based diagnosis of Chagas disease. Western blot results using sera from both acute and chronic chagasic patients presenting with cardiac, indeterminate or digestive disease revealed similar, but not identical, antigenic profiles.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>This is the first study addressing the serological cross-reactivity between distinct forms and strains of <it>T. rangeli </it>and <it>T. cruzi </it>using sera from distinct phases of the Chagasic infection. Several <it>T. rangeli</it>-specific proteins were detected, which may have potential as diagnostic tools.</p

Assessing the molecular divergence between Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii populations from Brazil using the timeless gene: further evidence of a species complex

Submitted by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2019-01-15T13:43:46Z No. of bitstreams: 1 luisaDp_rona_etal_IOC_2009.pdf: 651215 bytes, checksum: 4fc0bfe6cd7738120844230e1013d041 (MD5)Approved for entry into archive by Sandra Infurna ([email protected]) on 2019-01-15T13:52:05Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 luisaDp_rona_etal_IOC_2009.pdf: 651215 bytes, checksum: 4fc0bfe6cd7738120844230e1013d041 (MD5)Made available in DSpace on 2019-01-15T13:52:05Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 luisaDp_rona_etal_IOC_2009.pdf: 651215 bytes, checksum: 4fc0bfe6cd7738120844230e1013d041 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia. Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil / Queen Mary University of London. School of Biological and Chemical Sciences. London, UK.Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia. Florianópolis, SC, Brasil.Fundação Oswaldo Cruz. Instituto Oswaldo Cruz. Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Insetos. Rio de Janeiro, RJ. Brasil.Background: Anopheles (Kerteszia) cruzii was the most important vector of human malaria in southern Brazil between 1930–1960. Nowadays it is still considered an important Plasmodium spp. vector in southern and south-eastern Brazil, incriminated for oligosymptomatic malaria. Previous studies based on the analysis of X chromosome banding patterns and inversion frequencies in An. cruzii populations from these areas have suggested the occurrence of three sibling species. In contrast, two genetically distinct groups among An. cruzii populations from south/south-east and north-east Brazil have been revealed by isoenzyme analysis. Therefore, An. cruzii remains unclear

ZNF217 confers resistance to the pro-apoptotic signals of paclitaxel and aberrant expression of Aurora-A in breast cancer cells

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>ZNF217 is a candidate oncogene located at 20q13, a chromosomal region frequently amplified in breast cancers. The precise mechanisms involved in ZNF217 pro-survival function are currently unknown, and utmost importance is given to deciphering the role of ZNF217 in cancer therapy response.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We provide evidence that stable overexpression of ZNF217 in MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells conferred resistance to paclitaxel, stimulated cell proliferation <it>in vitro </it>associated with aberrant expression of several cyclins, and increased tumor growth in mouse xenograft models. Conversely, siRNA-mediated silencing of ZNF217 expression in MCF7 breast cancer cells, which possess high endogenous levels of ZNF217, led to decreased cell proliferation and increased sensitivity to paclitaxel. The paclitaxel resistance developed by ZNF217-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells was not mediated by the ABCB1/PgP transporter. However, ZNF217 was able to counteract the apoptotic signals mediated by paclitaxel as a consequence of alterations in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway through constitutive deregulation of the balance of Bcl-2 family proteins. Interestingly, ZNF217 expression levels were correlated with the oncogenic kinase Aurora-A expression levels, as ZNF217 overexpression led to increased expression of the Aurora-A protein, whereas ZNF217 silencing was associated with low Aurora-A expression levels. We showed that a potent Aurora-A kinase inhibitor was able to reverse paclitaxel resistance in the ZNF217-overexpressing cells.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Altogether, these data suggest that ZNF217 might play an important role in breast neoplastic progression and chemoresistance, and that Aurora-A might be involved in ZNF217-mediated effects.</p

Transcriptome analysis of Taenia solium cysticerci using Open reading Frame ESTS (ORESTES)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Human infection by the pork tapeworm <it>Taenia solium </it>affects more than 50 million people worldwide, particularly in underdeveloped and developing countries. Cysticercosis which arises from larval encystation can be life threatening and difficult to treat. Here, we investigate for the first time the transcriptome of the clinically relevant cysticerci larval form.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Using Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) produced by the ORESTES method, a total of 1,520 high quality ESTs were generated from 20 ORESTES cDNA mini-libraries and its analysis revealed fragments of genes with promising applications including 51 ESTs matching antigens previously described in other species, as well as 113 sequences representing proteins with potential extracellular localization, with obvious applications for immune-diagnosis or vaccine development.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The set of sequences described here will contribute to deciphering the expression profile of this important parasite and will be informative for the genome assembly and annotation, as well as for studies of intra- and inter-specific sequence variability. Genes of interest for developing new diagnostic and therapeutic tools are described and discussed.</p

Multiple Rabi rotations of trions in InGaAs quantum dots observed by photon echo spectroscopy with spatially shaped laser pulses

We study Rabi rotations arising in intensity-dependent photon echoes from an ensemble of self-assembled InGaAs quantum dots. To achieve a uniform distribution of intensities within the excited ensemble, we introduce flattop intensity profiles of picosecond laser pulses. This allows us to overcome the damping of Rabi rotations imposed by the spatial inhomogeneity of Rabi frequencies by a Gaussian laser profile. Using photon echo polarimetry, we distinguish between the coherent optical responses from exciton and trion ensembles. Here, we demonstrate that a photo-induced charging of the quantum dots leads to a significant reduction of the number of neutral quantum dots under resonant excitation with intensive optical pulses with areas exceeding $\frac{\pi}{2}$. The trion ensemble shows robust Rabi rotations when the area of the refocussing pulse is increased up to 5.5$\pi$. We analyze the remaining attenuation of Rabi rotations by theoretical modeling of excitation induced dephasing, inhomogeneity of dipole moments, and coupling to acoustic phonons. The latter is identified as the dominating mechanism resulting in a loss of optical coherence during the action of the involved optical pulses

Continuous-Wave Second-Harmonic Generation in Orientation-Patterned Gallium Phosphide Waveguides at Telecom Wavelengths

A new process to produce orientation-patterned gallium phosphide (OP-GaP) on GaAs with almost perfectly parallel domain boundaries is presented. Taking advantage of the chemical selectivity between phosphides and arsenides, OP-GaP is processed into suspended shallow-ridge waveguides. Efficient second-harmonic generation from telecom wavelengths is achieved in both Type-I and Type-II polarisation configurations. The highest observed conversion efficiency is 200% W–1 cm–2, with a bandwidth of 2.67 nm in a 1 mm-long waveguide. The variation of the conversion efficiency with wavelength closely follows a squared cardinal sine function, in excellent agreement with theory, confirming the good uniformity of the poling period over the entire length of the waveguide

Microevolution of Trypanosoma cruzi reveals hybridization and clonal mechanisms driving rapid genome diversification.

Protozoa and fungi are known to have extraordinarily diverse mechanisms of genetic exchange. However, the presence and epidemiological relevance of genetic exchange in Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, has been controversial and debated for many years. Field studies have identified both predominantly clonal and sexually recombining natural populations. Two of six natural T. cruzi lineages (TcV and TcVI) show hybrid mosaicism, using analysis of single-gene locus markers. The formation of hybrid strains in vitro has been achieved and this provides a framework to study the mechanisms and adaptive significance of genetic exchange. Using whole genome sequencing of a set of experimental hybrids strains, we have confirmed that hybrid formation initially results in tetraploid parasites. The hybrid progeny showed novel mutations that were not attributable to either (diploid) parent showing an increase in amino acid changes. In long-term culture, up to 800 generations, there was a variable but gradual erosion of progeny genomes towards triploidy, yet retention of elevated copy number was observed at several core housekeeping loci. Our findings indicate hybrid formation by fusion of diploid T. cruzi, followed by sporadic genome erosion, but with substantial potential for adaptive evolution, as has been described as a genetic feature of other organisms, such as some fungi