In vitro and in vivo evaluation of T and B lymphocyte functions in AKR mice.

To investigate whether AKR spontaneous leukaemogenesis is associated with a reduction in functional activity of T lymphocytes, the PHA response of AKR blood cells at different ages up to and including the preleukaemic period was studied. No significant differences were observed among young, adult and preleukaemic donors. In addition, the in vitro and in vivo AKR lymphocyte functions were compared with those of CBA lymphocytes by means of their response to stimulation with T and B lymphocyte selective mitogens (PHA, Con A and LSP respectively), and their response to immunization with thymus dependent (SRBC) or independent (LPS) antigens. We observed in vitro that while the B lymphocytes responded normally to mitogen, an intrinsic hyporeactivity to mitogens characterizes the T lymphocytes. Moreover, AKR mice exhibited a reduced in vivo response to both thymus dependent and independent antigens

Nan-O-Style – experiments and arts

In this project, high school students (aged 16-17) tested various protocols of experiments in nanotechnology and evaluated them whether such experiments could also be performed by middle school students (aged 11-15) or even elementary school students (aged 6-10). Protocols pre-selected and provided by the instructing team consisting of Sciencetainment and the Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg were applied. Laboratory techniques such as thin-layer chromatography, measuring the contact angle by high-resolution 3D microscopy and analyzing and constructing surface layers represented some of the experiments performed. Moreover, students produced short video clips and images and designed photo-collages out of microscopic and electron microscopic pictures. Hence, the school students acquired a number of soft skills during this special science day

The AGILE Mission

AGILE is an Italian Space Agency mission dedicated to observing the gamma-ray Universe. The AGILE's very innovative instrumentation for the first time combines a gamma-ray imager (sensitive in the energy range 30 MeV-50 GeV), a hard X-ray imager (sensitive in the range 18-60 keV), a calorimeter (sensitive in the range 350 keV-100 MeV), and an anticoincidence system. AGILE was successfully launched on 2007 April 23 from the Indian base of Sriharikota and was inserted in an equatorial orbit with very low particle background. Aims. AGILE provides crucial data for the study of active galactic nuclei, gamma-ray bursts, pulsars, unidentified gamma-ray sources, galactic compact objects, supernova remnants, TeV sources, and fundamental physics by microsecond timing. Methods. An optimal sky angular positioning (reaching 0.1 degrees in gamma- rays and 1-2 arcmin in hard X-rays) and very large fields of view (2.5 sr and 1 sr, respectively) are obtained by the use of Silicon detectors integrated in a very compact instrument. Results. AGILE surveyed the gamma- ray sky and detected many Galactic and extragalactic sources during the first months of observations. Particular emphasis is given to multifrequency observation programs of extragalactic and galactic objects. Conclusions. AGILE is a successful high-energy gamma-ray mission that reached its nominal scientific performance. The AGILE Cycle-1 pointing program started on 2007 December 1, and is open to the international community through a Guest Observer Program

Base molecular para resistência a fluazifop-p-butyl em capim-camalote (rottboellia cochinchinensis) da Costa Rica

Rottboellia cochinchinensis is an annual grass weed species known as itchgrass, or “caminadora” in America´s Spanish speaking countries, and has become a major and troublesome weed in several crops. The application of fluazifop-P-butyl at recommended rates (125 g a.i. ha-1) was observed to be failing to control itchgrass in a field in San José, Upala county, Alajuela province, Costa Rica. Plants from the putative resistant R. cochinchinensis population survived fluazifop-P-butyl when treated with 250 g a.i. ha-1 (2X label rate) at the three- to four-leaf stage under greenhouse conditions. PCR amplification and sequencing of partial carboxyl transferase domain (CT) of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase) gene were used to determine the molecular mechanism of resistance. A single non-synonymous point mutation from TGG (susceptible plants) to TGC (putative resistant plants) that leads to a Trp-2027-Cys substitution was found. This Trp-2027-Cys mutation is known to confer resistance to all aryloxyphenoxyproprionate (APP) herbicides to which fluazifop-P-butyl belongs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of fluazifop-P-butyl resistance and a mutation at position 2027 for a Costa Rican R. cochinchinensis population.Rottboellia cochinchinensis, espécie de planta daninha anual conhecida como capim-camalote, ou “caminadora”, em países de língua espanhola das Américas, tornou-se uma planta daninha significativa e problemática em diversas culturas. Observou-se que a aplicação de fluazifop-p-butyl nas doses recomendadas (125 g i.a. ha-1) não conseguiu controlar capim-camalote em uma região em San José, condado de Upala, província de Alajuela, Costa Rica. As plantas da população supostamente resistente de R. cochinchinensis sobreviveram a fluazifop-p-butyl quando tratadas com 250 g i.a. ha-1 (2X a dose do rótulo) na fase de três a quatro folhas em condições de estufa. Amplificação e sequenciamento de reação em cadeia da polimerase de domínio de transferase de ácido carboxílico parcial (TC) do gene acetil-CoA carboxilase (ACCase) foram utilizados para determinar o mecanismo molecular de resistência. Foi encontrada uma mutação de ponto não sinônimo individual de TGG (plantas suscetíveis) para TGC (plantas supostamente resistentes) que conduz a uma substituição de Trp-2027-Cys. Sabe-se que essa mutação de Trp-2027-Cys confere resistência a todos os herbicidas ariloxifenoxipropionatos (AFP) a que fluazifop-p-butyl pertence. Pelo visto, este é o primeiro relato de resistência a fluazifop-p-butyl de uma mutação na posição 2027 para uma população costarriquenha de R. cochinchinensisWest Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida/[]//United States of AmericaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Agroalimentarias::Estación Experimental Agrícola Fabio Baudrit Moreno (EEAFBM

DNA-based vaccination against tumors expressing the P1A antigen

Based on experience acquired in the last few years, we describe some technical steps and provide suggestions on how to induce an immune response against tumors expressing the weakly immunogenic antigen P1A by means of a DNA-based vaccination approach. P1A is the product of a normal mouse gene, which shares many characteristics with already identified human tumor-associated antigens, and therefore represents a useful experimental model to evaluate the efficacy of new vaccination strategies potentially applicable to the field of human tumors. Information gained with this model has been applied with success in other experimental settings, and thus we think that the procedure described herein may constitute a valid platform that can be implemented and further refined