Allelic variation in HLA-B and HLA-C sequences and the evolution of the HLA-B alleles

Several new HLA-B (B8, B51, Bw62)- and HLA-C (Cw6, Cw7)-specific genes were isolated either as genomic cosmid or cDNA clones to study the diversity of HLA antigens. The allele specificities were identified by sequence analysis in comparison with published HLAB and -C sequences, by transfection experiments, and Southern and northern blot analysis using oligonucleotide probes. Comparison of the classical HLA-A, -B, and -C sequences reveals that allele-specific substitutions seem to be rare events. HLA-B51 codes only for one allelespecific residue: arginine at position 81 located on the cd helix, pointing toward the antigen binding site. HLA-B8 contains an acidic substitution in amino acid position 9 on the first central/3 sheet which might affect antigen binding capacity, perhaps in combination with the rare replacement at position 67 (F) on the Alpha-l helix. HLA-B8 shows greatest homology to HLA-Bw42, -Bw41, -B7, and -Bw60 antigens, all of which lack the conserved restriction sites Pst I at position 180 and Sac I at position 131. Both sites associated with amino acid replacements seem to be genetic markers of an evolutionary split of the HLA-B alleles, which is also observed in the leader sequences. HLA-Cw7 shows 98% sequence identity to the JY328 gene. In general, the HLA-C alleles display lower levels of variability in the highly polymorphic regions of the Alpha 1 and Alpha 2 domains, and have more distinct patterns of locusspecific residues in the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. Thus we propose a more recent origin for the HLA-C locus

Reports of the Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries (STECF) - The application of the landing obligation on the fisheries targeting Venus clams in the Northern Adriatic Sea (STECF-16-06)

Ulrich, C. ... et al.-- This report was iisued during the plenary meeting held in Brussels, 10-15 April 2016.-- 26 pages, 1 figure, 2 annexesCommission Decision of 25 February 2016 setting up a Scientific, Technical and Economic Committee for Fisheries, C(2016) 1084, OJ C 74, 26.2.2016, p. 4-10. The Commission may consult the group on any matter relating to marine and fisheries biology, fishing gear technology, fisheries economics, fisheries governance, ecosystem effects of fisheries, aquaculture or similar disciplines. This report focuses on the application of the landing obligation on the fisheries targeting Venus clams in the Northern Adriatic SeaPeer Reviewe

Inequality and the American classroom:: Experiential strategies for teaching social justice

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a mixed format, experiential course on changes in Honors students’ attitudes about various issues of inequality.  Methodology: Students enrolled in the course (N = 75), taught during the 2016 Presidential election, were asked about their opinions on a variety of inequality topics using a pre-test and post-test survey, with the post-test survey including questions on how perceptions of inequality had changed over the course of the semester.  Findings and implications: Results indicate that some students became more self-aware of their position in society and were less sure that people in general, and they themselves in particular, would be responsible for their own hard work. Importantly, students were less likely to believe that people faced fair and equal opportunities in the labor market and their overall level of support for unions increased during the semester. Most students agreed that the outside speakers, a key component of the course, provided new information on various aspects of inequality and impacted their overall perceptions of inequality. However, students were much less agreed on how they felt both about the future of the country and the future of inequality