Diferentovanje timocita u organ kulturi timusa odraslih pacova

To investigate the differences between thymocytes development in vivo and in vitro, thymus lobe fragments from 12-weeks old male Albino Oxford rats were cultivated over a 7-days period. In the controls and cultivated thymic lobes fragments were evaluated and the viability, apoptosis and cell cycle of thymocytes, as well as the histological characteristics of thymic tissue. Additionally, we analyzed the expression of CD4, CD8 and TCRαβ on thymocytes by flow cytometry. The obtained results showed that thymus cellularity decreased during cultivated time due to expanded apoptosis, decreased proliferation and the absence of progenitors reseeding thymus. The relative proportion of thymocyte subsets in the first 24 hours of culture remained similar as in the control. However, cultivation for 3 and 7 days modulated the relative proportions between thymoctye subsets. The percentage of DP TCRαβlow increased, DP TCRαβhi subset remained unchanged, both SP TCRαβhi subsets decreased while the same mature SP phenotype dominated in culture media. These results demonstrate that cultivated thymic fragments retain the capacity for T cell development, although cultivation modulates this process.Sa namerom da ispitamo razlike između in vivo i in vitro sazrevanja timocita gajili smo fragmente lobusa timusa poreklom od mužjaka Albino Oksford pacova, starih dvanaest nedelja, u vremenskom periodu od sedam dana. Nakon kultivacije određivani su vijabilnost, apoptoza i ćelijski ciklus timocita, kao i histološke osobine timusnog tkiva. Takođe je analizirano ispoljavanje markera diferentovanja CD4, CD8 and TCRαβ na površini timocita metodom tečne citofluorometrije. Dobijeni rezultati su ukazali da sedmodnevna kultivacija dovodi do smanjenja broja ćelija u timusu usled povećane apoptoze, smanjene proliferacije i odsustva ulaska progenitora timocita. Tokom prvih 24 sata kultivacije ne dolazi do promena u odnosima timocitnih populacija. Međutim, duže vreme kultivacije - 3 i 7 dana moduliše relativne odnose između timocitnih subpopulacija - povećava se procenat DP TCRαβlow, procenat DP TCRαβhi timocita ostaje nepromenjen, dok su procenti ćelija oba subseta SP TCRαβhi smanjeni, mada je prisustvo pomenutih SP subsetova dominantno u medijumu za kultivaciju. Navedeni rezultati pokazuju da kultivisani fragmenti timusnog tkiva zadržavaju sposobnost da podrže sazrevanje timocita u jednostruko pozitivne T ćelije, mada je diferentovanje timocita donekle modulisano kultivacijom

Proizvodne karakteristike i telesne mere koza alpske rase gajenih na malim porodičnim gazdinstvima u centalnoj Srbiji

The purpose of this study was to evaluate present level of productivity and determine linear body traits of Alpine goats raised in Serbia on smallholder farms. Data were collected from 22 smallholder farms located in Belgrade district, with total of 330 purebred Alpine does 2-9 years of age, 145 yearling does and 476 kids. Traits measured were: body weight of does, body weight of kids at birth, 30 days of age and at weaning (90-120 days), prolificacy of mature and yearling (primiparous) does, six linear body traits of does (wither height, body length, hearth girth, chest depth, chest width, pelvic width) and milk production (milk yield, milk fat and milk protein content). The analysis showed the average body weight of does to be 54.96 kg, while the average body weight of kids at birth, 30 days of age and weaning was 2.73 kg, 8.7 kg and 18.3 kg., respectively. Prolificacy was 144% in mature and 125% in yearling does. Measurements of linear body traits were: wither height 67.87 cm, body length 71.92 cm, hearth girth 81.79 cm, chest depth 32.93, chest width 21.49 cm and pelvic width 17.63 cm. Among dairy production traits, following results were obtained: lactation length 220.73 days, total milk yield 531.66 kg, milk fat content 3.33% and milk protein content 3.16%. It was concluded that the overall productivity of Alpine goats raised under smallholder production systems in Serbia is satisfying. Giving the fact that these animals are usually kept under poor conditions, many of these productive traits are very good.Cilj ovog istraživanja bio je da se proceni postojeći nivo produktivnosti i da se utvrde vrednosti linearnih telesnih mera koza alpske rase koje se gaje u Srbiji kod individualnih poljoprivrednih proizvođača. U ispitivanje su uključena 22 poljoprivredna gazdinstva locirana u beogradskom okrugu, sa ukupno 330 koza alpske rase uzrasta 2-9 godina, 145 prvojarenica i 476 jaradi. Analizirane su sledeće osobine: telesna masa koza, telesna masa jaradi na rođenju, sa 30 dana uzrasta i pri odlučenju (90-120 dana), plodnost odraslih koza i prvojarenica, linearne telesne mere (visina grebena, dužina trupa, obim grudi, dubina grudi, širina grudi, širina karlice) i osobine mlečnosti (dužina laktacije, količina mleka za laktaciju, sadržaj mlečne masti i proteina). Prosečne vrednosti telesne mase i plodosti ispitivanih kategorija bile su: telesna masa koza 54,96 kg, telesna masa jaradi na rođenju 2,73 kg, telesna masa jaradi sa 30 dana 8,7 kg i telesna masa jaradi pri odlučenju 18,3 kg, plodnost odraslih koza 144%, plodnost prvojarenica 125%. Utvrđene su sledeće vrednosti telesnih mera: visina grebena 67,87 cm, dužina trupa 71,92 cm, obim grudi 81,79, dubina grudi 32,93 cm, širina grudi 21,49 cm i širina karlice 17,63 cm. Prosečna laktacijska mlečnost je iznosila 531,66 kg mleka u laktaciji od 221 dan, sa 3,33% mlečne masti i 3,16% proteina. Na osnovu utvrđenih rezultata i poređenjem sa rezultatima drugih autora zaključeno je da je produktivnost koza alpske rase gajenih na malim poljoprivrednim gazdinstvima zadovoljavajući. Plodnost koza je na nešto nižem nivou, kao i porođajne mase jaradi. Međutim, ako se ima u vidu da su uslovi gajenja ovih životinja često veoma skromni, mnoge od ovih proizvodnih osobina su veoma dobre. Prostora za poboljšanje ima, ali uz veća ulaganja koja uslovljavaju i veću cenu proizvodnje. Ipak, uz nepostojanje organizovanog i zagarantovanog otkupa mleka koza, kao ni zaštitnih cena mleka, što bi proizvođačima pružilo neku sigurnost u proizvodnji, sva veća ulaganja u ovom trenutku ne bi bila isplativa

Somatostatin-14 izaziva različite promene u timusima prepubertalnih i mladih odraslih pacova

Bearing in mind the role of somatostatin in thymus functions, and changes of somatostatin level and expression of its receptors during postnatal life, the aim of this study was to investigate whether centrally applied SRIH-14 induces different changes in the thymic compartments and thymocyte profile in peripubertal and young adult rats. To this end, 4- and 10-week-old male AO rats were cannulated and treated intracerebroventriculary with three doses of SRIH-14, applied every other day. In peripubertal rats, SRIH-14 decreases thymic relative weight and volume, as well as the volume of thymic compartments, especially of deep cortex, as a result of thymocytes loss by apoptosis. Also, SRIH-14 increases the percentage of immature thymocytes preceding the DPTCRαβlow cells (DNTCRαβ-/low, DPTCRαβ-, SPCD8TCRαβ-/low and SPCD4TCRαβ-/low), decreases the percentages of DPTCRαβlow and DPTCRαβhi cells, while the relative proportion of CD4+/CD8+TCRαβhi cells remained unaltered. In young adult rats, SRIH-14 does not lead to changes in relative thymus weight, although decreases the thymic cortex cellularity and volume. In addition, decreases the percentage of DPTCRαβ-/hi cells and increases the percentages of cells within DNTCRαβhi and both SP subpopulations, but much more of the CD8+TCRαβhi subset. These results suggest that the effects of SRIH-14 on the thymus and thymocytes subpopulations are age-dependent.Sa obzirom da literaturni podaci ukazuju da somatostatin ima uticaja na funkciju timusa, kao i da se tokom postnatalnog života menja nivo somatostatina i ekspresija njegovih receptora u timusu, cilj ovog rada je bio da se ispita da li SRIH- 14 davan intracerebroventrikularno u prepubertalnih i mladih odraslih pacova, dovodi do različitih promena u zonama timusa i profilu timocitnih subsetova. Mužjacima pacova AO soja, starim 4 i 10 nedelja, ugrađene su kanile u treću moždanu komoru i oni su tretirani somatostatinom, ukupno tri doze, ubrizgane svakog drugog dana. U prepubertalnih pacova tretman somatostatinom dovodi do smanjenja relativne mase i zapremine timusa, kao i zapremine timusnih zona, naročito dubokog korteksa, što je bila posledica gubitka timocita apoptozom. Takođe, SRIH-14 je doveo do povećanja procenta timocita nezrelog fenotipa (DNTCRαβ-/low, DPTCRαβ-, SPCD8TCRαβ-/low i SPCD4TCRαβ-/low) prekusora DPTCRαβlow subpopulacije, smanjenja procenta DPTCRαβlow i DPTCRαβhi subsetova, dok je relativni odnos najzrelijih CD4TCRαβhi i CD8TCRαβhi timocita ostao neizmenjen. U mladih adulta primena somatostatina, iako dovodi do smanjena zapremine i celularosti korteksa ne dovodi do promena u relativnoj masi timusa. Procenat DPTCRαβ-/hi timocita je bio smanjen, dok je procentualno učešće DNTCRαβhi timocita i obe jednostruko pozitivne subpopulacije (CD4TCRαβhi i CD8TCRαβhi, više CD8TCRαβhi) u ukupnom broju timocita bilo povećano. Navedeni rezultati ukazuju da SRIH-14 različito utiče na morfologiju timusa i na subpopulacije timocita pacova u zavisnosti od uzrasta tretiranih životinja

Productive characteristics and body measurements of alpine goats raised under smallholder production systems in central Serbia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate present level of productivity and determine linear body traits of Alpine goats raised in Serbia on smallholder farms. Data were collected from 22 smallholder farms located in Belgrade district, with total of 330 purebred Alpine does 2-9 years of age, 145 yearling does and 476 kids. Traits measured were: body weight of does, body weight of kids at birth, 30 days of age and at weaning (90-120 days), prolificacy of mature and yearling (primiparous) does, six linear body traits of does (wither height, body length, hearth girth, chest depth, chest width, pelvic width) and milk production (milk yield, milk fat and milk protein content). The analysis showed the average body weight of does to be 54.96 kg, while the average body weight of kids at birth, 30 days of age and weaning was 2.73 kg, 8.7 kg and 18.3 kg., respectively. Prolificacy was 144% in mature and 125% in yearling does. Measurements of linear body traits were: wither height 67.87 cm, body length 71.92 cm, hearth girth 81.79 cm, chest depth 32.93, chest width 21.49 cm and pelvic width 17.63 cm. Among dairy production traits, following results were obtained: lactation length 220.73 days, total milk yield 531.66 kg, milk fat content 3.33% and milk protein content 3.16%. It was concluded that the overall productivity of Alpine goats raised under smallholder production systems in Serbia is satisfying. Giving the fact that these animals are usually kept under poor conditions, many of these productive traits are very good

Swelling, Mechanical and Antimicrobial Studies of Ag/P(HEMA/IA)/PVP Semi-IPN Hybrid Hydrogels

A simple and fast approach to the design and production of new hybrid polymeric biomaterials with silver particles is presented in this work. Silver/semi-interpenetrating network hybrid hydrogels (Ag/semi-IPNHHs) were prepared through an optimized solution crosslinking copolymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and itaconic acid (IA), in the presence of PVP, a silver salt and a reducing green agent (Ag/P(HEMA/IA)/PVP). PVP was chosen due to its protective, reduction, and nucleation properties in the production of metal particles. The structure of the Ag/semi-IPNHH was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The presence of silver and PVP in the network was confirmed by FTIR spectra. The results obtained by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) showed good mechanical properties for all samples. The swelling studies of Ag/P(HEMA/IA)/PVP were conducted in the temperature range of 25-55 degrees C, in the buffer of pH 7.40. The Ag/semi-IPNHH showed temperature-sensitive swelling properties, with the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) values in the physiologically interesting interval. The antimicrobial activity of the samples was tested using E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans pathogens. It was concluded that the antimicrobial potential depends on the hydrogels composition and the type of microbes12th Annual YUCOMAT Conference, Sep 06-10, 2010, Herceg Novi, Montenegr

Self-Assembly of Linear Arrays of Semiconductor Nanoparticles on Carbon Single-Walled Nanotubes †

Ligand-stabilized nanocrystals (NCs) were strongly bound to the nanotube surfaces by simple van der Waals forces. Linear arrays of CdSe and InP quantum dots were formed by self-assembly using the grooves in bundles of carbon single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) as a one-dimensional template. A simple geometrical model explains the ordering in terms of the anisotropic properties of the nanotube surface. CdSe quantum rods were also observed to self-organize onto SWNTs with their long axis parallel to the nanotube axis. This approach offers a route to the formation of ordered NC/SWNT architectures that avoids problems associated with surface derivatization. Both semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) 1 and carbon singlewalled nanotubes (SWNTs) 2 possess interesting and potentially useful optical and electronic properties due to their nanoscale structures. In the case of QDs, quantum confinement in three dimensions produces a size-dependent modification of the electronic band structure, resulting in the formation of discrete electronic states. QDs exhibit unique behaviors such as efficient photoluminescence and photon up-conversion, slowed relaxation and cooling of hot carriers, enhanced lasing, and carrier multiplication via impact ionization. 3 SWNTs, however, consist of sp 2 -hybridized carbon atoms that form the walls of nanometer-wide, seamless cylinders. Past efforts to attach semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) to nanotubes have focused on forming chemical attachments between the two different nanostructures. In this approach, defects in the nanotube lattice, i.e., any site where the sp 2 -bonded carbon network is broken, are used as sites for chemical bond formation. Such defects are typically present after acid-based purification methods or may be specifically introduced by chemical derivatization. In this paper, we report the formation of organized, onedimensional (1-D) arrays of semiconductor QDs by van der Waals (vdW) adsorption onto SWNTs. Two representative II-VI and the III-V semiconductor NCs, CdSe and InP, respectively, demonstrated linear ordering when adsorbed from nonaqueous colloidal solutions onto high-purity, low-defectdensity SWNTs. The tendency to form linear arrays was greatest when tube-tube alignment was relatively good within bundles and when the QDs were relatively large. The edge-to-edge (ee) separation distance between QDs in the 1-D arrays was ∼18 Å for both the InP and the CdSe QDs, indicating that QD-QD separation is governed by the thickness of the ligand shells, as is the case in two-and three-dimensional QD arrays