Murine 3T3-L1 Adipocyte Cell Differentiation Model: Validated Reference Genes for qPCR Gene Expression Analysis

BACKGROUND: Analysis of gene expression at the mRNA level, using real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), mandatorily requires reference genes (RGs) as internal controls. However, increasing evidences have shown that RG expression may vary considerably under experimental conditions. We sought for an appropriate panel of RGs to be used in the 3T3-L1 cell line model during their terminal differentiation into adipocytes. To this end, the expression levels of a panel of seven widely used RG mRNAs were measured by qRT-PCR. The 7 RGs evaluated were ß-actin (ACTB), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl-transferase I (HPRT), ATP synthase H+ transporting mitochondrial F1 complex beta subunit (ATP-5b), tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5- monooxygenase activation protein, zeta polypeptide (Ywhaz), Non-POU-domain containing octamer binding protein (NoNo), and large ribosomal protein L13a (RPL). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using three Excel applications, GeNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper, we observed that the number and the stability of potential RGs vary significantly during differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells into adipocytes. mRNA expression analyses using qRT-PCR revealed that during the entire differentiation program, only NoNo expression is relatively stable. Moreover, the RG sets that were acceptably stable were different depending on the phase of the overall differentiation process (i.e. mitotic clonal expansion versus the terminal differentiation phase). RPL, ACTB, and Ywhaz, are suitable for terminal differentiation, whereas ATP-5b and HPRT, are suitable during mitotic clonal expansion. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that special attention must be given to the choice of suitable RGs during the various well defined phases of adipogenesis to ensure accurate data analysis and that the use of several RGs is absolutely required. Consequently, our data show for the first time, that during mitotic clonal expansion, the most suitable RGs are ATP-5b, NoNo and HPRT, while during terminal differentiation the most suitable RGs are, NoNo, RPL, ACTB and Ywhaz

Bark beetles and pinhole borers (Curculionidae, Scolytinae, Platypodinae) alien to Europe

Invasive bark beetles are posing a major threat to forest resources around the world. DAISIE’s web-based and printed databases of invasive species in Europe provide an incomplete and misleading picture of the alien scolytines and platypodines. We present a review of the alien bark beetle fauna of Europe based on primary literature through 2009. We find that there are 18 Scolytinae and one Platypodinae species apparently established in Europe, from 14 different genera. Seventeen species are naturalized. We argue that Trypodendron laeve, commonly considered alien in Europe, is a native species; conversely, we hypothesize that Xyleborus pfeilii, which has always been treated as indigenous, is an alien species from Asia. We also point out the possibility that the Asian larch bark beetle Ips subelongatus is established in European Russia. We show that there has been a marked acceleration in the rate of new introductions to Europe, as is also happening in North America: seven alien species were first recorded in the last decade

Niveaux collectifs de noyaux pairs-pairs excités par diffusion de particules α

We have studied 44 MeVα-particle inelastic scattering by 48Ti, 58Fe, 62Ni, 64Ni. Angular distributions are able to determine parity, sometimes spin and the deformation parameter of onephonon levels. We obtain also information on double nuclear excitation. With these results and those previously obtained we can draw a general picture of the collective excitation in the 22 ≤ Z ≤ 30 region.La diffusion inélastique de particules α de 44,0 ± 0,2 MeV par 48Ti, 58Fe, 62Ni, 64Ni a été étudiée. L'analyse des distributions angulaires permet de déterminer la parité, et quelquefois le spin et le paramètre de déformation pour les niveaux à un phonon, et d'obtenir des renseignements sur le comportement des niveaux relevant de la double excitation nucléaire. Ces résultats, joints à ceux obtenus antérieurement, permettent de dresser un tableau général de l'évolution des excitations collectives dans la région 22 ≤ Z ≤ 30

NIVEAUX DE 24,25,26Mg EXCITÉS PAR LES RÉACTIONS (α, α'), (α, 3He) et (α, t)

La diffusion inélastique des particules α permet d'étudier le couplage cœur-particule et d'exciter les états « collectifs » ; les réactions (α, t) et (α, 3He) aboutissent à des états « de particules » : nos expériences permettent l'étude simultanée de ces deux types d'excitation.Inelastic scattering of α particles enable us to study the core-particle coupling and to populate « collective » states ; (α, t ) and (α, 3He) reactions excite « particle » states ; both types of excitation have been studied in our experiment

ÉTATS ANALOGUES DE 55Fe ET 55Co PAR RÉACTIONS (α, t) ET (α, 3He) SUR 54Fe

Nous avons étudié simultanément les états de neutron de 55Fe et les états de proton T> et T and T< of 55Co. Results concerning main levels ƒ1/2, p3/2, p1/2, ƒ5/2 and g9/2 are presented with relative spectroscopic factors derived by DWBA analysis

Screen Printable Sol-Gel Materials for High-Throughput Borosilicate Glass Film Production

The use of sol-gel materials can simplify the industrial fabrication of high-efficiency silicon solar cells if a suitable deposition method is established. In this work, we investigate the possibilities to adapt a borosilicate glass sol-gel to provide a stable screen printing process. This material has previously been used as a boron dopant source for silicon solar cells. We now use an adjusted synthesis process, with an increased gelling time and different additives. This changes the rheological properties (i.e., the elastic and viscous moduli G&prime; and G&Prime;) in a way that avoids the dripping of paste through the screen and that stabilizes the material transfer in subsequent printing steps. Using this synthesis process, we were able to show a printing process with long-term stability of more than 500 prints. When comparing the adjusted to the initial paste, we show that, after thermal treatment, the obtained thin films are very similar in terms of their constitution, with a refractive index between n = 1.47 (initial) and n = 1.55 (adjusted). We also show that they provide the same amount of doping under the tested conditions (950 &deg;C, 30 min), resulting in sheet resistances of R&#9633; = (42.5 &plusmn; 2.6) &#8486;/&#9633; (initial) and R&#9633; = (46.4 &plusmn; 3.6) &#8486;/&#9633; (adjusted)