Solar Wind Turbulence and the Role of Ion Instabilities

International audienc

Antibody-based immunotherapy of aciclovir resistant ocular herpes simplex virus infections

The increasing incidence of aciclovir- (ACV) resistant strains in patients with ocular herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections is a major health problem in industrialized countries. In the present study, the humanized monoclonal antibody (mAb) hu2c targeting the HSV-1/2 glycoprotein B was examined for its efficacy towards ACV-resistant infections of the eye in the mouse model of acute retinal necrosis (ARN). BALB/c mice were infected by microinjection of an ACV-resistant clinical isolate into the anterior eye chamber to induce ARN and systemically treated with mAb hu2c at 24 h prior (pre-e

Miniband-related 1.4–1.8 μm luminescence of Ge/Si quantum dot superlattices

The luminescence properties of highly strained, Sb-doped Ge/Si multi-layer heterostructures with incorporated Ge quantum dots (QDs) are studied. Calculations of the electronic band structure and luminescence measurements prove the existence of an electron miniband within the columns of the QDs. Miniband formation results in a conversion of the indirect to a quasi-direct excitons takes place. The optical transitions between electron states within the miniband and hole states within QDs are responsible for an intense luminescence in the 1.4–1.8 µm range, which is maintained up to room temperature. At 300 K, a light emitting diode based on such Ge/Si QD superlattices demonstrates an external quantum efficiency of 0.04% at a wavelength of 1.55 µm

Effects of infection with Toxoplasma gondii oocysts on the intestinal wall and the myenteric plexus of chicken (Gallus gallus)

This paper aims to analyze the effects of the Toxoplasma gondii infection in the intestinal wall and myenteric plexus of chicken (Gallus gallus). Ten 36-day-old chickens were separated into two groups: control and experimental, orally inoculated with oocysts of the T. gondii strain M7741 genotype III. After 60 days the birds were submitted to euthanasia and had their duodenum removed. Part of the intestinal segments was submitted to histological routine, HE staining, PAS histochemical technique, and Alcian Blue. Qualitative analysis of the intestinal wall and comparative measurements among the groups with respect to total wall thickness, muscle tunic, mucosa, and tunica mucosa were carried out. Caliciform cells were quantified. The other part of the intestinal segments was fixed in formol acetic acid and dissected having the tunica mucosa and the tela submucosa removed. Neurons were stained with Giemsa, counted, and measured. Chickens from the experimental group presented diarrhea and inflammatory infiltrates in the tunica mucosa, thickness reduction of all the parameters assessed in the intestinal wall, and an increase of the number of caliciform cells. There was a ~70% reduction regarding the intensity of myenteric neurons; and the remaining cells presented a reduction of ~2.4% of the perikarion and ~40.5% of the nucleus (pO objetivo deste trabalho foi analisar os efeitos da infecção pelo Toxoplasma gondii sobre a parede intestinal e o plexo mientérico de Gallus gallus. Dez galinhas de 36 dias de idade separadas em dois grupos: controle e experimental inoculado com oocistos da cepa M7741 de T. gondii (genótipo III) pela via oral. Após 60 dias os animais foram submetidos à eutanásia e o duodeno coletado. Parte dos segmentos intestinais foi submetida à rotina histológica, coloração por HE e técnica histoquímica de PAS e Alcian Blue. Realizou-se uma avaliação qualitativa da parede intestinal e medidas comparativas entre os grupos da espessura da parede total, túnica muscular, muscular da mucosa e túnica mucosa. As células caliciformes foram quantificadas. Outra parte dos segmentos intestinais foi fixada em formol acético e dissecada retirando-se a túnica mucosa e a tela submucosa. Os neurônios foram corados pela técnica de Giemsa, contados e mensurados. Os animais do grupo experimental apresentaram diarréia e infiltrados inflamatórios na túnica mucosa, redução da espessura de todos os parâmetros avaliados da parede intestinal e aumento do número das células caliciformes. Houve uma redução de ~70% da densidade dos neurônios mientéricos e as células remanescentes sofreram redução de ~2,4% do pericário e ~40,5% do núcleo (p<0,05). A infecção crônica induzida por oocistos de T. gondii levou a atrofia da parede intestinal, aumento da secreção de mucinas, morte e atrofia dos neurônios do plexo mientérico de galinhas. A morte e atrofia dos neurônios do plexo mientérico podem estar envolvidas na causa da diarréia observada em galinhas com toxoplasmose