Ultra-broadband wavelength-swept Tm-doped fiber laser using wavelength-combined gain stages

A wavelength-swept thulium-doped fiber laser system employing two parallel cavities with two different fiber gain stages is reported. The fiber gain stages were tailored to provide emission in complementary bands with external wavelength-dependent feedback cavities sharing a common rotating polygon mirror for wavelength scanning. The wavelength-swept laser outputs from the fiber gain elements were spectrally combined by means of a dichroic mirror and yielded over 500 mW of output with a scanning range from ~1740 nm to ~2070 nm for a scanning frequency of ~340 Hz

Developing solid particulate vaccine adjuvants:surface bound antigen favouring a humoural response, whereas entrapped antigen shows a tendency for cell mediated immunity

This present study compares the efficacy of microsphere formulations, and their method of antigen presentation, for the delivery of the TB sub-unit vaccine antigen, Ag85B-ESAT-6. Microspheres based on poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) and chitosan incorporating dimethyldioctadecylammonium bromide (DDA) were prepared by either the w/o/w double emulsion method (entrapped antigen) or the o/w single emulsion method (surface bound antigen), and characterised for their physico-chemical properties and their ability to promote an immune response to Ag85B-ESAT-6. The method of preparation, and hence method of antigen association, had a pronounced effect on the type of immune response achieved from the microsphere formulations, with surface bound antigen favouring a humoural response, whereas entrapped antigen favoured a cellular response

Jmjd2/Kdm4 demethylases are required for expression of Il3ra and survival of acute myeloid leukemia cells

Acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) with a rearrangement of the mixed-linage leukemia (MLL) gene are aggressive hematopoietic malignancies. Here, we explored the feasibility of using the H3K9- and H3K36-specific demethylases Jmjd2/Kdm4 as putative drug targets in MLL-AF9 translocated leukemia. Using Jmjd2a, Jmjd2b, and Jmjd2c conditional triple-knockout mice, we show that Jmjd2/Kdm4 activities are required for MLL-AF9 translocated AML in vivo and in vitro. We demonstrate that expression of the interleukin 3 receptor a (Il3ra also known as Cd123) subunit is dependent on Jmjd2/Kdm4 through a mechanism involving removal of H3K9me3 from the promoter of the Il3ra gene. Importantly, ectopic expression of Il3ra in Jmjd2/Kdm4 knockout cells alleviates the requirement of Jmjd2/Kdm4 for the survival of AML cells, showing that Il3ra is a critical downstream target of Jmjd2/Kdm4 in leukemia. These results suggest that the JMJD2/KDM4 proteins are promising drug targets for the treatment of AML

Association between antibodies to Coxiella burnetii in bulk tank milk and perinatal mortality of Danish dairy calves

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Coxiella burnetii </it>is a well-known cause of placentitis and subsequent abortion in ruminants, but there are no reports on the relationship with perinatal mortality. The study was performed to determine the influence of level and change of bulk tank milk (BTM) antibodies to <it>C. burnetii </it>on two outcomes associated with parturition in cattle: a) stillbirth; and b) stillbirth and neonatal mortality combined (perinatal death).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Twenty-four Danish dairy herds were tested repeatedly for antibodies to <it>C. burnetii </it>in BTM using a commercial ELISA. Samples were collected monthly from July 2008 to July 2009. Information on the 2,362 calvings occurring in the study period was obtained from the Danish Cattle Database. Two multilevel logistic regression models were created for the two outcomes stillbirth and perinatal mortality. One model included the level of BTM antibodies in a specified period before or after the outcome had occurred. The other model included the change in antibodies over time. These predictors were included both at herd and animal level. Furthermore, all models included parity and breed.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The individual monthly BTM antibody levels were highly correlated within herds. Consequently, changes in BTM antibody levels were not found to be associated with neither risk of stillbirth nor the risk of perinatal mortality. However, the risk of stillborn calves and perinatal death was higher with high level of BTM antibodies 8 to 9 months after the incident, but not outside this period.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that the level of antibodies to <it>C. burnetii </it>in BTM may be associated with perinatal mortality, but the association was not persistent and should be investigated further.</p

Development of an antibody-based capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detecting echinostoma caproni (trematoda) in experimentally infected rats: kinetics of coproantigen excretion

The present study reports on the development of a coproantigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detecting Echinostoma caproni in experimentally infected rats. The capture ELISA was based on polyclonal rabbit antibodies that recognize excretory–secretory (ES) antigens. The detection limit of pure ES was 3 ng/ml in sample buffer and 60 ng/ml in fecal samples. The test was evaluated using a follow-up of 10 rats experimentally infected with 100 metacercariae of E. caproni, and the results were compared with those of other diagnostic methods such as parasitological examination and antibody titers determined by indirect ELISA. Coproantigens were detected in all the infected rats from the first day postinfection (DPI). The period of maximal coproantigen excretion was between 7 and 21 DPI. The values remained positive until 49–56 DPI, coinciding with the disappearance of the eggs in the stool samples of the infected rats. The kinetics of coproantigen detection were correlated with those of egg output. The present assay provides an alternative tool for the diagnosis of the echinostome infections. The proposed capture ELISA makes possible an earlier diagnosis than that provided by parasitological examination and indirect ELISA and also allows for the differentiation of past and current infections. Our results show that this assay can also be used to monitor the course of echinostome infections.Toledo Navarro, Rafael, [email protected] ; Espert Fernandez, Ana M., [email protected] ; Marcilla Diaz, Antonio, [email protected] ; Esteban Sanchis, Jose Guillermo, [email protected]