Preservation of mucosal and systemic adjuvant properties of ISCOMS in the absence of functional interleukin-4 or interferon-γ

Adjuvants are a critical component of non-viable vaccine vectors, particularly for those to be used via mucosal routes. Although most adjuvants act by inducing local inflammatory responses, the molecular basis of many of these effects is unclear. Here we have investigated whether interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) are required for the induction of local and systemic immune responses by oral and parenteral administration of ovalbumin (OVA) in immune stimulating complexes (ISCOMS), a potent mucosal adjuvant vector. Our results show that after oral or systemic immunization with OVA ISCOMS, IL-4 knockout (IL4KO) and IFN-γ receptor knockout (IFN-γRKO) mice develop an entirely normal range of immune responses including delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH), serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, T-cell proliferation and cytokine production, class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity and intestinal IgA antibodies. These responses were of a similar magnitude to those found in the wild-type mice, indicating that the immunogenicity of ISCOMS is not influenced by the presence of IL-4 or IFN-γ and emphasizing the potential of ISCOMS as widely applicable mucosal adjuvants

Opportunities for Terahertz Facilities on the High Plateau

While the summit of the Antarctic Plateau has long been expected to harbor the best ground-based sites for terahertz (THz) frequency astronomical investigations, it is only recently that direct observations of exceptional THz atmospheric transmission and stability have been obtained. These observations, in combination with recent technological advancements in astronomical instrumentation and autonomous field platforms, make the recognition and realization of terahertz observatories on the high plateau feasible and timely. Here, we will explore the context of terahertz astronomy in the era of Herschel, and the crucial role that observatories on the Antarctic Plateau can play. We explore the important scientific questions to which observations from this unique environment may be most productively applied. We examine the importance and complementarity of Antarctic THz astronomy in the light of contemporary facilities such as ALMA, CCAT, SOFIA and (U)LDB ballooning. Finally, building from the roots of THz facilities in Antarctica to present efforts, we broadly highlight future facilities that will exploit the unique advantages of the Polar Plateau and provide a meaningful, lasting astrophysical legacy

ESTIMATIVA DA PRESSÃO ARTERIAL DE CRIANÇAS DE 1 A 6 ANOS DE IDADE, COM ESPECIAL REFERÊNCIA À LARGURA DO MANGUITO

A autora apresenta as médias e medidas de dispersão - desvios padrão e percentis - das pressões sistólica e diastólica de crianças de 1 a 6 anos de idade. Utilizando um critério segundo o qual a largura do manguito deve ser igual ao diâmetro do braço mais 20%, aproximadamente, a autora demonstra como a largura do manguito interfere significativamente na leitura da pressão arterial.The author presents means and dispersion\u27s mesures - standards deviations and percentiles - of systolic and diastolic pressures in children from one to six years old. The use of a cuff whose width equals the diameter of the child\u27s arm plus an 20% increase was established. The study evidences a significant influence of this width upon the arterial blood pressure readings. So, when a narrower cuff was emplovedn, the average values of the systolic and diastolic pressures were overestimated and when a cuff large than the established one was used, they were underestimated