REPORT OF INVENTION ON THE PREPARATION OF PLUTONIUM TRIFLUORIDE

A method is described for the preparation of PuF/sub 3/ by means of a solid phase-gas reaction between Pu(IV) oxatate or Pu(III) oxalate and Freon-type compounds such as CC1/sub 2/F/sib 2/. (auth

Breeding oat for resistance to the crown rust pathogen Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae: achievements and prospects

Crown rust, caused by Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae (Pca), is a significant impediment to global oat production. Some 98 alleles at 92 loci conferring resistance to Pca in Avena have been designated; however, allelic relationships and chromosomal locations of many of these are unknown. Long-term monitoring of Pca in Australia, North America and elsewhere has shown that it is highly variable even in the absence of sexual recombination, likely due to large pathogen populations that cycle between wild oat communities and oat crops. Efforts to develop cultivars with genetic resistance to Pca began in the 1950s. Based almost solely on all all-stage resistance, this has had temporary benefits but very limited success. The inability to eradicate wild oats, and their common occurrence in many oat growing regions, means that future strategies to control Pca must be based on the assumption of a large and variable prevailing pathogen population with high evolutionary potential, even if cultivars with durable resistance are deployed and grown widely. The presence of minor gene, additive APR to Pca in hexaploid oat germplasm opens the possibility of pyramiding several such genes to give high levels of resistance. The recent availability of reference genomes for diploid and hexaploid oat will undoubtedly accelerate efforts to discover, characterise and develop high throughput diagnostic markers to introgress and pyramid resistance to Pca in high yielding adapted oat germplasm.Financial support from Judith and David Coffey and family, the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC: DAS00133, UOS1707-003RTX, UOS2104-001RTX) and the University of Sydney is gratefully acknowledged. Some of the unpublished research reported on was undertaken as part of a long running program on national cereal rust surveillance, conducted at the University of Sydney since 1921. EP is funded by Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [PID2019-104518RB-100], (AEI/FEDER, UE) and regional government through the AGR-253 group, the European Regional and Social Development Funds.Peer reviewe

Migratory Dermal Dendritic Cells Act as Rapid Sensors of Protozoan Parasites

Dendritic cells (DC), including those of the skin, act as sentinels for intruding microorganisms. In the epidermis, DC (termed Langerhans cells, LC) are sessile and screen their microenvironment through occasional movements of their dendrites. The spatio-temporal orchestration of antigen encounter by dermal DC (DDC) is not known. Since these cells are thought to be instrumental in the initiation of immune responses during infection, we investigated their behavior directly within their natural microenvironment using intravital two-photon microscopy. Surprisingly, we found that, under homeostatic conditions, DDC were highly motile, continuously crawling through the interstitial space in a Gαi protein-coupled receptor–dependent manner. However, within minutes after intradermal delivery of the protozoan parasite Leishmania major, DDC became immobile and incorporated multiple parasites into cytosolic vacuoles. Parasite uptake occurred through the extension of long, highly dynamic pseudopods capable of tracking and engulfing parasites. This was then followed by rapid dendrite retraction towards the cell body. DDC were proficient at discriminating between parasites and inert particles, and parasite uptake was independent of the presence of neutrophils. Together, our study has visualized the dynamics and microenvironmental context of parasite encounter by an innate immune cell subset during the initiation of the immune response. Our results uncover a unique migratory tissue surveillance program of DDC that ensures the rapid detection of pathogens

A Novel DC Therapy with Manipulation of MKK6 Gene on Nickel Allergy in Mice

BACKGROUND: Although the activation of dermal dendritic cells (DCs) or Langerhans cells (LCs) via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of metal allergy, the in vivo molecular mechanisms have not been identified and a possible therapeutic strategy using the control of dermal DCs or LCs has not been established. In this study, we focused on dermal DCs to define the in vivo mechanisms of metal allergy pathogenesis in a mouse nickel (Ni) allergy model. The effects of DC therapy on Ni allergic responses were also investigated. METHODS AND FINDING: The activation of dermal DCs via p38 MAPK triggered a T cell-mediated allergic immune response in this model. In the MAPK signaling cascade in DCs, Ni potently phosphorylated MAP kinase kinase 6 (MKK6) following increased DC activation. Ni-stimulated DCs could prime T cell activation to induce Ni allergy. Interestingly, when MKK6 gene-transfected DCs were transferred into the model mice, a more pronounced allergic reaction was observed. In addition, injection of short interfering (si) RNA targeting the MKK6 gene protected against a hypersensitivity reaction after Ni immunization. The cooperative action between T cell activation and MKK6-mediated DC activation by Ni played an important role in the development of Ni allergy. CONCLUSIONS: DC activation by Ni played an important role in the development of Ni allergy. Manipulating the MKK6 gene in DCs may be a good therapeutic strategy for dermal Ni allergy

Meta-Analysis of Genome-Wide Association Studies for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Identifies Four New Disease-Specific Risk Loci

Rationale: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a complex disease with both genetic and environmental risk factors. Together, 6 previously identified risk loci only explain a small proportion of the heritability of AAA. Objective: To identify additional AAA risk loci using data from all available genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Methods and Results: Through a meta-analysis of 6 GWAS datasets and a validation study totalling 10,204 cases and 107,766 controls we identified 4 new AAA risk loci: 1q32.3 (SMYD2), 13q12.11 (LINC00540), 20q13.12 (near PCIF1/MMP9/ZNF335), and 21q22.2 (ERG). In various database searches we observed no new associations between the lead AAA SNPs and coronary artery disease, blood pressure, lipids or diabetes. Network analyses identified ERG, IL6R and LDLR as modifiers of MMP9, with a direct interaction between ERG and MMP9. Conclusions: The 4 new risk loci for AAA appear to be specific for AAA compared with other cardiovascular diseases and related traits suggesting that traditional cardiovascular risk factor management may only have limited value in preventing the progression of aneurysmal disease

Hanford Works Report HW-42996

Prevailing dimensional tolerance for sintered UO₂ reactor fuel components to be enclosed in metal jackets are expensively small. For instance, the PWR fuel pellet, as of November, 1955, consisted of a centerless ground UO₂ cylinder 0.3560" (+0.0005", -0.000") in diameter and 0.3527" (±0.0008") long. This pellet was designed to fit in a Zircaloy tube 0.3585" (+0.0005", -0.0000") inside diameter. The use of UO₂ shapes as pressed, or extruded, and sintered with diameter variations controlled to a tolerance of ±0.003" to ±0.005" would represent a fabrication cost saving worth considering. It is reasonable to assume that the annulus between a sintered UO₂ shape and its container will vary as a function of time of irradiation. Shrinkage from the can walls occurs with relatively low density (i.e., 85% of theoretical) sintered irradiation (cf. MTR Test GEH-4-3C). Contrary to this effect, the thermal expansion coefficient of UO₂ is about twice that of Zircaloy. Of possibly greater significance is the inevitable fractuce of dense UO₂ due to thermal stress. Such cracking effectively relocates the annular heat transfer gap to the interior of the oxide where the higher temperatures enhance the heat transfer coefficient. Thus, possibly the worst condition, with respect to heat transfer, is when the gap is maintained at the interface between the UO₂ and the inside wall of the jacket. Two capsules containing UO₂ with variable gap between oxide and jacket have been prepared in an effort to gain some understanding of the need for close dimensional tolerance. The range of gap is 0.0001" to 0.011". These capsules, as sketched in figure 1, are to be irradiated in the MTR and will be referred to as test GEH-3-19. This document consists of the calculation of expected temperatures and desired irradiation conditions

Report of Invention on the Preparation of Plutonium Trifluoride

A method is described for the preparation of PuF/sub 3/ by means of a solid phase-gas reaction between Pu(IV) oxatate or Pu(III) oxalate and Freon-type compounds such as CC1/sub 2/F/sib 2/. (auth

Continuous purification of water for isotopic analysis by density determinations /

"Date Declassified: July 23, 1946."Cover title.Mode of access: Internet