Hematological response in sheep given protracted exposures to Co 60 gamma radiation

Leukocyte count changes in sheep after prolonged exposure to gamma irradiation at rate of 1.9 R/h

New triterpene and triterpenoid glycosides from Ilex brevicuspis

Das folhas de Ilex brevicuspis foram isolados e identificados um novo triterpeno, ácido 20(S)-3β, 19α-diidroxiurs-12-en-23, 28-dióico, denominado ácido brevicúspico, e dois novos glicosídeos, éster 28-O-β-Dglicopiranosil do ácido 3β-O-α-L-arabinopiranosil 20(S)-pomólico e o sal sódico em C-23 do ester 28β-O-β D-glicopiranosil do ácido (20S)- 3β, 19α, 24-triidroxiurs-12-en-23, 28-dióico. Foi isolado ainda o éster 28-O-β-D-glicopiranosil do ácido 3β-O-α-L-arabinopiranosil-20(S)-19α, 24-diidroxiursólico, já descrito anteriormente para a espécie Ilex argentina. As estruturas foram estabelecidas por métodos espectroscópicos e químicos.From the leaves of Ilex brevicuspis were isolated a new triterpene, 20(S)-3β, 19α-dihydroxyurs-12-en-23, 28-dioic acid, named here brevicuspic acid, and two new triterpenoid glycosides, 3-O-α-Larabinopyranosyl-20(S)-pomolic acid-28-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl ester, named brevicuspisaponin 3, and the 23-sodium salt of (20S)3β, 19α, 24-trihydroxyurs-12-en-23, 28-dioic acid-28β-O-β-Dglucopyranosyl ester, along with the known compound 3-O-α-Larabinopyranosyl-20(S)-19α, 24-dihydroxyursolic acid- 28-O-β-Dglucopyranosyl ester, already described for Ilex argentina. Their structures were established on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic methods

In vivo manipulation of the extracellular matrix induces vascular regression in a basal chordate.

We investigated the physical role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in vascular homeostasis in the basal chordate Botryllus schlosseri, which has a large, transparent, extracorporeal vascular network encompassing an area >100 cm2 We found that the collagen cross-linking enzyme lysyl oxidase is expressed in all vascular cells and that in vivo inhibition using β-aminopropionitrile (BAPN) caused a rapid, global regression of the entire network, with some vessels regressing >10 mm within 16 h. BAPN treatment changed the ultrastructure of collagen fibers in the vessel basement membrane, and the kinetics of regression were dose dependent. Pharmacological inhibition of both focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and Raf also induced regression, and levels of phosphorylated FAK in vascular cells decreased during BAPN treatment and FAK inhibition but not Raf inhibition, suggesting that physical changes in the vessel ECM are detected via canonical integrin signaling pathways. Regression is driven by apoptosis and extrusion of cells through the basal lamina, which are then engulfed by blood-borne phagocytes. Extrusion and regression occurred in a coordinated manner that maintained vessel integrity, with no loss of barrier function. This suggests the presence of regulatory mechanisms linking physical changes to a homeostatic, tissue-level response

Anterior Pituitary Progenitor Cells Express Costimulatory Molecule 4Ig-B7-H31

Abstract Stem/Progenitor cells in the postnatal pituitary gland are embedded in a marginal cell layer around Rathke’s pouch. However, the nature and behavior of anterior pituitary progenitor cells remain unclear. We established bovine anterior pituitary progenitor cell line (BAPC)-1 from the anterior pituitary gland, which expressed stem/progenitor cell-related genes and several inflammatory cytokines. To characterize and localize these pituitary progenitor cells, we produced a mAb (12B mAb) against BAPC-1. The 12B mAb recognized the 4Ig-B7-H3 molecule, which is a costimulatory molecule and negative regulator in T cell activation. WC1+ γδ T cells in young bovine PBMC express the 4Ig-B7-H3 molecule, but few or no 4Ig-B7-H3-immunoreactive cells are expressed in PBMC in adult cattle. The 12B-immunoreactive cells in the bovine anterior pituitary gland were localized around Rathke’s pouch and expressed IL-18 and MHC class II. However, the number of 12B-immunoreactive cells was lower in adult than in young cattle. BAPC-1 expressed IL-18 and MHC class II, and demonstrated phagocytotic activity. BAPC-1 also had the ability to promote CD25 expression in PBMC after 5 days of coculture, and blocking 4Ig-B7-H3 × 12B mAb enhanced their expression of CD25. In addition, the 12B-immunoreactive cells were observed around the pars tuberalis closely bordering the median eminence and in the blood vessels of the primary portal plexus in the anterior pituitary gland. These results suggest that an established BAPC-1 may originate from these progenitor cells, and that the progenitor cells with 4Ig-B7-H3 may play a critical role in the immunoendocrine network.</jats:p

A NEW COMPRESSION-MOLDING APPROACH USING UNIDIRECTIONALLY ARRAYED CHOPPED STRANDS

SUMMARY In this study, we propose a new compression-molding approach using a sheet-like molding material made by regularly and unidirectionally arrayed chopped strands (UACS). UACS achieves both excellent flowablity during molding and distinguished mechanical properties comparable to continuous fiber composites

Wheat-barley hybridization – the last forty years

Abstract Several useful alien gene transfers have been reported from related species into wheat (Triticum aestivum), but very few publications have dealt with the development of wheat/barley (Hordeum vulgare) introgression lines. An overview is given here of wheat 9 barley hybridization over the last forty years, including the development of wheat 9 barley hybrids, and of addition and translocation lines with various barley cultivars. A short summary is also given of the wheat 9 barley hybrids produced with other Hordeum species. The meiotic pairing behaviour of wheat 9 barley hybrids is presented, with special regard to the detection of wheat– barley homoeologous pairing using the molecular cytogenetic technique GISH. The effect of in vitro multiplication on the genome composition of intergeneric hybrids is discussed, and the production and characterization of the latest wheat/barley translocation lines are presented. An overview of the agronomical traits (b-glucan content, earliness, salt tolerance, sprouting resistance, etc.) of the newly developed introgression lines is given. The exploitation and possible use of wheat/barley introgression lines for the most up-to-date molecular genetic studies (transcriptome analysis, sequencing of flow-sorted chromosomes) are also discussed

Estudos sobre a paz e cultura da paz

Segundo o autor, a cultura da paz implica uma mudança quer na forma como a “alta cultura” lida com a realidade quer no tipo de abordagem que o senso comum faz às relações sociais, sendo que a ruptura com a ideologia conservadora, ou seja, com o senso comum realista só é possível graças a estas alterações. O autor realça tanto a importância que os estudos sobre a paz têm para o surgimento de um conceito amplo de paz, desenvolvido por Johan Galtung, como o facto destes estarem estrategicamente orientados para a transformação do sistema internacional. Sequentemente, conclui que a paz é uma categoria moral e cultural que só pode ser alcançada através do comportamento quotidian

Progenitor-Derivative Relationships of Hordeum Polyploids (Poaceae, Triticeae) Inferred from Sequences of TOPO6, a Nuclear Low-Copy Gene Region

Polyploidization is a major mechanism of speciation in plants. Within the barley genus Hordeum, approximately half of the taxa are polyploids. While for diploid species a good hypothesis of phylogenetic relationships exists, there is little information available for the polyploids (4×, 6×) of Hordeum. Relationships among all 33 diploid and polyploid Hordeum species were analyzed with the low-copy nuclear marker region TOPO6 for 341 Hordeum individuals and eight outgroup species. PCR products were either directly sequenced or cloned and on average 12 clones per individual were included in phylogenetic analyses. In most diploid Hordeum species TOPO6 is probably a single-copy locus. Most sequences found in polyploid individuals phylogenetically cluster together with sequences derived from diploid species and thus allow the identification of parental taxa of polyploids. Four groups of sequences occurring only in polyploid taxa are interpreted as footprints of extinct diploid taxa, which contributed to allopolyploid evolution. Our analysis identifies three key species involved in the evolution of the American polyploids of the genus. (i) All but one of the American tetraploids have a TOPO6 copy originating from the Central Asian diploid H. roshevitzii, the second copy clustering with different American diploid species. (ii) All hexaploid species from the New World have a copy of an extinct close relative of H. californicum and (iii) possess the TOPO6 sequence pattern of tetraploid H. jubatum, each with an additional copy derived from different American diploids. Tetraploid H. bulbosum is an autopolyploid, while the assumed autopolyploid H. brevisubulatum (4×, 6×) was identified as allopolyploid throughout most of its distribution area. The use of a proof-reading DNA polymerase in PCR reduced the proportion of chimerical sequences in polyploids in comparison to Taq polymerase

Search for Anisotropy of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays with the Telescope Array Experiment

We study the anisotropy of Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Ray (UHECR) events collected by the Telescope Array (TA) detector in the first 40 months of operation. Following earlier studies, we examine event sets with energy thresholds of 10 EeV, 40 EeV, and 57 EeV. We find that the distributions of the events in right ascension and declination are compatible with an isotropic distribution in all three sets. We then compare with previously reported clustering of the UHECR events at small angular scales. No significant clustering is found in the TA data. We then check the events with E>57 EeV for correlations with nearby active galactic nuclei. No significant correlation is found. Finally, we examine all three sets for correlations with the large-scale structure of the Universe. We find that the two higher-energy sets are compatible with both an isotropic distribution and the hypothesis that UHECR sources follow the matter distribution of the Universe (the LSS hypothesis), while the event set with E>10 EeV is compatible with isotropy and is not compatible with the LSS hypothesis at 95% CL unless large deflection angles are also assumed. We show that accounting for UHECR deflections in a realistic model of the Galactic magnetic field can make this set compatible with the LSS hypothesis.Comment: 10 pages, 9 figure

Serum Alpha-Fetoprotein Predicts Treatment Outcome in Chronic Hepatitis C Patients Regardless of HCV Genotype

We examined the association between serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) level and sustained virological response (SVR) in 93 chronic hepatitis C patients. The SVR rate was much higher among patients with serum AFP levels below rather than above the median value (5.7 ng/ml) (58.7% and 19.2%, respectively; P<0.0001). Serum AFP should be added to the list of factors predictive of treatment response in chronic hepatitis C