592 research outputs found

    The Role of the 1994-95 Coffee Boom in Uganda's Recovery

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    This paper reports a CGE analysis that explores the consequences of the 1994-95 rise in the international price of coffee for Uganda´s economy. Evidence is found for a small effect on medium-term growth and poverty reduction. Aid dependence is among the reasons why this effect is not found to be larger. Major beneficiary groups are not only the farmers to which the windfall initially accrued but also urban wage earners and the urban self-employed

    Ets-1 Regulates Energy Metabolism in Cancer Cells

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    Cancer cells predominantly utilize glycolysis for ATP production even in the presence of abundant oxygen, an environment that would normally result in energy production through oxidative phosphorylation. Although the molecular mechanism for this metabolic switch to aerobic glycolysis has not been fully elucidated, it is likely that mitochondrial damage to the electron transport chain and the resulting increased production of reactive oxygen species are significant driving forces. In this study, we have investigated the role of the transcription factor Ets-1 in the regulation of mitochondrial function and metabolism. Ets-1 was over-expressed using a stably-incorporated tetracycline-inducible expression vector in the ovarian cancer cell line 2008, which does not express detectable basal levels of Ets-1 protein. Microarray analysis of the effects of Ets-1 over-expression in these ovarian cancer cells shows that Ets-1 up-regulates key enzymes involved in glycolysis and associated feeder pathways, fatty acid metabolism, and antioxidant defense. In contrast, Ets-1 down-regulates genes involved in the citric acid cycle, electron transport chain, and mitochondrial proteins. At the functional level, we have found that Ets-1 expression is directly correlated with cellular oxygen consumption whereby increased expression causes decreased oxygen consumption. Ets-1 over-expression also caused increased sensitivity to glycolytic inhibitors, as well as growth inhibition in a glucose-depleted culture environment. Collectively our findings demonstrate that Ets-1 is involved in the regulation of cellular metabolism and response to oxidative stress in ovarian cancer cells

    The development of an ELISA-assay for semi-quantitative detection of dihydrogriesenin, a sesquiterpene lactone from Geigeria

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    Certain species of Geigeria contain sesquiterpene lactones which cause vomiting disease in sheep. Dihydrogriesenin (DHG), a sesquiterpene lactone from G. aspera, contains an α-methylene function which can spontaneously react with thiol groups on proteins to form a covalent adduct. A specific antiserum against a DHG-protein adduct can be used to determine the fate of DHG in poisoned animals. The preparation of such an antiserum is reported in this paper. DHG was reacted with cysteine and subsequently coupled to serum albumin using the carbodiimide reaction. When rabbits were immunized with one such conjugate (DHG-bovine serum albumin), it was found that the carrier determinants were immunodominant. A DHG-specific anti-serum of sufficient (ELISA) titre could, however, be obtained by alternating serum albumin carriers for DHG in booster immunizations. The ELISA antigen-antibody reaction could be inhibited by prior reaction of the antisera with cysteinyl-DHG in solution.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.lmchunu2014mn201

    Noninvasive immuno-PET imaging of CD8 + T cell behavior in influenza A virus-infected mice

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    Immuno-positron emission tomography (immuno-PET) is a noninvasive imaging method that enables tracking of immune cells in living animals. We used a nanobody that recognizes mouse CD8α and labeled it wit

    Fast Data Sharing within a distributed multithreaded control framework for robot teams

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    In this paper a data sharing framework for multithreaded, distributed control programs is described that is realized in C++ by means of only a few, powerful classes and templates. Fast data exchange of entire data structures is supported using sockets as communication medium. Access methods are provided that preserve data consistency and synchronize the data exchange. The framework has been successfully used to build a distributed robot soccer control system running on as many computers as needed

    Gobierno universitario : entre la autogestiĂłn estamental y la responsabilidad social

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    <p>Low doses of the relatively neutralization resistant SHIV <sub>SF162P3</sub> isolate were incubated at 37<sup>0</sup>C for four hours with concentrations of the human monoclonal antibody IgG1 b12. The mixture was then added to GHOST cells and allowed to absorb for 24 hours. The cells were washed and cultured for a further 24 hours (4/24/2 assays). Four duplicate cultures were used for each point within a replicate. Data are fitted to a second-order (quadratic) equation. Dotted lines are extrapolations to the horizontal axis calculated from the quadratic plots. Axes are truncated and some symbols are excluded to improve clarity, especially around the origin. <b>A</b>. SHIV<sub>SF162P3</sub> exposed to GHOST cells from passage 7 (1 replicate) and 9 (2 replicates). Gray: control cultures where virus were incubated without monoclonal antibody: y = -0.00285 x<sup>2</sup> + 1.310 x -6.009; green: Virus pre-incubated with 0.625 µg/ml IgG1 b12: y = -0.00284 x<sup>2</sup> + 0.939 x -0.517. <b>B</b>. Gray same as for A. blue: Virus pre-incubated with 0.25 µg/ml IgG1 b12: y = -0.000606 x<sup>2</sup> + 0.870 x + 3.152. <b>C</b>. SHIV<sub>SF162P3</sub> exposed to GHOST cells from passages 15, 17 and 21. Gray: control cultures where virus were incubated without monoclonal antibody: y = 0.00182 x<sup>2</sup> + 0.665 x + 11.01; green: Virus pre-incubated with 0.625 µg/ml IgG1 b12: y = + 0.00135 x<sup>2</sup> + 0.487 x + 8.334. <b>D</b>. Gray same as for C. blue: where cultures are exposed to virus pre-incubated with 0.25 µg/ml IgG1 b12: y = 0.00140x<sup>2</sup> + 0.616x + 5.768. Interval between points where control and 0.25 µg/ml IgG1 b12 plots cut x-axis: 7.81 infectious virus.</p

    Changes in the incidences of the different serovars of Haemophilus paragallinarum in South Africa: a possible explanation for vaccination failures

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    Infectious coryza remains an important disease in the poultry industry despite the long-term and widespread use of vaccines against its causative agent, Haemophilus paragallinarum, in South Africa. In order to detect antigenic changes between populations of H. paragallinarum isolated before the use of vaccines against infectious coryza in this country, and field isolates obtained after the introduction of infectious coryza vaccines, 106 different NAD-dependent isolates (of which 93 were identified as H. paragallinarum) from 63 different farms, and dating from 1972 to March 1995, were identified by means of rabbit antisera against serogroups A, B and C. Serogroup C isolates show weaker cross-protection, requiring the further subdivision of this serogroup into its four different serovars. The percentages of the different serovars obtained in the 1970s, confirmed previously published data on South African isolates. A tendency towards a decrease in the number of serogroup A and serovar C-2 isolates, and an increase in the percentage of serovar C-3 isolates, was noted among isolates of the 1980s. These changes were markedly enhanced in the isolates obtained from 1990 to March 1995. The percentage of serogroup A isolates decreased significantly from 34% in the 1970s to only 5% in the 1990s, and that of serovar C-2 isolates, from 31-18%, while the abundance of serovar C-3 isolates increased significantly from 31% in the 1970s to 73% in the 1990s. Serogroup B remained more or less constant and never reached more than 10% of the population. These results indicate the need for the incorporation of serovar C-3 in a vaccine for use in South Africa, particularly in those areas of the country from which isolates were collected during this study. Some of the NAD-dependent isolates obtained from poultry in South Africa between 1970 and 1995, were biochemically identified as Pasteurella avium and P. volantium. As H. avium has been subdivided and reclassified into the genus Pasteurella, this represents the first report of the identification of P. avium and P. volantium in South Africa.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat X Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.mn201

    Monoclonal antibody characterization of South African field isolates of Haemophilus paragallinarum

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    A total of 27 different isolates of Haemophilus paragallinarum were made from chickens between June 1991 and December 1992. All of these isolates were examined by ELISA, by means of a locally produced panel of three monoclonal antibodies (denoted F1 , V1 and VF3). The isolates were all of the F1 antigenic type. Three of them showed a weak reaction with the F1 monoclonal antibody, while three other isolates reacted strongly with the F1 as well as with the VF3 Mab. A selection of stored Haemophilus isolates, dating from 1984 to 1985, were also examined with the Mabs and found to be of the F1 antigenic type. Fifteen isolates were collected before 1974, i.e. before the use of Haemophilus vaccines in this country. The majority of them were of the F1 antigenic grouping. Some showed a weak reaction with the F1 Mab; others showed a strong reaction with both the F1 and VF3 Mabs; and a few showed no significant reaction with any of the Mabs used. Strains used for the production of infectious coryza vaccine were also examined with the Mabs. Strain 0083 showed a stronger reaction with the V1 Mab than with the F1 Mab, whereas strain 0222 showed no reaction with any of the Mabs. None of the SA field isolates collected since the use of vaccines exhibits the V1 antigenicity, which is the prevalent antigen of strain 0083. Most (80%) of the SA field isolates showed a stronger reaction with the F1 Mab than did strain 0083. Antigenically silent isolates similar to 0222 (Page's serotype B) were isolated before the use of vaccines, but not since.The articles have been scanned in colour with a HP Scanjet 5590; 600dpi. Adobe Acrobat XI Pro was used to OCR the text and also for the merging and conversion to the final presentation PDF-format.South African Cancer Association. Egg Board.mn201
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