Evaluation of Gender for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Information Society (GenARDIS) - phases I and II : full report; evaluation period: July–November 2006

Evaluation team members: Angela M. Kuga Thas, Sylvie Niombo, Natasha Lee Primo, Jennifer Radloff, Lenka Simerska

Evaluation of Gender for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Information Society (GenARDIS) - phases I and II : summary of key findings and recommendations (evaluation period: July-November 2006)

Evaluation team members: Angela M. Kuga Thas, Sylvie Niombo, Natasha Lee Primo, Jennifer Radloff, Lenka Simersk

Active immunisation of mice with GnRH lipopeptide vaccine candidates: importance of T helper or multi-dimer GnRH epitope

Active immunisation against gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) is a potential alternative to surgical castration. This study focused on the development of a GnRH subunit lipopeptide vaccine. A library of vaccine candidates that contained one or more (up to eight) copies of monomeric or dimeric GnRH peptide antigen, an adjuvanting lipidic moiety based on lipoamino acids, and an additional T helper epitope, was synthesised by solid phase peptide synthesis. The candidates were evaluated in vivo in order to determine the minimal components of this vaccine necessary to induce a systemic immune response. BALB/c mice were immunised with GnRH lipopeptide conjugates, co-administered with or without Complete Freund's Adjuvant, followed by two additional immunisations. Significant GnRH-specific IgG titres were detected in sera obtained from mice immunised with four of the seven lipopeptides tested, with an increase in titres observed after successive immunisations. This study highlights the importance of for epitope optimisation and delivery system design when producing anti-hapten antibodies in vivo. The results of this study also contribute to the development of future clinical and veterinary immunocontraceptives

Electron microscopical investigations of hexagonal phase precipitation in Zn---12 wt% Al---1 wt% Cu and Zn---27 wt% Al---2 wt% Cu alloys

peer reviewedIn Zn---12 wt% Al---1 wt% Cu and Zn---27 wt% Al---2 wt%Cu alloys aged at 100° and 250°C the precipitation of h.c.p. phases was studied by means of transmission electron microscopy. The presence of the metastable ηm and ηx-phases was established using the Moiré pattern method. The ηm → η phase transition was observed. Screw dislocations are visualized in (114) with b logical and {220} in η phase precipitates by means of Moiré fringes.On étudie, par microscopie électronique en transmission, la précipitation de phases H. C dans des alliages Zn-12% en poids Al---1% en poids Cu et Zn---27% en poids Al---2% en poids Cu. La Présence des phases métastables ηm et ηx est établie par la méthode des moirés. On observe la transition de phase ηm → η. Des dislocations vis avec b logical and •220• sont mises en évidence dans le plan (114βbr) des précipités de la phase η par la méthode des franges de moiré.Die Ausscheidung von hexagonalen Phasen in de Legierungen Zn---12 Al---1 Cu und Zn---27 Al---2 Cu (alles in Gew. —%), die bei 100 und 250°C ausgelagert worden waren, wird mittels Durchstrahlungselektronenmikroskopie studiert. Das Vorkommen der metasbilen Phasen ηm und ηx wird über die Auswertung von Moiré-Streifen bestätigt. Die Phasenumwandlung ηm → η wird beobachtet. In den η-Ausscheidungen werden mit Moiré-Streifen Schraubenversetzungen auf (βbr114) mit b mid left angle bracket220right-pointing angle bracket identifiziert