Simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of trace iron (III) and aluminum (III) with hybrid linear analysis

Hybrid linear analysis (HLA) was applied to resolution of overlapping spectra of Fe3+-salicylfluorone and Al3+-salicylfluorone complexes and simultaneous spectrophotometric determination of Fe3+ and Al3+. The absorbance matrix of 7 standard mixtures at 41 measuring points ranged from the wavelength of 550 nm to 630 nm was used for calibration. To avoid the effect of interaction between the two components on the determination, the column vector of K matrix obtained from the standard mixtures with least squares was used as the pure spectrum of component. The recoveries of the two elements for the analysis of the synthetic samples were 93.3% similar to 107.5% in the range of the concentration ratio of Fe3+:Al3+ = 10:1 to 1:8. Comparing with the partial least squares (PIS) model, the HLA method was simple, accuracy and precise.

导弹测试系统的视景仿真及方法研究

随着现代武器装备的不断更新，武器系统的可测试性成为保证系统实际性能指标的重要手段。本文简述了新一代某精确制导导弹测试系统的视景仿真的设计与实现。在测试系统中，引入了新一代的分布式交互仿真技术－高级体系结构（HLA）、虚拟现实技术和视景生成技术，逼真的显示虚拟战场、作战过程。视景模拟可分为视景建模、视景渲染和视景生成三部分，借助于专门的图形处理技术和灵活有效的视景驱动，既增加了视景的逼真度，又确保了系统运行的实时性；共享的虚拟试验场包括山地、沙漠、大海等多个背景及坦克、飞机、军舰等多种动、静态武器装备模型；光照、雾、火光、碎片等各种特殊效果的实现，丰富了试验场的连续性和真实感；为测试系统作了部分的技术方法研究，包括海浪建模、特殊效果模型、地形匹配、碰撞检测；提供多个目标运动模型，可为任意或预定运动；根据导弹飞行姿态及速度来模拟环境场景及目标物，并根据控制操作的要求对场景和目标物进行缩放、漫游、旋转和三维形态变换；为进一步的数据采集和分析，能够记录并回放多个历史记录；制定了数据调度策略，在不牺牲真实性的情况下，保证了系统运行的实时性，解决了系统的一大难点。基于分布式虚拟现实技术的视景仿真能够为导弹系统的可测试性提供了更高的可信度，必将使导弹性能迈上一个新台阶，同时能为多种武器提供测试和训练。

Desempenho morfoagronômico de genótipos de girassol cultivados na Chapada do Araripe, Pernambuco.

RESUMO: Com o objetivo de avaliar o desempenho agronômico de genótipos de girassol nas condições edafoclimáticas do primeiro semestre de 2015 na Chapada do Araripe, instalou-se um experimento na Estação Experimental do Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco (IPA), no município de Araripina, Estado de Pernambuco. O delineamento foi o de blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições e 13 tratamentos, correspondendo aos genótipos de girassol: M734, NTC 90, BRS G43, BRS G44, BRS G45, BRS G46, SYN 065, HLA 2013, HLA 2014, HLA 2015, HLA 2016, HLA 2017 e SYN 045. Avaliaram-se as seguintes características: sobrevivência final, floração inicial, maturação fisiológica, altura média do capítulo, peso de 1000 aquênios, diâmetro médio dos capítulos, produção final de aquênios, curvatura do capítulo e plantas acamadas, quebradas e atacadas por pássaros. Os genótipos apresentaram diferenças morfoagronômicas quando cultivados no primeiro semestre em condições edafoclimáticas da região do Araripe, com exceção da variável sobrevivência. O genótipo NTC 90 alcançou o maior peso de aquênios. Todos os genótipos, exceto HLA 2015, apresentaram elevado rendimento de grãos. Os caracteres plantas acamadas, quebradas, atacadas por pássaros ou a curvatura do capítulo não foram relacionadas às diferentes cultivares. ABSTRACT: The study aimed to evaluate the agronomic performance of different sunflower genotypes in edaphoclimatic conditions of Araripe region in the first semester of 2015. The experiment was established at the Experimental Station of Instituto Agronômico de Pernambuco (IPA), Araripina, Pernambuco, Brazil. Experimental design was a randomized blocks with thirteen treatments, corresponding to the sunflower genotypes: M734, NTC 90, BRS G43, BRS G44, BRS G45, BRS G46, SYN 065, HLA 2013, HLA 2014, HLA 2015, HLA 2016, HLA 2017 e SYN 045, with four replicates. The following characteristics were evaluated: final survival, early flowering, physiological maturity, average plant height, weight of 1,000 seeds, average flower diameter, final seed production, flower head curvature, lodged, broken and damaged by birds plants. The genotypes showed morphoagronomic differences when grown in the first semester of 2015 on edaphoclimatic conditions of the Araripe region, except for the variable survival. The NTC 90 genotype achieved the highest weight of head flower. All genotypes, except HLA 2015 showed high grain yield. The characters lodged, broken and damaged plants by birds or curvature of the head flower were not related to the different cultivars.

Avaliação de genótipos de girassol em ambiente de sequeiro e irrigado no Distrito Federal.

RESUMO: O presente trabalho tem por objetivo caracterizar o comportamento de 16 genótipos de girassol em ambiente de sequeiro e ambiente irrigado do Cerrado do Distrito Federal visando aumentar disponibilidade de cultivares mais produtivas e adaptadas. Os ensaios foram conduzidos na área experimental da Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina, DF. Os ensaios foram arranjados experimentalmente em blocos ao acaso, com quatro repetições. Os genótipos avaliados foram: CF 101, ADV 5504, BRS G42, BRS 323, HELIO 250, HELIO 251, SYN 045, SYN 3950HO, MG 305, MG 360, AGUARÁ 04, AGUARÁ 06, PARAÍSO 20, GNZ NEON, HLA 2012 e M734. Os caracteres avaliados foram rendimento estimado de grãos, tamanho do capítulo, peso de mil aquênios, altura de plantas, teor de óleo e dias para floração inicial. Houve diferenças significativas entre os genótipos para todas as características avaliadas. Dos 16 genótipos avaliados, os híbridos SYN 045 (3.786,2 kg ha-1) e MG 305 (4.987,2 kg ha-1) se sobressaíram quanto ao rendimento estimado de grãos. Quanto ao teor de óleo, os híbridos MG 306 (53,95%) e SYN 3950HO (49,49%) se destacaram. Foram identificados os genótipos mais promissores dentre os avaliados, podendo ser explorados em programas de melhoramento que visam o desenvolvimento de cultivares mais adaptadas.

Comportamento temporal de genótipos de girassol no Cerrado do Distrito Federal em safrinha de 2014 e 2015.

RESUMO:Com o objetivo de avaliar o comportamento agronômico de genótipos de girassol no Cerrado do Distrito Federal, foram conduzidos ensaios na safrinha dos anos de 2014 e 2015, na estação experimental da Embrapa Cerrados, Planaltina, DF. O delineamento experimental foi de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições, e foram avaliados 12 genótipos de girassol: HLA 2015, NTC 90, SYN 065, M734, BRS G44, HLA 2014, BRS G45, BRS G43, HLA 2013, HLA 2017, BRS G46, HLA 2016. As características avaliadas foram rendimento de grãos, tamanho do capitulo, peso de mil aquênios, altura de plantas e dias de floração inicial. Diferenças significativas foram encontradas para as características avaliadas. Os genótipos que se destacaram em relação ao rendimento de grãos foram HLA 2014 (3.161 kg ha-1) e a testemunha M743 (3.212 kg ha-1). Além disso, o ensaio do ano 2014 apresentou uma média de rendimento maior (2.829 kg ha-1) e mais precoces (63,10 dias) em relação a 2015. O trabalho permitiu a identificação de materiais promissores para exploração em programas de melhoramento genético. ABSTRACT: Aiming the evaluation on agronomic behavior of sunflower genotypes in the Brazilian savannah, experiments were carried on in the second crop of 2014 and 2015 at Centro de Pesquisa Agropecuária dos Cerrados (Embrapa), Planaltina, DF. A complete randomized block design was used with four replications and 12 genotypes of sunflower were analyzed: HLA 2015, NTC 90, SYN 065, M734, BRS G44, HLA 2014, BRS G45, BRS G43, HLA 2013, HLA 2017, BRS G46, HLA 2016.The evaluated characteristics were grain yield, head, weight thousand achenes, plant height, and flowering time. Significant differences were found in all evaluated characteristics. The genotypes that stood out in seed yield were HLA 2014 (3161 kg ha-1) and M743 (3212 kg ha-1). Besides, the 2014 experiment presented a seed yield average higher (2829 kg ha-1), and earlier flowering (63,10 days) when compared to 2015 experiment. This study allowed the identification of promising materials to explore in breeding programs.

A Doença Celíaca

Projeto de Pós-Graduação/Dissertação apresentado à Universidade Fernando Pessoa como parte dos requisitos para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Ciências Farmacêuticas

Molecular basis of complete C4 deficiency. A study of three patients.

The highly polymorphic fourth component of human complement (C4) is usually encoded by two genes, C4A and C4B, adjacent to the 21-hydroxylase (21-OH) genes and is also remarkable by the high frequency of the null alleles, C4A*Q0 and C4B*Q0. Complete C4 deficiency is exceptional because this condition appears only in homozygotes for the very rare double-null haplotype C4AQ0,BQ0. This condition in most cases gives rise to systemic lupus erythematosus and an increased susceptibility to infections. The molecular basis for complete C4 deficiency has not yet been established. Therefore we studied the DNA of three previously described C4 deficient patients belonging to unrelated families by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis using C4 and 21-OH probes. These studies revealed a deletion of the C4B and 21-OHA genes in two patients and no deletion at all in the third patient. Therefore, complete C4 deficiency as a result of homozygosity for the C4AQ0, BQ0 haplotype is not a consequence of a deletion of the C4 genes. The molecular basis of this genetic abnormality is certainly very complex and may vary also from one case to another.

TCR V alpha- and V beta-gene segment use in T-cell subcultures derived from a type-III bare lymphocyte syndrome patient deficient in MHC class-II expression.

Previously, we and others have shown that MHC class-II deficient humans have greatly reduced numbers of CD4+CD8- peripheral T cells. These type-III Bare Lymphocyte Syndrome patients lack MHC class-II and have an impaired MHC class-I antigen expression. In this study, we analyzed the impact of the MHC class-II deficient environment on the TCR V-gene segment usage in this reduced CD4+CD8- T-cell subset. For these studies, we employed TcR V-region-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and a semiquantitative PCR technique with V alpha and V beta amplimers, specific for each of the most known V alpha- and V beta-gene region families. The results of our studies demonstrate that some of the V alpha-gene segments are used less frequent in the CD4+CD8- T-cell subset of the patient, whereas the majority of the TCR V alpha- and V beta-gene segments investigated were used with similar frequencies in both subsets in the type-III Bare Lymphocyte Syndrome patient compared to healthy control family members. Interestingly, the frequency of TcR V alpha 12 transcripts was greatly diminished in the patient, both in the CD4+CD8- as well as in the CD4-CD8+ compartment, whereas this gene segment could easily be detected in the healthy family controls. On the basis of the results obtained in this study, it is concluded that within the reduced CD4+CD8- T-cell subset of this patient, most of the TCR V-gene segments tested for are employed. However, a skewing in the usage frequency of some of the V alpha-gene segments toward the CD4-CD8+ T-cell subset was noticeable in the MHC class-II deficient patient that differed from those observed in the healthy family controls.

Host determinants of HIV-1 control in African Americans.

We performed a whole-genome association study of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) set point among a cohort of African Americans (n = 515), and an intronic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the HLA-B gene showed one of the strongest associations. We use a subset of patients to demonstrate that this SNP reflects the effect of the HLA-B*5703 allele, which shows a genome-wide statistically significant association with viral load set point (P = 5.6 x 10(-10)). These analyses therefore confirm a member of the HLA-B*57 group of alleles as the most important common variant that influences viral load variation in African Americans, which is consistent with what has been observed for individuals of European ancestry, among whom the most important common variant is HLA-B*5701.

Immunization with cocktail of HIV-derived peptides in montanide ISA-51 is immunogenic, but causes sterile abscesses and unacceptable reactogenicity.

BACKGROUND: A peptide vaccine was produced containing B and T cell epitopes from the V3 and C4 Envelope domains of 4 subtype B HIV-1 isolates (MN, RF, CanO, & Ev91). The peptide mixture was formulated as an emulsion in incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA). METHODS: Low-risk, healthy adult subjects were enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled dose-escalation study, and selected using criteria specifying that 50% in each study group would be HLA-B7+. Immunizations were scheduled at 0, 1, and 6 months using a total peptide dose of 1 or 4 mg. Adaptive immune responses in16 vaccine recipients and two placebo recipients after the 2nd immunization were evaluated using neutralization assays of sera, as well as ELISpot and ICS assays of cryopreserved PBMCs to assess CD4 and CD8 T-cell responses. In addition, (51)Cr release assays were performed on fresh PBMCs following 14-day stimulation with individual vaccine peptide antigens. RESULTS: 24 subjects were enrolled; 18 completed 2 injections. The study was prematurely terminated because 4 vaccinees developed prolonged pain and sterile abscess formation at the injection site-2 after dose 1, and 2 after dose 2. Two other subjects experienced severe systemic reactions consisting of headache, chills, nausea, and myalgia. Both reactions occurred after the second 4 mg dose. The immunogenicity assessments showed that 6/8 vaccinees at each dose level had detectable MN-specific neutralizing (NT) activity, and 2/7 HLA-B7+ vaccinees had classical CD8 CTL activity detected. However, using both ELISpot and ICS, 8/16 vaccinees (5/7 HLA-B7+) and 0/2 controls had detectable vaccine-specific CD8 T-cell responses. Subjects with moderate or severe systemic or local reactions tended to have more frequent T cell responses and higher antibody responses than those with mild or no reactions. CONCLUSIONS: The severity of local responses related to the formulation of these four peptides in IFA is clinically unacceptable for continued development. Both HIV-specific antibody and T cell responses were induced and the magnitude of response correlated with the severity of local and systemic reactions. If potent adjuvants are necessary for subunit vaccines to induce broad and durable immune responses, careful, incremental clinical evaluation is warranted to minimize the risk of adverse events. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00000886.

Preexisting compensatory amino acids compromise fitness costs of a HIV-1 T cell escape mutation.

BACKGROUND: Fitness costs and slower disease progression are associated with a cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) escape mutation T242N in Gag in HIV-1-infected individuals carrying HLA-B*57/5801 alleles. However, the impact of different context in diverse HIV-1 strains on the fitness costs due to the T242N mutation has not been well characterized. To better understand the extent of fitness costs of the T242N mutation and the repair of fitness loss through compensatory amino acids, we investigated its fitness impact in different transmitted/founder (T/F) viruses. RESULTS: The T242N mutation resulted in various levels of fitness loss in four different T/F viruses. However, the fitness costs were significantly compromised by preexisting compensatory amino acids in (Isoleucine at position 247) or outside (glutamine at position 219) the CTL epitope. Moreover, the transmitted T242N escape mutant in subject CH131 was as fit as the revertant N242T mutant and the elimination of the compensatory amino acid I247 in the T/F viral genome resulted in significant fitness cost, suggesting the fitness loss caused by the T242N mutation had been fully repaired in the donor at transmission. Analysis of the global circulating HIV-1 sequences in the Los Alamos HIV Sequence Database showed a high prevalence of compensatory amino acids for the T242N mutation and other T cell escape mutations. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that the preexisting compensatory amino acids in the majority of circulating HIV-1 strains could significantly compromise the fitness loss due to CTL escape mutations and thus increase challenges for T cell based vaccines.

Phenotypic characteristics of human type II alveolar epithelial cells suitable for antigen presentation to T lymphocytes.

Type II alveolar epithelial cells (AECII) are well known for their role in the innate immune system. More recently, it was proposed that they could play a role in the antigen presentation to T lymphocytes but contradictory results have been published both concerning their surface expressed molecules and the T lymphocyte responses in mixed lymphocyte cultures. The use of either AECII cell line or fresh cells could explain the observed discrepancies. Thus, this study aimed at defining the most relevant model of accessory antigen presenting cells by carefully comparing the two models for their expression of surface molecules necessary for efficient antigen presentation.

Interleukin 18 promoter polymorphisms are not strongly associated with type 1 diabetes in a UK population

Interleukin 18 (IL18) is a proinflammatory cytokine whose levels are increased in the subclinical stage of insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes mellitus. Previous case-control studies have reported associations between IL18 -607C>A and -137G>C promoter polymorphisms and type I diabetes. We performed case-control and family-based association studies employing Pyrosequencing to assess if these IL18 polymorphisms are also associated with the development of type I diabetes in the Northern Ireland population. The chi2 analysis of genotype and allele frequencies for the IL18 polymorphisms in cases (n=433) vs controls (n=426) revealed no significant differences (P>0.05). Assessment of allele transmission distortion from informative parents to affected offspring also failed to confirm previously reported associations. Stratification of these analyses for age-at-onset and HLA-DR type did not reveal any significance associations. In conclusion, our data do not support the strong positive associations of IL18 promoter polymorphisms with type I diabetes reported in previous smaller studies.

Association between polymorphism in regulatory region of gene encoding tumour necrosis factor alpha and risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia: a case-control study

BACKGROUND: Deposition of beta-amyloid in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease is thought to precede a chain of events that leads to an inflammatory response by the brain. We postulated that genetic variation in the regulatory region of the gene for the proinflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) leads to increased risk of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. METHODS: A polymorphism in the regulatory region of the TNF-alpha gene was analysed in a case-control study. The polymorphism (C-850T) was typed in 242 patients with sporadic Alzheimer's disease, 81 patients with vascular dementia, 61 stroke patients without dementia, and 235 normal controls. These groups of individuals were also genotyped for the apolipoprotein E polymorphism, and the vascular dementia and stroke groups were typed at the HLA-DR locus. FINDINGS: The distribution of TNF-alpha genotypes in the vascular dementia group differed significantly from that in the stroke and normal control groups, giving an odds ratio of 2.51 (95% CI 1.49-4.21) for the development of vascular dementia for individuals with a CT or TT genotype. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the possession of the T allele significantly increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease associated with carriage of the apolipoprotein E epsilon4 allele (odds ratio 2.73 [1.68-4.44] for those with apolipoprotein E epsilon4 but no TNF-alpha T, vs 4.62 [2.38-8.96] for those with apolipoprotein E epsilon4 and TNF-alpha T; p=0.03). INTERPRETATION: Possession of the TNF-alpha T allele significantly increases the risk of vascular dementia, and increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease associated with apolipoprotein E. Although further research is needed, these findings suggest a potential role for anti-inflammatory therapy in vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease, and perhaps especially in patients who have had a stroke.

Natural Exposure to Cutaneous Anthrax Gives Long-Lasting T Cell Immunity Encompassing Infection-Specific Epitopes

There has been a long history of defining T cell epitopes to track viral immunity and to design rational vaccines, yet few data of this type exist for bacterial infections. Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax, is both an endemic pathogen in many regions and a potential biological warfare threat. T cell immunity in naturally infected anthrax patients has not previously been characterized, which is surprising given concern about the ability of anthrax toxins to subvert or ablate adaptive immunity. We investigated CD4 T cell responses in patients from the Kayseri region of Turkey who were previously infected with cutaneous anthrax. Responses to B. anthracis protective Ag and lethal factor (LF) were investigated at the protein, domain, and epitope level. Several years after antibiotic-treated anthrax infection, strong T cell memory was detectable, with no evidence of the expected impairment in specific immunity. Although serological responses to existing anthrax vaccines focus primarily on protective Ag, the major target of T cell immunity in infected individuals and anthrax-vaccinated donors was LF, notably domain IV. Some of these anthrax epitopes showed broad binding to several HLA class alleles, but others were more constrained in their HLA binding patterns. Of specific CD4 T cell epitopes targeted within LF domain IV, one is preferentially seen in the context of bacterial infection, as opposed to vaccination, suggesting that studies of this type will be important in understanding how the human immune system confronts serious bacterial infection.