Efficacy of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus Bm86 against Hyalomma dromedarii and Amblyomma cajennense tick infestations in camels and cattle

The recombinant Bm86-based tick vaccines have shown their efficacy for the control of cattle ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and R. annulatus infestations. However, cattle ticks often co-exist with multi-host ticks such as Hyalomma and Amblyomma species, thus requiring the control of multiple tick infestations for cattle and other hosts. Vaccination trials using a R. microplus recombinant Bm86-based vaccine were conducted in cattle and camels against Hyalomma dromedarii and in cattle against Amblyomma cajennense immature and adult ticks. The results showed an 89% reduction in the number of H. dromedarii nymphs engorging on vaccinated cattle, and a further 32% reduction in the weight of the surviving adult ticks. In vaccinated camels, a reduction of 27% and 31% of tick engorgement and egg mass weight, respectively was shown, while egg hatching was reduced by 39%. However, cattle vaccination with Bm86 did not have an effect on A. cajennense tick infestations. These results showed that Bm86 vaccines are effective against R. microplus and other tick species but improved vaccines containing new antigens are required to control multiple tick infestations. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Lactic acid bacteria and their antimicrobial peptides : Induction,detection,partial characterization, and potential applications

Bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacteria and their isolated peptide bacteriocins are of value to control pathogens and spoiling microorganisms in foods and feed. Nisin is the only bacteriocin that is commonly accepted as a food preservative and has a broad spectrum of activity against Gram-positive organisms including spore forming bacteria. In this study nisin induction was studied from two perspectives, induction from inside of the cell and selection of nisin inducible strains with increased nisin induction sensitivity. The results showed that a mutation in the nisin precursor transporter NisT rendered L. lactis incapable of nisin secretion and lead to nisin accumulation inside the cells. Intracellular proteolytic activity could cleave the N-terminal leader peptide of nisin precursor, resulting in active nisin in the cells. Using a nisin sensitive GFP bioassay it could be shown, that the active intracellular nisin could function as an inducer without any detectable release from the cells. The results suggested that nisin can be inserted into the cytoplasmic membrane from inside the cell and activate NisK. This model of two-component regulation may be a general mechanism of how amphiphilic signals activate the histidine kinase sensor and would represent a novel way for a signal transduction pathway to recognize its signal. In addition, nisin induction was studied through the isolation of natural mutants of the GFPuv nisin bioassay strain L. lactis LAC275 using fl uorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). The isolated mutant strains represent second generation of GFPuv bioassay strains which can allow the detection of nisin at lower levels. The applied aspect of this thesis was focused on the potential of bacteriocins in chicken farming. One aim was to study nisin as a potential growth promoter in chicken feed. Therefore, the lactic acid bacteria of chicken crop and the nisin sensitivity of the isolated strains were tested. It was found that in the crop Lactobacillus reuteri, L. salivarius and L. crispatus were the dominating bacteria and variation in nisin resistance level of these strains was found. This suggested that nisin may be used as growth promoter without wiping out the dominating bacterial species in the crop. As the isolated lactobacilli may serve as bacteria promoting chicken health or reducing zoonoosis and bacteriocin production is one property associated with probiotics, the isolated strains were screened for bacteriocin activity against the pathogen Campylobacter jejuni. The results showed that many of the isolated L. salivarius strains could inhibit the growth of C. jejuni. The bacteriocin of the L. salivarius LAB47 strain, with the strongest activity, was further characterized. Salivaricin 47 is heat-stable and active in pH range 3 to 8, and the molecular mass was estimated to be approximately 3.2 kDa based on tricine SDS-PAGE analysis.

Alk (en) ylresorcinol concentrations in'Kensington Pride'mango peel and antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides

Two preformed alk(en)ylresorcinols, 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol and 5-n-pentadecylresorcinol, were identified in ‘Kensington Pride’ mango fruit peel. The alk(en)ylresorcinols had antifungal activity against C. gloeosporioides, as determined from thin layer chromatography bioassays. Soil-applied activators of plant defence (Acibenzolar at 150 mg L-1, and soluble potassium silicate at 200 and 1000 mg L-1) did not influence concentrations of 5-n-heptadecenylresorcinol or 5-n-pentadecyl¬resorcinol in mango peel when applied 2 months after fruit set and one month later. Concentrations of both alk(en)ylresorcinols were high 2 months after fruit set but levels declined by 50% within 1 month (2 months before commercial harvest) and did not change significantly from commercial harvest until eating-ripe.

Resistance Struggle Against Nazis Commemorative Medal

Obverse: The symbol of the World Assembly to Commemorate Jewish Resistance and Combat Against Nazis. Man and woman wearing a stylized Star of David. Reverse: Symbol of the State of Israel, inscription. Emblem of 35 years of the state of Israel.

Induction of partial immunity in both males and females is sufficient to protect females against sexual transmission of Chlamydia

Sexually transmitted Chlamydia trachomatis causes infertility, and because almost 90% of infections are asymptomatic, a vaccine is required for its eradication. Mathematical modeling studies have indicated that a vaccine eliciting partial protection (non-sterilizing) may prevent Chlamydia infection transmission, if administered to both sexes before an infection. However, reducing chlamydial inoculum transmitted by males and increasing infection resistance in females through vaccination to elicit sterilizing immunity has yet to be investigated experimentally. Here we show that a partially protective vaccine (chlamydial major outer membrane protein (MOMP) and ISCOMATRIX (IMX) provided sterilizing immunity against sexual transmission between immunized mice. Immunizing male or female mice before an infection reduced chlamydial burden and disease development, but did not prevent infection. However, infection and inflammatory disease responsible for infertility were absent in 100% of immunized female mice challenged intravaginally with ejaculate collected from infected immunized males. In contrast to the sterilizing immunity generated following recovery from a previous chlamydial infection, protective immunity conferred by MOMP/IMX occurred independent of resident memory T cells. Our results demonstrate that vaccination of males or females can further protect the opposing sex, whereas vaccination of both sexes can synergize to elicit sterilizing immunity against Chlamydia sexual transmission.

Pregnancy suppression by active immunization against gestation-specific riboflavin carrier protein

A riboflavin carrier protein isolated from chickens cross-reacts with a gestation-specific rodent carrier for riboflavin. Active immunization of female rats of proved fertility with the purified chicken carrier protein completely yet reversibly suppressed early pregnancy without impairing implantation per se. Concurrently there were no discernible adverse effects on maternal health in terms of weight gain, vitamin status, and fertility.

Designing against boredom in automated driving

I draw on four years of experience in mobility and transport research. I was part of a research project with Siemens, for which we identified global trends in urban mobility and explored future business opportunities through scenario planning methods. Some of the proposed solutions for personal and public transport included driverless vehicles. In collaboration with BMW Design I explored the potential of new materials for automotive user interfaces...

Biodiversity, biosecurity and integrated pest management

Breaches of biosecurity, leading to incursions by invasive species, have the potential to cause substantial economic, social and environmental losses, including drastic reduction in biodiversity. It is argued that improving biosecurity reduces risk to biodiversity, while maintaining stable ecosystems through biodiversity can be a safeguard against biosecurity breaches. The global costs of invasive alien species (IAS) have been estimated at around US$350 billion, while alien invertebrate and vertebrate pests and weeds are estimated to cost Australia at least $7 billion a year. A striking, current, example is the incursion by Myrtle Rust (Puccinia psidii) an organism which can infect all members of the Myrtaceae, the most important family in the Australian flora. Myrtle rust was first detected on a property on the central coast of New South Wales in late April 2010. Two years later the disease has been detected in numerous locations in Queensland and New South Wales ranging from commercial plant nurseries and public amenities to large areas of bushland. This particular breach of biosecurity will, inevitably, diminish biodiversity of flora and fauna over large areas of the continent. Integrated pest management (IPM), an enrichment of diversity in managing invasive and other pest species, offers the best opportunity to address problems such as these. Australia's response to increasing biosecurity risk is comprehensive and includes national networking of scientists engaged in a complex program of biosecurity research and development, including studies of IPM. This network is being enhanced by the development of international linkages.

Protection Conferred by Infectious Coryza Vaccines Against Emergent Avibacterium paragallinarum Serovar C-1

Infectious coryza is an upper respiratory disease of chickens caused by Avibacterium paragallinarum. Outbreaks of infectious coryza caused by Av. paragallinarum serovar C-1 isolates in coryza-vaccinated flocks in Ecuador and Mexico have been reported. In the current study, the protection conferred by four commercially available, trivalent infectious coryza vaccines in chickens challenged with a serovar C-1 isolate from an apparent coryza vaccine failure in a layer flock in Mexico was evaluated. Only one infectious coryza vaccine provided a good protection level (83%) in vaccinated chickens. These results might explain the infectious coryza outbreaks in vaccinated flocks that have been observed in the field.

Save Left Shark: Katy Perry, Intellectual Property, and 3D Printing

There has been much interest in how intellectual property law, policy and practice will adapt to the emergence of 3D printing and the maker movement. Intellectual property lawyers will have to grapple with the impact of additive manufacturing upon a variety of forms of intellectual property — including copyright law, trade mark law, designs law, patent law and trade secrets. The disruptive technology of 3D printing will both pose opportunities and challenges for legal practitioners and policy makers.A performance by pop princess Katy Perry at the 2015 Super Bowl has sparked a public controversy over intellectual property, internet memes and 3D printing.

Inventing the Future: Intellectual Property and 3D Printing

A new technology – 3D printing – has the potential to make radical changes to aspects of the way in which we live. Put simply, it allows people to download designs and turn them into physical objects by laying down successive layers of material. Replacements or parts for household objects such as toys, utensils and gadgets could become available at the press of a button. With this innovation, however, comes the need to consider impacts on a wide range of forms of intellectual property, as Dr Matthew Rimmer explains. 3D Printing is the latest in a long line of disruptive technologies – including photocopiers, cassette recorders, MP3 players, personal computers, peer to peer networks, and wikis – which have challenged intellectual property laws, policies, practices, and norms. As The Economist has observed, ‘Tinkerers with machines that turn binary digits into molecules are pioneering a whole new way of making things—one that could well rewrite the rules of manufacturing in much the same way as the PC trashed the traditional world of computing.’

Combinations of plant-derived compounds against Campylobacter in vitro

Campylobacter occur in fresh retail poultry products as a result of their colonization of the gastro-intestinal tract of chickens during growth. Feed additives could be used for suppression of Campylobacter levels in the chickens prior to slaughter. To address this opportunity, feed manufacturers are targeting natural antimicrobials from plant material as new forms of consumer-accepted feed additives. However, to be practical, these natural antimicrobials must be effective at low concentrations. The current study has validated an improved laboratory method to study minimal inhibitory concentrations of plant compounds and their combinations against Campylobacter. The assay was shown to be valid for testing lipid-soluble and water-soluble plant extracts and byproducts from the food industry. The study screened 29 extracts or plant-derived compounds and their mixtures for anti-Campylobacter activity using a laboratory assay. Combinations of oregano, lactic acid, and sorghum byproduct showed effective synergy in anti-Campylobacter activity. The synergies allowed a large reduction in the concentration of the individual compounds needed to kill the bacteria with an 80% reduction in concentration being achieved for oregano essential oil. The assay gives rise to further opportunities for the testing of a greater range of combinations of plant-derived compounds and other natural antimicrobials. The method is robust, simple, and easily automated, and it could be used to adjust the cost of feed formulations by reducing costs associated with antimicrobial feed additives.

Water stress induced alterations in ornithine aminotransferase of ragi (Eleusine coracana): Protection by proline against heat inactivation and denaturation by urea and guanidinium chloride

Water stress resulted in a specific response leading to a large and significant increase (80-fold) in free proline content of ragi (Eleusine coracana) leaves and seedlings. L-Proline protected ornithine aminotransferase, an enzyme in the pathway for proline biosynthesis, isolated from normal and stressed ragi leaves against heat inactivation and denaturation by urea and guanidinium chloride. The protection of the stressed enzyme by L-proline was much more complete than that of the enzyme isolated from normal leaves. While L-ornithine, one of the substrates, protected the stressed enzyme against inactivation, it enhanced the rate of inactivation of the normal enzyme. α-Ketoglutarate protected both the normal and stressed enzyme against inactivation and denaturation. These results support the suggestion that ornithine aminotransferase has undergone a structural alteration during water stress. In view of the causal relationship between elevated temperature and water stress of plants under natural conditions, the protection afforded by proline against inactivation and denaturation of the enzyme from stressed leaves assumes significance. These results provide an explanation for a possible functional importance of proline accumulation during water stress.

Antitumor immunity in rats against Yoshida ascites sarcoma after treatment with antibiotics

Chromomycin A3, mithramycin, olivomycin and actinomycin D, four antitumor antibiotics inhibit growth of Yoshida ascites sarcoma (YAS). The antibiotic treated tumor-free rats exhibit antitumor immunity as judged by rejection of subsequent tumor transplant. The lymphocytes from immune rats are able to inhibit tumor growth in syngenic animals.

Letter of trustees to congregation regarding opening of Oliver Street and affect on congregation's property

Digital image