Memoirs and correspondence (official and familiar) of Sir Robert Murray Keith, K.B., envoy extraordinary ad minister plenipotentiary at the courts of Dresden, Copenhagen, and Vienna, from 1769-1792. With a memoir of Queen Carolina Matilda of Denmark, and an account of the revolution there in 1772.

Mode of access: Internet.

Phoriospongin A and B: Two new nematocidal depsipeptides from the Australian marine sponges Phoriospongia sp and Callyspongia bilamellata

Bioassay-directed fractionation of two southern Australian sponges, Phoriospongia sp. and Callyspongia bilamellata, yielded two new nematocidal depsipeptides, identified as phoriospongins A (1) and B (2). The structures of the phoriospongins were determined by detailed spectroscopic analysis and comparison with the previously reported sponge depsipeptide cyclolithistide A (3), as well as ESIMS and HPLC analysis of acid hydrolysates. It is noteworthy that the unique and yet structurally related metabolites 1-3 are found in sponges spanning three taxonomic orders, Poescilosclerida, Haplosclerida, and Lithistida.

Antigenicity and immunogenicity of novel chimeric hepatitis B surface antigen particles with exposed hepatitis C virus epitopes

The small envelope protein of hepatitis B virus (HBsAg-S) can self-assemble into highly organized virus like particles (VLPs) and induce an effective immune response. In this study, a restriction enzyme site was engineered into the cDNA of HBsAg-S at a position corresponding to the exposed site within the hydrophilic a determinant region (amino acid [aa] 127-128) to create a novel HBsAg vaccine vector allowing surface orientation of the inserted sequence. We inserted sequences of various lengths from hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 protein containing immunodominant epitopes and demonstrated secretion of the recombinant HBsAg VLPs from transfected mammalian cells. A number of different recombinant proteins were synthesized, and HBsAg VLPs containing inserts up to 36 aa were secreted with an efficiency similar to that of wild-type HBsAg. The HVR1 region exposed on the particles retained an antigenic structure similar to that recognized immunologically during natural infection. VLPs containing epitopes from either HCV-1a or -1b strains were produced that induced strain-specific antibody responses in immunized mice. Injection of a combination of these VLPs induced antibodies against both HVR1 epitopes that resulted in higher titers than were achieved by vaccination with the individual VLPs, suggesting a synergistic effect. This may lead to the development of recombinant particles which are able to induce a broad anti-HCV immune response against the HCV quasispecies or other quasispecies-like infectious agents.

Enhanced effector and memory CTL responses generated by incorporation of receptor activator of NF-kappa B(RANK)/RANK ligand costimulatory molecules into dendritic cell immunogens expressing a human tumor-specific antigen

The outcome of dendritic cell (DC) presentation of Ag to T cells via the TCR/MHC synapse is determined by second signaling through CD80/86 and, importantly, by ligation of costimulatory ligands and receptors located at the DC and T cell surfaces. Downstream signaling triggered by costimulatory molecule ligation results in reciprocal DC and T cell activation and survival, which predisposes to enhanced T cell-mediated immune responses. In this study, we used adenoviral vectors to express a model tumor Ag (the E7 oncoprotein of human papillomavirus 16) with or without coexpression of receptor activator of NF-kappaB (RANK)/RANK ligand (RANKL) or CD40/CD40L costimulatory molecules, and used these transgenic DCs to immunize mice for the generation of E7-directed CD8(+) T cell responses. We show that coexpression of RANK/RANKL, but not CD40/CD40L, in E7-expressing DCs augmented E7-specific IFN-gamma-secreting effector and memory T cells and E7-specific CTLs. These responses were also augmented by coexpression of T cell costimulatory molecules (RANKL and CD40L) or DC costimulatory molecules (RANK and CD40) in the E7-expressing DC immunogens. Augmentation of CTL responses correlated with up-regulation of CD80 and CD86 expression in DCs transduced with costimulatory molecules, suggesting a mechanism for enhanced T cell activation/survival. These results have generic implications for improved tumor Ag-expressing DC vaccines, and specific implications for a DC-based vaccine approach for human papillomavirus 16-associated cervical carcinoma.

O aparecimento da vanguarda em Portugal – para um estudo da música portuguesa entre 1958 e 1965

Este trabalho, realizado no âmbito de uma tese de Doutoramento sobre música Portuguesa contemporânea, pretende dar a conhecer a forma como a vanguarda foi recebida e compreendida em Portugal. Baseando-se essencialmente no estudo de programas de concertos, recensões e críticas de periódicos, estudos socio- culturais posteriores e entrevistas com participantes, pretende ser um contributo para o estudo da maneira como um determinado movimento musical de cariz peculiar influenciou ou mesmo transformou a vida cultural Portuguesa. A data início deste trabalho – 1958 - reflecte: (a)o início de um movimento para o estrangeiro de uma geração de compositores Portugueses; (b) o início das actividades musicais da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian; (c) as transformações políticas e económicas que colocariam Portugal perante a Democracia e o desenvolvimento Europeu. O ano de 1965 veio a revelar-se uma data importante pelo número e pela qualidade de apresentações de música contemporânea, a meu ver comparável ao que actualmente se faz.

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.1 (1840)

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.2 (1843)

Icones plantarum Indiae Orientalis :or figures of Indian plants /by Robert Wight.

v.3 (1846)