Progesterone promotes immunomodulation and tumor development in the murine mammary gland.

Background: Clinical studies have linked usage of progestins (synthetic progesterone [P4]) to breast cancer risk. However, little is understood regarding the role of native P4, signaling through the progesterone receptor (PR), in breast tumor formation. Recently, we reported a link between PR and immune signaling pathways, showing that P4/PR can repress type I interferon signaling pathways.

A homogeneous fluorescent cell-based assay for detection of heterologously expressed nitric oxide synthase activity.

Arhodamine-derived, membrane-permeable fluorophore (DAR-4M AM) sensitive to nitric oxide production has been developed recently. The authors evaluated this reagent in both 96 and 384-well formats using heterologously expressed neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS). nNOS transfected into HEK-293T cells was stimulated by the addition of ionomycin.

Effects of soil improvement treatments on bacterial community structure and soil processes in an upland grassland soil.

Abstract Temporal temperature gradient electrophoresis (TTGE) analysis of 16S rRNA gene fragments amplified with primers selective for eubacteria and beta-proteobacterial ammonia-oxidising bacteria (AOB) was used to analyse changes in bacterial and AOB community profiles of an upland pasture following soil improvement treatments (addition of sewage sludge and/or lime). Community structure was compared with changes in activity assessed by laboratory measurements of basal respiration and ammonia oxidation potentials, and with measurements of treatment- and time-related changes in soil characteristics. The predominant bacterial populations had a high degree of similarity under all treatment regimens, which was most pronounced early in the growing season.