Synthetic Studies of Neoclerodane Diterpenes from : Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Analogues with Improved Potency and G-protein Activation Bias at the μ-Opioid Receptor.

Previous structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies identified the first centrally acting, non-nitrogenous μ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonist, kurkinorin (), derived from salvinorin A. In an effort to further probe the physiological effects induced upon activation of MORs with this nonmorphine scaffold, a variety of analogues were synthesized and evaluated for their ability to activate G-proteins and recruit β-arrestin-2 upon MOR activation. Through these studies, compounds that are potent agonists at MORs and either biased toward β-arrestin-2 recruitment or biased toward G-protein activation have been identified.

In vivo screen of genetically conserved Streptococcus pneumoniae proteins for protective immunogenicity.

We evaluated 52 different E. coli expressed pneumococcal proteins as immunogens in a BALB/c mouse model of S. pneumoniae lung infection.

Distinct Roles for Intracellular and Extracellular Lipids in Hepatitis C Virus Infection.

Hepatitis C is a chronic liver disease that contributes to progressive metabolic dysfunction. Infection of hepatocytes by hepatitis C virus (HCV) results in reprogramming of hepatic and serum lipids. However, the specific contribution of these distinct pools of lipids to HCV infection remains ill defined.

Plasmid DNA and viral vector-based vaccines for the treatment of cancer.

Plasmid DNA and viral vector-based cancer vaccines have many inherent features that make them promising cancer vaccine candidates. This review focuses on the use of plasmid DNA and viral vector vaccines to deliver tumour-specific antigens to induce a tumour-specific immune response. Examples of different antigen delivery systems that have been tested in recent clinical trials are summarised and advantages and disadvantages of a number of delivery systems and approaches are discussed.

Different levels of immunogenicity of two strains of Fowlpox virus as recombinant vaccine vectors eliciting T-cell responses in heterologous prime-boost vaccination strategies.

The FP9 strain of F has been described as a more immunogenic recombinant vaccine vector than the Webster FPV-M (FPW) strain (R. J. Anderson et al.

Invariant Valpha14 chain NKT cells promote Plasmodium berghei circumsporozoite protein-specific gamma interferon- and tumor necrosis factor alpha-producing CD8+ T cells in the liver after poxvirus vaccination of mice.

Understanding the protective mechanism in the liver induced by recombinant vaccines against the pre-erythrocytic stages of malaria is important for vaccine development. Most studies in mice have focused on splenic and peripheral blood T cells and identified gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-producing CD8+ T cells as correlates of protection, which can be induced by prime-boost vaccination with recombinant poxviruses. Invariant natural killer T (Valpha14iNKT) cells can also protect against liver stage malaria, when activated, and are abundant in the liver.

Use of resistant ACCase mutants to screen for novel inhibitors against resistant and susceptible forms of ACCase from grass weeds.

The aryloxyphenoxypropionic acid (AOPP) and cyclohexanedione (CHD) herbicides inhibit the first committed enzyme in fatty acid biosynthesis, acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACCase). The frequent use of AOPP and CHD herbicides has resulted in the development of resistance to these herbicides in many grass weed species. New herbicides that inhibit both the susceptible and resistant forms of ACCase in grass weeds would have obvious commercial appeal.

Enhanced CD8+ T cell immune responses and protection elicited against Plasmodium berghei malaria by prime boost immunization regimens using a novel attenuated fowlpox virus.

Sterile immunity can be provided against the pre-erythrocytic stages of malaria by IFN-gamma-secreting CD8(+) T cells that recognize parasite-infected hepatocytes. In this study, we have investigated the use of attenuated fowlpox virus (FPV) strains as recombinant vaccine vectors for eliciting CD8(+) T cells against Plasmodium berghei. The gene encoding the P.

Enhanced immunogenicity and protective efficacy against Mycobacterium tuberculosis of bacille Calmette-Guérin vaccine using mucosal administration and boosting with a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara.

Heterologous prime-boost immunization strategies can evoke powerful T cell immune responses and may be of value in developing an improved tuberculosis vaccine. We show that recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara, expressing Mycobacterium tuberculosis Ag 85A (M.85A), strongly boosts bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG)-induced Ag 85A specific CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell responses in mice.

Fixed three-dimensional holographic images.

Three-dimensional holograms were recorded in a cerium-doped, strontium barium niobate (SBN:75) photorefractive crystal. These holograms are shown to not degrade after more than one week of continuous readout and to reconstruct reproductions of the original object with an observable field of view of approximately 35 degrees.

Simultaneous preparation of both enantiomers of juvenile hormones labeled at C-10 with tritium at high specific activity.

We report an improved method for the synthesis of high specific activity insect [10-(3)H]juvenile hormones (JH) I, II, and III which affords both enantiomers of each in high optical purity. A synthetic route for JH I was modified to give higher yields and purity. We increased the specific activity of the synthetic [10-(3)H]JHs using normal phase liquid chromatography optimized to give near baseline resolution of [10-(3)H]JHs and unlabeled JHs.