Modulation of humoral immune response to oral BCG vaccination by Mycobacterium bovis BCG Moreau Rio de Janeiro (RDJ) in healthy adults

Background  

Oral administration of BCG was the route initially used by Calmette and Guérin, but was replaced by intradermal administration in virtually all countries after the Lubeck accident. However, Brazil continued to administer oral BCG Moreau RDJ, which was maintained until the mid-1970s when it was substituted by the intradermal route. Although BCG vaccination has been used in humans since 1921, little is known of the induced immune response. The aim of this study was to analyse immunological responses after oral vaccination with M. bovis BCG Moreau RDJ.     

Effect of substitution of Ce on superconducting properties of Bi1.7Pb0.3Sr2Ca2−x Ce x Cu3O10+δ system

We have investigated the superconducting properties of the Bi_1.7 Pb_0.3Sr₂Ca_2−xCe _x Cu₃O_10+δ system with x=0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.1 by X-ray diffraction and magnetic susceptibility. The substitution of Ce for Ca has been found to drastically change the superconducting properties of the system. X-ray diffraction studies on these compounds indicate decrease in the c-parameter with increased substitution of Ce at Ca site and volume fraction of high T _c (2 : 2 : 2 : 3) phase decreases and low T _c phase increases. The magnetic susceptibility of this compound shows that the diamagnetic on set superconducting transition temperature (onset) varies from 109 K to 51 K for x=0.00, 0.02, 0.04, 0.08 and 0.1. These results suggest the possible existence of Ce in a tetravalent state rather than a trivalent state in this system; that is, Ca²⁺ → Ce⁴⁺ replacement changes the hole carrier concentration. Hole filling is the cause of lowering T _c of the system.     

Digital speckle pattern interferometry (DSPI): A fast procedure to detect and measure vibration mode shapes

Digital Speckle Pattern Interferometry (DSPI) is an optical nondestructive testing method allowing the visualization of the defects or the deformations of an object submitted to static deformation or to vibration. This method can be applied to a lot of cases within a range of displacements between tens of nanometers and tens of micrometers. DSPI can be applied to detect the natural frequencies and to visualize the mode shapes of a vibrating object. It is very convenient to study small and weak objects because no contact is required compared to classical modal analysis using accelerometers. DSPI was successfully applied to study a cantilever aluminium plate (5 cm × 10 cm × 1 mm). The experimental isodisplacement fringe maps are compared to computational results using a finite element method.     

Synthesis and hierarchical self-assembly of cavity-containing facial amphiphiles

The synthesis and aggregation behavior of cavity-containing facial amphiphiles is described. The molecules consist of a glycoluril-based rigid cavity functionalized with two water-soluble benzoate groups. By specific molecular recognition processes in water, the amphiphilic hosts self-assemble in a hierarchical process to form arrays of molecules. Depending on the counterions, these arrays can be assembled into well-defined aggregates of mesoscopic size. The size and shape of the aggregates can be tuned by variations in the size and substitution pattern of the cavities of the host molecules.