This concept could also be used with marker vaccines. To this end, a set of real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assays was developed and validated. Specific primers and probes were designed for detection of the C-strain “”Riems”" vaccine virus or the chimeric marker vaccine candidate CP7_E2alf. A

heterologous internal positive control was also included. The assays were then multiplexed to detect simultaneously either CSF field virus, C-strain “”Riems”", BMS-754807 purchase and the internal control or CSF field virus, CP7_E2alf, and the internal control. To validate both systems, samples from vaccination/challenge trials were tested. Only samples from vaccinated animals were found to be positive, while all samples from wild type virus-infected animals

and a broad test panel of different pestiviruses were negative. Field application of the “”C-strain Riems”" specific assay was proven with wild boar samples from surveillance programs in Germany and France. In conclusion, ready-to-use RT-PCR sets are presented as reliable tools for genetic differentiation of vaccinated from Captisol ic50 infected animals for CSFV eradication strategies. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.”
“Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder, is characterized by the loss of neurons in specific regions of the CNS including the locus coeruleus (LC), the major noradrenergic locus in the CNS. Several animal models of AD have been developed that exhibit some of the pathophysiological changes in the CNS that are observed in AD patients. The purpose of this study was to determine if the integrity of the LC noradrenergic system is altered in the amyloid precursor protein 23 (APP23) mouse model of AD at the age of 3, 6 and 12 months through quantification of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA expression. Despite a previous study suggesting alterations in the noradrenergic transmission system of APP23

mice, the current study failed to show altered TH-positive neuronal numbers or expression in LC noradrenergic STAT inhibitor neurons of APP23 mice versus wild-type (WT) littermates. However, the present study did demonstrate an age-dependent effect on TH mRNA expression. Both the number of TH-containing neurons and the amount of TH-positive grains/neuron significantly increased between the age of 3 and 6 months with no difference between 6 and 12 months. These observations indicate that any study comparing the noradrenergic system between WT (C57B1/6) and experimental mice must strictly choose the age to be tested and limit age differences between control and experimental groups to the absolute minimum.