Vaginal Lactobacilli and Vaginal Dysbiosis-Associated Bacteria Differently Affect Cervical Epithelial and Immune Homeostasis and Anti-Viral Defenses

Persistent infection with High Risk-Human Papilloma Viruses (HR-HPVs) is a primary cause of cervical cancer worldwide. Vaginal-dysbiosis-associated bacteria were correlated with the persistence of HR-HPVs infection and with increased cancer risk. We obtained strains of the most represented bacterial species in vaginal microbiota and evaluated their effects on the survival of cervical epithelial cells and immune homeostasis. The contribution of each species to supporting the antiviral response was also studied. Epithelial cell viability was affected by culture supernatants of most vaginal-dysbiosis bacteria, whereas Lactobacillus gasseri or Lactobacillus jensenii resulted in the best stimulus to induce interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production by human mononuclear cells from peripheral blood (PBMCs). Although vaginal-dysbiosis-associated bacteria induced the IFN-γ production, they were also optimal stimuli to interleukin-17 (IL-17) production. A positive correlation between IL-17 and IFN-γ secretion was observed in cultures of PBMCs with all vaginal-dysbiosis-associated bacteria suggesting that the adaptive immune response induced by these strains is not dominated by T_H1 differentiation with reduced availability of IFN-γ, cytokine most effective in supporting virus clearance. Based on these results, we suggest that a vaginal microbiota dominated by lactobacilli, especially by L. gasseri or L. jensenii, may be able to assist immune cells with clearing HPV infection, bypasses the viral escape and restores immune homeostasis.     

Aspects of social reputation and peer relationships in Italian children: A cross-cultural perspective.

A group of Italian children (790 boys and 717 girls), 10–13 years old, were administered the Revised Class Play (Masten, Morison, & Pellegrini, 1985) in order to explore cross-cultural differences in social reputation with respect to North American studies. Children also were given sociometric nominations to examine the association between social reputation and peer acceptance–rejection. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed a 4-factor structure with the original Leadership-Sociability factor split in 2 separate dimensions: leadership and sociability. Leadership items seemed to draw a profile of a well-behaved, polite, and socially correct child, whereas Sociability items seemed to draw a profile of a child that is sociable, liked, exuberant, and ready to make friends and to interact with others. Moreover, the data suggested somewhat subtle forms of association between Aggression and Sociability. Results on relations between peer acceptance–rejection and social reputation confirmed North American findings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A unified set‐theoretic approach to the analysis of PWL resistive circuits and composite N‐ports

We consider the search for all DC solutions of resistive piecewise‐linear (PWL) circuits and the analysis of the characteristics of resistive PWL composite N‐ports. These problems are unified from a theoretical and operating point of view by introducing the so‐called N‐augmented circuit, obtained from the N‐port by closing its ports with N norators. Set‐theoretic approach is used to describe the properties of the N‐augmented circuits leading to the formulation of a general DC analysis algorithm, based on linear programming techniques. The examples at the end of the paper show some practical and efficient application of the general DC analysis algorithm. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hidden Fumonisins: Simple and Innovative Extractions for Their Determination in Maize and Derived Products

Fumonisins B (FBs) can occur in maize as free forms and as hidden FBs (interaction between FBs and matrix macro-constituents). The analytical methods to detect free FBs in maize and derived products usually involve extraction with aqueous methanol and/or acetonitrile; for hidden FBs, alkaline hydrolysis (2 M KOH) and following CH₃CN extraction is used. Recently, we proposed a simple phosphate buffer (PB) extraction to detect free FBs in masa and maize samples. This study aimed at evaluating if this method is suitable to detect also hidden FBs; then, a comparison between the most common solvents, PB, and alkaline hydrolysis was carried out. For maize samples, the results showed that 0.4 M PB can extract both free and most hidden FBs; however, this method was not suitable for some categories of maize-based processed food products, in particular cornflakes, chips, and crispbreads. To solve this drawback, a modified PB extraction, which entails the addition of Carrez solutions in order to precipitate proteins, was tested and satisfactory results were obtained. Finally, the alkaline hydrolysis of maize-based food extracts showed that bound FBs can be co-extracted together with free forms by 0.4 M PB and quantified as hydrolyzed FBs.     

Study of Mg-based materials to be used in a functional solid state hydrogen reservoir for vehicular applications

Powders mixtures of nanosized _MgH2${\mathrm{MgH}}_2$ and suitable additives, obtained by high energy milling, have been studied as materials to be used in a functional solid state hydrogen reservoir. A prototype of a two stages reservoir is under development (patent pending). The hydrogen release from the main stage, with high capacity Mg-based hydrides, is primed by a primer stage containing commercial hydrides able to operate at room temperature.     

On fumonisin incidence in monoculture maize under no‐till,conventional tillage and two nitrogen fertilisation levels

BACKGROUND: Fusarium ear rot and fumonisin contamination are serious problems for maize growers. The lack of maize genotypes highly resistant to fumonisin contamination emphasises the need for management strategies to prevent contamination by this mycotoxin. There are conflicting reports regarding no‐till and nitrogen (N) fertilisation practices in relation to the incidence of fumonisins. In this study the effect of no‐till compared with conventional tillage and of N fertilisation rates on fumonisin occurrence was investigated over three years in Northern Italy. RESULTS: The average contamination of grain by fumonisins B₁ and B₂ over the three years was significantly different, with a lower value in 2000 (516 µg kg^?1) than in the other years (5846 and 3269 µg kg^?1 in 2001 and 2002 respectively). Conventional tillage and no‐till treatments had no significant effect on the incidence of fumonisins. This finding suggests that above‐ground residues infected by Fusarium would not lead to an increase in fumonisin incidence. However, N fertilisation significantly increased fumonisin levels, by 99 and 70% in 2000 and 2001 respectively. CONCLUSION: Maize monoculture does not show a cumulative effect on the occurrence of fumonisins, while high rates of N fertiliser consistently result in elevated fumonisin levels. Both these effects can be influenced by annual meteorological fluctuations. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

Purification and characterization of a cationic peroxidase from artichoke leaves

Peroxidases are part of a large group of enzymes associated with cell wall biosynthesis, response to injury, disease, resistance and wound repair. Among peroxidase isoenzymes, a soluble cationic peroxidase (ALSP), not yet described, has been partially purified and characterized from artichoke leaves. The enzyme was shown to be a glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 51 000 and an isoelectric point of 9. The substrate specificity of the ALSP is characteristic of class III (guaiacol‐type) peroxidases. The ALSP was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, affinity chromatography, anionic exchange high‐performance liquid chromatography and isoelectrofocusing. The increase in specific activity was 43 times compared to the crude extract as estimated by the guaiacol assay. Three ALSP fragments were sequenced by tandem mass spectrometry de novo sequencing method. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

Multiple real-pole equal-ripple rational (MRPER) approximation for lowpass RC-active filters

A new class of lowpass rational transfer functions is defined, with equal-ripple behaviour both in the passband and in the stopband. The proposed functions have a multiple real pole, which allows the realization of lowpass RC-active filters by cascading more (than one) 3rd-order blocks. These new functions, called multiple real-pole equal-ripple rational (MRPER), improve the attenuation performance with respect to a classical solution employing the same number of 2nd-order blocks and hence may allow a reduction in the required number of active elements and, eventually, in power consumption and in noise-to-signal ratio. However, even if the number of active blocks cannot be reduced, the better attenuation performance, which results, allows component tolerances to relax.