In vitro studies on the use of clay, clay minerals and charcoal to adsorb bovine rotavirus and bovine coronavirus

Rotaviruses are the leading cause and coronaviruses are the major contributors of acute gastroenteritis in the young of various mammalian and avian species. Despite numerous trials and decades of research, vaccines have limited efficacy particularly for calves. As an alternative method of controlling infection, we have investigated broad spectrum antiviral agents that are not discriminatory among various viruses. This report involves testing a variety of adsorbent agents including charcoal, clay, and clay minerals to adsorb rotavirus and coronavirus in vitro. Results revealed that all the adsorbent agents had good to excellent capability of adsorbing rotavirus and excellent capability of adsorbing coronavirus. Percent adsorptions ranged from 78.74% to 99.89% for rotavirus and 99.99% for coronavirus; while sand (negative control) was < 0.01%. A high affinity binding was present as determined by a low percent desorption (0.06-3.09%). However, the adsorbent bound virus complex retained, and may have actually enhanced, infectivity.     

Protection against myocardial ischemic/reperfusion injury by inhibitors of two separate pathways of Na+ entry

Critics of Kohlberg's moral theory today focus on the content of his theory and more specifically on its justice-orientated moral concept. This has led to the well-known 'justice-care debate'. The purpose of this article is to critically examine the validity of Kohlberg's moral theory for research in nursing ethics from a caring perspective (referring to the content) as well as from a cognitive-structural perspective (referring to the basic assumptions of the model). The analysis points to the usefulness and value of the cognitive-structural model to empirically study nurses' ethical behaviour; the content of Kohlberg's model, however, needs to be adapted by adding a caring perspective as well as some personal and situational variables. An adjusted version of Kohlberg's model is proposed and discussed.     

Regulation of organelle movement in melanophores by protein kinase A (PKA), protein kinase C (PKC), and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A)

We used melanophores, cells specialized for regulated organelle transport, to study signaling pathways involved in the regulation of transport. We transfected immortalized Xenopus melanophores with plasmids encoding epitope-tagged inhibitors of protein phosphatases and protein kinases or control plasmids encoding inactive analogues of these inhibitors. Expression of a recombinant inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA) results in spontaneous pigment aggregation. alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH), a stimulus which increases intracellular cAMP, cannot disperse pigment in these cells. However, melanosomes in these cells can be partially dispersed by PMA, an activator of protein kinase C (PKC). When a recombinant inhibitor of PKC is expressed in melanophores, PMA-induced pigment dispersion is inhibited, but not dispersion induced by MSH. We conclude that PKA and PKC activate two different pathways for melanosome dispersion. When melanophores express the small t antigen of SV-40 virus, a specific inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), aggregation is completely prevented. Conversely, overexpression of PP2A inhibits pigment dispersion by MSH. Inhibitors of protein phosphatase 1 and protein phosphatase 2B (PP2B) do not affect pigment movement. Therefore, melanosome aggregation is mediated by PP2A.     

Cyclosporin A in patients receiving renal allografts from cadaver donors. 1978

A psychrotrophic yeast, Rhodotorula glutinis KUJ 2731, isolated from soil, effectively produced an extracellular endo-beta-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.4). The enzyme was monomeric, and the molecular mass was about 40,000 Da. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was H-Ser-Leu-Pro- Lys-Leu-Gly-Gly-Val-Asp-Leu-Ala-Gly-Leu-Asp-Ile-Gly-Lys-Asp-Lys-Asn-. alpha-Helix content was calculated to be about 32.6%. The isoelectric point was 8.57. The activation energy was 20.9 kJ/mol, which was much smaller than that of mesophilic enzymes. The enzyme was active at temperatures from 0 to 70 degrees C, with a highest initial velocity at 50 degrees C similar to other psychrotrophic enzymes. The enzyme was inhibited by Hg2+. The enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of carboxymethyl cellulose with an apparent K(m) of 1.1% and Vmax of 556 mumol/min/mg. Products from the enzymatic hydrolysis of carboxymethyl cellulose by the enzyme were glucose, cellobiose, and cellotriose. The enzyme also catalyzed the transglycosylation of p-nitrophenyl-beta-cellotrioside to cellotetraose.     

Drug treatment of Crohn's disease]

The medical management of Crohn's disease has changed in recent years, but the mainstay of treatment is still prednisone. A substantial fraction of steroid-treated patients are refractory to therapy and addition of azathioprine or methotrexate has a corticosteroid-sparing effect and increases duration of remission. Controlled ileal release budesonide (9 mg daily) induces clinical remission in 60-70% of patients with Crohn's ileitis or right-sided colitis, and continued budesonide treatment has a finite effect on the duration of remission. The efficacy of mesalazine in active Crohn's disease is limited and high doses are required (4000 mg/day). The role of mesalazine in Crohn's disease in remission is disputed, and there is no evidence of a corticosteroid-sparing effect.     

Creative practices in the design studio culture: collaboration and communication

For the purpose of developing collaborative support in design studio environments, we have carried out ethnographic fieldwork in professional and academic product design studios. Our intention was to understand design practices beyond the productivity point of view and take into account the experiential, inspirational and aesthetical aspects of design practices. Using examples from our fieldwork, we develop our results around three broad themes by which design professionals support communication and collaboration: (1) use of artefacts, (2) use of space and (3) designerly practices. We use the results of our fieldwork for drawing implications for designing technologies for the design studio culture.     

The biological properties of Aerococcus antagonists, representatives of human microbiocenoses

The paper deals with the data on biology of Aerococcus, a slightly studied group of microorganisms. Physiological-biochemical properties of Aerococcus are described, data of their distribution in nature are given. Peculiar attention is paid to the estimate of the role of Aerococcus in human microbiocenoses. As a result of the profound and all-round study of this group of microorganisms the authors have developed new bacterial drug "A-bakterin" based on the aerococcus strain. Data presented about the results of clinical tests of "A-bakterin" are presented, a possibility to use Aerococcus lysate in the elaboration of new drugs is discussed.