Antirotaviral activity of milk proteins: lactoferrin prevents rotavirus infection in the enterocyte-like cell line HT-29

Different milk proteins were analyzed for their inhibitory effect on either rotavirus-mediated agglutination of human erythrocytes or rotavirus infection of the human enterocyte-like cell line HT-29. Proteins investigated were alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, apo-lactoferrin, and Fe(3+)-lactoferrin, and their antiviral action was compared with the activity of mucin, a milk glycoprotein known to affect rotavirus infection. Results obtained demonstrated that beta-lactoglobulin, apo- and Fe(3+)-lactoferrin are able to inhibit the replication of rotavirus in a dose-dependent manner, apo-lactoferrin being the most active. It was shown that apo-lactoferrin hinders virus attachment to cell receptors since it is able to bind the viral particles and to prevent both rotavirus haemagglutination and viral binding to susceptible cells. Moreover, this protein markedly inhibited rotavirus antigen synthesis and yield in HT-29 cells when added during the viral adsorption step or when it was present in the first hours of infection, suggesting that this protein interferes with the early phases of rotavirus infection.     

Gp120 can revert antagonism at the glycine site of NMDA receptors mediating GABA release from cultured hippocampal neurons

The effects of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 envelope protein gp120 on the release of GABA elicited by N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) from rat hippocampal neurons in primary culture has been investigated. NMDA (1-300 microM) increased in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 =37.9+/-12 microM) the release of [3H]-GABA. The effect of 100 microM NMDA was prevented by 30 microM of the GABA transport inhibitor N-(4,4-diphenyl-3-butenyl)guvacine (SKF 100330A). Glycine (10 microM) or gp120 (0.01 microM) affected neither the basal nor the NMDA-evoked [3H]-GABA release. The NMDA (100 microM)-evoked release was prevented by 5,7-dichloro-kynurenic acid (5,7-DCKA), a selective antagonist at the glycine site of the NMDA receptor, in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 approximately 0.3 microM). Glycine (3-10 microM) or gp120 (0.003-0.01 microM) produced reversal of the 5,7-DCKA antagonism in a way that suggested competition at a same site; gp120 was at least 3 orders of magnitude more potent than glycine. It is suggested that gp120 may mimic glycine at NMDA receptors.     

Modeling and analysis of hydrogen detonation events in the advanced neutron source reactor containment

This paper describes salient aspects of the modeling, analyses and evaluations for hydrogen detonation in selected regions of the Advanced Neutron Source (ANS) containment during hypothetical severe accident conditions. Shock wave generation and transport modeling and analyses were conducted for two stratified configurations in the dome region of the high bay. Principal tools utilized for these purposes were the CTH and CET89 computer codes. Dynamic pressure loading functions were generated for key locations and used for evaluating structural response behavior for which a finite-element model was developed using the ANSYS code. For the range of conditions analyzed in the two critical dome regions, it was revealed that the ANS containment would be able to withstand detonation loads without failure.     

Visual perception of lifted weight from kinematic and static (photographic) displays

Observers of patch-light videotape displays can reliably discriminate levels of lifted weight; accuracy of judgments sometimes approximates that achieved when the observers themselves lift weighted boxes. Results of 6 studies reveal impressive levels of visual weight discrimination based on static displays (photographs) of certain action phases sampled from videos of entire lifting-carrying events. Slow and controlled actions (e.g., walking, placing box on table) supported optimum weight discrimination for both photographic and video displays, whereas the action of lifting a box yielded high levels of discrimination only for video displays. Static and kinematic specification of dynamics, as well as the work by painters and photographers to depict humans and other animals in action, is discussed.     

Expression of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein by human synovium

Human synovium was analyzed for the possible expression of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). Immunostaining with polyclonal antiserum to COMP demonstrated positive staining within the synovial cells and immediately subjacent connective tissue, with less intense staining in the deeper connective tissue. Western blot analysis using either polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies to human COMP confirmed the presence of COMP by immunoreactive bands with the same molecular mass (approximately 110 kDa) as purified articular cartilage COMP. PCR using oligonucleotides that span human COMP exons 7-13 revealed identical amplification products from cDNA prepared from either human chondrocytes or synovium. Northern blot analysis using a biotinylated-probe to human COMP, spanning exons 12-13, also reveal an identical hybridization product to either human chondrocyte or synovium total RNA. Human synovium should be considered as a potential tissue source of COMP in any investigation of biological markers of cartilage metabolism.     

Neuroendocrine tumors of the gastroenteric canal. Anatomopathological and diagnostic-therapeutic definition. Description of a case with a rare cecal localisation

The E1 and E2 reading frames of 158 cervical carcinoma samples containing human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 were mapped using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The reading frames were amplified using primers spanning the entire genes. Of the analyzed samples, 23% showed no amplification with the E1 primers and 29% showed no amplification with the E2 primers. There was an overlap, but not complete identity, between the E1- and E2-disrupted groups. All E1- and E2-negative samples were further analyzed with primers spanning subsections of the E1 and E2 reading frames, which together covered the entire genes. Of the 35 samples negative for E1, 11 were positive in specific amplification of the 3' end of the E1 gene. Several different subsections of E2 could be amplified from most samples negative for the entire gene (37/46). Five classes of patterns were found, in which either all subsections of the E2 gene or subsections in the 5', middle, or 3' end were disrupted. Although a variable pattern of disruption/deletion in the E1-E2 area of the HPV 16 genome was found in cervical carcinoma, the 5' end disruption was the most common one in both E1 and E2. Patients with carcinomas showing disruptions in E1/E2 had a poorer survival than those without such changes, and E1 disruptions were the most important prognostically.     

Angiogenic protein expression in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer

We set out to determine whether advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) is associated with elevated serum and ascitic concentrations of the angiogenic factors angiogenin (ANG), basic fibroblastic growth factor (bFGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and whether the expression of angiogenic factors was associated with tumor vascularity. Serum and ascitic samples were collected from previously untreated patients with FIGO stage III and IV EOC and stored at -70 degreesC. Levels of the three factors were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay. Histological sections from paraffin blocks of ovarian cancers were stained immunochemically for factor VIII, CD34, and VEGF. Thirty-nine patients were studied, although not all had paired serum and ascitic samples. For each angiogenic factor, the following findings were noted: (a) there was a wide range in serum and ascitic fluid concentrations; (b) the mean serum concentration was higher (P < 0.05) than the mean concentration in normal serum; and (c) the mean serum concentration was lower (P < 0. 05) than the mean ascitic concentration. Overall, the most consistent pattern of elevated serum and ascitic concentrations was with bFGF. With serum samples, 38.9% of patients had a normal VEGF concentration, as did 15.3% for ANG and 7.7% for bFGF. In ascites, the VEGF concentration was in the range for normal serum in 24.5% of samples, compared to 39.4% for ANG and 2.8% for bFGF. In paired samples, both VEGF and bFGF showed higher ascitic concentrations in 100 and 88.3% of samples, compared to 53.3% for ANG. There was no correlation between the serum and/or ascitic concentration of one factor and that of another, suggesting that these factors are independently regulated. Staining with anti-CD34 was more sensitive and reliable than with anti-factor VIII. VEGF staining was most prominent in poorly differentiated tumors and was observed only on tumor cells. There was no correlation between the serum or ascitic concentrations of angiogenic factors and tumor vascularity. Advanced EOC is associated with raised serum and ascitic bFGF concentrations and with markedly elevated ascitic VEGF in most cases. Serum VEGF and serum and ascitic ANG are less often elevated. There was no correlation between the angiogenic profile in serum and ascites and tumor vascularity.     

Glass-ceramic bonding in alumina/CBN abrasive systems

A glass-ceramic bond which can be applied in alumina/CBN abrasive systems was developed by the method of liquid-phase sintering of a homogenized mixture of alumina abrasives and bonding medium containing various amounts of B₂O₃. Microstructural and mechanical examinations have shown that the amount of B₂O₃ present in the starting glass frit determines the ultimate properties of the glass-ceramic bond which can be successfully used in the Al₂O₂/CBN abrasive systems.     

Visual modeling of RESTful conversations with RESTalk

The cost savings introduced by Web services through code reuse and integration opportunities have motivated many businesses to develop Web APIs, with ever increasing numbers opting for the REST architectural style. RESTful Web APIs are decomposed in multiple resources, which the client can manipulate through HTTP interactions with well-defined semantics. Getting the resource in the desired state might require multiple client–server interactions, what we define as a RESTful conversation. RESTful conversations are dynamically guided by hypermedia controls, such as links. Thus, when deciding whether and how to use a given RESTful service, the client might not be aware of all the interactions which are necessary to achieve its goal. This is because existing documentation of RESTful APIs describes the static structure of the interface, exposing low-level HTTP details, while little attention has been paid to conceptual, high-level, modeling of the dynamics of RESTful conversations. Low-level HTTP details can be abstracted from during the design phase of the API, or when deciding which API to use. We argue that, in these situations, visual models of the required client–server interactions might increase developers’ efficiency and facilitate their understanding. Thus, to capture all possible interaction sequences in a given RESTful conversation, we propose RESTalk, an extension to the BPMN Choreography diagrams to render them more concise and yet sufficiently expressive in the specific REST domain. We also report on the results obtained from an exploratory survey we have conducted to assess the maturity of the field for a domain-specific language and to obtain feedback for future improvements of RESTalk.