Extracellular adherence protein (Eap) from Staphylococcus aureus does not function as a superantigen

AbstractExtracellular adherence protein (Eap) from Staphylococcus aureus has been reported to have strong anti-inflammatory properties, which make Eap a potential anti-inflammatory agent. However, Eap has also been demonstrated to trigger T-cell activation and to share structural homology with superantigens. In this study, we focused on whether Eap fulfilled the definition criteria for a superantigen. We demonstrate that T-cell activation by Eap is dependent on both major histocompatibility complex class II and intercellular adhesion molecule type 1, that cellular processing is required for Eap to elicit T-cell proliferation, and that the kinetics of proliferation resemble the profile of a conventional antigen and not that of a superantigen

Contemplation Impact of Pulp Seeds Cucurbita Pepo L. and its Paste on Oxidative Stress in Rats

Cucurbita Pepo L. seeds and seeds paste which are rich sources of phytochemicals and act as a rich source of antioxidants. The most important phytochemicals present in the cucurbits are cucurbitacin’s, saponins, carotenoids, phytosterols, and polyphenols. These bioactive phyto-constituents are responsible for the pharmacological effects including antioxidant effect. Aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Cucurbita Pepo L. seeds and seeds paste on rats suffering from oxidative stress. Thirty-six male albino rats were used in the experiment (Sprague-Dawley strain). The animals randomly divided 6 rats each group according to the following the first Group: Rats were fed basal diet and set as negative control. The other rats (n = 30) were fed on basal diet containing monosodium glutamate (120 mg/kg) for induce stress condition. After that, rats further divided into 5 groups (n = 6) each for six weeks as follows: -2nd Group: Rats were fed on basal diet containing monosodium glutamate and set as positive control. 3rd Group: Rats were fed on diet containing monosodium glutamate with addition of Cucurbita Pepo L. seeds 5%. 4th Group: Rats were fed on diet containing monosodium glutamate with addition of Cucurbita Pepo L. seeds 10%. 5th Group: Rats were fed on diet containing monosodium glutamate with addition of Cucurbita Pepo L. seeds paste 5%. 6th Group: Rats were fed on diet containing monosodium glutamate with addition of Cucurbita Pepo L. seeds paste 10%. The experimental period was six weeks; Blood samples were collected. At the end of the experiment, the results showed that using seeds 5% & 10% and seeds paste 5% & 10% in feeding the stressed rats increased (BWG%, FI, FER, Superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) with highest results in group fed on 10% seeds paste and decreased (Urea, Creatinine, ALT, AST, IL-6 and INF-gamma) with lowest results in group fed on 10% Cucurbita Pepo L. seeds paste

Increase in Caesarean Deliveries after the Australian Private Health Insurance Incentive Policy Reforms

AbstractBackground: The Australian Private Health Insurance Incentive (PHII) policy reforms implemented in 1997–2000 increased PHI membership in Australia by 50%. Given the higher rate of obstetric interventions in privately insured patients, the reforms may have led to an increase in surgical deliveries and deliveries with longer hospital stays. We aimed to investigate the effect of the PHII policy introduction on birth characteristics in Western Australia (WA).Methods and Findings: All 230,276 birth admissions from January 1995 to March 2004 were identified from administrative birth and hospital data-systems held by the WA Department of Health. Average quarterly birth rates after the PHII introduction were estimated and compared with expected rates had the reforms not occurred. Rate and percentage differences (including 95% confidence intervals) were estimated separately for public and private patients, by mode of delivery, and by length of stay in hospital following birth. The PHII policy introduction was associated with a 20% (221.4 to219.3) decrease in public birth rates, a 51% (45.1 to 56.4) increase in private birth rates, a 5% (25.3 to 25.1) and 8% (28.9 to 27.9) decrease in unassisted and assisted vaginal deliveries respectively, a 5% (25.3 to 25.1) increase in caesarean sections with labour and 10% (8.0 to 11.7) increase in caesarean sections without labour. Similarly, birth rates where the infant stayed 0–3 days in hospital following birth decreased by 20% (221.5 to 218.5), but rates of births with .3 days inhospital increased by 15% (12.2 to 17.1).Conclusions: Following the PHII policy implementation in Australia, births in privately insured patients, caesarean deliveries and births with longer infant hospital stays increased. The reforms may not have been beneficial for quality obstetric care in Australia or the burden of Australian hospitals

On non-QRT Mappings of the Plane

We construct 9-parameter and 13-parameter dynamical systems of the plane which map bi-quadratic curves to other bi-quadratic curves and return to the original curve after two iterations. These generalize the QRT maps which map each such curve to itself. The new families of maps include those that were found as reductions of integrable lattices

The Three Hundred project: connection between star formation quenching and dynamical evolution in and around simulated galaxy clusters

In this work, we combine the semi-analytic model of galaxy formation and evolution SAG with the $102$ relaxed simulated galaxy clusters from The Three Hundred project, and we study the link between the quenching of star formation (SF) and the physical processes that galaxies experience through their dynamical history in and around clusters. We classify galaxies in four populations based on their orbital history: recent and ancient infallers, and backsplash and neighbouring galaxies. We find that $\sim 85$ per cent of the current population of quenched galaxies located inside the clusters are ancient infallers with low or null content of hot and cold gas. The fraction of quenched ancient infallers increases strongly between the first and second pericentric passage, due to the removal of hot gas by the action of ram-pressure stripping (RPS). The majority of them quenches after the first pericentric passage, but a non-negligible fraction needs a second passage, specially galaxies with $M_\star \leq 10^{10.5} \, {\rm M_\odot}$. Recent infallers represent $\sim 15$ per cent of the quenched galaxies located inside the cluster and, on average, they contain a high proportion of hot and cold gas; moreover, pre-processing effects are the responsible for quenching the recent infallers prior to infall onto the main cluster progenitor. The $\sim 65$ per cent of quenched galaxies located around clusters are backsplash galaxies, for which the combination of RPS acting during a pre-processing stage and inside the cluster is necessary for the suppression of SF in this population.Comment: 23 pages, 13 figures + Supplementary material. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Fairtrade Coffee A study to assess the impact of Fairtrade for coffee smallholders and producer organisations in Indonesia, Mexico, Peru, and Tanzania

This report presents the findings of a major evaluation commissioned by Fairtrade International. This evaluation aims to assess the impact of Fairtrade for coffee smallholders and their organisations to contribute to the evidence base on Fairtrade’s impact to date and to inform Fairtrade on the potential to improve its impact in the future. Millions of smallholder farmer households around the world rely upon coffee for their livelihoods, and the challenges they face are numerous and growing. Fairtrade supports around 812,500 coffee-producing smallholder farmers in 445 producer organisations in 30 countries. In 2013-14 Fairtrade coffee producers reported selling 150,800 MT of coffee on Fairtrade terms. Producer organisations (POs) in four countries, Peru, Mexico, Tanzania, and Indonesia, were selected as cases by the research team to capture the range and depth of the Fairtrade experience. The evaluation covered two Fairtrade producer organisations in each country. Counterfactual comparisons are included in each case – either with a comparison producer organisation or with individual independent farmers cultivating coffee in the same area, but who are not part of Fairtrade certification. The evaluation used the recently developed and published ‘Fairtrade International Theory of Change’ to examine Fairtrade impact. Data was collected along the impact chain to understand how far Fairtrade’s interventions have led to intended outputs and impacts, and to identify other influencing factors. The team developed a research protocol to support comparisons between countries, and used mixed methods to carry out the research