The αGal Epitope of the Histo-Blood Group Antigen Family Is a Ligand for Bovine Norovirus Newbury2 Expected to Prevent Cross-Species Transmission

Among Caliciviridae, the norovirus genus encompasses enteric viruses that infect humans as well as several animal species, causing gastroenteritis. Porcine strains are classified together with human strains within genogroup II, whilst bovine norovirus strains represent genogroup III. Various GI and GII human strains bind to carbohydrates of the histo-blood group family which may be shared among mammalian species. Genetic relatedness of human and animal strains as well as the presence of potentially shared ligands raises the possibility of norovirus cross-species transmission. In the present study, we identified a carbohydrate ligand for the prototype bovine norovirus strain Bo/Newbury2/76/UK (NB2). Attachment of virus-like particles (VLPs) of the NB2 strain to bovine gut tissue sections showed a complete match with the staining by reagents recognizing the Galα1,3 motif. Alpha-galactosidase treatment confirmed involvement of a terminal alpha-linked galactose. Specific binding of VLPs to the αGal epitope (Galα3Galβ4GlcNAcβ-R) was observed. The binding of Galα3GalαOMe to rNB2 VLPs was characterized at atomic resolution employing saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR experiments. Transfection of human cells with an α1,3galactosyltransferase cDNA allowed binding of NB2 VLPs, whilst inversely, attachment to porcine vascular endothelial cells was lost when the cells originated from an α1,3galactosyltransferase KO animal. The αGal epitope is expressed in all mammalian species with the exception of the Hominidaea family due to the inactivation of the α1,3galactosyltransferase gene (GGTA1). Accordingly, the NB2 carbohydrate ligand is absent from human tissues. Although expressed on porcine vascular endothelial cells, we observed that unlike in cows, it is not present on gut epithelial cells, suggesting that neither man nor pig could be infected by the NB2 bovine strain

SysML based system engineering: A case study for space robotics systems

Space systems are similar to their terrestrial counterparts in many respects but the main distinction that makes space system unique are due to the harsh and low gravity environment that space systems needs to survive, requirements of system redundancy due to lack of on orbit maintenance or parts replacement and costs associated with those. These put extra emphasis on systems and requirement engineering from the very early stage of systems development lifecycle. Typical space missions comprise of many interconnected systems and systems of systems. Each of these systems need to be satisfied or adhered to thousands of requirements. Traditional System Engineering (SE) approaches require updating and tracking requirements against their functional or behavioural components manually. On top of that, during early design review stages, mission system engineers may also needs to carefully modify or delete requirements without compromising effects of that on other interconnected or sub systems. This is a very time consuming and complex procedure especially when multiple stakeholders and teams of engineers involved locally or globally. This paper introduces the implementation of Systems Modelling Language (SysML) for modelling complex space robotic systems in context of On-orbit Serving (OOS) missions. In this paper, the benefits of applying Object Management Group (OMG) System Modeling language (SysMLTM) to support the specification, analysis, design and verification to space robotic systems is being propose

Self-Reporting and Private Enforcement in Environmental Regulation

Citizen suits, Private enforcement, Compliance, Enforcement, Environmental regulation, Pollution control, Self-reporting, D62, L51, K32, K42, Q25,

Valuing Provisioning Ecosystem Services in Agriculture: The Impact of Climate Change on Food Production in the United Kingdom

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10640-013-9663-xThis paper provides an estimate of the contribution of the ecosystem to the provisioning services generated by agriculture. This is achieved by valuing the changes in productivity generated by a marginal alteration in ecosystem inputs. As an example, we consider the variation in rainfall and temperature projected by the recent UK Climate Impacts Programme. The analysis implements a spatially explicit, econometric model of agricultural land use based on the methodology recently developed by Fezzi and Bateman (Am J Agric Econ 93:1168-1188, 2011). Land use area and livestock stocking rates are then employed to calculate farm gross margin estimates of the value of changes in provisioning ecosystem services. Findings suggest that the variation in ecosystem inputs induced by climate change will have substantial influence on agricultural productivity. Interestingly, within the UK context climate change generates mainly positive effects, although losses are forecasted for those southern areas most vulnerable to heat-stress and drought. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.UK National Ecosystem AssessmentSocial and Environmental Economic Research (SEER) into Multi-Objective Land Use Decision Making projectUK Economic and Social Research Counci

Incentive Contracts for Natura 2000 Implementation in Forest Areas

Adverse selection, Conservation contracts, Forest, Incentives, Limited liability, Moral hazard, Natura 2000, Uncertain outcome, D82, Q23, Q57,