High expression of antiviral proteins in mucosa from individuals exhibiting resistance to human immunodeficiency virus

ABSTARCT: Several soluble factors have been reported to have the capacity of inhibiting HIV replication at different steps of the virus life cycle, without eliminating infected cells and through enhancement of specific cellular mechanisms. Yet, it is unclear if these antiviral factors play a role in the protection from HIV infection or in the control of viral replication. Here we evaluated two cohorts: i) one of 58 HIV-exposed seronegative individuals (HESNs) who were compared with 59 healthy controls (HCs), and ii) another of 13 HIV-controllers who were compared with 20 HIV-progressors. Peripheral blood, oral and genital mucosa and gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) samples were obtained to analyze the mRNA expression of ELAFIN, APOBEC3G, SAMHD1, TRIM5α, RNase 7 and SerpinA1 using real-time PCR. RESULTS: HESNs exhibited higher expression of all antiviral factors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), oral or genital mucosa when compared with HCs. Furthermore, HIV-controllers exhibited higher levels of SerpinA1 in GALT. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the activity of these factors is compartmentalized and that these proteins have a predominant role depending on the tissue to avoid the infection, reduce the viral load and modulate the susceptibility to HIV infection

Mechanisms of leukocyte migration across the blood–retina barrier

Immune-mediated inflammation in the retina is regulated by a combination of anatomical, physiological and immuno-regulatory mechanisms, referred to as the blood–retina barrier (BRB). The BRB is thought to be part of the specialised ocular microenvironment that confers protection or “immune privilege” by deviating or suppressing destructive inflammation. The barrier between the blood circulation and the retina is maintained at two separate anatomical sites. These are the endothelial cells of the inner retinal vasculature and the retinal pigment epithelial cells on Bruch’s membrane between the fenestrated choroidal vessels and the outer retina. The structure and regulation of the tight junctions forming the physical barrier are described. For leukocyte migration across the BRB to occur, changes are needed in both the leukocytes themselves and the cells forming the barrier. We review how the blood–retina barrier is compromised in various inflammatory diseases and discuss the mechanisms controlling leukocyte subset migration into the retina in uveoretinitis in more detail. In particular, we examine the relative roles of selectins and integrins in leukocyte interactions with the vascular endothelium and the pivotal role of chemokines in selective recruitment of leukocyte subsets, triggering adhesion, diapedesis and migration of inflammatory cells into the retinal tissue

Phase equilibria and interfacial properties of selected methane + n-alkane binary mixtures

Experimental determination, theoretical modeling, and molecular simulation have been combined to describe the bulk phase equilibria (i.e., pressure, liquid, and vapor saturated mass densities) and interfacial properties (i.e., interfacial concentration, adsorption, and interfacial tension) for methane + n-decane, n-dodecane, n-tetradecane and n-hexadecane binary mixtures at 344.15 K and in a pressure range between 0.1 and 30 MPa. Experimental determinations are carried out using a combined apparatus that includes a high-pressure vibrating tube densimeter and a high-pressure pendant drop tensiometer. The theoretical approach is based on the van der Waals gradient theory coupled to the Statistical Associating Fluid Theory of Variable Range employing a Mie potential (SAFT-VR-Mie) equation of state, where the fluids are described as Coarse Grained (CG) atoms. Molecular dynamics simulation for the same systems based on the CG Mie potential are reported. The three approaches are able to indepen independently predict phase equilibrium and interfacial properties, showing a very good agreement amongst themselves. For the systems and conditions studied here, the vapor mass density increases; the liquid mass density and interfacial tensions decrease as the pressure increases, and with a fixed temperature and pressure, the liquid mass density and interfacial tensions increase as the n-alkane molecular chain length increases. It is observed that methane is adsorbed along the interfacial region, whereas the n-alkanes (n-decane, n-dodecane, n-tetradecane, n-hexadecane) do not exhibit surface activity. The relative Gibbs adsorption of methane increases significantly with pressure until it reaches a maximum denoting the adsorption saturation limit. It is also observed that the adsorption of methane only slightly increases with the chain length of the n-alkane

International Human Rights of Women

The Inter-American System of Human Rights has proven itself to be a forum for the advancement of women?s rights. From developing the first women?s rights treaty specifically designed to address violence against women, to issuing reparations that require states to prevent gender discrimination, the Inter-American System has increasingly led the way in promoting a women?s rights lens to examine international human rights law. While its efforts to uncover the causes of women?s rights violations may fall short at times, the jurisprudence emerging from the Inter-American System of Human Rights provides lessons on how, and how not to, develop women?s rights litigation. This chapter provides an overview of the regional system?s women?s rights convention (the Convention of Bel?m do Par?), highlights notable advancements in developing women?s rights in the Inter-American region, and discusses several landmark women?s rights cases recently decided by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. It concludes by looking forward to the Inter-American System?s upcoming challenges and opportunities for advancing women?s rights in the region

Maximal mouth opening capacity: percentiles for healthy children 4-17 years of age

BACKGROUND: A reduced mouth opening capacity may be one of the first clinical signs of pathological changes in the masticatory system. The aim of this retrospective cross-sectional study was to create age related percentiles for unassisted maximal mouth opening capacity (MOC) of healthy children. METHODS: All recordings of MOC as measured at the yearly dental examinations of school children in the city of Zurich, Switzerland, between August 2009 and August 2010 were extracted from the database. The program LMSchartMaker Pro Version 2.43, Huiqi Pan and Tim Cole, Medical Research Council, 1997--2010 was used to calculate age and sex related reference centiles. RESULTS: Records from 22[prime]060 dental examinations were found during the study period. In 1286 (5.8%) the maximal interincisal measurement was missing. Another 55 examinations were excluded because of missing data for sex (7), age at examination (11) or because the value was deemed to be pathologically low (37). Thus, a total of 20[prime]719 measurements (10[prime]060 girls, 10[prime]659 boys) were included in the analysis. The median age (range) was 9.9 years (3.3-18.3) for girls and 10.0 years (2.8-18.7) for boys. The mean MOC (range) was 45 mm (25--69) for girls and 45 mm (25--70) for boys. Age related percentiles were created for girls and boys separately, showing the 3rd, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 97th percentile from 3 through 18 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: In these 20[prime]719 unselected school children MOC increased with age but showed a wide range within children of the same age