Results on the Colombeau products of the distribution x_+^−r−1/2 with the distributions x_-^−k−1/2 and x_-^k−1/2

Results on the products of the distribution x_+^−r−1/2 with the distributions x_-^−k−1/2 and x_-^k−1/2 are obtained in the differential algebra G(R) of Colombeau generalized functions, which contains the space D'(R) of Schwartz distributions as a subspace; in this algebra the notion of association is defined, which is a faithful generalization of weak equality in G(R). This enables treating the results in terms of distributions again

Use of Tenax® films to demonstrate the migration of chemical contaminants from cardboard into dry food

Contaminants in food packaging are a challenge of our time since the packaging material itself has been found to represent a source of food contamination through the migration of substances from it. Before first use, packaging materials destined for the packaging of dry foods can be evaluated by performing migration experiments with the simulant for dry foods, Tenax (R). This simulant is commercially available as a powder that is more difficult to handle during the migration experiments. This paper reports the development of a Tenax film. The film can be applied to the cardboard surface to conduct the migration test. After the migration is completed, the film can be easily extracted to determine the concentration of the contaminants in the film. Finally, the performance of the Tenax film was compared with the conventional Tenax powder for the evaluation of 15 model migrants

Laser‐facilitated epicutaneous immunotherapy with depigmented house dust mite extract alleviates allergic responses in a mouse model of allergic lung inflammation

Background Skin-based immunotherapy of type 1 allergies has recently been re-investigated as an alternative for subcutaneous injections. In the current study, we employed a mouse model of house dust mite (HDM)-induced lung inflammation to explore the potential of laser-facilitated epicutaneous allergen-specific treatment. Methods Mice were sensitized against native Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extract and repeatedly treated by application of depigmented D pteronyssinus extract via laser-generated skin micropores or by subcutaneous injection with or without alum. Following aerosol challenges, lung function was determined by whole-body plethysmography and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was analyzed for cellular composition and cytokine levels. HDM-specific IgG subclass antibodies were determined by ELISA. Serum as well as cell-bound IgE was measured by ELISA, rat basophil leukemia cell assay, and ex vivo using a basophil activation test, respectively. Cultured lymphocytes were analyzed for cytokine secretion profiles and cellular polarization by flow cytometry. Results Immunization of mice by subcutaneous injection or epicutaneous laser microporation induced comparable IgG antibody levels, but the latter preferentially induced regulatory T cells and in general downregulated T cell cytokine production. This effect was found to be a result of the laser treatment itself, independent from extract application. Epicutaneous treatment of sensitized animals led to induction of blocking IgG, and improvement of lung function, superior compared to the effects of subcutaneous therapy. During the whole therapy schedule, no local or systemic side effects occurred. Conclusion Allergen-specific immunotherapy with depigmented HDM extract via laser-generated skin micropores offers a safe and effective treatment option for HDM-induced allergy and lung inflammation

Sperm competition in yellow dung flies: No consistent effect of sperm size

The male competition for fertilization that results from female multiple mating promotes the evolution of increased sperm numbers and can impact sperm morphology, with theory predicting that longer sperm can at times be advantageous during sperm competition. If so, males with longer sperm should sire more offspring than competitors with shorter sperm. Few studies have directly tested this prediction, and findings are inconsistent. Here we assessed whether longer sperm provide a competitive advantage in the yellow dung fly (Scathophaga stercoraria; Diptera: Scathophagidae). Initially, we let brothers with different temperature-mediated mean sperm lengths compete – thus minimizing confounding effects of genetic background – and found no clear advantage of longer sperm. We then used flies from lines subjected to bidirectional selection on phenoloxidase activity that had shown correlated evolutionary responses in sperm and female spermathecal duct lengths. This experiment also yielded no main effect of sperm size on siring success. Instead, there was a trend for a shorter-sperm advantage, but only when competing in females with longer spermathecal ducts. Our data corroborated many previously reported findings (last-male precedence, effects of copula duration and body size), suggesting our failure to find sperm size effects is not inherently due to our experimental protocols. We conclude that longer sperm are not competitively superior in yellow dung flies under most circumstances, and that, consistent with previous work, in this species competitive fertilization success is primarily determined by the relative numbers of sperm competing

Maternal metabolic stress may affect oviduct gatekeeper function

We hypothesized that elevated non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) modify in vitro bovine oviduct epithelial cell (BOEC) metabolism and barrier function. Hereto, BOECs were studied in a polarized system with 24h-treatments at day 9: 1) CONTROL (0µM NEFA + 0%EtOH), 2) SOLVENT CONTROL (0µM NEFA + 0.45%EtOH), 3) BASAL NEFA (720µM NEFA + 0.45%EtOH in the basal compartment), 4) APICAL NEFA (720µM NEFA + 0.45%EtOH in the apical compartment). FITC-albumin was used for monolayer permeability assessment, and related to Transepithelial Electric Resistance (TER). Fatty acid (FA), glucose, lactate and pyruvate concentrations were measured in spent medium. Intracellular lipid droplets (LD) and FA-uptake were studied using Bodipy 493/503 and immunolabelling of FA-transporters (FAT/CD36, FABP3 and caveolin1). BOEC-mRNA was retrieved for qRT-PCR. Results revealed that APICAL NEFA reduced relative TER-increase (46.85%) during treatment, and increased FITC-albumin flux (27.59%) compared to other treatments. In BASAL NEFA, FAs were transferred to the apical compartment as free FAs: mostly palmitic and oleic acid increased, respectively 56.0 % and 33.5% of initial FA-concentrations. APICAL NEFA allowed no FA-transfer, but induced LD-accumulation and upregulated FA-transporter expression (↑CD36, ↑FABP3, ↑CAV1-protein-expression). Gene expression in APICAL NEFA indicated increased anti-apoptotic (↑BCL2) and anti-oxidative (↑SOD1) capacity, upregulated lipid metabolism (↑CPT1, ↑ACSL1 and ↓ACACA), and FA-uptake (↑CAV1). All treatments had similar carbohydrate metabolism and oviduct function specific gene expression (=OVGP1, ESR1, FOXJ1). Overall, elevated NEFAs affected BOEC-metabolism and barrier function differently depending on NEFA-exposure side. Data substantiate the concept of the oviduct as a gatekeeper that may actively alter early embryonic developmental conditions

Innate Memory Reprogramming by Gold Nanoparticles Depends on the Microbial Agents That Induce Memory

Innate immune memory, the ability of innate cells to react in a more protective way to secondary challenges, is induced by exposure to infectious and other exogeous and endogenous agents. Engineered nanoparticles are particulate exogenous agents that, as such, could trigger an inflammatory reaction in monocytes and macrophages and could therefore be also able to induce innate memory. Here, we have evaluated the capacity of engineered gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to induce a memory response or to modulate the memory responses induced by microbial agents. Microbial agents used were in soluble vs. particulate form (MDP and the gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus; β-glucan and the β-glucan-producing fungi C. albicans), and as whole microrganisms that were either killed (S. aureus, C. albicans) or viable (the gram-negative bacteria Helicobacter pylori). The memory response was assessed in vitro, by exposing human primary monocytes from 2-7 individual donors to microbial agents with or without AuNPs (primary response), then resting them for 6 days to allow return to baseline, and eventually challenging them with LPS (secondary memory response). Primary and memory responses were tested as production of the innate/inflammatory cytokine TNFα and other inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors. While inactive on the response induced by soluble microbial stimuli (muramyl dipeptide -MDP-, β-glucan), AuNPs partially reduced the primary response induced by whole microorganisms. AuNPs were also unable to directly induce a memory response but could modulate stimulus-induced memory in a circumscribed fashion, limited to some agents and some cytokines. Thus, the MDP-induced tolerance in terms of TNFα production was further exacerbated by co-priming with AuNPs, resulting in a less inflammatory memory response. Conversely, the H. pylori-induced tolerance was downregulated by AuNPs only relative to the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, which would lead to an overall more inflammatory memory response. These effects of AuNPs may depend on a differential interaction/association between the reactive particle surfaces and the microbial components and agents, which may lead to a change in the exposure profiles. As a general observation, however, the donor-to-donor variability in memory response profiles and reactivity to AuNPs was substantial, suggesting that innate memory depends on the individual history of exposures.This work was supported by the EU Commission H2020 projects PANDORA (GA 671881) and ENDONANO (GA 812661), the Italian MIUR InterOmics Flagship projects MEMORAT and MAME, the Italian MIUR/PRIN-20173ZECCM, the Priority program ACBN (Allergy Cancer BioNano Research Centre) of the University of Salzburg, the Cancer Cluster Salzburg, the Research Grant from the University of Salzburg, and the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) Grant Nr. P 29941

In silico design of Phl p 6 variants with altered Fold-Stability significantly impacts antigen processing, immunogenicity and immune polarization

Introduction: Understanding, which factors determine the immunogenicity and immune polarizing properties of proteins, is an important prerequisite for designing better vaccines and immunotherapeutics. While extrinsic immune modulatory factors such as pathogen associated molecular patterns are well-understood, far less is known about the contribution of protein inherent features. Protein fold-stability represents such an intrinsic feature contributing to immunogenicity and immune polarization by influencing the amount of peptide-MHC II complexes (pMHCII). Here, we investigated how modulation of the fold-stability of the grass pollen allergen Phl p 6 affects its ability to stimulate immune responses and T cell polarization. Methods: MAESTRO software was used for in silico prediction of stabilizing or destabilizing point mutations. Mutated proteins were expressed in E. coli, and their thermal stability and resistance to endolysosomal proteases was determined. Resulting peptides were analyzed by mass spectrometry. The structure of the most stable mutant protein was assessed by X-ray crystallography. We evaluated the capacity of the mutants to stimulate T cell proliferation in vitro, as well as antibody responses and T cell polarization in vivo in an adjuvant-free BALB/c mouse model. Results: In comparison to wild-type protein, stabilized or destabilized mutants displayed changes in thermal stability ranging from −5 to +14°. While highly stabilized mutants were degraded very slowly, destabilization led to faster proteolytic processing in vitro. This was confirmed in BMDCs, which processed and presented the immunodominant epitope from a destabilized mutant more efficiently compared to a highly stable mutant. In vivo, stabilization resulted in a shift in immune polarization from TH2 to TH1/TH17 as indicated by higher levels of IgG2a and increased secretion of TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-17, and IL-21. Conclusion: MAESTRO software was very efficient in detecting single point mutations that increase or reduce fold-stability. Thermal stability correlated well with the speed of proteolytic degradation and presentation of peptides on the surface of dendritic cells in vitro. This change in processing kinetics significantly influenced the polarization of T cell responses in vivo. Modulating the fold-stability of proteins thus has the potential to optimize and polarize immune responses, which opens the door to more efficient design of molecular vaccines