A fixed combination of probiotics and herbal extracts attenuates intestinal barrier dysfunction from inflammatory stress in an in vitro model using Caco-2 cells.

Background: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), are considered a growing global disease, with about ten million people being affected worldwide. Maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity is crucial for preventing IBD onset and exacerbations. Some recent patents regarding oily formulations containing probiotics (WO2010122107A1 and WO2010103374A9) and the use of probiotics for gastrointestinal complaints (US20110110905A1 and US9057112B2) exist, or are pending application. Objective: In this work, we studied the effect of a fixed combination of registered Lactobacillus reuteri and Lactobacillus acidophilus strains and herbal extracts in an in vitro inflammation experimental model. Methods: Caco-2 cell monolayer was exposed to INF-\u3b3+TNF-\u3b1 or to LPS; Trans Epithelial Electrical Resistance (TEER) and paracellular permeability were investigated. ZO-1 and occludin Tight Junctions (TJs) were also investigated by mean of immunofluorescence. Results: Pre-treatment with the fixed combination of probiotics and herbal extracts prevented the inflammation-induced TEER decrease, paracellular permeability increase and TJs translocation. Conclusions: In summary, the fixed combination of probiotics and herbal extracts investigated in this research was found to be an interesting candidate for targeting the re-establishment of intestinal barrier function in IBD conditions

New organisation for follow-up and assessment of treatment efficacy in sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a highly prevalent disease, and there is an increased demand for OSA diagnosis and treatment. However, resources are limited compared with the growing needs for OSA diagnosis and management, and alternative strategies need to be developed to optimise the OSA clinical pathway. In this review, we propose a management strategy for OSA, and in general for sleep-disordered breathing, to be implemented from diagnosis to follow-up. For this purpose, the best current options seem to be: 1) networking at different levels of care, from primary physicians to specialised sleep laboratories; and 2) use of telemedicine. Telemedicine can contribute to the improved cost-effectiveness of OSA management during both the diagnostic and therapeutic phases. However, although the technology is already in place and different commercial platforms are in use, it is still unclear how to use telemedicine effectively in the sleep field. Application of telemedicine for titration of positive airway pressure treatment, follow-up to improve compliance to treatment through early identification and solution of problems, and teleconsultation all appear to be promising areas for improved OSA management

Tipos de implantes activos de oído medio

Active middle ear implants are classified as piezoelectric implants, which use the properties of piezoelectric materials. There are two types of piezoelectric implants: monomorphic and dimorphic; electromagnetic transduction uses a magnet, usually a rare earth magnet (e.g. samarium cobalt) and an energizing coil. This magnetic field causes the magnet to vibrate, which in turn, through the tympanic-ossicular chain, causes movement of the cochlear fluids. Electromechanical transduction is a variation of electromagnetic transduction

Self-similar solutions for the LSW model with encounters

The LSW model with encounters has been suggested by Lifshitz and Slyozov as a regularization of their classical mean-field model for domain coarsening to obtain universal self-similar long-time behavior. We rigorously establish that an exponentially decaying self-similar solution to this model exist, and show that this solutions is isolated in a certain function space. Our proof relies on setting up a suitable fixed-point problem in an appropriate function space and careful asymptotic estimates of the solution to a corresponding homogeneous problem.Comment: 22 page

Investigation of Microplastic Removal Using Foam Produced from Rhamnolipids

Microplastics generated from the breakdown of larger plastic pieces are the emerging contaminant in aquatic ecosystems at high levels, due to inappropriate disposal or mismanagement. With a particle size within 2-5 μm, it has been reported that microplastics are extensive pollutants in water bodies. However, with a wide variety of scientific articles recording the abundance of plastics in the aquatic environment, there is a lack of studies examining microplastics removal. Although multiple studies have used sedimentation and filtration as separation techniques to remove microplastic particles, no study has been able to remove these pollutants without secondary water pollution. The focus of this study was to investigate the potential use of foam generated from rhamnolipids biosurfactant to remove polyethylene and car tire residue microplastics. Rhamnolipids are a type of biosurfactant that can mimic its chemical counterparts and display less toxicity, higher biodegradability and higher frothing ability. The research was divided in four stages. In the first stage, the ability of rhamnolipids for the removal of polyethylene microplastic particles was assessed using a microplastic removal system. Then, a two-level factorial Placket Burman design was used for the identification of key parameters for the PE removal efficiency. The effects of rhamnolipids concentration, PE concentration, time, air flow rate, NaCl concentration and system configuration on PE recovery were investigated. The analysis carried out demonstrated the rhamnolipids’ potential as a foaming agent and its ability to remove 92.42% of PE particles when the system operated for 40 min with a rhamnolipid concentration of 5 g/L, a PE concentration of 0.5 g/L, air flow rate of 2 Lpm and NaCl concentration of 0.5M as the medium. The ANOVA analysis identified the variables rhamnolipid concentration and operating time, as critical parameters that influence the PE removal efficiency. In the second phase of the study, response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect of the variables rhamnolipid concentration (X1), operating time (X2), PE microplastic size (X3) and PE concentration (X4) and their impact on PE removal. This evaluation found that the variables operating time and its interactions with the rhamnolipid concentration and PE size parameters, can significantly impact the removal of polyethylene powder at the 5% level. A least squares quadratic fit that correlates the predictors and the response variable was created with an R2 of 0.82. Finally in the third stage of the study, the efficiency of rhamnolipids foam for the removal of car tire residue was assessed. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect of the 3 variables rhamnolipid concentration (X1), operating time (X2,), Ctr size (X3) and Ctr concentration (X4) and their impact on Ctr removal (Y). The analysis found that the predictors X1, X2 and X3 have a significant effect on the response variable with pvalues of less than 0.05. The interactions X1X2, X1X3, X2X3, and the squared terms X12, X22 and X32 were also found to be significant. The factor X1, had the strongest effect on Y with an estimated coefficient of 39.811 and a low p-value of 1.5761e-06. A multiple regression that correlates the parameters and the response value was developed with an R2 of 0.89

Rentabilidad económica de explotaciones agrarias de secano según tamaño y tipo de laboreo

RESUMEN: El objetivo de este trabajo es evaluar, desde un punto de vista económico, el efecto que supone pasar de un sistema de laboreo tradicional a uno de laboreo reducido en explotaciones cerealistas de la meseta castellana. Se utilizan datos experimentales de campo para estimar las producciones, así como un sistema de decisión experto para seleccionar el parque de maquinaria que conlleva el menor coste de utilización. La rotación de cultivos que se ha considerado ha sido trigo/leguminosa. No se encontraron diferencias significativas entre los rendimientos obtenidos en los tres sistemas de laboreo comparados. Los resultados económicos se muestran condicionados por el sistema de laboreo empleado y el tamaño de la explotación.Economic analyses, farm size, rainfed crops, tillage systems, Agricultural and Food Policy, Q12,

Capital comercial, capital simbólico. El patrimonio de los cargadores a Indias judeoconversos en la Sevilla de los siglos XVI y XVII

In Castile, where the purity of blood supposedly did not allow the merchants access to the privileged, we found an extremely powerful and rich group, the Cargadores a Indias. This group was made up of international merchants, almost all from humble origins, in many cases converso, who rose socially in a vertiginous way. For this, they were inserted in transcontinental mercantile networks that connected Seville and Europe with the rest of a recently globalized world. In two or three generations (and sometimes in the course of a single life) they transformed their mercantile way of life to a noble form based on censuses, juros and possession of large agricultural properties close to Seville, but also in the investment in symbolic capital (palaces, chapels, convents, graves, and art), heritage around which we will focus this article

Role of redox environment on the oligomerization of higher molecular weight adiponectin

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Adiponectin is an adipocyte-secreted hormone with insulin-sensitizing and anti-inflammatory actions. The assembly of trimeric, hexameric, and higher molecular weight (HMW) species of adiponectin is a topic of significant interest because physiological actions of adiponectin are oligomer-specific. In addition, adiponectin assembly is an example of oxidative oligomerization of multi-subunit protein complexes in endoplasmic reticulum (ER).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We previously reported that trimers assemble into HMW adiponectin <it>via </it>intermediates stabilized by disulfide bonds, and complete oxidation of available cysteines locks adiponectin in hexameric conformation. In this study, we examined the effects of redox environment on the rate of oligomer formation and the distribution of oligomers. Reassembly of adiponectin under oxidizing conditions accelerated disulfide bonding but favored formation of hexamers over the HMW species. Increased ratios of HMW to hexameric adiponectin could be achieved rapidly under oxidizing conditions by promoting disulfide rearrangement.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Based upon these observations, we propose oxidative assembly of multi-subunit adiponectin complexes in a defined and stable redox environment is favored under oxidizing conditions coupled with high rates of disulfide rearrangement.</p

Ancient Egypt 1923 Part 2

Part 2 of the 1923 Ancient Egypt books. Contents include the tomb at Byblos, a tomb with Aramaic inscriptions, the British school at Qau, the magic skin, Apries and the possibility of royal blood, and obelisks at Pylon VII.https://knowledge.e.southern.edu/kweeks_coll/1023/thumbnail.jp

Mechanical durability of hydrophobic surfaces fabricated by injection moulding of laser-induced textures

YesThe paper reports an investigation on the mechanical durability of textured thermoplastic surfaces together with their respective wetting properties. A range of laser-induced topographies with different aspect ratios from micro to nanoscale were fabricated on tool steel inserts using an ultrashort pulsed near infrared laser. Then, through micro-injection moulding the topographies were replicated onto polypropylene surfaces and their durability was studied systematically. In particular, the evolution of topographies on textured thermoplastic surfaces together with their wetting properties were investigated after undergoing a controlled mechanical abrasion, i.e. reciprocating dry and wet cleaning cycles. The obtained empirical data was used both to study the effects of cleaning cycles and also to identify cleaning procedures with a minimal impact on textured thermoplastic surfaces and their respective wetting properties. In addition, the use of 3D areal parameters that are standardised and could be obtained readily with any state-of-the-art surface characterisation system are discussed for monitoring the surfaces' functional response.European Commission H2020 ITN programme “European ESRs Network on Short Pulsed Laser Micro/Nanostructuring of Surfaces for Improved Functional Applications” (Laser4Fun) under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No. 675063 (www.laser4fun.eu) and the UKIERI DST programme “Surface functionalisation for food, packaging, and healthcare applications”. In addition, the work was supported by three other H2020 programmes, i.e. the projects on “Modular laser based additive manufacturing platform for large scale industrial applications” (MAESTRO), “High-Impact Injection Moulding Platform for mass-production of 3D and/or large micro-structured surfaces with Antimicrobial, Self-cleaning, Anti-scratch, Anti-squeak and Aesthetic functionalities” (HIMALAIA) and “Process Fingerprint for Zero-defect Net-shape Micromanufacturing” (MICROMAN)