Human transforming growth factor a (TGF-alpha) is digested to a smaller (1-43), less biologically active, form in acidic gastric juice

Publisher version: http://gut.bmj.com/content/51/6/787.full.pd

The Single Biggest Problem in Aviation Communication is the Illusion that it has Taken Place

Leading with this somewhat provocative quote, Margo’s presentation will pose a series of questions addressing the conference theme of ‘communication as a human factor’, arguing that adopting a broader, human factors-oriented consideration of aviation communication is overdue. The focus, until now, on the ICAO Language Proficiency Requirements has arguably brought many safety benefits, but its concentration on pilot-ATC communication does not facilitate broader consideration of communication, and its integral role across the aviation safety system

Gastroprotective effects of oral nucleotide administration

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Nucleotides form the building blocks of DNA and are marketed as dietary supplements, alone or in combination with other ingredients, to promote general health. However, there has been only limited scientific study regarding the true biological activity of orally administered nucleotides. We therefore tested their efficacy in a variety of models of epithelial injury and repair. METHODS: Effects on proliferation ([(3)H] thymidine incorporation) and restitution (cell migration of wounded monolayers) were analysed using HT29 and IEC6 cells. The ability of a nucleotide mixture to influence gastric injury when administered orally and subcutaneously was analysed using a rat indomethacin (20 mg/kg) restraint model. RESULTS: In both cell lines, cell migration was increased by approximately twofold when added at 1 mg/ml (p<0.01); synergistic responses were seen when a mixture of nucleotides was used. Cell proliferation was stimulated by adenosine monophosphate (AMP) in HT29, but not in IEC6, cells. Gastric injury was reduced by approximately 60% when gavaged at 4–16 mg/ml (p<0.05), concentrations similar to those likely to be found in consumers taking nucleotide supplements. Systemic administration of nucleotides was unhelpful. CONCLUSIONS: Nucleotides possess biological activity when analysed in a variety of models of injury and repair and could provide a novel inexpensive approach for the prevention and treatment of the injurious effects of non steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs and other ulcerative conditions of the bowel. Further studies on their potential benefits (and risks) appear justified

Clinical trial: protective effect of a commercial fish protein hydrolysate against indomethacin (NSAID)-induced small intestinal injury

Background A partially hydrolysed and dried product of pacific whiting fish is marketed as a health food supplement supporting 'intestinal health'.Aim To examine whether the partially hydrolysed and dried product of pacific whiting fish influenced the small intestinal damaging side effects of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, indomethacin.Methods Eight human volunteers completed a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover protocol of clinically relevant dose of indomethacin (50 mg t.d.s. p.o. for 5 days) with 7 days of fish hydrolysate or placebo starting 2 days prior to indomethacin. Changes in gut permeability were assessed using 5 h urinary lactulose:rhamnose (L/R) ratios.Results Fish hydrolysate given alone did not affect permeability. In the main study (n = 8), baseline values were similar for both arms (0.28 +/- 0.05 and 0.35 +/- 0.07). Administration of indomethacin (+placebo) caused a fivefold rise in L/R ratios (increasing to 1.54 +/- 0.35), whereas L/R ratios in the same subjects ingesting indomethacin + fish hydrolysate was only 0.59 +/- 0.14 (P < 0.01 vs. indomethacin alone). Dyspeptic symptoms occurred in four of eight subjects taking indomethacin alone, but zero of eight when hydrolysate was co-administered.Conclusion Natural bioactive products (nutriceuticals), such as fish hydrolysates, may provide a novel approach to the prevention and treatment of NSAID-induced and other gastrointestinal injurious conditions

Posterior cerebral artery (PCA) infarcts and dreaming : a neuropsychological study

Recent case reports have shown that global loss of dreaming can result from medial occipitotemporal lesions. These findings have cast doubt on Solms's reformulation of Charcot-Wilbrand Syndrome (CWS) into two distinct disorders of dreaming, and caused substantial confusion in dream research as far as the neurological correlates of dreaming are concerned. This study attempted to confirm these case reports and determine whether there were any characteristics unique to the lesions among patients who had lost the ability to dream following damage to medial occipito-temporal cortex. Nine participants (three non-dreamers and six dreamers) who had suffered non-hemorrhagic infarction in the territory of the posterior cerebral artery were recruited in this study. Case histories and neuroradiological data were used to compare the lesion sites of non-dreamers with dreamers. It was confirmed that complete loss of dreaming could result from lesions in medial occipito-temporal cortex. It was found that non-dreamers always suffered bilateral cortical damage as opposed to dreamers who all suffered unilateral damage. The lesions in the non-dreamers tended to be more posterior than the dreamers. It was further speculated that concomitant damage to the thalamus or parietal areas played a role in the causation of heteromodal loss of dreaming. The implications of these findings were discussed in relation to CWS, Solms's dream system, and dream-function research. Finally, future directions were considered

Effects of Bovine Colostrum with or without Egg on In Vitro Bacterial-Induced Intestinal Damage with Relevance for SIBO and Infectious Diarrhea.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) occurs commonly, is difficult to treat, and frequently recurs. Bovine colostrum (BC) and chicken eggs contain immunoglobulins and other components that possess antimicrobial, immunoregulatory, and growth factor activities; however, it is not known if they have the ability to reduce injury caused by the presence of bacteria associated with SIBO (Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus, Bacteroides, Klebsiella, Enterococcus, and Proteus) and infectious diarrhea (enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, Salmonella). We examined the effects of BC, egg, or the combination, on bacterial growth and bacteria-induced changes in transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and bacterial translocation across confluent Caco-2 monolayers. BC, egg, or the combination did not affect bacterial growth. Adding bacteria to monolayers reduced TEER and (with minor variations among species) increased bacterial translocation, increased monolayer apoptosis (increased caspase-3 and Baxα, reduced Bcl2), increased intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and reduced cell adhesion molecules zonulin1 (ZO1) and claudin-1. BC, egg, or the combination reduced these effects (all p < 0.01) and caused additional increases in vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and Heat Shock Protein 70 (Hsp70) expression. We conclude that BC ± egg strengthens mucosal integrity against a battery of bacteria relevant for SIBO and for infectious diarrhea. Oral BC ± egg may have clinical value for these conditions, especially SIBO where eradication of precipitating organisms may be difficult to achieve

'Things given and granted her': Prayer Beads and Property in Late Medieval England

Prayer beads have often been associated with women or a gendered form of piety, but little work has been done on exploring why this assumption has been made, or why and how the link was perpetuated. This article not only uses statistics to substantiate the connection but also explores some of the reasons behind it. Using a sample of wills from Lincolnshire in the period 1505-1534, the article undertakes qualitative and quantitative analysis to explore this connection and to examine the importance of these objects for their owners. It explores the significance of prayer beads for women in life in order to understand better what a testamentary bequest of such objects might have meant both for testator and recipient. Ultimately this article demonstrates that wills were places where the gendered nature of these objects was recorded, created and reinforced and, more broadly, shows the significance of prayer beads as 'women's goods'

Understanding the reactivity and defect chemistry of ceria based materials using synchrotron and neutron radiation techniques

The work, that has formed the basis of this project, has looked at the developing the understanding of ceria and related ceria materials through the investigation of the short-, medium- and long-range structure. The structure of four samples of ceria was investigated using neutron and X-ray total scattering, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Detailed analysis of the total pair distribution functions (PDFs) revealed that in all the samples the occupancy of both Ce4+ and O2- are very close to the ideal stoichiometry. The main differences observed in the pair correlations from various diffraction techniques were attributed to the particle size of the CeO2. Detailed analysis of the Ce L3- and K-edge EXAFS data support this finding; the decrease in higher shell coordination numbers with respect to the NIST standard, can also be attributed to differences in particle size. A combination of both x-ray and neutron in situ PDF, Ce L3- and K-edge, Pd K-edge and Pt L3-edge XAS were performed on high surface area ceria, 5wt% Pd and 5wt% Pt loaded high surface area ceria samples under reducing conditions. This allowed for a thorough and in depth study of how pure ceria behaves and whether the loading of PGMs onto the support effects its behaviour under reducing conditions. Detailed analysis of PDF and XAS data for the pure ceria support show a reduction under heating in H2:N2 whilst under cooling it ‘reoxidises’ to its original stoichiometry. In contrast both the addition of Pd and Pt to the ceria support shows enhanced reduction of the ceria upon heating and no reoxidation upon cooling under a reducing atmosphere. The effect of Pd loading on ceria was examined by using combined in situ XAS/high resolution x-ray diffraction (HRXRD) as well as in situ PDF studies. This investigated a high surface area ceria support and 1, 2.5 and 5wt% Pd loaded ceria samples respectively. All methods showed that an increase in the Pd loading decreased the reduction temperature for both the Ceria support and PdO to Pd metal formation. Both XAS and HRXRD show the reduction of all samples upon heating, whereas on cooling there is no reoxidation for the Pd loaded samples in comparison to the pure support. The method in which the Pd is incorporated onto ceria is also important, as the reoxidation is seen with a physical mixture of PdO and ceria. The reduction and oxidation of Ceria-Zirconia kappa and fluorite materials was studied using X-ray diffraction and PDF, and how the introduction of Pd into these systems influences the reduction behaviour. The Fluorite based materials show no phase change under heating in either oxidising or reducing atmospheres there are no phase changes observed. In contrast, the heating of the Kappa based materials under reducing conditions show the loss of oxygen from the lattice and the conversion to the pyrochlore structure. Upon cooling and treating with air, these are converted back to the Kappa structure