594 research outputs found

    Helminths in the hygiene hypothesis:Sooner or later?

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    There is increasing recognition that exposures to infectious agents evoke fundamental effects on the development and behaviour of the immune system. Moreover, where infections (especially parasitic infections) have declined, immune responses appear to be increasingly prone to hyperactivity. For example, epidemiological studies of parasite-endemic areas indicate that prenatal or early-life experience of infections can imprint an individual's immunological reactivity. However, the ability of helminths to dampen pathology in established inflammatory diseases implies that they can have therapeutic effects even if the immune system has developed in a low-infection setting. With recent investigations of how parasites are able to modulate host immune pathology at the level of individual parasite molecules and host cell populations, we are now able to dissect the nature of the host–parasite interaction at both the initiation and recall phases of the immune response. Thus the question remains – is the influence of parasites on immunity one that acts primarily in early life, and at initiation of the immune response, or in adulthood and when recall responses occur? In short, parasite immunosuppression – sooner or later

    An Exploration of how Individuals Affected by Social Anxiety Experience Relationships with Others.

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    Social anxiety causes disruption to relational functioning leading some researchers to describe it as an interpersonal problem (Alden & Taylor, 2004, 2010). However, research exploring interpersonal aspects of social anxiety is strikingly limited. Furthermore the research that has been conducted is predominantly informed by a positivist and quantitative framework. The way in which socially anxious individuals ‘experience’ interpersonal relationships with others is therefore poorly understood. The present study addresses this gap in the literature by adopting a phenomenological approach. The aim of this research is to uncover the understandings, explanations and perceptions socially anxious individuals have of interpersonal relationships. Six socially anxious individuals were recruited from UK based social anxiety support groups and interviewed about important relationships in their lives. The data generated was subjected to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis leading to four superordinate themes: ‘The Desire for Intimacy’, ‘Interpersonal Barriers’, ‘Interpersonal Adaptations’ and ‘Intimacy’. These superordinate themes, along with their corresponding subordinate themes, capture the rich phenomenological world of the participants and provide insight into the way socially anxious individuals experience interpersonal relationships with others. These findings are discussed in the context of the existing literature. Implications for clinical practice and further research are suggested

    Size Differences Among Root-knot Nematodes on Resistant and Susceptible Alyceclover Genotypes

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    The influence of plant resistance on the size of individual root-knot nematodes was determined in greenhouse experiments. Five genotypes of alyceclover were inoculated with second-stage juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita race 3 or M. arenaria race 1. Plants were harvested at selected intervals and stained for detection of the nematodes, which were dissected from the roots. Length, width, and sagittal-sectional area of each animal were measured using an image-analysis system, and areas of nematodes in all stages were compared at different times and across alyceclover lines. Nematodes feeding on roots of resistant lines were consistently smaller than those on susceptible plants, with significant differences in growth detected after the final molt. Similar results were observed with both nematode species

    Orthogonal Arrays of Strength Three from Regular 3-Wise Balanced Designs

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    The construction given in Kreher, J Combin Des 4 (1996) 67 is extended to obtain new infinite families of orthogonal arrays of strength 3. Regular 3-wise balanced designs play a central role in this construction

    Effect of organic amendments on Meloidogyne arenaria population in potted soil.

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    Organic admendments (OA) were evaluated for their effectiveness in suppressing Meloidogyne arenaria populations in 2 greenhouse experiments in naturally infeste soil

    Cultivation of Heligmosomoides polygyrus:An immunomodulatory nematode parasite and its secreted products

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    Heligmosomoides polygyrus (formerly known as Nematospiroides dubius, and also referred to by some as H. bakeri) is a gastrointestinal helminth that employs multiple immunomodulatory mechanisms to establish chronic infection in mice and closely resembles prevalent human helminth infections. H. polygyrus has been studied extensively in the field of helminth-derived immune regulation and has been found to potently suppress experimental models of allergy and autoimmunity (both with active infection and isolated secreted products). The protocol described in this paper outlines management of the H. polygyrus life cycle for consistent production of L3 larvae, recovery of adult parasites, and collection of their excretory-secretory products (HES)

    Protein hydrolysates from boarfish (Capros aper) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) skin gelatin improve metabolic control in genetically obese diabetic (ob/ob) mice

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    There is increasing interest in dietary protein for management of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity. The effects of twice-daily oral administration of a salmon skin gelatin hydrolysate (SSGH, 50 mg/kg), boarfish protein hydrolysate (BPH, (50 mg/kg), metformin (200 mg/kg), or saline control, were investigated in ob/ob mice. Non-fasting blood glucose was significantly reduced with SSGH (p < 0.01), BPH (p < 0.001) and metformin (p < 0.001), which were reflected in reductions in glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (p < 0.001, p < 0.01 and p < 0.01, respectively). Responses to oral and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance were improved (p < 0.05–0.01), as well as circulating plasma lipid profiles (p < 0.05–0.001). Chronic BPH treatment increased circulating plasma insulin (p < 0.01), whereas SSGH improved insulin sensitivity (p < 0.05), versus respective controls. All treatments significantly reduced energy intake (p < 0.05–0.001) versus (ob/ob) controls, without affecting overall bodyweight. These findings suggest that fish hydrolysates mediate potent anti-diabetic actions similar to metformin and might be suitable for the management and prevention of T2DM
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