315 research outputs found
Direct effects of fermented cow's milk product with Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 on human enterocytes
Cow's milk fermented with Lactobacillus paracasei CBA L74 (FM-CBAL74) exerts a preventive effect against infectious diseases in children. We evaluated if this effect is at least in part related to a direct modulation of non-immune and immune defence mechanisms in human enterocytes. Human enterocytes (Caco-2) were stimulated for 48 h with FM-CBAL74 at different concentrations. Cell growth was assessed by colorimetric assay; cell differentiation (assessed by lactase expression), tight junction proteins (zonula occludens1 and occludin), mucin 2, and toll-like receptor (TRL) pathways were analysed by real-time PCR; innate immunity peptide synthesis, beta-defensin-2 (HBD-2) and cathelicidin (LL-37) were evaluated by ELISA. Mucus layer thickness was analysed by histochemistry. FMCBA L74 stimulated cell growth and differentiation, tight junction proteins and mucin 2 expression, and mucus layer thickness in a dose-dependent fashion. A significant stimulation of HBD-2 and LL-37 synthesis, associated with a modulation of TLR pathway, was also observed. FM-CBAL74 regulates non-immune and immune defence mechanisms through a direct interaction with the enterocytes. These effects could be involved in the preventive action against infectious diseases demonstrated by this fermented product in children
Pancharatnam-Berry phase optical elements for wavefront shaping in the visible domain: switchable helical modes generation
We report the realization of a Pancharatnam-Berry phase optical element [Z.
Bomzon, G. Biener, V. Kleiner, and E. Hasman, Opt. Lett. \textbf{27}, 1141
(2002)] for wavefront shaping working in the visible spectral domain, based on
patterned liquid crystal technology. This device generates helical modes of
visible light with the possibility of electro-optically switching between
opposite helicities by controlling the handedness of the input circular
polarization. By cascading this approach, fast switching among multiple
wavefront helicities can be achieved, with potential applications to
multi-state optical information encoding. The approach demonstrated here can be
generalized to other polarization-controlled devices for wavefront shaping,
such as switchable lenses, beam-splitters, and holographic elements
Polar catastrophe and electronic reconstructions at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface: evidence from optical second harmonic generation
The so-called "polar catastrophe", a sudden electronic reconstruction taking
place to compensate for the interfacial ionic polar discontinuity, is currently
considered as a likely factor to explain the surprising conductivity of the
interface between the insulators LaAlO3 and SrTiO3. We applied optical second
harmonic generation, a technique that a priori can detect both mobile and
localized interfacial electrons, to investigating the electronic polar
reconstructions taking place at the interface. As the LaAlO3 film thickness is
increased, we identify two abrupt electronic rearrangements: the first takes
place at a thickness of 3 unit cells, in the insulating state; the second
occurs at a thickness of 4-6 unit cells, i.e., just above the threshold for
which the samples become conducting. Two possible physical scenarios behind
these observations are proposed. The first is based on an electronic transfer
into localized electronic states at the interface that acts as a precursor of
the conductivity onset. In the second scenario, the signal variations are
attributed to the strong ionic relaxations taking place in the LaAlO3 layer
On the variability of HD 170699 - a possible COROT target
We present the analysis of the variability of HD 170699, a COROT star showing
the characteristics of a non evolutionary Delta Scuti star with high rotational
velocity. There is a clear period of 10.45 c/d with 5.29 mmag amplitude in the
y filter. From the data, it can be seen that the star shows multi-periodicity
and it is necessary to add more frequencies to adjust the observationsComment: To appear in RevMexAA(SC) in Proceedings of XII Reunion Regional
Latinoamericana de la UAI held in Isla Margarita, Venezuela, October 22-26,
200
Hepatic Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Immune Response in a Murine Model of Peanut Allergy.
BACKGROUND:
Evidence suggests a relevant role for liver and mitochondrial dysfunction in allergic disease. However, the role of hepatic mitochondrial function in food allergy is largely unknown. We aimed to investigate hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction in a murine model of peanut allergy.
METHODS:
Three-week-old C3H/HeOuJ mice were sensitized by the oral route with peanut-extract (PNT). We investigated: 1. the occurrence of effective sensitization to PNT by analysing acute allergic skin response, anaphylactic symptoms score, body temperature, serum mucosal mast cell protease-1 (mMCP-1) and anti-PNT immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels; 2. hepatic involvement by analysing interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, IL-10 and IFN-γ mRNA expression; 3. hepatic mitochondrial oxidation rates and efficiency by polarography, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) yield, aconitase and superoxide dysmutase activities by spectrophotometry.
RESULTS:
Sensitization to PNT was demonstrated by acute allergic skin response, anaphylactic symptoms score, body temperature decrease, serum mMCP-1 and anti-peanut IgE levels. Liver involvement was demonstrated by a significant increase of hepatic Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13) mRNA expression. Mitochondrial dysfunction was demonstrated by lower state 3 respiration rate in the presence of succinate, decreased fatty acid oxidation in the presence of palmitoyl-carnitine, increased yield of ROS proven by the inactivation of aconitase enzyme and higher Hâ‚‚Oâ‚‚ mitochondrial release.
CONCLUSIONS:
We provide evidence of hepatic mitochondrial dysfunction in a murine model of peanut allergy. These data could open the way to the identification of new mitochondrial targets for innovative preventive and therapeutic strategies against food allergy
Targeting Food Allergy with Probiotics.
The dramatic increase in food allergy prevalence
and severity globally is demanding
effective strategies. Food allergy derives from
a defect in immune tolerance mechanisms.
Immune tolerance is modulated by gut
microbiota composition and function, and gut
microbiota dysbiosis has been associated with
the development of food allergy. Selected probiotic
strains could act on immune tolerance
mechanisms. The mechanisms are multiple
and still not completely defined. Increasing
evidence is providing useful information on
the choice of optimal bacterial species/strains,
dosage, and timing for intervention. The
increased knowledge on the crucial role played
by gut microbiota-derived metabolites, such as
butyrate, is also opening the way to a postbiotic
approach in the stimulation of immune
tolerance
Gut microbiota as target for innovative strategies against food allergy.
The dramatic increase in food allergy prevalence and severity globally requires effective strategies. Food allergy derives from a defect in immune tolerance mechanisms. Immune tolerance is modulated by gut microbiota function and structure, and microbiome alterations (dysbiosis) have a pivotal role in the development of food allergy. Environmental factors, including a low-fiber/high-fat diet, cesarean delivery, antiseptic agents, lack of breastfeeding, and drugs can induce gut microbiome dysbiosis, and have been associated with food allergy. New experimental tools and technologies have provided information regarding the role of metabolites generated from dietary nutrients and selected probiotic strains that could act on immune tolerance mechanisms. The mechanisms are multiple and still not completely defined. Increasing evidence has provided useful information on optimal bacterial species/strains, dosage, and timing for intervention. The increased knowledge of the crucial role played by nutrients and gut microbiota-derived metabolites is opening the way to a post-biotic approach in the stimulation of immune tolerance through epigenetic regulation. This review focused on the potential role of gut microbiome as the target for innovative strategies against food allergy
Fluctuating-friction molecular motors
We show that the correlated stochastic fluctuation of the friction
coefficient can give rise to long-range directional motion of a particle
undergoing Brownian random walk in a constant periodic energy potential
landscape. The occurrence of this motion requires the presence of two
additional independent bodies interacting with the particle via friction and
via the energy potential, respectively, which can move relative to each other.
Such three-body system generalizes the classical Brownian ratchet mechanism,
which requires only two interacting bodies. In particular, we describe a simple
two-level model of fluctuating-friction molecular motor that can be solved
analytically. In our previous work [M.K., L.M and D.P. 2000 J. Nonlinear Opt.
Phys. Mater. vol. 9, 157] this model has been first applied to understanding
the fundamental mechanism of the photoinduced reorientation of dye-doped liquid
crystals. Applications of the same idea to other fields such as molecular
biology and nanotechnology can however be envisioned. As an example, in this
paper we work out a model of the actomyosin system based on the
fluctuating-friction mechanism.Comment: to be published in J. Physics Condensed Matter
(http://www.iop.org/Journals/JPhysCM
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