Absorbent product and articles made therefrom

A multilayer absorbent product for use in contact with the skin to absorb fluids is described. The product has a water pervious facing layer for contacting the skin, and a first fibrous wicking layer overlaying the water pervious layer. A first container section is defined by inner and outer layers of a water pervious wicking material in between a first absorbent mass and a second container section defined by inner and outer layers of a water pervious wicking material between what is disposed a second absorbent mass, and a liquid impermeable/gas permeable layer overlaying the second fibrous wicking layer

Absorbent product to absorb fluids

A multi-layer absorbent product for use in contact with the skin to absorb fluids is discussed. The product utilizes a water pervious facing layer for contacting the skin, overlayed by a first fibrous wicking layer, the wicking layer preferably being of the one-way variety in which fluid or liquid is moved away from the facing layer. The product further includes a first container section defined by inner and outer layer of a water pervious wicking material between which is disposed a first absorbent mass. A second container section defined by inner and outer layers between which is disposed a second absorbent mass and a liquid impermeable/gas permeable layer. Spacesuit applications are discussed

Stage-Specific Immune Dysregulation in Multiple Sclerosis

A large body of data indicates that multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease which is initiated by CD4+ T-helper 1 (Th1) and Th17 cells that are reactive against proteins in the myelin sheath. MS typically begins with a relapsing-remitting course, punctuated by clinical exacerbations associated with the development of focal inflammatory lesions in central nervous system white matter, followed by a secondary progressive (SP) phase, characterized by a gradual accumulation of neurological disability associated with widespread microglial activation and axonal loss. The molecular and cellular basis for this transition is unclear, and the role of inflammation during the SP stage is a subject of active debate. As of now, no immunological biomarkers have been identified in MS that are predictive of the clinical course or therapeutic responsiveness to disease-modifying agents, or that correlate with new lesion development, cumulative lesion load, or degree of disability. The discovery of such biomarkers would greatly facilitate clinical management and provide power for smaller and shorter clinical trials. In this article, we discuss the literature on immunological biomarkers in MS with a focus on stage-specific differences and similarities.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/140109/1/jir.2014.0025.pd

Finite size corrections to random Boolean networks

Since their introduction, Boolean networks have been traditionally studied in view of their rich dynamical behavior under different update protocols and for their qualitative analogy with cell regulatory networks. More recently, tools borrowed from statistical physics of disordered systems and from computer science have provided a more complete characterization of their equilibrium behavior. However, the largest part of the results have been obtained in the thermodynamic limit, which is often far from being reached when dealing with realistic instances of the problem. The numerical analysis presented here aims at comparing - for a specific family of models - the outcomes given by the heuristic belief propagation algorithm with those given by exhaustive enumeration. In the second part of the paper some analytical considerations on the validity of the annealed approximation are discussed.Comment: Minor correction

Human helminth therapy to treat inflammatory disorders - where do we stand?

Parasitic helminths have evolved together with the mammalian immune system over many millennia and as such they have become remarkably efficient modulators in order to promote their own survival. Their ability to alter and/or suppress immune responses could be beneficial to the host by helping control excessive inflammatory responses and animal models and pre-clinical trials have all suggested a beneficial effect of helminth infections on inflammatory bowel conditions, MS, asthma and atopy. Thus, helminth therapy has been suggested as a possible treatment method for autoimmune and other inflammatory disorders in humans

A parathyroid-hormone-related-protein (PTH-rP)-specific cytotoxic T cell response induced by in vitro stimulation of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes derived from prostate cancer metastases, with epitope peptide-loaded autologous dendritic cells and low-dose IL-2

Bone metastases are one of the most common events in patients with prostate carcinoma. PTH-rP, a protein produced by prostate carcinoma and other epithelial cancers, is a key agent for the development of bone metastases. A PTH-rP-derived peptide, designated PTR-4 was identified, which is capable to bind HLA-A2.1 molecules and to generate PTH-rP-specific cytotoxic T cell (CTL) lines from healthy HLA-A2.1+ individual peripheral-blood-mononuclear-cells (PBMC). In this model, we investigated the in vitro possibility of generating an efficient PTH-rP specific CTL response by cyclical stimulations with IL-2 and PTR-4 peptide-pulsed autologous dendritic cells (DC), of HLA-A2.1+ tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) derived from a patient with metastatic prostate carcinoma. A T cell line generated in this way (called TM-PTR-4) had a CD3+, CD5+, CD4−, CD8+, CD45Ro+, CD56− immunophenotype and a HLA-A2.1 restricted cytotoxic activity to PTR-4-peptide pulsed CIR-A2 (HLA-A2.1+) target cells, PTH-rP+/HLA-A2.1+ CIR-A2 transfected with PTH-rP gene, prostate carcinoma LNCaP cells, and autologous metastatic prostate cancer cells (M-CaP). These lymphocytes were not cytotoxic to HLA-A2.1+ targets not producing PTH-rP, such as peptide-unpulsed CIR-A2 and colon carcinoma SW-1463, cell lines. Our results provide evidence that PTR-4 peptide-pulsed autologous DC may break the tolerance of human TIL against the autologous tumour by inducing a PTH-rP-specific CTL immune reaction. In conclusion PTR-4 peptide-pulsed autologous DC may be a promising approach for vaccine-therapy and antigen-specific CTL adoptive immunotherapy of hormone-resistant prostrate cancer. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer.co

The Eigenvalue Analysis of the Density Matrix of 4D Spin Glasses Supports Replica Symmetry Breaking

We present a general and powerful numerical method useful to study the density matrix of spin models. We apply the method to finite dimensional spin glasses, and we analyze in detail the four dimensional Edwards-Anderson model with Gaussian quenched random couplings. Our results clearly support the existence of replica symmetry breaking in the thermodynamical limit.Comment: 8 pages, 13 postscript figure

The Cavity Approach to Parallel Dynamics of Ising Spins on a Graph

We use the cavity method to study parallel dynamics of disordered Ising models on a graph. In particular, we derive a set of recursive equations in single site probabilities of paths propagating along the edges of the graph. These equations are analogous to the cavity equations for equilibrium models and are exact on a tree. On graphs with exclusively directed edges we find an exact expression for the stationary distribution of the spins. We present the phase diagrams for an Ising model on an asymmetric Bethe lattice and for a neural network with Hebbian interactions on an asymmetric scale-free graph. For graphs with a nonzero fraction of symmetric edges the equations can be solved for a finite number of time steps. Theoretical predictions are confirmed by simulation results. Using a heuristic method, the cavity equations are extended to a set of equations that determine the marginals of the stationary distribution of Ising models on graphs with a nonzero fraction of symmetric edges. The results of this method are discussed and compared with simulations

Computational core and fixed-point organisation in Boolean networks

In this paper, we analyse large random Boolean networks in terms of a constraint satisfaction problem. We first develop an algorithmic scheme which allows to prune simple logical cascades and under-determined variables, returning thereby the computational core of the network. Second we apply the cavity method to analyse number and organisation of fixed points. We find in particular a phase transition between an easy and a complex regulatory phase, the latter one being characterised by the existence of an exponential number of macroscopically separated fixed-point clusters. The different techniques developed are reinterpreted as algorithms for the analysis of single Boolean networks, and they are applied to analysis and in silico experiments on the gene-regulatory networks of baker's yeast (saccaromices cerevisiae) and the segment-polarity genes of the fruit-fly drosophila melanogaster.Comment: 29 pages, 18 figures, version accepted for publication in JSTA

Regulation of the host immune system by helminth parasites

Helminth parasite infections are associated with a battery of immunomodulatory mechanisms, which impact all facets of the host immune response to ensure their persistence within the host. This broad-spectrum modulation of host immunity has intended and unintended consequences, both advantageous and disadvantageous. Thus the host may benefit from suppression of collateral damage during parasite infection, and from reduced allergic, autoimmune and inflammatory reactions. However, helminth infection can also be detrimental in reducing vaccine responses, increasing susceptibility to co-infection, and potentially reducing tumor immunosurveillance. In this review we will summarize the panoply of immunomodulatory mechanisms used by helminths, their potential utility in human disease, and prospective areas of future research