Weaning diet induces sustained metabolic phenotype shift in the pig and influences host response to Bifidobacterium lactis NCC2818

Background The process of weaning causes a major shift in intestinal microbiota and is a critical period for developing appropriate immune responses in young mammals.Objective To use a new systems approach to provide an overview of host metabolism and the developing immune system in response to nutritional intervention around the weaning period.Design Piglets (n=14) were weaned onto either an egg-based or soya-based diet at 3 weeks until 7 weeks, when all piglets were switched onto a fish-based diet. Half the animals on each weaning diet received Bifidobacterium lactis NCC2818 supplementation from weaning onwards. Immunoglobulin production from immunologically relevant intestinal sites was quantified and the urinary (1)H NMR metabolic profile was obtained from each animal at post mortem (11 weeks).Results Different weaning diets induced divergent and sustained shifts in the metabolic phenotype, which resulted in the alteration of urinary gut microbial co-metabolites, even after 4 weeks of dietary standardisation. B lactis NCC2818 supplementation affected the systemic metabolism of the different weaning diet groups over and above the effects of diet. Additionally, production of gut mucosa-associated IgA and IgM was found to depend upon the weaning diet and on B lactis NCC2818 supplementation.ConclusionThe correlation of urinary (1)H NMR metabolic profile with mucosal immunoglobulin production was demonstrated, thus confirming the value of this multi-platform approach in uncovering non-invasive biomarkers of immunity. This has clear potential for translation into human healthcare with the development of urine testing as a means of assessing mucosal immune status. This might lead to early diagnosis of intestinal dysbiosis and with subsequent intervention, arrest disease development. This system enhances our overall understanding of pathologies under supra-organismal control.

PURIFICATION AND EFFECTIVENESS OF VACCINES AND ANTIVIRAL COMPOUNDS

Viral infections account for over 13 million deaths per year. Antiviral drugs and vaccines are the most effective method to treat viral diseases. Antiviral compounds have revolutionized the treatment of AIDS, and reduced the mortality rate. However, this disease still causes a large number of deaths in developing countries that lack these types of drugs. Vaccination is the most effective method to treat viral disease; vaccines prevent around 2.5 million deaths per year. Vaccines are not able to offer full coverage due to high operational costs in the manufacturing processes. Although vaccines have saved millions of lives, conventional vaccines often offer reactogenic effects. New technologies have been created to eliminate the undesired side effects. However, new vaccines are less immunogenic and adjuvants such as vaccine delivery vehicles are required. This work focuses on the discovery of new natural antivirals that can reduce the high cost and side effects of synthetic drugs. We discovered that two osmolytes, trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and glycine reduce the infectivity of a model virus, porcine parvovirus (PPV), by 4 LRV (99.99%), likely by disruption of capsid assembly. These osmolytes have the potential to be used as drugs, since they showed antiviral activity after 20 h. We have also focused on improving current vaccine manufacturing processes that will allow fast, effective and economical vaccines to be produced worldwide. We propose virus flocculation in osmolytes followed by microfiltration as an economical alternative for vaccine manufacturing. Osmolytes are able to specifically flocculate hydrophobic virus particles by depleting a hydration layer around the particles and subsequently cause virus aggregation. The osmolyte mannitol was able to flocculate virus particles, and demonstrate a high virus removal, 81% for PPV and 98.1% for Sindbis virus (SVHR). Virus flocculation with mannitol, followed by microfiltration could be used as a platform process for virus purification. Finally, we perform biocompatibility studies on soft-templated mesoporous carbon materials with the aim of using these materials as vaccine delivery vehicles. We discovered that these materials are biocompatible, and the degree of biocompatibility is within the range of other biomaterials currently employed in biomedical applications.

Physical oceanography, current meter data, and microstructure measurements 180 km downstream of Denmark Strait sill during Maria S. Merian cruise MSM21/1b

The main objectives of the cruise MSM21/1b were to characterize the spatio-temporal variability of the Denmark Strait overflow and to identify processes responsible for the exchange of the overflow plume with ambient water downstream of Denmark Strait. A multi-platform approach was taken to achieve the goals, based on moorings, an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), as well as lowered and vessel-mounted observations. From these platforms, measurements of temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, current velocity, dissipation of turbulent kinetic energy, and bottom pressure were obtained.

IQuOD 4th workshop in Tokyo: Copernicus Marine in situ TAC, a service for operational oceanography

Copernicus is a European system for monitoring the Earth. COPERNICUS-CMEMS products and services are meant to serve all marine applications: Marine resources, Maritime safety, Coastal and Marine Environment, Seasonal Forecast & Climate. The service is ambitious as the ocean is complex and many processes are involved, from physical oceanography, biology, geology, ocean-atmosphere fluxes, solar radiations, moon induced tides, anthropic activity. A multi-platform approach is essential, taking into account sea-level stations, coastal buoys, HF radars, river flows, drifting buoys, sea-mammal or fishes fitted with sensors, vessels, gliders, floats.

Platform-Independent IP Transmission over Wireless Networks: The WINE Approach

First demonstration of a working dynamically configurable architecture for wireless IP networks. The programmable architecture was as result of a European collaboration between Industry and University and was applied to a range of IP wireless networks. The work laid the foundations for subsequent research initiatives (including the UK) into programmable wireless networks as well as influencing future wireless standards (e.g. ITU-T).EU project WINE (Wireless Internet NEtworking), -1999-10028.

Adaptive intelligent agent approach to guide the web navigation on the PLAN-G distance learning platform

Hypermedia systems based on the Web for open distance education are becoming increasingly popular as tools for user-driven access learning information. Adaptive hypermedia is a new direction in research within the area of user-adaptive systems, to increase its functionality by making it personalized [Eklu 961. This paper sketches a general agents architecture to include navigational adaptability and user-friendly processes which would guide and accompany the student during hislher learning on the PLAN-G hypermedia system (New Generation Telematics Platform to Support Open and Distance Learning), with the aid of computer networks and specifically WWW technology [Marz 98-1] [Marz 98-2]. The PLAN-G actual prototype is successfully used with some informatics courses (the current version has no agents yet). The propased multi-agent system, contains two different types of adaptive autonomous software agents: Personal Digital Agents {Interface), to interacl directly with the student when necessary; and Information Agents (Intermediaries), to filtrate and discover information to learn and to adapt navigation space to a specific student

Implant Platform Switching: Biomechanical Approach Using Two-Dimensional Finite Element Analysis

In implant therapy, a peri-implant bone resorption has been noticed mainly in the first year after prosthesis insertion. This bone remodeling can sometimes jeopardize the outcome of the treatment, especially in areas in which short implants are used and also in aesthetic cases. To avoid this occurrence, the use of platform switching (PS) has been used. This study aimed to evaluate the biomechanical concept of PS with relation to stress distribution using two-dimensional finite element analysis. A regular matching diameter connection of abutment-implant (regular platform group [RPG]) and a PS connection (PS group [PSG]) were simulated by 2 two-dimensional finite element models that reproduced a 2-piece implant system with peri-implant bone tissue. A regular implant (prosthetic platform of 4.1 mm) and a wide implant (prosthetic platform of 5.0 mm) were used to represent the RPG and PSG, respectively, in which a regular prosthetic component of 4.1 mm was connected to represent the crown. A load of 100 N was applied on the models using ANSYS software. The RPG spreads the stress over a wider area in the peri-implant bone tissue (159 MPa) and the implant (1610 MPa), whereas the PSG seems to diminish the stress distribution on bone tissue (34 MPa) and implant (649 MPa). Within the limitation of the study, the PS presented better biomechanical behavior in relation to stress distribution on the implant but especially in the bone tissue (80% less). However, in the crown and retention screw, an increase in stress concentration was observed.

Working in verticalized platform vessel: an ergonomic approach in the oil industry

In this paper we point some aspects of workers activities in offshore units in the oil industry. These units became more verticalized and have a greater number of operating systems. Our goal is to present the main difficulties that workers face in these units.

A User Centered Design Approach for Patient Interfaces to a Diabetes IT Platform

Improving patient self-management can have a greater impact than improving any clinical treatment (WHO). We propose here a systematic and comprehensive user centered design approach for delivering a technological platform for diabetes disease management. The system was developed under the METABO research project framework, involving patients from 3 different clinical centers in Parma, Modena and Madrid.

A novel and facile approach to fabricate a conductive and biomimetic fibrous platform with sub-micron and micron features

The demands of multifunctional scaffolds have exceeded the passive biocompatible properties previously considered sufficient for tissue engineering. Herein, a novel and facile method used to fabricate a core-shell structure consisting of a conducting fiber core and an electrospun fiber shell is presented. This multifunctional structure simultaneously provides the high conductivity of conducting polymers as well as the enhanced interactions between cells and the sub-micron topographical environments provided by highly aligned cytocompatible electrospun fibers. Unlimited lengths of PEDOT:PSS-Chitosan-PLGA fibers loaded with an antibiotic drug, ciprofloxacin hydrochloride, were produced using this method. The fibers provide modulated drug release with excellent mechanical properties, electrochemical performance and cytocompatibility, which hold great promise for the application of conductive electrospun scaffolds in regenerative medicine.

Interactive lounge : an interdisciplinary approach to the design of a gestural interaction device

Among the many new opportunities that digital technologies are enabling are an increased capacity for viewers to interact not only with the program content, but with an increasingly wide array of other digital applications. Within this context this project has developed a new interaction device (incorporating gestural platform technology) and user interfaces to facilitate interactive access to digital media in a lounge room setting. This paper provides an overview of an interdisciplinary design process applied by Australasian CRC for Interaction Design (ACID) researchers—in order to develop the device and present in detail its unique features.

Trends in online journalism : a case study approach based on euaustralia online

This paper takes stock of current changes affecting journalism, and as a case study brings up to date the record of progress made with an online publishing enterprise, EUAustralia Online, first reported on in 2007. It perceives the development of news publishing on line as being in two sectors: media corporations moving to occupy the online publishing field, through complex business stratagems and product-making, and small publications enjoying low production costs and the ability to strike up relationships with numerous users, even on a mass scale. Recent developments in both major publishing and niche publishing are appraised in a literature review, considering both broad-scale industry trends; and pressure from fresh advances in information and communication technology to produce ever-more sophisticated media artefacts, like multi-platform news coverage. The paper also recounts the pattern of work on EUAustralia Online, showing how such publications, ubiquitous ‘blogs’ or newsletters, may be placed in a prospective online order, where large and small operations might co-exist.