Evaluation of hepatic changes and local and systemic immune responses in goats immunized with recombinant Peroxiredoxin (Prx) and challenged with Fasciola hepatica

Protection against Fasciola hepatica in goats immunized with Peroxiredoxin (Prx) was assessed. The experimental trial consisted of three groups of seven animals: group 1 were unimmunized and uninfected, group 2 were immunized with adjuvant only and group 3 were immunized with recombinant Prx in adjuvant (immunized and infected). Immunization with Prx in Quil A adjuvant, group 3, induced a reduction in fluke burden of 33.04% when compared to adjuvant control, group 2, although this difference was not significant. The hepatic gross and microscopical morphometric study revealed lower damage in the Prx-immunized compared to group 2 (p

Bio-port Free Energy City

In an age of depleting oil reserves and increasing energy demand, humanity faces a stalemate between environmentalism and politics, where crude oil is traded at record highs yet the spotlight on being ‘green’ and sustainable is stronger than ever. A key theme on today’s political agenda is energy independence from foreign nations, and the United Kingdom is bracing itself for nuclear renaissance which is hoped will feed the rapacious centralised system that the UK is structured upon. But what if this centralised system was dissembled, and in its place stood dozens of cities which grow and monopolise from their own energy? Rather than one dominant network, would a series of autonomous city-based energy systems not offer a mutually profitable alternative? Bio-Port is a utopian vision of a ‘Free Energy City’ set in Liverpool, where the old dockyards, redundant space, and the Mersey Estuary have been transformed into bio-productive algae farms. Bio-Port Free Energy City is a utopian ideal, where energy is superfluous; in fact so abundant that meters are obsolete. The city functions as an energy generator and thrives from its own product with minimal impact upon the planet it inhabits. Algaculture is the fundamental energy source, where a matrix of algae reactors swamp the abandoned dockyards; which themselves have been further expanded and reclaimed from the River Mersey. Each year, the algae farm is capable of producing over 200 million gallons of bio-fuel, which in-turn can produce enough electricity to power almost 2 million homes. The metabolism of Free-Energy City is circular and holistic, where the waste products of one process are simply the inputs of a new one. Livestock farming – once traditionally a high-carbon countryside exercise has become urbanised. Cattle are located alongside the algae matrix, and waste gases emitted by farmyards and livestock are largely sequestered by algal blooms or anaerobically converted to natural gas. Bio-Port Free Energy City mitigates the imbalances between ecology and urbanity, and exemplifies an environment where nature and the human machine can function productively and in harmony with one another. According to James Lovelock, our population has grown in number to the point where our presence is perceptibly disabling the planet, but in order to reverse the effects of our humanist flaws, it is vital that new eco-urban utopias are realised.

Oxidative-nitrosative stress and systemic vascular function in highlanders with and without exaggerated hypoxemia

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Acute exposure to high-altitude stimulates free radical formation in lowlanders yet whether this persists during chronic exposure in healthy well-adapted and maladapted highlanders suffering from chronic mountain sickness (CMS) remains to be established. METHODS: Oxidative-nitrosative stress [ascorbate radical (A•-), electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy and nitrite (NO2-), ozone-based chemiluminescence] was assessed in venous blood of 25 male highlanders living at 3,600 m with (n = 13, CMS+) and without (n = 12, CMS-) CMS. Twelve age and activity-matched healthy male lowlanders were examined at sea-level and during acute hypoxia. We also measured flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), arterial stiffness (AIx-75) and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). RESULTS: Compared to normoxic lowlanders, oxidative-nitrosative stress was moderately increased in CMS- (P < 0.05) as indicated by elevated A•- (3,191 ± 457 vs. 2,640 ± 445 arbitrary units (AU)] and lower NO2- (206 ± 55 vs. 420 ± 128 nmol/L) whereas vascular function remained preserved. This was comparable to that observed during acute hypoxia in lowlanders in whom vascular dysfunction is typically observed. In contrast, this response was markedly exaggerated in CMS+ (A•-: 3,765 ± 429 AU and NO2- : 148 ± 50 nmol/L) compared to both CMS- and lowlanders (P < 0.05). This was associated with systemic vascular dysfunction as indicated by lower (P < 0.05 vs. CMS-) FMD (4.2 ± 0.7 vs. 7.6 ± 1.7 %) and increased AIx-75 (23 ± 8 vs. 12 ± 7 %) and carotid IMT (714 ± 127 vs. 588 ± 94 µM). CONCLUSIONS: Healthy highlanders display a moderate sustained elevation in oxidative-nitrosative stress that unlike the equivalent increase evoked by acute hypoxia in healthy lowlanders, failed to affect vascular function. Its more marked elevation in patients with CMS may contribute to systemic vascular dysfunction.Clinical Trials Gov Registration # NCT011827921Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health, Science and Sport, University of Glamorgan, Wales, UK;2Sondes Moléculaires en Biologie et Stress Oxydant, Institut de Chimie Radicalaire, CNRS UMR 7273, Aix-Marseille University, France;3Department of Cardiology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland;4Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Pisa, Italy;5Instituto Bolivano de Biologia de Altura, La Paz, Bolivia;6Centre for Clinical and Population Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland,7Botnar Center for Clinical Research, Hirslanden Group, Lausanne, Switzerland;8Facultad de Ciencias, Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Tarapacá, Arica, Chile and9Department of Internal Medicine, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland*Drs Bailey, Rimoldi, Scherrer and Sartori contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Damian Miles Bailey, Neurovascular Research Laboratory, Faculty of Health, Science and Sport, University of Glamorgan, UK CF37 4AT email: dbailey1@glam.ac.uk.

Renal replacement therapy in multiple myeloma and systemic amyloidosis

Renal failure frequently complicates both multiple myeloma and systemic amyloidosis. Renal replacement therapy (RRT) may be poorly tolerated and its role in such patients is not clearly defined. Of fifty patients (26 males and 24 females) referred to a single centre because of renal failure associated with multiple myeloma or systemic amyloidosis 37 progressed to end-stage renal failure and 30 of these patients received RRT. Nine patients have been treated by CAPD, 13 by haemodialysis, and 8 patients have required both forms of dialysis. Overall one year and two year survival rates were 66% and 57% respectively. The median duration on RRT was 7.5 months (range 1-96 months) with a 51% one year, and a 46% two year survival rate. Of 7 patients with amyloidosis who underwent renal transplantation, 3 died within 6 months of transplantation. Undiagnosed cardiac involvement contributed to this early mortality. We conclude that renal replacement therapy is appropriate for some patients with multiple myeloma and systemic amyloidosis who develop endstage renal failure. Careful assessment and selection of patients is necessary prior to renal transplantation.

Pipelined two-port adaptor for wave digital filtering

The application of fine-grain pipelining techniques in the design of high-performance wave digital filters (WDFs) is described. The problems of latency in feedback loops can be significantly reduced if computations are organized most significant, as opposed to least significant, bit first and if the results are fed back as soon as they are formed. The result is that chips can be designed which offer significantly higher sampling rates than otherwise can be obtained using conventional methods. How these concepts can be extended to the more challenging problem of WDFs is discussed. It is shown that significant increases in the sampling rate of bit-parallel circuits can be achieved using most significant bit first arithmetic.

Local and systemic immune responses in mice to intranasal delivery of peptides representing bovine respiratory syncytial virus epitopes encapsulated in poly (dl-lactide-co-glycolide) microparticles

The potential of a microparticulate vaccine delivery system in eliciting a specific mucosal antibody response in the respiratory tract of mice was evaluated. Two vaccine candidate peptides representing epitopes from the G attachment and F fusion antigens from bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) were encapsulated into poly(dl- lactide co-glycolide) biodegradable microparticles. The encapsulation process did not denature the entrapped peptides as verified by detection of peptide-specific antibodies in mucosal secretions by ELISA using peptide as antigen. Following intranasal immunisation, the encapsulated peptides induced stronger upper and lower respiratory tract specific-IgA responses, respectively, than the soluble peptide forms. Moreover, a strong peptide-specific cell-mediated immune response was measured in splenocytes in vitro from the mice inoculated with the encapsulated peptides compared to their soluble form alone indicating that migration of primed T cells had taken place from the site of mucosal stimulation in the upper respiratory tract to the spleen. These results act as a foundation for vaccine efficacy studies in large animal BRSV challenge models.

Autologous scleral patch graft in tube shunt surgery

Purpose . To investigate alternative surgical method to cover subconjunctival portion of the tube in tube shunt surgery in glaucoma Methods. In thirteen eyes of twelve patients who underwent tube shunt surgery at WEH between July 1991 to November 1996 a "rotating" autologous scleral lamellar graft was created to cover the subconjuctival course of the tube. These patients were followed for clinical signs of conjuctival breakdown, graft melt, tube erosion, anterior staphylomas, graft related inflammation, infections or graft related complications. Results. The patients were followed up for a mean of 16 5 months( range 1-60 months). All eyes tolerated the autologous graft well without any clinical evidence of tube erosions, graft melting , graft related or intraocular inflammation Conclusions The use of autologous sciera, to cover the tube in a tube shunt procedure appears to be effective and without inappropriate short term risk. It offers the advantages of availability , lower cost, and eliminates the potential risk of transmission of infectious disease( i.e. slow-virus, HIV etc.).