The interaction between the physical environments and people

Buildings affect people in various ways. They can help us to work more effectively; they also present a wide range of stimuli for our senses to react to. Intelligent buildings are designed to be aesthetic in sensory terms not just visually appealing but ones in which occupants experience delight, freshness, airiness, daylight, views out and social ambience. All these factors contribute to a general aesthetic which gives pleasure and affects one’s mood. If there is to be a common vision, it is essential for architects, engineers and clients to work closely together throughout the planning, design, construction and operational stages which represent the conception, birth and life of the building. There has to be an understanding of how patterns of work are best suited to a particular building form served by appropriate environmental systems. A host of technologies are emerging that help these processes, but in the end it is how we think about achieving responsive buildings that matters. Intelligent buildings should cope with social and technological changes and also be adaptable to short-term and long-term human needs. We live through our senses. They rely on stimulation from the tasks we are focused on; people around us but also the physical environment. We breathe air and its quality affects the olfactory system; temperature is felt by thermoreceptors in the skin; sound enters our ears; the visual scene is beheld by our eyes. All these stimuli are transmitted along the sensory nervous system to the brain for processing from which physiological and psychological reactions and judgments are formed depending on perception, expectancies and past experiences. It is clear that the environmental setting plays a role in this sensory process. This is the essence of sensory design. Space plays its part as well. The flow of communication is partly electronic but also largely by people meeting face to face. Our sense of space wants different things at different times. Sometimes privacy but other times social needs have to be satisfied besides the organizational requirement to have effective human communications throughout the building. In general if the senses are satisfied people feel better and work better.

The proteome of the infectious bronchitis virus Beau-R Virion

Infectious bronchitis is a highly contagious respiratory disease of poultry caused by the coronavirus IBV. It was thought that coronavirus virions were composed of three major viral structural proteins, until investigations of other coronaviruses showed that coronavirus virions also include viral non-structural and group specific proteins as well as host cell proteins. To study the proteome of IBV virions, virus was grown in embryonated chicken eggs and purified by sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation and analysed by mass spectrometry proteomic. Analysis of three preparations of purified IBV yielded the three expected structural proteins plus thirty-five additional virion-associated host proteins. Virion-associated host proteins had a diverse range of functional attributions, being involved in cytoskeleton formation, RNA binding and protein folding pathways. Some of these proteins were unique to this study, whilst others were found to be orthologous to proteins identified in SARS-CoV virions, and also virions from a number of other RNA and DNA viruses. Together these results demonstrate that coronaviruses have the capacity to incorporate a substantial variety of host protein, which may have implications for the disease process.

Superinfection exclusion and the long-term survival of honey bees in Varroa-infested colonies

Over the past 50 years, many millions of European honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies have died as the ectoparasitic mite, Varroa destructor, has spread around the world. Subsequent studies have indicated that the mite's association with a group of RNA viral pathogens (Deformed Wing Virus, DWV) correlates with colony death. Here, we propose a phenomenon known as superinfection exclusion that provides an explanation of how certain A. mellifera populations have survived, despite Varroa infestation and high DWV loads. Next-generation sequencing has shown that a non-lethal DWV variant 'type B' has become established in these colonies and that the lethal 'type A' DWV variant fails to persist in the bee population. We propose that this novel stable host-pathogen relationship prevents the accumulation of lethal variants, suggesting that this interaction could be exploited for the development of an effective treatment that minimises colony losses in the future.The ISME Journal advance online publication, 27 October 2015; doi:10.1038/ismej.2015.186.

Bayesian coalescent analysis reveals a high rate of molecular evolution in GB virus C

GB virus C/hepatitis G (GBV-C) is an RNA virus of the family Flaviviridae. Despite replicating with an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, some previous estimates of rates of evolutionary change in GBV-C suggest that it fixes mutations at the anomalously low rate of similar to 100(-7) nucleotide substitution per site, per year. However, these estimates were largely based on the assumption that GBV-C and its close relative GBV-A (New World monkey GB viruses) codiverged with their primate hosts over millions of years. Herein, we estimated the substitution rate of GBV-C using the largest set of dated GBV-C isolates compiled to date and a Bayesian coalescent approach that utilizes the year of sampling and so is independent of the assumption of codivergence. This revealed a rate of evolutionary change approximately four orders of magnitude higher than that estimated previously, in the range of 10(-2) to 10(-3) sub/site/year, and hence in line with those previously determined for RNA viruses in general and the Flaviviridae in particular. In addition, we tested the assumption of host-virus codivergence in GBV-A by performing a reconciliation analysis of host and virus phylogenies. Strikingly, we found no statistical evidence for host-virus codivergence in GBV-A, indicating that substitution rates in the GB viruses should not be estimated from host divergence times.

Functional interferences in host inflammatory immune response by airway allergic inflammation restrain experimental periodontitis development in mice

Aims Periodontal disease (PD) and airway allergic inflammation (AL) present opposing inflammatory immunological features and clinically present an inverse correlation. However, the putative mechanisms underlying such opposite association are unknown. Material and Methods Balb/C mice were submitted to the co-induction of experimental PD (induced by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans oral inoculation) and AL [induced by sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA) and the subsequent OVA challenges], and evaluated regarding PD and AL severity, immune response [cytokine production at periodontal tissues, and T-helper transcription factors in submandibular lymph nodes (LNs)] and infection parameters. Results PD/AL co-induction decreased PD alveolar bone loss and periodontal inflammation while experimental AL parameters were unaltered. An active functional interference was verified, because independent OVA sensitization and challenge not modulate PD outcome. PD+AL group presented decreased tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin (IL)-1 beta, -gamma, IL-17A, receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells ligand and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-13 levels in periodontal tissues, while IL-4 and IL-10 levels were unaltered by AL co-induction. AL co-induction also resulted in upregulated T-bet and related orphan receptor gamma and downregulated GATA3 levels expression in submandibular LNs when compared with PD group. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that the interaction between experimental periodontitis and allergy involves functional immunological interferences, which restrains experimental periodontitis development by means of a skewed immune response.

Complexity and anisotropy in host morphology make populations less susceptible to epidemic outbreaks

One of the challenges in epidemiology is to account for the complex morphological structure of hosts such as plant roots, crop fields, farms, cells, animal habitats and social networks, when the transmission of infection occurs between contiguous hosts. Morphological complexity brings an inherent heterogeneity in populations and affects the dynamics of pathogen spread in such systems. We have analysed the influence of realistically complex host morphology on the threshold for invasion and epidemic outbreak in an SIR (susceptible-infected-recovered) epidemiological model. We show that disorder expressed in the host morphology and anisotropy reduces the probability of epidemic outbreak and thus makes the system more resistant to epidemic outbreaks. We obtain general analytical estimates for minimally safe bounds for an invasion threshold and then illustrate their validity by considering an example of host data for branching hosts (salamander retinal ganglion cells). Several spatial arrangements of hosts with different degrees of heterogeneity have been considered in order to separately analyse the role of shape complexity and anisotropy in the host population. The estimates for invasion threshold are linked to morphological characteristics of the hosts that can be used for determining the threshold for invasion in practical applications.

The small nuclear ribonucleoprotein U1A interacts with NS5 from yellow fever virus

The flavivirus NS5 protein is one of the most important proteins of the replication complex, and cellular proteins can interact with it. This study shows for the first time that the yellow fever virus (YFV) NS5 protein is able to interact with U1A, a protein involved in splicing and polyadenylation. We confirmed this interaction by GST-pulldown assay and by co-immunoprecipitation in YFV-infected cells. A region between amino acids 368 and 448 was identified as the site of interaction of the NS5 protein with U1A. This region was conserved among some flaviviruses of medical importance. The implications of this interaction for flavivirus replication are discussed.

Effect of cholesterol on the interaction of the amphibian antimicrobial peptide DD K with liposomes

DD K is an antimicrobial peptide previously isolated from the skin of the amphibian Phyllomedusa distincta. The effect of cholesterol on synthetic DD K binding to egg lecithin liposomes was investigated by intrinsic fluorescence of tryptophan residue, measurements of kinetics of 5(6)-carboxyfluorescein (CF) leakage, dynamic light scattering and isothermal titration microcalorimetry. An 8 nm blue shift of tryptophan maximum emission fluorescence was observed when DD K was in the presence of lecithin liposomes compared to the value observed for liposomes containing 43 mol% cholesterol. The rate and the extent of CF release were also significantly reduced by the presence of cholesterol. Dynamic light scattering showed that lecithin liposome size increase from 115 to 140 nm when titrated with DD K but addition of cholesterol reduces the liposome size increments. Isothermal titration microcalorimetry studies showed that DD K binding both to liposomes containing cholesterol as to liposomes devoid of it is more entropically than enthalpically favored. Nevertheless, the peptide concentration necessary to furnish an adjustable titration curve is much higher for liposomes containing cholesterol at 43 mol% (2 mmol L-1) than in its absence (93 mu mol L-1). Apparent binding constant values were 2160 and 10,000 L mol(-1), respectively. The whole data indicate that DD K binding to phosphatidylcholine liposomes is significantly affected by cholesterol, which contributes to explain the low hemolytic activity of the peptide. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Host-guest system of 4-nerolidylcatechol in 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin: preparation, characterization and molecular modeling

The interaction of 4-nerolidylcatechol (4-NRC), a potent antioxidant agent, and 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) was investigated by the solubility method using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) methods in addition to UV-Vis, (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy and molecular modeling. The inclusion complexes were prepared using grinding, kneading and freeze-drying methods. According to phase solubility studies in water a B(S)-type diagram was found, displaying a stoichiometry complexation of 2:1 (drug:host) and stability constant of 6494 +/- A 837 M(-1). Stoichiometry was established by the UV spectrophotometer using Job`s plot method and, also confirmed by molecular modeling. Data from (1)H-NMR, and FTIR, experiments also provided formation evidence of an inclusion complex between 4-NRC and HP-beta-CD. 4-NRC complexation indeed led to higher drug solubility and stability which could probably be useful to improve its biological properties and make it available to oral administration and topical formulations.

Host-guest system of 4-nerolidylcatechol in 2-hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin: preparation, characterization and molecular modeling

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Interspecific interaction between Telenomus remus (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) and Trichogramma pretiosum (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) on Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) eggs

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Interaction between breeding habitat and elevation affects prevalence but not infection intensity of Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis in Brazilian anuran assemblages

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Natural Host Relationships and Genetic Diversity of Rodent-Associated Hantaviruses in Southeastern Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Interaction between resistant tomato genotypes and plant extracts on Bemisia tabaci (Genn.) biotype B

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Levantamento revela a predominância do Lettuce mottle virus em três regiões produtoras de alface no Estado de São Paulo

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)