Human pepsinogen A (PGA): an informative gene complex located at 11q13

Summary Human pepsinogen (PGA) exhibits extensive polymorphism that can be detected both at the protein and the DNA level. We describe here two restriction fragment length polymorphisms, EcoRI and BglII, which provide for the detection of three of the most common PGA haplotypes (A, B, and C) in the United States population. The relationship of these polymorphisms to each PGA haplotype was determined by analysis of DNA from individuals exhibiting the corresponding protein phenotypes and by analysis of a series of human × mouse somatic cell hybrids containing the individual chromosome 11 homologous from heterozygous individuals exhibiting the AB and AC protein phenotypes. The use of the BglII polymorphism in combination with previously described EcoRI polymorphism provides a very informative marker of 11q13.     

Efficacy of Fe3O4/Starch Nanoparticles on Sporosarcina pasteurii Performance in MICP Process

The microbial induced calcite precipitation (MICP) has been explored using well-known urease producer bacterium Sporosarcina pasteurii for many applications including soil stabilization. Urease enzyme hydrolyzes urea and in the presence of calcium chloride causes calcium carbonate precipitation between sand particles increasing sand stiffness and strength. In this study, the liquefied soil samples from Anzali coast were positioned inside injection columns by standard positioning technique. The columns were treated by injecting S. pasteurii suspension and cementation solution (CaCl₂ and urea). The effect of different conditions consisting of number of injections, injection intervals, flow rate, and ratio of injection solution on unconfined compression strength (USC) of sands formed inside the columns were evaluated. The results indicated that soil strength was increased when ratio of reactant solutions and injection time were elevated. Moreover, the maximum Ca-precipitation in MICP reaction in liquid medium was obtained while Fe₃O₄/starch concentration and time of addition of nanoparticle to culture medium were 10.8?mg/L and 1.4?h, respectively. The USC results showed that the columns injected by bacterial suspension treated by Fe₃O₄/starch under optimized conditions improved the soil strength up to 1200?kPa in comparison to the control column as 220?kPa.     

Effect of surface treatment on diffusion and domain formation in supported lipid bilayers

Supported lipid bilayers are widely used as model systems due to their robustness. Due to the solid support, the properties of supported lipid bilayers are different from those of freestanding bilayers. In this article, we examine whether different surface treatments affect the properties of supported lipid bilayers. It will be shown that depending on the treatment method, the diffusion of the lipids can be adjusted approximately threefold without altering the composition. Additionally, as the bilayer-support interaction decreases, it becomes easier to form coexisting liquid-ordered and liquid-disordered domains. The physical/chemical alterations that result from the different treatment methods will be discussed.     

HCV core protein immunization with Montanide/CpG elicits strong Th1/Th2 and long-lived CTL responses

An efficient vaccine against Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection requires induction of strong humoral and cellular responses against viral proteins. We evaluated the immunogenicity of HCV core protein (HCVcp), a prime vaccine candidate, formulated in various human compatible adjuvants. An Escherichia coli-expressed HCVcp, purified in native conditions was used for murine immunization in separate groups of: free HCVcp (Ag), Ag+C/IFA (Freunds), Ag+CpG, Ag+M720 (Montanide ISA 720), Ag+F127 (Pluronic acid) and cocktails of Ag+F127+CpG and Ag+M720+CpG. Mice immunized with M720(+CpG) developed the highest HCVcp-specific titers of total IgG, IgG1, 2a, 2b, and that of IFN-gamma and IL-4 cytokines compared to all other groups. HCVcp-specific-CTLs against relevant MHC class I peptides were detected only for Ag+M720+CpG, Ag+M720, and Ag+CpG groups and could be blocked by antimouse-CD8 antibodies. While CTLs were stable, only F127 formulated groups demonstrated detectable IgG antibodies one year post-immunization. Hence, HCVcp formulated in M720 (with a synergistic effect by inclusion of CpG) could induce balanced and strong Th1/Th2 responses with long-lived CD4(-)CD8(+) CTLs.     

When is it optimal to exhaust a resource in a finite time?

Exhaustion of a natural resource stock may be a rational choice for an individual and/or a community, even if a sustainable use for the resource is feasible and the resource users are farsighted and well informed on the ecosystem. We identify conditions under which it is optimal not to sustain resource use. These conditions concern the discounting of future benefits, instability of a social system or ecosystem, nonconvexity of natural growth function, socio-psychological value of employment, and strategic interaction among resource users. The identification of these conditions can help design policies to prevent unsustainable patterns of resource use.      

Agro-ecological field vulnerability evaluation and climate change impacts in Souma area (Iran), using MicroLEIS DSS

Soil erosion and contamination are two main desertification indices or land degradation agents in agricultural areas. Global climate change consequence is a priority to predict global environmental change impacts on these degradation risks. This agro-ecological approach can be especially useful when formulating soil specific agricultural practices based on the spatial variability of soils and related resources to reverse environmental degradation. Raizal and Pantanal models within the new MicroLEIS framework, the Ero&Con package, are database/expert system evaluation approach for assessing limitations to land use, or vulnerability of the land to specified agricultural degradation risks. This study was performed in Souma area with approximately 4100 ha extension in the North-West of Iran (west Azarbaijan). Based on 35 sampling soils, Typic Xerofluvents, Typic Calcixerepts, Fluventic Haploxerepts and Fluventic Endaquepts were classified as main subgroups. Climatological data, referred to temperature and precipitation of more than 36 consecutive years were collected from Urmieh station reports and stored in monthly Climate Database CDBm, as a major component of MicroLEIS DSS (CDBm) program. Climate data for a hypothetical future scenario were collected from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports for the 2080s period. The evaluation approach predicts that attainable water erosion vulnerability classes were none (V1) very low (V2) and moderately low (V4) in the total of 72%, 13% and 15% of the Souma area, respectively and they will not affected by climate change. On contrary, attainable wind erosion vulnerability classes will increase. Also, phosphorous and heavy metal contamination vulnerability risks will not differ in two compared scenarios while nitrogen and pesticides vulnerability classes will be improved.