Remobilization of leaf S compounds and senescence in response to restricted sulphate supply during the vegetative stage of oilseed rape are affected by mineral N availability

The impact of sulphur limitation on the remobilization of endogenous S compounds during the rosette stage of oilseed rape, and the interactions with N availability on these processes, were examined using a long-term (34)SO(4)(2-) labelling method combined with a study of leaf senescence progression (using SAG12/Cab as a molecular indicator) and gene expression of the transporters, BnSultr4;1 and BnSultr4;2, involved in vacuolar sulphate efflux. After 51 d on hydroponic culture at 0.3 mM (34)SO(4)(2-) (1 atom% excess), the labelling was stopped and plants were subject for 28 d to High S-High N (HS-HN, control), Low S-High N (LS-HN) or Low S-Low N (LS-LN) conditions. Compared with the control, LS-HN plants showed delayed leaf senescence and, whilst the shoot growth and the foliar soluble protein amounts were not affected, S, (34)S, and SO(4)(2-) amounts in the old leaves declined rapidly and were associated with the up-regulation of BnSultr4;1. In LS-LN plants, shoot growth was reduced, leaf senescence was accelerated, and the rapid S mobilization in old leaves was accompanied by decreased (34)S and SO(4)(2-), higher protein mobilization, and up-regulation of BnSultr4;2, but without any change of expression of BnSultr4;1. The data suggest that to sustain the S demand for growth under S restriction (i) vacuolar SO(4)(2-) is specifically remobilized in LS-HN conditions without any acceleration of leaf senescence, (ii) SO(4)(2-) mobilization is related to an up-regulation of BnSultr4;1 and/or BnSultr4;2 expression, and (iii) the relationship between sulphate mobilization and up-regulation of expression of BnSultr4 genes is specifically dependent on the N availability.

A conceptual framework for public health: NICE's emerging approach

This paper outlines the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence's (NICE) emerging conceptual framework for public health. This is based on the experience of the first 3 years of producing public health guidance at NICE (2005-2008). The framework has been used to shape the revisions to NICE's public health process and methods manuals for use post 2009, and will inform the public health guidance which NICE will produce from April 2009. The framework is based on the precept that both individual and population patterns of disease have causal mechanisms. These are analytically separate. Explanations of individual diseases involve the interaction between biological, social and related phenomena. Explanations of population patterns involve the same interactions, but also additional interactions between a range of other phenomena working in tandem. These are described. The causal pathways therefore involve the social, economic and political determinants of health, as well as psychological and biological factors. Four vectors of causation are identified: population, environmental, organizational and social. The interaction between the vectors and human behaviour are outlined. The bridge between the wider determinants and individual health outcomes is integration of the life course and the lifeworld.

Partial protection to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) elicited in mice by intranasal immunization using live staphylococci with surface-displayed RSV-peptides

A live bacterial vaccine-delivery system based on the food-grade bacterium Staphylococcus carnosus was used for delivery of peptides from the G glycoprotein of human respiratory syncytial virus, subtype A (RSV-A). Three peptides, corresponding to the G protein amino acids, 144-159 (denoted G5), 190-203 (G9) and 171-188 (G4 S), the latter with four cysteine residues substituted for serines, were expressed by recombinant means as surface-exposed on three different bacteria, and their surface accessibility on the bacteria was verified by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). Intranasal immunization of mice with the live recombinant staphylococci elicited significant anti-peptide as well as anti-virus serum IgG responses of balanced IgG1/IgG2a isotype profiles, and upon viral challenge with 10(5) tissue culture infectious doses(50) (TCID(50)), lung protection was demonstrated for approximately half of the mice in the G9 and G4 S immunization groups. To our knowledge, this is the first study in which protective immunity to a viral pathogen has been evoked using food-grade bacteria as vaccine-delivery vehicles.

Passive immunization against tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and IL-1 beta protects from LPS enhancing glomerular injury in nephrotoxic nephritis in rats

Glomerular injury caused by injection of heterologous anti-glomerular basement membrane antibodies (anti-GBM Ab) is increased in rats pretreated with small doses of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We have investigated the involvement of tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta in this phenomenon by passive immunization against these cytokines. Anti-TNF-alpha or anti-IL-1 beta antibodies given 1.5 h before the induction of nephritis significantly decreased injury in this model, whether assessed by the magnitude of albuminuria, the prevalence of glomerular capillary thrombi or the intensity of glomerular neutrophil infiltrate. Albuminuria in anti-GBM Ab alone was 11 +/- 3, LPS/anti-GBM Ab 87 +/- 22, and anti-TNF-alpha antibodies/LPS/anti-GBM Ab 21 +/- 6 mg/24 h (mean +/- s.e.) P < 0.05. Passive immunization with antibodies to IL-1 beta had a similar effect (anti-GBM Ab, 0.6 +/- 0.1, LPS/anti-GBM Ab, 92 +/- 19, anti-IL-1 beta antibodies/LPS/anti-GBM Ab 39 +/- 8 mg/24 h, P < 0.05). The prevalence of glomerular capillary thrombi was also reduced significantly by these treatments; from 22 +/- 5% to 4 +/- 1% in the case of anti-TNF-alpha antibodies and 28 +/- 5% to 13 +/- 4% with anti-IL-1 beta antibodies. Similarly, the glomerular neutrophil infiltrate was also reduced by these treatments; from 42 +/- 3 to 25 +/- 1 in the case of anti-TNF-alpha and 47 +/- 2 to 30 +/- 1 with anti-IL-1 beta antibodies. In contrast, passive immunization against IL-1 alpha had no effect on either albumin excretion (4 +/- 3, 83 +/- 22 and 77 +/- 24 mg/24 h), glomerular capillary thrombi (2 +/- 1; 19 +/- 5 and 16 +/- 3) or glomerular neutrophil infiltrate (22 +/- 3; 47 +/- 5 and 48 +/- 5 from the three groups respectively). These results demonstrate that enhanced antibody mediated injury in the kidney is modulated by TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta but not by IL-1 alpha.