Characterisation of adhesion of a probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001 to extracellular matrix proteins and the intestinal cell line Caco-2 : a thesis presented to Massey University in partial fulfilment of the requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Microbiology

This study focuses on Lactobacillus rhamnosus HN001, a potential candidate for use as a probiotic. Probiotics are microorganisms that can exert a beneficial effect on a host. It is believed that the ability of a probiotic to colonise gastrointestinal surfaces is important in its ability to exert a beneficial effect on the host. In order to do so, it is thought the microorganism must be able to adhere to molecules found on intestinal cells. HN001 has been shown to adhere to human intestinal cell lines (Gopal et al., 2001). This study characterises the molecular species involved in the adherence of HN001 to intestinal molecules and cell lines, which may be important in the ability of HN001 to exert health benefits in a host. Both liquid and solid-phase binding assays were used to characterise HN001 binding to extracellular matrix (ECM) components found in intestinal tissues. Of the ECM components investigated, HN001 bound fibronectin with the highest affinity. This interaction was specific, saturable and dependent on the growth phase of HN001. HN001 bound immobilised fibronectin in preference to soluble fibronectin through a protein-dependent interaction. HN001 was also found to bind to the N-terminal heparin binding domain of fibronectin and the C-terminal part of the first type III repeat in the fibronectin molecule (III1-C). HN001 adhered to the human intestinal cell line, Caco-2, in a dose-dependent manner that was enhanced by a pH-sensitivc factor present in the spent culture supernatant. Since fibronectin-binding was identified as a possible mechanism for adherence of HN001 to intestinal tissues, HN001 genome DNA sequence was examined for genes encoding putative fibronectin-binding proteins. Fbl (Fibronectin-binding like) was identified through its similarity to fibronectin-binding proteins from Streptococcus pneumoniae (Holmes et al., 2001) and S. pyogenes (Courtney et al., 1994). Fbl was expressed by a GST fusion system and used to compete with HN001 adhesion in liquid-phase binding assays to ascertain its function. Since difficulties were experienced when expressing and purifying soluble Fbl, an insertional disruption of the fbl gene was created and its phenotype investigated in liquid-phase, solid-phase and Caco-2 binding assays to determine Fbl function

Silicon crystals: Process for manufacturing wafer-like silicon crystals with a columnar structure

Wafer-like crystals suitable for making solar cells are formed by pouring molten Si containing suitable dopants into a mold of the desired shape and allowing it to solidify in a temperature gradient, whereby the large surface of the melt in contact with the mold is kept at less than 200 D and the free surface is kept at a temperature of 200-1000 D higher, but below the melting point of Si. The mold can also be made in the form of a slit, whereby the 2 sides of the mold are kept at different temperatures. A mold was milled in the surface of a cylindrical graphite block 200 mm in diameter. The granite block was induction heated and the bottom of the mold was cooled by means of a water-cooled Cu plate, so that the surface of the mold in contact with one of the largest surfaces of the melt was held at approximately 800 D. The free surface of the melt was subjected to thermal radiation from a graphite plate located 2 mm from the surface and heated to 1500 D. The Si crystal formed after slow cooling to room temperature had a columnar structure and was cut with a diamond saw into wafers approximately 500 mm thick. Solar cells prepared from these wafers had efficiencies of 10 to 11%

Novel silicon crystals and method for their preparation

Plate shaped silicon crystals and their preparation by pouring a silicon melt into a suitable mold and then allowing it to solidify in a temperature gradient were investigated. The production of energy by direct conversion of solar energy into electrical energy by means of solar cells takes on increasing importance. While this type of energy production is already the prevailing form today in the realm of satellite technology, its terrestrial application has thus far encountered strict limitations owing to the high price of such solar cells. Of the greatest interest in this connection are silicon cells. A substantial reduction in the semiconductor material costs and the costs involved in the further processing to make solar cells are prerequisites for a rational market growth for solar energy

French adverbial clauses: rescue by ellipsis and the truncation vs. intervention debate

This paper investigates the restrictions on movement to the left periphery found in non-root environments such as French central adverbial clauses and argues that an analysis of main clause phenomena based on intervention/Relativized Minimality is to be preferred to one based on structural truncation. The empirical basis for this claim consists of an examination of some asymmetries between French infinitival TP ellipsis and infinitival TP Topicalization. Adopting Authier's (2011) approach to TP ellipsis whereby the to-be-elided TP undergoes fronting in the computational component but fails to be spelled out at PF, we argue that these asymmetries follow from the fact that in French, while a spelled out fronted TP is an intervener for wh-movement in adverbial clauses, leading to a PF crash, the ellipsis of this fronted TP leads to a convergent derivation via Boskovic's (2011) mechanism of "rescue by PF deletion." This account entails that adverbial clauses involve wh-movement (Haegeman 2006, among others) and that the landing site for TP Topicalization is available in a non-root environment, two conclusions that militate against the hypothesis that non-root clauses have an impoverished left periphery

The Transition from disciplinary expertise to curricular knowledge : an essential step in the acquisition of didactic competency

Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 6 mai 2009).Bibliogr.Compte rendu d'une démarche d'intégration d'un cadre de référence didactique réalisée par une enseignante en soins infirmiers dans un contexte de mentorat au collégial; mise en relief du soutien offert par la personne-ressource aux différents moments de cette intégration

De l'expertise disciplinaire aux savoirs à enseigner

Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 23 avril 2009).Bibliogr.Compte rendu d'une démarche d'intégration d'un cadre de référence didactique réalisée par une enseignante en soins infirmiers dans un contexte de mentorat au collégial; mise en relief du soutien offert par la personne-ressource aux différents moments de cette intégration

Crystal growth by precipitation under microgravity

The importance of understanding the mechanisms associated with defect generation during growth and the influence of gravity is stressed. An experiment is described. The advantages of adapting this experiment to the FES are then discussed. A brief survey of the ground based research under way is given

Applications of polyoxometalates in medicine and their putative mechanisms of action

Relatório de Estágio de Licenciatura, Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologias da Universidade do Algarve, 2015Polyoxometalates (POMs) are inorganic metal-oxide assemblies presenting a wide range of possible structure, size and metal-combination, as well as a high solubility in water and large redox chemistry. These properties are of a great interest in medicine and polyoxometalates are investigated to produce inorganic-drugs against virus, bacteria and tumour cells. Results showed that POMs, such as the PM-8 ([NH3Pr]6[Mo7O24]•3H2O) induced inhibition of tumour cell proliferation, whereas others POMs inhibit DNA- or RNA-virus activation or bacterial growth. While the mechanisms of action of the anti-viral and –bacterial activities are quite well understood, the same does not go for the anti-tumour activity. Nevertheless, the inhibition of tumour proliferation seems to be correlated with the inhibition of certain enzymes such as histone deacetylases and ecto-nucleotidases, or with the programmed death, apoptosis. In this report, these several hypothesis were approach, in a way to explain the anti-tumour, -bacterial and -viral activities of some polyoxometales, but nothing as yet been concluded and further studies are needed for a better understading.Os polioxometalates (POMs) são complexos inorgânicos constituídos por óxido de metais que apresentam uma grande variedade de estrutura, tamanho e combinações de metais, assim como uma grande solubilidade em meio aquoso e numerosas reações de redox. Estas propriedades são de grande interesse na medicina e os polioxometalates são estudados para desenvolver drogas eficazes contra vírus, bactérias e tumores. Os resultados mostraram que alguns POMs, tal como o PM-8 ([NH3Pr]6[Mo7O24] •3H2O) , podiam provocar a inibição de proliferações tumorais, enquanto que outros inibiam a activação de DNA/RNA virais ou ainda, o crescimento bacteriano. Embora os mecanismos de ação da actividade antiviral e antibacteriana serem bem conhecidos, não podemos dizer o mesmo da actividade anti-tumoral. Pórem, a inhibição da proliferação tumoral parece ser correlacionada com a inibição de enzimas, tais como as histone deacetilases e as ecto-nucleatidase, ou com a morte programada chamada apoptose. Neste trabalho, várias hipóteses foram abordadas para poder determinar as actividades anti-tumoural, -bacteriana e -viral de certos polioxometalates, mas nada ainda foi concluído e estudos adicionais são necessários para uma melhor compreensã

Grammaire stratégique

La méthode présentée dans cet article a pour but d'aider les managers d'une entreprise à écrire et à lire les textes stratégiques et à parler entre eux de stratégie. Nous l'appelons une "grammaire stratégique". Elle vise à définir des propositions stratégiques types qui représentent des engagements à agir stratégiquement dans un contexte d'action donné. Le modèle théorique qui sous-tend cette méthode est présenté. Il s'appuie sur la sociologie de l'action de Habermas, et intègre les logiques stratégiques formalisées par Martinet. La méthode a été implémentée grâce à un outil de cartographie (logiciel See-K de Trivium) pour fournir une représentation cartographique de l'ensemble des documents stratégiques des régions du Groupe EDF. La pertinence des énoncés produits automatiquement sur ce corpus conduit à valider le mode d'indexation proposé. Ce travail débouche en outre sur des propositions de déploiement d'une telle approche au sein de EDF, afin de régénérer la production de discours stratégiques, aussi bien sur le fond que sur la forme, et de favoriser le partage de connaissances entre les managers autour de problématiques stratégiques communes.Management stratégique, discours stratégiques, conversations stratégiques, knowledge management, cartographie.

An intervention account of the distribution of main clause phenomena: Evidence from ellipsis

Based on an examination of some asymmetries between VP ellipsis and VP fronting, this paper argues for an intervention approach and against a truncation approach to the distribution of main clause phenomena in adverbial clauses and, by extension, in non-root contexts in general. Adopting Authier’s (2011) treatment of VP ellipsis whereby the to-be-elided VP undergoes fronting in the computational component but fails to be spelled out at PF, these asymmetries follow from the fact that a fronted VP, being an intervener for wh-movement in adverbial clauses, triggers a PF crash unless ellipsis allows the derivation to converge via Bošković’s (2011) ‘rescue by PF deletion’ mechanism. This proposal entails that adverbial clauses are derived by wh-movement (Haegeman (2006) among others) and that the landing site for VP fronting is available in a non-root environment, two assumptions that militate against a truncation account of non-root clauses.Partiendo del examen de algunas asimetrías entre la elipsis del SV y la anteposición del SV, este artículo propone una explicación basada en la intervención y contrario a un enfoque basado en el truncamiento de la distribución de los fenómenos de cláusula principal en cláusulas adverbiales y, por extensión, también en cláusulas no principales en general. Si adoptamos el tratamiento de la elipsis del SV de Authier (2011), en el cual el SV a elidir se mueve a izquierda en el componente computacional aunque termina no siendo pronunciado en la FF, estas asimetrías son consecuencia del hecho de que un SV antepuesto, por intervenir en el movimiento-Q de cláusulas adverbiales, provoca una incompatibilidad en FF a menos que la elipsis permita la convergencia de la derivación mediante el mecanismo de ‘rescate por borrado en FF’ de Bošković (2011). Esta propuesta implica que las cláusulas adverbiales se derivan por movimiento-Q (Haegeman (2006) entre otros) y que la posición a la que se mueve un SV antepuesto está disponible en cláusulas no principales, dos supuestos que contradicen explicaciones basadas en el truncamiento de las cláusulas no principales.Baseado numa análise de algumas assimetrias entre elipse de VP e fronteamento de VP, este artigo defende uma abordagem intervencional e rejeita uma abordagem de truncamento da distribuição de fenómenos de orações raiz em orações adverbiais e, por extensão, em contextos não raiz em geral. Adotando o tratamento da elipse de VP de Authier (2011), de acordo com o qual o VP a elidir sofre fronteamento na componente computacional mas não é interpretado em PF, estas assimetrias decorrem do facto de que um VP fronteado, sendo um interveniente no movimento-wh em orações adverbiais, desencadeia uma falha em PF, a não ser que a elipse permita que a derivação convirja através do mecanismo de “reconstrução por apagamento em PF” de Bošković (2011). Esta proposta implica que as orações adverbiais sejam derivadas por movimento-wh (Haegeman, 2006; entre outros) e que a posição de chegada para o fronteamento de VP esteja disponível num ambiente não raiz, duas assunções que vão contra uma abordagem de truncamento de orações não raiz