Neutron Star Radius-to-mass Ratio from Partial Accretion Disc Occultation as Measured through Fe Kα\alpha Line Profiles

We present a new method to measure the radius-to-mass ratio (R/M) of weakly magnetic, disc-accreting neutron stars by exploiting the occultation of parts of the inner disc by the star itself. This occultation imprints characteristic features on the X-ray line profile that are unique and are expected to be present in low mass X-ray binary systems seen under inclinations higher than ~65 degrees. We analyse a NuSTAR observation of a good candidate system, 4U 1636-53, and find that X-ray spectra from current instrumentation are unlikely to single out the occultation features owing to insufficient signal-to-noise. Based on an extensive set of simulations we show that large-area X-ray detectors of the future generation could measure R/M to ~2{\div}3% precision over a range of inclinations. Such is the precision in radius determination required to derive tight constraints on the equation of state of ultradense matter and it represents the goal that other methods too aim to achieve in the future.Comment: 17 pages, 8 figures; this is a pre-print edition of an article that has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journa

diagnosis of pain in small companion animals

It is now widely accepted that animals are able to experience pain in a similar way to humans. Acute and/or chronic pain is associated not only with many surgical procedures, but also with various medical diseases, where pain may increase morbidity and mortality. Moreover, some types of pain (e.g., neuropathic pain) can be considered as an illness in themselves. Recognizing pain and assessing its intensity are both essential for its effective management: If pain is not recognised, then it is unlikely to be treated. Two major problems account for the difficulties in pain diagnosis in veterinary patients: (1) animals are not able to verbalise and cannot refer to the state of pain they are experiencing and (2) almost all animal species tend instinctively to mask signs of pain and weakness. Therefore, pain recognition in a diseased animal may be challenging. However, practitioners can rely on different strategies, which can be put in place to reveal the presence of pain in their patients. A presumptive diagnosis, a clinical exam, the evaluation of psychomotor changes and pain expressions, the attribution of pain scores and the response to therapy are all tools which, especially when used in combination, can help the veterinary practitioner recognise a subject suffering from pain and allow a correct approach to therapy. This review summarizes the current available information regarding the methodology that could be applied in small companion animals for a correct diagnosis of pain, offering veterinarians with some "easy to use" tools to apply in their daily practice

medical abdominal visceral pain in dogs

Abdominal visceral pain of medical origin is one of the most frequent reasons for request of medical treatment in humans. Its control is of paramount importance not only for ethical reasons, but also because, if untreated, pain can cause a stress response leading to alterations concerning many organs and apparatuses. Causes of acute or chronic medical visceral pain in men are numerous, with pain originating from various regions of the body. Considering the similarities with regard to the nervous system between humans and other mammals, it is very likely that pathological conditions that cause visceral pain in men are painful in animals as well. Despite this, in veterinary practice medical visceral pain is rarely considered and poorly treated, often for the difficulty in its identification and for a lack of specific guidelines addressing this specific topic. Moreover, no detailed and specific information on this subject are available in the current literature. The present review lists the main pathologies likely responsible of medical abdominal visceral pain in the canine species, trying to summarize, for each considered condition, the available information regarding the pathogenesis and the management of pain

Pain and Suffering in Invertebrates: An Insight on Cephalopods

Invertebrates are a broad group of animals that includes more than 90% of the estimated 10 million species in the world. Some species are abundantly used by man in scientific research and for human consumption. However, the current legislation is still very lacking about the protection toward conditions of pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm that these animals may suffer as a result of experimental practices, fishing and cooking. The purpose of this paper is to summarize what has already been stated by other Authors regarding the possibility that invertebrates (with a specific emphasis on cephalopods) can experience pain and suffering. The results of studies that show the existence, in these animals, of a number of elements that can be associated with the ability to feel pain and not only nociception are highlighted. Objective indicators (such as changes in physiological parameters) and behavioral attitudes of cephalopods that might be related to pain will be addressed as well

Biofilm is a major virulence determinant in bacterial colonization of chronic skin ulcers independently from the multidrug resistant phenotype

Bacterial biofilm is a major factor in delayed wound healing and high levels of biofilm production have been repeatedly described in multidrug resistant organisms (MDROs). Nevertheless, a quantitative correlation between biofilm production and the profile of antimicrobial drug resistance in delayed wound healing remains to be determined. Microbial identification, antibiotic susceptibility and biofilm production were assessed in 135 clinical isolates from 87 patients. Gram-negative bacteria were the most represented microorganisms (60.8%) with MDROs accounting for 31.8% of the total isolates. Assessment of biofilm production revealed that 80% of the strains were able to form biofilm. A comparable level of biofilm production was found with both MDRO and not-MDRO with no significant differences between groups. All the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 80% of Pseudomonas aeruginosa MDR strains were found as moderate/high biofilm producers. Conversely, less than 17% of Klebsiella pneumoniae extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL), Escherichia coli-ESBL and Acinetobacter baumannii were moderate/high biofilm producers. Notably, those strains classified as non-biofilm producers, were always associated with biofilm producer bacteria in polymicrobial colonization. This study shows that biofilm producers were present in all chronic skin ulcers, suggesting that biofilm represents a key virulence determinant in promoting bacterial persistence and chronicity of ulcerative lesions independently from the MDRO phenotype

Pharmacokinetics of cannabidiol following single oral and oral transmucosal administration in dogs

IntroductionIn the last few years, different formulations containing cannabidiol (CBD) were tested with regard to its efficacy on chronic pain, refractory epilepsy, anxiety, aggressive behavior and atopic dermatitis in dogs. CBD is generally administered orally, but its low bioavailability, probably due to a first-pass metabolism, represents a great limitation. The aim of this study was to evaluate if CBD bioavailability increases after oral transmucosal administration (OTM) compared to oral treatment.MethodsTwelve dogs diagnosed with mild chronic pain were enrolled in the study and treated once orally or OTM (6 dogs/group) with a pure CBD in oil formulation at a dosing rate of 1 mg/kg b.w. At prefixed time points, blood samples were collected to define CBD plasma concentrations vs. time profiles, and the main pharmacokinetics parameters were obtained by non-compartmental model.ResultsCBD Cmax, Tmax, terminal half-life and AUC0 − t were 206.77 ± 167 and 200.33 ± 158.33 ng/mL, 2.17 ± 0.98 and 1.92 ± 1.11 h, 2.67 ± 0.53 and 2.62 ± 0.64 h, 647.51 ± 453.17, and 536.05 ± 370.21 h*ng/mL, following oral and OTM administration, respectively. No significant difference in pharmacokinetic parameters were observed between treatments.DiscussionThe OTM administration did not increase cannabidiol bioavailability compared to oral treatment. The almost perfectly superimposable mean plasma concentrations of cannabidiol following the two treatments suggests that CBD is not able to be adsorbed by the oral mucosa or that its absorption is very scarce, and that CBD is swallowed and absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract

A Cluster of Three Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in the 3′-Untranslated Region of Human Glycoprotein PC-1 Gene Stabilizes PC-1 mRNA and Is Associated With Increased PC-1 Protein Content and Insulin Resistance–Related Abnormalities

Glycoprotein PC-1 inhibits insulin signaling and, when overexpressed, plays a role in human insulin resistance. Mechanisms of PC-1 overexpression are unknown. We have identified a haplotype in the 3′-untranslated region of the PC-1 gene that may modulate PC-1 expression and confer an increased risk for insulin resistance. Individuals from Sicily, Italy, carrying the "P" haplotype (i.e., a cluster of three single nucleotide polymorphisms: G2897A, G2906C, and C2948T) were at higher risk (P < 0.01) for insulin resistance and had higher (P < 0.05) levels of plasma glucose and insulin during an oral glucose tolerance test and higher levels of cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure. They also had higher (P < 0.05–0.01) PC-1 protein content in both skeletal muscle and cultured skin fibroblasts. In CHO cells transfected with either P or wild-type cDNA, specific PC-1 mRNA half-life was increased for those transfected with P (t/2 = 3.73 ± 1.0 vs. 1.57 ± 0.2 h; P < 0.01). In a population of different ethnicity (Gargano, East Coast Italy), patients with type 2 diabetes (the most likely clinical outcome of insulin resistance) had a higher P haplotype frequency than healthy control subjects (7.8 vs. 1.5%, P < 0.01), thus replicating the association between the P allele and the insulin resistance–related abnormalities observed among Sicilians. In conclusion, we have identified a possible molecular mechanism for PC-1 overexpression that confers an increased risk for insulin resistance–related abnormalities

Characterization of the Escherichia coli pyridoxal 5'-phosphate homeostasis protein (YggS): Role of lysine residues in PLP binding and protein stability

The pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) homeostasis protein (PLPHP) is a ubiquitous member of the COG0325 family with apparently no catalytic activity. Although the actual cellular role of this protein is unknown, it has been observed that mutations of the PLPHP encoding gene affect the activity of PLP-dependent enzymes, B6 vitamers and amino acid levels. Here we report a detailed characterization of the Escherichia coli ortholog of PLPHP (YggS) with respect to its PLP binding and transfer properties, stability, and structure. YggS binds PLP very tightly and is able to slowly transfer it to a model PLP-dependent enzyme, serine hydroxymethyltransferase. PLP binding to YggS elicits a conformational/flexibility change in the protein structure that is detectable in solution but not in crystals. We serendipitously discovered that the K36A variant of YggS, affecting the lysine residue that binds PLP at the active site, is able to bind PLP covalently. This observation led us to recognize that a number of lysine residues, located at the entrance of the active site, can replace Lys36 in its PLP binding role. These lysines form a cluster of charged residues that affect protein stability and conformation, playing an important role in PLP binding and possibly in YggS function

INTEGRAL high energy sky: The keV to MeV cosmic sources

After almost 5 years of operation, ESA's International Gamma-Ray Astrophysics Laboratory (INTEGRAL) Space Observatory has unveiled a new soft Gamma ray sky and produced a remarkable harvest of results, ranging from identification of new high energy sources, to the discovery of dozens of variable sources to the mapping of the Aluminum emission from the Galaxy Plane to the presence of electrons and positrons generating the annihilation line in the Galaxy central radian. INTEGRAL is continuing the deep observations of the Galactic Plane and of the whole sky in the soft Gamma ray range. The new IBIS gamma ray catalogue contains more than 420 sources detected above 20 keV. We present a view of the INTEGRAL high energy sky with particular regard to sources emitting at high energy, including Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN), HESS/MAGIC counterparts and new view of the cosmic gamma ray diffuse background.Comment: Nucl. Instr. and Meth. A, in press. Proc. of Roma International Conference on Astroparticle Physics (RICAP'07