769 research outputs found
Structural and analytical characterization by scanning transmission electron microscopy of silicon-based nanostructures
A few recent applications of scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) methods to problems of interest for nanoelectronics are reported. They include nanometer-scaled dopant profiles by Z-contrast and strain mapping by convergent beam diffraction
Concomitant infections with canine parvovirus type 2 and intracellular tick-borne pathogens in two puppy dogs
In this report the concomitant infection with canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2), Hepatozoon canis and Ehrlichia canis in two puppy dogs from Southern Italy is described. Dogs were referred to a veterinary university hospital for the acute onset of lethargy and gastrointestinal signs. A complete clinical and clinicopathological evaluation was carried out and the multiple infection was confirmed by microscopic detection of inclusion bodies in peripheral blood smear, rapid immunoenzymatic tests, indirect fluorescent antibody tests, and molecular assays. Sequence analysis revealed that the CPV-2 identified belonged to the 2c variant and had amino acid residues in the predicted VP2 protein typical of "Asian-like" strains widespread in Asia and occasionally reported in Romania, Nigeria and Italy, particularly in the region of Sicily. Numerous monocytes were infected by both H. canis gamonts and E. canis morulae, suggesting that this co-infection is not accidental and that E. canis preferably infects those cells parasitized by H. canis. The clinical presentation of these animals was severe but supportive cares associated with early etiological therapy allowed a good prognosis. Movement of puppies from geographic areas where vector-borne pathogens are endemic must be carefully evaluated and core vaccinations and ectoparasite prevention treatments must be rigorously adopted
Novel sequence variants of viral hexon and fibre genes in two dogs with canine adenovirus type 1-associated disease
There is little information on sequence variation of canine adenovirus type 1 (CAdV-1), the aetiological agent of infectious canine hepatitis (ICH). This study reports hexon and fibre gene sequence variants of CAdV-1 in a dog with systemic ICH and a dog with the ocular form of the disease (\ue2\u80\u98blue eye\ue2\u80\u99) in Northern Italy in 2013. One of the sequence variants matched a CAdV-1 fox sequence previously detected in Italy
Differential inflammation-mediated function of prokineticin 2 in the synovial fibroblasts of patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared with osteoarthritis
Prokineticin 2 (PK2) is a secreted protein involved in several pathological and physiological processes, including the regulation of inflammation, sickness behaviors, and circadian rhythms. Recently, it was reported that PK2 is associated with the pathogenesis of collagen-induced arthritis in mice. However, the role of PK2 in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or osteoarthritis (OA) remains unknown. In this study, we collected synovial tissue, plasma, synovial fluid, and synovial fibroblasts (SF) from RA and OA patients to analyze the function of PK2 using immunohistochemistry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and tissue superfusion studies. PK2 and its receptors prokineticin receptor (PKR) 1 and 2 were expressed in RA and OA synovial tissues. PKR1 expression was downregulated in RA synovial tissue compared with OA synovial tissue. The PK2 concentration was higher in RA synovial fluid than in OA synovial fluid but similar between RA and OA plasma. PK2 suppressed the production of IL-6 from TNFα-prestimulated OA-SF, and this effect was attenuated in TNFα-prestimulated RA-SF. This phenomenon was accompanied by the upregulation of PKR1 in OA-SF. This study provides a new model to explain some aspects underlying the chronicity of inflammation in RA
Critical role for prokineticin 2 in CNS autoimmunity
Objective: To investigate the potential role of prokineticin 2 (PK2), a bioactive peptide involved in multiple biological functions including immune modulation, in CNS autoimmune demyelinating disease.
Methods: We investigated the expression of PK2 in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), the animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), and in patients with relapsing-remitting MS. We evaluated the biological effects of PK2 on expression of EAE and on development of T-cell response against myelin by blocking PK2 in vivo with PK2 receptor antagonists. We treated with PK2 immune cells activated against myelin antigen to explore the immune-modulating effects of this peptide in vitro.
Results: Pk2 messenger RNA was upregulated in spinal cord and lymph node cells (LNCs) of mice with EAE. PK2 protein was expressed in EAE inflammatory infiltrates and was increased in sera during EAE. In patients with relapsing-remitting MS, transcripts for PK2 were significantly increased in peripheral blood mononuclear cells compared with healthy controls, and PK2 serum concentrations were significantly higher. A PK2 receptor antagonist prevented or attenuated established EAE in chronic and relapsing-remitting models, reduced CNS inflammation and demyelination, and decreased the production of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17A cytokines in LNCs while increasing IL-10. PK2 in vitro increased IFN-γ and IL-17A and reduced IL-10 in splenocytes activated against myelin antigen.
Conclusion: These data suggest that PK2 is a critical immune regulator in CNS autoimmune demyelination and may represent a new target for therapy
Canine circovirus and Canine adenovirus type 1 and 2 in dogs with parvoviral enteritis
Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is one of the most relevant pathogens associated with enteritis in dogs and is frequently
reported in association with the detection of other pathogens in faeces. In this study the concomitant presence of Canine
circovirus (CanineCV) and Canine adenovirus (CAdV) DNA in faecal or intestine samples of 95 dogs with parvovirus
enteritis sampled in Italy (1995–2017) was investigated and the viruses identified were genetically characterised. Potential
correlations with the antigenic variant of CPV-2 and with signalment data and outcome were evaluated. Twenty-eight of 95
(29.5%) CPV-2 infected dogs tested positive to other viruses: 7/28 were also positive to CanineCV, 1/28 to CAdV-1, 18/28
to CAdV-2, 1/28 to CanineCV and CAdV-2, and 1/28 to CAdV-1 and CAdV-2. The frequency of CAdV DNA detection and
coinfections was significantly higher in purebred dogs compared to mixed breed ones (P = 0.002 and 0.009, respectively). The
presence of coinfection was not associated with any other relevant data available, including CPV-2 variant and final outcome.
The detection of CanineCV in a dog sampled in 2009 allowed to backdating its circulation in dogs. The eight CanineCV
completely sequenced were phylogenetically related to the CanineCV identified in dogs, wolves and a badger from Europe,
USA, Argentina and China. Nine CAdV were partially sequenced and phylogenetic analysis showed a separate branch for
the oldest CAdV-2 identified (1995). From the results obtained in this study population, CanineCV and CAdV coinfections
in dogs with parvoviral enteritis did not result in more severe disease
Concentration for One and Two Species One-Dimensional Reaction-Diffusion Systems
We look for similarity transformations which yield mappings between different
one-dimensional reaction-diffusion processes. In this way results obtained for
special systems can be generalized to equivalent reaction-diffusion models. The
coagulation (A + A -> A) or the annihilation (A + A -> 0) models can be mapped
onto systems in which both processes are allowed. With the help of the
coagulation-decoagulation model results for some death-decoagulation and
annihilation-creation systems are given. We also find a reaction-diffusion
system which is equivalent to the two species annihilation model (A + B ->0).
Besides we present numerical results of Monte Carlo simulations. An accurate
description of the effects of the reaction rates on the concentration in
one-species diffusion-annihilation model is made. The asymptotic behavior of
the concentration in the two species annihilation system (A + B -> 0) with
symmetric initial conditions is studied.Comment: 20 pages latex, uuencoded figures at the en
Tuning the domain wall orientation in thin magnetic strips by induced anisotropy
We report on a method to tune the orientation of in-plane magnetic domains
and domain walls in thin ferromagnetic strips by manipulating the magnetic
anisotropy. Uniaxial in-plane anisotropy is induced in a controlled way by
oblique evaporation of magnetic thin strips. A direct correlation between the
magnetization direction and the domain wall orientation is found experimentally
and confirmed by micromagnetic simulations. The domain walls in the strips are
always oriented along the oblique evaporation-induced easy axis, in spite of
the shape anisotropy. The controlled manipulation of domain wall orientations
could open new possibilities for novel devices based on domain-wall
propagation
On the universality of a class of annihilation-coagulation models
A class of -dimensional reaction-diffusion models interpolating
continuously between the diffusion-coagulation and the diffusion-annihilation
models is introduced. Exact relations among the observables of different models
are established. For the one-dimensional case, it is shown how correlations in
the initial state can lead to non-universal amplitudes for time-dependent
particles density.Comment: 18 pages with no figures. Latex file using REVTE
Morphologic, immunologic and cytogenetic studies in acute myeloid leukemia following occupational exposure to pesticides and organic solvents
- …