Comparison of DNA extraction methods to detect Salmonella spp. from pig faeces and pork

The quality of DNA extract significantly influences the outcome of PCR-based detection methods. Performances of four different DNA extraction methods were evaluated for their ability to recover Salmonella DNA from artificially contaminated specimens. Swine faecal and pork samples were spiked with known concentration of Salmonella Typhimurium, DNA was then extracted by each of the methods considered and finally tested by a commercial Salmonella Real Time kit

Development of Silicon PhotoMultipliers at FBK-irst

We report on the development of Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPM) at the Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK)-irst (Trento, Italy) in the framework of a collaboration with INFN. Device geometry and technology are resumed, and selected results from the characterization of SiPM prototypes from three production batches are reported, including static, dynamic, and noise properties, as well as photodetection efficiency

Molecular Evolution and Phylogeography of Co-circulating IHNV and VHSV in Italy

Infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) and viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) are the most important viral pathogens impacting rainbow trout farming. These viruses are persistent in Italy, where they are responsible for severe disease outbreaks (epizootics) that affect the profitability of the trout industry. Despite the importance of IHNV and VHSV, little is known about their evolution at a local scale, although this is likely to be important for virus eradication and control. To address this issue we performed a detailed molecular evolutionary and epidemiological analysis of IHNV and VHSV in trout farms from northern Italy. Full-length glycoprotein gene sequences of a selection of VHSV (n=108) and IHNV (n=89) strains were obtained. This revealed that Italian VHSV strains belong to sublineages Ia1 and Ia2 of genotype Ia and are distributed into 7 genetic clusters. In contrast, all Italian IHNV isolates fell within genogroup E, for which only a single genetic cluster was identified. More striking was that IHNV has evolved more rapidly than VHSV (mean rates of 11 and 7.3 × 10-4 nucleotide substitutions per site, per year, respectively), indicating that these viruses exhibit fundamentally different evolutionary dynamics. The time to the most recent common ancestor of both IHNV and VHSV was consistent with the first reports of these pathogens in Italy. By combining sequence data with epidemiological information it was possible to identify different patterns of virus spread among trout farms, in which adjacent facilities can be infected by either genetically similar or different viruses, and farms located in different water catchments can be infected by identical strains. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of combining molecular and epidemiological information to identify the determinants of IHN and VHS spread, and to provide data that is central to future surveillance strategies and possibly control

Integrated lipidomics and proteomics reveal cardiolipin alterations, upregulation of HADHA and long chain fatty acids in pancreatic cancer stem cells.

Pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs) play a key role in the aggressiveness of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDAC); however, little is known about their signaling and metabolic pathways. Here we show that PCSCs have specific and common proteome and lipidome modulations. PCSCs displayed downregulation of lactate dehydrogenase A chain, and upregulation of trifunctional enzyme subunit alpha. The upregulated proteins of PCSCs are mainly involved in fatty acid (FA) elongation and biosynthesis of unsaturated FAs. Accordingly, lipidomics reveals an increase in long and very long-chain unsaturated FAs, which are products of fatty acid elongase-5 predicted as a key gene. Moreover, lipidomics showed the induction in PCSCs of molecular species of cardiolipin with mixed incorporation of 16:0, 18:1, and 18:2 acyl chains. Our data indicate a crucial role of FA elongation and alteration in cardiolipin acyl chain composition in PCSCs, representing attractive therapeutic targets in PDAC

Größenwachstum und Knochengesundheit bei Erkrankungen der Wachstumsfuge und des Knochens: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer GH-Therapie

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Genetische, parakrine und endokrine Faktoren beeinflussen das Größenwachstum und die Knochenmineralisation. Fragestellung Wie sind spontanes Größenwachstum und Knochengesundheit von Patienten mit seltenen Knochenerkrankungen? Kann man Wachstum und Knochengesundheit bei diesen Erkrankungen mit Wachstumshormon („growth hormone“ [GH]) verbessern? Material und Methoden Ergebnisse eines Expertentreffens mit Literaturrecherche zur Knochengesundheit von mit Kleinwuchs assoziierten ossären Erkrankungen und deren Therapieoptionen. Ergebnisse Viele Patienten mit einer Osteogenesis imperfecta sind kleinwüchsig. Eine zusätzliche Gabe von GH hat keinen Einfluss auf die Erwachsenengröße und wird derzeit nicht angewendet. Patienten mit unzureichendem Größenwachstum bei Pseudohypoparathyreoidismus (PHP) können bei Nachweis eines GH-Mangels mit GH behandelt werden und von der Therapie profitieren. Kinder mit X‑chromosomal vererbter hypophosphatämischer Rachitis haben unter der bisherigen Therapie mit Phosphat und Calcitriol einen disproportionierten Kleinwuchs. Randomisierte Therapiestudien mit GH führten zwar zu einer vorübergehenden Verbesserung der Körperhöhe, aber zu keiner signifikanten Verbesserung der Erwachsenenkörpergröße. Bei SHOX-Defizienz ist eine GH-Therapie zugelassen und hinsichtlich Köpergrößenzunahme vergleichbar effektiv wie bei Mädchen mit Ullrich-Turner-Syndrom (UTS). Zusätzlich legen Beobachtungsstudien nahe, dass eine GH-Therapie das bei UTS erhöhte Frakturrisiko reduzieren kann. Entzündung, verminderte körperliche Aktivität und Malnutrition führen bei Patienten mit juveniler idiopathischer Arthritis (JIA) zu einem Kleinwuchs mit Verlust an Muskel- und Knochenmasse. Studien konnten einen positiven Effekt von GH auf Längenwachstum, Dichte, Geometrie und Metabolismus des Knochens sowie auf die Muskelmasse zeigen. Die Therapie mit GH ist bei den Patienten mit JIA nicht zugelassen. Schlussfolgerungen Bei den genannten Knochenerkrankungen muss jede Wachstumsstörung individuell betrachtet werden. Neben dem Größenwachstum kann sich die GH-Therapie je nach Indikation positiv auf Stoffwechsel, Mineralsalzgehalt und Knochendichte auswirken. Zugelassene Indiktionen für eine GH-Therapie liegen bei PHP nur bei einem GH-Mangel und bei Patienten mit intrauterinem Kleinwuchs (SGA) und UTS/SHOX-Mangel vor. Neben einer Zunahme des Wachstums sollte eine Verbesserung der Knochengesundheit im Kindes- und Jugendalter als Zielparameter einer GH-Therapie diskutiert werden

First report in italy of the exotic mosquito species Aedes (Finlaya) koreicus, a potential vector of arboviruses and filariae

BACKGROUND: In the Veneto region (north-eastern Italy) an entomological surveillance system has been implemented since the introduction of the Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) in 1991. During the routine monitoring activity in a tiger mosquito-free area, an unexpected mosquito was noticed, which clearly did not belong to the recorded Italian fauna. FINDINGS: At the end of May 2011, twelve larvae and pupae were collected in a small village in Belluno province (Veneto region) from a single manhole. Ten adults reared in the laboratory were morphologically and genetically identified as Aedes (Finlaya) koreicus (Edwards, 1917), a species native to Southeast Asia. The subsequent investigations carried out in the following months in the same village provided evidence that this species had become established locally. Entomological and epidemiological investigations are currently ongoing in the surrounding area, to verify the eventual extension of the species outside the village and to trace back the route of entry into Italy. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report in Italy of the introduction of the exotic mosquito Ae. koreicus. This species has been shown experimentally to be competent in the transmission of the Japanese encephalitis virus and of the dog heartworm Dirofilaria immitis and is considered a potential vector of other arboviruses. Thus, the establishment of this species may increase the current risk or pose new potential threats, for human and animal health. This finding considerably complicates the entomological monitoring of the Asian tiger mosquito Ae. albopictus in Italy and stresses the importance of implementing the entomological surveillance for the early detection of and the rapid response against invasive mosquito species

Entanglement-enhanced testing of multiple quantum hypotheses

Quantum hypothesis testing has been greatly advanced for the binary discrimination of two states, or two channels. In this setting, we already know that quantum entanglement can be used to enhance the discrimination of two bosonic channels. Here, we remove the restriction of binary hypotheses and show that entangled photons can remarkably boost the discrimination of multiple bosonic channels. More precisely, we formulate a general problem of channel-position finding where the goal is to determine the position of a target channel among many background channels. We prove that, using entangled photons at the input and a generalized form of conditional nulling receiver at the output, we may outperform any classical strategy. Our results can be applied to enhance a range of technological tasks, including the optical readout of sparse classical data, the spectroscopic analysis of a frequency spectrum, and the determination of the direction of a target at fixed range

Associations between double-checking and medication administration errors: A direct observational study of paediatric inpatients

Background Double-checking the administration of medications has been standard practice in paediatric hospitals around the world for decades. While the practice is widespread, evidence of its effectiveness in reducing errors or harm is scarce. Objectives To measure the association between double-checking, and the occurrence and potential severity of medication administration errors (MAEs); check duration; and factors associated with double-checking adherence. Methods Direct observational study of 298 nurses, administering 5140 medication doses to 1523 patients, across nine wards, in a paediatric hospital. Independent observers recorded details of administrations and double-checking (independent; primed-one nurse shares information which may influence the checking nurse; incomplete; or none) in real time during weekdays and weekends between 07:00 and 22:00. Observational medication data were compared with patients' medical records by a reviewer (blinded to checking-status), to identify MAEs. MAEs were rated for potential severity. Observations included administrations where double-checking was mandated, or optional. Multivariable regression examined the association between double-checking, MAEs and potential severity; and factors associated with policy adherence. Results For 3563 administrations double-checking was mandated. Of these, 36 (1·0%) received independent double-checks, 3296 (92·5%) primed and 231 (6·5%) no/incomplete double-checks. For 1577 administrations double-checking was not mandatory, but in 26·3% (n=416) nurses chose to double-check. Where double-checking was mandated there was no significant association between double-checking and MAEs (OR 0·89 (0·65-1·21); p=0·44), or potential MAE severity (OR 0·86 (0·65-1·15); p=0·31). Where double-checking was not mandated, but performed, MAEs were less likely to occur (OR 0·71 (0·54-0·95); p=0·02) and had lower potential severity (OR 0·75 (0·57-0·99); p=0·04). Each double-check took an average of 6·4 min (107 hours/1000 administrations). Conclusions Compliance with mandated double-checking was very high, but rarely independent. Primed double-checking was highly prevalent but compared with single-checking conferred no benefit in terms of reduced errors or severity. Our findings raise questions about if, when and how double-checking policies deliver safety benefits and warrant the considerable resource investments required in modern clinical settings