121 research outputs found
Phleboviruses detection in Phlebotomus perniciosus from a human leishmaniasis focus in South-West Madrid region, Spain
Phlebotomus-borne (PhB-) viruses are distributed in large areas of the Old World and are widespread throughout the Mediterranean basin, where recent investigations have indicated that virus diversity is higher than initially suspected. Some of these viruses are causes of meningitis, encephalitis and febrile illnesses. In order to monitor the viral presence and the infection rate of PhB-viruses in a recently identified and well characterized human zoonotic leishmaniasis focus in southwestern Madrid, Spain, a sand fly collection was carried out.
Methods
Sand fly insects were collected in four stations using CDC light traps during 2012–2013 summer seasons. Screening for Phlebovirus presence both via isolation on Vero cells and via polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using degenerated primers targeting a portion of the L segment, was performed. The serological identity and phylogenetic relationships on the three genomic segments of the viral isolates were carried out.
Results
Six viral isolates belonging to different serological complexes of the genus Phlebovirus were obtained from fifty pools on a total of 963 P. perniciosus (202 females). Phylogenetic analysis and serological assays allowed the identification of two isolates of Toscana virus (TOSV) B genotype, three isolates strongly related to Italian Arbia virus (ARBV), and one isolate of a novel putative Phlebovirus related to the recently characterized Arrabida virus in South Portugal, tentatively named Arrabida-like virus. Positive male sand fly pools suggested that transovarial or venereal transmission could occur under natural conditions.
Conclusions
Our findings highlighted the presence of different Phlebovirus species in the South-West area of the Madrid Autonomous Community where an outbreak of cutaneous and visceral human leishmaniasis has been recently described. The evidence of viral species never identified before in Spain, as ARBV and Arrabida-like virus, and TOSV B genotype focus stability was demonstrated. Environmental aspects such as climate change, growing urbanization, socio-economic development could have contributed to the genesis of this wide ecological niche of PhB-viruses and Leishmania spp. The potential role of vertebrates as reservoir for the phleboviruses identified and the possibility of Phleboviruses-Leishmania co-infection in the same sand fly should be assessed. Furthermore the PhB-viruses impact on human health should be implemented.This study was funded by EU grant FP7-261504 EDENext and is catalogued
by the EDENext Steering Committee as EDENext432 (http://www.edenext.eu).
The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the authors
and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission.S
Activity of ethanolic extracts of Asparagopsis taxiformis against the major molecular types of Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii complex
Infections due to Cryptococcus neoformans/C. gattii complex have been reported to afflict, not only humans but also other mammals including seabirds and cetaceans, proving that the actual animal exposure to these fungi in nature could be underestimated. In this study, antifungal activity of ethanolic extracts obtained from red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis was evaluated against eight major genotypes of the C. neoformans/C. gattii complex, using both disk diffusion and microdilution broth methods. The algal extracts were active against all fungal strains tested and were not cytotoxic to human red blood cells. This study suggests that Asparagopsis taxiformis extracts possess attractive antifungal properties which should encourage the search for new drugs derived from marine algae
About entanglement properties of kaons and tests of hidden variables models
In this letter we discuss entanglement properties of neutral kaons systems
and their use for testing local realism. In particular we show that, as
previous proposals, also a scheme recently suggested for performing a test of
hidden variable theories against standard quantum mechanics cannot be
conclusive
Review of recent experimental progresses in Foundations of Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Information obtained in Parametric Down Conversion Experiments at IENGF
We review some recent experimental progresses concerning Foundations of
Quantum Mechanics and Quantum Information obtained in Quantum Optics Laboratory
"Carlo Novero" at IENGF.
More in details, after a short presentation of our polarization entangled
photons source (based on precise superposition of two Type I PDC emission) and
of the results obtained with it, we describe an innovative double slit
experiment where two degenerate photons produced by PDC are sent each to a
specific slit. Beyond representing an interesting example of relation between
visibility of interference and "welcher weg" knowledge, this configuration has
been suggested for testing de Broglie-Bohm theory against Standard Quantum
Mechanics. Our results perfectly fit SQM results, but disagree with dBB
predictions.
Then, we discuss a recent experiment addressed to clarify the issue of which
wave-particle observables are really to be considered when discussing wave
particle duality. This experiments realises the Agarwal et al. theoretical
proposal, overcoming limitations of a former experiment.
Finally, we hint to the realization of a high-intensity
high-spectral-selected PDC source to be used for quantum information studies
Heisenberg's Uncertainty Relation and Bell Inequalities in High Energy Physics
An effective formalism is developed to handle decaying two-state systems.
Herewith, observables of such systems can be described by a single operator in
the Heisenberg picture. This allows for using the usual framework in quantum
information theory and, hence, to enlighten the quantum feature of such systems
compared to non-decaying systems. We apply it to systems in high energy
physics, i.e. to oscillating meson-antimeson systems. In particular, we discuss
the entropic Heisenberg uncertainty relation for observables measured at
different times at accelerator facilities including the effect of CP violation,
i.e. the imbalance of matter and antimatter. An operator-form of Bell
inequalities for systems in high energy physics is presented, i.e. a
Bell-witness operator, which allows for simple analysis of unstable systems.Comment: 17 page
Revealing Bell's Nonlocality for Unstable Systems in High Energy Physics
Entanglement and its consequences - in particular the violation of Bell
inequalities, which defies our concepts of realism and locality - have been
proven to play key roles in Nature by many experiments for various quantum
systems. Entanglement can also be found in systems not consisting of ordinary
matter and light, i.e. in massive meson--antimeson systems. Bell inequalities
have been discussed for these systems, but up to date no direct experimental
test to conclusively exclude local realism was found. This mainly stems from
the fact that one only has access to a restricted class of observables and that
these systems are also decaying. In this Letter we put forward a Bell
inequality for unstable systems which can be tested at accelerator facilities
with current technology. Herewith, the long awaited proof that such systems at
different energy scales can reveal the sophisticated "dynamical" nonlocal
feature of Nature in a direct experiment gets feasible. Moreover, the role of
entanglement and CP violation, an asymmetry between matter and antimatter, is
explored, a special feature offered only by these meson-antimeson systems.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
On the distances between entangled pseudoscalar mesons states
Entangled states of pseudoscalar mesons represent a very interesting tool for
studying foundations of quantum mechanics, e.g. for testing Bell inequalities.
Recently, they also emerged as a test bench for quantum information protocols.
On the other hand, from a quantum information point of view, the
characterization of the distance between two quantum states is a topic of the
utmost importance. In this letter, with the purpose of providing a useful tool
for further investigations, we address the problem of which distance allows a
better discrimination between density matrices appearing in pseudoscalar
phenomenology
Loss of nuclear p27kip1 and α-dystroglycan is a frequent event and is a strong predictor of poor outcome in renal cell carcinoma
Expression levels of p27kip1, a negative regulator of the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, were assessed by immunostaining in a series of renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and their prognostic significance was evaluated. Expression of p27kip1 as well as of the α-subunit of the dystroglycan (DG) complex, previously reported to be altered in RCC, was also evaluated by western blot analysis. Nuclear expression of p27kip1 was reduced in a significant fraction of tumors and low p27kip1 staining correlated with higher tumor grade (P < 0.01). Recurrence and death from clear cell RCCs were significantly more frequent in p27kip1-low expressing tumors and Kaplan–Meier curves showed a significant separation between high vs low expressor groups for both disease-free (P = 0.011) and overall (P = 0.002) survival. Low nuclear expression of p27kip1 as well as loss of α-DG were confirmed to be independent prognostic parameters at a multivariate analysis and the simultaneous loss of both molecules defined a "high-risk" group of patients with increased risk of recurrence (RR = 28.7; P = 0.01) and death (RR = 12.9; P = 0.03). No significant correlation with clinical or pathological parameters was found for 8-OHdG staining. Western blot analyses suggested a post-translational mechanism for the loss of α-DG expression and demonstrated that cytoplasmic dislocation of the protein contributes to the loss of active nuclear p27kip1. Loss of nuclear p27kip1 is a frequent event in human RCCs and is a powerful predictor of poor outcome which, in combination with low DG expression, could help to identify high-risk patients with clear cell RCC. (Cancer Sci 2010; 00: 000–000
Expression and Functions of the Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors and Their Receptors in Human Basophils
Abstract
Angiogenesis is a multistep complex phenomenon critical for several inflammatory and neoplastic disorders. Basophils, normally confined to peripheral blood, can infiltrate the sites of chronic inflammation. In an attempt to obtain insights into the mechanism(s) underlying human basophil chemotaxis and its role in inflammation, we have characterized the expression and function of vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their receptors in these cells. Basophils express mRNA for three isoforms of VEGF-A (121, 165, and 189) and two isoforms of VEGF-B (167 and 186). Peripheral blood and basophils in nasal polyps contain VEGF-A localized in secretory granules. The concentration of VEGF-A in basophils was 144.4 ± 10.8 pg/106 cells. Immunologic activation of basophils induced the release of VEGF-A. VEGF-A (10–500 ng/ml) induced basophil chemotaxis. Supernatants of activated basophils induced an angiogenic response in the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane that was inhibited by an anti-VEGF-A Ab. The tyrosine kinase VEGFR-2 (VEGFR-2/KDR) mRNA was expressed in basophils. These cells also expressed mRNA for the soluble form of VEGFR-1 and neuropilin (NRP)1 and NRP2. Flow cytometric analysis indicated that basophils express epitopes recognized by mAbs against the extracellular domains of VEGFR-2, NRP1, and NRP2. Our data suggest that basophils could play a role in angiogenesis and inflammation through the expression of several forms of VEGF and their receptors
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