COMBINED USE OF SPACE-BORNE OBSERVATIONS OF NO2 AND REGIONAL CTM MODEL FOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING IN NORTHERN ITALY

The use of space-borne measurements of trace gas constituents for air quality monitoring is considerably increased during the past decade. This is due mainly to the new generation sensors able to observe large areas with good temporal resolution and due to new assimilation techniques that allow a synergetic use of information from satellite and from Chemical Transport Models (CTM). In fact the in situ sampling method used by the local environmental agencies for air quality monitoring is becoming too expensive to be further continued without a sensible reduction in the number of observing stations. In this paper we present the work that has been performed so far within the QUITSAT project funded by the Italian Space Agency. SCIAMACHY (Uv-Vis spectrometer on board ESA-ENVISAT platform from 2002) observations of earth radiance are used to retrieve NO2 tropospheric column by DOAS spectrometric technique and radiative transfer modelling for AMF computation. Such kind of product has been widely used to estimate emissions, to monitor pollution hot spot as well as cross country and intercontinental transport. Within this work we have merged the column measurements of nitrogen dioxide with the simulations of the Transport Chemical Aerosol Model (TCAM) to improve the model output at the ground level. The method used is a weighted rescaling of the model column in the troposphere according to the SCIAMACHY observations where the weights are the measurement errors and the model column variances within the satellite ground-pixel, respectively. The employed data are related to the Northern Italy area. The obtained ground concentrations of NO2 have been compared with in-situ observations performed by the regional environmental agencies. Results show good agreement mainly where well horizontal mixing is present. The ground concentration from SCIAMACHY-TCAM gives an average NO2 amount within the satellite ground-pixel of 30x60 km2 that is important information for air quality assessment on a regional and/or national scale not easy to obtain only with ground-based observations. Our conclusions thus stress also the actual potential role of satellite observations combined with regional CTM models in the context of air quality monitoring, mainly in rural area, where the ground-based observations are missing

Chikungunya virus entry and infectivity is primarily facilitated through cell line dependent attachment factors in mammalian and mosquito cells

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is the causative agent of the human disease chikungunya fever, characterized by debilitating acute and chronic arthralgia. No licensed vaccines or antivirals are currently available for CHIKV. Therefore, the prevention of attachment of viral particles to host cells is a potential intervention strategy. As an arbovirus, CHIKV infects a wide variety of cells in both its mammalian and mosquito host. This broad cell tropism might stem from CHIKV’s ability to bind to a variety of entry factors in the host cell including phosphatidylserine receptors (PSRs), glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and the proteinaceous receptor Mxra8, among others. In this study, we aimed to determine the relevance of each attachment factor during CHIKV entry into a panel of mammalian and mosquito cells. Our data suggest that the importance of particular binding factors during CHIKV infection is highly cell line dependent. Entry into mammalian Vero cells was mediated through attachment to PSRs, mainly T-cell immunoglobulin mucin domain-1 (TIM-1). Conversely, CHIKV infection into HAP1 and NIH3T3 was predominantly mediated by heparan sulfate (HS) and Mxra8, respectively. Entry into mosquito cells was independent of PSRs, HS, and Mxra8. Although entry into mosquito cells remains unclear, our data denotes the importance of careful evaluation of reagents used to identify receptor use in invertebrate cells. While PSRs, GAGs, and Mxra8 all enhance entry in a cell line dependent manner, none of these factors are necessary for CHIKV entry, suggesting additional host factors are involved

Hemangiomas in infancy

Hemangiomas are the most common tumors of childhood. Although most hemangiomas remain innocuous, a significant minority may be associated with important complications. The morphology and location of a hemangioma of infancy are critically important factors in determining potential risk for complications. Ongoing research on pathogenesis will provide new opportunities for interventional and preventive therapies

Untargeted Lipidomics of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus-Infected Cells and Viral Particles

The viral lifecycle is critically dependent upon host lipids. Enveloped viral entry requires fusion between viral and cellular membranes. Once an infection has occurred, viruses may rely on host lipids for replication and egress. Upon exit, enveloped viruses derive their lipid bilayer from host membranes during the budding process. Furthermore, host lipid metabolism and signaling are often hijacked to facilitate viral replication. We employed an untargeted HILIC-IM-MS lipidomics approach and identified host lipid species that were significantly altered during vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection. Many glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid species were modified, and ontological enrichment analysis suggested that the alterations to the lipid profile change host membrane properties. Lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), which can contribute to membrane curvature and serve as a signaling molecule, was depleted during infection, while several ceramide sphingolipids were augmented during infection. Ceramide and sphingomyelin lipids were also enriched in viral particles, indicating that sphingolipid metabolism is important during VSV infection

CONSUMO ANTIMICROBICO, LESIONI AL MACELLO E BENESSERE ANIMALE: RELAZIONI NEGLI ALLEVAMENTI INTENSIVI DA INGRASSO - ANTIMICROBIAL CONSUMPTION, LESIONS AT SLAUGHTERHOUSE AND ANIMAL WELFARE: RELATIONSHIPS IN INTENSIVE FATTENING PIG’S FARM

L’uso di antimicrobici nel suino rappresenta un rischio sanitario per la diffusione dell’antibiotico-resistenza. Parametri importanti, quali benessere animale e lesioni al macello, potrebbero fornire dati utili ai ini di razionalizzare i trattamenti. Lo scopo di questo studio è stato esaminare le relazioni tra uso di antimicrobici, lesioni al macello e benessere. Sono stati analizzati consumo di antimicrobici, benessere animale ed ispezioni al macello di 13 aziende da ingrasso. L’uso di antimicrobici è stato misurato nel 2016, come giorni di trattamento per suino allevato (giorni/suino). Il benessere è stato rilevato, tramite una selezione di animal based measures (ABMs), su 2336 suini (media 172±14). Le lesioni al macello su 67721 soggetti (media 5074±1701). La mediana di consumo degli antimicrobici è stata 21 giorni/suino (range 0,1-87,8); le ABMs più frequenti sono state imbrattamento fecale di grado 2 (media 23,3±32,0%) e 1 (media 15,0±10,7%); le lesioni al macello: pleuriti (media 16,3±6,1%) e polmoniti (media 14,4±3,5%). Non vi sono correlazioni tra consumo di antimicrobici, ABMs e le lesioni al macello. Sebbene i risultati di questo studio siano preliminari, l’assenza di correlazioni tra i parametri analizzati potrebbe implicare trattamenti non sempre razionali. L’ottimizzazione dei protocolli terapeutici dovrebbe prevedere un approccio integrato con i principali aspetti dell’allevamento (diagnostica, biosicurezza, consumo antimicrobici, benessere, ispezioni al macello).Antimicrobial usage (AMU) in pig farms pose a threat to public health due to the negative consequences on spread of antimicrobial resistance. Important factors, such as animal welfare and slaughterhouse records, may provide useful data regarding rational use of antimicrobials. AMU, animal welfare, and slaughterhouse inspection of 13 fattening units were investigated. AMU was collected retrospectively for 2016 and calculated as mean days of treatment per reared pig (days/pig). Welfare was analysed, using a selection of animal based measures (ABMs), on 2336 pigs (mean 172±14). Slaughterhouse records (FSIS/FSA/WQ standards) of 67721 pigs(mean 5074±1701) were also collected. Median AMU was 21 days/pig (range 0.1-87.8); the two most frequent AMBs were manure on the body score 2 (mean 23.3±32.0%) and 1 (mean 15.0±10.7%); the two most frequent slaughterhouse records were pleurisy (mean 16.3±6.1%) and pneumonia (mean 14.4±3.5%). No correlations were observed among AMU, animal welfare, and slaughterhouse records. Although results of this study are still preliminary, lack of correlations among AMU and the other factors may suggest that treatments were not always rational. In order to optimise AMU an integrated approach should be encompassed, which includes monitoring and reviewing: diagnostic protocols, biosecurity, animal welfare, and slaughterhouse protocols

Clinical profile of recurrent community-acquired pneumonia in children

Background: The aim of this case-control study was to analyse the clinical characteristics of children with recurrent community-acquired pneumonia (rCAP) affecting different lung areas (DLAs) and compare them with those of children who have never experienced CAP in order to contribute to identifying the best approach to such patients.Methods: The study involved 146 children with 652 episodes of radiographically confirmed CAP in DLA in a single year (or 653 episodes in any time frame) with radiographic clearing of densities between occurrences, and 145 age- and gender-matched controls enrolled in Milan, Italy, between January 2009 and December 2012. The demographic and clinical characteristics of the cases and controls were compared, and a comparison was also made between the cases with rCAP (i.e. 643 episodes) and those with highly recurrent CAP (hrCAP: i.e. >3 episodes).Results: Gestational age at birth (p = 0.003), birth weight (p = 0.006), respiratory distress at birth (p < 0.001), and age when starting day care attendance (p < 0.001) were significantly different between the cases and controls, and recurrent infectious wheezing (p < 0.001), chronic rhinosinusitis with post-nasal drip (p < 0.001), recurrent upper respiratory tract infections (p < 0.001), atopy/allergy (p < 0.001) and asthma (p < 0.001) were significantly more frequent. Significant risk factors for hrCAP were gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD; p = 0.04), a history of atopy and/or allergy (p = 0.005), and a diagnosis of asthma (p = 0.0001) or middle lobe syndrome (p = 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age and gender, showed that all of the risk factors other than GERD and wheezing were associated with hrCAP.Conclusions: The diagnostic approach to children with rCAP in DLAs is relatively easy in the developed world, where the severe chronic underlying diseases favouring rCAP are usually identified early, and patients with chronic underlying disease are diagnosed before the occurrence of rCAP in DLAs. When rCAP in DLAs does occur, an evaluation of the patients' history and clinical findings make it possible to limit diagnostic investigations