590 research outputs found
Evaluation and comparison of native and recombinant LipL21 protein-based ELISAs for diagnosis of bovine leptospirosis
A 21-kDa leptospiral lipoprotein (LipL21) was evaluated for its diagnostic potential to detect bovine leptospirosis by ELISA. Both native LipL21 (nLipL21) and recombinant LipL21 (rLipL21) proteins were tested and compared regarding diagnostic efficiency, and no statistically significant difference was observed. The sensitivity of rLipL21 ELISA for 62 microscopic agglutination test (MAT) positive sera was 100% and the specificity with 378 MAT negative sera was 97.09%. Thus, rLipL21 protein-based ELISA could be used as an alternative to MAT for the diagnosis of bovine leptospirosis
Renal Involvement in Leptospirosis: The Effect of Glycolipoprotein on Renal Water Absorption
on vasopressin (Vp) action in the guinea pig inner medullary collecting duct (IMCD). Copenhageni, GLPc, n = 5); Group II, IMCD from normal guinea-pigs in the presence of GLPc (GLPc group, n = 54); Group III, IMCD from injected animals with GLPc ip (n = 8). (GLPp, non pathogenic, 250 µg) did not alter Vp action. In Group III, GLPc (250 µg) injected intraperitoneally produced a decrease of about 20% in IMCD Aquaporin 2 expression.The IMCD Pf decrease caused by GLP is evidence, at least in part, towards explaining the urinary concentrating incapacity observed in infected guinea-pigs
Leptospira interrogans Stably Infects Zebrafish Embryos, Altering Phagocyte Behavior and Homing to Specific Tissues
Leptospirosis is an extremely widespread zoonotic infection with outcomes ranging from subclinical infection to fatal Weil's syndrome. Despite the global impact of the disease, key aspects of its pathogenesis remain unclear. To examine in detail the earliest steps in the host response to leptospires, we used fluorescently labelled Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni to infect 30 hour post fertilization zebrafish embryos by either the caudal vein or hindbrain ventricle. These embryos have functional innate immunity but have not yet developed an adaptive immune system. Furthermore, they are optically transparent, allowing direct visualization of host–pathogen interactions from the moment of infection. We observed rapid uptake of leptospires by phagocytes, followed by persistent, intracellular infection over the first 48 hours. Phagocytosis of leptospires occasionally resulted in formation of large cellular vesicles consistent with apoptotic bodies. By 24 hours, clusters of infected phagocytes were accumulating lateral to the dorsal artery, presumably in early hematopoietic tissue. Our observations suggest that phagocytosis may be a key defense mechanism in the early stages of leptospirosis, and that phagocytic cells play roles in immunopathogenesis and likely in the dissemination of leptospires to specific target tissues
Rapidity and centrality dependence of proton and antiproton production from 197Au + 197Au collisions at √SNN = 130 GeV
We report on the rapidity and centrality dependence of proton and antiproton transverse mass distributions from 197Au + 197Au collisions at sqrt[sNN ]=130 GeV as measured by the STAR experiment at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). Our results are from the rapidity and transverse momentum range of |y| <0.5 and 0.35< pt <1.00 GeV/c . For both protons and antiprotons, transverse mass distributions become more convex from peripheral to central collisions demonstrating characteristics of collective expansion. The measured rapidity distributions and the mean transverse momenta versus rapidity are flat within |y| <0.5 . Comparisons of our data with results from model calculations indicate that in order to obtain a consistent picture of the proton (antiproton) yields and transverse mass distributions the possibility of prehadronic collective expansion may have to be taken into account
Evidence from d+Au measurements for final-state suppression of high hadrons in Au+Au collisions at RHIC
We report measurements of single-particle inclusive spectra and two-particle
azimuthal distributions of charged hadrons at high transverse momentum (high
) in minimum bias and central d+Au collisions at =200 GeV.
The inclusive yield is enhanced in d+Au collisions relative to binary-scaled
p+p collisions, while the two-particle azimuthal distributions are very similar
to those observed in p+p collisions. These results demonstrate that the strong
suppression of the inclusive yield and back-to-back correlations at high
previously observed in central Au+Au collisions are due to final-state
interactions with the dense medium generated in such collisions.Comment: Final journal version. Data tables for figures may be downloaded from
the STAR home page: http://www.star.bnl.gov --> Publications --> Access to
STAR published dat
Transverse momentum and collision energy dependence of high hadron suppression in Au+Au collisions at ultrarelativistic energies
We report high statistics measurements of inclusive charged hadron production
in Au+Au and p+p collisions at \sqrtsNN=200 GeV. A large, approximately
constant hadron suppression is observed in central Au+Au collisions for
5\lt\pT\lt12 GeV/c. The collision energy dependence of the yields and the
centrality and \pT dependence of the suppression provide stringent constraints
on theoretical models of suppression. Models incorporating initial-state gluon
saturation or partonic energy loss in dense matter are largely consistent with
observations. We observe no evidence of \pT-dependent suppression, which may be
expected from models incorporating jet attentuation in cold nuclear matter or
scattering of fragmentation hadrons.Comment: Final journal version. Data tables for figures may be downloaded from
the STAR home page: http://www.star.bnl.gov --> Publications --> Access to
STAR published dat
Effects of olive oil and its minor phenolic constituents on obesity-induced cardiac metabolic changes
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Olive oil and its minor constituents have been recommended as important dietary therapeutic interventions in preventive medicine. However, a question remains to be addressed: what are the effects of olive oil and its phenolic compounds on obesity-induced cardiac metabolic changes?</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Male Wistar rats were divided into two groups (<it>n </it>= 24/group): (C) receiving standard-chow; (Ob) receiving hypercaloric-chow. After 21 days C and Ob groups were divided into four subgroups (<it>n </it>= 6/group):(C) standard-chow and saline; (C-Olive)standard-chow and olive-oil (3.0 g/kg.day); (C-Oleuropein)standard-chow and oleuropein (0.023 mg/kg/day); (C-Cafeic) standard-chow and cafeic-acid (2.66 mg/kg/day); (Ob)receiving hypercaloric-chow and saline;(Ob-Olive) hypercaloric-chow and olive-oil;(Ob-Oleuropein) hypercaloric-chow and oleuropein;(Ob-Cafeic) hypercaloric-chow and cafeic-acid. Treatments were given twice a week during 21 days.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 42 days, obesity was evidenced in Ob rats from enhanced body-weight, surface-area, and body-mass-index. Energy-expenditure, oxygen consumption(VO<sub>2</sub>) and fat-oxidation were lower in Ob-group than in C. Despite no morphometric changes, Ob-Olive, Ob-Oleuropein and Ob-Cafeic groups had higher VO<sub>2</sub>, fat-oxidation, myocardial beta-hydroxyacyl coenzyme-A dehydrogenase and lower respiratory-quotient than Ob. Citrate-synthase was highest in Ob-Olive group. Myocardial lipid-hydroperoxide(LH) and antioxidant enzymes were unaffected by olive-oil and its compounds in obesity condition, whereas LH was lower and total-antioxidant-substances were higher in C-Olive and C-Oleuropein than in C.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study demonstrated for the first time that olive-oil, oleuropein and cafeic-acid enhanced fat-oxidation and optimized cardiac energy metabolism in obesity conditions. Olive oil and its phenolic compounds improved myocardial oxidative stress in standard-fed conditions.</p
Azimuthal anisotropy and correlations in the hard scattering regime at RHIC
Azimuthal anisotropy () and two-particle angular correlations of high
charged hadrons have been measured in Au+Au collisions at
=130 GeV for transverse momenta up to 6 GeV/c, where hard
processes are expected to contribute significantly. The two-particle angular
correlations exhibit elliptic flow and a structure suggestive of fragmentation
of high partons. The monotonic rise of for GeV/c is
consistent with collective hydrodynamical flow calculations. At \pT>3 GeV/c a
saturation of is observed which persists up to GeV/c.Comment: As publishe
Azimuthally sensitive Hanbury Brown-Twiss interferometry in Au+Au collisions at sqrt(s_{NN}) = 200 GeV
We present the results of a systematic study of the shape of the pion
distribution in coordinate space at freeze-out in Au+Au collisions at RHIC
using two-pion Hanbury Brown-Twiss (HBT) interferometry. Oscillations of the
extracted HBT radii vs. emission angle indicate sources elongated perpendicular
to the reaction plane. The results indicate that the pressure and expansion
time of the collision system are not sufficient to completely quench its
initial shape.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, published versio
Particle-type dependence of azimuthal anisotropy and nuclear modification of particle production in Au+Au collisions at s(NN)**(1/2) = 200-GeV
We present STAR measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy parameter and
the binary-collision scaled centrality ratio for kaons and lambdas
() at mid-rapidity in Au+Au collisions at
GeV. In combination, the and
particle-type dependencies contradict expectations from partonic energy loss
followed by standard fragmentation in vacuum. We establish
GeV/c as the value where the centrality dependent baryon enhancement ends. The
and values are consistent with
expectations of constituent-quark-number scaling from models of hadron
fromation by parton coalescence or recombination.Comment: 6 pages, 4 figures, 1 table. As published in PRL on Feb. 2, 2004;
Significant revisions have been made to the text and color has been added to
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