Leptospira Detection in Cats in Spain by Serology and Molecular Techniques

Leptospirosis is the most neglected widespread zoonosis worldwide. In Spain, leptospirosis reports in people and animals have increased lately. Cats can become infected with Leptospira, as well as be chronic carriers. The aim of this study was to determine serological antibody prevalence against Leptospira sp., blood DNA, and shedding of DNA from pathogenic Leptospira species in the urine of cats in Spain. Microagglutination tests (MAT) and blood and urine TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed. Leptospira antibodies were detected in 10/244 cats; with 4.1% positive results (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1-7.18%). Titers ranged from 1:20 to 1:320 (serovars Ballum; Bataviae; Bratislava; Cynopteri; Grippotyphosa Mandemakers; Grippotyphosa Moskva; Pomona; and Proechimys). The most common serovar was Cynopteri. Blood samples from 1/89 cats amplified for Leptospira DNA (1.12%; 95% CI: 0.05-5.41%). Urine samples from 4/232 cats amplified for Leptospira DNA (1.72%; 95% CI: 0.55-4.10%). In conclusion free-roaming cats in Spain can shed pathogenic Leptospira DNA in their urine and may be a source of human infection. Serovars not previously described in cats in Spain were detected; suggesting the presence of at least 4 different species of pathogenic leptospires in the country (L. borgpetersenii; L. interrogans; L. kirschneri; andL. noguchii

Emergenza sismica nel centro Italia 2016-2017. Secondo rapporto del gruppo operativo SISMIKO. Sviluppo e mantenimento della rete sismica mobile a seguito del terremoto di Amatrice Mw 6.0 (24 agosto 2016, Italia centrale)

La rete sismica temporanea installata dal gruppo operativo INGV SISMIKO a seguito del terremoto del 24 agosto 2016 tra i Monti della Laga e la Valnerina, è stata ampliata nel settore settentrionale a seguito dei forti terremoti avvenuti alla fine del mese di ottobre 2016. Successivamente alle due scosse di Mw 5.4 e 5.9 che il 26 ottobre hanno interessato l’area al confine Marche-Umbria tra i Comuni di Castelsantangelo sul Nera (MC), Norcia (PG) e Arquata del Tronto (AP), la geometria della rete è stata estesa di circa 25 km verso nord con l’attivazione di ulteriori tre stazioni temporanee di cui una, da subito, disposta per la trasmissione dei dati in tempo reale e per l’inserimento nel sistema di sorveglianza sismica dell’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV). Un’ultima stazione è stata inoltre installata nei pressi di Campello del Clitunno in provincia di Perugia ad ovest della sequenza, a seguito del terremoto Mw 6.5 che la mattina del 30 ottobre ha interessato l’intera area già fortemente provata dalla sequenza in corso; questo è stato il più forte terremoto registrato negli ultimi 30 in Italia. A circa 5 mesi dall’inizio dell’emergenza sismica, la rete temporanea conta quindi 23 stazioni che da metà dicembre sono tutte trasmesse in tempo reale ai diversi centri di acquisizione INGV, ovvero Milano, Ancona e Grottaminarda ma soprattutto Roma dove i dati vengono contestualmente archiviati nell’European Integrated Data Archive (EIDA) e integrati nel sistema di monitoraggio e sorveglianza sismica dell’INGV; per la sorveglianza sono incluse solo parte delle stazioni. Nelle ultime settimane, le attività di campagna del gruppo operativo SISMIKO sono state costantemente focalizzate alla cura e alla manutenzione della strumentazione per garantire la continuità della trasmissione e dell’acquisizione dei dati, a volte compromesse da malfunzionamenti legati al maltempo. Alla data di aggiornamento del presente report, non è ancora stata decretata una dismissione o una rimodulazione della geometria della rete sismica temporanea, anche in considerazione della attività sismica in corso a tutt’oggi molto sostenuta. Tutti i dati acquisiti dalle stazioni temporanee SISMIKO, sono distribuiti senza alcun vincolo, al pari dei dati della Rete Sismica Nazionale (RSN, codice di rete IV), ed utilizzati per prodotti scientifici in tempo reale (localizzazioni di sala, calcolo dei Time Domain Moment Tensor -TDMT delle ShakeMaps, ecc) e per l’aggiornamento dei database dell’INGV come l’Italian Seismological Instrumental and Parametric Database (ISIDe) con la revisione del Bollettino Sismico Italiano (BSI), dell’INGV Strong Motion Data (ISMD) e dell’ITalian ACcelerometric Archive (ITACA), dell’European-Mediterranean Regional Centroid Moment Tensors (RCMT) e nei lavori scientifici che utilizzano forme d’onda velocimetriche ed accelerometriche (ri- localizzazioni, studi della sorgente sismica ecc.).Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV)Published1SR. TERREMOTI - Servizi e ricerca per la Societ

Rapporto Preliminare Sulle Attività Svolte Nel Primo Mese Di Emergenza Dal Gruppo Operativo Sismiko A Seguito Del Terremoto Di Amatrice Mw 6.0 (24 Agosto 2016, Italia Centrale)

Sintesi delle attività svolte dal coordinamento delle reti sismiche mobili INGV in emergenza, denominato SISMIKO, nel primo mese della sequenza sismica “Amatrice” seguita al terremoto di Mw 6.0 del 24 agosto 2016 (01:36 UTC). Descrizione della rete sismica implementata e prime analisi dei dati acquisiti. Report on the activities in the first month of emergency by coordination of mobile seismic networks INGV emergency, called SISMIKO, after the Mw 6.0 Amatrice earthquake (August 24th, 2016, central italy). Description of the temporary seismic network implemented and preliminary analysis of the acquired data.INGV DPCPublished1IT. Reti di monitoraggi

Le attività del gruppo operativo INGV "SISMIKO" durante la sequenza sismica "Amatrice 2016",

SISMIKO è un gruppo operativo dell’Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) che coordina tutte le Reti Sismiche Mobili INGVPublishedLecce3T. Sorgente sismica4T. Sismicità dell'Italia8T. Sismologia in tempo reale1SR TERREMOTI - Sorveglianza Sismica e Allerta Tsunami2SR TERREMOTI - Gestione delle emergenze sismiche e da maremoto3SR TERREMOTI - Attività dei Centr

SISMIKO:emergency network deployment and data sharing for the 2016 central Italy seismic sequence

At 01:36 UTC (03:36 local time) on August 24th 2016, an earthquake Mw 6.0 struck an extensive sector of the central Apennines (coordinates: latitude 42.70° N, longitude 13.23° E, 8.0 km depth). The earthquake caused about 300 casualties and severe damage to the historical buildings and economic activity in an area located near the borders of the Umbria, Lazio, Abruzzo and Marche regions. The Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) located in few minutes the hypocenter near Accumoli, a small town in the province of Rieti. In the hours after the quake, dozens of events were recorded by the National Seismic Network (Rete Sismica Nazionale, RSN) of the INGV, many of which had a ML > 3.0. The density and coverage of the RSN in the epicentral area meant the epicenter and magnitude of the main event and subsequent shocks that followed it in the early hours of the seismic sequence were well constrained. However, in order to better constrain the localizations of the aftershock hypocenters, especially the depths, a denser seismic monitoring network was needed. Just after the mainshock, SISMIKO, the coordinating body of the emergency seismic network at INGV, was activated in order to install a temporary seismic network integrated with the existing permanent network in the epicentral area. From August the 24th to the 30th, SISMIKO deployed eighteen seismic stations, generally six components (equipped with both velocimeter and accelerometer), with thirteen of the seismic station transmitting in real-time to the INGV seismic monitoring room in Rome. The design and geometry of the temporary network was decided in consolation with other groups who were deploying seismic stations in the region, namely EMERSITO (a group studying site-effects), and the emergency Italian strong motion network (RAN) managed by the National Civil Protection Department (DPC). Further 25 BB temporary seismic stations were deployed by colleagues of the British Geological Survey (BGS) and the School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh in collaboration with INGV. All data acquired from SISMIKO stations, are quickly available at the European Integrated Data Archive (EIDA). The data acquired by the SISMIKO stations were included in the preliminary analysis that was performed by the Bollettino Sismico Italiano (BSI), the Centro Nazionale Terremoti (CNT) staff working in Ancona, and the INGV-MI, described below

Reply to Detection of Leptospira interrogans DNA in Urine of a Captive Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)

In reply to a comment, we want to mention that we consider this report significant in animal leptospirosis. The presence of leptospiral DNA in the urine of a captive wild cat supports findings described in previous reports [1,2], as in our study, where leptospiral DNA is detected in urine without the presence of anti-leptospiral antibodies. This finding further increases the likelihood that domestic and wild cats play a key role in the maintenance and transmission of Leptospira spp. The methodology used in this work was similar to ours. Concerning the MAT technique, we would like to mention that the panel of serovars used was wide and followed the suggestions of the World Organization for Animal Health. There are differences in some of the serovars used between studies, but this is normal. For the accurate diagnostic and epidemiological surveillance of leptospirosis, it is imperative to use endemic serovars in the geographic region. Concerning the PCR methodology, it was not only used for the detection of the lipL32 gene (present only in pathogenic Leptospira spp.), one step further was taken, and a sequence that allowed the identification of the pathogenic Leptospira spp. as Leptospira interrogans was made. In conclusion, we are aware that this type of research helps us to improve our knowledge about leptospirosis in terms of its epidemiology and reservoir animals

Leptospira Detection in Cats in Spain by Serology and Molecular Techniques

Leptospirosis is the most neglected widespread zoonosis worldwide. In Spain, leptospirosis reports in people and animals have increased lately. Cats can become infected with Leptospira, as well as be chronic carriers. The aim of this study was to determine serological antibody prevalence against Leptospira sp., blood DNA, and shedding of DNA from pathogenic Leptospira species in the urine of cats in Spain. Microagglutination tests (MAT) and blood and urine TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were performed. Leptospira antibodies were detected in 10/244 cats; with 4.1% positive results (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.1-7.18%). Titers ranged from 1:20 to 1:320 (serovars Ballum; Bataviae; Bratislava; Cynopteri; Grippotyphosa Mandemakers; Grippotyphosa Moskva; Pomona; and Proechimys). The most common serovar was Cynopteri. Blood samples from 1/89 cats amplified for Leptospira DNA (1.12%; 95% CI: 0.05-5.41%). Urine samples from 4/232 cats amplified for Leptospira DNA (1.72%; 95% CI: 0.55-4.10%). In conclusion free-roaming cats in Spain can shed pathogenic Leptospira DNA in their urine and may be a source of human infection. Serovars not previously described in cats in Spain were detected; suggesting the presence of at least 4 different species of pathogenic leptospires in the country (L. borgpetersenii; L. interrogans; L. kirschneri; andL. noguchii

Inhibition of calpain delays early muscle atrophy after rotator cuff tendon release in sheep

Chronic rotator cuff (RC) tears are characterized by retraction, fat accumulation, and atrophy of the affected muscle. These features pose an intractable problem for surgical repair and subsequent recovery, and their prevention may be easier than reversal. Using an established ovine model, we tested the hypothesis that inhibition of the protease calpain mitigates m. infraspinatus atrophy by preservation of the myofibers' structural anchors in the sarcolemma (the costameres). Already 2 weeks of distal tendon release led to a reduction in muscle volume (-11.6 ± 9.1 cm , P = 0.038) and a 8.3% slow-to-fast shift of the fiber area (P = 0.046), which were both entirely abolished by chronic local administration of the calpain inhibitor calpeptin alone, and in combination with sildenafil. Calpain inhibition blunted the retraction of the muscle-tendon unit by 0.8-1.0 cm (P = 0.020) compared with the control group, and prevented cleavage of the costameric protein talin. Calpain 1 and 2 protein levels increased in the medicated groups after 4 weeks, counteracting the efficacy of calpeptin. Hence atrophic changes emerged after 4 weeks despite ongoing treatment. These findings suggest that the early muscular adaptations in the specific case of RC tear in the ovine model are indistinguishable from the atrophy and slow-to-fast fiber transformation observed with conventional unloading and can be prevented for 2 weeks. Concluding, calpain is a potential target to extend the temporal window for reconstruction of the ruptured RC tendon before recovery turns impossible