A study on occupational exposure of Sicilian farmers to Giardia and Cryptosporidium

Introduction. A cross-sectional study was undertaken to deter- mine the prevalence of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in calves of Palermo area (Sicily) and to evaluate the occupational risk associated with occurrence of zoonotic genotypes. Methods. A total of 217 faecal samples, from 149 calves (between 2 and 240 days of age) and 68 farmers, were collected in 19 cattle- farms of Palermo area. A questionnaire regarding demographic characteristics and personal hygienic measures was submitted to all farmers. All faecal samples were analyzed by Immunoflu- orescence assay and Polimerase Chain Reaction (PCR); geno- types were determined by DNA sequencing of Triose Phosphate Isomerase gene for Giardia and Small Subunit Ribosomal RNA gene for Cryptosporidium. Results. None farmer tested was positive for Giardia and Cryptosporidium, whereas these protozoa were respectively detected in 53 (including 5 with zoonotic G. duodenalis geno- type A) and 17 (of which 1 with zoonotic C. ubiquitum) of the examined calves. Discussion. The results indicate that the risk of transmitting both protozoa to farmers in Palermo area is negligible although it can- not be considered null because of identification of human geno- types/species in calves

Track loading limits and cross-acceptance of vehicle approvals

The requirements for track loading limits are one of the main barriers to simple cross-acceptance of vehicles where rolling stock that is already operating successfully in one (or more) networks has to be retested before it can be approved for operation on another network. DynoTRAIN Work Package 4 studied this area in order to determine whether the additional requirements were justified, or if the process could be made much cheaper and simpler without increasing the risk of track deterioration for the networks. The review of national requirements identified modified criteria and limit values for track forces in some member states; however, these can be obtained from additional analysis of the normal test results with no new tests required. The influence of design rail inclination has also been found not to be significant, provided a realistic range of wheel–rail contact conditions are included in the tests. For line speeds greater than or equal to 160 km/h, the current standards for track construction across the member states appear to be similar. On lower speed lines in some countries, a ‘weaker’ track condition may require a lower limit on one of the vehicle assessment parameters. Track dynamics modelling has shown that the vehicle assessment parameters used in international standards are suitable for use in cross-acceptance for track forces. The use of multiple regression analysis allows the estimated maximum value for relevant parameters to be evaluated for different target conditions and then compared with the appropriate limit value, or with values for existing, comparable vehicles. Guidance has also been provided on the relevant parameters to consider when developing operating controls for different types of track deterioration

Frozen and Invariant Quantum Discord under Local Dephasing Noise

In this chapter, we intend to explore and review some remarkable dynamical properties of quantum discord under various different open quantum system models. Specifically, our discussion will include several concepts connected to the phenomena of time invariant and frozen quantum discord. Furthermore, we will elaborate on the relation of these two phenomena to the non-Markovian features of the open system dynamics and to the usage of dynamical decoupling protocols.Comment: 29 pages, 8 figure

An analysis of Pseudomonas genomic diversity in take-all infected wheat fields reveals the lasting impact of wheat cultivars on the soil microbiota

Manipulation of the soil microbiota associated with crop plants has huge promise for the control of crop pathogens. However, to fully realize this potential we need a better understanding of the relationship between the soil environment and the genes and phenotypes that enable microbes to colonize plants and contribute to biocontrol. A recent 2 years of investigation into the effect of wheat variety on second year crop yield in the context of take-all fungal infection presented the opportunity to examine soil microbiomes under closely defined field conditions. Amplicon sequencing of second year soil samples showed that Pseudomonas spp. were particularly affected by the wheat cultivar grown in year one. Consequently, 318 rhizosphere-associated Pseudomonas fluorescens strains were isolated and characterized across a variety of genetic and phenotypic traits. Again, the wheat variety grown in the first year of the study was shown to exert considerable selective pressure on both the extent and nature of Pseudomonas genomic diversity. Furthermore, multiple significant correlations were identified within the phenotypic/genetic structure of the Pseudomonas population, and between individual genotypes and the external wheat field environment. The approach outlined here has considerable future potential for our understanding of plant-microbe interactions, and for the broader analysis of complex microbial communities

Virtual knowledge sharing in crowdsourcing : measurement dilemmas

Jednym z stosunkowo nowych obszarów badań współczesnej nauki o zarządzaniu jest crowdsourcing oraz zachodzące w nim wirtualnym dzieleniu się wiedzą. Jest ono definiowane jako rozpowszechnienie wiedzy przez społeczność wirtualną, informowanie innych, podawanie jej do wiadomości publicznej, oczekiwanie, że inni tę wiedzę skomentują, rozszerzą i uzupełnią. Takie dzielenie się wiedzą jest szczególnie istotne dla współtworzenia, partycypacji czy uzyskiwania innowacyjnych pomysłów przez organizację. Jednak, pomimo jego pozytywnego wpływu na organizację, dotychczas nie było ono przedmiotem kompleksowych badań. Artykuł przedstawia istniejący dorobek w zakresie sposobów pomiaru społecznościowego dzielenia się wiedzą w ramach crowdsourcingu. W opracowaniu można też znaleźć wyjaśnienia, dlaczego warto badać wirtualne dzielenie się wiedzą.One relatively new area of contemporary science research on management is crowdsourcing and virtual knowledge sharing occurring within it. It is defined as the dissemination of knowledge by a virtual community, informing others, making it public, expecting that others will comment on this knowledge, expand and complete it. Such a sharing of knowledge is particularly important for co-creating, participating, or acquiring innovative ideas by an organization. However, despite its positive impact on the organization, it has not been the subject of comprehensive research so far. This article presents the existing output in the scope of the ways of measuring community knowledge sharing within crowdsourcing. In this elaboration, explanations as to why it is worth studying virtual knowledge sharing may be found

The sudden change phenomenon of quantum discord

Even if the parameters determining a system's state are varied smoothly, the behavior of quantum correlations alike to quantum discord, and of its classical counterparts, can be very peculiar, with the appearance of non-analyticities in its rate of change. Here we review this sudden change phenomenon (SCP) discussing some important points related to it: Its uncovering, interpretations, and experimental verifications, its use in the context of the emergence of the pointer basis in a quantum measurement process, its appearance and universality under Markovian and non-Markovian dynamics, its theoretical and experimental investigation in some other physical scenarios, and the related phenomenon of double sudden change of trace distance discord. Several open questions are identified, and we envisage that in answering them we will gain significant further insight about the relation between the SCP and the symmetry-geometric aspects of the quantum state space.Comment: Lectures on General Quantum Correlations and their Applications, F. F. Fanchini, D. O. Soares Pinto, and G. Adesso (Eds.), Springer (2017), pp 309-33

Secondary Metabolites of Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0 Drive Complex Non-Trophic Interactions with Bacterivorous Nematodes

Non-trophic interactions are increasingly recognised as a key parameter of predator–prey interactions. In soil, predation by bacterivorous nematodes is a major selective pressure shaping soil bacterial communities, and many bacteria have evolved defence mechanisms such as toxicity. In this study, we show that extracellular secondary metabolites produced by the model soil bacterium Pseudomonas fluorescens CHA0 function as a complex defence strategy against bacterivorous nematodes. Using a collection of functional mutants lacking genes for the biosynthesis of one or several extracellular metabolites, we evaluated the impact of bacterial secondary metabolites on the survival and chemotactic behaviour of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Additionally, we followed up the stress status of the nematodes by measuring the activation of the abnormal DAuer Formation (DAF) stress cascade. All studied secondary metabolites contributed to the toxicity of the bacteria, with hydrogen cyanide efficiently repelling the nematodes, and both hydrogen cyanide and 2,4-DAPG functioning as nematicides. Moreover, these metabolites elicited the DAF stress response cascade of C. elegans, showing that they affect nematode physiology already at sublethal concentrations. The results suggest that bacterial secondary metabolites responsible for the suppression of plant pathogens strongly inhibit bacterivorous nematodes and thus likely contribute to the resistance of bacteria against predators in soil

Effects of the fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 on coping behavior under challenging conditions in mice

RATIONALE: Recent evidence suggests that in addition to controlling emotional behavior in general, endocannabinoid signaling is engaged in shaping behavioral responses to challenges. This important function of endocannabinoids is still poorly understood. OBJECTIVES: Here we investigated the impact of blockade of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the degrading enzyme of anandamide on behavioral responses induced by challenges of different intensity. METHODS: Mice treated with FAAH inhibitor URB597 were either manually restrained on their backs (back test) or received foot-shocks. RESULTS: The behavior of mice showed bimodal distribution in the back test: they either predominantly showed escape attempts or equally distributed time between passivity and escape. URB597 increased escapes in animals with low escape scores. No effects were noticed in mice showing high escape scores, which is likely due to a ceiling effect. We hypothesized that stronger stressors would wash out individual differences in coping; therefore, we exposed mice to foot-shocks that decreased locomotion and increased freezing in all mice. URB597 ameliorated both responses. The re-exposure of mice to the shock cage 14 days later without delivering shocks or treatment was followed by reduced and fragmented sleep as shown by electrophysiological recordings. Surprisingly, sleep was more disturbed after the reminder than after shocks in rats receiving vehicle before foot-shocks. These reminder-induced disturbances were abolished by URB597 administered before shocks. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that FAAH blockade has an important role in the selection of behavioral responses under challenging conditions and-judging from its long-term effects-that it influences the cognitive appraisal of the challenge

The Human Operculo-Insular Cortex Is Pain-Preferentially but Not Pain-Exclusively Activated by Trigeminal and Olfactory Stimuli

Increasing evidence about the central nervous representation of pain in the brain suggests that the operculo-insular cortex is a crucial part of the pain matrix. The pain-specificity of a brain region may be tested by administering nociceptive stimuli while controlling for unspecific activations by administering non-nociceptive stimuli. We applied this paradigm to nasal chemosensation, delivering trigeminal or olfactory stimuli, to verify the pain-specificity of the operculo-insular cortex. In detail, brain activations due to intranasal stimulation induced by non-nociceptive olfactory stimuli of hydrogen sulfide (5 ppm) or vanillin (0.8 ppm) were used to mask brain activations due to somatosensory, clearly nociceptive trigeminal stimulations with gaseous carbon dioxide (75% v/v). Functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) images were recorded from 12 healthy volunteers in a 3T head scanner during stimulus administration using an event-related design. We found that significantly more activations following nociceptive than non-nociceptive stimuli were localized bilaterally in two restricted clusters in the brain containing the primary and secondary somatosensory areas and the insular cortices consistent with the operculo-insular cortex. However, these activations completely disappeared when eliminating activations associated with the administration of olfactory stimuli, which were small but measurable. While the present experiments verify that the operculo-insular cortex plays a role in the processing of nociceptive input, they also show that it is not a pain-exclusive brain region and allow, in the experimental context, for the interpretation that the operculo-insular cortex splay a major role in the detection of and responding to salient events, whether or not these events are nociceptive or painful