Mosquitoes infected with dengue viruses in Brazil

Dengue epidemics have been reported in Brazil since 1985. The scenery has worsened in the last decade because several serotypes are circulating and producing a hyper-endemic situation, with an increase of DHF/DSS cases as well as the number of fatalities. Herein, we report dengue virus surveillance in mosquitoes using a Flavivirus genus-specific RT-Hemi-Nested-PCR assay. The mosquitoes (Culicidae, n = 1700) collected in the Northeast, Southeast and South of Brazil, between 1999 and 2005, were grouped into 154 pools. Putative genomes of DENV-1, -2 and -3 were detected in 6 mosquito pools (3.8%). One amplicon of putative DENV-1 was detected in a pool of Haemagogus leucocelaenus suggesting that this virus could be involved in a sylvatic cycle. DENV-3 was found infecting 3 pools of larvae of Aedes albopictus and the nucleotide sequence of one of these viruses was identified as DENV-3 of genotype III, phylogenetically related to other DENV-3 isolated in Brazil. This is the first report of a nucleotide sequence of DENV-3 from larvae of Aedes albopictus

A Novel Tool to Assess the Risk for African Swine Fever in Hunting Environments: The Balkan Experience

In Europe, African swine fever (ASF) can be sustained within wild boar populations, thus representing a constant source of virus and a huge challenge in the management of the disease. Hunters are the key stakeholders for the prevention, detection and control of ASF in wild boar. Their behavior and the biosecurity standards applied in infected or at-risk hunting grounds have a huge impact on disease dynamics and management. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has developed a semi-quantitative survey-based novel tool to assess the risk of ASF in hunting grounds (namely the risks of introduction and spread into and between hunting grounds, and the risk of not detecting the infection) and how such risks could be reduced if mitigation or corrective measures were applied at low, medium and high effort. The weight of risk factors was determined through an expert knowledge elicitation (EKE). The surveys for each hunting ground were filled in by their respective managers. The tool’s outputs allow users to visualize the different ASF risks of hunting grounds, whether as numerical values or color-coded maps, at sub-national, national and regional levels. These outputs can be used to guide policy makers, highlighting gaps or geographical areas to prioritize. The tool was used to assess hunting grounds in Kosovo1 (1 As per United Nations Security Council resolution 1244). Montenegro and Serbia, showing overall a high risk

Suppression Of underwater Noise Induced by Cavitation: validation studies

The work documented herein concerns the research activity undertaken by CNR INSEAN in the framework of a round robin test campaign around the "Princess Royal" research vessel of the Newcastle University (i.e. Project Task 1.3). The survey was carried out in the Large Cavitation Channel of CNR INSEAN. Main results and conclusions of the experimental work are summarized as follows: ? Cavitation observations and acoustic measurements. A comprehensive analysis of the radiated underwater noise and cavitation characteristics was performed for five different propeller power conditions, relative to 2.23%, 3.45%, 6.9%, 16.1% and 31.98% MCR. Acoustic measurements were performed by three hydrophones located downstream of the hull model. Cavitation phenomena appear more intense when the blade is run over the hull perturbation and in the region where the hydrodynamic loads are largest (propeller rotation outward region). Acoustic tests highlighted an evident effect of the cavitation noise at the highest the power conditions. Depending on both cavitation characteristics, the corresponding distributions of the SPL are characterized by the increase of the broadband contribution in the mid and high frequency range as well as by a significant increase of the tonal contribution at the BPF . ? Pressure fluctuation measurements on the hull plate. Pressure fluctuation measurements were undertaken by 7 pressure transducers positioned on the hull plate at the same conditions of the acoustic tests. The strongest pressure pulses are found above the propeller location and on the plane immediately downstream. In particular, the highest peak-to-peak intensity is measured on the transducer positioned on the internal side of the demi-hull, in correspondence of the region where propeller blades experience the strongest loading fluctuations. The intensity of the pressure fluctuations keeps about constant at the low MCR rates and, then, undertakes a substantial increase when the rate of propeller power is further increased. ? Velocity measurements on the hull plate. Phase locked velocity measurements were performed by LDV along a transversal plane just downstream of the propeller trailing edge. The survey was undertaken for three advance ratios, corresponding to low-, design and high- propeller loading conditions. At the design and at the low loading conditions the velocity exhibits the maximum values in correspondence of the propeller rotation port side region where the azimuthal inflow component is adverse to the propeller rotation. A different behavior is observed for the high loading condition. The distribution of the standard deviation reveals a maximum of the turbulence intensity in correspondence of the tip vortex and, in particular, when the tip vortex interacts with the hull wake

Aortoiliac steno-occlusive disease

Trattamento endovascolare della patologia steno-occlusiva sorto-iliac

Popliteal artery aneurysm repair in the endovascular era: fourteen-years single center experience

To compare outcomes of popliteal artery aneurysm (PAA) repair by endovascular treatment, great saphenous vein (GSV) bypass, and prosthetic bypass.Single center retrospective analysis of patients presenting PAA from 2000 to 2013. Patients were divided into endovascular treatment (group A); GSV bypass (group B); and prosthetic graft bypass (group C). Outcomes were technical success, perioperative mortality, and morbidity. Survival, primary and secondary patency, and freedom from reintervention rate were estimated. Differences in ankle-brachial index (ABI), in-hospital length of stay (InH-Los), red blood cell (RBC) transfusion, and limb loss were reported. Mean follow-up was 49 (median: 35; 1-145; SD 42) months.Sixty-seven patients were included; 25 in group A, 28 in group B, and 14 in group C. PAA was symptomatic in 23 (34%) cases. Technical success was 100%. No perioperative death occurred. Three (4.5%) perioperative complications were reported with no significant difference between groups (P = 0.866). Five-years estimated survival was 78%. Estimated 5-years primary patency for groups A, B, and C was 71%, 81%, and 69%, respectively (P = 0.19). Estimated 5-years secondary patency for groups A, B, and C was 88%, 85%, and 84% (P = 0.85). Estimated 5-years freedom from reintervention for groups A, B, and C was 62%, 84%, and 70%, respectively (P = 0.16). A significant difference between preoperative ABI versus postoperative ABI was observed (P = 0.001). InH-LoS was significantly shorter in group A (P < 0.001). RBC transfusions were required significantly less in group A when compared to group C (P = 0.045). Overall limb salvage was achieved in all but 1 patient.PAA repair has good early and long-term outcomes with different treatment options. Endovascular treatment was not inferior to surgical repair with a reduced InH-LoS and RBC transfusion. It can be successfully employed even in nonelective setting. A randomized controlled trial with long-term follow-up and appropriate patient inclusion criteria is necessary to compare these 3 treatment options

The "Open branch" technique. A new way to prevent paraplegia after total endovascular repair of thoracoabdominal aneurysm

Introduction: Staged endovascular treatment of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA) has been proved to be an effective strategy to reduce the risk of spinal cord is- chemia (SCI). Several techniques have been described: some imply the staged coverage of the aorta, other the temporarily perfusion of the sac through a branch left unstented or a dedicated branch that will be occluded later. The aim of those is to facilitate the expansion of the collateral network that perfuses the spinal cord. However, each of them, have some disadvantages such as the need of two interventions of big magnitude and the risk of target vessel occlusion or endograft displacement. We describe a new technique to treat TAAA in a staged manner. Technique: The first step of our technique is the thoracoabdominal endograft deployment with the branching of all target vessels; one of these is branched with a bare stent inside which a covered stent will be placed in a second step, which can be perfomed under local anesthesia. We named this tech- nique “open branch” (OB). Before insertion of the covered stent, a balloon is inflated inside the bare stent to simulate the complete sac exclusion to evaluate eventual neu- rological complication. Results: Two patients with Crawford type II TAAA and one with a suprarenal aneurysm following the open repair of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm were treated. No cases of SCI were observed after the two procedures. Median interval time between the two procedures was 8, 6 weeks (4–16). Between the two steps, no aneu- rysm growth or rupture and no branch occlusion or endograft displacement was observed. Conclusions:Thesethreecasesof“OB”techniqueshowthatthisisasafeand feasible alternative strategy to treat TAAA in a staged manner

Value and limitations of chimney grafts to treat arch lesions

AIM: The endovascular debranching with chimney stents provides a minimally invasive alternative to open surgery with readily available devices and has extended the option of endoluminal therapy into the realm of the aortic arch. But a critical observation at the use of this technique at the aortic arch is important and necessary because of the lack of long-term results and long term patency of the stents. Our study aims to review the results of chimney grafts to treat arch lesions. METHODS: A systematic health database search was performed in December 2014 according to the Prisma Guidelines. Papers were sought through a meticulous search of the MEDLINE database (National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, MA) using the Pubmed search engine. RESULTS: Twenty-two articles were eligible for detailed analysis and data extraction. A total of 182 patients underwent chimney techniques during TEVAR (Thoracic Endovascular Aneurysm Repair). A total of 217 chimney grafts were implanted: 36 to the IA, 1 to the RCCA, 91 to the LCCA and 89 to the LSA. The type of stent-graft used for TEVAR was described in 132 patients. The type and name of chimney graft was described in 126 patients. In 53 patients information was limited to the type. Primary technical success, defined as a complete chimney procedure was achieved in 171 patients (98%). In 8 patients it was not clearly reported. The overall stroke rate was 5.3%. The overall endoleak rate, in those papers were it was clearly reported, was 18.4% (31 patients); 23(13,6%) patients developed a type IA endoleak, 1 patient (0.6%) developed type IB endoleak and 7 patients (4.1%) developed a type II endoleak CONCLUSION: The total endovascular aortic arch debranching technique represent a good option to treat high-risk patients, because it dramatically reduces the aggressiveness of the procedure in the arch. Many concerns are still present, mainly related to durability and material interaction during time. Long-term follow-up is exceptionally important in light of the interactions of the stents, the thoracic endograft, the aortic arch, and every variation in systolic and diastolic pressure. Actually this technique has acceptable short and mid-term results. Long term data are available just from a very small number of patients and more data from a wider number are needed in order to embrace this method as a safe one