Gender-related variations in hemolymph parameters of Carabus lefebvrei (Coleoptera: Carabidae): HPLC analysis and phenoloxidase activity

We characterized the enzymatic activity of basal and total phenoloxidase and HLPC and SDS-PAGE profiles in hemolymph of Carabus lefebvrei males and females at different reproductive status. The phenoloxidase activity was activated by trypsin and inhibited by phenoloxidase activity specific inhibitor phenylthiourea. Our results demonstrated that both in males and females, there were no significant differences in the basal phenoloxidase activity between reproductive and virgin beetles, while the total phenoloxidase activity increased significantly in virgin specimens. Thus, resources seem to be invested to increase the humoral response in pre-reproductive phase forming a barrier against pathogens and preserving the fecundity and longevity of both sexes. The hemolymph DOPA-MBTH assay on polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis showed a high activity of monomeric form with an apparent molecular weight of 90 kDa and a dimer of about 170 kDa, also multimeric bands were present in both sexes. In the SDS-PAGE general protein pattern, specific bands were evident for reproductive and virgin males and females as biochemical markers of sexual difference in immunocompetence. Reproducible differences in peaks were recorded in HPLC analysis performed on virgin and reproductive males and females

Antimicrobial activity of an aspartic protease from Salpichroa origanifolia fruits

Abstract: Plant proteases play a fundamental role in several processes like growth, development and in response to biotic and abiotic stress. In particular, aspartic proteases (AP) are expressed in different plant organs and have antimicrobial activity. Previously, we purified an AP from Salpichroa origanifolia fruits called salpichroin. The aim of this work was to determine the cytotoxic activity of this enzyme on selected plant and human pathogens. For this purpose, the growth of the selected pathogens was analysed after exposure to different concentrations of salpichroin. The results showed that the enzyme was capable of inhibiting Fusarium solani and Staphylococcus aureus in a dose-dependent manner. It was determined that 1·2 μmol l−1 of salpichroin was necessary to inhibit 50% of conidial germination, and the minimal bactericidal concentration was between 1·9 and 2·5 μmol l−1. Using SYTOX Green dye we were able to demonstrate that salpichroin cause membrane permeabilization. Moreover, the enzyme treated with its specific inhibitor pepstatin A did not lose its antibacterial activity. This finding demonstrates that the cytotoxic activity of salpichroin is due to the alteration of the cell plasma membrane barrier but not due to its proteolytic activity. Antimicrobial activity of the AP could represent a potential alternative for the control of pathogens that affect humans or crops of economic interest. Significance and Impact of the Study: This study provides insights into the antimicrobial activity of an aspartic protease isolated from Salpichroa origanifolia fruits on plant and human pathogens. The proteinase inhibited Fusarium solani and Staphylococcus aureus in a dose-dependent manner due to the alteration of the cell plasma membrane barrier but not due to its proteolytic activity. Antimicrobial activity of salpichroin suggests its potential applications as an important tool for the control of pathogenic micro-organisms affecting humans and crops of economic interest. Therefore, it would represent a new alternative to avoid the problems of environmental pollution and antimicrobial resistance.Fil: Díaz, María Eugenia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Luján; ArgentinaFil: Rocha, Gabriela Fernanda. Universidad Nacional de Luján; ArgentinaFil: Kise, Francisco. Universidad Nacional de Luján; ArgentinaFil: Rosso, A. M.. Universidad Nacional de Luján; ArgentinaFil: Guevara, Maria Gabriela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas; ArgentinaFil: Parisi, M.G.. Universidad Nacional de Luján; Argentin

Freezing Transition of Random Heteropolymers Consisting of an Arbitrary Set of Monomers

Mean field replica theory is employed to analyze the freezing transition of random heteropolymers comprised of an arbitrary number ($q$) of types of monomers. Our formalism assumes that interactions are short range and heterogeneity comes only from pairwise interactions, which are defined by an arbitrary $q \times q$ matrix. We show that, in general, there exists a freezing transition from a random globule, in which the thermodynamic equilibrium is comprised of an essentially infinite number polymer conformations, to a frozen globule, in which equilibrium ensemble is dominated by one or very few conformations. We also examine some special cases of interaction matrices to analyze the relationship between the freezing transition and the nature of interactions involved.Comment: 30 pages, 1 postscript figur

Determination of alphaS from Hadronic Event Shapes in e+e- Annihilation at 192 < sqrt(s) < 208 GeV

Results are presented from a study of the structure of high energy hadronic events recorded by the L3 detector at sqrt(s)>192 GeV. The distributions of several event shape variables are compared to resummed O(alphaS^2) QCD calculations. We determine the strong coupling constant at three average centre-of-mass energies: 194.4, 200.2 and 206.2 GeV. These measurements, combined with previous L3 measurements at lower energies, demonstrate the running of alphaS as expected in QCD and yield alphaS(mZ) = 0.1227 +- 0.0012 +- 0.0058, where the first uncertainty is experimental and the second is theoretical

A First Search for coincident Gravitational Waves and High Energy Neutrinos using LIGO, Virgo and ANTARES data from 2007

We present the results of the first search for gravitational wave bursts associated with high energy neutrinos. Together, these messengers could reveal new, hidden sources that are not observed by conventional photon astronomy, particularly at high energy. Our search uses neutrinos detected by the underwater neutrino telescope ANTARES in its 5 line configuration during the period January - September 2007, which coincided with the fifth and first science runs of LIGO and Virgo, respectively. The LIGO-Virgo data were analysed for candidate gravitational-wave signals coincident in time and direction with the neutrino events. No significant coincident events were observed. We place limits on the density of joint high energy neutrino - gravitational wave emission events in the local universe, and compare them with densities of merger and core-collapse events.Comment: 19 pages, 8 figures, science summary page at http://www.ligo.org/science/Publication-S5LV_ANTARES/index.php. Public access area to figures, tables at https://dcc.ligo.org/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=p120000

Clinical features and therapeutic management of patients admitted to Italian acute hospital psychiatric units: the PERSEO (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) survey

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The PERSEO study (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) is a naturalistic, observational clinical survey in Italian acute hospital psychiatric units, called SPDCs (Servizio Psichiatrico Diagnosi e Cura; in English, the psychiatric service for diagnosis and management). The aims of this paper are: (i) to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients, including sociodemographic features, risk factors, life habits and psychiatric diagnoses; and (ii) to assess the clinical management, subjective wellbeing and attitudes toward medications.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A total of 62 SPDCs distributed throughout Italy participated in the study and 2521 patients were enrolled over the 5-month study period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Almost half of patients (46%) showed an aggressive behaviour at admission to ward, but they engaged more commonly in verbal aggression (38%), than in aggression toward other people (20%). A total of 78% of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis at admission, most frequently schizophrenia (36%), followed by depression (16%) and personality disorders (14%), and no relevant changes in the diagnoses pattern were observed during hospital stay. Benzodiazepines were the most commonly prescribed drugs, regardless of diagnosis, at all time points. Overall, up to 83% of patients were treated with neuroleptic drugs and up to 27% received more than one neuroleptic either during hospital stay or at discharge. Atypical and conventional antipsychotics were equally prescribed for schizophrenia (59 vs 65% during stay and 59 vs 60% at discharge), while atypical drugs were preferred in schizoaffective psychoses (72 vs 49% during stay and 70 vs 46% at discharge) and depression (41 vs 32% during stay and 44 vs 25% at discharge). Atypical neuroleptics were slightly preferred to conventional ones at hospital discharge (52 vs 44%). Polypharmacy was in general widely used. Patient attitudes toward medications were on average positive and self-reported compliance increased during hospital stay.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Results confirm the widespread use of antipsychotics and the increasing trend in atypical drugs prescription, in both psychiatric in- and outpatients.</p

Main clinical features in patients at their first psychiatric admission to Italian acute hospital psychiatric wards. The PERSEO study

BACKGROUND: Few data are available on subjects presenting to acute wards for the first time with psychotic symptoms. The aims of this paper are (i) to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients at their first psychiatric admission (FPA), including socio-demographic features, risk factors, life habits, modalities of onset, psychiatric diagnoses and treatments before admission; (ii) to assess the aggressive behavior and the clinical management of FPA patients in Italian acute hospital psychiatric wards, called SPDCs (Servizio Psichiatrico Diagnosi e Cura = psychiatric service for diagnosis and management). METHOD: Cross-sectional observational multi-center study involving 62 Italian SPDCs (PERSEO – Psychiatric EmeRgency Study and EpidemiOlogy). RESULTS: 253 FPA aged <= 40 were identified among 2521 patients admitted to Italian SPDCs over the 5-month study period. About half of FPA patients showed an aggressive behavior as defined by a Modified Overt Aggression Scale (MOAS) score greater than 0 Vs 46% of non-FPA patients (p = 0.3651). The most common was verbal aggression, while about 20% of FPA patients actually engaged in physical aggression against other people. 74% of FPA patients had no diagnosis at admission, while 40% had received a previous psychopharmacological treatment, mainly benzodiazepines and antidepressants. During SPDC stay, diagnosis was established in 96% of FPA patients and a pharmacological therapy was prescribed to 95% of them, mainly benzodiazepines, antipsychotics and mood stabilizers. CONCLUSION: Subjects presenting at their first psychiatric ward admission have often not undergone previous adequate psychiatric assessment and diagnostic procedures. The first hospital admission allows diagnosis and psychopharmacological treatment to be established. In our population, aggressive behaviors were rather frequent, although most commonly verbal. Psychiatric symptoms, as evaluated by psychiatrists and patients, improved significantly from admission to discharge both for FPA and non-FPA patients

COVAD survey 2 long-term outcomes: unmet need and protocol

Vaccine hesitancy is considered a major barrier to achieving herd immunity against COVID-19. While multiple alternative and synergistic approaches including heterologous vaccination, booster doses, and antiviral drugs have been developed, equitable vaccine uptake remains the foremost strategy to manage pandemic. Although none of the currently approved vaccines are live-attenuated, several reports of disease flares, waning protection, and acute-onset syndromes have emerged as short-term adverse events after vaccination. Hence, scientific literature falls short when discussing potential long-term effects in vulnerable cohorts. The COVAD-2 survey follows on from the baseline COVAD-1 survey with the aim to collect patient-reported data on the long-term safety and tolerability of COVID-19 vaccines in immune modulation. The e-survey has been extensively pilot-tested and validated with translations into multiple languages. Anticipated results will help improve vaccination efforts and reduce the imminent risks of COVID-19 infection, especially in understudied vulnerable groups

Studies of Hadronic Event Structure in e+e- Annihilation from 30 GeV to 209 GeV with the L3 Detector

In this Report, QCD results obtained from a study of hadronic event structure in high energy e^+e^- interactions with the L3 detector are presented. The operation of the LEP collider at many different collision energies from 91 GeV to 209 GeV offers a unique opportunity to test QCD by measuring the energy dependence of different observables. The main results concern the measurement of the strong coupling constant, \alpha_s, from hadronic event shapes and the study of effects of soft gluon coherence through charged particle multiplicity and momentum distributions.Comment: To appear in Physics Report