Occupational hantavirus infections in agricultural and forestry workers: A systematic review and metanalysis

Hantaviruses are zoonotic pathogens that can cause serious human disorders, including hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome. As the main risk factor for human infections is the interaction with rodents, occupational groups such as farmers and forestry workers are reportedly at high risk, but no summary evidence has been collected to date. Therefore, we searched two different databases (PubMed and EMBASE), focusing on studies reporting the prevalence of hantaviruses in farmers and forestry workers. Data were extracted using a standardized assessment form, and results of such analyses were systematically reported, summarized and compared. We identified a total of 42 articles, including a total of 28 estimates on farmers, and 22 on forestry workers, with a total workforce of 15,043 cases (821 positive cases, 5.5%). A pooled seroprevalence of 3.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 2.2–6.2) was identified in farmers, compared to 3.8% (95% CI 2.6–5.7) in forestry workers. Compared to the reference population, an increased occurrence was reported for both occupational groups (odds ratio [OR] 1.875, 95% CI 1.438–2.445 and OR 2.892, 95% CI 2.079–4.023 for farmers and forestry workers, respectively). In summary, our analyses stress the actual occurrence of hantaviruses in selected occupational groups. Improved understanding of appropriate preventive measures, as well as further studies on hantavirus infection rates in reservoir host species (rodents, shrews, and bats) and virus transmission to humans, is needed to prevent future outbreaks

Typicality vs. probability in trajectory-based formulations of quantum mechanics

Bohmian mechanics represents the universe as a set of paths with a probability measure defined on it. The way in which a mathematical model of this kind can explain the observed phenomena of the universe is examined in general. It is shown that the explanation does not make use of the full probability measure, but rather of a suitable set function deriving from it, which defines relative typicality between single-time cylinder sets. Such a set function can also be derived directly from the standard quantum formalism, without the need of an underlying probability measure. The key concept for this derivation is the {\it quantum typicality rule}, which can be considered as a generalization of the Born rule. The result is a new formulation of quantum mechanics, in which particles follow definite trajectories, but which is only based on the standard formalism of quantum mechanics.Comment: 24 pages, no figures. To appear in Foundation of Physic

First results of the ROSEBUD Dark Matter experiment

Rare Objects SEarch with Bolometers UndergrounD) is an experiment which attempts to detect low mass Weak Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs) through their elastic scattering off Al and O nuclei. It consists of three small sapphire bolometers (of a total mass of 100 g) with NTD-Ge sensors in a dilution refrigerator operating at 20 mK in the Canfranc Underground Laboratory. We report in this paper the results of several runs (of about 10 days each) with successively improved energy thresholds, and the progressive background reduction obtained by improvement of the radiopurity of the components and subsequent modifications in the experimental assembly, including the addition of old lead shields. Mid-term plans and perspectives of the experiment are also presented.Comment: 14 pages, 8 figures, submitted to Astroparticle Physic

Inhibitors of lactate dehydrogenase (hLDH5) from Polygala flavescens subsp. flavescens

The human isoform 5 of lactate dehydrogenase (hLDH5) is an enzyme up-regulated in tumor tissues since cancer cells depend mainly on anaerobic respiration and their glycolytic rate is up to 200 times higher than that of the normal tissue. hLDH5 inhibition should cause cancer cell death by starvation, without interfering with healthy cells that normally use oxidative phosphorylation for ATP generation. Inhibition of LDH is so considered as a promising target in cancer treatment, since it is possible to cause a starving of cancerous cells by reducing glycolysis or by inhibiting the conversion of glucose to lactate. In the course of our research program on the hLDH5 inhibitory activity of natural products [1], a chemical study of P. flavescens subsp. flavescens was carried out. Polygala L. genus (Polygalaceae) is well known to contain phenolic oligosaccharides, xanthones, lignans, and triterpenic saponins and it’s largely used in the traditional medicine [2]. Ten new compounds were isolated from the n-BuOH residue of the aerial parts through Sephadex and RP-HPLC separations, including four flavonol glycosides, two oligosaccharides, one α-ionone, and three triterpenoidic saponins, together with two known oligosaccharides and two flavonol glycosides. All structures were elucidated on the basis of their spectroscopic and spectrometric data. The isolates were assayed for their inhibitory activity against hLDH5 and 3,6'-di-O-sinapoylsucrose showed an IC50 value of 90.4 µM. Modeling studies were carried out to suggest the putative interaction mode of this compound in the enzyme active site. This analysis highlighted that 3,6'-di-O-sinapoylsucrose shows a high number of H-bonds and interacts with enzyme regions rarely explored by the known hLDH5 inhibitors

Assessment of the cutting performance of a robot mower using custom built software.

Before the introduction of positioning technologies in agriculture practices such as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), data collection and management were time-consuming and labor-intensive tasks. Today, due to the introduction of advanced technologies, precise information on the performance of agricultural machines, and smaller autonomous vehicles such as robot mowers, can be collected in a relatively short time. The aim of this work was to track the performance of a robot mower in various turfgrass areas of an equal number of square meters but with four dierent shapes by using real-time kinematic (RTK)-GNSS devices, and to easily extract data by a custom built software capable of calculating the distance travelled by the robot mower, the forward speed, the cutting area, and the number of intersections of the trajectories. These data were then analyzed in order to provide useful functioning information for manufacturers, entrepreneurs, and practitioners. The path planning of the robot mower was random and the turfgrass area for each of the four shapes was 135 m2 without obstacles. The distance travelled by the robot mower, the mean forward speed, and the intersections of the trajectories were aected by the interaction between the time of cutting and the shape of the turfgrass. For all the dierent shapes, the whole turfgrass area was completely cut after two hours of mowing. The cutting eciency decreased by increasing the time, as a consequence of the increase in overlaps. After 75 minutes of cutting, the eciency was about 35% in all the turfgrass areas shapes, thus indicating a high level of overlapping

Comparison between different rotary mowing systems: Testing a new method to calculate turfgrass mowing quality

Poor quality in turfgrass mowing is highlighted by the shredded leaf tips with necrotic tissues that give an unsightly brownish colour to the turf and may also lead to turf disease. Mowing quality is also typically assessed by visual rating, thus the score depends on the person doing the assessment. To make the evaluation of mowing quality not subjective, an innovative method was developed. The aim of the trial was to examine the effects of different mowing systems and two different nitrogen rates (100 and 200 kg ha−1 ) on two turfgrass species in order to test the new mowing quality calculation. Three different mowing systems were used: a battery-powered rotary mower set at 3000 rpm and 5000 rpm respectively and a gasoline-powered rotary mower set at full throttle. The battery-powered mower at low blade rpm produced a poorer mowing quality and turf quality than the gasoline-powered mower and battery-powered mower at high rpm, which produced a similar mowing quality and turf quality. Leaf tip damage level values showed a significant correlation with the results of the visual mowing quality assessment. Lower leaf tip damage level values (slightly above 1) corresponded to higher visual mowing quality scores (around 8)

Autonomous mower vs. rotary mower: effects on turf quality and weed control in tall fescue lawn

Autonomous mowers are battery-powered machines designed for lawn mowing that require very low human labour. Autonomous mowers can increase turf quality and reduce local noise and pollution compared with gasoline-powered rotary mowers. However, very little is known about the effects of autonomous mowing on encroaching weeds. The aim of this research was to compare the effects of an autonomous mower and an ordinary gasoline-powered mower on weed development in an artificially infested tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) turf with different nitrogen (N) rates. A three-way factor experimental design with three replications was adopted. Factor A consisted of three N rates (0, 75, and 150 kg ha1), factor B consisted of two mowing systems (autonomous mower vs. walk-behind gasoline rotary mower equipped for mulching), and factor C which consisted of four different transplanted weed species: (a) Bellis perennis L., (b) Trifolium repens L.; (c) Trifolium subterraneum L.; and (d) Lotus corniculatus L. Of these, B. perennis is a rosette-type plant, while the other three species are creeping-type plants. The interaction between mowing system and transplanted weed species showed that the four transplanted weed species were larger when mowed by the autonomous mower than by the rotary mower. The autonomous mower yielded larger weeds probably because the constant mowing height caused the creeping weed species to grow sideways, since the turfgrass offered no competition for light. N fertilization increased turf quality and mowing quality, and also reduced spontaneous weed infestation. Autonomous mowing increased turf quality, mowing quality, but also the percentage of spontaneous weed cover

Discovery of Juniperus sabina var. balkanensis R. P. Adams and A. N. Tashev in Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Central and Southern Italy and relictual polymorphisms found in nrDNA

Additional analyses of trnS-trnG and nrDNA from specimens from Bosnia-Herzegovina, southern and central, Italy, Croatia and Macedonia revealed the presence of J. sabina var. balkanensis in these areas west of the previously known populations in Greece, Bulgaria and western Turkey. Careful chromatogram analysis of eight (8) polymorphic sites in nrDNA revealed that nearly all of the populations of both var. balkanensis and var. sabina contained from 2 to 8 polymorphic sites. For these 8 heterozygous sites, two exclusive patterns were found in J. sabina. One type (GGACCCAG) was found in 16/62 plants and type 2 (ACGACAGT) was found in 4/62 plants. The majority of the plants examined (42/62) were heterozygous for 1 to 8 sites. These two nrDNA types appear to have arisen via hybridization with a J. thurifera ancestor. The two types appear in both v. sabina and v. balkanensis populations. Extant putative hybrids appear to have formed by crosses between present day type 1 and type 2 nrDNA. Publishe

Performance of a Tungsten-Cerium Fluoride Sampling Calorimeter in High-Energy Electron Beam Tests

A prototype for a sampling calorimeter made out of cerium fluoride crystals interleaved with tungsten plates, and read out by wavelength-shifting fibres, has been exposed to beams of electrons with energies between 20 and 150 GeV, produced by the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron accelerator complex. The performance of the prototype is presented and compared to that of a Geant4 simulation of the apparatus. Particular emphasis is given to the response uniformity across the channel front face, and to the prototype's energy resolution.Comment: 6 pages, 6 figures, Submitted to NIM

Energetic aspects of turfgrass mowing: comparison of different rotary mowing systems.

Turfgrass mowing is one of the most important operations concerning turfgrass maintenance. Over time, dierent mowing machines have been developed, such as reel mowers, rotary mowers, and flail mowers. Rotary mowers have become the most widespread mowers for their great versatility and easy maintenance. Modern rotary mowers can be equipped with battery-powered electric motors and precise settings, such as blade rpm. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the dierences in power consumption of a gasoline-powered rotary mower and a battery-powered rotary mower. Each mower worked on two dierent turfgrass species (bermudagrass and tall fescue) fertilized with two dierent nitrogen rates (100 and 200 kg ha1). The battery-powered mower was set at its lowest and highest blade rpm value, while the gasoline-powered mower was set at full throttle. From the data acquired, it was possible to see that the gasoline-powered mower had a much higher primary energy requirement, independent of the turf species. Moreover, comparing the electricity consumption of the battery-powered mower over time, it was possible to see that the power consumption varied according to the growth rate of both turf species. These results show that there is a partial waste of energy when using a gasoline-powered mower compared to a battery-powered mower