Aurea diagnosis of pneumomediastinum. A case report

Pericarditis and spontaneous pneumomediastinum are among the pathologies that are in differential diagnoses when a patient describes dorsal irradiated chest pain: if the patient is young, male, and long-limbed, it is necessary to exclude an acute aortic syndrome firstly. We present the case of a young man who arrived at the Emergency Department for chest pain: an echocardiogram performed an immediate diagnosis of pericarditis. However, if the patient had performed a chest X-ray, this would have enabled the observation of pneumomediastinum, allowing a correct diagnosis of pneumomediastinum and treatment. The purpose of this report is to highlight the importance of the diagnostic process

Rapidly fatal West Nile virus meningoencephalitis in an immunocompetent patient: a case report

Abstract Background West Nile virus (WNV) is a Flaviviridae most often transmitted by mosquitos. Clinical manifestations vary from no symptoms to neuroinvasive disease. Mortality is rare, but patients with neuroinvasive disease have a fatality rate of 4-14%. Diagnosis is made on epidemiological, clinical and serological criteria. Treatment is based on symptomatic and support therapy. WNV neuroinvasive disease seems associated to advancing age and diabetes, but poor prognosis risk factors are still not clearly recognized. During 2017-2018 10 patients affected by WNV infection were admitted to our Hospital (Policlinico of Modena): 3 patients had a rapid fatal outcome and 3 needed intensive care transfer. We report the most representative case. Case Report A 81-yr-old man from Emilia-Romagna was admitted to our unit with a 6 days history of fever (>38℃), fatigue, nausea, vomiting, hiccough and mild cognitive impairment treated with amoxicillin. Past medical history: type 2 diabetes mellitus, arterial hypertension, permanent pacemaker for type 3 atrioventricular block. Referred exposure to farm animals. No recent travels abroad. Chest x-ray showed a retrocardiac opacity, so empiric levofloxacin was started for suspected community acquired pneumonia. After two days the patient began lethargic with a Glasgow Come Score < 8. Neuroinvasive WNV disease was confirmed by electroencephalogram and rachicentesis. Before serologic results acyclovir and dexamethasone were initiated without benefit and patient diedon the fifth day after admission. Conclusions Risk factors for poor prognosis related to WNV Infection are still not clearly identified. Our patient underwent unexpected rapid clinical deterioration before invasive treatment could positively affect prognosis. This underlines the importance of clinical alert to WNV infections during transmission season in endemic areas and the necessity of more data on fatal WNV cases to define criteria to promptly recognize high-risk patients. Keywords encephalitis; meningoencephalitis; neuroinvasive disease; West Nile virus; fatal meningoencephalitis

Renal infarction as an uncommon cause of abdominal pain. A case report

Renal infarction is a rare cause of abdominal pain whose diagnosis is often misunderstood or severely delayed. The difficulty in identifying this time-dependent condition greatly limits the possibilities of therapeutic intervention and determines the loss of renal parenchyma that could have been saved with prompt diagnosis. It is, therefore, essential to include renal infarction in the differential diagnosis in case of abdominal pain and to identify this pathology beforehand. We present a case of a 65-yearold male with atrial fibrillation in therapy with Edoxaban who was admitted to the hospital for acute onset of widespread abdominal pain with nausea, vomit, and a worsening of renal function according to the laboratory tests. An abdominal computed tomography with contrast confirmed the presence of a bilateral renal infarction. The patient developed chronic kidney disease and was discharged on anticoagulant therapy. The aim of this paper is, therefore, to increase physician awareness towards this condition, the best opportunity to diagnose early renal infarction and to establish acute and long-term therapy

Fishing for Targets of Alien Metabolites: A Novel Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) Agonist from a Marine Pest

Although the chemical warfare between invasive and native species has become a central problem in invasion biology, the molecular mechanisms by which bioactive metabolites from invasive pests influence local communities remain poorly characterized. This study demonstrates that the alkaloid caulerpin (CAU)—a bioactive component of the green alga Caulerpa cylindracea that has invaded the entire Mediterranean basin—is an agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). Our interdisciplinary study started with the in silico prediction of the ligand-protein interaction, which was then validated by in vivo, ex vivo and in vitro assays. On the basis of these results, we candidate CAU as a causal factor of the metabolic and behavioural disorders observed in Diplodus sargus, a native edible fish of high ecological and commercial relevance, feeding on C. cylindracea. Moreover, given the considerable interest in PPAR activators for the treatment of relevant human diseases, our findings are also discussed in terms of a possible nutraceutical/pharmacological valorisation of the invasive algal biomasses, supporting an innovative strategy for conserving biodiversity as an alternative to unrealistic campaigns for the eradication of invasive pest

Small cargo proteins and large aggregates can traverse the Golgi by a common mechanism without leaving the lumen of cisternae

Procollagen (PC)-I aggregates transit through the Golgi complex without leaving the lumen of Golgi cisternae. Based on this evidence, we have proposed that PC-I is transported across the Golgi stacks by the cisternal maturation process. However, most secretory cargoes are small, freely diffusing proteins, thus raising the issue whether they move by a transport mechanism different than that used by PC-I. To address this question we have developed procedures to compare the transport of a small protein, the G protein of the vesicular stomatitis virus (VSVG), with that of the much larger PC-I aggregates in the same cell. Transport was followed using a combination of video and EM, providing high resolution in time and space. Our results reveal that PC-I aggregates and VSVG move synchronously through the Golgi at indistinguishable rapid rates. Additionally, not only PC-I aggregates (as confirmed by ultrarapid cryofixation), but also VSVG, can traverse the stack without leaving the cisternal lumen and without entering Golgi vesicles in functionally relevant amounts. Our findings indicate that a common mechanism independent of anterograde dissociative carriers is responsible for the traffic of small and large secretory cargo across the Golgi stack

RNA extraction method for the PCR detection of hepatitis A virus in shellfish

Viruses are the leading cause of foodborne illness associated with the consumption of raw or slightly-cooked contaminated shellfish. This study evaluated the E.Z.N.A. Mollusc RNA extraction and purification kit for the detection of HAV in shellfish. The E.Z.N.A. method, based on the cationic detergent, cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide, in conjunction with a selective RNA binding silica matrix, efficiently isolated viral RNA with a detection limit of 1 TCID50/ml by hemi-nested PCR. This method proved to be faster and less expensive than PEG precipitation-based procedures. It is also technically undemanding, requiring no extensive processing steps or excess manipulation, minimizing RNA degradation and ensuring the absence of PCR inhibitors. The E.Z.N.A. method applied to HAV screening of shellfish samples from the Apulian region, revealed a high level of contamination. These results confirm that conventional faecal indicators are unreliable for demonstrating the presence or absence of viruse

Virus infections of honeybees Apis Mellifera

The health and vigour of honeybee colonies are threatened by numerous parasites (such as <em>Varroa destructor</em> and <em>Nosema</em> spp.) and pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, protozoa. Among honeybee pathogens, viruses are one of the major threats to the health and wellbeing of honeybees and cause serious concern for researchers and beekeepers. To tone down the threats posed by these invasive organisms, a better understanding of bee viral infections will be of crucial importance in developing effective and environmentally benign disease control strategies. Here we summarize recent progress in the understanding of the morphology, genome organization, transmission, epidemiology and pathogenesis of eight honeybee viruses: Deformed wing virus (DWV) and Kakugo virus (KV); Sacbrood virus (SBV); Black Queen cell virus (BQCV); Acute bee paralysis virus (ABPV); Kashmir bee virus (KBV); Israeli Acute Paralysis Virus (IAPV); Chronic bee paralysis virus (CBPV). The review has been designed to provide researchers in the field with updated information about honeybee viruses and to serve as a starting point for future research

Identification of tuna species in commercial cans by minor groove binder probe real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences

Three different minor groove binder (MGB) probe assays have been developed for rapid and accurate identification of the species commonly used for production of canned tuna, i.e. yellowfin (Thunnus albacares), bluefin (Thunnus thynnus) and albacore (Thunnus alalunga) tunas. The assays targeting the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene were able to discriminate efficiently between the three species contained in fresh or canned tunas and did not react with other Scombroidei that were tested. A correct species prediction was obtained even from artificial mixtures prepared with different amounts of the reference tuna species and subjected to the sterilisation treatment. Testing of 27 commercial canned tunas by PCR-RFLP, MGB probe assays and sequence analysis showed a concordance of 100% between the last two techniques, whereas by using PCR-RFLP several samples were uncharacterised or mischaracterised. These results make the established MGB probe assays an attractive tool for direct and rapid species identification in canned tuna