The central region of the msp gene of Treponema denticola has sequence heterogeneity among clinical samples, obtained from patients with periodontitis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Treponema denticola </it>is an oral spirochete involved in the pathogenesis and progression of periodontal disease. Of its virulence factors, the major surface protein (MSP) plays a role in the interaction between the treponeme and host. To understand the possible evolution of this protein, we analyzed the sequence of the <it>msp </it>gene in 17 <it>T. denticola </it>positive clinical samples.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Nucleotide and amino acid sequence of MSP have been determined by PCR amplification and sequencing in seventeen <it>T. denticola </it>clinical specimens to evaluate the genetic variability and the philogenetic relationship of the <it>T. denticola msp </it>gene among the different amplified sequence of positive samples. In silico antigenic analysis was performed on each MSP sequences to determined possible antigenic variation.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The <it>msp </it>sequences showed two highly conserved 5' and 3' ends and a central region that varies substantially. Phylogenetic analysis categorized the 17 specimens into 2 principal groups, suggesting a low rate of evolutionary variability and an elevated degree of conservation of <it>msp </it>in clinically derived genetic material. Analysis of the predicted antigenic variability between isolates, demonstrated that the major differences lay between amino acids 200 and 300.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings showed for the first time, the nucleotide and amino acids variation of the <it>msp </it>gene in infecting <it>T. denticola</it>, <it>in vivo</it>. This data suggested that the antigenic variability found in to the MSP molecule, may be an important factor involved in immune evasion by <it>T. denticola</it>.</p

Aspetti epidemiologici della calcolosi di calcio in Italia: distribuzione dei fenotipi intermedi nella popolazione italiana

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Results of the first European Source Apportionment intercomparison for Receptor and Chemical Transport Models

In this study, the performance of the source apportionment model applications were evaluated by comparing the model results provided by 44 participants adopting a methodology based on performance indicators: z-scores and RMSEu, with pre-established acceptability criteria. Involving models based on completely different and independent input data, such as receptor models (RMs) and chemical transport models (CTMs), provided a unique opportunity to cross-validate them. In addition, comparing the modelled source chemical profiles, with those measured directly at the source contributed to corroborate the chemical profile of the tested model results. The most used RM was EPA- PMF5. RMs showed very good performance for the overall dataset (91% of z-scores accepted) and more difficulties are observed with SCE time series (72% of RMSEu accepted). Industry resulted the most problematic source for RMs due to the high variability among participants. Also the results obtained with CTMs were quite comparable to their ensemble reference using all models for the overall average (>92% of successful z-scores) while the comparability of the time series is more problematic (between 58% and 77% of the candidates’ RMSEu are accepted). In the CTM models a gap was observed between the sum of source contributions and the gravimetric PM10 mass likely due to PM underestimation in the base case. Interestingly, when only the tagged species CTM results were used in the reference, the differences between the two CTM approaches (brute force and tagged species) were evident. In this case the percentage of candidates passing the z-score and RMSEu tests were only 50% and 86%, respectively. CTMs showed good comparability with RMs for the overall dataset (83% of the z-scores accepted), more differences were observed when dealing with the time series of the single source categories. In this case the share of successful RMSEu was in the range 25% - 34%.JRC.C.5-Air and Climat

Consensus standards for acquisition, measurement, and reporting of intravascular optical coherence tomography studies

Objectives: The purpose of this document is to make the output of the International Working Group for Intravascular Optical Coherence Tomography (IWG-IVOCT) Standardization and Validation available to medical and scientific communities, through a peer-reviewed publication, in the interest of improving the diagnosis and treatment of patients with atherosclerosis, including coronary artery disease. Background: Intravascular optical coherence tomography (IVOCT) is a catheter-based modality that acquires images at a resolution of ∼10 μm, enabling visualization of blood vessel wall microstructure in vivo at an unprecedented level of detail. IVOCT devices are now commercially available worldwide, there is an active user base, and the interest in using this technology is growing. Incorporation of IVOCT in research and daily clinical practice can be facilitated by the development of uniform terminology and consensus-based standards on use of the technology, interpretation of the images, and reporting of IVOCT results. Methods: The IWG-IVOCT, comprising more than 260 academic and industry members from Asia, Europe, and the United States, formed in 2008 and convened on the topic of IVOCT standardization through a series of 9 national and international meetings. Results: Knowledge and recommendations from this group on key areas within the IVOCT field were assembled to generate this consensus document, authored by the Writing Committee, composed of academicians who have participated in meetings and/or writing of the text. Conclusions: This document may be broadly used as a standard reference regarding the current state of the IVOCT imaging modality, intended for researchers and clinicians who use IVOCT and analyze IVOCT data

Economic consequences of investing in anti-HCV antiviral treatment from the Italian NHS perspective : a real-world-based analysis of PITER data

OBJECTIVE: We estimated the cost consequence of Italian National Health System (NHS) investment in direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy according to hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment access policies in Italy. METHODS: A multistate, 20-year time horizon Markov model of HCV liver disease progression was developed. Fibrosis stage, age and genotype distributions were derived from the Italian Platform for the Study of Viral Hepatitis Therapies (PITER) cohort. The treatment efficacy, disease progression probabilities and direct costs in each health state were obtained from the literature. The break-even point in time (BPT) was defined as the period of time required for the cumulative costs saved to recover the Italian NHS investment in DAA treatment. Three different PITER enrolment periods, which covered the full DAA access evolution in Italy, were considered. RESULTS: The disease stages of 2657 patients who consecutively underwent DAA therapy from January 2015 to December 2017 at 30 PITER clinical centres were standardized for 1000 patients. The investment in DAAs was considered to equal €25 million, €15 million, and €9 million in 2015, 2016, and 2017, respectively. For patients treated in 2015, the BPT was not achieved, because of the disease severity of the treated patients and high DAA prices. For 2016 and 2017, the estimated BPTs were 6.6 and 6.2 years, respectively. The total cost savings after 20 years were €50.13 and €55.50 million for 1000 patients treated in 2016 and 2017, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study may be a useful tool for public decision makers to understand how HCV clinical and epidemiological profiles influence the economic burden of HCV

Emission factors of inorganic ions from road traffic: A case study from the city of Naples (Italy)

PM10 samples were collected in the urban tunnel of Naples (southern Italy) during a monitoring campaign on March 2015. Two sets of samples were collected at both sides of the tunnel, each set representing the daily cycle at a 1 h time resolution. Distance-based – mass per kilometer – emission factors (EFs) were calculated using mass concentrations, traffic flow rates and wind speed as a function of fleet composition. Samples were analysed for mass and water-soluble inorganic ions (Na+,NH4+,K+,Ca2+,Mg2+,Cl-,NO3- and SO42-) with the aim of investigating the influence of road traffic on the contribution of these species to PM levels. Road traffic directly emits inorganic ions, both from the exhaust and non-exhaust components. Analysis of ionic composition highlighted the increase in calcium concentration, which may derive from non-exhaust sources (road dust, wear of brake pads, clutches, tires) and calcium sulfonates, phenates or salicylates, often added to motor oils. Sulphate, added to lubricant oils, is also directly emitted at a rate higher than the gaseous sulphur dioxide emission. According to our analysis, nearly 10% of PM mass is composed by water-soluble inorganic ions, most of which directly emitted by automobiles. This suggests that an important contribution to PM emissions may derive from the inorganic component and more efforts should be devoted to constrain these emissions if PM concentration had to effectively comply with air quality standards

Un sistema ottico per la caratterizzazione della frazione carboniosa del PM

Campioni di PM vengono regolarmente raccolti in area urbana per monitorare i livelli di PM10 e PM2.5, utilizzando campionatori sequenziali a basso volume (LVS) dotati, solitamente, di filtri 47 mm gestiti su base giornaliera. I filtri in PTFE (Teflon\uae) risultano molto indicati sia per le misure gravimetriche che per l\u201fanalisi composizionale del PM. Abbiamo sviluppato un nuovo sistema ottico, completamente automatico e non distruttivo, per la misura off-line dell'assorbimento della luce e quindi del contenuto di BC nel PM sia sui filtri in PTFE che su altri supporti. Ci\uf2 d\ue0 la possibilit\ue0 di misurare su ogni campione la concentrazione del PM tramite analisi gravimetrica, del BC tramite analisi ottica, dei metalli, per esempio, tramite ED-XRF, e degli ioni mediante cromatografia ionica: tutte queste informazioni possono essere ottenute con solo un filtro avendo la certezza di analizzare lo stesso PM e senza costi aggiuntivi. Il set-up che abbiamo realizzato \ue8 composto da una sorgente laser collimata e da tre fotodiodi a basso rumore (PD) posti a 0, 125 e 165 gradi rispetto alla direzione del fascio laser. I campioni possono essere analizzati in sequenza e in modo automatico in circa 15 minuti grazie ad una ruota che pu\uf2 ospitare fino a 16 filtri da 47 mm. La ruota \ue8 collegata ad un motore passo-passo per cambiare il filtro in analisi e a due traslatori lineari che permettono la scansione di tutta l'area del filtro. Tutti i movimenti e l'acquisizione dei segnali dei fotodiodi sono controllati da un PC attraverso un programma LabVIEW 8.5 dedicato. Il set-up \ue8 completato da tre diverse sorgenti laser intercambiabili: 4 mW - rosso ( = 635nm), 4 mW - blu ( = 405 nm) e 20 mW - IR ( = 850nm). Per ricavare i valori di concentrazione del BC \ue8 stato adottato ed esteso il metodo, basato sullo schema di trasferimento radiativo proposto da H\ue4nel [1,2], utilizzato dal MAAP [3]. Il nuovo strumento \ue8 stato validato in diverse campagne e, per la prima volta, \ue8 stato impiegato nella campagna realizzata nel quadro del programma MED - APICE (Common Mediterranean strategy and local practical Actions for the mitigation of Port, Industries and Cities Emissions, http://www.apice-project.eu/). Questa campagna di misura del PM2.5 \ue8 stata realizzata tra primavera e estate 2011, in tre siti nell\u201farea urbana di Genova. Il PM2.5 \ue8 stato campionato su base giornaliera da un LVS (TRC-Tecora) alternatamente su filtri in fibra di quarzo e su filtri in PTFE. Tutti i campioni (circa 250 per ciascun tipo) sono stati analizzati con il nostro set-up ottico e, successivamente, solo quelli in fibra di quarzo sono stati analizzati con il SUNSET EC/OC analyzer per ottenere la concentrazione di EC su ciascun campione (protocollo EUSAAR_2). Descriver\uf2 brevemente il metodo ottico fornendo dettagli sul set-up e sulle sue componenti. Verranno inoltre presentati i risultati relativi a differenti set di dati, con particolare attenzione ai risultati ottenuti dalle misure alle tre differenti lunghezze d'onda, con i due diversi tipi di filtri