222 research outputs found
Genetic variability of Nero Lucano pig breed at IGF2, LEP, MC4R, PIK3C3, RYR1 and VRTN loci
The Nero Lucano pig is a native breed of Southern Italy which thanks to the joint action of Basilicata Region Institutions, University of Basilicata and breeders returned to populate the area of origin. In order to characterise and to monitor the variability present in the population, we genotyped 229 animals at 12 polymorphic loci located in the following genes: IGF2, LEP, MC4R, PIK3C3, RYR1 and VRTN. According to the results three loci (IGF2 209G>C, PIK3C3 2058A>G and RYR1 1843C>T) did not show variability, while the others showed genotype distributions in agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and a minor allele frequency ranging from 0.022 for MC4R 892A to 0.479 for PIK3C3 2604T alleles. The IGF2, MC4R and VRTN loci were characterised by very low frequencies (from 0.02 to 0.05) of the alleles that are associated with favourable productive characteristics in cosmopolitan breeds.Highlights Analyses of the genetic variability of Nero Lucano pig population useful for meat production selection plans. The IGF2, MC4R and VRTN loci of Nero Lucano pig show very low frequencies of alleles associated with positive effects on meat production. The Nero Lucano pig can be considered as free from Malignant Hyperthermia, a positive result for the quality of cured meat products
A fast and flexible machine learning approach to data quality monitoring
We present a machine learning based approach for real-time monitoring of
particle detectors. The proposed strategy evaluates the compatibility between
incoming batches of experimental data and a reference sample representing the
data behavior in normal conditions by implementing a likelihood-ratio
hypothesis test. The core model is powered by recent large-scale
implementations of kernel methods, nonparametric learning algorithms that can
approximate any continuous function given enough data. The resulting algorithm
is fast, efficient and agnostic about the type of potential anomaly in the
data. We show the performance of the model on multivariate data from a drift
tube chambers muon detector
Learning new physics efficiently with nonparametric methods
We present a machine learning approach for model-independent new physics
searches. The corresponding algorithm is powered by recent large-scale
implementations of kernel methods, nonparametric learning algorithms that can
approximate any continuous function given enough data. Based on the original
proposal by D'Agnolo and Wulzer (arXiv:1806.02350), the model evaluates the
compatibility between experimental data and a reference model, by implementing
a hypothesis testing procedure based on the likelihood ratio.
Model-independence is enforced by avoiding any prior assumption about the
presence or shape of new physics components in the measurements. We show that
our approach has dramatic advantages compared to neural network implementations
in terms of training times and computational resources, while maintaining
comparable performances. In particular, we conduct our tests on higher
dimensional datasets, a step forward with respect to previous studies.Comment: 22 pages, 13 figure
Lithium ion-induced damage in silicon detectors
Silicon diodes processed by CNM on standard and oxygenated silicon substrates have been irradiated by 58 MeV lithium ions. The radiation-induced effects are very similar to the one observed after proton irradiation: substrate space charge sign inversion (SCSI), lower increase of the effective substrate doping concentration after SCSI for the oxygenated devices. The experimental radiation hardness factor has been determined to be 45.01, within 8.2% with the expected value. These results suggest that 58 MeV Li ions are a suitable radiation source for radiation hardness studies by ions heavier than protons for the future very high luminosity hadron colliders
Oxidative Status of Goats with Different CSN1S1 Genotypes Fed ad Libitum with Fresh and Dry Forages
Forty late-lactation Girgentana goats were used to study the effect of diets fed ad libitum and αS1-casein (CSN1S1) genotype on redox balance. The goats genotyped at CSN1S1 locus (A/A, A/F) were subjected to four feeding treatments different for percentage inclusion of dry and fresh forage: DAF100 (98% of Dry Alfalfa Forage), DAF65 (65% of Dry Alfalfa Forage), FSF100 (100% of Fresh Sulla Forage) and FSF65 (65% of Fresh Sulla Forage). Blood samples were analyzed for superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity, reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs), biological antioxidant potential (BAP) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), albumin, glucose and cholesterol contents. The oxidative stress index (OSI) was calculated as percentage ratio of ROMs to BAP. Redox balance was improved by Sulla inclusion, as reflected in the lower OSI values found in FSF100 and FSF65 groups. DAF100 group displayed the highest GPX activity, while other groups exhibited the highest SOD activity. Fresh forage diets increased albumin concentration while no effect of tested factors was noted on glucose, NEFA, BHBA and cholesterol contents. The interaction diet × genotype was significant only for GPX activity. GPX and albumin were negatively correlated and were correlated positively and negatively with ROMs, respectively. Diet rather than genotype affects redox balance in dairy goats and a possible role of forage polyphenol compounds on oxidative status needs to be tested in future studies
A novel model of care for simplified testing of HBV in African communities during the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain
Epidemiology; Health services; Viral hepatitisEpidemiologia; Serveis de salut; Hepatitis viralEpidemiologĂa; Servicios de salud; Hepatitis viralChronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health threat for migrant populations in Spain and efforts to scale up testing are needed to reach the WHO elimination targets. The Hepatitis B Virus Community Screening and Vaccination in Africans (HBV-COMSAVA) study aims to use point-of-care testing and simplified diagnostic tools to identify, link to care, or vaccinate African migrants in Barcelona during the COVID-19 pandemic. From 21/11/20 to 03/07/2021, 314 study participants were offered HBV screening in a community clinic. Rapid tests for HBsAg screening were used and blood samples were collected with plasma separation cards. Patients received results and were offered: linkage to specialist care; post-test counselling; or HBV vaccination in situ. Sociodemographic and clinical history were collected and descriptive statistics were utilized. 274 patients were included and 210 (76.6%) returned to receive results. The HBsAg prevalence was 9.9% and 33.2% of people had evidence of past resolved infection. Overall, 133 required vaccination, followed by post-test counselling (n = 114), and linkage to a specialist (n = 27). Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, by employing a community-based model of care utilizing novel simplified diagnostic tools, HBV-COMSAVA demonstrated that it was possible to diagnose, link to care, and vaccinate African migrants in community-based settings.This study was carried out by ISGlobal with competitive funding through the Gilead Sciences global HBV-CARE program (IN-ES-988–5799)
Functional Analysis of Retinal Flecks in Stargardt Disease
To evaluate visual function of flecked areas in a series of patients with Stargardt disease (STGD) and compare them with adjacent non flecked areas
Properties of a new food supplement containing actinia equina extract
Marine species represent a great source of biologically active substances; Actinia equina (AE),
an Anthozoa Cnidaria belonging to the Actinidiae family, have been proposed as original food and have
already been included in several cooking recipes in local Mediterranean shores, and endowed with
excellent nutraceutical potential. The aim of this study was to investigate some unexplored features
of AE, through analytical screening and an in-vitro and in-vivo model. An in-vitro study, made on
RAW 264.7 stimulated with H2O2, showed that the pre-treatment with AE exerted an antioxidant
action, reducing lipid peroxidation and up-regulating antioxidant enzymes. On the other hand,
the in-vivo study over murine model demonstrated that the administration of AE extracts is able
to reduce the carrageenan (CAR)-induced paw edema. Furthermore, the histological damage due
to the neutrophil infiltration is prevented, and this highlights precious anti-inflammatory features
of the interesting food-stu. Moreover, it was assessed that AE extract modulated nuclear factor
kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kB) and The nuclear factor erythroid 2–related
factor 2 (Nrf-2) pathways. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that thanks to the antioxidant and
anti-inflammatory properties, AE extract could be used as a new food supplement for inflammatory
pathology prevention
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