A search for pair-produced resonances in four-jet final states at root s=13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

A search for massive coloured resonances which are pair-produced and decay into two jets is presented. The analysis uses 36.7 fb−1 − 1 of √ s = 13 TeV pp collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment at the LHC in 2015 and 2016. No significant deviation from the background prediction is observed. Results are interpreted in a SUSY simplified model where the lightest supersymmetric particle is the top squark, ̃ t ~ , which decays promptly into two quarks through R-parity-violating couplings. Top squarks with masses in the range 100 GeV<̃<410 100 GeV < m t ~ < 410 GeV GeV are excluded at 95% confidence level. If the decay is into a b-quark and a light quark, a dedicated selection requiring two b-tags is used to exclude masses in the ranges 100 GeV<̃<470 100 GeV < m t ~ < 470 GeV GeV and 480 GeV<̃<610 480 GeV < m t ~ < 610 GeV GeV . Additional limits are set on the pair-production of massive colour-octet resonances

Measurements of electroweak Wjj production and constraints on anomalous gauge couplings with the ATLAS detector

Measurements of the electroweak production of a W boson in association with two jets at high dijet invariant mass are performed using root s = 7 and 8 TeV proton-proton collision data produced by the Large Hadron Collider, corresponding respectively to 4.7 and 20.2 fb(-1) of integrated luminosity collected by the ATLAS detector. The measurements are sensitive to the production of a W boson via a triple-gauge-boson vertex and include both the fiducial and differential cross sections of the electroweak process

Monitoring Angiostrongylus vasorum natural infection in dogs under parasitic treatment.

Angiostrongylus vasorum is a nematode which causes a potentially fatal chronic parasitic pneumonia in dogs. A. vasorum infection is considered endemic in various parts of Europe (Koch and Willesen, 2009) and in Italy it is recently assumig increasing importance. Aim- To monitor A. vasorum natural infection in dogs under treatment by direct microscopy and modified Baermann technique on faecal samples. Materials and methods- Owned dogs presented at the Clinical Unit of the Veterinary Faculty of Bari, Italy, and positive to A. vasorum infection were included in the study. The diagnosis was reached by means of L1 detection on direct faecal smear and/or using the modified Baermann technique. Faecal samples positive to nematodes mobile larvae were sent to the Parasitology Unit for morphological identification. The animals were treated and clinically and parasitologically monitored. Asymptomatic dogs were treated with an imidacloprid/moxidectin spot-on formulation (Im/Mox) at T0, T+15,T+30. Symptomatic dogs were treated with fenbendazole 25 mg/kg/ bid/os for 21 days. Treatment was weekly monitored using Baermann test on three days faecal pool both in symptomatic and asymptomatic animals for one month, than once a month till possible. When infection persisted a second-line treatment was considered. In symptomatic animals clinical examination was performed once a week till clinical recovery than twice a month, while asymptomatic animals were revaluated only after the third spot-on treatment. Results- Ten dogs were enrolled in the study. Signalment, clinical signs at presentation, therapy, clinical remission time and results of faecal monitoring are reported in table. Briefly 5 dogs were treated with fenbendazole and the others with Im/Mox. In three dogs a second-line treatment was needed and fenbendazole 25 mg/kg/die for 21 days associated to Im/Mox was used. In these three dogs a long term monitoring was possible. Conclusions- Given its proven efficacy (Chapman et al., 2004) fenbendazole has been used in symptomatic patients, whereas Im/Mox, more recently proposed (Willesen et al., 2007) was used for asymptomatic dogs. All dogs treated with fenbendazole (dog 6-10) resulted negative at Baermann after 1-2 weeks of treatment but a long term monitoring was available only in two dogs (dog 6,7) showing negative results. A highly variable response was registered in dogs treated with Im/Mox (dog 1-5). Two dogs (dog 1 and 4) reached negative results 1-2 weeks after first spot-on administration and persisted negative for 16 and 20 weeks respectively. It is reported that larval excretion may continue for over 3 weeks, even if anthelmintic treatment was successful (Schnyder et al., 2010). Differently one case (dog 5) slowly reached negative results (8 weeks after the first spot-on) but it reverse newly positive two times during monitoring. Other two cases (dog 2 and 3) resulted persistently positive for 12 weeks. The last three dogs were treated with the second-line treatment. Cases 2 and 3 achieved negative results so slowly (8 and 20 weeks after second-line treatment) to make difficult a direct association with treatment efficacy, anyway they persisted negative in a long term follow up. Case 5 showed negative results 4 weeks after second-line treatment but unexpectedly it reverse positive a second time. Reinfection or infection not controlled? The question is open, we can only make assumptions. It is already known that anthelmintic treatments may not completely eliminate adult worms but be able to sterilise them leading to a reduced pathogenicity of A. vasorum infection (in: Schnyder et al., 2010). In experimental studies (Schnyder et al., 2010) on dogs treated with Im/Mox spot-on and untreated, eggs and larvae were only present in untreated dogs. The highly variable response registered in this study suggests that in natural conditions several factors could affect the response to treatment probably associated to the host and/or to the parasite. Moreover to monitor the response to treatment serial tests are needed; the limits of Baermann test are known and a single negative result does not mean control of infection

Phlebotomine sand fly population dynamics in a leishmaniasis endemic peri-urban area in southern Italy

A 2-year survey was carried out from May to November 2008 and 2009 to study the sand fly species composition, its seasonal phenology and density in Apulia region (southern, Italy). The study was conducted in a dog shelter located in a new residential urban district where Leishmania infantum is endemic. Sand flies were collected using sticky traps from May to November, at about 7-day intervals. Temperature and relative humidity were recorded daily. In December 2008, general environmental improvements (e.g., the ground was covered with gravel and the vegetation present inside the cages was removed to facilitate cleaning) were made in the study area. The most diffused species during the whole study period were Phlebotomus perniciosus (2008, n=248, 49.4%; 2009, n=254, 50.6%) followed by Phlebotomus neglectus (2008, n=76, 39.8%; 2009, n=115, 60.2%) and Phlebotomus papatasi (2008, n=5, 50.0%; 2009, n=5, 50.0%). Four specimens of Phlebotomus perfiliewi were collected only in the first year. The number of Sergentomyia minuta specimens collected increased considerably in the second (n=548, 86.2%) in comparison to the first year (n=88, 13.8%). The highest number of phlebotomine sand flies was collected in July and August when a mean temperature from 27.09 to 28.02°C and mean relative humidity from 47.28 to 56.36% were recorded. The variations in phlebotomine sand fly species diversity and abundance recorded in this study were related to climatic and environmental factors. Data here presented confirm that sand flies easily adapt to the urban environments and that the may represent a public health concern for L. infantum and other pathogen transmission also in similar urban environment of southern Europe

CLINICAL-PATHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF EIGHT DOGS INFECTED BY ANGIOSTRONGYLUS VASORUM IN SOUTHERN ITALY

Angiostrongylus vasorum has been recently reported in central and southern Italy. Although a wide range of clinical signs have been described in association with A. vasorum respiratory disease and the haemorrhagic diatheses predominate. The aim of the present study is to report the different clinical presentations, laboratory and imaging findings of 8 cases of angiostrongilosis. Diagnosis was made by means of larval morphological identification; faecal samples were analysed by the Baermann test and direct microscopic observation. Different treatment protocols were used, and animals weekly monitored by larval detection in faecal samples. These case reports associate different clinical presentations with the presence of A. vasorum infection in dogs and also suggest that angiostrongylosis should be considered as a possible aetiological cause of several clinical conditions. Although A. vasorum can be fatal a prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment may lead to a complete clinical resolution, as it was in the cases described herei