Integrating Optical Wireless Communication Into an Optical Bifocal Metrology for Aerospace

Recently an innovative bifocal optical metrology method was proposed for space applications (e.g., rendez-vous and docking), based on unmodulated white LEDs. Here we design, realize, and test a solution that upgrades the metrology to include a digital communication feature, with no modification of the optical elements of the original system: indeed, the scheme exploits the same optical sources that are needed for metrology, which are now also working as optical antennas as their intensity is now modulated. At the receiver side, the conventional camera is now sided by a common photodiode. The system provides unidirectional data communication at 10 kbit/s speed. It is designed to support manoeuvres up to 400 m distance. The lab tests confirm the effectiveness of the proposed solutions, showing correct data transfer without any noticeable degradation of the metrology system

Structure and Properties of DNA Molecules Over The Full Range of Biologically Relevant Supercoiling States

Topology affects physical and biological properties of DNA and impacts fundamental cellular processes, such as gene expression, genome replication, chromosome structure and segregation. In all organisms DNA topology is carefully modulated and the supercoiling degree of defined genome regions may change according to physiological and environmental conditions. Elucidation of structural properties of DNA molecules with different topology may thus help to better understand genome functions. Whereas a number of structural studies have been published on highly negatively supercoiled DNA molecules, only preliminary observations of highly positively supercoiled are available, and a description of DNA structural properties over the full range of supercoiling degree is lacking. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) is a powerful tool to study DNA structure at single molecule level. We here report a comprehensive analysis by AFM of DNA plasmid molecules with defined supercoiling degree, covering the full spectrum of biologically relevant topologies, under different observation conditions. Our data, supported by statistical and biochemical analyses, revealed striking differences in the behavior of positive and negative plasmid molecules

Early suppression of lymphoproliferative response in dogs with natural infection by Leishmania infantum.

Dogs are the domestic reservoirs of zoonotic visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania infantum. Early detection of canine infections evolving to clinically patent disease may be important to leishmaniasis control. In this study we firstly investigated the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) response to leishmanial antigens and to polyclonal activators concanavalin A, phytohemagglutinin and pokeweed mitogen, of mixed-breed dogs with natural L. infantum infection, either in presymptomatic or in patent disease condition, compared to healthy animals. Leishmania antigens did not induce a clear proliferative response in any of the animals examined. Furthermore, mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation was found strongly reduced not only in symptomatic, but also in presymptomatic dogs suggesting that the cell-mediated immunity is suppressed in progressive canine leishmaniasis. To test this finding, naive Beagle dogs were exposed to natural L. infantum infection in a highly endemic area of southern Italy. Two to 10 months after exposure all dogs were found to be infected by Leishmania, and on month 2 of exposure they all showed a significant reduction in PBMC activation by mitogens. Our results indicate that suppression of the lymphoproliferative response is a common occurrence in dogs already at the beginning of an established leishmanial infection. # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved

A LOW-COST ICT SOLUTION TO SUPPORT VISITORS IN TOURISTIC CAVES

This study aims to examine innovative solutions to enhance the tourist experience and visitor localization within the Bossea Cave, one of the most important karstic caves in Italy, located in the municipality of Frabosa Soprana. The lack of advanced technological tools for managing cave structures and modernizing visitor tours creates a significant opportunity for the integration of new technologies. The researchers propose a low-cost and modular hardware infrastructure, consisting of a series of single-board computers distributed throughout the cave, acting as local web servers to provide visitors with customizable multimedia content, accessible through a web application on their personal devices via a local Wi-Fi network. This infrastructure also enables visitor localization based on their connection point within the cave, with the additional goal of testing the ultra-wideband (UWB) wireless technology in this complex and humid environment. The UWB technology offers high-precision localization, even in indoor environments and caves, where GNSS signals are not available. Overall, the study provides a promising solution to enhance the visitor experience and offers opportunities for cave management and research

Secondary immune-mediated thrombocytopenia in dogs naturally infected by Leishmania infantum.

Forty-four dogs naturally infected by Leishmania infantum were divided into two groups: 20 thrombocytopenic dogs with fewer than 150 x 10(9) platelets/l, and 24 non-thrombocytopenic dogs with more than 200 x 10(9) platelets/l. Ten clinically healthy dogs were used as controls. A haematological profile was obtained and the dogs' serum was used to assess the presence of platelet-binding IgM and IgG antibodies using a flow cytometry technique. Nineteen of the 20 thrombocytopenic dogs, and 13 of the 24 non-thrombocytopenic dogs had detectable levels of platelet-binding immunoglobulins, but none of the control dogs did so. The differences were significantly different for both IgM and IgG platelet-binding antibodies

Assessing the effects of Bt maize on the non-target pest Rhopalosiphum maidis by demographic and life-history measurement endpoints

The most commercialized Bt maize plants in Europe were transformed with genes which express a truncated form of the insecticidal delta-endotoxin (Cry1Ab) from the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) specifically against Lepidoptera. Studies on the effect of transgenic maize on non-target arthropods have mainly converged on beneficial insects. However, considering the worldwide extensive cultivation of Bt maize, an increased availability of information on their possible impact on non-target pests is also required. In this study, the impact of Bt-maize on the non-target corn leaf aphid, Rhopalosiphum maidis, was examined by comparing biological traits and demographic parameters of two generations of aphids reared on transgenic maize with those on untransformed near-isogenic plants. Furthermore, free and bound phenolics content on transgenic and near-isogenic plants were measured. Here we show an increased performance of the second generation of R. maidis on Bt-maize that could be attributable to indirect effects, such as the reduction of defense against pests due to unintended changes in plant characteristics caused by the insertion of the transgene. Indeed, the comparison of Bt-maize with its corresponding near-isogenic line strongly suggests that the transformation could have induced adverse effects on the biosynthesis and accumulation of free phenolic compounds. In conclusion, even though there is adequate evidence that aphids performed better on Bt-maize than on non-Bt plants, aphid economic damage has not been reported in commercial Bt corn fields in comparison to non-Bt corn fields. Nevertheless, Bt-maize plants can be more easily exploited by R. maidis, possibly due to a lower level of secondary metabolites present in their leaves. The recognition of this mechanism increases our knowledge concerning how insect-resistant genetically modified plants impact on non-target arthropods communities, including tritrophic web interactions, and can help support a sustainable use of genetically modified crops

A numerical model based on closed form solution for elastic stability of thin plates

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Proteomic changes in the milk of water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) with subclinical mastitis due to intramammary infection by Staphylococcus aureus and by non-aureus staphylococci

Subclinical mastitis by Staphylococcus aureus (SAU) and by non-aureus staphylococci (NAS) is a major issue in the water buffalo. To understand its impact on milk, 6 quarter samples with >3,000,000 cells/ mL (3 SAU-positive and 3 NAS-positive) and 6 culture-negative quarter samples with <50,000 cells/ mL were investigated by shotgun proteomics and label-free quantitation. A total of 1530 proteins were identified, of which 152 were significantly changed. SAU was more impacting, with 162 vs 127 differential proteins and higher abundance changes (P < 0.0005). The 119 increased proteins had mostly structural (n = 43, 28.29%) or innate immune defence functions (n = 39, 25.66%) and included vimentin, cathelicidins, histones, S100 and neutrophil granule proteins, haptoglobin, and lysozyme. The 33 decreased proteins were mainly involved in lipid metabolism (n = 13, 59.10%) and included butyrophilin, xanthine dehydrogenase/oxidase, and lipid biosynthetic enzymes. The same biological processes were significantly affected also upon STRING analysis. Cathelicidins were the most increased family, as confirmed by western immunoblotting, with a stronger reactivity in SAU mastitis. S100A8 and haptoglobin were also validated by western immunoblotting. In conclusion, we generated a detailed buffalo milk protein dataset and defined the changes occurring in SAU and NAS mastitis, with potential for improving detection (ProteomeXchange identifier PXD012355)

Serum metabolomics assessment of etiological processes predisposing ketosis in water buffalo during early lactation

Metabolic disorders as ketosis are manifestations of the animal's inability to manage the increase in energy requirement during early lactation. Generally, buffaloes show a different response to higher metabolic demands than other ruminants with a lower incidence of metabolic problems, although ketosis is one of the major diseases that may decrease the productivity in buffaloes. The aim of this study was to characterize the metabolic profile of Mediterranean buffaloes (MB) associated with 2 different levels of beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB). Sixty-two MB within 50 days in milk (DIM) were enrolled and divided into 2 groups according to se -rum BHB concentration: healthy group (37 MB; BHB <0.70 mmol/L; body condition score: 5.00; parity: 3.78; and DIM: 30.70) and group at risk of hyperketonemia (25 MB; BHB >= 0.70 mmol/L; body condition score: 4.50; parity: 3.76; and DIM: 33.20). The statistical analysis was conducted by one-way ANOVA and un-paired 2-sample Wilcoxon tests. Fifty-seven metabolites were identified and among them, 12 were significant or tended to be significant. These metabolites were related to different metabolic changes such as mobilization of body resources, ruminal fermentations, urea cycle, thy-roid hormone synthesis, inflammation, and oxidative stress status. These findings are suggestive of metabolic changes related to subclinical ketosis status that should be further investigated to better characterize this dis-ease in the MB