Complete genome sequence of an astrovirus identified in a domestic rabbit (\u3cem\u3eOryctolagus cuniculus\u3c/em\u3e) with gastroenteritis

A colony of domestic rabbits in Tennessee, USA, experienced a high-mortality (~90%) outbreak of enterocolitis. The clinical characteristics were one to six days of lethargy, bloating, and diarrhea, followed by death. Heavy intestinal coccidial load was a consistent finding as was mucoid enteropathy with cecal impaction. Preliminary analysis by electron microscopy revealed the presence of virus-like particles in the stool of one of the affected rabbits. Analysis using the Virochip, a viral detection microarray, suggested the presence of an astrovirus, and follow-up PCR and sequence determination revealed a previously uncharacterized member of that family. Metagenomic sequencing enabled the recovery of the complete viral genome, which contains the characteristic attributes of astrovirus genomes. Attempts to propagate the virus in tissue culture have yet to succeed. Although astroviruses cause gastroenteric disease in other mammals, the pathogenicity of this virus and the relationship to this outbreak remains to be determined. This study therefore defines a viral species and a potential rabbit pathogen

Outbreak of dermatofilosis in calves

La Dermatofilosis es una enfermedad aguda o crónica de la epidermis, caracterizada por lesiones inflamatorias, exudativas, sangrantes con formación de costras, causada por una bacteria, Dermathophilus congolensis. Afecta a bovinos, ovinos, equinos, caprinos, animales salvajes y al hombre considerandose una zoonosis menor. El presente trabajo comunica un brote causado por Dermathophilus congolensis en terneros de tambo. Los animales afectados presentaban lesiones en piel, no pruriginosas, estas eran al comienzo sangrantes y dolorosas, terminando en costras las cuales se desprendían junto a los pelos quedando una superficie lisa alopécica. Las lesiones comenzaron en la cara y continuaron por el lomo y miembros posteriores. Se remitieron al laboratorio costras y exudados. Las muestras se procesaron para diagnóstico de dermatofitos y dermatofilosis. Los resultados dieron negativos para dermatofitos y positivos para Dermatophilus congolensis. En base a la sintomatología clínica y a los hallazgos de laboratorio se llegó al diagnóstico de Dermatophilus congolensis.Dermatophylosis is an acute or chronic epidermal disease, characterized by inflammation, exudation, bleeding injuries with scab formation, caused by a bacterium: Dermathophilus congolensis. The disease it causes is consider a minor zoonosis which affects bovines, ovines, equines, goats, wild animals and human beings. This work informs a bud, in a bull calves inn, caused by Dermathophilus congolensis. The affected animals displayed skin non itching injuries which were firstly bleeding and painful, and then scabby, the scabs were given off with hairs to render alopecia. The injuries began in the face and continued in the back and limbs. Scabs and exudates were sent to the laboratory. The samples were processed for diagnosis of dermatophytes and dermatophylosis. The results were negative for dermatophytes and positve for Dermatophilus congolensis. On the basis of the clinical sintomatology and the laboratory findings the diagnosis of Dermatophilus congoliensis came up.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Comparison of Pittsburgh compound B and florbetapir in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies.

IntroductionQuantitative in vivo measurement of brain amyloid burden is important for both research and clinical purposes. However, the existence of multiple imaging tracers presents challenges to the interpretation of such measurements. This study presents a direct comparison of Pittsburgh compound B-based and florbetapir-based amyloid imaging in the same participants from two independent cohorts using a crossover design.MethodsPittsburgh compound B and florbetapir amyloid PET imaging data from three different cohorts were analyzed using previously established pipelines to obtain global amyloid burden measurements. These measurements were converted to the Centiloid scale to allow fair comparison between the two tracers. The mean and inter-individual variability of the two tracers were compared using multivariate linear models both cross-sectionally and longitudinally.ResultsGlobal amyloid burden measured using the two tracers were strongly correlated in both cohorts. However, higher variability was observed when florbetapir was used as the imaging tracer. The variability may be partially caused by white matter signal as partial volume correction reduces the variability and improves the correlations between the two tracers. Amyloid burden measured using both tracers was found to be in association with clinical and psychometric measurements. Longitudinal comparison of the two tracers was also performed in similar but separate cohorts whose baseline amyloid load was considered elevated (i.e., amyloid positive). No significant difference was detected in the average annualized rate of change measurements made with these two tracers.DiscussionAlthough the amyloid burden measurements were quite similar using these two tracers as expected, difference was observable even after conversion into the Centiloid scale. Further investigation is warranted to identify optimal strategies to harmonize amyloid imaging data acquired using different tracers

Pairing in nuclear systems: from neutron stars to finite nuclei

We discuss several pairing-related phenomena in nuclear systems, ranging from superfluidity in neutron stars to the gradual breaking of pairs in finite nuclei. We focus on the links between many-body pairing as it evolves from the underlying nucleon-nucleon interaction and the eventual experimental and theoretical manifestations of superfluidity in infinite nuclear matter and of pairing in finite nuclei. We analyse the nature of pair correlations in nuclei and their potential impact on nuclear structure experiments. We also describe recent experimental evidence that points to a relation between pairing and phase transitions (or transformations) in finite nuclear systems. Finally, we discuss recent investigations of ground-state properties of random two-body interactions where pairing plays little role although the interactions yield interesting nuclear properties such as 0+ ground states in even-even nuclei.Comment: 74 pages, 33 figs, uses revtex4. Submitted to Reviews of Modern Physic

Endothelial microparticles correlate with high-risk angiographic lesions in acute coronary syndromes

Background: Endothelial Microparticles (EMP) are small fragments of endothelial cell membrane shed during apoptosis or activation. Our group has previously reported elevations of EMP in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), pre-eclampsia, multiple sclerosis (MS), and severe hypertension (HTN). In the present study, we evaluate the possible relationship between EMP levels and the angiographic severity and characteristics of coronary obstructive lesions. Methods: We studied a total of 43 patients undergoing coronary angiography. Fifteen had presented with acute myocardial infarction (MI), 20 with unstable anginas (UA), 5 with stable angina (SA) and 3 with congestive heart failure. Coronary angiography was reviewed and coronary lesions were classified using the Ambrose classification. Coronary stenoses were classified as high and low risk. High-risk included lesions with eccentric appearance (type II), presence of thrombi, or multiple irregularities. Low-risk lesions were defined as concentric or type I. Lesions were also analyzed by degree of stenosis and history of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). EMP in plasma was assayed by flow cytometry. Results: EMP in eccentric type II or multiple irregular lesions (high-risk) were 2.5-fold higher than in type I or concentric (low-risk) lesions, p<0.05. Lesions with thrombi had three-fold higher EMP than those without ( p=0.05). Mild stenosis (>20%–45%), and five-fold higher than those without stenosis ( p<0.01). Among patients with type II lesions, those with first ACS episode had four-fold higher EMP levels than those with recurrent ACS ( p<0.01). Conclusion: High EMP was associated with high-risk angiographic lesions including eccentric type II, multiple irregular, and lesions with thrombi. Mild to moderate stenosis was associated with higher EMP levels than severe stenosis. EMP may be a useful marker in detecting endothelial injury and risk of ACS as defined by angiography