The Herschel ATLAS

The Herschel ATLAS is the largest open-time key project that will be carried out on the Herschel Space Observatory. It will survey 570 deg2 of the extragalactic sky, 4 times larger than all the other Herschel extragalactic surveys combined, in five far-infrared and submillimeter bands. We describe the survey, the complementary multiwavelength data sets that will be combined with the Herschel data, and the six major science programs we are undertaking. Using new models based on a previous submillimeter survey of galaxies, we present predictions of the properties of the ATLAS sources in other wave bands

Nuclear Reaction Modeling for RIA SIOL Target Design

Los Alamos scientists are collaborating with researchers at Argonne and Oak Ridge on the development of improved nuclear reaction physics for modeling radionuclide production in ISOL targets. This is being done in the context of the MCNPX simulation code, which is a merger of MCNP and the LAHET intranuclear cascade code, and simulates both nuclear reaction cross sections and radiation transport in the target. The CINDER code is also used to calculate the time-dependent nuclear decays for estimating induced radioactivities. They give an overview of the reaction physics improvements they are addressing, including intranuclear cascade (INC) physics, where recent high-quality inverse-kinematics residue data from GSI have led to INC spallation and fission model improvements; and preequilibrium reactions important in modeling (p,xn) and (p,xnyp) cross sections for the production of nuclides far from stability

NOROVIRUS IN FAECES OF HEALTHY PIGS IN NORTH-EAST ITALY

Introduction Norovirus (NoV) has emerged has one of the major causative agents of non-bacterial, food- and water-borne gastroenteritis in humans all over the world. NoVs are classified into six groups (G), from GI to GVI, which are further subdivided into 30 genotypes. NoVs identified in human gastroenteritis cases are only GI, GII, and GIV. NoVs have also been isolated from several animal species, including pigs, dogs, cattle, rodents and lions. The detection of GII NoV from pigs in Japan and Europe, and GII NoV antibodies in US swine have raised public health concerns about the zoonotic potential of porcine NoVs. Material & Methods Faeces were collected at slaughterhouse in 2017 in two regions of North-East Italy. Forty-six samples originated from Veneto and thirty-three from Friuli Venezia Giulia regions, covering seven and three provinces, respectively, were analysed for presence of Calicivirus. A two-step RT-PCR targeting the RdRP gene using the p290-p110 primer pairs was used. Sanger sequence was conducted on samples presenting enough amount of the target amplified DNA. Phylogenetic analysis was carried out using the neighbour-joining method and Kimura two-parameter substitution model using MEGA7 software. Results Fourteen samples collected in Veneto region, were PCR positive. Nucleotide sequence of about 300bp were obtained from only two samples. BLAST analysis showed a homology between 89 and 92% with swine NoV detected in Europe. Phylogenetic analysis showed that Italian strains belong to the GII.11 and cluster with other swine NoV from USA and Asia. Discussion and Conclusion This study identified GII.11 NoVs in the swine population of North-East Italy, similarly to a previous report in 2011. Further molecular analysis on the VP1 gene are ongoing on positive samples. The real distribution and the role of NoVs in swine needs to be further investigated by proper sampling approach and full genome analysis

Current approaches to the treatment of paraneoplastic encephalitis

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNSs) cover a wide range of diseases and involve both the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system. Paraneoplastic encephalitis comprises several diseases such as paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration (PCD), limbic encephalitis (LE), paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis (PEM), brainstem encephalitis, opsomyoclonus syndrome, in addition to other even less frequently occurring entities. LE was the first historically identified CNS PNS, and similarities between other temporal lobe diseases such as herpes encephalitis have been elucidated. In the past few decades several autoantibodies have been described in association with LE. These encompass the classical ‘onconeuronal’ antibodies (abs) such as Hu, Yo, Ri and others, and now additionally abs towards either ion channels or surface antigens. The clinical core findings in LE are various mental changes such as amnesia or confusion, often associated with seizures. Careful characterization of psychiatric manifestations and/or associated neurological signs can help to characterize the syndrome and type of ab. The treatment options in LE depend on the aetiology. In LE caused by onconeuronal abs, the treatment options are poor. In two types of abs associated with LE, abs against ion channels and surface antigens (e.g. NMDA), immunomodulatory treatments seem effective, making these types of LE treatable conditions. However, LE can also occur without being associated with cancer, in which case only immunomodulation is required. Despite effective treatments, some patients’ residual deficits remain, and recurrences have also been described