86 research outputs found
Chlamydia psittaci infection in canaries heavily infested by Dermanyssus gallinae
Dermanyssus gallinae is a haematophagous ectoparasite responsible for anemia, weight loss, dermatitis and a decrease in egg production. Dermanyssus gallinae may play a role in the modulation of the host immune system, maybe predisposing the host to some bacterial infections such as chlamydiosis. This is an important zoonosis. Humans are exposed to Chlamydia psittaci through inhalation of the agent dispersed from the infected birds. In this study, a syndrome observed in an aviary of canaries was investigated. A heavy infestation by D. gallinae was reported. Simultaneously, a C. psittaci infection was molecularly confirmed in the canaries. Combined therapy was applied successfully. The association of C. psittaci with the examined mites has been confirmed. Therefore, we think that D. gallinae have played a role in the spreading of C. psittaci infection among the canaries. Moreover, D. gallinae could have played an important role predisposing the canaries to the development of chlamydiosis, by inducing anemia and debilitation. The control of mites in the aviaries may represent a crucial step for the prevention of important infection such as chlamydiosis in birds and humans
Interaction and coherence of a plasmon-exciton polariton condensate
Polaritons are quasiparticles arising from the strong coupling of
electromagnetic waves in cavities and dipolar oscillations in a material
medium. In this framework, localized surface plasmon in metallic nanoparticles
defining optical nanocavities have attracted increasing interests in the last
decade. This interest results from their sub-diffraction mode volume, which
offers access to extremely high photonic densities by exploiting strong
scattering cross-sections. However, high absorption losses in metals have
hindered the observation of collective coherent phenomena, such as
condensation. In this work we demonstrate the formation of a non-equilibrium
room temperature plasmon-exciton-polariton condensate with a long range spatial
coherence, extending a hundred of microns, well over the excitation area, by
coupling Frenkel excitons in organic molecules to a multipolar mode in a
lattice of plasmonic nanoparticles. Time-resolved experiments evidence the
picosecond dynamics of the condensate and a sizeable blueshift, thus measuring
for the first time the effect of polariton interactions in plasmonic cavities.
Our results pave the way to the observation of room temperature superfluidity
and novel nonlinear phenomena in plasmonic systems, challenging the common
belief that absorption losses in metals prevent the realization of macroscopic
quantum states.Comment: 23 pages, 5 figures, SI 7 pages, 5 figure
Review 1: "SARS-CoV-2 invades cognitive centers of the brain and induces Alzheimer's-like neuropathology"
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Decomposition of bio‑degradable plastic polymer in a real on‑farm composting process
Background: The current wide diffusion of bio-degradable plastic made up by starch-based polymeric composite
has focused the attention on the allocation of bio-polymers for the direct recycling in composting processes. Actually,
the acknowledged current methods to estimate the bio-degradability are mainly based on laboratory tests and
measurements under controlled conditions, while scarce information are available on the effective transformation of
bio-film derivatives in real composting facilities. The aim of this paper was to determine at molecular level the decomposition
of specific starch-based thermoplastic mulching film for horticultural crops, in a real on-farm composting
system for the attainment of mature compost for agricultural application.
Results: The initial and final molecular composition of both bulk biomasses and bio-plastic composite were evaluated
through 13C solid-state CPMAS-NMR spectroscopy and off-line thermochemolysis—gas chromatography–mass
spectrometry. The effective decomposition of the bio-polymer was shown by mono-dimensional and pseudo-2D
NMR experiments that revealed the alteration of the intermolecular linkages among the monomeric constituents,
while the thermochemolysis confirmed the complete decomposition of starch components. Concomitantly, the
molecular characterization of bulk compost indicated the typical selective preservation of hydrophobic components
currently found in aerobic composting processes, with a significant increase (+50 %) for the yields of aromatic lignin
derivatives and recalcitrant aliphatic compounds.
Conclusion: In addition to the classical testing methodologies, the detailed analytical investigation represents a
powerful methodology to elucidate the molecular composition and modification of plastic bio-polymers thereby
providing a valuable contribution to further promote the composting process as viable way to recycle the biodegradable
polymeric materials
Reviews of: "SARS-CoV-2 invades cognitive centers of the brain and induces Alzheimer's-like neuropathology"
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Lipids from Microalgae for Cosmetic Applications
In recent years, there has been considerable interest in using microalgal lipids in the food,
chemical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Several microalgal species can accumulate
appreciable lipid quantities and therefore are characterized as oleaginous. In cosmetic formulations,
lipids and their derivatives are one of the main ingredients. Different lipid classes are great
moisturizing, emollient, and softening agents, work as surfactants and emulsifiers, give consistence
to products, are color and fragrance carriers, act as preservatives to maintain products integrity, and
can be part of the molecules delivery system. In the past, chemicals have been widely used but
today’s market and customers’ demands are oriented towards natural products. Microalgae are an
extraordinary source of lipids and other many bioactive molecules. Scientists’ attention to
microalgae cultivation for their industrial application is increasing. For the high costs associated,
commercialization of microalgae and their products is still not very widespread. The possibility to
use biomass for various industrial purposes could make microalgae more economically
competitive
Immunometabolism Modulation by Extracts from Pistachio Stalks Formulated in Phospholipid Vesicles
Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of plant extracts against various
diseases, especially skin disorders; namely, they exhibit overall protective effects. The Pistachio
(Pistacia vera L.) is known for having bioactive compounds that can effectively contribute to a person’s
healthy status. However, these benefits may be limited by the toxicity and low bioavailability
often inherent in bioactive compounds. To overcome these problems, delivery systems, such as
phospholipid vesicles, can be employed. In this study, an essential oil and a hydrolate were produced
from P. vera stalks, which are usually discarded as waste. The extracts were characterized by liquid
and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry and formulated in phospholipid vesicles
intended for skin application. Liposomes and transfersomes showed small size (<100 nm), negative
charge (approximately −15 mV), and a longer storage stability for the latter. The entrapment efficiency
was determined via the quantification of the major compounds identified in the extracts and was
>80%. The immune-modulating activity of the extracts was assayed in macrophage cell cultures. Most
interestingly, the formulation in transfersomes abolished the cytotoxicity of the essential oil while
increasing its ability to inhibit inflammatory mediators via the immunometabolic citrate pathway
Using TMS-EEG to assess the effects of neuromodulation techniques: a narrative review
Over the past decades, among all the non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) techniques, those aiming for neuromodulatory protocols have gained special attention. The traditional neurophysiological outcome to estimate the neuromodulatory effect is the motor evoked potential (MEP), the impact of NIBS techniques is commonly estimated as the change in MEP amplitude. This approach has several limitations: first, the use of MEP limits the evaluation of stimulation to the motor cortex excluding all the other brain areas. Second, MEP is an indirect measure of brain activity and is influenced by several factors. To overcome these limitations several studies have used new outcomes to measure brain changes after neuromodulation techniques with the concurrent use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and electroencephalogram (EEG). In the present review, we examine studies that use TMS-EEG before and after a single session of neuromodulatory TMS. Then, we focused our literature research on the description of the different metrics derived from TMS-EEG to measure the effect of neuromodulation
Infezioni da Circovirus nei volatili d'affezione: approccio diagnostico clinico e molecolare
In questo lavoro, vengono riportate le esperienze
cliniche e di diagnostica di laboratorio
relative alle infezioni da Circovirus nei volatili
d’affezione. Nella maggior parte dei casi di infezione
osservati, mancavano le tipiche lesioni alle
penne classicamente descritte in caso di infezione
da Circovirus ed il piumaggio risultava
inalterato. Non sono state mai riscontrate inoltre
lesioni a carico del becco. Al contrario, in
volatili privi di alterazioni del piumaggio ed in
cui Circovirus veniva ricercato per uno stato di
sospetta immunodepressione, in quanto si evidenziavano
sintomi aspecifici come debolezza e
abbattimento ed una maggiore suscettibilità ad
infezioni secondarie di natura batterica o parassitaria,
la percentuale di positività all’infezione
risultava elevata. La diagnosi di laboratorio è
stata ottenuta mediante PCR, a partire da penne,
feci o, nei soggetti deceduti, campioni d’organo.
Tra i campioni analizzati, le penne si sono
rivelate particolarmente utili ed attendibili a fini
diagnostici permettendo agevolmente la diagnosi
in vivo, anche nei casi in cui le lesioni del
piumaggio erano completamente assenti. Attualmente,
vista la mancata disponibilità di un
vaccino commerciale, il controllo dell’infezione
è affidato al monitoraggio dei volatili prima di
ogni spostamento ed introduzione in un nuovo
gruppo. Allo scopo, il test in PCR a partire dalle
penne rappresenta un metodo non invasivo
per l’animale ma soprattutto efficace ed affidabile
anche in assenza di alterazioni esteriori a
carico del piumaggio e del becco che inducano
a sospettare l’infezione
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