Although the novel Brazilian porcupinepox virus (BPoPV) can infect wild porcupines, its lethality and zoonotic potential are not well-established. In May 2021, a free-ranging neotropical porcupine ...(Coendou longicaudatus boliviensis) rescued from the natural savanna in the Brazilian Cerrado, Mato Grosso State, was presented with a lethal poxviral infection. Clinical signs and PCR detection of BPoPV supported the diagnosis. Poxviral lesions included erythema, exfoliative dermatitis, and erosions involving mainly the face, hindlimb, and vulva. Histologically, the lesions consisted of proliferative and necrotic dermatitis, intraepidermal and follicular pustules, and intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies in keratinocytes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed BPoPV strains closely related to other rodent-infecting poxviruses. This poxviral infection resulted in the death of a specimen of C. l. boliviensis; the effect on species conservation, and the potential of spillover into humans and other vertebrates remain unknown.
Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) has a poor prognosis, despite intensive management. The prognosis of CDH is correlated with hypoplastic lung, but it is difficult to measure the degree of ...hypoplasia. The aims of this study were, therefore, to examine the relationship between chest X-ray and prognosis, and to assess whether the radiographic findings were a good indicator of hypoplastic lungs in patients with CDH.
Fifty neonates with CDH were classified radiographically into apex and hilar types. To assess the differences in clinical course between these two groups, gestational age, birth weight, prenatal diagnosis, survival rate, requirement of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) therapy and lung area on X-rays were analyzed.
In all, 32 cases were of the apex type and 18 were hilar. The survival rate of the hilar group (33%) was significantly worse than that of the apex group (81%) (P<0.001). The hilar group required ECMO therapy more frequently than did the apex group.
The present results show a significant correlation between survival rate and the findings of chest X-rays in CDH. Radiographic findings are thus a good clinical indicator of the prognosis of CDH in neonates.
Purpose: Electron tubes with small radii are useful to treat narrow regions which cannot accommodate normal electron applicators. In small electron fields, it is not trivial to estimate restricted ...mass stopping power ratio (MSR), which is needed to evaluate dose from ion chamber measurement. We studied MSRs in small electron tube fields using the Monte Carlo simulation. Methods: Electron tubes with radii, 3 and 2.5 cm, were used in this study. Nominal electron energies were 6 and 9 MeV. There were two types of tubes. One has a normal cut but the other has a 45‐degree cut. For the normal cut tube, percent depth dose (PDD) in water was evaluated along the center of axis (CAX) of a beam. For the 45‐degree cut tube, PDD was evaluated along the vertical line from the intersection of the CAX and the phantom surface with 45‐degree gantry angle. The MSRs and mean electron energies were calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation. Results: We found good agreement between the measured and calculated PDDs. The changes of mean energies from those in the 10×10 cm2 field at the depth of maximum dose (dmax) were very small for the normal cut electron tubes. For the 45‐degree cut tubes, the changes of mean energies at dmax were less than 1 MeV. The MSRs in the normal cut tube fields were almost the same as those in the 10×10 cm2 field at the corresponding depths. The MSRs for the 45‐degree cut tubes deviated from those in the 10×10 cm2 by about 1% (1.5 % at most). Conclusions: We evaluated the mean energies and MSRs in small electron tube fields. The deviations of them from the values in the 10×10 cm2 were small. The maximum difference of MSR was 1.5% in 45‐degree cut tube fields. This work was supported by KAKENHI (23791449), Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, and Cancer Professional Training Plan, The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan.
We present the pathology of monkeys naturally infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex from five different colonies in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. On the basis of gross and histopathological ...findings, the lesions were classified into chronic-active, extrapulmonary, early-activation or latent-reactivation stages. Typical granulomatous pneumonia was seen in 46.6% of cases (six rhesus monkeys Macaca mulatta and one Uta Hick's bearded saki Chiropotes utahickae). The absence of pulmonary granulomas did not preclude a diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB): classical granulomatous pneumonia was observed in the chronic-active and latent-reactivation stages but not in the extrapulmonary and early-activation stages. The early-activation stage was characterized by interstitial pneumonia with a predominance of foamy macrophages and molecular and immunohistochemical evidence of M. tuberculosis complex infection. TB should be considered as a cause of interstitial pneumonia in New World Monkeys. We recommend the use of immunohistochemistry and molecular analysis for diagnosis of TB, even when typical macroscopic or histological changes are not observed.
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The Caenorhabditis elegans UNC-13 protein and its mammalian homologues are important for normal neurotransmitter release. We have identified a set of transcripts from the unc-13 locus in C. elegans ...resulting from alternative splicing and apparent alternative promoters. These transcripts encode proteins that are identical in their C-terminal regions but that vary in their N-terminal regions. The most abundant protein form is localized to most or all synapses. We have analyzed the sequence alterations, immunostaining patterns, and behavioral phenotypes of 31 independent unc-13 alleles. Many of these mutations are transcript-specific; their phenotypes suggest that the different UNC-13 forms have different cellular functions. We have also isolated a deletion allele that is predicted to disrupt all UNC-13 protein products; animals homozygous for this null allele are able to complete embryogenesis and hatch, but they die as paralyzed first-stage larvae. Transgenic expression of the entire gene rescues the behavior of mutants fully; transgenic overexpression of one of the transcripts can partially compensate for the genetic loss of another. This finding suggests some degree of functional overlap of the different protein products.
To evaluate the effect of lurasidone on a new, patient Life Engagement scale in schizophrenia.PurposeTo evaluate the effect of lurasidone on a new, patient Life Engagement scale in schizophrenia.This ...post-hoc analysis included participants (ages 18 to 74) diagnosed with schizophrenia who were randomized to lurasidone (40 mg/day) or placebo in a 6-week double-blind efficacy study and those who continued in a subsequent 12-week open-label extension study during which patients received either 40 or 80/mg day lurasidone (flexibly dosed). Change in life engagement was measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) 11-item Life Engagement subscale score, and individual subscale items, at week 6 during the double-blind phase and extension phase week 12 during the open-label extension phase.Patients and MethodsThis post-hoc analysis included participants (ages 18 to 74) diagnosed with schizophrenia who were randomized to lurasidone (40 mg/day) or placebo in a 6-week double-blind efficacy study and those who continued in a subsequent 12-week open-label extension study during which patients received either 40 or 80/mg day lurasidone (flexibly dosed). Change in life engagement was measured using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) 11-item Life Engagement subscale score, and individual subscale items, at week 6 during the double-blind phase and extension phase week 12 during the open-label extension phase.Analysis focused on 478 subjects randomized to lurasidone or placebo during the 6-week trial, and 146 who received lurasidone during the extension phase. During the 6-week trial, there was a significantly greater change on the PANSS11 Life Engagement subscale score from baseline to week 6 in the lurasidone group compared to the placebo group (mean changes of -6.4 and -4.8, respectively, p = 0.006; effect size = 0.27). Further improvement was evident during the extension phase for patients who received lurasidone in both phases, with a mean change from double-blind baseline to week 12 of the open-label treatment phase of -10.1 on in PANSS11 Life Engagement subscale.ResultsAnalysis focused on 478 subjects randomized to lurasidone or placebo during the 6-week trial, and 146 who received lurasidone during the extension phase. During the 6-week trial, there was a significantly greater change on the PANSS11 Life Engagement subscale score from baseline to week 6 in the lurasidone group compared to the placebo group (mean changes of -6.4 and -4.8, respectively, p = 0.006; effect size = 0.27). Further improvement was evident during the extension phase for patients who received lurasidone in both phases, with a mean change from double-blind baseline to week 12 of the open-label treatment phase of -10.1 on in PANSS11 Life Engagement subscale.This post-hoc analysis suggests that lurasidone may improve life engagement in patients with schizophrenia, a meaningful outcome from patients' perspective. Further studies are needed to confirm this effect.ConclusionThis post-hoc analysis suggests that lurasidone may improve life engagement in patients with schizophrenia, a meaningful outcome from patients' perspective. Further studies are needed to confirm this effect.Trial registration: EudraCT Numbers: 2016-000060-42; 2016-000061-23.Eudract NumberTrial registration: EudraCT Numbers: 2016-000060-42; 2016-000061-23.
A disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin type 1 motifs, number 13 (ADAMTS13) is a plasma zinc metalloprotease also known as von Willebrand factor (VWF)-cleaving protease. Deficiency of ...ADAMTS13 activity is known to cause thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) in humans. We isolated the canine ADAMTS13 cDNA, which encodes 1502 amino acids, and expressed the recombinant protein to evaluate VWF-cleaving ability. Although the propeptide domain was longer and the TSP1 repeat domain was shorter than those in other species, the overall structures were similar to human and mouse ADAMTS13. Recombinant canine ADAMTS13 cleaved the 250-kDa VWF monomer into two fragments of 150kDa and 120kDa. Furthermore, high molecular weight VWF multimers were abolished based on the activity of ADAMTS13. These results could facilitate research into hemostatic disorders such as TTP in dogs.
The projected background for the CUORE experiment Alduino, C.; Avignone, F. T.; Azzolini, O. ...
The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields,
08/2017, Letnik:
77, Številka:
8
Journal Article
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The Cryogenic Underground Observatory for Rare Events (CUORE) is designed to search for neutrinoless double beta decay of
130
Te with an array of 988 TeO
2
bolometers operating at temperatures ...around 10 mK. The experiment is currently being commissioned in Hall A of Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso, Italy. The goal of CUORE is to reach a 90% C.L. exclusion sensitivity on the
130
Te decay half-life of 9
×
10
25
years after 5 years of data taking. The main issue to be addressed to accomplish this aim is the rate of background events in the region of interest, which must not be higher than 10
-
2
counts/keV/kg/year. We developed a detailed Monte Carlo simulation, based on results from a campaign of material screening, radioassays, and bolometric measurements, to evaluate the expected background. This was used over the years to guide the construction strategies of the experiment and we use it here to project a background model for CUORE. In this paper we report the results of our study and our expectations for the background rate in the energy region where the peak signature of neutrinoless double beta decay of
130
Te is expected.
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