ABSTRACT Toxoplasmosis is a widespread zoonosis that can infect warm-blooded animals including birds and humans, and chickens are considered to be indicators of environmental contamination. In ...Brazil, Toxoplasma gondii has a non-clonal population structure composed of three lineages (I, II, and III), presenting high recombination, and resulting in wide genetic diversity. This study aimed to genetically characterize T. gondii isolates from naturally infected chickens (Gallus domesticus) in Santa Catarina state, southern Brazil region. Sera from 133 free-range chickens were analyzed by an immunofluorescence assay (IFA) to detect IgG antibodies against T. gondii. Brain and heart from 30 positive animals, based on IFA (≥ 1:64), were used to isolate the parasite using a mouse bioassay. Strain genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP using 12 genetic markers (SAG1, 5´-3´SAG2, alt. SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico, and CS3). The results were classified according to the genotypes based on the ToxoDB (http://toxodb.org/toxo/). Of 133 chicken sera analyzed, 84 (63.16%) were positive, with antibody titers ranging from 16 to 1024. Eleven isolates were obtained from mouse bioassay (Ck3, Ck32, Ck35, Ck56, Ck63, Ck89, Ck102, Ck103, Ck125, Ck127, and Ck128). Genotyping revealed six genotypes; three were classified as #26, #53, and #120, and three (NEO1, NEO2, and NEO3) were had not been previously described. No clonal lineages of type I, II, or III were identified. The present study confirms the high genetic diversity of T. gondii in Brazil.
RESUMO A toxoplasmose é uma zoonose de ampla distribuição, que acomete animais homeotérmicos, incluindo as aves e o ser humano. Galinhas podem ser consideradas indicadoras de contaminação ambiental. No Brasil, Toxoplasma gondii não apresenta estrutura populacional clonal (I, II e III), ocorrendo alta frequência de recombinação, o que resulta na grande diversidade genética observada. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar geneticamente T. gondii de galinhas (Gallus domesticus) naturalmente infectadas do estado de Santa Catarina. Soros de 133 aves criadas extensivamente foram analisados pela reação de imunofluorescência indireta (RIFI) para detecção de anticorpos IgG contra T. gondii. Para o isolamento do parasito (bioensaio em camundongos), foram utilizados coração e cérebro de 30 aves que apresentaram títulos maiores que 64 na RIFI. Os isolados obtidos foram submetidos à caracterização genotípica por meio da RFLP-PCR utilizando 12 marcadores genéticos (SAG1, 5'-3'SAG2, alt.SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1, Apico e CS3). Os resultados obtidos foram classificados de acordo com os genótipos presentes no ToxoDB (http://toxodb.org/toxo/). Das 133 amostras de soros de galinha analisadas, 84 (63,16%) foram positivas, com títulos de anticorpos variando de 16 a 1024. No bioensaio, foram obtidos 11 isolados (Ck 3, Ck 32, Ck 35, Ck 56, Ck 63, Ck 89, Ck 102, Ck 103, Ck 125, Ck127 e Ck 128). A análise genotípica revelou a presença de seis genótipos, três dos quais classificados como #26, #53 e #120, e três, NEO1, NEO2 e NEO3, não descritos anteriormente. Nenhuma linhagem clonal I, II ou III foi encontrada. O presente trabalho confirma a ampla diversidade genética do parasito observada no Brasil.
Feebly-interacting particles Carenza, Pierluca; Milstead, David A.; Wallisch, Benjamin
The European physical journal. C, Particles and fields,
12/2023, Letnik:
83, Številka:
12
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Particle physics today faces the challenge of explaining the mystery of dark matter, the origin of matter over anti-matter in the Universe, the origin of the neutrino masses, the apparent fine-tuning ...of the electro-weak scale, and many other aspects of fundamental physics. Perhaps the most striking frontier to emerge in the search for answers involves new physics at mass scales comparable to familiar matter, below the GeV-scale, or even radically below, down to sub-eV scales, and with very feeble interaction strength. New theoretical ideas to address dark matter and other fundamental questions predict such feebly interacting particles (FIPs) at these scales, and indeed, existing data provide numerous hints for such possibility. A vibrant experimental program to discover such physics is under way, guided by a systematic theoretical approach firmly grounded on the underlying principles of the Standard Model. This document represents the report of the FIPs 2022 workshop, held at CERN between the 17 and 21 October 2022 and aims to give an overview of these efforts, their motivations, and the decadal goals that animate the community involved in the search for FIPs.
We report on the response of microchannel plates (MCPs) to single relativistic particles and to electromagnetic showers. Particle detection by means of secondary emission of electrons at the MCP ...surface has long been proposed and is used extensively in ion time-of-flight mass spectrometers. What has not been investigated in depth is their use to detect the ionizing component of showers. The time resolution of MCPs exceeds anything that has been previously used in calorimeters and, if exploited effectively, could aid in the event reconstruction at high luminosity colliders. Several prototypes of photodetectors with the amplification stage based on MCPs were exposed to cosmic rays and to 491MeV electrons at the INFN-LNF Beam-Test Facility. The time resolution and the efficiency of the MCPs are measured as a function of the particle multiplicity, and the results used to model the response to high-energy showers.
Abstract To describe the prevalence and incidence density of hospital-acquired unavoidable pressure sores among patients aged ≥65 years admitted to acute medical units. A secondary analysis of ...longitudinal study data collected in 2012 and 2013 from 12 acute medical units located in 12 Italian hospitals was performed. Unavoidable pressure ulcers were defined as those that occurred in haemodynamically unstable patients, suffering from cachexia and/or terminally ill and were acquired after hospital admission. Data at patient and at pressure ulcer levels were collected on a daily basis at the bedside by trained researchers. A total of 1464 patients out of 2080 eligible (70.4%) were included. Among these, 96 patients (6.5%) hospital-acquired a pressure ulcer and, among 19 (19.7%) were judged as unavoidable. The incidence of unavoidable pressure ulcer was 8.5/100 in hospital-patient days. No statistically significant differences at patient and pressure ulcers levels have emerged between those patients that acquired unavoidable and avoidable pressure sores. Although limited, evidence on unavoidable pressure ulcer is increasing. More research in the field is recommended to support clinicians, managers and policymakers in the several implications of unavoidable pressure ulcers both at the patient and at the system levels.
This Technical Design Report presents a detailed description of all aspects of the LUXE (Laser Und XFEL Experiment), an experiment that will combine the high-quality and high-energy electron beam of ...the European XFEL with a high-intensity laser, to explore the uncharted terrain of strong-field quantum electrodynamics characterised by both high energy and high intensity, reaching the Schwinger field and beyond. The further implications for the search of physics beyond the Standard Model are also discussed.
Particle physics today faces the challenge of explaining the mystery of dark matter, the origin of matter over anti-matter in the Universe, the origin of the neutrino masses, the apparent fine-tuning ...of the electro-weak scale, and many other aspects of fundamental physics. Perhaps the most striking frontier to emerge in the search for answers involves new physics at mass scales comparable to familiar matter, below the GeV-scale, or even radically below, down to sub-eV scales, and with very feeble interaction strength. New theoretical ideas to address dark matter and other fundamental questions predict such feebly interacting particles (FIPs) at these scales, and indeed, existing data provide numerous hints for such possibility. A vibrant experimental program to discover such physics is under way, guided by a systematic theoretical approach firmly grounded on the underlying principles of the Standard Model. This document represents the report of the FIPs 2022 workshop, held at CERN between the 17 and 21 October 2022 and aims to give an overview of these efforts, their motivations, and the decadal goals that animate the community involved in the search for FIPs.
We report on the response of microchannel plates (MCPs) to single relativistic particles and to electromagnetic showers. Particle detection by means of secondary emission of electrons at the MCP ...surface has long been proposed and is used extensively in ion time-of-flight mass spectrometers. What has not been investigated in depth is their use to detect the ionizing component of showers. The time resolution of MCPs exceeds anything that has been previously used in calorimeters and, if exploited effectively, could aid in the event reconstruction at high luminosity colliders. Several prototypes of photodetectors with the amplification stage based on MCPs were exposed to cosmic rays and to 491 MeV electrons at the INFN-LNF Beam-Test Facility. The time resolution and the efficiency of the MCPs are measured as a function of the particle multiplicity, and the results used to model the response to high-energy showers.
To describe the laboratory parameters and biomarkers of the cytokine storm syndrome associated with severe and fatal COVID-19 cases. A search with standardized descriptors and synonyms was performed ...on November 28.sup.th, 2020 of the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, ClinicalTrials.gov, LILACS, and IBECS to identify studies of interest. Grey literature searches and snowballing techniques were additionally utilized to identify yet-unpublished works and related citations. Two review authors independently screened the retrieved titles and abstracts, selected eligible studies for inclusion, extracted data from the included studies, and then assessed the risk of bias using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Eligible studies were those including laboratory parameters-including serum interleukin-6 levels-from mild, moderate, or severe COVID-19 cases. Laboratory parameters, such as interleukin-6, ferritin, hematology, C-Reactive Protein, procalcitonin, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, and D-dimer, were extracted from the studies. Meta-analyses were conducted using the laboratory data to estimate mean differences with associated 95% confidence intervals. This review points to interleukin-6, ferritin, leukocytes, neutrophils, lymphocytes, platelets, C-Reactive Protein, procalcitonin, lactate dehydrogenase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, and D-dimer as important biomarkers of cytokine storm syndrome. Elevated levels of interleukin-6 and hyperferritinemia should be considered as red flags of systemic inflammation and poor prognosis in COVID-19.
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