The Dimorphos ejecta plume properties revealed by LICIACube.

The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) had an impact with Dimorphos (a satellite of the asteroid Didymos) on 26 September 20221. Ground-based observations showed that the Didymos system brightened by a factor of 8.3 after the impact because of ejecta, returning to the pre-impact brightness 23.7 days afterwards2. Hubble Space Telescope observations made from 15 minutes after impact to 18.5 days after, with a spatial resolution of 2.1 kilometres per pixel, showed a complex evolution of the ejecta3, consistent with other asteroid impact events. The momentum enhancement factor, determined using the measured binary period change4, ranges between 2.2 and 4.9, depending on the assumptions about the mass and density of Dimorphos5. Here we report observations from the LUKE and LEIA instruments on the LICIACube cube satellite, which was deployed 15 days in advance of the impact of DART. Data were taken from 71 seconds before the impact until 320 seconds afterwards. The ejecta plume was a cone with an aperture angle of 140 ± 4 degrees. The inner region of the plume was blue, becoming redder with increasing distance from Dimorphos. The ejecta plume exhibited a complex and inhomogeneous structure, characterized by filaments, dust grains and single or clustered boulders. The ejecta velocities ranged from a few tens of metres per second to about 500 metres per second.

A potential risk assessment tool to monitor pathogens circulation in coastal waters.

The present study reports data on a 20 months campaign monitoring enteric viruses (hepatitis A, norovirus, rotavirus, astrovirus, sapovirus, and aichivirus) and bacteria (Salmonella spp.) in seawater. The aim of this work was to assess the potential correlation among the presence of viruses/bacteria and different environmental factors like seasonality, water discharge sources (treated and untreated wastewater, mixed waters and raw water) as well as influence of the Italian lockdown measure against COVID-19 pandemic. Results showed different prevalence of the investigated viruses with values equal to 16 % for norovirus GI, 15.1 % for norovirus GII, followed by 13.8 % for astrovirus, and 13.3 % for sapovirus. Rotavirus was detected in the 8.4 % of samples and aichivirus was detected with the lowest prevalence of 3.5 %. Hepatitis A virus was never identified in the monitoring campaign. Salmonella spp. was detected with a prevalence of 36.6 %. Statistical analysis displayed a high correlation for the two noroviruses simultaneous detection (NGI and NGII) while a lower correlation was found for co-presence of noroviruses with astrovirus, sapovirus or Salmonella spp. A significant decrease of enteric pathogens in seawater was observed during the restrictions period. Results on seasonality highlighted a higher viral prevalence correlated to the wet season for all the pathogens but rotavirus and aichivirus, which instead showed an opposite trend and a higher incidence in the dry season. With respect to discharge typology, some viruses displayed a higher prevalence in treated waters (astrovirus, rotavirus, sapovirus and aichivirus) while the other investigated pathogens (noroviruses and Salmonella spp.) showed a higher prevalence in mixed waters. The main observations of this work were used to define a potential monitoring strategy that could be useful for sanitary Authorities to implement surveillance plans aimed at preventing possible sanitary outbreaks and/or environmental quality deterioration.

Juno observations of spot structures and a split tail in Io-induced aurorae on Jupiter.

Jupiter's aurorae are produced in its upper atmosphere when incoming high-energy electrons precipitate along the planet's magnetic field lines. A northern and a southern main auroral oval are visible, surrounded by small emission features associated with the Galilean moons. We present infrared observations, obtained with the Juno spacecraft, showing that in the case of Io, this emission exhibits a swirling pattern that is similar in appearance to a von Kármán vortex street. Well downstream of the main auroral spots, the extended tail is split in two. Both of Ganymede's footprints also appear as a pair of emission features, which may provide a remote measure of Ganymede's magnetosphere. These features suggest that the magnetohydrodynamic interaction between Jupiter and its moon is more complex than previously anticipated.

Clusters of cyclones encircling Jupiter's poles.

The familiar axisymmetric zones and belts that characterize Jupiter's weather system at lower latitudes give way to pervasive cyclonic activity at higher latitudes. Two-dimensional turbulence in combination with the Coriolis ß-effect (that is, the large meridionally varying Coriolis force on the giant planets of the Solar System) produces alternating zonal flows. The zonal flows weaken with rising latitude so that a transition between equatorial jets and polar turbulence on Jupiter can occur. Simulations with shallow-water models of giant planets support this transition by producing both alternating flows near the equator and circumpolar cyclones near the poles. Jovian polar regions are not visible from Earth owing to Jupiter's low axial tilt, and were poorly characterized by previous missions because the trajectories of these missions did not venture far from Jupiter's equatorial plane. Here we report that visible and infrared images obtained from above each pole by the Juno spacecraft during its first five orbits reveal persistent polygonal patterns of large cyclones. In the north, eight circumpolar cyclones are observed about a single polar cyclone; in the south, one polar cyclone is encircled by five circumpolar cyclones. Cyclonic circulation is established via time-lapse imagery obtained over intervals ranging from 20 minutes to 4 hours. Although migration of cyclones towards the pole might be expected as a consequence of the Coriolis ß-effect, by which cyclonic vortices naturally drift towards the rotational pole, the configuration of the cyclones is without precedent on other planets (including Saturn's polar hexagonal features). The manner in which the cyclones persist without merging and the process by which they evolve to their current configuration are unknown.

Molecular detection and phylogenetic analysis of hepatitis E virus strains circulating in wild boars in south-central Italy.

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is a zoonotic pathogen with a worldwide distribution, and infects several mammalian species, including pigs and wild boars, which are recognized as its natural reservoirs. The virus causes a usually self-limiting liver disease with a mortality rate generally below 1%, although mortality rates of 15%-25% have been recorded in pregnant woman. Chronic infections can also occur. The prevalence of HEV has been extensively studied in wild boars and pigs in northern Italy, where intensive pig herds are predominantly located. In contrast, few data have been collected in south-central Italy, where small pig herds are surrounded by large regional parks populated with heterogeneous wild fauna. In this study, 291 liver samples from wild boars caught in south-central Italy were analysed with the molecular detection of viral RNA. Our results confirm the circulation of HEV in these animals, with a mean prevalence of 13.7% (40 of 291). A nucleotide sequence analysis showed that the HEV strains were highly conserved within the same geographic areas. The wild boar HEV strains belonged to the HEV-3c subtype, which is frequently described in wild boars, and to an uncommon undefined subtype (HEV-3j-like).The viral prevalence detected is concerning because it could represent a potential risk to hunters, meat workers and consumers of wild boar liver and derivative products. The hypothesized inter-species transmission of HEV to pigs and the possibility that the virus maintains its virulence in the environment and the meat chain also present potential risks to human health, and warrant further investigations in the near future.

Oxidative metabolism drives inflammation-induced platinum resistance in human ovarian cancer.

Tumour cells have long been considered defective in mitochondrial respiration and mostly dependent on glycolytic metabolism. However, this assumption is currently challenged by several lines of evidence in a growing number of tumours. Ovarian cancer (OC) is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide, but it continues to be a poorly understood disease and its metabolic features are far to be elucidated. In this context, we investigated the role of tumour necrosis factor receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1), which is found upregulated in several cancer types and is a key modulator of tumour cell metabolism. Surprisingly, we found that TRAP1 expression inversely correlated with grade, stage and lower survival in a large cohort of OC patients. Accordingly, TRAP1 silencing induced resistance to cisplatin, resistant cells showed increased oxidative metabolism compared with their sensitive counterpart, and the bioenergetics cellular index of higher grade tumours indicated increased mitochondrial respiration. Strikingly, cisplatin resistance was reversible upon pharmacological inhibition of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation by metformin/oligomycin. At molecular level, increased oxidative metabolism in low TRAP1-expressing OC cells and tissues enhanced production of inflammatory mediators such as interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8. Mechanistically, we identified members of the multidrug resistance complex (MDR) as key mediators of such metabolism-driven, inflammation-induced process. Indeed, treatment of OC cell lines with TNFα and IL6 induced a selective increase in the expression of TAP1 and multidrug resistance protein 1, whereas TAP1 silencing sensitized cells to cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Our results unveil a novel role for TRAP1 and oxidative metabolism in cancer progression and suggest the targeting of mitochondrial bioenergetics to increase cisplatin efficacy in human OC.

Development of a pyrosequencing assay for the typing of alphaherpesviruses.

Identification of herpesvirus in biological material is usually carried out by real-time PCR. With the aim to classify the strain of virus identified, real-time PCR must be often supported by time-consuming capillary electrophoresis sequencing analysis. Here we provide a protocol for the rapid and reliable identification of 5 closely related herpesviruses by PyroMark Q24 sequencing system. PyroMark performs DNA sequencing analysis using pyrosequencing, a technology based on the detection of released pyrophosphate during DNA elongation [1]. PyroMark is designed to detect changes in specified variable positions of the DNA. It can efficiently detect single nucleotide differences in sequences [2]. In the present paper we describe a protocol to pyrosequence a small polymorphic segment of the US8 gene. On the basis of the differences identified in the nucleotide sequence we could readily classify the herpesvirus as Bovine herpesvirus 1.1, Bovine herpesvirus 1.2, Bovine herpesvirus 5, Bubaline herpesvirus 1 or Caprine herpesvirus. The protocol set up offers several advantages with respect to the techniques commonly used: •it requires less than one working day to be carried;•it gives the possibility to analyze, at reasonable costs, up to 24 samples at a time; and•it allows to detect with great reliability and specificity strongly genetically correlated organisms like the herpesviruses named above. The procedure can be easily applied to other families of viruses, with opportune modifications.

Translational control in the stress adaptive response of cancer cells: a novel role for the heat shock protein TRAP1.

TNF receptor-associated protein 1 (TRAP1), the main mitochondrial member of the heat shock protein (HSP) 90 family, is induced in most tumor types and is involved in the regulation of proteostasis in the mitochondria of tumor cells through the control of folding and stability of selective proteins, such as Cyclophilin D and Sorcin. Notably, we have recently demonstrated that TRAP1 also interacts with the regulatory protein particle TBP7 in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it is involved in a further extra-mitochondrial quality control of nuclear-encoded mitochondrial proteins through the regulation of their ubiquitination/degradation. Here we show that TRAP1 is involved in the translational control of cancer cells through an attenuation of global protein synthesis, as evidenced by an inverse correlation between TRAP1 expression and ubiquitination/degradation of nascent stress-protective client proteins. This study demonstrates for the first time that TRAP1 is associated with ribosomes and with several translation factors in colon carcinoma cells and, remarkably, is found co-upregulated with some components of the translational apparatus (eIF4A, eIF4E, eEF1A and eEF1G) in human colorectal cancers, with potential new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in humans. Moreover, TRAP1 regulates the rate of protein synthesis through the eIF2α pathway either under basal conditions or under stress, favoring the activation of GCN2 and PERK kinases, with consequent phosphorylation of eIF2α and attenuation of cap-dependent translation. This enhances the synthesis of selective stress-responsive proteins, such as the transcription factor ATF4 and its downstream effectors BiP/Grp78, and the cystine antiporter system xCT, thereby providing protection against ER stress, oxidative damage and nutrient deprivation. Accordingly, TRAP1 silencing sensitizes cells to apoptosis induced by novel antitumoral drugs that inhibit cap-dependent translation, such as ribavirin or 4EGI-1, and reduces the ability of cells to migrate through the pores of transwell filters. These new findings target the TRAP1 network in the development of novel anti-cancer strategies.

Management of work-related stress by Finnish occupational physicians.

BACKGROUND: Occupational stress is a serious threat to the well-being of employees and organizations and may cause ill-health and loss of productivity. Determining the methods that occupational health (OH) services and employers use to manage work-related stress can help to detect both barriers and facilitating factors for effective stress management. AIMS: To examine stress management methods used by OH physicians in Finland. METHODS: Anonymous, self-administered e-mail questionnaire to Finnish OH physicians. RESULTS: A total of 222 OH physicians responded. Neither OH services nor their client organizations used standardized tools to assess or manage work-related stress. Work-related stress was assessed using patient interviews. Physicians reported that the main method used to manage occupational stress was supporting the individual employee. Half of the physicians attempted to involve workplaces in stress management by asking their patients to contact their supervisors regarding stress issues. CONCLUSIONS: In order to tackle work-related stress consistently and effectively employers and OH services should have agreed standardized protocols for managing stress in the workplace.

Bubaline herpesvirus 1 associated with abortion in a Mediterranean water buffalo.

During routine analysis of water buffalo foetuses, one sample was positive for herpesvirus and negative to all the other abortive agents investigated. Sequencing of the herpesvirus glycoprotein E gene identified the virus as bubaline herpesvirus 1, showing few differences with the published sequences. This represents the first finding of bubaline herpesvirus in a water buffalo foetus associated with abortion.

TRAP1 and the proteasome regulatory particle TBP7/Rpt3 interact in the endoplasmic reticulum and control cellular ubiquitination of specific mitochondrial proteins.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated protein-1 (TRAP1) is a mitochondrial (MITO) antiapoptotic heat-shock protein. The information available on the TRAP1 pathway describes just a few well-characterized functions of this protein in mitochondria. However, our group's use of mass-spectrometric analysis identified TBP7, an AAA-ATPase of the 19S proteasomal subunit, as a putative TRAP1-interacting protein. Surprisingly, TRAP1 and TBP7 colocalize in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), as demonstrated by biochemical and confocal/electron microscopic analyses, and interact directly, as confirmed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer analysis. This is the first demonstration of TRAP1's presence in this cellular compartment. TRAP1 silencing by short-hairpin RNAs, in cells exposed to thapsigargin-induced ER stress, correlates with upregulation of BiP/Grp78, thus suggesting a role of TRAP1 in the refolding of damaged proteins and in ER stress protection. Consistently, TRAP1 and/or TBP7 interference enhanced stress-induced cell death and increased intracellular protein ubiquitination. These experiments led us to hypothesize an involvement of TRAP1 in protein quality control for mistargeted/misfolded mitochondria-destined proteins, through interaction with the regulatory proteasome protein TBP7. Remarkably, expression of specific MITO proteins decreased upon TRAP1 interference as a consequence of increased ubiquitination. The proposed TRAP1 network has an impact in vivo, as it is conserved in human colorectal cancers, is controlled by ER-localized TRAP1 interacting with TBP7 and provides a novel model of the ER-mitochondria crosstalk.

Mannose-binding lectin haplotypes influence Brucella abortus infection in the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

A case-control study established that the haplotype pair HYA/HYA at the MBL (mannose binding lectin) locus of water buffalo is associated with resistance to Brucella abortus infection (P < 10(-7)) and the haplotype pairs LYD/LYD with susceptibility to the same pathogen (P < 10(-7)). The subjects included in the present study were tested twice-at a 1-month interval-for the presence of anti-B. abortus antibodies in the serum by agglutination, complement fixation and flow cytometry. Cases (335 subjects) included animals consistently positive to all these tests; controls (335 subjects) comprised animals exposed yet negative by the same tests. The serum from genetically resistant subjects displayed in vitro significantly higher antibacterial activity compared to the serum from genetically susceptible subjects, lending biological significance to the results from the association study. Inhibition of the antibacterial activity following heat treatment of the serum, addition of specific MBL inhibitors (EDTA, mannose, N-acetyl-D: -glucosamine) or anti-human MBL antiserum provide convincing evidence that the antibacterial activity present in the serum results from the interaction between MBL and B. abortus. A replication study (comprising 100 cases and 100 controls) confirmed the results from the original study.

Preparation and testing of diabetes autoantibody controls.

Stocks of the WHO islet cell antibody, GAD(65) antibody, and IA-2 antibody standard (NIBSC 97/550) are now very limited. We have therefore made and tested a series of control preparations in which human monoclonal autoantibodies to IA-2 and to GAD(65) were diluted in antibody-negative human serum to different concentrations. Three different diabetes autoantibody controls (DAC 1-3) were made as was a negative control preparation. Aliquots containing 1 mL of autoantibodies in serum were freeze-dried. After reconstitution (with 1 mL of water) the controls were tested by (125)I-IA-2 immunoprecipitation assay (IPA), (125)I-GAD(65) IPA, GAD(65) Ab ELISA and IA-2 Ab ELISA (kits from RSR Ltd.) and for ICA by immunofluorescence test (IFT). DAC1 is particularly suitable as a control for the (125)I IA-2 IPA; DAC2 is suitable for the (125)I-GAD(65) IPA, GAD(65) Ab ELISA, and IA-2 Ab ELISA; and DAC3 is suitable for the ICA IFT. Freeze-dried preparations showed good stability at 37 degrees C. Reconstituted liquid preparations were stable when stored at 4 degrees C and at 37 degrees C. Availability of an essentially unlimited supply of these reagents should be useful in establishing reproducible and comparable measurements of diabetes autoantibodies in different laboratories using different assays.

Temperature and pH effect on lindane removal by Streptomyces sp. M7 in soil extract.

This work was conducted to study the removal of gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane) in a soil extract liquid medium (SE) by Streptomyces sp. M7 and to determine the influence of pH and temperature on bacterial growth and pesticide removal in this medium. When Streptomyces sp. M7 was cultured in SE supplemented with lindane 100 microg l(-1 )at different initial pH, the maximum growth was observed at pH 7 and the microorganism was not able to grow at pH 5 and 9; the highest pesticide removal (70.4%) by Streptomyces sp. M7 was noted at an initial pH of 7 at 4 weeks of incubation. The maximum removal (70% approximately) was observed when the microorganism was incubated in SE at 30 degrees C; although the optimal temperature for Streptomyces sp. M7 growth, with and without lindane, was 25 degrees C, and for the pesticide removal was 30 degrees C. The results of this study suggest that this actinomycete strain appears as an effective alternative in the remediation of lindane polluted sites.

Lindane removal induction by Streptomyces sp. M7.

Gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (gamma-HCH or lindane), one of the most commonly used pesticides, has been mainly used in agriculture; this pesticide is known to be highly toxic and persistent, causing serious water and soil contamination. The objective of the present work is to study the effect of low glucose concentration and the addition of lindane at different growing time on the pesticide detoxification ability of Streptomyces M7. After 96 h of incubation in synthetic medium containing glucose 0.6 g l(-1) with the addition of lindane 100 microg l(-1) at 20 h of incubation, a typical diauxic curve was obtained: glucose was the preferred substrate until 24 h, at 48 h, when the carbohydrate was depleted, the microorganism consumed the pesticide like carbon source. On the other hand, lindane removal induction was observed, which was greater when the pesticide was added to the medium at 20 h than 6 h of incubation. Between 72 and 96 h, a maximum of approximately 86% of the Cl(-) was released when lindane was added to the medium at 20 h, whereas approximately 70% and 67% Cl(-) was released in the medium when the pesticide was added at 0 and 6 h of incubation respectively. This is the first report of chloride release from inoculated medium supplemented with lindane, suggesting that the pesticide was degraded by Streptomyces sp. under aerobic conditions.

Cloning and expression of two plant proteins: similar antimicrobial activity of native and recombinant form.

Antimicrobial peptides and proteins are being studied with increasing interest because of their broad range antimicrobial activity. Among plant antimicrobial proteins, the wheat seed polypeptides, puroindoline a and puroindoline b, are particularly interesting because of their established antibacterial activity. In this paper we describe different strategies used to clone His tagged and GST tagged puroindolines obtaining 1.5 mg recombinant protein from 1 l culture. The antimicrobial activity of recombinant and native puroindolines was comparable.

Islet cell, thyroid, adrenal and celiac disease related autoantibodies in patients with Type 1 diabetes from Sri Lanka.

AIMS: The prevalence of islet cell, thyroid, adrenal and celiac disease related autoantibodies in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (Type 1 DM) from Sri Lanka is described. DESIGN AND METHODS: Autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 (GAD65Ab), protein tyrosine phosphatase IA-2 (IA-2Ab), insulin (IAAb), thyroglobulin (TgAb), thyroid peroxidase (TPOAb), TSH receptor (TRAb), 21-hydroxylase (21-OHAb) and tissue transglutaminase (tTGAb) were measured in 122 Type 1 DM patients who had low C-peptide activity or were >20 yr old at the time of diagnosis and in 100 non-diabetic blood donors. RESULTS: GAD65Ab and/or IA-2Ab were present in 74/122 (60.7%) Type 1 DM subjects with a significantly higher prevalence compared to non-diabetic controls (no. 100) (GAD65Ab-59 vs 4%; IA-2Ab-14 vs 0%; respectively) (p<0.001). The median (inter-quartile range) Type 1 DM duration in antibody positive subjects was 3.3 (0.99-6.9) vs 4.9 (1.7-7.5) yr in antibody negative subjects (p=0.23). IA-2Ab prevalence decreased with disease duration > or =5 yr (19 vs 4%) (p<0.001). There was no difference in the prevalence of TgAb (25 vs 33%)(p=0.21) and TPOAb (22 vs 18%) (p=0.48) in Type 1 DM and non-diabetic subjects. Also, there was no difference in TgAb and TPOAb prevalence in antibody positive Type 1 DM (34.7%) compared to antibody negative Type 1 DM (24.4%) subjects (p=0.24). tTGAb (3/119) and TRAb (1/119) were found in low prevalence and 21-OHAb were not detected. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes associated autoantibodies were detected in the majority of Type 1 DM subjects, suggesting a major role for autoimmunity in the pathogenesis of Type 1 DM in Sri Lankans. The prevalence of TgAb and TPOAb in Type 1 DM subjects and non-diabetic controls was relatively high and similar in both groups.

Real Time RT-PCR and flow cytometry to investigate wheat kernel hardness: role of puroindoline genes and proteins.

Developing seeds from Triticum aestivum (wheat) cultivars were collected after flowering and analysed for puroindoline a and b gene expression by Real Time RT-PCR. Mature seeds were investigated for the presence and the amount of starch-associated puroindoline a and b proteins by flow cytometry. Puroindoline a gene and protein were found to have a predominant role in controlling wheat kernel hardness.