The design strain sensitivity of the schenberg spherical resonant antenna for gravitational waves.

The main purpose of this study is to review the Schenberg resonant antenna transfer function and to recalculate the antenna design strain sensitivity for gravitational waves. We consider the spherical antenna with six transducers in the semi dodecahedral configuration. When coupled to the antenna, the transducer-sphere system will work as a mass-spring system with three masses. The first one is the antenna effective mass for each quadrupole mode, the second one is the mass of the mechanical structure of the transducer first mechanical mode and the third one is the effective mass of the transducer membrane that makes one of the transducer microwave cavity walls. All the calculations are done for the degenerate (all the sphere quadrupole mode frequencies equal) and non-degenerate sphere cases. We have come to the conclusion that the "ultimate" sensitivity of an advanced version of Schenberg antenna (aSchenberg) is around the standard quantum limit (although the parametric transducers used could, in principle, surpass this limit). However, this sensitivity, in the frequency range where Schenberg operates, has already been achieved by the two aLIGOs in the O3 run, therefore, the only reasonable justification for remounting the Schenberg antenna and trying to place it in the sensitivity of the standard quantum limit would be to detect gravitational waves with another physical principle, different from the one used by laser interferometers. This other physical principle would be the absorption of the gravitational wave energy by a resonant mass like Schenberg.

Decoding bladder state from pudendal intraneural signals in pigs.

Neuroprosthetic devices used for the treatment of lower urinary tract dysfunction, such as incontinence or urinary retention, apply a pre-set continuous, open-loop stimulation paradigm, which can cause voiding dysfunctions due to neural adaptation. In the literature, conditional, closed-loop stimulation paradigms have been shown to increase bladder capacity and voiding efficacy compared to continuous stimulation. Current limitations to the implementation of the closed-loop stimulation paradigm include the lack of robust and real-time decoding strategies for the bladder fullness state. We recorded intraneural pudendal nerve signals in five anesthetized pigs. Three bladder-filling states, corresponding to empty, full, and micturition, were decoded using the Random Forest classifier. The decoding algorithm showed a mean balanced accuracy above 86.67% among the three classes for all five animals. Our approach could represent an important step toward the implementation of an adaptive real-time closed-loop stimulation protocol for pudendal nerve modulation, paving the way for the design of an assisted-as-needed neuroprosthesis.

Helminth fauna in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus Linnaeus, 1758) in the province of Grosseto (central Italy).

Helminth infection was analysed at necropsy and coprology in a total of 54 roe deer from the province of Grosseto (central Italy) between 2018 - 2020. Age and sex data were recorded for each deer for a total of 31 adults (23 females, 8 males) and 23 juveniles (11 females, 12 males). The results on the small intestine (51 samples) highlighted that nematodes belonging to the species Trichostrongylus colubriformis were the most prevalent parasite (41.2 %), followed by the cestode Moniezia expansa (7.8 %). The large intestine results (52 samples) showed Trichuris spp. (53.8 %), Oesophagostomum venulosum (50 %) and Chabertia ovina (26.9 %). In the abomasum, only Ostertagia ostertagi (17.9 %) was found. Of the 34 samples analysed by bronchopulmonary, only the lung of an adult female was positive for Dictyocaulus spp. In two livers out of 33 samples analysed, nematodes of the species Setaria tundra were found on the surface. Copropositivity was observed in 45 of the 52 faecal samples analysed. The results of the present study indicate that the roe deer is host to several species of parasites, which are also common in other cervids and domestic ruminants. Statistical testing highlighted a significant difference between mean intensities in males and females.

Skin lesion-associated pathogens from Octopus vulgaris: first detection of Photobacterium swingsii, Lactococcus garvieae and betanodavirus.

The common octopus Octopus vulgaris Cuvier, 1798 is extremely important in fisheries and is a useful protein source in most Mediterranean countries. Here we investigated pathogens associated with skin lesions in 9 naturally deceased specimens that included both cultured and wild common octopus. Within 30 min after death, each octopus was stored at 4°C and microbiologically examined within 24 h. Bacterial colonies, cultured from swabs taken from the lesions, were examined using taxonomical and biochemical analyses. Vibrio alginolyticus and V. parahaemolyticus were only isolated from cultured animals. A conventional PCR targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and sequencing were performed on 2 bacterial isolates that remained unidentified after taxonomical and biochemical analysis. The sequence results indicated that the bacteria had a 99% identity with Lactococcus garvieae and Photobacterium swingsii. L. garvieae was confirmed using a specific PCR based on the 16S-23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer region, while P. swingsii was confirmed by phylogenetic analyses. Although all animals examined were found to be infected by the protozoan species Aggregata octopiana localised in the intestines, it was also present in skin lesions of 2 of the animals. Betanodavirus was detected in both cultured and wild individuals by cell culture, PCR and electron microscopy. These findings are the first report of L. garvieae and betanodavirus from skin lesions of common octopus and the first identification of P. swingsii both in octopus skin lesions and in marine invertebrates in Italy.

The small intestine of the adult New Hampshire chicken: an immunohistochemical study.

The presence and distribution of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide or gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), gastric-releasing peptide (GRP) and glucagon immunoreactivity were studied in the small intestine of the New Hampshire chicken using immunohistochemistry. This is the first report of the presence of GIP-immunoreactive (ir) cells in avian small intestine. GIP, GRP and glucagon immunoreactivity was localized in the epithelium of the villi and crypts of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. In particular, both in the duodenum and in the jejunum immunoreactive endocrine cells to GIP, GRP and glucagon were observed. In the ileum, we noticed GIP-ir and glucagon-ir cells. GRP-ir was found in nerve fibres of all three segments of the small intestine. The distribution of these bioactive agents in the intestinal tract of the chicken suggests that GIP and glucagon may play a role in the enteropancreatic axis in which intestinal peptides modulate pancreas secretion.

Neuropeptide Y in the brain and retina of the adult teleost gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.).

The presence of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in the brain and retina of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) was investigated for the first time. For this investigation we employed an immunoperoxidase technique and the western immunoblot analysis using an antiserum raised against porcine NPY. The results showed that NPY-immunoreactivity was widely distributed in the brain of S. aurata. In particular, we have found NPY-immunoreactive (ir) neurons in the area ventralis telencephali pars centralis and pars lateralis, in the area dorsali telencephali pars centralis subdivision two and in nucleus intermedius thalami. An intense NPY-ir was detected in the telencephalon, in the optic tectum, in the thalamus, hypothalamus and in the vagal lobes. Scarce positive fibres were seen in the olfactory bulbs. NPY-ir amacrine cells were observed in the retina. The western immunoblot analysis revealed a protein band with a mobility corresponding to that of synthetic NPY. Our findings are, in general, in agreement with those obtained in other teleosts. The extensive distribution of NPY indicates for this peptide a key role in basic physiological actions, including visual and gustatory inputs processing.

A case of acute heart failure associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a disease of the peripheral nervous system, which is caused by aberrant immune responses directed against some components of peripheral nerves. GBS is rarely accompanied by cardiovascular involvement. We describe a case of acute neuropathy complicated by sudden heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction which had a presumably neurogenic origin. Pathogenesis of acute heart failure is probably due to transitorial stunned myocardium and neurogenic cardiac injury. We show a rare case of transitorial and acute cardiac dysfunction by echocardiography and laboratory markers of heart failure.

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in male patients with osteoporosis and controls.

Cytokines that regulate bone turnover (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6, etc.) may influence the pathogenesis of skeleton disorders, such as osteoporosis. Since Helicobacter pylori infection increases the systemic levels of inflammatory cytokines, we investigated the possibility that this infection increases the risk of developing osteoporosis and affects the bone metabolism in a group of male patients with osteoporosis. We examined 80 osteoporotic male patients and 160 controls for serum antibodies to H. pylori and the CagA protein and determined, in patients alone, the most important biochemical and instrumental parameters of the disease. Fifty-one patients (63.7%) and 107 controls (66.8%) were seropositive for H. pylori infection (nonsignificant); 30 infected patients (58.8%) and 43 infected controls (40.1%) were positive for anti-CagA antibodies (P = 0.028; OR = 2.13). Levels of estradiol in infected CagA-positive patients were significantly lower than in infected CagA-negative patients (28.5 [SD = 10.18] vs. 39.5 [SD = 14.50] pg/ml; P = 0.002) and uninfected patients (35.2 [SD = 12.7] pg/ml; P = 0.028). Levels of urinary cross-laps(a marker of bone resorption) were increased in patients infected by CagA-positive strains compared to patients infected by CagA-negative strains (282.9 [SD = 103.8] vs. 210.5 [SD = 150.1]microg/mmol; P = 0.048) and uninfected patients (204.3 [SD = 130.1] microg/mmol; P = 0.016). Differences among uninfected and infected patients, independent of CagA status, were observed for other markers of bone turnover, but they did not reach statistical significance. Infection by CagA-positive H. pylori strains is more prevalent in men with osteoporosis, who show reduced systemic levels of estrogens and increased bone turnover. H. pylori infection by strains expressing CagA may therefore be considered a risk factor for osteoporisis in men.

Increased phospholipase activity in Helicobacter pylori strains isolated from patients with gastric carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Phospholipase activity, one of Helicobacter pylori pathogenicity factors, has not been investigated enough, so far, although it may induce a remarkable damage to the gastric mucosa. In the present work, we have compared the whole phospholipase activity of H. pylori strains isolated from patients with gastric carcinoma with that of strains isolated from dyspeptic patients without gastric carcinoma. METHODS: We measured the phospholipase activity of one distinct H. pylori colony isolated from each of 10 patients with gastric carcinoma and 10 controls, dyspeptic patients without endoscopic and histological signs of gastric carcinoma. We also determined the phospholipase activity of 20 additional strains isolated from different areas of neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissue of two patients with gastric carcinoma, the cagA and vacA positive G27 and 328 wild strains and their respective vacA and cagA negative isogenic mutants. The whole phospholipase activity of strains was determined by measuring the release of (14)C-labeled palmitic acid from the radioactive l-3-phosphatidylcholine, 1,2-di[1-(14)C]palmiloyl substrate; results were expressed in pmol of palmitic acid per mg of protein. RESULTS: H. pylori strains isolated from patients with gastric carcinoma had levels of phospholipase activity significantly higher than those of strains isolated from controls (99.37 [S.D. 40.45] versus 34.46 [S.D. 16.46], P<0.001). In patients with gastric carcinoma, the mean phospholipase activity of strains isolated from neoplastic tissue was similar to that of strains isolated from non-neoplastic tissues (123.02 [S.D. 44.36] and 115.77 [S.D. 81.48], respectively. Interruption of cagA gene caused a ca. 20% reduction of phospholipase activity (36.38 versus 45.22 of the wild strain); that of vacA caused no reduction of phospholipase activity (26.53 and 25.37 of the wild strain). CONCLUSIONS: The infection by H. pylori strains that produce high levels of phospholipase may increase the risk of developing gastric carcinoma. We hypothesise that indirect products of phospholipase activity, such as prostaglandins, leukotrienes and lysophospholipids, may mediate carcinogenesis.

Helicobacter pylori infection and infertility.

OBJECTIVE: To determine (1) the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection in male and female patients with reproductive disorders and controls; (2) the presence of anti-H. pylori antibodies in samples of follicular fluid, vaginal secretions and sperm; and (3) the existence of a structural homology between a major spermatozoa protein, tubulin, and H. pylori proteins. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Serum samples from 167 patients with infertility and 837 age- and gender-matched controls (blood donors) were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blotting to determine the seropositivity for H. pylori infection. The presence of anti-H. pylori antibodies in samples of follicular fluid, vaginal secretions and sperm was determined using the same techniques. The possible cross-reactivity with spermatozoa of anti-H. pylori hyperimmune sera and human antibodies was studied by immunofluorescence. The N-acid homology of human tubulin with the principal H. pylori proteins was assayed by the WU-blastp program available on the Internet. RESULTS: The prevalence of infection was significantly higher in patients than controls (49.1% v. 33.5%, P < 0.001). Follicular fluids from infected patients contained specific antibodies in all cases, sperm samples in about 50% of cases, and vaginal secretions in a minority of cases. Sera to H. pylori whole antigens and VacA reacted with the tails and the pericentriolar area of human spermatozoa (which are rich in tubulin); sera to urease and heat-shock protein (Hsp) did not. Follicular fluids with anti-H. pylori antibodies immune reacted with spermatozoa. A linear homology was found between beta-tubulin and three H. pylori proteins, flagellin, VacA and CagA. CONCLUSIONS: H. pylori infection may increase the risk of developing reproductive disorders or worsen the clinical expression of this syndrome.

Infection by CagA-positive Helicobacter pylori strains in patients with ischemic heart disease: prevalence and association with exercise-induced electrocardiographic abnormalities.

The role of H. pylori infection in increasing the risk of ischemic heart diseases (IHD) is still debated. We determined serologically the prevalence of overall H. pylori and CagA-positive H. pylori infection in 63 consecutive patients with IHD and 189 gender- and age-matched controls. We also determined in patients the influence of the infection and the CagA serological status on the results of an exercise ECG test and other parameters considered possible variables that may enhance the risk of IHD. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients and controls was 79.3% and 73.0%, respectively (P = 0.403) and that of CagA-positive H. pylori infection was 69.8% and 42.3%, respectively (P = 0.0002). The scores of the ECG S-T segment and T-wave abnormalities in the course of an exercise ECG in uninfected patients and in patients infected by CagA-negative and CagA-positive H. pylori strains were (mean +/- SD): 1.59 +/- 0.67, 1.92 +/- 0.64, and 2.19 +/- 0.70, respectively; (P = 0.011, 95% confidence limits of difference 0.15-1.07, CagA-positive infected vs uninfected patients). There was no intergroup difference in the levels of peripheral white blood cells, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, and systolic and diastolic pressure. In conclusion, genetic heterogeneity of H. pylori could possibly explain some conflicting results concerning the association of H. pylori infection with IHD. Coronary vessels of IHD patients infected by CagA-positive H. pylori strains may be damaged more severely than those of uninfected patients.

Effect of Plantago australis leaves on different gastric ulcer models

The anti-ulcerogenic effect of the crude ethanolic extract (CEE) of Plantago australis leaves was tested against ethanol-, indomethacin-, and cold restrain-induced stress ulcers. The CEE (500 and 1000 mg/kg) reduced the lesion index (LI) and the ulcer index in ethanol-induced ulcers, and the dose of 1000 mg/kg increased the amount of mucous. The highest dose of the CEE reduced the LI of cold restraint-induced stress ulcers when compared to the control group. The indomethacin-induced ulcers were not affected by this extract.

Risk factors for acquiring Helicobacter pylori infection in a group of Tuscan teenagers.

Risk factors for acquiring Helicobacter pylori infection include hygienic, social, and environmental conditions. Some of these conditions usually change over time. We therefore investigated the existence of risk factors in a group of teenagers living in a place with the same environmental characteristics, in which hygienic and crowding conditions have not changed significantly in the last 20 years. A group of 164 students, mostly borne in 1977, attending four different schools, were examined serologically for H. pylori infection and CagA status. The importance of the risk factors for the transmission of the infection were evaluated by the chi2 test. P values <0.05 were considered significant. Twenty-two students (13.4%) were H. pylori seropositive. Students attending teachers' college and high school of arts were infected significantly more often than those attending high school (P = 0.011 and P = 0.012, respectively). Students who smoked and students whose parents had a manual job had an increased risk of acquiring the infection (P = 0.002, and P = 0.036, respectively). Crowding conditions and the presence of domestic animals were close to being statistically significant. Other factors, such as gender, number of bathrooms and bedrooms, sharing the bed with adults as a child, presence of a sexual partner, and a family history of peptic ulcer and gastric cancer, did not increase the risk of infection. The prevalence of seropositivity for CagA was similar in the various risk groups. Manual job of parents and smoking were the most important factors for acquiring H. pylori infection.

Transesophageal echocardiography for identifying potential cardiac sources of embolism in patients with stroke.

Pathologies of cerebral circulation are one of the most frequent causes of mortality and morbidity among the populations of Western countries. The incidence of ischemic events presumed to have a cardioembolic origin varies from 13% to 34% in the largest international multi-center studies. However, some authors have reported an incidence of general cardiogenic stroke ranging from 23% to 36% in younger patients. Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is a useful investigation for identifying cardiac sources of embolism in patients without vascular alterations involving the carotid and vertebral districts. This study comprised 73 patients with unexplained stroke who were investigated by both transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and TEE. Vascular echocolor sonography had been performed in all of them with negative results. TEE demonstrated: atrial or ventricular thrombosis in 6 patients (8%), intracavitary neoplasm in 2 (2%), spontaneous echocontrast in 11 (13%), valve strands in 6 (7%), complex aortic plaque in 10 (11%), patency of the foramen ovale in 17 (19%), atrial septal aneurysm in 9 (11%), dystrophy and mitral calcifications in 9 (11%). In the other 18 patients, TEE did not reveal any anomalies. Definite sources of stroke (clots and tumors) were identified in 14% of all the lesions; however, the majority (86%) were potential sources. A comparison of the two echocardiographic techniques demonstrated a greater sensitivity and specificity of TEE. Although TEE was superior to TTE for identifying and evaluating potential embolic sources, we found both methods to be useful and would advise performing TTE before TEE. While TTE is not capable of identifying the majority of anomalies, it does provide useful information to guide subsequent transesophageal investigations.

The infection by Helicobacter pylori strains expressing CagA is highly prevalent in women with autoimmune thyroid disorders.

UNLABELLED: H. pylori infection is putatively associated with extra-digestive disorders and may also play a role in the development of autoimmune thyroid diseases (ATD). It was recently found that monoclonal antibodies to an H. pylori strain with cagA-positivity reacted with follicular cells of the thyroid gland, and that an H. pylori organism possessing the cag pathogenicity island carried a gene encoding for an endogenous peroxidase. The aims of this study was (1); To ascertain whether the infection by strains endowed with an increased inflammatory potential (those expressing CagA) could further enhance the risk of developing ATD (2); To verify the possible existence of an immune cross-reactivity between autoantibodies to peroxidase and thyroglobulin and H. pylori antigens (3). To establish whether thyroid colloid antigens could cross-react with an anti-H. pylori serum. The study was partly designed retrospectively. We examined 41 consecutive women with ATD, and, as a control, 33 consecutive age- and socio-economic class-matched women without autoimmune thyroid disorders, living in the same area as patients, occurred at the same institution in the same period (six months). Both patients and controls were examined serologically for H. pylori infection and CagA status by Western blotting. Some serum samples were absorbed with H. pylori to determine whether the antibody levels decreased. Colloid proteins were resolved electrophoretically and matched with a hyperimmune serum raised in rabbits against a CagA-positive H. pylori. Thirty-two patients (78.0%) tested seropositive for H. pylori infection, vs. 16 controls (48.4%) (P = 0.008, OR = 3.78, RR = 1.61). The prevalence of anti-CagA antibodies was 71.8% in infected patients, and 50% in infected controls (P = 0.161, n.s.). The overall prevalence of infection by CagA-positive H. pylori was significantly higher in patients with ATD (23/41, or 56.0%) than that in controls (8/33, or 24.2%) (P = 0.006, OR = 3.99, RR = 2.31). The other tests gave negative or inexplicable results. IN CONCLUSION: CagA-positive H. pylori infection increases the risk of ATD development.

CagA-positive Helicobacter pylori infection may increase the risk of food allergy development.

The aim of this study was to test whether patients with symptomatic food allergy and significant levels of immunoglobulin E (IgE) to alimentary antigens were more likely infected by H. pylori, especially by strains expressing the CagA protein, with respect to controls. A group of 38 patients with symptomatic food allergy and 53 age-matched controls were examined serologically for H. pylori infectious status, and for CagA seropositivity. IgE to alimentary allergens were measured by a commercial kit. The prevalence of H. pylori infection in patients with food allergy and controls was similar (42.1%, and 48.3%, respectively). However, anti-CagA antibodies in H. pylori-infected persons were detected in 62.5% of patients with food allergy, and 28% of controls (P = 0.030, odds ratio = 4.29). The mean level of IgE to the most common alimentary antigens in serum samples from infected patients with anti-CagA antibodies was significantly higher than in CagA-negative infected patients: 3.28 kU/L (SD 3.93), vs. 1.99 kU/L (SD 1.53), P = 0.002, 95% confidence interval = 0.61 to 2.53). Infection by CagA-positive H. pylori increases the risk of developing food allergy.