Search results for "Mission"

Molecular surveillance of norovirus, 2005–16 : an epidemiological analysis of data collected from the NoroNet network

2018

BACKGROUND: The development of a vaccine for norovirus requires a detailed understanding of global genetic diversity of noroviruses. We analysed their epidemiology and diversity using surveillance data from the NoroNet network.METHODS: We included genetic sequences of norovirus specimens obtained from outbreak investigations and sporadic gastroenteritis cases between 2005 and 2016 in Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa. We genotyped norovirus sequences and analysed sequences that overlapped at open reading frame (ORF) 1 and ORF2. Additionally, we assessed the sampling date and country of origin of the first reported sequence to assess when and where novel drift variants originated.FINDINGS: W…

An Intronic cis-Regulatory Element Is Crucial for the Alpha Tubulin Pl-Tuba1a Gene Activation in the Ciliary Band and Animal Pole Neurogenic Domains …

2017

In sea urchin development, structures derived from neurogenic territory control the swimming and feeding responses of the pluteus as well as the process of metamorphosis. We have previously isolated an alpha tubulin family member of Paracentrotus lividus (Pl-Tuba1a, formerly known as Pl-Talpha2) that is specifically expressed in the ciliary band and animal pole neurogenic domains of the sea urchin embryo. In order to identify cis-regulatory elements controlling its spatio-temporal expression, we conducted gene transfer experiments, transgene deletions and site specific mutagenesis. Thus, a genomic region of about 2.6 Kb of Pl-Tuba1a, containing four Interspecifically Conserved Regions (ICRs…

Predictive shelf life model based on RF technology for improving the management of food supply chain: A case study

2016

The aim of this paper was the development of a Smart Logistic Unit (SLU) based on RF technology to support the management of the food supply chain, in order to guarantee the shelf life of products in agreement with logistic efficiency and system sustainability. For this purpose, the main parameters that influence the quality of perishable products were determined and a shelf life equation based on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) was modelled. The levels of VOCs were gathered by the sensors allocated inside the SLU, which configures as the remote element of a system for identification and data transmission. The proposed model was then validated through an experimental test, simulating the …

Transmission of mutualistic bacteria in social and gregarious insects

2018

Symbiotic microbes can confer a range of benefits to social, sub-social, and gregarious insects that include contributions to nutrition, digestion, and defense. Transmission of beneficial symbionts to the next generation in these insects sometimes occurs transovarially as in many solitary insects, but primarily through social contact such as coprophagy in gregarious taxa, and trophallaxis in eusocial insects. While these behaviors benefit reliable transmission of multi-microbial assemblages, they may also come at the cost of inviting the spread of parasites and pathogens. Nonetheless, the overall benefit of social symbiont transmission may be one of several important factors that reinforce …

Epidemiology of fascioliasis in human endemic areas

2005

AbstractConsidered a secondary zoonotic disease until the mid-1990s, human fascioliasis is at present emerging or re-emerging in many countries, including increases of prevalence and intensity and geographical expansion. Research in recent years has justified the inclusion of fascioliasis in the list of important human parasitic diseases. At present, fascioliasis is a vector-borne disease presenting the widest known latitudinal, longitudinal and altitudinal distribution.Fasciola hepaticahas succeeded in expanding from its European original geographical area to colonize five continents, despite theoretical restrictions related to its biology and in turn dependent upon environmental and human…

Fibrinogen Gamma Chain Promotes Aggregation of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus in Saliva.

2020

This article belongs to the Section Animal Viruses.

Harnessing the potential of noninvasive in vivo preclinical imaging of the immune system: challenges and prospects.

2016

Preclinical imaging has become a powerful method for investigation of in vivo processes such as pharmacokinetics of therapeutic substances and visualization of physiologic and pathophysiological mechanisms. These are important aspects to understand diseases and develop strategies to modify their progression with pharmacologic interventions. One promising intervention is the application of specifically tailored nanoscale particles that modulate the immune system to generate a tumor targeting immune response. In this complex interaction between immunomodulatory therapies, the immune system and malignant disease, imaging methods are expected to play a key role on the way to generate new thera…

A specific prelimbic-nucleus accumbens pathway controls resilience versus vulnerability to food addiction

2019

Food addiction is linked to obesity and eating disorders and is characterized by a loss of behavioral control and compulsive food intake. Here, using a food addiction mouse model, we report that the lack of cannabinoid type-1 receptor in dorsal telencephalic glutamatergic neurons prevents the development of food addiction-like behavior, which is associated with enhanced synaptic excitatory transmission in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). In contrast, chemogenetic inhibition of neuronal activity in the mPFC-NAc pathway induces compulsive food seeking. Transcriptomic analysis and genetic manipulation identified that increased dopamine D2 receptor express…

2019

The effects of ionotropic γ-aminobutyric acid receptor (GABA-A, GABAA) activation depends critically on the Cl−-gradient across neuronal membranes. Previous studies demonstrated that the intracellular Cl−-concentration ([Cl−]i) is not stable but shows a considerable amount of activity-dependent plasticity. To characterize how membrane properties and different molecules that are directly or indirectly involved in GABAergic synaptic transmission affect GABA-induced [Cl−]i changes, we performed compartmental modeling in the NEURON environment. These simulations demonstrate that GABA-induced [Cl−]i changes decrease at higher membrane resistance, revealing a sigmoidal dependency between both par…

Atypical 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives, an approach to neuroprotection and memory enhancement

2016

This mini review is devoted to the design and pharmacological studies of novel atypical 1,4-dihydropyridine (DHP) derivatives which differ to a great extent from the traditional DHPs either by lack of neuronal calcium channel blocking activity and/or inability to protect mitochondrial processes. About 100 new DHP derivatives were screened and the mostly active were selected for detailed studies. The compounds of the series of the amino acid ("free" plus "crypto")-containing DHPs and lipophilic di-cyclic DHPs demonstrated long-lasting neuroprotective and/or memory-enhancing action, particularly at low doses (0.005-0.05mg/kg) in different neurodeficiency rat or mice models, and exerted neurot…