171,308 research outputs found
Meningococcal B Vaccination (4CMenB) in Infants and Toddlers
No full textNeisseria meningitidis is a Gram-negative pathogen that actively invades its human host and leads to the development of life-threatening pathologies. One of the leading causes of death in the world, N. meningitidis can be responsible for nearly 1,000 new infections per 100,000 subjects during an epidemic period. The bacterial species are classified into 12 serogroups, five of which (A, B, C, W, and Y) cause the majority of meningitides. The three purified protein conjugate vaccines currently available target serogroups A, C, W, and Y. Serogroup B has long been a challenge but the discovery of the complete genome sequence of an MenB strain has allowed the development of a specific four-component vaccine (4CMenB). This review describes the pathogenetic role of N. meningitidis and the recent literature concerning the new meningococcal vaccine
Flow and thermal analysis during hot extrusion of two kinds of stainless steel: AISI 316Ti and AISI 329A
No full textVantaggi di un approccio basato sul formalismo di Navier-Stokes nello studio dei processi di deformazione plastica a caldo
No full textIn questo studio è stato sviluppato un modello matematico (implementato in linguaggio C) particolarmente versatile, basato sulle equazioni di Navier-Stokes, in grado di descrivere il comportamento di un metallo durante un processo di deformazione plastica in stato stazionario sulla base dei fenomeni di scambio termico, di equazioni costitutive del materiale ad alta temperatura e dell’evoluzione microstrutturale. I moduli costituenti tale sistema sono e devono essere strettamente intercorrelati, poiché l’evoluzione del campo di temperature è a sua volta fondamentale per descrivere le alterazioni microstrutturali che interessano il materiale che hanno luogo durante il processo deformativo. Infatti, è noto che i fattori critici nel controllo delle proprietà degli acciai durante il processo di deformazione plastica a caldo sono: la distribuzione di temperatura, il campo di deformazione, il campo di velocità di deformazione, nonché la loro evoluzione. Mediante l’introduzione di leggi costitutive caratterizzanti il materiale alle alte temperature, è possibile conseguire una descrizione affidabile dell’evoluzione microstrutturale e quindi pervenire alla conoscenza delle grandezze necessarie per il dimensionamento e la definizione dei parametri tecnologici che caratterizzano alcuni tra i più importanti processi industriali di deformazione plastica a caldo quali, per esempio, l’estrusione a caldo di profili speciali e la laminazione a caldo di prodotti piani
Bioremediation and Soil Fertility Study: Effects of Vermiremediation on Soil Contaminated by Chlorpyrifos
No full textfirst_page settings Order Article Reprints Open AccessArticle A Bioremediation and Soil Fertility Study: Effects of Vermiremediation on Soil Contaminated by Chlorpyrifos by Francesca Tagliabue 1,†, Enrica Marini 1,†, Arianna De Bernardi 1,* [ORCID] , Costantino Vischetti 1,* [ORCID] , Gianluca Brunetti 1,2 [ORCID] and Cristiano Casucci 1 [ORCID] 1 Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Polytechnic University of Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy 2 Future Industries Institute, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Boulevard, Mawson Lakes, SA 5095, Australia * Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed. † These authors contributed equally to this work. Environments 2025, 12(5), 136; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments12050136 Submission received: 27 February 2025 / Revised: 28 March 2025 / Accepted: 20 April 2025 / Published: 24 April 2025 (This article belongs to the Special Issue Editorial Board Members’ Collection Series: Soil Contamination and Remediation) Download keyboard_arrow_down Browse Figures Versions Notes Abstract Although the broad-spectrum pesticide chlorpyrifos (CP) was banned in many developed countries, it is still widely used in developing countries. Its residues persist in the environment for unpredictable times. CP is toxic to various non-target organisms and humans and inhibits soil enzyme activity and bacterial and fungal abundance. This paper aimed to evaluate the effect of vermiremediation on soil chlorpyrifos content and soil fertility. The application of Eisenia fetida or vermicompost was studied in terms of soil chlorpyrifos concentration, microbial biomass content, and enzymatic activities in a 120-day trial. Pesticide application rates were 0, 25, and 50 ppm. The CP did not affect the earthworm survival rate at the tested doses. The earthworms markedly increased microbial biomass carbon and the activity of β-glucosamminidase, while the vermicompost had a noticeably positive effect mainly on alkaline phosphatase activity. Finally, although the vermiremediation techniques studied did not perform a bioremediation activity, they proved effective in improving the biological fertility of the soil in the presence of high concentrations of chlorpyrifos
IL BIM PER LE SCUOLE. Analisi del patrimonio scolastico e strategie di intervento
No full textLa modellazione informativa si sta affermando come metodologia per la gestione integrata del processo edilizio e come supporto decisionale alle scelte strategiche e alla definizione delle priorità per la programmazione degli interventi per le grandi committenze. In questo volume si focalizza l'attenzione sullo stato attuale del patrimonio scolastico italiano e le politiche attive del MIUR per l'innovazione e la riqualificazione degli edifici esistenti. Vengono di seguito definiti i parametri prestazionali per la definizione della qualità degli spazi didattici e di socialità, anche in relazione alle nuove metodologie di apprendimento e alla didattica innovativa. Viene analizzata la struttura dell'anagrafica dell'edilizia scolastica utilizzata per censire il patrimonio, proponendo un sistema di digitalizzazione che permetta non solo di recuperare le informazioni inserite in termini di dati ma anche di archiviare lo storico e tutti gli interventi futuri, creando così un archivio digitale implementabile e costantemente aggiornato. Segue la presentazione della modellazione informativa con particolare attenzione ai vantaggi che ne può trarre la Committenza, nelle varie fasi del processo. Viene quindi presentato il BIM per la gestione del patrimonio scolastico esistente, supportato dal report di un caso di studio significativo. Il volume è destinato principalmente alle Committenze, private e pubbliche, ai gestori di patrimoni immobiliari, ai progettisti, consulenti e operatori del settore delle costruzioni, che intendono indagare la metodologia BIM intesa principalmente come innovazione di processo
IMPATTO DI RINOVIRUS ED ENTEROVIRUS NELLA POLMONITE DI COMUNITÀ IN ETÀ PEDIATRICA: STUDIO DEI CEPPI VIRALI CIRCOLANTI E CORRELAZIONE CON IL QUADRO CLINICO.
No full textBackground: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is one of the most important causes of childhood mortality in developing countries and, despite the availability of effective, preventive and therapeutic measures, remains a significant cause of morbidity and hospitalization in the industrialized world. Little in known about the prevalence of viral infections in children with CAP. Detailed information concerning the etiology of CAP in required in order to formulate treatment reccomendations and implement preventive measures. Evaluating the role played by each potential pathogen may also contribute to improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of the disease.
Objectives: To describe the clinical and virological data collected from children with radiographically confirmed CAP in whom samples from respiratory secretions were analyzed for 17 respiratory viruses.
Patients and method: a nasopharyngeal swab was taken from children admitted to hospital because of CAP during five consecutive winter and early spring seasons (2007-2012). Samples were tested using the Luminex xTAG Respiratory Virus Panel Fast assay, which detects influenza A virus, influenza B virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -A and -B, parainfluenzavirus-1, -2, -3, and -4, adenovirus, human metapneumovirus, coronaviruses 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1, enterovirus/rhinovirus (RV), and bocavirus. A real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to identify the RV in the enterovirus/RV positive swabs. Samples which were positive for RV were used for sequencing analysis and to reconstruct the phylogenetic tree. In addition, a total of twelve enterovirus C 104 (EV-C104) strains were analyzed for a complete genome sequence. Nasopharyngeal swabs positive for RSV and RV were analyzed by means of RT-PCR for autolysin-A and wzg genes of Streptooccus pneumoniae.
Results: A total of 435 children (73,5%) were positive for at least one virus: the most frequently detected was RSV, which was found in 188 (31,7%), followed by RV (n = 144, 24,3%), bocavirus (n = 60, 10,1%), influenza viruses (n = 57, 9,6%), and human metapneumovirus (n = 49, 8,2%). Viral co-infections were found in 117 children (19,7% of the enrolled children; 26,9% of those with viral infections). Marginal differences were found between the infections owing to a single virus. Co-infections showed radiographic evidence of alveolar pneumonia significantly more frequently than single infections.
RV was identified in 198 samples (42.2%), and the VP4/VP2 region was successfully amplified in 151 (76.3%). RV-A was identified in 78 samples (51.6%), RV-B in 14 (9.3%) and HRV-C in 59 (39.1%). Forty-seven (31.1%) of the children with RV infection were aged <1 year, 71 (47.0%) were aged 1-3 years, and 33 (21.9%) were aged ≥4 years. Blast and phylogenetic analyses showed that the RV strains were closely related to a total of 66 reference genotypes, corresponding to 29 RV-A, 9 RV-B and 28 RV-C strains.
The genome length of the seven strains was 7406 nucleotides (nt). The seven genomes showed 91.0–96.9% nucleotide identity with respect to other available EV-C104 complete genomes. The P1 and P2 regions of the Italian strains were closely related to EV-C104 identified in Switzerland, while the P3 region was closely related to the EV-C117 strain.
Sixty-five ofthe 126 RSV-positive children (51,6%) were colonized with S. pneumoniae. Mean bacterial load was significantly higher in patients with alveolar involvement . Serotypes 5 and 19A were almost exclusively indentified in the children with RSV and alveolar CAP, although the difference was significant only for serotype 19A. Serotypes1, 5 and 19A were indentified in children with RV and alveolar CAP, although the difference was significant only for serotype 5.
Conclusions: The findings of the study highlights the importance of respiratory viruses in children with CAP and show the characteristics of both single infections and co-infections associated with the disease. Moreover, this study shows that, RV-A, but also RV-B, and, more rarely, RV-C, can be detected in children with CAP. A large number of genotypes may be involved in causing pediatric CAP and can vary year to year. The same genotype can circulate for a prolonged period of time, being associated with a number of CAP episodes in different years. Regarding the genome characterization of EV-C104 strains, it was possible to establish the phylogenetic tree and to understand the relationship between the isolated strains and other known enterovirus C strains. The determination of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal bacterial load and identification of serotypes in children positive for RSV or RV infection, contribute to the diagnosis of mixed lung infection
Oceanic micronutrients: Trace metals that are essential for marine life
No full textTrace metals are essential for life in the oceans but are present in extremely low concentrations. The availability of trace elements in surface waters frequently regulates the growth of microscopic marine plants called phytoplankton. As phytoplankton are responsible for taking up atmospheric carbon dioxide and exporting this to the deep ocean, trace elements are key components regulating the carbon cycle. New observations of the distribution of trace metals across all ocean basins from the GEOTRACES program have revealed a fascinating story of how the combination of trace metals interact with the ocean to regulate biological activity in new and surprising ways
Obesity : impact of infections and response to vaccines
No full textObesity is a common condition that has rapidly increased in both the industrialised and developing world in recent decades. Obese individuals show increased risk factors for severe infections and significant immune system dysregulation that may impair the immune response to vaccines. The main aim of this paper was to review the current knowledge regarding the association between obesity and the risk and outcome of infections as well as immune response to vaccines. The results showed that obesity is a highly complex clinical condition in which the functions of several organ and body systems, including the immune system, are modified. However, only a small minority of the biological mechanisms that lead to reduced host defences have been elucidated. Relevant efforts for future research should focus on obese children, as the available data on this population are scarce compared with the adult population. Even if most vaccines are given in the first months of life when obesity is rare, some vaccines require booster doses at preschool age, and other vaccines, such as the influenza vaccine, are recommended yearly in the obese population, but it is not known whether response to vaccines of obese patients is impaired. The reduced immune response of obese patients to vaccination can be deleterious not only for the patient but also for the community
- …
