Taxodioxylon gypsaceum (Göppert) Kräusel,legno fossile rinvenuto nel miocene dell'Italia centrale

Abstract

Taxodioxylon gypsaceum (Göppert) Kräusel, wood fossil discovered in the central italian miocene.—A sample of silicified wood fossil has been discovered in the miocenic formations of the Castellaro mountain in the neighbourhood of Pesaro a city in Central Italy. An anatomical study has made it possible to accept that the species is Taxodioxylon gypsaceum, which resembles the actual Sequoia sempervirens for its woody structure, conservative endemism of a coastal region in California. The fossil species that is known for its numerous tertiary deposits in the Northern, Central and Eastern Europe, is now indicated for the first time in Italy; the mount Castellaro station results to be the more south among those in Europe.

Various paleobotanical data concerning traces of leaves, fruits and seeds gathered in localities near to the deposit and in the region complies with the discovery of Taxodioxylon gypsaceum because of the presence of varions species of Sequoia and Taxodium and in particular of the Sequoia langsdorfii leaves which is considered as the ancient form of the Sequoia sempervirens.     

The CpA135 gene as a marker to identify Cryptosporidium species infecting humans

Of the 22 species currently recognized as valid in the Cryptosporidium genus, C. parvum and C. hominis account for most cases of human infections worldwide. However, C. meleagridis, C. canis, C. felis, C. suis, C. muris, as well as the cervine, rabbit and monkey Cryptosporidium genotypes, have also been recognized as the etiologic cause of both sporadic and epidemic cryptosporidiosis in humans. Molecular methods are necessary to distinguish species and genotypes of Cryptosporidium, due to the lack of reliable morphological variations. The aim of this work was to determine the genetic polymorphisms in a fragment of the A135 gene in isolates of C. parvum, C. hominis, C. meleagridis, C. canis, C. muris, C. andersoni and the Cryptosporidium cervine genotype. Primers were designed on conserved regions identified on a multiple alignment of the C. parvum, C. hominis and C. muris sequences, the three species for which information is available at the genome level. PCR amplification and direct sequencing of a 576 bp fragment revealed the presence of numerous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) among the species/genotype tested. The genetic variability was exploited to design a PCR-RFLP assay useful for a rapid identification of the most important human pathogens in the genus Cryptosporidium.     

On the compressibility and poroelasticity of human and murine skin

Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology - A total of 37 human and 33 murine skin samples were subjected to uniaxial monotonic, cyclic, and relaxation experiments. Detailed analysis of the...     

Refugia within refugia as a key to disentangle the genetic pattern of a highly variable species: The case of Rana temporaria Linnaeus, 1758 (Anura, Ranidae)

Two distinct lineages of Rana temporaria are known in the Palaearctic region, but it is uncertain whether this species persisted in one or more Pleistocene refugia. We resolved the phylogeographic history and genetic variability of R. temporaria in the Italian peninsula, a 'traditional' Pleistocene refugium, and related our findings to patterns described for other European populations. We sequenced the mitochondrial markers Cox I and cytochrome b. Phylogenetic reconstruction only indicated the presence of haplotypes belonging to the Western lineage in the Italian peninsula. Overall, the genetic variability of Italian populations was higher than other European populations, which shared haplotypes with the Alpine populations. We demonstrated subdivision into five main Italian sublineages, which was associated with a geographical structure of populations in two divergent groups. In particular, one Apennine group might have resulted from bottlenecks during the last interglacials ages. In contrast, Alpine populations were recently diverged and showed incomplete lineage sorting. Our data indicate that the Italian peninsula served as refugium for the Western lineage of R. temporaria. Dispersion towards Central Europe probably started only from the western slope of the Alps via a rapid leading edge expansion. The identified structure is partially congruent with traditional peripheral refugia identified for plants. This evolutionary scenario does not support any taxonomic distinction at the subspecific level for R. temporaria.     

Urachal tumour: case report of a poorly understood carcinoma

Background

Synchronous midgut carcinoids with gastrointestinal adenocarcinoma are a rare but recognised association.

Case presentation

The patient, a 74 year old woman, underwent anterior resection for a low rectal adenocarcinoma. Intra-operatively 3 serosal deposits of tumour were noted in the distal ileum. Histology revealed these to be ileal carcinoids.

Conclusion

During resection of a gastrointestinal tumour, a thorough inspection of the abdominal cavity should be undertaken to investigate the possibility of metastatic secondaries or a synchronous tumour as is reported in this case.     

Immune-reconstituted influenza virosome containing CD40L gene enhances the immunological and protective activity of a carcinoembryonic antigen anticancer vaccine

The correct interaction of a costimulatory molecule such as CD40L with its contrareceptor CD40 expressed on the membrane of professional APCs, provides transmembrane signaling that leads to APC activation. This process can be exploited to significantly improve the efficacy of cancer vaccines and the outcome of a possible cancer vaccine-induced, Ag-specific CTL response. Therefore, we investigated whether a novel intranasal delivery of immune-reconstituted influenza virosomes (IRIV), assembled with the CD40L gene (CD40L/IRIV), could be used to improve protective immunity and the Ag-specific CTL response against carcinoembryonic Ag (CEA) generated with a novel vaccine constituted of IRIV assembled with the CEA gene (CEA/IRIV). Our results suggest that CD40L/IRIV was able to augment CEA-specific CTL activity and CEA-specific protective immunity induced by CEA/IRIV most likely through the induction of a CTL response associated with a Th1 phenotype. In conclusion, we provide evidence that CD40L/IRIV, by acting through the CD40L/CD40 signaling pathway, acts as an immune-adjuvant that could increase the efficacy of a CEA-specific cancer vaccine, which could provide an efficacious new strategy for cancer therapy.     

A Novel and Effective Balanced Intravenous-Inhalant Anaesthetic Protocol in Swine by Using Unrestricted Drugs

Nowadays, because of increasing employment of swine for experimental studies and medicaltraining, it is hopeful to investigate novel and effective anaesthetic protocols forpreserving the animal welfare in medical investigation and concurrently improving thequality of research. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate a novel andeffective anaesthetic protocol in swine undergoing major surgery, by translating know-howof combined anaesthesia from human protocols. Seven landrace swine were anaesthetized forthree hours by a combined trial anaesthetic protocol (sedation: medetomidine,acepromazine, atropine and tramadol; induction: propofol, medetomidine and acepromazine;anaesthesia: isofluorane, propofol, medetomidine and acepromazine) and both clinical andhaemodynamic parameters were compared with those of five swine anaesthetized with acontrol protocol (sedation: diazepam, ketamine and atropina; induction: diazepam andketamine; anaesthesia: isofluorane). Both cardiac frequency (CF) and mean blood pressure(MBP) were significantly (P<0.05) more stable in trial protocol (CF:78.3 ± 4.6-81.1 ± 5, MBP: 63.9 ± 10.7-96.4 ± 13.0) compared to control protocol (CF: 93.7± 5.5-102.5 ± 8.5, MBP: 71.0 ± 6.6-108.7 ± 7.2). The body temperature remained stable intrial protocol (°C: 36.9 ± 0.7-37.2 ± 0.3) compared to control anaesthesia (°C: 36.4 ±0.3-37.3 ± 0.2, P<0.05). Haematosis improved undergoing combinedanaesthesia (+2%, P<0.05) whereas did not change in control animals.There were no differences in respiratory rate between trial and control protocols. Thisstudy demonstrates that the proposed balanced intravenous-inhalant protocol permits tocarry out a very effective, stable and safe anaesthesia in swine undergoing deepanaesthesia.