Congenital deformity of the paw in a captive tiger: case report

Background

Although Morbillivirus and Toxoplasma gondii have emerged as important pathogens for several cetaceans populations over the last 20 years, they have never been identified together in a Mysticete. In particular, morbilliviral infection has been never described in the Mediterranean fin whale population.

Case presentation

On January 2011 an adult male of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) stranded along the Tyrrhenian coastline of Italy. During necropsy, tissue samples from heart, skeletal muscle, mesenteric lymph nodes, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney were collected and subsequently analyzed for Morbillivirus and Toxoplasma gondii by microscopic and molecular methods. Following the detailed necropsy carried out on this whale, molecular analysis revealed, for the first time, the simultaneous presence of a Dolphin Morbillivirus (DMV) and T. gondii infection coexisting with each other, along with high organochlorine pollutant concentrations, with special reference to DDT.

Conclusion

This report, besides confirming the possibility for Mysticetes to be infected with DMV, highlights the risk of toxoplasmosis in sea water for mammals, already immunodepressed by concurrent factors as infections and environmental contaminants.     

Bayesian DNA copy number analysis

Background  

Some diseases, like tumors, can be related to chromosomal aberrations, leading to changes of DNA copy number. The copy number of an aberrant genome can be represented as a piecewise constant function, since it can exhibit regions of deletions or gains. Instead, in a healthy cell the copy number is two because we inherit one copy of each chromosome from each our parents.     

Autoantibodies predicting diabetes mellitus type I in celiac disease

Celiac disease (CD) and diabetes mellitus type I (DM-I) are both autoimmune diseases. Abnormal first-phase insulin response (FPIR) is associated with the prediabetic phase. Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) and islet cell antibodies (ICAs) - especially the tyrosine phosphatase-like protein IA-2 antibodies - are considered to be serological markers of DM-I future development. The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of autoantibodies (GAD, IA-2) in individuals with CD, on a gluten-free diet, who have normal intestinal morphology. Thirty patients with CD (4-22, mean 15 years), 30 newly diagnosed diabetic children (2.5-16, mean 10 years) and 30 healthy subjects (7-35, mean 18 years) were investigated. Serum GAD and IA-2 autoantibodies were assessed by a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method in all patients and controls. Seven CD patients (23%), 28 diabetic children (93%) and none in the control group had positive GAD and IA-2 antibodies. The FPIR was normal in CD patients (>/=46 mU/l). Conclusions: GAD and IA-2 antibodies are detected in 23% of patients with CD. These patients may be at risk to develop DM-I. Regular follow-up and determination of FPIR for the early diagnosis of the prediabetic phase in patients with CD having circulating autoantibodies is recommended.     

Optimization of mycophenolic acid production in solid state fermentation using response surface methodology

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) can be produced in solid state fermentation. An isolate of Penicillium brevi-compactum ATCC 16024 grown on moist wheat bran produced a titre of 425 mg per kg of wheat bran. Central composite rotatable design and response surface methodology were employed to derive a statistical model for media optimization towards production of mycophenolic acid. Five levels with a five factorial design were adopted. The correlation coefficient was 0.82, ensuring a satisfactory adjustment of the model to the experimental values. This statistical design was very effective in improving the titre of mycophenolic acid up to 3286 mg per kg of wheat bran. Received 24 July 1998/ Accepted in revised form 4 December 1998     

Retinoid receptor cross-talk in respiratory epithelium cancer chemoprevention

The rationale for using retinoids in the prevention of respiratory epithelium cancers is based on their ability to coordinately regulate differentiation, proliferation and apoptosis. The complex retinoid signaling pathways and their cross-reactions are modulated by multiple mechanisms that are gradually being elucidated. It is possible that significant molecular changes take place during the very early stages of respiratory epithelial carcinogenesis, which enable cancer cells to escape apoptosis and result in unimpeded proliferation. Here, we propose that a "switch on/off" model dictates the cross-talk between retinoid receptors and other signal transducing pathways during respiratory epithelium carcinogenesis. This model might contribute to the development of novel selective retinoids and their clinical evaluation in combinatorial chemopreventive strategies.     

Emission analysis of RE3+ (RE = Sm,Dy):B2O3‐TeO2‐Li2O‐AlF3 glasses

This article reports on the optical properties of 0.5% mol of Sm³⁺, Dy³⁺ ion‐doped B₂O₃‐TeO₂‐Li₂O‐AlF₃ (LiAlFBT) glasses. The glass samples were characterized by optical absorption and emission spectra. Judd‐Ofelt theory was applied to analyze the optical absorption spectra and calculate the intensity parameters and radiative properties of the emission transitions. The emission spectra of Sm³⁺ and Dy³⁺:LiAlFBT glasses showed a bright reddish‐orange emission at 598 nm (⁴G_5/2 → ⁶H_7/2) and an intense yellow emission at 574 nm (⁴F_9/2 → ⁶H_13/2), respectively. Full width at half maximum (FWHM), stimulated emission cross section, gain bandwidth and optical gain values were also calculated to extend the applications of the Sm³⁺ and Dy³⁺:LiAlFBT glasses. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.