Mapping of Alternaria and Pleospora concentrations in Central Italy using meteorological forecast and neural network estimator

Airborne particles (pollens and fungal spores) are recognized as important causes of allergies and many other pathologies whose main symptoms are usually associated with respiratory problems. In addition, these particles seem to be responsible for clinical symptoms of oculorhinitis and bronchial asthma. Many authors showed how pollen and spore concentrations are critically linked to meteorological conditions, while other studies investigated the possibility to estimate these concentrations through meteorological parameters. So, many different approaches have been proposed, and one of the most sophisticated is based on the use of a complex artificial neural network architecture. Once the neural device is calibrated using simultaneous time series of observed meteorological parameters and airborne biological particles, it is straightforward to use the Neural Network to predict spore concentrations using operational Limited Area Meteorological Model. In a previous work, it has been shown that the MM5 meteorological model developed by National Center for Atmospheric Research and Pennsylvania State University can be coupled with the above-cited neural predictor to provide a good prediction of Alternaria and Pleospora spore in the location of L’Aquila (Central Italy). Following the same approach, this work aims to provide the mapping of spore concentration over a wide area covered by high-resolution meteorological prediction in Central Italy. The complex patterns of fungal spore concentrations in selected areas will be described, and the high temporal variability of such fields will be discussed as well. The possibility to infer useful information from the predicted pattern of spore concentrations is discussed, as an example it appears that for people suffering from allergy to fungal spores is more comfortable to spend summertime close to the east coast of Italian Peninsula respect to the west coast. A further step of this work may easily lead to an operational use of the model for supporting the clinical management of allergies and for establishing a preventive strategy in agriculture to avoid unsafe and useless pollution of atmosphere, crops and fields.     

Morula cells as the major immunomodulatory hemocytes in ascidians: evidences from the colonial species Botryllus schlosseri

Immunocytochemical methods were used to study the presence and distribution of IL-1-alpha- and TNF-alpha-like molecules in the hemocytes of the colonial ascidian Botryllus schlosseri. Only a few unstimulated hemocytes were positive to both the antibodies used. When the hemocytes were stimulated with either mannan or phorbol 12-mono-myristate, the phagocytes were not significantly changed in their number, staining intensity, or cell morphology. In contrast, stimulated morula cells were intensely labeled, indicating that these cells play an important immunomodulatory role.     

Expanding distribution of human serotype G6 rotaviruses in Australia

Serotype G6 rotaviruses are common pathogens of cattle but are rarely found in humans. In Australia, human G6 isolates have previously been detected in two major southern population centres. A new isolate, ASG6.02, was detected in central Australia (Alice Springs) in 1997. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence of the major neutralizing antigen, VP7, indicated that ASG6.02 was related to human G6 viruses isolated from children in Italy and Australia. Phylogenetic analysis supported the close relationship between ASG6.02 and other Australian isolates and indicated that G6 VP7 sequences generally clustered according to the species of origin (human, bovine or porcine). The VP4 type of ASG6.02 was determined as P-type [14], in common with other isolates from Australia and Italy. The detection of ASG6.02 indicates that the distribution of this serotype is increasing in this country and may have implications for successful vaccine development.     

Morphochemical age-related changes in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans: immunoperoxidase localization of cytokine- and growth factor-like molecules

Morphochemical age-related features in the hermaphrodite Caenorhabditis elegans are reported. The study of worms of different ages shows a gradual decline in response to the various histochemical reactions and a disorganization of the components of the gonad during ageing. Using an immunocytochemical procedure, we show for the first time the presence of immunoreactive IL-1alpha and PDGF-AB molecules in neurons from young adult C. elegans. Moreover, TNF-alpha- and PDGF-AB-like molecules are also present in the secretory cells of the pharyngeal terminal bulb. The number of positive cells to anti-cytokine and anti-growth factor antibodies decreases in older worms, suggesting that these molecules may play an important role in worm ageing. The present investigation therefore supports the findings in the literature obtained with different approaches on the crucial role of the nervous and reproductive systems in the life span of C. elegans.     

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors. Inhibition of cytosolic isozymes I and II and transmembrane, cancer-associated isozyme IX with lipophilic sulfonamides

A series of new compounds was obtained by reaction of aromatic/heterocyclic sulfonamides incorporating amino groups with N,N-diphenylcarbamoyl chloride and diphenylacetyl chloride. These sulfonamides were assayed for the inhibition of three carbonic anhydrase (CA, EC 4.2.1.1) isozymes: the cytosolic CA I and CA II, and the transmembrane, cancer-associated isozyme CA IX. Good inhibitors against all these isoforms were detected, and the inhibition profile of the newly investigated isozyme IX was observed to be different from that of the cytosolic isozymes, I and II. This may lead to the development of novel anticancer therapies based on the selective inhibition of CA IX.     

Effect of bradykinin analogues on the B1 receptor of rat ileum

The longitudinal muscle of isolated rat ileum is a sensitive bioassay suitable for testing compounds with antagonistic effects on the B(1) receptor. Bradykinin analogues with replacement of proline by alkyl-substituted phenylalanine at position 7 are effective on this receptor as entire molecules and have a stronger antagonistic effect than on the B(2) receptor. A corresponding desArg(9)-compound has a specific effect on the B(1) receptor and a very high antagonistic potency. [LNMPhe(2)]bradykinin as a compound without any replacement at position 7 or 8 shows antagonistic activity as well.     

PDGF and TGF-beta partially prevent 2-deoxy-D-ribose-induced apoptosis in the fat body cell line IPLB-LdFB from the insect Lymantria dispar

The IPLB-LdFB cell line from the fat body of the insect Lymantria dispar shows the presence of immunoreactive, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AB and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 molecules, as well as the corresponding plasma membrane-like receptors, i.e. PDGFR-alpha, PDGFR-beta and TGFR-beta type II. Cytofluorimetric and morphological studies reveal that the reducing sugar 2-deoxy-D-ribose (dRib), an apoptotic agent for human cells, induces apoptosis in a concentration- and time-dependent manner even in IPLB-LdFB cells. PDGF-AB and TGF-beta1 partially counteract the effect of dRib, indicating a survival role of these factors in this apoptotic model of insect cells.     

Neutral endopeptidase-24.11 (NEP) deactivates PDGF- and TGF-beta-induced cell shape changes in invertebrate immunocytes

Using a cytofluorimetric assay, we found that immunocytes of the mollusc, Mytilus galloprovincialis, express CD10, a surface antigen known to be identical to neutral endopeptidase-24.11 (NEP). The spectrofluorimetric analysis demonstrates that the growth factors PDGF-AB and TGF-beta1 provoke an increase in NEP-like activity in membrane preparations from the immunocytes, but have no effect on the soluble form in the serum. On the other hand, computer-assisted microscopic image analysis reveals that NEP deactivates the PDGF-AB- and TGF-beta1-induced shape changes in immunocytes. However, Western blots show that, in solution, NEP does not cleave PDGF-AB or TGF-beta1, indicating that the inactivation is not due to proteolysis. These results suggest a functional interplay in invertebrate immunocytes between growth factors and NEP, as previously shown in vertebrate cells.     

Repair of molluscan tissue injury: role of PDGF and TGF-beta1

Various cellular and humoral activities of the wound repair process and the effects of PDGF-AB and TGF-beta1 on tissue repair mechanisms in the mollusc Limax maximus are studied by histological and immunocytochemical procedures. Histological examination at different times after the wound production demonstrates that tissue repair is the result of successive and related activities distinguishable by different morphological pictures. In the first hours, an infiltration phase is activated 24 h after the incision, hemocytes stratify at wound margins and actively phagocitize cell debris and damaged tissue in the surrounding area. Moreover, the cells are immunoreactive to anti-IL-1alpha, IL-8 and TNF-alpha antibodies. After 24-72 h, granulation tissue rich in small blood lacunae is formed and the provisional matrix is synthesized and deposited on the base of the new tissue. In histological sections 72 h after injury, the incision is filled with granulation tissue, and at the wound base, a layer of fibrous connective tissue is formed. Hemocytes present in the newly formed blood lacunae and fibroblasts are involved in the synthesis and deposit of extracellular matrix components, i.e. fibronectin, reticular and collagen fibres. Ninety-six h after wound production, the repair process continues and the granulation tissue is more developed. At 192 h, re-epithelialization begins, and this is more evident in the histological sections after 14 days. Hemocytes are immunoreactive to the cytokines at all the times examined. Exogenous administration of PDGF-AB and TGF-beta1 stimulates the tissue healing process through a general acceleration of the activities involved. A larger closing area of clumped hemocytes and a smaller damaged tissue area are observed 24 h after treatment of the wound. At 72 h, the granulation tissue is more developed and more extracellular matrix components are deposited than in the control incision. A larger number of cells express cytokine-like molecules, and re-epithelialization of the wound is accelerated, as 14 days after growth factor treatments almost all the wound area is covered by a layer of cubic epithelial cells, and the alcianophilic cell coat is restored. No differences in the responses of the two growth factors are observed.