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The sensing performance comparisons presented in this work were carried out by exploiting a suitable magneto-plasmonic sensor in both the traditional surface plasmon resonance configuration and the innovative magneto-optic surface plasmon resonance one. The particular multilayer transducer was functionalized with TiO2 Brookite nanorods layers deposited by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation, and its sensing capabilities were monitored in a controlled atmosphere towards different concentrations of volatile organic compounds mixed in dry air. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histopathological lesions due to third-larval stage of nematode Brevimulticaecum sp. within the liver of a subpopulation of 31 Gymnotus inaequilabiatus from the Pantanal Region (Brazil) were studied with histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. In 93.5% of fish, livers harboured nematode larvae and the intensity of infection ranged from 8 to 293. In livers with highest number of larvae, the hepatic tissue was occupied primarily by the nematodes. Each larva was encircled by focal inflammatory granulomatous reaction. Within the thickness of the granuloma, three concentric layers were recognized: an inner layer of densely packed epithelioid cells, a middle layer of mast cells ( MCs) entrapped in a thin fibroblast-connective mesh and an outer layer of fibrous connective tissue with fibroblasts. Epithelioid cells and fibroblasts within the thickness of the granuloma wall were positive for proliferative cell nuclear antigen ( PCNA). Moreover, several hepatocytes in infected liver were immunoreactive to PCNA. Occurrence of rodlet cells and MCs in parenchyma, in close proximity to the encysted nematode larvae and near the blood vessel of infected liver, was observed. Macrophage aggregates ( MAs) were numerous within the granulomas and scattered in parenchyma of the infected liver. High quantity of haemosiderin was encountered in MAs and hepatocytes of infected liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European eel, Anguilla anguilla, is a major warm-water fish species cultured in North and South Europe. Seventy-one A. anguilla collected between 2010 and 2015 from the Comacchio lagoons were examined. Fish were infected and damaged by larvae (L3) of the nematode Contracaecum rudolphii A, which were encapsulated within the thickness of the intestinal wall and within the external visceral peritoneum (serosa). Conspicuous granulomas, visible at sites of infection, were arranged in a trilayer, formed by a series of concentric whorls. The cells involved in the immune response and their distribution in the granuloma layers were assessed by immunohistochemical, immunofluorescence, and ultrastructural techniques. The outer part of the granuloma contained macrophages, macrophage aggregates, and mast cells (MCs) scattered among fibroblasts. This layer was vascularized, with degranulation of MCs occurring in close proximity to the capillaries. The middle layer was rich in MCs and fibroblasts. The inner layer, closest to the parasite larva, consisted mainly of dark epithelioid cells, some of which were necrotic. Non-necrotic epithelioid cells formed desmosomes between themselves or with fibroblasts. Within the granulomas, numerous cells of different types were positive to proliferative cell nuclear antigen antibody, indicating a high degree of cellular proliferation around the larvae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Histopathology, histochemistry and immunohistochemistry of the integument of European eel, Anguilla anguilla (Linnaeus, 1758), infected by Myxidium sp. are reported. Skin samples from affected and unaffected eels were dissected, formalin fixed, paraffin embedded, sectioned and stained with H&E, Periodic acid-Schiff's staining method, Alcian Blue 8 GX pH 2.5/Periodic acid-Schiff's and McCallum-Goodpasture's Gram stain. Moreover, immunohistochemistry was performed using a primary polyclonal laminin antibody. Histologically, cysts (diameter 2-3 mm) were observed mainly under the scale pockets, encircled by a thin collagen layer, lined by elongated, flattened fibroblasts and containing bipolar, PAS- and Gram-positive spores with opposite polar capsules. The epidermis stretched by the underlying cyst appeared dysplastic, thinned with a significant reduction in mucous cells number. Only inconsistent and aspecific inflammatory reaction was noted around the cysts at the dermis/epidermis interface. Intense laminin-like protein immunolabel was documented in the plasmodial ectoplasm and related to host anergia. This was the first report of laminin immunolabel in a member of the Myxozoa. Epidermal dysplasia represents likely an aspecific response against the underlying tensile force exerted by the developing parasite cyst, while fibroblast and collagen encapsulation denote a parasite-driven host response protecting, rather than harming, the encircled parasite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to compare expert versus fractal analysis as new methods to evaluate branchial lamellar pathology in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) experimentally exposed to cadmium and to terbuthylazine. In particular, guided expert quantitative and fractal analysis were performed on selected images from semithin sections to test possible differences according to exposure class (unexposed, cadmium exposed, or terbuthylazine exposed) and the discrimination power of the two methods. With respect to guided expert quantitative analysis, the following elementary pathological features were assessed according to pre-determined cover classes: 'epithelial lifting', 'epithelial shrinkage', 'epithelial swelling', 'pillar cells coarctation', 'pillar cells detachment', 'channels fusion', 'chloride cells swelling' and 'chloride cells invasion'. Considering fractal analysis, DB (box dimension), DM (mass dimension), (mean fractal dimension) as fractal dimensions and lacunarity from DM and scan types were calculated both from the outlined and skeletonized (one pixel wide lines) images. Despite significant differences among experimental classes, only expert analysis provided good discrimination with correct classification of 91.7 % of the original cases, and of 87.5 % of the cross-validated cases, with a sensitivity of 95.45 % and 91.3 %, respectively, and a specificity of 75 % in both cases. Guided expert quantitative analysis appears to be a reliable method to objectively characterize fish gill pathology and may represent a powerful tool in environmental biomonitoring to ensure proper standardization and reproducibility. Though fractal analysis did not equal the discrimination power of the expert method, it certainly warrants further study to evaluate local variations in complexity or possible multiple scaling rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractal analysis is a reliable method for describing, summarizing object complexity and heterogeneity and has been widely used in biology and medicine to deal with scale, size and shape management problems. The aim of present survey was to use fractal analysis as a complexity measure to characterize mast cells (MCs) degranulation in a rainbow trout ex vivo model (isolated organ bath). Compound 48/80, a condensation product of N-methyl-p-methoxyphenethylamine with formaldehyde, was adopted as MCs degranulation agent in trout intestinal strips. Fractal dimension (D), as a measure of complexity, 'roughness' and lacunarity (λ), as a measure of rotational and translational invariance, heterogeneity, in other words, of the texture, were compared in MCs images taken from intestinal strips before and after compound 48/80 addition to evaluate if and how they were affected by degranulation. Such measures were also adopted to evaluate their discrimination efficacy between compound 48/80 degranulated group and not degranulated group and the results were compared with previously reported data obtained with conventional texture analysis (image histogram, run-length matrix, co-occurrence matrix, autoregressive model, wavelet transform) on the same experimental material. Outlines, skeletons and original greyscale images were fractal analysed to evaluate possible significant differences in the measures values according to the analysed feature. In particular, and considering outline and skeleton as analysed features, fractal dimensions from compound 48/80 treated intestinal strips were significantly higher than the corresponding untreated ones (paired t and Wilcoxon test, p < 0.05), whereas corresponding lacunarity values were significantly lower (paired Wilcoxon test, p < 0.05) but only for outline as analysed feature. Outlines roughness increase is consistent with an increased granular mediators interface, favourable for their biological action; while lacunarity (image heterogeneity) reduction is consistent with the biological informative content decrease, due to granule content depletion. In spite of the significant differences in fractal dimension and lacunarity values registered according to the analysed feature (greyscale obtained values were, on average, lower than those obtained from outlines and skeletons; General Linear Model, p < 0.01), the discrimination power between not degranulated and degranulated MCs was, on average, the same and fully comparable with previously performed texture analysis on the same experimental material (outline and skeleton misclassification error, 20% [two false negative cases]; greyscale misclassification error, 30% [two false negative cases and one false positive case]). Fractal analysis proved to be a reliable and objective method for the characterization of MCs degranulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe3O4/γ-Fe2O3nanoparticles(NPs) based thin films were used as active layersin solid state resistive chemical sensors. NPs were synthesized byhigh temperature solution phase reaction. Sensing NP monolayers (ML)were deposited by Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) techniques onto chemoresistivetransduction platforms. The sensing ML were UV treated to remove NPinsulating capping. Sensors surface was characterized by scanningelectron microscopy (SEM). Systematic gas sensing tests in controlledatmosphere were carried out toward NO2, CO, and acetoneat different concentrations and working temperatures of the sensinglayers. The best sensing performance results were obtained for sensorswith higher NPs coverage (10 ML), mainly for NO2gas showinginteresting selectivity toward nitrogen oxides. Electrical propertiesand conduction mechanisms are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BSTRACT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peak-background split argument is commonly used to relate the abundance of dark matter haloes to their spatial clustering. Testing this argument requires an accurate determination of the halo mass function. We present a maximum-likelihood method for fitting parametric functional forms to halo abundances which differs from previous work because it does not require binned counts. Our conclusions do not depend on whether we use our method or more conventional ones. In addition, halo abundances depend on how haloes are defined. Our conclusions do not depend on the choice of link length associated with the friends-of-friends halo finder, nor do they change if we identify haloes using a spherical overdensity algorithm instead. The large-scale halo bias measured from the matter–halo cross spectrum and the halo autocorrelation function (on scales and Mpc) can differ by as much as 5 per cent for haloes that are significantly more massive than the characteristic mass M*. At these large masses, the peak-background split estimate of the linear bias factor b1 is 3–5 per cent smaller than , which is 5 per cent smaller than . We discuss the origin of these discrepancies: deterministic non-linear local bias, with parameters determined by the peak-background split argument, is unable to account for the discrepancies we see. A simple linear but non-local bias model, motivated by peaks theory, may also be difficult to reconcile with our measurements. More work on such non-local bias models may be needed to understand the nature of halo bias at this level of precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides an overview of a study which examines the immune response to nematode larvae in the liver and pancreas of minnow, Phoxinus phoxinus. It provided data which describing the ultrastructure of the rodlet cells (RC), mast cells (MC), neutrophils, macrophages and fibers infected of liver and pancreas of minnow, as well as the relationship between the cells and nematode larvae. It also provided further evidence on the significant role of the piscine inflammatory network as a response to endohelminth infection.

Intraspecific and interspecific variability in rodlet cell size in various tissues of several species of freshwater and marine fish were documented. Differences were attributed mainly to fish species, although tissue type contributed significantly, providing evidence for the presence of rodlet cell morphotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effects of mycotoxin zearalenone and their major metabolites α- and β-zearalenol on spontaneous contractions in isolated lamb uterine smooth muscle were examined. The study was carried out on 20 female prepubertal lambs aged between 45 and 50 days. Myometrial strips were set up in two isolated organ baths (10ml) at 37°C and were exposed to increasing concentrations (10−11 M–10−6 M) of these mycoestrogens and results were compared with the effect, at the same concentrations, of natural estrogen 17β-estradiol. Our findings suggest that mycotoxins and 17β-estradiol, at nanomolar concentrations, rapidly enhance phasic spontaneous smooth muscle contraction. In particular, zearalenone increases the uterine activity similarly to 17β-estradiol. On the contrary, its metabolite α-zearalenol significantly inhibits myometrial contractility. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Specimens of farmed European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L. , 1758) were exposed to different cadmium (Cd) concentrations (4. 47, 5. 63, 7. 08 and 8. 91mgl−1) for 24 and 48h. The effects of Cd on numbers of some cell types and structures (i. E. , chloride cells, CCs; macrophage aggregates, MAs; rodlet cells, RCs) and on structure and ultrastructure of the main organs (gill, liver, intestine, kidney) were studied with routine process for light and transmission electron microscopy. Following cadmium exposure, the numbers of branchial CCs as well as intestinal and renal RCs increased significantly within 24h. Increase in metal concentration did not affect the magnitude of the numerical increment of the aforementioned cells. Moreover, in treated fish (24 and 48h) the numbers of MAs in both head kidney and spleen were significantly higher than in control conspecifics, whilst the global area of MAs was less influenced by the acute treatment. In exposed sea bass, all the examined organs exhibited cellular modifications which appeared time-and dose-dependent. The gills showed telangectasia, lamellar fusion, oedema, epithelial lifting and leukocyte infiltration. In the liver, kidney and intestine acute cell swelling and vacuolization were common. Ultrastructurally the alterations observed frequently in hepatocytes, tubular epithelial cells and enterocytes included presence of numerous myelinoid bodies, damaged mitochondria, dilatation of endoplasmic reticulum, high number of lysosomes and autophagolysosomes. In intestinal and kidney tubular epithelia of treated fish, rodlet cells displayed some anomalies like dilatation of nuclear envelope, cytoplasmic vacuolization, presence of myelinoid bodies, rodlets degeneration and extensive discharge activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Blood chemistry normal ranges in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were assessed using an automated blood analyser. Non-haemolysed serum from the caudal vessel of 45 clinically healthy, randomly selected fish (standard length, mean ±s.e. = 25·82 ± 0·68 cm; body mass, mean ±s.e. = 240·10 ± 19·40 g) were analysed for the following blood chemistry variables: glucose, urea, creatinine, total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1), alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2), alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), creatine phosphokinase (EC 2.7.3.2), lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27), gamma-glutamyl transferase (EC 2.3.2.2), total protein, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, Ca, P, Mg, Na, K and Cl. The analytical method performed failed to assess serum gamma-glutamyl transferase. Descriptive statistics, normality assessment by means of Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Gaussian range (mean ± 1·96σ), Gaussian range after square root and logarithmic transformation, 2·5th–97·5th percentile range were computed for each variable. With regard to data distribution, 12 variables out of 19 (glucose, total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, Ca, P, Mg, Na and K) were normally distributed. Irrespective of distribution type, 2·5th–97·5th percentile range appeared to be a reliable method in normal range evaluation. Estimates obtained were compared with previously reported ranges. General agreement was noted with some exceptions (glucose, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, P and K) possibly due to different acclimation (17–22° C) and analytical (37° C) temperature and to methodology (serum v. plasma; caudal vessel withdrawal v. cardiac puncture). The blood automated analyser proved to be a valuable and reliable instrument for the estimation of blood chemistry over normal ranges in rainbow trout, although caution should be taken when comparing estimates obtained using different analytical techniques and acclimation temperatures, using plasma rather than serum or using different withdrawal methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cluster number counts can be used to test dark energy models. We investigate dark energy candidates which are coupled to dark matter. We analyse the cluster number counts dependence on the amount of dark matter coupled to dark energy. Furthermore, we study how dark energy inhomogeneities affect cluster abundances. It is shown that increasing the coupling reduces significantly the cluster number counts, and that dark energy inhomogeneities increases cluster abundances. Wiggles in cluster number counts are shown to be a specific signature of coupled dark energy models. Future observations could possibly detect such oscillations and discriminate among the different dark energy models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of osmotic shock was investigated mainly in the chloride cells (CCs) and rodlet cells (RCs) of gills, and RCs of intestine and kidney of the European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax obtained from a farm in the northern Adriatic Sea. During the experiment, fish were abruptly transferred from sea water to a salinity of 15 (15 SW) or to fresh water (FW). Numeric variation and ultrastructural changes of both cell types were evaluated at 24, 48 and 96 h after the transfer to lower salinity levels, using light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Exposure to FW produced a significant increase ( P < 0·05) in the number of branchial CCs and RCs within 96 and 24 h, respectively. Following osmotic challenge (either transfer to 15 SW or FW), kidney and intestine showed an evident increase in RC numbers. The cellular damage detected by TEM was the same for each sampling time (24, 48 and 96 h), but appeared more severe in fish exposed to FW (higher osmotic shock) than in those exposed to 15 SW. In RCs cytoplasmic vacuolizations, autophagosomes and autophagolysosomes with myelinoid bodies, dissolution and shrinkage of the typical inclusions were documented. Nevertheless, CCs showed vacuolization of endoplasmic reticulum and cytoplasmic dissolution and maintained the apical crypt typical of seawater acclimated fish. Renal tubular cells and intestinal epithelial cells showed similar changes to those reported for CCs and RCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature of rodlet cells (RCs) and their functions is subject to a number of different interpretations. This review provides a detailed analysis of the parasitic and endogenous origin of these cells. Two new functional aspects of RCs are considered in detail. The possible function of RCs as immune cells was derived from studies that reported an increase in the number of RCs in fish infected with protozoan and metazoan parasites, particularly at the site of the pathogen infection and/or attachment. Accordingly, RCs represent inflammatory cells, with a similar role to eosinophile granule cells, epithelioid cells and mesothelial cells. Rodlet cells may potentially act as biomarkers. Experimental studies that examined the response of RCs in fish exposed to chemical substances such as metals and herbicides reported an increase in the number of RCs in the tissues of the fish. Fish exposed to these substances expressed myelinic figures in the cytoplasm of the RCs and various degrees of rodlet degeneration and high vacuolization of RC cytoplasm were often noticed. Further lines of research are suggested that might elucidate the true function of these enigmatic cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-ionization iron coronal lines (CLs) are a rare phenomenon observed in galaxy and quasi-stellar object spectra that are thought to be created by high-energy emission from active galactic nuclei and certain types of transients. In cases known as extreme coronal line emitting galaxies (ECLEs), these CLs are strong and fade away on a time-scale of years. The most likely progenitors of these variable CLs are tidal disruption events (TDEs), which produce sufficient high-energy emission to create and sustain the CLs over these time-scales. To test the possible connection between ECLEs and TDEs, we present the most complete variable ECLE rate calculation to date and compare the results to TDE rates from the literature. To achieve this, we search for ECLEs in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). We detect sufficiently strong CLs in 16 galaxies, more than doubling the number previously found in SDSS. Using follow-up spectra from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument and Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph, Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer mid-infrared observations, and Liverpool Telescope optical photometry, we find that none of the nine new ECLEs evolve in a manner consistent with that of the five previously discovered variable ECLEs. Using this sample of five variable ECLEs, we calculate the galaxy-normalized rate of variable ECLEs in SDSS to be |$R_\mathrm{G}=3.6~^{+2.6}_{-1.8}~(\mathrm{statistical})~^{+5.1}_{-0.0}~(\mathrm{systematic})\times 10^{-6}~\mathrm{galaxy}^{-1}~\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$|⁠. The mass-normalized rate is |$R_\mathrm{M}=3.1~^{+2.3}_{-1.5}~(\mathrm{statistical})~^{+4.4}_{-0.0}~(\mathrm{systematic})\times 10^{-17}~\mathrm{M_\odot ^{-1}}~\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$| and the volumetric rate is |$R_\mathrm{V}=7~^{+20}_{-5}~(\mathrm{statistical})~^{+10}_{-0.0}~(\mathrm{systematic})\times 10^{-9}~\mathrm{Mpc}^{-3}~\mathrm{yr}^{-1}$|⁠. Our rates are one to two orders of magnitude lower than TDE rates from the literature, which suggests that only 10–40 per cent of all TDEs produce variable ECLEs. Additional uncertainties in the rates arising from the structure of the interstellar medium have yet to be included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore the influence of radio-mode feedback on the properties of the cool circumgalactic medium (CGM). To this end, we assemble a statistical sample of approximately 30,000 radio galaxies with background quasars by combining optical spectroscopic measurements of luminous red galaxies and quasars from the year 1 data set of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument and radio sources from the LOw-Frequency ARray Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS) DR2 catalog and the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS) quick-look catalog. Galaxies with similar optical properties but with no radio counterparts in LoTSS and VLASS are selected as the control group. We measure the cool CGM properties of radio galaxies and their control samples traced by Mg ii absorption lines, including covering fraction, rest equivalent width, and gas kinematics. Our results show no significant difference in the properties of gas around radio galaxies and their control sample, indicating that the operating radio-mode feedback of massive galaxies does not produce detectable effects on the properties of the cool CGM. Finally, we show that the CGM of radio galaxies contains a nonnegligible amount of cool gas with approximately 1010 M ⊙. This abundance can place a stringent constraint on the radio-mode feedback models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies the histopathology of the alimentary canal of Anguilla anguilla L. associated with digenetic trematodes. Fine structure of the host-parasite interface; Occurrence of different types of cells in various stages of degeneration within the ventral sucker of Helicometra fasciata; Usefulness of electron microscopy in the identification of host cells associated with the parasites.

The article presents information on the occurrence of a fibromyxoma in a tench. A fish was brought dead to the Department of Veterinary Pathology (Istituto di Patologia Generale e Anatomia Patologica Veterinaria) of the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy, for necropsy and histopathological examination. Minute areas of voluminous adipose cells were detected in the first two types of tissue, mainly in the middle of the mass. Toluidine blue stain and GTS displayed an extensive capillary network. Myxoid areas appeared rich in metachromatic and alcianophilic mucous ground substance. Reticular fibres and collagenous connective tissue septa were also present. Voluminous stellate, reticular cells were seen in this abundant stroma.

Focuses on the use of immuno-histochemical technique to demonstrate the transition form of a squamous cell carcinoma in a mirror carp, Cyprinus carpio L. Evaluation of the papillomatous elements in carinomas; Application of immunohistochemical methods on normal and neoplastic fish tissues; Characterization of the different cell types.

Accurate mock galaxy catalogues are crucial to validate analysis pipelines used to constrain dark energy models. We present a fast HOD-fitting method which we apply to the AbacusSummit simulations to create a set of mock catalogues for the DESI Bright Galaxy Survey, which contain r -band magnitudes and |$(g-r)$| colours. The halo tabulation method fits HODs for different absolute magnitude threshold samples simultaneously, preventing unphysical HOD crossing between samples. We validate the HOD fitting procedure by fitting to real-space clustering measurements and galaxy number densities from the MXXL BGS mock, which was tuned to the SDSS and GAMA surveys. The best-fitting clustering measurements and number densities are mostly within the assumed errors, but the clustering for the faint samples is low on large scales. The best-fitting HOD parameters are robust when fitting to simulations with different realizations of the initial conditions. When varying the cosmology, trends are seen as a function of each cosmological parameter. We use the best-fitting HOD parameters to create cubic box and cut sky mocks from the AbacusSummit simulations, in a range of cosmologies. As an illustration, we compare the |${}^{0.1}M_r\lt -20$| sample of galaxies in the mock with BGS measurements from the DESI one-percent survey. We find good agreement in the number densities, and the projected correlation function is reasonable, with differences that can be improved in the future by fitting directly to BGS clustering measurements. The cubic box and cut-sky mocks in different cosmologies are made publicly available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation aims to fill gaps in our understanding of the intestinal immune cells of elasmobranchs. Whole digestive tracts of fifteen thornback ray Raja clavata were provided by a trawl fleet from the Gulf of Asinara (Sardinia, western Mediterranean Sea). Histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural observations were conducted on the spiral intestine. Three types of granular cells were identified; type I in epithelium, types II and III in lamina propria-submucosa, with each of them containing cytoplasmic granules with different ultrastructural characteristics. Data on size and density of each granular cell type are provided. Immunostaining of intestinal sections showed the reactivity of the granular cells: type I cells were positive for lysozyme, mast cell tryptase and tumor necrosis factor-ɑ based on antibody staining; type III cells were immune-reactive to anti-interleukin 6 antibody, whilst type II cells were negative to all the antibodies used. Comparison of each granular cell type with immune cells of teleosts or mammals and an hypothesis on their nature and function are reported. A potential role for granular cells in intestinal cellular immunity is also discussed with respect to type I and type III cells having similarities to Paneth cells and neutrophils, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rodlet cells (RC) are characterized by a distinctive cell cortex and conspicuous inclusions named "rodlets." These cells are particularly abundant and large in size in intestine of eels. Histochemical, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural investigations were carried out on European eel Anguilla anguilla and Common carp Cyprinus carpio from Northern Italy. Eight biotinylated lectins were used to probe for specific carbohydrate residues in deparaffinized, hydrated intestinal sections of eel and carp. Five antibodies were tested on intestinal sections of both fish species: inducible nitric oxide synthase (i-NOS), leu-enkephalin, lysozyme, serotonin and tumour necrosis factor-a. Lectin histochemistry revealed rodlet cells (RCs) of the eel intestine to react with two of the eight lectins tested, specifically Concanavalin A (ConA) and Sambucus Nigra Agglutinin (SNA). This contrasted to lectin staining of RCs in the intestine of common carp, where four of the eight lectins showed a positive reaction; Dolichos Biflorus Agglutinin (DBA), Wheat Germ Agglutinin (WGA), SNA and ConA. RCs in eel and carp intestine were immunoreactive with antibodies to lysozyme and i-NOS. The occurrence of the inflammatory peptides lysozyme and i-NOS in RCs of the eel and common carp poses in favour that these cells are involved in the mechanism of defence against pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analytic compartmental models are currently used in mathematical epidemiology to forecast the COVID-19 pandemic evolution and explore the impact of mitigation strategies. In general, such models treat the population as a single entity, losing the social, cultural and economical specificities. We present a network model that uses socio-demographic datasets with the highest available granularity to predict the spread of COVID-19 in the province of Barcelona. The model is flexible enough to incorporate the effect of containment policies, such as lockdowns or the use of protective masks, and can be easily adapted to future epidemics. We follow a stochastic approach that combines a compartmental model with detailed individual microdata from the population census, including social determinants and age-dependent strata, and time-dependent mobility information. We show that our model reproduces the dynamical features of the disease across two waves and demonstrates its capability to become a powerful tool for simulating epidemic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconstructing an estimate of linear baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) from an evolved galaxy field has become a standard technique in recent analyses. By partially removing non-linear damping caused by bulk motions, the real-space BAO peak in the correlation function is sharpened, and oscillations in the power spectrum are visible to smaller scales. In turn these lead to stronger measurements of the BAO scale. Future surveys are being designed assuming that this improvement has been applied, and this technique is therefore of critical importance for future BAO measurements. A number of reconstruction techniques are available, but the most widely used is a simple algorithm that decorrelates large-scale and small-scale modes approximately removing the bulk-flow displacements by moving the overdensity field. We consider the practical implementation of this algorithm, looking at the efficiency of reconstruction as a function of the assumptions made for the bulk-flow scale, the shot-noise level in a random catalogue used to quantify the mask and the method used to estimate the bulk-flow shifts. We also examine the efficiency of reconstruction against external factors including galaxy density, volume and edge effects, and consider their impact for future surveys. Throughout we make use of the mocks catalogues created for the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Date Release 11 samples covering 0.43 < z < 0.7 (CMASS) and 0.15 < z < 0.43 (LOWZ), to empirically test these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We cross-correlate the third-year Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe ( WMAP) data with galaxy samples extracted from the SDSS DR4 (SDSS4) covering 13 per cent of the sky, increasing the volume sampled in previous analysis by a factor of 3.7. The new measurements confirm a positive cross-correlation with higher significance (total signal-to-noise ratio of about 4.7). The correlation as a function of angular scale is well fitted by the integrated Sachs–Wolfe (ISW) effect for Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) flat Friedmann–Robertson–Walker models with a cosmological constant. The combined analysis of different samples gives (68 per cent confidence level, CL) or 0.77–0.86 (95 per cent CL). We find similar best-fitting values for for different galaxy samples with median redshifts of and , indicating that the data scale with redshift as predicted by the LCDM cosmology (with equation of state parameter ). This agreement is not trivial, but cannot yet be used to break the degeneracy constraints in the w versus ΩΛ plane using only the ISW data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the methodology and potential theoretical systematics of measuring baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) using the angular correlation functions in tomographic bins. We calibrate and optimize the pipeline for the Dark Energy Survey Year 1 data set using 1800 mocks. We compare the BAO fitting results obtained with three estimators: the Maximum Likelihood Estimator (MLE), Profile Likelihood, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo. The fit results from the MLE are the least biased and their derived 1σ error bar are closest to the Gaussian distribution value after removing the extreme mocks with non-detected BAO signal. We show that incorrect assumptions in constructing the template, such as mismatches from the cosmology of the mocks or the underlying photo- $$z$$ errors, can lead to BAO angular shifts. We find that MLE is the method that best traces this systematic biases, allowing to recover the true angular distance values. In a real survey analysis, it may happen that the final data sample properties are slightly different from those of the mock catalogue. We show that the effect on the mock covariance due to the sample differences can be corrected with the help of the Gaussian covariance matrix or more effectively using the eigenmode expansion of the mock covariance. In the eigenmode expansion, the eigenmodes are provided by some proxy covariance matrix. The eigenmode expansion is significantly less susceptible to statistical fluctuations relative to the direct measurements of the covariance matrix because of the number of free parameters is substantially reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most individual fish in farmed and wild populations are infected with parasites. Upon dissection of fish, helminths from gut are often easily visible. Enteric helminths include several species of digeneans, cestodes, acanthocephalans and nematodes. Some insights into biology, morphology and histopathological effects of the main fish enteric helminths taxa will be described here. The immune system of fish, as that of other vertebrates, can be subdivided into specific and aspecific types, which in vivo act in concert with each other and indeed are interdependent in many ways. Beyond the small number of well-described models that exist, research focusing on innate immunity in fish against parasitic infections is lacking. Enteric helminths frequently cause inflammation of the digestive tract, resulting in a series of chemical and morphological changes in the affected tissues and inducing leukocyte migration to the site of infection. This review provides an overview on the aspecific defence mechanisms of fish intestine against helminths. Emphasis will be placed on the immune cellular response involving mast cells, neutrophils, macrophages, rodlet cells and mucous cells against enteric helminths. Given the relative importance of innate immunity in fish, and the magnitude of economic loss in aquaculture as a consequence of disease, this area deserves considerable attention and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Histopathological lesions caused by plerocercoids of Triaenophorus nodulosus within the liver of perch, Perca fluviatilis, from Lake Trasimeno were studied. Livers harbored 1–3 parasite larvae and pathological alterations were more marked in those with 3 plerocercoids. In the liver, larvae were encysted, surrounded by a capsule of host tissue; two of 14 plerocercoids were necrotic. In infected livers, some hepatocytes showed degenerative changes, i.e. swelling and hydropic degeneration, notably those in close proximity to larvae. By comparison, hepatocytes in uninfected livers or in regions away from the point of infection appeared normal. The occurrence of macrophage aggregates (MAs) distributed among the mast cells (MCs) was observed around the encysted larvae. The cellular elements involved in the immune response within liver were assessed by immunohistochemical techniques and by the use of antibodies against the antimicrobial peptides piscidins 3 and 4, which revealed a sub-population of positive MCs. In infected livers, numerous MCs that were immunopositive to P4 and a few that were positive to P3 were found around T. nodulosus larvae. Histological sections of both uninfected and infected liver were immunostained with proliferative cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) antibody. Within the capsule and in close proximity to the parasite larvae, various cell types (i.e., MCs, fibroblasts and epithelioid cells) and a significantly higher number of PCNA-positive hepatocytes that were immunoreactive to PCNA were found compared to uninfected livers (ANOVA, P <0.05). No parasites of any type were found in gill, spleen, kidney or gonad of P. fluviatilis and the intestine of 3 perch were infected with few specimens of Acanthocephalus lucii. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Histopathological and ultrastructural investigations were conducted on 36 tench, Tinca tinca (L.), from Lake Trasimeno (Italy). The gills, intestine, liver, spleen, kidney and heart of 21 individuals were found to harbour an extensive infection of larvae of an unidentified digenean trematode. The eyes, gonads, swim bladder and muscles were uninfected. The parasites in each tissue type were embedded in a granulomatous proliferation of tissue, forming a reactive fibroconnective capsule around each larva. Most of the encysted larvae were metacercariae, in a degenerative state, but on occasion some cercariae were found. Many of the granulomas were either necrotic or had a calcified core. Within the granuloma of each, the occurrence of granulocytes, macrophages, rodlet cells and pigment-bearing macrophage aggregates was observed. Hearts bore the highest parasitic infection. Whilst the presence of metacercariae within the intestine was found positioned between the submucosa and muscle layers, metacercariae in the liver were commonly found encysted on its surface where the hepatocytes in close contact with the granuloma were observed to have electron-lucent vesicles within their cytoplasm. Metacercariae encysting adjacent to the cartilaginous rods of gill filaments were seen to elicit a proliferation of the cartilage from the perichondrium. Rodlet cells, neutrophils and mast cells were frequently observed in close proximity to, and within, infected gill capillaries. Given the degenerated state of most granulomas, a morphology-based identification of the enclosed digeneans was not possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthesis of a series of heterocyclic compounds based on pyrazole units is reported. The possibility of using these compounds, as solid-state thin layers deposited on quartz substrates, for optical recognition of hazardous pollutant gases was investigated. The gases SO, NO, CO, CH, and NH were studied. Two of the ligand layers had reversible sensitivity toward SO, with good reaction time. The presence of CO, CH NO, and NH had no effect on the optical properties. Morphological characterization by use of AFM microscopy was also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We obtain constraints on cosmological parameters from the spherically averaged redshift-space correlation function of the CMASS Data Release 9 (DR9) sample of the Baryonic Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). We combine this information with additional data from recent cosmic microwave background (CMB), supernova and baryon acoustic oscillation measurements. Our results show no significant evidence of deviations from the standard flat Λ cold dark matter model, whose basic parameters can be specified by Ωm = 0.285 ± 0.009, 100 Ωb = 4.59 ± 0.09, ns = 0.961 ± 0.009, H0 = 69.4 ± 0.8 km s−1 Mpc−1 and σ8 = 0.80 ± 0.02. The CMB+CMASS combination sets tight constraints on the curvature of the Universe, with Ω k = −0.0043 ± 0.0049, and the tensor-to-scalar amplitude ratio, for which we find r < 0.16 at the 95 per cent confidence level (CL). These data show a clear signature of a deviation from scale invariance also in the presence of tensor modes, with ns < 1 at the 99.7 per cent CL. We derive constraints on the fraction of massive neutrinos of fν < 0.049 (95 per cent CL), implying a limit of ∑ mν < 0.51 eV. We find no signature of a deviation from a cosmological constant from the combination of all data sets, with a constraint of wDE = −1.033 ± 0.073 when this parameter is assumed time-independent, and no evidence of a departure from this value when it is allowed to evolve as wDE( a) = w0 + w a(1 − a). The achieved accuracy on our cosmological constraints is a clear demonstration of the constraining power of current cosmological observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemically synthesized brookite titanium dioxide (TiO) nanorods with average diameter and length dimensions of 3-4 nm and 35-50 nm, respectively, were deposited by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation technique. A toluene nanorod solution was frozen at the liquid-nitrogen temperature and irradiated with a KrF excimer laser ( λ=248 nm, τ=20 ns) at the repetition rate of 10 Hz, at different fluences (25 to 350 mJ/cm). The deposited films were structurally characterized by high-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy. 〈100〉 single-crystal Si wafers and carbon-coated Cu grids were used as substrates. Structural analyses evidenced the occurrence of brookite-phase crystalline nanospheres coexisting with individually distinguishable TiO nanorods in the films deposited at fluences varying from 50 to 350 mJ/cm. Nanostructured TiO films comprising only nanorods were deposited by lowering the laser fluence to 25 mJ/cm. The observed shape and phase transitions of the nanorods are discussed taking into account the laser-induced heating effects, reduced melting temperature and size-dependent thermodynamic stability of nanoscale TiO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Titanium dioxide (TiO) nanorods in the brookite phase, with average dimensions of 3-4 nm × 20-50 nm, were synthesized by a wet-chemical aminolysis route and used as precursors for thin films that were deposited by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. A nanorod solution in toluene (0.016 wt% TiO) was frozen at the liquid-nitrogen temperature and irradiated with a KrF excimer laser at a fluence of 350 mJ/cm and repetition rate of 10 Hz. Single-crystal Si wafers, silica slides, carbon-coated Cu grids and alumina interdigitated slabs were used as substrates to allow performing different characterizations. Films fabricated with 6000 laser pulses had an average thickness of ∼150 nm, and a complete coverage of the selected substrate as achieved. High-resolution scanning and transmission electron microscopy investigations evidenced the formation of quite rough films incorporating individually distinguishable TiO nanorods and crystalline spherical nanoparticles with an average diameter of ∼13 nm. Spectrophotometric analysis showed high transparency through the UV-Vis spectral range. Promising resistive sensing responses to 1 ppm of NO mixed in dry air were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) was used to deposit layers of poly(9,9-dioctylfluorene) (PFO) to study the relation between the solvent properties (laser light absorption, boiling temperature and solubility parameters) and the morphology of the deposited films. To this end, the polymer was diluted (0.5 wt%) in tetrahydrofuran-THF, toluene and toluene/hexane mixtures. The thickness of the films was equal to 70±20 nm. The morphology and uniformity of the films was investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy and by the photoluminescence emission properties of the polymer films, respectively. It is shown that, although the solubility parameters of the solvents are important in controlling the film roughness and morphology, the optical absorption properties and boiling temperature play a very important role, too. In fact, for matrices characterized by the same total solubility parameter, lower roughness values are obtained for films prepared using solvents with lower penetration depth of the laser radiation and higher boiling temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we report on the effects of the insertion of Cr atoms on the electrical and optical properties of indium tin oxide (ITO) films to be used as electrodes in spin-polarized light-emitting devices. ITO films and ITO(80 nm)/Cr-doped ITO(20 nm) bilayers and Cr-doped ITO films with a thickness of 20 nm were grown by pulsed ArF excimer laser deposition. The optical, structural, morphological and electrical properties of ITO films and ITO/Cr-doped structures were characterized by UV-Visible transmission and reflection spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Hall-effect analysis. For the different investigations, the samples were deposited on different substrates like silica and carbon coated Cu grids. ITO films with a thickness of 100 nm, a resistivity as low as ∼4×10 Ω cm, an energy gap of ∼4.3 eV and an atomic scale roughness were deposited at room temperature without any post-deposition process. The insertion of Cr into the ITO matrix in the upper 20 nm of the ITO matrix induced variations in the physical properties of the structure like an increase of average roughness (∼0.4-0.5 nm) and resistivity (up to ∼8×10 Ω cm). These variations were correlated to the microstructure of the Cr-doped ITO films with particular attention to the upper 20 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methoxy Ge Triphenylcorrole [Ge(TPC)OCH3] has been recently synthesized and deposited as thin film by the Matrix Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) technique. In the last few years, corroles have been the object of an increasing number of studies and MAPLE technique seems to be a very promising deposition method for organic and polymeric films, producing good results for applications in chemical gas sensing layers production. In this work Ge(TPC)OCH3 thin films were deposited by both spin coating and MAPLE techniques for comparison. The morphology of the films was investigated by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), while their optical properties were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) and UV-vis absorption measurements and were compared with the ones of the starting solution. The film absorption spectrum presented the same peaks with the same relative intensities of that recorded in solution. The luminescence spectra were acquired periodically to evaluate the aging effects and no detectable variations were recorded over a period of 1 month. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were analyzed in bivalves (Mitylus galloprovincialis), cephalopods (Todarodes sagittatus), crustaceans (Nephrops norvegicus) and fish (Mullus barbatus, Scomber scombrus, Micromesistius poutassou, Merluccius merluccius) in several pools coming from the Central Adriatic Sea. These marine organisms were selected because of their multitude, wide distribution and common use in the Italian diet, they were sampled and analyzed during the year 2004. Acenaphthene, benzo(a)pyrene, dibenz(a,h)anthracene, benzo(ghi)perylene and indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene showed levels below the instrumental detection limit in all samples. Fluorene, phenanthrene, anthracene, fluoranthene, benz(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene and benzo(k)fluoranthene were detected at different concentrations in analyzed samples. Chrysene was detected only in mussels with very low values (average 0.74ngg−1 wet weight). PAHs composition pattern was dominated by the presence of PAHs with 3-rings (62%) followed from those with 4-rings (37%) and 5-rings (1%). Atlantic mackerel, European hake and blue whiting showed the highest PAH concentrations, ranging from 44.1 to 63.3ngg−1 wet weight, the group of invertebrate organisms showed a level of contamination about three times lower than those of the vertebrate groups. Mediterranean mussels that did not present very high levels of contamination expressed as sum of PAHs showed one of the highest values of benzo(a)pyrene equivalents (BaPEs). Conversely the latter value was very low in Atlantic mackerel even if this species reported the highest total PAH concentrations. No significant correlation was observed between weight, length and trophic levels and total PAHs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of acute exposure to the herbicide terbuthylazine (3.55, 5.01 and 7.08mgl−1) on the cells of farmed European sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax L., were investigated by means of light and electron microscopy. In gills of treated fish, the number of chloride cells (CCs) and rodlet cells (RCs) increased significantly within 24h and 48h, respectively; the intestine showed the largest increase in RCs linked to treatment and exposure time. In kidney, 24h exposure induced a significant increase in RCs and the number and global area of macrophage aggregates (MAs). Treated fish displayed cellular and/or ultrastructural alterations in all the organs examined. In the gills necrosis, lamellar and cellular oedema, epithelial lifting, telangectasia, and fusion of secondary lamellae were encountered. The liver presented myelin-like figures, cytoplasmic rarefaction and acute cell swelling of hepatocytes. In both organs, the severity of damage was dose–dependent. In RCs of gills, the intestine and kidney of exposed sea bass, high cytoplasmic vacuolization, myelin-like figures, cristolysis and varying degrees of rodlet degeneration were observed. Extensive rodlet expulsion occurred in the gut lumen. Exposure to terbuthylazine also affected the renal tubular epithelial cells, which exhibited ‘blebs’. Damage to the intestinal epithelial cells was also observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Handling stress and exposure to the herbicide Stam® M-4 (Propanil) were associated with an exponential depletion of the rodlet cells (RC) in the bulbus arteriosus of chub Leuciscux cephalus. Structural changes of the RC in herbicide-exposed fish were encountered, including the occurrence of myeloid bodies in the cytoplasm of the RC of the intestine, various degrees of rodlet degeneration and high vacuolization in the cytoplasm of RC in almost all examined organs of exposed chub. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The histopathology, immunohistochemistry and ultrastructure of the alimentary canal of chub, Leuciscus cephalus (L.), from the River Brenta, naturally infected with the acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis Müller, 1776, was studied and described. Of 62 chub examined, 54 (87%) were infected with P. laevis ; the intensity of infection ranged from five to 130 parasites per host, and a density of 8 P. laevis per cm2 was common. Examination of histological material of infected chub revealed that both male and female acanthocephalans deeply penetrated all layers of the gut wall by means of their slender neck, bulb and proboscis. As a result, a capsule was formed around the bulb and proboscis on the external surface of the host intestine. In parasitized chub, four main types of reaction against the body of the acanthocephalan were recognized. Pomphorhynchus laevis caused local damage to the intestinal wall, eliciting catarrhal-erosive enteritis in the lumen and a fibroblastic-collagenous and fibro-epithelioid encapsulation in its thickness with tissue zonation according to the depth of parasite penetration. Furthermore, eosinophilic granular cells (EGC) within the inflammatory tissue were identified by immunohistochemical methods and transmission electron microscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose.To describe functioning and disability of patients in vegetative state (VS) according to the biopsychosocial model of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Method.Patients in VS admitted to long-stay hospitals were consecutively enrolled, and the ICF checklist was completed by trained professionals. ICF categories utilisation is described. Results.Twenty-one patients (15 males) were enrolled, mean age was 51.9 and mean duration of VS was 22 months. The majority of body functions and structures categories are reported as problems in less than 20% of patients. In the activity and participation domain, majority of ICF categories were not applicable and, among opened categories, performance was usually better than capacity. Among environmental factors, categories are mostly described as facilitators. Conclusions.This is the first pilot study in which the applicability of the ICF checklist to patients in VS was tested, showing the applicability of ICF categories within A&P domain, and the presence of few but very strong facilitating environmental factors. This study also sets the premises for a study on people in VS and in minimal conscious state both at a national and international level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]