42 results on '"Anna Alba"'
Search Results
2. Cytostatic Effects of Polyethyleneimine Surfaces on the Mesenchymal Stromal Cell Cycle
- Author
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Anna Alba, Giusy Villaggio, Grazia Maria Lucia Messina, Massimo Caruso, Concetta Federico, Maria Teresa Cambria, Giovanni Marletta, and Fulvia Sinatra
- Subjects
polymeric polyelectrolyte multilayers ,bone mesenchymal stromal cells ,QCM-D ,cell spreading ,cytostasis ,Organic chemistry ,QD241-441 - Abstract
Polyelectrolytes assembled layer-by-layer (PEMs) are commonly used as functional coatings to build-up biological interfaces, particularly suitable as compatible layers for the interaction with a biological medium, providing suitable conditions to promote or prevent cell seeding while maintaining the phenotype. The proper assessment of the biocompatibility of PEMs and the elucidation of the related mechanisms are therefore of paramount importance. In this study, we report in detail the effect of two different PEM endings, polystyrene sulfonate (PSS) and polyethylenimine (PEI), respectively, on the cell adhesion, growth, and viability of human bone mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). The results have shown that PSS-ended substrates appear to be the most suitable to drive the cell adhesion and phenotype maintenance of MSCs, showing good biocompatibility. On the contrary, while the cells seem to adhere more quickly and strongly on the PEI-ended surfaces, the interaction with PEI significantly affects the growth and viability, reducing the cell spreading capability, by sequestering the adhesion molecules already in the very early steps of cell–substrate contact. These results point to the promotion of a cytostatic effect of PEI, rather than the often-claimed cytotoxicity.
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- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Time-series analysis for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome in the United States.
- Author
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Andréia Gonçalves Arruda, Carles Vilalta, Pere Puig, Andres Perez, and Anna Alba
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Industry-driven voluntary disease control programs for swine diseases emerged in North America in the early 2000's, and, since then, those programs have been used for monitoring diseases of economic importance to swine producers. One example of such initiatives is Dr. Morrison's Swine Health Monitoring Project, a nation-wide monitoring program for swine diseases including the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). PRRS has been extensively reported as a seasonal disease in the U.S., with predictable peaks that start in fall and are extended through the winter season. However, formal time series analysis stratified by geographic region has never been conducted for this important disease across the U.S. The main objective of this study was to use approximately seven years of PRRS incidence data in breeding swine herds to conduct time-series analysis in order to describe the temporal patterns of PRRS outbreaks at the farm level for five major swine-producing states across the U.S. including the states of Minnesota, Iowa, North Carolina, Nebraska and Illinois. Data was aggregated retrospectively at the week level for the number of herds containing animals actively shedding PRRS virus. Basic descriptive statistics were conducted followed by autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling, conducted separately for each of the above-mentioned states. Results showed that there was a difference in the nature of PRRS seasonality among states. Of note, when comparing states, the typical seasonal pattern previously described for PRRS could only be detected for farms located in the states of Minnesota, North Carolina and Nebraska. For the other two states, seasonal peaks every six months were detected within a year. In conclusion, we showed that epidemic patterns are not homogeneous across the U.S, with major peaks of disease occurring through the year. These findings highlight the importance of coordinating alternative control strategies in different regions considering the prevailing epidemiological patterns.
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. OptisampleTM: Open web-based application to optimize sampling strategies for active surveillance activities at the herd level illustrated using Porcine Respiratory Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS).
- Author
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Anna Alba, Robert E Morrison, Ann Cheeran, Albert Rovira, Julio Alvarez, and Andres M Perez
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) infection causes a devastating economic impact to the swine industry. Active surveillance is routinely conducted in many swine herds to demonstrate freedom from PRRSv infection. The design of efficient active surveillance sampling schemes is challenging because optimum surveillance strategies may differ depending on infection status, herd structure, management, or resources for conducting sampling. Here, we present an open web-based application, named 'OptisampleTM', designed to optimize herd sampling strategies to substantiate freedom of infection considering also costs of testing. In addition to herd size, expected prevalence, test sensitivity, and desired level of confidence, the model takes into account the presumed risk of pathogen introduction between samples, the structure of the herd, and the process to select the samples over time. We illustrate the functionality and capacity of 'OptisampleTM' through its application to active surveillance of PRRSv in hypothetical swine herds under disparate epidemiological situations. Diverse sampling schemes were simulated and compared for each herd to identify effective strategies at low costs. The model results show that to demonstrate freedom from disease, it is important to consider both the epidemiological situation of the herd and the sample selected. The approach illustrated here for PRRSv may be easily extended to other animal disease surveillance systems using the web-based application available at http://stemma.ahc.umn.edu/optisample.
- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Exploring the surveillance potential of mortality data: nine years of bovine fallen stock data collected in Catalonia (Spain).
- Author
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Anna Alba, Fernanda C Dórea, Lucas Arinero, Javier Sanchez, Ruben Cordón, Pere Puig, and Crawford W Revie
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Abstract
The potential of fallen stock data to monitor the health status of animal populations has been noted in previous studies. However, further research is required to implement these systems for surveillance. This work presents a novel approach to determining the baselines associated with bovine fallen stock, comparing patterns between subpopulations and identifying subpopulations in which an abnormal event may occur. This study was based on data from 193,873 disposal visits carried out between 2004 and 2012 across a total of 2,991 bovine farms. Proxy measurements such as the number of collections carried out and the weight of carcasses collected were used. Both outcomes were aggregated weekly at different geographical scales for three production types (beef cattle, dairy cattle and heifer fattening). The analysis of these data combined autoregressive integrated moving average modelling and hierarchical time series methods.The three production types exhibited historical baselines that differed notably from one another. Based on the 757 beef cattle farms monitored, the mean number of collections registered per week at the regional level was 37 (range: 10-83). This series was relatively constant over time and showed a marked yearly seasonality. In contrast, for the 426 dairy cattle farms the mean number of disposal visits registered weekly was 121 (range: 71-180), showing half-yearly and yearly seasonality and a marked increase over the period monitored. From the 1,808 heifer fattening farms the mean number of disposal visits was 248 (range: 166-357) and the pattern presented a marked alternating trend over time. These patterns were assessed and compared at regional, provincial, county and municipal levels. The use of hierarchical time series approaches appeared to be a useful tool for comparing the patterns within different subpopulations over time as well as for assessing the spatial extent to which various abnormal events could be detected.
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. Animal Diseases Caused by Orbiviruses, Algeria
- Author
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Hafsa Madani, Jordi Casal, Anna Alba, Alberto Allepuz, Catherine Cêtre-Sossah, Leila Hafsi, Houria Kount-Chareb, Nadera Bouayed-Chaouach, Hassiba Saadaoui, and Sebastian Napp
- Subjects
bluetongue virus ,epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus ,African horse sickness virus ,orbiviruses ,viruses ,zoonoses ,Medicine ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 - Abstract
Antibodies against bluetongue virus were detected in cattle, sheep, goats, and camels in Algeria in 2008. Antibodies against epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus were detected in cattle, but antibodies against African horse sickness virus were not detected in horses and mules. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease in northern Africa poses a major risk for the European Union.
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- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Usutu Virus Sequences in Culex pipiens (Diptera: Culicidae), Spain
- Author
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Núria Busquets, Anna Alba, Alberto Allepuz, Carles Aranda, and José Ignacio Nuñez
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arboviruses infections ,flavivirus ,Culex ,letter ,Spain ,Medicine ,Infectious and parasitic diseases ,RC109-216 - Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Model to track wild birds for avian influenza by means of population dynamics and surveillance information.
- Author
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Anna Alba, Dominique J Bicout, Francesc Vidal, Antoni Curcó, Alberto Allepuz, Sebastián Napp, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Taiana Costa, and Jordi Casal
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Design, sampling and data interpretation constitute an important challenge for wildlife surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIV). The aim of this study was to construct a model to improve and enhance identification in both different periods and locations of avian species likely at high risk of contact with AIV in a specific wetland. This study presents an individual-based stochastic model for the Ebre Delta as an example of this appliance. Based on the Monte-Carlo method, the model simulates the dynamics of the spread of AIV among wild birds in a natural park following introduction of an infected bird. Data on wild bird species population, apparent AIV prevalence recorded in wild birds during the period of study, and ecological information on factors such as behaviour, contact rates or patterns of movements of waterfowl were incorporated as inputs of the model. From these inputs, the model predicted those species that would introduce most of AIV in different periods and those species and areas that would be at high risk as a consequence of the spread of these AIV incursions. This method can serve as a complementary tool to previous studies to optimize the allocation of the limited AI surveillance resources in a local complex ecosystem. However, this study indicates that in order to predict the evolution of the spread of AIV at the local scale, there is a need for further research on the identification of host factors involved in the interspecies transmission of AIV.
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- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Ecological factors driving avian influenza virus dynamics in Spanish wetland ecosystems.
- Author
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Elisa Pérez-Ramírez, Pelayo Acevedo, Alberto Allepuz, Xeider Gerrikagoitia, Anna Alba, Núria Busquets, Sandra Díaz-Sánchez, Vega Álvarez, Francesc Xavier Abad, Marta Barral, Natàlia Majó, and Ursula Höfle
- Subjects
Medicine ,Science - Abstract
Studies exploring the ecological interactions between avian influenza viruses (AIV), natural hosts and the environment are scarce. Most work has focused on viral survival and transmission under laboratory conditions and through mathematical modelling. However, more integrated studies performed under field conditions are required to validate these results. In this study, we combined information on bird community, environmental factors and viral epidemiology to assess the contribution of biotic and abiotic factors in the occurrence of low pathogenic AIV in Spanish wetlands. For that purpose, seven locations in five different wetlands were studied during two years (2007-2009), including seven sampling visits by location. In each survey, fresh faeces (n = 4578) of wild birds and water samples were collected for viral detection. Also, the vegetation structure, water physical properties of wetlands, climatic conditions and wild bird community composition were determined. An overall AIV prevalence of 1.7%±0.4 was detected in faecal samples with important fluctuations among seasons and locations. Twenty-six AIV were isolated from the 78 RRT-PCR positive samples and eight different haemagglutinines and five neuraminidases were identified, being the combination H3N8 the most frequent. Variation partitioning procedures identified the combination of space and time variables as the most important pure factor - independently to other factors - explaining the variation in AIV prevalence (36.8%), followed by meteorological factor (21.5%) and wild bird community composition/vegetation structure (21.1%). These results contribute to the understanding of AIV ecological drivers in Spanish ecosystems and provide useful guidelines for AIV risk assessment identifying potential hotspots of AIV activity.
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Model to Track Wild Birds for Avian Influenza by Means of Population Dynamics and Surveillance Information
- Author
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Jordi Casal, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Anna Alba, Alberto Allepuz, Antoni Curcó, Francesc Vidal, Dominique J. Bicout, Sebastian Napp, and Taiana Costa
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Epidemiology ,animal diseases ,Population Dynamics ,Waterfowl ,Population Modeling ,lcsh:Medicine ,Avian influenza ,Wildlife ,medicine.disease_cause ,Zoonoses ,lcsh:Science ,Avian influenza A viruses ,education.field_of_study ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Ecology ,Geography ,Zoonotic Diseases ,Local scale ,virus diseases ,Monte Carlo methods ,Biodiversity ,Gulls ,Ducks ,Veterinary Diseases ,Veterinary Informatics ,Population Surveillance ,Medicine ,Infectious diseases ,Identification (biology) ,Seasons ,Research Article ,Population dynamics ,Animal Types ,Infectious disease surveillance ,Population ,Animals, Wild ,Animal migration ,Models, Biological ,Environmental Epidemiology ,Infectious Disease Epidemiology ,Ecosystems ,Veterinary Epidemiology ,Birds ,Animal Influenza ,Species Specificity ,medicine ,Animals ,Ecosystem ,Computer Simulation ,education ,Biology ,Population Biology ,lcsh:R ,Data interpretation ,Computational Biology ,Veterinary Virology ,biology.organism_classification ,Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ,Ebre delta ,Spain ,Influenza in Birds ,Veterinary Science ,lcsh:Q ,Infectious Disease Modeling ,Ecosystem Modeling - Abstract
Design, sampling and data interpretation constitute an important challenge for wildlife surveillance of avian influenza viruses (AIV). The aim of this study was to construct a model to improve and enhance identification in both different periods and locations of avian species likely at high risk of contact with AIV in a specific wetland. This study presents an individualbased stochastic model for the Ebre Delta as an example of this appliance. Based on the Monte-Carlo method, the model simulates the dynamics of the spread of AIV among wild birds in a natural park following introduction of an infected bird. Data on wild bird species population, apparent AIV prevalence recorded in wild birds during the period of study, and ecological information on factors such as behaviour, contact rates or patterns of movements of waterfowl were incorporated as inputs of the model. From these inputs, the model predicted those species that would introduce most of AIV in different periods and those species and areas that would be at high risk as a consequence of the spread of these AIV incursions. This method can serve as a complementary tool to previous studies to optimize the allocation of the limited AI surveillance resources in a local complex ecosystem. However, this study indicates that in order to predict the evolution of the spread of AIV at the local scale, there is a need for further research on the identification of host factors involved in the interspecies transmission of AIV
- Published
- 2021
11. Multifunctional magnetic nanoparticles for enhanced intracellular drug transport
- Author
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Elvira Fantechi, Cristina Tudisco, Guglielmo G. Condorelli, Enrico Dalcanale, Anna Alba, Antonino E. Giuffrida, Federico Bertani, Fulvia Sinatra, Claudia Innocenti, Salvatore Saccone, Maria Teresa Cambria, and Claudio Sangregorio
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chemistry.chemical_classification ,Materials science ,Biomedical Engineering ,Cavitand ,Alkyne ,General Chemistry ,General Medicine ,confocal microscopy ,Combinatorial chemistry ,folic acid ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,chemistry ,Covalent bond ,poly(ethylene glycol ,IRON-OXIDE NANOPARTICLES ,FUNCTIONALIZED SILICON SURFACE ,FOLATE RECEPTOR ,HYPERTHERMIA ,CAVITAND ,CANCER ,CELLS ,DELIVERY ,WATER ,ACID ,Organic chemistry ,Surface modification ,Moiety ,Magnetic nanoparticles ,General Materials Science ,Azide ,Ethylene glycol - Abstract
In this paper we report the synthesis and characterization of biocompatible multi-functional magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) able to enhance the intracellular transport of N-methylated drugs. The Fe3O4 magnetic core was first functionalized with a mixed monolayer consisting of two different phosphonic acids having terminal acetylenic and amino groups, which provide an active platform for further functionalization with organic molecules. Then, a tetraphosphonate cavitand receptor (Tiiii) bearing an azide moiety and the N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) activated forms of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), folic acid (FA) and carboxy-X-rhodamine (Rhod) were covalently anchored on alkyne and amine moieties respectively, through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and EDC/NHS coupling reactions. The obtained MNPs are biocompatible and possess magnetic, luminescence and recognition properties which make them suitable for multimodal theranostic applications. In particular, combined confocal microscopy and cytotoxicity experiments showed that these multi-functional MNPs are able to recognize a specific drug "in situ'' and promote its cellular internalization, thus enhancing its efficiency.
- Published
- 2020
12. Integer-valued AR processes with Hermite innovations and time-varying parameters: An application to bovine fallen stock surveillance at a local scale
- Author
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Pedro Puig, Sara Fontdecaba, Amanda Fernández-Fontelo, and Anna Alba
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Statistics and Probability ,Hermite polynomials ,Actuarial science ,05 social sciences ,Local scale ,Hermite distribution ,01 natural sciences ,010104 statistics & probability ,Autoregressive model ,0502 economics and business ,Statistics ,0101 mathematics ,Statistics, Probability and Uncertainty ,Stock (geology) ,050205 econometrics ,Mathematics - Abstract
In this article we present a new INteger-valued AutoRegressive (INAR) model with the aim of extracting baseline patterns of cattle fallen stock registered over an 5-year period at a local scale. We introduce HINAR as a generalization of the classical Poisson-based INAR models whose innovations follow a Hermite distribution. In order to assess trends and seasonality in these time series, we fit different models with time-dependent parameters by specifying proper functions. Using real world examples, we illustrate how to estimate parameters by maximum likelihood and validate the fitted models. We also show a detailed method to forecast. Our proposed model supposes a good solution for studying discrete time series when the counts have many zeros, low counts and moderate overdispersion. This model has been applied to the analysis of fallen cattle registered at a local scale as part of the development of a veterinary syndromic surveillance system.
- Published
- 2017
13. Assessment of air sampling methods and size distribution of virus-laden aerosols in outbreaks in swine and poultry farms
- Author
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Anna Alba, Carmen Alonso, Sagar M. Goyal, Bernard A. Olson, Montserrat Torremorell, Peter R. Davies, and Peter C. Raynor
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Air sampling ,Farms ,010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciences ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Swine ,viruses ,animal diseases ,Air Microbiology ,Biology ,medicine.disease_cause ,01 natural sciences ,Virus ,Poultry ,Disease Outbreaks ,0403 veterinary science ,Influenza A virus ,medicine ,Animals ,Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus ,Animal Husbandry ,Aerosolization ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,Aerosols ,Swine Diseases ,General Veterinary ,business.industry ,Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus ,virus diseases ,Outbreak ,Reproducibility of Results ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Poultry farming ,biology.organism_classification ,Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus ,Virology ,business - Abstract
Swine and poultry viruses, such as porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV), porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), and highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV), are economically important pathogens that can spread via aerosols. The reliability of methods for quantifying particle-associated viruses as well as the size distribution of aerosolized particles bearing these viruses under field conditions are not well documented. We compared the performance of 2 size-differentiating air samplers in disease outbreaks that occurred in swine and poultry facilities. Both air samplers allowed quantification of particles by size, and measured concentrations of PRRSV, PEDV, and HPAIV stratified by particle size both within and outside swine and poultry facilities. All 3 viruses were detectable in association with aerosolized particles. Proportions of positive sampling events were 69% for PEDV, 61% for HPAIV, and 8% for PRRSV. The highest virus concentrations were found with PEDV, followed by HPAIV and PRRSV. Both air collectors performed equally for the detection of total virus concentration. For all 3 viruses, higher numbers of RNA copies were associated with larger particles; however, a bimodal distribution of particles was observed in the case of PEDV and HPAIV.
- Published
- 2017
14. Six-year surveillance of Newcastle disease virus in wild birds in north-eastern Spain (Catalonia)
- Author
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Ana Isabel Rocha, Azucena Sánchez, Elena San Miguel, Núria Busquets, Mercè Soler, Raquel Rivas, Natàlia Majó, Cristina Massot, Anna Alba, Mireia Perarnau, and Sebastian Napp
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Veterinary medicine ,Genotype ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Newcastle Disease ,Population ,Newcastle disease virus ,Biology ,Newcastle disease ,Virus ,Disease Outbreaks ,0403 veterinary science ,Birds ,03 medical and health sciences ,Food Animals ,Animals ,education ,Columbidae ,Phylogeny ,Poultry Diseases ,education.field_of_study ,General Immunology and Microbiology ,Geography ,business.industry ,Bird Diseases ,Sequence Analysis, RNA ,Outbreak ,Phylogenetic study ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Poultry farming ,biology.organism_classification ,030104 developmental biology ,Spain ,Epidemiological Monitoring ,Epidemiological surveillance ,Animal Science and Zoology ,business - Abstract
Given that Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the major threats for the poultry industry, testing of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has been carried out since 2010 in cases of mortality in wild birds (passive surveillance) in Catalonia. The objective is to provide an early warning system to prevent the infection of poultry. Since 2010, 35 episodes of mortality in wild birds were attributed to NDV infection. Throughout this period there was a progressive expansion of NDV to new areas, with an increase in the episodes of mortality, although it is not clear whether they were the result of the spread of the virus, or of the improvement of the surveillance. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that two distinct sublineages of NDV, 4a and 4b, were circulating in Catalonia. Both sublineages seem to be endemic in the wild bird population, affecting mainly Eurasian-collared doves, with a clear pattern in relation to its spatial distribution (coincident with the distribution of this species), and its temporal distribution (with the majority of cases between September and February). So far, endemicity in wild birds has not resulted in ND outbreaks in poultry. However, there are still many uncertainties about, for example, whether NDV may expand to new areas of Catalonia (with higher poultry density), or about the threat that the apparently more novel sublineage 4a may represent. Hence, efforts should be made so that measures to prevent infection of poultry farms (particularly in high-risk areas and periods) are encouraged, and surveillance is maintained.
- Published
- 2016
15. Monitoring the Spread of Swine Enteric Coronavirus Diseases in the United States in the Absence of a Regulatory Framework
- Author
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Dane Goede, Andres M. Perez, Anna Alba, Robert B. Morrison, and Brian J. McCluskey
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0301 basic medicine ,medicine.medical_specialty ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Case Report ,Disease ,medicine.disease_cause ,0403 veterinary science ,03 medical and health sciences ,Environmental health ,Epidemiology ,medicine ,Baseline (configuration management) ,Swine enteric coronavirus ,Coronavirus ,Flexibility (engineering) ,lcsh:Veterinary medicine ,General Veterinary ,biology ,Emergency management ,business.industry ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology ,United States ,monitoring ,030104 developmental biology ,swine enteric coronavirus ,surveillance ,lcsh:SF600-1100 ,Veterinary Science ,epidemiology ,Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus ,business - Abstract
The reporting and monitoring of swine enteric coronavirus diseases (SECD), including porcine epidemic diarrhea virus and porcine delta coronavirus, in the United States have been challenging because of the initial absence of a regulatory framework and the emerging nature of these diseases. The National Animal Health Laboratory Network, the Emergency Management and Response System, and the Swine Health Monitoring Project were used to monitor the disease situation between May 2013 and March 2015. Important differences existed between and among them in terms of nature and extent of reporting. Here, we assess the implementation of these systems from different perspectives, including a description and comparison of collected data, disease metrics, usefulness, simplicity, flexibility, acceptability, representativeness, timeliness, and stability. This assessment demonstrates the limitations that the absence of premises identification imposes on certain animal health surveillance and response databases, and the importance of federally regulated frameworks in collecting accurate information in a timely manner. This study also demonstrates the value that the voluntary and producer-organized systems may have in monitoring emerging diseases. The results from all three data sources help to establish the baseline information on SECD epidemiological dynamics after almost 3 years of disease occurrence in the country.
- Published
- 2016
16. Modification of graphene oxide by laser irradiation: a new route to enhance antibacterial activity
- Author
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Anna Alba, Fulvia Sinatra, Massimo Zimbone, Enza Fazio, Maria Antonietta Buccheri, Simona Filice, D. D’Angelo, S.F. Spanò, Giuseppe Compagnini, Giancarlo Rappazzo, Silvia Scalese, Maria Violetta Brundo, Vittorio Privitera, and Roberta Pecoraro
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Materials science ,Scanning electron microscope ,graphene oxide, visible laser irradiation, antibacterial activity, nanomaterial, toxicity ,Oxide ,Analytical chemistry ,Bioengineering ,02 engineering and technology ,Spectrum Analysis, Raman ,010402 general chemistry ,01 natural sciences ,law.invention ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,symbols.namesake ,antibacterial activity ,X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy ,Dynamic light scattering ,law ,Escherichia coli ,Animals ,General Materials Science ,Irradiation ,visible laser irradiation ,Electrical and Electronic Engineering ,Graphene ,Mechanical Engineering ,graphene ,toxicity ,Oxides ,General Chemistry ,021001 nanoscience & nanotechnology ,6. Clean water ,Anti-Bacterial Agents ,laser ,0104 chemical sciences ,chemistry ,Mechanics of Materials ,symbols ,graphene oxide ,Graphite ,nanomaterial ,0210 nano-technology ,Antibacterial activity ,Raman spectroscopy ,Nuclear chemistry - Abstract
The antibacterial activity and possible toxicity of graphene oxide and laser-irradiated graphene oxide (iGO) were investigated. Antibacterial activity was tested on Escherichia coli and shown to be higher for GO irradiated for at least three hours, which seems to be correlated to the resulting morphology of laser-treated GO and independent of the kind and amount of oxygen functionalities. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show a reduction of the GO flakes size after visible laser irradiation, preserving considerable oxygen content and degree of hydrophilicity. SEM images of the bacteria after the exposure to the iGO flakes confirm membrane damage after interaction with the laser-modified morphology of GO. In addition, a fish embryo toxicity test on zebrafish displayed that neither mortality nor sublethal effects were caused by the different iGO solutions, even when the concentration was increased up to four times higher than the one effective in reducing the bacteria survival. The antibacterial properties and the absence of toxicity make the visible laser irradiation of GO a promising option for water purification applications.
- Published
- 2016
17. Time-series analysis for porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome in the United States
- Author
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Andres M. Perez, Andreia G. Arruda, Anna Alba, Pere Puig, and Carles Vilalta
- Subjects
0301 basic medicine ,Time Factors ,Swine ,animal diseases ,lcsh:Medicine ,Geographical locations ,0403 veterinary science ,Mathematical and Statistical Techniques ,Epidemiology ,Prevalence ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,lcsh:Science ,Mammals ,Multidisciplinary ,Incidence ,Incidence (epidemiology) ,Eukaryota ,Agriculture ,General Medicine ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Monitoring program ,Infectious Diseases ,Geography ,Veterinary Diseases ,Time and Motion Studies ,Epidemiological Monitoring ,Vertebrates ,Physical Sciences ,Regression Analysis ,Livestock ,Seasons ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,Statistics (Mathematics) ,Research Article ,medicine.medical_specialty ,Farms ,Infectious Disease Control ,040301 veterinary sciences ,Minnesota ,Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome ,Research and Analysis Methods ,General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology ,Veterinary Epidemiology ,03 medical and health sciences ,medicine ,Animals ,Porcine respiratory and reproductive syndrome virus ,Statistical Methods ,Time Series Analysis ,Retrospective Studies ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Outbreak ,Seasonality ,medicine.disease ,Iowa ,United States ,030104 developmental biology ,Amniotes ,North America ,Herd ,lcsh:Q ,Veterinary Science ,People and places ,business ,Mathematics ,Demography - Abstract
Industry-driven voluntary disease control programs for swine diseases emerged in North America in the early 2000's, and, since then, those programs have been used for monitoring diseases of economic importance to swine producers. One example of such initiatives is Dr. Morrison's Swine Health Monitoring Project, a nation-wide monitoring program for swine diseases including the porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS). PRRS has been extensively reported as a seasonal disease in the U.S., with predictable peaks that start in fall and are extended through the winter season. However, formal time series analysis stratified by geographic region has never been conducted for this important disease across the U.S. The main objective of this study was to use approximately seven years of PRRS incidence data in breeding swine herds to conduct time-series analysis in order to describe the temporal patterns of PRRS outbreaks at the farm level for five major swine-producing states across the U.S. including the states of Minnesota, Iowa, North Carolina, Nebraska and Illinois. Data was aggregated retrospectively at the week level for the number of herds containing animals actively shedding PRRS virus. Basic descriptive statistics were conducted followed by autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) modelling, conducted separately for each of the above-mentioned states. Results showed that there was a difference in the nature of PRRS seasonality among states. Of note, when comparing states, the typical seasonal pattern previously described for PRRS could only be detected for farms located in the states of Minnesota, North Carolina and Nebraska. For the other two states, seasonal peaks every six months were detected within a year. In conclusion, we showed that epidemic patterns are not homogeneous across the U.S, with major peaks of disease occurring through the year. These findings highlight the importance of coordinating alternative control strategies in different regions considering the prevailing epidemiological patterns.
- Published
- 2018
18. Bluetongue epidemiology in wild ruminants from Southern Spain
- Author
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Alfonso Carbonero, Jordi Casal, A. Perea, Ignacio Rodríguez García, Antonio Arenas, Alberto Allepuz, Sebastian Napp, and Anna Alba
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Veterinary medicine ,biology ,business.industry ,Prevalence ,Captivity ,Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law ,biology.organism_classification ,Capra pyrenaica ,Virus ,Mouflon ,Animal science ,Ruminant ,Seroprevalence ,Livestock ,business ,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics ,Nature and Landscape Conservation - Abstract
Serum samples from 210 wild ruminants collected between 2006 and 2007 in southern Spain were tested for antibodies against bluetongue virus (BTV) by means of a competitive ELISA assay. Eighty-seven of the 210 wild ruminants analysed (41%) showed antibodies against BTV. Statistically significant differences were found in the seroprevalence among species: 66% (65 of 98) for red deer (Cervus elaphus), 50% (ten of 20) for fallow deer (Dama dama), 33% (three of nine) for mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) and 11% (nine of 83) for Spanish ibex (Capra pyrenaica). Overall, the sites where seropositive wild ruminants were found coincide with the areas where BTV had been detected in livestock, but in eastern Sierra Morena, the virus circulated in wild ruminants, although it had not been detected in domestic ruminants in the same areas. Wild ruminants over 1-year of age (sub-adults and adults) had significantly higher seroprevalences than juvenile animals. Statistically significant differences were also observed between BTV seroprevalence and management (free-ranging vs. captivity) with higher prevalence in free-ranging animals. The high seroprevalences obtained suggest that BTV is widespread in wild ruminants in southern Spain. This factor could have an important influence on the evolution of the infection in domestic livestock and indicates the need to include wild ruminant species in BTV surveillance or control programs.
- Published
- 2008
19. Seroprevalence and spatial distribution of maedi-visna virus and pestiviruses in Catalonia (Spain)
- Author
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Jordi Casal, Emmanuel Serrano, Alberto Allepuz, and Anna Alba
- Subjects
Indirect elisa ,Veterinary medicine ,animal diseases ,Pestivirus ,Biology ,Spatial distribution ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology ,Maedi/Visna virus ,Serology ,Border disease virus ,Food Animals ,Seroprevalence ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Flock - Abstract
During the period 2004–2005 a serological survey was conducted in sheep flocks in Catalonia (North-Eastern Spain) in order to determine the seroprevalence of maedi-visna virus (MVV) and pestiviruses, such as Border Disease Virus (BDV), to investigate their spatial distribution and to obtain information about associations between them for planning and prioritizing the control measures in this region. A random sample of 241 sheep flocks stratified by counties was analyzed. A total of 5120 and 3611 animals were tested using different indirect ELISA methods for MVV and pestiviruses, respectively. The results showed that MVV and pestiviruses were very widespread in Catalonia. Ninety percent of sheep flocks were positive for MVV and sixty four percent were positive for Pestivirus genus. The spatial distributions of both viral pathogens were not homogenous: MVV seroprevalence within flock was higher in North-Western and Western Catalonia, whereas the antibody proportion of pestiviruses at the flock-level and within flock was higher in North-Western Catalonia. Large flocks had higher seroprevalences within flock than smaller ones. Mixed flocks showed higher risk of MVV infection than purely sheep flocks and there was a statistical association between MVV and pestivirus seroprevalence.
- Published
- 2008
20. OptisampleTM: Open web-based application to optimize sampling strategies for active surveillance activities at the herd level illustrated using Porcine Respiratory Reproductive Syndrome (PRRS)
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Robert Morrison, Ann Cheeran, Andres M. Perez, Anna Alba, Julio Alvarez, and Albert Rovira
- Subjects
Veterinary medicine ,Pulmonology ,Epidemiology ,Swine ,Computer science ,animal diseases ,lcsh:Medicine ,Pathology and Laboratory Medicine ,Computer Applications ,0403 veterinary science ,0302 clinical medicine ,Medicine and Health Sciences ,lcsh:Science ,Mammals ,Multidisciplinary ,biology ,Animal disease ,Sampling (statistics) ,Agriculture ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Infectious Diseases ,Veterinary Diseases ,Risk analysis (engineering) ,Vertebrates ,Web-Based Applications ,Epidemiological Monitoring ,Costs and Cost Analysis ,Pathogens ,Research Article ,Computer and Information Sciences ,Livestock ,Infectious Disease Control ,040301 veterinary sciences ,030231 tropical medicine ,Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome ,Test sensitivity ,Sample (statistics) ,Disease Surveillance ,03 medical and health sciences ,Animals ,Web application ,Internet ,Models, Statistical ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,Organisms ,Biology and Life Sciences ,Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus ,biology.organism_classification ,Infectious Disease Surveillance ,Amniotes ,Respiratory Infections ,Herd ,Veterinary Science ,lcsh:Q ,business - Abstract
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSv) infection causes a devastating economic impact to the swine industry. Active surveillance is routinely conducted in many swine herds to demonstrate freedom from PRRSv infection. The design of efficient active surveillance sampling schemes is challenging because optimum surveillance strategies may differ depending on infection status, herd structure, management, or resources for conducting sampling. Here, we present an open web-based application, named ‘OptisampleTM’, designed to optimize herd sampling strategies to substantiate freedom of infection considering also costs of testing. In addition to herd size, expected prevalence, test sensitivity, and desired level of confidence, the model takes into account the presumed risk of pathogen introduction between samples, the structure of the herd, and the process to select the samples over time. We illustrate the functionality and capacity of ‘OptisampleTM’ through its application to active surveillance of PRRSv in hypothetical swine herds under disparate epidemiological situations. Diverse sampling schemes were simulated and compared for each herd to identify effective strategies at low costs. The model results show that to demonstrate freedom from disease, it is important to consider both the epidemiological situation of the herd and the sample selected. The approach illustrated here for PRRSv may be easily extended to other animal disease surveillance systems using the web-based application available at http://stemma.ahc.umn.edu/optisample.
- Published
- 2017
21. Animal Diseases Caused by Orbiviruses, Algeria
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Nadera Bouayed-Chaouach, Anna Alba, Leila Hafsi, Catherine Cetre-Sossah, Sebastian Napp, Alberto Allepuz, Jordi Casal, Hassiba Saadaoui, Houria Kount-Chareb, and Hafsa Madani
- Subjects
Veterinary medicine ,Epidemiology ,viruses ,African Horse Sickness Virus ,lcsh:Medicine ,L73 - Maladies des animaux ,Antibodies, Viral ,Communicable Diseases, Emerging ,Risk Factors ,Seroepidemiologic Studies ,African Horse Sickness ,antibodies ,media_common ,animal diseases ,Orbivirus ,biology ,Dispatch ,Epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus ,Épidémiologie ,Infectious Diseases ,orbiviruses ,Maladie des animaux ,African horse sickness ,Livestock ,Fièvre catarrhale du mouton ,epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus ,Microbiology (medical) ,sheep ,Camelus ,goats ,Hemorrhagic Disease Virus, Epizootic ,Bluetongue ,Virus ,lcsh:Infectious and parasitic diseases ,Virus bluetongue ,Hémorragie ,bluetongue virus ,camels ,Animals ,media_common.cataloged_instance ,lcsh:RC109-216 ,Epizootic hemorrhagic disease ,Horses ,European union ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology ,Reoviridae Infections ,zoonoses ,livestock ,cattle ,Algeria ,business - Abstract
Antibodies against bluetongue virus were detected in cattle, sheep, goats, and camels in Algeria in 2008. Antibodies against epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus were detected in cattle, but antibodies against African horse sickness virus were not detected in horses and mules. Epizootic hemorrhagic disease in northern Africa poses a major risk for the European Union.
- Published
- 2011
22. STEMtools: una proposta per a planificar el desplegament STEM a l’escola
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Anna Albalat, Eva Mateo, Digna Couso, and Jordi Domènech-Casal
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STEM ,STEAM ,STEMTools ,Metodologies ,Perspectives ,Tecnologies ,Education - Abstract
El desplegament de STEM als centres educatius s’orienta a l’assoliment d’uns objectius STEM (vocacions, inclusió i gènere, ciutadania) que han de ser formulats en clau educativa. Es proposen diverses vies per a desplegar aquesta formulació, anomenades STEMtools, estructurades en tres eixos (Perspectives, Metodologies i Tecnologies). La proposta ha estat desenvolupada i aplicada en el marc del Pla interdepartamental STEMcat, en el marc del programa d’innovació pedagógica STEAMcat, i s’en valora la seva utilitat i aplicacions.
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- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Evaluation of different enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays for the diagnosis of brucellosis due to Brucella melitensis in sheep
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Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Luca Candeloro, Armando Giovannini, Alberto Allepuz, Alberto Pacios, Anna Alba, Miguel Ángel González, Julio José Pérez, Antonio Arenas, and Jose Luis Saez
- Subjects
Sheep Diseases ,Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ,Brucellosis ,Serology ,Immunoenzyme Techniques ,medicine ,Brucella melitensis ,media_common.cataloged_instance ,Animals ,European union ,media_common ,Rose Bengal ,Sheep ,General Veterinary ,biology ,Complement Fixation Tests ,Complement fixation test ,Serum samples ,biology.organism_classification ,medicine.disease ,Virology ,Spain ,Animal Science and Zoology ,Ovine brucellosis ,Test performance - Abstract
Six serological assays for the diagnosis of ovine brucellosis, due to Brucella melitensis were evaluated. Reference serum samples from sheep of known B. melitensis infection status ( n = 118) were assessed using the Rose Bengal test (RBT), complement fixation test (CFT) and four commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs), including two indirect ELISAs (iELISAs), one competitive ELISA (cELISA) and one blocking ELISA (bELISA). The highest differential positive rates (DPR) were obtained with the cELISA and bELISA, while the lowest DPR was estimated using iELISAs. A latent class analysis was performed to estimate the accuracy of the CFT, RBT and bELISA using 1827 sera from sheep undergoing testing as part of a surveillance and control programme. Lower sensitivity and specificity were obtained for the three serological tests when the field samples were used. A higher DPR was achieved by the CFT, compared to bELISA and RBT. The results suggest that ELISAs, and particularly the bELISA, might be suitable for inclusion in the European Union legislation on intra-community trade for diagnosing B. melitensis infection in sheep, as it has a similar test performance compared to the RBT.
- Published
- 2013
24. Quantitative assessment of the probability of bluetongue virus overwintering by horizontal transmission : application to Germany
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Simon Gubbins, Jordi Casal, Paolo Calistri, Sebastian Napp, Alberto Allepuz, Armando Giovannini, Anna Alba, and Ignacio García-Bocanegra
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Ceratopogonidae ,Cattle Diseases ,Bluetongue ,Models, Biological ,Risk Assessment ,Virus ,Disease Outbreaks ,law.invention ,law ,Germany ,Quantitative assessment ,Animals ,Overwintering ,Probability ,Stochastic Processes ,Sheep ,lcsh:Veterinary medicine ,General Veterinary ,biology ,Ecology ,Research ,Outbreak ,biology.organism_classification ,Culicoides ,Housing, Animal ,veterinary(all) ,Insect Vectors ,Transmission (mechanics) ,lcsh:SF600-1100 ,Cattle ,Seasons ,Bluetongue virus ,Horizontal transmission - Abstract
Even though bluetongue virus (BTV) transmission is apparently interrupted during winter, bluetongue outbreaks often reappear in the next season (overwintering). Several mechanisms for BTV overwintering have been proposed, but to date, their relative importance remain unclear. In order to assess the probability of BTV overwintering by persistence in adult vectors, ruminants (through prolonged viraemia) or a combination of both, a quantitative risk assessment model was developed. Furthermore, the model allowed the role played by the residual number of vectors present during winter to be examined, and the effect of a proportion of Culicoides living inside buildings (endophilic behaviour) to be explored. The model was then applied to a real scenario: overwintering in Germany between 2006 and 2007. The results showed that the limited number of vectors active during winter seemed to allow the transmission of BTV during this period, and that while transmission was favoured by the endophilic behaviour of some Culicoides, its effect was limited. Even though transmission was possible, the likelihood of BTV overwintering by the mechanisms studied seemed too low to explain the observed re-emergence of the disease. Therefore, other overwintering mechanisms not considered in the model are likely to have played a significant role in BTV overwintering in Germany between 2006 and 2007.
- Published
- 2011
25. Persistence of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H7N1) in infected chickens: feather as a suitable sample for diagnosis
- Author
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Natàlia Majó, F. Xavier Abad, Anna Alba, Antonio Ramis, Roser Dolz, Ayub Darji, Núria Busquets, Raquel Rivas, and Alberto Allepuz
- Subjects
animal structures ,Time Factors ,animal diseases ,Orthomyxoviridae ,Virulence ,Oropharynx ,Biology ,medicine.disease_cause ,Virus ,Cloaca ,Virology ,medicine ,Animals ,Viral shedding ,Infectivity ,Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ,Temperature ,food and beverages ,virus diseases ,Feathers ,Viral Load ,biology.organism_classification ,Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ,Virus Shedding ,Influenza A virus ,Organ Specificity ,Feather ,visual_art ,Influenza in Birds ,visual_art.visual_art_medium ,RNA, Viral ,Viral load ,Chickens - Abstract
Selection of an ideal sample is a vital element in early detection of influenza infection. Rapid identification of infectious individuals or animals is crucial not only for avian influenza virus (AIV) surveillance programmes, but also for treatment and containment strategies. This study used a combination of quantitative real-time RT-PCR with an internal positive control and a cell-titration system to examine the presence of virus in different samples during active experimental AIV infection and its persistence in the infected carcasses. Oropharyngeal/cloacal swabs as well as feather pulp and blood samples were collected from 15-day-old chicks infected with H7N1 highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) and the kinetics of virus shedding during active infection were evaluated. Additionally, several samples (muscle, skin, brain, feather pulp and oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs) were examined to assess the persistence of virus in the HPAIV-infected carcasses. Based on the results, feather pulp was found to be the best sample to detect and isolate HPAIV from infected chicks from 24 h after inoculation onwards. Kinetic studies on the persistence of virus in infected carcasses revealed that tissues such as muscle could potentially transmit infectious virus for 3 days post-mortem (p.m.), whilst other tissues such as skin, feather pulp and brain retained their infectivity for as long as 5-6 days p.m. at environmental temperature (22-23 degrees C). These results strongly favour feather as a useful sample for HPAIV diagnosis in infected chickens as well as in carcasses.
- Published
- 2010
26. Exploring the Surveillance Potential of Mortality Data: Nine Years of Bovine Fallen Stock Data Collected in Catalonia (Spain)
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Lucas Arinero, Ruben Cordón, Fernanda C. Dórea, Anna Alba, Pere Puig, Crawford W. Revie, Javier Sánchez, Producció Animal, and Sanitat Animal
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Veterinary medicine ,Cattle Diseases ,lcsh:Medicine ,Beef cattle ,medicine ,Animals ,SF ,Autoregressive integrated moving average ,lcsh:Science ,Dairy cattle ,Stock (geology) ,Disease surveillance ,Surveillance ,Multidisciplinary ,business.industry ,lcsh:R ,Seasonality ,medicine.disease ,Geography ,Spain ,Population Surveillance ,Cattle ,lcsh:Q ,Livestock ,Bestiar boví ,business ,Research Article ,Demography - Abstract
The potential of fallen stock data to monitor the health status of animal populations has been noted in previous studies. However, further research is required to implement these systems for surveillance. This work presents a novel approach to determining the baselines associated with bovine fallen stock, comparing patterns between subpopulations and identifying subpopulations in which an abnormal event may occur. This study was based on data from 193,873 disposal visits carried out between 2004 and 2012 across a total of 2,991 bovine farms. Proxy measurements such as the number of collections carried out and the weight of carcasses collected were used. Both outcomes were aggregated weekly at different geographical scales for three production types (beef cattle, dairy cattle and heifer fattening). The analysis of these data combined autoregressive integrated moving average modelling and hierarchical time series methods.The three production types exhibited historical baselines that differed notably from one another. Based on the 757 beef cattle farms monitored, the mean number of collections registered per week at the regional level was 37 (range: 10–83). This series was relatively constant over time and showed a marked yearly seasonality. In contrast, for the 426 dairy cattle farms the mean number of disposal visits registered weekly was 121 (range: 71–180), showing half-yearly and yearly seasonality and a marked increase over the period monitored. From the 1,808 heifer fattening farms the mean number of disposal visits was 248 (range: 166–357) and the pattern presented a marked alternating trend over time. These patterns were assessed and compared at regional, provincial, county and municipal levels. The use of hierarchical time series approaches appeared to be a useful tool for comparing the patterns within different subpopulations over time as well as for assessing the spatial extent to which various abnormal events could be detected. info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
- Published
- 2015
27. Cemiplimab in an Elderly Frail Population of Patients With Locally Advanced or Metastatic Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Single-Center Real-Life Experience From Italy
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Sabino Strippoli, Annarita Fanizzi, Davide Quaresmini, Annalisa Nardone, Andrea Armenio, Francesco Figliuolo, Raffaele Filotico, Livia Fucci, Fabio Mele, Michele Traversa, Federica De Luca, Elisabetta Sara Montagna, Eustachio Ruggieri, Simona Ferraiuolo, Francesco Macina, Stefania Tommasi, Angela Monica Sciacovelli, Ivana De Risi, Anna Albano, Raffaella Massafra, and Michele Guida
- Subjects
cemiplimab ,advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma ,checkpoint inhibitors ,elderly patients ,immunocompromised patients ,Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens ,RC254-282 - Abstract
BackgroundCutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) is the second most common skin cancer whose incidence is growing parallel to the lengthening of the average lifespan. Cemiplimab, an antiPD-1 monoclonal antibody, is the first approved immunotherapy for patients with locally advanced CSCC (laCSCC) or metastatic CSCC (mCSCC) thanks to phase I and II studies showing high antitumor activity and good tolerability. Nevertheless, at present, very few data are available regarding cemiplimab in real-life experience and in frail, elderly, and immunosuppressed patients as well as regarding biomarkers able to predict response so as to guide therapeutic choices.Patients and MethodsWe built a retroprospective cohort study including 30 non-selected patients with laCSCC (25) and mCSCC (five) treated with cemiplimab from August 2019 to November 2020. Clinical outcomes, toxicity profile, and correlations with disease, patients, and peripheral blood parameters are explored.ResultsThe median age was 81 years (range, 36–95), with 24 males and five patients having an immunosuppressive condition, while the frailty prevalence was 83% based on index derived from age, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, and Charlson Comorbidity Index. We reported 23 responses (76.7%) with nine complete responses (30%). A statistically significant higher response rate was observed in head and neck primary tumors and in patients with hemoglobin level >12 g/dl. No difference was observed with respect to frailty, median age, sex, and body mass index. The baseline low neuthophil/lymphocyte ratio and low platelet/lymphocyte ratio resulted to be also correlated with a better response. Moreover, lymphocyte, neutrophil, and monocyte behaviors had an opposite trend in responders and non-responders. An overall response was reported in four of five immunosuppressed patients. Seventeen patients (57.6%) have an ongoing response and are still alive. Six responders had interrupted treatment (two for toxicity and four for personal choice) but maintained their response. The treatment was well tolerated by the majority of patients. The most common adverse events were fatigue in seven patients (23.3%) and skin toxicity in 10 patients (33.3%), including pruritus in six patients, rash in three patients, and bullous erythema in one patient.ConclusionsIn our real-life experience, cemiplimab showed a high antitumor activity with acceptable safety profile similar to those in trials with selected patients. Moreover, its antitumor activity resulted to be not impaired in very elderly patients and in those with immunocompromised status.
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- 2021
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28. Electrochemotherapy as a Trigger to Overcome Primary Resistance to Anti-PD-1 Treatment: A Case Report of Melanoma of the Scalp
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Davide Quaresmini, Alessandra Di Lauro, Livia Fucci, Sabino Strippoli, Ivana De Risi, Angela Monica Sciacovelli, Anna Albano, Gaetano Achille, Massimo Montepara, Sabino Russo, Gabriella Tassone, and Michele Guida
- Subjects
melanoma ,electrochemotherapy ,immunotherapy ,resistance ,case report ,Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens ,RC254-282 - Abstract
BackgroundImmunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors is one of the main therapies for advanced melanoma. Nevertheless, albeit remarkable, immunotherapy results are still unsatisfactory as more than half of patients progress, and resistance to treatment still has a dramatic impact on clinical outcomes. Local treatments such as radiotherapy or electrochemotherapy (ECT), in addition to local control with palliative intent, have been shown to release tumoral neoantigens that can stimulate a robust systemic antitumor immune response.Case PresentationWe report the case of a patient with multiple nodular melanoma lesions of the scalp initially treated with local ECT. Soon after the procedure, multiple new lesions appeared close to the treated ones, therefore the patient started a systemic treatment with the anti-PD-1 nivolumab. The lesions of the scalp did not respond to immunotherapy, presenting a loco-regional spreading. To control the bleeding and painful lesions, we performed a second ECT, while continuing systemic immunotherapy. The treated lesions responded to the second procedure, while the other lesions continued progressing in number and dimension. Unexpectedly, after 2 months from the second ECT, the patient presented a progressive shrinkage of both treated and untreated lesions until complete remission. Concomitantly, he developed immune-related adverse events including grade 4 thyroid toxicity, grade 2 vitiligo-like depigmentation and grade 2 pemphigoid. At present, after 18 months from the first ECT and 14 months from the starting of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy, the patient is in good clinical condition and complete remission of disease still persists.ConclusionThis case highlights the potential role of ECT in increasing tumor immunogenicity and consequently in inducing a powerful immune response overcoming primary resistance to checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy.
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- 2021
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29. Ecological Factors Driving Avian Influenza Virus Dynamics in Spanish Wetland Ecosystems
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Sandra Díaz-Sánchez, Vega Alvarez, Anna Alba, Ursula Höfle, Marta Barral, Xeider Gerrikagoitia, Pelayo Acevedo, Elisa Pérez-Ramírez, Francesc Xavier Abad, Núria Busquets, Alberto Allepuz, Natàlia Majó, Generalitat de Catalunya, Eusko Jaurlaritza, CSIC - Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria (INIA), and European Commission
- Subjects
Viral Diseases ,Epidemiology ,animal diseases ,Veterinary Microbiology ,lcsh:Medicine ,ComputingMilieux_LEGALASPECTSOFCOMPUTING ,Wetland ,Wildlife ,medicine.disease_cause ,Microbial ecology ,Feces ,Ornithology ,Zoonoses ,Prevalence ,Influenza A virus ,Disease ecology ,lcsh:Science ,Avian influenza A viruses ,Abiotic component ,Multidisciplinary ,geography.geographical_feature_category ,Viral Epidemiology ,Ecology ,Community structure ,virus diseases ,Surface water ,Vegetation ,Veterinary Diseases ,Host-Pathogen Interactions ,Medicine ,Infectious diseases ,Seasons ,Water Microbiology ,Research Article ,Animal Types ,Animal migration ,Biology ,Microbiology ,Infectious Disease Epidemiology ,Veterinary Epidemiology ,Birds ,Virology ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Ecosystem ,geography ,Population Biology ,lcsh:R ,Veterinary Virology ,RNA extraction ,Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 ,Spain ,Influenza in Birds ,Wetlands ,lcsh:Q ,Veterinary Science ,Zoology - Abstract
This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License.-- et al., Studies exploring the ecological interactions between avian influenza viruses (AIV), natural hosts and the environment are scarce. Most work has focused on viral survival and transmission under laboratory conditions and through mathematical modelling. However, more integrated studies performed under field conditions are required to validate these results. In this study, we combined information on bird community, environmental factors and viral epidemiology to assess the contribution of biotic and abiotic factors in the occurrence of low pathogenic AIV in Spanish wetlands. For that purpose, seven locations in five different wetlands were studied during two years (2007-2009), including seven sampling visits by location. In each survey, fresh faeces (n = 4578) of wild birds and water samples were collected for viral detection. Also, the vegetation structure, water physical properties of wetlands, climatic conditions and wild bird community composition were determined. An overall AIV prevalence of 1.7%±0.4 was detected in faecal samples with important fluctuations among seasons and locations. Twenty-six AIV were isolated from the 78 RRT-PCR positive samples and eight different haemagglutinines and five neuraminidases were identified, being the combination H3N8 the most frequent. Variation partitioning procedures identified the combination of space and time variables as the most important pure factor - independently to other factors - explaining the variation in AIV prevalence (36.8%), followed by meteorological factor (21.5%) and wild bird community composition/vegetation structure (21.1%). These results contribute to the understanding of AIV ecological drivers in Spanish ecosystems and provide useful guidelines for AIV risk assessment identifying potential hotspots of AIV activity., This work was financially supported by INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria), project FAU2006-00019-C03-00 and by Department of Environment, Territorial Planning, Agriculture and Fisheries of the Basque Government. P. Acevedo was supported by a Beatriu de Pinós fellowship funded by Comissionat per a Universitats i Recerca del Departament d'Innovació, Universitats i Empresa, of the Generalitat de Catalunya and the COFUND Programme-Marie Curie Actions under 7th Marc Programme of the European Community.
- Published
- 2012
30. Evaluation du risque de la fièvre catarrhale ovine par les Culicoides introduits via les réseaux de transport et d'échanges commerciaux
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Simon Gubbins, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Paolo Calistri, Anna Alba, Alberto Allepuz, Armando Giovannini, Jordi Casal, and Sebastian Napp
- Subjects
General Medicine - Abstract
In August 2006, a bluetongue outbreak was detected in the Netherlands. It was caused by bluetongue virus serotype 8 (BTV- 8), a serotype thought to be of sub-Saharan origin. The most obvious mechanisms for BTV introduction, the import of infected hosts or the transport of infected Culicoides on airstreams, seemed unlikely. Therefore, the import of Culicoides along with or independently from the import of animals, plants or other ‘materials’ was considered as one of the possible explanations for the outbreak. In order to assess the likelihood of Culicoides being introduced via transport and trade networks, a quantitative risk assessment model has been constructed.
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- 2009
31. Séroprévalence de la fièvre catarrhale dans la partie méditerranéenne de la Turquie
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A. Ertürk, M. F. Barut, Jordi Casal, Alberto Allepuz, S. G. Cizmeci, Anna Alba, and Sebastian Napp
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General Medicine - Abstract
One of the objectives of Medreonet is to identify new serotypes of bluetongue (BT) in some countries of the Mediterranean Basin including Turkey. In May 2008, a cross-sectional study was conducted in cattle to investigate the presence of new serotypes in the provinces of Adana, Antalya, Hatay, Mersin, and Osmaniye. Cattle were the species selected since they had not been vaccinated against BT and the vaccine did not interfere with the serological results. The village was established as the epidemiological unit. The sample size was calculated with the aim to detect at least 2% of positive villages and a within-village prevalence of 30% (with 95% confidence level), resulting in a total of 1168 animals. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) and an antigen capture ELISA (BTACE) were used to detect antibody and antigen, respectively. The presence of specific BT serotypes was confirmed by a specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). To isolate BT virus, all the blood samples that were antigen positive were inoculated into embryonated chicken eggs and into cell cultures. Of the 1096 sera samples obtained, 994 (90.7%) were from dairy cattle (Holstein and crossbred Holstein), and only 102 (9.3%) were from beef breeds. A total of 352 (32.1%) sera samples were positive. Of the 140 villages sampled, 99 (71%) presented at least one positive animal, and the prevalence was 31%. The prevalence in dairy cattle was significantly (P = 0.0002) higher than in beef breeds (34 and 16%, respectively). Older animals presented a higher level of prevalence. Animals up to two years old had a prevalence of 24.3% (P < 0.05), whereas the prevalence in adult animals was 52% (P < 0.05). Given that the last BT cases in Turkey were reported in August 2000 (serotypes 9 and 16), these data indicate that BT virus has been circulating in the country in the last years. There were major differences between provinces: 88% of the samples were positive in Osmaniye against only 14% in Antalya. These differences could be attributable to differences in vector densities, but they could also be related to host factors such as breed, density of cattle and small ruminant populations, and age of the animals (animals were older in some provinces than in others).
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- 2009
32. Introduction de Culicoides infectés par le transport de marchandises
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Anna Alba, Jordi Casal, Sebastian Napp, and Alberto Allepuz
- Subjects
Serotype ,Pays bas ,Host (biology) ,General Medicine ,Biology ,Culicoides ,biology.organism_classification ,Virology - Abstract
Potentially infected Culicoides may be accidentally carried in vehicles associated to the transport of people, animal, plants (cars, planes, boats...) coming from countries where bluetongue virus (BTV) is present. In order to estimate the risk of BTV transmission by the introduction of infected Culicoides by means of transport/commodities, a stochastic risk assessment model was constructed. The model was applied to estimate the risk to other countries by the introduction of one Culicoides infected with BTV serotype 1 from Spain. There is currently no data on the probability of Culicoides being transported by different means of transport/commodities. Therefore, the probability had to be estimated per vector. Four different steps were considered in the transmission pathway: probability of Culicoides infection, probability of Culicoides surviving the extrinsic incubation period and the time to the next blood meal, probability of finding a new host, and probability of effective BTV transmission to host. The probability of BTV introduction by infected Culicoides was highly variable throughout the year, mainly as a consequence of differences in ambient temperatures. The maximum risk was reached in May with a mean probability of 1.7 x 10-8 (per vector). The main limiting factors in this probability were the probability of Culicoides infection, and the probability of Culicoides surviving the extrinsic incubation period and the time to the next blood meal. Given the low probability obtained for this pathway to be considered as important, the number of Culicoides transported by these means should be very high.
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- 2009
33. Evaluation de la probabilité de transmission du virus de la fièvre catarrhale ovine par le sperme
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Alberto Allepuz, Anna Alba, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Sebastian Napp, and Jordi Casal
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endocrine system ,fluids and secretions ,urogenital system ,General Medicine ,urologic and male genital diseases - Abstract
In order to prevent the transmission of bluetongue virus (BTV) by semen, in case a semen collection or a storage centre is located within an endemic zone, the European Union established a ban on the movement of semen. However, there is a series of measures which may be applied to allow the exemption of semen from the exit ban. In order to assess the risk reduction achieved by some of these measures, a simulation model was constructed. In addition, the probability of introduction of BTV by importation of semen from a non-restricted area (exotic serotype) was also assessed.
- Published
- 2009
34. Evaluation de la probabilité d'hivernage du virus de la fièvre catarrhale ovine par transmission horizontale chez les vecteurs, les ruminants ou les deux : application en Allemagne
- Author
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Jordi Casal, Paolo Calistri, Ignacio García-Bocanegra, Armando Giovannini, Anna Alba, Sebastian Napp, Simon Gubbins, and Alberto Allepuz
- Subjects
General Medicine - Abstract
Even though bluetongue virus (BTV) transmission is apparently interrupted during winter, bluetongue outbreaks often reappear in the next season (overwintering). Several mechanisms for BTV overwintering have been proposed, but to date their relative importance remains unclear. In order to assess the probability of BTV overwintering by horizontal transmission in vectors (long-lived Culicoides), ruminants (prolonged viraemia), or a combination of both, a quantitative risk assessment model was developed. Furthermore, the model allowed the role played by the residual number of vectors present during winter to be examined, and the effect of a proportion of Culicoides living inside buildings (endophilic behaviour) to be explored. The model was then applied to a real scenario: overwintering in Germany between 2006 and 2007. The results showed that the limited number of vectors active during winter seemed to allow the transmission of BTV during this period and that this transmission was favoured by the endophilic behaviour of some Culicoides. Even though transmission was possible, the likelihood of BTV overwintering by horizontal transmission in vectors, ruminants or in both seemed however too low to explain the observed re-emergence of the disease. Therefore, other overwintering mechanisms that were not considered in the model are likely to have played a significant role in BTV overwintering in Germany between 2006 and 2007.
- Published
- 2009
35. Etudes de terrain sur la fièvre catarrhale ovine et la maladie hémorragique épizootique en Turquie
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A. Ertürk, Sebastian Napp, S. G. Cizmeci, M. F. Barut, Alberto Allepuz, Jordi Casal, and Anna Alba
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General Medicine - Abstract
The objective of this study was to detect the presence of new serotypes of bluetongue (BT) circulating in Turkey. A cross-sectional study was conducted between March and May 2008 in the provinces of Adana, Mersin, Antalya, Osmaniye, and Hatay (Mediterranean region). The serosurvey was only performed in cattle. This species was not vaccinated and the presence of antibodies would indicate that the animal had been infected by field strains of BT virus. Only animals born after the outbreaks were sampled. The epidemiological unit was the village, which was the lowest level for which census data was available. Random sampling was carried out in 146 villages and eight samples were collected in each village. A competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA) was used for detection of BT antibodies. Preliminary results of the study were presented. From a total of 1096 serum samples collected, 352 (32.1%) were positive to BT. The seroprevalence by province ranged from 15% in Antalya (45/257) to 88% in Osmaniye (77/88). In animals under two years old, the seroprevalence was 25%, whereas in adult animals it was 52%. The differences in the seroprevalence detected between the five provinces could be attributed to the different density of vector, cattle and small ruminant populations. The high seroprevalence in unvaccinated cattle indicated that BT infection was widespread in the ruminant population of Turkey. The young animals presented a lower prevalence than the adults, suggesting that the adults had probably been exposed to the virus before the last two years, whereas the presence of positive seroconversion in young animals indicated that BT virus had been circulating in the two-year period.
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- 2009
36. Remote mentoring in laparotomic and laparoscopic cancer surgery during Covid-19 pandemic: an experimental setup based on mixed reality
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Michele Simone, Rocco Galati, Graziana Barile, Emanuele Grasso, Raffaele De Luca, Carmine Cartanese, Rocco Lomonaco, Eustachio Ruggieri, Anna Albano, Antonello Rucci, and Giuseppe Grassi
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virtual reality ,mixed reality ,laparotomic surgery ,smartglasses ,laparoscopic surgery ,Special aspects of education ,LC8-6691 ,Medicine (General) ,R5-920 - Abstract
In this paper, Mixed Reality (MR) has been exploited in the operating rooms to perform laparoscopic and open surgery with the aim of providing remote mentoring to the medical doctors under training during the Covid-19 pandemic. The employed architecture, which has put together MR smartglasses, a Digital Imaging Player, and a Mixed Reality Toolkit, has been used for cancer surgery at the IRCCS Hospital ‘Giovanni Paolo II’ in southern Italy. The feasibility of using the conceived platform for real-time remote mentoring has been assessed on the basis of surveys distributed to the trainees after each surgery.
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- 2021
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37. Somatostatin Receptors in Merkel-Cell Carcinoma: A Therapeutic Opportunity Using Somatostatin Analog Alone or in Association With Checkpoint Inhibitors Immunotherapy. A Case Report
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Michele Guida, Alessandro D'Alò, Anita Mangia, Federica Di Pinto, Margherita Sonnessa, Anna Albano, Angela Sciacovelli, Artor Niccoli Asabella, and Livia Fucci
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immunothearpy ,somatostatin analog ,Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) ,Merkel carcinoma ,somatostatin—receptor ,Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens ,RC254-282 - Abstract
Background: Merkel-cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare, highly aggressive skin cancer typically involving elderly people. Surgery is usually the first treatment for primary tumor. In adjuvant setting, radiotherapy is effective in reducing local recurrence and in improving overall survival. Regarding advanced disease, systemic chemotherapy ended up disappointing results whereas antiPD1/antiPD-L1 immunotherapy recently gave relevant clinical benefits. Interestingly, about the half of MCC patients expresses high somatostatin receptors (SRs) to possibly represent a target for the therapeutic use of somatostatin analogs (SSAs). Nevertheless, SSAs have been little studied in MCC and cases treated with SSAs in association with checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy have not been published yet.Case Report: We report the case of a 73-year-old man affected by metastatic MCC of right arm previously treated with surgery and adjuvant radio and chemotherapy. Three years later the patient presented loco-regional relapse involving lateral-cervical, mediastinal, and submandibular lymph nodes with high value of chromogranin A and neuron specific enolase. Due to the high expression of SRs at octreoscan and immunoistochemistry, patient started octreotide 30 mg i.m. every 28 days with a good control of disease for about 2 years. A widespread progression of disease was reported afterwards. The patient started the antiPD-L1 avelumab immunotherapy, only recently available in Italy, while still taking SSA. The patient showed an impressive regression of the disease after only four cycles of avelumab until complete remission.Conclusions: SSA could be a valid therapeutic option in patients with MCC with high SR expression. When combined with PD-1/PD-L1 immune-checkpoint inhibition, SSA is likely to enhance antiproliferative activity. Our case report provides the rationale to conduct a prospective trial and translational research to verify the efficacy and safety of combined SSA and checkpoint inhibitors for advanced MCC.
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- 2020
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38. The search for a melanoma-tailored chemotherapy in the new era of personalized therapy: a phase II study of chemo-modulating temozolomide followed by fotemustine and a cooperative study of GOIM (Gruppo Oncologico Italia Meridionale)
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Michele Guida, Stefania Tommasi, Sabino Strippoli, Maria Iole Natalicchio, Simona De Summa, Rosamaria Pinto, Antonio Cramarossa, Anna Albano, Salvatore Pisconti, Michele Aieta, Ruggiero Ridolfi, Amalia Azzariti, Gabriella Guida, Vito Lorusso, and Giusepe Colucci
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Melanoma ,Chemotherapy ,Base excision repair ,MGMT ,Fotemustine ,Temozolomide ,Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens ,RC254-282 - Abstract
Abstract Background It is frequently asked whether chemotherapy can still play a role in metastatic melanoma considering the effectiveness of the available drugs today, including antiCTLA4/antiPD1 immunotherapy and antiBRAF/antiMEK inhibitors. However, only approximately half of patients respond to these drugs, and the majority progress after 6–11 months. Therefore, a need for other therapeutic options is still very much apparent. We report the first large trial of a sequential full dose of fotemustine (FM) preceded by a low dose of temozolomide (TMZ) as a chemo-modulator in order to inactivate the DNA repair action of O(6)-methylguanine DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT). Primary endpoints were overall response and safety. We also evaluated specific biological parameters aiming to tailor these chemotherapies to selected patients. Methods A total of 69 consecutive patients were enrolled. The main features included a median age of 60 years (21–81) and M1c stage, observed in 74% of the patients, with brain metastases in 15% and high LDH levels in 42% of the patients. The following schedule was used: oral TMZ 100 mg/m2 on days 1 and 2 and FM iv 100 mg/m2 on day 2, 4 h after TMZ; A translational study aiming to analyse MGMT methylation status and base-excision repair (BER) gene expression was performed in a subset of 14 patients. Results We reported an overall response rate of 30.3% with 3 complete responses and a disease control rate of 50.5%. The related toxicity rate was low and mainly of haematological types. Although our population had a very poor prognosis, we observed a PFS of 6 months and an OS of 10 months. A non-significant correlation with response was found with the mean expression level of the three genes involved in the BER pathway (APE1, XRCC1 and PARP1), whereas no association was found with MGMT methylation status. Conclusion This schedule could represent a good alternative for patients who are not eligible for immune or targeted therapy or whose previous therapies have failed. Trial registration EUDRACT 2009–016487-36l; date of registration 23 June 2010.
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- 2018
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39. The Interaction between Reactive Peritoneal Mesothelial Cells and Tumor Cells via Extracellular Vesicles Facilitates Colorectal Cancer Dissemination
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Simona Serratì, Letizia Porcelli, Francesco Fragassi, Marianna Garofoli, Roberta Di Fonte, Livia Fucci, Rosa Maria Iacobazzi, Antonio Palazzo, Francesca Margheri, Grazia Cristiani, Anna Albano, Raffaele De Luca, Donato Francesco Altomare, Michele Simone, and Amalia Azzariti
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colorectal cancer ,peritoneal carcinomatosis ,CD44 ,mesothelial cells ,MMT ,Neoplasms. Tumors. Oncology. Including cancer and carcinogens ,RC254-282 - Abstract
Advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly metastatic and often results in peritoneal dissemination. The extracellular vesicles (EVs) released by cancer cells in the microenvironment are important mediators of tumor metastasis. We investigated the contribution of EV-mediated interaction between peritoneal mesothelial cells (MCs) and CRC cells in generating a pro-metastatic environment in the peritoneal cavity. Peritoneal MCs isolated from peritoneal lavage fluids displayed high CD44 expression, substantial mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (MMT) and released EVs that both directed tumor invasion and caused reprogramming of secretory profiles by increasing TGF-β1 and uPA/uPAR expression and MMP-2/9 activation in tumor cells. Notably, the EVs released by tumor cells induced apoptosis by activating caspase-3, peritoneal MC senescence, and MMT, thereby augmenting the tumor-promoting potential of these cells in the peritoneal cavity. By using pantoprazole, we reduced the biogenesis of EVs and their pro-tumor functions. In conclusion, our findings provided evidence of underlying mechanisms of CRC dissemination driven by the interaction of peritoneal MCs and tumor cells via the EVs released in the peritoneal cavity, which may have important implications for the clinical management of patients.
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- 2021
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40. Examining the Relationship between Circulating CD4− CD8− Double-Negative T Cells and Outcomes of Immuno-Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy—Looking for Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets in Metastatic Melanoma
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Sabino Strippoli, Annarita Fanizzi, Antonio Negri, Davide Quaresmini, Annalisa Nardone, Andrea Armenio, Angela Monica Sciacovelli, Raffaella Massafra, Ivana De Risi, Giacoma De Tullio, Anna Albano, and Michele Guida
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double negative T cells ,checkpoint inhibitors ,melanoma ,immunotherapy resistance ,Cytology ,QH573-671 - Abstract
Background: The role of circulating CD4−/CD8− double-negative T cells (DNTs) in the immune response to melanoma is poorly understood, as are the effects of checkpoint inhibitors on T cell subpopulations. Methods: We performed a basal and longitudinal assessment of circulating immune cells, including DNTs, in metastatic melanoma patients treated with checkpoint blockade in a single-center cohort, and examined the correlations levels of immune cells with clinical features and therapy outcomes. Results: Sixty-eight patients (48 ipilimumab, 20 PD1 inhibitors) were enrolled in the study. Our analysis indicated that better outcomes were associated with normal LDH, fewer than three metastatic sites, an ECOG performance status of 0, M1a stage, lower WBC and a higher lymphocyte count. The increase in lymphocyte count and decrease of DNTs were significantly associated with the achievement of an overall response. The median value of DNT decreased while the CD4+ and NK cells increased in patients that responded to treatment compare to those who did not respond to treatment. Conclusions: DNT cells change during treatment with checkpoint inhibitors and may be adept at sensing the immune response to melanoma. The complementary variation of DNT cells with respect to CD4+ and other immune actors may improve the reliability of lymphocyte assessment. Further investigation of DNT as a potential target in checkpoint inhibitor resistant melanoma is warranted.
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- 2021
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41. Modification of graphene oxide by laser irradiation: a new route to enhance antibacterial activity.
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Maria A Buccheri, Daniele D’Angelo, Silvia Scalese, Simon F Spanò, Simona Filice, Enza Fazio, Giuseppe Compagnini, Massimo Zimbone, Maria V Brundo, Roberta Pecoraro, Anna Alba, Fulvia Sinatra, Giancarlo Rappazzo, and Vittorio Privitera
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GRAPHENE oxide ,IRRADIATION ,ANTIBACTERIAL agents ,RAMAN spectroscopy ,ESCHERICHIA coli - Abstract
The antibacterial activity and possible toxicity of graphene oxide and laser-irradiated graphene oxide (iGO) were investigated. Antibacterial activity was tested on Escherichia coli and shown to be higher for GO irradiated for at least three hours, which seems to be correlated to the resulting morphology of laser-treated GO and independent of the kind and amount of oxygen functionalities. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) show a reduction of the GO flakes size after visible laser irradiation, preserving considerable oxygen content and degree of hydrophilicity. SEM images of the bacteria after the exposure to the iGO flakes confirm membrane damage after interaction with the laser-modified morphology of GO. In addition, a fish embryo toxicity test on zebrafish displayed that neither mortality nor sublethal effects were caused by the different iGO solutions, even when the concentration was increased up to four times higher than the one effective in reducing the bacteria survival. The antibacterial properties and the absence of toxicity make the visible laser irradiation of GO a promising option for water purification applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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- 2016
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42. Projecte tècnic de gestió silvopastoral per a la prevenció d'incendis de les franges perimetrals a les urbanitzacions i barris limítrofes al Parc de Collserola al municipi de Barcelona
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Gerència d'Àrea d'Ecologia Urbana, Parcs i Jardins de Barcelona, Institut Municipal, Pascuum, S.C.C.L., Pauné, Ferran, Casals, Anna Alba, Ferrer, Pau, Abril, Mireia, Vilamú, Joan, and Mateos Higuera, Amelia
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Agricultura urbana ,informes altres ,Medi ambient ,Biodiversity ,Biodiversitat ,Fires ,Biodiversidad ,Urban agriculture ,Incendios ,Grazing ,Incendis ,Pastoreo ,mapes ,Pasturatge - Published
- 2021
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