Transversity Distributions and Tensor Charges of the Nucleon: Extraction from Dihadron Production and Their Universal Nature

We perform the first global quantum chromodynamics (QCD) analysis of dihadron production for a comprehensive set of data in electron-positron annihilation, semi-inclusive deep-inelastic scattering, and proton-proton collisions, from which we extract simultaneously the transversity distributions of the nucleon and π^{+}π^{-} dihadron fragmentation functions. We incorporate in our fits known theoretical constraints on transversity, namely, its small-x asymptotic behavior and the Soffer bound. We furthermore show that lattice-QCD results for the tensor charges can be successfully included in the analysis. This resolves the previously reported incompatibility between the tensor charges extracted from dihadron production data and lattice QCD. We also find agreement with results for the transversity and tensor charges obtained from measurements on single-hadron production. Overall, our work demonstrates for the first time the universal nature of all available information for the transversity distributions and the tensor charges of the nucleon.

Number Density Interpretation of Dihadron Fragmentation Functions

We present a new quantum field-theoretic definition of fully unintegrated dihadron fragmentation functions (DiFFs) as well as a generalized version for n-hadron fragmentation functions. We demonstrate that this definition allows certain sum rules to be satisfied, making it consistent with a number density interpretation. Moreover, we show how our corresponding so-called extended DiFFs that enter existing phenomenological studies are number densities and also derive their evolution equations. Within this new framework, DiFFs extracted from experimental measurements will have a clear physical meaning.

Isovector EMC Effect from Global QCD Analysis with MARATHON Data

We report the results of a Monte Carlo global QCD analysis of unpolarized parton distribution functions (PDFs), including for the first time constraints from ratios of ^{3}He to ^{3}H structure functions recently obtained by the MARATHON experiment at Jefferson Lab. Our simultaneous analysis of nucleon PDFs and nuclear effects in A=2 and A=3 nuclei reveals the first indication for an isovector nuclear EMC effect in light nuclei. We find that while the MARATHON data yield relatively weak constraints on the F_{2}^{n}/F_{2}^{p} neutron to proton structure function ratio and on the d/u PDF ratio, they suggest an enhanced nuclear effect on the d-quark PDF in the bound proton, questioning the assumptions commonly made in nuclear PDF analyses.

VALHUDES: A protocol for validation of human papillomavirus assays and collection devices for HPV testing on self-samples and urine samples

BACK GROUND

Systematic reviews have concluded that hrHPV DNA testing using target-amplification tests is as accurate on vaginal self-samples as on clinician-taken specimens for the detection of cervical precancer. However, insufficient evidence is available for specific HPV assay/self-sample device combinations.

OBJECTIVES

The VALHUDES protocol is designed as a diagnostic test accuracy study that aims to compare the clinical sensitivity and specificity of particular hrHPV assay(s) on vaginal self-samples and first-void-urine, collected in agreement with standardized protocols, with hrHPV testing on matched clinician-taken samples.

STUDY DESIGN

Five hundred enrolled women referred to a colposcopy clinic are invited to collect a first-void urine sample and one or more vaginal self-samples with particular devices before collection of a cervical sample by a clinician. Sample sets are subsequently analysed in a laboratory accredited for HPV testing. Disease verification for all enrolled patients is provided by colposcopy combined with histological assessment of biopsies.

RESULTS

A first VALHUDES study has started in Belgium in December 2017 with enrolment from four colposcopy centres. The following assays are foreseen to be evaluated: RealTime High Risk HPV assay (Abbott), cobas-4800 and -6800 (Roche), Onclarity (BD), Xpert HPV (Cepheid) and Anyplex II HPV HR (Seegene).

CONCLUSION

Given empirical evidence that the relative accuracy of HPV-testing on self- vs clinician-samples is robust across clinical settings, the VALHUDES protocol offers a framework for validation of HPV assay/self-sample device combinations that can be translated to a primary screening setting.

Nosocomial transmission of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae in an Italian university hospital: a molecular epidemiological study

AIM

To describe the phenotypic and genotypic profiles of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (KPC-Kp) strains isolated from patients with invasive infections at an Italian university hospital in order to assess the epidemiological trend.

METHODS

An observational prospective study was undertaken at the University Hospital of Sassari, Italy to detect KPC-Kp strains in patients with invasive bacteraemia. Isolates were identified phenotypically; carbapenemase production was assessed using phenotypic and genotypic methods. Sequencing of blaKPC genes, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multi-locus sequence typing were performed.

RESULTS

During the period 2015-2017, 46 cases of invasive infection with K. pneumoniae were recorded. Two-thirds (67.4%) of the patients were male, and the mean age was 69.4 years. Most patients had at least one comorbidity (56.5%) and/or had been hospitalized previously (70.5%), 81.8% had current or recent medical device use, and 85.4% had recent antibiotic exposure. The mortality rate was 52.3%. A multi-drug-resistant pattern (including carbapenems, fluoroquinolones, third-/fourth-generation cephalosporins) was shown for all K. pneumoniae isolates. KPC-3 and -2 were produced by all strains. The most common sequence types were 512 (91.3%) and 101 (8.7%), grouped into three clusters (A, A1 and B).

CONCLUSIONS

A high incidence of KPC-Kp in patients with invasive infections was recorded at an Italian university hospital compared with the incidence measured before 2015. This study confirmed the importance of the KPC-3 carbapenemase variant, as reported by other Italian studies. High mortality and comorbidity rates appear to be associated with KPC-Kp infection.

MRSA infections among patients in the emergency department: a European multicentre study

BACKGROUND

MRSA is a therapeutic concern worldwide, and a major agent of community-acquired skin and soft tissue infections (CA-SSTIs). While the US epidemiology of MRSA in CA-SSTIs is well described and reports the high prevalence of the USA300 clone, data on the European situation are lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the prevalence and clonal characteristics of MRSA in CA-SSTIs in seven European emergency departments.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From April to June 2015, patients presenting to the tertiary hospital emergency department with a Staphylococcus aureus CA-SSTI were prospectively enrolled. S. aureus isolates were characterized by antimicrobial susceptibility testing, detection of Panton-Valentine leucocidin encoding genes and spa-typing, MLST and/or DNA microarray.

RESULTS

Two-hundred and five cases of S. aureus-associated CA-SSTIs were included, comprising folliculitis, furuncles, abscesses, paronychia, impetigo, carbuncles and cellulitis. Of the 205 cases, we report an MRSA prevalence rate of 15.1%, with a north (0%) to south (29%) increasing gradient. Fifty-one isolates were Panton-Valentine leucocidin-positive (24.9%), whether MSSA or MRSA, with a heterogeneous distribution between countries. Clonal distribution of MSSA and MRSA showed high diversity, with no predominant circulating clone and no archetypical USA300 CA-MRSA clone.

CONCLUSIONS

This original prospective multicentre study highlights stark differences in European MRSA epidemiology compared with the USA, and that the USA300 CA-MRSA clone is not predominant among community-infected patients in Europe.

Antibiotic susceptibility of respiratory pathogens recently isolated in Italy: focus on cefditoren

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro antibiotic susceptibility of respiratory pathogens recently isolated in Italy to commonly used antibiotics including cefditoren. Six clinical microbiological laboratories collected, between January and September 2009, a total of 2,510 respiratory pathogens from subjects with community-acquired respiratory tract infections (CARTI). Ceftditoren, out of all the beta-lactams studied, had the lowest MIC(90 )against 965 strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae examined, followed by cefotaxime and ceftriaxone (2% resistance in penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae (PRSP)). Against 470 Haemophilus influenzae , independently of their production of beta-lactamases or ampicillin resistance, cefditoren was the oral cephalosporin with the best in vitro activity, comparable to that of the injectable cephalosporins and levofloxacin. Higher MIC(90)s were found for the macrolides (4 - 16 mg/l) and cefaclor (4 - 32 mg/l). As was foreseeable, Streptococcus pyogenes (225 strains) was uniformly sensitive to all the beta-lactam antibiotics, but the elevated MIC(90 )values reduced (<75%) susceptibility of this pathogen to macrolides. Beta-lactamase-negative Moraxella catarrhalis (100 strains) had reduced susceptibility only to the macrolides, while the 250 beta-lactamase-producing strains also had reduced susceptibility to cefuroxime. Levofloxacin showed the lowest MIC(50)/MIC(90 )values in the producing strains, whereas cefditoren, cefotaxime and ceftriaxone in the non-producers. As regards the enterobacteriaceae, cefditoren and levofloxacin had the lowest MIC(90)s against Klebsiella pneumoniae. Cefditoren and the third-generation injectable cephalosporins had the lowest MIC(90)s against Escherichia coli (100% susceptibility) while levofloxacin was less active (86% susceptibility).In conclusion, cefditoren's wide spectrum and high intrinsic activity, as well as its capacity to overcome most of the resistance that has become consolidated in some classes of antibiotics widely used as empiric therapy for CARTI, allows us to suggest that cefditoren might be included in the european guidelines as one of the first-choice antibiotics in the treatment of CARTI.

Psoas abscess ten years after ipsilateral nephrectomy for pyonephrosis

Pyogenic abscess of the psoas muscle is a rare disease. The Authors report a recently observed case which developed 10 years after ipsilateral nephrectomy for pyonephrosis, reviewing the pertinent literature. The culture of the pus extracted only reproduced Proteus mirabilis. The relation between psoas abscess and nephrectomy is unclear. To make diagnosis is important to consider this condition in differential diagnosis in presence of fever and flank tenderness in a nephrectomized patient.

[Pinworm infestation of the appendix]

The Authors present 2 cases of enterobiasis of appendix observed on a total of 186 appendicectomies. Enterobius infestation is an uncommon cause of acute appendicitis. Preoperative diagnosis of pinworm infestation is almost impossible without clinical suspect. Parasites may produce symptoms which resemble acute appendicitis but parasitic infection rarely causes it. It is also important considered in the differential diagnosis cases that mimic Crohn's disease.

[Spigelio hernia: 5-year experience]

Spigelian hernia is a rare condition of the abdominal wall; 13 cases occurred in the last five years are here reported. These patients were treated surgically, using direct reconstruction of the abdominal wall in eight cases, while a tension-free hernioplasty was utilized in five cases.

Molecular typing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis: comparison of results obtained in a multilaboratory effort using identical protocols and MRSA strains

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) has become the gold standard of molecular methods in epidemiological investigations. In spite of its high resolving power, use of the method has been hampered by inadequate laboratory-to-laboratory reproducibility. In the project described here we have addressed this problem by organizing a multilaboratory effort in which the same bacterial strains (subtype variants of the Iberian and Brazilian methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus--MRSA--clones) were analyzed by twenty investigators in thirteen different laboratories according to an indentical protocol, which is reproduced here in detail. PFGE patterns obtained were analyzed at a central laboratory in order to identify specific technical problems that produced substandard macrorestriction patterns. The results including the specific technical problems and their most likely causes are described in this communication. Also listed are seven major epidemic clones of MRSA which have been characterized by molecular fingerprinting techniques and the prototypes of which have been deposited at the American Type Culture Collection, from where they will be available for interested investigators for the purpose of typing MRSA isolates. It is hoped that this communication will contribute to the improvement of the reproducibility and technical/aesthetic quality of PFGE analysis.

Antibiotic susceptibility of group A streptococci in 2 Italian cities: Milano and Catania

Resistance to macrolides has increasingly been reported for Group A streptococci. In this study, the in vitro antibiotic susceptibility pattern of 305 clinical isolates of S. pyogenes was determined. Strains were isolated during 1996 from pharyngeal swabs of children with uncomplicated pharyngitis living in 2 Italian cities: Milano and Catania, situated in the North and South of Italy, respectively. All isolates were found to be fully susceptible to penicillin and other beta-lactam agents tested. Susceptibility to macrolides differed markedly between the two centers with relatively high resistance rates to erythromycin being observed in Milano (30%) as compared to Catania (3%). Resistance to erythromycin was always crossed with that of the other 14- and 15-membered macrolides tested. However, resistance to josamycin and clindamycin was generally found in approximately 25% of the erythromycin-resistant (ER) strains. The erythromycin-resistant isolates from Milano and Catania (58 strains) were further subdivided into the three previously described resistance phenotypes: constitutive, inducible, and novel resistance phenotypes. The novel resistance phenotype accounted for 58% of all resistant strains, while 17% and 26% were found to be of the inducible and constitutive resistance phenotypes. Strains of the novel resistance phenotype were characterized by lower MIC values (MIC90 = 16 mg/L) to 14 and 15 carbon atom macrolides as compared to the other two phenotypes (MIC90 > 128 mg/L), and retained susceptibility to clindamycin and to josamycin, a 16 carbon atom macrolide. Resistance to tetracyclines was found in 25% to 36% of the ER isolates as compared to 2% to 10% of the susceptible strains. In particular, resistance to this agent was more commonly associated to isolates belonging to the novel and constitutive resistance phenotypes. MIC values for chloramphenicol in all isolates were within the susceptible or intermediate range; decreased susceptibility to this agent did not appear to be associated with erythromycin resistance.

Elevated serum levels of interleukin-12 in chronic progressive multiple sclerosis

The serum levels of the heterodimeric cytokine IL-12 were measured by solid-phase ELISA in a group of healthy subjects, multiple sclerosis (MS) patients with secondary chronic progressive course of the disease and patients suffering from other neurological diseases (OND). Serum levels of IL-12 higher than 5 pg/ml (limit of sensitivity of the assay) were only found in 2/30 (6.7%) of the healthy subjects and none of the 8 subjects with OND. In contrast, IL-12 was found in the majority of CPMS patients' sera (10/15, 66.7%) with values ranging between 5.5 and 18.6 pg/ml. These results are suggestive for an up-regulated production of IL-12 in CPMS.

Concentrations of ceftibuten in bronchial secretions

Ceftibuten is a broad-spectrum oral cephalosporin exhibiting antimicrobial activity against a wide range of gram-negative and some gram-positive pathogens. Pharmacokinetic studies have shown that the molecule has an oral bioavailability higher than 90% of the administered dose (reaching peak serum concentrations of 5-19 mg/l after a single dose of 200 and 400 mg). Moreover, ceftibuten has been shown to be useful in the treatment of acute lower respiratory tract infections. This study was performed to determine the distribution of ceftibuten in bronchial secretions from patients affected by the exacerbation of chronic bronchitis. Patients were treated with a single 400-mg oral dose of ceftibuten. Blood and bronchial-secretion samples were obtained just before, and at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 24 h after dosing. Cells were separated from bronchial secretions by centrifugation. Ceftibuten in duplicate samples of both serum and bronchial secretion was quantified by HPLC. Ceftibuten reached peak levels 2 and 4 h after oral administration in serum and in bronchial secretions, respectively (18.12 +/- 2.13 and 9.19 +/- 3.1 mg/l, respectively). Falling curves after the peaks showed a monoexponential decay. The absorption was very rapid both in serum and bronchial secretions, but elimination was slower in bronchial secretions than in serum.

Efficacy and tolerability of brodimoprim od versus norfloxacin bid in the treatment of bacterial urinary tract infections

The efficacy and tolerability of brodimoprim OD versus norfloxacin BID were studied in patients affected by bacterial urinary tract infections. The study was performed in 203 patients divided into two parallel randomized groups orally given either brodimoprim 400 mg OD on the first day followed by 200 mg OD for 2 days, or norfloxacin 400 mg BID respectively. The efficacy of treatment was evaluated by the bacterial cultures, tolerability, analysis of signs and symptoms, a complete physical examination and from laboratory data. The results showed that brodimoprim and norfloxacin in the majority of patients resulted in a reduction of fever and symptoms caused by the infective process. Of the 103 patients enrolled in the brodimoprim OD group, 99 had a complete course of therapy with a positive outcome. There was only one case of failed treatment and 3 cases which could not be evaluated because of voluntary interruption of treatment. Of the 100 patients treated with norfloxacin BID, 94 completed therapy with a positive clinical outcome and there were 4 cases of treatment failure. Thus the efficacy of brodimoprim OD appears comparable to that of norfloxacin BID in the treatment of urinary tract infections.

Effects of pidotimod on macrophage functions in methylprednisolone-treated mice

CD-1 mice were treated with methylprednisolone (mPDN) 2-5 mg/kg s.c., for 11 or 6 days, in order to achieve an immunosuppressed state. For the same length of time a group of mice also received pidotimod ((R)-3-[(S)-(5-oxo-2-pyrrolidinyl) carbonyl]-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid. PGT/1A, CAS 121808-62-6) i.p. at 100 or 10 mg/kg. At the end of treatment, peritoneal macrophages (MO) were recovered, purified by adherence to plastic and activated in vitro with different stimuli. After 24 h of incubation, the supernatants were collected and assayed for the presence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitrite (NO2-), which is the stable derivative of nitric oxide (NO) in acqueous solution. It is well known that TNF-alpha and NO represent two out of many molecules secreted by activated MO which are essential for killing microorganisms and for natural response to infections. It was observed that MO from mPDN-treated mice were unable to produce sufficient levels of both TNF-alpha and NO when stimulated in vitro with lipopolysaccharide, IFN-gamma or conidia from an opportunistic fungus, Aspergillus fumigatus, confirming that corticosteroids are able to inhibit the antimicrobial activity of MO. However, MO from mice received mPDN plus pidotimod fully recovered the capacity to produce TNF-alpha and NO in response to the same stimuli. Optimal dose of pidotimod was 100 mg/kg. In addition, pidotimod was also able to reconstitute the cellularity of the peritoneum and of the spleens of mice immunodepressed by mPDN.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The effects of thymopentin on the development of SLE-like syndrome in the MRL/lpr-lpr mouse

Thymopentin (TP-5) is a synthetic pentapeptide that corresponds to the active 32-36 amino acid sequence of the thymic hormone thymopoietin, of which it retains all the immunomodulatory properties. In this study, we have evaluated the effects of long term prophylactic treatment with TP-5 on the clinical, immunological and histological parameters of the SLE-like syndrome that spontaneously occurs in MRL/lpr-lpr (MRL-lpr) mice. TP-5, administered (s.c.) to these mice at the doses of 1, 10 and 100 mg/kg, was given daily, five times a week, from the 9th to the 26th weeks of life. The prophylactic treatment with TP-5 prolonged in a clear dose-dependent fashion the lifespan of MRL-lpr mice as compared with PBS-treated control mice, and the effect reached statistical significance at the doses of 10 and 100 mg/kg. In parallel ex vivo studies, this clinical effect was associated with multiple profound modifications of the immune system including: (i) the reduction of the spontaneous and Con A-induced release of interleukin-4 (IL-4); (ii) the increased secretion of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-6 upon polyclonal mitogenic stimulation, and (iii) the amelioration of the defective Con A-induced lymphoproliferative response. In contrast, although the drug diminished the severity of proteinuria in MRL-lpr mice, it neither reduced histological signs of lupus nephritis nor diminished the serum titres of anti-native DNA and anti-histone autoantibodies. These results indicate that TP-5 displayed powerful immunodulatory activities in a well known model of human SLE.

Effect of antibiotics on Bordetella pertussis adhering activity: hypothesis regarding mechanism of action

Microbial adherence to epithelial cell surfaces has been implicated as the first step in the initiation of several infectious diseases. The ability of antibiotics to affect the properties of bacterial adherence to cell surfaces may be a criterion in selecting antibiotics for therapy. This study was performed in order to investigate the activity of amoxicillin, chloramphenicol, and clarithromycin in modifying the adhering activity of Bordetella pertussis to human epithelial cells. The actions of antibiotics, alone or combined with aprotinin, were compared with that of trypsin, aprotinin and trypsin+aprotinin, to investigate the chemical nature of the ligand where antibiotics could act. The adhering activity was evaluated on human epithelial cells, collected from the oral mucosa, challenged with B. pertussis A2963 previously incubated in the presence of the tested substances for 1 h at 37 degrees C in a shaker incubator. After staining, the percentage of mucosal cells with more than 50 adhering bacteria was evaluated. Under the described experimental conditions, trypsin significantly reduced the adherence of B. pertussis. Aprotinin had no effect but was able to counteract the inhibitory action of trypsin. Both clarithromycin and chloramphenicol markedly reduced adhering activity and their actions were not counteracted by aprotinin. Amoxicillin was without effect. It was hypothesized that chloramphenicol and clarithromycin, exerting their antimicrobial action by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis, affected bacterial adhesion through an unknown mechanism without proteolytic effect.

The effect of cefepime on some immune parameters in vitro: lack of interference with mitogen-induced lymphoproliferation, immunoglobulin synthesis, IFN-gamma and IL-2 secretion and IL-2 receptor expression

The possible interference of the novel antibiotic cefepime (CPE) with some functions of the immune system was investigated in vitro. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) cultured in the presence of drug concentrations ranging from 25 to 100 micrograms/ml normally maintained their responsiveness to polyclonal (PHA, Con A, PWM) mitogenic stimulation in regard to proliferative response, IgM and IgG synthesis and IFN-gamma and IL-2 secretory capacity. Moreover, PHA-induced expression of IL-2 receptors was comparable in PBMCs cultured in the presence or absence of CPE. Taken together, these data suggest that CPE does not interfere, at this specific level, with T- and B-cell mediated functions in vitro.

Antibacterial, antimycotic and trichomonicidal activity of a new nitroimidazole (EU 11100)

The antimicrobial profile of a new nitroimidazole derivative (5-nitro-1-methyl-imidazolyl-2-hydroxy-3 terbutylphenyl carbinol) has been studied. The in vitro activity of the new molecule has been evaluated against both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, Trichomonas vaginalis, and mycetes, under suitable experimental conditions. The new compound was compared with ampicillin against aerobic bacteria; with metronidazole against anaerobic bacteria, lactobacilli and T. vaginalis; with nistatin and econazole against candida and with econazole and bifonazole against filamentous fungi. The new nitroimidazole derivative has been shown to be moderately active against some anaerobic bacteria belonging to both the Gram-positive and Gram-negative groups. Its inhibitory activity against T. vaginalis was similar to that of metronidazole.

In-vitro activity of ampicillin/sulbactam and other antibiotics against clinical isolates of Haemophilus sp. and Branhamella catarrhalis

The ampicillin/sulbactam combination is one of several such drug combinations of a beta-lactam and suicide inhibitor having a wide spectrum of activity. These characteristics induced us to evaluate the in vitro activity of this combination towards 54 strains of Haemophilus sp. (38 beta-lactamase producers) and 20 strains of Branhamella catarrhalis (16 beta-lactamase producers). All strains were isolated from sputum, sinusal aspiration and tympanocentesis. In the case of Haemophilus sp beta-lactamase producers, minimal inhibitory concentrations of ampicillin were reduced 8 times by the use of the inhibitor; good results were also obtained for B. catarrhalis. Haemophilus influenzae, B. catarrhalis together with Streptococcus pneumoniae are recognized as the major pathogens involved in upper respiratory tract infections. The increasing frequency of beta-lactamase producing strains has impaired the use of aminopenicillins. The combination of an inhibitor and beta-lactam restore the activity of the latter, suggesting that this combination can serve as first choice in therapy.