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"Andrea Di Paola"
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Al-Qurainiyah, Failaka : Kuwaiti-Italian excavations 2010-2015
Geology, stratigraphic; Kuwait ; excavations (archaeology); Kuwait; Kuwait, antiquities.
Book
SGCD Missense Variant in a Lagotto Romagnolo Dog with Autosomal Recessively Inherited Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy
An 8-month-old female Lagotto Romagnolo dog was presented for a 1-month history of an initial severe reluctance to move, rapidly progressing to a marked stiff gait and progressive muscular weakness and evolving to tetraparesis, which persuaded the owner to request euthanasia. A primary muscle pathology was supported by necropsy and histopathological findings. Macroscopically, the muscles were moderately atrophic, except for the diaphragm and the neck muscles, which were markedly thickened. Histologically, all the skeletal muscles examined showed atrophy, hypertrophy, necrosis with calcification of the fibers, and mild fibrosis and inflammation. On immunohistochemistry, all three dystrophin domains and sarcoglycan proteins were absent. On Western blot analysis, no band was present for delta sarcoglycan. We sequenced the genome of the affected dog and compared the data to more than 900 control genomes of different dog breeds. Genetic analysis revealed a homozygous private protein-changing variant in the SGCD gene encoding delta- sarcoglycan in the affected dog. The variant was predicted to induce a SGCD:p.(Leu242Pro) change in the protein. In silico tools predicted the change to be deleterious. Other 770 Lagotto Romagnolo dogs were genotyped for the variant and all found to be homozygous wild type. Based on current knowledge of gene function in other mammalian species, including humans, hamsters, and dogs, we propose the SGCD missense variant as the causative variant of the observed form of muscular dystrophy in the index case. The absence of the variant allele in the Lagotto Romagnolo breeding population indicates a rare allele that has appeared recently.
Journal Article
Clinical Signs, Advanced Diagnostic Imaging Findings, Treatment, and Outcome of Mycotic Discospondylitis in 11 Dogs
Abstract
Background
Discospondylitis refers to inflammation of the intervertebral disc and adjacent vertebral endplates. The literature on mycotic discospondylitis (MD) in dogs is limited.
Objective
To describe clinical and advanced diagnostic imaging findings, therapeutic strategies, and outcomes in dogs with a confirmed diagnosis of MD.
Animals
Eleven client-owned dogs with a diagnosis of MD.
Materials and Methods
Medical records from five veterinary neurological referral centers were retrospectively reviewed between 2017 and 2024. The confirmed diagnosis of MD was based on clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and the detection of fungal hyphae in urine, intervertebral disc, or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
Results
German shepherd (GS) were the most prevalent breed (7/11). Pain was the main clinical sign reported in all dogs, associated with gait abnormalities in 9 dogs. T3-L3 neuroanatomical localization was described in 10 dogs. MRI showed multiple intervertebral disc involvement in 7 dogs. Fungal hyphae were identified in urine sediment in 5 dogs and by CT-guided needle aspiration of the affected disc in 2 dogs. Aspergillus spp. was the most common etiological agent being reported in 7 dogs. Ten dogs were dead at the end of data analysis, with a median survival time of 30 days.
Conclusion and Clinical Importance
This case series demonstrates the necessity of accurate diagnosis to set an appropriate treatment, despite the poor prognosis after antifungal therapy.
Journal Article
Clinical features of muscle cramp in 14 dogs
Abstract
Background
Muscle cramps (MCs) are prolonged, involuntary, painful muscle contractions characterized by an acute onset and short duration, caused by peripheral nerve hyperactivity.
Objectives
To provide a detailed description of the clinical features and diagnostic findings in dogs affected by MCs.
Animals
Fourteen dogs.
Methods
Multicenter retrospective case series. Cases were recruited by a call to veterinary neurologists working in referral practices. Medical records and videotapes were searched for dogs showing MCs. The follow-up was obtained by telephone communication with the owner and the referring veterinarian.
Results
Three patterns of presentation were identified depending on the number of affected limbs and presence/absence of migration of MCs to other limbs. In 9/14 (64%) of dogs, MCs were triggered by prompting the dogs to move. 8/14 (58%) dogs were overtly painful with 6/14 (42%) showing mild discomfort. The cause of MCs was hypocalcemia in 11/14 (79%) dogs: 9 dogs were affected by primary hypoparathyrodism, 1 dog by intestinal lymphoma and 1 dog by protein losing enteropathy. In 3/14 cases (21%) the cause was not identified, and all 3 dogs were German Shepherds.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
Muscle cramps can manifest in 1 of 3 clinical patterns. Muscle cramps are elicited when dogs are encouraged to move and do not always appear as painful events, showing in some cases only discomfort. The main cause of MCs in this study was hypocalcemia consequent to primary hypoparathyroidism. In dogs having MCs of unknown etiology, idiopathic disease or paroxysmal dyskinesia could not be ruled out.
Journal Article
ISGCD/I Missense Variant in a Lagotto Romagnolo Dog with Autosomal Recessively Inherited Limb-Girdle Muscular Dystrophy
An 8-month-old female Lagotto Romagnolo dog was presented for a 1-month history of an initial severe reluctance to move, rapidly progressing to a marked stiff gait and progressive muscular weakness and evolving to tetraparesis, which persuaded the owner to request euthanasia. A primary muscle pathology was supported by necropsy and histopathological findings. Macroscopically, the muscles were moderately atrophic, except for the diaphragm and the neck muscles, which were markedly thickened. Histologically, all the skeletal muscles examined showed atrophy, hypertrophy, necrosis with calcification of the fibers, and mild fibrosis and inflammation. On immunohistochemistry, all three dystrophin domains and sarcoglycan proteins were absent. On Western blot analysis, no band was present for delta sarcoglycan. We sequenced the genome of the affected dog and compared the data to more than 900 control genomes of different dog breeds. Genetic analysis revealed a homozygous private protein-changing variant in the SGCD gene encoding delta- sarcoglycan in the affected dog. The variant was predicted to induce a SGCD:p.(Leu242Pro) change in the protein. In silico tools predicted the change to be deleterious. Other 770 Lagotto Romagnolo dogs were genotyped for the variant and all found to be homozygous wild type. Based on current knowledge of gene function in other mammalian species, including humans, hamsters, and dogs, we propose the SGCD missense variant as the causative variant of the observed form of muscular dystrophy in the index case. The absence of the variant allele in the Lagotto Romagnolo breeding population indicates a rare allele that has appeared recently.
Journal Article
The variable V381 Lac and its possible connection with the R CrB phenomenon
We have performed new medium resolution spectroscopy, optical and near infrared photometry to monitor the variability of the AGB carbon star V 381 Lac. Our observations revealed rapid and deep changes in the spectrum and extreme variability in the optical and near infrared bands. Most notably we observed the change of NaI D lines from deep absorption to emission, and the progressive growing of the [N II] doublet 6548-6584 A emission, strongly related to the simultaneous photometric fading. V381 Lac occupies regions of 2MASS and WISE colour-colour diagrams typical of stars with dust formation in the envelope. The general framework emerging from the observations of V381 Lac is that of a cool AGB carbon star undergoing episodes of high mass ejection and severe occultation of the stellar photosphere reminiscent of those characterising the RCB phenomenon. Comparing the Spectral Energy Distribution obtained with the theoretical model for AGB evolution with dust in the circumstellar envelope, we can identify V381 Lac as the descendant of a star of initial mass ~2M_sun, in the final AGB phases, evolved into a carbon star by repeated Third Dredge Up episodes. According to our model the star is moderately obscured (tau_10 ~0.22) by dust, mainly formed by amorphous carbon (~80%) and SiC (~20%), with dust grain dimensions around ~0.2 micron and 0.08 micron respectively.
Paper
Mid- and Far-Infrared Variability of PV Cep
We present the collection of all the mid- and far-IR observations (3-170 um) of the young eruptive variable PV Cep available so far in the literature. These data allow us to confirm that flux variability is a prominent feature at mid-IR wavelength (3-25 um). Color-magnitude plots clearly indicate that the observed variability is not extinction-driven, but mainly influenced by fluctuations of the mass accretion rate. We interpret such variability as due to a hot spot created onto the stellar surface by the column of accreting matter, which heats the inner parts of the disk and determines the observed increase of the near- mid-IR luminosity. A quantitative characterization is given for both the spot itself and the additional thermal component created by it. Far-IR data (60-170 um) are consistent with the presence of a temperature stratification in a massive and quite un-evolved circumstellar disk.
Paper
A multi-wavelength polarimetric study of the blazar CTA 102 during a Gamma-ray flare in 2012
We perform a multi-wavelength polarimetric study of the quasar CTA 102 during an extraordinarily bright \\(\\gamma\\)-ray outburst detected by the {\\it Fermi} Large Area Telescope in September-October 2012 when the source reached a flux of F\\(_{>100~\\mathrm{MeV}} =5.2\\pm0.4\\times10^{-6}\\) photons cm\\(^{-2}\\) s\\(^{-1}\\). At the same time the source displayed an unprecedented optical and NIR outburst. We study the evolution of the parsec scale jet with ultra-high angular resolution through a sequence of 80 total and polarized intensity Very Long Baseline Array images at 43 GHz, covering the observing period from June 2007 to June 2014. We find that the \\(\\gamma\\)-ray outburst is coincident with flares at all the other frequencies and is related to the passage of a new superluminal knot through the radio core. The powerful \\(\\gamma\\)-ray emission is associated with a change in direction of the jet, which became oriented more closely to our line of sight (\\(\\theta\\sim\\)1.2\\(^{\\circ}\\)) during the ejection of the knot and the \\(\\gamma\\)-ray outburst. During the flare, the optical polarized emission displays intra-day variability and a clear clockwise rotation of EVPAs, which we associate with the path followed by the knot as it moves along helical magnetic field lines, although a random walk of the EVPA caused by a turbulent magnetic field cannot be ruled out. We locate the \\(\\gamma\\)-ray outburst a short distance downstream of the radio core, parsecs from the black hole. This suggests that synchrotron self-Compton scattering of near-infrared to ultraviolet photons is the probable mechanism for the \\(\\gamma\\)-ray production.
Paper
Discovery of a Highly Polarized Optical Microflare in the Blazar S5 0716+714 During 2014 WEBT Campaign
The occurrence of low-amplitude flux variations in blazars on hourly timescales, commonly known as microvariability, is still a widely debated subject in high-energy astrophysics. Several competing scenarios have been proposed to explain such occurrences, including various jet plasma instabilities leading to the formation of shocks, magnetic reconnection sites, and turbulence. In this letter we present the results of our detailed investigation of a prominent, five-hour-long optical microflare detected during recent WEBT campaign in 2014, March 2-6 targeting the blazar 0716+714. After separating the flaring component from the underlying base emission continuum of the blazar, we find that the microflare is highly polarized, with the polarization degree $\\sim (40-60)\\%$$\\pm (2-10)\\%\\(, and the electric vector position angle \\)\\sim (10 - 20)\\(deg\\)\\pm (1-8)\\(deg slightly misaligned with respect to the position angle of the radio jet. The microflare evolution in the \\)(Q,\\,U)\\( Stokes parameter space exhibits a looping behavior with a counter-clockwise rotation, meaning polarization degree decreasing with the flux (but higher in the flux decaying phase), and approximately stable polarization angle. The overall very high polarization degree of the flare, its symmetric flux rise and decay profiles, and also its structured evolution in the \\)Q-U$ plane, all imply that the observed flux variation corresponds to a single emission region characterized by a highly ordered magnetic field. As discussed in the paper, a small-scale but strong shock propagating within the outflow, and compressing a disordered magnetic field component, provides a natural, though not unique, interpretation of our findings.
Paper
The Connection between the Radio Jet and the γ-ray Emission in the Radio Galaxy 3C 120 and the Blazar CTA 102
We present multi-wavelength studies of the radio galaxy 3C 120 and the blazar CTA 102 during unprecedented γ-ray flares for both sources. In both studies the analysis of γ-ray data has been compared with a series of 43 GHz VLBA images from the VLBA-BU-BLAZAR program, providing the necessary spatial resolution to probe the parsec scale jet evolution during the high energy events. To extend the radio dataset for 3C 120 we also used 15 GHz VLBA data from the MOJAVE sample. These two objects which represent very different classes of AGN, have similar properties during the γ-ray events. The γ-ray flares are associated with the passage of a new superluminal component through the mm VLBI core, but not all ejections of new components lead to γ-ray events. In both sources γ-ray events occurred only when the new components are moving in a direction closer to our line of sight. We locate the γ-ray dissipation zone a short distance from the radio core but outside of the broad line region, suggesting synchrotron self-Compton scattering as the probable mechanism for the γ-ray production.
Journal Article