Morphological evolution and heritability estimates for some biometric traits in the Murgese horse breed.

A data set concerning 1,816 subjects entered in the Italian Horse Registry from 1925 to 2002 was analyzed to investigate the morphological evolution of the Murgese horse and to obtain useful elements to enhance breeding practices. Three basic body measurements (height at withers, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference) were considered for each subject. Heritabilities were calculated for each parameter to infer the growth and development traits of this breed. Over the past 20 years the Murgese horse has undergone considerable changes, passing from a typical mesomorphic structure (height at withers: 156.30 and 151.04 cm; chest girth: 185.80 and 176.11 cm; cannon bone: 21.10 and 19.82 cm for males and females, respectively) to a mesodolichomorphic structure (height at withers: 160.31 and 156.44 cm; chest girth: 187.89 and 182.48 cm; cannon bone: 21.07 and 20.37 cm, for males and females, respectively). Due to these changes and to its characteristic strength and power, the Murgese, which was once used in agriculture and for meat production (at the end of its life), is now involved in sports, mainly in trekking and equestrian tourism. The heritability estimates for the three body measurements were found to be 0.24, 0.39 and 0.44.

Cytoplasmic localization of hepatitis B core antigen in hepatitis B virus infected livers.

Routine use of commercially available antisera against hepatitis B core antigen (HBcAg) obtained from Escherichia coli transfected with HBV-DNA, has permitted a re-evaluation of the histochemical distribution of the antigen in liver tissue. HBcAg, classically described almost exclusively in the nucleus, was found with a very high frequency in the cytoplasm of liver cells. Our data indicate, however, that formalin fixation and paraffin embedding destroy part of HBcAg antigenicity and eliminate most of its cytoplasmic expression. HBcAg was found in 6/7 (85.7%) of HBsAg/HBeAg positive subjects, and in 2/12 (16/6%) of HBsAg/anti-HBe positive subjects; in both subgroups the cytoplasmic expression of the antigen correlated with the presence of circulating hepatitis B virus-deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV-DNA).

Effect of exogenous reduced glutathione on the survival of red blood cells in hemodialyzed patients.

Reduced glutathione (GSH) is an important scavenger of free radicals in the red blood cell (RBC) membrane, and its deficiency may be a partial cause of increased hemolysis and shortened RBC survival in uremics. In this study we employed exogenous GSH (1200 mg i.v. at the end of each dialysis session for at least nine months) to treat anemia in a group of 28 hemodialyzed patients, 14 of whom were also receiving erythropoietin. RBC survival (51Cr T/2) was calculated before (26 patients) and at the end (15 pts) of GSH therapy. After the first three months anemia (RBC, hemoglobin, hematocrit, reticulocytes) improved significantly in 17 patients (60%), for as long as they were under therapy, but rapidly dropped to pre-treatment values when GSH was discontinued. The 51Cr T/2 increased significantly in responders, but not in those who did not respond. No significant differences were found between responders and non-responders as regards urea KT/V, PTH, serum iron, ferritin, dialysis membrane, dose of erythropoietin and basal 51Cr T/2. These results suggest that exogenous GSH may be a promising drug for the treatment of anemia in most hemodialyzed patients, particularly considering its low cost.

Enteral nutrition in anorexia nervosa.

Biochemical and anthropometric data were collected in 9 subjects with anorexia nervosa before and after enteral nutrition by the nasogastric route. All subjects but one accepted the treatment which was stopped as soon as an adequate spontaneous food intake was resumed. Enteral nutrition caused a significant increase of mid-arm muscle circumference and of tricipital skinfold. Body weight gain was remarkable, averaging a rate of 8.22 kg/month. This value was not different from the levels attained by anorectic subjects put on total parenteral nutrition. Furthermore, a significant rise of some biochemical indexes, namely prealbumin and total iron binding capacity, was achieved. The most impressive drawbacks of enteral nutrition were occasional hypophosphatemia and moderate rise of serum aspartate and alanine aminotransferases. Both of these abnormalities were transient and apparently not associated with clinical disturbances.

Von Willebrand factor and autoantibodies against oxidized LDL in hemodialysis patients treated with vitamin E-modified dialyzers.

Oxidant stress is a well known cause of damage in the atherosclerotic process. Vitamin E is one of the most promising natural antioxidants. In this study we investigated if a vitamin E-coated dialyzer was able to reduce the plasma levels of auto-antibodies against oxidized-LDL, von Willebrand factor (vWf) and thrombomodulin (TM) as markers of endothelial damage. In this controlled 6-month prospective study, we investigated these markers in two matched groups (n=16 each) of patients on regular hemodialysis not yet diagnosed for atherosclerosis cardiovascular disease (ACVD) (mean age=58.3+/-7.0 yrs, mean dialysis age=30.1+/-10.0 months), in which cellulosic (CLS) and vitamin E-modified dialyzers (CLE) were compared. At inclusion all the patients were treated with CLS. Then, the study group was shifted to CLE for 6 months. At baseline the patients showed normal levels of vitamin E and high levels of oxLDL-Ab, vWf and TM compared to healthy subjects. In the CLE group oxLDL-Ab and vWf, but not TM levels, decreased progressively (from 472+/-287 to 264+/-199 mU/mL, p<0.0001 and from 101.1+/-7.5% to 76.7+/-18.5%; p<0.001, respectively), and vitamin E increased from 4.40+/-0.81 to 7.81+/-1.16 microg/mg of cholesterol. At the end of the study, 8 of the patients treated with CLE were randomly selected and went back to the membrane without Vitamin E for six months. They showed an significant increase in OxLDL-Ab and vWf levels and a significant reduction in tocoferol levels. In conclusion, CLE compared to cellulosic dialyzers can lower some indices of damage to LDL and endothelial cells.

Non-A, non-B hepatitis in patients on dialysis: retrospective evaluation of measures taken to limit the diffusion of the virus.

329 patients were evaluated from 1978 to 1990. 40 new cases of non-A non-B hepatitis were observed, all regarding patients on hemodialysis. Since the beginning of 1989, we introduced measures to limit the diffusion of the virus: reduction to a minimum of blood transfusions and a new disinfection protocol for monitors, instruments and surroundings. Of the 40 new cases, 30 took place between January 1985 and March 1989, only 2 later. If we consider the annual incidence before and after the introduction of preventive measures, we can observe a significant reduction in NANB hepatitis incidence in the last 2 years.

Non-A, non-B hepatitis: clinical laboratory course in patients on hemodialysis and its correlation with the presence of anti-hepatitis C virus antibodies.

136 patients on hemodialysis, 89 males and 47 females, were studied; we evaluated the index of hepatic function (SGOT and SGPT) and antibodies against HCV. We observed 42 cases of increased transaminases classified as non-A, non-B (NANB) hepatitis. Antibodies against HCV were present in 40 patients. Among 42 patients with NANB hepatitis. 31 (73.8%) presented anti-HCV antibodies. No significant clinical or laboratory difference exists between anti-HCV-positive and -negative patients with NANB hepatitis. The distribution of patients who present anti-HCV antibodies is similar in post-transfusional and sporadic forms.

Antibodies to glutaraldehyde-polymerized human albumin (anti-pHSA) in viral hepatitis.

The antibody to polymerized human albumin (anti-pHSA) was studied in normal subjects and in the course of infection from hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis non-A, non-B virus. Results show that anti-pHSA antibody was never found in normal subjects, but it appeared during virus liver pathologies. The behavior of anti-pHSA differs in acute type A hepatitis that does not change to chronic form and in those forms which tend to become chronic (B and nonA, nonB). In the type-A infection anti-pHSA disappears after the acute phase; in the other two forms it persists all along as the infection develops. Specifically in non-A, non-B infection only the IgM type anti-pHSA is produced.

[Risk factors for cystic kidney disease in hemodialysis patients]. / Fattori di rischio nella malattia cistica renale dell'emodializzato.

Acquired bilateral cystic transformation of kidneys in patients on chronic dialysis has been increasingly noted by morphological and clinical studies. Our study aims to identify a group of high-risk patients for incidence and extent of such disease. We studied with ultrasonography 87 patients on maintenance hemodialysis (60 men and 27 women), median age 58 years (range 18 to 81), mean duration of hemodialysis 75 months (range 2-256). The presence of cysts was divided into five grades from 0 no cysts to 4 more than 15 cysts detected for each kidney. 74 patients 85% of our dialytic population had acquired cystic disease; cysts varied in size from 0.5 to 4.5 cm in diameter. The cysts were found in 97% of patients dialyzed for more than 8 years and in 73% of patients on hemodialysis for less than 3 years. The incidence of cystic disease was highly and significantly correlated with the duration of dialysis, the grade correlated with duration of chronic renal failure and hemodialysis. The extent of disease appears to be increased in males. Because of high incidence of disease in long term dialysis patients ultrasonography monitoring is recommended for patients on dialysis for more than 3 years with more attention for males.

Correlation between hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid and receptors for polymerized human albumin in HBV chronic infection.

This study indicates that hepatitis B virus deoxyribonucleic acid (HBV DNA) is actually the most sensitive marker for the identification of HBV-related pathologies in active replication phase and does not correlate with serum receptor activity for polymerized human serum albumin which can be found in absence of either HBV DNA or HBeAg in HBV chronic infection.

Morphological evolution and heritability estimates for some biometric traits in the Murgese horse breed

A data set concerning 1,816 subjects entered in the Italian Horse Registry from 1925 to 2002 was analyzed to investigate the morphological evolution of the Murgese horse and to obtain useful elements to enhance breeding practices. Three basic body measurements (height at withers, chest girth, and cannon bone circumference) were considered for each subject. Heritabilities were calculated for each parameter to infer the growth and development traits of this breed. Over the past 20 years the Murgese horse has undergone considerable changes, passing from a typical mesomorphic structure (height at withers: 156.30 and 151.04 cm; chest girth: 185.80 and 176.11 cm; cannon bone: 21.10 and 19.82 cm for males and females, respectively) to a mesodolichomorphic structure (height at withers: 160.31 and 156.44 cm; chest girth: 187.89 and 182.48 cm; cannon bone: 21.07 and 20.37 cm, for males and females, respectively). Due to these changes and to its characteristic strength and power, the Murgese, which was once used in agriculture and for meat production (at the end of its life), is now involved in sports, mainly in trekking and equestrian tourism. The heritability estimates for the three body measurements were found to be 0.24, 0.39 and 0.44.