ABSTRACT
The centre of the Milky Way Galaxy hosts a black hole with a solar mass of about 4 million (Sagittarius A* (Sgr A)) that is very quiescent at present with a luminosity many orders of magnitude below those of active galactic nuclei1. Reflection of X-rays from Sgr A* by dense gas in the Galactic Centre region offers a means to study its past flaring activity on timescales of hundreds and thousands of years2. The shape of the X-ray continuum and the strong fluorescent iron line observed from giant molecular clouds in the vicinity of Sgr A* are consistent with the reflection scenario3-5. If this interpretation is correct, the reflected continuum emission should be polarized6. Here we report observations of polarized X-ray emission in the direction of the molecular clouds in the Galactic Centre using the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer. We measure a polarization degree of 31% ± 11%, and a polarization angle of -48° ± 11°. The polarization angle is consistent with Sgr A* being the primary source of the emission, and the polarization degree implies that some 200 years ago, the X-ray luminosity of Sgr A* was briefly comparable to that of a Seyfert galaxy.
ABSTRACT
Pulsar wind nebulae are formed when outflows of relativistic electrons and positrons hit the surrounding supernova remnant or interstellar medium at a shock front. The Vela pulsar wind nebula is powered by a young pulsar (B0833-45, aged 11,000 years)1 and located inside an extended structure called Vela X, which is itself inside the supernova remnant2. Previous X-ray observations revealed two prominent arcs that are bisected by a jet and counter jet3,4. Radio maps have shown high linear polarization of 60% in the outer regions of the nebula5. Here we report an X-ray observation of the inner part of the nebula, where polarization can exceed 60% at the leading edge-approaching the theoretical limit of what can be produced by synchrotron emission. We infer that, in contrast with the case of the supernova remnant, the electrons in the pulsar wind nebula are accelerated with little or no turbulence in a highly uniform magnetic field.
ABSTRACT
High-grade gliomas (HGGs; WHO grades III and IV) are invariably lethal brain tumors. Low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity (HRS) of HGG is a well-established phenomenon in vitro. However, possibly linked to the unavailability of accurate animal models of the diseases, this therapeutic effect could not be consistently translated to the animal setting, thus impairing its subsequent clinical development. The purpose of this study was to develop radiotherapeutic (RT) schedules permitting to significantly improve the overall survival of faithful animal models of HGG that have been recently made available. We used primary glioma initiating cell (GIC)-driven orthotopic animal models that accurately recapitulate the heterogeneity and growth patterns of the patients' tumors, to investigate the therapeutic effects of low radiation doses toward HGG. With the same total dose, RT fractions ≤0.5 Gy twice per week [ultra-hyper-fractionation (ultra-hyper-FRT)] started at early stages of tumor progression (a condition that in the clinical setting often occurs at the end of the guidelines treatment) improved the effectiveness of RT and the animal survival in comparison to standard fractions. For the same cumulative dose, the use of fractions ≤0.5 Gy may permit to escape one or more tumor resistance mechanisms thus increasing the effectiveness of RT and the overall animal survival. These findings suggest investigating in the clinical setting the therapeutic effect of an ultra-hyper-FRT schedule promptly extending the conventional RT component of the current guideline ("Stupp") therapeutic protocol.
Subject(s)
Brain Neoplasms , Glioma , Brain Neoplasms/pathology , Brain Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Dose Fractionation, Radiation , Glioma/pathology , Glioma/radiotherapy , HumansABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Barrett's esophagus (BE) and esophagitis share potentially modifiable risk factors such as obesity, smoking, and alcohol. The role of diet on BE and esophagitis is still debated. AIMS: The objective of this study was to examine the association between some dietary habits and the risk of BE and esophagitis in Italy. METHODS: A multicenter case-control study involving 1285 individuals was carried out in 12 areas. Patients with a new diagnosis of BE (320) or esophagitis (359) and a group of endoscopic controls (606) were included. Information on personal history and dietary habits was collected using a structured questionnaire. RESULTS: No clear monotonic significant dose-response relationship was found for most of the considered food items. Nevertheless, the most extreme consumption category of red meat, cold cuts, dairy products, and fried foods showed esophagitis risk excesses varying from 19 to 49%. A higher fat rich diet seemed to increase risk by 49% for BE and 94% for esophagitis. A downward tendency in esophagitis (- 27%) and BE risk (- 20%) was found associated with higher frequency of fresh fruit intake. In addition, a statistically significant twofold increased risk for both BE and esophagitis was found for subjects eating late evening snacks more than once every three days in comparison with the lowest intake category (no consumption). CONCLUSIONS: BE and esophagitis patients appeared to be more likely than controls to follow a diet rich in fats and poor in fruit and vegetables. Late evening snacks were found to be associated with both disorders.
Subject(s)
Barrett Esophagus/etiology , Esophagitis/etiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Barrett Esophagus/epidemiology , Case-Control Studies , Diet , Dietary Fats , Esophagitis/epidemiology , Feeding Behavior , Female , Fruit , Humans , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , Time Factors , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this experiment was to compare conventional antioxidants and plant extracts for oxidative stress control in lambs fed a high-concentrate diet. METHODS: Forty-eight male Dorper×Santa Ines lambs with an initial weight of 20±1.49 kg and 60 days of age, were used to evaluate the effects of feeding a combination of Macleaya cordata and Magnolia officinalis plant extracts (0 vs 320 mg/kg dry matter [DM]) in combination with selenium+vitamin E (0 vs 100 IU/kg DM of vitamin E and 0.1 mg/kg DM of selenium) in a completely randomized block design in a 2×2 factorial arrangement. The animals were housed in individual pens and received a high-concentrate diet consisting of 80% whole corn and 20% protein pellet for 60 days. The animals were weighed at the beginning of the experiment and every 14 days for performance monitoring. Three blood samplings were performed during the experimental period for the evaluation of oxidative and protein parameters. RESULTS: The treatments with vitamin E and selenium as additives had a positive influence on final weight, daily weight gain, carcass weight, and selenium content in longissimus muscle (p = 0.01). Plant extracts tended to improve final weight (p = 0.064) and daily weight gain (p = 0.059), showing similar effect as selenium and vitamin E. There was no effect of treatment on blood proteins, indicating that the animals were healthy throughout the experiment. CONCLUSION: The use of plant extracts had a similar effect as the addition of selenium and vitamin E, with dietary inclusion of additives resulting in better performance of lambs but both supplements did not have strong influence on oxidative stress.
ABSTRACT
Knowledge about the association between alcohol and Barrett's oesophagus and reflux oesophagitis is conflicting. In this case-control study we evaluated the role of specific alcoholic beverages (red and white wine, beer and liquors) in 339 Barrett's oesophagus and 462 oesophagitis patients compared with 619 endoscopic controls with other disorders, recruited in twelve Italian endoscopic units. Data on alcohol and other individual characteristics were obtained from structured questionnaires. No clear, monotonic significant dose-response relationship was pointed out for red wine. However, a generalised U-shaped trend of Barrett's oesophagus/oesophagitis risk due to red wine consumption particularly among current drinkers was found. Similar results were also found for white wine. Liquor/spirit consumption seemed to bring about a 1·14-2·30 risk excess, although statistically non-significant, for current Barrett's oesophagus/oesophagitis drinkers. Statistically significant decreasing dose-response relationships were found in Barrett's oesophagus for frequency and duration of beer consumption. Similar, but less clear downward tendencies were also found for oesophagitis patients. In conclusion, although often not statistically significant, our data suggested a reduced risk of Barrett's oesophagus and oesophagitis with a low/moderate intake of wine and beer consumption. A non-significant increased risk of Barrett's oesophagus/oesophagitis was observed with a higher intake of any type of heavy alcohol consumption, but no conclusion can be drawn owing to the high number of non-spirit drinkers and to the small number of drinkers at higher alcohol intake levels.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Drinking/adverse effects , Barrett Esophagus/etiology , Esophagitis/etiology , Ethanol/adverse effects , Adult , Aged , Beer , Case-Control Studies , Esophagitis/pathology , Female , Humans , Italy/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Risk Factors , WineABSTRACT
The role of oxidative stress (OS) in female reproduction is an understudied area for investigation. The aim of the study was to assess reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels both in follicular fluid (FF) and in serum samples of women undergoing IVF and to relate them to clinical outcomes. A total of 56 women were enrolled. From each patient a sample of serum and FF were collected at oocyte retrieval day and analyzed for OS, by measuring a class of reactive oxygen metabolites (ROMs) (dROMs test) and for biological anti-oxidant potential levels (BAP test). The data analyzed in serum and in FF were related to pregnancy outcomes. There was no significant relationship between d-ROMs and BAP levels in serum or FF GROUP A and B and the clinical parameters of prognosis of women: age, number of oocytes retrieved number of oocytes methaphase II, FSH, fertilization rate and cleavage rate, number of embryos transferred and embryo score. There was a positive association between systemic levels of OS measured in serum GROUP A and pregnancy outcomes (p = 0.007) suggesting that the evaluation of OS in FF needs more investigation about markers in follicular microenvironment in order to predict IVF success.
Subject(s)
Follicular Fluid/chemistry , Oxidative Stress , Reactive Oxygen Species/blood , Reproductive Techniques, Assisted , Adult , Female , Humans , PregnancyABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Breed or genotype is important to consider for developing appropriate eating quality in lamb. The objectives of this study were to compare physical and chemical parameters and sensory acceptance of longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle from six lamb breed types economically important to the Brazilian sheep-raising chain. RESULTS: No difference (P > 0.05) among samples was found in relation to L(*) , a(*) and b(*) parameters. However, differences were detected in shear force for the LL muscle produced by different breeds (P < 0.05), where animals without definite breed (WDB) showed higher shear force, whereas the lowest levels were observed for breed Hampshire Down, followed by Ile de France and the Dorper/Santa Inês cross-breed (Dorper/SI). In relation to sensory acceptance, no difference (P > 0.05) was detected in aroma attribute for all breed types tested. For the attributes texture, juiciness, flavor and overall quality, differences were detected (P < 0.05), Dorper/SI, Hampshire Down and Suffolk cross breeds received the best scores, while Santa Inês received intermediate evaluations, and Ile de France and WDB were the least accepted. CONCLUSION: Under the conditions evaluated in this study, meat from Dorper/SI and Hampshire Down cross-breeds showed better eating quality, satisfying most consumers.
Subject(s)
Breeding , Food Quality , Meat , Sheep/genetics , Adult , Animals , Brazil , Consumer Behavior , Female , Genotype , Humans , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , Male , Meat/analysis , Muscle, Skeletal/chemistry , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , Sensation , Shear Strength , Smell , Species Specificity , TasteABSTRACT
This study aimed to evaluate the influence of medium voltage electrical stimulation (ES) at three different intensities, 200 V (Treatment 200 V, T200), 300 V (Treatment 200 V, T300), and 400 V (Treatment 400 V, T400) on the initial pH decline in post mortem muscle and the quality parameters on M. longissimus thoracis - Nellore beef, both throughout the ageing process and during frozen storage. The colour, cooking loss, and shear force parameters for samples of aged beef were determined. Additional parameters, like thaw loss, pH, and lipid oxidation were also analyzed for the frozen storage. The shear force and cooking loss decreased and colour parameters increased in Nellore beef ES compared with CON on ageing time (14 days). At frozen storage, quality parameters like pH, a*, and b* were reduced over time, and no negative effect on lipid oxidation was found. Electrical stimulation at 200 V demonstrated effectiveness for decreasing shear force to Nellore beef (M. longissimus thoracis) during frozen storage. The application of medium voltage electrical stimulation can contribute to improved quality and tenderness in Nellore beef, both during ageing and frozen storage conditions.
Subject(s)
Meat , Muscle, Skeletal , Animals , Cattle , Meat/analysis , Muscle, Skeletal/physiology , Electric Stimulation , Hydrogen-Ion Concentration , LipidsABSTRACT
Several studies have established an association between iron chelation therapy with deferasirox and hematopoietic improvement in patients with myelodysplastic syndromes. There are no data from patients with ß-thalassemia major. In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated the absolute number of several hematopoietic peripheral progenitors (colony-forming unit-granulocyte/macrophage, erythroid burst-forming units, colony-forming unit-granulocyte/erythrocyte/macrophage/megakaryocyte, and long-term culture-initiating cells) in 30 patients with ß-thalassemia major (median age 29.5 years, 40% males) and 12 age-matched controls. For the ß-thalassemia major patients, data on splenectomy status, the type of iron chelator used, and serum ferritin levels reflecting changes in iron status on the chelator were also retrieved. All patients had to be using the same iron chelator for at least 6 months with >80% compliance. The absolute number of all hematopoietic peripheral progenitors was higher in ß-thalassemia major patients than in controls, and varied between splenectomized and non-splenectomized patients (lower number of erythroid burst-forming units and higher numbers of colony-forming unit-granulocyte/macrophage, colony-forming unit-granulocyte/erythrocyte/macrophage/megakaryocyte, and long-term culture-initiating cells). The number of erythroid burst-forming units was significantly higher in patients taking deferasirox (n=10) than in those taking either deferoxamine (n=10) or deferiprone (n=10) (P<0.05). After adjusting for age, sex, splenectomy status, and serum ferritin changes, the association between a higher absolute number of erythroid burst-forming units in deferasirox-treated patients than in patients taking deferoxamine or deferiprone remained statistically significant (P=0.011). In conclusion, in ß-thalassemia major patients, compared with other iron chelators, deferasirox therapy is associated with higher levels of circulating erythroid burst-forming units. This variation is independent of iron status changes and is more likely to be due to the type of chelator.
Subject(s)
Chelation Therapy/methods , Hematopoietic Stem Cells/drug effects , Iron Chelating Agents/therapeutic use , beta-Thalassemia/drug therapy , Adult , Benzoates/therapeutic use , Blood Cell Count , Colony-Forming Units Assay , Cross-Sectional Studies , Deferasirox , Deferiprone , Deferoxamine/therapeutic use , Erythroid Precursor Cells/cytology , Erythroid Precursor Cells/drug effects , Female , Ferritins/blood , Flow Cytometry , Hematopoietic Stem Cells/cytology , Humans , Linear Models , Male , Multivariate Analysis , Myeloid Progenitor Cells/cytology , Myeloid Progenitor Cells/drug effects , Pyridones/therapeutic use , Splenectomy , Triazoles/therapeutic use , Young Adult , beta-Thalassemia/bloodABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Survival rates for metastatic melanoma (MM) patients have improved in recent years, leading to major expenses and health resource use. We conducted a non-concurrent prospective study to describe the burden of hospitalization in a real-world setting for patients with MM. METHODS: Patients were tracked throughout all hospital stays in 2004-2019 by means of hospital discharges. The number of hospitalizations, the rehospitalization rate, the average time spent in the hospital and the time span between consecutive admissions were evaluated. Relative survival was also calculated. RESULTS: Overall, 1570 patients were identified at the first stay (56.5% in 2004-2011 and 43.7% in 2012-2019). A total of 8583 admissions were retrieved. The overall rehospitalization rate was 1.78 per patient/year (95%CI = 1.68-1.89); it increased significantly with the period of first stay (1.51, 95%CI = 1.40-1.64 in 2004-2011 and 2.11, 95%CI = 1.94-2.29 thereafter). The median time span between hospitalizations was lower for patients hospitalized after 2011 (16 vs. 26 months). An improvement in survival for males was highlighted. CONCLUSIONS: The hospitalization rate of patients with MM was higher in the last years of the study. Compared with a shorter length of stay, patients were admitted to hospitals with a higher frequency. Knowledge of the burden of MM is essential for planning the allocation of healthcare resources.
Subject(s)
Melanoma , Neoplasms, Second Primary , Male , Humans , Prospective Studies , Hospitalization , Length of Stay , Melanoma/therapy , Patient ReadmissionABSTRACT
A deadly embrace occurs between cancer and chronic kidney disease. The estimation of kidney function in cancer patients is of utmost interest due to its direct impact on chemotherapy dosing, selection, and eligibility for chemotherapeutics. Overestimating kidney function (determined as estimated glomerular filtration rate -eGFR) can lead to overdosing and drug toxicity, while underestimating kidney function can prevent patients from receiving novel therapies. Notably, the current measures of eGFR are not validated in transplanted patients yet. The field of onconephrology ranges from nephrotoxicity of existing and novel therapeutics, paraproteinemias, and cancer-associated electrolyte imbalance, fluid and acid-base disturbances, the effects of the destruction of cancer cells, and acute and/or chronic kidney injuries. Recently, the therapeutic armamentarium has been enriched with new agents that interfere with specific proteins involved in oncogenesis. These are the so-called target therapies, which although acquired as "targeted" therapies do not have absolute specificity and selectivity and tend to inhibit multiple targets, often involving the kidney. Renal biopsy may be critical in managing these adverse effects. Moreover, primary hematological and oncological disorders can have significant kidney implications in the form of glomerular or nonglomerular diseases presenting with proteinuria, hematuria, hypertension, and kidney function decline, specifically including cast nephropathy or systemic light chain amyloidosis, and paraneoplastic glomerulopathies that occur as a result of occult malignancy, such as Membranous Nephropathy and Minimal Change disease.
Subject(s)
Amyloidosis , Glomerulonephritis, Membranous , Neoplasms , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic , Humans , Kidney/pathology , Kidney Glomerulus/pathology , Neoplasms/complications , Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/pathology , Glomerular Filtration RateABSTRACT
The treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has changed dramatically with the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). Despite encouraging results, their efficacy remains limited to a subgroup of patients. Circulating immune checkpoints in soluble (s) form and associated with extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent promising markers, especially in ICI-based therapeutic settings. We evaluated the prognostic role of PD-L1 and of two B7 family members (B7-H3, B7-H4), both soluble and EV-associated, in a cohort of advanced NSCLC patients treated with first- (n = 56) or second-line (n = 126) ICIs. In treatment-naïve patients, high baseline concentrations of sPD-L1 (>24.2 pg/mL) were linked to worse survival, whereas high levels of sB7-H3 (>0.5 ng/mL) and sB7-H4 (>63.9 pg/mL) were associated with better outcomes. EV characterization confirmed the presence of EVs positive for PD-L1 and B7-H3, while only a small portion of EVs expressed B7-H4. The comparison between biomarker levels at the baseline and in the first radiological assessment under ICI-based treatment showed a significant decrease in EV-PD-L1 and an increase in EV-B7H3 in patients in the disease response to ICIs. Our study shows that sPD-L1, sB7-H3 and sB7-H4 levels are emerging prognostic markers in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with ICIs and suggests potential EV involvement in the disease response to ICIs.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/drug therapy , B7-H1 Antigen , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology , Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use , PrognosisABSTRACT
Neridronate is a third generation bisphosphonate with established efficacy in metabolic bone disease. In this randomized, open-label study, 118 adults with ß-thalassaemia and bone mineral density (BMD) Z scores ≤-2·0 were randomized 1:1-500 mg calcium with 400 international unis (iu) vitamin D daily or 500 mg calcium with 400 iu vitamin D daily plus neridronate 100 mg intravenously every 90 d. Significant increases in BMD at the lumbar spine and total hip were noted in the neridronate group at 6 and 12 months from baseline (P < 0·001), and values were significantly higher than the control group at both time intervals. Neridronate also significantly decreased serum bone alkaline phosphatase and C-telopeptide of collagen type 1 levels from as early as 3 months (P = 0·04 and P < 0·001, respectively), reaching significantly lower values at 12 months compared with the control group (P < 0·05). Reductions in back pain and analgesic use were also evident, starting 3 months from commencing treatment. Treatment was well tolerated by all patients. In this largest randomized trial in thalassaemia-induced osteoporosis to date, neridronate was safe and effective in reducing bone resorption and increasing BMD. The associated reduction in back pain and improved quality of life will encourage adherence to therapy. (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01140321.).
Subject(s)
Bone Density Conservation Agents/therapeutic use , Bone Density/drug effects , Diphosphonates/therapeutic use , Osteoporosis/drug therapy , beta-Thalassemia/complications , Adolescent , Adult , Alkaline Phosphatase/blood , Back Pain/etiology , Back Pain/prevention & control , Biomarkers/blood , Bone Density Conservation Agents/adverse effects , Bone Remodeling/drug effects , Collagen Type I/blood , Diphosphonates/adverse effects , Female , Femur Neck/physiopathology , Hip Joint/physiopathology , Humans , Lumbar Vertebrae/physiopathology , Male , Middle Aged , Osteoporosis/etiology , Osteoporosis/physiopathology , Peptides/blood , Quality of Life , Treatment Outcome , Young AdultABSTRACT
Based on data from 103 surveys of Puerto Rican migrants living in Florida and 54 in-depth interviews with a subgroup of them, we examine how Puerto Ricans who left the archipelago after Hurricane Maria have navigated settlement in their new homes. In this article, we observed and classified our participants' descriptions of how they managed opportunities and challenges regarding education, employment, and social relations, the traditional benchmarks for the assessment of societal integration. We also observed how our participants described Covid-19's interaction with these benchmarks. We found that our participants have experienced a series of cascading disasters since 2017-namely, Hurricane Maria, the earthquakes that affected Puerto Rico starting in late 2019, the humanitarian crises that followed both disasters, and now the global pandemic. These disasters, compounded with migration, have resulted in a process of adaptation to Florida in which social and labor-market integration and the ability to nurture social ties have been significantly diminished.
Basándonos en los datos de 103 encuestas con migrantes puertorriqueños residentes en Florida y cincuenta y cuatro entrevistas a fondo con un subgrupo de estas personas, examinamos cómo los puertorriqueños que abandonaron el archipiélago después del huracán María han lidiado con la adaptación a sus nuevos hogares. En este artículo observamos y clasificamos las descripciones de los participantes: cómo manejaron las oportunidades y los retos relacionados con la educación, el empleo y las relaciones sociales, que son los puntos de referencia tradicionales para evaluar la integración social. Observamos también cómo los participantes describían la interacción de la pandemia de COVID-19 con estos puntos de referencia. Encontramos que estas personas han experimentado una serie de desastres en cascada desde 2017, específicamente el huracán María, los terremotos que comenzaron a afectar a Puerto Rico a finales de 2019, las crisis humanitarias que siguieron a ambos desastres y ahora la pandemia global. Estos desastres, agravados por la migración, han tenido como resultado un proceso de adaptación a la Florida en el cual ha disminuido significativamente la integración social y laboral y la capacidad de nutrir los vínculos sociales.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Rare tumors (RT) collectively account for one quarter of all malignancies in Italy. The low frequency and the large heterogeneity in natural history and outcome of individual diseases, together with a scarcity of epidemiological information make them a challenge for clinical practice, as well as for public healthcare organizations. We conducted a retrospective study to quantify the burden of hospitalization in a real-word setting in patients diagnosed with these diseases in an Italian region. METHODS: RT patients were tracked along all hospital stays from 2000 to 2019 using hospital discharge records. Frequency of hospitalizations, average time spent in hospital and median timespan between consecutive admissions were considered. Re-hospitalization rates were analyzed through a multivariable negative binomial regression analysis to adjust for confounding and allowing for over-dispersion in count data. RESULTS: As a whole, 57,329 patients were identified at first stay for all studied tumors. A total of 183,959 admissions were retrieved, along a median of 3 hospitalizations per patient. Median timespan between hospitalizations shortened in the course of the study years (12.5 months in 2000-2004 to 5.4 months in 2015-2019). The overall re-hospitalization rate increased from 0.92 per patient/year (95% CI = 0.81-1.04) in 2000-2004 to 2.17 (95% CI = 1.90-2.47) in 2015-2019. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the hospitalization rate of patients with a RT increased in the twenty years since the 2000 and particularly doubled starting from 2015. A higher burden of hospitalizations was found for tumors of the central nervous system, thoracic cavity, digestive tract and sarcomas. To the best of our knowledge this is the first paper related to access to Italian healthcare facilities of patients with these tumors.
Subject(s)
Hospitalization , Neoplasms , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Neoplasms/epidemiology , Italy/epidemiologyABSTRACT
The proteome basis for the biological variations in color and tenderness of longissimus thoracis muscle from ½ Angus (Bos taurus taurus) × ½ Nellore (Bos taurus indicus) crossbred steers was evaluated in a completely randomized experimental design consisting of four treatments (n = 9 per treatment): 1) feedlot finished, high growth rate (FH); 2) feedlot finished, low growth rate (FL); 3) pasture finished, high growth rate (PH); and 4) pasture finished, low growth rate (PL). The following comparisons were made to evaluate the effects of finishing systems and growth rates on muscle proteome: 1) FH × PL; 2) FL × PH; 3) FH × FL; and 4) PH × PL. Sixteen protein spots were differentially abundant among these comparisons (P ≤ 0.05), which were distinguished in two major clusters, energy metabolism- and muscle structure-related proteins that impacted glycolysis, carbon metabolism, amino acid biosynthesis and muscle contraction pathways (FDR ≤ 0.05). For FH × PL comparison, triosephosphate isomerase (TPI), phosphoglucomutase-1 (PGM1) and phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) were overabundant in FH beef whereas troponin T (TNNT3), α-actin (ACTA1) and myosin regulatory light chain 2 (MYLPF) were overabundant in PL beef. For the FL × PH comparison, PGM1, phosphoglycerate mutase 2 (PGAM2) and annexin 2 (ANXA2) were overabundant in PH beef. For the FH × FL comparison, AMP deaminase (AMPD1) and serum albumin (ALB) were overabundant in FH beef whereas glycogen phosphorylase (PYGM) was overabundant in FL beef. For the PH × PL comparison, myoglobin (MB) was overabundant in PH beef whereas PYGM and MYLPF were overabundant in PL beef. In non-aged beef, L* was positively correlated with PGM1 (r = 0.54) while tenderness was negatively correlated with PGAM2 (r = -0.74) and ANXA2 (r = -0.60). In 7-d aged beef, color attributes (L*, a* and b*) were positively correlated with PGM1 (r = 0.67, 0.64 and 0.64, respectively) while tenderness was negatively correlated with TNNT3 (r = -0.57), PGK1 (r = -0.52) and MYLPF (r = -0.66). Therefore, finishing systems and growth rate affected the muscle proteome profile, which was related to beef color and tenderness. Additionally, these results suggest potential biomarkers for beef color (PGM1 and PGAM2) and tenderness (ANXA2, MYLPF, PGK1 and TNNT3).
Subject(s)
Muscle Proteins , Proteome , Animals , Cattle , Glycolysis , Muscle Proteins/metabolism , Paraspinal Muscles/metabolism , Proteome/metabolismABSTRACT
Magnetars are neutron stars with ultrastrong magnetic fields, which can be observed in x-rays. Polarization measurements could provide information on their magnetic fields and surface properties. We observed polarized x-rays from the magnetar 4U 0142+61 using the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer and found a linear polarization degree of 13.5 ± 0.8% averaged over the 2- to 8-kilo-electron volt band. The polarization changes with energy: The degree is 15.0 ± 1.0% at 2 to 4 kilo-electron volts, drops below the instrumental sensitivity ~4 to 5 kilo-electron volts, and rises to 35.2 ± 7.1% at 5.5 to 8 kilo-electron volts. The polarization angle also changes by 90° at ~4 to 5 kilo-electron volts. These results are consistent with a model in which thermal radiation from the magnetar surface is reprocessed by scattering off charged particles in the magnetosphere.
ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different Se sources and concentrations on glutathione forms and cholesterol metabolism in beef cattle. Sixty-three Nellore bulls (412 ± 19 kg body weight (BW); 24 mo old) were randomly assigned to a completely randomized design in a 2 × 3 + 1 factorial arrangement (63 pens; one animal/pen) with two Se sources (sodium selenite, ING and Se-yeast, ORG), three concentrations (0.3, 0.9, and 2.7 mg supplemental Se/kg dry matter (DM)), and control treatment (without Se supplementation) fed for 90 d. Blood samples were collected on day 0, 28, 56, and 84. Muscle and liver samples were collected at harvest. Hepatic GSSG (P = 0.004), GSH/GSSG ratio (P = 0.030), and GSH-Px (P = 0.004) were affected by Se source × concentration interaction. Oxidized glutathione was higher in the ORG group vs. ING at concentration 2.7 mg supplemental Se/kg DM, but at 0.3 mg supplemental Se/kg DM the ING group was higher than ORG. The liver GSH-Px activity was higher in the ORG group vs. ING at concentration 0.9 and 2.7 mg supplemental Se/kg DM. The GSH/GSSG ratio was the highest in animals fed 0.3 mg supplemental Se/kg DM of ORG. Selenium liver concentration increased linearly with the supplemental Se concentration in the diet (y = 0.0583 + 0.4254x, R2 = 0.92, P < 0.0001), regardless of source. Total meat cholesterol was greater (P < 0.001) in CON (control) vs. SUP (supplemented, regardless source) group. The muscle GSH-Px activity was higher (P < 0.001) in SUP vs. CON and increased (P < 0.004) with increasing supplemental Se concentrations. There was an increase on very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), glucose, and triglycerides in ORG vs. ING (P ≤ 0.035). In general, serum Se was higher (P < 0.001) in SUP vs. CON and increased with increasing supplemental Se concentration. Lastly, the 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) concentration was lower (P = 0.002) in SUP (0.39 ng/mL) vs. CON (0.55 ng/mL). Selenium supplementation with different sources and concentrations has the potential to affect cholesterol metabolism by affecting GSH/GSSG ratio, GSH-Px, and the HMGCR.
Subject(s)
Selenium , Animal Feed/analysis , Animals , Cattle , Cholesterol , Dietary Supplements , Glutathione Peroxidase , Male , Selenium/pharmacology , Sodium SeleniteABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: This work was carried out to evaluate the effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) and ractopamine hydrochloride (RH) combined with immunocastration on the welfare traits of feedlot Nellore cattle. METHODS: Ninety-six Nellore males (average body weight [BW] = 409±50 kg; average 20 mo of age) were divided into two groups according to BW; half of the animals in each group received two doses of an immunocastration (ImC) vaccine in a 30 day interval, and the other half did not receive the vaccine (NoC). Afterward, the animals were housed and fed a common diet for 70 days. Then, they were split into three groups and fed one of the following diets for 30 additional days: control (CO) diet, with no ß-AA; ZH diet, containing 80 mg/d ZH; and RH diet, containing 300 mg/d RH. Welfare traits were assessed by monitoring body surface temperature using infrared thermography (IRT) and plasma cortisol and temperament measurements. RESULTS: There was no interaction between sexual condition and diet for any trait. The ImC and NoC groups did not differ in rectal and ocular temperatures. The ImC animals had higher flight speeds (p = 0.022) and tended to have higher cortisol levels (p = 0.059) than the NoC animals. Animals fed ZH and RH did not differ in cortisol levels, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, temperature measured by IRT, or temperament behaviour. CONCLUSION: The ImC animals showed a less stable temperament during handling practices than NoC, whereas ZH and RH supplementation had no adverse effects on animal welfare.