Sars-CoV-2 isolation from a 10-day-old newborn in Italy: A case report.

This report describes the evolution of COVID-19 in a 10 day-old-baby. The mother developed the disease immediately after childbirth and therefore a vertical transmission can be excluded. The isolation of the virus in cell culture with a cytopathic effect already visible after 48 h, indicates that the viral load of the newborn was quite high, but not serious course of the disease was observed. This paper wants to highlight the possible role of newborns and children in the spread of the disease.

Reduction of the olfactory cognitive ability in horses during preslaughter: stress-related hormones evaluation.

As horses may perceive several odour signals of danger at slaughter, application of mentholated ointment to their nostrils may limit their perception of danger. To assess the effect of the application of a mentholated ointment to horse nostrils on the stress response during pre-slaughter handling, plasma levels were evaluated for cortisol, beta-endorphin, epinephrine and norepinephrine prior to and after stunning. Twenty draught-type horses were divided into control (n=10) and treated (n=10) groups and a mentholated ointment applied to the nostrils of the treated horses following blood sampling in lairage 45 min prior to slaughter. Treatment did not affect plasma concentrations of beta-endorphin or cortisol but significantly reduced the concentrations of epinephrine and norepinephrine observed in post-stun plasma. These results indicated that mentholated ointment applied to the nostrils of horses pre-slaughter reduced their adrenergic response to the slaughter environment, implying that the stress response may be reduced with this technology.

Glycopattern analysis and structure of the egg extra-cellular matrix in the Apennine yellow-bellied toad, Bombina pachypus (Anura: Bombinatoridae).

We studied the glycopatterns and ultrastructure of the extra-cellular matrix (ECM) of the egg of the Apennine yellow-bellied toad Bombina pachypus, by light and electron microscopy in order to determine structure, chemical composition and function. Histochemical techniques in light microscopy included PAS and Alcian Blue pH 2.5 and 1.0, performed also after ß-elimination. Lectin-binding was tested with nine lectins (AAA, ConA, DBA, HPA, LTA, PNA, SBA, UEA-I, WGA). An inner fertilization envelope (FE) and five jelly layers (J1-J5) were observed, differing in histochemical staining, lectin binding and ultrastructure. Most glycans were O-linked, with many glucosamylated and fucosylated residues. The fertilization envelope presented a perivitelline space and a fertilization layer, with mostly neutral glycans. The jelly layers consisted of fibers and granules, whose number and orientation differed between layers. Fibers were densely packed in J(1) and J(4) layers, whereas a looser arrangement was observed in the other layers. Jelly-layer glycans were mostly acidic and particularly abundant in the J(1) and J(4) layers. In the J(1), J(2) and J(5) layers, neutral, N-linked glycans were also observed. Mannosylated and/or glucosylated as well as galactosyl/galactosaminylated residues were more abundant in the outer layers. Many microorganisms were observed in the J(5) layer. We believe that, apart from their functions in the fertilization process, acidic and fucosylated glycans could act as a barrier against pathogen penetration.