Superoxidase dismutases (SODs) in the European eel: Gene characterization, expression response to temperature combined with hormonal maturation and possible migratory implications.

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are antioxidant enzymes that protect cells from oxidation. Three SODs have been identified in mammals, but there is limited information in teleosts. This study investigates SODs in the European eel and their expression patterns during testis maturation. Phylogenetic and synteny analyses revealed SODs paralogs and their evolution in vertebrates. The eel possesses one SOD1 and two SOD2/3 (a and b), indicating SOD2 and SOD3 duplication in elopomorphs. SODs expression were then evaluated in various male and female tissues. SOD1 is more expressed in females, while SOD2a and SOD2b dominate brain-pituitary-gonad tissues in both sexes. SOD3a showed predominant expression in the ovary and the male livers, whereas SOD3b was found in the pituitary and brain of both sexes. The effects of different maturation protocols (standard hormonal treatment vs. same protocol preceded with cold seawater pre-treatment) on SODs expression during testis maturation were evaluated. Salinity increase at the onset of standard treatment at 20 °C, simulating early migration, upregulated SOD1, SOD2a, and SOD2b, coinciding with spermatogonia type A differentiated cells dominance. Thereafter, SOD2a and SOD3a decreased, while SOD2b increased during hormonal treatment-induced spermatogenesis. Pre-treatment with seawater at 10 °C, mimicking the conditions at the beginning of the seawater migration, downregulated SOD1 but increased SOD3a expression. Finally, the standard hormonal treatment, replicating spawning at higher temperatures, downregulated SOD1 in eels without any pre-treatment while SOD2a expression increased in pre-treated eels. This study revealed tissue-specific, sex-dependent, and maturation-related SOD expression patterns, predicting SODs dynamic expression profiles during their reproductive migration.

[Fragility in a Public Health perspective: principles and tools for a "life course" approach prevention- oriented]. / La Fragilità in una prospettiva di Sanità Pubblica: principi e strumenti per un approccio "life course" orientato alla prevenzione.

The Covid-19 pandemic significantly increased the workload for the Italian Health Service. There is few information in the literature on the pediatric population and on the management of pediatric hospitals. The aim of this article is to describe the management of healthcare services during Covid-19 emergency in Regina Margherita Children's Hospital. The Regina Margherita Children's Hospital is specialized in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of pediatric diseases. About 1000 health worker work in this Hospital and 278 hospitalization places are available.

A certain proportion of docosahexaenoic acid tends to revert structural and dynamical effects of cholesterol on lipid membranes.

This work investigates how docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) modifies the effect of Cholesterol (Chol) on the structural and dynamical properties of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) membrane. We employ low-cost and non-invasive methods: zeta potential (ZP), conductivity, density, and ultrasound velocity, complemented by molecular dynamics simulations. Our studies reveal that 30% of DHA added to the DPPC-Chol system tends to revert Chol action on a model lipid bilayer. Results obtained in this work shed light on the effect of polyunsaturated fatty acids - particularly DHA - on lipid membranes, with potential preventive applications in many diseases, e.g. neuronal as, Alzheimer's disease, and viral, as Covid-19.

Interaction of hydroxy-xanthones with phosphatidylcholines: The effector decreases compressibility and increases the fluidity of membranes.

This work reports the effect of hydroxy-xanthones (XAs) on 1,2-Dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-Dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) bilayers as determined by ultrasound velocimetry, densimetry and molecular dynamics simulations. XAs with different number of hydroxyl group were studied. Experimental results, in good agreement with molecular dynamics simulations, revealed that the presence of XAs in the systems studied increases fluidity while simultaneously decreses the compressibility of both membranes. This ´apparent contradiction´ ceases to exist when the particular geometrical structure of the xanthones is taken into account: the planar shape of their fused aromatic rings might allow them to pack efficiently among the hydrocarbon tails of the lipids, thus decreasing compressibility, while their presence weakens or disrupts methylene-methylene interchain interactions, thus increasing membrane fluidity and decreasing their melting temperature.

Identification and stable expression of vitellogenin receptor through vitellogenesis in the European eel.

In teleosts, vitellogenin (Vtg) is a phospholipoglycoprotein synthesized by the liver, released into the blood circulation and incorporated into the oocytes via endocytosis mediated by the Vtg receptor (VTGR) to form the yolk granules. The VTGR is crucial for oocyte growth in egg-laying animals but is also present in non-oviparous vertebrates, such as human. The VTGR belongs to the low-density lipoprotein receptor superfamily (LDLR) and is also named very-low-density lipoprotein receptor (VLDLR). In this study, we identified and phylogenetically positioned the VTGR of a basal teleost, the European eel, Anguilla anguilla. We developed quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and investigated the tissue distribution of vtgr transcripts. We compared by qRT-PCR the ovarian expression levels of vtgr in juvenile yellow eels and pre-pubertal silver eels. We also analyzed the regulation of ovarian vtgr expression throughout vitellogenesis in experimentally matured eels. The Vtg plasma level was measured by homologous ELISA experimental maturation. Our in silico search and phylogenetical analysis revealed a single vtgr in the European eel, orthologous to other vertebrate vtgr. The qRT-PCR studies revealed that vtgr is mainly expressed in the ovary and also detected in various other tissues such as brain, pituitary, gill, fat, heart, and testis, suggesting some extra-ovarian functions of VTGR. We showed that vtgr is expressed in ovaries of juvenile yellow eels with no higher expression in pre-pubertal silver eels nor in experimentally matured eels. This suggests that vtgr transcription already occurs during early pre-vitellogenesis of immature eels and is not further activated in vitellogenic oocytes. European eel Vtg plasma level increased throughout experimental maturation in agreement with previous studies. Taken together, these results suggest that vtgr transcript levels may not be a limiting step for the uptake of Vtg by the oocyte in the European eel.

Experimental and computational studies of the effects of free DHA on a model phosphatidylcholine membrane.

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6) is a natural active compound that has raised considerable interest due to its several biological effects. In this work, effects of free DHA on the physicochemical properties of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes are investigated in terms of lipid membrane structure, by means of temperature-dependent zeta potential measurements, density studies and molecular dynamics simulations. Experimental results predict, in good agreement with simulations that DHA readily incorporates into DPPC liposomes, localizing at the lipid headgroup region. These data show that DHA induces changes in the lipid bilayer structure as well as in membrane fluidity.

Reduced Models for Ferromagnetic Thin Films with Periodic Surface Roughness.

We investigate the influence of periodic surface roughness in thin ferromagnetic films on shape anisotropy and magnetization behavior inside the ferromagnet. Starting from the full micromagnetic energy and using methods of homogenization and [Formula: see text]-convergence, we derive a two-dimensional local reduced model. Investigation of this model provides an insight into the formation mechanism of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy and uniaxial anisotropy with an arbitrary preferred direction of magnetization.

Evaluation of clinicopathological features in cats with chronic gastrointestinal signs.

Food-responsive enteropathy (FRE), idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and alimentary tract lymphoma (AL) are often the remaining differentials for cats presenting with chronic gastrointestinal (GI) signs. Differential diagnosis is further complicated by overlapping clinicopathological features and histopathological changes, however. In this study we describe the clinical presentation of cats with chronic GI signs secondary to FRE, IBD, and AL, and evaluate possible associations between clinical, clinicopathological, ultrasonographic findings and diagnosis. The medical records of client-owned cats with chronic GI signs secondary to FRE, IBD, and AL were reviewed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression models and receiver-operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis were used for testing the data. Of the 56 cats included in the study, 22 were diagnosed with FRE (mean age, 70 months ± 49), 17 with IBD (mean age, 101 months ± 40), and 17 with AL (mean age, 122 months ± 45). Cats with FRE were younger and presented more often with diarrhea and less frequently with muscle wasting than cats with IBD or AL. In cats with AL, serum cobalamin levels were lower than in those with FRE or IBD (239 ± 190 ng/L vs. 762 ± 408 ng/L and 625 ± 443 ng/L, respectively) and folate levels were higher than in cats with IBD (18.2 ± 4.2 µg/L vs. 9.1 ± 4.7 µg/L, respectively). Multivariate/ROC curve analysis showed increased values of BUN (sensitivity 100, specificity 29.4, criterion >37 mg/dl) and serum folate (sensitivity 80, specificity 100, criterion >15.6 µg/L) and reduced values of cobalamin (sensitivity 100, specificity 62.5, criterion ≤540 ng/L), which suggested a diagnosis of AL versus IBD. Some clinicopathological features evaluated at diagnosis might suggest AL; however, because differentiating AL from IBD is often difficult, definitive diagnosis should be based on invasive diagnostic workup.

Novel sequence variants of viral hexon and fibre genes in two dogs with canine adenovirus type 1-associated disease.

There is little information on sequence variation of canine adenovirus type 1 (CAdV-1), the aetiological agent of infectious canine hepatitis (ICH). This study reports hexon and fibre gene sequence variants of CAdV-1 in a dog with systemic ICH and a dog with the ocular form of the disease ('blue eye') in Northern Italy in 2013. One of the sequence variants matched a CAdV-1 fox sequence previously detected in Italy.

Effects of hydroxy-xanthones on dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine lipid bilayers: A theoretical and experimental study.

Xanthones and derivatives are natural active compounds whose interest has been increased due to its several pharmacological effects. In this work, effects of hydroxy-xanthones on the physicochemical properties of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes have been investigated in terms of lipid bilayer fluidity, by means of molecular dynamics simulations and temperature dependence of zeta potential studies. Experimental results predict, in good agreement with simulations, that xanthones are able to be incorporated into DPPC liposomes with certain localization, fluidizing the bilayer. Both effects, localization and fluidity were found to be dependent of the number of hydroxilic substituents of the xanthone and the lipid phase state.

Comparison Between Ground Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Communities Foraging in the Straw Mulch of Sugarcane Crops and in the Leaf Litter of Neighboring Forests.

In many sugarcane plantations in Brazil, the straw is left on the soil after harvesting, and vinasse, a by-product of the production of sugar and ethanol, is used for fertigation. Our goal was to compare ant community composition and species richness in the straw mulch of sugarcane crops with the leaf litter of neighboring forests. We tested the hypothesis that ant communities in the straw mulch of vinasse-irrigated sugarcane crops and in the forest leaf litter were similar, because the combination of straw mulching and vinasse irrigation has a positive effect on soil fauna. Straw mulch and leaf litter were collected from 21 sites and placed in Berlese funnels. In total, 61 species were found in the forest leaf litter, whereas 34 and 28 species were found in the straw mulch of sugarcane fields with and without vinasse, respectively. Ant communities differed between forest and crop fields, but the species in the sugarcane straw mulch were a subset of the species found in the forest leaf litter. Although vinasse is rich in organic matter, it did not increase ant diversity. Seven feeding and/or foraging types were identified and, among the different types, surface-foraging omnivorous ants were the most prevalent in all habitats. Vinasse-irrigated sugarcane straw mulch had more predatory species than mulch from vinasse-free fields, but fewer than forest leaf litter. However, this positive effect of vinasse irrigation should be carefully evaluated because vinasse has negative effects on the environment.

Vinasse and Its Influence on Ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) Communities in Sugarcane Crops.

Sugarcane is an important crop within the Brazilian socioeconomic landscape. There is a constant need for approaches to increase sustainability at all steps of the production chain. Irrigating sugarcane crops with vinasse is one of these approaches, because vinasse is a residue of sugarcane processing that can be used to fertilize these same crops. However, due to its chemical properties, vinasse may be harmful to soil fauna. Analyzing the structure and functional organization of ant communities is a fast and practical way to monitor sites affected by the addition of chemicals. This study compared the structure of soil ant communities in vinasse-irrigated sugarcane crops to those in secondary forests adjacent to the crops. In total, 32 genera and 107 species of ants were observed; of these, 30 species foraged in crop fields and 102 foraged in forests. Twenty-five percent of the species were present in both crops and forests. Ant communities in crop soil had poorer taxonomic composition and lower richness in each functional group compared to communities in forest remnants. However, regardless of vegetation type, epigeic ants were more diverse, and Dorymyrmex brunneus (crop) and Pachycondyla striata (forest) were very frequent. Vinasse did not increase the diversity of epigeic and hypogeic ants, but it may affect the community composition.

Distribution of Salmonella Serovars and Antimicrobial Susceptibility from Poultry and Swine Farms in Central Vietnam.

This study was conducted to estimate the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and their antimicrobial susceptibilities on poultry and swine farms, sampled in 2 regions in Central Vietnam. A total of 67 poultry farms and 46 swine farms were sampled in a period of 5 months (from September 2012 to January 2013). Salmonella spp. was prevalent in 46.3% and 71.7% of poultry and swine farms, respectively. Altogether, 99 non-typhoidal Salmonella were isolated and the most common serovars were Salmonella Weltevreden (19%), followed by Salmonella Typhimurium (12%) and Salmonella 4,[5],12:i:- (11%). Overall, 71 of 99 (72%) Salmonella isolates were resistant to at least one of the 14 antimicrobial agents tested. Both in poultry and swine farms, high levels of resistance were observed for ampicillin, chloramphenicol, ciprofloxacin, sulphamethoxazole and tetracycline. The presence of Salmonella isolates from poultry and swine farms which were resistant to different classes of antimicrobials suggests that alternative control measures to antimicrobials should be implemented. Moreover, an effective policy should be promoted to encourage a prudent use of these agents in animal farming in Vietnam.

The use of zeta potential as a tool to study phase transitions in binary phosphatidylcholines mixtures.

Temperature dependence of the zeta potential (ZP) is proposed as a tool to analyze the thermotropic behavior of unilamellar liposomes prepared from binary mixtures of phosphatidylcholines in the absence or presence of ions in aqueous suspensions. Since the lipid phase transition influences the surface potential of the liposome reflecting a sharp change in the ZP during the transition, it is proposed as a screening method for transition temperatures in complex systems, given its high sensitivity and small amount of sample required, that is, 70% less than that required in the use of conventional calorimeters. The sensitivity is also reflected in the pre-transition detection in the presence of ions. Plots of phase boundaries for these mixed-lipid vesicles were constructed by plotting the delimiting temperatures of both main phase transition and pre-transition vs. the lipid composition of the vesicle. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) studies, although subject to uncertainties in interpretation due to broad bands in lipid mixtures, allowed the validation of the temperature dependence of the ZP method for determining the phase transition and pre-transition temperatures. The system chosen was dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine/dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC/DPPC), the most common combination in biological membranes. This work may be considered as a starting point for further research into more complex lipid mixtures with functional biological importance.

Influence of temperature, anions and size distribution on the zeta potential of DMPC, DPPC and DMPE lipid vesicles.

The purpose of the work is to compare the influence of the multilamellarity, phase state, lipid head groups and ionic media on the origin of the surface potential of lipid membranes. With this aim, we present a new analysis of the zeta potential of multilamellar and unilamellar vesicles composed by phosphatidylcholines (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamines (PE) dispersed in water and ionic solutions of polarizable anions, at temperatures below and above the phase transition. In general, the adsorption of anions seems to explain the origin of the zeta potential in vesicles only above the transition temperature (Tc). In this case, the sign of the surface potential is ascribed to a partial orientation of head group moiety toward the aqueous phase. This is noticeable in PC head groups but not in PEs, due to the strong lateral interaction between PO and NH group in PE.

Spontaneous ureteral rupture diagnosis and treatment.

Rupture of the urinary collecting system associated with perinephric or retroperitoneal extravasation of the urine is an unusual condition and it is commonly associated with renal obstructing disease. Perforation could occur at any level from the calix to the bladder but it is usually seen at the fornices and upper ureter. It may lead to several serious consequences including urinoma, abscess formation, urosepsis, infection, and subsequent irreversible renal impairment. We report a case of a 69-year-old woman who presented at the emergency department of our institution with severe abdominal pain. Due to symptomatology worsening, complete laboratory evaluation was performed and the patient underwent abdominal contrast enhanced computed tomography (CT) evaluation which showed contrast agent extravasation outside the excretory system without any evidence of renal calculi at basal acquisition. It was decided to perform a double-J stent placement which was followed by complete healing of the ureter and its removal was performed 8 weeks later. Diagnosis and therapeutic approaches are discussed.

Cytological, immunohistochemical and mutational analysis of a gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumour in a cat.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) represent a distinctive group of primary mesenchymal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract identified immunohistochemically by expression of CD117. A 10-year-old neutered female domestic shorthair cat with a history of recurrent vomiting was examined. The presence of a gastric mass was recognized and a laparotomy was performed. Cytological examination was consistent with a low-grade malignant mesenchymal tumour and histopathological investigation suggested myogenic differentiation of tumour cells. The diagnosis of GIST was confirmed by immunohistochemical expression of CD117. Sequence analysis of the KIT gene identified a deletion in exon 11. The same mutation is found often in human GISTs.