Effect of intramuscular injections of DL-α-tocopheryl acetate on growth performance and extracellular matrix of growing lambs.

The effect of intramuscular injections of vitamin E on growth, carcass traits, intramuscular collagen (IMC) characteristics and decorin of growing lambs was studied. A total of 24 15-day-old Ile de France suckling male lambs were divided into two groups and weekly intramuscular injections of DL-α-tocopheryl acetate (control group, 0 IU; Vitamin E treatment, 150 IU) were given until the lambs were 64 days old. Lambs were individually weighted at 15, 29, 43, 57 days of age and at slaughter (71 days old). Dry matter intake and average daily weight gain were recorded. Hot and cold carcass weights were recorded and dressing percentages were calculated after dressing and chilling (2°C to 4°C for 24 h). Carcass shrink losses were calculated as well. Longissimus muscle (LM) pH and area were measured. The pelvic limb was removed and its percentage was calculated based on cold carcass weight. IMC and decorin analyses were assessed on LM and semimembranosus muscle (SM). DL-α-tocopheryl acetate treatment reduced (P<0.05) collagen maturity and increased (P<0.05) decorin in both LM and SM muscles of growing lambs, while it did not affect IMC content. In addition, vitamin E did not influence growth, carcass weight, dressing percentage, carcass shrink losses and area of LM but decreased (P<0.05) the pelvic limb percentage. The LM pH values were higher (P<0.05) in vitamin group than in control group. Furthermore, different IMC characteristics between the muscles (P<0.01) were apparent. Multiple intramuscular injections of DL-α-tocopheryl acetate influence extracellular matrix in lambs, which could affect meat tenderness

growth performance meat quality traits and genetic mapping of quantitative trait loci in 3 generations of japanese quail populations coturnix japonica

Abstract The current research was conducted to compare growth, carcass traits, pH, intramuscular collagen (IMC) properties, and genetic bases of IMC and carcasses (breast-muscle weight) of different lines and generations of adult males and females of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Forty-four quails (generation F0), 22 Pharaoh (F-33) meat-type males and 22 Standard (S-22) laying-type females, were crossed to produce the F1 hybrids generation. The F2 generation was created by mating one F1 male with one F1 female, full siblings. The birds, randomly chosen from F0 (22 males and 22 females), F1 (22 males and 22 females), and F2 (84 males and 152 females) were raised to 20 wk of age in collective cages. Quails were fed ad libitum commercial diets. At slaughter, all birds were individually weighed (after a fasting period of 12 h) and dressing yield (without giblets) was calculated. The carcasses were then dissected. Genomic DNA was extracted from all of the blood, and 30 microsatellite markers located on 2 quail chromosomes were genotyped. The F- 33 quails had higher in vivo and postmortem performances and a higher abdominal fat percentage than those of the egg line. Meat from S- 22 quails had a slower collagen maturation (hydroxylysylpyridinoline crosslink/collagen) and a higher ultimate pH. The F1 and F2 generations showed an evident sexual dimorphism, and an additional effect could be due to hybrid heterosis evident in F2. Meat from quails of F1 and F2 generations had a lower IMC amount with a higher degree of collagen maturation compared with parental lines. Two statistically significant QTL have been detected on quail chromosome 2 (CJA02): a QTL with an additive effect (0.50) for IMC in the marker bracket GUJ0037 and GUJ0093; a second QTL with additive (1.32) and dominant (1.91) effects for breast-muscle weight in the marker bracket GUJ0084 and GUJ0073. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a QTL associated with breast-muscle weight and IMC in quail and poultry species, respectively

PEGASO: LONG DURATION BALLOONS FROM NORTH POLE

In a joint effort, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and Andoya Rocket Range (ARR) have initiated the development of a European balloon center in Svalbard, Norway that is an ideal location for performing Long Duration Balloon (LDB) flights. After the identification of the launch location several light balloon flights have been performed since 2003. The 2004 campaign utilized a 10000 m³ balloon produced for the program by Aerostar of Sulfur Springs, Texas USA. This flight lasted 40 days and was an excellent test of the small PEGASO payload, developed (for use in Antarctica) by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) with the PNRA (Progetto Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide) sponsorship. This payload uses an IRIDIUM based bi-directional telemetry system. During summer 2005 two flights have been performed using balloons of the same size. They carried an updated telemetry and a scientific payload which analyzed the magnetic field of the Earth. The Institute of Information Science and Technology (ISTI-CNR) team computed predictions of the balloons trajectories, both before and during flights, as well as statistical evaluations of the seasonal flight windows at the beginning of the ASI LDB program. The 2004 and 2005 missions have been defined to investigate the stratospheric winds structure and they tested the possibility for future heavy LDB flights. The Italian scientific community foresees this kind of missions from 2007-2008 campaigns. Next sections, starting from a general overview of the Italian LDB program, give the description of the Pegaso flights and, in particular, the adopted technical solutions for the on-board and ground-based equipments.PublishedVOLTERRA, PISA1.10. TTC - Telerilevamentoope

PEGASO: LONG DURATION BALLOONS FROM NORTH POLE

In a joint effort, the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and Andoya Rocket Range (ARR) have initiated the development of a European balloon center in Svalbard, Norway that is an ideal location for performing Long Duration Balloon (LDB) flights. After the identification of the launch location several light balloon flights have been performed since 2003. The 2004 campaign utilized a 10000 m³ balloon produced for the program by Aerostar of Sulfur Springs, Texas USA. This flight lasted 40 days and was an excellent test of the small PEGASO payload, developed (for use in Antarctica) by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV) with the PNRA (Progetto Nazionale di Ricerche in Antartide) sponsorship. This payload uses an IRIDIUM based bi-directional telemetry system. During summer 2005 two flights have been performed using balloons of the same size. They carried an updated telemetry and a scientific payload which analyzed the magnetic field of the Earth. The Institute of Information Science and Technology (ISTI-CNR) team computed predictions of the balloons trajectories, both before and during flights, as well as statistical evaluations of the seasonal flight windows at the beginning of the ASI LDB program. The 2004 and 2005 missions have been defined to investigate the stratospheric winds structure and they tested the possibility for future heavy LDB flights. The Italian scientific community foresees this kind of missions from 2007-2008 campaigns. Next sections, starting from a general overview of the Italian LDB program, give the description of the Pegaso flights and, in particular, the adopted technical solutions for the on-board and ground-based equipments

Association of kidney disease measures with risk of renal function worsening in patients with type 1 diabetes

Background: Albuminuria has been classically considered a marker of kidney damage progression in diabetic patients and it is routinely assessed to monitor kidney function. However, the role of a mild GFR reduction on the development of stage 653 CKD has been less explored in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. Aim of the present study was to evaluate the prognostic role of kidney disease measures, namely albuminuria and reduced GFR, on the development of stage 653 CKD in a large cohort of patients affected by T1DM. Methods: A total of 4284 patients affected by T1DM followed-up at 76 diabetes centers participating to the Italian Association of Clinical Diabetologists (Associazione Medici Diabetologi, AMD) initiative constitutes the study population. Urinary albumin excretion (ACR) and estimated GFR (eGFR) were retrieved and analyzed. The incidence of stage 653 CKD (eGFR &lt; 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) or eGFR reduction &gt; 30% from baseline was evaluated. Results: The mean estimated GFR was 98 \ub1 17 mL/min/1.73m2 and the proportion of patients with albuminuria was 15.3% (n = 654) at baseline. About 8% (n = 337) of patients developed one of the two renal endpoints during the 4-year follow-up period. Age, albuminuria (micro or macro) and baseline eGFR &lt; 90 ml/min/m2 were independent risk factors for stage 653 CKD and renal function worsening. When compared to patients with eGFR &gt; 90 ml/min/1.73m2 and normoalbuminuria, those with albuminuria at baseline had a 1.69 greater risk of reaching stage 3 CKD, while patients with mild eGFR reduction (i.e. eGFR between 90 and 60 mL/min/1.73 m2) show a 3.81 greater risk that rose to 8.24 for those patients with albuminuria and mild eGFR reduction at baseline. Conclusions: Albuminuria and eGFR reduction represent independent risk factors for incident stage 653 CKD in T1DM patients. The simultaneous occurrence of reduced eGFR and albuminuria have a synergistic effect on renal function worsening

A statistical analysis of low-frequency magnetic pulsations at cusp and cap latitudes in Antarctica

We report a statistical analysis of low-frequency magnetic variations (magnetic pulsations, 0.8–7 mHz) at South Pole (74 S corrected geomagnetic latitude) and Terra Nova Bay (80 S) during 1996. The results show that at South Pole (at cusp latitudes) the pulsation power exhibits two maxima during the day, one in the local premidnight and the other in the morning. The first maximum disappears when the analysis is restricted to northward interplanetary magnetic field conditions (Bz > 1 nT), suggesting that it might be associated to substorm phenomena. During closed magnetospheric conditions, when the cusp is expected to be located poleward with respect to the station, the spectral and polarization characteristics of pulsations between 1 and 3 mHz suggest that resonant oscillations of the outermost closed field lines commonly occur at South Pole in the local morning. At Terra Nova Bay, in the polar cap, the pulsation power is much lower and its diurnal variation is characterized by a single maximum, which occurs around local noon, when the station approaches the cusp. The corresponding polarization pattern indicates that Terra Nova Bay is always located poleward with respect to resonant field lines

Flower constellation of millimeter-wave radiometers for tropospheric monitoring at pseudogeostationary scale

In this paper, the design of a minisatellite FLOwer constellation (FC), deploying millimeter-wave (MMW) scanning RADiometers, namely, FLORAD, and devoted to tropospheric observations, is analyzed and discussed. The FLORAD mission is aimed at the retrieval of thermal and hydrological properties of the troposphere, specifically temperature profile, water-vapor profile, cloud liquid content, and rainfall and snowfall rate. The goal of frequent revisit time at regional scale, coupled with quasi-global coverage and relatively high spatial resolution, is here called pseudogeostationary scale and implemented through a FC of three minisatellites in elliptical orbits. FCs are built on compatible (resonant) orbits and can offer several degrees of freedom in their design. The payload MMW channels for tropospheric retrieval were selected following the ranking based on a reduced-entropy method between 90 and 230 GHz. Various configurations of the MMW radiometer multiband channels are investigated, pointing out the tradeoff between performances and complexity within the constraint of minisatellite platform. Statistical inversion schemes are employed to quantify the overall accuracy of the selected MMW radiometer configurations