MILK PAYMENT SYSTEM AS A TOOL FOR THE APPLICATION OF THE EU RULES ON HYGIENE FOODSTUFFS: DIFFERENCES RELATED TO PRODUCTION LEVEL, PROVINCE AND SEASON OF PRODUCTION

The aim of the study was to evaluate a sheep milk payment of the milk produced in Tuscany in 2006 based on fat and protein levels. Data were collected twice a month in each of the 371 farms considered. Following the Tuscany Region recommendations three different levels of payment has been created. A neutral zone where the price of the milk remained invariant and other two levels, one positive (base milk price plus bonus) and one negative (base milk price minus bonus), both calculated by statistical procedures. The results showed that the period of the year markedly influenced the price paid and thus the payment grid has to be produced accordingly to these variations. Nonetheless the application of a payment system as the one proposed here needs a strong adjustment of the farms to the new quality requirements

In vita performance and slaughter characteristics of Suffolk and Bergamasca lambs at 90 days of age

The objective of the present study was to compare in vita performance and carcass characteristics of Bergamasca and Suffolk lambs of 90 days of age. Bergamasca (15) and Suffolk (15) male lambs, originated from single and twin births equally represented, were weighed twice a month. Lambs were slaughtered to evaluate post-mortem characteristics and EUROP conformation score. Suffolk and Bergamasca lambs of 90 days of age produced carcasses with good quality; Suffolk had more compact carcasses than Bergamasca lambs whereas they showed higher percentage of intermuscular fat deposit. The results suggested that the two breeds raised with the forage-based feeding system could produce carcasses of good quality

DAIRY FARM PLANNING FOR THE RECEIPE OF EU RULES ON THE HYGIENE OF FODDSTUFFS

A shift promoted by Regione Toscana have arranged productive dairy farm guidelines for the application of Reg. CE 852/2004. The document defines risk assessment management and obligation. For guidelines drafting we used: dairy production system flowchart, chemical, physical, microbiological risk, and check list. Milk dairy production was divided into four stages: animal health and welfare, nutrition and watering regime, environment, milking hygiene and milk storage

Adult Human Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells on 3D Silk Fibroin Nonwovens Release Exosomes Enriched in Angiogenic and Growth-Promoting Factors

Background. Our earlier works showed the quick vascularization of mouse skin grafted Bombyx mori 3D silk fibroin nonwoven scaffolds (3D-SFnws) and the release of exosomes enriched in angiogenic/growth factors (AGFs) from in vitro 3D-SFnws-stuck human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). Here, we explored whether coronary artery adult human smooth muscle cells (AHSMCs) also release AGFs-enriched exosomes when cultured on 3D-SFnws in vitro. Methods. Media with exosome-depleted FBS served for AHSMCs and human endothelial cells (HECs) cultures on 3D-SFnws or polystyrene. Biochemical methods and double-antibody arrays assessed cell growth, metabolism, and intracellular TGF-β and NF-κB signalling pathways activation. AGFs conveyed by CD9+/CD81+ exosomes released from AHSMCs were double-antibody array analysed and their angiogenic power evaluated on HECs in vitro. Results. AHSMCs grew and consumed D-glucose more intensely and showed a stronger phosphorylation/activation of TAK-1, SMAD-1/-2/-4/-5, ATF-2, c-JUN, ATM, CREB, and an IκBα phosphorylation/inactivation on SFnws vs. polystyrene, consistent overall with a proliferative/secretory phenotype. SFnws-stuck AHSMCs also released exosomes richer in IL-1α/-2/-4/-6/-8; bFGF; GM-CSF; and GRO-α/-β/-γ, which strongly stimulated HECs’ growth, migration, and tubes/nodes assembly in vitro. Conclusions. Altogether, the intensified AGFs exosomal release from 3D-SFnws-attached AHSMCs and HDFs could advance grafts’ colonization, vascularization, and take in vivo—noteworthy assets for prospective clinical applications

DAIRY FARM PLANNING FOR THE RECEIPE OF EU RULES ON THE HYGIENE OF FODDSTUFFS

A shift promoted by Regione Toscana have arranged productive dairy farm guidelines for the application of Reg. CE 852/2004. The document defines risk assessment management and obligation. For guidelines drafting we used: dairy production system flowchart, chemical, physical, microbiological risk, and check list. Milk dairy production was divided into four stages: animal health and welfare, nutrition and watering regime, environment, milking hygiene and milk storage

Opposite effects of cell differentiation and apoptosis on Ap3A/Ap4A ratio in human cell cultures.

The biological role of diadenosine oligophosphates (DAOP) remains obscure in spite of numerous attempts to solve this enigma. It is known that Ap3A contrary to Ap4A accumulates in human cultured cells treated with interferons (IFNs) alpha or gamma. Since IFNs are considered as antiproliferative regulators, we assumed that different cell status may be associated with varying intracellular levels of DAOP. Promyelocytic human cell line HL60 induced by phorbol ester (TPA) to differentiate to macrophage-like cells in culture exhibits a profound loss of proliferative potential. Here we have shown a 4-5-fold increase in Ap3A concentration in HL60 cells induced by TPA, similar to the effect of IFN, while the Ap4A concentration remained unchanged. On the contrary, in cells undergoing apoptosis induced by VP16, a topoisomerase II inhibitor, the Ap3A concentration considerably decreased, while the Ap4A concentration increased. These findings combined with earlier results suggest an involvement of the Ap3A/Ap4A ratio in signal transduction pathways controlling the cell status

Biomolecular characterization of Fusarium poae strains isolated from durum wheat in central Italy.

Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) is a worldwide disease affecting wheat, barley and other grains, reducing kernel weight and grain yield; infected seeds may contain a large number of mycotoxins, including trichothe- cenes of type A and B. These compounds have already been associated with human and animal toxicoses. Most common species causing the disease are F. graminearum, F. culmorum and F. avenaceum, but in the last few years a gradual increase in incidence of another species, F. poae, has been reported. In general terms, F. poae is a relatively weak pathogen, but its contribute to the increase of mycotoxins level still has to be clarified. Durum wheat is widely cultivated in the central part of Italy, however the effective incidence of F. poae in this area still has to be investigated. In order to monitor Fusarium risk, we collected dozens of F. poae strains on seeds and glumes of durum wheat coming from some of the most important cultivated areas of Central Italy. Every isolate was identified both by microscope observation and by PCR assay with the primer pair Fp82 F/R. Strains were therefore subjected to a more accurate molecular characterization by Translation Elongation Factor 1-alpha (TEF-1α) gene sequencing.

Le basi essenziali di Neuroanatomia Clinica e Neurofisiologia

Traduzione di “MANTER’S AND GATZ’S ESSENTIALS OF CLINICAL NEUROANATOMY AND NEUROPHYSIOLOGY” di S. Gilman e S. Winans Newman, 10a ed.F.A. DAVIS CO. PHILADELPHIA, PA, US