Use of faeces as an alternative inoculum to caecal content to study in vitro feed digestibility in domesticated ostriches (Struthio camelus var. domesticus)

In order to find an alternative source of inoculum to caecal content for studying the in vitro feed digestibility in domesticated ostriches (Struthio camelus var. domesticus), caecal content and faeces of 4 male birds were used as inocula for an in vitro gas production trial. 2. About 1 g of each of 5 substrates (maize silage, CS; alfalfa hay, AH; barley, BG; soybean meal, SM; beet pulp, BP) was weighed, in quadruplicate per inoculum, in 120 ml flasks; 75 ml of anaerobic medium and 4ml of reducing solution were added and flasks were kept at 39C. Caecal content and faeces were diluted respectively 1 : 2 (CI) and 1 : 4 (FI) with an anaerobic medium and were injected into the respective flasks (10 ml). 3. Gas production was recorded 22 times up to 120 h of incubation and fermentation characteristics (for instance, degraded organic matter, OMd; potential gas production, A; maximum fermentation rate, Rmax; time at which it is reached, Tmax; pH; volatile fatty acid, VFA; ammonia) were studied for each inoculum and substrate. 4. CI and FI showed significant differences in Tmax (1637 vs 1847 h, respectively), propionic (1647 vs 1207 mmoles/l) and butyric acid (650 vs 798 mmoles/l) and ammonia concentration (1718 vs 1995 mmoles/l). The substrates, according to their chemical composition, showed different fermentation characteristics. However, the regression equations able to estimate some fermentation characteristics of the caecum from those of faeces were statistically significant and showed R2-values ranging from 087 to 099. 5. The differences in fermentation pathways of the two inocula did not appear to influence the rate and extent of OM digestion. Faecal fermentation predicted rates and extent of OM digestion by caecal fermentation in ostriches; consequently, the faeces could be considered as an alternative to caecal content to study feed digestibility in the species, although there is a need to undertake further research. INTRODUCTION To obtain a useful feed value, it is necessary to determine digestibility specifically for ostriches, where the nutritive value of feeds used for diet formulation is very often erroneously determined using poultry. The ostrich caecum provides a suitable environment for the fermentation of dietary fibre. Feed digestibility of ostriches in vivo has been determine

Harmful and Beneficial Role of ROS

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are an unavoidable byproduct of oxygen metabolism and their cellular concentrations are determined by the balance between their rates of production and their rates of clearance by various antioxidant compounds and enzymes. For a long time ROS were thought to cause exclusively toxic effects which were associated with various pathologies, including carcinogenesis, neurodegeneration, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and aging. However, to date, it is known that while prolonged exposure to high ROS concentrations may lead to various disorders, low ROS concentrations exert beneficial effects regulating cell signaling cascades

The Impact of Telemedicine in the Diagnosis of Erythema Migrans during the COVID Pandemic: A Comparison with In-Person Diagnosis in the Pre-COVID Era

Background: Erythema migrans (EM) is the hallmark manifestation of the Lyme borreliosis (LB), and therefore its presence and recognition are sufficient to make a diagnosis and to start proper antibiotic treatment to attempt to eradicate the infection. Methods: In this study we compared the clinical data of 439 patients who presented an EM either according to the diagnostic modality through physical assessment or through telemedicine. Conclusions: Our data clearly show that telemedicine for EM diagnosis is useful as it enables prompt administration of appropriate antibiotic therapy, which is critical to avoid complications, especially for neurologic and articular entities. Therefore, telemedicine is a tool that could be adopted for the diagnosis of Lyme disease both by specialized centers but also by general practitioners

Abdominopelvic post-irradiation morphea in a prostate cancer patient: the first case of an under recognized condition

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Analysis of Devices for Thermal Energy Consumption Monitoring and Design of A Bench Test for their Characterization

Abstract The mandatory introduction in Italy of the accounting of consumption for heating and domestic hot water in centralized heating systems has determined the introduction on the market of many commercial solutions based on different measuring principles. In order to find a proper method for testing the solutions proposed by the vendors, in the present work the uncertainty of the results reachable with the different types of measuring devices has been evaluated. Based on the best theoretical results achievable with the different types of devices the scheme of a test bed for the characterization of commercial systems is proposed

Innovative time-based separation procedures for civil RPAS integration

Purpose: This paper aims to suggest feasible solutions to overcome the problem of unmanned aerial vehicles integration within the existing airspace. Design/methodology/approach: It envisages innovative time-based separation procedures that will enhance the integration in the future air traffic management (ATM) system of next generation of large remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS). 4D navigation and dynamic mobile area concepts, both proposed in the framework of Single European Sky ATM Research program, are brought together to hypothesize innovative time-based separation procedures aiming at promoting integration of RPAS in the future ATM system. Findings: Benefits of proposed procedures, mainly evaluated in terms of volume reduction of segregated airspace, are quantitatively analyzed on the basis of realistic operational scenarios focusing on monitoring activities in both nominal and emergency conditions. Eventually, the major limits of time-based separation for RPAS are investigated. Practical implications: The implementation of the envisaged procedures will be a key enabler in RPAS integration in future ATM integration. Originality/value: In the current ATM scenario, separation of RPAS from air traffic is ensured by segregating a large amount of airspace areas with fixed dimensions, dramatically limiting the activities of these vehicles

Effect of mannanoligosaccharides supplementation on caecal microbial activity of rabbits

A total of 200 weaned (35 days) hybrid Hyla rabbits were randomly divided among five groups housed in bicellular cages (20 cages per group). Between 35 and 60 days of age, the groups were submitted to the following treatments: group ANT (positive control) fed a basal diet supplemented with antibiotics (colistin sulphate, 144 mg/kg; tylosin, 100 mg/kg; and oxytetracyclin, 1000 mg/kg); groups MOS-0.5, MOS-1.0 and MOS-1.5 fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 g/kg mannanoligosaccharides (MOS), respectively; another group fed the basal diet without antibiotics or mannanoligosaccarides supplementation (negative control). Along the trial, an episode of epizootyc rabbit enteropathy occurs so that in the control group mortality rate was very high (78%) and survivor rabbits showed severe symptoms of disease (diarrhoea). Thus, the control group was discarded from the trial. At 60 days of age, samples of caecal content were collected from 10 rabbits per group and used as inocula for an in vitro gas production trial. At the end of fermentation (120 h of incubation), organic matter digestibility (OMd), cumulative gas production, fermentation kinetics, pH, volatile fatty acid (VFA) and NH3 productions were measured. Inoculum from MOS-1.0 rabbits showed the significant higher values of OMd (64.21%, P < 0.05), gas production (262.32 ml/g, P < 0.05), acetate (96.99 mmol/g OM, P < 0.05) and butyrate (26.21 mmol/g OM, P < 0.05) than the other groups. Slight differences were recorded among the groups ANT, MOS-0.5 and MOS-1.5. In addition, branched chain acids, in proportion to total VFAs, were significantly higher in MOS-1.0 inoculum (0.04, P < 0.05). MOS are able to affect fermentation activity of caecal micro-organism, but their activities seem not proportional to their level in the diet. Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2010

Use of noninvasive imaging in the management of skin cancer

6Purpose of review: To evaluate noninvasive imaging techniques in the management of skin cancers. Recent findings: In the last decades, a wide range of noninvasive imaging methods has been developed in the field of dermatooncology with the aim to detect and assess the several structural and molecular changes that characterize skin cancer development and progression. Summary: In this review, we discuss the current and emerging applications of noninvasive imaging approaches in skin cancer management, such as digital photography, dermoscopy, ultrasound sonography, reflectance confocal microscopy, optical coherence tomography, electrical impedance techniques, Raman spectroscopy, multispectral imaging, fluorescence imaging, and multispectral optoacustic tomography.partially_openopenGiuffrida, Roberta; Conforti, Claudio; Di Meo, Nicola; Deinlein, Teresa; Guida, Stefania; Zalaudek, IrisGiuffrida, Roberta; Conforti, Claudio; Di Meo, Nicola; Deinlein, Teresa; Guida, Stefania; Zalaudek, Iri

Sporotrichoid Mycobacterium marinum infection in an elderly woman

We describe the case of an elderly woman who acquired a Mycobacterium marinum infection following skin exposure to the bacteria through a small wound on her right ring finger, obtained while preparing fish. The resultant sporotrichoid nodules of the right hand and the distal forearm, refractory to the initial therapy with doxycycline and rifampicin, were successfully treated with oral regimen of clarithromycin. \ua9 2015 by the article author(s)