Listeria monocytogenes HAZARD MANAGEMENT IN A TYPICAL PRODUCT: THE CIAUSCOLO

The aim of the present study is to investigate operative procedures that allow to minimize Listeria monocytogenes (L. m.) hazard in the main traditional sausage of the internal areas of Marche (Italy): the Ciauscolo, that has received the quality trademark PGI. It is made from lean cuts of well mature pork that is finely minced, adding fat which give the salami his characteristic softness and flavour. It is characterized by having a very little maturing period that determine high aw levels and, for this peculiarity, it allows L. m development

Low-lipid diet reduces frequency and severity of acute migraine attacks

Background and aim: There is uncertainty regarding the prevention of migraine crises by changing the lifestyle of patients. The aim of this randomized, crossover intervention trial was to evaluate the effects of a low lipid intake on the incidence and severity of migraine crises, in comparison to a diet with moderate lipid intake. Methods and results: After a 2-month run-in when patients received preventive medication but were left on their habitual diet, a low-lipid or a normal-lipid diet was randomly prescribed for 3 months and thereafter diets were crossed over for the following 3 months. Headache was diagnosed based on the International Classification of Headache Disorders (IHCD) III criteria. The number and severity of attacks were assessed using a self-reported calendar. Adherence to the diet was assessed by a food frequency questionnaire. An analysis was performed on the 83 episodic or chronic migraineurs (63 female and 20 male), in the age range of 18e57 years, who completed both intervention periods. Obese subjects had a significantly higher number of attacks than those overweight or with normal body weight (24.7 8, 16.3 12, and 15.6 11, respectively, p < 0.03) with a significant relationship between the body mass index (BMI) and the number of monthly attacks (r Z 0.238, p < 0.03). The number (2.9 3.7 vs. 6.8 7.5, p < 0.001) and severity (1.2 þ 0.9 vs. 1.7 0.9, p < 0.01) of attacks significantly decreased during both intervention periods, with a significant difference in favour of the lowlipid diet. Conclusions: In this group of patients, the low-lipid diet significantly affected the number and severity of migraine attacks in comparison to a normal-lipid diet

Sonic hedgehog is expressed in human brain arteriovenous malformations and induces arteriovenous malformations in vivo

Abnormalities in arterial versus venous endothelial cell identity and dysregulation of angiogenesis are deemed important in the pathophysiology of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). The Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway is crucial for both angiogenesis and arterial versus venous differentiation of endothelial cells, through its dual role on the vascular endothelial growth factor/Notch signaling and the nuclear orphan receptor COUP-TFII. In this study, we show that Shh, Gli1 (the main transcription factor of the Shh pathway), and COUP-TFII (a target of the non-canonical Shh pathway) are aberrantly expressed in human brain AVMs. We also show that implantation of pellets containing Shh in the cornea of Efnb2/LacZ mice induces growth of distinct arteries and veins, interconnected by complex sets of arteriovenous shunts, without an interposed capillary bed, as seen in AVMs. We also demonstrate that injection in the rat brain of a plasmid containing the human Shh gene induces the growth of tangles of tortuous and dilated vessels, in part positive and in part negative for the arterial marker \u3b1SMA, with direct connections between \u3b1SMA-positive and -negative vessels. In summary, we show that the Shh pathway is active in human brain AVMs and that Shh-induced angiogenesis has characteristics reminiscent of those seen in AVMs in humans

Assessing learning and memory in pigs

In recent years, there has been a surge of interest in (mini) pigs (Sus scrofa) as species for cognitive research. A major reason for this is their physiological and anatomical similarity with humans. For example, pigs possess a well-developed, large brain. Assessment of the learning and memory functions of pigs is not only relevant to human research but also to animal welfare, given the nature of current farming practices and the demands they make on animal health and behavior. In this article, we review studies of pig cognition, focusing on the underlying processes and mechanisms, with a view to identifying. Our goal is to aid the selection of appropriate cognitive tasks for research into pig cognition. To this end, we formulated several basic criteria for pig cognition tests and then applied these criteria and knowledge about pig-specific sensorimotor abilities and behavior to evaluate the merits, drawbacks, and limitations of the different types of tests used to date. While behavioral studies using (mini) pigs have shown that this species can perform learning and memory tasks, and much has been learned about pig cognition, results have not been replicated or proven replicable because of the lack of validated, translational behavioral paradigms that are specially suited to tap specific aspects of pig cognition. We identified several promising types of tasks for use in studies of pig cognition, such as versatile spatial free-choice type tasks that allow the simultaneous measurement of several behavioral domains. The use of appropriate tasks will facilitate the collection of reliable and valid data on pig cognition

Expression of the transcription factor Hes3 in the mouse and human ocular surface, and in pterygium

Purpose: In this work we examined the presence of the neural stem cell biomarker Hairy and Enhancer of Split 3 (Hes3) in the anterior eye segment and in the aberrant growth condition of the conjunctiva pterygium. Further, we studied the response of Hes3 to irradiation. Materials and methods: Adult mouse and human corneoscleral junction and conjunctiva, as well as human pterygium were prepared for immunohistochemical detection of Hes3 and other markers. Total body irradiation was used to study the changes in the pattern of Hes3 expression. Results: The adult rodent and human eye as well as pterygium, contain a population of cells expressing Hes3. In the human eye, Hes3-expressing (Hes3+) cells are found predominantly in the subconjunctival space spanning over the limbus where they physically associate with blood vessels. The cytoarchitecture of Hes3 + cells is similar to those previously observed in the adult central nervous system. Furthermore, irradiation reduces the number of Hes3 + cells in the subconjunctival space. In contrast, irradiation strongly promotes the nuclear localization of Hes3 in the ciliary body epithelium. Conclusions: Our results suggest that a recently identified signal transduction pathway that regulates neural stem cells and glioblastoma cancer stem cells also operates in the ocular surface, ciliary body, and in pterygium