Exploring the concept of functional vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy: impact of the interaction between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone on perinatal outcomes

Background: Associations of vitamin D with perinatal outcomes are inconsistent and few studies have considered the wider calcium metabolic system. Objectives: We aimed to explore functional vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy by investigating associations between vitamin D status, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and perinatal outcomes. Design: SCOPE (Screening for Pregnancy Endpoints) Ireland is a prospective cohort study of low-risk, nulliparous pregnant women. We measured serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and PTH at 15 wk of gestation in 1754 participants. Results: Mean ± SD 25(OH)D was 56.6 ± 25.8 nmol/L (22.7 ± 10.3 ng/mL) and geometric mean (95% CI) PTH was 7.84 pg/mL (7.7, 8.0 pg/mL) [0.86 pmol/L (0.85, 0.88 pmol/L)]. PTH was elevated in 34.3% of women who had 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L and in 13.9% of those with 25(OH)D ≥75 nmol/L. Whereas 17% had 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L, 5.5% had functional vitamin D deficiency, defined as 25(OH)D <30 nmol/L with elevated PTH. Elevated mean arterial pressure (MAP), gestational hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and small-for-gestational-age (SGA) birth were confirmed in 9.2%, 11.9%, 3.8%, and 10.6% of participants, respectively. In fully adjusted regression models, neither low 25(OH)D nor elevated PTH alone increased the risk of any individual outcome. The prevalence of elevated MAP (19.1% compared with 9.7%) and SGA (16.0% compared with 6.7%) were highest (P < 0.05) in those with functional vitamin D deficiency compared with the reference group [25(OH)D ≥75 nmol/L and normal PTH]. The adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) and RR (95% CIs) for elevated MAP and SGA were 1.83 (1.02, 3.27) and 1.53 (0.80, 2.93), respectively. There was no effect of functional vitamin D deficiency on the risk of gestational hypertension (adjusted RR: 1.00; 95% CI: 0.60, 1.67) or pre-eclampsia (adjusted RR: 1.17; 95% CI: 0.32, 4.20). Conclusion: The concept of functional vitamin D deficiency, reflecting calcium metabolic stress, should be considered in studies of vitamin D in pregnancy. The SCOPE pregnancy cohort is registered at http://www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN12607000551493

Determinazione del carvacrolo mediante HRGC-MS/FID nell'orata (Sparus aurata) di acquacoltura

Le proprietà antimicrobiche del carvacrolo sono state ampiamente descritte soprattutto sulla base di osservazioni in vitro. L’ampia diffusione “zootecnica” di Sparus aurata ha determinato in questi ultimi decenni il diffondersi di patologie batteriche come la pasteurellosi e la vibriosi. La sperimentazione è stata condotta per 45 giorni su orate (Sparus aurata) del peso medio di 150 g la cui razione alimentare giornaliera è stata incorporata con l’1% di carvacrolo, e su orate alimentate con il mangime base nello stesso periodo (gruppo controllo). La frazione lipidica è stata estratta dal muscolo mediante metodo di Folch modificato. L’identificazione del carvacrolo è stata effettuata via HRGC-MS. L’analisi quantitativa è stata valutata nelle stesse condizioni cromatografiche ma con detector a ionizzazione di fiamma (FID) in presenza di standard interno (n-dodecanolo). La procedura ha consentito il recupero del 98,97% circa del carvacrolo con un limite di rilevabilità pari a 0,5 ppm

Antenatal vitamin D status is not associated with standard neurodevelopmental assessments at age 5 Years in a well-characterized prospective maternal-infant cohort

Background: Although animal studies show evidence for a role of vitamin D during brain development, data from human studies show conflicting signals. Objective: We aimed to explore associations between maternal and neonatal vitamin D status with childhood neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods: Comprehensive clinical, demographic, and lifestyle data were collected prospectively in 734 maternal-infant dyads from the Cork BASELINE Birth Cohort Study. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations were quantified at 15 weeks of gestation and in umbilical cord sera at birth via a CDC-accredited liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Children were assessed at age 5 y through the use of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test (2nd Edition, KBIT-2) and the Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL). Linear regression was used to explore associations between 25(OH)D and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Results: 25(OH)D concentrations were <30 nmol/L in 15% of maternal and 45% of umbilical cord sera and <50 nmol/L in 42% of mothers and 80% of cords. At age 5 y, the mean ± SD KBIT-2 intelligence quotient (IQ) composite score was 104.6 ± 8.6; scores were 107.2 ± 10.0 in verbal and 99.8 ± 8.8 in nonverbal tasks. Developmental delay (scores <85) was seen in <3% of children across all domains. The mean ± SD CBCL total problem score was 21.3 ± 17.5; scores in the abnormal/clinical range for internal, external, and total problem scales were present in 12%, 4%, and 6% of participants, respectively. KBIT-2 and CBCL subscale scores at 5 y were not different between children exposed to low antenatal vitamin D status, either at 30 or 50 nmol/L 25(OH)D thresholds. Neither maternal nor cord 25(OH)D (per 10 nmol/L) were associated with KBIT-2 IQ composite scores [adjusted β (95% CI): maternal –0.01 (−0.03, 0.02); cord 0.01 (−0.03, 0.04] or CBCL total problem scores [maternal 0.01 (−0.04, 0.05); cord 0.01 (−0.07, 0.09)]. Conclusion: In this well-characterized prospective maternal-infant cohort, we found no evidence that antenatal 25(OH)D concentrations are associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes at 5 y. The BASELINE Study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01498965; the SCOPE Study was registered at http://www.anzctr.org.au as ACTRN1260700055149

Prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Italian dairy herds

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been reported in human medicine as a cause of nosocomial and community-associated infections. In veterinary medicine, the microorganism has been identified in a wide range of animals and diseases, including dairy cows mastitis. Therefore, MRSA is considered an emerging threat with a high zoonotic potential. AIM - In the present study, we investigated the diffusion of MRSA in Italian dairy herds and the prevalence of infected animals at herd level. MATERIALS AND METHODS Quarter milk samples were aseptically taken from all lactating cows of 83 S. aureus infected herds and bacteriological analysis was performed by culture on blood-agar plates. The hemolytic, Gram-positiv and coagulase-positive colonies of growth were identified as S. aureus. At least four isolates morphologically representative for each herd were tested by oxacillin disk-diffusion method to detect methicillin-resistance. DNA of oxacillin resistant isolates was extracted and the presence of mecA gene was investigated by PCR. RESULTS - All oxacillin-resistant isolates were confirmed as MRSA by mecA positivity. Prevalence of S. aureus infected cows and frequency of MRSA isolation were registered at herd level. Overall prevalence of mammary infections by S. aureus ranged 0,7 - 62%: in 28 herds (33.7%) the prevalence was higher than 25%, while in 27 herds (32.5%) it was lower than 4.7%. Methicillin-resistant strains were detected in 11 farms (13,25%), all belonging to the low-prevalence group. In 5 out of such 11 herds, all S. aureus isolates were MRSA, while in the remaining 6 herds both MRSA and methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) were present. CONCLUSIONS - Our data confirmed the potential risk of subclinical mastitis caused by MRSA and suggest a low diffusiveness of these strains in infected herds. This characteristic could reduce the zoonotic potential of bovine MRSA, but the real prevalence in dairy farms could be underestimated, since bacteriological analysis of milk is usually performed only when a clear problem of mammary infections affects the herd

Capitolo 1 Avifauna selvatica: tecniche di monitoraggio sanitario Capitolo 2 infezioni da Orthomyxovirus

La globalizzazione ha determinato, anche nell\u2019avicoltura, come in tutte le attivit\ue0 umane, uniformit\ue0 fra i diversi Paesi, ma le differenti condizioni ambientali, climatiche e sociologiche, sostengono diversit\ue0 significative, sia nelle tecnologie applicate, sia nell\u2019incidenza delle diverse patologie e loro controllo. Nella scuola e nell\u2019attivit\ue0 professionale vi \ue8, dunque, la necessit\ue0 di disporre di conoscenze il pi\uf9 aderenti alle realt\ue0 del territorio. I numerosi autori, che hanno dato il loro apporto alla costituzione di questo testo, rappresentano le maggiori competenze nella Patologia Aviare Italiana