Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid from cattle with central nervous system disorders after storage for 24 hours with autologous serum

BACKGROUND: We compared the changes in cell morphology, total and differential cell counts between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples analyzed within an hour of collection (fresh sample) and after the addition of autologous serum and storage for 24 h (stored sample) in 27 cattle with central nervous system disorders. RESULTS: There was a positive linear correlation between total and differential cell counts in the fresh and the stored samples. Cell morphology was preserved in all stored samples, except for increased vacuolization of mononuclear cells and cleaved nuclei of some small mononuclear cells. In the stored CSF samples, the total nucleated cell count and monocyte percentage were decreased (P = 0.01; P = 0.03), while the lymphocyte percentage was increased (P = 0.04). Mononuclear pleocytosis diagnosed in 20 fresh samples was cytologically confirmed in 12 of the 20 stored samples. In the remaining eight stored samples, the number of total nucleated cells was within the normal range. Neutrophilic pleocytosis was confirmed in all seven stored samples. The overall agreement rate between cytologic interpretation of the fresh and the stored CSF samples was 70 % (100 % for neutrophilic pleocytosis and 60 % for mononuclear pleocytosis). CONCLUSIONS: Adding 11 % of autologous serum to CSF samples might allow delayed analysis with a good agreement rate for CSF cytological interpretation. Caution is nonetheless warranted, as animal age, anamnesis, and neurological presentation need to be considered when interpreting stored CSF without pleocytosis. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12917-015-0502-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

Access to administrative documents and to public sector information in Italy

Law No. 241 of 1990 on administrative procedure (Italian APA) established general rules on the right of access to administrative documents for the first time in the Italian legal system, which partly reproduced rules defined in sectorial legislations. From such very restrictive regime of access to administrative documents\u2014lately accompanied by a rather demagogical obligation imposed on public administrations to disclose a set of information in the context of the so-called open data policies\u2014Italy has recently moved forth to public access to data and documents held by public administrations

Early warning systems and time series modelling: a new challenge for landslide risks prevention

Nowadays, fully integrated real-time multi-parameter monitoring technologies applied to geohazards and landslides establish themselves as high standard tools. They allow collecting massive amount of multidimensional data that rise new challenges for landslide risk prevention that are illustrated in this paper. It deals with the application of statistical methodologies for the analysisof a multi-parameter data set recorded in the context of the Ruines de Séchilienne (France) active landslide. Here amonitoring system was set-up on the western edge of the existing large active zone. It is based on an integrated technological platform, which combines microseismic, geotechnical, hydrogeologicaland meteorological measurements together with three dimensional displacement measurements.The work, still in progress,evidencesdifficulties inmodellingthe times series due to theongoingself-accelerating deformation processes of the landslide. In this context,in-depth processing and analysis of multi-parameter time series remains a tricky task considering onlydata-basedstatistical methodologies. Additionalinvestigationsare being madeto set-up statistical analysismethodologies suitable for automated useon a routine basi

Monitoraggio dell'attività acustica per la valutazione della stabilità di cavità sotterranee

Lo studio dei meccanismi di degrado delle volte di cavità sotterranee, che possono condurre allo sprofondamento di porzioni di terreno in superficie, ha portato all'installazione di una strumentazione sperimentale per il monitoraggio acustico, all'interno di una miniera abbandonata in Lorena (Francia). Le prime analisi, condotte sui dati registrati durante una campagna di prove in sito, hanno contribuito alla validazione del metodo mostrando che il monitoraggio acustico è in grado di individuare e captare gli eventuali distacchi di blocchi. La ricerca, in corso di svolgimento, prevede l'approfondimento delle tecniche di analisi dei dati, attraverso l'applicazione ad altri siti strumentati, con l'obiettivo finale di localizzare le aree più attive ed i periodi di crisi, che possono precedere lo sprofondamento superficial

Monitoraggio dell'attività acustica per la valutazione della stabilità di cavità sotterranee

Lo studio dei meccanismi di degrado delle volte di cavità sotterranee, che possono condurre allo sprofondamento di porzioni di terreno in superficie, ha portato all’installazione di una strumentazione sperimentale per il monitoraggio acustico, all’interno di una miniera abbandonata in Lorena (Francia). Le prime analisi, condotte sui dati registrati durante una campagna di prove in sito, hanno contribuito alla validazione del metodo mostrando che il monitoraggio acustico è in grado di individuare e captare gli eventuali distacchi di blocchi. La ricerca, in corso di svolgimento, prevede l’approfondimento delle tecniche di analisi dei dati, attraverso l’applicazione ad altri siti strumentati, con l’obiettivo finale di localizzare le aree più attive ed i periodi di crisi, che possono precedere lo sprofondamento superficiale

Acoustic monitoring of underground instabilities in an old limestone quarry

The presence of abandoned and unstable underground cavities can give rise to a potential risk of surface collapse, particularly alarming when the presence of buildings is attested on the surface. The INERIS (Institut National de l'Environ-nement Industriel et des Risques, France) has carried out many studies, in recent years, investigating the effectiveness of several methodologies, devoted to monitor the evolution of the damaging mechanisms, reducing the risks of surface instability. Among the investigated methodologies, the acoustic monitoring has appeared a suitable technique to the detection of the damaging processes. During 2012 the Brasserie quarry, an old limestone mine located in the South-East of Paris (France) was instrumented with microphones to detect the acoustic waves generated by the collapse of blocks from the roof and the walls of the cavity. A series of tests were carried out with the aim of determining the propagation characteristics and the attenuation of the acoustic waves inside the complex geometry of the quarry. Preliminary data processing concerned the classification of the recorded signals: the analysis of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) evidenced that the quarry can be subdivided into three main areas on the base of different attenuation attitude. The presence of critical areas and paths influencing the wave propagation also emerged. The research is still in progress. Specific analyses will be carried out to deepen the aspects related to the source localisation, simulating the acoustic behaviour of the quarry to obtain maps of sound attenuation and reverberation times