Influence of age at weaning and nutritive value of weaning diet on growth performance and caecal traits in rabbits

[EN] To investigate the relationship between dietary nutrient concentration and weaning age on growth performance and caecal characteristics of rabbits, a trial was carried out on 64 litters (eight rabbits/litter) comparing two weaning ages (25 vs. 34 d) and two diets (HC: high concentrated and LC: low concentrated diet) offered to the kits from 18 to 34 d of age. At 34 d of age 54 animals per group were caged individually and all were fed the LC diet until 45 d of age. All animals were then fed a standard fattening diet (37% neutral detergent fiber, 3.4% ether extract and 18.0% crude protein on dry matter basis) until slaughter at 80 d. The digestibility trial was performed from 56 to 60 d of age on another group of 16 rabbits (8 per diet). During the experimental period (18-80 d of age), feed intake and animal weights were recorded. Caecal volatile fatty acids were measured at 45 and 80 d of age, while microbiological analysis was performed at 25 and 34 d on healthy suckling rabbits. Digestibility of dry matter, protein, neutral detergent fiber, fat and energy was higher in rabbits fed the HC diet (by 7.7, 7.4, 13.1, 26.7, 10.6%, respectively; P<0.001) than in those fed the LC diet. Growth rate and feed conversion ratio (FCR) from 18 to 34 d improved by 7.7 and 9.5% in rabbits fed HC in comparison to the LC diet, respectively (P¿0.061). Diet offered around weaning did not influence growth rate or FCR from 34 to 80 d of age. Rabbits weaned earlier increased feed intake (by 67.8%) from 25 to 34 d, but reduced growth rate (by 26.8%) compared to animals weaned at 34 d (P<0.001). Early weaning reduced live weight during the entire fattening period (P¿0.018), as well as the FCR (by 4%; P<0.001). Caecal pH was lower at 45 d of age in rabbits weaned at 25 d than in those weaned at 34 d (5.53 vs. 5.83; P=0.019). Treatments did not affect total caecal VFA concentration, but HC diet decreased caecal acetic concentration and increased butyric acid level compared to the LC diet at 45 d (P¿0.001). HC diet tended to reduce caecal counts of Enterobacteriacae (P=0.093), while it did not affect facultative anaerobic bacteria, E. Coli and Costridium spp. The LC diet increased at 25 d the number of Clostridium perfringens in comparison with the HC group at the same age and in comparison with animals fed both two diets at 34 d (P<0.001). The values of E. Coli and Enterobacteriaceae increased (P¿0.008) from 25 to 34 d of age, whereas that of Clostridium spp. decreased. Weaning at 25 d increased mortality from 18 to 34 d compared with rabbits weaned at 34 d (7.02 vs. 2.46%, P=0.017). However, during the fattening period (34-80 d) rabbits weaned earlier showed lower mortality (7.41 vs. 17.6%; P=0.024).This work has been realized within the CUNISVEZZ research project financed by the Agricultural Department of the Regione Lombardia as part of the 2004 research and development plan, d.g.r. 30/04/2004 n. VII/17326. The authors wish to thank Nicoletta Cesari for her technical assistance.Cesari, V.; Grilli, G.; Ferrazzi, V.; Toschi, I. (2009). Influence of age at weaning and nutritive value of weaning diet on growth performance and caecal traits in rabbits. World Rabbit Science. 17(4):195-205. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2009.64419520517

The sustainability of urban food systems : the case of mozzarella production in the city of Milan

Background: Urban food production in the developed world has recently been facing the challenge of feeding the world\u2019s cities adequately and on a sustainable basis, and innovative models of food production can help this transition. Nevertheless, this field of research largely focuses on primary food production\u2014so-called urban farming\u2014while the subsequent steps of the food chain have scarcely been investigated. In this context, this study aimed to provide a preliminary evaluation of urban food processing, taking mozzarella cheese production in the city of Milan as a case study. Methods: Five urban farmers participated in a direct survey aiming at identifying how sustainable this specific production chain can be considered. Results: Results demonstrated that the concept of urban food production is really valorized through measures able to enhance the global sustainability of the food production process only in some of the dairy micro- enterprises and that the economic dimension must be considered the variable most critically involved in hampering the global sustainability of this specific food chain. Conclusions: This research suggests the need to disseminate a global governance of urban supply chains and to support local activities, which represent a sensitive and strategic sector

OP18.01: Prognostic role of findings at sonohysterography in post‐menopausal patients with abnormal uterine bleeding and abnormal uterine transvaginal sonography

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Predictive value of hematological and phenotypical parameters on postchemotherapy leukocyte recovery

Background: Grade IV chemotherapy toxicity is defined as absolute neutrophil count &lt;500/μL. The nadir is considered as the lowest neutrophil number following chemotherapy, and generally is not expected before the 7th day from the start of chemotherapy. The usual prophylactic dose of rHu-G-CSF (Filgrastim) is 300 μg/day, starting 24-48 h after chemotherapy until hematological recovery. However, individual patient response is largely variable, so that rHu-G-CSF doses can be different. The aim of this study was to verify if peripheral blood automated flow cytochemistry and flow cytometry analysis may be helpful in predicting the individual response and saving rHu-G-CSF. Methods: During Grade IV neutropenia, blood counts from 30 cancer patients were analyzed daily by ADVIA 120 automated flow cytochemistry analyzer and by Facscalibur flow cytometer till the nadir. "Large unstained cells" (LUCs), myeloperoxidase index (MPXI), blasts, and various cell subpopulations in the peripheral blood were studied. At nadir rHu-G-CSF was started and 81 chemotherapy cycles were analyzed. Cycles were stratified according to their number and to two dose-levels of rHuG-CSF needed to recovery (300-600 vs. 900-1200 μg) and analyzed in relation to mean values of MPXI and mean absolute number of LUCs in the nadir phase. The linear regressions of LUCs % over time in relation to two dose-levels of rHu-G-CSF and uni-multivariate analysis of lymphocyte subpopulations, CD34+ cells, MPXI, and blasts were also performed. Results: In the nadir phase, the increase of MPXI above the upper limit of normality (&gt;10; median 27.7), characterized a slow hematological recovery. MPXI levels were directly related to the cycle number and inversely related to the absolute number of LUCs and CD34 +/CD45+ cells. A faster hematological recovery was associated with a higher LUC increase per day (0.56% vs. 0.25%), higher blast (median 36.7/μL vs. 19.5/μL) and CD34+/CD45+ cell (median 2.2/μL vs. 0.82/μL) counts. Conclusions: Our study showed that some biological indicators such as MPXI, LUCs, blasts, and CD34 +/CD45+ cells may be of clinical relevance in predicting individual hematological response to rHu-G-CSF. Special attention should be paid when nadir MPXI exceeds the upper limit of normality because the hematological recovery may be delayed. © 2009 Clinical Cytometry Society

The sustainability of biodynamic horticultural production : The case of Po valley

More and more attention is paid to environmental, economic and social sustainability of the agricultural activity as it is proved at European level by the new setting of CAP toward 2020. It is therefore interesting to understand which production practices better react to these characteristics. Biodynamic appears to respond well in terms of environmental sustainability: can the same be affirmed in terms of economic sustainability? In this paper Italian biodynamic sector has been analyzed focusing on horticultural production: its economic sustainability has been verified especially for small farms that are facing increasing problems in terms of profitability. The Italian Demeter database was used to identify biodynamic farms that have been georeferenced at a national level and then only the ones specialized in vegetable production have been selected for Italy. In order to assess its economic sustainability the production costs for three farms located in the area of the High Po valley that are converting from organic to biodynamic have been examined, focusing on five items: lettuce (Lactuca sativa), tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), zucchini (Cucurbita pepo), eggplant (Solanum melongena), cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Then these costs have been compared to the ones associated with organic and traditional methods. Their prices have been also compared in order to achieve an economic assessment of the different production methods. Finally a SWOT analysis regarding the adoption of the biodynamic method has been performed. This paper proves that the biodynamic method is economically sustainable in the horticultural production based on higher retail prices that-for some products-compensate higher costs, in comparison to the organic and traditional methods. Another factor that strengthens the use of the biodynamic method is a favorable European legislation

Predição da estrutura de proteínas off-lattice usando evolução diferencial multiobjetivo adaptativa

Protein Structure Prediction (PSP) can be considered one of the most challenging problems in Bioinformatics nowadays. When a protein is in its conformation state, the free energy is minimized. Evaluation of protein conformation is generally performed based on two values of the estimated free energy, i.e., those provided by intra and intermolecular interactions among atoms. Some recent experimental studies show that these interactions are in conflit, justifying the use of multiobjective optimization approaches to solve PSP. In this case, the energy optimization is performed separately, different from the mono-objective optimization which considers the sum of free energy. Differential Evolution (DE) is a technique based on Evolutionary Computation and represents an interesting alternative to solve multiobjective PSP. In this work, an optimizer based on DE is proposed to solve the PSP problem. Due to the great number of parameters, typical for evolutionary algorithms, this work also investigates adaptive parameters strategies. In experiments, a simple approach based on ED is evaluated for PSP. An evolution for this method, which incorporates concepts of the MOEA/D algorithm and parameter adaptation techniques is tested for a set of benchmarks in the multiobjective optimization context. The preliminary results for PSP (for six real proteins) are promising and those obtained for the benchmark set stands the proposed approach as a candidate to the state-of-art for multiobjective optimization.Fundação AraucáriaA Predição da Estrutura das Proteínas, conhecida como PSP (Protein Structure Prediction) pode ser considerada um dos problemas mais desafiadores da Bioinformática atualmente. Quando uma proteína está em seu estado de conformação nativa, a energia livre tende para um valor mínimo. Em geral, a predição da conformação de uma proteína por métodos computacionais é feita pela estimativa de dois valores de energia livre que são provenientes das interações intra e intermoleculares entre os átomos. Alguns estudos recentes indicam que estas interações estão em conflito, justificando o uso de abordagens baseadas em otimização multiobjetivo para a solução do PSP. Neste caso, a otimização destas energias é realizada separadamente, diferente da formulação mono-objetivo que considera a soma das energias. A Evolução Diferencial (ED) é uma técnica baseada em Computação Evolucionária e representa uma alternativa interessante para abordar o PSP. Este trabalho busca desenvolver um otimizador baseado no algoritmo de ED para o problema da Predição da Estrutura de Proteínas multiobjetivo. Este trabalho investiga ainda estratégias baseadas em parâmetros adaptativos para a evolução diferencial. Nicialmente avalia-se uma abordagem simples baseada em ED proposta para a solução do PSP. Uma evolução deste método que incorpora conceitos do algoritmo MOEA/D e adaptação de parâmetros é testada em um conjunto de problemas benchmark de otimização multiobjetivo. Os resultados preliminares obtidos para o PSP (para seis proteínas reais) são promissores e aqueles obtidos para o conjunto benchmark colocam a abordagem proposta como candidata para otimização multiobjetivo

Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL on laying hen performance

In order to evaluate the effects of dietary addition of probiotic strain Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL on hen performance and egg quality, 160 commercial Hy-Line Brown pullets, 17 weeks old, were divided in control group (C) (N=80) and treated group (T) (N=80), with 4 alternate replicates of 20 animals each per group. C was fed with a "standard diet", whereas the T group received the same diet with an inclusion of 1x109 CFU kg-1 of Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL (freeze dried cells). The experimental trial lasted 39 weeks after one week of acclimatization. Hen performance and egg quality (egg production, FCR, egg specific gravity, shell thickness, Haugh Units) were recorded. The results show a higher overall egg production (P<0.01) and better FCR (Kg feed intake/Kg saleable eggs) (P<0.05) in the T birds, but no statistically significant differences were observed in egg weight. The eggs from the T birds were characterized by a higher specific gravity (ESG) (P<0.01) and albumen viscosity (Haugh Units) (P<0.05). No significant differences in egg shell thickness were recorded. In conclusion, Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL improved some important parameters in laying hen performance and egg quality

Management of the mother-infant dyad with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in a highly epidemic context

In the context of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the hospital management of mother-infant pairs poses to obstetricians and neonatologists previously unmet challenges. In Lombardy, Northern Italy, 59 maternity wards networked to organise the medical assistance of mothers and neonates with suspected or confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Six "COVID-19 maternity centres" were identified, the architecture and activity of obstetric and neonatal wards of each centre was reorganised, and common assistance protocols for the management of suspected and proven cases were formulated. Here, we present the key features of this reorganization effort, and our current management of the mother-infant dyad before and after birth, including our approach to rooming-in practice, breastfeeding and neonatal follow-up, based on the currently available scientific evidence. Considered the rapid diffusion of COVID-19 all over the world, we believe that preparedness is fundamental to assist mother-infant dyads, minimising the risk of propagation of the infection through maternity and neonatal wards