A study of chemical contaminants in animal tissues and human food.

La contaminazione chimica rappresenta uno dei rischi principali per la sicurezza alimentare e può arrecare anche gravi danni alla salute umana. Rientrano in questa tesi di dottorato tre famiglie di contaminanti: Micotossine, Metalli e Insetticidi. La ricerca di aflatossina B1 è stata effettuata su 90 confezioni di farina, sia biologici sia convenzionali. La presenza della micotossina è stata rilevata solo nelle farine di mais. Solo un campione di produzione convenzionale ha superato il limite di 2 ppb definito per legge. Il dato di maggior rilievo è stato che il quantitativo di 5 grammi di campionamento si è dimostrato non rappresentativo sul totale della confezione commerciale di farina. Più attendibile si è invece dimostrato un campionamento di 20 grammi. L’aflatossina M1 è stata ricercata in 58 campioni di latte di cui 35 sono risultati positivi. Tuttavia, i livelli riscontrati erano costantemente inferiori al limite previsto per legge. Sono stati sottoposti a estrazione e purificazione, e analizzati con metodica HPLC-FL per la ricerca di Ocratossina A, 114 campioni di bile, 35 campioni di plasma, 40 campioni di rene prelevati da polli in Giordania. Le analisi hanno fornito risultati costantemente negativi. Sono stati analizzati 72 campioni (30 di muscolo, 29 di fegato e 13 di rene) prelevati da 30 bovini nel macello di Irbid (Giordania), di età compresa tra 8 e 30 mesi e provenienti da allevamenti diversi, per la ricerca di 13 elementi essenziali e non essenziali. In questo studio nessun campione supera i livelli massimi stabiliti dalla normativa europea per quanto riguarda gli elementi considerati. Infine, sono stati analizzati 37 campioni di latte ovino e 31 campioni di latte bovino, prelevati in Giordania in diversi allevamenti, per la ricerca di 4 neonicotinoidi (imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiamethoxam e thiacloprid). I campioni, analizzati con sistema HPLC/MS/MS, sono risultati costantemente negativi ai quattro neonicotinoidi ricercati.The safety of animal origin products and human food are crucial for consumers. One of the main risks for food security is represented by the chemical contamination of food, which can cause serious harm to human health . Three chemical contaminants were studied: Mycotoxins, Metals and Pesticides. The experimental test for aflatoxin B1 was conducted on 90 organic and conventional flour. This study shows that only corn flour samples were positive for AFB1 and only one sample exceeded the limit of 2 ppb defined by law. This study shows that a quantity of 5 grams of flour sample is not representative for a 1 kg flour commercial package. We find that 20 grams are more reliable. The experimental test for aflatoxin M1 was conducted on 58 milk samples, and 35 were positive for AFM1. The concentration of AFM1 in these samples never exceeded the level required by law. Different tissue samples were collected from chickens in Jordan including 114 samples of bile, 35 plasma samples and 40 samples of kidney. All samples were subjected to extraction and purification, and subsequently analyzed by HPLC-FL, for Ochratoxin A. The analysis gave consistently negative results. We analyzed 72 samples (30 muscle, 29 liver and 13 kidney) taken from 30 cattle in the slaughterhouse of Irbid (Jordan) and from different farms, aged between 8 and 30 months, for the detection of 13 essential and non-essential elements. In this study, no sample exceeded the maximum levels set by European legislation. Finally, we analyzed 37 samples of sheep milk and 31 of cow milk, taken from different farms in Jordan, to search for the neonicotinoids: imidacloprid, acetamiprid, thiacloprid and thiamethoxam. The samples were analyzed by HPLC/MS/MS. In all samples the neonicotinoids were no detectable

Plasma and Red Blood Cells Concentration Profiles of Ktamine after Single Intravenous Administration in an Anaesthetic Protocol in Horses

The aim of this study was to describe the concentration profile of ketamine in plasma and red blood cells following an intravenous (IV) bolus in the horse. Ten healthy standardbred horses (two males and height females) 7.7 ± 4.6 (mean value ± SD) years old and weighting 380 ± 21 kg (mean value ± SD) were recruited. The horses were premedicated with acepromazine (0.04 mg·kg-1·IV). Fifteen minutes later they received romifidine (0.08 mg·kg-1·IV), and 5 minutes after they were administered midazolam (0.06 mg·kg-1·IV). Immediately, anaesthesia was induced by ketamine (2.2 mg·kg-1·IV). Venous blood samples were collected at scheduled time points. Plasma and red blood cells (RBCs) concentration of ketamine was assayed using a high performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC/UV-DAD). The high mean recovery rates, the high sensitivity, the good linearity, suggest a clinical applicability of the analytical method. A bicompartmental model resulted as the most appropriate to describe the ketamine concentration—time profile for both plasma and RBCs. The fitted regression line between ketamine plasma concentrations and RBC concentrations supports the good correlation between ketamine concentrations in plasma and in RBCs. The kinetic parameters of ketamine calculated for RBC are equal or very similar to the plasma ones. The study confirms the kinetic behaviour of ketamine used in the horse as anaesthetic inducers in routine surgery. Finally, the bicompartmental model well describes the ketamine profile also in RBCs, that it is very close to the plasma profile, underlining the great importance of RBCs as blood subcompartment

Is Aedes albopictus development influenced by density dependent constraints?

Aedes albopictus is a competent vector of at least 22 arboviruses, including dengue and chikungunya viruses (Gratz, 2004, Med. Vet. Entomol., 18:215-227). The potential for pathogen transmission by Ae. albopictus has increased the need to understand its ecology and population dynamics. Previous studies have shown that density-dependence can affect larval development (Lord, 1998, J. Med. Entomol., 35:825-829). Density-dependent competition for the available food resources has often been argued as the factor influencing larval development (Walsh et al., 2012, Plos One, 7:1-6). Aim of the study was to assess if larval development time is influenced by the density of laid eggs and the possible consequence of development delay on the efficacy of the larvicidal compound diflubenzuron (DFB), extensively used on a monthly basis in the national territory for tiger mosquitoes control. Ovitraps were positioned in August 2013 for the collection of Ae. albopictus eggs; eggs were counted and 48 ovitraps (24 with high density of eggs: mean 51.6, range 30-93; 24 with low density of eggs: mean 11.9; range 9-15) were placed in tanks with 0.5 liter of water. Within each group, 3 subgroups consisting of 8 ovitraps were formed: 1 control without DFB and 2 with DFB at the concentration of 0.5 ppm and 0.25 ppm, respectively. Eight (4+4) controls without eggs were also added to assess the degradation over time of both DFB concentrations in absence of larvae. The level of water was maintained constant for the duration of the trial. The larvae were fed ad libitum with dried Gammarus pulex. Hatchings, development times, mortality and emerging adults were monitored for 8 weeks. In this period, DFB concentration was assessed every ten days by HPLC UV-DAD method after liquid-liquid extraction with diethyl ether. The number of eggs is significantly related with the last-hatching time and the time of last adult emergence (Negative binomial regression, p<0.01). DFB showed powerful larvicidal action and long persistence. In treated tanks adult emergence occurred 2 months later in only three tanks with 0.25 ppm (9 adults overall, 8 of them from tanks with high egg density). In 18 tanks DFB was still detectable after 50 days from the contamination with concentrations higher than the DFB LC90 for Ae. albopictus (Arshad et al, 1995, J. Am. Mosquito Contr., 11:72-76). Larval density did not influence significantly DFB degradation. After an initial sharp reduction of DFB concentration it remained almost stable, until a final intense reduction in the last two weeks. However, in the controls with no larvae the latter reduction did not occur and the concentration remained stable for a longer period. The presence of high egg densities determines a slowed down development whose duration potentially exceeds the period of effectiveness of DFB. Ae. albopictus seems to undergo density-dependent self-regulatory mechanisms independent from food resource availability that can stabilize mosquito population dynamics and possibly affect control measures

Plasma and Red Blood Cells Concentration Profiles of Ktamine after Single Intravenous Administration in an Anaesthetic Protocol in Horses

The aim of this study was to describe the concentration profile of ketamine in plasma and red blood cells following an intravenous (IV) bolus in the horse. Ten healthy standardbred horses (two males and height females) 7.7 ± 4.6 (mean value ± SD) years old and weighting 380 ± 21 kg (mean value ± SD) were recruited. The horses were premedicated with acepromazine (0.04 mg·kg−1·IV). Fifteen minutes later they received romifidine (0.08 mg·kg−1·IV), and 5 minutes after they were administered midazolam (0.06 mg·kg−1·IV). Immediately, anaesthesia was induced by ketamine (2.2 mg·kg−1·IV). Venous blood samples were collected at scheduled time points. Plasma and red blood cells (RBCs) concentration of ketamine was assayed using a high performance liquid chromatographic method (HPLC/UV-DAD). The high mean recovery rates, the high sensitivity, the good linearity, suggest a clinical applicability of the analytical method. A bicompartmental model resulted as the most appropriate to describe the ketamine concentration—time profile for both plasma and RBCs. The fitted regression line between ketamine plasma concentrations and RBC concentrations supports the good correlation between ketamine concentrations in plasma and in RBCs. The kinetic parameters of ketamine calculated for RBC are equal or very similar to the plasma ones. The study confirms the kinetic behaviour of ketamine used in the horse as anaesthetic inducers in routine surgery. Finally, the bicompartmental model well describes the ketamine profile also in RBCs, that it is very close to the plasma profile, underlining the great importance of RBCs as blood subcompartment

Equine Histoplasmosis in Ethiopia: Phylogenetic analysis by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region of rRNA genes

Equine histoplasmosis commonly known as epizootic lymphangitis (EL) is a neglected granulomatous disease of equine that is endemic to Ethiopia. It is caused by Histoplasma capsulatum variety farciminosum, a dimorphic fungus that is closely related to H. capsulatum variety capsulatum. The objective of this study was to undertake a phylogenetic analysis of H. capsulatum isolated from EL cases of horses in central Ethiopia and evaluate their relationship with H. capsulatum isolates in other countries and/or clades using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rRNA genes. Clinical and mycological examinations, DNA extraction, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), Sanger sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis were used for undertaking this study. Additionally, sequence data of Histoplasma isolates were retrieved from GenBank and included for a comprehensive phylogenetic analysis. A total of 390 horses were screened for EL and 97 were positive clinically while H. capsulatum was isolated from 60 horses and further confirmed with PCR, of which 54 were sequenced. BLAST analysis of these 54 isolates identified 29 H. capsulatum isolates and 14 isolates from other fungal genera while the remaining 11 samples were deemed insufficient for further downstream analysis. The phylogenetic analysis identified five clades, namely, African, Eurasian, North American 1 and 2, and Latin American A and B. The Ethiopian isolates were closely aggregated with isolates of the Latin American A and Eurasian clades, whereas being distantly related to isolates from North American 1 and 2 clades as well as Latin American B clade. This study highlights the possible origins and transmission routes of Histoplasmosis in Ethiopia

Emergence of Elastic Properties in a Minimalist Resilin-Derived Heptapeptide upon Bromination

Bromination is herein exploited to promote the emergence of elastic behavior in a short peptide-SDSYGAP-derived from resilin, a rubber-like protein exerting its role in the jumping and flight systems of insects. Elastic and resilient hydrogels are obtained, which also show self-healing behavior, thanks to the promoted non-covalent interactions that limit deformations and contribute to the structural recovery of the peptide-based hydrogel. In particular, halogen bonds may stabilize the beta-sheet organization working as non-covalent cross-links between nearby peptide strands. Importantly, the unmodified peptide (i.e., wild type) does not show such properties. Thus, SDSY(3,5-Br)GAP is a novel minimalist peptide elastomer

Exploration of the Ice Giant Systems: A White Paper for NASA's Planetary Science and Astrobiology Decadal Survey 2023-2032

Ice giants are the only unexplored class of planet in our Solar System. Much that we currently know about these systems challenges our understanding of how planets, rings, satellites, and magnetospheres form and evolve. We assert that an ice giant Flagship mission with an atmospheric probe should be a priority for the decade 2023-2032

Difficult tracheal intubation in neonates and infants. NEonate and Children audiT of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe (NECTARINE): a prospective European multicentre observational study

International audienceBackground: Neonates and infants are susceptible to hypoxaemia in the perioperative period. The aim of this study was to analyse interventions related to anaesthesia tracheal intubations in this European cohort and identify their clinical consequences.Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of tracheal intubations of the European multicentre observational trial (NEonate and Children audiT of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe [NECTARINE]) in neonates and small infants with difficult tracheal intubation. The primary endpoint was the incidence of difficult intubation and the related complications. The secondary endpoints were the risk factors for severe hypoxaemia attributed to difficult airway management, and 30 and 90 day outcomes.Results: Tracheal intubation was planned in 4683 procedures. Difficult tracheal intubation, defined as two failed attempts of direct laryngoscopy, occurred in 266 children (271 procedures) with an incidence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 5.8% (95% CI, 5.1-6.5). Bradycardia occurred in 8% of the cases with difficult intubation, whereas a significant decrease in oxygen saturation (SpO2<90% for 60 s) was reported in 40%. No associated risk factors could be identified among co-morbidities, surgical, or anaesthesia management. Using propensity scoring to adjust for confounders, difficult anaesthesia tracheal intubation did not lead to an increase in 30 and 90 day morbidity or mortality.Conclusions: The results of the present study demonstrate a high incidence of difficult tracheal intubation in children less than 60 weeks post-conceptual age commonly resulting in severe hypoxaemia. Reassuringly, the morbidity and mortality at 30 and 90 days was not increased by the occurrence of a difficult intubation event