Does the anaesthetic influence behavioural transmission of the monogenean Gyrodactylus gasterostei Glaser, 1974 off the host?

The aim of this study was to investigate the use of the anaesthetic 2-phenoxyethanol on the transmission factors of gyrodactylid and to ascertain how this may affect in the colonisation of new hosts using the Gyrodactylus gasterostei Glaser, 1974 - Gasterosteus aculeatus L. model which is a simple and successful system to examine aspects of transmission of parasites from live and dead fish. Laboratory experiments include determining the maturity (presence of male copulate organ) and reproductive (presence of daughter) status of transmitting worms, in order to consider the factors that influence parasite option to migrate to a new individual of the same host species. This study demonstrates that parasites with a Male Copulate Organ (MCO) present are more likely to abandon the host and attempt a host transfer. The use of the anaesthetic 2-phenoxyethanol does not affect transmission of gyrodactylids which leave the host to colonise a new host. Finally, the use of other anaesthetic although its relative importance with respect to transmission remains uncertain.Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra); Overseas Research Students Awards Scheme (ORSAS) UK; Consejo Nacional Ciencia y Tecnologia, Mexico CONACyT [171032]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Fluvial dynamics and watermills location in Basilicata (Southern Italy)

Watermills (grain mills, waulk mills, olive mills, sawmills and threshing machines) operated in the Basilicata Region from the Roman Period until the early decades of the twentieth century, representing an important feature of waterways that is today almost totally forgotten. Using documentary sources, ancient maps and field survey it is possible to catalogue and identify the location of these ancient hydraulic structures. Watermills were usually placed far enough away from the river to avoid inundation during floods, and near natural knickpoints or artificial steps in the river long profile that were created by mill engineers. Mill construction often had significant impacts on a rivers morphology, because it was necessary to divert the river discharge towards the mill wheel, to drive the grain-grinding mechanism. Watermill typological variations have been examined in relation to variations in river pattern to assess the ways in which the hydrographic and hydrological settings of the Basilicata Region have affected mill siting and operation. Most Basilicata watermills were built with a horizontal water-wheel and a tower. The characteristics of the tower and the associated hydraulic structures varied according to the environmental setting. Finally, mill positions define also the locations on the river system that have already been used to exploit hydraulic power and thus could be useful for future use in the micro-hydroelectric secto

Le colombaie nel vicentino

Questo contributo, facente parte di un più ampio progetto, ha lo scopo di riportare alla giusta attenzione una pratica largamente utilizzata in gran parte del mondo da molti secoli, ma ormai spesso abbandonata: l’allevamento dei colombi nelle colombaie, manufatti appositamente concepiti e costruiti allo scopo. Questa pratica era nel passato molto diffusa anche nel Vicentino e ne restano numerose tracce materiali, le colombaie, e immateriali, come i toponimi e la tradizione culinariaThis contribution, which is part of a larger project, aims to bring to the right attention a practice widely used in most of the world for many centuries, but now often abandoned: the breeding of pigeons in dovecotes, artifacts specially conceived and built at scope. In the past, this practice was also widespread in the Vicenza area and numerous material traces remain, such as the dovecotes, and immaterial ones, such as toponyms and culinary traditio

The genetic background and vitamin D supplementation can affect irisin levels in Prader–Willi syndrome

Background Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is associated to distinctive clinical symptoms, including obesity, cognitive and behavioral disorders, and bone impairment. Irisin is a myokine that acts on several target organs including brain adipose tissue and bone. The present study was finalized to explore circulating levels of irisin in children and adult PWS patients. Methods Seventy-eight subjects with PWS, 26 children (15 females, mean age 9.48 ± 3.6 years) and 52 adults (30 females, mean age 30.6 ± 10.7) were enrolled. Irisin serum levels were measured in patients and controls. Its levels were related with anthropometric and metabolic parameters, cognitive performance and bone mineral density either in pediatric or adult PWS. Multiple regression analysis was also performed. Results Irisin serum levels in PWS patients did not show different compared with controls. A more in-depth analysis showed that both pediatric and adult PWS with DEL15 displayed significantly reduced irisin levels compared to controls. Otherwise, no differences in irisin concentration were found in UPD15 patients with respect to controls. Our study revealed that in pediatric PWS the 25(OH) vitamin-D levels affected irisin serum concentration. Indeed, patients who were not supplemented with vitamin D showed lower irisin levels than controls and patients performing the supplementation. Multiple regression analysis showed that irisin levels in pediatric and adult PWS were predicted by the genetic background and 25(OH)-vitamin D levels, whereas in a group of 29 adult PWS also by intelligent Quotient. Conclusion We demonstrated the possible role of genetic background and vitamin-D supplementation on irisin serum levels in PWS patients

Bone Regeneration Induced by Bone Porcine Block with Bone Marrow Stromal Stem Cells in a Minipig Model of Mandibular “Critical Size” Defect

Introduction. Adding stem cells to biodegradable scaffolds to enhance bone regeneration is a valuable option. Different kinds of stem cells with osteoblastic activity were tested, such as bone marrow stromal stem cells (BMSSCs). Aim. To assess a correct protocol for osteogenic stem cell differentiation, so BMSSCs were seeded on a bone porcine block (BPB). Materials and Methods. Bone marrow from six minipigs was extracted from tibiae and humeri and treated to isolate BMSSCs. After seeding on BPB, critical-size defects were created on each mandible of the minipigs and implanted with BPB and BPB/BMSSCs. After three months, histomorphometric analysis was performed. Results. Histomorphometric analysis provided percentages of the three groups. Tissues present in control defects were 23 ± 2% lamellar bone, 28 ± 1% woven bone, and 56 ± 4% marrow spaces; in BPB defects were 20 ± 5% BPB, 32 ± 2% lamellar bone, 24 ± 1% woven bone, and 28 ± 2% marrow spaces; in BPB/BMSSCs defects were 17 ± 4% BPB/BMSSCs, 42 ± 2% lamellar bone, 12 ± 1% woven bone, and 22 ± 3% marrow spaces. Conclusion. BPB used as a scaffold to induce bone regeneration may benefit from the addition of BDPSCs in the tissue-engineered constructs

Osteoblasts Display Different Responsiveness to TRAIL-Induced Apoptosis During Their Differentiation Process

Apoptosis can occur throughout the life span of osteoblasts (OBs), beginning from the early stages of differentiation and continuing throughout all stages of their working life. Here, we investigated the effects of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) on normal human OBs showing for the first time that the expression of TRAIL receptors is modulated during OB differentiation. In particular, the TRAIL receptor ratio was in favor of the deaths because of the low expression of DcR2 in undifferentiated OBs, differently it was shifted toward the decoys in differentiated ones. Undifferentiated OBs treated with TRAIL showed reduced cell viability, whereas differentiated OBs displayed TRAIL resistance. The OB sensitiveness to TRAIL was due to the up-regulation of DR5 and the down-regulation of DcR2. The main death receptor involved in TRAIL-reduced OB viability was DR5 as demonstrated by the rescue of cell viability observed in the presence of anti-DR5 neutralizing antibody. Besides the ratio of TRAIL receptors, the sensitivity of undifferentiated OBs to TRAIL-cytotoxic effect was also associated with low mRNA levels of intracellular anti-apoptotic proteins, such as cFLIP, the activation of caspase-8 and -3, as well as the DNA fragmentation. This study suggests that apoptotic effect exerted by TRAIL/TRAIL-receptor system on normal human OB is strictly dependent upon cell differentiation status

NUEVOS REGISTROS DE COPÉPODOS PARÁSITOS (CALIGIDAE: SIPHONOSTOMATOIDA) EN LA RAYA MANCHADA, AETOBATUS NARINARI (ELASMOBRANCHII: MYLIOBATIDAE) DEL GOLFO DE MEXICO

El objetivo de este estudio, fue investigar la ocurrencia de copépodos parásitos (Caligidae: Siphonostomatoida) en la raya pinta Aetobatus narinari considerada una especie amenazada mundialmente. En el sur de México, la raya manchada representa una fuente tradicional de alimento, alcanzando el valor económico más alto con respecto a otros elasmobranquios. Durante un reciente estudio de parásitos de peces de tres localidades del estado de Campeche (sur del Golfo de México), ocho individuos de A. narinari capturados por pescadores locales fueron examinados por ectoparásitos y cinco especies diferentes de copépodos fueron registrados en la piel de este pez: Alebion sp. Krøyer, 1863; Caligus dasyaticus Rangnekar, 1957; Caligus haemulonis Krøyer, 1863; Euryphorus sp., Milne Edwards H., 1840; Lepeophtheirus acutus Heegaard, 1943 and Lepeophtheirus marginatus Bere, 1936. Este trabajo es el primero en documentar; i) un copépodo parásito (piojo de mar) registrado para la raya pinta A. narinari como especie de importancia comercial, ii) un nuevo hospedero para el género Euryphorus que no había sido reportado previamente para México y iii) C. dasyaticus representa una nueva registro geográfico en el Sur del Golfo de México. El presente estudio registra un nuevo hospedero y registro geográfico para seis especies de copépodos parásitos en el Estado de Campeche, México y contribuye al conocimiento de la biodiversidad de los copépodos parásitos en México. No hay duda de que el número de registros de especies de este grupo de parásitos se incrementará con nuevos estudios

NUEVOS REGISTROS DE COPÉPODOS PARÁSITOS (COPEPODA: PANDARIDAE, EUDACTYLINIDAE, CALIGIDAE) EN CINCO ESPECIES DE TIBURONES (PISCES: ELASMOBRANCHIA) EN EL GOLFO DE MÉXICO

El presente estudio es parte de una investigación en curso de los copépodos parásitos de peces de las aguas costeras en el Estado de Campeche (sur del Golfo de México). El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir las especies de copépodos parásitos que se encontraron en cinco especies de tiburones: Carcharhinus leucas (Müller & Henle, 1839), Carcharhinus limbatus (Müller & Henle, 1839), Carcharhinus plumbeus (Nardo, 1827), Rhizoprionodon terraenovae (Richardson, 1836), y Sphyrna tiburo (Linnaeus, 1758). Aexcepción de R. terraenovae, todas las especies de tiburones estuvieron infectados al menos con una especie de copépodo. Un total de ocho especies de copépodos fueron encontrados: Nesippus orientalis Heller, 1865, Nemesis sp. y Paralebion elongatusWilson C.B., 1911 en C. leucas (n = 6); Tuxophorus caligodesWilson C.B., 1908, Lepeophtheirus longispinosus Wilson C.B., 1908 y Pandarus sinuatus Say, 1818 en C. limbatus (n = 9); Pandarus sp. en C. plumbeus (n = 4); y Eudactylina longispina Bere, 1936 en S. tiburo (n = 24). La ocurrencia de estas especies de copépodos en estos tiburones del Golfo de México constituye nuevos registros de hospedero y extienden su distribución geográfica conocida, y contribuye al conocimiento de la biodiversidad de los copépodos parásitos en México