Season and altitude effects on milk fatty acid profile in Sarda dairy sheep flocks

Diet plays a major role in modulating the fatty acid composition of ruminant milk. It is also well known that the intake of fresh forages has a positive influence on polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), particularly CLA and omega- 3, compared with diets based on dry forage and concentrates. Altitude influences, directly, grass availability and botanical composition of the pasture, and, indirectly, the amount of concentrate supplemented to the diet. Therefore, the altitude where farms are located at may give indirect information about the type of feeding system trough analysis of milk fat. The objective of this survey was to investigate variations in the milk fatty acid profile, focusing on the content of vaccenic acid (VA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and n-3 fatty acid (FA), of Sarda dairy ewes flocks located at different altitudes throughout Sardinia. Bulk milk samples were collected in spring (April) and in summer (July) from 36 flocks located at different altitudes: 3 flocks in the lowlands (Low), 3 flocks in the hills (Hill) and 3 in the highlands (High) in 4 provinces (Sassari, Nuoro, Oristano and Cagliari) of Sardinia (Italy). Milk fatty acid profile was analyzed by gas-chromatography. Data were analyzed with a linear model with altitude (A), season (S), province (P) and altitude x season as fixed factors. The interaction was never significant. The season influenced significantly almost all fatty acids analyzed. The proportion of short chain FA (C4-C10) decrease (10.0 vs 7.0 mg/100 mg FA; P<0.01) and that of medium chain FA increase (43.2 vs 45.5 mg/100 mg FA; P<0.10) from spring to summer. The long chain FA did not vary between spring and summer but the concentration of oleic acid (C18:1 cis9) increased significantly from spring to summer (22.3 vs 25.1 mg/100 mg FA; P<0.01). The proportion of n-3 FA was higher in spring than summer (1.2 vs 0.7 for n- 3 FA; P<0.01). The variation in n-3 FA in milk fat was mainly due to the variation in a-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n- 3) which decrease from 1.0 to 0.5 mg/100 mg FA from spring to summer. The same pattern was showed by vaccenic acid (VA; trans-11 18:1) that decrease from 1.6 vs 0.8 mg/100 mg FA. No variation in cis9, trans11 CLA has been observed between spring and summer (1.0 vs 0.8 mg/100 mg FA). A reduction of PUFA (5.64 vs 5.10; P<0.10), n3/n6 ratio (0.38 vs 0.21) and content of C20:5 n-3 (0.13 vs 0.07 mg/100 mg FA) from spring to summer has been observed. Unexpectedly, the milk FA profile was not affected by altitude, except for C18:1 c9, probably because of the low number of samples analyzed

Antibiotics mastitis therapy: drug residue in lambs

Meat coming from suckling lambs (max 12 Kg BW) is a typical Sardinian taste dish, normally consumed during the religious linked feasts. The aim of this work is to evaluate drug residues in suckling lambs meat as consequence of antibiotics mastitis therapy in their mothers during lactation. The study was performed on twelve Sardinian ewes, that had lambed within two days of one another, with suckling lambs from a single flok of 150 animals. Milk bacteriological screening showed that 10 ewes out of 12 were positive and Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci were identified. The ten positive sheep were divided into two groups A and B, and each of them were given two successive intramuscularconsecutive intramuscolar injection of 6 ml of oxytetracycline OTC (Terralon 20% LA, Virbac) within 72 hours; the two negative sheep were used as control (C group). With the two ewes Group two trials were conducted: to the A treatment started 17 days after delivery, while group of 6 ewes, drug administration was given when lambs were 17 days old, to the B has been treated 28 days after delivery. During the experimental period milk was sampled twice a week; 5 milk samples/ewe for group A and 2 samples/ewe for group B were collected. Lambslambs were regularly slaughtered at about 35 days old and muscle tissue has been collected.sampled. All samples were immediately frozen until analysis. Oxytetracycline milk residues were measured by High Performance Liquid Chromatography with diode array detector while, for OTC tissue levels, LC/MS-MS technique was used. OTC concentration in milk, as observed in our own previous study, decreasedranged from 3,500 to 0,050 μ g/ml over three weeks. OTC residues were detected in both groups of lambs at levels below Maximum Residue Limit (MRL 0.100 μg/g). In order to avoid any drug residue in food chain, and an increase of drug resistance, national legislation should pay attention to avoid use of antibiotics in ewes feeding lambs that will be slaughtered

Potential Prognostic Significance of Decreased Serum Levels of TRAIL after Acute Myocardial Infarction

BACKGROUND: Since soluble TRAIL exhibits anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic activities both in vitro and in animal models, this study was designed to assess the relationship between the serum levels of TRAIL and clinical outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Levels of TRAIL were measured by ELISA in serial serum samples obtained from 60 patients admitted for AMI, both during hospitalization and in a follow-up of 12 months, as well as in 60 healthy control subjects. Serum levels of TRAIL were significantly decreased in patients with AMI at baseline (within 24 hours from admission), compared with healthy controls, and showed a significant inverse correlation with a series of negative prognostic markers, such as CK, CK-MB and BNP. TRAIL serum levels progressively increased at discharge, but normalized only at 6-12 months after AMI. Of note, low TRAIL levels at the patient discharge were associated with increased incidence of cardiac death and heart failure in the 12-month follow-up, even after adjustment for demographic and clinical risk parameters (hazard ratio [HR] of 0.93 [95% CI, 0.89 to 0.97]; p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Although the number of patients studied was limited, our findings indicate for the first time that circulating TRAIL might represent an important predictor of cardiovascular events, independent of conventional risk markers

Effects of dietary NDF concentration on milk yield and composition in dairy goats in mid-late lactation

Fourteen Sarda goats in mid-late lactation were housed in individual pens where they received a common total mixed ration (TMR) during the preliminary period (21 d). During the experimental period (24 d) the goats were divided in two isoproductive groups and fed differentiated TMR: one group received a high NDF-low no fibre carbohydrate (NFC) total mixed ration (H-NDF diet = 44.7% NDF, 29.3% NFC, DM basis), while the other received a low NDF-high NFC total mixed ration (L-NDF diet = 36.9% NDF, 36.0% NFC, DM basis). These differences were achieved substituting ground corn and barley grains with beet pulp shreds and soybean hulls. Both diets contained 50% of dehydrated chopped alfalfa on a DM basis. Soybean meal completed the diets. Dry matter intake was higher in the H-NDF group, while dietary energy intake and body weight variations did not differ significantly between the two groups. Milk yield was significantly higher in the L-NDF group, while milk protein and milk urea were higher in the H-NDF group. Milk fat concentration and somatic cell count did not differ between groups, while milk fat and milk protein yields were higher in the L-NDF group. These results are in clear contrast to what was previously observed in sheep, fed diets similar to the ones used here, in which H-NDF diets induced higher milk yield than L-NDF ones

Hepatic rupture after cesarean section in a patient with HELLP syndrome: a case report and review of the literature

Background Spontaneous hepatic rupture in pregnancy is rare and carries a high maternal and perinatal mortality. Case report We describe a case of hepatic rupture that occurred after emergency caesarean section performed in a pregnant woman at 38 weeks of gestation with Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelet count (HELLP) syndrome. The patient was discharged after 30 days of intensive therapy and four explorative laparotomies. Today, 2 years after delivery, the patient and her baby are doing well. Conclusion Hepatic rupture in pregnancy is a rare event that may complicate HELLP syndrome. In this case, we were able to achieve an excellent clinical outcome by the performance of an immediately explorative laparotomy

Sonovaginography is a new technique for assessing rectovaginal endometriosis.

To evaluate the efficacy of a new technique, the sonovaginography, for the assessment of rectovaginal endometriosis. Design: Prospective study. Setting: University hospital. Patient(s): Forty-six women were scheduled for laparotomic or laparoscopic surgery because of rectovaginal endometriosis suspected on the basis of patient history and/or clinical examination. Intervention(s): Before surgery, all the women underwent transvaginal ultrasonography and then sonovaginography. The latter is based on transvaginal ultrasonography combined with the introduction of saline solution to the vagina that creates an acoustic window between the transvaginal probe and the surrounding structures of the vagina. Ultrasound findings were compared with the results of surgical exploration and histological examination. Main Outcome Measure(s): We assessed the accuracy of transvaginal ultrasonography and of sonovaginography for the detection and the location and extension assessment of rectovaginal endometriotic lesions, as well as compared patient compliance between the procedures. Result(s): Sonovaginography diagnosed rectovaginal endometriosis more accurately than did transvaginal ultrasonography, with a sensitivity and specificity of 90.6% and 85.7%, respectively, whereas the transvaginal ultrasonography has shown a sensitivity and specificity of 43.7% and 50%, respectively. Patient discomfort did not differ significantly between the procedures. Conclusion(s): Sonovaginography is a reliable and simple method for the assessment of rectovaginal endometriosis and provides information on location, extension, and infiltration of the lesions, which are important factors in selecting the kind of surgery. \ua9 2003 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine

Eficacia del estriol intravaginal de dosis baja en el envejecimiento urogenital de las mujeres posmenopáusicas

Objetivo: evaluar la eficacia y la seguridad del estriol intravaginal en la incontinencia urinaria, la atrofia urogenital y las infecciones recurrentes del conducto urinario en las mujeres posmenopáusicas. Diseño: se reclutaron en este estudio prospectivo, con asignación al azar y controlado con placebo, 88 mujeres posmenopáusicas con síntomas de envejecimiento urogenital. Las participantes se asignaron al azar a uno de dos grupos. Las mujeres en el grupo de tratamiento (n = 44) recibieron un óvulo (1 mg) intravaginal una vez al día durante dos semanas, y después dos óvulos cada semana durante seis meses como terapia de mantenimiento. A las pacientes del grupo control (n = 44) se les dio supositorios vaginales con placebo inerte en un régimen similar. Se evaluaron los síntomas urogenitales, los cultivos urinarios, los hallazgos colposcópicos y citológicos uretrales, los perfiles de presión uretral y la uretrocistometría antes y a los seis meses del tratamiento. Resultados: después de la terapia, los síntomas y signos de atrofia urogenital se atenuaron significativamente en el grupo de tratamiento en comparación con el grupo control. Treinta (68%) de las pacientes tratadas y sólo siete (16%) de las del grupo control registraron una mejoría subjetiva de su incontinencia. En las tratadas, las mejorías se observaron colposcópicamente, e incluso aumentó la presión uretral máxima media, la presión de cierre uretral media así como la proporción de transmisión de la presión abdominal a la uretra proximal. La uretrocistometría mostró modificaciones estadísticamente positivas, pero no estadísticamente significativas. Conclusiones: estos resultados revelan que la administración intravaginal de estriol puede ser una elección terapéutica satisfactoria para las mujeres posmenopáusicas con trastornos del conducto urogenital que tienen contraindicaciones o que no quieren seguir una terapia hormonal estándar. Palabras clave: mujeres posmenopáusicas, atrofia urogenital, infecciones recurrentes del conducto urinario, incontinencia urinaria, estriol vaginal, estrógeno de dosis baja