Ophiolites from the Grammos-Arrenes area, northern Greece:geological, paleontological and geochemical data

The Grammos-Arrenes ophiolites between the Pindos Flysch to the east and the Mesohellenic basin to the west represent the northernmost outcrop of the Pindos Ophiolite belt in Greece. The analyses on key outcrops of the Sub-ophiolitic Mélange allow adding new data on the age of the oceanization and on the geochemistry of the effusive products. Basalts samples show a N-MOR affinity and are associated with late Bajocian-early Bathonian radiolarian cherts. The emplacement of the ophiolites onto the sequences of the continental margin is preceded by mass flow deposition of ophiolitic material in the basins facing the advancing ophiolitic nappe. Ophiolite-bearing debris flow deposits and slide blocks are recognized in the Lower Cretaceous deep water sediments of the Beotian Unit and in the upper portion of the Tertiary Pindos Flysch. The intercalations of ophiolitic material in the Beotian flysch before, and in the Pindos Flysch later, are interpreted as the forerunners of the Ophiolitic Nappe which, coming from the Vardar Ocean located to the east, emplaced westward onto the continental margin of Adria. The collected data allow consolidating the constraints for the timing and mechanism of ophiolite emplacement in the Pindos-Grammos area. In addition, taking in consideration the geometry of tectonic stack in the Grammos-Arrenes and the ages of the involved sedimentary deposits it is possible to reconstruct a geodynamic history comparable to the other zones studied along the Dinaric-Hellenic chain

The Presence of Toxocara Eggs on Dog’s Fur as Potential Zoonotic Risk in Animal-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Review

Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) usually contribute to the well-being and health of users/patients, but it is essential that the animals involved in these activities do not represent a source of zoonoses. This systematic review focused on the evaluation of the potential risk of the transmission of Toxocara by dogs’ fur, considering their involvement as the main animal species in AAIs. Three databases were considered: MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, and the PRISMA guidelines were used. Out of 162 articles found, 14 papers were identified as eligible for inclusion in the review. Although the findings were very heterogeneous, they showed that regular parasitological surveillance to plan effective control programs is strongly needed to guarantee the health of pets and consequently the public health, according to the concept of One Health. Since AAIs involve patients and/or users potentially susceptible, it is very important to appropriately treat dogs enrolled in these interventions after an accurate diagnosis of parasitic zoonoses

Targeting mGlu5 metabotropic glutamate receptors in the treatment of cognitive dysfunction in a mouse model of phenylketonuria

We studied group-I metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors in Pah(enu2) (ENU2) mice, which mimic the genetics and neurobiology of human phenylketonuria (PKU), a metabolic disorder characterized, if untreated, by autism, and intellectual disability (ID). Male ENU2 mice showed increased mGlu5 receptor protein levels in the hippocampus and corpus striatum (but not in the prefrontal cortex) whereas the transcript of the mGlu5 receptor was unchanged. No changes in mGlu1 receptor mRNA and protein levels were found in any of the three brain regions of ENU2 mice. We extended the analysis to Homer proteins, which act as scaffolds by linking mGlu1 and mGlu5 receptors to effector proteins. Expression of the long isoforms of Homer was significantly reduced in the hippocampus of ENU2 mice, whereas levels of the short Homer isoform (Homer 1a) were unchanged. mGlu5 receptors were less associated to immunoprecipitated Homer in the hippocampus of ENU2 mice. The lack of mGlu5 receptor-mediated long-term depression (LTD) in wild-type mice (of BTBR strain) precluded the analysis of hippocampal synaptic plasticity in ENU2 mice. We therefore performed a behavioral analysis to examine whether pharmacological blockade of mGlu5 receptors could correct behavioral abnormalities in ENU2 mice. Using the same apparatus we sequentially assessed locomotor activity, object exploration, and spatial object recognition (spatial novelty test) after displacing some of the objects from their original position in the arena. Systemic treatment with the mGlu5 receptor antagonist, MPEP (20 mg/kg, i.p.), had a striking effect in the spatial novelty test by substantially increasing the time spent in exploring the displaced objects in ENU2 mice (but not in wild-type mice). These suggest a role for mGlu5 receptors in the pathophysiology of ID in PKU and suggest that, also in adult untreated animals, cognitive dysfunction may be improved by targeting these receptors with an appropriate therapy

Changes of Oxytocin and Serotonin Values in Dialysis Patients after Animal Assisted Activities (AAAs) with a Dog-A Preliminary Study

Simple Summary This study aimed to improve the moment of dialysis because the emotional management of a person during treatment can help to reduce stress, anxiety and depression. This process positively affects the acceptance and progress of treatment and improves the self-management of the disease, a very important achievement in chronic kidney disease. Serotonin and oxytocin are important neuromodulators of different human behaviours, such as affectivity and socialization, and are involved in the control of stress, anxiety and social cooperation. The relationship between humans and domestic animals provides psychophysical well-being and can facilitate interpersonal bonds by favouring mechanisms involved in social relations. Dogs due to their ethological characteristics, allow the establishment of an active relationship through play, communication and interaction. Animal-assisted activities (AAAs) are structured interventions aimed at improving the psychophysical conditions of people in stressful conditions. Our study was aimed at determining the circulating levels of serotonin and oxytocin in patients who participated in an AAAs program with a dog during dialysis treatment. Our study aimed to measure the levels of serotonin and oxytocin in patients affected by end-stage renal disease (ESRD), undergoing dialysis and participating in a program of animal-assisted activities (AAAs) with a dog. Ten patients with comparable levels of ESRD were enrolled. A blood sample was taken before the start of the study in order to establish basal levels. Eleven meetings were held once a week for 3 months during the last hour of dialysis, and blood samples were collected before and after AAAs. Two more meetings, one month apart from each other, were held two months later without the dog but with the same veterinarian zootherapist. Blood was drawn at the beginning and at the end of each meeting. The samples were then processed for the measurement of serotonin and oxytocin, and data obtained were analysed using analysis of variance with mixed effect models. The results show an increasing level of both serotonin and oxytocin between subsequent meetings with the dog and an increasing trend of inter-intervention levels. Overall, the results suggest that AAAs lead to modifications of serotonin and oxytocin levels, which are also accompanied by behavioural changes of patients

Ultrasound Challenge: Secondary Breast Angiosarcoma Mimicking Lipoma

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Precise determination of orbital parameters in system with slowly drifting phases: application to the case of XTE J1807-294

We describe a timing technique that allows obtaining precise orbital parameters of an accreting millisecond pulsar in those cases in which intrinsic variations of the phase delays (caused, for example, by proper variation of the spin frequency) with characteristic time-scale longer than the orbital period do not allow to fit the orbital parameters over a long observation (tens of days). We show under which conditions this method can be applied along with the results obtained applying this method to the 2003 outburst observed by RXTE of the accreting millisecond pulsar XTE J1807-294 which shows in its phase delays a non-negligible erratic behaviour. We refined the orbital parameters of XTE J1807-294 using all the 90 days in which the pulsation is strongly detected and the method applicable. In this way, we obtain the orbital parameters of the source with a precision more than one order of magnitude better than the previous available orbital solution, a precision obtained to date, on accreting millisecond pulsars, only for SAX J1808.4-3658 analysing several outbursts spanning over seven years and with much better statistics