Study on cognitive abilities in the dog: discrimination of quantities and imitation learning related to the attachment

Il presente studio ha indagato e valutato alcune abilità cognitive del cane: la capacità di discriminare quantità e le capacità di apprendimento mediante imitazione; quest’ultima è poi stata messa in relazione con l’attaccamento nei confronti del proprietario. Per l’esecuzione della prima indagine sono stati messi appunto due test: il primo si è basato esclusivamente sulla presentazione di uno stimolo visivo: diversi quantitativi di cibo, differenti tra loro del 50%, sono stati presentati al cane; la scelta effettuata dai soggetti testati è stata premiata con differenti tipi di rinforzo differenziale o non differenziale. Il secondo test è stato diviso in due parti: sono stati presentati al cane diversi quantitativi di cibo sempre differenti tra loro del 50% ma nella prima parte del test l’input sensoriale per il cane è stato esclusivamente uditivo mentre nella seconda parte è stato sia uditivo che visivo. Ove è stato possibile è stato applicato ai cani un cardiofrequenzimetro al fine di eseguire una valutazione delle variazioni della frequenza cardiaca nel corso del test. Lo scopo è stato quello di valutare se i soggetti testati erano in grado di discriminare la quantità maggiore. La seconda indagine ha analizzato le capacità di apprendimento di 36 soggetti che sono stati suddivisi in cani da lavoro e pet. I soggetti protagonisti dello studio hanno eseguito il Mirror Test per la valutazione dell’apprendimento per imitazione. I soggetti presi in considerazione, sono stati sottoposti a scansione termografica all’inizio ed al termine del test ed è stata rilevata la loro frequenza respiratoria nella fase iniziale e finale del test. In 11 soggetti che hanno eseguito il precedente test è stato possibile eseguire anche il Strange Situation Test per la valutazione dell’attaccamento al proprietario; i test in questione sono stati videoregistrati ed analizzati per mezzo di un software preposto (OBSERVER XT 10).The present study investigated and evaluated some cognitive abilities of the dog: the ability to discriminate quantity and to learn through imitation; the latter kind of learning was related to the dog’s attachment to the owner. In the first analysis two tests were applied: the first is based on the presentation of a visual stimulus: different amounts of food, different from each other by 50% , were presented to the dog; the choice of the dogs was rewarded with different types of differential or non-differential reinforcement. The second test was divided into two parts: different quantities of food (different from each other by 50 %) were submitted to the dogs; in the first part of the test, the sensory input was exclusively auditory, while in the second part both auditory and visual. Where feasible, a heart rate monitor was applied to the dogs, in order to perform an assessment of the heart rate changes during the test. The aim of the test was to evaluate if the subjects were able to discriminate the larger amount of food. The second study analyzed the learning ability of 36 subjects, divided into working dogs and pets. The subjects performed the Mirror Test for the assessment of learning by imitation. In addition the subjects were subjected to thermal scanning at the beginning and at the end of the test and their respiratory rate was detected before and after the test. Finally, in 11 of these subjects the Strange Situation Test for the assessment of attachment to the owner, was performed. All tests were videotaped and then analyzed using a dedicated software (OBSERVER XT 10)

Iron and liver diseases.

A mild to moderate iron excess is found in patients with liver diseases apparently unrelated to genetic hemochromatosis. Iron appears to affect the natural history of hepatitis C virus-related chronic liver diseases, alcoholic liver disease and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis by leading to a more severe fibrosis and thus aiding the evolution to cirrhosis.Ahigher frequency of mutations of the HFE gene, the gene responsible for hereditary hemochromatosis, is found in patients with liver diseases and increased liver iron than in normal patients. Patients with excess iron are potentially at a higher risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma. Iron depletion therapy could interfere with fibrosis development and possibly reduce the risk of liver cancer occurrence

Magnetic resonance urography of congenital abnormalities - what the radiologist needs to know

Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract include a wide range of malformations ranging from asymptomatic to life-threatening conditions. Although pediatric urogenital system imaging is based on the use of US (pre- and postnatal), voiding cystourethrography and scintigraphic study, magnetic resonance (MR) urography plays a fundamental role in the classification and management of congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract, giving an overview of the different clinical pictures, thanks to its panoramicity and high anatomical detail. In fact the anomalies of the urinary tract are phenotypically variable because they can affect simultaneously several segments of different embryonic derivation, with complex clinical pictures; they can appear both as isolated phenotypes or as complex malformative conditions, involving renal parenchyma, collecting system and bladder. A deep knowledge of this complex embryogenesis and its possible phenotypic patterns allows a correct interpretation of MR urography images. We describe the embryology and pathophysiology of congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract as well as MR urography technique and findings. Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract are classified into four groups: (1) obstruction (proximal, middle and distal), (2) budding with respect to the Wolffian duct (site and number of ureter), (3) ascent and rotation (ectopia, malrotation and fusion of kidney) and (4) anomaly of metanephric differentiation (dysplasia, megapolicalycosis)

Cell damage induced by asbestos similar particles

The presence, in nature, of asbestos similar particles, highly toxic and potentially cancerogenic for human healthy is well known (1). Inhalation of the fibrous form of erionite, has been shown to cause effects compared to those observed with mineral fibers classified as ‘‘asbestos,’’ including malignant mesothelioma, a disease typically associated with occupational and environmental exposures to asbestos (2). In this work various zeolite materials have been considered because of their suspected carcinogenic activity and, the possible interactions occurring between asbestiform fibers and U937 cell, a human hemopoietic cell line, have been evaluated. Chemical and morpho-functional analyses have been carried out, both to characterize fiber structure and cell response. Cells showed the ability to internalize the minerals, as observed after TEM analyses. With zeolite exposure time increasing, a diffuse cell damage with features of apoptotic and necrotic death can be evidenced (3). These findings suggest that the fibrous form of scolecite or offretite too can be considered potentially toxic for cell culture in vitro

TRPV1 channels are critical brain inflammation detectors and neuropathic pain biomarkers in mice

The capsaicin receptor TRPV1 has been widely characterized in the sensory system as a key component of pain and inflammation. A large amount of evidence shows that TRPV1 is also functional in the brain although its role is still debated. Here we report that TRPV1 is highly expressed in microglial cells rather than neurons of the anterior cingulate cortex and other brain areas. We found that stimulation of microglial TRPV1 controls cortical microglia activation per se and indirectly enhances glutamatergic transmission in neurons by promoting extracellular microglial microvesicles shedding. Conversely, in the cortex of mice suffering from neuropathic pain, TRPV1 is also present in neurons affecting their intrinsic electrical properties and synaptic strength. Altogether, these findings identify brain TRPV1 as potential detector of harmful stimuli and a key player of microglia to neuron communication

The Background of Mitochondrial DNA Haplogroup J Increases the Sensitivity of Leber's Hereditary Optic Neuropathy Cells to 2,5-Hexanedione Toxicity

Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally inherited blinding disease due to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) point mutations in complex I subunit genes, whose incomplete penetrance has been attributed to both genetic and environmental factors. Indeed, the mtDNA background defined as haplogroup J is known to increase the penetrance of the 11778/ND4 and 14484/ND6 mutations. Recently it was also documented that the professional exposure to n-hexane might act as an exogenous trigger for LHON. Therefore, we here investigate the effect of the n-hexane neurotoxic metabolite 2,5-hexanedione (2,5-HD) on cell viability and mitochondrial function of different cell models (cybrids and fibroblasts) carrying the LHON mutations on different mtDNA haplogroups. The viability of control and LHON cybrids and fibroblasts, whose mtDNAs were completely sequenced, was assessed using the MTT assay. Mitochondrial ATP synthesis rate driven by complex I substrates was determined with the luciferine/luciferase method. Incubation with 2,5-HD caused the maximal loss of viability in control and LHON cells. The toxic effect of this compound was similar in control cells irrespective of the mtDNA background. On the contrary, sensitivity to 2,5-HD induced cell death was greatly increased in LHON cells carrying the 11778/ND4 or the 14484/ND6 mutation on haplogroup J, whereas the 11778/ND4 mutation in association with haplogroups U and H significantly improved cell survival. The 11778/ND4 mutation on haplogroup U was also more resistant to inhibition of complex I dependent ATP synthesis by 2,5-HD. In conclusion, this study shows that mtDNA haplogroups modulate the response of LHON cells to 2,5-HD. In particular, haplogroup J makes cells more sensitive to its toxic effect. This is the first evidence that an mtDNA background plays a role by interacting with an environmental factor and that 2,5-HD may be a risk element for visual loss in LHON. This proof of principle has broad implications for other neurodegenerative disorders such as Parkinson's disease

Gene Expression Profiling of B Cell Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Reveals a Homogeneous Phenotype Related to Memory B Cells〉

B cell–derived chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) represents a common malignancy whose cell derivation and pathogenesis are unknown. Recent studies have shown that >50% of CLLs display hypermutated immunoglobulin variable region (IgV) sequences and a more favorable prognosis, suggesting that they may represent a distinct subset of CLLs which have transited through germinal centers (GCs), the physiologic site of IgV hypermutation. To further investigate the phenotype of CLLs, their cellular derivation and their relationship to normal B cells, we have analyzed their gene expression profiles using oligonucleotide-based DNA chip microarrays representative of ∼12,000 genes. The results show that CLLs display a common and characteristic gene expression profile that is largely independent of their IgV genotype. Nevertheless, a restricted number of genes (<30) have been identified whose differential expression can distinguish IgV mutated versus unmutated cases and identify them in independent panels of cases. Comparison of CLL profiles with those of purified normal B cell subpopulations indicates that the common CLL profile is more related to memory B cells than to those derived from naive B cells, CD5+ B cells, and GC centroblasts and centrocytes. Finally, this analysis has identified a subset of genes specifically expressed by CLL cells of potential pathogenetic and clinical relevance

Cardiovascular Risk Perception and Knowledge among Italian Women: Lessons from IGENDA Protocol

A multicenter, cross-sectional observational study (Italian GENder Differences in Awareness of Cardiovascular risk, IGENDA study) was carried out to evaluate the perception and knowledge of cardiovascular risk among Italian women. An anonymous questionnaire was completed by 4454 women (44.3 ± 14.1 years). The 70% of respondents correctly identified cardiovascular disease (CVD) as the leading cause of death. More than half of respondents quoted cancer as the greatest current and future health problem of women of same age. Sixty percent of interviewed women considered CVD as an almost exclusively male condition. Although respondents showed a good knowledge of the major cardiovascular risk factors, the presence of cardiovascular risk factors was not associated with higher odds of identifying CVD as the biggest cause of death. Less than 10% of respondents perceived themselves as being at high CVD risk, and the increased CVD risk perception was associated with ageing, higher frequency of cardiovascular risk factors and disease, and a poorer self-rated health status. The findings of this study highlight the low perception of cardiovascular risk in Italian women and suggest an urgent need to enhance knowledge and perception of CVD risk in women as a real health problem and not just as a as a life-threatening threat

Rise of pediatric robotic surgery in Italy: a multicenter observational retrospective study

open15noAbstract Background: The minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in term of robot-assisted surgery changed in a dramatic way the surgical approach either in adults or children. For many specialties (urology, gynecology, general surgery) robotic surgery rapidly became the gold standard for some procedures, while the experience in pediatric population is not wide for some reasons. The aim of this study is to retrospective analyze trends of application of robotic surgery in pediatric patients across the country, focusing on indications, limitations, development, and training acquired by national experience and in comparison to the literature. Methods: We made a retrospective multicenter study on behalf of Italian Society of Pediatric Surgery. We performed a census among all pediatric surgery units in the country to enroll those performing robotic surgery on children between 2013 and 2019. Results: We enrolled 7 pediatric surgery referral Centers (Ancona, Bologna, Brescia, Genova, Pavia, Pescara, Siena). A total of 303 patients were included in the study, 164 males (54%) and 139 females (46%). The most commonly performed interventions for each anatomic area were respectively atypical pulmonary resection (38%), pyeloplasty (49%), and fundoplication (30%). Conclusions: Since its first application in Italy, about 10 years ago, several considerations were made about application and feasibility of robotics in children.openAngotti, Rossella; Raffaele, Alessandro; Molinaro, Francesco; Riccipetitoni, Giovanna; Chiesa, Pierluigi Lelli; Lisi, Gabriele; Mattioli, Girolamo; Alberti, Daniele; Boroni, Giovanni; Mariscoli, Francesca; Martino, Ascanio; Pelizzo, Gloria; Maffi, Michela; Messina, Mario; Lima, MarioAngotti, Rossella; Raffaele, Alessandro; Molinaro, Francesco; Riccipetitoni, Giovanna; Chiesa, Pierluigi Lelli; Lisi, Gabriele; Mattioli, Girolamo; Alberti, Daniele; Boroni, Giovanni; Mariscoli, Francesca; Martino, Ascanio; Pelizzo, Gloria; Maffi, Michela; Messina, Mario; Lima, Mari

Dietary pomegranate by-product improves oxidative stability of lamb meat

This study investigated the effect of including whole pomegranate by-product in lamb diet on meat oxidative stability. Seventeen lambs were assigned to two experimental treatments and fed a cereal-based concentrate (CON) or the same concentrate where 200 g/kg DM of cereals were replaced by whole pomegranate by-product (WPB). Meat from WPB-fed lambs had a greater concentration of vitamin E (a- and .-tocopherols), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), highly peroxidizable PUFA and a higher peroxidability index (P < 0.05). Feeding WPB limited the formation of metmyoglobin (P = 0.05) and reduced lipid oxidation (TBARS values) after 7 days of storage for raw meat (P = 0.024) or 4 days for cooked meat (P = 0.006). Feeding WPB increased meat antioxidant capacity (ORAC assay) in the lipophilic fraction (P = 0.017), but not in the hydrophilic. These results suggest that vitamin E in the pomegranate by-product contributed to the higher antioxidant capacity of meat from the WPB-fed lambs