Validazione analitica di un metodo per la determinazione dell'enzima paraoxonasi (PON1) e intervalli di riferimento nel cavallo

Gli obiettivi dello studio sono stati quelli di validare un metodo automatizzato per la rilevazione dell’attività sierica di PON1 nella specie equina, basato sull’utilizzo del paraoxone come substrato e di determinare gli intervalli di riferimento (reference intervals, RIs) in cavalli e puledri sani

A zooplankton diel vertical migration parameterization for coastal marine ecosystem modeling

A simple parameterization of zooplankton vertical swimming is proposed as a way to reproduce the diel vertical migration (DVM) behavior, which refers to the daily descent of aquatic organisms hundreds of meters below the surface at dawn and their return to the surface at dusk, a phenomenon that is widespread among most zooplankton species. The swimming behavior is mechanistically parameterized as a function of the local irradiance and food availability, and is incorporated in a simple biogeochemical model coupled with a water column turbulence model in an Eulerian framework. The DVM behavior and its impact on plankton dynamics are investigated in an idealised configuration representing a marine coastal ecosystem. The sensitivity of the model to key parameters such as the zooplankton swimming speed, grazing rate, the optimal irradiance and turbulent diffusivity is evaluated with respect to three metrics representing the actual DVM behavior, the zooplankton-to-phytoplankton grazing coupling efficiency, and the vertical carbon export. Results show that the parameterization is able to reproduce the main characteristics of present knowledge about zooplankton DVM, and that the associated ecosystem responses are strongly sensitive to the maximum grazing rate, and moderately sensitive to other parameters.Fil: Nocera, Ariadna Celina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico. Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; ArgentinaFil: Dumont, Dany. Université du Québec a Montreal; CanadáFil: Schloss, Irene Ruth. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego; Argentin

Validation of a Paraoxon-based method for measurement of Paraoxonase (PON-1) activity and establishment of RI in horses

Paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) is an anti-oxidant compound considered as negative acute phase protein in animals (Rossi et al., 2013) and people (Novak et al., 2010). The paraoxon-based method for measurement of PON-1 in equine serum has not yet been validated.The aim of this study is to validate a paraoxon-based method to measure PON-1 and to establish reference intervals (RIs) in healthy horses and foals.120 horses (40 geldings, 40 stallions, 40 mares; median age: 11 years; 57 Warmbloods, 46 Trotters) and 55 foals (27 females, 28 males; median age: 47 days; 22 Warmbloods, 31 Trotters) considered healthy after physical examination and biochemistry were examined. Horses were grouped by breed: Thoroughbreds, Trotters, Warmbloods, Draft horses and Ponies. Serum PON-1 was measured with an automated spectrophotometer and an enzymatic method validated in other species (Giordano et al., 2013). After the analytical validation (precision, accuracy, interference studies), RIs were determined using the Reference Value Advisor software, according to ASCVP guidelines (Friedrichs et al., 2012). The possible gender-, age- and breed-related differences were statistically investigated.The paraoxon-based method was precise (CVs <4.0%) and accurate (P<0.001 in linearity under dilution and spike-recovery testing) but is affected by interference from mild bilirubinemia, severe lipemia or hemoglobinemia. The RIs recorded in the whole population was 38.1-80.8 U/mL. According to the Harris and Boyd test, separate RIs are recommended only for adult females and for Warmblood and Trotter adults (Figure 1).This study demonstrated that analytical performances of the paraoxon-based method for measurement of PON-1 in horses are acceptable. PON-1 is lower in horses than in other species.If future studies will demonstrate that oxidative stress induces a significant decrease of PON-1, this results will be useful to correctly classify healthy and sick horses; PON-1 could be used, as in human medicine, as a marker of oxidative stress

Radiographic and Venographic Appearance of Healthy and Laminitic Feet in Amiata Donkeys

Introduction: Laminitis is a debilitating disorder resulting in irreversible anatomical changes in the feet of equids. Assessing specific anatomical features through radiography and venography provides diagnostic and prognostic information. The reference ranges are well-established in horses, but not in donkeys. It is also uncertain as to whether these ranges can be applied to every donkey breed. The present study characterizes the radiological and venographic hoof anatomy of healthy feet of Amiata donkeys and defines the changes associated with severe and mild laminitis. Materials and Methods: A total of 16 forefeet were evaluated in 8 Amiata jennies. The animals underwent musculoskeletal examination, Obel grading assessment and radiological evaluation. Based on clinical examination and radiographic findings, the forefeet were grouped as healthy, mild or severe laminitic feet, thus the digital venograms were performed according to the group definition. Results: Radiology revealed 7/16 healthy, 4/16 mild laminitic, and 5/16 severe laminitic forefeet. Statistical analysis showed differences between the healthy and laminitic forefeet for the dorsal angle (p <0.0001) and angle of solar aspect (p <0.0001) of the distal phalanx, for deviation between dorsal aspect of distal phalanx and the hoof wall (p <0.0001) and phalangeal rotation angle (p = 0.0032). Venography was abnormal in mild and severe laminitic forefeet. In particular, the vascularization was reduced or absent at the lamellar-circumflex junction dorsally, at the sub-lamellar vascular bed and at the circumflex veins. Coronary plexus vascularization was absent in severe laminitic forefeet. Discussion and Conclusions: This study provides the radiological parameters for the assessment of healthy and laminitic forefeet of Amiata donkeys. The mild laminitic foot venogram showed decreased vascularization mainly on lamellar-circumflex junction and sub-lamellar vascular bed, in latero-medial views. The severe laminitic foot showed very poor or absent vascularization in multiple areas. The technique is easily applicable and provides diagnostic support in laminitis.Peer reviewe

Jellyfish biodiversity and abundance patterns in northern Patagonia (Valdés Biosphere Reserve, UNESCO 2014)

Understanding how key components of plankton food webs, such as jellyfish communities, are structured by local hydrography has important management implications for fisheries and higher trophic predators within the ecosystem. Here, we report for the first time on the jellyfish abundance, richness, and diversity distribution across the Nuevo Gulf (42° 42′S, 64° 30′W), a World Heritage Site in Argentine Patagonia and part of the Valdés Biosphere Reserve, during spring (2019 and 2020) and summer (2020 and 2021) at two depths. We found that the most abundant species was the hydromedusae Eucheilota ventricularis, followed by other Leptothecata species, representing more than 50% of the total community's abundance. Abundance and diversity were significantly higher in spring than in summer, with seasonality playing a crucial role in modulating the jellyfish community dynamics and also being related to environmental variables and other mesozooplankton groups. Variability in the abundances across the Gulf and between depths was significantly and positively associated with chlorophyll a and ammonium, but negatively correlated with temperature, agreeing with previous results for the region. Jellyfish were more abundant near the mouth of the Gulf and during spring, possibly due to the connection and exchange of colder and nutrient-enriched water masses with those coming from the continental shelf. Significant correlations were found between jellyfish species and other mesozooplankton groups in spring. Our results highlight the importance of intensifying sampling in the vertical and horizontal dimensions along an annual cycle to begin to elucidate and increase the current scarce knowledge about the jellyfish's distribution and abundance patterns in northern Patagonian gulfs.Fil: Nocera, Ariadna Celina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; ArgentinaFil: Dutto, María Sofía. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Bahía Blanca. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía. Universidad Nacional del Sur. Instituto Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: D'agostino, Valeria Carina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; ArgentinaFil: Schloss, Irene Ruth. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentina. Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Comercio Interno y Culto. Dirección Nacional del Antártico. Instituto Antártico Argentino; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tierra del Fuego; ArgentinaFil: Gonçalves, Rodrigo Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Centro Nacional Patagónico; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia "San Juan Bosco"; Argentin

Evaluation of Protein Carbonyl Content in Healthy and Sick Hospitalized Horses

Literature on the protein carbonyl content (PCC) evaluation in horses is scarce, thus the aims were to evaluate the PCC in healthy and SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome) horses and to investigate the performances of PCC in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and likelihood ratio in identifying SIRS positive and negative horses. A total of 72 adult horses were included. All the horses underwent to a complete physical examination, blood analysis, and were evaluated for the SIRS status. Blood samples were collected once in healthy horses and at admission time, then 24, 48, 72, and 96 h after admission in sick animals. PCC was evaluated using amethod previously described. Data were statistically analyzed to verify differences in PCC between healthy vs. SIRS positive or SIRS negative horses at all sampling time. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to verify sensitivity and specificity of PCC in the diagnosis of SIRS-positive and SIRS negative horses. The healthy horses were standardbred mares with a median age of 8.5 years. The sick horses were 31/54 females, 16/54 geldings, and 7/54 stallions of different breeds and with a median age of 12 years old. Eight out of 54 sick horses were SIRS negative, while 46/54 were SIRS positive. Statistically significant differences were obtained between healthy and SIRS positive horses, while no differences were observed between healthy and SIRS negative horses at any sampling time. The best cutoff value of PCC to discriminate between SIRS positive, SIRS negative, and healthy horses, the sensitivity and specificity of cutoff point, the area under receiver operating characteristic curve, the 95%confidence intervals, and the likelihood ratio were reported. We found higher PCC values in sick SIRS-positive horses vs. healthy ones with a decrement over time, while no differences at admission, nor during the observational period, were obtained in sick but SIRS-negative horses. The value of 0.049 nmol/ml/mg is reported as a potential cutoff for the diagnosis of SIRS positivity vs. healthy horses with a sensibility of 74.5% and a specificity of 72.2%. In conclusion, PCC seems to be a sensitive and specific marker for SIRS in horses

Granular components of cement: Influence of mixture composition

Raw granular materials used in cement manufacturing are limestone grains displaying a broad size distribution, ranging from microns to a couple of inches. They are stored as pyramidal heaps and, although empirical homogenization techniques are used with good results, there are important factors like segregation and grinding conditions that produce mixtures with different poorly controlled size. For this reason, the stability of the heaps strongly depends on these factors and it is important to study the influence of the respective amounts of particles of different sizes on the properties of the mixture. In this work, we report experiments analyzing the relationship between the characteristic angles of equilibrium of the heaps and the geometry, size and chemical composition of the grains. We also look for correlations between the values of the characteristic angles and the relative amounts of grains of different sizes that make up the materials. We demonstrate that the chemical composition is correlated with the geometry of the grains and that their aspect ratio does not influence the critical angles. We also show that the critical angles mostly depend on the relative amount of fine grains in the granular mixture and on the dispersion of the sizes. The results obtained allow one to draw conclusions that may be relevant to the treatment and storage of raw materials in the cement industry.Fil: Vidales, Ana Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - San Luis. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich". Universidad Nacional de San Luis. Facultad de Ciencias Físico Matemáticas y Naturales. Instituto de Física Aplicada "Dr. Jorge Andrés Zgrablich"; ArgentinaFil: Ippolito, Irene Paula. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ingeniería. Departamento de Física. Grupo de Medios Porosos; ArgentinaFil: Benegas, Oscar Armando. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Aguirre, F.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Nocera, O. C.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; ArgentinaFil: Baudino, M. R.. Universidad Nacional de San Luis; Argentin

Evaluation of Plasmatic Procalcitonin in Healthy, and in Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) Negative or Positive Colic Horses

Colic horses show systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) clinical signs. Procalcitonin (PCT) showed increased circulating levels in sick horses. This study compares plasma PCT concentrations in healthy vs. SIRS negative/positive colic horses over time, and evaluates PCT and SIRS score potential correlation, to verify the usefulness of PCT for the evaluation of SIRS severity. Ninety-one horses were included; 43/91 were healthy, on basis of physical examination, blood work and SIRS score (score = 0), while 48/91 were sick colic horses, classified as SIRS-negative (score < 2) and positive (score ≥ 2). Moreover, a 0–6 point-scale SIRS score was calculated (assessing mucous membrane color and blood lactate concentration). PCT was evaluated at admission, and at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, using a commercial kit for equine species. We verified by the ANOVA test PCT differences between healthy vs. colic horses, healthy vs. SIRS-negative or SIRS-positive colic horses, at all sampling times, and the correlation between the SIRS score at admission with the SIRS score. Statistically significant differences were detected between healthy vs. all colic horses and between healthy vs. SIRS-positive or negative horses at all sampling times. No correlation was observed between the SIRS score at admission and PCT values. PCT was statistically higher in colic horses compared to the healthy ones, suggesting a role as a biomarker for colic

Evaluation of Plasmatic Procalcitonin in Healthy, and in Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (SIRS) Negative or Positive Colic Horses

Colic horses show systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) clinical signs. Procalcitonin (PCT) showed increased circulating levels in sick horses. This study compares plasma PCT concentrations in healthy vs. SIRS negative/positive colic horses over time, and evaluates PCT and SIRS score potential correlation, to verify the usefulness of PCT for the evaluation of SIRS severity. Ninety-one horses were included; 43/91 were healthy, on basis of physical examination, blood work and SIRS score (score = 0), while 48/91 were sick colic horses, classified as SIRS-negative (score < 2) and positive (score ≥ 2). Moreover, a 0–6 point-scale SIRS score was calculated (assessing mucous membrane color and blood lactate concentration). PCT was evaluated at admission, and at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h, using a commercial kit for equine species. We verified by the ANOVA test PCT differences between healthy vs. colic horses, healthy vs. SIRS-negative or SIRS-positive colic horses, at all sampling times, and the correlation between the SIRS score at admission with the SIRS score. Statistically significant differences were detected between healthy vs. all colic horses and between healthy vs. SIRS-positive or negative horses at all sampling times. No correlation was observed between the SIRS score at admission and PCT values. PCT was statistically higher in colic horses compared to the healthy ones, suggesting a role as a biomarker for colic

Timed Up and Go, Cognitive, and Quality-of-Life Correlates in Parkinson’s Disease

Objective: To examine the relationship between Timed Up and Go (TUG) performance, verbal executive function (EF) performance, and quality-of-life (QOL) measures in Parkinson\u27s disease (PD). Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Sixteen movement disorder centers from across the United States. Participants: Patients with PD (N=1964). Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: TUG test, immediate and delayed 5-word recall, verbal fluency, PD QOL Questionnaire. Results: TUG performance and verbal EF performance were significantly associated with, and predictors of, QOL measures, having the greatest association and predictability with the mobility domain of the QOL measures. Conclusions: The TUG test and verbal EF tests have QOL correlates, making the combined evaluation of mobility, cognitive, and QOL decline a potential examination tool to evaluate the sequelae of PD