Evolution of productive and biodiversity features in lucerne fields of different ages

Received: January 10th, 2022 ; Accepted: February 23rd, 2022 ; Published: April 1st, 2022 ; Correspondence: [email protected] sativa is a legume forage crop characterized by high production of forage, with a notable nutritive value, but in mountain areas duration of the crop could be remarkably affected by severe environmental conditions. To assess the vegetation evolution of lucerne crops in relation to crop age, data from fields of lucerne of different ages were collected. The aim is the evaluation of lucerne productive performances, evolution of forage quality and assessment of recovery by autochthonous species that naturally recolonize the studied areas in relation to age of the cropped species. With increasing years, lucerne population was significantly decreased and replaced by different functional types of plants, such as perennial graminoids and short-lived forbs. Biodiversity increased significantly along time, and evolution of similarity indices demonstrated an evolution of vegetation toward that represented by reference grassland of the area. Productive characteristics of forage, in terms of aboveground biomass and quality, were negatively affected by age. Results permitted to assess the evolution of different features of lucerne for a mountain environment and to hypothesize the appropriate management for this resource, that could contemplate also the evolution towards the reconstitution of the reference habitat for the studied area

Evolution of production and forage quality in sown meadows of a mountain area inside Parmesan cheese consortium

Received: January 5th, 2021 ; Accepted: April 7th, 2021 ; Published: May 4th, 2021 ; Correspondence: [email protected] meadows, encompassing alfalfa and grass-legume mixtures, are the forage crops on which is based Parmesan cheese production system in the mountain area of the Apennines (central Italy). These grassland types experience, during their development, deep changes in terms of production potentiality, botanical composition and forage quality, thus these meadows have to be periodically renewed to guarantee adequate productive and qualitative performances. To have an accurate assessment of this evolution along time, a survey was performed in different mountain farms inside the Parmesan cheese consortium, analysing alfalfa meadows and grass-legumes mixtures of different ages. Grasslands were monitored during 2019, performing three samplings during growing season. Aboveground biomass production, botanical composition and crude protein content were collected during the survey. Results permitted to evaluate the level of production decrease along years, the evolution of analysed parameters among cutting dates and the dependence of productive and qualitative features on botanical composition and presence of sown species in the swards. Results were useful to hypothesize the composition of future mixtures, to improve management issues and to delineate the possible duration of sown meadows for the area with respect to different purposes in terms of desired productive or qualitative objectives

Sonographic evaluation of subacromial space

Goal of the study. The purpose of this study is to compare the accuracy of sonographic to radiographic measurements of subacromial space, and verify its variations in relation to acromial morphology, age, sex and rotator cuff pathologies. Materials and methods. As a result, we have compared a radiographic examination to sonographic examination, each measuring the subacromial space in 200 random shoulders, with a personal method. The sonographic examination was performed by using a HDI 5000 ultrasound scanner Sono-CT with 7.5 MHz linear array transducer. No stand-off pad was utilized. Results. The statistical analysis of the data derived from the two measurements was not sufficient to conclude that the two techniques are different (p>0.8). They also correspond with the radiographic morphology of the acromion. The size of subacromial space was related to the acromial morphology, female gender, and rotator cuff pathology, however, it was not related to age. Discussion and conclusions. Our results clearly show that sonographic measurements are very close to those obtained by X-ray (p>0.8). The Bland\u2013Altman analysis showed that for all groups, the were small enough to give us confidence that the sonographic technique may be used in place of the radiographic one for clinical purposes. One-way ANOVA showed that sonographic measurements were statistically different among the four groups (p<0.05). The sonography demonstrated precision, accuracy and carefulness in the measurement of the subacromial space

Sonography in the diagnosis of tear of the knee menisci

Goal of the study. The purpose of this study is to compare the accuracy of sonographic to radiographic measurements of subacromial space, and verify its variations in relation to acromial morphology, age, sex and rotator cuff pathologies. Materials and methods. As a result, we have compared a radiographic examination to sonographic examination, each measuring the subacromial space in 200 random shoulders, with a personal method. The sonographic examination was performed by using a HDI 5000 ultrasound scanner Sono-CT with 7.5 MHz linear array transducer. No stand-off pad was utilized. Results. The statistical analysis of the data derived from the two measurements was not sufficient to conclude that the two techniques are different (p>0.8). They also correspond with the radiographic morphology of the acromion. The size of subacromial space was related to the acromial morphology, female gender, and rotator cuff pathology, however, it was not related to age. Discussion and conclusions. Our results clearly show that sonographic measurements are very close to those obtained by X-ray (p>0.8). The Bland\u2013Altman analysis showed that for all groups, the were small enough to give us confidence that the sonographic technique may be used in place of the radiographic one for clinical purposes. One-way ANOVA showed that sonographic measurements were statistically different among the four groups (p<0.05). The sonography demonstrated precision, accuracy and carefulness in the measurement of the subacromial space

GNAO1 encephalopathy: broadening the phenotype and evaluating treatment and outcome

OBJECTIVE: To describe better the motor phenotype, molecular genetic features, and clinical course of GNAO1-related disease. METHODS: We reviewed clinical information, video recordings, and neuroimaging of a newly identified cohort of 7 patients with de novo missense and splice site GNAO1 mutations, detected by next-generation sequencing techniques. RESULTS: Patients first presented in early childhood (median age of presentation 10 months, range 0-48 months), with a wide range of clinical symptoms ranging from severe motor and cognitive impairment with marked choreoathetosis, self-injurious behavior, and epileptic encephalopathy to a milder phenotype, featuring moderate developmental delay associated with complex stereotypies, mainly facial dyskinesia and mild epilepsy. Hyperkinetic movements were often exacerbated by specific triggers, such as voluntary movement, intercurrent illnesses, emotion, and high ambient temperature, leading to hospital admissions. Most patients were resistant to drug intervention, although tetrabenazine was effective in partially controlling dyskinesia for 2/7 patients. Emergency deep brain stimulation (DBS) was life saving in 1 patient, resulting in immediate clinical benefit with complete cessation of violent hyperkinetic movements. Five patients had well-controlled epilepsy and 1 had drug-resistant seizures. Structural brain abnormalities, including mild cerebral atrophy and corpus callosum dysgenesis, were evident in 5 patients. One patient had a diffuse astrocytoma (WHO grade II), surgically removed at age 16. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support the causative role of GNAO1 mutations in an expanded spectrum of early-onset epilepsy and movement disorders, frequently exacerbated by specific triggers and at times associated with self-injurious behavior. Tetrabenazine and DBS were the most useful treatments for dyskinesia