Fertilization Characteristics of Spermatozoa Collected from Bulls Grazing Tall Fescue Pastures

Consumption of toxic endophyte-infected (E+) tall fescue pastures is known to have a negative impact on bull reproductive performance. Since decreased cleavage rates of embryos fertilized with spermatozoa from bulls grazing E+ tall fescue pastures have been observed in several studies using differing sets of bulls, technicians, pastures, and other methods of inducing tall fescue toxicosis (ergotamine tartrate), it is hypothesized that spermatozoa function from bulls grazing E+ is impaired in ways undetectable by gross semen examination. During a three-month grazing study, 6 Angus bulls were utilized to determine the effects of grazing E+ tall fescue pastures on growth performance and spermatozoa function. Bulls were appointed to graze Kentucky 31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) infected with Neotyphodium coenophialum, an ergot alkaloid producing endophyte (n=3) or Jesup tall fescue infected with non-ergot alkaloid producing endophyte (NTE) MaxQTM (n=3). Bulls were grouped by body weight (BW) and scrotal circumference (SC) to graze pastures from April 18-June 26, 2007. Blood samples, BW, SC, semen, and rectal temperatures (RT) were collected every 7 d. Scrotal temperatures (ST) were obtained before semen collection each week in June. Semen was evaluated for gross motility, morphology, and Computer Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) parameters. Semen from a subset of bulls (n=2 per treatment) was used to assess spermatozoa ability to function utilizing in vitro assays. Growth performance was decreased in E+ bulls compared to bulls grazing NTE tall fescue pastures (P = 0.002). Concentrations of prolactin were reduced in bulls grazing E+ compared to bulls grazing NTE tall fescue pastures (P = 0.055). Motility post-thaw and during a 3-hour stress test were decreased (P = 0.024 and P \u3c 0.0001, respectively), in addition to altered CASA parameters for spermatozoa. Penetration was reduced in oocytes fertilized with spermatozoa from bulls grazing E+ (64.54 ± 3.28%) compared to NTE tall fescue pastures (87.42 ± 1.63%, P \u3c 0.0001) coupled with hastened meiotic completion, and reduced intracellular calcium parameters. These findings indicate impaired spermatozoa function in bulls grazing E+ tall fescue pastures that extends beyond gross semen characteristics, and may provide direction for future studies

Relazioni tra innovazione di business e internazionalizzazione: prime evidenze empiriche nel settore italiano del caff\ue8

Il presente capitolo ha l\u2019obiettivo di approfondire lo studio dell\u2019innovazione e delle sue relazioni con l\u2019internazionalizzazione nel settore italiano del caff\ue8. Questo \ue8 uno dei comparti pi\uf9 rilevanti e dinamici dell\u2019industria alimentare made in Italy ed \ue8 contraddistinto da una forte propensione sia all\u2019innovazione, nelle sue molteplici forme, sia all\u2019internazionalizzazione, nei diversi mercati, siano essi maturi e consolidati o emergenti e dinamici. La scelta di questo specifico comparto deriva anche dal ruolo strategico e dall\u2019eccellenza che le imprese italiane del settore sono in grado di esprimere sui mercati esteri. Le imprese italiane, anche se risultano avvantaggiate da un effetto Paese molto forte e positivo, si trovano sempre pi\uf9 di frequente a competere con imprese globali che rischiano di minacciare anche le posizioni di leadership, costruite tradizionalmente in particolari nicchie di mercato. Per le imprese del settore, quali dimensioni del business sono coinvolte nel processo di innovazione? Quale relazione sussiste tra innovazione e internazionalizzazione? In quale modo l\u2019innovazione e l\u2019internazionalizzazione possono contribuire al successo economico e competitivo dell\u2019impresa? \uc8 stata quindi condotta una ricerca mediante lo studio di casi aziendali, basato sia su dati secondari come siti web, documenti e report, sia su dati primari, raccolti con interviste in profondit\ue0. Queste, realizzate in diverse fasi durante il periodo primavera-estate 2014, hanno coinvolto figure di rilevanti responsabilit\ue0 strategiche, come amministratori e manager aziendali. Nel presente capitolo si \ue8 focalizzata l\u2019attenzione su due casi del caff\ue8 made in Italy, uno operante prevalentemente nel business-to-consumer e l\u2019altro nel campo del business-to-business, entrambi presenti da tempo sui mercati esteri anche se con modalit\ue0 di entrata e intensit\ue0 di presenza internazionale differenti. Si tratta di Illycaff\ue8 e Demus, due aziende triestine che, pur essendo molto diverse tra loro dal punto di vista dimensionale, strutturale e strategico, sono entrambe caratterizzate da una significativa propensione all\u2019innovazione e da una crescente presenza sui mercati internazionali

Relazioni tra innovazione di business e internazionalizzazione: prime evidenze empiriche nel settore italiano del caffè

2noIl presente capitolo ha l’obiettivo di approfondire lo studio dell’innovazione e delle sue relazioni con l’internazionalizzazione nel settore italiano del caffè. Questo è uno dei comparti più rilevanti e dinamici dell’industria alimentare made in Italy ed è contraddistinto da una forte propensione sia all’innovazione, nelle sue molteplici forme, sia all’internazionalizzazione, nei diversi mercati, siano essi maturi e consolidati o emergenti e dinamici. La scelta di questo specifico comparto deriva anche dal ruolo strategico e dall’eccellenza che le imprese italiane del settore sono in grado di esprimere sui mercati esteri. Le imprese italiane, anche se risultano avvantaggiate da un effetto Paese molto forte e positivo, si trovano sempre più di frequente a competere con imprese globali che rischiano di minacciare anche le posizioni di leadership, costruite tradizionalmente in particolari nicchie di mercato. Per le imprese del settore, quali dimensioni del business sono coinvolte nel processo di innovazione? Quale relazione sussiste tra innovazione e internazionalizzazione? In quale modo l’innovazione e l’internazionalizzazione possono contribuire al successo economico e competitivo dell’impresa? È stata quindi condotta una ricerca mediante lo studio di casi aziendali, basato sia su dati secondari come siti web, documenti e report, sia su dati primari, raccolti con interviste in profondità. Queste, realizzate in diverse fasi durante il periodo primavera-estate 2014, hanno coinvolto figure di rilevanti responsabilità strategiche, come amministratori e manager aziendali. Nel presente capitolo si è focalizzata l’attenzione su due casi del caffè made in Italy, uno operante prevalentemente nel business-to-consumer e l’altro nel campo del business-to-business, entrambi presenti da tempo sui mercati esteri anche se con modalità di entrata e intensità di presenza internazionale differenti. Si tratta di Illycaffè e Demus, due aziende triestine che, pur essendo molto diverse tra loro dal punto di vista dimensionale, strutturale e strategico, sono entrambe caratterizzate da una significativa propensione all’innovazione e da una crescente presenza sui mercati internazionali.openopenDe Luca, P.; Pegan, G.DE LUCA, Patrizia; Pegan, Giovann

Brief increases in corticosterone affect morphology, stress responses, and telomere length, but not post-fledging movements, in a wild songbird

Organisms are frequently exposed to challenges during development, such as poor weather and food shortage. Such challenges can initiate the hormonal stress response, which involves secretion of glucocorticoids. Although the hormonal stress response helps organisms deal with challenges, long-term exposure to high levels of glucocorticoids can have morphological, behavioral, and physiological consequences, especially during development. Glucocorticoids are also associated with reduced survival and telomere shortening. To investigate whether brief, acute exposures to glucocorticoids can also produce these phenotypic effects in free-living birds, we exposed wild tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) nestlings to a brief exogenous dose of cort once per day for five days and then measured their morphology, baseline and stress-induced corticosterone levels, and telomere length. We also deployed radio tags on a subset of nestlings, which allowed us to determine the age at which tagged nestlings left the nest (fledged) and their pattern of presence and absence at the natal site during the post-breeding period. Corticosterone-treated nestlings had lower mass, higher baseline and stress-induced corticosterone, and reduced telomeres; other metrics of morphology were affected weakly or not at all. Our treatment resulted in no significant effect on survival to fledging, fledge age, or age at first departure from the natal site, and we found no negative effect of corticosterone on inter-annual return rate. These results show that brief acute corticosterone exposure during development can have measurable effects on phenotype in free-living tree swallows. Corticosterone may therefore mediate correlations between rearing environment and phenotype in developing organisms, even in the absence of prolonged stressors.Comment: 35 pages, 4 figures, 1 appendi

Business innovation e internazionalizzazione delle PMI. I risultati di uno studio qualitativo in un comparto di eccellenza del Made in Italy

2noQuesto capitolo vuole contribuire integrando la letteratura, con una visione più approfondita del fenomeno dell’innovazione di business nella prospettiva manageriale e del suo rapporto con l’internazionalizzazione, concentrando l’attenzione in un particolare contesto manifatturiero, quello del Legno-Arredo, e per una specifica categoria di aziende, le PMI italiane.openopenPegan, G.; De Luca, P.Pegan, Giovanna; DE LUCA, Patrizi

Internal jugular vein thrombosis caused by invasive pharyngeal cancer: a case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION: Internal jugular vein (IJV) thrombosis is a potentially life-threating disease and can occur at any level. Variety of factors can induce thrombosis, but it is most often found following IJV catheterization, neck dissection, injuries, infectious disease, in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or in malignant neoplasms. Unlike thyroid cancer, in which thrombosis of the jugular vein have been relatively often described, thrombosis of the internal jugular vein in head and neck squamous cell cancer is extremely rare. OBJECTIVE: We report a unique case of a very advanced, locally invasive pharyngeal tumor causing thrombosis of the internal jugular vein. Literature review of the described topic was also conducted. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A crossreferenced PubMed and Scopus (EMBASE) search was performed and relevant data were extracted accordingly. The search was performed using the following key-words and Boolean operators: “head and neck cancer AND squamous cell cancer AND internal jugular vein thrombosis”. RESULTS: According to PubMed and Scopus search only two similar cases were found. The first patient had supraglottic SCC with N3 lymph node invading IJV. The second patient developed SCC of the thyroid gland with a large IJV thrombosis. Both patients were treated bimodally, but developed recurrences and died soon after the treatment. In our case, patient was treated with radical surgery. Radical dissection of the right side of the neck and selective dissection of the left side of neck levels II-IV were performed. Furthermore, total laryngectomy, subtotal pharyngectomy and total thyroidectomy en bloc were performed. Reconstruction was made with a free fasciocutaneous anterolateral thigh flap. Despite the patient\u27s poor general condition, IJV thrombosis, bulbus and sigmoid sinus thrombosis, and several comorbidities, he was considered for curative therapy and is still alive, in good general shape, 7 months after the surgery. DISCUSSION: The choice of treatment for this kind of patients is not standardized due to its rare occurrence. Even though IJV thrombosis carries a high chance of distant metastasis and local recurrence and consequently causing poor survival, the question arises what the best therapeutic option is. More documented cases are undoubtedly required to draw a more solid conclusio

Leaf-inspired microcontact printing vascular patterns.

The vascularization of tissue grafts is critical for maintaining viability of the cells within a transplanted graft. A number of strategies are currently being investigated including very promising microfluidics systems. Here, we explored the potential for generating a vasculature-patterned endothelial cells that could be integrated into distinct layers between sheets of primary cells. Bioinspired from the leaf veins, we generated a reverse mold with a fractal vascular-branching pattern that models the unique spatial arrangement over multiple length scales that precisely mimic branching vasculature. By coating the reverse mold with 50 μg ml-1 of fibronectin and stamping enabled selective adhesion of the human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) to the patterned adhesive matrix, we show that a vascular-branching pattern can be transferred by microcontact printing. Moreover, this pattern can be maintained and transferred to a 3D hydrogel matrix and remains stable for up to 4 d. After 4 d, HUVECs can be observed migrating and sprouting into Matrigel. These printed vascular branching patterns, especially after transfer to 3D hydrogels, provide a viable alternative strategy to the prevascularization of complex tissues

Internal jugular vein thrombosis caused by invasive pharyngeal cancer: a case report and literature review

INTRODUCTION: Internal jugular vein (IJV) thrombosis is a potentially life-threating disease and can occur at any level. Variety of factors can induce thrombosis, but it is most often found following IJV catheterization, neck dissection, injuries, infectious disease, in ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome or in malignant neoplasms. Unlike thyroid cancer, in which thrombosis of the jugular vein have been relatively often described, thrombosis of the internal jugular vein in head and neck squamous cell cancer is extremely rare. OBJECTIVE: We report a unique case of a very advanced, locally invasive pharyngeal tumor causing thrombosis of the internal jugular vein. Literature review of the described topic was also conducted. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A crossreferenced PubMed and Scopus (EMBASE) search was performed and relevant data were extracted accordingly. The search was performed using the following key-words and Boolean operators: “head and neck cancer AND squamous cell cancer AND internal jugular vein thrombosis”. RESULTS: According to PubMed and Scopus search only two similar cases were found. The first patient had supraglottic SCC with N3 lymph node invading IJV. The second patient developed SCC of the thyroid gland with a large IJV thrombosis. Both patients were treated bimodally, but developed recurrences and died soon after the treatment. In our case, patient was treated with radical surgery. Radical dissection of the right side of the neck and selective dissection of the left side of neck levels II-IV were performed. Furthermore, total laryngectomy, subtotal pharyngectomy and total thyroidectomy en bloc were performed. Reconstruction was made with a free fasciocutaneous anterolateral thigh flap. Despite the patient\u27s poor general condition, IJV thrombosis, bulbus and sigmoid sinus thrombosis, and several comorbidities, he was considered for curative therapy and is still alive, in good general shape, 7 months after the surgery. DISCUSSION: The choice of treatment for this kind of patients is not standardized due to its rare occurrence. Even though IJV thrombosis carries a high chance of distant metastasis and local recurrence and consequently causing poor survival, the question arises what the best therapeutic option is. More documented cases are undoubtedly required to draw a more solid conclusio

Innovazione di business e adattamento al mercato: il caso Luxottica in Asia

Scopo di questo capitolo \ue8 analizzare, mediante lo studio del caso Luxottica, in che modo l\u2019innovazione di business e la propensione all\u2019adattamento al mercato estero influenzino il successo aziendale in mercati emergenti, come quello asiatico, e per un particolare segmento di mercato del comparto moda made in Italy, quello dell\u2019occhialeria

The Bureaucratic Growth of the European Union

This article explores supranational activism on the example of bureaucratic growth in the institutions of the EU - operationalised as the number of staff members. The main question is to what extent are the numbers of staff employed in the EU institutions and bodies dependent on member states and their decisions to increase the functions of the EU through either treaty changes or the ratifications of accession treaties. To answer this question, two hypotheses are tested based on time-series data collected from the EC/EU annual budgets (1959-2016). The first hypothesis predicts an incremental growth of staff in EU institutions and bodies. The second hypothesis tests whether member states decisions to reform treaties and ratify accession treaties affect the number of staff members in EU institutions and bodies. Results show that the growth of EU staff has not been gradual and that decisions which are under the control of member states partially impact the growth of EU staff. Decisions and willingness of member states as well as EU institutions are needed to affect the number of staff members in the EU