Lpa1-5525 : a new lpa1 mutant isolated in a mutagenized population by a novel non-disrupting screening method

Phytic acid, or myo-inositol 1,2,3,4,5,6-hexakisphosphate, is the main storage form of phosphorus in plants. It is localized in seeds, deposited as mixed salts of mineral cations in protein storage vacuoles; during germination, it is hydrolyzed by phytases to make available P together with all the other cations needed for seed germination. When seeds are used as food or feed, phytic acid and the bound cations are poorly bioavailable for human and monogastric livestock due to their lack of phytase activity. Therefore, reducing the amount of phytic acid is one strategy in breeding programs aimed to improve the nutritional properties of major crops. In this work, we present data on the isolation of a new maize (Zea mays L.) low phytic acid 1 (lpa1) mutant allele obtained by transposon tagging mutagenesis with the Ac element. We describe the generation of the mutagenized population and the screening to isolate new lpa1 mutants. In particular, we developed a fast, cheap and non-disrupting screening method based on the different density of lpa1 seed compared to the wild type. This assay allowed the isolation of the lpa1-5525 mutant characterized by a new mutation in the lpa1 locus associated with a lower amount of phytic phosphorus in the seeds in comparison with the wild type

Evaluation of concentration of heavy metals in animal rearing system

Animal manure is one of the diffusion routes of heavy metals and metalloids into the environment, where the soil can accumulate them. Heavy metals and metalloids can then be released into groundwater sources, be absorbed by crops, and enter the food chain with negative effects for human and animal health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the concentration of heavy metals and mineral nutrients from modern animal rearing systems in order to develop effective strategies to increase the sustainability. Samples of feed (n\ubc24: n\ubc16 from swine, n\ubc8 from cattle), faeces (n\ubc120: n\ubc80 from swine, n\ubc40 from cattle) and water (n\ubc8), were collected from eight typical intensive swine and cattle farms located in northern Italy. All samples were analysed for the humidity and the principal components. The samples were also dried, mineralised, and analysed by ICP-MS to detect the following elements: Na, Mg, K, Ca, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Cd, and Pb. The swine diets represented the highest amounts of Zn and Cu, with an average concentration for the finishing and weaning phases of Zn: 1737.9 \ub1 301.3; 821.7 \ub1 301.3; Cu: 133.8 \ub1 11.6; 160.1 \ub1 11.6 mg/kg as fed, respectively. The faecal content reflected the heavy metal composition from feed. The average content of cattle diets of Zn and Cu did not result higher than the maximum permitted levels. We observed that the swine manure represented the sources of Zn and Cu output into the environment. The Zn and Cu content should be monitored strictly in line with agroecology principles

Bioaccumulation of heavy metals from wastewater through a Typha latifolia and Thelypteris palustris phytoremediation system

Animal production is a source of heavy metals in livestock wastewater and also a key link in the food chain, with negative impacts on human and animal health. In intensive animal production systems, the most critical elements are zinc and copper. In order to development of innovative non-invasive strategies to reduce the environmental impact of livestock, this study assessed the ability of two plants, Typha latifolia and Thelypteris palustris, to bioaccumulate the heavy metals used in animal nutrition, from wastewater. Four mesocosms (width 2.0\u202fm, length 2.0\u202fm, 695\u202fL of water, 210\u202fkg of soil) were assembled outdoors at the Botanical Garden. Two of them were planted with T. latifolia (TL treated, n\u202f=\u202f30; TL control, n\u202f=\u202f30) and two with T. palustris (TP treated, n\u202f=\u202f60; TP control, n\u202f=\u202f60). In T0 a solution of a mineral additive premix (Zn 44.02\u202fmg/L; Cu 8.63\u202fmg/L) was dissolved in the treated mesocosms. At T0, d 15 (T1) and d 45 (T2) samples of roots, leaves, stems, soil and water were collected, dried, mineralized and analyzed using ICP-MS in order to obtain HMs content. We found that T. latifolia and T. palustris accumulate and translocate Zn, Cu from contaminated wastewater into plant tissues in a way that is directly related to the exposure time (T2 for Zn: 271.64\u202f\ub1\u202f17.70, 409.26\u202f\ub1\u202f17.70 for Cu: 47.54\u202f\ub1\u202f3.56, 105.58\u202f\ub1\u202f3.56\u202fmg/kg of DM, respectively). No visual toxicity signs were observed during the experimental period. This phytoremediation approach could be used as an eco-sustainable approach to counteract the output of heavy metals

VP68.09: Pelvic floor muscle strength and urinary incontinence at term

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Evaluation of leonardite as a feed additive on lipid metabolism and growth of weaned piglets

We evaluated the effects of leonardite supplementation, mainly composed of humic acids (HAs), as a functional feed additive in weaned piglets. One hundred and twenty piglets (Large Withe 7 Landrace) were weaned at 28\ub12 days, and randomly divided into two groups (6 pens per group, 10 piglets per pen). After one week of adaptation, for 40 days groups were fed a control diet (CTRL) and an HA enriched diet (0.25% of leonardite; HAG). Body weight (BW), average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured throughout the experimental period. On the last day of the trial four piglets per pen were randomly selected and the blood was collected to evaluate the serum metabolic profile and diamine oxidase content. Chemical analyses showed that leonardite was characterized by a high content of ash 23.27% (as-fed basis), polyphenolic content of 35.18\ub13.91 mg TAEq/g, and an antioxidant capacity of 73.31\ub18.22 \u3bcmol TroloxEq/g. The HAG group showed an increase in BW, ADG and ADFI (P<0.01) compared to the CTRL group during the experimental period. In terms of the serum metabolic profile, the HAG group showed a significant increase in total protein content (P<0.001), albumin (P<0.001), albumin/globulin ratio (P<0.01), phosphatase alkaline (P<0.01), calcium, phosphorus and magnesium (P<0.05) compared to the CTRL group. A modulation in the serum lipid profile was recorded. The HAG group showed a decrease in total triglycerides (P<0.05) with higher total cholesterol (P<0.05), however only high-density lipoprotein showed a significant increase (P<0.001) compared to the CTRL group. No significant differences in the amount of diamine oxidase were found between groups. In conclusion, leonardite inclusion in the diet at 0.25% was shown to have a positive effect on the serum lipid profile and animal growth. This thus suggests that leonardite can be considered as a new feed additive, which improves the health and performance of weaned piglets

Genetic and chemical comparison among Camelina sativa varieties

Camelina sativa (Camelina sativa L. Crantz.) belonging to the mustard family, typically contain about 40 % oil in the seeds, 90 % of which is made up of unsaturated fatty acids: about 30\u201340% fraction of alpha linolenic acid, 15\u201325% fraction of linoleic acid, 15% fraction of oleic acid and around 15% eicosenoic acid. Genetic studies of the genome of C. sativa suggest a polyploid structure being more probably a hexaploid species. In European countries and Russia, camelina was grown as an agricultural crop before the II World War; now the renewed interest on this crop is mainly due to the search for new sources of essential fatty acids, particularly n-3(omega-3) fatty acids to be used in human food and animal feed products. In this work we compared different varieties of camelina grown in different conditions: in experimental field, greenhouse and grow chamber. We characterized the genetic material by SSRs to assess the genetic diversity to assist future breeding programs. In particular we have set up a breeding program aimed at reducing the glucosinolate content in camelina seed because of its toxic effect when present at high levels in seeds used as feed. Glucosinolate are sulphur-containing glucosides, found mainly in Brassicaceae, involved in plant defense. In the last year these molecules have been studied also because of their activities as natural pesticides and their protective effects against cancer, heart disease and chronic inflammatory disease. We are now characterizing camelina seeds for glucosinolate content in order to develop a diagnostic marker based on the analytical determination of the sulfur isotopic signature (\uf06434S). Such a marker will allow to easily select genetic materials with different glucosinolate contents without the use of complex and expensive analytical techniques

Neurodevelopmental outcomes of very preterm infants born following early foetal growth restriction with absent end-diastolic umbilical flow

This study aims to assess the impact of time of onset and features of early foetal growth restriction (FGR) with absent end-diastolic flow (AEDF) on pregnancy outcomes and on preterm infants' clinical and neurodevelopmental outcomes up to 2 years corrected age. This is a retrospective, cohort study led at a level IV Obstetric and Neonatal Unit in Bologna, Italy. Pregnant women were eligible if having singleton pregnancies, with no major foetal anomaly detected, and diagnosed with early FGR + AEDF (defined as FGR + AEDF detected before 32 weeks gestation). Early FGR + AEDF was further classified according to time of onset and specific features into very early and persistent (VEP, FGR + AEDF first detected at 20-24 weeks gestation and persistent at the following scans), very early but transient (VET, FGR + AEDF detected at 20-24 weeks gestation and progressively improving at the following scans) and later (LA, FGR + AEDF detected between 25 and 32 weeks gestation). Pregnancy and neonatal outcomes and infant follow-up data were collected and compared among groups. Neurodevelopment was assessed using the revised Griffiths Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS-R) 0-2 years. A regression analysis was performed to identify early predictors of preterm infants' neurodevelopmental impairment. Fifty-two pregnant women with an antenatal diagnosis of early FGR + AEDF were included in the study (16 VEP, 14 VET, 22 LA). Four intrauterine foetal deaths occurred, all in the VEP group (p = 0.010). Compared to LA infants, VEP infants were born with lower gestational age and lower birth weight, had lower arterial cord blood pH and were at higher risk for intraventricular haemorrhage and periventricular leukomalacia (p < 0.05 for all comparisons). At 12 months, VEP infants had worse GMDS-R scores, both in the general quotient (mean [SD] 91.8 [12.4] vs 104.6 [8.7] in LA) and in the performance domain (mean [SD] 93.3 [15.4] vs 108.8 [8.8] in LA). This latter difference persisted at 24 months (mean [SD] 68.3 [17.0] vs 92.9 [17.7] in LA). In multivariate analysis, at 12 months corrected age, PVL was found to be an independent predictor of impaired general quotient, while the features and timing of antenatal Doppler alterations predicted worse scores in the performance domain.Conclusion: Timing of onset and features of early FGR + AEDF might impact differently on neonatal clinical and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Shared awareness of the importance of FGR + AEDF features between obstetricians and neonatologists may offer valuable tools for antenatal counselling and for tailoring pregnancy management and neonatal follow-up in light of specific antenatal and neonatal risk factors

A narrative review with specific focus on its role in pregnancy

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a challenge to every health system. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that this pandemic will disappear soon. No health system, with its present resources and workflow, is capable enough to deal with a full-blown wave of this pandemic. Acquisition of specific new skills may be fundamental in delivering appropriate health care for our patients. The gold standard for diagnosis of the COVID-19 infection is real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Radiological investigations (chest X-ray or high-resolution computerized tomography [CT]) can be helpful both for diagnosis and management, but they have many limitations. Ultrasound has been suggested as a reliable and accurate tool for assessing the lungs in COVID-19 patients. Lung ultrasound (LUS) can show specific signs of inter-stitial pneumonia, which is characteristic of COVID-19 pulmonary infection. In addition, nonradiologist specialists with experience in ultrasound can be trained on LUS with a relatively rapid learning curve. In pregnancy, LUS can be particularly useful due to the avoidance of exposure to ionizing radiation. In this review, we present the advantages, techniques, and limitations of the use of LUS during the COVID-19 pandemic, with specific focus on pregnancy

Obliterated cavum septi pellucidi: Clinical significance and role of fetal magnetic resonance

Introduction: The objective of this study was to describe a cohort of fetuses with an ultrasound prenatal diagnosis of obliterated cavum septi pellucidi (oCSP) with the aim to explore the rate of associated malformations, the progression during pregnancy and the role of fetal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Material and methods: This was a retrospective multicenter international study of fetuses diagnosed with oCSP in the second trimester with available fetal MRI and subsequent ultrasound and/or fetal MRI follow-up in the third trimester. Where available, postnatal data were collected to obtain information on neurodevelopment.Results: We identified 45 fetuses with oCSP at 20.5 weeks (interquartile range 20.1-21.1). oCSP was apparently isolated at ultrasound in 89% (40/45) and fetal MRI found additional findings in 5% (2/40) of cases, including polymicrogyria and microencephaly. In the remaining 38 fetuses, fetal MRI found a variable amount of fluid in CSP in 74% (28/38) and no fluid in 26% (10/38). Ultrasound follow-up at or after 30 weeks confirmed the diagnosis of oCSP in 32% (12/38) while fluid was visible in 68% (26/38). At follow-up MRI, performed in eight pregnancies, there were periventricular cysts and delayed sulcation with persistent oCSP in one case. Among the remaining cases with normal follow-up ultrasound and fetal MRI findings, the postnatal outcome was normal in 89% of cases (33/37) and abnormal in 11% (4/37): two with isolated speech delay, and two with neurodevelopmental delay secondary to postnatal diagnosis of Noonan syndrome at 5 years in one case and microcephaly with delayed cortical maturation at 5 months in the other.Conclusions: Apparently isolated oCSP at mid-pregnancy is a transient finding with the visualization of the fluid later in pregnancy in up to 70% of cases. At referral, associated defects can be found in around 11% of cases at ultrasound and 8% at fetal MRI indicating the need for a detailed evaluation by expert physicians when oCSP is suspected

Nutritional and phenotypical characterization of two South African maize (Zea mays L) varieties sampled in the Qwa-Qwa region

Zea mays L represents one of the main source of energy in the diet in many African countries, especially in the sub-Saharan regions. White maize varieties, characterized by the lack of carotenoids, are usually widely preferred in Africa for human consumption, and this contributes to the occurrence of Vitamin A deficiency; yellow varieties, often derived from commercial hybrids, are usually destined for animal feeding. In this study we characterized from the phenotypical and nutritional points of view one white and one yellow South African landrace maize cultivar obtained directly from the farmers in the rural region of Qwa-Qwa (Free State Province). Calorific value, oil, protein, starch, minerals, flavonoids and carotenoids content were determined, together with free and phytic phosphorus (P). Both of the varieties showed lower protein and Fe content in comparison to the ones used as control, and the yellow one also had a low content of Zn. The white variety was characterized by a higher free P content but also by a very low level of carotenoids. Our data show that there are no nutritional reasons to prefer the white variety for human consumption, with the exception of the large size of the seeds, which make them particularly adapted for milling; hence the nutritional value of these varieties, and in particular of the white one, should be improved (pro-tein, Fe and carotenoids), contributing in this way to tackle the problem of malnutrition in South African rural areas