Serum anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG antibodies are biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis

Objectives: A previous single-country pilot study indicated serum anti-GM2 and anti-GA1 anti-glycolipid antibodies as potential biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis. This study aims to validate these findings in a large geographically heterogenous cohort. Materials and Methods: Sera from 175 dogs clinically diagnosed with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis, 112 dogs with other peripheral nerve, cranial nerve or neuromuscular disorders and 226 neurologically normal dogs were screened for anti-glycolipid antibodies against 11 common glycolipid targets to determine the immunoglobulin G anti-glycolipid antibodies with the highest combined sensitivity and specificity for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis. Results: Anti-GM2 anti-glycolipid antibodies reached the highest combined sensitivity and specificity (sensitivity: 65.1%, 95% confidence interval 57.6 to 72.2%; specificity: 90.2%, 95% confidence interval 83.1 to 95.0%), followed by anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies (sensitivity: 61.7%, 95% confidence interval 54.1 to 68.9%; specificity: 89.3%, 95% confidence interval 82.0 to 94.3%) and these anti-glycolipid antibodies were frequently present concomitantly. Anti-GA1 anti-glycolipid antibodies were detected in both acute canine polyradiculoneuritis and control animals. Both for anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies, sex was found a significantly associated factor with a female to male odds ratio of 2.55 (P=0.0096) and 3.00 (P=0.0198), respectively. Anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies were more commonly observed in dogs unable to walk (odds ratio 4.56; P=0.0076). Clinical Significance: Anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a immunoglobulin G anti-glycolipid antibodies represent serum biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis

Serum anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG antibodies are biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis

OBJECTIVES: A previous single-country pilot study indicated serum anti-GM2 and anti-GA1 anti-glycolipid antibodies as potential biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis. This study aims to validate these findings in a large geographically heterogenous cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sera from 175 dogs clinically diagnosed with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis, 112 dogs with other peripheral nerve, cranial nerve or neuromuscular disorders and 226 neurologically normal dogs were screened for anti-glycolipid antibodies against 11 common glycolipid targets to determine the immunoglobulin G anti-glycolipid antibodies with the highest combined sensitivity and specificity for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis. RESULTS: Anti-GM2 anti-glycolipid antibodies reached the highest combined sensitivity and specificity (sensitivity: 65.1%, 95% confidence interval 57.6 to 72.2%; specificity: 90.2%, 95% confidence interval 83.1 to 95.0%), followed by anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies (sensitivity: 61.7%, 95% confidence interval 54.1 to 68.9%; specificity: 89.3%, 95% confidence interval 82.0 to 94.3%) and these anti-glycolipid antibodies were frequently present concomitantly. Anti-GA1 anti-glycolipid antibodies were detected in both acute canine polyradiculoneuritis and control animals. Both for anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies, sex was found a significantly associated factor with a female to male odds ratio of 2.55 (1.27 to 5.31) and 3.00 (1.22 to 7.89), respectively. Anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies were more commonly observed in dogs unable to walk (OR 4.56, 1.56 to 14.87). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a immunoglobulin G anti-glycolipid antibodies represent serum biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis.This study was funded by PetSavers, the charitable division of the BSAVA, and by The Wellcome Trust (Grants 092805 and 202789 awarded to HJW).https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/17485827Companion Animal Clinical Studie

Serum anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG antibodies are biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis

Objectives: A previous single-country pilot study indicated serum anti-GM2 and anti-GA1 anti-glycolipid antibodies as potential biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis. This study aims to validate these findings in a large geographically heterogenous cohort. Materials and Methods: Sera from 175 dogs clinically diagnosed with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis, 112 dogs with other peripheral nerve, cranial nerve or neuromuscular disorders and 226 neurologically normal dogs were screened for anti-glycolipid antibodies against 11 common glycolipid targets to determine the immunoglobulin G anti-glycolipid antibodies with the highest combined sensitivity and specificity for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis. Results: Anti-GM2 anti-glycolipid antibodies reached the highest combined sensitivity and specificity (sensitivity: 65.1%, 95% confidence interval 57.6 to 72.2%; specificity: 90.2%, 95% confidence interval 83.1 to 95.0%), followed by anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies (sensitivity: 61.7%, 95% confidence interval 54.1 to 68.9%; specificity: 89.3%, 95% confidence interval 82.0 to 94.3%) and these anti-glycolipid antibodies were frequently present concomitantly. Anti-GA1 anti-glycolipid antibodies were detected in both acute canine polyradiculoneuritis and control animals. Both for anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies, sex was found a significantly associated factor with a female to male odds ratio of 2.55 (P=0.0096) and 3.00 (P=0.0198), respectively. Anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies were more commonly observed in dogs unable to walk (odds ratio 4.56; P=0.0076). Clinical Significance: Anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a immunoglobulin G anti-glycolipid antibodies represent serum biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis

Long-term assessment of ecological restoration activities in desertification prone Mediterranean areas: a study case from Sicily

One of the most worrying consequences of climate change and deep human impact in semi-arid Mediterranean areas is the increasing desertification risk and the related processes of soil degradation and loss of plant cover and biodiversity. Under such conditions, active restoration tools are generally needed to reverse these otherwise irreversible changes. In similar contexts, interventions were carried out within the “Macalife” Project (LIFE 04/NAT/IT/000182) in the Special Area of Conservation “Macalube di Aragona”, in southern Sicily (Italy). Here, intensive agricultural practices, unregulated grazing and frequent wildfires have seriously threatened several local plant communities. Furthermore, plant establishment is locally hampered by a long-lasting drought period, clayey and salt-rich soils, and periodic soil movements resulting from sedimentary volcanism. Interventions were addressed to restore the most important plant communities corresponding to several habitats of community interest according to 92/43 EU Directive, like the Pseudo-steppe with grasses and annuals of the Thero-Brachypodietea (6220), and the halo-nitrophilous scrub Pegano-Salsoletea (1430) and to improve the conservation status of some endemic and endangered plant species like Tripolium sorrentinoi. All the target species used for reinforcement actions carried out during the project were propagated through local nurseries, using seeds exclusively collected from individuals occurring on site, and some woody plants were also inoculated with symbiotic microrganisms (plant growth-promoting bacteria and mycorrhizal fungi). We assessed the effectiveness of interventions more than 10 years after the last monitoring activities. Particularly, we evaluated the increase of plant cover and/or the number of individuals and the mean height of the target species (Lygeum spartum, Tripolium sorrentinoi, Atriplex halimus, Salsola oppositifolia, Salsola vermiculata, Suaeda vera, etc.) characterizing some of the habitats occurring in the nature reserve. The very promising results from monitoring activities suggest that the use of local plant germplasm and proper propagation techniques may allow restoring native Mediterranean habitats under desertification threat

Azioni di contenimento dei fenomeni erosivi, di salvaguardia e restauro degli habitat nell\u2019ambito del Progetto LIFE \u201cMACALIFE - Preservation and extension of priority habitats damaged from agriculture activity\u201d: un modello per le zone aride della Sicilia

In Sicilia, come del resto in gran parte del Mediterraneo, l\u2019impatto millenario delle attivit\ue0 antropiche ha profondamente modificato la struttura e la funzione degli ecosistemi naturali, con evidenti ripercussioni sulla stabilit\ue0 dei suoli e sull\u2019andamento diffuso dei processi erosivi. L\u2019accresciuta consapevolezza di que-sto rapporto causa-effetto ha posto sempre pi\uf9 in risalto la necessit\ue0 di mettere in atto adeguati interventi di recupero e di ripristino ambientale, in particolare a favo-re di ecosistemi pi\uf9 esposti e vulnerabili, perlopi\uf9 concentrati in corrispondenza delle aree costiere e umide, spesso profondamente trasformati a seguito dell'azione combinata di diversi tipi di disturbo antropico. Gli interventi di ricostituzione degli habitat e di rinaturalizzazione sono complessi dal punto di vista tecnico, in quanto non possono prescindere da un\u2019analisi dettagliata di tutti gli aspetti biotici, abiotici ed antropici che caratterizzano il territorio coinvolto. In funzione dei caratteri eda-fo-climatici stazionali \ue8 di fondamentale importanza individuare le specie idonee per il ripristino della struttura e della funzione delle comunit\ue0 locali. Tale scelta condiziona tutte le operazioni successive, in quanto deve favorire meccanismi in grado di costituire sistemi naturali complessi e stabili nel tempo. Non \ue8 sufficiente individuare le specie chiave, che caratterizzano strutturalmente e fisio-nomicamente le comunit\ue0 vegetali, ma occorre prestare particolare attenzione all\u2019origine del materiale vegetale di propagazione da utilizzare negli interventi. Utilizzando specie autoctone, soprattutto ecotipi autoctoni e pertanto meglio adat-tati alle condizioni pedo-climatiche locali, \ue8 possibile contribuire alla conservazione delle risorse genetiche del territorio, aspetto spesso trascurato o comunque sottovalutato nelle attivit\ue0 di ripristino ambientale. Le modalit\ue0, le tecniche ed anche la durata degli interventi previsti devono essere opportunamente modulati in funzione del grado di alterazione del sistema e quindi degli input necessari. Lo scopo principale dell\u2019intervento non \ue8 quello di riportare un ecosistema allo stato originale, quanto piuttosto di ripristinare le dinamiche evolutive naturali, eliminando le cause che hanno determinato la situazione attuale, e cercando di ristabilire le relazioni funzionali tra le componenti biotiche ed abiotiche del sistema, fino al raggiungimento di una nuova condizione di equilibrio dinamico. Su questi principi si basa la restoration ecology, una branca ormai autonoma dell\u2019ecologia che si occupa del recupero e del ripristino degli ecosistemi danneggiati, semplificati o distrutti dall\u2019azione antropica (Young, 2000). Questa filosofia di intervento ha guidato le azioni compiute nell\u2019ambito del progetto LIFE04 NAT/IT/000182 \u201cMacaLife, Conservazione degli habitat delle Macalube di Aragona\u201d