Use of Meloxicam or Ketoprofen for Piglet Pain Control Following Surgical Castration

Surgical castration of piglets is performed routinely on commercial pig farms, to prevent boar taint and minimize aggression. While this procedure is known to be painful, piglets are generally not provided any analgesic for pain relief, leading to welfare concerns. The objectives of this study were to assess the efficacy of two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), meloxicam (MEL) (0.4 mg/kg or 1.0 mg/kg) and ketoprofen (KET) (6.0 mg/kg) in reducing behavioral indicators of pain in castrated piglets. This study also examined the utility of the Piglet Grimace Scale (PGS) as a pain assessment tool. Nineteen litters of 5-days-old male piglets (n = 120) were used and piglets within a litter were randomly assigned to one of eight possible treatments: 0.4 mg/kg MEL-castrated or uncastrated, 1.0 mg/kg MEL-castrated or uncastrated, 6.0 mg/kg KET-castrated or uncastrated, saline (castrated control), or sham (uncastrated control). Treatments were administered intramuscularly (IM) 20 min prior to surgical castration. Piglets were video recorded for 1 h pre-procedure, for 8 h immediately post-castration and for another hour, 24 h post-procedure. Twenty-one behaviors and postures were scored continuously for the first 15 min of each hour and 1,156 still images of piglet faces were collected and scored using the PGS. Within each treatment group post-castration, castrated piglets displayed significantly more pain-related behaviors than uncastrated piglets (0.4 mg/kg MEL: p = 0.0339, 1.0 mg/kg MEL: p = 0.0079, 6.0 mg/kg KET: p = 0.0034, Controls: p < 0.0001). Castrated piglets also grimaced significantly more post-procedure than uncastrated piglets (p = 0.0061). Compared to the castrated control, none of the NSAID treatments significantly reduced piglet pain behaviors (0.4 mg/kg MEL: p = 1.0000, 1.0 mg/kg MEL: p = 0.9995, 6.0 mg/kg KET: p = 0.4163) or facial grimacing. Piglets demonstrated significantly more pain behaviors 24 h post-castration than at all other time points (p < 0.0001). The PGS was a less effective measure to detect acute pain; however, our findings suggest it does have utility as a pain assessment tool in neonatal pigs. Our findings also indicate that the use of these NSAIDs were ineffective at alleviating castration-associated pain in piglets

Polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in wild, farmed, and frozen marine seafood marketed in Campania, Italy.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were detected in fresh-catch, farmed, and frozen marine fish marketed in Campania, Italy. Additionally, polychlorobiphenyl congeners were found: six were non-dioxin-like (NDL-PCB) (IUPAC no. 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, and 180), and one was dioxin-like (DL-PCB) (IUPAC no. 118). In all, 93% of fresh-catch, 100% of aquaculture, and 74% of the frozen specimens contained PCBs at concentrations varying from 0.12 to 35.11 ng/g, wet weight; NDL-PCBs ranged between 0.12 and 32.44 ng/g. Penta-, hexa-, and heptachlorobiphenyls were predominant. Regarding organochlorine pesticides, hexachlorobenzene was detected in 35% of fresh catch, 36% of farmed, and 46% of the frozen fish specimens, in a range between < 0.01 and 3.29 ng/g. Contents of the dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane isomer amounted to 0.12 to 11.00 ng/g. Finally, PAHs were detected in 100% of the specimens. Benzo[a]pyrene was detected in 66% of the aquaculture, 35% of the fresh catch, and 24% of the frozen species, at concentrations varying from 0.03 to 9.18 ng/g. On the basis of annual fish consumption, an average daily intake of NDL-PCBs of 6.02 ng/kg of body weight was estimated. Calculated daily hexachlorobenzene and total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane intakes were, respectively, 0.11 and 0.90 ng/kg of body weight per day. The contribution of fish to the daily consumption of the noncarcinogenic PAHs can be considered low; for benzo[a]pyrene, the estimated daily intake is considerably lower than the doses considered carcinogenic for experimental animals by the European Union Scientific Committee on Food

The role and the effect of magnesium in mental disorders: A systematic review

Introduction: Magnesium is an essential cation involved in many functions within the central nervous system, including transmission and intracellular signal transduction. Several studies have shown its usefulness in neurological and psychiatric diseases. Furthermore, it seems that magnesium levels are lowered in the course of several mental disorders, especially depression. Objectives: In this study, we wish to evaluate the presence of a relationship between the levels of magnesium and the presence of psychiatric pathology as well as the effectiveness of magnesium as a therapeutic supplementation. Methods: A systematic search of scientific records concerning magnesium in psychiatric disorders published from 2010 up to March 2020 was performed. We collected a total of 32 articles: 18 on Depressive Disorders (DD), four on Anxiety Disorders (AD), four on Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), three on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), one on Obsessive\u2013Compulsive Disorder (OCD), one on Schizophrenia (SCZ) and one on Eating Disorders (ED). Results: Twelve studies highlighted mainly positive results in depressive symptoms. Seven showed a significant correlation between reduced plasma magnesium values and depression measured with psychometric scales. Two papers reported improved depressive symptoms after magnesium intake, two in association with antidepressants, compared to controls. No significant association between magnesium serum levels and panic or Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) patients, in two distinct papers, was found. In two other papers, a reduced Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) score in depressed patients correlated with higher levels of magnesium and beneficial levels of magnesium in stressed patients was found. Two papers reported low levels of magnesium in association with ADHD. Only one of three papers showed lower levels of magnesium in ASD. ED and SCZ reported a variation in magnesium levels in some aspects of the disease. Conclusion: The results are not univocal, both in terms of the plasma levels and of therapeutic effects. However, from the available evidence, it emerged that supplementation with magnesium could be beneficial. Therefore, it is necessary to design ad hoc clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of magnesium alone or together with other drugs (antidepressants) in order to establish the correct use of this cation with potential therapeutic effects

Occurrence of polychlorobiphenyls in buffalo mozzarella cheese from Campania (Italy)

Buffalo milk and mozzarella cheese produced in the Caserta and Salerno areas in Campania region have been investigated on the presence and the levels of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs). Seven congeners, six non dioxin-like (NDL-PCBs nos. 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180) and one dioxin-like (DL-PCB n. 118), were detected. PCBs were found at detectable levels in the 83% of the buffalo milk and in the 100% of the mozzarella cheese samples from Caserta; in those from Salerno the prevalence of contamination was 77% for milk and 73% for mozzarellas, respectively. The NDL-PCB content of mozzarellas collected in Caserta was significantly higher than that found in those from Salerno. The more diffuse congeners were PCB 28, 138 and 153 both in milk and in mozzarella cheese; PCB 118 contributed to the total PCB content for the 7% in milk and 2-3% in mozzarella cheese. On the basis of the Italian annual average consumption the contribution of mozzarella to the daily dietary intake of NDL-PCB can vary between 0.41 and 21.33 ng kg-1 bw, median value of 3.66 ng kg-1 bw. The levels of contamination in milk and dairies analyzed are similar or quite lower than those found in other European countries

Protective effects elicited by cow milk fermented with L. Paracasei CBAL74 against SARS-CoV-2 infection in human enterocytes

Fermented foods have been proposed in limiting SARS-CoV-2 infection. Emerging evidence suggest the efficacy of cow's milk fermented with the probiotic L. paracasei CBAL74 (FM-CBAL74) in preventing infectious diseases. We evaluated the protective action of FM-CBAL74 against SARS-CoV-2 infection in human enterocytes. Relevant aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection were assessed: infectivity, host functional receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2), transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines expression (IL-6, IL-15, IL-1β, VEGFβ, TNF-α, MCP-1, CXCL1). Pre-incubation with FM-CBA L74 reduced the number of infected cells. The expression of ACE2 and the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, VEGFβ, IL-15, IL-1β was downregulated by the pre-treatment with this fermented food. No effect on TMPRSS2, MCP-1, TNF-α and CXCL1 expression was observed. Modulating the crucial aspects of the infection, the fermented food FM-CBAL74 exerts a preventive action against SARS-CoV-2. These evidence could pave the way to innovative nutritional strategy to mitigate the COVID-19

Parasite Load and STRs Genotyping of Toxoplasma gondii Isolates From Mediterranean Mussels ( Mytilus galloprovincialis) in Southern Italy

oxoplasmosis is a zoonotic food-borne disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, a land-derived protozoan parasite that infects a broad range of terrestrial and aquatic hosts. T. gondii may reach coastal waters via contaminated freshwater runoff and its oocysts may enter into the marine food web. Marine invertebrates as mussels being filter feeders are exposed and may concentrate T. gondii oocysts representing a potential source of infection for animals and humans. The present works investigated the prevalence, parasite burden and genotypes of T. gondii in the Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from southern Italy. We sampled a total of 382 individual Mediterranean mussels from May to August 2018 from seven production sites in the Gulf of Naples (Campania region). An additional sample including 27 farmed Mediterranean mussels was obtained in February 2018 from a mollusk depuration plant in Corigliano Calabro (Calabria region). T. gondii DNA was detected in 43 out of 409 (10.5%) Mediterranean mussels from seven out of eight sampling sites. The number of T. gondii copies/g in the digestive gland ranged from 0.14 to 1.18. Fragment analysis of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) at 5 microsatellite loci was performed from 10 T. gondii PCR positive samples revealing the presence of five distinct genotypes including one corresponding to type I and four atypical genotypes. These findings suggest potential implications of epidemiological importance for human and animal health because both type I and atypical genotypes could be highly pathogenic

miR135a administration ameliorates brain ischemic damage by preventing TRPM7 activation during brain ischemia

Background: miRNA-based strategies have recently emerged as a promising therapeutic approach in several neurodegenerative diseases. Unregulated cation influx is implicated in several cellular mechanisms underlying neural cell death during ischemia. The brain constitutively active isoform of transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7) represents a glutamate excitotoxicity-independent pathway that significantly contributes to the pathological Ca2+ overload during ischemia. Aims: In the light of these premises, inhibition of TRPM7 may be a reasonable strategy to reduce ischemic injury. Since TRPM7 is a putative target of miRNA135a, the aim of the present paper was to evaluate the role played by miRNA135a in cerebral ischemia. Therefore, the specific objectives of the present paper were: (1) to evaluate miR135a expression in temporoparietal cortex of ischemic rats; (2) to investigate the effect of the intracerebroventricular (icv) infusion of miR135a on ischemic damage and neurological functions; and (3) to verify whether miR135a effects may be mediated by an alteration of TRPM7 expression. Methods: miR135a expression was evaluated by RT- PCR and FISH assay in temporoparietal cortex of ischemic rats. Ischemic volume and neurological functions were determined in rats subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAo) after miR135a intracerebroventricular perfusion. Target analysis was performed by Western blot. Results: Our results demonstrated that, in brain cortex, 72 h after ischemia, miR135a expression increased, while TRPM7 expression was parallelly downregulated. Interestingly, miR135a icv perfusion strongly ameliorated the ischemic damage and improved neurological functions, and downregulated TRPM7 protein levels. Conclusions: The early prevention of TRPM7 activation is protective during brain ischemia

Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: Executive Summary of a Workshop

Comment in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia: The Ongoing Search for One Definition to Rule Them All. [J Pediatr. 2018] Midlife crisis? In its 50th year, BPD redefines itself. [J Pediatr. 2018