Dynamic production monitoring in pig herds II:Modeling and monitoring farrowing rate at herd level

Abstract:Good management in animal production systems is becoming of paramount importance. The aim of this paper was to develop a dynamic moni-toring system for farrowing rate. A farrowing rate model was implemented us-ing a Dynamic Generalized Linear Model (DGLM). Variance components were pre-estimated using an Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm applied on a dataset containing data from 15 herds, each of them including insemination and farrowing observations over a period ranging from 150 to 800 weeks. The model included a set of parameters describing the parity-specific farrowing rate and the re-insemination effect. It also provided reliable forecasting on weekly basis. Sta-tistical control tools were used to give warnings in case of impaired farrowing rate. For each herd, farrowing rate profile, analysis of model components over time and detection of alarms were computed. Together with a previous model for litter size data and a planned similar model for mortality rate, this model will be an important basis for developing a new, dynamic, management tool

Effects of an intervention to prevent the bullying in first-grade secondary schools of Palermo, Italy: the BIAS study

Background: Bullying is one of the most common expressions of violence in the peer context during school years. This study investigates the prevalence of bullying and the short-term effects on students’ bullying perceptions of a preventive intervention conducted among teachers of first-grade secondary schools in Palermo, Sicily (Italy). Methods: Between the 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 school years, a pre-post intervention study was conducted among nine school institutions, sampled and categorized by neighbourhood socioeconomic index. A questionnaire investigating physical, verbal, and indirect bullying, the role of observers, prosociality, and resiliency in bullying was administered before and after intervention with formative cascade training of the teachers of the selected classes. Three different methods (sentinel questions, the five-question method, the ‘score of seven’ method) were used to detect the baseline level of bullying. Results: A total of 402 students participated in the study (72.7% response rate). A decrease in the number of bullying episodes after the intervention was reported by the students in all types of bullying explored (physical, verbal, and indirect bullying, observers, resiliency, and prosociality), with all three methods. In particular, a statistically significant decrease in all the bullying areas investigated (except for resiliency) was reported for students attending schools of an intermediate socioeconomic level. Conclusions: Even if many school-based interventions have been implemented to reduce school bullying throughout the world, this is one of the first conducted in Europe and it assesses the effectiveness among students of an antibullying intervention tailored for teachers. The encouraging results in reducing the number of bullying episodes together with the low cost in terms of human and economic resources could suggest an extension of this research on a regional/national scale

KIR3DS1-Mediated Recognition of HLA-*B51: Modulation of KIR3DS1 Responsiveness by Self HLA-B Allotypes and Effect on NK Cell Licensing

Several studies described an association between killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)/HLA gene combinations and clinical outcomes in various diseases. In particular, an important combined role for KIR3DS1 and HLA-B Bw4-I80 in controlling viral infections and a higher protection against leukemic relapses in donor equipped with activating KIRs in haplo-HSCT has been described. Here, we show that KIR3DS1 mediates positive signals upon recognition of HLA-B*51 (Bw4-I80) surface molecules on target cells and that this activation occurs only in Bw4-I80neg individuals, including those carrying particular KIR/HLA combination settings. In addition, killing of HLA-B*51 transfected target cells mediated by KIR3DS1+/NKG2A+ natural killer (NK) cell clones from Bw4-I80neg donors could be partially inhibited by antibody-mediated masking of KIR3DS1. Interestingly, KIR3DS1-mediated recognition of HLA-B*51 could be better appreciated under experimental conditions in which the function of NKG2D was reduced by mAb-mediated blocking. This experimental approach may mimic the compromised function of NKG2D occurring in certain viral infections. We also show that, in KIR3DS1+/ NKG2A+ NK cell clones derived from an HLA-B Bw4-T80 donor carrying 2 KIR3DS1 gene copy numbers, the positive signal generated by the engagement of KIR3DS1 by HLA-B*51 resulted in a more efficient killing of HLA-B*51-transfected target cells. Moreover, in these clones, a direct correlation between KIR3DS1 and NKG2D surface density was detected, while the expression of NKp46 was inversely correlated with that of KIR3DS1. Finally, we analyzed KIR3DS1+/NKG2A+ NK cell clones from a HLA-B Bw4neg donor carrying cytoplasmic KIR3DL1. Although these clones expressed lower levels of surface KIR3DS1, they displayed responses comparable to those of NK cell clones derived from HLA-B Bw4neg donors that expressed surface KIR3DL1. Altogether these data suggest that, in particular KIR/HLA combinations, KIR3DS1 may play a role in the process of human NK cell educatio

THE BIAS (BULLYING IN SICILIAN SCHOOL) PILOT STUDY: INVESTIGATING THE PREVALENCE OF BULLYING IN SCHOOL OF PALERMO CITY. A RESEARCH STUDY PROTOCOL

Being a serious threat to physical and emotional health of children and adolescents all over the world, bullying in school represents an important public health issue. Since 2007, in Italy, the Ministry of Education (MIUR) has promoted activities to face and prevent bullying in schools of all levels while at the same time national and local Health Authorities have implemented effective social-health strategies. To date, the lack of consistent data needed to properly describe the concerning increase of this Public Health phenomenon prevents both the ability to systematically survey and measure the effectiveness of the public health strategies against bullying. The Bullying In Sicilian Schools (BIAS) pilot study’s aims: i) to estimate the prevalence of bullying in a sample of secondary first-grade schools of Palermo, the largest city in Sicily, investigating its characteristics, and ii) to assess the feasibility of alternative methods for the detection of the prevalence of bullying in schools. Here we present the research protocol and the questionnaires that will be used

Experiencia de Formación Docente: Curso Diplomatura en Enseñanza de las Ciencias y Tecnologías

Fil: Ferreyra, Horacio Ademar. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Educación; Argentin

Voces de representantes de los distintos ámbitos – educativo, empresarial, gubernamental, mediático y comunidad en general- y conclusiones (2017).(Investigadores, empresarios, docentes, estudiantes, jubilados, referentes gubernamentales, periodistas, científicos, artistas, entre otros)

Fil: Ferreyra, Horacio Ademar. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Educación; Argentin

Cultura tecnocientífica y percepción ciudadana / social de las ciencias y las tecnologías en la provincia de Córdoba (República Argentina, 2012-2017). Los procesos y resultados de la investigación en imágenes

Fil: Ferreyra, Horacio Ademar. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Educación; Argentin

Cultura tecnocientífica y percepción ciudadana/social de las ciencias y las tecnologías en la provincia de Córdoba (República Argentina, 2012 y 2017)

Fil: Ferreyra, Horacio Ademar. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Educación; Argentin

Spinal ependymoma in adults: from molecular advances to new treatment perspectives

Ependymomas are rare glial tumors with clinical and biological heterogeneity, categorized into supratentorial ependymoma, posterior fossa ependymoma, and spinal cord ependymoma, according to anatomical localization. Spinal ependymoma comprises four different types: spinal ependymoma, spinal ependymoma MYCN-amplified, myxopapillary ependymoma, and subependymoma. The clinical onset largely depends on the spinal location of the tumor. Both non-specific and specific sensory and/or motor symptoms can be present. Owing to diverse features and the low incidence of spinal ependymomas, most of the current clinical management is derived from small retrospective studies, particularly in adults. Treatment involves primarily surgical resection, aiming at maximal safe resection. The use of radiotherapy remains controversial and the optimal dose has not been established; it is usually considered after subtotal resection for WHO grade 2 ependymoma and for WHO grade 3 ependymoma regardless of the extent of resection. There are limited systemic treatments available, with limited durable results and modest improvement in progression-free survival. Thus, chemotherapy is usually reserved for recurrent cases where resection and/or radiation is not feasible. Recently, a combination of temozolomide and lapatinib has shown modest results with a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 7.8 months in recurrent spinal ependymomas. Other studies have explored the use of temozolomide, platinum compounds, etoposide, and bevacizumab, but standard treatment options have not yet been defined. New treatment options with targeted treatments and immunotherapy are being investigated. Neurological and supportive care are crucial, even in the early stages. Post-surgical rehabilitation can improve the consequences of surgery and maintain a good quality of life, especially in young patients with long life expectancy. Here, we focus on the diagnosis and treatment recommendations for adults with spinal ependymoma, and discuss recent molecular advances and new treatment perspectives

The Life Span Determinant p66Shc Localizes to Mitochondria Where It Associates with Mitochondrial Heat Shock Protein 70 and Regulates Trans-membrane Potential

P66Shc regulates life span in mammals and is a critical component of the apoptotic response to oxidative stress. It functions as a downstream target of the tumor suppressor p53 and is indispensable for the ability of oxidative stress-activated p53 to induce apoptosis. The molecular mechanisms underlying the apoptogenic effect of p66Shc are unknown. Here we report the following three findings. (i) The apoptosome can be properly activated in vitro in the absence of p66Shc only if purified cytochrome c is supplied. (ii) Cytochrome c release after oxidative signals is impaired in the absence of p66Shc. (iii) p66Shc induces the collapse of the mitochondrial trans-membrane potential after oxidative stress. Furthermore, we showed that a fraction of cytosolic p66Shc localizes within mitochondria where it forms a complex with mitochondrial Hsp70. Treatment of cells with ultraviolet radiation induced the dissociation of this complex and the release of monomeric p66Shc. We propose that p66Shc regulates the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis by inducing mitochondrial damage after dissociation from an inhibitory protein complex. Genetic and biochemical evidence suggests that mitochondria regulate life span through their effects on the energetic metabolism (mitochondrial theory of aging). Our data suggest that mitochondrial regulation of apoptosis might also contribute to life span determination