Occurrence of mycotoxins in extruded commercial dog food

The aim of this study was to determine the presence and the level of contamination of the most important mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, fumonisin B1 and B2, aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2, ochratoxin A and zearalenone) in 48 samples of extruded dry dog food found in the Italian market (24 samples from standard economy lines, 24 of premium lines). Analyses were performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Although the concentrations of the mycotoxins in all samples proved to respect the European legislation with regards to animal feed, the analyses revealed a substantial presence of deoxynivalenol, fumonisins and ochratoxin A, with values above the limit of quantification (5 \ub5g/kg) in 100%, 88% and 81% of the samples, respectively. In contrast, aflatoxins and zearalenone contamination proved to be very modest, with 88% and 75% of the samples, respectively, showing concentrations below the corresponding limit of quantification (5 \ub5g/kg for aflatoxins and 10 \ub5g/kg for zearalenone). Moreover, despite a very heterogeneous contamination, the concentration of fumonisins and ochratoxin A was significantly higher in standard foods than in premium ones (491 vs. 80.2 \ub5g/kg dry matter for fumonisin B1; 113 vs. 38.5 \ub5g/kg dry matter for fumonisin B2; 599 vs. 103 \ub5g/kg dry matter for total fumonisins; 23.8 vs. 13.0 \ub5g/kg dry matter for ochratoxin A; P < 0.001). Furthermore, a simultaneous presence of different mycotoxins (at concentrations higher than their limit of quantification) was observed in most of the pet foods analyzed; in particular, 19% of the samples were contaminated by no fewer than two different types of mycotoxins, 52% by three, 25% by four and 2% by all the mycotoxins evaluated. These results revealed the need for further investigation into the potential risk deriving from chronic exposure to low doses of the different types of mycotoxins that pet species are subject to today

Emergency surgery for recurrent intraabdominal cancer

Recurrent abdominal cancer can manifest in many ways but there are certain situations that are a great challenge to clinicians. Emergency presentation is one such situation. Surgeons are faced with a therapeutic dilemma that on the one hand most of these patients have a limited life expectancy, and on the other surgical procedures are unavoidable. We reviewed our experience of recurrent abdominal cancers presenting with acute abdominal symptoms requiring emergency

Twelve Variants Polygenic Score for Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol Distribution in a Large Cohort of Patients With Clinically Diagnosed Familial Hypercholesterolemia With or Without Causative Mutations

BACKGROUND: A significant proportion of individuals clinically diagnosed with familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), but without any disease-causing mutation, are likely to have polygenic hypercholesterolemia. We evaluated the distribution of a polygenic risk score, consisting of 12 low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)- raising variants (polygenic LDL-C risk score), in subjects with a clinical diagnosis of FH. METHODS AND RESULTS: Within the Lipid Transport Disorders Italian Genetic Network (LIPIGEN) study, 875 patients who were FH-mutation positive (women, 54.75%; mean age, 42.47±15.00 years) and 644 patients who were FH-mutation negative (women, 54.21%; mean age, 49.73±13.54 years) were evaluated. Patients who were FH-mutation negative had lower mean levels of pretreatment LDL-C than patients who were FH-mutation positive (217.14±55.49 versus 270.52±68.59 mg/dL, P<0.0001). The mean value (±SD) of the polygenic LDL-C risk score was 1.00 (±0.18) in patients who were FH-mutation negative and 0.94 (±0.20) in patients who were FH-mutation positive (P<0.0001). In the receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve for recognizing subjects characterized by polygenic hypercholesterolemia was 0.59 (95% CI, 0.56–0.62), with sensitivity and specificity being 78% and 36%, respectively, at 0.905 as a cutoff value. Higher mean polygenic LDL-C risk score levels were observed among patients who were FH-mutation negative having pretreatment LDL-C levels in the range of 150 to 350 mg/dL (150–249 mg/dL: 1.01 versus 0.91, P<0.0001; 250–349 mg/dL: 1.02 versus 0.95, P=0.0001). A positive correlation between polygenic LDL-C risk score and pretreatment LDL-C levels was observed among patients with FH independently of the presence of causative mutations. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis confirms the role of polymorphisms in modulating LDL-C levels, even in patients with genetically confirmed FH. More data are needed to support the use of the polygenic score in routine clinical practice

A New Biocomposite Material Based on Wheat Waste and Suitable for 3D Printing Applications

Biopolymers, such as poly(lactic) acid (PLA), which is obtained through green synthesis pathways from renewable resources, has attracted considerable interest in recent years because of the increasing need to reduce petroleum-based plastic pollution and bringing their prices comparable with conventional thermoplastic commodities’ price (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene). The present work investigates the employment of 10% wt of natural materials, deriving from wheat milling process, as biofiller of PLA to develop a biocomposite filament suitable for 3D-printing technique. The inclusion of a cost-free natural material leads to a strong reduction of the whole material cost. Implementing this new class of composite material to additive manufacturing technique allows to dramatically reduce the environmental impact of 3D printed products

Lipoprotein(a) Genotype Influences the Clinical Diagnosis of Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Background Evidence suggests that LPA risk genotypes are a possible contributor to the clinical diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). This study aimed at determining the prevalence of LPA risk variants in adult individuals with FH enrolled in the Italian LIPIGEN (Lipid Transport Disorders Italian Genetic Network) study, with (FH/M+) or without (FH/M-) a causative genetic variant. Methods and Results An lp(a) [lipoprotein(a)] genetic score was calculated by summing the number risk-increasing alleles inherited at rs3798220 and rs10455872 variants. Overall, in the 4.6% of 1695 patients with clinically diagnosed FH, the phenotype was not explained by a monogenic or polygenic cause but by genotype associated with high lp(a) levels. Among 765 subjects with FH/M- and 930 subjects with FH/M+, 133 (17.4%) and 95 (10.2%) were characterized by 1 copy of either rs10455872 or rs3798220 or 2 copies of either rs10455872 or rs3798220 (lp(a) score ≥1). Subjects with FH/M- also had lower mean levels of pretreatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol than individuals with FH/M+ (t test for difference in means between FH/M- and FH/M+ groups <0.0001); however, subjects with FH/M- and lp(a) score ≥1 had higher mean (SD) pretreatment low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (223.47 [50.40] mg/dL) compared with subjects with FH/M- and lp(a) score=0 (219.38 [54.54] mg/dL for), although not statistically significant. The adjustment of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels based on lp(a) concentration reduced from 68% to 42% the proportion of subjects with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level ≥190 mg/dL (or from 68% to 50%, considering a more conservative formula). Conclusions Our study supports the importance of measuring lp(a) to perform the diagnosis of FH appropriately and to exclude that the observed phenotype is driven by elevated levels of lp(a) before performing the genetic test for FH

Expression of CLAVATA3 fusions indicates rapid intracellular processing and a role of ERAD

The 12 amino acid peptide derived from the Arabidopsis soluble secretory protein CLAVATA3 (CLV3) acts at the cell surface in a signalling system that regulates the size of apical meristems. The subcellular pathway involved in releasing the peptide from its precursor is unknown. We show that a CLV3-GFP fusion expressed in transfected tobacco protoplasts or transgenic tobacco plants has very short intracellular half-life that cannot be extended by the secretory traffic inhibitors brefeldin A and wortmannin. The fusion is biologically active, since the incubation medium of protoplasts from CLV3-GFP-expressing tobacco contains the CLV3 peptide and inhibits root growth. The rapid disappearance of intact CLV3-GFP requires the signal peptide and is inhibited by the proteasome inhibitor MG132 or coexpression with a mutated CDC48 that inhibits endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation (ERAD). The synthesis of CLV3-GFP is specifically supported by the endoplasmic reticulum cha- perone endoplasmin in an in vivo assay. Our results indicate that processing of CLV3 starts intracellularly in an early compartment of the secretory pathway and that ERAD could play a regulatory or direct role in the active peptide synthesis

One-Pot Synthesis of Sustainable High-Performance Thermoset by Exploiting Eugenol Functionalized 1,3-Dioxolan-4-one

1,3-Dioxolan-4-one (DOX) chemistry was explored for production of "one-pot" biobased polyester thermosets. DOX monomer was first functionalized by naturally occurring eugenol to introduce a structural element, which could induce cross-linking reaction through cationic polymerization of the double bond. The feasibility of polymerizing DOX monomers bearing bulky side groups was proven by model phenol-substituted DOX monomer (PhDOX). Once the reaction was shown to be effective, the same protocol was applied to eugenol-substituted monomer (EuDOX). A brief screening of the optimal catalyst concentration was performed, to obtain a highly cross-linked product. The synthesized thermoset showed good thermal resistance and high mechanical strength probably due to the rich aromatic content. The obtained thermoset was further subjected to microwave-assisted hydrothermal degradation test, which demonstrated complete recyclability to water or methanol soluble products. NMR and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-mass spectroscopy analyses of the obtained degradation products unveiled the structure of the thermoset, strongly indicating that the polymerization of eugenol-functionalized DOX monomer resulted in polylactide-like chains connected with aromatic-aliphatic segments resulting from the reaction of the eugenol double bonds. The presence of free hydroxyl and carboxyl groups sheds light on the mechanism behind the observed shape-memory and self-healing properties

Design and in vitro study of a dual drug-loaded delivery system produced by electrospinning for the treatment of acute injuries of the central nervous system

Vascular and traumatic injuries of the central nervous system are recognized as global health priorities. A polypharmacology approach that is able to simultaneously target several injury factors by the combination of agents having synergistic effects appears to be promising. Herein, we designed a polymeric delivery system loaded with two drugs, ibuprofen (Ibu) and thyroid hormone triiodothyronine (T3) to in vitro release the suitable amount of the anti-inflammation and the remyelination drug. As a production method, electrospinning technology was used. First, Ibuloaded micro (diameter circa 0.95–1.20 µm) and nano (diameter circa 0.70 µm) fibers were produced using poly(L-lactide) PLLA and PLGA with different lactide/glycolide ratios (50:50, 75:25, and 85:15) to select the most suitable polymer and fiber diameter. Based on the in vitro release results and in-house knowledge, PLLA nanofibers (mean diameter = 580 ± 120 nm) loaded with both Ibu and T3 were then successfully produced by a co-axial electrospinning technique. The in vitro release studies demonstrated that the final Ibu/T3 PLLA system extended the release of both drugs for 14 days, providing the target sustained release. Finally, studies in cell cultures (RAW macrophages and neural stem cell-derived oligodendrocyte precursor cells—OPCs) demonstrated the anti-inflammatory and promyelinating efficacy of the dual drug-loaded delivery platform

Cellulose nanofibrils as reinforcing agents for PLA-based nanocomposites: T An in situ approach

One-pot in situ polymerization approach was explored for the preparation of polylactide (PLA)-cellulose nano- fibril (CNF) bio-nanocomposites. CNF were first prepared through enzymatic and mechanical treatment of bleached hardwood kraft pulp. The bio-nanocomposites- were then fabricated through ring opening poly- merization (ROP) of L-lactide, in the presence of various amounts of fibrils. Molecular weight, thermal prop- erties, surface morphology, mechanical and wettability properties of the PLA-CNF nanocomposites were eval- uated. DSC analysis demonstrated the effect of CNF on crystallization and crystalline morphology of PLA. Improved modulus for the nanocomposites with respect to standard PLA was demonstrated, however, the dif- ferences in tensile stress were small probably due to the counteracting effects of reinforcement from CNF and the decreasing molecular weight as a function of CNF concentration. The absence of pulled-out fibers was assessed, highlighting the strong interface and covalent attachment of PLA chains on CNF surface. Finally, the covalent bonding of PLA chains on CNF surface was demonstrated by isolating the non-soluble part, consisting of PLA- grafted CNF, and characterization of this residue

The HAC Trial (Harmonic for Acute Cholecystitis) Study. Randomized, double-blind, controlled trial of Harmonic(H) versus Monopolar Diathermy (M) for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis (AC) in adults

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In the developmental stage of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) it was considered 'unsafe' or 'technically difficult' to perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis (AC). With increasing experience in laparoscopic surgery, a number of centers have reported on the use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis, suggesting that it is technically feasible but at the expense of a high conversion rate, which can be up to 35 per cent and common bile duct lesions.</p> <p>The HARMONIC SCALPEL(R) (H) is the leading ultrasonic cutting and coagulating surgical device, offering surgeons important benefits including: minimal lateral thermal tissue damage, minimal charring and desiccation.</p> <p>Harmonic Scalpel technology reduces the need for ligatures with simultaneous cutting and coagulation: moreover there is not electricity to or through the patient Harmonic Scalpel has a greater precision near vital structures and it produces minimal smoke with improved visibility in the surgical field.</p> <p>In retrospective series LC performed with H was demonstrated feasible and effective with minimal operating time and blood loss: it was reported also a low conversion rate (3.9%).</p> <p>However there are not prospective randomized controlled trials showing the advantages of H compared to MD (the commonly used electrical scalpel) in LC.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>Aim of this RCT is to demonstrate that H can decrease the conversion rate compared to MD in LC for AC, without a significant increase of morbidity.</p> <p>The patients will be allocated in two groups: in the first group the patient will be submitted to early LC within 72 hours after the diagnosis with H while in the second group will be submitted to early LC within 72 hours with MD.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00746850</p