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Sardinian sheep wool to detect environmental and veterinary chemical compounds: impact in the assesment of human health hazards
No full textAim: In order to investigate if wool fibre would be a significant route of human and
environmental exposure, we developed a method to assess the presence of heavy metal and
drugs residues, deriving from veterinary practices. These molecules and their transformation
products persist in the environment and can be toxic to no target organisms.
Methods: Identify and quantify of Avermectins (EMA, ABA, DOR, EPR, IVR, and MOX)
in Sarda sheep wool was carried out by Liquid Chromatography coupled to Orbitrap highresolution
mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) Microwave assisted extraction (MAE), an
environmentally ecofriendly method, was used. We applied a previously validated technique
that simultaneously quantifies 27 elements by inductively coupled plasma mass
spectrometry (ICP-MS) in wool.
Results: Commission Decision 2002/657/EC require validation around the analitycal values
for authorized drugs. For the Avermectins, the selectivity, analyte recovery, precision, LOD,
LOQ and all validation paramiters was evaluated analyzing an appropriate number of
representative samples and check for any interference. Trace element abundances in the
wool sample were easily resolved by using the EPA 6020A Method for ICP-MS. After
validation, the proposed methods was applied to the analysis of Avermectins residues and
for the elements quantification in 150 real samples of Sarda sheep wool. For the metals
quantification, the basic parameters of the animal development ( age, phisiological state and
sampling zone) were also assayed.
Conclusions: We report the validation process of a new analytical method for the
simultaneous determination of Avermectins in wool using LC-HRMS. Moreover, several
significant correlations between the essential and toxic elements and sampling parameters
were observed. In particular, some correlations between age parameters and chemical
element levels in wool, respectively, were seen
Confronto di metodologie per l'identificazione della tubercolosi latente e attiva
No full textTuberculosis (TB), together with HIV and Malaria, represents one of the three infectious diseases world-wide. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that one third of the world’s population is infected with Mtb. Only 10%, of the exposed individuals, will develop active tuberculosis disease within 2 years post-exposure, while the remaining 90% of infected subjects contain infection for the duration of their lifetime. Existing diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions for TB are suboptimal. Thus, new vaccines, immunotherapeutic interventions and new diagnostic tools, that are able to discriminate individuals with LTBI from those with active TB disease, are required to facilitate TB control efforts. The Tuberculin skin test (TST) is one of the few tests that have been used for about 100 years for the diagnosis of Mtb infection. However, the TST also has limitations such as: the reduced sensitivity and specificity and the inability to distinguish latently infected individuals from patients with active TB. Due to the limitations of TST, new in- vitro assays have been developed. These assays measure interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production upon Mtb specific antigen stimulation (IGRAs) and they are more sensitive and specific than TST. However, these assays do not discriminate between active TB and LTBI. Therefore, a possible contribution to discriminate these different TB stages could be envisaged in a more accurate definition of the immunological response of Mtb infection to understand which components of the host immune response or which tubercular antigens could be used to discriminate between two infection stages. It is very important as it could allow to develop new diagnostic tools, resulting in greater control of TB
Ricerca delle varianti genetiche implicate nella regolazione dei livelli delle immunoglobuline e comprensione dei meccanismi biologici nell’eziopatogenesi delle patologie autoimmuni tra cui la Sclerosi Multipla
No full textAim: The genetic analysis of immunoglobulin levels and their subclasses were performed both to detect the genetic variants influencing their inter-individual variation and to define the immunoglobulin-related biological pathways involved in autoimmune disease physiopathology.
Methods: Levels of IgA, IgM and IgG and IgG1, IgG2, IgG3 and IgG4 subclasses were quantified in 3000 sera of deeply genotyped individuals belonging to the ProgeNIA cohort. Furthermore, on a subset of 1842 individuals, the level of soluble BAFF (sBAFF) was evaluated by E.L.I.S.A and in parallel, a greater amount of individuals from the same cohort were extensively immunophenotyped. We performed a sequencing-based GWAS for each inverse-normalized assessed trait corrected for age and gender as covariates, by analyzing 23 million SNPs and 3 million INDELs assembled through the integration of genotypes from four genotyping arrays, and markers imputed using a reference panel from 3514 fully sequenced Sardinian individuals. The associated variants were systematically checked for coincidence with disease associated variants.
Results: Among the diverse association signals, we identified, at TNFSF13B locus, a coincident association between sBAFF, IgA, IgM, IgG subclasses, B cell levels and Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease.
Conclusion: Our results indicate a central role for TNFSF13B and its protein product sBAFF in the pathogenesis of MS and suggest possible new pathway-specific therapeutic approaches to the disease
Cenurosi cerebrale cronica nell’ovino di razza sarda: aspetti clinici, RM e ICP
No full textAims: to describe cytological cerebrospinal fluid analysis (LCR), and survival rate after surgical therapy; to correlate neurological status (NS), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and intracranial pressure (ICP) values in sheep affected by chronic CC, and to describe in vivo the evolution of the CC infection in three small ruminants.
M&M: a total of 61 affected sheep, one affected goat and 10 healthy control sheep were used.
Study 1: NS and brain MRI were scored and correlated (33). LCR (19), clinical (33) and MRI follow up (18), and brain histological examination (5) were performed.
Study 2: NS, brain MRI and ICP were scored and correlated (20).
Study 3: in vivo evolution of CC infection was described (3).
Results: Study 1: survival rate was 75%;. No correlation was observed between NS and MRI. Volume of the cranial cavity was significantly larger. Diffuse cranial bone abnormalities and signs of increased ICP in MRI images were detected and were positively correlated with cyst volumes.
Study 2: ICP was significantly high in affected animals. NS depend on ICP value. Weak correlations between cranial cavity volume and ICP and between cyst volume and ICP were observed.
Study 3: the pattern of parasite evolution was described.
Conclusion and clinical relevance: abnormal CSF does not exclude the presence of CC. ICP was significantly high in affected animals. NS depend on ICP value
Influence of psychological and social factors on self perceived health-related quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis
No full textMultiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the central nervous system, affecting people of young age and often leading to disability. Self-perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is reduced in MS patients.
Aims: This study aims to investigate the impact of psychological variables on the HRQoL of patients suffering from MS.
Methods: Two-hundred-fifty patients with diagnosis of MS according to universally recognized criteria were consecutively recruited and underwent neurological examination with EDSS score and interviewed for past and current medical history. Patients were administered the Cognitive Behavioral Assessment (CBA) primary scales, aimed to assess a broad spectrum of psychological aspects. HRQoL was assessed by means a generic scale, the SF-36.
Results: We found an association between MS patients’ HRQoL and specific psychological variables, mainly personality traits, such as extroversion and neuroticism (p<0.001), obsessive-compulsive disorder (p<0.05). An expected significant association with depression was also found (p<0.001)
Conclusions: As a patient-reported outcome, HRQoL in MS patients is likely to be influenced by individual psychological traits. Our study suggests that self-perception of HRQoL depends, among other determinants, on specific psychological variables. This association appears to be partly independent of degree of disability
Biological and genetic aspects of wild x domestic hybridization in wild boar and wolf populations
No full textNowadays, hybridization is recognized as a powerful evolutionary force promoting speciation and shaping adaptation, but also as a serious threat to the conservation of biodiversity.
This thesis is focused on two cases of hybridization between wild and domestic conspecifics, whose effects are mostly unexplored.
In Sus scrofa, I sought to expand knowledge about hybridization between wild boar and domestic pig. I investigated the main sources of domestic genes introgression, and assessed hybridization at neutral markers and functional genes at both local and European scale. I also developed a set of new uniparental markers for studying male-specific gene flow, and studied the reproductive phenology of wild populations.
In Canis lupus, I investigated patterns of hybridization between wolf and domestic dog in an Italian mountain area, focusing on the assessment of introgression and the food habits of hybrids.
As regards wild boar, I detected introgression all over Europe, also highlighting the role of breeding stations in spreading domestic genes across wild populations. With respect to wolf, a new approach was used to provide complementary (genetic and phenotypic) data on specific individuals and to support hybrid identification. A trophic niche overlap between wolves and hybrids was also proved.
These studies can have relevant management implications, offering new elements of knowledge on different aspects of the hybridization in two worrisome species of the Italian fauna
Histopathological and immunohistochemical characterization of host-parasite interaction in visceral organs of mullets (<i>Osteichthyes: Mugilidae</i>) from Sardinian lagoons
No full textParasitic diseases in fish constitute a limiting factor for wild fishes and for aquaculture production. Extensive aquaculture in Sardinia is an important economical and traditional issue and mullets represent the most important product of this farming system. The aim of this study was to evaluate host-parasite interaction in visceral organs of Mugilidae species from Sardinian lagoons. A total of 239 mullets of different species were collected from four Sardinian lagoons. Lesions were examined macroscopically and histologically and also using histochemical and immunohistochemical techniques. Prevalence of Metazoan parasites (Digenean metacercariae, Myxobolus spp. and Polysporoplasma mugilis) were evaluated. Metacercariae and Myxobolus spp infections showed a similar prevalence in all lagoons, whereas a high prevalence of P.mugilis was observed in Cabras lagoon. Kidney was the most affected organ both for Metacercarie e Myxobolus species. Cellular immune response displayed a particularly relevant role with the development of chronic granulomatous reaction against parasites. Macrophages, epithelioid cells and fibroblasts were identified by immunohistochemestry as the main constitutive cell populations of granulomas but also eosinophilic granular cells and rodlet cells were associated to this response. Study of the granuloma structures revealed that Mugilidae displayed a common response against different metazoan parasites in visceral organs
A Trait-based approach for forest ecology and management: tools for theoretical and applied ecology
No full textGlobal change threats affecting forests require better understanding of mechanisms driving species environmental responses, but also species effects on ecosystems, to identify optimal management strategies for safeguarding the services they provide. Thus, this thesis serves on trait ecology and tools as Species Distribution Modelling, Remote Sensing, and Climate Change Modelling to explore ecological concepts that prove useful for determining specific management actions. Specifically we hypothesised about three main aspects: 1) the capacity of several traits to explain the characteristics of species niche in the Mediterranean; 2) the influence of trait diversity on the temporal stability of forest productivity in Temperate and Boreal zones; and 3) current and future effects of climate on the mean traits of Mediterranean forest communities. Forest inventories from Spain and Quebec (eastern Canada) were used to obtain species distribution and community composition whereas species traits values were retrieved from the literature. Main results showed that: 1) Specific Leaf Area (SLA) can be used to accurately represent species aridity limits in the Mediterranean; 2) trait diversity provides stability in Temperate forests; and 3) climate change may reduce SLA values of forest communities suggesting notable impacts on ecosystem functioning in the Mediterranean. The thesis suggests that management strategies should be based on trait ecology in order to best adapt to global change
Spaces of solitude: people and places in deadened cities
No full textAccording to the systematic approach, solitude corresponds to a lack of communication between a singular system (a human being) and its surroundings (be they another human being, society, or space).
Taking this definition axiomatically, the following hypotheses and the main thesis may be formed: solitude can be studied through our relation with space and built environment; solitude is a condition capable of disconnecting us with our surroundings; solitude can either depreciate or give value to the way we experience and interact with our surroundings; solitude can either be enforced and depreciated, or mitigated by our interaction with space, and therefore appreciated.
The aim of this research was to investigate if, why, and how this ontological and existential concern may become part of architectural design. The paper investigates spaces of solitude in the deadened cities of the present - cities where the space is temporarily suspended by the ongoing, reciprocal impact of how they are designed and how modern solitude weakens our relation with our surroundings.
As a result, a different point of view on the relationship between the individual and space applicable for public space design, risk mitigation strategies, and strategies for urban development. It can be considered a tool for minimising the vulnerability and improving the resilience of built environments, and empowering people who live between buildings in order to become the real users and owners of their urban territory
Isole, porti e reti di scambio: città, società e commerci mediterranei nei secoli X-XII
No full textThe history of Southern Italy before Normans and the history of Sardinia before Aragon domination is radically different from Northern Italy history. This thesis focuses to economic and social history of Tyrrhenian Sea in the Xth to XIIth century