Archivio istituzionale della Ricerca - Università degli Studi di Parma
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Genetic deletion of microRNA-34 unmasks cardiac vulnerability to psychosocial stress in male mice
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Partial unilateral ovarian torsion in a red-eared slider turtle (Trachemys scripta elegans)
No full textFollicular torsion occurs when only a group of ovarian follicles rotates around its own axis resulting in vascular compromise. To our knowledge, no previous reports have documented the occurrence of this condition in chelonians. A 14-year-old female Trachemys scripta was presented with inappetence and lethargy for approximately 2 weeks. Diagnostic tests, including complete blood work, radiography, and ultrasound, were performed. Radiographs showed no pathological changes, while blood tests showed mild heterophilia. Ultrasound revealed multiple, round, heterogeneous hyperechoic follicles and free anechoic fluid in the coelom. The color flow examination through the right pre-femoral fossa revealed the absence of blood flow in a group of follicles. A total body CT scan highlighted several rounded formations, four of which contained disomogeneus areas. Fluid with an air-fluid level and gas-filled areas were also noted in the coelomic cavity. A diagnosis of preovulatory follicular stasis and coelomitis was made, and a bilateral ovariosalpingectomy was performed endoscopically via the right prefemoral fossa after 24 h stabilization. There was a 360° torsion in a group of follicles, which appeared dark and had an increased consistency compared to adjacent follicles. Adhesions between the pathological follicles and surrounding tissue were observed. Bacteriological analysis of the coelomic fluid revealed the presence of Klebsiella spp. Histopathological examination of both ovaries showed coagulative necrosis, hemorrhage, congestion, and vascular thrombosis, along with a mixed inflammatory infiltrate. Post-surgical treatment with marbofloxacin and meloxicam resulted in significant clinical improvement. The animal was discharged 15 days after surgery, with a normal appetite
Active Landslide Portions Contribute to Surface Water Concentration: Insights from GIS Analysis and Field Data in the Northern Apennines
No full textThe distribution of small water bodies associated to landslides in a part of the Northern Apennines (Italy) has been explored, for the first time, using GIS analysis, field surveys and geophysical imaging. The analysis on the whole investigated area was performed using the Topographic Wetness Index (TWI), a proxy for surface soil moisture patterns based on topographic characteristics. The case studies correspond to two large landslides deep-rooted in the bedrock. The Sauna landslide in the Parma torrent basin and the Berceto landslide in the Taro river basin, have been investigated through field work, geophysics, boreholes and radiocarbon dating for the time constraints of the water bodies. The TWI analysis carried out both at the regional and the case-study scale has shown that low values of this index (drier areas) are more associated with inactive landslides portions, whereas higher values (wetter areas) are more associated with active portions. The analyses on the case studies highlighted that the condition characterized by wet soil and/or the presence of small water bodies are spatially persistent across time in correspondence of the same portion of the landslide that preserves landforms able to maintain these waters. As highlighted by geophysics, these landforms are in connection with deep shapes of the sliding/rupture surface of the landslide that mimic those at the surface
Optical spectra of complex aggregates and crystals: Vibronic band structure and Davydov splitting
No full text: A thorough understanding of the nature and pattern of intermolecular interactions in molecular aggregates and crystals is a prerequisite for the design of the next generation of functional materials. In systems with multiple, symmetrically equivalent molecules per unit cell, each excited state of the isolated molecule splits into several Davydov components that appear in the absorption spectra in up to three orthogonally polarized transitions. In this work, a Frenkel-Holstein Hamiltonian is adopted to simulate the vibronic structure of the Davydov components in aggregates and crystals with up to four molecules per unit cell, where electrostatic intermolecular interactions define either 1D or 2D structures. Analysis shows that vibronic signatures report directly on the electronic couplings that contribute to the Davydov splitting and the exciton band shapes. Specifically, the vibronic signature of a given Davydov component is solely determined by its free excitonic shift. For crystals with two molecules per unit cell, the lower and upper Davydov components can each exhibit J-like or H-like behavior, resulting in JJ, JH, and HH components in order of increasing energy, all with unique vibronic signatures. Under certain conditions, null points can exist in either band, leading to a monomer-like absorption spectrum for the corresponding Davydov component. In crystals with four symmetrically equivalent molecules per unit cell, the J- or H-nature of the three orthogonally polarized Davydov components results in four possible combinations, JJJ, JJH, JHH, and HHH in order of increasing energy, all readily identified through vibronic signatures
Peripheral sentinel lymphadenectomy in 163 dogs: Postoperative surgical complications and comparison between intraoperative dissection techniques
No full textMaternal health disparities linked to stressful life events: a cross-sectional study of industrialized Italian cities
No full textBackground: Understanding the impact of family life stressors on maternal health is crucial, particularly in highly industrialized areas. This study assessed the validity of an Italian-language version of the Crisis in Family Systems-Revised (CRISYS-R) survey in Northern and Southern Italian cohorts. Methods: Mothers (n = 252) completed an Italian version of CRISYS-R, translated from English using the forward-backward method. At least 14 days after initial survey completion, a random subset of mothers (n = 44) retook CRISYS-R. Information about family demographics, socioeconomic status, and maternal health were collected by self-report on structured surveys. Statistical analyses were performed in R. Results: Test-retest analysis yielded a Pearson coefficient of 0.714 (Brescia: 0.845, Taranto: 0.726). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for internal consistency was 0.765 (Brescia: 0.718, Taranto: 0.784). In multivariable regression, the total number of stressors reported on the initial CRISYS-R test was positively associated with: poor maternal mental health (p < 0.001), poor maternal physical health (p < 0.01), and residence in Southern rather than Northern Italy (p = 0.02). Univariate correlations yielded similar results, plus a negative correlation between annual family income and total life stressors (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Statistical analyses support the validity and reliability of an Italian-language CRISYS-R in industrialized areas, while highlighting relationships between family stress and maternal mental and physical health. This survey instrument has the potential to inform public health policies and interventions serving families in Italian-speaking areas with high burdens of industrial pollution
Cicerone e la guerra: alcune note tra bellum iustum e ideologia imperialista romana
No full textCicero’s political conceptualisation of war, elaborated in his treatises De re publica and De officiis is a complex issue, as it interwines theoretical elements on war with elements derived from his life experience, in turn influenced by the Roman imperialist ideology. In his theoretical-political treatment of war, Cicero identifies a number of causes that define a war as just. Within the concept of just war, of bellum iustum, he includes wars in defence of allies, to respect a pact, wars for the salvation of Rome, wars to live in peace, wars aimed at glory, and wars for the hegemony of Rome, for its imperium. These types of war fall into three macro-typologies often intertwined: «defensive war», «preventive war», «war for hegemony». Yet Cicero, in his political thought, tried to balance the treatment of «things» of war, militares res, with due space dedicated to the importance of civil, political «things», civilis res, hence, for example, the significant elaboration of the concept of civilis scientia
Salt orCocrystalPuzzle SolvedbyMechanochemistry: TheRole of Solvent inthe PamoicAcidCase Study
No full textMany drugs are nowadays marketed as salts. Cocrystallization is also emerging as a convenient tool to modify in vivo activity of pharmacologically active compounds. Given the marked difference in physicochemical properties between salts and cocrystals, the possibility of obtaining crystalline systems composed of the same building blocks in their neutral or charged form is desirable. Pamoic acid (PAM) is widely used in pharmaceutical formulation as pamoate salt, and we here propose a unique synthetic strategy to obtain a cocrystal of PAM rather than a salt by tuning mechanochemical conditions. Our findings have been corroborated by means of computational analyses, relating to the noncovalent interactions in the crystal structure with the formation of the different crystalline forms. A detailed analysis of the structure containing PAM in its neutral, anionic or dianionic form present in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) helped generalizing our results
Lactic Acid Fermentation of Chlorella vulgaris to Improve the Aroma of New Microalgae-Based Foods: Impact of Composition and Bacterial Growth on the Volatile Fraction
No full text: The consumption of microalgae-based foods is growing due to their exceptional nutritional benefits and sustainable cultivation. However, their strong off-flavors and odors hinder their incorporation into food products. Lactic acid fermentation, a traditional method known for modifying bioactive and aromatic compounds, may address these challenges. This study aims to evaluate the impact of lactic acid fermentation on the aromatic profiles of four distinct Chlorella vulgaris biomasses, each varying in protein, carbohydrate, lipid, and pigment content. Six lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains, Lacticaseibacillus casei, Lcb. paracasei, Lcb. rhamnosus, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus, and Leuconostoc citreum, were used for fermentation. All biomasses supported LAB growth, and their volatile profiles were analyzed via HS-SPME-GC-MS, revealing significant variability. Fermentation notably reduced concentrations of compounds responsible for off-flavors, such as aldehydes. Specifically, hexanal, associated with a green and leafy aroma, was significantly decreased. Lcb. paracasei UPCCO 2333 showed the most effective modulation of the volatile profile in Chlorella vulgaris, significantly reducing undesirable compounds, such as aldehydes, ketones, pyrazines, and terpenes, while enhancing ester production. These results highlight lactic acid fermentation as an effective method to improve the sensory characteristics of C. vulgaris biomasses, enabling their broader use in innovative, nutritionally rich food products