1,721,001 research outputs found
Transition cow: non-specific immune response
Full text linkThe immune system consists of cells and their products, whose prime function is the protection of the host against pathogens and it can also acts as an accommodation device to facilitate the development of relatively peaceful associations with foreign organisms which, in some instances and especially in ruminants, could be or could become symbiotic. The immune system during pregnancy and the exchange of immunity from mother to newborn are unique events in immunological physiology. The peripartum hormonal changes contribute to impaired immune function. The physical and metabolic stresses of pregnancy, calving and lactation contribute to the decrease of host resistance and the subsequent increase in disease incidence. Pregnancy and peripartum period result in nonspecific immunosuppression of the dairy cow. The magnitude and timing of this reduction depend on many factors such as not adequate hygienic and sanitary management, not appropriate feed and housing and genetic differences. In this paper we deal with the evaluation of some parameters of non-specific immunity in dairy cattle in order to depict important features of the immune reactivity during the transition period and to make possible a preventive treatment. Lysozime concentration, serum bactericidal activity, serum proteins elettrophoretic profile, aptoglobin and complement with further analysis of non specific cellular immunological parameters could determine the effects of pregnancy, parturition and lactation on non-specific immune response especially during the peripartum period and may suggest the presence of not adequate hygienic and sanitary condition of the herd and/or not appropriate feed and management approach
Diagnostic study on Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae infections among Italian stray cats living in the Venetian coastal region
No full textA survey of Italian cat owners’ attitudes towards cat vaccination through a web-based questionnaire
No full textBackground: Vaccination plays an important role in feline healthcare as it is the most effective measure for prevention against feline infectious diseases. Therefore, it is important to know owners’ opinion towards cats’ vaccination and current veterinary practices in order to advice owners on the use of the correct vaccination protocol. This study aimed to investigate the proportion of cats regularly vaccinated and identify the main factors motivating cat owners’ decisions related to vaccination in Italy. A questionnaire was disseminated online (mainly via social networks) to collect data regarding Italian cat owners’ demographics, information about cats, factors regarding cats’ vaccination, and veterinary-owner relationship. Results: A total of 1264 owners participated in the survey and 1247 questionnaires were completed and statistically analyzed. The majority (91%; n = 1131) of cats were vaccinated and 80% (n = 998) had been vaccinated within the last 3 years. Age of 2–4 years old cats and the acquisition from a breeder or cat shop were significantly associated with vaccination within the last 3 years. Cats vaccinated but not within the last 3 years were significantly associated with cat’s indoor lifestyle, cats’ age ≥ 5 years old and low annual household income. Importance of vaccination cost, low annual household income and owners’ job not related to healthcare was statistically associated with the lack of cat’s vaccination. In addition, 86% of the owners took their cat regularly to veterinary clinics. Veterinarians play a significant role in owners’ decision, and they are considered the most useful source of information about vaccination by 97% of owners. Conclusions: The high number of recently vaccinated cats suggests owner’s attention towards feline vaccination and cat’s health. The importance of veterinarian’s advice along with the knowledge of factors associated to the unvaccinated status of cats may help veterinarians to grow owner’s confidence and increase prevention of feline infectious diseases. However further investigations based on a more comprehensive sample of the general population are needed to confirm the results of this survey
Transition cow: analisi della risposta immunitaria aspecifica
No full textThe immune system consists of cells and their products, whose prime function is the protection of the host against pathogens and it can also acts as an accommodation device to facilitate the development of relatively peaceful associations with foreign organisms which, in some instances and especially in ruminants, could be or could become symbiotic. The immune system during pregnancy and the exchange of immunity from mother to newborn are unique events in immunological physiology. The peripartum hormonal changes contribute to impaired immune function. The physical and metabolic stresses of pregnancy, calving and lactation contribute to the decrease of host resistance and the subsequent increase in disease incidence. Pregnancy and peripartum period result in nonspecific immunosuppression of the dairy cow. The magnitude and timing of this reduction depend on many factors such as not adequate hygienic and sanitary management, not appropriate feed and housing and genetic differences. In this paper we deal with the evaluation of some parameters of non-specific immunity in dairy cattle in order to depict important features of the immune reactivity during the transition period and to make possible a preventive treatment. Lysozime concentration, serum bactericidal activity, serum proteins elettrophoretic profile, aptoglobin and complement with further analysis of non specific cellular immunological parameters could determine the effects of pregnancy, parturition and lactation on non-specific immune response especially during the peripartum period and may suggest the presence of not adequate hygienic and sanitary condition of the herd and/or not appropriate feed and management approach
Pseudotuberculosis in Marmosets, Tamarins and Goeldi's monkey (Callithrichidae/Callimiconidae) kept at Jersey Zoo
No full textYersinia pseudotuberculosis is an insidious bacterial infectious agent distributed worldwide and endemic to European countries. It has caused several animal deaths and may threaten the effectiveness of breeding projects for endangered species. In this retrospective study, we examine the prevalence of pseudotuberculosis in Jersey Zoo (Channel islands. U.K.) over a period of 16 yr to obtain information that can be applied to prevent the infection. The efforts made to control the disease through vaccination are also explored. Our results show that pseudotuberculosis has been endemic to Jersey Zoo since 1979 and is responsible for significant animal loss in the Callithrichidae/Callimiconidae group. Mortality due to Y. pseudotuberculosis was seasonal; a high percentage of deaths occurred during wet and cold seasons. No significant difference was found in mortality rates of vaccinated versus nonvaccinated animals. Although the efficacy of vaccination has not been confirmed. we believe that an improved vaccination program could be an important tool in controlling outbreaks of infection in marmosets and tamarin
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Detection of Bartonella bovis in a cattle herd in Italy
No full textBlood samples from 139 cattle from 7 herds of the province of Venice, Italy, were submitted to microbiological and molecular investigation to detect Bartonella spp., after a suspicion of infection, based on microscopic observation of blood smears. Blood cultures were performed and samples from 10 animals of 2 different farms resulted positive. DNA extracted from colonies isolated from each of the culture-positive samples, was subjected to PCR amplifying the16S-23S rRNA intergenic region (ITS), and the genes citrate synthase (gltA), RNA Polymerase b-subunit (rpoB), Riboflavin synthase (ribC) and further sequenced. The sequences obtained by BLAST showed percentages of homology with reference B. bovis sequences ranging from 98% to 100%. B. bovis was previously identified in cats in the USA and in cattle in the USA, in France and in Ivory Coast. This is the first report of B. bovis in Italy. No contacts of the farms studied with the other European area (Bissy, France) where the infection was detected have been ever occurred. The 7 herds lie within an area of 2.2 km of radius. All the positive animals were of domestic origin. Their mean age was 49 months (range 24 – 86). Way of transmission and pathogenic significance of the infection need to be investigated
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
- …
