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The ecological behaviour of one Apodemus spp. population in the area of Villiago, Triva, Pasa (Belluno, Italy).
Full text linkAims: In this research the ecological behavior of a population of Apodemus spp. living in the East
North of Italy (Veneto, Italy) is analyzed. In this specific instance, we tried to evalutate the
activity of the animals as regards meteorological variabilities and the exact hour of capture
of three congenerouses Apodemus agrarius (Pallas, 1771), Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior,
1834) and Apodemus sylvaticus (Linneus, 1758), with special reference to the component
given by the wild Striped Field Mouse, in a purely agricultural area, situated in the
commune of Sedico (Belluno, Veneto) and inserted in the phytoclimatic Esalpico district.
Following the preliminary study which was intended to define the check-list of the
microteriofauna living in the area of study in connection to the present environmental
typologies, it has been decided to examine in the period March - December 2004 the fauna
component given by the three kinds of Apodemus spp. in defined a sub-area of 1 ha surface,
composed by particles with different soil and various vegetation coverage where the three
species are coexistent
Studio dei micromammiferi terricoli all'interno del Parco Natura Viva e in aree limitrofe (Bussolengo, VR). Study of terrestrial micromammals in the "Parco Natura Viva " and neighbouring areas (Bussolengo, province of Verona, Italy).
No full textAims: We studied the terrestrial micromammals living in the “Parco Natura Viva” and in some surrounding
areas, near Bussolengo (province of Verona). Animals were captured alive by non
selective, Ugglan-type traps, which allow the imprisonment of multiple specimens at a time.
We identified 5 terrestrial mammal species, 3 Rodentia and 2 Insectivora: Wood mouse
Apodemus sylvaticus, Brown rat Rattus norvegicus, Yellow-necked mouse Apodemus flavicollis,
Lesser white-toothed shrew Crocidura suaveolens and Bi-coloured white-toothed shrew
Crocidura leucodon. The Wood mouse was found widely spread (310 contacts) both inside
and outside the park, in wooded and meadow areas, occupied mostly by neglected grasslands
and shrubs and next to an unmanaged wood strip. The Yellow-necked mouse was found
only in one out of 11 surveyed areas (13 captures), characterized by xeric-termophile shrub
species and butcher’s broom undergrowth. The Brown rat (19 contacts) was detected both in
areas outside the park and on internal but impoverished ones (as those near the dunghill).
Lesser white-toothed shrew (5 contacts) and Bi-coloured white-toothed shrew (1 contact)
were found only outside the park or near its boundaries
The occupation of bird-houses by ornithic communities living in the area of the "Natura Viva Park" in Bussolengo (Verona) - Italy
No full textProduction of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in osteoarthritic patients undergoing mud bath therapy.
No full textSeveral studies have demonstrated that matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are frequently implicated in the destruction of articular cartilage in arthritis. The control of MMP activity is dependent on the local concentration of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), and the imbalance of the enzyme-to-inhibitor ratios plays an important role in the remodeling of articular tissues. Some cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha which regulate leukocyte activities, promote MMP secretion and, as a consequence, cartilage degradation. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a natural treatment is effective in reducing cartilage inflammation and degradation by influencing MMP and TIMP serum levels. Eighty patients with osteoarthritis (OA) were enrolled in the trial and were divided into group A (30 patients who did not undergo mud bath therapy), group B (28 patients repeating mud bath therapy more than 5 times and less than 10) and group C (22 patients repeating mud bath therapy more than 10 times). Blood samples were obtained from all the patients for assay of MMP-1, -2, -3, -8 and -9 and TIMP-1 and -2. The parameters were determined by an ELISA technique. Statistical indexes were calculated for each parameter and mean values were compared. The differences between mean values of MMP-3, -8 and -9 were statistically significant between group A and the treated groups (B and C). Analysis of variance established a significant difference (p < 0.05) between groups A and C in mean serum levels of MMP-8, MMP-9 showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in mean serum concentration between groups A and B. Regression analysis showed a very high R2 between MMP-2 and TIMP-2. One of the most interesting findings in this study was that MMP-3 serum levels were significantly lower in the treated groups, since this enzyme plays an important role in cartilage degradation, suggesting that mud bath therapy contributes to matrix integrity in OA cartilage. In contrast, MMP-8 and -9 were higher in the treated subjects and no correlation with TIMPs was evident. One possible explanation is that these enzymes are required for the efficient degradation and removal of already compromised cartilage matrix and that they operate as part of a matrix turnover and repair process. In conclusion, our data suggest that mud bath therapy alone is not able to influence chondrocyte metabolic activity in the advanced phases of OA. There could be a synergic and sequential association with pharmacologic therapy and/or interventions
Modulation of Neurogenic inflammation in osteoarthrosis patients undergoing a combined treatment of mud packs, thermal baths and acetaminophen: a preliminary study.
No full textMud pack treatment of osteoarthritis patients: Changes in serum levels of cartilage disease markers
No full textMethods for trichological analysis for the study of mammals: application to Apodemus spp.
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