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Transportation duration and distance are significant concerns for animal welfare, particularly in the poultry industry. However, limited proteomic studies have investigated the impact of transport duration on poultry welfare. In this study, mass spectrometry based bottom up proteomics was employed to sensitively and impartially profile the liver tissue proteome of chickens, addressing the issue of animal stress and welfare in response to transportation before slaughter. The liver exudates obtained from Ross 508 chickens exposed to either short or long road transportation underwent quantitative label-free LC-MS proteomic profiling. This method identified a total of 1,368 proteins, among which 35 were found to be significantly different (p < 0.05) and capable of distinguishing between short and long road transportation conditions. Specifically, 23 proteins exhibited up-regulation in the non stressed group, while 12 proteins showed up-regulation in the stressed group. The proteins identified in this pilot study encompassed those linked to homeostasis and cellular energetic balance, including heat shock proteins and the 5′-nucleotidase domain-containing family. These results contribute to a deeper understanding of the proteome in broiler liver tissues, shedding light on poultry adaptability to transport stress. Furthermore, the identified proteins present potential as biomarkers, suggesting promising approaches to enhance poultry care and management within the industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poultry meat-production is increasing worldwide; leading to the selection of chickens for meat-production that show a fast growth. A label-free quantitative proteomic-approach and Western-blot were applied to investigate the dynamics of muscle protein under rapid growth conditions in two common fast-growing broiler genetic-lines (Ross 508 and AZ Extra Heavy Red-chicken). Muscle exudate from chicken Pectoralis major was used as substrate to unveil the proteome of these genetic-lines. Six-hundred forty-five proteins were identified in total from all samples, and after statistical-analysis 172 proteins were found to be differentially-expressed, clearly distinguishing the two chicken genetic-lines. Several of these differentially-expressed proteins were involved with the proteasome and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis-pathways. Changes in meat-quality traits were also observed, which were reflected in the proteomic-profile. Proteins involved in the ubiquitin–proteasome system were associated with the bigger muscle mass of Ross 508, while phosphoglucomutase 1 was associated with a possible higher capability of AZ Extra Heavy Red-chickens to cope with stressors. This pilot proteomic-approach applied on muscle exudate samples provided key evidence about the pathways and processes underlying these two chicken genetic-lines and their meat-quality parameters. We also identified potential biomarkers that could determine the peculiar production potentials (e.g. breast-growth) of these broilers-lines, which arise from differences in their genetic-backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several hallmarks of metabolic syndrome, such as dysregulation in the glucose and lipid metabolism, endothelial dysfunction, insulin resistance, low-to-medium systemic inflammation, and intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, represent a pathological bridge between metabolic syndrome and diabesity, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative disorders. This review aims to highlight some therapeutic strategies against metabolic syndrome involving integrative approaches to improve lifestyle and daily diet. The beneficial effects of foods containing antioxidant polyphenols, intestinal microbiota control, and physical activity were also considered. We comprehensively examined a large body of published articles involving basic, animal, and human studie, as well as recent guidelines. As a result, dietary polyphenols from natural plant-based antioxidants and adherence to the Mediterranean diet, along with physical exercise, are promising complementary therapies to delay or prevent the onset of metabolic syndrome and counteract diabesity and cardiovascular diseases, as well as to protect against neurodegenerative disorders and cognitive decline. Modulation of the intestinal microbiota reduces the risks associated with MS, improves diabetes and cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and exerts neuroprotective action. Despite several studies, the estimation of dietary polyphenol intake is inconclusive and requires further evidence. Lifestyle interventions involving physical activity and reduced calorie intake can improve metabolic outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis E represents an emerging zoonotic disease caused by the Hepatitis E virus (HEV), for which the main route of transmission is foodborne. In particular, infection in humans has been associated with the consumption of contaminated undercooked meat of pig origin. The aim of this study was to apply comparative proteomics to determine if porcine liver protein profiles could be used to distinguish between pigs seropositive and seronegative for HEV. Preliminarily, an ELISA was used to evaluate the presence of anti-HEV antibodies in the blood serum of 136 animals sent to slaughter. Among the analyzed samples, a seroprevalence of 72.8% was estimated, and it was also possible to identify 10 animals, 5 positive and 5 negative, coming from the same farm. This condition created the basis for the quantitative proteomics comparison between homogeneous animals, in which only the contact with HEV should represent the discriminating factor. The analysis of the proteome in all samples of liver exudate led to the identification of 554 proteins differentially expressed between the two experimental groups, with 293 proteins having greater abundance in positive samples and 261 more represented in negative exudates. The pathway enrichment analysis allowed us to highlight the effect of the interaction between HEV and the host biological system in inducing the potential enrichment of 69 pathways. Among these, carbon metabolism stands out with the involvement of 41 proteins, which were subjected to interactomic analysis. This approach allowed us to focus our attention on three enzymes involved in glycolysis: glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (GPI), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase A (ALDOA). It therefore appears that infection with HEV induced a strengthening of the process, which involves the breakdown of glucose to obtain energy and carbon residues useful for the virus's survival. In conclusion, the label-free LC-MS/MS approach showed effectiveness in highlighting the main differences induced on the porcine liver proteome by the interaction with HEV, providing crucial information in identifying a viral signature on the host metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This manuscript introduces a mobile cobot equipped with a custom-designed high payload arm called RELAX combined with a novel unified multimodal interface that facilitates Human–Robot Collaboration (HRC) tasks requiring high-level interaction forces on a real-world scale. The proposed multimodal framework is capable of combining physical interaction, Ultra Wide-Band (UWB) radio sensing, a Graphical User Interface (GUI), verbal control, and gesture interfaces, combining the benefits of all these different modalities and allowing humans to accurately and efficiently command the RELAX mobile cobot and collaborate with it. The effectiveness of the multimodal interface is evaluated in scenarios where the operator guides RELAX to reach designated locations in the environment while avoiding obstacles and performing high-payload transportation tasks, again in a collaborative fashion. The results demonstrate that a human co-worker can productively complete complex missions and command the RELAX mobile cobot using the proposed multimodal interaction framework. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Milk is a valuable source of proteins and other nutrients. Changes in milk production toward systems that obtain increased milk yield have resulted in a change in milk composition in large and small ruminants, such as goats. A better characterisation of breeds that undergo a limited formal crossbreeding, such as the Teramana goat is pivotal in order to obtain useful data that could be applied for the management of the breed. Proteomic technologies have brought significant advances in the characteristion of new proteins. In this study, this technology was used to compare the proteome of the autochthon Teramana and Saanen breeds, which are commonly used by the industry to allow for the identification of a cohort of proteins that were able to discriminate the two goat breeds. Proteomics offered the potentiality for a deeper investigation of the biological differences of the breeds under study in a substrate easy to obtain. Goat's milk is an excellent source of nutrients, with greater benefits compared to cow's milk. Limited information is available on autochthon goat breeds, which are important for biodiversity preservation. In this study, the aim of using label-free quantification was to investigate the milk proteome of two goat breeds, the autochthon Teramana and Saanen breeds, which are commonly used by the industry. Utilising label-free proteomic analysis, 749 and 666 proteins, respectively were identified and quantified from the Teramana and Saanen goat milk. Moreover, utilising statistical analysis, 29 proteins were able to discriminate the two goat breeds, with many of the identified proteins involved in complement and coagulation cascades. This work enhances our understanding of the goat milk proteome and shows differences between the two breeds, leading to an important contribution toward a more detailed molecular-view of this unique substrate. Additionally, charactersation of the milk proteins can help in guiding genetic improvements in the goat herds, and thus increasing its use in human nutrition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Little is known about the interdependencies between livestock production and biodiversity. The swine sector is characterized by a diversity of extensive and intensive production practices, which rely on a wide range of natural and manmade activities (e.g., different use of the land) that can reduce its adverse effects on biodiversity. The Nero d'Abruzzo pig is a black domestic pig from the Abruzzo region, Italy, that is reared with extensive practice. This study using a proteomics approach aimed to investigate breed differences between the autochthon Nero d'Abruzzo and commercial-hybrid pigs commonly used by the industry. The comparison of the protein profile of muscle exudate obtained following centrifugation from the diaphragm of the two pig breeds highlight significant differences in the protein expression of a large pool of proteins. Among the proteins that were upregulated or downregulated differently in the two pigs, three—fatty acid synthase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase—may contribute in part to explaining, according to their functions, the phenotypic differences between the pigs. This work has identified a cohort of proteins that can be potentially useful to define new molecular phenotypes for novel applications in pig breeding programs and are of great interest for future work. Capital-driven animal husbandry systems undertaken in the last century led to the abandoning of many pig breeds that were not profitable. These local pig breeds and their respective production systems have great potential as they are able to respond to the high criteria and needs of modern society concerning some environmental aspects, animal-welfare, healthiness, etc. This is the case of the black pigs of Italy. The Apulo-Calabrese is a breed of black pig, known by many other names such as Nero d'Abruzzo. In order to further understand the biological differences between different types of porcine genetics (Nero d'Abruzzo and commercial-hybrid) we used a label-free LC-MS strategy and Western-blot to characterize the proteomes of muscle-exudate collected from these pigs. This proteomics approach identified 1669 proteins of which 100 changed significantly in abundance between breeds. Bioinformatics functional analysis indicated that differentially expressed proteins were involved in several biological processes related to energy-metabolism and response to oxidative stress, suggesting that these functions might distinguish between these pigs. Fatty-acid synthase, catalase and glutathione-peroxidase, involved in enzymatic activity were found to be more represented in samples obtained from the Nero d'Abruzzo. This biological information can potentially provide new biological factors that could determine the different production performances of these pigs, distinguished by their different genetic backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Biodiversity conservation is one of the most relevant current issues. The safeguarding of genetic resources of autochthon farm animals at risk of extinction, such as the Teramana goat, reflects the enhancement of the relative animal productions, in order to highlight the peculiarities that can induce breeders to devote themselves to a specific type of breeding and that can attract the interests of potential consumers. Recent advances in proteomics and bioinformatics tools offer the potential to investigate breed differences at the level of proteins (proteome) and consequently in terms of the biological processes and molecular functions of the specific breed under study. However, there is a lack of information on the potentiality of autochthonous breeds such as the Teramana goat. Therefore, in this study, a global differential proteomic experiment was carried out with the purpose of identifying variations in the expression of muscle proteins between the autochthon Teramana goat and the breed commonly used by the industry, Saanen. The results showed a difference in the expression pattern of 41 proteins that clearly separate the two breeds (underlying genetic differences), highlighting biological features that could influence the productivity, resilience and other traits of these animals. The intensification and standardization of livestock farming are causing a decline in the number of animal breeds in many species, such as the goat. The availability of more studies on the potentiality of goat breeds could raise awareness of their importance, conservation and productive possibilities. Label-free quantitative analysis was applied in this study to investigate the proteomic differences between the autochthon Teramana and Saanen goats that could be useful for defining peculiar features of these breeds. A total of 2093 proteins were characterized in the muscle exudate proteome of the Teramana and Saanen breeds. A total of 41 proteins clearly separated the two breeds. Eukaryotic initiation factor proteins and aldehyde-dehydrogenase 7 family-member A1 were up-regulated in the autochthon breed and associated with its resilience, whereas catalase was down-regulated and associated with lower muscular mass. This study is the most detailed report of goat muscle proteome. Several differentially regulated proteins between the two breeds were identified, providing insights into functional pathways that define this organism and its biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethical livestock production is currently a major concern for consumers. In parallel, research has shown that transport duration is an important factor affecting animal welfare and has a negative impact on the final product quality and on the production cost. This study applied proteomics methods to the animal stress/welfare problem in pigs muscle-exudate with the aim to identify proteins indicative of molecular processes underpinning transport stress and to better characterise this species as a biomedical model. A broader perspective of the problem was obtained by applying label-free LC-MS to characterise the proteome response to transport stress (short or long road transportation) in pigs within the same genetic line. A total of 1,464 proteins were identified, following statistical analysis 66 proteins clearly separating pigs subject to short road transportation and pigs subject long road transportation. These proteins were mainly involved in cellular and metabolic processes. Catalase and stress-induced phosphoprotein-1 were further confirmed by Western blot as being involved in the process of self-protection of the cells in response to stress. This study provide an insight into the molecular processes that are involved in pig adaptability to transport stress and are a step-forward for the development of an objective evaluation method of stress in order to improve animal care and management in farm animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this work was the characterization of the qualitative aspects of meat obtained from Teramana goats, an Italian indigenous breed of the Abruzzo region. Specifically, the study included a comparison with meat samples deriving from Saanen goat kids reared in the same environment and applying the same feeding protocol. Methods: Upon reaching about 7 months of age the animals were slaughtered and samples of muscle tissue were collected to be analyzed. Specifically, meat samples were subjected to evaluations of the physical parameters, including color and the meat ability to retain water, in addition to chemical evaluations that were focused to the determination of the total lipids amount, fatty acids composition, lipid oxidation, and volatile profile. Results: The meat samples obtained from the indigenous breed showed a less intense reddish color and no significant variations for the muscle tissue tendency to retain water, both regarding fresh and cooked meat. Several differences were instead observed in the fatty acid profile. The Teramana samples were richer in saturated fatty acids (p<0.01) and interestingly showed higher concentrations of rumenic acid (p<0.05), a conjugate of linoleic acid that has been associated with important health benefits for the consumers. Another important finding for these meat samples was the marked resistance to oxidative events, as evidenced by the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances-test (p<0.05) and by the characterization of the volatile profile that highlighted a strong reduction in the relative percentage of hexanal (p<0.05), commonly associated to lipid oxidation and the development of unpleasant aromatic notes. Conclusion: The collected data, therefore appeared useful for the valorization of the food product derived from the Teramana goat, although no sensory information has been collected to define the degree of acceptability by the consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Overtreatment with antifungal drugs is often observed. Antifungal stewardship (AFS) focuses on optimizing the treatment for invasive fungal diseases. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the utility of a post-prescription audit plus beta-D-glucan (BDG) assessment on reducing echinocandin use in persons with suspected invasive candidiasis. Materials and Methods: This is a prospective, pre-post quasi-experimental study of people starting echinocandins for suspected invasive candidiasis. The intervention of the study included review of each echinocandin prescription and discontinuation of treatment if a very low probability of fungal disease or a negative BDG value were found. Pre-intervention data were compared with the intervention phase. The primary outcome of the study was the duration of echinocandin therapy. Secondary outcomes were length of hospital stay and mortality. Results: Ninety-two echinocandin prescriptions were reviewed, 49 (53.3%) in the pre-intervention phase and 43 (46.7%) in the intervention phase. Discontinuation of antifungal therapy was possible in 21 of the 43 patients in the intervention phase (48.8%). The duration of echinocandin therapy was 7.4 (SD 4.7) in the pre-intervention phase, 4.1 days (SD 2.9) in persons undergoing the intervention, and 8.6 (SD 7.3) in persons in whom the intervention was not feasible (p at ANOVA = 0.016). Length of stay and mortality did not differ between pre-intervention and intervention phases. Conclusions: An intervention based on pre-prescription restriction and post-prescription audit when combined with BDG measurement is effective in optimizing antifungal therapy by significantly reducing excessive treatment duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary selenium supplementation of dairy cows on chemical–nutritional and aromatic properties of milk and related caciotta cheese. 34 Friesian cows were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group (CG) received a conventional feeding strategy, while the experimental group (EG) was fed with a daily selenomethionine supplementation. Dietary selenium integration did not induce variations on milk yield and composition, but induced a marked decrease in somatic cell count. Both in milk and cheese the EG samples showed an increase in linoleic and rumenic acids. The volatile profile of dairy products was also positively affected by dietary selenium intake, with a decrease in concentration of hexanoic acid, hexanal, heptanal, and an increase in ethyl hexanoate, δ-octalactone, δ-decalactone, 2-heptanone, and 2-nonanone. Such findings could contribute to the production of cheeses with interesting nutritional and organoleptic properties, although further sensorial evaluations should be performed to deeply investigate the consumer acceptability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The liver is a complex organ governing several physiological processes that define biological mechanisms affecting growth, feed efficiency and performance traits in all livestock species, including pig. Proteomics may contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between liver functions and complex production traits in pigs and to characterize this species as biomedical model. This study applied, for the first time, a label-free liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) proteomic approach to compare the liver proteome profiles of two important heavy pig breeds, Italian Duroc and Italian Large White. Liver specimens were collected (after slaughtering) from performance tested pigs of these two breeds, raised in standard conditions. The label-free LC-MS method captured a total of 501 proteins of which 200 were subsequently considered in the between breeds comparison. A statistical pipeline based on the sparse Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (sPLS-DA), coupled with stability and significance tests, was applied for the identification of up or down regulated proteins between breeds. This analysis revealed a total of 25 proteins clearly separating Italian Duroc and Italian Large White pigs. Among the top proteins differentiating the two breeds, 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase, mitochondrial (ACAA2) and histone H2B type 2-F (HIST2H2BF) were up-regulated in Italian Duroc pigs and carboxylesterase 3 (CES3) and ketohexokinase (KHK) were up-regulated in Italian Large White pigs. Fatty acid synthase (FASN), involved in fatty acid metabolism and encoded by a gene located in a QTL region for fatty acid composition, was up-regulated in Italian Large White pigs. The in silico protein interaction analysis showed that 16 of these proteins were connected in one big module. Bioinformatic functional analysis indicated that differentially expressed proteins were involved in several biological processes related to the metabolism of lipids, amino-acids, carbohydrates, cofactors and antibiotics/drugs, suggesting that these functions might distinguish Italian Duroc and Italian Large White pigs. This pilot comparative proteomic analysis of the porcine liver highlighted several biological factors that could determine the peculiar production potentials of these two heavy pig breeds, derived by their different genetic backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posaconazole demonstrated clinical superiority over fluconazole and itraconazole for prophylaxis of mold infections, although concerns exist regarding the high acquisition cost for posaconazole. In this respect, we sought to analyze the costs of antifungal prophylaxis in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) who received prophylactic posaconazole (n=510, 58%), itraconazole (n=120, 14%) or fluconazole (n=175, 20%) during induction chemotherapy. The estimated cost of antifungal prophylaxis as well as the costs of subsequent systemic antifungal therapy for treatening an invasive fungal infections (IFI) was higher in the posaconazole group compared to itraconazole and fluconazole groups. Based on the Monte Carlo simulations, the itraconazole group had the highest cost, followed by the posaconazole and fluconazole group, although the overall survival was higher in the posaconazole group as compared to the other groups. In conclusion, the cost of prophylaxis with posaconazole in AML patients compares favorably with conventional antifungal agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two dimensional Difference Gel Electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) and mass spectrometry were applied to investigate the changes in metabolic proteins that occur over a seven day (day 1, 3 and 7) post mortem ageing period in porcine centrifugal exudate from divergent meat quality phenotypes. The objectives of the research were to enhance our understanding of the phenotype (water holding capacity) and search for biomarkers of this economically significant pork quality attribute. Major changes in protein abundance across nine phenotype-by-time conditions were observed. Proteomic patterns were dominated by post mortem ageing timepoint. Using a machine learning algorithm (l1-regularized logistic regression), a model was derived with the ability to discriminate between high drip and low drip phenotypes using a subset of 25 proteins with an accuracy of 63%. Models discriminating between divergent phenotypes with accuracy of 72% and 73% were also derived comparing respectively, high drip plus intermediate phenotype (considered as one phenotype) versus low drip and comparing low drip plus intermediate phenotype (considered as one phenotype) versus high drip. In all comparisons, the general classes of discriminatory proteins identified include metabolic enzymes, stress response, transport and structural proteins. In this research we have enhanced our understanding of the protein related processes underpinning this phenotype and provided strong data to work toward development of protein biomarkers for water holding capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human epidermal growth-factor receptor (HER)-2 is overexpressed in 25 % of breast-cancers and is associated with an aggressive form of the disease with significantly shortened disease free and overall survival. In recent years, the use of HER2-targeted therapies, monoclonal-antibodies and small molecule tyrosine-kinase inhibitors has significantly improved the clinical outcome for HER2-positive breast-cancer patients. However, only a fraction of HER2-amplified patients will respond to therapy and the use of these treatments is often limited by tumour drug insensitivity or resistance and drug toxicities. Currently there is no way to identify likely responders or rational combinations with the potential to improve HER2-focussed treatment outcome. Methods: In order to further understand the molecular mechanisms of treatment-response with HER2-inhibitors, we used a highly-optimised and reproducible quantitative label-free LC-MS strategy to characterize the proteomes of HER2-overexpressing breast-cancer cell-lines (SKBR3, BT474 and HCC1954) in response to drug-treatment with HER2-inhibitors (lapatinib, neratinib or afatinib). Results: Following 12 hours treatment with different HER2-inhibitors in the BT474 cell-line; compared to the untreated cells, 16 proteins changed significantly in abundance following lapatinib treatment (1 μM), 21 proteins changed significantly following neratinib treatment (150 nM) and 38 proteins changed significantly following afatinib treatment (150 nM). Whereas following 24 hours treatment with neratinib (200 nM) 46 proteins changed significantly in abundance in the HCC1954 cell-line and 23 proteins in the SKBR3 cell-line compared to the untreated cells. Analysing the data we found that, proteins like trifunctional-enzyme subunit-alpha, mitochondrial; heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein-R and lamina-associated polypeptide 2, isoform alpha were up-regulated whereas heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein was down-regulated in 3 or more comparisons. Conclusion: This proteomic study highlights several proteins that are closely associated with early HER2-inhibitor response and will provide a valuable resource for further investigation of ways to improve efficacy of breast-cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The evaluation of cardiac contraction could benefit from a connection with the underlying helical structure of cardiac fibers in athletes either completely healthy or with minor common cardiopathies like Bicuspid Aortic Valve (BAV). This study aims to exploit the potential role of 3D strain to improve the physiological understanding of LV function and modification due to physical activity as a comparative model. Methods: Three age-matched groups of young (age 20.3 ± 5.4) individuals are prospectively enrolled: 15 normal healthy subjects, 15 healthy athletes, and 20 athletes with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). All subjects underwent echocardiographic examination and both 2D and 3D strain analysis. Results: All echo parameters were within the normal range in the three groups. Global values of end-systolic longitudinal and circumferential strain, assesses by either 2D or 3D analysis, were not significantly different. The 3D strain analysis was extended in terms of principal and secondary strain (PS, SS). Global PS was very similar, global SS was significantly higher in athletes and displays a modified time course. The comparative analysis of strain-lines pattern suggests that the enhancement of LV function is achieved by a more synchronous recruitment of both left- and right-handed helical fibers. Conclusions: 3D strain analysis allows a deeper physiological understanding of LV contraction in different types of athletes. Secondary strain, only available in 3D, identifies increase of performances due to physical activity; this appears to follow from the synergic activation of endocardial and epicardial fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sedentary habits are strongly associated with increase of cardiovascular risk factors. The present study aimed to verify the role of accelerometry in identifying sedentary behavior, and the possible short term positive effect of this intervention on some anthropometric variables in a group of patients with cardiovascular risks factors. Methods: To quantify daily Spontaneous Motor Activity (SMA) levels and identify sedentary behavior, an accelerometer was employed, in addition to a simple questionnaire, in a group of overweight, hypertensive subjects. A personalized unsupervised 3 month long physical exercise program was planned. After this time, acceleroometry was again undertaken to analyze the impact of the intervention on some life style parameters, including the number of the steps taken daily, and Physical Activity Level (PAL). In addition, body water balance, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) were also evaluated. Results: Assessment of physical activity by accelerometry identifies sedentary behaviors in a larger number of individuals. After three months of regular unsupervised aerobic exercise, PAL improved from 1.56 ±0.1 to 1.68±0.2 with P<0.005, weight (kg) reduced from 85.13 ± 20 to 83.10 ± 19 (P<0.05), BMI from 29.58 to 28.7 (P<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study of the right ventricular (RV) chamber has been recently improved by use of the 3D method. In young asymptomatic trained athletes, RV is not routinely investigated if not in suspected disease. This study is designed to test if the 3D method compared to 2D, adds information to study of RV morphology and function, in the early stages of myocardial remodeling of a group of young athletes. Methods: The RV chamber function was assessed in 25 young trained athletes (20 soccer and 5 basketball) aged 20±3 yrs and compared to 20 sedentary controls by 2D-AC and 3D-RV methods (TomTec), measuring RV diastolic (RVDV) and systolic (RVSV) volumes or ejection fraction (EF). Results: 3D RV volumes were slightly higher in athletes than the 2D volumes in presence of lower EF values, but not significantly higher than in sedentary. Significant differences were conversely found comparing 3D systolic and diastolic RV volumes and 2D-AC volumes within each group with higher values in athletes (RVDV: P=0.001 for athletes and P<0.001 for sedentary, and RVSV: P<0.04 for athletes and P<0.001 for sedentary). Conclusion: Although the found EF values were substantially similar, the morphological assessment of the initial modifications of this chamber of the young 'athlete's heart', results seem to be more accurate using the 3D method than 2D. The clinical implication of this aspect could be of interest in case of difficulty in drawing a clear diagnosis of any RV chamber disease in young athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study of the right ventricular (RV) chamber has been recently improved by use of the 3D method. In young asymptomatic trained athletes, RV is not routinely investigated if not in suspected disease. This study is designed to test if the 3D method compared to 2D, adds information to study of RV morphology and function, in the early stages of myocardial remodeling of a group of young athletes. Methods: The RV chamber function was assessed in 25 young trained athletes (20 soccer and 5 basketball) aged 20±3 yrs and compared to 20 sedentary controls by 2D-AC and 3D-RV methods (TomTec), measuring RV diastolic (RVDV) and systolic (RVSV) volumes or ejection fraction (EF). Results: 3D RV volumes were slightly higher in athletes than the 2D volumes in presence of lower EF values, but not significantly higher than in sedentary. Significant differences were conversely found comparing 3D systolic and diastolic RV volumes and 2D-AC volumes within each group with higher values in athletes (RVDV: P=0.001 for athletes and P<0.001 for sedentary, and RVSV: P<0.04 for athletes and P<0.001 for sedentary). Conclusion: Although the found EF values were substantially similar, the morphological assessment of the initial modifications of this chamber of the young "athlete's heart", results seem to be more accurate using the 3D method than 2D. The clinical implication of this aspect could be of interest in case of difficulty in drawing a clear diagnosis of any RV chamber disease in young athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sedentary habits are strongly associated with increase of cardiovascular risk factors. The present study aimed to verify the role of accelerometry in identifying sedentary behavior, and the possible short term positive effect of this intervention on some anthropometric variables in a group of patients with cardiovascular risks factors. Methods: To quantify daily Spontaneous Motor Activity (SMA) levels and identify sedentary behavior, an accelerometer was employed, in addition to a simple questionnaire, in a group of overweight, hypertensive subjects. A personalized unsupervised 3 month long physical exercise program was planned. After this time, acceleroometry was again undertaken to analyze the impact of the intervention on some life style parameters, including the number of the steps taken daily, and Physical Activity Level (PAL). In addition, body water balance, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) were also evaluated. Results: Assessment of physical activity by accelerometry identifies sedentary behaviors in a larger number of individuals. After three months of regular unsupervised aerobic exercise, PAL improved from 1.56 ±0.1 to 1.68±0.2 with P<0.005, weight (kg) reduced from 85.13 ± 20 to 83.10 ± 19 (P<0.05), BMI from 29.58 to 28.7 (P<0.05). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Meat quality is a complex trait influenced by a range of factors with post mortem biochemical processes highly influential in defining ultimate quality. High resolution two-dimensional DIfference Gel Electrophoresis (2-D DIGE) and Western blot were applied to study the influence of post mortem meat ageing on the proteome of pork muscle. Exudate collected from the muscle following centrifugation was analysed at three timepoints representing a seven day meat ageing period. Results: The intensity of 136 spots varied significantly (p < 0.05) across this post mortem period and 40 spots were identified using mass spectrometry. The main functional categories represented were metabolic proteins, stress-related proteins, transport and structural proteins. Metabolic and structural proteins were generally observed to increase in abundance post mortem and many likely represent the accumulation of the degradation products of proteolytic enzyme activity. In contrast, stress-related proteins broadly decreased in abundance across the ageing period. Stress response proteins have protective roles in maintaining cellular integrity and a decline in their abundance over time may correlate with a reduction in cellular integrity and the onset of meat ageing. Since cellular conditions alter with muscle ageing, changes in solubility may also contribute to observed abundance profiles. Conclusions: Muscle exudate provided valuable information about the pathways and processes underlying the post mortem ageing period, highlighting the importance of post mortem modification of proteins and their interaction for the development of meat quality traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Very few data exist on risk factors for developing biofilm-forming Candida bloodstream infection (CBSI) or on variables associated with the outcome of patients treated for this infection. Methods and Findings: We identified 207 patients with CBSI, from whom 84 biofilm-forming and 123 non biofilm-forming Candida isolates were recovered. A case-case-control study to identify risk factors and a cohort study to analyze outcomes were conducted. In addition, two sub-groups of case patients were analyzed after matching for age, sex, APACHE III score, and receipt of adequate antifungal therapy. Independent predictors of biofilm-forming CBSI were presence of central venous catheter (odds ratio [OR], 6.44; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 3.21-12.92) or urinary catheter (OR, 2.40; 95% CI, 1.18-4.91), use of total parenteral nutrition (OR, 5.21; 95% CI, 2.59-10.48), and diabetes mellitus (OR, 4.47; 95% CI, 2.03-9.83). Hospital mortality, post-CBSI hospital length of stay (LOS) (calculated only among survivors), and costs of antifungal therapy were significantly greater among patients infected by biofilm-forming isolates than those infected by non-biofilm-forming isolates. Among biofilm-forming CBSI patients receiving adequate antifungal therapy, those treated with highly active antibiofilm (HAAB) agents (e.g., caspofungin) had significantly shorter post-CBSI hospital LOS than those treated with non-HAAB antifungal agents (e.g., fluconazole); this difference was confirmed when this analysis was conducted only among survivors. After matching, all the outcomes were still favorable for patients with non-biofilm-forming CBSI. Furthermore, the biofilmforming CBSI was significantly associated with a matched excess risk for hospital death of 1.77 compared to non-biofilmforming CBSI. Conclusions: Our data show that biofilm growth by Candida has an adverse impact on clinical and economic outcomes of CBSI. Of note, better outcomes were seen for those CBSI patients who received HAAB antifungal therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) may be an adaptative remodelling process induced by physical training, or result from pathological stimuli. We hypothesized that different LVH aetiology could lead to dissimilar spatial distribution left ventricular (LV) contraction, and compared different components of LV contraction using 2-dimensional (2-D) speckle tracking derived strain in subjects with adaptative hypertrophy (endurance athletes), maladaptative hypertrophy (hypertensive patients) and healthy controls. Method: We enrolled 22 patients with essential hypertension, 50 endurance athletes and 24 healthy controls. All subjects underwent traditional echocardiography and 2-D strain evaluation of LV longitudinal, circumferential and radial function. LV basal and apical rotation and their net difference, defined as LV torsion, were evaluated. Results: LV wall thicknesses, LV mass and left atrium diameter were comparable between hypertensive group and athletes. LV longitudinal strain was reduced only in hypertensive patients ( P < 0·05). LV apex circumferential strain was higher in hypertensive patients than in other groups ( P < 0·001), LV basal circumferential strain, although slightly increased, did not reach significant difference. Hypertensive patients showed significantly increased rotation and torsion ( P < 0·001), while no differences were observed between athletes and control. Conclusion: In patients with pathological LVH, LV longitudinal strain was reduced, while circumferential deformation and torsion were increased. No differences were observed in LV contractile function between subjects with adaptative LVH and controls. In pathological LVH, increasing torsion could be considered a compensatory mechanism to counterbalance contraction and relaxation abnormalities to maintain a normal LV output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Strain, and particularly Longitudinal Peak Systolic Strain (LPSS), plays a role in investigating the segmental and overall contractility of the heart which is a particularly interesting feature in athletes in whom regular training determines several morphological and functional modifications in both the ventricles, that normally work at different loads. Speckle tracking techniques assess the LPSS of LV and RV from B-mode imaging in real time, with uniform accuracy in all segments, and can verify the possible dissimilar segmental contributions of the two chambers to overall myocardial contraction. The aim of the study is to quantify the LPSS in real time in both the ventricles in order to estimate any possible different deformation properties in them during a systolic period. Methods: 32 subjects (20 athletes and 18 controls) were submitted to a standard echocardiographic examination at rest and after a Hand Grip (HG) stress. From a four-chamberview image, the LPSS parameter was measured with Speckle Tracking analysis in the basal and medium-apical segments of the two ventricles, at rest and after HG. Results: In both athletes and controls, LPSS values were significantly higher in the RV of athletes (RV LPSS medium-apical -23.87 ± 4.94; basalfreewall -25.04 ± 4.12 at rest) and controls (RV LPSSmedium-apical -25.21 ± 4.97; basalfreewall -28.69 ± 4.62 at rest) than in the LV of both (athletes LV LPSS medium-apical -18.14 ± 4.16; basallateralwall -16.05 ± 12.32; controls medium-apical -18.81 ± 2.64; basallateralwall -9.74 ± 3.84) With the HG test a significant enhancement of the LPSS(with P < .05) in the medium-apical segments of LV and RV was evident, but only in athletes; there was no modification of the standard echo-parameters in either group. Conclusion: ST analysis is an easy method for investigating the contractility of the RV through deformation parameters, showing greater involvement of the RV than LV at rest. In athletes only, after isometric stress the two ventricles show particular myocardial deformation properties of the regions around the apex where the curvature of the wall is more marked. The clinical application of this new approach in athletes and normal subjects requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carcinoid tumor is an uncommon tumor that has often already developed metastases at the time of diagnosis. The primary site of tumors are the gastrointestinal tract, breast, and bronchus. The first manifestation of “carcinoid syndrome” occurs as a result of hormone production and cardiac involvement can be recognized in approximately half of the patients. The tricuspid or pulmonary valves are often affected, while, more rarely, the myocardial wall is of interest. A 51-year-old female patient affected by a primary pancreatic carcinoid showed interventricular septum carcinoid disease diagnosed by 2D echocardiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grape pomace (GP) represents the main solid by-product deriving from grape processing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary GP intake on nutritional quality, lipid oxidation and volatile profile of chicken meat. A total of 112 Ross 508 broilers were randomly divided into 4 groups and fed for 21 days with a standard diet. For the remaining 28 days of the trial, the control group (CG) continued to receive a standard diet, while the experimental groups (EGs) were fed with diets containing different GP concentrations: 2.5% (EG1), 5% (EG2) and 7% (EG3). Following the slaughtering, samples of breast meat were collected from each group. No significant differences were observed for pH, cooking loss and meat brightness, whereas the GP intake showed effectiveness in inducing variations in drip loss, meat yellowness and redness. The experimental feeding strategy also induced changes in the fatty acid profile, with an overall increase in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), mainly due to the increase in concentration of linoleic acid. The dietary supplementation also induced a decrease in lipid oxidation in meat, a finding also confirmed by the reduction in volatile aldehydes in 7 days stored raw meat. The feeding strategy based on the use of GP did not induce detrimental effects on the quality of broiler meat and showed the potential to lengthen the shelf-life as a direct consequence of the improvement in the oxidative stability. Overall, the present study showed a viable way for the recovery and the valorization of an agro-industrial by-product, with potential benefits also from an environmental point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The grape pomace is the main solid by-product of the oenological industry, and represents a rich source of potent bioactive compounds. In this study we demonstrated that its inclusion in bovine diet resulted in a significant increase of linoleic acid concentration in meat, a condition which led to a positive increase in the polyunsaturated fatty acid:saturated fatty acids (PUFA:SFA) ratio. Despite the greater predisposition of PUFA to oxidation, an interesting improvement in the oxidative stability of meat was evidenced, presumably as an effect of the antioxidant activity performed by the bioactive compounds of which the grape pomace is rich in. This finding was also confirmed by the analysis of volatile compounds which highlighted a reduction of hexanal in meat samples obtained from animals fed the dietary grape pomace supplementation. Overall, the present study showed a viable way for the recovery and the valorization of the main by-product of the oenological industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with dried grape pomace on beef quality. Ten Friesian calves were divided into two groups, a control group that received a standard diet, and an experimental group that was administered the dietary supplementation. At the end of the 75 days of the trial, animals were slaughtered, and meat samples analyzed for physical and chemical properties, fatty acids composition, lipid oxidation, volatile compounds, and biogenic amines. The fatty acid profile resulted affected by dietary supplementation, since an increase in concentration of linoleic acid was observed. Furthermore, a reduction of lipid oxidation was found in the same samples. With reference to volatile compounds a reduction of hexanal and an increase of 2-3 octanedione was evidenced, while no effects were induced by diets on the synthesis of biogenic amines. The grape pomace exploitation as a dietary supplement in bovine diet did not have negative effects on the quality of beef and showed the potential to extend shelf life due to marked improvement in oxidative stability. Overall, the present study showed a viable way for the recovery and the valorization of the main by-product of the oenological industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug resistance (MDR) is a serious obstacle to efficient cancer treatment. Overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) plays a significant role in MDR. Recent studies proved that targeting cellular metabolism could sensitize MDR cells. In addition, metabolic alterations could affect the extracellular vesicles (EVs) cargo and release. This study aimed to: i) identify metabolic alterations in P-gp overexpressing cells that could be involved in the development of MDR and, ii) identify a potential role for the EVs in the acquisition of the MDR. Two different pairs of MDR and their drug-sensitive counterpart cancer cell lines were used. Our results showed that MDR (P-gp overexpressing) cells have a different metabolic profile from their drug-sensitive counterparts, demonstrating decreases in the pentose phosphate pathway and oxidative phosphorylation rate; increases in glutathione metabolism and glycolysis; and alterations in the methionine/S-adenosylmethionine pathway. Remarkably, EVs from MDR cells were capable of stimulating a metabolic switch in the drug-sensitive cancer cells, towards a MDR phenotype. In conclusion, obtained results contribute to the growing knowledge about metabolic alterations in MDR cells and the role of EVs in the intercellular transfer of MDR. The specific metabolic alterations identified in this study may be further developed as targets for overcoming MDR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The evaluation of cardiac contraction could benefit from a connection with the underlying helical structure of cardiac fibers in athletes either completely healthy or with minor common cardiopathies like Bicuspid Aortic Valve (BAV). This study aims to exploit the potential role of 3D strain to improve the physiological understanding of LV function and modification due to physical activity as a comparative model. Methods: Three age-matched groups of young (age 20.3 ± 5.4) individuals are prospectively enrolled: 15 normal healthy subjects, 15 healthy athletes, and 20 athletes with bicuspid aortic valve (BAV). All subjects underwent echocardiographic examination and both 2D and 3D strain analysis. Results: All echo parameters were within the normal range in the three groups. Global values of end-systolic longitudinal and circumferential strain, assesses by either 2D or 3D analysis, were not significantly different. The 3D strain analysis was extended in terms of principal and secondary strain (PS, SS). Global PS was very similar, global SS was significantly higher in athletes and displays a modified time course. The comparative analysis of strain-lines pattern suggests that the enhancement of LV function is achieved by a more synchronous recruitment of both left- and right-handed helical fibers. Conclusions: 3D strain analysis allows a deeper physiological understanding of LV contraction in different types of athletes. Secondary strain, only available in 3D, identifies increase of performances due to physical activity; this appears to follow from the synergic activation of endocardial and epicardial fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]