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Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) is a relatively new serum protein electrophoresis method with higher resolution than other electrophoretic techniques. Hypercholesterolemic dogs exhibit a peculiar CZE pattern. Specifically, they have a shoulder or peak immediately next to the albumin peak. We investigated the prevalence of this spurious peak in hypercholesterolemic dogs and its correlation with the serum cholesterol concentration. Moreover, possible discrepancies between the CZE and spectrophotometric (bromocresol green [BCG] method) albumin concentrations in those animals were evaluated, as well as the accuracy in measuring albumin by a different CZE fractionation system. We retrospectively enrolled 500 hypercholesterolemic and normotriglyceridemic dogs. Each electrophoretic curve was inspected visually to identify a spurious peak (prevalence of 68.8%). We chose 120 dogs to further investigate the albumin concentration; CZE albumin was significantly higher than measured using the BCG method. A weak but significant correlation (r= 0.412; p<0.0001) was observed between the magnitude of the spurious peak and the serum cholesterol concentration. Finally, the significant difference between CZE and BCG albumin measurement disappeared (p= 0.92) when the spurious peak was considered as α1-globulins instead of albumin.

The Milanino is a heavy Italian chicken breed and represents an important genetic resource for alternative production systems. Due to the absence of standard management guidelines for local chicken breeds, this study aims to determine the space requirement to achieve a good equilibrium between growth performance and stress response in Milanino chickens reared according to a separate-sex free-range program. A total of 140 birds (70M:70F) were reared in outdoor pens from 75 to 235 d of life according to the following experimental groups (35 birds/group): (M2) males in 2 m2/bird; (F2) females in 2 m2/bird; (M10) males in 10 m2/bird; (F10) females in 10 m2/bird. Growth performance and stress condition were recorded. Bird density affected male body weight, that was higher at the lower density of 10 m2/bird. In contrast, females showed a consistent growth rate irrespective of the bird density suggesting lower space requirements. An overall good adaptability of the breed to the separate-sex free-range system was found, irrespective of both sex and bird density. Moreover, the stress markers values assessed at the end of the growing period suggest the ability of Milanino birds to respond well to environmental stressors. The results provided in this report will be implemented into free-range management guidelines for meat production in the Milanino breed: the separate-sex rearing is recommended during the growing period in outdoor pens and the bird density has to be planned according to the sex.

The Milanino is a heavy Italian chicken breed and represents an important genetic resource for alternative production systems. In order to support its promotion in the market according to consumer expectations on healthy nutrition and animal welfare, this trial aims to study the slaughter performance and the meat quality in male and female Milanino chickens kept at different rearing density in a separate-sex free-range system. A total of 140 birds (70M:70F) were reared in outdoor pens from 75 to 235 d of life according to the following experimental groups (35 birds/group): M2) males in 2 m2/bird; F2) females in 2 m2/bird; M10) males in 10 m2/bird; F10) females in 10 m2/bird. At 235 d of age, 6 birds per group were slaughtered. Slaughter performance and meat quality were assessed. The Milanino chicken is characterized by high carcass weight and carcass yield among local chicken breeds, and a rearing density of 10 m2/bird is recommended for male birds to obtain heavier carcasses. Milanino meat appears bright and intensely colored, and it is characterized by high protein and low fat contents compared with the standard broiler meat. Total lipids of Milanino meat are characterized by a healthy fatty acid composition, corresponding to a high PUFA/SFA ratio. Milanino breast meat is a good supply of nutraceutical PUFA with a positive low n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio. The ability of the Milanino breed either to synthesize or to transfer to tissue a high quantity of PUFA relevant for human health could be a key factor for its economic valorization.

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) bind to ice crystals and control their growth, enabling host organisms to adapt to subzero temperatures. By binding to ice, IBPs can affect the shape and recrystallization of ice crystals. The shapes of ice crystals produced by IBPs vary and are partially due to which ice planes the IBPs are bound to. Previously, we have described a bacterial IBP found in the metagenome of the symbionts of Euplotes focardii(EfcIBP). EfcIBP shows remarkable ice recrystallization inhibition activity. As recrystallization inhibition of IBPs and other materials are important to the cryopreservation of cells and tissues, we speculate that the EfcIBP can play a future role as an ice recrystallization inhibitor in cryopreservation applications. Here we show that EfcIBP results in a Saturn-shaped ice burst pattern, which may be due to the unique ice-plane affinity of the protein that we elucidated using the fluorescent-based ice-plane affinity analysis. EfcIBP binds to ice at a speed similar to that of other moderate IBPs (5 ± 2 mM–1s–1); however, it is unique in that it binds to the basal and previously unobserved pyramidal near-basal planes, while other moderate IBPs typically bind to the prism and pyramidal planes and not basal or near-basal planes. These insights into EfcIBP allow a better understanding of the recrystallization inhibition for this unique protein.

The article discusses the accomplishments of the Catholic university the Università Maria SS. Assunta (Lumsa) in terms f a school of philosophy to mark the 70th anniversary of the founding of the university. Comparison is made to other specific Catholic universities in Italy. Among other topics addressed are research publications in philosophy and especially the philosophy of education, various faculty members over the years and their contributions, and topics related to philosophy which members of the university have published research about.

Abstract: In this study, we measured the lymphocyte levels of proteins involved in apoptosis regulation, such as Bcl‐2, the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), caspase‐3, and Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu/Zn SOD), in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), either untreated or under therapy with dopaminergic agents (l‐Dopa alone or l‐dopa + dopamine agonists) and in healthy volunteers. All PD groups showed increased activity of caspase‐3, compared to controls, particularly those under treatment only with l‐Dopa. In this latter group, the increase in caspase‐3 activity was also paralleled by an increase in the concentration of Cu/Zn SOD. In addition, patients taking l‐Dopa + dopamine agonists showed marked decrease in Bcl‐2 levels and increased PBR expression, which seems in keeping with the hypothesis that PBR may be functionally related to Bcl‐2. In conclusion, we found clear modifications in the levels of proteins involved in the control of apoptosis in lymphocytes of PD patients. These changes were disease related but also modulated by the pharmacological treatment, which confirms the potential role of apoptosis in PD pathogenesis and the modulatory influence of dopaminergic agents.

Abstract: Dopamine (DA) modulates apoptosis in neuronal and non‐neuronal cells, and dopaminergic pathways contribute to neurodegenerative disease. Human lymphocytes express dopaminergic receptors and DA transporters, and synthesize endogenous catecholamines, which may modulate apoptosis in these cells. In the present study, dopaminergic modulation of apoptosis was investigated in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from healthy donors. Twenty‐four‐hour DA reduced at 0.1–5 × 3 10−6M and enhanced at 1–5 × 310−4M spontaneous apoptosis. DA 1 × 310−6M was inhibited by the D1‐like receptor antagonist SCH 23390 1 × 310−6M, but not by the D2‐like receptor antagonists domperidone 1 × 3 10−6M or haloperidol 1 × 3 10−6M, while the effect of DA 5 × 3 10−4M was prevented by the antioxidants glutathione 5–10 mM or N‐acetyl‐l‐cysteine 1–10 mM. Intracellular reactive oxygen species were respectively reduced and increased by 1–3 h incubation with DA 0.1–10 × 3 10−6M and 1–5×310−4M. Twenty‐four‐hour DA 1 × 3 10−6M or 5 × 3 10−4M had no effect on PBMC expression of Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase or Bcl‐2; however, DA 5 × 3 10−4M decreased caspase‐3 activity. In human PBMCs, DA seems to promote apoptosis through oxidative mechanisms but may also result in cell rescue from apoptotic death possibly through activation of D1‐like receptors. The dual effect of DA on human PBMCs closely resembles that on striatal neurons. Lymphocytes of patients with Parkinson's disease may show reduced DA content and impaired DA transporter immunoreactivity. Human PBMCs may thus represent a simple and readily accessible model to study DA‐related mechanisms relevant for neurodegenerative disease.

A TXRF industrial facility for the mapping of trace impurities on the surface of 300 mm Silicon wafers is presently under construction at the ESRF, European Synchrotron Radiation Facility, in Grenoble (France) and its commissioning phase will start at the end of 1998. The elements to be detected range from Na to Hg with a target routine detection limit of 108atoms /cm2. The facility is the result of a collaboration between the ESRF and some of the major European semiconductor companies in the framework of the MEDEA consortium. Preliminary experiments at ESRF reached a detection limit of 1.7×108for Ni atoms (17 fg) in not optimised experimental conditions. The facility will improve the detection limit by a factor of 50. However, this gain in sensitivity will be traded in the possibility of mapping the surface of 300 mm wafer with a resolution of 500 pixels and a throughput of three wafers/h.

A systematic study has been performed, investigating the radiation damage in high purity low doped silicon. During this study we irradiated bulk silicon samples and silicon detectors manufactured from the same bulk material. Identical series of samples (bulk and detectors) were irradiated with different projectiles: swift heavy ions, neutrons and electrons. The characterization of the samples has been performed with different experimental techniques: DLTS, Hall effect, photoluminescence, current–voltage I(V) and capacitance–voltage C(V) measurements. These measurements allow us to extract some quantitative informations about the radiation damage, in particular the introduction rates of vacancy-doping and divacancy complexes, and also the leakage current damage constant for irradiated detectors. In order to explain the macroscopic damage starting from the microscopic one, we calculate for each projectile a set of parameters: electronic energy loss, nuclear energy loss, total displacement cross-section, number of primary knocked-out atoms, displacement cascade size, density of energy deposited in a cascade by nuclear collisions. The experimental results suggest a way to explain the differences between the radiation damage effects of the different projectiles, taking into account the incidence of the above stated microscopic parameters. A comparison is made with the results obtained by other authors concerning the radiation damage of fullerene-irradiated silicon.

In future particle accelerators, silicon detectors will be exposed with large doses of different types of radiation. To understand the corresponding produced damage mechanisms, a systematic study of the influence of the irradiation on the silicon from which the detectors are made has to be carried out. Samples of low n-doped silicon $(n\leq 10^{12}~{\rm cm}^{-3})$have been irradiated with swift krypton ions $(\langle E\rangle=5.2~{\rm GeV})$, neutrons from a nuclear reactor $(\langle E\rangle \sim 1~{\rm MeV})$and energetic electrons $(\langle E\rangle=1.5~{\rm MeV})$. Resistivity and Hall effect measurements performed after irradiation show that the silicon is changed to a quasi-intrinsic state, characterized by a very high resistivity. The electrically active defects responsible for that evolution are Maynly acceptor centers, namely divacancy and/or vacancy-doping complexes. Besides, for the highest fluences, only the appearance of a donor center located at about 0.59 eV below the conduction band may explain the observed stabilization of the Fermi level at 0.61 eV. Finally, using a simulation method, the rates of generation of the different defects are estimated.

Fifteen patients with a primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) transformed into acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) were treated with an intensive chemotherapy regimen containing idarubicin. A complete response (CR) was obtained in 10 patients (66.6%). In five of them this was achieved after a single course of chemotherapy. The median time to achieve a CR was 32 days (range 16-42). A partial remission (PR) was obtained in 2 patients after two induction courses of chemotherapy. One patient died during the first induction course following acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) complication, whereas the chemotherapy regimen failed in 2 patients. A short interval between MDS and transformation into AML was associated with a better chance of achieving a CR. Age, karyotype, type of MDS, peripheral blood or bone marrow findings appeared to have no influence on the response to treatment. The median event free survival for patients who achieved CR was 15 months and the median actuarial survival 18 months. These preliminary results need to be confirmed in a multicentre prospective study comparing idarubicin with other anthracyclines.

1. The effect of food restriction on the quality of semen production and fertility in broiler breeder males was studied.2. Seventy-two Ross broiler breeder males, from 20 to 54 weeks of age, were divided into 4 groups and fed as follows: group 1 = 110 g/bird/d; group 2 = 120 g/ bird/d; group 3 = 130 g/bird/d; group 4 = ad libitum.3. Body weight, sperm quality (volume, concentration, % motility and % live cells) and fertility were measured. The birds were slaughtered at 55 weeks of age; the abdominal fat pad and testicles were weighed.4. Groups 2 and 3 produced the highest volume of semen. The quality of semen was very similar in all the restricted groups.5. Males fed ad libitum produced semen with the best motility and percentage of live cells. Groups 3 and 4 showed the best fertility percentage (79%) against group 1 and 2 (59 and 72% respectively).

Sulla base della revisione delle richieste di Tomografia Computerizzata Cerebrale (TC) inoltrate dal Pronto Soccorso al Servizio di Neuroradiologia dell'Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico di Milano, si è osservata una percentuale di casi di trauma cranico pari al 41% degli esami richiesti.È stato quindi effettuato lo studio retrospettivo di 300 casi di trauma cranico indagati con esame TC nel corso di un trimestre, il 92% dei quali è risultato negativo per complicanze intracraniche post-traumatiche. Tenuto conto di un'obiettività neurologica negativa al momento dell'ammissione in Pronto Soccorso, il 79% dei casi è stato ascritto alla categoria di trauma cranico lieve. Per essi si è rivelata una positività per lesioni intracraniche post-traumatiche del 2%, mentre si è osservato che un'obiettività neurologica positiva è associata alla presenza di lesioni intracraniche con una frequenza del 17%.Si è osservata una maggiore positività per complicanze intracraniche nei pazienti di età superiore ai 50 anni, nei casi di incidente stradale, nei casi di trauma in sede parietale e nei casi di amnesia e episodi di vomito successivi all'evento traumatico. Non si è invece riscontrata una maggiore associazione con lesioni intracraniche nei casi di trauma commotivo rispetto ai casi di trauma non commotivo.Gli autori, sulla base della esperienza presentata in questa sede e della revisione della letteratura in merito, propongono alcune linee guida per la gestione dei pazienti affetti da trauma cranico lieve.

Aims and background The study assessed the role and potential benefit of rhG-CSF in reducing the frequency, duration and severity of neutropenia following cytotoxic chemotherapy according to the E-SHAP protocol and, at the same time in improving the response rate.Methods Twenty patients with resistant/relapsed intermediate or high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma were treated with the E-SHAP regimen (etoposide + methyl prednisolone + high dose cytosine arabinoside and cisplatin), and in 15 of them, we administered rhG-CSF between chemotherapeutic courses.Results The 15 patients who received G-CSF after E-SHAP were neutropenic for a short time and experienced no febrile episodes or infective complications. In contrast, in the group (5 patients) who did not receive G-CSF, the WBC nadir was lower and the number of days with a neutrophil count below 1.0 × 109/L was longer, with a greater risk of inferctious complications. Of the 15 patients, only one had a delay in chemotherapy administration, and the RDI was 95% in the 65% of patients who received G-CSF. Of 5 patients treated with chemotherapy alone, 4 had a delay and the RDI was over 95% in only one patient. We obtained a good overall response rate (70%) in the group who received G-CSF. In the historical group of 5 non-Hodgkin lymphoma patients, we observed only 1 partial response and 4 had progression of disease.Conclusions Administration of G-CSF is associated with an acceleration of neutrophil recovery, indicating its potential to reduce the risk of infection. The use of G-CSF permitted us to administer intensive chemotherapy without delay and according to standard dosage, with an improved response rate.

The Milanino is an Italian chicken breed included in a conservation project run by the University of Milan. It is characterized by good fertility, heavy body weights, high adaptation ability to adverse climate conditions, and disease resistance. Because of these characteristics, the Milanino could represent an important genetic resource for alternative production systems. This research was aimed at studying the effect of bird density on growth and slaughter performance, as well as stress response in Milanino chickens kept in outdoor pens. One hundred and sixty Milanino chickens were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups kept at different densities (2 m2/bird and 8 m2/bird) and were slaughtered at 185 days of age. Growth and slaughter performance and stress condition were recorded. The interaction bird density * sex * age significantly affected body weight and an opposite trend was found between females and males: heavier females were found in the high-density group, while heavier males were found in the low-density group. Bird density did not affect carcass weight data. The stress marker (H/L ratio) was significantly higher in birds kept at the higher density (2 m2/bird). In conclusion, the Milanino provided satisfactory growth performance with different rearing density but the lower density, 8 m2/bird, should be preferred to minimize welfare problems for male birds.