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Background aims. This is the first study to compare the treatment of horse tendon and ligament injuries with the use of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) obtained from two different sources: amniotic membrane (AMSCs) and bone marrow (BM-MSCs). The objective was to prove the ability of AMSCs to exert beneficial effects in vivo. Methods. Five million allogeneic frozen-thawed AMSCs or autologous fresh BM-MSCs were injected mtralesionally in horses belonging to group A (51 horses) and group B (44 horses). The interval lesion/implantation was of 6-15 days for the AMSCs and 16-35 days for the BM-MSCs. Healing was assessed clinically and ultrasonographically. Follow-up was monitored for 2 further years from return to full work. Results. No significant adverse effects after MSCs treatment were seen in any of the horses studied, independent of the type of stromal cell implanted. All animals belonging to group A resumed their activities between 4-5 months after treatment, whereas animals of group B resumed their activities after 4-12 months. The rate of re-injury in horses treated with AMSCs is lower (4.00%) compared with the average observed when horses were treated with BM-MSCs (23.08%). Conclusions. The possibility to inject allogeneic AMSCs in real time, before any ultrasonographic change occurs within the injured tendon and ligament, together with the higher plasticity and proliferative capacity of these cells compared with BM-MSCs, represents the main features of interest for this novel approach for the treatment of equine tendon diseases. An obvious active proliferative healing in the area injected with AMSCs makes these cells more effective than BM-MSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Early Jurassic dolomitized carbonates in the Venetian Alp, represent a surface analogue of the hydrocarbon exploration targets in Adriatic offshore and Po Plain, Italy. Dolomitization affected the carbonate platform of Monte Zugna Formation (Lower Jurassic) and the Neptunian dikes breccia in the pelagic Maiolica Formation (Uppermost Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous) improving the poro-perm characteristics. Petrography, stable isotope, strontium isotope ratio, trace element and fluid inclusion analyses were carried out on samples from the Monte Grappa Anticline, which is the direct analogue for subsurface. The petrographic analyses showed a first pervasive, replacement dolomitization phase (D1) followed by volumetrically less important dolomite cement precipitation phases (D2, D3, DS). The same, quite wide range of oxygen isotope (−9 to −2‰ V-PDB) is observed in all dolomite types. The δ 13C range is in the positive field of marine derived carbonate (from +0.5 to +3.2‰ PDB). The trace element analysis showed a slight enrichment in Fe and Mn contents in the Monte Zugna dolostones with respect the original limestone. The same dolomite precipitation temperature (up to 105°C Th) was observed in the replacement and cement dolomites, suggesting a unique dolomitization event. This temperature, largely higher than the maximum burial temperature (about 50°C), supports a hydrothermal origin of the dolomitizing fluids, which had a seawater to brackish composition. The data collected suggest a hydrothermal dolomitization occurring during to the South Alpine thrusting according to the “squeegee model”. The interpretation is consistent with the dolomitization model proposed for similar Jurassic successions in the Central Southern Alps. This study indicates that the deformed foreland and thrust fold belts carbonates in Po Plain and Adriatic offshore are suitable to be dolomitized, and therefore reflect an efficient hydrocarbon exploration play. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]