Search

1. This study was conducted to assess the effects of different dietary omega 6:3 ratios fed to male and female Japanese quail breeders on incubation performance, chick quality and progeny performance. 2. A completely randomised design was used, with five diets containing different ratios of vegetable oils rich in linoleic acid (LA from soybean oil) or α-linolenic acid (ALA from linseed oil) with LA/ALA ratios of 13.75:1, 10.69:1, 7.63:1, 4.57:1 and 1.48:1 with 12 cage replicates containing six birds each. 3. There was a quadratic effect of the LA/ALA ratio on total hatchability (p < 0.011), fertile hatchability (p = 0.046) and total mortality (p = 0.046). There was no effect on fertility (p > 0.05). The LA/ALA ratios of 1.48 and 13.75 fed to both hens and cockerels or hens resulted in greater fertility, as measured by the number of days after copulation during which fertile eggs were laid and the number of points of hydrolysis on the perivitelline membrane. A decreasing linear effect (p < 0.0001) was observed on chick length and an increasing linear effect on body weight at 1 day of age. There were no effects on progeny performance. 4. The LA/ALA ratio affected yolk mineral matter (p = 0.009), crude protein (p = 0.091), chick mineral matter (p < 0.038) and ether extract (p < 0.0001) contents. Maternal diet affected the fatty acid profile of egg yolk and chick liver, indicating that dietary contents were transferred to eggs and chicks. 5. Fertile egg production increased with lower LA/ALA ratios. Therefore, linseed oil can be used together with soybean oil to formulate diets for female Japanese quail obtain LA/ALA ratios between 4:1 and 10:1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mercury Orbiter Radio Science Experiment (MORE) of the ESA mission BepiColombo will provide an accurate estimation of Mercury’s gravity field and rotational state, improved tests of general relativity, and a novel deep space navigation system. The key experimental setup entails a highly stable, multi-frequency radio link in X and Ka band, enabling two-way range rate measurements of 3 micron/s at nearly all solar elongation angles. In addition, a high chip rate, pseudo-noise ranging system has already been tested at 1-2 cm accuracy. The tracking data will be used together with the measurements of the Italian Spring Accelerometer to provide a pseudo drag free environment for the data analysis. We summarize the existing literature published over the past years and report on the overall configuration of the experiment, its operations in cruise and at Mercury, and the expected scientific results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The aim was to assess the frequency of plateaus in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression using a large population‐based cohort. Methods: Data from the Piemonte and Valle d'Aosta ALS register were used. Patients who were diagnosed between 2007 and 2014 were considered. The follow‐up period was extended until 31 December 2018. Visits after tracheostomy were excluded. A plateau was defined as a stable Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale revised (ALSFRSr) score lasting at least 6, 12 or 18 months. Results: Out of 1214 patients, 200 (16.5%), 93 (7.7%) and 52 (4.3%) showed at least one plateau lasting a minimum of 6, 12 and 18 months, respectively. Plateaus occurred mostly at high ALSFRSr scores and were more frequent during the initial phases of the disease course. Spinal onset [odds ratio (OR) 1.83, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.16–2.95, P value 0.01) and predominant upper motor neuron phenotype (OR 2.18, 95% CI 1.36–3.48, P value 0.001) conferred a higher risk for the subsequent appearance of plateaus; conversely, older age at diagnosis (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.11–0.54, P value 0.002 for >75 year age class) reduced this risk. Conclusions: Plateaus in ALS progression lasting at least 6 months appear in about one out of six patients and could last even 12, 18 months or more in a smaller subgroup of patients. Plateau occurrence should not lead the neurologist to automatically reconsider ALS diagnosis and should be considered for future clinical trial design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL) and FrontoTemporal Dementia (FTD) is well known. Most of reports describing ASL-FTD cases show a strong association between ALS and the behavioural form of FTD. Conversely, the association between ALS and pure Semantic Dementia or Progressive Non-Fluent Aphasia (PNFA) is extremely rare, ranging from 1 to 3%. A clinical phenotype characterized by a rapidly progressive aphasic dementia and motoneuron disease (MND) has been described in few case reports; since the updating of PNFA diagnostic criteria in 2011, no clinical report has been related. We want to describe a case of patient presented, at the onset, as PNFA who developed, one year later, ALS with bulbar onset. The patient was screened for the main genes causing or associated with MND and/or dementia but no variants with a pathogenetic effect were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "Fetal growth in cytomegalovirus infection: the role of hyperimmunoglobulin therapy" by E. Cosmi is presented.

The effects of feeding pelleted citrus pulp (PCP) as a natural antioxidant source on the performance and milk quality of dairy cows fed highly polyunsaturated fatty acid (FA) diets were evaluated. Four lactating Holstein cows were assigned to a 4×4 Latin-square. Treatments, on a dry matter (DM) basis, were i) control diet; ii) 3% soybean oil; iii) 3% soybean oil and 9% PCP and; iv) 3% soybean oil and 18% PCP. When cows fed on citrus pulp, the DM intake tended to decrease. The total tract apparent digestibility of DM and ether extract decreased when cows fed on the control diet compared to other diets. Cows fed PCP had higher polyphenols and flavonoids content and higher total ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) in milk compared to those fed no pelleted citrus pulp. Cows fed 18% PCP showed higher monounsaturated FA and lower saturated FA in milk fat compared with cows fed the other diets. The lowest n-6 FA proportion was in milk fat from cows fed control. The present study suggests that pelleted citrus pulp added to 9% to 18% DM increases total polyphenols and flavonoids concentration, and the FRAP in milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT We report on VLT/UVES high-resolution spectra of four members of the old metal-rich open cluster NGC 6253: a main-sequence star, two red-clump stars and a blue straggler. We performed equivalent width analysis and derived Fe, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr and Ni abundances as well as abundance ratios. For our main-sequence star, we obtained a metallicity of (rms), whereas for the two giants we found that our metallicities are on average +0.19 ± 0.13 (rms), lower than what was determined for the same stars in previous studies. We also found that, within the uncertainties, the abundance ratios of α and iron-peak elements match those in the solar surroundings, with the possible exception of Si in two giant stars in our sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stilbenes are one of the main classes of grape polyphenols associated with the beneficial effects of drinking wine. In the present study, a 'suspect screening' metabolomics approach was used to study these grape compounds. Analysis was performed by Ultra High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Quadrupole Time-Of-Flight (UHPLC/QTOF) mass spectrometry and compounds were identified using the database GrapeMetabolomics expressly constructed. By this approach, a total of 18 stilbene derivatives was identified in two V. vinifera red grape varieties (cvs. Raboso Piave and Primitivo) on the basis of accurate mass measurements and isotopic patterns. Identifications were confirmed by multiple mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Bioactive stilbenes such as trans-resveratrol, Z- and E-piceid, piceatannol and Z- and E-astringin, and several resveratrol dimers, trimers and tetramers such as pallidol and pallidol-3-O-glucoside, E- and Z-ε-viniferin, E- and Z-δ-viniferin, caraphenol B, parthenocissin A, E- and Z-miyabenol C, hopheapenol, ampelopsin H, vaticanol C-like or isohopeaphenol, were identified. In our knowledge, some of these resveratrol trimers and tetramers were reported in grape for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Flavonol composition of 34 hybrid grape varieties was studied. [•] Compounds were characterised by using different LC/MS methods. [•] 24 glycoside flavonols were identified. [•] Five of them were found in grape for the first time. [•] Samples were divided in four groups on the basis of their flavonol profiles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims To describe the case and management of a patient with marchiafava bignami disease (MBD) with frontal cortical lesions, no specific symptoms at first referral to the emergency room, and late onset of atypical psychiatric symptoms. Methods We report the case of a 44-year-old patient with a history of chronic alcohol abuse, eventually diagnosed with MBD. Results Magnetic resonance showed lesions in the splenium and in the body of corpus callosum and bilateral lesions of the frontal cortex. The patient showed late-onset atypical psychiatric symptoms, which were drug resistant. Conclusions The case we describe seems to support the existing few ones describing cortical involvement in MBD, which suggest that this is associated with a poorer prognosis. Psychiatric symptoms may be challenging to treat because of drug resistance. The involvement of psychiatrists together with neurologists and radiologists, with a consultation–liaison approach has proved important for the achievement of diagnosis and of the most appropriate management and treatment for this patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A torsion pendulum with 2 soft degrees of freedom (DOFs), realized by off-axis cascading two torsion fibers, has been built and operated. This instrument helps characterize the geodesic motion of a test mass for LISA Pathfinder or any other free-fall space mission, providing information on cross talk and other effects that cannot be detected when monitoring a single DOF. We show that it is possible to simultaneously measure both the residual force and the residual torque acting on a quasifree test mass. As an example of the investigations that a double pendulum allows, we report the measurement of the force-to-torque cross talk, i.e., the amount of actuation signal, produced by applying a force on the suspended test mass, that leaks into the rotational DOF, detected by measuring the corresponding (unwanted) torque. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]