Use of aglepristone for the treatment of P4 induced insulin resistance in dogs

Insulin resistance (IR) in dogs is suspected when hyperglycemia is present despite administration of insulin doses greater than 1.0 to 1.5 UI/kg. IR is caused by increases in counter regulatory hormones concentrations (glucagon, glucocorticoids, catecholamines and growth hormone). This study was conducted to investigate the use of aglepristone (RU 46534), a P₄ receptor antagonist, for the treatment of IR diabetes mellitus in bitches during the luteal phase. All animals were treated with porcine insulin zinc suspension (Caninsulin) and aglepristone (Alizin) 10 mg/kg subcutaneously at day 1, 2, 9 and 17 from diagnosis. At day 5, no significant variation in glycemia was shown. At day 12 and 20, serum glucose concentrations were significant lower (p < 0.05). From day 12 the insulin dose was reduced to 0.8 IU BID. Insulin was reduced in the following weeks and glycemia was controlled.     

A possible relativistic jetted outburst from a massive black hole fed by a tidally disrupted star

Gas accretion onto some massive black holes (MBHs) at the centers of galaxies actively powers luminous emission, but most MBHs are considered dormant. Occasionally, a star passing too near an MBH is torn apart by gravitational forces, leading to a bright tidal disruption flare (TDF). Although the high-energy transient Sw 1644+57 initially displayed none of the theoretically anticipated (nor previously observed) TDF characteristics, we show that observations suggest a sudden accretion event onto a central MBH of mass about 10(6) to 10(7) solar masses. There is evidence for a mildly relativistic outflow, jet collimation, and a spectrum characterized by synchrotron and inverse Compton processes; this leads to a natural analogy of Sw 1644+57 to a temporary smaller-scale blazar.     

Pedostratigraphy of Terra Rossa and Quaternary geological evolution of a lacustrine limestone plateau in central Italy

Pedostratigraphic levels (PLs) are typical assemblages of soil‐genetic horizons, formed by materials having the same degree of weathering. The pedostratigraphic approach can be very useful to comprehend the formation of the Quaternary soil cover, the environmental evolution of a territory, and to estimate the age of paleosols. A pedostratigraphic study of a Terra Rossa was carried out to understand the soil–parent material origin and to estimate the time of the beginning of pedogenesis. Besides soil and geomorphological survey, the Terra Rossa was analyzed for Fe forms, geochemistry, clay mineralogy, micromorphology, and with scanning electron microscope. Optical dating was applied to obtain age estimates for the deposition of the parent material of soil formation. The insoluble residue of limestone was obtained and analyzed for geochemistry and clay mineralogy. The bedrock is constituted by Quaternary lacustrine limestone, showing pronounced karst landforms. The soil profile is situated in a little dissolution doline and was divided into three PLs: PL1 (0–110 cm) is constituted by cambic and ochric horizons, formed during Holocene in a mixture of colluvial soil sediments and fresh limestone, with aeolian components; PL2 (110–290 cm) includes two argic horizons, which began to form during Late‐Middle Pleistocene in colluvial soil sediments, with few aeolian additions; PL3 (290–330 cm) is constituted by a red argic horizon, with nitic properties, which developed from the insoluble residue of the limestone. The age of PL3 was calculated through a mass balance and an estimation of the limestone‐dissolution rate during the Quaternary, which led to an approximate age of Middle Pleistocene, between 250 and 500 ky BP. The time of the beginning of pedogenesis on limestone can be used as a reference for the tectonic uplifting of the area and emersion of the plateau.     

Development and application of solvent-free extraction for the detection of aflatoxin M1 in dairy products by enzyme immunoassay

The official methods for the quantification of aflatoxin M1 in dairy products (cheese and yogurt) include extraction into dichloromethane or chloroform, evaporation of the solvent, partitioning of the reconstituted residue with hexane, and subsequent analysis. To secure a rapid and inexpensive screen for aflatoxin M1 contamination, a sensitive competitive ELISA, using a rabbit polyclonal antibody, was developed for measuring aflatoxin M1 in milk and used in a comparative study for measuring the extraction efficiency of aflatoxin M1 in aqueous or organic solvent buffers using yogurt samples. An aqueous sodium citrate solution was found to be suitable for extracting aflatoxin M1, thus eliminating the need for organic solvents. The citrate extraction proved to be efficient (recovery ranged from 70 to 124%) in fortified samples of very different kinds of dairy products, including yogurt and six types of cheese. Fourteen yogurt and cheese samples were extracted with citrate solution and analyzed by ELISA. A good correlation was observed (y=0.95x-0.59, r2=0.98) when the data were compared with those obtained through the official method, across a wide range of aflatoxin M1 contaminations (10-200 ng/kg).     

Changes in some blood parameters,milk composition and yield of buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) during the transition period

In this study changes in hematochemical parameters, milk composition and yield were investigated in buffaloes during the transition period. A total of 93 buffaloes 113.9 ± 8.03 months old and 535 ± 50 kg average body weight were used. Parity was recorded, blood samples were collected from 80 days pre‐partum until 70 days post‐partum; milk samples were collected from 5 days to 70 days post‐partum. On serum samples, the values of non‐esterified fatty acids, β‐hydroxybutyrate, glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, gamma‐glutamyltransferase, urea, total proteins were evaluated. On milk, percentage of fat, protein and lactose, along with the somatic cell count (SCC), milk yield and daily milk production (DMP) were assessed. The peripartum period significantly (P ≤ 0.01) influenced all studied parameters with the exception of glucose. Milk fat percentage showed decreasing trend from 10 until 40 days post‐partum; DMP significantly (P ≤ 0.01) increased from 1 day post‐partum until 40 days post‐partum. Milk yield significantly (P ≤ 0.01) decreased in animals over the sixth lactation. Our results confirmed the importance of transit period in buffaloes. Blood parameters and milk composition alterations are crucial to predict the energy balance status of buffaloes in order to improve their management and feed intake during the transition period.