Parco Tecnologico Padano

The fallow deer (Dama dama) is a widely distributed cervid in Europe, often managed in enclosed settings for conservation, education, or hunting purposes. Chemical immobilization is frequently required during routine handling; however, fallow deer remain understudied in the scientific literature with regard to standardized anesthetic protocols. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of an anesthetic protocol combining detomidine (0.2 mg/kg), ketamine (2 mg/kg), and azaperone (0.3 mg/kg) in 22 captive fallow deer. Animals were immobilized for clinical procedures, including health checks, blood sampling, individual identification, and translocation. The quality of anesthesia and physiological parameters (heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, end-tidal CO2, arterial blood pressure, temperature) were monitored throughout immobilization. Anesthetic depth was evaluated through the assessment of reflexes, muscle tone, and eye position. The quality of induction, immobilization at approach, and recovery were systematically evaluated using dedicated scoring systems. Induction was smooth in all animals, with lateral recumbency time, and time to first safe approach achieved in 10.7 ± 6.4 min, and 22.0 ± 5.1 min, respectively. Mean handling time was 49.8 ± 9.6 min. Physiological parameters remained within acceptable limits, with only transient hypoxemia. Recovery was uneventful in most individuals, with the majority exhibiting good to excellent recovery quality and standing within 20 min of atipamezole administration. Only one individual experienced a poor-quality and prolonged recovery. No complications were observed post-procedure. The detomidine-ketamine-azaperone combination proved to be an effective and safe protocol for immobilizing fallow deer, providing stable anesthesia and good recovery quality. Dedicated scoring systems enabled a standardized and repeatable evaluation of the quality of the used protocol and its suitability. This study is the first to describe the use of azaperone in combination with detomidine and ketamine in fallow deer, contributing new insights into non-opioid immobilization strategies for cervids.

Biochar is potentially a functional ingredient in animal nutrition that offers health benefits such as detoxification, while also promoting environmental sustainability through carbon sequestration, emission reduction, and its circular production. However, the heterogeneity of commercially available biochar products requires a detailed assessment of their functional properties for applications in animal feed. This study evaluates chestnut biochar from morphological, chemical, and metabolomic perspectives and assesses its functional properties. Metabolomic analysis of a water extract using QTOF HPLC-MS/MS confirmed the presence of bioactive compounds, such as hydroxybenzoic and succinic acids, highlighting its potential as a functional feed ingredient. The chestnut biochar inhibited the growth of the pathogenic E. coli strains F18+ and F4+, with maximum inhibition rates of 15.8% and 28.6%, respectively, after three hours of incubation. The downregulation of genes associated with quorum sensing (MotA, FliA, FtsE, and HflX, involved in biofilm formation and cellular division) suggests that biochar interferes with several aspects of the pathogenic process. Importantly, biochar was not found to adversely affect beneficial probiotic bacteria, such as Lactiplantibacillus plantarum and Limosilactobacillus reuteri. These findings support the potential of chestnut biochar as a versatile ingredient for sustainable animal nutrition, thus promoting animal welfare while offering environmental benefits.

The study aims to evaluate the demand for forest bathing in northern Italy’s regions, underlining the willingness to pay and the potential tourists’ habits and flows on attending alpine contexts. Several studies have analyzed the psychophysical benefits of forest bathing, and there is a growing interest in assessing its economic value for tourism purposes. The sample’s answers have been analyzed employing a stratified sampling methodology considering three different macro areas (northwest regions, northeast regions, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia region). After analyzing the sample’s attitudes, the research approached the estimation section by calculating the flow as the number of potential forest bathing hikes per year and the willingness to pay through the contingent valuation method. The main results indicate that forest bathing activity in northern Italy has a considerable monetary value, and it is generally compared with positive feelings, particularly concerning well-being and fascination factors.

Epicardial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in both heart development and injury response and involves dynamic cellular changes that are essential for cardiogenesis and myocardial repair. Specifically, epicardial EMT is a crucial process in which epicardial cells lose polarity, migrate into the myocardium, and differentiate into various cardiac cell types during development and repair. Importantly, following EMT, the epicardium becomes a source of paracrine factors that support cardiac growth at the last stages of cardiogenesis and contribute to cardiac remodeling after injury. As such, EMT seems to represent a fundamental step in cardiac repair. Nevertheless, endogenous EMT alone is insufficient to stimulate adequate repair. Redirecting and amplifying epicardial EMT pathways offers promising avenues for the development of innovative therapeutic strategies and treatment approaches for heart disease. In this review, we present a synthesis of recent literature highlighting the significance of epicardial EMT reactivation in adult heart disease patients.

Oxidative stress and impaired mitophagy are the hallmarks of cardiomyocyte senescence. Specifically, a decrease in mitophagic flux leads to the accumulation of damaged mitochondria and the development of senescence through increased ROS and other mediators. In this study, we describe the preventive role of A5+, a mix of polyphenols and other micronutrients, in doxorubicin (DOXO)-induced senescence of H9C2 cells. Specifically, H9C2 cells exposed to DOXO showed an increase in the protein expression proteins of senescence-associated genes, p21 and p16, and a decrease in the telomere binding factors TRF1 and TRF2, indicative of senescence induction. Nevertheless, A5+ pre-treatment attenuated the senescent-like cell phenotype, as evidenced by inhibition of all senescent markers and a decrease in SA-β-gal staining in DOXO-treated H9C2 cells. Importantly, A5+ restored the LC3 II/LC3 I ratio, Parkin and BNIP3 expression, therefore rescuing mitophagy, and decreased ROS production. Further, A5+ pre-treatment determined a ripolarization of the mitochondrial membrane and improved basal respiration. A5+-mediated protective effects might be related to its ability to activate mitochondrial SIRT3 in synergy with other micronutrients, but in contrast with SIRT4 activation. Accordingly, SIRT4 knockdown in H9C2 cells further increased MnSOD activity, enhanced mitophagy, and reduced ROS generation following A5+ pre-treatment and DOXO exposure compared to WT cells. Indeed, we demonstrated that A5+ protects H9C2 cells from DOXO-induced senescence, establishing a new specific role for A5+ in controlling mitochondrial quality control by restoring SIRT3 activity and mitophagy, which provided a molecular basis for the development of therapeutic strategies against cardiomyocyte senescence.

Mental disorders, including depression, pose a significant global health challenge. The rise in the prevalence of mental health issues demands innovative diagnostic tools and early intervention. This article presents a study that harnesses the power of machine learning and multi-modal data analysis to develop a robust classifier for distinguishing between healthy individuals and those with depression. The study utilizes graphological signals, such as handwriting and drawing as potential markers for depression. In this study we conducted an analysis on an existing database, upon which we developed machine learning models that outperformed existing literature. The results demonstrate the potential of these signals accurately classify individuals, with implications for early detection and telemedicine applications. Additionally, we collected new data, including handwriting, drawing, and laughter recordings, which will be utilized to create new models with the aim of achieving more effective performance. Our study also includes the integration of an inertial motion sensor into a mobile app, offering prospects for wearable technology and expanded diagnostic capabilities.

Technological innovations in the development of wearable sensors have led to advancements in smart wearable devices targeted at health monitoring. In this work, a multisensor T-shirt for remote telemonitoring of vital signs related to cardiovascular diseases was developed. The prototype includes a single-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), a pulse oximeter, a temperature sensor, and a three-axis accelerometer. Data collected are sent by a Bluetooth module, then filtered and visualized thanks to a MATLAB script to provide information about heart rhythm, average temperature and oxygen saturation, and respiratory rate. The result is a simple, low-cost, and low-power system; an easily applicable solution within everyone’s reach.

The prolonged lockdown imposed to contain the COrona VIrus Disease 19 COVID-19 pandemic prevented many people from direct contact with nature and greenspaces, raising alarms for a possible worsening of mental health. This study investigated the effectiveness of a simple and affordable remedy for improving psychological well-being, based on audio-visual stimuli brought by a short computer video showing forest environments, with an urban video as a control. Randomly selected participants were assigned the forest or urban video, to look at and listen to early in the morning, and questionnaires to fill out. In particular, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) Form Y collected in baseline condition and at the end of the study and the Part II of the Sheehan Patient Rated Anxiety Scale (SPRAS) collected every day immediately before and after watching the video. The virtual exposure to forest environments showed effective to reduce perceived anxiety levels in people forced by lockdown in limited spaces and environmental deprivation. Although significant, the effects were observed only in the short term, highlighting the limitation of the virtual experiences. The reported effects might also represent a benchmark to disentangle the determinants of health effects due to real forest experiences, for example, the inhalation of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC).

Most sorghum biomass accumulates in stem secondary cell walls (SCW). As sorghum stems are used as raw materials for various purposes such as feed, energy and fiber reinforced polymers, identifying the genes responsible for SCW establishment is highly important. Taking advantage of studies performed in model species, most of the structural genes contributing at the molecular level to the SCW biosynthesis in sorghum have been proposed while their regulatory factors have mostly not been determined. Validation of the role of several MYB and NAC transcription factors in SCW regulation in Arabidopsis and a few other species has been provided. In this study, we contributed to the recent efforts made in grasses to uncover the mechanisms underlying SCW establishment. We reported updated phylogenies of NAC and MYB in 9 different species and exploited findings from other species to highlight candidate regulators of SCW in sorghum. We acquired expression data during sorghum internode development and used co-expression analyses to determine groups of co-expressed genes that are likely to be involved in SCW establishment. We were able to identify two groups of co-expressed genes presenting multiple evidences of involvement in SCW building. Gene enrichment analysis of MYB and NAC genes provided evidence that while NAC SECONDARY WALL THICKENING PROMOTING FACTOR NST genes and SECONDARY WALL-ASSOCIATED NAC DOMAIN PROTEIN gene functions appear to be conserved in sorghum, NAC master regulators of SCW in sorghum may not be as tissue compartmentalized as in Arabidopsis. We showed that for every homolog of the key SCW MYB in Arabidopsis, a similar role is expected for sorghum. In addition, we unveiled sorghum MYB and NAC that have not been identified to date as being involved in cell wall regulation. Although specific validation of the MYB and NAC genes uncovered in this study is needed, we provide a network of sorghum genes involved in SCW both at the structural and regulatory levels.

Simple SummaryParatuberculosis or Johne’s disease (JD) in cattle is a chronic granulomatous gastroenteritis caused by infection with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). JD is not treatable; therefore, the early identification of infected animals is a key point in reducing its incidence worldwide. In this paper, combinatorial discriminant analysis was applied to transcriptomic data to find a small set of differentially expressed genes able to discriminate between exposed cattle from non-exposed animals. Results of the discriminant analysis identified 10 transcripts that differentiate between ELISA-negative animals belonging to paratuberculosis-positive herds that were potentially exposed to MAP and negative-unexposed animals belonging to paratuberculosis-negative herds. The 10 transcript signature was also used for the classification of 5 cattle positive-for-MAP infection samples, with the underlying hypothesis that their transcriptional profile should be closer to potentially exposed animals than to controls. The same set of 10 transcripts was able to differentiate ELISA-negative unexposed animals from positive animals based on the results of the ELISA test for bovine paratuberculosis and faecal culture. In conclusion, these findings suggest the possible use of the identified RNA expression signature as a new diagnostic test for paratuberculosis. Paratuberculosis or Johne’s disease in cattle is a chronic granulomatous gastroenteritis caused by infection with Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Paratuberculosis is not treatable; therefore, the early identification and isolation of infected animals is a key point to reduce its incidence. In this paper, we analyse RNAseq experimental data of 5 ELISA-negative cattle exposed to MAP in a positive herd, compared to 5 negative-unexposed controls. The purpose was to find a small set of differentially expressed genes able to discriminate between exposed animals in a preclinical phase from non-exposed controls. Our results identified 10 transcripts that differentiate between ELISA-negative, clinically healthy, and exposed animals belonging to paratuberculosis-positive herds and negative-unexposed animals. Of the 10 transcripts, five (TRPV4, RIC8B, IL5RA, ERF, CDC40) showed significant differential expression between the three groups while the remaining 5 (RDM1, EPHX1, STAU1, TLE1, ASB8) did not show a significant difference in at least one of the pairwise comparisons. When tested in a larger cohort, these findings may contribute to the development of a new diagnostic test for paratuberculosis based on a gene expression signature. Such a diagnostic tool could allow early interventions to reduce the risk of the infection spreading.