Survival of Eurasian lynx in the human-dominated landscape of Europe.

Survival and cause-specific mortality rates are vital for evidence-based population forecasting and conservation, particularly for large carnivores, whose populations are often vulnerable to human-caused mortalities. It is therefore important to know the relationship between anthropogenic and natural mortality causes to evaluate whether they are additive or compensatory. Further, the relation between survival and environmental covariates could reveal whether specific landscape characteristics influence demographic performance.

Metalloproteases and their inhibitors in the postpartum endometrial remodeling in dairy cows: their relationship with days to conception after parturition.

In dairy herds, it is expected that cows will be cycling and the uterus will be ready for a new conception before the fourth week postpartum. However, an alteration in the endometrial remodeling can delay conception, increasing the parturition-to-conception interval, and consequently decreasing the reproductive performance. The endometrial matrix has a relevant participation in the processes of postpartum uterine remodeling.

Introduction of a LAT gel and low-dose midazolam sedo-analgesia protocol for pediatric skin suture in the emergency department: simpler is better.

Background: skin lacerations are one of the main causes of children's referral to the emergency department (ED). We introduced in our general ED a pediatric sedo-analgesia protocol (SAP) for suturing skin wounds using LAT gel, a local anesthetic solution of lidocaine, adrenaline and tetracaine, with or without low-dose oral midazolam according to patient's age, to improve the experience of laceration repair.

Methods: Primary outcomes were improvement of suturing experience for ED operators (as a reduction in the desire to avoid the procedure) and of the adequacy of sedo-analgesia provided, investigated through two different surveys administered to the ED staff before and after the introduction of the SAP.

Ecological and intrinsic drivers of foraging parameters of Eurasian lynx at a continental scale.

The estimation of foraging parameters is fundamental for understanding predator ecology. Predation and feeding can vary with multiple factors, such as prey availability, presence of kleptoparasites and human disturbance. However, our knowledge is mostly limited to local scales, which prevents studying effects of environmental factors across larger ecological gradients.

Rehabilitation and release of orphaned Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) in Europe: Implications for management and conservation.

Rehabilitation of injured or immature individuals has become an increasingly used conservation and management tool. However, scientific evaluation of rehabilitations is rare, raising concern about post-release welfare as well as the cost-effectiveness of spending scarce financial resources. Over the past 20 years, events of juvenile Eurasian lynx presumably orphaned have been observed in many European lynx populations.

H2A.Z is involved in premature aging and DSB repair initiation in muscle fibers.

Histone variants are key epigenetic players, but their functional and physiological roles remain poorly understood. Here, we show that depletion of the histone variant H2A.Z in mouse skeletal muscle causes oxidative stress, oxidation of proteins, accumulation of DNA damages, and both neuromuscular junction and mitochondria lesions that consequently lead to premature muscle aging and reduced life span.

The new missense G376V-TDP-43 variant induces late-onset distal myopathy but not amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

TAR DNA binding protein of 43 kDa (TDP-43)-positive inclusions in neurons are a hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases including familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (fALS) caused by pathogenic TARDBP variants as well as more common non-Mendelian sporadic ALS (sALS). Here we report a G376V-TDP-43 missense variant in the C-terminal prion-like domain of the protein in two French families affected by an autosomal dominant myopathy but not fulfilling diagnostic criteria for ALS. Patients from both families presented with progressive weakness and atrophy of distal muscles, starting in their fifth to seventh decade.

ACTH impairs the migratory and secretory profile of mononuclear cells during proestrus in cattle.

The aim was to evaluate the effect of ACTH on the mechanisms involved in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) infiltration into the ovary during dairy cattle proestrus. Regarding this, proper expression pattern of adhesion molecules must take place both in PBMCs and in endothelial cells. Argentinian Holstein cows (n = 12) were treated with 100 IU of ACTH every 12 h for 4 days before ovulation when ovariectomy was performed (day 18).

Cross-protection and cross-neutralization capacity of ancestral and VOC-matched SARS-CoV-2 adenoviral vector-based vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccines were originally designed based on the ancestral Spike protein, but immune escape of emergent Variants of Concern (VOC) jeopardized their efficacy, warranting variant-proof vaccines. Here, we used preclinical rodent models to establish the cross-protective and cross-neutralizing capacity of adenoviral-vectored vaccines expressing VOC-matched Spike. CoroVaxG.

The CENP-A nucleosome: where and when it happens during the inner kinetochore's assembly.

CENP-A is an essential histone variant that replaces the canonical H3 at the centromeres and marks these regions epigenetically. The CENP-A nucleosome is the specific building block of centromeric chromatin, and it is recognized by CENP-C and CENP-N, two components of the constitutive centromere-associated network (CCAN), the first protein layer of the kinetochore. Recent proposals of the yeast and human (h)CCAN structures position the assembly on exposed DNA, suggesting an elusive spatiotemporal recognition.

Pharmacological inhibition of HDAC6 improves muscle phenotypes in dystrophin-deficient mice by downregulating TGF-β via Smad3 acetylation.

The absence of dystrophin in Duchenne muscular dystrophy disrupts the dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex resulting in skeletal muscle fiber fragility and atrophy, associated with fibrosis as well as microtubule and neuromuscular junction disorganization. The specific, non-conventional cytoplasmic histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) was recently shown to regulate acetylcholine receptor distribution and muscle atrophy. Here, we report that administration of the HDAC6 selective inhibitor tubastatin A to the Duchenne muscular dystrophy, mdx mouse model increases muscle strength, improves microtubule, neuromuscular junction, and dystrophin-associated glycoprotein complex organization, and reduces muscle atrophy and fibrosis.

Exogenous ACTH stimulus during the preovulatory period alters patterns of leukocyte recruitment in the ovary of dairy cows.

Before ovulation, the ovary exhibits signs of local inflammation. However, the effects of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) on the complexity of this inflammatory response are not yet well described. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ACTH administered to dairy cows during the preovulatory period on the local distribution of different subsets of leukocytes infiltrated in the ovary, along with the gene expression of relevant chemokines (C-C motif chemokine ligand-2 (CCL2), C-X-C motif chemokine ligand-8 (CXCL8), CCL25 and CXCL1) involved in leukocyte chemotaxis and blood perfusion on the follicular wall of dominant follicles.

Timing and synchrony of birth in Eurasian lynx across Europe.

The ecology and evolution of reproductive timing and synchrony have been a topic of great interest in evolutionary ecology for decades. Originally motivated by questions related to behavioral and reproductive adaptation to environmental conditions, the topic has acquired new relevance in the face of climate change. However, there has been relatively little research on reproductive phenology in mammalian carnivores.

A Telehealth Intervention for Nutritional Counseling in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Patients.

Nutritional status is one of the most relevant prognostic factors in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), and close monitoring can help avoid severe weight loss over the disease course. We describe the impact of a Chatbot webapp on improving the communications between physicians, patients, and/or caregivers for dietary monitoring. We developed a chatbot that provides patients with a tool to register their meals through an intuitive and carefully designed conversational interface.

Biocompatible Hydrogel for Intra-Articular Implantation Comprising Cationic and Anionic Polymers of Natural Origin: In Vivo Evaluation in a Rabbit Model.

We describe the functional capability of a cross-linked hydrogel composed of sulfated glycosaminoglycans and a cationic cellulose by conducting trials on experimental animal models using intra-articular implants to treat an articular disease called osteoarthritis. Forty-eight mature New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three experimental groups: A, B, and C. Group A and B underwent unilateral anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) of the right knee.

Characterization of an incipient granulosa cell tumour in a Holstein cow: Steroid hormone receptors and coregulators expression.

The objective of this study was to describe a case of a granulosa cell tumour (GCT) of incipient formation and to characterize it by its immunohistochemical pattern and hormonal profile. The case presented corresponds to a 7-year-old Holstein cow without reproductive disorders. No alterations were observed at rectal palpation, neither in the ultrasonography nor in the hormonal profile.

Demography of a Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) population within a strictly protected area in Central Europe.

Large carnivores promote crucial ecosystem processes but are increasingly threatened by human persecution and habitat destruction. Successful conservation of this guild requires information on long-term population dynamics obtained through demographic surveys. We used camera traps to monitor Eurasian lynx between 2009 and 2018 in a strictly protected area in the Bohemian Forest Ecosystem, located in the core of the distribution of the Bohemian-Bavarian-Austrian lynx population.

MC2R/MRAP2 activation could affect bovine ovarian steroidogenesis potential after ACTH treatment.

Stressors activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, reducing fertility by interfering with the mechanisms that regulate the timing of events within the follicular phase of the estrous cycle. In the HPA axis, melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R) mediates responses to adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in concert with melanocortin receptor accessory protein 2 (MRAP2). The aims of the present study were: (1) to evaluate the effects of ACTH administered in cows in the preovulatory period on the expression of the MC2R/MRAP2 complex in the dominant follicle; and (2) to analyze the involvement of Extracellular signal Regulated Kinase 1 (ERK1) signaling in the activation of MC2R and the expression of key enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of glucocorticoids (GCs) in the dominant follicle.

Regulation of Gene expression at the neuromuscular Junction.

Gene expression in skeletal muscle is profoundly changed upon innervation. 50 years of research on the neuromuscular system have greatly increased our understanding of the mechanisms underlying these changes. By controlling the expression and the activity of key transcription factors, nerve-evoked electrical activity in the muscle fiber positively and negatively regulates the expression of hundreds of genes.

Effects of adrenocorticotrophic hormone on the expression of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in the bovine ovary.

Cattle undergo numerous environmental and management stressors that reduce fertility and affect ovulation. The extracellular matrix of the follicle wall can be altered by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the activities of which are regulated by interleukins and tissue-specific inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs), especially during ovulation. The aims of the present study were to: (1) evaluate changes in the hormone milieu, the localisation and activity of MMP2 and MMP9 and the localisation of MMP14, TIMP1 and TIMP2 in response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) during the preovulatory period in cows; and (2) determine the direct effects of ACTH on the mRNA expression of MMP2 and MMP9 in the cultured follicle wall of bovine ovaries obtained from an abattoir.

H2A.Z is dispensable for both basal and activated transcription in post-mitotic mouse muscles.

While the histone variant H2A.Z is known to be required for mitosis, it is also enriched in nucleosomes surrounding the transcription start site of active promoters, implicating H2A.Z in transcription.

Ungulate management in European national parks: Why a more integrated European policy is needed.

1. Primary objectives of national parks usually include both, the protection of natural processes and species conservation. When these objectives conflict, as occurs because of the cascading effects of large mammals (i.

[The challenge of the peripheral Nephrological Center: an Italian story].

In small peripheral nephrological hospitals it can sometimes be difficult to obtain an early diagnosis and to ensure a state-of-the-art treatment. In the most complex cases, in fact, patients must be transferred to the closest Nephrological Referral Center in order to recover kidney function or improve the chance of survival. Other challenges are represented by the progressive ageing of the population and by the management of oncological patients developing kidney complications, for which it would be desirable to create dedicated clinics.

Hemodynamic changes detected by Doppler ultrasonography in the ovaries of cattle during early development of cystic ovarian disease.

A common reproductive disease in dairy cattle is Cystic Ovarian Disease. To study its development, there was use of an experimental model of follicular persistence to detect hemodynamic changes occurring in ovaries by using Doppler ultrasonography. After estrous synchronization, control cows received no additional treatment and were evaluated at proestrus (CG), whereas treated cows (PG) received sub-luteal doses of progesterone for 15 days and were evaluated at proestrus, and after 0, 5, 10 and 15 days of follicular persistence.