5 results
Trends of hospitalisations rates in a cohort of HIV-infected persons followed in an Italian hospital from 1998 to 2016
- S. Bellino, A. Borghetti, F. Lombardi, L. Camoni, A. Ciccullo, G. Baldin, S. Belmonti, D. Moschese, S. Lamonica, R. Cauda, P. Pezzotti, S. Di Giambenedetto
-
- Journal:
- Epidemiology & Infection / Volume 147 / 2019
- Published online by Cambridge University Press:
- 22 February 2019, e89
-
- Article
-
- You have access Access
- Open access
- HTML
- Export citation
-
Here we evaluated hospitalisation rates and associated risk factors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals who were followed up in an Italian reference hospital from 1998 to 2016. Incidence rates (IR) of hospitalisations were calculated for five study periods from 1998 to 2016. The random-effects Poisson regression model was used to assess risk factors for hospitalisation including demographic and clinical characteristics. To consider that more events may occur for the same subject, multiple failure-time data analysis was also performed for selected causes using the Cox proportional hazards model. We evaluated 2031 patients. During 13 173 person-years (py) of follow-up, 3356 hospital admissions were carried out for 756 patients (IR: 255 per 1000 py). IR decreased significantly over the study period, from 634 in 1998–2000 to 126 per 1000 py in 2013–2016. Major declines were detected for AIDS-defining events, non-HIV/AIDS-related infections and neurological diseases. Older age, female sex, longer HIV duration and HCV coinfection were associated with a higher hospitalisation risk, whereas higher CD4 nadir and antiretroviral therapy were associated with a reduced risk. Influence of advanced HIV disease markers declined over time. Hospitalisation rates decreased during the study period in most causes. The relative weight of hospitalisations for non-AIDS-related tumours, cardiovascular, respiratory and kidney diseases increased during the study period, whereas those for AIDS-defining events declined.
Effects of a dietary crude fibre concentrate on growth in weaned piglets
- P. Superchi, R. Saleri, P. Borghetti, G. Ferrarini, V. Cavalli, M. Sereni, S. Zavattini, A. Sabbioni
-
- Article
- Export citation
-
Many fibre sources can help the adaptation of piglets at weaning, improving the growth. In this study, the effects of a dietary crude fibre concentrate (CFC) on piglet’s growth was investigated. From 31 to 51 days of age, 108 weaned piglets (D×(Lw×L)), had access to two isofibrous, isoenergetic and isonitrogenous diets, supplemented with 1% of CFC (CFC group) or not (control (CON) group). From days 52 to 64 all piglets received the same starter diet. During the dietary treatment period the CFC group showed higher average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed efficiency (P<0.001) than CON group. At 64 days of age, BW was higher in CFC group compared with CON group (P<0.001). Blood samples were collected at days 31, 38, 45 and 52 of age. From days 31 to 52 significant differences in the somatotropic axis between groups were observed. In particular, growth hormone levels were higher only at the end of the 1st week of dietary treatment (P<0.05) in CFC group animals compared with CON group animals. The IGF-I trend was similar between groups even if the IGF-I levels were higher in the CFC group than CON group 1 week after starting treatment (P<0.01). The IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3) levels were higher in the first 2 weeks of dietary treatment and lower in the 3rd week in CON group compared with CFC group (P<0.01). Specifically, the IGFBP-3 profile was consistent with that of IGF-I in CFC group but not in CON group. At the same time, an increase of leptin in CFC compared with CON group was observed (P<0.05). Piglets fed the CFC diet showed a lower diarrhoea incidence (P<0.05) and a lower number of antibiotic interventions (P<0.05) than CON diet from 31 to 51 days of age. Pig-major acute-phase protein plasma level (P<0.01) and interleukin-6 gene expression (P<0.05) were higher in CON group than CFC group at the end of 1st week of dietary treatment. In conclusion, this study showed that CFC diet influences the hormones related to energy balance enhancing the welfare and growth of piglets. Furthermore, the increase in feed intake during 3 weeks of dietary treatment improved the feed efficiency over the entire post-weaning period.
Anterior pituitary influence on adipokine expression and secretion by porcine adipocytes
- R. Saleri, V. Cavalli, P. Martelli, P. Borghetti
-
- Article
- Export citation
-
Nutritional stressors may cause negative effects on animal health and growth and lead to significant economic impact. Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ producing, mediators and hormones, called adipokines. They play a dynamic role in body homeostasis and in the regulation of energy expenditure, interacting with feeding behavior, hormones and growth factors. This in vitro study aimed to investigate how nutritional conditions and growth hormone (GH) can influence nitric oxide (NO) production and the expression and secretion of three important adipokines, that is leptin, interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), by swine adipocytes. In our experimental model, mesenchymal stem cells from omental adipose tissue were induced to adipogenic differentiation. After differentiation, adipocytes were incubated for 24 h (T0) with DMEM/Ham’s F12 (group A) or DMEM/Ham’s F12 salts (group B), a DMEM/Ham’s F12 formulation deprived of nutritional components. Primary adipocyte cells were also co-cultured for 4 h (T+4) or 12 h (T+12) with or without anterior pituitary slices. To stimulate GH secretion by pituitary cells, growth hormone releasing hormone at 10−8 M was added at the start of the incubation times (4 or 12 h). At T0, T+4 and T+12, NO production, leptin, IL-6 and TNF-α expression and secretion were measured. NO increased (P<0.05) up to twofold in restricted culture conditions. Deprived medium and coincubation with anterior pituitary positively influenced leptin secretion and expression. TNF-α was expressed and secreted only in deprived culture condition groups (B, B1 and B2). Nutrients availability and pituitary co-culture did not affect IL-6 expression and secretion. Our study shows an endocrine function for porcine adipocytes. In our model, adipocytes readily responded to nutritional inputs by secretion of molecules affecting energy balance. This secretion capacity was modulated by GH. Improving our knowledge of the role of adipocyte in the endocrine system, may lead to a more complete understanding of regulating energy balance in swine.
Effects of dietary nucleotide supplementation on growth performance and hormonal and immune responses of piglets
- P. Superchi, R. Saleri, P. Borghetti, E. De Angelis, L. Ferrari, V. Cavalli, P. Amicucci, M. C. Ossiprandi, A. Sabbioni
-
- Article
- Export citation
-
The effects of dietary nucleotide supplementation from 9 days of age until the end of post-weaning on piglets hormonal and immune responses and on growth performance were investigated. During lactation (days 9 to 21) and post-weaning (days 22 to 55) 10 [HBI Fomeva11 × (Large White × Landrace)] litters (n = 108 piglets) had ad libitum access to two standard diets, both supplemented with 0% (T0 group) or 0.1% (T1 group) of yeast extract nucleotides. BW of piglets at days 21 (P < 0.10), 35 and 55 (P < 0.05) was greater in T1 compared with T0. Feed intake was not different between groups (P > 0.05). Cortisol content was lower in T1 than in T0 at days 28 and 35 (P < 0.05), whereas growth hormone was lower at day 35 (P < 0.05). Levels of IGF-1 were similar across groups (P > 0.05). Nucleotide-supplemented diets increased lymphocyte subpopulation CD4−CD8+high at days 21 and 35 (P < 0.05), whereas CD4+CD8− cells were higher in T1 than in T0 at day 21 (P < 0.05). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells cytokine expression was influenced by dietary nucleotide supplementation. At weaning, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β expression was lower (P < 0.05) in T1 compared with T0, whereas the expression of interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-10 was higher (P < 0.05). At day 28, piglets in T1 showed higher values of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α expression than T0 and lower values of IL-10 expression (P < 0.05). Dietary nucleotide supplementation had a suppressive effect on IL-6 and IL-10 expression (P < 0.05) at day 35. On the contrary, the expression of IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-1β was enhanced (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that starting a dietary nucleotide supplementation before weaning can improve the adaptive capabilities of weaned piglets to the stressors, enhancing the growth performance.
10 - Relations between sap velocity and cavitation in broad-leaved trees
-
- By M. Borghetti, Istituto Miglioramento Genetico delle Piante Forestall, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via S. Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, Italy; Present address: Dipartimento di Produzione Vegetale, Universita della Basilicata, Potenza, Italy., P. de Angelis, Dipartimento Scienze dell'Ambiente Forestale e delle sue Risorse, Universitá della Tuscia, via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy., A. Raschi, Istituto di Analisi Ambientale e Telerilevamento applicati all'Agricoltura, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, p.le delle Cascine 18, 50144 Firenze, Italy., G. E. Scarascia Mugnozza, Dipartimento Scienze dell'Ambiente Forestale e delle sue Risorse, Universitá della Tuscia, via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy., R. Tognetti, Istituto Miglioramento Genetico delle Piante Forestall, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, via S. Bonaventura 13, 50145 Firenze, Italy., R. Valentini, Dipartimento Scienze dell'Ambiente Forestale e delle sue Risorse, Universitá della Tuscia, via S. Camillo De Lellis, 01100 Viterbo, Italy.
- Edited by M. Borghetti, J. Grace, A. Raschi
-
- Book:
- Water Transport in Plants under Climatic Stress
- Published online:
- 04 August 2010
- Print publication:
- 13 May 1993, pp 114-128
-
- Chapter
- Export citation
-
Summary
SUMMARY
Concurrent measurements of cavitation by the ultrasound acoustic emission technique and sap velocity by the thermoelectric heat pulse method were carried out in the field on three woody species (Quercus pubescens, Quercus ilex and Alnus cordatd) characterized by different wood structure. The plant water status was assessed by measuring xylem water potential and stomatal conductance. A good correspondence was found between the patterns of sap velocity and cavitation rate. A threshold-type relationship was observed, in Alnus cordata, between water flow and cavitation rate. In some cases temporal lags between ultrasound emission and sap velocity were observed: several factors may account for these lags, including the possibility that cavitation of xylem conduits may be a rather patchy phenomenon and that different xylematic volumes might have been sensed by the ultrasound and heat pulse transducers.
INTRODUCTION
The formation and spreading of gaseous emboli through the xylem are recognized as common events in water stressed plants (Milburn, 1979; Tyree & Sperry, 1989a). In particular, it is widely held that the increase of xylematic tension, which is caused by the drop of water potential between the soil and the atmosphere, frequently induces cavitation, i.e. the breakage of water columns and the formation of gas bubbles in the lumina of xylem conduits.
The mechanism of cavitation is still being debated, although the hypothesis that cavitation is caused by the aspiration of air bubbles through the intervessel pit membranes (the so-called air seeding hypothesis) is widely supported by experimental evidence (Sperry & Tyree, 1988; Sperry, Tyree & Donnelly, 1988).