Ultrastructural and biochemical features of efferent ducts (EDs) are indicative of an intense absorptive activity towards the luminal fluid. This function was investigated by 1) the immunohistochemical localization of different aquaporins, integral membrane water channels that facilitate rapid passive movement of water, and 2) the histochemical localization of lectins, known to have specific affinity for glycoconjugate residues. AQP1 was mostly revealed at the apical surface and adluminal cytoplasm of nonciliated cells and to a minor extent in their lateral plasma membrane, whereas it was absent in ciliated cells. Blood vessels showed AQP1-immunoreactivity, which was present in endothelial cells of venous vessels and capillaries and around the muscular sheath of arteries. AQP9 was expressed in the apical zone of ciliated and non-ciliated cells and in the lateral cell membrane. AQP2 and AQP5 were undetectable. Lectin histochemistry showed that non-ciliated cells contain glycans with terminal Neu5Aca2,3Galß1,3GalNAc, Neu5Aca2,3Galß1,4GlcNAc, Galß1,4GlcNAc, GalNAc (s-PNA, MAL II, RCA120, SBA reactivity) and with internal/terminal aMan (Con A affinity) at the luminal surface and the apical region. In addition, non-ciliated cells expressed oligosaccharides terminating with GalNAc and Neu5Aca2,6Gal/GalNAc (SNA reactivity) in the luminal surface and the apical zone, respectively. Ciliated cells revealed glycoconjugates only on cilia, which showed terminal Neu5Aca2,3Galß1,4GlcNAc (s- RCA120 staining) and GalNAc, as well as internal/ terminal aMan and GlcNAc (s-WGA, GSA II staining). Data provide evidence for the involvement of different pathways in the bulk reabsorption of water and low molecular weight solutes by the non-ciliated cell of the cat EDs. AQP-mediated trans-cellular route can be hypothesized, together with fluid phase endocytosis mediated by the glycocalix and a well-developed endocytotic apparatus. Epithelial ciliated cells, whose main function is the movement of luminal content, might also participate in absorptive processes to a lesser extent.

Pestiviruses have a worldwide distribution where ruminants farming is extensive and infection in their hosts can vary from subclinical manifestations to severe clinical signs. Although biomolecular methods are successfully employed for pestiviruses identification, they require the presence of the virus at the time of sampling. Because persistent infection is unusual in goats and acute infection is transient, for a retrospective assessment serology is the most useful approach to evaluate pestiviruses spread among ruminants. The prevalence of pestiviruses in the Italian goat population was the main target of the study and the possible influence of the co-habitation with cattle on the seropositivity of goats was taken into account. A total of 7096 sera from healthy goats were tested using an indirect ELISA. The positive samples were confirmed with a virus neutralization (VN) test and were screened for BDV too. The ELISA assay identified 57 farms (33.13%) with positive goats and an overall seropositivity of 1.63%, higher in Calabria (1.74%, 95% CI 1.68% to 1.79%) than in Apulia (1.59%, 95% CI 1.52% to 1.66%). A higher variability among farms was observed, with a significant influence of multi-species (goat and cow) grazing. Despite the huge economic losses, the impact on small ruminant productions in Italy has not yet been assessed and pestivirus infection is largely underestimated and scarcely considered. Nevertheless, the focus on pestiviruses of small ruminants should be strengthened. Considering that pestivirus infections are often subclinical, serological surveillance, the prerequisite for the implementation of control programmes, should be strongly recommended and should be considered in any pestivirus eradication programme, especially in areas such as the Southern Italy, where small ruminants farming is predominant.

Stallion sperm from semen collected in Southern Italy during the breeding (June–July) and non-breeding (December–January) periods were analyzed by means of twelve lectins to evaluate the glycoconjugate pattern and to verify whether there are any seasonal differences in the glycosylation pattern of the sperm glycocalyx. The acrosomal cap showed reactivity for Maackia amurensis (MAL II), Sambucus nigra (SNA), Arachis hypogaea (PNA), Glycine max (SBA), Helix pomatia (HPA), Canavalia ensiformis (Con A) Triticum vulgaris (WGA), and Griffonia simplicifolia isolectin II (GSA II) in breeding and non-breeding ejaculated sperm, suggesting the presence of oligosaccharides terminating with Neu5Aca2,3Galb1,4GlcNAc, Neu5Aca2,6Gal/GalNAc, with Galb1,3GalNAc, a/bGalNAc and glycans with terminal/internal aMan and GlcNAc. During the non-breeding period, the acrosomal cap expressed oligosaccharides terminating with Galb1,4GlcNAc (Ricinus communis120 affinity) (RCA120) and LFuca1,2Galb1,4GlcNAcb (Ulex europaeus affinity) (UEA I). The equatorial segment placed between the acrosomal cap and postacrosomal region did not display glycans terminating with GalNAc, GlcNAc, and aL-Fuc. The post-acrosomal region of sperm collected in the breeding and non-breeding periods bound Con A, MAL II, SNA, and SBA, thus showing the presence of N-linked oligosaccharides from high-Man content, terminating with Neu5Aca2,3Galb1,4GlcNAc, Neu5Aca2,6Gal/GalNAc and GalNAc. In winter, the post-acrosomal region also expressed oligosaccharides terminating with aGalNAc, GlcNAc, and L-Fuca1,2- Galb1,4GlcNAcb (HPA, GSA II, and UEA I staining). The tail of sperm from semen collected during the breeding and nonbreeding periods showed a lectin binding pattern similar to the post-acrosomal region, except for the absence of HPA staining in sperm collected during the winter season. These results indicate that the surface of stallion sperm contains different glycocalyx domains and that the glycosylation pattern undergoes changes during the breeding and non-breeding periods.

L’esperienza svolta nella ideazione, gestione e realizzazione del progetto pilota “Tutela e Riproduzione del Riccio di Mare (Paracentrotus lividus) specie innovativa per l’acquacoltura” dalla Algesiro srl di Manfredonia e della Facoltà di Medicina Veterinaria Dipartimento di Benessere Animale dell’Università di Bari è un modello per sviluppare la filiera ittica e la collaborazione tra imprese e mondo della ricerca. Classificato al primo posto della graduatoria nella valutazione di merito, avendo colto il senso del bando ed i suoi obiettivi, il progetto è stato condotto con puntualità ed aggiornamento costante rispetto alle scoperte via via effettuate ed alle tecnologie applicate. L’esperienza si colloca nelle buone pratiche che la Regione Puglia intende adottare e replicare perché il settore delle risorse ittiche possa crescere in maniera sostenibile e nel lungo periodo. L’attenzione posta alla tutela dell’ambiente e delle risorse partendo dalla richiesta di mercato del riccio di mare dimostra che è possibile progettare la gestione della filiera ittica bilanciando gli interventi tenendo conto della pluralità degli interessi e della qualità. Il protocollo sviluppato, primo al mondo, è replicabile in ogni angolo del pianeta e la funzione degli echinodermi, sia in allevamento sia in banchi naturali, contribuisce a tutelare l’ecosistema. Con l’auspicio che esperienze positive come questa possano replicarsi attivando rapporti virtuosi tra imprese, mondo della ricerca, istituzioni e ambiente per la crescita del territorio pugliese

Published data strongly suggest that tumor progression and malignancy are associated with increased angiogenesis. However, no data have been published concerning the relationship between microvascular density (MVD), tumor cytosol, and blood vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in canine non-Hodgkin lymphoma (C-NHL), a neoplasm that shares biological and clinical characteristics with human NHL. We have evaluated MVD and tumor cytosol, serum (S), platelet-poor plasma (P-PP), plasma-activated platelet rich (P-APR) VEGF concentration in a series of 63 B-cells C-NHL by means of immunohistochemistry and enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) detection of VEGF. We found that MVD, VEGF from cytosol, and VEGF from P-APR are significantly correlated (p ranging from 0.001 to 0.003) and that these parameters paralleled with the malignancy degree of NHL. Accordingly, spontaneous C-NHL seems to be an interesting model to study the role of angiogenesis as interspecies pathway of tumor malignancy and we suggest that VEGF from P-APR might be a novel useful circulating bio-marker of tumor angiogenesis.