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A Giangaspero

Publications and source records attributed to A Giangaspero.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Goat warble fly infestation by Przhevalskiana silenus (Diptera: Oestridae): immunoepidemiologic survey in the Basilicata region (southern Italy).

The demonstration of serological cross-reactivity between the Hypoderma lineatum antigen and anti-Przhevalskiana silenus antibodies led us to prepare an immunological test (ELISA) for an early diagnosis of goat warble fly infestation. Using the Hypodermosis ELISA-Kit (Vétoquinol Diagnostic, France) produced for the immunodiagnosis of bovine hypodermosis, an epidemiological assay was carried out in Basilicata region where goat breeding is very common and no data are reported with regards to the distribution of goat warble fly infestation. Out of a total of 1,100 flocks and 41,200 goats, 105 randomly extracted flocks proved to be infected and 262 sera out of 1,316 were positive; goat warble fly infestation proved to be present in Basilicata with values similar to those recorded in the surrounding regions (Apulia and Calabria). Statistical evaluation showed highly significant differences between the number of infected flocks in the mountainous areas and hills and those of the mountainous areas and the plain, but no differences between hills and plains. The higher number of positive sera and antibody titres in November-December confirmed that these months are the optimal period for sampling sera in order to perform an early diagnosis. The ELISA test was confirmed to be an easy and economic tool especially when sera sampled within a brucellosis eradication program are used.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Differentiation by polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism of some Oestridae larvae causing myiasis.

The cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene of the most wide-spread Italian species of Oestridae larvae causing myiasis (Gasterophilus spp., Hypoderma bovis, Hypoderma lineatum, Oestrus ovis and Przhevalskiana silenus) was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using conserved primers. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of amplicons was also carried out and their restriction profiles compared. A clear genetic difference between the Oestridae larvae examined was demonstrated by using Taq(alpha) I, Hinf I, Rsa I and Hpa II enzymes. No intra-specific variation in RFLPs was detected between the two species of Hypoderma. The results highlight the taxonomic and phylogenetic relationships among larvae belonging to the different subfamilies, and thus offer additional diagnostic and epidemiological instruments.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Amphipathic, alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides.

Gene-encoded antimicrobial peptides are an important component of host defense in animals ranging from insects to mammals. They do not target specific molecular receptors on the microbial surface, but rather assume amphipathic structures that allow them to interact directly with microbial membranes, which they can rapidly permeabilize. They are thus perceived to be one promising solution to the growing problem of microbial resistance to conventional antibiotics. A particularly abundant and widespread class of antimicrobial peptides are those with amphipathic, alpha-helical domains. Due to their relatively small size and synthetic accessibility, these peptides have been extensively studied and have generated a substantial amount of structure-activity relationship (SAR) data. In this review, alpha-helical antimicrobial peptides are considered from the point of view of six interrelated structural and physicochemical parameters that modulate their activity and specificity: sequence, size, structuring, charge, amphipathicity, and hydrophobicity. It begins by providing an overview of how these vary in peptides from different natural sources. It then analyzes how they relate to the currently accepted model for the mode of action of alpha-helical peptides, and discusses what the numerous SAR studies that have been carried out on these compounds and their analogues can tell us. A comparative analysis of the many alpha-helical, antimicrobial peptide sequences that are now available then provides further information on how these parameters are distributed and interrelated. Finally, the systematic variation of parameters in short model peptides is used to throw light on their role in antimicrobial potency and specificity. The review concludes with some considerations on the potentials and limitations for the development of alpha-helical, antimicrobial peptides as antiinfective agents.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2000

Occurrence of Thelazia lacrymalis (Nematoda, Spirurida, Thelaziidae) in native horses in Abruzzo region (central eastern Italy).

A survey on the prevalence of Thelazia spp. in Abruzzo region (Italy) in slaughtered native horses was conducted from August 29, 1997 to August 28, 1998. Both eyes from 128 eight-month to 11 year-old native animals were examined. 50 horses (39.06%) were found parasitized by Thelazia lacrymalis. 502 specimens (371 females, 88 males and 12 larvae) were collected. In the infected horses the numbers of T. lacrymalis ranged from 1 to 48, with a mean count burden of 3.92 per head (SD = 7.79). T. lacrymalis specimens were mainly in the excretory ducts of the Harderian gland, and also in the ducts of the lacrimal glands, free in the conjunctiva and behind the nictitancte. Gross examination showed a conjunctivitis, more frequently a follicular conjunctivitis, in the 58% of the infected horses.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Thelazia gulosa Railliet & Henry, 1910 and T. skrjabini Erschow, 1928 infection in southern Europe (Italy).

The occurrence of Thelazia gulosa and T. skrjabini in cattle in Italy, together with an update of the prevalence of Thelazia spp. in the southern Italy, is reported. On 764 slaughtered native cattle, fifty-five (7.2%) bovines were infected by Thelazia spp: T. rhodesi was found in 44 (80%) animals, T. gulosa was found in 19 (34.5%) cattle and only one (1.8%) cattle harboured T. skrjabini. This is the first report of T. gulosa and T. skrjabini in Southern Europe.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1999

Serodiagnosis of goat warble fly infestation by Przhevalskiana silenus with a commercial ELISA kit.

Cross-reactivity between Hypoderma lineatum antigen and anti-Przhevalskiana silenus antibodies has been demonstrated by an ELISA technique. To evaluate the applicability of a commercial ELISA kit for the immunodiagnosis of goat warble fly infestation, different dilutions of serum and conjugate were tested, the development of antibody to P silenus in naturally infested goats was studied, and the results were compared with an ELISA technique using an antigen extracted from the first instar larvae of H lineatum. The best results were obtained with a serum dilution of 1:50; with both techniques the highest antibody concentration were recorded in October, November and December. In view of the confirmed cross-reactivity between H lineatum antigen and anti-P silenus antibodies, and the simplicity and rapidity of the assay, the commercial ELISA kit can be considered as a useful tool for the diagnosis of goat warble fly infestation.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Occurrence of Thelazia lacrymalis (Nematoda, Spirurida, Thelaziidae) in native horses in Italy.

A survey on the prevalence of Thelazia spp. in the province of Bari (Apulia region, Italy) in slaughtered native horses was conducted from June 20, 1995 to April 3, 1996. Both eyes from 409 ten-month- to 4-year-old native animals were examined. Sixty horses (14.7%) were found parasitized by Thelazia lacrymalis. Three hundred-sixty one parasite specimens (220 females, 99 males and 42 larvae) were collected with a mean count burden of 6.0-5.1 (range 1 to 20) per head. T. lacrymalis specimens were found free in the conjunctiva and behind the nictitancte, in the excretory ducts of the Harderian gland and in the ducts of the lacrimal glands. Thelazia specimens were significantly more common in horses of 3-4 years. Gross examination of all infected animals showed a follicular conjunctivitis. This is the first report of T. lacrymalis horse infection in Italy.

Abattoirs↗
PubMed1999

Ticks infesting domestic animals in Italy: current acarological studies carried out in Sardinia and Basilicata regions.

The note reviews published and unpublished data on acaralogical studies carried out by different parasitologists' groups in Sardinia and Basilicata regions. In Sardinia 72 collecting sites were investigated and a total of 4,086 ticks were collected from hosts (cattle, sheep, goats and pigs) and from soil. So far 2,413 ticks belonging to six genera have been identified: Rhipicephalus (67.2%), Haemaphysalis (24.1%), Hyalomma (2.7%), Boophilus (0.7%), Dermacentor (4.9%), Ixodes (0.3%). Host-associated ticks were collected from 50 out of 200 selected farms in Basilicata. About 4,000 tick specimens were collected and 1,794 ticks have been identified (of which 1,215 were adults, 6 larvae and 573 nymphs). The following genera were identified: Ixodes (20%), Rhipicephalus (27%), Hyalomma (31%), Haemaphysalis (18%), Dermacentor (6%). The seasonal distribution of the species identified in the two regions studies is discussed from a geographical and climatic point of view.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Hypoderma lineatum antigen and anti-Przhevalskiana silenus antibodies: cross-reactivity and antibody kinetics in naturally infested goats.

To evaluate the cross-reactivity between Hypoderma lineatum antigen and anti-Przhevalskiana silenus antibodies six protocols with different concentrations of antigen and different dilutions of sera and conjugate were applied. The highest cross-reaction between the H. lineatum antigen and the anti-P. silenus antibodies is given by 2 micrograms/ml of antigen concentration, 1:400 of serum and 1:10,000 conjugate dilution. The study on the kinetic development of antibodies in goats naturally infested by P. silenus and the natural course of infestation pointed out the existence of a good correlation between individual antibody kinetics and the natural evolution of the cycle of infestation. The highest antibody concentration may be registered from October through November, coinciding with the end of the migration fo the larvae inside the animal's body. In our condition, this period can be considered as a favorable sampling period for immunodiagnosis and immunoepidemiological studies of goat warble fly infestation.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Mapping goat warble fly distribution and related problems.

This paper analyzes the state of knowledge of the goat warble fly infestation mainly relating to its distribution and the problems that arise in mapping this infestation, namely, the long controversy on the taxonomy, the number of existing species and hosts, the scanty knowledge of some of the morphological features of various species, the presence of the different species in the same host and the same species in different hosts, the presence of the parasites in diverse geographical and zoological settings, as well as from probable misidentifications still present according even to the most recent literature. Finally, the need for a new approach to the study of the mapping that overcome the morphological analysis and the resort to more modern tests applied are advised.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Some morphological aspects of the mouthparts of Italian blood-sucking muscids (Diptera, Stomoxyinae).

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations on the mouthparts of four species of blood-sucking muscid symbovine flies (Stomoxys calcitrans Linnaeus, Haematobia irritans Linnaeus, H. titillans Bezzi, and Haematobosca stimulans Meigen) are described. The morphology of some structures (haustellum, prestomal teeth and petiolate blades) is compared in order to draw attention to those features involved in the feeding process on the hosts.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Estrogens, androgens, and EGF receptor expression in gastric carcinoma induced by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine.

Complex and conflicting relationships between epidermal growth factor (EGF), estrogens (E), androgens (A), and related receptors (EGF-R, E-R, A-R) have been reported in different biological situations associated with cell proliferation. There is also evidence that EGF and sex hormone receptors may be involved in normal and neoplastic growth of the gastrointestinal mucosa. In this study, we investigated the behavior of EGF receptors and sex hormone and related receptors, during N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NG)-induced gastric carcinogenesis in Sprague-Dawley male rats. Four groups of 15 rats each (10 NG-treated and five controls) were sacrificed after 1, 20, 30, and 40 weeks of treatment. Gastric tissue from each rat was processed for receptor status (number and affinity) and proliferative activity. A significant and progressive decrease of A-R and EGF-R was observed starting from the 20th week, while no change of E-R occurred throughout the experiment. Cell proliferation in the gastric mucosa of NG-treated rats increased after 30 weeks of treatment. These data indicate that NG treatment is able to modify the receptor status of gastric mucosa in rats.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Role of estrogens and epidermal growth factor in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Estrogen (E) and epidermal growth factors (EGF) receptors were assayed in the liver of nine patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Total E and nuclear E receptors were decreased significantly in neoplastic tissue as compared to the levels found in surrounding nonneoplastic tissue. The EGF receptor was decreased also in neoplastic tissue. On the basis of binding data, a decrease in the number but not in affinity of both the E and EGF receptors was found.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1991

Cell regeneration in the pathobiology of liver carcinomas.

It is known that there is a close relationship between cirrhosis and liver cancer. The proliferative phenomena characterizing liver cirrhosis seem to be predisposing factors for carcinoma. In fact, they differ from the self-limiting proliferative phenomena occurring in normal liver regeneration because they are associated with: 1) an abnormal hormonal pattern; 2) an altered arrangement of hepatocytes and non-parenchymal cells within the lobule; 3) an altered production of growth factors able to modulate liver regeneration; and 4) an abnormal oncogene expression. Under such conditions many carcinogens, which require the target cell to be in a replicative phase, have the opportunity to act.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1990

Hormonal and enzymatic parameters of hepatic regeneration in patients undergoing major liver resections.

Thirteen patients who underwent 40% to 80% removal of their livers had blood samples drawn initially and daily on postoperative days 1 to 7. The enzyme marker of heightened polyamine metabolism, ornithine decarboxylase, and the indicator of DNA synthesis, thymidine kinase, were measured. In addition, the hormones (insulin, glucagon, estradiol and androgen), which in animals are known to reflect and possibly modulate regeneration, were measured. Changes in all these indices followed the same pattern as in rats, dogs and swine but at a slower rate. Ornithine decarboxylase and estradiol increased within 24 hr, but thymidine kinase and insulin rises did not become statistically significant until 3 to 5 days. Using these plasma or serum indices as surrogate measures of biochemical events in the liver itself, regeneration reached a maximum after 4 or 5 days. By computed tomography scan analysis, restoration of hepatic cell mass was not complete until 3 wk.

Adult↗