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Temerario L, Monaco D, Mastrorocco A, Martino NA, Cseh S, Lacalandra GM, Ciani E, Dell'Aquila ME. New Strategies for Conservation of Gentile di Puglia Sheep Breed, an Autochthonous Capital of Millennial Tradition in Southern Italy. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2371. [PMID: 37508148 PMCID: PMC10376504 DOI: 10.3390/ani13142371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Gentile di Puglia (GdP) is an autochthonous sheep breed of Southern Italy included among ovine breeds threatened by genetic erosion and extinction risk, which have been given attention by local and international institutions, thus emphasizing the need for germplasm conservation actions. In the present study, two assisted reproduction approaches, finalized for GdP conservation, were performed: (1) on-farm reproductive efficiency evaluation, expressed as pregnancy rate (PR), twin pregnancy rate (tPR), and body condition score (BCS), for three consecutive breeding cycles and (2) pre-pubertal lambs' immature cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) retrieval, vitrification, in vitro maturation (IVM), and assessment of meiotic stage and bioenergetic-oxidative status compared with those of other Italian and European commercial breeds. PR and tPR were progressively reduced over time. In all clinical examination times, BCS was significantly lower in nonpregnant ewes compared with pregnant ones. Fresh GdP pre-pubertal lamb COCs achieved meiotic maturation and showed healthy bioenergetic-oxidative status after IVM. Vitrification reduced the oocyte maturation rate in all groups. However, mature oocytes retained their cytoplasmic maturity, expressed as a mitochondria distribution pattern and activity, indicating promising developmental competence. In conclusion, clinical- and biotechnological-assisted reproduction approaches can support conservation strategies of GdP and other local sheep breeds in Southern Italy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Temerario
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies & Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada per Casamassima km 3, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Davide Monaco
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada per Casamassima km 3, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Antonella Mastrorocco
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies & Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada per Casamassima km 3, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Nicola Antonio Martino
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies & Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada per Casamassima km 3, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Sándor Cseh
- Department of Obstetrics and Food Animal Medicine Clinic, University of Veterinary Medicine, István St. 2, 1078 Budapest, Hungary
| | - Giovanni Michele Lacalandra
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada per Casamassima km 3, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Elena Ciani
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies & Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada per Casamassima km 3, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
| | - Maria Elena Dell'Aquila
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies & Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Strada per Casamassima km 3, Valenzano, 70010 Bari, Italy
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Jiang Y, He Y, Pan X, Wang P, Yuan X, Ma B. Advances in Oocyte Maturation In Vivo and In Vitro in Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9059. [PMID: 37240406 PMCID: PMC10219173 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The quality and maturation of an oocyte not only play decisive roles in fertilization and embryo success, but also have long-term impacts on the later growth and development of the fetus. Female fertility declines with age, reflecting a decline in oocyte quantity. However, the meiosis of oocytes involves a complex and orderly regulatory process whose mechanisms have not yet been fully elucidated. This review therefore mainly focuses on the regulation mechanism of oocyte maturation, including folliculogenesis, oogenesis, and the interactions between granulosa cells and oocytes, plus in vitro technology and nuclear/cytoplasm maturation in oocytes. Additionally, we have reviewed advances made in the single-cell mRNA sequencing technology related to oocyte maturation in order to improve our understanding of the mechanism of oocyte maturation and to provide a theoretical basis for subsequent research into oocyte maturation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Jiang
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6149, Australia
- Shenzhen Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen 518120, China
| | - Yingting He
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiangchun Pan
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Penghao Wang
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6149, Australia
| | - Xiaolong Yuan
- Guangdong Laboratory of Lingnan Modern Agriculture, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Bin Ma
- School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6149, Australia
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Hryciuk MM, Schröter F, Hennicke L, Braun BC. Spheroid formation and luteinization of granulosa cells of felids in a long-term 3D culture. Differentiation 2023; 131:38-48. [PMID: 37079952 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2023.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, granulosa cells (GCs) from domestic cats and Persian leopard were cultured and characterized from selected days. The culture period was divided into two phases: maintenance, which lasted for 7 days, and luteinization, which followed for up to 11 days. Luteinization was performed on ultra-low attachment plates, supporting the formation of spheroids in a medium supplemented with insulin, forskolin, and luteinizing hormone (LH). GCs of domestic cat produced estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) during the maintenance phase. The gene expressions of some proteins involved in steroidogenesis were stable (STAR, HSD3B1) or decreased over time (CYP11A1, HSD17B1, CYP17A1, and CYP19A1), which was similar to the expressions of gonatropin receptors (LHCGR and FSHR). During the luteinization phase, P4 concentration significantly increased (P < 0.05), and E2, in contrast to the proliferation phase, was below detection range. The expression of genes of proteins involved in steroidogenesis (STAR, CYP11A1, HSD3B1, HSD17B1, CYP17A1, and CYP19A1) and of gonadotropin receptors (LHCGR and FSHR) significantly increased during the luteinization period, but some expressions exhibited a decrease at the end of the phase (LHCGR, FSHR, HSD17B1, CYP19A1). The morphology of the luteinized GCs of domestic cat resembled large luteal cells and had numerous vacuole-like structures. Also, the GCs of Persian leopard underwent luteinization, shown by increasing P4 production and HSD3B1 expression. This study confirms that GCs from felids can be luteinized in a 3D spheroid system which can be a basis for further studies on luteal cell function of felids. Additionally, we could show that the domestic cat can serve as a model species for establishing cell culture methods which can be transferred to other felids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał M Hryciuk
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Reproduction Biology, 10315, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Filip Schröter
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Heart Center Brandenburg, University Hospital Brandenburg Medical School, 16321, Bernau, Germany; Brandenburg Medical School, Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, 14770, Brandenburg, Germany
| | - Luise Hennicke
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Reproduction Biology, 10315, Berlin, Germany
| | - Beate C Braun
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Reproduction Biology, 10315, Berlin, Germany
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Colombo M, Alkali IM, Luvoni GC. Microenvironment factors promoting the quality of vitrified cat oocytes. Theriogenology 2023; 196:275-283. [PMID: 36442286 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.11.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
In oocyte cryopreservation programs, vitrification has overthrown conventional slow freezing both in veterinary and human medicine. In animals, its feasibility in field conditions makes it the preferred technique for the safeguard of genetic resources from zoo or wild animals, including threatened felids, for which the domestic cat is an excellent model. However, many cellular injuries, such as cytoskeleton, mitochondria and meiotic spindle alterations, DNA damage, zona pellucida hardening and cumulus cell loss, might occur following vitrification. After warming, although the exact mechanisms are still unclear, degeneration is a frequent outcome for cat vitrified oocytes. For immature (germinal vesicle) gametes, in vitro maturation after warming is a challenge, and cleavage after fertilization barely reaches 15-30%, while for mature (metaphase II) cryopreserved gametes it can get to 30-50%. Anyway, the progression to late embryos stages is often impaired, and improvements are needed. Standard cryopreservation protocol and the use of conventional in vitro culture systems after warming may not be enough for vitrified oocytes to recover and demonstrate their full developmental potential. Physical or chemical factors applied to oocytes undergoing vitrification, as an enrichment to the vitrification step, or to the culture microenvironment, could create more favorable conditions and promote vitrified oocyte survival and development. From the use of three-dimensional culture systems to the regulation of metabolic activities and cellular pathways, this review aims to explore all the possibilities employed so far, including the studies performed by our own lab, and the future perspectives, to present the most effective strategies for cat oocyte vitrification and the best time for their application (i.e., before, during, or after vitrification-warming).
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Colombo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
| | - Isa Mohammed Alkali
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
| | - Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900, Lodi, Italy.
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Colombo M, Morselli MG, Zahmel J, Luvoni GC. Ultra-Rapid Freezing Preserves Morphofunctional Integrity and Fertilizing Ability of Epididymal Cat Spermatozoa. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:866953. [PMID: 35774984 PMCID: PMC9237782 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.866953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Vitrification and ultra-rapid freezing, which are more commonly used for oocytes and embryos, have recently been applied to spermatozoa in an attempt to make semen cryopreservation in field conditions easier compared to conventional freezing. It is well-known that in case of unexpected death of rare and wild animals, preserving epididymal spermatozoa from isolated testicles represents a great chance of salvaging male germplasm for future use in assisted reproductive technologies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the morphofunctional integrity of cat epididymal spermatozoa ultra-rapid frozen in pellets or straws with two different extenders [E1 (Tris buffer with 20% egg yolk and 0.25 M sucrose) or E2 (Ham's F10 with 1% bovine serum albumin and 0.4 M sucrose)] and to test whether spermatozoa preserved by the best combination were able to fertilize oocytes and produce embryos in vitro by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) of in vitro matured cat oocytes. The results showed that E1 and E2 in straw or pellet were comparable (at warming, about 30% normal morphology, 45% intact membranes, and 20% intact acrosomes), except for post-warming motility that was better maintained along time by E1 pellet (21.7 ± 7.4% at warming and 3.6 ± 2.9% after 6 h). Such spermatozoa could fertilize conspecific oocytes and support embryonic development (cleavage 35.5%) as well as frozen control spermatozoa (cleavage 54.29%, p = 0.22). In conclusion, cat epididymal spermatozoa better maintained their morphofunctional features after ultra-rapid freezing with E1 and could successfully produce embryos in vitro after ICSI. This underscores their usefulness as cryobanked material for fertility and biodiversity preservation purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Colombo
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- *Correspondence: Martina Colombo
| | - Maria Giorgia Morselli
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Jennifer Zahmel
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
- Dipartimento di Medicina Veterinaria e Scienze Animali (DIVAS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Colombo M, Alkali IM, Prochowska S, Luvoni GC. Fighting Like Cats and Dogs: Challenges in Domestic Carnivore Oocyte Development and Promises of Innovative Culture Systems. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2135. [PMID: 34359262 PMCID: PMC8300176 DOI: 10.3390/ani11072135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
In vitro embryo production in cats and dogs still presents some challenges, and it needs to be optimized to transfer efficient protocols to related wild, endangered species. While the chemical composition of culture media has been the focus of several studies, the importance of culture substrates for oocyte and embryo culture has often been neglected. Traditional in vitro systems, i.e., two-dimensional cultures, do not resemble the physiological environments where cells develop, and they may cause morphological and functional alterations to oocytes and embryos. More modern three-dimensional and microfluidic culture system better mimic the structure and the stimuli found in in vivo conditions, and they could better support the development of oocytes and embryos in vitro, as well as the maintenance of more physiological behaviors. This review describes the different culture systems tested for domestic carnivore reproductive cells along the years, and it summarizes their effects on cultured cells with the purpose of analyzing innovative options to improve in vitro embryo production outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Colombo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie per la Salute, la Produzione Animale e la Sicurezza Alimentare “Carlo Cantoni”, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.M.A.); (G.C.L.)
| | - Isa Mohammed Alkali
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie per la Salute, la Produzione Animale e la Sicurezza Alimentare “Carlo Cantoni”, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.M.A.); (G.C.L.)
| | - Sylwia Prochowska
- Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Grunwaldzki Square 49, 50-366 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie per la Salute, la Produzione Animale e la Sicurezza Alimentare “Carlo Cantoni”, Università degli Studi di Milano, 26900 Lodi, Italy; (I.M.A.); (G.C.L.)
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Lee SH. Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells' Paracrine Factors in Conditioned Medium Can Enhance Porcine Oocyte Maturation and Subsequent Embryo Development. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020579. [PMID: 33430095 PMCID: PMC7826973 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
An essential requirement for the success of in vitro maturation (IVM) of the oocyte is to provide an optimal microenvironment similar to in vivo conditions. Recently, somatic cell-based coculture or supplementation of a conditioned medium during IVM has been performed to obtain better quality of oocytes, because they mimic the in vivo reproductive tract by secreting paracrine factors. In this study, human adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) and their conditioned medium (ASC-CM) were applied to IVM of porcine oocytes to evaluate the effectiveness of ASC on oocyte development and subsequent embryo development. In results, both ASC and ASC-CM positively influence on oocyte maturation and embryo development by regulating growth factor receptors (VEGF, FGFR, and IGFR), apoptosis (BCL2), cumulus expansion (PTGS2, HAS2, and TNFAIP6), and oocyte maturation-related genes (GDF9 and BMP15). In particular, the fluorescence intensity of GDF9 and BMP15 was markedly upregulated in the oocytes from the ASC-CM group. Furthermore, significantly high levels of growth factors/cytokine including VEGF, bFGF, IGF-1, IL-10, and EGF were observed in ASC-CM. Additionally, the ASC-CM showed active scavenging activity by reducing the ROS production in a culture medium. Consequently, for the first time, this study demonstrated the effect of human ASC-CM on porcine oocyte development and the alteration of mRNA transcript levels in cumulus–oocyte complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seok Hee Lee
- Department of Theriogenology and Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea; ; Tel.: +1-4154760932
- Center for Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
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Colombo M, Zahmel J, Jänsch S, Jewgenow K, Luvoni GC. Inhibition of Apoptotic Pathways Improves DNA Integrity but Not Developmental Competence of Domestic Cat Immature Vitrified Oocytes. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:588334. [PMID: 33178729 PMCID: PMC7596218 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.588334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Being a model for endangered wild felids, cryopreservation protocols for domestic cat oocytes are under continuous development. Immature vitrified oocytes (VOs) are a valuable resource for fertility preservation programs, but they often degenerate after warming and their in vitro development is poor. Since the exact mechanisms are not clear, this study assessed whether vitrification might trigger two apoptotic markers (DNA fragmentation and caspase activity, Experiment I) and the effects of a chemical inhibitor (i.e., the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK) on the same markers (Experiment II) and on VOs in vitro development (Experiment III). The overarching aim was to check whether apoptosis inhibition might be a strategy to improve cat oocytes cryotolerance. In Experiment I, vitrification induced DNA fragmentation and increased caspase activity in VOs incubated for 24 h after warming (DNA fragmentation: 59.38%; caspase activity: 414.6 ± 326.8) compared to a fresh control (9.68%; 199.6 ± 178.3; p = 0.02). In Experiment II, the addition of Z-VAD-FMK to vitrification-warming and incubation media decreased DNA fragmentation and caspase activity (8.82%; 243.7 ± 106.9) compared to control (untreated) VOs (69.44%; 434.5 ± 248.3; p < 0.001). In Experiment III, Z-VAD-FMK brought maturation rates of treated VOs close to those of fresh oocytes (53.13 and 65.38%, respectively, p = 0.057), but there were no differences in VOs embryo development (cleavage rates; Z-VAD-FMK-treated VOs: 34.38%; control VOs: 31.78%; p = 0.69). In summary, vitrification increased apoptotic markers in cat VOs, and while Z-VAD-FMK was able to hinder DNA damage and caspase activity, its addition was not determinant for embryo development. To make the best use of VOs, other oocyte in vitro maturation and embryo culture strategies, such as the addition of other inhibitors or their prolonged use, should be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Colombo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie per la Salute, la Produzione Animale e la Sicurezza Alimentare "Carlo Cantoni", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Jennifer Zahmel
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefanie Jänsch
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katarina Jewgenow
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz-Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gaia Cecilia Luvoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Veterinarie per la Salute, la Produzione Animale e la Sicurezza Alimentare "Carlo Cantoni", Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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