Assessment of Lactococcus Cremoris preparations for the pre- and post-milking teat disinfection.

Good hygienic milking practices including the disinfection of the cow teat skin before and after milking aimed at preventing the occurrence of new intramammary infections (IMI) in dairy cows. This practice is generally performed using disinfectants, and in the current context of attention to the emergence of resistances, it is of greatest interest to evaluate alternative solutions that can expand treatment options. We assessed the efficacy of a pre-dipping and a post-dipping product based on the bacteriocin-containing culture of Lactococcus cremoris strain FT27, as compared to commercial disinfectants. FT27 was selected for the bactericidal activity in vitro against food pathogens. In the present study, it also revealed a high bactericidal activity against the main mastitis pathogens, most likely related to Nisin A production, according to genomic and proteomic analysis. The lactococcus-based preparations were applied in two commercial dairy farms in Northern Italy. Overall, 298 dairy cows were enrolled, 141 in the treated group (TR), and 157 in the control group (CTR). The cows were sampled at quarter level every two weeks for 3 months. During the trial, all cows showed a good health status. The hygiene level for udder, flanks and legs was generally good (on average < 3 score); the udder hygiene was significantly worse (P < 0.01) in the CTR group. The teat apex hyperkeratosis was overall low (on average < 2 score). We recorded no significant differences between the two experimental groups in the Somatic Cell Count (SCC) values and the bacteriological results. The overall frequency of new IMI was low, ranging 0.6 - 0.5% for S. aureus in the TR or CTR group respectively, to 2.6-4.4% for NASM. Regarding Str. spp., the new IMI accounted for 1.7% or 1.9% in the TR or CTR group, respectively. Notably, the incidence of S. aureus new IMI did not increase during the study, even though neither of the two herds segregated the positive cows. The non-inferiority test showed that the Lactococcus-based pre- and post-dipping products had an efficacy comparable to proven commercial disinfectants in maintaining udder health and preventing new IMI, thus representing a possible alternative to current teat dip products.

Molecular Typing of Bois Noir Phytoplasma Strains in the Chianti Classico Area (Tuscany, Central Italy) and Their Association with Symptom Severity in Vitis vinifera 'Sangiovese'.

Bois noir (BN) is the most widespread disease of the grapevine yellows complex in the Euro-Mediterranean area. BN is caused by 'Candidatus Phytoplasma solani' (BNp), transmitted from herbaceous plants to grapevine by polyphagous insect vectors. In this study, genetic diversity among BNp strains and their prevalence and possible association with grapevine symptom severity were investigated in a Sangiovese clone organic vineyard in the Chianti Classico area (Tuscany). Field surveys over 2 years revealed a range of symptom severity on grapevine and an increase of BN incidence. A TaqMan allelic discrimination assay detected only tufB type b among BNp strains, suggesting the prevalence of the bindweed-related ecology. Nucleotide sequence analyses of vmp1 and stamp genes identified 12 vmp1 and 16 stamp sequence variants, showing an overall positive selection for such genes. The prevalent genotype was Vm43/St10, reported for the first time in this study and closely related to strains identified only in the French Eastern Pyrenees. BNp strains identified in the examined vineyard and mostly grouped in separate bindweed-related phylogenetic clusters showed statistically significant differences in their distribution in grapevines exhibiting distinct symptom severity. These results suggest the possible occurrence of a range of virulence within BNp strain populations in the Chianti Classico area.

Ex vivo evaluation of pidotimod activity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of pidotimod ((R)-3-[(S)-(5-oxo-2-pyrrolidinyl)carbonyl]-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid, PGT/1A, CAS 121808-62-6) on 52 patients affected with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The study was carried out in a randomized, parallel, double-blind trial, followed by incomplete blocks design. Pidotimod 800 mg was administered orally twice a day for 30 days. The follow-up period was 5 weeks. Our results show that in patients with COPD pidotimod potentiates T-cell activity. The effects on T-cells appear after 15 days of treatment and last for 5 weeks after the end of therapy. Since other studies demonstrated that pidotimod displays an immunopotentiating activity also on macrophages and granulocytes, the drug is useful to increase the immune defense during infections. The drug has a good compliance and is well tolerated also during long-term treatment.

[Chest pain]. / Il dolore toracico.

After a thorough description of the physiological background, the problem of chest pain is examined with extensive documentation including pictures. It is suggested that meticulous clinical assessment is of even greater value than laboratory tests or instrumental explorations for the accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the condition causing the pain. In other words laboratory and instrumental assessments should be based on and used to confirm an approximate diagnosis formed on clinical data.

[A documented case of typical Hamman-Rich interstitial pulmonary fibrosis]. / Su di un caso accertato di tipica fibrosi polmonare interstiziale di Hamman-Rich.

Following a brief mention of the classification of Hammer-Rich disease within idiopathic diffuse pulmonary fibrosis, the main clinical, radiological and laboratory features of these disease are outlined in brief. A personal case, subsequently controlled neroptically and histologically, is then described. From comparison between reported data and findings in the personal case, it is concluded that it was a typical, rare case (less than 150 others have so far been reported in all world literature) of Hamman-Rich disease. Other diagnostic hypotheses can be rejected because they are less correspondent to the typical picture and for various other considerations.