Exploring the sources of variation of electrical conductivity and total and differential somatic cell count in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes.

In the buffalo dairy sector, a huge effort is still needed to improve mastitis prevention, detection, and management. Electrical conductivity (EC) and total somatic cell count (SCC) are well-known indirect indicators of mastitis. Differential somatic cell count (DSCC), which represents the proportion of neutrophils and lymphocytes on the total SCC, is instead a novel phenotype collected in the dairy cattle sector in the last lustrum. As little is known about this novel trait in dairy buffalo, in the present study we explored the nongenetic factors affecting DSCC, as well as EC and total somatic cell score (SCS), in the Italian Mediterranean buffalo. The data set used for the analysis included 14,571 test-day (TD) records of 1,501 animals from 6 herds, and climatic information of the sampling locations. The original data were filtered to exclude animals with less than 3 TD per lactation and, for the investigated traits, outliers beyond 4 standard deviations. In the statistical model we included the fixed effects of herd (6 classes), days in milk (DIM; 10 classes of 30 d, with the last being an open class until 360 d), parity (6 classes, from 1 to 6+), year-season of calving (11 classes, from summer 2019 to winter 2021/2022), year-season of sampling (9 classes, from spring 2020 to spring 2022), production level (4 classes based on quartiles of average milk yield by herd), and temperature-humidity index (THI; 4 classes based on quartiles, calculated using the average temperature and relative humidity of the 5 d before sampling). Average EC, SCS, and DSCC vary across herds. Considering DIM, greater EC values were observed at the beginning and the end of lactation; SCS was slightly lower, but DSCC was greater around the lactation peak. Increased EC, SCS, and DSCC levels with increasing parity were reported. Year-season calving and year-season sampling only slightly affected the variation of the investigated traits. Milk of high-producing buffaloes was characterized by lower EC and SCS mean values, nevertheless it had slightly greater DSCC percentages. Buffaloes grouped in the highest THI classes (classes 3 and 4) showed, on average, greater EC, SCS, and DSCC in comparison to the lower classes, especially to class 2. Results of the present study represent a preliminary as well as necessary step for the possible future inclusion of EC, SCS, or DSCC in breeding programs aimed to improve mastitis resistance in dairy buffaloes.

Exploiting machine learning methods with monthly routine milk recording data and climatic information to predict subclinical mastitis in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes.

Mastitis has detrimental effects on the world's dairy industry, reducing animal health, milk production and quality, as well as income for farmers. In addition, consumers' growing interest in food safety and rational usage of antibiotics highlights the need to develop novel strategies to improve mastitis detection, prevention, and management. In the present study we applied machine learning (ML) analyses to predict presence or absence of subclinical mastitis in Italian Mediterranean buffaloes, exploiting information collected the previous month during routine milk recording procedures, as well as climatic data. The data set included 3,891 records of 1,038 buffaloes from 6 herds located in Basilicata Region (South Italy). Prediction models were developed using 4 different ML algorithms (Generalized Linear Model, Support Vector Machines, Random Forest, and Neural Network) and 2 data set splitting approaches for the creation of the training and test sets (by record or by animal ID number, always with 80% of the data used for model training and the remaining 20% for model testing). Support Vector Machine was the best method to predict high or low somatic cell count at the subsequent test-day record in the validation set, and therefore it was used to estimate the contribution of each feature to the best model. Independently from the data set splitting approach, the most important features were somatic cell score, differential somatic cell count, electrical conductivity, and milk production. Among climatic data, the most informative were temperature and relative humidity. When the data were split by animal ID, an improvement in models' predictive performance on the test set was observed, suggesting this as the most appropriate data splitting approach in data sets with repeated measures to avoid data leakage. According to different metrics, Neural Network was the best method for making predictions on the test set. Our findings confirmed the promising role of ML methods to improve prevention and surveillance of subclinical mastitis, exploiting the large amount of data currently available to identify animals that would possibly have high somatic cell count the subsequent month.

Buffalo milk and rumen fluid metabolome are significantly affected by green feed.

The use of green feed for livestock breeding is an important strategy to encounter both the increasing demand for animal derived products and the perceptions of the consumers regarding animal welfare and sustainability. The aim of this study was to compare different feeding strategies in lactating water buffaloes by using a metabolomic approach. The study was carried out on 32 milking buffaloes that were randomly divided into two groups for a total period of 90 days (3 sampling times). DD Group (dry diet) received a standard total mixed ratio (TMR) characterized by dry forages and concentrates; ZG Group (zero grazing) fed an isoenergetic and isoproteic diet obtained using 30% of sorghum as green forage. Samples of milk and rumen fluid were analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques. Data analyses revealed the presence of several differentially accumulated metabolites and among these, ten compounds were putatively identified in milk samples (i.e. L-carnitine, acetylcarnitine, propionylcarnitine, butyrylcarnitine, 2-methylbutyroylcarnitine, 2-hexenoylcarnitine, hexanoylcarnitine, glycerophosphocholine, δ-valerobetaine and γ-butyrobetaine) and four in rumen fluid (3-(2-hydroxyphenyl) propanoate, Indole-3-acrylic acid, oleamide (cis-9,10-octadecenoamide) and 20-carboxy-leukotriene B4). The modulation of these molecules in buffalo milk is significantly related to the green/dry based feeding and some the natural compound detected could be considered as health-promoting nutrients.

[Microvascular descompression for trigeminal neuralgia: prognostic [corrected] factors]. / Descompresiva microvascular en la neuralgia del trigémino: factores pronósticos.

BACKGROUND: We describe our experience of the MVD in the typical trigeminal neuralgia and identify the prognostic factors. METHOD: A retrospective studio of 89 cases between 1995-2005 was used. The prognostic significant data evaluated were demographics data; duration of neuralgia; the affected divisions involved; surgical findings; used material for the decompression. The data analysis was made with the chi(2) test. RESULTS: We have found an excellent outcome in 77% one year later. The age and the antecedent of hypertension disease were not statistically significant. A poor outcome was observed for: female sex, neuralgia lasting longer than two years, the three divisions involved, venous compression and the muscle used as surgical material. CONCLUSIONS: The MVD is an effective and reliable technique. The use of muscle is not recommended. When the three trigeminal divisions are involved we should choose another technique.

Minimally differentiated acute myeloid leukemia (AML M0): clinico-biological findings of 29 cases.

Twenty-nine cases of minimally differentiated acute myeloid leukemia or AML M0 identified among 441 AML diagnosed in the last 12 years are reported. In all cases, flow cytometric analysis using a large panel of monoclonal antibodies and cytogenetic and molecular studies (IgH, TcRbeta, BCR/ABL, AML1/ETO and CBFB-MYH11 rearrangements) were performed. Of the 29 patients, 27 were treated with intensive chemotherapy based on GIMEMA protocols. We noted a greater incidence of older (over 60 years) and male patients (52% and 65%, respectively). CD33, CD13, CD7 and TdT were expressed in 79.3%, 82.7%, 58.6% and 42.8% of cases, respectively. Antigenic MPO was present in 17 of 22 cases (77.3%). Most cases expressed CD34 (93.1%), HLA-DR (93.1%), CD117 (80%) and CD45RA (87%). CD45RO and CD90 were consistently negative. In all cases, we observed an up-expression of bcl-2 and a down-expression of CD95 with an inverse trend between the two markers (r -5253; p 0.03). Karyotypic abnormalities were demonstrated in 53.6% of cases. Of these, 6 involved chromosomes 5, 7 and 8, t(9;22), confirmed by the BCR/ABL transcript, was detected in one case. Rearrangements of the TcRbeta and IgH chains were observed in 3 and 2 cases, respectively. No AML1/ETO and CBFB-MYH11 transcripts were found. Twelve out of 27 patients (44%) achieved a complete remission (CR) (in 2 cases after rescue therapy). Seven early (range 1-9 months) and one late (32 months) relapses were observed. Five patients are alive, but only the 4 who underwent bone marrow transplantation are in persistent first CR. In conclusion, AML M0 is a subtype of AML antigenically well detectable, endowed with many adverse parameters (older age, TdT and CD34 expression, resistance to apoptosis, unfavorable cytogenetic abnormalities) and poor prognosis. A very aggressive consolidation treatment can be useful to improve the outcome.

Are "early" and "late" T-acute lymphoblastic leukemias different diseases? A single center study of 34 patients.

Clinical and biological parameters were retrospectively reviewed in 34 cases of T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), classified as "early" (20 cases) or "late" (14 cases) subgroups, according to the degree of blast cell differentiation, assessed by immunophenotyping. In "early" T-ALL, age, co-expression of "immature" (CD34 and HLA-Dr) or myeloid (My+) antigens, proliferative activity (as evaluated by Ki67 monoclonal antibody), and expression of the "multidrug-resistance" (MDR) phenotype (as determined by C-219 monoclonal antibody) were significantly higher, while WBC count and expression of CDl0 were significantly lower, than in "late" T-ALL. Furthermore, although no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups, "late" T-ALL more frequently displayed a greater extramedullary tumor mass ("lymphoma-like" syndrome), LI FAB morphology and a normal karyotype. A single patient, with "late" T-ALL, also showed positivity for TCR gamma/delta chains, specific monoclonal antibodies. On the whole, 30 patients (88.2%) achieved complete remission: 16(80%) were "early" and 14(100%) "late" T-ALL. No statistical difference was found between the two groups with respect to disease free survival (42% vs 54% at six years), whereas median overall survival was significantly shorter in "early" T-ALL (23 months vs median not yet reached at six years for "late" T-ALL, p < 0.05). We conclude that "early" and "late" T-ALL show clinical and biological differences, that could perhaps justify differential therapeutic approaches.

Clinical relevance of immunocytochemical detection of multidrug-resistance-associated P-glycoprotein in hematologic malignancies.

P-glycoprotein (P-170) is the phenotypic marker of tumoral cells that show the phenomenon of multidrug resistance (MDR). Using an immunocytochemical approach, we employed the monoclonal antibody C219 (which recognizes an epitope of such a glycoprotein) to evaluate in cytologic samples the expression of P-170 on neoplastic cells from 52 patients affected by different hematologic malignancies and its eventual correlation to clinical outcome. Longitudinal studies were also performed in 14 patients. Results obtained demonstrated that a) the so-called "MDR phenotype" may be heterogeneously represented (from less than 1 to 100% of positive cells) in hemopoietic tumors at diagnosis (without exposure to pharmacologic agents), as well as during the course of the disease, although a more substantial presence of P-170 occurred in treated patients. There was no correlation between neoplastic kinetic activity (such as expression of Ki 67 recognized nuclear proliferation-associated antigen) and P-170-positive cells. b) Percentage of positive cells as well as intensity of staining seemed to be important in determining MDR; in general, there was a strong correlation between expression of P-170 in more than 20% of neoplastic cells and a lack of response to chemotherapy. However, some false-positive and false-negative cases were observed. c) The detection of scattered P-170-positive cells may predict a pharmacologic selection of intrinsic or mutant-resistant clones.

[Considerations on low pressure hydrocephalus]. / Consideraciones sobre el hidrocéfalo de baja presión

The physiopathological conditions of the normal pressure hydrocephalus syndrome are analysed. Within a group of 21 patients with clinical sintomathology pertaining this entity, only were 10 selected with a clinical, radiological and cisternografic indubitable diagnosis. It has been noticed that in spite of the stricked selection only a 50% of them have been beneficed by the application of a low pressure valve. Then, the hypothesis that the disease is a multicausal syndrome appears, which by an identical physiopathologic process produces or exhibits a similar clinical, radiological and cisternographic picture. Only those patients on whom the mechanical problem is solved would be beneficed by neurosurgery.

[Congenital diaphragmatic hernias]. / Ernie diaframmatiche congenite.

Based on their personal experience the authors affirm that if treated early congenital diaphragmatic hernia may be resolved provided no congenital anomalies are present. Pulmonary hypoplasia is secondary to the presence of viscera in the thorax, but excellent results can be obtained if early surgery is performed and provided negative-pressure thoracic drainage and correct anesthesia are ensured. Mortality is due to associated visceral malformations.

[Nonparasitic hepatic cysts]. / Cisti epatiche non parassitarie.

Serous cyst of the liver are a rare pathology which are often diagnosed during surgery. The paper reports 12 cases which were diagnosed during laparoscopy and discusses the etiopathogenesis of the disease, the latest diagnostic tools and the possible use of surgery. In conclusion, the Authors affirm that surgical laparoscopy represents an alternative form of treatment in some cases, such as polycystic liver.

[Ganglioneuroma of the neck]. / Il ganglioneuroma del collo.

Ganglioneuroma represents a benign neoplasia based on the sympathetic system, which should be assessed in the differential diagnosis of cervical tumefactions. The paper discusses the epidemiology and clinical aspects of this pathology and stresses the importance of taking these factors into account whenever a neoformation of the neck is diagnosed in children.