A survey on sensor systems used in Italian dairy farms and comparison between performances of similar herds equipped or not equipped with sensors.

Sensor systems (SS) were developed over the last few decades to help dairy farmers manage their herds. Such systems can provide both data and alerts to several productive, behavioral, and physiological indicators on individual cows. Currently, there is still a lack of knowledge on both the proportion of dairy farms that invested in SS and type of SS installed. Additionally, it is still unclear whether the performances of herds equipped with SS differ from those of similar herds managed without any technological aid. Therefore, the aims of this study were (1) to provide an insight into SS spread among Italian dairy farms and (2) to analyze the performances of similar herds equipped or not equipped with SS. To reach the former goal, a large survey was carried out on 964 dairy farms in the northeast of Italy. Farmers were interviewed by the technicians of the regional breeders association to collect information on the type of SS installed on farms and the main parameters recorded. Overall, 42% of the surveyed farms had at least 1 SS, and most of them (72%) reared more than 50 cows. Sensors for measuring individual cow milk yield were the most prevalent type installed (39% of the surveyed farms), whereas only 15% of farms had SS for estrus detection. More sophisticated parameters, such as rumination, were automatically monitored in less than 5% of the farms. To reach the latter goal of the study, a subset of 100 Holstein dairy farms with similar characteristics was selected: half of them were equipped with SS for monitoring at least individual milk yield and estrus, and the other half were managed without any SS. Average herd productive and reproductive data from official test days over 3 yr were analyzed. The outcomes of the comparison showed that farms with SS had higher mature-equivalent milk production. Further clustering analysis of the same 100 farms partitioned them into 3 clusters based on herd productive and reproductive data. Results of the Chi-squared test showed that the proportion of farms equipped with SS was greater in the cluster with the best performance (e.g., higher milk yield and shorter calving interval). However, the presence of a few farms equipped with SS in the least productive cluster for the same parameters pointed out that although the installation of SS may support farmers in time- and labor-saving or in data recording, it is not a guarantee of better herd performance.

An insight into the dairy chain of a Protected Designation of Origin cheese: The case study of Asiago cheese.

The Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) label of the European Union safeguards and guarantees top-quality traditional agri-food products that must be manufactured in a specific region according to traditional production methods. Production specifications of PDO cheeses are often focused on the cheese-making process and lack information on the dairy farming system that is upstream of the chain. This case study aimed to analyze and cluster the dairy farms that supply milk to the chain of Asiago, an internationally known PDO cheese of northeastern Italy. A large survey involving all of the cheese factories of the Asiago PDO chain was made in 2017. Each cheese factory submitted a questionnaire to its supplying dairy farmers concerning (1) farm facilities and herd management and (2) feeding program of lactating cows. Results from 517 farms were processed; there were 67 ± 27% (mean ± standard deviation) respondents per cheese factory. Four clusters of dairy farms were identified by hierarchical clustering analysis. Cluster 1 (8% of the surveyed farms) and cluster 2 (22%) are small in size and low in yield, representing the traditional milk production system; farms are mainly located on mountains or hills and have autochthonous dual-purpose breeds mostly housed in tiestall barns. By rearing cattle of endangered breeds and feeding cows primarily with forages produced on-farm together with the use of pasture, these clusters, and especially cluster 1, have shown to provide essential ecosystem services for landscape and biodiversity preservation in the alpine areas. Clusters 3 and 4 (34 and 36% of the surveyed farms, respectively) gather medium-scale farms mainly located in the lowland that operate according to modern management and housing systems and rear high-producing dairy cows. These cows are mainly fed total mixed rations based on corn silage, but the dietary forage:concentrate ratio is kept relatively high, as farmers are more interested in producing high-quality milk for cheese-making than pushing for yield. Regardless of the cluster allocation, a considerable cow longevity, which is a recognized "iceberg indicator" of cattle well-being, was highlighted. This study showed that different farming systems may lay behind a single PDO cheese. The knowledge of their characteristics is important to reinforce the PDO production specifications as well as to distinguish and protect niche products that come from specific groups of farms that provide essential ecosystem services.

Invited review: ß-hydroxybutyrate concentration in blood and milk and its associations with cow performance.

Hyperketonemia (HYK) is one of the most frequent and costly metabolic disorders in high-producing dairy cows and its diagnosis is based on ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) concentration in blood. In the last 10 years, the number of papers that have dealt with the impact of elevated BHB levels in dairy cattle has increased. Therefore, this paper reviewed the recent literature on BHB concentration in blood and milk, and its relationships with dairy cow health and performance, and farm profitability. Most studies applied the threshold of 1.2 mmol/l of BHB concentration in blood to indicate HYK; several authors considered BHB concentrations between 1.2 and 2.9 mmol/l as subclinical ketosis, and values ⩾3.0 mmol/l as clinical ketosis. Results on HYK frequency (prevalence and incidence) and cow performance varied according to parity and days in milk, being greater in multiparous than in primiparous cows, and in the first 2 weeks of lactation than in later stages. Hyperketonemia has been associated with greater milk fat content, fat-to-protein ratio and energy-corrected milk, and lower protein and urea nitrogen in milk. The relationships with milk yield and somatic cell count are still controversial. In general, HYK impairs health of dairy cows by increasing the risk of the onset of other early lactation diseases, and it negatively affects reproductive performance. The economic cost of HYK is mainly due to impaired reproductive performance and milk loss. From a genetic point of view, results from the literature suggested the feasibility of selecting cows with low susceptibility to HYK. The present review highlights that milk is the most promising matrix to identify HYK, because it is easy to sample and allows a complete screening of the herd through BHB concentration predicted using mid-IR spectroscopy during routine milk recording. Further research is needed to validate accurate and convenient methods to discriminate between cows in risk of HYK and healthy animals in field conditions and to support farmers to achieve an early detection and minimise the economic losses.

Invited review: Use of infrared technologies for the assessment of dairy products-Applications and perspectives.

Dairy products are important sources of nutrients for human health and in recent years their consumption has increased worldwide. Therefore, the food industry is interested in applying analytical technologies that are more rapid and cost-effective than traditional laboratory analyses. Infrared spectroscopy accomplishes both criteria, making real-time determination feasible. However, it is crucial to ensure that prediction models are accurate before their implementation in the dairy industry. In the last 5 yr, several papers have investigated the feasibility of mid- and near-infrared spectroscopy to determine chemical composition and authenticity of dairy products. Most studies have dealt with cheese, and few with yogurt, butter, and milk powder. Also, the use of near-infrared (in reflectance or transmittance mode) has been more prevalent than mid-infrared spectroscopy. This review summarizes recent studies on infrared spectroscopy in dairy products focusing on difficult to determine chemical components such as fatty acids, minerals, and volatile compounds, as well as sensory attributes and ripening time. Promising equations have been developed despite the low concentration or the absence of specific absorption bands (or both) for these compounds.

Romanian wild boars and Mangalitza pigs have a European ancestry and harbour genetic signatures compatible with past population bottlenecks.

We aimed to analyse the genetic diversity of Romanian wild boars and to compare it with that from other wild boar and pig populations from Europe and Asia. Partial sequencing of the mitochondrial encoded cytochrome b (MT-CYB) gene from 36 Romanian wild boars and 36 domestic pigs (Mangalitza, Bazna and Vietnamese breeds) showed that the diversity of Romanian wild boars and Mangalitza pigs is fairly reduced, and that most of the members of these two populations share a common MT-CYB haplotype. Besides, in strong contrast with the Bazna animals, Romanian wild boars and Mangalitza swine did not carry Asian variants at the MT-CYB locus. The autosomal genotyping of 18 Romanian wild boars with the Illumina Porcine SNP60 BeadChip revealed that their genetic background is fundamentally European, even though signs of a potential Near Eastern ancestry (~25%) were detectable at K = 4 (the most significant number of clusters), but not at higher K-values. Admixture analysis also showed that two wild boars are of a hybrid origin, which could be explained by the mating of feral animals with domestic pigs. Finally, a number of Romanian wild boars displayed long runs of homozygosity, an observation that is consistent with the occurrence of past population bottlenecks and the raise of inbreeding possibly due to overhunting or to the outbreak of infectious diseases.

[Malignant peripheral sheath nerve tumor: An exceptional mass of the anterior and middle mediastinum]. / Tumeur maligne des gaines des nerfs périphériques : masse exceptionnelle du médiastin antérieur et moyen.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNST) are rare nervous tumors usually located in the posterior mediastinum in the paravertebral gutters. We report the case of a non-smoking 62-year-old man who was admitted with a 4 months history of cough, hoarseness and shortness of breath. Physical examination noted a superior vena cava syndrome. CT scan of the chest revealed a right anterior and middle mediastinal mass compressing the superior vena cava, the ascending aorta, the right pulmonary artery, invading the superior root of the pulmonary vein and the right auricle. Flexible bronchoscopy showed extrinsic compression of the right main bronchus, the right upper lobe bronchus and intermedius bronchus. The patient underwent surgical biopsy of the mass by mediastinoscopy. Histological examination revealed a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. The patient received a single cycle of chemotherapy (ifosfamid-adriamycin). Clinical course was marked by the fast worsening of the dyspnea and the general state. Patient died three weeks after the cure of the chemotherapy. This case is original by the exceptional clinical presentation of MPSNT with a superior vena cava syndrome and the very rare location of this tumor in the anterior and middle mediastinum.

[Utility of cardiovascular magnetic resonance in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: when is it superior to echocardiography?]. / Imagerie par résonance magnétique dans la cardiomyopathie hypertrophique : qu'apporte-t-elle de plus par rapport à l'échocardiographie ?

The diagnosis of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is usually established by echocardiography. Recently, there has been greatly increased use of cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) because of its precise determination of myocardial anatomy and the depiction of myocardial fibrosis. In this review, we describe the role of echocardiography and magnetic resonance in the assessment of this complex disease. In conclusion, there is a complementarity between cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography for the diagnosis and the management of HCM.

[The role of imaging in thoracic tuberculosis]. / Apport de l'imagerie dans la tuberculose thoracique.

Tuberculosis is an infectious disease mostly due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. It is frequent in developing countries and its incidence is rising in developed countries. Lungs are the most involved organs of the chest but other structures can be affected. Imaging is fundamental in the management of the disease. Confirmation of diagnosis can be made only by bacteriologic and/or histologic exams. The first approach of diagnosis is based on clinical symptoms and chest X-ray signs. Radiologic signs depend on patient's age, his immune status and his previous contact with M. tuberculosis. Conventional chest X-ray remains the first-line exam to realize. It can suggest the diagnosis on the appearance and location of the lesions. CT scan is recommended for the positive diagnosis in case of discrepancy between clinical and radiographic signs, as for the diagnosis of parenchymal, vascular, lymph nodes, pleural, parietal or mediastinal complications. It is also essential for the evaluation of parenchyma sequelae. MRI and PET-scan have limited indications. The purpose of this article is to illustrate different radiological forms of chest tuberculosis, its sequelae and complications and to highlight the role of each imaging technique in the patient's management.

Associations between pig adiponectin (ADIPOQ) genotype and serum lipid levels are modulated by age-specific modifiers.

The adiponectin (ADIPOQ) locus is a positional and functional candidate gene for 2 porcine chromosome 13 (SSC13) QTL influencing cholesterol (CHOL) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) concentrations in 190-d-old pigs. By sequencing 2.37 kb of the pig ADIPOQ cDNA, we have identified 1 c.*1512G>T 3' untranslated region polymorphism that has been genotyped in a Duroc pig commercial population with records for serum lipid levels at 45 and 190 d of age. Statistical analysis of the data have revealed significant associations between the ADIPOQ genotype and CHOL (P=0.0040) and LDL (P=0.0011) concentrations at 190 d but not at 45 d. In family 3, most of the SSC13 QTL effects on LDL levels at 190 d were explained by the ADIPOQ genotype. We also found an association with triglyceride levels at 45 d (P=0.0060) but not at 190 d. Measurement of allelic mRNA imbalance demonstrated that the G and T alleles are expressed at very similar levels in muscle and fat tissues, indicating that the c.*1512G>T polymorphism does not affect transcript abundance. As a whole, results obtained in the current work as well as previous data gathered in humans and pigs provide evidence that the magnitude of associations between blood lipid phenotypes and candidate loci genotypes may vary depending on the age of the individual, therefore suggesting the existence of dynamic genotype×environment interactions changing on a temporal scale.

[Pulmonary zygomycosis in a diabetic child complicated with thrombus of the left atrial auricle]. / Mucormycose pulmonaire chez une enfant diabétique, compliquée d'un thrombus intra-auriculaire gauche.

Mucormycosis is a rare but fatal, opportunistic fungal infection caused by fungi of the order of mucorales in the class of Zygomycetes. Isolated pulmonary mucormycosis is rare and occurs principally in particular conditions, especially in patients with uncontrolled diabetes. The fungi invades the blood vessels and causes distal ischemic necrosis. We report a case in a 13-year-old girl with diabetes mellitus who developed pulmonary zygomycosis complicated with thrombus of the left atrial auricle. The diagnosis of mucormycosis was confirmed by histologic examination of endobronchial biopsies. Combined treatment with systemic amphotericin B and surgery resulted in a favorable outcome. This difficult diagnosis must be raised in diabetic patients with unresponsive lung infections in order to apply early aggressive therapy. Successful management continues to be early diagnosis, followed by systemic antifungal therapy and surgical resection combined with control of the underlying disease.

[Tracheal tumor treated as asthma]. / Une tumeur trachéale traitée comme un asthme.

Primary tumors of the trachea are very rare. In adults, the majority of them are malignant. Schwannomas are exceedingly rare benign tumors in the tracheobronchial tree. We report a case of a 37-year-old man who was hospitalized for increasing dyspnea. He had been treated for bronchial asthma for the last 4 years with no benefit. The CT scan of the chest and bronchoscopy identified a tracheal mass that was prolapsed in the left stem bronchus. The patient did not remain free of disease after endoscopic laser resection. So, surgical resection was made. The tumor was excised at its base. A segment of the left stem bronchus was removed and primary anastomosis was performed. The histopathologic diagnosis was of a benign schwannoma without malignant elements. There was no recurrence during the follow-up period. This case demonstrates that intratracheal masses should be considered in patients with dyspnea or in patients with asthma refractory to conventional therapy.

[Imaging of pulmonary artery involvement in Takayasu disease]. / Imagerie de l'atteinte artérielle pulmonaire au cours de la maladie de Takayasu.

OBJECTIVES: Illustrate imaging aspects of pulmonary artery involvement in Takayasu's arteritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study of six patients among 28 patients with Takayasu arteritis whose disease involved the pulmonary arteries and to review their clinical and computed tomography data. RESULTS: Mean patient age among those with pulmonary artery involvement was 34 years. All patients exhibited extensive lesions of systemic arteries. The most common computed tomography angiography sign was wall thickening. Dilatation of the pulmonary artery trunk was observed in one-third of cases. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary arterial involvement in Takayasu's disease is not uncommon. Computed tomography is a reliable imaging technique to establish the diagnosis.

[Cardiac tamponade and myocarditis in Churg-Strauss syndrome]. / Tamponnade et myocardite aiguë au cours d'un syndrome de Churg-Strauss.

INTRODUCTION: The successive occurrence of pericardial tamponade and myocarditis during a Churg-Strauss syndrome is exceptionally described. We report a patient in whom pericardial tamponade and myocarditis were the presenting manifestation of a Churg-Strauss syndrome. CASE REPORT: A 58-year-old woman was admitted because of alteration of the clinical status with eosinophilia. One month ago, she was hospitalized for a pericardial tamponade treated by pericardial drainage. Acute myocarditis was diagnosed on chest pain during the second hospitalization. The etiologic inquiry ended in the diagnosis of Churg-Strauss complicated with a double cardiac involvement. A good response of clinical and biological anomalies was obtained after corticosteroid and immunosuppressive treatment. CONCLUSION: Isolated or multiple involvements of cardiac tunics should lead to make diagnosis of systemic vasculitis. A complete initial assessment and a close observation of the patients followed for Churg-Strauss syndrome is imperative to detect a cardiac achievement and set up an early treatment.

Association analysis with lipid traits of 2 candidate genes (LRP12 and TRIB1) mapping to a SSC4 QTL for serum triglyceride concentration in pigs.

The performance of a genome scan for serum lipid traits at 45 and 190 d in 5 half-sib families of Duroc pigs allowed us to detect several pig chromosomal regions with significant effects on these phenotypes. In the current work, we aimed to refine the position of 1 chromosome 4 (SSC4) genome-wide significant QTL for serum triglyceride concentration at 190 d. Genotyping of 4 additional microsatellites allowed reduction of the 90% confidence interval of this QTL to the genomic interval between markers SW2409 and SW839. Sequencing experiments were performed to characterize the variability of 2 lipid-related genes, the lipoprotein receptor-related protein 12 (LRP12) and tribbles homolog 1 (TRIB1) loci, that map to this region. In this way, 2 (c.771A > G and c.1101A > G) and 1 (c.*156_157del) polymorphisms were identified at the LRP12 coding region and TRIB1 3' untranslated region, respectively. Association analyses between LRP12 and TRIB1 genotypes did not reveal any significant effect on serum lipid concentrations, suggesting that variation of these two loci does not explain the segregation of the SSC4 QTL. However, highly significant associations were observed for gluteus medius saturated fatty acid content (LRP12 c.1101A > G, P = 0.0006; TRIB1 c.*156_157del, P = 0.0003). In the light of these and other findings, the potential involvement of LRP12 and TRIB1 in muscle lipid metabolism deserves to be further explored.

Identification of two paralogous caprine CD36 genes that display highly divergent mRNA expression profiles.

The CD36 molecule plays a pivotal role in a variety of immunological and cellular processes, including pathogen recognition, inflammation and apoptosis. Herein, we demonstrate that this gene is duplicated in goats, with two copies (CD36 and CD36-like) that display highly divergent mRNA expression profiles. In this way, CD36 mRNA is mostly expressed in the adipose tissue and heart whilst CD36-like mRNA shows a high expression in the liver. We have also found evidence of the presence of two paralogous CD36 and CD36-like genes in the bovine genome, suggesting that CD36 duplication took place before goat-cattle radiation, i.e. at least 20 MYR ago. Finally, we have characterized the polymorphism of the coding regions of the goat CD36 and CD36-like genes. In doing so, we have identified one synonymous polymorphism at the CD36-like gene (c.390A>C) that displays a significant association (P=0.04) with milk somatic cell count, a parameter often used to diagnose mastitis in domestic ruminants.

[Enigmatic evolution of an association of pulmonary tuberculosis and amyloidosis]. / Évolution énigmatique d'une association de tuberculose et d'amylose pulmonaire.

INTRODUCTION: Amyloidosis is characterized by tissue deposits of amyloid material. Secondary amyloidosis can occur as a sequel to pulmonary tuberculosis over a relatively long period. However, this was not the case with our patient. Subsequently we conducted a literature review to try to explain the unusual course of AL amyloidosis in our patient. CASE REPORT: A 36- year-old patient was admitted to our department for investigation of haemoptysis. A diagnosis of primary pulmonary tuberculosis was made and antituberculous treatment was started. On the second day of treatment, a haematoma appeared on the sole of the right foot, which spread down to the toes during the following days. Renal investigations showed a 24h proteinuria of 9 g/L and serum protein electrophoresis revealed an albumin level of 11.8 g/L. A diagnosis of nephrotic syndrome was made. A renal biopsy was indicated but this was not possible on account of a marked worsening of the patient's condition after 14 days of treatment. The patient's level of consciousness deteriorated and he was transferred to the intensive care unit for ventilation. He died 48 hours later. Post-mortem histological examination of pulmonary and cutaneous tissue revealed AL amyloid deposits. CONCLUSION: In view of the association of active pulmonary tuberculosis and a pulmonary localisation of amyloidosis, a causal relationship is not definite. Coexistence of active pulmonary tuberculosis and primary amyloidosis must also be considered, particularly as the immunohistochemical characterisation revealed AL amyloidosis.