Frequency of non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci species isolated from quarter clinical mastitis: a six-year retrospective study.

Non-aureus staphylococci and mammaliicocci (NASM) are the most frequently isolated bacterial group from bovine milk samples. Most studies focus on subclinical mastitis caused by NASM, however NASM can cause clinical mastitis (CM) as well. We evaluated retrospective data from 6 years (2017-2022) to determine the species and frequency of NASM isolated from quarter bovine CM. The data comprised of microbiological results from quarter CM samples routinely submitted to Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS), Cornell University, NY, US, for microbial identification by MALDI-TOF MS. A total of 9,909 microbiological results from 410 dairy herds were evaluated. Our results showed that 29 distinct NASM species were identified, with the 8 most prevalent NASM species being Staphylococcus chromogenes, S. haemolyticus, S. simulans, S. epidermidis, S. sciuri (now Mammaliicoccus sciuri), S. agnetis/S. hyicus, S. borealis, and S. xylosus. The NASM distribution remained similar among seasons, but the frequency of NASM CM cases was higher during the summer. Our results showed different patterns of variations in the isolation frequency over time, depending on the bacterial species: increasing or decreasing trends, cyclic fluctuations, and except for S. borealis, a significant seasonality effect for our study's most prevalent NASM was observed. This study showed that S. chromogenes remains the most frequent (43%) NASM species identified from bovine CM, followed by S. haemolyticus (18%), and S. simulans (12%).

Genomic Characterization of Mycoplasma arginini Isolated from a Housefly on a Dairy Farm and Comparison with Isolates from Bovine Milk and Lung Tissue.

Mycoplasma mastitis can be highly contagious, unresponsive to treatment, and cause severe economic problems in affected herds. Notable routes of Mycoplasma spp. transmissions are contaminated milking equipment and animal contact through respiratory secretions. Only a few studies report the environment as a possible source of infection. Our group studied the presence of pathogens in houseflies (Musca domestica) in a New York State dairy in the United States. Among others, a Mycoplasma spp. was found in the gut of a housefly captured in the sick pen and identified as M. arginini. Here, we characterized its genome and investigated its relatedness with eight isolates from milk, one isolate from lung tissue collected in the same dairy, and five other dairies in New York State. We applied whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis based on the sequences of the 16S rRNA gene and 76 conserved proteins. We also assessed an in silico virulence profile by considering a panel of 94 putative virulence genes. As a result of the genome analysis, the housefly M. arginini isolate was highly similar to the milk isolates; interestingly, the similarity was highest with M. arginini isolated from milk on the same dairy farm where the housefly was captured. The housefly and milk M. arginini isolates possessed 54 of the 94 pathogenicity genes considered. Our data support the hypothesis that houseflies are carriers of Mycoplasma spp. and can be considered within the possible roots of environmental transmission of infection in dairy cows. Nevertheless, M. arginini pathogenicity will need to be investigated with dedicated studies. IMPORTANCE It is critical to control the spread of bovine mastitis caused by Mycoplasma spp., as this disease can be highly contagious and have a severe economic impact on affected dairies. A better understanding of possible transmission routes is crucial for infection control and prevention. Based on our data, the composite milk isolates are genetically similar to the housefly isolate. This provides evidence that the same Mycoplasma species found in milk and associated with mastitis can also be isolated from houseflies captured in the dairy environment.

Pathogens associated with houseflies from different areas within a New York State dairy.

Houseflies (Musca domestica) are nonbiting muscoids of importance because they can be mechanical vectors of many kinds of pathogens such as bacteria, protozoa, viruses, and helminth eggs. This study aimed to evaluate the bacterial communities associated with houseflies captured in 3 different areas on a dairy farm located in New York State. Variations in the bacterial community were also evaluated based on the flies' sex and external or internal location where the bacteria were isolated. A total of 101 flies were collected: 27 flies from the sick pen, 42 from calf hutches, and 32 from the milking parlor. A total of 485 organisms were isolated, 233 (48.0%) from 53 female flies and 252 (52.0%) from 48 male flies. Most (74%) bacteria were found in the internal parts of the flies, with only 26% isolated from the external surfaces. The number of isolates detected per fly ranged between 1 and 11. A total of 392 bacteria were identified at the species level. We isolated 26 species reported to be bovine contagious or environmental mastitis pathogens. Within the group of organisms considered contagious, we isolated Staphylococcus aureus and Mycoplasma arginini. This was the first time that a Mycoplasma species was isolated from houseflies. We identified 5 organisms considered foodborne pathogens that affect human health: Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli, Staph. aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus subtilis. Four of the organisms isolated in this study were also linked with milk spoilage, including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus licheniformis, and Paenibacillus lactis. This study confirmed that houseflies carry a high bacterial diversity, including organisms associated with animal infections, organisms that could be a concern for public health, or organisms that could negatively affect milk quality.

Mycoplasma species isolated from bovine milk collected from US dairy herds between 2016 and 2019.

Determining the species of mycoplasma isolated from culture-positive milk samples is important for understanding the clinical significance of their detection. Between August 2016 and December 2019, 214,518 milk samples from 2,757 dairy herds were submitted to Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS) at Cornell University for mycoplasma culture. From these samples, 3,728 collected from 204 herds were culture positive. Based on the request of herd managers, owners, or veterinarians, 889 isolates from 98 herds were subjected to molecular identification by PCR and amplicon sequencing. The largest proportion of the identified isolates were from New York State (78.1%), while the others came from the eastern United States (17.8%), Texas (2.0%), and New Mexico (2.1%). As expected, Mycoplasma spp. were the most common (855 isolates, 96.2%) and Acholeplasma spp. accounted for the remainder (34 isolates, 3.8%). Mycoplasma bovis was the most prevalent Mycoplasma species (75.1%), followed by M. bovigenitalium (6.5%), M. canadense (5.9%), M. alkalescens (5%), M. arginini (1.7%), M. californicum (0.1%), and M. primatum (0.1%). A portion of the isolates were confirmed as Mycoplasma spp. other than M. bovis but were not identified at the species level (16 isolates, 1.8%) because further information was not requested by the manager, owner, or veterinarian. Mycoplasma bovis was the only species identified in 59 of the 98 herds. However, more than 1 Mycoplasma sp. was identified in 29 herds, suggesting that herd infection with 2 or more mycoplasmas is not uncommon. Moreover, a Mycoplasma sp. other than M. bovis was the only species identified in 8 herds. From the subset of 889 mycoplasma culture-positive isolates from 98 herds, we determined that over a third of the herds had either more than 1 Mycoplasma sp. or a Mycoplasma sp. other than M. bovis detected in their milk samples. In conclusion, we observed that M. bovis is the most common pathogenic Mycoplasma species found in mastitic milk, but other Mycoplasma species are not uncommon. Our results suggest that it is critical to test milk samples for mycoplasmas using diagnostic tests able to identify both the genus and the species.

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction or non-cardiac dyspnea in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: The role of left atrial strain.

BACKGROUND: Diagnosis of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) in patients with dyspnea and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) is challenging. Speckle tracking-derived left atrial strain (LAS) provides an accurate estimate of left ventricular (LV) filling pressures and left atrial (LA) phasic function. However, data on clinical utility of LAS in patients with dyspnea and AF are scarce. OBJECTIVE: To assess relationship between the LAS and the probability of HFpEF in patients with dyspnea and paroxysmal AF. METHODS: The study included 205 consecutive patients (62 ± 10 years, 58% males) with dyspnea (NYHA≥II), paroxysmal AF and preserved LV ejection fraction (≥50%), who underwent speckle tracking echocardiography during sinus rhythm. Probability of HFpEF was estimated using H2FPEF and HFA-PEFF scores, which combine clinical characteristics, echocardiographic parameters and natriuretic peptides. RESULTS: Patients with high probability of HFpEF were significantly older, had higher body mass index, NT-proBNP, E/e', pulmonary artery pressure and larger LA volume index than patients in low-to-intermediate probability groups (all p < 0.05). All components of LAS and LA strain rate showed proportional impairment with increasing probability of HFpEF (all p < 0.05). Out of the speckle tracking-derived parameters, reservoir LAS showed the largest area under the curve (AUC = 0.78, p < 0.001) and the strongest independent predictive value (OR: 1.22, 95% CI 1.08-1.38) to identify patients with high probability of HFpEF. CONCLUSIONS: Reservoir LAS shows a high diagnostic performance to distinguish HFpEF from non-cardiac causes of dyspnea in symptomatic patients with paroxysmal AF.

Vitamin D deficiency as a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19.

PURPOSE: Hypovitaminosis D is a highly spread condition correlated with increased risk of respiratory tract infections. Nowadays, the world is in the grip of the Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID 19) pandemic. In these patients, cytokine storm is associated with disease severity. In consideration of the role of vitamin D in the immune system, aim of this study was to analyse vitamin D levels in patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19 and to assess any correlations with disease severity and prognosis. METHODS: In this retrospective, observational study, we analysed demographic, clinical and laboratory data of 42 patients with acute respiratory failure due to COVID-19, treated in Respiratory Intermediate Care Unit (RICU) of the Policlinic of Bari from March, 11 to April 30, 2020. RESULTS: Eighty one percent of patients had hypovitaminosis D. Based on vitamin D levels, the population was stratified into four groups: no hypovitaminosis D, insufficiency, moderate deficiency, and severe deficiency. No differences regarding demographic and clinical characteristics were found. A survival analysis highlighted that, after 10 days of hospitalization, severe vitamin D deficiency patients had a 50% mortality probability, while those with vitamin D ≥ 10 ng/mL had a 5% mortality risk (p = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: High prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was found in COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory failure, treated in a RICU. Patients with severe vitamin D deficiency had a significantly higher mortality risk. Severe vitamin D deficiency may be a marker of poor prognosis in these patients, suggesting that adjunctive treatment might improve disease outcomes.

Histological assessment of new bone formation with biomimetic scaffold in posterolateral lumbar spine fusion.

Spinal fusion procedures often require the use of bone grafts (autograft or allograft) to help bone healing and to increase stability. However, the application of autografts is frequently limited by donor site morbidity. In recent years, different synthetic bone substitutes have been introduced in the clinical practice to overcome these limitations. The purpose of this paper is to report a case where a biomimetic, synthetic and osteoconductive bone graft substitute was successfully implanted in a patient during lumbar spine arthrodesis. The case of a 58-year-old female subjected to lumbar spine arthrodesis with bone augmentation is described. The bone graft substitute RegenOss® (Finceramica, Faenza, Italy) was implanted during spinal arthrodesis. The successful bone integration was evaluated by X-rays. After 11 months, the patient underwent a second surgery due to spine imbalance; the debris of the bone graft was therefore collected and analyzed by macroscopic evaluation and by histology. The bone substitute was successfully implanted during a spinal arthrodesis procedure. Histologic evaluation of the removed bone graft debris showed the complete resorption of the implant and the formation of new bone, which was well integrated with the host bone. This bone substitute may represent a safe and effective alternative to autologous bone grafts, avoiding adverse events related to donor-site morbidity.

Blood perfusion of teat tissue in dairy cows: Changes associated with pre-milking stimulation and machine milking.

Mechanical forces during machine milking of dairy cows evoke circulatory impairment of the teat tissue that may affect the teats' defense mechanisms against mastitis pathogens. Ample research describes dimensional changes of different teat traits after machine milking, whereas reports that describe changes in blood circulation of dairy cows' teats are limited. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to (1) describe changes in teat blood circulation that occur after pre-milking teat stimulation and machine milking and (2) study the effect of 2 different milking liners on machine milking-induced changes in teat blood flow. In a randomized trial, Holstein dairy cows were stratified by parity, stage of lactation, and average daily milk yield during the previous week, and allocated to 1 of 2 treatment groups. Treatment consisted of 1 milking observation with either a round or multisided concave milking liner. Teat scans were taken of the left front and the right hind teats using power Doppler ultrasonography. Imaging occurred before pre-milking udder preparation (T1), after completion of pre-milking udder preparation but before milking-unit attachment (T2), and immediately after unit detachment (T3). Perfusion intensity measurements from teat scans were performed with a commercially available software program. Data from 109 cows were analyzed. A general linear mixed model showed differences in perfusion intensity between time points. Least squares means (95% confidence intervals) for T1, T2, and T3, respectively, were 0.035% (0.026-0.047), 0.124% (0.093-0.164), and 0.095% (0.073-0.124). Conversely, no statistically significant differences between treatment groups were observed. We conclude that teat blood circulation is subjected to several influences, including inherent circulatory regulation mechanisms, as well as extrinsic factors such as machine milking. Future research is warranted to decipher the magnitude of their influence and to further our understanding of how these changes relate to the susceptibility to intramammary infection and milking performance.

Estimating the probability of freedom from bovine brucellosis in the Galapagos Islands.

Bovine brucellosis is a worldwide zoonotic disease that still burdens several countries in the Mediterranean, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Although the disease is present in Ecuador, the Galapagos Islands seem to be free from the disease based on a survey conducted in 1997 where all tested animals showed negative results. This study aimed at estimating the probability of freedom from brucellosis in this Ecuadorian province in 2014. A survey was implemented on the three main cattle-producing islands of the province: Santa Cruz, Isabela and San Cristóbal. Thirty-three cattle farms and 410 cattle were tested for brucellosis using the Rose Bengal test and indirect ELISA. All animals showed negative results for both tests. Probability of freedom was estimated at 98%, 91% and 88% for Santa Cruz, Isabela and San Cristóbal, respectively, considering a herd-level design seroprevalence of 20% and animal-level design seroprevalence of 15%, and assuming a perfect specificity of the survey. The negative results found in 1997 and present surveys suggest that the Galapagos Islands are free from bovine brucellosis.

Bovine anaplasmosis and tick-borne pathogens in cattle of the Galapagos Islands.

A cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the species of Anaplasma spp. and estimate its prevalence in cattle of the three main cattle-producing Galapagos Islands (Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal and Isabela) using indirect PCR assays, genetic sequencing and ELISA. Ticks were also collected from cattle and scanned for 47 tick-borne pathogens in a 48 × 48 real-time PCR chip. A mixed effects logistic regression was performed to identify potential risk factors explaining Anaplasma infection in cattle. A. phagocytophilum was not detected in any of the tested animals. Genetic sequencing allowed detection of A. platys-like strains in 11 (36.7%) of the 30 Anaplasma spp.-positive samples analysed. A. marginale was widespread in the three islands with a global between-herd prevalence of 100% [89; 100]95% CI and a median within-herd prevalence of 93%. A significant association was found between A. marginale infection and age with higher odds of being positive for adults (OR = 3.3 [1.2; 9.9]95% Bootstrap CI ). All collected ticks were identified as Rhipicephalus microplus. A. marginale, Babesia bigemina, Borrelia theileri and Francisella-like endosymbiont were detected in tick pools. These results show that the Galapagos Islands are endemic for A. marginale.

Validation of a mycoplasma molecular diagnostic test and distribution of mycoplasma species in bovine milk among New York State dairy farms.

Mycoplasma mastitis is a contagious and costly disease of dairy cattle that significantly affects animal health and milk productivity. Mycoplasma bovis is the most prevalent and invasive agent of mycoplasma mastitis in dairy cattle, and early detection is critical. Other mycoplasma have been isolated from milk; however, the role and prevalence of these species as mastitis pathogens are poorly understood. Routine screening of milk for mycoplasma by bacteriological culture is an important component of a farm control strategy to minimize a herd mycoplasma outbreak, but phenotypic methods have limited ability to speciate mycoplasma, affecting how farms and practitioners can understand the role and effect of species other than M. bovis in herd health. Fastidious mycoplasma culture can be lengthy and inconclusive, resulting in delayed or false negative reports. We developed and validated a multitarget PCR assay that can in the same day confirm or reject a presumptive positive mycoplasma culture found upon bacteriological testing of clinical specimens, further discriminate between Acholeplasma and Mycoplasma, and identify M. bovis. Coupled with sequence analysis isolates can be further identified as bovine mycoplasma Mycoplasma arginini, Mycoplasma alkalescens, Mycoplasma canadense, Mycoplasma bovirhinis, Mycoplasma bovigenitalium, Mycoplasma californicum, Acholeplasma laidlawii, and Acholeplasma oculi. Assay validation included analysis of 845 mycoplasma representing these species and 30 additional bacterial species obtained from routine milk submissions to the Quality Milk Production Services from New York State farms and veterinary clinics between January 2012 and December 2015. Among 95 herds, we found 8 different Mycoplasma species and 3 different Acholeplasma species, with an overall prevalence of M. bovirhinis of 1%, A. oculi of 2%, M. arginini of 2%, M. californicum of 3%, M. canadense of 10%, M. bovigenitalium of 10%, A. laidlawii of 11%, M. alkalescens of 17%, and M. bovis of 78%. More than one mycoplasma was found in 14% of the herds tested, and both M. bovis and Acholeplasma were found in 6% of the farms. Incorporation of the validated molecular diagnostic assay into routine bacteriological screening as a supportive confirmation and identification tool will lead to an improved assessment of Mycoplasma and Acholeplasma prevalence data, which will facilitate increased knowledge about the role of these mycoplasma in mastitis.

Antimicrobial susceptibilities and random amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR fingerprint characterization of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis and Lactococcus garvieae isolated from bovine intramammary infections.

In total, 181 streptococci-like bacteria isolated from intramammary infections (IMI) were submitted by a veterinary clinic to Quality Milk Production Services (QMPS, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY). The isolates were characterized by sequence analysis, and 46 Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis and 47 Lactococcus garvieae were tested for susceptibility to 17 antibiotics. No resistant strains were found for ß-lactam antibiotics widely used in clinical practice (penicillin, ampicillin, and amoxicillin), and all minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) were far from the resistance breakpoints. Eight strains had MIC intermediate to cefazolin. The random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR fingerprint patterns showed a slightly higher heterogeneity for Lc. lactis ssp. lactis isolates than for Lc. garvieae isolates.

Short communication: Genotypic and phenotypic identification of environmental streptococci and association of Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis with intramammary infections among different dairy farms.

Lactococcus species are counted among a large and closely related group of environmental streptococci and streptococci-like bacteria that include bovine mastitis pathogenic Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Aerococcus species. Phenotypic and biochemical identification methods can be inaccurate and unreliable for species within this group, particularly for Lactococcus spp. As a result, the incidence of Lactococcus spp. on the farm may have been historically underreported and consequently little is known about the clinical importance of this genus as a mastitis pathogen. We used molecular genetic identification methods to accurately differentiate 60 environmental streptococci and streptococci-like bacteria isolated from cows with high somatic cell count and chronic intramammary infection (IMI; >2 somatic cell scores above 4) among 5 geographically distinct farms in New York and Minnesota that exhibited an observed increase in IMI. These isolates were phenotypically identified as Streptococcus uberis and Streptococcus spp. Genetic methods identified 42 isolates (70%) as Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis, including all 10 isolates originally phenotypically identified as Streptococcus uberis. Antibiotic inhibition testing of all Lc. lactis ssp. lactis showed that 7 isolates were resistant to tetracycline. In the present study, a predominance of Lc. lactis ssp. lactis was identified in association with chronic, clinical bovine IMI among all 5 farms and characterized antimicrobial resistance for treatment therapies. Routine use by mastitis testing labs of molecular identification methods for environmental streptococci and streptococci-like bacteria can further define the role and prevalence of Lc. lactis ssp. lactis in association with bovine IMI and may lead to more targeted therapies.

Sentinel lymph node biopsy in head and neck melanoma*.

AIM: The purpose of this study is to evaluate prognosis and surgical management of head and neck melanoma (HNM) and the accuracy of sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB). PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients with a primary cutaneous melanoma treated starting from 01/07/1994 to 31/12/2012 in the department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery of Bari are included in a electronic clinical medical registry. Within the 90th day from excision of the primary lesion all patients with adverse prognostic features underwent SLNB. All patients with positive findings underwent lymphadenectomy. RESULTS: out of 680 patients affected by melanoma, 84 (12.35%) had HNM. In the HNM cohort lymphoscintigraphy was performed in 57 patients, 15 of which (26.3%) were positive. The percentage of unfound sentinel lymph node was similar both to the HNM group (5,26%) and to patients with melanoma of different sites (OMS 4,92%). There was a recurrence of disease after negative SLNB (false negatives) only in 4 cases. Recurrence-free period and survival rate at 5 years were worse in HNM cohort. CONCLUSION: SLNB of HNM has been for a long time contested due to its complex lymphatic anatomy, but recent studies agreed with this technique. Our experience showed that identification of sentinel lymph node in HNM cohort was possible in 98.25% of cases. Frequency of interval nodes is significantly higher in HNM group. The prognosis of HNM cohort is significantly shorter than OMS one. Finally, this procedure requires a multidisciplinary team in referral centers.

New perspectives for transcatheter aortic valve implantation: more than a "simple" alternative to surgery.

To date, the gold standard of aortic stenosis treatment is surgical valve replacement. However, in inoperable or high risk patients a valid alternative is transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Several trials showed feasibility, efficacy and safety of TAVI, with a tailored strategy for these patients on the basis of their clinical and anatomical conditions. The selection of valve type (CoreValve® or Edwards Sapien®) and transcatheter approach (transfemoral, transapical, subclavian or direct aortic approach) is an important step in the management of aortic stenosis. However, mortality is high and it is mainly related to non-cardiac reasons, given the high clinical risk profile of these patients. Moreover, the less invasive approach, the faster recovery, the reduced morbidity and the improved psychological tolerance, typical of TAVI, suggest that this technique could be used in a broader spectrum of cases, becoming a valid therapeutic alternative even in patients with severe aortic stenosis with a low surgical risk or asymptomatics. The identification of aortic stenosis patients by the medical community and their assessment over time, before they become candidates only for "extreme" strategies, remains the main challenge.

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors treatment in the Imatinib era. The role of fair indication.

AIM: Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Surgery remains the elective treatment. We retrospectively compared two group of patients, who underwent surgery for GIST before and after Imatinib advent in order to analyze the recurrence and survival rate. METHODS: Two patient groups who underwent surgery for GIST, from January 1997 to December 2002 (Pre-Imatinib group) and from January 2003 to December 2008 (Post-Imatinib group) were compared. Patients were evaluated on the base of gender, age, clinical manifestations, primary location and metastasis positivity, tumor size, mitotic index, immunoreactivity for CD117 and the outcome, including date of death. RESULTS: In the Pre-IM group only one patient died for prostate cancer, 12 months after operation, the other died because of GIST with a 24.6 months of median survival rate (range 15-51). In the remaining 12 patients the median follow up period was 55 months (range 6-152 months). In the Post-IM group the mean follow up was 50.7 months (range 26-74) and they are still being assessed for oncological as well as surgical treatment. CONCLUSION: Early diagnosis and radical resection remain the standard of cure for GISTs. To date, the use of Imatinib lead to its utilization as adjuvant and neo-adjuvant therapy in adults. Our experience suggests that there is a correlation between the mutational status of KIT and clinical outcome. These aspects should be explored for targeted therapy that can effectively combine biological therapy to surgery.

Treatment of typical amyelic somatic fractures with kyphoplasty and calcium phosphate cement: a critical analysis.

PURPOSE: Vertebroplasty and more recently kyphoplasty are recognized as techniques in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral fractures and in case of pathological fracture like in secondary tumors. The recent introduction of calcium phosphate cement (CPC) that offers, at least theoretically, an osteointegrative capacity, absent in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), has generated interest for its use in the treatment of traumatic fractures (type A) even in young patients. METHODS: In this study, type A fractures without neurological signs were treated. A total of six male patients, of age between 21 and 55 years (mean age 38 years), were included. Fracture treatment was performed with kyphoplasty with balloon (Kyphon) and injection of calcium phosphate cement for a total of seven procedures. RESULTS: The results were evaluated according to the regional kyphosis angle and the local kyphosis angle. The postoperative X-ray control showed an average improvement of the regional kyphosis angle of 7.4°; however, this value was reduced by an average of 6.6° after 45 days with regard to the postoperative control. The local kyphosis angle showed an average improvement of 9° at the postoperative control with an average worsening of 9.2° in the control after 45 days. CONCLUSIONS: While kyphoplasty with the use of CPC in the treatment of type A traumatic fractures was effective in the treatment of pain, it has not been so far effective concerning the maintenance of the reduction obtained intra-operatively and its osteointegrative effect.

Immunophenotype-related microRNA expression in canine chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are posttranscriptional regulatory noncoding RNAs used to profile human hematopoietic tumors. In this study, some mature miRNAs was quantitated in peripheral blood from dogs with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Relative expression data were normalised against four endogenous controls (let-7a, miR-17-5p, miR-26b, and miR-223) selected by geNorm analysis. The results revealed distinct miRNA patterns in CLL depending on the immunophenotype. Also in dogs, the different miRNAs expression could reflect developmental lineage and tumor differentiation. The similar genetics, physiology and exposure to environment in dogs and humans make the miRNA expression study in canine CLL attractive for comparative oncology.

Elaphostrongylus cervi in a population of red deer (Cervus elaphus) and evidence of cerebrospinal nematodiasis in small ruminants in the province of Varese, Italy.

Thirty-one faecal samples were collected from red deer in the northern area of Varese, in the Italian region of Lombardy, between August and October 2008. The animals had either been hunted or accidently killed. Examination for internal parasites showed a prevalence of 45.2% for Elaphostrongylus cervi larvae and species identification was confirmed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Ninety-seven faecal samples were also collected from two goat flocks grazing in the same area between December 2007 and May 2008. These showed a prevalence of 74.7% for lungworms. Furthermore, the central nervous systems from five goats and one sheep from this area with a history of neurologically related lameness were examined. Histopathology confirmed E. cervi cerebro-spinal nematodiasis in five cases out of six. This study demonstrates E. cervi transmission from wild to domestic ruminants when the animals graze in the same area, and the possible occurrence of clinical disease in infected goats and sheep associated with high prevalence in deer.