Immunoexpression of epithelial membrane antigen in canine meningioma: Novel results for perspective considerations

Epithelial membrane antigen (EMA) is one of the most widely used diagnostic immunohistochemical markers for human meningioma. To date, no published study on EMA expression in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) tissue samples of canine meningioma is available. Here, we describe the results of an immunohistochemical study on 25 FFPE canine meningiomas using a monoclonal anti‐human EMA antibody. All meningiomas showed positive staining for EMA with cytoplasmic pattern, in nine cases associated with membranous staining. Area and intensity of staining were highly variable among cases. No clear relationships between tumour subtype/grade and area/intensity of staining were found. However, epithelial‐like patterns showed a higher affinity for EMA compared to the mesenchymal one. The present study provides the basis to explore the potential diagnostic application of this marker in canine meningioma. To investigate EMA expression in other central nervous system tumours of dogs are necessary to assess the specificity of this marker.     

Monitoring of Webbing Clothes Moth,Tineola bisselliella (Hummel), by sex pheromone

Preliminary results of the using of the sex pheromone in the monitoring of Webbing Clothes Moth,Tineola bisselliella (Hummel), in a warehouse of a wool mattress manufacture and in some wool manufactures, are reported.The results of the experimentation suggest that traps (NoSurvivor trap and Uni-trap) baited by the synthetic pheromone allow to monitor the presence of adults and to check the effectiveness of insecticide treatments.The male ofT. bisselliella are meaningfully reactive in case of favourable temperatures also during winter period. The traps work at the best in presence of warm and stagnant air at a low degree of light, while they scarcely work or doesn't work at all in the opposite conditions. Satisfactory results have been obtained for temperatures ranging between 23 °C and 27 °C (which are favourable for the adult flying activity) placing the traps 2.5 up to 3 meters above the ground always keeping attention to be in the close proximity of the goods to protect and near the walls frequented by the adults. Low levels of light and air ventilation increase the trap performances.With 5 figures     

Adjuvant medical therapy provides no therapeutic benefit in the treatment of dogs with low‐grade mast cell tumours and early nodal metastasis undergoing surgery

Lymph node (LN) metastasis is a negative prognostic factor in dogs with cutaneous mast cell tumours (cMCTs). While elective lymphadenectomy of metastatic LNs improves outcome, the benefit of adjuvant medical therapy in dogs with early metastatic (HN2) LNs is debated. The aim of this retrospective multicentre study was to evaluate the therapeutic benefit of adjuvant medical therapy following surgical removal of the primary low‐grade cMCT (Patnaik grade 1‐2 and Kiupel low‐grade) and lymphadenectomy of HN2 LNs by analysing survival rates and patterns of recurrence. Seventy‐three dogs were included: 42 received adjuvant medical treatment (chemotherapy and/or kinase inhibitors), and 31 did not. The median follow‐up time for medically treated dogs was 619 days: two experienced local recurrence, three nodal relapse and four distant relapse. For dogs undergoing surgery only, the median follow‐up time was 545 days. None of them experienced local recurrence, nodal, or distant relapse. Time to progression was significantly shorter in dogs receiving adjuvant medical treatment (P = .021). A similar tendency was observed for overall survival (P = .056). The current study shows that dogs with low‐grade cMCTs, that undergo surgical excision of the primary tumour and elective lymphadenectomy of the HN2 regional LN harbour a good prognosis. The use of adjuvant medical treatment in these dogs does not seem to provide any benefit in terms of progression and survival.     

From Sea to Skin: Is There a Future for Natural Photoprotectants?

In the last few decades, the thinning of the ozone layer due to increased atmospheric pollution has exacerbated the negative effects of excessive exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR), and skin cancer has become a major public health concern. In order to prevent skin damage, public health advice mainly focuses on the use of sunscreens, along with wearing protective clothing and avoiding sun exposure during peak hours. Sunscreens present on the market are topical formulations that contain a number of different synthetic, organic, and inorganic UVR filters with different absorbance profiles, which, when combined, provide broad UVR spectrum protection. However, increased evidence suggests that some of these compounds cause subtle damage to marine ecosystems. One alternative may be the use of natural products that are produced in a wide range of marine species and are mainly thought to act as a defense against UVR-mediated damage. However, their potential for human photoprotection is largely under-investigated. In this review, attention has been placed on the molecular strategies adopted by marine organisms to counteract UVR-induced negative effects and we provide a broad portrayal of the recent literature concerning marine-derived natural products having potential as natural sunscreens/photoprotectants for human skin. Their chemical structure, UVR absorption properties, and their pleiotropic role as bioactive molecules are discussed. Most studies strongly suggest that these natural products could be promising for use in biocompatible sunscreens and may represent an alternative eco-friendly approach to protect humans against UV-induced skin damage.     

Acute phase protein response during road transportation and lairage at a slaughterhouse in feedlot beef cattle

The effects of transport for 5 hr by road and lairage for 48 hr on acute phase protein in Limousine feedlot beef cattle (n = 10, 14-16 months old, body weight 620 ± 70 kg) were examined. Blood was collected at before loading, immediately after unloading and 12, 24 and 48 hr after the initiation of transportation. Serum was collected for assay of haptoglobin (Hp) and serum amyloid A (SAA), plasma was obtained for assay fibrinogen (Fb) and the white blood cell count (WBC) was determined in whole blood at each time point. A significant effect of experimental conditions on Hp, SAA and WBC was observed. In particular, this effect was found 24 hr after transport for Hp and SAA and after 48 hr for WBC. Application of a linear regression model showed a high correlation between WBC and Hp and SAA. Lairage in a slaughterhouse represents a stressful condition that can compromise animal welfare and meat quality. Monitoring of SAA with the highest sensitivity and specificity could be a useful marker of welfare condition in this period.     

Development of a minor groove binding probe based real-time PCR for the diagnosis and quantification of Leishmania infantum in dog specimens

A new quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay based on Taqman® technology and minor groove binding (MGB) probe was developed for the diagnosis of leishmaniosis and quantification of Leishmania infantum DNA in infected dogs. This method was based on the amplification of a 122 bp fragment of the highly conserved kDNA minicircles of L. infantum. The reaction was performed using the StepOnePlus™ system with StepOne software™. This assay was able to detect the presence of protozoan parasite DNA in amounts as low as 0.03 parasites per reaction. The standard curve designed for the quantification of parasites showed linearity over seven log DNA concentration range with a correlation coefficient >0.999 and both intra- and inter-assay variability demonstrated the high efficiency and reproducibility of the assay. The qPCR also proved to be successfully applicable to different clinical samples including blood, bone marrow, lymph node aspirates and conjunctival swabs.     

Comparison of gel column agglutination with monoclonal antibodies and card agglutination methods for assessing the feline AB group system and a frequency study of feline blood types in northern Italy

Background: A new commercial gel column agglutination system is reported to have high sensitivity in detecting cats with blood type AB. Objectives: The aims of this study were to compare gel column agglutination and card agglutination methods for feline blood‐typing and to determine the frequency distribution of feline blood types in northern Italy. Methods: Blood‐typing was performed on 120 cats using both a commercial gel column containing monoclonal antibodies (ID Gel‐Test Micro Typing System) and a card agglutination method (RapidVet‐H Feline). Results were confirmed with back‐typing. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were calculated for the 2 methods. A second group of 140 Domestic Shorthair (DSH) cats was blood‐typed using the gel column technique to determine the frequency distribution of feline blood types in northern Italy. Results: The card agglutination method demonstrated poor sensitivity in identification of type‐AB cats (61%) and was only 95% specific when identifying type‐B cats. The gel column agglutination technique demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity for typing all 3 blood types (A, B, and AB). The frequency distribution study of 140 cats demonstrated that 127 (90.7%) cats were type A, 10 (7.1%) were type B, and 3 (2.1%) were type AB. Conclusion: When blood‐typing cats of breeds with a relatively high frequency of blood types B and AB, methods that use monoclonal antibodies for detection of blood types B and AB are recommended. Alternatively, blood type can be confirmed by more sensitive supplemental testing, such as back‐typing. The high frequency of blood type A in DSH cats in northern Italy was comparable to previously reported frequencies in Italy and world‐wide.     

Detection of Leishmania amastigotes in peripheral blood from four dogs--Short communication

The authors carried out microscopic examination of blood smears of 1438 dogs infected with Leishmania infantum. Unusual findings of leishmaniosis associated with circulating parasitised cells are described in four dogs. Most of the dogs presented severe illness, with lethargy, dysorexia, emaciation and alterations of the haematological pattern (anaemia, thrombocytopenia, neutrophilia and monocytosis). In three cases, leishmaniosis was associated with ehrlichiosis. On examination of peripheral blood smears, Leishmania sp. amastigotes were observed both in various circulating leukocytes (neutrophil, monocyte, macrophage) and free. In conclusion, parasites can rarely be detected in blood smears (in 0.28% of the animals examined); thus, the time-consuming microscopic search for amastigotes can make only a weak contribution to the conventional diagnosis of canine leishmaniosis.