66 research outputs found
Recovery of Staphylococcus aureus from Centrifuged Quarter Milk Samples
No full textThe identification of cows that are positive for mastitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus is difficult under field conditions. The frequency of isolation of S. aureus from quarter milk samples was compared with the frequency of recovery of S. aureus from sediment after centrifugation of those same samples. Overall, 776 quarter milk samples from 194 cows were studied. Cultures that were positive for S. aureus were obtained from 82 samples; 153 sediments from quarter milk samples were also positive for S. aureus. The results of this investigation showed that cultures of the sediment of quarter milk samples increased the number of positive outcomes up to 145.5%, depending on the herd. Using a different group of samples, including samples taken 1 to 5 d or 7 to 10 d after calving and samples taken after intramammary therapy, a 94% increase in cultures that were positive for S. aureus after centrifugation was found compared with cultures of the same quarter milk samples that were not centrifuged. Sedimented cultures may be useful in S. aureus control programs that require the segregation, selective treatment, or culling of cows that are positive for S. aureus
Study on prevalence of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) antibodies in 29 Italian dairy herds with reproductive problems
No full textAn epidemiological survey on prevalence distribution of antibodies to BVDV was carried out in dairy cattle herds during 1995-1996 in northern Italy. A total of 704 serum samples from 29 non-vaccinated herds reported to have reproductive problems were tested for serum neutralising antibodies. In each herd, sampling was based on the stratification by age into five classes (< 6 months old calves, 6-12 months old calves, pregnant heifers, uniparous, pluriparous). Overall, 53.3% of samples were serologically positive, with the lowest ratio in 6-12 months old calves (37.9%) and the highest in pluriparous cows (71.2%)
A preliminary investigation on the relationship of the biochemical and pathogenic characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus strains isolated from cases of clinical mastitis. Indagini Preliminari sulla relazione tra caratteristiche biochimiche ed attivita' patogena di ceppi di Staphylococcus aureus isolati da mastiti cliniche
No full textThe results showed a significant relationship between some phenotypic characteristics of S. aureus and cellular response and antibiotic sensitivity
Doses of capecitabine and oral vinorelbine are not relevant for efficacy in breast cancer patients: an analysis of dose intensity
No full textBackground. The combination of capecitabine and vinorelbine is a valuable regimen in metastatic breast cancer treatment, even in pretreated patients. Patients and methods. Forty-one pretreated consecutive patients were treated with capecitabine, 1000 mg/m(2), twice daily, for two of three weeks, and vinorelbine, given orally at a dose of 60 mg/m(2), days 1 and 8 in three-week cycles. Results. A total of 301 courses was given, with a median of 8 courses (range, 3-13). Median dose intensity of capecitabine was 75% of the planned dose and for vinorelbine it was 72%. We observed 18 partial response (43.9%), 15 stable disease (36.6%), and 8 progressive disease (19.5%). Median progression-free survival was 9 months (range, 1-22) and median overall survival was 27.2 months (range, 4-40). Overall response rate (complete + partial response) was not statistically different between patients who received more or less than the median dose intensity of capecitabine and vinorelbine, and there was no difference in overall survival or progression-free survival. Conclusions. Capecitabine and oral vinorelbine is an effective and well-tolerated "all-oral" regimen for advanced breast cancer patients. The use of lower doses than those currently recommended should be not detrimental in terms of efficacy
Predictive factors of docetaxel (D) toxicity in daily clinical practice. A monoinstitutional experience
No full text
A long-term in vitro wear study of a new advanced nanocomposites materials.
No full textThe use of ceramic-on-ceramic (alumina- and zirconia-based) couplings in hip joint prostheses has been reported to produce lower wear rates than other combinations (i.e. metal-on-polyethylene and ceramic-on-polyethylene). The addition of zirconia into an alumina matrix (zirconia-toughened alumina, ZTA) has been reported to result in an enhancement of flexural strength, fracture toughness and fatigue resistance. The development of new processing routes in non-aqueous media has allowed to obtain high density ZTA nanocomposites with a very homogeneous microstructure and a significantly narrower particle size distribution of zirconia than conventional powder mixing methods.
The aim of the present study was to set up and validate a new ZTA nanocomposite by testing its biocompatibility and wear behaviour in a hip joint simulator in comparison with commercial alumina and experimental alumina specimens.
The primary osteoblast proliferation onto ZTA nanocomposite samples was found to be not significantly different from that onto commercial alumina samples. After seven million cycles no significant differences were observed between the wear behaviours of the three sets of cups. In this light, it can be affirmed that ZTA nanocomposite materials can offer the option of improving the lifetime and reliability of ceramic joint prostheses
Proposta di realizzazione di un software "open source" per la gestione delle immagini digitali
No full textThe digital system introduction in Veterinary Medicine is a continuous grow up phenomenon, but born in the single operative sphere, without a group project of platform integration. The absence of any HIS-RIS-PACS integration strategy results in a big time, means and human resource waste, as information are hard to access and share, remaining within the system that have generated.1 In connection with so called “Open Source” spirit, was established to get a digital information system management in order to ensure cooperation, creating suitable programs capable to export any kind of information in an open format by means of non proprietary interfaces and compatible with any system, according to I.H.E. (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise) philosophy, with great benefit for the whole scientific community. The Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) initiative defines such a consensus effort and framework for integrating information systems in a healthcare environment. The IHE technical framework defines, , a common information model and a common vocabulary for systems to use in communicating medical information. It then specifies how DICOM and HL7 are to be used by information systems to complete a set of well-defined transactions that accomplish a particular task. At the same time, the framework provides a common human vocabulary that professionals and vendors can use to discuss further problems concern this natur
The molecular defect of albumin Castel di Sangro: 536 Lys----Glu.
No full textAlbumin Castel di Sangro is a rare fast-moving variant of human serum albumin which has been discovered in heterozygous form in the serum of an 85-year-old woman living in Castel di Sangro (Abruzzo, Italy). Isoelectric focusing analysis of CNBr fragments from the purified variant allowed us to localize the mutation in fragment CNBr VI (residues 447-548). This fragment was isolated on a preparative scale and subjected to tryptic digestion. Sequential analysis of the abnormal tryptic peptide, purified by reverse-phase and cation-exchange HPLC, revealed that the variant arises from the substitution of lysine 536 by glutamic acid. This amino acid replacement, probably due to a single-base substitution in the structural gene, causes a change in the net charge of -2 units, which is in keeping with both the increased electrophoretic mobility of the native protein and the isoelectric point of the modified CNBr fragment
New Insights into Hormonal Therapies in Uterine Sarcomas
No full textUterine sarcoma (US) is a rare mesenchymal malignant cancer type, accounting for 3–7% of uterine malignancies. US prognosis is still poor due to high local and distant recurrence rates. As for molecular features, US may present variable oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) expressions, mostly depending on histotype and grading. Surgery represents the mainstay of treatment for early-stage disease, while the role of adjuvant chemotherapy or local radiotherapy is still debated and defined on the basis of histotype, tumour grading and stage. In metastatic setting, uterine sarcomas’ treatment includes palliative surgery, a metastases resection, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy and targeted therapy. As for the chemotherapy regimen used, drugs that are considered most effective are doxorubicin (combined with ifosfamide or alone), gemcitabine combined with docetaxel and, more recently, trabectedin or pazopanib. Hormonal therapies, including aromatase inhibitors (AIs), progestins and gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues (GnRH-a) may also represent an effective option, in particular for low-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (LGESS), due to their favourable toxicity profile and patients’ compliance, while their role is still under investigation in uterine leiomyosarcoma (uLMS), high-grade endometrial stromal sarcoma (HGESS), undifferentiated uterine sarcoma (USS) and other rarer US. The present review aims to analyse the existing evidence and future perspectives on hormonal therapies in US, in order to clarify their potential role in daily clinical practice
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