1,720,986 research outputs found
Contagious agalactiae: a preliminary study on its impact on milk production of Sicilian sheep
No full textGenetic assessment as preliminary action for conservation of endangered species: preliminary data on Alectoris (Sicilian rock partridge) population in Sicily
No full textPhenotypic and genotypic study on antibiotic resistance and pathogenic factors of staphylococcus aureus isolates from small ruminant mastitis milk in south of italy (Sicily)
Full text linkStaphyloccoccus aureus is the major cause of mastitis in small ruminants in the Mediterranean farms causing severe losses to dairy industry. Antibiotic treatment has been the most common approach to control these infections. Aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial resistance (AMR), virulence factors and biofilm-related genes of 84 Sicilian strains of S. aureus isolated from sheep and goats milk during two different periods δT1 (2006-2009) and δT2 (2013-2015). Kirby Bauer method and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) were utilized to monitor AMR and related genes (mecA, tetK, tetM, ermA, ermC). Moreover, toxin genes (tsst-1, sea-see, seg-sej, and sep) and biofilm genes (bap, ica, sasC) were studied. Twenty-six isolates (30.9%) showed multidrug resistance. The two groups showed similar results with exception for higher values of resistance for tilmicosin and lower for sulfamethoxazole and vancomycin of the second group. MecA gene was detected in one isolate. Tetracycline resistance was higher than 20%, with an increase in δT2 group. Toxin genes were found in 5 isolates (5.9%), belonging of δT2 group, while 57 of isolates (67.8%) showed biofilm related genes. The high presence of multi-resistant isolates suggests the need of more responsible use of antibiotic therapy for the control of these infections
Growth performance in heavy lambs experimentally treated with 17 β-estradiol
Full text linkEuropean and Italian legislation have banned use
of growth promoters in livestock since 1988, but epidemiological
data show that anabolic drugs are still being used
illegally. Recent surveys carried out on the cattle farms in
Northern Italy have confirmed the presence of growthpromoting
hormones. Authors report data on growth performances
in 80 Valle del Belice×Comisana weaned lambs
experimentally treated with 17 beta-estradiol with 0.5 ml
solution of oil Depot Estradiol ® (containing 5 mg of 17β-
estradiol valerate) by intramuscular injection into the thigh.
The experiment was founded by the National Ministry of
Health, to validate histological test for surveillance and
control of growth-promoting hormones in sheep. This study
confirmed the strong correlation between clinical and anatomopathological
features and growth performances of treated
animals. Otherwise, no significant differences were found on in vivo performance of the lambs. Estradiol treatment
showed heavier shoulders and necks on treated lambs,
while the loins were significantly lighter. Moreover, lambestradiol-
treated groups showed lower separable and inseparable
fat percentage than lamb-control groups
HER-2 expression in canine morphologically normal, hyperplastic and neoplastic mammary tissues and its correlation with the clinical outcome
No full textThe proto-oncogene HER-2/neu (c-erbB-2) encodes a transmembrane receptor protein with tyrosine-kinase activity. Previous studies have shown that HER-2 protein over-expression is present in canine mammary tumours, however, possible prognostic and predictive analogies between protein over-expression patterns in canine and human species are still controversial. Thirty-five canine mammary carcinomas, 11 mammary adenomas, and normal, hyperplastic or dysplastic tissues taken at the marginal area of the tumours were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for HER-2 expression, using the Hercept Test ® system scoring guidelines. HER-2 over-expression was detected in 3/11 adenomas and 10/35 carcinomas. Normal, hyperplastic and dysplastic mammary tissues were also found to be positive. The correlations between HER-2 expression and tumour histological grading, mitotic index, the presence of lymphatic invasion, and overall survival (OS) were evaluated. In carcinomas, HER-2 positive status only correlated with the mitotic index. A positive correlation was also found between HER-2 positive status and the presence of HER-2 over-expression in normal, hyperplastic or/and dysplastic mammary tissues surrounding the tumours. The percentage of HER-2 over-expressing tumours was similar to the percentage previously observed in canine benign and malignant mammary tumours. However an investigation regarding morphologically normal and hyperplastic or dysplastic tissues surrounding neoplastic lesions also showed HER-2 over-expression. In contrast with human mammary tumours, this study confirmed that in canine species, HER-2 over-expression does not identify a subgroup of tumours with a poor prognosis. In fact, we found HER-2 over-expression in morphologically non-neoplastic mammary tissues, surrounding hyperplastic and neoplastic lesions
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Determination of milk production losses in Valle del Belice sheep following experimental infection of Mycoplasma agalactiae
No full texttEconomic losses due to contagious agalactia (CA) in small ruminant herds are mainlyassociated with significant reductions in or complete loss of dairy production, mortality,abortions, ill thrift, early culling and costs of control. With the aim of estimating milk pro-duction losses caused by CA, 46 primiparous lactating Valle del Belice ewes were monitoredafter experimental infection. Sixty days after lambing, two ewes were each experimentallyinfected with a single dose of 108CFU/ml of a live Mycoplasma agalactiae strain in both teatsby intracanalicular route. Three days after inoculation, the infection was spread manuallyby the milkers dipping their hands in the pooled milk from the experimentally infectedewes just before milking each of the uninfected sheep. The milk yield was recorded daily(morning and evening) for 12 weeks: 5 weeks before and 7 weeks after infection. Daily milkdata, collected from each ewe, were used to design individual lactation curves in order toestimate the impact of CA infection. Individual milk samples were screened for the presenceof M. agalactiae as well other pathogens which cause mastitis in small ruminants compris-ing Staphylococcus aureus, coagulase negative-staphylococci (CNS), Corynebacterium spp.and Streptococcus spp. No pathogens were detected in the milk of 10 (22%) of the 46 eweskept with the experimentally infected sheep. There was a reduction of 17% in milk out-put of 19 (41%) ewes from which M. agalactiae was isolated; the 17 (37%) remaining eweshad a similar drop in milk production but recovered quickly within 2–3 weeks, so the finallosses were estimated to be 3%. The infected milk showed a significantly higher somaticcell count when mycoplasma excretion in milk was >103CFU/ml. Percentages of milkprotein and casein were higher in milk excreting M. agalactiae due to concentration, in con-trast the percentage of lactose in the milk was significantly lower. No significant effect ofM. agalactiae was found on the percentage of milk fat.In conclusion, the loss of milk following CA infection is variable and probably related tothe degree of exposure and capacity of the individual ewe to resist the pathogen
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