Uncovering the heterogeneity and temporal complexity of neurodegenerative diseases with Subtype and Stage Inference

The heterogeneity of neurodegenerative diseases is a key confound to disease understanding and treatment development, as study cohorts typically include multiple phenotypes on distinct disease trajectories. Here we introduce a machine-learning technique\u2014Subtype and Stage Inference (SuStaIn)\u2014able to uncover data-driven disease phenotypes with distinct temporal progression patterns, from widely available cross-sectional patient studies. Results from imaging studies in two neurodegenerative diseases reveal subgroups and their distinct trajectories of regional neurodegeneration. In genetic frontotemporal dementia, SuStaIn identifies genotypes from imaging alone, validating its ability to identify subtypes; further the technique reveals within-genotype heterogeneity. In Alzheimer\u2019s disease, SuStaIn uncovers three subtypes, uniquely characterising their temporal complexity. SuStaIn provides fine-grained patient stratification, which substantially enhances the ability to predict conversion between diagnostic categories over standard models that ignore subtype (p = 7.18 7 10 124 ) or temporal stage (p = 3.96 7 10 125 ). SuStaIn offers new promise for enabling disease subtype discovery and precision medicine

Igiene e tecnologie del latte, del colostro e dei prodotti derivati

il capitolo tratta l'igiene e tecnologia del latte e dei derivat

SALMONELLA SPP. IN SEVERAL TISSUES AND PIG CARCASSES AND IN SLAUGHTERHOUSES: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the sources of direct and cross-contamination by Salmonella spp. of swine meat at slaughterhouse. The study was carried out in 4 plants of Sardinia, where pigs of different origin (Regional, Nederland, Spain, France) were slaughtered. Two-hundred ninetyfour samples were examined for Salmonella spp.: samples of caecal material, tonsils and limphonodes, carcass and liver, from 67 pigs randomly selected, and 21 environmental samples were collected. A selection of strains were submitted to phenotypical identification (API ID32E) and serotyping (N.R.C. for Salmonellosis). Salmonella spp. was isolated from the 21,4% of samples, both from pigs and environmental samples. The highest prevalence was observed in limphonodes samples (37,3%), whereas the lowest on the carcasses (10,4%). Eight different serotypes were detected, the more common was S. Derby (67%), followed by S. Livingstone (8%) and S. Typhimurium (6,3%). The 8% of the strains were unknown serotype. Our preliminary results confirm the important role of pigs in the diffusion of Salmonella in the slaughterhouses. The recovering of unusual serotypes from liver surfaces and slaughterhouse environments, pointed out the importance of a better Good Slaughtering Practices application by the workers, in order to prevent the possibility of crosscontamination of raw meats