Canine angiostrongylosis: recent advances in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment

Angiostrongylus vasorum is a parasitic nematode affecting the heart and pulmonary arteries of wild (eg, foxes) and domestic canids. The parasite has an indirect life cycle in which slugs and snails act as intermediate hosts. In the last few years the parasite has spread outside the traditional endemic foci, and there is a rise of documented cases of canine angiostrongylosis across Europe. Angiostrongylus vasorum causes cardiopulmonary disorders and coagulopathies, along with different nonspecific clinical signs. Fatal infections are frequently reported. Given the severity of the infection and the recent geographic spreading of the parasite, this article reviews and discusses the current knowledge of A. vasorum, with a special focus on recent insights on diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dog angiostrongylosis

SENTIDO DE PROPRIEDADE EM CRIANÇAS: BASES EVOLUCIONISTAS

El sentido de propiedad refleja la comprensión y el juicio de las personas con respecto a la apropiación y el uso de los recursos disponibles. Desde un enfoque evolutivo, los objetivos de este trabajo fueron realizar un análisis teórico sobre la ontogénesis del sentido de la propiedad, buscando describir los criterios utilizados por los niños para asignar propiedades a alguien y presentar una hipótesis explicativa de que existe una ventaja adaptativa en esta capacidad. Las conclusiones preliminares sugieren que los niños, en diferentes culturas, utilizan criterios variables para emitir juicios e inferencias sobre la posesión y la propiedad, y que el surgimiento temprano de esta habilidad desempeñaría un papel importante en las interacciones sociales, como minimizar los conflictos derivados de disputas de recursos

Canine and feline cardiopulmonary parasitic nematodes in Europe: emerging and underestimated

Cardiopulmonary nematodes of dogs and cats cause parasitic diseases of central relevance in current veterinary practice. In the recent past the distribution of canine and feline heartworms and lungworms has increased in various geographical areas, including Europe. This is true especially for the metastrongyloids Aelurostrongylus abstrusus, Angiostrongylus vasorum and Crenosoma vulpis, the filarioid Dirofilaria immitis and the trichuroid Eucoleus aerophilus (syn. Capillaria aerophila). The reasons of this emergence are little known but many drivers such as global warming, changes in vector epidemiology and movements in animal populations, may be taken into account. The purpose of this article is to review the knowledge of the most important heartworm and lungworm infections of dogs and cats in Europe. In particular recent advances in epidemiology, clinical and control are described and discussed

The age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index as a predictor of survival in surgically treated vulvar cancer patients

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (ACCI) in predicting disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and cancer-specific survival (CSS) among surgically treated patients with vulvar carcinoma. The secondary aim is to evaluate its impact as a predictor of the pattern of recurrence. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated data of patients that underwent surgical treatment for vulvar cancer from 1998 to 2016. ACCI at the time of primary surgery was evaluated and patients were classified as low (ACCI 0-1), intermediate (ACCI 2-3), and high risk (>3). DFS, OS and CSS were analyzed using the Kaplan-Meir and the Cox proportional hazard models. Logistic regression model was used to assess predictors of distant and local recurrence. RESULTS: Seventy-eight patients were included in the study. Twelve were classified as low, 36 as intermediate, and 30 as high risk according to their ACCI. Using multivariate analysis, ACCI class was an independent predictor of worse DFS (hazard ratio [HR]=3.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.54-5.99; p<0.001), OS (HR=5.25; 95% CI=1.63-16.89; p=0.005) and CSS (HR=3.79; 95% CI=1.13-12.78; p=0.03). Positive nodal status (odds ratio=8.46; 95% CI=2.13-33.58; p=0.002) was the only parameter correlated with distant recurrence at logistic regression. CONCLUSION: ACCI could be a useful tool in predicting prognosis in surgically treated vulvar cancer patients. Prospective multicenter trials assessing the role of ACCI in vulvar cancer patients are warranted

Le prime officine di ceramiche figurate nell’Italia Meridionale: l’esempio del Pittore di Brooklyn-Budapest

2014 - 2015The need imposed by new recoveries and recent discoveries in the field of Magna Graecia ceramic leads from many sides to a new reading of old context and to a review of already known material, collected in previous centuries and catalogued by Trendall. Though the importance of the systematization made by the Australian scholar is recognized an ideal starting point for every search on Italiote ceramics, recent critics have emphasized the need for a critical review of his work. Since it cannot be considered as a whole, a critical review must necessarily start from the analysis of small segments that allows gradually to achieve a more comprehensive revision of the whole known production of the West figured vases. The choice of the "Painter of Brooklyn-Budapest" is dictated by the desire to add a contribution to the definition of Metaponto workshops, whose chronological and productive environment is quite clear at present on the basis of the overall study of data coming from the excavations of Kerameikos and Chora. Despite his knowledge of workshops the Amykos, Creusa and Dolon, the painter of Brooklyn-Budapest seems to escape to a well-defined time and place framework. The definition of the atelier proved problematic indeed for Trendall because it was made by the union of two groups, Brooklyn and Budapest, corresponding to two different chronological phases, the first one considered close to the Amykos production, next to the Apulian workshop of Tarporley for some peculiarities, but at the same time also near to the ateliers of Creusa and Dolone . The production of nestorides put towards the end of his career finally lead the scholar to consider the painter as a "wondering craftsman" who would have moved himself to the internal Lucania, specifically between Anzi and Armento, to start a school with many disciples in IV century B.C. As a result of the absence of reliable data from the excavation and of the setting of vases within decontextualized museum collections, it was decided to apply to the Brooklyn-Budapest group examination the typical linguistic method , theorized by Angela Pontrandolfo for her survey of the painted tombs of Paestum and then also experienced by Sebastiano Barresi in his examination of the "Apulian-Lucan" Group Intermediate ceramics and precisely the specimens attributed to the Locri’s painter. It has begun to outline for the workshop a chronological horizon that rises the traditional chronology proposed by Trendall (400 B.C. – 360 B.C.) thanks to the study of forms, which, in some case - for example those of the volute kraters or nestorides - seem to refer to particular areas of diffusion, respectively Peucezia and internal Lucania... [edited by Author]XIV n.s

Felid Cardiopulmonary Nematodes: Dilemmas Solved and New Questions Posed

In the past decade cardiopulmonary nematodes affecting felids have become a core research topic in small animal parasitology. In the late 2000s, an increase in studies was followed by unexpected findings in the early 2010s, which have stimulated research teams to start investigating these intriguing parasites. Prolific scientific debate and exchanges have then fostered field and laboratory studies and epi-zootiological surveys. New data have improved basic and applied knowledge, solved dilemmas and posed new questions. This article discusses the past and present background to felid cardiopulmonary nematodes after the last few years of intense scientific research. New data which have demonstrated the key role of Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior in causing respiratory infections in domestic cats, and on the nil to negligible current importance of other species, i.e., Troglostrongylus subcrenatus, Oslerus rostratus and Angiostrongylus chabaudi, are presented. Biological information and hypothesized alternative routes of infection are analysed and discussed. Novel identification and taxonomical data and issues are reported and commented upon. On the whole, recent biological, ecological and epi-zootiological information on felid meta-strongyloids is critically analysed, with the aim to answer outstanding questions, stimulate future studies, and underline new research perspectives

Termostabilnost topljivih i vezanih peroksidaza iz artičoke te matematički model njihove kinetike inaktivacije

Soluble peroxidases (SP), and ionically (IBP) and covalently (CBP) bound peroxidases were extracted from leaves and edible part of artichoke heads (heart). The peroxidase (POD) forms showed a characteristic electrophoretic pattern; in particular SP and IBP forms showed nearly the same pattern, while CBP was quite different. Several basic and acid POD isoforms were present in SP and CBP forms, whereas in IBP only basic components were found. The thermal stability of different POD forms was tested at different temperatures (70, 80, 90 and 100 °C). The leaf POD forms showed greater heat stability compared to the head ones. The heat sensitivity of three POD forms was different: the bound forms were characterized by a greater heat stability than the soluble form. A series-type mathematical model has been developed to describe the inactivation kinetics of artichoke POD. The activation energies for the three POD forms of artichoke leaves and hearts were estimated by an Arrhenius-type relationship. The second step of the inactivation requires more energy to be carried out in all POD forms, especially in SP and IBP.Iz lišća i jestivog dijela glavice artičoke ekstrahirane su topljive te ionski i kovalentno vezane peroksidaze. Elektroforezom je dobivena karakteristična slika, pri čemu su topljive i ionski vezane peroksidaze imale gotovo isti, a kovalentno vezane sasvim drukčiji raspored. U topljivim i kovalentno vezanim peroksidazama nađeno je nekoliko kiselih i lužnatih izoformi, a u ionski vezanim samo lužnate. Toplinska stabilnost pojedinih peroksidaza ispitana je pri različitim temperaturama (70, 80, 90 i 100 °C). Izoforme iz lišća pokazale su veću termostabilnost od onih iz glavice artičoke. Vezani oblici peroksidaza bili su stabilniji od topljivih. Razvijen je matematički model (series-type mathematical model) za opisivanje kinetike inaktivacije peroksidaza artičoke. Energija aktivacije triju peroksidaza iz lišća i glavice artičoke procijenjena je pomoću Arrheniusova modela, pa je zaključeno da je potrebno utrošiti više energije za provođenje drugog koraka inaktivacije u svim peroksidazama, a osobito u topljivim i ionski vezanim

Efficacy and toxicity of bevacizumab in recurrent ovarian disease: an update meta-analysis on phase III trials

Background: To analyze the efficacy and toxicity of bevacizumab on survival outcomes in recurrent ovarian cancer. Results: Bevacizumab was associated with significant improvement of PFS and OS compared with standard treatment with HRs of 0.53 (95% CI 0.44 - 0.63; p < 0.00001) and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.77 to 0.99; p = 0.03), respectively. Bevacizumab increased the incidence of G3/G4 hypertension (RR 19.01, 95% CI 7.77 - 46.55; p < 0.00001), proteinuria (RR 17.31, 95% CI 5.42 - 55.25; p < 0.00001), arterial thromboembolic events (ATE) (RR 4.99, 95% CI 1.29 - 19.27; p = 0.02) and bleeding (RR 3.14, 95% CI 1.35 - 7.32; p = 0.008). Materials and Methods: Three randomized phase III trials representing 1502 patients were identified. Pooled hazard ratio (HR), odd ratio (OR), risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using fixed or random effects model. Conclusions: Adding bevacizumab to standard chemotherapy improved ORR, PFS and OS, and it had a higher, but manageable, incidence of toxicities graded 3 to 4

Mixed trichuroid infestation in a dog from Italy

Background: Capillaria aerophila, Capillaria boehmi and Trichuris vulpis are trichuroid nematodes affecting wild and companion animals all over the World. The canine intestinal whipworm, T. vulpis, is the most common and wellknown in veterinary practice, whereas the respiratory C. aerophila and C. boehmi have been rarely reported in pets as a likely consequence of overlapping morphometric and morphological features of the eggs, which impair a correct etiological diagnosis. Findings: In December 2011, a mixed infestation by T. vulpis, C. aerophila and C. boehmi was diagnosed in an asymptomatic dog living in central Italy. Morphometric and morphological findings and pictures of the eggs found at the copromicroscopic analysis are herein reported. Conclusions: The present work demonstrates that when trichuroid eggs are found in a faecal sample from a dog, a careful morphological and morphometric analysis of individual parasite elements is mandatory. Key diagnostic features (i.e., size, wall surface pattern and aspects of plugs) should be carefully examined when eggs with overlapping shape and appearance are detected. In conclusion, given the importance in clinical practice of canine trichuroids and the zoonotic potential of C. aerophila, these nematodes should be included into the differential diagnosis of intestinal and respiratory parasitoses of dogs by a thorough microscopic analysis of all trichuroid ova present in microscopic fields