Consensus Statement on Animals’ Relationship with Pediatric Oncohematological Patients, on Behalf of Infectious Diseases and Nurse Working Groups of the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology

: Contact with animals in pediatric oncohematologic patients is associated with many benefits, but the risk of contracting zoonoses, even if low, must be considered by clinicians. In order to assess the awareness about this topic, we surveyed the Italian pediatric oncohematology centers, which resulted in heterogeneous responses. The Infectious Diseases Working Group and the Nurse Working Group of the Italian Association of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, together with veterinarians from the National Federation of Italian Veterinarians, drew up a consensus document to unify the indications to be given to families with the aim of guaranteeing a safe interaction between patients and animals and improving the collaboration of clinicians with veterinarians and families

Enhanced engraftment and repairing ability of human adipose-derived stem cells, conveyed by pharmacologically active microcarriers continuously releasing HGF and IGF-1, in healing myocardial infarction in rats

One of the main cause of ineffective cell therapy in repairing the damaged heart is the poor yield of grafted cells. To overcome this drawback, rats with 4-week-old myocardial infarction (MI) were injected in the border zone with human adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) conveyed by poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microcarriers (PAMs) releasing hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) (GFsPAMs). According to treatments, animals were subdivided into different groups: MI_ADSC, MI_ADSC/PAM, MI_GFsPAM, MI_ADSC/GFsPAM, and untreated MI_V. Two weeks after injection, a 31% increase in ADSC engraftment was observed in MI_ADSC/PAM compared with MI_ADSC (p < 0.05). A further ADSC retention was obtained in MI_ADSC/GFsPAM with respect to MI_ADSC (106%, p < 0.05) and MI_ADSC/PAM (57%, p < 0.05). A 130% higher density of blood vessels of medium size was present in MI_ADSC/GFsPAM compared with MI_ADSC (p < 0.01). MI_ADSC/GFsPAM also improved, albeit slightly, left ventricular remodeling and hemodynamics with respect to the other groups. Notably, ADSCs and/or PAMs, with or without HGF/IGF-1, trended to induce arrhythmias in electrically driven, Langendorff-perfused, hearts of all groups. Thus, PAMs releasing HGF/IGF-1 markedly increase ADSC engraftment 2 weeks after injection and stimulate healing in chronically infarcted myocardium, but attention should be paid to potentially negative electrophysiological consequences

Combined antiretroviral therapy reduces hyperimmunoglobulinemia in HIV-1 infected children

Objective: To evaluate the effect of combined antiretroviral therapy on serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels in HIV-1 perinatally infected children. Methods: Data from 1250 children recorded by the Italian Register for HIV Infection in Children from 1985 to 2002 were analysed. Since Ig levels physiologically vary with age, differences at different age periods were evaluated as differences in z-scores calculated using means and standard deviations of normal population for each age period. Combined antiretroviral therapy has become widespread in Italy since 1996, thus differences in Ig z-scores between the periods 1985-1995 and 1996-2002 were analysed. Data according to type of therapeutic regimen were also analysed. Results: Between the two periods 1985-1995 and 1996-2002, significant (P < 0.0001) decreases in IgG (6.29 ± 4.72 versus 4.44 ± 4.33), IgM (9.25 ± 13.32 versus 5.61 ± 7.93), and IgA (10.25 ± 15.68 versus 6.48 ± 11.56) z-scores, together with a parallel significant (P < 0.0001) increase in CD4 T-lymphocyte percentages, were found. These decreases were confirmed regardless of whether the children were receiving intravenous Ig or not. Ig z-scores were significantly higher in children receiving mono-therapy than in those receiving double-combined therapy (IgC, P < 0.0001; IgM, P = 0.003; IgA, P = 0.031) and in the latter children than in those receiving three or more drugs (P < 0.0001 for all z-scores). Ig z-scores correlated inversely with CD4 T-lymphocyte percentages and, directly, with viral loads. Conclusions: Our data show that in HIV-1 infected children combined antiretroviral therapy leads to reduction of hyperimmunoglobulinemia which parallels restoration of CD4 T-lymphocyte percentage and viral load decrease, which it turn probably reflects improved B-lymphocyte functions. © 2004 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

Aspetti tecnici dello svezzamento dei suini

Vengono esaminate le tecniche adottate per lo svezzamento e l'epoca nel quale esso viene attuato, nonch\ue8 le ripercussioni sulla produttivit\ue0 annua delle scrofe e sulle performances dei suinett

Effetti della presenza di amidi idrolizzati in diete di svezzamento per suinetti sulla utilizzazione digestiva di alcuni principi alimentari

La ricerca è stata condotta su 4 gruppi di suinetti svezzati precocemente (20 giorni circa) e mirava a studiare la digeribilità in vivo di diete contenenti maltodestrine e/o destrosio / With a research carried out on early weaned piglets the effects of the presence in the diets of dextrose and partially hydrolyzed starch (maltodextrins), either alone or together, on the digestive utilization of some nutrients were evaluated

Utilizzazione zootecnica degli effluenti di distilleria: determinazione dell’energia metabolizzabile e della digeribilità di diete contenenti borlanda di melasso di bietola concentrata (BMBC) su polli da carne

Su 80 polli maschi Hubbard di 21 giorni di età sono state determinate l'energia metabolizzabile e la digeribilità della sostanza secca, della sostanza organica e dell'azoto di diete di controllo e di diete contenenti il 7% di borlanda di melasso di bietola concentrata (BMBC) al 63% di sostanza secca

Aggiunta di aminoacidi ed oligopeptidi a diete per suinetti. Nota 2. Effetti sulla digeribilità apparente di alcuni principi alimentari

Le prove di digeribilità sono state condotte su 15 suinetti svezzati precocemente (21 giorni circa) sottoposti a raccolta grab-sampling delle feci, utilizzando come indicatore il sesquiossido di cromo / The apparent digestibility coefficients of some nutrients related to the addition of small quantities of amino acid and oligopeptide pools to balanced diets were determined on 15 piglets weaned 21 days old, by means of grab-sampling of the faeces and chromic oxide as indicator

A CASE OF ACCIDENTAL IRON POISONING

Drugs containing iron are one of the most serious causes of poisoning in children younger than five years. No evidence exists to document a clear relationship between the dose ingested and the severity of intoxication. We present the case of a 2 year old girl who complained, as the only symptom, of abdominal pain after the ingestion of 10 tablets of ferrous salt about 60 mg/kg. This clinical summarizes the management of accidental ingestion of iron by children