Genital tract involvements in a bull affected by bovine besnoitiosis

Objective To describe the gross and histopathological testicular lesions observed in a 14-months.old Limousine bull, imported from France and referred for thickening of the skin and enlargement of the testis and finally diagnosed as affected by Besnoitiosis. The diagnosis was confirmed by histological investigation of skin sampled via biopsy. Materials and Methods Gross examination and histological investigation were carried out on the reproductive tract of the bull sampled during slaughtering. The considered parts were skin of the scrotum, testis, testicular coverings, epididymis, penis, and penis retractor muscle. These tissue were fixed in 10% buffered formalin, embedded in paraffin wax, and processed for histological investigation. Results Gross examination showed: thickening and lichenification of the scrotal skin (a), visible cysts at the level of the testicular coverings (b), preputial mucosa (c), hyperemia of the right testis (d). The main microscopical finding was the presence of several Besnoitia. spp cysts in the skin and subcutaneous tissue of the scrotum, in the testicular coverings as well as in the testicular tubules (e), and epididymis. (f) The Besnoitia spp. cysts ranged in size from 250 to 300 μm in diameter. They had a 10-20 μm thick wall with three layers: an outer hyaline layer, a middle layer with host cells cytoplasm and nuclei, and an inner membrane with the parasitophorous vacuole containing typical 7.0×2.0 μm basophilic banana-shaped Besnoitia spp. Bradyzoites. Plasmocytic and histiocytic inflammatory reaction, with sparse eosinophilic granulocytes infiltration were observed around some broken cysts. Numerous Besnoitia spp. cysts were also observed in the cross section of the penis (g) and the penis retractor muscle (h). A moderate inflammatory response, composed by macrophages, eosinophils and scattered lymphocytes, was seen near and around the cysts. Discussion and conclusions The presence of cysts and its secondary inflammatory reactions may explain the impaired fertility that has been already described in the case of Besnoitiosis. Potential explanations may be: • interference with normal spermatogenesis by the cysts in the interstitial spaces and under the epithelial cells in the seminiferous tubules; • direct pressure on the germinal epithelial cells by the cysts that can cause pressure atrophy of epididymal and/or testicular tissues; • reduction of the blood flow, local testicular necrosis and development of fibrotic foci due to the inflammation caused by the cysts in the blood vessel walls of the testis and pampiniform plexus, with repercussion on the seminiferous tubule health; • abnormal thermoregulation of the testis due to the thickened scrotum; • abnormal thermoregulation of the testis due to vascular lesions in pampiniform plexus provokiong testicular degeneration; • tissutal fibrosis due to the inflammatory reaction to the presence of the cysts

Tamoxifen in treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a randomised controlled trial

Background Results from small randomised trials on tamoxifen in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are conflicting, We studied whether the addition of tamoxifen to best supportive care prolongs survival of patients with HCC. Methods Patients with any stage of HCC were eligible, irrespective of locoregional treatment. Randomisation was centralised, with a minimisation procedure accounting for centre, evidence of disease, and time from diagnosis. Patients were randomly allocated best supportive care alone or in addition to tamoxifen, Tamoxifen was given orally, 40 mg per day, from randomisation until death. Results 496 patients from 30 institutions were randomly allocated treatment from January, 1995, to January, 1997. Information was available for 477 patients. By Sept 15, 1997, 119 (50%) of 240 and 130 (55%) of 237 patients had died in the control and tamoxifen arms, respectively. Median survival was 16 months and 15 months (p=0.54), respectively, No differences were found within subgroups defined by prognostic variables. Relative hazard of death for patients receiving tamoxifen was 1.07 (95% CI 0.83-1.39). Interpretation Our findings show that tamoxifen is not effective in prolonging survival of patients with HCC

Hospitalizations in Pediatric and Adult Patients for All Cancer Type in Italy: The EPIKIT Study under the EU COHEIRS Project on Environment and Health

The EPIKIT (Epidemiology of Cancer in Italy) Study Group is a result of the COHEIRS project (Civic Observers for Health and Environment: Initiative of Responsibility and Sustainibility), funded by the Europe for Citizens Program 2013–2014 to address the issue of Precautionary Principle applicatio

Cytological features of mandibular actinomycotic osteomyelitis in a cow

The aim of this short communication is to describe the cytopathological features of the actinomycotic osteomyelitis suspected in right mandible of a 30-month-old female Friesian cow. May Gr\ufcnwald-Giemsa (MGG) stained cytological samples revealed hypercellularity, neutrophils, erythrocytes, osteoclasts, macrophages or epithelioid cells, few lymphocytes and fibroblasts and, at high magnification, microscopic \u201csulphur granules\u201d. After cytological diagnosis, histopathological examination was not performed, but microbiological investigations confirmed the presence of Actinomyces bovis. The report emphasizes the usefulness of fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB), which is a safe, easy, fast, effective, inexpensive and minimally invasive diagnostic technique. FNAB can be considered useful to differentiate actinomycotic lesions from neoplastic disorders of bone

Retroperitoneal pulmonary choristoma in a newborn calf

A newborn male Romagnola calf, who had died a few hours after birth, was submitted for postmortem examination. Necropsy revealed a 23 cm x 22 cm x 5 cm, pale pink, lobulated, elastic, partially fluctuant mass that protruded from the dorsal retroperitoneal space into the abdominal cavity, extending from the diaphragm to the left kidney. The mass consisted of mature pulmonary tissue and was consistent with a pulmonary choristoma. The gross and microscopic appearance of this rare tumor-like congenital lesion and the possible pathogenesis are discussed

Cytological diagnosis of mandibular salivary gland adenocarcinoma in a dog

A case of mandibular salivary gland adenocarcinoma in a 9 year old female dog is described. Material collected by fine needle aspiration underwent cytological examination and after the diagnosis of salivary carcinoma the mass was surgically excised and then was processed for histological examination. The aim of this work is to describe the cytopathological features of this carcinoma and to emphasize the usefulness of fine needle aspiration technique, which is an effective, inexpensive and minimally invasive method of diagnosis that can be performed before incisional biopsy or even before surgical excision

Aspetti clinico-patologici delle metastasi di un carcinoma a cellule squamose del quinto dito in un cane

Un Labrador Retriever nero, maschio, di nove anni, sottoposto a visita clinica ed esami radiografici ed ecografici per una zoppia a carico dell\u2019arto posteriore sinistro, rivela una tumefazione sottocutanea in posizione caudo-laterale del terzo medio della gamba. Indagini citologiche confermano il sospetto diagnostico di metastasi di un carcinoma a cellule squamose del quinto dito. Su richiesta del proprietario, che rifiuta l\u2019amputazione, il cane viene sottoposto, inizialmente a una cura omotossicologia, e, successivamente, a eutanasia e a successive indagini autoptiche e istopatologiche per l\u2019aggravarsi delle condizioni generali di salute. Gli autori descrivono il protocollo seguito sottolineando la particolarit\ue0 della localizzazione metastatica