Evaluation of a vaccination protocol and managerial procedures for the prevention of neonatal calf diarrhoea

Neonatal calf diarrhoea is a complex disease mainly caused by Rotavirus, Coronavirus, Escherichia coli F5 and Cryptosporidium parvum. These pathogens are easily found within bovine faeces and environment which is littered with faeces could be a primary source of infection for calves. Often the animals grow up in farms with poor hygienic condition. The collection, management and administration of colostrum is another important aspect primary involved with neonatal calf diarrhoea development. Newborns in fact do not have immunoglobulins and they must take enough quantity of colostrum to ensure a correct supply of antibodies. The goal of this study was to evaluate an operational protocol for prevention of neonatal calf diarrhoea. Data concerning colostrum quality, administration and environment hygiene were collected from 40 farms. Calves serological IgG values were compared before and after the application of the protocol. For this evaluation data from 40 farms were collected. The assessment of clinical signs of diarrhoea and mortality were also performed. The majority of the calves did not have enough IgG levels (<1000mg/dl), meaning that the procedures of colostrum administration were not correctly performed. IgG serological levels reached values above 1000mg/dl in the majority of calves after the application of the measures provided in the protocol, as well as clinical signs and mortality decrease after the adoption of these procedures. In conclusion it was possible to demonstrate that the administration of colostrum is one of the most important aspect related to the development of neonatal calf diarrhoea. Immunization of dams with specific products against Rotavirus, Coronavirus and E. coli F5 can be an useful tool but it must be followed by a good management of colostrum and high level of environmental hygiene

Isolation and characterization of a strain of Lichtheimia corymbifera (ex Absidia corymbifera) from a case of bovine abortion

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Lichtheimia corymbifera (previously Absidia corymbifera) is a filamentous zygomycetes belonging to the order Mucorales and to the family Lichtheimiaceae. Members of genus Lichtheimia spp. are cosmopolitan and ubiquitous in nature. Lichtheimia corymbifera is a recognized agent of diseases in man and animals. In cattle it causes abortion and mastitis. Three cases of bovine abortion occurred in a herd located in the Po Valley. Serological examinations were performed on fetal and mother's blood. One of the aborted fetus was referred to our laboratory. The paper describes the isolation and characterization of Lichtheimia corymbifera from a bovine aborted fetus.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Serological examinations were performed on fetal and mother's blood. Lesions on fetal tissues and placenta leaded the diagnostic suspect towards a mycotic aetiology. Tissues were then put in culture, and at the same time an histological examination was performed, together with bacteriological and virological tests. The isolate from placenta and fetal tissues was identified and characterized by PCR and RFLP, using the ITS region as a target sequence and AclI restriction site within the amplicon to distinguish Lichtheimia corymbifera among the other fungi.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Serological, bacteriological and virological tests gave aspecific results. Histological examination evidenced numerous PAS positive hyphae within the necrotic cotiledons and numerous fungal nonseptate hyphae to the GMS stain. Colonies with typical morphological features of fungi grew up on Sabouraud agar from fetal skin and placenta. On the developed colonies the microscopic examination has shown a large number of nonseptate hyphae and sporangia consistent with Mucorales. PCR and RFLP allowed the identification of the isolate as Lichtheimia corymbifera.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The present report describes the isolation and the molecular characterisation of a fungal isolate from bovine aborted fetus and placenta. The diagnostic protocol allowed to identify and characterise the strain. This is the first isolation in Italy of Lichtheimia corymbifera in a bovine aborted fetus.</p

Clinical, genetic, and pathological features of male pseudohermaphroditism in dog

Male pseudohermaphroditism is a sex differentiation disorder in which the gonads are testes and the genital ducts are incompletely masculinized. An 8 years old dog with normal male karyotype was referred for examination of external genitalia abnormalities. Adjacent to the vulva subcutaneous undescended testes were observed. The histology of the gonads revealed a Leydig and Sertoli cell neoplasia. The contemporaneous presence of testicular tissue, vulva, male karyotype were compatible with a male pseudohermaphrodite (MPH) condition

MEK1/2 regulate normal BCR and ABL1 tumor-suppressor functions to dictate ATO response in TKI-resistant Ph+ leukemia

Resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) remains a clinical challenge in Ph-positive variants of chronic myeloid leukemia. We provide mechanistic insights into a previously undisclosed MEK1/2/BCR::ABL1/BCR/ABL1-driven signaling loop that may determine the efficacy of arsenic trioxide (ATO) in TKI-resistant leukemic patients. We find that activated MEK1/2 assemble into a pentameric complex with BCR::ABL1, BCR and ABL1 to induce phosphorylation of BCR and BCR::ABL1 at Tyr360 and Tyr177, and ABL1, at Thr735 and Tyr412 residues thus provoking loss of BCR's tumor-suppression functions, enhanced oncogenic activity of BCR::ABL1, cytoplasmic retention of ABL1 and consequently drug resistance. Coherently, pharmacological blockade of MEK1/2 induces dissociation of the pentameric MEK1/2/BCR::ABL1/BCR/ABL1 complex and causes a concurrent BCRY360/Y177, BCR::ABL1Y360/Y177 and cytoplasmic ABL1Y412/T735 dephosphorylation thereby provoking the rescue of the BCR's anti-oncogenic activities, nuclear accumulation of ABL1 with tumor-suppressive functions and consequently, growth inhibition of the leukemic cells and an ATO sensitization via BCR-MYC and ABL1-p73 signaling axes activation. Additionally, the allosteric activation of nuclear ABL1 was consistently found to enhance the anti-leukemic effects of the MEK1/2 inhibitor Mirdametinib, which when combined with ATO, significantly prolonged the survival of mice bearing BCR::ABL1-T315I-induced leukemia. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of MEK1/2-inhibitors/ATO combination for the treatment of TKI-resistant leukemia