(BoAHV-1) infection is common in cattle worldwide. However, information on the spread of BoAHV-1-circulating strains in Italy remains limited. In this study, we investigated an outbreak characterized ...by severe respiratory symptoms in a cattle herd (
= 30) located in Central Italy. BoAHV-1 was isolated from three cattle in a cell culture, which confirmed viral infection. Next, we characterized one (16453/07 TN) of the three isolates of BoAHV-1 using whole-genome sequencing. BLASTn and phylogenetic analysis revealed a nucleotide identity >99% with all BoAHV-1 strains belonging to subtype 1.1, highlighting the genetic stability of the virus. This study reports the first full genomic characterization of a BoAHV-1 isolate in Italy, enriching our understanding of the genetic characteristics of the circulating BoAHV-1 strain in Italy.
Seronegative latent carriers (SNLCs) are animals that carry the virus without detectable antibodies and pose a risk for disease transmission and diagnostic challenges, suggesting the importance of ...consideration of marker vaccines in managing them. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated two modified live infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) marker vaccines (single and double deletions) for their ability to generate SNLC calves. These vaccines were administered to four groups (n = 3 in each group) of three-month-old calves in the presence or absence of passive immunity. Three hundred days after the first vaccination and after confirming the IBR seronegativity of all animals, dexamethasone was administered intravenously for five consecutive days. Only animals immunized with the modified live IBR marker vaccine (single deletion) in the absence of passive immunity exhibited a more enduring immune response than those vaccinated in the presence of passive immunity. Moreover, the administration of a modified live IBR marker vaccine (double deletion) to calves with passive immunity generated SNLC. These findings underscore the potential of live IBR marker vaccine (double-deletions) to aid serological diagnostic tools and develop vaccination protocols in achieving the desired immune response, particularly in the context of latent carrier status, offering valuable insights into optimizing vaccination strategies for effective IBR control.
Bovine alphaherpesvirus-1 (BoAHV-1) infection is common in cattle worldwide. However, information on the spread of BoAHV-1-circulating strains in Italy remains limited. In this study, we investigated ...an outbreak characterized by severe respiratory symptoms in a cattle herd (n = 30) located in Central Italy. BoAHV-1 was isolated from three cattle in a cell culture, which confirmed viral infection. Next, we characterized one (16453/07 TN) of the three isolates of BoAHV-1 using whole-genome sequencing. BLASTn and phylogenetic analysis revealed a nucleotide identity >99% with all BoAHV-1 strains belonging to subtype 1.1, highlighting the genetic stability of the virus. This study reports the first full genomic characterization of a BoAHV-1 isolate in Italy, enriching our understanding of the genetic characteristics of the circulating BoAHV-1 strain in Italy.
The excessive use of caesarean section (CS) is an issue that is at the core of the political and healthcare management debate. This concern is particularly relevant for low-risk pregnancies, which ...does not theoretically require CS. Indeed, in Robson's classification, group 1 and 3 are considered at low-risk and in these groups, CS rate should be near to zero. The aim of the present work was to evaluate whether the non-compliance with guidelines by WHO is correlated to the increase in the rate of CS in Robson's class 1 and 3 in low-risk pregnancies.
A retrospective patient record study carried out in two hospitals of the northern Italy was used.
Admission in active phase of labour and one-to-one care significantly decreased the likelihood of CS. On the contrary, an unjustified amniorrhexis and oxytocin administration increased the rate of CS. Other considered variables, instead, had not significant effect on CS rate. ROC curve on the computed risk index indicated a discrete sensibility and specificity, and that the better cut-off was up to 1.
This research confirms the importance of one-to-one midwifery in management of low-risk pregnancy and labour. Moreover, it stress the risk that an excessive medicalization of low-risk pregnancy can drive to "unnatural" CS.
Bovine alphaherpesvirus-1 (BoAHV-1) infection is common in cattle worldwide. However, information on the spread of BoAHV-1-circulating strains in Italy remains limited. In this study, we investigated ...an outbreak characterized by severe respiratory symptoms in a cattle herd (n = 30) located in Central Italy. BoAHV-1 was isolated from three cattle in a cell culture, which confirmed viral infection. Next, we characterized one (16453/07 TN) of the three isolates of BoAHV-1 using whole-genome sequencing. BLASTn and phylogenetic analysis revealed a nucleotide identity >99% with all BoAHV-1 strains belonging to subtype 1.1, highlighting the genetic stability of the virus. This study reports the first full genomic characterization of a BoAHV-1 isolate in Italy, enriching our understanding of the genetic characteristics of the circulating BoAHV-1 strain in Italy.
Hyperhomocysteinemia is recognized as a risk factor for several diseases, including cardiovascular and neurological conditions. Homocysteine (HCys) is a key metabolite involved in the biosynthesis ...and metabolism of methionine (Met), which plays a pivotal role in the physiological cell's life cycle. The biochemistry of Met is finely regulated by several enzymes that control HCys concentration. Indeed, balanced activity among the enzymes is essential for the cell's well-being, while its malfunction could raise HCys concentration which can lead to the onset of several pathological conditions. The HCys concentration increase seems to be caused mainly by the widely diffused polymorphisms of several enzymes. Nowadays, a blood test can easily detect elevated concentrations of HCys, referred to as Hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCys). Prolonged exposure to this condition can lead to the onset of cardiovascular disease and can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, stroke, inflammatory syndromes like osteoporosis and rheumatism, as well as neuronal pathologies including Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. In this review, we analyzed the literature of several pathological conditions in which the molecular pathways of HHCys are involved. Interestingly, several observations indicate that the calibrated assumption of correct doses of vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and betaine may control HHCys-related conditions.
Background
There have been several calls for estimations of costs and consequences of headache interventions to inform European public-health policies. In a previous paper, in the absence of ...universally accepted methodology, we developed headache-type-specific analytical models to be applied to implementation of structured headache services in Europe as the health-care solution to headache. Here we apply this methodology and present the findings.
Methods
Data sources were published evidence and expert opinions, including those from an earlier economic evaluation framework using the WHO-CHOICE model. We used three headache-type-specific analytical models, for migraine, tension-type-headache (TTH) and medication-overuse-headache (MOH). We considered three European Region case studies, from Luxembourg, Russia and Spain to include a range of health-care systems, comparing current (suboptimal) care versus target care (structured services implemented, with provider-training and consumer-education). We made annual and 5-year cost estimates from health-care provider and societal perspectives (2020 figures, euros). We expressed effectiveness as healthy life years (HLYs) gained, and cost-effectiveness as incremental cost-effectiveness-ratios (ICERs; cost to be invested/HLY gained). We applied WHO thresholds for cost-effectiveness.
Results
The models demonstrated increased effectiveness, and cost-effectiveness (migraine) or cost saving (TTH, MOH) from the provider perspective over one and 5 years and consistently across the health-care systems and settings. From the societal perspective, we found structured headache services would be economically successful, not only delivering increased effectiveness but also cost saving across headache types and over time. The predicted magnitude of cost saving correlated positively with country wage levels. Lost productivity had a major impact on these estimates, but sensitivity analyses showed the intervention remained cost-effective across all models when we assumed that remedying disability would recover only 20% of lost productivity.
Conclusions
This is the first study to propose a health-care solution for headache, in the form of structured headache services, and evaluate it economically in multiple settings. Despite numerous challenges, we demonstrated that economic evaluation of headache services, in terms of outcomes and costs, is feasible as well as necessary. Furthermore, it is strongly supportive of the proposed intervention, while its framework is general enough to be easily adapted and implemented across Europe.
Background
Health economic evaluations support health-care decision-making by providing information on the costs and consequences of health interventions. No universally accepted methodology exists ...for modelling effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of interventions designed to close treatment gaps for headache disorders in countries of Europe (or elsewhere). Our aim here, within the European Brain Council’s Value-of-Treatment project, was to develop headache-type-specific analytical models to be applied to implementation of structured headache services in Europe as the health-care solution to headache.
Methods
We developed three headache-type-specific decision-analytical models using the WHO-CHOICE framework and adapted these for three European Region country settings (Luxembourg, Russia and Spain), diverse in geographical location, population size, income level and health-care systems and for which we had population-based data. Each model compared current (suboptimal) care vs target care (delivered in accordance with the structured headache services model). Epidemiological and economic data were drawn from studies conducted by the Global Campaign against Headache; data on efficacy of treatments were taken from published randomized controlled trials; assumptions on uptake of treatments, and those made for Healthy Life Year (HLY) calculations and target-care benefits, were agreed with experts. We made annual and 5-year cost estimates from health-care provider (main analyses) and societal (secondary analyses) perspectives (2020 figures, euros).
Results
The analytical models were successfully developed and applied to each country setting. Headache-related costs (including use of health-care resources and lost productivity) and health outcomes (HLYs) were mapped across populations. The same calculations were repeated for each alternative (current vs target care). Analyses of the differences in costs and health outcomes between alternatives and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios are presented elsewhere.
Conclusions
This study presents the first headache-type-specific analytical models to evaluate effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of implementing structured headache services in countries in the European Region. The models are robust, and can assist policy makers in allocating health budgets between interventions to maximize the health of populations.
The identification of lung tumor-initiating cells and associated markers may be useful for optimization of therapeutic approaches and for predictive and prognostic information in lung cancer ...patients. CD133, a surface glycoprotein linked to organ-specific stem cells, was described as a marker of cancer-initiating cells in different tumor types. Here, we report that a CD133⁺, epithelial-specific antigen-positive (CD133⁺ESA⁺) population is increased in primary nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) compared with normal lung tissue and has higher tumorigenic potential in SCID mice and expression of genes involved in stemness, adhesion, motility, and drug efflux than the CD133⁻ counterpart. Cisplatin treatment of lung cancer cells in vitro resulted in enrichment of CD133⁺ fraction both after acute cytotoxic exposure and in cells with stable cisplatin-resistant phenotype. Subpopulations of CD133⁺ABCG2⁺ and CD133⁺CXCR4⁺ cells were spared by in vivo cisplatin treatment of lung tumor xenografts established from primary tumors. A tendency toward shorter progression-free survival was observed in CD133⁺ NSCLC patients treated with platinum-containing regimens. Our results indicate that chemoresistant populations with highly tumorigenic and stem-like features are present in lung tumors. The molecular features of these cells may provide the rationale for more specific therapeutic targeting and the definition of predictive factors in clinical management of this lethal disease.
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