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Objective: Older patients with cancer value functional outcomes as much as survival, but surgical studies lack functional recovery (FR) data. The value of a standardized frailty assessment has been confirmed, yet it's infrequently utilized due to time restrictions into everyday practice. The multicenter GOSAFE study was designed to (1) evaluate the trajectory of patients' quality of life (QoL) after cancer surgery (2) assess baseline frailty indicators in unselected patients (3) clarify the most relevant tools in predicting FR and clinical outcomes. This is a report of the study design and baseline patient evaluations. Materials & Methods: GOSAFE prospectively collected a baseline multidimensional evaluation before major elective surgery in patients (70 years) from 26 international units. Short-/mid-/Iong-term surgical outcomes were recorded with QoL and FR data. Results: 1003 patients were enrolled in a 26-month span. Complete baseline data were available for 977(97.4%). Median age was 78 years (range 70-94); 52.8% males. 968(99%) lived at home, 51.6% without caregiver. 54.4% had 3 medications, 5.9% none. Patients were dependent (ADL < 5) in 7.9% of the cases. Frailty was either detected by G8 = 2(37.4%), TUG > 20 s (5.2%) or ASAIII-IV (48.8%). Major comorbidities (CACI > 6) were detected in 36%; 20.9% of patients had cognitive impairment according to Mini-Cog. Conclusion: The GOSAFE showed that frailty is frequent in older patients undergoing cancer surgery. QoL and FR, for the first time, are going to be primary outcomes of a real-life observational study. The crucial role of frailty assessment is going to be addressed in the ability to predict postoperative outcomes and to correlate with QoL and FR. (C) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The control of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) is mainly based on the use of drugs, grazing management, use of copper oxide wire particles and bioactive forages. Resistance to anthelmintic drugs in small ruminants is documented worldwide. Host genetic resistance to parasites, has been increasingly used as a complementary control strategy, along with the conventional intervention methods mentioned above. Genetic diversity in resistance to GIN has been well studied in experimental and commercial flocks in temperate climates and more developed economies. However, there are very few report outputs from the more extensive low-input/output smallholder systems in developing and emerging countries. Furthermore, results on quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with nematode resistance from various studies have not always been consistent, mainly due to the different nematodes studied, different host breeds, ages, climates, natural infections versus artificial challenges, infection level at sampling periods, among others. The increasing use of genetic markers (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, SNPs) in GWAS or the use of whole genome sequence data and a plethora of analytic methods offer the potential to identify loci or regions associated nematode resistance. Genomic selection as a genome-wide level method overcomes the need to identify candidate genes. Benefits in genomic selection are now being realised in dairy cattle and sheep under commercial settings in the more advanced countries. However, despite the commercial benefits of using these tools, there are practical problems associated with incorporating the use of marker-assisted selection or genomic selection in low-input/output smallholder farming systems breeding schemes. Unlike anthelmintic resistance, there is no empirical evidence suggesting that nematodes will evolve rapidly in response to resistant hosts. The strategy of nematode control has evolved to a more practical manipulation of host-parasite equilibrium in grazing systems by implementation of various strategies, in which improvement of genetic resistance of small ruminant should be included. Therefore, selection for resistant hosts can be considered as one of the sustainable control strategy, although it will be most effective when used to complement other control strategies such as grazing management and improving efficiency of anthelmintics currently.

In goats, classical genetic studies reported a large number of alleles at the Agouti locus with effects on coat color and pattern distribution. From these early studies, the dominant A(Wt) (white/tan) allele was suggested to cause the white color of the Saanen breed. Here, we sequenced the coding region of the goat ASIP gene in 6 goat breeds (Girgentana, Maltese, Derivata di Siria, Murciano-Granadina, Camosciata delle Alpi, and Saanen), with different coat colors and patterns. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified, 3 of which caused missense mutations in conserved positions of the cysteine-rich carboxy-terminal domain of the protein (p.Ala96Gly, p.Cys126Gly, and p.Val128Gly). Allele and genotype frequencies suggested that these mutations are not associated or not completely associated with coat color in the investigated goat breeds. Moreover, genotyping and sequencing results, deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, as well as allele copy number evaluation from semiquantitative fluorescent multiplex PCR, indicated the presence of copy number variation (CNV) in all investigated breeds. To confirm the presence of CNV and evaluate its extension, we applied a bovine-goat cross-species array comparative genome hybridization (aCGH) experiment using a custom tiling array based on bovine chromosome 13. aCGH results obtained for 8 goat DNA samples confirmed the presence of CNV affecting a region of less that 100 kb including the ASIP and AHCY genes. In Girgentana and Saanen breeds, this CNV might cause the A(Wt) allele, as already suggested for a similar structural mutation in sheep affecting the ASIP and AHCY genes, providing evidence for a recurrent interspecies CNV. However, other mechanisms may also be involved in determining coat color in these 2 breeds.

Objective: Older patients with cancer value functional outcomes as much as survival, but surgical studies lack functional recovery (FR) data. The value of a standardized frailty assessment has been confirmed, yet it's infrequently utilized due to time restrictions into everyday practice. The multicenter GOSAFE study was designed to (1) evaluate the trajectory of patients' quality of life (QoL) after cancer surgery (2) assess baseline frailty indicators in unselected patients (3) clarify the most relevant tools in predicting FR and clinical outcomes. This is a report of the study design and baseline patient evaluations. Materials & Methods: GOSAFE prospectively collected a baseline multidimensional evaluation before major elective surgery in patients (≥70 years) from 26 international units. Short−/mid−/long-term surgical outcomes were recorded with QoL and FR data. Results: 1003 patients were enrolled in a 26-month span. Complete baseline data were available for 977(97.4%). Median age was 78 years (range 70–94); 52.8% males. 968(99%) lived at home, 51.6% without caregiver. 54.4% had ≥ 3 medications, 5.9% none. Patients were dependent (ADL < 5) in 7.9% of the cases. Frailty was either detected by G8 ≤ 14(68.4%), fTRST ≥ 2(37.4%), TUG > 20 s (5.2%) or ASAIII-IV (48.8%). Major comorbidities (CACI > 6) were detected in 36%; 20.9% of patients had cognitive impairment according to Mini-Cog. Conclusion: The GOSAFE showed that frailty is frequent in older patients undergoing cancer surgery. QoL and FR, for the first time, are going to be primary outcomes of a real-life observational study. The crucial role of frailty assessment is going to be addressed in the ability to predict postoperative outcomes and to correlate with QoL and FR.

The aim of this study was to identify genomic regions underlying milk production traits in the Valle del Belice dairy sheep using regional heritability mapping (RHM). Repeated measurements for milk yield (MY), fat percentage and yield (F% and FY) and protein percentage and yield (P% and PY), collected over a period of six years (2006-2012) on 481 Valle del Belice ewes, were used for the analysis. Animals were genotyped with the Illumina 50k SNP chip. Variance components, heritabilities, and repeatability within and across lactations were estimated, fitting parity, litter size, season of lambing, and fortnights in milk, as fixed; and additive genetic, permanent environment within and across lactations, flock by test-day interaction, and residual as random effects. For the RHM analysis, the model included the same fixed and random effects as before, plus an additional regional genomic additive effect (specific for the region being tested) as random. While the whole genomic additive effect was estimated using the genomic relationship matrix (GRM) matrix constructed from all SNPs, the regional genomic additive effect was estimated from a GRM matrix constructed from the SNPs within each region. Heritability estimates ranged between 0.06 and 0.15, with repeatabilities being between 0.14 and 0.24 across lactations and between 0.23 and 0.39 within lactation for all milk production traits. A substantial effect of flock-test-day on milk production traits was also estimated. Significant genomic regions at either genome-wide (P

INTRODUZIONE: l’ernia inguinale è uno dei piu’ comuni problemi chirurgici e spesso pone difficoltà tecniche, anche per il chirurgo esperto. L’ernia di Amyand è un’ernia inguinale all’interno del cui sacco è contenuta l’appendice vermiforme. CASO CLINICO: un uomo di 77 anni giunge alla nostra osservazione per la valutazione di un’ernia inguinale destra ricorrente. Durante l’intervento abbiamo scoperto un raro tipo di ernia di Amyand. Seguendo le linee guida abbiamo eseguito un’ernioplastica inguinale ‘tension-free’ con utilizzo di protesi evitando l’appendicectomia. Il paziente è stato dimesso il primo giorno post-operatorio e ricontrollato dopo 7 giorni in regime ambulatoriale. DISCUSSIONE: descritta per la prima volta da Claudius Amyand (1660-1740), un chirurgo emigrato in Inghilterra ma di origine francese, che eseguì con successo la prima appendicectomia durante un intervento di ernioplastica su un piccolo paziente di 11 anni nel 1735 all’ospedale di St George. L’incidenza dell’ernia di Amyand è dell’1%. L’associazione con un quadro di appendicite è ancora più rara, intorno alla 0,1%. Losanoff e Basson hanno proposto uno schema di classificazione per determinare la gestione chirurgica dell’ernia di Amyand, a seconda che ci si trovi di fronte ad un quadro di appendicite o meno. Nel primo caso è indicata l’appendicectomia evitando l’utilizzo di materiale protesico per la cura dell’ernia. INTRODUCTION: Inguinal hernia is one of the most common surgical entities and often poses technical dilemmas, even for the experienced surgeon. Amyand's hernia is an inguinal hernia; a protrusion of abdominal cavity content through the inguinal canal, with a vermiform appendix. CASE REPORT: A 77 years old Caucasian male was referred to our institution for the evaluation of a recurrent right inguinal hernia. During the surgery, we discovered a rare type I Amyand hernia. Following the guidelines we performed, a prosthetic tension-free inguinal ernioplasty without appendectomy.The patient was discharged on the first post-operative day. The follow-up at 7 days was uneventful. DISCUSSION: First described by Claudius Amyand (1660-1740), a French born English surgeon, who successfully performed the first reported appendectomy for inflamed appendix encountered during herniotomy on an 11 year-old boy in 1735 at St George's hospital.The incidence of Amyand's hernia is between 1%. The association of appendicitis is even rarer and reported to be around of 0.1%. Losanoff and Basson proposed a classification scheme to determine the surgical management of Amyand's hernia, depending on the status of the appendix KEY WORD: Amyand Hernia, Appendix, Elderly.

The aim of this work was to study β-defensin 1 (SBD1) and β-defensin 2 (SBD2) genes in Valle del Belice dairy sheep in order to identify polymorphisms that can be utilized as markers of the analyzed genes, and search for the functional effects and roles of the identified polymorphisms (variation of the amino acid sequence of the protein and stability of mRNA molecule). The study was conducted on 300 randomly selected animals belonging to four flocks. A total of seven SNPs were identified, two in SBD1 and five in SBD2. The two SNPs identified in SBD2 coding region, at position 1659 and position 1667, were non-synonymous, leading to amino acid changes in the protein product. Nevertheless, the functional effects predicted by the two SNPs demonstrated that amino acid substitutions may not have effect on β-defensin 2 protein function. Moreover, we demonstrated that SBD2 mutant sequence shows changes in mRNA secondary structure. These results suggest that identified SNPs could play a role in the modulation of the immune response.

The aims of the present study were to compare estimated breeding values (EBV) for milk yield using different testing schemes with a test-day animal model and to evaluate the effect of different testing schemes on the ranking of top sheep. Alternative recording schemes that use less information than that currently obtained with a monthly test-day schedule were employed to estimate breeding values. A random regression animal mixed model that used a spline function of days in milk was fitted. EBVs obtained with alternative recording schemes showed different degrees of Spearman correlation with EBVs obtained using the monthly recording scheme. These correlations ranged from 0.77 to 0.92. A reduction in accuracy and intensity of selection could be anticipated if these alternative schemes are used; more research in this area is needed to reduce the costs of test-day recording.

Using receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve methodology this study was designed to assess the diagnostic effectiveness of somatic cell count (SCC) and the California mastitis test (CMT) in Valle del Belice sheep, and to propose and evaluate threshold values for those tests that would optimally discriminate between healthy and infected udders. Milk samples (n = 1357) were collected from 684 sheep in four flocks. The prevalence of infection, as determined by positive bacterial culture was 0.36, 87.7% of which were minor and 12.3% major pathogens. Of the culture negative samples, 83.7% had an SCC < 500,000/mL and 97.4% had

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of somatic cell count (SCC) on functional longevity and to estimate the heritability of functional longevity using survival analysis in Valle del Belice dairy sheep. A total of 4,880 lactations of 2,190 ewes from 11 flocks were used. In this study, SCC was considered as an indication of subclinical mastitis. In case of clinical cases, identified by the technicians at milking time, test-day weights and milk samples of those ewes were not considered. Somatic cells were analyzed as counts, without any transformation, and were grouped in 3 classes based on the observed SCC maximum (mxSCC). The mxSCC classes, expressed as 103 cells/mL, were classified as 1 if mxSCC ≤ 500, 2 if 500 < mxSCC < 1,000, and 3 if mxSCC ≥ 1,000. An increase in SCC was associated with an increased hazard of being culled. Ewes in the highest class of SCC on a test-day had a 20% higher hazard of being culled than those in the lowest class. Therefore, SCC played a role in culling decisions of Valle del Belice dairy sheep farmers. The heritability estimate for functional longevity was 7% on the logarithmic scale and 11% on the real scale, indicating that selection for this trait is possible in sheep. The flock-year-season effect explained 19% of the variation on the logarithmic scale and 27% of the variation on the real scale.