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Giovanni Canestrini (1835–1900) was the pioneer of arachnology in Italy, who published the first catalogue of Italian spiders and a total of 87 papers in the field. His interests covered almost all the Italian arachnid orders, although in the last part of his life he focused on acarology, in which he became a leading world expert. The remains of Canestrini's arachnological collection deposited in the Zoology Museum of Padova University are represented by spiders (about 850 tubes), mites (438 microscope slides, 115 tubes), harvestmen (120), pseudoscorpions (63), scorpions (19) and solifuges (1). The collection is now part of a large revision project aiming at better understanding and clarifying the scientific heritage of Canestrini, including an inventory of the type material from Canestrini and other European arachnologists who contributed to his collection (e.g., T. Thorell). The first results of the collection revision outlining different arachnid orders and highlighting the occurrence of type material are presented here. Brief historical information on Canestrini and his pupils is also provided.

The species of the genus Pseudoblothrus Beier, 1931 from Italy are revised. Two species are present in this area: P. peyerimhoffi (Simon, 1905) (Piedmont) and P. regalini Inzaghi, 1983 (Lombardy). The following synonymy is proposed: Pseudoblothrus ellingseni (Beier, 1929) is a junior subjective synonym of P. peyerimhoffi (Simon, 1905) (syn. nov.). A key to all species of the genus Pseudoblothrus is provided.

Three new species of the genus Roncus L. Koch, 1873 are described and figured: Roncus gasparoi n.sp. from Corfu (Spilaio Anthropograva), Roncus pieperi n.sp. from Kefalonia (caves Fitidi and Drogarati) and Roncus giachinoi n.sp. from continental Greece, Arkanania (Megalo Spilio).

Zelkova abelicea is an endemic tree growing only on eight mountain stands on the Greek island of Crete. The aim of this study was to determine the structure of the assemblages and analyze the diversity of the arachnid assemblages living on Zelkova abelicea , an endemic tree species in Crete. Material for the analyses was collected from tree trunks, oftentimes covered by bryophytes or lichens. In the examined material, 85 taxa were recorded. The most numerous groups represented in the analyzed material were Acari, including representatives of the orders Mesostigmata (78 ind. of 18 spp.) and Oribatida (1056 ind. of 51 spp.). In the order Mesostigmata the species represented by the highest numbers of specimens were Onchodellus karawaiewi (15 individuals) and Hypoaspisella sp. (13), which is probably a species new to science. In turn, representatives of the order Oribatida were much more numerous, with Zygoribatula exilis (284) and Eremaeus tuberosus (210) being identified in the largest numbers. Among the eight sampled localities, Gerakari (646 ind. and 50 spp.) and Omalos (409 ind. and 43 spp., respectively) had by far the richest assemblages. Statistical analyses confirmed the highly diverse character of the arachnid assemblages at the individual sites, which is a consequence not only of the varied numbers of arachnids found, but also of the presence of very rare species, such as Androlaelaps shealsi , Cosmolaelaps lutegiensis or Hoploseius oblongus . These results highlight the high species diversity of the arachnids found on Z. abelicea but also suggest the lack of connectivity between the isolated and fragmented forest stands on Crete.

Persistent infections caused by Strongyloides stercoralis are probably underestimated in the elderly Italian population. This nematode is unique among helminths: it can last asymptomatically in the host for decades and may present with a broad range of clinical pictures upon reactivation. Misdiagnosis often occurs even when the clinical picture is suggestive. If undetected, this parasitosis can lead to serious consequences when hyperinfection occurs. Herein, we report two peculiar clinical cases of complicated strongyloidiasis with multiple skin lesions. The aim of our report is to lead clinicians to familiarize themselves with skin patterns and clinical features that can suggest a possible underlying strongyloidiasis.

A taxonomic revision and a key to the pseudoscorpion species of Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930so far attributed to the subgenus Ommatoblothrus Beier, 1956from Corsica, Sardinia and mainland Italy are provided. The taxonomic status of the subgenera of Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 is evaluated and the following new synonymies are proposed: Ommatoblothrus Beier, 1956 is a junior subjective synonym of Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 (n. syn.), Heoblothrus Browning, 1965 is a junior subjective synonym of Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 (n. syn.), Pennobisium uri 1988 is a junior subjective synonym of Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 (n. syn.). The following new species are described: Neobisium (Neobisium) corsicum n. sp. (, loc. typ.: Corsica, Corte, Grotte de Valletto), Neobisium (N.) leolatellai n. sp. (, loc. typ.: Latium, Bassiano, Grotta della Cava 384 La/LT), Neobisium (N.) magrinii n. sp. (, loc. typ.: Latium, Coreno Ausonio, Grotta lArnale 871 La/FR), Neobisium (N.) petruzzielloi n. sp. (, loc. typ.: Campania, Avella, Grotta degli Sportiglioni 184 Cp/AV) and Neobisium (N.) vignai n. sp. (, loc. typ.: Latium, Amaseno, Grotta degli Ulivi 474 La/FR). The specimens of five populations from as many caves of the Lepini Mountains are provisionally attributed to Neobisium (N.) sp. aff. patrizii Beier, 1953, and the following new synonymy is proposed: Neobisium patrizii romanum Mahnert, 1980 is a junior subjective synonym of Neobisium patrizii patrizii Beier, 1953 (n. syn.).

Purpose: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic diseases in the world. It is frequently accompanied by high levels of persistent pain, as well as substantial impairments in function and functional capacity. This review aims to systematically analyze the changes in proprioception and related mechanoreceptors in OA patients., Methods: Studies from September 2013 to September 2023 were identified by conducting searches on the PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus electronic databases following the PRISMA statement. One reviewer independently assessed and screened the literature, extracted the data, and graded the studies. The body of evidence underwent an evaluation and grading process using the ROBINS-I tool, which was specifically designed to assess the risk of bias in non-randomized studies of interventions. Results were summarized using descriptive methods., Results: A search through 37 studies yielded 14 clinical studies that were ultimately included. The primary focus of the studies was on the knee joint, particularly the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The studies found that PCL in OA patients had impaired proprioceptive accuracy, possibly due to changes in mechanoreceptors (Ruffini, Pacini, and Golgi Mazzoni corpuscles). This suggests that dysfunctional articular mechanoreceptors, especially in severe cases of OA, may contribute to reduced proprioception. Dynamic stabilometry also identified significant proprioceptive deficits in patients with knee articular cartilage lesions, underscoring the impact of such lesions on knee proprioception., Conclusions: Literature data have shown that proprioceptive accuracy may play an important role in OA, particularly in the knee PCL and cartilage. However, the role of proprioception and related mechanoreceptors needs to be further clarified. Future studies focusing on the relationship between proprioception, OA disease, and symptoms, considering age and gender differences, and exploring OA joints other than the knee should be conducted to improve clinical and surgical outcomes in cases where proprioception and mechanoreceptors are impaired in OA patients.

Purpose of the Study: We assessed the prevalence of S. stercoralis in a cohort of inpatients with invasive bacterial infections of enteric origin to investigate whether the parasite may facilitate these bacterial infections even in the absence of larval hyperproliferation., Methods: We performed a prospective cross-sectional study in a hospital in northern Italy. Subjects admitted due to invasive bacterial infection of enteric origin and potential previous exposure to S. stercoralis were systematically enrolled over a period of 10 months. S. stercoralis infection was investigated with an in-house PCR on a single stool sample and with at least one serological method (in-house IFAT and/or ELISA Bordier). Univariate, bi-variate and logistic regression analyses were performed., Results: Strongyloidiasis was diagnosed in 14/57 patients (24.6%; 95% confidence interval 14.1-37.8%) of which 10 were Italians (10/49, 20.4%) and 4 were migrants (4/8, 50.0%). Stool PCR was performed in 43/57 patients (75.4%) and no positive results were obtained. Strongyloidiasis was found to be significantly associated (p ≤ 0.05) with male gender, long international travels to areas at higher endemicity, deep extra-intestinal infectious localization and solid tumors. In the logistic regression model, increased risk remained for the variables deep extra-intestinal infectious localization and oncologic malignancy., Conclusions: Our findings suggest a new role of chronic strongyloidiasis in favoring invasive bacterial infections of enteric origin even in the absence of evident larval dissemination outside the intestinal lumen. Further well-designed studies should be conducted to confirm our results, and possibly establish the underlying mechanisms., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Calcaneal fractures (CF) are the most common tarsal fractures, representing up to 75% of foot fractures and 2% of all fractures. The aim of this retrospective study is to analyze fixation with Kirschner wires through a mini-invasive approach and dedicated plate and screws through an extended approach at long-term follow-up., Materials and Methods: Patients were radiographically and clinically evaluated at final follow-up, by using the validated American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot score for the clinical-functional assessment, the Short-Form 12 (SF-12) for the physical and psychological domain assessment, and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain., Results: In total, 38 patients (42 CF) met the inclusion criteria and were retrospectively evaluated and divided into two groups (Kirschner group and plate group) consisting of 19 patients each. The overall mean follow-up was 59.4 ± 11.8 months. The average values of the post-operative clinical outcomes of the two groups KG and PG were, respectively, 70.7 ± 11.9 and 70.1 ± 10.9 (AOFAS), 45.7 ± 6.8 and 46.5 ± 10.8 (SF-12 PCS), 54.7 ± 9.9 and 50.9 ± 11.8 (SF-12 MCS) at the final follow-up., Conclusions: The present study showed that in the cases analyzed, the two surgical approaches used for the treatment of CF achieved comparable clinical outcomes. The only substantial difference found between the two groups of patients was the re-intervention rate that afflicted them.

The aim of this work was to investigate the possibility to industrially produce fermented sausages without the addition of nitrate and nitrite. Indeed, despite their antimicrobial effect and multiple technological roles, an increasing pressure for their removal has recently raised. To achieve this goal while maintaining an acceptable final product quality, we deeply modified the whole process, that was carried out at 10-15 °C (i.e., temperatures lower than traditional Mediterranean products) and by using bioprotective starter cultures at high concentrations (7 log CFU/g) to lead the fermentation. Different glucose amounts (0.2 or 0.4 % w/w) were also tested to optimize the process. The results showed no significant differences between the control (with nitrate/nitrite) and the sausages without preservatives in terms of a w (value range 0.908-0.914), weight loss (about 38% in all samples), lactic acid bacteria (value range 8.1-8.3 log CFU/g) and coagulase negative cocci (value range 6.8-7.1 log CFU/g). The amount of sugar affected the final characteristics of sausages. Indeed, in the absence of curing salts, lower sugar concentration resulted in better textural features (reduced hardness and gumminess) and lower oxidation (TBARS values 0.80 vs. 1.10 mg MDA/kg of meat product in samples with 0.2% or 0.4% of glucose, respectively). Finally, challenge tests evidenced the inability of selected strains of Listeria innocua, Salmonella enterica sub. enterica and Clostridium botulinum to grow, under the adopted conditions, in fermented sausages. This research highlighted that nitrate/nitrite removal from these meat products requires accurate technological changes to guarantee the final quality., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The addition of intravenous quinine (IVQ) to intravenous artesunate (IVA) has been recently suggested by World Health Organization  in areas where artemisinin resistance is highly prevalent. Since IVA is not yet widely available as "Good Manufacturing Practices" product, for several years combination treatment with IVA and IVQ was used in some Italian centers to mitigate the legal risks in using an unlicensed drug., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was designed to compare IVA + IVQ and IVA treatment for imported severe malaria. We collected data from three Italian centers. Adult and pediatric cohorts were analyzed separately., Results: Forty-nine patients treated with IVA and 44 with IVA + IVQ were enrolled, 45 were adults and 48 children. All acquired malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the adult cohort, median of fever clearance time (FCT) was similar in both groups (48 h vs 48 h, p = 0.19) but number of patients who reached apyrexia within 48 h (FCT48) was higher in IVA group (20/24, 83.3% vs 8/17, 47%, p = 0.002). The parasite clearance time (PCT) measure did not differ (median 48 h vs 48 h, p = 0.669). In the pediatric cohort, FCT did not differ in the two groups (median 30 vs 48 h, p = 0.50) while PCT was longer in IVA + IVQ group (median 72 vs 48 h, p = 0.002). Adverse events (AEs) in adults were more common in the combination treatment group (6/19, 31.58% vs 2/26, 7.69%, p = 0.055)., Conclusion: IVA + IVQ treatment did not show better outcome with respect to IVA monotherapy. AEs were more frequent in the IVA + IVQ group compared to the monotherapy. Further studies are necessary to investigate whether IVA + IVQ could be an efficient strategy to treat severe malaria cases in areas at high risk of artemisinin resistance., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Purpose of Review: The aim of this article is to review the most recent evidences concerning mycobacterial skin infections, limiting the period of literature research to 2020--2021., Recent Findings: Mycobacterial skin infections include a heterogeneous group of cutaneous diseases.Cutaneous tuberculosis is usually the result of hematogenous dissemination or spread from underlying foci and it must be distinguished from tuberculids, resulting from the immunological reaction to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens. Leprosy prevalence was drastically reduced after introduction of multidrug therapy in the 1980 s, but cases are still reported due to underdiagnosis, and animal and environmental reservoirs. Recent advances concentrate in the diagnostic field. Specific guidelines for the treatment of nontuberculous mycobacteria skin infections are missing and surgical procedures may be required. Prognosis is better as compared to nontuberculous mycobacteria lung disease. Rapid laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of Buruli ulcer may be achieved by the IS2404 PCR. Among new drugs, telacebec is promising in terms of potency, shorter duration and tolerability in animal studies. A clinical trial in humans is planned., Summary: Mycobacterial cutaneous lesions are nonpathognomonic and clinical suspicion must be confirmed by culture or molecular detection. Long-course multidrug treatment is required based on susceptibility tests. Surgical intervention may also be required. Rehabilitation and psychosocial support reduce long-term physical and mental consequences mostly in Buruli ulcer and leprosy., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Sarcoptic mange is considered the main driver of demographic declines occurred in the last decades in Iberian ibex ( Capra pyrenaica ) populations. Mass treatment campaigns by administration of in-feed acaricides are used as a measure to mitigate the impact of mange in the affected populations. However, there are no data on ivermectin (IVM) pharmacokinetics in this wild caprine, and the treatment through medicated feed is not endorsed by evidence on its effectiveness. The aim of this study is to determine the pharmacokinetic profile of IVM in plasma samples of ibexes after the experimental oral administration of IVM, using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with automated solid phase extraction and fluorescence detection. A dose of 500 μg of IVM per body weight was orally administered in a feed bolus to nine healthy adult ibexes (seven males and two females). Blood samples were collected by jugular venipuncture into heparin-coated tubes at day 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 15, and 45 post-administration (dpa). The highest plasma concentration of IVM (Cmax = 3.4 ng/ml) was detected 24 h after the oral administration (T1), followed by a rapid decrease during the first week post-administration. Our results reveal that plasma IVM concentration drops drastically within 5 days of ingestion, questioning the effectiveness of a single in-feed dose of this drug to control sarcoptic mange. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study on plasma availability of oral IVM in ibexes and in any wild ungulate species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Moroni, Granados Torres, López-Olvera, Espinosa Cerrato, Ráez Bravo, Mentaberre, Fandos, Pazzi, Romagnoli, Gardini, Rossi, Valldeperes, Serrano, Ramos and Odore.)

In cattle, phenobarbital (PB) upregulates target drug-metabolizing enzyme (DME) mRNA levels. However, few data about PB's post-transcriptional effects are actually available. This work provides the first, and an almost complete, characterization of PB-dependent changes in DME catalytic activities in bovine liver using common probe substrates and confirmatory immunoblotting investigations. As expected, PB increased the total cytochrome P450 (CYP) content and the extent of metyrapone binding; moreover, an augmentation of protein amounts and related enzyme activities was observed for known PB targets such as CYP2B, 2C, and 3A, but also CYP2E1. However, contradictory results were obtained for CYP1A, while a decreased catalytic activity was observed for flavin-containing monooxygenases 1 and 3. The barbiturate had no effect on the chosen hydrolytic and conjugative DMEs. For the first time, we also measured the 26S proteasome activity, and the increase observed in PB-treated cattle would suggest this post-translational event might contribute to cattle DME regulation. Overall, this study increased the knowledge of cattle hepatic drug metabolism, and further confirmed the presence of species differences in DME expression and activity between cattle, humans, and rodents. This reinforced the need for an extensive characterization and understanding of comparative molecular mechanisms involved in expression, regulation, and function of DMEs.

Background: COVID-19 and its related anti-inflammatory treatment (steroids, immunomodulators) may induce the reactivation of latent bacterial, parasitic, and viral infections. According to our knowledge, no case of disseminated HHV-8-related Kaposi sarcoma (KS) after COVID-19 and its treatment has been described so far. Only one case of cutaneous KS concurrently with COVID-19 has been previously reported., Case Presentation: We describe a case of disseminated KS in a 61-year-old immunocompetent Albanian man after hospitalization for COVID-19., Methods for Literature Research: We used PubMed as biomedical database for the literature research. We selected keyword combinations including "Kaposi sarcoma," "HHV-8," "immunocompetent," "COVID-19," "SARS-CoV-2," and "steroids." No time or language limitation was set. Titles and abstracts of selected articles were systematically screened. Articles were included in the examination if they were published under free access through the digital library of the University of Brescia (Italy), and provided full text. Articles were excluded if the topic was beyond the aim of our study. Finally, we selected 15 articles., Results: We describe a case of KS in COVID-19 patient and postulate that Interleukin-6 (IL-6) activity and steroid-induced immunodeficiency may play a major role in KS emergence. No published case of disseminated KS following COVID-19 in otherwise healthy individuals was found through the systematic literature review, despite the high incidence of COVID-19 in areas with medium-high prevalence of HHV-8 infection. This observation might be explained by the role of individual genetic susceptibility factors., Conclusions: SARS-CoV-2 infection and its treatment may lead to reactivation of several latent infections, including HHV-8 and its related clinical syndrome, Kaposi sarcoma., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The up-to-date literature suggests that the compost-bedded pack barn housing system is capable of remarkably improving productive and reproductive performance, as well as health status and welfare, in dairy cattle. However, there is currently limited knowledge available on the endocrine and biochemical changes in animals housed in such alternative systems. Therefore, this study aimed to measure blood cortisol (COR) and beta-endorphins (BE) in 22 two-year-old primiparae Fleckvieh cows, who were randomly allotted to the following two different housing systems: CB ( n = 11) and FB ( n = 11). Blood samples were collected at the beginning of the experiment (T0) and every two months thereafter (T1, T2, and T3). The COR and BE were measured through an immunoenzymatic kit. With the only exception being T0, no differences were observed over time between the two groups, neither for COR nor for BE. However, the blood cortisol levels of the CB cows decreased over time, while a T1 peak was identified in the FB group. On the contrary, both the housing systems displayed numerically higher BE at T3 than at the other experimental times. Therefore, the overall data suggest that the compost-bedded pack barn did not significantly affect the studied parameters. Accordingly, cow welfare should be assessed using a wider panel of animal-based indicators.

Background: Pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (pNTM) infection is mainly acquired through the inhalation of bioaerosols. Nevertheless, behavioural restrictions are rarely given by clinicians to susceptible populations, in part because the available guidelines for pNTM management emphasize more diagnosis and treatment than prevention. Aim of this review is to clarify if pNTM prevention should routinely include recommendations about risk reducing behaviors., Methods: We used PubMed as biomedical database. We limited our search to the publication period 2000 to 2020 with selected keyword combinations including "nontuberculous mycobacteria", "water", "soil", and "exposure". Titles and abstract of selected articles were systematically screened. Articles were included in the analysis if they were published under free access through the digital library of the University of Brescia (Italy), and provided full text either in English, French, German or Italian. Articles were excluded if the topic was beyond the aim of our study. Finally, we selected 20 articles., Results: Studies disagree in identifying the type of aerosol posing the highest risk for the development of pNTM infection. In the retrieved publications the colonization of household niches has been associated with a higher risk of pNTM disease, such as in the exposure to shower aerosols. Considering the non-household settings, the exposure to aerosols in indoor swimming and the higher soil exposure (>2 h/week) seem to correlate with a higher risk to develop pNTM disease. According to our findings, randomized behavioural intervention studies are missing., Conclusions: Stringent scientific evidence is missing to formulate recommendations on behavioural risk reduction for pNTM., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The emergence SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 and early 2020 has caused a pandemic of unprecedented proportions. Management of COVID-19 became emergent public health priorities, and the impact on other public health initiatives, such as expanded HIV screening and linkage to care, remain largely unknown. In this Single-Center retrospective observational study, we describe the characteristics and circumstance of the new HIV cases during 2020 compared to 2019. We observed a decrease of HIV diagnosis during this period. Interestingly, median age at HIV diagnosis decreased of one decade and percentage of female patients was higher. In addition, more patients received diagnosis during hospitalization and more AIDS-defining conditions, such as Pneumocystis pneumonia, were detected. We express our concern that HIV new diagnoses will increase as a result of people's inability to get tested or treated in this period. More efforts are needed to improve local screening programs both during and after COVID-19 pandemic.

A taxonomic revision and a key to the Chthonius C.L. Koch, 1843 species of the ischnocheles group from Italy, with records from neighbouring countries, are provided. The following new species are described: Chthonius gallettii n. sp. (♂, locus typicus: Sicily, Ragusa Province, Ragusa, Grotta delle Lame 6009 Si/RG), Chthonius gentianae n. sp. (♂, Veneto, Treviso Province, Fregona, Pian del Cansiglio, Bus della Genziana 1000 V/TV), Chthonius herminii n. sp. (♂♀, Veneto, Treviso Province, Cavaso del Tomba, Costalunga, Speoncia del Diaol 1811 V/TV); Chthonius inguscioi n. sp. (♂♀, Apulia, Lecce Province, Presicce, Grotta Madonna della Rutta 533 Pu/LE), Chthonius lanai n. sp. (♂♀, Piedmont, Cuneo Province, Bernezzo, Pertus d'la Kassetta 1323 Pi/CN), Chthonius marciai n. sp. (♂, Sardinia, Nuoro Province, Dorgali, Grotta del Bue Marino 12 Sa/NU) and Chthonius nicolosii n. sp. (♂♀, Sicily, Catania Province, Nicolosi, Grotta Lunga 1029 Si/CT). The following new subjective synonymies are proposed: Chthonius malatestai Callaini, 1980 n. syn. of C. agazzii Beier, 1966; Chthonius ruffoi Caporiacco, 1951 n. syn. of C. densedentatus Beier, 1938; Chthonius mingazzinii Callaini, 1991 n. syn. of C. euganeus Gardini, 1991; Obisium megachelum Amary, 1840 n. syn. of C. ischnocheles (Hermann, 1804); Chthonius dalmatinus Hadži, 1930 n. syn. of C. ischnocheles (Hermann, 1804); Chthonius litoralis Hadži, 1933 n. syn. of C. ischnocheles (Hermann, 1804); Chthonius rhodochelatus Hadži, 1937 of C. ischnocheles (Hermann, 1804) (rest. syn.). Chthonius horridus Beier, 1934 (n. stat.) is upgraded from subspecies of C. doderoi Beier, 1930 and Chthonius reductus Beier, 1939 (n. stat.) from subspecies of C. ischnocheles (Hermann, 1804). A lectotype is designated for Chthonius rayi L. Koch, 1873. Twenty-eight species of Chthonius of the ischnocheles group are known at present from Italy, of which three are endemic to Sicily and two to Sardinia. New country records are established for Chthonius alpicola Beier, 1951 (Croatia and Slovenia); Chthonius guglielmii Callaini, 1986 (mainland France), Chthonius halberti Kew, 1916 and Chthonius ilvensis Beier, 1963 (Corsica); Chthonius pygmaeus Beier, 1934 (Switzerland), and Chthonius densedentatus Beier, 1938 (France, Italy, Switzerland, Slovenia, Croatia, Albania and Greece).

Background: Brescia Province, northern Italy, was one of the worst epicenters of the COVID-19 pandemic. The division of infectious diseases of ASST (Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale) Spedali Civili Hospital of Brescia had to face a great number of inpatients with severe COVID-19 infection and to ensure the continuum of care for almost 4000 outpatients with HIV infection actively followed by us. In a recent manuscript we described the impact of the pandemic on continuum of care in our HIV cohort expressed as number of missed visits, number of new HIV diagnosis, drop in ART (antiretroviral therapy) dispensation and number of hospitalized HIV patients due to SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this short communication, we completed the previous article with data of HIV plasmatic viremia of the same cohort before and during pandemic., Methods: We considered all HIV-patients in stable ART for at least 6 months and with at least 1 available HIV viremia in the time window March 01-November 30, 2019, and another group of HIV patients with the same two requisites but in different time windows of the COVID-19 period (March 01-May 31, 2020, and June 01-November 30, 2020). For patients with positive viremia (PV) during COVID-19 period, we reported also the values of viral load (VL) just before and after PV., Results: the percentage of patients with PV during COVID-19 period was lower than the previous year (2.8% vs 7%). Only 1% of our outpatients surely suffered from pandemic in term of loss of previous viral suppression., Conclusions: Our efforts to limit the impact of pandemic on our HIV outpatients were effective to ensure HIV continuum of care.

A checklist is presented comprising 42 species in 21 genera and 10 families of the arachnid order Pseudoscorpiones from Albania. Two taxa are identified only to the genus level - Neobisium Chamberlin, 1930 and Roncus L. Koch, 1873. The checklist was constructed according to available published data, material deposited in the Natural History Museum in Vienna and newly collected material. Individual families contained the following numbers of species: Chthoniidae (8), Neobisiidae (13), Garypinidae (1), Geogarypidae (2), Olpiidae (1), Cheiridiidae (1), Atemnidae (1), Cheliferidae (7), Chernetidae (7) and Withiidae (1). Sixteen species and four families (Garypinidae, Cheiridiidae, Atemnidae, Withiidae) are recorded for the first time in Albania - Chthonius jonicus Beier, 1931, C. rhodochelatus Hadži, 1933, C. tenuis L. Koch, 1873, Ephippiochthonius serbicus (Hadži, 1937), E. tuberculatus (Hadži, 1937), Amblyolpium dollfusi Simon, 1898, Geogarypus italicus Gardini, Galli and Zinni, 2017, Apocheiridium ferum (Simon, 1879), Atemnus syriacus (Beier, 1955), Beierochelifer peloponnesiacus (Beier, 1929), Hysterochelifer cyprius (Beier, 1929), H. meridianus (L. Koch, 1873), Rhacochelifer peculiaris (L. Koch, 1873), Dinocheirus panzeri (C.L. Koch, 1837), Lamprochernes chyzeri (Tömösváry, 1883) and Withius piger (Simon, 1878). Moreover, A. dollfusi and G. italicus are newly recorded from the Balkans. Data on European distribution, habitat preferences and taxonomic considerations are reported. The Albanian pseudoscorpion fauna is compared with that of other Balkan countries.

Background: Short-term exposure to high Particulate Matter (PM) concentrations worsens several respiratory conditions., Objectives: We evaluated the relationship between short-term exposure to Particulate Matter and fine Particulate Matter (PM10 - PM2.5) and Emergency Department (ED) admissions and hospitalizations for COPD exacerbation observed at the University Hospital, Spedali Civili of Brescia, a city with some of the highest yearly levels of air pollution in Italy., Methods: We collected data from patients admitted to the ED with a COPD exacerbation diagnosis, starting from January 2014 to January 2016. Daily PM levels were collected from the Environmental Protection Regional Agency (ARPA). We performed a time-series analysis using the Poisson regression model with single and multiple day-lag. Results were expressed as Relative Risk (RR) and Excess of Relative Risk (ER) for COPD exacerbation-related ED admissions and hospitalizations, over a 10μg/m3 increase in PM concentration., Results: We collected data from 431 COPD patients. Both PM10 and PM2.5 were significantly associated with the risk of COPD exacerbation-related ED admission and hospitalization. Each increase of 10μg/m3 of PM10 and PM2.5 corresponded respectively to a RR for ED admissions of 1.06 and 1.08 at lag0-1; 1.06 and 1.09 at lag0-5 (p < 0.05). Similar results for COPD Exacerbation-related hospitalizations were found, with a RR of 1.07 and 1.10 at lag0-1 and 1.07 and 1.11 at lag0-5 for each increase of 10μg/m3 PM10 and PM2.5, respectively., Conclusions: Our findings show that in a highly polluted city of Northern Italy, short-term increase in exposure to PM10-PM2.5 is associated with a higher risk of ED admission and hospitalization due to COPD exacerbation with a greater incidence during the winter season., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Zaragozachthonius siculus n. gen. n. sp. is described from Sicily and Z. karamanianus (Hadži, 1937) (n. comb.), originally described from Macedonia, is newly recorded from central-southern Italy and Sicily. Relationships of the genus Zaragozachthonius among the other Chthonius-related genera sensu Zaragoza (2017), are discussed and a diagnostic key is proposed.

Objective: Carriage of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B*57:01 allele increases the risk of abacavir hypersensitivity reaction. Therefore, since 2008 HIV treatment guidelines recommend HLA-B*57:01 screening before abacavir administration, greatly reducing hypersensitivity reaction rate. However, clinically suspected abacavir-related hypersensitivity reactions are described in allele non-carriers. Major aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between HLA-B*57:01 pattern and abacavir-related hypersensitivity reaction, focusing on hypersensitivity reaction prevalence in allele non-carriers., Methods: We included all outpatients aged >18 years old with HIV infection and known HLA-B*57:01 pattern, followed at our Department from January 2000 until December 2017. Patients were divided according to HLA-B*57:01 pattern and first antiretroviral treatment prescribed (containing or not abacavir) as follows: HLA-B*57:01 allele carriers treated with abacavir and HLA-B*57:01 allele non-carriers treated with abacavir. We considered all adverse events reported during first abacavir administration, differentiating between confirmed hypersensitivity reactions and non-hypersensitivity reactions, according to abacavir hypersensitivity reaction definition included in the abacavir EU Summary of Product Characteristics and the US Prescribing Information., Results: A total of 3144 patients had a known HLA-B*57:01 pattern. About 5.4% of them showed allele polymorphism; Caucasian ethnicity was the most represented. In this cohort, 1801 patients were treated with a first abacavir-containing regimen (98.2% of them was represented by allele non-carriers). 191 out of 1801 patients discontinued abacavir because of toxicity/intolerance; among them 107 described adverse events fulfilled the criteria of confirmed abacavir hypersensitivity reaction (22/32 allele-positive patients and 85/1769 allele-negative patients). After having experienced a confirmed abacavir hypersensitivity reaction, abacavir was re-administered to eight HLA-B*57:01 negative patients. Seven of them re-experienced a syndrome consistent with hypersensitivity reaction, finally leading to drug discontinuation. Overall, no fatal reactions were described., Conclusion: Not all abacavir-related side effects occur as a result of classic HLA-B*57:01-mediated hypersensitivity reaction, as they can develop irrespective of HLA-B*57:01 status. Clinical vigilance must be an essential part of the management of individuals starting abacavir, at any time during treatment. In a 'real-life' setting, clinical diagnosis of suspected abacavir hypersensitivity reaction in allele non-carriers remains crucial for further clinical decision making.

Canine aggression is a major concern, affecting millions of people worldwide, and treatment can be challenging even for skilled veterinarians. Empiric use of fluoxetine is sometimes attempted, although few data regarding long-term effects in aggressive dogs are available. The aim of the study was to investigate clinical effectiveness of fluoxetine (1.5 mg/kg/die PO) combined with a behavior modification program for treatment of canine dominance-related aggression. Circulating levels of fluoxetine, norfluoxetine, and serotonin (5-HT) were also measured. Eight dogs with a diagnosis of dominance aggression (owner-directed) were enrolled. Before treatment (T0), and after one (T1), two (T2), four (T3), and six (T4) months of fluoxetine administration, clinical outcomes were graded using a five-point frequency scale (0-4), and blood samples were collected to measure fluoxetine/norfluoxetine (high-performance liquid chromatography) and 5-HT (ELISA) levels. Following treatment, a decrease in behavioral test scores was observed at T1-T4. Increasing concentrations of circulating fluoxetine and norfluoxetine were measured throughout the follow-up. Correlation between norfluoxetine levels and clinical scores was observed at T4. Starting from T1, a significant decrease in 5-HT levels was observed. Our data suggest that fluoxetine (1.5 mg/kg/day) when associated with behavior treatment is effective in controlling canine aggression over a six-month period, and that, in dogs norfluoxetine levels seem reliable in predicting clinical efficacy.