Search

The milk production is strongly influenced by the dairy cow welfare related to a good nutrition and the analysis of the digestibility of feeds allows us to evaluate the health status of the animals. Through faeces' visual examination it is possible to estimate the quality of diet fed in terms of lacking in fibre or too high in non-structural carbohydrates. The study was carried out in 2021, on four dairy farms in central Italy. The purpose of this work is the classification and evaluation of dairy cow faeces using RGB image analysis through an artificial intelligence (AI) (convolutional neural network (CNN)) algorithm. The main features to analyse are pH, colour and consistency. For the latter two RGB imaging was combined with deep learning and AI to reach objectivity in samples' evaluation. The images have been captured with several smartphones and cameras, under various light conditions, collecting a data set of 441 images. Images acquired by RGB cameras are then analysed through CNN technology that extracts features and data previously standardized by a faecal score index assigned after a visual analysis and based on five classes. The results achieved with different training strategies show a training accuracy of 90% and a validation accuracy of 78% of the model which allow us to identify problems in bovine digestion and to intervene promptly in feed variation. The method used in this study eliminates subjectivity in field analysis and allows future improvement of increasing the data set to strengthen the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this review is to evaluate the clinical role of sarcopenia in patients affected by osteoarthritis (OA) of major joints. Methods: An online database research was performed, in order to retrieve all articles investigating the relationship between sarcopenia and OA. No peer-reviewed journal was excluded. Papers in English, French, Spanish and Italian language were considered. After consulting the full-text article, five studies have been included in the review. Results: Of the five studies included, four are prospective studies and only one is a cross-sectional study which retrieved data retrospectively. A total of 4,231 patients, presenting a mean age of 62.0 years, were studied. Three studies evaluated only female subjects. Weight, height and body mass index were reported in all the articles. Knee OA has been assessed using the Kellgren-Lawrence grading system and the American college of rheumatology criteria. Alterations of the lean body mass on body weight ratio have been reported to be as a significant predictive parameter in two studies. Relationship between radiographic OA and an increase in the leg lean mass has been observed in one study. Conclusions: We cannot support neither the thesis of a direct effect of sarcopenia on OA development nor the opposite relation, because the up-to-date literature lacks basic science studies concerning these topics. The absence of clinical studies regarding measurements and tools to compare sarcopenia and OA do not allow to definitely clarify this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Double-bundle reconstruction of the ACL has become the focus of scientific and clinical interest in the last years. However, there is still a discussion about the most appropriate technique for graft fixation. Both, extracortical fixation systems like the Endobutton and aperture fixation by interference screws have advantages as well as disadvantages. Aim of this study was to analyze the biomechanical properties of a new small wedge shaped implant (MiniShim, Karl Storz, Germany) for the fixation of a soft tissue graft in double bundle ACL reconstruction and to compare it to an aperture fixation by interference screw and an extracortical fixation. Methods: Porcine knees and flexor tendons were used for this study. 5 and 6 mm tunnels were drilled. The following fixation strategies were tested: 4 and 5 mm MiniShim (Karl Storz Germany), 6 mm interference screw (MegaFix, Karl Storz, Germany), hybridfixation by FlippTack (FlippTack, Karl Storz, Germany) and MiniShim and hybridfixation by FlippTack and 6 mm interference screw. All fixation strategies were tested with a 5 and 6 mm tendon graft. Maximum load, yield load and stiffness were recorded using a material testing machine. Load was applied in line with the bone tunnel. Grafts were cyclically preconditioned between 0 and 20 N for 10 cycles before the graft-bone-complex was loaded to failure. Statistical evaluation was performed using SPSS Version 11.0. Results: Load to failure for the 5 mm graft was 81.1 and 118.0 N for the 4 and 5 mm MiniShims. Fixation by interference screw reached 237.4 N. The extracortical fixation resulted in a load to failure of 471.7 N. Load to failure for the 6 mm tendon grafts was 52.0 and 92.8 N for the 4 and 5 mm MiniShims. Fixation by interference screw resulted in a load to failure of 214.0 N. Extracortical fixation failed at 451.7 N. The difference between MiniShim and interference screw was statistically significant. Load to failure was significantly higher for extracortical fixation compared to fixation by MiniShim or interference screw. Hybrid fixation showed higher fixation strength compared to fixation by interference screw or MiniShim alone. This difference was statistically significant. Stiffness was significantly higher for fixation by interference screw compared to extracortical fixation and fixation by MiniShim. Four different modes of failure could be seen. All 4 mm MiniShims failed by slippage of the tendon past the MiniShim. In the 5 mm group the fixation failed by pullout of the MiniShim or the tendon past the MiniShim. Hybrid fixation failed by rupture of the linkage material. When the graft was fixed by an interference screw failure occurred by rupture of the tendon at the fixation side. Conclusion: Hybrid fixation using the MiniShim provides biomechanical properties strong enough to withstand the forces occurring during rehabilitation and comparable to the fixation strength provided by interference screw. While fixation by MiniShim alone does not provide sufficient fixation strength in double bundle ACL reconstruction, hybridfixation using a cortical fixation by FlippTack is an alternative to aperture fixation by interference screw concerning primary stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Donor leukocyte infusions (DLI) are an effective therapy for patients who relapse with leukemia after bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Severe graft-versus-host disease and prolonged periods of pancytopenia compromise the success of this treatment in a substantial number of patients. We used filgrastim-mobilized peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs), in some cases preceded by cytoreductive therapy, to circumvent some of the problems associated with DLI. Eleven patients (median age 41 years) received a total of 20 donor cell infusions. Their diagnosis was CML in hematological (two patients) or cytogenetic relapse (two patients), six patients suffered from acute myeloid leukemia (AM; n = 5) or Philadelphia chromosome-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL Ph+). One patient had multiple myeloma (MM). All six patients with acute leukemias received cytoreductive therapy prior to PBPC infusions; three patients with CML were pretreated with IFN alpha. Four of four patients with CML responded to PBPC infusions and currently are in complete clinical and molecular remission for time periods between 1 and 12 months. Six of six patients with acute leukemias achieved a complete remission. All of them relapsed after a median remission duration of 24 weeks (range 11–49 weeks). Three patients relapsed at extramedullary sites (CNS, testes, skin). Four of six acute leukemia patients received further cytoreductive therapy. All patients responded again and are in complete remission for time periods between 14 and 615 days. Two patients with acute leukemias have died due to dissemination of the disease. The patient with MM did not respond and is alive with disease. Severe (grade III) acute GVHD developed in two of 11 patients, three patients developed grade II disease, six patients did not show any signs of GVHD. Extensive chronic GVHD has developed in two cases to date. Patients with chemotherapy prior to PBPC infusion developed neutropenia and... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 44-year-old woman with AML, while receiving a conditioning treatment with BU-CY for an allogeneic sibling transplant, developed septic shock with pulmonary embolism and heart failure. Conditioning was stopped at the end of the busulfan course and cyclophosphamide omitted. After antibiotics, dopamine and steroids the patient was allografted, using the donor’s G-CSF-primed PBSC. She recovered her peripheral blood counts promptly and developed an acute GVHD grade II that responded to steroids. The DNA microsatellite analysis showed full donor engraftment up to a year from transplantation. This case suggests that the use of PBSC may facilitate engraftment in the absence of an effective immunosuppression during conditioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]