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• Lyophilized extenders are efficient in preserving sperm total motility. • STAR lyophilized extender showed better total motility with freezing curve 1. • No significant differences were found between freezing curves for any extender. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of lyophilized freezing extenders, which can be stored at room temperature, on stallion post-thaw sperm total motility (TM). Ejaculates of 28 stallions were frozen with four different extenders: two commercial freezing extenders offered worldwide and two novel lyophilized extenders (STAR and MX3), and two different cryopreservation protocols (CP1 with an equilibration period of 20 min. and CP2 with an equilibration period of 60 min.). The TM was assessed after thaw. Mean TM did not show significant differences between cryopreservation protocols within each extender. Mean TM was greater in samples diluted with STAR than in samples diluted with Botucrio (P ˂ 0.05), but no significant differences were observed for this variable between the other studied extenders. From all evaluated samples, twenty ejaculates showed the greatest TM when using the lyophilized extenders and the CP1. Thus, lyophilized extenders are a promising option for stallion sperm cryopreservation and have the advantage of storage and distribution at room temperature for at least one year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stallion semen cryopreservation is an important procedure for conservation of genetic resources having a relevant roll in the horse industry. Distribution of commercial extenders is difficult due to the necessity of keeping them frozen during transport. The aim of this work was to compare after-thawing results of two commercial frozen extenders offered worldwide (C1 and C2) with two novel lyophilized freezing extenders produced in Brazil (STAR and MX3) which can be stored at room temperature up to one year. One ejaculate of each of 28 mature stallions from three breeds (Quarter Horse, Criollo and Mangalarga Marchador) was diluted with milk-based extender (Equiplus, Minitube) to 100 × 106 total sperm/ml and split into four 50ml centrifugation tubes. After centrifugation (600 g x 20'), the remaining pellet of each tube was resuspended with one of the four extenders to a concentration of 200 × 106 total sperm/ml. From each aliquot, semen was frozen with two different freezing curves named FC1 (Room temperature + 20' at 5˚C into refrigerator + 20' followed by LN2 vapor and plunging) and FC2 (60' at 5˚C). After freezing, straws were thawed at 37˚C/30 sec and total motility (TM) was checked using optical microscopy in a blind test by three skilled vets. Means± standard deviation for total motility after freezing-thawing were: FC1 (C1=46.54±19.44;C2=35.30±21.32; STAR=51.15±21.18 and MX3=46.17±20.50) and FC2 (C1=51.55±21.92; C2=41.61±19.79; STAR=44.85±16.30 and MX3=49.21±15.98). Statistical analysis was performed (ANOVA followed by Tukey test) with 5% significance. No differences on average motility among extenders within or between curves was seen. Within each curve, the distribution of best motilities of each extender considering individual stallions was FC1 (C1=6, C2=2, STAR=14, MX3=6) and FC2 (C1=14, C2=4, STAR=4, MX3=6). The results show similarity on average motility for all extenders tested. Considering FC1, the lyophilized extenders got better motility in 20 of 28 stallions. In FC2, C1 performed better (14 of 28 stallions), while STAR and MX3 were comparable with the commercial extender C2. MX3 had similar performance in both curves and STAR reached better thawed motility in FC1 (14 of 28 stallions) when compared with FC2 (4 of 28 stallions). The highest motility obtained after the freezing-test revealed a balance between FC1 and FC2 with 13 and 15 stallions, respectively. Individual variation and freezing curve splitting were similar for both kinds of extenders, but further investigations are needed to clarify the better results of STAR when using faster curves. In conclusion, lyophilized extenders can be a good option to obtain similar semen quality without restrictions of frozen extender shipment and storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper presents the results of a field monitoring study of three medical wards at Padua General Hospital (Orthopaedics, Internal Medicine and Paediatrics), based on measurements of indoor conditions and on a survey of patient and medical staff perceptions. Microclimatic conditions were measured over an extended period using data loggers with a time step of 5 min. Maximum in-patient room temperatures exceeded 29 °C while mean values were around 26–27 °C. Generally, microclimatic conditions differed between in-patient and staff rooms. Spot and long-term monitoring was used to calculate PMV profiles which were compared to thermal comfort showing non uniform correspondence among wards and their occupants. Innovative statistical nonparametric methods were applied to analyse the survey, comparing the wards from both patient and staff points of view. Staff complained mostly about lack of privacy, room size, amount of common areas, poor air quality and acoustic discomfort, with significant differences between wards in relation to levels of satisfaction with building-related aspects. Patients, on the other hand, were more satisfied with both building-related aspects and indoor conditions than medical staff. Such a global assessment could easily be used, for example, to rank the necessity or the priority of changes or improvements to buildings as well as determine the most important features, both individually and globally, to be taken into consideration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Working or studying in a comfortable environment enhances not only well being, but also satisfaction and therefore productivity and learning. This research collects some pictures of indoor environmental conditions taken in seven primary schools near Venice (Italy, North-East). Spot measurements were recorded in 28 non air-conditioned classrooms, in springtime, while 614 children (age 9–11) completed a questionnaire about the evaluation of indoor environmental conditions and the related psychological impact, their behaviour towards discomfort and if their level of interaction with the environment (opening a window, switching off a light etc.). Nonparametric statistical tests were carried out to find significant differences between schools and between girls and boys in the same school and to see if gender might influence perception. Moreover, physical measurements were compared to the answers given to the questionnaire to find a relationship between them. Finally, children''s reactions towards discomfort were evaluated to understand if pupils behave like “passive users” as frequently occurs with adults. Monitoring revealed very high CO2 concentration levels, which confirm insufficient air exchange by means of open windows, occasional insufficient lighting levels over the desks and, in general, nonuniform illuminance-distribution, probably due to improper solar shading use or even inappropriate shades. Pupils complained mostly about thermal conditions in warm seasons, poor indoor air quality and noise. Classroom conditions depended strongly on teachers'' preferences; therefore a building management system would be advisable to provide good indoor environmental quality, which cannot be otherwise guaranteed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Treatment of breast cancer (BC) has changed over the last decade with the advent of targeted therapies. Whereas traditional chemotherapy was directed toward all rapidly dividing cells (cancerous or not), several new anti-cancer drugs are mainly tailored to specific genetic pathways of cancer cells. Ideally, the goal of these new therapies is to improve the management of cancer with a specific targeting of the malignant cell and fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. Due to the initial success of this approach, an increasing number of targeted drugs entered into clinical development. However, unanticipated side effects of the new drugs, such as cardiotoxicity and heart failure, emerged from several clinical trials. The mechanisms of cardiotoxicity due to traditional chemotherapy and the one due to new drugs seem to be inherently different. In the case of BC, available targeted therapies are probably associated with the abrogation of normal molecular pathways involved in cardiomyocytes and endothelial cells survival/proliferation. The cardiac safety profile of these new drugs asks for a careful patient monitoring and follow up. Herein we will review the cardiotoxicity of BC patients receiving antiERBB2 treatment (Trastuzumab, Lapatinib), VEGF inhibitors (Bevacizumab) and tirosin-kinase inhibitors (Sorafenib, Sunitinib). We will discuss the molecular mechanisms that underlie the risk of cardiotoxicity, and we will examine the molecular tools useful for prediction of heart failure and for identification of subgroups of BC patients more susceptible to cardiac side effects induced by targeted therapies. Attention will be paid in particular to ERBB2 gene and its polymorphisms, as well as to the possible genetic risk stratification of BC patients. Finally, we will discuss the possible clinical strategies to prevent and minimizing the cardiotoxicity of targeted therapies in BC patients, focusing in particular on new drugs combination and on the emerging role of a tight partnership between cardiologists and oncologists. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

B Background: b Surgical management of stage IV gastric cancer patients for peritoneal metastasis has always been considered a palliative treatment. Median overall survival of patients that underwent surgery upfront was 12.1 vs. 10.0 months median survival of patients that underwent chemotherapy before the surgical treatment (P> 0.05). [Extracted from the article]