Background Recent investigations highlighted that Hermetia illucens (BSF) larva meal can be a valuable alternative protein source for aquafeed production. In this study, in substitution of fishmeal, we used increasing inclusion levels of... more
Background Recent investigations highlighted that Hermetia illucens (BSF) larva meal can be a valuable alternative protein source for aquafeed production. In this study, in substitution of fishmeal, we used increasing inclusion levels of a partially defatted BSF larva meal in low fishmeal-based diets for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) and we evaluated the related implications in terms of growth performance, physical characteristics, proximate and fatty acid (FA) compositions of the fillets, gut and liver histology, and diet digestibility. In a 131-day trial, 576 fish (100.1 ± 9.29 g) were randomly allotted to 24 tanks (24 fish/tank, 4 replicates/treatment). Six experimental diets were produced to have partial replacement of fishmeal (0, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%) by increasing levels of BSF meal (0% [BSF0], 3% [BSF3], 6% [BSF6], 9% [BSF9], 12% [BSF12] and 15% [BSF15] on as fed basis, respectively). Results No differences were observed among the treatments for all the c...
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Hermetia illucens (HI) and Tenebrio molitor (TM) live larvae as environmental enrichment on the mucin composition, local immune response and microbiota of broilers. A total of 180... more
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Hermetia illucens (HI) and Tenebrio molitor (TM) live larvae as environmental enrichment on the mucin composition, local immune response and microbiota of broilers. A total of 180 four-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments (six replicates/treatment; ten animals/replicate): (i) control (C); (ii) C+HI; (iii) C+TM. Live larvae were distributed based on 5% of the expected daily feed intake. At slaughter (39 days of age), samples of duodenum, jejunum and ileum (twelve animals/diet) were submitted to mucin histochemical evaluation. Expression of MUC-2 and cytokines was evaluated by rt-qPCR in jejunum. Mucin staining intensity was not influenced by diet (p > 0.05); however, this varied depending on the intestinal segment (p < 0.001). No significant differences were recorded for IL-4, IL-6 TNF-α, MUC-2 and INF-γ gene expression in jejunum, while IL-2 was lower in the TM group comp...
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In this study, a total of 200 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were assigned to four dietary treatments (5 pens/treatment and 10 birds/pen) for two feeding phases: starter (0–11 days of age) and grower-finisher (11–33 days of age). A... more
In this study, a total of 200 male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were assigned to four dietary treatments (5 pens/treatment and 10 birds/pen) for two feeding phases: starter (0–11 days of age) and grower-finisher (11–33 days of age). A basal diet containing soy oil (SO) as added fat was used as control group (C), tested against three experimental diets where the SO was partially substituted by BSF larvae fat (BSF) or one of two types of modified BSF larvae fat (MBSF1 and MBSF2, respectively). The two modified BSF larvae fats had a high and low ratio of monobutyrin to monoglycerides of medium chain fatty acid, respectively. Diet did not influence the growth or slaughter performance, pH, color, or the chemical composition of breast and thigh muscles, gut morphometric indices, or histopathological alterations in all the organs. As far as fecal microbiota are concerned, MBSF1 and MBSF2 diets reduced the presence of Clostridium and Corynebacterium, which can frequently cause infection in p...
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In recent years, the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has been perpetrated across human medicine, animals destined for zootechnical productions and companion animals. Apart from increasing the resistance rate of numerous microorganisms... more
In recent years, the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has been perpetrated across human medicine, animals destined for zootechnical productions and companion animals. Apart from increasing the resistance rate of numerous microorganisms and generating multi-drug resistance (MDR), the nonrational administration of antibiotics causes sudden changes in the structure of the intestinal microbiota such as dysbiotic phenomena that can have a great clinical significance for both humans and animals. The aim of this review is to describe the state-of-the-art of alternative therapies to the use of antibiotics and their effectiveness in humans and monogastric animals (poultry, pigs, fish, rabbits, dogs and cats). In particular, those molecules (probiotics, prebiotics and postbiotics) which have a direct function on the gastrointestinal health are herein critically analysed in the prevention or treatment of gastrointestinal diseases or dysbiosis induced by the consumption of antibiotics.
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This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activities of two types of insect fats extracted from black soldier fly larvae (HI, Hermetia illucens L.) and yellow mealworm larvae (TM, Tenebrio molitor L.) and their effects as... more
This study aimed to evaluate the in vitro antimicrobial activities of two types of insect fats extracted from black soldier fly larvae (HI, Hermetia illucens L.) and yellow mealworm larvae (TM, Tenebrio molitor L.) and their effects as dietary replacement of soybean oil (S) on cecal fermentation pattern, and fecal and cecal microbiota in rabbits. A total of 120 weaned rabbits were randomly allotted to three dietary treatments (40 rabbits/group) —a control diet (C diet) containing 1.5% of S and two experimental diets (HI diet (HID) and TM diet (TMD)), where S was totally substituted by HI or TM fats during the whole trial that lasted 41 days. Regarding the in vitro antimicrobial activities, HI and TM fats did not show any effects on Salmonella growth. Yersinia enterocolitica showed significantly lower growth when challenged with HI fats than the controls. The insect fat supplementation in rabbit diets increased the contents of the cecal volatile fatty acids when compared to the contr...
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Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disease in elderly dogs. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a dietary supplement containing calcium carbonate, calcium-lactate gluconate, chitosan and sodium bicarbonate in dogs... more
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disease in elderly dogs. The present study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a dietary supplement containing calcium carbonate, calcium-lactate gluconate, chitosan and sodium bicarbonate in dogs with IRIS stage 3 of CKD. Twenty dogs were enrolled in the study, ten were administered the new dietary supplementation for 180 days (T group) while the others were used as control group (C group). Haematologic, biochemical and urinalysis were performed every 30 days. A significant reduction in the T group compared to the C group in serum phosphorus level and increase in serum bicarbonate and ionized calcium values were recorded. The urine protein-to-creatinine ratio (UPC) was significantly lower in the T group at the end of the study compared to the C group. The tested supplement could be considered as a supportive treatment for dogs with advanced CKD.
The present study investigated the effects of apple (A), blackcurrant (B) and strawberry (S) dried pomaces on meat quality, blood chemistry and redox status of broiler chickens. A total of 480 Ross-308 male broilers were divided into 8... more
The present study investigated the effects of apple (A), blackcurrant (B) and strawberry (S) dried pomaces on meat quality, blood chemistry and redox status of broiler chickens. A total of 480 Ross-308 male broilers were divided into 8 dietary treatments containing 3% and 6% of cellulose preparation (C), A, B or S. Six birds/group were slaughtered at 35 days of age and blood samples were collected. Carcass traits and meat quality were determined on the Pectoralis major muscles, recording nonsignificant differences. Antioxidant activity was evaluated in serum, liver and breast muscle. In serum, fruit pomaces lowered triglycerides, creatinine and atherogenic index (p < 0.05). Regarding redox status, in serum, ACW (antioxidant capacity of water-soluble substances) and ACL (antioxidant capacity of lipid-soluble substances) were greater in A (p < 0.001). In breast, ACW and ACL were higher in B and S compared to C (p < 0.05). In liver, ACL was greater in B and S compared to C (p ...
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In the present trial, 160 heavy-size male broiler chickens were allocated to 4 dietary treatments (control feed [C] and 5, 10 and 15% TM meal inclusion, respectively, with 5 replicate pens/treatment and 8 birds/pen) to evaluate the... more
In the present trial, 160 heavy-size male broiler chickens were allocated to 4 dietary treatments (control feed [C] and 5, 10 and 15% TM meal inclusion, respectively, with 5 replicate pens/treatment and 8 birds/pen) to evaluate the influence of TM meal on intestinal microbiota and mucin composition. The broiler chickens fed TM-based diets showed higher beta diversity of their cecal microbiota in comparison with the C birds (p < 0.001). A significant decrease of the relative abundance of Firmicutes phylum and lower Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratios (False Discovery Rate [FDR] < 0.05) were also identified in TM15 broiler chickens when compared to the C group. Furthermore, the TM birds showed decreased relative abundance of Clostridium, Coprococcus, L-Ruminococcus and Ruminococcus genera (FDR < 0.05). In relation to the gut mucin composition, higher mucin staining intensity was detected in the intestinal crypts of TM5 birds in comparison with the other TM groups (p < 0.05). I...
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Background The constant interaction between diet and intestinal barrier has a crucial role in determining gut health in pigs. Hermetia illucens (HI) meal (that represents a promising, alternative feed ingredient for production animals)... more
Background The constant interaction between diet and intestinal barrier has a crucial role in determining gut health in pigs. Hermetia illucens (HI) meal (that represents a promising, alternative feed ingredient for production animals) has recently been demonstrated to influence colonic microbiota, bacterial metabolite profile and mucosal immune status of pigs, but no data about modulation of gut mucin dynamics are currently available. The present study evaluated the effects of dietary HI meal inclusion on the small intestinal mucin composition of piglets, as well as providing insights into the cecal microbiota and the mucosal infiltration with immune cells. Results A total of 48 weaned piglets were randomly allotted to 3 dietary treatments (control diet [C] and 5% or 10% HI meal inclusion [HI5 and HI10], with 4 replicate boxes/treatment and 4 animals/box) and slaughtered after 61 days of trial (3 animals/box, 12 piglets/diet). The cecal microbiota assessment by 16S rRNA amplicon ba...
Background Fruit pomaces are by-products rich in polyphenol compounds and dietary fiber. They seem to play an important role in regulating the gut microbiota, morphology and physiology. The aim of this study was to assess whether apple... more
Background Fruit pomaces are by-products rich in polyphenol compounds and dietary fiber. They seem to play an important role in regulating the gut microbiota, morphology and physiology. The aim of this study was to assess whether apple (A), blackurrant (B) or strawberry (S) pomaces could be suitable ingredients in broiler diets and their effect on gut health. A total of 480 male broilers were randomly allotted to 8 dietary treatments with lower (3%-L) or higher (6%-H) dietary fiber content: two control groups (CL/CH), two A diets (AL/AH), two B diets (BL/BH), two S diets (SL/SH). Diet and fruit pomaces were chemically analyzed to assess polyphenol concentration and fibre fraction content. After the evaluation of growth performance, 6 birds/group were slaughtered at 35 days of age. Morphometric and histopathological investigations were performed on duodenum, jejunum and ileum. Excreta were collected to perform microbiota evaluation by 16S DNA sequencing. Weight, viscosity, enzymatic ...
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Insect meals are good candidates to replace fishmeal as new protein sources in aquafeeds. This study evaluated the effects of fishmeal replacement with different dietary inclusion levels of a partially defatted Tenebrio molitor (L.) larva... more
Insect meals are good candidates to replace fishmeal as new protein sources in aquafeeds. This study evaluated the effects of fishmeal replacement with different dietary inclusion levels of a partially defatted Tenebrio molitor (L.) larva meal (TM) on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) growth, diet digestibility, and hepatic intermediary metabolism. A 154-day growth trial was performed with 252 rainbow trout (78.3 ± 6.24 g) randomly divided into twelve tanks and fed four experimental diets containing increasing levels of TM: 0% (TM0), 25% (TM25), 50% (TM50), and 100% (TM100) of fishmeal substitution, corresponding to TM dietary inclusion levels of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 20%, respectively. A digestibility trial was performed feeding 180 rainbow trout (94.6 ± 7.31 g) with the experimental diets used in the growth trial. The growth parameters were not affected by TM dietary inclusion. Regarding the evaluated apparent digestibility coefficients (ADC), only the ADC of crude protein wa...
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The trial investigates if a highly defatted Hermetia illucens larva meal (H) at two dietary inclusion levels and a vegetable protein based diet (VEG) influences the normal gut and liver histology and the oxidative stress biomarkers in... more
The trial investigates if a highly defatted Hermetia illucens larva meal (H) at two dietary inclusion levels and a vegetable protein based diet (VEG) influences the normal gut and liver histology and the oxidative stress biomarkers in liver and kidney of Siberian sturgeon juveniles. Fish were fed four diets: one control diet (H0) containing 70% of fishmeal (FM), two diets including 18.5% (H185) and 37.5% (H375) of highly defatted H in substitution for 25% and 50% of FM, and one vegetable protein based diet (VEG). At the end of a growth trial, 12 fish per treatment were sacrificed by over-anaesthesia to collect 12 liver and 5 distal intestine samples for histological analyses, as well as 12 liver and kidney samples for biochemical analyses. The H and VEG diets did not significantly affect the histology of liver and distal intestine, but alterations of the oxidative stress biomarkers were detected at the highest inclusion level of H (37.5%). In order to avoid unfavorable effects on th...
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Background The relationship between diet and intestinal microbiota and mucin composition appears to be fundamental for poultry gut health. The effects of insect meal (whose role as alternative feed ingredient is now well recognized) on... more
Background The relationship between diet and intestinal microbiota and mucin composition appears to be fundamental for poultry gut health. The effects of insect meal (whose role as alternative feed ingredient is now well recognized) on gut microbiota and mucin composition have recently been reported in Tenebrio molitor-fed free-range and broiler chickens, but no data are currently available for Hermetia illucens (HI)-fed broilers. The present study evaluated the effects of dietary HI meal inclusion on cecal microbiota and intestinal mucin composition of broiler chickens. Results A total of 256 male broiler chickens were allotted to 4 dietary treatments (control diet [C] and 5%, 10% and 15% HI meal inclusion, with 8 replicate pens/treatment and 8 birds/pen) and slaughtered at 35 d of age (2 animals/pen, 16 birds/diet). The cecal microbiota assessment by 16S rRNA amplicon based sequencing showed lower alpha diversity in HI15 chickens (Shannon, P
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Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is one of the most important pathogens of cattle worldwide. BVDV-1 is widely distributed in Italy, while BVDV-2 has been detected occasionally. BVDV can be classified in two biotypes, cytopathic (CP) or... more
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) is one of the most important pathogens of cattle worldwide. BVDV-1 is widely distributed in Italy, while BVDV-2 has been detected occasionally. BVDV can be classified in two biotypes, cytopathic (CP) or noncytopathic (NCP). The characteristic of the virus is linked with the infection of a pregnant dam with a NCP strain: due to viral establishment before maturation of the fetal immune system the calf remains persistently infected (PI) and immunotolerant to the infecting BVDV strain. Thanks to their immunotolerance, PI animals represent a unique model to study the viral distribution and compartmentalization in absence of immunoresponse in vivo. In the present study, NGS sequencing was used to characterize the BVDV2 viral strain infecting a PI calf and to describe the viral quasispecies in tissues. Even if the consensus sequences obtained by all the samples were highly similar, quasispecies was described evaluating the presence and the frequency of va...
A total of 160 female broiler chickens were divided into four dietary treatments (control feed [C] and 5, 10 and 15% TM meal inclusion, respectively, with five replicate pens/treatment and eight birds/pen) to investigate the effects of... more
A total of 160 female broiler chickens were divided into four dietary treatments (control feed [C] and 5, 10 and 15% TM meal inclusion, respectively, with five replicate pens/treatment and eight birds/pen) to investigate the effects of Tenebrio molitor (TM) meal utilization on poultry gut microbiota and mucin composition. The cecal microbiota assessment displayed a shift in the beta diversity in chickens fed TM-based diets. The TM10 and TM15 birds showed a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Firmicutes phylum and lower Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes ratios (False Discovery Rate [FDR] < 0.05), respectively, than the TM5 group. The relative abundance of Clostridium, Alistipes and Sutterella genera significantly increased in TM chickens (FDR < 0.05), while birds fed TM-based diets displayed a significant decrease in the relative abundance of Ruminococcus genus in comparison with the C group (FDR < 0.05). Gut mucin composition evaluation revealed higher mucin staining i...
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The present study has evaluated the effects of dietary partially-defatted black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens L.) larva meal on the blood parameters, antioxidant status, and histological features of the organs of broiler ducks. A... more
The present study has evaluated the effects of dietary partially-defatted black soldier fly (BSF; Hermetia illucens L.) larva meal on the blood parameters, antioxidant status, and histological features of the organs of broiler ducks. A total of 192 female 3-days of age Muscovy ducklings (Cairina moschata domestica) were divided into four dietary treatments (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9% BSF meal inclusion; 6 pens/treatment, 8 birds/pen). A total of 12 ducks/treatment (2 birds/pen) were slaughtered at 51 days of age and blood samples were collected to evaluate the haematological traits, serum protein, lipid and minerals, liver and renal function serum enzymes, plasma oxidative enzymes, and metabolites. Liver, spleen, thymus, and bursa of Fabricius samples were submitted to histopathological investigations. Between the serum and plasma traits, triglycerides, cholesterol, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, magnesium, malondialdehyde, and nitrotyrosine showed a linear decrease for increasing amount...
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In 2018, the industrial compound feed production throughout the world was 1103 metric billion tons, which was an increase of 3% compared to 2017. In order to meet the needs of the increasing population, a further increment in compound... more
In 2018, the industrial compound feed production throughout the world was 1103 metric billion tons, which was an increase of 3% compared to 2017. In order to meet the needs of the increasing population, a further increment in compound feed production is necessary. Conventional protein sources are no longer suitable to completely satisfy the increment of feed production in a sustainable way. Insects are one of the most promising options, due to their valuable nutritional features. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art of research on the use of insect meals and oils in aquatic, avian and other animal species diets, focusing mainly on the effects on digestibility, performance and product quality. In general, insect-derived product digestibility is affected by the insect species, the inclusion levels and by the process. Sometimes, the presence of chitin can lead to a decrease in nutrient digestibility. The same considerations are true for animal performance. As far as product quality ...
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Recently, insects have received increased attention as an important source of sustainable raw materials for animal feed, especially in fish, poultry, and swine. In particular, the most promising species are represented by the black... more
Recently, insects have received increased attention as an important source of sustainable raw materials for animal feed, especially in fish, poultry, and swine. In particular, the most promising species are represented by the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, HI), the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor, TM), and the common house fly (Musca domestica, MD). Although rapid development is expected, insects remain underutilized in the animal feed industry mainly due to technical, financial, and regulatory barriers. In addition, few works have analyzed consumer and stakeholder points of view towards the use of insects as animal feed. In this article, we summarize the main findings of this body of research and provide a discussion of consumer studies regarding the consumption of animals fed with insects. Our review suggests that consumer acceptance will not be a barrier towards the development of this novel protein industry. Furthermore, we conclude that it will be of interest to unders...
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The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthier food habits and olive oil is one of its key components. Olive oil polyphenols are known to induce beneficial effects in several pathological conditions, such as inflammatory bowel... more
The Mediterranean diet is considered one of the healthier food habits and olive oil is one of its key components. Olive oil polyphenols are known to induce beneficial effects in several pathological conditions, such as inflammatory bowel disease, and to contrast the proliferation of cancer cells or hypercholesterolemia. Polyphenols are also present in waste products derived from the olive industry: olive mill wastewaters (OMWW) are rich in polyphenols and there is an increasing interest in using OMWW in animal nutrition. OMWW are attributed with positive effects in promoting chicken performance and the quality of food-derived products. However, a tissue-specific transcriptome target analysis of chickens fed with OMWW has never been attempted. We explored the effect of dietary OMWW on the intestinal function in broilers. A morphological analysis of the jejunum revealed that OMWW reduced crypt depth, whereas no significant modifications were observed for villus height and the villus h...
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The unexpected demise of a 12-year-old male neutered English bulldog solicited a gross examination, which revealed a blood-filled space occurring in the proximal left subclavian artery (LSA). It originated about 1 cm from the branching... more
The unexpected demise of a 12-year-old male neutered English bulldog solicited a gross examination, which revealed a blood-filled space occurring in the proximal left subclavian artery (LSA). It originated about 1 cm from the branching point of the vessel and progressively dilated for 3 cm distal to this origin. Histopathological investigation showed that the tunica media of the LSA was more than 50% split, with the blood-filled space dissecting through the arterial wall. In the tunica media of the LSA, severe multifocal fragmentation and/or loss of the elastic fibers was observed. The retained disorganized elastic fibers were separated and disoriented due to accumulations of acid mucopolysaccharide. Marked, diffuse medial, and adventitial fibrous tissue deposition was also identified. The cause of death was attributed to acute hemorrhagic and necrotizing pancreatitis with pulmonary edema, suggesting that LSA dissection was an incidental finding. Subclavian artery dissection is extr...
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Health of mammary glands is fundamental for milk and dairy products hygiene and quality, with huge impacts on consumers welfare. This study aims to investigate the microbial agents (bacteria, fungi and lentiviruses) isolated from 89... more
Health of mammary glands is fundamental for milk and dairy products hygiene and quality, with huge impacts on consumers welfare. This study aims to investigate the microbial agents (bacteria, fungi and lentiviruses) isolated from 89 macroscopically healthy udders of regularly slaughtered small ruminants (41 sheep, 48 goats), also correlating their presence with the histological findings. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to evaluate the association between lesions and positivity for different microbial isolates, animal age and bacteria. Twenty-five samples were microbiologically negative; 138 different bacteria were isolated in 64 positive udders. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the most prevalent bacteria isolated (46.42%), followed by environmental opportunists (34.76%), others (10.14%) and pathogens (8.68%). Most mammary glands showed coinfections (75%). Lentiviruses were detected in 39.3% of samples. Histologically, chronic non-suppurative mastitis was observed i...
Canine mammary tumours (CMTs) are one of the most common malignancies in bitches. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) α and β, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and CD117 are tyrosine kinase receptors... more
Canine mammary tumours (CMTs) are one of the most common malignancies in bitches. Platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) α and β, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) and CD117 are tyrosine kinase receptors involved in several tumours and represent suitable targets for specific therapy with toceranib phosphate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the expression of these receptors in the pathogenesis and progression of CMTs. PDGFRα, PDGFRβ, VEGFR-2 and CD117 were expressed in 46/83 (55.4 per cent), 33/83 (39.8 per cent), 46/83 (55.4 per cent) and 32/83 (38.5 per cent) of CMTs, respectively. Immunohistochemical results showed a statistically significant loss of PDGFRα and PDGFRβ expression in simple carcinomas compared with complex/mixed carcinomas. Protein expression by western blot revealed specific bands corresponding to PDGFRα and VEGFR-2 in 3/7 and in 1/7 cell lines. Moreover, in vitro treatment showed that toceranib phosphate weakly reduced cell...
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Dermatitis, pyrexia, and hemorrhagic syndrome (DPHS) is a rare bovine syndrome of unclear etiology. We describe two DPHS cases, the first to occur in Italy, with clinicopathological findings suggesting a potential pathogenetic role of... more
Dermatitis, pyrexia, and hemorrhagic syndrome (DPHS) is a rare bovine syndrome of unclear etiology. We describe two DPHS cases, the first to occur in Italy, with clinicopathological findings suggesting a potential pathogenetic role of bovine herpesvirus-4 (BoHV-4).