The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term (12 months) efficacy and tolerability of ... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term (12 months) efficacy and tolerability of imepitoin as first-choice treatment in 56 dogs suffering from idiopathic epilepsy and identify possible factors affecting the outcome. Primary treatment success (PTS) was defined as the achievement of a seizure-free interval three times longer than the pretreatment interictal interval (at least three months). Secondary treatment success (STS) was achieved by a decrease in seizure frequency ≥50 per cent compared with the pretreatment frequency. In the long-term follow-up, PTS was recorded in 14 (25 per cent) dogs and responder-dogs (PTS+STS) were 30 (54 per cent) showing significant reduction in the monthly average number of seizures (P<0.001). Median seizure frequency per month was 1.69 pretreatment and 0.3 at 12-month follow-up. Dogs with cluster seizures were significantly reduced (P=0.02). PTS at three and six months was associated with PTS (P=0.006 and <0.001, respectively) and...
Recent work identified anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG ganglioside antibodies as biomarkers in ... more Recent work identified anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG ganglioside antibodies as biomarkers in dogs clinically diagnosed with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis, in turn considered a canine equivalent of Guillain-Barré syndrome. This study aims to investigate the serum prevalence of similar antibodies in cats clinically diagnosed with immunemediated polyneuropathies. The sera from 41 cats clinically diagnosed with immunemediated polyneuropathies (IPN), 9 cats with other neurological or neuromuscular disorders (ONM) and 46 neurologically normal cats (CTRL) were examined for the presence of IgG antibodies against glycolipids GM1,
Inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy (IMPN) is one of the causes of sudden onset of neuromuscular ... more Inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy (IMPN) is one of the causes of sudden onset of neuromuscular signs such as para-/tetraparesis in young cats. Even though most cases have a favorable outcome, persistent deficits, relapses, and progressive courses are occasionally seen. As clinical presentation does not always appear to predict outcome and risk of recurrence, this study was initiated to screen for prognostic biopsy findings in a large cohort of histologically confirmed IMPN cases with clinical follow-up. In total, nerve and muscle specimens of 107 cats with biopsy diagnosis of presumed autoreactive inflammatory polyneuropathy and 22 control cases were reviewed by two blinded raters for a set of 36 histological parameters. To identify patterns and subtypes of IMPN, hierarchical k-means clustering of 33 histologic variables was performed. Then, the impact of histological parameters on IMPN outcome was evaluated via an univariate analysis to identify variables for the final multivaria...
Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, 1997
ABSTRACT We ha,ve studied the monolayer phase behavior of various mixtures of dipalmitoylphosphat... more ABSTRACT We ha,ve studied the monolayer phase behavior of various mixtures of dipalmitoylphosphatidycholine (DPPC) with 4-cyano-4’-n-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) on the air/water interfa,ce by means of Langmuir technique and Brew-ster angle microscopy. The phase behavior is compared with the ability of 5CB to anchor homeotropically in liquid crystal cells (LC cells) whose surfaces were covered with DPPC monolayers of va.rious molecular area using Langmuir-Blodgett technique. In the present investigations DPPC cells orient GCB perfectly homeotropically if the monolayers were transferred to the display surfaces as tilted phases. In case of a transferred non-tilted phase the orientation of bulk 5CB was no more homeotropical. We will show that an essential prerequisite for the homeotropic anchoring is the incorporation of 5CB in the oriented surface monolayer and the formation of new phases. Our conclusions are supported by DSC and x-ray experiments on fully hydrated DPPC bulk specimens (bilayer systems) mixed with various portions of 5CB.
There is a paucity of information on the clinical course and outcome of young cats with polyneuro... more There is a paucity of information on the clinical course and outcome of young cats with polyneuropathy. The aim of the study was to describe the clinical features, diagnostic investigations, and outcome of a large cohort of cats with inflammatory polyneuropathy from several European countries. Seventy cats with inflammatory infiltrates in intramuscular nerves and/or peripheral nerve biopsies were retrospectively included. Information from medical records and follow up were acquired via questionnaires filled by veterinary neurologists who had submitted muscle and nerve biopsies (2011–2019). Median age at onset was 10 months (range: 4–120 months). The most common breed was British short hair (25.7%), followed by Domestic short hair (24.3%), Bengal cat (11.4%), Maine Coon (8.6%) and Persian cat (5.7%), and 14 other breeds. Male cats were predominantly affected (64.3%). Clinical signs were weakness (98.6%) and tetraparesis (75.7%) in association with decreased withdrawal reflexes (83.6%...
Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2008
The prevalence of antibiotic resistance, with special attention to vancomycin, in 165 Enterococcu... more The prevalence of antibiotic resistance, with special attention to vancomycin, in 165 Enterococcus strains isolated from dogs subjected or not to previous antibiotics treatment(s) was determined. For each strain, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to 9 antibiotics was assessed. All strains were sensible to vancomycin. High frequencies of resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, rifampicin, and enrofloxacin were detected. E. faecium strains isolated from dogs subjected to antibiotic treatment were more resistant to tetracycline with respect to control dogs. Although enterococci from dog show a high degree of antibiotic resistance, they are sensitive to vancomycin. Therefore, the risk of transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal strains from dogs to man is close to zero.
Electrodiagnostic testing by using electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) is e... more Electrodiagnostic testing by using electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) is essential in the evaluation of patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury as it facilitates the localization of the lesion and the prognosis. In this case report, we present a long-term electrodiagnostic follow-up of a 5-day-old female Holstein calf with brachial plexus syndrome. Electrodiagnostic studies were carried out at 2 weeks, 5 weeks, 7 months and 12 months after admission. Initially, EMG confirmed the damage to the brachial plexus, potentially indicating a condition of neurotmesis or axonotmesis. However, motor NCS and the repeated electrodiagnostic follow-up, along with the evolution of the clinical signs, allowed a more favorable diagnosis of axonotmesis to be made. In fact, EMG showed a slow but gradual reduction and finally the disappearance of spontaneous pathological activity, while motor NCS revealed an increase in the amplitude and areas of the compound muscle action ...
Niemann-Pick C disease (NPC) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized b... more Niemann-Pick C disease (NPC) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and other lipids within the lysosomes due to mutation in NPC1 or NPC2 genes. A feline model of NPC carrying a mutation in NPC1 gene has been previously described. We have identified two kittens affected by NPC disease due to a mutation in NPC2 gene. They manifested with tremors at the age of 3 months, which progressed to dystonia and severe ataxia. At 6 months of age cat 2 was unable to stand without assistance and had bilaterally reduced menace response. It died at the age of 10 months. Post-mortem histological analysis of the brain showed the presence of neurons with cytoplasmic swelling and vacuoles, gliosis of the substantia nigra and degeneration of the white matter. Spheroids with accumulation of ubiquitinated aggregates were prominent in the cerebellar cortex. Purkinje cells were markedly reduced in number and they showed prominent intrac...
All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you... more All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.
Brachial plexus injury (BPI) represents a common consequence of road traffic accidents in humans ... more Brachial plexus injury (BPI) represents a common consequence of road traffic accidents in humans and small animals. In humans, neuropathic pain is a common symptom after BPI. The aim of the study was to describe the clinical signs, the electrodiagnostic findings, the outcome and the quality of life (QoL) of a cohort of dogs and cats with BPI. Clinical records of 40 dogs and 26 cats with BPI were retrospectively reviewed. Specific attention was put on the evaluation of electrodiagnostic findings (35/40 dogs; 14/26 cats) and telephonic interview results (26/40 dogs; 18/26 cats). The most common neurological condition was the inability to bear weight and sensory deficits on the affected limb. Radial and ulnar motor nerve conduction studies (MNCSs) were absent respectively in 47% (radial) and 62% (ulnar) of dogs and 57% (radial) and 57% (ulnar) of cats. The absence of radial (p = 0.003) and ulnar (p = 0.007) MNCSs in dogs and ulnar MNCSs in cats (p = 0.02) was significantly associated t...
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term (12 months) efficacy and tolerability of ... more The purpose of this study was to evaluate the long-term (12 months) efficacy and tolerability of imepitoin as first-choice treatment in 56 dogs suffering from idiopathic epilepsy and identify possible factors affecting the outcome. Primary treatment success (PTS) was defined as the achievement of a seizure-free interval three times longer than the pretreatment interictal interval (at least three months). Secondary treatment success (STS) was achieved by a decrease in seizure frequency ≥50 per cent compared with the pretreatment frequency. In the long-term follow-up, PTS was recorded in 14 (25 per cent) dogs and responder-dogs (PTS+STS) were 30 (54 per cent) showing significant reduction in the monthly average number of seizures (P<0.001). Median seizure frequency per month was 1.69 pretreatment and 0.3 at 12-month follow-up. Dogs with cluster seizures were significantly reduced (P=0.02). PTS at three and six months was associated with PTS (P=0.006 and <0.001, respectively) and...
Recent work identified anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG ganglioside antibodies as biomarkers in ... more Recent work identified anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG ganglioside antibodies as biomarkers in dogs clinically diagnosed with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis, in turn considered a canine equivalent of Guillain-Barré syndrome. This study aims to investigate the serum prevalence of similar antibodies in cats clinically diagnosed with immunemediated polyneuropathies. The sera from 41 cats clinically diagnosed with immunemediated polyneuropathies (IPN), 9 cats with other neurological or neuromuscular disorders (ONM) and 46 neurologically normal cats (CTRL) were examined for the presence of IgG antibodies against glycolipids GM1,
Inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy (IMPN) is one of the causes of sudden onset of neuromuscular ... more Inflammatory polyradiculoneuropathy (IMPN) is one of the causes of sudden onset of neuromuscular signs such as para-/tetraparesis in young cats. Even though most cases have a favorable outcome, persistent deficits, relapses, and progressive courses are occasionally seen. As clinical presentation does not always appear to predict outcome and risk of recurrence, this study was initiated to screen for prognostic biopsy findings in a large cohort of histologically confirmed IMPN cases with clinical follow-up. In total, nerve and muscle specimens of 107 cats with biopsy diagnosis of presumed autoreactive inflammatory polyneuropathy and 22 control cases were reviewed by two blinded raters for a set of 36 histological parameters. To identify patterns and subtypes of IMPN, hierarchical k-means clustering of 33 histologic variables was performed. Then, the impact of histological parameters on IMPN outcome was evaluated via an univariate analysis to identify variables for the final multivaria...
Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals Science and Technology. Section A. Molecular Crystals and Liquid Crystals, 1997
ABSTRACT We ha,ve studied the monolayer phase behavior of various mixtures of dipalmitoylphosphat... more ABSTRACT We ha,ve studied the monolayer phase behavior of various mixtures of dipalmitoylphosphatidycholine (DPPC) with 4-cyano-4’-n-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) on the air/water interfa,ce by means of Langmuir technique and Brew-ster angle microscopy. The phase behavior is compared with the ability of 5CB to anchor homeotropically in liquid crystal cells (LC cells) whose surfaces were covered with DPPC monolayers of va.rious molecular area using Langmuir-Blodgett technique. In the present investigations DPPC cells orient GCB perfectly homeotropically if the monolayers were transferred to the display surfaces as tilted phases. In case of a transferred non-tilted phase the orientation of bulk 5CB was no more homeotropical. We will show that an essential prerequisite for the homeotropic anchoring is the incorporation of 5CB in the oriented surface monolayer and the formation of new phases. Our conclusions are supported by DSC and x-ray experiments on fully hydrated DPPC bulk specimens (bilayer systems) mixed with various portions of 5CB.
There is a paucity of information on the clinical course and outcome of young cats with polyneuro... more There is a paucity of information on the clinical course and outcome of young cats with polyneuropathy. The aim of the study was to describe the clinical features, diagnostic investigations, and outcome of a large cohort of cats with inflammatory polyneuropathy from several European countries. Seventy cats with inflammatory infiltrates in intramuscular nerves and/or peripheral nerve biopsies were retrospectively included. Information from medical records and follow up were acquired via questionnaires filled by veterinary neurologists who had submitted muscle and nerve biopsies (2011–2019). Median age at onset was 10 months (range: 4–120 months). The most common breed was British short hair (25.7%), followed by Domestic short hair (24.3%), Bengal cat (11.4%), Maine Coon (8.6%) and Persian cat (5.7%), and 14 other breeds. Male cats were predominantly affected (64.3%). Clinical signs were weakness (98.6%) and tetraparesis (75.7%) in association with decreased withdrawal reflexes (83.6%...
Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, 2008
The prevalence of antibiotic resistance, with special attention to vancomycin, in 165 Enterococcu... more The prevalence of antibiotic resistance, with special attention to vancomycin, in 165 Enterococcus strains isolated from dogs subjected or not to previous antibiotics treatment(s) was determined. For each strain, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) to 9 antibiotics was assessed. All strains were sensible to vancomycin. High frequencies of resistance to erythromycin, tetracycline, rifampicin, and enrofloxacin were detected. E. faecium strains isolated from dogs subjected to antibiotic treatment were more resistant to tetracycline with respect to control dogs. Although enterococci from dog show a high degree of antibiotic resistance, they are sensitive to vancomycin. Therefore, the risk of transmission of vancomycin-resistant enterococcal strains from dogs to man is close to zero.
Electrodiagnostic testing by using electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) is e... more Electrodiagnostic testing by using electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS) is essential in the evaluation of patients with traumatic brachial plexus injury as it facilitates the localization of the lesion and the prognosis. In this case report, we present a long-term electrodiagnostic follow-up of a 5-day-old female Holstein calf with brachial plexus syndrome. Electrodiagnostic studies were carried out at 2 weeks, 5 weeks, 7 months and 12 months after admission. Initially, EMG confirmed the damage to the brachial plexus, potentially indicating a condition of neurotmesis or axonotmesis. However, motor NCS and the repeated electrodiagnostic follow-up, along with the evolution of the clinical signs, allowed a more favorable diagnosis of axonotmesis to be made. In fact, EMG showed a slow but gradual reduction and finally the disappearance of spontaneous pathological activity, while motor NCS revealed an increase in the amplitude and areas of the compound muscle action ...
Niemann-Pick C disease (NPC) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized b... more Niemann-Pick C disease (NPC) is an autosomal recessive lysosomal storage disorder characterized by accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and other lipids within the lysosomes due to mutation in NPC1 or NPC2 genes. A feline model of NPC carrying a mutation in NPC1 gene has been previously described. We have identified two kittens affected by NPC disease due to a mutation in NPC2 gene. They manifested with tremors at the age of 3 months, which progressed to dystonia and severe ataxia. At 6 months of age cat 2 was unable to stand without assistance and had bilaterally reduced menace response. It died at the age of 10 months. Post-mortem histological analysis of the brain showed the presence of neurons with cytoplasmic swelling and vacuoles, gliosis of the substantia nigra and degeneration of the white matter. Spheroids with accumulation of ubiquitinated aggregates were prominent in the cerebellar cortex. Purkinje cells were markedly reduced in number and they showed prominent intrac...
All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you... more All in-text references underlined in blue are linked to publications on ResearchGate, letting you access and read them immediately.
Brachial plexus injury (BPI) represents a common consequence of road traffic accidents in humans ... more Brachial plexus injury (BPI) represents a common consequence of road traffic accidents in humans and small animals. In humans, neuropathic pain is a common symptom after BPI. The aim of the study was to describe the clinical signs, the electrodiagnostic findings, the outcome and the quality of life (QoL) of a cohort of dogs and cats with BPI. Clinical records of 40 dogs and 26 cats with BPI were retrospectively reviewed. Specific attention was put on the evaluation of electrodiagnostic findings (35/40 dogs; 14/26 cats) and telephonic interview results (26/40 dogs; 18/26 cats). The most common neurological condition was the inability to bear weight and sensory deficits on the affected limb. Radial and ulnar motor nerve conduction studies (MNCSs) were absent respectively in 47% (radial) and 62% (ulnar) of dogs and 57% (radial) and 57% (ulnar) of cats. The absence of radial (p = 0.003) and ulnar (p = 0.007) MNCSs in dogs and ulnar MNCSs in cats (p = 0.02) was significantly associated t...
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