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Rousset S, Camussi E, Piccinelli C, Senore C, Armaroli P, Giordano L, Ferrante G, Bert F, Siliquini R. Depression and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy. Eur J Public Health 2021. [PMCID: PMC8574706 DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/ckab164.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Social restrictions imposed by the Italian Government during the COVID-19 emergency might have had a significant impact on mental health. The purpose of this study was to estimate the prevalence of depressive and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTDS) symptoms in a sample of Italian citizens during the first COVID-19 pandemic wave. Materials and methods A cross-sectional survey was carried out between April and June 2020 using a snowball sampling. Depressive symptoms were explored through the Patient Heath Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2), while the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTDS) was investigated through the SPAN (Startle, Physical arousal, Anger, Numbness) questionnaire. Poisson regression models were used to explore the association between the outcomes under study and sociodemographic/housing characteristics. Results A total of 10.758 interviews were collected and 7.847 (73%), complete for a minimum set of indicators (age, sex, area of residence), were included in the final analysis. The majority of the respondents were females (71%). Sample mean age was 48.6 years. The prevalence of depressive symptoms was 21.2% and that of PTDS was 43.8%. Symptoms of depression and PTDS significantly diminished across age groups, in particular in people over 70 years compared with people aged 14-29 years (PR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49-0.86). A higher prevalence was found in students compared with retired people, both for depressive symptoms (PR 1.49, 95% CI: 1.05-2.10) and PTDS (PR 1.31, 95% CI: 1.02-1.69). Conclusions Prevalence of depressive and PTDS symptoms was high, in particular among younger people and students. That could potentially lead to adverse mental health outcomes in the future, with serious public health consequences. As the pandemic emergency is not solved yet, it is necessary to implement preventive strategies in order to protect the mental well-being of particularly vulnerable subgroups in the population. Key messages The prevalence of psychological symptoms was high in this sample during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The subgroups of the population at higher risk for adverse psychological outcomes were younger people and students.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Rousset
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubbliche e Pediatriche, Università di Torino, Turin, Italy
- Epidemiologia e Screening, CPO, Turin, Italy
| | - E Camussi
- Epidemiologia e Screening, CPO, Turin, Italy
| | | | - C Senore
- Epidemiologia e Screening, CPO, Turin, Italy
| | - P Armaroli
- Epidemiologia e Screening, CPO, Turin, Italy
| | - L Giordano
- Epidemiologia e Screening, CPO, Turin, Italy
| | - G Ferrante
- Epidemiologia e Screening, CPO, Turin, Italy
| | - F Bert
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubbliche e Pediatriche, Università di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - R Siliquini
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Sanità Pubbliche e Pediatriche, Università di Torino, Turin, Italy
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2
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Milne EM, Piviani M, Hodgkiss-Geere HM, Piccinelli C, Cheeseman M, Cazzini P, Ressel L, Marcos RJ, Marrinhas CS, Santos MS, Thomas EK, Drummond D, Martinez Pereira Y. Comparison of effusion cell block and biopsy immunohistochemistry in mesothelial hyperplasia, mesothelioma, and carcinoma in dogs. Vet Clin Pathol 2021; 50:555-567. [PMID: 34590335 DOI: 10.1111/vcp.13002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Determining the cause of effusions is challenging and might require a biopsy. Whether cell blocks from effusions are representative of biopsies requires investigation. A previously developed immunohistochemical panel aids in the differentiation of hyperplastic and neoplastic mesothelium in canine biopsies but has not been investigated in effusions. OBJECTIVES The study aimed to assess cell blocks as an alternative to biopsies and determine whether immunohistochemistry helps distinguish hyperplastic mesothelium, mesothelioma, and carcinoma. METHODS Effusions and biopsies were collected from five dogs with mesothelial hyperplasia (group MH), six with mesothelioma (group M), and five with carcinoma (group C). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for cytokeratin, vimentin, Wilm's tumor protein 1 (WT1), desmin, glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), and insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 3 (IMP3) was performed. Sections were scored for staining intensity and the percentage of positively stained cells. RESULTS In paired cell blocks and biopsies, vimentin and WT1 staining were positively correlated for intensity and the percentage of positive cells, although not all paired results were identical. The intensity of IMP3 staining in cell blocks was higher in group M than in group C (P = 0.012), and WT1 staining was higher in group MH than in group C (P = 0.020). For biopsies, the intensity of WT1 staining was higher in group MH than in group C (P = 0.031). In group C, WT1 was negative in all cell blocks and biopsies, and desmin was negative in four of five cases. CONCLUSIONS IHC results for the cell blocks and biopsies were comparable for potentially useful markers, such as WT1, which helped discriminate between groups. IHC provided additional information, although results were not always definitive. Further studies on a larger population are required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elspeth M Milne
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Martina Piviani
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, UK
| | - Hannah M Hodgkiss-Geere
- Department of Small Animal Clinical Sciences, Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, UK
| | - Chiara Piccinelli
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Michael Cheeseman
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Paola Cazzini
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Lorenzo Ressel
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Public Health, Institute of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Neston, UK
| | - Ricardo J Marcos
- Cytology Diagnostic Services, Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carla S Marrinhas
- Cytology Diagnostic Services, Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Marta S Santos
- Cytology Diagnostic Services, Laboratory of Histology and Embryology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
| | - Emily K Thomas
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Dawn Drummond
- Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Yolanda Martinez Pereira
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
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3
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Oikonomidis IL, Boye P, Salavati Schmitz S, Aresu L, Milne E, Piccinelli C. Pathology in Practice. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2021; 259:485-488. [PMID: 34388009 DOI: 10.2460/javma.259.5.485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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4
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Berrino E, Balsamo A, Pisacane A, Gallo S, Becco P, Miglio U, Caravelli D, Poletto S, Paruzzo L, Debernardi C, Piccinelli C, Zaccagna A, Rescigno P, Aglietta M, Sapino A, Carnevale-Schianca F, Venesio T. High BRAF variant allele frequencies are associated with distinct pathological features and responsiveness to target therapy in melanoma patients. ESMO Open 2021; 6:100133. [PMID: 33984673 PMCID: PMC8134716 DOI: 10.1016/j.esmoop.2021.100133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background BRAF mutant melanoma patients are commonly treated with anti-BRAF therapeutic strategies. However, many factors, including the percentage of BRAF-mutated cells, may contribute to the great variability in patient outcomes. Patients and methods The BRAF variant allele frequency (VAF; defined as the percentage of mutated alleles) of primary and secondary melanoma lesions, obtained from 327 patients with different disease stages, was assessed by pyrosequencing. The BRAF mutation rate and VAF were then correlated with melanoma pathological features and patients’ clinical characteristics. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to study the correlations between BRAF VAF, overall survival (OS), and progression-free survival (PFS) in a subset of 62 patients treated by anti-BRAF/anti-MEK therapy after metastatic progression. Results A highly heterogeneous BRAF VAF was identified (3%-90%). Besides being correlated with age, a higher BRAF VAF level was related to moderate lymphocytic infiltration (P = 0.017), to melanoma thickness according to Clark levels, (level V versus III, P = 0.004; level V versus IV, P = 0.04), to lymph node metastases rather than cutaneous (P = 0.04) or visceral (P = 0.03) secondary lesions. In particular, a BRAF VAF >25% was significantly associated with a favorable outcome in patients treated with the combination of anti-BRAF/anti-MEK drug (OS P = 0.04; PFS P = 0.019), retaining a significant value as an independent factor for the OS and the PFS in the multivariate analysis (P = 0.014 and P = 0.003, respectively). Conclusion These results definitively support the role of the BRAF VAF as a potential prognostic and predictive biomarker in melanoma patients in the context of BRAF inhibition. In melanoma the response to anti-BRAF targeted therapies is heterogeneous and influenced by several features. The role of the BRAF VAF as provider of sensitivity to target therapies is debated. We found that high BRAF VAFs are associated with patient age, melanoma thickness, non-brisk TILs and lymph node metastases. We proved the independent prognostic value of high BRAF VAFs in melanoma patients treated with targeted therapies. The quantitative evaluation of BRAF mutations allows stratifying melanoma patients to the BRAF/MEK targeted treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Berrino
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - A Balsamo
- Clinical Research Office, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - A Pisacane
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - S Gallo
- Medical Oncology Division, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - P Becco
- Medical Oncology Division, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - U Miglio
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - D Caravelli
- Medical Oncology Division, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - S Poletto
- Medical Oncology Division, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy; Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - L Paruzzo
- Medical Oncology Division, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy; Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - C Debernardi
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - C Piccinelli
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - A Zaccagna
- Dermosurgery, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - P Rescigno
- Interdisciplinary Group for Research and Clinical Trials, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy
| | - M Aglietta
- Medical Oncology Division, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy; Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - A Sapino
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy; Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
| | | | - T Venesio
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCs, Turin, Italy.
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5
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Oikonomidis IL, Milne E, Piccinelli C. Differential white blood cell counts in rabbits: a comparison of the Advia 2120 and a manual method. J Vet Diagn Invest 2021; 33:670-676. [PMID: 33834920 PMCID: PMC8225691 DOI: 10.1177/10406387211007877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the performance of the Advia 2120 (Siemens) differential leukocyte count (A-Diff) compared to the manual method (M-Diff) in rabbits. EDTA-anticoagulated blood samples collected for diagnostic purposes were analyzed within 6 h of collection. The M-Diff was performed blindly by 2 observers on blood smears by counting 200 cells. We initially included 117 samples; 25 samples were excluded because of suboptimal gating of leukocytes in the Advia peroxidase cytogram or poor blood smear quality. The correlation between the A-Diff and M-Diff was very high for heterophils (r = 0.924, p < 0.001) and lymphocytes (r = 0.903, p < 0.001), high for basophils (r = 0.823, p < 0.001), moderate for monocytes (r = 0.645, p < 0.001), and low for eosinophils (r = 0.336, p = 0.001). The Passing-Bablok regression analyses revealed a small-to-moderate constant error for lymphocytes and a slight constant error for basophils. Small proportional errors were detected for heterophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils. The Bland-Altman analyses revealed that the Advia significantly underestimates heterophils and overestimates lymphocytes compared to M-Diff. The biases for the other leukocytes were minimal and likely clinical insignificant; however, our results, particularly for eosinophils, should be interpreted cautiously given the observed low percentages in our samples. Given the observed biases in heterophil and lymphocyte percentages in the Advia 2120 CBC results in rabbits, method-specific reference intervals should be used. The Advia can recognize leporine basophils. Evaluation of blood smears is still recommended to investigate abnormal results and erroneous cytograms reported by the Advia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis L Oikonomidis
- Easter Bush Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Elspeth Milne
- Easter Bush Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Chiara Piccinelli
- Easter Bush Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
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6
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Woods GA, Simpson M, Boag A, Paris J, Piccinelli C, Breheny C. Complications associated with bone marrow sampling in dogs and cats. J Small Anim Pract 2020; 62:209-215. [PMID: 33274762 DOI: 10.1111/jsap.13274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To evaluate the prevalence of complications during bone marrow sampling and associated patient and procedural factors in dogs and cats. MATERIALS AND METHODS Retrospective cohort study, records were evaluated to identify dogs and cats that had bone marrow sampling between 2012 and 2019. Data including signalment, the presence of specific clinicopathological findings, anatomical site of bone marrow sampling, number of attempts, diagnostic quality of sampling, analgesia protocol and complications postprocedure were recorded. RESULTS A total of 131 dogs and 29 cats were included in the study. Complications were recorded in 22 of 160 (14%) of cases. Pain was the most common complication of bone marrow sampling in 20 of 22 (91%) of cases with bruising reported in the remaining patients. A local anaesthetic block was used in 98 of 160 (61%) of patients. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Excluding pain, complications associated with bone marrow sampling were rare and no clear association were detected between patient or procedural variables. Haemorrhage and infection are rare complications in dogs and cats when thrombocytopenia and neutropenia are present. Peri-procedure analgesia is strongly recommended to minimise complications.
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Affiliation(s)
- G A Woods
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - M Simpson
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - A Boag
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK.,The Queen's Medical Research Institute, Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of Edinburgh, EH16 4T, UK
| | - J Paris
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - C Piccinelli
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK.,Easter Bush Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
| | - C Breheny
- Hospital for Small Animals, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK
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7
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Milne E, Nuttall T, Marioni-Henry K, Piccinelli C, Schwarz T, Azar A, Harris J, Duncan J, Cheeseman M. Cytological and microbiological characteristics of middle ear effusions in brachycephalic dogs. J Vet Intern Med 2020; 34:1454-1463. [PMID: 32407559 PMCID: PMC7379010 DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Middle ear effusion is common in brachycephalic dogs with similarities to otitis media with effusion in children. Association with the cranial and eustachian tube morphology and bacterial infection is suspected in both species. Hypothesis/objectives To determine cytological and bacteriological features of middle ear effusions in dogs, provide information on histological features, and further assess the dog as a model of the human disease. Animals Sixteen live dogs, 3 postmortem cases of middle ear effusion, and 2 postmortem controls. Methods Prospective; clinical investigation using computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, video‐otoscopy, myringotomy; cytological assessment of 30 and bacteriology of 28 effusions; histology and immunohistochemistry (CD3 for T‐lymphocytes, Pax5 for B lymphocytes and MAC387 for macrophages) of 10 middle ear sections. Results Effusions were associated with neurological deficits in 6/16 (38%) and concurrent atopic dermatitis and otitis externa in 9/16 (56%) of live cases. Neutrophils and macrophages predominated on cytology (median 60 [range 2%‐95.5%] and 27 [2%‐96.5%]) whether culture of effusions was positive or not. In histology sections, the mucosa was thickened in affected dogs but submucosal gland dilatation occurred in affected and unaffected dogs. There was no bacterial growth from 22/28 (79%) of effusions. Bacteria isolated from the other 6 (21%) were predominantly Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (4/6, 67%). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Clinical, morphological, and cytological findings in middle ear effusions of dogs and people suggest similar pathogeneses. Middle ear effusion of dogs could be a useful model of human otitis media with effusion. Such comparisons can improve understanding and management across species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elspeth Milne
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Tim Nuttall
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Katia Marioni-Henry
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Chiara Piccinelli
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Tobias Schwarz
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Ali Azar
- MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh BioQuarter, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Harris
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Juliet Duncan
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Cheeseman
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and The Roslin Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom.,Centre for Comparative Pathology & Division of Pathology , University of Edinburgh, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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8
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Bhutta MF, Lambie J, Hobson L, Williams D, Tyrer HE, Nicholson G, Brown SDM, Brown H, Piccinelli C, Devailly G, Ramsden J, Cheeseman MT. Transcript Analysis Reveals a Hypoxic Inflammatory Environment in Human Chronic Otitis Media With Effusion. Front Genet 2020; 10:1327. [PMID: 32153623 PMCID: PMC7047850 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 12/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic otitis media with effusion (COME) is the most common cause of childhood hearing loss in the developed world. Underlying pathophysiology is not well understood, and in particular the factors that lead to the transition from acute to chronic inflammation. Here we present the first genome-wide transcript analysis of white blood cells in the effusion of children with COME. Analysis of microarray data for enriched pathways reveals upregulation of hypoxia pathways, which is confirmed using real-time PCR and determining VEGF protein titres. Other pathways upregulated in both mucoid and serous effusions include Toll-like receptor signaling, complement, and RANK-RANKL. Cytology reveals neutrophils and macrophages predominated in both serous and mucoid effusions, however, serous samples had higher lymphocyte and eosinophil differential counts, while mucoid samples had higher neutrophil differential counts. Transcript analysis indicates serous fluids have CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocyte, and NK cell signatures. Overall, our findings suggest that inflammation and hypoxia pathways are important in the pathology of COME, and targets for potential therapeutic intervention, and that mucoid and serous COME may represent different immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmood F Bhutta
- Department of ENT, Brighton & Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Jane Lambie
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Lindsey Hobson
- Department of ENT, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Debbie Williams
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell, United Kingdom
| | - Hayley E Tyrer
- Faculty of Health and Wellbeing, University of Lancashire, Preston, United Kingdom
| | - George Nicholson
- Department of Statistics, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Steve D M Brown
- Mammalian Genetics Unit, MRC Harwell Institute, Harwell, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Brown
- The Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | - Chiara Piccinelli
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
| | | | - James Ramsden
- Department of ENT, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Michael T Cheeseman
- The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
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9
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Berrino E, Annaratone L, Miglio U, Maldi E, Piccinelli C, Peano E, Balmativola D, Cassoni P, Pisacane A, Sarotto I, Venesio T, Sapino A, Marchiò C. Cold Formalin Fixation Guarantees DNA Integrity in Formalin Fixed Paraffin Embedded Tissues: Premises for a Better Quality of Diagnostic and Experimental Pathology With a Specific Impact on Breast Cancer. Front Oncol 2020; 10:173. [PMID: 32140450 PMCID: PMC7042205 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2020.00173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Formalin fixation and paraffin embedding (FFPE) represent the standard method to preserve tissue specimens for diagnostic pathology, however formalin fixation induces severe fragmentation of nucleic acids. We investigated whether formalin fixation at 4°C could preserve DNA integrity in FFPE specimens. Paired samples from 38 specimens were formalin fixed at room temperature (stdFFPE) and at 4°C (coldFFPE), respectively. Two independent cohorts were prospectively collected, cohort A (collected 6 years prior to the study, n = 21), cohort B (collected at time of the study, n = 17). DNA was extracted and its integrity evaluated with a qPCR-based assay that produces a normalized integrity index, the QC score (ratio between the quantity of a long and a short amplicon of the same gene). We observed higher QC scores in coldFFPE compared to stdFFPE samples (mean values: 0.69 vs. 0.36, p < 0.0001) and stdFFPE breast cancer specimens showed the most detrimental effect overall. Comparable QC scores were obtained between coldFFPE tissues of both cohorts; conversely, DNA integrity of stdFFPE was significantly lower in cohort A compared to cohort B (p < 0.0001). Of note, QC scores of stdFFPE (but not of coldFFPE) samples were significantly reduced following 6 months of storage (p = 0.0001). Monitored formalin fixation at 4°C outperforms standard fixation in ensuring high-quality DNA, which is key to feasibility of downstream high-throughput molecular analyses. An important effect was observed over storage time, thus suggesting a likely better preservation of archival samples when this cold fixation protocol is used.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Berrino
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Laura Annaratone
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Umberto Miglio
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Elena Maldi
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Chiara Piccinelli
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Erica Peano
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | | | - Paola Cassoni
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Pathology Unit, Città Della Salute e Della Scienza di Torino, Turin, Italy
| | - Alberto Pisacane
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Ivana Sarotto
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Tiziana Venesio
- Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Anna Sapino
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
| | - Caterina Marchiò
- Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.,Pathology Unit, Candiolo Cancer Institute, FPO-IRCCS, Candiolo, Italy
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Pecceu E, Serra Varela JC, Handel I, Piccinelli C, Milne E, Lawrence J. Ultrasound is a poor predictor of early or overt liver or spleen metastasis in dogs with high-risk mast cell tumours. Vet Comp Oncol 2020; 18:389-401. [PMID: 31863546 DOI: 10.1111/vco.12563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Revised: 12/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Conflicting evidence exists regarding the importance of routine abdominal ultrasound (US) with hepatic and splenic fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology during staging of canine mast cell tumours (MCT). The objective of this study was to correlate ultrasonographic and cytologic findings in dogs with strictly defined high-risk MCTs and to determine the influence on outcome. Our hypothesis was that US poorly predicts visceral metastasis in high-risk MCTs and that early metastasis is associated with improved outcome when compared to overt metastasis. US of liver and spleen correlated to cytologic results, categorized as no metastasis, early metastasis or overt metastasis. Of 82 dogs prospectively enrolled, 18% had early visceral metastasis and 7% had overt metastasis on cytology; 67% with visceral metastasis had regional LN metastasis. US was a poor predictor of metastasis with sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for the spleen of 67%, 68%, 21% and 94%, respectively and for the liver of 29%, 93%, 56% and 82%, respectively. Median time to progression (TTP) for dogs with no metastasis, early metastasis and overt metastasis was not reached, 305 and 69 days, respectively (P < .001). Median survival time (MST) for the 3 groups were not reached, 322 and 81 days, respectively (P < .001). High Patnaik or Kiupel grade, early metastasis, overt metastasis and adequate local control were significantly associated with outcome. Early visceral metastasis was associated with poorer outcome compared to dogs without metastasis, however, a subset of dogs experienced long-term control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evi Pecceu
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Juan Carlos Serra Varela
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Ian Handel
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Chiara Piccinelli
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Elspeth Milne
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
| | - Jessica Lawrence
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies & Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, UK
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11
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Abstract
Equine dysautonomia (grass sickness) is characterized by autonomic neuronal degeneration and is often fatal. As outbreaks occur, rapid diagnosis is essential but confirmation currently requires histological examination. This study evaluated diagnostic accuracy of cytological examination of cranial cervical ganglion (CCG) scrapings for dysautonomia diagnosis. CCG smears from 20 controls and 16 dysautonomia cases were stained with May-Grünwald Giemsa (MGG), hematoxylin and eosin (HE), and cresyl fast violet (CFV), with HE-stained histological sections of CCG as gold standard for diagnosis. Examining all 3 stains together, the sensitivity and specificity were 100%. Occasional individual smears (4/107, 3.7%) were nondiagnostic due to low cellularity, and in a few individual smears the final diagnosis was correct but more tentative (CFV: 5/33 [15.1%], HE: 2/34 [5.9%], and MGG: 4/36 [11.1%]), due to low cellularity or suboptimal cell morphology. CCG cytology was considered reliable for rapid postmortem diagnosis of equine dysautonomia, particularly using MGG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Piccinelli
- 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, UK
| | - Rachel Jago
- 2 Equine Veterinary Services, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Roslin, Midlothian, UK
| | - Elspeth Milne
- 1 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies and the Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, UK
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Azar A, Piccinelli C, Brown H, Headon D, Cheeseman M. Ectodysplasin signalling deficiency in mouse models of hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia leads to middle ear and nasal pathology. Hum Mol Genet 2016; 25:3564-3577. [PMID: 27378689 PMCID: PMC5179950 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddw202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2016] [Revised: 06/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia (HED) results from mutation of the EDA, EDAR or EDARADD genes and is characterized by reduced or absent eccrine sweat glands, hair follicles and teeth, and defective formation of salivary, mammary and craniofacial glands. Mouse models with HED also carry Eda, Edar or Edaradd mutations and have defects that map to the same structures. Patients with HED have ear, nose and throat disease, but this has not been investigated in mice bearing comparable genetic mutations. We report that otitis media, rhinitis and nasopharyngitis occur at high frequency in Eda and Edar mutant mice and explore the pathogenic mechanisms related to glandular function, microbial and immune parameters in these lines. Nasopharynx auditory tube glands fail to develop in HED mutant mice and the functional implications include loss of lysozyme secretion, reduced mucociliary clearance and overgrowth of nasal commensal bacteria accompanied by neutrophil exudation. Heavy nasopharynx foreign body load and loss of gland protection alters the auditory tube gating function and the auditory tubes can become pathologically dilated. Accumulation of large foreign body particles in the bulla stimulates granuloma formation. Analysis of immune cell populations and myeloid cell function shows no evidence of overt immune deficiency in HED mutant mice. Our findings using HED mutant mice as a model for the human condition support the idea that ear and nose pathology in HED patients arises as a result of nasal and nasopharyngeal gland deficits, reduced mucociliary clearance and impaired auditory tube gating function underlies the pathological sequelae in the bulla.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Chiara Piccinelli
- Veterinary Pathology, The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, Scotland, UK
| | - Helen Brown
- Genetics and Genomics Division, Roslin Institute and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies
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