PD-L1, PD-1, and CTLA-4 mRNA In Situ Expression by Canine Oral Melanoma Cells and Immune Cells of the Tumour Microenvironment.

Canine oral melanoma (OM) exhibits poor prognosis and limited treatment options. The success of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in human melanoma has driven interest in similar therapeutic approaches in the dog, although the immunosuppressive mechanisms adopted by canine OM remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the expression of the immune checkpoints PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 by RNAscope in situ hybridization (ISH) in canine OM, to investigate their expression pattern and explore their potential role in melanoma progression.

Zoonoses in dog and cat shelters in North-East Italy: update on emerging, neglected and known zoonotic agents.

Introduction: Shelters for stray dogs and cats deserve careful monitoring for zoonotic risk, as they represent a crucial point for prevention and control of infection spread. Data sorting to prioritize zoonotic agents in a geographic area need constant updating, but no regular official programs are ongoing, to allow an efficient risk survey for these animal species. This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive investigation of the prevalence of certain known, potential and emerging zoonoses within the framework of the routine monitoring of dog and cat shelters in North-East Italy.

Optimizing the Positioning of Detectors for Improved Counting Efficiencies Using Monte Carlo Simulations.

The Human Monitoring Laboratory (HML) at Health Canada updated its whole-body counter with four new electrically cooled HPGe detectors. To optimize the counting efficiency of the new system, Monte Carlo simulation was used to model the whole-body counter using a reference BOMAB male phantom. The resulting modeled counting efficiencies showed that the best position to install the four new detectors could be obtained without performing laborious real measurements, thereby reducing the cost of preparing the BOMAB phantoms and reconfiguring the detector arrays in multiple geometries, saving time and energy.

3D Printed Lung Phantom for Individual Monitoring.

The Human Monitoring Laboratory, Health Canada (HML), has used a 3D printer to re-engineer its Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) foam lung sets (manufactured by Radiology Support Devices, Inc., Long Beach, CA). The foam sets are currently the HML standard for calibrating and performance testing lung-counting systems in Canada.

The Italian Network of Laboratories for Veterinary Oncology (NILOV) 2.0: Improving Knowledge on Canine Tumours.

Advances in tumour research are crucial, and comparative oncology can improve the knowledge in several ways. Dogs are not only models of specific naturally occurring tumours but can also be sentinels of environmental exposures to carcinogens, as they share the same environment with their owners. The purpose of this work was to describe the data collected by The Italian Network of Laboratories for Veterinary Oncology in the first 9 years of activity (2013-2021) and to evaluate their potential epidemiological significance.