Background: Risk factors for oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in cats are derived from a single study dated almost 20 years ago. The relationship between inflammation of oral tissues and OSCC is still unclear. Objectives: To investigate previously proposed and novel potential risk factors for OSCC development, including oral inflammatory diseases. Animals: Hundred cats with OSCC, 70 cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (CGS), 63 cats with periodontal disease (PD), and 500 controls. Methods: Prospective, observational case-control study. Cats with OSCC were compared with an age-matched control sample of client-owned cats and cats with CGS or PD. Owners of cats completed an anonymous questionnaire including demographic, environmental and lifestyle information.Results: On multivariable logistic regression, covariates significantly associated with an increased risk of OSCC were rural environment (OR: 1.77; 95%

European energy policies drive to energy efficiency and renewable energies. This global view, converted into national regulations, finds difficulties with energy market, technology costs, and mutable economic conditions making difficult the evaluation of the profitability of these projects. Based upon the above considerations, a Decision Support System for the evaluation of the sustainability of Biomass Combined Heat and Power (BCHP) Plants is here presented. The model provides a technical-economic quantification of a CHP Plant supplied by biomass, with Rankine thermal cycle and District Heating (DH) network serving an industrial district. The aim of the model is to find the optimal Plant configuration in terms of steam turbine choice and the consequent thermal cycle parameters by varying decisional variables describing the type of industrial district, its yearly thermal loads (heating and cooling), the requested carrier fluid, the pipeline distances from the Power Plant. Other parameters, as the feed-in-premium tariff for the electrical energy and natural gas integration, have been considered. Starting by variable and fixed costs and revenues, the Internal Rate of Return of the project has been calculated. An optimal Plant configuration has been defined, and a sensitivity analysis have been performed. The model has been applied to a case related to the city of Quattordio in northern Italy.

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for the evaluation of a unilateral, mobile mass in the ventral neck region, which had been noticed 3 months earlier. Left mandibular and prescapular lymph nodes (LNs) were mildly enlarged at palpation. Physical examination was otherwise unremarkable. Ultrasound examination of the neck revealed a heterogeneously hypoechoic mass of 6 × 5 × 4 cm in size, with multiple hyperechoic foci of intraparenchymal mineralization located on the projection area of the left thyroid lobe with no apparent invasion of surrounding structures. Routine blood analysis (complete blood count, serum biochemistry, and clotting profile) was unremarkable. A total body computed tomography (TBCT) scan revealed a 7.3 × 4.6 × 4.4 cm left thyroid mass in close proximity to the trachea, left carotid artery, left jugular vein, and neck muscles without any apparent infiltration of those structures. Left mandibular and prescapular LNs appeared mildly enlarged. No distant metastases were identified. Due to the bleeding risk associated with the procedure, cytology was not performed.

ObjectivesTo review clinical characteristics, treatment, outcome and prognostic factors in dogs with solid cancer‐bearing bone metastases.Materials and MethodsRecords were reviewed from dogs with histologically‐proven solid cancer and bone metastases. Clinicopathologic variables, bone metastases characteristics and skeletal‐related events were recorded. Endpoints were time to bone metastases and survival.ResultsFifty dogs were included, 20 of them with synchronous and 30 of them with metachronous bone metastases. In the latter group, median time to diagnosis of bone metastases was 210 days (range, 30 to 1835). Most common primary cancer locations included mammary gland (n=6), spleen (n=5) and tonsil (n=5). Most common histotypes were carcinoma (n=32) and hemangiosarcoma (n=10). Nineteen dogs had multiple bones involvement, with humeri and vertebrae more commonly affected. Twenty‐four dogs received antitumoural therapy, five symptomatic treatment and 21 were not treated. Overall median survival after bone metastases diagnosis was 30 days (range, 11 to 49); 83% of dogs died because of skeletal‐related events. Lack of antitumoural therapy was significantly associated with shorter survival (hazard ratio: 2.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.3 to 5.6) and with increased risk of skeletal‐related death (hazard ratio: 3.3; 95% confidence interval: 1.4 to 7.4). Dogs with endocrine/neuroendocrine tumours (odds ratio: 8.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.2 to 63.9), without appendicular metastases (odds ratio: 5.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.0 to 25.8), without extra‐skeletal metastases (odds ratio: 5.2; 95% confidence interval: 1.1 to 24.5) and receiving antitumoural therapy (odds ratio: 14.8; 95% confidence interval: 1.7 to 131.4) had an increased chance of surviving more than 100 days.Clinical SignificanceBone metastases in dogs with solid cancers are associated with poor prognosis and a high risk of skeletal‐related events. Treatment appears to have an impact on survival.

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