Retrobulbar respiratory epithelial orbital cyst in a dog: A case report

A 10-month-old female, neutered French Bulldog presented with a history of unilateral right-sided intermittent conjunctivitis and exophthalmos. The patient suffered blunt force trauma to the right eye after a tennis ball impact approximately five months prior to presentation. Examination identified the patient was visual with exophthalmos, lateral strabismus, conjunctival hyperaemia, episcleral congestion, and papilloedema. Magnetic resonance imaging and ultrasonography identified an approximately two centimeter diameter fluid-filled structure directly posterior to the globe leading to displacement of the optic nerve and distortion of the posterior globe wall. Centesis of the lesion demonstrated neutrophilic and macrophagic inflammation with evidence of prior hemorrhage. Within four weeks, the structure had re-filled to its original size and was subsequently excised in its entirety, via a lateral orbitotomy. Histopathologic findings indicated a non-keratinising orbital cyst, the lining of which was consistent with a respiratory epithelial cyst. Recurrence had not occurred seven months' post-surgery. To the author's knowledge, previous reports of retrobulbar respiratory epithelial cysts have not been documented in animals.     

中国葛藤叶蝉名录及新种、新记录描述（同翅目：叶蝉科）

本文系统报道我国葛藤上的叶蝉种类，共有11亚科40属50种，其中含3新种、1中国新记录属、5中国新记录种，建立1新组合种，并对折板叶蝉属Paradaevicephalus Ishilhara的属征进行了厘订。新种模式标本保存在安徽农业大学昆虫标本室。     

Echinacea alkylamides modulate induced immune responses in T-cells

The effects of Echinacea and several of its phytochemical components on NFkappaB expression by Jurkat cells (a human T-cell line) were investigated in vitro. In the absence of stimulation, Echinacea and its components exerted no significant effect on basal NFkappaB expression levels. In the presence of endotoxin (LPS), NFkappaB expression was decreased. However, this decrease was significantly reversed by treatment with cichoric acid, an Echinacea root extract (prepared from both Echinacea angustifolia and Echinacea purpurea) and the alkylamide fraction derived from this combination. For the phorbol myristate acetate stimulation of Jurkat cells, effects on NFkappaB expression were mixed. Depending on the concentration, cichoric acid and a 2,4-diene alkylamide significantly induced NFkappaB levels, whereas a 2-ene alkylamide caused a significant inhibition. In contrast, both the Echinacea and the mixed alkylamide fraction exerted no effect. The alkylamide results indicate that the two basic forms of these compounds present in Echinacea may have opposing effects. These opposing effects demonstrate the importance of a knowledge, not only of the phytochemical make-up of a herbal preparation, but also of the actions of each component and the consequences of differing relative amounts in the preparation being investigated.     

Sampling plan and test protocol for the semiquantitative detection of genetically modified canola (Brassica napus) seed in bulk canola seed

Using a statistical approach, sampling plans for the semiquantitative detection of genetically modified (GM) canola within a bulk seed sample can be developed and tailored to meet different GM thresholds, costs, and confidence limits. This is achieved by changing the number of subsamples analyzed, the number of seeds per subsample, and the percentage of positive results allowed. These sampling plans must be devised carefully, taking into account the detection capability of the analytical assay. This is particularly important in the case of InVigor (a registered trademark of Bayer CropScience) canola, for which expression levels of the introduced protein in seed are very low. Lateral flow assays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were both investigated for their suitability as a qualitative assay using a subsampling approach. On the basis of an ELISA, several sampling plans have been devised and validated to provide at least 99% confidence that bulk seed samples containing at least 0.9% (w/w) InVigor canola will be detected. Although the term "seed" is used throughout this paper to refer to the canola, the term "seed" is to be taken to include both seed and the canola seed (grain) that is harvested by the farmer/grower.     

DETERMINATION OF MOISTURE CONTENT WITH A GAMMA BACKSCATTER DENSITY GAUGE

Gamma-radiation, backscatter gauges, as normally employed for the determina-tion of the bulk density of soils, use integral mode counting. They are relatively insensitive to the presence of soil moisture and hence not generally suitable for monitoring soil moisture content, particularly, if the soil type effect is minimized by counting only gamma-photons of energy > 0.400 MeV for a ¹³⁷Cs source. However, using differential mode counting with the window set at about 0.08 MeV, the phenomenon is one of multiple instead of single scattering. With a source-detector Separation of the order of 20 cm, about eight Compton in-teractions are obtained and, as a multiplying factor of ZjA is involved at each interaction, the increased response with hydrogen-containing material is easily observable. The value of Z/A for hydrogen is 1.0, and for materials not containing hydrogen about 0.5; therefore for water it is 5/9. Hence under these conditions, the response for water compared with non-hydrogen-containing materials is [(s/9)/(1/2)]⁸= 2.32 times, an increase of 132 per cent. This method can therefore be exploited to measure the moisture content of soils. The sensitivity is high, and the accuracy is better than ± 5 per cent, which is not as good as can be achieved with a separate thermal neutron detector, but is useful for many purposes and, of course, only one instrument is required.     

Effects of dobutamine on cardiac index and arterial blood pressure in isoflurane-anaesthetized horses under clinical conditions

Volatile agent-induced hypotension may contribute to anaesthetic-related morbidity and mortality in horses. Dobutamine is commonly used to support arterial blood pressure (ABP) but little is known about its cardiovascular effects under clinical conditions. The aim of this clinical study was to elucidate the relationship between cardiovascular function and dobutamine infusion in isoflurane-anaesthetized horses. Forty-four horses anaesthetized for a variety of surgical procedures were studied. Premedication with acepromazine, methadone and detomidine was followed by induction of anaesthesia with ketamine and midazolam. Anaesthesia was maintained with isoflurane vaporized in oxygen. Routine anaesthetic monitoring was applied and cardiac output was measured by lithium dilution. Dobutamine was infused to maintain mean ABP above 70 mmHg. The relationship between dobutamine infusion rate, heart rate (HR), ABP and cardiac index was investigated immediately prior to ( T ₀) and 15 min ( T ₁) after dobutamine infusion started, followed at 30 min intervals ( T ₂, etc.). Arterial blood pressure increased significantly after dobutamine infusion started, HR and cardiac index increased significantly only with dobutamine infusion in combination with surgical stimulus. Although isoflurane decreases blood pressure mainly by vasodilation, dobutamine is an effective treatment for hypotension under clinical conditions in isoflurane-anaesthetized horses. The effect of dobutamine is not directly proportional to dose and surgical stimulus probably contributes to the cardiovascular improvement.     

THE SPATIAL RESPONSE PATTERN OF GAMMA BACKSCATTER DENSITY GAUGES

This theoretical study shows that the sensitivity of the usual type of gamma backscatter gauge changes markedly for different soil volume elements according to their position with respect to the source and detector locations. There is a maximum in the so-called detector region and a less important maximum in the source region. Calculation shows that 50 per cent of the total response of the instrument originates from 14 per cent by volume of the soil from a hemisphere of diameter d, d being the source-detector separation. Since the response pattern of this type of backscatter gauge is far from uniform, it is necessary to consider the response patterns in planning the conditions of experiments involving these gauges to obtain the highest sensitivity. This is of particular importance in studying soils of a heterogeneous nature.     

Production and dissolution rates of earthworm-secreted calcium carbonate

Earthworms secrete granules of calcium carbonate. These are potentially important in soil biogeochemical cycles and are routinely recorded in archaeological studies of Quaternary soils. Production rates of calcium carbonate granules by the earthworm Lumbricus terrestris L. were determined over 27 days in a range of soils with differing chemical properties (pH, organic matter content, water holding capacity, bulk composition, cation exchange capacity and exchangeable cations). Production rate varied between soils, lay in the range $0–0.043{\text{mmol}}_{{\text{CaCO}}_3}$ (0–4.3 mg) earthworm^?1 d^?1 with an average rate of $8\times {10}^{?3}{\text{mmol}}_{{\text{CaCO}}_3}$ (0.8 mg) earthworm^?1 d^?1 and was significantly correlated (r = 0.68, P ≤ 0.01) with soil pH. In a second experiment lasting 315 days earthworms repeatedly (over periods of 39–57 days) produced comparable masses of granules. Converting individual earthworm granule production rates into fluxes expressed on a per hectare of land per year basis depends heavily on estimates of earthworm numbers. Using values of 10–20 L. terrestris m^?2 suggests a rate of $18–3139{\text{mol}}_{{\text{CaCO}}_3}{\text{ha}}^{?1}{\text{yr}}^{?1}$. Data obtained from flow-through dissolution experiments suggest that at near neutral pH, granule geometric surface area-normalised dissolution rates are similar to those for other biogenic and inorganic calcites. Fits of the data to the dissolution relationship r = k(1 ? Ω)ⁿ where r = dissolution rate, k = a rate constant, Ω = relative saturation and n = the reaction order gave values of k = 1.72 × 10^?10 mol cm^?2 s^?1 and n = 1.8 for the geometric surface area-normalised rates and k = 3.51 × 10^?13 mol cm^?2 s^?1 and n = 1.8 for the BET surface area-normalised rates. In 196 day leaching column experiments trends in granule dissolution rate referenced to soil chemistry corresponded to predictions made by the SLIM model for dissolution of limestone in soil. If soil solution approaches saturation with respect to calcium carbonate, granule dissolution will slow or even stop and granules be preserved indefinitely. Granules have the potential to be a small but significant component of the biogeochemical cycling of C and Ca in soil.     

Small isolated aspen stands enrich bird communities in southwestern ponderosa pine forests

Small aspen stands are disappearing from the landscape in the Southwest, so it is important to understand their contribution to the avian community. We sampled birds in 53 small, isolated aspen stands and 53 paired plots within the ponderosa pine forest in northern Arizona, during the 1996 and 1997 breeding seasons. Bird species richness and abundance were higher in aspen than in pine. However, bird species richness and abundance did not vary with size of the aspen patch or isolation index. In addition, direct ordination of species distributions with habitat factors suggested no distinct avian communities. This suggests that aspen stands do not harbor separate populations, but rather are locations where the regional avifauna reaches high local density and richness and may be crucial to birds in years of resource scarcity. Thus it is important for avian conservation to maintain many aspen stands across the landscape, encompassing a diversity of vegetation structure and composition.     

Fatal Chlamydia psittaci infection in a domestic kitten

Chlamydia psittaci has not been reported to cause disease in domestic cats, to our knowledge. In contrast, C. felis infection is common in domestic cats and typically results in conjunctivitis, upper respiratory tract infection, and less frequently pneumonia. Herein, we report the pathologic findings and diagnostic features of a fatal case of psittacosis in a 7-wk-old domestic kitten. The animal was 1 of a litter of 5 that, together with the queen, were yielded to a pet rescue center in Wyoming. Over a period of ~3 wk, the kittens and queen became sick, thin, and icteric prior to death, despite antimicrobial treatments. Postmortem evaluation of a kitten revealed necrosuppurative hepatitis with Gimenez stain–positive intracellular bacteria, nonsuppurative pneumonia, and mild leptomeningitis. The diagnosis of psittacosis was made by 16S rRNA PCR using multiple primer sets and sequencing from liver. Psittacosis should be considered a differential diagnosis in domestic cats with intracellular bacterial hepatitis and interstitial pneumonia.