Environmental risk factors for the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma in cats

BackgroundRisk 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.ObjectivesTo investigate previously proposed and novel potential risk factors for OSCC development, including oral inflammatory diseases.AnimalsHundred cats with OSCC, 70 cats with chronic gingivostomatitis (CGS), 63 cats with periodontal disease (PD), and 500 controls.MethodsProspective, 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.ResultsOn multivariable logistic regression, covariates significantly associated with an increased risk of OSCC were rural environment (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.03‐3.04; P = .04), outdoor access (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.07‐2.63; P = .02), environmental tobacco smoke (OR: 1.77; 95% CI: 1.05‐3; P = .03), and petfood containing chemical additives (OR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.04‐3.76; P = .04). Risk factors shared with CGS and PD were outdoor access and petfood containing chemical additives, respectively. A history of oral inflammation was reported in 35% of cats with OSCC but did not emerge as a risk factor.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe study proposes novel potential risk factors for OSCC in cats. Although a history of inflammatory oral disease was not significantly more frequent compared with random age‐matched controls, OSCC shared several risk factors with CGS and PD.     

Distribution and dynamics of the red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris L.) in a landscape with fragmented habitat

In a four year study data on the presence of red squirrel were collected in an agricultural landscape by counting dreys in 49 woods ranging from 0.5 to 14 ha, and differing in quality of habitat and isolation.Logit regression analysis showed that the area per woodlot covered with conifers is a good predictor of squirrel presence for each year and during the whole period, but the significance of the regression decreases with time. During the study the number of woods occupied by red squirrel increased, and smaller woods and those without conifers also became inhabited. This trend is in accordance with the positive effect of time in regression analyses on the presence of the species and on the colonization of woods, and it suggests an increase of squirrel numbers in the area. Addition of several isolation variables in the regression analyses showed significant effects in different years, and the effect of isolation was independent of time. In the first two years the area of habitat around a woodlot, the distance to the nearest woodlot larger than 30 ha, and the density of possible movement corridors have significant effects on the presence of red squirrel.In the last two years, with presumably a high number of squirrels, the (short) distance to the nearest woodlot and also the area of habitat around woods have significant effects. It is concluded that the spatial dynamics of the population can be understood as the outcome of individual spatial behaviour, rather than as the result of metapopulation processes.     

Epidural anesthesia and analgesia in horses.

Intercoccygeal, or caudal, epidural injection of local anesthetics is a convenient method of producing analgesia and local anesthesia of the tail and perineal structures in conscious standing horses. This technique has been further developed to provide long duration analgesia and anesthesia by placement of catheters into the epidural space of horses. More recently, opioid, alpha-2 adrenergic agonists, ketamine and other analgesic agents have been administered by caudal epidural injection, providing pain relief in both conscious, standing and anesthetized, recumbent horses. This chapter describes the development of different anesthetic and analgesic epidural techniques in horses, methods for epidural injection and catheterization, and reviews the current literature related to epidural analgesia and pain control in horses.     

Toxocara canis infection induces antigen-specific IL-10 and IFNgamma production in pregnant dogs and their puppies

Toxocara canis (T. canis) is originally a parasite of canine bitches and their pups. The pathogenicity of T. canis infection is enhanced during pregnancy and puppyhood. The aim of this study was to investigate if modification of IFNgamma and IL-10 secretion occurs during infection in pregnant dogs and puppies. Analysis of cytokines secreted could let us hypothesize a role for IL-10 and/or IFNgamma in T. canis infection. We tested T. canis-specific production of IFNgamma and IL-10 by lymphocytes of pregnant dogs and their puppies after in vitro re-exposure to purified excretory/secretory antigen (ESAg) from T. canis. Blood mononuclear cells (BMC) isolated from pregnant dogs and their puppies were cultured in the presence of ESAg. Cultures' supernatants were tested for cytokine levels by ELISA. Results obtained showed that IL-10 concentrations increased during pregnancy in infected animals and in the meantime IFNgamma production decreased. In puppyhood, we observed that, IL-10 concentration decreased with the age of puppies mainly in infected animals while IFNgamma increased. In conclusion, our data suggests that BMC of infected dogs have a particular modification of IL-10 and IFNgamma synthesis. These data could be the basis to design immunotherapeutic approaches.     

Comparative genomics of microsporidia

Microsporidia have been known for some time to possess among the smallest genomes of any eukaryote. There is now a completely sequenced microsporidian genome, as well as several other large-scale sequencing efforts, so the nature of these genomes is becoming apparent. This paper reviews some of the characteristics of microsporidian genomes in general, and some of the recent discoveries made through comparative genomic analyses. In general, microsporidian genomes are both reduced and compacted. Reduction takes place through gene loss, which is understandable in obligate intracellular parasites that rely on their host for many metabolites. Compaction is a more complex process, and is as yet not fully understood. It is clear from genomes surveyed thus far that the remaining genes are tightly packed and that there is little non-coding sequence, resulting in some extraordinary arrangements, including overlapping genes. Compaction also seems to affect certain aspects of genome evolution, like the frequency of rearrangements. The force behind this compaction is not known, and is especially interesting in light of the fact that surveys of genomes that are significantly different in size yield similar complements of protein-coding genes. There are some interesting exceptions, including catalase, photolyase and some mitochondrial proteins, but the rarity of these raises an interesting question as to what accounts for the significant differences seen in the genome sizes among microsporidia.     

Epidural administration of tiletamine/zolazepam in horses

Objectives To evaluate the analgesic, physiologic, and behavioral effects of the epidural administration of tiletamine/zolazepam in horses. Study design Prospective, double‐blind, randomized experimental study. Animals Five adult, healthy horses aged 10–16 years and weighing (mean ± SD) 400 ± 98 kg. Methods The horses were sedated with 1.0 mg kg^?1 intravenous (IV) xylazine, and an epidural catheter was placed into the first intercoccygeal intervertebral space. After a 48‐hour resting period, epidural tiletamine/zolazepam, 0.5 mg kg^?1 (treatment I) or 1.0 mg kg^?1 (treatment II), diluted up to 5 mL in sterile water, was administered with a 1‐week interval between the treatments. Heart rate, respiratory rate, arterial blood pressure, and sedation were evaluated. In order to evaluate the respiratory effects, blood from the carotid artery was withdrawn at time 0 (baseline), and then after 60 and 240 minutes. Analgesia was evaluated by applying a noxious stimulus with blunt‐tipped forceps on the perineal region, and graded as complete, moderate, or absent. Data were collected before tiletamine/zolazepam administration and at 15‐minute intervals for 120 minutes, and 4 hours after tiletamine/zolazepam administration. Data were analyzed with anova and Bonferroni's test with p < 0.05. Results The results showed no significant difference between treatments in cardiovascular and respiratory measurements. Sedation was observed with both doses, and it was significantly different from baseline at 60, 75, and 90 minutes in treatment II. Moderate analgesia and locomotor ataxia were observed with both the treatments. Conclusions and clinical relevance The results suggest that caudal epidural 0.5 and 1.0 mg kg^?1 tiletamine/zolazepam increases the threshold to pressure stimulation in the perineal region in horses. The use of epidural tiletamine/zolazepam could be indicated for short‐term moderate epidural analgesia. There are no studies examining spinal toxicity of Telazol, and further studies are necessary before recommending clinical use of this technique.     

Effect of the Host and Temperature on the Formation of Defective RNAs Associated with Broad bean mottle virus Infection

ABSTRACT Previously, we demonstrated that Broad bean mottle virus (BBMV), a member of the genus Bromovirus, could accumulate RNA 2-derived defective interfering (DI) RNAs during infection. In this work, we study how host and environmental factors affect the accumulation of DI RNAs. Serial passages of BBMV through selected plant species reveal that, with low-multiplicity inocula, some systemic hosts (Vicia faba, Nicotiana clevelandii, and N. tabacum cv. Samsum) support DI RNA accumulation after the first passage cycle but other hosts (Phaseolus vulgaris, Pisum sativum, and Glycine max) do not. However, several passages with the high-multiplicity inocula can generate DI RNAs in pea plants. Local lesion hosts (Chenopodium quinoa, C. amaranticolor, and C. murale) remain free of the DI RNA components. The size of the de novo-formed DI RNAs depends on the host and on environmental conditions. For instance, broad bean plants cultivated in a greenhouse or in a growth chamber at 20 degrees C accumulated DI RNAs of 2.4 or 1.9 kb in size, respectively. A reverse trend was observed in pea plants. Lower temperatures greatly facilitated the formation of DI RNAs in broad bean and pea hosts after the first passage. The importance of these findings for the studies on DI RNAs are discussed.     

Neurological disease in cattle in southern Brazil associated with Bovine herpesvirus infection.

The occurrence of neurological disease in cattle caused by Bovine herpesvirus in 11 farms from southern Brazil between 1987 and 2007 is described. Twenty-two animals were necropsied. Major clinical signs included excessive salivation, nasal and ocular discharge, circling, recumbency, depression, incoordination, grinding of teeth, and paddling movements. Necropsy findings in 10 of 22 cattle included hyperemia and softening of the rostral portions of the telencephalic cortex, with flattening of gyri, and malacia. Cattle in 10 cases did not show any gross lesions. Histological examination in most cases revealed nonsuppurative and necrotizing meningoencephalitis with acute neuronal necrosis, edema, eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in astrocytes and neurons, and infiltration of gitter cells. No histologic lesions could be detected in 4 cases. The initial diagnosis was based upon the clinical, epidemiological, and pathological findings. The diagnosis was confirmed by virus isolation in cell culture followed by virus identification by a glycoprotein C-based polymerase chain reaction. Seven isolates were identified as Bovine herpesvirus 5, and 4 were identified as Bovine herpesvirus 1.     

Transanal pull-through rectal amputation for treatment of colorectal carcinoma in 11 dogs

Objective— To evaluate outcome after transanal rectal pull-through amputation of single colorectal adenocarcinoma and in situ carcinoma (T is ) in dogs.
Study Design— Retrospective case series.
Animals— Dogs (n=11) with colorectal cancer.
Methods— Full-thickness colorectal amputation by either simple transanal (7 dogs) or combined abdominal–transanal (4) pull-through technique.
Results— Adenocarcinoma (8) and T is (2) were removed with 3–6 cm of grossly normal tissue, cranial and caudal to the tumor, or in 1 T is with 2 cm grossly normal tissue, cranial and caudal. Two dogs that had a combined abdominal–transanal approach died within 4 days. In the other dogs, postoperative complications included short-term tenesmus (6 dogs), rectal bleeding (11), rectal stricture (3), and long-term fecal incontinence (1). Postoperative recurrence and metastatic rates for adenocarcinoma were 18.2% and 0%, respectively. Median disease-free interval and survival time were not reached. Mean disease-free and overall survival times were 44.3 and 44.6 months (range, 0–75 months), respectively.
Conclusion— En bloc excision of colorectal T is and adenocarcinoma may be followed by a long survival. Complications of the transanal approach are usually moderate and self-limiting, but complications are more common and severe when more extensive resections are performed through a combined abdominal–transanal approach.
Clinical Relevance— Transanal rectal pull-through amputation is suitable for en bloc resection of colorectal neoplasia. A combined abdominal–transanal approach should be reserved for tumors extending from the mid-cranial region of the rectum to the descending colon.     

Dynamics of infection and immunity in a dairy cattle population undergoing an eradication programme for Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR)

Several countries within the European Union (EU) have successfully eradicated Infectious Bovine Rhinotracheitis (IBR), while others (e.g. Germany) are making efforts to achieve IBR-free status. EU member states IBR eradication programmes must meet Community legislation requirements that ban breeding farms from purchasing positive animals, from using whole-virus IBR vaccines, and from inseminating cows with semen from positive bulls. A follow-up study from 2002 to 2005 was carried out in the province of Trento (Italy), where a compulsory programme for IBR eradication was started in 1998. IBR outbreaks (identified on the basis of seroconversion of sentinel animals) were concentrated in larger positive herds. A higher incidence was recorded between 2003 and 2004. An association between markedly high temperatures in the summer of 2003 and virus reactivation has been suggested but is yet to be confirmed. The practice of driving cattle to common alpine pastures for the summer season did not play a significant epidemiological role in IBR transmission. Premising that only seronegative animals are allowed to enter dairy farms, animal movement increases the infection risk to a moderate extent. The long-term persistence of IBR antibodies was more pronounced in animals positive for antibodies to the glycoprotein E (gE). Scattered seroconversions, occurring mostly in positive herds, require careful interpretation in order to avoid overestimating the incidence of the infection at herd level.