Comparison of core needle biopsy and fine-needle aspiration of enlarged peripheral lymph nodes for antemortem diagnosis of enzootic bovine lymphosarcoma in cattle

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether antemortem core needle biopsy and fine-needle aspiration of enlarged peripheral lymph nodes could be used to distinguish between inflammation and lymphosarcoma in cattle. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: 25 cattle with enlarged peripheral lymph nodes. PROCEDURES: Antemortem biopsies of the selected lymph nodes were performed with an 18-gauge, 12-cm core needle biopsy instrument. Fine-needle aspirates were performed with a 20-gauge, 4-cm needle. Specimens were analyzed by pathologists who were unaware of clinical findings and final necropsy findings, and specimens were categorized as reactive, neoplastic, or nondiagnostic for comparison with necropsy results. RESULTS: Sensitivity and specificity of core needle biopsy ranged from 38% to 67% and from 80% to 25%, respectively. Sensitivity of fine-needle aspiration ranged from 41% to 53%, and specificity was 100%. Predictive values for positive test results ranged from 77% to 89% for core needle biopsy and were 100% for fine-needle aspiration. Predictive values for negative test results were low for both core needle biopsy and fine-needle aspiration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that core needle biopsy and fine-needle aspiration can aid in the antemortem diagnosis of bovine enzootic lymphosarcoma. Results of fine-needle aspiration of enlarged peripheral lymph nodes were more specific and more predictive for a positive test result than were results of core needle biopsy.     

Towards a Pan‐European Assessment of Land Susceptibility to Wind Erosion

Understanding spatial and temporal patterns in land susceptibility to wind erosion is essential to design effective management strategies to control land degradation. The knowledge about the land surface susceptible to wind erosion in European contexts shows significant gaps. The lack of researches, particularly at the landscape to regional scales, prevents national and European institutions from taking actions aimed at an effective mitigating of land degradation. This study provides a preliminary pan‐European assessment that delineates the spatial patterns of land susceptibility to wind erosion and lays the groundwork for future modelling activities. An Index of Land Susceptibility to Wind Erosion (ILSWE) was created by combining spatiotemporal variations of the most influential wind erosion factors (i.e. climatic erosivity, soil erodibility, vegetation cover and landscape roughness). The sensitivity of each input factor was ranked according to fuzzy logic techniques. State‐of‐the‐art findings within the literature on soil erodibility and land susceptibility were used to evaluate the outcomes of the proposed modelling activity. Results show that the approach is suitable for integrating wind erosion information and environmental factors. Within the 34 European countries under investigation, moderate and high levels of land susceptibility to wind erosion were predicted, ranging from 25·8 to 13·0 M ha, respectively (corresponding to 5·3 and 2·9% of total area). New insights into the geography of wind erosion susceptibility in Europe were obtained and provide a solid basis for further investigations into the spatial variability and susceptibility of land to wind erosion across Europe. © 2014 The Authors. Land Degradation and Development published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A method for linking in situ activities of hydrolytic enzymes to associated organisms in forest soils

A root window-based, enzyme-imprinted, membrane system has been modified to enable visualization of the activities of hydrolytic enzymes (acid phosphatase, aminopeptidase, chitinase, and β-glucosidase) in situ in forest soils. The approach can be used to correlate the distribution of enzyme activity with visible features such as roots, mycorrhizas, or mycelial mats. In addition, it enables accurate spatial soil sampling for analysis of microbial communities associated with enzyme activities. The substrates are colorimetric conjugates of napthol, where color develops instantly in the field, or fluorimetric conjugates of 4-methylumbelliferone, whose fluorescent products are detected by a gel-documenting system. The method will allow important questions about the relationship between taxonomic and functional diversity of soil microorganisms to be addressed and identification of enzyme activity hot-spots in soil.     

Alkalinity generation by Fe(III) reduction versus sulfate reduction in wetlands constructed for acid mine drainage treatment

Despite the widespread use of wetlands for acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment, alkalinity generating mechanisms in wetlands and their abiotic and biotic controls are poorly understood. While both dissimilatory sulfate reduction and Fe(III) reduction are alkalinity-generating mechanisms, only the former has been considered as important in wetlands constructed for AMD treatment. This study was conducted to determine the extent to which Fe(III) reduction occurs and the extent to which sulfate reduction versus Fe(III) reduction contributes to alkalinity generation in 5 wetlands constructed with different organic substrates (Sphagnum peat with limestone and fertilizer, Sphagnum peat, sawdust, straw/ manure, mushroom compost) that had been exposed to the same quality and quantity of AMD for 18–22 months. These substrates had Fe oxyhydroxide concentrations of 250–810 μmol Fe g^?1 dry substrate. Flasks containing 100 g of wet substrate along with either 150 mL of wetland water or 130 mL of wetland water and 20 mL of 37 % formalin were incubated at 4 °C in January and 25 °C in May. On days 0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16, the slurry mixtures were analyzed for concentrations of H⁺, Fe²⁺ and SO₄ ^2?. The bulk of the evidence indicates that for all except the mushroom compost wetland, especially at 25 °C, biologically-mediated Fe(II) reduction occurred and generated alkalinity. However, in none of the wetlands, regardless of incubation temperature, was there evidence to support net biological sulfate reduction or its attendant alkalinity generation. Sulfate reduction and concurrent Fe(III) oxyhydroxide accumulation may be important in the initial stages of wetland treatment of AMD, both contributing to effective Fe retention. However, as Fe(III) oxyhydroxides accumulate over time, Fe(III) reduction could lead not only to decreased Fe retention, but also to the potential net release of Fe from the wetland.     

Incorporating parameter uncertainty into prediction intervals for spatial data modeled via a parametric variogram

In spatial predictions, researchers usually treat the estimated theoretical variogram parameters as known without error and ignore the variability of the parameter estimators. Although the prediction is still unbiased, the prediction error is usually underestimated. Therefore, the coverage probability of the prediction interval usually is lower than the nominal probability. A simulation study is performed to show how the coverage probability for prediction relates to the true range and sill of an exponential variogram. This article proposes two parametric bootstrap methods to incorporate the variability of the corresponding parameter estimators. A simulation study is performed to evaluate the coverage probability of these proposed methods. Finally, we apply the parametric bootstrap methods to a real dataset and compare the results with those from naive (i.e., treating estimated parameters as known) and Bayesian methods.     

Plague bacteria target immune cells during infection

The plague is caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Plague bacteria are thought to inject effector Yop proteins into host cells via the type III pathway. The identity of the host cells targeted for injection during plague infection is unknown. We found, using Yop beta-lactamase hybrids and fluorescent staining of live cells from plague-infected animals, that Y. pestis selected immune cells for injection. In vivo, dendritic cells, macrophages, and neutrophils were injected most frequently, whereas B and T lymphocytes were rarely selected. Thus, it appears that Y. pestis disables these cell populations to annihilate host immune responses during plague.     

Respiratory function and pulmonary lesions in pigs infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus

Pulmonary dysfunction was evaluated in pigs infected with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV, isolate VR-2332) and compared to clinical and pathological findings. Infected pigs developed fever, reduced appetite, respiratory distress and dullness at 9 days post-inoculation (dpi). Non-invasive pulmonary function tests using impulse oscillometry and rebreathing of test gases (He, CO) revealed peripheral airway obstruction, reduced lung compliance and reduced lung CO-transfer factor. PRRSV-induced pulmonary dysfunction was most marked at 9–18 dpi and was accompanied by a significantly increased respiratory rate and decreased tidal volume. Expiration was affected more than inspiration. On histopathological examination, multifocal areas of interstitial pneumonia (more severe and extensive at 10 dpi than 21 dpi) were identified as a possible structural basis for reduced lung compliance and gas exchange disturbances.     

Effect of potassium phosphate fertilization on production and emission of methane and its C-stable isotope composition in rice microcosms

Rice fields are an important source for atmospheric CH₄, but the effects of fertilization are not well known. We studied the turnover of CH₄ in rice soil microcosms without and with addition of potassium phosphate. Height and tiller number of rice plants were higher in the fertilized than in the unfertilized microcosms. Emission rates of CH₄ were also higher, but porewater concentrations of CH₄ were lower. The δ¹³C values of the emitted CH₄ and of the CH₄ in the porewater were both 2-6% higher in the fertilized microcosms than in the control. Potassium phosphate did not affect rate and isotopic signature of CH₄ production in anoxic soil slurries. On the other hand, roots retrieved from fertilized microcosms at the end of incubation exhibited slightly higher CH₄ production rates and slightly higher CH₄-δ¹³C values compared to roots from unfertilized plants. Addition of potassium phosphate to excised rice roots generally inhibited CH₄ production and resulted in increasingly lower δ¹³C values of the produced CH₄. Fractionation of ¹³C during plant ventilation (i.e. δ¹³C in pore water CH₄ versus CH₄ emitted) was larger in the fertilized microcosms than in the control. Besides plant ventilation, this difference may also have been caused by CH₄ oxidation in the rhizosphere. However, calculation from the isotopic data showed that less than 27% of the produced CH₄ was oxidized. Collectively, our results indicate that potassium phosphate fertilization stimulated CH₄ emission by enhancing root methanogenesis, plant ventilation and/or CH₄ oxidation, resulting in residence times of CH₄ in the porewater in the order of hours.     

A Prospective Study Of Intravenous Catheter Contamination

A one year prospective study was conducted to determine the association between intravenous catheter contamination and increased dwell time, and to identify any related risk factors. Intravenous catheters obtained from 23 cats and 98 dogs in the Intensive Care Unit at the Ontario Veterinary College with dwell times > 72 hours for the test group (n=58) and < 72 hours for a corresponding control group (n=63) were cultured between April 1991 and March 1992. One hundred and twenty one catheters were cultured, 16 jugular, 99 cephalic, and 6 saphenous. The overall contamination rate was 13 out of 121 catheters cultured (10.7%); 9/63 (14.3%) control and 4/58 (6.9%) test catheters. The bacteria isolated were E.aerogenes, S.aureus (3), P.aeruginosa, P.multocida, and Bacillus sp (7). The Bacillus sp positive catheters (5 control and 2 test) were placed during a five day period, and contaminated gauze squares were identified as the source of infection in these catheters. After these were removed from the study, the group infection rate was 6.9% control and 3.6% test. There was no significant difference between groups and no associated risk factors were identified. We conclude that intravenous dwell time need not be restricted to <72 hours.     

Preliminary study of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) during low- and high-dose radiation therapy of dogs with spontaneous tumors

High plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations are associated with radiation resistance and poor prognosis. After an exposure to ionizing radiation in cell culture an early phase and a late phase of increased VEGF have been documented. The activation was dependent on the radiation dose. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to measure baseline plasma VEGF and changes in VEGF over the course of fractionated radiation therapy in dogs with spontaneous tumors. Dogs with tumors had a significantly higher pretreatment plasma VEGF than did dogs without tumors. Immediately after irradiation no increased plasma VEGF was observed. Over the course of radiation therapy there was an increased plasma VEGF in dogs treated with low doses per fraction/high total dose, whereas plasma VEGF remained stable in dogs irradiated with high doses per fraction/low total dose. The regulatory mechanisms are very complex, and therefore the value of plasma VEGF measurements as an indirect marker of angiogenesis induced by radiotherapy is limited.