Cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma – Sézary syndrome in a Boxer

A 7‐year‐old male Boxer with a 3.5‐year history of atopy and food hypersensitivity was presented with multiple poorly circumscribed nodules and maculae of the skin and tongue, and jaundiced mucosal membranes. Cytologic and histopathologic examination of the skin lesions revealed cutaneous epitheliotropic lymphoma. Cells were CD3⁺ and CD8⁺ in flow cytometry. The CBC showed a moderate leukocytosis with 16% atypical lymphocytes with irregularly cleaved nuclei. Flow cytometric phenotyping of peripheral blood showed an elevated proportion of the CD8⁺ T‐lymphocyte subpopulation, indicating a malignant population of T‐cell origin, and the electropherogram of the PCR antigen receptor rearrangement produced a monoclonal peak for TCRγ. Liver enzyme activities were markedly increased and abdominal ultrasound examination showed increased echogenicity of the liver and enlarged abdominal lymph nodes. Fine‐needle aspirates of the liver confirmed infiltration with lymphocytes exhibiting the same morphology as the cells detected in skin and peripheral blood. Treatment was induced with L‐asparaginase, lomustine, and prednisone. Partial clinical remission of the skin and tongue lesions was achieved within 10 days, and hematologic abnormalities resolved. Despite further treatment with L‐asparaginase and lomustine, the dog relapsed within one month and was euthanized. Presence of malignant lymphocytes in skin, peripheral blood, and liver indicate a rare variant of leukemic cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma, equivalent of Sézary syndrome in a dog. This case report describes the use of flow cytometry as a complementary tool for lymphocyte characterization of skin lesions for the first time.     

GENETICS. The Human Variome Project

An ambitious plan to collect, curate, and make accessible information on genetic variations affecting human health is beginning to be realized.     

Seroepidemiological studies of zoonotic infections in hunters in southeastern Austria--prevalences,risk factors,and preventive methods

The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalences to zoonotic pathogens in hunters, to propose preventive measures and to obtain more information about the occurrence of zoonotic pathogens in local wild animal populations. From 146 male and 3 female hunters originating from the south-eastern Austrian federal states of Styria and Burgenland blood samples were taken and anamnestic data were obtained using a questionnaire. The serological investigations included the following viral, bacterial and parasitic zoonotic agents or zoonoses, respectively (antibody-seroprevalences in brackets): encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV, 15%), Puumala-Hantavirus (10%), Newcastle Disease virus (NDV, 4%), borreliosis (IgG 42%, IgM 7%), brucellosis (1%), chlamydiosis (3%), ehrlichiosis (IgG 15%, IgM 3%), leptospirosis (10%), tularaemia (3%), Q fever (0%), Echinococcus multilocularis/E. granulosus (5%/11%), toxocariasis (17%). Out of a control group of 50 persons (urban population, no hunters) only one person was found to be seropositive for Toxocara canis and NDV and four for EMCV, all other results were negative in the control group. The high seroprevalences especially to Borrelia burgdorferi s.l., Ehrlichia spp., Leptospira interrogans, E. granulosus, E. multilocularis, encephalomyocarditis virus and Puumala virus demonstrate that hunters are particularly exposed to zoonotic pathogens. It should also be noted that one hunter was seropositive for Brucella abortus and five exhibited antibodies to Francisella tularensis. In these cases, as well as in the cases of the 15 seropositives for Leptospira interrogans, the suspected source of infection may--besides rodents--also include wild boars and brown hares. The infections with NDV and Chlamydophila psittaci may be traced back to contact with certain species of birds (potential risk: aviaries). For Hantaviruses, rodents are considered to be the main source of human infections.     

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and polychlorinated biphenyls in urban and semi-urban soils of Havana,Cuba

Purpose

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Havana were quantified and analyzed in relation to possible emission sources to assess metropolitan soil contaminations in a highly dynamic, urban environment. The results of this study will serve Cuban legislators as a basis to develop environmental quality standards for organic pollutants in soils.

Materials and methods

Possible emission sources as, e.g., the vicinity to roads or industrial plants and the influence of the land use were related to the organic contaminants concentrations. Therefore, 28 topsoils in the Havana urban and semi-urban area were sampled at agricultural (n?=?12), organoponic (urban gardens in the capital, n?=?8), public park (n?=?7), and remediation (on-site bioremediation of an oil refinery, n?=?1) sites. Their PAH and PCB concentrations were measured with gas chromatography mass spectroscopy and the total organic carbon (TOC) and black carbon (BC) concentrations with the chemo-thermal oxidation.

Results and discussion

The sum of the 16 PAH concentrations ranged from 0.04 mg/kg in agricultural and organoponic soils to up to 72 mg/kg in a public park at about 1.5 km distance from an oil refinery. The lowest sum of the seven PCB congener concentrations was also measured in organoponic soils (0.002 mg/kg) and the highest in an arable patch of land between the rail roads and a main road (0.1 mg/kg). Both, PAH as well as PCB soil concentrations in Havana were almost up to two orders of magnitudes higher compared to a soil monitoring in the neighboring province of Mayabeque, but overall in the typical range of urban soils reported by other studies. The pollutants showed no relationship between TOC and BC except for PAHs with BC. For PAHs, combustion was the main source.

Conclusions

A comparison of the pollutant concentrations with regulatory guidance values (RGV) of other countries revealed PCB concentrations in Havana soils far below these RGV. In contrast, some concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene, the most carcinogenic PAH, in agricultural and park soils in Havana exceeded some RGV. Thus, some public parks pose a risk according to the Canadian quality guidelines when people have direct contact with these soils but not if they were consuming products thereof.

     

Biogenetic studies in Syringa vulgaris L.: bioconversion of (18)O(2H)-labeled precursors into lilac aldehydes and lilac alcohols

Syringa vulgaris L. inflorescences, petals, and chloroplasts, isolated from lilac flower petals, were fed with aqueous solutions of (18)O-labeled linalool and [5,5-(2)H(2)]-deoxy-d-xylose (DOX). The chloroplasts of lilac flower petals were isolated after feeding experiments with labeled precursors. Volatiles from the chloroplasts were extracted by stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) and analyzed using enantioselective multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (enantio-MDGC-MS). Feeding experiments with DOX indicate that the novel mevalonate-independent 1-deoxy-d-xylose 5-phosphate/2C-methyl-d-erythritol 4-phosphate (DOX/MEP) is the decisive pathway of lilac aldehyde and lilac alcohol, respectively. Bioconversion of [(18)O]linalool into lilac aldehyde and lilac alcohol during in vivo feeding experiments was monitored, and the metabolic pathways are discussed.     

Erosion processes and erodibility of cultivated soils in North Rhine‐Westphalia under artificial rain. II. Results of field experiments and comparison with laboratory trials

In the densely populated state of North Rhine‐Westphalia, soil erosion by water causes substantial on‐site degradation and off‐site damages. The implementation of soil‐conservation measures is improved, if soil erodibilities and erosion processes are known. In a state‐wide investigation, we aimed to representatively assess soil‐erosion processes and erodibilities of cultivated soils. For this purpose, we measured surface runoff and soil‐loss rates of 28 cultivated soils with field plots under artificial rain. In the field experiments, surface runoff and soil loss indicated high sealing susceptibilities and high erodibilities on soils of quite different textures including a clay silt, a loam silt, a loam sand, a sand loam, and two standard loams. Rill formation causing high soil‐loss rates was observed on a clay silt (soil BM) and on a loam silt (soil RB), the latter yielding an empirical K‐factor of 1.66 t ha^–1 h N^–1. K‐factors of other silty soils ranged from 0.04 to 0.48, whereas sandy soils and clayey soils had K‐factors ranging from 0.00 to 0.32, and 0.00 to 0.12, respectively. Comparatively high erodibilities of two silt clays were due to saturation overland flow. Erosion processes and erodibilities of soils with similar texture varied to a large extent, possibly caused in part by seasonal differences in the timing of erosion tests. Surface runoff was different in field experiments compared with laboratory experiments (companion paper) conducted with topsoil material taken from the field plots. In addition, higher concentrations of suspended sediment were recorded on average in the field than in the laboratory. These differences might reflect the influence of the subsoil and are due to higher transport capacities on longer plots in the field. Thus, laboratory experiments can complement but not replace costly field trials for K‐factor determination. Empirical K‐factors derived from field and laboratory experiments are in general lower than K‐factors of other soils in Germany or calculated K‐factors derived from pedotransfer functions, which might be attributed to a more maritime‐type climate in North Rhine‐Westphalia. Since the temporal variability of erodibility was not assessed, the reported K‐factors should be regarded as preliminary.     

Identification of a novel foot-and-mouth disease virus specific T-cell epitope with immunodominant characteristics in cattle with MHC serotype A31

To identify foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) specific T-cell epitopes within the entire polyprotein sequence of the virus, 442 overlapping pentadecapeptides were tested in proliferation assays using lymphocytes from cattle experimentally infected with FMDV. Four months post-infection cells from all investigated animals (n = 4) responded by proliferation and interferon-gamma production to a peptide located on the structural protein 1D (VP1), amino acid residues 66-80. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) serotyping of the investigated cattle indicated that all animals shared the MHC serotype A31 which comprises the class II allele DRB3 0701. This may explain the common recognition of this newly discovered epitope. Responses to other peptides could only be observed in one animal and rapidly declined during the time course of the study. These observations point to an immunodominant role of this epitope located on the protein 1D in cattle with MHC serotype A31.     

Biosynthesis of monoterpenes and norisoprenoids in raspberry fruits (Rubus idaeus L.): the role of cytosolic mevalonate and plastidial methylerythritol phosphate pathway

The biosynthesis of the monoterpenes (-)-alpha-pinene, linalool, and the norisoprenoids alpha- and beta-ionone in raspberry fruits (rubus idaeus L.) was investigated by in vivo feeding experiments with [5,5-(2)H2]-mevalonic acid lactone and [5,5-(2)H2]-1-deoxy-D-xylulose. The volatile compounds were extracted by stirbar sorptive extraction and analyzed using thermal desorption-multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-enantio-MDGC-MS). The feeding experiments demonstrate that (-)-alpha-pinene and (S)-linalool are exclusively synthesized via the cytosolic mevalonic acid pathway. In contrast, (2)H-labeled (R)-(E)-alpha-ionone and (2)H-labeled (E)-beta-ionone are detectable after application of d2-1-deoxy-D-xylulose and d2-mevalonic acid lactone, respectively. However, (R)-linalool reveals no incorporation of either one of the fed precursors, even though this enantiomer is detectable in the fruit tissue.