Lafora disease as a cause of visually exacerbated myoclonic attacks in a dog

An 8-year-old, castrated male, miniature wire-haired dachshund was presented with a 4-month history of intermittent facial twitching (myoclonus). The myoclonic episodes progressed over a 16-month period. Generalized seizure activity was infrequent. Clinical examination revealed visually stimulated myoclonus. Response to therapy with antiepileptic drugs was equivocal. Genetic testing identified the dog as being affected by Lafora disease.     

Detection of Bartonella henselae and Bartonella clarridgeiae DNA in hepatic specimens from two dogs with hepatic disease

A 4-year-old Basset Hound and a 6-year-old Doberman Pinscher were referred for diagnostic evaluation following documentation of persistently increased hepatic enzyme activities and hepatic dysfunction. Histologic evaluation of hepatic biopsy specimens from the 2 dogs revealed granulomatous hepatitis in the Basset Hound and lymphocytic hepatitis with fibrosis and copper accumulation in the Doberman Pinscher. No etiologic agents were identified histologically. Bartonella henselae DNA was subsequently amplified from hepatic tissue from the Basset Hound and Bartonella clarridgeiae was amplified from hepatic tissue from the Doberman Pinscher. Amplification was performed with a polymerase chain reaction assay incorporating primers that target a portion of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region. Both dogs were treated with azithromycin, in combination with a variety of other medications and herbal treatments, and improved clinically. Identification of Bartonella DNA in these dogs indicates the need for future prospective studies to determine the clinical relevance of Bartonella spp infection in dogs with hepatic disease.     

Comparative cell morphology in the peripheral blood film from exotic and native animalsa

Haematological investigation is an important part of disease diagnosis. This is particularly so when investigating individual animal disease. It may also be important when investigating diseases in groups of animals, but the opportunity to perform necropsies to directly detect disease processes often diminishes its usefulness. Haematological investigation is essentially similar for all species. The presence of nucleated erythrocytes and thrombocytes in nonmammals requires alteration of haemoglobin measurement and cell counting. In addition, it may cause some confusion in identification of cells in peripheral blood films. Examination of blood films is an important component of haematological investigation and provides useful information on erythroid, leukocytic and platelet/thrombocytic alterations. Interpretation of alterations is essentially similar for all species. However, cell identification can at times be difficult. There are five basic leukocytes in all species: neutrophil (mammals) or heterophil (nonmammals), eosinophil, basophil, lymphocyte and monocyte. In nonmammals it may be difficult at times to distinguish between heterophils and eosinophils. In addition, lymphocytes may be confused with thrombocytes. However, a common-sense approach to the examination of the peripheral blood film will minimise this confusion.     

Continental drainage in north america during the phanerozoic from Nd isotopes

Neodymium (Nd) isotopic data show consistent patterns in the sources of sedimentary rocks in North America at a continental scale. Between 600 and 450 million years ago (Ma), ancient continental shield sources dominated. Around 450 Ma, detritus from the Caledonian-Appalachian mountains overwhelmed sediment from all older sources, and is documented over large areas of the southern, western, and northern margins of North America. This material continued to dominate the sediment supply until about 150 Ma, probably due to cannibalistic recycling of sedimentary rocks formed earlier. Around 150 Ma, the rising western Cordillera delivered new and different detritus to the sedimentary system.     

Modeling the Exchanges of Energy, Water, and Carbon Between Continents and the Atmosphere

Atmospheric general circulation models used for climate simulation and weather forecasting require the fluxes of radiation, heat, water vapor, and momentum across the land-atmosphere interface to be specified. These fluxes are calculated by submodels called land surface parameterizations. Over the last 20 years, these parameterizations have evolved from simple, unrealistic schemes into credible representations of the global soil-vegetation-atmosphere transfer system as advances in plant physiological and hydrological research, advances in satellite data interpretation, and the results of large-scale field experiments have been exploited. Some modern schemes incorporate biogeochemical and ecological knowledge and, when coupled with advanced climate and ocean models, will be capable of modeling the biological and physical responses of the Earth system to global change, for example, increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide.     

Comparison of inoculation regimes for the experimental production of swine erysipelas arthritis: I Clinical, pathological and bacteriological findings

The arthritic form of swine erysipelas was induced in pigs by multiple intravenous inoculation of 2 strains of Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae. The strains differed significantly in their arthritogenicity but not in the number of cases of lameness induced. The use of 3 intravenous inoculations instead of 5 did not significantly affect the outcome. In a second trial, the more arthritogenic strain was injected in ten-fold dilutions from 5 x 10(9) to 5 x 10(4) organisms. Pigs receiving the lower doses showed high variability in their arthritic responses that precluded sensitive analysis of the dose effects on the number of arthritic and infected joints. However, slaughter weights showed a significant negative correlation with dose. Mean slaughter weights in treatment groups varied by 14.6 kg per pig, an average weight loss of 3 kg per pig for each ten-fold rise in dose of the highly virulent strain, and significantly correlated with the number of arthritic and infected joints. Culture of homogenised synovial membrane through selective horse meat-serum broth containing kanamycin, neomycin and vancomycin identified 66% and 59% more infected joints than primary blood agar culture of synovial fluid or synovial membrane homogenate, respectively.