Immunohistochemistry Diagnosis of an Ovarian Dysgerminoma in One Bitch

An ovarian enlargement (diameter, 8 cm) was identified and surgically excised from a 5-year-old female dog. Microscopic examination of the multinodular neoplasm revealed sheets of polygonal neoplastic cells with large nuclei, frequent mitosis, necrosis and haemorrhage. Immunohistochemically, the neoplastic cells were positive for vimentin and alkaline phosphatase but were negative for CD3, CD79a, cytokeratin, alpha-fetoprotein, inhibin-α and S-100. The histopathological diagnosis of the mass was unilateral ovarian dysgerminoma.     

Morphological and Apoptotic Comparison of Primordial and Primary Follicles in Cryopreserved Human Ovarian Tissue

There are few reports which were designed to compare the survival rate of human primary follicles with primordial follicles after cryopreservation. This study was designed to evaluate whether such a difference occurs. Human ovarian biopsies were cryopreserved using dimethylsulphoxide/sucrose as the cryoprotectants. Fresh and cryopreserved ovarian samples were evaluated for viability differences between the two types of follicles using the endpoints of histology, ultrastructure and DNA fragmentation. In comparison with fresh ovarian tissue (83.9% ± 10.0%), the percentage of morphologically normal primordial follicles was not significantly different in cryopreserved tissue (73.9% ± 17.2%). However, a lower percentage of primary follicles with normal morphology was seen in the cryopreserved group (43.3% ± 25.7% vs 74.8% ± 19.4% for the fresh group). Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the cryopreservation did not appear to affect the structural integrity of primordial follicles; however, varying ultrastructural damage to the cytoplasm was observed in the majority of the cryopreserved primary follicles. Using a DNA fragmentation assay, the percentage of apoptotic primordial and primary follicles in the unfrozen (26.3% and 20%) and frozen (23.3% and 25%) ovarian tissue was similar. A higher proportion of primary follicles, compared to primordial follicles, suffer histological damage after slow freezing.     

Femtosecond Dynamics of Excited-State Evolution in

Time-resolved absorption spectroscopy on the femtosecond time scale has been used to monitor the earliest events associated with excited-state relaxation in tris-(2,2'-bipyridine)ruthenium(II). The data reveal dynamics associated with the temporal evolution of the Franck-Condon state to the lowest energy excited state of this molecule. The process is essentially complete in approximately 300 femtoseconds after the initial excitation. This result is discussed with regard to reformulating long-held notions about excited-state relaxation, as well as its implication for the importance of non-equilibrium excited-state processes in understanding and designing molecular-based electron transfer, artificial photosynthetic, and photovoltaic assemblies in which compounds of this class are currently playing a key role.     

Pleistocene extinction of genyornis newtoni: human impact on australian megafauna

More than 85 percent of Australian terrestrial genera with a body mass exceeding 44 kilograms became extinct in the Late Pleistocene. Although most were marsupials, the list includes the large, flightless mihirung Genyornis newtoni. More than 700 dates onGenyornis eggshells from three different climate regions document the continuous presence of Genyornis from more than 100,000 years ago until their sudden disappearance 50,000 years ago, about the same time that humans arrived in Australia. Simultaneous extinction of Genyornis at all sites during an interval of modest climate change implies that human impact, not climate, was responsible.     

Hydrogen-Bond Breaking and Proton Exchange in Collisions of Gaseous Formic Acid with Liquid Sulfuric Acid

Gas-liquid scattering experiments provide direct observations of the fate of hydrogen-bonding molecules striking the surfaces of acidic liquids. Collisions of gaseous formic acid with concentrated sulfuric acid show that impinging monomers (HCOOH and DCOOD) scatter inelastically from the interface or become trapped by surface H2SO4. Most trapped DCOOD molecules undergo proton exchange before desorbing from the acid, indicating that gas-surface accommodation almost always leads to reaction with H2SO4 molecules. This proton transfer is not inhibited by dimerization of the formic acid: The dimers readily undergo intramolecular hydrogen bond cleavage and D-H exchange before desorbing from the acid.     

Electrochemical monitoring of the biodegradation of 2,4-dimethylaniline

2,4-Dimethylaniline is a recalcitrant degradant of the pesticide amitraz and is also an industrial pollutant which is genotoxic, teratogenic and carcinogenic. The biological degradation of 2,4-dimethylaniline was examined and monitored by cyclic voltammetry. Pseudomonas species isolated from cattle dip tanks initially metabolized 2,4-dimethylaniline by oxidative deamination, following a degradation pathway via a 3-methylcatechol intermediate. The bacteria were capable of utilizing 2,4-dimethylaniline as a nitrogen source and, following deamination, as a carbon source. The formation of the metabolite, 3-methylcatechol, was monitored and confirmed by voltammetric monitoring.     

A survey of owners' perceptions of fear of fireworks in a sample of dogs and cats in New Zealand

Abstract

AIMS: To establish reliable information regarding the behavioural responses of dogs and cats to fireworks in New Zealand; record interventions used by owners, and their perceived efficacies; and establish the prevalence of firework-related injury, and quantify owners' attitudes towards fireworks.

METHODS: A questionnaire targeting dog and cat owners was distributed via the Auckland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) Animals Voice magazine and 25 veterinary clinics. The questionnaire covered demographics of animals, fear of fireworks, severity of the fear, and behaviours exhibited. Also included were treatments tried, source and perceived efficacy, prevalence of injury, and owners' attitudes towards the sale of fireworks for private use.

RESULTS: From a total of 8,966 questionnaires distributed, 1,007 valid questionnaires were returned, representing 3,527 animals. Of these 1,635 (46%) animals displayed a level of fear of fireworks recognisable to their owners. Owners of dogs identified a significantly higher fear response than owners of cats but the duration of these fear responses did not differ between species. Fear of fireworks frequently resulted in dogs exhibiting active fear behaviours, whereas cats were more likely to exhibit hiding and cowering behaviours. A significantly increased severity and duration of fear response over time in dogs and cats was associated with owners who comforted them when they displayed a fearful response. Only 141/890 (15.8%) of owners sought professional treatment from a veterinarian, animal behaviourist or animal trainer for their animals, with variable efficacy. Six percent (51/923) of animals had received physical injuries from fireworks. The majority (837/1,007; 83%) of respondents, regardless of whether they owned a fearful animal or not, supported a ban on the sale of fireworks for private use.

CONCLUSIONS: The results provide valuable information that is, as yet, unsubstantiated in New Zealand, although potential biases exist due to the non-random selection of respondents. Differences between dogs and cats were likely due to differing responses to fear-provoking stimuli between the species. Owner-reported increase in fearful response over time for comforted animals may indicate a negative impact on the longer-term psychological welfare of their animal.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The greater the awareness of effective treatment plans for animals that suffer from a fear of fireworks, the greater the possibility that this fear can be reduced. Wider dissemination of effective owner behaviour and treatment programmes for firework fears is needed to improve levels of professional treatment for dogs and cats.     

Age-dependent patterns of bovine tuberculosis in cattle

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) is an important livestock disease, seriously impacting cattle industries in both industrialised and pre-industrialised countries. Like TB in other mammals, infection is life long and, if undiagnosed, may progress to disease years after exposure. The risk of disease in humans is highly age-dependent, however in cattle, age-dependent risks have yet to be quantified, largely due to insufficient data and limited diagnostics. Here, we estimate age-specific reactor rates in Great Britain by combining herd-level testing data with spatial movement data from the Cattle Tracing System (CTS). Using a catalytic model, we find strong age dependencies in infection risk and that the probability of detecting infection increases with age. Between 2004 and 2009, infection incidence in cattle fluctuated around 1%. Age-specific incidence increased monotonically until 24–36 months, with cattle aged between 12 and 36 months experiencing the highest rates of infection. Beef and dairy cattle under 24 months experienced similar infection risks, however major differences occurred in older ages. The average reproductive number in cattle was greater than 1 for the years 2004–2009. These methods reveal a consistent pattern of BTB rates with age, across different population structures and testing patterns. The results provide practical insights into BTB epidemiology and control, suggesting that targeting a mass control programme at cattle between 12 and 36 months could be beneficial.     

Chiral Inversion of (R)-(–)-Fenoprofen in Guinea-pigs Pretreated with Clofibrate

The influence of clofibrate on the stereoconversion of fenoprofen (FPF) was studied in guinea pigs. This hypolipidaemic agent has been related to some biochemical changes in the liver leading to an increase in the chiral inversion process. Two groups of animals (n = 6 per group) were pretreated with oral doses of clofibrate (280 mg/kg per day) for three days and were then given (R)- or (S)-FPF (5 mg/kg, IV). The FPF enantiomers were extracted from the guinea-pigs' plasma using a solid phase procedure and analysed by HPLC with previous derivatization with L-leucinamide. Pretreatment with clofibrate increased the chiral inversion of (R)-FPF in favour of the pharmacologically active (S)-FPF enantiomer. Before this metabolic interaction can be applied to therapy with fenoprofen, the toxic effects of (S)-(+)-FPF on the gastrointestinal and renal tracts and the interference by (R)-(–)-FPF with the metabolism of lipids should be thoroughly evaluated.     

Comparison of two injectable anesthetic regimes in feral cats at a large-volume spay clinic

Same‐day mass sterilization of feral cats requires rapid onset, short‐duration anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to compare our current anesthetic protocol, Telazol–ketamine–xylazine (TKX) with medetomidine–ketamine–buprenorphine (MKB). Feral female cats received either IM TKX (n = 68; 0.25 mL cat^?1; tiletamine 12.5 mg, zolazepam 12.5 mg, K 20 mg, and X 5 mg per 0.25 mL) or MKB (n = 17; M 40 µg kg^?1, K 15 mg kg^?1, and B 10 µg kg^?1). Intervals measured included time from injection to recumbency, time to surgery, duration of surgery, and time from reversal of anesthesia (TKX: yohimbine 0.50 mg cat^?1 IV; MKB: atipamezole 0.50 mg cat^?1 IM) to sternal recumbency. Following instrumentation (Vet/Ox 4403 and Vet/BP Plus 6500), physiological measurements were recorded at 5‐minute intervals, and included rectal temperature, heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), SpO₂ (lingual or rectal probes), and indirect mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) (oscillometric method). Nonparametric means were compared using Mann–Whitney U‐tests. Parametric means were compared using a two‐factorial anova with Bonferroni's t‐tests. The alpha‐priori significance level was p < 0.05. Values were mean ± SD. Body weight (TKX: 2.9 ± 0.5 kg, MKB: 2.7 ± 0.7 kg), time to recumbency (TKX: 4 ± 1 minutes, MKB: 3 ± 1 minutes), time to surgery (TKX: 28 ± 7 minutes, MKB: 28 ± 5 minutes), and duration of surgery (TKX: 11 ± 7 minutes, MKB: 8 ± 5 minutes) did not differ between groups. In contrast, MKB cats required less time from reversal to sternal recumbency (TKX: 68 ± 41 minutes, MKB: 7 ± 2 minutes) and were recumbent for shorter duration (TKX: 114 ± 39 minutes, MKB: 53 ± 6 minutes). Temperature decreased during the study in both groups, but overall temperature was higher in MKB cats (38.0 ± 0.95 °C) than in TKX cats (37.5 ± 0.95 °C). RR, HR, and SpO₂ did not change during the study in either group. However, overall HR and RR were higher in TKX cats (RR: 18 ± 8 breaths minute^?1, HR: 153 ± 30 beats minute^?1) compared to MKB cats (RR: 15 ± 7 breaths minute^?1, HR: 128 ± 19 beats minute^?1). In contrast, overall SpO₂ was lower in the TKX group (90 ± 6%) compared to the MKB group (94 ± 4%). MAP was also lower in the TKX group (112 ± 29 mm Hg) compared to that in the MKB group (122 ± 20 mm Hg). However, MAP increased in the TKX group during surgery compared to pre‐surgical values, but did not change in the MKB group. The results of this study suggested that MKB might be more suitable as an anesthetic for the purpose of mass sterilization of feral female cats.