A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY ON THE SONOGRAPHIC FINDINGS OF ABDOMINAL CARCINOMATOSIS IN 14 CATS

A retrospective review was performed on 14 cats with histology- or cytology-proven carcinomatosis. The mean age was 12.7 years with a median of 11 years. The diagnosis of carcinomatosis was made by histology in 11 cats and cytology in three cats. Twelve cats had cytologic examination of the peritoneal free fluid and seven cats (58.3%) had evidence of malignant cells. The primary tumor site was determined in 13 cats. The most common organ locations for the primary tumor were the liver (n = 5), pancreas (n = 3), and small intestine (n = 3). Other sites were stomach and spleen in one cat each. Epithelial cell neoplasia was the primary tumor type in 11 cats. Two cats had abdominal lymphomatosis and one cat had abdominal sarcomatosis secondary to metastatic hemangiosarcoma. Free peritoneal fluid and masses in the connecting peritoneum were found in all cats (100%). Additional findings included primary or metastatic masses in abdominal organs in 10 cats (71.4%), lymph node enlargement in five cats (35.7%), pleural effusion in three cats (21.4%), parietal peritoneal masses in two cats (14.3%), and visceral peritoneal masses in one cat (7.1%). Masses in the connecting peritoneal may be a very specific finding for carcinomatosis in cats, especially with a concurrent abdominal neoplastic mass. Parietal and visceral peritoneal masses, while uncommon in this series of cats, have not been reported for other diseases and seem to strongly support a diagnosis of carcinomatosis.     

Comparison of a competitive inhibition ELISA and the card agglutination test for detection of antibodies to Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma centrale in cattle

OBJECTIVE: To compare a recently developed recombinant MSP-5 competitive inhibition ELISA with a card agglutination test for detection of antibodies to Anaplasma marginale and Anaplasma centrale in Australian cattle. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The ELISA was compared with the card agglutination test using 208 sera from cattle in Anaplasma-free herds, 86 sera from cattle experimentally infected with A marginale or A centrale and 757 sera from cattle in areas endemic for A marginale. RESULTS: The specificity of the ELISA, based on testing 208 sera from cattle in Anaplasma-free areas, was 99.5%, and the sensitivities for detection of antibodies to A marginale and A centrale in sera from the experimentally infected cattle were 98.0% and 100%, respectively. For the same sets of sera, the specificity of the card agglutination test was 98.6% and the sensitivities for detection of antibodies to A marginale and A centrale were 98.0% and 100%, respectively. For the 757 sera collected from cattle in areas endemic for A marginale, the agreement between the ELISA and the card agglutination test depended on the positive threshold selected for the ELISA. The maximum achievable agreement was 91.5% (kappa = 0.73; 95% confidence interval 0.66, 0.79). CONCLUSION: We conclude that the competitive inhibition ELISA is a useful alternative to the card agglutination test for detection of A marginale or A centrale infection in cattle. The assay should be particularly useful for epidemiological applications such as prevalence studies and control programs.     

Pancreatic Pseudocysts in 4 Dogs and 2 Cats: Ultrasonographic and Clinicopathologic Findings

Pancreatic pseudocysts were diagnosed in 4 dogs and 2 cats based on ultrasonographic and clinicopathologic findings. All 6 animals had a clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis. Five of 6 pseudocysts were in the left pancreatic limb, and in 1 cat the pseudocyst was in the pancreatic body region. Cyst size ranged from 2 x 2 cm to 7 x 6 cm. All pseudocysts had anechoic regions that were aspirated using ultrasound guidance for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. No morbidity was associated with the aspiration procedures. Cytologically the pseudocyst fluid was aseptic in all patients and had low numbers of inflammatory cells in 5 of 6 patients. All animals had high lipase activity in the pseudocyst fluid and in 2 dogs and 1 cat the lipase activity in the fluid was greater than in serum. Three of the 4 dogs were managed medically. In the 1 dog that had long-term follow-up ultrasound examination, the pseudocyst persisted for several days following aspiration and had disappeared 8 months after diagnosis. All 3 of these dogs were clinically normal 1.5-4 years after presentation. The 4th dog underwent surgical exploration and was euthanized shortly thereafter because of bronchopneumonia and chronic pancreatitis. The 2 cats died 10 days and 2 months, respectively, following initial diagnosis of the pseudocyst, but necropsies were not performed in either case. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration of pancreatic pseudocysts and clinicopathologic evaluation of cystic fluid are useful for diagnosis of pancreatic pseudocysts.     

Quantum statistical corrections to dynamic nuclear magnetic resonance

A quantum statistical treatment of the chemical exchange between molecular eigenstates or conformations revealed previously unsuspected dynamic terms in the spin Hamiltonian operator that describes fast exchange. These terms resulted from the effect of nuclear spin on rotational and vibrational relaxation. With the traditional theory, an interpretation of new carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance measurements of the chemical shift of methylcyclohexane in solution showed fast-exchange equilibrium constants that were inconsistent with the slow-exchange free-energy difference and were spread over a range of 30 percent for the various carbon-13 positions. Modeling of the new terms indicated that they have the correct magnitude and temperature dependence to reconcile these inconsistencies.     

A neoproterozoic snowball earth

Negative carbon isotope anomalies in carbonate rocks bracketing Neoproterozoic glacial deposits in Namibia, combined with estimates of thermal subsidence history, suggest that biological productivity in the surface ocean collapsed for millions of years. This collapse can be explained by a global glaciation (that is, a snowball Earth), which ended abruptly when subaerial volcanic outgassing raised atmospheric carbon dioxide to about 350 times the modern level. The rapid termination would have resulted in a warming of the snowball Earth to extreme greenhouse conditions. The transfer of atmospheric carbon dioxide to the ocean would result in the rapid precipitation of calcium carbonate in warm surface waters, producing the cap carbonate rocks observed globally.     

Using sodium molybdate to treat chronic copper toxicity in dairy cows: A practical approach

Abstract

CASE HISTORY: A Jersey herd of 350 cows and 70 heifers located in the Taranaki region of New Zealand ceased milking in June 2011. Ten cows died during the subsequent 14 days. For at least 9 months, the cows had received palm kernel expeller (PKE) and molasses supplements. Additional Cu supplementation was provided through the water system. Total Cu intake was calculated to be 400?mg/day/cow.

CLINICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS: Half of the cows died suddenly while others presented with anorexia, depression and ataxia, which progressed to recumbency and death after 1 to 3 days. Clinical signs were mild dehydration, cyanosis and firm faeces which were covered in dark blood. Mean concentrations of Cu in liver and kidney in three of the dead cows were 3,900 and 440?µmol/kg fresh weight (FW), respectively. Haemorrhages were observed throughout the alimentary tracts and in muscles, and there were ecchymotic haemorrhages on the epi- and endocardia. The livers were swollen and the gall bladder walls were inflamed.

DIAGNOSIS: High concentrations of Cu in the liver and kidney are characteristic findings of chronic Cu toxicity.

TREATMENT: The remaining herd was fed 200?mg Mo, as sodium molybdate, per cow per day and all Cu supplements were removed including those provided by the water supply. This reduced mean concentrations of Cu in liver from 3,100 to 1,320?µmol/kg FW within 26 days in the five live animals that were biopsied. There were no further deaths.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In dairy herds where excessive Cu intakes have resulted in high liver Cu concentrations and caused chronic Cu toxicity, the removal of all Cu supplements and provision of high intakes of Mo (200?mg/cow/day) can markedly reduce liver Cu stores within 4 weeks.     

Dynamics of the free-living stages of sheep intestinal parasites on pasture in the North Island of New Zealand. 1. Patterns of seasonal development

Abstract

AIM: To describe the seasonal pattern of development of third-stage infective larvae (L3) from eggs of Teladorsagia (=Ostertagia) circumcincta, Trichostrongylus colubriformis and Haemonchus contortus on pasture in the North Island of New Zealand.

METHODS: Sheep faeces containing known numbers of eggs of all three nematode species were deposited on, or buried in, pasture plots at three sites, viz coastal Manawatu, Upper Hutt Valley, and East Cape hill country. Development was measured by recovering L3 from faeces, herbage and soil 28–31 days after deposition on 13–18 occasions, between January 2005 and July 2006. Analysis of the number of larvae recovered used a mixed model including number of eggs deposited, weight of faeces recovered (an assumed indicator of earthworm activity), site, contamination date, and position of deposited faeces, i.e. on the surface or buried.

RESULTS: There was a significant effect of contamination date on development of all three species, with maximum numbers ofL3 developing between late spring (November) and early autumn (March), and minimum numbers in June and July. There were large differences between species, with H. contortus exhibiting a long period (April to October) where development was close to zero, whereas T. circumcincta developed to some extent all year round. Development of T. colubriformis was intermediate between the other two species.

Burying faeces containing nematode eggs increased the number of L3 recovered compared with surface deposition (p≤0.001), although there were a small number of exceptions involving only T. colubriformis. The weight of faeces recovered at harvest, which was assumed to be an indication of earthworm activity, was correlated with the number of L3 recovered for all species (p<0.001). In a separate analysis, earthworms were assumed tohave been active if <5 g faeces remained at harvest. Where this occurred, the number of L3 of T. colubriformis and T.circumcincta recovered was reduced by 56% and 58%, respectively (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS: A marked seasonal pattern of development was observed for all three species, with the most larvae developing in spring-early autumn and the least in winter. This seasonal pattern was most pronounced in H. contortus and least obvious in T. circumcincta. Burying faeces containing eggs generally resulted in more L3 being recovered, whilst the apparent activity of earthworms resulted in fewer larvae being recovered.     

THE EFFECT OF BODY WALL ON VIDEO SIGNAL ANALYSIS MEASUREMENTS

Rectangular body wall specimens were extracted from 16 juvenile swine and 9 adult beagle hounds after euthanasia. The body wall specimen included the epidermis to parietal membrane, with falciform fat removed. Ten images of a reference phantom with known attenuation and 10 additional images of the phantom with the specimen placed between the transducer and phantom surface were collected with a 5-MHz ultrasound system and computer with frame grabber board. Mean pixel values were converted to relative echogenicities. Echogenicity versus depth yielded an estimate of attenuation. An unpaired t test was applied to compare reference attenuation values with and without body wall, and a Pearson correlation was applied to body wall parameters versus measured attenuation through body wall. Measured attenuation through body wall increased significantly in dogs (P = 0.0016) and swine (P < 0.0001) when compared with phantom material alone. Increased attenuation positively correlated to body wall thickness (r = 0.6442) and mean gray level within body wall (r = 0.5069) for swine but not in canine. The presence of body wall in images used for video signal analysis significantly increases the measured attenuation in a phantom. This increase does not correlate with a measurable body wall parameter in dogs.