Hemodynamic effects of methylprednisolone acetate administration in cats

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the mechanisms by which corticosteroid administration may predispose cats to congestive heart failure (CHF). ANIMALS: 12 cats receiving methylprednisolone acetate (MPA) for the treatment of dermatologic disorders. PROCEDURE: The study was conducted as a repeated-measures design. Various baseline variables were measured, after which MPA (5 mg/kg, IM) was administered. The same variables were then measured at 3 to 6 days and at 16 to 24 days after MPA administration. Evaluations included physical examination, systolic blood pressure measurement, hematologic analysis, serum biochemical analysis, thoracic radiography, echocardiography, and total body water and plasma volume determination. RESULTS: MPA resulted in a substantial increase in serum glucose concentration at 3 to 6 days after administration. Concurrently, RBC count, Hct, and hemoglobin concentration as well as serum concentrations of the major extracellular electrolytes, sodium and chloride, decreased. Plasma volume increased by 13.4% (> 40% in 3 cats), whereas total body water and body weight slightly decreased. All variables returned to baseline by 16 to 24 days after MPA administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: These data suggest that MPA administration in cats causes plasma volume expansion as a result of an intra to extracellular fluid shift secondary to glucocorticoid-mediated extracellular hyperglycemia. This mechanism is analogous to the plasma volume expansion that accompanies uncontrolled diabetes mellitus in humans. Any cardiovascular disorders that impair the normal compensatory mechanisms for increased plasma volume may predispose cats to CHF following MPA administration.     

Manifold Destiny: Migrant Deaths and Destinations in the Arizona Desert

This research theorizes a model for unauthorized border crosser (UBC) behavior when crossing the Mexico/U.S. border into Arizona. The manifold model developed here is a modified funneling effect of multiple trails converging together at nodes that separate into multiple exit points. Using hydrological metaphors, we quantify deathsheds into trails by using the remains of UBCs as trail markers and then compare the trails produced from three geostatistical research methods. The results may be used in designing search‐and‐rescue locations.     

Innate lymphoid cells promote anatomical containment of lymphoid-resident commensal bacteria

The mammalian intestinal tract is colonized by trillions of beneficial commensal bacteria that are anatomically restricted to specific niches. However, the mechanisms that regulate anatomical containment remain unclear. Here, we show that interleukin-22 (IL-22)-producing innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are present in intestinal tissues of healthy mammals. Depletion of ILCs resulted in peripheral dissemination of commensal bacteria and systemic inflammation, which was prevented by administration of IL-22. Disseminating bacteria were identified as Alcaligenes species originating from host lymphoid tissues. Alcaligenes was sufficient to promote systemic inflammation after ILC depletion in mice, and Alcaligenes-specific systemic immune responses were associated with Crohn's disease and progressive hepatitis C virus infection in patients. Collectively, these data indicate that ILCs regulate selective containment of lymphoid-resident bacteria to prevent systemic inflammation associated with chronic diseases.     

Prevalence of Giardia duodenalis assemblages among dairy herds in the New York City Watershed

A longitudinal herd-level study was carried out to determine the cumulative incidence of Giardia duodenalis infections in dairy cattle in the New York City Watershed. We also sought to assess the changes in infection pattern of animals diagnosed as shedding Giardia over time, determine risk factors that may be associated with G. duodenalis infections, and identify potentially zoonotic infections. A total of 2109 fecal samples were randomly collected from dairy cattle at 34 farms in the New York City Watershed on a seasonal basis. A total of 504 Giardia-positive samples were identified by zinc sulfate flotation. The overall cumulative incidence of G. duodenalis based on flotation results was 23.9% with 73.8% of all infections occurring in animals under 180 days of age (372/504). The intensity of infection ranged from 2 to 563,200 cysts/gram of feces. Cattle shedding Cryptosporidium spp. oocysts were twice as likely to shed G. duodenalis cysts in comparison to the animals that did not shed oocysts (1.81 95% CI 1.26-2.60 p=0.0012). In the multivariate analysis, only the age of the animal and the presence of dogs on the farm were significantly associated with the likelihood of shedding G. duodenalis. DNA was extracted from positive samples and analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the beta-giardin and triosephosphate isomerase genes of Giardia spp. 304 samples were analyzed by PCR of which 131 were sequenced. 22.1% of sequenced samples were identified as assemblage A and 77.9% were identified as assemblage E. Interestingly, 100% of specimens identified as assemblage A were from calves under 84 days of age indicating that younger cattle are important reservoirs for potentially zoonotic assemblages of G. duodenalis.