Omentum-Enhanced Reconstruction of Chronic Nonhealing Wounds in Cats: Techniques and Clinical Use

The greater omentum was used to aid in the reconstruction of nonhealing wounds in five cats. In each cat the cause of the nonhealing wound could not be determined. A vascular omental pedicle was created at laparotomy by dividing the dorsal leaf of the omentum at its pancreatic attachments (four cats) or by dividing the ventral leaf at its gastric attachments (one cat). The pedicle was then passed through either the ventral or lateral body wall into the nonhealing wound via a subcutaneous tunnel. The wounds were closed over the omentum after local tissue mobilization. All the wounds healed uneventfully and have remained healed with a mean follow-up period of 2.5 years. Complications included intestinal herniation through a ventral midline exit hole (one cat), presumed abdominal fat herniation through a ventral abdominal exit hole (one cat) and seroma formation (one cat). All of the complications were treated successfully. The omentum should be considered a useful adjunct in the treatment of nonhealing wounds in cats.     

犬MC4R基因单核苷酸多态性及其与体重的关系

人和几种动物的遗传学研究显示，MC4R基因在体重和能量平衡调控中具有重要作用，但未见有关犬的MC4R基因多态性、MC4R基因与性状关系的研究报道。以123只成年Beagle犬为试验材料提取血液DNA，利用软件设计PCR引物，经PCR扩增、克隆和测序后，发现了一个新的MC4R基因单核苷酸多态性(single nucleotide polymorphism，SNP)。该多态性恰好产生了限制性内切酶EcoO109Ⅰ的位点多态性。利用PCR-RFLP方法，分析了Beagle犬家系的MC4R基因，并利用SPSS软件分析该多态性与犬体重的关系。结果分析显示：MC4R该多态位点对犬的体重影响不显著。尚需进一步分析MC4R基因的其他片段。     

Factors associated with low vitamin D status of Australian alpacas

Objective To investigate factors associated with low vitamin D status of alpacas at pasture in southern Australia. Design A 2‐year survey of alpacas from two farms in South Australia and three in Victoria. Blood samples were collected from 20 to 30 alpacas on each farm on five occasions each year. Breed, gender, age and fleece colour of animals were recorded. Method Blood samples were assayed for plasma 2.5‐hydroxycholecalciferol (25‐OH D₃) and plasma inorganic phosphorus (Pi). Data sets from 802 animal samples were analysed by multiple regression to determine variables associated with low vitamin D status of alpacas. The relationship between plasma 25‐OH D₃ and plasma Pi was also investigated. Results Vitamin D status was significantly affected by month of sampling, with low values in late winter and high values in summer. Plasma vitamin D concentrations increased with age, were higher in alpacas with light fleeces than in those with dark fleeces and were also higher in the Suri than in the Huacaya breed. Plasma Pi concentrations were generally lower in alpacas with plasma 25‐OH D₃ values < 25 nmol/L. Conclusions Young alpacas with dark fleeces are most at risk from vitamin D insufficiency in late winter in southern Australia. The present study indicates that plasma Pi values are not a reliable indicator of vitamin D status of alpacas as assessed by plasma 25‐OH D₃ concentrations.     

A comparison of predictions made by three simulation models of foot-and-mouth disease

AIMS: To describe results of a relative validation exercise using the three simulation models of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in use by the quadrilateral countries (QUADS; Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and United States of America; USA).

METHODS: A hypothetical population of farms was constructed and, following the introduction of an FMD-like disease into a single farm, spread of disease was simulated using each of the three FMD simulation models used by the QUADS countries. A series of 11 scenarios was developed to systematically evaluate the key processes of disease transmission and control used by each of the three models. The predicted number of infected units and the size of predicted outbreak areas for each scenario and each model were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Agreement among the three models in terms of geographical areas predicted to become infected were quantified using Fleiss' Kappa statistic.

RESULTS: Although there were statistically significant differences in model outputs in terms of the numbers of units predicted to become infected, the temporal onset of infection throughout the simulation period, and the spatial distribution of infected units, these differences were generally small and would have resulted in the same (or similar) management decisions being adopted in each case.

CONCLUSIONS: Agreement among the three models in terms of the numbers of premises predicted to become infected, the temporal onset of infection throughout the simulation period, and the spatial distribution of infected premises provides evidence that each of the model developers are consistent in their approach to simulating the spread of disease throughout a population of susceptible individuals. This consistency implies that the assumptions taken by each development team are appropriate, which in turn serves to increase end-user confidence in model predictions.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Relative validation is one of a number of steps that can be undertaken to increase end-user confidence in predictions made by infectious disease models.     

MicroPNA-21 promotes proliferation of rat Schwann cells following nerve injury

AIM: To investigate the molecular mechanism of microRNA-21 (miR-21) in the regulation of Schwann cell proliferation following nerve injury. METHODS: The expression of miR-2l was detected by real-time PCR. Synthetic miR-21 mimic and its control were transfected into rat Schwann cells. CCK-8 assay was performed to evaluate the influence of miR-21 on the proliferation of Schwann cells. The cell cycle distribution was determined by flow cytometry. The expression of transforming growth factor β-induced protein (TGFBI) and cyclin D1 were detected by Western blotting. RESULTS: The expression of miR-21 in model group was 7.87±0.75 and 7.75±0.80 times higher than that in sham operation group and blank group respectively. After transfected with miR-21 mimic, the expression of miR-21 in experimental group was 2.21±0.14 and 2.29±0.21 times higher than that in negative control group and blank group respectively. Moreover, the A₄₅₀ value of CCK-8 assay in experimental group at 48 h was higher than that in negative control group and blank group. The proliferation index in experimental group was higher than that in negative control group and blank group. At the same time, the expression of TGFBI obviously decreased and the cyclin D1 increased in the Schwann cells 48 h after transfection with miR-21. CONCLUSION: miR-21 promotes the proliferation activity of Schwann cells by down-regulating TGFBI expression.     

Nasal vascular hamartoma in a Domestic Shorthair cat

A nasal mass in a Domestic Shorthair cat was causing facial deformity, sneezing and intermittent epistaxis. Biopsy samples obtained previously had been non-diagnostic. Computed tomography images revealed an irregular, contrast-enhancing mass occupying a large portion of the righthand side of the nasal cavity. Previously described criteria for malignancy were not present. A ventral surgical approach combined with temporary, ipsilateral, common carotid arterial occlusion provided excellent access for debulking the lesion and collecting samples for histopathology. A nasal vascular hamartoma was diagnosed and clinical signs resolved postoperatively. This is the first documentation of this abnormality in the cat. Hamartomatous abnormalities should be included on the list of differential diagnoses for feline nasal mass lesions. The prognosis for hamartomatous lesions postoperatively is good, in keeping with their limited propensity for growth after maturity.     

Strong regularities in world wide web surfing

One of the most common modes of accessing information in the World Wide Web is surfing from one document to another along hyperlinks. Several large empirical studies have revealed common patterns of surfing behavior. A model that assumes that users make a sequence of decisions to proceed to another page, continuing as long as the value of the current page exceeds some threshold, yields the probability distribution for the number of pages that a user visits within a given Web site. This model was verified by comparing its predictions with detailed measurements of surfing patterns. The model also explains the observed Zipf-like distributions in page hits observed at Web sites.