Cecal inversion followed by ileocolic intussusception in a cat

A cat was presented with a history of constipation, tenesmus, and malaise. Ultrasonography revealed an ileocolic intussusception and cecal inversion. Surgical findings included an easily reducible intussusception and an inverted cecum that was moderately difficult to reduce. A typhlectomy and bowel plication was performed. The cat had an uneventful recovery.     

Imbrian-age highland volcanism on the moon: the gruithuisen and mairan domes

The Gruithuisen and Mairan domes on the moon represent morphologically and spectrally distinct nonmare extrusive volcanic features of Imbrian age. The composition, morphology, and age relationships of the domes indicate that nonmare extrusive volcanism in the northern Procellarum region of the moon continued until about 3.3 x 10(9) to 3.6 x 10(9) years ago and was partially contemporaneous with the emplacement of the main sequence of mare deposits.     

Cognitive dysfunction and the neurobiology of ageing in cats

With improvements in nutrition and veterinary medicine the life expectancy of pet cats is increasing. Accompanying this growing geriatric population there are increasing numbers of cats with signs of apparent senility. A recent study suggests that 28 per cent of pet cats aged 11 to 14 years develop at least one geriatric onset behavioural problem, and this increases to over 50 per cent for cats of 15 years of age or older. While behavioural changes may result from systemic illness, organic brain disease or true behavioural problems, the possibility of age-related cognitive dysfunction is often overlooked. Studies have revealed a number of changes in the brains of geriatric cats that showed signs of cognitive dysfunction, and potential causes include vascular insufficiency leading to hypoxia, increased free radical damage and the deposition of beta-amyloid plaques and/or the modification of other proteins. By recognising the importance of behavioural changes in old cats, investigating them fully for potentially treatable medical conditions, and instigating dietary and environmental modifications to meet their changing needs, we can make the lives of our geriatric cats much more comfortable and rewarding.     

Evidence of soft-mode quantum phase transitions in electron double layers

Inelastic light scattering by low-energy spin-excitations reveals three distinct configurations of spin of electron double layers in gallium arsenide quantum wells at even-integer quantum Hall states. The transformations among these spin states appear as quantum phase transitions driven by the interplay between Coulomb interactions and Zeeman splittings. One of the transformations correlates with the emergence of a spin-flip intersubband excitation at vanishingly low energy and provides direct evidence of a link between quantum phase transitions and soft collective excitations in a two-dimensional electron system.