Subcutaneous hemangiosarcoma induced by a foreign body (steel staple) in a cat

An 8-year-old, female domestic shorthair cat was presented with a ventral abdominal subcutaneous mass. A radiograph showed that the center of the mass contained what appeared to be steel sutures, presumed to be from an ovariohysterectomy performed 7 years earlier. The excised mass was irregular and contained numerous pockets filled with friable necrotic material and hemorrhages that were dissected by fibrous connective tissue bands. Multiple tangled and fragmented pieces of steel staples were deeply embedded within the mass. Histologically, the mass was non-encapsulated, densely cellular, and infiltrative. Neoplastic cells lined caverns and channels and were factor VIII-positive by immunohistochemistry. The neoplastic cells were oval to round with granular cytoplasm and vesicular nucleus and exhibited moderate cellular and nuclear pleomorphism. A diagnosis of subcutaneous hemangiosarcoma was made. To our knowledge, this is the first report of foreign body associated hemangiosarcoma and the first case of steel staple associated neoplasm in domestic animals.     

Humic substances: Structure,function and benefits for agroecosystems—a review

The increasing global demand for food production, often causing excessive use of chemical fertilizers, has led to the deterioration of soil health. Immediate action is required to restore soil health in a sustainable manner. This review advocates switching to use of organic matter(manure and compost) that contains vital nutrients for plant growth and helps restore soil health. Humic substances(HSs), derived from degraded plant remains and found ubiquitously in nature,are an important source of o...     

Nutritional Quality Characteristics of Different Wild and Underutilized Fruits of Terai Region,Uttarakhand (India)

The present study was carried out to analyze the nutritional potential of 25 of the most commonly consumed wild and underutilized fruits in the Terai region of Uttarakhand, India. The result of the different fruits analyzed revealed the richness of different phytochemicals among them. The protein content was found to be higher in Solanum nigrum, Broussonetia papyrifera, and Aegle marmelos, while Terminalia bellerica, Ficus racemosa, and Artocarpus heterophyllus were rich in lipid content. The reducing sugars ranged from 1.1–68.2% and non-reducing sugars varied from 0–6.4%. Vitamin analysis revealed higher ascorbic acid content in Emblica officinalis and Pithecellobium dulce, high riboflavin content in Broussonetia papyrifera and Ficus palmata, and high thiamine content in Artocarpus lakoocha and Solanum nigrum. The phenolic content varied from 32.9–2662.4 mg/100 g, the flavonoids between 1.2–93.8 mg/100 g, and carotenoids ranged between 0–85.7 mg/100 g. These wild fruits proved to be a good source of nutrients. Moreover, these fruit species act as a pool of genetic resources for crop improvement by breeding experiments. It can be suggested to commercialize these fruit species for enhancing the socioeconomic status of weaker section of society.