Cerebellar cortical abiotrophy in Wiltshire sheep

AIM: To investigate the nature of a neurological disease in Wiltshire sheep.

METHODS: Three affected lambs were examined, humanely killed and necropsied. Selected neurological tissues were examined by light and electron microscopy.

RESULTS: Primary neurological lesions were confined to the cerebellum and were characterised by loss of Purkinje cells and the presence of large hypertrophied dendrites of surviving Purkinje cells. These contained stacks of smooth endoplasmic reticulum. There was hyperplasia and cell swelling of Bergmann glia. Mild Wallerian-type degeneration affected white matter in the cerebellum and spinal cord.

CONCLUSION: The cerebellar lesions were of a degenerative and reactive rather than hypoplastic nature. These, and the history, suggest a genetic cause with putative inheritance as an autosomal recessive trait. Accordingly, the disorder is described as a cerebellar abiotrophy.     

Electrospun poly(L-lactic)acid/nanoalumina (PLA/Al2O3) composite fiber mats with potential biomedical application — Investigation of cytotoxicity

PLA fibrous mats containing nanoalumina filler were fabricated by electrospinning method. The morphology of the mats was characterized by SEM, and TEM. In vitro biocompatibility of the electrospun fiber mats was also evaluated. Indirect cytotoxicity evaluation of the fiber mats with human skin fibroblasts revealed that the materials were non-toxic to living cells. The cells cultured on the fibrous mat exhibited normal cells shapes and were integrated well with surrounding fibers. The obtained results confirmed the potential for use of the electrosupun PLA/Al₂O₃ fiber mats for biomedical application.     

The magnetic stability of spin-dependent tunneling devices

The tunneling resistance between two ferromagnetic metal layers that are separated by a thin insulator depends on the relative orientation of the magnetization M of each layer. In a memory device, independent switching of the magnetically soft layer is achieved by making the other layer either exchange-biased or magnetically hard. The repeated reversal of M of the soft layer by field cycling can demagnetize the other magnetically hard layer and thus erase the tunnel junction's memory. The M of exchange-biased structures was stable at least to 10(7) cycles, whereas in hard structures, M generally decayed logarithmically with the number of field cycles. The decay was very sensitive to the thickness of the hard layer and the composition of the soft layer. However, no decay was observed when the moment reversal was accomplished by coherent rotation, establishing that demagnetization results from the formation and motion of domain walls in the soft layer during field cycling.     

Effect of body condition score and reuse of progesterone‐releasing intravaginal devices on conception rate following timed artificial insemination in Nelore cows

This study had the aim of investigating the efficiency of timed artificial insemination (TAI) through the progesterone‐releasing intravaginal device (PRID), used in new condition and for the second and third times in Nelore cows. The effects of device reuse and body condition score (BCS) on the conception rate (CR) were evaluated in 1,122 multiparous Nelore cows (mean BCS of 2.7 ± 0.4), which were randomly distributed into three groups that received new (n = 330), once (n = 439) and twice used (n = 353) PRID. Among the 1,122 females that underwent TAI, 573 became pregnant, thus representing an overall CR of 51.06%. Cows with BCS between 2.75 and 4.0 had greater (p < .0001) CR (69.75%) than cows with BSC of 2.0–2.5 (32.98%). It was observed that the CR through using PRID was 60.00%, 51.71% and 41.93% for new, once and twice used PRID, respectively, with difference between all groups (p < .0001). Under tropical conditions, animals with BCS greater than 2.5 had a higher CR, and the CR decreased proportionally with the number of times that the PRID had been used.     

CASE REPORT AND CLINICAL REVIEW: Acute lameness associated with osseous metastasis of a peri-renal carcinoma in a horse

We present a case of aggressive metastatic carcinoma in a horse that was initially presented for shoulder lameness. Although radiography and scintigraphy were useful for localising a lesion in the proximal humerus, subsequent development of non-specific signs of systemic disease prompted further evaluation. Haematology and blood biochemistry, urinalysis and ultrasonography were all instrumental in identifying renal involvement. A diagnosis of a peri-renal mass causing secondary renal failure prompted euthanasia of the horse because of the poor prognosis. Antemortem findings were supported by necropsy, with secondary lesions also identified in the spleen, liver, 8th left rib and proximal humerus. Histological examination yielded a diagnosis of undifferentiated metastatic carcinoma.