Co-occurrence of autoimmune thyroid disease in a multiple sclerosis cohort

Background

Multiple sclerosis (MS), Hashimoto's disease and Graves' disease are autoimmune diseases that may share similar pathogenic mechanisms. The co-occurrence rates and demographic characteristics of Graves' disease and Hashimoto's disease (HT) in our MS population are compared with the general population.

Methods

The prevalence of thyroid disease in our MS patients was determined by chart review and survey. Previous diagnosis of thyroid disease, age at diagnosis, treatment used, and about the use of disease modifying medications used to treat their MS were asked. Chart reviews were used to estimate the population prevalence of Graves' disease and Hashimoto's disease and to estimate the demographics of patients with thyroid disease.

Results

A significant co-occurrence of Graves' disease with MS (p = 0.002), and a non-significant co-occurrence of Hashimoto's disease were noted (p = 0.097). No difference in the age of onset or gender of thyroid disease in MS patients compared to the general population was found.

Conclusion

There is a significant co-occurrence in patients with MS and Graves' disease, and a trend to co-occurrence in patients with MS and Hashimoto's disease. There are no differences in the demographics of patients with thyroid disease in our MS patients compared to the general population.

     

Measuring the spin polarization of a metal with a superconducting point contact

A superconducting point contact is used to determine the spin polarization at the Fermi energy of several metals. Because the process of supercurrent conversion at a superconductor-metal interface (Andreev reflection) is limited by the minority spin population near the Fermi surface, the differential conductance of the point contact can reveal the spin polarization of the metal. This technique has been applied to a variety of metals where the spin polarization ranges from 35 to 90 percent: Ni0.8Fe0.2, Ni, Co, Fe, NiMnSb, La0.7Sr0.3MnO3, and CrO2.     

The structure of the upper atmosphere of mars: In situ accelerometer measurements from mars global surveyor

The Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) z-axis accelerometer has obtained over 200 vertical structures of thermospheric density, temperature, and pressure, ranging from 110 to 170 kilometers, compared to only three previous such vertical structures. In November 1997, a regional dust storm in the Southern Hemisphere triggered an unexpectedly large thermospheric response at mid-northern latitudes, increasing the altitude of thermospheric pressure surfaces there by as much as 8 kilometers and indicating a strong global thermospheric response to a regional dust storm. Throughout the MGS mission, thermospheric density bulges have been detected on opposite sides of the planet near 90 degreesE and 90 degreesW, in the vicinity of maximum terrain heights. This wave 2 pattern may be caused by topographically-forced planetary waves propagating up from the lower atmosphere.     

Detection of two different papillomaviruses within a feline cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma: Case report and review of the literature

CASE HISTORY A 15-year-old, brown-and-white cat was presented to a veterinary clinic with an ulcerated, reddened 1-cm diameter lesion on the nasal planum.

CLINICAL FINDINGS AND DIAGNOSIS: Histology of a biopsy sample confirmed the lesion was a squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). PCR amplified DNA sequences from two different papillomaviruses. One sequence was from FdPV 2, which has previously been amplified from feline cutaneous SCC. However, the other sequence has not previously been reported, suggesting a novel feline papillomavirus.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: There is evidence that papillomaviruses promote the development of SCC on sun-exposed skin in humans. This is the first report in a cat of a papillomavirus other than FdPV2 and the first time that multiple papillomaviruses have been detected within a single neoplasm in this species. Whether the papillomaviruses influenced the development and behaviour of this SCC is currently uncertain, but this case provides additional evidence of the association between papillomaviruses and feline cutaneous SCC. If papillomaviruses are found to influence the development of SCC this may allow novel strategies to prevent these common neoplasms in cats.     

Cloning and sequencing of the ovine gamma-interferon gene

Cytokines are major modulators of the immune system of all animals. The cloning and expression of recombinant cytokine genes have permitted the analysis of their immune function and role in the control of the immune response to disease and vaccination. While human, murine, and bovine genes have been cloned and sequenced, the cloning of ovine cytokine genes has not yet been reported. As sheep are of dominant economic importance to the Australian farming industry, it is of significance to clone and express these genes to facilitate the development of new and better vaccines and pharmaceuticals. We have initially selected ovine gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) as a target cytokine gene. By the use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using primers based on the bovine gamma-interferon sequence, we have amplified the ovine gamma-interferon gene from crude messenger RNA extracted from lymphocytes. After cloning and DNA sequencing the gene, we found that ovine gamma-IFN is 93% identical to bovine gamma-IFN in amino acid sequence. This result indicates that the PCR method will be a rapid and efficient means for cloning other ovine cytokine genes.     

Malignant schwannoma in an American buffalo (Bison bison bison)

A case of a malignant schwannoma in a 20-year-old male American buffalo (Bison bison bison) from the Grand Park Zoo, Gyeonggi Province, Republic of Korea is reported. The animal showed no apparent clinical signs before death except for wound on the neck. Grossly, neoplastic nodules of various sizes were observed on the skin, lung, heart, liver, stomach, mesentery and kidney. Histologically, the neoplastic nodules were composed of fusiform cells that formed multidirectional bundles. The tumour cells were arranged in interlacing bands and bundles. The nuclei were atypical, hyperchromatic, with blunt or round ends. In addition, few mitotic figures were observed in the skin, lung, heart, liver, stomach, intestine and kidney. Several immunohistochemical stains, e.g. vimentin, cytokeratin (CK), smooth muscle actin (SMA), S-100 and HMB45, were used in an attempt to differentially diagnose the tumour. The neoplastic cells tested positive to S-100, but negative to vimentin, CK, SMA and HMB45. Based on the above findings, this case was diagnosed as a malignant schwannoma. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a schwannoma in an American buffalo (B. b. bison).     

In vitro Evaluation of in vivo Fertilizing Ability of Frozen Rabbit Semen

The present work studied different spermatozoa parameters and the ability of frozen rabbit spermatozoa to fertilize, in vitro, in vivo‐matured oocytes, as a test to predict their in vivo fertility and prolificacy. Semen from rabbit bucks was frozen using two freezing protocols [in a freezer at ?30°C or in liquid nitrogen vapour (LNV)]. For the in vivo trial, females were inseminated with frozen‐thawed spermatozoa. Oocytes used for in vitro testing were recovered 14 h after ovulation induction from donors and co‐incubated with 2 × 10⁶ frozen‐thawed spermatozoa during 4 h at 37°C in Tyrode's medium under an atmosphere of 5% CO₂ in air with maximal humidity. After co‐incubation period, presumptive zygotes were cultured in TCM199 supplemented with 20% foetal bovine serum (FBS), under the same conditions described above. Although no statistical differences were observed between freezing protocols in seminal parameters [motility rate: 40 and 35%, VCL: 35 and 46 μm/s, amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH): 1.7 and 2.4 μm, for semen frozen at ?30°C and in LNV, respectively], significant differences were noted in the fertilizing ability in vivo and in vitro. Semen frozen at ?30°C showed the highest fertilizing ability in vitro (26.7% vs 6.2 and 8.7% for semen frozen at ?30°C, in LNV and fresh semen, respectively) and the lowest fertility rate in vivo (21.7% vs 64.2% and 70.6% for semen frozen at ?30°C, in LNV and fresh semen, respectively). Sperm frozen at ?30°C seemed to be more capacitated.     

Development and trial of a bovine herpesvirus 1 - thymidine kinase deletion virus as a vaccine

SUMMARY An Australian bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV1) isolate with a defined (427 base pair) deletion in the protein coding region of the thymidine kinase gene was obtained by standard marker rescue procedures. After selection in the presence of the nucleotide analogue 5iodo-deoxy-uridine the virus was analysed by hybridisation with three differential oligonucleotide probes, restriction endonuclease profile studies and DNA sequence analysis. The virus elicited an immune response in recipient animals after either intramuscular or intravenous administration and produced no significant deleterious side-effects when administered at a dose sufficient to stimulate the host immune response. The safety and immunogenicity of the recombinant BHV1 virus 39B1 were similar to those reported for other registered BHV1 vaccines and the virus would appear to be suitable for the production of a vaccine seed lot and more exhaustive field trials as a prelude to commercial vaccine production and registration.