Direct and indirect lymphocyte participation in the immunity and immunopathology of tropical canine pancytopenia—A review

Erlichia canis, a rickettsial pathogen which infects monocytes, induces generalized lymphocyte activation. Activated T lymphocytes differentiate into effector cells capable of destroying infected and uninfected monocytes and platelets. Activated B lymphocytes differentiate into plasma cells associated with plasmocytosis, hypergammaglobulinemia with high levels of specific antibody and a platelet migration inhibition factor. These effector mechanisms, aimed at parasite destruction, contribute to the pathogenesis of acute tropical canine pancytopenia and do not completely eliminate the etiologic agent. A carrier state of ‘infection-immunity’ exists between the immunocompetent host and virulent parasite. E. canis has evolved mechanisms of ‘tolerant-symbiosis’ with hostile macrophages and other effector cells in the immune host.     

INTRAVERTEBRAL DISC HERNIATION (SCHMORL'S NODE) IN FIVE DOGS

The herniation of intervertebral disc material into the vertebral body, known as Schmorl's nodes, is a well described disease process in man. Schmorl's nodes have not until now been described in the dog. This paper describes intravertebral disc herniation in the dog based on five patients taken from a retrospective study of dogs suspected of having cauda equina syndrome. The significance of intravertebral disc herniation in the dog at this time is that they indicate a disturbance in the vertebral endplate, they present definite radiographic signs, should be considered in patients with ostecohondrosis, and remain a possibls etiology for fibrocartilaginous emboli. Back pain is a common sign in people when Schmorl's nodes were the only pathologic findings. The common signs of palpatory pain in the lumbosacral region of the dogs in this report is noted but cannot be directly correlated at this time to the intravertebral disc herniation; however, it is suspected in two of the cases.     

Morphometrical approach for predicting regional lymph node micrometastatic load in canine mast cell tumours: preliminary results

Canine cutaneous mast cell tumours (MCTs) have a variable biologic behaviour, and accurate staging is necessary to dictate therapy and predict outcome. Regional lymph node (RLN) involvement is a relevant prognostic factor. While obvious lymph node (LN) metastases are relatively easy to be diagnosed, micrometastatic disease recognition is challenging. The main aim of the study was to evaluate the number of mast cells (MCs) in the LNs of clinically healthy dogs ( n = 4, group 1), dogs with inflammatory diseases ( n = 31, group 2) and dogs with cutaneous MCT ( n = 27, group 3), including animals with no RLN metastases (subgroup 3.1), those with occasional MCs in RLNs (3.2) and those with obvious RLN metastasis (3.3). MCs also were morphometrically evaluated for the following nuclear parameters: mean nuclear area (MNA), mean nuclear perimeter (MNP), largest to smallest diameter length (LS ratio), mean nuclear form factor and coefficient of variation of nuclear area. The average percentages of MCs were 0.0 and 0.01 in groups 1 and 2, respectively, and 0.07, 2.4 and 47.1 in subgroup 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3. MNA and MNP were significantly higher in subgroup 3.3 than in group 2 ( P < 0.05). MNA and MNP in subgroup 3.2 suggested the presence of neoplastic MCs; this prediction of micrometastatic load correlated with outcome. Analysis of preliminary results shows that nuclear morphometry is useful to detect micrometastatic disease in RLN of dogs bearing cutaneous MCTs.     

A retrospective study of the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical manifestations of 5 dogs originally diagnosed histologically as necrotizing scleritis

Purpose To describe the clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical manifestations of canine necrotizing scleritis. Methods A retrospective examination of the clinical records and samples of ocular tissues from five dogs with a histological diagnosis ‘necrotizing scleritis’ was completed. Archived, formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded samples and two control globes were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Gram, periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) and Masson trichrome stains, and they were immunohistochemically labeled for CD3, CD18, and CD20. Results Of the five cases reviewed, only two could be confirmed as idiopathic necrotizing scleritis. The other three cases were retrospectively diagnosed as unilateral focal, non‐necrotizing scleritis, one as episcleritis and the third was scleritis secondary to a proptosed globe based on our retrospective clinical, histological, and immunohistochemical evaluations. In these two cases, idiopathic necrotizing scleritis manifested as a bilateral, progressive, inflammatory disease of the sclera and cornea that induces significant uveitis. Light microscopic examination confirmed collagen degeneration and granulomatous inflammation. There was no evidence for an infectious etiology based on Gram’s and PAS stainings. Immunohistochemical labeling revealed a predominance of B cells in idiopathic, bilateral necrotizing scleritis. Tinctorial staining abnormalities with Masson’s trichrome stain were present in scleral collagen of the two cases with idiopathic necrotizing scleritis as well as a case of secondary traumatic scleritis. Conclusions Based on a limited number of cases, idiopathic canine necrotizing scleritis shares similar histopathological features with non‐necrotizing scleritis and episcleritis; however, necrotizing scleritis is B‐cell‐dominated and bilateral, and significant collagen alterations manifest with Masson’s trichrome stain.     

The role of sentinel lymph node mapping in small animal veterinary medicine: A comparison with current approaches in human medicine

The relevance of regional lymph node (LN) assessment to quantify the metastatic spread of cancer is well recognized in veterinary oncology. Evaluation of LNs is critical for tumour staging. However, sampling the correct LN may not be possible without sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping. Methods for diagnostic imaging and intraoperative detection of SLNs are well established in human medicine, in particular, the combination of lymphoscintigraphy and intraoperative application of blue dyes. Nevertheless, alternative imaging techniques are available and have gained increasing interest. Successful implementation of these techniques in dogs have been reported in both clinical and experimental studies. This review aims to provide an overview of SLN mapping techniques in human and veterinary medicine.     

江苏省菜籽饼粕的抗营养因子含量分析

收集华东省市当家的甘蓝型、白菜和芥菜型油菜籽品种２０个，经１０５℃３０分钟处理，小型６２机冷榨取饼，测定ＯＺＴ．ＩＴＣ，得出甘蓝型高硫葡萄糖苷品种在饼中的总苷量最高９．３６ｍｇ／ｇ，比苷蓝型低硫葡萄糖苷品种含总苷２．９５ｍｇ／Ｇ高出２倍。白菜型平均总苷３．１３ｍｇ／ｇ；芥菜型含３．５６ｍｇ／ｇ。以淮油６号、秦油２号菜籽作破碎或干热与否的前处理比较，总苷量以未破碎、未干热的菜饼最高，分别含９．８２ｍｇ／ｇ、１０．６４ｍｇ／ｇ；破碎又干热的菜饼总苷最低，分别为８．６９、７．０１ｍｇ／ｇ。以宁油７号品种为例用６２型冷榨总苷最高为１０．７７ｍｇ／ｇ，９５型其次５．１４ｍｇ／ｇ，２００型最低２．５５ｍｇ／ｇ。采集本省各地大、中、小型油厂、油坊的菜饼粕２１个样，２００型菜粕总苷为２．８ｍｇ／ｇｃｖ４５％，９５型３．３９ｍｇ／ｇ，ｃｖ３９．６％。２００型与９５型在加工过程中产生游离总苷量接近，分别为０．３８和０．４１ｍｇ／ｇ。由芥子酶或酶水解产生的腈类化合物以２００型的菜粕中含量高，平均含１３１８ｍｇ／ｋｇ，ｃｖ７９．７％；９５型含３１８ｍｇ／ｇｃｖ１３２％，其中３６％样本未检出腈量。菜饼粕单宁平均含０．８２％；植酸平均?     

Stalked Barnacles Conchoderma Auritum on an Elephant Seal: Occurrence of Elephant Seals on South African Coast

For most of the year, Meyer’s parrots in the Okavango Delta do not form large feeding flocks, and groups larger than two or three are probably the result of opportunistic aggregation at favoured food items after dispersion from communal roosts. Communal roosting likely does not facilitate flocking unless the food resources are close to the roost site, but may function in anti-predator defence. Meyer’s parrots appear to be dependent on riverine forest, Acacia-Combretum marginal woodland and mopane woodland for roost sites in the Okavango Delta. They aggregated more during the breeding season due to their specialist nutritional requirements, and female dependence on food provisioning by the male parrots. Meyer’s parrots may be sedentary in the Okavango Delta, but the possibility of limited local movements in other areas (especially the Zimbabwean highlands) should be investigated.