Clinical signs, imaging features, neuropathology, and outcome in cats and dogs with central nervous system cryptococcosis from California

Background: Cryptococcus spp. is a fungal pathogen with a predilection for the central nervous system (CNS). Objectives: To compare the clinical, advanced imaging, and neuropathologic findings in dogs and cats with CNS cryptococcosis, and to evaluate outcome of treatment in these animals. Animals: Twenty‐six cats and 21 dogs with CNS cryptococcosis. Methods: Medical records were reviewed for clinical findings and results of CNS imaging. Archived cerebrospinal fluid and CNS tissue specimens were reviewed for pathology. Findings in cats were compared with those in dogs and the effects of variables on survival were determined by survival curve analysis. Results: When present, pain was localized to the cervical region in dogs and was generalized or localized to the thoracolumbar spine or pelvic limbs in cats. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings were variable but correlated with CNS histopathological findings of meningitis, meningitis with gelatinous pseudocyst formation, and granulomatous mass lesions. Peripherally enhancing brain lesions were seen only in cats. Histopathologically, the inflammatory response was milder in cats compared with dogs. Remissions of ≥1 year occurred in 32% of treated animals. Altered mentation was associated with negative outcome. Glucocorticoid use after diagnosis was associated with improved survival in the first 10 days. Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Lesions seen on MRI reflected neuropathological findings and were similar to those reported in human patients. The immune response to infection may differ between cats and dogs, or relate to the infecting cryptococcal species. Long‐term (>6 month median survival time) survival may be possible in animals surviving ≥4 days after diagnosis.     

Studies on kinetic properties of non-specific phosphomonoesterases in the sheep nematode, Bunostomum trigonocephalum Rudolphi, 1808

The maximum activity (Vmax) of acid phosphomonoesterase (E.C.3.1.3.2.) at pH 5.5 and 37 degrees C was found to be 2.68 +/- 0.25 and 3.85 +/- 0.24 mu moles phenol mg protein-1 min-1 in male and female Bunostomum trigonocephalum, respectively. The Vmax of alkaline phosphomonoesterase (E.C.3.1.3.1) at pH 10.0 and 37 degrees C was 0.75 +/- 0.04 and 1.15 +/- 0.05 mu moles phenol mg protein-1 min-1 in male and female B. trigonocephalum, respectively. The Michaelis constant (Km) values were 10.25 mM and 11.76 mM for acid and 8.69 mM and 9.09 mM for alkaline phosphomonoesterase in male and female worms, respectively. Enzymal activities were optimum at 7.0 and 9.0% enzyme concentrations, at incubation periods of 60 and 20 min and at temperatures of 50 and 45 degrees C for acid and alkaline phosphomonoesterases, respectively. Dialysis in distilled water decreased the activity of both enzymes, while only acid phosphomonoesterase activity increased in citrate buffer (pH 5.5) and alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity in carbonate buffer (pH 10.0).     

Feline cryptococcosis: impact of current research on clinical management

DISEASE SUMMARY: Cryptococcosis, principally caused by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii, is the most common systemic mycosis of cats worldwide. Cats may be infected following inhalation of spores from the environment, with the nasal cavity suspected as being the initial site of colonization and subsequent infection. Other sites of infection in cats are the skin, lungs, lymph nodes, central nervous system (CNS), eyes and, occasionally, periarticular connective tissue. Cryptococcosis can be diagnosed using serology (antigen testing), cytologic examination of smears, histopathology or culture. Treatment of localized disease is generally successful using azole antifungal drugs; however, cats with CNS involvement or disseminated disease require additional treatment with amphotericin B, with or without flucytosine. The prognosis is variable, depending on host and pathogen factors. Some cats require long-term (>1 year) treatment or indefinite therapy. PATIENT GROUP: Cats of any breed, gender and age may be affected. Retroviral status does not appear to be a risk factor for developing cryptococcosis and indoor cats are not protected from disease. GLOBAL IMPORTANCE: Feline cryptococcosis occurs worldwide, but is most frequently reported in Australia, western Canada and the western United States. Species and molecular type vary in different geographical regions and may affect clinical presentation and antifungal susceptibility patterns. CLINICAL CHALLENGES: Serologic tests that detect cryptococcal antigen in serum are sensitive and specific, but false negatives can occur in cats with localized disease. Long-term drug therapy can be expensive and has the potential for toxicity. The extent to which the pathogenicity and antifungal susceptibility is affected by molecular type is currently under study. EVIDENCE BASE: This review draws on recent literature relating to epidemiology, CNS involvement and advanced diagnostic imaging to update clinicians regarding research findings relevant to clinical practice.     

Potential effects of climate change on plant communities in three montane nature reserves in Scotland, UK

Mountain ecosystems are often identified as being particularly sensitive to climate change, however this has rarely been investigated at the scale of individual mountain ranges using local relationships between plants and climate. This study uses fine resolution data to assess the potential changes to internationally important Arctic-alpine plant communities in three national nature reserves in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom. Distribution models were created for 31 species, representing a range of community types. A relationship between distribution and temperature was found for all species. These models were aggregated to explore potential future changes to each community under two Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warming scenarios for the 2080s. The results indicate that Arctic-alpine communities in these reserves could undergo substantial species turnover, even under the lower climate change scenario. For example, Racomitrium-Carex moss-heath, a distinctive community type of the British uplands, could lose suitable climate space as other communities spread uphill. These findings highlight the need to maintain these communities in an optimal condition in which they can be most resilient to such change, to monitor them for signals of change and to develop more flexible conservation policies which account for future changes in mountain protected areas.     

Capillary gas chromatographic separation of various stimulants

A capillary gas chromatographic (GC) method was developed for the separation of various stimulants of forensic and pharmaceutical interest. The data consist of retention time, relative retention time, corrected retention time, and relative corrected retention time, calculated using ephedrine as reference standard.     

Plasma Inhibin Levels in Relation to Steroids and Gonadotrophins during Oestrous Cycle in Buffalo

The study was conducted on six Murrah buffalo synchronized and induced to oestrus. An indwelling catheter was placed in the jugular vein of each buffalo 4 days before the expected onset of the oestrus following the induced oestrus and blood samples were collected at 8 h intervals from each animal throughout the oestrous cycle. Plasma immunoreactive inhibin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol-17β and progesterone were estimated by radioimmunoassay to study the variations in the peripheral levels of these hormones and their inter-relationships in order to elucidate the feedback systems controlling them during the oestrous cycle of buffalo. Plasma inhibin levels ranged between 391.25 and 631.97 pg/ml during various phases of the oestrous cycle and were found to be higher than reported in cows. Peak LH and FSH levels during oestrus were 38.40 ± 9.21 and 24.04 ± 4.75 ng/ml, respectively and estradiol-17β and progesterone were 19.50 ± 5.51 pg/ml and 0.61 ± 0.25 ng/ml, respectively. The mean plasma inhibin concentration on the day of oestrus was 562.5 ± 18.9 pg/ml. Levels of FSH in the plasma showed three mid-cycle elevations which corresponded to comparatively lower inhibin and elevated estradiol-17β levels during the same period. From this observation it was deduced that both inhibin and estradiol-17β have a feed-back regulatory effect on FSH secretion in buffalo.