Relationships between hemopoiesis and peripheral blood counts in untreated and 32P-treated patients with polycythaemia vera (author's transl)

The composition of the hemopoiesis was determined in iliac crest biopsies of 51 patients with polycythaemia vera. There was a good correlation between thrombopoiesis and thrombocytes and, to a minor degree also between erythropoiesis and erythrocytes in untreated patients as well as between granulopoiesis and granulocytes in 32P-treated patients. In patients with normal blood counts there existed no correlation between the bone marrow and the blood counts within smaller limits of the cell count. Histomorphometric analysis shows no difference either between untreated and 32P-treated patients or between patients with and without splenomegaly. This is an argument against a significant intrasplenic hemopoiesis or an intrasplenic cell pooling, or destruction (hypersplenism), respectively. The blood sinusoids are hyperplastic and distended. With increasing hyperplasia of the hemopoiesis the sinusoids become relatively smaller. So changes in vascularisation may be of importance in the infrequent transitions into myelofibrosis and/or leukemia.     

Effect of welding processes on tensile, impact, hardness and microstructure of AISI 409M ferritic stainless joints fabricated using duplex stainless steel filler metal

 The present investigation is aimed at to study the effect of welding processes such as shielded metal arc welding, gas metal arc welding and gas tungsten arc welding on tensile and impact properties of the ferritic stainless steel conforming to AISI 409M grade. Rolled plates of 4 mm thickness were used as the base material for preparing single pass butt welded joints. Tensile and impact properties, micro hardness, microstructure and fracture surface morphology of the welded joints have been evaluated and the results are compared. From this investigation, it is found that gas tungsten arc welded joints of ferritic stainless steel showed superior tensile and impact properties compared with shielded metal arc and gas metal arc welded joints and this is mainly due to the presence of finer grains in fusion zone and heat affected zone.     

Immunosuppression in dogs with pyoderma and/or demodicosis

The occurrence of decreased activity of the immune system was studied in a group of 66 dogs with various combinations of pyoderma and demodicosis. Our complex examination of the dogs included the following: leukocyte count, differential count, phagocytosis, blastogenic lymphocyte transformation and quantitation of total serum immunoglobulins, lysozyme and haemolytic complement. Immunosuppression was found in 19 (28.8%) cases. Immunosuppression was rare in dogs with demodicosis and did not appear without a concurrent pyoderma. An increase in the neutrophil counts and total serum immunoglobulin levels significant was found in dogs with demodicosis combined with pyoderma. On the contrary, marked immunosuppression was detected in dogs with deep pyoderma. A considerable immunosuppression was present in 7 of 10 German shepherds dog pyoderma (GSP). Significant depressions were found in phagocyte activity and lymphocyte activity. Immunosuppression was observed in 4 of 9 dogs in other breeds with uncomplicated deep pyoderma. All groups of dogs with pyoderma showed a significant increase in total serum immunoglobulins. Conclusion from these findings is that deep pyoderma more than Demodicosis was concerned with immunosuppression. German shepherds with deep pyoderma had more expressed immunosuppression than other breeds.     

Locomotor activity rhythms in dogs vary with age and cognitive status.

Beagle dogs exhibited diurnal patterns of locomotor activity that varied as a function of age, cognitive status, and housing environment. Aged dogs housed in an indoor facility showed a delayed onset of activity following lights on and displayed shorter bouts of activity, with more rest periods during the day, compared with young dogs. Cognitively impaired aged dogs were more active and showed a delayed peak of activity compared with unimpaired aged dogs. Housing in continuous light did not disrupt activity rhythms. The effect of age was less prominent in dogs housed in an indoor/outdoor facility. This suggests that bright sunlight and natural light-dark transitions are better able to consolidate and synchronize the activity rhythms of the dogs. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Humoral and cellular immune responses of dogs immunized with a nucleic acid vaccine encoding human carcinoembryonic antigen

A nucleic acid vaccine encoding human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) was administered to 10 juvenile dogs, 10-15 weeks of age, by four parenteral routes. The routes tested were intramuscular injection using a needle and syringe, intramuscular injection using the Biojector needleless injection device, intradermal injection or intravenous injection. All groups received 150 micrograms of plasmid DNA on weeks 0, 4, 7 and 13. All dogs were bled weekly for 17 weeks and tested for antibody against human CEA. Dogs given plasmid intramuscularly either by needle and syringe or Biojector showed significant antibody responses by week 9 which peaked by week 15. Dogs receiving plasmid intravenously showed slight, unsustained increases in antibody titers while dogs receiving plasmid intradermally had significant titers, but at levels approximately one log less than those induced by intramuscular injection. The five dogs immunized by intramuscular delivery of plasmid DNA were examined for cellular immune responses to human CEA by lymphoblast transformation (LBT) assay. All five showed significant CEA-specific lymphoproliferation when compared with unvaccinated dogs. Physical examination, clinical chemistry, hematology and histopathology examinations revealed no abnormalities associated with nucleic acid immunization.     

Urinary excretion of amino acids in normal and cystinuric dogs

The 24-h urine excretion of 20 amino acids was investigated in 24 cystinuric and 15 normal dogs. The diagnosis of cystinuria was based on infrared spectroscopy of removed uroliths, which in all cases were composed of pure cystine. Seven of 24 cystinuric dogs showed normal cystine excretion compared to normal dogs, and four of 24 dogs showed normal total amino acid excretion. In contrast to earlier investigations, almost half of the cystinuric dogs (46%) showed elevated excretion of five or more amino acids. Isolated cystinuria, or isolated dibasic amino aciduria was not found. Compared to normal dogs, the cystinuric dogs showed a significantly (P < 0.05) increased excretion of cystine, arginine, lysine, cystathionine, glutamic acid, threonine and glutamine. There was a significant correlation (P < 0.05) between the urinary excretion of cystine and 10 other amino acids, with the highest correlation found (P < 0.001) for arginine, lysine, cystathionine, ornithine and 1-methyl-histidine. Three patterns of amino acid excretion could be identified: (1) increased excretion and a significant correlation with cystine for the three dibasic amino acids (lysine, arginine and ornithine), compatible with a common reabsorption mechanism as shown in man. This pattern was also found for cystathionine and glutamic acid, which might indicate a relation in metabolism or transport; (2) increased excretion but no correlation with cystine for glutamine, threonine and citrulline; (3) good correlation with cystine, but no increased excretion for 1-methyl-histidine, phenylalanine, 3-methyl-histidine, leucine and alanine. The great variation in urinary cystine excretion suggests that factors other than the excretion of cystine must be considered as causes of cystine urolith formation. For example, cystinuric dogs were found to have lower diuresis than normal dogs and produced urine with higher cystine concentration thereby increasing the risk of cystine urolith formation.     

Changes in serum C-reactive protein levels in dogs with various disorders and surgical traumas

The serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) produced as an inflammatory response in dogs with various disorders and surgical traumas were measured by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay and slide reversed passive latex agglutination test (RPLA). The CRP levels were greatly increased 1-2 days after surgery in most of the dogs (n = 29) subjected to surgery. These levels had markedly decreased by the time the sutures were removed. In dogs with various disorders (n = 58), the serum CRP levels at first diagnosis were high in infectious diseases. In dogs from which paired serum samples were examined, the serum CRP usually showed a decrease with improvement in the condition (n = 11) or a terminal increase (n = 4) but, conversely, some showed an increase with improvement in the condition (n = 3).     

Diagnostic procedures and treatment of eleven dogs with peritoneal infections caused by Mesocestoides spp

An 8-year-old spayed Schnauzer with a distended abdomen was examined because of straining to urinate and suspected urinary tract infection. Abdominal radiography revealed a ground-glass appearance, and ultrasonography revealed numerous cystic structures in the peritoneal cavity. Examination of an aspirate of abdominal fluid revealed tissues consistent with metacestodes. Tissues were definitively identified as Mesocestoides spp on the basis of polymerase chain reaction amplification of restriction fragment length polymorphisms. The dog required several courses of treatment with fenbendazole to eliminate the infection. This was 1 of 11 dogs infected with Mesocestoides metacestodes. Treatment involving the use of praziquantel and albendazole were ineffective, but fenbendazole successfully cleared Mesocestoides infections in 5 of 6 dogs.     

Radiation exposure during CT examination of thorax and abdomen. Comparison of sequential, spiral and electron beam computed tomography

Comparison of radiation exposure applied by different types of CT scanners for the investigation of the chest and abdomen. Determination of radiation exposure applied by multi-phase spiral CT. Estimation of the dose in air in the system axis of the scanner, the CT dose index (CTDI) and the effective dose for electron beam tomography (EBT) and two conventional CT scanners (sequence, SEQ; spiral, SCT). For EBT, dose in system axis for investigation of the abdomen was above 50 mGy. Effective dose for investigation of the chest and abdomen was higher with EBT (11 and 26 mSv, respectively) than with conventional CT (SEQ, 4 and 20 mSv; SCT, 2 and 7 mSv). The effective dose for a biphasic investigation (liver 5 mSv, kidney 4 mSv) was below, for a triphasic investigation (liver 7 mSv) above the effective dose of the investigation of the abdomen (6 mSv). Investigation of the abdomen with the EBT should only be performed for certain indications. With spiral CT, effective dose is much lower than with EBT.     

Use of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of tracheal collapse

Ultrasonographic imaging of the cervical trachea was performed with the neck in both a neutral and a hyperextended position in 10 dogs with tracheal collapse. Tracheoscopy was used to confirm a diagnosis of tracheal collapse. The ultrasound investigation was repeated in 10 dogs of similar size but without tracheal abnormality. The ultrasonographic findings of the affected dogs were compared with those of the normal group and showed an alteration in the shape of the tracheal lumen in the ventrodorsal projection. This study highlights the possibility of identifying changes in the shape of the tracheal lumen during ultrasound investigations as an aid to the diagnosis of tracheal collapse.     

Effect of age on serum concentrations of the third component of complement in dogs

Single radial immunodiffusion was used to determine the concentration of the third component of complement (C3) in canine sera from 48 normal dogs in the following age groups: < 12 months, 12 to 24 months, and > 24 months. Mean serum C3 concentrations, expressed as the percentage of pooled reference sera from 20 dogs, showed a significant (P < 0.017) correlation with age in dogs less than 12 months old, while the character of this correlation was negative for dogs more than 24 months old (P < 0.056). Two-way analysis of variance, for age and sex, revealed significant differences between C3 values from this two groups that were not present when compared with dogs aged between 12 and 24 months old. Sex had no effect on serum C3 concentrations.     

Ehrlichia canis infections of dogs in Germany. Epidemiology, diagnosis, therapy and prophylaxis

Between January and December 1997 infections with Ehrlichia canis were detected in 211 dogs in Germany. Of the 53 epidemiologically evaluable dogs, 19 animals born and raised in Germany had travelled with their owners abroad in endemic areas, 30 dogs originated from there and four dogs had never left Germany. As regards to the possible location of infection it has been registered that most dogs had been taken to countries of the Mediterranean Sea (Spain, France, Italy, Greece) or had been imported from there. On inquiry, ticks had been forwarded from four dogs only, which were determined as Rhipicephalus sanguineus. The subsequent serological investigation of these four dogs revealed a Rickettsia conorii infection in two of them.     

Magnetic resonance tomography of the lesser pelvis. Clinical application in disparity with technology

Technological innovations which change diagnostic routines are continually being introduced in medical care, as exemplified by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with its advanced diagnostic capacity, now considered indispensible for the investigation of many disorders of the central nervous system. The article consists in an outline of applications of MRI in the investigation of the lower abdomen, a field characterised by substantial technical improvements in recent years, and a brief review of subject literature. Based on their experience of pelvic MRI, the authors advocate its more frequent use in investigating disorders of the lesser pelvis.     

Management of ascites. A review

Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations and specific IgG1 and IgG2 antibody levels were studied in 14 dogs naturally infected with Leishmania infantum using flow cytometry and ELISA. Six dogs (Group 1) were asymptomatic, and received no treatment. Samples from this group were collected from D0 to D180. The other eight dogs (Group 2) showed clinical symptoms, and were treated with Glucantime (from D0 to D40), with samples being collected from D0 to D90. Twenty-two healthy dogs were used as a control group (Group 3). The results demonstrated changes in the lymphocyte subsets, as well as a decrease in humoral and cellular immunity, in the infected dogs. Analysis of the B-cell populations of Groups 1 and 2 showed a striking reduction in the number of CD21+ cells. There was also a reduction in the CD5+, CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell populations. Drug therapy was found to partly restore the lost immunity, essentially the cell-mediated immunity. Both IgG1- and IgG2- specific antibodies were detected in sera from the fourteen infected dogs, but the IgG2 subclass appeared to be predominant. A significant decrease in the level of IgG2 antibodies was observed in treated and untreated dogs.     

Severe leukopenia and dysregulated erythropoiesis in SCID mice persistently infected with the parvovirus minute virus of mice

Parvovirus minute virus of mice strain i (MVMi) infects committed granulocyte-macrophage CFU and erythroid burst-forming unit (CFU-GM and BFU-E, respectively) and pluripotent (CFU-S) mouse hematopoietic progenitors in vitro. To study the effects of MVMi infection on mouse hemopoiesis in the absence of a specific immune response, adult SCID mice were inoculated by the natural intranasal route of infection and monitored for hematopoietic and viral multiplication parameters. Infected animals developed a very severe viral-dose-dependent leukopenia by 30 days postinfection (d.p.i.) that led to death within 100 days, even though the number of circulating platelets and erythrocytes remained unaltered throughout the disease. In the bone marrow of every lethally inoculated mouse, a deep suppression of CFU-GM and BFU-E clonogenic progenitors occurring during the 20- to 35-d.p.i. interval corresponded with the maximal MVMi production, as determined by the accumulation of virus DNA replicative intermediates and the yield of infectious virus. Viral productive infection was limited to a small subset of primitive cells expressing the major replicative viral antigen (NS-1 protein), the numbers of which declined with the disease. However, the infection induced a sharp and lasting unbalance of the marrow hemopoiesis, denoted by a marked depletion of granulomacrophagic cells (GR-1(+) and MAC-1(+)) concomitant with a twofold absolute increase in erythroid cells (TER-119(+)). A stimulated definitive erythropoiesis in the infected mice was further evidenced by a 12-fold increase per femur of recognizable proerythroblasts, a quantitative apoptosis confined to uninfected TER-119(+) cells, as well as by a 4-fold elevation in the number of circulating reticulocytes. Therefore, MVMi targets and suppresses primitive hemopoietic progenitors leading to a very severe leukopenia, but compensatory mechanisms are mounted specifically by the erythroid lineage that maintain an effective erythropoiesis. The results show that infection of SCID mice with the parvovirus MVMi causes a novel dysregulation of murine hemopoiesis in vivo.     

C-reactive protein concentration in dogs with inflammatory leukograms

Serum C-reactive protein (CRP) concentration was measured, using an automated immunoturbidimetric assay, in 44 clinically normal dogs and 67 dogs with band neutrophil count > or = 10(9) cells/L, and values were found to be significantly (P < or = 0.05) different. Correlation of serum CRP concentration and band neutrophil count in the 67 dogs with > or = 10(9) band neutrophils/L resulted in a statistically significant (P < or = 0.05), but low correlation coefficient of 0.34. Serum CRP concentration and CBC values were determined for 6 clinically normal dogs undergoing anesthesia (controls) and 6 clinically normal dogs undergoing anesthesia and ovariohysterectomy. Significant alterations in CBC results and serum CRP concentration, compared with baseline values, were lacking in dogs of the control group. Serum CRP concentration was significantly (P < or = 0.05) increased above baseline values in dogs undergoing surgery and was significantly (P < or = 0.05) increased, compared with values in control dogs by 12 hours after surgery. In dogs undergoing surgery, serum CRP concentration was also significantly (P < or = 0.05) different from values in control dogs at 28 and 36 hours, but not at the 76- and 124-hour sample collection times. Alterations in CBC values compatible with possible or convincing inflammation were detected in 83% of the dogs undergoing surgery at the 8- and 12-hour postsurgery sample collection times, 100% of dogs at 16, 22, 28, and 36 hours after surgery, 83% of dogs at 52 and 76 hours after surgery, 67% of dogs at 100 hours after surgery, and 0% of dogs at 124 hours after surgery.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

The hemodialysis-induced reaction in patients with leukemia

The white blood cell count response was documented in various patients following transfusions of 500 ml of autologous or unrelated donor blood that had been subjected to 10 minutes of dialysis with 15 minutes of stagnation. Patients studied included 1 patient with acute nonlymphocytic (ANLL) and 2 patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The control group consisted of 4 patients with renal failure. The ANLL patient showed a normal two-phase reaction after administration of donor's blood. It is possible that even under conditions of severe disturbance of hemopoiesis the general dependence on normal humoral regulation remains. The CLL patients showed a marked drop in circulating WBC in the first descending phase of the hemodialysis-induced reaction (HDIR). All blood cell types including lymphocytes and blast cells took part in this decrease of blood count; this suggests a cell-nonspecific effect. It is presumed that leukocytes that leave the circulation do not return into the blood and the procedure may be considered as a form of leukophoresis in vivo, with possible therapeutic value.     

A survey of blood lead levels in dogs and cats

The blood of 206 dogs and 26 cats was analyzed for lead by non-flame atomic absorption giving mean levels of 6.4 mug/100 ml for dogs and 5.2 mug/100 ml for cats. Statistical treatment of the results using a paired Students' t-test showed significant differences by age for dogs but not for cats. Urban dogs had significantly higher blood lead levels than country dogs (P less than 0.05) thus indicating that dogs can be regarded as useful environmental monitors for lead pollution.     

Oral malodor in beagles: association with indicators of periodontal disease

The study of oral malodor continues to receive attention. Most bad breath is of oral origin and can be corrected with proper oral hygiene. Studies performed with saliva from people with periodontal disease and from healthy individuals showed that saliva from diseased patients produced a more objectionable odor faster than that of healthy people, and that the volatile sulfur components (VSC) produced may actually play a role in the etiology of periodontal disease. However, not all people or animals with bad breath have periodontal disease. The objectives of this study were to determine if a trained panel could discriminate between 10 dogs with clinically defined periodontal disease and those with relatively healthy periodontium. Second, this study attempted to establish a correlation between odor intensity and six clinical parameters of oral health. The judges were able to differentiate between the two groups of dogs based only on oral malodor (p < 0.02). There were strong associations of the intensity of oral malodor with oral health index scores. The correlations established between odor and gingivitis (r = 0.81) and between odor and furcation exposure (r = 0.88) were very high and statistically significant. Similarly, probing depth (r = 0.73), plaque (r = 0.07) and tooth mobility (r = 0.66) showed clear, positive relationships with oral malodor.     

Heterogeneous sympathetic innervation in German shepherd dogs with inherited ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death

BACKGROUND: Recently, a colony of German shepherd dogs with inherited spontaneous cardiac arrhythmias and associated sudden death has been developed and characterized. Due to the median age of onset of the arrhythmia (4.5 months), the tendency for the arrhythmia to occur during REM sleep or after exercise, and the absence of structural heart disease, we hypothesized a developmental abnormality of the sympathetic innervation to the heart. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 11 dogs from this colony, ranging in age from 6 months to 6 years, and four 7-month-old German shepherd dogs unrelated to the colony as controls. We imaged the distribution of functional myocardial sympathetic innervation and perfusion with [123I]metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) and 201Tl, respectively. Sympathetic nerve distribution was evaluated morphologically by immunocytochemical localization of tyrosine hydroxylase. All of the hearts showed evidence of a regional decrease in MIBG uptake, ranging from 5.3% to 53.4% of the myocardium, whereas control dogs showed homogeneous MIBG uptake. Immunocytochemical studies on sections from regions with decreased MIBG uptake showed a striking paucity of nerves compared with regions with normal MIBG uptake, confirming denervation. When the dogs were grouped into those with (n=6) and without (n=5) evidence of ventricular tachycardia on ambulatory ECG, the group with ventricular tachycardia showed 35+/-16.5% denervation, whereas the group without ventricular tachycardia showed 12+/-5.6% denervation (P<.02). CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal heterogeneous sympathetic innervation exists in these dogs with inherited ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death. Mechanisms relating the presence and extent of regional denervation to the incidence of ventricular arrhythmia remain to be defined.