Severe hepatitis resulting from toxoplasmosis in a barred owl (Strix varia) from Québec, Canada

A female adult barred owl (Strix varia) had been hurt by a car. Its general status declined gradually within 2 wk with anorexia and inactivity. Necropsy examination revealed marked multifocal pale areas in liver, emaciation, and mild airsacculitis and pericarditis. Histopathologic examination revealed severe acute multifocal hepatic necrosis with numerous protozoal tachyzoites within necrotic foci and in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes and macrophages. These tachyzoites stained with an indirect immunohistochemistry method for Toxoplasma gondii antigens. This is the first reported case of hepatitis resulting from toxoplasmosis in a raptor.     

The method to implement superresolution in holographic memorysystems

The paper examines the issue of increasing the holographic storage density, of binary data transparencies. The approach is distinctive in that it allows for signal-to-noise ratio in reconstruction. It is shown that the use of Fourier holograms with optimized spatial spectrums allows the density to go beyond the value defined by the diffraction limit     

Leptospirosis in raccoons in Quebec: 2 case reports and seroprevalence in a recreational area

Raccoons may represent a source of leptospires for humans and domestic animals. We describe a case of severe interstitial nephritis associated with the serovar bratislava of Leptospira interrogans (1st report in wildlife), and the seroprevalence to 4 leptospire serovars in a recreational area in Quebec.     

Structural organization of red blood cell membranes in pregnant women with gestosis

Activated lipid peroxidation (LPO) was found to occur with decreased antioxidative activity (AOA) in gestosis, by deteriorating the structural and functional properties of cell membranes. This enhanced the permeability of the phospholipid bilayer and altered the function of membranous proteins and the synthesis of biologically active agents, by involving the systems responsible for microcirculatory homeostasis. Enhanced membrane hydrophilicity and increased LPO and AOA are typical of the second and third trimesters of normal pregnancy. Pregnant with gestosis generally show higher microviscosity and hydrophilicity of membranes and enhanced blood LPO.