Multilevel use of image repository in the field of veterinary imaging and dissemination of training tools

[Extract] Until now the veterinary teaching environment is limited to static two dimensional materials. In order to improve the teaching experience we decided to adapt our educational PACS to build 2D and 3D viewing veterinary datasets. As entry level of education we setup a knowledge base consisting out of normal anatomy [1, 2]. The second step is the construction of an imaging atlas compared with the normal anatomy of every animal. The third step is the construction of a database containing a wide variety of radiopathology cases. The final level is the integration in an e-learning platform namely WikiVet [3] which is a collaborative initiative involving UK veterinary schools. The project is creating a comprehensive online knowledge base and will provide a reliable reference source to supersede Wikipedia for veterinary students, paramedics and graduates anywhere in the world, improving diagnostic skills using diagnostic imaging

Septic Thrombophlebitis of the Right Ovarian Vein

Background: A 26-year-old woman presented at the emergency department with a painful abdomen and fever up to 39°C, despite antibiotics. She had given prematurely birth by caesarian section to a twin 8 days earlier. On clinical examination she had a diffuse painful and tender abdomen, especially on the right side and suprapubic region. Laboratory findings showed an increased c-reactive protein of 24 mg/dL (normal < 0,3) and increased white blood cell count of 13 Å~ 10E9/L (normal 4,3-10 Å~ 10E9/L). There was also a decreased hemoglobin level of 8,4 g/dL (normal 12-15 g/dL). An ultrasonography was performed by the gynecologist and revealed a large heterogeneous fluid collection anteriorly of the uterus

V3 Loop Sequence Space Analysis Suggests Different Evolutionary Patterns of CCR5- and CXCR4-Tropic HIV

The V3 loop of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is critical for coreceptor binding and is the main determinant of which of the cellular coreceptors, CCR5 or CXCR4, the virus uses for cell entry. The aim of this study is to provide a large-scale data driven analysis of HIV-1 coreceptor usage with respect to the V3 loop evolution and to characterize CCR5- and CXCR4-tropic viral phenotypes previously studied in small- and medium-scale settings. We use different sequence similarity measures, phylogenetic and clustering methods in order to analyze the distribution in sequence space of roughly 1000 V3 loop sequences and their tropism phenotypes. This analysis affords a means of characterizing those sequences that are misclassified by several sequence-based coreceptor prediction methods, as well as predicting the coreceptor using the location of the sequence in sequence space and of relating this location to the CD4+ T-cell count of the patient. We support previous findings that the usage of CCR5 is correlated with relatively high sequence conservation whereas CXCR4-tropic viruses spread over larger regions in sequence space. The incorrectly predicted sequences are mostly located in regions in which their phenotype represents the minority or in close vicinity of regions dominated by the opposite phenotype. Nevertheless, the location of the sequence in sequence space can be used to improve the accuracy of the prediction of the coreceptor usage. Sequences from patients with high CD4+ T-cell counts are relatively highly conserved as compared to those of immunosuppressed patients. Our study thus supports hypotheses of an association of immune system depletion with an increase in V3 loop sequence variability and with the escape of the viral sequence to distant parts of the sequence space

Metal Bioavailability in the Sava River Water

Metals present one of the major contamination problems for freshwater systems, such as the Sava River, due to their high toxicity, persistence, and tendency to accumulate in sediment and living organisms. The comprehensive assessment of the metal bioavailability in the Sava River encompassed the analyses of dissolved and DGT-labile metal species of nine metals (Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) in the river water, as well as the evaluation of the accumulation of five metals (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn) in three organs (liver, gills, and gastrointestinal tissue) of the bioindicator organism, fish species European chub (Squalius cephalus L.).This survey was conducted mainly during the year 2006, in two sampling campaigns, in April/May and September, as periods representative for chub spawning and post-spawning. Additionally, metal concentrations were determined in the intestinal parasites acanthocephalans, which are known for their high affinity for metal accumulation. Metallothionein concentrations were also determined in three chub organs, as a commonly applied biomarker of metal exposure. Based on the metal concentrations in the river water, the Sava River was defined as weakly contaminated and mainly comparable with unpolluted rivers, which enabled the analyses of physiological variability of metal and metallothionein concentrations in the chub organs, as well as the establishment of their constitutive levels

Anticoagulation with or without Clopidogrel after Transcatheter Aortic-Valve Implantation

BACKGROUND The roles of anticoagulation alone or with an antiplatelet agent after transcatheter aortic-valve implantation (TAVI) have not been well studied. METHODS We performed a randomized trial of clopidogrel in patients undergoing TAVI who were receiving oral anticoagulation for appropriat

Treatment of sporadic Burkitt lymphoma in adults, a retrospective comparison of four treatment regimens

Burkitt lymphoma is an aggressive B cell malignancy accounting for 1-2% of all adult lymphomas. Treatment with dose-intensive, multi-agent chemotherapy is effective but associated with considerable toxicity. In this observational study, we compared real-world efficacy, toxicity, and costs of four frequently employed treatment strategies for Burkitt lymphoma: the Lymphome Malins B (LMB), the Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM), the HOVON, and the CODOX-M/IVAC regimens. We collected data from 147 adult patients treated in eight referral centers. Following central Burkitt lymphoma, resulting in the following treatment groups: LMB 36 patients, BFM 19 patients, HOVON 29 patients, and CODOX-M/IVAC 21 patients (median age 39 years, range 1474; mean duration of follow-up 47 months). There was no significant difference between age, sex ratio, disease stage, or percentage HIV-positive patients between the treatment groups. Five-year progression-free survival (69%, p = 0.966) and 5-year overall survival (69%, p = 0.981) were comparable for all treatment groups. Treatment-related toxicity was also comparable with only hepatotoxicity seen more frequently in the CODOX/M-IVAC group (p = 0.004). Costs were determined by the number of rituximab gifts and the number of inpatients days. Overall, CODOX-M/IVAC had the most beneficial profile with regards to costs, treatment duration, and percentage of patients completing planned treatment. We conclude that the four treatment protocols for Burkitt lymphoma yield nearly identical results with regards to efficacy and safety but differ in treatment duration and costs. These differences may help guide future choice of treatment