Examination of mast cell tumors in horses

Deckblatt-Impressum Inhaltsverzeichnis Einleitung Literaturübersicht Eigene Untersuchungen Diskussion Zusammenfassung Summary Abkürzungsverzeichnis Literaturverzeichnis Danksagung SelbständigkeitserklärungMastzellentumoren bei Pferden werden in der Klinik sehr selten beobachtet. Die vorliegende Untersuchung legt die Vermutung nahe, dass diese Art Tumor hinsichtlich der Dignität und der Häufigkeit seines Auftretens oft unterschätzt wird. Nach systematischer Suche im Archiv des Institutes für Veterinär-Pathologie der Freien Universität Berlin wurden fünf Präparate näher untersucht. Die untersuchten Proben waren ausnahmslos alle als im Sinne von Geschwülsten einzuordnen, ein Zusammenhang zu parasitären oder allergischen Vorgängen ließ sich nicht herstellen. Durch den ausgiebigen Literaturvergleich von equinen Mastzellentumoren und Mastzellenerkrankungen anderer Spezies sowie des Menschen wurden neue Aspekte, wie die Beurteilung der Kern- und Zellform der Mastzellen, die Anordnung der Mastzellen im Gewebe, die Mastzellendichte sowie die Menge zytoplasmatischer Granula in der Mastzelle in die Beurteilung beim Pferd eingeführt. Die Begriffe wurden geordnet und neue Ansätze für künftige Untersuchungen gefunden. Auch wurde gezeigt, dass die bisher übliche Methode der Suche nach Mitosen in Mastzellen unsicher und ungeeignet ist, um zu beurteilen, ob eine Neoplasie vorliegt oder nicht. Hier wäre der zusätzliche immunhistochemische Einsatz von Proliferationsmarkern sicherer. Als Ergebnis sind die Veränderungen der vorliegenden Untersuchung als Mastzellentumoren zu bezeichnen. Will man die Dignität beschreiben, wäre auch der Begriff Mastozytom zu verwenden. Der Begriff equine kutane Mastozytose ist in Anlehnung an SCHWENZER et al. (1999) für rein entzündlich bedingte Veränderungen mit Anwesenheit von Mastzellen zu verwenden. Ansonsten sollte der Begriff Mastozytose ähnlich wie in der Humanmedizin (SPERR et al., 2001) als Überbegriff benutzt und zur Beschreibung einzelner Erkrankungen besser vermieden werden, da er keinen Rückschluss auf die Ursache der Erkrankung (Neoplasie oder Alteration) zulässt und somit nicht mehr zeitgemäß ist. Abschließend ergibt sich die dringende Notwendigkeit einer routinemäßigen Untersuchung entnommener Geschwülste beim Pferd. Wichtig wäre auch eine umfassende Anamnese bei Einsendung entnommener Proben, sowie eine gründliche Verlaufsuntersuchung. Mit der Ausweitung der Knochenmarksbiopsie und der Enzymhistochemie in der Humanmedizin wird diesen Untersuchungsmethoden zukünftig sicher auch in der Veterinärmedizin, wo sie heute aus Kostengründen in der Routinediagnostik keine große Rolle spielen, mehr Bedeutung zukommen. Gerade bei dem oft großen Wert der Tiere in der Pferdepraxis ist es aber notwendig, anspruchsvollere und aussagekräftigere Untersuchungen zu entwickeln.Mast cell tumors in horses have been detected very seldom in clinical examinations. As a result of the present examination we suggested, that these tumors are usually clinically underestimated concerning their malignancy and frequency. After systematically search in the archive of the Institute of Veterinary Pathology of the Freie Universität Berlin five archivated cases were examined. After that all cases have been called as tumors. There was no connection to parasitolocic or allergic process demonstrable. Because of the extensive literary comparison of equine mast cell tumors and such of other species and the human new aspects in the evaluation of equine mast cell tumors have been added, such as determination of nuclear and cellular shape, arrangement of mast cells in tissue, dense of mast cells and cytoplasmatic granules in mast cells. The terms have been put in orders and new approaches for future examinations have been found. In addition it was visual that the previous method of searching for mitoses is not sure and is not suitable for evaluation of neoplasia. The additional immunhistochemical use of proliferation markers would be safer. As a result all cellular changes in the present examination have been called as mast cell tumors. The term mastocytoma is also usable as description for malignancy of these tumors. The term equine cutaneous mastocytosis is to use for only inflammatory alterations with presence of mast cells as described of SCHWENZER et al. (1999). In all other progresses the term mastocytosis should only be used as a title like in human medicine (SPERR et al., 2001) and be avoided to describe a special disease as it allows no conclusion of the alteration cause (neoplasia or inflammation) and is therefore no longer up to date. Finally in resign to the examination it is an urgent necessity to send growths drawn from horses to routine examination. In addition complete anamnesis and thorough observation of the patients after treatment would be important. With increasing biopsy of bone marrow and encyme-hisochemical examination in humane medicine in the future this methods will get more importance in veterinary medicine, too, whereas it is unusual in routine diagnostic because of price reasons. Even because of the often high value of animals in equine practice it is necessary to develop more demanding and testified methods of examination

Golden Eagle Dietary Shifts Following Wildfire and Shrub Loss Have Negative Consequences for Nestling Survivorship

Wildfires and invasive species have caused widespread changes in western North America’s shrub-steppe landscapes. The bottom–up consequences of degraded shrublands on predator ecology and demography remain poorly understood. We used a before–after paired design to study whether Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) diet and nestling survivorship changed following wildfires in southwestern Idaho, USA. We assessed burn extents from 1981 to 2013 and vegetation changes between 1979 (pre-burn) and 2014 (post-burn) within 3 km of Golden Eagle nesting centroids. We measured the frequency and biomass of individual prey, calculated diet diversity indexes, and monitored nestling survivorship at 15 territories in 1971–1981 and 2014–2015. On average, 0.70 of the area within 3 km of nesting centroids burned between 1981 and 2013, and the mean proportion of unburned shrubland decreased from 0.73 in 1979 to 0.22 in 2014. Diets in post-burn years were more diverse and had a lower proportion of some shrub-associated species, such as black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) and mountain cottontails (Sylvilagus nuttallii), and a higher proportion of American Coots (Fulica americana), Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), Piute ground squirrels (Urocitellus mollis), and Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) compared with pre-burn years. A high proportion of waterfowl represented a novel change in Golden Eagle diets, which are typically dominated by mammalian prey. Nestling survivorship was positively associated with the proportion of black-tailed jackrabbits and negatively associated with the proportion of Rock Pigeons in eagle diets. Rock Pigeons are a vector for Trichomonas gallinae, a disease-causing protozoan lethal to young eagles. Nesting attempts were more likely to fail (all young die) in the post-burn period compared with the pre-burn period. Dietary shifts are a common mechanism for predators to cope with landscape change, but shifts away from preferred prey to disease vectors affect nestling survivorship and could lead to population-level effects on productivity

Seasonal variation in the major cation (Na, K, Mg, and Ca) content of the water of Lago Camaleão, an Amazonian floodplain- lake near Manaus, Brazil

Changes in the major cation content (Na, K, Mg and Ca) of the Lago Camaleão, one of the várzea lakes on an island in the Rio Solimões/Amazonas near Manaus were followed during one year. Comparative changes were also followed in the Rio Solimões. Changes in the electrolyte content of the lake water, presented as total maior cation content, are extremely great during the period of investigation. Nov. 1980 to Nov. 1981, and show a pronounced annual periodicity. During the low water period (Oct. 1981) the ion concentration reached its maximum and was more than 15 times higher than in the river at the same time. With rising water level, in flow of comparatively electrolyte poor water from the river and simultaneously increasing rain fall dilute the water in the lake. In the following months there is a relatively sudden reduction of the electrolyte content of the lake water. By the time of high water the levels have fallen almost to those of the river. With falling water level concentrations of major cations at first increase very slowly followed by an abrupt change within one month, from approx. 20 mg major cations/l to approx. 230 mg/l. Investigation of different lake sections showed that the electrolyte content is not uniform throughout the lake. Concentrations rise from the lake entrance to the inner part of the lake, so that the lake sections distant from the river are up to fifteen times as rich in electrolytes as the river itself. The changes in total ion content are accompanied by marked changes in the chemical composition of the lake water during the year, i. e. in the relative proportions of each of the four elements (Na, K, Mg and Ca). Greatest changes are shown by the element K. The deeper water of the lake during the high water period is richer in K probably due to the release of elements from the decomposition of K-rich terrestrial and aquatic macrophytes. The uptake of large quantities of nutrients from the system for the growth of macrophytic vegetation, the accumulation of nutrients in macrophytes and sediment, and the release of these nutrients during decomposition and resuspension are among the most important factors contributing to the electrolyte budget in the Lago Camaleão

Avaliação da interferência in vitro dos metabólitos da dipirona em ensaios bioquímicos

TCC(graduação) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro de Ciências da Saúde. Farmácia.A dipirona ou metamizol, presente na composição de vários medicamentos, é hidrolisada rapidamente, não sendo detectada após administração oral e detectada por um curto período de tempo após administração intravenosa. Considerando que em seguida apenas os seus metabólitos são detectáveis, o objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o efeito dos quatro principais metabólitos da dipirona, 4-metil-amino-antipirina (MAA), 4-amino-antipirina (AA), 4-formil-amino-antipirina (FAA), 4-acetil-amino-antipirina (AAA) sobre a dosagem de parâmetros bioquímicos. Foram preparados e analisados pools de soro na ausência e na presença de concentrações terapêuticas, subterapêuticas e supra terapêuticas dos metabólitos da dipirona. O metabólito MAA interferiu significativamente na dosagem dos parâmetros bioquímicos ácido úrico, cálcio, colesterol total, glicose e triglicerídeos. Nos parâmetros determinados pela metodologia de Trinder, a interferência negativa correlacionou-se com a concentração adicionada de MAA. Não houve interferência da MAA nos parâmetros bioquímicos albumina, alanina aminotransferase, amilase, aspartato aminotransferase, bilirrubina direta, bilirrubina total, creatina quinase, creatinina, fosfatase alcalina, fósforo, gama glutamiltransferase, colesterol HDL, lactato desidrogenase, magnésio, proteínas totais e ureia. Os metabólitos FAA, AAA e AA não interferiram na análise de nenhum parâmetro bioquímico. Os resultados indicam que as amostras de sangue para dosagem desses parâmetros bioquímicos devem ser coletadas antes da administração da dipirona e, caso não seja possível, sugere-se cautela na interpretação dos resultados.Dipyrone or metamizol, present in several drugs, is rapidly hydrolyzed, not being detected after oral administration and being detected for a short time after intravenous administration. Considering that afterwards only its metabolites are detectable, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of the four main metabolites of dipyrone, 4-methyl-amino-antipyrine (MAA), 4-amino-antipyrine (AA), 4-formyl-amino-antipyrine (FAA), 4-acetyl-amino-antipyrine (AAA) on the biochemical parameters measurement. Serum pools were prepared and analyzed in the absence and presence of therapeutic, subtherapeutic and over-therapeutic concentrations of the dipyrone metabolites. The MAA metabolite significantly interfered on measurement of the biochemical parameters uric acid, calcium, total cholesterol, glucose and triglycerides. In the parameters determined by the Trinder methodology, the negative interference correlated to the added concentration of MAA. There was no interference of MAA in the biochemical parameters albumin, alanine aminotransferase, amylase, aspartate aminotransferase, direct bilirubin, total bilirubin, calcium, creatine kinase, creatinine, alkaline phosphatase, phosphorus, gamma glutamyltransferase, HDL cholesterol, magnesium, lactate dehydrogenase, and urea. The metabolites FAA, AAA and AA did not interfere in the analysis of any biochemical parameter. The results indicate that blood samples for dosing these biochemical parameters should be collected before the administration of dipyrone and, if this is not possible, caution is suggested when interpreting the results

Using Motion-Activated Trail Cameras to Study Diet and Productivity of Cliff-Nesting Golden Eagles

Studies of cliff-nesting raptors can be challenging because direct observations of nest contents are difficult. Our goals were to develop a protocol for installing motion-activated trail cameras at Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nests to record diet information and productivity, and to estimate prey detection probability using different diet study methods. In 2014 and 2015, we installed cameras at 12 Golden Eagle nests with 18–42-d-old nestlings. Following installation, we monitored adult behavior using direct observation and post-installation image review. At two nests, adult eagles did not return to nests or exhibited behaviors suggesting avoidance of the cameras, but returned to the nests after cameras were removed. We visited the 10 remaining nests every 4 d to collect prey remains and pellets to generate prey-specific detection estimates for both images, and prey remains and pellets. Compared to inspection of prey remains and pellets, cameras recorded twice the number of prey (622 vs. 316), were more likely to detect the smallest and largest prey, and cost half as much. Cameras recorded productivity, fledging dates, and in one case, a nestling death. Trail cameras may be a reliable and cost-effective option to address clearly defined research goals and obtain required information about eagle behavior and nest contents. However, cameras should be used judiciously because installation creates a persistent manipulation at the nest. Camera appearance should be minimized, and post-installation monitoring that allows for timely responses to nest-avoidance behavior by adult eagles is important to prevent adverse effects on nesting success

Aluminum Tolerance QTL in Diploid Alfalfa

Aluminum (Al) toxicity associated with acid soils greatly inhibits alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) productivity throughout much of the world’s major grassland areas. In this paper, we report the identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling aluminum tolerance in diploid alfalfa (Medicago sativa L). An in vitro callus growth bioassay was used to select aluminum tolerant and aluminum sensitive parents, and to screen an F2 population for aluminum tolerance. Fifty-eight cDNA probes were mapped to nine linkage groups, and the F2 genotypic classes were contrasted with means from the callus growth bioassay using ANOVA. We also used Mapmaker-QTL to identify markers associated with aluminum tolerance. Four markers, UGAc044, UGAc053, UGAc141, and UGAc782, were found to be associated with aluminum tolerance. UGAc044 had the greatest effect, accounting for 15% (LOD 2.3) of the variation in aluminum tolerance

Nonmotorized Recreation and Motorized Recreation in Shrub-Steppe Habitats Affects Behavior and Reproduction of Golden Eagles (\u3cem\u3eAquila Chrysaetos\u3c/em\u3e)

Different forms of outdoor recreation have different spatiotemporal activity patterns that may have interactive or cumulative effects on wildlife through human disturbance, physical habitat change, or both. In western North America, shrub-steppe habitats near urban areas are popular sites for motorized recreation and nonmotorized recreation and can provide important habitat for protected species, including golden eagles. Our objective was to determine whether recreation use (i.e., number of recreationists) or recreation features (e.g., trails or campsites) predicted golden eagle territory occupancy, egg-laying, or the probability a breeding attempt resulted in ≥1 offspring (nest survival). We monitored egg-laying, hatching and fledging success, eagle behavior, and recreation activity within 23 eagle territories near Boise, Idaho, USA. Territories with more off-road vehicle (ORV) use were less likely to be occupied than territories with less ORV use (β = −1.6, 85% CI: −2.8 to −0.8). At occupied territories, early season pedestrian use (β = −1.6, 85% CI: −3.8 to −0.2) and other nonmotorized use (β = −3.6, 85% CI: −10.7 to −0.3) reduced the probability of egg-laying. At territories where eagles laid eggs, short, interval-specific peaks in ORV use were associated with decreased nest survival (β = −0.5, 85% CI: −0.8 to −0.2). Pedestrians, who often arrived near eagle nests via motorized vehicles, were associated with reduced nest attendance (β = −11.9, 85% CI: −19.2 to −4.5), an important predictor of nest survival. Multiple forms of recreation may have cumulative effects on local populations by reducing occupancy at otherwise suitable territories, decreasing breeding attempts, and causing nesting failure. Seasonal no-stopping zones for motorized vehicles may be an alternative to trail closures for managing disturbance. This study demonstrates the importance of considering human disturbance across different parts of the annual cycle, particularly where multiple forms of recreation have varying spatiotemporal use patterns that create human–wildlife interactions

Face Masks in Young Children During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Parents' and Pediatricians' Point of View

Background: In countries with high SARS-CoV-2 circulation, the pandemic has presented many challenges on different fronts, affecting lives and livelihoods; efforts to keep schools open are among the most important. In France, to keep schools open, wearing a face mask has been mandatory for children from age 6 years since November 2020.Objective: To evaluate the acceptability and tolerance of this measure by children as well as both parents and pediatricians.Setting: Parents registered on the website of the French Association of Ambulatory Pediatrics and pediatricians members of this association.Participants: All parents and pediatricians who agreed to take part in the survey.Results: Among the 2,954 questionnaires for the parents' survey, the reasons for wearing a mask were understood by 54.6% of parents, most of whom (84.6%) explained the reasons to their children. The parents applied this measure because it was mandatory (93.4%) even if they disagreed (63.3%). When interviewed by parents, children said they were usually embarrassed (80.9%) by the mask. The main symptoms or changes of behavior attributed to the mask according to parents were headache (49.0%), speaking difficulties (45%), change in mood (45.2%) and breathing discomfort (28.1%). Among the 663 pediatricians who responded, many agreed with mandatory mask-wearing at age 6 years (67.7%). Overall, 15% of pediatricians systematically asked about the mask tolerance during the consultation. During the medical consultation, when the parents complained about the mask (64.3%), the main drawbacks were related to fog on glasses (reported by 68.2% of pediatricians), breathing discomfort (53.1% of pediatricians), cutaneous disorders (42.4% of pediatricians) and headaches (38.2% of pediatricians).Conclusion: Despite the many inconveniences reported, children agree to wear the mask better than their parents think. Pediatricians should sufficiently take the opportunity during the consultation to further explain the reasons for wearing the mask because their pedagogical role is crucial