Regurgitations in a Lamb with Acute Coenurosis-A case Report

Coenurosis is a disease of the central nervous system in sheep, caused by Coenurus cerebralis, the larval stage of Multiceps multiceps, which inhabits the small intestine of Canidae. A case of regurgitations in a 2.5 month old lamb with acute coenurosis is being reported. The lamb was presented with a sudden onset of ataxia and regurgitations for 10 days. The post-mortem examination revealed 4 immature C. cerebralis cysts between 0.5 and 1.5 cm in diameter located in the brainstem and cerebellum, and histopathological examination revealed multifocal pyogranulomatous meningoencephalitis, so a diagnosis of acute coenurosis was established. Thus, acute coenurosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of regurgitations in lambs.     

Angiogenesis in chronic myeloproliferative diseases detected by CD34 expression

Increased bone marrow angiogenesis estimated as bone marrow microvessel density (MVD), or as serum angiogenic factor levels and/or immunohistochemical expression of these factors in bone marrow biopsy has been demonstrated in a variety of hematological disorders including chronic myeloproliferative diseases (MPDs). The aim of this study was to investigate the MVD in 25 cases of myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia (MMM). MVD was estimated by CD34 immunohistochemical expression in bone marrow biopsies. A control group of 27 patients without bone marrow disease, eight cases of polycythemia vera (PV), 41 cases of essential thrombocythemia (ET) and nine cases of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) were also studied. Moreover, in cases with MMM, MVD was correlated with clinical, laboratory, histological parameters and the outcome of the patients. Our study confirmed a significantly higher degree of angiogenesis in MMM, PV, ET and CML compared with controls (P < 0.001, P = 0.0007, P < 0.001 and P = 0.0008, respectively). Angiogenesis was higher in MMM than PV, ET and CML cases (P < 0.001, P < 0.001 and P = 0.008). Increased angiogenesis was correlated with hypercatabolic symptoms in MMM patients (P = 0.009). No correlation with other clinicopathological parameters or clinical outcome was found. However, definitive conclusions regarding the prognostic value of increased angiogenesis may require additional follow-up and a larger group of patients.     

Inhibition of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase in mixed lymphocyte reaction affects glucose influx and enzymes involved in aerobic glycolysis and glutaminolysis in alloreactive T-cells

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) suppresses adaptive immunity. T-cell proliferation and differentiation to effector cells require increased glucose consumption, aerobic glycolysis and glutaminolysis. The effect of IDO on the above metabolic pathways was evaluated in alloreactive T-cells. Mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in the presence or not of the IDO inhibitor, 1-methyl-dl-tryptophan (1-MT), was used. In MLRs, 1-MT decreased tryptophan consumption, increased cell proliferation, glucose influx and lactate production, whereas it decreased tricarboxylic acid cycle activity. In T-cells, from the two pathways that could sense tryptophan depletion, i.e. general control nonrepressed 2 (GCN2) kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1, 1-MT reduced only the activity of the GCN2 kinase. Additionally 1-MT treatment of MLRs altered the expression and/or the phosphorylation state of glucose transporter-1 and of key enzymes involved in glucose metabolism and glutaminolysis in alloreactive T-cells in a way that favors glucose influx, aerobic glycolysis and glutaminolysis. Thus in alloreactive T-cells, IDO through activation of the GCN2 kinase, decreases glucose influx and alters key enzymes involved in metabolism, decreasing aerobic glycolysis and glutaminolysis. Acting in such a way, IDO could be considered as a constraining factor for alloreactive T-cell proliferation and differentiation to effector T-cell subtypes.     

The effects of sex steroids on thyroid C cells and trabecular bone structure in the rat model of male osteoporosis

Androgen deficiency is one of the major factors leading to the development of osteoporosis in men. Since calcitonin (CT) is a potent antiresorptive agent, in the present study we investigated the effects of androgen deficiency and subsequent testosterone and estradiol treatment on CT-producing thyroid C cells, skeletal and hormonal changes in middle-aged orchidectomized (Orx) rats. Fifteen-month-old male Wistar rats were either Orx or sham-operated (SO). One group of Orx rats received 5 mg kg⁻¹ b.w. testosterone propionate (TP) subcutaneously, while another group was injected with 0.06 mg kg⁻¹ b.w. estradiol dipropionate (EDP) once a day for 3 weeks. A peroxidase–antiperoxidase method was applied for localization of CT in the C cells. The studies included ultrastructural microscopic observation of these cells. The metaphyseal region of the proximal tibia was measured histomorphometrically using an imagej public domain image processing program. TP or EDP treatment significantly increased C cell volume (Vc), volume densities (Vv) and serum CT concentration compared with the Orx animals. Administration of both TP and EDP significantly enhanced cancellous bone area (B.Ar), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and trabecular number (Tb.N) and reduced trabecular separation (Tb.Sp). Serum osteocalcin (OC) and urinary Ca concentrations were significantly lower after these treatments in comparison with Orx rats. These data suggest that testosterone and estradiol treatment in Orx middle-aged rats affect calcitonin-producing thyroid C cells, which may contribute to the bone protective effects of sex hormones in the rat model of male osteoporosis.     

Liver steatosis is an independent risk factor for treatment failure in patients with chronic hepatitis C

OBJECTIVES: Hepatic steatosis is a common feature of chronic hepatitis C. The purpose of this study was to determine factors related to the presence of steatosis and to define the role of steatosis in the response to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed all patients with chronic hepatitis C treated in a 5 year period in our department. Patients were included in the study only if a pretreatment liver biopsy specimen was available for evaluation. All patients treated either with interferon in combination with ribavirin, or with pegylated interferon in combination with ribavirin were included irrespectively of their response (early, end of treatment and/or sustained) to antiviral therapy. RESULTS: A total of 116 patients with chronic hepatitis C were included in the study with a mean age of 45.5 +/- 14.1 years. Steatosis was present in 52 patients (44.8%). On univariate analysis age, P = 0.04 and body mass index > or = 25, P = 0.004 were correlated with the presence of steatosis and on multivariate analysis only body mass index > or = 25, P = 0.032. Advanced fibrosis was not found associated with steatosis. Sixty patients out of 116 (51.7%) had sustained virological response (SVR). In particular 42 out of 64 patients with no steatosis (65.6%) had SVR compared to 20 out of 52 patients (38.4%) with any degree of steatosis (P = 0.009). Patients with genotype 2 or 3 had a more favourable outcome compared to patients with 1 or 4 genotypes, 63.2% vs 49.2%, P = 0.032. Also increased age (P = 0.0001), gamma glutamyltransferase (GGT) (P = 0.029), no history of intravenous drugs use (P = 0.001) and advanced fibrosis on pretreatment biopsy (P = 0.046) were correlated with treatment failure. On multivariate analysis significant independent association with SVR was found with the presence of steatosis on pretreatment biopsy (P = 0.004), increased GGT (P = 0.005) and genotype (P = 0.017). CONCLUSION: Steatosis in the liver biopsy performed before the beginning of antiviral treatment was found to be associated only to the body mass index of the patients and to be a strong independent factor for treatment failure.