BACKGROUND: Renal infarcts identified without definitive association with any specific disease process. OBJECTIVE: Determine diseases associated with diagnosis of renal infarcts in cats diagnosed by ...sonography or necropsy. ANIMALS: 600 cats underwent abdominal ultrasonography, necropsy, or both at a veterinary medical teaching hospital. METHODS: Information obtained from electronic medical records. Cats classified as having renal infarct present based on results of sonographic evaluation or necropsy. Time‐matched case‐controls selected from cats that underwent the next scheduled diagnostic procedure. RESULTS: 309 of 600 cats having diagnosis of renal infarct and 291 time‐matched controls. Cats 7–14 years old were 1.6 times (odds ratio, 95% CI: 1.03–2.05, P = .03) more likely to have renal infarct than younger cats but no more likely to have renal infarct than older cats (1.4, 0.89–2.25, P = .14). All P = .14 are statistically significant. Cats with renal infarcts were 4.5 times (odds ratio, 95% CI: 2.63–7.68, P < .001) more likely to have HCM compared to cats without renal infarcts. Cats with renal infarcts were 0.7 times (odds ratio, 95% CI: 0.51–0.99, P = .046) less likely to have diagnosis of neoplasia compared to cats without renal infarcts. Cats with diagnosis of hyperthyroidism did not have significant association with having renal infarct. Cats with renal infarcts were 8 times (odds ratio, 95% CI: 2.55–25.40, P ≤ .001) more likely to have diagnosis of distal aortic thromboembolism than cats without renal infarcts. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Cats with renal infarcts identified on antemortem examination should be screened for occult cardiomyopathy.
The complexity of clinical manifestations commonly observed in autoimmune disorders poses a major challenge to genetic studies of such diseases. Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects humans as ...well as other mammals, and is characterized by the presence of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in patients' sera and multiple disparate clinical features. Here we present evidence that particular sub-phenotypes of canine SLE-related disease, based on homogenous (ANA(H)) and speckled ANA (ANA(S)) staining pattern, and also steroid-responsive meningitis-arteritis (SRMA) are associated with different but overlapping sets of genes. In addition to association to certain MHC alleles and haplotypes, we identified 11 genes (WFDC3, HOMER2, VRK1, PTPN3, WHAMM, BANK1, AP3B2, DAPP1, LAMTOR3, DDIT4L and PPP3CA) located on five chromosomes that contain multiple risk haplotypes correlated with gene expression and disease sub-phenotypes in an intricate manner. Intriguingly, the association of BANK1 with both human and canine SLE appears to lead to similar changes in gene expression levels in both species. Our results suggest that molecular definition may help unravel the mechanisms of different clinical features common between and specific to various autoimmune disease phenotypes in dogs and humans.
Dogs can spontaneously develop complex systemic autoimmune disorders, with similarities to human autoimmune disease. Autoantibodies directed at self-antigens are a key feature of these autoimmune ...diseases. Here we report the identification of interleukin enhancer-binding factors 2 and 3 (ILF2 and ILF3) as autoantigens in canine immune-mediated rheumatic disease. The ILF2 autoantibodies were discovered in a small, selected canine cohort through the use of human protein arrays; a method not previously described in dogs. Subsequently, ILF3 autoantibodies were also identified in the same cohort. The results were validated with an independent method in a larger cohort of dogs. ILF2 and ILF3 autoantibodies were found exclusively, and at a high frequency, in dogs that showed a speckled pattern of antinuclear antibodies on immunofluorescence. ILF2 and ILF3 autoantibodies were also found at low frequency in human patients with SLE and Sjögren's syndrome. These autoantibodies have the potential to be used as diagnostic biomarkers for canine, and possibly also human, autoimmune disease.
An innovative approach for sternal closure Levin, Lawrence Scott; Miller, Archibald S; Gajjar, Aakash H ...
The Annals of thoracic surgery,
06/2010, Letnik:
89, Številka:
6
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Midline sternotomy remains the preferred technique for access in cardiac surgery. Application of steel wires has been the preferred method of closure. Because of associated complications, such as ...superficial and deep infections, as well as bony nonunion complications, an alternative technique is being proposed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate results of a new device for sternal closure.
The Sternal Talon (KLS Martin Group, Jacksonville, FL), a lightweight titanium closure device is designed to encircle the sternum, thus yielding a stable closure by effectively distributing the strength of closure over the entire length of the sternotomy. After multiple strength tests demonstrated its superiority over wires, and cadaver tests confirmed its ease of placement, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved the device for its unrestricted use. Eight institutions were chosen to perform initial placements. Patient selection was limited to patients at high risk for sternotomy complications.
In 42 patients who underwent placement of the Sternal Talon (KLS Martin Group) after sternotomy, no wound infections or dehiscence, nonunions, or returns to the operating room were observed. Three postoperative deaths were reported, none of which were device related. The device is magnetic resonance imaging compatible and there are no reported problems with computed tomographic scatter or chest roentgenogram visualization.
These initial cases prove the safety and efficacy of the Sternal Talon device for sternum closure in high-risk patients and may be regarded as an alternative to conventional wire closure. Future prospective studies are warranted to prove the superiority of the device in terms of long-term stability and sternum union rates, as well as decreased infection rates specifically in the high-risk patient population undergoing sternotomy.
Performance of the prototype of the electromagnetic calorimeter for PANDA Kavatsyuk, M.; Bremer, D.; Dormenev, V. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
08/2011, Letnik:
648, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The PANDA collaboration at FAIR, Germany, will employ antiproton annihilations to investigate yet undiscovered charm-meson states and glueballs. The aim is to study QCD phenomena in the ...non-perturbative regime and to unravel the origin of hadronic masses. A multi-purpose detector for tracking, calorimetry and particle identification is presently being developed to run at high luminosities providing up to 2×107 interactions/s. One of the crucial components of the PANDA spectrometer is the Electromagnetic Calorimeter, composed of cooled PbWO4 crystals. This paper describes construction and performance of a fully functioning prototype of this calorimeter. The performance was determined from measurements exploiting cosmic muons and high-energy tagged photons from the MAMI-C electron accelerator. The response measurements were carried out using sampling ADCs and, for comparison, charge-integrating ADCs. The achieved results validate the usage of sampling ADCs with a moderate sampling frequency, provide the energy resolution as foreseen in the Technical Design Report of the full calorimeter, and secure event correlation by achieving a good timing resolution through digital analysis of the sampled signals.
The PANDA experiment will be part of the future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR) and aims for the study of strong interaction within the charm sector via antiproton proton collisions ...up to antiproton momenta of 15 GeV/c. Reflecting the variety of the physics program the PANDA detector is designed as a multi-purpose detector able to perform tracking, calorimetry and particle identification with nearly complete coverage of the solid angle. The Electromagnetic Calorimeter (EMC) contained inside its Target Spectrometer is based on cooled PbWO4 scintillator crystals. In order to ensure an excellent performance throughout the large dynamic range of photon/electron energies ranging from a few MeV up to 15 GeV an extensive prototyping phase is mandatory. This contribution describes the measured response of the EMC barrel part prototype PROTO60 at the largest design energy to secondary beams provided by the SPS at CERN. In addition to PROTO60 a tracking station was deployed, providing precise position information of the 15 GeV/c positrons. For calibration purposes a 150 GeV/c muon beam and cosmic radiation, in combination with estimations from GEANT4 simulations were used. The obtained performance concerning energy, position and time information is presented.
Circulating antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are commonly present in the systemic autoimmune disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and in other systemic rheumatic diseases, in humans as well as in ...dogs. The indirect immunofluorescence (IIF)-ANA test is the standard method for detecting ANA. Further testing for specific ANA with immunoblot techniques or ELISAs is routinely performed in humans to aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of disease. Several specific ANA identified in humans have been identified also in suspected canine SLE but, in contrast to humans, investigation of autoantibodies in canine SLE is mainly restricted to the IIF-ANA test. Our aim was to identify both known and novel specific ANA in dogs and to investigate if different IIF-ANA patterns are associated with different specific ANA in dogs. Sera from 240 dogs with suspicion of autoimmune disease (210 IIF-ANA positive (ANApos) and 30 IIF-ANA negative (ANAneg)) as well as sera from 27 healthy controls were included. The samples were analysed with a line immunoassay, LIA (Euroline ANA Profile 5, Euroimmun, Lübeck, Germany) and four different ELISAs (Euroimmun). The ANApos dogs were divided in two groups depending on the type of IIF-ANA pattern. Of the 210 ANApos samples 68 were classified as ANA homogenous (ANAH) and 141 as ANA speckled (ANAS), one sample was not possible to classify. Dogs in the ANAH group had, compared to the other groups, most frequently high levels of anti-double stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (dsDNA) and anti-nucleosome ANA. Anti-dsDNA antibodies were confirmed in some dogs with the Crithidia luciliae indirect immunofluorescence test (CLIFT). The frequency of ANAH dogs with values above those observed in the healthy group was significantly higher compared to ANAS dogs for anti-dsDNA, anti-nucleosome, and anti-histone reactivity. Dogs in the ANAS group had, compared to the other groups, most frequently high levels of anti-ribonucleoproteins (RNP) and/or anti-Smith (Sm) antibodies. Reactivity against Sjögren's syndrome related antigens (SS)-A (including the Ro-60 and Ro-52 subcomponents), SS-B, histidyl tRNA synthetase (Jo-1), topoisomerase I antigen (Scl-70), polymyositis-scleroderma antigen (PM-Scl) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was also noted in individual dogs. In conclusion, by using a commercial LIA and different ELISAs originally developed for detection of human ANA, we identified several specific ANA in serum samples from dogs sampled for IIF-ANA testing. Further, we found that the types of IIF-ANA pattern were associated with reactivity against some particular nuclear antigens.
Tests of optical glues for the PANDA electromagnetic calorimeter Dbeyssi, A.; Tomasi-Gustafsson, E.; Hennino, T. ...
Nuclear instruments & methods in physics research. Section A, Accelerators, spectrometers, detectors and associated equipment,
09/2013, Letnik:
722
Journal Article
Recenzirano
This paper reports on the results of tests for low temperature applications of two commercial optical glues in the electromagnetic calorimeter of PANDA at FAIR. Mechanical, thermal and optical ...properties are presented, as well as radiation hardness to photon and proton radiation.
Soil-surface CO2 flux (Fs) is an important component in prairie C budgets. Although grazing is common in grasslands, its effects on Fs have not been well documented. Three clipping treatments: (i) ...early-season clipping (EC); (ii) full-season clipping (FC); and (iii) no clipping (NC); which represented two grazing strategies and a control, were applied to plots in a tallgrass prairie in northeastern Kansas, USA. Measurements of Fs were made with a portable gas-exchange system at weekly to monthly intervals for 1 yr. Concurrent measurements of soil temperature and volumetric soil water content at 0.1 m were obtained with dual-probe heat-capacity sensors. Measurements of Fs also were obtained in grazed pastures. Fs ranged annually from 8.8 X 10(-3) mg m(-2) s(-1) during the winter to 0.51 mg m(-2) s(-1) during the summer, following the patterns of soil temperature and canopy growth and phenology. Clipping typically reduced Fs 21 to 49% by the second day after clipping despite higher soil temperatures in clipped plots. Cumulative annual Fs were 4.94, 4.04, and 4.11 kg m(-2) yr(-1) in NC, EC, and FC treatments, respectively; thus, clipping reduced annual Fs by 17.5%. Differences in Fs between EC and FC were minimal, suggesting that different grazing strategies had little additional impact on annual Fs. Daily Fs in grazed pastures was 20 to 37% less than Fs in ungrazed pastures. Results suggest that grazing moderates Fs during the growing season by reducing canopy photosynthesis and slowing translocation of carbon to the rhizosphere.
Overexpression of protein kinase C alpha (PKC alpha) promotes Bcl2 phosphorylation and chemoresistance in human acute leukemia cells. The contribution of non-Bcl2 mechanisms in this process is ...currently unknown. In this report, overexpression of PKC alpha was found not to affect cell proliferation, cell cycle, or activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases. The failure of PKC alpha overexpression to activate non-Bcl2 survival pathways suggested that PKC alpha-mediated chemoresistance requires Bcl2. Supporting this notion, REH/PKC alpha transfectants were found to be as sensitive to HA14-1 (a drug that targets Bcl2 function) as parental cells. In addition, HA14-1 abrogated PKC alpha's ability to protect REH cells from etoposide. These findings suggested that Bcl2 is necessary for the protective function of PKC alpha in REH cells. Since Bcl2 phosphorylation status is negatively regulated by protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and PP2A regulates PKC alpha, we investigated whether PKC alpha can conversely regulate PP2A. Overexpression of PKC alpha was found to suppress mitochondrial PP2A activity by a mechanism that, at least in part, involves suppressed expression of the regulatory subunit comprising the Bcl2 phosphatase (ie the PP2A/B56 alpha subunit). The ability of PKC alpha to target both Bcl2 and the Bcl2 phosphatase represents a novel mechanism for chemoresistance.
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