Cattle rabies: the effect of clinical evolution, viral genetic lineage, and viral load on the severity of histological lesions / Raiva bovina: relação do curso clínico, da linhagem genética do vírus e carga viral com a intensidade de lesões histológicas

Our objective was the characterization and staging of histological lesions in different anatomical sites of the central nervous system (CNS) of rabid cattle. The severity of the lesions was compared with the clinical stages of the disease, the variants of viral isolates, and with the load of virus. Thirty-one spontaneously affected rabid cattle the state of Santa Catarina underwent clinical follow-up and were eventually necropsied. CNS tissues were sampled and submitted to direct fluorescent antibody technique (DFAT), immunohistochemistry (IHC), routine histopathology with hematoxylin and eosin stain (HE), reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and polymerase chain reaction in quantitative reverse transcriptase in real time (qRT-PCR). Affected cattle were allotted in four groups according to their clinical stage when euthanized: G1, euthanized while standing; G2, euthanized when in sternal recumbence; G3, euthanized when in lateral recumbence; and G4, affected cattle with natural death. In order to evaluate the degree of severity of the lesions and the presence of Negri bodies (NBs), the brain was sectioned at 9 sites. Additionally, spinal cord and trigeminal ganglion sections were examined. The intensity of the lesions was graded as either absent, mild, moderate, or marked, and the presence or absence of the NBs was noted. Histological lesions were characterized by lymphocytic and monocytic meningoencephalitis with NBs in 28 cases. In all analyzed groups, intensities of histological lesions ranging from mild to severe were observed. Brain regions with the highest inflammatory lesion intensity were the medulla at the level of obex, followed by the colliculus and thalamus. NBs were observed in a higher percentage in the cerebellum, followed by medulla at the obex level, striatum complex, and frontal telencephalon. The duration of the clinical course of the disease did not influence the intensity of the inflammatory lesion, but it did influence the presence of NBs, with a higher percentage of these inclusions in cattle that died naturally than in euthanized cattle. All isolated rhabdovirus included in this study were genetically compatible with samples from hematophagous bats Desmodus rotundus. The evaluation by qRT-PCR did not demonstrate a correlation between lesion intensity and the amount of virus.(AU)

Nosso objetivo foi a caracterização e estadiamento de lesões histológicas em diferentes locais anatômicos do sistema nervoso central (SNC) de bovinos raivosos. A gravidade das lesões foi comparada com os estágios clínicos da doença, as variantes dos isolados virais e com a quantidade de vírus. Trinta e um bovinos do estado de Santa Catarina, afetados naturalmente por raiva, foram acompanhados clinicalmente e, ao final, necropsiados. Os tecidos do SNC foram amostrados e submetidos a imunofluorescência direta, imunohistoquímica, histopatologia de rotina, reação em cadeia da polimerase via transcriptase reversa (RT-PCR) e reação em cadeia da polimerase em transcriptase reversa quantitativa em tempo real (qRT-PCR). Os bovinos afetados foram distribuídos em quatro grupos, de acordo com sua fase clínica: G1, eutanasiados quando ainda se mantinham em pé; G2, eutanasiados quando em decúbito esternal; G3, eutanasiados quando em decúbito lateral; e G4, bovinos afetados com morte natural. Para avaliar o grau de gravidade das lesões e a presença de corpúsculos de Negri (CNs), o cérebro foi seccionado em 9 locais. Além disso, seções da medula espinhal e do gânglio trigêmeo foram examinadas. A intensidade das lesões foi graduada como ausente, leve, moderada ou acentuada, e a presença ou ausência dos CNs foi anotada. Lesões histológicas foram caracterizadas por meningoencefalite linfocítica e monocítica com CNs em 28 casos. Em todos os grupos analisados foram observadas intensidades de lesões histológicas variando de leve a grave. As regiões cerebrais com maior intensidade de lesão inflamatória foram o bulbo no nível do obex, seguido do colículo e tálamo. CNs foram mais prevalentes no cerebelo, seguido pelo bulbo ao nível do óbex, corpo estriado e telencéfalo frontal. A duração do curso clínico da raiva não influenciou a intensidade da lesão inflamatória, mas influenciou a presença de CNs, com maior porcentagem dessas inclusões em bovinos que morreram naturalmente do que em bovinos sacrificados. Todos os isolados rabdovírus obtidos neste estudo eram geneticamente compatíveis com amostras provenientes de morcegos hematófagos Desmodus rotundus.(AU)

Setting a rating scale for assess Rhizoctonia solani lesions on cotton, soybean and common bean seedlings / Ajuste de uma escala de notas para avaliar lesões de Rhizoctonia solani em plântulas de algodão, soja e feijão

Diseases incited by soilborne fungi are responsible for reducing the yield and cause significant impact to almost all crops. Among then, Rhizoctonia solani AG-4 is considered the most important in the cotton, common bean and soybean crops in Brazil. The use of diagrammatic scale or rating scales, as a tool to help in the quantification of the severity of a particular disease, is more common for foliar diseases. Considering the lack of a standardized, illustrated and easy-to-apply methodology for assessing the severity of R. solani lesions in cotton, soybean and common bean seedlings, a simple and precise rating scale was developed with the objective to fill this gap. The proposed scale shows four levels of disease severity, with the descriptions and illustrations for each type of lesion observed in the cotton, soybean and common bean seedlings. This developed scale was validated in many experiments and proved to be adequate for severity assessments of R. solani lesions on cotton, soybean and common bean seedlings.

Doenças causadas por fungos de solo reduzem a produtividade e impactam de forma significativa quase todas as culturas. Dentre elas, Rhizoctonia solani AG-4 é considerada a mais importante nas culturas de algodão, feijão e soja no Brasil. A utilização de escalas diagramáticas ou escalas de notas, como ferramenta para auxiliar na quantificação da severidade de uma determinada doença, é mais comum quando se trata de doenças foliares. Considerando a inexistência, até então, de metodologia padronizada, ilustrada e de fácil aplicação para a avaliação da severidade de lesões de R. solani em plântulas de algodão, soja e feijão, desenvolveu-se uma escala de notas, simples e precisa, com o objetivo de suprir essa lacuna. A escala proposta apresenta quatro níveis de severidade de doença, com descrições e ilustrações para cada tipo de lesão observada nas plântulas de algodão, soja e feijão. Essa escala foi validade em inúmeros experimentos, provando ser adequada para a avaliação da severidade de lesões de R. solani nas plântulas de algodão, soja e feijão

Correlation between serum homocysteine level、 serum uric acid level and coronary lesion severity in coronary artery disease patients / 中华急诊医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the correlation between serum homocysteine (Hcy) level,serum uric acid level and coronary lesion severity in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).Methods A total of 622 patients receiving coronary angiography from January 2015 to December 2015 were retrospectively studied.They were divided into two groups according to the findings on coronary angiography.Those with ≥ 50％ stenosis were defined as coronary artery disease.According to SYNTAX score,CAD patients were divided into three groups:low risk group (1-22),moderate risk group (23-32) and high risk group (＞ 33).Fasting serum Hcy levels,fasting serum uric acid levels,fasting blood lipids including total cholesterol (TC),triglycerides (TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were determined.Then,patients were divided into two groups according to the serum Hcy level for observing the relationship between the serum Hcy and the SYNTAX score.Results TC,LDL-C were significant higher in SYNTAX score high-risk group and moderate risk group compared with normal group.There were no statistically significant differences in TC and LDL-C between the normal group and the low-risk group (P ＞ 0.05).Compared with normal coronary group,Hcy in high risk group and moderate risk group was significant higher.There were no statistically significant differences in age,sex,TC,TG,HDL-C,LDL-C between normal Hcy group and high Hcy group (P ＞ 0.05).The SYNTAX score was significantly higher in high Hcy group than that in normal group (P ＜ 0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that serum Hcy was associated with coronary lesion severity.Compared with normal coronary group in the same gender,uric acid level in high risk group and moderate risk group was significant higher (P ＜ 0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum uric acid was associated with coronary lesion severity.(P ＜ 0.05) Conclusions Serum Hcy and high uric acid level are the risk factors of coronary lesion severity.With the increased Hcy level and uric acid level,the increase in the severity degree of coronary artery lesions represents a greater cardiovascular risk.