Forensic veterinary pathology, today's situation and perspectives.

To investigate the current status of forensic veterinary pathology, a survey was composed directed at pathology laboratories and institutes, mostly in Europe. The questions included number of and type of cases, resources available, level of special training of the investigating pathologists and the general view on the current status and future of the discipline. The surveys were sent to 134 laboratories and were returned by 72 respondents of which 93 per cent work on forensic pathology cases. The results indicate scarcity of training opportunities and special education, and insufficient veterinary-specific reference data and information on forensic analyses. More cooperation with human forensic pathology was desired by many respondents, as was more interaction across country borders.

Otodectic otoacariasis in free-ranging Eurasian lynx in Sweden.

An infestation with Otodectes cynotis, the ear mite of cats and dogs, was observed in three free-ranging Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) killed in Sweden. The ear canals were obstructed by waxy secretions and exfoliated epithelium. Histologically, there were hyperkeratosis and acanthosis, and the epithelial surface was overlained by hyperkeratotic and parakeratotic crusts with mites, mite detritus and cerumen. In the subcutis there was a slight to moderate infiltration of lymphocytes and macrophages. The ceruminous glands were bypertrophic and hyperplastic, and there was also an hyperplasia of the sebaceous glands. The lesions seemed to correlate with the degree of infestation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of otoacariasis in free-ranging lynx.

Theobromine intoxication in a red fox and a European badger in Sweden.

A red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and a European badger (Meles meles) were found dead on a golf-course in October 1997 near Stockholm (Sweden). At necropsy, both animals were obese and the main finding was acute circulatory collapse. Theobromine intoxication was suspected as chocolate waste was available at a nearby farm and no other cause of death could be detected. Gastric contents and samples of liver from both animals were analyzed by reversed-phase high pressure liquid chromatography for the presence of methylxanthines. Theobromine and caffeine were detected in gastric contents and theobromine was identified in the liver samples from both animals. This appears to be the first report of theobromine intoxication in the red fox and the European badger.

Intestinal cannulation: model for study of the midgut of the pig.

PURPOSE: To develop a pig model that would enable repeated biopsy specimen collection and endoscopic monitoring of the gut. This would increase precision of the experiment and reduce the number of experimental animals required. METHODS: Six 10-week-old Yorkshire pigs underwent surgery, and a cannula was inserted in the cecum. Two pigs served as non-operated controls. The health status of the animals was monitored by clinical, hematologic, and biochemical examinations and by studies of gut motility and microbial flora. The experimental period lasted for eight weeks and approximately 45 biopsy specimens were obtained from each animal. RESULTS: Repeated endoscopy was performed and biopsy specimens were taken. Adverse effects on the animal's health were not apparent, and differences were not evident in transit time of digesta or in diversity of the gut microbial flora. After surgery there was a transient increase in the concentrations of haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, and plasma cortisol, and in body temperature and white blood cell count. CONCLUSIONS: It is possible to use an intestinal cannula in the cecum both for endoscopy and biopsy specimen collection. The procedures did not influence health status of the pigs, nor alter gut function. The method will be useful in experimental infection studies as well as in other physiologic investigations.

The sweet taste in the calf. II. Glossopharyngeal nerve responses to taste stimulation of the tongue.

Recordings were obtained from the glossopharyngeal nerve in 1-5-week-old calves during stimulation of the circumvallate tongue area with NaCl, quinine hydrochloride, citric acid, and the sweet compounds: acesulfam-K, aspartame, fructose, galactose, glucose, glycine, lactose, maltose, monellin, Na-saccharin, sucrose, thaumatin, and xylitol. All compounds except aspartame, monellin and thaumatin gave a nerve response. Glycine, followed by Na-saccharin, elicited the largest responses. Sucrose gave the largest response among the disaccharides, while there was no significant difference between the monosaccharides. Expressed as percent of the NaCl responses, the responses to glycine, sucrose, xylitol, fructose, galactose, glucose, lactose and maltose were considerably larger in the glossopharyngeal nerve than in the chorda tympani nerve. This can be taken as an indication that the posterior region of the tongue serves as the major receptive area for sweet in cattle.

The sweet taste in the calf. I. Chorda tympani proper nerve responses to taste stimulation of the tongue.

Electrophysiological recordings were obtained from the chorda tympani nerve in calves during stimulation with NaCl, quinine hydrochloride, citric acid, acesulfan-K, aspartame, fructose, galactose, glucose, glycine, lactose, maltose, monellin, Na-saccharin, sucrose, thaumatin, and xylitol. In cattle the chorda tympani innervates the posterior third of the tongue as well as the anterior part. It was found that the posterior receptive field generally responded better to sweet substances than the anterior. Glycine and Na-saccharin followed by xylitol were the most effective sweet stimuli. The monosaccharides elicited larger responses than the disaccharides. Aspartame gave a weak nerve response in 5 of 13 calves. Monellin and thaumatin elicited no change in chorda tympani nerve activity and did not crossadapt with any sweetener. No effects on citric acid responses were observed after application of miraculin.

Effects of gymnemic acid on the chorda tympani proper nerve responses to sweet, sour, salty and bitter taste stimuli in the chimpanzee.

In man gymnemic acid is able to abolish the sweet taste. Also in man, the neural correlate of that effect is a disappearance of the response to sweet stimuli in the taste nerves, as indicated by the observations of Diamant et al. (1965). Although a variety of other mammals also show neural responses to sweet-tasting compounds, the corresponding effect of gymnemic acid has not been demonstrated. This study presents chorda tympani proper nerve recordings from the chimpanzee before and after gymnemic acid. On the chimpanzee tongue, application of 2 ml gymnemic acid (3-10 mg X ml-1 for 3-4 min) completely abolished the taste responses to 0.0035 M acesulfam-K, 0.0018 M aspartame, 0.015 M D-tryptophan, 0.02% monellin, and 0.02% thaumatin, reduced by 75% the response to 0.3 M sucrose, and by 50% that of 0.76 M xylitol. No decrease was recorded in the responses to 0.001 M quinine, 0.1 M NaCl, 0.02 and 0.04 M ascorbic acid, 0.02 and 0.04 M citric acid. The response to the sweeteners recovered with time and the recovery was complete or nearly complete after one and a half hours. It was also found that after application of 2 ml miraculin, 3 mg X ml-1 for 3 min to the tongue the neural response to acids was about 1.5 times as large as before. Gymnemic acid applied before miraculin prevented this enhancement and gymnemic acid after miraculin depressed the enhancement by miraculin of the response to citric and ascorbic acid.

Pacemaker architecture: a pacemaker with an attached computer or a computer with an attached pacemaker.

Microprocessors have a major impact on cardiac pacemaker technology. The development of adaptive systems capable of responding to physiologic variables will ultimately improve the care of the individual patient. However, in order to minimize power drain, it will be necessary to incorporate certain functions into the hardware outside the microprocessor. In addition, specifically designed program languages may indeed become necessary.