Development of a microwave energy delivery system for reversible stunning of cattle.

Stunning prior to slaughter is commonly used to render the animal insensible to pain. However, for certain markets, stunning is disallowed, unless the animal can fully recover if not slaughtered. There are very few available methods of inducing a fully recoverable stun. This paper describes the development of a microwave energy application system for stunning cattle. Cadaver heads were used to demonstrate that brain temperature could be raised to a point at which insensibility would be expected to occur (44°C), and to calculate the power and time combinations required to achieve this in a range of cattle weights. Surface heating was identified as a cause for potential concern, which was mitigated by the development of another type of microwave applicator. Although the applicator and process variables require validation in animal studies, this technology shows promise as a method of inducing a recoverable stun.

De novo translocation (2;18)(q21;q22) in a child with severe epilepsy, developmental delay and mild dysmorphism.

De novo translocation (2;18)(q21;q22) in a patient with severe epilepsy developmental delay and mild dysmorphism: We report on a patient presenting with severe epilepsy, hypotonia, developmental delay, blepharophimosis, low-set ears, camptodactyly and tapering fingers, and cutaneous syndactyly of toes II and III of the right foot. The MRI showed some loss of volume of the white matter and delayed myelination, no other specific anomalies were present. Chromosome analysis revealed a translocation involving chromosomes 2 and 18, which was characterized further by FISH using band-specific probes. The possibility of a submicroscopic deletion is discussed and the patient is compared with patients reported in the literature with either 2q21 or 18q22 deletion.

Complex chromosome 9, 20, and 22 rearrangements in acute lymphoblastic leukemia with duplication of BCR and ABL sequences.

Cytogenetic analysis was performed on bone marrow cells from a 28-year-old woman who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Her karyotype was: 46,XX,t(9;22)(q34;q11)[6]/47, XX,+8,t(9;22)(q34;q11)[4]/47,XX,+8,t(9;22)(q34;q11),del(20)(q11)[2]/46, XX,t(9;22)(q34;q11),del[20](q11)[7]/45,XX,der(9)t(9;22)(q34;q11),-20,-22 , +mar1[8]/45,XX,der(9)t(9;22)(q34;q11),-20,-22,+mar2[3]. Both marker chromosomes are dicentric and have the same size and banding pattern but different primary constrictions. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) demonstrated that both markers were derived from chromosomes 9, 20, and 22. FISH with the bcr/abl probe showed fusion of the BCR gene with the ABL gene; however, this fusion signal was present in duplicate on both marker chromosomes. To our knowledge, duplication of the BCR/ABL fusion signal on a single chromosome arm has not been reported before, except for the extensive amplification of BCR/ABL fusion signals in the leukemic cell line K-562. These data demonstrate that the marker chromosomes are the result of complex genomic rearrangements. At the molecular level, the BCR/ABL fusion gene encodes the p190 fusion protein. Similar findings have never been observed in any case of ALL.

Characterization of a partial trisomy 16q with FISH. Report of a patient and review of the literature.

Characterization of a partial trisomy 16 q with FISH: Report of a patient and literature review: We report on a 28-year-old male patient with severe growth and mental retardation, severe behavioural problems, especially automutilation, and a spastic quadriplegia. He showed no specific dysmorphism. The karyotype was 46, XY, dir dup(16) (q11.2-q13). The clinical and cytogenetical findings are compared with 3 previously reported cases with proximal duplication 16q.