Livestreaming Can Augment the Observation of Veterinary Post-mortem Examinations.

The creation of interactive livestreaming post-mortem examination sessions for veterinary students is described, including the technological and pedagogical issues that were considered and a detailed description of the solution developed. We used the Hero 7 Go Pro camera ( https://gopro.com/en/gb ) and livestreamed using Zoom ( https://explore.zoom.us/en/about/ ). We completed a thorough quantitative and qualitative analysis of the student perception of the value of the streaming platform and the sessions that were delivered to the second and third year students in the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (BVMS) programme at the University of Glasgow. JISC Online surveys to BVMS2 and BVMS3 were central to the quantitative and qualitative analysis (MVLS Ethics reference 200,190,190).Students who responded to the survey found the material interesting, were able to interact effectively with the pathologists, enjoyed the "pathologists' eye" view that the system afforded, and enjoyed the ability to review and revise the video recording. The disadvantage some mentioned was not being in the appropriate professional space, i.e. the post-mortem facility, although a few students found this advantageous and suggested that this was a useful introduction to the post-mortem facility but without the cold/smell/noise to detract from their learning. In addition, a short explanation of additional uses of the Zoom Go Pro to teach BVMS4 and Veterinary Bioscience BSc Level 3 students and use for extracurricular student activities, e.g. Pathology Club, Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association at the University of Glasgow School of Veterinary Medicine, is given. The authors also consider other roles for the platform in the future, in particular the induction of students to the post-mortem facility environment.

Undifferentiated carcinoma of the salivary gland in a chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera).

A 12-year-old chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera) developed a slow-growing, soft, fluctuating, nonpainful mass on the ventral neck with focally extensive alopecia over a period of approximately 8 months. On postmortem examination, an extensive, multilobulated, cystic, neoplastic mass extended subcutaneously over the ventral and lateral neck with metastatic spread to submandibular lymph nodes, spleen, liver, and lungs. Neoplastic cells were strongly positive for vimentin and pan-cytokeratin but were negative for alpha-smooth muscle actin, S100, and myosin; no intracytoplasmic myofibrils were detected on phosphotungstic acid hematoxylin staining. Histologic and immunohistochemical examination of the mass led to a diagnosis of undifferentiated carcinoma of the salivary gland and contributes to the paucity of knowledge concerning neoplasia in chinchillas.

Optimisation and validation of a PCR for antigen receptor rearrangement (PARR) assay to detect clonality in canine lymphoid malignancies.

PCR for antigen receptor gene rearrangements (PARR) analysis is being increasingly used to assist diagnosis of canine lymphoma. In this study, PARR was carried out on consecutive samples received as part of routine diagnostic practice from 271 patients: 195 with lymphoid malignancies, 53 with reactive conditions and 23 with other neoplasms. Initially, published primer sets were used but later minor primer modifications were introduced and primers were rationalised to give a PARR panel that provides a good compromise between sensitivity and cost. Results were compared to diagnoses made by histology or cytology, coupled with immunophenotyping by flow cytometry or immunohistochemistry where possible. After exclusion of 11 poor quality samples, 230/260 (88%) gave a clear result with 162/163 (99%) of samples classified as clonal and 56/67 (84%) classified as polyclonal giving results concordant with the cytological/histological diagnosis. Among 30 samples with equivocal results, 21 had clonal peaks in a polyclonal background and nine showed little amplification. These were from patients with a range of neoplastic and non-neoplastic conditions emphasising the need to interpret such results carefully in concert with other diagnostic tests. The combination of primer sets used in this study resulted in a robust, highly specific and sensitive assay for detecting clonality.

Evaluation of rapid staining techniques for cytologic diagnosis of intracranial lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate 4 rapid supravital stains and 3 preparation techniques for use in the intraoperative diagnosis of intracranial lesions. ANIMALS: 10 dogs and 1 cat euthanatized for intracranial lesions. PROCEDURE: Specimens were taken from lesions and slides prepared, using 3 techniques: touch impression, medium-pressure impression, or smear preparation. Preparations were then stained with 4 stains: modified Wright stain, May-Grünwald-Giemsa, toluidine blue, and zynostain and examined in a blinded randomized fashion. Cytologic diagnosis was compared with histopathologic diagnosis and classified on the basis of identification of the pathologic process and specific diagnosis into the following categories: complete correlation, partial correlation, or no correlation. RESULTS: An overall diagnostic accuracy of 81% (107/132) was achieved on the basis of a combination of partial and complete correlation. Of the stains examined, modified Wright stain appeared to be most accurate, with complete correlation in 17 of 33 (52%) specimens and partial correlation in 12 of 33 (36%) specimens. Of the preparation methods, touch preparation and smear preparation provided the most accurate results, with an overall diagnostic accuracy of 82% (36/44) for both methods. However, smear preparations appeared to be of greater diagnostic value, with fewer nondiagnostic specimens, compared with touch preparations. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cytologic preparations provide a useful diagnostic tool for the intraoperative diagnosis of intracranial lesions. All stains examined yielded promising results, the most accurate of which appeared to be the modified Wright stain. The smear preparation appeared to be the preparation method of greatest diagnostic value.

The chaperone protein clusterin may serve as a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker for chronic spinal cord disorders in the dog.

Chronic spinal cord dysfunction occurs in dogs as a consequence of diverse aetiologies, including long-standing spinal cord compression and insidious neurodegenerative conditions. One such neurodegenerative condition is canine degenerative myelopathy (DM), which clinically is a challenge to differentiate from other chronic spinal cord conditions. Although the clinical diagnosis of DM can be strengthened by the identification of the Sod1 mutations that are observed in affected dogs, genetic analysis alone is insufficient to provide a definitive diagnosis. There is a requirement to identify biomarkers that can differentiate conditions with a similar clinical presentation, thus facilitating patient diagnostic and management strategies. A comparison of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein gel electrophoresis profile between idiopathic epilepsy (IE) and DM identified a protein band that was more prominent in DM. This band was subsequently found to contain a multifunctional protein clusterin (apolipoprotein J) that is protective against endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptosis, oxidative stress, and also serves as an extracellular chaperone influencing protein aggregation. Western blot analysis of CSF clusterin confirmed elevated levels in DM compared to IE (p < 0.05). Analysis of spinal cord tissue from DM and control material found that clusterin expression was evident in neurons and that the clusterin mRNA levels from tissue extracts were elevated in DM compared to the control. The plasma clusterin levels was comparable between these groups. However, a comparison of clusterin CSF levels in a number of neurological conditions found that clusterin was elevated in both DM and chronic intervertebral disc disease (cIVDD) but not in meningoencephalitis and IE. These findings indicate that clusterin may potentially serve as a marker for chronic spinal cord disease in the dog; however, additional markers are required to differentiate DM from a concurrent condition such as cIVDD.