Cystine and urate cystoliths in dogs are frequently visible on radiographs prior to surgical or nonsurgical removal.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequency at which cystine and urate cystoliths (stones) are visible on radiographs prior to surgical or nonsurgical retrieval. METHODS: Records of client-owned dogs (n = 331) were analyzed between January 2019 and December 2023 for cystoliths submitted for stone analysis after surgical removal or nonsurgical retrieval. Records were analyzed for cystolith type; when cystine or urate stones were identified, records were analyzed for signalment, procedure, presence of mineral opaque cystoliths on pre-procedural radiographs, urine pH and crystalluria, history of previous cystoliths, prior prescription diet attempt, recurrence, and genetic, congenital and acquired comorbidities. Descriptive statistics were generated after data collection. RESULTS: 31 of 331 (9%) were cystine stones, 49 of 331 (15%) were urate, and 1 of 331 (0.3%) was a mix of urate and cystine. When radiographs were taken prior to stone removal, 24 of 28 (85%) of urate, 24 of 26 (92%) of cystine, and 1 of 1 (100%) of urate/cystine were visible on radiographs. CONCLUSIONS: Cystine and urate stones are visible on survey radiography at a high frequency in dogs. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: While cystine and urate stones have been historically designated as radiolucent, they are frequently radiopaque on radiographs. Radiopacity is commonly used as one of the criterion to determine whether a dissolution or prevention diet is an appropriate management technique, particularly when determination of the stone type has yet to be performed. As a result, these findings may prompt clinicians to investigate other patient-specific factors before a specific dietary recommendation is made.

New insights into the functions of carbon-calcium inclusions in plants.

Carbon-calcium inclusions (CCaI) either as calcium oxalate crystals (CaOx) or amorphous calcium carbonate cystoliths are spread among most photosynthetic organisms. They represent dynamic structures with a significant construction cost and their appearance during evolution indicates an ancient origin. Both types of inclusions share some similar functional characteristics providing adaptive advantages such as the regulation of Ca levels, and the release of CO2 and water molecules upon decomposition. The latter seems to be essential under drought conditions and explains the intense occurrence of these structures in plants thriving in dry climates. It seems, however, that for plants CaOx may represent a more prevalent storage system compared with CaCO3 due to the multifunctionality of oxalate. This compound participates in a number of important soil biogeochemical processes, creates endosymbiosis with beneficial bacteria and provides tolerance against a combination of abiotic (nutrient deprivation, metal toxicity) and biotic (pathogens, herbivores) stress factors. We suggest a re-evaluation of the roles of these fascinating plant structures under a new and holistic approach that could enhance our understanding of carbon sequestration at the whole plant level and provide future perspectives.

Cystoliths of Parietaria judaica can serve as an internal source of CO2 for photosynthetic assimilation when stomata are closed.

The recently reported 'alarm photosynthesis' acts as a biochemical process that assimilates CO2 derived from the decomposition of calcium oxalate crystals. This study examined whether CaCO3 cystoliths could also serve as CO2 pools, fulfilling a similar role. Shoots of Parietaria judaica were subjected to carbon starvation, abscisic acid (ABA), or bicarbonate treatments, and the volume of cystoliths and the photochemical parameters of photosystem II (PSII) were determined. The size of cystoliths was reduced under carbon starvation or ABA treatments, whereas it was restored by xylem-provided bicarbonate. Under carbon starvation, ABA, or bicarbonate treatments, the photochemical efficiency of PSII was higher, while non-photochemical quenching, representing the safe dissipation of excess PSII energy due to lack of electron sinks, was lower in treated samples compared with controls. This observation suggests the involvement of ABA or other carbon starvation cues in the release of subsidiary CO2 for photosynthesis, inevitably from an internal source, which could be the cystoliths. Carbon remobilized from cystoliths can be photosynthetically assimilated, thus acting as a safety valve under stress. Together with alarm photosynthesis, these results show a tight link between leaf carbon deposits and photosynthesis.

Changes in the properties of calcium-carbon inclusions during leaf development and their possible relationship with leaf functional maturation in three inclusion-bearing species.

In many plant species, carbon-calcium inclusion (calcium oxalate crystals or cystoliths containing calcium carbonate) formation is a fundamental part of their physiology even necessary for normal growth and development. Despite the long-standing studies on carbon-calcium inclusions, the alterations in their properties during leaf development and their possible association with the maturation of the photosynthetic machinery have not been previously examined. In order to acquire more insights into this subject, we examined three of the most common species bearing abundant inclusions of different types, i.e., Amaranthus hybridus, Vitis vinifera, and Parietaria judaica. Results of our study showed that, irrespective of species and type of inclusion, similar patterns in the alterations of their properties are observed during leaf maturation, except for some differences in cell differentiation and distribution between raphides and druses in Vitis vinifera. As expected, inclusion formation has taken place at very early developmental stages and maximum density was observed in very young leaves. Inclusion properties are changing in a coordinated way with leaf area and these modifications are compatible with the concept that each idioblast or lithocyst "services" a finite number/area of adjacent cells. This tight coordination is also evident at the whole leaf level. Moreover, we observed an association of the properties of carbon-calcium inclusions and gas exchange, suggesting a possible implication of these structures in photosynthesis.

Use of Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diet UR Urinary St/Ox to Dissolve Struvite Cystoliths.

The objective of this study was to determine the efficacy of feeding the commercially available diet, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR Urinary St/Ox, for the dissolution of struvite cystoliths in cats with naturally occurring disease. Twelve cats with clinical signs of lower urinary tract disease and cystoliths confirmed via radiographs were enrolled. The cats were fed the study diet ad libitum and assessed by abdominal radiographs weekly. Cats with cystoliths that resolved based on radiographs and confirmatory ultrasound examination were considered diet successes. Cats with no change in cystolith size after 2-6 weeks underwent cystotomy for stone removal, aerobic culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, and analysis. All cats accepted the study diet, and weight loss was not noted over the course of the study. Total cystolith dissolution was achieved by week 2 for 5 cats, which were presumed to have struvite cystoliths. All other cats underwent cystotomy for stone removal after radiographic evidence of cystoliths were still present at 2 weeks (1 cat with severe signs), 4 weeks (5 cats), or 6 weeks (1 cat). The cystoliths that were surgically removed were calcium oxalate (5 cats) and mixed (2 cats) and would not be expected to dissolve with this diet. Follow-up radiographs from 6 cats fed the diet long term (3 presumed struvite and 3 with other cystoliths removed surgically) were collected from 1 to 6 months after beginning the study and showed no evidence of cystolith recurrence. While larger case numbers are needed, these results suggest that feeding Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets UR Urinary St/Ox can successfully dissolve cystoliths that are likely struvite and may lessen the risk of recurrence of struvite and calcium oxalate cystoliths.

Diagnosis of urinary bladder diseases in dogs by using two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasonography.

AIM: The objective of this study was to obtain and compare two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) ultrasonographic images of the urinary bladder in different disease conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The present study was conducting on total 10clinical cases of the urinary bladder in dogs. The ultrasound (US) machine used for this study was 3D US machine (Nemio-XG: Toshiba, Japan) having a four-dimensional volumetric probe. RESULTS: In the present study, the inflamed thickened wall was clearly visible with the distinction of different layers of the urinary bladder wall in some of the cases of cystitis using 2D ultrasonography. In 3D sonogram, the urinary bladder was visualized as a large anechoic structure with no distinction of different layers of the bladder wall. The cystoliths were clearly visible as hyperechoic structures with distal acoustic shadow in 2D sonogram and appeared as a bright echogenic area in 3D sonogram. In case of urinary bladder neoplasia in 2D ultrasonogram, the bladder lumen was found to be occluded with a large growth imaged as focal anechoic areas in the tissue of mixed echogenicity with small hyperechoic dots in this tissue parenchyma. In 3D ultrasonogram, a tissue of mixed echogenicity of pus was also observed. CONCLUSION: From the present study it was concluded that 2D and 3D ultrasonography is very helpful for diagnosis of different clinical conditions of the urinary bladder such as cystitis, cystoliths, and urinary bladder neoplasia. The cavity of urinary bladder was more clearly visualized in 3D ultrasonography, but the distinction of different layers of the bladder wall was visualized only in 2D ultrasonography. The distinct shadow of pus and cystoliths were visible in 2D ultrasonogram. The visualization of pus in 3D ultrasonography was done for the first time in present study.

Morphology and anatomy of Justicia acuminatissima leaves

Justicia acuminatissima (Miq.) Bremek., Acanthaceae, is a subshrub found in northern Brazil, where it is widely used by the population of this region as an anti-inflammatory medicine. Despite this popular use, there is no pharmacognostical data to support the correct identification of this species. We therefore performed a morpho-anatomical, histochemical and phytochemical analysis of the leaves of this species, using well-known methods. The leaves are simple, exstipulate, green on the surfaces, and pubescent, with a lanceolate shape, crenate margin, pinnate venation and decussate phyllotaxy. The parenchyma is palisade and spongy, and its vascular system is bilateral. Glandular and non-glandular trichome and cystoliths were also detected. There are diacytic stomata on both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces of epidermis. Histochemical tests revealed the presence of phenolic compounds, amide and protein. Phytochemical tests showed the presence of coumarins, tannins, catechins, saponins and steroids.

CALCIUM-CONTAINING CRYSTALS IN TELFAIRIA HOOKER (CUCURBITACEAE).

Polarized light and scanning electron microscopy were used to examine the distribution, location and form of crystals in the leaves, probracts, stems, flowers and seed-coats of Telfairia pedata (Sims) Hooker and T. occidentalis Hooker fil. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis showed that calcium is the primary crystal cation. Histochemical tests confirmed that the crystals are mainly calcium oxalate and these are particularly abundant around and within the vascular tissues. Cystolith - like crystals of calcium carbonate are also numerous at the bases of macrohairs and as heavy incrustations within the midrib and major veins of mature leaves. The crystal types include solitary, acicular, druse (cluster) and combinations of two or more of these. Substantial amounts of soluble oxalate were also found to be present, especially in the leaf laminae of T. occidentalis. The total oxalate contents of the edible portions of T. occidentalis were determined and compared with values published for other vegetables.