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In chickens, avian metapneumovirus (aMPV) causes the swollen head syndrome, a respiratory disease often associated with a reduction in egg production. The virus' epidemiology in East and Southeast Asia is poorly understood. An aMPV serological survey was conducted on broiler chicken farms of Hong Kong SAR to assess the seroprevalence of aMPV in unvaccinated batches and the serological status of vaccinated batches. Blood samples were collected from 53-93-day-old chickens in 24 chicken farms of Hong Kong SAR and sera were tested for aMPV antibodies by ELISA. Seroprevalence in aMPV unvaccinated birds was 80.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 78.9-82.2) with a high variation between batches. Batch-level seroprevalence was not significantly different between birds hatched during the rainy season (74.3%, 95% CI: 64.0-84.5) and the ones hatched during the dry season (88.7%, 95% CI: 80.1-97.3, p = 0.5). The high seroprevalence and high antibody titers that are reported in this study indicate repeated exposure of broiler chickens to aMPV in Hong Kong SAR poultry farms. Based on these results, we recommend improving the surveillance of respiratory pathogens and applying appropriate prophylactic measures against aMPV such as vaccination., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Hepatic steatosis is a common condition and an early manifestation of a systemic metabolic syndrome. As of today, there is no broadly accepted method for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis in contrast-enhanced CT images. This retrospective study evaluates the potential of quantitative iodine values in portal venous phase iodine images in dual-energy CT (DECT) by measuring iodine concentrations in regions of interest (ROI) and analyzing the absolute iodine concentration of the liver parenchyma as well as three different blood-normalized iodine concentrations in a study cohort of 251 patients. An independent two sample t-test (p < 0.05) was used to compare the iodine concentrations of healthy and fatty liver. Diagnostic performance was assessed by ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve analysis. The results showed significant differences between the average iodine concentration of healthy and fatty liver parenchyma for the absolute and for the blood-normalized iodine concentrations. The study concludes that the iodine uptake of the liver parenchyma is impaired by hepatic steatosis, and that the measurement of iodine concentration can provide a suitable method for the detection of hepatic steatosis in quantitative iodine images. Suitable thresholds of quantitative iodine concentration values for the diagnosis of hepatic steatosis are provided., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

This study aimed to prospectively evaluate delayed enhancement imaging by spectral computed tomography using soluble iodine containing contrast media to improve the in vivo characterization of coronary plaque types based on the quantification of delayed iodine enhancement. Patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD) underwent spectral coronary CT-angiography (SCCTA). Absolute delayed iodine enhancement in all visible coronary plaques was assessed. Patients with significant CAD (> 50% stenosis) further underwent invasive coronary angiography (ICA) including optical coherence tomography (OCT). We identified 50 non-calcified coronary plaques in 72 patients undergoing SCCTA. 17 patients with significant CAD underwent further ICA including OCT imaging. In those, we were able to match 35 plaques by both SCCTA and OCT. Based on OCT imaging, 22/35 matched plaques (63%) were characterized as high-risk coronary plaques (thin-cap fibroatheroma n = 2, fibroatheroma n = 20), whereas 13/35 (37%) were characterized as low-risk plaques (fibrocalcific lesion n = 3, fibrous plaques n = 9, and early-onset fibroatheroma n = 1). All plaques showed similar HU's and could not be classified into high-risk or low-risk plaques by conventional CT measures. Minimal delayed iodine enhancement within plaques as quantified by SCCTA demonstrated significantly lower values in high-risk as compared to low-risk coronary plaques (1.0 ± 1.5 mg/ml vs. 2.2 ± 1.1 mg/ml, p = 0.021) which allowed estimation of high-risk plaques with high sensitivity and moderate specificity (77% and 56%). Measurement of delayed enhancement iodine uptake within stable coronary artery plaques using dual-layer SCCTA might contribute to a more precise estimation of plaque vulnerability surpassing conventional CT techniques., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Purpose: To determine the diagnostic potential of Material Density (MD) iodine images in dual-energy CT (DECT) for visualization and quantification of arterial phase hyperenhancement and washout in hepatocellular carcinomas compared to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)., Materials and Methods: The study complied with HIPAA guidelines and was approved by the ethics committee of the institutional review board. Thirty-one patients (23 men, 8 women; age range, 36-87 years) with known or suspected Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) were included. All of them underwent both single-source DECT and MRI within less than 3 months. Late arterial phase and portal venous phase CT imaging was performed with dual energies of 140 and 80 kVp, and virtual monoenergetic images (at 65 keV) and MD-iodine images were generated. We determined the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for HCC in arterial phase and portal venous phase images. In addition, we introduced a new parameter which combines information of CNR in arterial and portal venous phase images into a single ratio (combined CNR). All parameters were assessed on monoenergetic 65 keV images, MD-iodine images, and MRI. Paired t test was used to compare CNR values in Mono-65 keV, MD-iodine, and MR images., Results: CNR was significantly higher in the MD-iodine images in both the arterial (81.87 ± 40.42) and the portal venous phases (33.31 ± 27.86), compared to the Mono-65 keV (6.34 ± 4.23 and 1.89 ± 1.87) and MRI (30.48 ± 25.52 and 8.27 ± 8.36), respectively. Combined CNR assessment from arterial and portal venous phase showed higher contrast ratios for all imaging modalities (Mono-65 keV, 8.73 ± 4.03; MD-iodine, 119.87 ± 52.94; MRI, 34.87 ± 27.34). In addition, highest contrast ratio was achieved in MD-iodine images with combined CNR evaluation (119.87 ± 52.94, P < 0.001)., Conclusion: MD-iodine images in DECT allow for a quantitative assessment of contrast enhancement and washout, with improved CNR in hepatocellular carcinoma in comparison to MRI.

The objective of this study was to assess the reproductive performance of Rwandan cattle and determine the effects of husbandry practices on reproduction. One hundred and fifty Ankole and Crossbreed cattle from 87 farms, were body condition scored (BCS) on a scale of 1 (lean) to 5 (fat), and examined rectally for pregnancy and ovary size and structures present. Questionnaires were completed by the farmers to obtain information on husbandry and management practices. The mean age of onset of puberty was 27.7 +/- 10.4 months, the interval from parturition to first oestrus was 8.7 +/- 7.8 months, calving index was 16.8 +/- 5.2 months and 44% (95% CL 0.36-0.52) of cows examined rectally were anoestrus. Crossbred cattle reached puberty younger than Ankole cattle, 23.4 +/- 10.4 and 28.4 +/- 9.6 months respectively (p < 0.05; t = 1.944; df = 121). Cows in poor BCS (< 2.5) are 1.67 times as likely to be in anoestrus as those with higher BCS (> or = 2.5) (chi2 = 9.476; df = 2; p < 0.01). Increased weaning age resulted in increased calving index (p < 0.001; t = -3.60; df = 38). Reproductive performance of Rwandan cattle is poor. Many of the problems can be attributed to husbandry practices and lack of experience and training in raising cattle.

Cardiac manifestations were observed in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other collagenoses. Echocardiography is a method of choice to detect pathologies in morphology and function of the heart. Pathophysiologically inflammatory alterations of the endo- as well as perimyocardium can be explained in these patients. In addition, in patients with collagenoses, the coagulation system is activated and the reactivity of the endothelium is reduced. Thus, thrombus formation at the heart valves with consecutive stenosis and/or regurgitations as well as ischemia-induced regional wall motion defects due to reduced vasodilator response of the coronary arteries can be expected. In the literature in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other collagenoses, pericardial effusion and pulmonary hypertension are most frequently described. The echocardiographic analysis, however, is more complex due to the variability of the patient cohort. Quantification of valve defects and the analysis of wall motion and perfusion at rest and during stress is necessary to detect early changes of the diseases. The prerequisites for successful diagnostic echocardiography in these patients are the knowledge of modern echocardiographic techniques like tissue Doppler and contrast echocardiography and clinical experience with patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other collagenoses. The standardization of the echocardiographic diagnostic procedure becomes more and more important for reproducibility and comparability of the results.

Background: Focussing on regional cerebral hypoperfusion during hemodynamically stable, but borderline hypotensive, sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) experimental studies show (1) a reduction of cerebral blood flow (CBF) during tachyarrhythmias in contrast to the concept of CBF autoregulation, (2) a mediation of hypoperfusion by neuronal and humoral mechanisms, and (3) an involvment of microcirculation due to an ischemic stress response of the cerebral tissue. The clinical relevance of these observations remains still unclear., Case Reports: Two patients with coronary artery disease, left ventricular dysfunction and sustained monomorphic VT underwent electrophysiological study. VT was induced and the tracer (99m)Tc-HMPAO was injected after 3 minutes of ongoing VT. Regional CBF during this life threatening arrhythmia was determined with brain SPECT. A scanning protocol was performed after termination of VT. The measurements were repeated at baseline during normofrequent sinus rhythm (SR) one week later. CBF during SR was significantly reduced in the temporal lobe in comparison to the conditions during stable VT, particularly in the left hippocampus., Conclusion: The reduction of hippocampal CBF due to cerebrovascular vasoconstriction and neuronal reflex mechanism previously observed in experiments during stable, sustained VT can be confirmed in a clinical scenario by high resolution (99m)Tc-HMPAO brain SPECT. This supports the hypothesis that repetitive stable VT can play a role in the pathophysiology of cerebrovascular insufficiency. Further clinical studies are needed to analyze the impact of tachyarrhythmias on cognitive and mnemic function.

A total of 156 chickens in two villages in Malawi were marked and sampled. One hundred and fifteen of these were vaccinated against Newcastle disease immediately after blood sampling, using the V4 heat-resistant strain applied by eye-drop in one village and the inactivated Newcavac vaccine in the other village. A second blood sample was collected 4 weeks after vaccination. The samples were examined using an indirect ELISA test kit. The titre group median ranged from 2 to 3 before vaccination. Both vaccines led to a positive immune response. Newcavac induced higher and more homogeneous titres compared with the V4 vaccine. There was also an increase in the median of the control group where V4 live vaccine had been applied. The differences between the median titres induced by V4, Newcavac and controls were statistically significant.

Adenosine provokes atrial fibrillation (AF) in some patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT). Which patients are more susceptible to develop atrial fibrillation after the administration of adenosine to terminate PSVT is unknown. We prospectively measured atrial action potential duration (APD) at incremental doses of 3, 6, and 12 mg of adenosine at paced cycle lengths (CLs) of 600, 500, and 400 ms in 25 patients. Bolus injection of adenosine decreased APD at 90% repolarization in a dose- and rate-dependent manner. During paced CLs of 600, 500, and 400 ms, decreases of 8%, 13%, and 19% (p < 0.05), respectively, were found after bolus administration of 3 mg of adenosine. After 6 mg of adenosine, the APD shortened by 12%, 19%, (p < 0.05), and 27% (p < 0.01), respectively. After 12 mg of adenosine, the APD shortened by 15%, 27% (p < 0.05), and 38% (p < 0.01), respectively. Transient AF occurred in 4 of 25 (16%) patients, all during paced CLs of 400 ms, and after adenosine 6 mg in one patient and 12 mg in three patients. Adenosine shortens atrial action potential duration in a dose- and rate-dependent manner. Whether patients with faster rates during PSVT and those given higher doses of adenosine are more prone to develop atrial fibrillation remains to be determined.