We report the development of a novel Scanometric MicroRNA (Scano-miR) platform for the detection of relatively low abundance miRNAs with high specificity and reproducibility. The Scano-miR system was able to detect 1 fM concentrations of miRNA in serum with single nucleotide mismatch specificity. Indeed, it provides increased sensitivity for miRNA targets compared to molecular fluorophore-based detection systems, where 88% of the low abundance miRNA targets could not be detected under identical conditions. The application of the Scano-miR platform to high density array formats demonstrates its utility for high throughput and multiplexed miRNA profiling from various biological samples. To assess the accuracy of the Scano-miR system, we analyzed the miRNA profiles of samples from victims of prostate cancer (CaP), the most common noncutaneous malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer death among American men. The platform exhibits 98.8% accuracy when detecting deregulated miRNAs involved in CaP, which demonstrates its potential utility in profiling and identifying clinical and research biomarkers.

Abstract. AL amyloidosis is the most common type of systemic amyloidosis in humans, and it is frequently associated with multiple myeloma. But, AL amyloidosis is very rare in domestic animals. A 16-year-old Quarter horse gelding was diagnosed with systemic AL amyloidosis associated with multiple myeloma. Clinical problems were rapid weight loss, muscle atrophy, soft unformed stool, and ventral edema. Grossly, diffuse gastrointestinal hemorrhage, markedly thickened jejunal mucosa, and splenomegaly were present. Microscopically, diffuse severe amyloid deposits were present in the lamina propria of glandular stomach, duodenum, and jejunum. Much of the spleen and sternal bone marrow was replaced by neoplastic round cells, and multiple foci of amyloid were also present in the spleen and bone marrow. Electron microscopy revealed the neoplastic round cells to be of plasma cell origin, and the amyloid showed a strongly positive immunoreactivity with polyclonal anti-human immunoglobin lambda light-chain antisera. To our knowledge, this is the second report describing systemic AL amyloidosis in domestic animals-associated plasma cell neoplasia and the first associated with multiple myeloma, as is common in humans.

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Abstract. Thirty of 200 (15%) hatchling inland bearded dragons were found dead after a short period (48 hours) of weakness and lethargy. The most common clinical signs were head tilt and circling. Six bearded dragons with neurological signs were euthanized, and postmortem examination revealed no gross abnormalities. Microscopically, severe, randomly distributed hepatocellular necrosis with large basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in numerous hepatocytes was noted. Small-intestinal enterocytes contained intracytoplasmic coccidial protozoa (Isospora sp.) and occasional enterocytes had basophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies. Transmission electron microscopy revealed both 80-and 20-nm-diameter viral particles, which were consistent with adenoviruses and dependoviruses, respectively. Adenoviral outbreaks in groups of animals are uncommon. An adverse synergistic effect of the coccidiosis with the adenoviral infection may have played a critical role in the high morbidity and mortality in this case.Adenoviruses (Family Adenoviridae) are well-known pathogens in several mammalian and avian species. Adenoviruses are double-stranded DNA viruses, 70-90 nm in diameter, and have a characteristic nonenveloped, icosahedral structure. Generally, adenoviruses are host specific and are transmitted by the fecal-oral route or direct contact via oronasal secretions. Often, mammalian infections are subclinical, except for infectious canine hepatitis. Adenoviral disease generally occurs in immunocompromised or young animals. Outbreaks in groups of animals are uncommon. Recently, adenoviral infections also have been reported in several reptilian species, including crocodiles, snakes, and lizards. 3,4,[6][7][8][9][10][11][12]15,16 The Australian inland bearded dragon, Pogona vitticeps (Pogon: bearded in Greek), is one of the most popular reptiles in the pet trade. Two isolated cases of adenoviral infection in 4 neonatal inland bearded dragons have been reported, but the infections were limited mainly to the individuals affected. 10 No outbreak of adenoviral infection in a group of reptiles has been reported. This report describes an outbreak of adenoviral infection in a group of captive-bred inland bearded dragon hatchlings coinfected with dependovirus and Isospora sp. coccidia.Two hundred hatchling captive-bred inland bearded dragons, which had been purchased at different times by a reptile importer from different captive breeding populations, were placed in a holding facility. The ages of the dragons were uncertain; however, based on their weight (Ͻ5 g), the estimate age was less than 1 month. The bearded dragons were maintained at an environmental temperature of 29-32 C and were fed commercially obtained crickets and lettuce. Thirty of the 200 (15%) bearded dragons were found dead after a short period (48 hours) of weakness and lethargy. The most common clinical signs were head tilt and circling. Physical examination of tympanic bullae revealed no significant findings. Six of the bearded dragons with neurological signs were eut...

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