Use of mycophenolate mofetil as a rescue agent in the treatment of severe generalized myasthenia gravis in three dogs

Objective – To describe the use of IV and oral mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) as adjunctive therapy in 3 dogs with severe generalized myasthenia gravis.
Case Series Summary – Three dogs suffering from severe generalized myasthenia gravis as confirmed by acetylcholine antibody titers were treated with MMF as part of their treatment regimens. All 3 dogs had radiographic evidence of megaesophagus and suffered from severe regurgitation. Each dog was initially treated with pyridostigmine and supportive agents. When clinical remission was not achieved, IV MMF was administered to all dogs. Signs of clinical remission were apparent within 48 hours and all dogs were later maintained on oral MMF following resolution of regurgitation.
New or Unique Information Provided – This is the first report of the use of IV MMF as adjunctive treatment in dogs with severe generalized myasthenia gravis. Outcome was favorable in all 3 dogs and no adverse effects were noted from the MMF.     

Effect of body position on the arterial partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide in spontaneously breathing,conscious dogs in an intensive care unit

Objective – To evaluate the effect of body position on the arterial partial pressures of oxygen and carbon dioxide (PaO₂, PaCO₂), and the efficiency of pulmonary oxygen uptake as estimated by alveolar‐arterial oxygen difference (A‐a difference). Design – Prospective, randomized, crossover study. Setting – University teaching hospital, intensive care unit. Animals – Twenty‐one spontaneously breathing, conscious, canine patients with arterial catheters placed as part of their management strategy. Interventions – Patients were placed randomly into lateral or sternal recumbency. PaO₂ and PaCO₂ were measured after 15 minutes in this position. Patients were then repositioned into the opposite position and after 15 minutes the parameters were remeasured. Measurements and Main Results – Results presented as median (interquartile range). PaO₂ was significantly higher (P=0.001) when patients were positioned in sternal, 91.2 mm Hg (86.0–96.1 mm Hg), compared with lateral recumbency, 86.4 mm Hg (73.9–90.9 mm Hg). The median change was 5.4 mm Hg (1.1–17.9 mm Hg). All 7 dogs with a PaO₂<80 mm Hg in lateral recumbency had improved arterial oxygenation in sternal recumbency, median increase 17.4 mm Hg with a range of 3.8–29.7 mm Hg. PaCO₂ levels when patients were in sternal recumbency, 30.5 mm Hg (27.3–32.7 mm Hg) were not significantly different from those in lateral recumbency, 32.2 mm Hg (28.3–36.0 mm Hg) (P=0.07). The median change was ?1.9 mm Hg (?3.6–0.77 mm Hg). A‐a differences were significantly lower (P=0.005) when patients were positioned in sternal recumbency, 21.7 mm Hg (17.3–27.7 mm Hg), compared with lateral recumbency, 24.6 mm Hg (20.4–36.3 mm Hg). The median change was ?3.1 mm Hg (?14.6–0.9 mm Hg). Conclusions – PaO₂ was significantly higher when animals were positioned in sternal recumbency compared with lateral recumbency, predominantly due to improved pulmonary oxygen uptake (decreased A‐a difference) rather than increased alveolar ventilation (decreased PaCO₂). Patients with hypoxemia (defined as PaO₂<80 mm Hg) in lateral recumbency may benefit from being placed in sternal recumbency. Sternal recumbency is recommended to improve oxygenation in hypoxemic patients.     

Adverse events associated with pericardiocentesis in dogs: 85 cases (1999–2006)

Objective – To quantify the frequency of adverse events occurring during or post pericardiocentesis and to determine if adverse events are related to the cause of the pericardial effusion or frequency of pericardiocentesis.
Design – Retrospective study.
Setting – Referral hospital.
Animals, Intervention and Measurements – Medical records of 85 dogs that underwent 112 episodes of pericardiocentesis were reviewed. Any adverse events during pericardiocentesis and in the 48 hours post pericardiocentesis were noted. The frequency of adverse events was compared between dogs with a suspected neoplastic cause and a suspected nonneoplastic cause of their pericardial effusion and also between the first and subsequent pericardiocenteses.
Main Results – The incidence of adverse events was 10.7% within 1 hour of pericardiocentesis and 15.2% within 48 hours. There was no significant difference in the frequency of adverse events between the groups. Most adverse events identified were dysrhythmias. Forty-one percent of those dogs with adverse events were euthanized or died within 48 hours.
Conclusion – The incidence of adverse events seen within 48 hours of pericardiocentesis was 15.2%.     

Collaborative development of the Arrowsmith two node search interface designed for laboratory investigators

Arrowsmith is a unique computer-assisted strategy designed to assist investigators in detecting biologically-relevant connections between two disparate sets of articles in Medline. This paper describes how an inter-institutional consortium of neuroscientists used the UIC Arrowsmith web interface http://arrowsmith.psych.uic.edu in their daily work and guided the development, refinement and expansion of the system into a suite of tools intended for use by the wider scientific community.     

Hypernatremia associated with intracranial B-cell lymphoma in a cat

An 8-year-old, spayed female, domestic shorthair cat with a history of hyperthyroidism, anorexia, dehydration, cervical ventroflexion, and behavioral changes was referred to the Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine. The cat was obtunded, with severe dehydration (15%) and hypothermia (86 degrees F), and severe muscle atrophy and fasciculations. Serum biochemical abnormalities included severe hypernatremia (195 mmol/L, reference interval 155-165 mmol/L), hyperchloridemia (161 mmol/L, reference interval 123-131 mmol/L), and hypokalemia (3.6 mmol/L, reference interval 4.0-5.7 mmol/L). Calculated osmolality was 418 mOsm/kg (reference interval 280-305 mOsm/kg), attributable to the hypernatremia. The cat was kept warm and given fluid and glucocorticoid therapy and supportive measures but remained unresponsive. Hypernatremia and hyperosmolality improved through day 3, when the cat died suddenly. At necropsy, a 1.25-cm mass was found in the area of the thalamus and interthalamic adhesion that extended to the ventral aspect of the cerebrum. The histologic and immunohistochemical diagnosis was B-cell lymphoma. Hypernatremia and hyperosmolality in this cat were attributed to primary adipsia and hypothalamic dysfunction secondary to effacement of central nervous system tissue by neoplastic lymphocytes. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first reported case of central nervous system lymphoma, confirmed by use of immunohistochemical analysis as a B-cell phenotype, associated with hypernatremia. It also is the first reported case of lymphoma in animals limited to the thalamus, hypothalamus, and cerebrum, with no involvement of the spinal cord.     

Devon Acres CSA: local struggles in a global food system

This paper focuses on examining the dynamic nature of community supported agriculture (CSA) and the real-world experiences which mark its contours, often making it distinct from the early idealized CSA “model.” Specifically, our study examines the narratives of the farmers of Devon Acres CSA over its duration, in tandem with a survey of recent shareholders in order to understand and explain its evolution. The framework we develop here shows that this CSA is largely characterized by instrumental and functional beliefs and practices, with some elements in the collaborative mode. A key contribution of this research is the development of a framework which helps to highlight the relative fluidity and patchwork quality of CSA participant positions over time. At Devon Acres, the real-world factors and issues influencing CSA evolution are seen to be products of both the local and larger contexts, evident in such areas as shifts in farmer learning and adaptation, differences between beliefs and practices in member volunteer efforts, and changes in farm and resource conditions. With respect to CSA more broadly, we argue that the reality of dominant food system context and site-specific influences on CSA development compels us to rework our attachment to early idealized “model” traits. Expansion in CSA numbers, evidence of adaptation and situated learning, and retention of the local and organic as core traits, speak to the pragmatic yet transformative potential of CSA contribution to food system change.

Eight-year performance of bareroot Douglas-fir and bareroot and plug western larch Seedlings following herbicide applications,northeast Oregon,USA

Plantation success in northeastern Oregon can be limited by poor survival for western larch (Larix occidentalis Nutt.) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco var. glauca (Beissn.) Franco) seedlings. Vegetation management treatments may increase soil moisture availability during the dry summer months, thereby increasing the probability of seedling survival. Chemical site preparation treatments were applied in spring 2007, summer 2007, and spring 2008 to determine if such treatments would improve survival and growth of bareroot Douglas-fir and bareroot and plug western larch seedlings on three sites near Elgin, Oregon. Although some herbicide treatments significantly increased survival, results were not consistent among sites. Overall, Douglas-fir had greater survival after 7–8 years than larch seedlings. Seedling size 7–8 years after planting was also highly variable among sites and treatments with larch seedlings being taller and larger than Douglas-fir seedlings, on the average. Size for all stock types was negatively correlated with vegetative cover and positively correlated with first-year soil moisture. Macro- and microclimatic conditions, including topography and soil depth, were likely contributors to differences in survival and growth.     

Patterns of change in body condition in wintering Neotropical-Nearctic migratory birds in shaded plantations in the Andes

Despite the widely accepted idea that shaded plantations are valuable habitats for Neotropical migrants in disturbed landscapes, little empirical evidence is available in relation to the quality of this habitat for Neotropical-Nearctic migratory birds in the Andes. We evaluated the suitability of shaded plantations for overwintering Neotropical-Nearctic migratory birds by examining diurnal and seasonal variation in body condition of migrants in these agroforests in the Andes. During October to April 2008–2009 and 2009–2010, we mist-netted eight species of Neotropical-Nearctic migrants in shaded plantations in the Colombian Andes. Body condition improved throughout the day for Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea), Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca), Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina), and especially Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis). Similarly, body condition improved across the season for Tennessee Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus), and Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra). Our results provided additional evidence that several common Neotropical migrants, including species of conservation concern such as Cerulean Warbler and Canada Warbler, may improve their body condition in shaded plantations. However, about half of the species assessed in this study did not show any significant improvement in their body condition (e.g. Red-eyed Vireo). Furthermore, on average, species were in poor condition (i.e. body condition scores were negative) in these coffee farms. Thus, the extent to which this agricultural system represents high quality habitat should be looked with caution. Overall, our data contribute novel information on daily patterns of body condition improvement for several common migratory birds in Andean shaded plantations.     

Biodegradable films based on rice starch and rice flour

Rice flour is a starchy material with low-cost, because it can be produced from rice that is broken during processing. The aim of this study was to develop biodegradable films based on rice starch and rice flour, and to characterize their physicochemical, microscopic and mechanical properties. Films from rice starch and rice flour were prepared by casting, with glycerol or sorbitol as plasticizer. SEM analysis of starch and flour films revealed compact structures. Rice flour films prepared in the present work have similar mechanical properties to those of starch based films. However, their water vapor permeabilities are two times higher than those of starch based films. Films with sorbitol were less permeable to water and more rigid, while films with glycerol are more plasticized and have poorer water vapor barrier properties. Therefore, preparing edible films from rice flour is a new alternative for using this raw material, which is sometimes much cheaper than commercial starches.