Vascular endothelial growth factor expression in canine intracranial meningiomas and association with patient survival

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a regulator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability. In human patients with meningiomas, increased VEGF expression is predictive of postsurgical recurrence. The objectives of this study were to evaluate VEGF expression in canine intracranial meningiomas and to determine whether an association between VEGF expression and patient survival existed. METHODOLOGY: Tumor tissue from 17 dogs with histologically confirmed intracranial meningiomas was obtained surgically. All dogs then were treated with radiotherapy. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 5-microm sections of paraffin-embedded tumor tissue with rabbit anti-human VEGF polyclonal antibody. The extent, intensity, and distribution of VEGF staining for each section were assessed with light microscopy by means of a semiquantitative scale. Survival was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier procedure. Survival rates among groups were compared by log-rank tests with the significance set at P < or = .05. FINDINGS: VEGF expression was detected in all tumors, with >50% of cells staining positively in tissues from 15/17 dogs. Shorter survival times were associated with greater VEGF expression (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: VEGF expression can be measured in canine intracranial meningiomas and may be associated with poor outcome. SIGNIFICANCE: The extent of VEGF expression in canine intracranial meningiomas may be used as a prognostic marker and suggests a potential future target for therapy.     

Direct methylation procedure for converting fatty amides to fatty acid methyl esters in feed and digesta samples

Two direct methylation procedures often used for the analysis of total fatty acids in biological samples were evaluated for their application to samples containing fatty amides. Methylation of 5 mg of oleamide (cis-9-octadecenamide) in a one-step (methanolic HCl for 2 h at 70 degrees C) or a two-step (sodium methoxide for 10 min at 50 degrees C followed by methanolic HCl for 10 min at 80 degrees C) procedure gave 59 and 16% conversions of oleamide to oleic acid, respectively. Oleic acid recovery from oleamide was increased to 100% when the incubation in methanolic HCl was lengthened to 16 h and increased to 103% when the incubation in methoxide was modified to 24 h at 100 degrees C. However, conversion of oleamide to oleic acid in an animal feed sample was incomplete for the modified (24 h) two-step procedure but complete for the modified (16 h) one-step procedure. Unsaturated fatty amides in feed and digesta samples can be converted to fatty acid methyl esters by incubation in methanolic HCl if the time of exposure to the acid catalyst is extended from 2 to 16 h.     

High frequency oligonucleotides: targeting active gene (HFO-TAG) markers revealed wide genetic diversity among Citrullus spp. accessions useful for enhancing disease or pest resistance in watermelon cultivars

There is a continuous need to enhance watermelon cultivars for disease and pest resistance. Different U.S. Plant Introductions (PIs) of Citrullus lanatus subsp. lanatus var. lanatus [also known as C. lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. et Nakai subsp. lanatus var. citroides (Bailey) Mansf. ex Greb.] (CLC) collected in southern Africa are a useful source for enhancing disease or pest resistance in watermelon cultivars. They are also valuable as rootstocks for grafted watermelon, particularly in fields infested with root-knot nematodes or Fusarium wilt. However, there is little information about genetic relationships among these PIs. In this study, genetic diversity was examined among 74 CLC PIs collected from their center of origin in southern Africa. Also, 15 Citrullus lanatus subsp. lanatus (CLL) PIs and the American heirloom cultivars Charleston Gray and Black Diamond (Citrullus lanatus subsp. vulgaris (Schrader ex Eckl. et Zeyh.) Fursa) (CLV) and five Citrullus colocynthis (L.) Schrader (CC) PIs collected in different locations throughout the world were used as out-groups in the phylogenetic analysis for the CLC PIs. Twenty-three high frequency oligonucleotides—targeting active gene (HFO-TAG) primers were used in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) experiments to produce a total of 562 polymorphic markers among the Citrullus PIs and cultivars. Cluster and multidimensional scaling plot analysis produced distinct groups of CLC, CLL, and CC PIs. Several PIs that were designated as CLC or CLL were in transitional positions, indicating that they are the result of gene flow between the major Citrullus groups or subgroups. Population structure analysis indicated that CLC comprises two subgroups; each containing a set of unique alleles. Also, unique alleles exist in the CLL and the CC genotypes. Overall, broad genetic diversity exists among the Citrullus PIs. The data in this study should be useful for identifying PIs with a wide genetic distance between them that could be used in breeding programs aiming to develop heterotic F₁ hybrid rootstock lines for grafted watermelon.     

Flowering in six clones of the Andean root crop arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancroft)

Summary

The effect of dehydration on arracacha (Arracacia xanthorrhiza Bancroft) cormels was investigated and found to have a positive effect on flowering for some accessions and a negative or negligible effect on others. The clear difference in flowering response between accessions is attributed to genetic variation and suboptimal growth conditions. The unclear results indicate that the treatments used were suboptimal and that factors other than drought stress are involved in flower induction. However, the dehydration treatments had a positive effect on the production of hermaphrodite flowers in all accessions, and dehydration is therefore considered an important factor in the flower-inducing treatment. The high temperatures and low humidity during the current experiment had a negative effect on pollen release and thus seed production, indicating that a moderate temperature is needed during the arracacha growth period. There are clear morphological differences between the accessions, with ABS 5516 as the most vigorous and with the highest measured values in all variables except percentage of hermaphrodite flowers.     

The infestation of Vicia faba L. (Fabaceae) by Aphis fabae (Scop.) (Homoptera: Aphididae) under the influence of Lamiaceae (Ocimum basilicum L. and Satureja hortensis L.)

Abtract The system Vicia faba–Aphis fabae fabae was studied under the influence of Ocimum basilicum (basil) and Satureja hortensis, in a wind tunnel, in the greenhouse and in field experiments. In the wind tunnel at 20°C both Lamiaceae were deterrent for A. fabae, and S. hortensis proved to be more deterrent than O. basilicum. In experiments in the greenhouse at low temperatures (average minimum 14.6°C, average maximum 24.1°C), A. fabae colonised first and significantly more intense Vicia fabae (field beans) not surrounded by O. basilicum or S. hortensis. At high temperatures (average minimum 18.0°C, average maximum 38.5°C) this relation was inverted: Vicia faba surrounded by the two Lamiaceae were preferred for colonisation (Ocimum basilicum significantly). It showed that pots with Lamiaceae were no obstacle for the aphids to reach Vicia faba. In strip cropping in the field, the repellent effect of Ocimum basilicum proved to be stronger than of Satureja hortensis. In 2002 there was observed only a tendency of lower aphid attack of field beans intercropped with Lamiaceae, while in 2004 and 2005 the infestation of Vicia faba by Aphis fabae was significantly lower in plots intercropped with basil. In plots with Satureja hortensis as intercrop, Vicia faba were significantly lower infested, after 3 weeks. The differences between the results of the wind tunnel/greenhouse at low temperatures, and the field experiments concerning the deterrence by Satureja hortensis cannot be explained. But basing on our results with Ocimum basilicum and those published by other authors, it is recommended to follow up intercropping, after a sincere analysis in every case, in favour of agronomists.     

Colonization of Phellinus weirii-infested stumps by Trichoderma viride.

Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] stumps infested with Phellinus weirii (Murr.) Gilb. were inoculated with pellets formulated from fermented barley and spores of three isolates of Trichoderma viride Pers.: Fr. After one year, Trichoderma spp. were isolated from stumps inoculated in June less frequently (12 %) than those inoculated in February (23 %) or in October (29 %). Isolations of Trichoderma spp. from stumps with advanced decay were more frequent (46 %) than from stained stumps (12 %) or from sound stumps (2 %). Isolation success was directly related to wood decay at point of sampling, nearness to source of inoculum, and nearness to stump surface.     

Pasteurella multocida antigen-induced in vitro lymphocyte immunostimulation, using whole blood from cattle and turkeys.

A whole blood lymphocyte stimulation assay to study cell-mediated immune responses in bovine pasteurellosis was developed. Peripheral blood lymphocytes from cattle artificially immunised with three Asiatic haemorrhagic septicaemia strains of Pasteurella multocida exhibited higher stimulation indices when incubated with antigen preparations from homologous strains than with the heterologous shipping fever strain. Lymphocytes from cattle immunised with the shipping fever strain of P multocida exhibited a higher stimulation index when incubated with an antigen preparation from the homolgous strain than with antigen preparations from heterologous haemorrhagic septicaemia strains. These results suggest that immunogenic differences exist between the haemorrhagic septicaemia strains and the shipping fever strain of P multocida. An assay using turkey whole blood lymphocytes was also developed. The use of small amounts of whole blood, microtitre plates, either 125I iododeoxyuridine or 3H-thymidine as the labelling agent, and a multiple cell-culture harvester makes the method simple, rapid and suitable for the study of immune competence and cell-mediated immune responses in turkeys on a flock basis.     

Susceptibility of Pasteurella haemolytica to the bactericidal effects of serum, nasal secretions and bronchoalveolar washings from cattle

Several isolates of logarithmic-phase organisms of Pasteurella haemolytica were shown to be sensitive to an antibody and complement-mediated killing mechanism in adult bovine serum. Data suggested that the classical complement pathway was important in the induction of bactericidal activity of serum. Sera from calves after colostrum feedings (post-colostral sera) killed only 30% of the bacteria in spite of the presence of high levels of antibodies against P. haemolytica. Addition of post-colostral serum to heat-inactivated adult bovine serum decreased the bactericidal capacity of the latter. It was speculated that this inhibition may have been caused by the presence of blocking antibodies (IgA) found in the post-colostral serum. Undiluted nasal secretions collected from adult cattle were not bactericidal to P. haemolytica. The results also suggest that the bronchoalveolar washings (BAW) from vaccinated calves, in spite of having a high antibody titer, were less bactericidal to P. haemolytica than BAW from sham-vaccinated calves (71.12% vs. 83.12%). The bactericidal factor(s) present in BAW from sham-vaccinated calves was heat stable, not complement dependent, and was not related to lysozyme concentration.