Comparative diagnostic test characteristics of oscillometric and Doppler ultrasonographic methods in the detection of systolic hypertension in dogs

Comparison of test characteristics allows a clinician to choose the optimal diagnostic test method for an individual patient. This study assessed the comparative test characteristics of noninvasive (NI) blood pressure measurement methods (oscillometric and Doppler) and used this information to develop optimal cutoff values for diagnosis of systolic hypertension in dogs by these NI methods. Simultaneous NI (oscillometric or Doppler methods) and invasive (arterial puncture [AP]) systolic blood pressure (SBP) measurements were obtained prospectively from normal dogs and dogs suspected of having systemic hypertension based on clinical signs. Oscillometric SBP readings were obtained from the distal hind limb (Osc-L, n = 54) or the proximal tail (T. n = 27). Doppler BP measurements were obtained using a forelimb cuff (n = 57). AP-SBP was categorized as hypertensive if > or = 160 mmHg, and sensitivity (Se). specificity (Sp), and likelihood ratios (LR) were calculated for diagnostic cutoff values ranging from 130 to 220 mmHg. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were analyzed to determine optimal cutoff values for diagnosis of AP-SBP > or = 160 mmHg. Optimal NI SBP cutoff values considered to reflect AP values > or = 160 mmHg were: Osc-L = 160 mmHg (Se: 65%, Sp: 85%. LR = 4.33: 1), Osc-T = 150 mmHg (Se: 84%, Sp: 75%, LR = 3.36: 1), and Doppler = 160 mmHg (Se: 71%,     

Identifying the location of olive fruit abscission

For high quality oil, table olive characteristics, and reduction of alternate bearing tendencies, it is often desirable to harvest olive fruits prior to full physiological maturity, that is, before the natural separation zone has differentiated. Olive fruit abscission can occur at different positions, mainly fruit-pedicel, pedicel rachis and peduncle-branch, apparently varying according to cultivar, fruit weight, and fruit maturation. Precisely identifying the location of separation is critical for studying the differentiation of the abscission zone or zones and testing the effectiveness of harvest procedures, including the mode of action of different fruit-loosening chemicals. We determined the olive fruit abscission zone position under natural conditions, throughout the complete fruit maturation period, for two cultivars differing in fruit size. The major separation zone for the cultivars studied was between the fruit and pedicel. For cv. Picual, abscission in zones other that fruit-pedicel occurred in less than 15% of the fruit at all dates throughout the maturation period, whereas in cv. Hojiblanca, the percentages of fruits detached at peduncle-shoot (27%) and pedicel-rachis (19%) were initially substantial, and then decreased progressively during fruit maturation. Our data clearly indicate both varietal and temporal differences which should be taken into account not only when testing fruit-loosening compounds but in extrapolating test results to different varieties or dates. Fruit weight did not appear affect the abscission location. The method we used, of counting the different detached units, is simple and effective for determining the position of fruit abscission.     

Effects of Addition of Tissue‐Type Plasminogen Activator in In Vitro Fertilization Medium on Bovine Embryo Development and Quality

Plasminogen activators/Plasmin system plays pivotal role in regulating reproductive functions of mammals. Here, we examined the effects of modification of in vitro fertilization medium (IVF medium) with the addition of tissue‐type plasminogen activator (t‐PA), on bovine embryo development and quality, assessed by quantification of expression of various genes related to metabolism, oxidation, implantation and apoptosis. In addition, plasminogen activator activity (PAA) and plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI) were measured in the spent media. After conventional IVM, 2016 cumulus‐oocyte complexes (COCs) were divided into four groups with modified composition of the IVF medium containing t‐PA and/or its inhibitor epsilon‐aminocaproic acid (control, t‐PA, t‐PA+ε‐ACA, ε‐ACA). Presumptive zygotes were cultured for 8 days in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) medium; gene expression studies were carried out on morulae and blastocysts. t‐PA alone significantly suppressed cleavage and blastocyst formation rates, but this effect was neutralized by the addition of ε‐ACA. PAA in the treated group was significantly reduced by ε‐ACA, but without total elimination. Significant differences were detected in the expression of genes related to apoptosis and/or cell cycle arrest (BAX, BCL2L1, KAT2B) between embryos produced in t‐PA‐modified media and controls, giving an overall notion that the inferior developmental competence of treated embryos may be attributed to apoptotic phenomena induced by t‐PA. In conclusion, it appears that excessive t‐PA content in the IVF media, suppresses blastocyst formation rate, possibly due to induction of apoptotic phenomena.     

Amoebic meningoencephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris in an orang utan

Objective
To describe a case of meningoencephalitis caused by Balamuthia mandrillaris in an orang utan.
Design
A pathological case report.
Animal
A 20 years old male orang utan (Pongo pygmaeus).
Procedure
The disease process was investigated by clinical pathology, necropsy, histopathology and immunofluorescence labelling.
Results
The orang utan developed sudden onset of depression, lethargy, inappetence and apparent head pain. The condition was considered to be related to a 2 year history of upper and lower respiratory disease, and the animal was placed on antibiotics after extensive testing. By the seventh day the animal had become ataxic and disoriented and a brain abscess was suspected. He died on the ninth day of illness. At necropsy, and subsequent sectioning, the brain showed multiple circular, soft, white to grey brown areas of varying size, the largest being in the left temporal (3.5 cm diameter) and right occipital (2.5 cm diameter) regions of the cerebrum. Histological examination of these regions revealed many amoebic trophozoites and occasional cysts associated with areas of haemorrhage and inflammatory necrosis. The trophozoites were packed in perivascular spaces and their nuclei often contained two or more prominent nucleoli. Immunofluorescent labelling of histological sections suggested that the agent was B mandrillaris.
Clinical implications
This report provides further evidence that B mandrillaris , a free living amoeba, can act as a pathogen in animals as well as people, and cause fatal meningoencephalitis. Along with Naegleria and Acanthamoeba spp, B mandrillaris should be considered amongst the causes of acute onset meningoencephalitis in animals.     

Crystal structure of the long-chain fatty acid transporter FadL

The mechanisms by which hydrophobic molecules, such as long-chain fatty acids, enter cells are poorly understood. In Gram-negative bacteria, the lipopolysaccharide layer in the outer membrane is an efficient barrier for fatty acids and aromatic hydrocarbons destined for biodegradation. We report crystal structures of the long-chain fatty acid transporter FadL from Escherichia coli at 2.6 and 2.8 angstrom resolution. FadL forms a 14-stranded beta barrel that is occluded by a central hatch domain. The structures suggest that hydrophobic compounds bind to multiple sites in FadL and use a transport mechanism that involves spontaneous conformational changes in the hatch.     

Membrane proteins of the endoplasmic reticulum induce high-curvature tubules

The tubular structure of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) appears to be generated by integral membrane proteins, the reticulons and a protein family consisting of DP1 in mammals and Yop1p in yeast. Here, individual members of these families were found to be sufficient to generate membrane tubules. When we purified yeast Yop1p and incorporated it into proteoliposomes, narrow tubules (approximately 15 to 17 nanometers in diameter) were generated. Tubule formation occurred with different lipids; required essentially only the central portion of the protein, including its two long hydrophobic segments; and was prevented by mutations that affected tubule formation in vivo. Tubules were also formed by reconstituted purified yeast Rtn1p. Tubules made in vitro were narrower than normal ER tubules, due to a higher concentration of tubule-inducing proteins. The shape and oligomerization of the "morphogenic" proteins could explain the formation of the tubular ER.     

Cultivar-based fruit size in olive depends on different tissue and cellular processes throughout growth

In drupe fruits, in addition to fruit size, the proportions of mesocarp and endocarp tissues are critical objectives for fruit quality, crop production and management. The olive fruit is a typical drupe, with cultivars which show a wide range in both fruit size and the proportions of mesocarp and endocarp. Characterizing the roles of tissue and cellular processes in producing genetically based fruit size variability is necessary for crop improvement, as well as deepening our understanding of fruit developmental physiology. This study used microscope image analysis to evaluate cell number and size, the growth of mesocarp and endocarp tissues, and their developmental timing in producing fruit size among six olive cultivars with a large range of fruit size. We found that cultivar mesocarp and endocarp size increased linearly with fruit size, with larger sizes favoring an increasingly greater mesocarp/endocarp ratio. Within the mesocarp, cultivar-based fruit size related directly to cell number and was established soon after bloom by cell division rate. In spite of different cell division rates, all cultivars showed similar timing of cell division activity, with the majority of cells produced in the two months after bloom but, surprisingly, a substantial number of cells formed during the following 6 months. Cell expansion was high throughout fruit growth and an important factor in achieving final fruit size, but cell size did not differ among cultivars at any time. We can conclude that fruit size differences among olive cultivars are due at the tissue level to both mesocarp and endocarp sizes and at the cellular level to cell division throughout fruit growth. Furthermore, since cell size is consistent among cultivars in spite of variable cell division, it is likely that cultivar differences in cell expansion accompany those in cell division.