Outcomes of cellophane banding for congenital portosystemic shunts in 106 dogs and 5 cats

OBJECTIVE : To report outcomes after cellophane banding of single congenital portosystemic shunts in dogs and cats. STUDY DESIGN : Retrospective study of sequential cases. ANIMALS : One hundred and six dogs and five cats. METHODS : Medical records were reviewed for breed, sex, age at surgery, shunt anatomy, results of pre- and postoperative biochemical analysis, development of postligation neurologic dysfunction, portal hypertension or other serious complications, and the owners' perception of their animal's response to surgery. RESULTS : Ninety-five dogs and all 5 cats had extrahepatic shunts. Eleven dogs had intrahepatic shunts. Six dogs (5.5%) died as a result of surgery from portal hypertension (2 dogs), postligation neurologic dysfunction (2), splenic hemorrhage (1) and suspected narcotic overdose (1). Serious complications were more common in dogs with intrahepatic shunts than those with extrahepatic shunts (P=.002). Postligation neurologic dysfunction necessitated treatment in 10 dogs and 1 cat; 8 dogs and the cat survived. Clinical signs attributed to portosystemic shunting resolved or were substantially attenuated in all survivors. Postoperative serum bile acid concentrations or results of ammonia tolerance testing were available for 88 animals; 74 (84%) were normal and 14 (16%) were abnormal. Multiple acquired shunts were documented in two animals. CONCLUSIONS : Cellophane banding is a safe and effective alternative to other methods of attenuation. CLINICAL RELEVANCE : Slow occlusion of portosystemic shunts using a variety of methods is being evaluated world wide. Cellophane banding is a relatively simple procedure with comparable safety and efficacy to previously reported techniques.     

Germline mutations in genes within the MAPK pathway cause cardio-facio-cutaneous syndrome

Cardio-facio-cutaneous (CFC) syndrome is a sporadic developmental disorder involving characteristic craniofacial features, cardiac defects, ectodermal abnormalities, and developmental delay. We demonstrate that heterogeneous de novo missense mutations in three genes within the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway cause CFC syndrome. The majority of cases (18 out of 23) are caused by mutations in BRAF, a gene frequently mutated in cancer. Of the 11 mutations identified, two result in amino acid substitutions that occur in tumors, but most are unique and suggest previously unknown mechanisms of B-Raf activation. Furthermore, three of five individuals without BRAF mutations had missense mutations in either MEK1 or MEK2, downstream effectors of B-Raf. Our findings highlight the involvement of the MAPK pathway in human development and will provide a molecular diagnosis of CFC syndrome.     

Sucrose, glucose, and fructose extraction in aqueous carrot root extracts prepared at different temperatures by means of direct NMR measurements

Solutions obtained by heating carrot roots in water (stocks) are widely used in the food industry, but little information is available regarding the metabolites (intermediates and products of metabolism) found in the stock. The effect of treatment temperature and duration on the sugar composition of stocks was investigated directly by quantitative (1)H NMR spectroscopy, to understand the extraction mechanism when processing at 100 degrees C. Stocks prepared at three different temperatures (50, 75, and 100 degrees C) were investigated for up to 36 h. Three sugars (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) were detected and quantified. The concentrations of these three sugars reached a maximum after 9 h when the temperature of treatment was 50 or 75 degrees C. At 100 degrees C, the sucrose concentration reached a maximum after 3 h, whereas the concentration of glucose and fructose was still increasing at that time. Comparison of the kinetic composition of these carrot stocks with that of model sugar solutions leads to the proposal that the changes in stock composition result from sugar diffusion, sucrose hydrolysis, and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) formation.     

Maize ear rot and moniliformin contamination by cryptic species of Fusarium subglutinans

Fusarium subglutinans causes maize ear rot and contaminates grain with the mycotoxin moniliformin. Previous DNA sequence analysis divided F. subglutinans from maize into two cryptic species, designated groups 1 and 2. Here, it was determined whether the two groups differ in the agriculturally important traits of virulence on maize and moniliformin production in planta. Thirty-seven strains from U.S. maize were assigned to groups 1 and 2 by DNA sequence analysis. In field tests, all strains were highly virulent on maize inbred B73 and four maize hybrids. In planta, 82% of group 1 strains and 25% of group 2 strains produced high levels (100-1500 microg/g) of moniliformin. All group 2 strains from more northern states produced little or no moniliformin (0-5 microg/g). These data indicate that moniliformin production is highly variable in F. subglutinans from U.S. maize and that production may not be required for the fungus to cause maize ear rot.     

Pregnancy-associated congestive heart failure in a cat

A 4-year-old, late-term pregnant Himalayan queen was diagnosed with biventricular congestive heart failure characterized by pleural effusion and pulmonary edema. A cesarean section was performed, resulting in the birth of four live kittens, with one surviving to discharge. Congestive heart failure resolved rapidly following surgery. The queen remained asymptomatic for 9 years postoperatively. Volume expansion secondary to pregnancy was thought to result in cardiovascular volume overload and subsequent congestive heart failure.     

Posterior capsular opacification in diabetic and nondiabetic canine patients following cataract surgery

Posterior capsular opacification (PCO) is the most common postoperative complication of contemporary cataract surgery. Limited information is available regarding PCO formation and factors that influence PCO development in the dog. Two hundred sixty-five eyes (144 from diabetic dogs and 121 from dogs with breed-related cataracts) were prospectively evaluated for PCO formation for up to 12 months postoperatively. The mean age of all dogs in the study was 7.77 years and diabetic dogs were significantly older than dogs with breed-related cataracts. There were 73 males (61 neutered, 12 intact) and 74 females (70 neutered, 4 intact) in the study. Statistical analysis was performed based on age, breed/size, gender, stage of cataract at the time of surgery, PCO score at each time point, breed-related vs. diabetic cataract, right eyes compared to left eyes, and presence/absence of uveitis. Age and gender did not significantly influence PCO formation. Small and medium-sized breeds developed significantly more PCO in comparison to the large/giant breeds at 2 weeks and 2-4 months postoperatively, but the differences were not significant at later time points. There was an overall significant increase in PCO formation in eyes with early immature cataracts when compared to other stages of cataract up to 4 months postoperatively but not at later time points. There were no statistical differences in PCO score at 6 months or at 1 year postoperatively in eyes with breed-related and diabetic cataracts. Right eyes did not differ from left eyes in PCO score. PCO score significantly increased over time in breed-related and diabetic groups and in the overall population. No difference was found in the degree of PCO formation in eyes with inflammation prior to or after surgery compared with those without inflammation. In summary, age, gender, presence of inflammation, and cause of cataract (breed-related vs. diabetes mellitus) do not influence the development of PCO in canine cataract dogs. Small and medium-sized breeds develop significant PCO earlier than larger breeds. It is important to note that all eyes from all dogs in this study developed PCO in a time dependent manner.     

New process for fungal delignification of sugar-cane bagasse and simultaneous production of laccase in a vapor phase bioreactor

We propose a new process using a vapor phase bioreactor (VPB) to simultaneously (i) delignify sugar-cane bagasse, a residue of sugar production that can be recycled in paper industry, and (ii) produce laccase, an enzyme usable to bleach paper pulp. Ethanol vapor, used as laccase inducer, was blown up through a VPB packed with bagasse and inoculated with Pycnoporus cinnabarinusss3, a laccase-hyperproducing fungal strain. After 28 days, the laccase activity in the ethanol-treated bagasse was 80-fold higher (80 U g(ds)(-)(1)) and the bagasse delignification percentage was 12-fold (12%) higher than in the reference samples produced in the absence of ethanol, corresponding to a high overall pulp yield of 96.1%. In the presence of ethanol, the total soluble phenols amount was 2.5-fold (3 mg FA g(ds)(-)(1)) higher than that without ethanol. Six monomeric phenols were detected: p-coumaric (4-hydroxyphenyl-2-propenoic), ferulic (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl-2-propenoic), syringic (4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzoic), vanillic (4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acids, and 2-methoxyhydroquinone. Higher concentrations of phenolic compounds were observed when ethanol vapor was added, confirming a more efficient bagasse delignification. After 28 days, the fungal-treated bagasse (with ethanol addition) was pulped and refined. For a freeness of 81 mL CSF, this processing required 50% less energy than with untreated bagasse (without inoculation and ethanol addition), which indicated a significant potential economy for the pulp and paper industry. Handsheets were made from pulp obtained after fungal-treated and untreated bagasse. Comparison of bagasse-pulp characteristics for freeness of 35 and 181 mL CSF showed an average increment by 35% for tensile index and breaking strength and length. VPB allowed a simultaneous production of laccase (90 U g(ds)(-)(1), after pressing of the bagasse) that improved the overall profitability of the process.