MULTIDETECTOR ROW COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY AND ULTRASOUND CHARACTERISTICS OF CAUDAL VENA CAVA DUPLICATION IN DOGS

Caudal vena cava duplication has been rarely reported in small animals. The purpose of this retrospective study was to describe characteristics of duplicated caudal vena cava in a large group of dogs. Computed tomography (CT) and ultrasound databases from two hospitals were searched for canine reports having the diagnosis “double caudal vena cava.” One observer reviewed CT images for 71 dogs and two observers reviewed ultrasound images for 21 dogs. In all CT cases, the duplication comprised two vessels that were bilaterally symmetrical and approximately the same calibre (similar to Type I complete duplication in humans). In all ultrasound cases, the duplicated caudal vena cava appeared as a distinct vessel running on the left side of the abdominal segment of the descending aorta and extending from the left common iliac vein to the left renal vein. The prevalence of caudal vena cava duplication was 0.46% for canine ultrasound studies and 2.08% for canine CT studies performed at these hospitals. Median body weight for affected dogs was significantly lower than that of unaffected dogs (P < 0.0001). Breeds with increased risk for duplicated caudal vena cava were Yorkshire Terrier (odds ratio [OR] = 6.41), Poodle (OR = 7.46), West Highland White Terrier (OR = 6.33), and Maltese (OR = 3.87). Presence of a duplicated caudal vena cava was significantly associated with presence of extrahepatic portosystemic shunt(s) (P < 0.004). While uncommon in dogs, caudal vena cava duplication should be differentiated from other vascular anomalies when planning surgeries and for avoiding misdiagnoses.     

Phenolic extractives in the trunk of Toxicodendron vernicifluum: chemical characteristics,contents and radial distribution

Phenolic extractives in the trunk of Toxicodendron vernicifluum (syn. Rhus verniciflua) were investigated. Seventeen compounds, gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, (?)-fisetinidol-4β-ol, (?)-fisetinidol-4α-ol, 2-benzyl-2,6,3′,4′-tetrahydroxycoumaran-3-one, (?)-fustin, 1,2,3,6-Tetra-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, (?)-epifustin, (+)-taxifolin, 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, (?)-garbanzol, (?)-fustin-3-O-gallate, (?)-epifustin-3-O-gallate, fisetin, sulfuretin, quercetin and butein, were identified from the heartwood extractives. It was found that only (+)-taxifolin which had 5,7-dihydroxy A-ring possessed a 3R configuration although other flavonoids which had 7-hydroxy A-ring possessed a 3S configuration. Quantitative analysis revealed that the total phenolic contents were much higher in the heartwood (5–7 wt%) than in the sapwood and bark (1–2 wt%), and (?)-fustin was the most abundant extractive in the heartwood (1.4–2.4 wt%). For the radial distribution of phenolic extractives, it was generally found that their content was lowest in the sapwood, increased to the highest in the outer heartwood, and then decreased in the inner heartwood.     

Activity of a novel compound produced by Aspergillus parasiticus in the presence of red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and coleopteran insects

Aspergillus is a promising source of bioactive secondary metabolites. The addition of insect-derived material in the broth culture could trigger the biosynthesis of insecticidal and antimicrobial compounds by entomopathogenic fungus (EF). Insects inhabit diverse niches and interact with various bacteria, for this reason, when a fungus kills an insect should inhibit the insect’s gut bacteria to prevent the insect consumption by bacteria. According with this hypothesis, the EF is able to produce substances that inhibit bacteria growth or bacteria virulence strategies. In the present, investigation is demonstrated that the addition of Tribolium castaneum Herbst (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) components (2 % w/v) in a culture of saprophytic fungus Aspergillus parasiticus MOR 3 induces the production of a novel compound present inside mycelium 2-(4-bromophenyl)-2-oxoethyl benzoate, that is reported here for the first time as a natural product of A. parasiticus. In addition, increased significantly the fungal extracellular production of undecyl 4-fluorobenzoate. The mycelium extract (ME) at 250 μg per g of diet on adult population of T. castaneum produced an alteration of the feeding behavior of coleopteran insects (Repellency index = +30). The fraction derived from ME (Fr2) that contained the organobromine compound, 2-(4-bromophenyl)-2-oxoethyl benzoate had the highest inhibition of the Pseudomonas aeruginosa virulence factors like elastase enzyme (49 %) at 5 μg/ml and biofilm formation (43 %) at 100 μg/ml. The results suggest that the extract from mycelium of a non-aflatoxigenic A. parasiticus MOR 3 strain is a potential candidate as food coleopteran repellent as well as an anti-virulence strategy of P. aeruginosa.     

Exploitation of bacterial pectinolytic strains for improvement of hemp water retting

Summary Retting is the major limitation to an efficient production of textile hemp fibres. Traditional retting has been carried out by autochthonous bacterial community. Aerobic and anaerobic pectinolytic strains were isolated from hemp or flax sources and characterised. Anaerobic pectinolytic strains had a wide range of acid polygalacturonase (PG) activity, whereas aerobic isolates did not produce any acid PG activity, but only an alkalophylic one, suggesting they could play a minor role in the retting process, except in the early stages. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences assigned anaerobic strains to the Clostridium genus and aerobic isolates to the Bacillus and Paenibacillus genus. C. felsineum and C. acetobutylicum were confirmed as the main anaerobic agents. Nevertheless, a high proportion of anaerobic and aerobic pectinolytic strains was assigned to C. saccharobutylicum and B. pumilus, respectively, both species never being described as involved in water retting. Anaerobic and aerobic strains with high PG activity were selected and characterized. PG activity is well correlated with the strain retting efficiency and improvement of the process was obtained by inoculating the retting water with spores of selected aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. An advisable feature of retting strains is the absence of cellulosolytic activity. An aerobic strain with no cellulosolytic activity was identified. In contrast, all the anaerobic isolates showed cellulosolytic activity. Mutagenesis was ineffective for selection of Cel-Pec⁺ mutants. Localization of the C. felsineum L1/6 PG activity was investigated.     

Characterization of transgenic male sterility in alfalfa

Dependable male sterility would help to make hybrid cultivar development a reality in alfalfa once higher levels of heterosis are attained. Alfalfa plants obtained by genetic transformation with a construct containing the Barnase gene under the control of a tobacco anther tapetum specific promoter were studied. Vacuolization and degeneration of the tapetal cell cytoplasm at a premeiotic stage of development were observed in all five transformed plants (T₀)examined, but the severity of the abnormalities varied greatly among pollen sacs of a genotype. During the meiotic stage, some pollen sacs showed reduction in size, and the tapetum generally appeared thinner when compared to those of the non transgenic plants; tapetal cells showed abnormal vacuolization and signs of cytoplasm degeneration. Despite this, some microspores were formed and some pollen grains were shed in all the T₀ plants, but these were highly variable in size and had very low in vitro germinability. Self-fertility was negligible. The T₀ plants were crossed with one or two unrelated non transgenic male-fertile plants. Mendelian segregation was observed with two exceptions. Instability of the trait in F₁ progenies was noticed, varying for different T₀ parents. F₁ plants exhibiting higher sterility than the primary transformants were observed, indicating that it should be possible to obtain good male sterile plants by backcrossing this trait into different genetic backgrounds. The possible use of this transgenic male sterility in alfalfa breeding is briefly discussed. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Production of porcine hemoglobin peptides at moderate temperature and medium pressure under a nitrogen stream. Functional and antioxidant properties

A new hydrolysis method for producing peptides from porcine hemoglobin has been developed. Current processes are based on the use of expensive enzymes or high hydrostatic pressures. In the present study, a cheap and effective process has been assayed to produce peptides from purified porcine hemoglobin. A solution of purified hemoglobin is heated at different temperatures and pressurized at 4 MPa while a stream of nitrogen is injected into the reactor. A total of 82% of initial hemoglobin was transformed into peptides presenting an average size of 3.2 kDa. Some preferential hydrolyzed bonds have been detected. The peptide size distribution was evaluated at different times and temperatures. It has been demonstrated that this technique produces large amounts of peptides possessing good antioxidant properties. Furthermore, functional properties are conserved, and a desirable decrease in color (80%) is achieved.     

Inhibition of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) formation in emulsified porcine patties by phenolic-rich avocado (Persea americana Mill.) extracts

The effect of phenolic-rich extracts from avocado peel on the formation of cholesterol oxidation products (COPs) in porcine patties subjected to cooking and chill storage was studied. Eight COPs (7α-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, 20α-hydroxycholesterol, 25-hydroxycholesterol, cholestanetriol, 5,6β-epoxycholesterol, and 5,6α-epoxycholesterol) were identified and quantified by GC-MS. The addition of avocado extracts (～600 GAE/kg patty) to patties significantly inhibited the formation of COPs during cooking. Cooked control (C) patties contained a larger variety and greater amounts of COPs than the avocado-treated (T) counterparts. COPs sharply increased in cooked patties during the subsequent chilled storage. This increase was significantly higher in C patties than in the T patties. Interestingly, the amount of COPs in cooked and chilled T patties was similar to those found in cooked C patties. The mechanisms implicated in cholesterol oxidation in a processed meat product, the protective effect of avocado phenolics, and the potential implication of lipid and protein oxidation are thoroughly described in the present paper.     

Chemotypical variation in Vanilla planifolia Jack. (Orchidaceae) from the Puebla-Veracruz Totonacapan region

One of the threats in the diversity loss of the primary gene pool of Vanilla planifolia is the lack of information on existing level of polymorphism in cultivated germplasm, and the different expressions of this polymorphism. For this reason, it is proposed to study the chemical polymorphism of the four phytochemicals that define the vanilla aroma quality in fruits (vanillin, vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, p-hydroxybenzoic acid) by HPLC analysis (High Performance Liquid Chromatography) of 25 collections of unknown genotype, grown in the region Totonacapan Puebla-Veracruz, Mexico. The results identified a selection process, domestication in fruit aroma of vanilla, during which increased the participation of vanillin and reduced the presence of three minor compounds (vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde and p-hydroxybenzoic acid) in the global aroma. We distinguished a total of six chemotypes of V. planifolia in the Totonacapan region, some chemotypes with wild aromatic characteristics (low participation of vanillin) related to the material less cultivated in the region and domesticated chemotypes with high participation of vanillin, for the most cultivated material. The results show that the diversification of the chemotypes of V. planifolia is not related to environmental variation. The data indicate that in the possible center of origin of vanilla, there is phytochemical polymorphism, which indirectly suggests the existence of genetic polymorphism, essential for the design of a breeding program for optimizing the use and conservation of diversity of the primary gene pool of Vanilla planifolia.