Feline vaccine-associated sarcomas

Feline vaccine-associated sarcomas have presented many challenges. Initially, the etiopathogenesis and biological behavior of these tumors had to be characterized, and strategies implemented to move tumors away from problematic sites. Next, diagnostic and treatment recommendations evolved as the biologic behavior of vaccine-associated sarcomas forced early and aggressive intervention. Current therapeutic strategies are expensive, at times debilitating, and frequently fail to effect tumor control. This review summarizes the known history, epidemiology, etiology, and clinical management of vaccine-associated sarcomas after a decade of work. The next challenges must be to find more practical and effective solutions, and to eliminate the cause of vaccine-associated sarcomas.     

Differential inhibition of equine neutrophil function by phosphodiesterase inhibitors

Neutrophils are recruited to the lungs of horses with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and exhibit increased activity after antigen challenge, which may contribute to inflammation and lung damage. Inhibition of phosphodiesterase isoenzymes (PDEs) has been shown to attenuate human neutrophil functions including superoxide production, leukotriene (LT)B4 biosynthesis, enzyme and chemokine release. As equine neutrophils contain predominantly the isoenzyme, PDE4, the present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of rolipram, a PDE4 inhibitor, on equine neutrophil function. For comparison, the effects of the nonselective PDE inhibitor, theophylline, were examined. Cells from both normal horses and COPD horses in remission were used. Superoxide production was significantly inhibited by both rolipram [32.2 +/- 2.6 vs. 10.1 +/- 1.1 nmol/10(6) cells and 49.8 +/- 6.8 vs. 22.7 +/- 2.2 nmol/10(6) cells for normal and COPD susceptible horses, respectively, in response to 10(-7) M human recombinant (hr) C5a] and theophylline (19.0 +/- 0.6 vs. 10.2 +/- 0.6 nmol/10(6) cells and 24.3 +/- 2.1 vs. 10.7 +/- 0.9 nmol/10(6) cells for normal and COPD susceptible horses, respectively, in response to 10(-7) M C5a). However, superoxide production induced by serum treated zymosan was inhibited only by theophylline (10(-3) M). Neither hrC5a- nor platelet activating factor (PAF)-induced neutrophil adherence to fibronectin coated plastic was reduced by rolipram (10(-5) M). These results demonstrate that the effects of PDE inhibitors on equine neutrophils are both stimulus and function dependent. The PDE4 inhibitors may reduce neutrophil activation in vivo in horses with COPD.     

Use of Ultrasound to Investigate Glucose Oxidase and Storage Effects on the Rheological Properties of Cooked Asian Noodles

This is the first use of a longitudinal ultrasonic technique to address the rheological properties of cooked noodles. Ultrasound (11 MHz) was utilized to investigate the influence of glucose oxidase (GOx) at the 1.5 U/g of flour level on the rheological properties of cooked alkaline noodles before and after 72 h of storage at 4°C. Cooked noodle dough samples were studied by simultaneously conducting stress relaxation and transmission ultrasonic measurements, yielding Peleg's K₁ and K₂ parameters (initial rate of relaxation and extent of relaxation, respectively) and ultrasonic information on noodle texture properties. Ultrasonic phase velocities and attenuation coefficients did not show significant differences between control and GOx noodles either before or after 72 h of refrigeration. However, refrigerated storage of control and GOx noodles did result in a significant increase in wave velocity and storage modulus (M′) as well as a decrease in attenuation and tanδ_L (ratio of longitudinal loss modulus to longitudinal storage modulus), indicating increased firmness of noodle structure with storage time. Stress relaxation results on fresh unrefrigerated noodles showed an increase in Peleg's K₁ and K₂ parameters with GOx addition but did not resolve any significant changes in these parameters after 72 h of storage. This small amount of GOx did not improve cooked noodle texture, although noodle matrix changes during storage were clearly revealed by the noninvasive ultrasonic data.     

Fairness versus reason in the ultimatum game

In the Ultimatum Game, two players are offered a chance to win a certain sum of money. All they must do is divide it. The proposer suggests how to split the sum. The responder can accept or reject the deal. If the deal is rejected, neither player gets anything. The rational solution, suggested by game theory, is for the proposer to offer the smallest possible share and for the responder to accept it. If humans play the game, however, the most frequent outcome is a fair share. In this paper, we develop an evolutionary approach to the Ultimatum Game. We show that fairness will evolve if the proposer can obtain some information on what deals the responder has accepted in the past. Hence, the evolution of fairness, similarly to the evolution of cooperation, is linked to reputation.     

Cyclopiazonic acid production by cultures of Aspergillus and Penicillium species isolated from dried beans, corn meal, macaroni, and pecans

Ninety-five isolates of Aspergillus and Penicillium species from selected dried foods were examined for their ability to produce cyclopiazonic acid (CPA). The isolates were grown in sterile synthetic liquid medium at 28 degrees C for 8 days in the dark. The medium and mold mycelia were then extracted with chloroform. CPA was semiquantitatively determined by thin layer chromatography through visual comparison with standards. The cultures of A. flavus were also examined for their ability to produce aflatoxin. One A. tamarii and all 13 P. urticae isolates produced CPA, whereas only 19 of the 31 (61%) A. flavus isolates produced CPA, and 6 (19%) A. flavus produced aflatoxin. All 13 P. urticae isolates also produced patulin and griseofulvin. CPA-producing A. flavus was found in all food types but not in all samples. CPA-producing P. urticae was found only in dried beans and macaroni.