MOPP chemotherapy for treatment of resistant lymphoma in dogs: a retrospective study of 117 cases (1989-2000)

The purpose of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of the MOPP chemotherapy protocol (mechlorethamine, vincristine, procarbazine, and prednisone) as a rescue regimen in dogs with lymphoma. One hundred seventeen dogs that had resistance to previously administered chemotherapy were evaluated. Before treatment with MOPP, all dogs received a median of 6 chemotherapy drugs for a median duration of 213 days. Thirty-one percent (36 of 117) had a complete response (CR) to MOPP for a median of 63 days, and 34% (40 of 117) had a partial response (PR) for a median of 47 days. Sixteen percent (19 of 117) had stable disease (SD) for a median of 33 days. Predictors for response to MOPP were not identified. Gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity occurred in 28% (33 of 117) of the dogs, and 13% (15 dogs) required hospitalization. Five dogs developed septicemia, and 2 died as a result. MOPP was an effective treatment for dogs with resistant lymphoma and was well tolerated by the majority of affected dogs.     

Doxorubicin and BAY 12-9566 for the treatment of osteosarcoma in dogs: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

BACKGROUND: This study was designed to assess the efficacy of a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor in prolonging posttreatment survival for dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma after treatment with amputation and doxorubicin chemotherapy. HYPOTHESIS: Survival will be prolonged in dogs receiving BAY 12-9566. ANIMALS: The study included 303 dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma. METHODS: Dogs were treated with doxorubicin (30 mg/m2) every 2 weeks for 5 treatments starting 2 weeks after amputation. Dogs were randomly allocated to receive a novel nonpeptidic biphenyl inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs, BAY 12-9566; 4-[4-4-(chlorophenyl)phenyl]-4-oxo-2S-(phenylthiomethyl) butanoic acid) or placebo after doxorubicin chemotherapy. RESULTS: Median survival for all 303 dogs was 8 months; and 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates were 35%, 17%, and 9%, respectively. Treatment with BAY 12-9566 did not influence survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that increasing age (P = .004), increasing weight (P = .006), high serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) (P = .012) and high bone ALP (P < .001) were independently associated with shorter median survival times. Additional analyses on available data indicated that as the number of mitotic figures in the biopsy increased (P = .013), and as plasma active MMP-2 concentrations increased (P = .027), the risk of dying increased. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Doxorubicin is an effective adjuvant to amputation in prolonging survival for dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma.     

An Umpolung approach to fluorinated non-ester pyrethroids

The synthesis of novel, fluorinated non-ester pyrethroids by electrophilic fluorination of a stabilised anion with N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide is reported. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry     

Evaluating dietary supply of microminerals as a premix in a complete plant ingredient‐based diet to juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Two basal diets M0 and V0 were formulated with marine and plant based ingredient composition. Seven experimental diets were prepared from the two basal diets namely M0, M100, V0, V30, V60, V100 and V150 by incorporating different levels of a micromineral premix (Cu, Fe, Mn, Se and Zn). Triplicate groups of rainbow trout (initial weight: 20 g) reared at 17°C were fed one of each diet to apparent visual satiation over 12 weeks. Among the V diet fed fish, growth and feed intake exhibited maximal response at V60 level of premix inclusion; Apparent availability coefficient of Fe, Cu and Zn decreased linearly with increasing level of premix whereas apparent availability coefficient of Mn and Se was unaffected. The available dietary concentration in basal V0 diet was for Fe, 20.6; Cu, 2.8; Mn, 6.5; Zn, 17.3 and Se, 0.195 (in mg/kg DM) and in the M0 diet for Fe, 63.3; Cu, 5.2; Mn, 2.9; Zn, 35.2 and Se, 0.87 (in mg/kg DM). In reference to NRC (Nutrient requirements of fish and shrimp. Washington, DC: National Research Council, The National Academies Press, 2011) recommendations, the V0 basal diet accounted for 34.3%, 92.9%, 53.9%, 115% and 130.2% and the contribution from M0 diet for 105.5%, 173.3%, 24.2%, 234.7% and 580% of the minimal dietary inclusion levels of Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn and Se to rainbow trout, respectively. However, data on whole body mineral contents showed that normal levels were maintained only for Cu and Mn through supply from basal V0 diet. For Zn and Se, available supply even from the highest supplemented diet (V150) was not sufficient to maintain normal body mineral levels of rainbow trout in the present study. On the whole, optimal dietary inclusion levels of microminerals are altered while using fishmeal‐free diets for rainbow trout.     

Alpha-synuclein blocks ER-Golgi traffic and Rab1 rescues neuron loss in Parkinson's models

Alpha-synuclein (alphaSyn) misfolding is associated with several devastating neurodegenerative disorders, including Parkinson's disease (PD). In yeast cells and in neurons alphaSyn accumulation is cytotoxic, but little is known about its normal function or pathobiology. The earliest defect following alphaSyn expression in yeast was a block in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi vesicular trafficking. In a genomewide screen, the largest class of toxicity modifiers were proteins functioning at this same step, including the Rab guanosine triphosphatase Ypt1p, which associated with cytoplasmic alphaSyn inclusions. Elevated expression of Rab1, the mammalian YPT1 homolog, protected against alphaSyn-induced dopaminergic neuron loss in animal models of PD. Thus, synucleinopathies may result from disruptions in basic cellular functions that interface with the unique biology of particular neurons to make them especially vulnerable.     

Collection and preliminary evaluation of small bitter gourds (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Momordica charantia</Emphasis> L.) a relict vegetable of Southern Peninsular India

Small-fruited bitter gourds, the “pavel” and “pandi-pavel” described in Hortus Malabaricus, is nearly an extinct crop in Kerala and rest of southern peninsular India. They are reported to have been cultivated extensively in the past. However, presently its cultivation is restricted to a few home gardens in remote forest areas consequent on its replacement by large-fruited cultivars over the last two centuries. Special traits like unique flavour, taste, medicinal properties and fruit fly tolerance have enabled the perpetuation of this relict vegetable still in a few homesteads. Eleven named landraces have been collected from South Western Ghats and Tamil Nadu plains and their seeds conserved in the genebank of NBPGR, New Delhi. Known as “uchie” in Northern India and “methipavai” in Tamil, these miniature bitter gourds have different landrace names in specific pockets of natural occurrence/cultivation.     

Tuber morphology,germination behaviour and propagation efficiency in three edible <Emphasis Type="Italic">Momordica</Emphasis> (Cucurbitaceae) species of India

Tuber morphology and propagation efficiency in three dioecious, tuber bearing Momordica species of India were investigated. Tuber morphology of M. dioica and M. sahyadrica is different from that of M. subangulata ssp. renigera. M. dioica and M. sahyadrica develop taproot tuber with shoot sprouts only at caudex region, whereas M. subangulata ssp. renigera has both taproot and adventitious tubers with shoot sprouts all over tuber surface. Tubers of M. dioica and M. sahyadrica are perennating whereas, in M. subangulata ssp. renigera they serve as both perennating and propagation structures. M. dioica and M. sahyadrica had prolonged tuber dormancy of 4–5 months whereas, M. subangulata ssp. renigera had short dormancy period of about 2 months. Cutting of tuberous roots is a highly efficient method for multiplication in M. subangulata spp. renigera, whereas whole tubers or longitudinal splits in to two or at best four equal halves with a portion of the apical meristem may work in the case of M. dioica and M. sahyadrica.     

Antioxidative effect of maillard reaction products formed from honey at different reaction times

Maillard reaction products (MRP) were synthesized from honey-lysine by refluxing with water for 4, 8, 12, 16, and 20 h. The MRP from each reaction time were added to and reacted with a linoleic acid buffered emulsion at 37 degrees C. The MRP from each of the five reaction times were added to the linoleic acid emulsion (LAE) at 1%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% (v/v). The antioxidative effect of MRP on the LAE was determined spectrophotometrically at 234 nm. The MRP pH and brown pigment formation (450 nm) was measured. Absorbance at 450 nm increased from 0.6 to 1.6 between the 4 h and 20 h MRP treatments, respectively. The pH of the MRP decreased from 4 h to 20 h reaction solutions, ranging from 4.2 to 3.65. The antioxidative effect increased at each reaction time increment. Within each reaction time, the antioxidative effect was maximized between 10% and 15% addition levels.