Use of autogenous fascia lata graft for perineal herniorrhaphy in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of a herniorrhaphy technique, using an autogenous fascia lata graft (FLG) for perineal hernia (PH) repair in dogs. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective clinical study. ANIMALS: Twelve dogs with PH. METHOD: PHs were repaired with FLG harvested from the dog's ipsilateral thigh and sutured directly into the perineal defect. Correction of associated conditions, and castration were performed. Surgical time, pain, inflammation, pattern of defecation, lameness, hospitalization time, postoperative complications, and owner satisfaction were recorded. Histopathologic examination was performed in 1 dog euthanatized 10 months after repair. RESULTS: Hernia did not recur (mean follow-up, 5.8 months). Lameness was the most frequent minor complication, and was resolved within a few days. Transient rectal prolapse occurred in 2 dogs with bilateral PH. The mean (+/-SD) hospitalization was 1.8+/-0.9 days, and the surgical time was 76.5+/-9.8 minutes. Histopathologic examination in 1 dog revealed perfect integration of FLG into adjacent tissues without substantial tissue reaction. CONCLUSIONS: FLG reconstruction of PH is a simple, effective method of treatment. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: FLG can be used without major complications for primary repair of PH, as an augmentation procedure when the internal obturator muscle is thin or friable, or when herniation has recurred after another repair technique.     

Isolation of Malassezia species from healthy cats and cats with otitis

Lipid-dependent Malassezia species have recently been cultured from veterinary specimens. The identification of Malassezia species isolates from animals is important to clarify the epidemiology of these lipophilic yeasts. Malassezia species were cultured from the external ear canals of 63 out of 99 cats with otitis and 12 of 52 (23%) healthy control cats. The rate of isolation in affected animals versus controls was highly significant (P<0.01). Malassezia pachydermatis was isolated as a pure culture in 33 (45.2%) cats, associated with Malassezia globosa and Malassezia furfur in 20 (50%) and 17 (42.5%) animals, respectively. Three different species were isolated simultaneously in three cats (two cats with M pachydermatis, M globosa and M furfur, one subject with M pachydermatis, M furfur and Malassezia sympodialis). M globosa was isolated as the sole species in two animals. The present work confirms the presence of some lipid-dependent species of Malassezia in both healthy and otitic cats.     

Sphaerospora dicentrarchi and S. testicularis (Myxozoa: Sphaerosporidae) in farmed European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) from Italy

The distribution of Sphaerospora dicentrarchi Sitjà-Bobadilla et Alvarez-Pellitero, 1992 and S. testicularis Sitjà-Bobadilla et Alvarez-Pellitero, 1990, myxozoan parasites of European seabass Dicentrarchus labrax (L.), was investigated in different farming systems in Italy. In total, 1406 fish were examined. High S. dicentrarchi prevalence was observed in all the farming systems involved in this survey (extensive farms: 51.5%; intensive farms: inland 59.6%, inshore floating cages 76.2%, offshore floating cages 41.6%) except for submersible cages (7.4%). S. testicularis was detected only in nine male fish from two intensive farms. The epidemiology and pathological effects of the parasites are discussed.     

Global mineralogical and aqueous mars history derived from OMEGA/Mars Express data

Global mineralogical mapping of Mars by the Observatoire pour la Mineralogie, l'Eau, les Glaces et l'Activité (OMEGA) instrument on the European Space Agency's Mars Express spacecraft provides new information on Mars' geological and climatic history. Phyllosilicates formed by aqueous alteration very early in the planet's history (the "phyllocian" era) are found in the oldest terrains; sulfates were formed in a second era (the "theiikian" era) in an acidic environment. Beginning about 3.5 billion years ago, the last era (the "siderikian") is dominated by the formation of anhydrous ferric oxides in a slow superficial weathering, without liquid water playing a major role across the planet.     

Biocatalytic synthesis of butein and sulfuretin by Aspergillus alliaceus

Aspergillus alliaceus UI315 was examined for its potential to catalyze biotransformation reactions of chalcones that mimic plant biosynthetic processes. 3-(4' '-Hydroxyphenyl)-1-(2',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)propenone (4,2',4'-trihydroxychalcone, isoliquiritigein) (1) was efficiently transformed to two major metabolites that were isolated chromatographically and identified by spectroscopic methods as 3-(3' ',4' '-dihydroxyphenyl)-1-(2',4'-dihydroxyphenyl)propenone (butein) (7) and 2-[(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)methylene]-6-hydroxy-3(2H)benzofuranone (7,3',4'-trihydroxyaurone, sulfuretin) (10). Inhibition experiments suggested that initial C-3 hydroxylation of 1 to 7 was catalyzed by a cytochrome P450 enzyme system. A second A. alliaceus enzyme, partially purified and identified as a catechol oxidase, catalyzed the oxidation of the catechol butein (7) likely through an ortho-quinone (8) that cyclized to the aurone product 10. This work showed that A. alliaceus UI315 contains oxidative enzyme systems capable of converting phenolic chalcones such as 1 into aurones such as 10 in a process that mimics plant biosynthetic pathways.     

Development of a gas-liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of fatty acid tryptamides in cocoa products

The determination of the occurrence and level of cocoa shells in cocoa products and chocolate is an important analytical issue. The recent European Union directive on cocoa and chocolate products (2000/36/EC) has not retained the former limit of a maximum amount of 5% of cocoa shells in cocoa nibs (based on fat-free dry matter), previously authorized for the elaboration of cocoa products such as cocoa mass. In the present study, we report a reliable gas-liquid chromatography procedure suitable for the determination of the occurrence of cocoa shells in cocoa products by detection of fatty acid tryptamides (FATs). The precision of the method was evaluated by analyzing nine different samples (cocoa liquors with different ranges of shells) six times (replicate repeatability). The variations of the robust coefficient of variation of the repeatability demonstrated that FAT(C22), FAT(C24), and total FATs are good markers for the detection of shells in cocoa products. The trueness of the method was evaluated by determining the FAT content in two spiked matrices (cocoa liquors and cocoa shells) at different levels (from 1 to 50 mg/100 g). A good relation was found between the results obtained and the spiking (recovery varied between 90 and 130%), and the linearity range was established between 1 and 50 mg/100 g in cocoa products. For total FAT contents of cocoa liquor containing 5% shells, the measurement uncertainty allows us to conclude that FAT is equal to 4.01 +/- 0.8 mg/100 g. This validated method is perfectly suitable to determine shell contents in cocoa products using FAT(C22), FAT(C24), and total FATs as markers. The results also confirmed that cocoa shells contain FAT(C24) and FAT(C22) in a constant ratio of nearly 2:1.     

Dietary antioxidants and behavioral enrichment enhance neutrophil phagocytosis in geriatric Beagles

The study objective was to determine the effects of feeding food enriched in antioxidants and a program of environmental/cognitive enrichment on selected ex vivo assays of inflammatory and immune cells in healthy geriatric Beagle dogs (n=21). Four groups of dogs were tested using a 2 x 2 factorial design. The 2-year longitudinal study included both nutritional (control food or antioxidant-fortified food) and behavioral (normal level or cognitive enrichment) interventions. Behavior enrichment included increased exercise, environmental enrichment, and a series of learning tasks. Phagocytosis of opsonized latex-coated beads by peripheral blood neutrophils was measured by flow cytometry and found to be significantly increased in dogs receiving both dietary antioxidants and cognitive enrichment. Simultaneous stimulation of cells with Con A and suppression with Dex resulted in decreased lymphocyte proliferation in dogs receiving both dietary antioxidants and cognitive enrichment, compared to dogs receiving dietary antioxidants or cognitive enrichment alone. There were no significant differences between the groups of dogs for percentages of CD4 and CD8 T-lymphocyte subpopulations before or after lymphocyte stimulation with Con A. These results support our hypothesis that both dietary antioxidants and behavioral enrichment enhance host defense mechanisms.     

Ocular lesions associated with Trypanosoma evansi in experimentally infected goats

Ocular lesions associated with Trypanosoma spp. infection have been described in man and many animal species. However, loss of vision has not been demonstrated in humans presenting Chagas disease or in animals affected by different trypanosome species. In order to assess the possible ocular disorders caused by Trypanosoma evansi infection, six goats were inoculated with 1 x 10(5) T. evansi and maintained for 12 months and four goats were used as control. The inoculated animals became positive at serological and parasitological tests at 1-month post-inoculation and showed a subclinical course of the disease. Unilateral superficial corneal ulceration and retinochoroiditis were observed in two inoculated animals. Data from ocular neurologic examination and electroretinography showed no significant differences between inoculated and non-inoculated goats. It could be concluded that Trypanosoma evansi can produce ocular lesion but without apparent loss of vision in goats.     

Iron chelation by the powerful antioxidant flavonoid quercetin

Chelation of the bare and hydrated iron(II) cation by quercetin has been investigated at the DF/B3LYP level in the gas phase. Several complexed species arising from neutral and anionic forms of the ligand have been taken into account. Both 1:1 and 1:2 metal/flavonoid stoichiometries have been considered. Results indicate that among the potential sites of chelation present on quercetin, the oxygen atoms belonging to the 3-hydroxy and 4-oxo, and to the 5-hydroxy and 4-oxo groups, are the preferred ones. Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations, used to reproduce the electronic UV-vis spectra of isolated quercetin and its complexes with Fe2+, were also performed in methanol and dimethylsulfoxide.     

Infrared spectroscopy of comet 81P/Wild 2 samples returned by Stardust

Infrared spectra of material captured from comet 81P/Wild 2 by the Stardust spacecraft reveal indigenous aliphatic hydrocarbons similar to those in interplanetary dust particles thought to be derived from comets, but with longer chain lengths than those observed in the diffuse interstellar medium. Similarly, the Stardust samples contain abundant amorphous silicates in addition to crystalline silicates such as olivine and pyroxene. The presence of crystalline silicates in Wild 2 is consistent with mixing of solar system and interstellar matter. No hydrous silicates or carbonate minerals were detected, which suggests a lack of aqueous processing of Wild 2 dust.