Satisfaction and satisfaction affecting problem behavior in different types of adopted dogs

Many dogs are relinquished worldwide, so it is important to enhance adoptions’ success. We aimed at investigating factors associated with owners’ satisfaction with adopted dogs, both in general and focusing on galgos. Data on 392 dogs (191 galgos) were gathered using an online survey, investigating dogs’ and owners’ demographics, satisfaction with the adopted dog and post-adoption behavior. Satisfaction was affected by different variables in galgos’ owners as compared to non-sighthound non-podenco dogs’ ones, with only the presence of disobedience on walks negatively affecting satisfaction in both samples. Depending on dogs’ type, the presence of some behavioral problems was associated with decreased satisfaction with the dog (e.g., destructiveness for galgos, or separation problems for non-sighthound non-podenco dogs), whereas that of others increased it (e.g., not being interested in social interactions with dogs for galgos, and shadowing for non-sighthound non-podenco dogs). The variables most often being predictors of the behaviors influencing satisfaction were dog type, with being a galgo as a negative predictor, and dog’s age, with being older as a negative predictor. Further studies on dog adopters’ satisfaction are needed.     

A combined protocol with piroxicam,chemotherapy, and whole pelvic irradiation with simultaneous boost volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy for muscle-invasive canine urinary transitional cell carcinoma: First clinical experience

The aims of this pilot study were to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of high-dose hypofractionated volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) applied to whole pelvic region radiotherapy (WPRT) with multilevel simultaneous integrated boost (MLSIB) combined with piroxicam and chemotherapy for the treatment of canine transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the lower urinary tract with muscle invasion TCC. Twelve dogs were enrolled, according to stage, in two groups: group 1, TCC confined to the urinary tract; group 2, TCC with metastasis. The planning target volume dose was tailored from 36 to 42 Gy in 6 fractions. All dogs were prescribed piroxicam and radiosensitizing carboplatin, and six received chemotherapy after radiotherapy. Serial follow-ups with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed. Disease control and toxicity effects were evaluated according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors and Veterinary Radiation Therapy Oncology Group criteria. The treatment was well tolerated, and no high-grade side effects were reported. The median overall survival times for groups 1 and 2 were 1,230 and 150 days, respectively. A considerable percentage of patients in group1 (50%) were still alive at the time of writing this paper, and a longer follow-up could enable a more accurate survival analysis. This preliminary analysis shows that VMAT applied to the WPRT with MLSIB is an effective and safe option for dogs with lower urinary TCC, although the presence of metastases worsens the prognosis.     

A genome-wide analysis of cardiac lesions of pigs that die during transport: Is heart failure of in-transit-loss pigs associated with a heritable cardiomyopathy?

While heart failure is a primary cause of death for many in-transit-loss (ITL) pigs, the underlying cause of these deaths is not known. Cardiomyopathies are considered a common cause of heart failure in humans and often have a genetic component. The objective of this study was to determine if genes associated with cardiomyopathies could be identified in ITL pigs. Samples from the hearts of pigs that died during transport to an abattoir in Ontario, Canada were collected and genotyped along with samples from pigs that did not die during transport (ILT hearts: n = 149; non-ITL/control hearts: n = 387). Genome-wide analyses were carried out on each of the determined phenotypes (gross cardiac lesions) using a medium density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip and 500 kb windows/regions for analysis, with 250 kb regions of overlap. The distribution derived by a multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis of all phenotypes demonstrated a lack of complete separation between phenotypes of affected and unaffected animals, which made diagnosis difficult. Although genetic differences were small, a few genes associated with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVM) were identified. In addition, multiple genes associated with cardiac arrhythmias and ventricular hypertrophy were identified that can possibly result in heart failure. The results of this preliminary study did not provide convincing evidence that a single, heritable cardiomyopathy is the cause of heart failure in ITL pigs.     

Molecular survey of parvovirus,astrovirus, coronavirus,and calicivirus in symptomatic dogs

Veterinary Research Communications - Gastrointestinal disorders caused by enteric viruses are frequently reported in dogs worldwide, with significant mortality rates in unvaccinated individuals....     

Antifungal and insect antifeedant 2-phenylethanol esters from the liverwort Balantiopsis cancellata from Chile

A chemical study of a dichloromethane extract of Balantiopsis cancellata led to the isolation of four known 2-phenylethanol esters (1-4) and a phenylethanediol benzoate (5). Antifeedant activity toward Spodoptera littoralis (disk-choice bioassay) and growth inhibition of the phytopathogen Cladosporium herbarum in TLC-bioautography assays were determined. The results show that the antifeedant and antifungal activity of the extract is attributable mainly to the trans-beta-methylthioacrylate 4.     

Stable isotope characterization of the ortho-oxygenated phenylpropanoids: coumarin and melilotol

The natural abundance 2H NMR spectra of extractive coumarin 10 and of its dihydroderivative melilotol 11 produced by baker's yeast reduction has been compared with synthetic materials. Diagnostic for the differentiation of 10 are the (D/H)beta values, which are in the 128.1-133.6 ppm interval for the natural compounds but 258.5 and 189.8 ppm for the synthetic materials. Such a dramatic difference is also found for methyl cinnamate 12, which shows (D/H)beta values of 127.2 and 515.8 ppm, respectively. In extractive 10, the ratio (D/H)4para/(D/H)6ortho = 1.24 is similar to that observed in structurally related salicin and methyl salicylate. Coumarin 10 is transformed in salicyl alcohol 9, providing diacetate 14, showing in the natural series the trend (D/H)3meta > (D/H)4para > (D/H)5meta approximately (D/H)6ortho. A similar trend is shown also by the synthetic 10. A clear distinction between extractive and synthetic 10 is obtained through delta18O determinations on 10 and on chroman 13. The bulk delta18O values in the extractive series of 10 are 20.3, 23.6, and 22.6 per thousand, while those of the aromatic oxygen are 2.3, 0.5, and -0.5 per thousand. In the synthetic sample, the values are 12.6 and 5.6 per thousand, respectively. As a final product, the reduction of 10 leads to the dihydroderivative 11. Both the baker's yeast reduction and the catalytic hydrogenation lead to a marked decrease of the deuterium content of 11, which is stronger for the beta-position than for the alpha-position.     

A rapid liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(n) method for evaluation of synephrine in Citrus aurantium L. samples

Immature bitter orange fruit and its extracts have been introduced into the market as an alternative to Ephedra in weight loss products. However, the safety of the immature bitter orange fruit and its extracts is a debated argument due to the presence of synephrine, a constituent known as a sympathomimetic agent. In this paper, we describe the development of a new, rapid, and simple liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry method devoted to the quantitative determination of synephrine in bitter orange samples, containing a high quantity of synephrine, and sweet orange samples, known to contain a low level of synephrine but at the same time being one of the main synephrine sources in a normal human diet. Two bitter orange dry extracts containing 5 and 6% sSynephrine and 10 sweet orange samples have been analyzed. Between the sweet orange samples, six were fresh oranges and four were fresh-squeezed juices; in these samples, the synephrine levels ranged from 0.00128 to 0.00349%.     

New data on the aberrant spermatogenesis of Collembola

Aberrant spermatogenesis in the two species Stenognathellus denisi (Katiannidae) and Sminthurides aquaticus (Sminthurididae) is described. An ultrastructural study of spermatogenesis in these species has allowed us to reveal the presence of two types of secondary spermatocytes; one with a normal appearance, the other one is characterized by a small size, a reduced cytoplasm (showing only two centrioles), and a nucleus with very condensed chromatin. These latter aberrant cells are not able to perform the second meiotic division and will degenerate. This finding allows us to extend the identification of an aberrant spermatogenesis and the consequent post-zygotic sex determination to two more families of Symphypleona.