Gymnodimine C, an isomer of gymnodimine B, from Karenia selliformis

Gymnodimine C (1), an oxidized analogue of the spiro-imine algal toxin gymnodimine (3), was isolated from extracts of the cells of Karenia selliformis. The structure of gymnodimine C, determined by one- and two-dimensional 1H NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry, was found to be isomeric with gymnodimine B (2) at C-18.     

Marine natural products as prototype agrochemical agents

In the interest of identifying new leads that could serve as prototype agrochemical agents, 18 structurally diverse marine-derived compounds were examined for insecticidal, herbicidal, and fungicidal activities. Several new classes of compounds have been shown to be insecticidal, herbicidal, and fungicidal, which suggests that marine natural products represent an intriguing source for the discovery of new agrochemical agents.     

Acute respiratory distress syndrome.

Several combination therapies have been described throughout this article: in all likelihood, it is combination therapy that will allow improved survival of ARDS patients. As medicine moves into the future, clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of therapies for ARDS will be performed. In human critical care medicine, a large forward step was taken when ALI and ARDS were clearly defined. Unfortunately. as good as the definition is, ALI and ARDS occur secondary to many different underlying pathologic processes,perhaps obscuring the benefits of certain therapies for ARDS based on the underlying condition, for example, trauma versus sepsis. Selection of patients entering any ARDS trial is crucial: not only must those patients meet the strict definition of ARDS but the underlying disease process should be clearly identified. Identification of patients suffering from different disease processes before the onset of ARDS will allow for stratification of outcomes according to the intervention and the underlying pathology--comparing apples to apples and not to oranges. We are in a unique position in veterinary medicine. Although frequently financially limited by our clients, we have the opportunity to achieve several goals. First, we need to clearly define what constitutes ALI and ARDS in veterinary medicine. Do we want to rely on the human definitions? Probably not; however, as a group, we need to determine what we will accept as definitions. For example, we may not be able perform right heart catheterizations on all our patients to meet the wedge pressure requirement of human beings of less than 18 mm Hg. Do we agree that a PAOP of less than 18 mmHg is appropriate for animals, and is it appropriate for all animals? Will we accept another measure, for example, pulmonary artery diameter increases with echocardiographic evidence of acceptable left heart function? What is acceptable left heart function? As veterinarians, what do we consider to be hypoxemia? Is it the same in all species that we work with? What do we define as acute onset? Most human ARDS cases occur while patients are in hospital being treated for other problems, whereas many of our patients present already in respiratory distress. If we are unable to ventilate patients for economic or practical reasons, what do we use as the equivalent of the Pao2/Flo, ratio'? Reliance on the pathologist is not reasonable, because many disease processes can look similar to ARDS under the microscope. If anything, ALI and ARDS are clinical diagnoses. It is time for veterinarians to reach a consensus on the definition for ALI and ARDS in our patients.Only when we have a consensus of definition can rational prospective clinical trials of therapies be designed.     

Structural Characterization of New Microcystins Containing Tryptophan and Oxidized Tryptophan Residues

Microcystins are cyclic peptides produced by cyanobacteria, which can be harmful to humans and animals when ingested. Eight of the (more than) 90 microcystin variants presently characterized, contain the amino acid tryptophan. The well-researched oxidation products of tryptophan; kynurenine, oxindolylalanine, and N-formylkynurenine, have been previously identified in intact polypeptides but microcystin congeners containing oxidized tryptophan moieties have not been reported. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometric analysis of an extract of Microcystis CAWBG11 led to the tentative identification of two new tryptophan-containing microcystins (MC‑WAba and MC-WL), as well as eight other microcystin analogs containing kynurenine, oxindolylalanine and N‑formylkynurenine (Nfk). Investigation of one of these congeners (MC‑NfkA) by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to verify the presence of Nfk in the microcystin. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of a tryptophan oxidation experiment demonstrated that tryptophan-containing microcystins could be converted into oxidized tryptophan analogs and that low levels of oxidized tryptophan congeners were present intracellularly in CAWBG11. MC-NfkR and MC-LNfk were detected in standards of MC-WR and MC-LW, indicating that care during storage of tryptophan-containing microcystins is required.     

Congenital vulvar deformity in 6 alpacas

CASE DESCRIPTION: 6 female alpacas, ranging in age from < 1 day to > 2 years, were examined because of primary owner complaints related to urogenital malformation. CLINICAL FINDINGS: In all instances, the vulva was totally to subtotally imperforate. One neonate had failure of passive transfer of immunity and mild azotemia at the time of initial examination. No additional urogenital malformations were detected in any of the alpacas. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME: Vulvoplasty performed via local anesthesia was successful in all alpacas. The neonate with failure of passive transfer received a plasma transfusion. Postsurgical wound management was limited to topically applied medications. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Congenital vulvar deformity in alpacas may result in interference with urine outflow. Neonates with a completely imperforate vulva may be brought to veterinarians for examination on an emergency basis. Less severely affected alpacas may be examined later in life with owner complaints ranging from stranguria or dysuria to urogenital malformation. No other primary abnormalities of the urogenital tract in alpacas have been reported, to the authors' knowledge. Vulvoplasty, performed with local anesthesia, resolves obstructed urine flow. Because it is possible that this condition is heritable, affected alpacas, and possibly their sires and dams, should not be used for breeding.     

Inheritance of proportionate dwarfism in Angus cattle

OBJECTIVE: To determine the mode of inheritance of congenital proportionate dwarfism in Angus and Angus crossbred cattle, initially detected in two commercial beef herds in northern New South Wales. DESIGN: Matings of normal carrier sires to unrelated cows of diverse breeds, and of one carrier sire to his unaffected daughters. An unrelated Piedmontese bull was also mated to unaffected daughters of the carrier sires. PROCEDURE: Two carrier Angus bulls and nine unaffected daughters, all of whom were completely indistinguishable from normal animals, were purchased for controlled breeding studies under known nutritional and disease conditions. Affected and carrier individuals were examined for the presence of obvious chromosomal abnormalities. RESULTS: Angus dwarfism has been successfully reproduced under controlled experimental conditions over successive years using unrelated dams and is undoubtedly heritable. The high frequency of occurrence of affected individuals (23/61 = 0.38 +/- .06) among the progeny of matings of the Angus sires to unrelated females of diverse breeding is not compatible with recessive inheritance, because of the negligible frequency of proportionate dwarfism in the breeds of the dams. Both paternal and maternal transmission of the defect was demonstrated, so that imprinting in the strict sense of a gene that is only expressed when received from the male parent appears not to be involved. Tested individuals showed no evidence of gross chromosomal abnormality. Dominant autosomal inheritance with incomplete penetrance was indicated by the lack of expression of the defective gene in the two Angus sires and in three unaffected daughters who produced dwarf calves from matings to the Piedmontese bull. CONCLUSIONS: The mode of inheritance is that of a single autosomal dominant gene with a penetrance coefficient of 0.75 +/- 0.12, estimated from the observed incidence of 23/61 affected offspring of the two carrier Angus bulls mated to unrelated dams. Simple genetic models involving either (i) an unstable mutant which changes at high frequency to the expressed dominant dwarfing allele during gametogenesis, or (ii) a dominant allele with penetrance determined by an unlinked modifying locus, are shown to be compatible with the experimental data. Both models indicate that penetrance of the dwarfing gene may possibly be higher in matings involving carrier daughters of the two Angus bulls.     

Levels of mortality in hens by end of lay on farm and in transit to slaughter in Great Britain

The average mortality for end of lay hens dead on arrival (DOA) was 0.27 per cent (median 0.15 per cent) in a survey of 13.3 million hens transported during 2009. A statistical model of the data indicated main risk factors for DOA to be slaughter plant, distance travelled and external air temperature, with longer journeys and low external air temperatures increasing the risk. Other highly significant risk factors (P<0.001) related to the condition of the birds on farm, where an increased risk of DOA was positively associated with poor feather cover, lower body weight, cumulative mortality of the flock and poor health (indicated by a high proportion of the load rejected at the plant for traumatic injury and disease state). However, the data indicate that by taking risk factors into consideration it is possible to transport hens up to 960 km with low losses in temperate conditions. Mean levels of on-farm mortality, during the laying period, for a total of 1486 flocks were significantly lower in cages (5.39 per cent) than in barn (8.55 per cent), free-range (9.52 per cent) or organic flocks (8.68 per cent) according to producer records a median of seven days before depopulation, with considerable variation between flocks in all systems.     

Sequential Plasma Lactate Concentrations as Prognostic Indicators in Adult Equine Emergencies

Background: Sequential lactate concentration ([LAC]) measurements have prognostic value in that hospitalized humans and neonatal foals that have a delayed return to normolactatemia have greater morbidity and case fatality rate.
Hypothesis: Prognosis for survival is decreased in horses with a delayed return to normal [LAC].
Animals: Two hundred and fifty adult horses presented for emergency evaluation excepting horses evaluated because of only ophthalmologic conditions, superficial wounds, and septic synovitis without systemic involvement.
Methods: Prospective observational study. [LAC] was measured at admission and then at 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after admission. The change in [LAC] over time ([LAC]Δ T ) was calculated from changes in [LAC] between sampling points.
Results: Median [LAC] was significantly ( P < .001) higher at admission in nonsurvivors (4.10 mmol/L [range, 0.60–18.20 mmol/L]) when compared with survivors (1.30 mmol/L [range, 0.30–13.90 mmol/L]) and this difference remained at all subsequent time points. The odds ratio for nonsurvival increased from 1.29 (95% confidence interval 1.17–1.43) at admission to 49.90 (6.47–384) at 72 hours after admission for every 1 mmol/L increase in [LAC]. [LAC]Δ T was initially positive in all horses but became negative and significantly lower in nonsurvivors for the time periods between 24–72 hours (− 0.47, P = .001) and 48–72 hours (− 0.07, P = .032) when compared with survivors (0.00 at both time periods) consistent with lactate accumulation in nonsurvivors.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance: These results indicate that lactate metabolism is impaired in critically ill horses and [LAC]Δ T can be a useful prognostic indicator in horses.