Effects of changes in loading conditions and heart rate on the myocardial performance index in cats

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of changes in hemodynamics on the myocardial performance index (MPI) in cats. ANIMALS: 6 mixed-breed cats. PROCEDURES: Cats were anesthetized by administration of thiopental sodium; anesthesia was maintained by administration of isoflurane. Systolic arterial pressure and central venous pressure were measured by use of catheters, and heart rate was controlled by right atrial pacing. Afterload was increased by balloon occlusion of the descending aorta, and preload was increased by IV infusion of lactated Ringer's solution at a rate of 40 mL/kg/h. Echocardiography was performed for each condition. RESULTS: Atrial pacing significantly increased heart rate. The MPI did not change with heart rate. Arterial pressure and MPI increased significantly during aortic occlusion. The IV infusion increased fractional shortening but did not change the MPI. Multiple regression analysis revealed that the MPI was not affected by heart rate, systolic arterial pressure, central venous pressure, fractional shortening, or velocity of the E wave. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The MPI can be used to assess cardiac function in healthy cats. The MPI is independent of heart rate and systolic arterial pressure but is sensitive to changes in afterload.     

Inhibitory and promotive allelopathy in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Studies on allelopathic rice, which inhibits the germination and development of weeds such as barnyardgrass ( Echinochloa spp.) and ducksalad [ Heteranthera limosa (Sw.) Wild.], have been strongly conducted in the USA, the Philippines, Japan, Korea, and other countries since the 1980s. Weed-suppressing rice plants can compete with weeds for light and mineral nutrients by their rapid and thick growth characteristics, and probably also by their allelopathic effects. It was suggested that allelopathic properties were inherited from parents. Different screening methods for finding allelopathic rice simply and rapidly have been proposed. In contrast, stimulative allelopathy in rice, which promotes germination of the dormant and dormancy-awakened seeds of Monochoria vaginalis (Burm. f.) Kunth var. vaginalis , has been investigated by the authors since the 1990s. Rice seeds promoted the germination in the dark and in light under submerged conditions. Our experiments suggested that rice seeds, hulls, plants and straw contain stimulative substance(s) that promote seed germination of M. vaginalis .     

Effects of oral administration of furosemide and torsemide in healthy dogs

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diuretic effects, tolerability, and adverse effects of furosemide and torsemide after short- and long-term administration in healthy dogs. ANIMALS: 8 mixed-breed dogs. PROCEDURES: In a crossover study, furosemide (2 mg/kg), torsemide (0.2 mg/kg), or placebo (bifidobacterium [1 mg/kg]) was administered orally to each dog every 12 hours for 14 days. Blood and urine samples were collected before the study (baseline data) and at intervals on the 1st (short-term administration) and 14th day (long-term administration) of treatment for assessment of urine volume and specific gravity and selected clinicopathologic variables including BUN, creatinine, and aldosterone concentrations, and creatinine clearance. RESULTS: Compared with the baseline value, short-term administration of furosemide or torsemide immediately increased urine volume significantly; after long-term administration of either drug, urine specific gravity decreased significantly. Compared with the effect of placebo, the 24-hour urine volume was significantly increased after short-term administra-tion of furosemide or torsemide. In addition, it was significantly increased after long-term administration of torsemide, compared with that of short-term administration. Long-term administration of furosemide or torsemide increased the BUN and plasma creatinine con-centrations, compared with the baseline value. Compared with the baseline value, plasma aldosterone concentration was significantly increased after long-term administration of either drug and was significantly higher after torsemide treatment than after furosemide treatment. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: In dogs, diuretic resistance developed after 14 days of furosemide, but not torsemide, administration; however, both loop diuretics were associated with increased BUN and plasma creatinine concentrations, compared with values before treatment.     

Combined ataxia telangiectasia mutated and DNA-dependent protein kinase inhibition radiosensitizes Madin–Darby canine kidney cells

Uncovering radiation toxicity is critical for the adaptation and expansion of advanced radiation therapies and for the development of novel cancer radiotherapy. In the near future, advanced radiotherapies, including heavy ion beam treatment, are expected to be applied in the treatment of dogs, but further basic research on the effects of radiation using canine normal and cancer cells is necessary to actually apply these techniques and achieve high therapeutic efficacy. The radiation sensitivity is varied by the activities of DNA damage response (DDR) and DNA repair. The development of radiosensitizers that target DDR- and DNA repair-kinases, like ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), is progressing and is expected to be introduced into canine radiotherapy. However, there are no cytotoxicity reports on using the combination of radiation and these sensitizers as treatment in canine cells. In this study, we examined the cytotoxic effects of X-rays and/or radiosensitizers on the Madin–Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cell line. Our results show that X-rays suppress MDCK cell colony formation and proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, our observations imply that the combination treatment with ATM inhibitor KU-55933 and DNA-PK inhibitor NU7441 significantly increased X-ray cytotoxicity in MDCK cells compared with the drugs alone. Furthermore, our findings further suggest that MDCK cells might be useful in clarifying the cytotoxicity in canine epithelial cells due to radiation and/or radiosensitizers, such as molecule-targeted drugs.     

Boryllithium: isolation, characterization, and reactivity as a boryl anion

Nucleophilic, anionic boryl compounds are long-sought but elusive species. We report that reductive cleavage of the boron-bromine bond in N,N'-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-2-bromo-2,3-dihydro-1H-1,3,2-diazaborole by lithium naphthalenide afforded the corresponding boryllithium, which is isoelectronic with an N-heterocyclic carbene. The structure of the boryllithium determined by x-ray crystallography was consistent with sp(2) boron hybridization and revealed a boron-lithium bond length of 2.291 +/- 0.006 angstroms. The structural similarity between this compound and the calculated free boryl anion suggests that the boron atom has an anionic charge. The (11)B nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum also supports the boryl anion character. Moreover, the compound behaves as an efficient base and nucleophile in its reactions with electrophiles such as water, methyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, 1-chlorobutane, and benzaldehyde.     

Large granular lymphocyte lymphoma in the skin and urinary bladder of a dog

A 10-year-old female Cavalier King Charles Spaniel presented with hematuria, pollakiuria and skin rash. Based on the histopathological and cytological examination of the skin and bladder mucosa, the dog was diagnosed with large granular lymphocytic (LGL) lymphoma of the bladder and skin. The dog responded well to the initial chemotherapy with nimustine for 3 months. Since recurrence of skin erosion and bladder wall thickening were observed, the dog was subsequently administered chemotherapy with other anticancer drugs, including chlorambucil, vincristine, doxorubicin, L-asparaginase, cytosine arabinoside, and cyclophosphamide. The dog survived for 11 months and died due to tumor-related disseminated intravascular coagulation. This is the first report of a canine case of LGL lymphoma in the skin and bladder.     

Short term change of urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase in reduced kidney mass with renal artery ligation

The aim of the present study was to evaluate short term urinary NAG levels in a model of reduced kidney mass. The half and quarter kidney mass were made from ligation of the renal artery. Both groups decreased in the level of excreted NAG on day 1 and 2 after operation. On day 5 after operation, both groups achieved urinary enzyme levels comparable to that of the sham-operated group. The remaining compensated nephrons held normal range of excreted urinary NAG levels, although reduced number of nephrons resulted in a decline in urinary NAG levels.     

2'-epi-orobanchol and solanacol, two unique strigolactones, germination stimulants for root parasitic weeds, produced by tobacco

Germination stimulants for root holoparasitic weeds broomrapes ( Orobanche and Phelipanche spp.) produced by tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L.) were purified and characterized. The root exudates of tobacco contained at least five different stimulants, and LC-MS/MS analyses revealed that four of them were strigolactones; a tetradehydrostrigol isomer, a didehydrostrigol isomer, and two strigol isomers. The two isomers of strigol were identified as (+)-orobanchol and its 2'-epimer by comparison of NMR and GC- and LC-MS data with those of synthetic standards. The structure of the tetradehydrostrigol isomer, the major stimulant of the bright yellow tobacco cultivars, was determined as 4-alpha-hydroxy-5,8-dimethyl-GR24 [( E)-4-alpha-hydroxy-5,8-dimethyl-3-(4-methyl-5-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-2-yloxy)methylene)-3a,4-dihydro-3 H-indeno[1,2- b]furan-2(8b H)-one] and named solanacol. 2'-Epi-orobanchol and solanacol are the first natural strigolactones having a 2'-epi stereochemistry and a benzene ring, respectively.