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.     

Administration of recombinant parasite beta-tubulin to goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) confers partial protection against challenge infection with Trypanosoma danilewskyi Laveran and Mesnil, 1904

The infection of carp and other cyprinid fish with Trypanosoma danilewskyi was reported to cause significant morbidity and mortality in aquaculture. Tubulin is a component of parasite excretory/secretory (ES) products recognized by antibodies present in the serum of recovered hosts. To assess the role of parasite tubulin in the induction of a protective immune response in the goldfish, recombinant T. danilewskyi beta-tubulin was produced in Escherichia coli and used to immunize goldfish against challenge with live parasites. Affinity purified rabbit anti-recombinant tubulin IgG bound to both surface and internal structures of trypanosomes, and when added to parasite cultures caused a dose-dependent inhibition of their growth in vitro. Immunization of goldfish i.p. with either 40 microg or 80 microg of endotoxin-free beta-tubulin+Freund's complete adjuvant (FCA) caused a significant decrease in parasitemia during the establishment phase of the infection (days 3 and 7) and increased the time required to reach the maximal mean number of parasites compared to non-immunized sham-injected control fish. The serum from immune fish contained antibodies that recognized trypanosomes as determined by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and specific antibodies that recognized recombinant tubulin as measured by ELISA. Thus, the immunization of goldfish with recombinant parasite beta-tubulin conferred partial antibody-mediated protection against a challenge infection with live trypanosomes. This is a first report that parasite tubulin is immunogenic in poikilothermic vertebrates.     

Ultrahigh-Resolution X-ray Tomography

Ultrahigh-resolution three-dimensional images of a microscopic test object were made with soft x-rays collected with a scanning transmission x-ray microscope. The test object consisted of two different patterns of gold bars on silicon nitride windows that were separated by approximately 5 micrometers. Depth resolution comparable to the transverse resolution was achieved by recording nine two-dimensional images of the object at angles between -50 and +55 degrees with respect to the beam axis. The projections were then combined tomographically to form a three-dimensional image by means of an algorithm using an algebraic reconstruction technique. A transverse resolution of approximately 1000 angstroms was observed. Artifacts in the reconstruction limited the overall depth resolution to approximately 6000 angstroms; however, some features were clearly reconstructed with a depth resolution of approximately 1000 angstroms.     

Physico-chemical characteristics and total quality of date palm varieties grown in the southern of Tunisia

The date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, is a palm extensively cultivated for its edible fruit. The chemical composition and the water content of ten Tunisian date varieties were determined. For all analysis, the Deglet Nour variety was taken as reference. Compositional analysis showed that the littoral varieties were very rich in reducing sugars (26 to 51%) than Deglet Nour which was rich in sucrose (54%). The relative results of the moisture content showed that the littoral varieties were classified as soft dates. The vitamin C analysis showed that the littoral varieties were very rich in this compound (24 to 46 mg/100 g) than Deglet Nour (1.12 mg/100 g). The mineral analysis showed that the littoral dates were relatively rich in potassium (283 to 733 mg/100 g) and presented a weak content in sodium (0.06 to 0.09 mg/100 g).     

Pustular dermatosis caused by fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) stings in a dog

This paper reports a case of spontaneous fire ant sting dermatitis in canine. The skin lesions consisted of nonfollicular, grouped pustules in the abdominal region. Several fire ants were found attached to the lesional skin. Histopathological findings included an intraepidermal neutrophilic pustule and predominantly neutrophilic interstitial dermatitis. An extensive area of collagen degeneration was also observed below the epidermal pustule. These clinical and histopathological findings are remarkable similar to those observed in fire ant stings in humans.     

Passive transfer of tuberculin reactivity in vitro

A factor capable of effecting passive transfer in vivo of delayed hypersensitivity to tuberculin to recipients that are tuberculin negative was isolated from the dialyzate of disrupted leukocytes of tuberculin-positive individuals. After this factor was incubated with cultures of peripheral leukocytes from tuberculin-negative individuals, the addition of purified protein derivative of tubercle bacilli resulted in leukocyte stimulation similar to that observed after addition of purified protein derivative to leukocytes from tuberculin-positive individuals.     

Effect of fibrolytic enzyme inclusion in high concentrate fattening diets on nutrient digestibility and growth performance of Awassi lambs

The objective of this study was to study the effect of fibrolytic enzyme (FE) inclusion on nutrient digestibility and growth performance of Awassi lamb fed on a high concentrate diet. Thirty weaned Awassi lambs (initial body weight = 20.4 ± 3.0 kg) were fed a high concentrate diet (with or without the addition of FE (15 lambs/treatment)) for 60 d in a completely randomized design. The diet contained 17, 7, 58.5, 15, and 2.5% wheat straw, wheat bran, barley grain, soybean meal and minerals, respectively. Lambs were fed ad libitum twice daily at 08:00 and 15:00 h. Dry matter, OM, CP, and NDF intakes were all similar (P > 0.05) for lambs fed diet with or without the FE and averaged 1078, 941, 171, and 432 g/d, respectively. Metabolizable energy intake was also not affected (P > 0.05) by the enzyme supplementation and averaged 2.87 Mcal/d. Dry matter, OM, CP, and NDF digestibilities were all unaffected (P > 0.05) by the enzyme inclusion and averaged 64.8, 67, 65.7 and 60.4%. Final body weight, average daily gain, and feed to gain ratio were all unaffected (P > 0.05) by the FE inclusion and averaged 34.9 kg, 222 g/d, and 5.4, respectively. In summary, FE treatment of high concentrate diet for lambs had no effect on nutrient intake or any of the growth performance parameters. Therefore, supplementing such diets with FE for fatting Awassi lambs is not recommended.