Application of single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay for assessing levels of DNA damage in canine and feline leukocytes.

Increasing evidence suggests involvement of free-radical species in the development of oxidative DNA damage, the consequences of which have been implicated in a number of degenerative disorders associated with the aging process. Here we report the application of a single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay for assessing levels of DNA damage in canine and feline leukocytes. Leukocytes were collected from 24 healthy adult cats and dogs and subjected to DNA damage ex vivo by exposure to a range of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) concentrations (0-250 micromol/L).

Living fast, dying when? The link between aging and energetics.

The idea that aging should be linked to energy expenditure has a long history that can be traced to the late 1800s and the industrial revolution. Machines that are run fast wear out more quickly, so the notion was born that humans and animals might experience similar fates: the faster they live (expressed as greater energy expenditure), the sooner they die. Evidence supporting the "rate-of-living" theory was gleaned from the scaling of resting metabolism and life span as functions of body mass.

Increasing hydroxyapatite incorporation into poly(methylmethacrylate) cement increases osteoblast adhesion and response.

Poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) is the current standard for cement held prostheses. It forms a strong bond with the implant, but the bond between the cement and the bone is considered to be weak, with fibroblastic cells observed at the implant site, rather than direct bone contact, a contributing factor leading to implant failure. Incorporation of hydroxyapatite (HA) increases the biological response to the cement from tissue around the implant site, thus giving increased bone apposition.

The use of P-aminobenzoic acid and chromic oxide to confirm complete excreta collection in a carnivore, Felis silvestris catus.

Complete excreta collection is a pre-requisite for several protocols in protein metabolism, and lack of confidence in achieving this may be increased when working with carnivores. Recovery of p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) as a check for complete urine collection and chromic oxide for complete faeces collection were assessed in the cat. A single oral dose of PABA (4 mg/kg BW) was excreted more slowly than has been reported in the human (82% recovery at 6 h).

Effects of feeding regimens on bodyweight, composition and condition score in cats following ovariohysterectomy.

The effects of ovariohysterectomy on bodyweight, composition and condition score were evaluated in 49 cats that were fed ad libitum and 11 cats that had their food allowances controlled with the aim of maintaining a stable bodyweight. In cats fed ad libitum, bodyweight increased by an average of 31 per cent in the 12 months following ovariohysterectomy compared with 3.1 per cent over the 12 months before surgery, and this was largely due to increased body fat content.

Initial interaction of osteoblasts with the surface of a hydroxyapatite-poly(methylmethacrylate) cement.

Failure of the bone/cement interface in cemented joint prostheses is a contributor to implant loosening. The introduction of a bioactive phase, such as hydroxyapatite (HA), to cement may enhance fixation by encouraging direct bone apposition rather than encapsulation of the implant by fibrous tissue. The effect of poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) bone cement (incorporating 17.

Urea kinetics of a carnivore, Felis silvestris catus.

The effect of two levels of dietary protein energy, moderate (20%; MP) and high (70%; HP), on urea kinetics in eleven domestic cats was studied. After a 3-week prefeed, a single dose of [(15)N(15)N]urea was administered, and urine and faeces collected over the subsequent 5 d. For each 24 h period, total urea and enrichment of [(15)N(15)N]- and [(15)N(14)N]urea in urine were determined, and a model applied to calculate urea production, entry into the gastrointestinal tract, recycling to urine or faeces and, by difference, retention by the body and potentially available for anabolism.

Nutrition and energetics of the canary (Serinus canarius).

Canaries appear to be primarily seed-eaters, although there are no reports of their feeding ecology in the wild. In captivity, they are offered seed-based diets, preferring to consume seeds such as canary, rapeseed and millet. The mean daily dry-matter intake ranges from 3 to 4 g, which corresponds to a mean gross energy intake of approximately 70 kJ per bird per day.

Tensile characteristics of ten commercial acrylic bone cements.

The mechanical properties of acrylic bone cement, used in orthopedic surgery, are very influential in determining successful long-term stability of a prosthesis. A large number of commercial formulations are available, differing in chemical composition and physical properties of both powder and monomer constituents. In this study, the static and dynamic tensile characteristics of a number of the most commonly used bone cements (Palacos R, Simplex P, CMW 1 & 3, Sulfix-60, Zimmer Dough), along with some newer formulations (Endurance, Duracem 3, Osteobondtrade mark and Boneloc), have been investigated under the same testing regimes.

Age-related changes in apparent digestibility in growing kittens.

The ability of the growing kitten to digest protein, fat, carbohydrate, dry-matter and energy were assessed. Kittens were divided into two groups; one group was fed a wet diet, the other a dry diet. Both groups were allowed ad libitum access to food.

Gastrointestinal transit times in young and old cats.

Ageing results in a decrease in apparent nutrient digestibility in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the rate of gastric emptying or total GI transit times differed between young (3.0+/-0.

The effect of ageing on nutrient digestibility by cats fed beef tallow-, sunflower oil- or olive oil-enriched diets.

Nutrient digestibility and absorption decline with age in several mammalian species. The aim of this study was to compare apparent fat digestibility of different dietary fats in young and senior cats. Three diets enriched with either beef tallow (high in saturated fatty acids), olive oil (high in monounsaturated fatty acids) or sunflower oil (high in polyunsaturated fatty acids) were fed to 6 young (3.

Design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of novel non-imidazole histamine H(3) receptor antagonists.

Novel, potent, and selective non-imidazole histamine H(3) receptor antagonists have been prepared based on the low-affinity ligand dimaprit (pK(I) 7.32 +/- 0.12, pK(B) 5.

Two distinct lineages of macaque gamma herpesviruses related to the Kaposi's sarcoma associated herpesvirus.

Background: KSHV, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus, is a necessary cofactor for the development of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). We have previously reported KSHV-related DNA sequences in retroperitoneal fibromatosis (RF) tissue from two species of macaque. The putative herpesvirus was called RFHV for RF-associated herpesvirus.

Influence of feeding regimen on body condition in the cat.

The influence of feeding regimen on body condition in the cat was studied in a sample of the UK domestic cat population (n = 136). Data were collected by interviewing cat owners and assessing body condition of cats in the owners' homes. Four main factors were identified which were related to body condition.

Enhanced efficacy of a novel controlled release paclitaxel formulation (PACLIMER delivery system) for local-regional therapy of lung cancer tumor nodules in mice.

The efficacy of systemic chemotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has improved with newer agents. However, the response rates and prolonged survival times achieved by chemotherapy remain modest, and these small gains are obtained at the cost of significant toxicity. In this study, the efficacy of a controlled release formulation of paclitaxel was compared with conventional paclitaxel in animals with human lung cancer xenografts.

Characterization of the binding of [3H]-clobenpropit to histamine H3-receptors in guinea-pig cerebral cortex membranes.

1 We have investigated the binding of a novel histamine H3-receptor antagonist radioligand, [3H]- clobenpropit ([3H]-VUF9153), to guinea-pig cerebral cortex membranes. 2 Saturation isotherms for [3H]-clobenpropit appeared biphasic. Scatchard plots were curvilinear and Hill plot slopes were significantly less than unity (0.

Evidence that histamine homologues discriminate between H3-receptors in guinea-pig cerebral cortex and ileum longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus.

1. The binding of the selective histamine H3-receptor agonist ([3H]-R-alpha-methylhistamine) to sites in guinea-pig cerebral cortex and ileum longitudinal muscle myenteric plexus has been characterized and a comparison made of the apparent affinities of a series of H3-receptor ligands. 2.

From histamine to imidazolylalkyl-sulfonamides: the design of a novel series of histamine H3-receptor antagonists.

Histamine was converted to a selective histamine H3-receptor antagonist by capping the primary amine with 2-naphthalenesulfonyl chloride. Higher receptor affinity and lower variability in the data from the various bioassays were achieved with the 2-naphthalensulfonamides of histamine homologues.

Characterization of the binding of a novel radioligand to CCKB/gastrin receptors in membranes from rat cerebral cortex.

1. We have investigated the binding of a novel radiolabelled CCKB/gastrin receptor ligand, [3H]-JB93182 (5[[[(1S)-[[(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)amino]carbonyl]-2-phenylethyla mino]-carbonyl]-6-[[(1-adamantylmethyl) amino]carbonyl]-indole), to sites in rat cortex membranes. 2.