Bacterial and fungal colonisation of peripheral intravenous catheters in dogs and cats.

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to determine the prevalence of intravenous catheter colonisation in a routine clinical setting, to identify pathogens involved and to explore factors associated with an increased risk of colonisation.

Methods: A prospective study of 100 peripherally placed intravenous catheters from 13 cats and 78 dogs was conducted. The distal two-thirds were removed and submitted for bacterial and fungal cultures.

Quantitative assessment of urea generation and elimination in healthy dogs and in dogs with chronic kidney disease.

Background: Kinetic assessment of urea, the main end product of protein metabolism, could serve to assess protein catabolism in dogs with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Protein malnutrition and catabolism are poorly documented in CKD and they often are neglected clinically because of a lack of appropriate evaluation tools.

Hypothesis: Generation and excretion of urea are altered in dogs with CKD.

IL-13 induces expression of CD36 in human monocytes through PPARgamma activation.

The class B scavenger receptor CD36 is a component of the pattern recognition receptors on monocytes that recognizes a variety of molecules. CD36 expression in monocytes depends on exposure to soluble mediators. We demonstrate here that CD36 expression is induced in human monocytes following exposure to IL-13, a Th2 cytokine, via the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)gamma pathway.

Ex vivo and in vitro impairment of CD36 expression and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production in human monocytes in response to Plasmodium falciparum-parasitized erythrocytes.

Severe malaria is associated with the failure of host defenses to control parasite replication, with the excessive secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and with the sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes (PEs) in the microcirculation of vital organs. The scavenger receptor CD36, known as a major sequestration receptor, has also been identified as an important factor in mediating nonopsonic phagocytosis of PEs by monocytes and macrophages. The specific consequence of this phagocytosis is a decrease in parasite-induced TNF-alpha secretion.

Synthesis and antimalarial activity of trioxaquine derivatives.

Trioxaquines are dual molecules that contain a trioxane motif linked to an aminoquinoline entity. Among the different compounds of this series, trioxaquine cis-15 (DU1302 c), prepared from alpha-terpinene, a cheap natural product, showed efficient antimalarial activity in vitro on both sensitive and resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum (IC(50)=5-19 nM). A stereochemical description of this stable, nontoxic, and non-genotoxic antimalarial agent is detailed.