Blood lactate levels in 31 female dogs with pyometra

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Canine pyometra is a life-threatening disease common in countries where spaying of dogs is not routinely performed. The disease is associated with endotoxemia, sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and a 3–4% mortality rate. Blood lactate analysis is clinically valuable in predicting prognosis and survival, evaluating tissue perfusion and treatment response in human and veterinary critical care settings. The aims of the present study were to investigate 1) the blood lactate levels of female dogs with pyometra by a hand-held analyser and 2) if these levels are related with the clinical status or other biochemical or hematological disorders.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In total 31 female dogs with pyometra admitted for surgical ovariohysterectomy and 16 healthy female control dogs were included in the present study. A complete physical examination including SIRS-status determination was performed. Blood samples for lactate concentrations, hematological and biochemical parameters, acid-base and blood gas analysis and other laboratory parameters were collected and subsequently analysed. The diagnosis pyometra was verified with histopathological examination of the uterus and ovaries. Increased hospitalisation length and presence of SIRS were used as indicators of outcome.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the pyometra group the median blood lactate level was 1,6 mmol l^-1(range <0.8–2.7 mmol l^-1). In the control group the median lactate level was 1,2 mmol l^-1(range <0.8–2.1 mmol l^-1). Of the 31 bitches 19 (61%) fulfilled 2 or more criteria for SIRS at inclusion, 10 bitches (32%) fulfilled 3 of the SIRS criteria whereas none accomplished more than 3 criteria. Lactate levels did not differ significantly between the pyometra and control group, or between the SIRS positive and SIRS negative dogs with pyometra. Increased lactate concentration (>2.5 mmol l^-1) was demonstrated in one female dog with pyometra (3%), and was not associated with longer hospitalisation or presence of SIRS. Lactate measurement was not indicative of peritonitis. None of the bitches died during or within two months of the hospital stay. The measurements of temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, percentage bandforms of neutrophilic granulocytes, α₂-globulins, creatinin, pvCO₂, TCO₂and base excess showed significant differences between the SIRS positive and the SIRS negative pyometra cases.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Increased blood lactate concentrations were demonstrated in 3% (1/31), and SIRS was present in 61% (19/31) of the female dogs with pyometra. Preoperative lactate levels were not related with presence of SIRS or prolonged hospitalisation. Lactate measurement was not indicative of peritonitis. The value of a single and repeated lactate analysis in more severely affected cases remains to be determined.</p

Targeted Gene Panel Sequencing for Early-onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Chronic Diarrhea

Background: In contrast to adult-onset inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), where many genetic loci have been shown to be involved in complex disease etiology, early-onset IBD (eoIBD) and associated syndromes can sometimes present as monogenic conditions. As a result, the clinical phenotype and ideal disease management in these patients often differ from those in adult-onset IBD. However, due to high costs and the complexity of data analysis, high-throughput screening for genetic causes has not yet become a standard part of the diagnostic work-up of eoIBD patients. Methods: We selected 28 genes of interest associated with monogenic IBD and performed targeted panel sequencing in 71 patients diagnosed with eoIBD or early-onset chronic diarrhea to detect causative variants. We compared these results to whole-exome sequencing (WES) data available for 25 of these patients. Results: Target coverage was significantly higher in the targeted gene panel approach compared with WES, whereas the cost of the panel was considerably lower (approximately 25% of WES). Disease-causing variants affecting protein function were identified in 5 patients (7%), located in genes of the IL10 signaling pathway (3), WAS (1), and DKC1 (1). The functional effects of 8 candidate variants in 5 additional patients (7%) are under further investigation. WES did not identify additional causative mutations in 25 patients. Conclusions: Targeted gene panel sequencing is a fast and effective screening method for monogenic causes of eoIBD that should be routinely established in national referral centers.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Wiring of Photosystem II to Hydrogenase for Photoelectrochemical Water Splitting.

In natural photosynthesis, light is used for the production of chemical energy carriers to fuel biological activity. The re-engineering of natural photosynthetic pathways can provide inspiration for sustainable fuel production and insights for understanding the process itself. Here, we employ a semiartificial approach to study photobiological water splitting via a pathway unavailable to nature: the direct coupling of the water oxidation enzyme, photosystem II, to the H2 evolving enzyme, hydrogenase. Essential to this approach is the integration of the isolated enzymes into the artificial circuit of a photoelectrochemical cell. We therefore developed a tailor-made hierarchically structured indium-tin oxide electrode that gives rise to the excellent integration of both photosystem II and hydrogenase for performing the anodic and cathodic half-reactions, respectively. When connected together with the aid of an applied bias, the semiartificial cell demonstrated quantitative electron flow from photosystem II to the hydrogenase with the production of H2 and O2 being in the expected two-to-one ratio and a light-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency of 5.4% under low-intensity red-light irradiation. We thereby demonstrate efficient light-driven water splitting using a pathway inaccessible to biology and report on a widely applicable in vitro platform for the controlled coupling of enzymatic redox processes to meaningfully study photocatalytic reactions.This work was supported by the U.K. Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/H00338X/2 to E.R. and EP/G037221/1, nanoDTC, to D.M.), the UK Biology and Biotechnological Sciences Research Council (BB/K002627/1 to A.W.R. and BB/K010220/1 to E.R.), a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship (PIEF-GA-2013-625034 to C.Y.L), a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowship (PIIF-GA-2012-328085 RPSII to J.J.Z) and the CEA and the CNRS (to J.C.F.C.). A.W.R. holds a Wolfson Merit Award from the Royal Society.This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from ACS Publications via http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5b0373

Designing Mixed-Metal Electrocatalyst Systems for Photoelectrochemical Dinitrogen Activation

Efficient artificial photosynthesis systems are currently realized as catalyst- and surfacefunctionalized photovoltaic tandem- and triple-junction devices, enabling photoelectrochemical (PEC) water oxidation while simultaneously recycling CO2 and generating hydrogen as a solar fuel for storable renewable energy. Although PEC systems also bear advantages for the activation of dinitrogen - such as a high system tunability with respect to the electrocatalyst integration and a directly controllable electron flux to the anchoring catalyst through the adjustability of incoming irradiation - only a few PEC devices have been developed and investigated for this purpose. We have developed a series of photoelectrodeposition procedures to deposit mixed-metal electrocatalyst nanostructures directly on the semiconductor surface for light-assisted dinitrogen activation. These electrocatalyst compositions containing Co, Mo and Ru in different atomic ratios follow previously made recommendations of metal compositions for dinitrogen reduction and exhibit different physical properties. XPS studies of the photoelectrode surfaces reveal that our electrocatalyst films are to a large degree nitrogen-free after their fabrication, which is generally difficult to achieve with traditional magnetron sputtering or e-beam evaporation techniques. Initial chronoamperometric measurements of the p-InP photoelectrode coated with the Co-Mo alloy electrocatalyst show higher photocurrent densities in the presence of N2(g) than in the presence of Ar at -0.09 V vs RHE. Indications of successful dinitrogen activation have also been found in consecutive XPS studies, where both, N 1s and Mo 3d spectra, reveal evidence of nitrogen-metal interactions

Twenty-one additional cases of familial renal glucosuria: Absence of genetic heterogeneity, high prevalence of private mutations and further evidence of volume depletion

Introduction. Familial renal glucosuria (FRG) is a rare renal tubular disorder caused by mutations within the SLC5A2 gene. It is characterized by persistent glucosuria in the absence of hyperglycaemia and any other signs of generalized tubular dysfunction. In small series of patients previously reported, the molecular and phenotypic findings in FRG families, including first hints of extracellular volume depletion and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system induced by natriuresis, have been described. We have now extended this analysis to another 21 consecutive cases from 17 pedigrees, including 11 cases with severe glucose excretion. Methods. Mutation analysis was performed by direct sequencing of the genomic coding segments of the SLC5A2 gene. In two cases with severe glucosuria, basal plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone concentrations were determined. Results. Within the 17 pedigrees, we have identified a total of 20 different SLC5A2 mutations. Fifteen have not been previously reported. In all glucosuric individuals tested, at least one SLC5A2 mutation could be identified. Heterozygous individuals were found to have only mild glucose excretion whereas homozygous or compound heterozygous patients had severe glucosuria, ranging from 10 to 86.5 g/1.73 m2/24 h. In two patients of the latter group, basal plasma renin activity and serum aldosterone concentration were determined and found to be raised to an average of 4.6-fold and 3.1-fold of the upper limit of the normal range, respectively. Discussion. The identification of at least one mutated allele in every affected individual in this cohort of 17 consecutively investigated families strongly suggests that genetic heterogeneity is not prevalent in FRG. Although 5 of the detected alleles have been described previously, 15 are novel, confirming that most mutations in FRG are private. Our finding of an activation of compensatory mechanisms for salt loss may warrant more detailed studies of long-term hormonal and metabolic imbalances in patients with FRG. © The Author [2008]. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of ERA-EDTA. All rights reserved