A versatile, stimulus-responsive nanoparticle-based platform for use in both sonodynamic and photodynamic cancer therapy.

A PLGA-based multifunctional biodegradable nanoparticle platform co-harboring hematoporphyrin and indocyanine green has been developed. In vitro studies demonstrate ultrasound and light stimulated generation of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species. In vivo studies show that the ICG component facilitates nIR fluorescence imaging that demonstrates accumulation of IV- administered nanoparticles in tumours. In vivo studies also demonstrate ultrasound- and light-mediated inhibition of tumour growth in animals treated with the platform. Since the platform consists entirely of clinically-approved agents it could find use in sonodynamic- and photodynamic-based therapies for cancer. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: We describe a biocompatible and biodegradable nanoparticle-based platform for use in sonodynamic and photodynamic therapeutic approaches for the treatment of cancer. The non-toxic nanoparticles produce cytotoxic reactive oxygen species when exposed to ultrasound and/or light at levels that have no impact on tissues. The system is unique in that it is accumulated by tumours within six hours and has the ability to release its sensitising capability while retaining its imaging capability within a therapeutic time frame. The former could enhance dispersion and sensitising capabilities in less permeable tumour tissues and the latter permits the design of therapeutic approaches that minimize collateral damage to normal tissues.

The effect of high and low dietary crude protein and inulin supplementation on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen excretion, intestinal microflora and manure ammonia emissions from finisher pigs.

A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was performed to investigate the interaction between a high- and low-crude-protein (CP) diet (200 v. 140 g/kg) and inulin supplementation (0 v. 12.5 g/kg) on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen (N) excretion, intestinal microflora, volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration and manure ammonia emissions from 24 boars (n = 6, 74.0 kg live weight). The diets were formulated to contain similar concentrations of digestible energy and lysine. Pigs offered the high-CP diets had a higher excretion of urinary N (P < 0.001), faecal N (P < 0.01) and total N (P < 0.001) than the pigs offered the low-CP diets. Inulin supplementation increased faecal N excretion (P < 0.05) and decreased the urine N : faeces N ratio (P < 0.05) compared with the inulin-free diets. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of dietary treatment on N retention. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) between dietary CP concentration and inulin supplementation on caecal Enterobacteria spp. Pigs offered the diet containing 200 g/kg of CP plus inulin decreased the population of Enterobacteria spp. compared to those with the inulin-supplemented 140 g/kg CP diet. However, CP level had no significant effect on the population of Enterobacteria spp. in the unsupplemented diets. Inulin supplementation increased caecal Bifidobacteria (P < 0.01) compared with the inulin-free diets. There was no effect of inulin supplementation on VFA concentration or intestinal pH (P > 0.05). Pigs offered the 200 g/kg CP diets had higher (P < 0.05) manure ammonia emissions from 0 to 240 h of storage than pigs offered the 140 g/kg CP. In conclusion, inulin supplementation resulted in an increase in Bifidobacteria concentration and a reduction in Enterobacteria spp. at the high CP level indicating that inulin has the ability to beneficially manipulate gut microflora in a proteolytic environment.

First Report of Marssonina brunnea f. sp. brunnea on Hybrid Poplar in the Pacific Northwest.

Marssonina brunnea (Ellis and Everh.) Magnus f. sp. brunnea Spiers is the most damaging Marssonina sp. affecting Populus spp. in the world (1). First described from eastern North America at the turn of the century, it subsequently became a serious disease of hybrid poplar in Europe in the 1960s and in New Zealand in 1976 (1). It causes punctiform black spots on both leaf surfaces and lesions on petioles and young stems. Symptoms are typically most severe in the lower portion of the crown of trees. Not observed in the Pacific Northwest on hybrid poplar until recently, it is still only present in a few locations. Voucher specimens from near Ilwaco, WA, at the mouth of the Columbia River, and from near Har-rison Mills, British Columbia, were deposited in the Herbarium at the Pacific Forestry Centre (DAVFP 25202 and 24958, respectively). The fungus was identified as M. brunnea by its conidial morphology. Conidia were hyaline, uniseptate, mostly straight, and narrowly obovoid, and, when measured in lactoglycerol, averaged 16.1 µm × 5.0 µm (WA collection) and 15.7 µm × 5.6 µm (BC collection). The septum is located about 30% of the total conidium length from the conidium base. Inoculations of leaf disks (1) proved that the species was pathogenic to hybrids but not to local P. tremuloides Michx., and thus the fungus was identified as M. brunnea f. sp. brunnea. Variation in resistance, from light spotting to severe, was noted both among 12 P. trichocarpa Torr. & A. Gray × P. deltoides J. Bartram ex. Marsh. hybrid clones in the Ilwaco plantation and among 56 hybrid clones in the inoculation study. Reference: (1) A. G. Spiers. Eur. J. For. Pathol. 18:140, 1988.

Transfusion practices and costs in dogs.

A geographically stratified sample of 25 small-animal practices administering at least six transfusions to dogs over the last 12 months was surveyed to determine how veterinarians obtain blood for transfusions, the direct costs of administering transfusions, and the impact of available blood on the management of critically ill dogs. The primary source of donor blood for each practice was a borrowed dog (12 practices) or in-house dogs kept on the premises (12 practices). Only one practice obtained blood from a nearby veterinary school. There was a wide variation in practices regarding testing for diseases and screening of donors. Thirty-six percent of practices surveyed did not screen dogs for infectious diseases or evaluate hematologic variables prior to blood donation. Twenty-four percent of the respondents evaluated the donors solely for the purposes of detecting microfilaria. The remaining 40% of the practices performed one or more of the tests generally recommended as part of a screening program for potential blood donors. The blood type of donors was determined in eight of the practices, whereas blood typing of recipients was not routinely performed. Ten of 25 practices performed blood crossmatches, but only one practice performed crossmatches in all cases. The distribution of direct costs per whole blood transfusion (500-ml unit) ranged from 25 to more than $300, with three fourths of the practices having costs less than $100. The higher-cost practices were those that maintained donors on the premises specifically for blood donation purposes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)