Malassezia pachydermatis (M. pachydermatis) otitis is an important infectious disease of dogs throughout the world. In the present study, the presence, diagnosis, clinical signs and chemotherapy of M. pachydermatis were studied in clinical otitic dogs of Lahore and its suburbs. During two-year study period, a total of 200 ear cerumen samples from otitic dogs were examined microscopically. Of these, 46 (23%) were found positive for M. pachydermatis. The difference in the prevalence of infection between the pendulous ear and erected ear dogs as well as sex predilection was found nonsignificant (P>0.05). However, a significantly (P<0.05) higher prevalence (86.90%) was recorded in dogs of more than one years of age group. The animals determined positive for the M. pachydermatis were divided into two groups (A and B) and treated with Clotrimazole and Nystatin, respectively. Efficacy of both the antifungals was evaluated on the basis of reversal of clinical signs scoring and cytological examinations at 7, 14, 21-day post treatment. The overall efficacy of Clotrimazole and Nystatin was 73% and 68%, respectively. Clotrimazole showed better results as compared to Nystatin in accomplishing cure rate from mycological infection. It was concluded that M. pachydermatis is a significant cause of otitis in dogs wherein Clotrimazole proves to be a more effective drug in eliminating the infection in the affected Dogs.

Hyperlipidemia has been ranked as one of the greatest risk factors contributing to the prevalence and severity of coronary heart diseases. The pharmacological actions of tangerine (Citrus unshiu) peel include the facilitation of fat digestive enzymes. Also, guarana (Paullinia cupana) has been used for stimulants and tonics over a long period. In this study, we aimed to optimize the mixed ratio of organic tangerine peel and guarana extracts to suppress fat accumulation. To determine the optimized the mixed ratio of tangerine (Citrus unshiu) peel extract (C) and guarana (Paullinia cupana) extract (P) on adipogenesis, maturing preadipocytes were incubated during the 8-day induction period with various ratio of the mixed extracts groups like as Vehicle (DMEM 200 μl/ml), Con (MDI DMEM 200 μl/ml), C10 (MDI DMEM 180μl/ml+C 20 μl/ml), C9:P1 (MDI DMEM 180 μl/ml+C 18 μl/ml+P 2 μl/ml), C5:P5 (MDI DMEM 180 μl/ml+C 10 μl/ml+P 10 μl/ ml), P10 (MDI DMEM 180 μl/ml+P 20 μl/ml). Thereafter, the adipocytes were stained with Oil-Red-O and analyzed for lipid contents. As the results, organic tangerine peel and guarana extracts were revealed to reduce fat accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells. The fat accumulation significantly decreased in C5:P5 group, which is equally mixed with organic tangerine peel and guarana extracts, as compared to other groups. Based on these results, we found the optimized ratio with organic tangerine peel and guarana extracts to suppress fat accumulation. We suggest that this optimized organic tangerine peel and guarana complex might reduce effectively the serum lipid components and improve the lipid metabolism in hyperlipidemic patient.

Kodamaea ohmeri, previously known as Pichia ohmeri or Yamadazyma ohmeri, is an ascosporogenous yeast that belong to the Saccharomycetaceae family, and it is a rare yeast-form fungus recently identified as an etiological agent of fungemia, endocarditis, urinary tract infection and peritonitis in immunocompromised patients. This paper presents a case of K. ohmeri fungemia in a 70-year-old man with carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. After receiving endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for releasing obstruction of ampulla of Vater by insertion of the biliary stent, he was pyrexial with a temperature of 38.5°C. Two set of blood samples were obtained from a peripheral vein for culture. The pathogen was identified as K. ohmeri using the Vitek YST card (bioMérieux, France) and was confirmed by the sequencing of the D1/D2 domains of the 26S rRNA gene and the internally transcribed spacer region. The minimal inhibitory concentrations of the antifungal agents were as follows: amphotericin B 0.5 μg/mL; fluconazole 2 μg/mL; voriconazole ≤ 0.12 μg/mL; fluocytosine ≤ 1 μg/mL. According to the Clinical and Laboratory Standard Institute recommended breakpoint for Candida spp, the isolate was susceptible to fluconazole, amphotericin B, voriconazole, and flucytosine. This is the first report of the isolation of K. ohmeri in the patient with a gastrointestinal neoplasm following ERCP.

Malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors (MPNSTs) are defined as malignant tumors arising from peripheral nerves or differentiating along the line of the elements of the nerve sheath. MPNSTs that originate from the brain parenchyma are exceptionally rare and are termed malignant intracerebral nerve sheath tumors. We experienced a case of the epithelioid variant of malignant intracerebral nerve sheath tumor (MINST) occurring in the right frontal lobe of a 50-year-old man. He underwent gross total resection of the tumor. Histologically, the tumor cells had round, polygonal, or ovoid nuclei and moderate amounts of eosinophilic cytoplasm, which was defined as epithelioid cells. The tumor cells were arranged in short cords or nests with vaguely nodular patterns embedded in the myxoid stroma. Regarding mitotic activity, 15 mitotic figures were noted per 10 high-power fields. Immunohistochemically, tumor cells were positive for S-100 protein and synaptophysin, but negative for glial fibrillary acidic protein, HMB-45, EMA, and AE1/ AE3. Furthermore, immunostaining for INI1 was negative. Loss of the tumor-suppressor gene product SMARCB1/ INI1 expression has been recognized in epithelioid MPNST, but not in conventional MPNST. Postoperatively, he underwent radiotherapy and was followed for almost 1 year without recurrence. The present case is the first report of the epithelioid MINST.