Clinical evaluation of imidapril in congestive heart failure in dogs: results of the EFFIC study

OBJECTIVES: The clinical efficacy and safety of imidapril were evaluated in dogs that presented with mild to severe congestive heart failure (New York Heart Association stage II to IV) by comparing the success rate of imidapril with a positive control by a non-inferiority approach. METHODS: This good, clinical practice compliant, multicentre study (EFFIC study) enrolled 142 client-owned dogs and was conducted in 20 locations in France, Belgium and Germany. Dogs of various breed, age and weight were included in the study. These dogs were randomised into two groups that were treated for 84 days with either the test product, imidapril, or the positive control, benazepril, and followed up in parallel over this period. Both treatments were administered at a dose of 0.25 mg/kg once a day with the possibility of doubling this dose to 0.5 mg/kg if considered necessary from a clinical point of view. In addition, concomitant treatment was given to dogs presenting with pulmonary oedema and/or ascites, supraventricular tachyarrhythmia and/or dilated cardiomyopathy. The evolution of the New York Heart Association stage and the "functional signs" score were evaluated as primary efficacy criteria. RESULTS: The success rate in the imidapril group was 66 compared with 68 per cent in the benazepril group. Regarding safety, 35 dogs in each group experienced at least one adverse event. Nine dogs in each group experienced at least one serious adverse event. The difference between these results was not statistically significant. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Imidapril is as efficacious and safe as the reference product, benazepril.     

Clinical, humoral and IFNgamma responses of cattle to infection with Mycoplasma mycoides var. mycoides small colony and attempts to condition the pathogenesis of the infection

Contagious bovine pleuropneumonia (CBPP), caused by Mycoplasma mycoides var. mycoides small colony (MmmSC), is one of the most important diseases of cattle in Africa. The role of innate or acquired cell mediated and humoral immunity in conferring protection against MmmSC infection has not yet been elucidated. On the other hand, the pathological lesions caused by the aetiological agent have been considered indicative of an immunopathological process. In this study ten na?ve cattle were exposed to in-contact infection with animals infected by intubation with a strain of MmmSC. Clinical signs, antibody response, IFNgamma release and pathological changes at necropsy were analysed and compared with the events following in-contact infection of an equal number of animals kept under daily treatment with cyclosporine for the entire observation period of 84 days. Cyclosporine is a suppressor of the immune response related to the T-cell system. Under the conditions of the experiment, cyclosporine appeared to condition the pathogenesis of CBPP by delaying the events that follow infection, bringing further support to the possibility that the immune response may have an impact on the disease outcome.     

考虑随机降雨时水稻灌溉制度模型

本文基于水量平衡方程,同时将降雨和蒸腾视为随机变量,提出了水稻的灌溉制度模型。要考虑随机降雨和腾发量的影响,需首先对以往的降雨和腾发系列进行分析,以期对末来的降雨和腾发量进行预报,再根据此预报值确定水稻在末来时段的需水量。分别根据降雨和腾发系列的特点,用统计方法对二者进行数据处理。本文的模型在应用于所研究的灌区时结果令人满意。在雨季,即使灌溉系统以较高的概率水平运行时也能够节省大量用水。     

共基质对10株细菌降解苯并芘的作用研究

从石油污染的污泥中分离驯化出10株细菌（SB01-SB10），利用生物摇床实验对其降解苯并芘（BaP）的效能进行试验，研究了有（或无）共基质（葡萄糖Glu，或菲PHE）对细菌降解BaP的影响，并采用ANOVA和Tukey多重比较进行分析。结果表明，（1）当以BaP为惟一碳源和能源且BaP初始浓度为50mg·L^-1时（MS1），SB01的降解率最高，5d可降解31．0％；以Glu为共代谢基质时（MS2），SB09的降解率最高，可达36．9％；以PHE为共代谢基质时（MS3），SB01对BaP的降解率为46．0％。（2）Glu对SB01、SB02、SB03、SB07、SB10降解BaP有抑制作用，对SB01抑制作用最明显，使SB01的降解率降低了13．1％，Glu对SB05，SB08降解率无明显促进或抑制作用。（3）PHE对细菌降解BaP均表现出促进作用，对SB01的促进作用最明显，使其降解率提高15．0％。（4）Glu对SB09的促进作用大于PHE的促进作用。而对SB06，PHE的促进作用大于Glu。     

施用活性硅降低重金属移动性的研究（英文）

该研究通过一系列的土柱实验研究土壤中硅和重金属的反应机制。土柱实验在可溶性镉、铜、镍和铅酸盐的情况下,用各种活性硅(硅藻土,沸石,无定形二氧化硅,浓缩单硅酸)处理灰森林土。所有富硅物质都用电子显微镜测试分析过。富硅物质对土壤中重金属的钝化试验结果表明:硅藻土和浓缩单硅酸比沸石和无定形二氧化硅更能降低重金属的移动性。重金属移动性的降低是由土壤溶液中单硅酸和重金属的反应,以及富硅物质表面对重金属的吸附实现的。重金属在土壤中移动的强度与自身种类有关。施用富硅物质可明显降低镉和镍的移动性,对铜和铅的效果不明显。     

Comparison of oil and phytosterol levels in germplasm accessions of corn, teosinte, and Job's tears

Seeds of 49 accessions of corn (Zea mays ssp. mays), 9 accessions of teosinte (Zea species that are thought to be ancestors and probable progenitors to corn), and 3 accessions of Job's tears (Coix lacryma), obtained from a germplasm repository, were ground and extracted with hexane. Whole kernel oil yields and levels of four phytonutrients (free phytosterols, fatty acyl phytosterol esters, ferulate phytosterol esters, and gamma-tocopherol) in the oils were measured. Among the seeds tested, oil yields ranged from 2.19 to 4.83 wt %, the levels of ferulate phytosterol esters in the oil ranged from 0.047 to 0.839 wt %, the levels of free phytosterols in the oil ranged from 0.54 to 1.28 wt %, the levels of phytosterol fatty acyl esters in the oil ranged from 0.76 to 3.09 wt %, the levels of total phytosterols in the oil ranged from 1.40 to 4.38 wt %, and the levels of gamma-tocopherol in the oil ranged from 0.023 to 0.127 wt %. In general, higher levels of all three phytosterol classes were observed in seed oils from accessions of Zea mays ssp. mays than in seed oils from accessions of the other taxonomic groups. The highest levels of gamma-tocopherol were observed in teosinte accessions.     

Oxytetracycline residues in giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii)

The distribution of oxytetracycline (OTC) in male and female Macrobrachium rosenbergii was examined after the prawns had been given medicated feed containing OTC at levels of 2.5 and 5.0 g/kg of feed for 1 week and nonmedicated feed thereafter. OTC levels in the heads of both male and female prawns were consistently higher than in the muscles. Batches of both male and female prawns treated with higher dosages had significantly higher OTC residues in both head and muscle tissues than the batches treated with lower dosages. During treatment, peak concentrations in the head and muscle from each group were reached within 4-6 days. After drug treatment ceased, 13 days for the head and 10 days for the muscle were required to reduce OTC residues to safe levels in all batches of both sexes and dosages. In practice, to account for variations in water temperature, drug dosage, duration of therapy, and other environmental conditions, a withdrawal period of 21 days is recommended.