Carvedilol in dogs with dilated cardiomyopathy

BACKGROUND: Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by reduced systolic function, heightened sympathetic tone, and high morbidity and mortality. Little is known regarding the safety and efficacy of beta-blocker treatment in dogs with DCM. HYPOTHESIS: Carvedilol improves echocardiographic and neurohormonal variables in dogs with DCM over a 4-month treatment period. METHODS: Prospective, placebo-controlled, double-blinded randomized study. Dogs with DCM underwent echocardiography, ECG, thoracic radiographs, and neurohormonal profiling, followed by titration onto carvedilol (0.3 mg/kg q12h) or placebo over a 4-week period and subsequently received 3 months of therapy. Primary study endpoints included left ventricular volume and function. RESULTS: Sixteen dogs received carvedilol and 7 received placebo. At study end, 13 carvedilol dogs and 5 placebo dogs were alive. There was no difference in the mean percentage change in left ventricular volume at end-diastole (LVVd), left ventricular end-systolic volume (LVVs), and ejection fraction (EF) between treatment groups, suggesting that both groups experienced similar amounts of disease progression. Carvedilol treatment did not result in significant changes in neurohormonal activation, radiographic heart size, heart rate, or owner perceived quality-of-life. Baseline B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) predicted dogs in the carvedilol-treated group that maintained or improved their EF over the study duration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Carvedilol administration did not improve echocardiographic or neurohormonal indicators of heart function. The lack of effect may be related to severity of disease, carvedilol dose, or brevity of follow-up time. Statistical power of the present study was adversely affected by a high fatality rate in study dogs and small sample size.     

北方农牧交错带土地利用结构的线性规划——以定西县为例

探讨了用线性规划方法优化土地利用结构,并以北方农牧交错带定西县土地利用结构的经济效益作为目标函数,以人口和自然条件作为约束条件,进行优化分析,规划结果为定西县土地利用结构由2005年的农、林、草面积比例54:10:36调整为30:13:57.     

白三叶对黑麦草、弯叶画眉草的化感作用初探

针对白三叶Trifolium repens与黑麦草Lotium perenne、弯叶画眉草Eragrostis curvula混播时导致后2种植物数量减少甚至消失的现象,通过白三叶的根部、地上部和植株水提液对黑麦草和弯叶画眉草种子进行发芽实验,以及白三叶与黑麦草、白三叶与弯叶画眉草种子混播进行实验,研究表明:白三叶(幼苗、2年生植株根及茎叶)的水提取液在原液以及稀释20倍时对受体植物的胚根和胚芽的生长均产生明显的抑制作用,而在100倍稀释液时表现出一定的促进作用;白三叶与黑麦草及白三叶与弯叶画眉草种子混播实验,表明5∶1的比例为最佳混播比例.     

安徽药用牡丹炭疽病病原菌鉴定

<正>牡丹(Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.)是芍药科植物,为多年生落叶灌木,具有很高的观赏和药用价值。因其风姿华丽、色彩艳丽、品种繁多、深受大家喜爱,是中国传统名花和世界著名花卉之一。其根皮也被称为丹皮,具有抗炎、抑制血小板、止痛、清热等作用,是六味地黄丸等著名中成药的主要配方,也是饮片中的常用品[1-2]。近年来,随着牡丹种植面积的不断扩大,造成牡丹病害的大面积发生,已给牡丹生产带来严重影响。     

Evaluation of finger weeder safety and efficacy for intra-row weed removal in irrigated field crops

Increased demand for pesticide-free food and the development of herbicide-resistant weed populations have created a need for non-chemical weed-control tools. A candidate mechanical tool for controlling weeds in the seeding line (intra-row zone) is the finger weeder. This study thus aimed to evaluate the safety and weed-control efficacy of the finger weeder in various irrigated field crops. Eight field trials were conducted in processing tomato, sweet corn, sunflower, cotton, and beetroot over 2 years. The finger weeder treatments were applied as the sole weed-control method (single or double treatments) and in combination with herbicides. A mini meta-analysis was used to evaluate the overall effect of the finger weeder treatments on crop stand and yield and on weed control efficacy. Weed density in the control not treated with herbicides nor a finger weeder ranged between 2 and 62 weeds m⁻². The finger weeder treatments resulted in a significant reduction in weed density, which ranged between 40% and 90%. The weed density following the double finger weeder treatment was not significantly different from that for the conventional herbicide-based treatment (p = 0.32) and could therefore be considered as an effective environmentally friendly alternative. Furthermore, a single FW treatment integrated with herbicide application gave better weed control than the conventional herbicide treatment (p = 0.04). This treatment was safe for the crops with no significant stand (p = 0.19) or yield (p = 0.29) reductions compared to commercial treatment. The results of this study demonstrate the promise of the finger weeder as an effective tool within integrated weed management systems for conventional agro-systems. The tool offers a rational weed-control solution for sustainable systems under irrigation.     

我国松毛虫发生率的空间分布格局及其驱动因子

了解我国松毛虫发生的空间分布格局及其驱动因子, 对松毛虫暴发的预防?控制和治理具有重要意义?本研究基于我国各行政区2004年-2012年间每年松毛虫发生面积及其寄主植物面积, 使用一般线性模型分析气候因子是否以及如何驱动我国松毛虫发生的空间分布格局?结果表明:在全国尺度上, 最暖季降水量是松毛虫发生的主要气候驱动因子, 松毛虫平均发生率与最暖季降水量显著正相关?在最暖季降水量的作用下, 我国松毛虫的发生呈现明显的空间分布格局, 最暖季降水量较高的南方和北方部分地区松毛虫发生率较高, 而降水量较低的西北和青藏地区松毛虫发生率较低?我们的研究结果可为松毛虫暴发的预防和管理工作提供指导?     

欧盟、美国和日本加工农产品中农药残留评估现状

本文介绍了欧盟、美国和日本评估加工农产品中农药残留的数据要求和试验准则,以及开展膳食摄入风险评估和推荐农药最大残留限量(MRL)的方法,汇总了用于农药残留评估的加工农产品及其分类,分析了加工农产品中农药MRL制定现状,为进一步提高我国相关领域技术提供借鉴。比较分析结果表明,欧盟和美国在农药登记资料要求中明确提出了加工试验数据要求并且制定了相应的试验准则,美国在试验准则中描述了加工农产品中农药MRL的推荐原则;美国和日本制定了一定数量的加工农产品中农药MRL,欧盟建立了适用于监管农药MRL的加工因子数据库;欧盟、美国和日本均在相关法规中规定了加工农产品中农药残留的合规性判定。     

县域耕地土壤养分时空变异特征研究

土壤养分空间变异研究是精准农业实施的前提,对提高粮食作物单位面积产量和保护农业生态环境具有重要作用。为掌握陕西渭北旱塬区土壤养分时空变异规律,综合空间自相关和重心模型,分析1980—2007年、2007—2017年白水县耕地土壤有机质(SOM)、速效磷(AP)和速效钾(AK)的时空变异特征。结果表明：(1)研究区土壤SOM的平均含量分别增加了1.29、3.22 g·kg^-1,AP的平均含量分别增加了6.89、24.45 mg·kg^-1,仅有AK的平均含量呈现出先减少后增加的趋势。(2)三期耕地土壤养分的变异系数范围为30.2%～90.8%,属于中等变异。1980—2017年,耕地土壤SOM、AP和AK的全局Moran’s I指数均降低,空间结构性减弱,随机因素作用增强。(3)土壤SOM、AP和AK含量均有不同程度的增加,土壤SOM含量总体呈北低南高分布,土壤AP、AK含量分布情况较为一致,呈东高西低。(4)土壤SOM含量重心在东南方向发生偏移,AP、AK含量重心在东北方向发生偏移。土壤养分标准差椭圆空间分布格局同研究区分布方向一致,转角呈现“...     

Efficiency of inorganic fungicides against the formation of Erysiphe necator chasmothecia in vineyards

BACKGROUND

A reduction in chasmothecia, an important inoculum of grape powdery mildew (Erysiphe necator Schwein.), is essential for disease control in vineyards; the use of fungicides during the formation of chasmothecia on vine leaves, late in the growing season, may accomplish this. Inorganic fungicides, such as sulphur, copper, and potassium bicarbonate, are very useful for this purpose because of their multisite mode of action. The aim of this study was to evaluate chasmothecia reduction using different fungicide applications late in the growing season in commercially managed vineyards and in an exact application trial.

RESULTS

Chasmothecia on vine leaves were reduced in commercial vineyards by four copper (P = 0.01) and five potassium bicarbonate (P = 0.026) applications. The positive effect of potassium bicarbonate was also confirmed in the application trial, where two applications showed lower chasmothecia numbers than the control (P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

The application of inorganic fungicides reduced the amount of chasmothecia as the primary inoculum source. Potassium bicarbonate and copper are of further interest for disease control as these fungicides can be used by organic and conventional wine growers. The application of these fungicides should be carried out as late as possible before harvest to reduce chasmothecia formation and, consequently, the potential for powdery mildew infestation in the subsequent season. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.     

Decoding attraction: Improving vine weevil monitoring by exploiting key sensory cues

BACKGROUND

Monitoring is an integral component of integrated pest management (IPM) programmes used to inform crop management decisions. Vine weevil, Otiorhynchus sulcatus F. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), continues to cause economically significant losses in horticultural crops due to an inability to reliably detect the presence of this species before crop damage occurs. To improve vine weevil monitoring we investigated the behavioural responses of adult vine weevils to visual (monitoring tool shade/colour, height and diameter as well as the effect of monitoring tool and plant density) and olfactory (host plant and conspecifics) cues under glasshouse conditions.

RESULTS

Monitoring tool shade, height and diameter all influenced monitoring tool efficacy, with individuals exhibiting a preference for black, tall and wide monitoring tools. The total number of individuals recorded in monitoring tools increased with monitoring tool density. By contrast, plant density did not influence the number of individuals recorded in monitoring tools. Yew-baited monitoring tools retained a larger number of individuals compared to unbaited ones. Similarly, more vine weevils were recorded in monitoring tools baited with yew and conspecifics than in unbaited monitoring tools or those baited with only yew. Baiting monitoring tools with conspecifics alone did not enhance the number of vine weevils recorded in monitoring tools.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study confirms that visual and olfactory cues influence vine weevil behaviour. This provides information on key factors that influence vine weevil monitoring tool efficacy and can be used to inform the development of a new monitoring tool for this pest. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.