Retrospective Evaluation of the Effect of Heart Rate on Survival in Dogs with Atrial Fibrillation

Background

Atrial fibrillation (AF) usually is associated with a rapid ventricular rate. The optimal heart rate (HR) during AF is unknown.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Heart rate affects survival in dogs with chronic AF.

Animals

Forty‐six dogs with AF and 24‐hour ambulatory recordings were evaluated.

Methods

Retrospective study. Holter‐derived HR variables were analyzed as follows: mean HR (meanHR, 24‐hour average), minimum HR (minHR, 1‐minute average), maximum HR (maxHR, 1‐minute average). Survival times were recorded from the time of presumed adequate rate control. The primary endpoint was all‐cause mortality. Cox proportional hazards analysis identified variables independently associated with survival; Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis estimated the median survival time of dogs with meanHR <125 bpm versus ≥125 bpm.

Results

All 46 dogs had structural heart disease; 31 of 46 had congestive heart failure (CHF), 44 of 46 received antiarrhythmic drugs. Of 15 dogs with cardiac death, 14 had CHF. Median time to all‐cause death was 524 days (Interquartile range (IQR), 76–1,037 days). MeanHR was 125 bpm (range, 62–203 bpm), minHR was 82 bpm (range, 37–163 bpm), maxHR was 217 bpm (range, 126–307 bpm). These were significantly correlated with all‐cause and cardiac‐related mortality. For every 10 bpm increase in meanHR, the risk of all‐cause mortality increased by 35% (hazard ratio, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.17–1.55; P < 0.001). Median survival time of dogs with meanHR<125 bpm (n = 23) was significantly longer (1,037 days; range, 524‐open) than meanHR ≥125 bpm (n = 23; 105 days; range, 67–267 days; P = 0.0012). Mean HR was independently associated with all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality (P < 0.003).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Holter‐derived meanHR affects survival in dogs with AF. Dogs with meanHR <125 bpm lived longer than those with meanHR ≥ 125 bpm.     

Familial Congenital Methemoglobinemia in Pomeranian Dogs Caused by a Missense Variant in the NADH‐Cytochrome B5 Reductase Gene

Background

In veterinary medicine, congenital methemoglobinemia associated with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH)‐cytochrome b5 reductase (b5R) deficiency is rare. It has been reported in several breeds of dogs, but little information is available about its etiology.

Objectives

To analyze the NADH‐cytochrome b5 reductase gene, CYB5R3, in a Pomeranian dog family with methemoglobinemia suspected to be caused by congenital b5R deficiency.

Animals

Three Pomeranian dogs from a family with methemoglobinemia were analyzed. Five healthy beagles and 5 nonrelated Pomeranian dogs without methemoglobinemia were used as controls.

Methods

Methemoglobin concentration, b5R activity, and reduced glutathione (GSH) concentration were measured, and a turbidity index was used to evaluate Heinz body formation. The CYB5R3 genes of the affected dog and healthy dogs were analyzed by direct sequencing.

Results

Methemoglobin concentrations in erythrocytes of the affected dogs were remarkably higher than those of the control dogs. The b5R activity of the affected dogs was notably lower than that of the control dogs. DNA sequencing indicated that this Pomeranian family carried a CYB5R3 gene missense variant (ATC→CTC at codon 194) that resulted in the replacement of isoleucine (Ile) by leucine (Leu).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

This dog family had familial congenital methemoglobinemia caused by b5R deficiency, which resulted from a nonsynonymous variant in the CYB5R3 gene. This variation (c.580A>C) led to an amino acid substitution (p.Ile194Leu), and Ile194 was located in the proximal region of the NADH‐binding motif. Our data suggested that this variant in the canine CYB5R3 gene would affect function of the b5R in erythrocytes.     

乙烯对匍匐翦股颖ISR抗病反应中AsA-GSH循环及胼胝质沉积的影响

以匍匐翦股颖品种“Penn-A4”为试验材料,侵染立枯丝核菌后,经丁二醇(BDO)诱导产生系统抗性(ISR),喷施不同浓度的乙烯合成抑制剂氯化钴(CoCl₂)和促进剂1-氨基环丙烷羧酸(ACC)后,检测抗坏血酸-谷胱甘肽(AsA-GSH)循环中抗坏血酸(AsA)和还原型谷胱甘肽(GSH)含量及相关酶活性的变化,并观察匍匐翦股颖ISR反应中胼胝质沉积的变化。结果表明,乙烯抑制剂处理下,匍匐翦股颖幼苗中AsA含量较低,抗坏血酸过氧化物酶(APX)活性下降,大量GSH被催化还原为氧化型谷胱甘肽(GSSG),GSSG大量积累,同时谷胱甘肽还原酶(GR)活性较低,GSSG经GR少量还原为GSH。乙烯促进剂处理下,AsA含量较高,APX活性升高,GSSG在高活性GR作用下催化还原为GSH,使得GSH大量积累。因此在匍匐翦股颖ISR抗病反应中,高浓度乙烯促进AsA和GSH的大量积累,它们不仅参与了活性氧的代谢平衡,同时也作为信号分子在ISR抗病反应中起着重要作用。匍匐翦股颖感染褐斑病后,胼胝质主要沉积在厚壁细胞、韧皮部、木质部和表皮组织,其中厚壁细胞胼胝质沉积最多,表皮组织沉积最少。此外,胼胝质沉积面积在不同乙烯信号分子处理间存在差异,但随着处理时间的延长差异不显著。一定浓度的乙烯对ISR反应中胼胝质的沉积具有一定的影响,随着处理时间的延长显著增加,在100 μmol·L^-1ACC处理5 d后,胼胝质沉积总面积仅为9.916 mm²,处理10 d后升至最高,为38.396 mm²,但在病害侵染后期,胼胝质数量减少,在100 μmol·L^-1ACC处理15 d后,胼胝质沉积总面积降至20.052 mm²,反映了乙烯信号分子对胼胝质沉积的影响是一种短期效应,短期内可提高匍匐翦股颖植株抗病性,具有信号分子的短时效特点。研究结果为探清匍匐翦股颖ISR抗病响应中ET信号分子如何调控抗病生理特性提供了理论基础。     

耕作方式和秸秆覆盖对旱地麦豆轮作下小麦籽粒产量、蛋白质含量和土壤硝态氮残留的影响

为明确耕作方式和秸秆覆盖对旱地麦豆轮作下小麦籽粒产量、蛋白质含量和土壤硝态氮残留的影响,2014年10月-2016年6月,利用设置在豫西典型旱作区的麦豆轮作栽培模式长期定位试验,选取传统翻耕、翻耕覆盖、旋耕和旋耕覆盖4个处理,比较了小麦氮素吸收利用、籽粒产量、蛋白质含量以及土壤硝态氮残留量。结果表明,与翻耕相比,旋耕不影响小麦产量,但花后氮素积累量、籽粒蛋白质含量和蛋白质产量分别降低60.0%、8.6%和13.0%,而成熟期0~200 cm土层硝态氮残留量显著提高28.6%。同一耕作方式下,秸秆覆盖较无覆盖不仅显著提高了穗数、穗粒数、千粒重和收获指数,还提高了拔节前和开花后的氮素积累量,促进了营养器官氮素向籽粒中转运,从而使翻耕覆盖的籽粒产量、氮素吸收效率、籽粒蛋白质含量和蛋白质产量较翻耕分别提高11.5%、13.5%、7.4%和21.3%,旋耕覆盖较旋耕也分别提高23.0%、39.5%、12.8%和38.5%。在试验进行7年后的小麦成熟期,翻耕覆盖0~200 cm土层硝态氮残留量较翻耕降低31.3%,旋耕覆盖较旋耕也降低51.4%。因此,秸秆覆盖不仅可提高旱地麦豆轮作下小麦产量、蛋白质含量和氮素吸收效率,还能降低土壤硝态氮的残留量,是兼顾旱地小麦高产优质和环境友好生产的有效途径,尤其以旋耕覆盖效果突出。     

Immunohistochemical differentiation of reactive from malignant mesothelium as a diagnostic aid in canine pericardial disease

Objectives

To develop a provisional immunohistochemistry panel for distinguishing reactive pericardium, atypical mesothelial proliferation and mesothelioma in dogs.

Materials and Methods

Archived pericardial biopsies were subject to haematoxylin and eosin staining, immunohistochemistry for cytokeratin, vimentin, insulin‐like growth factor II mRNA‐binding protein 3, glucose transporter 1 and desmin. Samples were scored for intensity and number of cells stained.

Results

Ten biopsies of reactive mesothelium, 17 of atypical mesothelial proliferation, 26 of mesothelioma and five of normal pericardium were identified on the basis of haematoxylin and eosin staining. Cytokeratin and vimentin were expressed in all biopsies, confirming mesothelial origin. Normal pericardial samples had the lowest scores for insulin‐like growth factor II mRNA‐binding protein 3, glucose transporter 1 and desmin. Mesothelioma and atypical proliferative samples were similar to each other, with higher scores for insulin‐like growth factor II mRNA‐binding protein 3 and glucose transporter 1 than the reactive samples. Desmin staining was variable. Insulin‐like growth factor II mRNA‐binding protein 3 was the best to distinguish between disease groups.

Clinical Significance

An immunohistochemistry panel of cytokeratin, vimentin, insulin‐like growth factor II mRNA‐binding protein 3 and glucose transporter 1 could provide superior information compared with haematoxylin and eosin staining alone in the diagnosis of cases of mesothelial proliferation in canine pericardium, but further validation is warranted.     

The influence of rapid growth on sodium salicylate pharmacokinetics in male turkeys

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of growth on the pharmacokinetics of sodium salicylate (SS) in male turkeys. SS was administered intravenously at a dose of 50 mg/kg. Plasma drug concentrations were assessed by high‐performance liquid chromatography, and pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by noncompartmental analysis. As the age increased from 6 to 13 weeks (body weight increase from 2.35 to 9.43 kg), median body clearance decreased from 1.34 to 0.87 ml/min/kg. This caused a significant increase in the median mean residence time from 3.42 to 4.44 hr. Elimination phase proved to be biphasic and two elimination half‐lives (T_1/2el) were distinguished. Whereas T_1/2el1 was found to increase with age by 128%, T_1/2el2 represented a later but faster and less age‐dependent phase of elimination (increase by 56% in the respective groups). Volume of distribution decreased with age. These effects may lead to different therapeutic response to SS in turkeys of different age and body weights.