Neuro-imaging the serotonin 2A receptor as a valid biomarker for canine behavioural disorders

The serotonergic system is disturbed in different mood and affective disorders, with especially the serotonin (5-HT) 2A receptor involved in impulsive aggressiveness and anxiety. The aim of the study was to evaluate the involvement of the brain 5-HT 2A receptor in dogs with different behavioural disorders. Three groups of drug naive dogs were studied: 22 dogs showing impulsive aggressive behaviour, 22 showing normal behaviour, and 22 showing anxious behaviour. The serotonin 2A receptor was evaluated with Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) and the serotonin 2A receptor-selective radiopharmaceutical (123)I-R91150. A serotonin 2A receptor binding index (BI), proportional to the cortical receptor density, was calculated. A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to determine cut-off values at which optimal sensitivity and specificity are achieved and to evaluate the general performance of the BI in reflecting the state of the dog, i.e., impulsive aggressive, normal or anxious. Significantly (P<0.0056) altered 5-HT 2A receptor binding indices were found in bilateral frontal, temporal and occipital cortical brain areas of the dogs behaving abnormally, with consistently increased BI in impulsive aggressive dogs and decreased BI in anxious dogs. These results provide clear evidence for a disturbed serotonergic balance in canine impulsive aggression and anxiety disorders. A right frontal cut-off value of ≥1.92 with 86.4% sensitivity and 2.3% (1-specificity) was obtained for the impulsive aggressive dogs. Differentiating the anxious dogs from the rest of the population was possible with a cut-off value of ≤1.73 with 86.4% sensitivity and 18.2% (1-specificity). We conclude that SPECT imaging with the radioligand (123)I-R91150 can be a helpful tool in evaluating the involvement of the serotonin 2A receptor in the complex mechanisms of impulsive aggressive and anxious behaviour. The 5HT-2A binding index of the right frontal cortex appears to be a valid biomarker in differentiating the studied canine behavioural disorders.     

The Impact of Atmospheric Deposition of Non-Acidifying Substances on the Quality of European Forest Soils and the North Sea

In the pilot study ESQUAD the impact of atmospheric deposition of three heavy metals (cadmium, copper and lead) and two persistent organic pollutants (benzo(a)-pyrene and lindane) on the quality of European soils and seawater has been calculated. Calculations have been made of atmospheric transport and deposition using a detailed emissions database for Europe. This enabled deposition maps to be produced to a resolution of approximately 50 km. The distribution of pollutant concentrations in forest soils was calculated for each grid cell using a database of soil property parameters in Europe. For the North Sea, a model was used to map long-term concentrations in water and sediment, which are due to atmospheric deposition and other, non-atmospheric sources. The model calculations allowed detailed comparisons of deposition fluxes and concentrations of the substances studied with critical loads and environmental quality threshold values, including critical loads. Although significant uncertainties were identified, the study gives insight in how threshold exceedance rates in Europe relate to pollutant type, threshold type, environmental compartment and chemophysical phase (adsorbed, dissolved). For all pollutants and for all compartments exceedances were calculated for at least some of the quality thresholds that were chosen.     

Effects of composite antimicrobial peptide on growth performance and health in weaned piglets

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of composite antimicrobial peptide (CAP) on growth performance and health status in weaned piglets. Over 28 days, 36 weaned piglets (body weight, 10.58 ± 0.99 kg) underwent three treatments: negative control (NC, basal diet), positive control (PC, basal diet + 20 mg/kg colistin sulphate + 50 mg/kg kitasamycin), and CAP treatment (CAP, basal diet with 400 mg/kg CAP). Average daily gain of piglets fed the CAP diet was greater (P < 0.05) than that of piglets fed the PC or NC diet during days 1–7, 8–14 and 15–21. Diarrhea rates of piglets fed the CAP or PC diet were lower (P < 0.05) than those of NC‐fed piglets during days 1–7. Apparent total tract digestibility for dry matter and crude ash in CAP‐fed piglets was greater (P < 0.05) than that of NC‐fed piglets. In the CAP group, Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium counts were greater (P < 0.05) and Escherichia coli counts were lower (P < 0.05) than numbers for the NC group. Our results indicate that dietary CAP had beneficial effects on growth performance and health status in weaned piglets.     

Inoculative release strategies of Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur (Hemiptera: Miridae) in tomato crops: population dynamics and dispersal

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - Macrolophus pygmaeus Rambur (Hemiptera: Miridae) is a key biological control agent in greenhouse tomato crops. In the present study, we describe the...     

蛋白质与淀粉对挂面和方便面品质及微观结构的影响

以小麦淀粉、小麦活性面筋粉和标准面粉为原料 ,通过控制各原料比例的方法 ,结合扫描电子显微镜技术 ,观察与分析了不同淀粉与蛋白质含量的混合粉在制作面条和方便面过程中微观结构、加工特性及食用品质的变化情况。结果表明 ,蛋白质和淀粉含量对面条和方便面的品质都有重要影响 ,相对而言 ,蛋白质的作用大于淀粉。只有蛋白质和淀粉间比例及其在面粉中含量处于比较合适的水平时 ,才能制成高品质的挂面和方便面。蛋白质经吸水或变性后形成的网络结构是使面团具有可塑性、熟面条具有弹性和部分韧性、方便面具有良好复水性的主要原因 ;也是束缚淀粉颗粒 ,防止其从面条中失落的主要因素。淀粉通过缓解面筋强度、添补蛋白质网络空隙等途径 ,有增大面团和面带延伸性、改善面带表面光滑性、增加面条白度等作用。     

太湖中大银鱼_太湖新银鱼和寡齿新银鱼群体的遗传结构

利用ＲＡＰＤ技术对太湖中的大银鱼,太湖新银鱼,寡齿新银鱼的遗传结构进行了研究,共在太湖中的６个采样片采到大银鱼和太湖新银鱼样品,在两个采样片得到了寡齿新银鱼的样品。结果表明,太湖中不同水域的三种银鱼没有明显的遗传差异,三种银鱼中,大银鱼的遗传相似性指数显示最大,太湖新银鱼的次之,寡齿新银鱼的最小,说明大银鱼的遗传变异性最小,寡齿新银鱼的最大,太湖新银鱼的遗传变异性界两者之间。     

Host status of cover crops for root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) associated with apple orchards in South Africa

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection - The host response of 17 cover crop cultivars to infection by single-species populations of Pratylenchus hippeastri, Pratylenchus vulnus and Pratylenchus...     

木质素化学改性抑制杨木碱性过氧化氢机械浆返色的研究

中试系统制备了杨木碱性过氧化氢机械浆。分别在水相 /有机溶剂相 /气相等条件下 ,使用乙酐处理杨木化机浆 (原浆及硼氢化钠还原后纸浆 ) ,分别抄造成 60g/m2 纸片 ,测定了不同时间紫外线照射后试样白度。运用返色值 (PCno .)和白度稳定效果 (BSE)等指标评价处理后浆料的光学稳定性。研究结果表明 ,有机溶剂相和气相乙酰化后的纸浆 ,光学稳定性的提高程度取决于乙酐用量和反应时间即乙酰化程度。通过乙酰化 ,可以获取光学完全稳定的杨木化机浆。紫外漫射反射光谱表明 ,杨木APMP机械浆光诱导返色的主要原因是纸浆木质素中羰基和酚羟基团吸收紫外光后变化形成发色结构所致。还原配合纸浆乙酰化处理 ,可能成为防止高得率纸浆返色的工业应用方法