Transient hyperammonemia due to urea cycle enzyme deficiency in Irish wolfhounds

BACKGROUND: Irish Wolfhounds frequently have a congenital portosystemic shunt, but a considerable proportion of the 6- to 8-wk-old pups has hyperammonemia in the absence of portosystemic shunting. This hyperammonemia causes no signs and is transient, normalizing at the age of 3-4 months. HYPOTHESIS: Transient hyperammonemia has a metabolic basis in Irish Wolfhounds. ANIMALS: Two related (same sire) litters of Irish Wolfhounds (17 pups) and their parents were studied. METHODS: Integrity of the portal circulation was examined by ultrasonography and scintigraphy. Absence of parenchymal liver disease was verified by liver biopsy. Amino acid profiles were measured in 4 pups and repeated in 2 of these pups when ammonia concentrations had normalized. The amino acid profiles were compared with those of healthy Irish Wolfhound pups. RESULTS: Fasting venous ammonia concentrations were high (113-622 microg/dL, 65-345 micromol/L) in all pups, whereas bile acids were within reference range in all but 1. The ammonia and bile acid concentrations from all parents were within reference range. Portosystemic shunting was excluded in all but 1 pup. Liver biopsy excluded significant lesions in all 10 pups examined. Hypercitrullinemia was found and persisted even when ammonia had normalized, at the expense of an increase in glutamine and asparagine. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: Citrulline concentrations are controlled by the urea cycle enzymes argininosuccinase and argininosuccinate synthetase, and a defect in either of these enzymes may be responsible for the transient hyperammonemia in Irish Wolfhounds. Resolution of the hyperammonemia is associated with increased activity of alternative metabolic pathways forming glutamine and asparagine. Confirmation requires measurement of enzyme activities in liver tissue.     

Day-to-Day variation of the urine protein: creatinine ratio in female dogs with stable glomerular proteinuria caused by X-linked hereditary nephropathy

BACKGROUND: Interpretation of serial urine protein:creatinine (UPC) values is confounded by a lack of data regarding random biologic variation of UPC values in dogs with stable glomerular proteinuria. HYPOTHESIS: That there is minimal day-to-day variability in the UPC of dogs with unchanging proteinuria and the number of measurements needed to reliably estimate UPC varies with the magnitude of proteinuria. ANIMALS: Forty-eight heterozygous (carrier) female dogs with X-linked hereditary nephropathy (XLHN) causing stable proteinuria. METHODS: Urine samples were obtained daily by cystocentesis for 3 consecutive days on 183 occasions (549 samples). The UPC was measured for each sample with a single dry-film chemistry auto-analyzer. Data were analyzed retrospectively by a power of the mean model because the variance of UPC values within the 3-day evaluation periods increased as the magnitude of proteinuria increased. RESULTS: To demonstrate a significant difference (P < .05) between serial values in these proteinuric dogs, the UPC must change by at least 35% at high UPC values (near 12) and 80% at low UPC values (near 0.5). One measurement is adequate to reliably estimate the UPC when UPC <4, but 2-5 determinations are necessary at higher UPC values. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: These guidelines for interpretation of serial UPC values in female dogs with XLHN may also be helpful for interpretation of UPC values in dogs with other glomerulopathies.     

Plethysmographic comparison of breathing pattern in heaves (recurrent airway obstruction) versus experimental bronchoconstriction or hyperpnea in horses

BACKGROUND: Horses with recurrent airway obstruction (heaves) are described as exhibiting "increased abdominal effort," but it is unknown whether this translates to an effective contribution to ventilation. HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that heaves is characterized by asynchrony between rib cage and abdominal motions, and that the abdominal component is the major contributor to ventilation. ANIMALS: The rib cage versus abdominal motion in naturally occurring heaves (n = 15) was compared to controls at rest (n = 7) and during hyperpnea because of lobeline treatment, and the effects of histamine-induced bronchoconstriction in controls (n = 10). METHODS: Flow patterns, phase angle (theta) between the rib and abdominal compartments, abdominal (Vabd) contribution to tidal volume (VT), and lung mechanics were measured. RESULTS: Findings unique to the heaves group included the loss of biphasic expiratory flow, severely increased theta with the abdomen consistently lagging behind the rib cage, and a reduced contribution of the abdomen to ventilation. A subgroup of heaves (n = 5) with abdominal paradox showed a significant (P < .05) reduction in tidal volume, and increased respiratory rate. Bronchodilation reduced theta in heaves (P = .06), but theta remained significantly higher after bronchodilation than found in controls. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: We conclude that breathing pattern in horses with heaves is characterized by severe rib cage/abdominal asynchrony, with the rib cage motion in synchrony with flow, therefore dominating ventilation. In a subset of heaves, the abdominal compartment (diaphragm, abdominal muscles) was completely out of synchrony with flow ("abdominal paradox") despite the clinical appearance of "increased abdominal effort."     

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.     

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。     

野生老芒麦种质资源鉴定与基部叶鞘绒毛变异分析

为更好地利用老芒麦(Elymus sibiricus L.)野生资源,本研究从我国青藏高原、西北、华北、东北地区以及国外部分地区共采集了1 723份野生披碱草属种质资源,通过表型特征观测和流式细胞仪检测,共鉴定出了990份野生老芒麦种质,246份垂穗披碱草种质,并测得老芒麦的DNA含量在5.86～7.30 Gb之间,平均DNA含量为6.66 Gb;垂穗披碱草材料的DNA含量在9.50～10.36 Gb之间,平均DNA含量为9.97 Gb。研究结果显示,在西北、华北以及东北地区的部分野生老芒麦材料在苗期基部叶鞘出现了绒毛,分析发现该表型出现的概率与经度和纬度呈极显著正相关关系(P<0.01),与海拔、年年均气温以及年平均降雨量呈极显著负相关关系(P<0.01)。表明老芒麦苗期基部叶鞘绒毛的有无与环境因子之间存在着必然的联系,可能是老芒麦种质应对不同环境类型的适应性机制之一。本研究为老芒麦的形态鉴定提供了新的依据,为老芒麦种质资源挖掘和育种应用提供了材料基础。     

基于ISSR分子标记的紫云英种质资源遗传多样性及结构分析

紫云英(Astragalus sinicus L.)是我国重要的稻田绿肥作物,为揭示不同地区种质资源遗传特征,本研究利用ISSR分子标记对77份紫云英种质资源进行了遗传多样性及结构分析。研究发现,77份供试紫云英种质资源遗传相似性系数为0.567 7～0.868 6,可划分为6个聚类。不同地区群体间分化系数为0.136 3,达到极显著水平(P<0.001),其中种群间变异占比13.9%,种群内变异占比86.1%。不同ISSR引物扩增信息鉴别紫云英资源的能力存在差异,构建了以P809第3,8,9,10,12,15扩增位点以及P886第1,3,5,9,10,11扩增位点为特征的指纹图谱,能有效区分77份供试紫云英资源。以资源所在省份为单元进行群体分析,供试紫云英资源遗传结构呈现分化特征,河南-安徽-江苏-上海资源遗传结构相似,构成北方亚群;四川-广西-湖南-江西资源相似,构成西南方亚群;福建种质资源则呈现混合型特征。本研究结果可为我国紫云英种质资源的科学利用及新品种选育提供依据。     

Prevalence of incidental humeral intracondylar fissures in brachycephalic breed dogs in CT studies

Humeral intracondylar fissures (HIF) have been predominantly reported in spaniel breeds and proposed to be possible risk factors for humeral condyle fractures (HCF). We hypothesized that the prevalence of incidental HIF in French Bulldogs may be greater than that of other brachycephalic breeds. A retrospective, observational, prevalence study was performed using CT examinations of French bulldogs and other brachycephalic breed dogs presenting for an unrelated condition. Two European College of Veterinary Diagnostic and Imaging-certified radiologists reviewed the images of the humeral condyles of these dogs. A classification system was devised to grade the findings. We considered a Score 1 to be normal, Score 2 to have centralised sclerosis, Score 3 to have a partial fissure and Score 4 to have a complete fissure. A total of 228 elbows were reviewed from 122 dogs. Of this population, 145 elbows were from French Bulldogs, 54 were from Pugs, and the remainder were from a mix of other brachycephalic breeds. The prevalence of HIF (score 3 or 4) in elbows of the French bulldog, pug and other breed groups was 6.9% (CI 2.8–11%), 5.6% (CI 0–11.7%), and 3.4% (CI 0–10.15%), respectively. At a dog level, the prevalence of HIF (score 3 or 4 present in at least one elbow) was found to be 11.8% (CI 4.6–19%) in French Bulldogs, 11.1% (CI 0–22.9%) in Pugs, and 5.26% (CI 0–15%) in the other breed group. There was no significant difference between the breed groups. The inter-reviewer reliability for CT scoring of HIF based on Cohen's weighted kappa was low at 0.19.