Neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis: clinical and morphologic findings in nine affected Polish Owczarek Nizinny (PON) dogs

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical and morphologic features of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCL) in the Polish Owczarek Nizinny (PON) breed of dog. ANIMALS: Nine Swedish PON dogs of both sexes were included in the study. PROCEDURE: All dogs underwent a detailed clinical evaluation, with emphasis on ophthalmic exams. Histopathology and electron microscopy were performed on the eyes, brain and various internal organs. Immunohistochemical staining for detection of sphingolipid activator proteins (SAPs) and mitochondrial ATP synthase (SCMAS) was performed on the eyes and brain. RESULTS: The dogs showed behavioral abnormalities, motor disturbances and visual impairment or blindness. Pupillary responses were abnormal while fundus changes varied from normal to severe retinal atrophy. Electroretinography (ERG) showed variable changes, from slight alterations in the process of dark adaptation to severely reduced or nonrecordable ERG a- and b-wave amplitudes. Histopathology revealed intracytoplasmic storage bodies within neurons of the brain and in retinal cells, especially the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Round to oval granular type of inclusion bodies, known as granular osmiophilic dense deposits (GRODS), were found in neuronal cells in the brain and in the retina. Immunohistochemistry identified the storage material in the brain and retina as consisting of SAPs. CONCLUSION: The presently described NCL disease in PON dogs shows similarities to previously recorded cases in the Miniature Schnauzer. The closest human equivalent to this disease is infantile NCL (CLN1), in which the major stored proteins are SAPs and the ultrastructure of the inclusion bodies of neuronal cells is granular.     

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.     

Demonstrating freedom from disease using multiple complex data sources 2: case study--classical swine fever in Denmark

A method for quantitative evaluation of surveillance for disease freedom has been presented in the accompanying paper (Martin et al., 2007). This paper presents an application of the methods, using as an example surveillance for classical swine fever (CSF) in Denmark in 2005. A scenario tree model is presented for the abattoir-based serology component of the Danish CSF surveillance system, in which blood samples are collected in an ad hoc abattoir sampling process, from adult pigs originating in breeding herds in Denmark. The model incorporates effects of targeting (differential risk of seropositivity) associated with age and location (county), and disease clustering within herds. A surveillance time period of one month was used in the analysis. Records for the year 2005 were analysed, representing 25,332 samples from 3528 herds; all were negative for CSF-specific antibodies. Design prevalences of 0.1-1% of herds and 5% of animals within an infected herd were used. The estimated mean surveillance system component (SSC) sensitivities (probability that the SSC would give a positive outcome given the animals processed and that the country is infected at the design prevalences) per month were 0.18, 0.63 and 0.86, for among-herd design prevalences of 0.001, 0.005 and 0.01. The probabilities that the population was free from CSF at each of these design prevalences, after a year of accumulated negative surveillance data, were 0.91, 1.00 and 1.00. Targeting adults and herds from South Jutland was estimated to give approximately 1.9, 1.6 and 1.4 times the surveillance sensitivity of a proportionally representative sampling program for these three among-herd design prevalences.     

Paratuberculosis, a notifiable disease in Austria--current status, compulsory measures and first experiences

Paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) is one of the most important diseases in ruminants today. Its contribution is worldwide and the disease is causing severe financial losses among cattle producers in some countries [Hasanova, L., Pavlik, I., 2006. Economic impact of paratuberculosis in dairy cattle herds: a review. Vet. Med.-Czech. 51, 193–211]. Paratuberculosis is untreatable; diagnosis limited to the early stages of the infection and control of the disease is difficult. The prevalence of serologically positive Austrian cattle farms rose significantly to 19.0% during the past years [Baumgartner, W., Damoser, J., Khol, J.L., 2005. Comparison of two studies concerning the prevalence of bovine paratuberculosis (Johne's disease) in Austrian cattle in the years 1995–1997 and 2002/2003 (Article in German with extended English summary). Vet. Med. Austria/Wien. Tierärztl. Mschr. 92, 274–277]. Based on these findings clinical paratuberculosis in ruminants was declared a notifiable disease in Austria in April 2006.

A survey of the current situation in Austria, the most important parts of the new compulsory measures and their practical implementation and impacts are presented in this short communication.     

不同杀菌剂对当归主要病害的防效及经济效益比较

针对甘肃当归病害逐年加重态势, 采用田间随机区组试验, 分析比较70%噁霉灵WP?50%氯溴异氰尿酸WP和80%代森锰锌WP对当归主要病害防效及经济效益, 以期筛选出最佳防控药剂?结果表明:3种杀菌剂均能不同程度防治当归病害, 其中以50%氯溴异氰尿酸WP 1.86 g/L对褐斑病?麻口病防效最佳, 分别为70.38%~78.75%?84.48%~91.04%, 70%噁霉灵WP 0.34 g/L和80%代森锰锌WP 7.92 g/L次之, 对褐斑病防效分别为59.14%~63.72%?58.14%~62.84%, 对麻口病防效分别为78.61%~83.57%?78.97%~83.57%?50%氯溴异氰尿酸WP 1.86 g/L能很好地抑制当归抽薹, 抑制率达58.63%~63.15%?3种杀菌剂均能明显提高当归药材产量构成因子, 以80%代森锰锌WP 7.92 g/L处理增产增收效果最好, 两年平均增产量高达5 559.91 kg/hm2, 平均经济效益为194 136.65元/hm2, 但投入产出比最低, 为1∶480.63?50%氯溴异氰尿酸WP 1.86 g/L对当归病害防效及抽薹抑制率最高, 投入产出比为1∶634.02, 在此基础上综合考虑病害防效和经济效益, 50%氯溴异氰尿酸WP 1.86 g/L可作为生产上防控当归主要病害的主推药剂?     

新城疫病毒La Sota株HN基因的克隆与序列分析

旨在从分子生物学角度进一步研究新城疫病毒La Sota株HN基因,探究NDV La Sota HN基因的遗传变异情况。研究以试验室冻存的p NDV-HN为模版,根据Gen Bank中登录的NDV La Sota株序列设计引物扩增HN基因,将其克隆到pMD18-T载体后进行鉴定,对鉴定正确的重组质粒p MD-NDV-HN进行测序分析。应用生物信息学软件对新城疫病毒Lasota株HN基因进行系统进化树分析、氨基酸序列同源性分析、糖基化位点、蛋白结构跨膜区分析及磷酸化位点预测分析。核苷酸序列测定结果表明:HN基因的序列长度为1743bp,该基因的开放阅读框(Open Reading Frame,ORF)总长为1716 bp,编码571个氨基酸。生物信息学表明:试验获得的HN基因具有6个潜在糖基化位点及12个半胱氨酸残基,第5个潜在糖基化位点(508-510 aa)发生缺失及第123位半胱氨酸残基被色氨酸残基取代。La Sota株HN基因编码的蛋白质中有29个丝氨酸、10个酪氨酸和16个苏氨酸可能成为蛋白激酶磷酸化位点。将试验获得的La Sota株HN基因序列和推导的氨基酸序列与新城疫毒株的HN基因相应序列比较后发现,它们的核苷酸序列同源性和氨基酸序列同源性最高均可达到99%,表明HN基因在种属间具有较高的保守性。研究为新城疫病毒的分子病毒学研究奠定了基础。     

小麦品种贵农21,贵农22抗病性研究

采用温室苗期测定和成株期人工诱发接种鉴定方法研究了簇毛麦——硬粒小麦杂种后代贵农21、22的抗病性。苗期抗性测定表明,贵农21、22对国外15个小麦条锈菌生理小种表现为免疫至近免疫反应,仅对具有毒性基因Yr10的菌系82E16表现出中度感病,对供试的国内14个主要条锈菌菌系呈观免疫至近免疫反应。田间成株期抗性试验结果显示,贵农21、22对小麦条锈病、白粉病免疫,高抗秆锈病,中抗叶锈病。小麦品种贵农21、22可作为抗病资源和生产品种加以推广应用。     

河北省利用秸秆发电的现状研究

随着世界经济的发展,资源的短缺和环境的恶化成为各国关注的目标,同时解决这两个问题的一个有效方法是利用秸秆发电.河北省结合本地区经济发展情况和秸秆产出量与利用情况,首先在晋州市建立了秸秆发电厂.为此,阐述了秸秆发电的工作原理及其工作流程,分析了该地区建厂的可行性,进行了投资回收期和收益率的分析.最后得出了在晋州建立秸秆发电厂的可行性结论,为今后我国在各个地区建立秸秆发电厂提供了可靠的理论和数据依据.