Plasma digoxin concentration in dogs with mitral regurgitation.

Fifteen and eight mature beagles, without (normal group) and with experimental mitral regurgitation (MR group), respectively, were given 0.02 mg/kg/day digoxin powder for 10 days orally. The optimum time for sample collection after administration of digoxin was observed to be 8-18 hr and 10-22 hr in the normal and MR groups, respectively. In both groups, a stable concentration was reached after 3-5 days of treatment. No differences in plasma level were observed between sexes. The optimum concentration of digoxin was attained at an earlier stage than has been previously reported for both dogs and humans.     

Mesh-like vascular changes in copper deficiency-induced rat cardiomyopathy

The pathological effects of copper deficiency (COD) are well known. However, the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy resulting from COD remains unclear. In this study, aimed to elucidate the pathogenesis of COD-induced cardiomyopathy by examining the morphology of the cardiovascular system in copper-deficient rats using histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Changes detected in the myocardium and interstitium were consistent with those reported for COD. Morphological changes included mesh-like changes in the capillary endothelial cells that appear to be a novel finding in COD-induced cardiomyopathy. These changes are hypothesized to result from abnormal vascular remodeling following damage to the basement membrane and due to the mechanical effects of myocardial contractions. Although cardiomyopathy may be associated with microcirculatory disorders arising from these lesions, further investigations are necessary to demonstrate a causal relationship between the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy and the contribution of these lesions to disease progression.     

Quadruple or quintuple conversion of hlb, sak, sea (or sep), scn, and chp genes by bacteriophages in non-beta-hemolysin-producing bovine isolates of Staphylococcus aureus

In 13 of 43 non-beta-hemolysin-producing bovine isolates of Staphylococcus aureus, two truncated beta-hemolysin (hlb) genes were demonstrated by PCR and sequencing, and one truncated hlb gene was located beside the integrase (int) gene of phage origin. The staphylokinase (sak) gene was detected in all 13 isolates in which the truncated hlb genes were detected by PCR. Enterotoxin A (sea) and enterotoxin P (sep) genes were also detected in 5 and 2 of the 13 isolates, respectively. Moreover, the scn and chp genes encoding staphylococcal complement inhibitor (SCIN) and chemotaxis inhibitory protein of S. aureus (CHIPS) were detected in 13 and 4 of the 13 isolates, respectively. The bacteriophage induced by mitomycin C treatment was able to lysogenize one beta-hemolysin-producing isolate of S. aureus, and the sak and scn genes were detected from the lysogenized isolate. These results suggest quadruple or quintuple conversion of hlb, sak, sea (or sep), scn, and chp genes by bacteriophages among non-beta-hemolysin-producing bovine isolates of S. aureus.     

Short-term performance of mitral valve replacement with porcine bioprosthetic valves in dogs

Porcine bioprosthetic valves cross-linked with glutaraldehyde and polyepoxy compound were newly developed for mitral valve replacement (MVR) in dogs. Five beagle dogs were performed a left thoracotomy and underwent MVR using the porcine bioprosthetic valves during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). A vein catheter inserted into right atrium and a vent catheter inserted into the right ventricle to drain. The hemodynamic conditions of CPB were excellent during surgery. The left atrial pressure was measured before and after MVR; there was no significant difference and it was normal. Thrombosis and the prosthetic valve regurgitation were not observed one week after MVR. Pressure half time (PHT) prolonged significantly (P<0.05) from 31.40 +/- 4.0 msec presurgery to 99.20 +/- 19.4 msec at seven days after MVR, although it indicated the normal range as the bioprosthetic valve. The symptom of the prosthetic valve failure was not observed. This study indicated that the MVR using porcine bioprosthetic valves under CPB might have been effective in dogs as a short-term evaluation.     

Mixed cropping with ice plant alleviates the damage and the growth of cowpea under consecutive NaCl treatment and after the recovery from high salinity

We investigated the alleviative effects of mixed cropping using ice plant, which is one of the salt-accumulating halophytes, on the damage and growth inhibition of cowpea, which is not tolerant to high salinity. Three cropping patterns (mono cropping of cowpea and ice plant and their combination) were tested. The plants were treated with 0, 100, 200 and 300 mM NaCl for 14 days (consecutive NaCl). The plants were also treated with NaCl for 3 days, followed by 2 weeks (short-term recovery) and 1 month (long-term recovery) recovery. Salinity levels for short-term recovery were similar to those of the consecutive experiment, while the concentration of long-term recovery was 250 mM. The alleviative effects of mixed cropping in the consecutive NaCl experiment were observed at 200 and 300 mM NaCl. Mixed cropping significantly reduced the Na content in the cowpea leaves at 200 and 300 mM NaCl compared with mono cropping. In addition, the Na content in the soil of mix-cropped cowpea at 200 and 300 mM NaCl was statistically lower than that of the mono cropping. Mixed cropping was effective to recover from high concentration of NaCl in the experiments of short- and long-term recovery. These results indicate that mixed cropping with a halophyte could be effective in mitigating the damage and growth inhibition of a glycophyte not only under salinity but also under recovery periods.     

异色瓢虫两个单倍体基因型的生物学特性比较

势单倍型异色瓢虫生物学特性的差异,在室内条件下以豌豆修尾蚜Megoura japonica（Matsumura）为食物,观察这两个单倍型的幼虫期死亡率和发育历期、雌成虫终身产卵量和卵孵化率等生物学参数。结果表明,单倍型-I和单倍型-Ⅱ的幼虫发育历期差异显著,分别为14.38和13.75 d;单倍型-I在幼虫各龄期的死亡率均低于单倍型-Ⅱ,分别为13.33%和29.20%（1龄）、5.49%和13.75%（2龄）、1.16%和4.35%（3龄）、2.35%和10.61%（4龄）。单倍型-I和单倍型-Ⅱ的成虫终身产卵量无显著差异,分别为936粒和887粒;卵孵化率差异显著,单倍型-I的卵孵化率（64.53%）高于单倍型-Ⅱ（60.99%）。综合来看,异色瓢虫的两个单倍型在自然界存在数量差异的原因可能是其在生殖和发育上的差异造成的。     

秸秆复合有机酿热物对大棚土壤环境的影响

为解决黑龙江省早春大棚土壤温度低及设施土壤环境恶化问题,以‘千禧’番茄为材料,研究秸秆+牛粪(NGH)、秸秆+马粪(MGH)、秸秆+羊粪(YGH)、单一秸秆(JG),以未进行反应堆技术为对照(CK),对早春大棚‘千禧’番茄土壤温度、土壤理化性状、酶活性及微生物群落结构的影响。结果表明,与对照相比,各处理降低了土壤pH,提高了土壤温度、土壤EC、碱解氮、速效钾、有机质含量及土壤蔗糖酶、脲酶、磷酸酶、过氧化氢酶活性。经过秸秆生物反应堆处理的20 cm土层温度有明显的提升,其中秸秆+羊粪处理在反应启动后提升土壤温度效果最好;秸秆+羊粪(YGH)处理提高了土壤速效磷含量,是对照的2倍;秸秆+羊粪(YGH)处理土壤中4种酶活性均处于最高水平,分别比对照提高了91.9%、220%、18.5%、7.3%。各处理微生物多样性指数均显著高于对照,变化规律一致为秸秆+羊粪(YGH)>秸秆+牛粪(NGH)>秸秆+马粪(MGH)>秸秆(JG)>对照(CK);秸秆+羊粪(YGH)及秸秆+牛粪(NGH)处理对糖类、氨基酸类、酯类、醇类、胺类、酸类6类碳源的利用能力最强,显著高于其他处理和对照。应用主成分分析和聚类分析方法将大棚番茄土壤分为4个等级,秸秆+羊粪(YGH)处理为第一级,秸秆+牛粪(NGH)处理为第二级,秸秆+马粪(MGH)及单一秸秆(JG)处理为第三级,对照(CK)为第四级。应用秸秆复合有机酿热物生物反应堆促进了土壤环境的改善,以秸秆+羊粪(YGH)作为复合有机酿热物效果最佳。     

Mast cell MMP-9 production enhanced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide

Although mast cells contribute to host protective immunity against bacterial infections, the exact mechanism of their recruitment at the affected site has been unclear. Recently, we have reported that both mouse and human mast cells are capable of producing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, a matrix-degrading enzyme necessary for leukocyte transmigration. Here, we demonstrated that bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enhanced MMP-9 production of mouse bone marrow derived-cultured mast cells. This action of LPS was partially suppressed by the pretreatment of cultured mast cells with a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, indicating the possible involvement of PKC signaling pathways in the production of MMP-9 by LPS. Thus, these suggest the upregulation of mast cell MMP-9 by bacterial components, thereby resulting in their migration at the affected site.     

Comparison of extracapillary and endocapillary blood flow oxygenators for open heart surgery in dogs: efficiency of gas exchange and platelet conservation

The goal of the current study was to compare the efficiency of gas exchange and platelet conservation of a new extracapillary blood flow oxygenator versus an endocapillary blood flow oxygenator during open heart surgery with extracorporeal circulation in dogs. Dilation and remodeling of the right ventricular outflow tract of dogs was performed using a patch graft technique to simulate pulmonary stenosis. Sequential pre- and post-operative blood analysis revealed that gas exchange efficiency and platelet conservation was significantly greater with the extracapillary blood flow oxygenator than with the endocapillary blood flow oxygenator. However, the priming volume of the extracapillary blood flow oxygenator was significantly greater, leading to hemodilution. We conclude that while the extracapillary blood flow oxygenator provided benefits in terms of gas exchange and platelet conservation, development of a smaller extracapillary blood flow type oxygenator to reduce hemodilution effects would be beneficial.