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Myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) induces progressive left atrial (LA) enlargement. The LA modulates left ventricular filling and performance through its reservoir, conduit, and contractile function. Assessment of LA size and function may provide valuable information on the level of cardiac compensation. Left atrial function in dogs with naturally occurring MMVD remains largely unexplored. The objective of this study was to evaluate LA volume and function in dogs with naturally occurring MMVD.This prospective study included 205 client-owned dogs of different breeds, 114 healthy dogs, and 91 dogs with MMVD of different disease severities.Using two-dimensional echocardiography, the biplane area-length method was applied to assess LA volume and calculate volumetric indices of LA reservoir, conduit, and contractile function.Left atrial volume and LA stroke volume increased, whereas LA reservoir and contractile function decreased with increasing disease severity. A maximal LA volume2.25mL/kg was the optimal cut off identified for excluding congestive heart failure in dogs with chronic MMVD with a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 100%. An active LA emptying fraction24% and/or a LA expansion index126% were suggestive of congestive heart failure in dogs with chronic MMVD with a sensitivity of 77% and a specificity of 89% and a sensitivity of 82% and a specificity of 82%, respectively.Dogs with MMVD appear to have larger LA volumes with poorer LA function. Deteriorating LA function, characterized by a decreasing reservoir and active contractile function, was evident in dogs with MMVD with increasing disease severity.

Objectives To compare a linear and three volume-based two-dimensional echocardiographic methods for measuring LA size: left atrium to aorta ratio (LA/Ao ratio), biplane area-length, biplane modified Simpson and monoplane area-length. Animals One hundred seventy-six client-owned dogs of different breeds, 88 healthy dogs and 88 dogs with myxomatous mitral valve disease of different disease severity. Methods The left apical four- and two-chamber views were used to measure LA volumes. The right parasternal short-axis view at the level of the heart base was used to measure the LA/Ao ratio. Results The biplane area-length method yielded 2.8% larger values than those of the biplane modified Simpson method, consistent across the full range of LA volumes. The monoplane area-length method derived on average 5.8% larger values of LA volume than the biplane area-length method. The difference between these two methods was most pronounced at larger LA volumes. The relation between the LA/Ao ratio and LA volume was curvilinear and with increasing LA size these two methods derived very dissimilar values. Conclusions All methods showed good feasibility and reproducibility, with the volume-based methods having the most favourable intra- and inter-observer variabilities. The LA/Ao ratio underestimates at higher values of LA size compared to the biplane area-length method. LA volume methods may be superior to the LA/Ao ratio in quantification of LA size. The biplane area-length method and biplane modified Simpson method can be used interchangeably. The monoplane area-length measurement may be used as a quick and reliable method for assessment of LA size in clinical practice.

To investigate the prevalence and amplitudes of the electrocardiographic J wave in the Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen compared to 10 other dog breeds.Electrocardiograms from 206 healthy dogs representing 11 dog breeds were included in the study. Besides Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen (PBGV; n = 23) 10 other dog breeds were included.An electrocardiogram ruler was used for measuring the amplitudes of the J waves. The definition of a J wave was a positive deflection at the J point of ≥0.1 mV in more than 1 lead of the bipolar standard limb leads (I, II, III) or the unipolar standard limb leads (aVL and aVF).The prevalence of J waves in the PBGV (n = 23) was 91% (n = 21, standard error (SE) = 5.9%), which was significantly higher compared to seven other dog breeds (p

OBJECTIVES: A missense mutation (A31P) in the cardiac myosin binding protein C gene has been associated with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) in Maine Coon cats. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of A31P on development of HCM, myocardial diastolic dysfunction detected by color tissue Doppler imaging and occurrence of cardiac death during longitudinal follow-up in a cohort of Maine Coon cats.ANIMALS: The original cohort comprised 282 cats (158 of wild-type genotype, 99 heterozygous for A31P and 25 homozygous for A31P).METHODS: Prospective longitudinal study including echocardiography and registration of survival.RESULTS: The median age at the initial examination was 1.7 years (range, 0.8-9.2 years) and 6.4% (18/282) of the cats were diagnosed with HCM. One hundred sixty-five cats were eligible for echocardiographic re-examination, and during an average follow-up period of 2.7 years an additional 6.7% (11/165) of the cats developed HCM. Survival data could be obtained for 262 of the cats originally included, and among these 9.2% (24/262) died of causes that met the study criteria for cardiac death. In the homozygous group 80% (20/25) of cats included were diagnosed with HCM and 48% (12/25) suffered cardiac death during follow-up. These results corresponded to a significantly higher risk for cats homozygous for A31P to develop HCM (pCONCLUSIONS: Homozygosity for A31P was associated with a high penetrance of HCM and a substantial risk for cardiac death in the study population.

A coprological survey was conducted to investigate the prevalence of parasites infecting hunting dogs with no history of recent anthelmintic treatments and with no overt clinical manifestations of cardiopulmonary or gastrointestinal illness. The hunting dogs were recruited from four different areas in Denmark, and fecal samples were obtained in October and November, 2007. For detecting gastrointestinal parasites, samples (N=178) were examined by a commercial flotation kit (Fecalyzer(®) EVSCO, USA). For detection of cardiopulmonary parasites, samples (N=181) were collected on three consecutive days and examined using the Baermann method. Parasites were recovered from 22.1% of the hunting dogs: Angiostrongylus vasorum (2.2%), Toxocara canis (12.4%), Uncinaria stenocephala (7.3%), Taenia spp. (1.7%), Toxascaris leonina (0.6%), Coccidia (0.6%) and unidentified trematode eggs (1.1%). Infection with only one species of parasite was more common (89.5%) than infection with two species (10.5%). A multiple logistic regression model showed that prevalence of intestinal parasites was not influenced by age, gender or breed in adult dogs. There was a significantly higher prevalence of intestinal parasites in the densely populated area of the island Zealand compared with the less populated regions of the peninsular Jutland. The present study reports the first case of A. vasorum in a dog from Jutland. The dog had been visiting the endemic area of western Zealand, suggesting that translocation of sub-clinically infected dogs may contribute to introduction of A. vasorum into non-endemic areas.

Haematological and biochemical parameters were studied prospectively in 48 dogs naturally infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum in a primary care setting. Samples for analysis were obtained when treatment was started and 42days afterwards. Prior to treatment, 21% of affected dogs exhibited eosinophilia, whereas increased total white blood cell (WBC) counts and neutrophilia were observed in only 4.2%. WBC counts and concentrations of neutrophils, eosinophils and monocytes decreased significantly from days 0 to 42, indicating that, even in dogs without elevated absolute blood values, a low grade inflammatory response may be present in dogs with A. vasorum infection. Biochemical changes (especially an increase in serum globulins and a decrease in serum fructosamine) were in agreement with the findings of other studies. The results show that the diagnosis of canine angiostrongylosis should not be excluded based on unremarkable haematological and blood biochemical parameters. They also support our recent finding that a low serum fructosamine concentration may be associated with infection with A. vasorum.

Canine pulmonary angiostrongylosis is an emerging snail-borne disease causing verminous pneumonia and coagulopathy in dogs. The parasite is found in Europe, North and South America and Africa, covering tropical, subtropical and temperate regions. Its distribution has been characterised by isolated endemic foci, with only sporadic occurrences outside these areas. In the last two decades, the literature has been dominated by several case reports and small case series describing sporadic disease in old or new endemic areas. Case reports and experimental studies with high doses of infective third stage larvae may not reflect what happens under field conditions. There is insufficient understanding of the spread of infection and the dynamic consequences of this parasite in the canine population. This review discusses the biology, epidemiology, clinical aspects and management of canine pulmonary angiostrongylosis.

Objectives This study was conducted to estimate the incidence of aortic stenosis (AS) in a group of Boxers evaluated by auscultation, ECG, blood pressure measurement and Doppler-echocardiography. Background The Boxer is a breed at significantly increased risk of AS. The prevalence of murmurs and Doppler-echocardiographic findings consistent with AS in this breed is reportedly high. Animals, materials and methods Eighty-nine Boxers were evaluated by auscultation, and final murmur grade recorded after stress testing. Doppler echocardiography was performed in fifty-five adult Boxers. Electrocardiograms (ECG, n = 53), non-invasive blood pressure measurement ( n = 32), and Holter monitoring ( n = 24) were performed in selected dogs. Degree of AS was based on the aortic peak flow velocity (Ao PFV). Final Ao PFV was recorded as the highest value obtained after stress testing. AS was defined as an Ao PFV > 2 m/s on continuous wave Doppler, using the subcostal window. Pressure gradients (Δ p ) were calculated using the modified Bernoulli equation (Δ p = 4 V 2 ). Mild AS was defined as Δ p = 16–40 mmHg, moderate AS Δ p = 40–75mmHg, and severe AS Δp > 75mmHg. Results 62% of adult Boxers evaluated by echocardiography had an Ao PFV > 2 m/s suggestive of AS. Systolic basilar ejection murmurs were diagnosed in 73%. Murmur intensity showed a statistically significant correlation with Ao PFV ( p Conclusion The study reports on systolic murmurs and Doppler-echocardiographic findings consistent with AS, as well as ECG and blood pressure measurements in a sample of pure-breed Boxers.

To meet the commitments made in Kyoto, energy-related CO 2 emissions would have to fall to almost 30% below the level projected for a "Business-As-Usual" scenario. Meeting this goal will require a large-scale shift toward climate-friendly technologies such as fuel cells, which have a large long-term potential for both stationary generation and transportation. The deployment of a technology is the last major stage in the process of technological shift. Climate-friendly technologies are not being deployed at a sufficient rate or in sufficient amount to allow IEA countries to meet their targets. Hence, if technology is to play an important roll in reducing emissions within the Kyoto time frame (2008–2012) and beyond, immediate and sustained action to accelerate technology deployment will be required. Obstacles in the way of the deployment of technologies that are ready or near-ready for normal use have come to be referred to as market barriers. The simplest yet most significant form of market barrier to a new technology is the out-of-pocket cost to the user relative to the cost of technologies currently in use. Some market barriers also involve market failure, where the market fails to take account of all the costs and benefits involved, such as omitting external environmental costs, and therefore retard the deployment of more environmentally sustainable technologies. Other barriers include poor information dissemination, excessive and costly regulations, slow capital turnover rates, and inadequate financing. Efforts by governments to alleviate market barriers play an important role to complement private-sector activities, and there are many policies and measures each government could take. In addition, international technology collaboration can help promote the best use of available R&D resources and can contribute to more effective deployment of the result of research and development by sharing costs, pooling information and avoiding duplication of efforts.

SUMMARY Objective This study investigatest the influence of sampling period duration, time of day, age, sex, body weight and degree of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) on various measures of heart rate variability (HRV) in the dog. The correlations between the HRV parameters were also investigated. Background Holter recording is increasingly being used in dogs but method studies are sparse. Previous studies suggest that canine MVP is related to a high vagal tone. Methods Twenty-four hour ambulatory electrocardiographic recording (Holter recording) was performed on 24 Dachshunds (11 males and 13 females). All dogs were between 2 and 6 years of age and without heart murmurs. Results The majority of the HRV parameters depended on the duration of the sampling period and they generally exhibited circadian variation. Higher values in males than in females were found for several parameters, especially low frequency power (LF) during 24 hour recording (P = 0.0002). Although a number of HRV parameters correlated positively with MVP severity and negatively with age, the influence of these two factors was not clear and consistent in all sampling periods. The degree of MVP related to the number of episodes of supraventrucular tachycardia occuring during the day. Generally, a large inter-individual variation was found with regard to the HRV parameters and the correlations between the parameters were weaker than correlations reported in humans. Two manually measured ECG parameter related to vagal tone correlated strongly with 2 out of 3 vagal indexes derived from the HRV analysis. Conclusion HRV parameters are influenced especially by sex and sampling period duration, but also by age and MVP status in young, clinically healthy Dachshunds.

Samples from the intertidal zone of mooring posts of oak standing in Svanemollen Harbour and samples from fallen oak trees lying in the waterline at Strandegaard Dyrehave were examined for the occurrence of marine lignicolous fungi. Buxetroldia bisaccata gen. et sp. nov., belonging to the Halosphaeriaceae, was encountered and is described from light microscope (LM) and SEM studies. The taxonomic position of B. bisaccata is discussed especially in relation to Tunicatispora australiensis; the main difference between the two species is found in the structure of the ascospore appendages.

Concerns over the potential impacts of enhanced global warming and climate change have led to a number of initiatives related to anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases, notably from the energy sector. The most significant is the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change signed in Rio in 1992. Others include the Climate Technology Initiative, announced at the FCCC Conference of the Parties in Berlin in April 1995 and endorsed by 23 OECD/IEA countries and the European Commission.

Anisostagma rotundatum gen. et sp. nov., a lignicolous marine ascomycete belonging to the Halosphaeriaceae is described from a harbour environment at the Oresund coast, Denmark. It was found in the tidal water region of mooring posts of oak (Quercus sp.). The species is compared with Thalassogena sphaerica, Iwilsoniella rotunda and Hapsidascus hadrus.

A gall-inducing mycoparasite, Nodulisporium cecidiogenes, which was found growing in association with living Coniophora puteana is described. In the presence of N. cecidiogenes, mycelial growth of C. puteana was reduced and colony colour and aerial mycelium were modified. Gall dry weight was found to be positively correlated with the amount of available C. puteana mycelium. From host range studies with other wood decay fungi, Nodulisporium cecidiogenes seems host specific at the species level. N. cecidiogenes can be characterized as a biotrophic species with parallels to the gall forming rust fungi.

The study was performed to investigate the difference in the concentration of several haematological and clinical chemical blood components in blood obtained from the cephalic and external jugular veins in 23 dogs. A total of 17 laboratory tests were analysed and, except for two clinical chemical blood components, there was no decisive difference in the test results obtained in blood samples collected from the cephalic and external jugular vein in dogs. For creatinine and potassium, however, there was a significant difference in the test results between the two veins, the highest results in general being measured in jugular venous blood. These findings indicate that it may be advisable to establish standardised procedures when collecting blood samples and make adjustments for the difference in test results when interpreting them.