Review of approaches to establish reference levels to interpret indicators

Agricultural and Food Policy, Environmental Economics and Policy, Farm Management, Land Economics/Use,

Retailing in the United Kingdom - a synopsis

This paper illustrates the structure of, and trends in, the retail market of the United Kingdom (UK). This industry analysis describes the retail environment compared to continental Europe and considers the regulatory issues which have helped form this retail environment. By using secondary data we describe concentration and consolidation tendencies and explain specific features of the UK retail market. Major trends are identified and discussed, concluding with an outlook on future developments

Loop-Generated Bounds on Changes to the Graviton Dispersion Relation

We identify the effective theory appropriate to the propagation of massless bulk fields in brane-world scenarios, to show that the dominant low-energy effect of asymmetric warping in the bulk is to modify the dispersion relation of the effective 4-dimensional modes. We show how such changes to the graviton dispersion relation may be bounded through the effects they imply, through loops, for the propagation of standard model particles. We compute these bounds and show that they provide, in some cases, the strongest constraints on nonstandard gravitational dispersions. The bounds obtained in this way are the strongest for the fewest extra dimensions and when the extra-dimensional Planck mass is the smallest. Although the best bounds come for warped 5-D scenarios, for which the 5D Planck Mass is O(TeV), even in 4 dimensions the graviton loop can lead to a bound on the graviton speed which is comparable with other constraints.Comment: 18 pages, LaTeX, 4 figures, uses revte

Are slaughterhouse-obtained livers suitable for use in ex vivo perfusion research?

Objectives: The success of the ex vivo machine perfusion of pig livers used for preclinical research depends on organ quality and availability. In this study, we investigated whether livers obtained from slaughterhouses are suitable and equivalent to livers obtained from laboratory pigs. Methods: Livers were obtained from slaughterhouse pigs stunned by electrocution or CO2 inhalation and from laboratory pigs. For the latter group, 45 minutes of warm ischemia was mimicked for a subgroup, ensuring a valid comparison with slaughterhouse-derived livers. Results: Livers from CO2-stunned pigs showed lower indocyanine green clearance and bile production, higher blood lactate and potassium concentrations, and higher alanine aminotransferase activities than electrically stunned pigs. Furthermore, livers from electrically stunned pigs, and livers from laboratory pigs, subjected or not to warm ischemia, showed similar performance in terms of perfusion and metabolism. Conclusion: For an ex vivo liver model generated using slaughterhouse pigs, electrical stunning is preferable to CO2 stunning. Livers from electrically stunned slaughterhouse pigs performed similarly to laboratory pig livers. These findings support the use of livers from electrically stunned slaughterhouse pigs, which may therefore provide an alternative to livers obtained from laboratory pigs, consistent with the principle of the 3Rs.</p

Pathological findings in the pituitary glands of 201 dogs and cats

With the exception of classic functional adenomas in dogs and horses, pituitary lesions are infrequently described in the veterinary literature. Approximately 10% of pituitary glands from asymptomatic humans contain abnormalities but the equivalent proportion in small animals is unknown. Pituitary glands from 136 dogs and 65 cats collected during routine necropsies were examined to determine the prevalence of pituitary lesions and their histopathological diagnosis. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin (HE), periodic acid-Schiff (PAS), Gordon and Sweet's reticulin and immunohistochemistry (against ACTH, GH, MSH-α and prolactin) stains for lesion characterisation.Pituitary abnormalities were identified in 36/136 (26.4%) dogs and 10/65 (15.3%) cats. Cystic changes were the most common lesion in dogs and cats, occurring in 18 (13.2%) dogs and 8 (12.3%) cats. Pituitary neoplasia was detected in 14.1% (12/85) of middle/old aged dogs; 1 (1.5%) cat had pituitary nodular hyperplasia. PAS enabled staining of secretory granules in ACTHimmunoreactive adenomas and reticulin stain helped differentiate them from hyperplastic nodules: adenomas showed PAS positive intracytoplasmic granules and loss of the normal reticulin network. One dog had a pituitary carcinoma with infiltration into the thalamus. Other pituitary abnormalities included: secondary metastases (2 dogs), hypophysitis (4 dogs, 1 cat). In the majority of cases the lesion appeared to be subclinical and could be considered incidental; of those cases with pituitary lesions, clinical manifestations were apparent in 4 dogs (2.9%) and no cats antemortem. Pituitary abnormalities are common in dogs and cats and their wider clinical relevance requires further investigation

Reference intervals for plasma, urinary, and salivary concentrations of free metanephrines in dogs:Relevance to the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma

Background: Measurement of free metanephrines is recommended for screening of pheochromocytoma (PCC) but requires appropriate reference intervals (RIs). Hypothesis/Objectives: To report RIs for plasma, urinary and salivary concentrations of free metanephrines and to determine the diagnostic performance of plasma free normetanephrine (pNMN) and metanephrine (pMN) concentrations in dogs with PCC, hypercortisolism (HC), and nonadrenal illness (NAI). Animals: Eighty healthy dogs, 11 PCC dogs, 25 HC dogs, 6 NAI dogs. Methods: Plasma, urine, and saliva were collected prospectively from healthy dogs, and free metanephrine concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, medical records of dogs that had plasma free metanephrine concentrations measured by LC-MS/MS between 2018-2021 were studied retrospectively. Results: The RIs for free metanephrines in plasma, urine and saliva are reported. Dogs with PCC had significantly higher pNMN than dogs with HC (P &lt;.001) and NAI (P =.002). The PCC dogs had significantly higher pMN than HC dogs (P &lt;.001), but not higher than NAI dogs (P =.29). Using the upper reference limit, pNMN (&gt;3.56 nmol/L) showed high sensitivity (100%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 72-100) and specificity (94%, 95% CI: 79-99) for diagnosis of PCC, whereas pMN (&gt;2.49 nmol/L) showed moderate sensitivity (73%, 95% CI: 39-94) and high specificity (94%, 95% CI: 79-99). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: With establishment of these RIs, biochemical testing for PCC in dogs can be substantially improved. Measurement of pNMN is superior to pMN in dogs with PCC.</p

Reference intervals for plasma, urinary, and salivary concentrations of free metanephrines in dogs:Relevance to the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma

Background: Measurement of free metanephrines is recommended for screening of pheochromocytoma (PCC) but requires appropriate reference intervals (RIs). Hypothesis/Objectives: To report RIs for plasma, urinary and salivary concentrations of free metanephrines and to determine the diagnostic performance of plasma free normetanephrine (pNMN) and metanephrine (pMN) concentrations in dogs with PCC, hypercortisolism (HC), and nonadrenal illness (NAI). Animals: Eighty healthy dogs, 11 PCC dogs, 25 HC dogs, 6 NAI dogs. Methods: Plasma, urine, and saliva were collected prospectively from healthy dogs, and free metanephrine concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). In addition, medical records of dogs that had plasma free metanephrine concentrations measured by LC-MS/MS between 2018-2021 were studied retrospectively. Results: The RIs for free metanephrines in plasma, urine and saliva are reported. Dogs with PCC had significantly higher pNMN than dogs with HC (P &lt;.001) and NAI (P =.002). The PCC dogs had significantly higher pMN than HC dogs (P &lt;.001), but not higher than NAI dogs (P =.29). Using the upper reference limit, pNMN (&gt;3.56 nmol/L) showed high sensitivity (100%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 72-100) and specificity (94%, 95% CI: 79-99) for diagnosis of PCC, whereas pMN (&gt;2.49 nmol/L) showed moderate sensitivity (73%, 95% CI: 39-94) and high specificity (94%, 95% CI: 79-99). Conclusions and Clinical Importance: With establishment of these RIs, biochemical testing for PCC in dogs can be substantially improved. Measurement of pNMN is superior to pMN in dogs with PCC.</p

Processo de antagonismo de Dicyma pulvinata contra Fusicladium macrosporum em folhas de seringueira

The interaction between Dicyma pulvinata and Fusicladium macrosporum was studied by scanning electron microscopy. Spores of D. pulvinata germinated on the surface of F. macrosporum lesions induced on artificially infected rubber plants were fixed 8 h after inoculation. D. pulvinata germ tubes seemed to elongate toward F. macrosporum. Close contact between the antagonistic fungus and F. macrosporum spores was verified 24 h after application of D. pulvinata. At the end of the process, spores of F. macrosporum seemed to have disintegrated and to be devoid of content. The hyperparasite grew completely over the pathogen. Six to seven days after application of the antagonistic fungus, D. pulvinata conidiophores were observed emerging from F. macrosporum structures with profuse sporulation. Studies have also shown the possibility of D. pulvinata producing hydrolytic enzymes, which could be associated with the control of plant pathogens. This information may help to elucidate some of the modes of action of D. pulvinata, a potential biological control agent for South American leaf blight of Hevea rubber plant.Estudou-se a interação entre Dicyma pulvinata e F. macrosporum ao microscópio eletrônico de varredura. Esporos de D. pulvinata germinaram na superfície das lesões induzidas por F. macrosporum em plantas de seringueira (Hevea brasiliensis), infectadas artificialmente, fixadas 8 h após a inoculação do antagonista. Aparentemente, os tubos germinativos se alongaram em direção ao patógeno. O contato íntimo entre o hiperparasita e o patógeno foi verificado em amostras fixadas 24 h após a aplicação de D. pulvinata. Ao término do processo, os esporos de F. macrosporum aparentemente invadidos pelo antagonista mostraram-se desintegrados e esvaziados de seu conteúdo. D. pulvinata cresceu sobre as lesões, sobrepondo totalmente o patógeno. Seis dias após a aplicação, conidióforos do fungo antagonista foram observados emergindo das estruturas do patógeno, produzindo esporos em grande quantidade. Verificou-se, também, um possível envolvimento de enzimas hidrolíticas na associação antagonística entre D. pulvinata e o patógeno. Estas informações podem contribuir para elucidar o modo de ação de D. pulvinata, um potencial agente de controle biológico para o mal das folhas da seringueira