Background The diagnosis of canine atopic dermatitis ( CAD ) remains challenging due to the lack of a simple biomarker or metabolic profile. In human medicine, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy ( FTIR ) is an analytical technique used for several diseases. It requires a small amount of sample and allows the identification of structural moieties of biomolecules on the basis of their infrared absorption, with limited sample pretreatment. Hypothesis/Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of FTIR . Animals Three groups were tested: 21 dogs with non food‐induced CAD ( NFICAD ), 16 dogs with inflammatory conditions of various origins but without allergic dermatoses ( OD ) and 10 healthy dogs (H). Methods Peripheral blood was collected and spectra were acquired with a FTIR spectrophotometer. A principal component analysis ( PCA ) was performed on the full wavenumber spectra (4000–600/cm), followed by a Fisher discriminant analysis ( DA ) to assess the differences between the three groups. Results The PCA followed by the DA of whole spectra showed significant differences between the three groups. These results suggest that by using the FTIR method, dogs with NFICAD can be differentiated from healthy dogs and dogs with nonallergic inflammation. There was no overlap between the spectral data of the three groups indicating that NFICAD dogs were correctly segregated from the H and OD groups. Conclusions A study on a larger cohort including common pruritic skin diseases is necessary to confirm these initial results and the relevance of this diagnostic technique.
Estimation of the quality of commercial diets is a topic of interest for the majority of dog owners. Recently, in a French consumer association magazine, an evaluation of eight dog commercial dry diets (from super-premium, basic-nutrition, private-label and economy brands) according to several nutritional criteria was published. The aims of the study were: (1) to evaluate the apparent digestibility of these diets; (2) to score these diets according to digestibility results; and (3) to compare these data with the scoring of the magazine. Six adult Beagle dogs were enrolled for the digestibility trials. Diets were scored according to energy, crude protein and crude fat (CF) apparent digestibility coefficients, digestible protein-to-energy ratios and ash content. Each of the five criteria was scored from 4 to 20 points. The ranges of crude protein, CF, crude fibre and ash content were 20·9-30·6 %, 6·8-19·7 %, 2·2-3·3 % and 4·6-9·7 % on a DM basis, respectively. The ranges of energy, crude protein and CF apparent digestibility coefficients were 72·6-87·7 %, 70·4-82·5 % and 76·1-95·4 %, respectively. The range of the protein-to-energy ratio was 10-14 digestible crude protein per MJ metabolisable energy. Little overlap in the scoring systems was found, but the private-label brand and economy brand diets presented the lowest scores in the two systems. These results showed that the evaluation of commercial diets should take into account multiple nutritional aspects. In particular, analytical and biological (digestibility) criteria should be considered as complementary in the evaluation of dry dog commercial diets.
The course of the conversion reaction during the electrochemical insertion/deinsertion of lithium in CuO thin film electrodes was surveyed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical processes were studied through the comprehensive acquisition and interpretation of XPS and Auger spectra (Cu 2p, O 1s, Cu LMM) recorded at different stages of the first cycle of a Li/CuO cell. The reduction process consisting of three main steps leads successively to Cu+ and Cu0 and involves a Li2O2 peroxide type phase as an intermediate, whereas Li2O is the main lithiated oxide at the end of the discharge. Only the two last steps appear reversible in charge. No evidence of Cu2+ was found at the end of the charge at 3.5 V/Li+/Li, showing the irreversibility of the first step in our experimental conditions. Complementary XPS depth profile analyses were performed to check the evolution of the active material composition over the thickness of the electrode.
Alkaline-earth phosphates efficient in the dehydration of lactic acid to acrylic acid were previously shown to contain a surface mono/dihydrogen phosphate amorphous layer composed of M²⁺ cations and both P═O and POH groups. In this work, acidic properties of such a layer were determined combining Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra achieved at the dehydrated state and under water vapor and density functional theory (DFT) simulations of nondefective and defective MPOH structure. The FTIR spectra of adsorbed pyridine and lutidine revealed the presence of moderate Lewis acid sites (LAS) and of POH groups interacting by H-bonding without significant protonation. DFT calculations were key to interpret FTIR spectra after adsorption of NH₃: when solely adsorbed, NH₃ interacts with the LAS on both the nondefective surface and the defective surface, whereas the POH for which H points up toward the gas phase are reoriented downward. Bronsted acid sites (BAS) were shown to form under water vapor. This phenomenon was shown by DFT to arise from a more acidic character of HPO₄²– species for the nondefective surface and casual formation of nondefective surface leading to higher amount of H₂PO₄– species, which are more acidic BAS.
La miniaturisation des appareils electroniques et la multiplication de leurs fonctionnalites conduisent a developper des microsources d’energie adaptees, parmi lesquelles figurent les microbatteries au lithium. Malgre leurs excellentes performances, ces systemes de stockage electrochimique tout solide restent toutefois limites en termes de capacite surfacique. Cette caracteristique etant intrinsequement liee aux materiaux d’electrodes, nous avons choisi de nous interesser a des couches minces de CuO, dont la capacite volumique theorique (426 µAh .cm-2.µm-1) est sensiblement plus elevee que celle des materiaux d’intercalation utilises jusqu’a present. Ce materiau reagit avec le lithium selon un mecanisme particulier, dit de conversion, qui induit la formation d’un systeme multiphase et nanostructure d’une grande complexite. Dans le cadre de ce travail, la comprehension des mecanismes electrochimiques et chimiques mis en jeu au cours du cyclage de couches minces d’oxyde de cuivre (CuO) a ete l’objectif majeur. Celui-ci a necessite une caracterisation fine du materiau actif d’electrode et des interfaces generees (interfaces solide/solide et interface solide/electrolyte). Ces etudes ont ete principalement menees a partir de la Spectroscopie Photoelectronique a Rayonnement X (XPS), de la Microscopie a Force Atomique (AFM) et d’une modelisation theorique exploitant les methodes de la chimie quantique. Les proprietes chimiques et morphologiques des couches minces de CuO cyclees ont ete correlees a leur comportement electrochimique. Une forte influence de leur structure et de leur morphologie initiales a pu etre ainsi mise en evidence
Summary Objective: Leptin and ghrelin, two peptide hormones with antagonistic effects on satiety and energy balance, could be involved in the pathogenesis of weight loss and polyphagia in cats with hyperthyroidism. Leptin generally decreases appetite and increases energy expenditure, while ghrelin exerts the opposite effects. Materials and methods: Leptin and ghrelin were measured in 42 client owned hyperthyroid cats with a body condition score (BCS) 5/9 before (T0) and 4 weeks after radioactive iodine treatment (RAIT) (T1). Dependent on the serum total thyroxine concentration concentration at T1, cats were sub-classified as still hyperthyroid (ht-ht) (n = 4), euthyroid (ht-eu) (n = 10) or hypothyroid (ht-hypo) (n = 28). Results were compared to those of 22 healthy, euthyroid control cats with a comparable BCS ( 5/9) and age ( 8 years) to hyperthyroid cats. Results: At T0, there were no significant differences between hyperthyroid and control cats for leptin (p = 0.06) or ghrelin concentrations (p = 0.27). At T1, leptin significantly decreased in ht-hypo cats compared to T0 (p = 0.0008) despite a significantly increased body weight in this group (p = 0.0001). Serum ghrelin concentrations did not differ between hyperthyroid cats with a history of polyphagia compared to non-polyphagic cats (p = 0.42). After RAIT, ghrelin concentration significantly increased in all hyperthyroid cats (p < 0.0001), as well as in the subgroups ht-eu (p = 0.014) and ht-hypo (p < 0.0001) compared to their respective T0 baseline concentrations. Conclusion: Leptin and ghrelin fluctuations may be indicative of changes in metabolic functions in cats with thyroid dysfunction. Leptin fluctuations occurred independently of body weight in different states of thyroid dysfunction; increasing ghrelin concentrations after RAIT suggest a ghrelin-independent mechanism for polyphagia in hyperthyroid cats.
About Afghanistan Rights MonitorAfghanistan Rights Monitor (ARM) was designed to meet the following objectives:1. Regular monitoring of the current conditions of fundamental rights in Afghanistan using a set of indicators based on internationally recognized standards for monitoring Civic, Social and Economic rights.2. Informed, pragmatic, and constructive advocacy messaging on fundamental rights needs, based on empirical data, and delivered by civil society actors 3. Increased capacity and responsiveness of public institutions to fundamental rights needs of Afghan citizensThe above objectives are expected to contribute to good governance practices through informed and constructive engagement between civil society and government based on applied research, capacity development, and advocacy aimed at national and international stakeholders.For more information on ARM, see: www.nac-pp.netAbout APPRO
Summary Obesity is associated with multiple endocrine alterations and changes in the concentration of circulating hormones. However, few studies have explored such alterations in dogs with naturally acquired excess weight. In the present study, we investigated the effect of naturally acquired obesity on cortisol, insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐1 and prolactin secretion in dogs. Thirty‐one overweight dogs were enrolled in the trial. Blood samples were collected before and after adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) injection. Free thyroxine (fT4), cortisol, thyroid‐stimulating hormone (TSH), IGF‐1, prolactin and fructosamine were assayed. Body weight excess increased significantly with age and neutered dogs were more obese than entire ones. The ACTH stimulation test was within the normal range for 26 of 31 dogs. Prolactinaemia was increased in seven dogs and IGF‐1 in six dogs. Twenty dogs had a fructosamine concentration >340 μ m . Interestingly, 18 of 31 dogs showed disturbances of thyroid function based on high TSH and/or low fT4 baseline concentration, with 11 dogs showing both. According to these parameters only six of 31 dogs were free of hormonal disturbances. These results revealed the high incidence of such disturbances, especially thyroid dysfunction, in obese, but otherwise apparently healthy dogs. They demonstrate the importance of examining endocrine function during the initial evaluation of obese dogs to avoid failure of any nutritional treatment.
