Do Nematodes Kill Earthworms?

Beneficial nematodes attack only soil-dwelling insects and leave plants alone. Beneficial nematodes and the bacteria they spread are not known to be harmful to humans, animals, plants, earthworms or other non-target organisms, but they do aggressively pursue insects like grubs.

Do Nematodes Eat Earthworms?

Like all of our products, it will not expose humans or animals to any health or environmental risks. Beneficial nematodes only attack soil dwelling insects and leave plants and earthworms alone. The beneficial nematodes enters the larva via mouth, anus or respiratory openings and starts to feed.

What Do Nematodes Kill?

These types actually combat a variety of pest species, including weevils, clearwing borers, cutworms, sod webworms, chinch bugs, and white grubs. Nematodes attack and kill these insects by either injecting deadly bacteria or entering the host, parasitizing, and then feeding on it.

Do Slug Nematodes Kill Worms?

Do Beneficial Nematodes Kill Bad Nematodes?

Some nematodes destroy plants. Others, known as beneficial nematodes, destroy the insects which destroy plants. Feeding on over 200 insects from roughly 100 families, nematodes are safe to use around humans, children, and pets and won’t harm non-target organisms such as bees or other pollinators.

Do Nematodes Die In Winter?

Nematodes reproduce in many pests such as beetle grubs, providing a self-perpetuating population. They do not, however, reproduce in certain pests such as fleas, and may therefore need to be applied every few weeks. Typically, nematodes will not survive through the winter season.

How Long Do Nematodes Live For?

Beneficial Nematodes have a two month shelf life if refrigerated. However, they can live in the soil, at levels high enough to control pest insects, for around 18 months.

How Many Nematodes Do I Need?

While you may need 20,000 or so to treat a square foot, they are so small that for under $20 you should get about 5 million—enough to treat 1,500 square feet. The “mode of action” of beneficial nematodes is like something from a horror film (at least for the target pests).

Will Nematodes Kill Ants?

No Ants Nematodes. Nemasys No Ants is a product containing microscopic worms (nematodes) which are natural predators of ants. The ants do not tolerate the nematodes near their nests and move their nests away from these areas. Ants are not killed by Nemasys No Ants, but leave the area that has been treated.

How Long Can You Store Beneficial Nematodes?

2 weeks

When Should I Apply Nematodes To My Garden?

Northern gardeners should apply the nematodes in the spring, summer and fall, when the soil contains insect larvae. Most of the beneficial nematodes are adaptive to cold weather. In fact , the very best time to control white grubs is in the spring and fall.

How Do You Kill Nematodes In Soil?

What Animal Eats Nematodes?

Figure 3. Nematode interactions. Nematodes can fall prey not only to other nematodes but also to some insects (such as diplurans and beetle and fly larvae), tardigrades, centipedes, symphylans and mites. Symphylans and mites are the most important arthropod predators of nematodes in grassland ecosystems.

Where Do Slugs Go During The Day?

Does Salt Kill Slugs?

What Causes Slug Infestation?

In most places many species are already extinct; many people do not know that insects are the leading predators of slugs and snails. This is probably the main reason for slug booms in Europe and in many places all around the world. Pesticides can cause a slug boom.

Do Birds Eat Slugs?

Hedgehogs, newts, toads and some birds, such as song thrushes, love to eat slugs and snails, so it is a great idea to attract these beneficial creatures into your garden. Probably the best way to attract them into the garden is to make a pond or boggy area, which they will use for drinking or as a place of refuge.

How Do You Kill Slugs?

Steps Use beer or milk traps for important plants. Slugs will only notice these traps from a few feet (about a meter) away, so this is best used for small gardens or important areas. Kill slugs with a cornmeal trap. Lure slugs with humane traps. Protect traps from rain and pets. Go hunting for snails at night.

When Should You Use Nematodes?

The proper application of beneficial nematodes There is two times during which you should apply beneficial nematodes. These are spans of time when grubs are visible on the lawn. The first is during the mid-May to mid-June range. The second comes in mid-August and lasts until part way through October.


This IC Can be Used in Safety-Critical Applications

TDK Corporation has introduced the new Micronas signal-conditioning integrated circuit (IC) ASA 2310 for high-speed automotive and industrial electric motor applications. ASA 2310 is a low-drift, low-noise, customer-programmable TMR front-end IC with differential or single-ended SIN/COS inputs and analog outputs. Samples of ASA 2310 are now available. The start of production is planned for the end of 2023.

TDK-ASAThe ASA 2310 is designed to interface the high-precision analog TMR sensors of the TAS family. The sensors, powered and monitored by the ASA 2310, are detecting magnetic-field direction in x-y plane, and providing a SIN/COS analog voltage output which is used as input for the ASA 2310.

The sensor interface and signal conditioning of the ASA 2310 are optimized for the TMR-Bridge signals. Major characteristics like gain, offset, (absolute) 0-angle, and orthogonality can be adjusted using the integrated signal path by programming the non-volatile memory of the ASA 2310. The different coarse gain settings ensure that the device can support various TMR full- and half-bridges from TDK. The amplified single or differential ended output signals of the ASA 2310 can be used to calculate the rotation angle of a magnet with very high accuracy by an external A/D-converter and an electronic control unit (ECU).

New rotor position sensing solutions based on the ASA 2310 offer a high resolution and accurate position measurement at very high rotation speeds of up to 650,000 rpm. This enables high-speed motors to maximize torque and increase efficiency which is essential for hybrid and electric vehicles to obtain maximum range. In addition, the sensor system configuration works independently of the motor pole pair number and therefore does not require complex hardware changes, a major advantage over inductive resolver technologies. This gives more flexibility in the development of the hybrid and electric powertrains of the future.

With its overvoltage and reverse polarity protection (+/-18V) the ASA 2310 features excellent robustness against electrical challenges. Compared to off-the-shelf amplifier ICs, the ASA 2310 is more appropriate for safety-critical applications since the signal-conditioning IC simplifies the external circuitry resulting in a low FIT rate. Moreover, the total system size, BOM, and assembly process costs are reduced.

This product is defined as SEooC (Safety Element out of Context) ASIL B ready according to ISO 26262. To enable the most efficient failure localization and elimination, the ASA 2310 provides a single-point fault metric (SPFM) of more than 97% which exceeds even the standard requirements of an ASIL B classification. If ASIL decomposition is applied on the system level, the IC can be integrated in systems up to ASIL D. Besides various integrated safety monitoring of the IC itself and the external TMR-bridges, the ASA 2310 features an optional and unique fluxless self-test allowing the system to test the full signal path inside the device before the ordinary operation starts. In an application setup, the test can be used to check integrity of the whole signal path including wiring, external output capacitors and ECU. Finally, the variety of safety monitoring helps to increase diagnostic coverage and simplify the external safety supervision on the ECU side.

“The ASA 2310 is a high-performance IC that extends the functionalities of a very precise analog TMR sensor and reduces the influence of noise and parasitic components caused by remote application setups where the sensor module is separate from the ECU and connected by a long wire-harness,” says Frederik Berstecher, Product Marketing Manager for „Fast Hall & TMR“ at TDK-Micronas. “When combining it with TDK’s TMR TAS sensor family, customers can commercially scale their application setups depending on accuracy, EMC or functional safety requirements since the ASA 2310 can operate up to four TMR half-bridge sensors at the same time. Thus, rotor position sensor solutions based on the ASA 2310 can be used for a wide variety of safety-critical applications like power steering, brake boosters, or traction motors.”

Nitisha Dubey

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5 Guaranteed Benefits of Localised Procurement for Every Business

Let's begin with how exactly did we stumble upon the importance of localised procurement?

In June 2016, Bizongo had a client who had placed an order for pizza boxes all the way from Pondicherry. Back then, we had a strong partner base in Mumbai and Gujarat as the company was building its foundation. Hence, sourcing packaging products for the clients was only via the partners we had on-boarded.

But, after analyzing the procurement and shipping costs, we eventually realized that the packaging budget of the client shot up by almost 40%.

Even though the client agreed to pay the excess, given his remote location and the urgency of the order, we realized that localized procurement of packaging supply was a grave problem, especially for companies dealing in secondary and tertiary packaging with stringent budgets.

So, What Does Localised Procurement in Packaging Mean?

Localising the packaging simply means sourcing packaging materials from vendors that are closest to a client’s location.

In other words, if you are a company based out of Bhopal, all your packaging should ideally be sourced from Madhya Pradesh or at least Central India.

But this activity of searching for new vendors for every packaging product becomes extremely time consuming and takes up a lot of unnecessary bandwidth of your procurement manager. Hence, companies usually choose the vendors based on reputation and decent quotations but irrespective of the manufacturing units’ location.

Advantages of Localised Packaging Procurement

In the article below, we have highlighted the complete benefits of how localizing packaging supply can be beneficial to clients in several different ways.

#1 Save on Logistics Costs

One of the biggest advantages of localising your packaging supply would be saving on the massive logistics costs and other essential formalities that entail the delivery of the shipment.

Almost a year ago, another client of ours wanted corrugated boxes to ship mangoes across four cities in India: Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi, and Kolkata. At the time our supplier base was majorly present in the Western region. It was not only expensive but also a very time-consuming process as tracking goods all the way from west to other regions was a huge task.

Analysing this situation, Bizongo built a strong supplier base across these regions within a few months and the results were phenomenal:

Shipment which used to take 10 -12 days reduced to 2-5 days; that is almost 60%-80%.
Due to decreased fuel and labor costs, the overall cost of shipment also reduced by 32.5%

#2 A Better Understanding of Prices

As policies change from state to state, it directly affects the prices at various stages. Being from the same state, it only becomes easier to understand the various price ranges by localizing your supply. Thus, the knowledge of an estimated price for a particular product based on its quality and other specifications is a huge plus point.

#3 Faster Fulfilment Time

With suppliers near your area, fulfilment time drastically gets reduced because of awareness of weather conditions, lower formalities, and labour unavailability for long-distance transits.

#4 Return of Goods Becomes Easier

The probability of damage occurring to the goods during transit decreases radically as the distance and time required for the goods to reach the intended destination are shorter. Also, in case the goods do not meet the required specifications, the process of returning the goods and getting a new batch becomes faster and easier.

#5 Long-term Relationship Because of Local Rapport

Being from the same region, it is easier to share a certain sentiment of familiarity in terms of language and mindset. This familiarity helps in breeding long-term relationships which are beneficial for the overall ecosystem in the area. It also helps one grow sustainably to mutually benefit each other. By localizing your supply, you also help the regional suppliers grow by encouraging them to bring in new technology and more automated systems.

Instead of hunting for suppliers nation-wide, a company can completely transform its procurement activities by entertaining and collaborating with local suppliers. After all, supply only increases when demands do.

In Conclusion...

Localised packaging procurement can be your go-to solution when it comes to optimizing packaging cost. With technology coming into play, there are softwares that could aid the process of vendor discovery and make the implementation of localised procurement even easier!

Here’s how Tata Cliq Procured Packaging for 1700+ Locations without breaking a sweat!

Nonetheless, there are some more strategies that you could apply to improve your company's bottom line by optimizing the packaging cost.

However, if you are not facing this challenge, you can read about the solutions to 4 Commonly Faced Challenges in the Packaging Industry.

What is the challenge you usually face when it comes to packaging? Let us know in the comments section!


Summer Study: Complications after Cholecystectomy

About the Author

My name is Vi Lam, and I am currently in my last year of medical school at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM). Before attending medical school, I was involved in research projects involving big data and machine learning applications. This experience led me to City of Hope, and I carried out my project under the guidance of Dr. James Lacey of the California Teachers Study (CTS). I got to work with the CTS questionnaire data and the California Department of Health Care Access and Information (HCAI) hospitalization data. This project taught me to quickly navigate large data sets, perfect my data storytelling, and create compelling visualizations.

My Research Project

During my clinical rotations for school, I had the chance to assist in multiple surgeries. One of the most common procedures was cholecystectomy, which is the removal of the gallbladder. This summer, I wanted to learn more about the outcomes of this routine procedure, specifically the risk factors for post-cholecystectomy complications. I was curious to see which factors might impact a patient's surgical outcomes.

To help answer this question, I used the cholecystectomy procedure codes from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Quality Indicators to select all CTS participants who underwent cholecystectomy between 1995-2020. The study population consisted of 4,314 women who underwent cholecystectomy as a primary procedure.

Within this cohort, participants were categorized into two categories: those that had 'Complications' (1,500 women) and 'No complications' (2,814 women). Participants were considered as having 'Complications' if they met any of the following criteria: length of stay > 3 days; hospital readmission within 30-days; or a hospital discharge other than “Home”, meaning they were discharged to a location that was not their home.

Patient-level features (age, race, obesity status, smoking, diabetes, cardiovascular events, and gallbladder disease) and hospital-level features (elective vs. emergent procedure, time to procedure, and weekday vs. weekend procedure) were compared between the two groups. Among the population, we found that patient-level characteristics such as age at admission, smoking history, history of hypertension, and diagnosis of morbid obesity at the time of admission are potential indicators of post-op complications. On the other hand, the hospital-level characteristics we examined were not markedly different between the two groups.

I also created two logistic regression (LR) models to estimate the relationship between patient-level characteristics, hospital-level characteristics, and post-procedure complications. A logistic regression is a classification algorithm used to predict a binary outcome (an outcome that can only have one of two values). In this project, the binary outcome is defined as ‘1= 'Complications' and 0= 'No complications'.

This model is used to predict the surgery outcome using historical data (i.e., age, race, existing diagnoses, day of the surgery, etc.). Since LR models are not efficient at handling null (missing) values, only limited inputs were used to train these models. Age, race, history of hypertension, and self-reported BMI were used for the ‘Patient Features’ model; admission type, days to procedure, and day of the procedure were used for the ‘Hospital Features’ model.

LR models are then evaluated by a metric called Area Under the ROC curve (AUC) which ranges from 0.5-1. In this case, both our model AUCs are very close 0.5, which means that the models are unable to distinguish the two outcomes given the limited input.

Future Goals

In the future, I will continue expanding the project by exploring our geographical database. Using the hospital zip codes, we can categorize the hospitals into 'Urban' and 'Rural' areas and investigate the relationship between surgery outcome and the hospital location. Furthermore, evaluating the time of day when the procedure occurs (morning vs. night shift) could also be a valuable predictive feature of post-op complications. Lastly, development of a more robust predictive model utilizing all of patient-level and hospital-level features can potentially aid in predicting adverse outcomes and complications post-cholecystectomy.


Usage and Grammar

A. “Lowercase” is a fine verb; you can look it up in a dictionary. And in any case, I don’t know any rule against making a noun into a verb. Writers and speakers of good English have been verbifying for a long time, and sometimes it works out well. I understand your resistance, though. I winced recently when I heard someone say, “Let’s see if we can solution that.”


Static weight bearing can be a valuable objective measure of patient recovery from orthopedic surgery or following physiotherapy. Gait analysis conducted on dynamic force platforms remains the gold standard for evaluating lameness, although it can be complex and costly. This study evaluated conventional bathroom scales for measuring changes in hindlimb static weight bearing in dogs with unilateral osteoarthritis (OA) of the stifle. The study group (n = 43) had undergone surgical treatment to repair a ruptured cruciate, had subsequent OA in the surgical knee, and were compared with healthy controls (n = 21).

Static weight bearing was measured using 2 identical factory-calibrated bathroom scales, 1 under each hindlimb. Measurements were recorded from both scales while the dog stood as straight and square as possible. Weight measurements were compared against subjective evaluation of static weight bearing, orthopedic examination for degree of lameness, dynamic force platform evaluation, radiographic examination (OA dogs only), and overall clinical assessment. Sensitivity and specificity for the OA group were 39% and 85%, respectively. Agreement between the bathroom scale method and dynamic force platform analysis was slight to moderate. Bathroom scales can be a useful objective measure of lameness, particularly when measuring response to physical therapy, although small sample size and inability to rule out OA in the control group may have compromised findings.

This study found that bathroom scales could detect large differences in symmetry and had variable agreement with the other tests (0%–75%). The statistical kappa agreement between the scales and other testing modalities was fairly low. Although bathroom scales are much cheaper than a force plate system, their use for determining repeatable interpatient data is suspect. Given the higher specificity, the best use is likely detecting ongoing pain in individual dogs. When comparing this study with previous studies of asymmetry analyses, differences in statistical tests used notwithstanding, the bathroom scales seem inferior.1,2 —Jonathan Miller, DVM, MS, DACVS

Use of bathroom scales in measuring asymmetry of hindlimb static weight bearing in dogs with osteoarthritis. Hyytiäinen HK, Mölsä SH, Junnila JT, et al. VET COMP ORTHOPAED TRAUMATOL 5:390-396, 2012.

1. Accuracy of asymmetry indices of ground reaction forces for diagnosis of hind limb lameness in dogs. Fanchon L, Grandjean D. Am J Vet Res 68:1089-1094, 2007.

2. The effect of measurement method on static weight distribution to all legs in dogs using the Quadruped Biofeedback System. Phelps HA, Ramos V, Shires PK, Werre SR. Vet Comp Orthop Traumatol 20:108-112, 2007.


Friday, December 2, 2022
HomeWhy Do German Shepherds Pant

Why Do German Shepherds Pant

Reasons Why Dogs Pant

Dogs pant to cool themselves, Dr. Wooten told The Dodo. Pain from anywhere in the body, nausea and stress are three common medical reasons why dogs will pant. Other medical conditions that can cause increased panting include Cushings syndrome respiratory problems, such as laryngeal paralysis or pneumonia poisoning heart disease and eclampsia .

Here are some more details on why your dog might be panting.

Why Does My German Shepherd Pant So Much

If your German Shepherd pants a lot then you might want to know why and what you can do about it.

This post will show you why your German Shepherd pants a lot and what can be done about it.

So, why does my German Shepherd pant so much? German Shepherds are large dogs so they naturally pant more than others. However, it could also be too hot, frightened, sick or have a health problem. If it started suddenly you should take it to a vet.

There are actually a number of things that can cause your German Shepherd to pant a lot and there are a number of things you can do about it.

What Is Considered Abnormal Breathing With Australian Shepherds

First things first, what is considered panting for Australian Shepherds?

You have to remember that, on average, your Australian Shepherd may breathe faster than you. Most humans will take between 12 to 16 breaths a minute. Your dog, on the other hand, may breathe at a rate of around 15 to 30 breaths per minute.

So, your pooch will only pant if they are breathing faster than what is normal.

In many instances, your dogs panting may be accompanied by a hanging tongue.

Read Also: German Sheperd Colors

Are There Any Behavioral Problems With German Shepherds

First off, they are very large dogs and can come off very intimidating. Second, their instinct to protect their family or property is strong and can lead untrained German shepherds to becoming very protective, aggressive, and scary dogs. The keyword here is untrained, as any untrained dogregardless of breedcan have the same problems.

Is It Normal For A German Shepherd To Smell

Why does my German Shepherd pant so much?

Having a German Shepherd in your life can be wonderful, but we cant deny their occasional stench every now and then. Even the most well-kept pups can have the occasional a run-in with foul odor. While some smelly issues have a quick fix, there are some issues that will require medical attention to resolve.

Add in the fact that German Shepherds have double coats and it becomes easy to see that they will get hot very easily. When dogs get hot they will naturally pant more than usual as a way to cool off. Another reason that a dog might pant more than usual is that it has heatstroke.

Investigate The Environment Monitor Meals

Panting can be a sign that your dog has consumed something they do not agree with. Equally, they may have rubbed against something they are allergic to.

Check all the foods in which you dog has eaten, and check up on areas your dog has been to ensure there is not something that has caused the panting.

Theyre Suffering From Heatstroke

While heatstroke ties into the being too hot aspect of panting, its serious enough that it should be talked about separately. Heatstroke occurs when your pet has been active in extremely hot temperatures and can happen to any dog breed, but due to their thick coats and large size, German Shepherds are at greater risk.

How can you tell if your dog is suffering from heatstroke? The first sign youll likely notice is your dog panting for far longer than is typical after being out in the heat. Other signs of heatstroke can include lethargy, thick sticky saliva, vomiting, and a bright red tongue. If you notice any of these, take your pet to a cooler, shaded area and give them water. After theyve cooled off a bit, follow up by taking them to the vet.

Also Check: How To Grow Long Hair For German Shepherd

The Root Of The Behavior

German Shepherds are a breed known for their loyalty and intelligence. German Shepherds are great at completing tasks and are committed to their jobs. They are full of energy and often work as police dogs or people with disabilities. Their strong noses, determination, and desire for exercise and mental stimulation give them excellent qualities for these roles.

However, German Shepherds werent always helping humans solve crimes or safely guiding them across the street. Your German Shepherd can be following you for a few reasons. He might be trying to herd you and your family members since German Shepherds were bred to herd livestock. These dogs know how to round up sheep and other animals by simply chasing, circling, and staring them down. If he has nothing else to herd, the two-legged creatures standing in different rooms of the house are the only targets he has, and his instinct tells him to round you up.

Dogs are also pack animals and respond well to the alpha, or the one in charge. Dogs will follow the alphas command and respect the hierarchy in the pack. Your pup might identify you as the alpha, which is a good thing because it means youre in charge. But with power comes responsibility and you are now in charge of where he goes and what he does. His need to be part of the pack and follow you is intuitive and your German Shepherd knows he wants to be part of yours.

What Is The Personality Of A German Shepherd

Why Does My German Shepherd Stretch So Much? 5 Different Types of GSD Stretches and Their Meanings

German Shepherd Temperament and Personality Courageous, Fearless and Focused. The German Shepherd is known for its courage. Alert, Intelligent and Trainable. The German Shepherd is a highly intelligent breed. Well-built, Strong and Energetic. German Shepherds are big dogs. Loyal and Protective. The German Shepherd Temperament with Children 7 Tips for Success.

Also Check: Pitbull Versus German Shepherd

What To Do When Your German Shepherd Is Panting

Panting is usually nothing to worry about, but it still indicates your dog is attempting to regulate their body temperature. It usually means that they are too hot, and their trying to cool down.

The following are practical ways that you can support your dog and help them feel more comfortable during bouts of panting.

Theyre Having An Allergic Reaction

Dogs can have allergies too! While they may end up with digestive issues or reddened skin because of them, your German Shepherd may also start panting in a wheezing manner. Their allergies range from dietary-related, pollen-related, laundry detergents, and dust. If your pet starts panting and wheezing out of nowhere, check what theyve eaten recently or where theyve been hanging out to discover if it could be an allergic reaction. Other signs of a reaction include itchiness and paw chewing.

Recommended Reading: Can A German Shepherd Beat A Pitbull

Is Panting An Indication Of Happiness Too

Originally Posted By: HistorianPanting can mean a lot of different things: being hot, tired, stressed, and yes, happy. There was an article a while back about how a shelter in Washington State is using a tape of panting dogs to help calm the dogs in the shelter. I Googled it and came up with this article – – about the use of the panting dog tape. It has a link at the end that goes to the website that has the full research paper available for people to read.

Causes Of A German Shepherd Panting A Lot

Why does my German Shepherd pant so much?

German shepherds are big dogs so it is to be expected that they will pant more than most other dogs.

However, there are a number of things that will cause them to pant more than usual. Some of them will be a cause for concern and others will be less troubling.

It is too hot

The most likely reason that it pants a lot is because it is too hot. Dogs dont sweat like humans do so it is difficult for them to regulate their temperature. Add in the fact that German Shepherds have double coats and it becomes easy to see that they will get hot very easily.

It has heatstroke

Another reason that a dog might pant more than usual is that it has heatstroke. This would be caused by doing too much activity, outside, while it is hot.

If you notice that your German Shepherd continues to pant after having been out in the heat for some time it would help to give it access to water and to give it access to a cool and shaded area immediately. If it does seem to have heatstroke then it would be important to take it to a vet as soon as you have helped it cool down.

German Shepherds may also start to pant a lot more than usual when they are frightened. This could be due to thunderstorms, a low flying jet, fireworks or it could be because you started to seem frightened yourself.

Related post: Why is my German Shepherd afraid?

It has a heart-problem

Allergic reaction to something

Recommended Reading: Underweight German Shepherd Puppy

Whining Because Of Excitement

As we mentioned earlier, a German Shepherd whine as a way of communicating. When a German Shepherd is excited, it may also whine to express its joy and happiness.

Some instance where a German Shepherd whines from excitement include:

  • When someone comes home
  • When it is about to go for a walk
  • When playing with you, or other dogs
  • When it is being served food

Side Effects Of Medication

There are some medications such as steroids that can cause excessive panting.

If your pup is on any kind of medication, it is a good idea to check the side effects that may accompany them. Even though this may be normal, it is a good idea to speak to your vet about what can be done.

Your vet may want to lower the dosage or try a different medication. So, you shouldnt ignore this issue.

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What Does It Mean When A German Shepherd Looks In A Different Direction

Any dog that is giving this signal is on the cusp of feeling overwhelmed, and a dog that feels overwhelmed can change very quickly from timid to aggressive. Its the classic fight or flight scenario. Youll notice this when a German Shepherd is looking in a different direction than his head is pointed.

Why Does My German Shepherd Breathe So Fast

Why Do German Shepherd Grow So Fast #shorts

If your German Shepherd is breathing fast, it is probably quite concerning for you. This post will try to help you figure out why it might be doing it and what you should do about it.

So, why does my German Shepherd breathe so fast? German Shepherds tend to be large and active so it is normal for them to pant more than other breeds. However, it could also be that it isnt getting enough exercise, its ill or injured, it has just been running around, it has heatstroke or its a side effect of medication.

There are a number of things to consider when trying to figure out why your German Shepherd has been doing it. Depending on the cause, there are also a number of things that you should do about it.

Recommended Reading: Sable Gsd Color Change

Do German Shepherds Drool And Is It Normal

German Shepherds like most dogs can and will drool from time to time and there are many reasons for this. Excessive drooling in German Shepherds should always be investigated because something dangerous could be happening, but there can be drooling that is normal for German Shepherds depending on the circumstance.

Why Is My Dog Panting Louder Than Normal

Sounds raspier, louder, or harsher than normal Occurs with more exertion than normal Listed below are some of the more common causes of abnormal panting: 1. Anxiety, stress or fear Panting is one of the primary behaviors exhibited by anxious, stressed, or fearful dogs.

Abnormal panting. Panting is considered abnormal when it occurs for reasons other than heat dissipation, and can be recognized by one or more of the following characteristics: Appears excessive compared to the dogs normal panting pattern. Occurs at inappropriate times

Also Check: German Shepherd Puppy Potty Training

Your Aussie Is Reacting With Excitement

Yes, Australian Shepherds may pant when they are excited as well.

This will often be in direct response to something. Maybe you have used one of their favorite words, they are happy to see you, or something enjoyable is taking place.

Here, the panting may be rapid and shallow. It may also be accompanied by whining or other behaviors such as leaping.

They Were Raised In A Poor Environment

Why does my German Shepherd pant so much? in 2020

In some cases, the excessive nipping may be an indication of a puppy raised in a very poor breeding environment, where the puppy didn’t get a chance to learn the ABCs of bite inhibition with his littermates and mom and the breeders did little about it.

Some of the worst cases of poor bite inhibition are often seen in puppies removed too early from the litter or singletons. In some cases, the biting may be genetic, due to a poor temperament and weak nerves.

Recommended Reading: Why Do German Shepherds Whine So Much

Why Does My Australian Shepherd Pant So Much

Post ContentHide
  • What To Do If Australian Shpeherd Panting Sounds Odd
  • If you have noticed that your Australian Shepherd pants often, you may be concerned. Or, you may simply be curious about why this is. Well, regardless, here is your explanation for why your pooch is panting so much as well as what you can do about it.

    You Cant Pinpoint The Stressful Stimuli

    In some cases, it is easy to figure out what is scaring your dog. Then, you can remove the stimuli or your dog from that environment and help them to calm down.

    If you arent entirely sure what the stimuli is, you may not be able to help your dog.

    As you are aware, a dogs sense of smell and hearing i superior to that of humans. As a result, they could potentially be reacting to something that you cant see, hear, or smell.

    It is also not unusual for some dogs to develop certain types of anxiety disorders. In this case, completely random stimuli may make your dog uncomfortable.

    If this is the case, your vet will have to start treating them with anti-anxiety medication to help them deal with their environment or fears better.

    Recommended Reading: German Shepherd Puppy Ear Stages

    How To Stop A German Shepherd Puppy From Biting

    Is your German Shepherd puppy’s biting driving you nuts?

    If you are blessed with a German Shepherd puppy, you may at times feel at your wits’ end when it comes to those constant nipping behaviors. Don’t feel badyou are not alone. This breed is indeed notorious for nipping, and those sharp puppy teeth hurt! If your arms are covered with bruises, scratches and teeth marks, you surely are upset about it and are looking for a way to decrease the nipping and finally allow those wounds to heal.

    Your Aussie Is Overheated

    Why do my dogs ears do thisð?¾ #shortsâ #germanshepherd

    Yes, one of the top reasons your pup may be panting is because they are trying to cool down.

    You may have realized that dogs dont sweat. As a result, their body has to find another way to regulate their temperature and this is through panting.

    When your dog is overheated, the blood vessels in their skin and tongue will dilate. This brings hot blood to the surface.

    Simultaneously, your dog begins to breathe more rapidly. This causes air outside of his body to pass through wet tissue such as the nose and pick up moisture.

    As this moisture makes its way through the body, it picks up the heat that has been generated. This hot air is then exhaled through the mouth.

    The hotter a dog is, the more rapidly it will begin to pant.

    Don’t Miss: Why Does My German Shepherd Pant All The Time

    Give Your Dog Access To Water And Cool Areas

    Giving your German Shepherd water allows them to naturally cool down, stay hydrated and reduce the possibility of them getting heatstroke.

    You should also ensure your dog can access an area of shade or somewhere cool when theyre hot.

    Always make sure that they can do this on their own accord and never leave them outside in the heat of the day without the ability to cool off.

    If youre on a walk take a break and be careful of the times you are looking to go. Be cognizant of any steep hills or challenging landscapes too.

    Why Do German Shepherds Pant

    Why do German Shepherds have a double coat? German shepherds, just as malamutes and huskies, have a double coat. This kind of coat includes a soft and woolly undercoat and an outer coat made of thin and long protective hairs. The coats purpose is to defend the dog from disease, infection and injury. This is the reason why you shouldnt shave your German shepherd. Year-round shedding.

    Why does my German Shepherd have diarrhea? If you suspect that you German Shepherd may be suffering from dog diarrhea due to a viral infection, it is important that you contact your vet immediately. Fortunately, viral infections usually show more signs than just diarrhea. Some other signs of a possible viral infection include

    What are the problems with German Shepherds? This leads to one of the first common problems for German shepherds, which revolves around aggression and the need to protect. Its very possible that an untrained German shepherd would be likely to bark or lunge at other dogs or people, especially on his own property.

    Also Check: Is My German Shepherd Too Skinny

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Refer a Patient

What is the Relationship Between Diabetes and Heart Disease?

diabetes and heart disease

Diabetes and heart disease are two of the most common diseases among adult Americans. While these are two separate diseases, they are often interrelated. Those with diabetes are actually two to four times more likely to also develop heart disease. In addition, those with diabetes are also more likely to suffer from a heart attack or stroke.

What is diabetes?

Normally, when food is digested, most of the ingredients are broken down into glucose (sugar). The pancreas then produces insulin, which helps this sugar enter the body’s cells and create energy. However, those with diabetes do not have the necessary insulin to merge the sugar with their cells. This leads to sugar build up in the blood and, if poorly managed, can lead to heart disease, nerve damage, kidney failure, and amputations, among other complications.

Thankfully, those with diabetes are often able to treat and prevent the above complications. There are two types: type 1, which means no insulin is produced in the body, and type 2, which means insulin is not produced or used well. In both types, controlling blood pressure and maintaining proper foot and eye care are crucial. Type 1 is usually managed through insulin injections while type 2 can be treated with various medications, with or without insulin.

However, no matter how much care a diabetes patient dedicates to their disease, it may progress and symptoms can become more difficult to control. End-stage diabetes often means the patient has acquired another illness, such as heart disease, and their life expectancy has been reduced to less than six months. In this case, the added support of hospice care helps a patient manage symptoms and live more comfortably for the time they have left.

heart disease

What is heart disease?

Heart disease may be used to refer to a plethora of conditions relating to the heart. The most common form is coronary artery disease (CAD), which decreases blood flow to the heart. This often leads to heart failure, arrhythmia (heart palpitations), heart attack, or stroke.

Physical exercise and healthy eating are key components to both prevention and management of heart disease. Once diagnosed, many patients will be prescribed medication to help manage symptoms and prevent the critical conditions listed above.

After some time, those with heart disease may find themselves with heart failure. This is considered end-stage heart disease. Oftentimes, this appears as a cycle in which the patient’s health declines, followed by a period of recovery. Because of this, many patients don’t seek out hospice care even though they would greatly benefit from it.

heart disease diabetes

What is the relationship between diabetes and heart disease?

There is a direct link between diabetes and the development of heart disease. This is often due to high blood glucose from diabetes, which can lead to damage in blood vessels and nerves that control the heart. However, even with glucose levels in check, other conditions caused by diabetes, such as high triglycerides, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol also contribute to the risk of developing heart disease.

Symptoms of diabetes like high blood pressure and high cholesterol also lead to an increased risk for heart attack or stroke. Additionally, those with diabetes often tend to have poor cardiovascular health. Obesity and lack of physical activity are also risk factors for developing heart disease. It’s imperative that those with diabetes eat a healthy diet and remain physically active in order to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

It’s important to seek medical attention when these two illnesses are combined. Some medications for heart disease may interact with medication for diabetes or contain ingredients like sugars and carbohydrates that may affect blood sugar level in diabetics.

diabetes heart disease hospice

When is hospice appropriate for diabetes and heart disease?

Diabetes by itself usually does not meet the hospice eligibility criteria. Diabetes may lead to hospice when it is simultaneously present with another disease (like heart disease). The patient must have a physician determine that their life expectancy is less than six months, which most often occurs when diabetes has been combined with another life-threatening illness. When there are additional illnesses involved, diabetes symptoms can become difficult to control and the added support of hospice care helps both the patient and family by providing a number of different services that help satisfy their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

Those with end-stage heart disease are often candidates for hospice care. Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care’s HeartLink is a disease management program specifically designed to meet the unique needs of patients with end-stage heart disease. With an increased risk of heart attack and stroke, hospice care can mean decreased emergency room visits and hospital readmissions for patients and families.

Whether a patient has one or more of these complicated diseases, Crossroads specializes in providing the necessary support to help patients and their families live the best life possible for all of the time that they have left. For more information about hospice services for diabetes and heart disease, please call us at 1-888-564-3405.

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Merge and Graft: Two Twins That Need to Grow Apart

Software developers are familiar with merge, e.g., pulling together changes from one branch into another in a version control system. Graft is a more selective process, pulling changes from selected commits onto another branch. These two processes are often implemented in the same way, but there are important differences between the two that needs addressing.

Understanding differences between those so similar

Git and Mercurial have different ways to determine the correct ancestor when performing a merge operation. Graft operations use yet another way to determine the ancestor. In the built-in line-based algorithm, the underlying diff3 process is then used. This diff3 algorithm accepts non-conflicting changes and relies on the user to resolve conflicts. We will examine the details of this process and suggest that the symmetrical treatment that diff3 uses is appropriate for merge but not necessarily optimal for the graft operation.

In this paper we look at examples of tree-based structures such as XML and JSON to show how different approaches are appropriate for merge and graft.

Download this conference paper to:

  • Understand the fundamental differences between merge and graft.
  • Understand how results can differ when finding change depending on the method you’re using.
  • Review the advantages of XML for rule-based conflict resolution.

Merge tools are, usually, line-based tools that treat the files as a sequence of lines but they have no understanding of any syntactic structure that may be present.

Related Media

DeltaXML and DeltaJSON products look within the structure of your data to identify relevant differences, so you can diagnose, debug and process data efficiently.

Merging XML documents is a particularly tricky operation but is often required to consolidate or synchronise two or more independent edit paths or versions. As XML tools become more powerful, the possibility of achieving an intelligent merge of XML data sets become reality.

It’s common to have data in two files that we need to merge together, two different people or two different processes have made changes. Does it matter who or what has made this change? This question might help to decide whether you need a 2-way or 3-way merge.


Shelley's story*

Shelley Jasper, 48, was diagnosed with Stage I breast cancer in September of 2013. She underwent a right breast mastectomy and reconstruction surgery that November. She was cancer-free for four and a half years, but in February 2018, she was diagnosed with Stage IV breast cancer that had progressed to her liver as well. As part of her routine cancer scans, an aneurysm was also found in her brain. In May, she underwent an embolization procedure to correct the malformation. During the procedure, Shelley experienced a stroke and the next day was unable to move her left leg from the knee down. She spent a week in the ICU, and once medically stable, was transferred to Ochsner Rehabilitation Hospital.

When Shelley arrived, she was functioning at a very high level due to the strength of her right leg and both arms. She was able to get around with a walker by herself and perform activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing and feeding without physical assistance. Her biggest goals were to be able to walk, ride her motorcycle, spend time with her children and play with her granddaughters again.

Despite requiring minimal physical assistance, Shelley still struggled with balance deficits and left leg weakness that hindered her ability to return home. To address these issues, Shelley’s physical therapy team focused on high-level activities to improve her balance and left leg strength. Shelley performed lunges, side steps and step-ups on a balance ball as well as walking on various surfaces. Additionally, her physical therapists had Shelley complete high-level strengthening activities to address her left leg impairments and improve her walking. To improve the strength in the small muscles of her foot, her therapists had her pick up dominoes with her toes. With each session, Shelley's balance and strength improved.

In occupational therapy, Shelley worked on improving her balance and reaching capabilities by practicing bending down to retrieve objects in the kitchen and placing them on higher shelves. She also progressed from needing to sit for safety in the shower to standing for the entirety of her shower.

After one week, Shelley was ready for discharge, able to safely maintain balance while completing functional activities without any assistance. Shelley was looking forward to being back in her own home and looking forward to the day she can ride her motorcycle again.

Shelley plans to continue therapy at an outpatient clinic to further improve her left leg strength and balance. Her advice she gives to future patients is “to be coachable and listen.” She describes her inpatient rehabilitation experience as excellent due to the “loving and supportive staff.”

*Patient success stories from across our hospital network.


Under the European Union initiative, experts from the country will join forces with their counterparts in Northern Ireland and Scotland to see how energy sources can be created from the marine algae and seaweed found in areas of sea the three countries share.

Specifically, specialists at the Institute of Technology in Dundalk will lead the work, with Ireland’s energy minister Eamon Ryan explaining that the green energy initiative could have massive implications for businesses and households over the coming years.

In a statement welcoming the launch of the project, he said: “I believe the premise of the project is both exciting and potentially very significant – that marine algae can be harvested, processed and then utilised as a green energy source. There is huge potential for this, provided it can be proven as viable.”

Across the water, Scotland’s Alex Salmond has expressed similar enthusiasm, stating that algae could form a viable alternative to land-based biofuels.


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Legal: contracts (engagement, termination, commercial, etc.), agreements (NDAs, CDAs, commercial, etc.), bills, articles of incorporation, bylaws, memorandums, legal claims, procedures (individual, corporate and class actions), legal notices, and a wide array of legal documents

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Small vessel disease is a condition causing blood vessel dysfunction that occurs with aging and contributes to the development of cardiovascular disease, dementia, and stroke. As a consequence of the profound effects of small vessel disease on the functioning of the brain and blood-brain barrier, for the purposes of this article, we will focus predominantly on cerebral aspects of small vessel disease, called cerebral small vessel disease.

Small vessel disease in the brain contributes to approximately 50 percent of dementia cases worldwide, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other common neurodegenerative diseases.[1][2]

Brain and vascular phenomena of small vessel disease

The functional impact of cerebral small vessel disease on cognition can be predicted through a system of scoring medical images to observe contributing phenomena directly. [3] The contributing phenomena attributed to cognitive decline as a result of small vessel disease include:

  • White Matter Hyperintensities - Areas of white matter lesions that appear bright white on an MRI scan. The development of white matter hyperintensities may be mediated by cumulative exposure to hypertension (i.e., high blood pressure)[4] and contributes to cognitive decline and dementia.[5]
  • Cerebral Microbleeds - Small deposits of blood waste products (mainly hemosiderin) that accumulate when blood escapes from nearby damaged small vessels, as called a hemorrhage. Age and hypertension contribute to the formation of cerebral microbleeds.[6]
  • Lacunes (from the Latin for "little lakes") - Areas of empty space on an MRI scan where chronic ischemia (inadequate blood flow) has resulted in tissue death, often following chronic cerebral microbleeds. Increased burden of lacunes is associated with cognitive decline and gait disturbances in older adults.[7]
  • Enlarged Perivascular Spaces - A build-up of interstitial fluid that is unable to be exchanged with fresh serum flowing through adjacent blood vessels. Enlarged perivascular spaces compromise waste removal by the glymphatic system, increasing brain concentrations of toxins, such as amyloid-beta, which contributes to the development of Alzheimer's disease.[8]
  • Brain Atrophy - A loss of tissue mass that occurs when the brain must downsize the number of neurons and neuronal connections it supports due to chronic deprivation of nutrients and growth factors and accumulation of waste. Brain atrophy can be measured in midlife prior to the development of cognitive impairments and is more pronounced in adults with obesity compared to adults with a lean BMI.[9]

Prevention at a glance

There are a variety of lifestyle behaviors and risk factors that may affect the development of cerebral small vessel disease or pathologies associated with the disease, including:

  • Aerobic exercise reduced the risk of dementia and cognitive impairment due to increased production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which encourages plasticity and preserves synaptic density. Exercise also reduced the burden of lacunes, white matter hyperintensities, and other markers of small vessel disease.[10]
  • Low levels of plasma omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids were associated with more severe cerebral small vessel diseases in patients who had experienced an ischemic stroke.[11]
  • Participants with the highest serum concentration of vitamin D had fewer white matter hyperintensities, enlarged perivascular spaces, and total burden of small vessel disease.[12]
  • Greater visceral abdominal fat was independently associated with increased markers of cerebral small vessel disease in participants without a history of symptomatic cerebrovascular disease. [13]
  • Patients with hypertension have a greater burden of cerebral small vessel disease and are at greater risk of cognitive impairment, especially when presenting with progressive white matter hyperintensities.[14]

Small vessels are one half of the blood-brain barrier

The blood-brain barrier separates the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral circulatory system, tightly controlling what substances pass into or out of the brain; this function (controlling what substances pass into or out of the brain) relies on the integrity small vessels at the blood-brain barrier. The vascular half of the blood-brain barrier is composed of small vessel endothelial cells and pericytes, which are multipurpose cells that control the dilation and constriction of blood vessels.[15] Both types of cells, while present throughout the body, have special characteristics at the blood-brain barrier.

Endothelial cells connect to each other using tight-junction proteins, which can be modified in shape to suit the needs of different tissues in the body. In tissues responsible for the filtering of waste, such as the kidneys and liver, loose tight junctions allow for increased paracellular transport. This mode of nutrient and waste exchange occurs when substances from the blood seep through vessel walls instead of being transported intracellularly using membrane transporters with high selectivity. Tight junctions connecting endothelial cells at the blood-brain barrier form much tighter junctions than those of the liver and take on a structure more similar to epithelial tissue (e.g., skin), which severely limits paracellular transport.[16]

The ratio of endothelial cells to pericytes also varies among the small vessels of the body with the microvasculature of the CNS having the highest proportion of pericytes. Compared to small vessels in the lungs (10:1 ratio of endothelial cells to pericytes), which form a more permeable barrier than the brain, and skeletal muscle (100:1 ratio of endothelial cells to pericytes), which has little barrier capacity, small vessels of the brain form the most restrictive barrier with approximately a 1:1 ratio of endothelial cells to pericytes.[17]

These perciytes strengthen small vessel integrity by controlling vessel dilation, providing trophic support to endothelial cells (e.g., encouraging endothelial cell proliferation and differentiation), and secreting components of the extracellular matrix that connect small vessels to astroglia.[18] These star-shaped cells form the central nervous system half of the blood-brain barrier, bridging the distance between blood vessels and neurons, while selectively choosing which substances come into contact with neurons. The multicellular structures formed by endothelial cells, pericytes, and atroglia contain many sets of connecting membranes and are called a neurovascular unit. These structures serve the purpose of nutrient and waste exchange for neurons while providing many points of regulation to prevent neuronal damage.[15]

Endothelial dysfunction compromises the blood-brain barrier

Endothelial dysfunction compromises the integrity of neurovascular units, increasing the concentration of toxins and pathogens in the brain and accelerating brain aging.[19]

Endothelial cells line blood vessels throughout the body and require a lot of energy to regulate vascular tone efficiently.[20] Endothelial dysfunction can be caused by hyperglycemia and oxidative stress, which reduces the number of endothelial progenitor cells over time, worsening small vessel disease. Dysfunctional epithelial cells promote blood vessel rigidity, inflammation, and excessive clotting, contributing to cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease progression.[21]

The mechanisms underlying endothelial dysfunction have yet to be fully elucidated; however, inflammation, a key regulator of blood vessel permeability, is a major contributor. Chronic inflammation caused by lack of micronutrients is common in aging. For example, high levels of serum homocysteine, a byproduct of normal cellular metabolism that is an endothelial toxin at high concentrations, can be caused by vitamin B12 deficiency, a common problem in older adults.[22] Hyperhomocysteinemia is common in individuals with small vessel disease[3] and increases in severity as small vessel disease worsens.

Endothelial dysfunction increases with age and contributes to inflammaging, a process of tissue degeneration characterized by altered cellular senescence, immunosenescence, mitochondrial dysfunction, defective autophagy, metabolic inflammation, and gut microbiota dysbiosis.[23] Chronic inflammation and tissue injury at the BBB increases the risk of autoimmunity and neurodegeneration as immune cells encounter damage-associated molecular patterns and risk producing antibodies against self-antigens released from damaged CNS tissues.[3]

Blood-brain barrier leakage is a consequence of small vessel disease

Many of the observable cerebral phenomena of small vessel disease, such as white matter hyperintensities and lacunar strokes, are predictive of the amount and degree of blood-brain barrier leakage.[3]

Permeability of the blood-brain barrier, is partially regulated by tight-junction proteins, which form attachments between the cytoskeletons of adjacent cells. High serum phosphate levels, which are common in people with cerebral small vessel disease, downregulate the assembly of tight junction proteins, increasing BBB permeability. Severe vitamin D deficiency increases serum phosphate levels by reducing phosphate excretion by the kidneys[24] and is more common in individuals with severe small vessel disease.[12]

Permeability of the blood-brain barrier is also modulated by the types of lipids used to create neurovascular membranes. For example, unsaturated fats make membranes less compact and more fluid, while saturated fats create rigid membranes that are less efficient at nutrient and waste exchange.[25] Increased permeability of neurovascular units allows endotoxins and inflammatory immune cells to infiltrate the brain, contributing to brain aging.[26]

A leaky blood-brain barrier reduces perfusion and impairs cognition

"Older adults with early cognitive dysfunction display blood-brain barrier leakage in the hippocampus regardless of the deposition of amyloid or tau, demonstrating the importance of vascular markers in the early diagnosis of dementia. 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.07.222" Click To Tweet

Chronic hyperpermeability of the BBB leads to adaptations such as an increased thickness and disorganization of blood vessels, which reduces perfusion, the passage of blood from cardiovascular circulation into tissues, delivering nutrients and diluting waste.[27] Hypoperfusion, a defining characteristic of small vessel disease, deprives tissues of oxygen, causing mitochondrial dysfunction and increasing oxidative stress.[28] Compared to older adults without small vessel disease, patients with overt cerebral small vessel disease had a greater volume of white and grey matter with subtle signs of blood-brain barrier leakage and reduced perfusion and cerebral blood volume.[29]

Hypoperfusion initiates a vicious cycle of nutrient deprivation, metabolic stress, inflammation, and waste accumulation that is central to cognitive impairment. While dementias such as Alzheimer's disease are often diagnosed based on the visual appearance of amyloid-beta plaques and phosphorylated-tau tangles, blood-brain barrier leakage and vascular dysfunction often precede the appearance of amyloid and tau deposits. Older adults with early cognitive dysfunction display blood-brain barrier leakage in the hippocampus regardless of the deposition of amyloid or tau, demonstrating the importance of vascular markers in the early diagnosis of dementia.[1] Intervening in dementia by alleviating the endothelial dysfunction and hypoperfusion associated with small vessel disease may be a more effective strategy than focusing on amyloid-beta removal, as earlier dementia research has done.[30]

Glymphatic dysfunction impairs waste disposal

Impaired glymphatic function, a feature of small vessel disease, contributes to brain injury and presents as an enlargement of perivascular space.

The glymphatic system circulates interstitial fluid in the brain in an avascular manner, meaning neither blood nor lymph vessels are required for fluid movement. Interstitial fluid is exchanged with fresh plasma, which perfuses from nearby blood vessels. This system of highly controlled fluid movement is responsible for waste disposal during sleep, injury, and illness because, unlike other organs, the brain has no traditional lymphatic structures.[31] Glymphatic dysfunction disturbs normal pressure in the brain and impairs waste disposal, contributing to neurodegeneration.[32]

Using gadolinium-based MRI dye, researchers can measure the rate of fluid exchange in perivascular spaces at the blood-brain barrier. Estimated glymphatic clearance rate is inversely related to cerebral small vessel disease, meaning that as the burden of small vessel disease markers increases, the ability of the glymphatic system to circulate fluid decreases. Impaired exchange of fluids at the blood-brain barrier increases the occurrence of enlarged perivascular spaces, where stagnant interstitial fluid accumulates toxins that injure the brain.[3]

Enlarged perivascular spaces

Enlarged perivascular spaces are a feature of neurodegeneration and are associated with other markers of small vessel disease, such as white matter hyperintensities, and other signs of brain disease such as chronic inflammation and blood-brain barrier dysfunction.

Perivascular spaces are fluid-filled spaces that form around blood vessels in several organs including the brain that participate in normal nutrient and waste exchange. These spaces are filled with interstitial fluid that seeps into the space due to increased blood vessel permeability. Perivascular spaces are common in the body and may have an immunological function, as increased blood vessel permeability facilitates diapedesis, the movement of white blood cells from the bloodstream into tissues.[33] Enlarged perivascular spaces are commonly found in healthy adults in small number; however, an increased occurrence of enlarged perivascular spaces in the brain is associated with aging,[34] depression,[35] cognitive decline,[36] and diabetes.[37]

As a result of perivascular enlargement, the efficiency of fluid exchange at the BBB is reduced, resulting in the accumulation of misfolded proteins such as amyloid-beta, which contributes to Alzheimer's pathology,[3] and alpha-synuclein, which contributes to Parkinson's pathology.[38] The accumulation of toxins is greatest when fluid exchange is disrupted during sleep, a time when the brain cleans out toxins that build up during the day from normal metabolism and harmful environmental exposures. During sleep, fluid volume in the brain increases to dilute waste and exchange cerebrospinal fluid with plasma from the bloodstream.[3] Enlarged perivascular spaces and poor sleep are both common in people with Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. Interventions that increase sleep duration, such as short daily naps, and sleep quality, such as light exercise, have demonstrated efficacy in alleviating symptoms of Alzheimer's disease.[39]

Deeper damage in the brain

Over time, hypoxia, reduced delivery of nutrients and growth factors, accumulation of toxins and dysfunctional proteins, and chronic inflammation leads to long-term structural changes in the brain that are visible using medical imaging and include white matter hyperintensities, occluded vessels, cerebral microbleeds, lacunes, enlarged perivascular spaces, and brain atrophy — the defining cerebral traits of small vessel disease.

White matter hyperintensities

Tissues in the CNS are characterized as gray matter, which are areas in the brain, brainstem, and cerebellum where neuron bodies are concentrated, or white matter, which are bundles of axon fibers that form connections among neurons. White matter appears white in tissue samples compared to gray matter due to an increased concentration of lipids, which form the insulating myelin sheaths around axon fibers. Gray matter is concentrated in the cerebral cortex, the outermost layer of brain tissue, with white matter positioned under this layer, deeper in the brain. White matter is highly vascularized and vulnerable to ischemia (i.e., reduced blood flow) due to its deep location.

White matter hyperintensities are lesions found in white matter that appear bright white on a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan because the area has a decreased density of axons and blood vessels.[40] Often, this reduced cell density is the result of hypoxia and cell death.[41] White matter hyperintensities of vascular origin are also referred to as leukoaraiosis.[42]

Studies utilizing diffusion tensor imaging, a sophisticated type of MRI that measures the movement of water in white matter,[43] have detected white matter dysfunction that precedes the visual appearance of white matter hyperintensities, suggesting that white matter hyperintensities are the final stage of a pathological process that involves long-term small vessel disease.[5] White matter hyperintensities increase with age, hypertension,[5] and obesity[44] and are associated with depression,[45] cognitive impairment, and physical disability.[5] The association between white matter hyperintensities and disease follows a stepwise pattern, meaning the more lesions that are visible, the greater the risk of impairment. This relationship is especially strong when lesions are confluent, so that larger continuous areas of white matter die, disrupting communication between different hubs of gray matter neurons.[5]

Contributions to functional impairments in neurodegenerative diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases include hundreds of distinct illnesses that present with specific sets of symptoms based on the location of brain lesions such as the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, brainstem and cerebellum, and spinal cord. Degeneration in the cerebral cortex causes dementia and Alzheimer's disease. Lesions located in the basal ganglia result in movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease. Small vessel disease leads to hypoperfusion and hypoxia in the brain, causing protein misfolding and downstream endothelial dysfunction, BBB break-down, and inflammation.[46]

Alzheimer's disease

"Newer research finds that small vessel disease burden has a greater effect on cognition in those with dementia than amyloid-beta and tau burden, demonstrating a shift in how scientists and clinicians should research and diagnose Alzheimer's disease. 10.1038/s44161-021-00014-4'" Click To Tweet

Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia that presents with plaques of misfolded amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau proteins in the brain. While early research of Alzheimer's disease implicated these proteins as a cause of the disease, recent research suggests misfolded proteins accumulate secondary to metabolic disease, small vessel disease, and chronic inflammation.[47] Therapies that target the removal of misfolded proteins have been largely unsuccessful in reducing Alzheimer's disease severity, revealing the need for therapies upstream of protein misfolding.[47] Newer research finds that small vessel disease burden has a greater effect on cognition in those with dementia than amyloid-beta and tau burden, demonstrating a shift in how scientists and clinicians should research and diagnose Alzheimer's disease.[1]

Maintaining the lipid membranes that comprise the blood-brain barrier may be an important area for intervention, as older adults with greater serum concentration of small high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles and cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of the lipids phosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, and lysophosphatidylcholine had less amyloid-beta. Small HDL particles remove oxidized lipids from endothelial cells at the BBB, reducing inflammation, small vessel dysfunction, and amyloid-beta deposition.[48] Strategies for increasing small HDL particle number include pharmaceutical drugs and exercise. In one study, four weeks of daily supplementation with four grams of the omega-3's eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) + docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) combined with exercise had a uniquely powerful effect on raising small HDL levels.[49] A growing body of evidence suggests that omega-3 intake during the early stages of Alzheimer's disease may reduce disease severity.[50]

Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease is characterized by motor neuron dysfunction, resulting in tremors, muscle rigidity, and movement difficulties. However, some people with the disease may also experience depression and cognitive impairment.[2] The brains of people with Parkinson's disease display multiple markers of cerebral small vessel disease. One study with more than 100 Parkinson's disease patients found lacunes in 9 percent of the patients, deep white matter hyperintensities in 81 percent, enlarged perivascular spaces in 85 percent, and cerebral microbleeds in 3 percent. A greater burden of small vessel disease markers was related to greater disease severity.[51]

Neuroinflammation is a driver of cerebral small vessel disease and early neuron dysfunction in Parkinson's disease. The transcription factor NFkB activates the expression of pro-inflammatory genes, and its activity is increased in Parkinson's disease. Polyphenols from foods such as berries, greens, and tea inhibit the NFkB inflammatory pathway and, therefore, may reduce Parkinson's disease risk.[52] In studies with mice, polyphenol treatments reduce inflammation and oxidative stress and protect dopaminergic neurons.[53] Human trials demonstrate that a diet rich in polyphenols improves small vessel function[54] and robustly improves executive function, language, attention, concentration, and active memory in people with Parkinson's disease.[55]

  • Blood-brain barrier - Small vessels are one half of the blood-brain barrier, the multicellular membranes that separate the central nervous system from the bloodstream. Small vessel disease is intimately related to blood-brain barrier dysfunction.

Small vessel disease FAQ's

Q: What is the overall prevalence of cerebral small vessel disease?

A: The prevalence of cerebral small vessel diseases increases with age, affecting about 5 percent of people aged 50 years and older and nearly 100 percent of people older than 90 years and causing an estimated 25 percent of strokes.[56]

Q: How can clinicians track or diagnose small vessel disease and/or the permeability of the blood-brain barrier?

A: Currently, there are no clinically-approved methods for measuring blood-brain barrier permeability. However, research methods exist that use a standard 15-minute MRI with an injection of a gadolinium tracer that helps to visualize the severity of blood-brain barrier leakiness. With aging, the hippocampus, medial temporal lobe, and the caudate nucleus are specific brain areas where barrier dysfunction is concentrated and this is represented by a leaking of the gadolinium tracer into deeper brain tissue.

Researchers at the University of Southern California are currently investigating other potential ways to track cerebral small vessel disease with varying degrees of invasiveness. For example, soluble platelet-derived growth factor-beta receptor is a protein released from damaged pericytes that can be measured in plasma from a standard blood draw. Other techniques rely on analysis of cerebrospinal fluid. Hopefully, these and other research methods could be approved for clinical practice in diagnosing dementia early in the disease process.

Q: What exercise activities may be best suited to reducing the risk of cerebral small vessel disease?

A: Improving cardiovascular fitness, especially with the aim of better management of blood pressure and reducing the pathological processes contributing to the production of white-matter hyperintensities, may be a particularly high-leverage prevention activity. In one study with middle-aged and older adults without cognitive impairment, hypertension was associated with accelerated brain aging in a dose-dependent manner. For every 10 mmHG increase in blood pressure (systolic or diastolic), estimated brain age increased by about 65 days.[57] Hypertension may be even riskier for people with an apolipoprotein E4 allele, a genetic variant that increases Alzheimer's disease risk, because it increases the amount of amyloid-beta deposition in the brain.[58]

In another study supporting the role of hypertension in small vessel disease and dementia, elevated blood pressure in midlife increased the burden of white matter hyperintensities in the brain.[4] Maintaining a systolic blood pressure of less than 120 mmHG may be optimal for reducing the risk of cerebral small vessel disease and dementia.[59] Aerobic exercise, in particular, helps maintain healthy blood pressure. For example, one study showed that men who completed a 12-week exercise program that included 40 to 60 minutes of walking or jogging one to three days per week reduced their systolic blood pressure by 15 mmHg and diastolic pressure by 10 mmHg.

Q: What foods or nutrients may be helpful in reducing the risk of cerebral small vessel disease?

A: The marine omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) profoundly affect brain health. The brain accumulates DHA in its cellular membranes more than any other organ in the body. To do this, it uses a transporter called Mfsd2a. Because DHA has a long and irregular shape, it increases membrane fluidity while also restricting transport across membranes.[60]

These qualities make DHA well suited for the needs of the blood-brain barrier. Illustrative of the functional importance of omega-3 DHA in the healthy maintenance of the blood-brain barrier, blocking the transport of DHA has been investigated in the lab as a drug action that temporarily permeabilizing the brain-brain barrier for specialized purpose (e.g., enhancing brain drug delivery of chemotherapeutics).[61]

Common dietary sources of EPA and DHA include seafood and fish (salmon, mackerel, anchovies, sardines, and herring are particularly dense sources), but can also be found in microalgae. Fish and seafood provide omega-3s in long-chain form, which are used by the body differently from plant sources of omega-3s. Learn about this specialized role of omega-3 DHA in our overview of the blood-brain barrier here.

Polyphenols, a large class of bioactive plant compounds found in foods such as berries and green tea, have also notably been shown to improve endothelial function.[62] In one study involving participants with white matter hyperintensities, a supplement containing apple and apple polyphenols, lemon balm, ginger, choline, and vitamin B6 reduced markers of oxidative stress and reduced dizziness and disability.[63]

Diets that minimize salt and sugar intake have a demonstrated relationship with lower small vessel disease risk. Among individuals who had experienced a stroke, a dietary history that minimized salt intake was protective against signs of small vessel disease.[64] In another study with individuals who had experienced a stroke, a lower current intake of high glycemic foods was associated with reduced small vessel disease burden.[65]

Q: How does the gut microbiota contribute to small vessel disease?

Among participants without a history of dementia or stroke, an enterotype (i.e., broad categorization of the types of bacteria that predominate in the microbiota) predominated by the genera Bacteroides was associated with more signs of cerebral small vessel disease, cognitive decline, and behavioral and psychological symptoms.[66] In another study, depletion of beneficial microbes that strengthen the gut barrier, such as Akkermansia muciniphila, increases blood pressure and small vessel disease burden.[67]

Previous research demonstrates that a Western diet pattern, heavy in animal fat and protein, shifts the gut microbiota toward the Bacteroides enterotype, while a diet high in fiber-rich plant foods shifts the microbiota toward an enterotype predominated by the genus Prevotella.[68] Among patients with Parkinson's disease, an enterotype predominated by Bacteroides was associated with a reduced concentration of barrier-strengthening fecal short-chain fatty acids (e.g., butyrate) and increased concentration of fecal calprotectin, a marker of intestinal inflammation, and zonulin, a tight-junction protein and marker of intestinal barrier dysfunction.[69]

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e3 2015

Unravel Is More Than Adorable And Should Be On Your Radar
by Kimberley Wallace on Jun 15, 2015 at 01:56 PM
Platform PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Publisher Electronic Arts
Developer Coldwood Interactive
Rating Rating Pending

When I first saw Unravel during a Pre-E3 event in Santa Monica, it immediately piqued my interest. It wasn't like many games I had seen and there was something so heartfelt about this little yarn doll and its mission to mend the broken bonds between people. I've been thinking about it since the event, waiting patiently for EA to finally share it with the world. Thankfully, it finally unveiled it at its E3 press conference today.

Coldwood Interactive is a small studio in the far north of Sweden that wants to set out to make something meaningful and personal with Unravel. Creative director Martin Sahlin spoke passionately about how he feels if players give him their most valuable gift - their time - it's up to him to make sure they get something special in return. Enter Unravel.

The inspiration for the atmospheric platformer came from a song lyric: "While you're away my heart comes undone and slowly unravels in a ball of yarn." Sahlin kept thinking about the lyric and how it sounded like a game character to him. "[He] unravels more and more, the further away [he] gets away from the things you love," Sahlin says. "The concept grew into, 'What if this yarn is actually kind of a symbol for the bonds between people?' It's like that red thread that runs through your life and connects everything."

Unravel's premise tackles a broken bond, and you play the little yarn doll named Yarny who acts as a messenger to try and mend things and set things right, collecting memories from various family members along the way. "The core of it is reaching out and overcoming difficulties," Sahlin says.

Those difficulties extend to just getting Yarny around the environment. The game is a physics-based puzzle/platformer and your goal is to figure out how to navigate it by unraveling Yarny to get by. This means using his yarn as a lasso to swing across platforms to using it to move objects to tying it to two posts to walk across, and more. You can even slingshot him off bridges.

During my hands-on time, much felt like second nature, but I also encountered times I had to pause and really think situations through. Most aren't just solved with one action, but by putting tons of Yarny's skills into motion. You also can only use some much of his yarn before you run out. Around the environments extra yarn is scattered to help you move on. I most enjoyed how creative you can get with using the yarn to get around, and that's what makes the gameplay stand out the most.

The landscapes Yarny explores are also inspired by areas around Sweden. Yarny will travel to deep forests, snowy landscapes, gardens, ice rivers, and more.  "It's more about capturing the feel of those places than capturing them identically [to Sweden]," Sahlin says. "Those environments inspire a certain kind of mood and atmosphere."

Yarny also makes plenty of expressions throughout his trek, like when he gets rained on, expect a sad face that breaks your heart because he's so darn adorable. "It's interesting how expressive you can make something, even though it doesn't have many features," Sahlin says. Yarny definitely brought up feelings that I'd put on my par with seeing your favorite childhood toy; he just has something very innocent and whimsical about him.

Unravel really feels to have the best of both worlds. The story elements are charming and the puzzle/platforming game provides its own satisfying challenge. "If you want to go deep and analyze everything, there's a lot of detail for people to look at and  think about," Sahlin says. "But some people just might want to play the game and that's fine too, we don't want to shove story in their face. We leave pieces for the people out there that they can finish if they want to."

Unravel has yet to receive a release date, but it is set to debut on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.

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