Two different diets characterized by the absence of cereals or by the presence of conventional cereals were evaluated on the nutrient digestibility and faecal characteristics and faecal fermentative end-product concentrations of 8 neutered adult Labrador retrievers housed at the Regional Centre Helen Keller (Messina, Italy) during the training work for the service guide for the blind. Dogs (age = 17 ± 1 months, initial body weight [BW] = 26.3 ± 1 kg, and body condition score [BCS] = 4.5 ± 0.11) were divided into 2 homogeneous groups for sex (half males and half females). Dogs in the grain free (GF) group were fed a commercial diet characterized by the absence of grain cereals, and dogs in the control (CTR) group were fed a super-premium pet food characterized by conventional grains as the carbohydrate source. The trial lasted 84 d, preceded by a 7-d of adaption period. Physical examination, digestibility, and faecal characteristics were studied. The statistical model included the effects of diet (GF vs. CTR), time (from d 0 to 84, end of the trial) and the interaction (diet × time). The high-protein, low-carbohydrate dry diet (GF) offered higher apparent nutrient digestibility of protein (+10%; P = 0.002) and fat (+7%; P < 0.001) and more stable large intestinal fermentation of carbohydrate compared to the commercial high-carbohydrate dry diet, enabling dogs to use nutrients from the diet more efficiently and thus requiring less food (−13%) to satisfy their nutrient requirements, producing less excrement (−33%; P = 0.033), and reaching a higher final BW (+8%; P < 0.0001) and a higher final BCS (+15%; P = 0.003). Therefore, the GF diet appears the nutritional plan most suitable for these animals taking due account not only of the training work done by animals with their increased nutrient and energy needs, but also of the gastrointestinal disorders consequent to stress coming from work and life in kennels, which cause in the Labrador retrievers an unusual weight loss.

We investigated involvement of the peripheral nervous system in 6 patients with amyotrophic chorea-acanthocytosis. Electromyographic and neurographic findings, and pathological changes as demonstrated by examination of biopsy specimens of muscle and sural nerve indicate that most patients had an axonal sensorimotor polyneuropathy with more pronounced involvement of the distal portion of the nerves. Results obtained in one patient raised the question of an anterior horn cell disorder.

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Background: Nuclear Factor‐kB (NF‐kB) is a transcription factor expressed ubiquitously, that plays an important role in immune and inflammatory responses by regulating the expression of different genes. Furthermore many studies have shown its involvement in the apoptosis of neurodegenerative disorders. Objective: The aim of the study was to evaluate the expression of this factor in inflammatory demyelinating and axonal neuropathies as well as in non‐inflammatory neuropathies. Materials and Methods: We studied the expression of NF‐kB by immunocytochemistry and Western Blot of nuclear extract proteins in sural nerve biopsies of 11 patients with peripheral neuropathies of different origin: 3 with CIDP, 2 with chronic axonal inflammatory neuropathy, 2 with vasculitis, 2 with CMT1 and 2 with CMT2. Three normal nerves served as controls. Immunohistochemistry for macrophages, B, CD4 and CD8 cell subsets was also performed. Results: NF‐kB expression was found in some endoneurial vessel walls, many cell nuclei and in the outermost layer of myelin sheath of some nerve fibers in inflammatory axonal and demyelinating neuropathies. Few positive cells were found in hereditary neuropathies whereas no immunoreactivity was detected in normal controls. Western blot analysis confirmed such findings. Conclusion: Our findings underline the role of NF‐kB in the immune response of inflammatory neuropathies. NF‐kB reactivity in hereditary neuropathies may be related to the apoptotic mechanism.