Comparison of regular insulin infusion doses in critically ill diabetic cats: 29 cases (1999–2007)

Objective – To compare biochemical parameters, neurologic changes, length of hospital stay, and clinical improvement in 3 groups of cats with diabetic ketosis/diabetic ketoacidosis (DK/DKA) prescribed varied doses of regular insulin as a continuous rate of infusion (CRI). Design – Retrospective study. Setting – University teaching hospital. Animals – Twenty‐nine client‐owned cats with DK/DKA prescribed a regular insulin CRI. Interventions – Cats were grouped as follows: 7 cats each in Group 1 and 2, (prescribed 1.1 and 2.2 U/kg/d, respectively), and 15 cats in Group 3 (prescribed increasing doses as needed). Measurements and Main Results – None of the groups received the total prescribed dose of insulin. The mean actual dose administered/kg/d ranged from 0.30 (0.21) to 0.87 (0.32) U/kg/d in Groups 1, 2, and 3. There was no difference in mean minimum blood glucose (BG) per 4 hours or change in BG from baseline per 4 hours between Groups 1 and 2 (P=0.63, 0.50). There was no difference between groups regarding the time required to reach a BG ≤13.9 mmol/L (250 mg/dL), serum phosphorus or potassium concentrations relative to baseline values (P=0.53, 0.90), length of time until urine or serum ketones were no longer detected (P=0.73), the animal commenced eating (P=0.24), or length of hospital stay (P=0.63). Four of the cats had declining mentation during hospitalization; there were no relationships between osmolality at presentation, either prescribed or administered insulin dose, and mentation changes. Three of the 4 cats with declining mentation survived. Twenty‐seven of the 29 cats (93%) survived to discharge. Conclusions – In this study, prescribing the published canine dose (2.2 U/kg/d) of regular insulin to cats with DK/DKA does not appear to increase the frequency of adverse neurologic or biochemical sequelae compared with cats that are prescribed the published cat dose (1.1 U/kg/d). The use of a sliding scale for determination of infusion rates significantly reduces the amount of insulin cats receive in this setting. Determination of whether adverse sequelae would occur more frequently if cats with DK/DKA received the full insulin prescribed doses of 1.1, 2.2, or >2.2 U/kg/d is warranted. Further controlled studies are necessary to determine if higher doses of insulin are associated with beneficial effects on morbidity or mortality.     

Effects of butyrate on apoptosis in the pig colon and its consequences for skatole formation and tissue accumulation

Evidence exists that butyrate inhibits apoptosis of colon crypt cells in vivo so that less tryptophan from cell debris is available for skatole formation by microbes in the pig colon. In this study, potato starch containing a high proportion of resistant starch was fed to test the hypothesis that increased butyrate formation will occur in the colon and contribute to reduced epithelial cell apoptosis, thus leading to reduced skatole formation and absorption. Two groups of six barrows were provided with catheters in the jugular vein and fed either a ration with pregelatinized starch (high ileal digestibility; controls) or potato starch (low ileal digestibility; PS) as the main carbohydrate. All pigs were fed 31 MJ of metabolizable energy and 381 g of crude protein per day. The controls were fed for 19 d. The PS group received the same control ration for 10 d, and then changed to the PS ration. The total feeding period of PS consisted of a 5 d adaptation period followed by another 19 d. In the continously sampled feces, pH, short chain fatty acids, and skatole were determined. Skatole was additionally measured in blood plasma that was sampled daily. After killing barrows at the end of the feeding period, fat tissue for skatole measurement and colon tissue for histological quantification of mitosis and apoptosis were obtained. Feeding potato starch led to a rapid 2.2 fold increase of fecal butyrate when compared both with the control period of the PS group and the control group (P < 0.001). PS feeding resulted in a decrease in pH from 7.3 to 5.3 (P < 0.001) and apoptosis from 2.06 cells/crypt to 0.90 cells (P < 0.01), whereas there was no change in mitosis. Consequently, skatole decreased both in feces (controls vs PS group: 120.0 vs 1.9 microg/g; P < 0.001) and in blood plasma (1.6 vs 0.2 ng/mL; P < 0.001). The mean concentration of skatole in fat tissue was 167 ng/g tissue in controls, and below the detection limit (0.8 ng/g) in the PS group (P < 0.001). It is concluded that butyrate-dependent inhibition of apoptosis in the colon due to potato starch feeding efficiently inhibits skatole production in barrows. Because of the depressed skatole levels, improved sensory quality of pork is possible.     

Incidence of post-anaesthetic arrhythmias in dogs

OBJECTIVES: To assess the use of Holter monitoring for evaluating the incidence of post-anaesthetic cardiac arrhythmias and associated anaesthetic risk for two different anaesthetic protocols. METHODS: Patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery were randomly divided into two groups with different anaesthetic regimens (group A, isoflurane n = 30; group B, propofol n = 30). Two 24-hour Holter recordings were performed for each patient: the first directly following anaesthesia and the second, as a comparison, on the fifth postoperative day. RESULTS: Although all dogs were healthy on pre-anaesthetic cardiac evaluation, 56 dogs showed arrhythmias in the two 24-hour (Holter) electrocardiograms performed. However, the number of arrhythmias recorded was low in most cases (less than 10 supraventricular extrasystoles and less than 100 ventricular extrasystoles). One patient in group A showed 94 supraventricular extrasystoles during the second monitoring period. Three patients in each group developed more than 100 ventricular extrasystoles during both Holter recordings. There were no statistically significant differences between the two anaesthetic regimens or between the two recordings in both groups. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The two anaesthetic protocols investigated in this study did not induce an increased incidence of severe arrhythmias in healthy dogs in the post-anaesthetic phase.     

Cardiac arrhythmias and electrolyte disturbances in colic horses

Background

Despite increased focus on cardiac arrhythmias in horses, the nature and prevalence is still poorly described. Case reports suggest that arrhythmias occurring secondary to systemic disease are seen more commonly in the clinic than arrhythmias caused by cardiac disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of arrhythmias in colic horses referred for hospital treatment. Associations between electrolyte disturbances and arrhythmias were also investigated.The study population consisted of eight control horses and 22 referred colic horses. A Holter electrocardiography (ECG) was recorded during the first 24 hours of admission. The ECG’s were analysed by a software program followed by manual visual inspection. Arrhythmias registered included second degree atrioventricular (AV) blocks, supraventricular premature complexes (SVPCs), and ventricular premature complexes (VPCs). Blood was collected at admission and again between 12 and 24 hours after ECG was applied, and analysed for concentrations of potassium, sodium, ionised calcium, chloride, glucose, and L-lactate.

Results

Heart rate was 37.4 ± 3.7 bpm in the control group, and 51.6 ± 11.8 bpm, in the colic group, which was significantly different (P < 0.0001). AV blocks and SVPCs were found in both groups, however only colic horses showed VPCs. No significant difference between the two groups was found for AV blocks, SVPCs, and VPCs (P = 0.08 - 0.76). The mean levels of potassium, sodium, ionized calcium, and chloride were significantly lower in the colic group compared to the control group at admission. Mean levels of glucose and L-lactate were significantly elevated in the colic group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

This study describes prevalence of cardiac arrhythmias and electrolytes concentrations in colic horses compared to healthy controls. Although we only observed VPCs in the colic horses, no significant differences between colic horses and controls were found. Despite the colic horses having electrolyte changes at admission no correlation was found between the electrolyte disturbances and cardiac arrhythmias. Although no clear conclusions can be drawn from the present study, the results indicate that relatively mild colic per se is not pro-arrhythmogenic, whereas severe colic probably are more likely to result in ventricular arrhythmia.     

Beitrag zur Bekämpfung des Maiszünslers Pyrausta nubilalis Hb.

Zusammenfassung 1.|Mechanische Maßnahmen, wie tiefes und sauberes Pflügen, um Larven zu begraben, sind oft schwer durchführbar, sollten aber angestrebt werden. Mehrjähriger Kleeanbau nach Mais ist ebenfalls erwünscht, soweit betriebswirtschaftliche Verhältnisse dies zulassen. Das Einsammeln und Verfüttern der Maisfahnen nach dem Schlüpfen der Raupen ist aus arbeitswirtschaftlichen Gründen bei größeren Maisfeldern unrentabel, bietet zudem keinen 100%igen Erfolg.2. Eine chemische Bekämpfung mittels Insektiziden in der Zeit zwischen Schlüpfen und Einbohren der Raupen war erfolgreich, wie Versuche ergaben. Systemische Mittel, die die Larven im unteren Stengelteil vernichten, sind z. Z. noch nicht greifbar, eine mögliche Wirksamkeit noch in Prüfung bzw. Entwicklung befindlicher Mittel scheint aber durchaus gegeben.3. Folgerung aus beidem: Einmal chemische Bekämpfung. Wegen längeren Zeitraumes des Schlüpfens scheint ein kombiniertes Hexa-DDT-Mittel, in Abständen von 10–14 Tagen an die Pflanzen gebracht, am sichersten zu sein. Dabei sollten Emulsionen wegen besserer Haftfähigkeit oder aber Suspensionen nur unter Zusatz eines Haftmittels verwendet werden. Zum zweiten soll nach Möglichkeit eine mechanische Bekämpfung durch tiefes und sorgfältiges Pflügen die Wirkung der Insektizide unterstützen.     

Discovery of natural gain amplification in the 10-micrometer carbon dioxide laser bands on Mars: a natural laser

Fully resolved intensity profiles of various lines in the carbon dioxide band at 10.4 micrometers have been measured on Mars with an infrared heterodyne spectrometer. Analysis of the line shapes shows that the Mars atmosphere exhibits positive gain in these lines. The detection of natural optical gain amplification enables identification of these lines as a definite natural laser.