Pilot study of the ultrasonographic examination of the intact and transected medial glenohumeral ligament in dogs

Medial glenohumeral ligament injury is commonly reported during medial shoulder joint instability in dogs. Arthroscopy is considered the gold standard procedure, but it is invasive and requires distension of the joint. Ultrasonographic examination of the medial glenohumeral ligament has been studied as a possible, less invasive alternative to arthroscopy however it has not been considered a useful method of assessment due to the interference of the probe with the pectoral muscles. The aims of this prospective analytical randomized pilot study were to develop a standardized ultrasound protocol for visualizing the canine medial glenohumeral ligament and to compare goniometry and ultrasound findings in cadaver dogs with versus without transection of the medial glenohumeral ligament. Nine adult Beagle cadavers (18 shoulders) were used. The first six shoulders were used in a preliminary study to describe an ultrasound technique to identify the medial glenohumeral ligament. Arthroscopy was performed on the remaining 12 shoulders, with six randomly selected medial glenohumeral ligaments from these shoulders, transected during the procedure. Ultrasound examination was performed after each arthroscopic procedure by an ultrasonographer blinded to the patient group. Four medial glenohumeral ligaments (67%) were correctly identified during the preliminary study. Ultrasonographic examination failed to diagnose the transection of all six medial glenohumeral ligaments in the second part of the study. No difference was observed in the ligament thickness between the dogs with and without a transected medial glenohumeral ligament. Dogs with a transected medial glenohumeral ligament had a wider articular space compared to dogs without a transected ligament (P < 0.001), and an articular space wider than 8.2 mm was discriminatory of a transected medial glenohumeral ligament in all the shoulders. In conclusion, the medial glenohumeral ligament could be identified with a medial ultrasonographic approach of the shoulder and a wider articular space can be a sign of a medial shoulder joint instability. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary findings in living dogs, with and without shoulder instability.     

Diel differences in blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) dive behavior increase nighttime risk of ship strikes in northern Chilean Patagonia

The northern Chilean Patagonia region is a key feeding ground and a nursing habitat in the southern hemisphere for blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus). From 2014 to 2019, during 6 separate research cruises, the dive behavior of 28 individual blue whales was investigated using bio-logging tags (DTAGs), generating ≈190 h of data. Whales dove to significantly greater depths during the day compared to nighttime (day: 32.6 ± 18.7 m; night: 6.2 ± 2.7 m; P < 0.01). During the night, most time was spent close to the surface (86% ± 9.4%; P < 0.01) and at depths of less than 12 m. From 2016 to 2019, active acoustics (scientific echosounders) were used to record prey (euphausiids) density and distribution simultaneously with whale diving data. Tagged whales appeared to perform dives relative to the vertical migration of prey during the day. The association between diurnal prey migration and shallow nighttime dive behavior suggests that blue whales are at increased risk of ship collisions during periods of darkness since the estimated maximum ship draft of vessels operating in the region is also ≈12 m. In recent decades, northern Chilean Patagonia has seen a large increase in marine traffic due to a boom in salmon aquaculture and the passenger ship industry. Vessel strike risks for large whales are likely underestimated in this region. Results reported in this study may be valuable for policy and mitigation decisions regarding conservation of the endangered blue whale.     

A Case of Bronchioloalveolar Carcinoma in a Mare

A case of pulmonary carcinoma in a 23-year-old Quarterhorse mare is described. On physical examination, depression, poor body condition, tachypnea, bilateral serosanguineous nasal discharge and a wide area of reduced breath sounds in association with the right hemithorax were detected. Laboratory evaluation showed leukocytosis with neutrophilia and lymphopenia, hyperfibrinogenemia, hyperprotidemia, hypoalbuminemia, increased beta 2 and gamma globulin fractions, hypoxemia, and normocapnia. Radiography and thoracic ultrasonography revealed a large rounded mass extending from the 9th to the 14th right intercostal space, where neither bronchial nor vascular structures were detectable. Endoscopy showed a large amount of serosanguineous fluid within the tracheal lumen and a mass of reddish soft tissue completely obliterating the right caudal lobar bronchus. Histopathology of the endobronchial mass and of the transthoracic ultrasound-guided biopsy samples was consistent with a primary pulmonary epithelial tumor. Due to worsening of the clinical condition, the mare was euthanized. Postmortem examination confirmed the presence of a large 30-cm mass located in the right caudal pulmonary lobe, characterized by epithelial cells arranged in papillary projections and alveolar structures, findings consistent with bronchioloalveolar carcinoma.     

Productive and biochemical responses of durum wheat to UV filtration

A UV exclusion experiment was conducted on durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf. var. Claudio) grown in pots. Plants were grown under three different radiative treatments in greenhouses covered with plastic filters: Teflon, transparent to the entire region of natural UV‐visible sunlight (TEF); polyester, transparent above 312 nm (MYL, excluding UVB) and Lee, transparent above 400 nm (LEE, excluding both UVA and UVB). Analyses have been carried out to determine the concentration of photosynthetic pigments in leaves, UV‐absorbing compounds, nitrogen and carbon in leaves, culms and spikes and proteins and gluten in grains. In particular, plants grown under UV exclusion showed a reduction in protein and dry gluten content (consequently without variation in the ratio dry gluten/protein), but at the same time, a significant increase of gluten index, which is a parameter to define the quality of gluten, was observed. The results highlighted the influence played by UV radiation on some biochemical parameters, mainly UV‐absorbing compounds, leaf nitrogen and grain protein characteristics of durum wheat cultivated under Mediterranean conditions. In particular, natural level of UV in the Mediterranean improves the characteristics of durum wheat flour important for pasta production (high dry gluten level), while the UV exclusion could improve characteristics of flour important for bread production (high gluten index).     

Effect of long term addition of composts and poultry manure on soil quality of citrus orchards in Southern Italy

A 6-year study was conducted in an organically managed orange orchard located in Sicily (Southern Italy) to assess the effect of compost and organic fertiliser utilisation on soil quality. Adopting a randomised-block experimental design with three replicates, four treatments were carried out. In treatments 1 and 2, two different composts (C1 from distillery by-products and C2 from livestock waste) were applied. The plots of treatment 3 were fertilised using dried poultry manure. The control treatment was fertilised by mineral/synthetic fertilisers. In order to verify the hypothesis that composts and organic fertilisers improve soil fertility, soil quality was evaluated by selecting dynamic soil parameters, as indicators linked to C and N cycles. Total organic C, total N, C/N ratio, humified fraction, isoelectric focussing (IEF) of extracted organic matter, microbial biomass C, potentially mineralisable N under anaerobic conditions, potentially mineralisable C, C mineralisation quotient and metabolic quotient were determined for each sample. Moreover, the Community Level Physiological Profile (by Biolog technique) was defined, calculating derived functional biodiversity and versatility indexes. Parameters related to IEF and potentially mineralisable C showed significant differences among the treatments. Moreover, total C, total N and humification parameters tended to increase, while no differences were observed in biodiversity indexes. On these findings, it was concluded that composts and poultry manure only weakly affected soil properties, though they increased soil potentially available nutritive elements to crops.     

Effects of two fractions of inspired oxygen on lung aeration and gas exchange in cats under inhalant anaesthesia

ObjectiveTo compare the effects of two fractions of inspired oxygen (FiO₂) (0.4 and 1) on lung aeration and gas exchange during general anaesthesia in cats.Study designRandomized, blinded, controlled study.AnimalsThirty healthy, mixed breed, client owned female cats.Materials and methodsCats were premedicated intramuscularly with acepromazine (0.03 mg kg^?1) and medetomidine (0.015 mg kg^?1). Anaesthesia was induced with propofol (5 mg kg^?1) and, after orotracheal intubation, maintained with isoflurane carried by either 100% oxygen (G100, n = 15) or an oxygen-air mixture with 40% oxygen (G40, n = 15). All cats were placed in dorsal recumbency and breathed spontaneously throughout the entire procedure. Following surgery (ovariectomy), a spiral computed tomography (CT) of the thorax was performed, arterial oxygen (PaO₂) and carbon dioxide (PaCO₂) tensions were measured and alveolar-arterial gradient of oxygen [P(A-a)O₂] calculated. The CT images were analysed for lung aeration by the analysis of radiograph attenuations (Hounsfield units, HU), according to the following classification: hyperinflated area (-1000 to -900 HU), normally aerated area (-900 to -500 HU), poorly aerated area (-500 to -100 HU) and non-aerated area (-100 to +100 HU). The groups were compared using one-way anova.ResultsCompared to G100, the normally-aerated lung area was significantly greater and the poorly-aerated and non-aerated areas were significantly smaller in G40. PaCO₂ was similar in both groups. PaO₂ and P(A-a)O₂ were significantly higher in G100. In both groups, pulmonary atelectasis developed preferentially in the caudal lung fields.ConclusionIn cats anaesthetised with isoflurane, the administration of an FiO₂ of >0.9 significantly impaired lung aeration and gas exchange as compared to an FiO₂ of 0.4.Clinical relevanceAn FiO₂ of 0.4 may better preserve lung aeration and gas exchange in anaesthetised spontaneously breathing cats but monitoring is essential to ensure oxygenation is adequate.     

Heavy Metal Contents and Distribution in Coastal Sediments of the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy)

A set of ten heavy metals (Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, V, and Zn) was investigated in surface sediments (0–5 cm) collected in 21 sites of the Gulf of Trieste, Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy). The aim of this work was to obtain a preliminary assessment about the levels and spatial distribution of these selected elements. Ancillary parameters such as grain size, total organic carbon, and total nitrogen were also determined. The enrichment factor was calculated to discriminate if a natural condition or a status of anthropogenic contamination occurs. In addition, a set of sediment quality guidelines, mean effect low range and effect medium range quotients, was also applied in order to predict the probability of adverse biological effects on the benthic community.     

The effects of starving and feeding on Dover sole (Solea solea,Soleidae, Linnaeus, 1758) stress response and early larval development

In the view of an urgent necessity to improve the quantity and the quality of farmed fish species, there is a strong need to improve our basic knowledge on the effects of first feeding during the developmental stages of fish larvae. High mortality, mainly due to food deprivation or inappropriate food quality, has been observed in many larval fish species, but knowledge about the morphological, biochemical and molecular processes related to this topic is still poorly understood. The understanding of the early larval ontogeny as well as the larval nutritional requirements and the molecular and cellular mechanisms elicited by fish larvae during food deprivation and starvation are thus of primary importance. At this regard, this study investigates, in Dover sole larvae, the effects of starvation and starving/re‐feeding procedures at a morphological, histological, biochemical and molecular level. The results evidenced that starved larvae progressively decrease in growth, lipid content, affected their gastrointestinal tract and muscle development and increased cortisol and heat shock protein 70 levels. On the contrary, starved and re‐fed larvae showed, after the restoration of a favourable feeding condition, a compensatory growth. In conclusion, this is the first study analysing through a multidisciplinary approach the effects of food deprivation on the development of an important economic species, the Dover sole.