EXPERT INTERPRETATION COMPENSATES FOR REDUCED IMAGE QUALITY OF CAMERA‐DIGITIZED IMAGES REFERRED TO RADIOLOGISTS

We compared the accuracy of five veterinary radiologists when reading 20 radiographic cases on both analog film and in camera‐digitized format. In addition, we compared the ability of five veterinary radiologists vs. 10 private practice veterinarians to interpret the analog images. Interpretation accuracy was compared using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. Veterinary radiologists' accuracy did not significantly differ between analog vs. camera‐digitized images (P=0.13) although sensitivity was higher for analog images. Radiologists' interpretation of both digital and analog images was significantly better compared with the private veterinarians (P<0.05).     

Studies of the distribution of yellowing viruses in the sugar beet root crop from 1981 to 1984

Two viruses, beet yellows virus (BYV) and beet mild yellowing virus (BMW), cause yellowing of sugar beet, their principal vector being Myzus persicae. Although the viruses have different properties which are likely to influence their spread within root crops, for the purpose of control they have been treated in the past as one disease. This paper describes the results of a crop survey carried out in co-operation with agricultural staff of British Sugar plc from 1981 to 1984 in which leaves from plants with symptoms of virus yellows were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for BYV and BMW. The two viruses differed in their incidence and distribution within the national sugar beet root crop; BMW was the main cause of yellowing and occurred in all parts of the growing region while BYV, which has the more severe effect on yield, was more limited in distribution. The survey located areas in southern East Anglia which are at greatest risk from BYV infection. The possible need to modify control measures depending on which virus threatens to invade the crops is discusssed. A high proportion of leaves visually identified as infected was found to contain neither BYV nor BMYV, emphasizing the difficulties of identifying virus-infected plants by field symptoms.     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC OBSERVATION OF SECRETIN-INDUCED PANCREATIC DUCT DILATION IN HEALTHY CATS

Secretin is a polypeptide hormone that stimulates secretion of bicarbonate from the exocrine pancreas and, in healthy human subjects, causes transient pancreatic duct dilation observable sonographically. In humans with chronic pancreatitis, secretin administration fails to cause pancreatic duct dilation, theoretically due to the restrictive effects of periductal fibrosis. We characterized the effect of exogenous secretin administration on the width of the pancreatic duct in nine healthy domestic cats. Cats were given a commercially available secretin product (ChiRho Stim™) while the pancreatic duct was monitored sonographically. Mean pancreatic duct diameter increased from 0.77±0.33 to 1.42±0.40 mm after secretin administration ( P =0.0017). The mean percent increase in pancreatic duct diameter over basal diameter for all time points up to 15 min postsecretin administration was 101.9±58.8%. Applicability of this technique to diagnose chronic pancreatitis in cats will need to be investigated.     

Acquired Jejunal Pseudodiverticula in a Yearling Arabian Filly

Objective— To report a case of multiple acquired jejunal pseudodiverticula managed successfully by resection and jejunojejunostomy.
Study Design— Clinical report.
Animals— Arabian filly.
Methods— The filly was referred for signs of acute colic of several hours duration and had a 2-week history of inappetence and weight loss. Three meters of thickened, edematous, and dilated jejunum removed during exploratory celiotomy had an intussusception and numerous diverticula; jejunojejunostomy performed. The pathoanatomic diagnosis was proliferative enteropathy with pseudodiverticula formation and jejunal muscular hypertrophy and diverticulosis. The diverticula appeared to be acquired; however, the exact cause was not determined.
Results— There were no postoperative gastrointestinal complications and 1 year later, the filly was doing well.
Conclusion— Multiple acquired jejunal pseudodiverticula not associated with classic muscular hypertrophy can occur in young horses. Long-term prognosis seemingly can be excellent after resection and jejunojejunostomy.
Clinical Relevance— Compared with other reports of small intestinal diverticula in horses, this case is unique because it was not congenital or associated with classic muscular hypertrophy.     

SONOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF GALLBLADDER VOLUME IN NORMAL CATS

We quantified gallbladder volume in 30 clinically healthy, fasted, cats, using an ellipsoid formula. All cats had a complete blood count and serum chemistry profile performed. Fasting times before sonography ranged from 12 to 16 h. The median gallbladder volume was 2.42 ml, with a range of 0.84–4.50 ml. The mean gallbladder volume was 2.41 ml. This reference range will assist clinicians when evaluating cats with hepatobiliary disease or suspected extrahepatic biliary obstruction.     

The Influence of Body Position on the Blood Gas and Acid-base Status of Halothane-anesithetized Sheep

Eleven adult sheep were divided into three groups. Baseline arterial blood samples were taken with the sheep standing and breathing room air. They were then anesthetized and placed in right (group one), left (group two), or dorsal (group three) recumbency. Arterial blood samples were taken at 30, 60, 90, and 120 minute intervals during anesthesia, and 15 minutes after the discontinuation of halothane in oxygen.
Anesthetic induction resulted in an increase in arterial oxygen (Pao₂) and carbon dioxide (Paco₂) tensions and a decrease in arterial pH (pHa) and base excess (BE). During anesthetic maintenance, no positional effects were noted, and pHa and BE increased in all groups. With the termination of anesthesia and the animals breathing room air, pHa increased, and Pao₂ and Paco, decreased; BE was elevated in group two when compared to group three. Only BE had returned to control values 15 minutes after halothane was discontinued.     

Prevalence of and Risk Factors for Postoperative Ileus after Small Intestinal Surgery in Two Hundred and Thirty-Three Horses

Objectives— To determine the incidence of postoperative ileus (POI) in a population of horses after small intestinal surgery and the effect of multiple variables on development of POI.
Study Design— Case series.
Animals— Horses (n=233) aged ≥1 year that had exploratory celiotomy for small intestinal disease that recovered from surgery from 1995 to 2005.
Methods— Sixty-eight variables were collected from medical records (1995–2005) for each horse. POI was defined as nasogastric reflux volume >20 L over 24 hours or >8 L at any single time after surgery.
Results— Twenty-seven percent (64/233) of horses developed POI; 29 of 64 (46%) horses with POI had duodenitis proximal jejunitis (DPJ). When no intestinal resection was required at surgery, excluding horses with DPJ, 15% of horses had POI; 30% horses had POI after intestinal resection. Ten percent of horses had POI for >24 hours. When horses with DPJ were excluded, factors associated with increased risk of POI included high packed cell volume at hospital admission ( P =.024), increasing age ( P =.0004), and length of intestinal resection ( P =.05).
Conclusions— Risk factors for POI in this study were nonspecific although horses with intestinal resection are at higher risk compared with horses without intestinal resection.
Clinical Relevance— Predicting with certainty which cases will develop POI remains elusive.     

SOME CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BROWN FOREST SOILS OF SCOTLAND

This paper considers the constitution of the freely drained brown forest soils both as a whole and divided on the basis of their field properties into podzolic and non-podzolic groups, and their relationship to classes within the soil taxonomies used by other soil surveys. A study of 86 profiles collected in Scotland and regarded as brown forest soils, shows that, of the various physical, chemical, and environmental characteristics examined, those relating to temperature, altitude, base status, pyrolysis ratio, and the ratio of pyrophosphate to dithionite-extractable iron show the most significant ‘between-group’ differences; these also distinguish the podzolic group from the podzols. The ratio of extractable sesquioxides to clay content which has been used as a criterion in some soil taxonomies is an ineffective discriminant because of the low clay content of many of these soils.