Femoral fracture repair complicated by vascular injury in a foal

A comminuted, mid-diaphyseal femoral fracture was diagnosed radiographically in a 4-month-old Quarter Horse colt. Disruption of the distal blood supply was suspected, as evidenced by coolness and diminished pulses of the distal portion of the limb. The fracture was repaired by compression plating but the foal's condition continued to deteriorate. A femoral arteriogram of the affected limb was obtained. Positive contrast agent was visible only as far as the mid-shaft of the femur. The foal was euthanatized and the postmortem examination revealed a transected popliteal artery accounting for ischemic necrosis of the distal limb.     

Recovery threshold of Toxocara canis eggs from soil

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the threshold of Toxocara canis eggs form soil samples through utilisation of a centrifuge-flotation technique (CFT). Aliquots of soil (1 g each) were artificially contaminated with known numbers of T. canis eggs (1, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 200 eggs). The threshold was evaluated based on a CFT using zinc sulphate (Zn₂SO₄) and sodium nitrate (Na₂NO₃) solutions at a specific gravity of 1.20. The number of eggs recovered was directly proportional to the number of eggs employed to seed the soil. Both solutions enabled full recovery of samples containing merely three eggs; only Zn₂SO₄ demonstrated efficiency in soil contaminated with a single egg. A recovery rate of 100% was obtained for all tests with samples containing 10 and 25 eggs for Zn₂SO₄ and Na₂NO₃, respectively_. There was no difference in the mean number of recovered eggs regarding either the efficacy of the solutions or the repetition of evaluations in the same trial (p > 0.05). Therefore, the CFT is efficient for the detection of Toxocara eggs, even in samples containing low egg numbers.     

Influence of Prescribed Fire on Ecosystem Biomass,Carbon, and Nitrogen in a Pinyon Juniper Woodland

Increases in pinyon and juniper woodland cover associated with land-use history are suggested to provide offsets for carbon emissions in arid regions. However, the largest pools of carbon in arid landscapes are typically found in soils, and aboveground biomass cannot be considered long-term storage in fire-prone ecosystems. Also, the objectives of carbon storage may conflict with management for other ecosystem services and fuels reduction. Before appropriate decisions can be made it is necessary to understand the interactions between woodland expansion, management treatments, and carbon retention. We quantified effects of prescribed fire as a fuels reduction and ecosystem maintenance treatment on fuel loads, ecosystem carbon, and nitrogen in a pinyon–juniper woodland in the central Great Basin. We found that plots containing 30% tree cover averaged nearly 40 000 kg · ha^?1 in total aboveground biomass, 80 000 kg · ha^?1 in ecosystem carbon (C), and 5 000 kg · ha^?1 in ecosystem nitrogen (N). Only 25% of ecosystem C and 5% of ecosystem N resided in aboveground biomass pools. Prescribed burning resulted in a 65% reduction in aboveground biomass, a 68% reduction in aboveground C, and a 78% reduction in aboveground N. No statistically significant change in soil or total ecosystem C or N occurred. Prescribed fire was effective at reducing fuels on the landscape and resulted in losses of C and N from aboveground biomass. However, the immediate and long-term effects of burning on soil and total ecosystem C and N is still unclear.     

Pili-mediated attachment of Corynebacterium renale to mucous membrane of urinary bladder of mice

Corynebacterium renal strain 115 with numerous pili became attached in vivo to the mucous membrane of the urinary bladder of mice 10 to 30 times more frequently than did that of C renale American Type Culture Collection 19412, which showed few pili. Antipili serum-treated C renale strain 115 was not recovered from the membrane in as large amounts as was untreated bacteria. Antisomatic serum-treated strain 115, on the other hand, was recovered from the membrane in amounts similar to untreated bacteria. Untreated organisms became attached to the mucous membrane of the urinary bladder more effectively than did the antipili serum-treated bacteria, as seen on scanning electron micrographs. It may be concluded that C renale strain 115 attaches itself to the mucous membrane of the urinary bladder om mice by the pili.     

Pharmacology and therapeutics of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the dog and cat: 2 Individual agents

The general pharmacology of the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used in dogs and cats has been described in part 1 of this review (Lees and others 1991). This paper outlines the properties of the individual agents as they are used in small animal practice. The NSAIDs which have been used extensively in small animals include the older agents such as Aspirin, cinchophen and phenylbutazone. These agents have previously been used empirically by extrapolation of dosages from other species and by clinical experience. Studies are now available which provide a scientific rationale for the dosage rate recommended. A number of new drugs have recently been licensed for use in the dog or may be licensed in the near future. These include flunixin, carprofen and tolfenamic acid and the data generated from these products provides very useful information for formulating I effective dosage regimens. There are also some NSAIDs such as piroxicam which have been investigated in the dog because they have particular properties which may be of use in common clinical conditions and others, such as Paracetamol and Ibuprofen, which are readily available to the public and which owners may administer to dogs or cats at toxic doses.