Confidence as a barrier to the use of problem-based learning in veterinary undergraduate students

Problem-based or case-based learning is a popular method of instruction in clinical degrees such as veterinary science, nursing, and medicine. It is difficult, however, for students to adapt to this learning method, and this difficulty has been well described. The present study surveyed first-year undergraduate veterinary students at the University of Nottingham about the challenges they faced upon beginning problem-based learning sessions. A surprisingly large percentage of students (36% of females and 38% of males) reported a lack of confidence in speaking in front of the other students as a concern they experienced during their first term. Conversely, only 10% of the female students (and none of the male students) reported overconfidence as a problem. This is in contrast to the perceptions of the staff members who facilitated the sessions who reported that 14% of the students exhibited underconfidence and 14% exhibited overconfidence. The difference between the female and male students' responses as well as the difference between the perceptions of students and those of facilitators is statistically significant (G-test p<.05).     

Prevalence of herd specific factors and limb disorders,and their associations in intensive swine production

A longitudinal observational study in 180 pig breeding herds was performed to calculate prevalences of herd specific factors as well as typical limb disorders and to estimate their associations in a 2-step regression analysis. Regarding herd size, genetics, feeding and weight gain herds were distributed almost equal. The population density and the hygiene status were considered proper in most herds. In the farrowing units partially slatted floors of metal or plastic with slats > 9 mm, in the weaning units fully slatted floors of plastic, and in the rearing units fully slatted floors of concrete were most common. Less than 6% of the farms housed their pigs on solid concrete with straw bedding. Herd prevalences of fault floors varied between 18 and 43%. As a herd health problem (morbidity > 25%) claw hematomas and limb abrasions in just 1-week old piglets, overgrown claws and bursa swellings in weaned pigs, and bursa swellings in rearing pigs were wide spread. Leg deformations by osteopathy or arthritis occurred only sporadically. In the risk analysis claw hematomas of piglets were associated with slatted floors, particulary with slats < 10 mm. Abrasions were associated with concrete and rough floor surfaces at all. Overgrown claws and bursa swellings in weaned and in rearing pigs were associated with damaged, slippery or rough floor surfaces. Other associations were not detected. The quality of floor might be more important than the type of housing.     

Nonlinear increasing axial gap stiffness in type II external skeletal fixation: a mechanical study

OBJECTIVE: To quantify the effect on gap stiffness and cranial to caudal bending stiffness of conversion of the 6 distal clamps of planar bilateral fixator models to sliding clamps and the effect of attachment of composite beams to the sliding clamp models. STUDY DESIGN: Mdash;Mechanical testing performed on models. SAMPLE POPULATION: Five models using birch dowels and a commercially available external skeletal fixator system. METHODS: A segmentally comminuted, middiaphyseal fracture was simulated with the use of wooden dowels, and a bilateral 6-pin fixator was applied to create each of 5 models. The models were mechanically tested with all fixed clamps, with the 6 distal clamps converted to sliding clamps and with composite beams attached to the sliding clamp models. Testing was carried out in axial loading with physiologically relevant loads for a canine model, and in bending in the cranial to caudal plane. RESULTS: Sliding clamp fixators with composite beams attached exhibited a nonlinear increase in axial loading gap stiffness as load increased. The composite beam group also exhibited an increase in cranial to caudal bending stiffness as compared with fixed clamp and sliding clamp models. CONCLUSIONS: Using composite beam elements, planar bilateral external fixators can be constructed such that the fracture site would undergo controlled amounts of displacement at low loads and lessening displacement at higher loads. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The nonlinear stiffness profile attained by the addition of composite beam elements to a planar external fixator allows controlled axial micromotion at the fracture site. Because controlled axial micromotion appears to stimulate fracture healing, a nonlinear stiffness profile of this type should enhance fracture healing.     

Effect of dexmedetomidine and xylazine followed by MK-467 on gastrointestinal microperfusion in anaesthetized horses

Objective

To compare the effects of MK-467 during isoflurane anaesthesia combined with xylazine or dexmedetomidine on global and gastrointestinal perfusion parameters.

Spatial Predictions of Cover Attributes of Rangeland Ecosystems Using Regression Kriging and Remote Sensing

Sound rangeland management requires accurate information on rangeland condition over large landscapes. A commonly applied approach to making spatial predictions of attributes related to rangeland condition (e.g., shrub or bare ground cover) from remote sensing is via regression between field and remotely sensed data. This has worked well in some situations but has limited utility when correlations between field and image data are low and it does not take advantage of all information contained in the field data. I compared spatial predictions from generalized least-squares (GLS) regression to a geostatistical interpolator, regression kriging (RK), for three rangeland attributes (percent cover of shrubs, bare ground, and cheatgrass [Bromus tectorum L.]) in a southern Idaho study area. The RK technique combines GLS regression with spatial interpolation of the residuals to improve predictions of rangeland condition attributes over large landscapes. I employed a remote-sensing technique, object-based image analysis (OBIA), to segment Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper images into polygons (i.e., objects) because previous research has shown that OBIA yields higher image-to-field data correlations and can be used to select appropriate scales for analysis. Spatial dependence, the decrease in autocorrelation with increasing distance, was strongest for percent shrub cover (samples autocorrelated up to a distance [i.e., range] of 19 098 m) but present in all three variables (range of 12 646 m and 768 m for bare ground and cheatgrass cover, respectively). As a result, RK produced more accurate results than GLS regression alone for all three attributes when predicted versus observed values of each attribute were measured by leave-one-out cross validation. The results of RK could be used in assessments of rangeland conditions over large landscapes. The ability to create maps quantifying how prediction confidence changes with distance from field samples is a significant benefit of regression kriging and makes this approach suitable for landscape-level management planning.     

霉菌毒素结合制剂在营养策略中所扮演的角色

1 简介霉菌毒素是霉菌代谢的次级产物，这种物质很可能在饲料的制造与贮存过程中污染到饲料。目前已知至少有300种以上霉菌代谢产物会使动物及人类中毒，全世界谷物中有25％受到霉菌毒素的污染，而且达到可量测的浓度。在这些毒素中，已知有很多种物质明显影响动物的健康，对动物生产造成重大影响。2 霉菌毒素的产生在自然状态下霉菌毒素的产生是一个全球性问题，但是世界上某些特定地区霉菌毒素产生的情形比其他地区频繁。在较冷或气候较温和的地区，例如加拿大、美国的北部及多数欧洲国家，黄曲霉毒素并不是主要问题，除了进口的饲料原料…     

Omentalisation of the head in cats: a cadaver study

The involvement of the greater omentum in reconstructive, abdominal and thoracic surgery is based on its manifold qualities, which include immunological support, lymphatic drainage, angiogenesis, adhesion, haemostasis and fat storage. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the greater omentum could be extended to the head. In addition, we evaluated the surgical procedures necessary for this extension. Our study reveals that specific surgical lengthening techniques of the greater omentum, such as dorsal extension and inverted L-shape elongation, are necessary to successfully transpose the omentum to the head in cats. As the survival of the omentum after transposition procedures is still unknown, its application in chronic non-healing wounds of the head in cats warrants further investigation.     

Giant unruptured aneurysm of the left sinus of Valsalva in the left ventricular outflow tract of a young dog

A young adult, 28 kg, intact female Siberian husky-mixed breed dog was presented to the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital (VMTH) Emergency Service for evaluation of a dysrhythmia and an abnormal cardiac structure. The dog had been adopted from an animal shelter approximately 3 months before presentation. The dog occasionally showed exercise intolerance, and the owners suspected that she had impaired vision. Initial clinical signs appeared 2 days before presentation during strenuous activity—the dog uncharacteristically stopped and lay down while tachypneic. The dog produced dark liquid feces and was lethargic and anorexic overnight.     

Associations among Haemophilus parasuis,Mycoplasma hyorhinis,and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus infections in pigs with polyserositis

The objective of this study was to determine the associations among Haemophilus parasuis, Mycoplasma hyorhinis, and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus (EU-field strain) infections in 95 pigs with polyserositis. A significant association between H. parasuis and M. hyorhinis was identified. H. parasuis and M. hyorhinis were significantly more often detected in PRRS virus positive pigs.