Survival of 4 dogs with persistent atrial standstill treated by pacemaker implantation

Pacemakers were implanted in 4 client-owned female dogs which had persistent atrial standstill. Three dogs were alive after 14 to 39 months and 1 dog was euthanized after 10.5 years. This report demonstrates that some dogs with persistent atrial standstill can survive for extended time periods.     

Behavioral response and cost comparison of manual versus pharmacologic restraint protocols in healthy dogs

Although sedatives are routinely administered to dogs for diagnostic and minimally invasive procedures, manual restraint is often used. The study compared intra-procedural behavioral response, scored on a 100-point, visual analog scale, and cost of restraint in healthy dogs given 1 of 5 treatments: manual restraint, dexmedetomidine at 125 μg/m² (Dex 125) or 375 μg/m² (Dex 375), Dex 125 plus butorphanol at 0.4 mg/kg (Dex 125 + Bu), or Dex 375 plus butorphanol at 0.4 mg/kg (Dex 375 + Bu). Mean behavioral response scores in dogs declined from baseline in the manual restraint group and improved in a linear fashion in the group order Dex 125, Dex 375, Dex 125 + Bu, and Dex 375 + Bu. Dexmedetomidine at 375 μg/m² or at 125 μg/m² or at 375 μg/m² in combination with butorphanol produced the best intra-procedural behavioral response. The cost of sedative drugs was offset by the opportunity cost of diverting personnel from revenue-generating activity to manual restraint.     

Influence of three anesthetic protocols on glomerular filtration rate in dogs

OBJECTIVE: To investigate renal function in clinically normal dogs when awake and during anesthesia with medetomidine; xylazine, ketamine, and halothane (XKH) combination; or propofol. ANIMALS: 10 adult female Beagles. PROCEDURES: At intervals of 15 days, dogs were administered medetomidine (0.05 mg/kg, IV); XKH combination (xylazine [1 mg/kg, IV], ketamine [5 mg/kg, IV], and halothane [1% end-tidal concentration]); or propofol (6 mg/kg, IV) to induce anesthesia or no treatment. Glomerular filtration rate was assessed on the basis of renal uptake (RU; determined via renal scintigraphy) and plasma clearance (CL) of technetium 99m-labeled diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid ((99m)Tc-DTPA). RESULTS: In awake dogs, mean +/- SEM RU was 9.7 +/- 0.4% and CL was 3.86 +/- 0.23 mL/min/ kg. Renal uptake and CL of (99m)Tc-DTPA were not significantly modified by administration of XKH (RU, 11.4 +/- 0.9%; CL, 4.6 +/- 0.32 mL/min/kg) or propofol (RU, 9.7 +/- 0.3%; CL, 3.78 +/- 0.37 mL/min/kg). Half-life elimination time of plasma (99m)Tc-DTPA decreased significantly in XKH-anesthetized dogs, compared with the value in awake dogs (14.4 minutes and 28.9 minutes, respectively). However, glomerular filtration rate was significantly decreased by administration of medetomidine (RU, 3.9 +/- 0.1%), and the time to maximum kidney activity was significantly increased (867 +/- 56 seconds vs 181 +/- 11 seconds without anesthesia). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that anesthesia with propofol or an XKH combination did not alter renal function in healthy Beagles, but anesthesia with medetomidine decreased early RU of (99m)Tc-DTPA.     

Evaluation of the diagnosis of subclinical endometritis in dairy cattle using ultrasound

The aim of this study was to determine signs of subclinical endometritis found by ultrasound that are associated with reduced fertility in dairy cows.The maximum diameter of the uterine lumen was determined by ultrasound in 324 cows without clinical signs of endometritis after evaluation of the genital tract 21 to 27 days postpartum. Cows were classified into healthy or with subclinical endometritis by three threshold values for the maximum uterine lumen diameter of 0.2 cm, 0.5 cm or 0.8 cm. Examinations by rectal palpation and ultrasound as well as classifications were repeated 14 days later. In addition, ovaries were scanned by ultrasound to determine the stage of the estrous cycle. In a subgroup of 103 cows the echotexture of the uterus and its contents was evaluated. In these cows the diagnosis of subclinical endometritis was performed by a scoring system. The diameter of the uterine lumen was significantly affected by stage of the estrous cycle at the time of examination. However, no effects were found for the stage of the cycle at the time of examination on subsequent reproductive performance. A uterine lumen with a maximum diameter of more than 0.2 cm showed a significant negative association with conception rate and proportion of cows pregnant. Classification based on higher threshold values did not reveal an association with reproductive performance. Echogenic content in the uterus also decreased reproductive performance. A classification based on the echotexture of the uterus and its contents revealed significant differences between healthy cows and cows with subclinical endometritis regarding the proportion of cows inseminated and pregnant.The results of this study showed that the diagnostic of bovine endometritis should be broadend by ultrasonography. The definition of subclinical endometritis diagnosed by means of ultrasonography has to be evaluated in further studies.     

Marked pleural effusion causing right atrial collapse simulating cardiac tamponade in a dog

A 16-month-old, female German shepherd dog was presented with severe bicavitary effusions. A diaphragmatic hernia was diagnosed by thoracic radiography. An echocardiogram performed prior to surgical repair of the hernia revealed signs of cardiac tamponade, with right atrial collapse, in the absence of pericardial effusion. Right atrial collapse was presumed to be secondary to severe pleural effusion. At surgery, no pericardial disease was identified. Surgical correction of the diaphragmatic hernia resulted in resolution of the pleural and peritoneal effusions. Follow-up echocardiography demonstrated resolution of the signs of cardiac tamponade.     

Antioxidant Capacity of Beetroot: Traditional vs Novel Approaches

Red beetroot has been ranked among the 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables, although only extraction-based methods have been used to evaluate its total antioxidant capacity. Therefore, the present study aims at comparing the traditional extraction-based method with two more recent approaches (QUENCHER -QUick, Easy, New, CHEap and Reproducible- and GAR -global antioxidant response method), in order to establish their suitability in the case of beetroot. Our results indicate that the total antioxidant capacity of beetroot would be underestimated when using extraction-based procedures, since both QUENCHER and GAR methods resulted in a higher total antioxidant capacity. The effect of a thermal treatment on the total antioxidant capacity of beetroot varies among the methods evaluated and our findings suggest different compounds responsible for the total antioxidant capacity detected in each pre-processing method. Remarkably, the present study demonstrates that the traditional extraction-based method seems useful to screen for (changes in) the “bioavailable” antioxidant potential of the root.     

Correction to: Individual based modelling of fish migration in a 2-D river system: model description and case study

Landscape Ecology - In the original publication of the article, the third author name has been misspelt. The correct name is given in this Correction. The original version of this article was revised.     

Effect of moisture content during dry-heating on selected physicochemical and functional properties of dried egg white

This article addresses the effect of moisture content (0.8-9.9%) during dry-heating (80 degrees C) on selected physicochemical (solubility, turbidity, residual denaturation enthalpy, aggregation, surface hydrophobicity, and sulfhydryl content) and functional (foaming ability, foam density, and stability) properties of freeze-dried egg white (FDEW). Moisture content during dry-heating proved to be a parameter determining the functionality of the resulting egg white powder. The degree of conformational changes induced in the egg white proteins by dry-heating was strongly dependent on the amount of water present. Preferentially, dry-heating at 80 degrees C should be performed on egg white powder with a moisture content below 6.8%, as the loss of protein solubility above this value is extensive. In addition to insoluble aggregates, soluble, strongly stabilized aggregates were also formed, especially at higher moisture contents. The decrease in denaturation enthalpy, increase in surface hydrophobicity, and exposure of SH groups previously hidden in the protein core and their subsequent oxidation were more pronounced at prolonged dry-heating times and at higher moisture contents. These conformational changes resulted in improved foaming ability and foams with lower density. No effect of dry-heating on the foam stability was observed.     

Aortic body carcinoma and myocardial infarction in a dobermann pinscher

Dilated cardiomyopathy is the usual cause of congestive heart failure in the dobermann pinscher and was the presumptive diagnosis in an eight-year-old female dobermann pinscher presented for dyspnoea and syncope. This was supported by thoracic radiography and electrocardiographic evidence of ventricular tachycardia. An echocardiogram revealed a left atrial tumour as the principal cause of cardiac failure. Pathological examination confirmed that the tumour was a large aortic body carcinoma in an unusual location. Multifocal myocardial infarctions were also found. This unusual case demonstrates the importance of a complete cardiological examination as part of a diagnostic work up and confirms the necessity of echocardiography as one of the examination methods.     

Season-specific varietal management as an option to increase rainfed lowland rice production in East African high altitude cropping systems

Due to land expansion and an increase in productivity, rice production in sub-Saharan Africa has been growing at a rate of 6% in the past decade. Rainfed rice production systems have accounted for a large share of this expansion. In these systems, the potential growing period not only depends on the length of the rainy season and thus water availability, but is often, especially in the highlands of East Africa, bordered by the onset of the cool period of the year, when low minimum temperatures compromise rice yields. The objective of this study was to investigate the yield potential of 30 rice varieties contrasting in crop duration and cold tolerance in the highlands of East Africa, with its limited length of growing period. A field trial was conducted in the cropping seasons in 2016 and 2017 at the Fogera rice research station, Ethiopia. As a function of the onset of rains, rice was sown mid-July in 2016 and early July in 2017. Early sowing in 2017 led to an extended crop duration and significantly lower yields of the short-duration varieties, and to a shortened duration and significantly higher yields of the medium- and long-duration varieties, when compared to late sowing in 2016. Late sowing compromised yield of the medium- and long-duration varieties because of low temperatures during booting stage, which led to high spikelet sterility. Early sowing resulted in low yields of the short-duration varieties, probably due to low solar radiation during the cloudy rainy season, which coincided with the vegetative stage. Therefore, choice of variety should be a function of the variable onset of the rainy season and related sowing date. However, crop models precisely calibrated for potential varieties and the respective environmental conditions could fully support the selection of a suitable variety, depending on the date of sowing, for example with the help of online tools or smartphone applications.