Quantification of the effect of various patient and image factors on ultrasonographic detection of select canine abdominal organs.

We assessed factors that affected ultrasonographic visualization of the pylorus, duodenal papilla, pancreas, adrenal glands, and jejunal and medial iliac lymph nodes in the dog. An abdominal ultrasonographic examination was performed on 100 canine patients, equally divided between two facilities. The pylorus was visible in 64% of the dogs, the major duodenal papilla in 42%, the left pancreatic lobe in 56%, the body of the pancreas in 60%, the right pancreatic lobe in 87%, the left adrenal gland in 91%, the right adrenal gland in 86%, the medial iliac lymph nodes in 54%, and the jejunal lymph nodes in 51%. The parameters that negatively influenced the visibility of these organs were the presence of air or food in the gastrointestinal tract (pancreas, duodenal papilla), age (lymph nodes), and body weight (pancreas, duodenal papilla). The parameters that positively influenced their visibility were the presence of air or food in the gastrointestinal tract (lymph nodes), body weight (lymph nodes), body condition score (right adrenal gland), and inherent image quality (left pancreatic lobe). There was a significant difference between the two institutes for the visualization of the pylorus, pancreas, and lymph nodes, which was probably related to different body positions used for scanning in each institution.     

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC MEASUREMENT OF THE MAIN PULMONARY ARTERY TO AORTIC DIAMETER RATIO IN HEALTHY DOGS: A COMPARISON TO ECHOCARDIOGRAPHICALLY DERIVED RATIOS

Indicators of pulmonary hypertension in dogs examined with thoracic computed tomography (CT) are not well established in the veterinary literature. In humans, the main pulmonary artery to aortic diameter ratio (MPA:Ao) measured via CT, has been shown to be more sensitive than echocardiographic variables for predicting presence and severity of pulmonary hypertension, in some cases. In veterinary literature, the MPA:Ao has been determined echocardiographically to have an upper limit of about 1:1. Measurement of this ratio has not been described in dogs using CT. The objectives of this cross‐sectional, prospective study were to compare echocardiographic measurement of MPA:Ao with that obtained via CT, determine if measurement of MPA:Ao via CT is repeatable and reproducible, and determine the effect of respiration and contrast administration on the measurement of MPA:Ao via CT. Ten healthy dogs without pulmonary hypertension were anesthetized to undergo thoracic CT using three protocols and echocardiography. The MPA:Ao was measured three times by three observers for each of the three CT protocols and compared to echocardiographic measurements. The mean MPA:Ao measured among all observers and CT protocols was 1.108 ± 0.152 (SD). The effect of CT scan protocol on MPA:Ao significantly differed among the three methods (P = 0.0014), where expiratory scans had lower MPA:Ao than inspiratory scans. The ratio measured on inspiratory CT scans consistently overestimated MPA:Ao when compared to echocardiography (bias = 0.226). Findings did not support the echocardiographically derived upper limit of MPA:Ao as an upper limit for determination of main pulmonary arterial enlargement on CT.     

Element content and pH value in American black cherry (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Prunus serotina</Emphasis>) with regard to colour changes during heartwood formation and hot water treatment

Element content and pH value in wood tissues of veneer grade logs of P. serotina Ehrh. were investigated with regard to wood colour variations, measured in the CIEL*a*b* system. The average pH value of heartwood tissue was about pH 4.0 and medium colour parameters of veneer sheets were determined at L* = 73, a* = 9.8, and b* = 23.5. Optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analyses showed differences in the element contents between two regional forest sites coming from Pennsylvania and West Virginia, USA, respectively. The latter is mainly characterised by higher variations of micro-element content in the transition zone (influencing heartwood formation) and also pH value of wood tissue, which contributes to higher variations in colour response of industrially produced veneer sheets. Investigations under industrial conditions underline the correlation between length and intensity of heat treatment in veneer production and colour development: with increasing duration and temperature of hot water treatment, veneer surfaces become darker and wood colour is intensified (ΔL = 3.6, Δa = 2.1, comparing 12 and 72 h of hot water treatment at 60°C). However, no equalisation of wood colour was achieved by modifying the treatment conditions. Artificial radiation by UV–visible light, quickly and extensively darkens and intensifies wood colour (ΔL = 16, Δa = 3.5, and Δb = 4.0 after 15 h of artificial radiation), but variations in wood colour deriving from different treatment conditions during veneer production, were not reduced.     

Characterization of mast cell numbers and subtypes in biopsies from the gastrointestinal tract of dogs with lymphocytic-plasmacytic or eosinophilic gastroenterocolitis

It has been suggested but not proven that hypersensitivity type I reactions are involved in the pathogenesis of canine inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The main effector cells in type I hypersensitivity reactions are mast cells (MCs). Canine MCs, as human MCs, can be subdivided into three subtypes according to their content of mast cell-specific proteases: tryptase (MC_T), chymase (MC_C), or tryptase and chymase bearing MCs (MC_TC). In this study, numbers and subsets of mast cells were investigated in biopsies from the gastrointestinal tract of dogs with histopathologically confirmed lymphocytic-plasmacytic enteritis (LPE) (n = 4), lymphocytic-plasmacytic colitis (LPC) (n = 1) and eosinophilic gastroenterocolitis (EGE) (n = 11). Paraffin sections of formalin-fixed samples from the stomach, small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, ileum) and colon were stained by using a metachromatic staining method (kresylecht-violet; KEV) and a combined enzyme histochemical and immunohistochemical technique for chymase and tryptase. Additionally, immunohistochemistry with antibodies against T cells (CD3), macrophages (myeloid/histiocyte antigen) and IgA, IgG and IgM bearing cells was conducted. Quantitative evaluation of mast cells and semiquantitative scoring of immunohistochemically stained cells were performed. Between the two histopathologically defined groups clear differences concerning mast cell numbers were detected. In most affected intestinal tissue locations of dogs with LPE/LPC a decrease in metachromatically (kresylecht-violet) stained granule-containing MCs and immunohistochemically stained MC_T,C,TC was found. This reduction could be due to mast cell degranulation, a T helper cell 1 dominated reaction pattern or a “thinning out” due to increasing T cells, IgA and IgG bearing cells. Dogs with EGE displayed higher variability in mast cell numbers but most of the affected large and small intestinal locations had increased numbers of MCs. In these cases, T cells, IgA bearing cells and macrophages also increased. Increased numbers of MCs and eosinophils seen in the intestinal mucosa of dogs with EGE could indicate the presence of a type I hypersensitivity reaction (T helper cell 2 pattern) in response to dietary antigens. Changes in cell numbers occurred also in unaffected locations of dogs with LPE/LPC and EGE which showed reduced MC_T,C,TC, increased KEV positive cells and partially increased leucocytes and macrophages.     

Heavy metal contamination of soils in a mining area in South Africa and its impact on some biotic systems

In soils, animals and plants from selected sites in the Rustenburg mining area, a part of the South African ore belt, the heavy metal burden was examined. These sites belong to different soil types and are characterized by different land-use (agriculture, grassland). The heavy metal contamination of the soil samples is relatively high and is dominated by chromium and nickel, metals, which are extracted in the mine near the sampling sites. These high heavy metal concentrations had no clear inhibitory influence on micro-organisms or the enzyme activity of soils. It appears that the high clay content of the soils may counteract the influence of heavy metals. On the other hand, tolerant microbial populations may have been established. In addition, the investigated culture plants there was no correlation between the heavy metal content of the soils and the concentrations in roots and shoots. The dangerous, potential contamination of organs in humans seems to be modest, with the exception of tobacco leaves. The heavy metal content of tissues in the examined animals reflect the environmental habitat in situ with no obvious influence on the health of the animals.     

Gaseous Diffusion Reflecting Soil Structure

In continuation of earlier work, the results of field scale - regularly as well as randomly distributed - and regional randomly distributed measurements of relative gas diffusion coefficients are presented for loess soils in dependence of the gas filled relative pore space ?. Maps are shown for the field distribution variables both, D_s/D_a and ?. The maps show more homogeneous regions within the already relatively homogeneous field. - When compared with linear and power regression, all D_s/D_a (?) measurements show lowest standard deviations using exponential regression. This is in contradiction to nearly all the D_s/D_a (?) measured elsewhere. The reason for this may be explained by the technique of measurement used. In this context, the physical meaningfulness of this exponential regression is discussed. An example is also given, moreover, how sensitively D_s/D_a (?) may demonstrate differences in soil structure induced by tillage practizes.