Scleral rupture in dogs, cats, and horses

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this retrospective study was to summarize the most frequent clinical signs, ultrasonographic, and histological findings accompanying scleral rupture as a result of blunt trauma in dogs, cats, and horses. ANIMALS STUDIED AND PROCEDURES: Thirty small animals and three horses diagnosed with scleral rupture resulting from blunt trauma. B-mode ultrasonography was performed on 20 animals. Histopathology was carried out on 18 enucleated globes. RESULTS: In small animals, 80% presented hyphema, 60% subconjunctival hemorrhage, and 53% eyelid and conjunctival swelling. In horses, 100% presented eyelid and conjunctival swelling, 67% hyphema, subconjunctival hemorrhage, and collapsed anterior chamber. Ultrasonographic findings were an area with ill-defined scleral margins (90%), echoic/hyperechoic contents in the anterior and posterior chamber (55%) and in the vitreous (80%). In small animals, scleral rupture location noted on gross examination was: at the posterior pole (4), close to the optic nerve (3), near the limbus (2), and in the dorsal aspect of the globe (1). In horses, the lesion was located at the limbus (3). In small animals, histopathology showed presence of hemorrhage in the anterior, posterior chamber, and vitreous (94%), retinal detachment (94%), choroidal edema and hemorrhages (88%), and choroidal detachment as a result of suprachoroidal hemorrhage (88%). The same lesions were found in the globes of two horses. In small animals, rupture location noted on histopathology was: at the posterior pole (8), close to the optic nerve (4), near the limbus (1), near the ciliary body (1). CONCLUSIONS: The most frequent clinical signs observed were hyphema, subconjunctival hemorrhage, and eyelid and conjunctival swelling. Ultrasonographic findings suggestive for scleral rupture were ill-defined scleral borders and/or echoic/hyperechoic material in the cavities of the globe. On histopathology, lesions severely altering the anatomy of the eye structures were: hemorrhage into the chambers of the globe, subretinal and suprachoroidal hemorrhage leading to retinal and choroidal detachment, respectively. In small animals, the most frequent locations for scleral rupture were the posterior pole and close to the optic nerve, whereas in horses it was the limbus.     

Clonidine in horses: identification, detection, and clinical pharmacology

Clonidine is classified as a class 3 performance-enhancing agent by the Association of Racing Commissioners International and thus has the potential to influence the outcome of a race. In this study, the authors developed and validated a sensitive gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer method to determine the pharmacokinetic parameters of clonidine in equine plasma samples after IV administration of a single dose (0.025 mg/kg) of clonidine in horses. At this dose, clonidine produced rapid and profound sedation, which cold be quickly reversed with yohimbine. Clonidine was able to produce an analgesic effect but failed to provide maximal analgesia in all horses; the limited analgesic effect persisted for about 60 minutes.     

Toltrazuril sulfone sodium salt: synthesis, analytical detection, and pharmacokinetics in the horse

Toltrazuril sulfone (ponazuril) is a triazine-based antiprotozoal agent with clinical application in the treatment of equine protozoal myeloencephalomyelitis (EPM). In this study, we synthesized and determined the bioavailability of a sodium salt formulation of toltrazuril sulfone that can be used for the treatment and prophylaxis of EPM in horses. Toltrazuril sulfone sodium salt was rapidly absorbed, with a mean peak plasma concentration of 2400 ± 169 (SEM) ng/mL occurring at 8 h after oral-mucosal dosing and was about 56% bioavailable compared with the i.v. administration of toltrazuril sulfone in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The relative bioavailability of toltrazuril sulfone suspended in water compared with toltrazuril sulfone sodium salt was 46%, indicating approximately 54% less oral bioavailability of this compound suspended in water. In this study, we also investigated whether this salt formulation of toltrazuril sulfone can be used as a feed additive formulation without significant reduction in oral bioavailability. Our results indicated that toltrazuril sulfone sodium salt is relatively well absorbed when administered with feed with a mean oral bioavailability of 52%. Based on these data, repeated oral administration of toltrazuril sulfone sodium salt with or without feed will yield effective plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of toltrazuril sulfone for the treatment and prophylaxis of EPM and other protozoal diseases of horses and other species. As such, toltrazuril sulfone sodium salt has the potential to be used as feed additive formulations for both the treatment and prophylaxis of EPM and various other apicomplexan diseases.     

Combining isotopic signatures of n(Sr)/n(Sr) and light stable elements (C,N, O,S) with multi-elemental profiling for the authentication of provenance of European cereal samples

The aim of this work (from the FP6 project TRACE) was to develop methods based on the use of geochemical markers for the authentication of the geographical origin of cereal samples in Europe (cf. EC regulations 2081/92 and 1898/06). For the first time, the potential usefulness of combining n(⁸⁷Sr)/n(⁸⁶Sr) and δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O and δ³⁴S isotopic signatures, alone or with key element concentrations ([Na], [K], [Ca], [Cu] and [Rb], progressively identified out of 31 sets of results), was investigated through multiple step multivariate statistics for more than 500 cereal samples collected over 2 years from 17 sampling sites across Europe representing an extensive range of geographical and environmental characteristics.     

Producing softwood of different quality: does this provide risk compensation?

This study analysed whether the production of high-quality assortments, saw timber and pulpwood in Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) stands leads to effects of risk compensation. Mixtures of conventionally treated pruned and non-pruned stands, as well as mixtures of stands which had been optimized concerning the occurrence of assortments and financial criteria were considered. The price simulation was done by bootstrapping to avoid the assumption of a certain distribution of timber prices, and to preserve the correlations of the timber prices from different assortments. The financial valuation was carried out with annuities within a Monte Carlo simulation with 10,000 repetitions. To quantify the effect of natural hazards, the calculations were repeated with and without this factor. Minimum risk portfolios were determined and optimization performed using both a utility function as well as the value-at-risk approach. The mixtures with minimum risk were dominated by pine stands, as they are less affected by natural hazards and prices for pine timber have a lower volatility, although pine timber prices are generally lower compared to that of spruce timber. These pine dominated portfolios showed risk reductions up to 92% compared to the riskiest single stand, but the annuities were reduced even more. In contrast to this, the portfolios optimized with the utility function and the value-at-risk approach consisted of spruce stands. These spruce portfolios showed an efficient risk reduction of up to 60%. Additionally, higher annuities and larger diversification effects occurred in the portfolios containing the optimized stands. Integrating the risk of natural hazards, the annuities decreased, as did the correlation of the annuities of the different stands, while risk increased. Altogether these effects led to higher relative risk reductions when forming optimal portfolios. These results indicate that producing different assortments of spruce and pine leads to risk compensation, especially when considering portfolios consisting of optimized stands.     

Spatial interpolation of in situ data by self-organizing map algorithms (neural networks) for the assessment of carbon stocks in European forests

Self-organizing maps (SOMs) are an advanced neural networks application. SOMs were applied for the spatially explicit estimation of forest carbon stocks for a test region in Thuringia (Germany). The approach utilizes in situ national forest inventory data and satellite remote sensing data (Landsat 7 ETM+) and provides maps showing a high-resolution spatial distribution of forest carbon stocks. The generated maps are compared to alternative estimates obtained by the k-nearest neighbour (kNN) method—a remote sensing based carbon assessment. Beside maps the SOM- and kNN-approaches were utilized to calculate statistical estimates of carbon stock and growing stock. The statistical estimates were validated by calculating bias and mean square errors with reference to in situ assessments.     

Modelling the interaction between powdery mildew epidemics and host dynamics of tomato

European Journal of Plant Pathology - A model simulating the progress of powdery mildew coupled to the growth dynamics of tomato, with a time step of 1&;nbsp;day, is developed. The model is...     

Environmental DNA as a monitoring tool for the endangered freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera L.): a substitute for classical monitoring approaches?

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Changes in soluble carbohydrates, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities in the embryo during ageing in wheat grains

Soluble sugar contents and antioxidant enzyme activities were measured in the embryo of wheat (Triticum aestivum L., cv Charger) seeds throughout their storage under two conditions (45 °C and 100% relative humidity (RH), and 30 °C and 75% RH) to investigate whether grain deterioration during ageing was related to lipid peroxidation resulting in a decrease in the efficiency of the antioxidant defence system, and in changes in sugar metabolism. The half-viability period (P₅₀) was only 6 d at 45 °C and 100% RH against about 3.75 months at 30 °C and 75% RH. However, sensitivity of grains to accelerated ageing carried out at 45 °C and 100% RH increased during their pre-storage at 30 °C and 75% RH. Loss of grain viability at 45 °C and 100% RH was associated with an accumulation of H₂O₂ which was concomitant with a progressive decrease in catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities, and with an increase in glutathione reductase (GR) activity. However, malondialdehyde content did not change, suggesting that there was no lipid peroxidation during such an ageing. In return, ageing of grains at 30 °C and 75% RH was not associated either with strong changes in CAT, SOD and GR activities or with an accumulation of H₂O₂. When there was no correlation between CAT, SOD and GR activities and seed viability, there was a linear correlation between CAT activity and seed vigour evaluated by the T₅₀ during ageing at 45 °C and 100% RH. Sugar metabolism in wheat embryo largely depended on ageing conditions. Loss of grain viability at 45 °C and 100% RH was associated with a marked decrease in sucrose (Su) and a slight increase in raffinose (Ra), and subsequently in the Ra/Su ratio. At 30 °C and 75% RH, seed ageing was associated with an increase in both sugars but with no strong increase in Su/Ra ratio. Our results suggest that ageing was associated with various mechanisms depending on the conditions of ageing, and that accelerated ageing at 45 °C and 100% RH was not the only model to consider in order to understand the mechanisms involved in seed deterioration.