Regional Innovation Clusters: A Critical Review

In this paper, we present a critical assessment of recent economic development policy directions centered on the concept of regional innovation clusters. We begin by investigating the rationale underlying the Obama administration's promotion of regional innovation clusters (RICs) and their introduction to the policy arena in its Strategy for American Innovation. The connections among RICs and existing research and policies in industry and occupational clusters, regional innovation systems and regional economic development are identified and analyzed to highlight those most critical challenges to conceptualizing and theorizing RICs. While we applaud the long overdue focus of economic development policies on sub‐national regions, we identify several major conceptual shortcomings and programmatic difficulties associated with RICs as a centerpiece for economic development strategies.     

In this issue – August 2011

History of veterinary education in Australia · Neurological diseases following bacterial and protozoal infections · Lameness model in sheep · Effects of barefoot trimming · EGFR and HER‐2 as prognostic makers in mammary tumours · Bacteria in semen fractions in dogs     

In this issue – April 2011

Lomustine‐associated toxicity · Iliopsoas fibrotic myopathy · Porcine circovirus‐associated disease in weaner pigs · Measures of welfare in Bos indicus heifers · eFSH for superovulation in mares · Recurrent Actinobacillus peritonitis in a horse     

IDENTIFICATION AND PREVALENCE OF ERRORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF RADIOGRAPHS SUBMITTED TO AUSTRALIAN THOROUGHBRED YEARLING SALE REPOSITORIES

We aimed to identify common mistakes made when radiographing yearling sale horses. Radiographic examinations from repositories at eight yearling sales held in Australia in 2003 were assessed by one of four veterinary radiology specialists. Each radiographic examination consisted of a maximum of 34 radiographs. Each radiograph was assessed for errors associated with movement, exposure, positioning, labeling or marker placement, and processing, and categorized as either ideal, less than ideal or nondiagnostic. In addition, from the first 800 sets catalogued, 167 were selected randomly and read twice by the four radiologists for agreement analysis. A total of 81,297 radiographs were examined for errors affecting quality. Positioning errors were the most common reason for radiographs to be considered nondiagnostic (2432/81,297; 3%), with the flexed lateromedial (LM) metacarpophalangeal joint, LM metatarsophalangeal joint, and the dorsomedial palmarolateral (DMPaLO) carpal views being the most frequently involved. Overexposure (14,357/81,297; 17.7%) was the most common reason for radiographs being categorized as less than ideal with the LM stifle view the most represented. Agreement within and between radiologists for reporting errors in positioning of the flexed LM metacarpophalangeal joint, LM metatarsophalangeal joint, and DMPaLO carpal views varied from slight to almost perfect. The low repeatability within radiologists on some views suggests that before declaring a radiograph nondiagnostic it is worth considering rereading it at another time. Care should be taken in positioning of the flexed LM metacarpophalangeal, LM metatarsophalangeal, and DMPaLO carpus views to maximize radiograph quality.     

A Case of Concurrent Sarcoptes scabiei Infestation and Hypothyroidism in a Dog

Résumé— Cet article décrit le cas d'une chienne Colley de 12 ans ovariohystérectomisée qui présentait un prurit sévère. Les racalges cutanés ont permis de mettre en évidence deux on trois sarcoptes et des ?ufs par champ à faible grossissement. Le chien avait des symptômes compatibles avec une hypothyroïdie qui a été objectivée ensuite par des tests hormonaux dynamiques. La similarité de ce cas avec la gale norvégienne de l'homme est discutée. L'hypothèse d'une prédisposition des chiens hypothyroïdiens à développer ce type de gale est soulevée. [Jackson, H. A. A case of concurrent Sarcoptes scabiei infestation and hypothyroidism in a dog (A propos d'un cas de gale àSarcoptes scabiei associée à une hypothyroïdie). Resumen— En este articulo se describe un caso de un perro hembra (castrada) de raza Collie de pelo duro que presentaba un cuadro de intenso prurito. Tras un raspado cutáneo se detectaron dos o tres ácaros y huevos del género Sarcoptes mediante observación microscópica a pequeño aumento. El perro presentaba un cuadro clinico compatible con hipotiroidismo, que fue confirmado posteriormente con una prueba de estimulación. Se discute la semejanza de esta presentación con la sarna sercóptica noruega en la especie humana y se postula que la posibilidad que un estado hipotiroideo pueda predisponer a desarrollar sarna sarcóptica. [A case of concurrent Sarcoptes scabei infestation and hypothyroidism in a dog (Un caso de infestación por Sarcoptes scabei concomintante con hipotiroidismo en un perro). Abstract— This report describes a 12-year-old ovariohysterectomised female rough collie which was presented with severe pruritus. On scraping the skin two or three sarcoptic mites and eggs per low power field could be seen under microscopic examination. The dog had clinical features compatible with hypothyroidism which was subsequently confirmed with provocative testing. The similarity of this presentation with that of Norwegian scabies in man is discussed and it is postulated that a hypothyroid state might predispose to the development of severe sarcoptic mite infestation.     

Disposition and bioavailability of neomycin in Holstein calves

Pedersoli, W.M., Ravis, W.R., Jackson, J., Shaikh, B. Disposition and bioavailability of neomycin in Holstein calves. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 17 , 5–11.
The disposition and absorption kinetics of neomycin were studied in healthy ruminating dairy calves ( n -6), approximately 3-months-old. The calves were treated with single intravenous (i.v.) (12 mg/kg), intramuscular (i.m.) (24mg/kg), oral (p.o.) (96 mg/kg) and repeated p.o. (96 mg/kg, b.i.d., 15½ days) doses of neomycin. A 3-week rest period was allowed between treatments A and B and B and C Baseline and serial venous blood samples were collected from each calf plasma concentrations of neomycin were determined by a high performance liquid chromatography procedure. The resulting data were evaluated by using compartmental pharmacokinetic models and nonlinear least squares regression analysis. The mean of some selected parameters were t ½λ3 7.48 ± 2.02 h, Cl_t= 0.25 ± 0.04 L/h/kg, V _d(ss)= 1.17 ± 0.23 L/kg, and MRT = 4.63 ± 0.87 h for the i.v. data and t _½= 11.5 ± 3.8 h, MRT _abs= 0.960 ± 1.001 h, F = 127 ± 35.2%, and Cl_t/F = 0.199 ± 0.047 L/h/kg for the i.m. data, respectively. Only one calf absorbed neomycin to any significant degree (F = 0.0042) after a single p.o. dose. Selected mean parameters determined after repeated oral dosing were: F = 0.45 ± 0.45%, C_max= 0.26 ± 0.37 g/ml, and t_max= 2.6 ± 2.9 h. Terminal half-lives determined for the i.v. and i.m. treatments were considerably longer than those reported previously in the literature.     

Visceral mast cell tumour with eosinophilia and eosinophilic peritoneal and pleural effusions in a cat

Summary A cat with weight loss, pyrexia and recurrent lethargy and depression was found to have pleural and peritoneal eosinophilic effusions, peripheral eosinophilia, eosinophilic lymphadenitis and a massively enlarged mesenteric lymph node. Visceral mast cell neoplasia was diagnosed after histopathological examination of a biopsy of the mass. Palliative chemotherapy was attempted unsuccessfully and the cat was euthanased.