Effects of Neodymium:Yttnum Aluminum Garnet Laser Irradiation on Endometrium and on Endometrial Cysts in Six Mares

Effects of neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser irradiation on equine endometrium were evaluated In vitro and in six mares with endometrial cysts. The Nd:YAG laser was applied to six endometrial sites, in each of five uterine specimens, with power densities of 5659 to 33,954 J/cm². Depth of tissue ablation was measured and graded on histologic sections of the tissue lesions. Power density had a significant effect on the depth of tissue ablation (p < .001). Grade 3 lesions (full-thickness ablation of the endometrium) were created with energy densities of 16,977 to 33,954 J/cm². Six mares had endometrial cysts treated by photoablation. Two of the four mares that were reproductively sound but barren, despite appropriate breeding, produced foals after treatment. One mare remained reproductively unsound after treatment, and another mare that was treated postpartum was bred successfully.     

Microneurovascular Free Digital Pad Transfer in the Dog

By cadaver dissections, the fifth digit of the canine hind limb was determined to have a consistent neurovascular anatomy, and therefore be a suitable donor for an axial pattern digital pad flap. The defined digital pad flap was transferred to the region of an excised metacarpal pad by microneurovascular anastomoses in five operations on four dogs. One flap failure was considered to result from failure of the venous anastomosis. In all four successful transfers, cutaneous sensation was reestablished on average in 78 days. There was histologic evidence of nerve regeneration across the anastomosis in one dog at week 24. The transferred pads of three dogs monitored for 15 months underwent hypertrophic changes. There were no complications in two active dogs. In one dog, superficial ulceration of a region of the flap adjacent to the pad required surgical revision. This dog continued to show mild lameness after daily runs of 3 to 4 km.     

The effects of experimentally induced bronchopneumonia on the pharmacokinetics and tissue depletion of gentamicin in healthy and pneumonic calves

The effects of a bovine bronchopneumonia model on the pharmacokinetics and tissue residue depletion profiles of gentamicin in calves weighing 90-140 kg was explored. Two groups of heifer calves were used. The first was a normal group, while the second group had bronchopneumonia induced. A scoring system was developed to evaluate the extent of disease in the groups. A bimodal distribution of the serum pharmacokinetic parameters in the pneumonic group was caused by the effects of dehydration. When the severely dehydrated calves were omitted from the analysis, serum clearance of gentamicin was significantly higher in the pneumonic group than in the normal group (P less than 0.05). The pharmacokinetic equations used to fit the tissue concentrations varied from tissue to tissue and between groups. Because the best equation of a particular tissue's concentrations varied between groups, withdrawal periods, which are normally determined in healthy animals, may be inappropriate in diseased animals. Addition of several parameters (serum creatinine, serum urea nitrogen, albumin, fibrinogen, and total protein concentrations, white blood cell counts, central fluid volume, volume of distribution at steady state, area under the serum concentration vs time curve, serum clearance, and elimination rate constant) to these tissue-depletion models using multiple regression improved the prediction of a concentration in a given tissue.     

A software tool for estimating the capacity of agricultural land in England and Wales for recycling organic materials (ALOWANCE)

Agricultural Land and Organic ‘Waste’: A National Capacity Estimator (ALOWANCE) is a GIS‐based tool that estimates the available agricultural landbank in England and Wales for recycling organic materials based on a number of physical and practical constraints, and legislative restrictions. It can be used to identify areas where there is a potential shortage or surplus of available agricultural land and to determine the length of time for which the agricultural landbank would continue to be available to receive organic materials. Two versions of ALOWANCE have been developed. ALOWANCE‐PLUS is a PC‐based tool that provides the full functionality of ALOWANCE to a small number of ‘expert’ users. It incorporates scenario testing capabilities, allowing the agricultural landbank capacity to be calculated interactively. ALOWANCE‐ONLINE is a web‐based version that provides information to ‘general’ users, including pre‐selected map ‘layers’ (generated from ALOWANCE‐PLUS) and a simple query tool. Results from ALOWANCE‐PLUS showed that after exclusions and after accounting for current sources of organic materials (livestock manures, biosolids, compost, paper crumble and digestate), the estimated agricultural landbank in England and Wales for the addition of ‘new’ sources of organic materials was c. 5.1 million ha. Spatial representations showed that in some parts of the country (e.g. north‐west England), the agricultural landbank was already under ‘pressure’ and transport of any future emerging sources of organic materials away from these areas may be required.     

THE USE OF BULK COLLECTORS IN MONITORING WET DEPOSITION AT HIGH-ALTITUDE SITES IN WINTER

Concentrations of dissolved ions from samples collected by wet/dry collectors were compared to those collected by bulk collectors at Halfmoon Creek and Ned Wilson Lake in western Colorado to determine if bulk collectors can be used to monitor wet deposition chemistry in remote, high-altitude regions in winter. Hydrogen-ion concentration was significantly lower (p <0.05) in the bulk collectors. All other ion concentrations were significantly higher (p <0.05) in the bulk collectors except for ammonium (p >0.05) at Halfmoon Creek. Wet deposition concentrations were predicated from bulk deposition concentrations through linear regression analysis. Results indicate that anions (chloride, nitrate and sulfate) can be predicted with a high degree of confidence. Lack of significant differences between seasonal (winter and summer) ratios of bulk to wet deposition concentrations indicates that at sites where operation of a wet/dry collector during the winter is not practical, wet deposition concentrations can be predicted from bulk collector samples through regression analysis of wet and bulk deposition data collected during the summer.     

Location,Automotive Policy,and Multinational Strategy: The Position of South Africa in the Global Industry since 1995

The South African automotive sector has become much more integrated into the global industry since 1995. Rapid export expansion has shifted its orientation fundamentally away from its focus on the small domestic market and the industry is widely regarded as a success story of South Africa's democratic transition. However, important vulnerabilities remain, and it is by no means clear that the mode of integration has been particularly favorable to the long‐term development of the industry. The relatively small size of South Africa's domestic market and its regional location pose clear disadvantages in terms of attracting international investment. Integration into the global industry has therefore been partial and continues to reflect a degree of hesitancy by multinational firms to make really major commitments to the South African industry. The warning signs include recent import expansion and low local content in domestically assembled vehicles. Automotive policy has also produced distortions, encouraged uneconomic investments, and led to unforeseen side effects. These impacts limit the gains that have been made and are likely to cause complications in the future.     

Generalized Congenital Hypotrichosis in a Female Rottweiler

Abstract— Generalized congenital hypotrichosis is reported in a female Rottweiler. This is only the second report of this genodermatosis in a female dog. The dog was predominately hairless except for bilaterally symmetric tufts of hair on the head, dorsal midline and umbilical region. Most skin biopsy sections revealed a total lack of epidermal appendages representing a complete failure of follicular development. Occasionally, small rudimentary follicular structures were subtended by melanophages and vertically oriented collagen suggesting the possibility of previously more extensive development followed by subsequent involution. According to a new classification scheme for ectodermal dysplasia proposed by Dr Carol Foil, this dog would be classified as 1–4 defect, cogenital hypotrichosis. Résumé— Une hypotrischose congénitale généralisée chez une chienne Rotweiler est rapportée. Il s'agit du second cas de cette génodermatose décrit chez une chienne. Le chien était nu exception faite de touffe de poils sur les flancs et la tête, la ligne du dos et la region ombilicale. La plupart des biopsies ont révélé une absence totale d'annexe et de développment folliculaire. Parfois quelques structures folliculaires rudimentaires étaient subtentés par la présence de mélanophages et une orientation verticale des fibres de collagène. En suivant la nouvelle classification des dysplasies ectodermiques proposée par le Dr Carol Foil, cet animal a été classé en hypotrychose congénitale de défaut 1–4. Resumen En éste artículo se describe un caso de hipotricosis congénita de tipo generalizado en una hembra de la raza Rottweiler. Éste es el segundo caso de genodermatosis reportado en una perra. Éste animal padecía de una pérdida de pelo general exceptuando algunas mechas aisladas en la cabeza, línea media dorsal y región umbilical, de una manera bilateral y simétrica. La mayoría de las biopsias cutáneas revelaron una falta total de apéndices cutáneos, lo cual representaba una fallo completo en en desarrollo del folículo. De manera espóradica, se observaron estructuras foliculares rudimentarias ínvadidas de melanófagos y con fibras de colágeno orientadas verticalmente sugiriendo la posibilidad de desarrollo previo mas extensivo seguido de posterior involución. De acuerdo con la nueva clasificación de displasia ectodérmica propuesta por Foil, éste animal sería clasificado con un defecto de 1–4 de hipotricosis congenital.     

Oral clindamycin disposition after single and multiple doses in normal cats

Eighteen normal cats were randomly allocated into three treatment groups and dosed with clindamycin aqueous solution for 10 days at a dosage rate of: (1) 5.5 mg/kg b.i.d.; (2) 11 mg/kg b.i.d.; or (3) 22 mg/kg once daily. Serum disposition of clindamycin was determined after the first and last dose of clindamycin was given, and was analyzed using model-independent pharmacokinetics by both the trapezoidal rule method and the predictive equation method. Complete blood counts and clinical chemistries were determined before and after the study. The trapezoidal rule method produced similar mean results with much less variance than the predictive equation method. Mean residence time was longer (P less than 0.05) after the high dose (393 +/- 77 min) than after either the low or medium doses (276 +/- 51 and 274 +/- 45 min, respectively). Oral volume of distribution (Vd(ss)/F) after the high dose (3.06 +/- 0.92 l/kg) was larger (P less than 0.05) than that after the low or medium doses (1.62 +/- 0.30 and 1.76 +/- 0.53 l/kg, respectively). Oral Vd(ss)/F was significantly smaller (P less than 0.001) after the last dose than after the first dose when analyzed by treatment group. Significant (P less than 0.01) decreases in the leukogram and erythrogram were observed, due to the large amount of blood collected for drug analysis. No clinical signs of drug intoxication were observed, and no drug-related necropsy findings were found.