DEVELOPMENT OF A MORPHOMETRIC MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGE PARAMETER SUITABLE FOR DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN NORMAL DOGS AND DOGS WITH CEREBELLAR ATROPHY

Neurodegenerative diseases affect the cerebellum of numerous dog breeds. Although subjective, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging has been used to detect cerebellar atrophy in these diseases, but there are few data available on the normal size range of the cerebellum relative to other brain regions. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the size of the cerebellum maintains a consistent ratio with other brain regions in different ages and breeds of normal dogs and to define a measurement that can be used to identify cerebellar atrophy on MR images. Images from 52 normal and 13 dogs with cerebellar degenerative diseases were obtained. Volume and mid‐sagittal cross‐sectional area of the forebrain, brainstem, and cerebellum were calculated for each normal dog and compared between different breeds and ages as absolute and relative values. The ratio of the cerebellum to total brain and of the brainstem to cerebellum mid‐sagittal cross‐sectional area was compared between normal and affected dogs and the sensitivity and specificity of these ratios at distinguishing normal from affected dogs was calculated. The percentage of the brain occupied by the cerebellum in diverse dog breeds between 1 and 5 years of age was not significantly different, and cerebellar size did not change with increasing age. Using a cut off of 89%, the ratio between the brainstem and cerebellum mid‐sagittal cross‐sectional area could be used successfully to differentiate affected from unaffected dogs with a sensitivity and specificity of 100%, making this ratio an effective tool for identifying cerebellar atrophy on MR images.     

The effect of waterlogging on Phytophthora root rot of red raspberry

Red raspberry plants were subjected to waterlogging after inoculation with different species of Phytophthora isolated from field outbreaks of root rot. The commonest species, a form of P. megasperma , was highly pathogenic to raspberry whether the plants had been waterlogged or not, but waterlogging increased the severity of disease caused by other species. P. cambivora and P. drechsleri were moderately pathogenic and non-pathogenic respectively in non-waterlogged conditions but killed plants that had been waterlogged for 4 days. P. megasperma var. megasperma required longer periods of waterlogging to cause severe symptoms and did not kill plants. Root rotting of waterlogged and non-waterlogged plants was controlled with a metalaxyl and copper mixture. The results indicated that several species of Phytophthora may contribute to poor growth and death of raspberries grown in poorly drained sites.     

铜绿微囊藻对克氏原螯虾幼虾存活及成虾几种酶类的影响

为研究铜绿微囊藻对克氏原螯虾的影响,将克氏原螯虾幼虾及成虾暴露在不同浓度的铜绿微囊藻溶液中,研究了铜绿微囊藻对幼虾存活率、外部形态及肝胰腺超微结构的变化和成虾总血细胞密度(THCs)、血清中血蓝蛋白含量、总超氧化物歧化酶(T-SOD)、过氧化物酶(POD)、酚氧化物酶(PO)以及鳃丝Na⁺/K⁺-ATP酶活性的影响。结果表明,(1) 高浓度的铜绿微囊藻能显著降低幼虾的存活率。(2) 显微观察表明,1.0×10⁷/mL及以上浓度的铜绿微囊藻液中培养7 d后,幼虾肝胰腺呈现暗红色,并伴有一定的肿大现象,透射电镜显示其肝胰腺细胞受到损伤。(3) 高浓度的铜绿微囊藻能造成应激反应,THCs在暴露1 d后显著升高并稳定在较高水平;血蓝蛋白含量变化不明显,只在5 d时显著低于对照组(P<0.05),PO活性都表现出先显著性增强(P<0.01),回落后又有所增加的波动趋势;血清中的T-SOD活力在1 d后受到抑制,5 d时被激活至较高水平;POD活性都表现出先显著性增强(P<0.01),回落后又有所增加的波动趋势;鳃丝中Na⁺/K⁺-ATP酶活性在暴露1 d后显著降低(P<0.01)后回升,并最终维持在较高水平。研究结果表明,高浓度的铜绿微囊藻能造成克氏原螯虾幼虾存活率显著降低并影响其肝胰腺超微结构;而克氏原螯虾成虾对铜绿微囊藻有相对较强的耐受力,血淋巴的酶学变化表明,暴露在铜绿微囊藻水体的成虾经历过应激反应并有逐步适应的过程。     

Esophageal Dysfunction in Dogs with Idiopathic Laryngeal Paralysis: A Controlled Cohort Study

Objectives— To compare esophageal function in dogs with idiopathic laryngeal paralysis (ILP) to age and breed matched controls; to determine if dysfunction is associated with aspiration pneumonia over 1 year; and to compare clinical neurologic examination of dogs with ILP at enrollment and at 1 year. Study Design— Prospective controlled cohort study. Animals— Dogs with ILP (n=32) and 34 age and breed matched healthy dogs. Methods— Mean esophageal score was determined for each phase of 3 phase esophagrams, analyzed blindly. After unilateral cricoarytenoid laryngoplasty, dogs with ILP were reexamined (including thoracic radiography) at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. Neurologic status was recorded at enrollment, 6 and 12 months. Results— Esophagram scores in dogs with ILP were significantly higher in each phase compared with controls, most notably with liquid (P<.0001). Dysfunction was more pronounced in the cervical and cranial thoracic esophagus. Five dogs that had aspiration pneumonia during the study had significantly higher esophagram scores than dogs that did not develop aspiration pneumonia (P<.02). Ten (31%) ILP dogs had generalized neurologic signs on enrollment and all ILP dogs developed neurologic signs by 1 year (P<.0001). Conclusions— Dogs with ILP also have esophageal dysfunction. Postoperative aspiration pneumonia is more likely in dogs with higher esophagram scores. Dogs with ILP will most likely develop generalized neuropathy over the course of 1 year. Clinical Relevance— Esophagrams and neurologic examinations should be performed on all dogs with ILP.     

Morphological Effects of Arthroscopic Partial Synovectomy in Horses

Gross and microscopic effects of arthroscopic partial synovectomy on synovium and articular cartilage of middle carpal joints were studied in 15 horses. A 7-mm diameter motorized synovial resector was inserted into each middle carpal joint and arthroscopic partial synovectomy and lavage or arthroscopic lavage alone was performed. Study periods were 0 (three horses), 16 (three horses), and 30 days (six horses). No gross evidence of degenerative joint disease was observed at day 16 or 30. At 30 days, resected areas lacked villi and there was deposition of fibrin on the synovial surface with varying amounts of newly formed fibrovascular tissue. Thirty days after arthroscopic synovectomy, normal synovium had not formed in equine middle carpal joints.     

MEASUREMENT OF NORMAL MIDDLE EAR CAVITY VOLUME IN MESATICEPHALIC DOGS

Water-filling and serial computed tomographic (CT) imaging techniques were used to measure normal middle ear cavity volume (MECV) in 18 dogs (10 live dogs, eight cadavers; 36 ears in total). The specific aims of this study were to (1) compare MECV measurements by water-filling and CT techniques and (2) define a model of MECV vs. body weight (BW) from CT values. There was a significant difference between the two techniques (P = 0.02). The volume obtained by water filling was consistently greater than that obtained by computed tomography. MECV (expressed in ml) increased with BW (expressed in kg) according to the following formula: MECV = -0.612 + 0.757 (In BW) (P<0.01, R2 = 0.74).