RADIOGRAPHIC AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC DETERMINATION OF FEMORAL VARUS AND TORSION IN THE DOG

Diagnosis and quantification of femoral varus and femoral torsion using radiographs is technically challenging due to the difficulty in determining proper positioning. The purpose of this study is to describe a computed tomographic technique for determination of femoral varus and femoral torsion and to compare this technique, and standard radiography, to anatomic preparation, for the measurement of femoral varus and femoral torsion in normal dogs. Nine canine cadavers, visually and radiographically free of orthopedic disease of the hip and stifle joints, were utilized for analysis. Femoral varus was determined using a craniocaudal radiograph, a craniocaudal radiograph obtained after confirming accurate positioning using horizontal beam fluoroscopy, and computed tomography (CT). Femoral torsion (expressed as angle of version) was determined using an axial radiographic projection obtained from distal to proximal and CT. Each femur was dissected free of soft tissues, and direct determination of femoral varus and femoral torsion was performed using digital photographic images. All radiologic and photographic images were digitally measured to quantify the magnitude of femoral varus and femoral torsion. For femoral varus, no difference ( P =0.149) between the three different imaging techniques and the anatomic preparation was identified. For femoral torsion, no difference ( P =0.059) between the two imaging techniques and the anatomic preparation was identified. Well positioned radiographs and the described computed tomographic method are both as accurate as anatomic preparation for the measurement of both femoral varus and femoral torsion in normal dogs.     

Germination, persistence, and emergence of flaxleaf fleabane (Conyza bonariensis [L.] Cronquist)

Flaxleaf fleabane ( Conyza bonariensis [L.] Cronquist) is a difficult-to-control weed in dryland minimum tillage farming systems in the northern grains region of Australia. Experiments under field and controlled environments were conducted to study the seed germination, emergence, and persistence of C. bonariensis . The base, optimum, and maximum temperatures for seedling germination were estimated at 4.2, 20, and 35°C, respectively, with light stimulating germination. The soil types and burial depths had significant effects on seed persistence and emergence. The persistence pattern showed an initial rapid drop, followed by a slow but steady decline over time. After 3 years of burial, there were ≈ 7.5%, 9.7%, and 1.3% viable seeds at 10, 5, and 0–2 cm soil depths, respectively. Conyza bonariensis predominantly emerged from the soil surface or from the burial depth of 0.5 cm. Very few seeds emerged from a depth of 1 cm and none emerged from ≥ 2 cm. The emergence was greater in lighter soils. On-farm monitoring of the field emergence over time in a light sandy loam soil showed that 99% emergence occurred in late autumn, early and late winter, and a small fraction of 1% emerged in mid-spring. The predominant emergence from the soil surface suggests that the fleabane problem is a result of weed species shift toward the minimum tillage systems that provide moist conditions for better emergence compared to conventional tillage systems. The seed longevity of at least 3 years in the soil and the prolonged emergence patterns between autumn and spring have posed great difficulties for the long-term management of C. bonariensis .     

Further experiences of beef production on permanent pasture in 1976–78

Between 1976 and 1978 a further 154 beef animals were grazed in separate groups on Alberts and Far field at Begbroke Hill, the former being a paddock system and the latter being set-stocked. Each year part of Alberts received complete fertilizer (147–180 kg ha^-1 N) and part did not. All of Far field received complete fertilizer (140–190 kg ha^-1 N). Drought caused a reduction in output in 1976, but in 1977 and 1978 total production of live weight was 9·07 and 8·74 t respectively from 11·65 ha grassland. Calculations of corrected outputs show that maxima of 829 kg ha^-1 in Alberts and 908 kg ha^-1 in Far field were achieved from fertilized grass. The highest output in Alberts represented 929 livestock unit grazing days per ha or 87·9 GJ ha^-1 in 1978.     

Aetiology of an ulcerative disease in goldfish, Carassius auratus (L.): characterization of the causative agent

Abstract. A bacterium resembling Aeromonas salmonicida and determined to be the aetiologic agent of a cutaneous ulcerative disease in goldfish Carassius auratus (L.) was further characterized in this study.
Forty-five isolates of the bacterium (43 from the United States and one each position (moles % guanine plus cytosine) and DNA homology. The bacteriological atypical A. salmonicida previously described. Several important biochemical characteristics distinguished the goldfish isolates from typical A. salmanicida , but the DNA binding experiments indicated a high degree of relatedness between the goldfish isolates and typical A. salmonicida strains.     

Economic Impact Studies of Regional Public Colleges and Universities

ABSTRACT This article reviews methodological issues confronting authors and users of economic impact studies of public colleges and universities. Questions addressed include the following: How should economic impact of regional public colleges and universities be defined? What considerations should govern the definition or the geographical study area? How should tax support of publicly supported institutions be addressed? The article includes perspectives from recent literature considering these questions from both short-term and long-term perspectives. Resolution of these issues depends upon careful delineation and communication of the alternative states of world between which the hypothetical impact is measured.     

Contractile responses of isolated equine digital arteries under hypoxic or hyperoxic conditions in vitro: role of reactive oxygen species and Rho kinase

The underlying pathophysiological triggers for equine acute laminitis are unknown, although digital vasoconstriction, ischaemia, hypoxia and reperfusion injury may be involved. The contractile responses of isolated equine digital arteries (EDAs), harvested from the hindlimbs of normal horses postmortem at an abattoir, were studied acutely (up to 3 h) under hyperoxic (95% oxygen, 5% CO₂) and hypoxic (95% nitrogen, 5% CO₂) conditions in organ baths. Phenylephrine (PHE; 10^?6 m ), 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT; 10^?7 m ) and high potassium (K⁺; 118 mm ) caused contraction in EDAs which was significantly (P < 0.0001) enhanced under hypoxic conditions. In contrast, contraction stimulated by 9,11‐dideoxy‐9α,11α‐epoxymethanoprostaglandin F_2α (U44069; 3 × 10^?8 m ) was not significantly enhanced by hypoxia (P = 0.75). Hypoxia‐enhanced contraction in response to K⁺ was greater (P < 0.03) in vessels with a functional endothelium than in vessels in which the endothelium was removed by rubbing. Fasudil (10^?6 to 10^?5 m ), a Rho kinase inhibitor, and apocynin (10^?3 to 3 × 10^?3 m ), an NADPH oxidase inhibitor, significantly (P ≤ 0.05) inhibited hypoxia‐enhanced contraction in response to PHE and 5‐HT. In conclusion, hypoxia‐enhanced contraction occurred in EDAs. This appears to be partially mediated by reactive oxygen species produced by NAPDH oxidase, which activate Rho kinase to increase calcium sensitisation and enhance smooth muscle contraction.     

COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC ARTHROGRAPHY OF THE STIFLE FOR DETECTION OF CRANIAL AND CAUDAL CRUCIATE LIGAMENT AND MENISCAL TEARS IN DOGS

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility of single-detector computed tomographic arthrography (CT arthrography) for the diagnosis of cranial and caudal cruciate ligament and meniscal lesions in the dog stifle. Four normal and 25 abnormal stifle joints, determined to have lesions related to intra-articular ligamentous insufficiency based on clinical history, orthopedic examination, and survey orthogonal radiographs, were imaged using a previously developed CT arthrography protocol. Surgery was performed immediately following the CT procedure. Three board-certified radiologists inexperienced at interpreting CT stifle arthrograms reviewed all CT studies independently, and then as a group, without knowledge of surgical or necropsy findings. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for determination of cranial and caudal cruciate and meniscal tears were calculated for each individual reviewer and based on group consensus. All reviewers identified the normal canine stifle joints imaged correctly. Reviewers did well in discriminating normal from torn cranial cruciate ligaments, with sensitivities of 96–100% and specificities of 75–100%. No reviewer correctly identified the solitary caudal cruciate ligament tear and specificity ranged from 89.3% to 100%. Reviewers were less adept at discriminating normal from torn meniscal fibrocartilage, with sensitivities of 13.3–73.3% and specificities of 57.1–100%. Interpretive accuracy improved slightly when consensus scores were compared with surgical findings. Single-detector CT arthrography may be useful for identifying pathology of the canine cruciate ligaments but is of limited value for assessing the menisci.     

Regulation of platelet activating factor-induced equine platelet activation by intracellular kinases

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) can activate equine platelets directly or indirectly, via leukocyte-derived platelet activating factor (PAF). Thromboxane (Tx) production by LPS-stimulated equine platelets requires p38 MAPK and this kinase has been suggested as a therapeutic target in endotoxaemia. The present study has utilised selective inhibitors to investigate the role of p38 MAPK and two other kinases, phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) and protein kinase C (PKC), in regulating PAF-induced Tx production, aggregation and 5-HT release in equine platelets, and the modification of these responses by LPS. LPS enhanced PAF-induced 5-HT release, an effect that was reduced by the p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580 (60 ± 8% reduction; n  = 6). SB203580 did not affect responses to PAF alone; whereas inhibition of PKC reduced PAF-induced 5-HT release, Tx production and aggregation (maximal inhibition by the PKCδ inhibitor, rottlerin: 69 ± 13%, 63 ± 14% and 97 ± 1%, respectively; n  = 6). Wortmannin and LY249002, which inhibit PI3K, also caused significant inhibition of PAF-induced aggregation (maximal inhibition 78 ± 3% and 88 ± 2%, respectively; n  = 6). These data suggest that inhibition of platelet p38 MAPK may be of benefit in equine endotoxaemia by counteracting some of the effects of LPS. However, detrimental effects of platelet activation mediated by PAF and not enhanced by LPS are unlikely to be markedly affected.