THE EFFECTS OF PATIENT POSITIONING AND SLICE SELECTION ON CANINE ACETABULAR ANGLE ASSESSMENT WITH COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY

Acetabular angles (AAs) and dorsal acetabular rim angles acquired by computed tomographic (CT) imaging have been used to assess patient response to juvenile pubic symphysiodesis surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of patient positioning and slice selection on these angles, and an attempt was made to devise a repeatable method of measuring these angles that would eliminate positioning effects. We found significant variation in AAs with small differences in pelvic tilt and slice selection. Dorsal acetabular rim angles were not affected. As a result of positioning differences from one CT study to the next, every attempt should be made to standardize pelvic tilt, or eliminate its effect on AAs by standardizing gantry angle in relation to an anatomic landmark that will not change over time. The floor of the sacral vertebral canal may be a reasonable landmark for this purpose and deserves further study.     

The Effects of Feed Form on Consumption Time and Glucose and Insulin Response to a Concentrate Meal in Equine

This study tested the hypothesis that feeding an identically formulated, low sugar and starch concentrate in three forms (5-mm extruded [E], 4-mm pellet [P], and 19-mm oval [O]) would affect consumption rate and glucose or insulin responses, or both. Horses received 1.8 kg treatment feed in a randomized, crossover design, with samples taken every 30 minutes for 6 hours for blood glucose and insulin response. Pearson's correlation compared consumption time, insulin and glucose peak, and time to peak insulin and glucose. The pellet (P) elicited a lower (P = .01) glucose concentration at 2.5 hours than O. The pellet also elicited a lower (P = .03) insulin concentration at 5.5 hours than E and O. There were no differences (P > .05) in area under the curve (AUC) insulin, peak insulin, and time to peak insulin for the three treatments. Average insulin concentration was lower (P = .01) for P versus O. There were no differences (P > .05) in average insulin between P and E, nor between O and E. There were no differences (P > .05) in AUC and peak glucose concentration. Time to peak glucose was longer (P = .04) for P versus E. Average glucose concentration was lower (P = .02) for P versus O. Consumption time was longer (P = .03) for O versus P. There was a positive correlation between consumption time and time to peak insulin (r = 0.46, P = .029). Further research on feeding practices, feed forms, and consumption times that affect glycemic response is necessary.     

Comparison of genome segments 2, 7 and 10 of bluetongue viruses serotype 2 for differentiation between field isolates and the vaccine strain

Bluetongue (BT) virus serotype 2 (BTV 2) was first confirmed in Tunisia in February 2000 and has since spread northward and westward, infecting several other countries and islands, including Corsica, where clinical disease was reported in October 2000. BT was again reported on the Island in July 2001, some six months after a vaccination campaign against BTV 2. The molecular relationship between isolates of the BTV 2 Corsican wild-type viruses from 2000 and 2001, and the attenuated BTV 2 vaccine were determined by comparing corresponding sequences of genome segments 2, 7 and 10 with each other and with already published sequences available in the genome database. Complete genetic stability was observed between the isolates of the Corsican BTV 2. There was some divergence between the nucleotide sequences of segment 10 obtained from the wild-type and vaccine virus strains. Based on these differences, primers were selected that could be used in RT-PCR to differentiate between the wild-type and the vaccine viruses.     

Evaluation of sugar beet pulp efficiency for improving the retention of copper in stormwater basin

Purpose

Sugar beet pulp (SBP) has been shown to be a promising low-cost sorbent for the removal of metals from contaminated waters. The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of SBP addition to horizontal-flow gravel filters in increasing the copper (Cu) retention ability of stormwater basins.

Material and methods

Small-scale gravel filters filled with 6 kg of a sand–sediment mix (SS) were used to experimentally treat Cu-contaminated water under conditions that represented an intense storm event. Sugar beet pulp efficiency was assessed by adding 100 g of raw SBP. Two ways of applying SBP were tested: (1) mixed with SS into the gravel filter or (2) packed at the outlet in a PVC column. Eluates were characterized by their volume, pH, Cu and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations.

Results and discussion

When placed at the outlet, SBP fixed 73 % of the Cu remaining in solution and increased the overall retention capacity of the gravel filter to 99.4 %. Conversely, when SBP was mixed with SS, the outflowing water carried higher concentrations of Cu and DOC. Complementary batch experiments underlined the crucial role of DOC in the decline of Cu sorption ability observed when SS and SBP were mixed. Geochemical calculations suggested that DOC (assumed to be pectins) promotes the mobilisation of Cu from SS by complexing it in porewater.

Conclusions

Accompanied with careful guidance, SBP has the potential of removing dissolved Cu from contaminated water in gravel filters. Protocols for SBP preparation and conditions of use should be established so as to promote its sorption efficiency and decrease its release of Cu-complexing compounds like pectins.     

Assessment of changes in blood volume in response to resuscitative fluid administration in dogs

Objective: To determine the continuous changes in blood volume in response to fluid administration using an in‐line hematocrit monitor. Design: Prospective study. Setting: Research laboratory. Animals: Four healthy dogs. Interventions: Each dog received intravenous boluses of 80 mL/kg of 0.9% saline (S), 4 mL/kg of 7.5% saline (HS), 20 mL/kg of dextran 70 (D), 20 mL/kg of hetastarch (HES), or no fluids (control, C) on separate occasions. Fluids were administered at 150 mL/min in the S, D, and HES groups, and at 1 mL/kg/min in the HS group. Measurements and main results: Blood volume changes were measured every 20 seconds for 240 minutes using an in‐line hematocrit monitor. There was a rapid rise in blood volume during all infusions. Immediately after the administration of crystalloid fluids, the rapid rise in blood volume ceased. Subsequently, there was a steep decline in blood volume for 10 minutes, and a slower decline thereafter. In contrast, the rise in blood volume continued for at least 10 minutes after the infusion of the colloids was complete, and a plateau was observed for the remainder of the experiment. The blood volume effect, as measured by area under the curve, was significantly greater in the saline group than the other groups during the infusion time and for the 0–240 minutes time period. The areas under the curve for the two colloid solutions were not significantly different from each other during any time periods. The percent increase in blood volume immediately following the infusions was 76.4±10.0 in the S group, 17.1±3.2 in the HS group, 23.0±10.5 in the D group, and 27.2±6.4 in the HES group. At 30 minutes from the start of the infusion, the mean percent increases in blood volumes were 35.2±9.3 in the S group, 12.3±0.9 in the HS group, 35.9±7.3 in the D group, and 36.8±6.5 in the HES group. At 240 h post‐infusion, the mean percent increases in blood volume were 18.0±9.7 in the S group, 2.9±6.1 in the HS group, 25.6±16.1 in the D group, and 26.6±8.6 in the HES group. The C group had a mean percent change in blood volume of ?3.7±3.4 at the end of the experiment. Conclusions: This study indicates that the rapid administration of saline at clinically relevant doses leads to the largest immediate increase in blood volume, although this change is transient because of rapid redistribution of the fluid. Despite a brief increase in blood volume that was almost 3 times the volume administered, hypertonic saline led to the smallest increase in blood volume post‐infusion. The synthetic colloid solutions increased the blood volume by an amount greater than that infused and the effect was sustained for a longer period of time than seen following crystalloid administration, but the maximum increase in blood volume was significantly less than saline. The measurement of continuous changes in blood volume, using an in‐line hematocrit monitor, was a useful means of assessing the dynamic effects of fluid administration in dogs in a research setting.     

Evaluation of Internal Obturator Muscle Transposition in Treatment of Perineal Hernia in Dogs

A technique that utilizes transposition of the internal obturator muscle for repair of perineal hernias was evaluated. Forty-two male dogs were followed for at least one year after surgery. The repair failed in only one animal, a dog with previously operated bilateral hernias. Microangiography demonstrated an adequate blood supply to the transposed internal obturator muscles of two dogs examined at three weeks and three months after surgery.     

Pancreatic Polypeptide and Insulin-Secreting Tumor in a Dog With Duodenal Ulcers and Hypertrophic Gastritis

A 7-year-old spayed female Cocker Spaniel was hospitalized with a history of chronic vomiting, anorexia, and weight loss. Laboratory abnormalities included leukocytosis, metabolic alkalosis, hypoglycemia, hypoproteinemia, and hyperinsulinemia. Gastroscopy and ultrasonography revealed multiple gastric masses and a possible pancreatic mass, respectively. Examination of tissues obtained at necropsy showed a pancreatic adenocarcinoma with hepatic metastasis, gastric hypertrophy, and multiple duodenal ulcers. Immunocytochemical staining of the neoplasia was positive for pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and insulin and negative for gastrin, calcitonin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serotonin, L-enkephalin, chromagranin, glucagon, and somatostatin. Subsequent serum gastrin and PP assays showed a fasting hypergastrinemia with a normal response of gastrin to provocative testing and extremely increased PP values. The high PP values may have resulted in the vomiting and gastrointestinal ulceration. A PP-secreting tumor has not previously been reported in the dog.