Two cases of intrascrotal torsion of a normal testicle

This paper reports two cases of torsion of a normal fully descended testicle in the dog, reviews the literature and discusses the pathogenesis of the condition.     

Methylmalonate excretion in vitamin B12 deficiency

Urinary methylmalonate excretion is increased in rats with an insufficiency of vitamin B(12). Excretion of methylmalonate is not affected by folic acid, vitamin E, or selenium, but is markedly decreased by small amounts of vitamin B(12) added to the diet.     

Monitoring furosemide in racehorses participating in an EIPH program

Analytical procedures were developed to monitor furosemide concentrations in post-race serum and urine samples obtained from horses participating in an exercise-induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH) program. High performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet light detection proved a reliable, sensitive method for measuring urinary furosemide concentrations up to 12 h after administration of either 150 or 250 mg of the drug to race horses. However, this method was unreliable for determination of serum furosemide concentration. High performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection proved a reliable, sensitive method for measuring serum furosemide concentrations in horses administered 250 mg of the diuretic, permitting detection approximately 5–10 ng/ml 6 h after treatment. This method was applied field conditions where furosemide was administered to horses (between 150 and 250 mg intravenously) 4 h prior to the race. Analytical results assisted establishing a threshold concentration of 85 ng/ml for serum furosemide. was found that serum furosemide concentrations are a valid measure of compliance with furosemide administration in the EIPH program.     

Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic modelling of intravenous,intramuscular and subcutaneous buprenorphine in conscious cats

ObjectiveTo describe simultaneous pharmacokinetics (PK) and thermal antinociception after intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) and subcutaneous (SC) buprenorphine in cats.Study designRandomized, prospective, blinded, three period crossover experiment.AnimalsSix healthy adult cats weighing 4.1 ± 0.5 kg.MethodsBuprenorphine (0.02 mg kg^?1) was administered IV, IM or SC. Thermal threshold (TT) testing and blood collection were conducted simultaneously at baseline and at predetermined time points up to 24 hours after administration. Buprenorphine plasma concentrations were determined by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. TT was analyzed using anova (p < 0.05). A pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) model of the IV data was described using a model combining biophase equilibration and receptor association-dissociation kinetics.ResultsTT increased above baseline from 15 to 480 minutes and at 30 and 60 minutes after IV and IM administration, respectively (p < 0.05). Maximum increase in TT (mean ± SD) was 9.3 ± 4.9 °C at 60 minutes (IV), 4.6 ± 2.8 °C at 45 minutes (IM) and 1.9 ± 1.9 °C at 60 minutes (SC). TT was significantly higher at 15, 60, 120 and 180 minutes, and at 15, 30, 45, 60 and 120 minutes after IV administration compared to IM and SC, respectively. IV and IM buprenorphine concentration-time data decreased curvilinearly. SC PK could not be modeled due to erratic absorption and disposition. IV buprenorphine disposition was similar to published data. The PK-PD model showed an onset delay mainly attributable to slow biophase equilibration (t_1/2k_e0 = 47.4 minutes) and receptor binding (k_on = 0.011 mL ng^?1 minute^?1). Persistence of thermal antinociception was due to slow receptor dissociation (t_1/2k_off = 18.2 minutes).Conclusions and clinical relevanceIV and IM data followed classical disposition and elimination in most cats. Plasma concentrations after IV administration were associated with antinociceptive effect in a PK-PD model including negative hysteresis. At the doses administered, the IV route should be preferred over the IM and SC routes when buprenorphine is administered to cats.     

土壤结构性质和磷脂剖面的联合保存: 三种干燥技术的比较

There is a need to simultaneously preserve evidence of interactions between the biological community and soil structural properties of a soil in as near an intact （natural） state as possible. Three dehydration techniques were implemented and assessed for their ability to minimise disruption of both biological and physical properties of the same arable soil sample. Dehydration techniques applied until samples were at constant weight were i） air-drying at 20℃ （AD）; ii） -80 ℃ freeze for 24 h, followed by freeze-drying （-80FD）; and iii） liquid nitrogen snap freeze, followed by freeze-drying （LNPD） and were compared to a moist control. Physical structure was determined and quantified in three dimensions using X-ray computed tomography and microbial phenotypic community composition was assessed using phospholipid fatty acid （PLPA） profiling. This study confirms that any form of dehydration, when preparing soil for simultaneous biological and physical analysis, will alter the soil physical properties, and cause some change in apparent community structure. Freeze-drying （both the LNFD and -80FD treatments） was found to minimise disruption （when compared to the moist control soil） to both the soil physical properties and the community structure and is a preferable technique to air-drying which markedly alters the size and character of the pore network, as well as the phenotypic profile. The LNFD was the preferred treatment over the -80FD treatment as samples show low variability between replicates and a fast turn-around time between samples. Therefore snap freezing in liquid nitrogen, followed by freeze drying is the most appropriate form of dehydration when two sets of data, both physical and biological, need to be preserved simultaneously from a soil core.     

Micromechanical "Trampoline" magnetometers for use in large pulsed magnetic fields

A silicon micromechanical magnetometer was constructed and successfully used in 60-tesla pulsed magnetic fields of less than 100-millisecond duration. The device is small, inexpensive to fabricate, and easy to use. It features a fast mechanical response (up to 50,000 hertz) and extremely high sensitivity yet is relatively robust against electrical and mechanical noise. Quantum oscillations in the magnetization of a 1-microgram sample of an organic superconductor, kappa-[bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene]2Cu(NCS)2, have been observed with this device.     

Equine amnionitis and fetal loss: The case definition for an unrecognised cause of abortion in mares

A series of abortions occurred in mares in New South Wales during 2004 that involved similar and unusual findings on post mortem examination of aborted fetuses and fetal membranes. The term Equine Amnionitis and Fetal Loss (EAFL) was developed to describe the condition. This form of abortion had not been previously recognised in Australia. The pathology alone is not specific for EAFL and diagnosis requires demonstration of a combination of certain pathological and bacteriological features. The purpose of this paper is to describe patterns considered consistent with EAFL cases as a working case definition for use by veterinarians and veterinary pathologists in identifying future cases of EAFL. More detailed papers are in preparation to fully describe the epidemiological, histopathological, and microbiological aspects of EAFL.