Melaena associated with dexamethasone therapy in the dog

A retrospective study of seventeen cases of canine melaena incriminated a mean daily dosage of 3.6 mg/kg (range 1.3–13.8 mg/kg) of dexamethasone. All dogs were afflicted with some central nervous system disorder with intervertebral disc disease present in twelve of the cases. Ten of the the seventeen subjects had concurrently received ampicillin therapy. Causation was linked by the previous finding that ACTH and cortisone impede both gastric epithelial renewal and surface mucus formation.     

Xylazine hydrochloride-induced hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia in thoroughbred horses

The effects of intravenous xylazine (1.1 mg/kg) were studied in six thoroughbred horses (five mares and a stallion). Plasma glucose concentration increased to 168% of control at 45 min and decreased to 112% of control at 180 min. Insulin had decreased to 31% of control at 15 min. Thereafter, insulin concentration increased, reaching its highest concentration at 150 min. The mechanism for these changes is not fully understood and further investigation is indicated.     

Pharmacokinetics of lithium in pigs

Lithium was administered to young pigs in order to estimate its pharmacokinetic parameters in this species and a suitable dosage for chronic psychopharmacological experiments. Distribution time (10 h) and volume (1 l/kg), elimination half-life (10–20 h), toxic plasma levels (about 1.4 mEq/l) are closely similar to those reported in man. A chronic oral administration of 0.5 mEq/kg twice a day provides minimal plasma levels of 0.5 to 1.0 mEq/l, without toxic side effects.     

Are Business Services Immune to the Business Cycle?

Should an economic development strategy target the business services industry to insulate the local economy from the business cycle? The relationship between business services employment (SIC 73) and measures of the business cycle is analyzed at national and metropolitan-area levels. At the national level, certain components of business services are not immune to the business cycle while others are. At the metropolitan level, certain characteristics of the metropolitan area and its industrial structure are identified which would result in business services employment being procyclical or not immune to the business cycle.     

Changing Employment Profiles and Growth: An Economic Base Study of Florida Counties (1982–1987)

Location Quotients are used to estimate economic base multipliers for two-digit Standard Industrial Classification employment data at the county level for the state of Florida. Changes in multipliers are contrasted to changes in county employment profiles and demographic trends for the period 1982 to 1987. Counties are then classified by employment and growth characteristics. A cross-sectional econometric model is constructed to explain regional shifts in total employment. It is demonstrated that although the Florida economy is supported by a low level of employment activity in primary and secondary sectors (relative to the tertiary sector), these sectors tend to be very important in explaining variations in regional economic growth. The empirical findings suggest that the alleged service-oriented economy of Florida is still reliant upon export-oriented activity as the catalyst for employment expansion.     

FLUORIDE ADSORPTION BY ILLINOIS SOILS

Fourteen surface and 6 subsurface horizons of Illinois soils adsorbed significant amounts of F^? with release of OH^?. At low concentrations, adsorption was described by both Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. The calculated Langmuir adsorption capacities were related to pH, clay, organic carbon, and amorphous aluminum contents. Two soils with different gross chemical properties behaved in essentially the same manner, with adsorption maxima occuring between pH 5.5 and 6.5. The similarity between adsorption at different pH values for the soils and those for bauxite, allophane and synthesized ‘soil chlorite’, and the lack of adsorption maxima between pH 5.5 and 6.5 for pure kaolinite and montmorillonite, suggest that F^? adsorption in the soils is due primarily to the presence of amorphous aluminum oxyhydroxides which are common weathering products in these soils.     

IDENTIFICATION AND PREVALENCE OF ERRORS AFFECTING THE QUALITY OF RADIOGRAPHS SUBMITTED TO AUSTRALIAN THOROUGHBRED YEARLING SALE REPOSITORIES

We aimed to identify common mistakes made when radiographing yearling sale horses. Radiographic examinations from repositories at eight yearling sales held in Australia in 2003 were assessed by one of four veterinary radiology specialists. Each radiographic examination consisted of a maximum of 34 radiographs. Each radiograph was assessed for errors associated with movement, exposure, positioning, labeling or marker placement, and processing, and categorized as either ideal, less than ideal or nondiagnostic. In addition, from the first 800 sets catalogued, 167 were selected randomly and read twice by the four radiologists for agreement analysis. A total of 81,297 radiographs were examined for errors affecting quality. Positioning errors were the most common reason for radiographs to be considered nondiagnostic (2432/81,297; 3%), with the flexed lateromedial (LM) metacarpophalangeal joint, LM metatarsophalangeal joint, and the dorsomedial palmarolateral (DMPaLO) carpal views being the most frequently involved. Overexposure (14,357/81,297; 17.7%) was the most common reason for radiographs being categorized as less than ideal with the LM stifle view the most represented. Agreement within and between radiologists for reporting errors in positioning of the flexed LM metacarpophalangeal joint, LM metatarsophalangeal joint, and DMPaLO carpal views varied from slight to almost perfect. The low repeatability within radiologists on some views suggests that before declaring a radiograph nondiagnostic it is worth considering rereading it at another time. Care should be taken in positioning of the flexed LM metacarpophalangeal, LM metatarsophalangeal, and DMPaLO carpus views to maximize radiograph quality.