Why Are Mares with Pneumovagina Susceptible to Bacterial Endometritis? A Personal Opinion

Pneumovagina is the abnormal presence of air in the vagina, which may lead to pneumometra and endometritis. Predisposing factors are abnormal perineal conformation and weakness of the vestibulovaginal sphincter. This report examines why ponies and some other breeds are less susceptible to pneumovagina than Thoroughbreds and consequently less susceptible to endometritis. Observations on vaginal ballooning during vaginoscopic examination led to the conclusion that there is a fundamental difference in intra-abdominal pressures between horses and ponies, and between mares with high or low body condition scores. This difference in the extreme cases, for example, a small fat pony versus a large thin Thoroughbred, means that the pressure gradient in the former is from the uterus through the vagina to the exterior, whereas the case is reversed in the latter. Although the uterus is at a negative pressure relative to the exterior, evacuation of fluids is seriously disadvantaged, leading to an inability to resolve uterine infections.     

Comparison of haemodynamic changes during two surgical methods for neutering female dogs

The aim was to investigate if intraoperative registrations of blood pressure and heart rate could be used to estimate surgical trauma. In a prospective clinical trial, registrations in eight dogs neutered by laparoscopic ovariectomy (LOE) were compared with eight dogs subjected to open ovariohysterectomy (OHE). For comparisons phases were used: phase zero = steady state after induction of anaesthesia; phase one = opening of abdomen; phase two = severing of ovarian pedicles; and, phase three = abdominal closure. During LOE, mean systolic blood pressure increased by 7 mm Hg (p = 0.05) and 15 mm Hg (p = 0.01) from phase zero to phase one and two, respectively, and during OHE by 3 mm Hg (ns) and 29 mm Hg (p < 0.0001), respectively. The increase from phase one to phase two differed between groups (p = 0.03). Heart rate did not change. Frequent intraoperative measurements of blood pressure appear a promising method for evaluating surgical trauma.     

The effect of user experience and inflation technique on endotracheal tube cuff pressure using a feline airway simulator

Objective

The effect of user experience and inflation technique on endotracheal tube cuff pressure using a feline airway simulator.

刈割扰动下半干旱区豆科牧草种间关系的反应

以苜蓿和沙打旺根据生物替代设计组成的简单混播种群为对象,通过调查2种牧草在刈割扰动下的生长反应,比较了单混播处理条件下3种播种密度刈割处理的种间关系和补偿性反应特点,探讨了种群稳定与演替的可能机制。结果表明苜蓿和沙打旺在刈割条件下,土壤水分利用竞争空间上移 20 cm,并且水分利用呈增加趋势,土壤平均水分为15%。刈割诱导低密度混播处理和高密度苜蓿单播处理土壤水分最高,分别达15.6%和15.8%。单播下,刈割可诱导中高密度单播沙打旺处理产量分别增加33%和29%,而混播方式下,刈割均导致沙打旺和苜蓿株高、分枝数和地上部生物量小于对照。在刈割干扰下,相比对照,苜蓿与沙打旺两者仍然为资源共享关系,但互利共生程度下降了21%,而混播种群中苜蓿对沙打旺的相对竞争力增加了17%。不论单播还是混播,刈割均可引发2种牧草显著的补偿机制。同时发现刈割干扰可激发更强的自疏作用。2种牧草的生长指标呈下降趋势可能是干旱、刈割和种间竞争或化感协同胁迫作用的结果,但共存与补偿机制有利于减缓这种负面效应。沙打旺和苜蓿的更新补偿时间上的异质性,实现资源利用生态位的分离,从而调控着2种牧草组成的种群稳定性,这对理解生物多样性维持机制具有重要的参考意义。     

跟踪式数字流量计

该文介绍了一种采用实时跟踪方案的流量测控方法。应用数字阀和单片机模糊控制手段,通过记录数字阀的控制信号计算出流量。这是一种成本低、且能满足精度要求的技术方案。     

Is a single force plate adequate for stabilographic analysis in horses?

Reasons for performing study: Postural balance can be quantified using stabilographic variables derived from force plate data that describe movements of the horse's centre of pressure (COP) in the horizontal plane. Most force plates are not large enough to accommodate all 4 limbs of a standing horse, so the study was designed to assess whether representative stabilographic data could be collected from the forelimbs or hindlimbs. Objective: To determine whether stabilographic data from either the forelimbs or the hindlimbs were representative of data for the total body. Methods: Stabilographic data (960 Hz) were collected from 17 sound horses standing with the forelimbs and the hindlimbs on separate force plates. To increase variability in the data, horses were of different sizes, the recording duration was varied (15–60 s) and data were collected under sighted and blindfolded conditions. Results: Correlation matrices indicated that total body stabilographic variables were highly significantly correlated with both forelimb and hindlimb data but correlation coefficients were higher for forelimb data. Forward stepwise regression selected forelimb data for inclusion in the model for 15/16 variables, the exception being mean absolute mediolateral velocity. Conclusions: Ground reaction force data from a pair of limbs, preferably the forelimbs, can be used to measure variables that represent total body postural balance in sound standing horses. Potential relevance: Stabilographic data from either the forelimbs or hindlimbs may be useful for detecting and quantifying deficiencies in postural balance in ataxic horses.