Use of 64Copper Measurements to Diagnose Canine Copper Toxicosis

Inherited canine copper toxicosis is a serious problem in Bedlington terriers and West Highland White terriers, and may also be a problem in other less-studied breeds. Affected dogs become ill at midlife with progressive and ultimately fatal liver disease. Treatments for removal of copper and prevention of copper accumulation are available, but are most effective if begun before the dog becomes ill. Until recently diagnosis has not been available until the dog is 1 year of age, and then only by an invasive liver biopsy with determination of liver copper concentration. The authors studied the use of 64copper for early diagnosis of canine copper toxicosis. Two procedures were evaluated. The first involved measuring the concentration of 64copper in blood 24 hours after oral administration of the radioisotope. At this time, 64copper was associated primarily with ceruloplasmin secreted into the blood by the liver. This procedure is useful in the diagnosis of the human counterpart, Wilson's disease. However, the authors found it to be nondiscriminatory between affected and unaffected dogs. In contrast, the second procedure, which involved measuring 64copper excreted in stool during 48 hours after an intravenous dose of radioisotope, yielded results that differentiated most affected and unaffected dogs.     

Evaluation of Transmittance and Reflectance Pulse Oximetry in a Canine Model of Hypotension and Desaturation

Ten, anesthetized dogs were instrumented with three pulse oximeter probes; two lingual transmittance probes and one rectal reflective probe. Arterial oxygen desaturation was produced by decreasing the inspired oxygen concentration. Hypotension was produced with an infusion of nitroprusside. Simultaneous pulse oximeter readings (SpO₂) were compared to co-oximeter measured arterial saturation (SaO₂) collected over a range of SaO₂ (50–100%) and mean arterial pressures (40–100mmHg). Each of the monitors and means of evaluating SpO₂ studied provided accurate SpO₂ measurements over a range of mean arterial pressure from 40–100mmHg. All of the monitors tested tended to overestimate the SaO₂ when the arterial saturation was less than 70%.     

ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF FOREIGN BODIES IN SOFT TISSUES USING TURKEY MUSCLE AS A MODEL

Foreign bodies in the soft tissues are frequent problems in both veterinary and human medical practice. Radiography has been the principle tool for diagnosis, but is unable to define many foreign bodies. This study was undertaken to compare the sonographic and radiographic visualization for a variety of foreign bodies. Fresh turkey muscle (pectoral and thigh) with skin was used as the soft tissue model. Assorted foreign bodies were introduced 1 cm into the muscle. Materials examined were small wood fragments, steel wire, glass, nails, graphite, rock, BB pellets, and polystyrene plastic. Following introduction of the foreign bodies radiographs were obtained and the specimens were studied sonographically at 5.0 mHz and 7.5 mHz. All foreign bodies were visible with sonography. A bright echo with either acoustic shadowing or reverberations was present for all specimens. Radiographically metallic foreign bodies were visible but wood, some graphite, and plastic were not seen. We conclude that radiography should remain the primary imaging modality for foreign body detection because of its general availability and low cost. If radiography is negative ultrasound can detect and guide the removal of radiolucent foreign bodies.     

基于自适应逆控制技术的连续流粮食干燥系统研究

连续流粮食干燥过程是一个非线性大滞后多变量的过程,要精确控制粮食出口的终水分比较困难。本文设计一种新的连续流粮食干燥过程的控制方法,对连续流粮食干燥过程中的多个影响因素进行研究,分析粮食干燥自控系统在设计时所必须选择的可测干扰、数字变量、控制变量和被控变量等,并且提出基于自适应逆控制技术的连续流粮食干燥系统的离散化模型,主要针对工业控制对象中存在的时变和时滞问题,推导出该连续流粮食干燥控制系统的预测模型。通过实验对实际系统进行验证,结果证明本系统具有较好的鲁棒性和稳定性。     

Polyglandular endocrinopathy type II (Schmidt's syndrome) in a Dobermann pinscher

A three‐year‐old, female neutered, Dobermann pinscher was presented for investigation of lethargy, episodic collapse, ataxia and myxoedema. Primary hypothyroidism and primary cortisol‐deficient hypoadrenocorticism were diagnosed based on history, physical examination and compatible hormonal analysis. Increased serum concentrations of thyroglobulin autoantibodies and 21‐hydroxylase autoantibodies indicated an immune‐mediated aetiology. The case was complicated by lymphadenopathy with hand‐mirror lymphocytes, classically identified in lymphoma. A polymerase chain reaction test for antigen receptor rearrangement indicated polyclonality and therefore reactive lymphadenopathy. The dog's clinical signs resolved following introduction of levothyroxine and prednisolone. Prioritising the problem‐based approach in this case facilitated the diagnosis of hypoadrenocorticism in addition to hypothyroidism due to the persistence of clinical signs despite thyroxine replacement. Importantly, atypical adrenal gland dysfunction was not misinterpreted as inadequate therapeutic response to thyroxine supplementation. The observation that polyglandular endocrinopathy type II can occur in dogs suggests that in dogs with a suboptimal response to treatment for hypothyroidism or hypoadrenocorticism comorbid endocrinopathies should be investigated.     

Carbon isotopic ratios of wetland and terrace soil sequences in the Maya Lowlands of Belize and Guatemala

This article provides new data and synthesizes earlier findings on the carbon isotope ratios of the humin part of soil organic matter from a range of sites in the central Maya Lowlands. Changes down the soil profile in carbon isotope ratios can provide an important line of evidence for vegetation change and erosion over time, especially in well dated aggrading profiles. Research thus far has provided substantial evidence for significant inputs from C₄ vegetation in buried layers from the Ancient Maya periods in depositional soils but equivocal evidence from sloping soils. We present new findings from soil profiles through ancient Maya wetland fields, upland karst wetlands, ancient Maya aguadas (reservoirs), and ancient Maya terraces. Most of the profiles exhibited δ¹³C enrichment greater than the 2.5–3‰ typical from bacterial fractionation. Seven of nine ancient Maya wetland profiles showed δ¹³C enrichment ranging from 4.25 to 8.56‰ in ancient Maya-dated sediments that also contained phytolith and pollen evidence of grass (C₄ species) dominance. Upland karst sinks and ancient reservoirs produced more modest results for δ¹³C enrichment. These seasonal wetland profiles exhibited δ¹³C enrichment ranging from 1 to 7.3‰ from the surface to ancient Maya-period sediments. Agricultural terraces produced mixed results, with two terraces having substantial δ¹³C enrichment of 5.34 and 5.66‰ and two producing only equivocal results of 1.88 and 3.03‰ from modern topsoils to Maya Classic-period buried soils. Altogether, these findings indicate that C₄ plants made up c. 25% of the vegetation at our sites in the Maya Classic period and only a few percent today. These findings advance the small corpus of studies from ancient terraces, karst sinks, and ancient wetland fields by demonstrating substantial δ¹³C and thus C₄ plant enrichment in soil profile sections dated to ancient Maya times. These studies are also providing a new line of evidence about local and regional soil and ecological change in this region of widespread environmental change in the Late Holocene.     

Heavy Metal Contamination of Soil and Vegetation in the Vicinity of Industries in Bangladesh

Water, Air, &; Soil Pollution - A study was conducted to investigate the heavy metal contamination of soil and vegetation in the vicinity of industries around Dhaka city in Bangladesh....     

Major bacterial contribution to marine dissolved organic nitrogen

Next to N2 gas, the largest pool of reduced nitrogen in the ocean resides in the enormous reservoir of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). The chemical identity of most of this material, and the mechanisms by which it is cycled, remain fundamental questions in contemporary oceanography. Amino acid enantiomeric ratios in the high molecular weight fraction of DON from surface and deep water in three ocean basins show substantial enrichment in D enantiomers of four amino acids. The magnitude and pattern of these D/L enrichments indicate that peptidoglycan remnants derived from bacterial cell walls constitute a major source of DON throughout the sea. These observations suggest that structural properties of specific bacterial biopolymers, and the mechanisms for their accumulation, are among the central controls on long-term cycling of dissolved organic nitrogen in the sea.     

USE OF 123IODINE METAIODOBENZYLGUANIDINE SCINTIGRAPHY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF A PHEOCHROMOCYTOMA IN A DOG

A 13-year-old neutered female Yorkshire terrier presented with a history of progressive episodic weakness and disorientation of 4 months duration. Physical and neurologic examinations were normal at presentation. Abdominal ultrasound revealed a mass involving the right adrenal gland. Standard planar scintigraphy was performed at 4, 18, and 24 hours after intravenous injection 185 MBq (5mCi) of ¹²³I-labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (¹²³I-MIBG). An area of focal intense uptake was identified in the area of the right adrenal gland. A pheochromocytoma was confirmed histologically after surgical excision.