Effect of Caudal Traction on Mechanical Nociceptive Thresholds of Epaxial and Pelvic Musculature on a Group of Horses With Signs of Back Pain

Direct muscular attachment from lumbar vertebrae to the caudal vertebrae of the tail suggests that caudal traction, also described as a tail pull, may affect lumbar vertebral segments and/or associated soft tissues in horses. Traction is a commonly used human manual therapy technique used for pain relief and anecdotally observed to relieve pain in horses. However, research is lacking validating the efficacy of manual caudal traction on the horse. The objective of this study was to determine if caudal traction has an effect on mechanical nociceptive thresholds (MNTs) in a group of horses with clinical signs of back pain. Pressure algometry was used to measure MNTs of five bilateral anatomical sites in the epaxial and pelvic musculature of 11 horses referred to physiotherapy because of clinical signs of back pain. Measurements were recorded both before and immediately after traction. A significant difference (P ≤ .05) was identified between mean before and after caudal traction algometry measurements in all described sites. The percentage of MNT increase was highest in the thoracic region (83%) compared with the lumbar (50%) and the pelvic (52.4%) regions. These results support an effect of caudal traction in increasing MNTs in the thoracolumbar and pelvic regions in horses. Further research to determine the clinical effect of this technique is warranted.     

A Pressure Algometer Is a Useful Tool to Objectively Monitor the Effect of Diagnostic Palpation by a Physiotherapist in Warmblood Horses

There is a lack of scientific evidence for objective evaluation of neck and back musculoskeletal sensitivity in horses, although pressure algometry has been described as an objective tool to quantify musculoskeletal responses by mechanical nociceptive threshold (MNT) values. This study aimed to evaluate the use of pressure algometry for objectively quantifying the effect of diagnostic palpation applied by physiotherapists on the musculoskeletal function of the equine neck and back. The inter-examiner repeatability of animal physiotherapists was tested, and their subjective clinical scores for the vertebral column area were objectively compared with MNT values measured at the same locations to investigate the potential clinical implementation of the pressure algometer in daily equine rehabilitation practice. Six adult Dutch Warmblood riding school mares were randomly assigned to an experimental or a control group. The MNT of all horses was measured on 35 predefined sites on the vertebral column in the morning and in the evening of the same day. In the experimental group (n = 3), neck and back surface “temperature”, “pain”, “muscle tone”, and passive “mobility” were scored through palpation by three certified physiotherapists and related to MNT measurements at the same vertebral column locations. Agreement between the physiotherapists was determined from Spearman's rank correlation coefficients (P < .05). These correlation coefficients showed a significant agreement between the scores of individual physiotherapists and with objective MNT measurements. The three physiotherapists agreed best in their subjective gradings of “pain”, but less for “temperature” and “muscle tone”, and least for “mobility”. There was also a significant difference in MNT between individual horses. The physiotherapeutic diagnostic intervention did not significantly alter the MNT of the experimental group compared with the control group. There was a significant difference, however, between morning (7.4 kg/cm²) and evening (6.9 kg/cm²) MNT-measurements within the combined group (n = 6, P < .05). In conclusion, a pressure algometer proved to be a useful tool to objectively monitor the palpation of individual Warmbloods by individual physiotherapists. The correlation of their scores to the objective MNT measurements elucidated that there were differences on which scale (“pain”, “temperature”, “muscle tone”, “mobility”) they merely relied upon in their palpation. Significant effects of physiotherapeutic diagnostic palpation on MNT, however, were not found. The lower MNT of the horses at the second trial in the evening could be a sensitization of the measurement location because of bruising, a learning effect of the horses, or a diurnal fluctuation. The use of pressure algometry has both a potential to quantify clinical neck and back musculoskeletal sensitivity in horses possibly leading to dysfunction, as well as to objectively evaluate treatment results. Repeated measurements on the same day and on the same location along the vertebral column may influence absolute MNT values. The algometer can be used with success provided that the operator has proper and frequent training.     

Correlation between the histopathological diagnosis by AgNOR count and AgNOR area in canine mammary tumors

Background: Mammary tumors are the most common type of tumor in female dogs. The histopathological diagnosis is usually made by a hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining of the tumor, which then requires a pathologist's judgment for assessment of malignancy. The purpose of this study was to investigate an alternative silver staining of some argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR) for improving the diagnostic accuracy with mammary tumors.
Hypothesis: There is a correlation between the histopathological diagnosis by AgNOR count and AgNOR area in canine mammary tumors.
Animals: Seventy-three canine mammary tumors from 33 female dogs.
Materials and Methods: The AgNOR staining was evaluated retrospectively in 73 canine mammary tumors with a parallel HE staining as a "Gold Standard." Both a quantitative manual counting method and a qualitative computerized morphometric method were tested.
Result: The result from both methods indicated a clinically relevant difference in the mean values of the AgNOR in the following 4 categories: malignant, benign, hyperplastic, and normal mammary tissue. The counting method was superior, with 89% of the cases given a correct diagnosis of a malignant or a nonmalignant canine mammary tumor. The 2 methods were then compared to test their ability to classify the tumors correctly. Again, the counting method was the most reliable method, with a sensitivity of 80% and a specificity of 76% when the upper 50% of the AgNOR counts were presumed malignant.
Conclusion and Clinical Importance: The results indicated that an AgNOR test could be an aid to pathologists as a prognostic indicator or to assist them in deciding between a benign or a malignant diagnosis in questionable cases.     

中草药对中华绒螯蟹幼蟹生长及免疫力的影响

为全面准确评估中华绒螯蟹 (Eriocheir sinensis) 养殖池塘中后期水体浮游植物群落结构特征及其与环境因子的关系,于2022年6—10月逐月监测水质指标,同时采用基于形态学和宏基因组学的人工镜检和高通量测序两种方法分析浮游植物的群落结构特征,探讨浮游植物优势种与环境因子的关系。结果显示,人工镜检鉴定的浮游植物共4门65种,而高通量测序数据分析所得浮游植物共4门1463种,其中人工镜检鉴定的优势种为蓝藻门的水华微囊藻 (Microcystis flos-aquae)、细小隐球藻 (Aphanocapsa elachista) 以及硅藻门的中肋骨条藻 (Skeletonema costatum),而高通量测序数据分析所得优势种为蓝藻门的水华束丝藻 (Aphanizomenon flos-aquae)、铜绿微囊藻 (M. aeruginosa)。人工镜检方法计算所得多样性指数普遍低于高通量测序结果。两种方法共同分析得出溶解氧(DO)、叶绿素 a (Chl-a)、总氮 (TN) 和氨氮 (NH₃-N) 是影响浮游植物群落结构的关键环境因子。建议采用人工镜检与高通量测序法相结合的方式分析养殖期间的浮游植物群落结构,以便更全面、准确地评估养殖生态系统中的浮游植物群落结构特征及其与环境因子的关系。

     

不同农艺措施对机插水稻产量的影响

[目的]统计分析机插水稻产量形成的特点,研究机插密度和肥料运筹对机插水稻产量的影响,以优化机插水稻农艺配套措施。[方法]分别设置3种机插秧规格和3种氮肥作基蘖肥与穗肥配比田间试验,考察产量及其构成差异。[结果]结果表明,机插水稻增产增收明显,单产在5737.5~10315.7 kg/hm2时,产量与总颖花量及每穗实粒数呈极显著正相关,与千粒重呈显著正相关。适宜的机插规格应掌握在11.7~13.3 cm×30.0 cm,基本苗75万~105万/hm2。土壤肥力中等,单产要求在9000 kg/hm2以上时,投入总氮(纯)应为270~300 kg/hm2,N∶P2O5∶K2O为1.0∶0.3∶0.5,氮素基蘖肥与穗肥比例宜为5∶5或6∶4。[结论]机插水稻高产栽培策略适宜走建立适中群体、抬升后期肥料运筹比重、提高成穗率、主攻大穗、增加千粒重之路,穗数型增产与穗重型增产相结合。     

能见度自动与人工观测在大雾中的分析与比较

为了探索自动观测能见度代替人工观测可行性,对2013年1月20日08:00~23日20:00一个大雾天气过程从资料应用角度分析。结果表明,自动观测的能见度与人工观测随时间变化趋势是一致的;台站自动观测和道面自动观测2种能见度测量值随时间的演变也一致性较好,差别较小;自动观测的能见度变化与温度露点差的变化是一致的,体现了能见度与相对湿度高度相关性;台站观测和道面观测组成同一能见度观测网,能够很好地反应北京能见度情况,对于预报和服务具有重要作用。自动观测能见度代替是可行的。但由于自动观测数据小于人工观测数据,在天气预报业务中启用自动观测能见度数据后,将大大增加预报大雾以及发布大雾预警的频率,需要调整雾霾天气的有关能见度的发布标准。     

自动站与人工站观测降水量的差异对比分析

利用2008～2009年福州自动站与人工站平行观测期间的降水量资料,对年、月、日降水量差值百分率进行对比分析。结果表明：自动站与人工站降水观测差值较小,其准确度能够满足日常业务使用。观测时间的差异、观测数据采集方式的不同和人为因素的影响是造成降水量对比观测差异的主要原因。     

浅析云南木蠹象人工除治存在的几个问题

云南木蠢象于2002年5月首次在威宁县海拉乡发现,由于云南木蠹象是蛀干害虫,个头小,隐蔽性强,除了采用人工清理外,目前尚无很好的防治方法,本文就云南木蠹象人工清理中存在的一些问题进行了探讨。     

自动观测与人工观测土壤温度差异及分析

利用我国基本(准)站在人工观测与自动观测双轨运行期间的平行观测资料,分析了不同观测方式下各层土壤温度的差异.结果表明,全国平均自动与人工观测各层土壤温度的日对比差值均在0.11℃以下,且日对比差值随着深度的增加而减小.从5 cm到320 cm,无论冬季还是夏季,全国绝大部分地区平均对比差值在±0.2℃之间.由浅至深各层土壤温度日对比差值的标准差从0.78℃减小至0.47℃,其不确定度在5～ 20 cm时均超过了1.0℃,但在深层(40 cm及以下),不确定度已经低于1.0℃.除极个别站外,各层自动与人工观测日平均值无显著性差异.自动与人工观测土壤温度的差异主要是由于土壤中水平温度场分布非均匀和土壤垂直温度梯度很大及对比观测时间不同步造成的.     

Low leaf to fruit ratio delays fruit maturity of ‘Lapins’ sweet cherry on Gisela 5

Canopy leaf to fruit ratio (L:F) of 6-year-old ‘Lapins’ sweet cherry trees on Gisela 5 rootstock was manipulated at the end of stage II (38 DAFB) of fruit development. While control trees showed a L:F ratio of 0.7:1 without alteration, on other trees young fruit were manually removed to yield L:F ratios of 2:1 and 3:1, respectively. All leaves and young fruit on trees were counted 30 DAFB. The effect of altering the source–sink ratio of whole trees on sweet cherry fruit quality parameters (fruit increment, fruit mass, color, total soluble solids content, contents of individual sugars and organic acids) was evaluated in the study. High leaf area to fruit (LA:F) ratios influenced significantly darkest fruit color, higher fruit mass, higher total soluble solids content and higher ratio between sugars and acids, which corresponded to better ripening stage. Contents of glucose, fructose and sorbitol, but not sucrose, sum of individual sugars, and the content of malic acid differed significantly among fruit of the different treatments. Fruit of the most advanced maturity stage (treatment 3:1) had the highest quality. Each day of improved L:F ratio counts towards better sweet cherry fruit quality. The results show that low L:F ratio influenced prolonged ripening process and delayed fruit maturity of ‘Lapins’ sweet cherry.