Echocardiography and conventional Doppler examination in clinically healthy adult Cavalier King Charles Spaniels: Effect of body weight,age, and gender,and establishment of reference intervals

ObjectivesThe objectives of this study were (1) to assess the potential effect of body weight (BW), age, and gender on the most commonly used echocardiographic and conventional Doppler variables in a large population of healthy Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS), and (2) to establish the corresponding reference intervals (RI).Animals134 healthy adult CKCS.MethodsUltrasound examinations were performed by trained observers in awake dogs. M-mode variables included left ventricular (LV) end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters, LV free wall and interventricular septal thicknesses at end-diastole and end-systole, and LV fractional shortening (FS%). The left atrium (LA) and aortic (Ao) diameters were measured using a 2D method, and the LA/Ao was calculated. Pulsed-wave Doppler variables included peak systolic aortic and pulmonary flow velocities, mitral E and A waves, and E/A ratio. Effects of BW, age, and gender on these 15 variables were tested using a general linear model, and RIs were determined by applying the statistical procedures recommended by the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute.ResultsA significant BW effect was observed for all variables, except LA/Ao, FS%, and mitral E/A ratio. A significant but negligible effect of gender and age was also observed for 5/15 and 4/15 of the tested variables, respectively. Only the BW effect on M-mode variables was considered as clinically relevant and the corresponding regression-based RIs were calculated.ConclusionsBody weight should be taken into account when interpreting echocardiographic values in CKCS, except for LA/Ao, FS%, and mitral E/A ratio.     

Assessment of Vein Diameter and Body Surface Temperature after High-Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT) on the Tarsal Joint in Healthy Horses

The aim of the study was to assess the influence of high-intensity laser therapy (HILT) on vein diameter and on body surface temperature changes in the tarsal joint area in a group of clinically healthy racehorses. The hypothesis of the study was that HILT increases vein diameter and body surface temperature in healthy tissue. The study involved 16 Thoroughbreds being subjected to ultrasonographic examination to assess changes of diameter of the cranial branch of the medial saphenous vein and thermographic examination to indicate temperature change of the dorsal surface of the tarsal joint, just before and immediately after HILT treatment. Vein diameter and mean surface temperature of the tarsal joint significantly increased after HILT treatment. In addition, the study was the first to describe the photothermal effect of HILT in healthy horses. More studies are necessary to specify the parameters of the procedure, that is, wavelength, energy density, or time of the procedure, depending on the patient’s individual characteristics and type of tissue.     

超声波处理对小麦胚芽球蛋白理化和功能性质的影

采用超声波处理小麦胚芽球蛋白以提高其功能性质.研究了超声波处理对小麦胚芽球蛋白理化和功能性质的影响.结果表明:经超声波处理后,小麦胚芽球蛋白的巯基和二硫键含量、紫外光谱和荧光光谱均发生了显著的变化.随着超声波功率的增加,小麦胚芽球蛋白的疏水性、起泡性、起泡稳定性、乳化性和乳化稳定性都降低;当超声波功率大于900 W时,由于小麦胚芽球蛋白重新伸展,疏水基团暴露增多,引起疏水性、起泡性、起泡稳定性、乳化性和乳化稳定性增加.此外.超声波功率对小麦胚芽球蛋白的溶解度有显著影响,随着超声波功率的增加其溶解度明显增加.因此,通过选择适宜的超声波功率水平能够改善小麦胚芽球蛋白的理化和功能性质.     

挤压超声联用提取米糠多糖工艺优化

为了提高米糠多糖得率,将挤压与超声方法联用,在单因素试验基础上采取二次正交旋转组合试验,研究了酶法提取米糠多糖的挤压工艺条件和超声波处理条件,并构建了超声波处理的数学模型.试验结果表明:在物料含水率20％、挤压温度115℃、螺杆转速120 r/min的挤压条件下,获取的米糠经酶解后,在处理时间21 min、超声波功率117W、处理温度72℃、液料比为8.7 mL/g的优化条件下,米糠多糖得率可达7.18％.     

超声对种子萌发和产量的影响

综述用超声处理农作物种子,以提高种子萌发和产量方面的研究现状,并提出用超声处理种子过程中存在的问题以及需要努力的方向。     

超声波辅助提取苹果籽油工艺研究

通过二次回归正交旋转组合试验探讨了超声波辅助提取苹果籽油的最佳工艺条件，研究了液料比（石油醚体积与苹果籽质量之比）、提取时间、提取温度和超声波频率对苹果籽油提取率的影响。结果表明，当液料比为8，提取时间为35min，提取温度为35℃，超声波频率为60kHz时，苹果籽油提取率最高，可达到23.94％。通过与索氏提取法对比，证明超声波是一种可靠、高效的提取苹果籽油的方法。     

Prediction of intramuscular fat by ultrasound in lean cattle

To study the accuracy and precision of intramuscular fat prediction by ultrasound (USIMF) in lean cattle, prediction models were developed based on 325 pure and crossbred beef and dual purpose bulls originating from I) commercial herds (n = 180) and II) a performance test station (n = 145). The bulls were scanned across the 12th thoracic vertebrae using a Pie 200 SLC scanner. Five images were collected per individual bull for later processing in the lab. After slaughter, a 2.5 cm cross-sectional sample located by the 13th thoracic vertebrae was used for chemical analysis to determine intramuscular fat % (CHIMF; Mean 1.25%, SD 0.6%) at the image site. The data were analysed sequentially involving 1) the Total Dataset, 2) Dataset I and 3) Dataset II. Prediction models were developed separately for each dataset, using stepwise regression procedures. The validation model R², RMSE, overall mean bias, SEP, r_P and rank correlations for CHIMF and USIMF based on the best prediction model (Dataset I) were 0.48, 0.46%, − 0.02%, 0.46%, 0.70 and 0.67, respectively. Further improvement in prediction accuracy can probably be achieved by increasing the size of datasets and the CHIMF variation. The results strongly indicate that ultrasound has potential for IMF prediction in lean cattle, although the value in indirect selection of breeding cattle for meat quality needs to be further evaluated.     

Computed Tomographic Angiography under Sedation in the Diagnosis of Suspected Canine Pancreatitis: A Pilot Study

Background

Computed tomography (CT) is highly accurate for diagnosing pancreatitis in humans. The diagnosis of pancreatitis in dogs is based on clinical signs, laboratory findings, and ultrasonographic (US) changes. There are, however, inherent limitations in relying on laboratory and ultrasound findings for the clinical diagnosis of pancreatitis in dogs.

Hypothesis/Objectives

We hypothesized that CT angiography would be a rapid and reliable method to confirm pancreatitis in dogs compared to ultrasonography. The aim was to describe the CT characteristics and compare them to ultrasound findings and correlate the CT appearance to the severity of the patients'' clinical course.

Animals

A prospective pilot case series; 10 dogs with pancreatitis were enrolled if the history, clinical signs, laboratory, and ultrasonographic findings were indicative of pancreatitis.

Methods

A 3‐phase angiographic CT was performed under sedation. Afterward, each dog had US‐guided aspirates of the pancreas collected and blood drawn for cPLi assay. Images were evaluated for portion of visible pancreas, pancreatic size and margin, pancreatic parenchyma, presence of peripancreatic changes and contrast enhancement pattern. The results were compared with outcome.

Results

An enlarged, homogeneously to heterogeneously attenuating and contrast‐enhancing pancreas with ill‐defined borders was identified in all dogs. CT identified more features characterizing pancreatic abnormalities compared to US. Thrombi were found in 3/10 dogs. Three dogs with heterogeneous contrast enhancement had an overall poorer outcome than those with homogenous enhancement.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

CT angiography under sedation was used in dogs to confirm clinically suspected pancreatitis and identified clinically relevant and potentially prognostic features of pancreatitis in dogs.