MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FEATURES OF EQUINE NIGROPALLIDAL ENCEPHALOMALACIA

Magnetic resonance imaging (MR) was used to make a diagnosis of equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia in a horse. Equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia is a neurodegenerative disease that has many characteristics with Parkinson-like diseases in humans. Historically, horses were euthanized based on clinical signs and exposure to the toxic weed, yellow star thistle (Centaurea solstitialis). Previously, the disease has only been confirmed on necropsy. MR imaging can provide accurate and sensitive visualization of typical lesions seen in the brain of horses affected with equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia. Lesions were seen on T1-weighted, T2-weighted and proton density images. There was no contrast enhancement following Gd-DTPA administration. Lesions seen on MR were confirmed at necropsy. Using MR to confirm a diagnosis of equine nigropallidal encephalomalacia will prevent unnecessary suffering of horses and expense to owners that would otherwise incur, while further diagnostics are performed.     

Compatible measurements of volumetric soil water content using a neutron probe and Diviner 2000 after field calibration

Field calibrations for a neutron probe and a capacitance sensor (Diviner 2000) for measuring the soil water content of a shrinking–swelling clay soil were substantially different from commonly used default values. Using our field calibrations, the two instruments estimated similar changes in the cumulative water content of a soil profile (0–1 m depth) over one growing season.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FEATURES OF MULTILOBULAR OSTEOCHONDROSARCOMA IN 3 DOGS

Three dogs with multilobular osteochondrosarcoma of the skull were evaluated using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Spin echo T1, T2, proton weighted and post contrast T1W images were obtained with a 1.5 Tesla magnet. The MR imaging findings were similar in all three dogs with mixed signal intensities in the T1W, T2W and proton weighted images and fairly large areas of contrast enhancement in the post contrast T1W images. The extent of brain and soft tissue involvement were well delineated and provided useful information concerning surgical planning. MR imaging provided a useful method of evaluating dogs with skull tumors.     

MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING FINDINGS OF PRESUMED CEREBELLAR CEREBROVASCULAR ACCIDENT IN TWELVE DOGS

The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of presumed cerebrovascular accident in 12 dogs are described. Fourteen lesions were seen, commonly (11 of 14) within the gray matter of the cerebellar hemispheres or vermis. Thirteen lesions were hyperintense on T2-weighted images (in 11 dogs) and one was hypointense. Eleven of 14 lesions were within the region supplied by the rostral cerebellar artery or one of its main branches and there was no, or minimal, mass effect. Contrast enhancement was only seen in six lesions and was mild in all. Gradient-echo images provided additional information in two dogs. The appearance of infarction in dogs with diffusion-weighted images (DWI) is similar to that in humans, and provided supportive evidence for the diagnosis of infarction in five dogs. The use of gradient-echo and DWI is recommended for the evaluation of suspected cerebrovascular accidents in dogs. Six of the 12 affected animals were spaniels or spaniel crosses, suggesting a possible breed predisposition.     

Material in the middle ear of dogs having magnetic resonance imaging for investigation of neurologic signs

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and potential significance of finding material in the middle ear of dogs having magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Of 466 MR studies reviewed, an increased signal was identified in the tympanic bulla in 32 (7%) dogs. Cavalier King Charles spaniels, Cocker spaniels, Bulldogs, and Boxers were over-represented compared to the population of dogs having MR imaging. Five (16%) dogs had definite otitis media and one (3%) had a meningioma invading the middle ear. Of the remaining dogs, 13 (41%) had possible otitis media and 13 (41%) had neurologic conditions apparently unrelated to otitis media. The most common appearance of material in the middle ear was isointense in T1-weighted images and hyperintense in T2-weighted images. There was no apparent correlation between the signal characteristics of the material and the diagnosis. Enhanced signal after gadolinium administration was observed affecting the lining of the bulla in dogs with otitis media and in dogs with unrelated neurologic conditions. In dogs without clinical signs of otitis media, finding an increased signal in the middle ear during MR imaging may reflect subclinical otitis media or fluid accumulation unrelated to inflammation. Brachycephalic dogs may be predisposed to this condition.     

IMAGING DIAGNOSIS: MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING OF A CERVICAL WOODEN FOREIGN BODY IN A DOG

This article describes the discovery of a chronic cervical wooden foreign body ventral to the left transverse processes of the cranial cervical spine using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a dog that presented with chronic neck pain and lameness. The dog did not exhibit dysphagia or chronic draining tracts, the most common signs of the presumed cause, that of a penetrating oropharyngeal foreign body. The foreign body itself was represented on MR images as an oval straight-edged core within an inflammatory tissue reaction. The wood was slightly hyperintense on T2- and isointense on T1-weighted images relative to muscle. Surrounding this was a more conspicuous contrast-enhancing reactive tissue rim that was hyperintense on all pulse sequences. Adjacent musculature also exhibited diffuse edema and contrast enhancement that extended around the left cervical vertebral transverse processes and local intervertebral nerve roots. The foreign body was found to be a wooden stick upon surgical removal. MRI is an excellent method for visualizing the inflammatory tissue reactions associated with soft-tissue foreign bodies because of its contrast resolution and depiction of anatomy in multiple imaging planes.     

可穿戴设备部署位置对羊只行为识别的影响与分析

羊只的行为状态能够直接反映其健康状况及所处的生理阶段,为实现自动化的羊只行为识别,以圈养的小尾寒羊为试验对象,构建一个基于加速度传感器的可穿戴式行为监测装置。利用MPU9250为核心的九轴姿态传感器采集羊只静止、行走和进食的行为信息,并将传感器分别部署在羊只颈部、背部靠近前腿处、前腿和后腿四个不同的位置。对于采集的数据,利用去噪和降维进行预处理,并分别利用k-means和SVM进行分类识别。k-means均值聚类算法对颈部处的行为识别准确率最高,为79.34%,SVM支持向量机算法对颈部处的行为识别准确率最高,为92.63%。SVM算法用于羊只行为识别的整体准确率高于k-means,且传感器部署在羊只颈部时在不同识别方法下,识别效率均优于其他部位。研究结果对于构建自动化的羊只行为检测系统具有重要的现实意义。     

PTC电阻式车用油位传感器控制系统研究

为了提高油位传感器的精确性,避免传统传感器的不足,根据传统的电阻油位传感器提出了在结构上采用PTC探针式电阻来获取油位,实时检测探针两端电压来分析并获取油位,并采用PID控制对数据进行修正。提出了基于压差的合理性范围检测油位评估检测系统并运用Simulink搭建系统的模型,在评估油位时出现不合理错误会报告给DSM系统,并重新测量。用系统标定实验和系统测量实验来验证系统的准确性。系统在一定程度上提高了测量的准确性并能够有效避开温度等其他因素的影响,经实验证明在标定后的检测系统精确性较高,最大相对误差不超过2.90%。     

平行梁冲量式谷物质量流量传感器弹性元件设计

冲量式传感器具有结构简单、使用方便等优点,但容易受到基础振动的干扰。为此设计了平行梁结构冲量式谷物质量流量传感器弹性元件,对弹性元件安装端部采用了削弱设计。有限元分析表明该设计方案不仅符合应力集中原则,而且可以提高传感器抵抗振动干扰的能力。给出了传感器电桥电路,以及后续放大、电压电流变换等调理电路,使得传感器输出零点可以方便调节,降低了传感器在联合收割机上的安装要求。试验结果表明,传感器线性度误差小于0.1%,输出不受外力作用点的影响,同时具备了合适的工作频带宽度。     

利用微机对温室培育温度进行控制的研究

随着社会的发展和农业的进步,人们在各个季节都能吃上新鲜的蔬菜和水果.单片机和微型计算机在农业的发展中也起到了非常重要的作用.为此,以MCS51单片机温度控制系统对果蔬的培育环境进行温度控制为例,结合国内外先进温度控制系统的设计,对整个温控系统设计的硬件进行了阐述,说明了具体的调试步骤.