1,720,969 research outputs found
Conservative management of a distal interphalangeal joint dislocation of dairy cow in field, radiographic findings and thermography: case report
Full text linkThe painful nature of lameness makes it a serious welfare issue. Early detection and management of lameness is paramount. In the present case report, a 20-months-old dairy cow was referred with a history of acute lameness (locomotion score 5, on a scale of 5-point). Infrared thermography was used as a useful addition to the diagnostic tools available to clinicians, as it can detect localised variations in temperature and have a great potential to assist diagnosis in bovine lameness. The evaluation of subtle temperature variation associated with inflammatory conditions is a very important indicator to detect inflammation associated with lameness. In this case, the use of the preclinical thermographic examination was capable of pinpointing the location in the area of the greatest inflammation to focus radiographs. Following this procedure, physical and radiographic examinations were taken of the detected area and were evaluated. A non-weight bearing lameness of the right forelimb and a swelling medial hoof that was painful upon palpation was noticed. Radiographic images showed a dislocation of the distal interphalangeal. Conservative management was performed by placing the healthy claw on a block to alleviate weight bearing on the affected claw and the half - limb cast was used for immobilization of phalangeal for 25 days. Complete joint ankylosis was evident on radiographs, one month after. Effectiveness of all treatment measures was monitored through continual locomotion scoring. Clinical outcome was excellent. The management of lameness is centred on improving the welfare of the cow. Although the function of the ankylosed digit is reduced, it still plays a part in bearing weight; movement at pasture and on slatted floors remains satisfactory. The advantages of a conservative approach and a clinical management, if there are adequate conditions, allow to salvage the digit which a long productive life can still be expected, reduce costs for the owner and avoid complications after surgery
A retrospective study on transabdominal ultrasound measurements of the rumen wall thickness to evaluate chronic rumen acidosis in beef cattle
Full text linkBACKGROUND: Chronic and subacute rumen acidosis are economically important in the beef industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential suitability of the transabdominal ultrasonographic examination of the ruminal wall to diagnose chronic rumen acidosis in beef cattle compared to direct measurement of ruminal pH, as a fast non-invasive tool to be used in field condition. Ultrasonographic examination of the rumen was conducted in 478 beef cattle before rumenocentesis (chronic rumen acidosis group = pH ≤ 5.8; healthy group = pH ≥ 5.9). Rumen wall ultrasound measurements included rumen wall thickness (RWT) and rumen mucosa and submucosa thickness (RMST). RESULTS: The Analysis of Variance showed the high significant effect of the pH class for RWT and RMST (P 8.2 mm. The differentiation efficiency of RMST between healthy and chronic rumen acidosis groups, as a result of ROC curve analysis, was good with an AUROC of 0.90: p 5.3 mm. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the thickening of RWT and RMST is correlated with the changes of ruminal pH. Transabdominal rumen ultrasound has the potential to become a powerful diagnostic tool useful to identify fattening bulls affected by chronic rumen acidosis
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
EQUINE GASTRIC ULCERATION SYNDROME (EGUS) IN DONKEYS: GASTROSCOPIC FINDINGS AND PREVALENCE
Full text linkThe aim was to present the findings of gastroscopy in a population of adult donkeys. Thirty-nine donkeys (16 jennies, 23 jacks), aged 1-18 years (5.7±5.0, median 3 years) underwent gastroscopy to evaluate the presence of lesions. Inclusion criteria: not athletes and non-working donkeys, breeding animals, no administration of NSAIDs or corticosteroids for at least 20 days immediately prior gastroscopy. Gastroscopy was performed after 15h of fasting, under sedation using a portable processor Gastropack and a 300cm long scope. ESGD lesions were scored 0/4, EGGS was described as presence or absence, anatomical location, distribution, and appearance of lesions. Chi square test and Fisher’s exact test were applied to verify differences in the prevalence of ESGD in relation to sex and age (≤4 years and >4 years).
Gastric lesions were not present in 19/39 (49%) donkeys, while 20/39 (51%) donkeys showed EGUS; 19/20 (95%) donkeys were affected by ESGD, while 1/20 (5%) donkey showed both ESGD and EGGD. ESGD was 0 in 19/39 (48.7%), 1 in 5/39 (12.8%), 2 in 10/39 (25.6%), 3 in 4/39 (10.2%) and 4 in 1/39 (2.7%) donkeys, respectively. EGGD lesion was a mild depression in the ventral glandular fundus. Statistical analysis showed no differences in relation to sex or age.
To the authors’ knowledge this is the first report on alive donkeys. Our prevalence was higher then in dead/euthanized donkeys, but similar to sports and pleasure horses. No statistical differences in the prevalence of ESGD in relation with sex or age were detected, in line to literature
Ultrasonographic Biometry of the Eye in Healthy Adult Donkey
No full textSixty-two healthy adult donkeys were included in this study, giving a total of 124 eyes for examination. The weight of the donkeys was estimated and an ultrasonography of the eyes was performed using a curvilinear transducer. Ocular measurements were taken in a horizontal plane and included the following values: globe axial length (GAL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), vitreous body depth (VD), lens diameter (LDi), and lens depth (LDe). The mean and standard deviations for each measurement are reported in mm: GAL 34.22 ±2.05; ACD 3.01 ±0.58; VD 20.20 ±1.63; LDi 17.96 ±1.66 LDe 11.06 ±0.71. Gender was not a variability factor for ocular biometry in donkeys, while the weight was directly related to the ultrasonographic ocular values. Lens dimensions represented an exception and further investigation should be carried out to verify a possible correlation with age rather than weight. This is the first paper reporting reference data for ocular biometry in donkeys
Pharmacokinetic Evaluations of Sulpiride After Intravenous, Intramuscular, and Oral Single-Dose Administration in Jennies (Equus asinus)
No full textSulpiride is an antipsychotic human drug. It is commonly used to encourage ovulation in
noncycling mares and to stimulate lactation in adoptive mares. No pharmacokinetic data
are available for donkeys. The aim of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetics profile
of sulpiride after intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and oral (PO) administrations in
healthy jennies. Animals (n 1⁄4 6) were treated with sulpiride, 1 mg/kg by IV, IM, and PO
routes according to a randomized cross-over design (3 3 Latin square). Blood samples
(5 mL) were collected at predetermined times and analyzed using a validated high performance
liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection method. IV and IM administrations
gave similar curves, but they were not bioequivalent. The IM average
bioavailability was 73.5%. After PO administration, the drug plasma concentrations were
low and consequently both area under the curve and bioavailability (9.4%) were low. This
finding could be because of the physicochemical features of the drug. Indeed, considering
that sulpiride is a weak base, existing in the ionized form at gastric and physiological pH, it
is unsurprising that it is poorly absorbable, especially in equine species whose gastric pH is
particularly acidic. In conclusion, injective routes are definitely preferable to PO dosing
because of the very low F% via this route
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Thermographic Screening of Beef Cattle Metatarsal Growth Plate Lesions
Full text linkLameness represents one of the main causes of decreased productive performance and impaired animal welfare in the bovine industry. Young beef bulls are predisposed to develop diseases of the growing skeleton, especially growth plate lesions. Early diagnosis is indispensable for ensuring correct treatment, fast recovery and reduction losses. However, when dealing with beef cattle, this is not always possible. Fast and reliable diagnostic imaging techniques are necessary to improve dealing with lameness in beef animals. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential of thermographic imaging as a non-invasive tool for rapidly screening beef bulls for the presence of growth plate lesions. Here, 20 Charolais and Limousine beef bulls affected by growth plate lesions in one of the rear limbs were selected. IRT was performed on both hind limbs using a digital infrared camera (ThermaCam T420 Model, Flir Systems, Boston, MA, USA), prior to radiographic imaging and clinical examination. The temperature of healthy and affected limbs was measured in two regions: The area correspondent to the growth plate (AR01) and the whole area of the metatarsus (AR02). Growth plate lesions were found to increase the maximum, mean, and minimum temperatures in AR01; and the mean and maximum temperatures in AR02, therefore, indicating the potential of IRT as a reliable, practical tool for screening growth plate lesions in beef bulls
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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