bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Collection of semen from marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus) for experimental use by vaginal washing
Authors: Kuederling I. , Morrell J. M. , Nayudu P. L.
Published: May 2007

Assisted reproductive techniques make an important contribution to the conservation of endangered primate species. In our laboratories marmoset monkeys ( Callithrix jacchus) are used as a model species for developing assisted reproductive technologies for New World primates. The studies require a reliable method for collecting functional sperm from these small animals. For this purpose a minimally invasive procedure, vaginal washing after natural mating, was evaluated for its suitability as a routine method of obtaining ejaculated sperm of high quality. The objective of the first series of tests was to identify a behavioural pattern which was easily discernible by the observer and provided a reliable indication that ejaculation had occurred. In a second series of tests the influence of length of separation of the male prior to copulation on the quality of the ejaculate was evaluated. Six adult ovariectomized and five adult intact females were used for vaginal washing, while their mates served as donors of ejaculates. Matings at specific times were achieved by separating the males from their females for a certain time period and subsequently introducing either their own mates or unfamiliar males to the females. After each observed mating vaginal washing was performed on the unsedated females. The seminal samples obtained were analysed for sperm concentration, the proportion of motile sperm and the proportion of live sperm. The results have shown (a) that ejaculation was indicated with a reliability of 86.1 % by the behaviour of the female, who terminates a copulation by moving away from her partner; (b) that separation of the male for up to six days had no negative effect on the sperm quality; (c) that the sperm samples were of high quality. Vaginal washing after natural matings appears to be a practical, reliable and gentle method for routinely collecting ejaculates from marmoset monkeys and possibly other New World primates.
Ketamine and its use in the pig: Recommendations of the Consensus Meeting on Ketamine Anaesthesia in Pigs, Bergen 1994
Authors: Boschert K. , Flecknell P. A. , Fosse R. T. , Framstad T. , Ganter M. , Sjøstrand U. , Stevens J. , Thurmon J.
Published: May 2007

Ketamine, when used as a mono-anaesthetic, does not appear to induce surgical anaesthesia in the pig. The addition of other drugs such as opioids, benzodiazepines and α2-adrenergic agonists deepens anaesthesia and enables major surgery to be performed. A decision-tree for the rational use of ketamine for both short and long-term anaesthesia in the pig under three different levels of procedure severity is presented.
Preferences of mice and rats for types of bedding material
Authors: Blom H. J. M. , Van Tintelen G. , Van Vorstenbosch C. J. A. H. V. , Baumans V. , Beynen A. C.
Published: May 2007

The type of bedding material has been reported to affect the environment in both the animal cage and animal room. It has an impact on the health and well-being of the animals and may cause biased experimental results. Requirements for bedding materials, particularly those regarding animal comfort are poorly supported by experimental data. In this study, various types of bedding material were evaluated using preference tests with mice and rats. It was found that beddings consisting of relatively small particles (-1.2 × 1.6 mm2) were generally avoided, whereas beddings consisting of large fibrous particles were preferred. The characteristics of the bedding materials were further investigated by scanning the size and shape of the particles, and by the assessment of ultrasound produced by the moving of the beddings. The results seem to indicate that size and manipulability are among the main determinants of the appreciation of bedding particles by laboratory mice and rats, and larger particles are preferred.
Qualitative and quantitative assessment of video transmitted by DVTS (digital video transport system) in surgical telemedicine
Authors: Shima Yoichiro , Suwa Akina , Gomi Yuichiro , Nogawa Hiroki , Nagata Hiroshi , Tanaka Hiroshi
Published: May 2007

Real-time video pictures can be transmitted inexpensively via a broadband connection using the DVTS (digital video transport system). However, the degradation of video pictures transmitted by DVTS has not been sufficiently evaluated. We examined the application of DVTS to remote consultation by using images of laparoscopic and endoscopic surgeries. A subjective assessment by the double stimulus continuous quality scale (DSCQS) method of the transmitted video pictures was carried out by eight doctors. Three of the four video recordings were assessed as being transmitted with no degradation in quality. None of the doctors noticed any degradation in the images due to encryption by the VPN (virtual private network) system. We also used an automatic picture quality assessment system to make an objective assessment of the same images. The objective DSCQS values were similar to the subjective ones. We conclude that although the quality of video pictures transmitted by the DVTS was slightly reduced, they were useful for clinical purposes. Encryption with a VPN did not degrade image quality.
Videoconferencing in child and adolescent psychiatry in Finland – an inadequately exploited resource
Authors: Pesämaa Lilli , Ebeling Hanna , Kuusimäki Marja-Leena , Winblad Ilkka , Isohanni Matti , Moilanen Irma
Published: May 2007

To assess the current role of videoconferencing and the purposes for which it has been used in child and adolescent psychiatry in Finland, we sent a 16-item questionnaire to all providers of child and adolescent psychiatry services in specialised health care in Finland, i.e. the 42 child and adolescent units in 21 hospital districts. All service providers responded. The responses to both open-ended and structured questions were analysed manually and classified quantitatively and qualitatively. Use of videoconferencing was reported by 16 of the 21 hospital districts in Finland. Videoconferencing had been used for more than 5.5 years in only three hospital districts, for 3–5 years in 14 units and for 1–3 years in six units. Videoconferencing was used for clinical work in 12 and for distance education in another 12 hospital districts. Videoconferencing was used weekly for clinical work and for supervision by two districts; it was used for education by three districts. Although the workers' experiences of and attitudes towards videoconferencing were favourable, it has not been widely used in child and adolescent psychiatry. The implementation of videoconferencing seems to depend more on the activity of service providers than on the number of people involved.
Homocysteine, menopause and cardiovascular disease
Authors: Gambacciani Marco , Mannella Paolo
Published: May 2007

A high plasma concentration of total homocysteine (tHcy) and a deficiency of vitamins related to its metabolism, such as vitamin B12 and folate, have been associated with cardiovascular disease. Postmenopausal women have higher concentrations than age-matched premenopausal women, and plasma concentrations of homocysteine in postmenopausal women taking hormone replacement therapy are significantly lower than they are in those who do not take estrogen supplements. Because of the possible mixed effects of HRT on cardiovascular events, surrogate end-points must be evaluated with caution. While measuring homocysteine levels is relatively simple, evidence from well designed trials is awaited before population screening can be advocated. Also, the benefits of reducing homocysteine levels with folic acid and vitamin B6 and B12 supplements are highly debated.
How Bad Is Death?
Authors: Bradley Ben
Published: May 2007

A popular view about why death is bad for the one who dies is that death
deprives its subject of the good things in life. This is the ‘deprivation
account’ of the evil of death. The deprivation account might be considered
the ‘received view’ concerning the evil of death. But the deprivation
account entails that there need be no relationship between the disvalue of
someone's death and the quality of the life that preceded it. It is often
thought that a person's death is less tragic, or less bad, if she has lived
a good life or accomplished great things.
Investigating Knowledge Acquisition and Developing Misconceptions of High School Students Enrolled in an Invasion Games Unit
Authors: Hare Molly K , Graber Kim C
Published: May 2007

Grounded within constructivist theory, the purpose of this investigation was to investigate knowledge acquisition and developing conceptions of high school-aged students during a unit of instruction in badminton. Six different qualitative methods were utilized: (a) observations, (b) formal interviews, (c) informal interviews, (d) think aloud procedures, (e) Daily Question Cards, and (f) analysis of written documents. Findings were reduced into thematic categories representing misconceptions about motor skill execution, official badminton rules, and complex concepts. Students constructed new knowledge that had been filtered through prior experience. The instructional style of the teachers and the social environment of the class also contributed to the manner in which knowledge was constructed.
The Contours of Tracking in North Carolina
Authors: Kelly Sean
Published: May 2007

In this analysis of North Carolina high schools the author examines school tracking policies using an amended version of Sorensen's (1970) conceptualization of the organizational dimensions of tracking. Data from curriculum guides in a stratified sample of 92 high schools reveal both consistency and variation in how tracking is implemented at the school level. Understanding the policies that promote inclusive course taking, or that affect other dimensions of tracking, such electivity and scope, is the first step to improving the implementation of tracking. Research on tracking will continue to be disconnected from school improvement efforts until the relationships between school policies, the organizational dimensions of tracking, and outcomes for students are understood.
Locality, Cyclicity, and Resumption: At the Interface between the Grammar and the Human Sentence Processor
Authors: Alexopoulou Theodora , Keller Frank
Published: May 2007

We present an experimental investigation of the role of resumptive pronouns. We investigate object extraction in WH-questions for a range of syntactic configurations (nonislands, weak islands, strong islands) and for multiple levels of embedding (single, double, and triple). In order to establish the crosslinguistic properties of resumption, parallel experiments were conducted in three languages, viz. English, Greek, and German. Three main experimental results are reported. First, resumption does not remedy island violations: resumptive pronominals are at most as acceptable as gaps, but not more acceptable. This result disconfirms claims in the literature that resumptives can ‘save’ island violations. Second, embedding reduces acceptability even in extraction out of nonislands and declaratives, structures standardly assumed to be fully grammatical. Third, nonislands and weak islands pattern together and contrast with strong islands in terms of the effect of resumption and embedding. Our experimental findings show a remarkable consistency across the three languages we investigate; crosslinguistic variation appears confined to quantitative differences in crosslinguistically identical principles. We argue that these experimental results can be explained by the interaction of grammatical principles with resource limitations of the human parser. In particular, extraction from nonislands and weak islands imposes increased demands on the computational resources of the parser. We extend Gibson’s (1998) syntactic prediction locality theory in order to formalize this intuition and account for the processing complexity of A-bar dependencies.
Canonical Typology, Suppletion, and Possible Words
Authors: Corbett Greville G
Published: May 2007

I specify a typology for the extreme of inflectional morphology, namely suppletion (as in go ~ went). This is an unusual enterprise within typology, and it requires a ‘canonical’ approach. That is, I define the canonical or best instance, through a set of converging criteria, and use this point in theoretical space to locate the various occurring types. Thus the criteria establish the dimensions along which specific instances of suppletion are found, allowing me to calibrate examples out from the canonical. The criteria fall into two main areas, those internal to the lexeme and those external to it. Moreover, I find interactions with other morphological phenomena and discuss four of them: syncretism, periphrasis, overdifferentiation, and reduplication. These remarkable instances of suppletion, particularly when in interaction with other phenomena, extend the boundary of the notion ‘possible word’. Besides laying out the possibilities for the specific phenomenon of suppletion, I show how a canonical approach allows progress in typology, even in the most challenging areas.
Evolutionary Game Theory and Typology: A Case Study
Authors: Jäger Gerhard
Published: May 2007

This article deals with the typology of the case marking of semantic core roles. The competing economy considerations of hearer (disambiguation) and speaker (minimal effort) are formalized in terms of EVOLUTIONARY GAME THEORY. It is shown that the case-marking patterns that are attested in the languages of the world are those that are evolutionarily stable for different relative weightings of speaker economy and hearer economy, given the statistical patterns of language use that were extracted from corpora of naturally occurring conversations.
Postwar Resource Tenure Issues in the Settlement of Sudan's Dislocated Population
Authors: Unruh Jon Darrel
Published: May 2007

The number of displaced people in Sudan as a result of conflict and famine over two decades of war has been estimated to be in the millions. The lengthy period of time during which many local populations have been dislocated and the consequent disruption of food-producing activities pose complicated problems in both near-term food security and the longer-term rehabilitation of the country's traditional agricultural sector. Recovery of households and production systems after years of conflict and famine for the displaced will involve more than simply a return to home areas. Resource use and access arrangements will emerge contested and reconfigured as claimants with perceived rights based on various past customary and state tenure regimes seek to exercise these rights in a changed human and biophysical landscape. This article will examine some of the land tenure issues likely to become important as large populations of Sudan's internally displaced seek to reengage in agricultural production systems with which they are familiar. In the more populous agriculturally endowed locations where the recovery of many households and numerous production systems will initially be focused, establishing or reestablishing a mutually agreed-upon tenure system (or set of systems) and modes of resource use and access that are widely seen as equitable, secure, inclusive, and legitimate at the national level will, while complicated, be important to agricultural production and food security.
The Revolt of Enriquillo and the Historiography of Early Spanish America
Authors: Altman Ida
Published: May 2007

In 1519 Enrique, one of the few remaining caciques, or indigenous chiefs, of the island of Hispaniola, removed himself and some of his people from the reach of Spanish authority. For nearly a decade and a half he and his followers lived in the remote and barely accessible south-central mountains of his native island, occasionally raiding Spanish settlements for arms and tools and clashing with militia units but for the most part avoiding contact with Spanish society. Enrique eluded the numerous patrols that were sent to eradicate what became a stubbornly persistent locus of defiance of Spanish authority that attracted other discontented residents of the island, including both African and indigenous slaves and servants as well as small numbers of nominally ‘free’ Indians.
Diets, Food Supplies and the African Slave Trade in Early Seventeenth-Century Spanish America
Authors: Newson Linda A. , Minchin Susie
Published: May 2007

Much has been written about the spread of Old World crops and livestock in the Americas. However, very little is known, except in very general terms, about the availability of different foods, diets and nutrition, particularly among the common people, in different regions of Spanish America in the early colonial period. This derives in part from the shortage of evidence, but it also reflects the difficulties of researching these complex issues, where environmental conditions, access to land and labor, income distribution, regulation of food supplies and prices, as well as food traditions, all interact.
Disobedient Daughters and the Liberal State: Generational Conflicts Over Marriage Choice in Working Class Families in Nineteenth-Century Oaxaca, Mexico
Authors: Sloan Kathryn A.
Published: May 2007

Two years in a row (1885 and 1886) Señora Teresa, a native and resident of Oaxaca de Juárez, pleaded with the court to prosecute her daughter's suitors. The first time, after seeing Primitiva chatting with Juan in the street and finding his love letter in her home, she grew apprehensive. She hurried to court when Primitiva disappeared that evening to accuse the young man of seducing and abducting her 13 year old daughter. Police officers apprehended the young couple and the judge listened to their testimonies. Primitiva swore that she was 16 years old and had run away to her aunt's home because she feared her mother's wrath at discovering the love missive. She further stated that she had in fact broken up with Juan some weeks earlier and that they had never engaged in sexual relations. The following year, Primitiva eloped with a different suitor and her mother surfaced in the historical record once more. This time she indicated that she saw her daughter conversing with Francisco in her home's doorway and after he spirited her naïve daughter away, he returned the next day to taunt her husband, boasting that “he took Primitiva because he was a man.” In both cases, Primitiva's mother demanded swift justice. She asked the judge to prosecute her daughter's seducers to the full extent of the law, arguing that Primitiva lacked the maturity to choose her mate wisely. Assenting to the indignant mother's wishes, judges ordered police officers to pick up both young men to face charges ofrapto(abduction by seduction) in municipal court. In the first case, the judge dropped the suit for lack of merit. In the latter case, the judge sided with Señora Teresa's minor daughter, in effect emancipating her from parental authority by allowing her to begin family life with her second suitor, Francisco.
Rescued from their Invisibility: The Afro-Puerto Ricans of Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century San Mateo de Cangrejos, Puerto Rico
Authors: Stark David M.
Published: May 2007

The black “root” has been systematically “uprooted” from the main “trunk” of the Puerto Rican nation.

Jorge Duany

Scholars who study Puerto Rico's past have struggled with the question of how to define the island’s national identity. Is the essence of Puerto Rican identity rooted in Spain, does it have its origins in Africa, in the legacy of the native Tainos, or is it a product of two or all three of these? This polemical question has yet to be resolved and remains a subject of much debate. The island's black past is often overlooked, and what has been written tends to focus on the enslaved labor force and its ties to the nineteenth-century plantation economy. Few works are specifically devoted to the study of the island's seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Afro-Puerto Rican population. Recent scholarship has begun to address this oversight. For example, the efforts of fugitive slaves and free black West Indian migrants making their way to Puerto Rico have been well documented. Yet, little is known about the number or identity of these runaways. How many slaves made their way to freedom in Puerto Rico, who were they, and where did they come from? Perhaps more importantly, what about their new lives on the island? How were they able to create a sense of belonging, both as individuals and as part of a community within the island's existing population and society? What follows strives to answer these questions by taking a closer look first at the number and identity of these fugitives, and second at how new arrivals were assimilated into their new surroundings through marriage and family formation while their integration was facilitated by participation in the local economy. Through their religious and civic activity Afro-Puerto Ricans were able to create a niche for themselves in San Juan and eventually a community of their own in Cangrejos. In doing so, they helped shape the island's national identity.
Management of Soil Acidity in No‐Till Production Systems through Surface Application of Lime
Authors: Godsey Chad B. , Pierzynski Gary M. , Mengel David B. , Lamond Ray E.
Published: May 2007

Increasing acreage of no‐till (NT) cropping systems with surface applications of N fertilizer brings forth the important issue of management of acidic soils in these systems. Our objectives were to determine the vertical movement of surface‐applied lime, and to determine if frequency or type of lime applied affects the rate of movement; to evaluate the effect of surface application of lime on soil chemical properties; and to determine the correct application rate of lime for acidic NT soils. Three NT field sites were identified that had below‐optimal soil pH (<6.0) in the surface 15 cm. Various lime treatments were established in 2000 or 2002, consisting of differing rates [as kg effective calcium carbonate (ECC) ha−1] of either limestone (commercially available) or pelletized limestone, plus an unlimed control. In the spring of 2005, soil samples were taken to a depth of 30 cm; the surface 15 cm was separated into 2.5‐cm increments and the lower 15 cm was separated into 7.5‐cm increments. Evidence of lime movement was limited to 7.5 cm or less at all three NT sites, as indicated by significant increases in pH compared with the control. Type of liming material or frequency of limestone application seemed to have no effect on any variables measured. Significant yield increases were not observed for crops as a result of limestone applications. Limestone recommendations for NT production systems need to be based on correcting pH in the surface 7.5 cm for production systems receiving 800 to 1000 mm of annual precipitation.
Producer–Researcher Interactions in On‐Farm Research: A Case Study on Developing a Certified Organic Research Site
Authors: Karlen Douglas L. , Cambardella Cynthia A. , Bull Carolee T. , Chase Craig A. , Gibson Lance R. , Delate Kathleen
Published: May 2007

Increasing consumer demand for organic products has created a need for certified organic research sites. Our objective is to discuss the lessons learned from evaluating alternate cropping systems to establish a certified site in western Iowa. Oat (Avena sativa L.), ‘Kelson’ snail medic [Medicago scutelata (L.) Mill.] or ‘Polygraze’ burr medic (Medicago polymorpha L.), triticale (×Triticosecale spp.), sweet corn (Zea mays L.), soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], rye (Secale cereale L.), and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) or red clover (Trifolium pretense L.) were evaluated in five crop sequences as transition strategies for converting no‐till corn and soybean land for certified organic production. Five models for managing organic research sites were developed and are discussed to help researchers and producers become aware of the different roles, goals, and management challenges faced when developing a certified organic research site. A “shared management model” (Type 3) best described our project involving a transitioning grower and researchers. Maintaining annual profit throughout the transition period was our most important factor, so potential returns to land, labor, and management were calculated to compare the various transition strategies. Only two of the cropping systems incurred a positive return to management. They used either a high‐value crop such as sweet corn (provided it was marketable) or low‐cost crops (i.e., oat and alfalfa). We conclude that learning from our experiences will enable others to develop certified organic research sites and become involved with on‐farm research studies with much less stress than that encountered by our farmer cooperator, technical staff, land owner, and research team.
Response of Cotton to Early‐Season Square Abscission under Elevated CO2
Authors: Wu Gang , Chen Fa‐Jun , Sun Yu‐Cheng , Ge Feng
Published: May 2007

A field study was performed to quantify the compensation capacity of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) for simulated damage of square buds loss by manual removal method during early growing season in 2004 and 2005 in combination with elevated CO2 relative to ambient CO2. Square buds of cotton plants were wholly removed manually for 1 wk (SR1 treatment) and two consecutive weeks (SR2 treatment) in contrast to no square bud removal (SR0 treatment) after squaring stage, and their compensation ability is quantified by measuring plant growth and production. Two levels of CO2 (ambient and double‐ambient) and three types of manual removal of square buds (SR1 and SR2 vs. SR0) were deployed in a completely randomized design with six treatment combinations. Cotton plants grown in elevated CO2 had significantly higher leaf area per plant on each sampling date for SR1 treatment compared with SR0 treatment in 2004 and 2005. Significantly higher seedcotton yield, maturity, and harvested biomass were also observed for SR0, SR1, and SR2 treatments under elevated CO2 relative to ambient CO2 in 2004 and 2005. Moreover, there were significant interactions between CO2 level × square removal treatment on seedcotton yield and boll maturity, and significance between square removal treatment × investigation year on plant harvested biomass. Results from these studies provide a profile for developing strategies for future management of cotton ecosystems in Northern China.
Insect Pest Incidence and Injury to Herbicide‐Tolerant Canola in Western Canada
Authors: Cárcamo H. A. , Blackshaw R. E.
Published: May 2007

Genetically modified herbicide‐tolerant (HT) canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars dominate the acreage planted to this oilseed crop in western Canada. We conducted a 3‐yr (2000–2002) field study near Lethbridge, AB, Canada to compare the incidence and damage of three key insect pests in Roundup Ready, Liberty Link (both HT), and Q2 (a conventional cultivar). Flea beetle (Phyllotreta cruciferae and P. striolata [Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae]) damage in 2000 ranged from 31 to 32% of foliage consumption at the cotyledon stage, which surpassed economic thresholds but was not related to cultivar. Cabbage seedpod weevil (Ceutorhynchus obstrictus Marsham [Coleoptera, Curculionidae]) damage to canola pods ranged from 58 to 70 holes per 100 pods in 2001, and lygus plant bugs (Lygus spp. [Heteroptera, Miridae]) at the early pod stage reached densities of >37 individuals per 10 sweeps in 2000 and 2002. For both insect pests, their damage or abundance was similar among the conventional and HT cultivars. We conclude that, in the short term, the insect pests common in southern Alberta do not exhibit a preference to invade and damage the transgenic herbicide canola cultivars commonly planted in the prairies.
Low Input Approaches for Soil Fertility Management in Semiarid Eastern Uganda
Authors: Kaizzi Kayuki C. , Byalebeka John , Wortmann Charles S. , Mamo Martha
Published: May 2007

Grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important food crop of semiarid sub‐Saharan Africa. Crop yields are generally low, partly due to low soil fertility. Research was conducted with farmers to evaluate, soil fertility management practices in sorghum‐based cropping systems including: mucuna [Mucuna pruriens (L.) DC.] fallow; cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] rotation with sorghum; animal manure application; N and P fertilizer application; and reduced tillage. Four studies, comprised of 142 on‐farm trials, were conducted at three locations over 3 yr in drought‐prone parts of eastern Uganda. Mucuna on average produced 7 Mg ha−1 of aboveground dry matter containing 160 kg N ha−1 across the three locations. Application of 2.5 Mg ha−1 of manure and of 30 kg N plus 10 kg P ha−1 increased grain yield by 1.05 and 1.30 Mg ha−1, respectively. A combination of 2.5 Mg ha−1 manure with 30 kg N ha−1 increased grain yield by 1.50 Mg ha−1 above the control (1.1 Mg ha−1). The increase in sorghum grain yield in response to 30 kg N ha−1 alone, to a mucuna fallow, and to a rotation with cowpea was 1.15, 1.55, and 0.82 Mg ha−1, respectively. These soil fertility management practices, as well as reduced tillage, were found to be cost effective in increasing sorghum yield in the predominantly smallholder agriculture where inorganic fertilizer was not used much. On‐farm profitability and food security for sorghum production systems can be improved by use of inorganic fertilizers, manure, mucuna fallow, sorghum–cowpea rotation, and reduced tillage.
Constructing the time independent Hamiltonian from a time dependent one
Authors: Dobrski Michał
Published: May 2007

In this paper we introduce a method for finding a time independent Hamiltonian of a given Hamiltonian dynamical system by canonoid transformation of canonical momenta. We find a condition that the system should satisfy to have an equivalent time independent formulation. We study the example of a damped harmonic oscillator and give the new time independent Hamiltonian for it, which has the property of tending to the standard Hamiltonian of the harmonic oscillator as damping goes to zero.
Pseudoacute abdomen in female caused by haematometrocolpos and haematosalpinx because hymen imperforatus: diagnosis and therapy of imperforate hymen
Authors: Erman-Vlahović Mirna , Habek Dubravko , Vlahović Ivan , Bobić Mirna
Published: May 2007

We present a case of atresia hymenalis in a 12.5 year old female who was admitted to gynecological emergency with a history of severe lower abdominal pains over the course of a few months. Provided are clinical pictures of the “Pseudoacute abdomen”. Upon clinical examination, we found blue, shiny, bulging and imperforated hymen. An abdominal mass was palpated in the vicinity of the navel. Transabdominal ultrasound demonstrated mass filled with thick liquid. “Mercedes hymenal incision” was performed in general anaesthesia. About 1.2 litre of dark, thick blood was removed. Postoperative course was uneventful. The two years of follow-up were characterized with regular psychomotoric development for the age with regular menstrual cycles.
Scintigraphic examination of the cartilages of the foot
Authors: NAGY A. , DYSON S. J. , MURRAY R. M.
Published: May 2007

Reasons for performing study: Radiographic examination of the cartilages of the foot is well documented; however, there is limited information about their scintigraphic assessment.

Objectives: To evaluate the scintigraphic appearance of the cartilages of the foot using subjective and quantitative image analysis and to correlate radiographic and scintigraphic findings.

Hypotheses: An ossified cartilage would have similar radiopharmaceutical uptake (RU) to the ipsilateral aspect of the distal phalanx; RU would extend throughout the length of the ossified cartilage; a separate centre of ossification (SCO) would be identified on a scintigraphic image; and fracture or trauma to an ossified cartilage would manifest as increased RU (IRU).

Methods: Front feet (n = 223) of horses (n = 186) that had dorsopalmar radiographic views and dorsal scintigraphic images were included in the study. The cartilages of the foot were graded radiographically and scintigraphically. Quantitative evaluation of the scintigraphic images was carried out using region of interest (ROI) analysis. For statistical analysis RU ratios were used. Correlations between a radiographically detected SCO and focal RU and between IRU and radiographic abnormalities were assessed.

Results: There was a good correlation and an excellent agreement between radiographic and scintigraphic grades. ROI analysis showed a proximal to distal increase in RU ratios within each cartilage of the foot. A radiographically identified SCO could be detected scintigraphically in 12/17 feet (70.6%). Thirty‐eight feet had IRU in the region of a cartilage, 25 of which (65.8%) had corresponding radiographic abnormalities. Fracture of an ossified cartilage was associated with IRU in all horses.

Conclusions and potential relevance: Scintigraphy may give information about the potential clinical significance of ossification of the cartilages of the foot and associated lesions, therefore prompting further investigation by use of a uniaxial ipsilateral palmar nerve block and imaging, using either magnetic resonance imaging and/or computed tomography.
Trimetoquinol: bronchodilator effects in horses with heaves following aerosolised and oral administration
Authors: CAMARGO F. C. , ROBINSON N. E. , BERNEY C. , EBERHART S. , BAKER S. , DETOLVE P. , DERKSEN F. J. , LEHNER A. F. , HUGHES C. , TOBIN T.
Published: May 2007

Reason for performing study: The bronchodilator effects of trimetoquinol (TMQ) have been studied when administered i.v. or intratracheally, but not in an aerosolised form.

Objectives: To define the relationship between the therapeutic and adverse responses (therapeutic index) of TMQ when administered as an aerosol or by the oral route.

Methods: Increasing doses of TMQ were administered to horses with heaves as an aerosol and by the oral route. Dose ranged 100–1000 μg/horse for aerosolised TMQ and from 6–60 μg/kg bwt for the oral route. Airway and cardiac effects were assessed by measurement of maximal change in pleural pressure (ΔPplmax) and heart rate (HR), respectively. Side effects of sweating, agitation and muscle trembling were scored subjectively. Duration of action of aerosolised (1000 μg/horse) and oral (6–60 μg/kg bwt) TMQ was evaluated over 6 h.

Results: Aerosol administration of TMQ caused dose‐dependent bronchodilation but did not change HR or cause other observable side effects. When 1000 μg/horse was administered via aerosol, TMQ produced a 2‐phase bronchodilation; an immediate effect lasting up to 30 min and a second phase between 2 and 4 h. Oral TMQ was therapeutically ineffective.

Conclusion: Aerosol administration of TMQ is a safe and effective method of producing bronchodilation in horses.
Rapid infusion of a phospholipid emulsion attenuates the effects of endotoxaemia in horses
Authors: MOORE J. N. , NORTON N. , BARTON M. H. , HURLEY D. J. , REBER A. J. , DONOVAN D. C. , VANDENPLAS M. L. , PARKER T. S. , LEVINE D. M.
Published: May 2007

Reasons for performing study: Endotoxaemia currently is associated with a poor prognosis in horses. The results of recent trials in other species indicate that phospholipid emulsions reduce the deleterious effects of endotoxin (LPS). However, in a previous study in horses, a 2 h infusion of emulsion caused an unacceptable degree of haemolysis.

Hypothesis: Rapid administration of a lower total dose of emulsion would reduce the effects of LPS and induce less haemolysis; the emulsion would reduce inflammatory effects of LPSin vitro.

Methods: Twelve healthy horses received an i.v. infusion either of saline or a phospholipid emulsion (100 mg/kg), followed immediately byE. coliO55:B5 LPS (30 ng/kg). Clinical parameters, haematological profiles, serum tumour necrosis factor (TNF) activity, serum lipid profiles, urine analyses and severity of haemolysis were monitored before and at selected times after LPS. Monocytes were also incubatedin vitrowith LPS in the presence or absence of emulsion, after which TNF and tissue factor activities were determined.

Results: Clinical signs of endotoxaemia were reduced in horses receiving the emulsion, including clinical score, heart rate, rectal temperature, serum TNF activity, and the characteristic leucopenic response to LPS, when compared to horses not receiving the emulsion. Three horses receiving the emulsion had none, 2 had mild and one had moderate haemolysis. There were no differences in urinalysis results and creatinine concentrations, either within the groups over time or between the groups. Serum concentrations of phosphatidylcholine, bile acids and triglycerides peaked immediately after the infusion; there were no significant changes in concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids or cholesterol. Incubation of equine monocytes with emulsion prevented LPS‐induced TNF and tissue factor activities.

Conclusions: Rapid administration of emulsion significantly reduced inflammatory effects of LPSin vivoand caused a clinically insignificant degree of haemolysis. The results of thein vitrostudies indicate that emulsion prevents not only LPS‐induced synthesis of cytokines, but also expression of membrane‐associated mediators (i.e. tissue factor).

Potential relevance: Rapid i.v. administration of emulsions containing phospholipids that bind endotoxin may provide a clinically useful method of treating endotoxaemia in horses.
Equine herpesvirus‐1‐specific interferon gamma (IFNγ) synthesis by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in Thoroughbred horses
Authors: LUCE R. , SHEPHERD M. , PAILLOT R. , BLACKLAWS B. , WOOD J. L. N. , KYDD J. H.
Published: May 2007

Reasons for performing study: An assay has been developed that measures EHV‐1 specific interferon gamma synthesis (IFNγ), a cytokine produced following the activation of memory T lymphocytes and therefore a measure of cell mediated immunity. The method requires validation in the field.

Objectives: To measure the frequency of EHV‐1 specific, IFNγ synthesising peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in a population of Thoroughbred horses, and examine its relationship with age, gender, premises and history of vaccination or field infection with EHV‐1.

Methods: Lymphocytes from 200 Thoroughbred horses were stimulated with EHV‐1 in vitro, and IFNγ detected using a monoclonal antibody and indirect immunofluorescence. Percent positive cells were enumerated by flow cytometric analysis and the results described and compared statistically between groups.

Results: The frequency of IFNγ+ PBMC was significantly higher in animals age >5 years compared with 2–4 years, in females vs. males, on stud farms vs. training yards and following vaccination of 2‐year‐olds with inactivated virus compared with nonvaccinates. Age strongly confounded all these associations and care must therefore be taken interpreting these results. Mares exposed to a field infection with EHV‐1 also had higher frequencies of IFNγ+ PBMC than other vaccinated horses.

Conclusions: The frequency of EHV‐1 specific, IFNγ+ PBMC among the sample Thoroughbred population was diverse but lowest in young, unvaccinated horses‐in‐training.

Potential relevance: The frequency of EHV‐1 specific lymphocytes synthesising IFNγ in this population may be associated with its susceptibility to infection with this virus. This easy technique may be applied to monitor the antigenicity of vaccines and their effectiveness at stimulating cellular immunity.
Incisional complications following exploratory celiotomy: does an abdominal bandage reduce the risk?
Authors: SMITH L. J. , MELLOR D. J. , MARR C. M. , REID S. W. J. , MAIR T. S.
Published: May 2007

Reasons for performing study: Post operative complications following exploratory laparotomy can be potentially life‐threatening, increase post operative morbidity and result in an increase in the length of hospitalisation of the affected individual. No study has evaluated the efficacy of specific strategies to reduce the incidence of post operative incisional complications.

Hypothesis: The use of an abdominal bandage following colic surgery through a celiotomy incision would significantly reduce the prevalence of post operative incisional complications.

Methods: A controlled, randomised clinical trial to test the hypothesis was devised. Horses eligible for inclusion in the study were assigned randomly either to the study or control group following recovery from general anaesthesia. Any post operative incisional complications occurring during hospitalisation were recorded. Long‐term follow‐up was obtained via telephone questionnaires. Absolute risk reduction (ARR) and number needed to treat (NNT) were calculated. Multivariable analyses were conducted for all outcomes of interest.

Results: There was an ARR of the likelihood of developing a post operative incisional complication of 45% when using compared to not using an abdominal bandage in the post operative period. Therefore, it would be necessary to treat 2.2 horses with an abdominal bandage in order to prevent one horse developing any post operative incisional complications.

Conclusions: Although incisional complications continue to be a problem following an exploratory celiotomy for colic, the proportion of horses affected was significantly reduced by use of a bandage.

Potential relevance: Using an abdominal bandage following an exploratory laparotomy may help reduce the prevalence of post operative incisional complications, and prevent the development of potentially life‐threatening complications.
Genes and respiratory disease: a first step on a long journey
Authors: EWART S. L. , ROBINSON N. E.
Published: May 2007

This review highlights the critical importance of phenotype definition in the understanding of the pathogenesis of respiratory disease in horses. The general approach to genetic studies is discussed and comparative studies of recurrent airway obstruction (RAO) conditions, such as asthma, described in the context of learning more about equivalent equine conditions. The availability of methods to study genetic tests have previously relied on DNA sequence knowledge from man, laboratory and domesticated animals, but recent data from the horse genome sequence are now available. This should facilitate advances in the identification of specific genes for equine diseases. The review summarises the future potential for such studies and places the report in this issue (p 236) by Jost et al. (2007) of the involvement of IL4RA as a candidate gene in RAO into this context.
The Myth of German Pacifism
Authors: Rathbun Brian C.
Published: May 2007

Germany's behavior during the lead-up to the United States' invasion of Iraq in 2003 seemed to confirm that the country is marked by a strategic culture of pacifism and multilateralism. However, a closer look at German actions and pattern of participation in military operations reveals that German pacifism is a myth. There was no cross party consensus on German foreign policy in the 1990s around a principled opposition to the use of force. Even in the early years after the Cold War, the Christian Democrats began very quickly, albeit deliberatively and often secretively, to break down legal and psychological barriers to the deployment of German forces abroad. Pacifism persisted on the left of the political spectrum but gave way following a genuine ideological transformation brought about by the experience of the Yugoslav wars. The nature of Germany's objection to the Iraq invasion, which unlike previous debates did not make ubiquitous references to German history, revealed how much it has changed since the end of the Cold War. Had the election in 2002 gone differently, Germany might even have supported the actions of the U.S. and there would be little talk today of a transatlantic crisis. It is now possible to treat Germany as a "normal" European power.
The Origins of Party Discipline: Evidence from Eastern Germany
Authors: Davidson-Schmich Louise K.
Published: May 2007

In Germany, the Bundestag and the Landtage (state parliaments) in the old Länder (states) have such consistently high levels of party discipline that there is not enough variance to determine the cause of this behavior. The creation of five new democratic state legislatures after the fall of the German Democratic Republic, however, provides a unique opportunity to investigate the origins of party voting. I test which of three hypothesized institutional mechanisms for this practice—the need to keep an executive in office, efficiency incentives, or electoral concerns—was primarily responsible for the emergence of party discipline in the new Länder. The evidence indicates that the need to support the executive branch is the primary cause of party voting. This finding helps explain both the unexpected rise of western German-style party discipline in the eastern states following unification, well as the persistence of the seemingly outdated practice of party discipline in contemporary Germany as a whole.
Theodor Heuss and German-Jewish Reconciliation after 1945
Authors: Geller Jay Howard
Published: May 2007

Since 1949, the Federal of Republic of Germany's titular head of state, the Federal President (Bundespräsident), has set the tone for discussion of the Nazi era and remembrance of the Holocaust. This precedent was established by the first Bundespräsident, Theodor Heuss. Through his speeches, writings, and actions after 1949, Heuss consistently worked for German-Jewish reconciliation, including open dialogue with German Jews and reparations to victims of the Holocaust. He was also the German Jewish community's strongest ally within the West German state administration. However, his work on behalf of the Jewish community was more than a matter of moral leadership. Heuss was both predisposed towards the Jewish community and assisted behind-the-scenes in his efforts. Before 1933, Heuss, an academic, journalist, and liberal politician, had strong ties to the German Jewish bourgeoisie. After 1949, he developed a close working relationship with Karl Marx, publisher of the Jewish community's principal newspaper. Marx assisted Heuss in handling the sensitive topic of Holocaust memory; and through Marx, Jewish notables and groups were able to gain unusually easy access to the West German head of state.
Increased levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells and circulating endothelial nitric oxide synthase in patients with gliomas
Authors: Zheng Ping‐Pin , Hop Wim C. , Luider Theodorus M. , Sillevis Smitt Peter A. E. , Kros Johan M.
Published: May 2007

Objective

Gliomas are among the highest vascularized tumors. We hypothesized that patients with gliomas have increased levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and circulating endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).

Methods

The fraction of EPCs was quantified by fluorescence‐activated cell sorter analysis using anti‐CD34, ‐CD133 and ‐KDR (kinase insert domain receptor) monoclonal antibodies in unselected peripheral blood samples of 32 patients with gliomas. Control groups included 47 patients with other central nervous system tumors or diseases, 10 patients with recent ischemic strokes, and 19 healthy blood donors. The circulating eNOS concentration of plasma was measured by a colorimetric assay in the same samples. In addition, CD34+CD105+ KDR+ and CD34+CD146+KDR− cell fractions were measured.

Results

The percentage of CD34+CD133+KDR+ EPCs in the blood of glioma patients is significantly greater than that in the blood of patients with other central nervous system tumors or diseases (p = 0.003), stroke patients (p = 0.005), or healthy donors (p = 0.013). The plasma eNOS concentration is also significantly greater in glioma patients compared with each of the control groups (p < 0.001 for all groupwise comparisons). No significant differences in the levels of the EPCs or eNOS between any of the control groups were demonstrated. In the glioma patients, the level of eNOS correlated with the fraction of CD34+CD105+KDR+ cells (r = 0.748; p = 0.008).

Interpretation

The data are suggestive of increased mobilization of EPCs contributing to neoplastic vasculogenesis in glioma. The increased levels of EPCs and eNOS in the peripheral blood of glioma patients trigger further investigations as to their value as independent parameters for use in clinical practice. Ann Neurol 2007