Bronchoscopy, Imaging, and Concurrent Diseases in Dogs with Bronchiectasis: (2003-2014).

BackgroundBronchiectasis is a permanent and debilitating sequel to chronic or severe airway injury, however, diseases associated with this condition are poorly defined.ObjectiveTo evaluate results of diagnostic tests used to document bronchiectasis and to characterize underlying or concurrent disease processes.AnimalsEighty-six dogs that had bronchoscopy performed and a diagnosis of bronchiectasis.MethodsRetrospective case series. Radiographs, computed tomography, and bronchoscopic findings were evaluated for features of bronchiectasis. Clinical diagnoses of pneumonia (aspiration, interstitial, foreign body, other), eosinophilic bronchopneumopathy (EBP), and inflammatory airway disease (IAD) were made based on results of history, physical examination, and diagnostic testing, including bronchoalveolar lavage fluid analysis and microbiology.ResultsBronchiectasis was diagnosed in 14% of dogs (86/621) that had bronchoscopy performed. Dogs ranged in age from 0.5 to 14 years with duration of signs from 3 days to 10 years. Bronchiectasis was documented during bronchoscopy in 79/86 dogs (92%), thoracic radiology in 50/83 dogs (60%), and CT in 34/34 dogs (100%). Concurrent airway collapse was detected during bronchoscopy in 50/86 dogs (58%), and focal or multifocal mucus plugging of segmental or subsegmental bronchi was found in 41/86 dogs (48%). Final diagnoses included pneumonia (45/86 dogs, 52%), EBP (10/86 dogs, 12%) and IAD (31/86 dogs, 36%). Bacteria were isolated in 24/86 cases (28%), with Streptococcus spp, Pasteurella spp, enteric organisms, and Stenotrophomonas isolated most frequently.Conclusions and clinical importanceBronchiectasis can be anticipated in dogs with infectious or inflammatory respiratory disease. Advanced imaging and bronchoscopy are useful in making the diagnosis and identifying concurrent respiratory disease

Effect of Intravenous or Perivascular Injection of Synthetic Adrenocorticotropic Hormone on Stimulation Test Results in Dogs.

BackgroundStandard protocols for adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation testing (ACTHst) often involve intravenous (IV) injection of corticotropin. ACTH might be unintentionally injected into the perivascular (PV) space.ObjectiveTo compare stimulation test results after IV and PV injections of ACTH.AnimalsTwenty privately owned dogs were studied: 10 healthy and 10 with trilostane-treated naturally occurring hyperadrenocorticism (HAC).MethodsProspective study. Each of 20 dogs underwent 2 ACTHst not <4 nor more than 14 days apart. Five healthy and 5 HAC dogs had an IV ACTHst first and PV second; 5 healthy and 5 HAC dogs had a PV ACTHst first and IV second. Blood samples for measurement of serum cortisol concentration were collected before and 1 hour after ACTH administration.ResultsNo significant difference in results was demonstrated when comparing serum cortisol concentrations after IV and PV ACTH administration in all 20 dogs (median μg/dL; interval μg/dL: 8.2; 1.4-17.4 versus 7.8; 0.9-16.9; P = .23). No significant difference in results was demonstrated when comparing serum cortisol concentrations after IV and PV ACTH administration in the 10 healthy dogs (median μg/dL; interval μg/dL: 10.9; 7.3-17.4 versus 10.6; 7.1-16.9; P = .54) or in the 10 HAC dogs (median μg/dL; interval μg/dL: 6.3; 1.4-8.6 versus 5.2; 0.9-8.7; P = .061).Conclusions and clinical importancePerivascular administration of ACTH does not significantly alter stimulation test results in healthy dogs or in dogs with HAC undergoing therapy with trilostane

Graviton Absorption by Non-BPS Branes

We consider the behaviour of neutral non-BPS branes probed by scalars and gravitons. We show that the naked singularity of the non-BPS branes is a {\it repulson} absorbing no incoming radiation. The naked singularity is surrounded by an infinite potential well breaking the unitarity of the scattering S-matrix. We compute the absorption cross section which is infrared divergent. In particular this confirms that gravity does not decouple for the non-BPS branes.Comment: 13 pages, Late

Fast physical models for Si LDMOS power transistor characterization

A new nonlinear, process-oriented, quasi-two-dimensional (Q2D) model is described for microwave laterally diffused MOS (LDMOS) power transistors. A set of one-dimensional energy transport equations are solved across a two-dimensional cross-section in a “current-driven” form. The model accounts for avalanche breakdown and gate conduction, and accurately predicts DC and microwave characteristics at execution speeds sufficiently fast for circuit simulation applications

Precision Spectroscopy at Heavy Ion Ring Accelerator SIS300

Unique spectroscopic possibilities open up if a laser beam interacts with relativistic lithium-like ions stored in the heavy ion ring accelerator SIS300 at the future Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research FAIR in Darmstadt, Germany. At a relativistic factor gamma = 36 the 2P 1/2 level can be excited from the 2S 1/2 ground state for any element with frequency doubled dye-lasers in collinear geometry. Precise transition energy measurements can be performed if the fluorescence photons, boosted in forward direction into the X-ray region, are energetically analyzed with a single crystal monochromator. The hyperfine structure can be investigated at the 2P 1/2 - 2S 1/2 transition for all elements and at the 2P 3/2 - 2S 1/2 transition for elements with Z < 50. Isotope shifts and nuclear moments can be measured with unprecedented precision, in principle even for only a few stored radioactive species with known nuclear spin. A superior relative line width in the order of 5E-7 may be feasible after laser cooling, and even polarized external beams may be prepared by optical pumping

Ground State Properties of Many-Body Systems in the Two-Body Random Ensemble and Random Matrix Theory

We explore generic ground-state and low-energy statistical properties of many-body bosonic and fermionic one- and two-body random ensembles (TBRE) in the dense limit, and contrast them with Random Matrix Theory (RMT). Weak differences in distribution tails can be attributed to the regularity or chaoticity of the corresponding Hamiltonians rather than the particle statistics. We finally show the universality of the distribution of the angular momentum gap between the lowest energy levels in consecutive J-sectors for the four models considered.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Spin Structure of Many-Body Systems with Two-Body Random Interactions

We investigate the spin structure of many-fermion systems with a spin-conserving two-body random interaction. We find a strong dominance of spin-0 ground states and considerable correlations between energies and wave functions of low-lying states with different spin, but no indication of pairing. The spectral densities exhibit spin-dependent shapes and widths, and depend on the relative strengths of the spin-0 and spin-1 couplings in the two-body random matrix. The spin structure of low-lying states can largely be explained analytically.Comment: 10 pages, including 3 figure

How does reviewing the evidence change veterinary surgeons' beliefs regarding the treatment of ovine footrot? A quantitative and qualitative study

Footrot is a widespread, infectious cause of lameness in sheep, with major economic and welfare costs. The aims of this research were: (i) to quantify how veterinary surgeons’ beliefs regarding the efficacy of two treatments for footrot changed following a review of the evidence (ii) to obtain a consensus opinion following group discussions (iii) to capture complementary qualitative data to place their beliefs within a broader clinical context. Grounded in a Bayesian statistical framework, probabilistic elicitation (roulette method) was used to quantify the beliefs of eleven veterinary surgeons during two one-day workshops. There was considerable heterogeneity in veterinary surgeons’ beliefs before they listened to a review of the evidence. After hearing the evidence, seven participants quantifiably changed their beliefs. In particular, two participants who initially believed that foot trimming with topical oxytetracycline was the better treatment, changed to entirely favour systemic and topical oxytetracycline instead. The results suggest that a substantial amount of the variation in beliefs related to differences in veterinary surgeons’ knowledge of the evidence. Although considerable differences in opinion still remained after the evidence review, with several participants having non-overlapping 95% credible intervals, both groups did achieve a consensus opinion. Two key findings from the qualitative data were: (i) veterinary surgeons believed that farmers are unlikely to actively seek advice on lameness, suggesting a proactive veterinary approach is required (ii) more attention could be given to improving the way in which veterinary advice is delivered to farmers. In summary this study has: (i) demonstrated a practical method for probabilistically quantifying how veterinary surgeons’ beliefs change (ii) revealed that the evidence that currently exists is capable of changing veterinary opinion (iii) suggested that improved transfer of research knowledge into veterinary practice is needed (iv) identified some potential obstacles to the implementation of veterinary advice by farmers

Inspiratory muscle training reduces blood lactate concentration during volitional hyperpnoea

Although reduced blood lactate concentrations ([lac−]B) have been observed during whole-body exercise following inspiratory muscle training (IMT), it remains unknown whether the inspiratory muscles are the source of at least part of this reduction. To investigate this, we tested the hypothesis that IMT would attenuate the increase in [lac−]B caused by mimicking, at rest, the breathing pattern observed during high-intensity exercise. Twenty-two physically active males were matched for 85% maximal exercise minute ventilation (V˙Emax) and divided equally into an IMT or a control group. Prior to and following a 6 week intervention, participants performed 10 min of volitional hyperpnoea at the breathing pattern commensurate with 85% V˙Emax