Indigestible Foreign Bodies in the Rumen-reticulum of Cattle Slaughtered at Batna Slaughterhouse, Algeria: A Postmortem Study

Background: To determine the prevalence of indigestible foreign bodies in rumen-reticulum of cattle. Identify the types and the common diseases associated with their occurrence. 289 cattle were examined at Batna (Algeria) municipal abattoir. Methods: About 289 cattle were examined immediately after slaughtering to determine the presence or absence of the foreign bodies in their rumen-reticulum and different lesions were recorded. Result: From total of 289 cattle examined 151 (52.24%) were found positive for various types of foreign bodies in their rumen and/or reticulum. From each 56 (19.37%) and 95 (52.24%) were positive for vulnerable bodies and non-vulnerable foreign bodies respectively. The types of foreign bodies detected were: wire segments, needles, nails, hair clips, coins, corks, ropes, cloth, pebbles, sand, glass pieces, trichobezoar, plastic bags. The plastics were the most common found in 61 (23.92%) males and 34 (79.06%) females. The most common lesions in rumen of cattle with Foreign bodies were traumatic reticuloperitonitis, perirecticular abscess, esophageal obstruction, non penetrating reticulum and/or ruminal foreign bodies were respectively 3.79%, 12.65%, 1.26% and 82.27%. The study revealed that the plastics in rumen my play an important role in the pathologenesis of cattle.

Comparison among TonoVet, TonoVet Plus, Tono-Pen Avia Vet, and Kowa HA-2 portable tonometers for measuring intraocular pressure in dogs

Background and Aim: Tonometers are an important instrument for measuring intraocular pressure (IOP) in the diagnosis of glaucoma or uveitis. This study aimed to compare the accuracy of the main types of tonometers with different IOP measurement methodologies in dogs: TonoVet and TonoVet Plus (rebound), Tono-Pen Avia Vet (applanation), and Kowa HA-2 (Goldmann applanation). Materials and Methods: IOP was measured in 152 eyes of 76 dogs. A postmortem study was performed by comparing manometry and tonometry values and calculating the correlation coefficient (r2), in vivo real IOP (manometry) among the tonometers was compared, and an outpatient study was conducted with healthy eyes and eyes with signs of glaucoma and uveitis. Results: In the postmortem study, the values of r2 in descending order were Kowa (0.989), TonoVet Plus (0.984), TonoVet (0.981), and Tono-Pen Avia Vet (0.847). The IOP values in mmHg in the in vivo study were as follows: Aneroid manometer (16.8±2.5.7), TonoVet (18.1±2.9), TonoVet Plus (20.6±2.3), Tono-Pen Avia Vet (17.1±2.5), and Kowa (16.1±1.7); in outpatient clinics: TonoVet (16.8±3.8), TonoVet Plus (19.2±2.9), Tono-Pen Avia Vet (16.2±2.4), and Kowa (15.0±1.3); glaucoma: TonoVet (30.2±3.5), TonoVet Plus (35.0±6.1), Tono-Pen Avia Vet (29.5±4.2), and Kowa (23.9±5.0); and uveitis: TonoVet (14.2±1.4), TonoVet Plus (17.6±1.9), Tono-Pen Avia Vet (13.7±2.1), and Kowa (12.6±1.7). Conclusion: There was a strong correlation between IOP values and manometry in all the tonometers. The highest values were obtained with TonoVet Plus and the lowest with Kowa HA-2. All tonometers accurately measured IOP in dogs, including the latest TonoVet Plus, which showed an excellent correlation coefficient.

Sex and Racial Differences in Autopsy-Defined Causes of Presumed Sudden Cardiac Death

Background - Sudden cardiac death (SCD) studies report higher incidence in men and Blacks but presume cardiac cause. We sought to identify sex and race differences in rates and causes of presumed SCDs in a prospective postmortem study in San Francisco County. Methods - All incident presumed SCDs meeting World Health Organization definition ages 18-90 were autopsied via active surveillance of consecutive out-of-hospital deaths in the PO stmortem S ystematic Inves T igation of S udden C ardiac D eath (POST SCD) Study (2/1/2011 - 3/1/2014). Autopsy-defined sudden arrhythmic deaths (SADs) had no extra-cardiac cause or acute heart failure. Results - Among 541 presumed SCDs, 525 (97%) were autopsied; 362 (69%) were male, 110 Asian (21%), 81 Black (15%), 40 Hispanic (8%), 279 White (53%), and 15 Other Race (3%). Adjusted for age and race, women had more non-cardiac causes of presumed SCD, including pulmonary emboli (8% vs. 2%) and neurologic causes (10% vs. 3%, both p<0.01). Of autopsy-defined SAD, men had 3-fold higher rates while women had more primary electrical disease (4% vs. 2%, p=0.02) and non-ischemic causes (53% vs. 39%, p<0.01). Age-adjusted incidence rate ratios were higher for Black women (2.55, p<0.01), and lower for Asian and Hispanic men (0.51 for both, p<0.05) than their White counterparts. Myocardial infarction without obstructive coronary arteries was more common among SADs in Asians than Whites (7% vs. 1%; adjusted p<0.05). Sudden neurologic deaths were more common in Asians, endocrine causes more common in Blacks, and gastrointestinal causes more common in Hispanics than Whites (adjusted p all <0.05). Conclusions - In this countywide postmortem study of presumed SCDs, women had more non-ischemic and non-cardiac causes. Black women had higher rates of autopsy-defined SAD than White women while Asian and Hispanic men had lower rates than White men. These findings have implications for risk stratification and prevention of sudden mortality in women and minority populations.