Short- and long-term outcome and magnetic resonance imaging findings after surgical treatment of thoracolumbar spinal arachnoid diverticula in 25 Pugs

Background There is a successful outcome after surgical management of spinal arachnoid diverticula (SAD) in up to 82% of cases. Hypothesis/Objectives We hypothesized that Pugs have favorable short‐term and poor long‐term prognosis after surgical treatment of thoracolumbar SAD. The aim of the present investigation was to describe clinical findings, short‐ and long‐term outcomes, and follow‐up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in Pugs with thoracolumbar SAD. Animals Twenty‐five client owned Pugs with 12‐month follow‐up information after surgical treatment of thoracolumbar SAD. Methods Multicenter retrospective case series. All medical records were searched for Pugs diagnosed with SAD. Data regarding signalment, history, surgical procedure, outcome, histopathology, and follow‐up MRI results were extracted. Results Mean age at presentation was 7.32 (range 2‐11) years, 80% were males. Short‐term outcome was available in 25 dogs, and improvement was confirmed in 80% of dogs. Long‐term outcome was available in 21 dogs, and deterioration was confirmed in 86% of cases, with late‐onset recurrence of clinical signs after initial postsurgical improvement affecting 85% of Pugs. A moderate correlation (r = 0.50) was found between duration of clinical signs and outcome. In 8 dogs with deteriorating clinical signs, follow‐up MRI revealed regrowth of the SAD in 2 cases, new SAD formation in 2 cases, and intramedullary T2W hyperintensity/syringomyelia in 6 cases. Conclusions and Clinical Importance This study suggests that Pugs with thoracolumbar SAD do not have a favorable long‐term prognosis after surgical treatment for reasons yet to be determined

Brain proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy findings in a Beagle dog with genetically confirmed Lafora disease

Cortical atrophy has been identified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in humans and dogs with Lafora disease (LD). In humans, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1HMRS) of the brain indicates decreased N‐acetyl‐aspartate (NAA) relative to other brain metabolites. Brain 1HMRS findings in dogs with LD are lacking. A 6‐year‐old female Beagle was presented with a history of a single generalized tonic‐clonic seizure and episodic reflex myoclonus. Clinical, hematological, and neurological examination findings and 3‐Tesla MRI of the brain were unremarkable. Brain 1HMRS with voxel positioning in the thalamus was performed in the affected Beagle. It identified decreased amounts of NAA, glutamate‐glutamine complex, and increased total choline and phosphoethanolamine relative to water and total creatine compared with the reference range in healthy control Beagles. A subsequent genetic test confirmed LD. Abnormalities in 1HMRS despite lack of changes with conventional MRI were identified in a dog with LD

If you don´t know Swedish, you are not welcome at my house! : A qualitative study on how foreign-born home care staff experience the relationships with clients, colleagues and managment

Syftet med uppsatsen är att utifrån frågeställningen “Hur upplever utrikesfödd hemtjänstpersonal relationerna till klienter, kollegor och ledning i en tätort i Mellansverige?” belysa möjliga utmaningar som personalen står inför i sitt yrke och hur deras utländska bakgrund påverkar interaktionerna med klienter, chefer och kollegor. Studien bygger på åtta kvalitativa intervjuer med anställda inom hemtjänsten i en liten kommun i mellan-Sverige. Resultatet visar att hemtjänstpersonalen i hög grad påverkas av att vara utrikes född i sin yrkesroll. Den utrikes födda hemtjänstpersonalen har upplevt diskriminering i arbetet, känner en press av att prestera bättre än sina svenska kollegor för att dels bli accepterade och dels bevisa sin kompetens.I analysen används intersektionalitetsteorin för att analysera diskriminering och hur faktorerna klass och status påverkar interaktioner mellan klienter, kollegor och chefer. Arlie Hochschild's teori om emotionellt arbete används för att förstå hur personalen hanterar och agerar i situationer där de utsätts för diskriminering. Avslutningsvis tillämpas Thomas Scheffs begrepp sociala band, för att förstå varför hemtjänstpersonalen agerar som de gör.The purpose of the essay is to, based on the question "How do foreign-born home caregivers experience the relationships with clients, colleagues and management in a conurbation in Central Sweden?" highlight possible challenges that staff face in their profession and how their foreign background affects interactions with clients, managers and colleagues.. The study is based on eight qualitative interviews with employees in home care in a small municipality in central Sweden. The results show that foreign-born home caregivers are greatly affected by their foreign background in their profession. They have experienced discrimination at work and feel pressure to perform better than their Swedish colleagues to be accepted and to prove their competence. In the analysis, intersectionality theory is used to analyze discrimination and how class and status factors affect interactions between clients, colleagues, and managers. Arlie Hochschild's theory of emotional labor is used to understand how caregivers handle and act in situations where they are subjected to discrimination. Finally, Thomas Scheff's concept of social bonds is applied to understand why home caregivers act as they do

If you don´t know Swedish, you are not welcome at my house! : A qualitative study on how foreign-born home care staff experience the relationships with clients, colleagues and managment

Syftet med uppsatsen är att utifrån frågeställningen “Hur upplever utrikesfödd hemtjänstpersonal relationerna till klienter, kollegor och ledning i en tätort i Mellansverige?” belysa möjliga utmaningar som personalen står inför i sitt yrke och hur deras utländska bakgrund påverkar interaktionerna med klienter, chefer och kollegor. Studien bygger på åtta kvalitativa intervjuer med anställda inom hemtjänsten i en liten kommun i mellan-Sverige. Resultatet visar att hemtjänstpersonalen i hög grad påverkas av att vara utrikes född i sin yrkesroll. Den utrikes födda hemtjänstpersonalen har upplevt diskriminering i arbetet, känner en press av att prestera bättre än sina svenska kollegor för att dels bli accepterade och dels bevisa sin kompetens.I analysen används intersektionalitetsteorin för att analysera diskriminering och hur faktorerna klass och status påverkar interaktioner mellan klienter, kollegor och chefer. Arlie Hochschild's teori om emotionellt arbete används för att förstå hur personalen hanterar och agerar i situationer där de utsätts för diskriminering. Avslutningsvis tillämpas Thomas Scheffs begrepp sociala band, för att förstå varför hemtjänstpersonalen agerar som de gör.The purpose of the essay is to, based on the question "How do foreign-born home caregivers experience the relationships with clients, colleagues and management in a conurbation in Central Sweden?" highlight possible challenges that staff face in their profession and how their foreign background affects interactions with clients, managers and colleagues.. The study is based on eight qualitative interviews with employees in home care in a small municipality in central Sweden. The results show that foreign-born home caregivers are greatly affected by their foreign background in their profession. They have experienced discrimination at work and feel pressure to perform better than their Swedish colleagues to be accepted and to prove their competence. In the analysis, intersectionality theory is used to analyze discrimination and how class and status factors affect interactions between clients, colleagues, and managers. Arlie Hochschild's theory of emotional labor is used to understand how caregivers handle and act in situations where they are subjected to discrimination. Finally, Thomas Scheff's concept of social bonds is applied to understand why home caregivers act as they do

A Review of Willingness to Pay Studies for Climate Change Mitigation in the Energy Sector

A wide range of climate change mitigation policies have been developed around the world and these policies have become one of the major concerns, however there is still debate among scientists about what are the main external benefits and how to account for them and prepare effective climate change mitigation policies that might be widely accepted by society in general. One of the main ways to assess external benefit of climate change mitigation in energy sector is to conduct Willingness to Pay (WTP) assessments for climate change mitigation options by households. There are many studies on WTP assessment for climate stability conducted in recent years. The paper surveys the existing literature on WTP for climate change mitigation policy in the energy sector. The aim of the paper is to identify the common variables across a varied set of WTP studies in order to establish a basis for comparison. The key variables selected for analysis of WTP studies for climate change mitigation in energy sector addressed in the paper are: the WTP assessment methods; the main attributes used for comparing alternatives in WTP studies, targeted climate change mitigation policies in energy sector, mathematical model used to estimate WTP, the main socio-demographic factors having impact on WTP for climate change mitigation policies. The analysis of WTP studies for climate change mitigation is grouped in two areas: renewables and energy efficiency measures in households. The paper provides analytical structure for future studies to evaluate the effects of variation in key comparative elements upon WTP

Conventional and functional magnetic resonance imaging features of late subacute cortical laminar necrosis in a dog

Cerebral cortical laminar necrosis (CLN) is a consequence of severe hypoxic, ischemic, or hypoglycemic events. In humans, these cortical lesions show characteristic linear T1-weighted (T1W) hyperintensity in the late subacute stage. Limited information reporting magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in dogs affected by CLN is available. A 3-year-old Belgian Shepherd dog was referred 8 days after sudden onset of blindness after general anesthesia. Neurological examination showed central blindness and mild ataxia. Three-Tesla MRI examination of the brain revealed bilateral asymmetrical areas of T2-weighted hyperintensity within the occipital, parietal, temporal, and frontal cortex, involving gray and white matter. Furthermore, linear T1W-hyperintense lesions were found in the cerebral cortex of the same areas and showed heterogeneous contrast enhancement. Perfusion-weighted images revealed hyperperfusion in the affected regions. Lesions were compatible with subacute CLN with corresponding edema suspected to be secondary to anesthesia-related brain hypoxia. Three-Tesla MRI enabled identification of the laminar pattern of the cortical lesions

Spontaneous acute and chronic spinal cord injuries in paraplegic dogs: a comparative study of in vivo diffusion tensor imaging.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective observational-analytical study. OBJECTIVES: Description of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) metrics obtained from the spinal cord (SC) of dogs with severe acute or chronic spontaneous, non-experimentally induced spinal cord injury (SCI) and correlation of DTI values with lesion extent of SCI measured in T2-weighted (T2W) magnetic resonance imaging sequences. SETTING: Hannover, Germany. METHODS: Forty-seven paraplegic dogs, 32 with acute and 15 with chronic SCI, and 6 disease controls were included. T2W and DTI sequences of the thoracolumbar spinal cord were performed. Values of fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) were obtained from the epicentre of the lesion and one SC segment cranially and caudally and compared between groups. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated between DTI and T2W metrics. RESULTS: During acute SCI, FA values were increased (P=0.0065) and ADC values were decreased (P=0.0099) at epicentres compared to disease controls. FA values obtained from dogs with chronic SCI were lower (P<0.0001 epicentres and caudally; P=0.0002 cranially) and ADC showed no differences compared to disease control values. Dogs with chronic SCI revealed lower FA and higher ADC compared to dogs with acute SCI (P<0.0001 for both values at all localisations). FA values from epicentre and cranially to the lesion during chronic SCI correlated with extent of lesion (r=0.5517; P=0.0052 epicentres and r=0.6810; P=0.0408 cranially). CONCLUSION: Using DTI, differences between acute and chronic stages of spontaneous canine SCI were detected and correlations between T2W and DTI sequences were found in chronic SCI, supporting canine SCI as a useful large animal model.Spinal Cord advance online publication, 1 August 2017; doi:10.1038/sc.2017.83

Evaluation of agreement and correlation of results obtained with MRI-based and macroscopic observation-based grading schemes when used to assess intervertebral disk degeneration in cats

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate agreement in results obtained with an MRI-based grading scheme and a macroscopic observation–based grading scheme when used to assess intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration in cats. SAMPLE: 241 MRI and 143 macroscopic images of singular IVDs in 44 client-owned cats (40 cadaveric and 4 live). PROCEDURES: Singular images of IVDs were obtained of live cats admitted for treatment of suspected neurologic disease (MRI images of IVDs) and of cadavers of cats euthanized for reasons unrelated to spinal disease (MRI and macroscopic images of IVDs) at the Small Animal Hospital, Vetsuisse Faculty, Zurich, Switzerland, between January 12, 2015, and October 19, 2015. The IVD images were randomized and evaluated twice by 4 observers for each grading scheme. Inter- and intraobserver reliability for the grading schemes was assessed with Cohen weighted κ analysis. Agreement and correlation between results obtained with the 2 grading schemes were determined with Cohen weighted κ and Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) analyses, respectively. RESULTS: Inter- and intraobserver agreement between results was substantial to almost perfect (mean weighted κ, 0.66 to 0.83 and 0.71 to 0.86, respectively) for the MRI-based grading scheme and moderate to substantial (mean weighted κ, 0.42 to 0.80 and 0.65 to 0.79, respectively) for the macroscopic observation–based grading scheme. Between the 2 grading schemes, agreement in results was moderate (mean ± SE weighted κ, 0.56 ± 0.05), and the correlation was strong (ρ = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that the MRI-based and macroscopic observation–based grading schemes used in the present study could be used reliably for classifying IVD degeneration in cats. (Am J Vet Res 2020;81:309–316

Evaluation of agreement and correlation of results obtained with MRI-based and macroscopic observation-based grading schemes when used to assess intervertebral disk degeneration in cats

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate agreement in results obtained with an MRI-based grading scheme and a macroscopic observation-based grading scheme when used to assess intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration in cats. SAMPLE: 241 MRI and 143 macroscopic images of singular IVDs in 44 client-owned cats (40 cadaveric and 4 live). PROCEDURES: Singular images of IVDs were obtained of live cats admitted for treatment of suspected neurologic disease (MRI images of IVDs) and of cadavers of cats euthanized for reasons unrelated to spinal disease (MRI and macroscopic images of IVDs) at the Small Animal Hospital, Vetsuisse Faculty, Zurich, Switzerland, between January 12, 2015, and October 19, 2015. The IVD images were randomized and evaluated twice by 4 observers for each grading scheme. Inter- and intraobserver reliability for the grading schemes was assessed with Cohen weighted κ analysis. Agreement and correlation between results obtained with the 2 grading schemes were determined with Cohen weighted κ and Spearman correlation coefficient (ρ) analyses, respectively. RESULTS: Inter- and intraobserver agreement between results was substantial to almost perfect (mean weighted κ, 0.66 to 0.83 and 0.71 to 0.86, respectively) for the MRI-based grading scheme and moderate to substantial (mean weighted κ, 0.42 to 0.80 and 0.65 to 0.79, respectively) for the macroscopic observation-based grading scheme. Between the 2 grading schemes, agreement in results was moderate (mean ± SE weighted κ, 0.56 ± 0.05), and the correlation was strong (ρ = 0.73). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that the MRI-based and macroscopic observation-based grading schemes used in the present study could be used reliably for classifying IVD degeneration in cats