Estimation of reference intervals from small samples: an example using canine plasma creatinine

Background: According to international recommendations, reference intervals should be determined from at least 120 reference individuals, which often are impossible to achieve in veterinary clinical pathology, especially for wild animals. When only a small number of reference subjects is available, the possible bias cannot be known and the normality of the distribution cannot be evaluated. A comparison of reference intervals estimated by different methods could be helpful. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare reference limits determined from a large set of canine plasma creatinine reference values, and large subsets of this data, with estimates obtained from small samples selected randomly. Methods: Twenty sets each of 120 and 27 samples were randomly selected from a set of 1439 plasma creatinine results obtained from healthy dogs in another study. Reference intervals for the whole sample and for the large samples were determined by a nonparametric method. The estimated reference limits for the small samples were minimum and maximum, mean +/-2 SD of native and Box–Cox-transformed values, 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles by a robust method on native and Box–Cox-transformed values, and estimates from diagrams of cumulative distribution functions. Results: The whole sample had a heavily skewed distribution, which approached Gaussian after Box–Cox transformation. The reference limits estimated from small samples were highly variable. The closest estimates to the 1439-result reference interval for 27-result subsamples were obtained by both parametric and robust methods after Box–Cox transformation but were grossly erroneous in some cases. Conclusion: For small samples, it is recommended that all values be reported graphically in a dot plot or histogram and that estimates of the reference limits be compared using different methods

Validation of the Medonic CA620/530 Vet 20-ml microcapillary sampler system for hematology testing of feline blood

The aim of the current study was to compare feline hematologic variables in blood collected in microcapillary tubes (20 ml) and conventional blood tubes with the Medonic CA620/530 Vet in-house hematologic analyzer. A comparison of results obtained in 60 cats presented at the clinics of the veterinary school showed that the correlations between the 2 methods were 0.97 for white blood cell, 0.95 for red blood cell, and 0.93 for platelet counts; 0.92 for hemoglobin concentration; and 0.99 for mean corpuscular volume. No clinically relevant differences between the 2 blood sampling techniques were observed for any variable, which suggests that both techniques are interchangeable in cats. Moreover, microcapillary tubes would allow easier repeated sampling in the same cat and would likely be useful in other small species

Reference values: a review

Reference values are used to describe the dispersion of variables in healthy individuals. They are usually reported as population-based reference intervals (RIs) comprising 95% of the healthy population. International recommendations state the preferred method as a priori nonparametric determination from at least 120 reference individuals, but acceptable alternative methods include transference or validation from previously established RIs. The most critical steps in the determination of reference values are the selection of reference individuals based on extensively documented inclusion and exclusion criteria and the use of quality-controlled analytical procedures. When only small numbers of values are available, RIs can be estimated by new methods, but reference limits thus obtained may be highly imprecise. These recommendations are a challenge in veterinary clinical pathology, especially when only small numbers of reference individuals are available

Canine reference intervals for coagulation markers using the STA Satellite and the STA-R Evolution analyzers

The aim of the current study was to determine canine reference intervals for prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), fibrinogen, and antithrombin (AT) according to international recommendations. The STA Satellite coefficients of variation of within-laboratory imprecision were 3.9%, 1.3%, 6.9%, and 5.1% for PT, APTT, fibrinogen, and AT, respectively. At 4uC, citrated specimens were stable up to 8 hr for whole blood and 36 hr for plasma, except for APTT, which increased slightly (<1 sec). Nonparametric reference intervals determined in citrated plasma from 139 healthy fasting purebred dogs were 6.9–8.8 sec, 13.1–17.2 sec, 1.24–4.30 g/l, and 104–188% for PT, APTT, fibrinogen, and AT, respectively. Based on Passing–Bablok comparison between STA Satellite and STA-R Evolution using 60 frozen specimens from a canine plasma bank, the corresponding reference intervals were transferred to the STA-R Evolution: 7.1–9.2 sec, 12.9–17.3 sec, 1.20–4.43 g/l, and 94–159% for PT, APTT, fibrinogen, and AT, respectively

Average nucleotide identity of genome sequences supports the description of Rhizobium lentis sp. nov., Rhizobium bangladeshense sp. nov. and Rhizobium binae sp. nov. from lentil (Lens culinaris) nodules

Rhizobial strains isolated from effective root nodules of field-grown lentil (Lens culinaris) from different parts of Bangladesh were previously analysed using sequences of the 16S rRNA gene, three housekeeping genes (recA, atpD and glnll) and three nodulation genes (nodA, nodC and nodD), DNA fingerprinting and phenotypic characterization. Analysis of housekeeping gene sequences and DNA fingerprints indicated that the strains belonged to three novel clades in the genus Rhizobium. In present study, a representative strain from each clade was further characterized by determination of cellular fatty acid compositions, carbon substrate utilization patterns and DNA DNA hybridization and average nucleotide identity (ANI) analyses from whole-genome sequences. DNA DNA hybridization showed 50-62 % relatedness to their closest relatives (the type strains of Rhizobium etli and Rhizobium phaseoh) and 50-60 % relatedness to each other. These results were further supported by ANI values, based on genome sequencing, which were 87-92 % with their close relatives and 88-89 % with each other. On the basis of these results, three novel species, Rhizobium lentis sp. nov. (type strain BLR27(T)=LMG 28441(T)=DSM 29286(T)), Rhizobium bangladeshense sp. nov. (type strain BLR175(T)=LMG 28442(T)=DSM 29287(T)) and Rhizobium binae sp. nov. (type strain BLR195(T)=LMG 28443(T)=DSM 29288(T)), are proposed. These species share common nodulation genes (nodA, nodC and nodD) that are similar to those of the symbiovar viciae

The "where" of mixed reality: some guidelines for design

This paper presents some early design concepts for urban mixed reality (MR) environments. The concepts are based on preliminary analysis of an urban MR game. The objective is to explore how to create a unified user experiences through a combination of real and virtual elements

Guidelines for designing augmented reality games

The growing popularity of augmented reality (AR) games in both a research and more recently commercial context has led for a need to take a closer look at design related issues which impact on player experience. While issues relating to this area have been considered, to date most of the emphasis has been on the technology aspects. Furthermore it is almost always assumed that the augmented reality element in itself will provide a sufficient experience for the player. This has led to a need to evaluate what makes a successful augmented reality game. In this paper we present a set of design guidelines which are drawn from experiences of three mixed reality games. The guidelines provide specific guidance on relationships between real and virtual space, social interaction, use of AR technologies, maintaining consistent themes and implicitly address higher level aspects such as presence within a particular augmented reality place

Affronter la difficulté de notre relation à l’animal : esquive, imagination et projection

Être vu, nu, par un chat ; essayer de savoir quel effet cela fait d’être une chauve-souris ; penser les modes de cohabitation et de compagnonnage que nous formons avec les animaux, en dépit de toutes les violences que nous leur faisons subir, constituent autant d’expériences de pensée limites qui ont ponctué le discours philosophique sur l’animalité au xxe siècle. Il n’est pas étonnant que Cora Diamond fasse un cas de toutes ces expériences : ce qu’elle nomme « une difficulté de la réalité », c’est-à-dire un point d’achoppement entre la pensée et ce qu’elle essaye de saisir, le réel, qui est susceptible de nous faire perdre nos concepts. Je me propose dans ce texte d’explorer les voies de cette difficulté, qui sont souvent des voies contournées ou des déviations. L’idée est aussi de réfléchir aux moyens dont la philosophie dispose pour affronter cette difficulté, sans dénégation et sans déviation.To be seen, naked, by a cat; to explore what it is like to be a bat; to think of various modes of companionship and cohabitation we form with animals, in spite of all the acts of violence we commit against them, are as many radical thought experiments which punctuated the philosophical discourse on animality during the 20th century. It is not surprising that Cora Diamond made a case out of all these experiences: what she called a “difficulty of reality”, i.e a stumbling point between human thought and what it tries to grasp; something able to defeat our own concepts. In this text, I propose to explore the paths of this difficulty, which are often convoluted or diverted paths. The idea is also to investigate the tools which philosophy can use in order to cope with this difficulty, without deflection nor denegation

Chinas Blick auf die Weltordnung: Positionen zu VN-Reform und US-Außenpolitik: aus chinesischen außenpolitischen Fachzeitschriften, Oktober 2004 bis Juli 2005

Zwei Themen, welche die akademischen Debatten über Fragen der internationalen Beziehungen in chinesischen Fachzeitschriften derzeit dominieren, erscheinen aus deutscher und europäischer Perspektive besonders relevant: zum einen die Reformfähigkeit der Vereinten Nationen (VN), zum anderen die künftige Orientierung der amerikanischen Außenpolitik. In den Artikeln zu beiden Problemfeldern werden immer auch chinesische Vorstellungen über den Zuschnitt einer künftigen internationalen Ordnung artikuliert. (Autorenreferat

Présentation du texte « L’injustice et les animaux »

« L’injustice et les animaux » est un essai de la philosophe américaine Cora Diamond, paru en 2001 dans un ouvrage collectif édité par Carl Elliott intitulé Slow Cures and Bad Philosophers. Comme l’indique l’auteure dans une note finale, le texte est la reprise d’une conférence donnée à l’Université d’Indiana sur les droits des animaux. Sa traduction en français avait été un moment envisagée pour l’intégrer aux essais réunis dans le recueil L’Importance d’être humain. En raison de certains re..