Energy and Spectrum Efficient Wireless Sensor Networks

1Department of Electrical, Electronic and Information Engineering, University of Bologna, Viale Risorgimento 2, 40136 Bologna, Italy 2Mathematical and Algorithmic Sciences Lab, France Research Center, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., 20 quai du Point du Jour, 92100 Boulogne-Billancourt, France 3Department of Information Engineering, University of Florence, Via di Santa Marta 3, 50139 Firenze, Italy 4BISITE Research Group, University of Salamanca, Edificio I+D+i, C/Espejo, 37007 Salamanca, Spain 5Department of Electronic Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, Chin

Transabdominal ultrasonographic measurement of caudal vena cava to aorta derived ratios in clinically healthy neonatal foals

Background: Ultrasonographic measurement of the vena cava and aorta (Ao) diameters and their ratios have been suggested to be a reliable way of quantifying hypovolemia. Objective: To evaluate the feasibility and reliability of an ultrasonographic technique for measurement of Ao and caudal vena cava (CVC) and derived ratios using three different acoustic windows in a population of healthy neonatal foals. Correlation between Ao and CVC measurements and ratios and foals' age or bodyweight were also investigated. Methods: In 14 healthy foals aged less than 7 days, the diameters of the Ao and of the CVC in long and short axis were measured by two observers from images obtained using three different ultrasonographic imaging planes (left dorsal, left ventral and right views). The Ao and CVC cross-sectional area and the CVC/Ao diameter and area ratios were calculated. Image quality was subjectively assessed. Intraobserver and interobserver reliabilities for image quality scores and measurements were evaluated between the two observers. Simple linear regression models were used to identify correlations between the CVC/Ao measurements and ratios and the age and bodyweight of the foals. Results: The left ventral view showed the highest reliability. A correlation between bodyweight and the short axis measurement of the CVC was found (R2 = 0.385; p = 0.018). Age was positively correlated with the long axis of measurement of the CVC (R2 = 0.426; p = 0.011) and CVC/Ao diameter ratio (R2 = 0.625; p = 0.001). Conclusions: The left ventral view allows the Ao and CVC cross sections to be easily visualized and measured in neonatal foals in right lateral recumbency

The use of platelet-rich plasma for treatment of tenodesmic lesions in horses: A systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical and experimental data

The use of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to enhance tenodesmic lesion healing has been questioned over the years. The aim of this study was to evaluate current literature to establish the effectiveness of PRP for treating tenodesmic lesions through a systematic review, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines, and a meta-analysis. Studies comparing PRP with placebo or other treatments for horses with tenodesmic injuries or evaluated PRP effect on tendon and ligament explants were included. Outcomes were clinical, ultrasound, histologic, molecular evaluation, and adverse effects. Two authors independently extracted data and assessed each study’s risk of bias. Treatment effects were evaluated using risk ratios for dichotomous data, together with 95% CI. Data were pooled using the random-effects model. The quality of the evidence for each outcome was assessed using GRADE criteria. Twenty-four trials met inclusion criteria for systematic review, while fifteen studies were included in the meta-analysis. Results showed no significant differences in the outcomes between PRP and control groups. Finally, there is no definitive evidence that PRP enhances tendons and ligaments healing. Therefore, there is a need for more controlled trials to draw a firmer conclusion about the efficacy of PRP as a treatment for tenodesmic lesions in the horse

Ultrasonographic assessment of normal jugular veins in Standardbred horses

Ultrasonography (US) is the recommended imaging technique to evaluate jugular veins. This prospective randomized clinical study was designed to collect a series of B-mode US measurements of manually distended jugular veins in healthy Italian Standardbreds and to find possible correlations between ultrasound measurements and animal morphometric characteristics. Forty-two horses, eight males and 34 females (range 3-22 years; bodyweight 494.4 ± 41.7 kg), were included in the study. The diameters and wall thicknesses of both jugular veins were measured at three different sites of the neck. The differences in ultrasound measurements based on scans, age, gender, side, and site of the neck were evaluated by ANOVA or by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The effects of the morphometric measures on each ultrasound parameter were evaluated by MANOVA (P < 0.05)

Ultrasonographic assessment of normal jugular veins in Standardbred horses

Ultrasonography (US) is the recommended imaging technique to evaluate jugular veins. This prospective randomized clinical study was designed to collect a series of B-mode US measurements of manually distended jugular veins in healthy Italian Standardbreds and to find possible correlations between ultrasound measurements and animal morphometric characteristics. Forty-two horses, eight males and 34 females (range 3-22\u2009years; bodyweight 494.4\u2009\ub1\u200941.7\u2009kg), were included in the study. The diameters and wall thicknesses of both jugular veins were measured at three different sites of the neck. The differences in ultrasound measurements based on scans, age, gender, side, and site of the neck were evaluated by ANOVA or by the Kruskal-Wallis test. The effects of the morphometric measures on each ultrasound parameter were evaluated by MANOVA (P\u2009&lt;\u20090.05)

Influences of dietary supplementation with Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on stallion sperm production and on preservation of sperm quality during storage at 5 °C.

Stallion semen is damaged by oxidative stress during cooling and transport. Semen processing and extenders have been tested to improve the fertilizing capacity of semen and to preserve semen during transport. Dietary supplementation with natural antioxidants has been proposed to prevent oxidative damages. In this study, for the first time, the effect of dietary supplementation with Lepidium meyenii (Maca) on the characteristics of fresh and chilled stallion semen was evaluated. Maca is a traditional Andean crop used as a nutraceutical for the fertility-enhancing properties that are linked with antioxidant activity. The diet of five stallions was supplemented with 20 g of Maca powder daily for a total of 60 days. A control group of five stallions received the same diet without Maca. Semen was collected once before the administration of Maca (D0), twice during the administration at 30 and 60 days (D30 and D60), and finally twice at 30 and 60 days after the end of the administration (D90 and D120). Ejaculates were processed for cooled shipping at 5 °C and evaluated in the laboratory for total and progressive motility, acrosome integrity, and lipid peroxidation after collection and after 24, 48, and 72 h of storage. Dietary supplementation with Maca improved sperm concentration (from 213 ± 80.4 to 447 ± 73.1 × 106 spz/mL) and total sperm count (from 10,880 ± 4377 to 24,783 ± 4419 × 106 spz). The beneficial effects of Maca supplementation on motility and acrosome integrity in the raw semen were detected from the end of treatment with Maca (D60) until the end of the study (D120). Furthermore, during cooling storage, total motility, progressive motility, and acrosome integrity declined more slowly in the Maca-treated group than in the control group. Lipid peroxidation did not change during cooling storage in either group and did not show a significant difference between the two groups. In this study, the dietary supplementation with Maca increased sperm production and stabilized semen quality during chilled storage

Traumatic lumbosacral joint dislocation in 3 dogs: Clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and short-term follow-up

Traumatic lumbosacral joint dislocation (TLSJD) without L7 vertebral body fracture is a rare injury in dogs. This report describes clinical presentation, therapy and outcome in 3 dogs. Three crossbreed dogs with non-ambulatory paraparesis and lumbar pain were referred. Radiographs confirmed TLSJD and dorso-ventral displacement (DVD) was measured pre and postoperatively. Case 1 was treated by percutaneous transilial pinning. Cases 2 and 3 were treated by internal fixation with pins and PMMA. Within 72h after surgery all dogs were able to stand and walk, and faecal incontinence resolved. To the author's knowledge this is the first description of a case series of TLSJD in the dog. The biomechanics of TLSJD in animals have not been investigated. It is likely that a single trauma severely hyper-extends L7-S1 causing disruption of the supra and inter-spinous ligaments with simultaneous shear and compression forces that cause ventral slipping of the sacrum. Pins and PMMA compared to percutaneous transilial pinning, provided more strength and stability. In conclusion, TLSJD requires appropriate surgical reduction and stabilization to allow fibrous healing of the L7-S1 junction, resulting in satisfactory neurological recovery

DNA fragmentation and morphometric studies in sperm of stallions supplemented with maca (Lepidium meyenii)

The reproductive performances of livestock play an essential role in the economic management of the farm. The improvement of semen quantity and quality through the use of food supplements that lack substances which are forbidden in animal feeding, or that may have detrimental effects, is an important goal. Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a plant that has been used for centuries in the Andes for nutrition and fertility enhancement in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of food supplementation of stallions with maca during the breeding season on spermatozoa parameters such as DNA fragmentation and shape, which are two predictive indexes of spermatozoa functionality. For this purpose, ejaculate volume, semen gel-free volume, sperm concentration and motility, total sperm count, sperm DNA fragmentation and sperm head parameters (length, width, perimeter, area, shape factor, roughness) were measured in four stallions. Maca food supplementation in stallions during breeding reduced the percentage of spermatozoa with fragmented DNA, increased significantly sperm concentration and exerted an elongation of the spermatozoa head, a condition that is believed to improve spermatozoa functionality, suggesting that food supplementation of maca could be useful in horse breeding during the breeding season