Ultrasonic imaging of electrofusion welded polyethylene pipes employed in utilities industry

Electrofusion welding (EFW) is a widely used technique for joining polyethylene pipes in the oil, gas and water industry. Like many welding and joining methods, the joints created by EFW can exhibit a range of flaw types that can be attributed to process variables such as: poor preparation of the parent material, contamination of the weld surfaces prior to welding and operator and/or equipment failure during the welding process. This paper describes ultrasonic testing using 128-channel linear array with a DYNARAY system to acquire data from a range of joints created using EFW. The samples were created in the laboratory with a range of defects that represent those commonly observed in the field. The samples were subsequently destructively tested using tensile testing of the coupling-pipe interface. Good corroboration was achieved between the observed weld quality from the ultrasonic data and the weld strength determined by the destructive testing

A comparison of two ketamine doses for field anaesthesia in horses undergoing castration

Background: Ketamine at 2.2 mg/kg given i.v. is often used to induce anaesthesia for surgical procedures in horses under field conditions. Commonly, additional doses are needed to complete the surgery. We hypothesised that surgical conditions would be improved when 5 mg/kg of ketamine was used to induce anaesthesia, while induction and recovery qualities would not differ from those when 2.2 mg/kg ketamine was used. Objective: To compare the anaesthetic effects of two ketamine doses (5 and 2.2 mg/kg) during field anaesthesia for castration of horses. Study design: Prospective, randomised, blinded, clinical study. Method: Seventy-seven client-owned Icelandic horses presented for castration under field conditions were studied. Pre-anaesthetic medication was xylazine (0.7 mg/kg) butorphanol (25 μg/kg) and acepromazine (50 μg/kg) injected i.v. Anaesthesia was induced with either 2.2 mg/kg (K2.2) or 5 mg/kg (K5) i.v. of ketamine mixed with diazepam (30 μg/kg). The quality of induction, surgical conditions and recovery were compared using subjective and objective measures, and the number of additional ketamine doses recorded. Results: Ketamine 5 mg/kg provided better surgical conditions and a more rapid induction. Recovery quality was subjectively better in K2.2. Five horses in K2.2 and two in K5 required additional ketamine doses. Main limitations: While the pre-anaesthetic sedation and benzodiazepine doses were consistent among horses, the level of sedation and muscle relaxation achieved differed. Conclusion: A ketamine dose of 5 mg/kg can be used to improve the quality of field anaesthesia for castration in Icelandic horses. Although recovery quality is subjectively better when using 2.2 mg/kg, no adverse events were observed during recovery with either dos

Development of a histopathology scoring system for the pulmonary complications of organophosphorus insecticide poisoning in a pig model

Organophosphorus (OP) insecticide self-poisoning causes over 100,000 global deaths annually. Around a third of patients are intubated and up to half of these can die. Post-mortem analysis of OP poisoned patients' lungs reveals consolidation, edema and hemorrhage, suggesting that direct or indirect lung damage may contribute to mortality. The lung injury caused by these formulated agricultural preparations is poorly characterised in humans, and a valid histopathology scoring system is needed in a relevant animal model to further investigate the disease and potential treatments. We conducted two pilot studies in anesthetized minipigs, which are commonly used for toxicological studies. In the first, pigs were given 2.5 mL/kg of either OP (n = 4) or saline (n = 2) by gavage and compared with positive controls (iv oleic acid n = 2). The second study simulated ingestion followed by gastric content aspiration: mixtures of OP (n = 3) or saline (n = 2) (0.63-0.71mL/kg) were placed in the stomach, and then small volumes of the gastric content were placed in the lung. At post-mortem examination, lungs were removed and inflation-fixed with 10% neutral buffered formalin. Samples (n = 62) were taken from cranial and caudal regions of both lungs. Two experienced lung histopathologists separately scored these samples using 8 proposed features of damage and their scores related (Kendall rank order). Two elements had small and inconsistent scores. When these were removed, the correlation increased from 0.74 to 0.78. Eight months later, a subset of samples (n = 35) was re-scored using the modified system by one of the previous histopathologists, with a correlation of 0.88. We have developed a reproducible pulmonary histopathology scoring system for OP poisoning in pigs which will assist future toxicological research and improve understanding and treatment of human OP poisoning

Lung injury caused by aspiration of organophosphorus insecticide and gastric contents in pigs

INTRODUCTION: Patients who require mechanical ventilation after self-poisoning with ingested organophosphorus (OP) insecticides often die. Aspiration of stomach contents may contribute to lung injury and lethality. This study was designed to assess the severity of direct and indirect pulmonary injury created by pulmonary instillation of mixtures of OP insecticide, solvent (Solv) and porcine gastric juice (GJ) compared to controls. METHODS: Terminally anaesthetised minipigs (groups n = 5) were exposed to sham bronchoscopy or given mixtures (0.5 mL/kg) of: saline, GJ, OP insecticide and GJ (OP + GJ), or Solv and GJ (Solv + GJ), placed into the right lung, and monitored for 48 h. Lung injury was assessed through analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), computed tomography and histopathology. RESULTS: OP + GJ created a direct lung injury consisting of neutrophil infiltration, oedema and haemorrhage, as well as indirect injury to the other lung. OP + GJ directly-injured lung parenchyma had increased concentrations of BALF protein, albumin, IL-6, IL-8 and C-reactive protein (CRP) at 24 h (p < 0.05), and BALF protein, albumin and CRP at 48 h (p < 0.05), when compared with controls. Aspiration of GJ produced similar direct effects to OP + GJ but less indirect lung injury. Lung injury was less severe after Solv + GJ, for combined lung histopathology scores (vs. OP + GJ, p < 0.05) and for the proportion of directly-injured lung that was poorly/non-aerated at 48 h. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary instillation of OP + GJ created more lung damage than controls or Solv + GJ. In patients with severe OP insecticide poisoning and reduced consciousness, early airway protection is likely to reduce pulmonary damage

Grooming coercion and the post-conflict trading of social services in wild Barbary macaques

In animal and human societies, social services such as protection from predators are often exchanged between group members. The tactics that individuals display to obtain a service depend on its value and on differences between individuals in their capacity to aggressively obtain it. Here we analysed the exchange of valuable social services (i.e. grooming and relationship repair) in the aftermath of a conflict, in wild Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus). The relationship repair function of post-conflict affiliation (i.e. reconciliation) was apparent in the victim but not in the aggressor. Conversely, we found evidence for grooming coercion by the aggressor; when the victim failed to give grooming soon after a conflict they received renewed aggression from the aggressor. We argue that post-conflict affiliation between former opponents can be better described as a trading of social services rather than coercion alone, as both animals obtain some benefits (i.e. grooming for the aggressor and relationship repair for the victim). Our study is the first to test the importance of social coercion in the aftermath of a conflict. Differences in competitive abilities can affect the exchange of services and the occurrence of social coercion in animal societies. This may also help explain the variance between populations and species in their social behaviour and conflict management strategies