Herd management and social variables associated with bulk tank somatic cell count in dairy herds in the eastern United States.

The ability to reduce somatic cell counts (SCC) and improve milk quality depends on the effective and consistent application of established mastitis control practices. The US dairy industry continues to rely more on nonfamily labor to perform critical tasks to maintain milk quality. Thus, it is important to understand dairy producer attitudes and beliefs relative to management practices, as well as employee performance, to advance milk quality within the changing structure of the dairy industry. To assess the adoption rate of mastitis control practices in United States dairy herds, as well as assess social variables, including attitudes toward employees relative to mastitis control, a survey was sent to 1,700 dairy farms in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Florida in January and February of 2013. The survey included questions related to 7 major areas: sociodemographics and farm characteristics, milking proficiency, milking systems, cow environment, infected cow monitoring and treatment, farm labor, and attitudes toward mastitis and related antimicrobial use. The overall response rate was 41% (21% in Florida, 39% in Michigan, and 45% in Pennsylvania). Herd size ranged from 9 to 5,800 cows. Self-reported 3-mo geometric mean bulk tank SCC (BTSCC) for all states was 194,000 cells/mL. Multivariate analysis determined that proven mastitis control practices such as the use of internal teat sealants and blanket dry cow therapy, and not using water during udder preparation before milking, were associated with lower BTSCC. Additionally, farmer and manager beliefs and attitudes, including the perception of mastitis problems and the threshold of concern if BTSCC is above 300,000 cells/mL, were associated with BTSCC. Ensuring strict compliance with milking protocols, giving employees a financial or other penalty if BTSCC increased, and a perceived importance of reducing labor costs were negatively associated with BTSCC in farms with nonfamily employees. These findings highlight the need for a comprehensive approach to managing mastitis, one that includes the human dimensions of management to maintain the practice of scientifically validated mastitis control practices.

Treatment of lentigo maligna with topical imiquimod.

A published case report and anecdotal experience suggested that topical imiquimod is an effective treatment for stage 0 melanoma (lentigo maligna). To gauge the efficacy of this therapy, we undertook a trial of topical imiquimod in 30 subjects with histologically confirmed lentigo maligna. Thirty subjects with lentigo maligna were recruited for an open-labelled efficacy trial with daily topical application of imiquimod 5% cream for 3 months. Study subjects were enrolled from the Dermatology service of the University of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma City Veteran's Administration Hospital Dermatology service and from referrals for the study from other practitioners. In order to determine an initial response rate, a four-quadrant biopsy was carried out on all patients 1 month after cessation of treatment, targeting the most clinically and dermatoscopically suspicious areas. Of 28 evaluable subjects who have completed the 3-month treatment phase, 26 (93%) were complete responders and two were treatment failures at the time of the 4-quadrant biopsy. Over 80% of the 28 subjects that completed treatment have been followed for more than 1 year with no relapses. The results of this study demonstrate that topical imiquimod produces a high complete response rate in lentigo maligna when applied daily for 3 months.

Measurement of scapular asymetry and assessment of shoulder dysfunction using the Lateral Scapular Slide Test: a reliability and validity study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The Lateral Scapular Slide Test (LSST) is used to determine scapular position with the arm abducted 0, 45, and 90 degrees in the coronal plane. Assessment of scapular position is based on the derived difference measurement of bilateral scapular distances. The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability of measurements obtained using the LSST and whether they could be used to identify people with and without shoulder impairments. Subjects. Forty-six subjects ranging in age from 18 to 65 years (X=30.0, SD=11.1) participated in this study. One group consisted of 20 subjects being treated for shoulder impairments, and one group consisted of 26 subjects without shoulder impairments. METHODS: Two measurements in each test position were obtained bilaterally. From the bilateral measurements, we derived the difference measurement. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC [1,1]) and the standard error of measurement (SEM) were calculated for intrarater and interrater reliability of the difference in side-to-side measures of scapular distance. Sensitivity and specificity of the LSST for classifying subjects with and without shoulder impairments were also determined. RESULTS: The ICCs for intrarater reliability were .75, .77, and .80 and .52, .66, and .62, respectively, for subjects without and with shoulder impairments in 0, 45, and 90 degrees of abduction. The ICCs for interrater reliability were .67, .43, and .74 and .79, .45, and .57, respectively, for subjects without and with shoulder impairments in 0,45 and 90 degrees of abduction. The SEMs ranged from 0.57 to 0.86 cm for intrarater reliability and from 0.79 to 1.20 cm for interrater reliability. Using the criterion of greater than 1.0 cm difference, sensitivity and specificity were 35% and 48%, 41% and 54%, and 43% and 56%, respectively, for 0, 45, and 90 degrees of abduction. Sensitivity and specificity based on the criterion of greater than 1.5 cm difference were 28% and 53%, 50% and 58%, and 34% and 52%, respectively, for the 3 scapular positions. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION: Our results suggest that measurements of scapular positioning based on the difference in side-to-side scapular distance measures are not reliable. Furthermore, the results suggest that sensitivity and specificity of the LSST measurements are poor and that the LSST should not be used to identify people with and without shoulder dysfunction.

Comparison of Cyto-Shuttle and cytocentrifuge as processing methods for nongynecologic cytology specimens.

The Cyto-Shuttle (Cancer Diagnostics, Inc., Fairfax, VA) monolayer preparation method was compared to our routine cytocentrifuge method in 129 fluid cytology cases. A single sample from each case was split and prepared by each method. The Cyto-Shuttle preparation was superior to the cytocentrifuge preparation in 51% of cases, equal to it in 38%, and inferior to it in 11%: bronchial wash/lavage (45 cases), 38%, 49%, 13%; body cavity fluid (39 cases), 72%, 15%, 13%; urine (18 cases), 56%, 44%, 0%: peritoneal washing (16 cases), 44%, 44%, 12%; and miscellaneous (11 cases), 36%, 55%, 9%. Cyto-Shuttle preparations were superior due to decreased background and increased number of cells per slide; fixation and morphology were generally equivalent to cytocentrifuge preparations.

Pregnancy complicated by carcinoma of the colon above the rectum.

Although rare during pregnancy, colorectal carcinoma is one of the leading three types of cancer in women. In the medical literature, there are only 28 reports of carcinoma of the colon above the rectum concurrent with pregnancy. During the last 8 years in our community, four pregnant women have received care by us for this usually lethal disease. These cases are presented and the pertinent considerations of this pregnancy complication based on the entire collected experience are reviewed. The possibility of this disease must be considered in the obstetric as well as the gynecologic patient.

Effect of excipients on the stability of levothyroxine sodium tablets.

Levothyroxine sodium tablets from two different manufacturers were analysed using the USP-NF method of analysis, a stability-indicating high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure. The results indicate that one particular manufacturer's 0.2-mg pink tablets contain some excipient(s) which act as a catalyst to hasten decomposition after extraction of levothyroxine for analysis. The same tablets from a different batch showed an additional long peak in the chromatogram, which indicated that the excipient(s) may have been changed. The same manufacturer has also used three different types of bottles/lids for the same product during the last year. Good manufacturing practice requires that new compatibilities/stability studies be conducted to assure the quality of the product. Ongoing stability studies are required by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA). The use-life of 0.2-mg pink tablets of this manufacturer may be short.

Chemical stability of cefotetan disodium in 5% dextrose and 0.9% sodium chloride injections.

The chemical stability of cefotetan disodium in 5% dextrose and 0.9% sodium chloride injections has been studied using a stability-indicating high-pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay method. The drug appears to be relatively unstable at 25 degrees C (expiry time 2 days), compared with at least 41 days at 5 degrees C and at least 60 days at -10 degrees C. Thawing the frozen samples in a microwave (90 s) did not cause any significant decomposition. The manufacturer's recommended expiry time of 4 days at 5 degrees C and at least 7 days at -10 degrees C is very conservative. The HPLC method developed is accurate and precise with a relative percentage standard deviation of 1.7 based on six readings. The method appears to be stability-indicating as the samples decomposed under drastic conditions had almost no drug left and new peaks were observed in the chromatograms.

Forensic entomology in the Hawaiian Islands. Three case studies.

Three instances of the use of entomological techniques for the estimation of postmortem interval in homicide cases on the island of Oahu, Hawaiian Islands, are presented. These cases represent differing stages of decomposition and range from 8 to 53 days postmortem.

Retention of biologic characteristics of zona pellucida in highly concentrated salt solution: the use of salt-stored eggs for assessing the fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa.

When unfertilized hamster eggs are placed in highly concentrated solutions of neutral salts (e.g., 2 M ammonium sulfate), the egg proper, or vitellus, shrinks, creating a large perivitelline space; the zona pellucida remains unchanged in appearance under the light microscope. When these eggs are inseminated, many spermatozoa attach to and penetrate the zona. The specificity as well as several physical and chemical characteristics of the zona seem to remain unchanged during storage of the eggs in salt solutions. The properties of the human zona pellucida which allow the attachment and penetration of human spermatozoa are also retained in concentrated salt solutions. Shipment of salt-stored human eggs at ambient temperature to any part of the world is feasible and inexpensive. The present study suggests that salt-stored eggs can be used as substitutes for fresh living eggs in the preliminary assessment of fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa when collection of a large number of fresh unfertilized eggs, particularly in humans, is not practical.