Transport of pigs different with respect to the halothane gene: stress assessment.

Two transport experiments were carried out with 18 pigs each. These pigs originated from three genetic lines (homozygous halothane-positive and -negative and heterozygotes). Half the pigs were unfed for 12 h before transport. All pigs were transported twice for 2 h. Before and after transport pigs were anesthetized to take blood samples from the jugular vein and biopsies from the biceps femoris. At the same time equipment to measure body temperature and heart rate were attached or detached. Plasma cortisol and beta-endorphin concentrations were measured as well as the glycogen concentration in the muscle sample. Line differences were detected with respect to body temperature (P < .04), heart rate (P < .05), and cortisol (P < .01). The withholding of feed influenced (P < .04) plasma beta-endorphin concentration. Body temperature (P < .02), heart rate (P < .001), cortisol (P < .01), and beta-endorphin (P < .001) were different before and after transport, whereas a training effect of the transport number was observed for heart rate (P < .07) and plasma beta-endorphin (P < .02). No interactions between treatments were observed. The relationship between cortisol and beta-endorphin suggests a nonconcomitant release of ACTH and beta-endorphin.

Simultaneous occurrence of developmental venous anomalies and cavernous angiomas.

PURPOSE: To study the clinical and radiologic findings in 15 patients presenting with both developmental venous anomalies and cavernous angiomas and to determine which lesions caused the acute clinical symptoms. METHODS: Lesions were infratentorial in 7 patients and supratentorial in 7 other patients. In one patient the developmental venous anomaly was infratentorial and the cavernous angioma supratentorial. In all 15 patients clinical examination and CT were performed. In 10 patients MR was performed at the time of the initial CT scan. In 5 patients only late MR is available. RESULTS: Acute clinical signs were present in 9 patients (epilepsy, hemiplegia, meningeal signs, cranial nerve deficit). On CT the cavernous angioma was missed in 9 patients, in 6 patients because of acute hemorrhage. On MR the cavernous angioma was missed in 1 of 2 cases with acute hemorrhage but seen in all other patients. On repeat MR all cavernous angiomas were correctly identified. On CT, 11 developmental venous anomalies were seen. On MR all developmental venous anomalies were seen. CONCLUSIONS: The frequent association of developmental venous anomalies and cavernous angiomas is confirmed. MR is superior to CT in the detection of both cavernous angiomas and developmental venous anomalies. Furthermore our data support the hypothesis that cavernous angiomas and not the developmental venous anomalies cause the acute clinical symptoms because of hemorrhage.

Inflammatory fibroid polyp of the ileum.

We report a patient who presented with recurrent right upper quadrant colics after a previous cholecystectomy. Radiological examination revealed the presence of a polypoid mass in the ileum caused by an anatomo-pathologically proven inflammatory fibroid polyp (IFP) in the ileum. Clinical and pathological aspects related to this rare benign lesion are discussed.