Physiological reactions to fear provocation in dogs.

Fear is a common behavioral problem in dogs. In this paper, we studied the association between behavioral and physiological responses in two potentially fear-eliciting situations. The aim was to establish whether it is possible to separate dogs of the collie breed that are fearful of floors and gunshots from those that are not by studying changes in heart rate and hematocrit, plasma cortisol, progesterone, testosterone, vasopressin, and beta-endorphin concentrations. Thirteen privately owned male dogs of the collie breed were studied during a floor test, using different types of floors, and a subsequent gunshot test. Seven of the dogs were identified as being fearful of floors and six were declared as fearless. Out of the 13 dogs, seven were fearful of gunshots and six were fearless of gunshots. Since fear of floors did not always occur concomitantly with fear of gunshots, there were consequently four different groups of dogs. The heart rate increased during the floor test in all groups, but dogs that were fearful of floors had higher heart rates than dogs that were fearless of floors. Dogs that were fearful of gunshots had higher heart rates, higher hematocrit levels and higher plasma concentrations of cortisol, progesterone, vasopressin, and beta-endorphins during the gunshot test than did dogs that were found to be fearless of gunshots. Plasma cortisol and progesterone increased drastically during the gunshot test in dogs identified as being fearful of gunshots. In fearful dogs, the testosterone concentration increased after completion of the floor test and before the gunshot test started, but there were no significant differences in testosterone between the groups. Since dogs fearful of gunshots had increased levels of several physiological parameters, the results demonstrated that this fear is a serious stress for the individual, a fear which it is possible to register with physiological variables.

A serial study of heart function during pregnancy, lactation and the dry period in dairy goats using echocardiography.

Echocardiography and Doppler measurements were performed to investigate changes in heart dimensions and function during pregnancy, lactation and the non-pregnant, non-lactating (dry) period in dairy goats. Eight Swedish domestic goats (Capra hircus) were studied with two-dimensional (2DE), M-mode and continuous wave Doppler measurements. Cardiac dimensions did not differ between periods. The mean cardiac outputs were 35 and 28% greater during pregnancy and lactation, respectively, vs. the dry period. Arterial blood pressure (measured by telemetry) did not differ between reproductive periods before echocardiographic measurements, but became elevated during the measurements, with the smallest rise during lactation. Heart rate was elevated during pregnancy and increased further during echocardiographic measurements, but was not elevated during the other periods. The cranial location of the heart influenced the selection of examination window and caused some difficulties in positioning the ultrasound transducer. This may have led to underestimation of the velocity trace integral and therefore to underestimation of cardiac output. However, our values were within the range of these obtained with dye- and thermodilution methods. The goats tolerated the investigations well during lactation and the dry period, but showed increased blood pressure and heart rate during pregnancy. Therefore, the non-invasive and safe echocardiographic-Doppler method appears to be a good alternative for studies of heart dimensions and function during lactation and the dry period in the dairy goat.

Neuropsychological, academic, and adaptive functioning in children who survive in-hospital cardiac arrest and resuscitation.

Children suffering cardiac arrest (CA) are not uncommon in certain pediatric populations. Due to the increasing survival rates of child CA patients, there is a growing interest in, and concern for, their long-term intellectual, academic, emotional, and adaptive functioning. This article describes the possible neurologic sequelae of CA in children and presents standardized assessment results on 25 children, 2 to 15 years of age, who survived a CA while in the hospital. A majority of these children exhibited low-average to deficient levels of performance on neuropsychologic, achievement, and adaptive behavior measures. Duration of cardiac arrest and a medical risk score were significantly correlated with decreased functioning in child CA patients. Children who suffer a cardiac arrest are at high risk for academic struggles, and many may need special education services.

[Synoptical X-ray diagnostics of pulmonary emphysema (author's transl)]. / Zur synoptischen Röntgendiagnostik des Lungenemphysems

In marked chronic obstructive pulmonary emphysema, especially in the classical emphysematous type of abnormal thorax, a good correlation can be found between the anteroposterior expansion of the thorax, the reduced inspiratory capacity, the clinical state, disturbed mechanics of breathing and the x-ray-state. On the contrary, in clinical emphysema of a lower degree, especially in subclinical, i. e. in predominantly asymptomatic pulmonary emphysema of the elderly, the effectiveness of the roentgenological examination is very small.