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The condition of 640 male dairy calves was recorded and their health deterioration, morbidity, and mortality evaluated after long-distance transport. Assessments included a health examination, weight estimation, and measure of failed transfer of passive immunity (FTPI). A McNemar Test and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the effects of pre-transport condition on subsequent health. Before transport, calf health and age at shipping varied between farms; overall, 17%, 8%, and 12% of calves had diarrhea, navel disease, and FTPI, respectively, and calves were transported at a median age of 5 days. In their first 2 weeks after transportation, 23% and 44% of calves were treated for diarrhea and bovine respiratory disease (BRD), respectively, and 4% died. Calves with navel disease, low body weight, and a depressed attitude at the farm of origin were more likely to experience negative health outcomes. Better health before transportation is needed to protect the subsequent health and welfare of young calves., (Copyright and/or publishing rights held by the Canadian Veterinary Medical Association.)

Male dairy calves in North America are frequently marketed through live auctions. Calves have been observed in suboptimal condition both at auctions and upon arrival at calf-rearing facilities that supply the veal or dairy-beef industries. The objectives of this study were to describe the health of male dairy calves at a commercial auction in British Columbia, Canada, examine the relationships between calf price and condition, and use price data from other auctions to reflect more broadly on the variability in calf condition at auction markets. Price and breed were recorded for 1,624 male calves, and a sample of 355 calves was assessed using a standardized health exam and body weight estimation. Linear regression was used to assess which calf characteristics were associated with price. Prices for young dairy calves at auctions in 2 other provinces (Nova Scotia and Quebec) were compiled for comparison. Twenty percent of calves had at least one health abnormality; the most common was navel disease (12%), followed by ocular or nasal discharge (4%), a depressed (dull, unable, or unwilling to rise) attitude (2%), coughing (2%), and joint inflammation (1%). The mean (±SD) estimated body weight was 47 ± 8 kg with a range of 27 to 82 kg. Calves were sold for up to Can$370 (median Can$140), but 10.5% sold for Can$10 or less, and 2.8% were not sold at all. [The mean exchange rate over the course of this study (Oct. 2017 to Mar. 2018) was Can$1 = US$0.79.] Calves with a depressed attitude sold for lower prices than bright, alert calves. In addition, those with Brown Swiss or Jersey genetics sold for lower prices than those with Holstein genetics, and cross-bred calves with beef genetics sold for higher prices. During 2018, 62% of young dairy calves sold at the Nova Scotia auction and 18% of young Holstein calves sold in Quebec were classed as lower quality and sold for 23% and 40%, respectively, of the value of higher-quality calves. The results underline the need to develop solutions to reduce the risk of marketing calves in poor condition at auction markets., (Copyright © 2020 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious disease that affects the domestic pig and wild boar population. The aim of this study was to describe the introduction and spread of the ASF virus in Western Europe (1960⁻1995) and in Eastern Europe (2007⁻2018), with particular emphasis on the current ASF situation in Poland and its challenges and future perspectives. The first ASF outbreak in Europe was reported in Portugal in 1957, with the virus spreading over most of Western Europe over the next 30 years. In Eastern Europe, the virus was first observed in Georgia in 2007, from where the disease spread quickly to other neighboring countries, reaching Poland in 2014. Since then, there have been 3341 confirmed cases in the wild boar population in Poland. Although there have been no confirmed cases of wild boars coming into contact with domestic pigs, the first notified case concerning domestic pigs was reported in July 2014. Since then, there have been a total of 213 confirmed outbreaks of ASF on Polish pig farms. Given the virulence of the ASF virus and the myriad of transmission routes across Europe, the monitoring of this disease must be a priority for Europe.

Introduction and Objective: A prerequisite for successful outcome of exatracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is effective stone fragmentation. Despite successful stone fragmentation, complete clearance of stone fragments cannot be achieved in every patient, due to various factors. The aim of this prospective study was to determine morphological factors that affect clearance following successful stone fragmentation by ESWL., Material and Methods: In the period October 1999 and January 2001, 60 patients (45 male and 15 female) with single lower pole kidney stones have been treated using lithotripter Lithostar 2000TM. Parameters of radiographic anatomy, measured on intravenous pyelography, included infundibular width and length, infundibuloureteral infundibulopelvic angles. After the follow-up period of 3 months, patients were divided into two groups regarding clearance status: Group I consisted of stone free patients, and group II of those with residual fragments., Results: Average values of measured parameters in group I vs group II were as follows: infundibular length 27.70 +/- 5.48 mm vs 30.25 +/- 3.95 mm (p = 0.045, Mann-Whitney test); infundibular width 5.98 +/- 3.28 mm vs 4.70 +/- 1.30 mm (p = 0.018, Mann-Whitney test); infundibulopelvic angle 52.92 +/- 20.76 degrees vs 34.10 +/- 8.19 degrees (p = 0.00001, Mann-Whitney test); infundibuloureteral angle 48.00 +/- 21.13 degrees vs 30.70 +/- 7.49 degrees (p = 0.00001, Mann-Whitney test)., Conclusion: This study revealed that parameters of infundibulopelvic anatomy were significantly different in the examined groups. The success of clearance of fragments following ESWL procedure can be predicted using these morphologic parameters.

Introduction: The treatment of T1G3 bladder cancer is still a controversial issue. Nowadays, intravesical bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) instillation is considered to be the treatment of choice for patients with high-grade superficial bladder tumour after transurethral resection of all visible tumour. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine the effects and results of this approach, recurrence and progression rates in patients with T1G3 superficial bladder tumours., Materials and Methods: 43 patients (28 male, 15 female; mean age 65.5 years, range 21-82) with T1G3 TCC (transitional cell carcinoma) bladder tumour underwent transurethral resection and subsequent intravesical BCG according to Morales protocol, in the period 1993-1998 at our institution. The mean follow-up period was 52.5 (range 30-96) months., Results: After one or more initial courses of therapy, 33 patients were disease-free. Twelve patients (27.90%) had recurrent tumour after a median of 7 (range 3-46) months. After a second course of BCG treatment, 6 patients had no evidence of disease, 3 patients had progression and 3 had recurrence. Progression occurred in 7 (16.27%) patients after a median of 19 (range 3-43) months. Five patients underwent radical cystectomy and the remaining 2 underwent bladder-preserving therapies. Two patients died of TCC and 3 due to disease-unrelated conditions., Conclusion: Intravesical BCG instillation can be recommended as treatment modality for responders with T1G3 TCC bladder tumour. The benefit of the second course of intravesical BCG therapy has to be confirmed in further investigations., (Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel)

A 25-year-old man with occult ureteropelvic obstruction presented with abdominal pain 3 h following blunt abdominal trauma. Isolated rupture of the right renal pelvis was promptly diagnosed and the patient underwent immediate pyeloplasty according to the Anderson-Hynes procedure. The patient made an uneventful recovery. One year after surgery, renal function was satisfactory., (Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel)

It has been estimated that more than 30 million of people suffer from the symptoms in the lower urinary tract caused by benign hyperplasia of the prostate. According to data from literature the term benign hyperplasia of the prostate should be reserved only for histological diagnosis. The paper presents contemporary approaches to diagnostics and non-surgical, i.e. conservative modalities of the therapy. These modalities include: follow up of the patients, medicamentous therapy and non-surgical invasive therapies. Medicamentous therapy implies phytotherapy, inhibitors of 5-Alpha reductase and antagonists of Alpha-adrenergic receptors. Non-surgical invasive therapies include: balloon dilatation, ureteral stents and thermotherapy. The paper indicates the place of certain options related to the conservative treatment of benign hyperplasia of the prostate. A fact that only 10% of these patients are treated surgically means that majority of them need other, i.e. conservative therapy. New achievements in the treatment of benign hyperplasia of the prostate have aroused new hope for men suffering from this disease.

The use of radionuclide methods in the functional investigation of the urinary tract has become a routine part in the diagnostics of nephro-urologic diseases. These methods provide a great deal of important additional information concerning the functional status of the kidney and renal outlet system such as: overall renal function, contribution of the individual kidney to global renal function, regional distribution of functionally viable renal tissue within the kidney, and the state of upper as well as lower urinary tract urodynamics. These functional parameters are complementary to the anatomic details of the urinary tract status, and are best depicted by radiologic techniques. The paper deals with the basic principles of certain radionuclide studies, their advantages and drawbacks, as well as the main areas of their clinical application.

Quantitative labor data have been reported piecemeal in the literature; there is no previous unified report of the frequencies of each of the dysfunctional labor patterns (DLPs). In order to describe the labor process more clearly a labor diagnostic computer program was used to prospectively study an unselected series of 3,682 nearly consecutive labors from one institution. Cervicometric data for nulliparous and multiparous labor were very similar to the results of others. The absolute frequency with which each DLP was found to occur is compared with results in the literature. Protracted active phase dilatation was the most frequently occurring DLP and prolonged deceleration phase the least frequently occurring one. The relative frequencies of the DLPs, defined as the percentage of all DLPs that occurred, remained reasonably constant, regardless of parity or the absolute frequencies of the DLPs in a group of patients.

Obstetric risk scoring is a formalized way of recognizing, documenting, and cumulating antepartum and intrapartum factors to predict later complications for mother, fetus, and infant. If simple, practical, and reliable, risk scoring can be clinically useful in determining appropriate levels of care. In this prospective study, antepartum and intrapartum risk scales were integrated into the clinical record, and the relationship of risk scores to outcome was evaluated for 1,275 consecutively delivered gravid women. The forms could be simply and quickly filled out by the staff. Increased risk on both scales was significantly related to lowered one- and five-minute Apgar scores. The perinatal mortality rate increased from 0 to 93.4 per thousand from the lowest to the highest risk group. More than 80% of all perinatal deaths occurred in the one quarter of patients in the highest risk group. These results suggest that this risk scoring system can be used effectively in a clinical setting to identify patients at increased risk for neonatal depression and perinatal death.

The mechanical properties of the chorioamniotic membranes have been studied by several investigators over the past 100 years. No relationship between membrane strength, as measured by rupture tension, and premature or non-premature rupture of the membranes has been demonstrable. In the present study, several measures of the mechanical properties of the chorioamniotic membranes were examined. These included thickness, rupture tension, work to rupture, strain to rupture, and moduli of elasticity (Young). Prematurely and non-prematurely ruptured membranes differed with respect to thickness near the rupture site and Young's modulus near the placenta. Differences between the groups for the other parameters were not significant. This study suggests that there may be inherent differences between membranes which rupture prematurely and those which do not.