Medical-Grade ECG Sensor for Long-Term Monitoring.

The recent trend in electrocardiogram (ECG) device development is towards wireless body sensors applied for patient monitoring. The ultimate goal is to develop a multi-functional body sensor that will provide synchronized vital bio-signs of the monitored user. In this paper, we present an ECG sensor for long-term monitoring, which measures the surface potential difference between proximal electrodes near the heart, called differential ECG lead or differential lead, in short. The sensor has been certified as a class IIa medical device and is available on the market under the trademark Savvy ECG. An improvement from the user's perspective-immediate access to the measured data-is also implemented into the design. With appropriate placement of the device on the chest, a very clear distinction of all electrocardiographic waves can be achieved, allowing for ECG recording of high quality, sufficient for medical analysis. Experimental results that elucidate the measurements from a differential lead regarding sensors' position, the impact of artifacts, and potential diagnostic value, are shown. We demonstrate the sensors' potential by presenting results from its various areas of application: medicine, sports, veterinary, and some new fields of investigation, like hearth rate variability biofeedback assessment and biometric authentication.

Can heart rate variability parameters derived by a heart rate monitor differentiate between atrial fibrillation and sinus rhythm?

BACKGROUND: Heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, and especially RMSSD (root mean squared successive differences in RR interval), could distinguish atrial fibrillation (AF) from sinus rhythm(SR) in horses, as was demonstrated in a previous study. If heart rate monitors (HRM) automatically calculating RMSSD could also distinguish AF from SR, they would be useful for the monitoring of AF recurrence. The objective of the study was to assess whether RMSSD values obtained from a HRM can differentiate AF from SR in horses. Furthermore, the impact of artifact correction algorithms, integrated in the analyses software for HRV analyses was evaluated. Fourteen horses presented for AF treatment were simultaneously equipped with a HRM and an electrocardiogram (ECG). A two-minute recording at rest, walk and trot, before and after cardioversion, was obtained. RR intervals used were those determined automatically by the HRM and by the equine ECG analysis software, and those obtained after manual correction of QRS detection within the ECG software. RMSSD was calculated by the HRM software and by dedicated HRV software, using six different artifact filters. Statistical analysis was performed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test and receiver operating curves. RESULTS: The HRM, which applies a low level filter, produced high area under the curve (AUC) (> 0.9) and cut off values with high sensitivity and specificity. Similar results were obtained for the ECG, when low level artifact filtering was applied. When no artifact correction was used during trotting, an important decrease in AUC (0.75) occurred. CONCLUSION: In horses treated for AF, HRMs with automatic RMSSD calculations distinguish between AF and SR. Such devices might be a useful aid to monitor for AF recurrence in horses.

Chronic in vivo imaging in the mouse spinal cord using an implanted chamber.

Understanding and treatment of spinal cord pathology is limited in part by a lack of time-lapse in vivo imaging strategies at the cellular level. We developed a chronically implanted spinal chamber and surgical procedure suitable for time-lapse in vivo multiphoton microscopy of mouse spinal cord without the need for repeat surgical procedures. We routinely imaged mice repeatedly for more than 5 weeks postoperatively with up to ten separate imaging sessions and observed neither motor-function deficit nor neuropathology in the spinal cord as a result of chamber implantation. Using this chamber we quantified microglia and afferent axon dynamics after a laser-induced spinal cord lesion and observed massive microglia infiltration within 1 d along with a heterogeneous dieback of axon stumps. By enabling chronic imaging studies over timescales ranging from minutes to months, our method offers an ideal platform for understanding cellular dynamics in response to injury and therapeutic interventions.

Evaluation of a novel canine activity monitor for at-home physical activity analysis.

BACKGROUND: Accelerometers are motion-sensing devices that have been used to assess physical activity in dogs. However, the lack of a user-friendly, inexpensive accelerometer has hindered the widespread use of this objective outcome measure in veterinary research. Recently, a smartphone-based, affordable activity monitor (Whistle) has become available for measurement of at-home physical activity in dogs. The aim of this research was to evaluate this novel accelerometer. Eleven large breed, privately owned dogs wore a collar fitted with both the Whistle device and a previously validated accelerometer-based activity monitor (Actical) for a 24-h time period. Owners were asked to have their dogs resume normal daily activities. Total activity time obtained from the Whistle device in minutes was compared to the total activity count from the Actical device. Activity intensity from the Whistle device was calculated manually from screenshots of the activity bars displayed in the smartphone-application and compared to the activity count recorded by the Actical in the same 3-min time period. RESULTS: A total of 3740 time points were compared. There was a strong correlation between activity intensity of both devices for individual time points (Pearson's correlation coefficient 0.81, p < 0.0001). An even stronger correlation was observed between the total activity data between the two devices (Pearson's correlation coefficient 0.925, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Activity data provided by the Whistle activity monitor may be used as an objective outcome measurement in dogs. The total activity time provided by the Whistle application offers an inexpensive method for obtaining at-home, canine, real-time physical activity data. Limitations of the Whistle device include the limited battery life, the need for manual derivation of activity intensity data and data transfer, and the requirement of Wi-Fi and Bluetooth availability for data transmission.

Evaluation of eating and rumination behaviour using a noseband pressure sensor in cows during the peripartum period.

BACKGROUND: Eating and rumination variables were recorded in ten healthy cows over 5 days (group A) to generate reference intervals for comparison with the same variables recorded in ten cows in advanced pregnancy from ten days prepartum to ten days postpartum (group B). A pressure sensor integrated into the noseband of a halter recorded individual chewing movements. The endpoints calculated on a daily basis for each cow included duration of eating and rumination, number of eating and rumination phases, number of chewing cycles during eating and rumination, number of regurgitated cuds and number of chewing cycles per cud. RESULTS: The following reference intervals were established in the cows of group A: duration of eating, 212 to 394 min; number of chewing cycles during eating 13'101 to 26'515; number of eating phases 10 to 24; duration of rumination 304 to 471 min; number of regurgitated cuds 366 to 611; number of chewing cycles per cud 53 to 57; and number of rumination phases 9 to 18. In the cows of group B, duration of eating was 186 min and below the normal range ten days prepartum and decreased to 114 min on the day of calving, after which time it increased significantly to 266 min by day 10. The number of chewing cycles during eating had the same profile as duration of eating. Duration of rumination was in the normal range except for the day of parturition. It varied from 329 to 391 min prepartum, decreased significantly to 214 min on the day of parturition and then more than doubled by day 10. The number of regurgitated cuds had a profile similar to the duration of rumination. The number of chewing cycles per cud was lowest on the day before and the day of parturition and ranged from 45 to 61. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that eating and rumination variables decrease from ten days before parturition to a minimum on the day of parturition, after which time they increase.

Use of pedometers to measure the relationship of dog walking to body condition score in obese and non-obese dogs.

The objective of the present study was to utilise an accurate canine pedometer methodology and to assess the relationship between activity and body condition score (BCS) in dogs. Initial methodology validation used videography and pedometer step measurements to assess actual steps taken in comparison with pedometer readings for twenty large, medium and small dogs. During the validation, dogs considered to be medium or large breed showed no significant difference between pedometer readings and actual steps taken. A total of seventy-seven obese and non-obese dogs over 35 cm (14 inches) shoulder height and over 10 kg were recruited from a dog obesity clinic and a community sample to assess daily walking activity. Body condition scoring and pedometer steps were assessed on three separate weeks during a 10-week period. During the activity monitoring, daily step counts ranged from 5555 to 39 970 steps/d among the seventy-seven medium and large dogs. Dogs' BCS were inversely correlated with average daily steps (Spearman's ρ = - 0.442, P < 0.0001). The present study identified a significant inverse correlation between daily walking steps and BCS over a range from 4 to 9 out of 9 (P < 0.0001).

Evaluation of artificial pancreas technology for continuous blood glucose monitoring in dogs.

Artificial pancreas technology, involving "closed-loop" controls with real-time blood glucose monitoring, has been increasing in reliability as its potential for clinical use and application grows. One such device, based on this technology, is the STG-22 (Nikkiso Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) artificial pancreas apparatus. In order to assess the reliability and accuracy of the device for measuring blood glucose, it is important to compare its readings to those obtained using a 'gold standard' method, such as the hexokinase method. Therefore, in the present study, canine blood [glucose] measurements using the STG-22 were compared to those obtained using a previously established commercial reagent, Quickauto-Neo GLU-HK. Furthermore, two different sample types (whole blood versus plasma constituent) were compared to determine which sample type results in more accurate and optimal readings with the STG-22. Given that the STG-22 was not primarily designed for canine blood samples, results for canine blood samples were not accurate. Measurements performed by the STG-22 with whole blood were significantly lower than reference [glucose] counterparts. Alternatively, an opposite trend was observed with plasma measurements that were significantly higher. A conversion format using the following formula, Hexokinase [glucose] = STG-22 [glucose] × 1.407 + 1.532, was observed with canine samples in our study.

Technical note: the use of a physical activity monitor to estimate the eating time of cows in pasture.

Accurate eating time can be used as an index of forage dry matter intake in grazing cows. To develop a method for easily estimating the eating time of dairy cows in a pasture, 8 lactating Holstein cows were fitted with collars equipped with commercial uniaxial accelerometers; namely, the Kenz Lifecorder EX (LCEX; Suzuken Co. Ltd., Nagoya, Japan), and were allowed to graze in a pasture for 4, 8, or 20 h daily for 7 d. The LCEX device recorded the intensity of the physical activity categorized into 1 of 11 activity levels ranging among 0 (no movement), 0.5 (subtle) and from 1 to 9 (1, light; 9, vigorous intensity) every 4s during the experimental period. The activities of the animals were also video-recorded for 11h and were manually classified into 7 categories (eating, searching, ruminating, standing resting, lying resting, drinking, and walking) at 4-s intervals. According to the count distribution of the activity levels for the categorized activities, 94.4% of the counts involving eating activity ranged from activity level 1 to 7. On the other hand, most of the counts were activity level 0 or 0.5 when ruminating and resting activities were observed. No records of activity level 8 or 9 were found in any activities. When activity level 1 was used as a threshold for discriminating eating from the other activities, the lowest misclassification rate of 5.5% was observed. With a threshold of activity level 1, the eating times in pasture for cows grazing for 4, 8, and 20 h/d were 142.8, 290.6, and 438.4 min/d, respectively, and the proportions of the time spent in pasture that were made up of eating time were 0.66, 0.67, and 0.38, respectively [the proportion during daytime (8h of the 20-h grazing treatment) was 0.63 and that at nighttime (12h of the 20-h grazing treatment) was 0.23]. The use of the LCEX device allows for easy measurement of eating time and facilitates the determination of the pattern of eating activity in pasture for grazing cows.

An engineering perspective on the development and evolution of implantable cardiac monitors in free-living animals.

The latest technologies associated with implantable physiological monitoring devices can record multiple channels of data (including: heart rates and rhythms, activity, temperature, impedance and posture), and coupled with powerful software applications, have provided novel insights into the physiology of animals in the wild. This perspective details past challenges and lessons learned from the uses and developments of implanted biologgers designed for human clinical application in our research on free-ranging American black bears (Ursus americanus). In addition, we reference other research by colleagues and collaborators who have leveraged these devices in their work, including: brown bears (Ursus arctos), grey wolves (Canis lupus), moose (Alces alces), maned wolves (Chrysocyon brachyurus) and southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). We also discuss the potentials for applications of such devices across a range of other species. To date, the devices described have been used in fifteen different wild species, with publications pending in many instances. We have focused our physiological research on the analyses of heart rates and rhythms and thus special attention will be paid to this topic. We then discuss some major expected step changes such as improvements in sensing algorithms, data storage, and the incorporation of next-generation short-range wireless telemetry. The latter provides new avenues for data transfer, and when combined with cloud-based computing, it not only provides means for big data storage but also the ability to readily leverage high-performance computing platforms using artificial intelligence and machine learning algorithms. These advances will dramatically increase both data quantity and quality and will facilitate the development of automated recognition of extreme physiological events or key behaviours of interest in a broad array of environments, thus further aiding wildlife monitoring and management. This article is part of the theme issue 'Measuring physiology in free-living animals (Part I)'.

Measurement of glomerular filtration rate in anesthetized and conscious rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta).

OBJECTIVE: To validate a method to assess glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in conscious monkeys via transcutaneous radiation detection after IV injection of technetium Tc 99m pentatate (99mTc-DTPA). ANIMALS: 4 healthy rhesus monkeys. PROCEDURES: On day 1, each monkey was anesthetized, lothalamate sodium I 125 (125l-iothalamate) was administered via continuous rate infusion (0.0037 MBq/min); blood and urine samples were obtained for determination of 125l-iothalamate plasma clearance variables and estimation of GFR. One dose of 99mTc-DTPA (74 MBq/kg, IV) was also administered during the 125l-iothalamate plasma clearance test, and transcutaneous measurements of technetium 99m-emitted radiation were obtained by use of an ambulatory renal monitor (ARM) applied to a brachium of each monkey. Determination of GFR by use of the ARM was repeated on days 8 and 45 in the same monkeys without anesthesia. RESULTS: Sensitivity, accuracy, and precision of the 2 methods were similar. By use of the ARM, GFR determined by use of the renal rate constant (κGFR) was calculated; the value obtained on day 1 under anesthesia was similar to values determined via 125l-iothalamate plasma clearance testing on the same day, but was 16% to 23% less than that measured on days 8 and 45 in conscious monkeys. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The ARM method for assessment of GFR was less invasive, faster, and more convenient than the standard clearance method, but yielded comparable results. The need to train animals and size restrictions of the device may limit the use of this technique in other nonhuman animals.

Use of an activity monitor to detect response to treatment in dogs with osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether an activity monitor (AM) could be used to detect changes in activity in dogs with osteoarthritis treated with carprofen or a placebo. DESIGN: Randomized controlled trial. ANIMALS: 70 dogs with no clinically important abnormalities other than osteoarthritis for which they were not currently being treated. PROCEDURES: Dogs wore an AM continuously for 21 days. On days 8 through 21, the dogs were treated with carprofen (n = 35) or a placebo (35). Total activity counts for days 1 through 7 (baseline) were compared with total activity counts for days 15 through 21 (endpoint). The change in total activity count from baseline to endpoint was assessed within each treatment group as well as between groups. Linear regression analysis was performed to test for an association between treatment and percentage change in activity counts while controlling for other variables. RESULTS: For placebo-treated dogs, median baseline total activity count was not significantly different from median endpoint total activity count (1,378,408 vs 1,310,112, respectively). For dogs receiving carprofen, there was a significant increase in median activity count from baseline to endpoint (1,276,427 vs 1,374,133). When age and baseline activity counts were controlled for, dogs in the carpofen-treated group had a 20% increase in activity counts, compared with placebo-treated dogs (95% confidence interval, 10% to 26%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results suggested that the AM used in the present study may be a valid outcome assessment tool for documenting improved activity associated with treatment in dogs with osteoarthritis.

Evaluation of monitoring methods in asymptomatic dogs with high serum cystatin C concentrations.

This study evaluated the monitoring methods in asymptomatic dogs with high serum cystatin C (Cys-C) concentrations. Ten dogs with high serum Cys-C were divided into two groups based on the owner's choice; one receiving clinical pathology-based monitoring at an animal hospital specialised in chronic kidney disease, and the other receiving symptom-based monitoring at home, partly because they showed no clinical symptoms. The dogs that received the clinical pathology-based monitoring led to an early treatment intervention, resulted in a longer survival period than dogs received the symptom-based monitoring (P<0.05). It became clear that early treatment intervention by clinical pathology-based monitoring extends the renal survival period even in asymptomatic dogs with increased serum Cys-C concentrations.

Assessment of systolic and diastolic function in clinically healthy horses using ambulatory acoustic cardiography.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of cardiac electromechanical function in horses requires training, experience and specialised equipment and does not allow continuous monitoring over time. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to establish the use of an acoustic ECG monitor (Audicor® ) in healthy horses. It provides noninvasive, examiner-independent, continuous analyses combining ECG and phonocardiography to calculate indices of cardiac mechanical activity and haemodynamics. Device usability was investigated, reference intervals calculated and reproducibility of analyses assessed. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective descriptive study. METHODS: Continuous overnight recordings were obtained in 123 healthy horses. ECG and acoustic cardiography analyses were performed. Electromechanical activating time (EMAT), rate-corrected EMATc, left ventricular systolic time (LVST), rate-corrected LVSTc and intensity and persistence of the third and fourth heart sound (S3, S4) were reported. Associations with age and reproducibility of analyses were assessed. RESULTS: Audicor® recordings of diagnostic quality were obtained in 116 horses, with an artefact-free recording time of 1:08-14:03 h (mean 10:21 h). 44.8% of the horses had atrial premature complexes (up to 0.18% of analysed beats), 4.3% had ventricular premature complexes (up to 0.021% of analysed beats). Reference intervals for acoustic cardiography variables were reported. S3 was significantly more often graded ≥5 (scale 0-10) in younger compared to older horses (P = 0.0036, R2  = 0.072). The between-day coefficient of variation ranged from 2.5 to 7.7% for EMAT, EMATc, LVST and LVSTc. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Audicor® algorithms are based on human databases. Horses were deemed clinically healthy without advanced diagnostics. Some data were lost because of technical difficulties, artefacts and noises. CONCLUSIONS: Overnight Audicor® recordings are feasible in horses. Combining ambulatory ECG and phonocardiography allows noninvasive, continuous assessment of variables representing systolic and diastolic cardiac function. ECG rhythm analyses require over-reading by a specialist, but acoustic cardiography variables are based on automated algorithms independent of examiner input. Further studies are required to establish the clinical value of acoustic cardiography in horses.

New device for real-time bioluminescence imaging in moving rodents.

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) allows detection of biological functions in genetically modified cells, bacteria, or animals expressing a luciferase (i.e., firefly, Renilla, or aequorin). Given the high sensitivity and minimal toxicity of BLI, in vivo studies on molecular events can be performed noninvasively in living rodents. To date, detection of bioluminescence in living animals has required long exposure times that are incompatible with studies on dynamic signaling pathways or nonanaesthetised freely moving animals. Here we develop an imaging system that allows: 1. bioluminescence to be recorded at a rate of 25 images/s using a third generation intensified charge-coupled device (CCD) camera running in a photon counting mode, and 2. coregistration of a video image from a second CCD camera under infrared lighting. The sensitivity of this instrument permits studies with subsecond temporal resolution in nonanaesthetized and unrestrained mice expressing firefly luciferase and imaging of calcium signaling in transgenic mice expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP) aequorin. This imaging system enables studies on signal transduction, tumor growth, gene expression, or infectious processes in nonanaesthetized and freely moving animals.

Evaluation of a disposable device for the measurement of haemoglobin A1c in dogs.

A disposable device designed for measuring glycated haemoglobin (hba1c) in human blood was evaluated for use in dogs. edta blood samples were collected from 50 normoglycaemic dogs, 10 dogs suffering from anaemia and 112 diabetic dogs. hba1c was measured in all the dogs except for five of the diabetic animals, in which the concentrations were above the range of the device, that is, more than 13 per cent, and two of the anaemic dogs, in which they were below its limit of detection, that is less than 3 per cent. The diabetic dogs had higher hba1c values (range 4.9 to >13 per cent, median 9.3 per cent) than the normoglycaemic dogs (range 3.7 to 5.6 per cent, median 4.7 per cent). In the anaemic dogs the values were significantly lower (range <3.0 per cent to 5.2 per cent, median 3.5 per cent) than in the normoglycaemic dogs. There was a good correlation (R(2)=0.48) between the measurements obtained with the device and the measurements obtained with a system already validated for use in dogs.

Comparison of the pharmacodynamics of protamine zinc insulin and insulin degludec and validation of the continuous glucose monitoring system iPro2 in healthy cats.

With the aim to improve current therapeutic and monitoring options for diabetic cats, the present study compared pharmacodynamic parameters of protamine zinc insulin (PZI) and insulin degludec and validated the continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS) iPro2 with Sof-sensor and Enlite-sensor focusing on the low glycemic range. Three doses (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3IU/kg) of the two insulin preparations and the CGMS iPro2 with two different sensors were tested in six healthy cats. After each insulin administration, onset of action, time to glucose nadir and duration of action were calculated by measuring glucose concentrations with a portable blood glucose meter (PBGM). After sensor placement, paired PBGM and sensor glucose measurements were done and analytical and clinical accuracy were calculated according to the ISO 15197:2013 criteria. Onset of action, time to glucose nadir and glucose nadir were similar for both insulin formulations. Duration of action of insulin degludec was significantly longer than those of PZI at 0.1IU/kg (P=0.043) and 0.2IU/kg (P=0.043). Overall, 166/191 (87%) Sof-sensor measurements and 106/121 (88%) Enlite-sensor measurements met ISO criteria for analytical accuracy, and all sensor measurements fulfilled ISO criteria for clinical accuracy. Insulin degludec was well tolerated in healthy cats and showed longer duration of action than PZI. Further studies on the use of insulin degludec in diabetic cats might be recommended. Both sensors had good clinical accuracy, when used with the CGMS iPro2, but the analytical accuracy was below the minimum set by ISO 15197:2013.

Validation of a portable monitor for assessment of cerebrospinal fluid lactate in dogs.

BACKGROUND: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate concentration may be a useful diagnostic and prognostic biomarker in dogs. Previous studies have used methods requiring relatively large sample volumes or prolonged storage prior to analysis. An effective method to immediately quantify lactate in smaller CSF volumes would be beneficial. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives were to evaluate the utility, accuracy, and precision of a portable meter for CSF lactate analysis in dogs and to develop a provisional RI using this device. A secondary objective was to assess the effects of different storage conditions on lactate concentrations. METHODS: The Lactate Plus device was used to analyze CSF samples. Device accuracy and precision were assessed by spiking CSF samples with concentrated sodium lactate solutions and by repeated analysis of samples, respectively. The provisional RI was generated using CSF samples from dogs with unremarkable laboratory data, central nervous system imaging, and conventional cytologic and chemical CSF analysis. Select samples were analyzed before and after storage at 4°C, -20°C, and -80°C. RESULTS: Spiked samples showed lactate concentrations comparable to expected concentrations. The CV of immediate repeated measurements was 0-9.69%. Sample storage at 4°C for 24 hours showed similar results but variation was higher with other storage conditions. The provisional RI was 1.02-2.49 mmol/L. CONCLUSIONS: The Lactate Plus has acceptable accuracy and precision for the quantification of CSF lactate in dogs. Lactate in CSF is ideally quantified immediately after collection as a subset of samples show variation with storage although most stored samples show acceptable variation.

Assessment of mild hindlimb lameness during over ground locomotion using linear discriminant analysis of inertial sensor data.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY: Hindlimb lameness is common and can be difficult to diagnose or quantify in evaluating response to nerve blocks. An objective measure of lameness can also be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment's contribution to evidence-based medicine. The inertial sensor system can be used to capture 6 degree of freedom movement during over ground locomotion and here was used to quantify tuber coxae movement in nonlame and lame horses. HYPOTHESIS: Tuber coxae movement is useful for discriminating between nonlame and lame horses. OBJECTIVES: To measure left and right tuber coxae movement in lame and nonlame horses during over ground locomotion and to implement a linear discriminant analysis to discriminate between lame and nonlame horses. METHODS: Two inertial sensors were attached to the skin over left and right tuber coxae of 21 horses (9 mildly and 12 not lame). Horses were trotted on a hard surface. A total of 1021 strides were collected. For each stride 34 features were extracted from the dorsoventral and craniocaudal movement and used in 2 different classification scenarios (lame vs. nonlame or left lame, right lame and nonlame) using linear discriminant analysis. RESULTS: Six degree of freedom inertial sensors were successfully used to collect kinematic data continuously from left and right tuber coxae in horses during over ground locomotion. These data were used for an automated classification of lameness. In the first scenario, a sensitivity of 89% was achieved with a specificity of 75%. In the second scenario, all horses could be correctly assigned to the correct class in a simple 3 class reclassification test. POTENTIAL RELEVANCE: A mobile system that reliably detects and quantifies hindlimb lameness in horses during unconstrained locomotion could be a valuable tool to perform an evidence-based assessment of lameness in horses in a clinical setting, e.g. before and after nerve blocks or before and after surgery.

Continuous monitoring of ear temperature in boars.

Seventy boars penned singly in an artificial insemination station were included in this analysis. Each had a special ear tag with an integrated sensor to measure the skin temperature of the ear every 3 min. The readings were averaged per animal and hour, thus, over 18 months, resulted in a total of 37,7351 data points. In the whole investigation period, the system did not work for some days and some sensors did not work for hours. A diurnal rhythm was found for the ear temperature with its minimum reached between 5 and 6 am (22.07 degrees C) and the maximum between 4 and 6 pm (28.90 degrees C). If the ambient temperature was increased by 5 Kelvin then the skin temperature at the ear also increased by 3 to 5 Kelvin. On days when semen was collected, the ear temperature was higher during the relevant hours than at comparable times on days without semen collection. The results of 322 measurements taken from 70 boars, including 24 boars with increased rectal temperature (> 39.3 degrees C), showed that the coefficient of correlation between skin and rectal temperature was low (r = 0.36). Thus, the measurement of the skin temperature at the ear cannot be used as a significant or safe parameter for predicting the rectal temperature and sowith the health status of the animal.

Evaluation of newly developed veterinary portable blood glucose meter with hematocrit correction in dogs and cats.

This study evaluated the accuracy of a newly developed veterinary portable blood glucose meter (PBGM) with hematocrit correction in dogs and cats. Sixty-one dogs and 31 cats were used for the current study. Blood samples were obtained from each dog and cat one to six times. Acceptable results were obtained in error grid analysis between PBGM and reference method values (glucose oxidation methods) in both dogs and cats. Bland-Altman plot analysis revealed a mean difference between the PBGM value and reference method value of -1.975 mg/dl (bias) in dogs and 1.339 mg/dl (bias) in cats. Hematocrit values did not affect the results of the veterinary PBGM. Therefore, this veterinary PBGM is clinically useful in dogs and cats.