Bartłomiej J. Bartyzel

The Osteometry of Equine Third Phalanx by the Use of Three-Dimensional Scanning: New Measurement Possibilities

This study consisted in analyzing the asymmetry between bilateral third phalanges (coffin bones) in cold-blood horses based on the angle range of the plantar margin of the bone. The study employed a scanner projecting a hybrid set of images, consisting of sinusoidal stripes preceded by a Gray code sequence. As it turned out, three-dimensional scanning can be used to effectively determine the angle range for a selected portion of the studied bone. This provides broad possibilities for osteometric studies, as it enables the determination of angle distribution in a given fragment. The results obtained indicate a weak correlation between age and bilateral third-phalanx asymmetry in terms of the angle range of the plantar margins and no correlation between body weight and the asymmetry described.

The change of fatty acids composition of Polish biscuits during storage.

Commercially available Polish biscuits were stored for 10months under different storage conditions i.e. in temperatures of 5°C and 20°C. The chemical quality alteration caused by chemical reactions occurring within biscuits were studied in terms of change of composition of fat extracted from studied samples in one-month intervals. Correlation of data from standard methods e.g. gas chromatography or classic titration with FT-IR spectroscopy, was followed by calculation of four statistical models that accurately predicted peroxide value, oxidative stability, polar fraction content and unsaturated trans fatty acid content in any samples. On the basis of data obtained, scheme of chemical reactions involved in oxidation process was suggested. A critical time of storage was proposed as an indicator of the period of the highest rate of chemical changes. Among factors considered to influence oxidative stability, the following had the greatest impact: initial water content, initial fat content, and time of storage.

Fatal gunshot injuries in the common buzzard Buteo buteo L. 1758 – imaging and ballistic findings

The conservation of the common buzzard is assured by the European Union law. In Poland, this wild bird is under strict species protection and it is used as a bioindicator for heavy metals in the environment. A case of the fatal shooting of a buzzard with a firearm by an unidentified shooter is described here. Macroscopic evaluation, X-ray imaging, post-mortem computed tomography, ballistic examination of the isolated bullets and finally a simulation of the assumed position of the bird at the time of the shot were performed. Numerous pellets were found inside the body, together with multiple bone fractures and central nervous system trauma. The buzzard died most probably as a result of spinal cord injury from a single shot that was fired from a smoothbore hunting gun. Collected evidence was insufficient to identify the shooter, which sadly confirms that identification of the perpetrator in wildlife forensics remains low.

Morphometry of the alimentary system of the long-tailed chinchilla (Chinchilla lanigera)

Streszczenie. Badania wykonano na 40 szynszylach długoogoniastych (Chinchilla lanigera) (20 samic i 20 samców). Zmierzono długość narządów wewnętrznych układu trawiennego oraz ich masę. W celu porównania badanych cech metrycznych samca i samicy dane liczbowe poddano analizie statystycznej. Na podstawie uzyskanych wyników stwierdzono, że średnia długość przełyku, krzywizny większej żołądka i jelita ślepego była większa u samców. Po oszacowaniu masy narządów wewnętrznych ustalono, iż u samca większą wartość niż u samic osiągała masa żołądka i dwunastnicy wraz z zawartym w tych organach pokarmem oraz masa dwunastnicy oczyszczona z resztek treści pokarmowej. Badania pozwoliły wykazać też, że samice charakteryzowały się dłuższymi jelitami niż samce. Stosunek jelita cienkiego do jelita grubego wynosił u samic 1 : 1,52, a u samców 1 : 1,58.

DIAGNOSTIC APPLICATION OF MULTIROW COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY OF THE HIP JOINT OF JAPANESE QUAILS (COTURNIX JAPONICA)

The morphological assessment of selected parts of the hindlimb of Japanese quails (Temminck & Schlegel, 1849), with particular emphasis on hip joint structures, was performed, using a 128-row scanner (GE Optima Aquilion, Toshiba, Japan). Eight dead 3-month-old Japanese quails were evaluated. During intravital examination of those birds, no hindlimb abnormalities or locomotion disorders were detected. Bird body, which hip joints and other structures of hindlimbs were studied, was examined in posterioranterior position. The following hip joint structures, on both sides, were assessed in this study: hip joint gap width, acetabulum width, femoral head diameter, and femoral shaft width. The applied imaging method allowed accurate assessment of the selected structures. There was low variability between left and right hindlimbs and among individuals. Modern imaging techniques, such as multirow computed tomography (MCT) allows quick intravital assessment of normal and pathological structures of poultry bones and joints.