Previous research in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS) has found that Chiari-like malformation and syringomyelia (CM/SM) are associated with a volume mismatch between the caudal cranial fossa (CCF) and the brain parenchyma contained within. The objectives of this study were to i) compare cerebellar volume in CKCS (a “high risk’ group which frequently develops CM/SM), small breed dogs (medium risk – occasionally develop CM/SM), and Labradors (low risk – CM/SM not reported); ii) evaluate a possible association between increased cerebellar volume and CM/SM in CKCS; iii) investigate the relationship between increased cerebellar volume and crowding of the cerebellum in the caudal part of the CCF (i.e. the region of the foramen magnum). Volumes of three-dimensional, magnetic resonance imaging derived models of the CCF and cerebellum were obtained from 75 CKCS, 44 small breed dogs, and 31 Labradors. As SM is thought to be a late onset disease process, two subgroups were formed for comparison: 18 CKCS younger than 2 years with SM (CM/SM group) and 13 CKCS older than 5 years without SM (CM group). Relative cerebellar volume was defined as the volume of the cerebellum divided by the total volume of brain parenchyma. Our results show that the CKCS has a relatively larger cerebellum than small breed dogs and Labradors and provide evidence that increased cerebellar volume in CKCS is associated with crowding of cerebellum in the caudal part of the CCF. In CKCS there is an association between increased cerebellar volume and SM. These findings have implications for the understanding of the pathological mechanisms of CM/SM, and support the hypothesis that it is a multifactorial disease process governed by increased cerebellar volume and failure of the CCF to reach a commensurate size.

Objective. To evaluate the utility of offering physicians electronic options as alternatives to completing mail questionnaires. Data Source. A survey of colorectal cancer screening practices of Alabama primary care physicians, conducted May-June 2010. Study Design. In the follow-up to a mail questionnaire, physicians were offered options of completing surveys by telephone, fax, email, or online. Data Collection Method. Detailed records were kept on the timing and mode of completion of surveys. Principal Findings. Eighty-eight percent of surveys were returned by mail, 10 percent were returned by fax, and only 2 percent were completed online; none were completed by telephone or email. Conclusions. Offering fax options increases response rates, but providing other electronic options does not.

BackgroundLimited information is available about prognostic factors for recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) to the L4‐S3 segments. Previous research suggests that L4‐S3 SCI does not have a worse prognosis than T3‐L3 SCI.Hypothesis/ObjectivesTo elucidate prognostic factors for regaining urinary continence and ambulation in dogs with L4‐S3 SCI and compare prognosis to T3‐L3 SCI.Animals/MethodsA retrospective study on 61 nonambulatory dogs with L4‐S3 SCI, matched to dogs with T3‐L3 SCI, compared 3 weeks after onset. Prognostic factors explored using logistic regression and used for matching: nonchondrodystrophic dogs >15 kg versus dogs that were chondrodystrophic or <15 kg; compressive versus noncompressive lesions; presence versus absence of conscious pain perception (CPP); and lower vs upper motor neuron (LMN/UMN) incontinence.ResultsFewer L4‐S3 dogs regained continence compared to T3‐L3 dogs (64 vs 85%, P = .0033), but no difference existed for regaining ambulation (66 vs 75%, P = .1306). In L4‐S3 SCI dogs, fewer dogs regained continence with loss of CPP (P < .001), LMN incontinence (P = .004), and noncompressive lesions (P = .006). Negative prognostic factors for regaining ambulation included absent CPP (P < .001) and large nonchondrodystrophic breed (P = .022).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceDogs with L4‐S3 SCI have a poorer short‐term prognosis than do dogs with T3‐L3 SCI. Dogs with L4‐S3 SCI had a poor prognosis with loss of CPP, or noncompressive lesions combined with LMN incontinence. Small‐breed or chondrodystrophic dogs with retained CPP, compressive lesions, and UMN incontinence had an excellent prognosis. These findings may help guide decision‐making in L4‐S3 SCI.

The purpose of this study was to assess whether contact by mail via an introductory postcard would increase the response rate to a telephone survey in a selected population of 348 people 60 years and older. Of this group, 208 were sent a postcard introducing the study and informing them that someone would call in the next 1-2 weeks to conduct a telephone interview. The remaining sample of 140 did not receive the introductory postcard. Amongst the potential participants who were contacted and able to participate (n = 240), the response rate for completed interview was 58.0% for those sent a postcard and 42.3% for those who were not. The refusal rate was 25.3% (postcard sent) and 37.2% (not sent a postcard). When the outcome of contact is collapsed to two categories, 'agreed to participate' and 'refusal', the response rate to participate was 73.5% (sent a postcard) and 59.0% (not sent a postcard) (chi(2) 5.14, d.f. 1, sign. 0.023). The response rate amongst those who recall being sent a postcard rose to 86.0%. Whether agreeing to participate or refusing to be involved in the survey was dependent on being sent an introductory postcard. The conclusion is that mailing a postcard prior to the first telephone contact increases the participation rates of older persons in a telephone survey at very little extra cost (A$0.60 per person).

This study aimed to investigate the effects of social media addiction on depression in adult individuals. For this purpose, the researchers analyzed whether social media dependence had differing impacts according to various variables (age, gender, the highest level of education, duration of daily use of social media, frequency of social media use, etc.). A sample population of 419 people who live in different provinces in Turkey between 18 and 62 years of age participated in the research. The questionnaire form was developed to obtain the Social Media Dependence Scale (SMDS), Beck Depression Inventory scores, and demographic information from the participants. The research was conducted according to the general screening model. Significant differences were found between depression and social media dependency in variables such as the number of children, age, and income. As a result of the study, when social media addiction was examined in terms of gender among socio-demographic variables, no significant difference was found.

Cavalier King Charles spaniels (CKCS) are notable among dog breeds for their high rate of Chiari-like malformation (CM-characterised by indentation of the cerebellum by the supraoccipital bone and/or herniation of a part of the cerebellum through the foramen magnum (Cappello and rusbridge 2007)) and syringomyelia (SMfluid-filled cavities within the spinal cord (syringes) (rusbridge and others 2000, lu and others 2003). The cause of this painful and heritable disease complex (rusbridge and Knowler 2004, lewis and others 2010) has been attributed to a volume mismatch between the caudal cranial fossa (CCF) and brain parenchyma contained within, mediated by crowding of hindbrain parenchyma and disturbance to cerebrospinal fluid flow dynamics in the caudal occipital region of the skull (levine 2004, rusbridge and others 2006). although the occipital bones of CKCS appear to be malformed (Dewey and others 2004, rusbridge and Knowler 2006, Carrera and others 2009), previous studies that investigated a possible association between reduced CCF volume and CM/SM yielded inconsistent results (Couturier and others 2008, Carrera and others 2009, Carruthers and others 2009, Cerda-Gonzalez and others 2009, Schmidt and others 2009, Driver and others 2010a, b). Furthermore, when CKCS were compared with other small breed dogs (SB), the CCF was appropriate in size but contained parenchyma that was disproportionately large (Cross and others 2009), suggesting that the aetiology of CM/SM in CKCS may be related to increased growth of the hindbrain. The authors of this communication recently reported that CKCS have a relatively larger cerebellum than SB and labradors (lD), and also found that in CKCS there is an association between the development of SM and increased cerebellar volume (Shaw and others 2012). However, this study also showed that increased cerebellar volume was associated with increased crowding in the caudal occipital region, in contrast with the other breeds in which caudal cerebellar crowding was independent of increased cerebellar volume. These are interesting findings as they suggest a multifactorial aetiology for CM/SM in CKCS, dependent on the cumulative effects of increased cerebellar volume and a CCF which does not reach a commensurate size. Here, we report that the morphology of the canine skull is affected by variation in hindbrain volume. important differences exist between CKCS, SB and lD that are pertinent to the pathological mechanisms of CM/SM.Our first hypothesis is that the caudal part of the CCF is relatively smaller in CKCS than in other breeds of dog, and there is an increase in the volume in other part(s) of the CCF. Our second hypothesis is that there is an association between SM in CKCS and reduced volume of the caudal part of the CCF. Our third hypothesis is that the volume of the caudal part of the CCF in CKCS is insensitive to variation in the relative hindbrain volume, and there is increased sensitivity in other part(s) of the CCF. a retrospective study of Mri scans of CKCS, SB and lD was perfor...

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