Omentum-Enhanced Reconstruction of Chronic Nonhealing Wounds in Cats: Techniques and Clinical Use

The greater omentum was used to aid in the reconstruction of nonhealing wounds in five cats. In each cat the cause of the nonhealing wound could not be determined. A vascular omental pedicle was created at laparotomy by dividing the dorsal leaf of the omentum at its pancreatic attachments (four cats) or by dividing the ventral leaf at its gastric attachments (one cat). The pedicle was then passed through either the ventral or lateral body wall into the nonhealing wound via a subcutaneous tunnel. The wounds were closed over the omentum after local tissue mobilization. All the wounds healed uneventfully and have remained healed with a mean follow-up period of 2.5 years. Complications included intestinal herniation through a ventral midline exit hole (one cat), presumed abdominal fat herniation through a ventral abdominal exit hole (one cat) and seroma formation (one cat). All of the complications were treated successfully. The omentum should be considered a useful adjunct in the treatment of nonhealing wounds in cats.     

Letter to the Editors

DISEASES OF THE THORAX – RADIOGRAPHIC DIAGNOSIS. Peter F. Suter, Juan A. Gomez
RADIOLOGY OF SKELETAL DISEASE – PRINCIPLES OF DIAGNOSIS IN THE DOG. J. P. Morgan     

Growth and competitiveness of Senecio madagascariensis Poir. (fireweed) in relation to fertilizer use and increases in soil fertility

The relative importance of increasing nutrient availability with regard to the growth and level of infestation of Senecio madagascariensis Poir. (fireweed) in pastures was assessed. In a ‘replacement series’ experiment with Avena strigosa Schreb. cv. Saia (oats), representing a vigorous annual competitor, total shoot dry weight of S. madagascariensis (when grown in pots alone or with oats) increased significantly (P<0.001) with increasing levels of nitrogen and phosphorus, but was unaffected by potassium levels. The relative growth of S. madagascariensis in mixtures of the two species, and hence the competitive advantage of the weed, generally increased at higher nitrogen and phosphorus levels. A greater percentage of dry matter was also partitioned into stems and flowering capitula, thereby raising its relative reproductive effort, and hence its invasive potential. Raising soil fertility through the use of nitrogen- or phosphorus-based fertilizers, or pasture legumes, is unliely in itself to suppress the growth of S. madagascariensis. Rather, fertilizer use may preferentially benefit the weed. Croissance et compétitivité de Senecio madagas-cariensis Pair, en relation avec la fertilisation et l'augmentation de la fertilité du sol L'importance relative de la disponibilité de nutriments croissants a été estimée sur la croissance et le taux d'infestation de Senecio madagascariensis dans les prairies. Dans une expérimentation de type ‘séries de remplacement’ avec Avena strigosa (Schreb) cv Saia (avoines), représentant un fort compétiteur annuel, le poids total de matière sèche de S. madagascariensis (cultivées en pots seuls ou avec avoines) a augmenté significativement (P< 0,001) avec une élévation des taux d'azote et de phosphore, mais n'a pas été affecté par le taux de potasse. La croissance relative de S. madagascariensis en mélange avec les deux espèces, et donc l'avantage dans la compétition de l'adventice, a en général augmenté avec des taux plus élevés en azote et phosphore. Un plus grand pourcentage de matière sèche était aussi réparti dans les tiges et les capitules foliaires, augmentant ainsi sa capacité reproductive et delà son potentiel d'envahissement. Augmenter la fertilité du sol à travers des engrais azotes et phosphores, ou des engrais verts est en soi-même non envisageable pour entraver la croissance de S. madagascariensis. L'utilisation d'engrais peut plutôt être profitable à l'adventice. Wachstum und Konkurrenzkraft von Senecio madagascariensis Poir. in Bezug auf Döngung und Zunahme der Bodenfruchtbarkeit Die Bedeutung steigender NährstoffVerfüg-barkeit für das Wachstum von Senecio madagascariensis und die Verunkrautung von Weideland mit dieser Pflanzenart wurde bestimmt. In einem Substitutionsversuch mit Sand-Hafer (Avena strigosa Schreb., ‘Saia’) als konkurrenzstarke einjährige Art nahmen die oberirdische Trockenmasse und damit der Konkurrenzvorteil von Senecio madagascariensis mit steigender Stickstoff- und Phosphorversorgung signifikant zu (P<0,001); Kalium blieb ohne Einfluß. Ein größerer Anteil der Trockenmasse wurde auch in die Stengel und die Blütenköpfchen, also die Reproduktion fördernd, eingelagert, wodurch das Invasionspotential wuchs. Durch Verbesserung der Bodenfruchtbarkeit durch Stickstoff-und Phosphordüngung oder Leguminosen kann das Wachstum von Senecio madagascariensis nicht unterdrückt werden. Düngung kommt in erster Linie dem Unkraut zugute.     

Bottom-up forcing and the decline of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) in Alaska: assessing the ocean climate hypothesis

Declines of Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) populations in the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska could be a consequence of physical oceanographic changes associated with the 1976–77 climate regime shift. Changes in ocean climate are hypothesized to have affected the quantity, quality, and accessibility of prey, which in turn may have affected the rates of birth and death of sea lions. Recent studies of the spatial and temporal variations in the ocean climate system of the North Pacific support this hypothesis. Ocean climate changes appear to have created adaptive opportunities for various species that are preyed upon by Steller sea lions at mid‐trophic levels. The east–west asymmetry of the oceanic response to climate forcing after 1976–77 is consistent with both the temporal aspect (populations decreased after the late 1970s) and the spatial aspect of the decline (western, but not eastern, sea lion populations decreased). These broad‐scale climate variations appear to be modulated by regionally sensitive biogeographic structures along the Aleutian Islands and Gulf of Alaska, which include a transition point from coastal to open‐ocean conditions at Samalga Pass westward along the Aleutian Islands. These transition points delineate distinct clusterings of different combinations of prey species, which are in turn correlated with differential population sizes and trajectories of Steller sea lions. Archaeological records spanning 4000 yr further indicate that sea lion populations have experienced major shifts in abundance in the past. Shifts in ocean climate are the most parsimonious underlying explanation for the broad suite of ecosystem changes that have been observed in the North Pacific Ocean in recent decades.     

Critical Transport Infrastructure in Urban Areas: Impacts of Traffic Incidents Assessed Using Accessibility‐Based Network Vulnerability Analysis

Incidents (vehicle breakdowns, crashes, roadworks, lane blockages, severe weather, etc.) are believed responsible for about 50 percent of traffic congestion in Australia's major cities, which is a similar situation to that found in cities in many other parts of the developed world. Incident‐based congestion is particularly disruptive because of its random occurrence in space and time, which maximises the operational impacts of the congestion on social and economic activities. This paper discusses a method for assessing critical locations—congestion “hot spots”—in urban road networks, and the development and application of diagnostic tools that will allow urban road system managers to anticipate potential vulnerabilities to incident‐related congestion and take proactive action to avoid congestion rather than react to it. The expected outcomes are then reduced congestion, delays, and pollution; significantly improved performance from the existing urban road system; and reduced pressure to build more roads. The method involves modelling of travel demand, network topology, capacity and road geometry, the identification and assessment of impacts of traffic incidents at specific locations in a road network, and the use of accessibility impact analysis to assess system‐wide effects. Accessibility impact analysis is undertaken using an accessibility framework, which can account for time of day, transport mode and destination choices by individuals, and level of traffic congestion among other factors. A case‐study application to a specific (potential) incident in a real‐world network indicates that the proposed method is feasible and demonstrates its power in identifying not just total impacts but the distribution of those impacts across a region or community. While current approaches to urban road network planning and management tend to be reactive—finding cures for problems as they arise or addressing locations of recurrent congestion or bad incident record—the vulnerability analysis method described in the paper should lend itself to a proactive approach that can anticipate structural weaknesses and vulnerabilities and help to avoid or at least temper potential adverse effects, rather than to react to them afterwards.     

Fine‐scale movements of the swordfish Xiphias gladius in the Southern California Bight

This study reports on the fine‐scale movements of swordfish (Xiphias gladius) outfitted with pop‐off satellite archival transmitters (PSATs) in the Southern California Bight (SCB). PSATs were deployed on basking swordfish using traditional harpoon methods from 2004 to 2006. Transmitters were programmed for short‐term deployment (2–90 days) and re‐acquired using a signal direction finder. High‐resolution (min^?1) depth and temperature data from nine swordfish (approximately 45–120 kg) were collected (>193 days). All swordfish displayed diurnal vertical movements similar to those reported for other geographic locations. The dominant diurnal movement pattern entailed swordfish remaining below the thermocline (>68 ± 15 m) during the day and near the surface, within the upper‐mixed layer, at night. Collectively, the average daytime depth (±SE) was 273 ± 11 m and the average night depth 31 ± 5 m. Three distinct vertical behaviors were recorded: 35% of the records following a strict diurnal pattern, with the entire day below the thermocline and the entire night near the surface; 52% of the records revealed routine surface‐basking events during the day, with an otherwise similar distribution at night; and 13% of the records exhibited surface‐oriented activity during the day and night. Surface basking (<3 m during the day) was recorded for eight individuals and occurred on 131 of the 193 days (68% of the dataset). Collectively, surface basking accounted for 8% of the total daytime records. The relevance of these vertical behaviors to SCB fisheries is discussed.     

Evidence of a local spawning site of marine eels along northeastern Japan, based on the distribution of small leptocephali

Evidence of recent spawning by several species of marine eels of the families Congridae, Ophichthidae, and Nettastomatidae was found over the continental shelf along the coast of northeastern Japan in October 2003. Sixty‐three leptocephali of at least three taxa that ranged from 3.8 to 12.3 mm total length were collected in a relatively small area, just to the south of Cape Shioya, primarily over the 100‐and 200‐m‐depth contours. The leptocephali of Gnathophis nystromi nystromi were the most abundant, followed by those of G. nystromi ginanago. This spawning area is located in an area that appeared to include water originating from the Tsugaru Warm Current and is further south than the typical latitude of the cold water of the Oyashio First Intrusion. These findings suggest that some species of marine eels may not migrate past the slope to spawn, and that the oceanographic features of the region may provide favorable conditions for the growth and retention of leptocephali in the area to the south of Cape Shioya.     

UPTAKE OF 99mTCMDP IN MUSCLE ASSOCIATED WITH A PERIPHERAL NERVE BLOCK

A focal area of increased uptake of radioactivity was observed in muscle during bone imaging with ^99mTcMDP. The area was previously the site of a peripheral nerve block with mepivacaine hydrochloride. Additional experiments were done to document the action of the local anesthetic. The effect on uptake decreased over several days.