Photodynamic therapy for the treatment of intranasal tumors in 3 dogs and 1 cat

Three dogs and 1 cat with intranasal tumors were treated with pyropheophorbide-a-hexyl ether-based photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT was well tolerated by all the animals, and no adverse effects from photosensitizer injection, such as cutaneous photosensitization, were observed. Facial swelling was observed in all animals after each PDT treatment but resolved spontaneously within 72 hours after treatment. All animals had a decrease in severity of epistaxis, frequency of sneezing, and amount of nasal discharge after PDT. Clinical signs were controlled for variable time, although long-term responses were comparable with radiation therapy in 2 animals. This small case series demonstrates another application for PDT in veterinary medicine. On the basis of these findings. further studies are warranted to define the role of PDT in the management of intranasal tumors in dogs and cats.     

Prediction of digestible energy value of extruded dog food: comparison of methods

The proposal of National Research Council (NRC), based on the use of modified Atwater factors, is nowadays the widely used method to estimate digestible energy (DE) content of pet foods. Recently, alternative methods have been suggested for predicting energy content of commercial canine dry food. Factorial equations including food fibre content as estimator, in vitro digestions methods or near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) techniques have been considered as good approaches to predict the energy content of dog foods. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of some of those estimation methods. Seventeen samples of commercial extruded dog food were used to validate and compare some estimation methods of energy digestibility (Ed, %) and DE value [MJ/kg dry matter (DM)]. The apparent Ed and DE of each food were previously determined by in vivo trials. In vivo Ed and DE of foods ranged from 79.30% to 91.05% and from 16.25 to 21.82 MJ/kg DM, respectively, and their crude fibre (CF) content ranged from 0.72% to 3.28% (in DM base). The % Ed of each sample was estimated by the factorial equation (% Ed = 91.2 - 1.43 x CF %) and by the in vitro digestion method [% Ed(in vitro) = -2.45 + 0.98 organic matter (OM) disappearance(in vitro)%]. The set of samples also was analysed by NIRS, using a calibration equation developed from a set of 69 samples of commercial extruded dog food (0.76 and 0.89 cross-validation r(2) and 2.33 and 0.61 cross-validation SE for Ed and DE respectively). The in vitro method gave better estimations of Ed in vivo than NIRS and factorial methods, although all the methods assessed showed a very good and similar accuracy in the prediction of DE value. These three methods showed a slight better accuracy than that previously proposed by the NRC. To consider constant digestibility values of nutrient content of food can result in bias and error in the estimated energy values. The alternative prediction methods used in this study take into account differences of ingredient composition and availability of nutrients of different extruded dog foods thus could be better systems of valuating energy content in a wider range of different kind of foods than in use method.     

Diagnostic use of cytologic examination of bone marrow from dogs with thrombocytopenia: 58 cases (1994-2004)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic use of cytologic examination of bone marrow from dogs with thrombocytopenia. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 58 dogs with thrombocytopenia. PROCEDURES: Medical records were searched and reviewed for dogs with thrombocytopenia. Dogs that had thrombocytopenia and cytologic examination of bone marrow were included in the study. Dogs with other hematologic abnormalities, with a previous diagnosis of hematopoietic neoplasia, or that had previous treatment with cytotoxic drugs were excluded. Bone marrow cytologic findings were reviewed. Results were compared between dogs with severe thrombocytopenia (< 20,000 platelets/microL) and dogs with mild to moderate thrombocytopenia (20,000 to 200,000 platelets/microL). RESULTS: 58 dogs met the inclusion criteria. Of 55 dogs with diagnostic bone marrow aspirates, 36 had severe thrombocytopenia. Cytologic evaluation of bone marrow did not reveal substantial nonmegakaryocytic bone marrow abnormalities or result in a definitive diagnosis in any of these dogs. Nineteen dogs with mild to moderate thrombocytopenia had diagnostic bone marrow aspirates. Bone marrow cytologic findings revealed nonmegakaryocytic abnormalities in 4 of these dogs. Significantly fewer dogs with severe thrombocytopenia had abnormalities identified on cytologic examination of bone marrow, compared with dogs with mild to moderate thrombocytopenia. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Cytologic examination of bone marrow is unlikely to provide specific diagnostic or prognostic information in dogs with severe thrombocytopenia.     

Comparative water relations of three successional hardwood species in central Wisconsin

Water relations of co-occurring understory saplings of Quercus ellipsoidalis E.J. Hill, an early successional, xeric species, Populus tremuloides Michx., an early successional, mesic species, and Acer rubrum L., a late successional species that occurs on both wet and dry sites, were evaluated on four dates during the 1986 growing season. The understory was characterized by high soil water content, low irradiance and low vapor pressure deficit throughout the growing season. Stomatal conductance and calculated transpiration flux were lowest for A. rubrum and highest for P. tremuloides and Q. ellipsoidalis. Except early in the growing season, leaf water potentials were lower in P. tremuloides than in the other species. Populus tremuloides had the highest bulk modulus of elasticity, Q. ellipsoidalis the lowest. Over the growing season, Populus tremuloides and Q. ellipsoidalis, but not A. rubrum, exhibited a decrease in osmotic potential at both full and zero turgor. Of the three species, Populus tremuloides exhibited the sharpest decrease in leaf water potential and turgor pressure with decreasing relative water content.     

Seasonal changes in photosynthesis of trees in the flooded forest of the Mapire River

We studied the flood tolerance of five tree species growing in the flooded forest adjacent to the Mapire river, in SW Venezuela. Mean photosynthetic rate and leaf conductance were 11 &mgr;mol m(-2) s(-1) and 700 mmol m(-2) s(-1), respectively. Xylem water potential ranged from -0.08 to -1.15 MPa. Based on leaf gas exchange as a criterion of tolerance to flooding, two response patterns were identified: (1) decreasing photosynthetic rate with increasing flooding and leaf conductance (Psidium ovatifolium Berg. ex Desc., Campsiandra laurifolia Benth., Symmeria paniculata Benth. and Acosmium nitens (Vog.) Benth); and (2) independence of photosynthesis and leaf conductance from flooding (Eschweilera tenuifolia (Berg.) Miers.). In the first response pattern, declining photosynthetic rate with flooding may be interpreted as a sign of reduced flood tolerance, whereas the second response pattern may indicate increased flood tolerance. An increase in xylem water potential with depth of water column was found for all species (with the possible exception of P. ovatifolium), indicating that flooding does not cause water stress in these trees. Submerged leaves that had been under water for between four days and four months generally had photosynthetic rates and leaf conductances similar to those of aerial leaves, indicating maintenance of photosynthetic capacity under water. Daily positive oscillations in glucan content in submerged leaves of P. ovatifolium and C. laurifolia suggest that submerged leaves do not represent a sink for photosynthates produced by aerial leaves.     

Zinc transformations in acidic soil and zinc efficiency on maize by adding six organic zinc complexes

Experiments under laboratory and greenhouse conditions were conducted to study the response of maize (Zea mays L.) to Zn fertilizer applications (Zn-phenolate, Zn-EDDHA, Zn-EDTA, Zn-lignosulfonate, Zn-polyflavonoid, and Zn-heptagluconate) in an Aquic Haploxeralf soil. The application of Zn complexes significantly increased Zn uptake by the plant compared with that in the control soil. The highest enhancements were obtained in soil treated with Zn-EDTA, Zn-lignosulfonate, and Zn-EDDHA. The highest percentages of Zn taken up by the plants occurred when 20 mg x kg(-1) Zn was applied as Zn-EDTA fertilizer and 10 mg x kg(-1) as Zn-lignosulfonate fertilizer. In the greenhouse experiment, Zn speciation in soil after harvesting showed that almost all Zn was found in the residual fraction followed by metal in the water-soluble plus exchangeable fraction and metal bound to organic matter. The most effective fertilizers maintaining Zn in the most labile fractions were Zn-phenolate, Zn-EDTA, and Zn-lignosulfonate. Conversely, in the incubation experiment, only a small percentage of Zn was found in the water-soluble plus exchangeable fraction and no differences in the Zn distribution were observed between the different fertilizer treatments. The micronutrient content in maize was positively correlated with the water-soluble plus exchangeable Zn as well as with the available Zn determined by the diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and Mehlich-3 methods, in the greenhouse experiment. Results of this study showed that the incubation experiment in acidic soil is not a suitable tool to establish the different effectiveness of Zn chelates in plants.