Quantifying macroinvertebrate taxon richness and abundance in open and forested pool complexes in the Sutherland Flows

1. The aquatic macroinvertebrates of two pool complexes, one open and one forested, in the Sutherland Flows containing temporary, drought sensitive and permanent pools were sampled to establish the most economical sampling for future investigation into the effects of afforestation. 2. Given the variation in pool type and size within each complex, (a) an estimate of the average number of taxa per pool of each type was needed to compare pools of different types, (b) the total number of taxa found in each pool type was needed to allow comparison between sites. 3. Thirty specimens from each pool established the average number of taxa per pool and showed that permanent pools had a higher taxon richness than temporary pools. 4. Four hundred and fifty specimens (and therefore 15 pools with 30 specimens each) were needed to give an estimate of the total number of taxa per pool type. However, the number of samples in some categories was insufficient to allow comparisons to be made between sites and rarefaction was used to make baseline comparisons. 5. Rarefaction suggests that at both sites the permanent pools had highest taxon richness. Rarefaction also indicated there may be slightly higher total invertebrate taxon richness in each pool type at the forested site. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modulation of mTOR signaling by radiation and rapamycin treatment in canine mast cell cancer cells

Rapamycin has been reported to reduce cancer cell survival in certain tumors following radiation therapy, but the mechanisms driving this phenomenon are unclear. Rapamycin inhibits mTOR signaling, a pathway responsible for several essential cell functions. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of rapamycin and radiation on the activation and inhibition of mTOR signaling and the relationship between mTOR signaling and DNA damage response in vitro using canine mast cell tumor (MCT) cancer cell lines. Rapamycin rapidly inhibited S6K phosphorylation in a dose-dependent manner. Ionizing radiation (3, 6, or 10 Gy) was able to activate mTOR signalling, but the combination of radiation and rapamycin maintained mTOR inhibition. The comet assay revealed that co-treatment with rapamycin induced modest increases in the severity of DNA damage to MCT cells, but that these differences were not statistically significant. Although the relationship between mTOR and DNA damage response in MCT cancer cell lines remains unclear, our findings suggest the possibility of interaction, leading to enhancement of radiation response.     

ULTRASOUND-GUIDED FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY OF BONE LESIONS: A PRELIMINARY REPORT

The purpose of this preliminary study was to determine the feasibility of ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of suspected neoplastic lesions of bone. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples were obtained in 23 patients (22 dogs and one cat) with radiographic evidence of a destructive or destructive/productive bone lesion. The lesions were located in the appendicular skeleton in 20 patients and in the axial skeleton in three. Histopathology from tissue core biopsies and/or necropsy was not deemed necessary in 11 patients where ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy results were conclusive for neoplasia. A cytologic diagnosis from ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy was confirmed by histologic samples obtained at surgery or necropsy in five patients. In one of these five, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples were diagnostic for sarcoma when tissue-core biopsy was inconclusive. Both ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy and tissue core biopsy techniques were inconclusive in one patient. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy samples were nondiagnostic in five patients where a follow-up histopathologic diagnosis of neoplasia was made. It was concluded that ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy of bone, if diagnostic, may help avoid the need for a tissue-core biopsy in some instances. However, a negative ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy sample does not rule out neoplasia. A negative ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy should be followed by a tissue-core biopsy and histologic analysis in all patients. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy seems to be a promising technique for the diagnosis of bone lesions.     

Synergisms in Science: Climate Change and Integrated Pest Management Through the Lens of Communication—2019 Student Debates

Every year, the Student Debates Subcommittee (SDS) of the Student Affairs Committee (SAC) for the annual Entomological Society of America (ESA) meeting organizes the Student Debates. This year, the SAC selected topics based on their synergistic effect or ability to ignite exponential positive change when addressed as a whole. For the 2019 Student Debates, the SAC SDS identified these topic areas for teams to debate and unbiased introduction speakers to address: 1) how to better communicate science to engage the public, particularly in the area of integrated pest management (IPM), 2) the influential impacts of climate change on agriculturally and medically relevant insect pests, and 3) sustainable agriculture techniques that promote the use of IPM to promote food security. Three unbiased introduction speakers gave a foundation for our audience to understand each debate topic, while each of six debate teams provided a strong case to support their stance or perspective on a topic. Debate teams submitted for a competitive spot for the annual ESA Student Debates and trained for the better part of a year to showcase their talents in presenting logical arguments for a particular topic. Both the debate teams and unbiased introduction speakers provided their insight toward a better understanding of the complexities of each topic and established a foundation to delve further into the topics of science advocacy and communication, climate change, and the many facets of integrated pest management.     

MENINGEAL ENHANCEMENT ON MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING IN 15 DOGS AND 3 CATS

A retrospective study of 15 dogs and three cats was done to characterize the appearance of meningeal enhancement on magnetic resonance (MR) images of the brain, and to correlate this appearance with its underlying cause. Two patterns of meningeal enhancement (pial and dural) were identified. Enhancement of the pia mater was evident in four dogs and one cat, while enhancement of the dura mater was seen in 11 dogs and 2 cats. A variety of causes of meningeal enhancement were identified, including bacterial and cryptococcal meningitis, plasmacytic meningitis with associated subdural fluid accumulation, granulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis, inflammation secondary to otitis interna, feline infectious peritonitis, and neoplasia. The present study confirms that pial or dural meningeal enhancement may be present on MR images of the brain of dogs or cats in association with a variety of central nervous system diseases. A larger prospective study is required to further establish the incidence of specific patterns of meningeal enhancement seen in association with specific diseases.     

Detection of antibodies to West Nile virus in equine sera using microsphere immunoassay.

One hundred and ninety-one sera from horses that recently were exposed to West Nile virus (WNV) by either vaccination or natural infection or that were not vaccinated and remained free of infection were used to evaluate fluorescent microsphere immunoassays (MIAs) incorporating recombinant WNV envelope protein (rE) and recombinant nonstructural proteins (rNS1, rNS3, and rNS5) for detection of equine antibodies to WNV. The rE MIA had a diagnostic sensitivity and specificity, respectively, of 99.3% and 97.4% for detection of WNV antibodies in the serum of horses that were recently vaccinated or naturally infected with WNV, as compared to the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). The positive rE MIA results were assumed to be WNV-specific because of the close agreement between this assay and the PRNT and the fact that unvaccinated control horses included in this study were confirmed to be free of exposure to the related St Louis encephalitis virus. The NS protein-based MIA were all less sensitive than either the rE MIA or PRNT (sensitivity 0-48.0), although the rNSI MIA distinguished horses vaccinated with the recombinant WNV vaccine from those that were immunized with the inactivated WNV vaccine (P < 0.0001) or naturally infected with WNV (P < 0.0001). The rE MIA would appear to provide a rapid, convenient, inexpensive, and accurate test for the screening of equine sera for the presence of antibodies to WNV.     

Metabolic phenotyping of mouse mutants in the German Mouse Clinic

The German Mouse Clinic was established as a phenotyping center to provide the scientific community with systematic standardized phenotyping of mouse models from various genetic backgrounds. We found metabolic phenotypes in nine out of 20 mutant lines screened in a primary screen. Based on these findings, the mutants were analyzed in secondary and tertiary screens. Mice of a sample mutant line, isolated from the ENU‐screen at the National Research Center for Environment and Health in Munich, were found to have lower body weight, consume less food, but have higher ratios of metabolized energy per unit body weight compared with their wild‐type littermates. Basal metabolic rate and heat production were simultaneously increased by 16–18%, whereas body fat content was reduced by 11–16%. The combination of various parameters of energy consumption, expenditure and energy storage illustrate the metabolic demands of the sample mutant mouse line and demonstrate the utility of the powerful phenotyping tool used at the German Mouse Clinic.     

Toxicity, dosage, and efficacy of vinorelbine (Navelbine) in dogs with spontaneous neoplasia

The purpose of this study was to evaluate short-term adverse effects and determine a safe dosage for vinorelbine (Navelbine)--a new semisynthetic vinca alkaloid--in dogs with malignant tumors. Nineteen dogs were treated with vinorelbine as a 5-minute IV infusion every 7 days at starting dosages ranging from 10 to 20 mg/m2. The median number of treatments per dog was 7 (range, 1-11). The maximum tolerated dosage varied between 15 and 18 mg/m2, and a starting dosage of 15 mg/m2 is recommended. Neutropenia was the dose-limiting toxicity. Although efficacy was a secondary endpoint of this dosage-finding study, 2 dogs with metastatic bronchoalveolar carcinoma experienced a partial response for an overall response rate of 12.5% in 16 dogs with gross measurable disease. Three dogs with microscopic disease were treated (incompletely excised bronchoalveolar carcinoma or lymph node metastatic disease). Two died of pulmonary metastatic disease 113 and 196 days posttreatment, and 1 is still alive after at least 730 days. The well-tolerated toxicity profile and clinical activity observed in dogs with bronchoalveolar carcinoma warrants further investigation.