The Prevalence of Malignant Neoplasia in Feline Renal-Transplant Recipients

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of malignant neoplasia in a group of feline renal-transplant recipients (FRTR). STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective clinical study. ANIMALS: Ninety-five consecutive client-owned FRTR treated at the University of California, Davis, between 1987 and 1997. METHODS: Medical records of the 95 cats were examined. The time to occurrence and type of malignant neoplasia, if present, was determined. RESULTS: Nine of 95 cats (9.5%) developed apparently de novo malignant neoplasia after receiving renal allografts. The predominant type of neoplasm was lymphoma. The median time to diagnosis of neoplasia in these 9 patients was 9.0 months after transplantation, whereas the median survival time was 14.0 months after transplantation. This compares with a median survival time of 22 months after transplantation for cats that died for reasons other than development of malignant neoplasia. CONCLUSIONS: Although these transplant recipients were not compared with a control population, it would appear that, as in humans, malignant neoplasia is encountered with greater-than-expected frequency after renal transplantation and immunosuppression in cats. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The apparent propensity to develop malignant neoplasia after renal transplantation and immunosuppression in cats is a fatal complication of which owners and clinicians should be aware.     

Deaths in sheep exported by sea from Western Australia - analysis of ship Master''s reports

Mortality reports were studied for 181 shipments of live sheep from Western Australia to the Middle East and Singapore in 1985 and 1986. Samples of pelleted feed for 93 shipments were analysed for quality. Overall death rate in the 6.46 million sheep exported in the period of the study was 2.18%. In sheep bound for the Middle East, most of the deaths occurred during the voyage (overall rate 1.7%, range 0.4-4.4% per shipment), although substantial mortality was recorded during discharge (rate 0.4%, range 0.0-1.8%). There were few deaths during loading (rate 0.07%, range 0.0-0.8%). Deaths in sheep bound for Singapore were almost 10-fold lower than those sent to the Middle East. Several findings suggested that ship design and management may contribute to mortality. Death rates were invariably low on some ships and often high on others. Death rates were nearly always higher in enclosed decks than in open decks on 4 vessels, and point epidemics of mortality were observed in several shipments. Temperature and relative humidity measured on the ship's bridge were not closely related to daily death rate. Antibiotics estimated to cost $226,000 were used during 33 voyages in 1986 and were considered of dubious efficacy on shipboard mortality. Analysis of feed pellets used on ship showed that the quality of the diet was within the range set by draft national standards for pellets used in the live sheep export industry.     

Measurement of cardiac output by transesophageal Doppler ultrasonography in anesthetized dogs: comparison with thermodilution

Thermodilution (TD) is the standard method for cardiac output (CO) monitoring in human medicine. Although called the ‘gold standard’, TD is related to numerous complications and data misinterpretations. Recently, a noninvasive, continuous, ultrasound‐based technique for CO measurement has been developed (Hemosonic 100, Arrow Intl). This study compared transesophageal Doppler ultrasonography (TED) for measuring CO with TD in anesthetized dogs. In this study, ten dogs were used to simultaneously measure CO by TED and TD. All dogs were pre‐medicated with acepromazine at 0.1 mg kg^?1 IM, induced with thiopental at 10 mg kg^?1 IV, and maintained on isoflurane at end‐tidal concentrations of 1.3%. Baseline and four different levels of CO were used for comparison. Low CO levels were induced by caudal vena cava occlusion. High CO levels were induced by the constant IV infusion of dopamine, dobutamine, or norepinephrine. Each level of CO allowed one comparison between TED and TD. Forty‐nine paired comparisons of CO were determined ranging from 0.73 to 10.9 L minute^?1. Simple linear regression was used to determine the correlation between the two techniques. Correlation coefficient (r²) was 0.53. Bland and Altman statistical method was used for assessing agreement between the two methods. The difference between the TD and TED when all data were included was 0.82 (bias) ± 1.63 L minute^?1 (mean ± SD). At low CO levels (baseline and caudal vena cava occlusion), the correlation coefficient was 0.77, bias was 0.35 ± 0.64 L minute^?1. At high CO levels (dopamine, dobutamine, or norepinephrine), the correlation coefficient was 0.39. It was concluded that TED was not a reliable monitoring method in determining CO when positive inotropes were used. TED might have importance in situations of low CO values; however, further investigation is warranted.     

Congenital cardiac disease in dogs

Patent ductus arteriosus, aortic stenosis, ventricular septal defect, pulmonic stenosis and tetralogy of Fallot are the most frequently reported cardiac anomalies of dogs. Systolic murmurs occur after the first heart sound but before the second, while diastolic murmurs occur after the second heart sound. Murmurs associated with the pulmonic, aortic and mitral valves are best heard at the left intercostal spaces 3, 4 and 5, respectively, and those of the tricuspid valve at the right intercostal space 3 or 4. Mucosae at both ends of the animal should be examined for cyanosis. Right ventricular enlargement is characterized by a mean electrical axis greater than 100 degrees, a Q wave amplitude greater than 0.5 mv in leads II, III and AVF, and a positive T wave in lead V10. Left ventricular enlargement causes an axis of less than 40 degrees, a QRS complex duration greater than 0.06 seconds, an R wave amplitude greater than 3 mv, and a slurred or depressed ST segment. Atrial enlargement is characterized by a P wave duration greater than 0.04 seconds and a P wave amplitude greater than 0.4 mv. The cardiac silhouette is more upright and round on DV radiographs than on VD projections.     

The espinal: agroforestry systems of the mediterranean — type climate region of Chile

The Central Valley of Chile is largely occupied by a pseudo-savanna called espinal consisting of a single dominant tree species, Acacia caven (Mol.) Mol. (Leguminosae), and some 215 annuals, most of which were inadvertently introduced from the Mediterranean Basin. The probable origin and current distribution of the espino (Acacia caven) and the espinales in Chile are described. Predominant production systems of the espinal in both the semiarid and subhumid regions of Chile are outlined, with emphasis on the later region. Causes of the current low levels of productivity are discussed, and various strategies for long-term improvement of the espinal are presented.     

荒漠区珍稀和野生果树的引种驯化

能在热带荒漠地区进行商业化栽培的作物种类是有限的,园艺作物尤其如是。本研究的目的就是通过引种驯化为热带荒漠区开发新品种。我们以下述两个来源的多年生植物为基础:干旱区和半干旱区人民食用的有营养价值的水果或干果的野生植物种;第二是从当地市场或栽培者那里能收集到的珍稀种类。以色列的内盖夫荒漠气候条件变幅宽广,水土类型多样,是本项研究的理想地点。本研究利用内盖夫的异质特点对向荒漠区引种驯化的不少植物的适宜性进行了预选试验。本文总结了从1984年开始的4年工作,并叙述了总的进展,详细介绍了六种预选植物。