Effects of radiotherapy alone and surgery and radiotherapy on survival of dogs with nasal tumours

The case records of 26 dogs with nasal tumours, treated either with radiation alone or surgery and radiation, were compared. One- and two-year actuarial survival rates for 12 dogs treated with radiotherapy were 58 and 13 per cent, respectively, compared to 71 and 38 per cent, respectively, for 14 dogs which were treated with surgery before radiotherapy. Sixty-seven per cent of the dogs treated with radiotherapy had recurrent clinical signs by 52 weeks compared to 36 per cent of the dogs treated with surgery and radiotherapy. The longer disease-free interval of the dogs treated with surgery and radiotherapy was statistically significant. When dogs with sarcomas were compared to those with carcinomas, there was no significant difference in disease-free interval or survival time.     

Stress reactions of cattle undergoing ritual slaughter using two methods of restraint

Studies were made of the behavioural and physiological reactions of cattle undergoing ritual slaughter in the Weinberg holding pen, in which the animal is inverted, and in the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) pen, in which the animal is standing. Behaviour was analysed with reference to the duration of the slaughter procedures by recording activities on an ethogram. Blood samples taken at slaughter were analysed for cortisol levels and haematocrit, and intramuscular pH was measured 45 minutes and 24 hours after slaughter. A wide range of activities was displayed in the ritually slaughtered cattle and these were particularly pronounced in the Weinberg pen. The mean time spent in the Weinberg pen was eight times longer than the time spent in the ASPCA pen. The cortisol and haematocrit values of cattle slaughtered in the Weinberg pen were significantly greater than those of cattle slaughtered in the ASPCA pen or cattle slaughtered conventionally. The results indicate that animals in the Weinberg pen experienced more stress than those in the ASPCA pen.     

The in vitro growth of erythroid colonies from dog bone marrow.

Enriched methyl cellulose media together with either human urinary erythropoietin or serum collected from phlebotomized dogs exposed to hypoxia was used in the study of the erythroid colony forming (CFU-E) capacity of dog marrow. The dog serum erythropoietin was found to be more efficient in stimulating CFU-E than comparable concentrations of human urinary erythropoietin. Numbers of CFU-E were directly related to the culture concentration of the stimulating serum and to the number of cells per plate. Sheep plasma erythropoietin was also found to be effective in stimulating CFU-E growth. The system described is chemically better defined and produced more consistent results than has been reported for the plasma clot method.     

Soil CO2 emissions in cropland with fodder maize (Zea mays L.) with and without riparian buffer strips of differing vegetation

Agroforestry Systems - Vegetated land areas play a significant role in determining the fate of carbon (C) in the global C cycle. Riparian buffer vegetation is primarily implemented for water...