Mucinous cholangiocarcinoma in a cat

Mucinous cholangiocarcinoma was diagnosed in a 14-year-old, castrated male, domestic shorthaired cat with marked peritoneal effusion. Cytological confirmation of malignancy by fluid analysis and fine-needle, ultrasound-guided aspiration of the liver was followed by histological examination of tissue samples obtained at surgery and necropsy. No observed response followed chemotherapy with doxorubicin and carboplatin. Electron microscopy and immunohistochemistry helped to further characterize this unusual tumor.     

Ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy in dogs with thyroid carcinoma

Currently, a histological diagnosis of highly vascularized canine (c) thyroid carcinoma (TC) is primarily obtained following excisional biopsy (EB) through thyroidectomy. Non-EBs are contraindicated in unresectable invasive cTCs due to their highly vascularized nature, which subsequently, lack histological diagnosis. We hypothesised ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (UGCNB) to be a safe biopsy technique to obtain an accurate histological diagnosis in unresectable TCs. Nine client-owned dogs with suspected naturally occurring TC, presented for surgical excision, were included. First, a UGCNB was taken from the cervical tumour, followed by EB. Haemorrhage following UGCNB was evaluated preoperatively and once the tumour was surgically exposed by visual inspection and ultrasonography. Histological analysis, including cell organisation, tumour capsular and vascular invasion, and immunohistochemistry were performed and compared between both biopsy specimens (i.e., UGCNB and EB) of the same dog. Pre- and peroperative visual inspection revealed minor, localised haemorrhage, subsequent to the UGCNB, in 7/9 dogs. Histology of the EBs confirmed TC in 8/9 dogs and was inconclusive in 1/9 dogs. Histology of the UGCNBs revealed neoplastic thyroid tissue in 7/9 UGCNBs and was inconclusive in 1/9 UGCNBs. The remaining UGCNB contained no mass related tissue and was, therefore, excluded. Histological parameters (i.e., cell organisation, tumour capsular and vascular invasion) were not concordant between 6/8 included UGCNBs and their respective EB. Immunolabelling for thyroglobulin and calcitonin was concordant between all eight included UGCNBs and their respective EB. The remaining evaluated immunohistochemical markers (i.e., cyclooxygenase-2 [COX-2], P-glycoprotein and vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF]) were concordant between the included UGCNBs and the EBs in 6/8 dogs. To conclude, UGCNBs can be safely obtained in suspected cTCs and enable a reliable diagnosis of the thyroid origin, thyroid cell origin and potential therapeutic markers such as COX-2, P-glycoprotein and VEGF. Subsequently, UGCNB enables clinicians to establish an individually tailored treatment plan in dogs with unresectable TC.     

Production and water use in lettuces under variable water supply

The effects of a variable water supply on the water use, growth and yield of two crisphead and one romaine (i.e., Cos) lettuce cultivar were examined in a field experiment using a line source sprinkler system that produced a range of water regimes that occur in growers fields. Four locations at increasing distances from the main line were monitored through the season (i.e., from thinning to harvest, 28–63 days after planting (DAP)). These locations at the end of the season corresponded to: (1) rewatering to field capacity (FC); (2) watering with a volume 13% below that required in the field capacity treatment (0.87*FC); (3) 30% below FC (0.70*FC); and (4) 55% below FC (0.45*FC). A linear production function for dry matter accumulation and fresh weight vs. crop evapotranspiration (ET_c) was determined for lettuce during this period, giving a water use efficiency for dry matter of 1.86 g m^–2 mm^–1 and for fresh weight of 48 g m^–2 mm^–1 . For lettuce irrigated to field capacity, ET_c between thinning and harvest was 146 mm; maximum crop coefficients of 0.81–1.02 were obtained at maturity (55–63 DAP). For the three irrigation treatments receiving the largest water application, ET_c was higher in the Cos culivar than in the two crisphead lettuce cultivars which had similar ET_c. Plant fresh weight was more sensitive than dry weight to reduction in water supply. In the FC treatment, root length density and soil water extraction were greatest in the top 0–45 cm, and decreased rapidly below 45 cm depth. Soil water extraction by roots increased at lower depths when irrigation was reduced. Instantaneous rates of leaf photosynthesis and leaf water potential showed no response to the irrigation treatments in this study, despite differences in biomass production. Evaporation was determined to be the major component of ET_c for 45 of the 63 days of the growing season. The large loss of water by evaporation during mid-season and the apparent insensitivity of lettuce to the volume of irrigation during this period may provide an opportunity for reducing irrigation applications.     

从多毛野生番茄中初步鉴定出一个抗美洲斑潜蝇的显性基因

美洲斑潜蝇(LiriomyzasativaeBlandchard)是危害番茄生产的主要害虫之一,从番茄近缘野生种中挖掘优异的抗斑潜蝇基因,并研究抗虫基因的遗传,是番茄抗虫遗传改良的重要基础。将筛选到的高抗美洲斑潜蝇的野生多毛番茄(L.hirsutum)材料LA2329,与高感美洲斑潜蝇栽培番茄早粉2号杂交,并用早粉2号为母本与杂种F1回交,通过对各世代抗斑潜蝇的人工接种鉴定,初步判定该抗性由单显性基因控制。番茄属中由单显性基因控制的对斑潜蝇抗性,目前尚未见报道。该抗性基因的发现,将为今后番茄抗斑潜蝇育种提供宝贵资源,有望在不远的将来通过标记辅助育种手段而引入栽培番茄,为我国番茄生产中害虫的防治提供环保、经济而有效的科技支撑。     

Irrigation facility relocations along the Arizona state route 85 corridor

In 1999 the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) began improvements along the State Route 85 (SR85) corridor between Gila Bend and Interstate 10 (I-10). At the time SR85 was a two-lane highway that carried a large volume of truck traffic between Interstate 8 near Gila Bend and Phoenix. The SR85 roadway improvements project is broken into phases. The first phase includes the construction of frontage roads and using these roads as a divided highway. Once the divided highway is completed, the final freeway cross section will be constructed between the frontage roads. The project impacted existing irrigation facilities for three irrigation districts located between the Gila River and I-10; the Arlington Canal Company, Buckeye Water Conservation and Drainage District (BWCDD) and Roosevelt Irrigation District (RID). The roadway improvements impact three main canals, turnouts from the main canal, main canal check structures, delivery structures, laterals, groundwater wells and tailwater collection systems. Three miles of irrigation facilities relocations were completed in various phases between 1999 and 2009. Total construction cost as of May 2009 is about $9.4 million. ADOT is currently working on 30% design plans for the main line between the Gila River and Broadway Road. The irrigation districts are coordinating with ADOT regarding the impacts to the irrigation facilities. In this paper we present the institutional and functional constraints to infrastructure modernization in an urbanizing area with historic irrigated agriculture. This process was complicated by the need to continue to operate the irrigation delivery facilities on an almost year-round basis.     

Correction to: Individual based modelling of fish migration in a 2-D river system: model description and case study

Landscape Ecology - In the original publication of the article, the third author name has been misspelt. The correct name is given in this Correction. The original version of this article was revised.