Pulmonary oedema as a suspected adverse drug reaction following vincristine administration to a cat: a case report

This report describes recurrent respiratory distress following vincristine administration to a cat with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. The cat was treated with a combination of vincristine, chlorambucil and prednisolone with initial success. After approximately 4 months, dyspnoea developed within 6 h of vincristine administration. Emergency therapy was instituted resulting in a full recovery. Further vincristine was administered; dyspnoea was similarly noted after all but one of these treatments. Dyspnoeic episodes were not attributable to alterations in vincristine dose or method of administration. The repeated temporal association was consistent with a suspected adverse drug reaction to vincristine.     

The motivation of high- and low-yielding dairy cows to obtain supplementary concentrate feed

The higher nutrient requirements of lactating dairy cows may cause hunger, and therefore the motivation to consume feed, to increase with milk yield. An experiment was conducted that aimed to establish whether dairy cows could be trained to obtain a food reward in response to lever pressing and, if so, whether high-yielding dairy cows had a greater hunger than low-yielding cows. As a measure of hunger the demand to consume feed was evaluated. In total, 7 high- and 6 low-yielding dairy cows were trained in 2 groups to use a lever to obtain 0.33 kg concentrate rewards. For at least a 9-day period each cow was tested for 30 min/day by increasing the number of lever presses required to receive each additional reward in a progressive ratio of 3. After the test cows were allowed to return to their quarters, where they could consume a total mixed ration (TMR). Initially high-yielding cows had lower maximum number of lever presses than low-yielding cows, possibly so that they could consume TMR after finishing the test, but from Days 6–9 the number for high-yielding cows increased until it was the same as low-yielding cows. There was a positive correlation between the maximum lever presses by high-yielding cows and their time in the test pen, which was not evident for low-yielding cows. The high-yielding cows spent more time feeding on the TMR after the test than low-yielding cows. Therefore, although the high-yielding cows were not prepared to work harder for food rewards, they did seem to adopt a more efficient feeding strategy by only spending time in the test pen if they were still receiving rewards and minimizing time without feed by eating more post-test.     

Relationships between climate and tree radial growth in interior British Columbia,Canada

Climate is a main driving factor of the formation of annual tree-rings, but which climatic variables are the most influential on radial growth may vary among species and sites. To explore these interactions, tree-ring chronologies along a major elevation gradient were examined for three tree species in southern interior British Columbia (Canada): Pseudotsuga menziesii, Pinus contorta, and Picea glauca × engelmannii. We used correlations and linear and multiple regressions to explore the relationships between tree-ring radial growth and climate variables in the area from 1922 to 1997. All correlation coefficients between ring chronologies and monthly climatic variables were medium to low (from −0.3 to 0.4); nevertheless, moderate but significant trends could be identified. Multivariate models explained up to 53%, 43% and 32% of radial growth variability for P. contorta, P. menziesii and P. glauca × engelmannii, respectively. All three species showed similar radial growth–climate patterns across the elevational gradient, but they had different details that made ring width–climate relationships species-specific. Precipitation-related variables were more related to radial growth at low-elevations, changing into temperature-related variables at high-elevations. Tree-ring width for all three species was primarily and significantly affected by climate variables from the year previous to the growing season and only secondly by current year conditions, but the critical months varied for different species and altitudes. Winter precipitation also affected radial growth, either as a source of water or as a possible agent of physical damage. Although our work showed significant climate influences on breast height tree radial growth, our results also indicated that other site factors such as microclimate or stand dynamics can be as or more important than climate variability.     

The influence of landscape relative to site and patch variables on primate distributions in the Colombian Llanos

Context

Primates are an important component of biodiversity in tropical regions. However, many studies on the effects of habitat change on primates ignore the relative influence of landscape composition and configuration.

Objectives

This study addresses the question: how important are landscape-scale forest area and composition relative to patch-scale (1–1080 ha) and site-scale (transect of 1 km) habitat variables for the occupancy and abundance of four primate species in the Colombian Llanos.

Methods

Using a randomly stratified survey design, 81 fragments were surveyed for primate occupancy and abundance. We used zero-inflated models to test the relative influence of landscape-scale, patch-scale and site-scale variables on occupancy and abundance for each species. A 95% confidence set of models was constructed using the cumulative Akaike weight for each model and the relative importance of each set of variables calculated for each primate species.

Results

Occupancy was determined by a combination of site-scale, patch-scale and landscape-scale variables but this varied substantially among the primate species.

Conclusion

Our study highlights the importance of managing primates at a range of scales that considers the relative importance of site-, patch- and landscape-scale variables.

     

Spawning behaviour of Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) merguiensis de Man and the effect of light intensity on spawning

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of light intensity just prior to and during spawning of Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) merguiensis de Man in the laboratory. Neither the presence of light nor light intensity (0, 10 and 1100 lux) had a significant effect on the spawning process or hatching rate in P. merguiensis. Difference in the percentage of spawners, percentage of incomplete spawning, fecundity and hatching rate were all insignificant (P > 0.05) among the three light treatments. However, spawning was delayed (up to 21 min on average) under 1100 lux with a high percentage of incomplete spawning, compared with the Control (0 lux). For the first time, spawning behaviour of P. merguiensis was observed and fully described. The spawning process can be divided into four phases: dormant, pre‐spawning, spawning and post‐spawning by distinct behaviour of prawn broodstock. The dormant phase was characterized by a quiescent and non‐feeding period, whereas movement of prawn broodstock was active during the pre‐spawning and post‐spawning phases. Depending on the individual, spawning was completed within 3–5 min. Prawns often stayed still on the water surface during spawning with occasional manoeuvres to change the position. After a short rest at the termination of the spawning phase, prawn broodstock re‐exhibited active movement as in the pre‐spawning phase, but showing conspicuous care to the deposited eggs. The role of light in controlling ovarian development and spawning, and the behaviour of prawn broodstock in relation to maximizing fertilization rate are discussed.     

Long‐term records (1781–2013) of European eel (Anguilla anguilla L.) production in the Comacchio Lagoon (Italy): evaluation of local and global factors as causes of the population collapse

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Habitat attributes of landscape mosaics along a gradient of matrix development intensity: matrix management matters

The matrix is an important element of landscape mosaics that influences wildlife indirectly through its influence on habitat, and directly, if they live in or move through it. Therefore, to quantify and manage habitat quality for wildlife in modified landscapes, it is necessary to consider the characteristics of both patch and matrix elements of the whole landscape mosaic. To isolate matrix effects from the often simultaneous and confounding influence of patch and landscape characteristics, we identified nineteen 500 m radius landscapes in southeast Queensland, Australia with similar remnant forest patch attributes, habitat loss, and fragmentation, but exhibiting a marked gradient from rural through high-density suburban development of the matrix, quantified by a weighted road-length metric. We measured habitat disturbance, structure, and floristics in patch core, patch edge and matrix landscape elements to characterise how landscape habitat quality changes for small mammals. Correlation analyses identified that with increased matrix development intensity, human disturbance of core sites increased, predators and exotic plant species richness in matrix sites increased, and structural complexity (e.g. logs and stumps) in the matrix decreased. Ordination analyses showed landscape elements were most similar in habitat structure and floristics at low to moderate levels of matrix development, suggesting enhanced landscape habitat quality. Matrix development intensity was not, however, the greatest source of overall variation of habitat throughout landscapes. Many variables, such as landholder behaviour, complicate the relationship. For enhanced conservation outcomes the matrix needs to be managed to control disturbances and strategically plan for matrix habitat retention and restoration.     

Management impacts on health of soils supporting Australian grain and sugarcane industries

The grain and sugarcane industries are the dominant cropping enterprises in Australia. Both are facing similar problems in maintaining productivity and profitability, although the management practices employed to achieve these objectives in the two industries differ markedly. The farming systems of both industries have evolved in recent years as our understanding of the physical and chemical benefits of practices like residue retention, reduced tillage and controlled traffic have improved. However the impact of such practices is often evaluated in terms of cost savings, operational efficiencies and efficient capture and use of water.

Soil health has not always been an important consideration in system change in either industry, with the exception that crop rotation has always been recognised as important in minimising the impact of soil-borne pathogens. Rotations have been a key feature of grain cropping systems and short duration legume fallows are becoming more prevalent in the sugar industry after more than 25 years of monocultures. However, intensification of cropping in recent years has meant that the pasture leys that were once a dominant component of the grain rotation systems are increasingly being supplanted by short duration cropping breaks with grain legume or other non-cereal crops.

Soil organic C has generally been recognised as an important component of soil fertility, but more for the role it plays in soil physical and chemical fertility. Links between organic matter status and soil biological health, and particularly to farming system viability and sustainability, have proven difficult to quantify. This has been partly due to a lack of tools or criteria for monitoring relevant soil properties and also to our limited understanding of the interactions between soil health and other system components. However recent studies are suggesting that the amount and quality of organic matter returned as roots and residues, and the placement of that residue relative to areas of future crop root activity, may be significant factors in the sustainable farming systems of the future.

This paper identifies key issues associated with current and developing farming systems in the grain and sugar industries in Australia, and assesses the impact of management practices employed in those systems on soil health. It also identifies some key challenges facing soil biologists and farming systems researchers who are trying to achieve improvements in soil health and sustainability.