A possible role of coarse fractionated radiotherapy in the management of gingival squamous cell carcinoma in dogs: A retrospective study of 21 cases from two referral centers in the UK

Surgery with or without the addition of radiotherapy is the treatment of choice for canine oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Fractionated radiotherapy alone is also effective in the long-term control of the disease, however coarse fractionated radiotherapy (CF-RT) for gingival SCC has not been extensively reported. The aim of this study was to describe side effects, clinical response, and median survival time (MST) of dogs with gingival SCC treated with CF-RT in the palliative and adjuvant setting. Twenty-one cases from two referral centres in the UK treated with CF-RT for gingival SCC between July 2013 and June 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Of the 21 dogs, 11 developed mild acute adverse effects. Oral mucositis was the most common radiation induced toxicity. Three dogs developed chronic severe adverse effects (oro-nasal fistula, bone necrosis and gum recession). Overall clinical response rate was 77% in dogs receiving palliative treatment with MST of 365 days (60–1,095 days). MST was not reached for dogs treated in the adjuvant setting with a mean of 466 days (121–730 days). In cases of advanced gross disease CF-RT might have a role in short term palliation of clinical signs. However, it carries a significant risk of late toxicity for cases with unexpectedly long survival times and further investigations are required to identify an optimal CF-RT protocol. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm the role of CF-RT as adjuvant treatment of incompletely resected gingival SCC.     

Is serotonin uptake by peripheral tissues sensitive to hypoxia exposure?

Fish Physiology and Biochemistry - In the Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta), the serotonin (5-HT) transporter (SERT) is highly expressed in the heart, and the heart and gill both demonstrate the...     

Analysis of environment-recruitment associations for a coastal red drum population reveals consistent link between year class strength and early shifts in nearshore winds

The identification of factors contributing to strong year classes of marine fishes has been a constant goal toward a mechanistic understanding of recruitment variability. Here, we explored a 26-year time series of the abundance of early juvenile red drum along the North Carolina coast to identify environmental features associated with variable recruitment success. The study location was near the northern edge of the species latitudinal range, and we hypothesized that consistent environmental forcing would be linked to the formation of strong red drum year classes. Patterns of variability in seasonal environmental features were disaggregated into multiple forms of temporal periodicity and analyzed using generalized additive models. We also contrasted patterns of environmental variation that occurred during the strongest recruitment events with those coinciding with the weakest red drum year classes. The early shift, during August, to favorable wind conditions was the most consistent environmental feature associated with red drum recruitment success. The combined duration and magnitude of N and NE winds during August of strong recruitment years was nearly double the level observed during weak recruitment years. Elevated nearshore sea surface temperatures early in the spawning season were also found to occur during years that produced strong year classes. Coastal productivity, indexed using chlorophyll a concentration, was positively associated with red drum recruitment, but also highlighted the need for more spatially resolved productivity data. Our findings highlight the importance of environment-recruitment linkages for marine fishes, especially near distributional boundaries where conditions to promote year class success can be brief.     

Effects of vagal maneuvers on heart rate and Doppler variables of left ventricular filling in healthy cats

BackgroundEvaluation of left ventricular (LV) diastole is clinically important in cats with heart disease. Diastolic dysfunction is a main characteristic of feline cardiomyopathy and is associated with clinical signs and poor outcome. Numerous echocardiographic indices characterizing LV diastole exist, of which Doppler variables of transmitral flow and mitral annular motion are used most often. However, rapid heart rate (HR), a common finding in cats examined in the veterinary hospital environment, may cause summation of flow waves limiting interpretation of diastolic function.ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of vagal maneuvers (gentle eyeball pressure and nasal planum massage) on HR and Doppler variables of LV diastolic filling.AnimalsTwenty-four healthy client-owned cats with summated transmitral flow waves at baseline.MethodsProspective observational study. Transthoracic echocardiography was performed and Doppler transmitral and mitral annular tissue Doppler velocities recorded both before and during vagal maneuvers. Data were compared using a paired t-test.ResultsApplication of vagal maneuvers temporarily decreased HR in all cats (mean reduction ± SD; 42 ± 22 bpm). The duration of HR reduction (<5 s, 5–10 s, and >10–15 s) was evenly distributed among groups (8 cats in each). Summated Doppler transmitral flow and mitral annular tissue velocity waves were separated during vagal maneuvers in 71% and 72% of cats, respectively. No adverse effects were observed.ConclusionsVagal maneuvers may be utilized as a simple non-pharmacologic tool in the Doppler evaluation of LV diastolic function in healthy cats.     

Mars-like soils in the Atacama Desert, Chile, and the dry limit of microbial life

The Viking missions showed the martian soil to be lifeless and depleted in organic material and indicated the presence of one or more reactive oxidants. Here we report the presence of Mars-like soils in the extreme arid region of the Atacama Desert. Samples from this region had organic species only at trace levels and extremely low levels of culturable bacteria. Two samples from the extreme arid region were tested for DNA and none was recovered. Incubation experiments, patterned after the Viking labeled-release experiment but with separate biological and nonbiological isomers, show active decomposition of organic species in these soils by nonbiological processes.     

Increased calcium availability improves potato micropropagation and microtuberization

Summary Liquid scintillation counting (LSC) was used to screen six potato cultivars (Alpha, Bintje, Green Mountain, Kennebec, Russet Burbank, and Shepody) and two wild species(S. microdontum andS. kurtzianum) for ability to take up the tracer⁴⁵Ca²⁺ from treatment solutions containing high (15 mM) or low (5 mM) Ca²⁺ levels. In vitro potato micropropagation, microtuberization, and tissue calcium content, determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry (FAAS), were compared for the six cultivars when Murashige-Skoog basal medium Ca²⁺ level was increased from 3, to 5 or 15 mM. All aspects of growth were improved when medium Ca²⁺ level was 15 mM. Microtuber induction occurred earlier, leading to improved yield (19–31%), and microtuber tissue Ca²⁺ concentration was greater (38–226%). Cv. Bintje was the most efficient genotype at accumulating Ca²⁺ from treatment solutions or growth media containing high or low Ca²⁺ levels. It could be identified as a calcium-packer using either LSC or FAAS screening.