Response rate and duration associated with a 4Gy 5 fraction palliative radiation protocol

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine if 4Gy fractions over 5 consecutive days is an effective and safe palliative radiation protocol for dogs and cats. Eighty patients (22 cats, 58 dogs) with complete follow-up information were evaluated. Overall response rate (ORR) for all patients was 67%. Median progression free survival (MPFS) was 3.3 months and median survival (MST) was 4.2 months. Primary bone tumors were the most common tumors treated. The ORR for primary bone tumors was 66.6%, the MPFS was 3.5 months, and MST was 3 months. The most common tumor treated in cats was oral squamous cell carcinoma and ORR was 54.5 %, the MPFS was 1.8 months, and MST was 3 months. Soft tissue sarcomas were the second most common tumor treated in dogs (10). ORR was 80% and the two other patients had stable disease. MPFS was 5.7 months and MST was 7.9 months. Overall rate of toxicity was 18.4% in 65 sites that were evaluated for toxicity. Acute toxicities were all grade I or II and occurred in 16.9 % of patients evaluated. All late toxicity was grade I alopecia and leukotrichia. There appears to be a comparable response rate for this palliative protocol as compared to others historically. This response was seen over a wide range of tumors. We also documented a low toxicity profile in a shorter overall treatment time, making this protocol more attractive for some clients.     

ACVIM small animal consensus statement on safe use of cytotoxic chemotherapeutics in veterinary practice

The purpose of this report is to offer a consensus opinion of ACVIM oncology diplomates and technicians on the safe use of cytotoxic chemotherapeutics in veterinary practice. The focus is on minimizing harm to the personnel exposed to the drugs: veterinary practitioners, veterinary technicians, veterinary staff, and pet owners. The safety of the patient receiving these drugs is also of paramount importance, but is not addressed in this statement. Much of the information presented is based on national recommendations by Occupational Safety and Health Administration, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, United States Pharmacopeia, and other published regulations. These directives reflect an abundance of caution to minimize exposure to medical personnel, but large‐scale studies about the consequences of long‐term occupational exposure are not available in veterinary medicine. Challenges in the delivery of optimal treatment safely and economically to veterinary patients in general practice without access to a veterinary oncologist or other specialist, because of costs or proximity, remain.     

A cross-seasonal comparison of active and total bacterial community composition in Arctic tundra soil using bromodeoxyuridine labeling

Arctic soil microorganisms remain active at ecologically relevant rates in frozen soils. We used bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling and terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis of 16S rRNA gene amplicons to examine active bacterial communities in two Alaskan tundra soils collected in summer and winter of 2005. Active community T-RFLP profiles were compared to total community profiles to determine if active bacteria were a subset of the total community. In shrub soils, active bacteria communities differed in composition between summer and winter, and winter-active bacterial taxa were not detected in the total community, suggesting that they are likely rare within the overall community. In contrast, tussock tundra soil contained more bacterial taxa that were active in both summer and winter and also represented a large portion of the total community. Using in silico digest of a sequence library from this site, we attempted to identify the dominant organisms in our samples. Our previous research suggested that the total microbial community was stable throughout the year, but this new study suggests that the active community is more dynamic seasonally. In general, only a subset of the total community was growing at a given time. This temporal niche partitioning may contribute to the high diversity of microbial communities in soils. Understanding which taxa contribute to microbial function under different conditions is the next frontier in microbial ecology and linking composition to biogeochemical cycling.     

Evaluation of cisplatin administered with piroxicam in dogs with transitional cell carcinoma of the urinary bladder

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the antitumor activity and toxic effects of a conservative dose of cisplatin administered in combination with piroxicam to dogs with transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) of the urinary bladder. DESIGN: Clinical trial (nonrandomized, noncontrolled). ANIMALS: 14 client-owned dogs with histologically confirmed TCC of the urinary bladder. PROCEDURES: Each dog was treated with cisplatin (50 mg/m(2), i.v., q 21 d [reduced to 40 mg/m(2), i.v., q 21 d because of toxic effects]) and piroxicam (0.3 mg/kg [0.14 mg/lb], PO, q 24 h). A CBC, serum biochemical analyses, and urinalysis were performed prior to each cisplatin treatment. Tumor staging (determined from thoracic and abdominal radiographic and urinary bladder ultrasonographic findings) was performed before treatment and at 6-week intervals during treatment. RESULTS: 5 dogs received only 1 dose of cisplatin because of the rapid progression of disease (n = 2) or toxic effects (3). With regard to the neoplastic disease among the other 9 dogs, 1 had partial remission, 5 had stable disease, and 3 had progressive disease after 6 weeks of treatment. Median progression-free interval was 78 days (range, 20 to 112 days). Median survival time was 307 days (range, 29 to 929 days). Moderate to severe renal toxicosis and moderate to severe gastrointestinal toxicosis developed in 5 and 8 dogs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Because of minimal efficacy and associated renal and gastrointestinal toxicosis, administration of cisplatin (40 to 50 mg/m(2)) with piroxicam cannot be recommended for treatment of dogs with TCC of the urinary bladder.     

Biomimetic extraction of Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crystal proteins from soil based on invertebrate gut fluid chemistry

Quantitative monitoring of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal crystal proteins in soil has been hampered by the lack of efficient extraction/detection methods. A novel approach for simple and effective Bt protein extraction was explored by evaluating extraction solutions from invertebrate gut fluids. Marine worm gut fluids were identified as promising for extracting Bt protein from soil. An artificial gut fluid based on these marine worm gut fluids was developed using commercially available chemicals and was evaluated for its ability to extract Bt proteins from soil. On the basis of experiments with Cry1 proteins, the artificial gut fluid in combination with ELISA was highly effective for protein extraction and analysis in a variety of soil types and was well-correlated with bioassay results. Coupling of immunoassay with this extraction method provides, for the first time, an efficient, accurate, and quantitative assay for routine measurement of Bt protein residues in soil.     

Urban forest values in Canada: Views of citizens in Calgary and Halifax

A significant component of the urban ecosystem is the urban forest. It is also the quintessential meeting point of culture and nature, so it is critical to incorporate values-based approaches to managing them. The values that really count are those of urban citizens. A novel qualitative method was used to determine what qualities of the urban forest are valued by citizens of Calgary, Alberta, and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. These values were compared with those reported in the literature to reveal that citizens value the urban forests mostly for their non-material benefits. Specifically, urban forests contribute to human emotional, intellectual, and moral fulfilment.     

Unusual Ether Lipids and Branched Chain Fatty Acids in Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria frondosa) Viscera and Their Seasonal Variation

The sea cucumber, Cucumaria frondosa, is harvested primarily for its muscular bands and body wall. Development of a nutraceutical product based on lipid recovered from its viscera would give commercial value to the entire organism; however, such development requires knowledge of the lipid and fatty acid (FA) profiles of the viscera. Here, we describe the lipid and FA composition of viscera recovered from C. frondosa harvested in coastal waters in the northwest Atlantic, taking into account variation due to harvest season. We found highest lipid content at ~29% in winter, with diacylglyceryl ethers (DAGE) comprising ~55% of the total lipid mass and triacylglycerols (TAG), phospholipids (PL) and monoacylglycerol ethers (MAGE) at 5–25% each. The branched chain FA, 12-methyltetradecanoic acid (12-MTA), represented 42% of total FA mass in DAGE. In summer, lipid content was lower at 24% and TAG was the dominate lipid, with proportions more than double that found in winter (45% vs. 20%); DAGE in summer dropped to ~30% of total lipids. In TAG, 12-MTA was much lower than found in DAGE in winter, at only 10% but eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) content was ~20%, which brought the total EPA% to 28% of total FA—the highest among all three seasons. There was little effect of season on MAGE or PL proportions. These data can help harvesters maximize catch efforts in terms of lipid yield and profile.