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.     

Measuring versus estimating net radiation and soil heat flux: Impact on Penman–Monteith reference ET estimates in semiarid regions

The standardized ASCE Penman–Monteith and FAO-56 equations were used to estimate reference evapotranspiration (ET₀) using estimated and measured net radiation (R_n) and soil heat flux (G), based on hourly and daily meteorological data. The estimates were evaluated against lysimeter measurements. The results indicate that using measured or estimated values of R_n and G can have significant effect on the accuracy of the ET₀ estimations, especially when calculations were made on an hourly basis. The FAO-56 version performed very well during the irrigation season on a daily basis. The use of measured R_n and G did not improve ET₀ estimation on a daily basis, therefore, the use of estimated R_n and G appears to be dependable when calculations are based on 24-h weather data. When daily ET₀ was calculated from hourly estimations, the results were different depending on the version used. The ASCE version was more accurate, especially when R_n and G were measured. Therefore, measurement of R_n and G may have potential to improve estimation only when daily ET₀ is calculated from hourly estimations. The PM FAO-56 version was always a little less accurate than the ASCE version. For hourly calculations, using a constant surface resistance (as in FAO-56 version), the PM method underpredicted for high evaporative demand and vice versa. The ASCE version performed better than PM FAO-56 version when R_n and G were measured and estimated. Therefore, ASCE version tended to provide quite accurate values of hourly ET₀, even using estimated values of R_n and G. As conclusion, the methods proposed by FAO-56 for estimating R_n and G tended to produce accurate estimates for daily and hourly ET₀ under semiarid conditions and can be used with some degree of confidence for estimating ET₀. In addition, results suggest that the ASCE standardized equation on an hourly basis improved the accuracy of ET₀ estimation with respect to the FAO-56 version.     

Controlled water table management as a strategy for reducing salt loads from subsurface drainage under perennial agriculture in semi-arid Australia

Recent community based actions to ensure the sustainability of irrigation and protection of associated ecosystems in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) of Australia has seen the implementation of a regional Land and Water Management Plan. This aims to improve land and water management within the irrigation area and minimise downstream impacts associated with irrigation. One of the plan objectives is to decrease current salt loads generated from subsurface drainage in perennial horticulture within the area from 20 000 tonnes/year to 17 000 tonnes/year. In order to meet such objectives Controlled Water table Management (CWM) is being investigated as a possible ‘Best Management Practice’, to reduce drainage volumes and salt loads.During 2000–2002 a trial was conducted on a 15 ha subsurface drained vineyard. This compared a traditional unmanaged subsurface drainage system with a controlled drainage system utilizing weirs to maintain water tables and changes in irrigation scheduling to maximize the potential crop use of a shallow water table. Drainage volumes, salt loads and water table elevations throughout the field were monitored to investigate the effects of controlled drainage on drain flows and salt loads.Results from the experiment showed that controlled drainage significantly reduced drainage volumes and salt loads compared to unmanaged systems. However, there were marked increases in soil salinity which will need to be carefully monitored and managed.     

Consequences of ignoring variable and spatially autocorrelated detection probability in spatial capture-recapture

Landscape Ecology - Spatial capture-recapture (SCR) models are increasingly popular for analyzing wildlife monitoring data. SCR can account for spatial heterogeneity in detection that arises from...     

Dihydrooxadiazines: Octopaminergic system as a potential site of insecticidal action

Dihydrooxadiazines are structural analogs of octopamine and were compared with octopamine for their ability to compete with [³H]dihydroergocryptine ([³H]DHE) for binding sites on DHE-sensitive receptors, to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity in nervous system homogenates of Periplaneta americana L., and to modulate the action of the peptide proctolin on the oviducal muscles of Locusta migratoria L. [³H]DHE binding was inhibited by low concentrations (μM range) of octopamine, phentolamine, N-demethylchlordimeform (DCDM) and several dihydrooxadiazines. The tested dihydrooxadiazines acted as aminergic agonists in stimulating cyclic AMP production in cockroach nervous system homogenates and did not show additive effects with octopamine, whereas additivity was observed with 5-hydroxytryptamine. The relative potency of octopaminergic antagonists, including mianserin, cyproheptadine, phentolamine, and gramine, to block octopamine-mediated elevation of cyclic AMP production was similar to the rank-order potency of the same antagonists to inhibit dihydrooxadiazine-mediated elevation of cyclic AMP production. Octopamine, 2-(4-bromophenyl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-1,3,4-oxadiazine (4-Br-PDHO), and 8-Br-cyclic AMP caused increased phosphorylation of proteins that are phosphorylated by exogenously added cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. These results indicate that the dihydrooxadiazine-induced rise in cyclic AMP levels in homogenates of the cockroach nervous system results directly in activation of an endogenous cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase. 4-Br-PDHO behaved similarly to octopamine in modulating the action of proctolin-induced contractions in locust oviducal muscles. These observations suggest that dihydrooxadiazines act as octopamine agonists and have an octopaminergic action in modulating the action of proctolin. Thus, it is proposed that dihydrooxadiazines exert at least part of their insecticidal and miticidal actions through interaction with the octopaminergic system.     

1-Octanol/Water Partition Coefficient (Kow) and pKa for Ionisable Pesticides Measured by apH-Metric Method

pK_a values for a wide range of commonly used ionisable pesticides, together with the log K_ow values of the most lipophilic form of each, have been measured using pH-metric techniques. Examples of acids, bases and multiprotic compounds from the major classes of herbicides, and a number of insecticides and fungicides that contain ionisable groups, are included. The pK_a and log K_ow values so obtained were generally in good agreement with values taken from the literature that were measured by other methods. The lower limit of log K_ow that could be measured by the pH-metric method lay below the -0·97 obtained for amitrole, but the method could not be applied to glyphosate for which shake-flask measurements indicated log K_ow below -3. The highest log K_ow obtained in this study was 5·12 for pentachlorophenol. The pH-metric technique offers a rapid and convenient method to determine pK_a and log K_ow for ionisable compounds, especially when utilising an automatic titration system linked to a dedicated computer.     

Leaching of Alachlor from Alginate-Encapsulated Controlled-Release Formulations

The mobility of alachlor from alginate-encapsulated controlled-release (CR) formulations was investigated in two contrasting soil profiles. Two CR formulations of alachlor were prepared with the following components (1) base—sodium alginate+kaolin+‘Tween’ 20 (1+10+0·5 by mass) and (2) base+40 g kg⁻¹ linseed oil. These were compared to technical grade alachlor and to a commercial alachlor EC formulation (‘Lasso’ 4EC). All herbicide treatments were labeled with [¹⁴C]alachlor and were applied to duplicate soil columns that were composed of a surface and a subsoil horizon. Each horizon was packed to a depth of 12·5 cm, giving a total column length of 25 cm. The columns were leached with 21 cm (420 ml) to 30 cm (600 ml) of 0·01M calcium chloride for a period of 7 to 10 days. Alachlor leaching from the EC formulations was the same as that from the technical material in both soils: 33% in the Evesboro and 10% in the Conover soil. The CR-Oil formulation leached 4 and 2% of the applied [¹⁴C]alachlor, compared to 12 and 3% for the CR-N formulation for the Evesboro and Conover soils, respectively. The CR-Oil formulation also increased the amount of [¹⁴C]alachlor retained in the soil surface horizon (105–114%), compared to CR-N (39–45%), technical material (14–23%) and EC (12–17%).     

Anthelmintic Actions of the Cyclic Depsipeptide PF1022A and its Electrophysiological Effects on Muscle Cells of Ascaris suum

The cyclic depsipeptide PF1022A, given orally to mice, showed very good anthelmintic activity against Heligmosomoides polygyrus and Heterakis spumosa at 50 mg kg⁻¹. In vitro, PF1022A was very active against Trichinella spiralis and had good activity against Nippostrongylus brasiliensis at 1 μg ml⁻¹. An 18-membered enniatin analogue, JES 1798, showed good activity only against N. brasiliensis at 10 μg ml⁻¹. The optical antipode of PF1022A had poor activity even at 100 μg ml⁻¹. The effects of PF1022A on the membrane potential and input conductance of somatic muscle of Ascaris suum were examined using a two-microelectrode current-clamp technique. PF1022A did not antagonize the effects of the selective nicotinic agonist levamisole. PF1022A and an analogue, JES 1798, but not the PF1022A antipode, produced a small time-dependent increase in input conductance associated with no potential change. The increase in input conductance did not occur in the Cl⁻-free bathing solution, suggesting that the increase in input conductance was mediated by Cl⁻ ions. The addition of high concentrations of Ca²⁺ to the preparation after the addition of PF1022A did not lead to production of Ca²⁺-activated Cl⁻ channels, suggesting that its mode of action was not that of a Ca²⁺ ionophore. The mechanism by which the cyclic depsipeptide might increase the Cl⁻ conductance is discussed.     

Adoption and Impact of Modern Rice Varieties on Poverty in Eastern India

The factors affecting the adoption of modern varieties(MVs) of rice and impact on poverty in Odisha, India were discussed. A total of 363 households from Cuttack and Sambalpur districts of Odisha via multistage sampling technique participated in the survey. The Cragg's Double hurdle model was used to model the determinants of adoption and intensity of adoption of MVs of rice, and the propensity score matching was used to analyze the impact of adoption on poverty. The results showed that age, education, risk aversion, land size, yield, perception of MVs as high yielding, resistant to diseases and availability of MVs positively influenced the decision to adopt. However, variables such as household size, experience of a farmer, off-farm job participation, amount of credit received, cost of seeds, insecticides and fertilizers negatively influenced the adoption of MVs. Intensity of adoption of MVs was negatively influenced by experience of a farmer, cost of fertilizer and marketability of MVs, and positively affected by household size, risk aversion, land size, cost of insecticides, perception of MVs as high yielding and availability of MV seeds. Poverty incidence, gap and severity were high among non-adopters to adopters of MVs. After matching adopters and non-adopters of MV groups using four different algorithms of nearest neighbour matching, stratification matching, radius matching and kernel matching, the impact of MV adoption resulted in higher per capita monthly household expenditure by about US$ 52.82 to US$ 63.17.