Novel insights into the marine phase and river fidelity of anadromous twaite shad Alosa fallax in the UK and Ireland

1. Most research on anadromous fishes has been invested in their freshwater life‐phases, resulting in a relatively sparse understanding of their spatial ecology during marine life‐phases. However, understanding the marine dispersal of anadromous fishes is essential to identify threats and to implement conservation measures that fully encompass their lifecycle.
2. The twaite shad Alosa fallax is an anadromous fish increasingly imperilled across its range due to pollution, harvesting, and impediments to freshwater migration, but little is known about its distribution and movements during its marine life‐phase. Here, the application of acoustic telemetry provided novel insights into the coastal dispersal of twaite shad in the UK and Ireland during 2018–2019, and the freshwater entry of individuals during the 2019 spawning season.
3. Of 73 twaite shad acoustic‐tagged during their upstream migration in the River Severn in May 2018, 58 emigrated from the river. Twelve were subsequently detected 200 km to the south‐west at the Taw–Torridge Estuary between July 2018 and April 2019, where estuarine movements up to 5.8 km inland occurred in summer, winter, and spring. One was subsequently detected in the Munster Blackwater Estuary (Ireland) and then in the River Severn, indicating a minimum movement distance of 950 km. Thirty‐four (59%) of the emigrating individuals from 2018 re‐entered fresh water in the rivers Severn (n = 33) and Wye (n = 2) in April and May 2019.
4. These results suggest year‐round use of estuarine and nearshore habitats by at least a subset of the twaite shad population during their marine phase, providing evidence of potential range overlap between populations that spawn in different areas in the UK and Ireland, which may be facilitated by substantial dispersal. The results also highlight the potential of telemetry for estimating freshwater and marine mortality, and the benefits of sharing detection data across networks.

     

Sitka spruce site index in response to varying soil moisture and nutrients in three different climate regions in Ireland

We examined the relationships between Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) site index, windspeed, former land use, soil moisture and soil nutrients with a view to identifying factors limiting the growth potential of the species in three climate regions in Ireland. We selected plantations covering three climate regions (delineated on the basis of ‘growing season’ balance of precipitation and potential evapotranspiration; representing dry, moist and wet climate regions) located on sites representing the range of soil moisture regimes (SMR), soil nutrient regimes (SNR), and land use types found throughout Ireland. Site index of Sitka spruce varied among climate region, with significantly lower site index associated with the wet climate region mainly due to the deterioration in edaphic conditions and adverse climatic conditions. The effect of edaphic variables (SMR, SNR) on site index was consistent across climate regions, site index increasing with increasing SNR, and decreasing with excess moisture or moisture deficit. Site index reached a maximum on fresh/very rich sites in the dry and moist climate regions and on moist/rich sites in the wet climate region. In the dry climate region, water supply (SMR) was the most important variable regulating growth, in wetter windier climates nutrient supply (SNR) was the most important factor, accounting for 69% of the variation in site index. The study has allowed region-specific recommendations to be made for successful plantation establishment in Ireland and for countries with similar climatic regions.     

Evaluation of strontium 90 irradiation in treatment of cutaneous mast cell tumors in cats: 35 cases (1992-2002)

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of strontium 90 beta irradiation in the management of cutaneous mast cell tumors (CMCTs) in cats. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. ANIMALS: 35 client-owned cats with CMCTs. PROCEDURE: Medical records of cats with CMCTs in which tumors were radiated by use of a strontium 90 ophthalmic applicator from 1992 to 2002 were reviewed. Cats were included if CMCT was diagnosed, there were no other sites of MCT involvement at the time of treatment, and records contained adequate follow-up information to permit retrospective assessment of local tumor control. RESULTS: 54 tumors in 35 cats were treated with a median dose of 135 Gy of strontium 90 beta irradiation, resulting in local tumor control in 53 of 54 (98%) tumors with a median follow-up time of 783 days after treatment. Median survival time was 1,075 days. Adverse effects of treatment appeared to be infrequent and of mild severity. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Results indicated that strontium 90 beta irradiation resulted in long-term tumor control and should be considered an effective alternative to surgical resection in management of CMCTs in cats.     

Retrospective analysis of nonradiation complications in dogs undergoing radiation therapy

Dogs receiving radiation can develop complications unrelated to the radiation treatment. No study to date has described these complications in clinical patients undergoing multiple radiation therapy treatments. The purpose of this retrospective case‐control study was to characterize the incidence and type of complications that occur in these dogs. A secondary goal was to evaluate whether patient and treatment characteristics could be identified to predict the risk of these complications. Medical records of 268 dogs receiving at least one radiation treatment at a single institution, between September, 2004 and June, 2007 were reviewed. Age, breed, gender, body weight, tumor type, tumor location, number of treatments, pre‐treatment blood work abnormalities, and whether chemotherapy, glucocorticoids, or nonsteroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs were given were collected. Number, type, and severity of nonradiation complications were recorded. Complications attributed to the tumor or to the radiation were excluded. Statistical analyses were performed to determine whether demographic and clinical characteristics were associated with development of a complication. General anesthesia was used for all treatments. Complications occurred in 101 (37%) cases including diarrhea, vomiting, cough, and loss of appetite, which were typically mild. Seventeen dogs (6%) developed severe complications. Eight dogs (3%) died from their complication. Dogs that developed complications were younger, received more treatments, had leukocytosis, received glucocorticoids, and were less likely to have thrombocytopenia. On multivariate analysis, number of treatments and leukocytosis were significantly associated with complications. Findings indicate that nonradiation complications are common in dogs receiving radiotherapy under general anesthesia. In this population, complications were usually mild or self‐limiting.     

Recurrence rates and clinical outcome for dogs with grade II mast cell tumours with a low AgNOR count and Ki67 index treated with surgery alone

Grade II mast cell tumours (MCT) are tumours with variable biologic behaviour. Multiple factors have been associated with outcome, including proliferation markers. The purpose of this study was to determine if extent of surgical excision affects recurrence rate in dogs with grade II MCT with low proliferation activity, determined by Ki67 and argyrophilic nucleolar organising regions (AgNOR). Eighty‐six dogs with cutaneous MCT were evaluated. All dogs had surgical excision of their MCT with a low Ki67 index and combined AgNORxKi67 (Ag67) values. Twenty‐three (27%) dogs developed local or distant recurrence during the median follow‐up time. Of these dogs, six (7%) had local recurrence, one had complete and five had incomplete histologic margins. This difference in recurrence rates between dogs with complete and incomplete histologic margins was not significant. On the basis of this study, ancillary therapy may not be necessary for patients with incompletely excised grade II MCT with low proliferation activity.     

Development of Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae (Myxozoa: Malacosporea) in bryozoan hosts (as examined by light microscopy) and quantitation of infective dose to rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

The myxozoan parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae is the causative agent of proliferative kidney disease (PKD), a highly damaging disease of cultured salmonid fish. Within this study, phylactolaemate bryozoans were collected from a river known to be endemic for PKD and subsequently cultured in the laboratory. Sequential developmental stages of T. bryosalmonae were studied by light microscopy within the living bryozoan colonies, allowing the identification of stages attached to host peritoneum, consistent with previous molecular evidence of cryptic stages. Infection resulted in the production of large numbers of spores, which were released from the bryozoans. Experimental exposure of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to medium in which infected bryozoans were cultured resulted in clinical PKD. Rainbow trout were exposed to known numbers of T. bryosalmonae spores collected by micromanipulation, which had been released from mature spore sacs within colonies of the bryozoan Fredericella sultana. Exposure to one spore was sufficient to lead to development of PKD. These findings indicate that small numbers of bryozoans are capable of releasing sufficient spores to infect large numbers of fish, having implications for future control methods for PKD in salmonid farming.     

Evaluation of intracavitary mitoxantrone and carboplatin for treatment of carcinomatosis,sarcomatosis and mesothelioma,with or without malignant effusions: A retrospective analysis of 12 cases (1997–2002)*

Carcinomatosis, sarcomatosis and mesothelioma, with or without malignant effusions, are difficult to treat and generally carry a poor prognosis. The purpose of this study was two‐fold; first, to determine the prognosis for dogs with carcinomatosis, sarcomatosis, or mesothelioma, with or without malignant effusions; second, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of treatment with intracavitary (IC) carboplatin and mitoxantrone in dogs with these syndromes. Nineteen dogs were evaluated. Seven were untreated and 12 were treated with IC chemotherapy (mitoxantrone and/or carboplatin), and multiple factors were analysed for significance with respect to survival time. The median survival time (MST) for untreated dogs was 25 days, whereas the MST for treated dogs was 332 days (Log Rank, P < 0.0001). Treatment with IC chemotherapy was well tolerated. This study suggests that IC chemotherapy with mitoxantrone and/or carboplatin is an effective treatment for dogs with carcinomatosis, sarcomatosis or mesothelioma, with or without malignant effusion.     

Aspects of the feeding biology of the copepod Pseudodiaptomus hessei (Copepoda: Calanoida) under culture conditions

This study aimed to investigate the feeding behaviour (particularly gut fullness and evacuation, preying on rotifers and feeding preference in the water column) of the calanoid copepod, Pseudodiaptomus hessei, as a potential live feed species for aquaculture. Fed and starved, male and female P. hessei were fed rotifers (Brachionus plicatilis) in the presence and absence of microalgae for 24 hr. Starved copepods consumed more rotifers (11.31 ± 1.01, individual rotifers) than fed (8.06 ± 1.01, individual rotifers) while the number of rotifers consumed in the presence of microalgae was similar when fed or starved. Gut fullness and evacuation was determined by feeding copepods two different cell size microalgae species (Tetraselmis suecica and Isochrysis galbana). Gut fullness and evacuation percentage were observed under the dissecting microscope (as 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%). Copepods fed on T. suecica (large cell) filled their guts more rapidly, while those fed on I. galbana (small cell) evacuated their guts faster. Feeding preference was determined using a multifactorial experiment where copepods were fed two microalgae species, T. suecica and I. galbana, each presented as benthic and planktonic food sources. P. hessei preferred to feed on planktonic microalgae first regardless of microalgae choice species for ±80 min, before shifting to benthic food source. This information can be used as baseline information for aquaculturists to rear the species as live feed for marine fish larvae.