0–7–21 Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Canine Oral Melanoma

Eighteen dogs with malignant melanoma of the oral cavity were treated with high-dose per fraction (0–7–21) radiation therapy. Eight hundred cGy was administered on days 0, 7, and 21 for a total dose of 2,400 cGy in 3 weeks. Of 17 dogs evaluated, 9 (53%) had a complete remission and 5 (30%) achieved a partial remission with an overall response rate of 83%. Local failure occurred in 2 of the 9 dogs where a complete response was initially observed. One dog died of intercurrent disease, and one died of metastatic disease without evidence of local recurrence. Five dogs are alive and free of disease 9 to nineteen months from the initiation of therapy. The 0–7–21 protocol was well-tolerated, and acute radiation reactions were low-grade and limited to the skin. The results of this study demonstrate that oral melanomas in dogs are responsive to radiation. 0–7–21 radiation therapy offers a viable alternative to radical excision, especially when tumor volume or location would require cosmetically or functionally debilitating surgery.     

The effect of dose and concentration on D-xylose absorption in healthy,immature dogs

Nine combinations of dosages and concentrations of D-xylose were given orally to eight clinically normal, immature dogs. The concentrations and dosages of D-xylose consisted of 5%, 10%, and 20% at 250 mg/kg, 500 mg/kg, and 750 mg/kg. Serum samples were collected at 0, 30, 60, 90, 120, and 180 minutes. Serum xylose was quantitated using the phloroglucinol microassay technique. A peak in serum xylose concentration was seen for each treatment combination at 60 or 90 minutes after dosing. The dosage effect was important in influencing serum xylose values (P < 0.0001). As the test solution dosages increased from 250 mg/kg to 500 mg/kg and 750 mg/kg, serum xylose values (when dosage was analyzed over the length of the entire test) rose linearly (R(2) = 0.98). The treatment combinations of 5% and 20% xylose solutions dosed at 750 mg/kg produced the highest serum xylose values at the 60- and 90-minute peak intervals. The independent effect of concentration was significant (p < 0.001) but was overridden by the stronger dosage effect. Serum xylose concentrations varied little statistically (p > 0.05) when the 5%, 10%, and 20% solutions were compared at a specific dosage.     

The stress response to environmental change in captive cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus).

The captive North American cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) population is not self-sustaining because of high prevalences of unusual diseases and poor reproductive success. Cheetahs are commonly moved between zoos for breeding purposes to maintain genetic diversity within the captive population, and movement may exacerbate infertility and disease. Fecal corticoids were analyzed by radioimmunoassay to measure the stress response of cheetahs to movement between facilities. Fecal samples were collected from 15 cheetahs for 14 days before movement and for at least 30 days after movement. For each cheetah, premovement fecal corticoid concentrations were used to determine baseline and then compared with trends in postmovement concentrations. In general, postmovement corticoid concentrations either increased (n = 8), did not change (n = 2), or decreased (n = 5). Although individual animal differences occurred, corticoid concentrations increased for most animals moved on-exhibit and decreased in animals moved off-exhibit. Animals moving on-exhibit had an 18-times greater risk of having corticoids elevated more than two standard deviations above baseline for 30 days after movement compared with animals that moved off-exhibit. In addition, greater day-to-day variation in corticoids occurred in animals moved on-exhibit. In general, animals with initially low baseline corticoid concentrations had a greater postmovement corticoid response than cheetahs with initially high baseline levels. These results indicate that some cheetahs have a prolonged stress response when moved between facilities, and the magnitude and character of this response is influenced by the exhibit environment.     

Calcium oxalate accumulation and soil weathering in mats of the hypogeous fungus Hysterangium crassum

Fungal mats of Hysterangium crassum (Tul. and Tul.) Fischer occupied a mean of 9.6% of the upper 10 cm of soil developed under a 40–65 yr old stand of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) in Oregon. This hypogeous basidiomycete exudes large amounts of oxalic acid, some of which precipitates with Ca in microscopic crystals of calcium oxalate, resulting in a mean CaC₂O₄ content of 82g m^?2 for the entire soil. Soil oxalate concentration was significantly greater within fungal mats (P < 0.01) and soil pH was significantly lower (P < 0.01) than in soil adjacent to mats. The quantity of Ca present as CaC₂O₄ is 0.5 the amount of exchangeable Ca in the soil and exceeds the mass of Ca lost annually in runoff. Scanning electron micrographs show intense chemical weathering, attributable to oxalate attack, in the immediate vicinity of hyphae. X-ray diffraction patterns of clay indicate bulk weathering is more intense within the fungal mats than in adjacent uncolonized soil.     

Isolation and pathogenicity of Colletotrichum spp. causing anthracnose of strawberry in south west Spain

Anthracnose, caused by Colletotrichum spp., is a major disease of cultivated strawberry, Fragaria × ananassa. This study identifies the Colletotrichum spp. which causes strawberry anthracnose in the southwest of Spain. A survey of the region was carried out, and the strains isolated were identified as C. acutatum by using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with genus and species-specific primers, demonstrating that this species is currently the causal agent of strawberry anthracnose in the studied region. The pathogenicity of C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides strains was evaluated on two principal strawberry cultivars (cvs Camarosa and Ventana) under field conditions, the latter being more pathogenic than the former.     

Rough vaccines in animal brucellosis: structural and genetic basis and present status

Brucellosis control and eradication requires serological tests and vaccines. Effective classical vaccines (S19 in cattle and Rev 1 in small ruminants), however, induce antibodies to the O-polysaccharide of the lipopolysaccharide which may be difficult to distinguish from those resulting from infection and may thus complicate diagnosis. Rough attenuated mutants lack the O-polysaccharide and would solve this problem if eliciting protective immunity; the empirically obtained rough mutants 45/20 and RB51 have been used as vaccines. Strain 45/20 is reportedly unstable and it is not presently used. RB51 is increasingly used instead of S19 in some countries but it is rifampicin resistant and its effectiveness is controversial. Some controlled experiments have found good or absolute protection in adult cattle vaccinated orally (full dose) or subcutaneously (reduced dose) and in one field experiment, RB51 was reported to afford absolute protection to calves and to perform better than S19. Controlled experiments in calves, however, have shown reduced doses of RB51 to be ineffective, full doses only partially effective, and RB51 less effective than S19 against severe challenges. Moreover, other observations suggest that RB51 is ineffective when prevalence is high. RB51 is not useful in sheep and evidence in goats is preliminary and contradictory. Rough mutants obtained by molecular biology methods on the knowledge of the genetics and structure of Brucella lipopolysaccharide may offer alternatives. The B. abortus manBcore (rfbK) mutant seems promising in cattle, and analyses in mice suggest that mutations affecting only the O-polysaccharide result in better vaccines than those affecting both core and O-polysaccharide. Possible uses of rough vaccines also include boosting immunity by revaccination but solid evidence on its effectiveness, safety and practicality is not available.     

Ecological consequences of variation in standard metabolism and dominance among salmon parr

Abstract – Standard metabolic rate (SMR, closely related to basal and resting metabolism) varies by up to threefold among juvenile Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., of similar size at common temperature. Here, consequences of this variation are predicted by combining empirically derived relationships between SMR, specific dynamic action, energy budgets, water velocity, food level in the environment and food availability to fish. The range of velocities across which growth is predicted to occur is inversely related to a fish’s SMR. Growth is positively related to SMR at high but negatively related to it at low‐food levels. The relationship between food level and the range of velocities over which lower SMR fish can grow but higher SMR fish cannot is asymmetrically bi‐phasic and peaked. It is predicted that maternal manipulation of offspring SMR would generate fitness benefits through bet‐hedging against unpredictability in food level and increases in the overall range of velocities that the family of offspring can occupy and thrive in.     

Soil CO2 emission in sugarcane management systems

Sugarcane management systems affect soil attributes such as the carbon cycle. This fact has stimulated the sugar and alcohol industry to refine the sugarcane production systems by replacing the pre-harvest burning (PB) and manual harvest with mechanized harvesting followed by residue deposition. The aim of this study was to evaluate different management systems with respect to C cycling carbon dioxide and soil parameters (chemical, physical and biological) which were determined over the season. Three sugarcane cultivation systems were evaluated at the following periods: (a) PB, (b) 5-year green harvest and (c) 10-year green harvest. The results indicated that CO₂ emission was 36% greater in the 10-year sugarcane green harvest system than in the PB system. The bulk density and macroporosity were the factors that were most affected by the different sugarcane management systems and that significantly influenced soil CO₂ emissions. The principal component analysis showed that soil CO₂ emission was 18% influenced by base saturation (V%) and 14% by pH, especially in the PB area. Additionally, 19% was affected by carbon and macroporosity in the 5- and 10-year green harvest areas, respectively. From our results, it can be concluded that the most CO₂ emissions are in the areas of sugarcane green, this is due to the higher carbon concentration when compared with the area of burning sugarcane. The parameters that most influenced the CO₂ emissions were bulk density, porosity, macroporosity, pH and V%.     

Evaluation of intravenous T-61 as a euthanasia method for birds

The use of T-61 as a sole euthanasia agent for birds was investigated. Nine broiler chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) were euthanized by intravenous T-61 and assessed for insensibility [brainstem reflexes: nictitating membrane reflex (NIC), palpebral blink reflex (PAL)], brain death [isoelectric electroencephalogram activity (EEG)], cessation of audible heartbeat, and abnormal electrocardiogram. Birds were considered dead when the heart rate was less than 180 beats/minute with an isoelectric EEG. No vocalization or wing flapping occurred. Both NIC and PAL were lost 10.5 s from start of injection and audible heartbeat ceased at 24.5 s. Latency to isoelectric activity was 16.6 s. All but 1 bird died within 60 s. Rapid induction of insensibility meant birds did not experience pain and distress within 10.5 s from start of injection and birds were not conscious during cardiac and circulatory arrest. Intravenous injection of T-61 is an effective and efficient euthanasia method for birds.     

Production,chemical composition,and fatty acid profile of milk from buffaloes fed with cupuaçu (Theobroma grandiflorum) cake and murumuru (Astrocaryum murumuru) cake in the Eastern Amazon

The objective was to evaluate the effect of concentrate supplementation using by-products of the Amazonian industry on milk production, milk composition, and milk fatty acid profile of dairy buffaloes. Twelve lactating buffaloes (544.5 ± 35.6 kg, 6.4 ± 2.2 years old, 59 ± 6 days in milk) were allotted in a pasture of Mombaça grass and managed under rotational grazing (4 days occupancy/28 days rest). A 3 × 3 Latin square was adopted, and each animal alternately received three supplementary treatments based on corn bran + soybean meal or cupuaçu cake or murumuru cake for 21 days per treatment. Murumuru cake increased the levels of lauric acid and myristic acid in the milk (p < 0.05). Murumuru cake reduced the unsaturated fatty acid contents in the milk compared with animals fed control diet or cupuaçu cake (24.27% vs. 25.24% vs. 25.08%). The n-6/n-3 ratio was 2.6, 1.97, and 2.0 in the control, cupuaçu, and murumuru groups, respectively. Based on this parameter, cakes made from cupuaçu as well as murumuru could be considered to be adequate for inclusion in dairy water buffalo feed. However, the murumuru cake addition requires some caution because its use induces the secretion of higher levels of lauric and myristic fatty acids that are related to human cardiovascular disease.