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Author(s): Griffin, Maureen A; Culp, William TN; Giuffrida, Michelle A; Ellis, Peter; Tuohy, Joanne; Perry, James A; Gedney, Allison; Lux, Cassie N; Milovancev, Milan; Wallace, Mandy L; Hash, Jonathan; Mathews, Kyle; Liptak, Julius M; Selmic, Laura E; Singh, Ameet; Palm, Carrie A; Balsa, Ingrid M; Mayhew, Philipp D; Steffey, Michele A; Rebhun, Robert B; Burton, Jenna H; Kent, Michael S | Abstract: BackgroundLower urinary tract transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) is an important but rarely described disease of cats.ObjectivesTo report the clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes in a cohort of cats with lower urinary tract TCC and to test identified variables for prognostic relevance.AnimalsOne-hundred eighteen client-owned cats with lower urinary tract carcinoma.MethodsMedical records were retrospectively reviewed to obtain information regarding clinical characteristics, treatments, and outcomes. Recorded variables were analyzed statistically.ResultsMedian age of affected cats was 15 years (range, 5.0-20.8 years) and median duration of clinical signs was 30 days (range, 0-730 days). The trigone was the most common tumor location (32/118; 27.1%) as assessed by ultrasound examination, cystoscopy, or both. Treatment was carried out in 73 of 118 (61.9%) cats. Metastatic disease was documented in 25 of 118 (21.2%) cats. Median progression-free survival and survival time for all cats were 113 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 69-153) and 155 days (95% CI, 110-222), respectively. Survival increased significantly (P l .001) when comparing cats across the ordered treatment groups: no treatment, treatment without partial cystectomy, and treatment with partial cystectomy. Partial cystectomy (hazard ratio [HR], 0.31; 95% CI, 0.17-0.87) and treatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (HR, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.33-0.93) were significantly associated with longer survival times.Conclusions and clinical importanceThe results support treatment using partial cystectomy and NSAIDs in cats with TCC.

Waste-to-Energy incinerator plants in the United States provide a sustainable solution for significantly reducing the volume of solid waste and decreasing landfill use. Reclaimed Waste-to-Energy sands have a high absorption capacity and desorb water, which makes them suitable for use in internally cured concrete. This work explores the use of reclaimed sands from the York County Solid Waste Authority (York, PA) in internally cured self-consolidating precast concrete. Concrete mixes are evaluated for strength and durability through compression, split-tension, freeze-thaw, rapid chloride permeability, and autogenous shrinkage. Mixes are also evaluated through Scanning Electron Microscopy analysis. It is found that all of the reclaimed sand mixes have more strength than the control samples. The effect of autogenous shrinkage is seen on internally cured mixes through expansion after set, but a significant reduction in overall autogenous deformation was not observed. In addition, the reclaimed sand mixes showed reduced rapid chloride permeability, but exhibited poor freeze thaw resistance.

A 6-year-old neutered male, Golden retriever presented with regurgitation and excitement-induced coughing. Two years prior, extra-thoracic tracheal collapse was diagnosed and extra-luminal tracheal ring prostheses were placed. Radiographs at presentation showed mineralized and undulant cervical tracheal cartilages. A dorsally broad-based soft tissue opacity bulged into the caudal cervical tracheal lumen. Esophageal dysmotility and barium accumulation were identified at this level on contrast esophography. Computed tomography showed migration of a prosthetic tracheal ring, resulting in perforation of the esophagus. Hair, foreign material, and dynamic tracheal narrowing were identified on esophagoscopy and tracheoscopy, respectively. Esophagostomy and foreign body removal were performed.

Objective To assess the effect of various tissue apposition techniques on specimens after formalin fixation, and to assess canine cadaveric composite skin-muscle-fascia specimen changes after excision without and with addition of a tumor model. Study Design Canine cadaveric study; unbalanced paired design. Animals: Fresh canine cadavers (n = 30) Methods Experiment 1: Paired 7 cm diameter, circular skin-muscle-fascia specimens were harvested bilaterally from three sites (thorax, abdomen, and thigh) on 10 cadavers. For each pair, the skin-to-fascia was sutured with a circumferential continuous pattern in one specimen and left unsutured in the other during excision. Specimen length and width were measured post-excision and post-fixation. Specimen rotation, translation, and distortion was measured post-fixation. Experiment 2: A subcutaneous tumor model was implanted at 2 sites (neck, thorax) on 20 cadavers and specimens were then excised with 2 cm lateral margins and a deep fascial plane. Three suturing techniques of the skin-to-fascia at both sites were performed during excision: unsutured versus circumferential continuous suture (10 pairs) or circumferential versus 4 interrupted quadrant sutures (10 pairs). Lateral margins were compared post-excision and post-fixation. Results Experiment 1: There was significant reduction in the length and width of the fascia and skin post-excision, but no further reduction after fixation. The circumferential suture decreased rotation and translation of the tissue layers but did not significantly affect specimen shrinkage or distortion compared with the unsutured specimen. Experiment 2: All 4 lateral margins decreased significantly post-excision and post-fixation compared with the planned pre-excision margins. No difference was found between any of the 4 lateral margins for any skin-to-fascia suture technique. Conclusion Canine skin-muscle-fascia specimens significantly decrease in size from gross pre-excision dimensions after removal. Suturing the specimen during surgery before excision will significantly improve alignment of tissue planes without creating distortion of the sample, but may alter the length, width, and lateral margins of the specimen.

Le Québec vit présentement une crise démographique sans précédent, plus grave encore que celle qui touche l’Europe occidentale. Cette crise reflète davantage un nouveau modèle de fécondité qu’une « crise de la famille ». Les bénéfices engendrés par la dénatalité ont été encaissés, pour l’essentiel, et on se dirige vers un conflit majeur entre la politique de la vieillesse et la politique de la famille., Quebec is going through an unprecedented demographic crisis, worse still than the one which is unfolding in Western Europe. This crisis reflects in the main a new fertility model rather than a "family crisis". Benefits have heen derived from the baby bust, but this period is coming to a close and we are slowly heading towards a major conflict between old age policy and family policy., El Quebec vive actualmente una crisis demográfica sin precedentes, más grave aún que la de la Europa Occidental. Ella refleja más bien un nuevo modelo de fecundidad que una "crisis de la familia". Los beneficios engendrados por la baja de la natalidad ya han sido asimilados, y ellos dejan entrever un conflicto futuro importante entre la política social de la vejez y la de la familia.

We present a combined X-ray, optical, and radio analysis of the galaxy group IC 1860 using the currently available Chandra and XMM data, literature multi-object spectroscopy data and GMRT data. The Chandra and XMM imaging and spectroscopy reveal two surface brightness discontinuities at 45 and 76 kpc shown to be consistent with a pair of cold fronts. These features are interpreted as due to sloshing of the central gas induced by an off-axis minor merger with a perturber. This scenario is further supported by the presence of a peculiar velocity of the central galaxy IC 1860 and the identification of a possible perturber in the optically disturbed spiral galaxy IC 1859. The identification of the perturber is consistent with the comparison with numerical simulations of sloshing. The GMRT observation at 325 MHz shows faint, extended radio emission contained within the inner cold front, as seen in some galaxy clusters hosting diffuse radio mini-halos. However, unlike mini-halos, no particle reacceleration is needed to explain the extended radio emission, which is consistent with aged radio plasma redistributed by the sloshing. There is strong analogy of the X-ray and optical phenomenology of the IC 1860 group with two other groups, NGC 5044 and NGC 5846, showing cold fronts. The evidence presented in this paper is among the strongest supporting the currently favored model of cold-front formation in relaxed objects and establishes the group scale as a chief environment to study this phenomenon., Comment: 22 pages, 21 figures, accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the 3-D geometry of canine pelves and to characterize the long-term effects of juvenile pubic symphysiodesis (JPS) on pelvic geometry by comparing the pelvic configuration between littermates that did and did not undergo the procedure. ANIMALS 24 Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, or Labrador Retriever–Golden Retriever crossbred service dogs from 13 litters. PROCEDURES At 16 weeks old, puppies with a hip joint distraction index ≥ 0.5 were randomly assigned to undergo thermal JPS (n = 9), mechanical JPS (7), or a sham (control) surgical procedure (8). Ten years later, each dog underwent a CT scan of the pelvic region. Modeling software was used to create 3-D reconstructions from the CT scans, and various pelvic measurements were made and compared among the 3 treatments. RESULTS Compared with the control treatment, thermal and mechanical JPS increased the hemipelvis acetabular angle by 4°, the acetabular angle of lateral opening by 5°, and the orientation of the medial acetabular wall in a transverse plane by 6°, which indicated that JPS increased dorsal femoral head coverage by the acetabulum. Both JPS procedures decreased the pelvic canal area by approximately 20% and acetabular inclination by 6° but did not alter acetabular retroversion. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that thermal and mechanical JPS were equally effective in altering the 3-D pelvic geometry of dogs. These findings may help guide future studies of alternatives for optimizing canine pelvic anatomy to minimize the risk of hip dysplasia and associated osteoarthritis.

Gallbladder mucocele formation is an emerging disease in dogs characterized by increased secretion of condensed granules of gel-forming mucin by the gallbladder epithelium and formation of an abnormally thick mucus that can culminate in obstruction of the bile duct or rupture of the gallbladder. The disease is associated with a high morbidity and mortality and its pathogenesis is unknown. Affected dogs have a significantly increased likelihood of concurrent diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism, hypothyroidism, and hyperlipidemia. Whether these endocrinopathies represent coincidental primary disease processes that exacerbate gallbladder mucocele formation in predisposed dogs or reflect a concurrent disruption of endocrine and lipid metabolism is unclear. In this study, we investigated a hypothesis that dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation would have a high prevalence of occult and atypical abnormalities in adrenal cortical and thyroid gland function that would suggest the presence of endocrine disruption and provide deeper insight into disease pathogenesis. We performed a case-control study of dogs with and without ultrasonographic diagnosis of gallbladder mucocele formation and profiled adrenal cortical function using a quantitative mass spectrometry-based assay of serum adrenal-origin steroids before and after administration of synthetic cosyntropin. We simultaneously profiled serum thyroid hormone concentrations and evaluated iodine sufficiency by measurement of urine iodine:creatinine ratios (UICR). The studies were complemented by histological examination of archival thyroid tissue and measurements of thyroid gland organic iodine from dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation and control dogs. Dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation demonstrated an exaggerated cortisol response to adrenal stimulation with cosyntropin. A prevalence of 10% of dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation met laboratory-based criteria for suspect or definitive diagnosis of hyperadrenocorticism. A significantly greater number of dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation had basal serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS) increases compared to control dogs. A high percentage of dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation (26%) met laboratory-based criteria for diagnosis of hypothyroidism, but lacked detection of anti-thyroglobulin antibodies. Dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation had significantly higher UICRs than control dogs. Examination of thyroid tissue from an unrelated group of dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation did not demonstrate histological evidence of thyroiditis or significant differences in content of organic iodine. These findings suggest that dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation have a greater capacity for cortisol synthesis and pinpoint DHEAS elevations as a potential clue to the underlying pathogenesis of the disease. A high prevalence of thyroid dysfunction with absent evidence for autoimmune thyroiditis suggest a disrupted thyroid hormone metabolism in dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation although an influence of non-thyroidal illness cannot be excluded. High UICR in dogs with gallbladder mucocele formation is of undetermined significance, but of interest for further study.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of contrast peritoneography in delineating liver lobe fissures by using computed tomography (CT). STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cross‐sectional study. ANIMALS: Canine cadavers (n = 10). METHODS: An abdominal CT image of each cadaver was obtained under three conditions: without peritoneal contrast (precontrast), after insufflation of the peritoneal cavity with CO₂ (negative contrast), and after intraperitoneal administration of iohexol (positive contrast). Images were reconstructed in three planes. Three reviewers independently scored each plane/contrast combination. Observers measured the length of each fissure in each plane. The measurable length of fissures was compared between techniques but was not compared with the actual length on cadavers. RESULTS: When assessment of all fissures was combined, measurements were obtained in 96 to 108 of 120 (80%‐90%) positive contrast studies, 56 to 96 of 120 (47%‐80%) negative contrast studies, and 12 to 32 of 120 (10%‐27%) precontrast CT images. All observers measured fissures in all planes that were approximately two times longer on positive compared with negative contrast studies and two times longer on negative contrast studies compared with CT images without contrast. Measurable fissure lengths were greater on positive contrast CT images (P

We use 2.0 Msec of Chandra observations to investigate the cocoon shocks of Cygnus A and some implications for its lobes and jet. Measured shock Mach numbers vary in the range 1.18-1.66 around the cocoon. We estimate a total outburst energy of $\simeq 4.7\times10^{60}\rm\ erg$, with an age of $\simeq 2 \times 10^{7}\rm\ yr$. The average postshock pressure is found to be $8.6 \pm 0.3 \times 10^{-10}\rm\ erg\ cm^{-3}$, which agrees with the average pressure of the thin rim of compressed gas between the radio lobes and shocks, as determined from X-ray spectra. However, average rim pressures are found to be lower in the western lobe than in the eastern lobe by $\simeq 20\%$. Pressure estimates for hotspots A and D from synchrotron self-Compton models imply that each jet exerts a ram pressure $\gtrsim$ 3 times its static pressure, consistent with the positions of the hotspots moving about on the cocoon shock over time. A steady, one-dimensional flow model is used to estimate jet properties, finding mildly relativistic flow speeds within the allowed parameter range. Models in which the jet carries a negligible flux of rest mass are consistent with with the observed properties of the jets and hotspots. This favors the jets being light, implying that the kinetic power and momentum flux are carried primarily by the internal energy of the jet plasma rather than by its rest mass., Comment: Accepted to ApJ, 15 pages, 7 figures, 4 tables

We present new ALMA CO(2--1) observations of two well studied group-centered elliptical galaxies: NGC~4636 and NGC~5846. In addition, we include a revised analysis of Cycle 0 ALMA observations of the central galaxy in the NGC~5044 group that has been previously published. We find evidence that molecular gas, in the form of off-center orbiting clouds, is a common presence in bright group-centered galaxies (BGG). CO line widths are $\gtrsim 10$ times broader than Galactic molecular clouds, and using the reference Milky Way $X_{CO}$, the total molecular mass ranges from as low as $2.6\times 10^5 M_\odot$ in NGC~4636 to $6.1\times 10^7 M_\odot$ in NGC~5044. With these parameters the virial parameters of the molecular structures is $\gg 1$. Complementary observations of NGC~5846 and NGC~4636 using the ALMA Compact Array (ACA) do not exhibit any detection of a CO diffuse component at the sensitivity level achieved by current exposures. The origin of the detected molecular features is still uncertain, but these ALMA observations suggest that they are the end product of the hot gas cooling process and not the result of merger events. Some of the molecular clouds are associated with dust features as revealed by HST dust extinction maps suggesting that these clouds formed from dust-enhanced cooling. The global nonlinear condensation may be triggered via the chaotic turbulent field or buoyant uplift. The large virial parameter of the molecular structures and correlation with the warm ($10^3 - 10^5 K$)/hot ($\ge10^6$) phase velocity dispersion provide evidence that they are unbound giant molecular associations drifting in the turbulent field, consistently with numerical predictions of the chaotic cold accretion process. Alternatively, the observed large CO line widths may be generated by molecular gas flowing out from cloud surfaces due to heating by the local hot gas atmosphere., Revised version to be published in ApJ, 16 pages, 10 figures, 4 tables

We report the occurrence of coral recruits on bivalve shells of Modiolus phillipinarum, which served as an effective substrate for coral larval settlement within the reef area Gulf of Mannar, India.

Background The cause of gallbladder mucocele (GBM) formation in dogs currently is unknown. Many available drugs represent a newer generation of xenobiotics that may predispose dogs to GBM formation. Objective To determine if there is an association between the histologic diagnosis of GBM in dogs and administration of selected drugs. Animals Eighty-one dogs with a histologic diagnosis of GBM and 162 breed, age, and admission date-matched control dogs from a single referral institution. Methods Medical records of dogs with GBM and control dogs from 2001 to 2011 were reviewed. Owner verification of drug history was sought by a standard questionnaire. Reported use of heartworm, flea, and tick preventatives as well as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics, corticosteroids, or medications for treatment of osteoarthritis was recorded. Results Dogs with GBM were 2.2 times as likely to have had reported use of thyroxine (as a proxy for the diagnosis of hypothyroidism) as control dogs (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.949–5.051), 3.6 times as likely to have had reported treatment for Cushing's disease (95% CI, 1.228–10.612), and 2.3 times as likely to have had reported use of products containing imidacloprid (95% CI, 1.094–4.723). Analysis of a data subset containing only Shetland sheepdogs (23 GBM and 46 control) indicated that Shetland sheepdogs with GBM formation were 9.3 times as likely to have had reported use of imidacloprid as were control Shetland sheepdogs (95% CI, 1.103–78.239). Conclusions and Clinical Importance This study provides evidence for an association between selected drug use and GBM formation in dogs. A larger epidemiologic study of Shetland sheepdogs with GBM formation and exposure to imidacloprid is warranted.

Sabatia (Gentianaceae) contains ca. 20 species, distributed mainly on the U. S. A. Gulf and Atlantic Coastal Plains. Our aims were to determine 1) phylogenetic relationships among Sabatia species, 2) the time and place of Sabatia's origin and main areas of diversification, 3) relationships among sympatric species, and 4) how morphological and karyological characters evolved. We sequenced five noncoding cpDNA regions and nrITS for 30 accessions of Sabatia, Gyrandra, and Eustoma. Parsimony, likelihood, and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses were performed. Bayesian dating was done on a reduced-taxon, combined molecular dataset. The maximum clade credibility chronogram was used for ancestral area reconstruction and character optimization. Correlations between distributional, environmental and phylogenetic matrices were tested with spatial analyses. Phylogenetic analyses reveal that a Sabatia + Gyrandra clade diverged in the late Middle Miocene, with Sabatia subsequently splitting into western and easter...

Recent federal legislation and a renewed focus on integrative care models underscore the need for economical, effective, and science-based behavioral health care treatment. As such, maximizing the impact and reach of treatment research is of great concern. Behavioral health issues, including the frequent co-occurrence of substance use disorders (SUD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), are often complex, with a myriad of factors contributing to the success of interventions. Although treatment guides for comorbid SUD/PTSD exist, most patients continue to suffer symptoms following the prescribed treatment course. Further, the study of efficacious treatments has been hampered by methodological challenges (e.g., overreliance on "superiority" designs (i.e., designs structured to test whether or not one treatment statistically surpasses another in terms of effect sizes) and short term interventions). Secondary analyses of randomized controlled clinical trials offer potential benefits to enhance understanding of findings and increase the personalization of treatment. This paper offers a description of the limits of randomized controlled trials as related to SUD/PTSD populations, highlights the benefits and potential pitfalls of secondary analytic techniques, and uses a case example of one of the largest effectiveness trials of behavioral treatment for co-occurring SUD/PTSD conducted within the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (NIDA CTN) and producing 19 publications. The paper concludes with implications of this secondary analytic approach to improve addiction researchers' ability to identify best practices for community-based treatment of these disorders. Innovative methods are needed to maximize the benefits of clinical studies and better support SUD/PTSD treatment options for both specialty and non-specialty healthcare settings. Moving forward, planning for and description of secondary analyses in randomized trials should be given equal consideration and care to the primary outcome analysis.

Acropora white syndrome (AWS) and Terpios sponge overgrowth (TSO) are serious threats to coral communities in various regions; however, information on these 2 lesions in the Indian Ocean is much more limited than in the Indo-Pacific. The present study revealed the impact of these lesions on the Palk Bay reef, India, and covered an area of 7 km2. In total, 1930 colonies were permanently monitored to assess incidences of AWS and TSO and consequent mortality for a period of 1 yr. TSO affected 5 coral genera and caused 20.7% mortality; overall prevalence increased from 1.3% (n = 25) to 25.5% (n = 492). In contrast, AWS only affected Acropora colonies and caused a mortality of 8%; overall prevalence increased from 0.9% (n = 17) to 12.9% (n = 249). Year-round monitoring revealed an increasing trend of both AWS and TSO, followed by temperature rise. These results add to the known geographic distribution of these coral diseases and reveal the impacts of AWS and TSO on coral reefs in the Indian Ocean.

The story of a black day-laborer called Sam Hose killing his white employer in a workplace dispute ended in a lynching of enormous religious significance. For many deeply-religious communities in the Jim Crow South, killing those like Sam Hose restored balance to a moral cosmos upended by a heinous crime. A religious intensity in the mood and morality of segregation surpassed law, and in times of social crisis could justify illegal white violence - even to the extreme act of lynching. In At the Altar of Lynching, distinguished historian Donald G. Mathews offers a new interpretation of the murder of Sam Hose, which places the religious culture of the evangelical South at its center. He carefully considers how mainline Protestants, including women, not only in many instances came to support or accept lynching, but gave the act religious meaning and justification.

OVI absorption in quasar spectra caused by intervening circumgalactic atmospheres suggests a downturn in the atmospheric column density in sightlines passing beyond about 100 kpc from central star-forming galaxies. This turnover supports the hypothesis that the oxygen originates in the central galaxies. When converted into oxygen space density using an Abel integral inversion, the OVI columns require greater than $\approx 10^9 M_\odot$ of oxygen concentrated near 100 kpc. Circumgalactic gas within this radius cools in less than 1 Gyr and radiates $\sim 10^{42.2}$ erg s$^{-1}$ overall. The feedback power necessary to maintain such oxygen-rich atmospheres for many Gyrs cannot be easily supplied by galactic supernovae. However, massive central black holes in star-forming galaxies may generate sufficient accretion power and intermittent shock waves at $r \sim 100$ kpc to balance circumgalactic radiation losses in late-type $L^\star$ galaxies. The relative absence of OVI absorption observed in early-type, passive $L^{\star}$ galaxies may arise from enhanced AGN feedback from their more massive central black holes., 5 pages, 4 figures; Accepted to ApJL

OBJECTIVE To assess the content and face validity of a model of an obstructed feline ureter as a tool for teaching ureteral microsurgery. STUDY DESIGN Prospective, experimental study. SAMPLE POPULATION Seven expert and 11 novice microsurgeons. METHODS The model was created from latex rubber with an inner diameter of 0.8 mm and an outer diameter of 5 mm. The "ureter" was created with an inner compartment, a thin wall, and a soft, outer layer mimicking periureteral fat. A "ureterolith" 0.8-1.2 mm in diameter was placed inside the inner compartment by using a blunt-tipped cannula. A standardized "ureterotomy" was performed by 7 expert and 11 novice microsurgeons. Both groups completed questionnaires evaluating the content and face validity of the model using subjective measures and a 5-point Likert scale. Reliability was analysed by calculation of Cronbach's α for all questions to ensure α ≥ .7. The median responses to each question were compared between groups with a nonparametric independent samples median test. P

To calculate a risk prediction model for hemangiosarcoma (HSA) diagnosis in dogs presenting with nontraumatic hemoabdomen.Retrospective multicenter observational cohort study enrolling dogs presented 2003-2016.Five academic veterinary medical centers.A total of 406 dogs with nontraumatic hemoabdomen as the presenting complaint that underwent surgical exploration or necropsy and received a histological diagnosis. Overall, 219 dogs from 3 centers provided the data for model construction, and 187 dogs from 2 centers provided the population for external validation.None.The risk score was modeled on 4 predictors: bodyweight (P = 0.01), total plasma protein (P0.01), platelet count (P0.01), and thoracic radiograph findings (P = 0.02). The incidence of HSA diagnosis was 36%, 76%, and 96% in the low risk (≤40), medium risk (41-55), and high risk (55) score groups, respectively. The risk score AUROC was 0.85 (95% CI 0.79-0.90) on the construction population, and 0.77 (95% CI 0.70-0.84) on the validation population.The risk of HSA diagnosis in dogs presenting with nontraumatic hemoabdomen could be predicted using a simple risk score, which could aid in identification and treatment of dogs at lower risk for this diagnosis.

Bartonella henselae is increasingly associated with a variety of pathological entities, which are often similar in dogs and human patients. Following an acute flea infestation, a dog developed an unusual clinical presentation for canine bartonellosis. Comprehensive medical, microbiological, and surgical interventions were required for diagnosis and to achieve a full recovery.

High-elevation rock outcrop ecosystems are home to a unique flora, with endemic and disjunct species hypothesized to be susceptible to shifts in species composition or phenology with climate warming. Easily accessed outcrops also are susceptible to human disturbance. We surveyed vegetation, flowering plant species, and insect pollinators on seven outcrops that range from relatively inaccessible to frequently visited to determine if: (1) vegetation composition or abundance correlates with accessibility; (2) establish baseline information on species composition and abundance; and (3) determine if specialized plant-pollinator interactions indicate susceptibility to shifts in flowering time. Richness of plant cover was not related to outcrop accessibility; however, the least accessible outcrop had the lowest frequency of bare rock, relatively high lichen cover, and vegetation patches with a distinct flora of spikemoss (Selaginella sp.), mosses, lichens, and vascular plants. Bare rock was most abunda...

Objective To report clinical findings, perioperative complications and long-term outcome in dogs and cats that had hemipelvectomy surgery for treatment of neoplasia. Study Design Multi-institutional retrospective case series. Animals Dogs (n = 84) and cats (16). Methods Medical records (January 2000 to December 2009) of dogs and cats that had hemipelvectomy at participating institutions were reviewed. Postoperative progress and current status of the patient at the time of the study was determined by either medical record review, or via telephone contact with the referring veterinarian or owner. Results Complications were infrequent and usually minor. Hemorrhage was the main intraoperative complication; 2 dogs required blood transfusion. One dog developed an incisional hernia. In dogs, hemangiosarcoma had the worst prognosis with a median survival time (MST) of 179 days. MST for chondrosarcoma (1232 days), osteosarcoma (533 days), and soft tissue sarcoma (373 days) were not statistically different. Median disease-free interval (DFI) for local recurrence of all tumor types was 257 days. Cats had 75% survival at 1 year, which was significantly longer than dogs. Conclusions Survival times for most tumor types can be good, but surgical margins should be carefully evaluated to ensure complete tumor removal. Adjuvant therapies may be advisable particularly for dogs to reduce rates of local recurrence or distant metastasis.

Objective To report signalment, history, indications, complications and outcome for 28 dogs and 5 cats in which 34 permanent epicardial pacing leads were surgically placed by transdiaphragmatic approach (32) or intercostal thoracotomy (2). Methods Medical records (2005–2010) were reviewed. Signalment, age, species, gender, clinical signs, presence of structural heart disease and/or congestive heart failure, ECG diagnosis, body weight ( 10 kg), and overall survival rate were recorded. Statistical correlations were made between these variables and major and minor complications rates. Results Except for body weight, no statistical differences were identified in prevalence of major (life threatening or requiring replacement of the pacemaker system) or minor (self-limiting) complications; dogs weighing >10 kg had significantly more major complications (P = .03). There was a trend (P = .051) for lower survival in animals that had major complications. Conclusions Larger dogs (>10 kg) may be predisposed to more major complications with epicardial pacemaker (EP) implantation. Major complication rate and survival time are similar to those reported for transvenous pacing and therefore implantation of EPs remains a suitable alternative.

To determine any loss of function of a single-use bipolar vessel sealing device after repeated sterilization and use on canine carotid arteries.Ex vivo; randomized block design (dog).Carotid artery segments (n = 90) from 15 canine cadavers.Six 10-mm LigaSure Atlas 20 cm devices (Covidien Inc, Minneapolis, Minnesota) were used to seal canine carotid artery segments in one cadaver, then resterilized using ethylene oxide and reused in a second cadaver, and so on, for a total of 15 uses/15 cadavers per LigaSure. Sealing times and bursting pressures of each carotid artery segment after each use were recorded. Charring and sticking at each seal location was qualitatively assessed.Mean (SD) sealing time for all segments was 5.3 (1.4) seconds, ranging from 2.7 to 9.5 seconds. There was no significant change in sealing time for successive uses (P = .117). The mean (SD) bursting pressure for all segments was 1041.3 (316.7) mm Hg, ranging from 355 to 1555 mm Hg. There was no change in bursting pressure across uses (P = .57). Moderate sticking and charring occurred at each time point but was not subjectively different throughout the study.The LigaSure Atlas vessel sealing device can be used and resterilized with ethylene oxide up to 15 times with no change in sealing time or bursting pressure of the seal.

For a nondegenerate quadratic form phi on a vector space V of dimension 2n + 1, let X_d be the variety of d-dimensional totally isotropic subspaces of V. We give a sufficient condition for X_2 to be 2-incompressible, generalizing in a natural way the known sufficient conditions for X_1 and X_n. Key ingredients in the proof include the Chernousov-Merkurjev method of motivic decomposition as well as Pragacz and Ratajski's characterization of the Chow ring of (X_2)_E, where E is a field extension splitting phi., 12 pages

Objective: To describe peritoneal drain fluid volume, fluid cytology, and blood-to-peritoneal fluid lactate and glucose concentration differences after exploratory celiotomy in normal dogs. Study Design: Prospective study. Animals: Healthy Beagle dogs (n=10). Methods: After exploratory celiotomy, a peritoneal drain was placed, and peritoneal fluid was recorded every 6 hours for 7 days. Fluid was submitted for cytologic examination, and fluid and blood glucose and lactate concentrations were recorded every 12 hours. On day 7, drains were removed and drain tips submitted for aerobic bacterial culture. Results: Mean peritoneal fluid volume decreased from 2.8 mL/kg/day (day 1) to 0.6 mL/kg/day (day 7). All dogs had degenerate neutrophils in peritoneal fluid throughout the 7 days. Four dogs developed contaminated drains. Blood-to-peritoneal glucose concentration differences>20 mg/dL occurred after day 4. By day 7, 5 of 7 dogs with patent drains had blood-to-peritoneal lactate concentration differences70% of dogs had differences consistent with septic peritonitis each day. Postoperative blood-to-peritoneal fluid glucose and lactate difference may not be reliable indicators of septic peritonitis when evaluating abdominal fluid collected with closed suction drains.

Objective: To evaluate a technique for midhumeral peripheral nerve blockade in the dog. Study Design: Cadaveric technique development; in vivo placebo-controlled, prospective crossover study. Animals: Canine cadavers (n=38) and 8 clinically healthy, adult hound dogs. Methods: A technique for peripheral block of the radial, ulnar, musculocutaneous, and median nerves (RUMM block) was evaluated using cadaver limbs. Eight purpose-bred, research dogs were anesthetized; a RUMM block was performed on each thoracic limb. One limb from each dog randomly received 0.5% bupivacaine and the opposite limb was assigned to receive sterile saline solution as a control. After recovery from anesthesia, skin sensation at selected dermatomes was evaluated for 24 hours using a mechanical stimulus. Weight-bearing, conscious proprioception, and withdrawal reflex were also evaluated. One month after initial testing, each dog was reanesthetized and each limb received the opposite treatment. Results: Sensory thresholds were significantly increased over baseline measurements when compared with control limbs for all nerves. Complete sensory block was achieved in radial (15/16), ulnar (3/16), musculocutaneous (8/16), and median (11/16) nerves, using a mechanical stimulus of analgesia. Complete simultaneous block of all nerves was only obtained in 1 of 16 limbs. Conclusion: RUMM block resulted in desensitization of the skin in the associated dermatomes for 4–10 hours. Complete sensory block of the dermatomes supplied by the radial nerve was most consistent. Clinical Relevance: RUMM block may be an effective technique to provide adjunctive analgesia for dogs undergoing surgery of the distal aspect of the thoracic limb.

Terpios hoshinota is an encrusting cyanobacteriosponge which grows aggressively over live coral colonies and has been reported to undergo outbreaks which kill corals. In an underwater survey conducted on the reefs of Gulf of Mannar, an outbreak of this coral-invading sponge was witnessed for the first time. It was found invading approximately 5% of the Montipora divaricata colonies (n = 383) at 1 m depth in Vaan Island. The affected site had a high coral cover (85.13%) dominated by montiporids (79.97%). T. hoshinota was confirmed via underwater morphology and microscopic observation of distinctive lobed tylostylespicules. This sponge is reported to have caused significant damage to many reefs around the world and hence immediate steps are needed to protect the reefs of Gulf of Mannar. Further studies are needed to assess the extent of T. hoshinota invasion in Gulf of Mannar and progression rate over live coral colonies.

Malvan Marine Sanctuary (MMS), Maharashtra, India is rich in coral reefs and the associated resources, which provide livelihood for the people involved in fishing and tourism. The elevated sea-surface temperature triggered by climate change had caused the coral reefs around the world to undergo severe bleaching during 2014–2016. Scientists have declared this as the third global coral bleaching event. Two underwater surveys during December 2015 and May 2016 were conducted in MMS to assess the intensity and trend of coral bleaching. A high prevalence of coral bleaching, i.e. 70.93% (SD = 4.53) was recorded inside MMS during December 2015, with a mortality of about 8.38% (SD = 0.91). After a lapse of six months, corals were found to recover. This is borne out by the reduction in the bleaching prevalence to 6.77 ± 0.12% during May 2016. Climate change being a global issue, reduction in the local stressors such as fishing and tourism is highly recommended in order to allow the corals to recover and enable sustainable utilization of coral reef resources around MMS.