Search

There is a global need for management of river flows to be informed by science to protect and restore biodiversity and ecological function while maintaining water supply for human needs. However, a lack of data at large scales presents a substantial challenge to developing a scientifically robust approach to flow management that can be applied at a basin and valley scale. In most large systems, only a small number of aquatic ecosystems have been well enough studied to reliably describe their environmental water requirements. The umbrella environmental asset (UEA) approach uses environmental water requirements developed for information-rich areas to represent the water requirements of a broader river reach or valley. We illustrate this approach in the Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) in eastern Australia, which was recently subject to a substantial revision of water management arrangements. The MDB is more than 1 million km2 with 18 main river valleys and many thousands of aquatic ecosystems. Detailed eco-hydrologic assessments of environmental water requirements that focused on the overbank, bankfull and fresh components of the flow regime were undertaken at a total of 24 UEA sites across the MDB. Flow needs (e.g. flow magnitude, duration, frequency and timing) were established for each UEA to meet the needs of key ecosystem components (e.g. vegetation, birds and fish). Those flow needs were then combined with other analyses to determine sustainable diversion limits across the basin. The UEA approach to identifying environmental water requirements is a robust, science-based and fit-for-purpose approach to determining water requirements for large river basins in the absence of complete ecological knowledge. © 2015 The Authors. River Research and Applications published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In an attempt to improve the understanding of the mechanism by which aqueous leaching of prevulcanized natural rubber latex films improves their physical properties, experiments have been carried out on such films after storage under controlled humidity conditions. Under conditions of ambient and high humidity, unleached films were found to absorb much more moisture than their leached counterparts. Results obtained from the equilibrium volume swelling measurements and from the C1 constant of the Mooney-Rivlin plots indicated that crosslink density was not affected by leaching. The effect of leaching on the tensile strength and modulus however was generally significant. Under high humidity conditions an increase in modulus on leaching was observed. These results are explained in terms of the hydrophilic nonrubbers having a stiffening effect under dry conditions and a softening effect when wet. Conditioning humidity also had a direct effect on the tensile strength. As humidity increases, the peak in tensile strength against modulus shifts to lower strength and modulus values. Some of the findings were supported by data from experiments in which a hydrophilic nonrubber component, namely sucrose, was deliberately added to prevulcanized natural rubber latex.

Thirty-six dogs underwent pulmonary metastatectomy for osteosarcoma. All patients had been treated for histologically confirmed osteosarcoma of the appendicular skeleton. Treatment for the primary tumor consisted of amputation or a limb sparing procedure in conjunction with adjuvant chemotherapy, local radiation therapy, or both. Significant factors in determining prognosis included the disease-free interval (DFI) between treatment of the primary tumor and development of pulmonary metastases and the number of metastatic nodules present at surgery. Dogs that developed pulmonary metastases 300 days or more after diagnosis of the primary tumor had a median DFI of 128 days after metastatectomy. Dogs that developed pulmonary metastases fewer than 300 days after diagnosis had a median DFI of 58 days. Dogs with one or two metastatic nodules removed had a median DFI of 95 days, whereas dogs with three or more nodules removed had a median DFI of 53 days. The results of this study indicate that prognostic variables exist for dogs with metastatic pulmonary osteosarcoma and can help predict survival after metastatectomy. These variables are similar to the prognostic variables that have been determined for human patients undergoing pulmonary metastatectomy because of osteosarcoma. Though a controversial procedure, pulmonary metastatectomy seems to be a valid treatment option for selected dogs with metastatic pulmonary osteosarcoma.

SUMMARY Oral administration of antigens induces antigen-specific systemic immune tolerance (Oral Tolerance). We postulate that the poorer prognosis of foregut cancers might, in part be explained by the systemic immune tolerizing effect of tumor specific antigens shed into and processed by the gut immune system thus conferring a growth advantage specific to individual cancers. Immunocompetent Balb/c mice were fed by gavage, either tumor tissue (JBS/CarB) in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) or PBS alone, daily for 14 days. On day 15 either subcutaneous tumors were induced or animals were immunized with cells in adjuvant. JBS tumors appeared earlier and grew faster in the JBS tumor fed mice than in either the PBS (P = 0.025) or CarB (P = 0.168) fed animals. The delayed type hypersensitivity response in tolerized mice was significantly abrogated (P

Laparoscopic appendicectomy has been the subject of several encouraging reports, but has not as yet gained widespread acceptance. We present a series of 159 consecutive laparoscopic appendicectomies performed, over a 4 yr period, in both adults and children. We find the procedure as safe as its open counterpart, with patients fit to leave hospital within the same time period. Perforated appendices were amenable to this procedure, and the location of the appendix did not alter the outcome. Children responded as well as adults post-operatively. Obesity may be an indication for this form of treatment. Removal of displaced faecoliths associated with perforated appendicitis is a difficult technical problem in less than 5 per cent of patients.

Total or partial orbitectomy were used to treat 24 dogs and six cats with invasive periorbital tumors. The surgical procedure and clinical results were evaluated in this retrospective study. The most common types of tumors treated in this series of patients were multilobular osteochondrosarcoma and squamous cell carcinoma. Two patients died of cardiopulmonary arrest within 24 hours after surgery. One patient developed neurological signs after total orbitectomy that resolved with conservative therapy. Minor complications, which included infection, strabismus, and conjunctivitis, occurred in seven patients. Regrowth of tumor in the periorbital region occurred in 11 patients (36.7%). Tumor resection by orbitectomy provided local disease-free interval of more than 1 year in more than 50% of patients. Survival rate for the first year was 70.4% in this series of patients as determined by life table analysis. Orbitectomy requires detailed knowledge of regional anatomy and experience with performing a combination of surgical procedures. Preoperative diagnostic tests should include imaging techniques to define the extent of the disease. When performed properly, orbitectomy is a valuable procedure that can be used to effectively treat invasive tumors of the orbit.

A properly performed anti-reflux operation is the most effective and durable method of control l ing gastrooesophageal reflux and its complications but is only required in a minority of affected patients TM. Because of recent advances in the medical management of reflux disease, maintenance medical therapy is a legitimate alternative to surgery and the frequency of anti-reflux operations has been reduced. In consequence, only those patients with the most severe form of disease or complex symptomatology are referred for surgical correction. Thus the surgical challenge is now greater and the avoidance of failure requires strict selection of the right patient with the right disease (reflux) for the right operation. Upper gastro-intestinal contrast studies, endoscopy, oesophageal manometry and 24 hour oesophageal pH monitoring are mandatory preoperative base-line investigations. Prior to selecting patients for surgery, the following cri teria should be satisfied: (a) pathological gastrooesophageal reflux should he demonstrated to he the cause of the symptoms. (b) complications of reflux should be sought these include oesophagitis, stricture, Barrett 's oesophagus, motor dysfunction, pulmonary aspiratio n and failure to thrive in children. (c) an oesophageal motility disorder such as achalasia, diffuse spasm or scleroderma should be excluded. (d) co-existing diseases with similar or overlapping symptoms such as angina pectoris, peptic ulceration and gallstones should be excluded. (e) the patient should have had an adequate trial of modern medical therapy. This should include a programme of weight reduction, withdrawal of alcohol or nicotine, and drug therapy with optimal doses of either an Histamine H2 receptor blocker or proton pump inhibitoi" together with antacids and/or prokinetic agent. Modern drugs are safe in the long term and economic reasons are a weak and rare justification for surgery. (f) The patient should be evaluated for a contraindicat ion to surgery such as intercurrent cardiac or pulmonary disease or a general medical problem. Patients undergoing definitive surgery for gastrooesophageal reflux fall into two general categories, the complex and the straight-forward case. The presence of an oesophageal stricture, oesophageal foreshortening, deep ulceration, irreducibility of an associated hiatal hernia, suspected carcinoma, scleroderma and previous surgery define the complex case and should b e approached

The medical records from 44 dogs with traumatic luxation of the cubital joint were reviewed. Closed reduction was performed in 35 dogs, and open reduction in 9 dogs. Excellent or good results were achieved in 31 of 35 dogs (88.6%) treated by closed reduction and in 5 of 9 dogs (55.6%) treated by open reduction. Collateral ligament repair, performed in 5 dogs, did not appear to affect the prognosis. Factors such as body weight and type and duration of external coaptation also did not appear to influence the outcome. Increased dysfunction associated with open reduction most likely was caused by the chronic nature of the dislocation, iatrogenic damage to the articular cartilage during reduction, or both. A good prognosis for return to normal function with minimal gait abnormality can be expected in most cases of traumatic luxation of the cubital joint treated by early closed reduction.

Malignant digital tumors were diagnosed in 62 dogs during a 1-year period. Twenty-one (33.9%) of the dogs had subungual squamous cell carcinoma. Each of these dogs had involvement of single digits. Sixteen (76.2%) of the dogs with squamous cell carcinoma were large-breed dogs, and 15 (71.4%) had predominantly black coats. Labrador Retrievers (n = 5, 23.8%) and Standard Poodles (n = 3, 14.3%) were the most commonly represented purebreeds. None of the dogs had evidence of metastases prior to treatment. All 21 tumors were treated by amputation of the involved digit. Histologic evidence of neoplastic bone invasion was found in 15 of the 21 amputated digits (71.4%). Local tumor recurrences were not observed. Only 1 dog developed documented metastatic disease; this dog was euthanatized because of pulmonary metastases 5 months after surgery. At the time of this report, 9 dogs (42.9%) were alive with no evidence of disease (median, 26 months after surgery), and 11 dogs (52.4%) had died or were euthanatized (median, 20 months after surgery). The cause of death in 7 dogs was known to be unrelated to squamous cell carcinoma, and the cause of death in 4 dogs was unknown. The 1-year and 2-year survival rates were 76.2% and 42.9%, respectively.

A rapid screening or monitoring procedure for the radioisotopes tritium and carbon-14 is presented. This is utilized as a valuable supplement to film badges, dosimeters, and other personnel monitoring devices. Any possible damage that may result from accidental contact, spills, or faulty laboratory procedures leading to internal absorption can be estimated from this type of analysis. A simple mixing of urine and phosphor and measurement in a type of spectrometer that is usually available in most radiation laboratories is all that is needed for this test.

Water samples have been collected in Scores- 18 contents. The combined results are examined by Land, northeast Greenland, from glacier, in an attempt to elucidate the origins of waters meltwater, stream, river, and pingo sources in from individual sources, with particular reference the Delta Dal; from pingo sources in the Schu- to the problem of pingo genesis. It is concluded chert Dal and on Traill Island; and from fiords that all the waters discharging from these pingos adjoining these areas. The samples were an- are of recent meteoric origin, and that waters alyzed chemically for their principal solute ions, discharging from a group of related pingos do and isotopically for their deuterium and oxygen- not necessarily have a common aquifer source.