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Decline in global carnivore populations has led to increased demand for assessment of carnivore densities in understudied habitats. Spatial capture–recapture (SCR) is used increasingly to estimate species densities, where individuals are often identified from their unique pelage patterns. However, uncertainty in bilateral individual identification can lead to the omission of capture data and reduce the precision of results. The recent development of the two‐flank spatial partial identity model (SPIM) offers a cost‐effective approach, which can reduce uncertainty in individual identity assignment and provide robust density estimates. We conducted camera trap surveys annually between 2016 and 2018 in Kasungu National Park, Malawi, a primary miombo woodland and a habitat lacking baseline data on carnivore densities. We used SPIM to estimate density for leopard (Panthera pardus) and spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) and compared estimates with conventional SCR methods. Density estimates were low across survey years, when compared to estimates from sub‐Saharan Africa, for both leopard (1.9 ± 0.19 sd adults/100 km2) and spotted hyaena (1.15 ± 0.42 sd adults/100 km2). Estimates from SPIM improved precision compared with analytical alternatives. Lion (Panthera leo) and wild dog (Lycaon pictus) were absent from the 2016 survey, but lone dispersers were recorded in 2017 and 2018, and both species appear limited to transient individuals from within the wider transfrontier conservation area. Low densities may reflect low carrying capacity in miombo woodlands or be a result of reduced prey availability from intensive poaching. We provide the first leopard density estimates from Malawi and a miombo woodland habitat, whilst demonstrating that SPIM is beneficial for density estimation in surveys where only one camera trap per location is deployed. The low density of large carnivores requires urgent management to reduce the loss of the carnivore guild in Kasungu National Park and across the wider transfrontier landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnivores frequently come into conflict with humans in agricultural and livestock-producing areas around the world. Understanding their fidelity and dispersal patterns in response to food availability is therefore important given the effort invested in conflict mitigation strategies. In this study, we investigated the influence of clumped and abundant sources of carrion on the genetic diversity of the black-backed jackal Canis mesomelas within six private game farms in the North-West and Gauteng provinces of South Africa. It is predicted that clumped and abundant sources of carrion will increase immigration and thus genetic diversity in the local subpopulation. By quantifying the variability in microsatellite loci in black-backed jackals subjected to artificially increased carrion availability, and comparing them with individuals from control sites, we were able to describe patterns of historic gene flow within the total sampled population. The results of this investigation indicate that clumped and abundant sources of carrion promote genetic structuring ( FST = 0.0302) which implies a lack of gene flow and a degree of isolation. Genetic artefacts of three populations could be identified through Bayesian clustering analysis of individuals based on their genetic identity. Individuals sampled from the two supplementary feeding sites could be assigned to one of two ancestral populations with an average population assignment of 69 and 82%, while individuals from the remaining four control sites, originate from a third population with percentage assignments of 63%, 46%, 53% and 42%. It is therefore likely that clumped and abundant sources of carrion in the agricultural landscape of South Africa can affect the population dynamics of the black-backed jackal and result in subpopulations with limited migration and dispersal when compared with the total population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia / Journal Canadien d'Anesthésie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia / Journal Canadien d'Anesthésie is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Unlabelled: Spinal anesthesia for the cesarean delivery of triplets is associated with an increased incidence of maternal hypotension and placental hypoperfusion. We performed a retrospective case series analysis between January 1992 and June 2000 to evaluate the effects of regional anesthetic techniques for cesarean delivery in triplet pregnancies on maternal and neonatal outcome. Spinal and epidural anesthesia were compared with respect to intraoperative hemodynamics and neonatal outcomes. Ninety-six triplet pregnancies were delivered by cesarean section, of which 91 received regional anesthesia. A statistically significant decrease in systolic blood pressure was demonstrated immediately after the induction of spinal as compared with epidural anesthesia. The total volume of IV crystalloid used was significantly larger in the Spinal Anesthesia group. The number of patients receiving more than 15 mg of ephedrine and the cumulative dose of ephedrine was significantly larger in the Spinal group compared with the Epidural group. There were no differences in the rate of perioperative complications between the Spinal and Epidural Anesthesia groups. Neonatal Apgar scores were similar in both groups. The data suggest that both epidural and spinal anesthesia for triplet cesarean delivery are safe techniques, but the latter is associated with a larger initial decrease in systolic blood pressure. This decreasing of systolic blood pressure, however, remained within the physiological range and did not seem to be clinically significant. The need for more crystalloid fluids and ephedrine should be anticipated when spinal anesthesia is used for these cases., Implications: A large retrospective case series of the effects of spinal and epidural anesthesia on maternal hemodynamic profile during cesarean delivery for triplet gestation was performed. Our findings suggest that spinal anesthesia results in outcomes comparable to epidural anesthesia for both mother and newborns.

We reviewed the out-patient consultation notes of 136 pregnant women seen at the Ottawa Civic Hospital from 1985 to 1991 to evaluate the efficacy of an Obstetric Anaesthesia Assessment Clinic (OAC). In addition, their anaesthetic records from labour and delivery were reviewed. For each patient the reason for referral was recorded according to the involved organ system. The anaesthetic management at delivery was compared with the proposed anaesthetic plan by the OAC consultant (obstetric anaesthetist). The majority of women 84 (62%) had complaints related to the musculo-skeletal system. In addition, 18 patients were referred because of previous anaesthetic problems, ten with a history of cardiac disease, and eight with neurological disease. Lumbar epidural analgesia (LEA) was a safe and effective choice for parturients with low back pain, history of lumbar fractures or single level discectomies without lumbar fusion. Parturients with posterior instrumentation experienced an increased incidence of inadequate pain relief from LEA. Individualized anaesthetic management plans were executed for parturients with spina bifida occulta, neurological, cardiac, and haematological disease as well as for women, with a history of adverse drug reactions and previous problems with regional or general anaesthesia. It is concluded that the OAC has provided a valuable service to obstetricians and anaesthetists for the anaesthetic management of pregnant women with co-existing disease. The OAC gave an opportunity for patient education regarding anaesthetic options for labour and delivery. The attending anaesthetist was provided with a risk assessment and anaesthetic management plan which was adhered to with only two exceptions. Finally, the obstetrician was given consistent advice regarding anaesthesia management that may affect obstetrical decisions.

Background and Objectives: We report the first controlled analysis of the use of patient-controlled epidural meperidine. This randomized, prospective study compares the efficacy and safety of patient-controlled epidural meperidine to conventional intramuscular meperidine for the management of postoperative pain after elective cesarean delivery., Methods: After delivery, 60 patients were randomly assigned to receive either conventional intramuscular meperidine therapy or epidural meperidine by a patient-controlled analgesia pump, which was programmed to deliver bolus doses in addition to a continuous background infusion., Results: Patients in the patient-controlled epidural analgesia group used significantly less meperidine in the first 24 hours after surgery (p < 0.05) and had significantly lower visual analog pain scores (p < 0.05) from three hours postoperatively until study completion at 24 hours. Patients in the patient-controlled epidural analgesia group ambulated sooner (19 +/- 7.8 versus 29.2 +/- 2.2 hours, p < 0.005) and cared for their infants earlier (4.6 +/- 0.9 versus 8.1 +/- 6.8 hours, p < 0.05) than patients receiving intramuscular meperidine. One patient developed a respiratory rate of four breaths per minute, 25 minutes after receiving 75 mg epidural meperidine in the operating room. This was treated with intravenous naloxone. No other serious side effects occurred in either group. Both groups were similar with regard to minor intraoperative and postoperative side effects., Conclusions: Patient-controlled epidural meperidine after cesarean delivery more effectively manages postoperative pain than conventional intramuscular use. The technique is preferred by both patients and nursing staff and can be used in the ward setting with appropriate organization and education. Respiratory depression, if it occurs, should present early after epidural bolus administration.

A case of respiratory depression which occurred following administration of epidural meperidine during Caesarean section is described. Epidural meperidine, 75 mg (10 mg.ml-1) was given after delivery of the infant to provide postoperative analgesia. Oxygen desaturation (SaO2 90%) and a decrease in respiratory rate (4.min-1) were noted 30 min after epidural meperidine was administered. Naloxone, 0.1 mg, was given iv which resulted in prompt improvement in both respiratory rate and oxygen saturation. Vascular absorption of meperidine from the epidural venous plexus is the most probable explanation for this case of early respiratory depression. We recommend a maximum bolus dose of 50 mg of epidural meperidine for pain management after Caesarean section. It is also important to monitor oxygen saturation continuously during the intraoperative period, and to monitor the patient closely in the recovery room for at least one hour for evidence of respiratory depression.

A descriptive analysis of the progression of epidural block with repeated doses of 0.25% bupivacaine was performed, assessing pain relief (visual analog scoring), dermatomal spread of sensory and motor block, and the associated management and outcome of labor. The influence of epinephrine 1:200,000 on these observations was also assessed by the random assignment of study patients into two groups, one receiving 10 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine plain (n = 28) and another group receiving 10 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with commercially added epinephrine 1:200,000 (n = 27). Only primigravid patients were studied. Data comparisons were considered significant at p less than 0.05. With repeated doses of 0.25% bupivacaine, administered within fixed dosing intervals of 60-90 minutes, there was an increasing spread of sensory block toward sacral dermatomes while the upper level of sensory block did not change. Sacral sensory analgesia was present in only 3.5% of patients after the first dose of bupivacaine but was evident in 63.2% of patients following the fourth epidural injection. A similar increase in the number of patients with significant motor weakness was also seen as the number of top-up doses increased. A comparison of patients receiving plain solutions and epinephrine containing bupivacaine showed similar demographic profiles between the groups. Both groups received a similar dose of bupivacaine and experienced comparable management and outcome of labor. Epinephrine in a 1:200,000 concentration did not influence the changing characteristics of the epidural block over time. The duration of labor was not significantly different between groups (10.3 +/- 5.2 hours for the plain group and 11.0 +/- 4.7 hours for the epinephrine group).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)