Vegetation Changes in Southeast Australian Temperate Grasslands

In temperate areas of southeast Australia, the combined effects of tree clearing, grazing, application of fertilizer and the introduction of exotic species have modified the original grasslands. This paper describes these changes and attempts to explain them in terms of ecological principles derived from North American grasslands. Stability of the original grasslands appears to have been due to the lack of disturbance and the slow rates of nitrogen (N) cycling within them. Increased N cycling after disturbance has allowed invasion of species better adapted to higher N status, particularly exotic annual grasses and weeds. The present composition of grasslands, in terms of native perennial grasses and exotic species appears to be explainable by the ecological principles outlined

Conformity and controversies in the diagnosis, staging and follow-up evaluation of canine nodal lymphoma: a systematic review of the last 15 years of published literature

Diagnostic methods used in the initial and post-treatment evaluation of canine lymphoma are heterogeneous and can vary within countries and institutions. Accurate reporting of clinical stage and response assessment is crucial in determining the treatment efficacy and predicting prognosis. This study comprises a systematic review of all available canine multicentric lymphoma studies published over 15 years. Data concerning diagnosis, clinical stage evaluation and response assessment procedures were extracted and compared. Sixty-three studies met the eligibility criteria. Fifty-five (87.3%) studies were non-randomized prospective or retrospective studies. The survey results also expose variations in diagnostic criteria and treatment response assessment in canine multicentric lymphoma. Variations in staging procedures performed and recorded led to an unquantifiable heterogeneity among patients in and between studies, making it difficult to compare treatment efficacies. Awareness of this inconsistency of procedure and reporting may help in the design of future clinical trials

Surgical Helmets and SARS Infection

Performance testing of two brands of surgical helmets indicated that their efficiency at in vivo filtration of sub–micrometer-sized particles is inadequate for their use as respirators. These helmets are not marketed for respiratory protection and should not be used alone for protection against severe acute respiratory syndrome when performing aerosol-generating procedures

The 1:1 co-crystal of 2-bromonaphthalene-1,4-dione and 1,8-dihydroxyanthracene-9,10-dione: crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis

The asymmetric unit of the title co-crystal, C10H5BrO2·C14H8O4 [systematic name: 2-bromo-1,4-dihydronaphthalene-1,4-dione–1,8-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydroanthracene-9,10-dione (1/1)], features one molecule of each coformer. The 2-bromonaphthoquinone molecule is almost planar [r.m.s deviation of the 13 non-H atoms = 0.060 Å, with the maximum deviations of 0.093 (1) and 0.099 (1) Å being for the Br atom and a carbonyl-O atom, respectively]. The 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone molecule is planar (r.m.s. deviation for the 18 non-H atoms is 0.022 Å) and features two intramolecular hydroxy-O—H...O(carbonyl) hydrogen bonds. Dimeric aggregates of 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone molecules assemble through weak intermolecular hydroxy-O—H...O(carbonyl) hydrogen bonds. The molecular packing comprises stacks of molecules of 2-bromonaphthoquinone and dimeric assembles of 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone with the shortest π–π contact within a stack of 3.5760 (9) Å occurring between the different rings of 2-bromonaphthoquinone molecules. The analysis of the Hirshfeld surface reveals the importance of the interactions just indicated but, also the contribution of additional C—H...O contacts as well as C=O...π interactions to the molecular packing

ACVIM consensus statement on the treatment of immune-mediated hemolytic anemia in dogs

Immune‐mediated hemolytic anemia (IMHA) causes severe anemia in dogs and is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Treatment with various immunosuppressive and antithrombotic drugs has been described anecdotally and in previous studies, but little consensus exists among veterinarians as to the optimal regimen to employ and maintain after diagnosis of the disease. To address this inconsistency and provide evidence‐based guidelines for treatment of IMHA in dogs, we identified and extracted data from studies published in the veterinary literature. We developed a novel tool for evaluation of evidence quality, using it to assess study design, diagnostic criteria, explanation of treatment regimens, and validity of statistical methods. In combination with our clinical experience and comparable guidelines for humans afflicted with autoimmune hemolytic anemia, we used the conclusions of this process to make a set of clinical recommendations regarding treatment of IMHA in dogs, which we refined subsequently by conducting several iterations of Delphi review. Additionally, we considered emerging treatments for IMHA in dogs and highlighted areas deserving of future research. Comments were solicited from several professional bodies to maximize clinical applicability before the recommendations were submitted for publication. The resulting document is intended to provide clinical guidelines for management of IMHA in dogs. These guidelines should be implemented pragmatically, with consideration of animal, owner, and veterinary factors that may vary among cases

Characterisation of the Immunophenotype of Dogs with Primary Immune-Mediated Haemolytic Anaemia

Immune-mediated haemolytic anaemia (IMHA) is reported to be the most common autoimmune disease of dogs, resulting in significant morbidity and mortality in affected animals. Haemolysis is caused by the action of autoantibodies, but the immunological changes that result in their production have not been elucidated.To investigate the frequency of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and other lymphocyte subsets and to measure serum concentrations of cytokines and peripheral blood mononuclear cell expression of cytokine genes in dogs with IMHA, healthy dogs and dogs with inflammatory diseases.19 dogs with primary IMHA, 22 dogs with inflammatory diseases and 32 healthy control dogs.Residual EDTA-anti-coagulated blood samples were stained with fluorophore-conjugated monoclonal antibodies and analysed by flow cytometry to identify Tregs and other lymphocyte subsets. Total RNA was also extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells to investigate cytokine gene expression, and concentrations of serum cytokines (interleukins 2, 6 10, CXCL-8 and tumour necrosis factor α) were measured using enhanced chemiluminescent assays. Principal component analysis was used to investigate latent variables that might explain variability in the entire dataset.There was no difference in the frequency or absolute numbers of Tregs among groups, nor in the proportions of other lymphocyte subsets. The concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines were greater in dogs with IMHA compared to healthy controls, but the concentration of IL-10 and the expression of cytokine genes did not differ between groups. Principal component analysis identified four components that explained the majority of the variability in the dataset, which seemed to correspond to different aspects of the immune response.The immunophenotype of dogs with IMHA differed from that of dogs with inflammatory diseases and from healthy control dogs; some of these changes could suggest abnormalities in peripheral tolerance that permit development of autoimmune disease. The frequency of Tregs did not differ between groups, suggesting that deficiency in the number of these cells is not responsible for development of IMHA

Effect of Soil pH on Emergence and Survival of \u3ci\u3eAustrodanthonia\u3c/i\u3e spp.

We evaluated the effects of soil acidity on seedling emergence and seedling persistence of several ecotypes of Austrodanthonia spp. collected from the Central, Southern and Monaro Tablelands of New South Wales (NSW) in southern temperate Australia. A pot experiment was conducted outdoors to identify the most promising material tolerant to soil acidity for domestication. In the experiment, 183 ecotypes and two commercial cultivars of Austrodanthonia were grown in pots at three levels of pHCa (3.9, 4.4 and 5.3). The pH treatments were achieved by adding either aluminium sulphate or lime to an acid earthy sandy loam soil collected from a grazing farm. Seedling emergence and persistence were recorded for 170 days after sowing (DAS). Establishment of all lines was severely reduced by soil acidity. At pH 3.9, average seedling emergence over all lines was 11%, whereas, at higher pH (pH 4.4 and 5.3) emergence was about 72%. Of the seeds sown, survival at 170 DAS was, on average, less than 1% at pH 3.9, compared with 25% at pH 4.4 and 5.3. Further investigations on species/ecotypes, particularly those favoured at low soil pH, should provide a useful basis for selection programmes