Piloleiomyosarcoma in Seven Ferrets Rickman, B. H.; Craig, L. E.; Goldschmidt, M. H.
Veterinary pathology,
11/2001, Volume:
38, Issue:
6
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
In each of seven ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) with leiomyosarcoma, a single dermal mass was identified and biopsied. Each mass consisted of a well-demarcated but nonencapsulated proliferation of ...large spindle- to strap-shaped cells arranged in interwoven bundles. The cells resembled the smooth muscle cells of the adjacent arrector pili muscles, but with marked nuclear pleomorphism. Immunohistochemical staining for smooth muscle actin, desmin, and vimentin was positive and staining for myoglobin and cytokeratin was negative. Follow-up on three of the ferrets indicates that the prognosis is good following complete surgical excision.
High-resolution, remotely sensed imagery of bare soil has been used to quantitatively map the spatial variation of soil organic-C concentration (SOC) with a greatly reduced cost compared with grid ...sampling. However, the procedure requires that each crop field must be sampled and mapped separately. Examination of a remotely sensed image revealed that some fields had similar image properties. If similar image properties also indicate the similarity of field properties such as soil organic carbon distribution and crop residue amount, fields could be placed in groups with similar image properties. Therefore, maps could be developed for a group of fields instead of a single field. The cost of mapping could be further reduced in proportion to the number of fields in the group. In this study, 50 rectangular areas were selected from a 1999 digital orthophotograph to examine different features for use in measuring field similarity. Three features, including color histograms, color slopes, and wavelets, were extracted from the 50 rectangular field areas. Two similarity measurement methods, statistical clustering with Euclidean distance and the Ward neural network system, were tested for grouping fields with similar image characteristics. The Ward neural network system, using the color histogram feature, gave the best result for grouping similar fields. Based on this result, two bare surface fields were selected from a NASA ATLAS image. Soil samples were collected from the two fields. The similarity of the two fields was computed with the Ward neural network system using the color histogram features. Because of the high similarity between the two fields, maps of soil organic carbon concentration for the two fields were developed with a single mapping procedure. The resulting maps were checked based on a second set of soil samples that were different from that used in model development. There was a good agreement with an
r
2 value of 0.81.
Rice grain conditions within the sun-drying bed predicted by a mathematical model during drying were used to relate drying parameters to the head rice yield (HRY) which is the key rice quality ...metric. A number of parameters were derived to characterise the mechanisms of grain fissures and breakage postulated in the literature, and the model was used to estimate these parameters. These parameters were then regressed against the HRY experimental data to determine the contributing mechanisms. An increase in bed temperature, the maximum temperature at the top of the bed, the size of the moisture content gradients within a rice grain and the difference from the critical point for drying were all found to negatively affect HRY. By stirring the bed regularly and covering and shading the bed during the hottest parts of the day, HRY can be significantly increased leading to better returns to the farmer.
The dynamic airblast, fragmentation, and soil ejecta loading environments produced by the detonation of surface-laid and shallow-buried mines are major threats to lightweight military vehicles. ...During the past several years, the US Army has focused considerable attention on developing improved methods for predicting the below-vehicle environment from these threats for use by vehicle/armor analysts; thereby, improving the survivability of these platforms. The US Army Engineer Research and Development Center recently completed the first year of a three-year effort to experimentally and numerically quantify the blast and fragment loading environments on vehicles due to surface and subsurface mine and IED detonations. As part of this research effort, a series of experiments was conducted to quantify the effects of soil parameters on the aboveground blast environments produced by the detonation of aboveground bottom-surface-tangent, buried top-surface-tangent, and shallow-buried 2.3-kg (5-lb) Composition C4 charges. The experiments were conducted using three different well characterized soils; 10.8% air-filled-voids (AFV) silty sand, 5.4% AFV clay, and 29.8% AFV poorly graded sand. The combined aboveground loads due to airblast and soil debris were measured by an impulse measurement device. The near-surface airblast overpressure was quantified by a series of side-on measurements above the charges at one elevation and three radial distances. This paper summarizes and compares the results of the experimental program with emphasis on defining the effect of soil parameters on the aboveground blast environment.
Soil loss from dryland farms on the Columbia Plateau in Oregon and Washington (USA) results primarily from rain falling on frozen, cultivated soil. Soils are most susceptible to erosion when ...moldboard plowed, summer-fallowed, repeatedly rod-weeded or cultivated, and fall planted to winter-wheat. These tillage practices are used because they help control weed and disease infestations and consistently produce good crops. Unfortunately, they also destroy soil structure and lead to considerable soil loss by water erosion. Conservation-tillage-practices have not been widely accepted because of associated weed and disease problems. A new conservation system using crop residue management, the mow-plow system, has shown promise for weed control. The moldboard plow is the primary tillage tool, but standing crop residue is cut ahead of the plow and distributed onto the adjacent plowed surface. The system requires a single pass of the equipment. We evaluated runoff and erosion responses in two levels of residue application in the mow-plow (L∼23% and H∼36% cover), traditional moldboard plow, and chisel plow winter-wheat/summer-fallow systems near Pendleton, OR, USA. Following extended periods of sub-freezing air and soil temperatures, we simulated rainfall at 9, 13, and 19
mm
h
−1 and collected runoff to evaluate water and soil loss as the soil thawed. Runoff was not significantly different among treatments. For each of the three rainfall intensities, the chisel plow treatment provided the best protection against soil erosion at 0.11, 0.39, and 0.95
Mg
ha
−1
h
−1, followed closely by the mow-plow (H) 0.26, 0.55, and 0.90
Mg
ha
−1
h
−1. The moldboard plow treatment was the least effective treatment for erosion control (0.57, 1.38, and 3.76
Mg
ha
−1
h
−1). The erosion response from the mow-plow (L) treatment was variable and not statistically different from the moldboard plow treatment (0.33, 2.49, and 1.71
Mg
ha
−1
h
−1). These results demonstrate the importance of maintaining cover on the soil surface. The mow-plow system, where adequate straw residue is available, is superior to moldboard plow system for soil conservation.
The aim of this study was to review the number of patients operated on for traumatic disruption of the pubic symphysis who developed radiological signs of movement of the anterior pelvic metalwork ...during the first post-operative year, and to determine whether this had clinical implications. A consecutive series of 49 patients undergoing internal fixation of a traumatic diastasis of the pubic symphysis were studied. All underwent anterior fixation of the diastasis, which was frequently combined with posterior pelvic fixation. The fractures were divided into groups using the Young and Burgess classification for pelvic ring fractures. The different combinations of anterior and posterior fixation adopted to stabilise the fractures and the type of movement of the metalwork which was observed were analysed and related to functional outcome during the first post-operative year. In 15 patients the radiographs showed movement of the anterior metalwork, with broken or mobile screws or plates, and in six there were signs of a recurrent diastasis. In this group, four patients required revision surgery; three with anterior fixation and one with removal of anterior pelvic metalwork; the remaining 11 functioned as well as the rest of the study group. We conclude that radiological signs of movement in the anterior pelvic metalwork, albeit common, are not in themselves an indication for revision surgery.
Crop residues influence near surface soil organic carbon (SOC) content, impact our ability to remotely assess soil properties, and play a role in global carbon budgets. Methods that measure crop ...residues are laborious, and largely inappropriate for field-scale to regional estimates. The objective of this study was to evaluate high spectral resolution remote sensing (RS) data for rapid quantification of residue cover. In March 2000 and April 2001, residue plots (15 by 15 m) were established in the Coastal Plain and Appalachian Plateau physiographic regions of Alabama. Treatments consisted of five wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) straw cover rates (0, 10, 20, 50, and 80%) replicated three times. Spectral measurements were acquired monthly via a handheld spectroradiometer (350-1050 nm) and per availability via the Airborne Terrestrial Applications Sensor (ATLAS) (400-12 500 nm). Overall, treatment separation was influenced by soil water content and percentage of total organic carbon (TOC) of the residue (degree of decomposition). Results showed that atmospherically corrected visible and near-infrared ATLAS data can differentiate between residue coverages. Similar results were obtained with the handheld spectroradiometer, although treatment differentiation was less consistent. Thermal infrared ATLAS imagery best discriminated among residue treatments due to differing heat capacities between soil and residue. Results from our study suggest airborne thermal infrared (TIR) imagery can be used for crop residue variability assessment within the southeastern USA.
Background: Behavioral interventions produce significant short-term weight loss. However, these interventions typically require regular in-person sessions, which may not be feasible for all ...individuals. Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of a 12-week campaign intervention (CI) compared to a standard on-site, group-based behavioral weight loss intervention (SBWL) among overweight/obese adults. Methods: SBWL participants (n=13; age: 42.5 ± 9.1 years; BMI: 33.4 ± 3.8 kg/m²) attended weekly group meetings, were prescribed a daily reduced caloric goal and 200 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week. CI participants (n=13; age: 43.8 ± 9.0 years; BMI: 33.2 ± 3.8 kg/m²) received the same recommendations as the SBWL, attended in-person group meetings at weeks 0 and 12, and received e-mail messages weeks 2-11. Additional CI features included a thematic framework and an incentive-based point system targeting behavioral goals. Results: Significant weight loss was demonstrated for intention-to-treat (SBWL: -5.6 ± 2.9 kg; CI: -3.1 ± 3.4 kg) (p
Human immune responses to modern synthetic and recombinant peptide vaccines administered with the standard adjuvant, aluminum hydroxide, tend to be poor, hence the search for better adjuvants. ...Antibody responses to a Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite (CS) protein vaccine, R32NS181, administered with an adjuvant containing cell-wall skeleton of mycobacteria and monophosphoryl lipid A in squalane (MPL/CWS) have been compared to responses to the same immunogen adminstered with aluminum hydroxide. 2 weeks after the third dose the following indices were greater in the 5 patients who received MPL/CWS than in controls (p<0·05): the geometric mean concentration (2·0 vs 25·4 μg/ml) and avidity index of antibodies to the P falciparum CS protein by ELISA, the geometric mean titre to P falciparum sporozoites by IFAT (1/115 vs 1/1600), and the geometric mean inhibition of sporozoite invasion of hepatoma cells in vitro (37·6 vs 90·3%). For R32NS181 MPL/CWS is superior to aluminum hydroxide as an adjuvant, and the data support the evaluation of this complex as an adjuvant for other vaccines. Lancet 1991; 337: 998-1001.
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