Potential alternative treatment approach for pediatric patient with diffusely infiltrative primary rhabdomyosarcoma of the liver

Primary hepatic rhabdomyosarcoma is rare, making decisions regarding locoregional management with resection and/or conventional radiation difficult. We present a novel treatment approach for a pediatric patient diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma diffusely involving the liver. This patient underwent treatment with yttrium-90 (Y-90) microspheres followed by external beam radiation therapy (EBRT ) to residual disease, interdigitated with systemic chemotherapy. Initial post-radiation imaging showed significant response to treatment, and she experienced minimal acute toxicities and no long-term toxicities. She developed recurrent PET-avid disease 23 months after Y-90 treatment, necessitating further local and continued systemic therapies. We report on the tumor control following Y-90 and EBRT treatment.     

Cyclic AMP Modulates Differentially the Release of Dopamine Induced by Hypoxia and Other Stimuli and Increases Dopamine Synthesis in the Rabbit Carotid Body

We have investigated the effects of different treatments that increase cyclic AMP levels on the in vitro synthesis and release of catecholamines in the rabbit carotid body. We also measured the rate of 45Ca2+ efflux from previously loaded carotid bodies under different conditions. Forskolin produced a dose-dependent increase in the release of [3H]dopamine elicited by a hypoxic stimulus of medium intensity (PO2 = 33 mm Hg) without altering basal [3H]dopamine release (100% O2-equilibrated medium). At a concentration of 5 x 10(-6) M, forskolin increased the release of [3H]dopamine induced by hypoxic stimuli of different intensities; the increase was maximal (498%) at the lowest intensity of hypoxic stimuli (PO2 = 66 mm Hg), averaged 260% for hypoxic stimuli of intermediate intensity and 2 x 10(-4) M cyanide, and was 150% under anoxia. Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (2 mM) and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (0.5 mM) mimicked forskolin effects under hypoxic stimulation. Forskolin (5 x 10(-6) M) also increased (180%) the release of [3H]dopamine induced by 20% CO2/pH 6.6, 2.5 x 10(-4) M dinitrophenol, and 3 x 10(-5) M ionomycin. Forskolin and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine were without effect on the release of [3H]dopamine elicited by 30 mM extracellular K+. Forskolin (5 x 10(-6) M) augmented significantly the rate of 45Ca2+ efflux induced by hypoxic stimuli (PO2 of 33 and 66 mm Hg) and 2 x 10(-4) M cyanide and showed a tendency to increase (20%) the 45Ca2+ efflux induced by dinitrophenol and low pH and to decrease (21%) the efflux induced by 30 mM K+ without altering the rate of efflux under basal conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Disturbances by dog barking increase vigilance in coots Fulica atra

Animals frequently interrupt their activity to look up and to scan their surrounding environment for potential predators (vigilance). As vigilance and other activities are often mutually exclusive, such behaviours are at the expense of feeding, sleeping or preening. Authors of many wildlife disturbance studies found that people with free-running dogs provoked the most pronounced disturbances (e.g. greater flushing distances and more birds affected). However, dogs on leash may also negatively affect wild animals, and barking dogs may lead to an increase in vigilance. In this study, I tested this hypothesis in coots (Fulica atra) using three different playback procedures: (1) dog barks, (2) conspecific coot alarm calls and (3) chaffinch song. The trials were conducted in spring and autumn 2005 at three study sites in southwestern Germany. During the dog playbacks, vigilance increased significantly from 17 to 28%. This increase in vigilance is comparable to the presence of a natural predator. As expected, vigilance also increased significantly during conspecific coot alarm calls but not during playbacks of the chaffinch song control. Two main findings result from the study: (1) coots respond to acoustic traits of dogs and may be able to acoustically recognise this predator and (2) this increase in vigilance might have implications for conservation, especially when considering buffer zones around sensitive areas.     

Phototransduction in primate cones and blowfly photoreceptors: different mechanisms, different algorithms, similar response

Phototransduction in primate cones is compared with phototransduction in blowfly photoreceptor cells. Phototransduction in the two cell types utilizes not only different molecular mechanisms, but also different signal processing steps, producing range compression, contrast constancy, and an intensity-dependent integration time. The dominant processing step in the primate cone is a strongly compressive nonlinearity due to cGMP hydrolysis by phosphodiesterase. In the blowfly photoreceptor a considerable part of the range compression is performed by the nonlinear membrane of the cell. Despite these differences, both photoreceptor cell types are similarly effective in compressing the wide range of naturally occurring intensities, and in converting intensity variations into contrast variations. A direct comparison of the responses to a natural time series of intensities, simulated in the cone and measured in the blowfly photoreceptor, shows that the responses are quite similar.     

Dither: A unifying model of the effects of visitor numbers on zoo animal behavior

Interest in the impact of human presence on the behavior and well-being of zoo and aquarium animals is increasing. Previous work has conceptualized the presence of zoo visitors as having one of three impacts on the behavior of animals in zoos: positive, negative, or neutral. Research suggests the same species may exhibit all three responses under different conditions, calling into question whether the positive/negative/neutral framework is the most useful way of considering visitor impact on animal behavior. Here we present a model of visitor effects that unifies these three predictions. Our model suggests that zoo-goers may provide a “dither effect” for some animals living in zoos. We posit animals may show nonlinear behavioral responses over a range of visitor densities, effectively exhibiting changes in both comfortable and anxiety-like behaviors under different levels of human presence. We tested this model during two COVID-19 related closures at the San Francisco Zoo, studying seven species for evidence of nonlinear relationships between visitor numbers and animal behavior. Our results support the dither effect acting in several species observed.     

“The influence of olfactory enrichment on the behavior of two captive New World primates: Black-capped capuchin (Sapajus apella) and common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus)”

Environmental enrichment is an animal husbandry principle that seeks to provide the stimuli necessary for the optimal physiological and psychological well-being of animals. Due to primates having highly developed visual systems, there have been limited attempts to quantify the benefit of olfactory enrichment on captive primate populations. We aim to investigate how a range of odors may influence the behaviors of two captive New World primate species that have varying reliance on olfactory pathways, black-capped capuchin (Sapajus apella) and common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), at the National Zoo and Aquarium, Canberra, Australia. We presented three odors (rosemary oil, Salvia rosmarinus, banana essence and white-tailed deer urine, Odocoileus virginianus) four different times to the two species following a 12-week randomized schedule. Using instantaneous scan sampling we collected behavioral and direct cloth interaction (DCI) data on 40 days. We then calculated activity budgets. Results show both species significantly respond to different olfactory conditions. S. apella responded to banana by decreasing inactivity (df = 4, F = 6.600, p = .007), and increasing DCI frequencies (df = 3, F = 116.196, p < .0001) whereas C. jacchus was influenced by rosemary and deer urine—also reducing inactivity levels (df= 4, F = 15.938, p < .0001), but not changing DCI frequencies. We also tested habituation however it is not significant for either species over the course of the study. This comparative investigation is one of the first of its kind and uncovers the possibility for olfactory stimulus to be successfully used as a type of beneficial environmental enrichment for captive primates, supporting the constructive and ongoing development of enrichment programs at captive facilities.     

Role of host-plant stimuli in sexual behaviour of small ermine moths (Yponomeuta)

ABSTRACT. 1. Studies involving experiments with olfactometers and field experiments have shown that the release of sex-pheromone by females of Yponomeuta spp. is stimulated by the presence of host plants.
2. While in Y.evonymellus L. less females emitted pheromone in the absence of host plants, in Y.padellus L. the initiation of pheromone release was delayed.
3. Females of Y.evonymellus, Y.cagnagellus Hüb., Y.padellus and Y.plumbellus D. & S. all preferred a place with host-plant odour to one with non-host odours for sex-pheromone release.
4. Male preference for host-plant odour was demonstrated in the laboratory only for Y.cagnagellus.
5. Trap catches in the field indicated a reinforcement of female attractiveness by host-plant stimuli.     

Radiotherapy for the treatment of pituitary adenomas: A dosimetric comparison of three planning techniques

AimOur goal was to compare conformal 3D (C3D) radiotherapy (RT), modulated intensity RT (IMRT), and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) planning techniques in treating pituitary adenomas.BackgroundRT is important for managing pituitary adenomas. Treatment planning advances allow for higher radiation dosing with less risk of affecting organs at risk (OAR).Materials and methodsWe conducted a 5-year retrospective review of patients with pituitary adenoma treated with external beam radiation therapy (C3D with flattening filter, flattening filter-free [FFF], IMRT, and VMAT). We compared dose-volume histogram data. For OARs, we recorded D2%, maximum, and mean doses. For planning target volume (PTV), we registered V95%, V107%, D95%, D98%, D50%, D2%, minimum dose, conformity index (CI), and homogeneity index (HI).ResultsFifty-eight patients with pituitary adenoma were included. Target-volume coverage was acceptable for all techniques. The HI values were 0.06, IMRT; 0.07, VMAT; 0.08, C3D; and 0.09, C3D FFF (p < 0.0001). VMAT and IMRT provided the best target volume conformity (CI, 0.64 and 0.74, respectively; p < 0.0001). VMAT yielded the lowest doses to the optic pathway, lens, and cochlea. The position of the neck in extreme flexion showed that it helps in planning mainly with VMAT by allowing only one arc to be used and achieving the desired conformity, decreasing the treatment time, while allowing greater protection to the organs of risk using C3D, C3DFFF.ConclusionsOur results confirmed that EBRT in pituitary adenomas using IMRT, VMAT, C3D, C3FFF provide adequate coverage to the target. VMAT with a single arc or incomplete arc had a better compliance with desired dosimetric goals, such as target coverage and normal structures dose constraints, as well as shorter treatment time. Neck extreme flexion may have benefits in treatment planning for better preservation of organs at risk. C3D with extreme neck flexion is an appropriate treatment option when other treatment techniques are not available.