Efficacy and tolerance of a novel topical TRPV-1 channel antagonist in dogs with allergic pododermatitis.

BACKGROUND: Pruritus due to allergic skin disease is one of the most common reasons for dermatological consultations in the veterinary clinic. Treatment is usually multimodal and requires continuous monitoring and reassessment. New therapies are needed to broaden the therapeutic arsenal. HYPOTHESIS/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a novel transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel antagonist for allergic pododermatitis in dogs. ANIMALS: Twenty-four client-owned dogs with allergic pododermatitis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was an open, prospective, multi-centre clinical trial with client-owned dogs. All dogs were treated twice daily with a spray containing hydroxymethoxyiodobenzyl glycolamide pelargonate for 28 days. Clinical assessments included pruritus Visual Analog Scale (PVAS), pedal skin lesion score, evaluation of quality of life (QoL), presence of secondary infections and a four-point subjective efficacy assessment by the veterinarian and the dog owner. RESULTS: There was more than 50% improvement in all scores by the conclusion of the study. Secondary infections were reduced (p < 0.001). Both the veterinarians and dog owners evaluated the efficacy of the product positively. The product was well-tolerated. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This study demonstrated the tolerability and efficacy of a TRPV1 antagonist on pruritic pododermatitis in 24 dogs.

Modelling ground thermal regime in bordering (dis)continuous permafrost environments.

Permafrost controls geomorphological dynamics in maritime Antarctic ecosystems. Here, we analyze and model ground thermal regime in bordering conditions between continuous and discontinuous permafrost to better understand its relationship with the timing of glacial retreat. In February 2017, a transect including 10 sites for monitoring ground temperatures was installed in the eastern fringe of Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island, northern Antarctic Peninsula), together with one station recording air temperatures and snow thickness. The sites were selected following the Mid-Late Holocene deglaciation of the area at a distance ranging from 0.30 to 3.15 km from the current Rotch Dome glacier front. The transect provided data on the effects of topography, snow cover and the timing of ice-free exposure, on the ground thermal regime. From February 2017 to February 2019, the mean annual air temperature was -2.0 °C, which was >0.5 °C higher than 1986-2015 average in the Western Antarctic Peninsula region. Mean annual ground temperature at 10 cm depth varied between 0.3 and -1.1 °C, similar to the modelled Temperatures on the Top of the Permafrost (TTOP) that ranged from 0.06 ±â€¯0.08 °C to -1.33 ±â€¯0.07 °C. The positive average temperatures at the warmest site were related to the long-lasting presence of snow which favoured warmer ground temperatures and may trigger permafrost degradation. The role of other factors (topography, and timing of the deglaciation) explained intersite differences, but the overall effect was not as strong as snow cover.

Snow Albedo Seasonality and Trend from MODIS Sensor and Ground Data at Johnsons Glacier, Livingston Island, Maritime Antarctica.

The aim of this work is to investigate whether snow albedo seasonality and trend under all sky conditions at Johnsons Glacier (Livingston Island, Antarctica) can be tracked using the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow albedo daily product MOD10A1. The time span is from December 2006 to February 2015. As the MOD10A1 snow albedo product has never been used in Antarctica before, we also assess the performance for the MOD10A1 cloud mask. The motivation for this work is the need for a description of snow albedo under all sky conditions (including overcast days) using satellite data with mid-spatial resolution. In-situ albedo was filtered with a 5-day windowed moving average, while the MOD10A1 data were filtered using a maximum filter. Both in-situ and MOD10A1 data follow an exponential decay during the melting season, with a maximum decay of 0.049/0.094 day-1 (in-situ/MOD10A1) for the 2006-2007 season and a minimum of 0.016/0.016 day-1 for the 2009-2010 season. The duration of the decay varies from 85 days (2007-2008) to 167 days (2013-2014). Regarding the albedo trend, both data sets exhibit a slight increase of albedo, which may be explained by an increase of snowfall along with a decrease of snowmelt in the study area. Annual albedo increases of 0.2% and 0.7% are obtained for in-situ and MOD10A1 data, respectively, which amount to respective increases of 2% and 6% in the period 2006-2015. We conclude that MOD10A1 can be used to characterize snow albedo seasonality and trend on Livingston Island when filtered with a maximum filter.

Timelapse images datasets (2017-2022) from Livingston and Deception Islands, Antarctica, to study snow cover and weather conditions at the PERMATHERMAL monitoring network.

In the Deception and Livingston Islands, South Shetland Islands, Antarctica, two sites belonging to the international Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) network were established in 2005 and 2009, respectively, as part of the PERMATHERMAL network. In 2017, part of the installed instrumentation was upgraded, incorporating new CC5MPX automatic photographic cameras from Campbell Scientific to acquire three daily photographs at 5Mpx in resolution, 2592 × 1984 pixels in size, and JPEG format. The photographs are taken during the central hours of the day (14, 15, and 16 h GMT) to ensure maximum brightness, even during the Antarctic winter. Powered by batteries and solar panels, two cameras were installed at each site with a panoramic view, devoid of vegetation except for small patches of moss. At each study point, the cameras are oriented in different directions, providing diverse angles of the study area, and allowing observation of various fields of view in the environment. The result is a dataset of images acquired in the 2017-2022 period, organized by site, year, and month, capturing environmental conditions and spatial distribution of the snow cover. This dataset, besides documenting the snow cover, allows assessment of meteorological conditions, prevailing wind directions in the area during snow events, even in more distant areas from the study point due to the configured field of view. In the case of the images from Livingston Island, it also enables the study of the Limnopolar Lake's fluctuating water level during spring and summer. For the images from Deception Island, it provides insight into the presence of pack ice in Foster Port, relevant for volcanic activity and the safety of numerous vessels entering the caldera of the active volcano.

Recent Warming and Cooling in the Antarctic Peninsula Region has Rapid and Large Effects on Lichen Vegetation.

The Antarctic Peninsula has had a globally large increase in mean annual temperature from the 1951 to 1998 followed by a decline that still continues. The challenge is now to unveil whether these recent, complex and somewhat unexpected climatic changes are biologically relevant. We were able to do this by determining the growth of six lichen species on recently deglaciated surfaces over the last 24 years. Between 1991 and 2002, when mean summer temperature (MST) rose by 0.42 °C, five of the six species responded with increased growth. MST declined by 0.58 °C between 2002 and 2015 with most species showing a fall in growth rate and two of which showed a collapse with the loss of large individuals due to a combination of increased snow fall and longer snow cover duration. Increased precipitation can, counter-intuitively, have major negative effects when it falls as snow at cooler temperatures. The recent Antarctic cooling is having easily detectable and deleterious impacts on slow growing and highly stress-tolerant crustose lichens, which are comparable in extent and dynamics, and reverses the gains observed over the previous decades of exceptional warming.

Valor de la evaluación intraoperatoria del margen quirúrgico para el diagnóstico de margen afecto en cirugía conservadora del cáncer de mama / Usefulness of intraoperative surgical margin assessment for the diagnosis of margin involvement in breast-conserving surgery

Introducción El margen positivo en cirugía conservadora del cáncer de mama es un importante factor pronóstico. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar cómo influye nuestro protocolo de evaluación intraoperatoria del margen del espécimen en la frecuencia de márgenes afectos (MA). Además, estudiamos la precisión de nuestro protocolo como prueba diagnóstica de MA. Métodos Se incluyeron pacientes tratadas mediante cirugía conservadora de la mama por carcinoma invasivo en un centro de referencia de cáncer de mama entre 2004 y 2015. El análisis intraoperatorio del margen consistió en una inspección macroscópica del espécimen por parte del patólogo. Se empleó ink on tumor como definición de MA. Resultados Se incluyeron 799 pacientes. En 312 pacientes (39%) el margen se consideró afectado o amenazado, y se realizó una ampliación intraoperatoria. En la evaluación definitiva se confirmó que 123 de ellas tenían un margen afecto, y en 189 estaba libre. Por otro lado, se consideró que 487 muestras tenían el margen inicial libre y no se realizó ampliación intraoperatoria. Posteriormente se confirmó un margen final libre en 459 de estas pacientes (94,2%). Veintiocho pacientes tuvieron margen libre intraoperatoriamente, pero margen final afecto. Si no se hubiera realizado el análisis intraoperatorio del margen, la tasa de MA definitivo hubiera sido del 18,9% (151 pacientes de 799). Gracias a las ampliaciones intraoperatorias, la tasa de MA definitivo en tumores infiltrantes se redujo de 18,9 a 5,7%: hubo 46 pacientes con margen final afecto, 28 del grupo de margen intraoperatorio libre y 18 del grupo de márgenes intraoperatorios comprometidos. La sensibilidad del procedimiento fue de 0,81, mientras que la especificidad fue de 0,71. El valor predictivo positivo fue de 0,39 y el valor predictivo negativo fue de 0,94. Conclusión... (AU)

Introduction A positive margin in breast-conserving surgery is an important prognostic factor. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of our protocol for the intraoperative assessment of the surgical specimen on the frequency of margin involvement (MI). We also studied the accuracy of our protocol as a diagnostic test of MI. Methods We included patients treated with breast-conserving surgery for infiltrating ductal carcinoma in a breast cancer referral centre between 2004 and 2015. Intraoperative assessment consisted of macroscopic inspection of the specimen by a pathologist. MI was defined by ink on tumor. Results A total of 799 patients were included. In 312 patients (39%), the margin was considered involved or in danger of involvement and intraoperative widening was performed. MI was confirmed by definitive assessment in 123 of these patients and clear margins were confirmed in 189 patients. In 487 patients, the initial margin was considered disease-free and margin enlargement was not performed. In 459 of these patients (94.2%) subsequent analysis confirmed disease-free margins. In 28 patients, intraoperative assessment suggested disease-free margins but subsequent analysis revealed MI. Without intraoperative margin assessment, the rate of definitive MI would have been 18.9% (151 patients out of 799). Due to intraoperative widening, the rate of definitive MI in infiltrating tumours was decreased from 18.9 to 5.7%. Definitive MI was found in 46 patients, 28 in the group with disease-free margins at the intraoperative assessment and 18 in the group with MI at the intraoperative assessment. The sensitivity of the procedure was 0.81 and specificity was 0.71. The positive predictive value was 0.39 and the negative predictive value was 0.94. ConclusionThe application of our protocol for the intraoperative assessment of infiltrating tumors revealed an MI rate of 5.7%... (AU)

Valor de la evaluación intraoperatoria del margen quirúrgico para el diagnóstico de margen afecto en cirugía conservadora del cáncer de mama / Usefulness of intraoperative surgical margin assessment for the diagnosis of margin involvement in breast-conserving surgery

Introducción El margen positivo en cirugía conservadora del cáncer de mama es un importante factor pronóstico. El objetivo de este estudio fue evaluar cómo influye nuestro protocolo de evaluación intraoperatoria del margen del espécimen en la frecuencia de márgenes afectos (MA). Además, estudiamos la precisión de nuestro protocolo como prueba diagnóstica de MA. Métodos Se incluyeron pacientes tratadas mediante cirugía conservadora de la mama por carcinoma invasivo en un centro de referencia de cáncer de mama entre 2004 y 2015. El análisis intraoperatorio del margen consistió en una inspección macroscópica del espécimen por parte del patólogo. Se empleó ink on tumor como definición de MA. Resultados Se incluyeron 799 pacientes. En 312 pacientes (39%) el margen se consideró afectado o amenazado, y se realizó una ampliación intraoperatoria. En la evaluación definitiva se confirmó que 123 de ellas tenían un margen afecto, y en 189 estaba libre. Por otro lado, se consideró que 487 muestras tenían el margen inicial libre y no se realizó ampliación intraoperatoria. Posteriormente se confirmó un margen final libre en 459 de estas pacientes (94,2%). Veintiocho pacientes tuvieron margen libre intraoperatoriamente, pero margen final afecto. Si no se hubiera realizado el análisis intraoperatorio del margen, la tasa de MA definitivo hubiera sido del 18,9% (151 pacientes de 799). Gracias a las ampliaciones intraoperatorias, la tasa de MA definitivo en tumores infiltrantes se redujo de 18,9 a 5,7%: hubo 46 pacientes con margen final afecto, 28 del grupo de margen intraoperatorio libre y 18 del grupo de márgenes intraoperatorios comprometidos. La sensibilidad del procedimiento fue de 0,81, mientras que la especificidad fue de 0,71. El valor predictivo positivo fue de 0,39 y el valor predictivo negativo fue de 0,94. Conclusión... (AU)

Introduction A positive margin in breast-conserving surgery is an important prognostic factor. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of our protocol for the intraoperative assessment of the surgical specimen on the frequency of margin involvement (MI). We also studied the accuracy of our protocol as a diagnostic test of MI. Methods We included patients treated with breast-conserving surgery for infiltrating ductal carcinoma in a breast cancer referral centre between 2004 and 2015. Intraoperative assessment consisted of macroscopic inspection of the specimen by a pathologist. MI was defined by ink on tumor. Results A total of 799 patients were included. In 312 patients (39%), the margin was considered involved or in danger of involvement and intraoperative widening was performed. MI was confirmed by definitive assessment in 123 of these patients and clear margins were confirmed in 189 patients. In 487 patients, the initial margin was considered disease-free and margin enlargement was not performed. In 459 of these patients (94.2%) subsequent analysis confirmed disease-free margins. In 28 patients, intraoperative assessment suggested disease-free margins but subsequent analysis revealed MI. Without intraoperative margin assessment, the rate of definitive MI would have been 18.9% (151 patients out of 799). Due to intraoperative widening, the rate of definitive MI in infiltrating tumours was decreased from 18.9 to 5.7%. Definitive MI was found in 46 patients, 28 in the group with disease-free margins at the intraoperative assessment and 18 in the group with MI at the intraoperative assessment. The sensitivity of the procedure was 0.81 and specificity was 0.71. The positive predictive value was 0.39 and the negative predictive value was 0.94. ConclusionThe application of our protocol for the intraoperative assessment of infiltrating tumors revealed an MI rate of 5.7%... (AU)