Prevalence of occupational exposures and protective practices in Australian female veterinarians

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of exposure to potentially harmful occupational hazards in Australian female veterinarians and to report factors associated with prevalence of occupational hazards in this profession. DESIGN: National cross-sectional survey of a cohort population. PROCEDURE: A self-administered questionnaire was mailed to 5748 veterinarians (males and females) graduating from Australian veterinary schools from 1960 to 2000. This paper reports the prevalence of occupational exposures in 1197 female veterinarians in their current job including radiation, anaesthetic gases, pesticides and long working hours. Comparisons were undertaken between respondents by practice type and decades of graduation. Multivariate logistic regression was undertaken to predict the risk for exposure to occupational hazards in female veterinarians by age, type of practice, graduation year and number of hours worked. RESULTS: The response rate for females was 59%. We found that age under 30 years, small and mixed animal practice, graduation year after 1990, and working more than 45 hours per week were all associated with greater exposure to putative risk factors. Mixed animal practitioners worked more than 45 hours per week (53%) and reported the highest exposure to anaesthetic gases (94%) and pesticides (54%). Twenty two percent of those who were exposed to anaesthetic gases did not have waste anaesthetic gas scavenging systems. Small animal practitioners reported they took more X-rays (90%). While taking X-rays, 56% of respondents reported physically restraining animals, and only one in five of respondents used film holders and lead screens. CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence of potentially harmful exposures among female veterinarians and lack of use of protective equipment at work needs to be considered in developing and planning the safety of veterinary work.     

分子标记在地下啮齿类动物扩散中的应用

扩散是动物生活史中的重要行为之一,影响个体的存活、繁殖、生长以及种群数量动态、分布和遗传结构等。随着分子生物学的发展,分子标记技术为研究小型啮齿动物扩散提供了有力的工具。本文综述微卫星标记、DNA指纹技术、线粒体D-loop序列在部分地下啮齿类动物扩散中的应用和研究成果,总结了不同分子标记技术的特点,同时对利用微卫星技术对我国独有的高原鼢鼠(Eospalax baileyi)开展扩散研究进行了展望。     

A review of environmental and host factors in relation to equine respiratory disease

This paper reviews the environmental and host factors which interact to affect the incidence and severity of episodes of respiratory disease in stabled horses. The folly of accepting housing criteria and management practices for the horse, based on direct extrapolations from intensive housing of meat producing animals, is discussed. The factors which affect air hygiene and physical environment of stables are considered in terms of short-term athletic performance and long-term welfare.     

Radiographic abnormalities in canine multicentric lymphoma: A review of 84 cases

The thoracic and abdominal radiographs of 84 dogs with multlcentric lymphoma were examined to identlfy the radiological abnormalities. The frequency of occurrence of individual changes, role of radiography in diagnosis, relationship of radiographic changes to hypercalcaemla and prognostic relevance of radiographic flndlngs were assessed. Multiple abnormalities were more commonly seen than solitary changes. No radiographic abnormalities were seen In approximately one quarter of thoracic radiographs and one fifth of abdominal radiographs. Lymphoma could not be diagnosed on the basis of radiographs alone. Many of the features of lymphoma were non-speclflc, having numerous possible causes. Cranial mediastinai disease was neither a prerequisite for, nor a disproportionately common flnding in, hypercaicaemic patients. The absence of radiological abnormalities may be a positive prognostic indicator but, in general, radiology had no place as a prognostic Indicator for the Individual patient. The differential diagnoses for the radlographlc abnormalities seen in lymphoma are discussed.     

Prognostic and predictive markers in canine tumours: rationale and relevance. A review

Cancer is one of the most common causes of death in dogs. The availability of multiple treatment modalities and novel therapeutic targets make the correct diagnosis, prognostic stratification, and the identification of treatment effect predictive factors an issue of major debate in cancer management. Selection of high and low risk patients and the type of systemic or local treatment is important in cancer management. The search for better prognostic markers and predictive factors is now focused on the molecular mechanisms which underlie tumour behaviour, such as altered cell cycle progression, proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. The ultimate goal is to identify reliable markers that can accurately diagnose and stage a tumour and predict tumour's clinical behaviour, prognosis and response to therapy. In this review, the current state of prognostication in canine tumours and promising new molecular markers are discussed. The markers are allocated to four groups according to their function: (i) proliferation markers, (ii) apoptosis, (iii) extracellular matrix and cell adhesion molecules, (iv) angiogenesis and (v) cell cycle regulators. Clinicopathological factors and histopathological grading remain the most practical parameters in decision-making. Although experimental research has shown that molecular markers have a good potential to be used as diagnostic, prognostic or predictive markers in canine tumours, insufficient evidence exists on their efficacy for routine use in veterinary oncology.     

A review of the role of acid-base balance in amino acid nutrition

Acid-base balance and amino acid metabolism are intimately related. Changes in acid-base balance influence the metabolic fate of many amino acids. Also, acid-base homeostasis is achieved in part by alteration of amino acid metabolism, not only in the kidney, but also in liver, muscle and splanchnic tissue. Glutamine is the primary amino acid involved in renal ammonia-genesis, a process intimately related to acid excretion. The metabolism of other amino acids, such a serine, glycine and the branched-chain amino acids, also appears to be influenced by acid-base balance. Conversely, the metabolic fate of various amino acids will influence the daily acid load experienced by the animal. Oxidation of amino acids contributes to the total acid and base load imposed on the pig. The basic (cationic) amino acids (lysine, arginine and histidine) yield neutral end-products plus a proton; sulfur (methionine and cysteine) amino acids are also acidogenic because they generate sulfuric acid when oxidized. The dicarboxylic (anionic) amino acids (aspartate and glutamate, but not asparagine and glutamine) consume acid when oxidized and thus reduce the acid load of the diet. Acid-base balance and related phenomena are discussed in the context of practical and metabolic aspects of amino acid nutrition.     

Canine lymphoid leukaemia and lymphoma with bone marrow involvement: A review of 24 cases

Eleven cases of canine lymphoid leukaemia (10 acute and one chronic) were compared with 13 cases of canine lymphoma with bone marrow abnormalities, with regard to presentation, treatment and survival. Breed, age, and sex were similar for the two groups of dogs, but there was a marked difference in presenting signs, haematological parameters and bone marrow analysis, with the leukaemic dogs showing more severe changes. The clinicopathological features of these cases are reported in this paper and discussed with regard to prognosis. The mean survival time was significantly lower (43 days) in dogs treated for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia than for dogs treated for lymphoma with bone marrow abnormalities (351 days).     

The role of vibrissae in behavior: A status review

Vibrissae or tactile hairs are an important part of the tactile sensory apparatus of many mammals. A wide range of suggested functions found in the literature include food acquisition prey attack, aggression and attack behavior, facial expression in intraspecies communications, dispersion of pheromones, maintaining head position in swimming, and a wide range of environmental monitoring (e. g., current detection in water, wind direction on land). There is little work done specifically on domestic animals or their feral relatives. Work on the tactile senses in general and vibrissae in particular is an open field of study. A set of general questions for study of vibrissa function in domestic animals is presented.     

人参皂苷和多糖对肺肠功能影响研究进展

消化和呼吸功能是畜牧养殖过程中面临的两大问题,其会严重影响畜牧业经济效益.作为人参主要功能性成分,人参总皂苷和人参多糖在肺肠功能调节方面具有较好效果.本文总结了近年来人参总皂苷和人参多糖对肺肠功能调节的研究情况,以期为其在畜牧生产应用方面提供参考.     

Pathogenesis and pathology of blackleg in ruminants: the role of toxins and neuraminidase. A short review

There is no consensus on the pathogenesis of blackleg infection that occurs in ruminants, but toxins and neuraminidase produced by Clostridium chauvoei are believed to play a significant role in the pathogenesis of the disease. This paper provides an update on the role of toxins and neuraminidase in the pathogenesis and pathology of the disease. The use of neuraminidase inhibitors to manage clinical blackleg infections is therefore an alternative therapeutic protocol that should be thoroughly investigated. It is suggested that in vivo clinical trials should be carried out to determine the mechanism of action and clinical efficacy of neuraminidase inhibitors.     

Immune-metabolic-inflammatory markers in Holstein cows exposed to a nutritional and environmental stressing challenge

Dairy cows are exposed to multiple stressors during the productive cycle, such as metabolic challenges, overcrowding, grouping change, environmental stress and dietary errors. Thus, it is essential to study reliable markers able to detect stress conditions in dairy farms. This study evaluates dairy cows' immunologic and metabolic markers after the sudden and combined exposition to a high-grain diet (75% concentrates) and the abrupt change of the housing system (from free stall to tie stall). A group of twenty-four Holstein cows were enrolled in a challenge study of 28 days duration. Several immunological and metabolic blood markers were evaluated over the trial. Blood samples were taken at day 0 (normal value) and day 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 (challenge). Data were submitted to a mixed model for repeated measures, including time as fixed and cows as random effects. The nutritional and environmental challenge had heavy effects on animal welfare and cows responded with a dramatic rumination drop. Our results suggest that the most responsive markers after abiotic stressors in cows were as follows: Serum Amyloid A and ROM in the acute response; Ceruloplasmin and GGT in the mid acute and Albumin, Paroxonase and FRAP in the chronic phase. Serum Amyloid A, Ceruloplasmin, Paraoxonase, GGT and ROM resulted as positive phase proteins, while, Albumin and FRAP resulted as negative phase proteins. Preliminary obtained results could concur to develop strategies able to mitigate stressor effects; moreover, the proposed design can be used as a model to test stress nutritional modulators.     

Research progress on the role of melatonin and its receptors in animal reproduction: A comprehensive review

Melatonin and its receptors play a crucial role in the regulation of the animal reproductive process, primarily in follicular development. However, the role that melatonin performs in regulating hormones related with reproduction remains unclear. Melatonin and its receptors are present both in female and male animals’ organs, such as ovaries, heart, brain and liver. Melatonin regulates ovarian actions and is a key mediator of reproductive actions. Melatonin has numerous effects on animal reproduction, such as protection of gametes and embryos, response to clock genes, immune‐neuroendocrine, reconciliation of seasonal variations in immune function, and silence or blockage of genes. The growth ratio of reproductive illnesses in animals has raised a remarkable concern for the government, animal caretakers and farm managers. In order to resolve this challenging issue, it is very necessary to conduct state‐of‐the‐art research on melatonin and its receptors because melatonin has considerable physiognomies. This review article presents a current contemporary research conducted by numerous researchers from the entire world on the role of melatonin and its receptors in animal reproduction, from the year 1985 to the year 2017. Furthermore, this review shows scientific research challenges related to melatonin receptors and their explanations based on the findings of 172 numerous research articles, and also represents significant proficiencies of melatonin in order to show enthusiastic study direction for animal reproduction researchers.     

Canine and feline retinal lymphoma: a retrospective review of 12 cases

This retrospective study identified 12 cases (6 canine and 6 feline) of ocular lymphoma with extensive retinal involvement and relative sparing of other ocular tissues. Our objectives were to describe the morphologic and immunohistochemical features of retinal lymphoma, assess the degree of correlation to the human counterpart, assign subtypes based on the veterinary‐adapted WHO classification system, and promote accurate reporting of retinal involvement in cases of intraocular lymphoma. Our findings suggest that a distinct retinal tropism is quite rare, representing approximately 1% of all cases of canine and feline ocular lymphoma. No breed or sex predispositions were identified. The mean age of the affected animal was 7 years (range 4–10) and 11 years (range 6–19) for dogs and cats, respectively. Nine cases (5 canine and 4 feline) were classified as diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) subtype. The remaining cases were classified as peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL).     

Post‐exposure rabies prophylaxis for mass bat exposures: Case series and systematic review

To assess and describe the use of rabies post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) related to mass bat exposures (MBEs) in the literature and in the state of Rhode Island. Data on MBE events occurring between 2010 and 2016 from the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) were reviewed to determine PEP usage. For comparison, a systematic review was also performed by searching PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science using the keywords ‘rabies,’ ‘bat’ and ‘exposure.’ There were three MBE events in Rhode Island between 2010 and 2016 in which groups of individuals were asleep during the potential exposure. As a result, RIDOH provided PEP to those involved in the event. In a systematic review of 12 published reports, a variety of settings were involved in MBEs: camping sites, a domestic flight, a neonatal intensive care unit and dormitories. The number of potential rabies exposures ranged from five to 1,429 people. PEP recommendations for assessed persons ranged from 0% to 100% across events (median 21%). The variation in PEP recommendations following a MBE may be dependent on medical need, past precedent or preference. Federal guidance for MBE is needed to add clarity and to minimize the variability in PEP recommendations for such events in the future.