What are the veterinary schools and colleges doing to improve the nontechnical skills, knowledge, aptitudes, and attitudes of veterinary students?

The KPMG study signaled the need for change in the veterinary profession, and the NCVEI was formed to follow up on the study's findings. As founding organizations, the AVMA, American Animal Hospital Association, and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges remain committed to the cause, as do the NCVEI's corporate sponsors. In addition, it is clear that substantial change is also underway within the individual veterinary schools and colleges. The programs compiled should not be considered exhaustive because of the possibility that not all schools replied to the survey and because of ongoing changes. Widespread programmatic changes are being implemented in the veterinary schools and colleges, with short- and long-term implications for the veterinary profession. Such changes are not taken lightly in academia, and the schools and colleges are to be commended for their leadership and initiative. The momentum that is apparent can be expected to yield benefits for the veterinary profession well into the future.     

Drivers and trajectories of social and ecological change in the Karoo,South Africa§

This review article explores past, present and possible future drivers of change in Karoo social-ecological systems. Biogeographically, the Karoo comprises the arid Succulent Karoo and Nama-Karoo biomes covering significant portions of the Northern Cape, Eastern Cape and Western Cape provinces and a smaller part of the Free State. Despite the Karoo’s specific environment and spatial importance nationally (covering some 30% of South Africa), no government structures address its needs holistically. Today it is a politically and economically marginalised region; perceptions of it as a desert easily morph into perceptions of it as deserted and ripe for exploitation for the benefit of external constituencies, whether in the name of astronomy, shale-gas and uranium mining or renewable energy. To manage the Karoo better for present and future generations, it is clearly desirable for social and natural scientists to work collaboratively, yet there is relatively little interdisciplinary work to date. Against this background this review article provides an overview of social and ecological changes historically and in the present, and offers some cautious reflections concerning climate change, changing land use and governance as key drivers affecting trajectories of change into the future.     

Young, male neutered, obese, lame? Non-traumatic fractures of the femoral head and neck

PATIENT GROUP: Young, male neutered, obese cats are predisposed to sustaining spontaneous capital physeal fractures, as well as fractures of the femoral neck secondary to metaphyseal osteopathy. PRACTICAL RELEVANCE: Although femoral head and neck excision generally leads to adequate limb function, and is appropriate for chronic fractures, it is a salvage procedure and irreversible. Ideally, for acute capital physeal fractures an attempt should be made to stabilise the fracture and save the coxofemoral joint. This requires early detection of the femoral fracture. CLINICAL CHALLENGES: Orthopaedic examination in cats can be challenging. Yet thorough assessment is needed to allow localisation of the pathology to the hip joint, and to rule out other orthopaedic conditions such as cranial cruciate ligament rupture. Stabilisation of these types of fracture may also prove challenging. AUDIENCE: This review is aimed at general practitioners who have some experience in orthopaedic surgical procedures, as well as those simply wishing to expand their knowledge of feline orthopaedic conditions.     

Vaginal prolapse in sheep—Part IV: Cyclic changes in the vulva,vestibule, and vagina during the year

Extract

Many English breeds of sheep exhibit a well-defined breeding season which begins in the autumn about February–March in the southern hemisphere and ends about July–August. Over this period, the oestrous cycle, in unmated ewes, is repeated at intervals averaging 16 to 17 days. At other times of the year, these breeds are in anoestrum during which the 'ovaries and the tubular parts of the reproductive system are relatively quiescent.     

Could the pale, soft, and exudative condition be explained by distinctive histological characteristics?

Pork quality depends on various genetic and environmental factors. Despite the improvement of slaughter conditions, the PSE type is still one of the main concerns in this field. This study was conducted on nonstressed animals to evaluate the tissue characteristics of some muscles usually involved during stress compared with a reference muscle, the M. triceps brachii, which is actually not subject to stress-caused damages. Samples of M. triceps brachii, M. longissimus dorsi, M. biceps femoris, and M. semimembranosus were taken from pigs exhibiting 1 of the 3 HAL genotypes (NN, Nn, or nn) and 2 of the 3 RN genotypes (rn+rn+ or rn+RN-). Histoenzymology and immunohistochemistry were used to compare the fiber typing and capillary network in these muscles within these different stress susceptibility genotypes. In comparison with the reference muscle, M. triceps brachii, the combination of a high value of the number of type IIb fibers and a low vascular network showed a primary effect on muscles usually involved during stress. This led to the definition of a PSE index. A dramatic increase (P < 0.001) in this PSE index was systematically found in muscles usually involved in the PSE-type condition. These results show that distinctive histological characteristics were associated with the vulnerability of some muscles independently of the genotypes. Moreover, this study highlights the distinctive histological features of each genotype and is likely to suggest some interactions between them.     

Acetylation,deacetylation and hydroxylation of sulphamethoxazole and N4‐cacetylsulphamethoxazole in the snail Cepaea hortensis

Summary

The snail Cepaea hortensis is able to acetylate and hydroxylate sulphamethoxazole in a similar way to man. About one percent deacetylation, but no hydroxylation of N₄‐acetysulphamethoxazole takes place. The relative rates of the metabolic pathways for hydroxylation and acetylation of sulphamethoxazole are equal.     

Seroprevalence and risk factors for leptospirosis in cattle,sheep, and goats at consorted rearing from the State of Piauí, northeastern Brazil

Leptospirosis is an endemic disease in Latin America, caused by pathogenic bacteria of the genus Leptospira. It is considered one of the main causes responsible for the negative economic impact on global livestock by causing reproductive problems. The research aimed to determine the prevalence of leptospirosis in cattle, sheep, and goats at consorted rearing in the micro-region of Teresina, Piauí state, northeastern Brazil, as well as to identify prevalent serovars and risk factors associated with seroprevalence. Serum samples were analyzed in 336 sheep, 292 goats, and 253 cattle using microscopic agglutination test (MAT). Overall, 378 samples were positive to MAT, with seroprevalence of 42.9%. The prevalences in cattle, sheep, and goats were 50.5, 40.5, and 34.6%, respectively. All herds presented at least one seropositive animal; the Hardjo/Wolffi serovar association was the most common in cattle and Icterohaemorrhagiae in goats and sheep. Beef production (OR?=?4.9), cattle herd over 35 animals (OR?=?4.0), feeding on pasture (OR?=?6.4), weir and/or stream as water source (OR?=?2.1), and no veterinary services (OR?=?2.9) were risk factors for cattle infection. For sheep, intensive management system (OR?=?5.3), suspended slatted facilities (OR?=?2.2), more than 20 sheep in reproductive age (OR?=?1.9), and absence of deworming (OR?=?3.5) were the risk factors, while for goats, the identified risk factors were sheep herd over 52 animals (OR?=?1.9) and no veterinary services (OR?=?1.8). We conclude that the infection was spreading in consorted herds in this region. Thus, it would be interesting and important to conduct educative activities to farmers on the economic impacts of this disease and the need of preventive and control strategies mainly focused on sanitary measures and animal handling.     

Cloning,expression, and polymorphism at the 5ʹ-flanking region of the GnRH gene and their association with laying traits in Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata)

1. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), a neuropeptide, plays a vital role in the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis. In vertebrates, GnRH is crucial for the onset of sexual development and the entire reproductive process. The purpose of this study was to identify genetic factors associated with egg-laying traits of Muscovy ducks.

2. The full-length cDNA (474 bp) of Muscovy duck GnRH was obtained and characterised. It encodes 92 amino acids containing a 1-amino acid signal peptide cleavage site. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that Muscovy duck GnRH has a close relationship with Anas platyrhynchos GnRH.

3. GnRH showed significantly different expression profiles between 4 developmental periods in the hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovary. The expression of GnRH in the laying period (36 weeks) was higher than at other periods in the three tissues. GnRH was widely expressed in 12 examined tissues of nesting and laying Muscovy ducks. In the hypothalamus, pituitary and gonads, the expression of GnRH was higher than in other tissues.

4. In laying Muscovy ducks, the expression of GnRH in the hypothalamus, pituitary, ovary, muscular stomach, pancreas, heart, duodenum and spleen was significantly higher than in nesting dusks. Differences were detected in the liver and glandular stomach between laying ducks and nesting ducks. Differences between the kidney and lung were not significant.

5. In the pituitary, the GnRH and GnRH receptor (GnRHR) genes shared the same expression profiles during 4 time points. Both genes had the highest expression at 36 weeks of age.

6. A mutation (g.206G > A) in the 5?-flanking region was associated with egg-laying performance. Individuals with genotype GG had better egg-laying performance than the individuals with genotype AA. GnRH may be used as a marker gene for laying performance in the Muscovy duck.