Non-governmental Organizations and Government Agencies Lead in Cultivating Positive Sea Turtle Conservation Attitudes

Considerable research has been conducted analyzing how demographic characteristics influence the public’s attitudes toward wildlife; however, less research of this type has been conducted in locations having long-standing species conservation efforts. Questionnaires were completed by residents living adjacent to such a location, the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge (ACNWR), to investigate which demographics explained residents’ knowledge of, attitudes toward, willingness to act for, and participation in sea turtle conservation. Residents who had a non-governmental organization (NGO) or government agency as their sea turtle information source had stronger positive attitudes toward sea turtles. Residents who possessed strong positive attitudes were more willing to engage in pro–sea turtle conservation behaviors. Overall, this research demonstrated that ACNWR residents’ source of sea turtle information being an NGO or government agency played a significant role in increasing residents’ knowledge of, attitudes toward, willingness to volunteer for, and participation in sea turtle conservation.     

Listeria monocytogenes septicemia in an immunocompromised dog

An 11‐year‐old, male castrated, Boston Terrier was presented to the North Carolina State University College of Veterinary Medicine Small Animal Emergency Service with a 2‐day history of progressive ataxia, left‐sided head tilt, and anorexia. The dog had previously been diagnosed with chronic lymphoid leukemia and suspected immune‐mediated destruction of his bone marrow precursor cells, possibly due to therapy with immunosuppressive dosages of prednisone and azathioprine. During the physical examination, abnormal findings included an increased body temperature and horizontal nystagmus. Diagnostic investigations included a computed tomography (CT) scan, which confirmed bilateral otitis media, and a blood culture, which was positive for Listeria monocytogenes serotype 4b (epidemic clone 1). Upon treatment with ampicillin/sulbactam, enrofloxacin, and minocycline, the dog became normothermic and the neurologic signs improved. L monocytogenes serotype 4b (epidemic clone 1) has been associated with outbreaks of human listeriosis originating from food contamination. Although rare case reports of Listeria spp. infection in dogs exist, an actual infection with the epidemic clone 1 strain has never before been reported in a dog. It should be included in the differential diagnoses in immunocompromised dogs with clinical signs of septicemia.     

Response to ractopamine-hydrogen chloride is similar in yearling steers across days on feed

Yearling steers (n = 2,552; 314 kg of initial BW) were used to evaluate the effects of ractopamine-HCl (RAC) and days on feed on performance, carcass characteristics, and skeletal muscle gene expression in finishing steers. Treatment groups included serial slaughter dates of 150, 171, or 192 d on feed. Within each slaughter date, steers either received RAC (200 mg/steer) daily for the final 28 d or were not fed RAC. All steers were initially implanted with Revalor-IS and were reimplanted with Revalor-S after 75 d on feed. At slaughter, muscle samples from the semimembranosus were collected for mRNA analysis of the beta-adrenergic receptors (beta-AR). Ractopamine administration increased (P < 0.05) ADG, G:F, and HCW and increased (P = 0.08) LM area. Ractopamine did not affect the dressing percentage, USDA yield grade, or quality grade (P > 0.3). There was no change in overall feed intake across the entire feeding period; however, feed intake was increased during the 28-d period during which the steers were fed RAC (P < or = 0.05). Greater days on feed decreased (P < 0.05) ADG, G:F, DMI, and the number of yield grade 1 and 2 carcasses. Also, greater days on feed increased (P < 0.05) HCW, dressing percentage, and the number of prime and choice carcasses, as well as the number of yield grade 4 and 5 carcasses. Increasing days on feed decreased (P < 0.05) the abundance of beta(1)-AR and beta(3)-AR mRNA and increased (P < 0.05) the abundance of beta(2)-AR mRNA in skeletal muscle samples obtained at slaughter. Ractopamine had no effect (P > 0.10) on the abundance of beta(1)-AR or beta(3)-AR mRNA, but tended (P = 0.09) to increase beta(2)-AR mRNA. Additional time-course studies with primary muscle cell cultures revealed that advancing time in culture increased (P < 0.001) beta(2)-AR mRNA but had no effect (P > 0.10) on beta(1)-AR or beta(3)-AR mRNA. We conclude that days on feed and RAC are affecting beta-AR mRNA levels, which could, in turn, impact the biological response to RAC feeding in yearling steers.