Combined preputial advancement and phallopexy as a revision technique for treating paraphimosis in a dog

A 7‐year‐old neutered male Jack Russell terrier‐cross was presented for signs of recurrent paraphimosis, despite previous surgical enlargement of the preputial ostium. Revision surgery was performed using a combination of preputial advancement and phallopexy, which resulted in complete and permanent coverage of the glans penis by the prepuce, and at 1 year postoperatively, no recurrence of paraphimosis had been observed. The combined techniques allow preservation of the normal penile anatomy, are relatively simple to perform and provide a cosmetic result. We recommend this combination for the treatment of paraphimosis in the dog, particularly when other techniques have failed.     

Genetic characterization of three unique operational taxonomic units of Eimeria from chickens in Australia based on nuclear spacer ribosomal DNA

Coccidiosis of chickens is one of the commonest and economically most important parasitic diseases of poultry worldwide. Given the limitations of traditional approaches, molecular tools have been developed for the specific diagnosis of coccidiosis. Recently, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based capillary electrophoresis (CE) method, employing genetic markers in the second internal transcribed spacer (ITS-2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA, was established for both analytical and diagnostic purposes. The application of this method to investigate the epidemiology of coccidiosis and genetic structures of Eimeria populations on commercial chicken establishments has discovered genetic variants of Eimeria (i.e., new operational taxonomic units OTU-X, OTU-Y and OTU-Z) which were (based on CE analysis) distinct from those of species of Eimeria identified previously in chickens in Australia. The present characterization of these OTUs, based on their ITS-2 sequences and phylogenetic analyses of selected sequence data, provides first evidence to support that OTU-X represents a population variant of Eimeria maxima, and that OTU-Y and OTU-Z represent cryptic species of Eimeria. Further biological and genetic studies are needed to rigorously test these proposals and establish the specific status of these OTUs and their importance as pathogens in chickens. An understanding of the epidemiology of these population variants or cryptic species in Australia is central to designing and implementing effective vaccination and control strategies.     

Visualizing chromatin dynamics in interphase nuclei

Real-time fluorescence microscopy has emerged as a powerful tool for examining chromatin dynamics. The initial lesson is that much of the genome, particularly in yeast, is highly dynamic. Its movement within the interphase nucleus is correlated with metabolic activity. Nonetheless, the nucleus is an organelle with conserved rules of organization. Determining the distribution and regulation of mobile domains in interphase chromosomes, and characterizing sites of anchorage, will undoubtedly shed new light on the function of nuclear order.     

Nitrogen-supplying capacity of leaves of Dactyladenia barteri (Hook ex olw) and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit in two soils of different acidity from southern nigeria

Summary The evolution of mineral and hydrosoluble organic N released from two soils differing in pH and treated with leaves of Leucaena leucocephala (0, 8.3, 16.7, and 33. g kg^-1 soil), Dactyladenia barteri (syn. Acioa barteri; 0 and 16.7 g), and their mixtures was studied in the laboratory using the aerobic incubation-leaching method. N mineralization in untreated soils and in soils supplemented with 8.3 g leucaena leaves was 41–53% higher in the soil from Onne (pH 4.7) than in the soil from Ibadan (pH 6.2), but the organic N content was similar with these treatments in the leachates of the soils from both locations. The application of 16.7 or 33.3 g of either or both type of leaves reduced the rate of mineral N production during the first 4 weeks, particularly in soils treated with dactyladenia leaves (C:N=36). After this lag period, N mineralization proceeded at a faster rate in the soil from Ibadan treated with 16.7 or 33.3 g of leucaena leaves (C:N=12), even in the presence of dactyladenia leaves. In Ibadan soil, after 12 weeks, mineral N apprently derived from leaves of both dactyladenia and leucaena averaged 6.3% of the N applied, and organic N from leaves averaged 9.5%. The addition of dactyladenia and leucaena leaves did not increases the mineral N content in the acid soil from Onne but leaching of soluble organic N with addition of 16.7 or 33.3 g of leaves contributed an N-mineralizable pool of 5.9% of the N applied.     

Femoral component failure in canine cemented total hip replacement: a report of two cases

Femoral stem fracture is reported as an uncommon late complication of cemented total hip replacement in two dogs. In each case surgical salvage was achieved by extirpation of the proximal unstable component of the femoral stem, resulting in acceptable limb function. To the authors' knowledge, intramedullary femoral stem failure has not been previously reported after cemented total hip replacement in the dog. Factors believed to have contributed to implant failure in these dogs are discussed and compared with the same complication in humans.     

Analysis of the costs of veterinary education and factors associated with financial stress among veterinary students in Australia

Objective

To investigate the course‐related and other costs involved in obtaining a veterinary education in Australia and how these costs are met. The study also aimed to identify sociodemographic and course‐related factors associated with increased financial stress.

Methods

Students from seven Australian veterinary schools were surveyed using an online questionnaire. A total of 443 students participated (response rate 17%). Responses to survey items relating to finances, employment and course‐related costs were compared with sociodemographic factors and prior research in the area of student financial stress.

Results

Respondents reported spending a median of A$300 per week on living costs and a median of A$2,000 per year on course‐related expenses. Over half of respondents received the majority of their income from their parents or Youth Allowance (56%). A similar proportion (55%) reported that they needed to work to meet basic living expenses. Circumstances and sociodemographic factors linked to perceived financial stress included requiring additional finances to meet unexpected costs during the course; sourcing additional finances from external loans; an expected tuition debt at graduation over A$40,000; being 22 years or older; working more than 12 hours per week; living costs above A$300 per week; and being female.

Conclusion

The costs involved in obtaining a veterinary education in Australia are high and over half of respondents are reliant on parental or Government income support. Respondents with certain sociodemographic profiles are more prone to financial stress. These findings may have implications for the psychological health, diversity and career plans of veterinary students in Australia.     

Genetic analysis of Trichinella populations by 'cold' single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis

A non-isotopic single-strand conformation polymorphism ('cold' SSCP) technique has been assessed for the analysis of sequence variability in the expansion segment 5 (ES5) of domain IV and the D3 domain of nuclear ribosomal DNA within and/or among isolates and individual muscle (first-stage) larvae representing all currently recognized species/genotypes of Trichinella. Data are consistent with the ability of cold SSCP to identify intra-specific as well as inter-specific variability among Trichinella genotypes. The cold SSCP approach should be applicable to a range of other genetic markers for comparative studies of Trichinella populations globally.