The Influence of Human–Elephant Conflict on Electric Fence Management and Perception Among Different Rural Communities in Laikipia County,Kenya

Electrified fences are commonly used in Kenya to prevent human–elephant conflict. This research addressed the social perceptions of electrified wildlife fences by assessing community-level individual views of the fences and the willingness of community members’ involvement in fence management. In Laikipia County, Kenya, a population sample of people in two communities living near an electrified fencing and experiencing different levels of human–elephant conflict (i.e., crop raids) were surveyed about their perceptions of the fence and fence management. Respondents in communities with more frequent conflict were less favorable in their ratings about fence effectiveness and were more willing to pay for fence maintenance. In addition, a sample group of pastoralists indicated a positive attitude toward the fence, due to a perceived improvement in livestock safety from predators and theft. These benefits appeared to outweigh the difficulties the fence could impose on livestock management and cross country travel.     

Prevalence and Spatial Distribution of Salmonella Infections in the Pennsylvania Raccoon (Procyon lotor)

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence and spatial distribution of Salmonella infection in Pennsylvania raccoons (Procyon lotor), common wildlife mammals known to occupy overlapping habitats with humans and domestic food animals. The Pennsylvania Game Commission provided a total of 371 raccoon intestinal samples from trapped and road‐killed raccoons collected between May and November 2011. Salmonella was isolated from the faeces of 56 (15.1%) of 371 raccoons in 35 (54%) of 65 counties across Pennsylvania. The five most frequently isolated serotypes were Newport (28.6%), Enteritidis (19.6%), Typhimurium (10.7%), Braenderup (8.9%) and Bareilly (7.1%). Pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of the Salmonella isolates and subsequent comparison to the Pennsylvania Department of Health human Salmonella PFGE database revealed 16 different pulsetypes in Salmonella isolates recovered from raccoons that were indistinguishable from pulsetypes of Salmonella collected from clinically ill humans during the study period. The pulsetypes of seven raccoon Salmonella isolates matched those of 56 human Salmonella isolates by month and geographical region of sample collection. Results from Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats and Multi‐Virulence Locus Sequence Typing (CRISPR‐MVLST) analysis corroborated the PFGE and serotyping data. The findings of this study show that several PFGE pulsetypes of Salmonella were shared between humans and raccoons in Pennsylvania, indicating that raccoons and humans might share the same source of Salmonella.     

Inhibitory effect of recombinant human endostatin on angiogenesis in atherosclerotic plaque of rats by regulating Dll4/Notch pathway

AIM: To observe the inhibitory effect of recombinant human endostatin (rhES) on plaque angiogenesis, and to explore the regulatory mechanism of Dll4/Notch pathway in the anti-angiogenic effect of rhES. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were randomized into 3 groups:normal control group (N group), atherosclerotic model group (AS group), and rhES treated group (AS+rhES group). The rats in N group were fed a normal diet, while the remaining 2 groups were established to atherosclerotic rat model via high-cholesterol diet, intraperitoneal injection of vitamin D₃ and aortic balloon injury. The rats in AS+rhES group received intraperitoneal injection of rhES. The blood total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and troponin I (TnI) were measured. The atherosclerotic abdominal aortas were taken for pathological observation. Immunohistochemical staining was used to measure the density of neovessels in the plaques, which were marked by CD31. The protein levels of Dll4 and Notch1 in the aortas were analyzed by Western blot. RESULTS: The levels of blood TC, TG, LDL-C, CRP and IL-1 in AS group and AS+rhES group were much higher than those in N group (P<0.05), and no statistical difference between AS group and AS+rhES group was observed. The expression of CD31 in AS group was the highest among all groups. Compared with AS group, the density of neovessels in the plaques of AS+rhES group decreased significantly (P<0.05). The protein expression of Dll4 and Notch1 in AS group was lower than that in N group (P<0.05). Compared with AS group, the protein expression of Dll4 and Notch1 increased significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: rhES has the ability to inhibit plaque angiogenesis in rats. The activation of Dll4/Notch pathway may be the mechanism of rhES in inhibiting plaque angiogenesis.     

Factors impacting hunter access to private lands in southeast Minnesota

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) have important socioeconomic and ecological impacts in the United States. Hunting is considered to be important for the effective management of deer and relies on access to privately owned lands. In 2013, we surveyed nonindustrial private landowners in southeast Minnesota and created two logit models to examine factors that impact landowners’ decision to (a) allow public hunting access and (b) post private property. Parcel characteristics were found to impact landowner decisions to allow hunting access, particularly the size of the property and whether it was posted. Hunting access to small properties was more likely to be restricted to family, friends, and neighbors (83%) compared to medium (74%) or large properties (60%). Hunter concerns (e.g., liability) and knowledge about deer management was significant in both models, suggesting there are opportunities to educate landowners about the importance of allowing public hunting access and available liability protections.     

Effects of dietary crude protein and tannic acid on nitrogen excretion,urinary nitrogenous composition and urine nitrous oxide emissions in beef cattle

Two consecutive trials were carried out to study the effects of dietary crude protein (CP) and tannic acid (TA) on nitrogen (N) metabolism of beef cattle and consequently, the N₂O emissions from the urine of cattle. In Trial I, eight growing castrated cattle were used as the experimental animals. Two levels of dietary CP (110.6 and 135.7 g/kg dry matter [DM]) and two levels of TA (0 and 16.9 g/kg DM) were allocated in a replicated 2 × 2 crossover design. In Trial II, the N₂O emissions from the urine of cattle collected from Trial I were determined using the static incubation technique. An interaction between dietary CP and TA on the urinary N excretion (p < .05) was found but not on the N₂O‐N emission of cattle urine. Increasing dietary CP level from 110.6 g/kg DM to 135.7 g/kg DM increased the total N excretion (p < .001), the N retention (p < .05) and the ratio of urinary urea‐N/urinary N (p < .01), did not affect the N use efficiency (NUE; p > .05) and shifted the N excretion from faeces to urine. Increasing the dietary CP level increased the N₂O‐N emission of cattle urine. Dietary addition of TA decreased the urinary excretions of urea (p < .001) and shifted the N excretion from urine to faeces, did not affect the NUE of beef cattle (p > .10), and decreased the N₂O‐N emission of cattle urine. Pyrogallol and resorcinol of the TA metabolites were detected in urine with dietary addition of TA. Feeding beef cattle with relatively low CP level and adding TA in rations are effective approaches to mitigate the N₂O‐N emissions from cattle urine.     

Syndromic survey and molecular analysis of influenza viruses at the human–swine interface in two West African cosmopolitan cities suggest the possibility of bidirectional interspecies transmission

Influenza viruses are frequently transmitted between pigs and their handlers, and among pig handlers. However, reports on socio‐environmental variables as potential risk factors associated with transmission of influenza in West African swine production facilities are very scarce. Syndromic survey for influenza was therefore conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria, and Kumasi, Ghana, in order to identify and elucidate selected socio‐environmental variables that may contribute to the occurrence and distribution of influenza‐like illness (ILI) among swine industry workers. In addition, molecular analyses were conducted to elucidate the nature of influenza viruses circulating at the human–swine interface in these cities and better understand the dynamics of their transmission. Influenza viruses were detected by type‐specific and subtype‐specific RT–PCR. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses were carried out. Socio‐environmental variables were tested by both univariable and multivariable regression methods for significance at p < 0.05. Three risk factors for ILI were identified in each city. These included “frequency of visit of pig handler to pig pen or lairage” (Ibadan: risk ratio [RR] = 1.54, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36–1.79, p = 0.02; Kumasi: RR = 1.28, 95% CI = 1.11–1.71, p = 0.01) and “pig handler's awareness about biosecurity measures” (Ibadan: RR = 7.09, 95% CI = 2.36–21.32, p < 0.001; Kumasi: RR = 4.84, 95% CI = 1.98–11.80, p < 0.001). Influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses, with M genes closely related to those which circulated among pigs in the two cities during the same period, were detected among Nigerian and Ghanaian pig industry workers. These findings suggest the possibility of bidirectional transmission of influenza at the human–swine interface in these cities and underscore the need for more extensive molecular studies. Risk factors identified may assist in the control of human‐to‐human and human‐to‐swine transmission of influenza in the West African swine industry.     

Estimation of the number of exposed people during highly pathogenic avian influenza virus outbreaks in EU/EEA countries,October 2016–September 2018

We estimated that more than 11,000 people were exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in EU/EEA countries over the outbreak period October 2016–September 2018 by cross‐linking data submitted by Member States to European Food Safety Authority and EMPRES‐i. A stronger framework for collecting human exposure data is required.     

Potential role of Anitschkow cells in cardiovascular disease in human and veterinary medicine: A review of the literature

Anitschkow cells (AC) are a peculiar type of stromal cells observed in myocardium, cardiac valves and coronary vessels wall whose origin, characterization and role remain controversial. In human heart, they represent a histological hallmark of Aschoff nodules in rheumatic fever, but they have also been observed in other myocardial pathologies. Firstly, they have been considered a myocyte‐derived cells, but light microscopy, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural studies pointed out that a macrophagic/histiocytic origin cannot be excluded. Many authors also reported extracardiac AC or an Anitschkow nuclear pattern, thus suggesting that these cells may represent a chromatin pattern rather than a specific cell type. In veterinary medicine, AC were described in myocarditis, myocardial necrosis, degenerative and inflammatory endocardial diseases of several species. Recently, AC have been observed in intramural coronary arteries of different animals (including cattle and fish) affected by arteriosclerotic processes. Stress related to the intensive livestock farming could represent a mechanotransduction promoting factor of arteriosclerotic changes allowing the development of Anitschkow chromatin pattern. Further studies both in human and veterinary medicine are needed to confirm the origin and role of these peculiar cells.     

Basal glucosuria in cats

Objective of this study was to demonstrate the ubiquitous presence of glucose in urine of euglycemic cats by a highly sensitive glucose assay. The local electronic database was searched for results of quantitative urine glucose measurements in cats. A total of 325 feline urine glucose measurements were identified, of which 303 (93%) had been submitted by one of the co‐authors working in a near‐by small animal practice. After the exclusion of patients with kidney disease (n = 60), hyperthyroidism (n = 15), diabetes mellitus (n = 11), multiple diseases (n = 9) or steroid treatment (n = 3), as well as serial measurements (n = 87) and outliers (n = 8), the final study population consisted of 132 cats. Urine creatinine concentration was unavailable in five patients. Whereas all but one cat had glucose concentrations above the detection limit of the assay (0.11 mmol/L, Gluco‐quant Enzyme Kit/Roche Diagnostics), no positive glucose dipstick test result (Combur 9‐Test, Roche Diagnostics) was observed. The median (range) of urinary glucose concentration and the glucose‐to‐creatinine ratio (UGCR) was 0.389 (<0.11–1.665) mmol/L and 0.0258 (0.007–0.517) respectively. The UGCR was not affected by age, gender, breed or leukocyturia, whereas cats with hematuria had slightly higher values. Data show that so‐called “basal glucosuria” is present in the majority of cats and by no means diagnostic for diabetes mellitus or renal glucosuria. This has to be considered when using bio‐analytical methods with a low limit of quantification.