Incidence,risk factors,and outcomes for early postoperative seizures in dogs with rostrotentorial brain tumors after intracranial surgery

BackgroundSeizures in the early postoperative period after intracranial surgery may affect outcome in dogs.ObjectivesTo determine the incidence of early postoperative seizures (EPS) in dogs with brain tumors, identify specific risk factors for EPS, and determine if EPS affects outcome.AnimalsEighty‐eight dogs that underwent 125 intracranial surgeries for diagnosis and treatment of rostrotentorial brain tumors.MethodsRetrospective cohort study. All patients with a diagnosis of rostrotentorial brain tumor from 2006 to 2020 were included. Early postoperative seizures were diagnosed by observation of seizure activity within 14 days of neurosurgery. Previously diagnosed structural epilepsy, perioperative anticonvulsant drug (ACD) use, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and tumor characteristics were evaluated. Outcome measures included neurologic and nonneurologic complications, duration of hospitalization, and survival to discharge.ResultsDogs with rostrotentorial brain tumors had EPS after 16/125 (12.8%) neurosurgical procedures (95% confidence interval [CI], 7%‐19%). Presence of previous structural epilepsy was not associated with EPS risk (P = 1). Perioperative ACD use also was not associated with EPS (P = .06). Dogs with EPS had longer hospitalization (P < .001), were more likely to have neurologic complications postsurgery (P = .01), and were less likely to survive to discharge (P = .01).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceIt is difficult to predict which dogs are at risk of EPS because the presence of previous structural epilepsy and the use of perioperative ACDs was not associated with EPS. However, seizures in the early postoperative period are clinically important because affected dogs had prolonged hospitalization, more neurologic complications, and decreased short‐term survival.     

Diagnostic cytology of fish.

Cytology is an essential part of a diagnostic workup in cases of aquatic animal diseases. It is simple to perform, inexpensive, and can yield quick and valuable results. External parasites, bacterial and fungal diseases, and gastrointestinal infestations are easily determined with wet mount cytology. Because of the relatively small number of nonlethal diagnostic techniques available for aquatic species, cytologic testing should be considered in every case. Early diagnosis can lead to more effective treatment plans, ensuring a better prognostic outcome in our patients.     

Safety and immunogenicity of a delta inulin-adjuvanted inactivated Japanese encephalitis virus vaccine in pregnant mares and foals

In 2011, following severe flooding in Eastern Australia, an unprecedented epidemic of equine encephalitis occurred in South-Eastern Australia, caused by Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV) and a new variant strain of Kunjin virus, a subtype of West Nile virus (WNV_KUN). This prompted us to assess whether a delta inulin-adjuvanted, inactivated cell culture-derived Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) vaccine (JE-ADVAX™) could be used in horses, including pregnant mares and foals, to not only induce immunity to JEV, but also elicit cross-protective antibodies against MVEV and WNV_KUN. Foals, 74–152 days old, received two injections of JE-ADVAX™. The vaccine was safe and well-tolerated and induced a strong JEV-neutralizing antibody response in all foals. MVEV and WNV_KUN antibody cross-reactivity was seen in 33% and 42% of the immunized foals, respectively. JE-ADVAX™ was also safe and well-tolerated in pregnant mares and induced high JEV-neutralizing titers. The neutralizing activity was passively transferred to their foals via colostrum. Foals that acquired passive immunity to JEV via maternal antibodies then were immunized with JE-ADVAX™ at 36–83 days of age, showed evidence of maternal antibody interference with low peak antibody titers post-immunization when compared to immunized foals of JEV-naïve dams. Nevertheless, when given a single JE-ADVAX™ booster immunization as yearlings, these animals developed a rapid and robust JEV-neutralizing antibody response, indicating that they were successfully primed to JEV when immunized as foals, despite the presence of maternal antibodies. Overall, JE-ADVAX™ appears safe and well-tolerated in pregnant mares and young foals and induces protective levels of JEV neutralizing antibodies with partial cross-neutralization of MVEV and WNV_KUN.     

Expression of Perilipin 2 (PLIN2) in Porcine Oocytes During Maturation

Perilipins have been reported to limit the interaction of lipases with neutral lipids within the droplets, thereby regulating neutral lipid accumulation and utilization. This study aimed to identify the location and expression of PLIN1 and PLIN2 in porcine oocytes during maturation. Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR), immunostaining and Western blot methods were used to characterize the expression and distribution patterns of PLIN1 and PLIN2 in porcine oocytes. The results showed that PLIN1 was not detectable in porcine oocytes. PLIN2 and BODIPY 493/503‐detected neutral lipid droplets appeared identical distribution patterns and extensive colocalization in both GV and MII porcine oocytes. PLIN2 protein expression was higher in GV oocytes than that in MII oocytes (p < 0.05), although PLIN2 mRNA expression was similar in both groups. These findings suggested that PLIN2 was a major lipid droplet‐associated protein in porcine oocytes.     

Dirofilaria immitis in cats from inner Sydney

Two hundred feral cats from the inner suburbs of Sydney were examined post mortem for adult Dirofilaria immitis and circulating microfilariae, and 101 of these cats were tested for heartworm antigens by an ELISA. Only 2 cats (1%) had adult heartworms, the blood sample from another cat contained a single microfilaria. The blood of a further three cats contained small amounts of D immitis antigen. Although D immitis occurs in cats in Sydney, the prevalence is not high enough to warrant prophylactic treatment.     

Space,Time, and Local Employment Growth: An Application of Spatial Regression Analysis

ABSTRACT Local and regional employment growth is generally studied either by searching for local qualitative explanatory factors such as governance, synergy between firms, and milieu effects, or by searching for general growth factors using statistical techniques. The body of work that relies on this approach has tended, in keeping with economics’ nomothetic tradition, to assume that local and regional growth factors are constant over space. The focus of this paper is on exploring the spatial stationarity of employment growth factors in Canada, but it also seeks to clarify some of the broad principles behind spatial regression techniques in order to provide a point of entry and a conceptual framework for empirical researchers. To do so, we apply a recently developed technique, Geographically Weighted Regression (GWR), and we explore the method's advantages and limits for answering our research question. We find evidence that growth factors differ across Canada, but we also conclude that the GWR technique, given the number and shape of regions available for our analysis and given certain limitations that are currently inherent to the method, can only provide tentative and exploratory results.