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The effect of stocking density and a blind on the behavior of Holstein dairy cows in group maternity pens. Part II: Labor length, lying behavior, and social behavior
No full textIn natural settings, dairy cows separate from the herd to give birth. When kept indoors, seeking isolation before calving may be restricted and may depend on space and resources provided in maternity housing. The effect of group maternity pens on behavior around calving and labor progress is unknown. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of stocking density and provision of a blind in group bedded pack maternity pens on lying and social behavior as well as length of labor of preparturient dairy animals. The study was conducted as a complete randomized block design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments including stocking density and presence or absence of a blind, resulting in a total of 4 treatments: (1) high stocking density (7.7–12.9 m2 lying space/cow) with a blind, (2) low stocking density (15.4–25.8 m2) with a blind, (3) high stocking density without a blind, and (4) low stocking density without a blind. A total of 127 primiparous heifers and 247 multiparous cows were housed in mixed-parity groups from approximately 3 wk before and immediately after calving. During the 4 h before calving, lying behavior (lying time and bouts) was collected automatically using accelerometers, and social behavior (agonistic interactions, allogrooming, and attention from other cows), stage II labor duration, and frequency of position change during stage II labor were collected using video. Lying behavior was collected with accelerometers. Regardless of treatment, lying time and bouts increased as calving approached. Cows and heifers performed more lying bouts in low stocking density pens compared with high stocking density pens. Agonistic interactions and allogrooming were not different between treatments. Other cows spent more time paying attention to focal animals regardless of stocking density as calving approached, but time spent paying attention was reduced by the presence of a blind during h −2 before calving. The hazard of calving unassisted was greater for cows and heifers in low stocking density pens with a blind compared with all other treatments. Further, animals in pens with a blind tended to change positions fewer times during stage II labor. These results suggest that providing a blind in group maternity pens may improve the calving environment for cows and heifers and, in combination with low stocking density, may reduce the amount of time spent in labor
Quantitative proteomics analysis of Angiostrongylus vasorum-induced alterations in dog serum sheds light on the pathogenesis of canine angiostrongylosis
No full textBlood contains hundreds of proteins, reflecting ongoing cellular processes and immune reactions. Infections with the blood-dwelling cardiopulmonary nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum in dogs manifest with a broad spectrum of clinical signs including respiratory distress, bleeding diathesis and neurological signs, and are associated with a perturbed blood protein profile in dogs. However, current knowledge does not completely explain the observed pathologies induced by A. vasorum infections, including bleeding disorders. Using sera from experimentally infected dogs, dog serum proteome was analysed by quantitative mass spectrometry methods over several time points before and after inoculation. Following computational analysis, we identified 139 up- and downregulated proteins after infection (log2 ratio cut-off ≥ 1.0; q-value ≤ 0.05). Among upregulated proteins were chitinase 3-like 1 and pulmonary surfactant-associated protein B (log2 fold-changes ≥ 5). Pathway enrichment revealed the complement (especially the lectin pathway) and coagulation cascades as significantly affected upon analysis of downregulated proteins. Among them were mannan-binding lectin serine peptidases, ficolin, and coagulation factor XIII-B. These results bring new elements towards understanding the underlying pathomechanisms of bleeding diatheses observed in some A. vasorum-infected dogs
Genome sequence of the cardiopulmonary canid nematode Angiostrongylus vasorum reveals species-specific genes with potential involvement in coagulopathy
No full textAngiostrongylus vasorum is an emerging parasitic nematode of canids and causes respiratory distress, bleeding, and other signs in dogs. Despite its clinical importance, the molecular toolbox allowing the study of the parasite is incomplete. To address this gap, we have sequenced its nuclear genome using Oxford nanopore sequencing, polished with Illumina reads. The size of the final genome is 280 Mb comprising 468 contigs, with an N50 value of 1.68 Mb and a BUSCO score of 93.5%. Ninety-three percent of 13,766 predicted genes were assigned to putative functions. Three folate carriers were found exclusively in A. vasorum, with potential involvement in host coagulopathy. A screen for previously identified vaccine candidates, the aminopeptidase H11 and the somatic protein rHc23, revealed homologs in A. vasorum. The genome sequence will provide a foundation for the development of new tools against canine angiostrongylosis, supporting the identification of potential drug and vaccine targets.Bayer Animal Health GmbH, Leverkusen, GermanySwiss National Science Foundatio
The epidemiology of canine Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in Atlantic Canada
No full textThe main aim of this thesis was to provide a better understanding of the epidemiology of canine Staphylococcus pseudintermedius in Atlantic Canada. The patient characteristics, regional distribution, and trends in antimicrobial resistance (AMR) of this pathogen, as well as the risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant S. pseudintermedius (MRSP) were investigated.
Patient data and antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of clinical canine S. pseudintermedius specimens submitted for culture to a regional veterinary diagnostic laboratory from 2008 to 2018 were extracted. The patient characteristics, regional distribution, and AMR profiles of these isolates were described in Chapter 2. Over the eleven-year study period, a total of 3530 clinical S. pseudintermedius isolates from dogs were identified, with 3039 and 491 of the isolates confirmed as methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MSSP) and MRSP, respectively. Over the study period, the annual number of MRSP positive samples was shown to increase, with the majority (97.1%) of isolates being identified by the Atlantic Veterinary College Diagnostic Services Bacteriology Laboratory (AVC-DSBL) after 2011. Resistance of MRSP isolates to non-β-lactam antimicrobials ranged from 1.1% to 60.2%, the highest being to erythromycin (60.2%), clindamycin (58.2%), and antimicrobials of the fluoroquinolone class (56.9 – 57.7%). Resistance of MRSP to the fluoroquinolones, marbofloxacin and enrofloxacin, increased in the last six-years of the study period, while a decrease in trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole resistance was noted in the last eight-years of the study period. Resistance of MSSP isolates to non-β-lactam antimicrobials remained below 10% (0.2 – 8.5%) for the study period, the highest being to doxycycline (8.5%), enrofloxacin (8.3%), and erythromycin (7.5%). Resistance to amikacin and rifampin remained below 2% for both MRSP and MSSP isolates. For MSSP isolates, penicillin and ampicillin resistance was 61.4%, but resistance remained below 1.5% to amoxicillin-clavulanate and all cephalosporins tested. MRSP isolates were over represented in dogs older than 7 years of age and weighing more than 30 kg, accounting for 46.2% and 33.6% of all isolates, respectively. Of all S. pseudintermedius isolates, MRSP was most commonly cultured from skin (50.1%) and ear (22.2%) samples, with the majority being submitted to the laboratory from private veterinary clinics across Atlantic Canada (83.9%). This study confirms that over the past decade, MRSP has emerged as and continues to be an important canine pathogen in Atlantic Canada. Compared to other parts of the world, MRSP isolated from dogs in this region, are less resistant to non-β-lactam antimicrobials. However, high levels of multi-drug resistance (MDR) were reported, highlighting the importance of current and future efforts aimed to prevent and control MRSP infections as well as to reduce the risk of further resistance of S. pseudintermedius in Atlantic Canada.
In Chapter 3, risk factors associated with the detection of MRSP among S. pseudintermedius isolated from clinical canine specimens were investigated, and AMR trends for MRSP and MSSP reported. Between 2008 and 2018, 13.9% of all clinical S. pseudintermedius isolates (n = 3530) were confirmed as MRSP, with an increase in the proportion of MRSP being observed over the study duration (P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression identified breed size (P = 0.031), sample site (P < 0.001), patient province of residence (P = 0.002), and year of sample submission (P < 0.001) as significant risk factors associated with a clinical canine S. pseudintermedius isolate being MRSP. An isolate was more likely to be MRSP if the patient resided in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) (odds ratio (OR) = 2.12) or Nova Scotia (NS) (OR = 1.52), as compared to New Brunswick (NB) and if the culture sample was submitted to the AVC-DSBL in the year 2017 (OR = 1.68) (compared to 2011). Over the study period, MRSP isolates demonstrated a significant change in resistance to enrofloxacin (P = 0.036) and decreased resistance to trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (P < 0.001). Increased resistance was observed in MSSP isolates to enrofloxacin (P < 0.001), chloramphenicol (P < 0.001), and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (P = 0.023), as well as a decrease in resistance to the penicillins (P < 0.001). The risk factors for MRSP identified in this study may help clinicians in Atlantic Canada determine dogs at risk, allowing early recognition and implementation of appropriate hospital infection prevention measures. S. pseudintermedius isolated from dogs in Atlantic Canada have become increasingly resistant to several antimicrobials commonly recommended for use by veterinarians, emphasizing the importance of effective infection control practices and antimicrobial stewardship and surveillance programs
Parent information needs and experience regarding acute otitis media in children: A systematic review
No full textBackground
Acute otitis media (AOM)—inflammation of the middle ear—is the most common pediatric condition, affecting up to 75 % of children at some time before age 5 years. Despite the high incidence of AOM in children, it presents diverse challenges to parents who do not have accurate information on AOM and its management.
Objective
To respond to this paucity of information we sought to synthesize the literature to provide a comprehensive understanding of parental information needs and experiences relating to AOMmanagement. This systematic review is an important first step in developing parent-informed knowledge translation tools for AOM to bridge the knowledge-practice gap.
Patient involvement
None.
Method
Four electronic databases were searched and articles were screened according to pre- established inclusion criteria. Articles were included in the review if they (1) examined parental information needs and experiences with respect to AOM; (2) were written in English; and (3) were published from January 2000 onward.
Results
Out of 1121 articles retrieved, 21 articles met the inclusion criteria. The findings from this review revealed that parents’ knowledge about AOM is generally limited. Further, parents were often poorly informed about what AOM was, which resulted in uncertainty about how to help their child with AOM.
Discussion
Our review findings illustrate that parents of children with AOM have pervasive unmet information needs and information deficits negatively impact AOM management, child and family well-being.
Practical value
Parental experiences and information needs identified through this review were used to develop innovative, evidence-based knowledge translation tools for parents of children with AOM.Women’s and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI)Translating Emergency Knowledge for Kids (TREKK
Learning electronics through storytelling
No full textSTEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) initiatives have expanded to include ‘art’ with
the moniker: STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). This acknowledges the importance of creativity in the technical fields and poses the question: How do we incorporate art into the engineering classroom? This paper presents one attempt to incorporate the art
of storytelling in a first-year engineering design course in January 2021. It was found that compared with students who received a traditional lecture to learn basic electronic
concepts, the students who used an illustrated storybook to learn the same concepts took significantly less time to replicate a sample circuit (p .05). These results indicate that the use of storytelling can be an effective way
to transmit technical content in an engineering classroom, and further studies should be pursued
Regional computable general equilibrium models: A review
No full textComputable General Equilibrium (CGE) models are very popular for analyzing a wide range of policy issues. CGE applications vary from estimating the welfare impact of tax reform and alternative energy policies to the effect of foreign trade reforms, labour markets and employment. CGE models are commonly developed at the country level; however, modified versions of CGE, so called Regional CGE (RCGE) models, can be used at subnational disaggregation to examine impacts studied at the national counterparts on a specific region. RCGE models have grown in popularity as an alternative to the Input-Output (I-O) models, which are regularly used for regional analysis. RCGE models can provide comprehensive information, which make them more desirable analytical models for many researchers. Yet, RCGE models have not yet become a “go-to” for governmental policy practitioners when they are developing regional public policies. This paper reviews the current state of regional CGE models, describes their features, contributions and limitations and surveys some applications of the main three classes of RCGE models: region-specific, bottom-up, and top-down models. This paper concludes that the applications of RCGE are quite variable and flexible, with a new and more complex type of application to be developed with the advancement of computation economics. The paper offers recommendations on the micro, meso and macro conditions that are necessary to increase policy practitioners’ utilization of RCGE models