Phaidra - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
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Time budgets and weight shifting as indicators of pain in hospitalized horses
No full textIntroduction: Pain assessment in horses presents a significant challenge due to their nonverbal nature and their tendency to conceal signs of discomfort in the presence of potential threats, including humans. Therefore, this study aimed to identify pain-associated behaviors amenable to automated AI-based detection in video recordings. Additionally, it sought to determine correlations between pain intensity and behavioral and postural parameters by analyzing factors such as time budgets, weight shifting, and unstable resting. The ultimate goal is to facilitate the development of AI-based quantitative tools for pain assessment in horses.
Materials and methods: A cohort of 20 horses (mean age 15 ± 8) admitted to a university equine hospital underwent 24-h video recording. Behaviors were manually scored and retrospectively analyzed using Loopy® software. Three pain groups were established based on the Pain Score Vetmeduni Vienna : pain-free (P0), mild to moderate pain (P1), and severe pain (P2).
Results: Weight shifting emerged as a reliable indicator for discriminating between painful and pain-free horses, with significant differences observed between pain groups (p < 0.001) and before and after administration of analgesia. Additionally, severely painful horses (P2 group) exhibited lower frequencies of feeding and resting standing per hour compared to pain-free horses, while displaying a higher frequency of unstable resting per hour.
Discussion: The significant differences observed in these parameters between pain groups offer promising prospects for AI-based analysis and automated pain assessment in equine medicine. Further investigation is imperative to establish precise thresholds. Leveraging such technology has the potential to enable more effective pain detection and management in horses, ultimately enhancing welfare and informing clinical decision-making in equine medicine
Assessment of fetal development during mid and late term pregnancies by standard B-Mode ultrasonography in Shetland ponies
No full textTransrectal and transabdominal ultrasonography is an established method to monitor pregnancy, fetal growth and wellbeing in different species. Growth charts with multiple bio-morphometric parameters to estimate days of gestation and days before parturition exist in small companion animals, sheep and goats, riding type horses and large ponies but not in small horse breeds like Shetland ponies. The aim of this study was to apply fetal biometric assessment and detailed description of physiologic fetal development to mid and late term pregnancies in Shetland mares and to generate reference data for clinical practice and for future research. Fetal parameters were collected starting on day 101 of pregnancy in five Shetland mares. The fetal biometric parameters determined consisted of aortic diameter, eye diameter, combined rib and intercostal distance (CRID), stomach length and width and different heart morphology parameters in sagittal and frontal plane. Additionally, fetal activity and organ development in terms of differentiation and changes in echogenicity were recorded. Considering reliably assessable parameters, fetal CRID was the best predictor for gestational age with ± 13.6 days and fetal aortic diameter the most accurate for prediction of days until parturition with ± 16.2 days
Children\u27s limited tooling ability in a novel concurrent tool use task supports the innovation gap
No full textSchool-aged children have consistently shown a surprising developmental lag when attempting to innovate solutions to tool use tasks, despite being capable of learning to solve these problems from a demonstrator. We suggest that this "innovation gap" arises from tool tasks with more complex spatial relations. Following Fragaszy and Mangalam\u27s new tooling theory, we predicted that innovating a new "sticker slide" task should be more challenging when two tools need to be used at the same time (concurrently) rather than one at a time (sequentially), despite the similarity of the other task elements. In line with previous work, both versions of the task were challenging for all ages of children (4-9 years) that we tested. However, the youngest group showed particularly extreme difficulties, which was marked by not a single child innovating the concurrent version. Although success significantly increased with age, even the oldest group failed to reach 50% success on the concurrent version of the task, whereas the majority of the two older groups could solve the sequential version. Thus, in this first study of concurrent tool use in children, we found support for the prediction that increasing the complexity of spatial relations in tooling exacerbates the innovation gap
Use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in veterinary epidemiology : a case study
No full textDiplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024Diese Diplomarbeit bewertet den Nutzen von Geographischen Informationssystemen (GIS) in der veterinärmedizinischen Epidemiologie. Nach einer Einführung in die Geschichte und Anwendungsbereiche von GIS in der Veterinärwissenschaft, exemplifiziert diese Arbeit spezifisch den Einsatz von GIS zur Untersuchung der räumlichen Verteilung des West-Nil-Virus (WNV) bei Menschen und Equiden in Österreich, von 2011 bis 2020, sowie der mit dem Krankheitsauftreten assoziierten klimatischen Bedingungen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass die aktuellen Risikogebiete für WNV-Infektionen in Österreich hauptsächlich in den östlichen Regionen Österreichs konzentriert sind, die durch bestimmte durchschnittliche klimatische Bedingungen gekennzeichnet sind, welche die Ausbreitung des Virus begünstigen. Darüber hinaus deuten projizierte Klimaszenarien auf eine Ausweitung dieser geeigneten Bedingungen hin, was potenziell die Ausbreitung des WNV in neue Gebiete in der Zukunft erleichtern könnte. Die Arbeit spricht sich für die Integration von GIS-Ausbildung in die veterinärmedizinischen Lehrpläne aus, um die computerbasierten Kompetenzen unter den Studierenden zu stärken. Dieser Ansatz zielt darauf ab, zukünftige Tierärzte besser auf ein digital getriebenes berufliches Umfeld vorzubereiten. Es wird vorgeschlagen, dass die Verbesserung der GIS-Ausbildung eine tiefere Auseinandersetzung mit epidemiologischer Forschung erleichtern und die Gesamtfähigkeiten von Veterinärmedizinstudierenden verbessern kann, wodurch sie besser für alle möglichen zukünftigen Karrierewege ausgestattet werden. Diese Diplomarbeit trägt nicht nur zum Verständnis der WNV-Epidemiologie in Österreich bei, sondern hebt auch die kritische Rolle von GIS in der Krankheitsüberwachung und -management hervor.Diploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024This diploma thesis evaluates the utility of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in veterinary epidemiology. After introducing the history and usages of GIS in veterinary science, this work specifically exemplifies the use of GIS to examine the spatial distribution of West Nile virus (WNV) in humans and equines in Austria, from 2011 to 2020, and climatic conditions associated with the disease occurrence. Findings reveal that current risk areas for WNV infections in Austria are primarily concentrated in the eastern regions of Austria, characterised by certain average climatic conditions facilitating the virus\u27s spread. Additionally, projected climate scenarios suggest an expansion of these suitable conditions, potentially facilitating the spread of WNV to new areas in the future. The thesis advocates for the integration of GIS education into veterinary curricula to bolster computer-based competencies among students. This approach aims to better prepare future veterinarians for a digitally driven professional environment. It is suggested that enhancing GIS training can facilitate a deeper engagement with epidemiological research and improve the overall skill set of veterinary students, making them better equipped for all possible future carrier paths. This diploma thesis not only contributes to the understanding of WNV epidemiology in Austria but also highlights the critical role of GIS in disease surveillance and management
CDK6 kinase inhibition unmasks metabolic dependencies in BCR::ABL1+ leukemia
No full textMetabolic reprogramming and cell cycle deregulation are hallmarks of cancer cells. The cell cycle kinase CDK6 has recently been implicated in a wide range of hematopoietic malignancies. We here investigate the role of CDK6 in the regulation of cellular metabolism in BCR::ABL1+ leukemic cells. Our study, using gene expression data and ChIP-Seq analysis, highlights the contribution of CDK6 kinase activity in the regulation of oxidative phosphorylation. Our findings imply a competition for promoter interaction of CDK6 with the master regulator of mitochondrial respiration, NRF-1. In line, cells lacking kinase active CDK6 display altered mitochondria morphology with a defective electron transport chain. The enhanced cytoplasm/mitochondria ATP ratio paralleled by high pyruvate and lactate levels indicate a metabolic switch to glycolysis. Accordingly, combinatorial treatment of leukemic cells including imatinib resistant cells with the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib and the glycolysis inhibitor 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) enhanced apoptosis, while blocking cell proliferation in leukemic cells. These data may open a new therapeutic avenue for hematologic malignancies with high CDK6 expression by exploiting metabolic vulnerabilities unmasked by blocking CDK6 kinase activity that might even be able to overcome imatinib resistance
Innovative problem-solving in Goffin´s cockatoos
No full textPhD Arbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024
Aus rechtlichen Gründen sind nicht alle Teile dieser Arbeit frei zugänglich. Der Zugriff auf den elektronischen Volltext ist auf Angehörige der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität Wien beschränkt. Bitte einloggen!PhD thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024
The full text is only available to university members. Please log in!Comparative cognition research aims to comprehend the drivers of cognitive abilities, by comparing not only closely but also distantly related species. Studying parrots can provide valuable insights into the factors shaping our own cognition, considering that birds and mammals diverged around 319 million years ago. Being innovative, i.e., finding new ways of dealing with one´s environment, can have significant benefits for an organism, for example when acquiring new techniques for finding food. Research on parrots has already provided us with ample evidence that they can solve problems in innovative ways, even though it has only rather recently picked up pace. This thesis examines the innovative problem-solving abilities of parrots, focusing on a model species of avian physical cognition, the Goffin´s cockatoo (Cacatua goffiniana). In chapter 1, my colleagues and I summarized the current knowledge (as of early 2019 upon submission) of parrot innovation and placed the research in the context of a framework that assesses the innovation process in six stages. Despite psittacines being a diverse group, they generally share many prerequisites, including morphological and neurological features, that facilitate technical problem-solving. In the second chapter, we developed and employed a newly modified set-up to test for innovative problem-solving in a comparative setting: the ‘Innovation Arena’. With this multi-task apparatus, we tested two groups of Goffin´s cockatoos: hand-reared, long-term captive and wild-born, short-term captive individuals. Although we found a difference in success this was largely due to earlier sessions and the birds´ motivational state. The general performance showed no effect of captivity. 5 In order to facilitate replication, we further disseminated the methodology by publishing in a ‘video journal’ in chapter 3. Here we presented the setup in more detail, including technical drawings and video instructions. Several scientists have since replicated the Innovation Arena in a similar way. In chapter 4, we addressed the question of what affects individual variation in problem-solving performance, besides cognitive ability. As a first step, we tested individual object neophobia and related it to the results of the study with the Innovation Arena. Our findings suggest that more neophobic cockatoos are not generally better at solving technical tasks, although they may have an advantage of encountering opportunities earlier than more neophobic birds. I used the last chapter to recap the research on parrot cognition since the last comprehensive review in 2019. Even though the research effort on parrots has been lagging behind that of corvids for years, it has drastically increased with over 50 new studies in a time frame of only four years. Most notable are the developments in social cognition as well as an increase in field studies. The thesis ends with a brief recap and discussion of its broader scientific implications and touches upon some ideas for future directions, as well as steps already undertaken that were outside of the scope of this thesis
Anästhesie beim Kaiserschnitt bei der Katze - Literaturüberblick sowie retrospektive Datenanalyse der Anästhesieprotokolle für den Kaiserschnitt bei der Katze an der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität Wien (2015 – 2022)
No full textDiplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024Bei Kaiserschnitten ist es von entscheidender Bedeutung die Anästhesie sorgfältig anzupassen, um Komplikationen zu minimieren oder idealerweise zu verhindern. Eine effektive Analgesie für die Katze ist dabei von großer Bedeutung. Dabei ist jedoch besondere Vorsicht bei der Wahl plazentagängiger Medikamente geboten, um die Kitten so wenig wie möglich zu beeinflussen. In dieser Studie wurden über einen Zeitraum von 01.01.2015 bis 31.12.2022 Anästhesieprotokolle von Kaiserschnitten bei der Katze an der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität Wien untersucht. Besonderes Merkmal wurde auf die Medikamentengabe, Komplikationen und Welpenmortalität gelegt. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es zu untersuchen, ob die Verabreichung bestimmter Medikamente, aufgetretene Komplikationen während der Anästhesie oder die Anästhesiedauer einen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Kittenmortalität hat. Für die Prämedikation wurde am häufigsten Butorphanol (38,57%) und Sufentanil (28,57%) verwendet, 14,29% erhielten keine Prämedikation. Bei der Einleitung wurde zu 74,29% Propofol und zu 25,71% Alfaxalon verwendet. Als Erhaltung wurde zu 82,86% Isofluran als Inhalationsnarkose angewandt. 91,42% der 70 Fälle hatten Komplikationen während der Anästhesie, wobei eine Hypothermie am häufigsten auftrat (57,14%), gefolgt von Bradykardie (61,54%) und Hyperkapnie (28,57%). Die statistische Auswertung ergab keinen signifikanten Einfluss der verschiedenen Prämedikationen auf die Kittensterblichkeit. Auch hinsichtlich der Operationsdauer konnte keine signifikante Verbindung zur Welpensterblichkeit nachgewiesen werden. Allerdings zeigte die logisitische Regression eine signifikant niedrigere Welpensterblichkeit bei der Verabreichung von Alfaxalon im Vergleich zu Propofol, mit einem p-Wert von 0,03.Diploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024In caesarean sections in cats, it is crucial to carefully adjust the anesthesia to minimize or ideally prevent complications. Effective analgesia for the cat is essential, though special caution must be taken in selecting drugs, as most of them cross the placenta, to minimize any impact on the kittens. This study analyzed anesthesia protocols for feline caesarean sections at the University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna over the period from 1st January 2015 to 31st December 2022. The primary focus was on drug administration, complications and kitten mortality. The aim of this research was to investigate whether the administration of certain drugs had a significant impact on kitten mortality. For premedication, butorphanol (38.57%) and sufentanil (28.57%) were most commonly used, while 14.29% of the cats received no premedication. Induction was achieved with propofol in 71.42% of cases and alfaxalone in 25.72%. For maintenance, isoflurane was applied as inhalation anethesia in 82.86% of the cases. Complications during anesthesia occurred in 91.42% of the 70 cases, with hypothermia being the most frequent (57.14%), followed by bradycardia (45.71%) and hypercapnia (28.57%). Statistical analysis showed no significant effect of different premedications on kitten mortality. Furthermore, no significant correlation between the duration of the surgery and kitten mortality was found. However, logistic regression revealed a significantly lower kitten mortality rate with the administration of alfaxalone compared to propofol, with a p-value of 0.0319.Diplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024Bei Kaiserschnitten ist es von entscheidender Bedeutung die Anästhesie sorgfältig anzupassen, um Komplikationen zu minimieren oder idealerweise zu verhindern. Eine effektive Analgesie für die Katze ist dabei von großer Bedeutung. Dabei ist jedoch besondere Vorsicht bei der Wahl plazentagängiger Medikamente geboten, um die Kitten so wenig wie möglich zu beeinflussen. In dieser Studie wurden über einen Zeitraum von 01.01.2015 bis 31.12.2022 Anästhesieprotokolle von Kaiserschnitten bei der Katze an der Veterinärmedizinischen Universität Wien untersucht. Besonderes Merkmal wurde auf die Medikamentengabe, Komplikationen und Welpenmortalität gelegt. Ziel dieser Arbeit war es zu untersuchen, ob die Verabreichung bestimmter Medikamente, aufgetretene Komplikationen während der Anästhesie oder die Anästhesiedauer einen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Kittenmortalität hat. Für die Prämedikation wurde am häufigsten Butorphanol (38,57%) und Sufentanil (28,57%) verwendet, 14,29% erhielten keine Prämedikation. Bei der Einleitung wurde zu 74,29% Propofol und zu 25,71% Alfaxalon verwendet. Als Erhaltung wurde zu 82,86% Isofluran als Inhalationsnarkose angewandt. 91,42% der 70 Fälle hatten Komplikationen während der Anästhesie, wobei eine Hypothermie am häufigsten auftrat (57,14%), gefolgt von Bradykardie (61,54%) und Hyperkapnie (28,57%). Die statistische Auswertung ergab keinen signifikanten Einfluss der verschiedenen Prämedikationen auf die Kittensterblichkeit. Auch hinsichtlich der Operationsdauer konnte keine signifikante Verbindung zur Welpensterblichkeit nachgewiesen werden. Allerdings zeigte die logisitische Regression eine signifikant niedrigere Welpensterblichkeit bei der Verabreichung von Alfaxalon im Vergleich zu Propofol, mit einem p-Wert von 0,03
Endoparasite Survey in Amazonian Manatees (Trichechus inunguis) under rehabilitation in the Peruvian Amazon
No full textDiploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024Manatee populations are declining worldwide, and all currently existing species are considered vulnerable by the IUCN. The Amazonian manatee, (Trichechus inunguis) has barely been studied, and information on their endoparasites is scarce. Most Amazonian manatees that are treated and nurtured in rescue centres are juvenile animals and the most common problems are of gastrointestinal nature leading to inappetence, diarrhoea, cachexia and even death. Endoparasites play an important role in the well- being of wild animals in captivity as well as in wild population. The present study is the first to examine faecal samples from Amazonian manatees in Peru using molecular tools. We investigated faecal samples from 23 T. inunguis that were kept at rescue centres in the Loreto department, Peru and screened them for Enterocytozoon spp., Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Eimeria spp., intestinal nematodes and trematodes using coproantigen ELISAs, coproscopical analysis and molecular tools. In 11 of the 20 juvenile animals (55%) protozoan parasites from the genus Eimeria were found. No metazoan parasites were documented in any of the manatees in the present study. In total two morphologically different, not yet genetically described Eimeria species were identified. One of them seems to be Eimeria trichechi which has only been described once in Amazonian manatees from Brazil. Eimeria cf. trichechi infections were not found to lead to clinical coccidiosis in this study. The second Eimeria sp. was associated with clinical symptoms of coccidiosis in a young Amazonian manatee, which showed gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhoea, inappetence and cachexia.Diplomarbeit - Veterinärmedizinische Universität Wien - 2024Populationen von Manatis nehmen weltweit ab, und alle derzeit existierenden Arten werden von der IUCN als gefährdet eingestuft. Der Amazonas-Manati (Trichechus inunguis) ist nur spärlich erforscht, und relevante Endoparasiten der Spezies sind kaum bekannt. Die meisten Amazonas-Manatis, die in Wildtierauffangstationen behandelt und gepflegt werden, sind junge Tiere, wobei die häufigsten Probleme gastrointestinaler Natur sind, die zu verminderter Fresslust, Durchfall, Abmagerung und sogar zum Tod führen können. Endoparasiten spielen eine wichtige Rolle für das Wohlbefinden von Wildtieren in menschlicher Obhut sowie in wild lebenden Populationen. Diese Studie ist die erste, die Kotproben von Amazonas-Manatis in Peru mittels molekularbiologischer Verfahren untersucht. Wir analysierten Kotproben von 23 T. inunguis, die in Wildtierauffangstationen im Departement Loreto, Peru, gehalten wurden und untersuchten sie auf Enterocytozoon spp., Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Eimeria spp., sowie intestinale Nematoden und Trematoden unter Verwendung von Koproantigen-ELISAs, kombiniertem Flotation-Sedimentation Verfahren und molekularbiologischen Methoden. Bei 11 der 20 Jungtiere (55%) wurden Protozoen der Gattung Eimeria gefunden. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden keine Metazoen bei keinem der untersuchten Manatis gefunden. Insgesamt wurden zwei morphologisch unterschiedliche, genetisch noch nicht beschriebene Eimeria-Arten identifiziert. Eine von ihnen scheint Eimeria trichechi zu sein, die bisher nur einmal bei Amazonas-Manatis in Brasilien beschrieben wurde. Eimeria cf. trichechi Infektionen führten in dieser Studie nicht zu klinischen Symptomen einer Kokzidiose. Auch in dieser Studie konnten bei Eimeria cf. trichechi infizierten Tieren keine klinischen Symptome gefunden werden. Die zweite Eimeria sp., hier als Eimeria sp. Type B angeführt, war mit klinischen Symptomen der Kokzidiose bei einem jungen Amazonas-Manati verbunden, welches gastrointestinale Symptome einschließlich Durchfall, verminderte Fresslust sowie Abmagerung zeigte.Diploma thesis - University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna - 2024Manatee populations are declining worldwide, and all currently existing species are considered vulnerable by the IUCN. The Amazonian manatee, (Trichechus inunguis) has barely been studied, and information on their endoparasites is scarce. Most Amazonian manatees that are treated and nurtured in rescue centres are juvenile animals and the most common problems are of gastrointestinal nature leading to inappetence, diarrhoea, cachexia and even death. Endoparasites play an important role in the well- being of wild animals in captivity as well as in wild population. The present study is the first to examine faecal samples from Amazonian manatees in Peru using molecular tools. We investigated faecal samples from 23 T. inunguis that were kept at rescue centres in the Loreto department, Peru and screened them for Enterocytozoon spp., Giardia spp., Cryptosporidium spp., Eimeria spp., intestinal nematodes and trematodes using coproantigen ELISAs, coproscopical analysis and molecular tools. In 11 of the 20 juvenile animals (55%) protozoan parasites from the genus Eimeria were found. No metazoan parasites were documented in any of the manatees in the present study. In total two morphologically different, not yet genetically described Eimeria species were identified. One of them seems to be Eimeria trichechi which has only been described once in Amazonian manatees from Brazil. Eimeria cf. trichechi infections were not found to lead to clinical coccidiosis in this study. The second Eimeria sp. was associated with clinical symptoms of coccidiosis in a young Amazonian manatee, which showed gastrointestinal symptoms including diarrhoea, inappetence and cachexia
Diversity of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and natural killer cell receptor (NKR) genes and their interactions in domestic horses
No full textThe immunogenome is the part of the genome that underlies immune mechanisms and evolves under various selective pressures. Two complex regions of the immunogenome, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) and natural killer cell receptor (NKR) genes, play an important role in the response to selective pressures of pathogens. Their importance is expressed by their genetic polymorphism at the molecular level, and their diversity associated with different types of diseases at the population level. Findings of associations between specific combinations of MHC/NKR haplotypes with different diseases in model species suggest that these gene complexes did not evolve independently. No such associations have been described in horses so far. The aim of the study was to detect associations between MHC and NKR gene/microsatellite haplotypes in three horse breed groups (Camargue, African, and Romanian) by statistical methods; chi-square test, Fisher\u27s exact test, Pearson\u27s goodness-of-fit test and logistic regression. Associations were detected for both MHC/NKR genes and microsatellites; the most significant associations were found between the most variable KLRA3 gene and the EQCA-1 or EQCA-2 genes. This finding supports the assumption that the KLRA3 is an important receptor for MHC I and that interactions of these molecules play important roles in the horse immunity and reproduction. Despite some limitations of the study such as low numbers of horses or lack of knowledge of the selected genes functions, the results were consistent across different statistical methods and remained significant even after overconservative Bonferroni corrections. We therefore consider them biologically plausible
Integrated microbiota-host-metabolome approaches reveal adaptive ruminal changes to prolonged high-grain feeding and phytogenic supplementation in cattle.
No full textDiets rich in readily fermentable carbohydrates primarily impact microbial composition and activity, but can also impair the ruminal epithelium barrier function. By combining microbiota, metabolome, and gene expression analysis, we evaluated the impact of feeding a 65% concentrate diet for 4 weeks, with or without a phytogenic feed additive (PFA), on the rumen ecosystem of cattle. The breaking point for rumen health seemed to be the second week of high grain (HG) diet, with a dysbiosis characterized by reduced alpha diversity. While we did not find changes in histological evaluations, genes related with epithelial proliferation (IGF-1, IGF-1R, EGFR, and TBP) and ZO-1 were affected by the HG feeding. Integrative analyses allowed us to define the main drivers of difference for the rumen ecosystem in response to a HG diet, identified as ZO-1, MyD88, and genus Prevotella 1. PFA supplementation reduced the concentration of potentially harmful compounds in the rumen (e.g. dopamine and 5-aminovaleric acid) and increased the tolerance of the epithelium toward the microbiota by altering the expression of TLR-2, IL-6, and IL-10. The particle-associated rumen liquid microbiota showed a quicker adaptation potential to prolonged HG feeding compared to the other microenvironments investigated, especially by the end of the experiment