Publications by authors named "Alexandra Mason"

Article Synopsis
  • This study investigates how the effectiveness of remote ischemic preconditioning (IPC) on vascular injury changes during different phases of the menstrual cycle in premenopausal women compared to postmenopausal women.
  • It finds that premenopausal women experience reduced protection from ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury during the early follicular phase, while postmenopausal women show diminished endothelial function overall.
  • The study suggests that fluctuating estrogen levels during the menstrual cycle may influence the body's ability to protect against this type of vascular injury, highlighting the importance of hormonal changes in cardiovascular health.
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Article Synopsis
  • * Viral infections, such as adenoviruses and reoviruses, could potentially weaken the snakes' immune systems and worsen the disease, but this study focused on screening for these viruses in EISs.
  • * The results showed that while adenoviruses were found in some snakes, their presence did not significantly influence the health or survival of EISs or contribute to the progression of gastric cryptosporidiosis.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to compare different sampling techniques and tests for detecting the pathogen Cryptosporidium serpentis in eastern indigo snakes.
  • Researchers used multiple sample types, including biopsies, swabs, and gastric lavage, and analyzed their effectiveness through histologic and molecular methods, particularly qPCR.
  • Results showed that qPCR from gastric samples was highly sensitive, making endoscopic biopsy the best method for diagnosis, while gastric lavage and swabs were effective for screening but not definitive for diagnosing the disease.
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Lactate is an important biochemistry analyte used in human and veterinary medicine to assess tissue perfusion and can be used as a prognostic indicator for certain disease conditions. Whereas lactate is commonly measured using "patient-side" handheld meters, these meters have not been validated for companion avian species. The purpose of this study was to measure the level of agreement between 2 commercially available point-of-care lactate meters and a laboratory benchtop blood analyzer in Hispaniolan Amazon parrots ().

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Sixteen whitespotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) with histologically similar bacterial abscesses were submitted to Northwest ZooPath from nine zoo and aquarium institutions over a 17-year period. These abscesses were characterized by inflammatory cell infiltrates and necrosis with intralesional small, Gram-positive, acid-fast negative, cocci bacteria. The clinical presentation, histologic findings, and culture results indicate that Enterococcus faecalis is a relatively common cause of these lesions in whitespotted bamboo sharks.

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There is a paucity of information regarding the health status of free-ranging eastern indigo snakes (EIS; Drymarchon couperi) in heavily modified and developing landscapes. As a component of regional Florida Everglades restoration efforts, several areas occupied by EIS are being converted from agricultural lands to reservoirs. From 2020 to 2022, 28 EIS were opportunistically captured at two of these sites and brought into captivity to join a captive breeding colony; however, 11 snakes died within 5 mo of capture.

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Objective: To measure plasma and tissue activities of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatine kinase, and γ-glutamyltransferase in 2 snake species.

Animals: 6 banded water snakes (Nerodia fasciata) and 6 diamondback water snakes (Nerodia rhombifer).

Procedures: Blood was collected via the ventral tail vein to measure plasma enzyme activities.

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Reptiles are highly susceptible to anthropogenic activities as a result of their narrow geographical ranges and habitat specialization, making them a conservation concern. Geckos represent one of the mega-diverse reptile lineages under pressure; however, limited assisted reproductive technologies currently exist for these animals. Exogenous pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) has been found to exhibit follicle stimulating hormone-like action and has been routinely used to alter reproductive hormones of vertebrates in assisted reproductive protocols.

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The Mediterranean Diet Foundation, in collaboration with the International Menarini Foundation, organized the "International Conference on Mediterranean Diet and Health: A Lifelong Approach." The Conference was held in Ostuni (Puglia, Italy) from March 30 to April 1, 2017. The event received the endorsement of the American Federation for Aging Research, the Research Consortium "Luigi Amaducci," the European Nutrition for Health Alliance, the European Union Geriatric Medicine Society, the Clinical Section of the International Association of Gerontology and Geriatrics-European Region, the National Research Council Research Project on Aging, the Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics, and the Italian Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism.

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