Assessing the profile and utility of diplomates in occupational medicine.

Background: The utility of the occupational medicine diploma in the UK is yet to be explored. The NHS 'Growing Occupational Health (OH) and Wellbeing' programme provides opportunities for diplomates to increase their OH work.

Aims: To assess what proportion of diplomates carry out OH work, the type of work being undertaken, to identify obstacles impeding OH work, to capture their interest in future work opportunities and what additional support they require.

Microbubble cavitation restores Staphylococcus aureus antibiotic susceptibility in vitro and in a septic arthritis model.

Treatment failure in joint infections is associated with fibrinous, antibiotic-resistant, floating and tissue-associated Staphylococcus aureus aggregates formed in synovial fluid (SynF). We explore whether antibiotic activity could be increased against Staphylococcus aureus aggregates using ultrasound-triggered microbubble destruction (UTMD), in vitro and in a porcine model of septic arthritis. In vitro, when bacterially laden SynF is diluted, akin to the dilution achieved clinically with lavage and local injection of antibiotics, amikacin and ultrasound application result in increased bacterial metabolism, aggregate permeabilization, and a 4-5 log decrease in colony forming units, independent of microbubble destruction.

Concurrent versus delayed exposure to corticosteroids in equine articular tissues cultured with local anesthetic.

Objective: To determine the effect of concurrent versus delayed treatment with corticosteroid on equine articular tissues also treated with local anesthetic in vitro in the presence of inflammatory mediators.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Animals: Five geldings, one mare (aged 3-18 years).

Single-incision drilling technique to achieve hemiepiphysiodesis of the distal metacarpus - complications and outcome in 207 foals with metacarpophalangeal varus deformities.

Objective: To report the outcome of foals treated for metacarpophalangeal varus deformity with a single-incision drilling technique for hemiepiphysiodesis of the distal lateral metacarpal physis.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control cohort study.

Animals: Thoroughbred foals (n = 207), 171 age- and sex-matched maternal siblings.

Comparison of 2% mepivacaine and a solution of 2% lidocaine/epinephrine administered for median and ulnar nerve blocks in horses with naturally occurring forelimb lameness.

Objective: To compare a 2% lidocaine solution containing 5 μg/ml (1:200 000) epinephrine with 2% mepivacaine for reducing lameness in horses after use in proximal nerve blocks.

Study Design: Experimental randomized crossover.

Animals: Six adult horses with naturally occurring forelimb lameness.

Clinical features, treatment, and outcome of aural hematomas in horses: 7 cases (2008-2019).

Objective: To characterize the clinical features, treatment, and outcome of aural hematomas in horses.

Animals: 7 horses with 1 or 2 aural hematomas (8 ears in total) treated at a veterinary teaching hospital in 2008 through 2019.

Procedures: Data retrieved from medical records included signalment, pertinent historical information, clinical signs, diagnostic procedures (including dermatologic assessment), and treatments.

Influence of osteochondrosis on the longevity and racing performance of standardbred trotters and pacers.

Objective: To determine the influence of clinical osteochondrosis (OC) on the short-term (2, 3, and 4-year-old) and long-term racing performance and longevity of standardbred racehorses.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Sample Population: Standardbred racehorses from a single breeding farm born between 2009 and 2017 that survived to racing age (n = 2711).

Actinomyces as a Cause of Osteomyelitis of the Nasofrontal Suture in a Gelding.

A 7-year-old American Quarter Horse gelding was referred to the JT Vaughan Large Animal Teaching Hospital at Auburn University, College of Veterinary Medicine, for an investigation of a recurrent swelling of the nasofrontal region. Computed tomography examination of the skull was most consistent with a sequestrum of the left nasofrontal suture with associated focal osteomyelitis and left conchofrontal sinusitis. Surgery to remove the sequestrum, debride the devitalized bone, and flush the left conchofrontal sinus was performed.

Combined Hydrogel and Mesenchymal Stem Cell Therapy for Moderate-Severity Disc Degeneration in Goats.

Intervertebral disc degeneration is a cascade of cellular, structural, and biomechanical changes that is strongly implicated as a cause of low-back pain. Current treatment strategies have poor long-term efficacy as they seek only to alleviate symptoms without preserving or restoring native tissue structure and function. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a combined triple interpenetrating network hydrogel (comprising dextran, chitosan, and teleostean) and mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy targeting moderate-severity disc degeneration in a clinically relevant goat model.

Facial nerve paralysis in 64 equids: Clinical variables, diagnosis, and outcome.

Background: Facial nerve paralysis (FNP) in equids is not well described in the veterinary literature.

Objective: To investigate the causes of FNP and associations among clinical variables, diagnosis, and outcome.

Animals: Sixty-four equids presenting with FNP between July 2000 and April 2019.

Racing performance after surgical repair of medial condylar fracture of the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone in thoroughbred racehorses.

Objective: To report the performance of thoroughbred racehorses after surgical repair of a medial condylar fracture of the third metacarpal/metatarsal bone.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Sample Population: Forty-three horses surgically treated for medial condylar fractures, 30 with previous racing experience, 13 without previous racing experience (nonexperienced).

Fatal Ovarian Hemorrhage Associated With Anticoagulation Therapy in a Yucatan Mini-Pig Following Venous Stent Implantation.

Swine models are commonly utilized in endovascular research for development of intravascular interventions and medical device development. As part of a pilot study for a venous vascular stent device, a 5-year-old female Yucatan mini-pig underwent bilateral external iliac vein stent placement under general anesthesia. To reduce thrombotic complications by reduction of thrombus formation on wires, sheaths, and catheters, the pig was heparinized with a total of 300 IU/kg of heparin, establishing an activated clotting time (ACT) of 436 s.

Clinical Findings, Treatments and Outcomes in Farm Animals with Vertebral Fractures or Luxations: 22 Cases (2006-2017).

Objective:  The aim of this study was to describe the signalment, clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, medical and surgical treatment and outcome of 22 farm animals diagnosed with a vertebral fracture or luxation.

Study Design:  Medical records of 22 farm animals (7 goats, 6 alpacas, 5 cattle, 3 sheep and 1 deer) were reviewed for signalment, history, presenting clinical signs and neurological examination findings, clinicopathological results, diagnostic imaging, final diagnosis, medical and surgical management, clinical progression and outcome.

Results:  Animals' age ranged from 1 day to 15 years.

Clinical findings associated with development of postoperative reflux and short-term survival after small intestinal surgery in geriatric and mature nongeriatric horses.

Objective: To determine risk factors, especially age, associated with postoperative reflux (POR; >2 L of reflux present upon intubation), high-volume POR (≥20 L in 24 hours), and short-term outcome after small intestinal (SI) surgery.

Study Design: Retrospective case-control study.

Sample Population: Horses aged ≥16 years (geriatric; range, 16-30; n = 44) and <16 years (mature; range, 2-15; n = 39) with an SI surgical lesion that survived general anesthesia and did not have a second exploratory celiotomy during the same visit.

Working Backs Scotland: a public and professional health education campaign for back pain.

Study Design: Public and professional health education campaign.

Objective: To change public beliefs about the management of back pain.

Summary Of Background Data: Within the past decade, there has been a reversal in the strategy of management of back pain, from rest to staying active.

Reviewing car fleet performance after advanced driver training.

Following a review of car fleet performance information, the high cost of accidents in a small fleet was highlighted. Measures were introduced, including advanced driver training and fleet performance followed-up. Significant improvements in accident rates, with reduced costs were recorded.

Variations in self-reported health by occupational grade in the British Post Office: the Q-health project.

Between 1995 and 1998 a national sample of 58,501 (42,885 males, 15,616 females) Post Office employees (29%) completed and returned a postal questionnaire survey providing information on demographic characteristics, physical and psychological health, health and lifestyles and health screening behaviour. Response rates by occupational grade were as follows: manual (male 69.3%, females 43.

Mathematical theory of group selection: Structure of group selection in founder populations determined from convexity of the extinction operator.

Genetic analysis for group selection is developed for the case of a biallelic locus (A, a) undergoing group selection of founder populations only. By contrast to R. Levins"E = E(x) models, extinction now depends on genetics at the propagule stage but acts uniformly on larger populations.

Island models for takeover by a social trait facing a frequency-dependent selection barrier in a Mendelian population.

A population genetic model is presented for selection of a Mendelian trait controlling for cooperative behavior between unrelated conspecifics. Under simple and robust assumptions, such a trait will be selected on a frequency-dependent basis, with a critical threshold frequency (beta(2) (crit)) of the social trait which must be exceeded before favorable selection of this trait can occur. Existence of this threshold gives rise to a basic evolutionary problem as to how evolution from an asocial state (beta congruent with 0) to a social state (beta congruent with 1) can take place.

A frequency-dependent natural selection model for the evolution of social cooperation networks.

A model is presented for the evolution of several aspects of sociality based on reciprocal ties of social cooperation, modeling especially cooperative hunting behavior in carnivores. This model captures the possibility of a critical threshold in gene frequency, which, if reached, will lead to an explosion toward fixation of the "social" trait. This threshold phenomenon might be restated as follows: the precondition for evolution favorable to the specific form of social behavior considered is hard to satisfy, but-once this condition is satisfied-the tendency toward sociality is effectively irreversible.