The method matters: The effect of handling time on cortisol level and blood parameters in wild cats.

Blood analysis has recently become a popular tool to assess the welfare of the wild cats. However, the estimates of blood parameters may depend on the sampling method. We have tested (1) if the sampling procedure influences blood parameters and (2) what parameters are the most efficient in assessing the physiological status in wild cat species.

Expression, Purification, and Characterization of Interleukin-11 Orthologues.

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a multifunctional cytokine implicated in several normal and pathological processes. The decoding of IL-11 function and development of IL-11-targeted drugs dictate the use of laboratory animals and need of the better understanding of species specificity of IL-11 signaling. Here, we present a method for the recombinant interleukin-11 (rIL-11) production from the important model animals, mouse and macaque.

Detection of seasonal weight loss and a serologic survey of potential pathogens in wild Pallas' cats (Felis [Otocolobus] manul) of the Daurian Steppe, Russia.

We measured seasonal changes in body mass and pathogen exposure in wild Pallas' cats (Felis [Otocolobus] manul) in the Daurian Steppe of Russia in 2010-11. Pallas' cats lost about 30% of body mass over winter. Tests for antibodies to 15 potential pathogens showed that Pallas' cats were exposed to four pathogens.