Describing the Reproductive Microbiome of Chronically Infected Bulls and Diagnostic Collection Device Performance.

, the causative agent of bovine trichomoniasis, is an obligate protozoan parasite of the bovine reproductive tract and can be found on the penis, prepuce, and distal urethra of the bull and from the cranial vagina to the oviduct in the infected cow. To date, the microbiome of bulls infected with has not been described. The objectives of this study were to (1) describe the preputial and penile microbiome of bulls chronically infected by (2) describe the seminal microbiome of -infected bulls, and (3) evaluate different collection devices that could be used for sampling.

Students value relationship building in a student mentorship program.

Objective: To assess the needs and values of students regarding a new mentoring program.

Methods: An online survey was developed and sent to veterinary students through institutional email at the beginning and end of the year of initiating a faculty-student mentorship program.

Results: In September and May, the most commonly desired outcome of the program for students was the building of relationships.

Tritrichomonas foetus testing in bulls.

Objective: To provide a video tutorial on how to perform preputial scraping for the testing of Tritrichomonas foetus in bulls.

Animals: Postpubertal bulls.

Methods: A preputial scraping device is inserted in the prepuce, and back-and-forth scraping movements are made to collect smegma and T foetus organisms.

Public Health Dashboards in Overdose Prevention: The Rhode Island Approach to Public Health Data Literacy, Partnerships, and Action.

As the field of public health rises to the demands of real-time surveillance and rapid data-sharing needs in a postpandemic world, it is time to examine our approaches to the dissemination and accessibility of such data. Distinct challenges exist when working to develop a shared public health language and narratives based on data. It requires that we assess our understanding of public health data literacy, revisit our approach to communication and engagement, and continuously evaluate our impact and relevance.

Differences in Substance Use and Harm Reduction Practices by Race and Ethnicity: Rhode Island Harm Reduction Surveillance System, 2021-2022.

Context: In the United States, minority populations are disproportionately affected by the overdose epidemic, have higher mortality rates, and unequal access to harm reduction and treatment services.

Objective: This analysis aims to better understand harm reduction utilization and substance use patterns among minority populations to improve overdose outreach and prevention initiatives in Rhode Island.

Design: The present analysis used data from the Harm Reduction Surveillance System from January 2021 to December 2022 (N = 393).

Dynamics of the nasopharyngeal microbiome of apparently healthy calves and those with clinical symptoms of bovine respiratory disease from disease diagnosis to recovery.

Introduction: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is a multifactorial disease complex in which bacteria in the upper respiratory tract play an important role in disease development. Previous studies have related the presence of four BRD-pathobionts (, , , and ) in the upper respiratory tract to BRD incidence and mortalities in the dairy and beef cattle industry, but these studies typically only use one time point to compare the abundance of BRD-pathobionts between apparently healthy and BRD-affected cattle. The objective of this study was to characterize the longitudinal development of the nasopharyngeal (NP) microbiome from apparently healthy calves, and in calves with clinical signs of BRD, the microbiota dynamics from disease diagnosis to recovery.

Development and Validation of a Uterine Prolapse, Epidural, and Vaginal Suture Model.

Uterine prolapses sporadically present to bovine practitioners. Exposing veterinary students to this is challenging due to the inability to replicate a live animal prolapses in a teaching environment. The objective of this study was to develop a model that represents each step of the process of correcting a uterine prolapse and to perform a validation study of the model and rubric used to score performance using a skill comparison between experienced veterinarians and novices (students).

Field Morphology and Interpretation.

Semen morphology evaluation in the field should always be performed at 1000× with oil immersion. The development of a spermiogram will aid the practitioner to interpret potential fertility of semen at the time of sampling as well as determine potential causes of an abnormal spermiogram. Bulls, which experience stress or impairment of thermoregulation of the testes for any reason, often experience a transitory decrease in the quality of sperm morphology.

Ancillary Methods for Semen Evaluation.

The cause of subfertility or poor fertility in naturally mated bulls should be differentiated from impotentia coeundi, generandi, or erigendi prior to ancillary semen evaluation. Bulls used for artificial insemination may undergo ancillary semen evaluation following low fertility rates as judged by poor conception or low pregnancy rates. Morphologically abnormal sperm have long been associated with bull subfertility and infertility.

Canine models of Charcot-Marie-Tooth: MTMR2, MPZ, and SH3TC2 variants in golden retrievers with congenital hypomyelinating polyneuropathy.

Congenital hypomyelinating polyneuropathy (HPN) restricted to the peripheral nervous system was reported in 1989 in two Golden Retriever (GR) littermates. Recently, four additional cases of congenital HPN in young, unrelated GRs were diagnosed via neurological examination, electrodiagnostic evaluation, and peripheral nerve pathology. Whole-genome sequencing was performed on all four GRs, and variants from each dog were compared to variants found across >1,000 other dogs, all presumably unaffected with HPN.

Comparing Projected Fatal Overdose Outcomes and Costs of Strategies to Expand Community-Based Distribution of Naloxone in Rhode Island.

Importance: In 2021, the state of Rhode Island distributed 10 000 additional naloxone kits compared with the prior year through partnerships with community-based organizations.

Objective: To compare various strategies to increase naloxone distribution through community-based programs in Rhode Island to identify one most effective and efficient strategy in preventing opioid overdose deaths (OODs).

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this decision analytical model study conducted from January 2016 to December 2022, a spatial microsimulation model with an integrated decision tree was developed and calibrated to compare the outcomes of alternative strategies for distributing 10 000 additional naloxone kits annually among all individuals at risk for opioid overdose in Rhode Island.

Identification of bovine respiratory disease through the nasal microbiome.

Background: Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is an ongoing health and economic challenge in the dairy and beef cattle industries. Multiple risk factors make an animal susceptible to BRD. The presence of Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni, and Mycoplasma bovis in lung tissues have been associated with BRD mortalities, but they are also commonly present in the upper respiratory tract of healthy animals.

Composition and diversity of the seminal microbiota in bulls and its association with semen parameters.

The male bovine microbiota is a relatively unexplored area even though it has been shown to impact the fertility of not only the male but also the female. With this study, our aim was to evaluate the bacterial composition of semen from bulls with either satisfactory or unsatisfactory semen quality as represented by poor sperm motility and/or morphology. We hypothesized based on findings in human and other domestic animal studies, that the microbiota diversity and composition may be associated with decreased sperm quality.

Using Timely Overdose Data to Address a Spike in Nonfatal Overdoses and Inform a Coordinated Community-Level Response in Rhode Island, 2019.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) uses emergency department data to monitor nonfatal opioid overdoses in Rhode Island. In April 2019, RIDOH detected an increase in nonfatal opioid overdoses in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, and sent an alert to state and local partners (eg, fire departments, emergency departments, faith leaders) with guidance on how to respond. To guide community-level, strategic response efforts, RIDOH analyzed surveillance data to identify overdose patterns, populations, and geographic areas most affected.

On-farm colorimetric detection of Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Histophilus somni in crude bovine nasal samples.

This work modifies a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to detect the bovine respiratory disease (BRD) bacterial pathogens Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Histophilus somni in a colorimetric format on a farm. BRD causes a significant health and economic burden worldwide that partially stems from the challenges involved in determining the pathogens causing the disease. Methods such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) have the potential to identify the causative pathogens but require lab equipment and extensive sample processing making the process lengthy and expensive.

Rhode Island's Opioid Overdose Hospital Standards and Emergency Department Naloxone Distribution, Behavioral Counseling, and Referral to Treatment.

Study Objective: We sought to determine the influence of the Levels of Care for Rhode Island Emergency Departments and Hospitals for Treating Overdose and Opioid Use Disorder (Levels of Care) on emergency department (ED) provision of take-home naloxone, behavioral counseling, and referral to treatment.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of Rhode Island ED visits for opioid overdose from 2017 to 2018 was performed using data from a statewide opioid overdose surveillance system. Changes in provision of take-home naloxone, behavioral counseling, and referral to treatment before and after Levels of Care implementation were assessed using interrupted time series analysis.

Composition and diversity of the preputial microbiota in healthy bulls.

Characterization of microbial communities inhabiting the reproductive tracts of cattle may lead to a better comprehension of bovine physiology and reproductive health. To date, reported studies have utilized culture-independent 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) for the classification of microbiota in the vaginal tract of cows but no studies have looked at the microbiota of the prepuce or penis of the bull. The aim of this study was to elucidate the microbiota present on the epithelial surface of the penis and prepuce of the post-pubertal bull using 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

Multidisciplinary Team Reviews of Drug Overdose Deaths and the Use of Minigrants to Advance Recommendations: A Statewide Pilot in Rhode Island.

Context: Rhode Island has been significantly impacted by the opioid epidemic, ranking 11th in unintentional drug overdose rates in the United States in 2017. Illicit fentanyl was involved in the majority of these deaths.

Program: To enhance surveillance of this epidemic, the RI Department of Health piloted in-depth, multidisciplinary, and multiagency team reviews of drug overdose deaths.

Occlusion of the corpus cavernosum penis in bulls intended for estrus detection: 18 cases (2002-2016).

OBJECTIVE To report surgical and long-term postoperative outcomes of bulls undergoing surgical occlusion of the corpus cavernosum penis (CCP) by acrylic injection and epididymectomy with or without penile fixation as preparation for use in estrus detection. DESIGN Retrospective case series. ANIMALS 18 client-owned bulls.

Action-focused, plain language communication for overdose prevention: A qualitative analysis of Rhode Island's overdose surveillance and information dashboard.

Background: In 2015, the state of Rhode Island reported the fifth highest drug overdose mortality rate in the United States. In response to this crisis, Rhode Island created a statewide, publicly accessible drug surveillance and information system, www.PreventOverdoseRI.