Survey of the approach to the diagnosis and management of bacterial pneumonia in adult horses by equine veterinarians.

Bacterial pneumonia is a common disease in adult horses, but there are no guidelines for practitioners regarding risk factors, diagnosis, and management of the disease. The objectives of this study were to describe how a group of equine veterinarians diagnose and treat bacterial pneumonia in adult horses. A 22-question survey was distributed via multiple platforms to equine veterinarians asking questions regarding the frequency with which they identified specific clinical findings and used certain diagnostic modalities, and the approach to antimicrobial and adjunct therapy.

Retrospective evaluation of the impact of atropine administration on incidence of post-operative colic in healthy, isoflurane-anaesthetised horses.

Background: In anaesthetised horses, bradycardia secondary to high vagal tone can reduce cardiac output and blood pressure. The use of anticholinergics in horses is limited due to concerns about ileus and abdominal discomfort. This retrospective study sought to determine the prevalence of post-operative abdominal discomfort in healthy horses that received atropine under isoflurane anaesthesia.

Treatment of equine keratomycosis, part 1: selection of appropriate therapy based on clinical presentation and diagnostic testing improves clinical outcomes.

Objective: To determine clinical outcome, treatment costs, and hospitalization duration in horses treated for keratomycosis and identify ophthalmic examination and diagnostic results associated with these outcomes.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of 126 equine keratomycosis cases between 2004 and 2020 with fungal infection confirmed on cytology, culture, and/or histopathology and a minimum of 1-month follow-up. Details of the ophthalmic examination, diagnostic test results, and treatment and cost outcomes were recorded.

Conservative management of canine cleft palate can be a viable treatment option: 65 cases (2006-2023).

Objective: To evaluate nonsurgical management outcomes of cleft palate (CP) in dogs and identify any association between cleft size, prevalence of clinical signs, and quality of life (QoL).

Methods: 65 dogs treated conservatively for CP from January 2006 through December 2023 were retrospectively identified. Diet, activity, medical history, and QoL were recorded for dogs that survived to the transition to solid food.

Treatment of equine keratomycosis, part 2: reporting common systemic and ocular complications to enhance decision-making for equine clinicians and owners.

Objective: The primary aims were to provide descriptive data on systemic and ocular complications associated with the treatment of equine keratomycosis. The secondary aims were to determine if complication rates differ between treatment types or are related to surgical and anesthetic factors.

Methods: The study was a retrospective evaluation of 126 cases between 2004 and 2020 with confirmed fungal infection and recorded incidence of complications during hospitalization and surgical intervention if pursued.

Ultrasound biomicroscopy in dogs suggests postoperative ocular hypertension may be associated with ciliary cleft changes related to cataract surgery.

Objective: To determine whether novel pre- and postsurgical ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) measurements of the canine ciliary cleft (CC) are associated with postoperative ocular hypertension (POH) following cataract surgery and to explore the relationship between intraocular pressure and CC UBM measurements.

Methods: Following pharmacologic mydriasis, UBM images were obtained from 31 client-owned dogs before elective cataract surgery, immediately postsurgery, and 4 to 6 hours following surgery or while experiencing POH ≥ 25 mm Hg. Presurgery and the pre- to postsurgery change in CC measurements were assessed for association with POH using individual mixed-effects logistic regression models and forward variable selection models.

Exploring Demographic and Cognitive Predictors of Self-Management in Quasi-Randomized Fall Prevention Intervention for Older Adults With and Without Traumatic Brain Injury.

Objective: Changes in health behavior are key to maintaining health, safety, and independence of older adults. The purpose of this study was to explore factors impacting training in self-management and behavior change in older adults with and without traumatic brain injury (TBI), informing efforts to improve safety and independent function.

Methods: Forty-one older adults, 19 with TBI, completed a self-regulation intervention (mental contrasting with implementation intentions; MCII) to promote fall prevention behavior change.

Expanding the invertebrate medicine toolbox: evaluation of opisthosoma tonometry as a novel diagnostic tool for arachnids.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the use of rebound tonometry, as a noninvasive diagnostic tool, in arachnids.

Methods: 5 juvenile (yearling) female and 1 juvenile male curlyhair tarantulas (Tliltocatl albopilosus, previously Brachypelma albopilosum) were used to track estimated ventral opisthosoma pressures over a 9-month period of time. Younger, growing animals were selected as they are more likely than adults to go through multiple molts throughout the 9 months of the study length.

Temperature has a greater effect than salinity on microbial survival in saltwater from a single equine hydrotherapy unit.

Objective: To determine the ability of bacteria commonly isolated from equine limb wounds to survive in saltwater obtained from an equine hydrotherapy unit at different salinity concentrations and temperatures.

Methods: Saltwater samples were obtained over a 2-week period (January 22, 2024 to February 2, 2024) from an equine hydrotherapy unit used for clinical patients, kept at either full salinity per manufacturer recommendations or diluted to half salinity to mimic the dilution that likely occurs in the clinical setting between cases when holding tanks are replenished with tap water only. Samples were then autoclaved to eliminate preexisting bacterial contamination before individual inoculation with Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus zooepidemicus.

Particulate matter from wildfire smoke in northern Colorado appears to be associated with conjunctivitis in dogs.

Objective: To evaluate ocular surface parameters in dogs with normal eyes when exposed to 3 different air quality index (AQI) categories corresponding to levels of normal air pollutants ("good," 0 to 50; "moderate," 51 to 100) and wildfire smoke ("smoke," 101 to 150).

Animals: 15 privately owned dogs.

Methods: A prospective cohort study with dogs living in northern Colorado.

Cancer rehabilitation services for older women with breast cancer: Impact on health-related quality of life outcomes.

Background: Older breast cancer survivors (BCS, age ≥ 65) are vulnerable to experiencing persistent symptoms and associated declines in health-related quality of life (HRQOL). In research trials, cancer rehabilitation interventions (physical or occupational therapy, PT/OT) have been shown to enhance HRQOL, but the impact of community-based PT/OT services for older BCS is unknown. We performed a retrospective, observational study to better understand the impact of PT/OT services on the HRQOL of older BCS.

Cancer Rehabilitation: Impact on Breast Cancer Survivors' Work Ability and Health-Related Quality of Life.

Background: Breast cancer survivors (BCSs) report persistent, diminished ability to work, and decreased health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Cancer rehabilitation interventions (physical therapy or occupational therapy [PT/OT]) aim to improve these outcomes, but little is known about their impact in the community.

Methods: This retrospective, pre-post, uncontrolled study examined cases of younger BCSs (age <65 years) who attended cancer-specialized PT/OT over a 2-year period.

Ego Function Assessment and Internet Addiction.

This study examined the relationship between trauma, ego functioning, and internet addiction. We recruited 323 participants via Amazon Mechanical Turk, a crowdsourcing platform that can be used for survey research. We gave participants the Internet Addiction Test, the Life Events Checklist, the Ego Function Assessment questionnaire, and a demographic questionnaire.

Opinions regarding equine veterinarian attire and attributes: results of a horse owner survey.

Objective: To investigate potential equine clients' perceptions of equine veterinarians based on attire.

Sample: 763 horse owners/lessees.

Methods: Participants were invited to complete a survey shared mainly via equestrian social media pages between August and October 2022.

Involvement of veterinary students in the placement of intravenous catheters in adult horses in a teaching hospital does not significantly increase the rate of catheter complications.

Objective: To determine whether student involvement in intravenous catheter (IVC) placement increases the risk for complications and to report the rate and types of complications associated with IVCs in adult horses in a university teaching hospital.

Animals: 455 IVCs placed in 394 horses.

Methods: Data relevant to IVC placement and removal were retrieved from an electronic medical record search including records of adult horses from January 1 to December 31, 2022.

Persistent long-term habitat use by Florida manatees at Fort Pierce, Florida from 1997 to 2020.

To survive cold winters, Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) depend on artificial (i.e., power plants) and natural warm water sources such as springs and passive thermal basins.

Identifying delay in glymphatic clearance of labeled protons post-acute head trauma utilizing 3D ASL MRI (arterial spin labeling): a pilot study.

This study correlated mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) cognitive changes with ASL-MRI glymphatic clearance rates (GCRs) and recovery with GCR improvement. mTBI disrupts the blood brain barrier (BBB), reducing capillary mean transit time and GCRs. mTBI is clinically diagnosed utilizing history/examination findings with no physiologic biomarkers.

Error reporting in a large animal veterinary teaching hospital identifies medication errors occur most often in the prescribing phase of therapy.

Objective: To identify the rate at which medication errors occurred over a 2-year period in a large animal veterinary teaching hospital and describe the types of errors that occurred.

Sample: 226 medication errors over 6,155 large animal visits occurred during the study period. Multiple errors may have affected the same patient.

A systems approach using Diversity Outbred mice distinguishes the cardiovascular effects and genetics of circulating GDF11 from those of its homolog, myostatin.

Growth differentiation factor 11 (GDF11) is a member of the TGF-β protein family that has been implicated in the development of cardiac hypertrophy. While some studies have suggested that systemic GDF11 protects against cardiomyocyte enlargement and left ventricular wall thickening, there remains uncertainty about the true impact of GDF11 and whether its purported effects are actually attributable to its homolog myostatin. This study was conducted to resolve the statistical and genetic relationships among GDF11, myostatin, and cardiac hypertrophy in a mouse model of human genetics, the Diversity Outbred (DO) stock.

Assessing health disparities in foods and beverages served in early care and education programs across Georgia.

Background: Obesity disproportionately impacts children who are Black and Hispanic, those who live in rural communities and those who have low income. Predisposition to obesity early in life is profoundly impacted by feeding habits during the preschool years. The early care and education (ECE) setting impacts children's health by providing daily meals.

Fecal Lactoferrin Predicts Primary Nonresponse to Biologic Agents in Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Introduction: Fecal lactoferrin (FL) is a timely and accurate marker of inflammation in ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD). The aim of this study was to verify whether FL can predict primary nonresponse (PNR) to biologic agents during induction.

Methods: Retrospective outcome review in 27 patients (13 with CD and 14 with UC) tested for baseline FL and retested within a week after the first and second induction doses.

Fecal lactoferrin accurately reflects mucosal inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Studies have demonstrated a potential role for fecal biomarkers such as fecal calprotectin (FC) and fecal lactoferrin (FL) in monitoring inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) - Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). However, their correlation to endoscopic scores, disease severity and affected intestinal surface has not been extensively investigated.

Aim: To correlate FL, and for comparison white blood cell (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP), with endoscopic scores, disease extent and location in CD and UC.

Beverage Policy Implementation by Child and Adult Care Food Program Participation and Program Type: A Statewide Examination in Georgia.

Background: The child care setting is a promising venue to establish healthy habits and promote obesity prevention. One major contributor to weight gain among young children is high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs). Increasing access to water and other healthy beverages is a viable strategy to reduce childhood obesity.

Brief mindfulness meditation group training in aphasia: exploring attention, language and psychophysiological outcomes.

Background: Stroke is currently the leading cause of long-term disability in adults in the United States. There is a need for accessible, low-cost treatments of stroke-related disabilities such as aphasia.

Aims: To explore an intervention for aphasia utilizing mindfulness meditation (MM).

A Bayesian Approach to Age-at-Death Estimation from Osteoarthritis of the Shoulder in Modern North Americans.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a marker of degeneration within the skeleton, frequently associated with age. This study quantifies the correlation between OA and age-at-death and investigates the utility of shoulder OA as a forensic age indicator using a modern North American sample of 206 individuals. Lipping, surface porosity, osteophyte formation, eburnation, and percentage of joint surface affected were recorded on an ordinal scale and summed to create composite scores that were assigned a specific phase.