Therapies in Exotic Animal Gastroenterology.

This article reviews treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) disorders in exotic companion mammal species, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Treatment of GI stasis involves fluids, nutrition, and analgesia; there is minimal evidence suggesting prokinetics are useful. Research has evaluated the efficacy of various appetite stimulants in several exotic animal species.

Treatment of Gastrointestinal Infectious Diseases in Exotic Animals.

Antimicrobials should be used judiciously when managing gastrointestinal disorders in exotic animals. Oral administration of antibiotics targeting gram-positive flora must be avoided in hindgut fermenters. Immunosuppressives may be indicated for certain infectious diseases, such as chronic enteric coronavirus in ferrets and avian ganglioneuritis in parrots.

Detection of Mycoplasma sp using next-generation DNA sequencing is common on nasal swabs from both healthy and unhealthy pet rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus).

Objective: Upper respiratory infections are a frequent problem in pet rabbits and rodents, and Mycoplasma pulmonis is 1 of the most common causes of respiratory infections in pet rats. M pulmonis was detected in 1967 in laboratory rabbits via culture of the nares and oropharynx, but overall, Mycoplasma is not commonly identified in the upper airway of rabbits. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of Mycoplasma sp detection via next-generation DNA sequencing on nasal swabs obtained from healthy and unhealthy rabbits.

Identifying patterns and profiles of vaccination hesitancy among nurses for tailoring healthcare policies in the UK: A cross-sectional study.

Aims: To profile the characteristics of nurses with varying levels of vaccine hesitancy toward the COVID-19 and influenza vaccines.

Background: In many countries across the world, healthcare workers, and nurses in particular, display significant reluctance toward COVID-19 and influenza vaccines due to concerns about safety, distrust in healthcare policies, and media influences. To address this, a proposed approach involves profiling nurses to tailor vaccination campaigns and to improve acceptance rates and public health outcomes.

Profiling vaccine hesitancy in nursing to tailor public healthcare policies: A cross-sectional international study.

Introduction: Vaccine hesitancy is a complex issue of global concern. As nurses play a vital role in delivering patient care and shaping public opinions on vaccines, interventions to address vaccine hesitancy in nursing are imperative. As such, identifying profiles of characteristics and attitudes contributing to hesitancy may help identify specific areas of focus to target tailored global vaccination uptake campaigns.

Long-term clinical outcomes and cost-effectiveness of catheter vs thoracoscopic surgical ablation in long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation using continuous cardiac monitoring: CASA-AF randomized controlled trial.

Background: Long-term clinical outcomes of catheter ablation (CA) compared to thoracoscopic surgical ablation (SA) to treat patients with long-standing persistent atrial fibrillation (LSPAF) are not known.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the long-term (36-month) clinical efficacy, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness of SA and CA in LSPAF.

Methods: Participants were followed up for 3 years using implantable loop recorders and questionnaires to assess the change in quality of life.

Assessment of pericardial adhesions by means of the EpiCO technique: Brighton Adhesion Classification.

Background: Epicardial ablation complications are more frequent in patients with preexisting pericardial adhesions. As opposed to the dry puncture technique, the coronary vein exit and carbon dioxide (CO) insufflation (EpiCO) technique allows diagnosing pericardial adhesions before subxiphoid puncture.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of the EpiCO technique in diagnosing pericardial adhesions prior to subxiphoid puncture.

Exploring the impact of socially assistive robots on health and wellbeing across the lifespan: An umbrella review and meta-analysis.

Background: Socially assistive robots offer an alternate source of connection for interventions within health and social care amidst a landscape of technological advancement and reduced staff capacity. There is a need to summarise the available systematic reviews on the health and wellbeing impacts to evaluate effectiveness, explore potential moderators and mediators, and identify recommendations for future research and practice.

Objective: To explore the effect of socially assistive robots within health and social care on psychosocial, behavioural, and physiological health and wellbeing outcomes across the lifespan (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023423862).

Evaluation of an automated feedback intervention to improve antibiotic prescribing among primary care physicians (OPEN Stewardship): a multinational controlled interrupted time-series study.

Tools to advance antimicrobial stewardship in the primary health care setting, where most antimicrobials are prescribed, are urgently needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate OPEN Stewarship (Online Platform for Expanding aNtibiotic Stewardship), an automated feedback intervention, among a cohort of primary care physicians. We performed a controlled, interrupted time-series study of 32 intervention and 725 control participants, consisting of primary care physicians from Ontario, Canada and Southern Israel, from October 2020 to December 2021.

An Economic Evaluation of a Streamlined Day-Case Atrial Fibrillation Ablation Protocol and Conventional Cryoballoon Ablation versus Antiarrhythmic Drugs in a UK Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation Population.

Background And Aims: Symptom control for atrial fibrillation can be achieved by catheter ablation or drug therapy. We assessed the cost effectiveness of a novel streamlined atrial fibrillation cryoballoon ablation protocol (AVATAR) compared with optimised antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy and a conventional catheter ablation protocol, from a UK National Health Service (NHS) perspective.

Methods: Data from the AVATAR study were assessed to determine the cost effectiveness of the three protocols in a two-step process.

Rodent Pediatrics.

This article reviews the development, hand-rearing, feeding, housing, and social behavior of common pet rodent species (rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and degus). In addition, common gastrointestinal, respiratory, cardiovascular, dermatologic, musculoskeletal, neurologic, and ophthalmic disorders in pediatric pet rodents are reviewed. Preventative care and indications for spaying and neutering are discussed.

A retrospective cohort study of prescribing outcomes in outpatients treated with nirmatrelvir-Ritonavir for COVID-19 in an interdisciplinary community clinic.

Background: Large observational studies have demonstrated the real-world effectiveness of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in preventing severe COVID-19 in higher risk individuals, but have provided limited information on other aspects of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir use. Our objective was to evaluate prescribing outcomes such as the prevalence of drug-drug interactions (DDI), adverse drug events (ADE) and treatment adherence in an outpatient community clinic setting.

Methods: We conducted a single-centre retrospective cohort study of adult outpatients prescribed nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in our community COVID-19 assessment clinic in Toronto, Ontario between March 3 and September 20, 2022.

Interaction between Macrophages and Adipose Stromal Cells Increases the Angiogenic and Proliferative Potential of Pregnancy-Associated Breast Cancers.

Pregnancy associated breast cancers (PABCs) exhibit increased aggressiveness and overall poorer survival. During lactation, changes take place in the breast tissue microenvironment that lead to increased macrophage recruitment and alterations in adipose stromal cells (ASC-Ls). The interaction of these cells in PABCs could play a role in the increased aggressiveness of these cancers.

A qualitative exploration of internet forum discussions surrounding female sexual function for individuals with Sjögren's syndrome.

Sexual dysfunction is a common experience for women with the autoimmune rheumatic disease, Sjögren's syndrome (SS); however, the lived experience of how the disease affects sexual functioning and the sexual environment remains unexplored. This qualitative study explores the conversations pertaining to female sexual function and the sexual environment that individuals with SS have on an internet forum. Qualitative data posted on one publicly accessible, worldwide, internet forum was extracted using an automated web scraping tool.

Understanding the barriers and facilitators of vaccine hesitancy towards the COVID-19 vaccine in healthcare workers and healthcare students worldwide: An Umbrella Review.

Background: Healthcare workers (HCWs) and healthcare students display high levels of vaccine hesitancy with impact on healthcare provision, patient safety, and health promotion. The factors related to vaccine hesitancy have been reported in several systematic reviews. However, this evidence needs to be synthesised, as interventions to reduce vaccination hesitancy in this population are needed.

Coping strategies, illness perceptions, and relationship dynamics contribute to female sexual function and sexual distress in Sjögren's syndrome.

Background: Sexual dysfunction and sexual distress are common complaints for women with the autoimmune rheumatic disease Sjögren's syndrome (SS); however, the role of psychosocial and interpersonal factors has not previously been explored in SS.

Aim: This study investigated whether psychosocial variables, such as coping strategies, illness perceptions, and relationship dynamics, contributed to sexual function and sexual distress for women with SS.

Methods: Participants with SS completed an online cross-sectional survey that included prevalidated questionnaires assessing sexual function, sexual distress, disease-related symptom experiences, cognitive coping strategies, illness perceptions, relationship satisfaction, and partners' behavioral responses.

Understanding the barriers and facilitators of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy amongst healthcare workers and healthcare students worldwide: An umbrella review protocol.

Healthcare workers (HCWs) and healthcare students are at increased risk of becoming infected with and being a vector of transmission of COVID-19. Vaccination efforts amongst this group of persons have been hampered in some countries by hesitancy to uptake the COVID-19 vaccine. The factors related to vaccine hesitancy have been reported in several systematic reviews.

Barriers and facilitators of vaccine hesitancy for COVID-19, influenza, and pertussis during pregnancy and in mothers of infants under two years: An umbrella review.

Background: Vaccination during pregnancy has been repeatedly demonstrated to be safe and effective in protecting against infection and associated harms for the mother, developing baby, and subsequent infant. However, maternal vaccination uptake remains low compared to the general population.

Objectives: An umbrella review to explore the barriers and facilitators to Influenza, Pertussis and COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy and within 2 years after childbirth, and to inform interventions to encourage uptake (PROSPERO registration number: CRD42022327624).

Utility of SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Sequencing for Understanding Transmission and School Outbreaks.

Objective: An understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission in schools is important. It is often difficult, using epidemiological information alone, to determine whether cases associated with schools represent multiple introductions from the community or transmission within the school. We describe the use of whole genome sequencing (WGS) in multiple schools to investigate outbreaks of SARS-CoV-2 in the pre-Omicron period.

Recanalization of a Chronic Total Pulmonary Vein Occlusion Occurring after Transcatheter Atrial Fibrillation Ablation.

Pulmonary vein occlusion (PVO) is a known complication of radiofrequency ablation for atrial fibrillation. We present a case with delayed presentation leading to chronic total PVO. Computed Tomography (CT) imaging did not predict the presence of residual flow.

Ablation versus anti-arrhythmic therapy for reducing all hospital episodes from recurrent atrial fibrillation: a prospective, randomized, multi-centre, open label trial.

Aims: There is rising healthcare utilization related to the increasing incidence and prevalence of atrial fibrillation (AF) worldwide. Simplifying therapy and reducing hospital episodes would be a valuable development. The efficacy of a streamlined AF ablation approach was compared to drug therapy and a conventional catheter ablation technique for symptom control in paroxysmal AF.

Some cardiopulmonary effects of capnoperitoneum in anesthetized guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus): spontaneous ventilation versus intubation and mechanical ventilation.

Objective: To compare cardiopulmonary variables and blood gas analytes in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) during anesthesia with and without abdominal carbon dioxide (CO) insufflation at intra-abdominal pressures (IAPs) 4 and 6 mmHg, with and without endotracheal intubation.

Study Design: Prospective experimental trial.

Animals: A total of six intact female Hartley guinea pigs.

Viral dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant among household contacts with 2 or 3 COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Objectives: SARS-CoV-2 shedding has changed as new variants have emerged. It is important to understand the trajectory of PCR positivity due to Omicron in vaccinated populations.

Methods: Double- or triple-vaccinated adult household contacts of individuals with COVID-19 self-collected oral-nasal swabs for 14 days.