Enhancing Veterinary Education in Cambodia: Evaluation of Web-Based Resources in Teaching Herd Health and Epidemiology.

It can be challenging for veterinary schools in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to teach the 11 Competencies identified by the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) due to inadequate faculty and teaching resources. This paper discusses the evaluation of web-based educational resources to support teaching in the Veterinary Faculty at the Royal University of Agriculture in Cambodia. Content- and pedagogy-based materials addressing herd health and epidemiology/disease investigation, their most urgent needs, were developed via a collaboration between Iowa State University, Ohio State University, and Massey University (New Zealand).

Inhibitors of malaria parasite cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases block asexual blood-stage development and mosquito transmission.

Cyclic nucleotide-dependent phosphodiesterases (PDEs) play essential roles in regulating the malaria parasite life cycle, suggesting that they may be promising antimalarial drug targets. PDE inhibitors are used safely to treat a range of noninfectious human disorders. Here, we report three subseries of fast-acting and potent PDEβ inhibitors that block asexual blood-stage parasite development and that are also active against human clinical isolates.

Indoor environmental quality in WELL-certified and LEED-certified buildings.

International building certification systems, such as the WELL and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, play a pivotal role in the design of healthy and sustainable buildings. While LEED adopts a holistic approach to designing healthy and sustainable buildings, the WELL standard has a strong emphasis on human health, comfort, and well-being. Although prior research has revealed inconsistent results for occupant satisfaction in office buildings with WELL certification compared to buildings without WELL certification, or are certified using another certification system (e.

Passive and low-energy strategies to improve sleep thermal comfort and energy resilience during heat waves and cold snaps.

Sleep is a pillar of human health and wellbeing. In high- and middle-income countries, there is a great reliance on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems (HVAC) to control the interior thermal environment in the bedroom. However, these systems are expensive to buy, maintain, and operate while being energy and environmentally intensive-problems that may increase due to climate change.

A cross-sectional analysis of yoga experience on variables associated with psychological well-being.

Introduction: Previous research has identified numerous physical, psychological, and spiritual benefits associated with the practice of yoga. Indeed, yoga has been linked with improved quality of life, reduced stress, and numerous markers of psychological well-being. In the current research, a cross-sectional design was used to examine whether the psychological benefits associated with yoga only apply to long-term practitioners or whether more "casual," intermittent yoga experience could produce positive outcomes.

A Nutritional Investigation of Major Feed Types and Feed Rations Used in Medium-Scale Dairy Production Systems in Sri Lanka.

In this paper, the nutritional quality, digestibility, and chemical composition of major feed types as well as the use of those feeds in rations by medium-scale dairy farmers in the Kurunegala district of Sri Lanka were studied. Nine dairy farms were visited fortnightly over a five-month period to identify the feeds that were commonly used. All farms operated under a stall-feeding system in which a manually mixed ration (MMR) was fed 2-3 times daily.

The Influence of Rotational Length, along with Pre- and Post-Grazing Measures on Nutritional Composition of Pasture during Winter and Spring on New Zealand Dairy Farms.

The quality of ryegrass−clover pasture was investigated between August (winter: start of calving) and November (spring: end of breeding) on pasture-based dairy farms (>85% of total feed from pasture) that had short (n = 2, Farms A and B; winter ~30 days, spring ~20−25 days) or long (n = 2, Farms C and D; winter ~35 days, spring ~25−30 days) grazing rotations to determine whether quality was affected by grazing rotation length (RT). Weekly assessments of pasture growth and herbage quality were made using a standardised electronic rising plate meter, and near-infrared spectroscopy, respectively. Data were subjected to repeated measure mixed model analysis, in which herbage quality was the outcome variable.

Using a Card Sort Technique to Determine the Perceptions of First-Year Veterinary Students on Veterinary Professionalism Attributes Important to Future Success in Clinical Practice.

First-year veterinary students' perceptions on the veterinary professionalism attributes important to future success in clinical practice were explored using a card sort technique. The key findings were that self-oriented attributes (overall mean: 3.20; 42% of responses rated essential) and people-oriented attributes (overall mean: 3.

Overcooling of offices reveals gender inequity in thermal comfort.

Growth in energy use for indoor cooling tripled between 1990 and 2016 to outpace any other end use in buildings. Part of this energy demand is wasted on excessive cooling of offices, a practice known as overcooling. Overcooling has been attributed to poorly designed or managed air-conditioning systems with thermostats that are often set below recommended comfort temperatures.

Using the critical incident technique to determine veterinary professional competencies important for enhancing the veterinarian-client interaction.

Background: While previous research has examined components of professionalism that veterinary employers and clients expect in veterinarians, little attention has been paid to practising clinical veterinarians' opinions on important professional competencies that help to enhance the veterinarian-client relationship. This study used a phenomenological approach and critical incident technique to gather the narratives of practising veterinarians in New Zealand about positive and negative veterinarian-client interactions. The intention was to identify the underlying principles of professionalism that resulted in the positive/negative outcomes of those interactions.

Assessing Extensive Cow-Calf Welfare in Namibia: Feasibility of Adapting a New Zealand Beef Cow Welfare Assessment Protocol.

Namibia needs a robust welfare assessment protocol for beef cattle for benchmarking and trade. As there is presently no such protocol, one was developed for Namibian conditions based on one designed for extensive beef cattle in New Zealand which had been derived from the Welfare Quality and UC Davis Cow-Calf protocols, the modified protocol was evaluated in a semi-commercial farming village during the pregnancy testing of 141 cows from 5 herds of different households. Animal- and stockperson-based measures were assessed directly, cows were observed at grazing, and a questionnaire-guided interview was conducted.

Proximal iliac limb extension and embolization: a new technique of complete endovascular management of an unfavorably sited type III endoleak.

Type III endoleak is an uncommon but life-threatening complication of endovascular aortic repair, and such leaks at certain sites can be challenging to treat through an endovascular route. A 77-year-old man presented with severe abdominal pain and was found to have an abdominal aortic aneurysm with contained rupture due to an unfavorably cited type IIIb endoleak. He was successfully treated with an endovascular approach using bilateral iliac limb proximal extension combined with embolization of endoleak sac, endoleak site and the feeding recess, preserving flow through both the iliac limbs obviating the need for an additional femorofemoral bypass.

Predicting thermal pleasure experienced in dynamic environments from simulated cutaneous thermoreceptor activity.

Research into human thermal perception indoors has focused on "neutrality" under steady-state conditions. Recent interest in thermal alliesthesia has highlighted the hedonic dimension of our thermal world that has been largely overlooked by science. Here, we show the activity of sensory neurons can predict thermal pleasure under dynamic exposures.

Widening access to veterinary education: descriptive analysis of ethnicity, societal representation and educational background of applicants to veterinary education in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Aims: To describe the ethnicity of domestic applicants for selection into the professional phase of veterinary education in Aotearoa New Zealand from 2003 to 2019, and to compare this with the ethnic composition of New Zealand society. This study also aims to explore whether there are differences in the demographic features and educational background of Māori applicants compared to non-Māori applicants that may be relevant to widening access to veterinary education.

Methods: This study was conducted with a Kaupapa Māori research methodology.

Assessing Extensive Semi-Arid Rangeland Beef Cow-Calf Welfare in Namibia. Part 2: Categorisation and Scoring of Welfare Assessment Measures.

This paper aims to develop standards for a welfare assessment protocol by validating potential categorisation thresholds for assessing beef farms in various beef cow-calf production systems in Namibia. Forty measures, combined from a New Zealand-based protocol plus Namibia-specific measures, are applied to 55 beef farms (17 commercial farms, 20 semi-commercial and 18 communal village farms) during pregnancy testing, and a questionnaire guided interview. The categorised measures on a 3-point welfare score (0: good, 1: marginal, and 2: poor/unacceptable welfare) are subsequently compared with the derivation of thresholds based upon the poorest 15% and best 50% of herds for each measure.

Assessing Extensive Semi-Arid Rangeland Beef Cow-Calf Welfare in Namibia: Part 1: Comparison Between Farm Production System's Effect on the Welfare of Beef Cows.

A proposed animal welfare assessment protocol for semi-arid rangeland-based cow-calf systems in Namibia combined 40 measures from a protocol developed for beef cattle in New Zealand with additional Namibia-specific measures. Preliminary validation of the protocol had been undertaken with five herds in one semi-commercial village. The aim of the current study was to apply this protocol and compare animal welfare across three cow-calf production systems in Namibia.

Effect of Animal Welfare on the Reproductive Performance of Extensive Pasture-Based Beef Cows in New Zealand.

One key area where animal welfare may relate to productivity is through reproductive performance. This study assesses welfare on 25 extensively managed pastoral New Zealand beef farms, and explores the relationship between welfare and reproductive performance. Relationships between welfare measures and key reproductive performance indicators (pregnancy rate, weaning rate, mating period and bull: cow ratio) are investigated using an exploratory principal components analysis and linear regression model.

Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow-Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 1: Assessing the Feasibility of Identified Animal Welfare Assessment Measures.

Potential measures suitable for assessing welfare in pasture-based beef cow-calf systems in New Zealand were identified from Welfare Quality and UC Davis Cow-Calf protocols. These were trialled on a single farm and a potential protocol of 50 measures created. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of the measures included in this protocol on multiple farms in order, to develop a credible animal welfare assessment protocol for pasture-based cow-calf farms systems in New Zealand.

Developing an Animal Welfare Assessment Protocol for Cows in Extensive Beef Cow-Calf Systems in New Zealand. Part 2: Categorisation and Scoring of Welfare Assessment Measures.

The intention of this study was to develop standards for a welfare assessment protocol by validating potential categorisation thresholds for the assessment of beef farms in New Zealand. Thirty-two measures, based on the Welfare Quality and the University of California (UC) Davis Cow-Calf protocols, plus some indicators specific to New Zealand, that were assessed during routine yardings of 3366 cattle on 25 cow-calf beef farms in the Waikato region were categorised on a three-point welfare score, where 0 denotes good welfare, 1 marginal welfare, and 2 poor/unacceptable welfare. Initial categorisation of welfare thresholds was based upon the authors' perception of acceptable welfare standards and the consensus of the literature, with subsequent derived thresholds being based upon the poorest 15% and best 50% of farms for each measure.

Institutional Experience with Curricular Renewal during the OIE Veterinary Education Twinning Program between the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and Massey University, New Zealand.

The Veterinary Education Twinning Program between the University of Peradeniya (UP) and Massey University (MU) was carried out within the mandate of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) to create opportunities for developing countries to establish educational facilities and methods based on current and accepted international standards. This article describes how the twinning partnership between UP and MU enabled a strong flow of expertise that benefited Sri Lanka to develop a new veterinary undergraduate curriculum. The new curriculum was created to improve the relevance and quality of veterinary education, incorporating current international best practices, to strengthen national veterinary services.

Leading Significant Institutional Change in the Context of an OIE-Endorsed Veterinary Twinning Project.

A 5-year World Organisation for Animal Health Veterinary Twinning Program between Massey University, New Zealand, and the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, was initiated in 2014. The key aims of the project were renewal of the curriculum, rejuvenation of teaching methodology, and creation of a platform for sustainable clinical and extension livestock services within the teaching program. The project succeeded in facilitating the development of a new veterinary undergraduate curriculum that was based upon student-centered and problem-based approaches to teaching and learning.

Trait Mindfulness and Functional Connectivity in Cognitive and Attentional Resting State Networks.

Mindfulness has been described as an orienting of attention to the present moment, with openness and compassion. Individuals displaying high mindfulness exhibit this tendency as a more permanent personality attribute. Given the numerous physical and mental health benefits associated with mindfulness, there is a great interest in understanding the neural substrates of this trait.

Quantitative and thematic analysis of complaints by clients against clinical veterinary practitioners in New Zealand.

Aims: To provide a descriptive analysis of all notifications and complaints received by the Veterinary Council of New Zealand (VCNZ) during 1992-2016 and to use a thematic analysis of complaints made by clients to the VCNZ during 2013-2015 to determine the underlying reasons for their complaints.

Methods: A mixed methods approach was used. Notifications and complaints against veterinarians between 1992-2016 (n=1218) were summarised based on complaint categories and by gender of the veterinarian respondents, the number of years registered with the VCNZ and the animal species to which the complaint related.

Glucocorticoids affect bone mineral density and bone remodelling in OVX sheep: A pilot study.

The aim of this study was to validate the combination of ovariectomy and glucocorticoid treatment in sheep as a large animal model for osteoporosis by measuring the concentration of specific biomarkers in the blood of the sheep and measuring bone loss over five months. Aged Merino ewes were randomly allocated into four groups: control, ovariectomy (OVX), and two OVX groups receiving glucocorticoids-one group once-monthly for five months (OVXG), and the other for two months followed by no treatment for three months (OVXG2). Parameters measured were biochemical markers of bone turnover, areal bone mineral density, volumetric bone mineral density, and total and trabecular bone parameters.