ToxNet: an artificial intelligence designed for decision support for toxin prediction.

Background: Artificial intelligences (AIs) are emerging in the field of medical informatics in many areas. They are mostly used for diagnosis support in medical imaging but have potential uses in many other fields of medicine where large datasets are available.

Aim: To develop an artificial intelligence (AI) "ToxNet", a machine-learning based computer-aided diagnosis (CADx) system, which aims to predict poisons based on patient's symptoms and metadata from our Poison Control Center (PCC) data.

Observing How Glutathione and S-Hexyl Glutathione Bind to Glutathione S-Transferase from () .

is one of the most widespread ticks causing a massive loss to livestock production. The long-term use of acaracides rapidly develops acaracide resistance. In , enhancing the metabolic activity of glutathione S-transferase (RmGST) is one of the mechanisms underlying acaracide resistance.

Elucidating structure and dynamics of glutathione S-transferase from .

is tick parasite that affects the cattle industry worldwide. In , acaricide resistance develops rapidly against many commercial acaricides. One of main resistance strategies is to enhance the metabolic detoxification mediated by glutathione-S-transferase (RmGST).

Unexpected winter questing activity of ticks in the Central Midwestern United States.

Unexpected questing activity of ticks was noted during the winter months of January and February in the Central Midwestern states of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas. From nine geographically distinct locations, four species of ticks were collected using the flagging method, of which the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, was most abundant, followed by the American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis, the Gulf coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum, and the Black legged tick, Ixodes scapularis. More A.

An exploratory randomized controlled trial comparing wood-composite and synthetic fibreglass splint systems for the immobilization of paediatric upper limb fractures.

Aims: This exploratory randomized controlled trial (RCT) aimed to determine the splint-related outcomes when using the novel biodegradable wood-composite splint (Woodcast) compared to standard synthetic fibreglass (Dynacast) for the immobilization of undisplaced upper limb fractures in children.

Methods: An exploratory RCT was performed at a tertiary paediatric referral hospital between 1 June 2018 and 30 September 2019. The intention-to-treat population consisted of 170 patients (mean age 8.

Intestinal echinococcosis in a dog from Missouri.

Case Description: A 17-week-old 14.4-kg (31.7-lb) female German Shepherd Dog from Missouri with a history of multiple intermittent episodes of vomiting and diarrhea underwent exploratory celiotomy.

Dynamic and structural insights into tick serpin from .

Ixodid ticks have a crucial impact on people and domestic animals worldwide. These parasites also pose a serious threat to livestock. To date, vaccination of hosts against ticks is a safer, more sustainable alternative to chemical control of ticks and the disease agents they transmit.

Development of a tick-borne pathogen QPCR panel for detection of Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Rickettsia, and Lyme disease Borrelia in animals.

Anaplasma spp., Ehrlichia spp., Rickettsia spp.

Independent validation of the ICU requirement score in a cohort of acutely poisoned adults.

Objective: To independently validate the predictive value of the intensive care requirement score (IRS) in unselected poisoned patients.

Design: Retrospective chart review.

Patients And Methods: Five hundred and seventeen out of 585 admissions for acute intoxications could be analyzed.

An internet-based survey of 96 German-speaking users of "bath salts": frequent complications, risky sexual behavior, violence, and delinquency.

Objective: To define the demographics of German-speaking "bath salt" users.

Design: Prospective web-based survey of volunteer users of "bath salts". Subject recruitment/exclusion: Participation was solicited by posts in web forums frequented by users of synthetic cathinones.

WITHDRAWN: Molecular detection of Mycoplasma haemofelis, 'Candidatus Mycoplasma haemominutum' and 'Candidatus Mycoplasma turicensis' in stray cats residing in monasteries of Bangkok, Thailand.

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Factors associated with Anaplasma spp. seroprevalence among dogs in the United States.

Background: Dogs in the United States are hosts to a diverse range of ticks and tick-borne pathogens, including A. phagocytophilum, an important emerging canine and human pathogen. Previously, a Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC)-sponsored workshop proposed factors purported to be associated with the infection risk for tick-transmitted pathogens in dogs in the United States, including climate conditions, socioeconomic characteristics, local topography, and vector distribution.

Molecular detection and prevalence of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. among long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) in Thailand.

Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. are divergent protozoal intestinal parasites that infect human beings and other animals, including non-human primates. Although long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) reside in human communities in Thailand, the prevalence of Giardia spp.

Variation among Bm86 sequences in Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus ticks collected from cattle across Thailand.

Anti-tick vaccines based on recombinant homologues Bm86 and Bm95 have become a more cost-effective and sustainable alternative to chemical pesticides commonly used to control the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. However, Bm86 polymorphism among geographically separate ticks is reportedly associated with reduced effectiveness of these vaccines. The purpose of this study was to investigate the variation of Bm86 among cattle ticks collected from Northern, Northeastern, Central and Southern areas across Thailand.

Seroprevalence and risk factors associated with exposure of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) to Neospora caninum in northeast Thailand.

Water buffalo are important draft animals for agriculture in resource-restricted areas worldwide. Water buffalo were shown to be experimentally susceptible to infection with Neospora caninum, potentially affected by neosporosis, and naturally exposed to the parasite in Asia. Although enzootic to Thailand, the distribution of N.

Quantitative factors proposed to influence the prevalence of canine tick-borne disease agents in the United States.

The Companion Animal Parasite Council hosted a meeting to identify quantifiable factors that can influence the prevalence of tick-borne disease agents among dogs in North America. This report summarizes the approach used and the factors identified for further analysis with mathematical models of canine exposure to tick-borne pathogens.

Experimental infection of Rhipicephalus sanguineus with Ehrlichia chaffeensis.

Ehrlichia chaffeensis, the etiologic agent of human monocytic ehrlichiosis, is a tick-borne rickettsial pathogen that is infective to a wide range of mammals, including dogs and people. Amblyomma americanum, the lone star tick, is considered the primary vector of E. chaffeensis, but this pathogen has been detected in other tick species, including the brown dog tick, Rhipicephalus sanguineus.

Efficacy of a doxycycline treatment regimen initiated during three different phases of experimental ehrlichiosis.

Doxycycline is the treatment of choice for canine monocytic ehrlichiosis (CME), a well-characterized disease and valuable model for tick-borne zoonoses. Conflicting reports of clearance of Ehrlichia canis after treatment with doxycycline suggested that the disease phase during which treatment is initiated influences outcomes of these treatments. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a 28-day doxycycline regimen for clearance of experimental E.

Detection of Babesia vogeli in stray cats of metropolitan Bangkok, Thailand.

The combination of a rapidly growing stray animal population and the lack of animal control in Bangkok has resulted in a unique opportunity to evaluate the potential role of companion animals as sentinels and reservoirs of infectious diseases, including several of those caused by vector-borne parasites. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with the distribution of Babesia species infections among stray cats in Bangkok. Blood samples were collected from 1490 stray cats residing in 140 monasteries of 50 metropolitan districts of Bangkok, and assayed with light microscopy and PCR for evidence of Babesia spp.

Immunization of rabbits with recombinant serine protease inhibitor reduces the performance of adult female Rhipicephalus microplus.

Molecules secreted from the tick salivary gland modulate the vertebrate host immune response, thus representing potential targets for novel tick control measures. Tick salivary gland serine protease inhibitor (Serpin) is one such molecule that may facilitate tick feeding, blood meal digestion and pathogen transmission. The objective of this study was to determine the immunogenicity and protection of recombinant Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus salivary gland Serpin (rSerpin) in rabbits.

Humoral immune response of dairy cattle immunized with rBm95 (KU-VAC1) derived from Thai Rhipicephalus microplus.

Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus is an important cause of economic losses in Thailand through direct effects of feeding on cattle and pathogen transmission. Current tick control methods rely on expensive chemical acaricides that result in environmental contamination, residues in food animal products and acaricide-resistant ticks. Anti-tick vaccines based on concealed antigens have shown promising results in the control of cattle tick.

Rapid screening and cultivation of Ehrlichia canis from refrigerated carrier blood.

Improved detection and isolation of rickettsial agents from naturally infected dogs would facilitate understanding the epidemiologic roles of these hosts. In this study, current methods were refined for rapid screening of carrier blood and ticks for , and the feasibility of blood culture after PCR screening was addressed.