A novel cross-priming amplification technique combined with lateral flow strips for rapid and visual detection of zoonotic Toxoplasma gondii.

Toxoplasma gondii, an obligate intracellular protozoan, infects almost all warm-blooded animals and humans, with felines serving as its sole definitive hosts. Cats release T. gondii oocysts into the environment through feces, contributing to environmental contamination that can lead to toxoplasmosis in humans upon exposure through ingestion of contaminated food, water, or soil.

Leptospirosis, melioidosis, and rickettsioses in the vicious circle of neglect.

The global priorities in the field of infectious diseases are constantly changing. While emerging viral infections have regularly dominated public health attention, which has only intensified after the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous bacterial diseases have previously caused, and continue to cause, significant morbidity and mortality-deserving equal attention. Three potentially life-threatening endemic bacterial diseases (leptospirosis, melioidosis, and rickettsioses) are a huge public health concern especially in low- and middle-income countries.

Class-specific school closures for seasonal influenza: Optimizing timing and duration to prevent disease spread and minimize educational losses.

School closures are a safe and important strategy for preventing infectious diseases in schools. However, the effects of school closures have not been fully demonstrated, and prolonged school closures have a negative impact on students and communities. This study evaluated class-specific school closure strategies to prevent the spread of seasonal influenza and determine the optimal timing and duration.

Screening analysis of doping agents in horse urine and plasma with dilute and shoot using liquid chromatography high resolution mass spectrometry.

Various technical methodologies are required to accurately detect substances of different chemical and pharmacological properties in biological samples, which are increasing in number and variety daily. Therefore, laboratories where many samples and different factors are analyzed simultaneously need methods with easy sample preparation, short analysis times and low analysis costs. In this study, the objective was to scan substances susceptible to chemical degradation, amenable to analysis without hydrolysis, and exhibiting short-term stability by employing a straightforward, expeditious, and cost-efficient method.

Long-term ultrasonographic changes of the canine prostate gland after castration.

Introduction: Ultrasound imaging (US) is the method of choice to assess the canine prostate gland. Whilst recent studies have documented the role of castration in the development of prostatic neoplasia, little is known about parenchymal and perfusion features of the normal and abnormal prostate in neutered dogs. No data are available concerning prostatic changes after the first 90 days following castration.

Effect of blindfolding the lead resuscitator on frequency of closed-loop communication during veterinary cardio-pulmonary resuscitation training: a randomized, controlled pilot study.

Objective: To evaluate the effect of blindfolding the lead resuscitator during veterinary cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) simulation training sessions on frequency of completed closed-loop communication statements (CLC).

Design: Ten groups of staff volunteers were recruited for a prospective, randomized, blinded, observational pilot study over a 6-month period. Additionally, two associated online questionnaires were completed by participants.

Molecular Insights into RNA Modifications and their Role in Shaping Immune Responses and Tumor Microenvironments.

RNA modifications play crucial roles in immune system development and function, with dynamic changes essential for diverse cellular processes. Innovative profiling technologies are invaluable for understanding the significance of these modifications in immune cells, both in healthy and diseased states. This review explores the utility of such technologies in uncovering the functions of RNA modifications and their impact on immune responses.

A scalable CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing system facilitates CRISPR screens in the malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei.

Many Plasmodium genes remain uncharacterized due to low genetic tractability. Previous large-scale knockout screens have only been able to target about half of the genome in the more genetically tractable rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a scalable CRISPR system called P.

Unraveling the distinctive gut microbiome of khulans (Equus hemionus hemionus) in comparison to their drinking water and closely related equids.

The microbial composition of host-associated microbiomes is influenced by co-evolutionary interactions, host genetics, domestication, and the environment. This study investigates the contribution of environmental microbiota from freshwater bodies to the gastrointestinal microbiomes of wild khulans (Equus hemionus hemionus, n = 21) and compares them with those of captive khulans (n = 12) and other equids-Przewalski's horse (n = 82) and domestic horse (n = 26). Using PacBio technology and the LotuS pipeline for 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we analyze microbial diversity and conduct differential abundance, alpha, and beta diversity analyses.

A genome-wide association study identifies genetic variants associated with hip pain in the UK Biobank cohort (N = 221,127).

Hip pain is a common musculoskeletal complaint that leads many people to seek medical attention. We conducted a primary genome-wide association study (GWAS) on the hip pain phenotype within the UK Biobank cohort. Sex-stratified GWAS analysis approach was also performed to explore sex specific variants associated with hip pain.

Cryopreserved human alternatively activated macrophages promote resolution of acetaminophen-induced liver injury in mouse.

Acute liver failure is a rapidly progressing, life-threatening condition most commonly caused by an overdose of acetaminophen (paracetamol). The antidote, N-acetylcysteine (NAC), has limited efficacy when liver injury is established. If acute liver damage is severe, liver failure can rapidly develop with associated high mortality rates.

Effectively simplified Adriamycin-induced chronic kidney disease mouse model: Retro-orbital vein injection versus tail-vein injection.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of administration routes in establishing the Adriamycin (ADR)-induced chronic kidney disease (CKD) model. Using BALB/c mice, we compared the effects of conventional tail-vein injection (TV10, 10 mg/kg) to those of retro-orbital sinus (orbital vein) injection (OV10, 10 mg/kg; OV8, 8 mg/kg). The results indicated that the OV10 group exhibited CKD pathology similar to the TV10 group, with both groups demonstrating significantly higher urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (p < 0.

Palmitic Acid in the Diet of Dairy Goats and Its Effect on Physicochemical Characteristics and Fatty Acid Profile of Goat Kid Meat.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of incorporating palmitic acid into the diet of dairy goats on the physicochemical characteristics, nutritional value, and fatty acid profile of goat kid meat. For this, 28 Creole local kids were used, divided into the following treatments: grazing, kids fed milk from grazing goats; base diet, kids fed milk from goats in confinement with a total mixed ration; base diet + 3PA, kids fed milk from goats in confinement that consumed the base diet plus 3% palmitic acid; and base diet + 6PA, kids fed milk from goats in confinement fed with the base diet plus 6% palmitic acid. The feeding period was conducted over a 30-day period.

Purinergic inhibitory regulation of esophageal smooth muscle is mediated by P2Y receptors and ATP-dependent potassium channels in rats.

Purines such as ATP are regulatory transmitters in motility of the gastrointestinal tract. The aims of this study were to propose functional roles of purinergic regulation of esophageal motility. An isolated segment of the rat esophagus was placed in an organ bath, and mechanical responses were recorded using a force transducer.

Nail growth arrest under low body temperature during hibernation.

Growth and differentiation are reduced or stopped during hibernation, an energy conserving strategy in harsh seasons by lowered metabolism and body temperature. However, few studies evaluated this in a same individual using a non-invasive method. In this study, we applied a non-invasive tracking method of the nail growth throughout the hibernation period in the same hibernating animals, the Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus).

Evaluation of storage conditions and periods for a three-drug anesthetic mixture in mice.

The three-drug anesthetic mixture (medetomidine, midazolam and butorphanol), developed as an injectable anesthetic for laboratory animals, has been verified from various perspectives and applied to mice and other laboratory animals. However, the effects of its storage conditions and periods on its efficacy have not yet been studied. This study investigated the mixture's efficacy after storage under various conditions (room temperature, 4°C and -20°C) for 1 and 2 years.

Depot-specific adiposity changes in ovariectomized mice on high-fat diet.

Ovariectomized (OVX) mice serve as a key model for studying postmenopausal metabolic changes, particularly obesity, as they mimic the hormonal state of postmenopausal women. However, our understanding remains limited regarding how hormonal and dietary factors affect different adipose tissues. Furthermore, precise documentation of experimental procedures and their effects on specific adipose tissue depots is essential for reproducible translational research.

Albumin-based delivery systems: Recent advances, challenges, and opportunities.

Albumin and albumin-based biomaterials have been explored for various applications, including therapeutic delivery, as therapeutic agents, as components of tissue adhesives, and in tissue engineering applications. It has been approved as an albumin nanoparticle containing paclitaxel (Abraxane®), as an albumin-binding peptide (Victoza®), and as a glutaraldehyde-crosslinked tissue adhesive (BioGlue®). Albumin is also approved as a supportive therapy for various conditions, including hypoalbuminemia, sepsis, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

The eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase inhibitor, A484954, induces hypoglycaemic and hypotensive effects.

Background And Purpose: Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K) belongs to the Ca/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase family. We previously revealed that A484954, a selective eEF2K inhibitor, caused hypotensive and diuretic effects via the production of nitric oxide (NO) in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats are hypertensive because of obesity and type 2 diabetes.

Treatment, prognosis, and outcome of dogs treated for rectal plasmacytoma: a multicentric retrospective study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to report the outcome and prognosis of canine patients treated medically or surgically for rectal plasmacytomas and to identify factors associated with recurrence, mortality, or progression to multiple myeloma.

Methods: The databases of 7 referral hospitals were reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards analysis were used to determine the association of a range of variables with recurrence and progression-free interval for the surgically treated patients.

Suppression of chemically induced mammary cancer by early-life oral administration of cholera toxin in mice is associated with aberrant regulation of Bmp and Notch signaling pathways.

Background: Lately, significant attention has been drawn towards the potential efficacy of cholera toxin (CT)-an exotoxin produced by the small intestine pathogenic bacterium Vibrio cholera-in modulating cancer-promoting events. In a recent study, we demonstrated that early-life oral administration of non-pathogenic doses of CT in mice suppressed chemically-induced carcinogenesis in tissues distantly located from the gut. In the mammary gland, CT pretreatment was shown to reduce tumor multiplicity, increase apoptosis and alter the expression of several cancer-related molecules.

Case report: Surgical closure of a facial defect in an African wild dog () utilizing a transpositional skin flap.

Veterinary intervention in zoological species can be complicated by species-specific social dynamics. African wild dogs are a pack species and removal or separation of an individual may disrupt established pack hierarchy resulting in conspecific aggression. Therefore, medical interventions that optimize a quick return to health are ideal to minimize the duration of absence from the pack.

Identification and characterization of spontaneous AA amyloidosis in CD-1 mice used in toxicity studies: implications of SAA1 and SAA2 copy number variations.

Amyloidosis is characterized by the extracellular deposition of insoluble protein fibrils that cause cellular damage and dysfunction in organs and tissues. Multiple types of amyloidosis and their causative precursor proteins have been identified in humans and animals. In toxicological studies, a high incidence of spontaneous amyloidosis has been reported in CD-1 mice; however, the precursor protein responsible remains unclear.

Genome sequence of WestPM, a phage infecting isolated from beach environmental samples.

Bacteriophage WestPM is a siphoviral-like phage infecting isolated from environmental samples collected on Pensacola Beach, FL. The genome of this phage is 39,693 bp long and contains 59 predicted protein-coding genes and zero tRNA genes. Based on gene content similarity, WestPM is grouped in the actinobacteriophage EA11 subcluster.

colonization and undernutrition in infants in rural eastern Ethiopia - a longitudinal community-based birth cohort study.

Background: is associated with environmental enteric dysfunction (EED) and malnutrition in children. infection could be a linchpin between livestock fecal exposure and health outcomes in low-resource smallholder settings.

Methods: We followed a birth cohort of 106 infants in rural smallholder households in eastern Ethiopia up to 13 months of age.