Assessing the efficacy of medetomidine and tiletamine-zolazepam for remote immobilisation of feral horses (Equus caballus)

Context The study of any wild animal's home range requires the collection of spatiotemporal data, obtained independently of climatic conditions or time of day. This can be achieved by the attachment of global positioning system (GPS) data loggers, which, in large species, is best achieved by remote immobilisation. Feral horses (Equus caballus) usually occupy remote areas of Australia; however, a considerable population increase has been observed in a close proximity to metropolitan areas of the Australian east coast, creating increasing conflict with human interests. Aim The aim of the present study was to investigate the efficacy of remote chemical immobilisation of feral horses with medetomidine combined with tiletamine-zolazepam to facilitate placement of satellite GPS collars. Methods Nine feral horses were darted from the ground with 60mg (i.m.) medetomidine and 1500mg (i.m.) tiletamine-zolazepam. The effects of medetomidine were reversed with 50-100mg (i.m. or i.v.) atipamezole 30-40min after induction (IV/IM). Physiological variables monitored during anaesthesia were heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature and oxygen haemoglobin saturation (Spo2). Key results All horses were successfully immobilised with between one and three darts (n≤9). The mean (± s.e.m.) dose of medetomidine was 0.15±0.01mg kg-1, whereas that of tiletamine-zolazepam was 3.61±0.16mg kg-1. Mean time from darting to lateral recumbency was 13.3±2.7min and mean recumbency time was 54±13min. Vital signs for all anaesthetised animals remained within the normal range during anaesthesia, with the exception of one animal exhibiting a transient drop in Spo2. There were no deaths. Key conclusions The combination of medetomidine and tiletamine-zolazepam provided adequate anaesthesia in feral horses in the field for application of GPS collars. Implications Although a limited number of horses was immobilised, the present study shows that the combination of medetomidine and tiletamine-zolazepam provides effective short-term anaesthesia for feral horses, affording a practical and field-accessible capture technique. This method could also be applied to other management actions requiring the safe and humane capture of feral horses

Rare occult macular dystrophy with a pathogenic variant in the RP1L1 gene in a patient of Swiss descent

Purpose: We report a first case of bilateral occult macular dystrophy (OMD) with a c.133C>T (p.Arg45Trp) pathogenic variant in the retinitis pigmentosa 1-like 1 (RP1L1) gene in a patient of Caucasian Swiss decent. Observations: A 34-year-old man presented with decreased visual acuity known since childhood. Fundus examination of both eyes revealed no pathology other than mildly increased granularity of the foveal retinal pigment epithelium. The full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) presented with normal findings while the multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) showed severely reduced amplitudes of the foveal response. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) showed foveal outer retinal atrophy. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging demonstrated near-normal findings with minimal mottling at the posterior pole. The genetic analysis revealed a heterozygous pathogenic variant (c.133C>T, p.Arg45Trp) in the RP1L1 gene. Conclusion and importance: Our present case suggests that OMD shows a wide range of clinical presentations with a variety of ophthalmological findings, age of disease onset, visual acuity, and genetic diversity

Pyroelectric materials and devices for energy harvesting applications

This review covers energy harvesting technologies associated with pyroelectric materials and systems. Such materials have the potential to generate electrical power from thermal fluctuations and is a less well explored form of thermal energy harvesting than thermoelectric systems. The pyroelectric effect and potential thermal and electric field cycles for energy harvesting are explored. Materials of interest are discussed and pyroelectric architectures and systems that can be employed to improve device performance, such as frequency and power level, are described. In addition to the solid materials employed, the appropriate pyroelectric harvesting circuits to condition and store the electrical power are discussed

School Climate Methodology: Issues of Multilevel Data and Measurement Invariance

School climate has been recognized as an opportunity to foster student success due to its demonstrated links to desirable academic, social/emotional, and behavioral outcomes and its critical role in the school improvement process. The significance of school climate and the value of its study have been made clear both in educational literature and educational policy. As reflected in its inclusion in the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015, more and more states are reporting school climate indicators alongside more traditional academic outcomes within their accountability systems. Accordingly, the stakes attached to the accurate measurement of school climate are greater than ever. Unfortunately, the complexity of school climate presents an array of challenges when attempting to measure it accurately. It is typically measured using survey data, from which several analytic issues arise. In particular, the clustered nature of survey data confounds the effects of school climate at individual and school levels. It is important that researchers clearly define the level of school climate being investigated and use appropriate statistical techniques to measure it. In addition, survey items and constructs may have different meanings for various groups of individuals within schools and across schools with differing characteristics – leading to invalid comparisons. Researchers should investigate the equality of school climate surveys for diverse student and school populations. This dissertation systematically reviews the techniques school climate researchers employ to address these issues during scale development. Then, it employs a bioecological framework to investigate the clustered nature and invariance of a school climate survey using multilevel confirmatory factor analysis and multilevel structural equation modeling procedures