Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cytological findings in healthy Amiata donkeys

Background: The approach to respiratory diseases in donkeys is similar to that for horses; nevertheless, Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and tracheal wash cytology in this species have been described only a few times in the literature. Aim: To describe BALF cytological findings in a cohort of 24 healthy Amiata donkeys. Methods: Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was carried out via standing sedation with a large animal where the BAL catheter passed blindly through the nasal passage into the trachea. Results: The total nucleated cell count of the BALF was found similar to that already described in healthy horses and donkeys. No differences in the differential count were observed according to age and sex. A decreased macrophage percentage and an increased eosinophil percentage were observed in our donkey population when compared to the existing reference range for horses. Conclusion: The reference intervals for BAL cytology in donkeys may be significantly different for those referred for horses

Piloting a Community of Student Data Consultants that Supports and Enhances Research Data Services

Research ecosystems within university environments are continuously evolving and requiring more resources and domain specialists to assist with the data lifecycle. Typically, academic researchers and professionals are overcommitted, making it challenging to be up-to-date on recent developments in best practices of data management, curation, transformation, analysis, and visualization. Recently, research groups, university core centers, and Libraries are revitalizing these services to fill in the gaps to aid researchers in finding new tools and approaches to make their work more impactful, sustainable, and replicable. In this paper, we report on a student consultation program built within the University Libraries, that takes an innovative, student-centered approach to meeting the research data needs in a university environment while also providing students with experiential learning opportunities. This student program, DataBridge, trains students to work in multi-disciplinary teams and as student consultants to assist faculty, staff, and students with their real-world, data-intensive research challenges. Centering DataBridge in the Libraries allows students the unique opportunity to work across all disciplines, on problems and in domains that some students may not interact with during their college careers. To encourage students from multiple disciplines to participate, we developed a scaffolded curriculum that allows students from any discipline and skill level to quickly develop the essential data science skill sets and begin contributing their own unique perspectives and specializations to the research consultations. These students, mentored by Informatics faculty in the Libraries, provide research support that can ultimately impact the entire research process. Through our pilot phase, we have found that DataBridge enhances the utilization and openness of data created through research, extends the reach and impact of the work beyond the researcher’s specialized community, and creates a network of student “data champions” across the University who see the value in working with the Library. Here, we describe the evolution of the DataBridge program and outline its unique role in both training the data stewards of the future with regard to FAIR data practices, and in contributing significant value to research projects at Virginia Tech. Ultimately, this work highlights the need for innovative, strategic programs that encourage and enable real-world experience of data curation, data analysis, and data publication for current researchers, all while training the next generation of researchers in these best practices. [This paper is a conference pre-print presented at IDCC 2020 after lightweight peer review.

Words of Wisdom RE: Low adherence to guidelines in nonmuscle-invasive disease

Non peer reviewedPostprin

Epidural Volume of Injectate Using a Dose Regimen Based on Occipito-Coccygeal Spinal Length (OCL): Randomized Clinical Study Comparing Different Ropivacaine Concentrations, with or without Morphine, in Bitches Undergoing Total Unilateral Mastectomy

A prospective, randomized clinical trial was designed to compare four epidural treatments in dogs undergoing total unilateral mastectomy. The epidural volume of injectate was based on the individual occipito-coccygeal length (OCL) aiming to reach the first thoracic vertebra (T1). The first ten dogs were allocated in a control group (C) and did not receive epidural treatment. Subsequently, forty dogs were randomly allocated in four groups of ten: epidural ropivacaine 0.5% (R0.5%); morphine 0.1 mg kg−1 plus ropivacaine 0.5% (MR0.5%); morphine 0.1 mg kg−1 plus ropivacaine 0.35% (MR0.35%); morphine 0.1 mg kg−1 plus ropivacaine 0.25% (MR0.25%). Intraoperatively, isoflurane requirement (1.3% vs. <1.1% FE’Iso) and fentanyl requirement (9.8 vs. <1.1 μg kg−1 h−1) were significantly higher in C group compared to all epidural groups. Postoperatively, methadone requirement was higher (1.8 mg kg−1 vs. <0.8 mg kg−1) for C group compared to all epidural treatment groups. The ability to walk and to urinate returned 4 h earlier in MR0.35% and MR0.25%. The mean epidural volume of ropivacaine, using a dose regimen based on OCL, to reach T1 was about 0.15 mL cm−1. The addition of morphine further reduced the methadone requirement, without affecting urinary and motor functions

Plasma concentrations of Tapentadol and clinical evaluations of a combination of Tapentadol plus Sevoflurane for surgical anaesthesia and analgesia in rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) undergoing orchiectomy

Pain is probably under-treated in animals, particularly in rabbits, due to a lack of familiarity with the species and limited information about analgesic dose, efficacy and safety. Tapentadol (TAP) is a novel opioid drug, with a proven efficacy and safety profile in humans, which could be useful as an analgesic in rabbits. In a clinical study, TAP was administered (5 mg/kg, IV) to seven male New Zealand White rabbits 5 min before anaesthetic induction with sevoflurane to perform orchiectomy. Monitoring of vital signs, including heart rate, electrocardiogram, respiratory rate, invasive blood pressure, oxygen saturation, righting reflex, palpebral reflex, jaw tone and tongue retraction, was performed throughout surgery. Pain was assessed for 8 h following surgery, using previously validated parameters, physiological assessments and behavioural assessments. Blood was also collected at regular intervals to assess the pharmacokinetic profile of the drug. TAP was rapidly distributed and eliminated in rabbits. Apnoea did not occurred in any subject. Following surgery, there were very few observable signs of pain in four rabbits and all resumed normal activities within a few hours. In conclusion, this is the first study about the clinical effects and potential utility of TAP as an adjunct drug for anaesthesia and analgesia in the rabbit. However, further studies are still needed before its use in the veterinary clinical practice

Guiding nipple-areola complex reconstruction.Lliterature review and proposal of a new decision-making algorithm

Background: Nipple-areola complex reconstruction (NAR) most commonly represents the finishing touch to breast reconstruction (BR). Nipple presence is particularly relevant to the patient’s psyche, beyond any shadow of doubt. Many reconstructive options have been described in time. Surgery is easy, but final result is often disappointing on the long run. Methods: The goal of this manuscript is to analyze and classify knowledge concerning NAR techniques and the factors that influence success, and then to elaborate a practical evidence-based algorithm. Out of the 3136 available articles as of August 8th, 2020, we selected 172 manuscripts that met inclusion criteria, which we subdivided into 5 main topics of discussion, being the various NAR techniques; patient factors (including patient selection, timing and ideal position); dressings; potential complications and finally, outcomes/patient satisfaction. Results: We found 92 articles describing NAR techniques, 41 addressing patient factors (out of which 17 discussed patient selection, 14 described ideal NAC location, 10 described appropriate timing), 10 comparing dressings, 7 studying NAR complications, and 22 addressing outcomes and patient satisfaction. We elaborated a comprehensive decision-making algorithm to help narrow down the choice among NAR techniques, and choose the correct strategy according to the various scenarios, and particularly the BR technique and skin envelope. Conclusions: No single NAR technique provides definitive results, which is why we believe there is no “end-all be-all solution”. NAR must be approached as a case-by-case situation. Furthermore, despite NAR being such a widely discussed topic in scientific literature, we still found a lack of clinical trials to allow for more thorough recommendations to be elaborated. Level of Evidence III: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/0026

Single-Ion Anisotropy and Intramolecular Interactions in CeIIIand NdIIIDimers

[Image: see text] This article reports the syntheses, characterization, structural description, together with magnetic and spectroscopic properties of two isostructural molecular magnets based on the chiral ligand N,N′-bis((1,2-diphenyl-(pyridine-2-yl)methylene)-(R,R/S,S)-ethane-1,2-diamine), L1, of general formula [Ln(2)(RR-L1)(2)(Cl(6))]·MeOH·1.5H(2)O, (Ln = Ce (1) or Nd (2)). Multifrequency electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), cantilever torque magnetometry (CTM) measurements, and ab initio calculations allowed us to determine single-ion magnetic anisotropy and intramolecular magnetic interactions in both compounds, evidencing a more important role of the anisotropic exchange for the Nd(III) derivative. The comparison of experimental and theoretical data indicates that, in the case of largely rhombic lanthanide ions, ab initio calculations can fail in determining the orientation of the weakest components, while being reliable in determining their principal values. However, they remain of paramount importance to set the analysis of EPR and CTM on sound basis, thus obtaining a very precise picture of the magnetic interactions in these systems. Finally, the electronic structure of the two complexes, as obtained by this approach, is consistent with the absence of zero-field slow relaxation observed in ac susceptibility

Magnetic Anisotropy Trends along a Full 4f-Series: The fn+7Effect

[Image: see text] The combined experimental and computational study of the 13 magnetic complexes belonging to the Na[LnDOTA(H(2)O)] (H(4)DOTA = tetraazacyclododecane-N,N′,N″,N‴-tetraacetic acid and Ln = Ce–Yb) family allowed us to identify a new trend: the orientation of the magnetic anisotropy tensors of derivatives differing by seven f electrons practically coincide. We name this trend the f(n+7) effect. Experiments and theory fully agree on the match between the magnetic reference frames (e.g., the easy, intermediate, and hard direction). The shape of the magnetic anisotropy of some couples of ions differing by seven f electrons might seem instead different at first look, but our analysis explains a hidden similarity. We thus pave the way toward a reliable predictivity of the magnetic anisotropy of lanthanide complexes with a consequent reduced need of computational and synthetical efforts. We also offer a way to gain information on ions with a relatively small total angular momentum (i.e., Sm(3+) and Eu(3+)) and on the radioactive Pm(3+), which are difficult to investigate experimentally