Canine pharmacodynamic assays: applications in immune-mediated disease

Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on September 18, 2013).The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file.Thesis advisor: Dr. Carol R. ReineroIncludes bibliographical references.M.S. University of Missouri-Columbia 2013.Dissertations, Academic -- University of Missouri--Columbia -- Veterinary biomedical sciences."May 2013"[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Immune-mediated diseases are commonly diagnosed in veterinary medicine and a high rate of mortality, expense and complications of immunosuppressive therapy in dogs underscores the need for optimization of drug dosing. Pharmacodynamic assays are utilized in human medicine to evaluate the efficacy of immunosuppressive therapy in individual patients. The purpose of this Master's project was to validate an in vitro flow-cytometric assay evaluating canine B and T lymphocyte proliferation. In doing so, this assay could then be used to evaluate the effects of a panel of immunosuppressants (dexamethasone, cyclosporine, and the active metabolites of azathioprine and leflunomide) on lymphocyte proliferation in individual dogs. The first-phase of this project focused on peripheral blood mononuclear cells to evaluate canine T lymphocyte proliferation and the concentration of all four immunosuppressants that would result in 50% inhibition of T lymphocyte proliferation (IC50) in five healthy dogs. The mean (±SEM) IC50 were: dexamethasone, -4.6±0.5 M; cyclosporine 16±2 ng/mL; 6-mercaptopurine 64±31 nM; and A77 1726, 24±3 μM. The second-phase of the project focused on a whole blood assay utilizing both 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine and Ki-67 as markers of proliferation and evaluated both B and T lymphocyte proliferation utilizing flow cytometry. The validation of these canine pharmacodynamic assays represents the first steps in veterinary medicine to tailor immunosuppressant protocols and evaluate lymphocyte proliferation in individual dogs with immune-mediated disease

Disseminated phaeohyphomycosis in a dog

Phaeohyphomycosis is a rare but emerging disease caused by dematiaceous fungi. Here we describe the case of an immunosuppressed dog with disseminated phaeohyphomycosis secondary to Bipolaris spicifera infection. Regionally extensive infiltration of the paw pads, skin, myocardium, liver, renal interstitium and diaphragm was identified on histopathology. Candida glabrata and Fusarium oxysporum were also cultured from multiple sites post-mortem. The dog was treated with fluconazole, itraconazole, terbinafine and liposomal amphotericin B, but was euthanized due to its poor prognosis after 12 days of therapy

Student american veterinary medical association duty hours guidelines

At the 2011 Student American Veterinary Medical Association (SAVMA) Symposium, the SAVMA House of Delegates officially endorsed its Duty Hours Guidelines. The purpose of the guidelines was to provide guidance to veterinary students at all SAVMA Chapters on appropriate duty hours during clinical rotations. A need to revisit the duty hour guidelines arose in 2018 as veterinary students throughout the United States expressed concerns with the applicability of some guidelines in their clinical years. To reflect the needs of all SAVMA Chapters, the guidelines were revised in light of current veterinary medical trends. Feedback was solicited from students and faculty at all 34 SAVMA Chapters with clinical programs via surveys and in person meetings. A total of 19 Chapters provided input that highlighted areas for improvement. Thus, SAVMA wishes to make clear the needs of veterinary students on their clinical rotations and provide revised duty hours guidelines. Although SAVMA does not have the regulatory authority to enforce compliance, the organization strongly encourages all AVMA-accredited institutions to both embrace and comply with the newly revised and recommended guidelines

Ecological level analysis of primary lung tumors in dogs and cats and environmental radon activity

Background: Epidemiologic studies suggest residential radon exposure might increase the risk of primary lung cancer in people, but these studies are limited by subject mobility. This limitation might be overcome by evaluating the association in pets. Hypothesis: Primary pulmonary neoplasia (PPN) rate is higher in dogs and cats residing in counties with a high radon exposure risk (Environmental Protection Agency [EPA] zone 1) compared to zones 2 (moderate radon exposure risk) and 3 (low radon exposure risk). Animals: Six hundred ninety client-owned dogs and 205 client-owned cats with PPN. Methods: Retrospective review of medical records at 10 veterinary colleges identified dogs and cats diagnosed with PPN between 2010 and 2015. Each patient's radon exposure was determined by matching the patient's zip code with published county radon exposure risk. County level PPN rates were calculated using the average annual county cat and dog populations. The PPN counts per 100 000 dog/cat years at risk (PPN rates) were compared across radon zones for each species. Results: The PPN rate ratio in counties in high radon zone (1) was approximately 2-fold higher than in counties in lower radon zones for dogs (rate ratio zone 1 to 2, 2.49; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-4.00; rate ratio zone 1 to 3, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.46-3.59) and cats (rate ratio zone 1 to 2, 2.13; 95% CI, 0.95-4.79; zone 1 to 3, 1.81; 95% CI, 0.9-3.61). Conclusions and Clinical Importance Exposure to household radon might play a role in development of PPN in dogs and cats.This is the published version of the following article: Fowler, Brittany L., Chad M. Johannes, Annette O'Connor, Deanna Collins, Jonathan Lustgarten, Chaohui Yuan, Kristen Weishaar et al. "Ecological level analysis of primary lung tumors in dogs and cats and environmental radon activity." Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 34, no. 6 (2020): 2660-2670. DOI: 10.1111/jvim.15936. Copyright 2020 The Authors. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0). Posted with permission

Nanotechnology and Plant Extracts as a Future Control Strategy for Meat and Milk Products

Plant extracts, well known for their antibacterial and antioxidant activity, have potential to be widely used preservatives in the food industry as natural alternatives to numerous synthetic additives which have adverse impacts on health and the environment. Most plant compounds and extracts are generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The use of preservatives is of great importance for perishable foods such as meat and milk, which, along with their products, are commonly consumed food items globally. However, the bioavailability of plant compounds could be diminished by their interaction with food components, processing, and storage. Nanoencapsulation of plant extracts, especially essential oils, is an effective method for their application in food model systems. This technique increases the bioactivity of plant compounds by increasing their physical stability and reducing their size, without negative effects on organoleptic properties. Furthermore, a recent study showed that plant extracts act as good bioreductants for biosynthesis of nanoparticles. This so-called green synthesis method using plant extracts is a rapid, relatively inexpensive, safe, and efficient method for synthesis of nanoparticles including silver, gold, iron, lead, copper, cobalt, palladium, platinum, zinc, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, magnetite, and nickel. Some of these nanoparticles have antimicrobial potential which is why they are of great interest to the food industry. In this chapter, the nanoencapsulation of plant extracts and plant extract-mediated synthesis of nanoparticles and their potential application in order to improve the safety and quality and prolong the shelf life of meat and milk products are reviewed and discussed