Holidaying with the family pet: No dogs allowed!

This paper assesses the extent to which dog owners located in Brisbane, Australia, wish to holiday with their pets, and whether there is a gap between this desire and reality. The paper also examines the extent to which this demand is being catered for by the tourism accommodation sector. The need for this study reflects the increasingly significant role dogs are playing in the lives of humans, and the scale of the dog-owning population. The results suggest that, although there is a strong desire among dog owners to take holidays with their pets, the actualisation of this desire is comparatively low. A significant obstacle to the realisation of this desire appears to be a dearth of pet-friendly accommodation. This has implications for the ability of the tourism industry to benefit from this potentially lucrative market, that is, the dog-owning population

Identifying Priority Areas for Chronic Wasting Disease Surveillance in Montana

Chronic Wasting Disease is a fatal prion disease affecting ungulate species throughout North America.  As of 2013, no CWD positive deer have been found in the state of Montana, however, several surrounding states and provinces have identified multiple cases of the disease.  We used information on mule deer habitat selection, abundance, and locations of CWD cases in surrounding states to identify priority areas in Montana for CWD surveillance. The habitat selection models were based on over 10000 VHF and GPS locations collected from mule deer from 1975-2011, and predicted resource selection function (RSF) values for winter and summer in 5 of the 7 wildlife management regions in the state of Montana. We estimated mule deer density using the aerial survey counts weighted by the value of the RSF for each pixel. High priority areas were those that contained the highest densities of mule deer and were closest to locations with CWD positive deer. This information can be used to inform Montana’s CWD surveillance program for mule deer. We concluded that based on mule deer distribution and movement patterns several mule deer herds in Montana were at risk of coming into contact with deer from known infected herds

Trypanosome diversity in wildlife species from the Serengeti and Luangwa Valley ecosystems

<p>Background: The importance of wildlife as reservoirs of African trypanosomes pathogenic to man and livestock is well recognised. While new species of trypanosomes and their variants have been identified in tsetse populations, our knowledge of trypanosome species that are circulating in wildlife populations and their genetic diversity is limited.</p> <p>Methodology/Principal Findings: Molecular phylogenetic methods were used to examine the genetic diversity and species composition of trypanosomes circulating in wildlife from two ecosystems that exhibit high host species diversity: the Serengeti in Tanzania and the Luangwa Valley in Zambia. Phylogenetic relationships were assessed by alignment of partial 18S, 5.8S and 28S trypanosomal nuclear ribosomal DNA array sequences within the Trypanosomatidae and using ITS1, 5.8S and ITS2 for more detailed analysis of the T. vivax clade. In addition to Trypanosoma brucei, T. congolense, T. simiae, T. simiae (Tsavo), T. godfreyi and T. theileri, three variants of T. vivax were identified from three different wildlife species within one ecosystem, including sequences from trypanosomes from a giraffe and a waterbuck that differed from all published sequences and from each other, and did not amplify with conventional primers for T. vivax.</p> <p>Conclusions/Significance: Wildlife carries a wide range of trypanosome species. The failure of the diverse T. vivax in this study to amplify with conventional primers suggests that T. vivax may have been under-diagnosed in Tanzania. Since conventional species-specific primers may not amplify all trypanosomes of interest, the use of ITS PCR primers followed by sequencing is a valuable approach to investigate diversity of trypanosome infections in wildlife; amplification of sequences outside the T. brucei clade raises concerns regarding ITS primer specificity for wildlife samples if sequence confirmation is not also undertaken.</p&gt

Supporting Recovery in the Deaf Community: Creating Continuum of Behavioral Health Care in Central Massachusetts

Across the U.S., there is a paucity of mental health and substance abuse services for Deaf individuals. Without the availability of communication accommodations and specialized clinical expertise, Deaf individuals seeking behavioral health services contend with access limitations, misdiagnoses, and superficial treatments. Moreover, while the assessment and treatment of co-occurring disorders and the infusion of trauma-informed care are key components of effective treatment in the mainstream literature, the investigation and application of these initiatives to the Deaf population has not yet occurred. The proposed poster will outline the current state of specialized behavioral health services for Deaf individuals in Central Massachusetts, identify gaps in the continuum of behavioral health care for this population, and offer recommendations for future behavioral health programming. Currently, Central Massachusetts is home to two specialized programs for Deaf individuals seeking behavioral health services, the Center for Living and Working’s Deaf Independent Living Services and the DMH Inpatient Deaf Services at Worcester State Recovery Center and Hospital. Unfortunately, even with these programs, it is challenging to find appropriate outpatient placement and services that meet the range of psychiatric, intellectual, linguistic, and cultural needs of Deaf individuals. Connections between inpatient units and specialized outpatient services for the Deaf need to be developed or enhanced to increase continuity of care and reduce rehospitalization of Deaf individuals. At the current time, specialized outpatient psychotherapy and psychiatry services for Deaf individuals are not available in this region. Lack of funding for AA/NA interpreters and the recent closure of a Deaf-accessible substance abuse treatment agency highlight the need for the development of programs that provide accessible substance abuse treatment. Culturally-affirmative, linguistically-accessible, trauma-informed outpatient behavioral health services that are tailored to the Deaf population are vital to promoting the wellness and recovery of the Deaf community

Dinosaur tracks from the Kilmaluag Formation (Bathonian, Middle Jurassic) of Score Bay, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK

Tracks of a juvenile theropod dinosaur with footprint lengths of between 2 and 9 cm as well as adults of the same ichnospecies with footprints of about 15–25 cm in length were found in the Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) Kilmaluag Formation of Score Bay, northwestern Trotternish Peninsula, Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK. Two footprint sizes occur together on the same bedding plane in the central portion of Score Bay, both in situ and on loose blocks. Another horizon containing footprints above this was also identified. The footprints from the lowest horizon were produced in a desiccated silty mud that was covered with sand. A close association of both adults and juveniles with similar travel direction indicated by the footprints may suggest post-hatching care in theropod dinosaurs. Other footprints, produced on a rippled sandy substrate, have been found on the slightly higher bedding plane at this locality. Loose blocks found 130 m to the northeast in the central part of Score Bay have not been correlated with any in situ sediments, but were preserved in a similar manner to those from the higher bedding plane. These tracks represent the youngest dinosaur remains yet found in Scotland

Avian Influenza, an International Concern

The spread of the virulent highly pathogenic avian influenza virus H5N1 Asian strain (HPAI H5N1) throughout Asia and into Europe and Africa since 2004 has resulted in the loss of millions of domestic birds and caused concern about its zoonotic potential. Though the significance of wild birds in the transmission of HPAI H5N1 remains unclear, wild birds are known to be the source of some outbreaks and can serve as an important sentinel for introduction of the virus to new areas due to expansive migration movements. The comprehensive HPAI H5N1 surveillance program, established in 2006 by the USDA and USDI Fish and Wildlife Service in cooperation with the states and tribes, monitors both wild and domestic bird populations to ensure the earliest detection of HPAI H5N1 incursion into the United States. Montana is a priority state in nationwide surveillance because it borders Canada and is divided by the Pacific and Central Flyways. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, USDA/APHIS/Wildlife Services, and USDI Fish and Wildlife Service have conducted AI surveillance in Montana during the last 4 yrs using multiple sampling strategies to optimize the chance of detecting HPAI H5N1. Surveillance targets specific species spatially distributed across the state and temporally distributed across the sampling period. The primary emphasis on wild populations included systematic transects on populations of high priority for morbidity and mortality, along with opportunistically found dead birds, as well as the collection of swab samples from live and hunter-harvested waterfowl. Whereas low pathogenic avian influenza was found in samples each year as expected, no sample tested positive for HPAI H5N1

Establishing haematological and biochemical reference intervals for free-ranging Scottish golden eagle nestlings (Aquila chrysaetos)

Health assessment of individuals is an important aspect of monitoring endangered wildlife populations. Haematological and biochemical values are a common health assessment tool, and whilst reference values are well established for domestic species, they are often not available for wild animal species. This study established 31 haematological and biochemical reference intervals for golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) nestlings in Scotland, in order to improve the understanding of the species’ health and support conservation efforts. Reference intervals were created from 47 nestlings (ages 2–7.5 weeks old) across 37 nests, to date, the largest sample of wild individuals of this species and age cohort sampled for these purposes. Upper reference intervals for concentrations of lymphocytes, total protein, cholesterol, triglycerides, uric acid, and monocytes, calculated in this study, are higher than those found for adult raptors and the interval span is higher than that observed in adult raptors for concentrations of AST, albumin, eosinophil, LDH, and monocyte count. Statistically significant positive correlations were found with age and concentrations of haemoglobin, lymphocytes, serum pH, and creatine kinase, and significant negative correlations with age for concentrations of thrombocytes, heterophils, total protein, globulin, and lactate dehydrogenase. Packed cell volume was significantly higher for females than males, and concentration of calcium and eosinophils were higher for individuals in good body condition than those in moderate body condition. The reference intervals produced by this study will be of important use to the veterinary and conservation management communities and will aid the long-term monitoring of the Scottish golden eagle population health

The Iowa Homemaker vol.9, no.6

Ellen H. Richards’ Day by Irene Evinger, page 1 Sculpture on the Library by Neil Wiley, page 2 Reducing Experiment by Winnifred Keil, page 2 Ceramic Engineering by Lillian Goodrow, page 3 The Value of Milk by Elizabeth Armstrong, page 4 Homemaker’s Books by Dorothy Parkhurst, page 5 4-H Club by Esther Sietman, page 6 State Association by Marcia E. Turner, page 8 Editorial, page 11 Alumnae News by Dorothy B. Anderson, page 12 More and More by Lucille Spencer, page 13 Food Preparation by Ruth Dean, page 1

Rates and predictors of risk of stroke and its subtypes in diabetes: a prospective observational study

Background Small vessel disease is reported to be a more common cause of ischaemic stroke in people with diabetes than in others. However, population based studies have shown no difference between those with and those without diabetes in the subtypes of stroke. We determined the rates and predictors of risk of stroke and its subtypes in the Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes (FIELD) trial. Methods 9795 patients aged 50–75 years with type 2 diabetes were followed up for a median of 5 years. Annual rates were derived by the Kaplan–Meier method and independent predictors of risk by Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. Results The annual rate of stroke was 6.7 per 1000 person years; 82% were ischaemic and caused by small artery disease (36%), large artery disease (17%) and embolism from the heart (13%); 10% were haemorrhagic. Among the strongest baseline predictors of ischaemic or unknown stroke were age (60–65 years, HR 1.98; >65 years, HR 2.35) and a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack (TIA) (HR 2.06). Other independent baseline predictors were male sex, smoking, history of hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, nephropathy, systolic blood pressure and blood low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, HbA1c and fibrinogen. A history of peripheral vascular disease, low high density lipoprotein, age and history of hypertension were associated with large artery ischaemic stroke. A history of diabetic retinopathy, LDL cholesterol, male sex, systolic blood pressure, smoking, diabetes duration and a history of stroke or TIA were associated with small artery ischaemic stroke. Conclusions Older people with a history of stroke were at highest risk of stroke, but the prognosis and prognostic factors of subtypes were heterogeneous. The results will help clinicians quantify the absolute risk of stroke and its subtypes for typical diabetes patients.FIELD trial sponsored by Laboratoires Fournier SA, Dijon, France (part of Abbott