Diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose as a screening test for equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) in weanling foals

Background: Equine gastric ulcer syndrome is an important cause of morbidity in weanling foals. Many foals are asymptomatic, and the development of an inexpensive screening test to ensure an early diagnosis is desirable. The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose for diagnosis of EGUS in weanling foals. Results: 45 foals were studied 7 days before and 14 days after weaning. The diagnostic accuracy of blood sucrose for diagnosis of gastric lesions (GL); glandular lesions (GDL); squamous lesions (SQL) and clinically significant gastric lesions (CSL) at 45 and 90 min after administration of 1 g/kg of sucrose via nasogastric intubation was assessed using ROC curves and calculating the AUC. For each lesion type, sucrose concentration in blood was compared to gastroscopy; and sensitivities (Se) and specificities (Sp) were calculated across a range of sucrose concentrations. Cut- off values were selected manually to optimize Se. Because of concerns over the validity of the gold standard, additional Se, Sp, and lesion prevalence data were subsequently estimated and compared using Bayesian latent class analysis. Using the frequentist approach, the prevalence of GL; GDL; SQL and CSL before weaning was 21; 9; 7 and 8% respectively; and increased to 98; 59; 97 and 82% respectively after weaning. At the selected cut- off, Se ranged from 84 to 95% and Sp ranged from 47 to 71%, depending upon the lesion type and time of sampling. In comparison, estimates of Se and Sp were consistently higher when using a Bayesian approach, with Se ranging from 81 to 97%; and Sp ranging from 77 to 97%, depending upon the lesion type and time of sampling. Conclusions: Blood sucrose is a sensitive test for detecting EGUS in weanling foals. Due to its poor specificity, it is not expected that the sucrose blood test will replace gastroscopy, however it may represent a clinically useful screening test to identify foals that may benefit from gastroscopy. Bayesian latent class analysis represents an alternative method to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the blood sucrose test in an attempt to avoid bias associated with the assumption that gastroscopy is a perfect test.Peer reviewe

Milchschafe: Duddingtonia flagrans gegen Magen-Darmwürmern?

FiBL Schweiz, Friesische Schafskäserei sowie Berater*innen von Naturland und Bioland haben in einem Praxisversuch getestet, ob der Befall von Magen-Darmwürmen bei weidenden Milchschafen mit Hilfe des Pilzes Duddingtonia flagrans kontrolliert werden kann

Oral aniracetam treatment in C57BL/6J mice without pre-existing cognitive dysfunction reveals no changes in learning, memory, anxiety or stereotypy [version 2; referees: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]

Background: The piracetam analog, aniracetam, has recently received attention for its cognition enhancing potential, with minimal reported side effects.  Previous studies report the drug to be effective in both human and non-human models with pre-existing cognitive dysfunction, but few studies have evaluated its efficacy in healthy subjects. A previous study performed in our laboratory found no cognitive enhancing effects of oral aniracetam administration 1-hour prior to behavioral testing in naïve C57BL/6J mice. Methods: The current study aims to further evaluate this drug by administration of aniracetam 30 minutes prior to testing in order to optimize any cognitive enhancing effects. In this study, all naïve C57BL/6J mice were tested in tasks of delayed fear conditioning, novel object recognition, rotarod, open field, elevated plus maze, and marble burying. Results: Across all tasks, animals in the treatment group failed to show enhanced learning when compared to controls. Conclusions: These results provide further evidence suggesting that aniracetam conveys no therapeutic benefit to subjects without pre-existing cognitive dysfunction

Oral aniracetam treatment in C57BL/6J mice without pre-existing cognitive dysfunction reveals no changes in learning, memory, anxiety or stereotypy [version 3; referees: 2 approved, 1 approved with reservations]

Background: The piracetam analog, aniracetam, has recently received attention for its cognition enhancing potential, with minimal reported side effects.  Previous studies report the drug to be effective in both human and non-human models with pre-existing cognitive dysfunction, but few studies have evaluated its efficacy in healthy subjects. A previous study performed in our laboratory found no cognitive enhancing effects of oral aniracetam administration 1-hour prior to behavioral testing in naïve C57BL/6J mice. Methods: The current study aims to further evaluate this drug by administration of aniracetam 30 minutes prior to testing in order to optimize any cognitive enhancing effects. In this study, all naïve C57BL/6J mice were tested in tasks of delayed fear conditioning, novel object recognition, rotarod, open field, elevated plus maze, and marble burying. Results: Across all tasks, animals in the treatment group failed to show enhanced learning when compared to controls. Conclusions: These results provide further evidence suggesting that aniracetam conveys no therapeutic benefit to subjects without pre-existing cognitive dysfunction

Klassenkampf auf Grönländisch

Parlamentswahlen im Zeichen des Konflikts zwischen Zentrum und Peripherie Als das Grönländische Fernsehen (KNR) am Freitag, den 28. November 2014, kurz nach Schließung der Wahllokale seine Prognose veröffentlichte, sah alles danach aus, als würde sich bewahrheiten, was die Umfragen seit Wochen vorausgesagt hatten. Sara Olsvig, 36 Jahre alt, studierte Anthropologin und frisch gewählte Vorsitzende der linken Oppositionspartei Inuit Ataqatigiit (IA), würde, so ließ sich das Balkendiagramm lesen,..

Shoah et fiction littéraire au vingt-et-unième siècle : une littérature dangereuse ?

Since the second half of the twentieth century, representations of the Holocaust in all areas of Art have been on the rise. It is not– as it was right after the end of the war –, about sharing an individual recounting of one’s experience in the death camps, or even about giving an opportunity to the witnesses to tell their story, as it was the case after the Jerusalem’s trials. It is now about a mass of references and motifs, used and transformed with more or less skill in pop culture, not only in Europe (as it occurred right after World War II) but also in North America. However, it seems that any creation linked to the Shoah implies questions of ethics as well as aesthetics, as shown by the rise of the Holo-kitsch trend. Where lay the difference between Saul Fia by Lazlo Nemes (2015) and The Boy un Stripped pajamas by Mark Herman (2008)? Between Les Bienveillantes (The kindly Ones, Jonathan Littell, 2006), Le Wagon (Arnaud Rykner, 2010) and L’Âme du Minotaure (Dominike Audet, 2010)? Above the distinction between commercial success and critical success, it seems interesting to study a corpus of literary representations in order to establish criteria to evaluate the success of these creations, and possibly proving that some literary genres are allowing a better depiction of the reality of the Nazi camps