Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Corporate social responsibility: not just for big business

In recent years, corporate social responsibility has become a much-used phrase, but some may think it is only applicable to large companies with a reputation to maintain. Yet, veterinary practices, from the smallest sole principal practice through to the large chains, do not exist in a vacuum – they all have an impact on the local community, wider society and the environment in which they operate. Alison Glennon explains how adopting corporate social responsibility can help a practice's bottom line, as well as provide a ‘feel good factor’.
Digestive physiology, metabolism and methane production of captive Linné's two-toed sloths (Choloepus didactylus).

Sloths are renowned for their low metabolic rate, low food intake and low defecation frequency. We investigated factors of digestive physiology and energy metabolism in four captive individuals (mean body mass 10.0 ± SD 3.7 kg) of a hitherto mostly unstudied sloth species, Linné's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus), in a 2-week digestion recording and 23-h respiration experiment on animals fed a standard zoo diet of vegetables and starchy components. Dry matter intake, defecation frequency and particle mean retention time (MRT) in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) were 12 ± 3 g/(kg(0.75) day), once every 5 days and >140 h in three individuals, but 53 g/(kg(0.75) day), daily and 82 h in one individual that was apparently compensating for a period of weight loss prior to the experiment. In all animals, solute marker was eliminated at a faster rate than the particle marker, indicating 'digesta washing' in the sloths' GIT. The overall metabolic rate calculated from oxygen consumption matched the metabolisable energy intake in three individuals [173 ± 22 vs. 168 ± 44 kJ/(kg(0.75) day)] but not in the fourth one [225 vs. 698 kJ/(kg(0.75) day)], supporting the interpretation that this animal was replenishing body stores. In spite of the low food intake and the low-fibre diet (209 ± 26 g neutral detergent fibre/kg dry matter), methane production was rather high accounting for 9.4 ± 0.8% of gross energy intake (2.7% in the fourth individual), which exceeded literature data for ruminants on forage-only diets. These results corroborate literature reports on low intake, low defecation frequency, low metabolic rate and long MRT in other sloth species. The long MRT is probably responsible for the comparatively high methane production, providing more opportunity for methanogenic archaea than in other non-ruminant mammals to produce significant amounts of methane.
Posttraumatic-Delayed Cerebellar Syndrome-Reply

In reply We thank Djaldetti and Melamed for their response to our article, 1 and read with great interest their report of a patient with a pancerebellar syndrome that developed 5 years after head trauma. While their case shared several important clinical features with ours, it differed from ours in other respects, including (1) a briefer period of coma (a few hours) with absence of neurological deficits on awakening, (2) normal neuroimaging, and (3) a longer latency between the head trauma and the onset of the syndrome. We reported 3 cases of a delayed-onset, pancerebellar syndrome that developed 6 weeks to 2 years after head trauma. All the patients had a severe insult, followed by a prolonged period of coma (2 days to 2 months). Other neurological deficits (eg, focal weakness, cranial nerve palsies, or cognitive abnormalities) were uniformly present on awakening. On neuroimaging, lesions were present in the thalamus
Community resilience for catastrophic health events.

Where local civic leaders, citizens, and families are educated regarding threats and are empowered to mitigate their own risk, where they are practiced in responding to events, where they have social networks to fall back upon, and where they have familiarity with local public health and medical systems, there will be community resilience that will significantly attenuate the requirement for additional assistance.
Pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure in broiler chickens reared at high altitude is affected by dietary source of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids.

The present study evaluated the development of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular failure in broiler chickens reared at high altitude (2100 m) as affected by dietary intake of n-3 and n-6 fatty acid sources. Flax oil and soy oil were used as sources of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids, respectively, either with or without α-tocopheryl acetate. A total of 192 day-old broiler chicks (Ross 308) were used in a completely randomized design using isoenergetic and isonitrogenous experimental diets. Results showed that dietary flax oil significantly (p < 0.05) improved feed conversion ratio during 21-42 days of age. However, body weight gain did not significantly differ among the experimental groups in entire trial. Birds received flax oil had significantly higher serum concentration of nitric oxide (NO) but they had lower serum concentration of malondialdehyde when compared with their counterparts fed with soy oil. Liver and abdominal fat weights were significantly (p < 0.05) reduced by substitution of soy oil for flax oil. The right-to-total ventricle weight ratio (RV/TV) and mortality from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in birds that received flax oil. In conclusion, n-3 fatty acids could significantly reduce RV:TV and PAH mortality in birds by increasing circulatory level of NO and suppressing hepatic lipogenesis.
Florodeoxyglucose imaging: A method to assess the proliferative activity of human cancer in vivo. Comparison with DNA flow cytometry in head and neck tumors

Thirteen patients with malignant head and neck tumors were studied before they were treated with (18F) fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) imaging and DNA flow cytometry (FCM). The nuclear DNA content and the percentage of proliferative cells (S+G2/M) were compared with the FDG uptake; FDG was retained in the primary tumor and/or neck metastasis in all patients. The accumulation of FDG did not correlate with histologic grade of the tumors, but there was a clear correlation (r = 0.86, P > 0.001) between the proportion of the cells in S+G2/M phases of the cell cycle and the intensity of FDG accumulation. The uptake of FDG by the tumor also correlated with the percentage of S‐phase cells (r = 0.82, P > 0.001). The result suggests that enhanced glucose metabolism, measured by FDG uptake, is associated with the proliferative activity of the tumor. Thus, imaging with FDG may offer a new method to assess the aggressiveness of human cancer growth in vivo.
‘It’s much easier to get help for the baby’: Women, postpartum health and maternal and child health care groups

Abstract There is a substantial amount of investigation of women’s experience of giving birth in Australia, and a developing understanding of women’s experiences of their own health in the postpartum period and use of health services. This article reports on a preliminary study investigating women’s post-birth health experiences. The study involved focus groups with thirty-two women involved in maternal and child health care groups. We found that all women reported minor health complications, but these were often not addressed due to the pressures of new motherhood. Women indicated that maternal and child health nurses and other women were important sources of information and assistance in the management of these health problems.
Effect of dietary threonine on laying performance and intestinal immunity of laying hens fed low‐crude‐protein diets during the peak production period

Threonine (Thr) may be a limiting amino acid for laying hens fed diets with lowered protein level. An experiment was conducted to examine laying performance, and the intestinal immune function of laying hens provided diets varying in digestible Thr levels. Lohmann Brown laying hens (n = 480), 28 weeks of age, were allocated to six dietary treatments, each of which included five replicates of 16 hens. Dietary crude protein (CP) 16.18% diet was offered as the positive control diet. L-Thr was added to the negative diet (14.16% CP) by 0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 g/kg, corresponding 0.44%, 0.43%, 0.49%, 0.57%, 0.66% and 0.74% digestible Thr. At 40 weeks, a reduction in CP level decreased laying performance (p < 0.05). In the low CP, increasing dietary Thr increased (p < 0.05) egg production and egg mass and rose to a plateau between 0.57% and 0.66%. The hens fed 0.66% Thr showed the lowest value (p < 0.05) of feed conversion ratio (FCR). Serum level of uric acid showed the lowest values (p < 0.05) at 0.57-0.66%. In addition, serum-free Thr maximized (p < 0.05) between 0.66% and 0.74%. Digestive trypsin activity decreased (p < 0.05) when hens fed the low-CP diet compared with hens fed CP (16.18%) and hens fed 0.57-0.66%. Expressions of ileal MUC2 mRNA maximized (p < 0.05) at 0.66% Thr. Occludin mRNA increased with increasing Thr level (p < 0.05). sIgA mRNA reached to the maximum level (p < 0.05) at 0.66% and 0.74% Thr. INF-γ mRNA reached to the lowest level (p < 0.05) at 0.65%. Expressions of ileal IL-2, IL-6, IL-1β mRNA decreased with increasing Thr level (p < 0.05). In conclusion, Thr supplementation resulting in optimal laying performance and stimulated the mucosal immune system, suggesting that it is a limiting amino acid in the low-crude-protein diet of laying hens during the peak production period.
Conversations between breast and bone: Physiological bone loss during lactation as evolutionary template for osteolysis in breast cancer and pathological bone loss after menopause

Reproduction in mammals is associated with an impressive cycle of bone loss and repair. Lactating mothers lose bone rapidly to supply calcium for milk production. After weaning, bone mass recovers almost as quickly as it was lost. This phenomenon had been well described for many years, but recent studies have begun to paint a clearer picture of the hormonal and molecular regulation of this transient skeletal demineralization. Bone loss occurs as the result of a coordinated conversation between the breast and bone. Suckling induces hypothalamic hypogonadism and the lactating breast secretes parathyroid hormonerelated protein into the circulation. Low estrogen levels and elevated PTHrP levels act in combination to liberate skeletal calcium stores. Calcium then feeds back on the breast via the calcium-sensing receptor to regulate calcium transport into milk and PTHrP production, defining a feedback loop between breast and bone. When lactation ends, bone resorption is suddenly halted, but little is currently known of the mechanisms that mediate bone recovery after weaning. These alterations in bone and mineral metabolism during the reproductive cycle are descendants of ancient adaptations that evolved to support egg production in lower vertebrates. Therefore it is interesting to consider if pathological bone resorption in patients with breast cancer and in post-menopausal women may represent the accidental reactivation of circuitry designed to supply calcium for milk production. A better understanding of the skeletal response to weaning may offer clues to new therapies for bone disease. BoneKEy. 2007 August;4(8):209-225. ©2007 International Bone and Mineral Society
Phlpp inhibitors block pain and cartilage degradation associated with osteoarthritis

Phlpp protein phosphatases are abnormally abundant within human osteoarthritic articular chondrocytes and may contribute to the development of osteoarthritis. Mice lacking Phlpp1 were previously shown to be resistant to post‐traumatic osteoarthritis. Here a small molecule with therapeutic properties that inhibits Phlpp1 and Phlpp2 was tested for its ability to slow post‐traumatic OA in mice and to stimulate anabolic pathways in human articular cartilage from OA joints. PTOA was induced in male C57Bl/6 mice by surgically destabilizing the meniscus. Seven weeks after surgery, mice received a single intra‐articular injection of the Phlpp inhibitor NSC117079 or saline. Mechanical allodynia was measured with von Frey assays, mobility was tracked in an open field system, and cartilage damage was assessed histologically. A single intra‐articular injection of the Phlpp inhibitor NSC117079 attenuated mechanical allodynia and slowed articular cartilage degradation in joints with a destabilized meniscus. Animals treated with the Phlpp inhibitor 7 weeks after injury maintained normal activity levels, while those in the control group traveled shorter distances and were less active 3 months after the joint injury. NSC117079 also increased production of cartilage extracellular matrix components (glycosaminoglycans and aggrecan) in over 90% of human articular cartilage explants from OA patients and increased phosphorylation of Phlpp1 substrates (AKT2, ERK1/2, and PKC) in human articular chondrocytes. Our results indicate that Phlpp inhibitor NSC117079 is a novel osteoarthritis disease modifying drug candidate that may have palliative affects. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1487–1497, 2018.
The onset of fretting at the head‐stem connection in hip arthroplasty is affected by head material and trunnion design under simulated corrosion conditions

Mechanically assisted crevice corrosion (MACC) is a mechanism for trunnion damage in total hip arthroplasties (THAs). Retrieval studies have shown reduced MACC‐related damage for ceramic heads compared with cobalt–chromium (CoCr) heads. We propose that ceramic heads demonstrate fretting at higher cyclic compressive loads than CoCr heads on titanium alloy trunnions in a simulated corrosion model. A closed electrochemical chamber was used to measure fretting current onset loads for two modern titanium alloy trunnions (Zimmer 12/14 and Stryker V‐40) in which trunnion failure has been reported. Ceramic and CoCr alloy 36 + 0 mm heads were impacted on each trunnion and cyclically loaded at 3 Hz with increasing magnitude from 100 to 3,400 N for 540 cycles. Onset load was the cyclic compressive load at which the slope of the average fretting current increased significantly. A CoCr head with V40 trunnion demonstrated the lowest onset load (1,400 N), while the V40 trunnion with a ceramic head showed the highest onset load (2,200 N). Significant differences occurred in average fretting current between head materials for V40 trunnions (p < 0.001) at loads over 2,000 N. CoCr‐12/14 and ceramic‐12/14 couples demonstrated similar onset loads (2,000 N). All head–trunnion combinations showed cyclical fretting response to loading at 100 N. Head material composition was observed to increase fretting at the taper junction but the effect was taper geometry dependent. Using ceramic heads may reduce the phenomena of trunnion fretting and corrosion but the effect of both trunnion geometry and metallurgy warrants further investigation. Statement of clinical significance: Trunnion corrosion may occur with titanium alloy stems regardless of the head material used. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1630–1636, 2018.
Bone marrow lesions in osteoarthritis: What lies beneath

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease in the United States, affecting more than 30 million people, and is characterized by cartilage degeneration in articulating joints. OA can be viewed as a group of overlapping disorders, which result in functional joint failure. However, the precise cellular and molecular events within which lead to these clinically observable changes are neither well understood nor easily measurable. It is now clear that multiple factors, in multiple joint tissues, contribute to degeneration. Changes in subchondral bone are recognized as a hallmark of OA, but are normally associated with late‐stage disease when degeneration is well established. However, early changes such as Bone Marrow Lesions (BMLs) in OA are a relatively recent discovery. BMLs are patterns from magnetic resonance images (MRI) that have been linked with pain and cartilage degeneration. Their potential utility in predicting progression, or as a target for therapy, is not yet fully understood. Here, we will review the current state‐of‐the‐art in this field under three broad headings: (i) BMLs in symptomatic OA: malalignment, joint pain, and disease progression; (ii) biological considerations for bone‐cartilage crosstalk in joint disease; and (iii) mechanical factors that may underlie BMLs and drive their communication with other joint tissues. Thus, this review will provide insights on this topic from a clinical, biological, and mechanical perspective. © 2017 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:1818–1825, 2018.
Meta‐analysis of meta‐analyses of anterior cruciate ligament injury reduction training programs

Several meta‐analyses have been published on the effectiveness of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention training programs to reduce ACL injury risk, with various degrees of risk reduction reported. The purpose of this research was to perform a systematic review and meta‐analysis of overlapping meta‐analyses evaluating the effectiveness of ACL injury prevention training programs so as to summarize the amount of reduction in risk for all ACL and non‐contact ACL injuries into a single source, and determine if there were sex differences in the relative efficacy of ACL injury prevention training programs. Five databases (Medline, PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and Cochrane) were searched to identify meta‐analyses that evaluated the effectiveness of ACL injury prevention training programs on ACL injury risk. ACL injury data were extracted and the results from each meta‐analysis were combined using a summary meta‐analysis based on odds ratios (OR). Eight meta‐analyses met eligibility criteria. Six of the eight only included data for female athletes. Summary meta‐analysis showed an overall 50% reduction (OR = 0.5 [0.41–0.59]; I2 = 15%) in the risk of all ACL injuries in all athletes and a 67% reduction (OR = 0.33 [0.27–0.41]; I2 = 15%) for non‐contact ACL injuries in females. This paper combines all previous meta‐analyses into a single source and shows conclusive evidence that ACL injury prevention programs reduce the risk of all ACL injuries by half in all athletes and non‐contact ACL injuries by two‐thirds in female athletes. There is insufficient data to make conclusions as to the effectiveness of ACL injury prevention programs in male athletes. © 2018 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 36:2696–2708, 2018.
Low Carbohydrate Diet in Management of Obesity - A Short Review

There is a global rise in obesity in the form of epidemic . In view of obesity epidemic low carbohydrate diets are becoming popular. These diets claim to be effective at producing weight loss despite ad libitum consumption of fatty meat, butter, and other high-fat dairy products, restricting only the intake of carbohydrates. Low-carbohydrate diets have been regarded as fad diets, but recent research questions this view. A systematic review of low-carbohydrate diets found that the weight loss achieved is associated with the duration of the diet and restriction of energy intake, but not with restr ict ion of carbohydrates. Trials had showed better weight loss on the low-carbohydrate diet after 6 months, but no difference after 12 months. The apparent paradox that ad-libitum intake of high-fat foods produces weight loss might be due to severe restriction of carbohydrate depleting glycogen stores, leading to excretion of bound water, the ketogenic nature of the diet being appetite suppressant, the high protein-content being highly satiating and reducing spontaneous food intake, or limited food choices leading to decreased energy intake. Long-term studies are needed to measure changes in nutritional status and body composition during the low-carbohydrate diet, and assess fasting and postprandial cardio vascular risk factors and adverse effects. Without that information, lowcarbohydrate diets cannot be recommended.
Polyphenols in Eucalyptus leaves improved the egg and meat qualities and protected against ethanol‐induced oxidative damage in laying hens

Polyphenols in Eucalyptus leaves (PE) were value resources due to various pharmacological activities, but data on the effect on laying hens are very scare. This study was conducted to determine the effect of PE on the laying performance, egg traits, meat quality, antioxidant status and liver tissues of laying hens. One hundred and twenty 256-day-old Yueqinhuang laying hens were randomly assigned to four treatment groups (different levels of PE at 0, 0.5, 0.8 and 1.2 g/kg diet) for 63 days with 15 replicates per group. Addition of 0.8 g/kg PE not only improved the egg trait by increasing the eggshell thickness and decreasing MDA production and cholesterol content in the egg yolk, but also significantly enhanced meat quality of hens, as suggested by the increase pH45 min (p < .01) and a* value, and decrease drip loss rate (p < .01). Meanwhile, under acute ethanol-induced oxidative damage condition, supplementation of 0.8 g/kg PE enhanced the serum antioxidant status by increasing enzymatic activities (GSH-PX, T-SOD, T-AOC), inhibited oxidative damage and provided protective effect to liver tissue. In conclusion, addition of 0.8 g/kg PE not only improved the egg traits and meat quality without obvious adverse effects, but also increased the serum antioxidant status of the hens and protected their liver tissue from ethanol-induced oxidative damage. This study indicated that PE could be utilized as an effective feed additive for laying hens to improve health performance and egg traits.
The role of magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of thalassemic syndromes: current practice and future perspectives

Iron can be deposited in all internal organs, leading to different types of functional abnormalities. However, myocardial iron overload that contributes to heart failure remains one of the main causes of death in thalassemia major. Using magnetic resonance imaging, tissue iron is detected indirectly by the effects on relaxation times of ferritin and hemosiderin iron interacting with hydrogen nuclei. The presence of iron in the human body results in marked alterations of tissue relaxation times. Currently, cardiovascular magnetic resonance using T2* is routinely used in many countries to identify patients with myocardial iron loading and guide chelation therapy, specifically tailored to the heart. Myocardial T2* is the only clinically validated non-invasive measure of myocardial iron loading and is superior to surrogates such as serum ferritin, liver iron, ventricular ejection fraction and tissue Doppler parameters. Finally, the substantial amelioration of patients’ survival, allows the detection of other organs’ abnormalities due to iron overload, apart from the heart, missed in the past. Recent studies revealed that iron deposition has a different pattern in various parenchymal organs, which is independent from serum ferritin and follows an individual way after chelation treatment application. This new upcoming reality orders a closer monitoring of all organs of the body in order to detect preclinical lesions and early apply adequate treatment.
Successful treatment of severe burn patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome: A case report

Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome is the presence of altered organ function of two or more organ systems in acute ill patients with severe trauma, burn, shock and infection. In this case, the patient with burn area amounted to 95% and the third-degree burn was up to 90%. He underwent gastrointestinal tract, blood clotting, lung, brain, heart, liver dysfunction, and cardiac arrest for 30 minutes during the courses of treatment, and was discharged from the hospital after 108 days on the basis of comprehensive treatment and repeated skin grafting.