Morbidity of insured Swedish cats between 2011 and 2016: Comparing disease risk in domestic crosses and purebreds.

BACKGROUND: Sources of population-based cat health information are scarce. The objective of this study was to determine disease frequency in cats using pet insurance data to inform health promotion efforts. METHODS: A descriptive analysis of cats insured with Agria Pet Insurance in Sweden (2011-2016) was performed. Incidence rates of broad disease categories were calculated based on veterinary care events and an exact denominator consisting of cat-years-at-risk. Rate ratios were calculated, comparing domestic crosses to all purebreds and specific purebreds to all other purebreds combined. RESULTS: The study included over 1.6 million cat-years-at-risk (78.5% were domestic crosses), 18 breeds and 24 disease categories. The most common disease categories causing morbidity in purebreds were digestive, whole body, injury, urinary lower, skin and female reproduction. Purebreds had the highest relative risk (compared to domestics crosses) in the female reproduction, heart, operation complication, respiratory lower and immunological disease categories. LIMITATIONS: There are typical limitations of secondary data, but they do not negate the overall value of such a large dataset. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates how pet insurance data can be used to find breed-specific differences in the incidence of various disease categories in cats. This may be of importance for breeders, cat owners, veterinarians and researchers.

Technology-enhanced weight-loss program in multiple-cat households: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to determine whether a technology-enhanced weight-loss program, using a home pet health technology ecosystem, is an effective tool in feline weight-loss management in multiple-cat households and to evaluate its impact on cat behavior. METHODS: The study was a prospective parallel unmasked block-randomized controlled trial comparing two weight loss intervention groups: (1) traditional group with dietary restriction alone (n = 9); (2) technology group that used dietary restriction, digital scales, smart feeders, activity monitors and pet treat cameras (n = 6). A 12-week weight-loss program of client-owned indoor-only two- or three-cat households with at least one overweight cat was conducted in Canada and the USA. Owner impressions of the technology, weight loss rates, smart feeder data, activity monitor data and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed. RESULTS: The study was completed by 9/15 traditional group and 6/10 technology group cats. Dropouts were mainly due to owner issues unrelated to the study. The pet health technology ecosystem received favorable reviews (six responders). Smart feeders and home scales were perceived as valuable additions, while activity monitors and pet treat cameras were valued lower. The average weekly weight-loss rate (percent loss of initial body weight) was higher (P = 0.036) in the technology group (0.694%) than in the traditional group (0.175%). Although not associated with weight-loss rates, technology group cats trended toward grazing feeding patterns and decreased daily activity counts, while HRQoL increased, on average, for all cats. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: This introductory investigation suggests that a technology-enhanced weight-loss program would be accepted by cat owners and may deliver advantageous outcomes in multiple-cat households, providing an effective and practical tool in feline weight-loss strategies that will continue to evolve as new technologies become available. It also illustrates the potential value of data gathered from home monitoring devices and digital diaries, providing deeper insights into pet behavior.

Accuracy of Two Point-of-Care Tests for Rapid Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis at Animal Level using Non-Invasive Specimens.

Bovine tuberculosis (BTB) testing in cattle requires a significant investment of time, equipment, and labor. Novel, rapid, cheaper and accurate methods are needed. The Alere Determine TB lipoarabinomannan antigen (LAM-test) is a World Health Organization-endorsed point-of-care urine test designed to detect active TB disease in humans. The Lionex Animal TB Rapid Test (Lionex-test) is a novel animal specific TB diagnostic blood test. An animal level analysis was performed using urine (n = 141) and milk (n = 63) samples from depopulated BTB-suspected cattle to test the accuracy of the LAM-test when compared to results of positive TB detection by any routine BTB tests (BOVIGAM, necropsy, histology, culture, PCR) that are regularly performed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). The agreement between the urine LAM-test and USDA standard tests were poor at varying testing time points. The same milk samples did not elicit statistically significant agreement with the Lionex-test, although positive trends were present. Hence, we cannot recommend the LAM-test as a valid BTB diagnostic test in cattle using either urine or milk. The Lionex-test's production of positive trends using milk samples suggests larger sample sizes may validate the Lionex-test in accurately diagnosing BTB in cattle using milk samples, potentially providing a quick and reliable field test for BTB.

Diagnosis of Lobesia botrana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) Using Real-Time PCR.

A real-time PCR assay is reported for identification of Lobesia botrana (Denis and Schiffermüller) collected in California. This assay multiplexes two independent TaqMan probe systems in a single reaction tube to reduce handling time and sample exposure to environmental contaminants. One probe system targets a segment of DNA located in the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) that is present in the L. botrana genome but absent in native North American Tortricidae. The second probe system serves as a control for DNA quality by targeting a segment of the 18S rDNA gene that is conserved in L. botrana and all of the tested nontarget species. The assay successfully diagnosed 70 Lobesia botrana specimens and 95 nontarget specimens. No false-positive or false-negative results were observed supporting its application for identification of this pest in California.

Resolution of inter and intra-species relationships of the West Indian fruit fly Anastrepha obliqua.

The West Indian fruit fly, Anastrepha obliqua (Diptera: Tephritidae), is an economically important pest that inhabits areas of South and Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean with occasional infestations in the southern United States. We examine intra-specific relationships within A. obliqua as well as interspecific relationships to other Anastrepha species using a multi-locus data set comprising nine loci (seven nuclear, two mitochondrial) with 105 operational taxonomic units. The results based on a concatenated set of nuclear loci strongly support the monophyly of A. obliqua and most of the other species previously identified by morphology. A split between Peruvian A. obliqua samples and those from other locations was also identified. These results contrast with prior findings of relationships within A. obliqua based on mitochondrial data, as we found a marked discrepancy between nuclear and mitochondrial loci. These analyses suggest that introgression, particularly between A. obliqua and fraterculus species, may be one explanation for the discrepancy and the high mitochondrial diversity reported for A. obliqua could be the result of incomplete lineage sorting.

A scoping review of evaluated interventions addressing developmental transitions for youth with mental health disorders.

BACKGROUND: Youth with mental health disorders often experience challenges when transitioning into adult roles (e.g. independent living, work and community engagement). Health interventions that address the needs of youth with mental health disorders during these challenges in their development (i.e. developmental transitions) have not been reviewed in the literature. This scoping review examines the peer-reviewed research that describes evaluated interventions addressing developmental transitions for youth with mental health disorders. METHODS: A search of four prominent health literature databases (CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE and PsycINFO) was conducted to identify evaluated developmental transition interventions for adolescents and youth (12-25 years) with mental health disorders. Study selection and analysis were guided by a methodological framework for conducting scoping reviews. Selected studies were described, assessed for quality and collated based on ten dimensions from two notable conceptual frameworks in developmental transitions and disability. RESULTS: Nine studies met the inclusion criteria. The interventions within these studies demonstrated five specialized and four multi-faceted programmes (i.e. multiple domains). All domains from the two conceptual frameworks were represented differently across studies. The sub-domains from these studies were most frequently related to vocational-focused interventions, least frequently related to social activities and living situation and did not explicitly map onto the sexuality sub-domain. Three multi-faceted interventions incorporated all domains and utilized each intervention approach. Study quality was rated for seven of the nine studies. Quantitative methodology for five of the seven studies was rated as higher quality. CONCLUSIONS: Evaluated interventions described in the transitions literature for youth with mental health disorders predominantly focus on vocational needs. The least studied areas were the personal and interpersonal domains. These domains were only incorporated within interventions addressing multiple domains of developmental transitions. These insights can be helpful in guiding evidence-based practice and policy development, as well as informing gaps for future research programmes.

A Multiplex Real-Time PCR Assay for Screening Gypsy Moths (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) in the United States for Evidence of an Asian Genotype.

European gypsy moth populations (Lymantria dispar L.) are well established and a proven destructive force in hardwood trees throughout the United States and Canada. Introduction of the exotic Asian gypsy moth into North America would be even more impactful, as Asian gypsy moth populations have wider host ranges, and are capable of naturally dispersing more rapidly due to female flight ability. To support early detection and exclusion of Asian gypsy moth, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) uses molecular techniques to screen moths trapped in North America for evidence of common Asian genotype. In order to strengthen U.S. domestic capacity to screen moths quickly and efficiently, we report a real-time PCR assay for this pest. A probe system using TaqMan 5' nuclease chemistry is reported for detection of an allele associated with common Asian gypsy moth genotypes. The targeted allele is located at the nuclear FS1 locus currently used by the USDA in conventional PCR tests to screen for evidence of Asian gypsy moth introductions or introgression. The diagnostic probe is successfully multiplexed with a conserved 18S probe system to detect reaction failure due to poor sample quality or quantity. The specificity, sensitivity, and repeatability of the FS1-18S multiplex real-time PCR assay were tested on laboratory-reared and field-collected moths to demonstrate diagnostic utility. Implications of the new assay as a screening tool for evidence of Asian gypsy moth introgression and introduction are discussed.

A multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assay to diagnose Epiphyas postvittana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae).

A molecular assay for diagnosis of light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in North America is reported. The assay multiplexes two TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) probe systems that are designed to target DNA segments of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) and 18S rRNA gene. The RT-PCR probe designed for the 18S target recognizes a DNA sequence conserved in all of the moths included in the study and functions as a control in the assay. The second probe recognizes a segment of the ITS2 specifically found in E. postvittana and not found in the other moths included in the study, i.e., this segment is not conserved. Inclusion of the two markers in a single multiplex reaction did not affect assay performance. The assay was tested against 637 moths representing > 90 taxa in 15 tribes in all three subfamilies in the Tortricidae. The assay generated no false negatives based on analysis of 355 E. postvittana collected from California, Hawaii, England, New Zealand, and Australia. Analysis of a data set including 282 moths representing 41 genera generated no false positives. Only three inconclusive results were generated from the 637 samples. Spike experiments demonstrated that DNA contamination in the assay can affect samples differently. Contaminated samples analyzed with the ITS2 RT-PCR assay and DNA barcode methodology by using the cytochrome oxidase I gene can generate contradictory diagnoses.

Comparison of laboratory colonies and field populations of Tamarixia radiata, an ectoparasitoid of the Asian citrus psyllid, using internal transcribed spacer and cytochrome oxidase subunit I DNA sequences.

The genetic diversity of Tamarixia radiata Waterston (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) laboratory colonies derived from collections in China, northern Vietnam, Pakistan, and a mixed colony from Taiwan and southern Vietnam was evaluated using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region 1, ITS-2, and the 5' end of the cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. The strains share the same ITS sequence, consistent with the morphological hypothesis that the collections represent a single species. The COI marker was variable and could distinguish the northern Vietnam and Pakistan colonies from each other and from the other colonies. Comparison of COI sequences from field-collected populations of Puerto Rico, Guadeloupe, and Texas indicates that Florida is not a likely source of the introduction into Puerto Rico but is a likely source of the introduction into Texas.

Molecular identification of the light brown apple moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in California using a polymerase chain reaction assay of the internal transcribed spacer 2 locus.

A molecular protocol using a hemi-nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of the internal transcribed spacer region 2 (ITS2) is reported for the diagnosis of light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), in California. This protocol distinguishes the light brown apple moth from other moths in California based on size differences of PCR amplicons that are visualized on agarose gels. The molecular diagnostic tool generated no false negatives based on analysis of 337 light brown apple moths collected from California, Hawaii, England, New Zealand, and Australia. Analysis of a data set including 424 moths representing other tortricid species generated correct identification for >95% of the samples and only two false positives. Of the 761 moths tested only fourteen produced no PCR amplicons and five generated inconclusive data.

Molecular evaluation of nominal species in the Ceratitis fasciventris, C. anonae, C. rosa complex (Diptera: Tephritidae).

Ceratitis fasciventris, C. anonae and C. rosa form a complex of economically important fruit fly pests infesting a variety of crops in African countries. Hitherto only adult males of these species can be distinguished easily by morphological characters. Other stages cannot, and for some taxa the taxonomic interpretation and species boundaries remain unclear. In order to clarify phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic status of these species, sequences of mitochondrial (16S, COI, ND6) and nuclear markers (period, ITS1) were analysed in specimens of the three morphospecies throughout the distribution of the complex. Maximum likelihood trees did not recover monophyletic groups corresponding to the morphospecies. Conversely, ND6 and COI divided West African C. fasciventris specimens in two consistent and bootstrap supported clades, involving specimens from Benin and from Mali/Ivory Coast, while the nuclear gene fragments per and ITS1 recovered a well-supported clade corresponding to C. fasciventris from Kenya/Uganda. Hence, the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomic interpretation of the complex appear more intricate than previously hypothesised. The current molecular data do not allow to identify C. fasciventris, C. anonae and C. rosa as distinct phylogenetic species but rather suggest that the morphospecies C. fasciventris is itself a complex of cryptic taxa.

Molecular diagnostics of economically important Ceratitis fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae) in Africa using PCR and RFLP analyses.

The predominantly Afrotropical fruit fly genus Ceratitis contains many species of agricultural importance. Consequently, quarantine of Ceratitis species is a major concern for governmental regulatory agencies. Although diagnostic keys exist for identification of all described Ceratitis species, these tools are based on adult characters. Flies intercepted at ports of entry are usually immatures, and Ceratitis species cannot be diagnosed based on larval morphology. To facilitate identification of Ceratitis pests at ports of entry, this study explores the utility of DNA-based diagnostic tools for a select group of Ceratitis species and related tephritids, some of which infest agriculturally important crops in Africa. The application of the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method to analyse three mitochondrial genes (12S ribosomal RNA, 16S ribosomal RNA, and NADH-dehydrogenase subunit 6) is sufficient to diagnose 25 species and two species clusters. PCR analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region 1 (ITS-1) is able to distinguish three of the five species left unresolved by mitochondrial DNA analysis.

[Diabetes mellitus in elderly: geroprotective and antidiabetic properties of delta-sleep induced peptide]. / Sakharnyi diabet u pozhilykh: geroprotektivnye i protivodiabeticheskie svoistva preparata del'ta-son indutsiruiushchego peptida.

UNLABELLED: Delta-sleep induced peptide (DSIP) has a wide range of positive regulator properties. It is known as antioxidant, immunomodulator, antistressor and other, that important as for diabetes, and for aging mechanisms. Aim of the study was to investigate effects of treatment by DSIP-containing drug "Deltaran" in elderly diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: As the pilot study we examined 11 elderly diabetic patients (mean age 66.3 yr, BMI--28.5 kg/m2, duration of diabetes 12.5 yr). All patients receive 20 doses of DSIP-containing drug "Deltaran" daily. Tests was before and after 60 days after beginning treatment. Blood samples took before and after 60 minutes after standard carbohydrates breakfast. RESULTS: After treatment were observed improvement of the parameters of quality of life on SCAG scale as the impairment of recent memory (p=0.003), mood depression (p=0.019), emotional lability (p=0.002) and anxiety (p=0.000). Also were observed improvement of quality of sleep and felling between meals in treating patients (p=0.010). Another positive tendencies consist of decrease of BP (ns), increase of ABI (ns), increase of pallestesia (p=0.017), decrease of MAU frequency (p=0.011) and decrease of glycaemia levels after load (p=0.033). And also after treatment were observed decrease of basal and reactive levels in blood of growth hormone (p=0.034 and p=0.005 accord.), insulin (ns), cortisol (ns) and on the contrary increase of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels (ns). Main positive change observed in patients received only diabetic diet, where was a decrease of insulin resistance and in patients with latent autoimmune diabetes (type LADA), where was a increase insulin secretion and decrease of daily dose of insulin requiring. CONCLUSIONS: The pilot trial indicate beneficial antidiabetic and geroprotective effects of DSIP-contaning drug "Deltaran" in elderly diabetic patients.

Human squamous cell carcinomas lose a mortality gene from chromosome 6q14.3 to q15.

Normal human keratinocytes possess a finite replicative lifespan. Most advanced squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), however, are immortal, a phenotype that is associated with p53 and INK4A dysfunction, high levels of telomerase and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at several genetic loci, suggestive of the dysfunction of other mortality genes. We show here that human chromosome 6 specifically reduces the proliferation or viability of a human SCC line, BICR31, possessing LOH across the chromosome. This was determined by an 88% reduction in colony yield (P<0.001), following the reintroduction of an intact normal chromosome 6 by monochromosome transfer. Deletion analysis of immortal segregants using polymorphic markers revealed the loss of a 2.9 Mbp interval, centred on marker D6S1045 at 6q14.3-q15, in 6/19 segregants. Crucially, allelic losses of this region were not identified in control hybrids constructed between chromosome 6 and the BICR6 SCC cell line that is heterozygous for chromosome 6 and which showed no reduction in colony formation relative to the control chromosome transfers. This indicates that the minimally deleted region at D6S1045 is not the result of fragile sites, a recombination hot spot, or a feature of the monochromosome transfer technique. LOH of D6S1045 was found in 2/9 immortal SCC lines and was part of a minimally deleted region of line BICR19. Furthermore, allelic imbalance, consistent with LOH, was detected in 3/17 advanced SCCs of the tongue. These results suggest the existence of a suppressor of SCC immortality and tumour development at chromosome 6q14.3-q15, which is important to a subset of human SCCs.

Long-range effects of retroviral insertion on c-myb: overexpression may be obscured by silencing during tumor growth in vitro.

The c-myb oncogene is a frequent target for retroviral activation in hemopoietic tumors of avian and mammalian species. While insertions can target the gene directly, numerous clusters of retroviral insertion sites have been identified which map close to c-myb and outside the transcription unit in T-lymphomas (Ahi-1, fit-1, and Mis-2) and monocytic and myeloid leukemias (Mml1, Mml2, Mml3, and Epi-1). Previous analyses showed no consistent effect of these insertions on c-myb expression, raising the possibility that other nearby genes were the true targets. In contrast, our analysis of four cell lines established from lymphomas bearing insertions at fit-1 (fti-1) (feline leukemia virus) and Ahi-1 (Moloney murine leukemia virus) shows that these display higher expression levels of c-myb RNA and protein compared to a panel of phenotypically similar cell lines lacking such insertions. An interesting feature of the cell lines with long-range c-myb insertions was that each also carried an activated Myc allele. The potential for oncogenic synergy between Myb and Myc in T-cell lymphoma was confirmed in transgenic mice overexpressing alleles of both genes in the T-cell compartment, lending further credence to the case for c-myb as the major target for long-range activation. In contrast, mapping and analysis of c-myb neighboring genes (HBS1 and FLJ20069) showed that the expression of these genes did not correlate well with the presence of proviral insertions. A possible explanation for the paradoxical behavior of c-myb was provided by one of the murine T-lymphoma lines bearing an insertion at Ahi-1 (p/m16i) that reproducibly down-regulated c-myb RNA and protein to very low levels or undetectable levels on prolonged culture. Our observations implicate c-myb as a key target of upstream and downstream retroviral insertions. However, overexpression may become dispensable during outgrowth in vitro, and perhaps during tumor progression in vivo, providing a potential rationale for the previously observed discordance between retroviral insertion and c-myb expression levels.

LEA.135 expression: its comparison with other prognostic biomarkers for patients with primary breast carcinoma.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the prognostic value of expression of luminal epithelial antigen (LEA.135) for recurrence and overall survival of patients with primary invasive breast carcinoma by both univariate and multivariate analyses. The possible prognostic value of LEA.135 was also compared with some widely utilized prognostic biomarkers such as c-erbB 2, topoisomerase II.alpha (TPII.alpha), MIB 1, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR), as well as age of the patients and clinicopathologic parameters. The study was carried out by immunohistochemical methods on formalin-fixed/paraffin-embedded tissue sections in a series of 225 patients with median follow-up of 8.5 years. Prognostic significance of the biomarkers was determined by two-sided p value. In this series of patients, among the age and clinicopathologic parameters, only age, was significantly associated with a decreased overall survival (logrank p = 0.027). Among the prognostic biomarkers, TPII a expression at high (> 50% positive cells) or moderate (6-50% positive cells) level was associated with an increased rate of recurrence (logrank p < 0.001). However, the association of TPII.alpha expression with a decreased overall survival failed to reach a statistically significance. Expression of c-erbB 2 showed a trend of being associated with an increased probability of recurrence, but the association did not reach statistical significance. The remaining biomarkers were not associated with either the probability of recurrence or overall survival. LEA.135 expression was observed in 163 (72.4%) of the 225 patients. The patients with high (> 50% positive cells) or moderate (6-50% positive cells) level of LEA.135-positive cancer cells showed a significantly decreased probability of recurrence (logrank p < 0.001) and an increased overall survival (logrank p < 0.001) compared with those with LEA.135-negative cancer cells. The association remained significant by multivariate analysis for recurrence (likelihood ratio test p < 0.001) and overall survival (likelihood ratio test p < 0.001) when assessed with other prognostic parameters. Furthermore, the combination of LEA.135 with other prognostic biomarkers stratified four subgroups of patients with distinct clinical outcome. The subgroup of patients who were LEA.135+/TPII.alpha- showed the lowest probability of recurrence and the longest overall survival compared with those who were LEA.135-/TPII.alpha+ (logrank p < 0.001). Interestingly, the patients whose cancer cells were LEA.135+/TPII.alpha+, LEA.135+ MIB.1+ or LEA.135+/c-erbB 2+ experienced a decreased probability of recurrence and an increased overall survival compared with those with LEA.135-/TPII.alpha+, LEA.135- MIB.1+ or LEA.135-/c-erbB 2+ (logrank p < 0.001). The results demonstrated that LEA.135 is an independent and favorable prognostic biomarker for patients with primary invasive breast carcinoma, that the loss of LEA.135 expression is associated with aggressive phenotype of cancer cells during the breast cancer progression, and that its continued expression seems to override the adverse effects of expression of an oncogene or cell proliferation-associated molecules.

Use of nickel-titanium rotary files for root canal preparation in primary teeth.

This article reviews the use of nickel-titanium rotary files for root canal instrumentation in primary teeth. The pulpectomy technique is described and the advantages and disadvantages of using rotary files are discussed. Specific recommendations for the selection of materials and devices are made.

The fit-1 common integration locus in human and mouse is closely linked to MYB.

The fit-1 locus was originally identified as a common insertion site for feline leukemia virus (FeLV) in thymic lymphosarcomas induced by FeLV-myc recombinant viruses, suggesting that it harbors a gene that cooperates with Myc in T-cell leukemogenesis. We have previously mapped the fit-1 locus to feline Chromosome (Chr) B2. We have now identified conserved sequences that allow the mapping of the murine homolog using the European Interspecific Backcross (EUCIB). This shows that fit-1 is located on mouse Chr 10, 1cM proximal to Ahi-1, a murine retroviral integration locus that is closely linked to Myb. Moreover, the physical linkage to MYB is maintained in the human genome, as shown by cloning of the human homolog of fit-1 from a Chr 6 cosmid library and a series of overlapping PAC clones. Generation of a contig map around the human homolog of fit-1 reveals that it is approximately 100-kb upstream of MYB. In addition to fit-1 and Ahi-1, two other common insertion sites, Mis-2 and Mml-1, have also been mapped adjacent to Myb on mouse Chr 10. Previous analysis of tumors carrying insertions at fit-1, Mml-1, Mis-2 and Ahi-1 showed no obvious abnormalities in Myb expression. However, the cluster of viral insertion loci in this region suggests either the presence of a closely linked activation target or that subtle effects on Myb have been overlooked.