Retrospective Broiler Health Survey: Scope, Parameters, and Overall Trends.

A retrospective analysis encompassing 18 yr (1999-2016) of broiler chicken health surveys from broiler production complexes throughout the United States was conducted to identify trends and areas of opportunity. The analysis used necropsy data from 19,577 broiler chickens considered to be "healthy" or "clinically normal" by visual assessment. The very low incidence of dehydrated (0.01%) or undersized (0.02%) broilers is evidence that the objective of examining "healthy" birds was achieved. The results of the correlation analysis were what was expected for "healthy" broilers, with these birds having positive correlations with skin color and size of the bursa of Fabricius. The average age of broilers included in this analysis ranged from 26.2 days in 2008 to 33.7 days in 2013. The percentage of "normal" broilers (those without visible lesions or abnormalities) varied from 5.63% in 2012 to 28.33% in 1999. The results of this study identified four areas of opportunity for improving poultry health: 1) coccidiosis, 2) oral lesions and gizzard erosions, 3) retained yolks, and 4) pododermatitis.

Encuesta retrospectiva sobre la salud de los pollos de engorde: alcance, parámetros y tendencias generales. Se realizó un análisis retrospectivo que abarcó 18 años (1999-2016) de encuestas de salud de pollo de engorde de complejos de producción en los Estados Unidos para identificar tendencias y áreas de oportunidad. El análisis utilizó datos de necropsia de 19,577 pollos de engorde considerados "saludables" o "clínicamente normales" mediante evaluación visual. La incidencia muy baja de pollos de engorde deshidratados (0.01%) o de tamaño pequeño (0.02%) es evidencia de que se logró el objetivo de examinar aves "sanas". Los resultados del análisis de correlación fueron los esperados para pollos de engorde "sanos", ya que estas aves tuvieron correlaciones positivas con el color de la piel y el tamaño de la bolsa de Fabricio. La edad promedio de los pollos de engorde incluidos en este análisis osciló entre 26.2 días en 2008 y 33.7 días en 2013. El porcentaje de pollos de engorde "normales" (aquellos sin lesiones o anomalías visibles) varió del 5.63% en 2012 al 28.33% en 1999. Los resultados de este estudio identificaron cuatro áreas de oportunidad para mejorar la salud de las aves: 1) coccidiosis, 2) lesiones orales y erosiones de la molleja, 3) retención de saco vitelino y 4) pododermatitis.

Animal drug shortages limit veterinary therapeutic options and introduce artifacts in antimicrobial sales reporting.

Supply chain issues disrupt veterinary care and cause downstream consequences that alter the practice of veterinary medicine. Antimicrobials are just 1 class of pharmaceuticals that have been impacted by supply chain issues over the last couple of years. Since February 2021, 2 sponsors/manufacturers of penicillin products have reported shortages in the active pharmaceutical ingredient. With the release of the 2021 Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals by the FDA, a key finding was a 19% decrease in penicillin sales and distribution from 2020 to 2021. Herein, we provide our clinicians' professional perspective regarding how drug shortages, specifically that of penicillin, might contribute to misconstrued patterns in antimicrobial use and what can be done by veterinarians and the FDA to minimize the impact of an antimicrobial drug shortage on animal health and well-being.

Particle Tracking and Micromixing Performance Characterization with a Mobile Device.

Strategies to stir and mix reagents in microfluid devices have evolved concomitantly with advancements in manufacturing techniques and sensing. While there is a large array of reported designs to combine and homogenize liquids, most of the characterization has been focused on setups with two inlets and one outlet. While this configuration is helpful to directly evaluate the effects of features and parameters on the mixing degree, it does not portray the conditions for experiments that involve more than two substances required to be subsequently combined. In this work, we present a mixing characterization methodology based on particle tracking as an alternative to the most common approach to measure homogeneity using the standard deviation of pixel intensities from a grayscale image. The proposed algorithm is implemented on a free and open-source mobile application (MIQUOD) for Android devices, numerically tested on COMSOL Multiphysics, and experimentally tested on a bidimensional split and recombine micromixer and a three-dimensional micromixer with sinusoidal grooves for different Reynolds numbers and geometrical features for samples with fluids seeded with red, blue, and green microparticles. The application uses concentration field data and particle track data to evaluate up to eleven performance metrics. Furthermore, with the insights from the experimental and numerical data, a mixing index for particles (mp) is proposed to characterize mixing performance for scenarios with multiple input reagents.

The use of Anticoccidial Sensitivity Tests (ASTs) by the Poultry Industry.

Anticoccidial drug resistance in coccidia has been known since the 1960s, and experimental selection for resistance in the laboratory has been done for most available products. However, routine testing for sensitivity in field isolates has only begun in recent years. Poultry producers are faced with greater challenges because of consumer preferences for 'antibiotic-free' products and a lack of new products for disease control. The classification of some of our most effective anticoccidials as 'antibiotics' has severely limited their use, causing us to rely on older products that are prone to resistance development. The interaction between coccidiosis and other diseases such as necrotic enteritis places more importance on routine testing for drug sensitivity. In this review, we have summarized the use of the anticoccidial sensitivity test (AST) as it is conducted and interpreted by poultry health specialists.

Estudio recapitulativo- El uso de pruebas de susceptibilidad para anticoccidianos (ASTs) en la industria avícola. La resistencia a los fármacos anticoccidianos se ha reconocido desde los años 1960s y la selección experimental para resistencia en el laboratorio se ha demostrado para la mayoría de los productos disponibles. Sin embargo, las pruebas rutinarias de susceptibilidad a los agentes anticoccidianos con aislamientos de campo solo se han generalizado en los últimos años. Los productores avícolas enfrentan desafíos mayores debido a la preferencia de los consumidores por productos "libres de antibióticos" y la falta de nuevos productos para el control de enfermedades. La clasificación como "antibióticos" de algunos de los anticoccidianos más efectivos ha limitado su uso enormemente, causando la dependencia de anticoccidianos más antiguos que en general tienen una mayor predisposición al desarrollo de resistencia. La interacción entre la coccidiosis y otras enfermedades como la enteritis necrótica dan mayor relevancia a las pruebas rutinarias de susceptibilidad a los fármacos anticoccidianos. En esta revisión, hemos resumido el uso de la prueba de susceptibilidad a los anticoccidianos (AST) tal y como es realizada e interpretada por los especialistas en la salud aviar.

Characterization of Soft Tooling Photopolymers and Processes for Micromixing Devices with Variable Cross-Section.

In this paper, we characterized an assortment of photopolymers and stereolithography processes to produce 3D-printed molds and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) castings of micromixing devices. Once materials and processes were screened, the validation of the soft tooling approach in microfluidic devices was carried out through a case study. An asymmetric split-and-recombine device with different cross-sections was manufactured and tested under different regime conditions (10 < Re < 70). Mixing performances between 3% and 96% were obtained depending on the flow regime and the pitch-to-depth ratio. The study shows that 3D-printed soft tooling can provide other benefits such as multiple cross-sections and other potential layouts on a single mold.

The AVMA's definitions of antimicrobial uses for prevention, control, and treatment of disease.

Recent state and federal legislative actions and current recommendations from the World Health Organization seem to suggest that, when it comes to antimicrobial stewardship, use of antimicrobials for prevention, control, or treatment of disease can be ranked in order of appropriateness, which in turn has led, in some instances, to attempts to limit or specifically oppose the routine use of medically important antimicrobials for prevention of disease. In contrast, the AVMA Committee on Antimicrobials believes that attempts to evaluate the degree of antimicrobial stewardship on the basis of therapeutic intent are misguided and that use of antimicrobials for prevention, control, or treatment of disease may comply with the principles of antimicrobial stewardship. It is important that veterinarians and animal caretakers are clear about the reason they may be administering antimicrobials to animals in their care. Concise definitions of prevention, control, and treatment of individuals and populations are necessary to avoid confusion and to help veterinarians clearly communicate their intentions when prescribing or recommending antimicrobial use.

[Diphallia: a case report]. / Difalia: reporte de un caso.

BACKGROUND: The diphallia is a rare anatomic abnormality that occurs in 1 of 5 million births. The etiology is unknown and its appearance varies from a small accessory penis to complete duplication and it is associated with other urogenital, gastrointestinal, cardiac and musculoskeletal congenital malformations. Several classifications have been designed according to the anatomical characteristics and their study is complemented by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. Treatment should be early and individualized in order to achieve a satisfactory aesthetic and functional result. CLINICAL CASE: We report the incidental finding of diphallia without other anatomical malformations associated in an adult of 83 years old who was hospitalized and died of severe head trauma. CONCLUSION: The case presented is relevant for the infrequency of this alteration, the absence of other anatomical malformations associated and the age at which it was detected.

Introducción: la difalia es una alteración anatómica poco frecuente que se presenta en uno de cada cinco millones de nacimientos. Su etiología se desconoce y su apariencia varía desde un pene accesorio pequeño hasta la duplicación completa y se asocia con otras malformaciones congénitas urogenitales, gastrointestinales, cardiacas y musculoesqueléticas. Se han diseñado varias clasificaciones de acuerdo con las características anatómicas y el estudio de esta alteración se complementa con ecografía e imagen de resonancia magnética. El tratamiento debe ser temprano y se individualiza con el objetivo de lograr un resultado estético y funcional que sea satisfactorio. Caso clínico: reportamos el hallazgo incidental de difalia, sin otras malformaciones anatómicas asociadas, en un adulto de 83 años que fue hospitalizado y falleció por traumatismo craneoencefálico severo. Conclusión: el caso que presentamos es relevante por lo poco frecuente de esta alteración, la ausencia de otras malformaciones anatómicas asociadas y la edad a la que se detectó.