HEMATOLOGIC AND PLASMA BIOCHEMICAL VALUES OF CINEREOUS VULTURE (AEGYPIUS MONACHUS).

The aim of this study was to establish hematologic and plasma biochemical reference intervals for clinically healthy cinereous vultures ( Aegypius monachus ) in a rehabilitation setting before release. Animals used in this study were cinereous vultures hospitalized in a wildlife center located in the province of Gyeongsangnam-do, the Republic of Korea. Blood samples were collected from 31 cinereous vultures before their release between 2011 and 2014 at the Gyeongnam Wildlife Center. Complete blood count and plasma biochemical analyses were performed within 2 hr of the blood sampling. Reference intervals were calculated from the 10th to the 90th percentile, together with the mean, SD, and lowest and highest observed values. The results of this study may be useful in evaluating the physical condition and clinical monitoring of cinereous vultures in captivity before release and contribute to the determination of reference ranges for healthy cinereous vultures.

LAPAROSCOPIC OVARIECTOMY IN THE ASIATIC BLACK BEAR (URSUS THIBETANUS) WITH THE USE OF THE SONICISION™ DEVICE.

Laparoscopic ovariectomy was performed in two Asiatic black bears ( Ursus thibetanus ). Bears were placed in a 20° Trendelenburg position on a surgical table. A three-portal technique was used. A camera port was established 10 cm caudal to the umbilicus with a 5-mm cannula. Two instrument ports were made 1 cm caudal to the umbilicus with a 5-mm cannula and 8 cm caudal to the camera port with a 12-mm cannula, respectively. The suspensory ligament, ovarian vasculature, and uterine horn tip were progressively dissected following coagulation with the Sonicision™ cordless ultrasonic dissection device. The resected ovary was exteriorized through the 12-mm instrument portal site but enlarged to a 2-cm incision length. The abdominal musculature, subcutaneous tissue, and skin of the portal sites were closed separately. Total surgical time was 113 min (Bear A) and 49 min (Bear B), and no postoperative complications were encountered. This is the first report of laparoscopic ovariectomy in the Asiatic black bear.

Unilateral laparoscopic ovariectomy in a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) with an ovarian cyst.

Unilateral laparoscopic ovariectomy was attempted in a red fox (Vulpes vulpes) with an ovarian cyst through single portal access. The ovarian cyst was resistant to conservative therapy using gonadotropin-releasing hormone. A 10-mm laparoscope with an operating channel was introduced into the abdomen via a 12-mm umbilical portal. The left ovary and cyst (34.1 x 30.8 mm) were fixed to the left abdominal wall by a transabdominal suspension suture. The ovarian pedicles and ligaments were progressively cauterized and transected with a multifunction bipolar electrocoagulation forceps. The resected cystic ovary was exteriorized through the umbilical portal site. The surgical time was 42 min, and no intra- and postoperative complications were encountered. Two months after the surgery mating was observed, and the fox gave birth to three healthy cubs 56 days after the mating. This is the first report of using laparoscopy in the red fox with an ovarian cyst.

The increasing healthcare burden of enteric fever in a low-incidence setting.

OBJECTIVES: Enteric fever carries appreciable morbidity in non-endemic settings, particularly in returned travelers. This study aimed to characterize the healthcare burden of enteric fever in a low-incidence setting and to identify risk factors and opportunities for preventative interventions. METHODS: Analysis of a retrospective case series from a tertiary pediatric center (2015-2019), augmented by public health notification and microbiological laboratory data (2018-2019), from Western Sydney, Australia, a region with frequent travel links to South Asia. RESULTS: Eighty-nine (89) patients were diagnosed with enteric fever, including 43 children with complete demographic and travel data. Enteric fever cases increased over time (by 4.9 % per year) and incidence was three times higher in the pediatric population (<15 years old) compared to adults. Travel to India and visiting friends and relatives (VFR) travel were risk factors. Few children received enteric fever vaccination prior to travel, as pre-travel advice most commonly was not sought. CONCLUSIONS: Children visiting relatives in high-incidence countries are increasingly at risk for enteric fever, particularly when travelling to South Asia. Targeted health advice to travelers visiting friends and relatives is warranted to mitigate the healthcare burden of enteric fever in low-incidence settings.

Evaluation of diagnostic medical exposure in Republic of Korea.

National statistical data for diagnostic radiation exposure in Republic of Korea were collected from four public institutes and government agencies during the period 2006-2013. The data were pooled, reclassified and analysed. A total of 1574 million exposures occurred during the study period. To evaluate the effective diagnostic radiation exposure dose, the dose conversion factors developed by the Korea Food and Drug Administration were applied. The number of diagnostic radiation exposures was 197 million per year. The collective effective dose averaged 64 043 man Sv y(-1), and the annual per caput effective dose averaged 1.27 mSv. The annual per caput effective dose in 2013 was 1.54 mSv compared with 0.89 mSv in 2006, a marked increase of 73.9 % over the study period. These research data, compiled from reliable sources within the public health system of Republic of Korea, demonstrate a trend of increasing diagnostic radiation exposure and provide valuable information for further research.

Screen-printed calcium-birnessite electrodes for water oxidation at neutral pH and an "electrochemical harriman series".

A mild screen-printing method was developed to coat conductive oxide surfaces (here: fluorine-doped tin oxide) with micrometer-thick layers of presynthesized calcium manganese oxide (Ca-birnessite) particles. After optimization steps concerning the printing process and layer thickness, electrodes were obtained that could be used as corrosion-stable water-oxidizing anodes at pH 7 to yield current densities of 1 mA cm(-2) at an overpotential of less than 500 mV. Analyses of the electrode coatings of optimal thickness (≈10 µm) indicated that composition, oxide phase, and morphology of the synthetic Ca-birnessite particles were hardly affected by the screen-printing procedure. However, a more detailed analysis by X-ray absorption spectroscopy revealed small modifications of both the Mn redox state and the structure at the atomic level, which could affect functional properties such as proton conductivity. Furthermore, the versatile new screen-printing method was used for a comparative study of various transition-metal oxides concerning electrochemical water oxidation under "artificial leaf conditions" (neutral pH, fairly low overpotential and current density), for which a general activity ranking of RuO2 >Co3 O4 ≈(Ca)MnOx ≈NiO was observed. Within the group of screened manganese oxides, Ca-birnessite performed better than "Mn-only materials" such as Mn2 O3 and MnO2 .

Laparoscopic nephrectomy in dogs: an initial experience of 16 experimental procedures.

Left laparoscopic nephrectomy was performed in 16 dogs to describe the surgical techniques and initial experiences associated with operation time and surgery complications. The renal vein and artery were occluded by three ligating clips, respectively, and the ureter was sectioned after ligation with ligating clips at the level of the iliac vessels. A morcellation technique was used to remove the kidney from the abdominal cavity after placing it into a specimen retrieval bag. Total operation time and time spent for each different surgical stage in the first five operations were compared with those in the last five of the 16 operations. The factors that affected the differences of total operation time were examined, including sex, bodyweight, number of operations, incision length, and surgical stages. Six intra-operative complications occurred including splenic hemorrhage (3 cases), torn specimen retrieval bag during kidney morcellation (1 case), and subcutaneous emphysema (2 cases). Surgical time for laparoscopic nephrectomy was affected primarily by the time spent for renal vascular pedicle section and could be decreased as the number of cases increased. Thus, laparoscopic nephrectomy using ligating clips and morcellation for kidney removal could be considered where nephrectomy is indicated in dogs.

Differences between vocalization evoked by social stimuli in feral cats and house cats.

To investigate how socialization can affect the types and characteristics of vocalization produced by cats, feral cats (n=25) and house cats (n=13) were used as subjects, allowing a comparison between cats socialized to people and non-socialized cats. To record vocalization and assess the cats' responses to behavioural stimuli, five test situations were used: approach by a familiar caretaker, by a threatening stranger, by a large doll, by a stranger with a dog and by a stranger with a cat. Feral cats showed extremely aggressive and defensive behaviour in most test situations, and produced higher call rates than those of house cats in the test situations, which could be attributed to less socialization to other animals and to more sensitivity to fearful situations. Differences were observed in the acoustic parameters of feral cats in comparison to those of house cats. The feral cat produced significantly higher frequency in fundamental frequency, peak frequency, 1st quartile frequency, 3rd quartile frequency of growls and hisses in agonistic test situations. In contrast to the growls and hisses, in meow, all acoustic parameters like fundamental frequency, first formant, peak frequency, 1st quartile frequency, and 3rd quartile frequency of house cats were of significantly higher frequency than those of feral cats. Also, house cats produced calls of significantly shorter in duration than feral cats in agonistic test situations. These results support the conclusion that a lack of socialization may affect usage of types of vocalizations, and the vocal characteristics, so that the proper socialization of cat may be essential to be a suitable companion house cat.