Preliminary report of histopathology associated with infection with tongue worms in Australian dogs and cattle.

Tongue worms utilise herbivorous mammals as intermediate hosts and reside in the nasopharynx of carnivores as their definitive hosts. A recent study in south eastern Australia showed an unexpectedly high infection (67%) of wild dogs with these parasites. The present study aimed at determining the pathogenicity of the parasite in both definitive (dog) and intermediate (cattle) hosts by histopathology. The definitive host showed multifocal haemorrhage of the interstitium of the nasal mucosa, multifocal mucosal erosion, congestion and haemorrhage, with haemosiderin laden macrophages present in those foci and distortion and destruction of the nasal mucosa. Histopathologic examination of lymph nodes from an infected cow showed diffuse eosinophilic granulomatous necrotising lymphadenitis and perinodal panniculitis with intralesional parasitic remnants and comparatively large numbers of eosinophils. A large, ~300-500 µm diameter, area of necrosis was also observed in one lymph node. This is the first time a study has been undertaken in Australia to determine the pathogenicity of tongue worms in both their definitive and intermediate hosts. This is a preliminary study and to properly estimate the health impact of infection with this pathogenic parasites on Australian production and companion animals more studies are necessary.

Parenting styles and practices in children's obesogenic behaviors: scientific gaps and future research directions.

Given the emerging global childhood obesity epidemic and the specter of a generation of children who will have a shorter life expectancy than that of their parents, recent research has focused on factors that influence children's weight status and obesogenic behaviors (i.e., eating, physical activity, and screen media use). Parents act as primary socializing agents for children, and thus growing evidence supports the role of parenting styles and practices in children's obesity-related behaviors and weight. Studying these processes in children and adolescents is important for several reasons. First, diet and physical activity behaviors and weight status track from childhood and adolescence into adulthood. Furthermore, diet and physical activity behaviors and weight status confer significant risk for cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic diseases. The purpose of this article is to describe the scientific gaps that need to be addressed to develop a more informed literature on parenting styles and practices in the domains of weight status and obesogenic behaviors, as identified by an expert panel assembled by the National Cancer Institute.