Reflective based learning for nursing ethical competency during clinical practices.

BACKGROUND: A combination of theoretical and practical approaches is required to learn and acquire ethical competencies in caring. Occasionally, reflection on practical action differs from theoretical learning. In the context of reflective learning, issues such as ethical values can be discussed since they evoke conflict among nursing students. AIM: To identify ethical conflicts encountered by nursing students during clinical placements and to determine their cooperation strategies. RESEARCH DESIGN: Qualitative study with a content analysis according to Elo and Kinglas framework. PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT: Students enrolled in a nursing program at a Spanish university aged between 22 and 35, mainly women. METHODOLOGY: The study includes 134 ethical reflections from nursing students in the last year of the nursing program, written during their clinical practices in a variety of learning environments. The research team analyzed the reflections using an inductive content analysis method. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: Ethical permission was obtained by the management center according to Law 3/2028, and all the participants accepted to participate through the informed consent form. FINDINGS: Three main categories emerged from the analysis of the ethical reflections: (1) evaluation of professional performance and patient care; (2) the student as the protagonist of the dilemma; (3) student coping. Student dilemmas and concerns are related to ignorance, student-patient communication, mistakes made and self-confidence. Some situations conflict with the autonomy of patients and their rights, and can contribute to stressful situations for patients. Stress factors include hospital routines, which the patient cannot modify, and asymmetric relationships with staff, which encourage passivity. CONCLUSION: All ethical problems detected by the students begin with the professional-patient relationship, including issues related to bad news, errors or malpractice. Reflection on the ethical values of nursing, both in the classroom and in clinical practices, allows students to develop a greater ethical awareness of care, enhancing their decision-making skills in ethical dilemmas.

Cutaneous concentrations of 7-dehydrocholesterol in Hoffmann's two-toed sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni) in managed care.

Hoffmann's two-toed sloths (Choloepus hoffmanni) are unique animals popular in zoological settings. The role of vitamin D in the maintenance of calcium homeostasis in this species is unexplored, although disorders of calcium homeostasis have been reported in managed sloths, including urolithiasis and soft tissue mineralization. This study assessed cutaneous concentrations of 7-dehydrocholesterol (7-DHC) in nine indoor-housed Hoffmann's two-toed sloths, as a means of evaluating the potential for cutaneous photobiosynthesis of vitamin D3 . Samples were obtained from both abdominal and lumbar regions of the skin to assess for regional variation in 7-DHC concentration. The average concentration of 7-DHC in the sloth skin was low (0.197 ± 0.02 nmol/cm2 ). Location had a significant effect on 7-DHC level only when concentrations were expressed based on the wet weight of the sample (ng/g), but levels were similar when values were normalized to biopsy surface area (nmol/cm2 ).

Cell free circulating tumor DNA in cerebrospinal fluid detects and monitors central nervous system involvement of B-cell lymphomas.

The levels of cell free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in plasma correlated with treatment response and outcome in systemic lymphomas. Notably, in brain tumors, the levels of ctDNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are higher than in plasma. Nevertheless, their role in central nervous system (CNS) lymphomas remains elusive. We evaluated the CSF and plasma from 19 patients: 6 restricted CNS lymphomas, 1 systemic and CNS lymphoma, and 12 systemic lymphomas. We performed whole exome sequencing or targeted sequencing to identify somatic mutations of the primary tumor, then variant-specific droplet digital PCR was designed for each mutation. At time of enrolment, we found ctDNA in the CSF of all patients with restricted CNS lymphoma but not in patients with systemic lymphoma without CNS involvement. Conversely, plasma ctDNA was detected in only 2/6 patients with restricted CNS lymphoma with lower variant allele frequencies than CSF ctDNA. Moreover, we detected CSF ctDNA in 1 patient with CNS lymphoma in complete remission and in 1 patient with systemic lymphoma, 3 and 8 months before CNS relapse was confirmed; indicating CSF ctDNA might detect CNS relapse earlier than conventional methods. Finally, in 2 cases with CNS lymphoma, CSF ctDNA was still detected after treatment even though a complete decrease in CSF tumor cells was observed by flow cytometry (FC), indicating CSF ctDNA better detected residual disease than FC. In conclusion, CSF ctDNA can better detect CNS lesions than plasma ctDNA and FC. In addition, CSF ctDNA predicted CNS relapse in CNS and systemic lymphomas.

Dendritic cells inclusion and cell-subset assessment improve flow-cytometry-based proliferation test in non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions.

BACKGROUND: Lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) has been widely used to evaluate non-immediate drug hypersensitivity reactions (NIDHRs). However, the lack of standardization and the low sensitivity have limited its routine diagnostic use. The drug presentation by dendritic cells (DCs) and the assessment of proliferation on effector cells have shown promising results. Flow-cytometry-based methods can help apply these improvements. We aimed to assess the added value of using drug-primed-DCs and the determination of the proliferative response of different lymphocyte subpopulations in NIDHRs. METHODS: Patients with confirmed NIDHR were evaluated by both conventional (C-LTT) and with drug-primed-DCs LTT (dDC-LTT)analysing the proliferative response in T cells and other effector cell subpopulations by using the fluorescent molecule, carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFSE). RESULTS: The C-LTT showed a significantly lower sensitivity (29.4%) compared with dDC-LTT (61.8%), which was confirmed analysing each particular clinical entity: SJS-TEN (62.5% vs 87.5%), MPE (15% vs 47.4%) and AGEP (33% vs 80%). When including the effector cell subpopulations involved in each clinical entity, CD3+ +CD4+ Th 1 or CD3+ +NK cells in SJS-TEN, CD3+ +CD4+ Th 1+NK cells in MPE and CD3+ +NK cells in AGEP, we could significantly increase the sensitivity of the in vitro test to 100%, 68.4% and 100%, respectively, with an overall sensitivity of 87% and 85% of specificity in NIDHR. CONCLUSIONS: The use of a flow-cytometry-based test, DCs as drug presenting cells, and focusing on effector cell subpopulations for each clinical entity significantly improved the drug-specific proliferative response in NIDHRs with a unique cellular in vitro test.

DENTAL DISEASES AND OTHER ORAL PATHOLOGIES OF CAPTIVE JAGUARS (PANTHERA ONCA) FROM BELIZE, CENTRAL AMERICA.

Dental and oral diseases are prevalent in many mammalian species including wild felids. Determining the dental and oral health status of captive animal populations can help establish preventive and therapeutic strategies, leading to improved welfare and conservation efforts. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of periodontal disease, endodontic disease, tooth resorption, and other clinically relevant dental and maxillofacial abnormalities in a population of captive jaguars (Panthera onca) using clinical, radiographic, and histopathological findings. Fifteen jaguars, ranging from young adult to geriatric, kept at a private zoo in Belize, Central America, had a detailed oral examination under general anesthesia between January 2015 and March 2019. Periodontitis was present in 3.8% (16/423) of examined teeth and 53.8% (7/13) of jaguars that underwent periodontal probing. Endodontic disease secondary to dentoalveolar trauma was found in 21.0% (89/423) of teeth in 73.3% (11/15) of animals. Tooth resorption, which has not been previously documented in jaguars, affected 1.4% (6/423) of teeth in 13.3% (2/15) of jaguars. Other abnormalities included metallic foreign material (gunshot) identified radiographically in 33.3% (5/15) of jaguars and nontraumatizing malocclusion in 9.1% (1/11) of jaguars that had occlusion evaluated. Much of the oral pathology identified in captive jaguars is suspected to arise from capture and/or captivity-associated behaviors, as suggested by gunshot around the oral cavity, fractures of rostral teeth (canine and incisor teeth), and abrasions consistent with cage-biting on canine teeth. Anesthetized oral examination-including full-mouth intraoral radiographs, periodontal probing, and charting-is recommended for jaguars with clinical signs of oral pain, as well as for routine systemic evaluation.

Repolarization of tumor infiltrating macrophages and increased survival in mouse primary CNS lymphomas after XPO1 and BTK inhibition.

BACKGROUND: Patients diagnosed with primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) often face dismal outcomes due to the limited availability of therapeutic options. PCNSL cells frequently have deregulated B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling, but clinical responses to its inhibition using ibrutinib have been brief. In this regard, blocking nuclear export by using selinexor, which covalently binds to XPO1, can also inhibit BCR signaling. Selinexor crosses the blood-brain barrier and was recently shown to have clinical activity in a patient with refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the CNS. We studied selinexor alone or in combination with ibrutinib in pre-clinical mouse models of PCNSL. METHODS: Orthotopic xenograft models were established by injecting lymphoma cells into the brain parenchyma of athymic mice. Tumor growth was monitored by bioluminescence. Malignant cells and macrophages were studied by immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. RESULTS: Selinexor blocked tumor growth and prolonged survival in a bioluminescent mouse model, while its combination with ibrutinib further increased survival. CNS lymphoma in mice was infiltrated by tumor-promoting M2-like macrophages expressing PD-1 and SIRPα. Interestingly, treatment with selinexor and ibrutinib favored an anti-tumoral immune response by shifting polarization toward inflammatory M1-like and diminishing PD-1 and SIRPα expression in the remaining tumor-promoting M2-like macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: These data highlight the pathogenic role of the innate immune microenvironment in PCNSL and provide pre-clinical evidence for the development of selinexor and ibrutinib as a new promising therapeutic option with cytotoxic and immunomodulatory potential.

Assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the Clinical Frailty Scale through correlation with a frailty index.

BACKGROUND: Care for the elderly patient is a challenge that geriatricians now share with other medical specialties. Frailty has emerged as a key concept. Due to its simplicity and applicability, the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) is gaining increasing acceptance. AIM: Compare the CFS with the Frail-VIG index (IF-VIG), an index based on the accumulation of deficits and developed on the basis of comprehensive geriatric assessment. METHODS: Cross-sectional and single-center study carried out at the Acute Geriatric Unit of a University Hospital. Patients consecutively recruited on admission over a 6-month period (n = 184). The concurrent validity of the CFS was measured by assessing the concordance between the two measurement methods. The degree of association was determined by applying a linear regression model, calculating the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). RESULTS: The prevalence of frailty was 91.8%. A mean IF-VIG score of 0.41 (SD ± 0.14) was found. The two most frequently recorded CFS categories were 6 and 7. An effective correlation was established (r = 0.706, p < 0.001). In the cohort with severe dementia, the association fell (r = 0.442). In the whole population, it rose adding Charlson index score (r = 0.747). CONCLUSIONS: The strong correlation of the CFS with a frailty index supports its use. Incorporating comorbidity into the physical function domains of the CFS improved the correlation. However, the CFS was unsuitable in patients with dementia. To infer prognosis, in categories 6 and 7, the situational diagnosis should be extended with more discriminative tools.

Emotions and feelings in critical and emergency caring situations: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Moral emotions are a key element of our human morals. Emotions play an important role in the caring process. Decision-making and assessment in emergency situations are complex and they frequently result in different emotions and feelings among health-care professionals. METHODS: The study had qualitative deductive design based on content analysis. Individual interviews and focus groups were conducted with sixteen participants. RESULTS: The emerging category "emotions and feelings in caring" has been analysed according to Haidt, considering that moral emotions include the subcategories of "Condemning emotions", "Self-conscious emotions", "Suffering emotions" and "Praising emotions". Within these subcategories, we found that the feelings that nurses experienced when ethical conflicts arose in emergency situations were related to caring and decisions associated with it, even when they had experienced situations in which they believed they could have helped the patient differently, but the conditions at the time did not permit it and they felt that the ethical conflicts in clinical practice created a large degree of anxiety and moral stress. The nurses felt that caring, as seen from a nursing perspective, has a sensitive dimension that goes beyond the patient's own healing and, when this dimension is in conflict with the environment, it has a dehumanising effect. Positive feelings and satisfaction are created when nurses feel that care has met its objectives and that there has been an appropriate response to the needs. CONCLUSIONS: Moral emotions can help nurses to recognise situations that allow them to promote changes in the care of patients in extreme situations. They can also be the starting point for personal and professional growth and an evolution towards person-centred care.

Nurses' emotions on care relationship: A qualitative study.

AIMS: To describe nurses' experiences regarding the care relationship built with medical-surgical patients in acute hospitalization units and the association with their clinical practice. BACKGROUND: Nurses' commitment to care and their relationships as well are the core of quality of care. Nurses consider that the emotional commitment is essential to the profession, thus accepting to be exposed to emotional distress. METHODS: In-depth interviews were conducted to explore the experience of 23 nurses from seven Spanish hospitals. Taped interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to inductive content analysis. RESULTS: Six subcategories emerged from the data analysis: Fulfilling experiences, Feeling the pain of others, Emotional distress, Stepping back, Seeking professional support, and Evolution of emotions, which were combined in two main categories: Nurses' emotions and Nurses' coping strategies. Patient's suffering, work environment and interprofessional relations influence the care relationship. CONCLUSIONS: Positive and negative emotions emerge spontaneously in professional relationships of experienced nurses. Lack of time and high workloads are factors that hinder the nurse-patient relationship. This care relationship is often the reason that fulfils them. Despite their level of expertise and having coping strategies, these are not always effective and, sometimes, nurses need professional help. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurses will continue performing their job with commitment; therefore, nursing managers should take care of their staff and pay attention to the emotional competence related to patients' relationships. Promoting self-care and a good working environment could improve their coping mechanisms.

The effectiveness of a digital shared decision-making tool in hormonal contraception during clinical assessment: study protocol of a randomized controlled trial in Spain.

BACKGROUND: Decision-making tools represent a paradigm shift in the relationship between the clinician and the user/patient. Some of their advantages include patient commitment, the promotion of preferences and values, and increased treatment adherence. This study protocol aims to assess the effectiveness of a decision-making tool in contraception (SHARECONTRACEPT) concerning: a) Improvement in counselling on hormonal contraception at the medical consultation, measured in terms of decreasing decisional conflict and improving knowledge of available contraceptive options; b) Improvement in adherence to treatment measured in terms of: persistence in the chosen treatment, compliance with dose or procedure of use, and ability to deal with incidents related to the use of the contraceptive method; and decreasing unwanted pregnancies and voluntary interruption of pregnancy. The SHARECONTRACEPT tool, developed by previous phases of this project, is available at: http://decisionscompartides.gencat.cat/en/decidir-sobre/anticoncepcio_hormonal/ METHODS/DESIGN: A longitudinal, prospective-type, randomized, controlled community clinical trial, carried out in the clinical contraceptive counselling units of 6 autonomous regions in Spain, with an experimental group and a control group. Description of the intervention: The health professionals participating will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups. Clinicians assigned to the experimental group will perform contraceptive counselling assisted by SHARECONTRACEPT, and those of the control group will follow the conventional contraceptive counselling provided in their clinical unit. It is planned to study 1708 users (control group n = 854 and intervention group n = 854), recruited from women who attend the consultations of the health professionals. The selected users will be followed up for one year. The data will be collected through ad-hoc questionnaires, and validated instruments for measuring decisional conflict and adherence to treatment. DISCUSSION: The results of this study protocol will offer evidence of the effectiveness of a shared decision-making tool, SHARECONTRACEPT, which may prove a useful tool for users and professionals to promote adherence to contraceptive methods. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinical Register number ISRCTN5827994 . Date: 15/04/2019 (Retrospectively registered).

SURGICAL ANATOMY OF CELIOTOMY APPROACHES TO THE STOMACH IN THE COMMON SNAPPING TURTLE (CHELYDRA SERPENTINA).

Entanglement in or ingestion of fishing gear is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in chelonians. Commercial and recreational fishing activities exert bycatch pressures sufficient to cause population declines in the common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) and the alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys spp.). Gastrotomy for the removal of fish hook foreign bodies from the stomach of freshwater turtles typically requires a plastron osteotomy but in sea turtles has been successfully accomplished via soft tissue approaches. This study compared the anatomy and feasibility of soft tissue surgical approaches to the stomach in the common snapping turtle in both the prefemoral and the axillary regions. Anatomical dissections were performed on cadavers of five adult common snapping turtles, and the surgical anatomy of the left axillary and left prefemoral regions was characterized. The left axillary approach required extensive transection of musculature and provided poor exposure of the coelomic cavity and stomach. In contrast, the left prefemoral approach was simple to perform and provided sufficient access to the stomach for gastrotomy. The prefemoral celiotomy has significant advantages over the axillary celiotomy in the common snapping turtle and should be considered the surgical approach of choice for gastrotomy in this species.

The emotion: A crucial component in the care of critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: The acquisition of experience is a major concern for nurses in intensive care units. Although the emotional component of the clinical practice of these nurses has been widely studied, greater examination is required to determine how this component influences their learning and practical experience. OBJECTIVE: To discover the relationships between emotion, memory and learning and the impacts on nursing clinical practice. RESEARCH DESIGN: This is a qualitative phenomenological study. The data were collected from open, in-depth interviews. A total of 22 intensive care unit nurses participated in this research between January 2012 and December 2014. Ethical considerations: The School of Nursing Ethics Committee approved the study, which complied with ethical principles and required informed consent. FINDINGS: We found a clear relationship between emotion, memory and the acquisition of experience. This relationship grouped three dimensions: (1) satisfaction, to relieve the patient's pain or discomfort, give confidence and a sense of security to the patient, enable the presence of family members into the intensive care unit and provide family members with a realistic view of the patient's situation; (2) error experience, which nurses feel when a patient dies, when they fail to accompany a patient in his or her decision to abandon the struggle to live or when they fail to lend support to the patient's family; and (3) the feel bad-feel good paradox, which occurs when a mistake in the patient's care or handling of his or her family is repaired. CONCLUSION: Emotion is a capacity that impacts on nurses' experience and influences improvements in clinical practice. Recalling stories of satisfaction helps to reinforce good practice, while recalling stories of errors helps to identify difficulties in the profession and recognise new forms of action. The articulation of emotional competencies may support the development of nursing ethics in the intensive care unit to protect and defend their patients and improve their relationships with families in order to maximise the potential for patient care.

Pharmacokinetics of Extended-release Buprenorphine and Clinical Efficacy for Postoperative Pain Management in the Domestic Ferret (Mustela putorius furo).

Buprenorphine hydrochloride (Bup-HCl) is a common injectable opioid analgesic. In ferrets, Bup-HCl must be administered every 8 to 12 h to maintain clinical efficacy. Extended-release analgesics offer multiple advantages, including reduced handling and injection frequency, improved compliance, and increased protection from end-of-dose failure. Although efficacy of extended-release buprenorphine formulations has been demonstrated in other species, their use in the domestic ferret has not been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the pharmacokinetics of a compounded polymeric formulation of buprenorphine (Bup-ER) and a pharmaceutical-grade, FDA-indexed liposomal suspension (Bup-XR). Two doses each of Bup-ER (0.12 and 0.2 mg/kg) and Bup-XR (0.2 and 0.6 mg/kg SC) were administered to young adult female ferrets and plasma concentrations were measured between 0 and 96 h (n = 4 animals per timepoint). All doses of both drugs achieved therapeutic plasma levels by 30 min. Furthermore, high-dose Bup-XR maintained therapeutic levels for 72 h, followed by high-dose Bup-ER (less than 48 h), low-dose Bup-XR (24 h), and low-dose Bup-ER (less than 24 h). In this study, we also developed a pain scoring system and utilized this to compare analgesic efficacy between single high-dose Bup-XR (0.6 mg/kg SC) and a standard postoperative course of Bup-HCl (0.02 mg/kg SC every 10 to 12 h for 8 doses) after ovariohysterectomy. Ferrets receiving Bup-XR had significantly lower respiratory rate and posture scores in the first 24 h postoperatively than did those that received Bup-HCl and were less likely to react to palpation of the surgical incision. Of note, ferrets that received high-dose Bup-ER had a significantly higher incidence of injection site reactions than ferrets that received Bup-HCl (P = 0.0137). This study demonstrates that a single dose of Bup-XR (0.6 mg/kg SC) is a safe and effective analgesic in female ferrets, with a duration of action up to 72 h and minimal side effects, offering a refinement to analgesia in this species.

The buoyancy of cryptococcal cells and its implications for transport and persistence of Cryptococcus in aqueous environments.

Cryptococcus is a genus of saprophytic fungi with global distribution. Two species complexes, C. neoformans and C. gattii, pose health risks to humans and animals. Cryptococcal infections result from inhalation of aerosolized spores and/or desiccated yeasts from terrestrial reservoirs such as soil, trees, and avian guano. More recently, C. gattii has been implicated in infections in marine mammals, suggesting that inhalation of liquid droplets or aerosols from the air-water interface is also an important, yet understudied, mode of respiratory exposure. Water transport has also been suggested to play a role in the spread of C. gattii from tropical to temperate environments. However, the dynamics of fungal survival, persistence, and transport via water have not been fully studied. The size of the cryptococcal capsule was previously shown to reduce cell density and increase buoyancy. Here, we demonstrate that cell buoyancy is also impacted by the salinity of the media in which cells are suspended, with formation of a halocline interface significantly slowing the rate of settling of cryptococcal cells through water, resulting in persistence of C. neoformans within 1 cm of the air-water interface for over 60 min and C. gattii for 4-6 h. Our data also showed that during culture in yeast peptone dextrose media (YPD), polysaccharide accumulating in the supernatant formed a raft that augmented buoyancy and further slowed settling of cryptococcal cells. These findings illustrate new mechanisms by which cryptococcal cells may persist in aquatic environments, with important implications for aqueous transport and pathogen exposure.

Experiences of nursing students in A peer mentoring program during their clinical practices. A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical placements allow nursing students to develop the skills and attitudes necessary to provide care. Peer mentoring programmes seem to facilitate these achievements, but there are very few studies on the effects of peer mentoring on clinical placements and what it can bring to both mentors and mentees. AIM: To describe the perspectives of nursing students on a peer mentoring programme during their clinical placements. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive and exploratory study. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: First year and third year nursing students were included. METHODS: Focus groups were conducted with students after they participated in a peer mentoring programme during their clinical practice rotation. RESULTS: The support received from the student mentors was very important both academically and personally. Mentors also acknowledged having improved their teaching and leadership skills. CONCLUSIONS: Our results can be applied to future studies to inform peer mentoring programmes as a complementary teaching tool in clinical placements to improve leadership and empowerment in nursing students.

Corrigendum: Internet-based survey evaluating the impact of ground substrate on injury and performance in canine agility athletes.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.1025331.].

Erratum: Comparison of Cardiovascular Pathology in Animal Models of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Recommendations Regarding Standardization of Research Methods.

This corrects the article DOI: 10.30802/AALAS-CM-22-000095
In the original article entitled "Comparison of CardiovascularPathology in Animal Models of SARS-CoV-2 Infection:Recommendations Regarding Standardization of ResearchMethods," published in Vol 73, Issue 1 (February 2023),the grant information appearing in the Acknowledgmentssection should read: We acknowledge training supportfrom the National Institutes of Health (T32 OD011089) forIAJ and SM.

Comparison of Cardiovascular Pathology In Animal Models of SARS-CoV-2 Infection: Recommendations Regarding Standardization of Research Methods.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) emerged as the viral pathogen that led to the global COVID-19 pandemic that began in late 2019. Because SARS-CoV-2 primarily causes a respiratory disease, much research conducted to date has focused on the respiratory system. However, SARS-CoV-2 infection also affects other organ systems, including the cardiovascular system. In this critical analysis of published data, we evaluate the evidence of cardiovascular pathology in human patients and animals. Overall, we find that the presence or absence of cardiovascular pathology is reported infrequently in both human autopsy studies and animal models of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Moreover, in those studies that have reported cardiovascular pathology, we identified issues in their design and execution that reduce confidence in the conclusions regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection as a cause of significant cardiovascular pathology. Throughout this overview, we expand on these limitations and provide recommendations to ensure a high level of scientific rigor and reproducibility.

Behavioral Evaluation of Laboratory-housed Ferrets (Mustela Putorius Furo) in Different Enclosure Sizes.

The domestic ferret (Mustela putorius furo) is a common research model for infectious disease and behavioral studies. Ferrets are social animals that are commonly pair-housed. The United States has no species-specific regulatory standards for housing ferrets. Optimal enclosure dimensions have also not been investigated in this species, and cage sizes reported in the literature vary. Adequate space is an important animal welfare consideration, as smaller cages have been linked to increased incidence of stress- or boredom-related behaviors in some species. Here, we evaluated activity budget and space utilization in 2 different enclosure sizes for pair-housed female ferrets (n = 12). Single cages measured 78.7×78.7×45.7cm; double cages were comprised of 2 single cages connected by a short tunnel measuring 17.8 cm. Three pairs of ferrets were housed in each cage size and continuous video recordings were captured for 2 wk prior to crossover to the other cage size. The overall activity budget was similar between groups, with the predominant behavior being inactivity (89%). Stereotypic behaviors, such as cage biting or escape attempts, were infrequent (<0.1%) in both groups. Ferrets in double cages remained in the same cage as their partner 96% of the time, suggesting that social support is very valuable. Our results suggest that ferrets in both cage sizes experienced satisfactory welfare conditions. Our findings also suggest that while cage size is not the only determinant of conspecific aggression, larger cages may be an effective intervention to ameliorate aggression in certain ferrets based on signalment or behavioral history, with particular utility as a potential alternative to re-pairing or single-housing. This study provides valuable information to guide animal care and use programs regarding appropriate ferret housing.

Neonatal metabolic acidosis caused by food proteininduced enterocolitis syndrome: a case report. / Acidosis metabólica neonatal por síndrome de enterocolitis inducido por proteína de alimentos: reporte de caso.

Food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome (FPIES) is a non-IgE mediated allergic reaction with gastrointestinal symptoms, such as vomiting and diarrhea. FPIES diagnosis is based on clinical criteria and on a food challenge test. It is an unknown disease in neonatal units due to its nonspecific symptoms in newborn infants. An elevated methemoglobin level is a simple way to approach diagnosis. Here we describe a clinical case of a newborn admitted to the emergency department because of dehydration, lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, severe metabolic acidosis, and a high methemoglobin level. Clinical improvement and complete recovery was achieved after initiation of elemental formula. The diagnostic suspicion was confirmed after a positive challenge test.

El síndrome de enterocolitis inducido por proteínas de los alimentos (FPIES, por su sigla en inglés) es una reacción alérgica no mediada por inmunoglobulina E (IgE) con síntomas gastrointestinales, como vómitos y diarrea. El diagnóstico se basa en criterios clínicos y en una prueba de provocación para confirmarlo. Es una enfermedad desconocida en las unidades neonatales, debido a la inespecificidad de los síntomas en los recién nacidos. La cifra de metahemoglobina elevada es una opción sencilla de aproximación diagnóstica. Se describe el caso clínico de un recién nacido que ingresa al servicio de urgencias por deshidratación, letargia, vómitos, diarrea y acidosis metabólica grave con elevación de metahemoglobina, con mejora clínica y recuperación total tras el inicio del aporte de fórmula elemental. La sospecha diagnóstica se confirmó tras la prueba de provocación positiva.