Susan J. Hazel

Effect of protein intake on plasma and erythrocyte free amino acids and serum IGF-I and IGFBP-1 levels in rats

Amino acid (AA) levels in plasma and erythrocytes (RBC) were determined in rats (n = 29) fed diets with 6, 21, and 35% protein, and their association with insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), insulin, or IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-1 levels was studied. Free AA in plasma and RBC were determined by reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromotography, and IGF-I, IGFBP-1, and insulin plasma levels were determined by RIA. Rats fed the low-protein (6%) diet were growth-retarded and had lower serum IGF-I levels and higher serum IGFBP-1 levels than the other two groups (P < 0.0001). In rats fed the low-protein diet, most of the nonessential AA (NEAA) in both plasma and RBC increased, whereas the essential AA (EAA), with the exception of threonine, decreased. When the groups were combined, both RBC and plasma EAA-to-NEAA ratios were positively correlated to IGF-I (r = 0.76 and 0.80, respectively; P < 0.0001) and inversely correlated to IGFBP-1 levels (r = -0.67, P < 0.001 and r = -0.78, P < 0.0001, respectively). A significant inverse correlation was found between RBC glutamate and IGF-I (r = -0.85, P < 0.0001, n = 25) and insulin (r = -0.72, P < 0.001, n = 21), and a positive correlation was found for IGFBP-1 (r = 0.78, P < 0.0001, n = 24). In multiple regression analysis, only IGF-I remained as an independent variable. Threonine was the only EAA with a significant inverse correlation to insulin (r = -0.66, P < 0.001). We hypothesize that AA metabolism is associated to changes in IGF-I, insulin, and IGFBP-1 levels in rats on different protein intakes.

Animal-Assisted Interventions in Children's Hospitals: A Critical Review of the Literature

ABSTRACT There is a perception in the scientific and general communities that hospitalized children benefit from visits by animals. Animal-assisted interventions (AAI), including animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities, usually involving dogs, are thus employed in pediatric hospitals. However, the actual prevalence of AAI in childrens hospitals has been poorly documented in the literature. Furthermore, the evidence base for claims that children in hospital benefit from AAI is limited. There are nine existing research studies in the area, all with methodological challenges that make conclusive statements in either direction about the efficacy of AAI difficult. In this critical review we consider methodological considerations pertinent to evaluations of AAI interventions for hospitalized children. These include: definitions and terminology; cultural attitudes; childrens receptivity to animals, including phobia, type of illness and health status of the child, familiar as opposed to unknown animals, and age of the child; animal welfare; zoonoses and allergies; and hospital staff attitudes toward AAI. We highlight the many difficulties involved in conducting research on AAI in pediatric settings. Given the limited information around AAI for hospitalized children, including the risks and benefits and the limitations of existing studies, future research is required. This should take into account the methodological considerations discussed in this review, so that our knowledge base can be enhanced and if and where appropriate, such interventions be implemented and rigorously evaluated.

Team-based learning increases active engagement and enhances development of teamwork and communication skills in a first-year course for veterinary and animal science undergraduates.

Team-based learning (TBL) was implemented into a first-year course (Principles in Animal Behaviour, Welfare and Ethics) for BSc Veterinary Bioscience (VB) and Animal Science (AS) students. TBL is now used widely in teaching medical students, but has had more limited uptake in veterinary education. This study reports its use over 2 years with cohorts of 126 and 138 students in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Average individual marks for multiple-choice question (MCQ) tests in the Readiness Assurance component of TBL were higher for the teams than for individuals for each session, explicitly demonstrating the advantages of teamwork. Students reported that they felt actively involved and that TBL helped them both with their learning and in developing other important skills, such as teamwork and communication. Qualitative analysis of written feedback from the students revealed positive themes of discussion, application, revelation, socializing, engagement, clarification, and retention/revision. In 2011 negative comments included the need to shorten the TBL sessions, but in 2012 tightening of the timelines meant that this was no longer a major concern. Requests to provide better introductory and background materials and ambiguity in questions in the TBL activities were what students least liked about the TBL. However, most comments were positive rather than negative in nature, and many students preferred the TBL to lectures. With requirements for curricula to teach professional skills, such as communication and teamwork, and the positive results from TBLs implementation, it is hoped that this study will encourage others to trial the use of TBL in veterinary education.

Programming the brain: common outcomes and gaps in knowledge from animal studies of IUGR

IUGR in humans is associated with impaired pre- and postnatal neurodevelopment, and subsequent postnatal cognition, resulting in lower IQ, poorer memory, visuomotor and executive function skills, as well as behavioural and attentional problems. Experimental models of IUGR are needed to allow direct testing of causality and interventions, and have benefits in reducing both confounding by comorbidities such as prematurity, and variation due to environment and genetics. This review describes and discusses experimental models of IUGR in which neurodevelopmental and cognitive outcomes of IUGR have been reported. We consider the timing of neurodevelopment relative to birth and to the period of restriction, as well as the effects of each experimental perturbation on the fetal environment and development, before discussing neurodevelopmental and cognitive outcomes for progeny as fetuses, neonates and into adolescent and adult life. Experimental IUGR induces broadly similar outcomes to human IUGR, with altered brain morphology, in particular grey matter loss and discordant trajectory of white matter development, and poorer cognition and memory reported in various studies. Nevertheless, there remain gaps in knowledge of neurodevelopment in experimental models. We end the review with recommendations for the design of future studies to further investigate the mechanisms underlying adverse neurodevelopmental consequences of IUGR, and to evaluate interventions that may subsequently improve outcomes of IUGR in humans.

The Experience of Being a Guide Dog Puppy Raiser Volunteer: A Longitudinal Qualitative Collective Case Study

Simple Summary Guide dogs are important service animals. They cannot be trained without the input of volunteer puppy raisers, who serve as custodians for the animals for around 12 months. To date very little research has considered the experience of being a guide dog puppy raiser, including the costs and benefits to psychological, physical and social health. In this study one litter of puppies and their raisers were followed from before the animal arrived until one year had passed. Overall, less positive experiences were reported than more negative ones. This has implications for the organisations that seek volunteers to raise service animals. Abstract There are no published studies that consider the experiences of guide dog puppy raisers. As these people are volunteers, their continued willingness to participate in the training of dogs for assisting the vision impaired and blind is essential for the viability of guide dog schools around the world. Using a qualitative, longitudinal methodology, data were collected from nine guide dog puppy raisers at four time points: before receiving the puppy, one week, then three months after the puppy arrived, and 13 months after the puppy arrived (at which time all puppies had left the raisers). Participants reported more challenges than benefits in raising the puppies. Volunteering to be a guide dog puppy raiser may not be the pleasant experience that is anticipated when community members first offer their services. Understanding what it is like to be a puppy raiser and working towards ways in which to address problems is essential, given that, without volunteers to train and care for puppies, vision impaired and blind people would not have access to guide dogs.

Do I turn left or right? Effects of sex, age, experience and exit route on maze test performance in sheep

Brain development and function are susceptible to perturbation by environmental factors. Sheep are increasingly being used as a neurodevelopmental model due to timing similarities with humans, but effects of age, experience and sex on cognition are not well characterised in this species. We therefore studied memory and reversal learning in sheep using a modified Y-maze at two ages: naive 18 weeks old (18N: 23 male, 17 female), experienced 40 week old sheep that had previously been tested at 18 weeks (40E: 22 male, 17 female), and naive 40 weeks old (40N: 4 male, 10 female). Younger naive animals (18N) required more trials and time to solve the first reversal task (task R1) than 40E (P=0.007 and P<0.001 respectively). Experience also improved outcomes, with 40N sheep requiring more time to solve tasks L (P=0.034) and R1 (P=0.002) than 40E. Increasing age (40N cf. 18N) decreased bleat frequency in tasks R1, M2 and R2 (each P<0.05). In 40N females, outcomes also differed by exit method in task R1, with those that exited via an indirect route taking less time to pass tasks R1 (P=0.009) and R2 (P=0.015) than those that used a direct route. Age plus experience improved learning outcomes, demonstrating knowledge retention for 22 weeks in this species, whilst age alone affected mostly behavioral responses. These results provide comparison data, and can be utilised to improve experimental design, for studies of neurodevelopment in the sheep.

Surgical Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation via Energy Ablation

Case presentation, patient 1: Permanent atrial fibrillation with mitral incompetence requiring a mechanical prosthesis . A 57-year-old man underwent mitral valve repair for myxomatous mitral valve disease 10 years ago. During the past 3 years, he has been in permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) and has been taking warfarin for anticoagulation. He has had moderate residual mitral valve incompetence that has progressed to severe incompetence with associated left ventricular dilatation requiring further mitral surgery. Should intraoperative ablation also be performed to treat the AF? Case presentation, patient 2: Symptomatic idiopathic intermittent AF . A 48-year-old man presented with a 3-year-long history of intermittent AF. During each AF episode, he was not able to work; otherwise, he was in good health and had no other cardiac disease. During the past 12 months, he has twice undergone cardioversion to relieve AF that persisted for >7 days. His rate control with pharmacological therapy was variable but generally satisfactory. Antiarrhythmic drugs (sotalol, amiodarone, and flecainide) were tried unsuccessfully for control of the AF burden. Percutaneous catheter ablation of the pulmonary vein orifices was tried on 2 separate occasions, and the patient experienced freedom from AF for 3 weeks after each procedure before the AF returned. Case presentation, patient 3: Symptomatic intermittent AF due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy . A 39-year-old woman presented to the emergency department in pulmonary edema associated with AF, with a ventricular response of 140 bpm. Pharmacological rate control was successful, but she remained in congestive cardiac failure. Echocardiography revealed hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. She underwent cardioversion to sinus rhythm, and further echocardiography demonstrated an outflow tract gradient of 50 mm Hg. She was maintained on β-blocker therapy but re-presented on multiple occasions in AF and congestive heart failure, prompting monthly cardioversion. Catheter-based mapping and pulmonary vein isolation were unsuccessful. AF is the most frequently …

Chickens Are a Lot Smarter than I Originally Thought: Changes in Student Attitudes to Chickens Following a Chicken Training Class.

Simple Summary Our attitudes to animals are linked to our beliefs about their cognitive abilities, such as intelligence and capacity to experience emotional states. In this study, undergraduate students were surveyed on their attitudes to chickens pre- and post- a practical class in which they learnt to clicker train chickens. Students were more likely to agree that chickens are intelligent and easy to teach tricks to, and that chickens feel emotions such as boredom, frustration and happiness, following the practical class. Similar workshops may be an effective method to improve animal training skills, and promote more positive attitudes to specific animal species. Abstract A practical class using clicker training of chickens to apply knowledge of how animals learn and practice skills in animal training was added to an undergraduate course. Since attitudes to animals are related to their perceived intelligence, surveys of student attitudes were completed pre- and post- the practical class, to determine if (1) the practical class changed students’ attitudes to chickens and their ability to experience affective states, and (2) any changes were related to previous contact with chickens, training experience or gender. In the post- versus pre-surveys, students agreed more that chickens are easy to teach tricks to, are intelligent, and have individual personalities and disagreed more that they are difficult to train and are slow learners. Following the class, they were more likely to believe chickens experience boredom, frustration and happiness. Females rated the intelligence and ability to experience affective states in chickens more highly than males, although there were shifts in attitude in both genders. This study demonstrated shifts in attitudes following a practical class teaching clicker training in chickens. Similar practical classes may provide an effective method of teaching animal training skills and promoting more positive attitudes to animals.

Placental and fetal growth restriction, size at birth and neonatal growth alter cognitive function and behaviour in sheep in an age- and sex-specific manner.

Intrauterine growth restriction and slow neonatal growth in humans are each associated with poorer learning, memory and cognitive flexibility in childhood and adulthood. The relative contributions of pre- and post-natal growth to cognitive outcomes are unclear, however. We therefore compared performance in learning, memory and reversal tasks using a modified Y-maze at 18 and 40 weeks of age in offspring of placentally-restricted (PR: 10 M, 13 F) and control (23 M, 17 F) ovine pregnancies. We also investigated relationships between size at birth, neonatal growth rates and cognitive outcomes. PR had limited effects on cognitive outcomes, with PR males requiring more trials to solve the initial learning task than controls (P=0.037) but faster completion of reversal tasks in both sexes at 18 weeks of age. In males, neonatal growth rate correlated inversely with numbers of trials and total time required to solve memory tasks at 40 weeks of age. In females, bleat frequency in the first reversal task at 18 weeks of age correlated positively with birth weight (r=0.734, P<0.05) and neonatal growth rate (r=0.563, P<0.05). We conclude that PR induces limited effects on cognitive outcomes in sheep, with some evidence of impaired learning in males, but little effect on memory or cognitive flexibility in either sex. Rapid neonatal growth predicted improved memory task performance in males, suggesting that strategies to optimize neonatal growth may have long-term cognitive benefits but that these may be sex-specific.

The First Shared Online Curriculum Resources for Veterinary Undergraduate Learning and Teaching in Animal Welfare and Ethics in Australia and New Zealand

Simple Summary There is a need for teaching Animal Welfare and Ethics in veterinary schools and we are developing online resources to meet this need. In this paper we describe how we prioritized the development of these resources by polling experts in the field. Abstract The need for undergraduate teaching of Animal Welfare and Ethics (AWE) in Australian and New Zealand veterinary courses reflects increasing community concerns and expectations about AWE; global pressures regarding food security and sustainability; the demands of veterinary accreditation; and fears that, unless students encounter AWE as part of their formal education, as veterinarians they will be relatively unaware of the discipline of animal welfare science. To address this need we are developing online resources to ensure Australian and New Zealand veterinary graduates have the knowledge, and the research, communication and critical reasoning skills, to fulfill the AWE role demanded of them by contemporary society. To prioritize development of these resources we assembled leaders in the field of AWE education from the eight veterinary schools in Australia and New Zealand and used modified deliberative polling. This paper describes the role of the poll in developing the first shared online curriculum resource for veterinary undergraduate learning and teaching in AWE in Australia and New Zealand. The learning and teaching strategies that ranked highest in the exercise were: scenario-based learning; a quality of animal life assessment tool; the so-called ‘Human Continuum’ discussion platform; and a negotiated curriculum.