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Background: Cholesterol loaded macrophage foam cells are a prominent feature of atherosclerotic plaques. Single-cell RNA sequencing has identified foam cells as TREM2 (triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2) positive populations with low expression of inflammatory genes, resembling the TREM2 positive microglia of neurodegenerative diseases. Cholesterol loading of macrophages in vitro results in activation of LXR (liver X receptor) transcription factors and suppression of inflammatory genes. Methods: To test the hypothesis that LXRs mediate anti-inflammatory effects in Trem2 expressing atherosclerotic plaque foam cells, we performed RNA profiling on plaque cells from hypercholesterolemic mice with myeloid LXR deficiency. Results: Myeloid LXR deficiency led to a dramatic increase in atherosclerosis with increased monocyte entry, foam cell formation, and plaque inflammation. Bulk cell-RNA profiling of plaque myeloid cells showed prominent upregulation of inflammatory mediators including oxidative, chemokine, and chemotactic genes. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed increased numbers of foamy TREM2-expressing macrophages; however, these cells had reduced expression of the Trem2 gene expression module, including phagocytic and cholesterol efflux genes, and had switched to a proinflammatory and proliferative phenotype. Expression of Trem2 was suppressed by inflammatory signals but not directly affected by LXR activation in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Conclusions: Our current studies reveal the key role of macrophage LXRs in promoting the Trem2 gene expression program and in suppressing inflammation in foam cells of atherosclerotic plaques.

Context The type of forage offered to horses varies in physical form, moisture content and nutrient quality, and these variables could affect the intake, passage rate and digestibility of the forage consumed. Aims To investigate the changes in passage rate of digesta through the gastrointestinal tract in horses fed four different forage-based diets (diet effect). Methods Thoroughbred mares (n = 6) were stabled in loose boxes for 6 weeks. During Weeks 1, 3 and 5 (washout periods), all horses were fed freshly cut pasture, either in restricted quantities (Week 1) or ad libitum (Weeks 3 and 5). Using a 3 × 3 Latin square design during Weeks 2, 4 and 6, each pair of horses was abruptly transitioned to one of three conserved forage-based diets (chopped ensiled forage fed exclusively or with oats, or perennial ryegrass hay with oats) fed ad libitum. At the beginning of each week, indigestible polyethylene markers (n = 200) were administered to the horses via a nasogastric tube, followed immediately by transition to the new diet. Key results There was a significant diet effect on the daily dry-matter intake of feed (P < 0.0001), percentage of time spent eating (P < 0.001), frequency of voiding faeces (P < 0.05) and quantity of faeces voided (P < 0.0001). There was a significant horse effect on the daily dry-matter intake of feed (P < 0.0001) and quantity of faeces voided (P < 0.0001), but no differences in the percentage of time spent eating or the frequency of voiding faeces. There were significant diet and horse effects on the time to recovery of the first marker in the faeces (P < 0.01 and P < 0.01 respectively) and the mean retention time of markers in the gastrointestinal tract (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001 respectively). Mean retention time was negatively correlated with feed intake and quantity of faeces voided (r2 = –0.51 and r2 = –0.64 respectively). Conclusions Longer mean retention time was associated with a greater fibre content in the diet and a restricted feed supply, thus supporting the hypothesis that horses alter mean retention time on the basis of a nutrient absorption optimisation model. Implications Feed composition, but also the quantities offered, may alter measurement of apparent feed digestibility in horses.

The aim of this review is to summarise the available literature on the effects of consuming raw, red meat diets on the gastrointestinal microbiome of the cat and dog. In recent years, feeding raw meat diets to cats and dogs has increased, in part associated with trends in human nutrition for "natural" and "species-appropriate" diets. These diets range from home-prepared unprocessed, nutritionally incomplete diets to complete and balanced diets with sterilisation steps in their manufacturing process. Feeding some formats of raw meat diets has been associated with nutritional inadequacies and zoonotic transfer of pathogens. The feeding of raw meat diets has been shown to alter the gastrointestinal microbiome of the cat and dog, increasing the relative abundances of bacteria associated with protein and fat utilisation, including members of the genera Fusobacterium and Clostridium. While in humans, these genera are more commonly known for members that are associated with disease, they are a diverse group that also contains harmless commensals that are a normal component of the gastrointestinal microbiota. Moreover, members of these genera are known to produce butyrate from protein and amino acid fermentation and contribute to intestinal homeostasis in raw meat-fed dogs and cats. Currently, only a limited number of studies have examined the impacts of raw meat diets on the cat and dog microbiota, with many of these being descriptive. Additional controlled and systems-based studies are required to functionally characterise the roles of key microbial groups in the metabolism of raw meat diets, and determine their impacts on the health and nutrition of the host.

Using robotic capsules for assessing gut health has been an emerging field since the early 2000s with researchers attempting to perform diagnosis, monitoring, and therapeutic functions inside the gut. The knowledge of peristaltic forces inside the intestine are crucial for designing the actuation mechanism of robotic capsules, however, the impact of peristalsis on a capsule has not yet been quantified. In this work, an analytical model is presented to study the peristaltic movement of the small intestine. For the first time, finite element simulations were conducted in COMSOL multiphysics to generate intestinal peristaltic forces, and analyze their impact on a robotic capsule. A capsule prototype (30 × $\phi$ 12 mm) was developed to measure the peristaltic forces from living intestinal tissue, while an embedded system was used simultaneously to record the live data from the capsule-intestine interaction. In in vitro experiments, the intestine applied an average axial force of 226 mN and contraction cycles of 9 times/min, while the capsule prototype experienced maximum radial force of 180 mN. A specialized in vitro setup is developed to keep fresh ex vivo intestine samples alive for up to 6 h, while the capsule prototype measured the intestinal forces from the living tissue. This in vitro experimental setup provided an excellent model for the in vivo environment in terms of generating peristaltic movements, hence this force analysis will help in developing efficient prototypes for locomotion, anchoring, localization, biopsy, drug delivery, and sampling mechanisms for robotic capsules.

Clonal haematopoiesis, which is highly prevalent in older individuals, arises from somatic mutations that endow a proliferative advantage to haematopoietic cells. Clonal haematopoiesis increases the risk of myocardial infarction and stroke independently of traditional risk factors1. Among the common genetic variants that give rise to clonal haematopoiesis, the JAK2V617F (JAK2VF) mutation, which increases JAK–STAT signalling, occurs at a younger age and imparts the strongest risk of premature coronary heart disease1,2. Here we show increased proliferation of macrophages and prominent formation of necrotic cores in atherosclerotic lesions in mice that express Jak2VF selectively in macrophages, and in chimeric mice that model clonal haematopoiesis. Deletion of the essential inflammasome components caspase 1 and 11, or of the pyroptosis executioner gasdermin D, reversed these adverse changes. Jak2VF lesions showed increased expression of AIM2, oxidative DNA damage and DNA replication stress, and Aim2 deficiency reduced atherosclerosis. Single-cell RNA sequencing analysis of Jak2VF lesions revealed a landscape that was enriched for inflammatory myeloid cells, which were suppressed by deletion of Gsdmd. Inhibition of the inflammasome product interleukin-1β reduced macrophage proliferation and necrotic formation while increasing the thickness of fibrous caps, indicating that it stabilized plaques. Our findings suggest that increased proliferation and glycolytic metabolism in Jak2VF macrophages lead to DNA replication stress and activation of the AIM2 inflammasome, thereby aggravating atherosclerosis. Precise application of therapies that target interleukin-1β or specific inflammasomes according to clonal haematopoiesis status could substantially reduce cardiovascular risk. Accelerated atherosclerosis in a mouse model of clonal haematopoiesis is prevented by genetic interruption of AIM2 inflammasome activation or by inhibition of interleukin-1β.

Recent studies suggest that human gut microbiota can act as a bio-marker for human health. Also, it can function as a potential tool to understand stress and anxiety. However, the conventional tools have limitations acquiring samples of gut microbiota without contamination. In this work, an untethered robotic capsule prototype is developed that can actively collect the microbiota from the mucosa layer of the small intestine for the first time with the potential to avoid the upstream and downstream contamination. An analytical model for quantifying the peristaltic forces and developing two-way shape memory alloy spring actuator is presented. For the first time, a novel two-way shape memory alloy spring actuator (5 mm x $\phi ~4$ mm) is used to perform the sampling inside the gut. The spring actuator can apply 675 mN force, which is sufficient to perform in vivo sampling. A specialised experimental setup that can keep the freshly dissected intestine alive for 6 hours is utilised to test the robotic capsule. The robotic capsule prototype has collected an average of $200~\mu L$ and $112~\mu L$ sample from living pig duodenal and ileal tissues respectively i.e. in the presence of peristaltic forces. The robotic capsule was also tested on intestine of other species including cow and sheep and collected an average of $160~\mu L$ and $185~\mu L$ of content respectively from the living post-mortem tissues. The collected sample size for all the species is feasible to analyse the microbiota through next generation sequencing techniques. The experimental setup is a reliable proxy to in-vivo behaviour and the robotic capsule experimental result is promising in terms of in situ collection of microbiota.

A computational model of metal–inert-gas arc welding, in which the arc plasma, the wire electrode and the workpiece are included in the computational domain, is used to investigate the macrosegregation of the filler metal (the wire electrode alloy) and the base metal (the workpiece alloy) in the weld pool. The aluminium–silicon alloy AA4043 is used for the wire electrode, and the aluminium–magnesium alloy AA5754 for the workpiece. Detailed thermophysical property data for aluminium–silicon–magnesium alloys are given. Modelling results are presented for lap geometry, including different electrode angles, and for bead-on-plate geometry. It is found that the filler metal is concentrated in the region near the boundary of the fusion zone and the base metal. This concentration occurs because of the convective flow of the filler metal towards this boundary, which is in turn driven by the momentum transferred to the weld pool by the droplets. This mechanism is consistent with one of several macrosegregation mechanisms proposed in the literature based on experimental observations. The macrosegregation in lap welds is predicted to be reduced when the electrode orientation is closer to vertical. Measurements of the concentration of silicon and magnesium in weld cross-sections for bead-on-plate and lap geometry were used to confirm the distribution of filler metal predicted by the model are consistent with experiment.

In modelling and simulation a user performs complex sequences of tasks that are intrinsically linked in the form of networks. Tasks include simpler steps such as copying and transforming files to using mesh generation or visualisation software to create inputs or to analyse outputs. Typically, these sequences involve manual steps which are time expensive, often involve use of multiple, incompatible software tools of various levels of usability, which are usually not well documented, and so create significant challenges for provenance, reproducibility and transfer to other users. These semi-manual workflows also inhibit sharing of capabilities and commercialisation. This paper explores how the adoption of the scientific workflow system Workspace can significantly improve such research and engineering activities by streamlining and automating the workflows involved. Benefits ensue in terms of improved collaboration through the sharing of workflow components, higher productivity, reduced costs and shorter development cycles through the reuse of software components and workflows and a reduction in risk due to improved reproducibility, documentation and provenance. The use of the Workspace platform allows such workflows to be executed via an interactive GUI, in batch mode via the command prompt, or embedded within self-contained applications. These applications can take the form of closed source binaries, web services or ‘software as a service’ applications. This supports significantly improved translation of research prototype software to end users and creates low cost pathways for commercialisation.

BACKGROUND Human gut microbiota can provide lifelong health information and even influence mood and behaviour. We currently lack the tools to obtain a microbial sample, directly from the small intestine, without contamination. METHODS Shape memory alloy springs are used in concentric configuration to develop an axial actuator. A novel design of sampling mechanism is fabricated for collecting the sample from the gut. Storage chamber (500 µl) is used to protect the sample from downstream contamination. RESULTS The developed actuator occupies a small space (5 × O5.75 mm) and produces sufficient output force (1.75 N) to operate the sampling mechanism. A non-invasive capsule robot was tested ex vivo on the animal intestine, and it captured an average of 134 µl content which was sufficient for microbiome assessment. CONCLUSIONS Laboratory testing revealed that the collected sample had an amino acid signature indicative of microbiota, mucus and digesta, which provided a proof of concept for the proposed design.

This paper presents a model-based parameter optimization for simulating a metal-inert gas welding process. The computational model used in this study is based on computational fluid dynamics methods and implemented using the finite volume approach on a 3D computational domain. The wire electrode, the arc plasma and the workpiece are treated as a self-consistent system. Important welding parameters, including arc current, wire feed rate, workpiece thickness, welding speed and geometry, as well as the metal alloy types used for the wire and workpiece, were implemented as adjustable parameters. By tuning these parameters, the performance of the arc welding can be predicted, and different settings can be compared to optimize welding performance. A benchmarking study of the arc model against experimental measurements is presented to demonstrate the model's capabilities in the prediction of the weld pool changes and thermal dynamics involved in the welding process. Two numerical case studies are presented to demonstrate the use of the model-based optimization to quantify welding pool variations with the change in welding parameters. The first case study is the determination of the optimal arc current and welding speed settings for different workpiece thicknesses. The optimization process shows that the predictions are not only in agreement with established experimental welding experience on the direct relationship between workpiece thickness and arc current, but more importantly quantify this relationship for a given workpiece thickness. The second case study focuses on the welding parameters optimization for different metal alloys. The comparison suggests that the welding parameters suitable for some aluminium alloys are less likely to be successful in welding magnesium alloys. A further model validation of Mg alloy AZ31 welding shows an agreement with experimental measurements. The work presented shows the potential of model-based parameter optimization to assist process engineers in the practical improvement of the welding process.

The gastrointestinal microbiome has a range of roles in the host, including the production of beneficial fermentation end products such as butyrate, which are typically associated with fermentation of plant fibres. However, domestic cats are obligate carnivores and do not require carbohydrates. It has been hypothesised that in the wild, collagenous parts of prey-the so-called animal-derived fermentable substrates (ADFS) such as tendons and cartilage-may be fermented by the cat's gastrointestinal microbiome. However, little research has been conducted on ADFS in the domestic cat. Faecal inoculum was obtained from domestic cats either consuming a high carbohydrate (protein:fat:carbohydrate ratio of 35:20:28 (% dry matter basis)) or high protein (protein:fat:carbohydrate ratio of 75:19:1 (% dry matter basis)) diet. ADFS (hydrolysed collagen, cat hair, and cartilage) were used in a series of static in vitro digestions and fermentations. Concentrations of organic acids and ammonia were measured after 24 h of fermentation, and the culture community of microbes was characterised. The type of inoculum used affected the fermentation profile produced by the ADFS. Butyrate concentrations were highest when hydrolysed collagen was fermented with high protein inoculum (

Elevated glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations associated with captivity-related stress have been linked to impaired testicular function and low sperm quality in felids, but direct physiological evidence is lacking. This study assessed the effects of exogenous GC treatment on felid testicular function using the domestic cat (Felis catus) as a model species. Sixteen intact male cats aged 2.4 ± 0.8 years (mean ± SEM) were divided randomly into treatment (n = 8) and control (n = 8) groups. Treatment cats were given 1 mg kg

Accurate and reliable monitoring of ovarian activity is challenging in many felids as current methods are either invasive or not amenable to real-time assessments. This 45-day study assessed whether accelerometry and infrared (IR) thermography can be used to address these limitations. Intact female domestic cats (n = 12) were given 0.088 mg kg

The management of competition horses in New Zealand often involves rotations of short periods of stall confinement and concentrate feeding, with periods of time at pasture. Under these systems, horses may undergo abrupt dietary changes, with the incorporation of grains or concentrate feeds to the diet to meet performance needs, or sudden changes in the type of forage fed in response to a lack of fresh or conserved forage. Abrupt changes in dietary management are a risk factor for gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances, potentially due to the negative effects observed on the population of GI microbiota. In the present study, the faecal microbiota of horses was investigated to determine how quickly the bacterial communities, (1) responded to dietary change, and (2) stabilised following abrupt dietary transition. Six Thoroughbred mares were stabled for six weeks, consuming freshly cut pasture (weeks 1, 3 and 5), before being abruptly transitioned to conserved forage-based diets, both offered ad libitum. Intestinal markers were administered to measure digesta transit time immediately before each diet change. The conserved forage-based diets were fed according to a 3 × 3 Latin square design (weeks 2, 4 and 6), and comprised a chopped ensiled forage fed exclusively (Diet FE) or with whole oats (Diet FE + O), and perennial ryegrass hay fed with whole oats (Diet H + O). Faecal samples were collected at regular intervals from each horse following the diet changes. High throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to evaluate the faecal microbiota. There were significant differences in alpha diversity across diets (p &lt, 0.001), and a significant effect of diet on the beta diversity (ANOSIM, p = 0.001), with clustering of samples observed by diet group. There were differences in the bacterial phyla across diets (p &lt, 0.003), with the highest relative abundances observed for Firmicutes (62–64%) in the two diets containing chopped ensiled forage, Bacteroidetes (32–38%) in the pasture diets, and Spirochaetes (17%) in the diet containing hay. Major changes in relative abundances of faecal bacteria appeared to correspond with the cumulative percentage of intestinal markers retrieved in the faeces as the increasing amounts of digesta from each new diet transited the animals. A stable faecal microbiota profile was observed in the samples from 96 h after abrupt transition to the treatment diets containing ensiled chopped forage. The present study confirmed that the diversity and community structure of the faecal bacteria in horses is diet-specific and resilient following dietary transition and emphasised the need to have modern horse feeding management that reflects the ecological niche, particularly by incorporating large proportions of forage into equine diets.

Objective: HDL (high-density lipoprotein) infusion reduces atherosclerosis in animal models and is being evaluated as a treatment in humans. Studies have shown either anti- or proinflammatory effects of HDL in macrophages, and there is no consensus on the underlying mechanisms. Here, we interrogate the effects of HDL on inflammatory gene expression in macrophages. Approach and Results: We cultured bone marrow–derived macrophages, treated them with reconstituted HDL or HDL isolated from APOA1 Tg ;Ldlr −/− mice, and challenged them with lipopolysaccharide. Transcriptional profiling showed that HDL exerts a broad anti-inflammatory effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced genes and proinflammatory effect in a subset of genes enriched for chemokines. Cholesterol removal by POPC (1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-glycero-3-phosphocholine) liposomes or β-methylcyclodextrin mimicked both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects of HDL, whereas cholesterol loading by POPC/cholesterol-liposomes or acetylated LDL (low-density lipoprotein) before HDL attenuated these effects, indicating that these responses are mediated by cholesterol efflux. While early anti-inflammatory effects reflect reduced TLR (Toll-like receptor) 4 levels, late anti-inflammatory effects are due to reduced IFN (interferon) receptor signaling. Proinflammatory effects occur late and represent a modified endoplasmic reticulum stress response, mediated by IRE1a (inositol-requiring enzyme 1a)/ASK1 (apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1)/p38 MAPK (p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase) signaling, that occurs under conditions of extreme cholesterol depletion. To investigate the effects of HDL on inflammatory gene expression in myeloid cells in atherosclerotic lesions, we injected reconstituted HDL into Apoe −/− or Ldlr −/− mice fed a Western-type diet. Reconstituted HDL infusions produced anti-inflammatory effects in lesion macrophages without any evidence of proinflammatory effects. Conclusions: Reconstituted HDL infusions in hypercholesterolemic atherosclerotic mice produced anti-inflammatory effects in lesion macrophages suggesting a beneficial therapeutic effect of HDL in vivo.

Seasonal variation in the faecal microbiota of forage-fed horses was investigated over a 12-month period to determine whether the bacterial diversity fluctuated over time. Horses (n = 10) were maintained on pasture for one year, with hay supplemented from June to October. At monthly intervals, data were recorded on pasture availability and climate (collected continuously and averaged on monthly basis), pasture and hay samples were collected for nutrient analysis, and faecal samples were collected from all horses to investigate the diversity of faecal microbiota using next-generation sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform. The alpha diversity of bacterial genera was high in all samples (n = 118), with significantly higher Simpson’s (p &lt, 0.001) and Shannon-Wiener (p &lt, 0.001) diversity indices observed during the months when horses were kept exclusively on pasture compared to the months when pasture was supplemented with hay. There were significant effects of diet, season, and month (ANOSIM, p &lt, 0.01 for each comparison) on the beta diversity of bacterial genera identified in the faeces. While there was some inter-horse variation, hierarchical clustering of beta diversity indices showed separate clades originating for samples obtained during May, June, and July (late-autumn to winter period), and January, February, and March (a period of drought), with a strong association between bacterial taxa and specific nutrients (dry matter, protein, and structural carbohydrates) and climate variables (rainfall and temperature). Our study supports the hypothesis that the diversity and community structure of the faecal microbiota of horses kept on pasture varied over a 12-month period, and this variation reflects changes in the nutrient composition of the pasture, which in turn is influenced by climatic conditions. The findings of this study may have implications for grazing management and the preparation of conserved forages for those horses susceptible to perturbations of the hindgut microbiota.

Mendelian randomization (MR) of lipid traits in CAD has provided evidence for causal associations of LDL-C and TGs in CAD, but many lipid trait genetic variants have pleiotropic effects on other cardiovascular risk factors that may bias MR associations. The goal of this study was to evaluate pleiotropic effects of lipid trait genetic variants and to account for these effects in MR of lipid traits in CAD. We performed multivariable MR using inverse variance-weighted and MR-Egger methods in large (n ≥ 300,000) GWAS datasets. We found that 30% of lipid trait genetic variants have effects on metabolic syndrome traits, including BMI, T2D, and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Nonetheless, in multivariable MR analysis, LDL-C, HDL-C, TGs, BMI, T2D, and SBP are independently associated with CAD, and each of these associations is robust to adjustment for directional pleiotropy. MR at loci linked to direct effects on HDL-C and TGs suggests locus- and mechanism-specific causal effects of these factors on CAD.

Few studies have investigated fathers’ roles in child care in Madagascar. This study explored the perceptions, attitudes, and practices regarding fathers’ involvement in child care using qualitative methods. Ten focus group discussions were conducted among parents of children aged 6–23 months; seven were among mothers, and three among fathers. In-depth semi-structured interviews (n = 8) were also conducted with key informants. Discussions and interviews were audio-recorded and the verbatim transcripts in Malagasy were translated into English. Data were analyzed using the thematic analysis approach. Provision of financial and material support as well as teaching and playing with the child were the main perceived roles of fathers. In practice, fathers spent their time alone with their children playing and holding them when the mother was unavailable. Busy schedules and separation due to work were major barriers to fathers’ involvement. Traditional gender roles for child care in which the mother is seen as primarily responsible for the child were salient across the data. Consequently, men involved in child care activities and their wives were often criticized by the community. Nevertheless, there was self-reported interest from both mothers and fathers in involving men more in child care. Interventions aimed to increase fathers’ involvement in child care may be more successful when they focus on shifting the community perceptions on the division of responsibilities between fathers and mothers.

Simple Summary This work investigated the palatability of raw meat components commonly used in the production of pet food for cats. The objective was to develop a ranking of components within lamb and beef, as well as to evaluate whether cats show preference for the same component of one species over the other. Cats showed a general preference for liver and kidney, and for lamb over the equivalent beef components. These results may be useful for pet food manufacturers when developing new products or reformulating existing diets with high meat content to improve overall diet palatability. Abstract The pet food industry continues to utilise large amounts of inedible meat components from the human food industry. Although used extensively in pet food formulations and as palatants, little is known about the palatability of individual meat components. The objectives of this study were to investigate the palatability of raw meat components commonly used in the production of pet food, using acceptance and preference testing. Those examined were lung, heart, kidney, tripe, liver and mechanically deboned meat (MDM) from lamb and beef. Two-bowl acceptance tests were used to develop an overall ranking of components within each species. Two-bowl preference tests between equivalent beef and lamb components were then used to determine whether a preference was exhibited for one species over the other. For the acceptance of components from lamb and beef, liver was the most palatable within both species, with kidney equivalent to liver when testing lamb components. The MDM was identified as the least palatable component from both species. When examining the preference between equivalent components between species, cats showed preferences for lamb over equivalent beef components, except for heart and liver which showed no difference in intake between the two species. Overall, cats were able to clearly rank the palatability of different components from lamb and beef, as well as between equivalent components from the two species. Selecting highly palatable ingredients whilst still meeting pet food manufacturing guidelines may play a role in improving overall diet palatability and acceptance by cats.

Clostridioides difficileis a micro-organism well known to cause pseudomembranous colitis with rare extraintestinal manifestations. We present the case of an elderly male with multiple comorbidities who presented with acute onset of fever/chills and hypotension, found to have polymicrobial bacteraemia withC. difficileandPseudomonas aeruginosa. He was treated with piperacillin/tazobactam forP. aeruginosabacteraemia, oral vancomycin forC. difficilecolitis and intravenous, followed by oral metronidazole forC. difficilebacteraemia.Pseudomonascleared after 1 day, andClostridioidescleared after 4 days. Following an initial septic presentation, he responded appropriately to antimicrobial therapy and did well in follow-up.

Obesity is highly prevalent in pet cats (Felis silvestris catus) and is associated with several comorbidities, yet very little is understood about the early life risk factors. The aim of this study was to develop a mathematical model that describes growth in cats, to determine which early life variables were associated with being overweight in adulthood and to identify when during life the overweight phenotype developed in a colony of cats. We used pedigree, birth and growth data of 212 colony cats that were fed ad libitum from weaning. A nonlinear mixed-effects model was fitted to the body weight data to describe growth curves. A subset of 146 cats that had reached 9 years of age was used to evaluate the body weight curves to 9 years, and candidate early life predictors of peak weight were evaluated using logistic regression. In contrast with other species, candidates such as maternal factors, birth weight and litter size were not significant risk factors for adult obesity. Male sex, body weight around 15 weeks of age and being born during the increasing photoperiod were significantly associated with being overweight at 9 years. The growth equation created can be used to predict peak body weight, when sex and season of birth are included. Thus, the trajectory to obesity is determined early in life in cats, and early intervention appears essential to prevent obesity in pet cats.

Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) gene expression microarray profiling is a minimally invasive tool used in human diet intervention studies. In this study, PBMC gene expression was determined in dogs fed kibble or raw red meat diets for 9 weeks to test the hypothesis that diet influences canine immune cell gene expression profiles. The two diets were associated with differences in PBMC gene expression profiles, which corresponded with changes in plasma IgA concentrations. Analysis of PBMC gene expression profiles might provide useful insights into the long term effects of diet on health outcomes in dogs.

The diet of the domestic dog has changed significantly from that of its wolf ancestor, with to date only two studies having examined macronutrient self-selection in dogs. Whilst the first focused solely on protein intake, determining an intake of 30% metabolisable energy (ME), the second investigated dietary protein, fat and carbohydrate (PFC), indicating an intake ratio of 30:63:7% by energy. This study's aim was to further elucidate macronutrient intake by providing greater macronutrient range, energy content, and to investigate over a longer duration than previous studies. Fifteen adult dogs were given access to three wet diets providing 500% of daily ME, twice daily over 10 days. The diets were nutritionally complete and formulated using the same four ingredients in different proportions to supply high levels of protein (58% ME), fat (86% ME) or carbohydrate (54% ME). Overall fat and carbohydrate consumption significantly declined from 6,382 to 917 kcals per day (p

Objectives Felis catus papillomavirus type 2 (FcaPV-2) commonly infects the skin of domestic cats, and mounting evidence suggests that the virus could be involved in a subset of feline skin cancers. The reason why some cats develop FcaPV-2-induced disease and others do not is currently unknown. However, it has been shown that kittens in different litters have markedly different FcaPV-2 DNA loads and the aim of this study was to determine whether these differences could be due to inherent differences in susceptibility to infection. Such differences could potentially explain why only a small proportion of cats develop FcaPV-2-associated skin disease. Methods Repeated skin swabs were taken to measure FcaPV-2 DNA loads in queens and kittens in a research colony. The kittens either stayed in their original litters or were moved between litters; eventually, all of the kittens were housed together. A subset of samples was also analysed for FcaPV-2 mRNA. Results While there were initially large differences in FcaPV-2 DNA loads between litters of kittens, these differences disappeared when the kittens were moved between litters or housed together. Importantly, the viral DNA loads changed too rapidly to be due to the acquisition or clearance of infection. In contrast, the differences in viral DNA loads between the different queens were sustained throughout the experiment. FcaPV-2 mRNA was also detected in samples from 1- to 8-day-old kittens. Conclusions and relevance The results suggest that the FcaPV-2 DNA load in a swab sample from an individual kitten largely reflects the overall level of FcaPV-2 shedding in the group of in-contact cats, rather than the infection status of the individual kitten. Therefore, there was no evidence for inherent differences in susceptibility to infection. However, the finding of FcaPV-2 mRNA suggests that at least some kittens do become infected with FcaPV-2 early in life.

This review provides an evaluative overview of five concepts specific to developmental and neurobiological psychology that are found to be largely overlooked in current textbooks. A sample of 19 introductory psychology texts was surveyed to develop a list, including glial cell signaling, grandmother cells, memory reconsolidation, brain plasticity, and moral judgements by infants. These topics are relatively new, have proven to be of high impact in their respective fields, but are rarely discussed in psychological textbooks or by instructors in the classroom. In addition to a brief, but detailed background on each of the concepts, potential textbook chapters and classroom topics that would benefit from a discussion of these concepts are identified. Finally, this review briefly addresses possible ways for textbook authors to incorporate these new topics in future editions of texts without drastically increasing the overall length of the text.

This study examined relations between multiple measures of maternal iron status assessed 3 months post-partum, and infant processing speed (longest look during visual habituation), memory (novelty preference), attention (heart rate changes), and neural response variability (in auditory event-related potentials) at 3 and 9 months. Plasma iron was associated with 9-month novelty preference and longest look, and developmental changes in longest look. Hemoglobin predicted sustained attention, and both plasma iron and soluble transferrin receptors predicted neural response variability at 9 months. Improved maternal iron appears to have a positive impact on infant cognitive development even in a well-nourished, low-risk sample.