The purpose of this study was to use meta-analytic methods to estimate the effect of a commercially available yeast culture product on milk production and other production measures in lactating dairy ...cows using a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Sixty-one research publications (published journal articles, published abstracts, and technical reports) were identified through a review of literature provided by the manufacturer and a search of published literature using 6 search engines. Thirty-six separate studies with 69 comparisons met the criteria for inclusion in the meta-analysis. The fixed-effect meta-analysis showed substantial heterogeneity for milk yield, energy-corrected milk, 3.5% fat-corrected milk, milk fat yield, and milk protein yield. Sub-group analysis of the data showed much less heterogeneity in peer-reviewed studies versus non-peer-reviewed abstracts and technical reports, and tended to show higher, but not significantly different, treatment effects. A random-effects meta-analysis showed estimated raw mean differences between treated and untreated cattle reported in peer-reviewed publications of 1.18kg/d 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.55 to 1.81, 1.61kg/d (95% CI: 0.92 to 2.29), and 1.65kg/d (95% CI: 0.97 to 2.34) for milk yield, 3.5% fat-corrected milk, and energy-corrected milk, respectively. Milk fat yield and milk protein yield for peer-reviewed studies showed an increase in the raw mean difference of 0.06kg/d (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.10) and 0.03kg/d (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.05), respectively. Estimated raw mean dry matter intake of the peer-reviewed studies during early lactation (<70 d in milk) and not-early lactation were 0.62kg/d (95% CI: 0.21 to 1.02) and a decrease of 0.78kg/d (95% CI: −1.36 to −0.21), respectively. These findings provide strong evidence that this commercially available yeast culture product provides significant improvement in several important milk production outcomes as evaluated in production settings typical for commercial dairies in North America. Utilizing meta-analytic methods to study the complete breadth of information relating to a specific treatment by studying multiple overcomes of all eligible studies can reduce the uncertainty often seen in small individual studies designed without sufficient power to detect differences in treatments.
The epidemic of antimicrobial resistant infections continues to challenge, compromising animal care, complicating food animal production and posing zoonotic disease risks. While the overall role of ...therapeutic antimicrobial use in animals in the development AMR in animal and human pathogens is poorly defined, veterinarians must consider the impacts of antimicrobial use in animal and take steps to optimize antimicrobial use, so as to maximize the health benefits to animals while minimizing the likelihood of antimicrobial resistance and other adverse effects. This consensus statement aims to provide guidance on the therapeutic use of antimicrobials in animals, balancing the need for effective therapy with minimizing development of antimicrobial resistance in bacteria from animals and humans.
To conduct a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial of baclofen in the treatment of alcohol dependence.
Out of 69 participants consecutively screened, 42 alcohol-dependent ...patients were randomized to receive placebo, baclofen 30 mg/day or baclofen 60 mg/day for 12 weeks. All subjects were offered BRENDA, a structured psychosocial therapy for alcohol dependence that seeks to improve motivation for change, enhance strategies to prevent relapse and encourage compliance with treatment.
Intention-to-treat analyses revealed that alcohol consumption (heavy drinking days, drinks per drinking day) significantly reduced across all three groups during the treatment period. There were no statistically significant advantages to treatment on time to first heavy drinking day (relapse) (P = 0.08), nor time to first drink (lapse) (P = 0.18). A post hoc analysis stratifying according to whether there had been a comorbid anxiety disorder, revealed a beneficial effect of baclofen 30 mg/day versus placebo on time to lapse and relapse (P < 0.05). There was also a beneficial effect for baclofen 60 mg/day relative to placebo on time to relapse in this comorbid group (P < 0.05). Both doses of baclofen were well tolerated. There were no serious adverse events.
In spite of the small sample for a 3-arm clinical trial, this study suggests a specific role of baclofen in alcohol-dependent individuals with comorbid anxiety. Replication in larger, fully-powered studies is required.
Abstract Equine herpesvirus-1 is a cause of outbreaks of abortion and neurological disease. The pathogenesis of both these diseases depends on establishment of viremia. An experiment was performed to ...determine the protective efficacy of two commercially available vaccines used with an optimized 3-dose vaccination regime: a modified-live viral (MLV) and a high antigen load killed vaccine licensed for abortion control. The study design was a blinded, randomized challenge trial. Three groups of 8 yearling ponies received one of three treatments: MLV vaccine (Rhinomune® , Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.); killed vaccine (Pneumabort-K® , Pfizer Animal Health); or a placebo (control group). Three vaccinations were administered at intervals of 27 and 70 days followed by challenge infection 24 days later. Clinical disease after challenge was significantly reduced in both vaccine groups; the reduction was greater in the MLV vaccine group. Nasal shedding was reduced by at least 1–2 logs in both vaccine groups. The number of days of viremia was significantly reduced in the killed vaccine group only. This study demonstrated that both commercial vaccines significantly suppressed EHV-1 disease and nasal viral shedding, and one vaccine suppressed days of viremia.
The EU-FP7-funded BioSHaRE project is using individual-level data pooled from several national cohort studies in Europe to investigate the relationship of road traffic noise and health. The detailed ...input data (land cover and traffic characteristics) required for noise exposure modelling are not always available over whole countries while data that are comparable in spatial resolution between different countries is needed for harmonised exposure assessment. Here, we assess the feasibility using the CNOSSOS-EU road traffic noise prediction model with coarser input data in terms of model performance. Starting with a model using the highest resolution datasets, we progressively introduced lower resolution data over five further model runs and compared noise level estimates to measurements. We conclude that a low resolution noise model should provide adequate performance for exposure ranking (Spearman's rank = 0.75; p < 0.001), but with relatively large errors in predicted noise levels (RMSE = 4.46 dB(A)).
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•The first implementation of CNOSSOS-EU for national scale noise exposure assessment.•Road traffic noise model performance with varying resolution of inputs is assessed.•Model performance is good with low resolution inputs (rs = 0.75).•This model will be applied in epidemiological studies of European cohorts.
The CNOSSOS-EU road traffic noise model estimates can be used for international scale exposure assessment when parameterised with freely available low resolution covering a large geographic area.
Background
Mannheimia haemolytica is an important etiological agent in bovine respiratory disease.
Objectives
Explore risk factors for recovery of susceptible and resistant M. haemolytica in feedlot ...cattle and explore associations with health outcomes.
Animals
Cattle (n = 5,498) from 4 feedlots sampled at arrival and later in feeding period.
Methods
Susceptibility of M. haemolytica isolates tested for 21 antimicrobials. Records of antimicrobial use and health events analyzed using multivariable regression.
Results
M. haemolytica recovered from 29% of cattle (1,596/5,498), 13.1% at arrival (95% CI, 12.3–14.1%), and 19.8% at second sampling (95% CI, 18.7–20.9%). Nearly half of study cattle received antimicrobial drugs (AMDs) parenterally, mostly as metaphylactic treatment at arrival. Individual parenteral AMD exposures were associated with decreased recovery of M. haemolytica (OR, 0.2; 95% CI, 0.02–1.2), whereas exposure in penmates was associated with increased recovery (OR, 1.5; 95% CI, 1.05–2.2). Most isolates were pan‐susceptible (87.8%; 95% CI, 87.0–89.4%). AMD exposures were not associated with resistance to any single drug. Multiply‐resistant isolates were rare (5.9%; 95% CI, 5.1–6.9%), but AMD exposures in pen mates were associated with increased odds of recovering multiply‐resistant M. haemolytica (OR, 23.9; 95% CI, 8.4–68.3). Cattle positive for M. haemolytica on arrival were more likely to become ill within 10 days (OR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1–2.4).
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
Resistance generally was rare in M. haemolytica. Antimicrobial drug exposures in penmates increased the risk of isolating susceptible and multiply‐resistant M. haemolytica, a finding that could be explained by contagious spread.
In the fabled story of the Emperor's New Clothes, nakedness is ignored, denied, and accepted despite its obviousness. Similarly, we seemingly have ignored, denied, and accepted the risks of ...healthcare‐associated infections (HCAI) in veterinary settings, despite common occurrence and obvious importance. Risks for HCAI in veterinary medicine cannot be denied and are increasingly apparent because of improved surveillance and reporting. We have an ethical responsibility to take all reasonable precautions to minimize foreseeable infectious disease hazards, and provide an environment in which personnel and patients are protected from infectious disease hazards so that care can be optimized. Yet, there is often a pronounced mismatch between what we know about risks for infectious disease and our actions. Veterinarians often fail to act on well‐known, universally accepted risks for infectious disease in patients and in people contacting these animals. We must educate personnel so they are well‐versed regarding agents commonly causing HCAI (including zoonotic infections), can identify patients with higher risks for shedding agents and for developing HCAI, have awareness of which procedures and management practices are associated with higher rates of HCAI, and have skill in applying effective prevention methods. We need to develop standardized benchmarks for risks of HCAI in veterinary settings, better understand efficacy and cost‐effectiveness for prevention practices, and develop good educational materials that will promote an effective understanding of risks and prevention methods for HCAI among personnel and the public. We need to buy new clothes for the emperor and be sure he actually wears them!
Background
Published studies of exercise‐induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH), when assessed individually, often provide equivocal or conflicting results. Systematic reviews aggregate evidence from ...individual studies to provide a global assessment of the quality of evidence and to inform recommendations.
Objectives
Evaluate evidence to determine: if EIPH adversely affects the health, welfare or both of horses; if EIPH affects the athletic capacity of horses; the efficacy of prophylactic interventions for EIPH; and if furosemide affects the athletic capacity of horses.
Animals
None.
Materials and Methods
Systematic review. A panel of 7 experts was formed to assess evidence in the peer reviewed literature addressing each of the 4 objectives. Methodology followed that of the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Publications were assessed for quality of evidence by working groups of the panel, and a summary of findings was presented in tables. Recommendations were based on quality of evidence and were determined by a vote of the panel.
Results
Much of the evidence was of low to very low quality. Experimental studies frequently lacked adequate statistical power. There was moderate to high quality evidence that EIPH is progressive, is associated with lung lesions, that it adversely affects racing performance, that severe EIPH (Grade 4) is associated with a shorter career duration, that furosemide is efficacious in decreasing the incidence and severity of EIPH, and that administration of furosemide is associated with superior race performance.
Conclusions and clinical significance
Strong recommendation that EIPH be considered a disease and a weak recommendation for use of furosemide in management of racehorses with EIPH.
We report the discovery of 76 new T dwarfs from the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS) Large Area Survey (LAS). Near-infrared broad- and narrow-band photometry and spectroscopy are presented for ...the new objects, along with Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and warm-Spitzer photometry. Proper motions for 128 UKIDSS T dwarfs are presented from a new two epoch LAS proper motion catalogue. We use these motions to identify two new benchmark systems: LHS 6176AB, a T8p+M4 pair and HD 118865AB, a T5.5+F8 pair. Using age constraints from the primaries and evolutionary models to constrain the radii, we have estimated their physical properties from their bolometric luminosity. We compare the colours and properties of known benchmark T dwarfs to the latest model atmospheres and draw two principal conclusions. First, it appears that the H − 4.5 and J − W2 colours are more sensitive to metallicity than has previously been recognized, such that differences in metallicity may dominate over differences in T
eff when considering relative properties of cool objects using these colours. Secondly, the previously noted apparent dominance of young objects in the late-T dwarf sample is no longer apparent when using the new model grids and the expanded sample of late-T dwarfs and benchmarks. This is supported by the apparently similar distribution of late-T dwarfs and earlier type T dwarfs on reduced proper motion diagrams that we present. Finally, we present updated space densities for the late-T dwarfs, and compare our values to simulation predictions and those from WISE.
Background
Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare but aggressive malignancy in humans that is poorly responsive to existing treatments. Although rare in most breeds of dogs, HS is common in Bernese ...mountain dogs (BMDs).
Objective
Determine risk factors associated with development of HS in BMD.
Animals
A total of 216 BMD were registered with the Berner‐Garde Foundation.
Methods
An internet‐based cross‐sectional survey was used to collect information from owners of BMD diagnosed with HS and owners of disease‐free littermates of dogs with HS. Mixed‐effects logistic regression (MELR) and conditional logistic regression (CLR) were used in parallel to examine associations between potential risk factors and the occurrence of HS.
Results
When controlling for litter as a marker of relatedness, dogs diagnosed with orthopedic conditions were found to be more likely to develop HS (MELR, OR: 2.5, 95% CI: 1.5, 5.2; CLR, OR: 2.81, 95% CI: 1.1, 7.3), whereas dogs receiving prescription anti‐inflammatory medications were found to be at considerably lower risk of developing HS (MELR, OR: 0.42, 95% CI: 0.2, 0.8; CLR, OR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.1, 0.8).
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
These results suggest inflammation may be a modifiable risk factor for the development of HS in BMD.
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