In October 2013, a new international binding treaty instrument called the Minamata Convention on Mercury opened for signature in Minamata City, Japan, the site of arguably the worst public health and ...environmental disaster involving mercury contamination. The treaty aims to curb the significant health and environmental impacts of mercury pollution and includes provisions addressing the mining, export and import, storage, and waste management of products containing mercury. Importantly, a provision heavily negotiated in the treaty addresses the use of dental fillings using mercury amalgam, an issue that has been subject to decades of global controversy. Though use of dental amalgam is widespread and has benefits, concerns have been raised regarding the potential for human health risk and environmental damage from emissions and improper waste management. While the Minamata Convention attempts to address these issues by calling for a voluntary phase-down of dental amalgam use and commitment to other measures, it falls short by failing to require binding and measurable targets to achieve these goals. In response, the international community should begin exploring ways to strengthen the implementation of the dental amalgam treaty provisions by establishing binding phase-down targets and milestones as well as exploring financing mechanisms to support treaty measures. Through strengthening of the Convention, stakeholders can ensure equitable access to global oral health treatment while also promoting responsible environmental stewardship.
•The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a new global health and environment treaty.•The Convention calls for a phase down of dental fillings using mercury amalgam.•It includes voluntary measures but fails to establish binding targets on a phase down.•Future review should include exploration of ways to strengthen implementation.•Strengthening the Convention ensures oral health access and environmental stewardship.
One of the most important defensive host traits against brood parasitism is the detection and ejection of parasitic eggs from their nests. Here, we explore the possible role of olfaction in this ...defensive behaviour. We performed egg‐recognition tests in magpie Pica pica nests with model eggs resembling those of parasitic great spotted cuckoos Clamator glandarius. In one of the experiment, experimental model eggs were exposed to strong or moderate smell of tobacco smoke, whereas those of a third group (control) were cleaned with disinfecting wipes and kept in boxes containing odourless cotton. Results showed that model eggs with strong tobacco scent were more frequently ejected compared with control ones. In another experiment, models were smeared with scents from cloacal wash from magpies (control), cloacal wash or uropygial secretions from cuckoos, or human scents. This experiment resulted in a statistically significant effect of treatment in unparasitized magpie nests in which control model eggs handled by humans were more often rejected. These results provide the first evidence that hosts of brood parasites use their olfactory ability to detect and eject foreign eggs from their nests. These findings may have important consequences for handling procedures of experimental eggs used in egg‐recognition tests, in addition to our understanding of interactions between brood parasites and their hosts.
Background
Chronic stress is implicated in behavioral and health issues in cats, but methods for recognition, evaluation, and measurement of stress are lacking. Cortisol concentration is typically ...used as an indicator of stress.
Objectives
To evaluate use of an enzyme immunoassay to quantitate hair and nail cortisol concentrations (HCC and NCC) in cats and evaluate associations between HCC and NCC and behavioral, physical, and environmental correlates of chronic stress in cats.
Animals
Forty‐eight adult, owned or community cats.
Methods
Cross‐sectional study. Nail clippings and hair were collected from cats. Medical history and cat daily lifestyle questionnaires were completed by owners or caretakers. A commercial laboratory performed cortisol extraction and quantification using a validated enzyme immunoassay kit. Correlational and regression analyses were used to evaluate associations between HCC and NCC and behavioral, environmental, and medical factors.
Results
Hair and nail cortisol concentrations were significantly associated (rs = 0.70; P < .001), but HCCs varied widely within and among cats. Cats with litterbox issues had significantly increased HCC (P = .02) and NCC (P = .001) as compared to cats without litterbox issues. Cats with groomed coats had lower HCCs (P = .02) as compared to cats without groomed coats, whereas cats with dander and mats had higher NCCs (P = .01) as compared to cats without dander and mats.
Conclusions and Clinical Importance
The quantification of NCCs might improve identification and evaluation of chronic stress in cats. The variability of HCCs in individual cats warrants caution using this measurement in chronic stress studies.
Bioactive glasses convert to a biomimetic apatite when in contact with physiological solutions; however, the number and type of phases precipitating depends on glass composition and reactivity. This ...process is typically followed by X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy. Here, we visualise surface mineralisation in a series of sodium-free bioactive glasses, using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS) and X-ray nano-computed tomography (nano-CT). In the glasses, the phosphate content was increased while adding stoichiometric amounts of calcium to maintain phosphate in an orthophosphate environment in the glass. Calcium fluoride was added to keep the melting temperature low. TEM brought to light the presence of phosphate clustering and nearly crystalline calcium fluoride environments in the glasses. A combination of analytical methods, including solid-state NMR, shows how with increasing phosphate content in the glass, precipitation of calcium fluoride during immersion is superseded by fluorapatite precipitation. Nano-CT gives insight into bioactive glass particle morphology after immersion, while TEM illustrates how compositional changes in the glass affect microstructure at a sub-micron to nanometre-level.
Abstract
Context:
Vitamin D deficiency disproportionately affects nonwhite individuals. Controversy persists over how to best restore low 25D levels, and how to best define vitamin D status total ...(protein bound plus free) vs free 25D.
Objective:
To assess the effects of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol, or D3) vs 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (calcifediol, or 25D3) on total and free 25D in a multiethnic cohort of adults, and whether change in parathyroid hormone (PTH) is more strongly associated with total vs free 25D.
Design:
Sixteen-week randomized controlled trial. Biochemistries at 0, 4, 8, and 16 weeks.
Setting:
Academic medical center.
Participants:
Thirty-five adults ≥18 years of age with 25D levels <20 ng/mL.
Intervention:
Sixty micrograms (2400 IU)/d of D3 or 20 μg/d of 25D3.
Main Outcome Measures:
Total and free 25D, and PTH.
Results:
Baseline total (16.2 ± 3.7 vs 17.0 ± 2.5 ng/mL; P = 0.4) and free (4.2 ± 0.8 vs 4.7 ± 1.0 pg/mL; P = 0.2) 25D were similar between D3 and 25D3 groups, respectively; 25D3 increased total (+25.5 vs +13.8 ng/mL; P = 0.001) and free (+6.6 vs +3.5 pg/mL; P = 0.03) 25D more than D3. By 4 weeks, 87.5% of 25D3 participants had total 25D levels ≥30 ng/mL, compared with 23.1% of D3 participants (P = 0.001). Change in PTH was associated with both total (P = 0.01) and free 25D (P = 0.04).
Conclusions:
25D3 increased total and free 25D levels more rapidly than D3, regardless of race/ethnicity. Free and total 25D were similarly associated with change in PTH.
We studied effects of 20 μg/d of calcifediol vs 60 μg/d of cholecalciferol and found calcifediol to more rapidly and robustly raise total and free 25D levels in a diverse sample of adults.
In many bird species, parents usually feed the first nestling that starts to beg before its nest‐mates. The pressure to avoid missed feeds could trigger nestlings to perform in erroneous begging in ...absence of parents, which has the same costs as begging in the presence of parents but without any reward. So, nestlings should try to minimize both erroneous begging and missed feeds simultaneously. The threshold to start begging is predicted to be lower for hungry nestlings and for nestlings that are unrelated to their nest‐mates, because they suffer lower inclusive fitness costs when depriving nest‐mates of food. In line with this idea, we found that brood parasitic great spotted cuckoo nestlings responded sooner than their magpie nest‐mates when an adult arrived to the nest. Under laboratory conditions, nestlings of both species rarely incurred in erroneous begging when food was abundant, but under conditions of restricted food, magpie nestlings increased erroneous begging while cuckoo nestlings did not. Highly conspicuous begging in cuckoos results in an increased predation risk, which could have resulted in stronger selection pressures on cuckoos to avoid erroneous begging, probably resulting in better developed perceptual abilities, allowing cuckoos to perform better than their host nest‐mates.
In this work the influence of thermal treatment conditions on crystallization of a sol‐gel‐derived 45S5 bioactive glass was evaluated using DSC, XRD, TEM, EDX, and X‐ray nanocomputed tomography ...(nano‐CT). Temperature and time of the thermal treatment strongly influence the composition of the crystalline phases. At the onset of the glass transition temperature (600°C), combeite crystallizes as the main phase along with a calcium silicate‐phosphate phase, which decomposes into rhenanite from 2 hours of thermal treatment at this temperature. At the crystallization temperature (700°C), combeite remains as the main crystalline phase. Additionally, Na2Ca2Si2O7 crystalline phase is formed. Our results provide a basic platform for tailoring the crystalline phases by controlling the nucleation and growth of crystalline phases via thermal treatments. Different morphologies (round particles, stacked layers, toothpick‐like, and long features) were discerned by TEM as a function of temperature and time of treatment. It is the first time that bioactive glass is investigated by nano‐CT at laboratory scale. This novel technique enables the 3D visualization of features in the nanometer range, giving clear information about the volumetric distribution of phases in the sample.
Background
Lokivetmab neutralizes IL‐31, a cytokine that plays an important role in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis (AD) in dogs.
Objective
To review experience of one year of treatment with ...lokivetmab for the control of pruritus in dogs with allergic dermatitis.
Animals
Eighty dogs diagnosed with AD, ten with concurrent adverse food reaction and AD and 45 with allergic dermatitis of undetermined cause. Three dogs were lost to follow‐ up.
Methods and materials
Retrospective analysis of medical records of dogs with allergic dermatitis treated with lokivetmab from November 2015 to October 2016. Treatment success for owner‐assessed pruritus was empirically defined as ≥2 cm reduction in Visual Analog Scale (pVAS) from baseline. A ≥50% reduction in pVAS also was recorded.
Results
Pruritus improvement was achieved in 116 of 132 dogs (87.8%) following initial lokivetmab administration at 1.8 to 3.7 mg/kg (P < 0.001). A pVAS reduction of ≥50% was recorded in 104 dogs (77.0%). Dogs with severe/very severe pruritus prior to treatment and large/giant sized dogs, had 2.7 and 2.8 times higher odds of treatment success, respectively. There were no significant associations between treatment success and age of onset of clinical signs, disease chronicity, lokivetmab dosage or age at initial lokivetmab administration. Dogs that did not previously respond to oclacitinib were less likely to respond to lokivetmab. Adverse effects including lethargy, vomiting, hyperexcitability, pain at injection site and urinary incontinence were reported in 11 of 132 dogs.
Conclusions and clinical importance
Lokivetmab at labelled dosages was a fast, safe and efficacious therapy for the control of pruritus in dogs with allergic dermatitis.
Résumé
Contexte
Le Lokivetmab neutralise l’IL‐31, une cytokine qui joue un rôle important dans la pathogénie de la dermatite atopique (AD) chez le chien.
Objectif
Décrire le retour d'expérience d'un an de traitement au lokivetmab pour le contrôle du prurit chez le chien avec dermatite allergique.
Sujets
Quatre vingt chiens avec AD, dix avec AD et réaction alimentaire concourantes et 45 chiens avec dermatite allergique de cause indéterminée. Trois chiens ont été perdus de vue.
Matériel et méthode
Une analyse rétrospective des données médicales des chiens avec dermatite allergique traitée au lokivetmab de Novembre 2015 à octobre 2016. Le succès du traitement pour le prurit évalué par les propriétaires était empiriquement défini comme une diminution ≥2cm de la pVAS. Une diminution ≥50% a également été enregistrée.
Résultats
L'amélioration du prurit était observée pour 116 chiens sur 132 (87.8%) à la suite de la première administration de lokivetmab de 1.8 à 3.7 mg/kg (P < 0.001). Une réduction de pVAS de ≥50% a été enregistrée pour 104 chiens (77.0%). Les chiens avec un prurit sévère à très sévère avant le traitement et les chiens de grande race ou race géante, avaient respectivement 2,7 à 2.8 fois de résultats positifs. Il n'y avait aucune association significative entre le succès des traitement et l’âge d'apparition des signes cliniques, la chronicité de l'atteinte, le dosage de lokivetmab ou l’âge à la première administration de lokivetmab. Les chiens qui n'avaient pas répondu précédemment à l'oclacitinib étaient moins favorables à répondre au lokivetmab. Les effets secondaires incluaient la léthargie, les vomissements, l'hyperexcitabilité, la douleur au site d'injection et l'incontinence urinaire ont été décrits dans 11 chiens sur 132.
Conclusions et importance clinique
Le lokivetmab aux doses utilisées était rapide, sur et efficace pour le contrôle du prurit chez les chiens atteints de dermatite allergique.
Resumen
Introducción
Lokivetmab neutraliza IL‐31, una citoquina que juega un papel importante en la patogénesis de la dermatitis atópica (AD) en perros.
Objetivo
revisar la experiencia de un año de tratamiento con lokivetmab para el control del prurito en perros con dermatitis alérgica.
Animales
Ochenta perros diagnosticados con AD, diez con reacción alimentaria adversa concurrente y AD y 45 con dermatitis alérgica de causa indeterminada. Tres perros se perdieron durante el seguimiento.
Métodos y materiales
análisis retrospectivo de historiales clínicos de perros con dermatitis alérgica tratados con lokivetmab desde noviembre de 2015 hasta octubre de 2016. El éxito del tratamiento frente al prurito evaluado por el propietario se definió empíricamente como una reducción ≥2 cm en la escala análoga visual (pVAS) desde el inicio. También se registró si hubo una reducción ≥50% en pVAS.
Resultados
se logró una mejoría del prurito en 116 de 132 perros (87,8%) luego de la administración inicial de lokivetmab de 1,8 a 3,7 mg/kg (P <0,001). Se registró una reducción de pVAS de ≥50% en 104 perros (77,0%). Los perros con prurito severo/muy severo antes del tratamiento y perros de tamaño grande/gigante, tuvieron probabilidades de 2,7 y 2,8 veces mayores de éxito con el tratamiento, respectivamente. No hubo asociaciones significativas entre el éxito del tratamiento y la edad de inicio de los signos clínicos, la cronicidad de la enfermedad, la dosis de lokivetmab o la edad en la administración inicial de lokivetmab. Los perros que no respondieron previamente a oclacitinib tenían menos probabilidades de responder a lokivetmab. Se observaron algunos efectos adversos que incluyeron letargia, vómitos, hiperexcitabilidad, dolor en el lugar de la inyección e incontinencia urinaria en 11 de 132 perros.
Conclusiones e importancia clínica
Lokivetmab en dosis recomendadas fue una terapia rápida, segura y eficaz para el control del prurito en perros con dermatitis alérgica.
Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund
Lokivetmab neutralisiert IL‐31, ein Zytokin, welches bei der Pathogenese der atopischen Dermatitis (AD) der Hunde eine wichtige Rolle spielt.
Ziel
Eine Review über die Erfahrungen, die in einem Jahr mit der Behandlung zur Juckreizkontrolle durch Lokivetmab bei Hunden mit allergischer Dermatitis gemacht wurden.
Tiere
Achtzig Hunde, die mit AD diagnostiziert worden waren, zehn mit einer gleichzeitigen Futtermittelallergie und AD und 45 mit allergischer Dermatitis unbestimmten Ursprungs. Bei drei Hunden gab es keinen Follow‐Up.
Methoden und Material
Es handelt sich hierbei um eine retrospektive Analyse der Krankenakten der Hunde mit allergischer Dermatitis, die mit Lokivetmab von November 2015 bis Oktober 2016 behandelt worden waren. Der Behandlungserfolg beim durch den Besitzer beurteilten Juckreiz wurde empirisch mit ≥ 2 cm Reduzierung vom Basiswert der Visual Analog Scale (pVAS) definiert.
Ergebnisse
Bei 116 der 132 Hunde (87,8%) wurde eine Verbesserung des Pruritus erzielt (P < 0,001), wobei Lokivetmab zunächst in einer Dosis von 1,8 bis 3,7 mg/kg gegeben wurde. Eine pVAS Reduzierung von ≥ 50% wurde bei 104 Hunden (77,0%) festgehalten. Hunde mit moderatem bis hochgradigem Juckreiz vor der Behandlung bzw große Rassen/Riesenrassen zeigten einen 2,7 bzw 2,8‐fach höheren Behandlungserfolg. Es bestanden keine signifikanten Zusammenhänge zwischen Behandlungserfolg und Alter des ersten Auftretens von klinischen Zeichen, Chronizität der Erkrankung, Lokivetmabdosis oder Alter der ersten Lokivetmab Verabreichung. Hunde, die früher mit Oclacitinib nicht besser wurden, hatten eine geringere Wahrscheinlichkeit auf Lokivetmab eine Verbesserung zu zeigen. Von Nebenwirkungen wie Lethargie, Erbrechen, Übererregbarkeit, Schmerzen an der Injektionsstelle und Harninkontinenz wurde bei 11 der 132 Hunde berichtet.
Schlussfolgerungen und klinische Bedeutung
Lokivetmab in der empfohlenen Dosis war eine schnelle, sichere und wirksame Therapie zur Juckreizkontrolle bei Hunden mit allergischer Dermatitis.
抽象
背景
Lokivetmabは、犬のアトピー性皮膚炎(AD)の病因に重要な役割を果たすサイトカインであるIL‐31を中和する。
目的
本研究の目的は、アレルギー性皮膚炎を有する犬の掻痒管理に対し、1年間のlokivetmab治療経過を調査することである。
被験動物
ADと診断した犬80頭、同時に食物有害反応とADを有する10頭、および原因不明のアレルギー性皮膚炎を有する45頭。 3頭の犬が追跡調査で見失った。
方法および材料
2015年11月から2016年10月の期間に、lokivetmabで治療されたアレルギー性皮膚炎の犬の医療記録の遡及的分析を行った。所有者が評価した掻痒の治療成功は、視覚的アナログスケール(pVAS)のベースラインから2cm以上の減少として経験的に定義した。 pVASの50%以上の減少も記録された。
結果
掻痒の改善は、1.8〜3.7mg / kgによる最初のlokivetmab投与後に132頭の犬のうち116頭(87.8%)において達成した(P <0.001)。pVASの50%以上の減少を104頭(77.0%)の患者で記録した。処置前の重度/非常に重度の掻痒の犬および大きい/巨大なサイズの犬は、それぞれ2.7倍および2.8倍治療成功のオッズが高かった。初期のlokivetmab投与での治療成功と臨床徴候の発症年齢、疾患の慢性度、lokivetmab投与量または年齢との間に有意な関連はなかった。これまでoclacitinibによる治療に反応しなかった犬は、lokivetmabに対する反応性が低かった。嗜眠、嘔吐、過興奮、注射部位の疼痛および尿失禁を含む有害事象が、132頭中11頭で報告された。
結論と臨床的重要性
ラベルされた投与量のlokivetmabは、アレルギー性皮膚炎を有する犬の掻痒の制御に、迅速かつ安全かつ有効な治療法であった。
摘要
背景
IL‐31是一种细胞因子,在犬异位性皮炎(AD)的发病机制中起重要作用,Lokivetmab可以中和IL‐31。
目的
回顾一年来用 lokivetmab 控制犬过敏性皮炎瘙痒的经验。
动物
80只被诊断为AD的患犬,10只犬同时出现食物副反应和AD,45只犬的过敏性皮炎未能确定原因,三只犬失联。
材料和方法
2015年11月至2016年10月期间,回顾性分析用lokivetmab治疗过敏性皮炎的犬病例。宠主用瘙痒直观模拟评分表(pVAS)评估治疗的成功率,经验性定义为比基础值降低了≥2cm。还记录了pVAS的降低≥50%。
结果
初始lokivetmab给药后,132只犬中有116只(87.8%)的瘙痒症状得到改善,剂量为1.8至3.7 mg / kg(P <0.001)。104只犬(77.0%)的pVAS降低≥50%。在治疗前,患有严重/非常严重瘙痒的犬和大型/巨型犬,分别有2.7和2.8倍的治疗成功几率。治疗成功率与临床症状发病年龄、疾病长期性、lokivetmab剂量或初次给药年龄之间没有显著关联。之前对奥拉替尼治疗无效的犬,不太可能对lokivetmab有效。132只犬中有11只报告了包括嗜睡、呕吐、过度兴奋、注射部位疼痛和尿失禁等副反应。
结论和临床价值
按照标签剂量使用Lokivetmab,可以快速、安全和有效地控制过敏性皮炎犬的瘙痒。
Resumo
Contexto
Lokivetmab neutraliza a IL‐31, citocina que exerce uma função importante na patogênese da dermatite atópica (DA) em cães.
Objetivo
Revisar a experiência de um ano de tratamento com lokivetmab no controle do prurido em cães com dermatite alérgica.
Animais
Oitenta cães diagnosticados com DA, dez com reações adversas a alimentos e DA e 45 com dermatite alérgica de causa indeterminada. Três cães não retornaram e houve perda de contato.
Métodos e materiais
Análise retrospectiva das fichas médicas de cães com dermatites alérgicas tratados com lokivetmab entre novembro de 2015 e outubro de 2016. O sucesso do tratamento baseado na avaliação de prurido pelos proprietários foi definido empiricamente como uma redução ≥2 cm em relação ao tempo zero na escala analógica visual de prurido (pVAS). Uma redução ≥50% no pVAS também foi registrada.
Resultados
Melhora no prurido foi observada em 1
Inefficient injection of microparticles through conventional hypodermic needles can impose serious challenges on clinical translation of biopharmaceutical drugs and microparticle-based drug ...formulations. This study aims to determine the important factors affecting microparticle injectability and establish a predictive framework using computational fluid dynamics, design of experiments, and machine learning. A numerical multiphysics model was developed to examine microparticle flow and needle blockage in a syringe-needle system. Using experimental data, a simple empirical mathematical model was introduced. Results from injection experiments were subsequently incorporated into an artificial neural network to establish a predictive framework for injectability. Last, simulations and experimental results contributed to the design of a syringe that maximizes injectability in vitro and in vivo. The custom injection system enabled a sixfold increase in injectability of large microparticles compared to a commercial syringe. This study highlights the importance of the proposed framework for optimal injection of microparticle-based drugs by parenteral routes.
We evaluated the conditions under which patch size effects are important determinants of local population density for animals living in patchy landscapes. This information was used to predict when ...patch size effects will be expected to occur following habitat loss and fragmentation. Using meta-analysis, we quantitatively reviewed the results of 25 published studies that tested for a relationship between patch size and population density. Patch size effects were strong for edge and interior species (negative and postive patch size effects, respectively), but negligible for generalist species that use both edge and interior habitat. We found significant differences in mean patch size effects between migratory and residential species, between herbivores and carnivores, and among taxonomic groups. We found no evidence that patch size effects were related to landscape characteristics such as the proportion of landscape covered by habitat, median patch size, or the scale at which a study was conducted. However, species in the Western Hemisphere tended to have larger absolute effect sizes, and eastern species tended to be more variable in their response. For landscapes undergoing habitat loss and fragmentation, our results predict the following: (1) among generalist species that use both the edge and the interior of a habitat patch, the decline in population size associated with habitat destruction should be accounted for by pure habitat loss alone; (2) for interior species, the decline in population size associated with habitat fragmentation per se will be greater than that predicted from pure habitat loss alone; (3) for edge species, the decline in population size will be less than that predicted by pure habitat loss alone; (4) these relative effects will not be influenced by the extent of habitat loss, but they will be affected by the pattern of habitat when large or small patches are preferentially removed; and (5) as loss and fragmentation increase within a landscape, migratory species will generally suffer less of a decline in population size than resident species.
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