Veterinary Medicine Faculty Research Articles

Dynamics of hematological parameters and acute phase reactions for osteosubstitution by autofibrin and hydroxyapatite ceramics with β-tricalcium phosphate fragmentary bone fractures in dogs

Osteo-replacement materials are considered to be the most promising direction in solving the problem of restoring the regenerative potential of bone tissue, especially fragmentary fractures. However, the mechanism of their influence on the histomorphology of bone regenerates and the pathochemical phase of reparative osteogenesis require further and comprehensive justification. The aim of the study was to establish the dynamics of hematological parameters and acute phase response to osteosubstitution by hydroxyapatite ceramics with β-tricalcium phosphate and platelet-enriched autofibrin in fragmentary bone fractures in dogs. Control and research groups of animals were formed, each of which included dogs with fractures of both shoulder and forearm bones, which came in 2019- 2021 to the clinic of small pets of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Bila Tserkva NAU. After general and local anesthesia, extracortical osteosynthesis and replacement of bone defects were performed: in the first experimental group (n = 10) autofibrin enriched with platelets (PRF), and in the second (n = 10) - its combination with hydroxyapatite ceramics (PRF + HA/β -TCP-700); in the control group (n = 10) the defects were left to heal under the blood clot. Blood samples for hematological and biochemical studies were taken after injury no later than 24 hours and on the 3rd, 7th, 14th, 21st and 42nd day after osteosynthesis. In peripheral blood, the number of erythrocytes, platelets and leukocytes was determined by conventional methods, and hemoglobin - hemoglobin cyanide. The content of nitric oxide (NO) in the blood serum was determined by the method of Green in the modification of Golikov, haptoglobin - by reaction with rivanol kits PJSC "Reagent" (Ukraine) and α2-macroglobulin - by KM Veremeenko. Statistical processing of the results was performed using the program Statistica 10 (StatSoft Inc, USA, 2011). It was found that bone trauma in dogs is accompanied by a decrease in peripheral blood of erythrocytes by 1.3 times (p <0.001) and an increase of 1.1 times (p <0.05) the number of leukocytes with a tendency to increase hemoglobin and platelets, compared with indicators of clinically healthy animals. After osteosynthesis in all groups leukocytosis developed. During osteosubstitution, the intensity and duration of the leukocyte reaction decreased significantly. In the first experimental group, the peak of NO concentration occurred on the 21st day, and in the case of combined osteosubstitution, the phase of its changes was noted, which had two peaks: on the 7th in 1.5 and on the 21st in 1.8 (p <0.001) is several times higher than in the control group. The concentration of haptoglobin after bone injury in dogs increased 1.1 times (p <0.001) compared with clinically healthy animals and reached its peak in all groups on the 3rd day (p <0.001). No changes in α2-macroglobulin concentration were observed in the groups during the entire study period. Combined osteosubstitution by calcium-phosphate ceramics with platelet-enriched fibrin induces early osteogenic processes at a lower intensity of the acute phase reaction at the phase peaks of nitric oxide - an inducer of angiogenesis, which indicates the viability of animals. Key words: nitric oxide, acute phase proteins, reparative potential, platelets.

The History of the School of Animal Science at the University of Padova (Padua) and the Evolution of Animal Science in Italy

In its 800-year history, the University of Padova (Padua, Italy) has come to play an important role in the development of animal science in Italy and Europe. Having founded the oldest university botanical garden (1545; UNESCO World Heritage Site) and anatomical theatre (1595), and awarded the first university degree to a woman (Elena-Lucrezia Cornaro-Piscopia, 1678), the University instituted the Public School of Agriculture (Orto Agrario) in 1765 and the Collegium Zooiatricum in 1773. Between 1986 and 1995, under the leadership of Professor Mario Bonsembiante, animal scientist and rector, the scientific-technological center of Agripolis was established, including the Faculties of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine (with the experimental farm and veterinary hospital), the Istituto Zooprofilattico delle Venezie, and Veneto Agricoltura. Agripolis rapidly became the most innovative center in Italy for teaching, research, and extension services in the fields of agricultural, animal, veterinary, food and environmental sciences. In the last 35 years, the number of Italian animal scientists has remained almost constant, but they have moved on to more innovative research topics closer to society’s demand and concerns, and significantly enhanced their international standing, reaching the first position in Europe and the fourth in the world in terms of citations.

LAPORAN KASUS: KESEMBUHAN ENTERITIS HEMORAGIKA PADA ANAK ANJING KACANG YANG TERINFEKSI CANINE PARVOVIRUS

Canine parvovirus (CPV) is an infectious disease with clinical signs of bloody diarrhea (hemorrhagic enteritis) which is cause of death in infected dogs. A five-month-old female local dog with a weight of 4.3 kg, black and white coat on the ventral side came to the Rumah Sakit Hewan Pendidikan, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Udayana University with complaints of weakness, loss of appetite since the day before and vomiting in the morning of the examination. The dog is rescued and never been vaccinated before. Clinical examination showed weakness such as holding pain, pink pale eye mucosae, delayed skin turgor, Capillary Refill Time (CRT) more than two seconds, and increased respiratory rate. Dogs do not respond to handfeeding. On observation the dog experienced clear and foamy vomiting and foul-smelling bloody diarrhea. The native stool faecal examination showed negative results, while the CPV antigen rapid test examination showed positive results. Complete blood count showed that on the first day of hospitalization the dog had leukopenia, granulocytopenia, hyperchromic normocytic anemia and thrombocytopenia. The dog was diagnosed with CPV with a dubious prognosis. Dogs were given fluid therapy using sodium chloride 0.9% infusion and vitamin B complex, anti-emetic ondansetron, antibiotic cefotaxime, and vitamin K. Dogs were also treated with traditional medicine Fu Fang 1 mL and trigona honey 1 mL. Dogs are given a special feed Hills Prescription Diet A/D Urgent Care. The dog's condition improved after offering therapy for seven days and the dog was declared cured and could be sent home on the ninth day.

Histological Origin and Anaplastic Behavior of Neoplasms Diagnosed in Canines in Guatemala (2015-2019)

The present study sought to statistically relate the histological origin and anaplastic behavior of neoplasms diagnosed in the Pathology Unit of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the University of San Carlos of Guatemala in the years 2015 to 2019, as well as associate race, age, sex and affected body system. A total of 1,162 canine samples were diagnosed, and a subsample of 289 cases was determined by systematic stratified random sampling of proportional allocation of each year. Regarding histological origin, 44% were epithelial neoplasms, 29% connective and derivatives, 12% other types, 4% endothelial, and 1% nervous. Concerning the anaplastic behavior, 51% of neoplasms were benign and 49% malignant. Likewise, it was determined that the neoplasms affected mostly females, pure breeds, canines of 7-10 years, and affected the integumentary system and soft tissues.

Sensitivity Test of Bandotan Leaf Extract (Ageratum conyzoides) Against Pseudomonas aeruginosa Bacteria

The leaves of Bandotan (Ageratum conyzoides) are a plant thought to have antibacterial properties. This study aims to determine the sensitivity of Bandotan leaf extract in inhibiting the growth of the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This study used a stock extract of Bandotan leaves from the Pharmacology Laboratory and a bacterial isolate of P. aeruginosa in the Microbiology Laboratory of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala, which was identified by Gram staining, indole test, Methyl Red test, and confectionery test. The research method was carried out by planting the re-identified bacterial isolates on Nutrient Broth (NB) media, incubated at 37ºC for 24 hours. Then the turbidity composition of the isolates was arranged to match the turbidity in 0.5 McFarland solution. Furthermore, the sensitivity test of the extract on Mueller Hinton Agar (MHA) media was carried out by levelling the bacterial isolates on the surface of the media and attaching a disc containing bandotan leaf extract with a concentration of 25%, 50%, 75% and gentamicin disk as a positive control and distilled water as a negative control. All treatments were incubated at 37ºC for 24 hours, and then the inhibition zone was measured using millimeters (mm) callipers. The results showed that concentrations of 25%, 50% and 75%, respectively, had an inhibition zone of 8.16 mm, 9.82 mm, and 16.08 mm, respectively. In contrast, the average inhibition zone for gentamicin was 25, 30 mm and 0 mm distilled water. Therefore, it can be concluded that the Bandotan leaf extract is sensitive to growth inhibition of P. aeruginosa bacteria.

High Asymptomatic Cases of Babesiosis in Dogs and Comparison of Diagnostic Performance of Conventional PCR vs Blood Smears.

Babesiosis is one of the most important globally extended and quickly spreading tick-borne infections of dogs. Diagnosis of babesiosis in Sri Lanka is based on clinical signs followed by thin blood smears which could be error-prone due to undetected early infections, absence of clinical signs or low parasitemia. The present study investigated the prevalence of babesiosis in dogs presented to the Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Peradeniya, for treatments, vaccinations, and regular check-ups, and compared the diagnosis methods of microscopy and molecular analysis. Blood samples from dogs were collected from January to June 2019. First, Giemsa stained blood smears were prepared, and then the blood samples were subjected to PCR using genus-specific primers to amplify a 411-450bp region in the 18S rRNA gene. Twenty samples from PCR amplified products were sequenced for species identification and phylogenetic analysis. Clinical signs of the dogs were noted down, and ticks were also collected from dogs if any. Results show a very high prevalence of canine babesiosis (78.6%) among the dogs brought to the VTH. The parasite was identified microscopically and genetically as Babesia gibsoni. A large percentage (66.7%) of infections was asymptomatic. Out of 42 blood samples, 19 (45.2%) were microscopically positive for babesiosis while 33 (78.6%) were PCR positive, showing a significant difference in the two methods of diagnosis (chi-square test, χ2 = 9.462, p = 0.002). Three tick species: Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, Haemaphysalis bispinosa, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus were found attached to the dogs. This study shows a very high prevalence of canine babesiosis among dogs in the Kandy area. Most of these infections might go undetected if only microscopy was used to diagnose. An improved, rapid diagnostic method such as the novel, PCR-based point-of-care diagnostic method that detects very low parasitemia within 30min is needed. Moreover, as most infected dogs did not show clinical signs, they may act as reservoirs of infection. The ability of asymptomatic dogs to spread babesiosis should be investigated.

Breed distributions for diabetes mellitus and hypothyroidism in Norwegian dogs

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) and hypothyroidism are common canine endocrinopathies. Both canine DM and primary hypothyroidism are assumed to originate from autoimmune destruction of the respective endocrine glands and have been associated with the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene region. This study aims to investigate breed distributions for DM and hypothyroidism in the Norwegian canine population by calculating odds ratios (OR) from two different comparator groups.MethodsResults from canine serum samples submitted from 2001 to 2018 to the Veterinary Clinical Pathology Laboratory (VCPL) at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences for analysis of fructosamine and thyroid hormones in serum were used as cases in a retrospective bivariate analysis of canine breeds. The ORs were calculated as a measure of risk for the included breeds, where all the submitted blood samples to the VCPL and dogs registered in the Norwegian Kennel Club (NKK), the national organization for dog owners, were used as two comparator groups.ResultsSignificant differences in disease prevalence between breeds were discovered using both comparator groups. Australian terrier, Swedish lapphund, Samoyed, and Schipperke were at highest risk for DM. German Shepherd, Golden retriever, German pointing dog, and Collie presented as the breeds with lowest risk for DM. For hypothyroidism, Schnauzer, Eurasier, Dunker, and English setter were at highest risk for developing the disease. The breeds at lowest risk of developing hypothyroidism were Rottweiler, Dachshund, German shepherd, and Border collie. The results from the different comparator groups gave different ORs and ranks, but the breeds with highest and lowest odds showed the same susceptibility using both comparators.ConclusionsThese findings support that there are breeds more and less prone to develop DM and hypothyroidism. A strong genetic predisposition involved in the aetiology of these two diseases is therefore likely. Interestingly, there also appeared to be an inverse relationship of odds for the two diseases for some of the breeds since some breeds that had a high OR for DM or hypothyroidism had a lower OR for the other disease. This indicates that there may be different risk alleles/haplotypes for the two diseases. The possible aetiological relationship between canine DM and hypothyroidism should be further investigated.

Linguatula serrata in an imported dog in Germany: Single-case or emerging disease?

Linguatula serrata is a worm-like parasite with zoonotic potential that inhabits the nasal cavities of canids. Although most cases of linguatulosis are associated with unspecific and rather mild respiratory symptoms, cases of unusual infestations and severe courses in both animals and humans have been reported. In central and northern Europe, the pathogen used to appear only sporadically, however, within the last few years the number of detections has increased noticeably. In July 2020 an approximately nine-month-old dog, imported from Romania, was presented in a veterinary practice in Gotha, central Germany, due to persistent worsening cough. Despite antibiotic treatment the tussis became more severe until the dog expectorated multiple worm-like structures. Three of these specimens were sent to the Institute of Parasitology (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Leipzig, Leipzig) for morphological and genetic species identification. The latter was based on a 1000-bp fragment of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (cox1) and the complete nuclear 18S rRNA gene. The dog presented in this study suffered from a severe respiratory impairment caused by worm-like parasites inhabiting its upper respiratory tract. The detected parasites were morphologically identified as female specimens of the so-called tongue-worm L. serrata, which was confirmed by pairwise alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the produced sequences. We report an unusually severe case of L. serrata infection in an imported dog and discuss the spread of this potentially dangerous parasite in central and northern Europe.

Clinical and etiologically evaluation of cats with high-rise syndrome: assessment of 72 cases (A retrospective study)

Surgical problems observed in cats after falling from balconies or windows of buildings are significant, and this phenomenon of falling from a height is known as high-rise syndrome (HRS). The purpose of this study was to clinically evaluate frequently encountered cases of cats falling from a height. Overall, 72 cats of different breeds, ages and sexes brought to XXX University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Surgery, with complaints of falls from a height in 2019 were included. Falls from a height are more common during summer. Orthopaedic problems are common (58.33%), and femoral fractures (23.61%) constitute an important part of them. The affected cats were aged mostly under the 1 year. Furthermore, the survival rate of these cats was found to be 95.8%. In conclusion, the main purpose for the treatment of cats with HRS should be to stabilise their general condition and subsequently correct orthopaedic and/or soft tissue damage.

Düşük BVDV prevalansı ile seyreden olguların izlenmesinde ekonomik bir izleme tekniği olarak havuzlama ve gerçek zamanlı RT-PZR

The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of pooled blood samples and real-time RT-PCR are feasible for detecting BVDV in viremic or PI animals. For this purpose, blood samples obtained from 2701 cattle, brought from 62 different farms, were used to test for the presence of bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) at the Veterinary Virology Department of Aksaray University Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. The sampling was done from all geographical regions in Turkey. Blood samples were pooled in groups of eight, creating a total of 342 pools. Each pool was checked for BVDV with a real-time RT-PCR test. BVDV nucleic acid was detected in 18 (5.26%) of a total of 342 pools. BVDV was detected in 18 of 62 farms. The most important result obtained from this study is that BVDV monitoring by pooling and real time RT-PCR can be done very economically when the disease prevalence is low (<10%). A risk/benefit estimation can be done for breeders who want to start vaccination programs.

Impact of Natural and Hand-Assisted Pollination on Cucumber Fruit and Seed Yield

Pollination is an important agro-ecological service, necessary for fruits and seed production in 60-70% plant species. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the importance of artificial pollination on the fruit and seed yield of cucumber in the wake of natural pollination decline. This research was conducted at Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, University of Buea, Cameroon. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with four treatments and three replicates. The treatments were; open for foraging insects, assisted-hand pollination, hand emasculation, and caged with insect-proof net. Parameters such as number of bees and ants, vegetative and reproductive growth, weight of fruits, number of misshaped fruits, and weight of seeds were recorded. Data collected were subjected to ANOVA, P< 0.05 in SPSS package. Cucumber vegetative and reproductive parameters differed significantly (P<0.05) with highest in Caged with insect-proof net, assisted-hand pollination, and Caged with insect-proof net respectively. The highest number of honey bees were observed in Open for foraging insects 13 and differed significantly (P<0.05) across treatments. The highest weight of fruits and seeds yield was recorded in assisted-hand pollination 31.93 t/ha and 13.23 kg/ha respectively and differed significantly (P<0.05) across treatments. The number of misshaped fruits was highest in hand emasculation 9 and differed significantly (P<0.05) across treatments. Fruit yield correlated positively with number of honeybees (R2 = 0.65). The study demonstrates the significance of artificial pollination in increasing fruits and seed yield of cucumber and the role of honey bees in open pollination.

Ethnoveterinary Survey on Medicinal Plants in Aleta-Chuko District of Sidama Reginal State, Ethiopia

The survey was conducted from April to July 2021 to assess the ethnoveterinary medicinal plants in Aleta-Chuko district of Sidama reginal state, Ethiopia. Study population ware traditional animal healers and elders. Data were collected using pre-tested structured questionnaires. Ethical clearance ware obtained from Hawassa University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and using SPSS software version 21. A total of 31 well-known traditional animal healers, Males 16(51.6%) and females 15 (48.5%) were interviewed and 38 medicinal plants ware identified with their local name, parts used, preparation method, disease type treated, rout of administration, forms, and availability of the plant were documented. As the traditional healer responded Gidincho and Hengedicho are most used medicinal plants, followed by Reejje, Duwancho and Noole respectively. The study revealed that the part of the plant which is highly used for the preparation of the remedies were leaves (65%) followed by bark (16%). Majority animal healer ware elder farmers who work on animal healing for 20 years and above. They adopted their knowledge from their family member especial 64.5% from their fathers. The overall study reviled that the traditional healers have rich knowledge on ethno-veterinary medicines to manage their livestock through indigenous knowledge, to protect the health and increase productivity. However, this traditional knowledge is still transferred orally. Therefore, attention should be given on the documentation, plant cultivation and conservation practice. Further studies should be conducted to determine safety, toxicity and dose of the medicinal plants identified in this study.

A Dog with an Office: The Process of Embedding a Wellness Dog Intervention in a University Setting

Universities are places to promote the wellbeing of people who learn, work, and live within them. This article reports on an innovative, holistic, and embedded wellness dog program that was developed by the Faculty of Nursing to support the wellbeing of students, faculty, and staff. The innovation included a collaborative partnership between two faculties (the faculties of Veterinary Medicine and Nursing), and the targeted purchase, training, and socialization of a wellness dog. Pet wellness programs have the potential to be an important mental health intervention on university campuses. While the program was postponed due to COVID-19, the purpose of this article is to share processes used to create the wellness dog program, with suggestions regarding implementation and evaluation.

The Effect of Vegetable Oils on some Physiological Traits in Adult Male Rats

The study was conducted in the animal house at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine/ Tikrit University to investigate the effect of different concentrations of four types obtained from Al-Emad oil production company, which is grape seed oil, pumpkin oil, black seed oil and olive oil, with two types of commercial oils obtained from local markets, namely sunflower oil and corn oil, on some physiological characteristics of adult male rats with a number of 28 animal which had been divided in to 7 Groups , each one contained 4 animals. Animals underwent a lightening cycle which has been divided into 12 light hour and 12 dark hour, with a fixed temperature at 25± 2 º C. Animals had been left for one week to be adapted with the new conditions and to be sure of diseases privation. Food and water had been given continuously by oral dosing with sufficient quantities along the period of the process. The results have shown a significant increase in the gained weight of laboratory animals. There is also an increase in the total number of red blood cells, hemoglobin, granulosa cells, lymphocytes and platelets when adding grape seed oil, nigella oil, pumpkin oil and olive oil. And a decrease in the number of white blood cells compared to the addition of sunflower oil and corn oil. There is also an increase in the values of immunoglobulins IgA, IgM, IgE and IgG When adding grape seed oil, pumpkin seed oil, black seed oil and olive oil and a decrease in the values of the liver enzymes (ALT) and (AST) compared to the addition of sunflower oil and corn oil.

Influence of feed additives on the quality of seed of cocks of ROSS-308 parent stock

Purpose: to establish the effect of water-soluble liquid feed additives on the quality of the semen of roosters of the parent flock ROSS-308.Materials and methods. The experiments were carried out in the period of 2020–2022 in the hospital of the veterinary clinic of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Food and Biotechnology of the Saratov State Agrarian University. In the experiment, roosters of the parent flock ROSS 308 were used. To assess the quality indicators of the spermogram of the obtained ejaculates and determine the indicator of sperm activity, the selected roosters were divided into three groups: group 1 (n=5) - control; The 2nd group (n=5) of the experimental group received the Reasil Humic Vet feed additive with water, the 3rd group (n=5) of the experimental group received a product containing colloidal selenium, silymarin and a stabilizer (NKS) as nanoparticles.Results. A fairly good volume of ejaculate was obtained from the experimental males, which ranged from 0.5 ml to 1.1 ml. The growth of sperm activity in the 2nd group and in the 3rd experimental group occurred on the 20th day and the next day of the experiment and showed a stable result from 8,5 to 9,5 points. As a result of the experience of studying the quality indicators of sperm in the 2nd and 3rd experimental groups of roosters, high Cv variability values from 32,0% to 54,0% were obtained. Established for the indicator of the concentration of active sperm in the ejaculate: in relation to the fertilization of eggs r = 0,67 ... 0,86, hatchability of eggs - r = 0,52 ... 0,70, hatching of chickens - r = 0,36 ... 0,51.Conclusion. Given the high positive relationship between the concentration of active sperm in the ejaculate of roosters and the incubation qualities of eggs, it is advisable to use this indicator in breeding programs.

Use of poisoned baits against wildlife. A retrospective 17-year study in the natural environment of Extremadura (Spain)

This study reports the results obtained from toxicological analyses of different types of baits referred to the laboratory of the Toxicology Area (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cáceres, Spain) over a 17-year period (2002–2018). These baits were suspicious materials found in the environment of the region of Extremadura (Western Spain), where such malpractices are a problem to be addressed, as wide livestock farming and hunting activities are combined with a significant wealth of wildlife (especially birds of prey). A total of 246 baits, including 32 commercial chemical products to be used in baits, were analysed. Samples from 183 cases were received and classified according to the material used for their preparation and the toxic substance found. Overall, the most common bait consisted of meat preparations (56.3% of cases) intended to eliminate predators considered ‘annoying’ for livestock and hunting practices, such as carnivores and scavengers. It should be noted that contact baits (as fenthion-impregnated perches) were also detected (7.6%). Regarding the substances detected, anticholinesterase compounds (organophosphates and carbamates) were the most commonly used substances for the preparation of baits (detected in 85.3% of positive baits). Moreover, 8% of the positive baits presented more than one toxic substance in their composition. Due to the types of toxic compounds and the methods used to prepare the baits, this study shows that the malicious use of highly toxic substances in the environment to kill wildlife is a common and current issue and poses a serious risk to different species.

Immunohistochemical detection of caspase 3 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in the intestines of dogs naturally infected with parvovirus.

Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Turkiye. Canine parvovirus (CPV) causes a contagious and fatal viral disease in dogs characterized by hemorrhagic enteritis. Apoptosis is a programmed cell death and one of the primary markers of this process is caspase 3. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is also associated with important vital cellular processes. This study was conducted to examine the expressions of caspase 3 and PCNA in the intestinal samples of dogs naturally infected with CPV using immunohistochemical methods. A total of 30 dogs with parvoviral enteritis and five control dogs gut tissues were evaluated for caspase 3 and PCNA expressions. Increased immunoactivities of caspase 3 and PCNA were observed in epithelial, crypt and inflammatory cells in the CPV-infected dogs. Increased expressions of both markers were observed being related to the severity of disease. These results demonstrated the important roles of caspase 3 and PCNA in CPV pathogenesis. These markers may be useful for early diagnosis, estimation of the severity or future treatment strategies of this important disease.

Knowledge, attitude, and practices associated with avian influenza among undergraduate university students of East Java Indonesia: A cross-sectional survey

Background: Several public health strategic actions are required for effective avian influenza (AI) prevention and control, as well as the development of a communication plan to keep undergraduate students sufficiently informed on how to avoid or reduce exposure. The aim of the survey was to measure the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAPs) toward AI among undergraduate university students in East Java, Indonesia, and observe the correlation between KAPs and the factors associated with the control and prevention of AI. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among undergraduate students to collect information about AI-related KAPs. Students were selected from three faculties of Universitas Airlangga Surabaya Indonesia (Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, and Faculty of Science and Technology). Students voluntarily responded to a pre-designed questionnaire. Results: A total of 425 students (222 female; and 203 male), of ages ranging from 18 years (n=240) to 20-30 years (n=185), responded to the survey. This cohort consisted of 157 students from the Faculty of Fisheries and Marine, 149 from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, and 119 from the Faculty of Science and Technology. The results indicated that appropriate knowledge was obtained by 76.94% of students; significantly higher levels were seen in Faculty of Veterinary Medicine students as compared to the other two faculties (p<0.05). 72.89% of students documented positive attitudes; veterinary medicine students had significantly more positive attitudes than other faculties (p<0.05). Proactive behaviors were observed in 56.90% of students. The aggregate scores for KAPs were 6.93 ± 0.77 (range: 0-9) for knowledge, 7.6 ± 1.25 (range: 0-10) for attitude, and 9.1 ± 1.5 (range: 0-12) for practice.

Comprehensive analysis of retracted journal articles in the field of veterinary medicine and animal health

BackgroundRetractions are a key proxy for recognizing errors in research and publication and for reconciling misconduct in the scientific literature. The underlying factors associated with retractions can provide insight and guide policy for journal editors and authors within a discipline. The goal of this study was to systematically review and analyze retracted articles in veterinary medicine and animal health. A database search for retractions of articles with a veterinary/animal health topic, in a veterinary journal, or by veterinary institution-affiliated authors was conducted from first available records through February 2019 in MEDLINE/PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Retraction Watch, and Google Scholar. Annual frequency of retractions, journal and article characteristics, author affiliation and country, reasons for retraction, and retraction outcomes were recorded.ResultsTwo-hundred-forty-two articles retracted between 1993 and 2019 were included in the study. Over this period, the estimated rate of retraction increased from 0.03/1000 to 1.07/1000 veterinary articles. Median time from publication to retraction was 478 days (range 0-3653 days). Retracted articles were published in 30 (12.3%) veterinary journals and 132 (81.5%) nonveterinary journals. Veterinary journals had disproportionately more retractions than nonveterinary journals (P = .0155). Authors/groups with ≥2 retractions accounted for 37.2% of retractions. Authors from Iran and China published 19.4 and 18.2% of retracted articles respectively. Authors were affiliated with a faculty of veterinary medicine in 59.1% of retracted articles. Of 242 retractions, 204 (84.3%) were research articles, of which 6.4% were veterinary clinical research. Publication misconduct (plagiarism, duplicate publication, compromised peer review) accounted for 75.6% of retractions, compared with errors (20.6%) and research misconduct (18.2%). Journals published by societies/institutions were less likely than those from commercial publishers to indicate a reason for retraction. Thirty-one percent of HTML articles and 14% of PDFs were available online but not marked as retracted.ConclusionsThe rate of retraction in the field of veterinary and animal health has increased by ~ 10-fold per 1000 articles since 1993, resulting primarily from increased publication misconduct, often by repeat offenders. Veterinary journals and society/institutional journals could benefit from improvement in the quality of retraction notices.

Importance of Preprocessing in Histopathology Image Classification Using Deep Convolutional Neural Network

The aim of this study is to propose an alternative and hybrid solution method for diagnosing the disease from histopathology images taken from animals with paratuberculosis and intact intestine. In detail, the hybrid method is based on using both image processing and deep learning for better results. Reliable disease detection from histopathology images is known as an open problem in medical image processing and alternative solutions need to be developed. In this context, 520 histopathology images were collected in a joint study with Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology. Manually detecting and interpreting these images requires expertise and a lot of processing time. For this reason, veterinarians, especially newly recruited physicians, have a great need for imaging and computer vision systems in the development of detection and treatment methods for this disease. The proposed solution method in this study is to use the CLAHE method and image processing together. After this preprocessing, the diagnosis is made by classifying a convolutional neural network supported by the VGG-16 architecture. This method uses completely original dataset images. Two types of systems were applied for the evaluation parameters. While the F1 Score was 93% in the method classified without data preprocessing, it was 98% in the method that was preprocessed with the CLAHE method.