Efficacy of Fluralaner (Exzolt®) for the Treatment of Natural Allopsoroptoides Galli Infestations in Laying Hens

BackgroundMite infestations in laying hens can cause losses to producers due to stress, reduced egg production and even death of birds. A new species of mite, Allopsoroptoides galli (A. galli), Analgoidea: Psoroptoididae, was recently identified in commercial laying farms in Brazil, causing damage due to its highly aggressive infestation that results in a sharp drop in egg production and culling. The present study evaluated the acaricidal action of a formulation containing fluralaner (Exzolt®) against A. galli.Methods The study was carried out from November 2019 to January 2020. Thirty-four laying hens naturally infested with A. galli were equally divided into a fluralaner-treated group and an untreated control group. The fluralaner-treated group received Exzolt® in drinking water at a dose of 0.05 mL/kg body weight (equivalent to 0.5 mg fluralaner/kg body weight), twice, seven days apart. Both groups were followed for 70 days evaluating the level of infestation by counting mites in skin scrapings and assessment of skin lesions.Results The average mite count of the treated group decreased significantly, dropping from 61.6 to 3.8 mites (D+7 to D+70). The efficacy progressively increased on subsequent days, reaching 98.8% on day +56 post-treatment and 96.9% on day +70. Recovery of skin lesions was observed after administration of Exzolt®, showing a marked remission in the degree of lesions (2.5 on day -14 to 0.2 on day +70). The mean number of mites in the untreated control group ranged from 79.3 to 124.1 and the lesion score from 2.6 to 2.9, thus remaining stable throughout the study.Conclusion The results obtained in the present study demonstrated that Exzolt® administered at a dose of 0.05 mL of product/kg body weight (equivalent to 0.5 mg of fluralaner/kg body weight), twice at a seven-day interval, in drinking water was effective in the treatment of the mite Allopsoroptoides galli in naturally infested laying hens.

Clinical evaluation of the effects of a single oral dose of gabapentin on fear-based aggressive behaviors in cats during veterinary examinations

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of a single oral dose of gabapentin on fear-based aggressive behaviors (FABs) in cats during veterinary examinations. ANIMALS 55 healthy pet cats (26 with and 29 without a history of FAB during veterinary visits [FAB and untreated control groups, respectively]). PROCEDURES A standardized 9-step clinical examination protocol (with patient compliance scored from 0 to 9 according to the highest completed step) was tested on untreated control group cats. The protocol was then used in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, crossover-design trial in which FAB-group cats received owner-administered gabapentin (100 or 200 mg/cat) or placebo capsules 2 hours before the first of 2 veterinary visits and received the alternate treatment before the second visit ≥ 1 day later. Ease of administration (scored from 1 [very difficult] to 4 [very easy]) and adverse effects were recorded. Compliance scores were compared between treatments for the FAB group and between FAB and untreated control groups. Changes in scores between treatments for the FAB group were used to investigate associations between selected variables and the outcome of interest. RESULTS FAB group compliance scores after gabapentin administration (median, 9; range, 0 to 9) were significantly higher than scores after placebo administration (median 0.5; range, 0 to 7) and did not differ from scores for the untreated control group. Owner scores indicated capsule administration was easy. Adverse effects (most commonly drowsiness, myorelaxation, and ataxia) resolved ≤ 10 hours after detection. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggested oral administration of gabapentin to cats 2 hours before a veterinary visit can reduce FAB during physical examination, enabling more complete evaluation.

Efektivitas Pengasuhan Positif untuk Menurunkan Stres Pengasuhan Ibu Bekerja dengan Anak Usia Prasekolah

Ibu bekerja dengan anak usia prasekolah cenderung memiliki waktu interaksi serta kelekatan yang kurang dengan anak-anak mereka. Oleh karena itu, anak cenderung meniru atau melakukan tindakan atau kata-kata yang tidak sesuai dengan harapan orang tua. Interaksi antara lingkungan orang tua dan anak yang kurang baik dapat menyebabkan orang tua mengalami masa stres, atau biasa disebut stres pengasuhan. Tujuan penelitian yang dilakukan adalah untuk mengukur efektivitas program pengasuhan positif untuk menurunkan tingkat stres pengasuhan dengan meningkatkan efikasi pengasuhan pada ibu bekerja dengan anak usia prasekolah.Hipotesis dalam penelitian ini adalah pelatihan efikasi pengasuhan dapat menurunkan tingkat stres pengasuhan. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah eksperimen kuasi dengan untreated control group pretest posttest design dengan peserta sejumlah sepuluhorang. Analisis data menggunakan analisis statistik non parametric Mann Whitney U Test untuk mengukur perbedaan skor stres pengasuhan dan efikasi pengasuhan sebelum dan sesudah intervensi dilakukan. Hasil penelitian membuktikan bahwa program pelatihan pengasuhan positif efektif dalam menurunkan stres pengasuhan pada ibu bekerja (posttest-pretest Z = -2,803 dan p = 0,005 (p<0,05)). Hasil kualitatif menunjukkan adanya perubahan dalam praktik pengasuhan pada ibu bekerja meliputi keterlibatan, pemantauan, serta pembiasaan perilaku positif.

In vivo study on the healing of bone defect treated with non-thermal atmospheric pressure gas discharge plasma

Medical treatment using non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma (NTAPP) is rapidly gaining recognition. NTAPP is thought to be a new therapeutic method because it could generate highly reactive species in an ambient atmosphere which could be exposed to biological targets (e.g., cells and tissues). If plasma-generated reactive species could stimulate bone regeneration, NTAPP can provide a new treatment opportunity in regenerative medicine. Here, we investigated the impact of NTAPP on bone regeneration using a large bone defect in New Zealand White rabbits and a simple atmospheric pressure plasma (helium microplasma jet). We observed the recovery progress of the large bone defects by X-ray imaging over eight weeks after surgery. The X-ray results showed a clear difference in the occupancy of the new bone of the large bone defect among groups with different plasma treatment times, whereas the new bone occupancy was not substantial in the untreated control group. According to the results of micro-computed tomography analysis at eight weeks, the most successful bone regeneration was achieved using a plasma treatment time of 10 min, wherein the new bone volume was 1.51 times larger than that in the plasma untreated control group. Using H&E and Masson trichrome stains, nucleated cells were uniformly observed, and no inclusion was confirmed, respectively, in the groups of plasma treatment. We concluded the critical large bone defect were filled with new bone. Overall, these results suggest that NTAPP is promising for fracture treatment.

Evaluation of concurrent exposure of lower concentrations of lead and endosulfan on apoptosis by scatter pattern of flow cytometry

The effect of repeated exposure of lower doses of lead and endosulfan were evaluated on apoptosis in male wistar rats. Rats of group I served as untreated control. Group II received drinking water with lead as lead acetate @100 ppm (Pb100). Group III was given feed containing technical grade endosulfan @ 10 ppm (E10). Group IV was exposed to Pb (100) +E (10). Splenocytes were analysed for estimating apoptotic percentage in rats. The results suggest that apoptotic percentage was not changed in the lower doses of endosulfan and lead when administered alone and also in combination in the present study

Assessment The Efficacy of Thymol Against Toxocara Vitulorum In Experimentally Infected Rats

The effect of thymol and ivermectin on the development and embryonation of Toxocara vitulorum (T. vitulorum) eggs, as well as their migration in albino rats was investigated in vitro. A total of forty male albino rats were divided into four groups for an in vivo experiment. The first group was uninfected; the second group was infected but left untreated; the third group received thymol at a dose of 40 mg/kg; and the fourth group received ivermectin (0.2 mg/kg). Thymol inhibited the development of Toxocara larvae within the eggs in vitro. Ivermectin; however, produced inconsistent results. The in vivo results indicated that the recovery rates of Toxocara larvae from the liver and lungs on day 7 post-infection were significantly lower in the thymol- or ivermectin-treated group than in the infected untreated control group. Histopathological examination demonstrated that thymol and ivermectin were effective in reducing larval load, reducing the number and size of granulomas in the absence of larvae, and improving tissue architectures. Albumin levels were significantly increased in the thymol-treated group. Nitric oxide, IL-4, and IFN- γ levels were significantly decreased in the serum of the thymol- or ivermectin-treated group. The current study concluded that thymol possessed anti-Toxocara activity in a rat model. Additionally, thymol possessed ovicidal properties and may be used as a disinfectant.

Pelatihan “Great Mom Great Children” pada Ibu Muda Jalanan dalam Meningkatkan Ketrampilan Stimulasi Perkembangan Anak

Anak jalanan perempuan yang memiliki anak di usia muda kurang memiliki pengetahuan dan ketrampilan dalam menstimulasi perkembangan anak. Tujuan dari penelitian ini adalah meningkatkan ketrampilan stimulasi perkembangan pada ibu-ibu muda jalanan dengan memberikan perlakuan berupa pelatihan “Great Mom Great Children”. Subjek dalam penelitian ini adalah ibu merupakan anak jalanan yang tinggal di Yogyakarta, ibu muda yang berusia kurang dari 18 tahun saat memiliki anak, ibu yang memiliki anak atas kehamilan yang tidak dikehendaki, ibu memiliki anak berusia 0-5 tahun (anak usia dini), dan ibu mengasuh anaknya sendiri secara langsung. Desain eksperimen yang digunakan adalah untreated control group design with dependent pretest and posttest samples. Alat pengumpulan data menggunakan Kuisioner Pra Skrinning Perkembangan (KPSP). Hasil Uji Wilcoxon untuk menguji perbedaan tingkat ketrampilan stimulasi ibu-ibu muda jalanan antara sebelum (pretest) dan sesudah diberi perlakuan (posttest) menunjukkan adanya perbedaan yang signifikan anatara skor pretest dan postest. Hasil Uji Mann Whitney U-test diperoleh hasil rata-rata tingkat ketrampilan stimulasi kelompok eksperimen lebih tinggi daripada kelompok kontrol. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa metode pelatihan “Great Mom Great Children” efektif dalam meningkatkan ketrampilan stimulasi perkembangan anak pada ibu-ibu muda jalanan.

The Anti-Biofilm Efficacy of Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester (CAPE) In Vitro and a Murine Model of Oral Candidiasis

Candida albicans is the main fungal species associated with the development of oral candidiasis. Currently, therapeutic options for these infections are limited by the adverse effects of antifungal drugs and by the emergence of drug resistant strains. Thus, the development of new antifungal agents is needed for the prevention and treatment of oral Candida infections. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a natural compound from propolis polyphenolic groups that exhibits many pharmacological properties. In this study, we investigated whether CAPE can have antifungal and immunomodulatory effects on oral candidiasis. Preliminary tests to assess the antifungal activity of CAPE were performed using the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) assay that demonstrated inhibition in a range from 16 to 32 μg/mL, confirming its antifungal activity on several C. albicans strains isolated from the oral cavity. Subsequently, we analyzed Candida spp biofilms formed in vitro, in which CAPE treatment at 5 x MIC caused a reduction of 68.5% in the total biomass and ~2.60 Log in the viable cell count (CFU/mL) in relation to the untreated biofilm (p&lt;0.0001). Next, RNA was extracted from untreated and CAPE-treated biofilms and analyzed by real-time qPCR. A series of genes analyzed (ALS1, ECE1, EPA1, HWP1, YWP1, BCR1, BGR1, CPH1, EFG1, NDT80, ROB1, TEC1, UME6, SAP2, SAP5, PBL2, and LIP9) were downregulated by CAPE compared to the untreated control group (p&lt;0.0001). In in vivo studies using Galleria mellonella, the treatment with CAPE prolonged survival of larvae infected by C. albicans by 44.5% (p &lt; 0.05) and accompanied by a 2.07-fold increase in the number of hemocytes. Flow cytometry revealed the most prominent increases were in types P2 and P3 hemocytes, granular cells, which phagocytize pathogens. In addition, CAPE treatment decreased the fungal load in the hemolymph and stimulated the expression of antifungal peptide genes such as galiomicin and gallerimycin. The antifungal and immunomodulatory activities observed in G. mellonella were extended to a murine model of oral candidiasis, in which CAPE decreased the levels of C. albicans colonization (~2 log CFU/mL) in relation to the untreated control group. In addition, CAPE treatment significantly reduced pseudomembranous lesions, invasion of hyphae on epithelium surfaces, tissue damage and inflammatory infiltrate (p &lt; 0.05). CAPE was also able to increase the expression of β-defensin 3 compared to the infected and untreated group by 3.91-fold (p &lt; 0.0001). Taken together, these results show that CAPE has both antifungal and immunomodulatory effects, making it a promising natural antifungal agent for the treatment and prevention of candidiasis and shows impact to oral candidiasis.

Evaluation of in vivo Wound Healing Activity of Ursolic Acid Rich Chloroform Extract of Hedyotis herbacea Linn Ointment

Aim: This study evaluates the effect of in vivo wound healing potential of Ursolic acid rich chloroform extract of Hedyotis herbacea Linn ointment using incision and excision wound model. Study Design: Wound healing potentials of Hedyotis herbacea were analysed by Incision and excision wound model. Place of Study: Nandha College of Pharmacy, Erode, Tamilnadu. Methodology: Hedyotis herbacea was subjected to extraction (cold maceration), with solvents of increasing polarity. All the extracts were estimated for the presence of phytoconstituents by HPTLC. As the study has been focused on the phytoconstituent based biological activity, the Ursolic acid rich chloroform extract was chosen for the study of wound healing activity. The Chloroform extract of Hedyotis herbacea was incorporated into ointment base, to prepare the ointment. The ointments prepared with Chloroform extract (2.5% and 5%) of Hedyotis herbacea (CEHH) were subjected for evaluation of excision and incision wound model. Wistar albino rats were divided into four groups each consisting of six animals; group I (left untreated) considered as untreated control, group II treated with 5% w/w povidone-iodine ointment served as standard, group III treated with CEHH 2.5% w/w ointment, and group IV treated with CEHH 5% w/w ointment were considered as test groups. All the treatments were given once daily. Wound healing effect was assessed by the rate of wound contraction, level of total protein, Hydroxy proline, Hexosamine and Hexuronic acid and histopathology studies in an excision wound model. Tensile strength was also measured in both excision and incision wound. Results: Wound healing activity of CEHH 5% w/w ointment treated group was greater than CEHH 2.5% w/w and untreated groups in both excision and incision wound model. The high rate of wound contraction (*P< 0.001), high tensile strength (*P< 0.001), and elevated total protein, Hydroxyproline, Hexosamine, and Hexuronic acid content were observed in animals treated with CEHH ointments when compared to the untreated control group of animals. Histopathological studies of the CEHH ointments treated groups also revealed the effectiveness in wound healing. Conclusion: These results justified the claimed traditional use of the Hedyotis herbacea as wound healing plant.

A biobehavioural approach to understand how mindfulness-based cognitive 4 therapy reduces dispositional negative self-bias in recurrent depression

Negative self-bias is a detrimental vulnerability factor of recurrent depression. Here we examine the potential of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) to reduce this bias by assessing self-report and psychophysiological responses to a previously validated self-compassion exercise in individuals with recurrent depression. One group (n= 25) received eight sessions of MBCT between two assessments (2.5 – 3 months apart). The second group was an untreated control group (n = 25) tested at similar intervals.Our results indicate that, when the MBCT group engaged in the self-compassion exercise after MBCT, they showed reduced physiological arousal and enhanced parasympathetic activity whereas no changes were observed in the control group. Interestingly, self-reported state self-compassion after the exercise increased in both groups at both timepoints, but only in the MBCT group the overall levels of state and dispositional self-compassion were increased significantly. This suggests that MBCT reduces both strategic (self-report) and automatic (psychophysiological) negative self-bias.