Prevalence and Risk Factors of Parasitic Gastrointestinal Nematode Infections of Donkeys in Southern Ethiopia.

Gastrointestinal (GIT) parasites cause sickness and mortality in working donkeys, reducing their productivity. A cross-sectional study was done in the Damot Gale district of southern Ethiopia from November 2020 to June 2021 to determine the frequency of donkey GIT nematode parasite infection and to examine its related risk factors. Overall, 514 simple randomly selected donkeys from peasant associations were sampled for the coprological examination of gastrointestinal nematode infection. The flotation technique was employed to identify parasite eggs in feces. The total prevalence of parasitic gastrointestinal nematodes was 71.79% (95% CI: 67.73-75.52). The most prevalent nematodes were Strongyles (37.74%), Parascaris equorum (11.28%), Strongyloides (7.20%), and combined infections of Strongyles and Parascaris (14.01%) and Strongyles and Strongyloides (1.56%). The association between the prevalence of parasitic GIT nematode infections and body conditions score was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Comparatively, donkeys with semi-intensified systems were five times (OR = 5.36) and those with medium body condition were twice (OR = 1.94) had a higher risk of infection than donkeys with intensive systems and good body condition scores, respectively. In conclusion, the current study indicated that gastrointestinal nematode parasites of donkeys are highly prevalent in the study area. Thus, regular deworming, proper housing, and feeding management were recommended to improve the health and productivity of donkeys in the research area.

Epidemiological study on cattle trypanosomiasis and its vectors distributions in the Gambella regional state, southwestern Ethiopia.

African animal trypanosomosis is a parasitic disease that causes significant economic losses in livestock due to anaemia, loss of condition, emaciation, and mortality. It is a key impediment to increased cattle output and productivity in Ethiopia. Cross-sectional entomological and parasitological studies were performed in the Gambella Region state of southwestern Ethiopia to estimate the prevalence of bovine trypanosomosis, apparent fly density, and potential risk factors. Blood samples were taken from 546 cattle for the parasitological study and analyzed using the buffy coat technique and stained with Giemsa. A total of 189 biconical (89) and NGU (100) traps were deployed in the specified districts for the entomological survey. The overall prevalence of trypanosomosis at the animal level was 5.5% (95% CI: 3.86-7.75). Trypanosoma vivax (50.0%), T. congolense (30.0%), T. brucei (20.0%), and no mixed trypanosome species were found. The prevalence of trypanosomosis was significantly (p < 0.05) affected by altitude, body score conditions, age, mean packed cell volume (PCV), and peasant associations, while sex and coat color had no significant effect. According to the entomological survey results, a total of 2303 flies were captured and identified as tsetse (Glossina pallidipes (5.3%)) and G. fuscipes fuscipes (3.3%) and other biting flies (Tabanus (60.1%) and Stomoxys (31.3%)). In the current study, the overall apparent density was 4.1 flies/trap/day. This study shows that trypanosomosis remains a significant cattle disease in the Gambella regional state even during the dry season. Thus, the findings support the necessity to improve vector and parasite control measures in the area.

Examining surgeon stress in robotic and laparoscopic surgery.

Robotic surgery may decrease surgeon stress compared to laparoscopic. To evaluate intraoperative surgeon stress, we measured salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol. We hypothesized robotic elicited lower increases in surgeon salivary amylase and cortisol than laparoscopic. Surgical faculty (n = 7) performing laparoscopic and robotic operations participated. Demographics: age, years in practice, time using laparoscopic vs robotic, comfort level and enthusiasm for each. Operative data included operative time, WRVU (surgical "effort"), resident year. Saliva was collected using passive drool collection system at beginning, middle and end of each case; amylase and cortisol measured using ELISA. Standard values were created using 7-minute exercise (HIIT), collecting saliva pre- and post-workout. Linear regression and Student's t test used for statistical analysis; p values < 0.05 were significant. Ninety-four cases (56 robotic, 38 laparoscopic) were collected (April-October 2022). Standardized change in amylase was 8.4 ± 4.5 (p < 0.001). Among operations, raw maximum amylase change in laparoscopic and robotic was 23.4 ± 11.5 and 22.2 ± 13.4; raw maximum cortisol change was 44.21 ± 46.57 and 53.21 ± 50.36, respectively. Values normalized to individual surgeon HIIT response, WRVU, and operative time, showing 40% decrease in amylase in robotic: 0.095 ± 0.12, vs laparoscopic: 0.164 ± 0.16 (p < 0.02). Normalized change in cortisol was: laparoscopic 0.30 ± 0.44, robotic 0.22 ± 0.4 (p = NS). On linear regression (p < 0.001), surgeons comfortable with complex laparoscopic cases had lower change in normalized amylase (p < 0.01); comfort with complex robotic was not significant. Robotic may be less physiologically stressful, eliciting less increase in salivary amylase than laparoscopic. Comfort with complex laparoscopic decreased stress in robotic, suggesting laparoscopic experience is valuable prior to robotic.

How Does Oversewing/Suturing (OS/S) Compare to Other Staple Line Reinforcement Methods? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Various staple line reinforcement (SLR) techniques in sleeve gastrectomy, including oversewing/suturing (OS/S), gluing, and buttressing, have emerged to mitigate postoperative complications such as bleeding and leaks. A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials has demonstrated OS/S as an efficacious strategy for preventing postoperative complications, encompassing leaks, bleeding, and reoperations. Given that OS/S is the sole SLR technique not incurring additional costs during surgery, our study aimed to compare postoperative outcomes associated with OS/S versus alternative SLR methods. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, we reviewed the literature and conducted fifteen pairwise meta-analyses of comparative studies, each evaluating an outcome between OS/S and another SLR technique. Thirteen of these analyses showed no statistically significant differences, whereas two revealed notable distinctions.

Bilateral Hypotony Maculopathy Associated With Ipilimumab and Nivolumab Therapy Unresponsive to Corticosteroid Treatment.

In rare instances, immunotherapy associated with hypotony and uveitis has been documented. We report the case of a 72-year-old man treated with 2 months of ipilimumab and nivolumab for metastatic melanoma who developed bilateral hypotony maculopathy and serous choroidal detachments without prominent initial uveitis. Despite treatment with topical, periocular, and intraocular corticosteroid injection, hypotony persisted 18 months after immunotherapy cessation. The patient's unresponsiveness to corticosteroids indicates the need to further explore the mechanism behind immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated hypotony. We hypothesize that immunotherapy significantly decreased aqueous humor production through ciliary body inflammation, disruption, or shutdown. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina 2023;54:301-304.].

Emerging Treatment Options for Geographic Atrophy (GA) Secondary to Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is characterized as a chronic, multifactorial disease and is the leading cause of irreversible blindness. Advanced AMD is classified as neovascular (wet) AMD and non-neovascular (dry) AMD. Dry AMD can progress to a more advanced form that manifests as geographic atrophy (GA), which significantly threatens vision, leading to progressive and irreversible loss of visual function. There are currently no approved therapeutics commercially available for GA patients. However, data from various clinical trials have demonstrated favorable results with significant reduction in GA lesion growth. This review furthers the understanding of the pathophysiology of GA, as well as current clinical trial data on investigational therapeutics.

Ranibizumab port delivery system: a clinical perspective.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) represents a leading cause of blindness worldwide. Neovascular AMD (nAMD) is a subtype of AMD most frequently treated with intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (aVEGF) injections, which has allowed for patients to maintain vision that would have otherwise been lost. However, the need for frequent intravitreal injections for optimal results poses a risk for undertreatment in nAMD patients due to the high treatment burden associated with current aVEGF therapy. Many novel agents and pathways are being explored and targeted for less burdensome treatment options, one of which is the ranibizumab port delivery system (PDS). The PDS is a surgically implanted, refillable device that allows for the sustained release of ranibizumab, a widely used aVEGF agent, into the vitreous cavity. Positive results non-inferior to monthly ranibizumab injections in both phase II and phase III clinical trials allowed for FDA approval of the device with refill intervals of 6 months, which represents the longest approved treatment interval to date for nAMD therapy. This article reviews the need for a durable nAMD treatment option in real-world practice, the clinical trial and extension study data for the PDS, the risk of adverse events and safety profile of the PDS and the potential clinical role of the PDS in answering the real-world needs of nAMD treatment. In addition, other pipeline sustained-treatment modalities are discussed in the context of ongoing clinical trials.

Bio-thermal responses and heat balance of a hair coat sheep breed raised under an equatorial semi-arid environment.

Long-term assessments of bio-thermal responses in a hair coat sheep breed were performed to investigate the effect of the thermal environment on their physiological performance and thermal balance. Twelve healthy non-lactating Morada Nova ewes (3 ±â€¯1.2 years old, body mass 32.7 ±â€¯3.7 kg) were assigned in two 12 × 12 latin square designs (from 07:00 to 19:00 h and from 19:00 to 07:00 h, respectively) for assessments of their bio-thermal responses during 24 consecutive days. There was a monophasic pattern in the ambient temperature (TA), which ranged between 21 and 38 °C, thereby exposing the ewes to different levels of surrounding TA over the day and influencing several of their bio-thermal responses (P = 0.0001). Their body temperatures (i.e., rectal, skin, and hair coat surface temperatures) gradually increased (P = 0.0001) from 04:00 h. The mean peak for rectal temperature (39.3 °C) was recorded at 19:00 h, while for skin and hair coat surface temperatures it occurred at 13:00 and 14:00 h, respectively. The sensible heat loss by long wave radiation and surface convection exceeded the metabolism of ewes when the TA was below 24 °C, which usually occurred between 24:00 and 06:00 h. During exposure to higher ambient temperatures, the sheep increased respiratory evaporative heat loss, without panting. In conclusion, the sheep regulated rectal temperature within a relatively narrow range of 1.4 °C over 24 h, and appear to be well adapted to coping with heat. Minimum 24 h body temperature was correlated with minimum TA, indicating that heat conservation strategies are likely to be important for Morada Nova sheep in a tropical biotype at night, when rates of sensible heat loss exceed the heat generated by metabolism.

Assessment of heat tolerance and production performance of Aardi, Damascus, and their crossbred goats.

The question of whether the adaptability and production performance in goats may be enhanced using a crossbreeding program between bucks of a native and heat-tolerant breed and does of an exotic and dual-purpose breed was approached and examined herein by comparing purebred Aardi and Damascus goats and their crossbred lines (i.e., (1)/2 Aardi (1)/2 Damascus (½A½D) and (1)/4 Aardi (3)/4 Damascus (»A¾D)) reared in a region characterized by dry and hot bioclimatic conditions. Twenty-four male 6-month-old kids randomly segregated into four groups (six replicates/group) were used for the experiment. Climatic, thermo-physiological, biophysiological, metabolic, blood hematological, and biochemical measurements were all determined. The obtained results indicated that such a program was proven to be successful. This conclusion was demonstrated by the findings that crossbred goats (i.e., (1)/2A(1)/2D and (1)/4A(3)/4D) under such bioclimatic conditions were able to show (P < 0.05) higher heat tolerance capabilities compared to purebred Damascus goats as well as manifested (P < 0.05) higher production performance compared to the purebred Aardi goats. Accordingly, these evidences could emphasize that the crossbreeding may enable these animals to display a simultaneous improvement of both traits by the possible benefits that could arise from heterosis and breed complementarity. Researches dealing with this aspect may very well improve our understanding of goat's production and welfare under harsh environmental conditions. Future studies should include an economic analysis of traits that have the potential to impact the overall profitability to a vertically coordinated system.