Temperament Behaviours in Individually Tested Sheep Are Not Related to Behaviours Expressed in the Presence of Conspecifics.

Individual behavioural testing in sheep is common; however, outcomes may be misleading as they are a highly gregarious species that is usually managed in groups. We investigated whether behaviour expressed by 3-4-month-old Merino lambs (n = 220) in social isolation was related to their behaviour towards the same stimuli when three other conspecifics were present, and if measures of temperament (vocalisations and locomotory behaviours) were repeatable across both social situations. Expression of all behaviours were reduced when conspecifics were present, and vocalisations were rarely performed in social groups, suggesting that this behaviour is a response to social isolation. Similarities across the two social situations, in ranked order of how individual lambs expressed each behaviour, indicate that vigilance and attentional orienting towards a human were repeatable (p < 0.001), as was vigilance in a startle test (p < 0.05). However, no clear relationship between behaviours expressed across the two social situations was found. The results of this study suggest that testing sheep individually should be conducted with caution where the outcome is applied to animals managed in groups. Vigilance shows promise as a measure of an underlying trait that is stable across social contexts.

Behavioural reactivity testing in sheep indicates the presence of multiple temperament traits.

Temperament in sheep is commonly presented as unidimensional, with a 'nervous' temperament indicative of fear and reactivity towards humans and novel environments. However, temperament is multidimensional, with some traits expressed only under certain conditions (context-specific). There is evidence that a common temperament test in sheep, the isolation-box (IB), measures level of activity and not fearfulness as intended, and that behaviours measured in the IB test are indicative of different traits. To investigate this, 16 behavioural responses to a human, to being startled, and to confinement (IB test) were measured in 89 lambs, twice, three months apart. Our results agree with previous studies that vocalisations in all tests and locomotion in two, show high repeatability over time. A principal component analysis identified that vocalisations are domain-general, and are indicative of the trait 'sociability', however locomotion is context-specific' and captures the traits 'exploration-avoidance', 'boldness-shyness' and 'general activity'. A cluster analysis identified four behavioural profiles that indicate the trait 'boldness-shyness' captures reactivity towards humans. This suggests the IB test, which measures 'general activity', is unsuitable for measuring reactivity towards humans in sheep, and that when studying the impact of temperament on other factors, multiple conditions should be used when identify temperament traits.

Exposure to humans after weaning does not reduce the behavioural reactivity of extensively reared Merino lambs.

Human-directed fear in extensively reared sheep is often high due to the aversive nature of common husbandry procedures and infrequent interactions with humans. This study investigated whether additional human exposure provided to weaned lambs reduced human-directed fear and behavioural reactivity. Ninety Merino lambs were either exposed to low or moderately stressful human exposure sessions, or had no additional human contact, and their fear responses and behavioural reactivity to humans, a startle stimulus and confinement were tested. Overall, the imposed interventions did not reduce behavioural reactivity during these tests, suggesting fear towards humans had not been altered.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: The cellular sequela to repetitive brain injury.

This review aims to integrate current literature on the pathogenic mechanisms of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) to create a multifactorial understanding of the disease. CTE is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, classed as a tauopathy, although it appears the pathogenic mechanisms are more complex than this. It affects those with a history of repetitive mild traumatic brain injury. Currently, there are no treatments for CTE and the disease can only be affirmatively diagnosed in post mortem. Understanding the pathogenesis of the disease will provide an avenue to explore possible treatment and diagnostic modalities. The pathological hallmarks of CTE have been well characterised and have been linked to the pathophysiologic mechanisms in this review. Human studies are limited due to ethical implications of exposing subjects to head trauma. Phosphorylation of tau, microglial activation, TAR DNA-binding protein 43 and diffuse axonal injury have all been implicated in the pathogenesis of CTE. The neuronal loss and axonal dysfunction mediated by these pathognomonic mechanisms lead to the broad psycho-cognitive symptoms seen in CTE.

The faculty of pain medicine of the Australian and New Zealand college of anaesthetists - history and strategic plan.

Since its formation, the Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM) has grown into an organization with 369 fellows. It has 29 accredited pain medicine training units in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, and Singapore. This article reviews the history of its birth and subsequent growth. The FPM fellowship is widely recognized as a high-quality qualification, based on a sound curriculum, excellent clinical exposure, and robust continuing professional development. But how does the Faculty position itself for the future? The Faculty's 5-year Strategic Plan (from 2013 to 2017) sets out its vision "to reduce the burden of pain in society through education, advocacy, training and research."

Microvascular decompression for trigeminal neuralgia: recurrences and complications.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to review the complications and pain recurrences after microvascular decompression (MVD) for trigeminal neuralgia. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 156 patients undergoing MVD in the last 25 years at Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, Australia. Patients were contacted by telephone and a questionnaire was used for the interview. RESULTS: The probability of becoming pain free after MVD in our study was 0.93. There were no deaths and the incidence of serious complication was 2%. Our complication profile is similar to other authors. Pain recurrences occurred in 18% of patients over a 25 year period. This was most likely within two years of surgery and thereafter occurred at a rate of 2-3.5% a year. Seventy-four percent of patients were still pain free at 10 years. In half of the patients the recurrence was not as severe as the initial occurrence of pain. Thirty percent of recurrences occurred on the opposite side. Eighteen percent of patients were not pain free despite any intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Microvascular decompression in experienced hands has an excellent pain outcome in the majority of patients. Major complications are uncommon.

Ethics and conjoined twins.

INTRODUCTION: The birth of live conjoined twins in a community can draw considerable attention to the appropriate ethical issues. DISCUSSION: The management requires the skills of a multi-disciplinary team of clinicians who have seldom faced the challenge. The team leader must draw together principles of a medical, social, cultural, religious and legal nature in reaching the best outcome. Often the basic question is whether one child should die or both? At times the question is raised whether it is justifiable to sacrifice one life to save the other. In these days of high technology, surgeons can be tempted to go a bridge too far. In reaching this decision there can be numerous hidden conflicts of interest. Increasingly the final decision needs to be made and approved by the courts so as to protect the rights of the twins and to ensure surgical intervention is not an unlawful act.