No description available.

Individuals sensitive to domestic cat allergen Fel d 1 experience a variety of symptoms including eye irritation, respiratory irritation, asthma, and severe respiratory distress. Fel d 1 is a protein produced in the saliva and on the skin of domestic cats. Previous studies have demonstrated that Fel d 1 adheres to clothing, upholstery, and human hair and has been found in non-cat environments in levels high enough to cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals. In a general sense, two very different approaches have been adopted to study Fel d 1. One area of the literature focuses on the molecular biology of Fel d 1 and its functions at the cellular level. These studies hold long-term promise for an effective clinical response to this persistent allergen. An entirely separate literature focuses on immediate practical solutions that remove Fel d 1 from the domestic environment. Within this literature there has been minimal emphasis on the possibility that different fabrics may have different affinities for Fel d 1. Therefore, the affinity of Fel d 1 for different fabrics is the focus of this study. The findings from this study will be of use in reducing allergic reactions in sensitive individuals through the choice of appropriate fabrics in clothing and upholstery. Forty domestic household cats were chosen for this study. Each cat was rubbed, in a manner similar to petting, with an assembled fabric square based on a Latin-square design. Each Latin-square design consisted of a 6x6 fabric grid and included the fabrics silk dupioni, wool suiting, cotton denim, cotton damask, polyester suede and polyester knit. The random organization of the fabrics into the grid removed bias for the location of fabrics within the square during Fel d 1 collection. After rubbing, the Latin-square fabric iii block was disassembled and Fel d 1 was extracted from each fabric type and analyzed via quantitative ELISA. The results were statistically analyzed with a univariate ANOVA. Fabrics significantly differ (p

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

The protozoan parasite Giardia duodenalis (syn. G. lamblia, G. intestinalis) can cause diarrhea in humans, cats, dogs and other animals. Giardia duodenalis consists of eight assemblages (A-H) that are morphologically identical but genetically distinct. Assemblages C-H are generally species-specific, while A and B infect people and animals and are considered potentially zoonotic. Most canine and feline isolates belong to their respective species-specific assemblages, but isolates of assemblages A and B (predominantly found in humans) have also been recovered from dogs and cats. Diagnosis of infection has historically been by morphologic techniques (observing trophozoites on direct fecal smears or cysts on centrifugal zinc sulfate fecal flotations), and it is currently recommended to use morphologic techniques in conjunction with a sensitive and specific antigen test. Diagnosis is important for management of clinical giardiasis in cats and dogs and also to identify the assemblage present to determine its zoonotic potential. In my dissertation research I evaluated diagnostic techniques in use for companion animals, including centrifugal zinc sulfate fecal flotation, antigen tests optimized for use in dogs and cats, direct immunofluorescent assay (IFA), and Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). I showed that when compared to the reference IFA the veterinary optimized antigen tests performed similarly and had no statistically significant differences in sensitivity or specificity when combined with a centrifugal zinc sulfate fecal flotation test. Sensitivity and specificity by comparison to IFA was ≥ 82% and ≥ 90%, respectively, for all diagnostic tests evaluated in dogs and cats. When analyzed via Bayesian analysis sensitivity and specificity for all diagnostic tests was ≥83% and ≥95%, respectively. The Bayesian analysis also showed that using the direct immunofluorescent assay (IFA) as the reference test was supported. I also evaluated PCR as a molecular diagnostic technique to detect Giardia infections in dogs with soft stool or diarrhea (mimicking clinical signs of infection). I utilized both conventional and real time PCR assays and compared the results to the recommended method of diagnosis, the zinc sulfate fecal flotation combined with an immunoassay test. I found that agreement between PCR and microscopy combined with an immunoassay was poor to fair and varied depending on the molecular parameters and size of the DNA target underscoring the complexity of test evaluation and molecular diagnostics for Giardia. I also evaluated cats from a varied population (owned, shelter, feral) in Virginia to determine to what extent (if any) they were infected with potentially zoonotic assemblages of Giardia. The species-specific assemblage F was detected in 57% of the samples and assemblage A, which is considered potentially zoonotic, was recovered from 32% of the sampleI. In 11% both assemblages F and A were detected. We showed for the first time that cats in Virginia are infected with potentially zoonotic assemblages of Giardia. / PHD

The physiological characteristics and organization of cat primary somatosensory cortex (SI) were studied in electrophysiological and anatomical experiments. In single cell recording experiments, quantitatively controlled mechanical stimuli were used to examine the responses of SI cortical neurons to the velocity component of skin or hair displacement. The firing frequency of most rapidly adapting neurons increased as stimulus velocity was increased. Rapidly adapting neurons were classified based on their response patterns to constant-velocity ramp stimuli. Neurons in these classes differed significantly in sensitivity to stimulus velocity and amplitude, adaptation rate, and spontaneous firing rate. The results suggest that frequency coding of stimulus displacement velocity could be performed by individual SI rapidly adapting neurons, and that the classes of rapidly adapting neurons may play different roles in sensation of tactile stimuli. Tract-tracing experiments were used to investigate the ipsilateral corticocortical connections of areas 3b and 2 in SI. Different patterns of connections were found for these areas: area 2 projects to areas 3b, 1, 3a, 5a, 4 and second somatosensory cortex (SII), and area 3b projects to areas 2, 1, 3a and SII. To further compare the organization of these areas, the thalamic input to the forepaw representation within each area was studied. The forepaw region in area 3b receives thalamic input exclusively from ventroposteriopr lateral nucleus (VPL), while area 2 receives input from VPL, medial division of the posterior complex (PoM), and lateral posterior nucleus (LP). These results suggest that area 2 lies at a higher position in the hierarchy of somatosensory information flow.

This research focused on three areas of interest regarding feline amputees; owner perception of how their cats adapt to limb amputation, the possibility of phantom sensation, and changes in gait. In general owners felt their cats had an acceptable quality of life; however a proportion believed their cat experienced pain. Anecdotally, owners reported that their cats continued to attempt to use the missing limb following amputation. This prompted the investigation of noninnate forelimb behaviours potentially indicative of phantom sensation; such behaviours apparently persist for months or years after amputation. The impact of phantom sensation on feline welfare is not known, although in humans phantom sensation is a risk factor for phantom pain. Alterations in gait and posture in humans are associated with pain and osteoarthritis. The kinetic changes in feline gait were assessed using a pressure sensitive walkway; this provided its own challenges as the software was designed for large bipeds. As such, a proportion of this work was devoted to developing methods to reliably extract data for small quadrupeds. The results detail how feline amputees alter their weight distribution and paw placement when moving. Observation of amputee cats suggests that they move their limbs differently to those of normal cats, and this was confirmed in a kinematic study using markers to track the motion of each limb. Prior to this research very little was known about how cats coped with limb amputation. The results will better inform the veterinary profession and owners of feline amputees about expected changes, and potentially inform future work on the impact of limb amputation on the welfare of cats. On balance, although there may be some areas of concern, the welfare of cats is acceptable following amputation.

No description available.