The estimation of time of death (TOD) can be used to aid law enforcement officers in solving criminal cases involving a death. By determining the period from the TOD until the time the body is discovered, forensic investigators can potentially link or rule out a suspect. A great amount of research has been conducted for the purpose of establishing a reliable and accurate means of estimating TOD in humans. In contrast, most animal studies have centered on techniques that might be applied to human forensic cases or to aid wildlife officers in prosecuting criminals who violate conservation laws. However, little research has been conducted concerning the estimation of TOD in companion animals, especially canines. Estimating TOD in companion animals can aid investigators in solving animal abuse cases involving the death of a pet and/or the murder of an owner that coincides with the death of the pet. The objectives of this study are to take selected TOD measures and apply them for the purpose of expanding the current scientific knowledge concerning TOD determination in canines. Such information should be useful in animal cruelty/abuse investigations by providing a practical and inexpensive quantitative methodology of estimating TOD, maximize the probability that investigators with limited experience will collect useful data, and aid in teaching animal cruelty/abuse investigators proper forensic techniques for handling and collecting data in the field. The measures chosen for this study include postmortem temperature declines in the brain, liver, rectum, and external ear canal and analysis of changes in the concentration of vitreous humor potassium after death. Recording data for these measures are relatively easy, inexpensive, and have been shown in many studies to be the least controversial and most accurate means for estimating TOD. This study documented that body temperature declines measured in the rectum, liver, brain, and external ear canal can be documented using relatively inexpensive and readily available instruments. Further, this study confirms the work of others that changes in K+ concentration in the vitreous humor of the eye is a reliable measure for use in estimation of TOD in dogs. Keywords: Estimation of time of death; Forensics; Canines; Core body temperature; Vitreous humor; Potassium

This thesis focuses on the analysis and modeling of scratching, in other words, the DJ (disk jockey) practice of using the turntable as a musical instrument. There has been experimental use of turntables as musical instruments since their invention, but the use is now mainly ascribed to the musical genre hip-hop and the playing style known as scratching. Scratching has developed to become a skillful instrument-playing practice with complex musical output performed by DJs. The impact on popular music culture has been significant, and for many, the DJ set-up of turntables and a mixer is now a natural instrument choice for undertaking a creative music activity. Six papers are included in this thesis, where the first three approach the acoustics and performance of scratching, and the second three approach scratch modeling and the DJ interface. Additional studies included here expand on the scope of the papers. For the acoustics and performance studies, DJs were recorded playing both demonstrations of standard performance techniques, and expressive performances on sensor-equipped instruments. Analysis of the data revealed that there are both differences and commonalities in playing strategies between musicians, and between expressive intentions. One characteristic feature of scratching is the range of standard playing techniques, but in performances it seems DJs vary the combination of playing techniques more than the rendering of these techniques. The third study describes some of the acoustic parameters of typical scratch improvisations and looks at which musical parameters are typically used for expressive performances. Extracted acoustic and performance parameters from the data show the functional ranges within which DJs normally play. Unlike traditional musical instruments, the equipment used for scratching was not intended to be used for creating music. The interface studies focus on traditional as well as new interfaces for DJs, where parameter mappings between input gestures and output signal are described. Standard performance techniques have been modeled in software called Skipproof, based on results from the first papers. Skipproof was used for testing other types of controllers than turntables, where complex DJ gestures could be manipulated using simplified control actions, enabling even non-experts to play expressively within the stylistic boundaries of DJ scratching. The last paper describes an experiment of using an existing hardware platform, the Reactable, to help designing and prototyping the interaction between different sound models and instrument interfaces, including scratching and Skipproof. In addition to the included papers, studies were conducted of expressivity, description of the emotional contents of scratching, DJ playing activities, and the coupling between playing techniques and sample. The physical affordances of the turntable, mixer and samples, as well as genre conventions of hip-hop, are assumed to explain some of the findings that distinguish scratching from other instrumental sounds or practices. / QC20100729

The potential use of the macrolide antimicrobial tilmicosin in the horse was assessed by initially reviewing bacterial isolates from equine infections. This demonstrated that respiratory disease due to Gram positive organisms was the most common bacterial infection documented at WCVM. Furthermore, 45% of Streptococcus zooepidemicus isolates were resistant to the commonly used potentiated sulphonamides. <p>It was necessary to first develop and validate a robust HPLC analytical technique to detect tilmicosin in a variety of equine tissues. The methodology was fully validated in plasma and lung with LODs of 13 ng/mL and 181 ng/g respectively.<p>In a preliminary trial, we administered tilmicosin to recently weaned foals at a dose of 4 mg/kg PO sid or 10 mg/kg SC q 72 hrs. The oral dose did not result in detectable tissue concentrations of tilmicosin. The pharmacokinetics of the injectable dose were similar to previous reports in other species. The injectable preparation resulted in severe swelling at the site of injection associated with edema and tissue necrosis. Otherwise, tilmicosin was well tolerated by the foals and no foals developed severe colitis. However, a semi-quantitative fecal bacteriological technique demonstrated marked changes in the normal fecal flora, with profound overgrowth of the Enterbacteriacae and almost complete removal of the normal â-hemolytic streptococci population. No known pathogens were isolated from the feces.<p>In a subsequent study, we investigated the administration of higher doses of oral tilmicosin to unweaned foals to simulate treatment of R. equi. A dose of 40 mg/kg PO sid resulted in detectable plasma concentrations of tilmicosin. Foals were treated at this dose regimen for 2 weeks and sequentially euthanized. Tissue analysis demonstrated concentrations of tilmicosin in tissues similar to those seen with the 10 mg/kg sc dose with a Cmax of 4 µg/g in lung and a MRT which was shorter at 8.8 hrs. The MIC50 of R. equi to tilmicosin was 4 µg/g. Based on pharmacodynamic studies it appears that oral tilmicosin has the potential to be of use in the treatment of R. equi pneumonia in foals. No adverse clinical effects were noted in the foals; however, the fecal flora was again changed by tilmicosin administration. <p>The fecal flora of the unweaned foals was different from that of the older animals with almost no â-haemolytic streptococci and a predominantly Gram negative flora. Disruption of the fecal flora did result in overgrowth of Cl. perfringens which was not associated with disease.<p>In a final study, we compared the effects of tilmicosin and ceftiofur on the fecal flora of adult horses. The fecal flora of the horses receiving tilmicosin was severely disrupted in the same manner as the weaned foals with the added effect of overgrowth of Cl. perfringens. Ceftiofur which is widely regarded as being associated with antimicrobial associated diarrhea had very little effect on the fecal flora.<p>It is concluded that oral tilmicosin shows potential for the treatment of R. equi pneumonia in young foals. However, care should be taken due to possibility of developing colitis. The drugs use should be avoided in older horses due to the very real risk of developing acute bacterial colitis. The injectable preparation should not be used in horses due to the severity of the reaction at the injection site.

Entry of herpesviruses is mediated by the interactions between viral glycoproteins and cellular receptors. Among these glycoproteins, gB plays an important role. In this study, my major focus was to study gB's functions in the virus entry process and the structural requirements for gB to conduct its functions. The virus model in my study is bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1), a member of the alphaherpesviruses. BHV-1 gB is a type I integral membrane protein with a potential transmembrane anchor at the C-terminal region. A cleavage site in the middle divides this molecule into two subunits, gBb and gBc. In this study, a truncated gB, gBt (residues 1 to 763), and N-terminal subunit, gBb (residues 1 to 505), were first expressed under the control of the bovine heat-shock protein 70A (hsp70A) gene promoter in stably transfected Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells. Both forms of gB were secreted into the medium with apparent molecular weights as anticipated, and they were reactive to all gB-specific monoclonal antibodies used in this study. Affinity-purified gBt and gBb were able to elicit antibody responses in mice to an extent comparable to those induced by authentic gB. These results suggest that gBt and gBb retain the structural and antigenic properties of authentic gB. Furthermore, the intracellular processing of gBt and gBb was similar to that of authentic gB in virus-infected cells. Finally, gBt was proteolytically cleaved after conversion of the high mannose-containing precursor to the mature form. These truncated gBs that were prepared served as reagents for the core of my studies. BHV-I gB can bind to heparin sulfate (HS) and another non-HS receptor on MDBK cells. We assume that high-affinity binding to the non-HS receptor is important for BHV-1 infectivity. BHV-1 gB forms dimers in infected cells and in virions, and its dimerization domain may be located between residues 506 to 763. The cytoplasmic domain of BHV-1 gB is important for the existence of the high-affinity binding site. Without the cytoplasmic domain, the truncated gB derivatives exhibit conformational changes and loss of the high-affinity binding site. By comparing the expression of different gB derivatives in MDBK cells, it was found that in the putative transmembrane region, segment 3 is the real membrane anchor, whereas segment 2 is the fusogenic domain. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The potential use of the macrolide antimicrobial tilmicosin in the horse was assessed by initially reviewing bacterial isolates from equine infections. This demonstrated that respiratory disease due to Gram positive organisms was the most common bacterial infection documented at WCVM. Furthermore, 45% of Streptococcus zooepidemicus isolates were resistant to the commonly used potentiated sulphonamides. <p>It was necessary to first develop and validate a robust HPLC analytical technique to detect tilmicosin in a variety of equine tissues. The methodology was fully validated in plasma and lung with LODs of 13 ng/mL and 181 ng/g respectively.<p>In a preliminary trial, we administered tilmicosin to recently weaned foals at a dose of 4 mg/kg PO sid or 10 mg/kg SC q 72 hrs. The oral dose did not result in detectable tissue concentrations of tilmicosin. The pharmacokinetics of the injectable dose were similar to previous reports in other species. The injectable preparation resulted in severe swelling at the site of injection associated with edema and tissue necrosis. Otherwise, tilmicosin was well tolerated by the foals and no foals developed severe colitis. However, a semi-quantitative fecal bacteriological technique demonstrated marked changes in the normal fecal flora, with profound overgrowth of the Enterbacteriacae and almost complete removal of the normal â-hemolytic streptococci population. No known pathogens were isolated from the feces.<p>In a subsequent study, we investigated the administration of higher doses of oral tilmicosin to unweaned foals to simulate treatment of R. equi. A dose of 40 mg/kg PO sid resulted in detectable plasma concentrations of tilmicosin. Foals were treated at this dose regimen for 2 weeks and sequentially euthanized. Tissue analysis demonstrated concentrations of tilmicosin in tissues similar to those seen with the 10 mg/kg sc dose with a Cmax of 4 µg/g in lung and a MRT which was shorter at 8.8 hrs. The MIC50 of R. equi to tilmicosin was 4 µg/g. Based on pharmacodynamic studies it appears that oral tilmicosin has the potential to be of use in the treatment of R. equi pneumonia in foals. No adverse clinical effects were noted in the foals; however, the fecal flora was again changed by tilmicosin administration. <p>The fecal flora of the unweaned foals was different from that of the older animals with almost no â-haemolytic streptococci and a predominantly Gram negative flora. Disruption of the fecal flora did result in overgrowth of Cl. perfringens which was not associated with disease.<p>In a final study, we compared the effects of tilmicosin and ceftiofur on the fecal flora of adult horses. The fecal flora of the horses receiving tilmicosin was severely disrupted in the same manner as the weaned foals with the added effect of overgrowth of Cl. perfringens. Ceftiofur which is widely regarded as being associated with antimicrobial associated diarrhea had very little effect on the fecal flora.<p>It is concluded that oral tilmicosin shows potential for the treatment of R. equi pneumonia in young foals. However, care should be taken due to possibility of developing colitis. The drugs use should be avoided in older horses due to the very real risk of developing acute bacterial colitis. The injectable preparation should not be used in horses due to the severity of the reaction at the injection site.

A framework for curriculum harmonization at veterinary colleges in Latin America is proposed. The framework was developed considering the expansion of knowledge, particularly in veterinary public health. Also described are the generic or process skills for a life-long commitment to learning. The proposed core curriculum consists of four one-year academic blocks which include process skills in veterinary education, basic biology, animal health, and animal production. Each are considered fundamental disciplines crucial for successful veterinary practice in Latin America. Optional species-oriented elective blocks are also discussed. The proposed block-based core curriculum encourages curricular flexibility, and reduces the problem of information overload. The curriculum framework also promotes mobility for students, teachers, researchers, and administrators in Latin America. A qualitative approach using interviews was developed and tested. Data were collected from an extensive literature review and responses obtained from interviews with 25 veterinarians selected from Argentina (3), Bolivia (2), Chile (3), Colombia (2), Costa Rica (3), Guatemala (2), Mexico(6), and Peru (4). Several techniques were used to complement the research, among which were: note taking during interviews, triangulation, peer debriefing, and confidentiality. Adopting the proposed framework will help face current societal demands from the veterinary profession such as those skills for a more service-oriented practice that are becoming increasingly important to veterinarians. It will also enhance the competencies of trained veterinary professionals within the various branches that comprises the wide scope and diversity of veterinary practice found in Latin America. And it will increase preparation of veterinary students to cover both the broad and in-depth knowledge required to address the various veterinary fields related to the regional, national, and international societal demands in a globalized competitive world. The major conclusion from this study was that veterinary public health has become an overarching educational theme for veterinary education in Latin America. Further, the public expectation of veterinary practitioners in Latin America includes expertise not only in medicine and the animal sciences, but also in food animal production, economics, and public health. In fact, the concept of veterinary public health has become an over-arching educational theme that well characterizes veterinary education in Latin America.

Thesis (MSc. (Pharmacology, Veterinary Science)--University of Pretoria, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available in print format.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität München, 1969. / Includes bibliographical references.

No description available.

Necrotic enteritis (NE) is an important enteric disease in poultry production that has re-emerged as a major problem following an EU wide ban on the use of in-feed antimicrobials. Although the primary aetiological agent of disease is Clostridium perfringens type A, a commensal in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) of chickens, numerous additional influential factors have been reported that can predispose chickens to NE. These precipitating factors mainly include diet, co-infection with other pathogens particularly coccidia, as well as environmental and management factors. Despite being first described almost more than 50 years ago, a reliable, consistently reproducible experimental model for NE induction is still lacking. Here, a series of experiments were conducted to investigate the importance of the various potential predisposing factors, in isolation and in combination, that are believed to play a role in sub-clinical NE development: feed withdrawal, dietary protein sources, co- infection with coccidia, C. perfringens dose and contact with reused litter. In addition, chicken breed sensitivity to NE was assessed, and last, but not least, blood and gut tissue samples were used to identify novel biochemical markers for sub-clinical NE. Chapter 3 reports an experiment showing that feed withdrawal up to 24 hrs in experimentally challenged birds did not result in NE specific lesions. Chapter 4 shows that replacing dietary soyabean meal with potato protein concentrate or canola meal or adding synthetic trypsin inhibitor to the soyabean meal control diet did not induce sub-clinical NE in birds housed on reused litter, a natural source of C. perfringens challenge. Chapter 5 describes that in vitro growth of C. perfringens on in vitro digested grower diets was prolonged following the addition of fishmeal, suggesting that the role of fish meal as a predisposing factor for in vivo sub-clinical NE cannot be excluded. All subsequent diets therefore contained high levels of fish meal. When this was used in combination with high dose of coccidial vaccine, a repeated in-feed challenge for three days at 102 colony forming units (cfu) C. perfringens per g feed did not result in sub-clinical NE, though at 109 cfu/g resulted in 10% of challenged birds (3 out of 30) showing NE-specific lesions (Chapter 6). Further study is needed to determine if the two Ross birds with gross NE lesions compared to the one Hubbard bird (out of 15 birds each) was due to a lower level of NE resistance. 3 The failure to significantly induce sub-clinical NE in the previous experiments suggests that challenging the birds with C. perfringens in the isolated presence of suspected predisposing factors may not provide a suitable experimental model. Indeed, when birds were dosed twice daily with 108 cfu C. perfringens for three days in the presence of high levels of fishmeal, canola meal as main protein source, coccidial and IBD vaccinations, and feed withdrawal prior to challenge, 40.6% of the challenged birds developed lesions of sub-clinical NE without inducing mortality (Chapter 7). This concurred with reduced growth performance relative to the sham-infected control birds, and thus is a successful model for induction of sub-clinical NE. Finally this work has, for the first time provided novel information on potential biomarkers (Chapter 8). Whilst challenge did not impact on the expression of genes previously shown to be differentially expressed upon C. perfringens toxin exposure, the serum ceruloplasmin concentration increased, suggesting that monitoring this acute phase protein may indicate the presence of C. perfringens infection in poultry. However, as such markers generally lack specificity, further research confirming its role in response to sub-clinical NE is needed to provide a fully effective diagnostic and prognostic marker for flock health and welfare, as well as ultimately helping to gain better understanding of the pathophysiology of sub-clinical NE. Improved knowledge of the effect of different dietary components on the growth of C. perfringens may help in the formulation of broiler diets to assist in further reducing the incidence of NE particularly in the absence of antimicrobial growth promoters. It is hoped that host responses in terms of acute phase proteins, and possibley gene expression, will also provide greater insight into the pathogenesis of NE. Provided that the developed experimental sub-clinical NE model is reproducible, this will benefit the understanding of this billion dollar disease and enable further investigation of various chemical and non-chemical interventions to reduce its severity and impact on poultry production.