Significant epilepsy gene discovery in dogs.

Significant epilepsy gene discovery in dogs.Researh groups from the University of Helsinki, the LMU Munich and the University of Guelph have described in collaboration a novel myoclonic epilepsy in dogs and identified its genetic cause. The study reveals a novel candidate gene for human myoclonic epilepsies, one of the most common forms of epilepsy. As a result, a genetic test was developed for veterinary diagnostics and breeding programs. A collaborative study describes a novel myoclonic epilepsy syndrome in dogs for the first time and discovers its genetic cause at DIRAS1 gene. The affected dogs developed myoclonic seizures at young age - on average 6 months old - and seizures occur typically at rest. In some of the dogs the seizures could be triggered by light. The canine myoclonic epilepsy resembles human juvenile myoclonic syndrome in many aspects and the study has therefore meaningful implications for epilepsy research across species, says Professor Hannes Lohi from the canine gene research group, University of Helsinki. more

10 guidelines to help vets know when to make the decision to refer their patients.

When should you refer a surgical patient? 10 guidelines to help vets know when to make the decision to refer their patients.From a legal standpoint, any licensed veterinarian can perform any surgery on any patient. But just because you can doesn’t mean that you should. So how do you know when to refer? How do you know which patient you can handle and which one you should refer? What if there is no surgeon within hours of your practice? How do you balance keeping income at your practice, the patient’s needs, and the client’s convenience and finances, all while keeping both hungry lawyers and your friendly state board out of your hair? These 10 guidelines can help you when making decisions about a controversial, sensitive, and diplomatically delicate situation: the surgical patient referral. Be realistic Let’s get the most sensitive subject out of the way—honesty. Be honest with yourself and your clients about your abilities and experience. Trust your gut. Refer if you have a feeling you should. If a procedure is on the fringe of what you feel comfortable doing, let your clients know that. If you’ve never performed a certain procedure before, tell your client upfront. If your facility and your team will have difficulty performing the procedure and especially providing the aftercare, make your client aware. Put your patients before your ego. Know your options Get to know the specialists in your area. Obtain a list of services provided and modalities offered. Encourage feedback from your clients to gain their perspective on the referral practice, the specialist in question, and the staff. This will help refine your future recommendations. continue

Disease resistance successfully spread from modified to wild mosquitoes.

Disease resistance successfully spread from modified to wild mosquitoes. Using genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes to reduce or prevent the spread of infectious diseases is a new but rapidly expanding field of investigation. Among the challenges researchers face is ensuring that GM mosquitoes can compete and mate with their wild counterparts so the desired modification is preserved and spread in the wild population. Investigators at Johns Hopkins University have engineered GM mosquitoes to have an altered microbiota that suppresses human malaria-causing parasites. These GM mosquitos preferred to mate with wild mosquitoes and passed along the desired protection to many generations of offspring. The research was funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health.T he researchers genetically modified Anopheles mosquitoes, which in nature spread the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium. The team caged equal numbers of wild and GM mosquitoes and monitored their breeding over 10 generations. Ninety percent of the offspring in each generation passed along the GM trait. Even when combining 10 percent GM with 90 percent wild mosquitoes, the Plasmodium-resistance trait dominated after a few generations. Importantly, the GM mosquitoes maintained their resistance to the malaria parasite for 7 years. GM

Prevention methods for dog bites too simplistic.

Prevention methods for dog bites too simplistic. Scientists at the University of Liverpool have shown that educating pet owners about canine body language may not be the answer to preventing dog bites as originally thought. Experts have argued that dog bites are preventable if owners are properly educated on how to read canine behaviour and identify high risk situations. Until now, however, the effectiveness of this theory has not been evaluated in any great depth. At a time when data suggests dog bite incidents are increasing, the team at Liverpool interviewed victims of dog attacks to gain further understanding into their perceptions of the experience.They found that in some cases there was no interaction with the dog before the bite occurred and therefore no opportunity to assess behaviour. There was a common tendency for victims to blame themselves for the attack, rather than the animal, or in cases where the dog was not known to them, they blamed the dog owner. continue

The hormone that could be making your dog aggressive discovered.

The hormone that could be making your dog aggressive discovered.Thousands of people are hospitalized every year for dog bites, and aggressive behavior is a major reason dogs end up in shelters. Biologists have studied the biology behind canine aggression, specifically the role of the hormones vasopressin and oxytocin. For some dog owners, a leisurely walk can turn stressful the moment their canine companion sees another pup walking by. Dogs with what is known as "leash aggression" may bark, growl or lunge at other dogs during walks, setting the scene for a tense and potentially dangerous interaction. So why do some dogs lash out on the leash while others don't? Hormones may be to partly to blame, according to new research led by the University of Arizona's Evan MacLean. Although a number of studies have looked at the role of testosterone and serotonin in aggression in dogs and other mammals, those hormones may be only part of the story, according to MacLean's findings, which are published in a special issue of the journal Frontiers in Psychology. MacLean and his collaborators looked specifically at oxytocin and vasopressin -- hormones that are also found in humans -- and found that they may play an important role in shaping dogs' social behavior.

Fecal transplant success for diabetes might depend on the recipient's gut microbes.

Fecal transplant success for diabetes might depend on the recipient's gut microbes.A small clinical trial in the Netherlands found that a fecal transplant from a lean donor can temporarily improve insulin resistance in obese men -- but only half of the recipients responded. Upon further investigation, the researchers discovered that they could predict the success of the treatment by analyzing each patient's fecal gut-bacterial makeup. This understanding could help shape the development of personalized fecal transplant for diabetes. Six weeks after participants received fecal material from a lean donor, half of them saw an improvement in insulin sensitivity, whereas the other half saw no change. "The fifty-fifty responder-to-non-responder rate surprised me," says Nieuwdorp. "I thought we would have fewer people respond to the transplant." The researchers then compared the pre-treatment microbiota of both groups and found that the non-responders were the ones who started off with less bacterial diversity. more

Gut bacteria metabolism may factor into hypertension.

Gut bacteria metabolism may factor into hypertension.One in three American adults suffers from high blood pressure, or hypertension. The disease can be passed down in families, and certain lifestyle factors such as smoking, high-sodium diets, and stress can increase the risk. In recent years, scientists have discovered that certain gut bacteria may contribute to hypertension, as well. In a few studies, when gut bacteria were killed off with antibiotics, patients with hypertension saw a drop in blood pressure. And when gut bacteria were transplanted from hypertensive people into normal mice, they developed high blood pressure. The evidence is compelling, but until now, scientists have not identified a mechanism to explain how bacteria increase blood pressure. more